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Florida’s Barkov Will Miss Final Two Regular Season Games

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If the Florida Panthers have any hopes of reaching the playoffs, the first thing they have to do is win out. Being four points behind the Philadelphia Flyers, the Panthers have to win their final two games of the season and then get some help on top of that. However, the team’s chances of accomplishing this feat took a hit Saturday when the team announced that top center Aleksander Barkov will miss both games this weekend with a shoulder injury, according to Matthew DeFranks of the SunSentinel. He sustained the injury during the third period against the Bruins on Thursday.

Barkov has been a key piece to the Panthers improbable late run this season as the 22-year-old center has had a breakout year for Florida with 27 goals and 78 points. His absence won’t help the team’s chances of a much needed back-to-back wins over Buffalo tonight at home, followed with a challenging road trip to the Boston Bruins tomorrow. Barkov was just starting to put some points up as well for the team after a minor slump as he scored a goal in Thursday’s win over Boston and had two assists on Monday in their win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Del Franks added that Barkov could return for a potential playoff series if the team is able to clinch a playoff berth.

 

NHL Announces Potential Tie-Breaker Game For Eastern Playoff Spot

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Amazingly, there is a scenario in which over the next few days the Philadelphia Flyers and Florida Panthers could end the season tied in every category the NHL uses to determine standings. That’s exactly what the league addressed today when they released the tie-breaker procedures for such a scenario.

For the purposes of the 2017-18 season, the tiebreaking game would be played Tuesday, April 10.

The Philadelphia Flyers (41-26-14, 96 points) currently occupy the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Florida Panthers (42-30-8, 92 points) the only team capable of catching them.

* The Flyers (81 GP) and Panthers (80 GP) are tied in ROW (39). The teams split their season series (after eliminating the odd home game between them). Philadelphia currently is +3 in goal differential for the season, while Florida is -1.

* Therefore, the teams would play a tiebreaking game if Philadelphia loses its final game of the season by two goals exactly (Saturday vs. NYR) and Florida wins its final two contests, both in shootouts (Saturday vs. BUF, Sunday at BOS).

For the potential game, home ice would be determined by an equal odds draw and overtime would be played like it is in the playoffs—that is, 20-minute 5-on-5 sudden death periods until a winner is determined.

Obviously this is an extremely unlikely scenario, but it is definitely one most fans would love to see happen.

Owen Tippett Assigned To Springfield Thunderbirds

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Like his teammates Nic Hague and Micheal McLeod yesterday, Mississauga Steelheads forward Owen Tippett has been assigned to the AHL after his OHL playoff run came to an end. Tippett, who spent the start of the season playing seven games for the Florida Panthers, will ply his trade at the minor league level for the time being.

Tippett was selected 10th-overall last June after he had exploded for a 44-goal season and was routinely showing off his elite shot in the junior ranks. While that shot hasn’t deteriorated, the rest of Tippett’s game hasn’t taken the step forward many had hoped. He did reach 75 points in just 51 games this season, finding teammates more often in the offensive zone, but there were times that he looked uninterested or lacking the same desperation that he showed in his draft year.

While this wasn’t an outstanding development year for Tippett, he still should bring some huge excitement to Florida fans. In a league where goal scoring is extremely difficult, he has all the tools to be a dangerous offensive weapon. The 19-year old forward can skate well, has enough size to protect the puck and can seemingly beat goaltenders from anywhere in the zone. His release is noticeably quicker than his contemporaries, and he can create room for himself to use it.

Interestingly, the Panthers are still not eliminated from playoff contention after winning again last night. The team sits four points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for the final wild card spot, but has a game in hand and three total remaining. Technically they could even still catch the Blue Jackets and Devils, who sit at 96 and 95 points respectively.

