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Atlantic Notes: Rosen, Palat, Borowiecki, Sobotka

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While the Toronto Maple Leafs are still without injured defenseman Jake Gardiner, the team will get some defensive help as head coach Mike Babcock said that the Toronto Marlies’ top defensmean, Calle Rosen, is expected to join the Maple Leafs in New York on Monday and jump into Toronto’s lineup immediately, according to TSN’s Mark Masters.

The 25-year-old Rosen has put up a big season in the AHL as he has seven goals and 46 points in 54 games this season and was signed to a two-year extension in December to keep him with the team at a cheap price with the general belief that Rosen will be a solid, inexpensive option who can provide the team with the depth they need over the next couple of years.

Babcock said that Rosen, who hadn’t been called up yet after suffering a foot injury several weeks ago, will stay in the lineup until Gardiner is ready to return.

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning are expected to get back winger Ondrej Palat on Saturday after he was forced to leave Monday’s game against Boston with an upper-body injury, according to Tampa Bay Times’ Mari Faiello. The forward took a big hit from the Bruins’ Connor Clifton in the first period and did not return. He then missed Tuesday’s practice, but skated on Friday and again this morning and is expected to return to the lineup without having missed a game, taking the place of Ryan Callahan, who will be a healthy scratch.
  • The Ottawa Senators will be without defenseman Mark Borowiecki on Saturday, as he has been ruled out with an upper-body injury, according to NHL.com’s Craig Medaglia. While the 29-year-old is listed as day-to-day, the injury isn’t considered to be too serious and he is expected to return before the season ends. “It shouldn’t keep him out too long,” said the coach this morning. “Unfortunately he will not be able to play for us this evening.” The team also expects that forward Zack Smith is expected to return to the lineup tonight against Toronto.
  • The Buffalo Sabres announced that veteran forward Vladimir Sobotka will be out Saturday with an upper-body injury. The 31-year-old Sobotka hasn’t had the season that many had hoped for when Buffalo picked him up this summer as part of a package for center Ryan O’Reilly. Sobotka, who recorded 11 goals and 31 points last season in St. Louis, has just five goals and 13 points this season in 69 games.

Thomas Chabot Still Dealing With Injury Trouble

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  • Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot is still dealing with multiple injuries, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. He still hasn’t fully recovered from the shoulder issue he had three months ago while his broken toe still isn’t back to 100% either.  With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising if Ottawa decided to give him a rest down the stretch or at least try to scale back his ice time.  It’s expected that he will get an invite for the upcoming World Championships but Chabot indicated that he’ll need to be fully recovered before agreeing to go.

Max Lajoie, Erik Brannstrom Out With Injuries

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The Ottawa Senators don’t have a lot to play for over the next few games, but that’s not true of the Belleville Senators. The AHL club is battling for a spot in the Calder Cup playoffs, but will have to do it without the benefit of a pair of defensemen. Maxime Lajoie will undergo sports hernia surgery and has been ruled out for the rest of the year, while Erik Brannstrom is dealing with an upper-body injury and has been listed as “week-to-week” according to Kyle Bukauskas of Sportsnet.

Lajoie, 21, was an unexpected contributor for Ottawa this season, playing 56 games with the team after impressing in training camp. Originally a fifth-round pick of the team in 2016, he found his footing at the AHL level in 2017-18 and came into camp with something to prove. Seven goals and 15 points later, the young defenseman was sent down to the minor leagues just before the trade deadline in order to keep him playoff eligible in the AHL. Unfortunately he suited up just three times for Belleville and now faces an eight to ten week recovery period.

Brannstrom meanwhile was the jewel of the Mark Stone trade earlier this year and impressed the organization right away. Making his NHL debut on March 14th, he ended up playing in two games for Ottawa and was held scoreless. His nine games for Belleville went a bit better, but he’ll now have to wait a while to get back into the lineup. The super talented defenseman is likely ticketed for a full-time role in the NHL next season, but competing for a Calder Cup would only serve to benefit his development.

