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Snapshots: Jagr, Lightning, Martenet, Sharks

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While he has stated that he fully plans to play next season, there have been no discussions between right winger Jaromir Jagr and the Panthers regarding a potential contract extension, reports George Richards of the Miami Herald.  Instead, the two sides plan to sit down following the season to see if they can work out a new deal.

The 45 year old Jagr has been on one year contracts for the last six seasons and undoubtedly will be signing another one wherever he winds up landing.  In his second season with Florida, his numbers have taken a dip but he sits fourth in team scoring with 16 goals and 27 assists in 79 games.  He may have to take a pay cut to remain with the team, however, as the Panthers already have over $61MM in payroll committed for next season.  Jagr is carrying a $4MM cap hit this season but has already reached an additional $1.5MM in games played bonuses.

Other notes from around the league:

  • After agreeing to terms on an entry-level deal with prospect goalie Connor Ingram earlier today, the Lightning also announced (via Twitter) that they’ve inked forward prospect Dennis Yan to an amateur tryout agreement and assigned him to their AHL affiliate in Syracuse. Joining them is 2015 first rounder Brett Howden who is now eligible to be sent down after his junior team was eliminated from the postseason.  The trio represent some reinforcements for a Crunch team who has been hit hard by injuries in Tampa Bay and are in a battle for top spot in the AHL’s North Division heading into the final two weeks of the season.
  • Also heading to the pros for the first time is Dallas defensive prospect Chris Martenet. The AHL’s Stars announced that he has been assigned to the team following his junior team, the Ottawa 67’s, was eliminated from the playoffs.  The 20 year old tied a career high in points at the OHL level with 16 in 55 games split between London and Ottawa.
  • Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer provided a brief injury update on forwards Logan Couture and Joe Thornton, classifying each as day-to-day, notes CSN Bay Area’s Kevin Kurz. He wouldn’t specify when either would be back, only saying that they’re expected back “at some point”.  Couture has been out since taking a puck to the mouth on March 25th while Thornton suffered a knee injury on Sunday against the Canucks.

Tom Rowe Will Not Return As Panthers Head Coach Next Season

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According to Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel, Florida Panthers head coach and general manager Tom Rowe will not return to the bench next season. Rowe took over after the firing of Gerard Gallant, and will likely remain with the organization in another position. Though he still holds the title of GM, Rowe has turned over much of the day to day operations to Dale Tallon and his staff after moving behind the bench. It will be interesting to see if Tallon will continue there, as there have recently been rumors of him being headhunted by other teams around the league.

Rowe took over in November after the team lost an evening match against the Carolina Hurricanes to push their record to 11-10-1. It was a move that shocked the hockey world, as Gallant had taken a young Panthers team to the top of the Atlantic Division just a year prior. Since then, the Panthers have fared much worse going 22-25-10 and falling out of playoff contention. While injuries are to blame for much of that, the team never could turn it around for very long even when their star players returned.

The Gallant-Rowe drama took on a life of its own among hockey fans and media members, playing a surrogate role in the fight between “old” and “new school” hockey analysis. Whether Rowe does represent a more analytical, statistical option it has been his big coaching decisions that have taken a toll. As Fialkov notes, Rowe admits that his decision to put Aaron Ekblad back into the lineup only for the star defenseman to suffer a setback was a mistake. So was publicly critiquing Reilly Smith after a poor defensive effort. While the team wasn’t performing exceptionally under Gallant, there was never much doubt that he was a respected coach and man.

Next year will be a big one for the Panthers to show that the core that they so deftly locked up this summer can be enough to take them to the playoffs. Giving extensions to Ekblad, Smith, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Derek MacKenzie, while signing James Reimer, Jason Demers and Keith Yandle to long-term deals all look tenuous at best after a down season. Each of the players better step up and perform, or the Panthers could be in for a long stint at the bottom of the standings.

Snapshots: Hughes, Hurricanes, Ekman-Larsson

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It’s not a name that you may be familiar with just yet, but Jack Hughes is one to remember. The 15-year old was captain of the Toronto Marlboros, one of the best midget teams in the country and expected to go first overall in the upcoming OHL draft to the Barrie Colts. Eligible for the 2019 NHL entry draft, Hughes is an early (very early) favorite for the top few picks.

