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Eastern Notes: Zuccarello, Burakovsky, Grzelcyk

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With just over two week remaining before the NHL trade deadline, the New York Rangers like what they are seeing from veteran Mats Zuccarello, who is only helping his trade value for the team as he’s picked up five goals and 10 assists in the last 10 games, giving the team the potential for a big return. However, the 31-year-old says that he would like that trade to happen sooner than later, according to NHL.com’s Dan Rosen.

“I just wish sooner rather than later, just to clarify it,” Zuccarello said Sunday. “But I’m here now. I’ll play my hardest and do my best. That’s all I can control.”

While the 31-year-old is a fan favorite in New York, the rebuilding team isn’t likely to bring back the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent next season, who will be 32 at the start of next season. However, he’d be a better fit on a playoff team, looking for a playmaker. However, his strong play recently should get him a new opportunity.

  • NBC Sports J.J. Regan writes that the Washington Capitals have seen a recent resurgence from their third line of Andrei Burakovsky, Lars Eller and Brett Connolly has been crucial to the team’s recent success. However, with Burakovsky’s name constantly in the news as potential trade bait, he has played two straight games playing high-quality hockey, putting up a goal and two assists. The question then is whether the team should move the inconsistent forward who still has just 15 points this season. However, with restricted free agency upcoming this summer, the team might be better off moving on from him regardless because the Capitals will have to offer him a salary of $3.25MM in order to qualify him and retain his rights as a restricted free agent. The Capitals, already strapped under the salary cap, may not be ready to do this.
  • The Boston Bruins announced that defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, who has missed both weekend games with a lower-body injury, is expected to skate Monday and could return on Tuesday against Chicago. The 25-year-old has a goal and 14 points in 50 games this season with 54 penalty minutes.

Minor Transactions: 02/06/19

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The NHL is almost entirely quiet tonight, with just two games on the schedule for this evening. The battle of Ontario rages between the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs, while some original six foes do battle as the Boston Bruins travel to face the New York Rangers. With most of the league off we’ve already seen some trades go down, and we’ll keep track of all the other minor moves right here.

  • The Arizona Coyotes have sent Adin Hill and Dakota Mermis back to the minor leagues for now, as they assess their injury situation and prepare for tomorrow night’s action. The Coyotes have been destroyed by injury this season, but it has at least allowed them to see what they have in some of their young prospects. Hill for instance has shown he could be in the running as a backup option moving forward, or at least as an injury fill-in should Darcy Kuemper or Antti Raanta continue to struggle with their health.
  • After trading Cody McLeod away to the Nashville Predators, the New York Rangers have recalled Vinni Lettieri from the AHL. Lettieri has dominated for the Hartford Wolf Pack this season with 27 points in 29 games, but amazingly is scoreless in 16 contests with the Rangers. The 24-year old will look to change that if given the opportunity down the stretch.
  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled both Jack Rodewald and Cody Goloubef from the AHL, giving them 22 players for tonight’s game against Toronto. Rodewald is an inspiring story, given that he played nearly a full season in the ECHL just a few years ago and is now playing big minutes for the Belleville Senators or spending time in the NHL.

Nashville Predators Acquire Cody McLeod

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Deja vu all over again. The Nashville Predators have acquired Cody McLeod from the New York Rangers for a 2020 seventh-round pick. It was just over two years ago that the Predators acquired McLeod from the Colorado Avalanche for a late-season push and playoff run that got them all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. The team also announced that Zac Rinaldo will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, explaining perhaps the need for McLeod.

McLeod, 34, certainly isn’t being acquired for his goal scoring ability. The veteran forward has carved out a 769-game NHL career but has just 72 tallies to his name, including just a single goal in 56 games with the Rangers since being claimed off waivers last year. Instead, his leadership and toughness will be welcomed into the Predators locker room as they look towards another long playoff run.

Speaking with the media today, Predators GM David Poile indicated that the team has suffered from the loss of leaders like McLeod, Mike Fisher and Scott Hartnell over the last year. That was part of the reason the team has brought in veteran names like McLeod and Boyle, but there is also obviously a need to be filled after Rinaldo’s injury and Austin Watson’s suspension. You can bet McLeod will be put into the playoff lineup if the team feels as though they’re being pushed around, and a distant seventh-round pick is just about the smallest asset you can give up.

