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Snapshots: Kurker, Hunlak, Stone

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The Albany Devils have signed one of the most interesting college names in the country to an amateur tryout according to Mark Divver of the Providence Journal. Sam Kurker of Northeastern was originally drafted in 2012 by the St. Louis Blues and headed to Boston University to begin his college career. After a frustrating season and a half at BU, Kurker decided to take his talents elsewhere and headed back to the USHL to play for the Indiana Ice. Upon finishing the 2013-14 season with Indiana—and winning a championship—the team closed its doors and Kurker headed to the Sioux City Musketeers.

After an outstanding season for Sioux City Kurker went back to the NCAA ranks, this time at Northeastern. In two years at the school Kurker had similar frustrations as during his time for BU, and finished this season with just six points in 28 games. The former top prospect was overshadowed by other names like Zach Aston-Reese and Adam Gaudette, and will now try to continue his hockey career in Albany.

  • Any Toronto Maple Leafs fans that are hoping the pairing of Roman Polak and Matt Hunwick—affectionately nicknamed “Hunlack”—will be broken up should quit holding their breath, as a new article from Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston relays that Mike Babcock is very happy with the way they’re playing. Despite being horrendous weights on the team’s possession numbers, Babcock goes by other evaluation tools like “knowing where to stand”. While younger players often get caught chasing the puck in their own zone, the Leafs coach is happy to deploy a more veteran pair on defense.
  • Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen writes that Mark Stone is getting closer to returning to the Ottawa Senators lineup and has taken a “major” step towards that goal by getting back on the ice today. With the Senators losing their last four games, they’ve slipped down far enough to allow Boston and Toronto just a sliver of hope in the Atlantic race, and could use Stone’s help to slam that door shut for the final time. If they’re to do any damage in the playoffs, they’ll need their top forward healthy enough to contribute; they’ve scored just six goals in those four recent losses.

Draft Pick Notes: White, Johansson, Radke, Mattsson

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Jeff Cox is reporting that the Ottawa Senators and prospect Colin White will be signing a contract within the next 24 hours, though still there is no indication whether it will be for this year or next. Recently we wrote about the choice the Senators and White have, between adding him for a playoff run and burning a year of his entry-level contract, or signing him to an amateur tryout and letting him get his feet wet in Binghamton before likely making the roster next season.

White has had another solid season at Boston College, and is widely expected to turn pro. The 21st-overall pick in 2015 has shown an ability to play in both ends of the rink, and could legitimately help a team that has had injury troubles over the past month. Since White is already 20 years old, he would not fall under any entry-level slide regardless of how many games he plays. If the contract is signed for this year to allow him to play in the NHL, he would burn a year.

  • Mark Divver of the Providence Journal reports that Emil Johansson could join the Providence Bruins this weekend. Boston’s seventh-round pick in 2014 had a very good season for Djurgardens of the Swedish Hockey League, scoring 17 points in 49 games and generally playing more than 20 minutes a night on the team’s top pairing. If he does come over to North America he’ll be an interesting name for the Bruins to follow, to see if he can develop into a NHL-capable puck moving defenseman.
  • The Stockton Heat—Calgary’s AHL affiliate—have signed Adam Ollas-Mattsson to an ATO, bringing him over from Sweden where he had been playing with Johansson for Djurgardens. Not playing nearly as much, though still suiting up for 52 games, Ollas-Mattsson registered just four points this season. The sixth-round pick of the Flames in 2014, he possesses size and strength capable of playing against grown men and has shown it since he was 17 in the highest Swedish league.
  • Scott Powers of The Athletic reports that Roy Radke has signed an ATO with the Rockford IceHogs after his OHL season finished. The sixth-round pick of the Blackhawks had 36 points in 45 games this season for the Barrie Colts, and will try to prove he deserves an entry-level contract this summer. The 20-year old hasn’t developed into the power forward Chicago had hoped for, though obviously there is still quite a while before you can write him off.

