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Snapshots: Three Stars, Bortuzzo, Backes

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The NHL has released the Three Stars for the third week of the season, and Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has found himself in the top spot. Landeskog makes up part of one of the most dangerous trios in the league alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, and finished last week with six goals and seven points in just three games. Landeskog is still just 25 years old despite this being his eighth season in the league and still has the potential to breakout and become a point-per-game player. That’s what he is so far with ten through his first eight games, and is an early bet to break his career high of 65 points this season.

Connor McDavid and Marc-Andre Fleury round out the stars of the week, taking home second and third respectively. Fleury especially bounced back from some early season struggles and is once again playing at a high level for the Vegas Golden Knights. The 33-year old goaltender is now tenth all-time in wins, and should pass Tony Esposito by season’s end to climb another spot.

  • Robert Bortuzzo won’t be suiting up for the St. Louis Blues in Winnipeg tonight, as he’s flown back to St. Louis to be evaluated for a lower-body injury. The defenseman played on Saturday night, but is now apparently dealing with something serious enough to leave the team. The 29-year old has one goal through five games for the Blues, and is coming off the best season of his career in 2017-18 when he suited up for 72 contests. The team will have to go without his physicality and penalty killing for the time being, and will re-insert Jay Bouwmeester into the lineup for tonight’s game.
  • It’s similar news for David Backes, who has left the Boston Bruins to return home and “have some tests done.” Backes didn’t play in Vancouver on Saturday night, and was limited to just over six minutes of ice time against the Edmonton Oilers after taking an early hit and being checked for a concussion. The 34-year old forward hasn’t scored yet this season, and could be on his way out of the Boston lineup on a long-term basis if he both can’t stay healthy and can’t produce. Unfortunately for the Bruins, he’s still has two more years after this season at a $6MM cap hit, and currently has a no-movement clause.

Edmonton Oilers’ Ty Rattie To Miss A Couple Of Weeks

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Sunday: The Oilers announced they have placed Rattie on injured reserve. The team has recalled Cooper Marody from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL to replace him on the roster. The Oilers acquired Marody’s rights from Philadelphia in March and were able to sign him away from the University of Michigan. The 21-year-old already has two goals and six points in the Condors first five games.

Saturday: The Edmonton Oilers announced that Ty Rattie, who was forced to leave Thursday’s game against Boston with an apparent injury, will be without the promising winger for a couple of weeks with a muscle injury in his midsection.

The 25-year-old winger made a name for himself in the preseason when he led the league in goals with seven. That string of performances won him a spot on the team’s first line next to Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but Rattie has not been able to continue his goal-scoring streak into the regular season. He has a goal and an assist in five games. The injury is a big blow to a player who has been working hard to earn a full-time role in the Edmonton lineup. He has played 54 games in the NHL, but spread out over six seasons.

The Oilers intend to promote 2017 first-round pick Kailer Yamamoto to the top line while Rattie is out. The fast-skating 20-year-old has a goal in five games, but if he can find some chemistry with McDavid as many people have predicted could happen, that could end Rattie’s time on the first line, one of the best lineup opportunities in the NHL.

Jordin Tootoo Announces Retirement

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Long-time NHL grinder Jordin Tootoo is set to be honored tonight by his junior team, the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings, and again by the Edmonton Oilers tomorrow. Well, the 35-year-old got the weekend’s festivities off to a hot start this evening by officially announcing his retirement from pro hockey. The veteran of 723 NHL games missed all of last season due to injury and had not signed with any team this off-season. He now sets his sights on a new venture.

Tootoo, a long-time Nashville Predator, was selected in the fourth round of the 2001 NHL Draft. A two-way standout with the Wheat Kings and a member of Canada’s World Juniors team, Tootoo entered the league with high expectations. Although he never quite developed into a scoring threat at the NHL level, Tootoo made a living doing the dirty work: forechecking, winning battles along the boards, fighting for space in front of the net, and of course fighting. Tootoo’s hard work kept him in Nashville for eight years. In his final season with the team, his hard work earned him a career-high 13 minutes of ice time per night, which he turned into a career-best 30 points. That off-season, Tootoo signed with the Detroit Red Wings. He would suit up for two seasons apiece with Detroit and the New Jersey Devils before closing out his career in 2016-17 with the Chicago Blackhawks. In fact, Tootoo earned an extension from Chicago that would have played out last year, had it not been for an upper-body that kept him out all season. At the end of a 13-year NHL career, Tootoo totaled 65 goals, 96 assists, and over 1000 penalty minutes.

However, it is not Tootoo’s statistics that most will remember him for. It won’t even be his grit, his loyalty, or his work ethic. Instead, Tootoo will always be known for the impact he had on the indigenous populations of Canada. The first native Inuk to play in the NHL, Tootoo has devoted his career to advancing the game of hockey for indigenous peoples. It is an effort that has earned him respect and recognition across the league, even with a team he never played for – the Oilers – honoring his work. Tootoo will now turn his full attention to the mission that means so much to him. Tootoo has already done so much, but just as the hard-working veteran played on the ice, there is always more to do.

