Montreal Canadiens Facing Difficult Decision On Defense
The Montreal Canadiens are coming off another loss, this time at the hands of the New Jersey Devils who scored five goals in the first two periods. Montreal now sits fifth in the Atlantic Division with 26 points and a -3 goal differential. That’s not very impressive, but it does at least keep them in the playoff race as they await the return of their captain. Shea Weber is ahead of schedule and could be back on the ice before long, which while obviously good news also likely means the end of someone else’s tenure on the NHL roster. That’s what Eric Engels details in his latest for Sportsnet, breaking down the various options that the Canadiens have to make room for Weber.
The most startling of these options may be the idea that the Canadiens could waive Karl Alzner, less than 18 months after signing him to a five-year contract worth more than $23MM. The team has already sat the veteran defenseman in the press box for most of the season, getting him into just six games over their first 22. Importantly though, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet adds in his latest 31 Thoughts column that the Canadiens have been looking to trade a defenseman instead of risking them on waivers. In Alzner’s case it doesn’t seem like much of a risk given his high salary, but for some of the others—Jordie Benn, David Schlemko and Xavier Ouellet are mentioned as trade options in Engels’ piece—there would certainly be teams willing to take a shot.
Montreal is not in a place to be giving away assets for free, given their current balancing act on the line between competitiveness and concern. The team has played well this season to say in the mix and has some promising chemistry forming up front between Max Domi and Jonathan Drouin. Still, even with the emergence of Jesperi Kotkaniemi the team is lacking real impact prospects and could need to try and retool over the next few seasons.
So a trade, given the circumstances, seems the most beneficial option. Whether that will come to pass is still to be seen, especially given the fact that the rest of the league can see the situation that GM Marc Bergevin is in. Noah Juulsen‘s injury may buy him a bit more time, but at some point something will have to happen on the Montreal blue line. Defense-needy teams will be watching closely.
Noah Juulsen Out Indefinitely, Michael Chaput Recalled
After taking two pucks to the face last night, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Juulsen has been ruled out indefinitely with a facial fracture. He will remain in Montreal while the team heads out on their road trip and will undergo further evaluation. He and Nikita Scherbak have been placed on injured reserve, while the team has recalled forward Michael Chaput to fill one of the roster spots.
Juulsen, 21, looks to have made the jump full-time to the NHL this season after splitting time between Montreal and Laval a year ago. That consistency had resulted in five points through his first 17 games, and increased responsibility for the team. In fact, in his last game before suffering the injury against Washington, Juulsen had logged over 20 minutes of ice time. Originally selected 26th overall in 2015, the former WHL standout has all the makings of a solid top-4 option for Montreal going forward. Unfortunately, key development time will now be missed as he works his way back from this injury.
Chaput meanwhile will try to show that he can still be an NHL option after continuing his successful offensive play at the minor league level. A third-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers back in 2010, Chaput has played just 135 games over his NHL career and none since signing with the Canadiens in July. He does have seven goals and ten points in 18 minor league contests this season with the Laval Rocket, but needs to translate that offense to the NHL if he wants to stay there.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Canadiens Looking To Move A Defenseman
Earlier this season, the Canadiens were facing a roster crunch up front and ultimately lost center Jacob de la Rose on waivers to Detroit as a result. With Shea Weber inching closer to a return, there is about to be a crunch on their back end. Accordingly, the team is believed to be looking to move a defenseman, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (video link).
Currently, the team is carrying eight blueliners and they have started to use a bit of a rotation following David Schlemko’s return to the lineup. Once Weber returns, they’ll be at nine and while carrying that many is doable if they opted to have just the minimum number of forwards on the roster, that’s not an ideal situation.
Unlike their situation up front earlier in the year, Montreal does have a little more flexibility when it comes to their defenders as both Noah Juulsen and Victor Mete are both waiver-exempt. If it comes to that, one of them could be sent down to avoid exposing someone else. However, both players have been regulars this season so removing one of them for an extended period of time wouldn’t be ideal.