Though it doesn’t seem like Tippett is on his way to Florida right now, there’s no telling what a long playoff run could bring. Regardless, look for him to try and make the team next fall.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Panthers, DeBrusk, Trouba, Tolvanen

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Despite an impressive second-half run – 19-7-2 since February 1st – the Florida Panthers are still fighting for their playoff lives in each and every game. They face a major test this afternoon against the Boston Bruins and will do so without two offensive weapons. According to Panthers play-by-play man Steve Goldstein, both Denis Malgin and trade deadline acquisition and former Bruin Frank Vatrano are too “banged up” to go today. Vatrano has four points in eleven games since joining Florida, while Malgin has 11 goals and 20 points in 49 games for the Cats thus far. Their replacements, unproven Maxim Mamin and grinder Micheal Haley, have been far less productive in 2017-18. Given the importance of the match-up and the fact that Boston is getting Jake DeBrusk back in the lineup makes the absences of Malgin and Vatrano a stroke of bad luck for the playoff-hungry Panthers.

  • A postseason-bound club getting healthier is the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets will welcome defenseman Jacob Trouba back into the lineup tonight, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. Trouba has missed the past two weeks while battling concussions symptoms. He suffered that head injury in just his second game back after missing 20 games due to a lower-body injury. If Trouba is really back at 100% and ready to return to his major role on the Winnipeg blue line, it will be a major boost for the Jets.
  • Making his long-awaited debut for the Nashville Predators today is 2017 first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen. Tolvanen finished up his KHL season last week and joined the Preds on Wednesday, but head coach Peter Laviolette confirmed that he will be in the lineup today against the Buffalo Sabres. While Tolvanen found instant success in Europe and looks poised to be a big-time player for a long time in Nashville, it’s no surprise that he makes his debut in a relatively meaningless game against the lowly Sabres. Tolvanen may need an adjustment period to get used to the North American game and it remains to be seen how he will be used down the stretch and in the postseason.

Henrik Borgstrom Signs Entry-Level Contract With Florida Panthers

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Another University of Denver forward has decided to turn pro, as Henrik Borgstrom has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers. DU was eliminated from the NCAA tournament this weekend, meaning Borgstrom is free to start his professional career.

Borgstrom, 20, was selected 23rd-overall by the Panthers in 2016 after starring in the Finnish junior leagues, and immediately became a dominant presence in the collegiate ranks. Able to stickhandle his way out of trouble, Borgstrom is an elite offensive talent that can protect the puck and find his way through traffic to generate scoring opportunities. He’d be successful even as an undersized player, but stands 6’3″ 195-lbs and has improved his physicality over the last year. He’ll likely be a full-time player for the Panthers in short order, but could really become a key member of their forward group if he continues to round out his game and compete in the defensive end.

After just two seasons in the NCAA, Borgstrom was named NCHC Player of the Year and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker award. He was also one of the most asked about prospects at the trade deadline, as GM Dale Tallon explained earlier this month. In the release announcing the signing Tallon spoke again about his prize prospect:

Henrik is a highly-talented, exciting and dynamic young forward who has been a dominant player over his last two seasons in Denver. In a short time he has put together an accomplished career in the college game, including a national championship. We are thrilled to have him take the next step in his development with the Panthers. Henrik’s addition to our skilled, young core of players further strengthens our foundation for success for years to come.

The young core that Tallon mentions is getting more impressive every day. Led by 22-year old Aleksander Barkov, who has morphed into a legitimate MVP candidate, and supported by others like Jonathan Huberdeau and Vincent Trocheck, the Panthers have a group that seems destined for some playoff appearances even if they miss out again this season. With Borgstrom, Owen Tippett and Aleksi Heponiemi ready to make an impact before long, that group could be one of the most dangerous in the NHL in the offensive zone.

Western Notes: Oilers’ Offseason, Kane, Denver Players, Sikura

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The Edmonton Oilers are not heading to the playoffs and are currently looking at all their in-house options before the season ends. Then the team will embark on the next bunch of steps to fix the team that one year ago was the talk of the league. The Athletic’s Jonathan Willis (subscription required) comes up with an eight-point plan on how to fix the team this offseason, primary of which is to watch its spending, both on free agents as well as the possibility to send off some of their own contracts as well.