Still, for the Rangers this looks like a pretty handsome reward when compared to what McLeod has actually done for them. The team snagged him for free off waivers last season and has now turned him into an asset, however small. The Rangers are still stockpiling for the future, and they’ll happily take another lottery ticket to add to that prospect cupboard. After all, they have a seventh-round pick on the roster that has put up quite the career.

Penguins Have Shown Interest In Mats Zuccarello

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The Penguins have shown some interest in Rangers winger Mats Zuccarello, reports Larry Brooks of the New York Post.  The pending unrestricted free agent has been on a hot streak as of late with a seven-game point streak, picking up 13 points in that span which has likely boosted his trade value with the deadline fast approaching.  Zuccarello would certainly give Pittsburgh an offensive boost on the wing but Brooks notes that the Penguins’ prospect pool isn’t the deepest while they’re also missing two of their top three picks which might make a trade harder as New York will undoubtedly be looking for futures in return.  Given Pittsburgh’s salary cap situation, they would need the Rangers to retain a significant portion of his $4.5MM contract as well to facilitate a move.

Trade Candidate: Mats Zuccarello

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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.

Mats Zuccarello has had a tough season.  Staying healthy has proven to be troublesome for him and as a result, his value around the league appears to have taken a hit.  However, when he has been in the lineup, he has been fairly productive, especially in recent weeks.  The 31-year-old may not be a top liner at this stage of his career but he could very well bolster a second line and provide a contender with a nice offensive boost for the stretch run.

Contract

Zuccarello is in the fourth and final year of his contract, one that carries a $4.5MM cap hit and an identical salary.  He’s slated to be an unrestricted free agent in July.

2018-19

Coming into this season, Zuccarello was one of the more durable players around the league having played in 396 of a possible 410 games over the past five seasons.  However, he missed the better part of a month with a groin injury and just recently missed time with a foot infection.  While he’s back now, the issue is reportedly going to linger for the time being.

The Norwegian winger has been on a nice little run as of late, however, which might help improve his value.  He has picked up at least a point in six straight games to bring his point-per-game average to 0.75 which ties for the second-best mark of his career.  He’s also logging the highest ATOI of his career while taking a regular turn on the penalty kill.  When Zuccarello is healthy, he’s making an impact.

Season Stats

36 GP, 8 goals, 19 assists, 27 points, -12 rating, 22 PIMS, 67 shots, 19:19 ATOI, 48.1 CF%

Potential Suitors

While there are a handful of impact rentals out there, many teams will ultimately be priced out of going after those players and instead will be forced to turn to their Plan B.  There’s a very good chance that a few teams will have Zuccarello as exactly that.

In the East, Boston has been looking for a top-six right winger for a long time and he’d certainly provide them with a more proven option than the youngsters that have been hot or cold in that role.  If Columbus ultimately decides to move Artemi Panarin, they could turn to Zuccarello as a replacement and he has played for John Tortorella in the past.  If GM Jeff Gorton is willing to trade with his state rival, the Islanders could be an intriguing team to watch for as Zuccarello could be someone that’s affordable enough for Lou Lamoriello to take a run at.

While Zuccarello’s stature wouldn’t be viewed as an asset in the more physical West, there will still be interested teams.  San Jose is clearly going for it this season and they don’t have the top picks available to use for the top rentals so this is more the tier they’ll be shopping in.  However, they don’t have the cap room to absorb his full contract.  Nashville could stand to upgrade their winger depth, especially with Austin Watson suspended indefinitely.  With the number of extensions kicking in next season, Vegas will likely be forced to focus on the rental market and considering where they are (only their second season of existence), it’s hard to imagine them being willing to part with top picks or prospects for the best rentals so they will also probably be shopping in this tier.

Likelihood Of A Trade

Zuccarello hasn’t exactly hidden his desire to remain with the Rangers.  However, with New York squarely in the middle of a rebuild, it doesn’t make a lot of sense for them to lock him up now unless he’s willing to take a bargain contract.  That probably isn’t going to be in the cards so unless his foot issue turns into something more significant over the next three weeks, it’s quite likely that he’ll be on the move by deadline day.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor Transactions: 01/29/19

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The trade season is upon us now that the All-Star game is in the rear view mirror and teams are back in action. Less than four weeks remain until the deadline, and already we’ve seen several teams go out and make splashy moves. In response to those deals, teams will also have to make minor transactions to fit everyone in. We’ll keep track of all those moves right here.

