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Snapshots: Dubnyk, Ritchie, Wagner, Rakell

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The Minnesota Wild have an interesting offseason approaching with little cap room and little roster space. While general manager Bill Guerin is expected to make changes to the roster, there is the question of whether the team will consider buying out a player or two.

The Athletic’s Michael Russo (subscription required) writes that one player who is a candidate for a buyout is goaltender Devan Dubnyk. The scribe adds that if Minnesota opts to buyout Dubnyk, it likely would be to open up a roster space as opposed to saving on cap space. Dubnyk was the starting goaltender at the beginning of the year, but struggled immensely this season in 30 appearances with an 3.35 GAA and a .890 save percentage. Granted, the veteran still has one more year at $4.3MM. However, more importantly, the team may want to move on from Dubnyk with Alex Stalock taking over the starting role. They also have AHL Goaltender of the Year in Kaapo Kahkonen ready as well as the potential to go out and get a goaltender such as Braden Holtby or trade for Matt Murray.

  • The Athletic’s Joe Smith reports that the Department of Player Safety took a look at the hit from Boston Bruins forward Nick Ritchie on Tampa Bay’s Yanni Gourde during Game 3 Saturday. There will be no suspension as the hit was timed at .6 seconds from the time the puck was released. Gourde was clearing a puck during the second period when he was hit from behind by Ritchie in a shoulder-to-back hit, sending Gourde flying forward into the boards where he hit his head. However, the league rarely suspends players for hits at .6 seconds, especially ones that don’t include head contact.
  • The Bruins won’t have it easy as they face elimination on Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, down 3-1. The Associated Press’ Stephen Whyno reports that fourth-line forward Chris Wagner won’t be available for Game 5 due to an undisclosed injury. Wagner missed Sunday’s practice along with Ritchie, while Sean Kuraly did skate with the team after missing two games. Both Ritchie and Kuraly are day-to-day, but Wagner is definitely out, according to Bruins’ coach Bruce Cassidy. Wagner played quite well in the round-robin series scoring two goals, but has not tallied a point in the Tampa Bay series and boasts a minus-five plus-minus.
  • The Athletic’s Eric Stephens (subscription required) took a look at players destined to stay with the Anaheim Ducks and those who could find themselves elsewhere next year. One interesting observation is the inclusion of 27-year-old forward Rickard Rakell, a two-time 30-goal scorer. Of course, Rakell’s last two seasons have been quite disappointing with just 33 goals in his last 134 games and he could find himself being the scapegoat for the past two years of losing. On top of that, Rakell would be quite an attractive trade chip for playoff teams that could offer him more talent up front to work with.

Pacific Notes: Fleury, Myers, Smith

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The Vegas Golden Knights goaltending controversy could get more interesting in the coming hours. After netting his team a 3-0 shutout last night against Vancouver, Robin Lehner would seem like a solid candidate to start again tonight for Game 4 of their series. However, Lehner is 1-7-1 in his career on second nights when he plays both ends of a back-to-back series. That could allow the opportunity for veteran Marc-Andre Fleury to get the start tonight.

In fact, NHL.com’s John Shannon reports that there is an internal belief that Fleury will get the nod against Vancouver in Game 4. However, Vegas coach Pete DeBoer refused to confirm that belief:

“I’m not going to confirm any lineup decisions we’ve made,” said DeBoer (via Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen). “You’ll see tonight. We’ve got a plan, and we’re going to continue on the path that we know is the right one for our group.”

However, considering that DeBoer and Vegas management has continued to claim that it is a 1 and 1a situation, a Lehner start would likely negate that stand. Fleury, on the other hand, has appeared in just two appearances so far in the playoffs. If he does start tonight, The Athletic’s Jesse Granger notes it will be his first appearance in 14 days, his second game in 23 days and his third game in 174 days.

An official word isn’t likely until just before gametime.

