Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Olympics

Snapshots: Lundqvist, Dowling, Smereck, Hextall

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The first reactions are in from the NHL’s announcement to not participate in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, and among them is New York Rangers’ goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. Monday evening he tweeted out his thoughts:

Disappointing news, @NHL won’t be part of the Olympics 2018. A huge opportunity to market the game at the biggest stage is wasted…but most of all, disappointing for all the players that can’t be part of the most special adventure in sports.

Lundqvist has been part of the Olympic experience three times, winning gold in 2006 and silver in 2014 for Sweden. A hall of fame goaltender in the NHL, his thoughts will likely be echoed by stars around the league for the next year as players speak out against the decision. This likely was Lundqvist’s last chance at the Games as he will be just shy of 40 for the 2022 Beijing tournament.

  • The Dallas Stars have sent Justin Dowling back to the AHL after just a two game stint. The 26-year old centerman has suited up for seven games this season, registering two points. Dowling has proven to be an excellent AHL scoring threat, but wasn’t given a chance at the NHL level until this season. If he can continue to win faceoffs and provide some secondary scoring, perhaps he could find a role on an NHL team next season. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
  • The Tucson Roadrunners have signed Jalen Smereck to an amateur tryout now that his Flint Firebirds have been eliminated from the OHL playoffs. The defenseman signed a three-year entry-level deal in October, and will likely join the Roadrunners to start next season. The undrafted 20-year old is a late-bloomer, turning 19 in his first OHL season. He has proved to be quite the offensive player though, with 45 points in 60 games this year.
  • As rumored last week, Ron Hextall has been officially named the GM of the Canadian World Championship team. The Flyers’ GM will take over the duties once the NHL season is over, and will be joined by former NHL goaltender Sean Burke as an assistant general manager. With the NHL not heading to the Olympics, perhaps the World Championships will become a more important tournament to league players. It is usually overlooked by many fans, as it is held during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Joel Vermin from the AHL, in what amounted to about a seven hour assignment. The forward was sent down earlier this morning, but never left the team. He’ll stay as insurance for the Lightning as they try and get healthy and squeak into the playoffs.

NHL Will Not Participate In 2018 Olympics

at CDT | by 7 Comments

The decision is in, and it’s one that has been expected for a while. The NHL will not participate in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. In a press release, the league explains:

…the NHLPA has now publicly confirmed that it has no interest or intention of engaging in any discussion that might make Olympic participation more attractive to the [NHL] Clubs. As a result, and in an effort to create clarity among conflicting reports and erroneous speculation, this will confirm our intention to proceed with finalizing our 2017-18 Regular Season schedule without any break to accommodate the Olympic Winter Games. We now consider the matter officially closed.

In negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA on the matter, the league tried to trade participation in the Games for a CBA extension, an offer that was almost immediately turned down. Players around the league did not think they should have to make any concessions to go, which effectively shut down the dialogue between the two sides. Recently the IOC had publicly said that the league may not be welcomed at the 2022 Games should they skip South Korea, a tactic that clearly has not worked to persuade owners around the league.

In the statement the league mentions those comments, implying that they were part of the final decision to announce that they wouldn’t go. As they’ve shown time and time again throughout the past few decades, the league will not be threatened or pushed around publicly. Alec Ovechkin

All of this comes as players around the league speak out about going to the tournament, with some—including Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin—saying they would go anyway. While Ovechkin’s owner Ted Leonis has said that he will support his star winger’s decision to play, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has stated the opposite in regards to Erik Karlsson.

There is also the issue of what the league will now do for television coverage during the Games. NBC has recently agreed to air the entirety of the Games live, starting their coverage each day at 7pm EST. That means they won’t be able to air any NHL games during the February 9th-25th period, usually one of the most important times of the year. One would expect the league uses this time to install their new bye week system, but it will still pose a problem to coverage in the US.

In all, this has been the stance of the NHL for some time now and shouldn’t be taken as much of a surprise. The next year will be filled with controversy over players leaving their teams to participate anyway, and if they’re even allowed to do so. Losing players like Ovechkin for a few weeks right before the trade deadline is something no team will want to do, especially those in the thick of a playoff race. In fact, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet the league has told teams to not discuss individual players participating until a later time, when they have ruled on whether it will be allowed.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet broke the story just before the league released the statement.

Friedman’s Latest: Kampf, Olympics, Tallon

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Avalanche, Blackhawks, and Golden Knights are among the teams that are believed to be interested in Czech free agent forward David Kampf, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link).  He notes his situation could be one to watch over the next 24 hours which suggests Kampf could be close to making a decision on where to sign.