Instead, Darren Dreger of TSN is reporting that Hughes—born in Orlando, Florida—will sign with the US National Development Team for the next part of his hockey career. As Dreger says, it will be interesting now to see how far he falls in the OHL draft as there have been examples before of players telling the league they would be heading somewhere else, only to sign with a stronger team (see: London Knights) after falling in the draft. Regardless of where he plays, Hughes is a phenom that deserves attention even at a young age.

  • In addition to recalling Bryan Bickell less than five months after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the Carolina Hurricanes have brought up Andrew Poturalski from Charlotte and sent Lucas Wallmark and Phillip Di Giuseppe to the AHL. Poturalski went undrafted and signed with the Hurricanes last spring out of the University of New Hampshire. He has shown immense promise in his rookie AHL season, scoring 48 points in 69 games.
  • Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s season has come to an end early, as the team granted him early release to head home and deal with the death of his mother. She had been fighting a battle with cancer all season, something that has weighed on Ekman-Larsson throughout the year. “This has been a very difficult year for me personally,” said Ekman-Larsson in a statement on the team website. “I’d like to thank the Coyotes organization and all of my teammates for their incredible support all season long. I’m sorry that I’ll miss our last three games but family comes first.”
  • The Coyotes won’t be the only team without a top defender for the last few games, as the Florida Panthers will likely shut down Aaron Ekblad for the remainder of the season according to George Richards of the Miami Herald. Ekblad returned from a concussion on March 21st—a move that seemed reckless at the time—only to suffer headaches immediately after the game, causing coach Tom Rowe to admit his mistake. For the Panthers, who are eliminated from playoff contention, protecting your superstar defenseman is more important than winning some meaningless games down the stretch.

Reto Berra Expected To Sign In NLA After Season Ends

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Even though Reto Berra is currently playing for the Florida Panthers and will be in net tonight against the Montreal Canadiens, RTS Sports is reporting that he has agreed to a three-year contract with Friborg-Gottéron of the Swiss NLA. The netminder has been rumored for months to prefer a return to Switzerland after the season. Berra is in the final season of a three-year, $4.35MM deal he signed with the Colorado Avalanche in 2014 and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

While it’s not unusual for a player to leave the NHL to play in his home country, it is surprising to see it play out so publicly while Berra is getting his chance to start. With Roberto Luongo and James Reimer still battling injuries, the team had to turn to Berra to finish the season for them. A good showing could have easily turned into a contract somewhere around the league as a backup, though it is clear he would rather return home to start. At times, Berra has looked like a viable starting option in the NHL, only to lack the consistency that one needs. He clearly has talent to play among the best in the world and with the NLA continually getting better and better as a league—some even consider it among the top three in the world—he’ll still face challenges every night.

At 30 years old, it’s not impossible for him to return to the NHL but it does seem unlikely. After this year ends, the next chance an NHL fan will likely get to see him would be at an international event like the World Championships, where he has played five times throughout his career.

Florida Panthers Recall Ian McCoshen, MacKenzie Weegar

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Prior to their game against Montreal this evening, the Florida Panthers have recalled both Ian McCoshen and MacKenzie Weegar from the AHL. Both players have yet to make their NHL debuts, though Weegar has spent time with the team this year. With Florida officially eliminated from playoff contention, the team will turn to some young professionals to get a taste of the league in the last few games.

Weegar, 23, has excelled in the AHL this season with 32 points in 57 games. The former seventh-round pick has shown a steady improvement during his three professional seasons, which will now culminate with a chance at the NHL. The offensive defenseman can quarterback a powerplay and rush the puck with ease, making him an interesting candidate for a spot on the Panthers next year, as the NHL moves more and more towards defensemen who can skate quickly and launch long passes.

McCoshen, 21, was signed out of Boston College last summer after leaving school a year early. The big two-way defenseman was Florida’s second round pick (31st overall) in 2013 and has big upside to his defensive game. He’ll likely be an NHL player for many years, though he may have to wait another season in the AHL before obtaining a full-time role. While he can do it all and will benefit from this taste of the NHL, a little more refinement is necessary to his overall game.

