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West Notes: Second Round Schedule, Blues, Glendening

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Even with so many Game 7s on the calendar this weekend, we’re starting to receive some clarity on the upcoming Second Round schedule. NHL.com writer Lou Korac reports that it “sounds like” the Second Round matchup between the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues will start Tuesday, May 17.

With that said, there’s a strong potential we could see an off day with no games on Monday. The only series that could begin on Monday without a team playing back-to-back is the matchups between the Florida Panthers and the winner of tonight’s Game 7 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning. With the league strictly using an alternating schedule of games during the First Round, it’s not outlandish to say that it’s either two games or no games on Monday night.

Dallas Stars Recall 11 Players

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With the Texas Stars eliminated, the Dallas Stars have brought up their crew of “Black Aces,” players who will practice, take in the NHL atmosphere and stay ready for action, but usually not dress. This time, it’s 11 players coming up from the AHL:

Perhaps most interesting among them are Back and Karlstrom, a pair of third-round picks that are just dipping their toes into the North American professional waters. Both players came over from the SHL this season and made an impact for Texas, scoring 25 and 29 points respectively. Each one is a big, rangy forward with experience at center ice. Karlstrom ended up playing three games for Dallas this season, but is also more than two years older than Back, who only turned 22 a few months ago.

Meanwhile, Wyatt Johnston, a player that you might expect to be with this group if possible, continues his OHL playoff series this week. The 18-year-old forward had 124 points in 68 games this season for the Windsor Spitfires and has added another 17 in nine postseason appearances.

Hockey Canada Announces 2022 IIHF World Championship Roster

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The roster is set, with just a few days to go before things kick off for Hockey Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Championship. The defending gold medalists will be icing a rather youthful roster this season, highlighted by some of the league’s up-and-coming stars, along with some established top-end youngsters.

The full roster will be:

G Chris Driedger
G Logan Thompson
G Matt Tomkins

D Thomas Chabot
D Ryan Graves
D Nick Holden
D Dysin Mayo
D Travis Sanheim
D Damon Severson
D Zach Whitecloud

F Josh Anderson
F Mathew Barzal
F Drake Batherson
F Max Comtois
F Dylan Cozens
F Pierre-Luc Dubois
F Morgan Geekie
F Noah Gregor
F Kent Johnson
F Adam Lowry
F Dawson Mercer
F Eric O’Dell
F Nicolas Roy
F Cole Sillinger

For a player like Mayo, this selection truly solidifies the hard work he has put in over years of grinding in the minor leagues. The fifth-round pick spent parts of seven seasons in the AHL before arriving this year with the Arizona Coyotes and becoming one of the team’s most reliable options. Now 25, he’ll be suiting up for his country for the first time at a major international tournament.

Meanwhile, someone like Cozens is taking the next step in representing his country, after last captaining Team Canada at the 2021 World Juniors (where he scored an incredible 16 points in seven games). The Buffalo Sabres forward had 38 points in his first full-length NHL season and has huge upside as a potential franchise cornerstone. The same could be said for players like Johnson and Sillinger, two names that will likely drive the offense for years to come in Columbus.

Perhaps the most interesting name in the group is Dubois, given the Winnipeg Jets center doesn’t have a contract for next season. Pending restricted free agents, especially ones as important as Dubois, usually skip the tournament because of insurance issues and the risk of injury. Instead, he’ll head overseas to play in a tournament he’s already attended twice previously, despite still just being 23 years old.

Jamie Benn, Evgeny Kuznetsov Earn Fines

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The NHL Department of Player Safety has handed out a pair of fines today, sanctioning forwards Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars and Evgeny Kuznetsov of the Washington Capitals.

Benn earned a $5,000 fine, the maximum allowable under the league’s collective bargaining agreement, for high-sticking Calgary Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane in the Stars’ 4-2 win last night. The incident in question took place halfway through the second period. There was a scramble for the puck after a Jake Oettinger save, and Mangiapane, who was behind the net, was being held in place by Stars defenseman Ryan Suter. Benn appeared to poke Mangiapane’s face with his stick through the net, and although the incident was a bit difficult to see in the initial broadcast it was clear enough for the Department of Player Safety to fine Benn.

As for Kuznetsov, his fine is also for high sticking, with his victim being Panthers forward Noel Acciari. In his incident, which took place late in the first period, Kuznetsov and Acciari were engaged with one another in a typical after-whistle scrum, and in the incident, Kuznetsov raised his stick and hit the face of Acciari, an action that necessitates a fine.

In both of these instances, the player who was the victim of the infraction was not injured or subject to any major issues as a result of the fined actions. The actions that led to these fines were largely unnecessary and avoidable, so it’s likely that these punishments were handed down as a means of getting two star players to be more mindful of their after-whistle conduct.

