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All-Star Skills Competition Assignments Released

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With the All-Star game one day away, many NHL fans often get more excited for the 2018 GEICO NHL All-Star Skills Competition, which will be tonight. The NHL released the list of who will be participating in each of the six competitions with the winner of each receiving $25K.

Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater – Each skater is timed for one full lap around the rink.
Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Rickard Rakell (Anaheim Ducks)
Noah Hanifin (Carolina Hurricanes)
Josh Bailey (New York Islanders)
Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)
Jack Eichel (Buffalo Sabres)
Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)

Dunkin Donuts NHL Passing Challenge – Requires three skills over one round, including Target Passing (making four passes to a target that light up randomly), Give-and-Go (must complete four successful passes through a course in the neutral zone) and Mini Nets (must complete four passes over barricades and into mini-nets).
Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers)
Brayden Schenn (St. Louis Blues)
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Arizona Coyotes)
Eric Staal (Minnesota Wild)
Alex Pietrangelo (St. Louis Blues)
Kris Letang (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings)

GEICO NHL Save Streak – Goalies attempt to win by making the most consecutive saves against an opposing division on a minimum of nine shots.
Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers) vs. Central Division
Connor Hellebuyck (Vancouver Canucks) vs. Pacific Division
Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators) vs. Metropolitan Division
Marc-Andre Fleury (Vegas Golden Knights) vs. Atlantic Division
Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning) vs. Central Division

Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay – A timed event that involves three skills, including Stickhandling (where a skater must control a puck through a series of eight pucks in a straight line), Cone Control (where a skater controls a puck through a series of eight cones in a zig-zag formation) and Gates (where a skater must shoot or choose to guide the puck through a lighted rung of a gate).
Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary Flames)
Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers)
Erik Karlsson (Ottawa Senators)
John Tavares (New York Islanders)
Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Tyler Seguin (Dallas Stars)
Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks)

PPG NHL Hardest Shot – Over two rounds, each player will attempt two shots measured in miles per hour with the highest speed recorded.
John Klingberg (Dallas Stars)
Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals)
P.K. Subban (Nashville Predators)
Brent Burns (San Jose Sharks)
Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Honda NHL Shooting Accuracy – A timed event in which a skater is positioned 25 feet behind the goal line and must shoot at five LED targets in the goal. A target will light up and the players has three seconds to hit it.
Brian Boyle (New Jersey Devils)
Blake Wheeler (Winnipeg Jets)
James Neal (Vegas Golden Knights)
Brock Boeser (Vancouver Canucks)
Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins)
Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings)
Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Snapshots: Rangers, Dahlin, Johnson

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The New York Rangers are currently just a single point out of a playoff spot, and two points out of second place in the Metropolitan Division, but according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post that won’t make them buyers at the deadline. In fact, Brooks writes that the Rangers are preparing to “blow it up” and are willing to deal Ryan McDonagh and Mats Zuccarello along with their rental options.

It’s not the first time we’ve heard McDonagh’s name mentioned, as he currently sits tenth on the TSN Trade Bait board, but is still might come as a surprise. The Rangers captain has logged 24 minutes a night again this season, and currently has 24 points through 45 games. While he may not match his career-high of 14 goals, he’s certainly a bargain at his $4.7MM cap hit this year and next.

  • Welcome to “the Rasmus Dahlin draft” writes TSN insider Bob McKenzie, who released his early rankings for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft today. Dahlin tops the board like everywhere else, but McKenzie’s rankings do differ from some of the other leading sources. Perhaps most notably is Ryan Merkley at #11, as the dynamic Guelph defenseman has slipped to the back half of the first round in most other rankings. McKenzie explains why, noting Merkley’s perceived attitude problem and temperament as potential reasons for his fall.
  • Darren Dreger was on TSN 1050 radio today, and said that he’d be “shocked” if the Toronto Maple Leafs’ GM Lou Lamoriello hadn’t called on Jack Johnson from the Columbus Blue Jackets. As noted in our most recent live chat, Johnson does seem like a pretty good fit for the Maple Leafs down the stretch as he tries to secure a long-term contract this summer. Johnson is looking for an opportunity to play a big role somewhere, and the Maple Leafs have had a revolving door in the back half of their defense corps. Still, with Morgan Rielly and Nikita Zaitsev returning from injury soon and Travis Dermott showing he’s ready for the NHL, the Maple Leafs aren’t guaranteed to be on the market any longer.

