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Ottawa Senators LeBreton Development Bid In Jeopardy

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Yesterday a mediator announced that there would be no extension given to RendezVous LeBreton Group to resolve their dispute and continue work on the proposal to build a new arena closer to downtown Ottawa. RendezVous includes Senators owner Eugene Melnyk and Trinity Development Group founder John Ruddy, who are currently embroiled in a lawsuit. Melnyk filed a $700MM lawsuit against Ruddy in November, who then filed a $1B counterclaim. Today, the National Capital Commission who controls the LeBreton Flats area announced that there will be no settlement in the dispute and will now hold a meeting on March 7th to finalize a new development process.

This is not a guaranteed death sentence for the project, but it certainly makes it more difficult for the Senators to get their long awaited downtown arena. The LeBreton area is much closer to the city center than where the team currently plays, some 30 minutes outside of Ottawa in Kanata, ON. The arena is difficult get to and has routinely been a cause for consternation for fans of the team.

Melnyk released a statement following the announcement:

We are devastated that our dream has been shattered. However, we will not let our vision die or allow our enthusiasm to be diminished by this ill-fated experience. More than ever, we are determined and committed to explore alternative approaches in central locations that could accommodate a world-class hub. We are here for the long term and want a world class venue where Ottawans will live, work, play and enjoy the best the city has to offer. The people of Ottawa deserve this.

It’s been a long, disappointing 18 months for the Senators, who have fallen from the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017 to a bottom feeder in the NHL. The team may very well finish last in the entire league this season and have just traded away their three top scoring forwards. It will be a long way back to the top, and somehow rejuvenating this development bid would be a huge step in the right direction. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen after today’s announcement.

Snapshots: Ottawa, Edler, Zucker

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The Ottawa Senators have been in the headlines continuously for their roster transactions this season, but there are more big picture issues facing the team off the ice. The group that includes Senators owner Eugene Melnyk that is trying to develop the LeBreton Flats area in Ottawa for a new arena is embroiled in a legal dispute that is putting the development contract in jeopardy. The National Capital Commission which controls LeBreton had placed a deadline of this Thursday, February 28th to resolve the dispute and today told Canadian Press reporters that there will be no extension.

If the dispute is not resolved by the deadline the NCC has made it clear it will move on to other proposals regarding the land, meaning the Senators may lose their chance at the prime arena location. The area is much closer to downtown Ottawa and would be a huge boost for the team that currently plays in Kanata, some distance outside the city center.

  • Alex Edler has been working with the Vancouver Canucks on an extension, and according to GM Jim Benning did not want to waive his no-trade clause to go anywhere else. Edler has made it clear over the last few weeks and months that he would like to finish his career in Vancouver if possible, and with his relatively strong play this year there’s no reason to think that won’t happen at this point. The 32-year old defenseman has 20 points in 38 games this season and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
  • The Calgary Flames were apparently interested in acquiring Mark Stone at one point before the deadline, and they also showed interest in Minnesota Wild forward Jason Zucker. Ryan Leslie of Sportsnet even tweeted the team was “in” on Zucker just as the deadline was about to pass, but a deal didn’t materialize. Darren Dreger was on TSN radio today speaking about the situation and said that Flames GM Brad Treliving was “white hot” that the deal didn’t go through for whatever reason. The Flames ended up adding only Oscar Fantenberg on deadline day and will now have to go through the rest of the season without any real forward upgrade.

Florida Panthers Tried To Acquire Mark Stone

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The Florida Panthers have cleared a large amount of cap room this season by trading away players like Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann, and many have speculated that they’ll use it in free agency on targets like Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky. While that may be true, it didn’t stop the team from going after another big fish at the trade deadline. Head coach Dale Tallon tells George Richards of The Athletic (subscription required) that the team made a “good offer” to the Ottawa Senators to try and get Mark Stone before the talented winger eventually went to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Stone is expected to sign a long-term extension with the Golden Knights, something Richards believes the Panthers were also willing to do if they could acquire the 26-year old. It makes sense, given the cap room that Florida has and already exceptional talent up front to surround Stone with. Interestingly though the team already has Mike Hoffman in the fold, who was unceremoniously ushered out of Ottawa after a very public feud with former Senators captain Erik Karlsson. It’s obviously not clear where Hoffman and Stone stand, but it didn’t stop the team from trying to acquire the latter.