Edmonton Oilers Place Matt Benning On Injured Reserve

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The Edmonton Oilers are set to make some changes on the back end, at least for the time being. The team announced today that they have placed defenseman Matt Benning on the injured reserve. The nature of Benning’s injury has not been disclosed and the team gave no timeline for a return, but the injury did occur in last night’s game against the Boston Bruins and his IR assignment means Benning will miss at least ten days and the Oilers’ next five games. In a corresponding move, Kevin Gravel has been recalled from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.

Benning’s injury is somewhat ironic. The 24-year-old blue liner was actually the aggressor on a questionable hit up high on Boston forward David Backes early in Thursday night’s 3-2 overtime win for Edmonton (video). Benning received neither a penalty nor a second look from the league on the hit, which sent Backes to the locker room for the the remainder of the period. Backes returned later on, yet it was Bruins draft pick Benning ruled out not long after with an undisclosed injury. Now, Benning lands on the injured reserve even though he nearly landed a serious head shot on Backes. It is worth noting that Benning, teammate Ty Rattie, and Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller all left last night’s chippy contest.

Benning’s absence will allow free agent addition Gravel the chance to re-establish himself at the NHL level. A signing from the Los Angeles Kings, Gravel fully expected to have a role in Edmonton to begin this season. However, the emergence of rookie Evan Bouchard and a successful tryout from veteran Jason Garrison forced Gravel down to the AHL to begin the year. A physical, stay-at-home defender, Gravel has skated in 70 NHL games over the past three seasons and contributed 93 hits and 84 blocked shots as a gritty presence on the back end. The 26-year-old brings a different skill set from Benning, but should provide an edge and a solid game in his own end for the Oilers while he replaces his injured teammate. A strong showing could earn Gravel a long-term stay in Edmonton.

Oilers Not Pursuing William Nylander

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  • While there are teams that are keeping tabs on the potential availability of Toronto RFA William Nylander, don’t count the Oilers among that group. TSN’s Darren Dreger noted in an appearance on TSN 1050 (audio link) that Edmonton GM Peter Chiarelli is not pursuing the winger although they could certainly benefit from some extra scoring pop up front.  However, given their limited cap room, finding a deal that would keep them under the Upper Limit would be tricky.

Pacific Notes: Getzlaf, Thornton, Yamamoto, Coyotes’ PK

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The Anaheim Ducks got some good news today as Ryan Getzlaf skated for the first time since suffering a groin injury in the third period of their game against Arizona on Oct. 6. While he skated effortlessly, his appearance on the ice was a short one and isn’t expected to play in either game this weekend, according to Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register.

Regardless, the Ducks and Getzlaf have high hopes that he’ll be back soon, which is much better than the original estimate that he could miss as much as a month, although the veteran refused to commit to a return date.

“It’s hard to say because you talk to the doctors and originally it was going to be 2-3 weeks, 3-4 weeks, those kinds of thing,” he said. “Obviously, we’re ahead of schedule. We can’t put a timeline on it because everybody’s body is going to heal differently. We’ll make our adjustments. If the leg progresses faster, then I’ll be back faster.”

Getzlaf has posted two assists in the two games he’s played this year. He scored 11 goals last season in 56 games.

  • Paul Gackle of The Mercury News wonders whether the San Jose Sharks made a mistake putting all of their faith in a Stanley Cup run when much of their center-line depth relies on 39-year-old Joe Thornton, who suffered an infection in his surgically-repaired knee and is currently out. While it is not considered to be a serious injury, the scribe writes that the Sharks are weak up the middle as even head coach Peter DeBoer admits that Joe Pavelski isn’t a real center when Thornton isn’t in the lineup. If the team loses Thornton for any significant time this season, the team may have trouble competing with other teams in the Pacific Division that are much stronger at that position.
  • The Edmonton Oilers picked up their first win of the season today when they defeated the New York Rangers 2-1, but the Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins, in grading the performances of several different players, suggests that 20-year-old Kailer Yamamoto hasn’t shown much in his stint with the team so far this year and while he showed some potential early in the game, he disappeared after the second period and might need to be moved off the team’s second line.
  • Richard Morin of The Arizona Republic writes that the Arizona Coyotes success this year may come down to the success of their penalty kill unit. The Coyotes are just one of four teams that hasn’t allowed a power play goal this season as they’ve stopped seven power plays going into Saturday’s play. The team, which is focused on playing defense and limiting their opponents chances, believe that an impressive penalty kill will be whether the team has success or not. “Our special teams is something we’re really going to rely on this year,” head coach Rick Tocchet said. “Our PK (penalty kill) and power play have to be better than they were last year because it can win you hockey games. Saying that, I think anytime you have a commitment to defense and playing a pursuit style to limit the other team’s chances, you have a better chance at winning.

