Playoff Notes: Neal, Hornqvist, Fisher, Smith
There is always talk about who came out on the better side of any trade. Who got the best player? Who got ripped off? Well, in the case of the 2014 trade between the two current Stanley Cup participants, it looks like an even trade. Adam Vingan of the Tennessean looks at the trade that sent James Neal from Pittsburgh to the Nashville Predators for Patric Hornqvist and the impact they have had on their respective clubs.
Neal, who was a winger for many top-line centers including Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, went from being a sidekick to a sniper wing. His 90 goals in three seasons (playoff goals included) has been a key to the Predators’ offensive success as they allowed him to be a focal point to their offense. This year, he has put up 23 goals and 18 assists, including another five playoff goals. The Penguins had enough scorers, according to general manager Jim Rutherford. What they wanted was a passionate team leader. Hornqvist turned out to be that guy. He still provides plenty of offense (83 goals in three seasons – playoffs included) and has made an impact on the locker room.
- Nashville’s Mike Fisher has been cleared to play and is expected to play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins after suffering from a head injury, according to Adam Vingan of the Tennessean. Fisher, the team’s captain, sat out for the final two games against the Anaheim Ducks since he was inadvertently kneed in the head by Ducks’ defenseman Josh Manson during Game 4 on March 18. The 36-year-old center has been the team’s emotional leader since acquired in 2011 from the Ottawa Senators. His 18 goals and 24 assists continue to be solid, although he has not tallied a point in 14 playoff games so far.
- Vingan also says that forward Craig Smith is cleared to play in tomorrow’s Game 1 against the Penguins. Smith, who played in just one game in the second and third series due to a lower-body injury, could get into the lineup Monday. The 27-year-old center has scored 12 goals and 17 assists this season.
Snapshots: Price, Johansen, Cincinnati
Beginning on July 1, several notable players will be eligible to sign contract extensions ahead of the final year of their contracts. Connor McDavid is the biggest name, but Carey Price is in a similar stratosphere.
The superstar goaltender is entering the final year of his six-year, $39MM contract ($6.5MM AAV), signed back in 2012. Price has a no-move clause (NMC) which allows him to submit a list of 15-team trade list.
According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin and Price’s agent Gerry Johansson will meet next week to begin discussions. The two have had some preliminary discussions at the World Championships earlier this month, but have not had any “real negotiations” yet. The two sides are reportedly aiming to have something ready for Price to sign on July 1.
The Price contract will have a big impact on the Canadiens’ plans going forward. While he could command in the neighborhood of $10MM, that would negatively impact Bergevin’s ability to bring in offensive help, something the Canadiens desperately need.
- Nashville center Ryan Johansen appeared on TSN 1040 in Vancouver, and opened up about his season-ending injury and comments about Ducks shut-down center Ryan Kesler. Johansen took a hit from Josh Manson, and was going to pull himself out of the game when the game ended in overtime. By the time Johansen hit the showers, he was unable to walk and had emergency surgery just hours later. He’s expected to make a full recovery, which is good news considering the serious risks related to acute compartment syndrome. Regarding Kesler, Johansen said his only regret was not being able to shake the Ducks’ hands at the end of the series.
- The Buffalo Sabres have found a new AA affiliate, signing an agreement with the Cincinnati Cyclones. The Sabres’ previous ECHL affiliate, the Elmira Jackals, folded earlier this year. The Cyclones were previously affiliated with the Nashville Predators organization. This isn’t the first time there has been an agreement between Buffalo and Cincinnati; back in the 1970s, the Sabres had the Cincinnati Swords as their AHL affiliate. With the AHL above them, the ECHL is generally low on NHL prospects; just four Sabres prospects played in Elmira last season.
Poll: Which Team Will Be Next To Make Stanley Cup Debut?
With a 6-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final last night, the Nashville Predators punched their ticket to the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup appearance. In fact, Nashville had never even advanced beyond the conference semifinals until this heroic run and now stand just four wins away from hosting the greatest trophy in sports.