Morning Notes: Giroux, White, Tkachuk

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If Philadelphia Flyers fans are wondering where this Claude Giroux has been all season—the captain has points in eight of his last eleven games—they might not be shocked to find out that he’s been playing injured. Marc Narducci of The Inquirer reports that despite telling media members that he was fully healthy prior to the start of the season, he has been anything but 100% this year. The hip that required surgery last spring has bothered him all year, restricting his ability to “try to make plays you used to make.”

Giroux only now is starting to feel like himself, and it’s showing on the score sheet. It might be coming just a little too late though, as the Flyers remain five points back of the Maple Leafs for the final playoff spot, despite having played one more game. There are just eleven contests left for Philadelphia, who sit 33-30-8 on the year.

  • Decision day is looming for the Ottawa Senators and prospect Colin White, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. The first-round pick from 2015 has just finished his sophomore season with Boston College, and is looking to go pro. As Garrioch writes, Ottawa doesn’t want to sign him to an entry-level deal for this season and burn a year over the last few weeks. They’d rather go the more common route of an amateur tryout for the rest of the year, and start his ELC in 2017-18. They’ll likely come to some sort of an agreement soon, as it doesn’t seem like either side is expecting him to head back to BC next season. The 20-year old center had 33 points in 35 games this season, actually a slight step back from his production as a freshman. He is as blue-chip a prospect as the Senators have (right alongside Thomas Chabot), and they will carefully consider their options before agreeing to anything.
  • The hockey world was in a buzz this morning over the elbow of Matthew Tkachuk, after the Flames’ rookie sent it hard into the face of Drew Doughty in last night’s game. Doughty would drop to the ice immediately, while no penalty was assessed on the play. Tkachuk will receive a hearing with the league and though he has no official history of supplementary discipline, players around the league have come to expect things like this from him. As Doughty told Jon Rosen of FOX Sports after the game, “he’s a pretty dirty player, that kid. To be a rookie and play like that is a little surprising.” 

Saturday Snapshots: Tkachuk, Stamkos, Stone

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Given his pedigree, it should come as little surprise that one of Matthew Tkachuk’s strengths is his advanced hockey sense. His father, Keith Tkachuk of course, played 18 seasons in the NHL and scored 538 career regular season goals. As Darren Haynes writes on his Flames From 80 Feet Above blog, the younger Tkachuk displays hockey awareness on par with that of a 10-year veteran as opposed to that of a 19-year-old rookie.

Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan certainly agrees with the sentiment, praising the young power forward’s “gamesmanship, his hockey sense (and) his ice awareness.” Haynes describes a subtle play made by the rookie in a recent win over Dallas in which Tkachuk touched the puck with a high stick and knew if he was the first to touch it that the officials would blow the play dead. Instead, Tkachuk tracked the puck into the offensive zone and waited for a Stars player to play the puck. Adam Cracknell did just that and Tkachuk picked his pocket and moved the puck to Mark Giordano whose shot deflected off of Stars defenseman Dan Hamhuis and into the net.

Tkachuk has tallied 13 goals and 46 points in 67 games this season which represents excellent production for any rookie, much less one just 19 years old and in his first professional campaign. Yet beyond his offensive output, it may be the little things Tkachuk brings to the table that makes him such a valuable contributor to a team that appears poised to make the playoffs.

Elsewhere in the NHL on this Saturday:

  • Steven Stamkos, out since November with a knee injury, returned to the ice as a full participant at the Lightning’s Friday practice. While that has to be considered a positive sign in his lengthy recovery, Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times writes that Stamkos’ return is still not “imminent.” The Lightning, who have surprisingly managed to resurface in the playoff race despite a trade deadline selloff of goalie Ben Bishop along with forwards Brian Boyle and Valtteri Filppula, would certainly welcome a healthy Stamkos with open arms but at this point it appears they’ll have to manage without their captain for a little while longer.
  • Ottawa Senators forward Mark Stone, who has missed the last week with a lower-body injury, is still considered week-to-week and according to head coach Guy Boucher hasn’t skated while recovering from the leg issue, reports Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen. Stone, a terrific forechecker, has tallied 22 goals and 50 points in 63 games this season and is an important cog up front for the Senators. While the loss of Stone certainly stings, his absence has been mitigated somewhat by trade deadline acquisitions Alexandre Burrows and Viktor Stalberg, who have combined for six goals and nine points in the eight games since coming to Canada’s capital. Ottawa, at this point safely in possession of a postseason slot, will continue to look for production from the newest Sens as they work to secure a playoff berth.

