Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Islanders Rumors

Snapshots: Three Stars, Keller, Makar, Boeser

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The NHL announced its three stars for the month of March as Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid has found his way to the top once again, named the first star. McDavid picked up 13 goals and 15 assists in 16 games, which pulls him into the lead for the Art Ross Trophy race. Despite the Oilers struggles, McDavid has taken his game to a new level as he has hit career highs in goals (41) and points (103) and remains six points ahead of Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for top spot in the NHL.

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand is the league’s second star for March as he had 10 goals and 16 assists in 15 games. Anaheim goaltender John Gibson picked up third star honors after playing in 13 games, picking up nine wins and boasting a .931 save percentage during that span.

  • Arizona Coyotes announced rookie Clayton Keller was named NHL Rookie of the Month for the second time this season. Keller, who won the award in October, had a strong start to the season, but struggled during the winter months before picking it back up recently. He picked up 19 points in the month of March, including six goals over 17 games. The 19-year-old is ranked second among rookies in points with 63 behind the New York Islanders’ Mathew Barzal.
  • BSN Denver’s Adrian Dater tweets that the Colorado Avalanche will have to wait a little while longer to get bring in 2017 first-round pick Cale Makar into the fold. The fourth-overall pick has decided to return to the University of Massachusetts – Amherst for his sophomore year.  An elite power-play defenseman, Makar had a solid freshman year at Amherst, putting up five goals and 21 points and the Avalanche had hopes of instantly upgrading its defense for next year.
  • Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal tweets that it is doubtful that Vancouver Canucks rookie Brock Boeser plays for Team USA at this year’s 2018 IIHF World Championships in Denmark. Boeser went down for the season with a back injury and likely will spend his summer getting ready for the 2018-19 season. The 21-year-old had a great rookie season in which he scored 29 goals and picked up 55 points.

Evening Notes: Updated Draft Odds, Keith

at CDT | by 2 Comments

With the season winding down, and teams vying for the better odds of winning the Rasmus Dahlin sweepstakes, the Ottawa Senators took another step in upping their chances at the top pick by losing to Detroit 2-0 this afternoon. With just four games remaining, the Sens are tied with Arizona for the second worst record in the NHL with 65 points. Buffalo still has the best shot at securing the rights for the first overall pick. The NHL released the odds two days ago and with several teams within a few points of one another, the “tank-a-thon” race could be the matter of a few points as opposed to Colorado’s historically bad season in 2016-17.   As it stands, here are the odds for the ten worst teams through Saturday evening. Vancouver won in overtime, blowing a 4-1 lead late but still notching two points, which moved them from a 9.5% chance to 8.5%.  Please note that Arizona, Buffalo, New York (Rangers and Islanders), Edmonton, and Montreal all play tonight, which could alter the landscape a bit.

Buffalo (18.5%) – 60 points – 5 games remaining
Ottawa (13.5%) – 65 points – 4 games remaining
Arizona (11.5%)   – 65 points – 4 games remaining
Montreal (9.5%) – 68 points – 5 games remaining
Vancouver (8.5%) – 69 points – 3 games remaining
Detroit (7.5%) – 71 points – 3 games remaining
Chicago (6.5%) – 74 points – 3 games remaining
NY Islanders (6.0%) – 74 points – 4 games remaining
Edmonton (5.0%) – 74 points – 4 games remaining
NY Rangers (3.5%) – 75 points – 4 games remaining

  • The Chicago Blackhawks are going to miss the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade, and some of that has to do with the Hawks inability to score goals. Duncan Keith has seen his share of struggles and is on pace to set an NHL record for the wrong reasons writes the Chicago Sun-Times Mark Lazerus. After taking 183 shots on net this season, Keith has only gotten the puck past a netminder once. Though his goal scoring has dropped off since he potted 10 back in 2014-15 when Chicago captured the Stanley Cup, nobody saw Keith’s performance going off the rails quite like this. Lazerus writes that if Keith doesn’t score in the final three games, Keith will set the NHL record for lowest non-zero shooting percentage. Lazerus adds that while Keith has been far and away the best defenseman for Chicago this season, he’s even fallen away from what has been his best play. Lazerus attributes this to being one of the only true top four defenseman on the team, something that has bogged down the two-time Norris Trophy winner.

Snapshots: Ho-Sang, Price, Mitchell

at CDT | by 18 Comments

Joshua Ho-Sang hasn’t had the season many were hoping for this year, and he doesn’t really think it’s all his fault. Ho-Sang has played in just 22 games at the NHL level, scoring 12 points but spending most of the season in the AHL once again. He spoke to Arthur Staple of The Athletic (subscription required) about it, and was quite candid in his approach.

