Panthers Roster Updates: Bjugstad, Petrovic, Reimer, Berra
The Florida Panthers, who have been without several key regulars for significant portions of the season due to injury, are inching closer to full health, as the Sun Sentinel’s Harvey Fialkov reports via Twitter.
Nick Bjugstad, who has placed on IR retroactive to January 6th because of a lower-body injury, and Alex Petrovic, out since November with an ankle issue, are both slated to return to the team tomorrow. Bjugstad is likely going to fill the Panthers fourth line pivot spot. The 6-foot-6 center has struggled to produce this season with just one goal and two points in 21 contests. In 67 games played during the 2015-16 season, the five-year veteran registered 15 goals and 34 points. Bjugstad earlier this season missed 19 games with a broken wrist.
Petrovic established himself as a useful regular blue liner last season, tallying 17 points in 66 games and finishing with a plus-17 plus/minus rating. In 16 appearances this season, he has five points and is a plus-eight.
Meanwhile, top line center Aleksander Barkov, out the last two months with a lower-body injury, is still at least two weeks away from returning, notes Fialkov. He has been working out with former NHL forward Marco Sturm, the scribe adds. Sturm last appeared in the league five seasons ago, appearing in 48 games with Vancouver and Florida. Barkov has nine goals and 27 points in 36 games for Florida this season.
Finally, the team reassigned goaltender Reto Berra to Springfield of the AHL as James Reimer is rejoining the club after a brief absence. Berra didn’t appear in a game for Florida since the recall. Reimer left the team to be with his wife, who is expecting the birth of their child and it’s possible he will again take a leave of absence should she go into labor.
Player Of Interest: Patrick Eaves
With just over a month left before the NHL trade deadline, teams have started scouting in earnest to see who they can add for a playoff run. Usually the deadline is filled with struggling teams unloading expiring contracts for prospects or picks, and this year looks like it will be no different.
One name that hasn’t been talked about enough, is that of Patrick Eaves. The 32-year old Eaves is in the midst of a career season, scoring 17 goals through the first 47 games, the most since his 20-goal rookie season. Thought of usually as a defensive forward, Eaves has very rarely been given the opportunity he’s received this year.
That is, to skate alongside two superstars in Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn for long stretches this season. The trio have accounted for an amazing 35% of the Dallas Stars’ goals this season, with Eaves actually leading the way one ahead of Seguin. Though he doesn’t play quite as much as those two, he is logging more than 16 minutes a night, easily a career-high for him.
While the Stars aren’t nearly out of the race yet, their slow start has really made it a tough climb out of the gutter of the Western Conference. Sitting at 19-20-9 they’re chances of really making a run at the Stanley Cup is basically none, even if they were to squeak into the playoffs. At this point, selling off assets to build for the future seems prudent.
In the case of Eaves, not only is he on an expiring contract but only has a cap hit of $1MM – a prorated version of which would be possible for basically any team in the league. Though he doesn’t have a long track record of offensive success, the ability to play with high level talents like Seguin and Benn doesn’t come easily.
For a team like Chicago, who has desperately searched for winger help for Jonathan Toews, Eaves may be an inexpensive upgrade should they be locked out of the more prized deadline additions. Even if he doesn’t score another 17 in the second half, his defensive acumen and strong possession numbers would be an addition on any line.
Teams like Nashville, Edmonton and even Ottawa, where Eaves started his career, may also be interested in adding him should they choose to buy at the deadline. With other rentals perhaps commanding a hefty price, Eaves may be a sneaky addition that would help a team lengthen out their lineup. His 76 career playoff games, including a six point effort last year for Dallas in nine games, would also be attractive.
While he’s not going to make anyone a cup contender overnight, Eaves may find himself playing in another city come March 1st. He’ll definitely be an interesting player to watch in the summer, as he looks for a multi-year deal coming off this career season.
Snapshots: Tropp, Kruger, Blue Jackets
Just a day after bringing him up, the Anaheim Ducks have decides that Corey Tropp will head back to San Diego and the AHL. As Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register reports, the journeyman winger will head back to the AHL without a taste of NHL action. As mentioned yesterday when he was called up, Tropp hasn’t gotten a crack at the NHL level in more than two seasons, despite establishing himself as a regular on the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2013-15. The 27-year old Tropp is having a fantastic season for the San Diego Gulls, with 29 points in 32 games.
