Morning Moves: Connor, Roslovic, Holmstrom, Vermin
The Winnipeg Jets have decided to bring up a pair of top prospects, recalling both Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic from the Manitoba Moose. Both first-round picks in 2015, they are the next wave of talented youngsters for Winnipeg to build around. Connor made his NHL debut at the beginning of the season, playing nineteen games with the Jets and registering four points. He has dominated the AHL since his return with 42 points in 45 games.
Roslovic on the other hand has yet to skate in an NHL game, but should be just as touted as a prospect. With 45 points in 61 games in the AHL while playing a more demanding position (center), Roslovic looks like a top-six option for the Jets down the line. The 20-year olds will get another taste down the stretch and both vie for full-time NHL gigs next season.
- The Red Wings have called up Evgeny Svechnikov from the AHL under emergency conditions. The Russian prospect is expected to make his NHL debut tonight, according to Ansar Khan of MLive. Likely the top prospect in the Red Wings system that hadn’t seen NHL ice yet, Svechnikov will be a key part of any rebuild Detroit tries. His offensive upside is tremendous, both on the rush and off the cycle.
- Khan also reports that Axel Holmstrom has joined the Grand Rapids Griffins, now that his Swedish season has ended. The seventh-round pick of the Red Wings in 2014, Holmstrom is a 20-year old forward who has been playing in the Swedish men’s league for several years. A star at the World Juniors in both 2015 and 2016, his international success has shown an ability to skate alongside some of the more skilled players in the world (like William Nylander) and not miss a beat.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have added another transaction to the lengthening list for Joel Vermin. The forward was sent back down to the Syracuse Crunch today after his latest stint in the NHL. Vermin has been the insurance policy for a team ravaged by injuries this season, playing in 17 games spread across many different call-ups.
- Minnesota has decided to send Alex Stalock back down to the AHL, after making two starts in the place of Darcy Kuemper while the team was struggling. Stalock actually performed quite well in both, stopping 51 of a combined 54 shots. It will be interesting to see what the Wild do in the playoffs if Kuemper doesn’t bounce back in his next opportunity to back up Devan Dubnyk.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Sonny Milano from the Cleveland Monsters amid his excellent sophomore season. The 20-year old first-round pick has 43 points in 59 games and has continually shown off his incredible offensive upside. A highlight-reel player, Milano provide some amazing moments but still has work to do to become a top player in the NHL. His all-around game isn’t at a top-line level, but with a few games at the end of the season he may get to see what it takes to become a star in the NHL.
PHR Originals: 3/27/17 – 4/1/17
Pro Hockey Rumors had a number of original articles this week as the regular season winds down and the playoffs beckon. Here are a few from the past week:
- Brett analyzed the Edmonton Oilers’ first line dominance and how it has played a tremendous role in the success of the team this season. While the Oilers’ renaissance certainly got its jumpstart from Connor McDavid, it’s the play of others who have certainly helped the team reach the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
- Meanwhile, I took a closer look at the rebuild situation that the Red Wings are facing and some concerning elements that have arisen over the past few years that GM Ken Holland will have to navigate.
- Gavin highlighted the surprising yet impressive performance by Patrick Eaves, who has notched 29 goals this season between the Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks. He also notes that no one in the hockey world–including your humble writers here at PHR–saw this performance coming. In addition to Eaves, Gavin wrote about Toby Enstrom and how after going through a season ending knee surgery, it may be in the Jets best interest to find a way to have him waive his no movement clause.
- Finally, Gavin also answered many of your questions during a live chat. In addition to providing sound hockey analysis, he’s also open to fantasy baseball advice for replacing Jeurys Familia.
Ken Holland And The Red Wings Rebuild
Two postseasons ago before he left Hockeytown for hockey’s Mecca in Toronto, head coach Mike Babcock made a blunt assessment of the Red Wings’ future following a bitter 2-0 loss in Game 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Babcock said this:
“Our team is not as good as it was. It’s very evident. We battled our butt off just to get in the playoffs. You are what you are. [Tampa Bay] had a young team that have been around long enough to rebuild it. They’ve got young players at key positions. Three of our best players are 34, 35, 37. Any way you look at it, we’re a team that has changed a ton of players and added a lot of youth to our lineup, but nobody on the outside picked us to be a Stanley Cup contender.”