I love those guys, I want to make that clear,” Ho-Sang said of his former Islanders teammates. “I know they’re working hard. But I got sent down for defense and what are they in goals against in the NHL? I only played (22) games up there this year. I don’t think it’s my fault. They really painted it like it was my fault at the beginning of the year and I didn’t like that.

Obviously there is more than just defense in the critique of Ho-Sang’s game, and Staple does a wonderful job breaking down what has happened between the two sides, including quotes from GM Garth Snow. It’s a very interesting situation to keep an eye on, as Ho-Sang has all the offensive talent in the world and is still an important part of the Islanders’ future.

  • Carey Price won’t play in the upcoming World Championships, instead focusing on his health and being ready for the 2018-19 season with the Montreal Canadiens. Price has had a tough season battling through injuries, and putting up the lowest save percentage of his career at just .902. About to start an eight-year, $84MM contract, he’s the key to any potential Canadiens bounce back next season and down the road. Brendan Gallagher also won’t suit up at the Worlds, while Alex Galchenyuk is still weighing a decision.
  • Also from the staff at The Athletic, Scott Powers reports (subscription required) that Ian Mitchell will not turn pro this summer and instead is expected to return to the University of Denver for his sophomore year. Mitchell, 19, was selected in the second round by the Chicago Blackhawks last June and excelled in his first year for DU. 30 points in 41 games easily led the club’s defensemen in scoring, and he should take another step forward next year to be one of the nation’s most dangerous offensive blueliners.

Minor Transactions: 03/22/18

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Ten games and a lot of pride on the schedule for tonight’s NHL action, including non-playoff matchups between the Oilers-Senators and Canucks-Blackhawks. Though these teams are all battling for a higher seeding in the draft lottery, the players on the ice want to win every single game to prove their worth in the top league in the world. While the playoff chase rages in other cities, these games can surprise with some memorable moments of skill and performance.

As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here, even if your favorite team is already out of it.

  • The New York Islanders have sent Sebastian Aho back to the AHL, now that the team is essentially out of the playoff race. New York sits in last place in the Metro with just 72 points, but Bridgeport is still battling for one of the last playoff spots in the AHL’s Eastern Conference. Aho has played sparingly of late with the Islanders, but has been a difference maker during his time in the minor leagues.

New York Islanders Sign Otto Koivula To Three-Year Deal

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The New York Islanders have added another intriguing young forward prospect, signing Otto Koivula to a three-year entry-level contract. The 19-year old forward recently finished his second full season in the Finnish Liiga, and could now potentially come over to spend some time on North American ice over the next few weeks.

Koivula was named Rookie of the Year last season when he scored 30 points in 50 games, using his size and creativity to create offense for himself and linemates. He was selected in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, and remains something of a project for the Islanders despite some interesting potential. At 6’4″ 220-lbs, Koivula plays with more skill than players of his size normally do, and could develop into a powerful offensive threat if everything clicks.

At the most recent World Juniors, Koivula recorded just two points in six games, and this season saw him register just 27 points in 53 games for his club team. While that is sort of a step backwards, he wasn’t put in as many offensive situations as Ilves relied on some different players this season. It’s not clear if he’s coming over for AHL play next season, as he could still be loaned back to Europe in 2018-19.

Tavares Notes: Potential Suitors, Rangers, Deadline Moves, Snow

at CDT | by 7 Comments

The worse the New York Islanders play as their recent struggles continue, the more NHL teams are salivating at the chance to steal away a star player, which is a rare thing, according to the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons. The last significant star free agent that signed with another club dates back to 2006 when the Boston Bruins signed Zdeno Chara away from the Ottawa Senators. However, usually franchise free agents sign with their former team like Steven Stamkos did back in 2016.

Simmons writes that the San Jose Sharks and the St. Louis Blues are the two teams that are thought to be at the top of the list of suitors for Tavares. He adds that several teams with cap space might also be interested in attempting to lure Tavares to their team as they lack that superstar player, including the Vegas Golden Knights, New Jersey Devils and the Vancouver Canucks. Other teams like Montreal, Detroit, Carolina and even Toronto might also attempt to make a stab at acquiring the 27-year-old center.