- While the Blackhawks are starting the rumor mill early this year with their reported interest in a pair of Red Wings, they might be getting some help back off the injured list sooner than later. Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago reports today that Marcus Kruger is “pretty close” and will hopefully return this week before the All-Star break. Injured on December 30th, Kruger was originally expected to miss only three weeks but faced a setback that has kept him out a bit longer. The Hawks miss his defensive presence and ability on the penalty kill, and will welcome him back with open arms. The team is now just two points back of the Minnesota Wild for first place in the Central division, but have played 48 games already – three more than the Wild. Firmly entrenched in a playoff spot – the team sits 12 points ahead of the third place Nashville Predators – the Blackhawks will be looking to add depth to their roster for another playoff run.
- Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reports that both David Savard and Markus Nutivaara are out for the Blue Jackets’ game tonight against the Ottawa Senators. Dalton Prout and Scott Harrington will figure in as the bottom pair. The team is being very hush-hush on Savard’s injury, only saying it occurred in Thursday’s game when he left in the third period. Quietly, Savard is having another excellent season for Columbus, logging over 21 minutes a night, second on the team behind Seth Jones. The 26-year old is locked up long-term on a very tidy contract, earning $4.25MM annually until 2020-21. While he doesn’t get the press that Jones or Zach Werenski get, he’s an integral part of a group of young defenders (26 and under) that Columbus will ride for the next number of years.
5 Key Stories: 1/16/2017 – 1/22/2017
As millions of American anxiously await to find out who will represent their respective conferences in Super Bowl LI, don’t forget to check in on all of the recent news and rumors involving the NFL on our sister site, Pro Football Rumors.
The action is starting to pick up in the NHL, though it’s still relatively quiet compared to what we expect next month. Here is a roundup of the five key stories from the week ending on 1/22/2017.
Islanders Dismiss Capuano – Sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, the New York Islanders relieved head coach Jack Capuano of his duties this week and inserted AGM Doug Weight into the position on an interim basis. Capuano spent parts of seven campaigns behind the Islanders bench and guided the club to the second-round of the playoffs for the first time in more than two decades just last season.
Claude Julien’s Job in Jeopardy? – With rumors circulating as to the job security of longtime bench boss Claude Julien, the Boston Bruins called a press conference to address the situation. While nothing definitive came out of it, the belief is that Julien will maintain his position at least through the season, barring a major late-season collapse.
Clarke MacArthur Will Not Play This Season – Veteran winger Clarke MacArthur, who has yet to appear in a game this season after suffering a concussion during training camp, has not progressed enough in his recovery and a return has been ruled out by Ottawa team doctors. This will represent what is essentially a second consecutive lost season for MacArthur, who only suited up for four contests a year ago due to yet another concussion. It’s also quite possible this is the end of the line for the 10-year veteran.
Hawks Interested In Tatar, Nyquist – In search of a top-six winger to slot next to Jonathan Toews, the Chicago Blackhawks have reportedly expressed interest in Detroit forwards Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar. The report contradicts the notion that the club would restrict its pursuit to rentals or players on ELC’s. The Hawks have a number of rather large commitments already on their books for 2017-18 but apparently they would still be willing to take on a player with control beyond the current campaign. Nyquist has two seasons left on his deal with an AAV of $4.75MM while Tatar will be a RFA this summer and likely in position for a raise on his $2.75MM cap charge.
Winnipeg Recalls Ondrej Pavelec – Desperate for consistently competent play between the pipes, the Winnipeg Jets recalled deposed started Ondrej Pavelec from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. The Jets decided had waived the veteran net minder just prior to the beginning of the campaign and assigned him to the minors when he went unclaimed. Now the team is hopeful he can provide the Jets with quality play and bolster their pursuit of a playoff berth.