 

Latest On John Klingberg

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Earlier today, Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill spoke about contract negotiations with impending UFA and Stars cornerstone defenseman John Klingberg (link). As reported by NHL.com’s Tracey Myers, Nill said that he would love to keep Klingberg and that he planned to discuss an extension with the defenseman and his representatives at the conclusion of the Stars’ postseason. Nill added that while he believes he has a great relationship with Klingberg, he understands that the player must do what is best for himself.

Recall earlier this season when rumors of Klingberg requesting a trade began circulating, with the defenseman himself clarifying the talks, saying he had more-so grown frustrated with the contract negotiations, or a lack thereof. Klingberg reiterated that frustration to Myers, explaining that he had seen other players sign extensions prior to the start of seasons and had wanted to do the same. As the season had gone on, and negotiations with Dallas being rather quiet, Klingberg had grown increasingly frustrated. The situation, according to Klingberg, had reached a point where Nill had given his camp permission to speak to other front offices to gauge his own market.

Despite the situation reaching that point, it is intriguing to see Dallas and Klingberg both remain interested in continuing their relationship with one another long-term. After another strong season, Klingberg, a steady defenseman with plenty of offensive upside, would be expected to have a very strong market. Even if he were to stay in Dallas, this market would drive his price tag up if Dallas is as interested in keeping him as Nill says.

What Klingberg’s next contract looks like is up for up for debate. A consistent producer from the back-end who turns 30 this summer, Klingberg could easily push the maximum seven-year maximum he’s allowed on the open market, or the eight years that Dallas could give him. Regardless of term, Klingberg will assuredly receive a raise, coming off a seven-year, $29.75MM contract which carries a $4.25MM AAV.

Also of note with Nill’s comments is the effect they could have on Klingberg. The general tone of Klingberg’s comments from earlier this season and today showed a frustration in the lack of communication and negotiation from the Stars organization. That frustration seemed as though it would put Dallas behind when it came to trying to re-sign Klingberg. However, considering Klingberg’s desire to stay and wanting to feel the commitment from Dallas, Nill’s comments could provide Klingberg with some of the reassurance and communication he desires. Further, Klingberg carried with him strong value at this year’s trade deadline, and with the Stars not necessarily a playoff lock at that point in time, they very well could have traded him. Instead, they showed their commitment to him and the team as they pushed for a playoff spot, and now for a Stanley Cup. These commitments could clear the way for amicable extension discussions this spring and summer.

14 Teams Face Bonus Overages For 2022-23

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In the flat cap world, nearly every team in the league is dealing with situations that require every last dollar under the ceiling. More than half the league was using long-term injured reserve relief at some point this season, a decision that sometimes comes with some attached risk. One of those risks is the performance bonuses from entry-level contracts, which can cause overage penalties if achieved by the end of the season, should the team not have the cap space to fit them in. Those penalties are then applied to the following season’s cap, meaning they have less room to work with moving forward.

CapFriendly has calculated the overage penalties for the entire league, finding 14 of 32 teams that will face them next year. Notably, these penalties lower the cap ceiling for a team and therefore cannot be covered up by going into long-term injured relief again. The penalties are as follows:

Carolina Hurricanes: $112,500
Chicago Blackhawks: $237,500
Colorado Avalanche: $25,000
Dallas Stars: $675,000
Edmonton Oilers: $896,000
Florida Panthers: $637,500
Los Angeles Kings: $637,500
Montreal Canadiens: $1,132,500
New York Islanders $245,796
Philadelphia Flyers: $295,000
St. Louis Blues: $1,000,000*
Toronto Maple Leafs: $212,500
Vancouver Canucks: $1,250,000
Washington Capitals: $100,000

*Can still increase

Details on how each number was reached can be found on CapFriendly’s Twitter thread but the vast majority are from Schedule A performance bonuses for time on ice and games played. While some would argue that it is worth the penalty, as it means a young player has been a strong contributor, it can also be quite impactful moving forward. The Oilers, for instance, are facing a cap charge of nearly $900K, significantly more than the league minimum salary. It could very well mean they aren’t able to carry the maximum of 23 skaters for at least parts of next season while they are still trying to compete, thanks to the bonuses owed to Evan Bouchard this year.

It’s the Islanders that are perhaps the most interesting case since they did not finish in LTIR relief and in fact, were more than $2MM under the $81.5MM ceiling at the end of the year. While most of the other bonuses were on entry-level contracts, theirs included games played bonuses for Zach Parise, Zdeno Chara, and Andy Greene. That means despite being well out of the race, the Islanders will have a little less room to work with next season.

The Blues meanwhile could still face an additional overage, as their penalty is based on the bonuses given to Tyler Bozak. He can still earn $100K if the Blues win the first round and another $150K if they win the second round, which each would also be applied to next year’s cap.

Poll: Who Will Be The Odd Teams Out In The West?

