Minor Transactions: 2/10/2017
The flip-flop of young backups continues in Columbus. The Blue Jackets announced today that they have demoted Joonas Korpisalo to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters and recalled Anton Forsberg to take his place. The 22-year-old Korpisalo won both of his last two starts, but was unimpressive, allowing a combined ten goals in the process. He did relieve Sergei Bobrovsky recently with 13 minutes of shutout hockey, but it was not enough to keep him around. Korpisalo has an .893 SV% and 3.57 GAA in five appearances this season. Ironically, Forsberg has not done much better. In his first and only game with Columbus in 2016-17, the 24-year-old allowed four goals on 27 shots in a loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. With both young keepers set to go unprotected in the upcoming Expansion Draft, perhaps it is GM Jarmo Kekalainen‘s strategy to not allow either to get hot at the NHL level in an effort to dissuade the Vegas Golden Knights from damaging the Blue Jackets’ future in net.
Columbus also sent Oliver Bjorkstrand down to the AHL. The 21-year-old Danish winger was expected to have a much greater role with the Blue Jackets this season, but to this point has just one point in five games. Bjorkstrand has spent almost the whole season with the Monsters, scoring 14 goals and nine assists in 35 games.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Last night, the Edmonton Oilers recalled defenseman Jordan Oesterle and forward Anton Lander from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. The pair have been sent back-and-forth frequently of late while Edmonton balances their lineup. Lander has been demoted recently during struggles to make a difference with the Oilers, only to dominate the AHL level with 28 points in 18 games. On the flip side, Edmonton has tried inserting Oesterle into the lineup recently due to his 18 points in 26 games to lead all Condors defensemen.
- Eric Gelinas has been reassigned to the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage by the struggling Colorado Avalanche. The Avs are desperate for defense, but Gelinas has not been the solution. The former New Jersey Devils top prospect was traded to Colorado at the deadline last year, and has been a major disappointment. After playing a prominent role for the Devils, he has just one point in 33 games for the Avalanche.
- One of the main reasons that the Winnipeg Jets placed defenseman Julian Melchiori on waivers earlier today was to make room for fellow blue liner Ben Chiarot. The Jets announced that they have activated Chiarot from the injured reserve today. Chiarot has been out since early January for the Jets, and his presence will be much-welcomed with Tyler Myers still sidelined.
- Buffalo announced via Twitter that they have sent forward Evan Rodrigues back to AHL Rochester. He has played in just four career NHL games – two this season – but is having a strong season at the minor league level with nine goals and 18 assists in 43 contests with the Amerks.
- The Sharks have made a series of roster moves, announcing that they have recalled defenseman Tim Heed and winger Kevin Labanc from San Jose of the AHL while assigning blueliner Joakim Ryan and center Ryan Carpenter to the Barracuda. Heed and Labanc have been shuffled back and forth routinely as the team looks to free up extra cap space and will be available for a matinee game against the Flyers tomorrow.
- Dallas has assigned blueliner Julius Honka to their AHL affiliate in Texas, reports Mark Stepneski of Stars Inside Edge (Twitter link). Honka has played in ten NHL games this season, recording four assists. The move suggests that Jamie Oleksiak could be ready to return from his hand injury; he has been out of the lineup since January 11th.
Western Conference Snapshots: Russell, Davidson, Coyotes, Stars
Like many teams, the Edmonton Oilers will face some difficult choices when choosing whom to protect in the expansion draft. The recent emergence of Brandon Davidson and the team’s reported desire to re-sign Kris Russell beyond the current campaign has created a surprising logjam on the blue line. Assuming the team elects to protect seven forwards and three defensemen, it’s a near certainty that the Oil will keep Adam Larsson, Oscar Klefbom and Andrej Sekera, which means the team will have to expose Davidson. But David Staples of the Edmonton Journal offers up a solution for Edmonton: protect four defenders, including Davidson, and make Jordan Eberle available to Vegas to select.