  • The Los Angeles Kings have recalled Matt Luff to take over the roster spot of the outgoing Jake Muzzin, while assigning Carl Grundstrom to the AHL. The team needed to get back up to the minimum of 20 players on the roster, and will likely make several further recalls when they return to action this weekend.
  • Dustin Tokarski is on his way back to the minor leagues, an expected move as the New York Rangers prepare to return to action tonight. Tokarski was a placeholder on the NHL roster for a few days while Alexandar Georgiev got on the ice with the AHL team in order to stay fresh for the second half of the season.
  • Roope Hintz has been recalled by the Dallas Stars, giving them a 12th forward for tomorrow’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. Meanwhile the team is carrying eight defenders even with Marc Methot moving to long-term injured reserve after acquiring Jamie Oleksiak yesterday.
  • Teddy Blueger has been recalled by the Pittsburgh Penguins, rewarding an excellent season so far by the young forward. Blueger has 21 goals and 39 points in 45 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and is another center option for Pittsburgh if they decide to put him into the lineup. Though this doesn’t necessarily mean a move is imminent, Blueger’s play this season is deserving of at least a look at the NHL level to see if he can fill the third-line center role that Derick Brassard has struggled in.

Kevin Hayes Wants To Stay In New York

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When Kevin Hayes signed a one-year contract with the New York Rangers in late July, the writing seemed to be on the wall. The big center was now scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency following 2018-19, and with the Rangers publicly announcing their desire to rebuild last season Hayes could be the next big trade chip to facilitate that dream. After all, the Boston College product had produced 25 goals for the first time in his career and could easily be moved at the deadline if he wasn’t open to a long-term deal. Not so fast though, as Hayes has been open with his desire to remain in New York past this season. In a new piece from Larry Brooks of the New York Post, Hayes explains that he can’t see himself playing for any other team:

…everybody knows how I feel about wanting to stay. I’ve loved my five years here. I love the organization, the guys, the staff, the city, the fans. I really can’t see myself anywhere else. But it’s also kind of out of my hands.

Out of his hands is right, as the Rangers will have to make the final decision on whether their short rebuild has done enough to hand over a big contract at this point. After acquiring a ton of young assets last year for names like Ryan McDonagh, Rick Nash and Michael Grabner, New York is already well on their way to a successful future. Is a soon to be 27-year old Hayes part of that, or just another chip to cash in over the next few weeks?

Heading into the post-All-Star portion of the season, New York sits sixth in the Metropolitan Division with a 21-20-7 record. That’s better than many predicted for them when the season began, and Hayes has been an integral part—if not their best player for long stretches. The center has 33 points in 39 games on the year. That kind of production would certainly be welcome moving forward, but as Brooks points out it would likely need to be on a five or six-year deal worth at least $6MM per season. That’s the kind of money you hand out when you’re ready to compete, not when you’re just looking to develop a young core.

That young core is impressive, too. Neal Pionk, Filip Chytil, Pavel Buchnevich, Brett Howden, Brady Skjei, Lias Andersson, Ryan Lindgren and others all look like they can be the next group that takes the Rangers to the playoffs, and adding more this deadline could make them quite a formidable group. That said, if the team expects to compete next season perhaps retaining names like Hayes and Chris Kreider, who is scheduled to be a free agent in 2020, is more valuable to the team than whatever they would bring back next month. For his part, Hayes hopes that is the decision the team makes.

Metropolitan Notes: Panarin, Hall, Blackwood, Pionk, Hayes

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Despite rumors that he might want to sign with the New York Rangers and talk that he loves playing in Columbus, it looks like Columbus Blue Jackets winger Artemi Panarin still hasn’t started negotiating with Columbus. In fact, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that the agent for Panarin, Dan Milstein said he wants another meeting with his client before he lets Columbus know whether he’s willing to negotiate a contract extension with the Blue Jackets.

