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Carolina Hurricanes Sign Saku Maenalanen

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Friday: The Hurricanes have officially announced the signing.  The deal comes with an $832,500 salary in the NHL. New GM Don Waddell had this to say about his newest prospect:

Saku is a big, strong winger who can really skate. Our scouting staff has been tracking this player for a long time. He had options when it came to where he would start his NHL career, and we’re pleased he has chosen Carolina.

Thursday: According to a Finnish news source (and seemingly confirmed by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet), the Carolina Hurricanes have signed Saku Maenalanen to an entry-level contract. Maenalanen is currently playing for Finland at the World Championships, after a breakout season with Karpat. The 23-year old would be limited to a one-year entry-level contract due to his age.

Maenalanen was originally selected in the fifth round by the Nashville Predators in 2013, but never signed with the club and eventually became an unrestricted free agent. Some time developing in Finland did him well, as he scored 46 points in 59 games this season as one of the top offensive players in the entire league. That was followed by a solid postseason that concluded with a third Liiga championship for the young player. The performance on the biggest stage isn’t surprising, as many will remember his seven-goal performance at the 2014 World Juniors, where he won gold playing on a line with fellow Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen.

That familiarity may come in handy if Maenalanen cracks the Carolina roster, as he likely would be used in an offensive role in the NHL. The 6’4″ winger has great hands around the net and can find weak spots in the defensive coverage. There’s no guarantee that he’ll jump right to the NHL, but his solid performance at the current Worlds is only helping his case.

Will Jeff Skinner Be The First Big Move Of The New Hurricanes Administration?

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After a league-worst ninth straight season without making the playoffs, changes were always going to be coming to the Carolina Hurricanes this off-season. Already, big moves have been made by new owner Tom Dundon, as he replaced Ron Francis as GM with Don Waddell and Bill Peters as head coach with Rod Brind’Amour. The team also brought in Rick Dudley as Sr. VP of Hockey Operations. Now, this realigned front office must decide how to proceed with structuring the roster in a way that can end their postseason drought.

Early on, the one name that has been floated around is homegrown winger Jeff Skinner. Skinner, 25, is one of the longest tenured and most consistently productive players on the Hurricanes. A supremely skilled forward, the former Calder Trophy winner has a knack for finding the back of the net and is a lethal weapon on the power play. Skinner has cracked 50 points four times in his career and has been improving in his defensive play and possession ability as his career has progressed. The fact that Skinner has been so successful on a team that has not once made the playoffs in his eight-year career tends to show that he could be even better surrounded by superior talent as well. The Los Angeles Kings were rumored to be looking into Skinner earlier this month, but now it appears that he has quite a few more suitors. In his latest “31 Thoughts” column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman says that the number of teams making calls on Skinner is growing. There seems to be ample interest in the skilled scorer and the Hurricanes will certainly entertain offers for the impending 2019 free agent.

However, is this really the right move for the new Carolina administration to make to begin their reconstruction? Skinner undoubtedly is one of their most valuable players, but one has to question the purpose of trading him at this point in time. The Hurricanes have one of the best young defensive corps in all of hockey are are almost overflowing with talented blue liners. Meanwhile, their offense is composed of mostly complementary players, many of whom are playing higher up in the lineup than they would on most other NHL teams. What the ’Canes need more than anything is a star forward, preferably a center, to lead the offense and bring the forward group together in a cohesive unit. A top center like this is almost certainly not going to be the return on a deal for Skinner’s expiring contract. Where they may land such a player is in dealing away one of their top defenseman. Skinner may be more valuable to the Hurricanes this season, and may even consider an extension, if the Hurricanes are able to add that top player that the team is greatly in need of. They could always trade Skinner in-season if they are unable to make a deal this off-season. If instead they choose to move Skinner right now for what would most likely be picks and prospects, it could only further impair their offense and would likely lead to a tenth-straight season without playoff hockey. For the Hurricanes’ sake, let’s hope Waddell and company carefully consider any deal related to Skinner this summer.

