Morning Notes: Dent, Granlund, Matthews
The Chicago Blackhawks have found another head to roll, firing AHL coach Ted Dent today. The Rockford IceHogs finished last in the Central Division, scoring the fewest goals in the entire league this season. In his six seasons as head coach in Rockford the team has only made the playoffs twice and won just a single series, but much of that has to do with the way Chicago back-fills their lineup with young players every year.
This year for example, the IceHogs saw players like Tanner Kero and Nick Schmaltz for just a fraction of the season and had very few names last the whole year in the AHL. While every minor league team has these problems, the IceHogs have seen almost every skilled player blow through their ranks quickly in order to help fuel the perennial championship aspirations of the parent club. After firing Mike Kitchen yesterday, the Blackhawks are making it clear that changes are coming.
- Mikael Granlund had been playing with a broken hand, Minnesota GM Chuck Fletcher told media today. The forward has an expected recovery of four to six weeks, and there was no indication on when the injury was sustained. After a breakout season that saw Granlund score 69 points, he’ll be relied upon to duplicate that effort next season for the Wild.
- Fletcher also provided an update on the injured Eric Staal, who suffered a concussion in Saturday night’s game and was taken to the hospital. Apparently the veteran forward “felt some numbness in his feet” after hitting the boards with his head, but is feeling better and should suffer no long-term consequences.
- Auston Matthews won’t be attending the World Championships this season, after telling the media today that he feels “exhausted” after a long season. Matthews played just 40 games for his Swiss club last season and has never quite had the grind of an NHL schedule. He’ll head home to spend some time with his family before likely being summoned to the NHL awards ceremony in June.
Snapshots: McCarron, Golden Knights, Zito
The Montreal Canadiens have sent Michael McCarron back to the AHL to play in the IceCaps playoff run. The young forward had 19 points in 32 games in the AHL this season, but spent the better part of the year either on the Canadiens’ fourth line or in the press box. After being selected in the first round (25th overall) in 2013, McCarron has yet to make a real impact at the NHL level. His size and goal scoring ability has been on display at the lower levels, but will need to find more consistency to play a regular role in Montreal next year.
For now, he’ll join St. John’s for their playoff series with the Syracuse Crunch, currently tied at a game apiece. The two teams are back at it Wednesday night as they look for a first round victory and a step closer to the Calder Cup. McCarron should give the IceCaps a big boost up front, joining other young forwards like Charles Hudon and Nikita Scherbak.
- Vegas Golden Knights’ head coach Gerard Gallant believes that his squad will be more talented than either of the Columbus Blue Jackets or Minnesota Wild when they entered the league, telling NHL.com that they will have a better chance at getting “a few more high-end players”. While it’s true that the Golden Knights don’t have to battle with another team in the upcoming expansion draft, the Wild were lucky enough to get Marian Gaborik third overall in their first entry draft, something that Vegas will need to emulate should they want to compete in their first few years. The Golden Knights will have the most important day to-date for their franchise on Saturday when the league holds the Draft Lottery. Vegas currently holds a 10.3% chance to select first overall, and will almost assuredly be drafting somewhere in the top-5.
- John Vogl of The Buffalo News reports that Blue Jackets’ assistant General Manger Bill Zito should be considered a candidate for the vacant GM role in Buffalo. Vogl has compiled a list of names that should be considered with many likely interviewing for the job. It includes current assistants Zito, Tom Fitzgerald (Devils), Jason Botterill (Penguins), Chris Drury (Rangers) and Norm Maciver (Chicago). It will be interesting to see if Terry Pegula and the Buffalo organization do hire someone who hasn’t held a GM position before, as he stated in a recent press conference that experience was one of the things they would prioritize in the search.
Morning Notes: Murray, Eriksson Ek, Meier
Tim Murray may have predicted his eventual firing, when he spoke to John Vogl of the Buffalo News two years ago. After Ted Nolan had led the Sabres to a 23-51-8 record, Murray had to fire his coach and try to get it right the next time around. Nolan told Vogl very clearly what would happen if his next coach still didn’t work.
Am I going to find a perfect fit? If I don’t and I’m doing this again next year, then somebody else will get to make that decision when the perfect fit that I’m supposed to be isn’t the perfect fit, and I understand that.
When Dan Bylsma was fired, Murray had to go with him because of the decisions he’s made in the leadership of the organization. That doesn’t mean he won’t find success somewhere else though, as he has a long history of success in lower positions around the league and will be considered for another GM position at some point in the future. For now though, he just wasn’t the perfect fit anymore in Buffalo.
