Carey Price’s Playing Future Uncertain
Canadiens goaltender Carey Price missed most of the season with knee issues dating back to offseason surgery. While he was able to play in a handful of games – including last night – he also had to sit for nearly a week after just four games to undergo testing due to continued swelling.
Speaking at his end-of-season media availability (video link), the veteran told reporters that if the problems with his knee stay the same, he doesn’t think he will be able to come back. To that end, he acknowledged that he approached Friday’s game against Florida as if it was his final NHL contest.
It’s not a guarantee yet that this will be the eventual outcome as Price did mention that further testing is still required and he’d be going for a second opinion on the results so there won’t be any immediate confirmation on that front. Another surgery is an option as well and the 34-year-old isn’t ruling out going down that route which could potentially allow him to return to play.
Price has been a fixture between the pipes for Montreal since he was drafted fifth overall back in 2005. He has spent his entire 15-year NHL career with the Canadiens and is their franchise leader in games played and wins while sitting third in shutouts.
He has four years remaining on his contract, one that carries a $10.5MM cap hit, the highest in NHL history for a goaltender. Price admitted that if he is able to return, he doesn’t see himself being able to withstand the workload of a typical starting goaltender which would put some extra pressure on veteran backup Jake Allen, who also battled significant injury issues this season.
If Price doesn’t return, he’d become eligible to go back on LTIR which would then give them the ability to spend over the cap to bring in a replacement player. Such a move would be difficult, however, unless he was ruled out for the entire year before the start of free agency. If Price was to start next year on LTIR with an intention of returning, Montreal would likely have to fill his spot internally with either pending RFA Sam Montembeault or prospect Cayden Primeau forming the tandem with Allen.
After their improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final last summer, it was revealed that one of their franchise cornerstones in Shea Weber was seeing his playing days come to an end. Not even twelve months later, it’s possible that the Canadiens will be in that situation again with their franchise netminder.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Snapshots: Toronto Maple Leafs, Pulock, Johnsson
Auston Matthews‘ hunt for a 60-goal season ended Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings, scoring numbers 59 and 60 in a 3 – 0 win. Unfortunately for those hoping to see the Hart Trophy candidate exceed 60 goals, the Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to sit Matthews, along with forward Mitch Marner and goaltender Jack Campbell when they take on the Boston Bruins tomorrow night, reports Jonas Siegel of The Athletic, Toronto’s final game of the season. Sitting the three shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, with the Maple Leafs place in the standings, second in the Atlantic Division, completely secured, giving no reason to risk the health of these three incredibly important players.
In addition to Matthews and his 60 goals, Mitch Marner had himself another season to remember, putting up 35 goals and 62 assists for 97 points in 72 games this season. Campbell on the other hand, has had his struggles. An All-Star this season, Campbell was discussed as a potential Vezina Trophy candidate as recently as January, but struggles in net and injury made for a tough second half of the season for the veteran netminder. On the season, Campbell has a .914 save percentage and 2.64 goals-against average in 49 games, but after the All-Star break, Campbell sported just an .894 save percentage and 3.28 goals-against average in 17 games. As concerning as that shift is for Toronto, there is a reason for optimism, as Campbell has a .915 save percentage and 2.59 goals-against average in nine games in the month of April.
- The New York Islanders will be without defenseman Ryan Pulock tonight as they take on the Washington Capitals (link). Pulock is out with a non-COVID illness, the same illness that has made its rounds through the Islanders’ locker room the past couple of weeks, forcing several players to sit out in that time. With just one game left in their season after tonight, the Islanders will hope to get Pulock back and keep the rest of the lineup intact for their final game against the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow night. Pulock has enjoyed another strong season on the Islanders blue line, but has dealt with injury, missing time in November and December. In 55 games this season, the defenseman has five goals and 15 assists, averaging just over 21 minutes per game.