Belleville currently sits just two points ahead of the Cleveland Monsters for the last playoff spot in the North Division, and unfortunately has played in two more games than them. With just seven games left it’s not clear if Brannstrom will get back in time to help them at all, or if he would even be ready for the first round of the playoffs.

Flames, Senators Among Teams Pursuing Joakim Nygard

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In tonight’s “Insider Trading” segment on TSN, Darren Dreger reported that one free agent race is already heating up more than three months before unrestricted free agency opens in the NHL. Joakim Nygard, who is currently playing for the top-seeded Farjestad BK in Swedish Hockey League postseason, is looking to make the jump to the NHL this off-season and there is already considerable interest. Among the teams rumored to be leading the pack in the pursuit of Nygard are two Canadian clubs on opposite ends of the spectrum, the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators.

It comes as little surprise that Nygard has been attracting attention this season. The 26-year-old forward is enjoying a career year in the SHL, skating on a line with Boston Bruins prospect Oskar Steen, the only Farjestad forward who has outscored him this season. Nygard played in all 52 regular season games this season, recording a career-high 21 goals and 35 points. Nygard finished second in the league goal-scoring race and helped to fuel his team to a top finish. Now he has to finish the job in the playoffs.

After that, he will be free to leave and it looks certain that he is headed to the NHL. In fact, Dreger states that Nygard’s camp has been receiving interest for months now and the move across the Atlantic has been a long time coming. He reports that several GM’s have checked in on Nygard over in Sweden this season, but says that the Flames and Senators specifically are “in hard”. Dreger also offers an NHL comparison for Nygard in Carl Hagelin, stating that Nygard’s skating ability is elite and he can “flat out fly”. The book on Nygard had been that he has the physical and technical tools down, but was still raw in his hockey sense and execution. It seems that he has improved in that area over the past few years and is now ready to show his complete game at the next level.

The battle to sign Nygard will be especially interesting because money won’t be the main bargaining chip. At 26, Nygard will still be forced to sign a one-year entry-level contract, meaning his immediate NHL earnings are capped no matter where he goes. More likely than not, opportunity will be the defining factor in the Swede’s decision. If that is the case, one would think Ottawa would have a major leg up as a team needing to replace several top-nine forwards before next season. Could the Senators start the off-season off early by adding Nygard? Keep an eye out once Farjestad’s season ends in the next month or so.

Zack Smith Could Return Thursday, Cody Ceci's Recovery Progressing

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  • The Senators could have center Zack Smith back in the lineup on Thursday night, reports Postmedia’s Ken Warren. He has missed the last two games with lingering back issues so it’s possible he’ll see limited action down the stretch.  Meanwhile, defenseman Cody Ceci is making progress in his recovery from an upper-body injury that has caused him to miss the last three games although there remains no timetable for his return.

Morning Notes: Lee, Knight, Senators

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The New York Islanders are headed back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and a huge part of their success this season can be traced back to the stability brought to the organization by GM Lou Lamoriello and head coach Barry Trotz. Almost no one predicted the Islanders to improve this season after losing captain John Tavares in free agency, but under the disciplined hand of the pair of experienced management have become one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. That management has not avoided questions though, as the Islanders still sit with new captain Anders Lee and veteran forwards Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle unsigned through the better part of the season.

All three are scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency this summer—along with resurgent goaltender Robin Lehner—but it is Lee that brings about the most anxiety in Islanders fans. Named captain after Tavares’ departure, Lee has been open with his desire to stay in New York long-term. Pierre LeBrun spoke about the situation on the latest edition of TSN’s Insider Trading, saying that both sides have been working towards a deal but the sticking point right now is term. Lee’s camp is apparently looking for seven or eight years, while New York is trying to keep it a bit shorter. Arthur Staple of The Athletic (subscription required) has heard the same thing, but also writes the deal will “surely get done” at some point.