Metro Division Snapshots: Capuano, Dumoulin, Morin
It would seem that less than a week after being fired as head coach of the New York Islanders, Jack Capuano is already garnering interest from at least one other NHL club, as Arthur Staple of Newsday reports. Two sources have indicated that one team has already reached out to the team seeking permission to interview Capuano, who was relieved of his duties after nearly 500 games behind the Islanders bench. Aside from the Isles, the only other teams that would appear to be in the market for a new bench boss are Florida, who discharged Gerard Gallant from his duties nearly two months ago, and the Vegas Golden Knights, who have yet to make their first head coaching hire.
Before assuming his current position as GM of the expansion Golden Knights, George McPhee spent the 2015-16 campaign in an advisory position with the Islanders, a connection Staple notes in his column. That relationship would likely be enough to warrant at least an interview, but ultimately Cappy will be one of many candidates the team considers.
Ironically, the Islanders reportedly asked for permission to speak with Gallant, and as Staple writes, that request evidently came prior to the team officially terminating Capuano.
Elsewhere in the Metro Division:
- Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin, out since December 27th due to a broken jaw, has returned to practice and has officially been cleared for contact, writes Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. There is still no timetable for his return to game action but the fact he is back on the ice with no limitations suggests it shouldn’t be much longer. In fact, Nesbitt’s Post-Gazette colleague, Dave Molinari, relays that Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said the blue liner could return prior to next weekend’s All-Star break. He was originally expected to miss from four to six weeks and as Nesbitt notes, Dumoulin is in the fourth week of rehab. Dumoulin has seven points, all assists, in 35 games this season and averages 19:45 of ice time per game for the Penguins.
- With the Philadelphia Flyers struggling in the goal-prevention department – they have allowed the fourth highest total in the NHL – Sam Carchidi of Philly.com suggests the team’s blue line could use some bite. Carchidi’s recommendation is to call up young defenseman Samuel Morin, the team’s first-round pick in 2013, and who the scribe likens to former Flyer Chris Pronger. When Philadelphia acquired Pronger via trade, then-GM Paul Holmgren said he was targeting someone who “would make life miserable for the other team,” and Carchidi sees that same potential in Morin. Obviously, any comparison to a Hall of Fame defenseman is premature, but Carchidi thinks the 6-foot-6 blue liner can provide that same level of toughness and snarl that Pronger did throughout his career. Even if the team elects not to promote Morin to the big league team, it’s conceivable the Flyers will look to add some toughness to their blue line ahead of the deadline.
Atlantic Division Notes: Lazar, Bylsma, Tampa Bay
The Ottawa Senators have reportedly been perusing the trade market since early on in the campaign in search of a scoring forward, albeit without success to this point. With the recent news that Clarke MacArthur will not be returning this season due to lingering issues related to a concussion suffered in the preseason, the Senators search now has added urgency with the trade deadline approaching. However, as Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun writes, the Sens should not be willing to include Curtis Lazar in any potential trade for an upgrade at forward.
Even though Lazar has failed to register a single point in 23 games this season for Ottawa, Brennan sees parallels between the 21-year-old forward and another former Senators first-round pick, Nick Foligno. Selected with the 28th overall choice in the 2006 draft, Foligno spent the first five seasons of his NHL career with Ottawa but never scored more than 17 goals or 47 points in any single campaign and ultimately was dealt to Columbus in exchange for defenseman Marc Methot. Since the trade, Foligno has developed into a terrific power forward with a 30-goal campaign to his credit and is on pace for 60-plus points this season. To be fair, Methot has been a solid defender for Ottawa but a physical forward that can score, something Brennan believes Lazar can become, is exactly what this Senators club needs and the team should be hesitant to pull the plug too early on his development.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:
- The recent rumors pertaining to Claude Julien‘s job security prompted Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News to compile a list of head coaches he feels also may be in jeopardy of losing their current gig. Chief among them is Buffalo Sabres bench boss Dan Bylsma. In the scribe’s estimation, the Sabres have no excuse to be sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings despite injuries to several key regulars, and the coach deserves his share of the blame. However, whether it would be warranted or not, Harrington doesn’t believe team owner Terry Pegula will pull the trigger on a coaching change in large part because the Buffalo Bills, also owned by Pegula, recently dismissed their high-profile head coach, Rex Ryan, who like Bylsma was in the second year of a five-year contract at the time of his termination.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning’s success in recent seasons has had a lot to do with a stingy defense, one that allowed the fifth fewest goals last year. It’s been a much different story this season, as the team has allowed nearly half-a-goal more per game and the Lightning are far closer to the bottom of the standings than the top as a result. However, in the midst of a crucial six-game road trip, it’s Tampa Bay’s offense that has let the team down and further jeopardized their playoff chances, as Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times writes. The Lightning have found the back of the net five times in their last four games while managing to amass just three points halfway through what Smith refers to as a “make-or-break” road trip. Conversely, the club’s defense has tightened up, allowing just four regulation markers during that span. There is plenty of scoring talent on the roster and it’s likely just a matter of time before the goals start coming in bunches, but will that happen soon enough to save the team’s season? The answer to that question may well dictate whether the team is a buyer or a seller at the trade deadline.