The 22 year old center/right winger is coming off a career year with Pirati Chomutov of the Czech Extraliga.  This season, he posted 15 goals and 16 assists in 52 regular season games while adding three goals and seven assists in 13 postseason contests so far.

Kampf will be limited to signing a two year entry level contract wherever he decides to sign.  As he is still participating in the Czech playoffs plus the fact that he would have to clear entry waivers if he wanted to play in the NHL this season, it’s a certainty that the deal won’t begin until 2017-18.

Here are some other notes courtesy of Friedman via the weekly Saturday Headlines segment (video link):

  • While the IIHF is asking for a final decision from the league with regards to Olympic participation by the end of April at the latest, Friedman expects a decision to be made much sooner than that, noting that it’s “very possible” that the announcement will come at some point this week. If it doesn’t, Friedman expects that a call will be made one way or the other by April 10th.  With the playoffs fast approaching, the league would be wise to get this storyline over and done with before the puck drops on postseason play to avoid any potential distractions.
  • Although there has been some suggestion that the Islanders might ask the Panthers for an opportunity to speak to Dale Tallon, Florida’s President of Hockey Operations, Friedman noted that New York hasn’t yet sought permission to do so. He also doesn’t believe that the Panthers would allow Tallon to speak with the Isles as they plan to bring him back next season.  Florida’s front office situation could shuffle once again this offseason if interim head coach and GM Tom Rowe brings in a new bench boss as expected which could result in Tallon having a lesser role in hockey operations as he reportedly did at the start of this year.

Snapshots: China, Kitchener, Fazio

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After it was announced earlier this month that the NHL would be holding two preseason games in China next season, many linked that to the upcoming Beijing Olympics in 2022. Growing the game prior to sending NHL players to one of the biggest sporting events in the world seemed prudent. In his latest column, John Shannon of Sportsnet walks us through why growing the game in China doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the Olympics and instead is more because of the “virgin market” the country presents.

What’s different and noteworthy about this venture in China is that the Chinese want the NHL there, and not just because the 2022 Olympics will be in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping has apparently developed a passion for hockey and as a result, 3,000 hockey arenas are to be built in the country.

Shannon goes on to note that several teams in the league already have agreements with companies and leagues in China, including Toronto who apparently have 6000 kids playing Maple Leafs-branded hockey each week. Though it’s just preseason next year, perhaps China will be the next destination for the SAP NHL Global Series. In 2017, the NHL will be headed to Stockholm for two games between the Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators.

  • The Kitchener Rangers of the OHL have a new boss, and it’s a name familiar to hockey fans across North America. Mike McKenzie will take over as GM of the junior franchise after Murray Hiebert has transitioned into the Director of Hockey Operations role. McKenzie is the son of TSN Insider Bob McKenzie, a long-time face of hockey in print and television in Canada and the United States. The Rangers are currently down 3-1 in their OHL playoff series against the Owen Sound Attack.
  • The Charlotte Checkers (affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes) have signed Justin Fazio to an amateur tryout now that his Sarnia Sting have been eliminated from the OHL playoffs. The Sting were swept out of the first round by the powerhouse Erie Otters. The undrafted goaltender will turn 20 in just over a month, and will replace Tom McCollum on the roster as he deals with personal issues. The Checkers have been down their starter Alex Nedeljkovic while he backs up Cam Ward in Carolina after Eddie Lack’s recent injury. Fazio had an .896 save percentage for the Sting this season.

Evening Snapshots: Olympics, Ducks, Ristolainen

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) President Rene Fasal publicly stated today that the NHL has until the end of April to decide whether NHL players will play in the 2018 Winter Olympics, reports The Associated Press. NHL participation in the upcoming games has been a point of contention this year. Most recently, Steve Keating of Reuters reported that Gary Bettman stated that everyone “should assume the players are not going.” Whether or not Fasal’s deadline is a hard deadline or a soft one, Olympic participation may dominate hockey conversation when the League wants the attention focused on its first round playoffs.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have reassigned forward Ondrej Kase to the AHL San Diego Gulls, reports Eric Stephens of the OC Register. The move comes as little surprise since Kase was scratched three times in the last four games, and failed to break the eight-minute mark in his last two appearances. In 51 games for the Ducks Kase scored 5G and 9A. In Kase’s nine games with the Gulls earlier this season he scored 3G and 4A, and a similar production streak could have him back up the NHL before the playoffs.
  • The NHL Department of Player Safety released its video explanation regarding its decision to suspend Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. Ristolainen received a three game suspension for interference after hitting Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel. The League’s decision was based on two points: (1) Guentzel did not touch the puck before being hit, and (2) the onus was on Ristolainen to alter course after the pass to Guentzel was tipped. The league did not accept Ristolainen’s defense that because he was skating backwards into the hit, he could not move in time. The league retorted that it was Ristolainen’s choice to lead into a hit that way, and he has to take responsibility for the consequences.

