Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Islanders Rumors

This Week In Hockey Blogging: A Dozen Articles To Read

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Here are a handful of articles from various hockey bloggers this week:

Winging It In Motown looks at the ongoing discussion of toughness in the NHL and how it’s unfairly used to criticize players.

Pension Plan Puppets  closely scout Auston Matthews.

Lighthouse Hockey likens their Islanders to the Walking Dead and take a deep dive into how the Islanders got to where they are.

The Committed Indian examines how the salary cap has created the parity intended, but in a ho-hum way.

Raw Charge analyzes Tampa Bay’s problem with developing first round draft picks.

Down Goes Brown lists the ten lies that every hockey fan is guilty of reciting.

Blueshirt Banter talked to Ryan McDonagh about the team and the season so far.

Bleedin Blue suggests that the Blues look into why they’re struggling so much on the road.

Copper and Blue discusses everything from Connor McDavid’s wingers to players in Bakersfield who should see time with the big club down the road.

Pensburgh compares Bryan Rust’s three-goal performance to a legendary Penguin’s five goal performance.

Hockey Wilderness  suggests two players for Chuck Fletcher to acquire.

Finally, Canucks Army offers advice to ownership: new management.

We’re always looking to add to the list. Tweet us some articles you like @prohockeyrumors or let us know through our comments section.

Islanders Sign Cal Clutterbuck To Five Year Extension

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The New York Islanders announced that they have signed right winger Cal Clutterbuck to a five year extension that runs through the 2021-22 season.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the deal will carry a cap hit of $3.5MM.  That represents a $750K raise on his current $2.75MM cap hit but matches the salary he’s earning this season.
Jan 3, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders right wing Cal Clutterbuck (15) reacts after scoring a goal against the Dallas Stars during the second period at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Clutterbuck is in his fourth season with New York after being acquired from Minnesota for Nino Niederreiter back in June of 2013.  He was named an alternate captain for the team at the beginning of the season.

This year, the 29 year old has played in 25 games, scoring twice while adding seven assists.  He has also seen his role increase; after spending most of his time as a fourth liner in previous years, he has spent more time in the middle six this season.

[Related: Islanders Depth Chart]

In his career, Clutterbuck has played in 597 games between the Wild and Islanders, picking up 98 goals, 79 assists, and 469 penalty minutes.

With the deal, the Islanders have committed over $66MM in payroll to the 2017-18 season, per CapFriendly.  Remaining among their free agents next offseason are defenseman Calvin de Haan (RFA), defenseman Dennis Seidenberg (UFA), and goaltender Thomas Greiss (UFA).

The breakdown of the contract is as follows per CapFriendly:

2017-18: $5MM
2018-19: $4MM
2019-20: $3.5MM
2020-21: $2.5MM
2021-22: $2.5MM

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Washington Capitals Recall Aaron Ness; Matt Niskanen Out

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After getting hit face-first into the boards by Patrice Bergeron in yesterday’s game, Matt Niskanen is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and will be out for the Washington Capitals next matchup. To replace him, the team has called up Aaron Ness from the Hershey Bears Thursday afternoon.

Ness was originally acquired by the Capitals in 2015 after the Islanders let him hit free agency. The former captain of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Ness fit right in with the Bears last season, scoring 27 points during the regular season and being a huge part of their run to the Calder Cup finals. He also spent eight games with the Capitals in 2015-16, recording two assists and not looking out of place.

The former second-round (40th overall) pick of the Islanders is a smooth skating defenseman who can make an excellent outlet pass and rack up points. At 26 he’s not exactly young, but could still develop into at least a part-time NHL player. He’ll have big shoes to fill in Washington however, as Niskanen was logging over 22 minutes a night this season and skated on both special teams.

Following the Niskanen hit, Bergeron will receive no addition discipline from the league. The Capitals defender however isn’t travelling to Buffalo with the team and will be re-evaluated daily.

