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Snapshots: Carlson, Ellis, Kovalchuk, Nash

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If John Tavares re-signs with the New York Islanders, Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson would become the undisputed top free agent on the market this summer. However, Carlson’s priority is also to re-sign with his current team and the Capitals’ current Stanley Cup run may only sell him on staying even more. Plus, the estimated cap increase could make it easier for Washington to retain their blue line leader. Yet, Carlson is unlikely to ignore what the open market might offer in a world with no Tavares and a higher cap ceiling. The 28-year-old defenseman could command much more from another team than he’ll likely be able to get from the Caps. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun believes that one of the top suitors will be none other than Carlson’s current opposition, the Vegas Golden Knights. Despite their unforeseeable success this season, the Knights’ defensive corps is far from an elite unit and is in need of a leader. Although they have been connected to Erik Karlsson in the past, LeBrun opines that the easier route for Vegas may be to simply sign Carlson. The need, the cap space, and the connection to GM George McPhee may be enough to entice Carlson to make the cross-country trek. If the Knights are able to win the Stanley Cup, it would add insult to injury to steal both a title and a top player from the Capitals.

  • LeBrun also had the inside scoop on another defenseman, the Nashville Predators’ Ryan Ellis. Although Ellis is not a free agent until 2019, LeBrun learned from Nashville GM David Poile that signing Ellis to an extension will be the Predators’ top priority this summer. Citing the loss of Ryan Suter years ago, LeBrun says that Poile is no longer willing to wait on re-signing his key players. However, the negotiations with Ellis may prove to be more difficult than anticipated. Ellis has been one of the best values in hockey over the last five years at a cap hit of just $2.5MM. No one will blame the offensive defenseman for seeking top dollar in his next deal and he is more likely to find that on the open market.
  • One player who may not be as concerned about money is Ilya Kovalchuk. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Kovalchuk’s main priority in returning to the NHL is to win the Stanley Cup. Kovalchuk is allegedly focused on finding a multi-year deal with a good fit. One possible suitor could be the New York Islanders, as Kovalchuk expressed to Dreger that he appreciated how then-GM Lou Lamoriello handled his sudden departure from New Jersey and shared that the two have maintained a positive relationship. Now that Lamoriello is in New York with more than enough cap space to sign Tavares and quite a few more, Kovalchuk could be a target. The KHL’s reigning leading scorer may sign with any team on July 1st.
  • One player who could be locked up before July 1st is Rick Nash. Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney has expressed a desire to bring back several of his impending free agents, but has noted the reality that there is not enough space for all of them. The Bruins appear to have prioritized a new deal with their blockbuster trade deadline acquisition, as The Sports Hub’s Ty Anderson reports that Sweeney and Nash will continue negotiations next week. On the topic, Sweeney said “Rick indicated when he came to Boston that he was excited about the opportunity. He wants to win. He wants an opportunity to win. He felt badly, and certainly he’s not responsible for this, because he got injured.” What Nash feels badly about is likely both the drop-off in his play during the playoffs and the premature end to the Bruins season at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round. Nash suffered a concussion late in the regular season and never seemed to get back to 100%, but prior to his injury looked unstoppable on the Bruins’ second line with David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. At the right price, it’s understandable why Sweeney and company would like to give Nash another chance to re-create that chemistry and help bring a Cup to Boston.

Roman Cervenka, Kevin Klein Staying In Switzerland

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Two former NHLers won’t be testing the North American market this summer. The ZSC Lions, the defending champions of the Swiss NLA, announced today that veteran defenseman Kevin Klein has signed an extension with the team and talented free agent forward Roman Cervenka has agreed to join the club. Both players are coming off strong seasons and further strengthen a championship roster that will also return top scorer Fredrik Pettersson and other former NHLers Drew Shore, Robert Nilsson, and Roman Wick next season.

Klein, 33, will return for a second season with the Lions after leaving North America last off-season with 12 NHL seasons under his belt between the Nashville Predators and New York Rangers. Known more for his conservative defensive play in the NHL, Klein impressed in his first season in the NLA with 22 points in 45 games to go along with his typical shutdown game in his own end. Klein was a force on the ice in the regular season, leading the team in penalty minutes and holding down the defensive zone on the team’s first pair. However, it was the postseason that really exemplified Klein’s ability, as he led the team with a +12 rating and trailed only Pettersson with 12 points on the team’s run to the title. Given that exclamation point on the year, it is no surprise that ZSC wanted to re-sign Klein this off-season. It is possible he would have gotten some looks in the NHL after a rebound year in Switzerland.

