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Canadiens Not Likely To Consider Dealing Pacioretty

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With the Canadiens struggling considerably out of the gate, some are wondering if a big change is going to be made in the near future.  In his latest column, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that it’s unlikely that ownership would consider changing general managers during the season.  It’s worth noting that GM Marc Bergevin is believed to be signed for four more years after this one so making that change would be an expensive one if it were to happen.

Dreger also notes that the team isn’t willing to consider dealing captain Max Pacioretty just yet although if they were to put him on the block, there would be no shortage of suitors around the league.  Pacioretty has led the Canadiens in scoring for six straight seasons but hasn’t been productive so far in 2017-18 with just one goal through seven games.  The 28-year-old is signed through 2018-19 with a cap hit of $4.5MM which is good value for a player who has hit 30 goals in each of the last four years.

Pittsburgh Penguins Center Search Continues

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It’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Penguins have been looking for a third-line center to augment their forward group for some time. GM Jim Rutherford has been clear that there were options for him stretching back into the summer, but that he wasn’t ready to make the deal until the right “impact” player surfaced. The Penguins are righting the ship after a rough start to the season, but have been relying heavily on their top-six to provide much of the offense.

Alex GalchenyukNow, in the latest version of “Insider Trading” on TSN, Darren Dreger connects the Penguins with much-maligned forward Alex Galchenyuk of the Montreal Canadiens. Dreger says that Galchenyuk’s name has “surfaced” though there is no clear report of any talks between the two clubs.

While the Montreal Canadiens continue to slump their way to a 1-5-1 record, bereft of any offensive threat, trading a talented forward like Galchenyuk may seem misguided. The problem is that though many have seen his offense in the past, none of it has appeared this season. Galchenyuk has just one goal—on the powerplay at that—and no assists this season through seven games, and has seen his ice time reduced to the lowest it has been in several years. At one point he was on the fourth line in Montreal, and he is clearly no longer a center in the eyes of head coach Claude Julien.

So the question is whether the Penguins believe that Galchenyuk could recover some of that lost offensive magic he showed in the 2015-16 season, when at the age of 21 he scored 30 goals and 56 points. Whether the team believes he is a true center is another story, as is his fit into their salary structure. This summer, Galchenyuk signed a three-year deal worth $4.9MM per season. The Penguins meanwhile have just under $2.2MM in cap space, though the longer they wait the less Galchenyuk would actually cost. Now that the season has started, every day that passes drops the prorated salary down another peg.

If a deal was to be made soon though, there would need to be salary going the other way. It would be interesting to see what Montreal would be after, as they would be able to find room for a defenseman or forward. In the meantime, Galchenyuk will have to try and get his game going on his own, and hopefully entice a buyer of some sort to come knocking at Montreal’s door.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

David Schlemko Out Three To Four Weeks Following Surgery

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David Schlemko’s career with the Montreal Canadiens is off to an inauspicious start to say the least. After suffering a hand injury in training camp, Schlemko worked his way back and played in a conditioning game with the Laval Rocket before immediately being recalled to the NHL team. That game, or something afterwards, must have re-aggravated the injury, as the team today announced that the defenseman had undergone surgery to remove a bone fragment and would be out three to four weeks.

The Canadiens have already released Mark Streit after he couldn’t find a way into the lineup, meaning Victor Mete seems here to stay for good. The 19-year old defensman has performed admirably in his short stint, and will burn a year of his entry-level contract after he plays in another four games. With Schlemko unavailable for another few weeks, Mete will be needed more than ever.

Defensive Notes: Karlsson, Nemeth, Schlemko

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The Ottawa Senators will welcome back their captain and best player tomorrow night against the Vancouver Canucks, according to head coach Guy Boucher (via Ian Mendes of TSN). That’s a huge step for the Senators, though they haven’t seemed to need it yet. Ottawa is still undefeated in regulation, and have won their last two games with a combined score of 12-1.