Calgary Flames Hesitant To Move Sam Bennett Despite Interest

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Through four games this season, young Calgary Flames forward Sam Bennett has just one point. He has yet to score a goal and has taken just six shots. He is seeing just over ten minutes of ice time per game, down more than four minutes from his career average. Bennett is currently on pace for just over 20 points on the year. It seems like a disappointing start and perhaps just an aberration for the 2014 fourth overall pick. In reality, it is par for the course for the 22-year-old forward. Since his strong 36-point rookie campaign in 2015-16, Bennett has failed to improve his production and has seen less and less ice time. This is simply a continuation of the trend.

To say that Bennett has failed to live up to the expectations of his lofty draft position would be to understate the issue. Drafted ahead of the likes of William Nylander, Nikolaj Ehlers, Dylan Larkin, and David Pastrnak in 2014, the Flames certainly expected far more out of Bennett thus far. His overall production is decreasing, he has never cracked 20 goals or 20 assists in a season, and a center when drafted now plays almost exclusively on the wing. Bennett has simply not at all been what the Flames thought they were getting at fourth overall. Meanwhile, the team is without a playoff win in the three years since Bennett became a regular and patience is running out in Calgary. Bennett has shown flashes of immense ability, but has lacked consistency and, more than anything, has been a poor fit in the Flames’ system. With the hire of new head coach Bill Peters, many expected a turnaround from Bennett this year, but it has been far from it so far. It would seem that Bennett’s time in Calgary is almost up, right?

Wrong, in fact. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman led off his latest edition of “31 Thoughts” by acknowledging the trade interest in Bennett, but doubting that GM Brad Treliving and the Flames were ready to move on. Calgary is wary of trading Bennett while his value is at its lowest to a team seeking to buy low on the talented forward and finally find a way to get the most out of his ability. Friedman expanded on his comments with Sportsnet Radio 960 in Calgary, stating that the Flames appear to be obsessed with avoiding the mistake that provincial rivals the Edmonton Oilers made in trading away Taylor Hall at well below his true value. Hall was also struggling to meet the expectations of his draft slot, first overall in 2010, and it was compounded by the team’s struggles as well. Hall was traded to the New Jersey Devils for Adam Larsson and is now the reigning Hart Trophy winner and a top ten forward in the league. The Flames could certainly use a Larsson-caliber piece in their pursuit of a playoff berth this season, but not at the cost of losing a player that they still believe has untapped potential.

That is not to say that the team hasn’t considered offers, though. Friedman states that, while no deal was ever close, Calgary went “far down the road” in trade talks with several teams. Friedman specifically names the Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, and Tampa Bay Lightning as teams that he knows have had interest in Bennett before and, especially in the case of Anaheim and Montreal, likely continue to. The fact that Bennett is perceived as being available via trade would seem to indicate that the Flames continue to field offers for the young forward, even if they aren’t actively selling. While Friedman doesn’t see it happening, Bennett’s play so far this year is trending towards 2018-19 being a new career low. With a year remaining on his contract beyond this season, giving a new team the time to attempt to turn his development around, a poor season for Bennett could see Calgary finally give up on their once-top prospect. It’s fair to want to avoid giving up on potential, particularly for a disappointing return, but a point is fast approaching when Bennett can no longer be seriously compared to a player like Hall.

Anaheim Ducks Place Pontus Aberg On Waivers

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Monday: Aberg has cleared waivers according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, an interesting move given that the Oilers could have reclaimed him for their minor league squad. That means Aberg will now be able to go to San Diego should the Ducks decide to send him there.

Sunday: The Anaheim Ducks decided that Pontus Aberg may not be the best fit after all. After claiming him on waivers from the Edmonton Oilers last week, Elliotte Friedman reports that the Ducks have put the 25-year-old winger on waivers Sunday.

Aberg played just one game for the Ducks, who added Aberg due to multiple injuries to their roster, including Ryan Kesler, Corey Perry and Ondrej Kase. Aberg played 20 shifts in the team’s season opener against San Jose and played 13:47, but didn’t register a point. He did have a minus-one rating and picked up two penalty minutes, made one hit and blocked a shot.

There is no guarantee that any team might take a flier on Aberg after being waived after a one-game trial, but if Edmonton opts to claim him back and no one else does, the Oilers can send him directly to the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL without having to re-waive him again. If Edmonton opts not to bring him back and he passes through waivers, he can be sent to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL.