A Stanley Cup berth has certainly been a long time coming for the NHL’s 27th franchise whose inaugural season took place in 1998. GM David Poile, who has been the man in charge through it all, did not qualify for the postseason for the team’s first five seasons of existence, but since 2003 the Predators have only missed the playoffs three times. With other 1990’s expansion or relocation teams having made the Final before, like the San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers, and even more having won a Stanley Cup, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, and Carolina Hurricanes, many would expect that the Predators may be the last team to accomplish the feat. However, there are four teams who have yet to make it to Stanley Cup Final, the Expansion Class of 2000 – the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets, the current Winnipeg Jets, and the original Winnipeg Jets, now the Arizona Coyotes. Which of these teams will be the next to realize their dreams of playing in June?
The Minnesota Wild certainly seemed to be heading in that direction for much of this season as they had their way with the Western Conference. Although in a tough Central Division with the Cup-bound Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, and Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota is armed with a depth and talent at every position and showed (in the regular season) that they can fight through a tough schedule. The team was able to turn goaltender Devan Dubnyk into a star, has one of the strongest defensive cores in the NHL, and has a combination up front of strong veterans like Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise, and Eric Staal and exciting young players like Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker and Charlie Coyle. However, everything fell apart when it mattered most, as the Wild were easily bounced in the first round by the Blues. Can the Wild bounce back and, with the aid of top prospects such as Joel Eriksson Ek and Luke Kunin, make a Stanley Cup appearance in the next few years?
The Columbus Blue Jackets will be racing them for that honor. Almost mirror images of each other in 2016-17, the Blue Jackets also surprised many by dominating the Eastern Conference early in the year. At the time, the New Year’s Eve match-up between Columbus and Minnesota, both on historic winning streaks, was even touted as the game of the year. The Blue Jackets too have a stellar goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky and deep group of talented defenseman, like young game-changers Zach Werenski and Seth Jones. However, where Columbus may edge out Minnesota is in their youth up front. Although similarly successful, the Jackets were able to reach 108 points to the Wild’s 106 with a much younger forward corps. The likes of Brandon Saad, Alexander Wennberg, Boone Jenner, and Josh Anderson, plus incoming talent like Pierre-Luc Dubois and Oliver Bjorkstrand could keep Columbus in the running for a Cup longer than the Wild.
Speaking of youth, the Arizona Coyotes seem to be building something special in the desert. Question marks abound throughout the roster, such as starting goalie and a long-term partner for Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and many don’t expect the Coyotes to be contenders for several more years. However, after the rapid ascent of the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs this season, fueled largely by under-21 talent, Arizona may be relevant sooner rather than later. Their best players are also their top prospects – Max Domi, Christian Dvorak, Brendan Perlini, Jakob Chychrun – and that’s just the beginning, as even better young talent is on its way in Clayton Keller and Dylan Strome, not to mention whoever they select with the 7th and 23rd overall picks this year. It seems inevitable that the Coyotes will be good down the road, and, regardless of whether it’s in Arizona or not, have a strong chance to host a Stanley Cup final. However, will that day come before the likes of Minnesota or Columbus can take advantage of their current success?
Finally, there’s the Winnipeg Jets. They weren’t a playoff team this year like Columbus or Minnesota and they aren’t armed with years worth of high draft picks like Arizona either. Yet, the Jets may actually be the dark horse to reach the Stanley Cup first. Winnipeg finished ninth in the Western Conference in 2016-17, tenth in 2015-16, and eighth in 2014-15, consistently hanging around as a fringe team, not truly competing for a title. That seems like it is about to change. The Jets have one of the more dangerous forward groups in the NHL with Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers, and captain Blake Wheeler leading the charge. They also have talented defenseman in Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers, and Jacob Trouba. The Jets are a deeper team than many know and this season did not have a single player over the age of 32. Next year, they’ll add ace forwards Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic to the mix, and possibly goaltender Eric Comrie as well, all part of what The Hockey News called the top prospect system in the NHL. Given the wealth of talent on this team already, it seems strange they haven’t performed better. Throw some dynamic young players in and use some of the team’s ample cap space, and the Winnipeg Jets could be a breakout team in 2017-18.
