Nashville’s Viktor Arvidsson Expected To Miss 4-6 Weeks
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
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.
Minor Transactions: 11/22/19
The hockey world may be talking about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ performance under new head coach Sheldon Keefe a lot today, but there was plenty of other action last night–some with real consequences. The Calgary Flames, who have struggled for an identity all season, were torn apart by the defending Stanley Cup champions and look like a team searching for answers in the wrong textbook. The Florida Panthers completed their second incredible comeback in just over a week and the New York Islanders stayed hot with another overtime victory. As teams take in some video sessions and examine what happened last night, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled J.C. Beaudin and Maxime Lajoie for their game tonight, as Vladislav Namestnikov is not expected to play. Beaudin is actually taking up residence as the fourth-line center, with Colin White moved over to the wing for the time being.
- Christian Djoos is back with the Washington Capitals, after starring with the Hershey Bears for the first month of the season. The 25-year old defenseman has played 108 games in the NHL over the last two seasons but due to cap restraints had to go down to start the year. Tyler Lewington has been returned to the AHL in his place.
- It is a day that ends in “Y” so Charles Hudon has been involved in a transaction once again. This time he’s back up with the Montreal Canadiens as they prepare for the weekend action.
- Matt Luff is heading back to the minor leagues, assigned to the Ontario Reign today by the Los Angeles Kings. The 22-year old forward played in four games during this most recent recall, after spending 33 games with the team last season.
- Givani Smith has been activated from injured reserve by the Detroit Red Wings, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to suit up for the NHL club. Smith was immediately reassigned to the minor leagues where he has played most of this season.
- The Nashville Predators have sent Steven Santini back to the minor leagues, as they prepare for a game tomorrow night against the St. Louis Blues. Santini has played two games for the Predators this year after being acquired in the P.K. Subban this summer.
- Nicolas Roy has been moved to the AHL by the Vegas Golden Knights, who have been doing this consistently all season to save some cap space. The team is banking room by having fewer than 23 players on the roster on non-game days.
- With Scott Laughton activated from injured reserve, the Philadelphia Flyers have sent Andy Andreoff back to the AHL. Andreoff has played in six games for the Flyers this season.
- The Colorado Avalanche have returned Jayson Megna to the minors. He has played in eight NHL games this season but has averaged less than seven minutes per night. The move suggests that Tyson Jost may be nearing a return.
Nashville Predators To Scratch Kyle Turris Again
The Nashville Predators are one of a handful of teams in the NHL that were expected to be Stanley Cup contenders this season but are struggling to even string two wins together. The team is now on a five-game losing streak that includes blowout losses against the Colorado Avalanche (9-4) and Chicago Blackhawks (7-2), both division rivals ahead of them in the standings.
Just like the other teams making changes to try and spark their clubs, the Predators decided to make Kyle Turris and his $6MM cap hit a healthy scratch on Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets. Turris will sit out again tonight when the Predators take on the Vancouver Canucks for the second time in four games, with Mathieu Olivier staying in the lineup on the fourth line.
It was Turris who was labeled as a potential difference maker for the Predators when they acquired him just two years ago. Nashville GM David Poile got involved in a three-way trade that saw Matt Duchene go from Colorado to Ottawa, flipping young defenseman Samuel Girard and forward prospect Vladislav Kamenev to the Avalanche in the process. Turris immediately signed a six-year, $36MM contract extension with the Predators and was set to become the team’s long-term answer in the middle of their second line.
Turris had after all just posted a 27-goal campaign with the Senators and was off to a quick start in the 2017-18 season. After arriving in Nashville things went well for a while—the veteran center had 17 points in his first 17 games as a Predator—but by the time the playoffs rolled around his ice time had already been reduced. Turris averaged fewer than 16 minutes a night in the 2018 postseason, a sign of things to come.