Latest On Ilya Kovalchuk

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One name that will grace the free agent market this summer and could be seen as a game-changer for some teams is Ilya Kovalchuk, as he returns from the KHL. Though now 35, some believe he still has what it takes to be an impact player in the NHL and could be one of the top free agents left come July 1st. It has been reported that Kovalchuk would prefer to play on the east coast in a place like New York or Florida, but there are no shortage of teams all over the league who could use a goal-scoring winger. One of those is the Edmonton Oilers, who have struggled to find enough talent to surround Connor McDavid.

That’s why it’s interesting that Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet notes in his latest column that the Oilers checked in on Kovalchuk. Friedman notes that “it won’t happen” and Bob Stauffer of 630 CHED adds that he believes the Oilers never even pursued the Russian winger. Edmonton will need to look elsewhere for their offensive upgrade, though it’s not clear where exactly it will come from.

For Kovalchuk, it’s unclear what his market will really be. Though it’s true that teams do need scoring wingers, he comes with more baggage than the average free agent. Not only does his history—”retiring” from the New Jersey Devils in the midst of a long-term contract to return to the KHL—stand against him with some front offices, but he also qualifies as a 35+ player this offseason. That means that a team would be held culpable for his cap hit regardless of any similar retirement decisions in the future, a risky prospect in the tight salary structures of many contenders. The Rangers, assumed the most appealing destination to Kovalchuk, are entering a mini-rebuild and may not want to spend money on an aging star. They have admitted their focus is on young players, and signing Kovalchuk for anything but big minutes and powerplay time is unlikely.

So, we’ll have to wait and see what kind of market emerges for the Russian sniper. It will likely be easier to count the teams interested than those who are not, though you can now place the Oilers firmly in the latter category.

Coaching Notes: Gulutzan, Clark, Smith

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In Elliotte Friedman’s latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, he breaks down the situations of several coaches—both employed and unemployed—around the league. One of those he touches on is Glen Gulutzan, who Friedman says received offers to become an assistant coach in both Edmonton and Buffalo.

There’s no indication that Gulutzan has made a decision yet, but with teams offering him roles as an assistant or head coach in the AHL, it seems unlikely that he’ll remain unemployed very long. The former Calgary Flames head coach was fired after a disappointing season, in which the club missed the playoffs entirely.

  • Ian Clark, the goaltending coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets, will leave the team at the end of June. His contract is expiring and will move on to new challenges, leaving Sergei Bobrovsky and Joonas Korpisalo without their coach next season. No word on who will be replacing him, though Clark believes that “sooner or later, teams will have a director of player personnel and a director of goaltending.”
  • One interesting connection that Friedman makes regarding the New York Rangers’ vacancy, is that of D.J. Smith. The Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach has a history with Rangers’ Special Assistant Adam Graves, and has been considered for various jobs in the past. Interestingly, the Maple Leafs have recently promoted Kyle Dubas to GM, where he could have an impact on coaching hires over the next few months.

Carolina Hires Rod Brind’Amour, Removes Interim Tag From Don Waddell

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No longer are the Carolina Hurricanes without a coach or GM. The team has announced the hiring of Rod Brind’Amour as their next head coach, a decision that won’t come as a surprise to anyone. Brind’Amour will come in as Bill Peters’ replacement, after Peters exercised an out clause last month to join the Calgary Flames. The team has also announced that Don Waddell, who had been operating as interim GM, will now be the team’s official President and GM. Waddell had this to say about his newest head coach:

Rod is the greatest leader in the history of this franchise, and has earned the opportunity to take charge of our locker room. We spoke to a number of candidates for this position, but our conversations with staff and players consistently returned to the same person. Rod’s fresh ideas, ability to motivate and understanding of what it takes to bring a championship to Raleigh will help our young team take the next step toward competing to bring the Cup back to North Carolina.

Brind’Amour, who received a three-year contract, is a legendary playing figure for the Hurricanes, suiting up in 694 games for the franchise over 10 years, and lifting their first Stanley Cup as captain in 2006. Just a year after retirement he joined the club as an assistant coach, a role he has held since 2011. Now transitioning to head coach will be a daunting task, especially as he has been critiqued in the past for a middling powerplay unit and lackluster forward group.

If Brind’Amour is going to find success in Carolina, he’ll need an improved offensive attack and for Waddell to finally find the team a reliable goaltender. Scott Darling is under contract for three more seasons, but will need a huge bounce back to even get to average goaltending. His .888 save percentage was unacceptable, and one of the main reasons the Hurricanes failed to reach the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.

