Overseas Notes: Scoring, Merzlikins, Popugaev
Scoring is up in the NHL this season, but their European counterparts can’t say the same. As the regular seasons for the major overseas leagues begin to wind down, the numbers show that none can keep up with the goal scorers of the NHL; the old adage that European hockey is more wide open and offensive is not holding up. On average, NHL teams are scoring approximately 3.03 goals per game in 2018-19. Contrast that to the KHL, thought to be closest competitor to the NHL on the basis of skill, where teams are only scoring about 2.47 goals per game on average and many are failing to score even two per game. The Finnish Liiga is the closest to the NHL at 2.72 goals per game per team, but even that is a ways off. Swiss NLA teams are recording approximately 2.66 goals per game, while Swedish Hockey league clubs are at 2.57 goals per game.
Even more peculiar than the gap between goal scoring in the NHL and Europe is the distribution of points. As there are fewer goals being scored in the four major European leagues, there are less opportunities to register points, even for star players. However, one would assume that there would still be plenty of standouts in each of the four leagues who find their way on to the score sheet each and every night. That would be a false assumption. Currently there are 41 players in the NHL averaging a point per game or better in at least half of their teams’ games. In the KHL, NLA, SHL, and Liiga combined, there are nine. The KHL leads the way with four such scorers, headed up by Vegas Golden Knights property Nikita Gusev, the top scoring forward in Europe with 1.30 points per game – such a mark would be seventh-best in the NHL. Familiar names Nigel Dawes and Vadim Shipachyov are also in the group, as is intriguing free agent option Dmitri Kagarlitsky. Over in the NLA, more recognizable veterans are scoring at a point-per-game clip or better, including Dustin Jeffrey, Chris DiDomenico, and Mark Arcobello. However, the league leader at 1.20 is none other than Dominik Kubalik, whose rights were just acquired by the Chicago Blackhawks last month and who could be eyeing a move to North America. The lone elite scorer in Finland is small, but skilled 23-year-old Iikka Kangasniemi, who is also certain to draw NHL interest this off-season as well. The SHL does not feature any point-per-game players currently. So, next time you feel the urge to complain about the lack of scoring or star scorers in the NHL, just take comfort in the fact that at least you’re not in Europe. All four leagues pale in comparison to the NHL in those departments this season.
- In an article for The Athletic about the future of the Columbus Blue Jackets in net, Aaron Portzline posits that prospect Elvis Merzlikins could arrive in North America before the end of the season. Merzlikins, 24, was a third-round pick by Columbus back in 2014 and has been a regular in net for HC Lugano of the NLA ever since. The Latvian goaltender gets better each year and this season has posted a .922 save percentage and 2.37 GAA that are both among the top ten keepers in Switzerland. Yet, Lugano is in danger of missing the postseason, which would hypothetically allow Merzlikins to finally make his move to Columbus as early as March. Portzline writes that many in the Blue Jackets organization feel Merzlikins is ready to play in the NHL right away, which could certainly be a possibility this season if the team does indeed opt to trade impending UFA starter Sergei Bobrovsky. Even if Lugano does make the playoffs or Columbus determines they do not want to throw him into the fire right away, the young keeper is still guaranteed to be crossing the Atlantic after this season and should compete for NHL minutes immediately next year.
- New Jersey Devils prospect Nikita Popugaev is also eyeing a jump to North America. Initially considered to be a first-round caliber talent in the 2017 NHL Draft, Popugaev ended up falling to the Devils in the fourth round due to questions about his motor and work ethic. The big winger didn’t help to quell those concerns when he left his WHL team, the Prince George Cougars, early last season to return to his native Russia. However, his current team, the KHL’s Amur Khabarovsk, have announced that Popugaev has left the team and will “try his hand” back in the U.S. His KHL contract has been terminated and he is now free to sign an entry-level contract with the Devils, but there has been no word of such a deal yet. Popugaev is still very raw and needs several more seasons of work in the minor leagues, but does have potential. The next question is whether the Devils feel that potential is worth a contract slot and the time and effort it may take to tap into it.
New Jersey Devils Claim Kenny Agostino
The New Jersey Devils have decided to claim forward Kenny Agostino off waivers, meaning the Montreal Canadiens have lost another forward to the process. Montreal has already watched teams claim Nikita Scherbak and Jacob de La Rose this season. The Devils have sent Ryan Murphy to the minor leagues to make room, while recently acquired forward Dale Weise has been recalled by the Canadiens.