Missing the playoffs for the first time in a quarter century didn’t come as a surprise to many in Detroit. And while Babcock has his Maple Leafs on an accelerated path for what was supposed to be a “painful” rebuild, the Red Wings find themselves older, injured, and looking on the outside of the playoffs for the first time since Steve Yzerman wore the C.
Those in Detroit hoping for a Toronto-like teardown might be disappointed, however, as general manager Ken Holland believes his team needs a few tweaks to compete again. Though this is admirable for a general manager to fight for his team, it doesn’t seem all that reasonable as the Red Wings struggled to score goals, had major players regress, and find themselves financially strapped with several long term, high priced contracts. Curiously, senior vice president Jimmy Devellano was quoted as saying “the rebuild is on” which spoke opposite to what the general manager of the club said.
Holland, who spoke with Toronto’s Fan 590 and also the Hockey News’ Ken Campbell, made it abundantly clear that he is not in it for a tear down. With only a year remaining on his contract, Holland may not view it as viable when success in Detroit is measured with Stanley Cups and playoff appearances. But the fact of the matter is that the Red Wings have been sputtering for some time. Specifically:
- Since the retirement of Nicklas Lidstrom, the Red Wings only advanced once beyond the first round. The surprising run in 2013 that saw them squeak into the playoffs and nearly upend eventual champion Chicago seemed more of a red herring than truth when it came to the ability level of the team.
- Elite free agents have avoided Detroit, and those who have signed were nearing the end of their career, like Daniel Alfredsson or Brad Richards. Others, like Stephen Weiss or the second go around with Mikael Samuelsson were massive miscalculations that did little to help the team and in many ways, hindered the progress of younger players.
- Holland, who was the undisputed king of trades before the salary cap, has appeared gun shy to make moves via trade. Instead, he’s been loyal, re-signing the likes of Justin Abdelkader, Darren Helm, Danny DeKeyser, and Jonathan Ericsson to long, expensive deals while seeing little in the way of return. Holland told Campbell that while he’ll work the phones to try and improve the team, other GMs may not “like our players or contracts.” Ironically, many of those contracts they wouldn’t like were offered to current Red Wings by Holland.
The USA Today’s Kevin Allen offered his own take and believes Detroit must rely on youth, and realize that their brand is “stale.” Allen is a non-partisan national writer without any bias to the Wings. If a pair of eyes outside the organization can see this, Holland may want to consider it.
A rebuild provides a chance to change the image of the Detroit Red Wings, which is now one without stars, on the decline, and appears resistant to change. Reading what Holland says now is nearly identical to what he’s said in the past, when the Red Wings were already showing signs of sinking.
Babcock foretold a fall for the Red Wings. Holland has a chance to change course and put the team back on an upward trajectory. But it goes beyond signing older veterans and current players in moving the Wings beyond a fringe playoff team and back into the status of contenders.
Evening Snapshots: Mantha, Hamonic, Zaitsev
Injury notes from around the NHL this evening:
- Detroit Red Wings rookie Anthony Mantha suffered an upper body injury tonight in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning and will not return, reports the Detroit Free Press’s Helene St. James. According to MLive’s Ansar Khan, Mantha was injured fighting Lightning defenseman Luke Witkowski in the first period. The Red Wings have not specified the extend of Mantha’s injury, but preliminary reports state that Mantha fractured his finger and may not return this season.
- New York Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic suffered an upper body injury and will not return, reports Newsday’s Arthur Staple. Hamonic may have been injured in a fight tonight against Philadelphia Flyers forward Dale Weise. Losing Hamonic for any period of time is a big blow for the Islanders as they struggle for the East’s last wildcard playoff spot. Before tonight’s game the Isles were four points back of that wildcard spot with one game in hand.
- TSN’s Bob MacKenzie reported during the Toronto Maple Leafs – Nashville Predators first period intermission that the Maple Leafs are in talks with defenseman Nikita Zaitsev and are closing in on a seven-year deal. Zaitsev becomes a Restricted Free Agent after this season. The Russian defenseman has 4G and 30A in 76 games so far this season.