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

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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.

Atlantic Notes: Condon, Girgensons, Ullmark, Larkin

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Senators goaltender Mike Condon is having a strong sophomore NHL season and is poised to earn a nice raise from the league minimum salary he’s earning this season.  He has posted a 2.49 GAA and a .914 SV% in 38 appearances between Pittsburgh and Ottawa and may be tempted to try and seek out a starting job as an unrestricted free agent in the summer.  Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun proposes that Condon should stick with the Sens even though he’d likely have to cede the starting job to Craig Anderson for one more year.

The scribe suggests that a three year, $5MM deal could be palatable for both Condon and the team.  For the 26 year old goalie, it would represent a sizable increase in pay and give him a nice guaranteed deal for someone that was on waivers from Montreal at the start of the season.  From Ottawa’s perspective, a deal like that would give them some stability beyond next year when Anderson becomes a free agent without really breaking the bank.

Elsewhere around the Atlantic:

  • Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News suggests that forward Zemgus Girgensons and goalie Linus Ullmark are the most likely options to be selected by the Golden Knights in the expansion draft in June. Girgensons had showed signs of a developing offensive game in his first two years but has tailed off since Dan Bylsma took over behind the bench; he has a career low 14 points (6-8-14) in 64 games this season.  If he isn’t taken by Vegas, the Latvian could be a strong trade candidate in the summer.  As for Ullmark, he has mediocre numbers at the AHL level this season but showed some good upside in a 20 game stint in Buffalo in 2015-16 which could make him an intriguing backup option with several years of team control for the Golden Knights.
  • Detroit forward Dylan Larkin is getting more comfortable as he transitions back towards his natural center position, writes Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. The 20 year old sophomore started the year there but early struggles saw him shifted to the wing.  However, with the season all but over, the Red Wings plan to keep him there for the remainder of the year.  After a 45 point rookie campaign, Larkin has just 14 goals and 11 assists in 67 games this season.

Minor Moves: Driedger, Andersson, Stone

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It was a short and sweet call up for the Senators’ Chris Driedger, who will be sent down today according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia.  The goaltender was an emergency call up when Craig Anderson was injured this week, though he never got into a game. He has three appearances in his NHL career, but spent most of his time in the minor leagues.

Now with Anderson seemingly healthy enough, Drieger will head back to the Binghamton Senators and try to finish the season with a strong showing. The netminder has just a .906 save percentage in the AHL this season, though that is easily the best on the baby-Sens. The 22-year old is one of several goaltending prospects that Ottawa will make their mark on the NHL sooner or later.

  • According to Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet, the Calgary Flames have made Rasmus Andersson a regular call up in order to keep him with the NHL team. Originally recalled on an emergency basis, Andersson will stick around for at least a while to make sure the Flames have enough depth on defense. He actually hasn’t gotten into a game yet, as Dennis Wideman has figured into the lineup over the recent stretch of games.
  • It doesn’t look like Andersson will get in anytime soon, as Michael Stone will return to the lineup tonight in place of Wideman. Stone was injured in the March 9th game against the Montreal Canadiens, and has missed the last three games. He is still undefeated as a member of the Flames, as the team traded for him just before starting the 10-game win streak that ended on Wednesday against Boston. He’ll look to remain that way tonight when the Flames take on the Dallas Stars.

Snapshots: 100 Classic, Hornqvist, Malkin

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As reported yesterday, the Ottawa Senators will host an outdoor game next year. The “NHL 100 Classic” will be held on December 16th, 2017 to honor the first NHL game played in Ottawa 100 years prior (actually December 17th, 1917). The Senators will welcome the Montreal Canadiens to TD Place, the football stadium right along the Rideau Canal.