While acknowledging that Russell has been a solid, if unspectacular addition to the team’s defense corps and probably would be worth a modest extension, Staples argues that Davidson, four years the former’s junior, is a better long-term option due to his cost and similar on-ice performance. As a pending free agent, Russell won’t have to be protected from the expansion draft unless he inks an extension prior, but Davidson will or the club risks losing him for nothing. One way to make the numbers work would be to leave Eberle unprotected. Eberle, who has two more years on a deal with a $6MM annual cap charge, has underachieved this season, registering just 11 goals in 55 games. If Vegas took a chance on the gifted offensive winger, it would solve two problems for Edmonton: one, it allows the team to keep Davidson and two, the team would save a sizable chunk of cap space which can then be allocated to long-term extensions for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who will reach restriced free agency following the 2017-18 and 2016-17 seasons, respectively.
Elsewhere in the Western Conference:
- The Arizona Coyotes are one of only a small handful of teams known to consider themselves sellers ahead of the trade deadline and they have several marketable assets that will draw interest in the coming weeks. Sarah McLellan of AZ Central lists the players she believes could be moved at the deadline. Martin Hanzal headlines the list as she notes his size and two-way acumen would appeal to practically any playoff contender. Right-shot defender Michael Stone, in the final year of his contract, could be an attractive piece since most teams are looking for blue line depth, particularly on the right side, at this time of year. McLellan includes Shane Doan but writes that it may be next to impossible to find the right fit; a serious Stanley Cup contender in need of a player of his ilk. Perhaps the most interesting name to make the cut was that of Anthony Duclair. The 21-year-old winger was considered a foundation building block coming into the season but with just nine points in 41 games earning him a demotion to the minors, it’s clear he has fallen out of favor in the desert.
- Mike Heika recently fielded questions from readers in a mailbag feature on SportsDayDFW.com and offered insight into a wide array of Stars-related topics. The biggest concern readers seem to share is the club’s struggles in the goal-prevention department. Heika points out that goaltending is a huge problem, with the team’s netminders registering a Save % of 0.904 compared to the Washington Capitals league-leading rate of 0.928. The Stars have committed more than $10MM of cap space to Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen, a figure more than any other team has allocated toward their top two goalies. If the Stars want to salvage their season they may need to strongly consider an upgrade between the pipes and as we learned yesterday, the team has apparently shown interest in Marc-Andre Fleury already. While the Penguins are likely going to deal Fleury before the upcoming expansion draft, it’s unclear how much they would get in return.
Trade Candidates: Marc-Andre Fleury
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has spent 13 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but this one could be his last. Finally forced out of the starter’s role by newcomer Matt Murray, Fleury now mans the bench as the clear backup. The only problem is that the Penguins now have a $5.75MM backup goaltender with a NTC and NMC, and an impending expansion draft. A proven goaltender with two Stanley Cup rings—albeit one as a backup—should be a hot commodity at the trade deadline, but the ever-evolving NHL wants less and less to do with high-priced veteran goaltenders.
Contract
Fleury has two more years left at $5.75MM a year. He also has a No-Trade Clause and a No-Movement Clause.
2016-17 Season Stats
28 GP, 25 GS, 14-7-4, .906 SV%, 3.15 GAA, 0 SO
Season Overview
Fleury had a golden opportunity to silence his doubters and take the reins back in Pittsburgh. With Matt Murray out with a broken hand to start the season, Fleury was poised for his resurgence. Unfortunately the season hasn’t unfolded that way, and Fleury sits with a less-that-stellar .906 SV% and 3.15 GAA. Fleury’s issue is inconsistency rather than mediocrity. Some nights the Penguins goaltender is a brick wall and stymies opponents left and right. Other nights he performs at replacement-level and posts disappointing stats. And since the Penguins now have Murray between the pipes, Fleury gets less and less opportunities to figure it out.