Milstein and Panarin met in Miami over the weekend, but Portzline writes that the two will need a second meeting to discuss their what their next step will be. Panarin, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, has been unwilling to sign an extension in Columbus with rumors that he wants to move to a city that can give him more exposure. However, Panarin has fit in well with Columbus and has said that he enjoys playing there.

The 27-year-old would be one of the most intriguing free-agent options if he chooses to test the open market as he’s having another strong year with 19 goals and 53 points in 46 games and could even break some of his career-highs if he can keep those numbers up. Even if Panarin opts not to negotiate a deal with Columbus, the rumor is that the Blue Jackets would keep him for their playoff run this year. Columbus is currently in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 59 points.

  • NHL.com’s Amanda Stein reports that star forward Taylor Hall practiced on his own today, but it looks unlikely he will join the team on their road trip to face Pittsburgh on Monday. Hall has been out since Dec. 23 with a lower-body injury and missed the All-Star game because of it. However, the team was hoping the Hart Trophy winner would be ready after the break, which he apparently isn’t. Stein adds that head coach John Hynes said that Hall is progressing, but isn’t healing as quickly as originally thought.
  • The New Jersey Devils also made several roster moves today, but didn’t recall goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood. NHL.com’s Amanda Stein reports that the Devils had already decided to go with Keith Kinkaid in goal on Monday. So New Jersey decided to recall Cam Johnson instead, so Blackwood could play in the AHL All-Star Game. The team didn’t want Blackwood to miss the opportunity while sitting on the bench as the team’s backup.
  • While the New York Rangers recalled goaltender Alexandar Georgiev and forward Boo Nieves from Hartford earlier today, it’s been noted that the team didn’t bring back defenseman Ryan Lindgren, but much of that could be because defenseman Neal Pionk might be ready to return to the lineup. Pionk has missed the last three games with a lower-body injury, but the 23-year-old was practicing today with the team along with Kevin Hayes, according to New York Post’s Larry Brooks. Hayes has been out since Jan. 2.

New York Rangers Almost Traded Ryan McDonagh To Edmonton In 2016

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In his most recent 31 Thoughts column earlier this week, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman mentioned that now-former Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli was close to making a blockbuster trade back in 2016, just days before he traded Taylor Hall to New Jersey for Adam Larsson. Friedman, however, had no knowledge of the details of that blockbuster. However, New York Post’s Larry Brooks got a confirmation from multiple sources that the trade would have been with the New York Rangers.

Brooks reports that just before pulling the trigger on the Hall-Larsson deal, Chiarelli was close to a deal that would have sent the 2016 fourth-overall pick (used to take Jesse Puljujarvi) to the Rangers for defenseman Ryan McDonagh. The belief is that New York was interested in drafting Clayton Keller of the U.S. National Development Team with the fourth pick to begin the rebuild process then. Brooks adds there were other pieces to the deal, but points out that after the team’s first-round exit to Pittsburgh that year, the team felt it needed to re-tool their team with McDonagh being the most marketable player on the Rangers at the time.

Instead, Chiarelli turned the deal down, took Puljujarvi and sent Hall to New Jersey for Larsson, while the Rangers instead packaged Derick Brassard to Ottawa in a deal to get Mika Zibanejad. The team did discuss McDonagh with other teams at that time, including a deal with Colorado for either Nathan MacKinnon or Gabriel Landeskog, but the Avalanche weren’t that high on McDonagh’s value.

Considering how Puljujarvi has turned out in Edmonton thus far and how successful Hall has been since leaving the Oilers, the trade could have altered the outcome for Edmonton as well as Chiarelli, as McDonagh could have helped stabilize the team’s defense. However, there is no guarantee that Chiarelli still wouldn’t have moved Hall later on anyway.

Of course, the Rangers team may look quite a bit different with Keller on their team now as the 20-year-old put up a 23-goal, 65-point campaign in his rookie season last year and currently has 11 goals and 35 points this year and would have been a great piece to build around. Instead the franchise held onto McDonagh until last year’s trade deadline when they sent him and J.T. Miller to Tampa Bay in exchange for Vladislav Namestnikov, propects Libor Hajek and Brett Howden as well as a 2018 first-round pick (Nils Lundqvist) and a conditional 2019 second-rounder.

 

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