  • Goaltenders are a tricky bunch to scout and develop, but Corey Pronman of The Athletic (subscription required) breaks down just why Spencer Knight might be the next one selected in the first round and where exactly he should go. Pronman details all of the outstanding qualities Knight brings to the table, but hesitates in his comparison to Andrei Vasilevskiy who he believes was a slightly better prospect in his draft year due to his international success. Vasilevskiy was selected 19th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2012, one of only two goaltenders picked in the top-20 this decade (Jack Campbell was picked 11th in 2010).
  • If the Ottawa Senators want to take a look at Knight, they’ll have some extra hands on deck to do it. According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, the Senators will be adding to their scouting staff this offseason in hopes that they can help continue their rebuild through a huge number of draft picks the next few years. The Senators have been notorious for having one of the smallest scouting departments in the league, but have still actually unearthed quite a few exceptional players over the years. Thomas Chabot’s selection—18th overall in 2015—sticks out as one of the best, even in a draft class that has provided some incredible talents.

Snapshots: Three Stars, College Stars, Presidents

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The NHL has released their three stars of the week, with Kyle Connor getting the top honors. The young Winnipeg Jets forward had five goals and eight points in four games, surpassing both of his impressive totals from last season. The 22-year old now has back-to-back 30-goal seasons, and is now a key part of the Jets attack on a nightly basis. While Patrik Laine may hit the headlines more for his upcoming restricted free agency, Connor’s pending negotiation looks to be just as (if not more) important.

Second star this week went to Steven Stamkos, who helped the Tampa Bay Lightning lock up the Presidents Trophy and became the franchise leader in goals with 387 and counting. The Lightning star is just one away from his fifth 40-goal campaign, and has six games remaining to try and crack the 100-point threshold for the first time in his career. Bringing up the rear in third was Philipp Grubauer, who has suddenly found his game and now holds a .914 save percentage on the year. That has allowed the Colorado Avalanche to climb back into the playoffs in the Western Conference.

  • Despite Boston University seeing a huge chunk of their team turn pro today—Jake Oettinger, Chad Krys, Joel Farabee and Dante Fabbro all signed contracts—they won’t be without some star power next year. According to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post, Shane Bowers is likely sticking around after a somewhat disappointing sophomore season. Cole Hults from Penn State is also expected to stay in college according to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider, and the team is supportive of that idea. Hults, a fifth-round pick of the Kings in 2017, had 28 points in 39 games as a sophomore this season.
  • The Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators have had a ton of turmoil over the last year, changing coaches and front office members while struggling on the ice. It’s not surprising that both teams may be looking for upper management help according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, who reports each could be set to bring in a team president to run hockey operations above the general manager. Ottawa’s search in particular has apparently already been going on for a while, though it has not apparently put Pierre Dorion’s job as GM in jeopardy.

Senators Seeking President Of Hockey Operations

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Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion has job security for now, but the team is looking to bring in some assistance for him. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the Senators have begun vetting candidates for the position of President of Hockey Operations. Many teams have a veteran hockey mind in this advisory position, previously including Ottawa with the late Bryan Murray, and the Senators will soon re-join that group.

Garrioch writes that the team continues to have full faith in Dorion, but acknowledges that their complete overhaul of a rebuild could use another set of eyes. The Sens have arguably been the worst team in hockey over the past two years and cannot even benefit from a top draft pick this season, having traded their first-round selection away to the Colorado Avalanche. Yet, judging by their statement made to the Sun, the Senators are confident that they can bring in a top name:

It should come as no surprise that – given the scale of our rebuild and the opportunity to be part of a turnaround fueled by an enormous well of young talent, including elite prospects and draft picks (17 in the first three rounds of the next three seasons) – the Ottawa Senators have become an attractive destination for hockey executives.

The only name specifically mentioned by Garrioch as a top candidate is current Philadelphia Flyers executive Dean Lombardi. Lombardi, who led the Los Angeles Kings to two Stanley Cup titles as GM, is considered the ideal choice, but it may be tough to land him. As a current Flyers employee, Ottawa would need prior consent to speak with him. Even given that permission, they may not be able to convince him to leave Philadelphia. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun notes that Lombardi is committed to the Flyers and does not believe a move to the Senators would be of interest. LeBrun adds that the team had interest in bringing in former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis last off-season and could revisit that possibility with an improved offer of President of Hockey Ops. Were it not for his contentious relationship with owner Eugene Melnyk, Senators great Daniel Alfredsson would also be a strong candidate for the job, but it remains a long shot with Melnyk still in the picture.