Last season was an absolute disaster, with just seven goals and 23 points to his name in an injury-shortened campaign. This season even when he does play, Turris’ ice time has been extremely limited and his responsibility almost completely removed.
Who has filled that second-line center role that Turris was penciled into when he arrived? Well it’s none other than Duchene, who arrived in Nashville through free agency less than two years after the Predators were involved in that three-way trade. Duchene was given a huge contract in the summer to be the running mate down the middle for Ryan Johansen, as Poile and head coach Peter Laviolette decided that Turris wasn’t cutting it.
Scratching such a hefty contract for two straight games is a clear sign that the Predators are ready to move on. Turris’ name has been out there in trade speculation for some time, but getting any sort of value back at this point seems impossible for Nashville. With four more years (after this one) at a $6MM cap hit, Turris is just too expensive for most teams to take on, especially not knowing exactly what he can offer them right now.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Minor Transactions: 11/17/19
Most of the NHL is at rest today after the huge number of Saturday games, meaning just four teams are in action. The Buffalo Sabres travel to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks, while the Calgary Flames and Vegas Golden Knights get reacquainted in Sin City. As teams prepare for the next week of action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.
- Noah Gregor has been returned to the AHL after playing in ten games for the San Jose Sharks. The 21-year old center failed to register his first NHL point but at least got his feet wet and saw what would be required of him at the next level.
- Former NHL goaltender Justin Pogge has found a new home for this season, signing a one-year deal with Sodertalje SK in Sweden’s second league. The 33-year old netminder has spent the last several seasons overseas after a North American career that saw him quickly turn from top prospect to AHL afterthought. In seven career NHL games, Pogge posted an .844 save percentage and 4.36 goals against average.
- Miikka Salomaki has been assigned to the minor leagues by the Nashville Predators after five games with the team. The 26-year old was recalled on October 19th, meaning he’s close to needing waivers again. Sending him to the AHL now leaves the Predators with some extra roster flexibility.
- The Boston Bruins have returned three players to their AHL affiliate, according to the AHL transactions page. The website reports that the Bruins have sent forwards Paul Carey and Trent Frederic and defenseman Urho Vaakanainen to Providence. Carey played Saturday in their shootout loss to Washington, receiving 6:22 of playing time. Frederic played back-to-back games Friday and Saturday, but was held scoreless, while Vaakanainen played in three games, playing 19:19 on Saturday.
- The Athletic’s Darren Haynes reports that the Calgary Flames have recalled forward Dillon Dube from the Stockton Heat of the AHL. Dube, who has dominated in the AHL, but struggled last year in his first taste of NHL action, was brought in to spark the team, which has been struggling with offense recently. Dube has four goals and 13 points in 13 games with the Heat. Sportsnet’s Eric Francis adds that forward Alan Quine was sent to Stockton in a corresponding move.
- The Vegas Golden Knights announced they have assigned forwards Brandon Pirri and Nicolas Roy to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Pirri cleared waivers and has already been reported to have been sent to Chicago, while Roy has been up and down multiple times this year as a fourth-line option for Vegas. The 22-year-old has fared well in six games, posting a goal and three points.
- The Dallas Stars announced they have re-assigned center Rhett Gardner to the Texas Stars of the AHL. The 23-year-old had appeared in eight games for Dallas but failed to register a point. He had eight shots on goal over that span. With no game until Tuesday, it could just be a paper transaction to save some cap space.
- The Detroit Red Wings announced they have assigned defenseman Joe Hicketts to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. Hicketts has appeared in five games for the Red Wings, which included picking up his first point of the season Saturday in their shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks.
- The New Jersey Devils announced they have assigned defenseman Colton White to the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. White was recalled Friday by the team but served as an emergency defenseman for Saturday’s game against Montreal.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled forward Eetu Luostarinen from the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, according to a Checkers’ release. The 21-year-old Luostarinen was recalled 10 days ago, and appeared in three games for the Hurricanes, registering one assist, before being returned to Charlotte. The 2017 second-round pick has looked good in the AHL with five goals and eight points in 12 games.