Realistically, it’s unlikely that the Canadiens have any plans to move those two youngsters as well as Weber or Jeff Petry, who has logged heavy minutes in the early going this season. It’s also hard to imagine that the team will be able to find a taker for Karl Alzner who has slipped to eighth on the depth chart and has a $4.625MM cap hit through the 2021-22 season.
That leaves four depth players as potential trade possibilities. Schlemko has had some success in the past in a third pairing role and Montreal is trying to see if he’s capable of more as he has averaged over 20 minutes a night since coming off IR. He also has another year left on his contract after this one at a $2.1MM AAV which may limit his suitors.
Jordie Benn is a pending unrestricted free agent and came into the season as a potential trade candidate later in the year and he carries an affordable $1.1MM cap hit. However, he’s currently on their top pairing so there may not be too much of a willingness to move him at this time.
The other two defenders on their active roster are 25-year-olds that have been inconsistent in their early careers in Mike Reilly ($725K) and Xavier Ouellet ($700K). Reilly started the season strong but has been a healthy scratch the past two games while it wasn’t that long ago that Ouellet was made available for trade by Detroit before they ultimately bought him out. Both players are set to be restricted free agents with arbitration eligibility this summer.
As a result, there isn’t one specific player that stands out as a likely candidate to be moved. They still have some time to make a decision as even though Weber appears to be ahead of schedule, he’s still likely a couple of weeks from getting the green light to suit up. In the meantime, if a team is looking to add some defensive depth to their roster, they’ll likely be getting in touch with GM Marc Bergevin before too long.
Atlantic Notes: Bergeron, Helm, Marner, Price
The Boston Bruins already have plenty of injury concerns this season, especially on the defensive end. However, it may have gotten worse as the Bruins announced in an injury breakdown, that they have sent Patrice Bergeron back to Boston to be re-evaluated for his upper-body injury by team doctors with two games left on their road trip. That means that Bergeron is out for Saturday’s game against Arizona, although considering their next game won’t be until Wednesday, he could return to the team before then.
The team also reported that defenseman John Moore, already listed as day-to-day, has also left with Bergeron for Boston to get his lower-body injury looked at by doctors. The release also notes that Zdeno Chara, who was listed as out for four to six weeks, will not be re-evaluated for another four weeks.
While many were already aware of the defensive injuries, however the loss of Bergeron would be another devastating blow. The 33-year-old was driven into the boards on Friday on a hit from Dallas’ Radek Faksa. Bergeron has nine goals and 26 points in 19 games this season and anchors one of the top lines in the NHL.
- The Detroit Red Wings may be without a forward as well as Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James reports that Darren Helm, who left the first period of today’s game against New Jersey after taking a hard hit from Travis Zajac, could be out for a while. Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill said that he had no timetable for his injury, but the 31-year-old winger was holding his right wrist after it had taken the brunt of his fall to the ice.
- Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun writes that with the way that Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner has been playing lately, he is likely to fetch a huge price when he hits restricted free agency at the end of the year. The 21-year-old Marner, who has 26 points in the first 20 games is currently on a trajectory to hit 106 points this season and become the franchise’s first 100-point winger. That could cost the team that has carefully weighed each players’ salary carefully before signing John Tavares this summer. With holdout William Nylander asking for big numbers on his next contract, Marner could complicate things for Toronto as well as he might be the best young winger outside of Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen and Boston’s David Pastrnak.
- Montreal Canadiens Carey Price‘s numbers may not be particularly impressive as he owns a 2.99 GAA and a .899 save percentage. However, after an impressive performance against the Calgary Flames on Thursday, The Athletic’s Paul Campbell (subscription required) analyzes the 31-year-old’s play and notes that Price is starting to adapt to a combination of his aging skills and the improved shootings skills of younger forwards. The scribe breaks down his play Thursday, writing that if Price can continue to play like that, then the Canadiens have a chance to fare well this season.
Shea Weber Ahead Of Schedule With Injury Rehab
After 33-year-old Shea Weber underwent knee surgery this off-season, the Montreal Canadiens announced an expected return date of mid-December and even that seemed optimistic. Yet, Weber practiced with the team for the first time this week and now a mid-December return looks very realistic if not excessive. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that Weber is considered to be “two weeks ahead” of schedule and could possibly make his season debut by the end of November or first week of December.