- The New Jersey Devils also announced that forward Andreas Johnsson would miss tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes with a non-COVID illness (link). It’s unclear what illness Johnsson has come down with, but for tonight at least, the Devils will have to proceed without him. New Jersey has just one game after tonight, coming tomorrow night against the Detroit Red Wings. Johnsson has enjoyed a solid season thus far, tallying 13 goals and 22 assists over 71 games and will hope to build on it next year, his final with the Devils before becoming a UFA next offseason.
Injury Notes: Ovechkin, Rossi, Maple Leafs
The Washington Capitals will not have Alex Ovechkin in the lineup again this evening, as he continues to deal with an upper-body injury. The superstar winger did participate in today’s skate, however, and head coach Peter Laviolette told reporters including Samantha Pell of the Washington Post that it is too early to tell whether Ovechkin will play in the season finale tomorrow.
Just the fact that he’s back on the ice is obviously a good sign, as it at least appears as though Ovechkin will be ready to start the playoffs. Who he and the rest of the Capitals will face in the first round is still a mystery, as they continue to battle with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Metropolitan Division playoff spot, but having the 50-goal scorer in the lineup is obviously the biggest priority at this point.
- Marco Rossi is headed back to Minnesota to be evaluated for an injury according to Michael Russo of The Athletic, who notes that several players from the Iowa Wild will be recalled as “Black Aces” in the near future. Iowa failed to make the playoffs this season meaning Rossi and others–which, according to Russo will include Zane McIntyre and Calen Addison–can come up to practice with the team and be ready for any injuries that may present themselves in the first round.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs will rest some of their important players in the regular season finale tomorrow night, as Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are both not expected to be in the lineup, according to Mark Masters of TSN. The team will also rest goaltender Jack Campbell and a decision on John Tavares–who missed practice today due to “maintenance”–will be made tomorrow. That means Matthews will finish the year at 60 goals and Marner will miss a chance at hitting 100 points as the Maple Leafs focus on the daunting task of a first-round victory, something that will likely have to come at the hands of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. Head coach Sheldon Keefe announced that the first game of that series will be Monday, meaning they won’t have to sit with their thoughts very long.
Metropolitan Notes: Marchenko, Morehouse, Panarin, Copp
It is only a matter of time now before prospect Kirill Marchenko officially signs with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Marchenko, 21, has finished his KHL season, as SKA St. Petersburg fell in the conference finals of the Gagarin Cup playoffs, and he isn’t wasting any time making his next move. While his contract does not officially end until April 30, like many of his SKA teammates Marchenko is already negotiating his next deal. Russian source Sport Express reports that Marchenko will soon sign his two-year entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets. The 2018 second round pick is coming off a 20-point KHL season, finish fifth for St. Petersburg in scoring – a notable feat for a player of his age in a league with many accomplished veterans. A big, rangy winger with a goal scorer’s mentality, Marchenko figures to be yet another young impact player next season for a Columbus team that will have Yegor Chinakhov, Cole Sillinger, and Kent Johnson up front as well.
- After 16 years on the job and contributing to three Stanley Cup titles, Pittsburgh Penguins CEO David Morehouse has stepped down, the team announced. The Penguins’ release states that Morehouse made the decision himself, though the move comes not long after the team was sold to the Fenway Sports Group which may have played a role. Morehouse, a Pittsburgh native, joined the team in 2007 to spearhead the arena construction project that became Consol Energy Center and now PPG Paints Arena. Not only did Morehouse oversee the construction of the arena, but played a key role in filling the seats as well. Morehouse played a role in a number of strategic initiative and capital projects that have taken advantage of the Penguins’ lengthy stretch of consistent success to help build one of the NHL’s most valuable franchises.
- Artemi Panarin and Andrew Copp both left Tuesday night’s game between the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes due to injury, but head coach Gerard Gallant was adamant that these were precautionary measures. He told NHL.com’s Dan Rosen that both would have returned if it was a playoff game. There is reason to be skeptical of these comments though. First, last night’s game was virtually a playoff game; the Rangers faced the Hurricanes in a must-win for New York if they hoped to take the division crown from Carolina. Even more interesting though was the Rangers’ lineup for tonight’s game. New York understandably kept a number of starters in the press box for the contest with Tuesday’s loss cementing their playoff position. However, rather than listed as a health scratch like the rest, Panarin and Copp were listed as injured. Rosen reports that Panarin is out with an upper-body issue and Copp with a lower-body issue. In case this ends up being a strategic move by the Rangers to downplay these injuries ahead of a seven-game series, the health of Panarin and Copp bears watching.