  • It doesn’t look like the New York Rangers are expected to go after Tavares, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post. With the Rangers rebuilding their franchise, it just doesn’t seem to make sense that Tavares would sign with them. Considering Tavares is fueled by team loyalty, it seems unlikely he would sign with the Rangers who could offer only seven years, while the Islanders can offer eight years and are much closer to reaching the playoffs.
  • The lack of trade deadline moves might also count against the New York Islanders in their quest to re-sign Tavares, according to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos. While saying that he would not move Tavares, Islanders’ general manager Garth Snow also said he would not make moves for rental players. In the end, the biggest acquisition the team made was trading a third-round pick for defenseman Brandon Davidson, who had been placed on waivers only months earlier. Now after seven losses since the deadline, Kypreos questions whether Snow’s moves were the right ones. Certainly bolstering the team for a playoff run might have shown Tavares how committed the team is to winning. Instead the losing could easily drive the soon-to-be free agent away. The team is sitting in last place in the Metropolitan Division, well out of range of a playoff spot. “It almost feels like this thing is snowballing away from the Islanders and Tavares,” said Kypreos.
  • Arthur Staple of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that co-owners Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky have some tough decisions to make in the next few weeks. The scribe writes that they chose to keep Snow last offseason because he and then-new head coach Doug Weight were close with Tavares. However, with fans calling for Snow’s head, ownership may want to make a change before Tavares hits free agency. Even if they don’t make an immediate move, Snow’s job may come down to whether Tavares stays or goes. “It’s out of my control,” Tavares said regarding Snow’s job status. “I’m here to play hockey, be the best player I can be for the Islanders. Those things are above my head. I just try to have the right attitude every day, not take this for granted, enjoy the group we have, the staff we have. Ever since I’ve been here I’ve been treated great, just tried to come out and give everything I can. We wish we’d have more success, but anything that happens, anything that has happened is out of my control.”

 

Snapshots: Tavares & Barzal, Berube, Gustavsson, Tolvanen, McLain

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Having lost 10 out of their last 11 games this season, the New York Islanders look ready to make a major change as head coach Doug Weight plans to not only shake up their lines, but also put their two best players on the same lines for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers. The move, which was actually started Friday during the second period would force John Tavares to the wing position with rookie Mathew Barzal moving next to him at the center position, according to Andrew Gross of Newsday. Jordan Eberle will take over at right wing.

“It doesn’t mean he’s going to play wing and it doesn’t mean he’s not a centerman,” Weight said of Tavares. “It’s an experiment. Moving forward it gives them some experience together. I’m excited to see it.”

One has to wonder whether the move is made to see whether Barzal and Tavares might make a good fit, which could be another incentive, if it works, to convince Tavares to stay and re-sign with the franchise at the end of the season. The team has struggled offensively recently and neither player has stood out recently. Tavares has just two goals in the team’s last 10 games, while Barzal has just three in that same span.

  • While Corey Crawford is unlikely to return this year in goal for the Chicago Blackhawks, the real test for the remainder of the year will be to determine who will end up being his backup next year. The team has both current goaltenders, Jean-Francois Berube and Anton Forsberg, under contract for one more season. According to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times, the better of the two will likely assume the backup spot next year. Both are very similar as they both make the almost the same amount of money and are almost the same age. Lazerus believes that while neither goalie is perfect, Berube has been slightly more consistent than Lindholm, who has put up one of the worst save percentages in the league since Feb. 1 (.889) and has already been pulled six times this season.
  • The Ottawa Senators got some good news as 19-year-old prospect goaltender Filip Gustavsson is heading for the AHL. According to the Ottawaw Citizen’s Ken Warren, Gustavsson, who the Senators acquired in the Derick Brassard trade from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline, is expected to report to the Belleville Senators as his Lulea team in the Swedish Elite League was eliminated from the playoffs. He played 22 games in the SHL with a 2.07 GAA and a .918 save percentage.
  • On the other hand, the Nashville Predators are still keeping a close eye on the KHL playoffs as they watch the play of Eeli Tolvanen of Jokerit. The 2017 first-rounder saw his team drop their second straight playoff game to CSKA and if they get swept, Tolvanen could be free to sign with the Predators for their playoff run as early as Tuesday.
  • On a minor league note, the Iowa Wild of the AHL announced they signed Bowling Green forward Mitch McLain to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. The former captain was an nominee for the Hobey Baker Award and scored 53 goals for Bowling Green over the course of four seasons.

Injury Notes: Winnipeg Injuries, Tkachuk, Kuznetsov, Hutton, Kamenev

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Despite just having lost defenseman Dmitry Kulikov to injury, the Winnipeg Jets look to be gaining several other names back. The team, which seems to have been hampered by multiple injuries over the past couple of months, could be getting three players back on Sunday.

JetsTV’s Jamie Thomas tweets that forwards Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry along with defenseman Toby Enstrom are likely to play if they feel good tomorrow. Scheifele has missed five games due to an upper-body injury, while Lowry’s upper-body injury has prevented him from playing in a game since Feb. 1. Enstrom has missed eight of his last nine games with the Jets with what is believed to be a lower-body injury.