Friedman’s Latest: Cap, Islanders, Purcell, Cowen

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

In the latest edition of his wonderful 30 Thoughts column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman touched on a wide variety of topics of interest to hockey fans, including where the salary cap is expected to land for the 2017-18 season.

  • At this month’s GM meetings, managers are expecting to receive a preliminary number for the salary cap. Friedman reported that a couple GMs are “hoping for $75MM.”
    That would be an increase of $2MM over the current $73MM ceiling. Last summer, the cap went up by just $1.6MM, which was a smaller increase than what most teams were expecting, and also one of the smaller increases in cap history. The cap has risen by more than $3MM six times since it was implemented in 2005-06.
  • After discussing the New York Islanders management situation, Friedman joked that “one day I’m going to ply GM Garth Snow with enough truth serum to find out how hard he planned to go after Steven Stamkos, what he was going to offer, and how that affected his July 1, 2016 decisions.”
    The off-season did not go as planned for the Islanders, who lost Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen to free agency and replaced them with Andrew Ladd and Jason Chimera. Ladd has just three goals and six points this season, and is signed for seven years. He’s a prominent member of Pro Hockey Rumors’ 2016 UFA All-Bust Team.
  • As we speculated when he was placed on waivers, the Los Angeles Kings had tried to trade Teddy Purcell before placing him on waivers. However, they were not willing to take a contract back, as we suggested most teams would offer. Friedman suggested Ottawa could have interest, as Purcell previously played for Senators head coach Guy Boucher when the pair were in Tampa Bay, but it doesn’t work at the moment for budget reasons. Friedman says he “wouldn’t be surprised if someone takes a chance” later in the season
  • Finally, with Jared Cowen’s arbitration result due to come later today, Friedman pointed out that a Cowen win would “wreak havoc” on next year’s cap for the Maple Leafs because of rookie bonus overages. Currently Cowen’s buyout is a $650K cap credit for Toronto, but that could change to a $3.1MM cap hit depending on whether or not the arbitrator deems Cowen was healthy enough to buy-out in the summer (numbers via Cap Friendly).

Minor Transactions: Stars, Sharks, Isles, Flyers

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Dallas Stars have recalled young center Jason Dickinson from the AHL’s Texas Stars, his first call-up of the season. A first-round pick of the Stars in 2013, Dickinson made his NHL debut late last season, scoring a goal in his very first game. However, Dickinson was then returned to the minors and did not play in the playoffs. Dickinson made his presence felt at the AHL level last season though, with 53 points in 73 games, including 22 goals. He already has ten points in 13 games to begin the new campaign. If the former captain of the OHL’s Guelph Storm had not begun the season on the injured reserve, many believed that he would have made the Stars roster out of camp, given the spot vacated by the injury to Mattias Janmark. Instead, Dickinson will now be looked upon to add a jolt of energy and offense to a Dallas team that has fallen short of expectations so far this season.

Other promotions and demotions:

  • The San Jose Sharks have recalled forward Kevin Labanc from the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda (a.k.a the next locker room down). Labanc played in his first NHL game earlier this season after being promoted to the Sharks in early November, but was sent back to the AHL squad just two days ago to get some play time over the weekend. Now, he’s back with the Sharks and looking to stick. In twelve NHL games in 2016-17, Labanc has two goals and two assists, while in eight AHL games he has an impressive 13 points while posting a +8. Labanc has been a revelation of sorts; he scored a combined 227 points in just 133 games with the OHL’s Barrie Colts in the two junior seasons after he was drafted by the Sharks in the sixth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. The Sharks hope he continues to show his offensive upside at the highest level and earns a full-time role with the team this season.
  • The New York Islanders gave defenseman Scott Mayfield an emergency promotion today, with Johnny Boychuk suffering from the flu. The 2011 second-round pick has played in a couple games already this season and will make his 14th career NHL start tonight against the cross-town rival New York Rangers. The shutdown defender will skate alongside Thomas Hickey in tonight’s contest.
  • In a somewhat surprising move, the Philadelphia Flyers have demoted Scott Laughton again. The 2012 first-round pick has been a fixture in Philadelphia for a few years now, having made his NHL debut the year after he was drafted and then playing in 31 games in 2014-15 and 71 games in 2015-16. The 22-year-old forward plays a tough, two-way game, but that hasn’t been enough to earn him play time with the Flyers this year. Laughton was first sent down to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms in early November, but was recalled last week with the presumption that he would stick around. Instead, he’s headed back to the AHL, with Taylor Leier on his way up to take his place. Laughton has played in just two NHL games with season and has been held scoreless, but is a point-per-game player for the Phantoms with two goals and six assists in eight games. Although Leier is having a strong season in the AHL, as he did last year, he did not record a point in six games with the Flyers last season. It seems to be a case of Philadelphia preferring an offensive forward in the lineup right now over a defensive one, even if Laughton appears to be a superior player to Leier at the NHL level.