Snapshots: Red Wings, Kings, Bruins
News and notes from around the NHL this evening:
- Detroit Red Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou will not play tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes, reports Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. Athanasiou is day-to-day after suffering an injury on the final play of last night’s game in the first of back to back games against the Hurricanes. The Red Wings forward was cross-checked by Hurricanes forward Victor Rask, causing Athanasiou to hit goaltender Eddie Lack. Lack ended up leaving the game on a stretcher, and now Athanasiou will miss some time as well.
- The Los Angeles Kings have scratched forward Marian Gaborik tonight against the Edmonton Oilers, reports Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times. Gaborik has struggled this season, posting 10G and 9A in 51 games for the Kings. The Czech forward has endured multiple injuries this season, which may cause concern for the Kings who have Gaborik signed through 2020-21.
- The Boston Bruins caused a small stir when they used an emergency call-up on goaltender Zane McIntyre this afternoon. Media initially speculated that Tuukka Rask was injured, but later Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald reported that backup Anton Khudobin suffered a minor injury today. Despite the recall, however, McIntyre did not suit up as Khudobin was okay to play by game time.
Minor Moves: Fucale, Renouf, Pedrie
The Montreal Canadiens won the most important game of the season on Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators, putting them up by three points in the Atlantic Division. That had them flying high until this morning when the team announced that Al Montoya has suffered a lower-body injury and will be unavailable for the game tonight against the Dallas Stars. Instead, the Canadiens have recalled Zach Fucale from the ECHL Brampton Beast to back up Carey Price tonight.
Fucale was drafted in the second round in 2013, and Montreal still has high hopes for the 21-year old. The young netminder has struggled since his draft year at different levels, but still has the raw talent to put it all together as his body matures. Goaltenders often put it together much later than skaters, meaning Fucale could still improve drastically. For now, he’ll get a taste of the NHL from the bench.
- The Detroit Red Wings have re-assigned Dan Renouf to the AHL after making his NHL debut just last night. He was called up on an emergency basis, and will now return to Grand Rapids for the time being. The 22-year old was an NCAA free agent last spring, and has had a solid professional debut this season. With 15 points in 58 games, he has provided a little offense for the Griffins in addition to his normal physical brand of defense. Renouf’s departure likely means the return of Niklas Kronwall to the Detroit lineup for the game against Carolina tonight.
- As expected, the Rangers have signed Vince Pedrie to an entry-level contract. The Penn State defenseman broke the news himself last night on Instagram, before deleting it and waiting for the team’s announcement. 23-years old and just finished his sophomore year, Pedrie will instead turn to the professional ranks for the next chapter in his hockey career. The puck-moving defenseman is a nice addition to a Rangers prospect system that has been stripped bare in recent years.
Morning Notes: Gaudreau, Street, Pedrie, Vermin
Don’t worry Flames fans, the headline “Islanders Sign Gaudreau” shouldn’t scare you, at least not in 2017. The New York team has signed Johnny’s younger brother Matt Gaudreau to an amateur tryout for their AHL affiliate. The younger Gaudreau has just completed his senior season at Boston College, where he scored 35 points in 40 games.
Not blessed with the exceptional skill of his brother, Gaudreau is similarly sized at 5’9 150-lbs and must rely on his quickness and playmaking ability. While he does have potential to play at a higher level, his offensive upside isn’t as high as his brother and thus will have a hard time getting a look at the NHL level.
- The Detroit Red Wings have called up Ben Street on emergency condition, but Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports that it will turn into a regular recall should he not play in tonight’s game. The team is playing the third of three consecutive games, likely leading to some soreness and minor injuries.
- Steve Zipay of Newsday reports that Vince Pedrie of Penn State may be close to a deal with the New York Rangers, as the free agent forward sent out a now deleted Instagram photo with the caption “It comes with a heavy heart that I announce I will not be returning to Penn State for my remaining two years…I am extremely excited to start my professional hockey career with the New York Rangers.” Pedrie scored 30 points in 39 games in just his sophomore season, though he is already 23-years old.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have sent Joel Vermin back to the AHL after playing in the previous four games for the club. The 25-year old winger has just three points in 15 games in the NHL this season, and with the team getting healthier, he’ll now return to help the Syracuse Crunch into the playoffs.