Atlantic Notes: Soshnikov, Melnyk, White

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Maple Leafs fans will see Eric Fehr in action for the first time tonight when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets according to Kristen Shilton of TSN. The veteran forward will draw into the lineup for his first game since being acquired at the deadline from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Frank Corrado. He will be taking the place of Nikita Soshnikov, the young winger who was involved in multiple incidents in Monday’s game against the Boston Bruins.

Soshnikov first got under the skin of Bruins’ players and fans alike when he sent Patrice Bergeron into the boards head first with a crosscheck across the back, earning him just a two minute penalty (which Bergeron would match when he got up and went after the Leafs’ winger). Later in the game he took a hard hit from Zdeno Chara that seemed to rattle him, as he was seen rubbing his neck and skating unsteadily for the rest of the game. It was that unsteady nature that caused him to fall when Dominic Moore would collide with him in the dying minutes, giving the Maple Leafs a powerplay that ended up winning the game. There is no word on what the extent of the injury is for Soshnikov, but a concussion would not be out of the question.

Snapshots: Olympics, Coyotes, Carrick, Ferland

at CDT | by 2 Comments

While there has been talk that some teams would be willing to let their players participate in the 2018 Olympics even if the NHL doesn’t shut down their schedule, the league plans to sit down and put together a league-wide policy regarding participation, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.

This comes on the heels of Senators owner Eugene Melnyk announcing that he wouldn’t allow Erik Karlsson to go if the NHL doesn’t stop their season late last week.  On the flip side, Capitals owner Ted Leonsis has consistently said he wouldn’t stand in the way if his top players wanted to go.  However, it appears the decision ultimately won’t be left to the individual teams.  There remains no timetable for an official announcement on whether or not NHL players will be able to participate.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • The Coyotes announced the recalls of defenseman Zbynek Michalek and center Laurent Dauphin from Springfield of the AHL. Michalek cleared waivers at the beginning of the season and has been there ever since, playing in 43 games with the Roadrunners.  As for Dauphin, he has been back and forth several times this year; he has two goals and an assist in 24 NHL games while adding 14 goals and eight helpers in 31 AHL contests.  Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic notes (Twitter link) that Michalek’s recall is a regular one while Dauphin’s is on an emergency basis.  That means that Arizona is down to one regular recall between now and the end of the season.
  • The Maple Leafs are hoping to have defenseman Connor Carrick back in their lineup tomorrow against Boston, reports Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun. Carrick has been out for nearly a month with an upper body injury and will meet with team doctors tomorrow to get the final determination on whether or not he is ready to return to the lineup.  The 22 year old is in his first full NHL season, collecting seven points in 55 games while averaging 16:31 per game in ice time in primarily a third pairing role.
  • The recent mumps outbreak across the league may not be over just yet as the Flames announced on their team Twitter page that winger Micheal Ferland is being held out of tonight’s game against Los Angeles and is under observation for the mumps. Earlier this year, several players from the Canucks and Wild missed time with the disease.  Ferland sits fifth in goals on Calgary with 14 in 67 games this season.

Ottawa Senators Will Not Allow Erik Karlsson To Play In Olympics, Should NHL Not Participate

at CDT | by 4 Comments

It’s looking more and more like the NHL will not head to the upcoming Winter Olympics in South Korea, but certain star players have already come out saying they’ll attend no matter what. Alex Ovechkin in particular has already gotten the support of his owner for going either way, but some might not be so warm to the idea.

According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk will not allow superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson to play if the NHL doesn’t go.

No, no, it would be no, a flat no. I talked to [Daniel] Alfredsson about it and he understands the player would want to (attend), but I’m not going to risk that.

It’s a strong statement from Melnyk and the Senators, who also could have Bobby Ryan with an outside shot at the Team USA squad next year. Ryan suited up for the 2010 squad that won a silver medal, though was left off the 2014 team and the latest World Cup squad.

Melnyk might seem like just a cold businessman protecting his financial assets, but it’s more than that. He has a first hand experience with what might happen should he let his stars go.

I had a Cup in 2006 parked for me and waiting for me….We were there and what happens? Hasek. I’m not going to do that.

In 2o06, the Senators were a dominant team led by prime Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson, and had one of the best goaltenders of all time in Dominik Hasek in net. Obviously they didn’t have the Stanley Cup locked up like Melnyk says, but they were as good of a threat as any to take it home.

