With the Red Wings sitting in last place, there’s no question about what direction they’ll be going at the trade deadline. However, with a lot of their veterans underachieving, their respective trade values have taken a hit. Despite that, GM Steve Yzerman stated in an interview on the team’s website (video link) that he’s not looking to be passive and is hoping to bring in picks or young players that can contribute sooner than later. The last bit is somewhat noteworthy as there have been teams in recent years that have preferred players to picks when they’re selling and it appears as if Detroit is at least open to going in that direction. As for their recent picks, Yzerman acknowledged that they could give players like Moritz Seider or Joe Veleno a look down the stretch but they likely wouldn’t go as far as playing them ten games to burn the first year of their entry-level deals.
Red Wings Rumors
Red Wings May Have Some Trouble Dealing Trevor Daley And Mike Green
Heading into the season, it looked as if veteran defensemen Mike Green and Trevor Daley were going to be two of Detroit’s better trade chips heading towards the trade deadline. However, as MLive’s Ansar Khan points out, both veterans have struggled mightily this season. Green hasn’t provided the Red Wings with the offense he once did while Daley has dealt with three separate injuries and hasn’t done much when he has been healthy. They’re Detroit’s top-paid defensemen (Green at $5.375MM and Daley at $3.167MM) and at this point, they may have to pay down a good chunk of the rest of their deals to find a taker. They can cover up to half of the contract and have not used any of their three retained salary slots yet.
Minor Transactions: 12/31/19
The NHL is embracing the celebratory feeling on New Year’s Eve with a few afternoon games today, including a tough matchup between the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals. As that gets underway, we’ll keep an eye on all the minor moves around the league.
- The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Givani Smith from the AHL after Andreas Athanasiou suffered another injury. Athanasiou could be out for a few weeks according to head coach Jeff Blashill, though the team isn’t in a position to compete for the playoffs anyway.
- The Arizona Coyotes recalled Michael Chaput last night, giving them another option up front for their game against the St. Louis Blues. That game represents another potential playoff matchup, as the Blues are running away with the Central Division but Coyotes could drop into a wild card spot at any point.
NHL All-Star Selections Announced
Although it took some time, with each individual team rolling out their own selections, the final rosters for All-Star Weekend have come into focus. Below are each of the four divisional team, set to face off in the Skills Competition on Friday, January 24th and the All-Star Game on Saturday, January 25th:
Atlantic Division
G Frederik Andersen, Toronto Maple Leafs
G Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins
D Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
D Shea Weber, Montreal Canadiens
F Tyler Bertuzzi, Detroit Red Wings
F Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres
F Anthony Duclair, Ottawa Senators
F Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida Panthers
F Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
F David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins (C)
Metropolitan Division
G Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals
G Joonas Korpisalo, Columbus Blue Jackets
D John Carlson, Washington Capitals
D Dougie Hamilton, Carolina Hurricanes
D Seth Jones, Columbus Blue Jackets
F Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders
F Jake Guentzel, Pittsburgh Penguins
F Travis Konecny, Philadelphia Flyers
F Kyle Palmieri, New Jersey Devils
F Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers
Central Division
G Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
G Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
D Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
D Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues
F Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
F Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche (C)
F Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues
F Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets
F Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars
F Eric Staal, Minnesota Wild
Pacific Division
G Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights
G Darcy Kuemper, Arizona Coyotes
D Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames
F Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks
F Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
F Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
F Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers (C)
F Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
F Jakob Silfverberg, Anaheim Ducks
F Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames
Additionally, each divisional squad will have one more addition as decided by the Last Men In fan vote. Voting opens on January 1st and closes on the 10th. Here are the candidates:
Atlantic Division – Patrice Bergeron, Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Larkin Aleksander Barkov, Max Domi, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Steven Stamkos, Mitch Marner
Metropolitan Division – Teuvo Teravainen, Nick Foligno, Nico Hischier, Brock Nelson, Mika Zibanejad, Claude Giroux, Kris Letang, T.J. Oshie
Central Division – Jonathan Toews, Cale Makar, Jamie Benn, Ryan Suter, Matt Duchene, David Perron Patrik Laine
Pacific Division – Ryan Getzlaf, Clayton Keller, Johnny Gaudreau, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Drew Doughty, Tomas Hertl, Quinn Hughes, Max Pacioretty
Minor Transactions: 12/30/19
With just one game on the schedule for this evening, teams are licking their wounds waiting for the New Year and the second half of the NHL season. The Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins will be in action, but even those on a rest day will be making minor tweaks. As those come in, we’ll list them here.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs recalled Timothy Liljegren and Teemu Kivihalme, two defensemen yet to make their NHL debuts. The Maple Leafs already lost Jake Muzzin to a broken foot and need to replace him on the roster. It seems Kivihalme will get the first shot, as Liljegren has already been returned to the AHL Marlies.