Still, Karlsson is among the top handful of players in the league and will really stabilize a defense corps that has had some moving parts throughout the first few games. Nine different defensemen have already suited up for at least one game, with a ton of responsibility being heaped on the trio of Dion Phaneuf, Cody Ceci and Fredrik Claesson. Each of them are averaging at least 21 minutes a night, something that will likely change with as Karlsson gets his legs under him. Last year the captain averaged almost 27 minutes while finishing second in Norris voting.

  • Patrik Nemeth has left the Colorado Avalanche on their road trip and flown back to Denver for more tests according to Adrian Dater of BSN Denver. Nemeth suffered a shoulder injury while fighting former teammate Tyler Seguin in a game on Saturday night. Nemeth, who was claimed off waivers just before the season started, has been one of the Avalanche’s best defensemen in the early going.
  • David Schlemko was expected back in the Montreal lineup this week, but is not with the team in San Jose according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. The Canadiens take on the Sharks tomorrow night and then will head to Anaheim and Los Angeles before returning home. The 30-year old played one game on a conditioning stint in Laval and was immediately recalled to the team, but still hasn’t suited up for the Canadiens this season.

Mark Streit Placed On Unconditional Waivers To Mutually Terminate Contract

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Monday: The Canadiens have announced the release of Streit.

Sunday: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mark Streit has been placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of mutually terminating his contract, according to Elliotte Friedman. CapFriendly reports the mutual breakup will save Montreal $654,839 against their salary cap.

Montreal had been trying to find a trading partner who would be willing to take Streit, but couldn’t find anyone. He had become the odd man out after the team got David Schlemko back on their defense and the and the emergence of rookie Victor Mete made Streit expendable.

Streit was put on waivers on Oct. 12 and cleared one day later, but there were no plans to send him to the Laval Rocket of the AHL. Instead, it is believed that Streit will look to go overseas and possibly try to play for the Swiss Olympic team.

Streit will receive $45,161 for his 12 days of service while on the Canadiens active roster, according to CapFriendly.

Metropolitan Notes: Tavares, Voracek, Bowey

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If the New York Islanders’ waiting game with John Tavares didn’t have any more drama, the New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that the critical deadline in the team’s quest to get state approval for a state-of-the-art arena at Belmont Park is a more than four months away, which will likely come near the NHL trade deadline. Tavares, who has made it clear that he wants to wait for certainty of a long-term home in New York, might not have an answer when he must make a decision.

In fact, Brooks writes that no one he has talked to has any idea if an answer will come before the deadline, let alone before free agency begins on July 1. The approval process has multiple bidders and may need more time than normal estimates. Regardless, owners and even Tavares would probably be more than willing to wait until July 1 to wait for the state’s decision. However, Brooks writes that it’s the trade deadline that will cause the real problem. With likely no idea of whether they will get the state’s approval before the trade deadline, it’s quite possible the Islanders will have to make a decision whether to hope for the best and wait it out with Tavares (with the possibility of losing him for nothing) or trade him before the trade deadline, which could present quite a haul if Tavares plays well this year.

Brooks writes the team might be able to get quality assets from teams that Tavares might be willing to sign with, such as the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs or the Tampa Bay Lightning.

  • Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that Philadelphia Flyers wing Jakub Voracek is starting to take his game to a new level this year. After what many referred to as a poor preseason, the 28-year-old veteran has played great and while he hasn’t scored a goal, he has put up nine assists in five games so far and is emphasizing unselfish play. Voracek, always a solid playmaker, had 20 goals and 41 assists last year.
  • Troy Machir of NBC Sports writes that Madison Bowey NHL debut isn’t going to be a memorable one for the rookie defenseman after the team lost to the Philadelphia Flyers 8-2. Called up to replaced the injured Matt Niskanen who is likely to be out until early November with an upper body injury, Bowey struggled, making several miscues in his 14:55 of ice time. He finished with a plus/minus of -3 and, according to Machir, didn’t look ready for the big-league club.