- Joel Eriksson Ek will join Team Sweden for the World Championships, reports Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. The Minnesota Wild forward split his season between the AHL, NHL and SHL in his native Sweden, putting together an impressive campaign all told. The former first-round pick is a big part of the Minnesota future, and will be another example of a player competing in both the World Juniors and World Championships in the same year—Eriksson Ek captained the U20 Swedish squad this year, and recorded nine points in seven games.
- Timo Meier ws returned to the San Jose Barracuda now that the Sharks have been eliminated from the NHL playoffs. The first-round pick will compete for the Calder Cup with the Barracuda, but actually was a -2 rating in his first playoff game last night. The Barracuda will now have to wait until Friday to continue their series that is currently tied 1-1 against the Stockton Heat. Meier has been something of a disappointment this year, but still shows immense potential for the future.
Wild Notes: Dubnyk, Vezina Finalists, Yeo
It was a tough day for the Wild’s Devan Dubnyk tweets Sportsnet’s John Shannon, who allowed the game-winning overtime goal to Magnus Paajarvi in today’s Game 5. The veteran goaltender, who is coming off a great 2016-17 season, yielded four goals in what turned out to be their season-ending game. To make matters worse, Dubnyk, who was a candidate to be a finalist for the Vezina Trophy this year, was not selected. The NHL announced their finalists today as Washington Capitals’ Braden Holtby, Columbus Blue Jackets’ Sergei Bobrovsky and Montreal Canadiens’ Carey Price.
Still, the 30-year-old Dubnyk remains a cornerstone for the franchise after finishing the season, having played 65 games with a 2.25 GAA and a .925 save percentage. He is also locked up contractually until the 2020-21 season.
The team should be expected to contend for another few years as they also have the core of their team locked up for the next few years behind veterans Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise, Jason Pominville and defenseman Ryan Suter. The team’s youth is also ripening with solid seasons from Mikael Granlund, Nino Niederreiter and defenders Jared Spurgeon, Mathew Dumba and Jonas Brodin.
The team may have some tough decisions for the upcoming expansion draft. The veteran team is sure to lose a quality player, and must contend with the No Movement Clauses of Koivu, Pominville, Parise and Suter. That leaves only a handful of spots left, depending on which path the Wild chooses to take. Tough decisions will have to be made about several players, including Jason Zucker, Erik Haula, Chris Stewart as well as veteran Eric Staal, who went down during Game 5. Even young defensemen like Brodin and Dumba could be exposed as well.
The team only has a handful of unrestricted free agents, namely Martin Hanzal and Ryan White, both acquired at the trade deadline from Arizona to help with their playoff run. The team must decide if they want or able to being one or both veterans back to the team next season.
- One consequence to the Wild’s ouster in the playoffs will benefit the Arizona Coyotes. When Minnesota traded for Hanzal and White at the trade deadline, the team sent their 2017 first-round pick, a 2018 second-round pick and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2019 as well as prospect Grayson Downing. To the Wild’s benefit, that 2019 conditional fourth-rounder will remain a fourth-rounder. However, the series loss will allow the Coyotes to get a better pick than they had expected. The Wild at the time of the trade had the top record in the Western Conference and many figured that the pick would land in the high 20’s. Now the Wild could be handing a pick as early as No. 23 to the Coyotes for Hanzal and White, who are both unrestricted free agents in the offseason.
- Blues head coach Mike Yeo said he has no special feelings about beating the Wild, the team that fired him during the 2015-16 season. “It’s not about me. I’ve been sincere when I’ve said that. I don’t think that what I’m feeling right now would be any different if it was any other team.”
Eric Staal Injured, Taken To Hospital
The Wild announced (via Twitter) that center Eric Staal has been taken to hospital after being tripped up by Blues goaltender Jake Allen in the second period of their Game Five this afternoon. The team did note that he is alert and stable and is going for further observation.
After the hit, Staal went sliding head first into the boards and was down for several minutes before being helped off the ice by team trainers. Chris Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune notes that Staal seemed dazed when speaking with teammates and also required a great deal of assistance to get to their dressing room.
In Staal’s absence, Minnesota shifted Erik Haula into his spot centering wingers Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter. After finishing second in team scoring this season with 65 points, Staal has one assist so far this postseason.
Central Notes: Nashville’s “Red Rover” Trap, Sakic, Stastny
As the Chicago Blackhawks cleaned out their lockers, a number of quotes were mined from various reporters. One of the more interesting ones, reported by several outlets, was one from Patrick Kane regarding the key to Nashville’s dominance during the four game sweep. From the Chicago Sun-Times’ Mark Lazerus, we all learn that Chicago bench boss Joel Quenneville nicknamed the Nashville trap “Red Rover” and Patrick Kane doesn’t think it’s the greatest thing for hockey fans:
“A team like that, you kind of hope they don’t win, because I don’t know if that’s necessarily the best way to watch hockey games, and to actually have that excitement level,” Kane said. “But on the other [hand], they played good going the other way, too. They kind of sat back, but their transition game is fast, and they played with a lot of speed the other way. That gave us problems.”