What do you think?
Western Conference Final Injury Updates
Game 6 of the Western Conference Final between the Nashville Predators and Anaheim Ducks is underway at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, but neither team is fielding a full-strength roster for this one. Fans were well aware of the serious condition of Predators center Ryan Johansen, but many other key players were still considered day-to-day heading into tonight’s game. With lineups announced, nearly all in question remain out.
For the home team, looking to put an end to this series tonight and clinch their first ever Stanley Cup Final berth, the Predators will have to do so without captain Mike Fisher and bruising forward Craig Smith. Fisher missed Game 5 as well with an undisclosed injury, but given the minimal amount of attention the team had given his condition, many expected Fisher to be back for Game 6. That is not the case, as he misses his second straight contest. Smith was a game-time decision and even took part in warm-ups, but made the call himself that he was not healthy enough to play. Nashville avoided another major loss in the first period tonight, as Viktor Arvidsson was the victim of a game misconduct-worthy boarding by the Ducks’ Nick Ritchie and left the game. However, he returned mere minutes later.
The loss of Ritchie is the least of Anaheim’s concerns, as the major injury issue of the game is the absence of starting goaltender John Gibson. Gibson had played every minute of every Ducks postseason game thus far until getting injured in Game 5 with a lower body injury. However, many believed that Gibson would be ready to go for an elimination game. Instead, Gibson did not even suit up for Game 6, leaving Jonathan Bernier to make his first career playoff start, backed up by Jhonas Enroth. Bernier allowed two goals on the first three shots he faced as the Predators jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. Also missing from the Anaheim lineup (still) is Patrick Eaves and, more surprisingly, Rickard Rakell. Rakell missed Game 5 with a lower body injury, but he too was expected to suit up tonight. Instead, Rakell did not even make the trip to Nashville. For Gibson, Eaves, and Rakell, their injuries may mean that they have played their last games of the 2016-17 season.
Injury Notes: Aberg, Gibson, Johansen
Nashville fans can breathe a thankful sigh after seeing Pontus Aberg land face-first on a shift well before his diving goal in Game 5. He was ushered off of the bench by officials only after he had been allowed to score the eventual game winner, fearful that the previous impact may have caused a concussion. Although no official word has come, Aberg seems to be fine and obviously in good spirits. “I…lost my tooth, but it didn’t hurt my head.” Obviously, execution of concussion protocol is still less than ideal, but in this one instance Nashville fans aren’t complaining.
Aberg has been an unsung hero for these Predators, this being his first goal of these playoffs. The 23 year-old winger has played the bulk of the past three seasons with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, but with the injury bug biting the team, he has taken a spot which he hasn’t relinquished. Especially in light of the injuries to Ryan Johansen and Mike Fisher, the need for a role player to provide some offense was necessary.
- NBC Sports has surmised from the post-game interview of Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle that goaltender John Gibson is hopeful to recover to start Game 6. Jonathan Bernier needed to fill in as relief in last night’s Game 5 loss due to an unknown lower-body injury and conceded two goals. Going into an elimination game with your backup goaltender is not the ideal scenario, especially considering how solid Gibson has been. Boudreau did caution that Gibson would need to be evaluated again by medical officials before being given leave to play. Notably, Rickard Rakell was also referred to as day-to-day. Rakell has been one of the Ducks’ most creative offensive players, and would be a welcome return to a team that has struggled at times against red-hot goaltender Pekka Rinne.
- Ryan Johansen was actually in far worse shape than previously believed. Disclosed by Jon Morosi, the young Predator appears to have suffered Acute Compartment Syndrome, which prevents oxygen from getting to muscles. Built-up pressure and the side effects from reduced blood flow can actually result in loss of limbs or death if left untreated. Johansen had to undergo thigh surgery on Friday and therefore was ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs. Thankfully his doctors caught the issue and rectified it quickly, as Johansen is expected to make a full recovery.
Revision: The article had cited Bruce Boudreau instead of Randy Carlyle.