East Notes: Spooner, Ovechkin, Islanders Executive Search

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Hurricanes, Sharks, and Islanders are among the teams that have been in trade talks with Boston regarding forward Ryan Spooner, reports CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty.  The Bruins are believed to be shopping the 24 year old who is off to a slow start this season with nine points in 25 games.  Spooner, a natural center, has spent a lot of time on the left wing and has bounced anywhere between the first and fourth lines which hasn’t allowed him to settle into one specific role so far.

It’s believed that GM Don Sweeney is looking for a top six forward in return for Spooner, who carries a cap hit of just $950K this season.  While there aren’t many top six forwards with a cap charge under $1MM, the Bruins do have some cap space to work with (a little over $3.6MM per CapFriendly) which would make it easier to take a higher priced player back if they can find the right trade.

For his part, Spooner reiterated that his preference is to stay with Boston, the team that drafted him back in the second round (45th overall) back in 2010.  With Matt Beleskey set to miss the next six weeks due to a knee injury, Spooner should slide into his spot in the lineup and although that will mean he’ll need to continue to play the left wing, having a bit more certainty in his role may go a long way towards him re-establishing himself as an offensive threat after putting up 49 points last season.

More from the East:

  • Capitals head coach Barry Trotz is not happy with captain Alex Ovechkin when it comes to his discipline, writes Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. Ovechkin has taken five minor penalties in Washington’s last three games and leads the team with 11 in total, something that Trotz calls “unacceptable”.
  • As part of their search to bring in a high level executive, the Islanders are interested in speaking with former Vancouver GM Mike Gillis, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link). TSN’s Darren Dreger adds (Twitter links) that the team has spoken with former Isles Pat LaFontaine, Pat Flatley, and Glenn Healy and that they may have interest in Laurence Gilman, another former executive with the Canucks. He notes that Vancouver has not yet been asked for permission to speak with either Gillis or Gilman, something that is required as both still are under contract to the Canucks this season despite being let go.

Garrioch’s Latest: Coaches, Pouliot, Islanders, Canadiens, Hayes

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With Gerard Gallant being the first coach fired, talk has quickly swirled to who may the next to go.  Ottawa Sun columnist Bruce Garrioch reports in his latest Insider Trading column that several executives around the league believe that Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice and Buffalo bench boss Dan Bylsma are both on the hot seat.  The suggestion is that the Jets have played well enough that they should be firmly in a playoff spot instead of fighting for a Wild Card berth while the Sabres have underachieved even after factoring in the long list of injuries they’ve had to deal with.