Though the first part of the quote might sound like sour grapes, Kane was quick to give credit to a team that stifled Chicago’s scoring opportunities, limiting them to just three goals in four games. Winger Marian Hossa attributed the dump and chase game Chicago was forced to play as a major reason they lost–they never got comfortable.
- The Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla thinks Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic would be foolish for not chasing after University of Denver coach Jim Montgomery. Kiszla writes that Montgomery has built Denver into a powerhouse and would be the perfect addition to a team with young players and in the midst of a massive rebuilding project. Since Florida has Montgomery lined up for an interview, Kiszla wonders if it would behoove Sakic to do whatever it takes to keep the national championship winning coach in the state. Current coach Jared Bednar, he writes, shouldn’t be retained only out of pity. Montgomery is the “real deal” according to Kiszla and should be strongly considered if the Avs are truly looking to improve their fortunes.
- The Blues got a huge addition before their game with Minnesota when Paul Stastny returned to action for a crucial game five tilt writes Sportsnet’s Josh Gold-Smith. The Blues have a chance to take out the Wild in five games and rest for the next round. Stastny was slotted in with Vladimir Tarasenko and Jayden Schwartz. As of the writing, Stastny was on the ice for Tarasenko’s opening goal.
Snapshots: Krejci, Stevens, Stastny
Boston’s David Krejci suffered an injury after a knee-on-knee collision with Ottawa’s Chris Wideman. He will not return to the game. There was no call on the ice, although the play easily could have drawn an infraction. The play can be viewed here. Krejci could not put much weight on his leg and looked pained as he left the ice. The Bruin had just returned from a previous, unrelated injury, and was slotted in as the 2nd line center between wingers Drew Stafford and David Backes. Krejci had tallied 54 points in the full 82 games this past season. His team is fighting to stave off elimination at the hands of the Senators, trailing 3-1 in the series. Regardless of the result of the game, there is the possibility for review for Wideman by the Department of Player Safety, especially in light of an equally scary Kadri-on-Ovechkin hit just minutes earlier in the other contest.
- The Los Angeles Kings are reportedly close to an agreement to hire John Stevens as their new head coach. As noted by colleague Gavin Lee earlier this month, his son, captain of Northwestern (also John Stevens), has drawn interest from management. Stevens (the senior) started out his head coaching career with 6 seasons for the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms, culminating in a Calder Cup win in 2004-05 – a season which drew lots of interest due to the NHL lockout of that year. Stevens was promoted to head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers after the following season, serving until he was fired midway through the 2009-10 campaign. Following his firing, that Flyers team then went on to make the Finals after just barely making the post-season under Peter Laviolette. Stevens earned two Stanley Cup rings as assistant coach to Darryl Sutter during the Kings’ championship runs of 2012 and 2014, after his brief (4-game) stint as interim coach for the franchise. Stevens is known for his endearing “players’ coach” personality and rapport with developing younger players. He has an all-time record of 122-111-34 as a head NHL bench boss.
- Help is apparently on the way for the St. Louis Blues, who still hold a commanding 3-1 lead in their series with the Minnesota Wild. Both Paul Stastny and Jori Lehtera look probable to return to competition in Game 5. Stastny has been out of action since he took a shot from a teammate off the foot a month ago. Lehtera has been out with an apparent illness since April 8th. Stastny potted 40 points in his limited 66 games this season, while Lehtera was less impressive with 22 in 64 games. Both centers will provide depth up the middle for St. Louis, and assistance on faceoffs. Considering how proficient Jake Allen has been so far these playoffs, their contributions on the defensive side of the puck will only make Minnesota’s offensive efforts even tougher. Both players posted average Corsi For just above the mid-line 50%, but each boasts a wealth of playoff experience that is difficult to replace this time of year. Stastny’s post-season consistency in particular should inspire confidence in his ability to contribute to his squad. Ivan Barbashev and Zach Sanford are expected to sit out.