Weber is entering his third season with the Canadiens since coming over from the Nashville Predators in the blockbuster trade that sent P.K. Subban packing. Weber’s first season in Montreal was a huge success; the six-time All-Star registered 42 points and a +20 rating in 78 games. Last season was quite different, as the torn meniscus in his right knee limited Weber to just 26 games.
When Weber returns to the ice, it will likely be more than eleven months since his last game action. The Athletic’s Arpon Basu asks the fair question of whether or not the Canadiens should expect Weber to be the same player when he returns. Perhaps the even better questions should be just how much Montreal should ask of Weber once he is deemed healthy. Normally, a player of Weber’s age and experience is often expected to jump right back in to his regular role. However, Weber still has eight years left remaining on his contract and the Habs need to consider his long-term health just as much as his immediate impact. Allowing the veteran to ease back into his role gives the team the best chance to once again enjoy his Norris-caliber play, even if it is not this season. Montreal is certainly excited to have Weber back, but considering how well the team has played early on this year, they can afford to give their captain all the time he needs to get back to full strength.
Winnipeg Jets Sign Logan Shaw To One-Year Deal
Monday: Shaw has cleared waivers and joined the Winnipeg organization. The team has assigned him to the Manitoba Moose for the time being, but could potentially recall him to spend some time in the NHL this season.
Sunday: The Winnipeg Jets have decided to add more forward depth to their roster as they announced that they have signed Logan Shaw to a one-year, two-way contract worth $675K. Shaw, who has appeared in 180 NHL games over his career, has been playing on an AHL-contract with the San Diego Gulls. As part of the contract signing, Shaw has also been placed on waivers, according to Elliotte Friedman.
The 26-year-old Shaw appeared in 72 NHL games last season between the Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens, but struggled to produce points, combining for just four goals and 14 points. He received a PTO with the Calgary Flames for training camp this year, but FlamesNation’s Ryan Pike reported that Shaw was solid, but unspectacular there. After signing an AHL deal with San Diego, Shaw has fared well, putting up two goals and five points in seven games.
Even with the addition of Shaw, the Jets have only 41 players under contract, which is the lowest number in the NHL. The next lowest is both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Los Angeles Kings with 44. So, system depth was critical for Winnipeg and Shaw, who should clear waivers, can be assigned to the Manitoba Moose in the AHL.
Tomas Plekanec On Unconditional Waivers, Will Retire From NHL
Sunday: Elliotte Friedman reports that Plekanec has cleared waivers.
Friday: Despite the Montreal Canadiens suffering several injuries to their forward group, the team announced today that they will place Tomas Plekanec on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a mutual contract termination. Plekanec hasn’t seen much ice time this season but is close to returning from his latest minor injury, but will not suit up again for the Canadiens.
At the press conference to discuss the move with the media, GM Marc Bergevin explained that this was a “hockey decision” to let Plekanec go. The 36-year old forward was near tears when talking about always wanting to retire in Montreal, but did note that he would look for opportunities in the Czech Republic for the next few years. It seems as though his NHL days are over. Plekanec spoke about how the team is in good hands with the young group in the dressing room, and how Bergevin did approach him with the idea of a trade at one point before making this decision.
Though there is still the formality of clearing waivers and then terminating the contract tomorrow, it seems like the end of the North American journey for Plekanec. Selected in the third round of the 2001 draft, he would make an impact at the AHL level right away and show that the rest of the league made a mistake in passing on him. By the time the league returned from lockout in 2005, he was a full-time player for the Canadiens and wouldn’t look back. Plekanec played in at least 77 games for 11 consecutive seasons (not counting the lockout-shortened 2012-13, in which he played 47 of 48) and was the picture of health and consistency for a team that went through plenty of change. Hitting a career-high of 70 points in 2009-10, Plekanec was a huge part of a Montreal team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Canadiens will not be on the hook for any of Plekanec’s cap hit, even though he signed his most recent contract over the age of 35. Because the deal was just for one season, the restrictions usually applied to 35+ deals—that is, a cap hit that remains with the team regardless of what happens to the player—do not apply. Only multi-year contracts are punished in this way, meaning the Canadiens are free and clear of anything to do with Plekanec’s contract.