Garrioch also provided some information about several players that are available on the trade market and what some teams are looking to acquire:

  • The Edmonton Oilers have held trade talks with a few teams regarding left winger Benoit Pouliot. He’s off to a slow start this season with just four goals and one assist in 23 games while also spending time as a healthy scratch.  The 30 year old has two years left after this with a cap hit and salary of $4MM.  Garrioch clarifies that GM Peter Chiarelli isn’t actively shopping Pouliot but he is trying to see if there is any interest in him throughout the league.
  • Islanders GM Garth Snow is looking for a top line winger to play alongside John Tavares. Long-time linemate Kyle Okposo signed in Buffalo back in July while Andrew Ladd has struggled considerably with New York so far.  Even though Tavares won’t be a free agent until July of 2018, Snow is aware that finding him another winger that he’s comfortable with would go a long way towards helping them re-sign him.  One winger who doesn’t appear to be the solution is Nikolay Kulemin, who the Islanders are actively shopping.
  • Philadelphia would like to trade defenseman Andrew MacDonald. However, with a cap hit of $5MM through 2019-20, that is a move that will be much easier said than done.  The 30 year old cleared waivers last season and almost undoubtedly would again if they tried to clear his contract through that route.
  • Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin has been calling teams looking for a defenseman that could play alongside Shea Weber on their top pairing. Alexei Emelin is currently forming the other half of that duo but he’s better suited as a bottom pairing player.  Speculatively, the team would likely be looking for more of a mobile puck mover to go along with the physical Weber.
  • Boston “wouldn’t mind moving” right winger Jimmy Hayes. He has had a disastrous start to this season, scoring just a single goal in 22 games and is playing just over ten minutes per night, not exactly what they were hoping for when they dealt Reilly Smith for him back in July of 2015.  Hayes has a cap hit of $2.3MM through 2017-18 which may present some challenges to move considering his current struggles.

The 2016 All UFA Bust Team

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Last week we presented our 2016 All UFA Bargain team, highlighted by Jonathan Marchessault and Chad Johnson, each of whom has provided results well in excess of any expectations based on the contracts they signed this summer. Of course for every free agent bargain in the NHL there is likely at least one free agent signing that will rate as a bust. Strangely enough, only a handful of UFA blue liners inked multiyear pacts this summer with two of the biggest names, Keith Yandle and Alex Goligoski, traded by their previous employers before agreeing to lucrative deals prior to reaching unrestricted free agency. Subsequently, finding two defensemen who have severely under-performed their new contracts was not as easy as expected.

Without further ado, here is Pro Hockey Rumors 2016 All UFA Bust Team.

Forwards

Andrew Ladd (New York Islanders) – Seven years, $38.5MM: The Islanders, needing to replace the scoring tough of Kyle Okposo, reached a lucrative agreement July 1st with veteran left wing Andrew Ladd. It was expected that in addition to 25-goal, 50-point production, Ladd would also add leadership to a relatively young squad. But Ladd has just five points in 23 contests with his new club and has struggled despite seeing a lot of early-season ice time with John Tavares.

Many were critical of the Ladd contract, primarily due to the seven-year term. Ladd, soon to turn 31, already has nearly 800 regular season games under his belt and likely won’t remain productive into his mid-to-late-30’s. However it was at least expected that Ladd would maintain his 20-goal plus production through the first half of his deal.

Mikkel Boedker (San Jose Sharks) – Four years, $16MM: After falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Final last June, the San Jose Sharks decided they needed to add some speed to help keep up against the league’s quicker clubs. Enter Boedker, who had tied his career-high in points, tallying 51 while splitting the 2015-16 campaign between Arizona and Colorado. Boedker was supposed to help allow the Sharks to ice four quality lines with skill and add some more speed to the lineup. Unfortunately the production – two goals and four points – simply doesn’t measure up to the lofty contract he received.

Dale Weise (Philadelphia Flyers) – Four years, $9.4MM: Weise parlayed an excellent platform season – 14 goals, 27 points – into a nice, multiyear deal with the Flyers this summer despite his late-season struggles following a trade from Montreal to Chicago. The physical winger tallied just one assist in 15 games with the Blackhawks down the stretch. Yet the AAV of $2.35MM is in line with Weise’s full-season production in both 2014-15 and 2015-16. The problem is, Weise has just two goals and four points in 22 game so far on the campaign and that’s not nearly enough to justify his contract.