- With Charlie McAvoy going onto injured reserve, the Boston Bruins have recalled Jeremy Lauzon under emergency conditions. McAvoy hasn’t played since before Christmas, though the injury isn’t expected to keep him out long-term. The Bruins got some good news on the injury front as well, activating forward Karson Kuhlman from the injured reserve and assigning him to AHL Providence.
- Calvin Pickard has been recalled by the Detroit Red Wings once again, giving them another healthy goaltender. Pickard has ended up playing two games for Detroit this season, but has a 5.32 GAA and .818 save percentage.
- Mathieu Joseph is heading back to the minor leagues once again, something the Tampa Bay Lightning have done several times this month. The young forward has still spent most of his season with the NHL club, but is bouncing back and forth lately.
- The San Jose Sharks have recalled forward Joachim Blichfield from the AHL Barracuda, giving the youngster another opportunity after he made his NHL debut early last month. Blichfield has been one San Jose’s best minor league forwards this season and the struggling Sharks could use an offensive boost if he can translate his game to the next level.
- Daniel Sprong is back in the NHL after a brief layover with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. The Anaheim Ducks called up the young forward, who has spent considerable time with the team this year, but has only actually played in one game. Sprong recorded 19 points in 47 games with the Ducks last year and already has 19 points in 25 games with the Gulls, so he has the potential to make an impact in Anaheim if given the chance.
- With the Minnesota Wild activating captain Mikko Koivu, the team has reassigned rookie forward Nico Sturm to AHL Iowa. Sturm, a highly sought-after college free agent last spring, has 12 points in 25 games wIowa this year and a pair of points in six games with Minnesota as well.
Evening Notes: NHL Laceration Task Force, Andersson, Veleno
After a scary incident on Friday in which Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ilya Mikheyev had his wrist sliced open as New Jersey Devils forward Jesper Bratt skated over him, the NHL laceration task force will meet during the 2020 NHL All-Star Game, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston on Saturday’s Hockey Night in Canada. It was the second incident in 10 days after the New York Islanders’ Cal Clutterbuck had his hand cut open by the skate of Boston’s Patrice Bergeron.
“They monitor any of these incidents that happened,” said Johnston. “And they will be meeting at the All-Star Game in St. Louis, I think to discuss in part, is there maybe some more mandatory changes that might be coming down the pike at some point, because obviously everyone recognizes that these are very serious and potentially catastrophic situations.”
- New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that, little surprise, there hasn’t been much interest in New York Rangers forward Lias Andersson, who left the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack and was suspended on Dec. 20 after requesting a trade. Andersson has struggled at the NHL level over the past few years, having tallied just nine points in 66 NHL games. Even in Hartford, he has just three points in his last 10 games, suggesting that he’s struggling even in the minors. Brooks writes that Andersson spent the holiday with his family in New York and it’s unclear if the Rangers’ organization would accept him back if he asks if he can return. Regardless, there seems to be no indication that a trade is likely to happen any time soon.