  • Speaking about unknowns, TSN’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers was skating today, although there is no word on whether the blueliner is available for Game 4 tonight against the Golden Knights. Myers, out with a shoulder injury since Aug. 14, wasn’t expected to be ready until later this week, according to The Province’s Patrick Johnston, who added that the two-day break after this game could benefit him. However, Dhaliwal suggests there is a possibility that he could be ready tonight depending on how he responds to treatment. Again, he will be a game-time decision.
  • In an interview with The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman (subscription required), Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland admitted the Oilers will keep with a tandem goaltending situation. However, he also added that while he was pleased with the team’s goaltending for much of the season, he still needs time to assess whether they will make any changes, especially since veteran Mike Smith is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins adds that Smith is likely to be re-signed by the Oilers if Holland can find a way to upgrade Mikko Koskinen and his $4.5MM contract. If the team can unload Koskinen, that could improve Smith’s chances of staying in Edmonton. Otherwise, the team would likely look to let Smith walk and hope to find an upgrade in net after that.

Central Notes: Jets’ Offseason, Zadorov, Bishop

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The Winnipeg Jets have quite a few of their franchise players under contract for the next four years, so the team is in a win-now mode. With all the injuries and distractions the team suffered during the 2019-20 season, many were thrilled that head coach Paul Maurice and the Jets even managed to make the playoffs. However, having just won two of their last six playoff series in the last few years, Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet writes that the Jets must make changes to their roster to return to the top of the Central Conference.

One way to do that, suggests the scribe, would be for the team to use what remaining cap room that it has and spend on a top free agent defenseman. There will potentially be a few difference-makers available and with the salary cap leveling out at $81.5MM, the Jets could take advantage of several cap-strapped teams and bring in a big-name player.

There are two key possibilities, including St. Louis Blues’ Alex Pietrangelo and Boston Bruins’ Torey Krug. Both are looking for big paydays and may have to look outside the organization unless their respective teams are ready to move out salary to accommodate them. Wiebe notes that Pietrangelo might be a better fit for the Jets as he is right-handed and would be a good fit leading the team’s power play. Both players could be persuaded to sign in Winnipeg with big short-term offers.

  • Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said that defenseman Nikita Zadorov is expected to play tonight in Game 4 of their series against the Dallas Stars, according to Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound blueliner didn’t play during the third period of Game 3 on Wednesday due to an undisclosed injury, but is expected to be ready now. The 25-year-old had a goal and an assist in that game, but it will be his physical presence the team will need if Colorado hopes to even the series against Dallas.
  •  Speaking of the Stars, Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News reports that there has been a slight change in the status of starting goaltender Ben Bishop. The netminder skated, but remains unfit to play. The team, however, hasn’t been forced to rush Bishop back as backup Anton Khudobin is playing quite well in his place. Khudobin has a 6-4 record with a 2.75 GAA and a .913 save percentage. “Dobby’s been great, but listen, Bish is unfit to play,” said coach Rick Bowness. “It’s as simple as that. I think we’ll just leave it right there.”

East Notes: Kravtsov, Svechnikov, McDonagh

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New York Rangers fans learned more than a week ago that prospect Vitali Kravtsov would be loaned to his former team, Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL this coming season. However, a small wrinkle developed since as Traktor announced the transaction this morning, revealing that Kravtsov was going to spend the entire season with their team.

That was contrary to general beliefs that the 20-year-old Russian would spend time in North America with a chance to win a roster spot with the Rangers in 2020-21. Up until now, most teams are loaning their prospects overseas with the ability to recall them for NHL training camps whenever that will be. That may not be the case here, although a recent report from USA Today’s Vince Mercogliano suggests that the Rangers can recall him at any time. However, the scribe adds that the team could very conceivably leave him in Russia for the entire KHL season, although the team will likely wait to see how he fares.

Kravtsov, who had a tumultuous first pro season in which he split time between the AHL, KHL, VHL and then back to the KHL, isn’t expected to automatically win a spot on the Rangers roster and with the AHL season being pushed back until December, it makes lots of sense to allow him to develop for a full season in the KHL to develop his skills. Whether New York will recall him for training camp in November or December isn’t clear, but it should be noted that unless Traktor makes the playoffs, he could be available to join the Rangers in late February or after his team is eliminated in the playoffs, which means he could be available to join the Rangers with plenty of season left in the NHL.

  • NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti reports that Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov, who suffered what looked to be a severe ankle sprain during the team’s series against the Boston Bruins, said he’s feeling 100 percent and believes that he would be able to play now for the Hurricanes had the team managed to get past Boston in the first round. Svechnikov was a key component to the team’s success with four goals and seven points in six playoff games before being injured in Game 3. The Hurricanes lost consecutive one-goal games in Games 4 & 5, suggesting his play could have made the difference in the series.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh for Game 4 in a key game against the Boston Bruins, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith. McDonagh, who has been out since suffering an undisclosed injury in Game 1, will be replaced once again with two defensemen as the team is expected to play Braydon Coburn and Luke Schenn as the team will go with seven defensemen for a second straight game.

 

Calgary Flames Announce List Of Playoff Injuries

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The Calgary Flames will have several months to think about their collapse in the first round, but the time off will also let them recover from some serious injuries. Flames GM Brad Treliving spoke to reporters today including Kristen Anderson of the Calgary Sun and explained that Matthew Tkachuk, Rasmus Andersson and Sam Bennett were all dealing with major injuries by the end of the postseason.

Tkachuk, who sat out the final four games against the Dallas Stars, was dealing with a concussion and was still in the league’s protocol when the team was eliminated. The injury was sustained against the Stars and took arguably Calgary’s most effective offensive piece out of the lineup for the most important games of the season. Tkachuk, who had 61 points in 69 games this season to lead the Flames, was forced to watch from the press box as they gave up seven consecutive goals in game six.

Andersson meanwhile was playing with a broken foot, an injury that he suffered during the qualification round against the Winnipeg Jets. The 23-year old defenseman still managed to average close to 23 minutes a night in the Dallas series, recording four points in six games and arguably being the Flames most consistent defenseman. After posting 22 points in 70 games this season Andersson appears to be one of the pillars that Calgary can build around moving forward.

Bennett apparently tore a triceps muscle in the qualification round, which certainly answers why he was taking so few faceoffs in the postseason. The gritty centerman took just 29 draws across the six-game series, with linemate Milan Lucic (and career winger) routinely moving into the dot for him instead. Bennett actually led the team in scoring during the postseason, recording five goals and eight points in ten games—despite registering just 12 points in 52 regular season contests.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Crawford, Toffoli, Myers, Grubauer, Ritchie

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When Stan Bowman addressed the media Friday, the Chicago Blackhawks general manager made it quite clear he wasn’t going to comment on the team’s plans regarding their goaltending situation and in particular, longtime goaltender Corey Crawford.

Crawford, who hits unrestricted free agency at the age of 35, finds himself in a unique position. He could choose to stay or go, but no matter what, he isn’t likely to meet his 2019-20 salary of $6MM. While Bowman didn’t want to comment on what the teams plans are regarding their goaltending, he did remark that some players might be willing to take a home-town discount to stay with the team. Obviously, Chicago hopes that Crawford might be willing to accept that, according to John Dietz of the Daily Herald.

“It’s fair to say that there is a value to a situation where you’ve been around, not just the city, but coaching staff, players, the whole (thing),” Bowman said. “You’ve lived this. You also have time outside that you’re going to have to experience in a new city. Some people may look at moving as an adventure. Others, it’s daunting. I don’t try to figure that out. That’s something players will have to decide on their own.”

The team hopes to make an even bigger mark in the playoffs next year, but really don’t have a starting caliber goaltender under contract for next year unless they can convince Crawford to re-sign with the team. He finished the season with a 2.77 GAA and a solid .917 save percentage in 40 appearances during the regular season. His numbers weren’t as solid in the playoffs as he finished with a 3.31 GAA and a .907 save percentage.