Tallon admits that the team will be “very aggressive” at the end of the season, using their draft capital and cap space to improve the team. With a forward core already consisting of Hoffman, Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Vincent Trocheck and Evgeni Dadonov the team has some real scoring punch. Adding a player like Stone or Panarin would make them even more dangerous, and with somewhere around $22MM in cap space (depending on where the ceiling lands) they have the room to do it and other things. The Panthers also own nine picks in the upcoming draft and could flip those for some more help.

At the very least, the fact that the Panthers were going hard to try and land a player of Stone’s caliber should be encouraging to the fan base. While this season hasn’t gone as hoped, there should be real excitement for an offseason that should be filled with fireworks.

Minor Transactions: 02/25/2019

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With the trade deadline upon us, roster restrictions have now been lifted so there should be an influx of recalls today.  On top of that, there should be plenty of “paper transactions” post-deadline as teams send down and then recall players in order to preserve their AHL postseason eligibility. Only players on AHL rosters at 3pm ET are eligible to play in the league’s playoffs. While all eyes are on the deadline, today is also one of, if not the, busiest day of the season for minor transactions. Try to keep up right here:

  • The Canadiens announced the recall of winger Dale Weise from Laval (AHL). He was sent down last week to accommodate the return of Paul Byron from IR but this move was expected with the 23-man roster limit now removed.  Weise played in three games with the Rocket, scoring twice.  He will likely battle for fourth line ice time down the stretch.
  • The Devils have shuffled their forward group, announcing that they have sent wingers Joey Anderson and Brett Seney to AHL Binghamton while recalling forwards Michael McLeod, Nathan Bastian, and John Quenneville. Anderson has just three points in 19 NHL games this season while Seney has spent the bulk of the year in New Jersey, collecting 13 points in 50 NHL contests.  McLeod, a 2016 first-rounder, has played just once with the big club this season but sits second on Binghamton in scoring and should now get a longer look to assess his development.  Bastian has also played just once in New Jersey but leads Binghamton in goals with 17 in 56 games.  They also announced that goalie MacKenzie Blackwood has been recalled from Binghamton following the trade of Keith Kinkaid, as well as defenseman Egor Yakovlev, with Eric Gryba heading back to the AHL.
  • For the time being at least, the Senators have re-assigned defenseman Cody Goloubef, centers Logan Brown and Filip Chlapik, and winger Drake Batherson to Belleville of the AHL, per a team announcement.  The team also made forward Rudolfs Balcers and defenseman Christian Wolanin paper transactions for the inevitable reality of last-place Ottawa having an early end to their season, but Belleville continuing on to the postseason.
  • The Flyers have brought back defenseman Samuel Morin from his conditioning stint with AHL Lehigh Valley.  He has been working his way back from ACL surgery from an injury sustained in the minor league playoffs back in May and played in a pair of games with the Phantoms.  It’s likely that Morin won’t be thrown into action with Philadelphia right away but with the roster limit gone, they can have him on the active roster from here on out. The team also made defenseman Philippe Myers and forward Corban Knight paper transactions. The young Myers was the top defender for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantom prior to his recall, while Knight is an experienced AHLer who can lead a team. Their return for the postseason would be a major boost for the Phantoms.
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled Matt Donovan from the AHL, placing Dan Hamhuis on injured reserve. Donovan is leading all Milwaukee Admirals defensemen in scoring with 29 points through 55 games, but hasn’t played an NHL game since 2014-15.
  • Christian Dvorak has officially been recalled from his conditioning stint with the Tucson Roadrunners, meaning he’ll be back on the ice for the Arizona Coyotes soon. The young forward has missed the entire season up to this point, but could give the Coyotes a much needed offensive boost down the stretch.
  • Matt Luff was recalled by the Los Angeles Kings today, only to be returned to the AHL’s Ontario Reign later on alongside Michael Amadio. It’s unclear if this move was intended for AHL postseason means, seeing as the Reign are in last place in the entire league and aren’t going to be heading to the postseason.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have returned goaltender Marek Mazanec and forward Zack MacEwen to the AHL’s Utica Comets, the team announced. Mazanec’s demotion is good news for the Canucks; Thatcher Demko has been cleared for action and will dress for the Canucks as the backup tonight.
  • Teddy Blueger has been reassigned to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, but could be on his way back up shortly. With Tanner Pearson shipped out of town, Pittsburgh needs another forward and Blueger has been the next man up. He should get a chance at regular minutes down the stretch.
  • Collin Delia will return to the minors upon the activation of Corey Crawford, Chicago announced. Delia has performed admirably in net during Crawford’s absence and even earned a contract extension with his play, but needs the starts available in the AHL rather than sitting behind Crawford and Cam Ward.