Suitors
The Dallas Stars are the main suitor so far. ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun noted on TSN’s Leaf Lunch that the Stars covet Fleury and have made preliminary inquiries. PHR’s Zach Leach covered the story in more detail here, and the fit seems like a natural one. Dallas desperately needs a goaltender after another disappointing year using the tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi. Both are putting up numbers as bad or worse then Fleury.
If the Stars trade for Fleury, expect a goaltender to go to Pittsburgh in return. Which goaltender goes the other way depends on what the Penguins add to the deal. Lehtonen has $1.5MM more of a cap hit than Niemi ($5.9MM vs $4.5MM), and both have one more year remaining after this season.
Likelihood Of A Trade
Likely. Because Fleury has a NMC, the Penguins are forced to protect him in the Expansion Draft unless he waives the clause. If the Penguins protect him, then they have to expose Matt Murray and they do not want to do that. So either Fleury waives his NMC or agrees to a trade where he can regain the starting position.
Keeping Fleury and buying him out at the end of the year represents the least efficient move by the Penguins. The Penguins would incur a $1.9MM cap hit for the next four years if they buy out Fleury. Conversely, if they trade for Lehtonen and buy him out, they incur a $2.56MM cap hit next season, and a $1.66MM cap hit the season after. If the Penguins up the ante and acquire Niemi, they incur a cap hit of $1.5MM for the next two years. The latter two buyouts represents a better deal for the Pens then dead money for four years.
The only reason the Penguins may hold onto Fleury is if they want insurance for a deep playoff run. Losing a starting goaltender significantly decreases a team’s chance at the Stanley Cup, and Pittsburgh may want Fleury as an insurance policy and accept a buyout cap hit for the next four years.
Stars Targeting Marc-Andre Fleury
Marc-Andre Fleury has done little to improve his draft stock this season. The veteran goaltender has a pedestrian 3.05 goals against average and .906 save percentage through 28 appearances in 2016-17. He’s been pulled from three games and has surrendered four or more goals ten times already, including in two of his last three starts. Matthew Murray, who stole the show in the postseason last year and led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Stanley Cup title, has been back at this year, monopolizing the goal when healthy and forcing Fleury into a definitive backup role. However, for the Penguins to protect their prodigious young keeper in the upcoming Expansion Draft, they must find a way to rid themselves of Fleury and his no-movement clause. The best option for the team is to trade their longtime goalie, and Fleury has expressed a willingness to waive his clause to facilitate such a move. The problem now is that Fleury’s play had seemingly eliminated the market for his services. Many had speculated that any previous interest had dried up, and if the Penguins wanted to move Fleury out, they would have to send a top pick or prospect along with him to a cap space-rich squad.
That may not be the case, though. ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun reported in a radio interview this morning with Toronto’s TSN 1050 that the Dallas Stars have opened up preliminary talks with Pittsburgh regarding Fleury. If there’s any team in the league whose goaltenders have underachieved more than the Penguins’ vet, it’s the duo in Dallas. The Stars have long been considered a likely destination for Fleury due to their horrible situation in net. Kari Lehtonen has an 11-15-6 record in 36 appearances this season and is sporting a 2.89 GAA and .902 save percentage. He also has another year remaining on his contract, which carries an astronomical $5.9MM cap hit and limited no-trade clause. Antti Niemi has been even worse, posting a 10-8-4 record in 28 appearances with a 3.20 GAA and .901 save percentage. The former Vezina candidate has another year on his deal left as well, along with a limited no-trade clause of his own and a $4.5MM cap hit. The $10MM+ team has the Stars in 29th in the NHL in goals against in 2016-17, with a 3.17 average that is second-worst to only the lowly Colorado Avalanche. Last year, Dallas was able to overcome their 19th-ranked 2.78 average and make to the playoffs, but injuries and a loss of key contributors on the blue line have hurt the Stars’ scoring and team defense this year. Lehtonen’s struggles go back yet another year, to 2014-15, when he led the team to a 27th-ranked 3.13 team goals against and a tenth place finish in the Western Conference.