Minor Transactions: 1/21/2017
Here is where we will track the day’s minor roster transactions:
- The New Jersey Devils have announced that Blake Coleman has been reassigned to Albany of the AHL to make room for Vernon Fiddler, who the team activated off of IR. Coleman has appeared in five games, the first of his career, since being recalled on January 10th and registered a single point. Fiddler, in his 14th NHL campaign, has tallied a goal with two assists in 35 contests on the year.
- Erik Condra‘s wild ride in Tampa Bay continues as the winger has once again been placed on waivers by the team, according to James Mirtle. It’s the second time this season he has been on waivers, the first time clearing before a reassignment to the Syracuse Crunch, Tampa’s affiliate in the AHL. Additionally, Condra has shuttled between Tampa Bay and Syracuse seven times in total this season as the Lightning have used the seven-year veteran extensively as a fill-in for several injured regulars. All told, Condra has appeared in 10 games for Tampa Bay but has failed to register a point while averaging 9:41 of ice time per game. Assuming he again clears, Condra will almost certainly be reassigned to Syracuse once more.
- With Jake McCabe forced to leave last night’s game against Detroit due to injury, the Buffalo Sabres this morning have recalled defenseman Casey Nelson from Rochester of the AHL, tweets Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News. Nelson, 24, is scoreless in eight earlier appearances this season for the Sabres. In 27 games for Rochester, the Wisconsin native has tallied four goals and five assists.
- The San Jose Sharks brought Tim Heed and Barclay Goodrow back from the AHL ahead of tonight’s game against Colorado, reports Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News. Heed has already had three other tours with the big club, making just one appearance on the campaign. The recall also represents the third stint this season with the Sharks for Goodrow. Though he has yet to play for the team this year, it appears that could change tonight. In 74 career NHL contests, Goodrow has scored four goals with 11 assists along with 51 penalty minutes.
Restricted 2017: Checking In On The Upcoming RFA Class
As the NHL continues to skew towards younger and younger talent with players like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews making an immediate impact, the restricted free agent classes become more and more important.
Last year we saw an impressive group, headlined by the dynamic duo in Calgary Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau, Tampa’s new sniper Nikita Kucherov and a handful of excellent defensemen like Hampus Lindholm and Jacob Trouba.
While teams have started to lock up their young talent before they even become restricted free agents – like Aaron Ekblad in Florida who signed a $60MM deal just months after his 20th birthday – this year looks like it will be one of the biggest and most expensive RFA crops ever. Glen Miller took a look back in September at this year’s crop in an excellent series of articles that really should be consumed before reading any further (parts one, two, three, four, five and six), but let’s now check in on the group and how they’re fairing this season. Well list just a few of the highlights, as the group is almost endless.
Leon Draisaitl (EDM) – 47 GP / 17 G / 23 A / 40 P
You can’t start this list without mentioning Draisaitl, who will head to restricted free agency for the first time after what looks like a 30+ goal, 70+ point season. Skating alongside McDavid for much of the year, Draisaitl is currently tied for 18th in league scoring and leads the RFA group. He won’t turn 22 until after the 2017-18 season begins, and is an important player for the Edmonton Oilers to lock up long term. Expect the team to shell out big money to buy into a few free agent years this summer.