- With Team Canada already without Alexis Lafreniere on Monday against Germany at the 2020 World Junior Championships, the team lost another forward as well as the IIHF announced that their disciplinary panel has announced that Joe Veleno, a Detroit Red Wings prospect, has been suspended one game for head butting Russian defenseman Danil Misyul, a New Jersey Devils’ prospect. The incident happened in the middle of the second period of Saturday’s game in which the two got into a confrontation. Veleno head butted Misyul twice, the second time more aggressively. The 19-year-old Veleno has one assist so far in two games for Canada.
Jonathan Bernier Likely To Return Sunday
- Red Wings goaltender Jonathan Bernier could be ready to return on Sunday, the team announced (Twitter link). He is dealing with a groin injury that caused him to miss last Sunday’s game but it doesn’t appear as if it will hold him out for long. Once he’s cleared to return, Calvin Pickard will return to AHL Grand Rapids.
Injury Notes: Kupari, Mantha, Blackhawks
Los Angeles Kings fans hoping to get a glimpse of the future at the World Juniors won’t get to see one of their top prospects play for Finland anymore. Rasmus Kupari has left the team after suffering an injury in the opener. John Hoven reports that Kupari suffered a serious knee injury and will likely be out “months.”
Not only is that terrible news for the Finnish team who are already missing Anton Lundell, but Kupari’s absence will adversely affect the Ontario Reign as well. In his first season in North America, Kupari has six goals and eight points in 27 games for the Reign. The 19-year old forward was selected 20th overall in 2018.
- Anthony Mantha will be out for at least four weeks with his upper-body injury, which has to do with his ribs, not his head. The Detroit Red Wings forward was injured when he got into an altercation with Jake Muzzin against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and now will have to wait at least a month to continue his strong season.
- If you were wondering whether Brent Seabrook would ever really make it back to the Chicago Blackhawks blueline after being ruled out for the rest of this year, Jeremy Colliton has your answer. The head coach told reporters today including Scott Powers of The Athletic that he expects both Calvin de Haan and Seabrook to be ready for training camp in 2020. The Blackhawks icon is having several surgeries and will have a long road back to the NHL.
Poll: Who Is The Top Target On The Rental Market?
When the NHL’s Holiday Roster Freeze comes to an end, attention will again turn to the trade market as many teams begin to address their weaknesses in the second half, leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline in late February. With Taylor Hall off the market, now a member of the Arizona Coyotes, it is no longer obvious who the top rental candidate is. There are many potential names and their values will depend on the suitor’s specific needs or the emphasis placed on certain abilities. But from an overall, objective perspective, who do you think the top rental target is?
Note: For the purposes of this poll, a rental player will be defined as an impending unrestricted free agent whose current team holds a points percentage below .550.
F Mikko Koivu, Minnesota Wild
2019-20: 28 games – 2 goals, 10 assists, 12 points, +2, 17:34 ATOI
2018-19: 48 games – 8 goals, 21 assists, 29 points, -2, 18:18 ATOI
Cap Hit: $5.5MM
Could this be the end for Koivu in Minnesota? The long-time Wild captain is arguably the biggest name on the rental market with Hall gone, but his best years are behind him. Last season was marked by injury for Koivu, but this year he has seen his production slip along with his ice time and has not looked the same. Even in decline though, Koivu is a good two-way center who can benefit a team on the penalty kill and at the face-off dot if not on the score sheet. His price may be hard to swallow and the Wild may be reluctant to move him, but teams will undoubtedly make calls on Koivu regardless.
D Mike Green, Detroit Red Wings
2019-20: 30 games – 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points, -22, 21:23 ATOI
2018-19: 43 games – 5 goals, 21 assists, 26 points, -1, 21:41 ATOI
Cap Hit: $5.375MM
Like Koivu, Green’s value is more in name than production at this point in his career, especially given his injury concerns over the past couple of years. Yet, Green has quietly played in 30 games with Detroit already this season and is maintaining high ice time numbers. You can pin that jarring plus/minus on the overall struggles of the team too. His scoring isn’t what it once was, but a healthy Green could be a real asset to a playoff team, if they can afford to take on his cap hit. Fortunately, that may be all that is expensive about Green, as the already-dead Red Wings will be selling any and all rentals for whatever they can get in this throwaway season.
