Central Notes: Laine, Predators Prospects, Gunnarsson, Honka
With teams worrying about players’ second contracts more than ever, the Winnipeg Jets may have one of the most challenging tasks this summer when they have to lock up star forward Patrik Laine, who hits restricted free agency on July 1. While many may ask why not offer him what he wants, the Jets have two other serious issues, including an already full salary cap as well as the fact that Laine has proven to be wildly inconsistent so far in his early career.
While Laine still tallied 30 goals this past season (his lowest total of his career), 18 of those goals came in November with Laine scoring no more than four goals in any other month. Regardless, The Athletic’s Murat Ates (subscription required) writes that while a long-term deal could net Laine close to $9MM per season, he might even get more if he opts to take a bridge deal and bank on the potential to get back to 40 goals in the next two years. With the potential to hit his peak within that time, he could really hit payday if he waits. However, that could be an even bigger problem to the team’s long-term salary outlook.
- The Athletic’s John Glennon (subscription required) writes that while the Nashville Predators have been ranked near the bottom when it comes to the franchise’s prospect cupboard, the Nashville Predators have some hope. The team does have a team in the AHL, the Milwaukee Admirals, who have slowly developed players that are ready to compete for spots on the NHL roster such as Eeli Tolvanen, Anthony Richard and Yakov Trenin, while the team has added some college depth to bolster their depleted group of prospects. Much of the team’s problems is that they have traded many picks to add talent over the last few years, but Glennon adds that the team has drafted well with the picks it has had whether they are in college, in juniors or playing overseas.
- The St. Louis Blues will be missing a defenseman Saturday when they open up Game 1 against the Dallas Stars as NHL.com’s Chris Pinkert writes that Carl Gunnarsson will sit out after suffering a lower-body injury in Game 7 against the Dallas Stars in the second round. Veteran Robert Bortuzzo is expected to replace him in the lineup. Gunnarsson, a third-pairing defenseman, saw his playing time decrease somewhat in the second-round series.
- SportsDay’s Matthew DeFranks writes that one offseason task that the Dallas Stars must look at is what to do with defenseman Julius Honka, who has been a healthy scratch for the final four months of the season as he hasn’t played a games since Jan. 15. The former first-round pick in 2014 has fallen down the depth chart as he has slipped behind Jamie Oleksiak, Ben Lovejoy, Taylor Fedun, Joel Hanley, Gavin Bayreuther and Dillon Heatherington. “We’re going to sit down over the summer now and we’re going to decide is he a part of this group or is he an asset to go get something else?” said Dallas general manager Jim Nill. “That’s what we’ve got to figure out.”
Snapshots: Bobrovsky, Duchene, Webber
When NHL players buy property in a city, particularly free agents, it is often blown out of proportion. Many players have ties to cities throughout the league, but may not necessarily have any intention of signing with the local team. However, when players sell property in the city they played in, that carries some more weight. An impending free agent usually has enough on his plate without house hunting, unless it’s part of a move to a new team. So, when Sergei Bobrovsky put his place on the market today, most Blue Jackets fan saw it as the last piece of evidence pointing to his departure. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports that Bobrovsky’s $3MM condominium in downtown Columbus has been put up for sale, likely ruling out a possible return for the superstar goalie. Bobrovksy has hinted for more than a year now that he was likely to leave Columbus as a free agent, but there were surely some fans holding out hope that the team’s postseason run may have changed his mind. His real estate move today would suggest otherwise. Bobrovsky, who is undoubtedly the best netminder on the free agent market and arguably the best player overall, will be donning a different jersey next season.
- Speaking of ties to a city, Bobrovsky’s Blue Jackets teammate Matt Duchene was again spotted in Nashville this week, writes Paul Skrbina of The Tennessean. However, Skrbina is quick to note that Duchene was joined by several other teammates who were all in town to celebrate Riley Nash‘s 30th birthday. This is not the first time that Duchene has been linked to the home of the Predators, though. In fact, the country music fan owns property in the area and many Nashville fans have hoped he would one day call the city home. The Predators were the third team in on the now-infamous trade that sent Duchene to Ottawa last year, but only because they were initially interested in acquiring Duchene himself. While they settled for Kyle Turris instead, that was a decision that didn’t play out so well this season, as Turris missed 27 games due to injury and contributed only 23 points on the year. The Predators find themselves in need of scoring again this off-season, but is Duchene a realistic target? Skrbina notes that GM David Poile recently commented that he feels the team has the flexibility to add up front in free agency, but Duchene is the top center on the free agent market and is likely to command at least than $9MM annually on his next deal. Having just acquired Mikael Granlund and handed Turris a major extension, it seems unlikely that Nashville will be willing to make the commitment in dollars and term that it would take to land Duchene, even if he does enjoy the city.