Agostino, a New Jersey native, will be reunited with the GM that drafted him in 2010 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. When Ray Shero used a fifth-round selection on the undersized forward he knew there was a lot of offensive potential there, but perhaps could not have imagined just how well Agostino would fare in the minor leagues. A former AHL MVP, the 26-year old Agostino has recorded 246 points in 273 regular season minor league games. Unfortunately that minor league success hasn’t translated to NHL opportunity, with 36 of Agostino’s 58 career NHL games coming this season with the Canadiens.
Still, there is little risk in a pickup of this nature for the Devils. Agostino is on a two-way contract that pays just $700K in the NHL and is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. Either he can contribute a bit for New Jersey down the stretch, or potentially becomes a deadline trade asset for a team looking for some depth. Montreal obviously couldn’t move him for anything worthwhile, but perhaps a showcase in New Jersey could create a market for the talented forward. Otherwise, it gives Agostino a chance to get familiar with an organization who may want to bring him back next season. There’s little doubt that he can help a minor league club, but New Jersey might also experience quite a bit of turnover through the summer given that players like Marcus Johansson and Drew Stafford are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.
Trade Candidate: Marcus Johansson
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that have a good chance to be dealt by February 25th.
Things haven’t gone particularly well for Marcus Johansson since being dealt to New Jersey two summers ago. He has considerable trouble staying healthy and his production has dipped relative to how he performed in Washington. That said, the 28-year-old still could be one of the more under the radar targets around the league over the next couple of weeks.
Contract
Johansson is in the final season of a three-year, $13.75MM contract that carries an AAV of $4.583MM and a $4.75MM salary. He has a five-team no-trade clause and will be eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of the season.
2018-19
Let’s get the bad out of the way first. After missing the majority of last season with multiple concussions, he has already missed a dozen games with a couple of injuries. Durability wasn’t a major concern over his last few years with Washington but it has been now. On top of that, Johansson didn’t play particularly well early on and was even spending time on the third line. That’s a far cry from being the reliable and consistent producer that he was with the Capitals.
Lately, though, Johansson has played a lot better. Injuries have forced him into a bigger role and to his credit, he has stepped up which should boost his value around the league. Over the past month, he’s logging over 18 minutes per night and between that and his versatility (he can play all three forward positions), he’s positioning himself to be an intriguing addition for some playoff-bound teams.
Season Stats
41 GP, 8 goals, 12 assists, 20 points, -11 rating, 8 PIMS, 84 shots, 16:06 ATOI, 49.7 CF%
Potential Suitors
With Johansson’s contract being an expiring one, only playoff-bound teams (or ones with postseason aspirations) are likely to have interest in acquiring him. On top of that, his cap hit will also limit his suitors unless the Devils are willing to retain a portion of his contract (they can hold back up to 50%).
In the East, Pittsburgh doesn’t have the cap space to take on his full deal but they’d be an intriguing fit. The Penguins are still searching for the right wingers alongside Sidney Crosby and given Johansson’s ability to play both sides, it’s possible he could get a shot there which would be a significant boost heading into free agency. If Buffalo decides to try to add a player or two to give them some more firepower up front, they would be a good fit for Johansson as well. Columbus could be looking for a short-term addition as well depending on what happens with Artemi Panarin so they could be involved here while if the Capitals could find the money, they’d be a dark horse as well. (However, given their cap constraints, Andre Burakovsky would need to be a part of the deal with the Devils also retaining a sizable chunk of Johansson’s deal.)
Given his style of play, I think Johansson’s a better fit in the East but a handful of Western teams make sense as a fit. San Jose may want to shift Marcus Sorensen back onto the fourth line which would open up a spot for Johansson on their third line but again, the cap will make it a little tricky. The recent injury to Mikko Koivu in Minnesota opens up a big hole for them to try to fill and while Johansson can’t cover the defensive element that Koivu brings, he’d at least replace some of the offense. Vegas will also probably be on the lookout for extra forward depth and will be limited to the rental market with their upcoming extensions. GM George McPhee also has some familiarity from his time in Washington.
Likelihood Of A Trade
With New Jersey being well out of the postseason picture, the odds of Johansson getting dealt have to be high. He’s not among the top rental players available but his recent play and versatility will make him an enticing piece for teams looking to add for the stretch run. The contract may wind up limiting the return but the Devils should still be able to get a decent draft pick or prospect for Johansson.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor Transactions: 02/08/19
After an extremely busy night in the NHL the league is almost completely quiet this evening, with just one game between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers scheduled. Teams will surely use this day off to make slight tweaks to their roster, and we’ll be here keeping track of all the minor moves.