  • The Vancouver Canucks will have to go without one of their top scorers for another game as Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy reports that Tyler Toffoli will be out for Game 1 against the Golden Knights Sunday with a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old has only made one playoff appearance so far this postseason. He did tally six goals and 10 points in 10 games after being acquired by the Canucks. TSN’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that both Toffoli and defenseman Tyler Myers (also out Sunday) are both getting closer to being ready. However, TSN’s Matthew Sekeres reports that Myers will likely need at least a week before being able to return with a Game 3 or 4 return potentially possible.
  • The Colorado Avalanche will be without a few players for Game 2 of the conference semifinals, according to head coach Jared Bednar. The Denver Post’s Mike Chambers reports that the team will be without goaltender Philipp Grubauer for Game 2 as Pavel Francouz will take over as the starter with Michael Hutchinson as his backup. The team is trying to bring in Hunter Miska into the bubble in Edmonton to serve as the team’s third goalie. Bednar also noted that defenseman Erik Johnson is probably out, while Matt Calvert is questionable to play.
  • With the Tampa Bay Lightning having more size and strength on its side, NBC Sports’ Joe Haggerty reports that the Boston Bruins intend to start forward Nick Ritchie to their lineup to add some size of its own. He will likely fill in on the third line, dropping Sean Kuraly to the fourth line. Par Lindholm is expected to drop out of the lineup. The 24-year-old Ritchie does provide some size as he is 6-foot-2, 230 pounds and should make a physical difference against the Lightning. However, he hasn’t found the scoreboard yet with no points in four playoff games this year.

Snapshots: Stamkos, Gallagher, Slovakia

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With the Tampa Bay Lightning preparing to face the rival Boston Bruins in the second round in a collision of arguably the two best teams in the NHL, the Bolts were hoping to be at full strength with face of the franchise Steven Stamkos back in the lineup. However, that won’t be the case. Head coach Jon Cooper told the media, including The Athletic’s Lightning writer Joe Smith, that Stamkos is still not available due to injury. Rather than reiterating the indefinite timeline of Stamkos’ rehab, Cooper merely stated “It’s pointless to keep asking about it.” Stamkos is still battling a core injury suffered back in March and has far exceeded the initial six-to-eight week timeline with the player and team still seemingly having no idea of when he might be ready to return. If Stamkos cannot return to face Tampa’s potentially toughest test in Boston, the odds are that he may not play in the postseason at all.

  • Fan favorite Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher had his season come to an end prematurely as he suffered a broken jaw on a cross check from Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Matt Niskanen in Game Five of the teams’ first round series. Gallagher only ended up missing one game, as the Habs were eliminated by a Game Six loss on Friday night. Meeting with the media today, GM Marc Bergevin updated Gallagher’s status, announcing that he underwent successful surgery in Toronto and is returning to his home in British Columbia today. Additionally, Bergevin revealed that Gallagher had been injured long before his run-in with Niskanen, suffering a hip tear in Montreal’s qualifying round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, he played through the injury and it was solely that broken jaw that kept him from playing in the Canadiens’ season finale.
  • Several other recently-eliminated players could be back in action sooner rather than later. Sport SK in Slovakia reports that several members of the Slovakian Tipsport Liga are expecting active NHLers to be acquired via contract or loan to begin working out and playing prior to NHL training camps beginning in November. HK Kosice may have the largest haul still to come, with Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Martin Marincin and Calgary Flames prospect Martin Pospisil to be loaned to the team and Ottawa Senators RFA Christian Jaros and free agent forward Tomas Jurco expected to sign. Tampa Bay defenseman Erik Cernak also has ties to the club, but with the Lighting still alive in the postseason and hoping to sty that way for a while longer, he may not need the early start for next season. Slovan Bratislava, which has already received a handful of prospects on loan, are expecting another in the more high-profile Martin Fehervary, the promising defenseman from the Washington Capitals.

West Notes: Blackhawks, Coyotes Injuries, Gaudreau

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The Blackhawks surprised many with their upset of Edmonton in the Qualifying Round before being ousted quickly by Vegas.  Still, it was a promising step for a team that was going to miss the postseason altogether in a normal year.  Despite the small change in their fortunes, GM Stan Bowman told reporters, including Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago, that he doesn’t foresee much in the way of changes for next season.  The team already has $74MM in commitments for next season with no starting goalie under contract while winger Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome need new deals as well.  That doesn’t leave any room to really add to the roster.

