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Ryan Johansen, Evander Kane Receive Fines

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The Department of Player Safety has handed out a pair of fines today, giving a $5,000 bill to both Ryan Johansen of the Nashville Predators and Evander Kane of the San Jose Sharks. Johansen’s incident occurred when he tried to throw a reverse check against Tampa Bay Lightning Brayden Point and caught him square with an elbow in last night’s game. Kane meanwhile also tried to throw a preemptive strike on Radko Gudas of the Washington Capitals and caught him up high with an elbow. Both players received game misconducts.

Though neither player will end up suspended, fines like this are taken into account down the road when it comes to other potential discipline. The $5,000 figure was the largest suspension allowed under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Neither Point nor Gudas appear to have suffered any real injury on the play, which is also taken into account when deciding on supplementary discipline.

Minor Transactions: 12/04/19

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After a busy Tuesday night in the NHL there are just four games on the schedule for this evening. One of those will see the Pittsburgh Penguins try to cobble together a healthy lineup in order to take on the reigning Stanley Cup champions, while another has Nazem Kadri returning to Toronto for the first time since an offseason trade took him to the Colorado Avalanche. As teams prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Dennis Gilbert from the minor leagues, while Duncan Keith continues to deal with injury. Keith has already been ruled out of the Blackhawks two-game road trip, meaning Gilbert gets another chance to be on an NHL roster.
  • Mathieu Olivier has been reassigned to the minor leagues by the Nashville Predators, after playing in his first eight NHL contests. The young forward recorded one point in those games, but will have to wait for his next opportunity.
  • The Montreal Canadiens have sent Gustav Olofsson to the minor leagues, and later recalled Otto Leskinen for the first time in his career. Leskinen was signed just last spring to an entry-level contract after impressing in Finland, and has 12 points in 24 games for the Laval Rocket.
  • Mikhail Vorobyev has been recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers, who moved Michal Raffl to long-term injured reserve today. Raffl will be out up to a month with a broken finger, meaning Vorobyev might get a solid look in the NHL.
  • Jean-Sebastien Dea has been returned to the minor leagues by the Buffalo Sabres, as they prepare for their Western Conference road trip. The Sabres will have Kyle Okposo with the team during that trip, though it is not clear yet if he will play after dealing with another concussion.
  • Brian Gibbons has been recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes, who missed Andrei Svechnikov at practice as he deals with a minor injury. Gibbons, 31, is always one of the team’s first injury call-ups and has been up and down all season.
  • Filip Chlapik has been sent back to the minor leagues by the Ottawa Senators, who are in Edmonton today to play the Oilers. That likely signals that J.C. Beaudin or Mikkel Boedker will be back in the lineup tonight, according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia.
  • After moving Antti Suomela to injured reserve, the San Jose Sharks have recalled Lean Bergmann from the AHL. Bergmann, 21, has played in eight games for the Sharks this season but spent most of the year with the San Jose Barracuda where he has 12 points in 15 games.

Injury Notes: Kulikov, Keith, Granlund

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As if the Winnipeg Jets needed any more concerns on the blue line, yet the team’s short-handed defense corps was dealt another blow on Tuesday. Head coach Paul Maurice announced that Dmitry Kulikov has suffered an upper-body injury that is expected to leave him sidelined for upwards of two months. Maurice expects the veteran defender to return after the All-Star break in late January. Kulikov suffered the injury, speculated to be related to his left arm, on Friday night and did not play Saturday. However, there was hope that he would return to the lineup shortly, but that will not be the case. Kulikov, 29, had been enjoying a bit of a career resurgence early this year after dealing with injuries in each of this past three seasons. The former Panthers standout is third among Jets starting defensemen in time on ice and first in Corsi For, while leading the entire team in blocked shots. Personally, Kulikov was also on pace for the highest point total of his stint in Winnipeg. However, it now appears that it could be more of the same for the physical, but fragile rearguard. With Nathan Beaulieu already injured and the team still coping with the absences of Dustin Byfuglien, Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers, and Ben Chiarot, Kulikov’s loss is a major blow for the Jets. Winnipeg has held their own to this point in the season, but one has to wonder when their luck will run out considering their depleted blue line.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks are another team dealing with a slew of injuries. So much so in fact that they were forced to ice only eleven forwards and six defensemen on Monday night after a roster full of short-term injuries and a sick goalie necessitated the call-up of AHL keeper Kevin Lankinen without enough room to make any other additions. While Robin Lehner is back on his feet, one of those other injured players is going to be out for a while longer. Blackhawks beat writer Carter Baum reports that top pair defenseman Duncan Keith is expected to miss at least another two games with a lingering groin injury. Keith will not travel with the team on their two-game road trip, extending what has already been a two-game absence. Groin injuries tend to stick around, so Keith could remain sidelined beyond the next two games and could also deal with the issue throughout the season. It’s a difficult situation for Chicago, who desperately needs their ice time leader and defensive mainstay to be active as much as possible if they wish to push for a playoff spot this season.
  • Kyle Turris is back in the lineup for the Nashville Predators, but not because head coach Peter Laviolette has changed his mind about the under-performing veteran. Instead, Turris has drawn in to replace Mikael Granlund. The Predators announced just prior to their game on Tuesday night that Granlund would not be in the lineup and is considered day-to-day with an undisclosed lower-body injury. Not much is known about Granlund’s status as of yet, but an extended absence could very well cost him his spot as a top-six forward for the team. Granlund has just 11 points in 26 games, only two more points than Turris has in 19 games. Granlund has been a disappointment since coming over from Minnesota last season, but even if Nashville has no intention of re-signing him, the impending free agent has ample incentive to get healthy and try to find his way back to an elite level of play.