- One player who knows for sure where he’s playing next season is draft-eligible prospect Cade Webber. Webber, a hulking defenseman out of The Rivers School in Massachusetts, has signed on with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL for next season, the team announced. Webber had previously committed to Boston University as part of the 2020 recruiting class, but there was uncertainty about whether he would return to Rivers or play elsewhere in the upcoming season. With Penticton, Webber will have the opportunity to face tougher competition but also to develop in a program that has turned out plenty of talent in recent years, including another BU defenseman in Dante Fabbro. At 6’6″ and nearly 200 lbs., Webber is about as big as they come at 18 years old. However, he does not let his size define his game; Webber is a strong skater and isn’t afraid to carry the puck and get involved in the offensive end. He recorded 12 goals and 26 points in just 29 games for Rivers this season and also featured for Team USA at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Recently ranked No. 87 among draft-eligible North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, Webber is a candidate to be drafted as early as the third-round in June and teams could be tempted to reach for a player with size you can’t teach. After that, the Vees will get a major boost next season from the talented blue liner before he joins the Terriers a year later and likely jumps to the pro level not long after that.
Prospect Notes: Bishop, Woo, Gaus
Not only did Clark Bishop earn a call-up to the Carolina Hurricanes this postseason, he actually made his playoff debut in Game One of team’s second-round series against the New York Islanders. It continues what has been an unexpectedly major season for Bishop, who skated in 20 games with the ‘Canes in the regular season despite any indication he would play such a frequent role prior to the season. However, with Andrei Svechnikov returning to the lineup last night in Carolina, Bishop has been returned to the minors, along with young defenseman Jake Bean. The AHL’s Charlotte Checkers are still alive in the Calder Cup chase, so when the Hurricanes don’t have an immediate need, they’d rather support their affiliate than have an unnecessarily crowded press box. Bishop has been held scoreless through two NHL playoff games and three AHL playoff games so far this spring, but will still be an asset for the Checkers in his return to the lineup. Bean did not suit up for the ‘Canes during his last recall, but has since been called up again ahead of tomorrow night’s Game Four. Bean has two points in four postseason games with the Checkers to go with the 44 points he logged in a strong regular season.
- Off-season trades are not overly frequent at the junior level, but the Calgary Hitmen and Moose Jaw Warriors swung a major deal earlier today ahead of the WHL Bantam Draft later tonight. The Warriors added the No. 11 overall pick in the draft, as well as a 2021 second-round selection, along with talented Nashville Predators defensive prospect Vladislav Yeryomenko and 16-year-old forward Ryder Korczak. In return, the Hitmen land a big fish in Vancouver Canucks top prospect Jett Woo. Woo, a second-round pick last year, was one of the WHL’s best blue liners this season, recording 66 points in 62 games to finish among the top five defensemen in the league. A well-rounded defenseman who is solid defensively and moves the puck well, Woo nevertheless stunned many with his production this year and has skyrocketed in the eyes of many to become one of the more well-regarded prospects at the junior level. It’s a major add for Calgary – so long as Woo doesn’t break camp with Vancouver next year – but Moose Jaw no doubt feels better about the loss already after they picked twice in the first round today.
- Colorado College continues to scoop up top graduate transfer players this off-season. The Tigers added former Northeastern University goalie Ryan Ruck to the mix yesterday, who will likely be their starter next season, and today added a player who may be their best defensive forward. Andrew Gaus, who just wrapped up his undergraduate tenure at Yale University, will transfer to Colorado College to play out his final year of NCAA eligibility, the school announced. Gaus was quietly one of Yale’s most consistent and effective players last season. While Gaus only managed nine points on the year for the low-scoring Bulldogs, his hard-working two-way game was always on display. Colorado College hopes he can continue to be a force in his new home, as they are gearing up to make some noise in the very talented and tight NCHC next season.
Nashville Predators Sign Mathieu Olivier
The Nashville Predators have decided to reward AHL forward Mathieu Olivier with a two-year, entry-level contract. The undrafted Olivier joined the Milwaukee Admirals this season on an AHL contract, but will now be part of the Predators organization through the 2020-21 season.
Olivier, 22, was a physical force for the Admirals this season and finished tied for the AHL lead in fighting majors with nine. The former QMJHL forward was never expected to be an offensive star, but gives the team a sheriff on the ice while chipping in 12 points in 54 games. The Predators have never been shy about bringing in players like this, believing that there is still at least some role for them in professional hockey.