The Stars will be lucky if they finish tenth in the West in 2016-17. The team currently sits in sixth in the Central Division and tied for 12th overall in the conference, trailing the Calgary Flames by seven points for the final wild card spot. A closer look reveals that Dallas is averaging less than a point per game, putting them in a class with only the Avalanche, Arizona Coyotes, Winnipeg Jets, and Vancouver Canucks as the worst teams in the league. So, you might ask why the Stars should acquire Fleury with such little hope this season? The problem in Dallas extends beyond just this season. With Lehtonen and Niemi locked up for next year, unlikely to be tradeable assets or expansion selections, the team would be forced to buy out one or the other or stick with both of them for yet another season in 2017-18. The Stars also lack any promising prospects in the system to supplant either keeper. A trade with the Penguins seems to be the perfect fit to at least attempt to solve their goalie problems for a few reasons. First, Fleury can be the goalie of the future. At 32 years old, he is younger than both of their current options and was putting up high end numbers in each of the past two seasons. Fleury has shown an inability to play well as a backup, but when given an unchallenged starting role, has been much better. He also has two years remaining on his current contract with a $5.75MM cap hit, which is lower than Lehtonen’s. Any deal with Pittsburgh for Fleury would also help them to eliminate one of their two current goaltenders. If Pittsburgh deals away Fleury without finding a suitable veteran backup by the Trade Deadline, they will be left with the young Murray, who has had some injury troubles, and Tristan Jarry, who has yet to make an NHL appearance. An easy fix is to have the Stars throw in one of their goalies, likely Niemi, to serve as Murray’s backup. While he has been unimpressive in Dallas, Niemi at least has successful playoff experience should Murray get injured down the stretch or in the postseason. The Penguins can then always buy out Niemi after the season, which would be a much lesser burden in dollars and term than if they decide not to trade Fleury and are forced to buy him out instead. Finally, acquiring a solid starter in Fleury and trading Niemi (or Lehtonen) would allow the Stars, who have ample cap space heading into next season, to buyout their remaining backup, completely erasing the mistake that they made two years ago.
Despite Fleury’s struggles, he clearly presents an upgrade for the Stars. They also know that Pittsburgh is desperate to make a move to protect Murray. The fit is there and the cost will be cheap. Fleury to Dallas makes too much sense, so expect the chatter to only heat up as we head toward March 1st.
Western Conference Snapshots: DeBoer, Canucks, Spezza
Player development is instrumental to a team’s success in today’s NHL. The salary cap forces teams to waive goodbye to key veterans every year and integrating young players on ELC’s is the most effective way to replace the talent lost. Having a coaching staff that can mold young talent into quality NHL players simplifies that process and speeds up the player’s development. Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area writes that Sharks bench boss Pete DeBoer has done an exemplary job of doing just that in San Jose, despite a reputation from his previous job that suggested otherwise.
One of the reasons DeBoer was fired in New Jersey was his apparent unwillingness to utilize the team’s younger players. However, as Kurz points out, Stefan Matteau, Mattias Tedenby and Eric Gelinas, prospects DeBoer was criticized for not developing while with the Devils, have managed little in the way of NHL success since the coach was let go by New Jersey. On the flip side, the way DeBoer has handled players like Tomas Hertl, Dylan DeMelo and Kevin Lebanc has demonstrated he knows which buttons to push and when to push them in order to further a prospect’s development. And as Kurz notes, when DeBoer recognizes a player is simply not ready for big league action, he has no problem shipping that player back to the minors even if the decision doesn’t sit well with fans.