Thomas also mentions that the team’s goalie situation isn’t improving as quickly. Backup goaltender Steve Mason, who had his knee scoped earlier this week is still on a tw0 to three-week timeframe and is not likely to return until April. He has just played in 12 games so far this year due to multiple injuries. Michael Hutchinson, out with a concussion, is active and riding a stationary bike, but there is no timetable yet for his return.

  • Sportsnet’s John Shannon tweets that Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk did not join the team for their two-game road trip to Las Vegas and Arizona Sunday and Monday. The 20-year-old had already missed the past two games and is not expected to be back until at least Wednesday. He has been out with a possible concussion he sustained Sunday against the New York Islanders.
  • The Washington Capitals announced that center Evgeny Kuznetsov will be out Sunday with an upper-body injury and will be listed as day-to-day. He was injured in Friday’s game against the New York Islanders after being tripped by Thomas Hickey. The 25-year-old has been one of the key constants for the Capitals as he already has a career-high in goals scored with 21 and is closing on his career-high for points.
  • The Vancouver Canucks will be without defenseman Ben Hutton Saturday as he will miss the game due to a foot infection, according to Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal. The third-year blueliner has played 59 games this season and averages 18:27 ATOI.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have placed forward Vladislav Kamenev on injured reserve, according to CapFriendly, after he has spent the last three games playing for the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL. No word on if he re-injured his arm, which he broke back in November.

Tavares, Islanders Could Work Out Sign-And-Trade

at CDT | by 26 Comments

A “sign-and-trade” scenario, in which a player signs with his current team or another only for the purposes of being traded to a different team, is uncommon in the NHL. It most frequently seen in the NBA, where such deals often offer the teams making the deal some salary cap loophole or benefit. The straightforward NHL hard cap doesn’t require such moves very often; in fact no sign-and-trade has occurred in the salary cap era. However, TSN insiders Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger think one high profile free agent could necessitate such a deal: New York Islanders superstar John Tavares.

Now, there is still no word on what Tavares’ plans are this season. He is undoubtedly the biggest name among potential unrestricted free agents this off-season, but could still choose to stay with the Islanders. Tampa Bay Lightning phenom Steven Stamkos was in a similar situation two years ago and waited about as long as possible before simply re-upping with Tampa. Tavares could certainly do the same. Dreger says that Tavares will meet with agent Pat Brisson following the season – which for the Islander should be next month – to discuss the situation and the many factors that could keep him in New York or instead drive him away. Dreger adds that Tavares is expected to inform GM Garth Snow and the Islanders as to what his plans are ahead of the NHL Draft in June.

If Tavares does let Snow and company know that he has decided to move on, it doesn’t rule out his re-signing with the team, again for the purposes of a sign-and-trade. As LeBrun points out, all three parties involved could benefit from such a deal. Tavares could gain an eighth year to his new contract, available only in extensions, if he first signs with the Isles. The team he is traded to could also use the eighth year to lessen the cap hit on the deal by dropping the actual salary as the years go on, as so often happens in lengthy contracts for players of a certain age. Finally, the biggest concern for the Islanders and their fans is obviously watching Tavares walk away for nothing. While they won’t get a return similar to if they had dealt Tavares at the deadline, New York will still get something in exchange for enabling the sign-and-trade. At this point, getting anything at all for losing Tavares has to appeal to the Isles.

Will such a scenario play out this summer? There hasn’t been a sign-and-trade this century, so obviously the odds don’t favor it. However, there are aspects of the situation that lend themselves to this being the exception to the rule. The most likely result is still that Tavares stays in New York. If that doesn’t happen, it likely means he wants to test the open market. Yet, there is a possibility that Tavares will have a specific destination in mind prior to July 1st and, if that happens, a sign-and-trade could be the ideal scenario for everyone involved.

Scott Eansor Earns Two-Year Contract With New York Islanders

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Hard work continues to pay off for Scott Eansor, who has earned his first contract with the New York Islanders after a strong season in the AHL. The team announced today a two-year, two-way contract with Eansor, though financial details were not released. Because of his age (22), this is the standard entry-level contract length.

The 5’9″ 185-lbs forward had been playing under an AHL contract this season after going undrafted during his junior career. In 57 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Eansor registered 16 goals and 22 points.

The Islanders were very familiar with what Eansor could bring even before he started playing for their minor league team. He was the counterpart to Mathew Barzal for several years with the Seattle Thunderbirds, taking some of the defensive load off his shoulders while chipping in offensively. If he could one day play a similar role in the NHL, the Islanders would be extremely happy. That goal is still a long-shot, but Eansor has continued to work hard to make it a reality. He’ll have to continue to impress at the minor league level, but as the league turns to more and more undersized players, his chances have never been better.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top