In fact, the last year has been quite beneficial for the Canadiens when it comes to Plekanec. Last spring they traded the veteran center to their rival Toronto Maple Leafs for a package that included a second round pick, only to see him return to play his 1,000th game in Montreal this year. The Maple Leafs were knocked out of the first round anyway, and no other piece from the deal is still on either roster. The fact that he’s willing to step aside and allow the team to fill the roster with the next wave of Montreal forwards is just the latest in a long career filled with putting the Canadiens ahead of himself.
Known best for his trademark turtleneck and goatee, Plekanec will not go down alongside the very greats of the Montreal franchise. He was never part of a Stanley Cup run, and scored just 608 points in his 1,001 games. Still, he’ll be remembered as an efficient soldier by many fans and revered for his loyalty to the franchise to the very end.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Atlantic Notes: Weber, Athanasiou, Pysyk, Kovar
The Montreal Canadiens have had a nice start to the season with an 8-5-3 record to start the season. However, more good news could be on the way as there was a Shea Weber sighting today as the veteran defenseman took the ice this morning along with David Schlemko, Brendan Gallagher, Noah Juulsen and Carey Price, according to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie.
The team captain was originally scheduled to return sometime in December, so it still may be a while before he fully returns, but this is a step in the right direction for the veteran. Weber could add another key element to a young team that seems to have found some offense from a number of young names and gotten some solid goaltending from Price. Adding Weber to their blueline could only make the team stronger as they start hitting the middle of their season schedule.
- The Detroit Red Wings like what they see from winger Andreas Athanasiou so far this year. What the 24-year-old has always lacked was competive consistency, which they are finally starting to see everyday, according to MLive’s Ansar Khan. Athanasiou has always had the speed that many people felt he could put up big numbers if he figured things out. However, the best the Red Wings have gotten out of him has been 18 goals, two years ago. Through 13 games so far this season, he already has six goals and nine points and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. “I know those chances are going to come, so it’s just playing hard when I get out there and capitalizing on those chances,” Athanasiou said.
- George Richards of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that Florida Panthers defenseman Mark Pysyk remains a healthy scratch for the seventh straight time despite being medically cleared to play again on Thursday, but can’t seem to work his way back into Florida’s lineup. He was knocked out of the lineup after taking a hit from Washington’s Alex Ovechkin on Oct. 19. The hope is he will be in the lineup on Sunday.
- Jan Kovar was brought overseas with the intention of plugging him in the New York Islanders’ lineup. Two months later has the 28-year-old Kovar playing on a PTO with the Providence Bruins of the AHL, but faring quite well with five goals and nine points in eight games. Could a promotion be in order? “Smart player,” said Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney (via Providence Journal’s Mark Divver). “I really like the skills, top of the circles down in the offensive zone. What probably surprises me a little bit, coming from (the KHL), is how gritty he is, as far as playing in high traffic, possession.”
- The Tampa Bay Lightning announced that defenseman Anton Stralman and forward Adam Erne were out tonight and are listed as day-to-day, both with upper-body injuries. With the return of defenseman Victor Hedman, it looked as if the team’s defense was almost healthy. Instead, the team will be without Stralman for the time being, who was the one to fill many of Hedman’s minutes. Slater Koekkoek remains in the lineup.
Injuries Mounting Up Front For Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are off to an impressive start this season, with Max Domi and Jonathan Drouin leading an improved forward group that have contributed to the team’s 46 goals in 15 games (not counting tonight). Even as the team deals with the long-term recovery of captain Shea Weber, they’ve kept their heads above water with a 8-5-2 record. With Carey Price still not playing at the level he’s capable of, there is plenty of enthusiasm in Montreal.
Unfortunately, that enthusiasm took a hit today when the team released updates on a pair of forwards. Paul Byron, who is dealing with a lower-body injury, will now be evaluated on a week-to-week basis and is out for the foreseeable future. The 29-year old forward, who was signed to a four-year extension at the end of training camp, hasn’t played yet in November and now seems in danger of missing the rest of the month. A key player given his speed and penalty killing ability, Byron has also been one of the team’s best goal scorers at even strength the last two seasons.