After a successful rookie season this NHL contract signifies that the Predators believe Olivier can continue to help their organization, and could be the answer to two expiring contracts in Zac Rinaldo and Cody McLeod. Both players are set to become unrestricted free agents this summer.
Poll: Who Is The Stanley Cup Favorite Now?
If you had asked a crowd of hockey fans before the playoffs began to put down a bet on who would win the Stanley Cup, there would likely have been one resounding favorite. The Tampa Bay Lightning had just completed a historic 62-win season and had everything you would want in a team. Top scorers, including potential Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov who led the league with 128 points this season. Shutdown defenders like Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh, both playoff-tested from years of postseason play. One of the best goaltenders in the world in Andrei Vasilevskiy, a Vezina finalist for the second consecutive season.
None of that mattered though, after the Columbus Blue Jackets erased a 3-0 first period lead in game one and never looked back. Tampa Bay was swept out of the first round, and weren’t the only favorite to be overcome. All four division leaders were knocked out this season, the first time that has happened in the history of the NHL. The Calgary Flames (107 points), Washington Capitals (104) and Nashville Predators (100) all saw their playoff run end early. Even other 100-point teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins were ousted, though this time by even better regular season teams that were forced to face higher seeds than in playoff formats of the past.
The second round started last night, with the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues taking early series leads. Are they now the default favorites to go all the way? What about the upstart wild card teams like the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes who have more young talent than they know what to do with?
If that same crowd were asked today to name a favorite, it might not be as easy. Cast your vote below and make sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section!
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Snapshots: Messier, Granato, Blake
Ahead of Game Seven between the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals, this year’s finalists for the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award were announced by NBC Sports, including ‘Canes captain and “Mr. Game Seven” himself, Justin Williams. Williams joins Calgary Flames defenseman Mark Giordano and Nashville Predators forward and former Philadelphia Flyers fan favorite Wayne Simmonds as the three players being considered for the honor. An award unlike any other in sports, these finalists are determined by input from fans, team officials, and league executive alike, but the winner is ultimately determined by Mark Messier himself. Messier, considered one of the best leaders in league history, chooses the candidate “who best exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice”. The list of past winners of the award, dating back to its origins in 2007, include some of the most recognizable leaders in the game, many of whom remain active, such as Sidney Crosby, Zdeno Chara, Jonathan Toews, and Shea Weber. Williams, Giordano, and Simmonds are all great candidates to join their ranks.
- The Chicago Blackhawks and assistant coach Don Granato have “mutually agreed” to part ways. Granato was hired by Joel Quenneville in 2017, but does not appear to have been a fit for Jeremy Colliton‘s staff. The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus writes that Granato specifically worked with younger players as a go-between for Quenneville, but that role was redundant under the younger Colliton. Granato has been coaching since the early 90’s and should be able to find a new gig in no time. In fact, he very likely has an open invitation to return to the University of Wisconsin to coach under brother Tony Granato with a Badgers squad that has their eye on a National Championship next season.
- Speaking of the college ranks, the University of North Dakota received an intriguing commitment today in the form of a legacy player. 15-year-old Jackson Blake, son of long-time NHLer and former Fighting Sioux standout Jason Blake, announced that he would be following in his father’s footsteps by joining the program – in 2022. Blake currently plays for powerhouse Shattuck St. Mary’s and finished the season in second on the U-15 team in per-game scoring with 24 points in 27 games. As one would imagine about a young teenager, Blake is still small at 5’5″; however if he reaches or exceed’s his dad’s 5’10” frame, Blake should be more than capable of making an impact at the college level down the road.
Poll: What Happens To Kyle Turris?
The Nashville Predators will bow out of the playoffs earlier than they expected for the second consecutive season, and this time have plenty of question marks heading into the offseason. The team scored just 12 goals in six playoff games against the Dallas Stars, and have to find a way to get more offense from basically every forward not named Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson or Ryan Johansen. Other than that top line, the Predators didn’t have a single forward with even 40 points on the season.
One of the biggest disappointments in that category was Kyle Turris. The 29-year old was supposed to solidify the team’s second-line center position and provide a healthy amount of secondary scoring, but was completely lifeless at times this season. He finished with just seven goals and 23 points in 55 games, and saw his ice time drastically limited in the postseason.
Turris was acquired from the Ottawa Senators during the 2017-18 campaign and got off to a blistering start with Nashville, scoring 17 points in 17 games following the trade. After breaking out of a slump near the end of the season though, he was a no-show in the 2018 playoffs and recorded just three assists (no goals) in 13 games. That kind of production is just unacceptable from a player the team spent so heavily on, especially in the six-year, $36MM extension he signed quickly after arriving in Nashville. There are five years left on that deal.