Waddell had already been serving as interim GM, but will now take over fully in the role moving forward. That comes as somewhat of a surprise, as Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer notes that Waddell had already said he did not want to be considered for the role. Perhaps he had a change of heart, or perhaps the search is taking too long and the team wanted some stability throughout the draft and free agency. Any new GM coming in would be hard pressed to set up an entire offseason strategy over the next month. Waddell, who had already been with the team (though not in this capacity), is familiar with the organization’s strengths and weaknesses.

The team also recently brought in Rick Dudley to be Waddell’s right-hand man, a duo that had previously been together with the Atlanta Thrashers. The new front office will have plenty of work to do over the next few months, as they try to bring the team back to the playoffs. Jeff Skinner is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019, while Noah Hanifin needs a new contract before next season as he comes off his entry-level deal.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet and Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer both reported the hiring would be announced soon.  Alexander also reported the term of the contract.

Injury Notes: Backes, Thornton, Backstrom

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While the Boston Bruins fight to try and stay alive in their second round matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning (the tea m is down 2-1 in Game 5 as of this writing), they’ll have to do it without the help of David Backes. He won’t return to the game today after a collision with Tampa’s J.T. Miller.

Though the series is certainly important, Backes’ long-term health is a bigger concern. The veteran forward went down holding his head, and immediately left the ice with help from players and the training staff. As Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet points out, Backes has already had two publicly known concussions in his career, including one last season while with the Bruins. The 34-year old forward has three years remaining on his current contract with the Bruins, and registered 33 points this season.

  • Though there was hope that Joe Thornton could return to the San Jose Sharks lineup tonight, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports that won’t be happening. Head coach Peter DeBoer has already ruled Thornton out, meaning the Sharks will need to stave of elimination without the help of one of their top forwards. The veteran center played in just 47 games for the Sharks this season and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent again this summer. He could have played his last game with San Jose should they be unable to win against the Vegas Golden Knights tonight in Game 6 of their series.
  • The Washington Capitals don’t expect to be in the same situation, as head coach Barry Trotz explained today. Despite suffering an upper-body injury, the team expects Nicklas Backstrom to play in Game 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Andre Burakovsky still isn’t travelling with the team, but having Backstrom in the lineup gives the Capitals their best chance at finally eliminating the Penguins and moving on to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Mark Hunter Making GM Choice Difficult For Maple Leafs

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With most people under the belief that with former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello out of the picture now, the Maple Leafs are likely to go with their long-time plan of naming GM-in-waiting Kyle Dubas as their next general manager.

However, Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet suggests that may not be the case. During a segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Kypreos says that many executives around the league believe that assistant general manager Mark Hunter may be the better choice. Elliotte Friedman reported on the same broadcast that team president Brendan Shanahan and Hunter met Friday to discuss the opening.

“A lot of executives I’ve spoken with believe that when it comes to the next general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, it goes in the favour of Mark Hunter, for no other reason than his resume,” said Kypreos.

The 55-year-old Hunter has quite a different resume than the 32-year-old prodigy Dubas. The 12-year NHL veteran has been a successful coach, owned, and ran the OHL’s London Knights and has been an executive with the Maple Leafs since 2014. Dubas, who also joined the organization in 2014, was the general manager of the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

“A lot of executives still believe that Kyle Dubas pales in comparison to the years of experience and multiple Memorial Cups [of Hunter],” Kyreos said. “The issue for Brendan Shanahan going forward is that if he decides to go with Kyle Dubas, he runs the risk of losing Mark Hunter, who would have a tough time answering to Dubas.”

With two solid candidates for the highly-coveted position, however, it’s likely the team will lose one executive at some point if they don’t get the position.

Toronto’s Babcock Travels To Arizona To Talk With Auston Matthews

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It looks like there was some truth between the reported rift between the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock and star Auston Matthews afterall. Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada reported Saturday evening that Babcock travelled to Arizona (Matthews home) for a family vacation, but plans to sit down and clear up any issues that Matthews may have with the coach, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

“The expectation is the two of them are going to talk or have talked this weekend as they try to air things out and fix things between them,” Elliotte Friedman said during Hockey Night’s “Headlines” segment on Saturday.