Friedman’s Latest: Kampf, Olympics, Tallon

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The Avalanche, Blackhawks, and Golden Knights are among the teams that are believed to be interested in Czech free agent forward David Kampf, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link).  He notes his situation could be one to watch over the next 24 hours which suggests Kampf could be close to making a decision on where to sign.

The 22 year old center/right winger is coming off a career year with Pirati Chomutov of the Czech Extraliga.  This season, he posted 15 goals and 16 assists in 52 regular season games while adding three goals and seven assists in 13 postseason contests so far.

Kampf will be limited to signing a two year entry level contract wherever he decides to sign.  As he is still participating in the Czech playoffs plus the fact that he would have to clear entry waivers if he wanted to play in the NHL this season, it’s a certainty that the deal won’t begin until 2017-18.

Here are some other notes courtesy of Friedman via the weekly Saturday Headlines segment (video link):

  • While the IIHF is asking for a final decision from the league with regards to Olympic participation by the end of April at the latest, Friedman expects a decision to be made much sooner than that, noting that it’s “very possible” that the announcement will come at some point this week. If it doesn’t, Friedman expects that a call will be made one way or the other by April 10th.  With the playoffs fast approaching, the league would be wise to get this storyline over and done with before the puck drops on postseason play to avoid any potential distractions.
  • Although there has been some suggestion that the Islanders might ask the Panthers for an opportunity to speak to Dale Tallon, Florida’s President of Hockey Operations, Friedman noted that New York hasn’t yet sought permission to do so. He also doesn’t believe that the Panthers would allow Tallon to speak with the Isles as they plan to bring him back next season.  Florida’s front office situation could shuffle once again this offseason if interim head coach and GM Tom Rowe brings in a new bench boss as expected which could result in Tallon having a lesser role in hockey operations as he reportedly did at the start of this year.

Evening Snapshots: Julien, Compher, Thornton

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Fresh off of a clinch of a playoff spot, the Montreal Gazette’s Stu Cowan explains why Canadiens fans should be toasting the new bench boss who guided the team to the postseason with a steady hand. Claude Julien was hired immediately following the Habs’ firing of Michel Therrien, and with Julien in charge, Montreal experienced a surge that carried them into the playoffs. Cowan writes that the Canadiens are 13-5-1 since Julien took over and following his first practice with the team, Julien said this:

“Guys had to go on the ice today feeling good about themselves. I made sure that happened. Guys want hope. Guys want excitement. Guys want positive messages. It’s easy for a new coach coming in to give those positive messages. I wanted them to know how good I think the team is. We’re in first place, OK? There’s no need to panic, but there’s a need to fix.”

With the team for at least five seasons, and for the job he’s already done in his first few months on the job with the Canadiens (again), Cowan believes the coach deserves to be the toast of Montreal.

In other NHL news:

  • The Avalanche may have had a tough year, but there are still silver linings. One of those come in the form of center J.T. Compher, who Denver Post writer Terry Frei reports has been a welcome addition after general manager Joe Sakic called up the kids. Compher, a University of Michigan product, has three goals in 16 games and has centered a line with Gabriel Landeskog, and Matt Duchene. For Compher, it’s about learning “consistency” after being called up following the Avs’ trade of Jarome Iginla, and also finishing the season strong. With the Avalanche looking to win the draft lottery and build upon its young core, Compher figures to be an essential building block in what needs to be an efficient and swift rebuild after such a crushing season.
  • The Sun-Sentinel’s Craig Davis writes that while Shawn Thornton is known for his tough guy persona on the ice, it’s his “nice guy” persona off the ice that earned him a Bill Masterson Trophy nomination for the Florida Panthers. Thornton’s self-named foundation works to raise research funds in the fight against Parkinson’s and cancer. In addition to doing community outreach, Thornton also holds an annual charity golf outing. Though he made headlines recently for his furious quotes regarding Alexei Emelin, Davis highlights the side of hockey where the compassionate side of hockey players take precedence.

Florida Panthers Recall Adam Wilcox On Emergency Basis

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After James Reimer took a hard hit to the head from the Maple Leafs’ Brian Boyle on Tuesday night and had to leave the game, the team has now recalled another goaltender. Adam Wilcox, newly acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning at the trade deadline, has been brought up for tonight’s game in Montreal. He’ll back up Reto Berra tonight.