*The original post had incorrectly cited Dennis Wideman as the offender*
Minnesota Wild Recall Fifteen Players From AHL
With the Iowa Wild’s season over, Minnesota has recalled their own group of Black Aces for the remainder of the playoffs. Fifteen players are on their way up from the AHL. The full list is as follows:
RW Sam Anas
RW Christoph Bertschy
C Pat Cannone
LW Ryan Carter
RW Kurtis Gabriel
C Tyler Graovac
G Steve Michalek
RW Zack Mitchell
D Gustav Olofsson
D Zach Palmquist
D Mike Reilly
D Nick Seeler
RW Alex Tuch
D Hunter Warner
D Mike Weber
As Michael Russo of the Star Tribune reports, these players were actually brought up prior to Game 3 on Sunday and will hold practices separate from the rest of the team. After the Game 4 victory by the Wild to stay alive, the Black Aces may be needed for a few more days. These players are unlikely to get into game action, but would serve as insurance should several Wild players go down unexpectedly.
After an outstanding season that saw contributions from several players on this list, the Wild find themselves on the brink of elimination in the first round of the playoffs. Should they find a way to extend their season and fight back against the St. Louis Blues, perhaps it could be a great learning experience for some of their youth to see up close. For now, these players will just skate hard under NHL supervision and try to make an impact for next year.
Roster Notes: Haula, Lazar, Oduya
Lineup changes have arrived for the Flames according to Kristen Odland, as the team will attempt to ward off elimination. Matt Stajan and Lance Bouma have both been told to take the night off, as Curtis Lazar and Freddie Hamilton find their way back to the ice. Hamilton had 2 goals and 0 assists in his 26 regular season games, and Lazar had 1 goal and 3 assists in his 37 games played. Neither is obviously expected to provide stellar offense, but instead to spark energy and infuse youth into a lineup which looked gassed in their Game 3 three-goal lead implosion. Lazar had been held pointless in 6 games while dressed for the Senators in the playoffs two seasons ago, though he was fantastic for the Oil Kings in their Memorial Cup run the year prior. This will be Hamilton’s first playoff experience.
- Blackhawks’ Johnny Oduya has been yanked from the lineup by coach Joel Quenneville for a potentially deciding Game 4. Michal Kempny is expected to take his place. The 26 year-old Czech defenseman had a phenomenally underappreciated season, posting an absurd 56.1% Corsi For. The left-handed shooting defenseman has never played in a playoff game. He had gone unsigned until May of last year, when he was acquired by the organization for depth. He ended up playing 50 games for the Hawks, despite marginal offensive totals. Oduya’s veteran status makes this a surprising move, although his lack of speed and age were starting to show in a series where the Predators’ forecheck was relentless.
- Erik Haula will not play for the Minnesota Wild tonight in their game against the Blues. Haula was held pointless and registered a -2 through 3 games. Coach Bruce Boudreau did not confirm who would take his spot, as he had been playing on the top unit with Mikko Koivu. This is a surprising move despite his struggles in the series, as the forward had been producing at a decent clip before running into the red-hot Jake Allen. There has been no word as to who will replace his position on the left wing.
Morning Notes: Krueger, Bernier, Coyotes
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet woke the hockey world up this morning with some news on the Vancouver Canucks head coaching vacancy. When he reached out to Ralph Krueger about the rumored interest, the former Edmonton Oilers head coach replied “I have had some interesting chats these past weeks, but my focus remains fully on the Saints for now.” The Saints of course is referring to the Southampton Football Club with which Krueger holds the chairman role and has since his 2014 exit from hockey.
Krueger of course coached the European team at this fall’s World Cup of Hockey, ushering them all the way to the final game against Team Canada. Kruger held the Edmonton job for just one season before being dismissed, but many around the hockey world believe he could easily step behind an NHL bench once again. His players at the World Cup praised him tremendously, and there have been rumors since his exit that he would eventually make his return to the sport.
- It wasn’t just an overtime winner that thrilled Maple Leafs fans last night, but a goalie switch for the Anaheim Ducks. Jonathan Bernier came on in relief of John Gibson last night, and helped the Ducks claw their way back from a 4-1 deficit. While it’s not clear if that would ever warrant a start from the former Leaf, their fan base would clearly welcome it. The Maple Leafs would receive a draft pick if the Ducks made it to the Finals with Bernier starting more than half the games; a second-rounder if they were to win it all, and a third should they lose in the final series. Gibson allowed four goals on 16 shots, but will likely get back in the net with the Ducks up 3-0 in the series.
- The Arizona Coyotes are hoping the Minnesota Wild can claw back from their own 3-0 deficit to the St. Louis Blues. When the Coyotes traded Martin Hanzal to Minnesota at the deadline, they agreed to a condition that would see them receive a draft pick based on how many series the Wild win in the playoffs. Should the Wild be eliminated by the Blues, Arizona will get a 2019 fourth-rounder, but if they somehow climb back it could move all the way to the second round with two series victories.