The rich get even richer though with the Lions’ addition of Cervenka. The 32-year-old has had a legendary hockey career overseas, even if his NHL experiment with the Calgary Flames in 2012-13 didn’t go so well. Cervenka finished his third straight season and the sixth of his career with a better than point-per-game pace in 2017-18. Although injuries limited him to just 32 regular season games with HC Fribourg-Gotteron, Cervenka nevertheless led the team with 37 points and added another team-best five points in the playoffs. In fact, Cervenka led the NLA in points per game among players with at least 25 games played. When healthy, the Czech center is a proven winner who has produced similar results in the NLA, KHL, and Czech League and on the international stage. A smart, two-way pivot who is an excellent play-maker, Cervenka likely would have drawn at least some interest among NHL teams if he had wanted to test the waters of free agency. Instead, he makes ZSC a formidable opponent in the NLA next season as they look to defend their title.

Nashville Predators Restructure Front Office Following Fenton Departure

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After long-time assistant GM Paul Fenton left for the Minnesota Wild this week, the Nashville Predators have restructured their front office with several promotions. Jeff Kealty has been promoted to AGM and Director of Scouting, Brian Poile to AGM and Director of Hockey Operations, and Scott Nichol to GM of the Milwaukee Admirals and Director of Player Development.

It will be a big change for the Predators without Fenton around, as he’s been a big part of the front office and GM David Poile’s right-hand man for two decades. Nashville has had an extremely stable front office for almost their entire existence, something that will be challenged now that Fenton has left for greener pastures.

Still, the team has plenty of capable executives ready to take over. Nichol was made head of player development for the club almost immediately following his retirement from a long NHL career that spanned nearly two decades and 662 games. His appointment to GM of the Admirals is a logical next step for an up-and-coming GM candidate, who has worked wonders with young players coming through the Predators system.

Nashville will be more diversified, but will still answer to the only GM they’ve ever had. David Poile, father of the above mentioned Brian Poile, has been with the team since its inception, and had plenty of experience even before that. Though there have been serious ups and downs for the Predators over the years, Poile is generally regarded as one of the league’s better GMs, capable of making big trades and negotiating reasonable contracts with young players.

Poll: Who Will Win The 2018 IIHF World Championship?

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As the bronze medal game gets underway at the 2018 IIHF World Championship, Sweden and Switzerland prepare for their gold medal clash this afternoon. The meeting could be considered a lopsided affair, with the Swedes stomping through the tournament with no problem, but don’t call the Swiss underdogs in front of Canada and Finland, two powerhouses that they’ve already taken down.

The game is something of a rarity for Switzerland, who has collected just one medal at the tournament since 1953. That was a silver in 2013, something they hope to better this time around.

Players on both sides know each other quite well. Sweden received a huge boost mid-tournament when the Nashville Predators were eliminated, meaning Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson and Mattias Ekholm could all join. The Presidents Trophy-winning players immediately made an impact at the tournament, but there were several others that left Nashville for Denmark.

Roman Josi and Kevin Fiala have starred in Switzerland’s two elimination wins, with the latter providing the quick pass to put them up over Canada in the second period. They’ll have to take on their Nashville brethren this afternoon, and hope they can do something to crack the impenetrable Swedish defense.

The game is scheduled for 1:15pm (CT).

Will Sweden romp to a second-straight gold medal? Can the Swiss continue this Cinderella story? Cast your vote below and make sure to leave your reasoning in the comments below.

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Mike Fisher Open To Returning To Predators In A Non-Playing Capacity

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  • Retired Predators center Mike Fisher isn’t ruling out rejoining the Predators in some sort of non-playing role down the road, notes Adam Vingan of The Tennessean. Head coach Peter Laviolette stated that he has encouraged the veteran to think about coaching but that doesn’t appear to be something the 37-year-old is interested in at the moment while GM David Poile hinted that it could be a while before Fisher does decide on a new role.  However, we know that he won’t be unretiring for another late season run as that is something Fisher ruled out following Nashville’s elimination from the playoffs.

International Notes: Dyblenko, Granberg, Bengtsson

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After the New Jersey Devils placed Yaroslav Dyblenko on unconditional waivers earlier this month, the expectation was that he would return to the KHL. That expectation is now reality, as his agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey tweets out a congratulations on signing with SKA St. Petersburg. If nothing else, his foray into the North American circuit for a year improved his stock in Russia, as Dyblenko will now play for one of the league’s powerhouses.

Dyblenko never worked out in New Jersey, and ended up playing 54 games for the AHL Binghamton Devils instead. The 24-year old defenseman will be an unrestricted free agent again after his deal with SKA runs out, meaning we could see him back in North America at some point. That likely will only happen if a team can guarantee him an NHL job, something he’ll need to earn playing with his new club.