Defense

Dan Hamhuis (Dallas Stars) – Two years, $7.5MM: The Stars pursued Hamhuis at last season’s trade deadline but the veteran defender elected to exercise his NTC to block a proposed deal to Dallas as he didn’t want to uproot his family at that time. After losing Kris Russell, Jason Demers and Alex Goligoski from last year’s blue line, it seemed only natural that the Stars would turn again to Hamhuis for help. The 13-year-vet has long been a steady performer and the two-year term is reasonable, but he has just five points in 24 games and has been a healthy scratch at times this season. Surely the Stars expected a little more from their investment.

Jason Demers (Florida Panthers) – Five years, $22.5MM: It’s not that Demers is having a terrible year as he is on pace for around 10 goals and 29 points. But Florida remade their blue line in the offseason, moving on from tough, physical defenders Erik Gudbranson and Dmitry Kulikov in favor of better puck movers like Demers. To say that plan hasn’t worked out would be an understatement. Defensively the team is allowing 2.44 goals-per-game, exactly the same as last year. However on offense, the team is averaging 0.51 fewer goals per game. Yes, some of that likely has to do with the injuries to Jonathan Huberdeau and Nick Bjugstad, but the bottom line is the season has been a bitter disappointment for the Panthers and Demers shares in some of the responsibility.

Goalie

James Reimer (Florida Panthers) – Five years, $17MM: With Roberto Luongo now 37, and the upcoming expansion draft at least providing the Panthers with the possibility of getting out from under the final five years of his onerous contract, the Panthers elected to buy the best goalie on the free agent market this summer to provide a competent fallback option. After eight starts this season, Reimer has a Save % under 0.900 and a GAA above 3.0. While a $3.4MM AAV may not be on par with most of the league’s starters, it is excellent money for a backup and Reimer is currently not even playing to that modest level.

 

Metro Division Snapshots: Blue Jackets, Islanders, Berube

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been one of the league’s pleasant surprises through the quarter point of the campaign. Expected to again be a lottery team after a 27th place finish in 2015-16, Columbus is off to a 14 – 5 – 4 start and their 32 points are good enough to place them in a tie for fifth most in the NHL. The Jackets also rank in the top-ten in goals scored, goals allowed and have the league’s top ranked man advantage unit. Craig Morgan, writing for Fan Rag Sports Network, explores how Columbus has been able to turn things around after an offseason that didn’t yield any major personnel changes.

Morgan spoke with Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline, who was able to provide his insights into the team. Right off the top Portzline cites three key reasons for Columbus’ early success. First, Sergei Bobrovsky has been healthy and is performing at a high level between the pipes. Second, Alex Wennberg is producing at the level of a top center. Third, rookie blue liner Zach Werenski has shown he wasn’t just ready to play in the NHL, he was ready to be a star in the league.

Among goalies who have played in at least 15 games this season, Bobrovsky ranks 5th in Save % (0.929) and 6th in GAA (2.08). Wennberg, in his third NHL campaign, has 6 goals and 21 points in 23 contests and is tied for 7th in the league in assists. Werenski leads all rookie blue liners in goals (5) and points (16).

In addition to the output of those three key players, young defenseman Seth Jones has also played a vital role in the Blue Jackets unexpectedly strong play. Columbus head coach John Tortorella had this to say about Jones’ impact:

“You can see how he can control the game with the puck. We have a lot of teaching to do with him without the puck, but the God-given ability that he has, it’s at a different level than a lot of other players in this league.”

Whether or not Columbus can maintain this level of play and compete for a playoff berth of course remains to be seen. However, by this point in the campaign, teams that are currently hold a postseason spot have excellent odds of making the playoffs and that should bode well for the Jackets.