Rangers Claim Cody McLeod; Blues Waive Magnus Paajarvi

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The New York Rangers have decided to add a little toughness to their lineup, today claiming Cody McLeod off waivers from the Nashville Predators. Nathan Gerbe, who was also on waivers after signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets, has cleared and will be assigned to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. In addition, Magnus Paajarvi has been waived by the St. Louis Blues.

Magnus PaajarviThis is the second time the Rangers have claimed a physical fourth-line presence this season after adding Adam Cracknell earlier in the year. While Cracknell was eventually flipped in a minor trade, McLeod could catch on as a bang-and-crash winger who is ready to drop the gloves in defense of a teammate. Though that style is rarely seen in the game these days, McLeod has continued to find work and will try to prove his value in New York.

The Rangers needed to make a corresponding roster move to fit McLeod in, and sent Daniel Catenacci to the minor leagues to make room. Vinni Lettieri and Anthony DeAngelo are the only players on the roster who are waiver exempt, however Peter Holland could’ve also still also been sent without having to clear waivers again, as he hasn’t been up long enough for his clock to reset.

Paajarvi’s inclusion on waivers is interesting, if not entirely unexpected. The Blues have activated Jaden Schwartz from injured reserve, and needed a roster spot for him to fit in. While Tage Thompson and Ivan Barbashev are both waiver-exempt, both have proven themselves as key parts of the forward group and won’t be sent down anytime soon.

Instead, it’s Paajarvi’s turn to be risked on waivers. The 10th-overall pick in 2009 hasn’t ever established himself as an offensive presence in the NHL, instead playing the roll of checking forward and penalty killer. In 352 career games, Paajarvi has 97 points including just four this season. While his age (26), size (6’3″ 206-lbs) and draft pedigree all suggest that there still could be another level to his play, nothing on the ice confirms it.

Still, he could be an interesting player for a contending team to add if they’re not happy with their own depth. Earning just $800K before hitting unrestricted free agency this summer, Paajarvi poses very little risk in terms of financial commitment. It’s important to note that Arizona, Toronto and Minnesota are all at their 50 contract limit, meaning they’d need to rid themselves of another player before making a claim.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Michael Lindqvist Drawing NHL Attention

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The last few years the NHL has been mining the Swedish Hockey League and other European teams for talent even more than in the past, signing undrafted players and bringing them directly into the NHL. The SHL is full of talented players who may have been overlooked as youngsters, and Michael Lindqvist is just the latest example. The 23-year old is garnering plenty of NHL interest according to Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130, who lists the Vancouver Canucks as one of the many teams pursuing Lindqvist, but wouldn’t put them as a “leading candidate” at this point.

Lindqvist, and undersized but talented forward, was also mentioned in the latest 31 Thoughts column by Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman as one of several Swedish players being scouting by the NHL. Friedman listed the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Vancouver and the New York Rangers as teams that had been watching, noting that there were likely even more.

In 32 games this season, Lindqvist has 34 points and is among the league leaders in goals with 20. Ten of those have come on the powerplay, where he sets up as a right-handed shot in the left circle and can beat goaltenders with his quick release. Teams could be viewing him as a potential help to a powerplay in the future, given his success there this season.

According to Friedman, some of the other players being targeted are Lawrence Pilut, Joel Persson and Par Lindholm. As teams continue to try to find competitive advantages, free agents from overseas provide easy additions to the depth of an organization. Whether Vancouver or anyone else will land Lindqvist and others is still unclear, but don’t overlook the impact they could make in the near future.