- After being sent back to the minors following Saturday’s game, the Canadiens announced that they’ve recalled winger Charles Hudon from AHL Laval. He played less than eight minutes yesterday in his season debut but with Paul Byron and Jonathan Drouin both injured, Montreal was down to just 11 healthy forwards.
- The Rangers have decided to give Lias Andersson some more playing time as they’ve assigned him to Hartford of the AHL per a team release. The seventh pick in 2017 has just one assist in 17 games this season while playing less than ten minutes per night. Winger Tim Gettinger has been recalled to take his place on the roster.
Negotiation Notes: Greiss, Kovalchuk, Moy
Heading into the 2018-19 season, there were few expectations for New York Islanders goaltender Thomas Greiss, who had struggled greatly as the Isles’ backup the year before. Yet, in the system implemented by new head coach Barry Trotz, Greiss excelled. He enjoyed the best season of his career, posting a .927 save percentage and 2.28 GAA in 43 games and sharing the Jennings Trophy with Robin Lehner. Yet, following the departure of Lehner this summer and the signing of Semyon Varlamov to an expensive, long-term contract, the only new expectations for Greiss were of the pessimistic kind. Many assumed that he could not possibly replicate last season, either due to a drop-off in performance or a lesser role. However, that has not been the case thus far. In fact, Greiss currently leads the league in both save percentage and goals against average through nine appearances.
The only real difference between this season and last for Greiss is what is at stake. The red-hot keeper is in the final season of a three-year, $10MM deal with New York and he knows that every game this year matters a little more when it comes to negotiating his next deal. For that reason though, Greiss tells Newsday’s Andrew Gross that he will save contract talk for the off-season. Although he could take advantage of his strong start, he also acknowledged that a slump could just as easily shift the status quo of those talks. The veteran netminder would rather play out the year and be able to take everything into account before negotiating a possible extension with the Islanders. This will also include the play of Varlamov, who has three years and $15MM remaining on his contract, and the status of Ilya Sorokin, the KHL keeper expected to be the Isles’ future in net. Like Greiss, Sorokin’s numbers are stunningly strong so far this season with CSKA Moscow and the team may feel the time has come to bring him over this summer. If so, Greiss would be unlikely to re-sign with New York, at least not at the price point he could command on the open market, and will become an intriguing free agent option this summer. However, for now the league’s top stopper wants to remain focused on the season: “It is what it is. Contract year or not, you’re working and you want to do your best so you can have success as a team.”
- The situation in Los Angeles is complex, and probably even more so than what has been released to the public. Veteran forward Ilya Kovalchuk has been benched and there has been no indication from the Kings that his status will change any time soon. Yet, Kovalchuk has a $6.25MM cap hit this year and next and a 35+ contract which does not allow for any salary cap relief from a buyout. Unless Kovalchuk becomes desperate enough to move on with his hockey career that he is willing to negotiate a mutual termination of his contract (doubtful), a trade is likely the only way for the two sides to part ways. Yet, as TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports, there is little interest in Kovalchuk right now and his camp is concerned that there never will be if he does not get back into the lineup. LeBrun notes that agent J.P. Barry has been in constant contact with GM Rob Blake and the Kings about how to solve this situation, but L.A. does not seem willing to put Kovalchuk back on the ice just yet. In fact, as Brian La Rose discussed in his most recent mailbag, the team may be willing to wait another month before making a change, as Kovalchuk is due a considerable signing bonus on December 15 and his value on the trade market could shift once that has been paid. A team with financial limitations may be more willing to take a chance on the veteran scorer, or even just to eat his salary, once some of the real money is off the table. Barry and company will no doubt campaign for Kovalchuk to bet back in the lineup prior to late December, but can do little about it if the Kings continue to feel that they do not benefit from having him on the ice.