Eddie Lack Released From Hospital; Hurricanes Recall Nedeljkovic
After a frightening on-ice collision with Detroit Red Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou, Eddie Lack lay motionless for almost ten minutes as paramedics loaded him onto a stretcher and took him to hospital. Though he gave a reassuring thumbs up to the crowd as he was being taken away, Carolina Hurricanes fans were still holding their breath. Late last night, Lack tweeted out what everyone was hoping for:
Thanks for all thoughts and prayers everything looks alright and I’ll be able to go home tonight! Thanks for thinking of me.
The team has called up Alex Nedeljkovic in his stead on emergency conditions from the ECHL. The 21-year old goaltender actually made his NHL debut earlier this year, and has spent much of the season with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. Drafted in the second round in 2014, Nedeljkovic is just starting to mature as a goaltender will need several years of seasoning in the minor league before really making a mark at the higher levels.
With the club taking on Detroit again tonight, in the second of back-to-back matchups due to a rescheduled game, Cam Ward is expected to get the start. The Red Wings will be on their third game in three nights, an exceptional situation in today’s NHL.
Eddie Lack Stretchered Off Ice After Collision
It was a scary scene in Raleigh, North Carolina following the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. In the course of scoring the game-winning goal, Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou crashed into ‘Canes goaltender Eddie Lack, knocking him down hard into the net. While Detroit celebrated their victory, it was clear something was not right with Lack. Medical personnel were soon at his side and, after several minutes on the ice, Lack was finally loaded onto a stretcher and escorted out of the arena, where he was then swiftly sent to the nearest hospital.
As of right now, there is no word on the specifics or severity of the injury. Lack was conscious as he left the ice; he gave the crowd, and his teammates and opposition, all of whom watched on in concern from the ice, a thumbs up as he was carried off. However, that is no indication of the severity of the injury, only a sign of hope to cling on to. We here at PHR certainly wish Lack the best and will update the article when we know more.
Snapshots: Red Wings, Krejci, Marleau, Couture
Detroit’s 25 year streak of reaching the playoffs is all but set to come to an end this season as the team sits dead last in the Eastern Conference. While GM Ken Holland isn’t surprised that it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the Red Wings this season, he told Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News that he wasn’t expecting the team to struggle as much as they have:
“I expected more, I expected we’d be in the thick of things. I didn’t know if we’d be in the playoffs or not. When you look at the standings in our division and in the Eastern Conference, there a lot of teams, some of them are going to miss the playoffs by a point or two and some of them are going to get in by a point or two.”
Kulfan notes that free agency isn’t an avenue that Holland and the Wings are likely to pursue this summer. Part of the problem is the weaker than usual free agent class while the team is also handcuffed by some above-market value contracts that the GM has handed out in recent years to players like Darren Helm, Danny DeKeyser, and several others. As a result, they’ll have to hope to free up some cap room either via the trade or market or perhaps in expansion if the Golden Knights opt to take a pricey player off their hands.
Other notes from around the league:
- Bruins center David Krejci left practice early on Monday and interim head coach Bruce Cassidy told CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty that he is dealing with an upper body injury. However, it’s not expected to keep him out of Boston’s lineup when they take on the Predators on Tuesday night. If it turns out he’s unavailable, it’s expected that Ryan Spooner would jump in to fill his spot on the second line.
- With Logan Couture out of the lineup, the Sharks will shift Patrick Marleau back to center for the time being, notes CSN Bay Area’s Kevin Kurz. Marleau is a natural center but has only played there four times this year as San Jose has opted to play him on the wing instead. In a separate column, Kurz provided an update on Couture. Head coach Peter DeBoer was pleased by how much the swelling went down today and while he will miss some time, it doesn’t appear that it will be a long-term injury. There’s no timetable for a potential return date yet although the team is expected to further update his situation in the near future.