Elsewhere in the Western Conference:
- In a highly entertaining piece for The Province, Jason Botchford touches on a number of Canuck-related topics. Chief among them is his assertion that veteran defenseman Alex Edler would be a valuable addition to any contending team’s blue line. It’s an interesting notion as Edler certainly would add loads of experience and is still an effective second-pair defender at this stage of his career. He has been a top-pair blue liner for Vancouver this season, averaging better than 24 minutes a contest while registering 10 points in 39 games, but would certainly be better off with less ice time on a playoff contender. Teams may also be hesitant to absorb the remaining two years on his deal, which come with an AAV of $5MM each. Edler also owns a NTC as part of his contract but might be willing to waive that for the right situation. It’s not inconceivable that a contender desperate for a boost on the back end would give the Canucks a call to see what it would take to pry the veteran Swede away from Vancouver.
- The Dallas Stars announced this afternoon that they have placed veteran center Jason Spezza on IR retroactive to February 2nd. The team has been ravaged by injuries to key contributors all season and Spezza is just the latest example of the Stars bad luck with health. Spezza has just eight goals on the season but is fifth on the team in points with 31. He will be eligible to be activated off of IR tomorrow. Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News adds that the move might be procedural to allow the team to recall a player from the minors, either to practice with the club or for tomorrow’s game. The team was at the 23-man roster limit but now have an open spot should they decide to take that course of action.
Snapshots: Stars, Oilers, Bruins, Capitals
After winning the Central Division in 2015-16, the Dallas Stars were expected to once again lead the way this season. Unfortunately for the Stars, that has not been the case.
Stars GM Jim Nill told ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun that “it’s been a frustrating season.”
The Stars have been playing catchup all season, as Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin missed all or most of the World Cup, then Mattias Janmark and Ales Hemsky were lost for the year before the season was two weeks old, and then the team couldn’t outscore poor goaltending to make up the ground.
After a 109-point season last year, the Stars are now 21-23-10 for 52 points in 54 games. They’re seven points behind Calgary for the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. The team’s play isn’t exactly helping their cause, either. The Stars have lost three in a row, and could be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline.
Nill hasn’t officially decided whether or not to go for it this year, saying they’re “taking it game-by-game.” The Stars could do themselves a big favor by acquiring a big-name goaltender like Ben Bishop or Marc-Andre Fleury before the deadline and hoping for a hot streak. But if the losing streak continues, then pending UFAs like Patrick Sharp, Jiri Hudler, and Patrick Eaves could find themselves in new jerseys next month.
- One team that could have interest in Sharp is the Edmonton Oilers. TSN’s Darren Dreger spoke about the Oilers’ deadline plans on That’s Hockey, and said while there’s no desperation, GM Peter Chiarelli would like to add a depth center for the playoff run. Sharp is a skilled veteran who has three Stanley Cups, who has played center before and is right-handed. That would fill two needs for Edmonton.
- For the time being, Dreger believes the Oilers are comfortable with their defense. They’ll get Darnell Nurse back from injury in early March, which will serve as a solid addition to their defensive depth. However, a move could be made with either expansion draft-eligible Brandon Davidson or pending-UFA Kris Russell.
- The fallout continues in Boston. The Bruins were criticized, not only for firing Claude Julien, but for the timing. Firing a coach while the Super Bowl parade happens across town is the sports equivalent of the Friday night news dump in politics. After the move was announced, the Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy called the firing disgraceful, among other adjectives, and questioned if the Bruins management thinks their fans and media are stupid. Now, Bruins reporter Jimmy Murphy tweeted that the timing of the press conference was not the work of the team’s PR department; it was ordered from “above.” Murphy also reported that the struggling Bruins are in danger of losing two major sponsors, and that the press conference timing did not help.
- The Washington Capitals are currently five points ahead of anyone else in the NHL, and their 22-5-1 home record is clearly one of the big reasons. Rob Carlin of CSN reported a ridiculous stat; in their last eight home games, the Capitals have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 42-6. That includes a 6-0 victory and four 5-0 wins.
Stars Notes: Niemi, Oleksiak, Sharp
Although Stars goaltender Antti Niemi struggled considerably in his last three outings (allowing 11 goals in 71 minutes in that span), head coach Lindy Ruff isn’t afraid to use him again in the near future, he told Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News.
