Kings, Oilers Swap Mike Cammalleri, Jussi Jokinen
The Kings and Oilers have swapped veteran forwards. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet Hockey Night reports (via Twitter) that the Oilers have acquired Mike Cammalleri for Jussi Jokinen. As NHL Network’s Chris Johnston points out (on Twitter), the two players hold a similar cap hit ($1MM for Cammalleri, $1.1MM for Jokinen), indicating that the two teams may have simply been looking to change things up.
Cammalleri, 35, joined the Kings on a one-year contract this past offseason. It was a reunion of sorts for the veteran, as Cammalleri had spent the first five seasons of his NHL career in Los Angeles. While the forward was a consistent 20-goal threat during his first stint with the organization, Cammalleri has shown signs of wear in 2017. In 15 games this season, the veteran has compiled only three goals and four assists. As Roster Resource shows, Cammalleri was skating on the Kings’ fourth line alongside Brooks Laich and Michael Amadio. Bob Stauffer of 630 CHED tweets that this isn’t the first time the organization attempted to acquire Cammalleri, as they had made a play for the veteran back in 2008.
Jokinen joined the Oilers this past summer after being bought out by the Panthers. While he had collected at least 20 points in each of his first 12 NHL seasons, the 34-year-old had only compiled a single assist in 14 games this season. Roster Resource had the veteran skating on Edmonton’s third line with Ryan Strome and Iiro Pakarinen. Helene Elliott of the LA Times believes the Kings are looking to “stir the offense.”
Gaborik Practices With Kings
- Los Angeles Times’ Curtis Zupke writes that veteran forward Marian Gaborik got his first full practice under his belt Saturday after having knee surgery back in April. The 35-year-old is not expected to be activated soon as the Kings are taking a cautious approach with the injury-prone winger, who has had knee and foot issues over the last two years, which has seen him play 110 games in the past two-plus seasons. “I felt pretty good,” he said. “Things have been getting into flow. Obviously I’ve missed a lot of time so [I need to] get used to everything — my legs, just the whole body as a hockey player, to get back into things, and to just keep going and ramping things up, and get my timing back. It’s pretty much the whole package I have to get back.”
Pacific Notes: Shore, Lewis, Shipachyov, DeMelo, Boeser
A change of coaches in Los Angeles has turned two defensive-first players under former coach Darryl Sutter into new scoring options under new head coach John Stevens. Nick Shore and Trevor Lewis have been showing off some of their offensive skills so far this season, which including a highlight reel pass and shoot goal from Shore to Lewis in Thursday’s victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The shift to Stevens’ offensive focused system was picked up quickly by the two forwards, according to Curtis Zupke of the Los Angeles Times. While the 25-year-old Shore only has one goal and two assists so far in 10 games, it’s still an improvement on last year’s six goals and 17 points that he had in 70 games. As for Lewis, the long-time King has never had more than 25 points in a season in all his years, but he might break that number this year as he already has four goals and three assists in 10 games. Both were at one time in their minor league careers considered to have some offensive talent and they feel they can show more.
“I think we’ve really put a focus on scoring more and offensive zone play,” Lewis said. “Obviously the new system we’re playing, I think starting off with Shoresy and [Kyle Clifford], we grasped it right away. I think that helps and it helps create more.”
- With Vegas Golden Knights’ Vadim Shipachyov filing voluntary retirement paperwork rather than having his contract terminated, Sportsnet’s Eric Engels tweets that Vegas will still retain Shipachyov’s NHL rights until the veteran turns 35 years of age. Many believe, however, that the 30-year-old center has no interest in returning to the NHL.
- Staying with the Golden Knights, the team picked up their ninth win of the season today, tying the 1980-81 expansion Winnipeg Jets, according to the Vegas Golden Knights. The team is just one win away from tying the inaugural Ottawa Senators.
- Paul Gackle of The Mercury News writes that with the injury to veteran defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, San Jose Sharks defenseman Dylan DeMelo will be given the opportunity to prove he belongs. After playing in the first two games of the season, the 24-year-old defenseman lost his job to Tim Heed and Joakim Ryan and has been a healthy scratch for the last 10 games. Now, the prospect who had already played 70 games with San Jose before the season even started, gets a second chance to prove he belongs.
- Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Sun writes that the Vancouver Canucks have been working on their power play and have now moved rookie Brock Boeser to the left of the face circle on their first team in hopes to take advantage of his release. The move is supposed to unleash the talents of the highly-touted prospect who has two goals and seven assists so far this year in nine games.
Injury Updates On Gaborik, Clifford, And Vilardi
- Kings head coach John Stevens told Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider that wingers Marian Gaborik and Kyle Clifford are progressing well from their injuries. The team is hopeful that Gaborik will be able to start participating in full practices in the next little while. However, Clifford, despite being listed as week-to-week with his upper-body issue, is still not close to returning to the lineup. Still with the Kings, first-round pick Gabriel Vilardi skated in full gear for the first time today since sustaining a back injury over the summer, notes Helene Elliott of the LA Times (Twitter link).
Marc-Andre Fleury’s Agent Blasts NHL Concussion Protocol
NHL agent Allan Walsh blasted the league Friday over the NHL’s concussion spotter protocol, referring it to a public relations spin to pretend to show the league cares about player safety. The agent, who happens to have Vegas Golden Knights’ goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury as a client, elabortated further in an interview with the Las Vegas Review Journal’s David Schoen.
“I just want to be very clear,” said Walsh to the RJ the following day. “I am not in any way, what I said yesterday, referencing any specific client or in any way referencing any specific club. It is the league-wide implementation of the concussion spotter protocol that I am criticizing because it is not being applied properly. And, like I said, the way the NHL is allowing players to remain in games is a joke.”
Fleury has been on injured reserve for two weeks already, since Oct. 15, with concussion-related symptoms after he was kneed in the head by Detroit’s Anthony Mantha. Schoen writes that the Golden Knights have said that Fleury passed all the in-game tests, but showed concussion symptoms after the game. Since then, there have been no updates suggesting he may come back soon. Coincidentally, Walsh’s comments on Friday came 30 minutes after Vegas head coach Gerard Gallant announced that Fleury would not accompany the team for the start of their six-game road trip.
The comments from Walsh also might be more relevant after a recent injury to Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick, who took an inadvertent blow to the head from teammate Derek Forbort. The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell wrote a story last week detailing that teams have too much leverage and power when it comes to determining whether their players should come out for the game, referring to Quick’s experience. He cites that the league representative informed the NHL home office of the injury, but it took three play stoppages before Quick was taken off the ice with 1:14 remaining in the period and went down the tunnel into a quiet room, but returned seconds later and returned to his place in the crease during that same stoppage. However, before play started, he was removed again. This time backup Darcy Kuemper took his place in the net and played for 36 seconds before play was stopped and Quick came back and finished out the period’s final 35 seconds.
Campbell points out that it’s impossible to imagine that he received a proper concussion test in that short of a time. He said that the league felt that the injury was caused from a stick to the head, which only causes one percent of concussion injuries and Quick was therefore cleared quickly, but the scribe points out that the league is playing a dangerous game if they are determining whether players should or shouldn’t receive concussions tests based on replays.
Atlantic Notes: Pastrnak, Lightning, Hicketts, Krejci
It wasn’t the best matchup for the Boston Bruins Saturday, but the team allowed right wing David Pastrnak to take the faceoff with 0.9 seconds remaining in their overtime game with the Los Angeles Kings. According to Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe, had Pastrnak just got a stick on the puck, things wouldn’t have spiraled out of control in that short amount of time. Instead, the Kings’ Anze Kopitar won a clean faceoff and passed it to Tyler Toffoli, who blasted it past Boston goaltender Tuuka Rask with 0.4 seconds left, allowing the Kings to walk away with a shocking victory. If you haven’t seen it, catch the video here.
According to Shinzawa, Pastrnak still was the best option for who was out there between Anders Bjork and Torey Krug, but he should have done anything, even illegal, to keep the Bruins from allowing a clean faceoff. A penalty would have only given the Kings an extra attacker, which would have made little difference with 0.9 seconds remaining, but it could have allowed Boston to substitute with a better face-off specialist like Patrice Bergeron.