- Casey Nelson has been sent to the minor leagues on a conditioning loan. The Buffalo Sabres defenseman has missed more than two months with an upper-body injury, but is apparently healthy enough to get back on the ice. Nelson, 26, had six points in 22 games before suffering the injury.
- With Jayce Hawryluk heading to injured reserve, the Florida Panthers have recalled Bogdan Kiselevich from the minor leagues. Kiselevich hasn’t played nearly as much as expected when he signed out of the KHL, but could get another opportunity to show what he can do in order to entice a contender at the deadline.
- Christian Djoos has been recalled from his conditioning loan by the Washington Capitals, but has not yet been activated from long-term injured reserve. Djoos could be ready to get back into the lineup this weekend, but does not have to come off LTIR until deemed completely healthy. Jonas Siegenthaler has been sent down to the minor leagues, signalling even further that Djoos will be activated at some point.
- Cody Goloubef has been sent back down by the Ottawa Senators after playing in his first game of the season last night. The 29-year old defenseman was acquired by the Senators last month but is still expected to spend the majority of the year in the minor leagues.
- Matt Luff has been sent down to the minors by the Los Angeles Kings, as the team prepares to activate Trevor Lewis from injured reserve. Luff has played in 30 games this season and has ten points, but will have to wait for his next chance in the NHL.
- Malcolm Subban is healthy enough to resume playing for the Vegas Golden Knights, meaning Maxime Lagace has been sent back to the AHL. Lagace has been up with the team since the beginning of January, but only actually played in one game during that period.
- The Colorado Avalanche have recalled Ryan Graves from the AHL, a welcome sight for many fans of the team. Graves made quite an impression during an earlier call-up and has two goals in nine games this season.
- Egor Yakovlev has been sent back down to the minor leagues by the New Jersey Devils, who recently activated Ben Lovejoy off injured reserve. Yakovlev has played in 14 games this season for the Devils, providing five points.
Nashville Predators Acquire Brian Boyle
The Nashville Predators have added some depth and size to their bottom-six, as Bob McKenzie of TSN reports they have finalized a deal to bring in Brian Boyle from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a 2019 second-round pick. Boyle is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and carries a $2.55MM cap hit.
At first blush, the cost of Boyle seems incredibly high given he has routinely played on the fourth line in New Jersey and is no longer a full-time center. Like he was for the Toronto Maple Leafs two years ago—when he also fetched a second-round pick as rental addition—Boyle is more than just a depth option. The 6’6″ forward is one of the most well-respected players in the entire league and has a wealth of playoff experience, suiting up 111 times in the postseason over his career. His versatility to play either center or left wing and ability on the penalty kill makes him a perfect fit for the Predators who have looked to add size since Austin Watson‘s recent suspension.
There’s also the factor of Boyle’s experience in front of the net on the powerplay, where his huge frame can give goaltenders fits when trying to track the puck. The Predators powerplay has been their biggest weakness of late, and they desperately need someone who can clean things up in front. While Boyle is by no means a dynamic goal scoring threat, he does bring a certain consistency offensively and has recorded at least 13 goals in five consecutive seasons.
Still, the Devils have done well to acquire another reasonably high draft pick for of their pending free agent. With the team unlikely to make the playoffs this season, selling off expiring assets for futures will only help strengthen what is already a formidable young core in their attempt to compete in the future. While Nashville’s pick is likely to be near the end of the round, it’s still more valuable to the Devils than another few months of Boyle suiting up this season.
While this deal may seem to change the market for rental forwards, there are few players out there that bring the same mix of skills and experience. It certainly doesn’t mean that every other forward with more points than Boyle will draw a better return.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
“Zero Chance” New Jersey Devils Will Trade Taylor Hall This Season
With talk of the Columbus Blue Jackets possibly trading away their star players Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky to avoid losing them for nothing has led other teams to reassess their teams in hopes of avoiding similar problems with their own stars.
One team that many are looking at are the New Jersey Devils and Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall. The 27-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2019-20 season and with New Jersey’s struggles in the standings, there is concern that Hall may want to walk just like Panarin or Bobrovsky do in Columbus. There are some who believe that New Jersey may want to consider moving Hall now, despite the fact that he has been struggling with injuries this year and has just 11 goals in 33 games, could bring back a bigger return if a playoff team could have Hall for a playoff run this year and then an entire season in 2019-20 before he hit free agency. Hall’s $6MM salary would seem like a bargain for a former Hart Trophy winner, who tallied 39 goals and 93 points a year ago.
