Henrik Zetterberg Confirmed To Miss Regular Season Games
While updates on Detroit Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg and his injury struggles have been frequent all off-season long, most of it has been fueled by vague comments and speculation. However, the wait if finally over for an actual timeline on his recovery, if he returns to the game at all. Zetterberg himself confirmed to Swedish news source Sport Bladet that he is set to miss training camp and the start of the season.
Missing that amount of time is all but definite, but that may be a best case scenario for the Red Wings. Zetterberg has insinuated for some time that he may not be able to play anymore. Chronic back pain is the source of his doubts and states in the interview that he has not managed to work though it at all this summer. Zetterberg continues to live in Detroit and work on his rehab, but the outlook is reportedly “bleak”. Zetterberg describes how the pains set in last February, leading to him sitting out most practices, but it didn’t help. The veteran center is no longer willing to take that shortcut approach either, stating that he will “not play NHL matches without being well prepared, especially not at my age.”
When last we heard about Zetterberg’s state, it was a report from head coach Jeff Blashill just a few days ago claiming that he didn’t expect Zetterberg to be ready for the start of training camp. Yet, now that this news has emerged from the player himself, it is another one of Blashill’s comments that stands out. The Red Wings’ bench boss speculated that if Zetterberg was not able to take part in training camp at all, that he was unlikely to play at all in the coming season. Since the respected veteran feels he will not be ready until well past the beginning of the season, that would indicate that he is most likely going to be shut down for the entire 2018-19 campaign. A comeback after that would be unlikely. Even though Zetterberg still has three years remaining on his contract, it is starting to feel like he has played his last game in the NHL.
Jeff Blashill: Henrik Zetterberg Unlikely To Play At All In 2018-19
Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill provided an update on the condition of Henrik Zetterberg to reporters, including MLive’s Ansar Khan and the prognosis isn’t a good one. He noted that as things stand, he doesn’t expect the veteran to be ready to play in training camp and that if that is indeed the case, it’s doubtful that he will play at all in 2018-19. Zetterberg dealt with lingering back issues last season and the pain doesn’t appear to be going away. Detroit will be eligible to place his $6.083MM contract on LTIR if he is deemed unable to play during his physical at training camp next month.
Blashill also stated that Andreas Athanasiou is the most likely candidate to shift to center if Zetterberg is indeed out for the season. While Darren Helm is also a natural center, he has spent the bulk of the last few years on the wing but the coach believes the continuity of keeping him there is preferable for the Red Wings.
Metropolitan Notes: Reirden, Atkinson, Elias, Kravtsov
The Washington Capitals have that unusual circumstance where they are coming off winning the Stanley Cup, but are also breaking in a new coach. With Barry Trotz headed to New York, the team replaced him with long-time assistant coach Todd Reirden. NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti writes that the new head coach intends to make some changes to a team that returns everyone with the exception of fourth-line center Jay Beagle and backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer.
“In particular, I would say from the 63 to 65-game range on we really adjusted a few things that helped us defend better and set us up for better success defensively and our numbers followed, especially in the playoffs,” Reirden said. “So those things for the most part 5-on-5 will stay. … There will be some adjustments a little bit in some areas. Special teams in particular in the penalty kill area would be something that we’ll be making some adjustments to.”
Reirden, known as a players’ coach when he was an assistant, says that he believes that connecting with players is critical of being a coach and said he doesn’t intend to change now that he’s finally got his chance to be a head coach.
“I would say that everyone has to be a player’s coach in some respects today to be able to maximize the players,” Reirden said. “I think some of the success I’ve been able to have in the development of players over the last eight, nine years has been off of being able to relate to different players and put them in a situation where they’re in a challenging environment.”
- Columbus Blue Jackets’ forward Cam Atkinson expects a more impressive season out of himself this year after struggling through multiple issues early in the season last year, according to the Columbus Dispatch’s George Richards. The 29-year-old forward started slow after signing a seven-year, $41.13MM extension last season and then suffering through a broken bone in his foot. However, the veteran looks at his success after his return that suggests he will have a big year for the Blue Jackets this year. Atkinson, who started the first 32 games with just six goals and 13 points, went on a tear after that, finishing the season (65 games total) with 24 goals and 46 points, meaning he tallied 18 goals in the second half. “There’s no doubt in my mind that is the Cam we’re going to see,” said assistant general manager Bill Zito. “He’s such a talented player. He has the skills, the temerity to get out of a rut. He has a lot of weapons — he has a great shot, can skate, has a great hockey sense and likes to score. He likes it and is confident enough to know he can score.”