One of the first suggestions is that Edmonton should not overreact when it comes to some of their underperforming players. While several of their defensemen had tough seasons this year including Oscar Klefbom, Andrej Sekera and Adam Larsson, Willis believes that it’s unlikely that they will struggle again and the team must preach patience. However, the team needs to unload expensive contracts of bottom-tier players, suggesting the team might want to see if they can trade off defenseman Kris Russell and forward Zach Kassian to free up some of their money.

As for free agency, the team should avoid big-name free agents and look to sign some of the more modestly-priced players that will be on the market even suggesting that they could consider bringing back Patrick Maroon if he will agree on a short-term deal.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks great Patrick Kane said he hasn’t decided yet whether he will play at the World Championships in Copenhagen in May, according to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. He said he’ll consider it after his season ends, but it’s “definitely an option. After I didn’t go last year, I was thinking that maybe I should have went.”
  • Although this note is about a Western collegiate team, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman (subscription required) had an interesting nugget in his prospect mailbag. Pronman was asked of the potential signings of the University of Denver’s three forward prospects in Henrik Borgstrom, Troy Terry and Dylan Gambrell, three of the team’s top players. Pronman’s response is that he believes all three will be signing with their respective teams the moment their college season is over. Denver is currently playing in the NCAA tournament. Borgstrom, the Florida Panthers’ 2016 first-rounder scored 22 goals in his sophomore season. Terry, the Anaheim Ducks’ 2015 fifth-rounder picked up 13 goals and 44 points in his junior campaign, while Gambrell, San Jose Sharks’ second-round pick in 2015, finished his junior year with 13 goals and 42 points. All three could be major contributors to their teams as soon as next season.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks also could benefit greatly soon as well as Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that if Northeastern University loses today or Sunday, expect prospect Dylan Sikura to be signed and in the Blackhawks lineup by Thursday. The Northeastern senior, who was the sixth-round pick in 2014, has had dominant season the past two years, combining for 42 goals and 110 points in two seasons. Northeastern is playing Michigan today.

Minor Transactions: 3/24/18

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As many team continue their quest to either clinching or closing in on a playoff spot, the NHL has a full slate of 12 games scheduled with many impact games upcoming. Teams like the New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues and the Florida Panthers all need victories to continue their playoff drives. The Vegas Golden Knights are also a win away from clinching their first-ever playoff spot today. Throw in multiple injuries and teams will be making many moves today to keep their rosters loaded for their playoff runs.

  • The Florida Panthers recalled goaltender Harri Sateri from the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL this morning, according to FoxSports’s Steve Goldstein. With starter Roberto Luongo banged up with a minor lower-body injury, the team will turn to backup James Reimer. Sateri, who has served as the team’s emergency backup on multiple occasions this year has played in nine games with the Panthers, putting up a 2.92 GAA and a .911 save percentage.
  • The Colorado Avalanche announced they have recalled goaltender Spencer Martin from the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL as veteran Jonathan Bernier is unable to play with an infection from a cut. While having been recalled several times this season, Martin has not appeared in a game for Colorado, who are fighting to clinch a playoff spot. The 22-year-old goalie has a 3.02 GAA and a .895 save percentage in 32 games for San Antonio.
  • The Vancouver Canucks announced they have recalled defenseman Ashton Sautner from the Utica Comets of the AHL under emergency conditions today. The move was made after veteran defenseman Chris Tanev left Friday’s game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. This is the second time the 23-year-old Sautner has been recalled by Vancouver, but he has still not made his NHL debut yet. In 59 games, the blueliner has three goals and nine assists on the season. Sportsnet’s Rich Dhaliwal tweets that Sautner scored the game-winning overtime goal for Utica last night and could play his first NHL game in Dallas Sunday.
  • CapFriendly reported that the San Jose Sharks have assigned defenseman Tim Heed to the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL after being recalled Friday. He has been bouncing up and down for much of the season.
  • CapFriendly also reported that the Buffalo Sabres have recalled winger Justin Bailey from the Rochester Americans of the AHL on an emergency loan. Bailey has had some success in Buffalo, picking up three goals in 12 games.