Dallas has been juggling between Niemi and Kari Lehtonen on a regular basis as they look for at least one of them to get on a run but that has yet to happen as both have been well below average this season, hardly what the Stars were expecting when they made them the highest paid goaltending duo in the NHL.
Lehtonen has received the last three starts but he too has allowed 11 goals in that span (though to be fair, he played 177 minutes in those games). Accordingly, Niemi may not have to wait that much longer before he gets another look.
More from Dallas:
- Defenseman Jamie Oleksiak is expected to miss another 7-10 days as a result of his hand injuries, notes Mark Stepneski of Stars Inside Edge (Twitter link). Oleksiak has been out of the lineup since January 11th. After spending most of the season as a healthy scratch early on, the 24 year old had been starting to play more before getting sidelined. On the season, the 2011 first round pick has played in 20 games this season, scoring five goals while adding an assist. If the Stars opt to sell at the trade deadline, Oleksiak would be in a prime position to take on a bigger role down the stretch.
- Right winger Patrick Sharp dealt with a lot of motion sickness issues while dealing with two separate instances of post-concussion symptoms, writes Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago. He noted that he has been much more comfortable since returning back in late December and put up a productive month in January with five goals and five assists in 13 games. If Dallas falls out of the playoff hunt, Sharp becomes a potential trade candidate but he will likely call the shots on a move as he can be dealt to just ten teams (while also carrying a pricey $5.9MM cap hit).
Peter Budaj And The Comeback Kids
Peter Budaj was done. Finished. Washed-up. On his way out. Lost at sea.
Then, suddenly he wasn’t.
When Jonathan Quick and Jeff Zatkoff both sustained injuries within the first two weeks of the season, many believed the Kings would panic and overpay for a replacement netminder. Ben Bishop, Jimmy Howard, Marc-Andre Fleury were all names that were expected to be linked to the west-coast royalty, but nothing materialized. The team immediately said that they weren’t going to overpay for a goaltender when they weren’t sure how long Quick would be out, and believed their team was good enough to hold down a playoff spot until his return. What they didn’t expect, was that they would get all-star level goaltending from a guy who had never given it before, and who was rapidly approaching the back half of his thirties.
Peter Budaj made his first start for the Los Angels Kings this season on October 20th, and allowed three goals on 20 shots. Here we go, thought Kings’ fans who expected an .850 save percentage was about all they would get from a 34-year old journeyman. After all, Budaj had played in just one NHL game the last two seasons, and had a career .903 save percentage. Their season was lost unless they went out and got another goaltender, but how could they afford it?
And then, magic. Budaj would find another gear and lead the Kings to a 24-14-3 record while recording a .923 save percentage. His seven shutouts lead the league (ahead of some household names in Braden Holtby, Devan Dubnyk and Tuukka Rask) and he’s recorded a goals against average 0.7 less than his career average. In short, he’s been great.
What Alexey Marchenko Means For Roman Polak
On Saturday morning, it was announced that the Toronto Maple Leafs had claimed Alexey Marchenko from the Detroit Red Wings. While that headline isn’t the blockbuster we’ve been waiting for, it does have some impact on a team that is still deciding what to do at the quickly approaching deadline.
The Maple Leafs placed the much discussed Frank Corrado on waivers in a corresponding move, possibly ending the defenseman’s tenure in Toronto. Corrado hasn’t played much this year, getting into just two games with the NHL club and seven on an AHL conditioning stint. Clearly in head coach Mike Babcock’s doghouse since he came to Toronto, the team has been looking for a right-handed upgrade for a long time.
Marchenko has ties to Babcock from his days in Detroit, though not many. The 25-year old got into just 14 games while Babcock was coaching. It is that familiarity though that has some people saying that he’ll jump into the lineup (at least on a part-time basis) instead of Roman Polak. James Mirtle of the Athletic was on TSN 1050 today and related his thoughts on the matter.