The rift was first reported by Nick Kypreos after Game 7 of the first-round playoff series between the Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins. Both player and coach denied the accusation.

While Babcock’s trip to Arizona is being passed off as a family trip, Kypreos feels differently.

“It is common for star players sometimes to battle with their coaches for things such as ice time,” Kypreos said during intermission of the Penguins-Capitals game on Saturday. “But what isn’t that common is a week after [exit meetings]. It’s clear that this is a priority for Babcock, who’s hoping to smooth things out so come training camp, everyone’s on the same page.”

LeBrun, however, tweeted that Babcock also has plans to visit goaltender Frederik Andersen in Denmark soon as well.

Morning Notes: Evans, Bruins, Hamilton

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Jake Evans was a seventh round pick by the Montreal Canadiens in 2014, but after four outstanding seasons at Notre Dame he’ll head into 2018-19 with some high hopes. Unfortunately, he’ll have to deal with a lengthy rehab before he gets to next season, after undergoing sports hernia surgery on Wednesday.

Evans faces a 12-week recovery period, but hernia surgery is notorious for having lasting effects for several months. Though he’ll likely be cleared in time to participate in the Canadiens’ training camp, they’ll have to closely monitor his effectiveness before making a decision on where he’ll start the season. Some believe the 21-year old could make an impact at the NHL level right away, but it seems more likely that he’ll start with the Laval Rocket and try to prove his worth on the professional circuit.

  • The Boston Bruins will insert Ryan Donato into the lineup tonight, but it could come at a heavy cost. Both Brad Marchand and Jake Debrusk are game-time decisions, and either would be a huge loss if they can’t got. Marchand has been his usual infuriating-and-outstanding self during the playoffs, riling up opponents while registering 15 points in 10 games. DeBrusk on the other hand is having a coming out party in his first postseason, scoring six goals in 10 games and dominating the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening round.
  • Dougie Hamilton was mentioned by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet as a potential trade target on the latest 31 Thoughts podcast, noting that there are plenty of teams with interest in the Calgary Flames defenseman. Hamilton has three years left on his current contract, and had another big offensive season for the Flames in 2017-18. If the Flames decide something has to change on the back end after a disappointing season, there would be a huge market for the right-handed Hamilton, but it still seems unlikely.

Carolina Hurricanes Trade Marcus Kruger To Arizona Coyotes

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Though it’s not often you see a trade go down during the playoffs, the Carolina Hurricanes have traded Marcus Kruger and a 2018 third-round pick to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Jordan Martinook and a 2018 fourth-round pick. Carolina will also retain 10% of Kruger’s salary in 2018-19.

There are a few things to break down in this trade, not the least of which being that the Hurricanes made the deal despite not having a GM in place. While owner Thomas Dundon continues to search for the next person to lead his hockey club, Don Waddell is operating as interim GM, along with help from his old friend Rick Dudley who was hired recently.

The second is that the Hurricanes won’t really be saving much salary in the swap. Though Kruger carries a $3.08MM cap hit, the actual salary owed to him next season is just $2.3MM. Martinook himself is set to earn $1.8MM, and with the added 10% the two notoriously cheap teams come off spending about the same amount. Instead, from Carolina’s point of view this deal seems to be ridding themselves of a forward that they had no plans on using next season. After all, Kruger had already cleared waivers earlier this season.

That fact is another interesting thing to note in the deal, as Kruger was available to any team earlier this year when the Hurricanes waived and then sent him to the minor leagues. The 27-year old center ended up playing just 48 games for Carolina, scoring six points in the process and generally being ineffective. Some of that might have to do with the hernia that Craig Morgan of AZ Sports reports he recently had surgery on, which had been “nagging him a while.”

If Kruger can return to the 25-point depth center that he once was in Chicago, the Coyotes will have a useful player on their hands that can help the penalty kill and add some experience. If he can’t find that level, they still move their draft pick up a round in exchange for Martinook, who may have not had role with the team next season anyway.

In all, this is a swap of two contracts that didn’t have much of a future in their previous organizations. Perhaps Kruger can find his game again in Arizona alongside former teammate Niklas Hjalmarsson, and maybe Martinook can be a useful depth player. We’ll have to wait to see how the rest of the offseason shakes out to really see what each team had planned.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was first to break the trade.

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