Winnipeg Jets Sign Chaz Lucius To Entry-Level Contract
In a surprising turn of events, the Winnipeg Jets have announced that vaunted prospect Chaz Lucius has signed his three-year entry-level contract with the club. The deal will start with the 2022-23 season and will carry a $925K base salary and $1.325MM AAV. The 2021 first-round pick will depart the University of Minnesota after just one year.
Lucius’ signing comes as a surprise for a plethora of reasons, but none greater than the fact that it was reported earlier this month that Lucius would remain at Minnesota for at least one more year. That decision seemed reasonable, as the 18-year-old played in just 24 games in his freshman year to the tune of only 19 points; not exactly numbers that begged for an early exit from the college ranks. Lucius is still a rather raw prospect, jumping directly from the U.S. National Team Development program to the NCAA and now to the pros in just two years time. It seems especially odd that the decision was made so long after the end of the collegiate season.
On top of developmental reasons, it also would have been more than fair for Lucius to want to stay at Minnesota for another year given what’s on the horizon in 2022-23. The Gophers were a Frozen Four finalist this season and plan to return much of their core. Then there is the incoming recruiting class, which could wind up being the best in the NCAA and includes one name in particular of interest: Cruz Lucius. Chaz’ younger brother, who is also a USNTDP product, will arrive at Minnesota next season, where he was expected to play alongside his sibling. Before then, he is expected to be a second- or third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Cruz is part of a group of elite U.S. prospects joining the Gophers, including presumptive top-five pick Logan Cooley and potential first-round selections Jimmy Snuggerud and Ryan Chesley, not to mention several other draft hopefuls.
Minnesota will be especially happy for their loaded incoming class now that they are losing one of their top building blocks in Lucius. The likely reason for the departure could be Lucius’ ongoing health concerns. Though he flashes elite ability when he is on the ice, Lucius has been notoriously injury-prone so far in his young career. He played only 24 games this season, missing much of the second half of the season and the Gophers’ entire NCAA Tournament run. In 2020-21, he only suited up for 25 games with the USNTDP. For Lucius to reach his potential, he needs to get into more games and the Jets likely feel that getting him in front of an NHL medical staff and training team is the best way to do that. Although there will likely be a steep adjustment to the pros at this point in his development, Winnipeg can at least ensure that he spends the year adding to his frame and improving his conditioning, easier to do without the distractions of college life.
Also worth noting is that Lucius did show immense improvement as his freshman season wore on. After recording just one goal and three points in his first eight NCAA games, the skilled forward was a point per game player over his next 16 games, including tallying eight goals. Even in limited action over the past two years, Lucius has proven that he has top-end talent and the Jets simply might not have wanted to wait for him to develop slowly at the college level when they can use affordable scorers on the NHL roster as soon as possible. Yet – health issues aside – it feels as though one more year at Minnesota likely would have done Lucius well. Perhaps the youngster will spend time with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks next year – his CHL rights holder is another avenue now that he has signed – but that would also run counter to the idea of the Jets keeping a closer eye on him. Whatever happens next, hopefully Winnipeg didn’t pull the trigger too soon trying to benefit the present at the cost of the future.
Juuse Saros Will Not Play Again In Regular Season
The Nashville Predators will not have star goaltender Juuse Saros for the last two games of the regular season, ruling him out today with a lower-body injury. Connor Ingram has been recalled to take his spot for the next few days, though it is not clear yet if Saros will be ready for the start of the postseason.