 

Despite Benchings, Kyle Turris Hasn't Asked For A Trade

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Although he has sat for six straight games and has played a very minor role this season, Predators center Kyle Turris has not yet asked for a trade, GM David Poile told reporters including Paul Skrbina of The Tennessean.   At the time he was acquired (signing a six-year, $36MM extension in the process), Turris was expected to slot in on the second line.  However, while he did well in 2017-18, he underachieved a year ago which led them to bring in Matt Duchene (who was a part of the same three-team trade in 2017) over the summer.

Since then, Turris has largely been banished to the fourth line with head coach Peter Laviolette showing no inclination to trying him on the wing.  Instead, recent recalls Mathieu Olivier and Daniel Carr have been playing ahead of him.  With four years left on his deal after this one, it’s unlikely that there would be a taker for him anyway but for now, Turris hasn’t asked the Predators to search for a new home for him.

PHR Originals: 11/25/19 – 12/01/19

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In an otherwise quiet week for news and action, with three different days of three games or less, PHR’s writers stayed busy with some original articles:

Brian La Rose began our annual holiday series “What Your Team Is Thankful For”. Going alphabetically, he took a look at Anaheim, Arizona, and Boston. The league leading Bruins obviously have plenty to be thankful for, but so too do the Coyotes, who currently hold a top-ten record in the NHL. There’s room for improvement in Arizona, but the team has to be happy with how the season has gone thus far. Anaheim however has a hefty wish list this holiday season, needing more out of their young forward corps and a difference-maker on defense. Stay tuned for more write-ups from Brian on the other 28 teams as we march toward 2020.

Sticking with the holiday theme, I outlined the recent trend of the standings at American Thanksgiving being a strong playoff predictor and asked who could be the outlier teams that qualify for the postseason this year after missing the mark on Turkey Day. The readers responded very favorably toward one team in each conference – the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Vegas Golden Knights. If only those two teams turn things around this season, then the current standings already reflect 14 of 16 playoff teams.

Gavin also offered a poll to the readers, asking who might be the early favorite for the Hart Trophy this season as NHL MVP. Gavin detailed the accomplishments to this point in the year of a number of the game’s biggest names, but voters gravitated toward two forwards on ungodly scoring paces. Edmonton’s Connor McDavid already has almost 50 points and is currently on pace for 144 points, while Boston’s David Pastrnak has 24 goals in 26 games and looks poised to score 75+ goals at this rate. However, do the presences of Leon Draisaitl and Brad Marchand also among the league’s top scorers hurt their teammates’ Hart cases? Could the likes of Nathan MacKinnon and John Carlson swoop in as more “valuable” candidates?

In my bi-weekly piece, I took a look at the happenings in college hockey of late. As Hockey East teams continue to underwhelm this year, especially Boston University, other northeast schools have filled the top-ten void in Cornell, Clarkson, and Harvard. Meanwhile, Minnesota may not be a top contender in the Big Ten this year, but added another talented recruit to an impressive incoming class. And college hockey will continue in Alaska, at least for now.

Finally, Gavin hosted his weekly chat, with topics ranging from coaches on the hot seat, the sustainability of upstart teams, and franchise building blocks. The Red Wings, Predators, and Senators received some special attention in yet another great segment.

For all of the original work from PHR’s writers, be sure to keep up with all of the action each and every day!

Poll: Which Teams Will Buck The Thanksgiving Playoff Trend In 2019-20?

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Just how important is playoff position in just the second month of the regular season? Very, if you look at recent results. Over the past six years, more than 70% of teams in a playoff position at American Thanksgiving have held on to their spot. While last year was slightly below the mark – 11 of 16 teams (69%) in a playoff position on November 22 qualified – the standings at the time were even more predictive than usual. The Lightning, Predators, Flames, Maple Leafs, Jets, and Sharks all finished in the same divisional seed that they occupied at Thanksgiving.