 

Galchenyuk Expected To Play, Plekanec A Game-Time Decision

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  • Despite missing Friday’s practice with the flu, Canadiens winger Alex Galchenyuk told reporters, including TSN’s John Lu (Twitter link) that he will tonight against Toronto. Meanwhile, the team noted via Twitter that center Tomas Plekanec will be a game-time decision as he is also battling the flu.

Canadiens Recall Schlemko From Conditioning Stint

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  • David Schlemko’s conditioning stint was a short one as the Canadiens announced (Twitter link) that they have recalled him from Laval of the AHL, only one day after loaning him there. Schlemko suffered a hand injury early in training camp and did not suit up for Montreal in the preseason or in any of their first four regular season games.  However, although he is now back with the Canadiens, he will not play tonight against Toronto.

Three Teams Showing Strong Interest In Andreas Athanasiou

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The Canadiens, Kings, and Senators are among the teams showing the most interest in unsigned Detroit winger Andreas Athanasiou, reports Ken Campbell of The Hockey News.  All three make some sense as potential fits as Montreal is in need of scoring help, Ottawa has been looking for more depth up front since training camp when Clarke MacArthur failed his physical, while Los Angeles is looking to play a faster pace this year and the 23-year-old is one of the speedier players in the league.

Andreas AthanasiouDarren Ferris, Athanasiou’s agent, noted to Campbell that this situation will be resolved within the next week.  How it gets resolved remains to be seen.  Obviously, he could re-sign with the Red Wings but there has been little movement on Detroit’s offers or his asking price over the past several weeks.  An offer sheet at this point is unlikely considering it hasn’t been done already.  That leaves signing with an international team with the potential for an NHL out-clause by December 1st, his NHL signing deadline.

Campbell adds that although the offer that Athanasiou had received from Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL has now been withdrawn, Avangard Omsk (also of the KHL) has put an offer on the table believed to be worth $2.5MM, the amount he’s seeking from Detroit.  He has Swiss NLA offers from HC Lugano (where he’s currently skating), Lausanne HC, and one other team but from a financial standpoint, those teams won’t be able to offer close to that type of money.

MLive’s Ansar Khan suggests that part of the current stalemate may have something to do with his role with the team.  Last season, Athanasiou was up and down in the lineup and also found himself a healthy scratch at one point.  He averaged 13:28 per night in 2016-17 which is fairly low for a player who had 18 goals in 64 games.  GM Ken Holland has reportedly assured him of a top-nine role with some power play time but that’s not really anything beyond the role he had last year.

If Ferris’ expectation that Athanasiou’s situation will be sorted out within the next week holds true, there should be an end to the standoff soon but there are a lot of different ways that this still can go in the coming days.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Montreal Sends Streit, Schlemko To AHL

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UPDATE: TVA’s Renaud Lavoie confirms that Streit will not report to Laval and will take some time to evaluate his options. It seems the two sides are likely headed toward a mutual split, which is best for both.

12:00PM: The Montreal Canadiens have sent defensemen Mark Streit and David Schlemko to the AHL’s Laval Rocket, according to a pair of team releases. However, for those proponents of keeping Streit in Montreal, it is not just a clean-cut demotion for Schlemko. Schlemko is coming off an injury – the exact reason why Streit was placed on waivers yesterday and cleared today – but for now he will play with Laval on a conditioning stint. Once Schlemko is healthy, he will be back with the Habs and nine defenseman would be one too many to fit on the roster.

There will remain increased focus on the play of young Victor Mete and a fringe talent like Joe Morrow, but for now the easiest move was to waive 39-year-old Streit and subsequently loan him to Laval to make eventual room for Schlemko upon his return. On a one-year, 35+ deal, the entirety of Streit’s $700K contract can be buried in Laval for now, while the team further evaluates their blue line situation.

However, the question becomes what the next step is for Streit and the Habs. The nearly-40-year-old defenseman can’t be happy about being placed on waivers, nevertheless being assigned to the minors. Having cleared waivers, it will be easier for Streit to be traded now, but the market may not be there for his services. The most likely result is that Streit asks for his release and heads overseas, likely home to Switzerland and perhaps later Pyeongchang. Stay tuned.

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