Snapshots: Olympics, Johansen, Rakell
The Pyeongchang Olympics organizing committee president Lee Hee-beom stated that he is still willing to negotiate with the NHL to get them involved with the Olympics. He stated that he didn’t believe the NHL was being “greedy,” and was still open to working out a deal to allow NHL players to play during the Olympics for the 2018 Olympic Games.
The Sporting News writes that Lee stated that he is willing to be flexible and while he doesn’t know what the NHL wants in order to make a deal, “but whatever they ask – if it is acceptable for us – we will do our best.”
The International Ice Hockey Federation has also been willing to discuss options, but it is believed that a “game-changer offer” is needed in order to get the NHL owners to agree to stop the season for three weeks for the Olympics. The IIHF has already agreed to pay players’ travel and insurance costs, but balked at the NHL’s demand for a share of marketing rights to a commercial league.
- Nashville Predators’ Ryan Johansen was reportedly diagnosed with acute compartment syndrome, according to NHL Network’s Jon Morosi. The team has not confirmed this. He is expected to fully recover. As reported yesterday, Johansen was knocked out of Game 4 against the Ducks and had immediate surgery and was ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs. He was their No. 1 option on offense after putting up 61 points this season. Ian McLaren of theScore writes that captain Mike Fisher will also be out for Game 5 tonight with an undisclosed injury.
- The Predators may have mounting injuries, but the Ducks are suffering as well. Already without veteran Patrick Eaves, now The Tennessean’s Adam Vingan tweets that the Ducks will be without Rickard Rakell for Game 5 tonight with a lower body injury. The 24-year-old center broke out with 33 goals during the regular season and had seven goals and 13 points during the playoffs.
Ryan Johansen Out 2-3 Months With Left Thigh Injury
The Nashville Predators not only lost their Western Conference game last night in crushing fashion, but have lost one of their key forwards in the process. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Ryan Johansen required surgery to repair a left thigh injury, the result of which will be a 2-3 month recovery period. The emergency surgery was completed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Johansen played more than 27 minutes in the overtime game, leading all forwards of either team.
The 24-year old center has developed into the #1 option the Predators were after when they traded Seth Jones for him last year, scoring 61 points during the regular season. His play in the postseason for Nashville has been close to Conn Smythe-worthy, with 13 points in 14 games an an excellent defensive effort every night. Matched against some of the toughest defensive centers in the league, Johansen has found success and helped the Predators become a real potential Cup-winning team. Now, they’ll have to find a way to fill the huge hole in the middle of the ice with someone else.
Mike Fisher is the obvious candidate to take on an even bigger role, but he left game 4 in the third period with an apparent head injury after Josh Manson‘s knee collided with it. He didn’t play any of the overtime, registering less than 13 minutes on the night. Calle Jarnkrok has played well this season but has little experience going up against the top checking units of other teams, while Colton Sissons and Vernon Fiddler don’t have the offensive chops to play on the top line. Mike Ribeiro, an option because of his history of offensive production, was the center of a Yahoo! Sports report yesterday speaking about his latest relapse with alcoholism and his current status of rest and rehabilitation. Ribeiro was waived earlier this year after a trade request and finished the season with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL.
This is a disappointing end to a playoff run for a burgeoning young forward, especially after the war of words he’s maintained with Ryan Kesler throughout the series. The Predators will need to find a way to fill his minutes with productive play, and perhaps this is a chance for another young player to step up and make a difference in the playoffs. Especially after also losing Kevin Fiala earlier in these playoffs, the spotlight will brighten on Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson even more now to carry the offensive load, while hoping that Colin Wilson and James Neal can step up even further.
Morning Notes: Babcock, Maple Leafs, Borowiecki
The Toronto Maple Leafs fan base has been abuzz over the last few days after seeing pictures of Mike Babcock at games 3 and 4 between Nashville and Anaheim, even being joined by GM Lou Lamoriello for the latter. His appearance immediately made many think that he was scouting Ducks defensemen eligible for the expansion draft, though Sportsnet’s Luke Fox has an additional theory.