Mikael Granlund (MIN) – 44 GP / 10 G / 27 A / 37 P
Often forgotten about across much of the league because of the relative gag-order on any Minnesota Wild news, Granlund is having an exceptional season. Playing almost 20 minutes a night and on pace to shatter his previous career high in points, the Finnish forward will get a huge deal this summer. Unlike Draisaitl, Granlund is 24 and has already been through the RFA process before, signing a two-year $6MM deal before last season. With three solid seasons and now one spectacular one, he’ll likely earn something closer to $7MM (AAV) if signed long-term.
Justin Schultz (PIT) – 44 GP / 7 G / 23 A / 30 P
Schultz is such an interesting case, because of the breakout he’s experiencing this year. With Kris Letang on the shelf for much of the season, Schultz has blossomed in Pittsburgh to the player most teams expected when he signed out of college. He’s 26 now, and will turn 27 just days after free agency opens, but will likely fetch a hefty price as an RFA. After not even receiving a qualifying offer last year, has he done enough to prove that a big-money deal is worth it?
Robin Lehner (BUF) – 29 GP / .920 SV% / 2.54 GAA
The best RFA goaltender this year is one who just blew up at his coach after getting pulled and has generally been inconsistent for the Sabres since they traded a first-round pick for him in 2015. He has all the talent in the world to be a number one goaltender in this league, but with Buffalo floundering again near the bottom of the league will he be able to put it all together and lead them back to the playoffs? He’s 25-years old now and has 136 games under his belt with an above-average .916 save percentage. If Buffalo can ice any healthy defensemen, perhaps they’d be able to finish in the top half of the league for a change.
San Jose Sharks Send Goodrow, Heed To AHL
After their 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, the San Jose Sharks have sent Barclay Goodrow and Tim Heed back to the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL. The team will play the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday and again on Monday, and it’s unclear who they will bring up or replace these two with.
Both Tomas Hertl and Dylan DeMelo are expected to be out for at least another few weeks, meaning the team now has only 21 roster spots filled. Perhaps the organization just wants them to get into a couple of games, as even though the Barracuda are on the road, they’re playing two games in state. Tonight they take on the San Diego Gulls, and tomorrow the Ontario Reign. Both players could travel with the NHL squad on Sunday when they hit the road.
Heed is having an exceptional year in the AHL, scoring 32 points in 29 games from the back end. This comes in his first season in North America after coming over from Sweden. The former fifth-round pick is exceptionally undersized for a defenseman at just 5’11, 165 lbs but can do enough things right to be able to contribute at the NHL level.
Goodrow went undrafted before making an immediate impact at the NHL level in 2014-15, playing in 60 games less than a year removed from playing in junior. While he was a consistent goal-scorer for the Battalion (Brampton and then North Bay), he never projected as much of an offensive talent in the NHL. Since signing though, he’s been a fine addition to the Sharks organization, scoring in the AHL and playing solid bottom-six minutes for the NHL club when called upon.
Snapshots: Oilers, Staal, Hedman
News and notes from around the NHL this evening
- The Edmonton Oilers have recalled forward Anton Lander from the Bakersfield Condors today. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector speculates that the move means Jujhar Khaira may be out for longer than initially thought. Khaira suffered an upper body injury yesterday in the first period against the Florida Panthers. Lander’s callup was inevitable given how he’s lighting up the AHL. Lander has 14G and 13A in only 16 games—almost a two points per game pace. Those stats have not translated at the NHL level, however, with Lander scoring only 1G and 3A in 20 games.
- New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal may be nearing a return. According to the Newsday’s Steve Zipay, coach Alain Vigneault did not rule out Staal returning soon, and that Vigneault will play Staal as soon as he is healthy. Staal is recovering from concussion symptoms that kept him out since January 3rd. He’s been skating with the team for the past week to keep up conditioning and monitor his progress.
- Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman still needs more time before returning to action, reports James O’Brien of NBCSports. Hedman misses his third straight game tonight with the vague “illness” tag. The Lighting are three points back of a playoff spot, but do not face a conference opponent until they visit the Florida Panthers next Thursday. Despite missing games, Hedman remains 2nd in scoring among defenseman with 7G and 31A in 44 games. The Lightning desperately need his production, so any absences indicate a more severe issue than initially thought.