Then at the Olympics Hasek injured himself and wouldn’t return. The team had to go into the playoffs with Ray Emery, who put up only a .900 save percentage and couldn’t keep up with the higher level of play. The Senators would lose to Hasek’s old team the Buffalo Sabres in the second round, despite having the second most points in the entire NHL in the regular season.

It will be interesting to see which owners allow the players to go, as many might just follow the decisions of their peers. When someone hears Melnyk’s story, and sees him refusing to let Karlsson go, it gets just a little bit easier to hold back your own players. At least Swedish defenders should be excited—a spot just opened up.

Snapshots: USA Hockey, Vecchione, DeMelo

at CDT | by 1 Comment

After several members of the US Women’s National Team extended a message to USA Hockey about their boycotting the upcoming World Championships, the national program released its own statement on the subject. Understanding the frustration of the women who are reportedly given just $6000 each for their Olympic training and participation, USA Hockey stated that they have long supported their female athletes.

The support USA Hockey is implementing in order to prepare the Women’s National Team for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games includes a six-month training camp, additional support stipends and incentives for medals that could result in each player receiving nearly $85,000 in cash over the Olympic training and performance period. The sum is in addition to a housing allowance, travel allowances, meal expenses, medical and disability insurance and the infrastructure that includes elite-level support staff to train and prepare the players.

The statement goes on to explain that the organization was “disappointed” in the player’s demands and will continue to keep dialogue open in hopes they’ll play in April. The players shot back at the release, with captain Meghan Duggan telling Bob McKenzie of TSN it was “incredibly dishonest and misleading”. As McKenzie notes, the two sides seem ready for a battle over their compensation leading up to next year’s Olympics.

  • After the Pittsburgh Penguins added Zach Aston-Reese yesterday, the Philadelphia Flyers are hoping for some help from the college ranks of their own. Sam Carchidi of The Inquirer opines that the team may have interest in both Spencer Foo and Mike Vecchione of Union College. The team is familiar with the school from the years Shayne Gostisbehere spent there, including one season with Vecchione in 2013-14. The pair of undrafted forwards are among the highest scoring in the NCAA, with 59 and 62 points respectively. If the Flyers want to keep pace with what has been a busy Metropolitan Division—the Capitals also inked a couple of forwards earlier this month—they would do well with Vecchione. The 24-year old senior is considered by some even better than Aston-Reese, and ready to step into the NHL right away. Anyone will have to wait for Union’s season to be over though, as they’re still alive in the ECAC playoffs.
  • Kevin Kurz of CSN reports that David Schlemko rejoined his teammates in practice today for the first time in nearly two weeks. The defenseman is getting close to a return, but Dylan DeMelo has used the opportunity to show that he’s ready for an NHL role. DeMelo tells Kurz that getting back into the lineup is “definitely a lot better playing than sitting out for seven weeks. I’m just happy to be back in the lineup and [helping] the team win.” DeMelo had surgery to repair a broken wrist in January and only returned to the lineup on March 5th.

Garrioch’s Latest: Kulikov, Franson, Kane, Sakic, Olympics

at CDT | by 1 Comment

While the Sabres were expected to be active at the trade deadline earlier this month, they wound up being quiet.  In his latest Insider Trading column, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that teams weren’t interested in pending UFA defenseman Dmitry Kulikov as a result of the various injuries he has dealt with this season while there was limited interest in fellow UFA rearguard Cody Franson.

Winger Evander Kane was also a player that some thought could be moved but the scribe notes that interest in him was only mild before the deadline.  He expects that GM Tim Murray will revisit those talks in the summer.  Kane has one season left on his contract after this one with a cap hit of $5.25MM.

As always, the full article is worth a read (including plenty on the potential coaching carousel) but here are a couple of the other highlights:

  • Despite their struggles this year, Avalanche GM Joe Sakic is likely to hold onto his title and will be tasked with completing the widely anticipated Matt Duchene deal in the offseason. Colorado is heading for what appears to be a significant rebuilding process so if Sakic is allowed to retain his role now, there’s a good chance he’ll be given a long leash to work with as it wouldn’t make sense for the team to have Sakic start the rebuild and then change course shortly thereafter.
  • The wait continues for any concrete information regarding whether or not the NHL will stop their schedule to allow their players to play in the Olympics next season and there wasn’t any coming out of the GM meetings this past week. Garrioch suggests a couple of possibilities for the delay – it’s still a big issue for the players and the TV rights holders in the US (NBC – who also holds the Olympic rights) could very well be pushing the owners to allow them to go as well.  There has been talk that the league may be willing to change its stance if they get the right concessions either from the players in the form of CBA elements or perhaps the International Olympic Committee in terms of access and content rights.

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

scroll to top