Elsewhere in the Metro Division:

  • With new ownership now pulling the strings in Brooklyn, there are rumblings that the New York Islanders may be searching for a high level executive to join their front office, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday. The plan is to add a big name and evidently among those who are under consideration are two former NHL’ers with ties to the New York area: former Islander and Ranger Pat LaFontaine and Brad Richards, who retired after last season and spent three seasons with the Blueshirts. Staple adds that another name linked to the potential new role is Pat Brisson, who just so happens to be John Tavares’ agent and was a contender for the Pittsburgh Penguins GM position two years ago. It’s not clear whether the hire, if eventually made, would join the team as team president and work with Islanders GM Garth Snow, or if that person would be charged with reshaping the organization’s front office.
  • Jean-Francois Berube is currently in a tough spot as the Islanders #3 goalie behind Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss. Fearful of losing the 25-year-old net minder on waivers but apparently unwilling to give him any playing time, the Islanders have planted Berube firmly in the press box for much of the last two seasons. Berube has yet to see any action this season at any level and got into just 12 games – seven in the NHL and five in the AHL – in 2015-16. It’s certainly an unusual situation but as Larry Brooks of the New York Post writes, it’s not an entirely unique one. According to Brooks, goaltender Wayne Thomas spent the entire 1974-75 campaign on the roster of the Montreal Canadiens without even dressing as the backup. Berube has at least been on the Isles bench 10 times this season. Thomas would go on to appear in 243 career NHL contests – including a career-high 64 appearances the next season – perhaps providing some hope for Berube, who has all of seven games to his credit. While Brooks’ story is somewhat anecdotal, Berube and his representation have not been amused with the net minder’s lack of usage over the last two seasons. A resolution of some sorts that allows Berube to get on the ice, whether in Brooklyn or another NHL city, is likely best for all parties involved.

Metro Division Snapshots: Williams, Calvert, Di Pauli

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Now in the midst of his 16th NHL campaign, Washington Capitals winger Justin Williams has carved out a solid career as an excellent two-way player that excels at driving possession and one who is a proven playoff performer. In more than 1,000 regular season contests, Williams has tallied 251 goals with 387 assists while compiling a Corsi For % of better than 57%. Despite his past success, Williams finds himself mired in a deep slump this season, though as Isabelle Khurshudyan writes, the three-time Stanley Cup winner is trying to stay positive.

On the season, Williams has potted just two goals and four points in 22 games for the Capitals; a scoring pace which if maintained would result in the lowest full-season output of his career. But even at 35, it’s likely Williams still has enough gas in the tank to turn his season around. Last year, Williams tallied 22 goals and 52 points, totals which suggest there should be plenty of quality hockey left.

Khurdshudyan notes that Williams’ season to date can be summarized by a sequence during the Capitals recent tilt against the Islanders. Late in the first frame, Williams appeared to cash in on a cross-ice feed from Evgeny Kuznetsov but replays showed the puck crossed the line just after time expired in the period.

Williams’ struggles can be attributed at least in part to a shooting percentage well off his career rate. For his career, Williams has found the back of the net on 9.3% of his shots on goal. To this point in the campaign his success rate is just 4.1%. Williams is still generating shots near his career average – 2.64 per to 2.22 – which reinforces the belief that it’s likely just a matter of time before the veteran winger starts putting the biscuit in the basket again with regular frequency.

Elsewhere in the Metro Division:

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that they have activated veteran checking winger Matt Calvert from IR. Calvert, who had missed the past five contests with an upper-body injury, has two goals and three points in 17 appearances for the Blue Jackets this season. Rob Mixer, who covers the Jackets for the team’s official website, adds that Calvert is likely going to be in the lineup tomorrow night when Columbus travels to Arizona to take on the Coyotes.
  • Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Thomas Di Pauli underwent back surgery today and is expected to miss up to 12 weeks, according to a tweet from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins official Twitter account. Di Pauli signed with the club as a college free agent this summer, spurning overtures by the Washington Capitals, the team that originally drafted the young center in the fourth-round of the 2012 draft. In his first pro campaign, Di Pauli has just one point, a goal, in eight games.

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