  • With the Toronto Maple Leafs trading away Par Lindholm today, stating their desire to open up regular NHL minutes for Trevor Moore, it is no surprise that Moore was an emergency recall by the team. Moore has been the epitome of consistency through his time with the University of Denver and AHL Marlies and now hopes to bring that same dependable production to the NHL.
  • The Arizona Coyotes made a pair of paper transactions, assigning defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin and forward Conor Garland to the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners – to ensure their AHL postseason eligibility – and then called them back up.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes followed suit, making forwards Saku Maenalanen and Warren Foegele paper transactions, so that they may compete with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers if need be.
  • The Dallas Stars are without Mats Zuccarello after just one game with the trade addition. To fill his roster spot for the time being, the team has recalled Denis Gurianov from AHL Texas. Gurianov has shown flashes, but inconsistency in the pros, but now Dallas needs him to be a reliable option over the next four weeks.
  • Daniel O’Regan seemed like a likely trade candidate as a young impending free agent who has not been a fit in Buffalo. The Sabres even showcased him this past week, but to no avail. The deadline has come and gone and Regan is still a Sabre, or more accurately a Rochester American after being demoted today. Tage Thompson was a paper transaction for the club.
  • Dylan Sikura was made a paper transaction by the Chicago Blackhawks, as well. While the team would like to see what he can do in the NHL over the next month, the Blackhawks are trending away from the postseason, making Sikura’s best bet at postseason play a return to the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. The move today maintains his eligibility to do so.
  • The Colorado Avalanche made dependable depth forward Sheldon Dries a paper transaction, but the reassignments of fellow forwards A.J. Greer and Andrew Agozzino were not just formalities. The pair will head back to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, having presumably lost their roster spots to the healthy Colin Wilson and the acquisition of Derick Brassard.
  • Goaltender Harri Sateri, defenseman Filip Hronek, and forward Filip Zadina were all made paper transactions by the Detroit Red Wings. Sateri and Hronek are currently filling in as injury replacements and will likely return to the AHL for real in short time, but Detroit wants to see what top prospect Zadina can do in the NHL down the stretch. The Red Wings surely won’t be making the playoffs though, so they made sure the trio can all still experience a postseason run this year.
  • The Edmonton Oilers made veteran minor league forwards Brad Malone and Josh Currie paper transactions. The duo is currently helping out in the NHL, but with the Oilers’ playoff hopes all but dead, their major role the rest of the way will likely be as experienced leaders guiding the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors into the postseason.
  • Jordan Greenway, Luke Kunin, and new addition Ryan Donato were all made paper transactions today by the Minnesota Wild. The trio is very much part of the Wild’s immediate plans this season, as well as their future, but Minnesota may not make the playoffs this year and the forwards could benefit from making a run with AHL Iowa.
  • New York Islanders defenseman Devon Toews was another paper transaction. Toews has carved out a role for himself with the club, which currently leads the Metropolitan Division, but should be be available to the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers come playoff time, a return to the team at a critical time would only further his development.
  • Lukas Radil was a paper transaction for the San Jose Sharks today. The Sharks are hoping to make a deep playoff run this year, but on the off chance that doesn’t materialize, the experienced forward Radil would be of benefit to the AHL Barracuda.
  • The Vancouver Canucks currently have defensemen Ashton Sautner and Guillaume Brisebois on the roster as the team battles injuries. However, to make sure the AHL’s Utica Comets were not stripped of two of their top defenders this season, Vancouver made the pair paper transactions today.
  • The Winnipeg Jets announced that they have reassigned defenseman Tucker Poolman to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose today. The move was expected after the Jets traded for not one but two defenseman today. The move also serves to ensure Poolman can play in the AHL postseason if need be. The same goes for forward Mason Appleton, who was also sent down.
  • Peter Cehlarik and Karson Kuhlman have both been returned to the AHL’s Providence Bruins, but it remains unclear if this is a paper transaction or an actual move by Boston. With the deadline passed and roster restrictions nullified, one would think that Cehlarik and Kulhman – who have both player regular minutes for the Bruins of late – would be back up. However, no such move has been made and perhaps the team simply wants to give the duo some more ice time in the minors now that their NHL roster includes several more veteran members up front.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have demoted defenseman Andy Welinski and forward Sam Steel in favor of defenseman Korbinian Holzer and goaltender Angus Redmond. The move may have something to do with AHL playoff eligibility, but more than anything it is about Redmond’s recall. The Ducks, who continue to struggle with injuries in net, will dress Redmond as their backup tonight with Ryan Miller sidelined with a lower-body injury. It is the first NHL experience for a keeper who has played almost exclusively in the ECHL as a pro.