Adam Mascherin Will Not Sign With Florida Panthers

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Tucked away in Craig Custance’s piece for The Athletic (subscription required) is a report that Florida Panthers prospect Adam Mascherin will not sign with the team before the draft, forcing Dale Tallon to shop him around trying to get some sort of value out of their second-round pick.

Mascherin is having another strong season for the Kitchener Rangers, where he has collected 40 goals and 86 points in 67 games. He was selected 38th-overall in 2016, but will likely re-enter the draft if he doesn’t sign. That’s an interesting move for a player who was already selected relatively high, and who has attended Panthers prospect camps in the past.

As undersized players are welcomed more and more into the league, perhaps Mascherin feels he can find an even better situation for his professional career. The 5’9″ forward possesses an elite shot and is a talented goal scorer who plays much heavier than he is. He’s recorded at least 35 goals in three straight OHL seasons, and even broke 100 points last year. Despite that, he has never been included on the Canadian World Junior squad, and does have some who doubt that he’ll be able to create offense at the same rate as he progresses through the pro ranks.

Panthers Open To Having Henrik Borgstrom Debut This Season

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The Panthers are open to having top center prospect Henrik Borgstrom join the team this season and burn the first year of an entry-level contract in the process, GM Dale Tallon told reporters, including Matthew DeFranks of the Sun-Sentinel.  The 20-year-old is still playing in his college playoffs with Denver which could extend as late as April 7th if they make the final of the Frozen Four.  If that happens and Florida makes the postseason, Tallon acknowledged that they would be comfortable with Borgstrom making his NHL debut in the playoffs.  Doing so could make him required to be protected for a potential Seattle expansion draft (assuming they were to get the same rules that Vegas did) but the GM said that this would not affect the decision making with their top prospect.

  • Bruins forward David Backes will not be suspended for his hit on Panthers center Vincent Trocheck on Thursday night, notes Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald. This occurred in his first game from a three-game ban for a hit on Detroit’s Frans Nielsen earlier in the month.  Although Backes received a match penalty on the play (which carries a one-game suspension with it), the league has rescinded it and he will be available for their game on Saturday against Tampa Bay.

Top-10 Finalists Announced For 2018 Hobey Baker

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The Hobey Baker Memorial Award is given to the most outstanding player in collegiate hockey, and has a long list of excellent NHL players among previous winners. Will Butcher, Jimmy Vesey, Jack Eichel and Johnny Gaudreau are the latest to take home the award, while others like Brendan Morrison, Paul Kariya and Chris Drury have been honored in the past.

Earlier this year, 67 players from the NCAA ranks were nominated for the award, and today that number has been reduced to just ten. These ten players will be narrowed to just three, a process that anyone can be a part of by participating in the fan vote. Votes will be added to the decision from a selection committee to produce three finalists, from which a winner will be crowned.

The top-10 finalists are as follows, with the NHL organization who owns their draft rights in parenthesis:

Henrik Borgstrom, University of Denver (Florida Panthers)

Ryan Donato, Harvard University (Boston Bruins)

Matthew Galajda, Cornell University

Adam Gaudette, Northeastern University (Vancouver Canucks)

Dylan McLaughlin, Canisius College

Cale Morris, University of Notre Dame

Colton Point, Colgate University (Dallas Stars)

Jimmy Schuldt, St. Cloud State University

Dylan Sikura, Northeastern University (Chicago Blackhawks)

C.J. Suess, Minnesota State University-Mankato (Winnipeg Jets)

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