  • Petter Granberg is heading back to Sweden, signing a three-year deal with Skelleftea of the SHL. The former Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators defenseman was scheduled to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer after spending the entire year in the minor leagues. Granberg, selected in the fourth round back in 2010, looked like he was developing into a solid third pairing player at one point. That still might come, but we won’t be seeing him back in the NHL for the next few seasons.
  • Another Swedish defenseman is heading home, as Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Lukas Bengtsson has signed a three-year contract with Linkoping. Bengtsson was scheduled to be a restricted free agent this summer, and still hadn’t cracked the NHL lineup. Signing as an undrafted free agent with Pittsburgh in 2016, the 24-year old undersized defenseman recorded 15 points in 37 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season, but didn’t look to be in the long-term plans at any point.

Snapshots: D.C. Metro, Backstrom, MacKinnon

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In one of the stranger hockey-adjacent stories in recent memory, fans attending Thursday night’s Game Four match-up between the Capitals and Lightning in Washington via public transportation are getting some help from a small Middle Eastern country. The Washington Post reported this evening that the D.C. Metro subway and bus system will stay open for an extra hour on Thursday night, until 12:30 a.m. ET, to accommodate fans attending the game which will begin at 8:00 p.m. ET and the decision comes courtesy of Qatar. The country recently invested in the development of Washington’s City Center and now will support that investment with an additional $100K to keep public transportation operating late tomorrow night. The same extended hours are in effect tonight for Game Three, due to a similar fee paid by the Exelon and Pepco companies, but the investment by Qatar is certainly more intriguing. Perhaps Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the country’s monarchical head of state, has his eye on a Stanley Cup ring if the Capitals go all the way this postseason.

  • For those attending Game Three tonight in Washington, they will again be missing out on Nicklas Backstrom. The Caps announced that Backstrom would not play tonight, making it his fourth missed game in a row, dating back to the final game of the Penguins series. Backstrom continues to be sidelined with a hand injury and while the Capitals have three convincing wins thus far without him, his absence is a growing concern. If Backstrom’s hand injury keeps him out for the remainder of the playoffs, Washington may find it difficult to close out the Eastern Conference finals or come away with the Stanley Cup in the next round. The star center would be a major boost to the team if he were to return and we will continue to monitor the situation.
  • Draft-eligible defenseman Will MacKinnon announced his commitment to the University of New Hampshire today. The Ohio native is set to join the Wildcats next season. MacKinnon is an intriguing prospect out of the USHL. Prior to this season, MacKinnon was considered a likely mid-round pick after showing his defensive ability with the U.S. National Development U-17 team last season, but his transition to the Des Moines Buccaneers this year has not produced the anticipated boost in scoring and most of his hype has dried up. At this point in his development, MacKinnon appears to be a low-offense, defensive-minded defender, but at just 5’11” it is fair to question if he can play that style at the next level. MacKinnon could very well wind up in a situation where he goes undrafted this year, but improves his draft stock for 2019 with a strong freshman season at UNH. MacKinnon also has be benefit of being the son of experience NHL executive Dan MacKinnon, who is currently the Sr. Director of Player Personnel for the New Jersey Devils. Perhaps New Jersey or one of the elder MacKinnon’s past stops – the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators – could take a late flier on the college-bound rearguard this season. Drafted or not, look for MacKinnon to provide an immediate boost to a Wildcats team that struggled this season and for him to potentially pair up with Florida Panthers draft pick Max Gildon.

Snapshots: Trouba, Worlds, Subban

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Jacob Trouba was a big hockey story in the summer of 2016, when he held out on the Winnipeg Jets and asked for a trade. Trouba wouldn’t sign a new contract as a restricted free agent until November 7th of that year, missing a month of the season before settling on a two-year $6MM deal. The prevailing thought at that point was that Trouba wasn’t happy with his role or future on the team since the Jets already had Dustin Byfuglien and Tyler Myers locked in on the right side, but things seemed to have changed in the years since.

Today, Jim Toth of TSN 1290 reported that Trouba has told his agent he wants to be with Winnipeg long-term, meaning signing a new contract this summer when he’s scheduled to become a restricted free agent once again. The 24-year old defenseman has developed into quite the player for the Jets, and has logged the second-most minutes in the postseason for them (behind only Byfuglien, who is averaging a ridiculous 26:15 through 14 games). Signing Trouba long-term would certainly be a win for the Jets, but the team has to be careful with how much money they hand out this offseason, as there are even more extensions—namely Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor—coming down the road.