However last night, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Hockey Night in Canada that he spoke to New Jersey general manager Ray Shero who said that there was a “zero chance” the team will be trading Hall this season. That doesn’t rule out the team may consider making a big trade this summer in hopes of rejuvenating their team which currently stands 12 points out of a playoff spot with 31 games to go.
New Jersey Devils Recall Cory Schneider, Re-Assign MacKenzie Blackwood
The New Jersey Devils announced they have terminated the conditioning loan of goaltender Cory Schneider and have recalled the veteran netminder. To make room for him, the team has assigned promising goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood to the Binghamton Devils of the AHL.
Schneider returns home after showing improvement in his most recent conditioning stint, as he has allowed just five goals over the past two games with Binghamton this weekend, including picking up a big shutout win Saturday over Belleville in which he made 24 out of 26 saves. Schneider has struggled with injuries and success this season. Even with his improved performance this past weekend, he still has a 3.24 GAA and a .881 save percentage with Binghamton over eight games. His numbers in New Jersey have been even worse with a 4.66 GAA and a .852 save percentage. The hope is that he’s starting to recover from his abdominal strain and might be ready to serve as the team’s backup goaltender. The 32-year-old still has another three years on his contract at $6MM per season.
As for Blackwood, the team’s future might have to wait some time longer. Blackwood’s impressive play with New Jersey this season has given him the title of goaltender of the future. The 22-year-old has a 2.37 GAA and a .926 save percentage in 13 appearances. There is talk that the team may look to trade Keith Kinkaid, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, at the trade deadline, which would allow the team to officially make Blackwood the team’s starter. For now, Blackwood will have to settle for the starting role in Binghamton, where he was recently played at the AHL All-Star game and will bide his time till an opportunity presents itself.
Trade Rumors: Boyle, Seabrook, Petan
Interest in veteran forward Brian Boyle is increasing and the New Jersey Devils may be forced to move the respected two-way veteran. Boyle, 34, is an impending free agent and the Devils have expressed a desire to re-sign him, but with the postseason out of reach they could feel pressured to capitalize on his trade value. Boyle is not without protection, though. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that the specifics of Boyle’s Limited No-Trade Clause are that he may submit a list of eight teams that he may not be traded to. That would hypothetically leave New Jersey with 23 other suitors, but if Boyle’s list includes mostly deadline buyers, the options could be much more limited. Seravalli adds that Boyle’s preference is also to remain in New Jersey, so he could seek to make it difficult for the Devils to move him. Boyle is currently on pace for 22 goals and 32 points on the year, which would rival his 2010-11 season for the best offensive campaign of his career. Meanwhile, he continues to excel as a defensive forward, leading all Devils forwards in blocked shots and trailing only Blake Coleman for the team lead in hits. The all-around impact on the ice coupled with the experience and locker room leadership that Boyle brings will continue to make him a talked-about deadline target.
- Brent Seabrook may be immovable for a number of reasons, but the Chicago Blackhawks are going to do their best. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Blackhawks have asked Seabrook to waive his No-Movement Clause. Friedman then adds that, so far, Seabrook has declined. The veteran defenseman is in a steep decline, but apparently is content to ride it out in the city and with the teammates that he has played his entire career, rather than trying to rejuvenate his game with a change of scenery. That’s Seabrook’s prerogative, but meanwhile his cap hit of $6.875MM will continue to cripple Chicago’s attempts to improve and it will likely only get worse each year. For that reason, it comes as little surprise that Friedman notes the Blackhawks plan to keep shopping Seabrook despite the trade protection in hopes that they can find a taker in the market that Seabrook would accept a trade to. It’s a lofty expectation, but if any GM has proven that he can find someone to take expensive contracts off his hands, it’s Chicago’s Stan Bowman.
- There are no guarantees at the NHL Trade Deadline, but the one player who is looking almost certain to be on the move is young Winnipeg Jets forward Nic Petan. Petan, 23, was a highly-touted second-round pick back in 2013, but has been unable to carve out a full-time role for himself in Winnipeg. Petan played a career-high 54 games in 2016-17, recording 13 points, but that number dropped to just 15 games last year and 13 games so far this year. The jury is still out when it comes to whether or not Petan can be an impact player at the NHL level, but it doesn’t look like he’s going to get the chance to prove it with the Jets anyway. As such, Winnipeg is shopping Petan in their pursuit of help up front, writes Jason Bell of the Winnipeg Free Press. Bell goes so far as to say that the team will not play Petan, in fear of injury or simply because he is not trusted, until after the deadline or longer. The Jets are all-out buyers this season and selling off a young depth forward is not something that they will rule out if it helps to land a top-six forward. However, Bell says that the team is not keen to move Jack Roslovic, rejecting several offers including the budding forward so far; Petan appears to be the go-to “young roster player” that the Jets are willing to give up. For his part, Petan did a good job of treading carefully around questions from The Winnipeg Sun’s Ken Wiebe about his frustrating season and needing a fresh start, but did admit that he’s looking forward to his “next opportunity”. Reading between the lines, it seems pretty clear that Petan is as eager to get out of Winnipeg as the Jets are to trade him.