“All we’re asking him to do is basically affect the puck there,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. “Not even win it. We don’t need to win it. We just need some sort of stick on it so it bounces toward the boards. I think that’s what David was thinking. If he could push it toward the boards, it has no chance of going backwards. Didn’t happen.”
- Brandon Burns of NHL.com writes that special teams is what let the Tampa Bay Lightning down in Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. The scribe writes that it has been the team’s special teams that has made the difference in the team’s success this season. While the team only found itself in two penalty killing situations all game, Tampa Bay allowed goals both times, while the power play had four power play chances and couldn’t convert, something the team has done in 10 of 11 games. Neither Steven Stamkos or Nikita Kucherov were able to get on the scoreboard, breaking both of their scoring streaks at 11 games.
- Katie Strang of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that the Detroit Red Wings should be taking a long look at Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Joe Hicketts as a potential callup to fix the team’s defensive struggles. The 21-year-old undrafted free agent has impressed the organization and almost made the team out of training camp with his physical play, despite his 5-foot-8, 177-pound frame. The scribe breaks down Hicketts’ play and points out that he is the perfect player to shake up the team’s failing blueline.
- The Boston Bruins tweeted that veterean center David Krejci will miss Monday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with what’s believed to be a back injury. Krejci, who missed Saturday’s game against the Kings, has one goal and five assists in six games, centering the Bruins top line. David Backes will likely fill in for him in that spot again.
Teddy Purcell, Lauri Korpikoski Sign Overseas
Two of the more notable names left without an NHL contract when the 2017-18 season began have come to terms on new deals elsewhere. Teddy Purcell, a former 65-point scorer who of late was on a PTO with the Boston Bruins, signed with the KHL’s Avangard Omsk today, the team announced. Lauri Korpikoski, fresh off a strong campaign with the Dallas Stars and Columbus Blue Jackets, somewhat surprisingly drew little attention this off-season and has now signed with the ZSC Lions of the NLA, according to a team release. The former Edmonton teammates will each look to rejuvenate their careers overseas this season.
Purcell, 32, was had a roller coaster career. The undrafted University of Maine product made a surprise jump to the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings in 2007-08 after just one year of college and made an immediate impact. After being swapped for Jeff Halpern early in his career, Purcell took off with the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring 51 points his first season and 65 the next. His scoring continued, but that didn’t stop the Bolts from trading him to the Edmonton Oilers, who in turn traded him to the Florida Panthers less than two years later. During this time, Purcell had continued to be a consistent scorer no matter where he landed. So, when Purcell given nearly no attention in the free agent market last year and ended up back in L.A. and soon after buried in the minors, it came as a shock to many. This time around, no one was surprised when Purcell was unable to turn his tryout in Boston into a contract, but the fact remains that there is still no evidence that Purcell ever stopped being a solid play-making forward. Now in Russia, Purcell has the potential to light it up with Avangard. Don’t be surprised if the swift winger scores early and often in the KHL and catches the eye of the Canadian Olympic team.
As for Korpikoski, his off-season went much like Purcell’s last year. 20 points in 60 games aren’t eye-popping numbers, but it was a pleasantly surprising season for Korpikoski in Dallas. The two-way forward had never been a big producer – his career high 40 points came back in 2010-11 with the Phoenix Coyotes, a team on which he was pressed into a top-six role due to a lack of talent – but Korpikoski had made a career out of his well-rounded game. A 2004 first-round pick of the New York Rangers, the now-31-year-old was a hard-working and reliable player for long stretches in New York and Arizona, but a drop-off in production in the desert and a subsequent trade to the Edmonton Oilers in 2015 looked like the beginning of the end. Yet, the Stars took a gamble last summer and it paid off with a sold effort from Korpikoski and a trade return of young defenseman Dillon Heatherington from Columbus at the deadline. However, the renewed interest never came and Korpikoski has had to settle for Switzerland. With ZSC, Korpikoski will join a talented NLA team and will get a chance to skate alongside NHL veterans like Robert Nilsson and Drew Shore. While Finland is in better shape for the upcoming Winter Games than the U.S. or Canada, don’t count out the possibility of the veteran Finn winger from getting the call to go to Pyeongchang as well.