  • The quarter-final matchups are set for the IIHF World Championships, with Sweden facing Latvia, Russia facing Canada, the Czech Republic matched up with the USA and Switzerland taking on Finland. The games will be held on Thursday, with Saturday and Sunday holding the semi-final and medal rounds. Denmark, the hosts of this year’s tournament, were dramatically eliminated in the final game against Latvia despite winning three games in the preliminary round. That included a 3-2 upset of Finland, who ended up winning the group.
  • Though it never had much merit in the first place, any rumors surrounding a trade of P.K. Subban out of Nashville were summarily shut down today by the club. As Joe Rexrode of the Tennessean writes, despite never having a full guarantee that a player won’t be traded, the Predators are about as far from dealing their Norris-trophy finalist as they ever have been. The relatively early exit at the hands of Winnipeg notwithstanding, the Predators had an outstanding season and Subban was a big part of that. He’ll almost assuredly be back in a Predator uniform to start next season.

Minnesota Notes: GM, Free Agents, Whitecaps

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The Minnesota Wild are closing in on their next GM, as Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that team owner Craig Leipold will sit down with Paul Fenton today and Tom Fitzgerald on Thursday before making a final decision. Fenton, the Nashville Predators assistant GM, has been a candidate for countless jobs over the past decade but stayed with his current organization as the right hand of David Poile. Fitzgerald, a rising star in the New Jersey Devils front office, apparently “thoroughly impressed Leipold” in his first interview and is now a legitimate finalist for the job.

Minnesota let long-time GM Chuck Fletcher go after a disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets, and are looking for something of a new direction under their next executive. The team has routinely made the playoffs in recent years, only to quickly bow out and try again the following season.

  • When CapFriendly released their offer sheet compensation yesterday, one couldn’t fault a Minnesota fan from feeling fearful when reading the list of restricted free agents. Two of the very best—Jason Zucker and Mathew Dumba—belong to the Wild, and could potentially draw offer sheet interest. Zucker is coming off a breakout 64-point season and is already 26, while Dumba lived up to his seventh-overall draft position with a 50-point season from the blue line. Both players are integral parts of the Minnesota team, and key negotiations for whoever becomes the next GM. If someone were to sign either to a big-money offer sheet, it may be hard to turn down what would be an expansive compensation package.
  • The NWHL has expanded to the state of hockey for the 2018-19 season, as the Minnesota Whitecaps will become the league’s fifth team. Joining the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale and Metropolitan Riveters, Minnesota will be the league’s first foray outside of the north east. The Whitecaps have operated independently for several years, playing exhibition games against NWHL teams but never being an official part of the league. The organization will initially be owned by the league.

Ryan Ellis Open To Contract Extension With Nashville Predators

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The Nashville Predators already made it clear this morning that they likely wouldn’t be bringing back Alexei Emelin, and that Scott Hartnell’s tenure with the team was essentially over. GM David Poile also touched on an upcoming negotiation with defenseman Ryan Ellis, which Adam Vingan examines in a piece for the Tennessean. Ellis has one year left on his current contract, and would be eligible for an extension this summer. He’s very open to signing a new deal with Nashville, as he told Vingan:

I love it here. My fiancée loves it here. If it was my wish, I’d finish my career here. So we’ll see what happens.

Ellis has been one of the most underpaid players in the league the last few seasons, carrying a cap hit of just $2.5MM during his five-year, $12.5MM contract signed in 2014. The 27-year old has developed into one of the best two-way defensemen in the league, and raised to new heights this season when he recorded 32 points in just 44 games. His season was limited by the knee surgery he underwent last summer, but after returning he produced at an incredible rate for the Predators and was back to driving possession while logging more than 23 minutes a night.

Oddly, Ellis’ name hasn’t been mentioned as much as some of the other defensemen scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019. While Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty and Oliver Ekman-Larsson have taken all the headlines, Ellis has flown somewhat under the radar as a potential top pairing defenseman that could be available. That’s likely due to his role on one of the best defensive groups in the NHL, sometimes overshadowed by the flamboyance of P.K. Subban or steady play of Roman Josi and Mattias Ekholm. Make no mistake though, if Ellis was to hit the open market he would have dozens of teams knocking down his door to try and sign him.

That should lead to quite the raise if he does re-sign with the Predators, and one that isn’t necessarily a given. The team already has quite a bit of salary tied up in those other defensemen, and with Kyle Turris’ $36MM extension kicking in next year there is a cap crunch coming in Nashville. While right now Ellis’ low cap hit is one of the reasons that the team can have so much depth, a substantial raise—which could potentially push him into the $6-7MM range—would leave the team with some tough decisions elsewhere on the roster. Josi is scheduled to become a UFA in 2020, while there are already decisions to be made with pending RFA Juuse Saros and incumbent starter Pekka Rinne, who has just one year left on his current contract.

Either way, Predators fans should be pleased that Ellis is already so open about a potential extension. The 11th-overall pick in 2009 has proven any doubters wrong by showing that a relatively undersized defenseman can be successful in his own end, and should be a big part of the team for years to come.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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