Perhaps even worse than the news on Byron is that of Joel Armia, who suffered a knee injury against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night. Armia will be out for six to eight weeks, meaning he very well could be out until after Christmas. Armia had seven points in his first 15 games and had logged time on both the powerplay and penalty kill this season. That versatility will be sorely missed over the next couple of months, especially if Byron can’t come back soon.
Tomas Plekanec, who has played only three games this season, is getting closer to a return but isn’t the type of player who can make a huge impact anymore. What these injuries might mean is another chance for Nikita Scherbak, who has been playing on a conditioning stint in the minor leagues. As CapFriendly noted yesterday, the Canadiens can keep him in the minor leagues for another few days but will have to make a decision on what to do with him at some point. The team already lost Jacob de La Rose when they tried to sneak him through waivers, and wouldn’t want to risk Scherbak to the same fate.
Montreal hasn’t been able to deal with injuries very well over the last few years, but with some added depth thanks to the emergence of Jesperi Kotkaniemi and acquisition of Domi perhaps this season will be a different story.
Minor Transactions: 11/07/18
After an interesting night in the NHL that saw the Ottawa Senators prove they can still compete among all the noise, and one of the newest St. Louis Blues forwards finally record a hat trick, there’s plenty to do on this Wednesday morning. With just three games scheduled for tonight, teams will be making adjustments to their lineups and preparing for the next few days. As always, we’ll be here to keep track of all those minor moves.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have returned forward Trevor Moore to the minor leagues, now that they’re off for a few days. Moore didn’t suit up for the Maple Leafs this time around, but should be considered the first call-up if the team experiences any more injuries up front. That said, with a road trip coming up next week he could be back up to fill the extra roster spot in just a few days.
- Anthony Peluso has been recalled by the Calgary Flames after Dillon Dube was moved to injured reserve. Peluso took rushes with the team at practice as well, indicating that he’ll get into the lineup for the third time this season. Dube is dealing with a concussion, but his injured reserve stint is retroactive to November 3rd meaning he could come off whenever he is healthy.
- Alex Lyon and Tyrell Goulbourne have been returned to the AHL by the Philadelphia Flyers, indicating that at least one of Brian Elliott or Michal Neuvirth will be able to suit up tomorrow night against the Arizona Coyotes. Calvin Pickard is the only fully healthy goaltender on the roster now, but sitting Lyon at the NHL level with little to do wasn’t an option.
- The Vancouver Canucks have reassigned Jalen Chatfield to the Utica Comets of the AHL, ending his brief NHL taste before he actually played in a game. Chatfield, an undrafted free agent signing, has played seven games for the Comets this season but is still waiting to make his NHL debut.
- After just a day, the Detroit Red Wings have returned Christoffer Ehn to the minor leagues. Ehn got just 6:53 in ice time last night for the Red Wings, but managed to record four hits and a shot on goal in his 10th game of the season. The young forward will likely be the first call-up again down the road for Detroit.
- Kenny Agostino has been recalled by the Montreal Canadiens, giving the former AHL MVP another shot at the highest level. The minor league dynamo has another ten points in his first 12 games for the Laval Rocket this season, continuing his near point-per-game pace in the AHL through five seasons. Despite that success, he’s been given just 22 opportunities to suit up for an NHL game, something he’ll try to change with the Canadiens this season.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have brought up two young players once again, recalling Phillip Di Giuseppe and Clark Bishop from the Charlotte Checkers. To make room, Nicolas Roy has been sent back down after six games with the Hurricanes. Carolina has been swapping players in and out of their bottom-six all season trying to find a fit, and will give Di Giuseppe and Bishop another chance to make an impression in the coming days.
- The Anaheim Ducks have returned center Chase De Leo to San Diego of the AHL, just one day after recalling him. The 23-year-old didn’t play in Tuesday’s loss against the Kings. De Leo is off to a decent start in the minors with five points in eight games and will likely get another look with the big club later on this season.