Atlantic Notes: Dermott, Gardiner, Smith, Tolvanen

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The Toronto Maple Leafs got some good news on the injury front. While Travis Dermott skated in a non-contact jersey Friday and again today Saturday, head coach Mike Babcock said the team hopes that Dermott will be back in the lineup next week, according to the Toronto Sun’s Lance Hornby. That should be welcome news for Toronto, which has lost four of their last six games with both Dermott and Jake Gardiner out of the lineup.

Dermott, who has been out for almost four weeks now with a shoulder injury, has emerged as a solid defensive option for Toronto this year and has been much missed. The 22-year-old blueliner has four goals and 17 points in 60 games this season.

The news on Gardiner wasn’t as promising. Gardiner did make an appearance at practice, but did not skate and Babcock still has no timetable on when he might be ready to return. He’s been out with a back injury since Feb. 25.

  • The Ottawa Senators Zack Smith is not playing Saturday due to a back injury and will remain day-to-day, according to Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch. After a tough season a year ago when he posted just five goals and 19 points and was put on waivers at the start of the season, Smith has rebounded this year with 18 goals and 27 points. It still remains far short of his 25-goals season back in 2015-16, which propelled the Senators to sign him a year later to a four-year, $13MM deal, in which the Senators are stuck with his $3.25AAV for another two years.
  • The Syracuse Crunch, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s AHL affiliate, announced that it has signed goaltender Atte Tolvanen, the brother of Nashville Predators’ star prospect Eeli Tolvanen, to an AHL contract for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. The 24-year-old goalie just finished a four-year stint at Northern Michigan University, putting up a solid .917 save percentage in his senior year along with a 2.35 GAA in 39 appearanes. In four years for Northern Michigan, he’s appeared in 137 games, with a 2.41 GAA and a .918 save percentage. He will likely serve as the backup to Eddie Pasquale, the Crunch’s starting goalie, while prospect Connor Ingram has been returned to the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL, continuing his strange demotion there.

 

Minor Transactions: 03/23/19

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With the playoff races in full swing and 28 of 31 teams in action, the antepenultimate Saturday of the season figures to be a busy one.  There’s likely to be a lot of roster movement throughout the day and we’ll keep tabs on those moves here.

  • The Stars announced the recall of center Justin Dowling from Texas of the AHL. Unlikely many moves at this time of the season, this one is not an emergency recall which means it counts against Dallas’ four non-emergency post-deadline recalls.  The 28-year-old, who inked a two-year extension earlier this month, has spent most of the season with AHL Texas where he has 53 points in 62 games to lead their farm team in scoring.  He has suited up in six games with Dallas so far this season, recording a single assist.  He’ll serve as depth down the middle for their stretch run.
  • Ottawa has returned defenseman Erik Brannstrom to AHL Belleville, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link).  He was up with the team on emergency recall.  The 19-year-old has played in two games with the Senators since being acquired from Vegas and will likely get another shot with the big club in the coming weeks.
  • The San Jose Sharks announced that they have sent forward Dylan Gambrell and defenseman Nick DeSimone have both been reassigned to the San Jose Barracuda after being recalled just one day ago. Gambrell, in particular, has been sent back and forth quite a bit this season, but the 22-year-old hasn’t made an appearance with the Sharks since Feb. 16.
  • The New Jersey Devils announced they have sent a number of players to their AHL affiliate in Binghamton after their win today over Arizona, including forwards Joey Anderson, Blake Pietila, John Quenneville, Eric Tangradi and defenseman Josh Jacobs. All players will be expected to gain seasoning in the AHL and have found themselves going back and forth quite a bit recently.
  • The Washington Capitals announced they have recalled Tyler Lewington from the Hershey Bears of the AHL to fill its hole on defense. With only six players on the roster and almost no cap space remaining to work with, the team could have made a number of moves to bring up a defenseman, but Lewington had the cheapest contract of their AHL defenseman and is likely to be used as an emergency player, likely not seeing any time for the Capitals. The 24-year-old has three goals, 14 points and 113 penalty minutes in 57 games this season in Hershey.

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