Trade Notes: Rangers, Avalanche, Predators

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Despite the trade deadline being more than a month away, rumors are flying around the NHL. TSN’s Darren Dreger, Pierre LeBrun, and Bob McKenzie appeared on Insider Trading this evening to discuss the rumblings they’re hearing from around the league…

  • Rangers wingers Rick Nash and Michael Grabner are expected to be highly sought after prior to the deadline, and Dreger says the Rangers are “leaning towards being open for business.” Of course, the reporter cautions that it would take a lot for a team to acquire Nash, who has yet to be asked for his 12-team trade list. The 33-year-old has 13 goals and 10 assists this season, while the 30-year-old Grabner has compiled 20 goals and four assists.
  • There’s also a lot of trade speculation surrounding Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh, but it’s believed the veteran won’t be moved until the offseason. The 28-year-old has spent his entire NHL career in New York, and he’s on pace to set a career high in assists this season.
  • Many fans thought Colorado would end up being a seller prior to the deadline, but the Avalanche are currently riding a 10-game win streak. The team could ultimately be buyers prior to the deadline, but general manager Joe Sakic is debating whether he wants to disrupt team chemistry by adding another player to the roster.
  • The Canadiens predictably won’t be adding add big names prior to the deadline, and the team is still finalizing their trade deadline strategy. However, it’s believed the team could be active in trade talks as they look to improve their roster for next season.
  • The Predators are looking to add a top-six winger to their roster, but they’re willing to wait before jumping on a trade. LeBrun mentions Max Pacioretty, Mike Hoffman, and Evander Kane as potential targets.
  • The Red Wings are telling teams that defenseman Xavier Ouellet is available. The former second-round pick has been a bit underwhelming this season, compiling only four goals and four assists.

Kevin Shattenkirk To Undergo Knee Surgery, Out Indefinitely

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Injury news has gone from bad to worse for the New York Rangers, who announced today that Kevin Shattenkirk suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee and will need surgery. The defenseman has apparently been dealing with knee pain the entire season, but will now be out indefinitely after electing surgery.

Shattenkirk logged just over 17 minutes in a win last night, but will now be sidelined for at least a few weeks. All knee surgery also comes with the risk of a more long-term rehab, but we’ll have to wait until the team announces a timeline before knowing how long Shattenkirk will be out.

An injury like this, while the team also deals with more minor ailments for Kevin Hayes and Marc Staal, only lends more credence to the idea that the Rangers will not be buyers at the deadline. Though the team currently sits in a playoff spot, there have been multiple reports that they could still be willing to move some of their top assets like Ryan McDonagh and Mats Zuccarello for the right price.

Shattenkirk’s debut for the Rangers hasn’t gone exactly to plan, while though he has 23 points on the season he hasn’t been quite the top-pairing option the team had hoped for when they signed him to a four-year, $26.6MM contract this offseason. If he now has a prolonged absence, the team will have to find other ways of filling his role at both even strength and on the powerplay.

New York Rangers Assign Lias Andersson To AHL

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In an interesting move, the New York Rangers assigned top pick Lias Andersson to the AHL. The young forward had been on loan to Frolunda in Sweden, but will now join the Rangers organization and suit up for the Hartford Wolf Pack. The team has also recalled Anthony DeAngelo and Daniel Catenacci as they deal with injuries to Kevin Hayes and Marc Staal.

Andersson was part of the silver medal-winning Swedish World Junior Team earlier this month, captaining the squad even through a shoulder injury and recording seven points in seven games. He infamously threw his medal into the crowd after receiving it, frustrated by the late goal Sweden allowed to lose the tournament. Though he eventually got the medal returned and expressed his regret for the action, it certainly will go down as part of international hockey lore as Sweden continues to struggle in the medal rounds of the U20 tournament.

More importantly, an assignment to the AHL could mean Andersson is on his way to the Rangers this season. Impressive in training camp, there was some speculation that he would start the year with the team despite his young age and inexperience. With 14 points in 22 SHL games, Andersson once again showed off his high upside at both ends of the rink and could be an option for the Rangers up front at some point this season.

Minor Transactions: 01/19/18

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There will be plenty of minor moves again today as the NHL prepares for the weekend, and we’ll keep track of them right here. Keep checking back throughout the day to find out if your favorite team has tweaked their roster.