2019 Trade Deadline Day Recap

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The trade deadline for the 2018-19 season has come and gone, with teams all around the league loading up for a Stanley Cup run. This year saw a nearly unprecedented level of skill available, though things got started quite early. Before deadline day, names like Matt Duchene, Brandon Montour, Mats Zuccarello, Charlie Coyle, Ryan Dzingel, Gustav Nyquist and Nick Jensen all switched teams. However, the day was no disappointment; a slow pace early on ended in fireworks right before the deadline and as deal trickled in right after. Below is a complete list of the 21 trades featuring all but seven of the NHL’s teams made on February 25th alone (chronologically):

To Anaheim Ducks:
D Patrick Sieloff

To Ottawa Senators:
F Brian Gibbons

 

To New Jersey Devils:
2022 fifth-round pick

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
G Keith Kinkaid

 

To Winnipeg Jets:
F Kevin Hayes

To New York Rangers:
F Brendan Lemieux
2019 first-round pick (top-3 protected)
2022 conditional fourth-round pick (if Winnipeg wins Stanley Cup)

 

To Montreal Canadiens:
F Jordan Weal

To Arizona Coyotes:
F Michael Chaput

 

To Florida Panthers:
F Cliff Pu
Future Considerations

To Carolina Hurricanes:
F Tomas Jurco (AHL contract)
Future Considerations

 

To Colorado Avalanche:
F Derick Brassard
2020 conditional sixth-round pick (no pick if Brassard re-signs)

To Florida Panthers:
2020 third-round pick

 

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
D Adam McQuaid

To New York Rangers:
D Julius Bergman
2019 fourth-round pick
2019 seventh-round pick

Read more

Pittsburgh Penguins Acquire Chris Wideman

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Defenseman Chris Wideman is on the move for the third time this season. The impending free agent has been traded by the Florida Panthers to the Pittsburgh Penguins, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. TSN’s Bob McKenzie adds that forward Jean-Sebastien Dea heads the other way to Florida.

Wideman began the season with the Ottawa Senators, but was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in November for a sixth-round pick. After he wasn’t a fit in Edmonton, Wideman was sent to the Florida Panthers as part of the package for Alexander Petrovic. He now joins his fourth team of the season in Pittsburgh, but it may be his best opportunity yet at play time. Having played just six games combined since leaving Ottawa, Wideman now joins a team that is currently without Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin, and Olli Maatta and will ask he and another new acquisition, Erik Gudbranson, to help make up for their absences. For now, Wideman will report to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton but will likely be recalled if Letang and Dumoulin remain sidelined.

Meanwhile, Dea has also been on the move frequently this year. The 25-year-old forward played 20 games with the New Jersey Devils after being claimed on waivers earlier this season, but returned to Pittsburgh via waivers afterward. Dea has spent the majority of the season in the AHL, only playing three games for the Penguins. He now heads to Florida where he will try to prove he is worthy of regular play time. Dea is currently a candidate for Group 6 free agency at the end of the season, so his time with the Panthers could be short-lived.

Vegas Golden Knights Acquire, Extend Mark Stone

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The Vegas Golden Knights have made their big deadline splash, acquiring Mark Stone from the Ottawa Senators according to several reports including Bob McKenzie of TSN. The Senators will receive prospect Erik Brannstrom, forward Oscar Lindberg and a 2020 second-round selection (DAL). Tobias Lindberg will also go to Vegas in order to even out the contract slots. Stone himself told TSN that he is close to an extension with the Golden Knights. The deal is expected to be an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $9.5MM. The extension will not be officially signed until March 1st due to the tagging rule.

Stone, 26, is one of the most dynamic two-way wingers in the entire league and is having another excellent season. With 62 points in 59 games he is on track to blow by his previous career-high of 64, and will pass the 30-goal threshold for the first time in his career. Not only is he an effective offensive player, but Stone has repeatedly proven to be an elite defensive winger and routinely creates turnovers by stripping opposing players of the puck. He has received Selke Trophy votes for the last four seasons, even finishing sixth in 2017 despite the award usually going to centers.

That kind of all-around talent is why Stone was so coveted at the deadline, and why the Senators tried desperately to sign him to an extension. Apparently that couldn’t be worked out for whatever reason so the team cashed in for the best package available. Brannstrom, the 15th-overall pick from 2017, is having an excellent season as a 19-year old in the AHL and has impressed every step of the way. With 28 points in 41 games for the Chicago Wolves there are few defensemen in the minor leagues that can carry the puck as well as the new Senators prospect, and he has been repeatedly compared to Erik Karlsson over the last few years. Obviously that will put huge expectations on the young defenseman, but Ottawa did well to land a prospect of his stature.