Wilcox has found a new gear in Springfield since the trade, recording two shutouts and a .932 save percentage in nine games. The 24-year old still has plenty of upside, though as with most goaltenders it’s hard to project where they’ll be as they move through their twenties. Yet to make his debut, he might get a chance down the stretch if Reimer is held out for the rest of the year.

It wasn’t the first time Reimer has dealt with this sort of head injury. Back when he was a member of the Maple Leafs he suffered a similar head shot at the hands of Brian Gionta and the Montreal Canadiens. It took him 18 games to get back into the net, and even then didn’t look like himself for some time. Though the Panthers are technically still in a playoff race, they should shut Reimer down for the remainder of the season and protect their asset. The team signed him to a five-year deal in the offseason, and will hope he can take more and more load off Roberto Luongo—who is dealing with a lower-body injury—over the next few years.

Panthers Notes: Ekblad, Bjugstad, Playoff Race

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Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad is out of the lineup with a neck injury, and his coach feels responsible.

After Ekblad missed four games with a concussion, he was medically cleared to return to the lineup. He lasted one game, and is now on the shelf with a sore neck. Coach and GM Tom Rowe made a startling admission to the Miami Herald’s George Richards.

“I’m not going to lie, I wish we didn’t. That’s on me. The doctors cleared him, our medical staff cleared him but I had some reservations and I wish I stayed with my gut. That’s no one’s fault but my own.”

The team has made it abundantly clear that Ekblad’s current injury is not related to his recent concussion, but suffering head and neck injuries 10 days apart is not a good thing for the 21-year-old defenseman. He’s already suffered at least two concussions in his career: in 2014 at the Canadian World Juniors camp and in 2016 after getting run by the Oilers’ Matt Hendricks. He also suffered whiplash at the World Cup in September, after a big hit from the Maple Leafs’ Leo Komarov; whiplash and concussions are often linked. With the Panthers’ season essentially over (more on that below), there’s little sense in trying to get him back in the lineup, argues Matt Larkin of The Hockey News. Ekblad has suffered as many concussions as NHL seasons played, which Larkin fears could lead him down the Eric Lindros path.

Ekblad is in the final year of his entry-level contract, and will start an eight-year extension next season.

  • It’s been a brutal season for center Nick Bjugstad. After three-straight seasons of 34-plus points, Bjugstad has just 10 points in 45 games this season, including five goals. Both Bjugstad and Rowe have publicly expressed displeasure with how the player’s season has gone. Injuries have played their part, but no one is using that as an excuse. Veteran teammate Jussi Jokinen told Richards that “every player has a tough year but you don’t define a career on one rough season.” Bjugstad has four years left in a six-year extension, making $4.1MM per season. After the season he’s having, it’s unlikely anyone will be trading for him just yet, so Bjugstad will get his chance to turn it around in Florida.
  • The Panthers were four points out of the playoffs when two-thirds of their top line returned from injury in early February. They won six of their next seven games, but have once again fallen out with just six wins in their next 17 games. Florida is seven points out of the final wildcard spot with nine games remaining. It would take a huge run combined with several stunning collapses by division rivals for them to make it now.

East Notes: Crouse, Lappin, Addison

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When the Florida Panthers shipped Lawson Crouse off to Arizona in exchange for a pair of draft picks and the Coyotes taking on Dave Bolland’s cap hit, many people were shocked. Bolland was (and remains) on long-term injured reserve, without a clear picture on whether he’ll ever play hockey again. Crouse on the other hand was a 19-year old blue-chip prospect who looked like he had a long NHL career ahead of him as a prototypical power forward. Speaking to George Richards of the Miami Herald, Panthers GM Tom Rowe admitted it was tough to lose him:

We got criticized for giving up on a great young prospect but we had to. That contract was strangling us, cap-wise. When we traded him, our scouts were furious. I’m not going to lie. But we had to do something and that was trade Lawson.

Crouse has just 11 points this season for the Coyotes, but he’s gaining valuable experience as a teenager and still has a bright future ahead of him. Meanwhile the Panthers have already essentially used that cap space, as extensions for Aaron Ekblad, Vincent Trocheck, Jonathan Huberdeau and Derek MacKenzie kick in next year.

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