So who were the outliers in 2018-19? Obviously, the St. Louis Blues’ return from the basement of the league standings to win the Stanley Cup is a story that will stand the test of time. However, four other clubs also turned their seasons around: the Islanders, Penguins, Hurricanes, and Golden Knights. And the teams whose seasons took a turn for the worse: the Sabres, Wild, Rangers, Canadiens, and Ducks. Ironically, the Canadiens were narrowly inside the playoff window on Thanksgiving and ended up just barely outside in the spring. Meanwhile, the Ducks, Oilers, and Coyotes were all tied for the lowest playoff-qualifying record on Thanksgiving, with the Ducks getting the tiebreaker at the time, and all three failed to qualify for the postseason.

This season has gotten off to an unpredictable start, which could potentially threaten to derail the Thanksgiving trend. Several teams considered Cup contenders are currently outside the playoff picture, while multiple surprises currently occupy a spot. With Thanksgiving arriving tomorrow, this is the current status of the NHL standings (reminder – points percentage is the ideal way of viewing NHL standings):

Eastern Conference

M1 New York Islanders (.773)
A1 Boston Bruins (.771)

M2 Washington Capitals (.740)
M3 Carolina Hurricanes (.646)

A2 Tampa Bay Lightning (.619)
A3 Florida Panthers (.604)

W1 Pittsburgh Penguins (.625)
W2 Philadelphia Flyers (.604)

Outside the Playoff Picture: Montreal Canadiens (.563), New York Rangers (.545), Columbus Blue Jackets (.522), Buffalo Sabres (.521), Toronto Maple Leafs (.520), Ottawa Senators (.479), New Jersey Devils (.435), Detroit Red Wings (.327)

Western Conference

C1 St. Louis Blues (.680)
P1 Edmonton Oilers (.673)

C2 Dallas Stars (.615)
C3 Colorado Avalanche (.609)

P2 Arizona Coyotes (.620)
P3 Vancouver Canucks (.560)

W1 Winnipeg Jets (.604)
W2 Nashville Predators (.543)

Outside the Playoff Picture: San Jose Sharks (.540), Chicago Blackhawks (.521), Anaheim Ducks (.500), Vegas Golden Knights (.500), Calgary Flames (.481), Minnesota Wild (.480), Los Angeles Kings (.417)

2018-19 playoff teams jump off the page as potential candidates to disrupt the status quo. Particularly in the Pacific Division, it is hard to image none of the Golden Knights – who beat the Thanksgiving odds last year – the Sharks or the Flames will make the playoffs, especially as they look up at the Oilers, Coyotes, and Canucks.  There could also be hope in West for the Ducks and Blackhawks, who sit at .500 currently. Over in the East, the Maple Leafs stick out like a sore thumb among non-playoff teams and could be line for improvement following their coaching change. But will it be enough given their difficult start? The Canadiens will also hope for a reverse of fortunes from last year, going from first team out in the conference at Thanksgiving to in the postseason come April. The Sabres have started hot and collapsed two years in a row, but there is still time for them to turn things back around. All three Atlantic clubs see a Panthers team with plenty of problems ahead of them in the standings right now. Meanwhile, the Rangers and Blue Jackets will look to make an unlikely run to the postseason as they chase down the Flyers.

What do you think? Which of these teams will find their way into the playoff picture and which will fall victim to the Thanksgiving postseason trend? Select as many teams below as you like, but remember that for every addition, there has to be a subtraction of a current playoff team.

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Minor Transactions: 11/25/19

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A new week is upon us in the NHL and nine games will kick things off tonight. That schedule includes the struggling Calgary Flames heading to Pittsburgh to try and get another win to slow the bleeding, while the super-hot Dallas Stars welcome the Vegas Golden Knights into their arena. With plenty of action on the schedule we’ll keep track of all the minor moves teams make to prepare.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Matthew Highmore from the minor leagues, his first opportunity at the NHL level since the 2017-18 season. That year Highmore played in 13 games for the Blackhawks and scored two goals, but missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.
  • Riley Stillman has been sent back to the AHL by the Florida Panthers, while the team takes a few days off. Florida doesn’t play again until Wednesday, when they will try to stop their short two-game losing streak in its tracks.
  • After just a couple of days in the minors for cap reasons, Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee have been recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers. Both players were in the lineup when the Flyers took on the Calgary Flames on Saturday and were sent down just to bank some cap space on the off day.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Jean-Sebastien Dea from the AHL, giving them another option with Evan Rodrigues unavailable for tonight. While Dea gives the Sabres a fine option, the team is really testing their organizational depth with all the recent injuries.
  • Daniel Carr has been recalled by the Nashville Predators, a little more than a month after he cleared waivers and was sent down. Carr absolutely tore up the AHL during that time, posting 21 points in 16 games. The 28-year old is an elite AHL offensive weapon, but has just 103 NHL games under his belt.
  • Jack Studnicka and Brendan Gaunce have both been recalled by the Boston Bruins. The team will not have Patrice Bergeron, Brett Ritchie or Par Lindholm for their two-game road trip that starts tomorrow in Montreal.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Michael Hutchinson, sending Kasimir Kaskisuo back to the minor leagues. The backup goaltender usage under new head coach Sheldon Keefe isn’t clear, but the Maple Leafs do have a back-to-back situation coming up this weekend.