- Former New Jersey Devils forward Patrik Elias, who tallied 1,025 points throughout his NHL career, will be starting a new venture as he intends to get into coaching, according to Elite Prospects’ Uffe Bodin. Elias has become the assistant coach for the Czech Republic’s U20 national team alongside head coach Vaclav Varada. “(Varada) approached me about three or four months ago”, Patrik Elias says, although he admits he was never interested in coaching. “Since I have the personal relationship with him and I know that he has done a really good job last two, three years as a coach, I felt that if I wanted to start up with someone, it’s good to start with someone that you trust and that can help you out. He’s been great.”
- The New York Rangers’ Vitali Kravtsov was named the best forward at the 2018 U20 Four Nations Tournament with a goal and three assists in three games. The 18-year-old was the ninth overall pick by the Rangers in this year’s draft and is expected to return to his KHL team, Traktor Chelyabinsk, as he signed a one-year deal there. The hope is Kravtsov will be ready to compete for a spot on the Rangers roster next season. Minnesota Wild’s Simon Johansson was named top defenseman, while Detroit Red Wings’ Jesper Eliasson was named top goaltender.
Atlantic Notes: Point, Athanasiou, Halak, Alzner
With his entry-level contract set to expire at the end of this season, Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point may only get better as he looks towards a bigger contract next season. In only his second season, the 22-year-old quickly and quietly moved into the No. 2 center position last season and went from 18 goals and 40 points in his rookie campaign to 32 goals and 66 points in his sophomore campaign last year.
Now armed with the incentive to take another big step in his development as he will get a chance to earn himself a hefty raise next season, don’t be surprised if Point takes that next step to become a point-per-game scorer in the league, according to NBC Sports Scott Billeck. Point likely wouldn’t be in this position had it not been for the unfortunate injury of Steven Stamkos in 2016-17 as Point received the roster spot in wake of Stamkos’ injury. He has made the most of it. One other reason, his growth is likely to continue is because of his impressive playoff performance last year where he posted seven goals and 16 points in 17 games.
- MLive’s Ansar Khan writes that Detroit Red Wings winger Andreas Athanasiou could find himself a trade candidate in the coming months if he can’t prove to be a more consistent player. The 24-year-old is coming off a disappointing season in which he went from an 18-goal scorer in 2016-17 to a 16-goal scorer last season, even though he played seven more games. However, Khan writes that missing training camp and the first 10 games of the season due to a contract impasse last year might have a lot to do with his struggles. If the team was going to trade him, Khan believes the team wouldn’t be interested in draft picks as they were when they moved out Tomas Tatar to Vegas at the trade deadline. Instead, the Red Wings may be on the lookout for a defenseman, who can help their struggling defense.
- Don’t be shocked if Boston Bruins’ new backup Jaroslav Halak turns in a solid season this year behind starter Tuukka Rask and maybe fights him eventually for the starting job. NBC Sports Joe Haggerty writes the 33-year-old may have struggled immensely the past two years with the New York Islanders, but he should be in a much better situation, defensively, in Boston. While never having been a backup before, Halak is expected to eat into some of Rask’s playing time this year. He is likely to be asked to play between 30-35 games this year, which should give him a easier workload as opposed to the 54 games he played in New York. Behind the Islanders shaky defense, Halak finished with a 3.19 GAA and a .908 save percentage. The starting job in the future may depend on how each goalie fares this year.
- NHL.com’s Matt Cudzinowski interviewed Montreal Canadiens defenseman Karl Alzner who signed with the team last offseason, but struggled in Montreal in his first season there. The 29-year-old said he was disappointed in his play in the first year and attributed much of it to needing time to get comfortable and adjust to the way the Canadiens play. “There were definitely some growing pains,” Alzner said. “It wasn’t a very fun year of hockey. People maybe had some expectations for me that were a little bit unrealistic. I know what I can bring to this team when I’m playing well. I just need to stay under the radar and do the right things, do the little things right. That’s success for me.”
What To Expect From Tomas Tatar In 2018-19
A seemingly innocuous interview with Vegas Golden Knights free agency prize Paul Stastny actually ended up revealing quite a lot about the strange state of one of his new teammates. SinBin’s Ken Boehlke writes that Stastny, while appearing on the Golden Knight’s podcast, was asked who he believes his line mates could be this season. His answer: Alex Tuch and Erik Haula. Stastny made no mention of Vegas’ big trade deadline acquisition, Tomas Tatar, and Boehlke infers that this could mean trouble for the young forward moving forward.
If Stastny’s prediction proves true, then he, Tuch, and Haula would join the surefire top line of William Karlsson between Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith in the Knights’ top six. That would leave Tatar with a bottom-six role and Vegas is not exactly shaping up to have an offensively inclined group in that bottom half. Tatar will be joined by veteran grinders Ryan Reaves, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, and William Carrier who all seem slotted for a fourth line role. That would leave Tatar with Cody Eakin and one of a number of prospects or fringe players on the third line. Among the candidates are Oscar Lindberg, Tomas Nosek, Ryan Carpenter, Daniel Carr, Tomas Hyka, and Curtis McKenzie. None of that group truly inspires confidence as the final piece of the line with Tatar and Eakin. This begs the question: what role does Tatar have on this team?