He’s going to play him. The fact that he’s going to play another right defenseman means Roman Polak is going to be sitting out games, and they can look to trade him at some point.
Maybe they play Polak until the deadline, and then they move him…and now they’ve got Marchenko that can slide into those minutes.
The idea that Polak would be moved out of Toronto for the second time in two years is a persistent one in Toronto, as he continues to struggle when paired with Matt Hunwick in all situations other than the penalty kill. While he brought back a pair of second-round picks (when combined with Nick Spaling) last season, it would be surprising to see the Leafs receive anything like that this time around. Polak doess bring a physical presence and the experience of a long Stanley Cup run last season with San Jose, still valued attributes around the league.
For the Maple Leafs, it’s not clear whether they would want to add, sell or just stay the course with a team that is unexpectedly vying for a playoff spot this season. The plan has always been to build slow through the draft, but with the Atlantic Division wide open they have a chance at a playoff seed as soon as this year. Keeping Polak for their push might be beneficial in the long run; this team will be extremely inexperienced if they do make it, as even their veterans haven’t seen more than a handful of playoff games.
We’ll see soon enough how Mike Babcock is leaning, as the Maple Leafs don’t have a second to breathe. After tonight in Boston, they have four more games in seven days including rematches against the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues, both clubs that destroyed them this week. If Marchenko gets into the lineup for Polak right away, start looking around to see where he might fit around the league. Lou Lamoriello is known for getting his work done a little early, and the Leafs may pull the trigger quicker than you expect.
Jason Spezza Injured, No Timeline For Return
The injury bug has run rampant in Dallas this season, and now another top-six forward has been claimed. According to head coach Lindy Ruff, Jason Spezza is set to miss significant time due to an injury sustained last night. Spezza was the recipient of a big open-ice hit from the Winnipeg Jets’ Adam Lowry in the contest. Spezza took the shot in the right shoulder and then twisted, landing hard on his left hip and elbow. Likely trying to avoid frightening fans with yet another nightmare diagnosis, the Stars have not identified what Spezza’s injury is, nor what the timeline for his return might be. Ruff indicated that it would be “probably more than days”, but that seems likely to be an understatement.
Spezza has already missed some time due to injury earlier this season, when he was out for a few games with a lower-body issue. Stars beat writer Mark Stepenski doesn’t think that will have an effect though, as he reports that it is an upper-body injury this time around. However, he also states that Ruff believes the injury could keep Spezza out for a week or two or even longer, the uncertainty of which should remind fans of Spezza’s long history with back problems. While Spezza could have just as easily have injured his right shoulder or left elbow on the fall, the twisting motion with which he took the check and hit the ice could have re-aggravated his long-time back condition. The scoring center has dealt with lingering issues throughout his career, which came to head in 2012-13 when he played in only 5 games with the Ottawa Senators, missing the rest of the season due to back surgery.
Spezza’s absence from the Dallas lineup will substantially hinder their attempts to get back into the playoff picture. The team has already been without Mattias Janmark for the entire season and will not get him back this year. Similarly, Ales Hemsky has missed all but one game in 2016-17 as well and there is little hope of a return. The Stars are also without defensemen Johnny Oduya, who missed ten games earlier in the year as well as the past six, and Jamie Oleksiak, who has now missed ten straight. Overall, Dallas has had disproportionate injury struggles this season, having lost the fourth-most man-minutes to injury halfway through the season, and are only adding to that total in the second half. Luckily, Patrick Sharp, Jiri Hudler, and Cody Eakin, all of whom have missed significant time this season, are back and healthy and will be able to help pick up the slack if Spezza does end being out for an extended period. However, it just doesn’t seem like this is the Stars’ year, as they faced an uphill battle to make the playoffs even with Spezza, as they sit three points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference, with the Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, and Vancouver Canucks all blocking their path to the postseason. That task now seems daunting with arguably their third-best player out of the lineup and no timeline for his return.