When asked about the possibility of buyouts (defenseman Olli Maatta and forward Zack Smith are speculative candidates), Bowman acknowledged that it’s an option.  However, decisions on whether or not to use that route to free up some short-term cap space won’t be made for another month or so.

More from the Western Conference:

  • On top of Nick Schmaltz missing the entire postseason with a head injury, Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider notes (Twitter link) that center Christian Dvorak played through a shoulder injury while winger Conor Garland had a head injury. On top of that, center Brad Richardson has a thumb injury that will require surgery this offseason.  Arizona was able to get by Nashville in the Qualifying Round before falling in five games to Colorado.
  • With Calgary bowing out quickly in the playoffs again after being ousted by Dallas, many expect the Flames to make some notable changes before next season. Sportsnet’s Eric Francis suggests that winger Johnny Gaudreau is a likely candidate to be moved following another quiet postseason showing that saw all but one of his seven points come with the power play.  However, another potential factor is that Gaudreau is one season away from having a significant no-trade clause (a five-team trade list).  At a time where many teams will have to shake things up, the time may be right to test the waters on Gaudreau as well.  He has two years left on his deal with a $6.75MM AAV.

Brandon Dubinsky Unlikely To Play Again

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The Columbus Blue Jackets were without Brandon Dubinsky for the entire 2019-20 season thanks to a chronic wrist injury, but he does have another year under contract with the team. Unfortunately, at this point, it doesn’t appear as though he will be able to return at any point. Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen told reporters today including Aaron Portzline of The Athletic that Dubinsky will “most likely” not play again because of the injury.

If that’s it for the veteran forward, he leaves the NHL with quite a successful career. A second-round draft pick of the New York Rangers in 2004, Dubinsky was in the NHL before his 21st birthday and never looked back. A heart-and-soul contributor for the Rangers throughout the first five full seasons of his career, he recorded 213 points in 393 regular season games on broadway.

In 2012 he was part of the massive trade that took Rick Nash to New York, heading back to Columbus beside Artem Anisimov and a first-round pick. Dubinsky would sign a long-term extension with the Blue Jackets in 2014, one that will still pay him $5.85MM next season even as he hits long-term injured reserve.

For the Blue Jackets, this actually may be something of a blessing in disguise, despite the leadership role that Dubinsky serves on the club. The team can move him to LTIR and gain a bit of extra cap flexibility instead of seeing his contract—which carries the second-highest cap hit on the team—anchor their finances next season.

Alternatively, because Dubinsky’s contract still owes him a full $5.85MM in salary, the Blue Jackets could move it to another team. Clubs all over the NHL will be looking to cut costs as revenue plummets, leading to an opportunity for those that are still financially stable. Columbus have made moves like this in the past, initially swapping Nathan Horton and David Clarkson’s contracts with Toronto because of a difference in insurance coverage, and then giving up draft picks to Vegas in order for them to take Clarkson’s deal off the books as well.

It is unfortunate how it looks like it will end for Dubinsky, but the 34-year-old can look back and be proud of an 823-game career. He is currently sixth all-time in Blue Jackets scoring, and had 438 points overall.

Brendan Gallagher Suffers Broken Jaw

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After taking a hard cross-check from Matt Niskanen, Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher has suffered a broken jaw according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. Niskanen is having a hearing with the Department of Player Safety for the incident, but no suspension has been given out just yet. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic got word right from the Canadiens GM, as Marc Bergevin confirmed “Gally has a broken jaw.”

There are few players in the NHL that can get under an opponent’s skin like Gallagher, but the 28-year-old isn’t just a pest. He’s also one of the most effective offensive pieces the Canadiens have, as he’s shown this postseason with a league-leading 37 shots on net through nine games. In fact, Gallagher scored a go-ahead goal last night against the Flyers, batting a puck out of the air on the powerplay.

Unfortunately, Lavoie reports that Gallagher will require surgery and is out for the rest of the series against the Flyers. That kind of diagnosis will be taken into account for Niskanen’s suspension, which could potentially take him out for the Flyers as well.

The teams will match-up again tomorrow night for game six, where pleasantries will surely be exchanged early.

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