- Tyler Moy, a former Nashville Predators prospect, is trying to reinvent himself in Switzerland with an eye on a return to the NHL. Moy, 24, was originally a sixth-round pick of the Predators in 2015 as an overage prospect out of Harvard University. After a four-year collegiate career, including a breakout senior campaign, Moy turned pro and enjoyed a solid if not unspectacular first pro season with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals in 2017-18. Last year, he failed to get off to a strong start and eventually requested his release from his entry-level contract in November. Moy, a California native, ventured to Switzerland, the other country of which he is a citizen, and made an immediate splash with Lausanne HC of the NLA. Now in his second season with the team, Moy continues to play well and Axel Jeroma writes for NHL.com that he has shown improvement in every area of the game since crossing the Atlantic. While Moy is currently focused on winning a title with Lausanne, he admits that he would like to return to North America in the “foreseeable future” and plans to talk to NHL teams this summer. Without game-breaking offensive ability, Moy may not be able to jump directly into the NHL, but as he continues to develop a mature, complete game, the young forward would be more prepared to succeed in the AHL the second time around.
NHL Announces 2020 Global Series Events
In his press conference at today’s Global Series game in Sweden, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the league will be returning to Europe next year. The Boston Bruins and Nashville Predators will be heading to Prague, Czech Republic, while the Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets will face off in Helsinki, Finland. The Bruins and Predators will also be taking part in exhibition games in Germany and Switzerland respectively.
It’s immediately obvious why the Bruins were one of the choices to play in Prague, as they hold arguably the best Czech player in the world right now. David Pastrnak has 15 goals and 30 points through his first 15 games and looks like he may challenge for the Hart Trophy this season. The team also has David Krejci, one of the country’s most celebrated NHL players.
Finland won’t be disappointed though, as Mikko Rantanen will get a chance to play in his home country. The injured forward is off to one of the most impressive starts by any Finnish-born player, and actually already ranks 30th in scoring among NHL players from the country.
The Global Series games have been a huge success so far and show no signs of slowing down. The Prague game will start the 2020-21 season, while the dates for the other matchups will be announced at a later date.
Predators Sign Austin Watson To A Three-Year Extension
Austin Watson will be sticking around with Nashville for a few more years. In a rare mid-game announcement, the Predators announced that they’ve signed the winger to a three-year, $4.5MM contract extension. PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that the deal pays a straight $1.5MM each season with no signing bonuses or trade protection. GM David Poile released the following statement regarding the deal:
Austin is the ultimate team player and we look forward to continuing to see him thrive and be an impactful member of our team. The Predators organization continues to support Austin and his family and are pleased to take this next step forward with them. His hard work, coupled with a caring environment has him in a good place to be successful on and off the ice. Austin sticks up for his teammates and does whatever is necessary to help this team win hockey games.
After being more of an energy player at the beginning of his career, Watson has started to show that he can be more of an offensive producer in recent years, posting a career high in goals (14) and points (19) in 2017-18 and points per game (0.43) last season. He’s off to a bit of a quieter start this year with a goal and an assist in two games but his ice time has also dipped under the 13 minute per game mark. Nonetheless, while he isn’t hitting the scoresheet too often yet, he does lead the team in hits and is among the league leaders in blocks per game by a forward.
Watson, a 2010 first-round pick (18th overall), has spent his entire career with the Nashville organization. Over his NHL career which spans parts of six seasons, he has 31 goals and 34 assists in 206 games while chipping in with 536 hits. $1.5MM is certainly a reasonable rate for a winger that’s capable of playing a regular role on the third line and represents a $400K raise on his current $1.1MM AAV.