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Though the actual playoff match-ups are not yet set in the East, the eight playoff teams have essentially been locked in since January, due in no small part to the fact that for the first time in NHL history all eight teams to qualify for the postseason in one conference will do so with 100+ points on the year. The Western Conference has been more wide open and with just over a week remaining in the regular season, there are still several playoff spots left unclaimed. While the Colorado Avalanche clinched a spot more than two weeks ago and the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, and St. Louis Blues have since followed (the latter two are the only known first-round series thus far), the final spot in the Pacific Division and the two Western wild card berths remain available.

The Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars currently occupy the wild card positions and the Los Angeles Kings sit in third in the Pacific. Will the status quo prevail over the remaining slate of regular season games? The Vegas Golden Knights remain in the hunt for all of these spots and certainly have the talent on paper and the pre-season expectations to keep things interesting. The Vancouver Canucks are still in the mix as well, but realistically only for a wild card spot. It would require an incredible run to end the year coupled with some help, but it certainly isn’t impossible.

Los Angeles Kings
Currently: 42-27-10, 94 points (.595) – third in the Pacific
Remaining Games: vs. ANA, @ SEA, @ VAN

Key Note: The Kings are on a three-game winning streak and need just a win on Saturday night and a Vegas loss on Sunday to lock up the Pacific. Given the caliber of their remaining schedule, the Kings appear to be in good shape – they always have the wild card to fall back on as well.

Nashville Predators
Currently: 44-28-5, 93 points (.603) – fourth in the Central, first wild card
Remaining Games: @ TBL, vs. MIN, vs. CGY, @ COL, @ ARI

Key Note: The Predators have the best points percentage and goal differential of the teams still fighting for a playoff spot. Nashville should a playoff team, but needs to play like one down the stretch with four very difficult match-ups remaining.

Dallas Stars
Currently: 43-30-5, 91 points (.583) – fifth in the Central, second wild card
Remaining Games: vs. SEA, vs. VGK, vs. ARI, vs. ANA

Key Note: Dallas is slumping at the wrong time, dropping three in a row heading into Saturday. Other than a critical clash with Vegas, they could not have asked for an easier end to the year with a homestand and several easy opponents. If they can’t clinch a playoff spot with this slate, they probably don’t belong there anyhow.

Vegas Golden Knights
Currently: 42-31-5, 89 points (.571) – fourth in the Pacific
Remaining Games: vs. SJS, @ DAL, @ CHI, @ STL

Key Note: The Knights have just as many wins as the Kings and in fewer games; overtime results are all that separate the talented team from a divisional playoff spot. The unclear situation in net is certainly a potential make-or-break issue for Vegas, but if the team should still have a good chance against two non-playoff teams and a playoff team who should be taking the night off in their regular season finale. The decision against Dallas could ultimately decide Vegas’ fate.

Vancouver Canucks
Currently: 38-29-11, 87 points (.558) – fifth in the Pacific
Remaining Games: @ CGY, vs. SEA, vs. LAK, @ EDM

Key Note: Losing is no longer an option for Vancouver, but it might not be anyway. The Flames are locked into their playoff spot and the Oilers and Kings will likely be as well by the time they face the Canucks later in the week; these teams lack purpose in their current match-ups and the Kraken should be a win regardless of the effort level. If Vancouver can take advantage of these situations, perhaps they still have a chance.

What do you think? Who will finish the job and who will be left on the outside looking in?

Who Will Be The Odd Teams Out In The West?
Vancouver and Vegas 71.69% (676 votes)
Vancouver and Dallas 10.82% (102 votes)
Vegas and Dallas 4.67% (44 votes)
Vegas and Nashville 3.39% (32 votes)
Vancouver and Nashville 3.29% (31 votes)
Vancouver and L.A. 3.18% (30 votes)
Nashville and Dallas 2.97% (28 votes)
Total Votes: 943

[mobile users vote here]

 

 

Stars Prospect Ben Brinkman Transfers To Notre Dame

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Dallas prospect Ben Brinkman has decided to take advantage of the fifth year of eligibility.  However, it won’t be where he spent his first four seasons.  In a move first reported by Jess Myers of The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead (Twitter link), the blueliner is off to the University of Notre Dame after recently entering the transfer portal.

The 21-year-old was a sixth-round pick (173rd overall) back in 2019 after his freshman year at the University of Minnesota.  Brinkman had a minor role that season but the hope was that his role and ice time would increase over the years.  That didn’t exactly materialize as he had just two goals over his four seasons with the Golden Gophers and while he had a career high in points this season, it was still a pretty low number at eight.

Brinkman is certainly hoping that an opportunity with a new school will give him a better chance to showcase himself to Dallas or another professional team as he will need a big year to have a shot at landing an entry-level deal.

Braden Holtby May Be Out For The Season

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  • The Stars have been without goaltender Braden Holtby for more than a month due to a lower-body injury and Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News relays that the veteran has yet to resume skating. Accordingly, head coach Rick Bowness acknowledged that Holtby may wind up being out for the season.  Scott Wedgewood has done well in his first five appearances since coming over to Dallas near the trade deadline and it appears that the backup job will continue to be his for a little while yet.

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