The 27-year-old, who has played in more games this season than any other netminder, left last night’s game against the Calgary Flames in the third period after sustaining what appeared to be an injury to his left leg. There was no update given (and likely none forthcoming) from head coach John Hynes after the game, but if he misses any extended length of time, the Predators would obviously be in trouble.
With 67 appearances, Saros has been incredibly important to a Predators team that is still jockeying for position in the Western Conference playoff race. Two games remain and they are currently tied with the Dallas Stars in the wild card chase, meaning they’ll play either the Colorado Avalanche or Calgary Flames in round one, depending on how the next two games go.
Given how much responsibility Saros has received, it’s hard to fathom the Predators competing without him. David Rittich, the normal backup, has posted an .883 save percentage in 16 appearances, only 11 of them starts. Ingram, the third-string option, has a .906 save percentage in two career NHL games. While improbable goaltending stories seem to happen every year, filling Saros’ pads would be an extremely difficult ask for either one.
Hopefully, at least for Nashville’s sake, the next week is enough rest to get him back into the net. The team will finish their regular season schedule on Friday.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Injury Notes: Maple Leafs, Avalanche, Blue Jackets
The Toronto Maple Leafs, while still remaining competitive with a tough schedule, have faced significant injury setbacks over the past few weeks. A mass of updates came today during a press conference with head coach Sheldon Keefe, where he revealed that forward Michael Bunting will miss the final two games of the regular season, defenseman Rasmus Sandin is likely to return for the team’s finale on Friday versus the Boston Bruins, and forward Ondrej Kase remains day-to-day with no timeline to return.
As the Maple Leafs prepare for a likely impending First Round matchup with the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, this is mostly positive news. The language surrounding Bunting’s injury wasn’t initially positive after he fell awkwardly during an April 23 game against Florida, but his prognosis has improved since then and it looks like a possibility that he could be ready for the beginning of the series. Sandin has missed over a month with a knee injury, while Kase has missed the same duration with a concussion.
- There are some more updates on various players on a Stanley Cup contender, as the Colorado Avalanche deal with some injury issues of their own. Head coach Jared Bednar spoke to reporters today, saying that defenseman Devon Toews will return to the lineup tonight after dealing with an undisclosed injury, forward Mikko Rantanen is working toward a return on Thursday against the Nashville Predators, and captain Gabriel Landeskog won’t return until the postseason. Toews has missed just around a week and a half, but his absence cannot be understated, as he continues to be one of the most underrated defensemen in the league with 57 points in just 64 games this year (while averaging over 25 minutes per game). Meanwhile, the Colorado captain has been out since early March with a leg injury.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets announced today that both captain Boone Jenner and Sean Kuraly will miss the short remainder of the season with respective injuries. Kuraly, in his first season with Columbus, suffered a foot injury last Sunday and will miss the remaining three games. Jenner will have missed the last month and a half of the season with a back injury.
Frederik Andersen Expected To Miss Beginning Of First Round
There have been many conflicting reports over the past few days regarding the health of the Carolina Hurricanes’ goaltenders, and while there’s largely an optimistic tone around the health of their top netminders, it may not be all sunshine and roses just yet. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reported today that the “current expectation” is that Frederik Andersen could miss the first few games of Carolina’s First Round series, which likely looks to be against the Boston Bruins. The report comes after sources suggested to The Athletic’s Sara Civian just yesterday that Andersen would be “good to go” for Game 1.
An undisclosed injury has sidelined Andersen since April 16, when he left the late third period of a game against the Colorado Avalanche. He’s run away with the starter’s crease in Carolina this season with a Vezina-consideration-worthy campaign, compiling 35 wins (7th in NHL), four shutouts (tied for 5th in NHL), a 2.17 goals-against average (2nd among qualified goalies), and .922 save percentage (tied for 3rd among qualified goalies).
With backup netminder Antti Raanta becoming injured a few days ago, it put Andersen’s potential return under the spotlight to shut down any goaltending issues for Carolina ahead of the playoffs. Pyotr Kochetkov, Carolina’s 36th overall selection in 2019, entered the game in relief and started the team’s game the night prior as well. While he’s earned a victory in both games, he has just a .889 save percentage in his now 89 career minutes of NHL ice time.