Chris Lee Signs One-Year Deal In KHL
One of the best stories in hockey last year was Chris Lee, the 37-year old defenseman who turned an invite to the World Championships and a freak injury to Tyson Barrie into a showcase for his talent. Lee had never played a game in the NHL, but suddenly was thrust into a key role on Team Canada after Barrie was injured while wrestling in his hotel room. He found immediate success as a puck-moving piece for the Canadians, logging two assists in seven games.
Lee tried to spin his silver medal performance into an NHL contract, but after attending training camp with the Kings on a professional tryout, has now signed a one-year deal to return to the KHL according to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express. Lee will suit up for his old team in Magnitogorsk, where he registered 65 points last season.
The intriguing part will be whether Lee suits up for Team Canada once again in Pyeongchang at the 2018 Winter Olympics, now that he won’t be tied to an NHL team. The veteran defenseman, who logged four successful years in the AHL before heading overseas, would likely be one of Canada’s best options. His experience in the KHL may prove even more important than his skill, as the Russian Olympic team will be made up almost exclusively of KHL talent.
Los Angeles Kings To Recall Mike Amadio
According to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider, Mike Amadio is on his way up to the Los Angeles Kings. In a corresponding move, the team will send Justin Auger back to the minor leagues. Auger, 23, made his NHL debut with the Kings this season on October 18th and got into a second game before heading back to the AHL.
Should Amadio get into the lineup, it would be another debut for an interesting prospect. Amadio was selected in the third round—90th overall—by the Kings in 2014 after a relatively pedestrian OHL campaign. He had scored 12 goals and 38 points and Central Scouting had him ranked 68th among North American skaters going into the draft. Since then though, the 6’1″ 196-lbs forward has done nothing but score. In the next two years of junior he put up 169 points in 136 games, jumped immediately to the AHL playoffs where he was dynamic, and then last year found success in the minor leagues as a rookie. Amadio scored 41 points in 68 games last season, ranking third on Ontario and earning him another look in training camp this year.
Though he couldn’t crack the Kings out of camp, the 21-year old is definitely someone to keep an eye on in Los Angeles. Despite his recent offensive achievements, his calling card is his defense and capable center ice play. There is a legitimate chance he could be an NHL center with some offensive upside, but for now his role will likely be limited—if he even cracks the lineup. The Kings are carrying 13 forwards.
5 Key Stories: 10/16/17 – 10/22/17
It wasn’t as busy during the beginning of the week, but the end certainly had its fair share of big news. Injuries to key players dominated the week’s notes.
- Red Wings finally come to terms with Andreas Athanasiou, trade Riley Sheahan and Ryan Sproul – The Andreas Athanasiou-Red Wings stalemate came to an end after a phone conference with Wings brass thawed the tension. In order to make room, general manager Ken Holland dealt Riley Sheahan to Pittsburgh and flipped defenseman Ryan Sproul to the Rangers.
2. Bobby Ryan shelved for one month with a broken finger – As one commenter wrote, the snake bitten Ryan broke his right index finger during the Senators’ 6-3 win over rival Toronto. This yet another finger injury for the forward, who fought through a number of injuries last season.
3. Brian Boyle is cleared for full practice: Expected to be a critical piece for the Devils this season, Boyle was out due to a form of bone cancer, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Though there is no timetable for his return, this is another large step for Boyle in his battle back to the ice.
4. A number of goalies suffer injuries: Tuukka Rask, Roberto Luongo, and Malcolm Subban were some of the netminders hit by injury this week. Both Subban and Marc-Andre Fleury sit on Vegas’ LTIR after it was reported that Subban would miss four weeks. Rask was diagnosed with a concussion and because of the nature of concussions, it’s unclear just how long Rask will be out. Luongo injured his right hand during the Panthers’ 4-3 loss last night.
5. Jeff Carter Out Indefinitely: The Kings lost one of their best players to a cut on his left leg, speculated to be a six-to-eight week recovery time.