Still, it is surprising that the team did not secure a first-round pick along with Brannstrom given the reported ask in recent days. The Senators do now have a huge number of picks in the next few drafts but watched their top three scorers walk out the door in the last few days. They’ll have to build quickly as the 2021 timeline that owner Eugene Melnyk suggested for contention is coming fast.

Calgary Flames Came Close To Mark Stone Deal

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The Calgary Flames have been checking in on several players around the league, and according to Hockey Operations VP Don Maloney were close to “something big” last night. That’s what Maloney told Ryan Leslie of Sportsnet, which immediately sparked speculation about who that deal could have been for. Sportsnet colleague Chris Johnston tweets that Maloney was talking about Mark Stone, meaning the market for the Ottawa Senators winger has gotten even smaller.

That market likely already took a hit when the Jets struck a deal earlier today for Kevin Hayes, using their first-round pick and Brendan Lemieux to get it done. The Senators are expected to want several high end assets for Stone and Calgary apparently balked at that ask. If that’s true the Flames may turn their attention somewhere else, though several big names are already off the board.

Calgary is in prime position to compete for the Stanley Cup this season, and should be considered a contender on any forward left on the market. The fact that they were close on Stone means they are willing to at least entertain deals surrounding rentals, though will hold strong on the idea that they’re not going to sell the whole farm. Eric Francis of Sportsnet believes the prices might even be too high all around, leading the Flames to miss out on the “impact forward” they’ve been trying to acquire.

Ottawa Senators Acquire Brian Gibbons

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After sending out several forwards over the last few days, the Ottawa Senators have brought another back in. The team has acquired Brian Gibbons from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for minor league defenseman Patrick Sieloff. Gibbons is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and carries a $1MM full-season cap hit.

Gibbons, 30, experienced some unprecedented success with the New Jersey Devils last season, recorded 12 goals and 26 points in just 59 games. That kind of offensive production wasn’t expected given that he had just 22 NHL points to his name previously, and he hasn’t been able to replicate it this year. In 44 games for the Ducks, Gibbons has recorded just five points while averaging just over ten minutes of ice time per game. He cleared waivers earlier this month and was assigned to the minor leagues just a few days ago, though the Senators have already announced he will be joining their NHL squad in time for Tuesday’s game against the Washington Capitals.

With Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel already gone, the Senators are also expected to move Mark Stone and Mikkel Boedker before tomorrow’s deadline and will need some bodies to fill the roster card for the rest of the year. Gibbons is a versatile forward, though he isn’t expected to make a huge impact down the stretch.

Sieloff meanwhile is a 24-year old defenseman just waiting for a chance at the NHL level. Originally selected in the second round by the Calgary Flames in 2014, the physical defender has suited up just twice at the highest level. Amazingly he scored in each of those games for the Flames and Senators respectively, leading to an interesting stat that he alone holds. There is little reason to believe that he will be an impact player at the NHL level for the Ducks. Sieloff is under contract through next season, after which he would become a Group VI unrestricted free agent if he does not play in 78 more NHL games.

Ottawa Senators Scratch Ceci, Boedker As Team Tries To Move Them

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The Ottawa Senators still have Mark Stone left to trade before the deadline on Monday, but the team may be looking to make even more moves. According to Darren Dreger, the Senators have made defenseman Cody Ceci and forward Mikkel Boedker both healthy scratches for precautionary reasons, suggesting that the Senators are attempting to trade those two players before the deadline. In fact, Dreger adds there is quite a bit of interest in Ceci. The team even announced that it recalled defenseman Cody Goloubef from the Belleville Senators of the AHL.

Ceci is no surprise and has been talked about in the past as the 25-year-old has been a constant in Ottawa’s lineup for more than five years. Ceci has five goals and 20 points in 57 games this season, which is just six points away from a career-high. He averages 22:34 of ATOI per game, which is second on the team behind Thomas Chabot. With several teams looking for a right-shot defenseman, Ceci might be a valuable commodity for a team looking for a complete rebuild.

Boedker came over to Ottawa in the Mike Hoffman trade this summer, but the 29-year-old has struggled offensively as he has just six goals and 29 points in 54 games with the Senators after having a 15-goal campaign last season in San Jose. Regardless, he could provide a team with a solid bottom-six depth option who has some special teams skills as well. Boedker, however, still has one more year on his contract at $4MM, which some teams might not be that interested in picking up unless Ottawa is willing to retain some salary.

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