Sami Vatanen Diagnosed With Concussion
Thursday: Vatanen has been moved to injured reserve and the Devils have recalled Eric Gryba from the AHL.
Wednesday: The New Jersey Devils have had an extremely frustrating season, and today got some more bad news. Sami Vatanen has been diagnosed with a concussion and will be out indefinitely. The injury occurred on Monday when Derick Brassard hit Vatanen’s head into the boards. Brassard was ejected from the game, but did not face any supplementary discipline.
Vatanen, 27, has been the good-if-not-great player the Devils hoped for when they traded Adam Henrique for him last season, and could very well be a trade target if the team can’t right the ship next year. Signed for another year at $4.875MM, the right-handed defenseman will draw even more than that on the open market and price himself right out of New Jersey if the team can’t get an extension with him done at some point after July 1st. Though he only has 17 points on the season, Vatanen is still logging nearly 22 minutes a night and putting up respectable possession numbers on a struggling team.
This injury comes at a terrible time for the team if they felt as though they could put together a second-half push, but more likely only strengthens their position for the draft lottery. The Devils currently sit ahead of only the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference and will have a good chance of drafting an elite prospect with a top five pick in June. If they decide to sell off some of their aging or expiring assets, they could potentially have quite the haul of draft picks to inject some more talent into the minor league system and continue the slow, methodical rebuild that GM Ray Shero had spoken about. Last year’s playoff run appears to have been a fluke, but there are obvious pillars of the future already on the roster.
Minor Transactions: 01/31/19
Just one more day of a limited NHL schedule until things get back to normal, but there are still three games to look forward to tonight. Perhaps the most interesting battle will be when the Columbus Blue Jackets travel to frigid Winnipeg to take on the Jets in a battle of Stanley Cup contenders. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league right here.
- As expected, the New Jersey Devils have brought Mackenzie Blackwood back to the NHL. Blackwood has been recalled from the minor leagues while Cam Johnson, who was up over the break, will be sent back down. Blackwood was given the opportunity to play in the AHL All-Star game over the weekend, but will be back up with the Devils down the stretch.
- Devon Toews and Michael Dal Colle are both on their way back up from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The pair of top prospects will rejoin the New York Islanders as they attempt to make it back to the playoffs this season. Dal Colle is finally getting his chance to show what he can do at the NHL level after struggling since his fifth-overall selection in 2014.
- Mackenzie MacEachern has been recalled by the St. Louis Blues, but surprising Sammy Blais is not coming with him. That suggests that Robert Thomas is close to returning for the Blues, who take on the Blue Jackets Saturday night.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Haydn Fleury once again, though that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re trading a defenseman. Fleury has spent much of the season in the press box for the Hurricanes, sitting as an extra behind their deep blue line. The 22-year old has also dealt with injury, but has now suited up just 25 times between the NHL and AHL this season.
- Michael Amadio has been recalled by the Los Angeles Kings, giving the team 23 players again as they prepare for action against Islanders on Saturday night. Amadio has just four points in 28 games with the Kings this season. The team has also recalled Sean Walker and Austin Wagner once again.
- The Montreal Canadiens have recalled Karl Alzner once again, bringing up the veteran defenseman in time for their weekend action against the Devils and Oilers. Alzner has suited up just nine times for the Canadiens this season, after seeing his eight-season iron man streak end at the beginning of the year.
- Colin Blackwell is back with the Nashville Predators and looking for a chance to get some more NHL action under his belt. The 25-year old has played in three games for the team this season but hasn’t been able to record a single point so far.
- Jake Dotchin has been sent back down to the AHL by the Anaheim Ducks, as the team has recalled Jaycob Megna. Dotchin hasn’t been able to establish himself as a full-time option for Anaheim yet this season, playing just 20 NHL contests.
- The Arizona Coyotes have recalled Kyle Capobianco from the minor leagues, likely as insurance for a banged up Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Capobianco has 32 points in 40 games for the Tucson Roadrunners but has played just a single contest for the Coyotes in his NHL career.