Even if you don’t put much stock in Stastny’s comments, there is no doubting that Tatar has been less than impressive since being traded to Vegas from the Detroit Red Wings. The three-time 45+ point scorer only registered six points in 20 games down the stretch for the Knights and was a frequent healthy scratch in the postseason, adding just two points in eight games. Tatar is a strong possession player who has proven to be a capable goal scorer in the past, but lacks the two-way game to make a living in a checking role. At $5.3MM, in addition to the trade cost of three high draft picks, it is hard to imagine that Vegas wants to play him in that role either. Tatar needs to find a fit on this roster, either on the second line with Stastny or as a transformative presence on the third line. The Golden Knights are far more shallow up front this season than they were last year and can hardly afford to deal with ineffective or inconsistent play from their biggest trade investment to date. If Tatar does struggle, he may easily wind up wearing out his welcome with the Knights as he did with the Red Wings.
Poll: Who Will Win The Atlantic Division?
We’re just over a month away from the 2018-19 NHL season, and players are hitting the ice with teammates to start forming chemistry. All over the league there are individual workouts underway, and rookie tournament rosters being announced. The excitement for the upcoming season is starting to bubble up to the surface, and even the smallest NHL news has fans in a frenzy.
Today, Bovada released their over/under numbers for each team’s point totals and there are some interesting results. Though these aren’t to be taken exactly as predictions for the upcoming season—since betting odds also take into account popularity trends and other factors—fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning should still be extremely satisfied to see their club at the very top with an over/under of 107.5 points. The Lightning are expected to be Stanley Cup contenders once again in 2018-19, and have brought back nearly their entire roster.
The odds though tell a story of competition for the Lightning, as the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins also find themselves with 100+ point expectations. All three clubs reside in the Atlantic Division and will have to battle each other for the right to go to the Stanley Cup Finals. Not to be forgotten in the Atlantic are the Florida Panthers, who are expected to contend for the playoffs and the Buffalo Sabres who should be much improved.
Who do you think will come out on top of the Atlantic Division in the regular season? Can Toronto take that next step and topple their rivals in Boston? Will Aleksander Barkov and the Panthers take a big leap and contend for the Stanley Cup? Can Rasmus Dahlin turn around a Buffalo blue line? Cast your vote below and explain how you think the season will play out in the comments!
Who will win the Atlantic Division?
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Tampa Bay Lightning 37% (637)
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Toronto Maple Leafs 25% (432)
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Detroit Red Wings 15% (254)
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Boston Bruins 13% (232)
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Buffalo Sabres 4% (76)
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Montreal Canadiens 3% (44)
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Florida Panthers 2% (37)
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Ottawa Senators 2% (31)
Total votes: 1,743
[Mobile users click here to vote]
Lou Lamoriello Limited Toronto's Interest In Luke Glendening
Red Wings center Luke Glendening was linked to the Maple Leafs towards the trade deadline as the team was seeking fourth line center help and head coach Mike Babcock is certainly familiar with him from his own time in Detroit. However, MLive’s Ansar Khan notes that former Toronto GM Lou Lamoriello wasn’t as enamored with the 29-year-old which was why they were only offering up a late-round pick for his services.
With the Leafs still not quite set at that fourth line center spot – rookie Par Lindholm appears to be an early contender for the position, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Red Wings circle back to see if new Toronto GM Kyle Dubas would be willing to offer a bit more now. Red Wings GM Ken Holland has acknowledged that they may need to clear a little bit of payroll off their books and moving Glendening – who has three years left with an AAV of $1.8MM – should allow them to get under the Upper Limit regardless of Henrik Zetterberg’s situation while filling a need on Toronto as well.
Nick Jensen Could Be The Odd Man Out On Detroit's Back End
While a short-term bridge contract had been viewed as the best option for the Sabres when it comes to RFA forward Sam Reinhart, that may no longer be the case as Jared Clinton of The Hockey News suggests. The 2014 second overall selection put up a career-best 50 points last season but 37 of those came in the final 38 games of the season. If the team believes his strong second half is a sign of things to come, it’s may be in their best interest to try to save a bit more by committing long-term compared to doing so in a few years even if it’s the riskier way to go. However, there’s a good chance that Reinhart’s representatives may point to the deal Dylan Larkin received from the Red Wings (five years, $30.5MM) as a potential comparable which may be more than what Buffalo is willing to pay. Reinhart is one of the top unsigned RFAs remaining and his could be a case that takes a little while yet to settle.