Snapshots: Hamonic, Russell, Seidenberg, Gionta

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When the Calgary Flames recalled Rasmus Andersson yesterday, it was an indication that defenseman Travis Hamonic’s facial fracture, suffered in the team’s opener, was going to cause him to miss some time. However, the team has now officially announced that Hamonic has been placed on injured reserve. The team has labeled his status as week-to-week with no specific timeline for a return. Hamonic suffered the blow in a first period fight with the Vancouver Canucks’ Erik Gudbranson and was forced to leave the contest early. Hamonic has been sidelined frequently in his career, with his 74 games for Calgary last season actually setting a new career-high. Hamonic missed eight games for the Flames in his first season with the team, but spread throughout the season and not more than four at a time. The Flames would be fortunate if this injury only costs Hamonic four games. In the meantime, Andersson, fellow rookie Juuso Valimaki, and veteran depth defender Dalton Prout will be asked to pick up the slack in Hamonic’s absence.

  • The rival Edmonton Oilers are getting one of their top defensemen back from injury, as the team announced that Kris Russell has been activated from the injured reserve. Russell’s injury was never disclosed by the team, nor was a timeline given, making his activation both a surprise and not a surprise at all. Russell traveled with the team to Europe and returns in time for the Oilers’ season opener against the New Jersey Devils in Sweden. Russell will skate with rookie and 2018 first-round pick Evan Bouchard, as he makes his NHL debut. In a corresponding move, Edmonton has returned young puck-moving blue liner Ethan Bear to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Bear has been established as the next man up on defense, so if Bouchard’s early action does not impress and he is returned to junior, expect a prompt recall for Bear.
  • The New York Islanders are keeping defenseman Dennis Seidenberg and forward Stephen Gionta with the team on extended PTO’s, notes Newsday’s Andrew Gross. Both veterans played for the Islanders last season and are familiar with the roster and seem willing to hang around in case an opportunity to officially return arises. Per Gross, head coach Barry Trotz called the pair “long-term insurance”. Seidenberg and Gionta will participate in practice and wait to see how the early season unfolds for the Isles, both in health and performance. Neither veteran has much of a ceiling at this point in their career, but are experienced, serviceable, hard-working pros who could step in if needed and provided some immediate support.

Canucks Loan Sam Gagner To AHL’s Toronto Marlies

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To add insult to injury, Sam Gagner will not start the 2018-19 with the Vancouver Canucks or with their fellow depth options on their AHL team, the Utica Comets. Gagner, who cleared waivers today, has been loaned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, the Canucks announced. Vancouver retains the right to recall Gagner, but normally a reassignment like this is an indication that ties have been cut between the player and the organization.

To be clear, this loan is a favor to the veteran forward. While it stings that Gagner, 29, is not in the Canucks’ plans moving forward, they did him the courtesy of sending him home to Toronto, where he and his wife are raising a young family. A reassignment like this is rare, but not unheard of; for the second season in a row, the Buffalo Sabres sent forward Matt Moulson to the Ontario Reign of the AHL, the Los Angeles Kings’ affiliate, to be closer to his family in California. There is no exchange of assets and no financial strings attached in such a move, as Gagner will simply log his AHL minutes for the Marlies instead of the Comets while counting for $2.125 against Vancouver’s salary cap as a buried player, as opposed to his full $3.15MM cap hit.

Gagner was the biggest surprise of this fall’s preseason waiver wire. The talented forward just signed a three-year contract with the Canucks last summer and registered 31 points in 74 games in his first season. His production was not incredible, but it was far from egregious. He managed to maintain a top-nine role and was one of Vancouver’s top shot-producers, with a 6.1% shooting percentage that was the worst of his career and was bound to regress positively. Gagner has proven throughout his up-and-down career to be perhaps the most system-specific player in the NHL. In the right role in the right scheme with the right mix of players, Gagner has been a potent play-maker and offensive asset. He set a career high of 50 points with the Columbus Blue Jackets just two years ago and was a perennial 40+ point player to begin his career with the Edmonton Oilers. Yet, his production tailed off in Edmonton as the team’s composition began to change and he struggled mightily with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015-16, managing just 16 points. The remains of his current contract are not an attractive attachment, but it still remains a bit of a surprise that Gagner was unclaimed on waivers given his history of having a high scoring ceiling in the right system.

This very well might not be the end for Gagner, though. At just 29, he still has the potential to play for a lot longer. Like Moulson, he very well could be one of the top scorers for his on-loan club but, unlike Moulson, maintains value around the league and could use his minor league performance to his advantage. The defending champion Calder Cup winners will give Gagner the chance to show off his ability and, with or without an uptick in shooting luck, should be able to dominate at the AHL level. Meanwhile, the Canucks would have little reason not to entertain trade offers. Even in a potential trade with retained salary, Vancouver stands to benefit rather than his current cap hit as a buried veteran. Gagner will remain an intriguing name permanently on the trade block until there is a resolution to his current situation.

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