G Robin Lehner, Chicago Blackhawks
2019-20: 21 games – 9 wins, .924 save percentage, 2.86 goals against average
2018-19: 46 games – 25 wins, .930 save percentage, 2.13 goals against average
Cap Hit: $5MM
The name with most recent history of elite play on the rental market is also the one shrouded in the most mystery. Are the Blackhawks willing to move Lehner? Is he in their long-term plans? And is there a market for a goalie of his price? The reigning Jennings Trophy winner was one of the league’s best goalies last season with the Islanders and his strong play has continued with his new team. That fact alone could entice a team with needs in net to make a play for Lehner.
D Sami Vatanen, New Jersey Devils
2019-20: 32 games – 5 goals, 11 assists, 16 points, -4, 21:29 ATOI
2018-19: 50 games – 4 goals, 13 assists, 17 points, -17, 21:44 ATOI
Cap Hit: $4.875MM
Vatanen is another veteran defenseman who has dealt with recent injury issues. Yet, this season he has returned to form, even in the midst of a poor campaign by any measure for the Devils. Vatanen has already topped his goals mark from last season and will soon do the same in assists and points. Vatanen is the most productive rental defenseman available and the Devils have established themselves as sellers and will definitely be looking to move him. With a lesser cap hit and more points than Green and others, Vatanen should be a highly sought-after blue line piece, if teams feel they can trust his defense and overlook his inconsistency.
F Chris Kreider, New York Rangers
2019-20: 36 games – 10 goals, 11 assists, 21 points, +4, 17:35 ATOI
2018-19: 48 games – 28 goals, 24 assists, 52 points, +4, 17:24 ATOI
Cap Hit: $4.625MM
Kreider may be the closest thing to a Taylor Hall left on the rental market, although admittedly not that close. An established power forward with several 20-goal seasons under his belt, Kreider is a true 200-foot player who could play a top-nine role for any team in the league, if not top-six. The real question is whether Kreider will be worth the cost to acquire him? His track record as a scoring threat boosts his trade value, but his numbers so far this year suggest that he may be declining. Kreider is on pace to fall well below his goal total from last year, as well as his overall point total, despite logging more ice time and playing on a more talented Rangers roster. Kreider certainly has value, but it may be difficult for teams to determine just how much relative to a high asking price.
F Tyler Toffoli, Los Angeles Kings
2019-20: 38 games – 9 goals, 12 assists, 21 points, -4, 15:45 ATOI
2018-19: 82 games – 13 goals, 21 assists, 34 points, -16, 17:13 ATOI
Cap Hit: $4.6MM
Toffoli is somewhat of the opposite case of Kreider. He struggled last year but has shown some resurgence of late and could wind up as a great value addition at the deadline. Despite limited ice time and special teams responsibilities this year, Toffoli is already more than halfway to besting his offensive totals from last year, which had represented a major dip in his production. Toffoli, who has multiple 20-goal seasons to his credit and has been a deft penalty killer in the past, has the potential to continue his upward trajectory this season by joining a more talented team than the lowly Kings. At the right price and with the right fit, Toffoli could be a game-changer.
F Vladislav Namestnikov, Ottawa Senators
2019-20: 35 games – 8 goals, 10 assists, 18 points, -6, 15:37 ATOI
2018-19: 78 games – 11 goals, 20 assists, 31 points, -7, 15:48 ATOI
Cap Hit: $4MM
Namestnikov has already been traded once this season and it worked out nicely that time. Many speculated right away that the Senators were acquiring the UFA forward on the cheap only to flip him later for a profit, and judging by Namestnikov’s production since his arrival in Ottawa, that could very well be the case. A complimentary player whose production improves exponentially with the more talent he plays with and the greater role he is given, Namestnikov is the perfect hired gun. A dynamic asset in the right situation, Namestnikov could also flop if not placed in an ideal scenario. He could continue his 20-goal pace on one team, or completely disappear on another, as he did at times with the Rangers. How much a team is willing to pay to take a chance on Namestnikov will determine his market value.
F Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Ottawa Senators
2019-20: 38 games – 18 goals, 10 assists, 28 points, +21, 18:51 ATOI
2018-19: 39 games – 4 goals, 8 assists, 12 points, -12, 17:51 ATOI
Cap Hit: $3.1MM
On one hand, Pageau has the best production this season, total and per-game, of anyone on this list. On the other hand, he has no history of producing remotely near these levels in years past. His breakout could really be a product of his role in Ottawa, leading a club with few play-makers up front. Pageau has always been a good two-way forward, but he has more than doubled his scoring output from last year’s injury-shortened season. Much of that can be attributed to an increase in ice time and responsibility, but how much? Are interested teams acquiring a player on pace for nearly 40 goals this season or will Pageau revert to a role player on a new team? The other key questions is whether or not the Senators are willing to move the 27-year-old center. Given the exodus of core players from Ottawa in recent years, they may not make this season’s breakout star available.
D Erik Gustafsson, Chicago Blackhawks
2019-20: 37 games – 4 goals, 11 assists, 15 points, -4, 20:57 ATOI
2018-19: 79 games – 17 goals, 43 assists, 60 points, -6, 22:35 ATOI
Cap Hit: $1.2MM
The only player on this list whose cap hit can be considered a true “value” based on cap hit, it can safely be assumed that the 27-year-old Gustafsson will be made available by the Blackhawks, whose hopes of playoff contention have been sunk by inconsistency and injury. Gustafsson’s numbers from last season jump off the page, especially at his price point. While he will likely finish far from 60 points this year, that can be attributed to a sizeable drop-off in ice time due to a remodel of the Chicago back end this off-season. The offensive ability is there though, and as an affordable rental addition, Gustafsson has the chance to do some serious damage on another team’s blue line. Of course, he won’t come cheap and there is not a lot of NHL experience to look back on to see how he may perform with a change of scenery, especially making the transition to playoff pace.
What do you think? Who is the top target on the post-Taylor Hall rental market?
Who Is The Top Target On The NHL Rental Market?
Chris Kreider
29.46%
(438 votes)
J-G Pageau
18.90%
(281 votes)
Robin Lehner
11.03%
(164 votes)
Erik Gustafsson
9.48%
(141 votes)
Tyler Toffoli
9.21%
(137 votes)
Mikko Koivu
6.93%
(103 votes)
Mike Green
6.93%
(103 votes)
Sami Vatanen
5.92%
(88 votes)
Vladislav Namestnikov
2.15%
(32 votes)
Total Votes: 1,487
NHL Draft Picks Participating In The World Junior Championship
The 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship is underway from Ostrava and Trinec in the Czech Republic. The tournament began today and will run through the championship game on January 5th. Each of the NHL’s 31 teams has at least one representative at the WJC. Five teams have only one draft pick participating, while the Los Angeles Kings (9) and Arizona Coyotes (7) each have more than those teams combined. However, it only takes one player and one moment to make history at the WJC. Check out which future NHLers will have that chance this year:
Anaheim Ducks (2):
G Lukas Dostal, Czech Republic
F Trevor Zegras, USA
Arizona Coyotes (7):
F Barrett Hayton, Canada
F Jan Jenik, Czech Republic
F Matias Maccelli, Finland
D Aku Raty, Finland
D Victor Soderstrom, Sweden
F Valentin Nussbaumer, Switzerland
D Ty Emberson, USA
Boston Bruins (3):
F Jakub Lauko, Czech Republic
F John Beecher, USA
F Curtis Hall, USA
Buffalo Sabres (4):
F Dylan Cozens, Canada
F Matej Pekar, Czech Republic
G Erik Portillo, Sweden
D Mattias Samuelsson, USA
Calgary Flames (1):
G Dustin Wolf, USA
Carolina Hurricanes (5):
D Anttoni Honka, Finland
F Lenni Killinen, Finland
F Patrik Puistola, Finland
F Dominik Bokk, Germany
F Jack Drury, USA
Chicago Blackhawks (2):
F Antti Saarela, Finland
F Michal Teply, Czech Republic
Colorado Avalanche (4):
D Bowen Byram, Canada
G Justus Annunen, Finland
F Sampo Ranta, Finland
D Daniil Zhuravlyov, Russia
Columbus Blue Jackets (4):
F Liam Foudy, Canada
F Kirill Marchenko, Russia
F Dmitri Voronkov, Russia
D Tim Berni, Switzerland
Dallas Stars (3):
F Ty Dellandrea, Canada
F Oskar Back, Sweden
F Albin Eriksson, Sweden
Detroit Red Wings (5):
D Jared McIsaac, Canada
F Joseph Veleno, Canada
D Moritz Seider, Germany
F Jonatan Berggren, Sweden
F Jesper Eliasson, Sweden
Edmonton Oilers (4):
F Raphael Lavoie, Canada
G Olivier Rodrigue, Canada
F Matej Blumel, Czech Republic
D Philip Broberg, Sweden
Florida Panthers (3):
Justin Schutz, Germany
F Grigori Denisenko, Russia
G Spencer Knight, USA
Los Angeles Kings (9):
F Aidan Dudas, Canada
F Akil Thomas, Canada
F Lukas Parik, Czech Republic
F Rasmus Kupari, Finland
D Kim Nousiainen, Finland
D Tobias Bjornfot, Sweden
F Samuel Fagemo, Sweden
F Arthur Kaliyev, USA
F Alex Turcotte, USA
Minnesota Wild (1):
F Alexander Khovanov, Russia
Montreal Canadiens (4):
D Alexander Romanov, Russia
D Mattias Norlinder, Sweden
F Cole Caufield, USA
D Jordan Harris, USA
Nashville Predators (1):
D Spencer Stastney, USA
New Jersey Devils (5):
D Kevin Bahl, Canada
D Ty Smith, Canada
D Daniil Misyul, Russia
F Nikola Pasic, Sweden
G Akira Schmid, Switzerland
New York Islanders (2):
F Jacob Pivonka, USA
F Oliver Wahlstrom, USA
New York Rangers (5):
D Nico Gross, Switzerland
F Karl Henriksson, Sweden
D Nils Lundkvist, Sweden
D Zachary Jones, USA
D K’Andre Miller, USA
Ottawa Senators (3):
D Jacob Bernard-Docker, Canada
D Lassi Thomson, Finland
F Shane Pinto, USA
Philadelphia Flyers (4):
F Egor Zamula, Russia
D Adam Ginning, Sweden
F Bobby Brink, USA
D Cameron York, USA
Pittsburgh Penguins (1):
D Calen Addison, Canada
San Jose Sharks (1):
Santeri Hatakka, Finland
St. Louis Blues (2):
G Joel Hofer, Canada
F Nikita Alexandrov, Russia
Tampa Bay Lightning (3):
F Nolan Foote, Canada
F Maxim Cajkovic, Czech Republic
G Hugo Alnefelt, Sweden
Toronto Maple Leafs (3):
D Mikko Kokkonen, Finland
D Rasmus Sandin, Sweden
F Nicholas Robertson, USA
Vancouver Canucks (4):
F Karel Plasek, Czech Republic
D Toni Utunen, Finland
F Vasily Podkolzin, Russia
F Nils Hoglander, Sweden
Vegas Golden Knights (3):
F Pavel Dorofeyev, Russia
F Ivan Morozov, Russia
G Isaiah Saville, USA
Washington Capitals (2):
F Connor McMichael, Canada
D Martin Has, Czech Republic
Winnipeg Jets (2):
F David Gustafsson, Sweden
D Ville Heinola, Finland