Poile and the Predators still have a lot of work to do with their pending free agents, even after extending Roman Josi back on Tuesday. Wingers Mikael Granlund and Craig Smith highlight a group of seven players that are slated to become unrestricted free agents in July. With Watson’s deal, Nashville has nearly $70MM committed to 15 players for next season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor Transactions: 10/30/19
Six more games are on the schedule for this evening in the NHL, including Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers heading into Columbus to try and stop their recent skid. The Oilers haven’t won a game in regulation in almost two weeks, going 2-3 in their last five games. While that has been good enough to stay in first place in the Pacific Division, five teams are now within three points of them in the standings. As they and the rest of the league prepares, we’ll be here keeping track of all the minor moves.
- With Brendan Perlini expected to join the lineup, the Detroit Red Wings have sent Givani Smith to the minor leagues. The 21-year old forward played in three games with Detroit, getting his feet wet at the NHL level. He’ll return to Grand Rapids to await his next opportunity.
- After recalling him yesterday as an insurance policy, the Nashville Predators have returned Colin Blackwell to the minor leagues. The minor league veteran has yet to play an NHL game this season.
Nashville Predators Extend Roman Josi
The Nashville Predators have once again found common ground on an extension with one of their franchise icons. Captain Roman Josi has agreed to an eight-year extension that will keep him under contract through the 2027-28 season. The deal, which will carry an average annual value of $9.059, is set to make Josi the third highest paid defenseman in the NHL, just ahead of former teammate P.K. Subban. It also represents another long-term commitment from Predators GM David Poile, and sets up Josi to potentially play his entire career with the Nashville organization. Poile released a statement explaining the deal:
Roman Josi is one of the top defensemen in the National Hockey League and our team leader as captain. As he enters his prime, we look forward to Roman continuing to showcase his elite skills in Smashville and guiding our team in pursuit of the ultimate goal, the Stanley Cup.
Notably, the team has also given Josi a full no-movement clause, something that Poile is almost always against. In fact, the only player on Nashville currently with a no-trade clause of any kind is goaltender Pekka Rinne.
Obviously there is good reason for Josi to become the second player on that list. The 29-year old defenseman has been one of the league’s consistent two-way players over the last several years, recording at least 49 points in each of the last five seasons while more than holding his own in the defensive end. During that five-year span, Josi has finished in the top-11 in Norris Trophy voting every season, including two fifth-place finishes.
It is not just his on-ice play that has garnered so much attention however. Josi was the easy choice as team captain after Mike Fisher announced his retirement and is a valued leader in the Nashville dressing room. With a new extension in hand he’ll be able to continue in that role for the foreseeable future, perhaps even until he retires down the line.
Still, any time you sign a player to an eight-year contract of this magnitude there is substantial risk. Though Josi has shown absolutely no signs of slowing down at this point, he will be 30 before the first year of the contract kicks in, meaning it takes him into and through what is normally a steep decline phase for NHL players. While he may be one of the select few to avoid that precipitous fall, there is also already a lot of miles on the Swiss defender—he’s averaged close to 25 minutes a night over his entire career.
The Predators though are obviously willing to make the investment to keep Josi in the fold right now. The team believes they are Stanley Cup contenders and now have their core locked up for the next several years. Ryan Johansen, Matt Duchene, Kyle Turris, Viktor Arvidsson, Colton Sissons and Ryan Ellis are all under contract for at least five seasons, while Filip Forsberg, Calle Jarnkrok and Mattias Ekholm don’t become unrestricted free agents until 2022.
Not only will this deal make Josi a very wealthy man, but it will set a market for many other top defensemen looking at free agency in 2020. Alex Pietrangelo, Tyson Barrie, Torey Krug and others are all going to get huge raises before the end of next summer, with Josi’s deal now either being a comparable or perhaps a ceiling to shoot for, depending on the player. Pietrangelo in particular may try to eclipse the deal to become one of the top earners, though it’s not clear exactly if or when an extension will come with St. Louis.
For now though, Josi the Predators can start to focus on the task at hand—getting back to the Stanley Cup Final. With 13 points in his first 11 games, he’s doing his part already.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images