Predators captain Mike Fisher will be a free agent this summer, and though he’s obviously tied strongly to the Nashville community—he’s married to country music star Carrie Underwood after all—the numbers might just not leave enough room for him. Nashville has a busy offseason ahead of them, with both Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson hitting restricted free agency. If Fisher were to hit the open market, Toronto would likely be interested after the comments Babcock made earlier this year about him.
- Maple Leafs fans will also be happy to see the success of their two young stars at the World Championships. Mitch Marner and William Nylander have been some of the best forwards in the tournament thus far, with Nylander especially finding incredible chemistry with playoff-foe Nicklas Backstrom. Nylander and Backstrom have a long history, going back to the latter’s rookie season in Washington when he was welcomed into the home of then-teammate Michael Nylander, William’s father. The two, almost 10 years apart, spent a lot of time together during those first two seasons playing ping-pong in the basement or mini-sticks in the hallway. It seems all that time spent so many years ago has created a sort of familiarity on the ice, that has blossomed into some incredible goals since Backstrom joined the tournament.
- The Ottawa Senators won’t get Mark Borowiecki back tonight, though he took the morning skate with the team. According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, the bruising defenseman suffered a setback pushing too hard to try and get back on the ice. He still hopes to return in this series, which would stretch to next Thursday should it go all seven games. The Senators will try to take a commanding 3-1 series lead tonight as they take on the Penguins at home.
Nashville Notes: Hockey Hotbed, Preds’ Speed
USA Today’s Kevin Allen is one of many writing about hockey mad Nashville as the Predators continue their quest to hoist the Stanley Cup. Qualifying for its first conference final in franchise history, the organization that once sweated out season tickets find itself one of the hottest draws in town. From Allen:
Ten years ago, people were holding rallies to save the franchise, and now the Predators are the hottest ticket in town. On eBay on Thursday, someone was selling two tickets for Game 4, 15 rows from the Plexiglass, for $10,000.
“When they started winning, everyone went crazy,” said fan Dan Harrell, a retiree and a Nashville-area resident since 1967.
Allen adds that the Predators dominate talk radio, and have brought a unique angle to the sport, showing that the game can truly catch on in a non-traditional hockey market. Additionally, the National Anthem has become its own spectacle, with different stars taking their turns singing while the opportunity to smash a car with the colors of opposing playoff teams have become a favorite.
The Tennessean’s Jason Gonzalez caught up with the fan who heaved a skinned duck onto the ice after Nashville notched the game winning goal Tuesday evening. Sure he would be thrown out, the duck landed on the ice without a security guard batting an eye.
- ESPN’s Andrew Knoll writes that the Predators speed certainly has the Ducks on their heels. And according to former star Bernie Nicholls, he doesn’t think the Ducks can handle it. Knoll reports that as the series continues on, it favors Nashville and Nicholls believes that the Predators have the speed and tenacity that propelled the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Stanley Cup. Knoll warns, however, that the Ducks have the propensity to storm back after being down in a series. Anaheim Left Wing Jakob Silfverberg believes that success will follow if the Ducks show “more confidence” in their game.
Nashville Predators Sign Andrew O’Brien To One-Year Extension
Andrew O’Brien will be back in the Nashville Predators’ system next season, after signing a one-year two-way deal for 2017-18. The contract will pay him $650K at the NHL level. O’Brien was set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
Acquired from the Anaheim Ducks earlier this season in exchange for Max Gortz, O’Brien played 32 games down the stretch for the Milwaukee Admirals scoring 10 points. The 6’4″ defender was originally drafted in the fourth round, but has still yet to make his NHL debut. At the time of the deal, the Predators were without Roman Josi, P.K. Subban and Petter Granberg due to injury, making their depth chart on defense look quite a bit thinner.
With the two-way deal—and given Nashville’s incredible skill at the NHL level—the 24-year old O’Brien is likely headed for the AHL again next year. The Predators will likely come to several deals of this nature in the coming weeks, as they have several minor-league RFAs that will need new contracts for next season.