Notably, GM David Poile doesn’t hand out no-trade protection. Turris’ contract is also evenly distributed and contains no signing bonuses. If the team wanted to trade him, there would be teams interested given his history as a solid contributor, but there would also likely be some wary of his propensity to disappear at key times. The biggest question would be do the Predators have a replacement for him if they did decide to move on?
This season Poile decided to spend some future assets to load up for a long playoff run, and acquired two pending unrestricted free agents in Wayne Simmonds and Brian Boyle. It seems unlikely that Simmonds will be retained, given the almost non-existent role he was given under head coach Peter Laviolette. Boyle is a useful player but wouldn’t be able to provide the same kind of secondary scoring the team expected from Turris. There was however another forward acquired at the deadline, this time with another year under contract. Mikael Granlund was pulled from Minnesota in exchange for Kevin Fiala, but also struggled to make a huge impact with the team down the stretch. There’s reason to believe that he could fill that role though, despite spending the last few years on the wing.
Still, that would only put a short-term fix on the problem. Turris was supposed to be the long-term answer, and still could be if they give him the chance to bounce back from this dreadful season. What do you think they should do with him? Is it time for a fresh start elsewhere, or does the team come back with him in 2019-20 and hope for better results?
Cast your vote below and make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments.
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Several Liiga Champions Looking To Make NHL Jump
Finland’s Liiga had their own version of the Tampa Bay Lightning this season, only one that has gotten the job done in the playoffs thus far. Karpat, the reigning Liiga champion, has been unstoppable all season long in pursuit of a title defense. Building off the success of their 2017-18 campaign, the team was the regular season champion by 29 points over the next-best competitor and finished with a +106 goal differential while just one other team in the league topped +27. Through the first two rounds of the postseason, Karpat has needed just ten games to dispatch their opponents, all while allowing just 13 goals against. The Liiga Final begins today, as Karpat takes on the No. 5-seeded HPK, a team that they are not expected to have much trouble with.
Given their dominant regular season and early playoff success, it is hard to make a case that Karpat is not undoubtedly the Liiga’s best team this season, regardless of how the final turns out. As usual, the best players on the best team in a major European league are garnering a fair amount of attention. Finnish news source Ilta Sanomat reports that upwards of seven of Karpat’s veteran core players could leave the team for greener pastures. Of that group, the reporter indicates that leading scorer Ville Leskinen and top defensive pair Teemu Kivihalme and Jani Hakanpaa are almost certainly headed to the NHL. The terrific goalie tandem of Veini Vehvilainen and NHL veteran Jussi Rynnas could also be headed to North America. Not mentioned are top NHL prospects Aleksi Heponiemi and Rasmus Kupari, who are both considered likely to join their drafted clubs.
Leskinen, 25, is the big name included on this list as a highly-sought after free agent scorer. An undrafted product who has played in the Karpat system for his entire life, Leskinen’s production has increased exponentially over each of the past few seasons. This year, he tied for the Liiga scoring title and was one of just three qualifying players to finish in the point-per-game range with 57 points in 58 games. He also finished second overall in the league with 29 goals and a +31 rating. He has since added a league-leading five goals in the playoffs to go along with six assists through just ten games. A right-shot winger with decent size and great hands, Leskinen has proven that he can be a star in the Liiga, but is out to show that he can also make an impact in the NHL. Expect many teams to be willing to give him that chance. At 25 years old, Leskinen is still within the laws of the entry-level system, meaning teams will have to find ways other than salary to convince the talented Finn to join them.
Both Kivihalme and Hakanpaa are former NHL prospects who never signed with their teams, but are reportedly going to be in the league after all with deals “in the final stages”. Kivihalme, 23, was curious case due to his commitment to North American hockey. The puck-moving defender spent much of his childhood in Minnesota and even has American citizenship. After a strong high school career, Kivihalme was drafted by the Nashville Predators in 2013 and eventually went on to play for Colorado College. However, he did not complete his NCAA eligibility, opting instead to turn pro in Finland after three years. The Predators let his draft rights expire, so Kivihalme is now very much a free agent who should draw considerable interest as Karpat’s top defenseman. Hakanpaa has a very different game and very different story from his pair mate. The 6’5″, 207 lb. 27-year-old was a fourth-round pick of the St. Louis Blues out of the Finnish junior ranks all the way back in 2010. While he never earned a contract from the team, he appeared at several camps, played in the preseason, and spent parts of three seasons with their AHL affiliates. At the end of the day, the opportunity wasn’t there and Hakanpaa returned to Finland. The solid defensive blue liner has had an awakening offensively over the past two seasons and will be returning to North America as a far more well-rounded product.