Especially as the Bruins have caused Carolina fits during their last two playoff meetings, continued stellar goaltending will be essential for the Hurricanes to avoid an upset. They’re just 1-8 in their last nine playoff games against their most likely First Round opponent.
Tucker Poolman Placed On LTIR; Arturs Silovs Recalled
The Vancouver Canucks are not technically eliminated from the postseason. When Timo Meier scored with 0.9 seconds left for the San Jose Sharks, who then went on to win in a shootout against the Vegas Golden Knights, the slimmest sliver of hope was saved for the Canucks. If they win out, the Golden Knights beat the Dallas Stars tonight and then both of those teams lose the rest of the way, the Canucks would get in on a complicated tie-breaker. It’s not much, but it’s hope.
Unfortunately, it appears they’ll have to do their part without Thatcher Demko, at least for tonight. The team has moved Tucker Poolman to long-term injured reserve in order to recall Arturs Silovs from the minor leagues. Silovs is expected to serve as the backup for Spencer Martin tonight, as Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV tweets that Demko is dealing with an undisclosed injury.
The 21-year-old Silovs has never played a game at the NHL level and has just 11 appearances in the AHL, not many of which have gone very well. He’s spent more than half of this season with the ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions, where he has a .920 save percentage in ten appearances.
Poolman, meanwhile, has played in just one game since January and lasted just seven shifts. The 28-year-old defenseman was signed to an inexplicable four-year contract in the offseason and averaged 17 minutes a night through the first half of the season, recording three points in 40 games overall. His first year with the Canucks has certainly not gone to plan, and the team has been much better without him on the ice (though he hasn’t had much of a chance to play for head coach Bruce Boudreau, who turned the team around and has them this close to the playoffs).
For Martin, it is a bit of a showcase for next season, when he figures to be the regular backup for Demko at the NHL level. The 26-year-old netminder signed a new two-year, one-way contract extension earlier this month and Jaroslav Halak‘s deal will expire at the end of the season. With Michael DiPietro likely needing more time in the minor leagues before he really pushes for an NHL opportunity, it’s likely Demko-Martin for 2022-23, unless the team acquires another option in net. So far, so good, as Martin had a .958 save percentage in three appearances earlier this season.
Injury Notes: Nurse, Raanta, Blackhawks
The Edmonton Oilers are still hoping that Darnell Nurse will be ready for game one of the playoffs, though that isn’t a guarantee. Jason Gregor of TSN tweets that Nurse will not play this week and the team won’t know until Friday if he’s going to be able to suit up to start their first-round series.
It is very likely that the Oilers will take on the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, and having their 25-minute-a-night defensive leader in the lineup would certainly be a positive. Edmonton has won just one playoff series since 2006, and certainly isn’t a heavy favorite at this point despite their strong second half. The team sits just two points ahead of Los Angeles, meaning home-ice advantage is still up for grabs this week as they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins (tomorrow), San Jose Sharks (Thursday, and Vancouver Canucks (Friday). If he isn’t playing again in the regular season, Nurse finishes with 35 points in 71 games.
- Good news for the Carolina Hurricanes, who are crossing their fingers hoping for some health in goal as the playoffs arrive. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet tweets that Antti Raanta, who was pulled from last night’s game, should be ready to go tomorrow. It was apparently a “cramping issue” that Raanta was dealing with when the team was forced to put Pyotr Kochetkov into the net. With no clear timeline at this point for Frederik Andersen, Raanta is obviously of huge importance to the Hurricanes at the moment.
- Though they were on the ice today (in non-contact jerseys), Kirby Dach and Connor Murphy are not expected to play again for the Chicago Blackhawks this season, according to Charlie Roumeliotis of NBCS Chicago. It’s a predictable end to a terribly disappointing season for Dach especially, who registered just nine goals and 26 points in 70 games. The third-overall pick from 2019 has scored just 19 times in his 152 regular season games so far.