No Extension Talks Between Detroit Red Wings, Niklas Kronwall
While the Detroit Red Wings prepare for a season that potentially could be played without their captain and star forward Henrik Zetterberg, another fan favorite is preparing for a season that may be his last. Niklas Kronwall is heading into the final season of his current seven-year contract, and according to Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com would be perfectly happy to call it quits after 2018-19 if he has to. Kronwall hasn’t had any extension discussions with the Red Wings, and is just happy to have been given an opportunity in Detroit.
If this happens to be the end of the road, I would be more than happy with the journey that I’ve had and more than thankful to the Ilitch family and (GM) Kenny Holland for giving me the opportunity that I have for being able to be with the same team for my entire career. We’ll see what happens.
I’ve been fortunate enough to play in Detroit all these years and I have a tough time seeing myself in a different jersey
Kronwall, 37, has relinquished some of the defensive responsibility in recent years but remains a beloved figure in a storied franchise. Selected in the first round of the 2000 draft, the Swedish defenseman didn’t make his way over to North America for several seasons. When he finally broke through and secured a full-time role with the team though, there was no turning back. Kronwall quickly became one of the team’s most reliable defensemen, helping them to a Stanley Cup victory in 2008 with an impressive 15 points in 22 playoff contests. Consistent at both ends of the rink, Kronwall also developed a reputation as one of the most devastating open ice hitters in the league, catching forwards with their heads down as they tried to break out of their zone.
While he’s not quite as mobile as he once was, Kronwall only trailed Mike Green in scoring among Red Wings defenders with 27 points and actually posted positive possession statistics. The Red Wings are trying to pass the torch to a new, younger generation in the hopes that they will lead them back to the playoffs in the coming years, but it seems as though Kronwall will not be a part of that. At his advanced age and with a lengthy injury history that comes as no surprise, but his comments will allow fans to really appreciate this season as likely his last donning the winged wheel.
Atlantic Notes: Senators’ Youth, Walker, Howard, Nelson
The Ottawa Senators seem to have little go right over the last year or so, whether it was the unhappiness of their star defenseman Erik Karlsson to the Matt Duchene trade in which the team traded away their No. 1 overall pick for next season to Colorado. With the team shipping off players left and right, that pick could be a costly one for the team.
However, the Ottawa Sun’s Ken Warren writes that who the Senators need to look at the success of the New Jersey Devils last season had when they opted to add a struggling team with youth. Just a season ago, the Devils had a 28-40-14 season and just 70 points. However, New Jersey brought in an infusion of youth, including Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Will Butcher, as well as second-year players like Miles Wood and Pavel Zacha. That group altered the makeup of the struggling franchise and turned last season into a 44-29-9 season for 97 points, an increase of 27 points on the year. The team even qualified for the playoffs.
The Senators, who are actually loaded with quality prospects within their system, could get a similar infusion from their prospects. That possibility might start with 2018 first-rounder Brady Tkachuk, who opted to turn pro last week and has a chance to walk right into the Senators lineup. The team has other young players who are ready for full seasons this year, including Colin White, Logan Brown, Thomas Chabot, Filip Chlapik and Drake Batherson. The team also has last year’s second-round pick Alex Formenton, who made the Senators squad out of training camp last year, who could also make the jump this year. Some success from some of those kids could make people forget a little about some of the franchise’s struggles.
- Former Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Kurt Walker passed away Friday night at the age of 64 after a brief illness, according to the Toronto Sun’s Lance Hornby. Walker, who might have been better known after his short NHL career, was an advocate for retired NHL players. His efforts nearly a decade ago helped retired players and opened doors for affordable health care, concussion research on NHL retired players and stem-cell research. Walker played three seasons in the NHL, all for the Maple Leafs, playing in 71 games, tallying four goals, five assists and 152 penalty minutes.
- Mlive’s Ansar Khan writes that the Detroit Red Wings need a solid year out of 34-year-old goaltender Jimmy Howard, who has one year remaining on his contract. Howard started the 2017-18 season strong, but struggled in the second-half of the season, finishing the year with a 2.85 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 60 games. The team may have to lighten his workload now that the team added Jonathan Bernier, but if Howard will have to have a better year to earn another contract with the team. Khan writes the team might want to give him a two-year extension as they lack goalie prospects in their system.
- The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington writes that Buffalo Sabres defensive prospect Casey Nelson has a good chance at breaking camp with the Sabres this year because he now requires Buffalo to pass him through waivers to send him to the AHL. Nelson, has played 55 games for Buffalo over the past three years and showed some promise last year, putting up three goals and eight assists in 37 games. However, because the team could conceivably lose him if they attempt to pass him through waivers, they may be more likely to hold onto him and send other prospects like Brendan Guhle to the AHL since he doesn’t require waivers.