Of everyone listed in the report, it is fair to be skeptical of the thought of Rynnas returning to the NHL. Despite incredible numbers in the Liiga this season, they were second only to Vehvilainen, who got the bulk of the starts. It may be a hard sell for the 31-year-old, who has already spent four seasons in North America with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ and Dallas Stars’ organizations, to say that he is ready to try again after being a backup in Europe. Perhaps there is an opportunity – Rynnas did have some good AHL seasons – but more likely than not, he will wait to see what happens with Vehvilainen and may prefer to stay with Karpat as the replacement starter.
As for their other top teammates, their immediate NHL futures are largely predetermined. As most know, Kupari and Heponiemi are recent high draft picks and considered top prospects by their organizations. Kupari was the first-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings last year and played on loan with Karpat this year after signing with L.A. The Kings could desperately use an injection of youthful talent, which gives Kupari strong odds of cracking the roster out of camp. Heponiemi was a second-round selection of the Florida Panthers in 2017 who returned to his native Finland this year after two strong seasons with the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos. One of the best players at the World Juniors this winter, Heponiemi is definitely ready for the NHL and the Panthers could use the affordable production as they project to be low on cap space after a busy summer. What some might not realize is that starting goalie Vehvilainen is also NHL property. Vehvilainen, 22, was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets just last year as an overage prospect. Yet, the sixth-rounder has already proven to have been a smart gamble by the team. Vehvilainen led the Liiga with a .933 save percentage and 1.58 GAA this year, his second straight season of finishing in the top three in both categories. He has also played better in the postseason both years, which is always a plus for a goaltender. The Ilta Sanomat report claims that Vehvilainen will join Columbus if he is at least guaranteed a top-three spot on the depth chart next season. With Sergei Bobrovsky likely to leave, Vehvilainen could join existing keepers Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins as an inexperienced, but high-upside unit next season.
Karpat was an extremely talented team this season and last with several great core players. It will certainly be worth watching how those former teammates perform in the NHL in the future.
Nashville Predators Sign Josh Wilkins
Thursday: Nashville has indeed won the bidding on Wilkins, signing him to a two-year entry-level contract.
Wednesday: Providence had a strong run to close the college season, making it to the Frozen Four semifinals before being ousted by the eventual champions at Minnesota Duluth. They’ve lost defenseman Jacob Bryson and winger Brandon Duhaime in recent days and it appears they may not be done yet. Mark Divver of the Providence Journal reports (Twitter link) that center Josh Wilkins could soon be turning pro with the Predators being as the likely destination.
The 21-year-old just wrapped up his third year with the Friars and it was his best by far. After collecting 31 points in each of his first two seasons, he took a big step forward offensively with 46 points (20-26-46) in 40 games, eclipsing the point-per-game mark for the first time. That allowed him to lead the team in scoring by seven points.
As a result of his strong season, Wilkins was named to the Hockey East First All-Star Team as well as the NCAA (East) Second All-American Team. Nashville has been active this month adding winger Lukas Craggs (Bowling Green) and defenseman Brandon Fortunato (Quinnipiac) and it appears they’re not done just yet. Assuming a deal does get done, he will not be eligible to play in the postseason as he was not on their Reserve List past the trade deadline.
Wayne Simmonds, Brian Boyle Out Week-To-Week
The Nashville Predators will be without two of their trade deadline acquisitions for awhile, as the team announced today that both Wayne Simmonds and Brian Boyle will be out on a week-to-week basis. Simmonds is dealing with a knee injury, while Boyle underwent “an appendix procedure.”
Nashville has their hands full in a first round matchup with the Dallas Stars and needed all the help they could get. The team will now turn to Rocco Grimaldi on the fourth line and could even see the return of Miikka Salomaki in game three. Salomaki hasn’t played for the Predators since early January due to injury, but could end up playing a big role if Simmonds and Boyle aren’t able to return quickly. The team still has incredible depth at the forward position, but will need to get production from all four lines if they want to break the suffocating Dallas defense and goaltending.
It’s a tough break for the Predators and GM David Poile, who spent heavily on the pair of in-season additions. Boyle cost the team a second-round pick despite having just 19 points in the first half of the season, and Ryan Hartman was the price to acquire Simmonds. The former Philadelphia Flyers forward ended up with just three points in 17 games for the Predators down the stretch and was routinely limited to minimal even-strength ice time. He’ll now have to wait and watch from the press box and hope he gets another chance to prove his worth in the postseason.