Blues’ Robert Bortuzzo Suspended Four Games For Cross-Checking

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4:24 PM — The Department of Player Safety announced they have suspended Bortuzzo four games for cross-checking Arvidsson, who is now listed as being out for four to six weeks because of the incident. Bortuzzo will sacrifice $67,073.16 in salary.

8:47 AM — Nashville Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson celebrated his 300th career NHL game with just 4:15 of ice time. While he managed to record an assist in that brief period, he left the game early in the first period with a lower body injury as a result of repeated cross-checks from St. Louis Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo. Bortuzzo received a two-minute minor on the play, even though each of the two cross-checks likely deserved its own penalty. However, the league will make up for that on-ice error. The NHL Department of Player Safety announced last night that Bortuzzo will sit for a hearing. It has been scheduled for Sunday, ensuring that there is a decision before he could potentially face the Predators again on Monday night.

The play in question occurred just six minutes into Saturday night’s game (video). Arvidsson, standing in the St. Louis crease as the puck was loose in front of the net, initially receives a forceful check from behind from Bortuzzo, pushing him into the net. Bortuzzo actually turns and complains to the refs about how easily Arvidsson went down, even though the forward was completely blindsided by a hit from a much bigger, stronger player. Bortuzzo then turns back to Arvidsson and hits him with another cross check as he is trying to get up, one that is arguably harder and more dangerous and certainly more intentional. Arvidsson appears to feel this second check even more. For good measure, Blues goalie Jordan Binnington then shoves Arvidsson back into the goal again, although Binnington is not expected to receive any supplemental disclipline.

Few will be surprised to see Bortuzzo’s name linked to a player safety incident. The often-overly aggressive defender is a repeat offender, with his most recent suspension coming just last year after an elbow to the head of Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny. He lost two preseason games and one regular season games for that incident and the league will likely want to dole out a harsher penalty for yet another infraction. Bortuzzo has made his career off of being the biggest and toughest player on the ice, but has been known to lose his cool and end up in the penalty box or in trouble with the league. This was clearly a case of Bortuzzo purposefully committing a dangerous penalty against an opponent with an intent to injure. As such, Player Safety may choose to send a message to a player who clearly has yet to learn his lesson. Expect a suspension of at least two games for the St. Louis blue liner this time around.

Nashville’s Viktor Arvidsson Expected To Miss 4-6 Weeks

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The Nashville Predators are already struggling in the standings and now took another hit, literally, as the team announced that forward Viktor Arvidsson is expected to miss four to six weeks with a lower-body injury after being cross-checked by St. Louis’ Robert Bortuzzo during Saturday’s game.

The injury is devastating to team that has been struggling of late, having won just two games in their last 10 as the Predators have slipped to fifth place in the Central Division. Arvidsson has six goals and 15 points in 22 games this year and is an anchor on the wing on the team’s first line. Arvidsson, who was playing in his 300th career NHL game Saturday, is coming off a 34-goal season last year and has averaged more than 30 goals for three straight seasons.

Bortuzzo is believed to be in a hearing with the Department of Player Safety right now, although it is not an in-person hearing which could limit how many games he could be suspended by the league. However, there is plenty of sentiment that the book should be thrown at Bortuzzo, who not only checked Arvidsson into the net, but also followed that up with a second hit, a cross-check into his lower back while he was down (video here).

Peter Laviolette Not Feeling Any Extra Pressure

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With the first coaching change of the season in the books, speculation has quickly turned to which team will be the next to make a move.  A popular speculative choice has been Nashville as the Predators have won just two of their last ten games and are only two points ahead of last place Los Angeles in the Western Conference.

However, head Peter Laviolette told reporters, including Paul Skrbina of The Tennessean, that he hasn’t been given any indication from management that his job could be on the line or that he feels any extra pressure at all to turn things around.  Considering that the Predators are built to win now though, that could change if their struggles continue and GM David Poile isn’t able to swing a trade to try to shake up the roster first.

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