Just a few weeks after the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup, TD Place will have extra seating installed to accommodate the extra crowd. The Stadium currently seats 24,000 for football, but expect that to grow substantially. BMO Place in Toronto added more than 10,000 seats for this year’s Centennial Classic, after hosting it’s own Grey Cup earlier in the winter. This will be the Senators’ first hosted outdoor game.

Snapshots: Outdoor Game, Fedun, Bonuses

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After a report yesterday that the 2018 Winter Classic would be played at Citi Field in New York, there is some more news about outdoor games next season. Tomorrow, according to a report from Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen, the NHL will announce a game between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens that will take place at TD Place, the home of the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa Redblacks. The stadium, which sits in Lansdowne Park right along the Rideau Canal, will host the CFL’s Grey Cup just a few weeks prior and will have expanded seating still installed.

This would be the Senators first time hosting an outdoor game, and just their second appearance in one. In 2014, they were part of the Heritage Classic in Vancouver (where the Sens won 4-2) but will obviously welcome a chance to host their own. Honoring the first NHL game played in Ottawa on December 19th, 1917—when the original Ottawa Senators were in existence—the game is expected to be played around the same date. It will be Montreal’s fourth appearance as a visitor in an outdoor game, though they’ve never hosted one themselves.

  • As rumored yesterday, the Buffalo Sabres have brought up Taylor Fedun from the AHL today prior to their game in Los Angeles. The team is in the middle of a four-game rad trip, and will not have Justin Falk in the lineup tonight or tomorrow against the Anaheim Ducks. Fedun has 25 games with the NHL club this season, recording seven points. A prolific point producer at the AHL level, Fedun has just 37 games under his belt in the NHL and has never been able to find a consistent role.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have used their cap space over the past two years as something of an asset, acquiring bad contracts and burying them in the minors in order to get better returns on transactions. Brooks Laich, Milan Michalek and Colin Greening were all examples of this, and they now find themselves right up against the cap. As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet writes, that may end up costing them at least a few million next season as the bonuses for their young players will be taken as a penalty. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Nikita Zaitsev will all likely max out their Schedule A bonuses this season, and Matthew may trigger a $2MM Schedule B if he finishes in the top 10 for goals. If they decide to be big players in free agency, that Matthews bonus could be a big factor.

Senators Notes: Karlsson, Ryan, Anderson

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Though it looked earlier this season like Brent Burns had locked up the Norris trophy by Christmas, Erik Karlsson has been pushing to make sure voters don’t forget about him. Mentioned by both Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet and Travis Yost of TSN today in their latest columns, people have noticed that Karlsson is now just eight points behind Burns and ready to burst into the NHL’s top-10 sooner or later. The defenseman is having another unbelievable season offensively but as Friedman notes, is also doing something else better.

Karlsson leads the NHL in blocked shots this season by a wide margin, easily outpacing his own career-high from last season. Though he may not be producing at quite the same rate offensively—though 62 points in 67 games shouldn’t be shrugged off—his defensive ability has seemingly improved once again. Blocked shots aren’t a very stable result, and shouldn’t simply be taken as evidence of an improved defensive game. But when combined with an increased +/- rating, decreased rate of minor penalties, and increased short-handed play, even the most “old-school” hockey fan should appreciate his defensive improvements.

  • Bobby Ryan and Kyle Turris will both return to the lineup tonight, giving Ottawa a nice boost to their top-six after several weeks with uncertainty at the top. Ryan has been out since February 18th with a broken finger, and is having the worst season of his career. With five more seasons on his contract at $7.25MM per year, the Senators need him to turn things around as quickly as possible. Ryan will turn 30 on Friday, and has just 12 goals this season. If he doesn’t produce down the stretch, the Senators might even decide to leave him exposed and hope Vegas takes him off their hands in the expansion draft.
  • After Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported that Craig Anderson wasn’t on the ice at this morning’s practice, thoughts immediately turned to his personal problems that have taken him away from the team several times this season. Turns out, it’s just a lower-body injury for Anderson who will be replaced by Chris Driedger tonight on the bench behind Mike Condon. There is no timetable on Anderson’s return as Garrioch reports, after head coach Guy Boucher said the team would be “checking it out further” later.

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