  • The Winnipeg Jets are coming off their bye week, and have recalled Michael Hutchinson and Jack Roslovic. Hutchinson’s recall likely means that Steve Mason is still dealing with the concussion-like symptoms that took him out of the lineup last week, and provides an interesting opportunity for the younger netminder. Hutchinson has dominated the AHL this season and is set to hit unrestricted free agency in the summer. Showing that he’s capable at the NHL level, even in a limited sample, would go a long way to earning him a contract in a few months.
  • Buffalo, fresh off another loss at the hands of the New York Rangers, have recalled Nicholas Baptiste from the Rochester Americans. Baptiste has played four games for the Sabres this season, and has 17 points in 34 games during his time in the AHL. The third-round pick had four points for Buffalo last season, but isn’t expected to make an immediate offensive impact.
  • The New York Islanders have placed Casey Cizikas on injured reserve, recalling Ross Johnston from the minor leagues in the process. Johnston can fill a physical role on the Islanders, as the 6’5″ 236-lbs winger currently leads the AHL in penalty minutes with 113. He does have 11 points through 37 games, but won’t be used for his offensive ability in the NHL.
  • The Calgary Flames are off their bye week, and with that they’ve recalled Marek Hrivik and Andrew Mangiapane from the AHL. The pair were sent down to continue playing, but were always expected to be brought back up when the week break ended. The Flames are back in action tomorrow afternoon against the Winnipeg Jets.
  • Ken Appleby is back up with the New Jersey Devils, this time under emergency conditions. Appleby will likely serve as the backup for Keith Kinkaid tomorrow, while Corey Schneider continues to deal with an injury. Appleby, 22, has now spent time on an ECHL, AHL and NHL roster this season.
  • The Minnesota Wild have recalled Kyle Rau from the AHL ahead of their game tomorrow against the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s Rau’s first call up of the season, but he does have 33 NHL games under his belt with the Florida Panthers. Rau was signed to a one-year, two-way deal on July 1st, and has 21 points in 36 games for the Iowa Wild.
  • With Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Nate Thompson dealing with injuries for the Ottawa Senators, the club has recalled forward Colin White from the AHL. The Senators take on the Maple Leafs tomorrow night, and needed a twelfth body to line up at forward. White has 16 points in 30 games for the Belleville Senators this season, but is a big part of the Ottawa plan going forward. The first-round pick could get a longer look down the stretch.

Marc Staal To Miss At Least The Next Two Games

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  • The Rangers revealed (Twitter link) that defenseman Marc Staal has been ruled out for at least the next two games as a result of the hip flexor he sustained on Tuesday. Head coach Alain Vigneault stated that if he’s likely to be out longer than through the weekend, they will likely bring up someone from the AHL at that time.

Morning Notes: Crawford, Trade Bait, Green

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The Chicago Blackhawks are sitting at 50 points in the standings, but somehow find themselves in last place in the Central Division. Their 22-17-6 record would be good enough for fourth in the Atlantic and fifth in the Pacific, but unfortunately they find themselves playing in a division where all seven teams have positive goal differentials. Now, even as they struggle to climb the Central ladder, they could lose one of their most important players for the rest of the year.

Corey Crawford is currently on injured reserve, and Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that the goaltender is suffering from vertigo-like symptoms. It’s not the first time symptoms like this have surfaced for Crawford, who dealt with them in 2016 as well. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet wrote yesterday that coach Joel Quenneville believed last week that Crawford would return, but Lazerus claims things have complicated since then. The Blackhawks resume their schedule on Saturday, when they will take on the New York Islanders.

  • TSN’s Frank Seravalli has updated his Trade Bait board, with Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Michael Grabner, Jack Johnson, Nick Holden and Aaron Dell all joining the list. The emphasis on New York Rangers’ players is clear, with Seravalli writing that they’re a “team to watch” heading into the trade deadline. The Rangers are in a playoff spot currently, but are stuck in the middle of a super-competitive Metropolitan Division and could fall out of the race with a bad week or two. If the team doesn’t believe they can really make an impact in the playoffs, the distinct lack of sellers on the market could make them consider moving some of their expiring pieces.
  • Mike Green has not been asked to waive his trade protection yet by GM Ken Holland, but Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports on TSN’s Insider Trading that when he’s eventually asked, the Detroit Red Wings will be willing to eat some of his salary to get a deal done. LeBrun notes Tampa Bay as a possible fit for the powerplay specialist, though is quick to note that no discussions have been had just yet.

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