Ottawa Senators Will Not Allow Erik Karlsson To Play In Olympics, Should NHL Not Participate
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
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
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
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.
- Patric Hornqvist re-joined the Pittsburgh Penguins at practice today, and is a game time decision tonight against the New Jersey Devils. The winger has been out for the last five games with a concussion, his second this season. An important part of the Penguins forward group, he’ll be welcomed with open arms when he does make his return.
- Hornqvist will be even more important if he can go tonight, due to Evgeni Malkin being held out with an upper-body injury. He left practice early this morning and won’t go tonight, as Mike Sullivan says he’s been dealing with it for a while.
- Ron Hainsey is out on a week-to-week basis, thus the need for Derrick Pouliot this morning. The Penguins just can’t catch a break with their defense corps, and will now need Pouliot and Mark Streit to play even bigger roles than expected down the stretch.
Snapshots: Outdoor Game, Fedun, Bonuses
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
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.
Ottawa Senators Recall Chris Driedger From AHL
The Ottawa Senators have recalled goaltender Chris Driedger today, with Craig Anderson not on the ice at practice. Bruce Garrioch does report that Mike Condon is present, meaning he will likely get the start tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Anderson has been in and out of the lineup as he continues to deal with issues surrounding his wife’s illness, but had been back with the team for over a month.
The 35-year old Anderson has won six straight starts and is in the midst of his most successful NHL career, if a difficult one off the ice. With a .930 save percentage in 30 starts, he has been a huge reason the Senators find themselves battling for first place in the Atlantic Division. They’ll hopefully get him back sooner than later as they fight to lock up the top seed.
Driedger has been up this year in emergency situations, and got into one game back in November. The 22-year old netminder has spent time at all three levels (ECHL, AHL, NHL) this season, with mixed results at each. A former third-round pick, his future is still bright with the organization after posting a passable season with Binghamton.
Minor Moves: Varone, Graovac, Shore
The Ottawa Senators have decided they no longer have a use for Phil Varone, after the news that Kyle Turris should return to the lineup. Monday afternoon they announced that Varone has been re-assigned to the AHL. The 26-year old Varone only received just five minutes of ice time in Saturday’s win over the Colorado Avalanche, and is more useful in the AHL where he currently leads the baby-Sens in points. With 42 points in 51, Varone has continued his minor-league dominance this season, part of a longer trend. In his six seasons of professional hockey, he has scored at least 35 points in each of them with a career high of 61 in 2013-14.
Obviously Varone isn’t in the Senators’ current NHL plans, but perhaps he’ll get a chance somewhere else next season. The former fifth-round pick is an unrestricted agent this summer, and will likely be looking for an opportunity at the highest level.
- According to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune, the Minnesota Wild are set to recall Tyler Graovac from Iowa. The 23-year old forward was waived a month ago but has spent most of the season in the NHL, playing in 49 games for the Wild. The massive Graovac is an effective bottom-six player who can play center or wing when needed. With Martin Hanzal out with the flu, Graovac is likely just up as insurance for the rest of the road trip. If the team wants a shake up, they could insert him into the fourth-line center spot, currently occupied by Jordan Schroeder.
- After signing this weekend and clearing waivers today, Drew Shore will indeed make his debut for the Vancouver Canucks tonight against the Boston Bruins. The former second-round pick will compete to prove that he deserves another look in the NHL next season. “I want to show the Canucks I can be part of their future,” Shore said today to the media. The Canucks will also get Mikael Grandlund back into the lineup, skating alongside the Sedins.
Injury Notes: Calvert, Carrick, Senators
The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated Matt Calvert off injured reserve as they get ready to play the Philadelphia Flyers tonight. After getting word that Ryan Murray will be out for four to six weeks, Calvert’s return should be welcome news in Columbus. The 27-year old winger hasn’t played since February 17th, out with a strained oblique muscle. Though he only has 11 points on the season, Calvert is a big part of the Blue Jackets’ bottom-six and penalty kill.
Following Calvert’s return, the Blue Jackets have sent T.J. Tynan back to the AHL. The diminutive forward had played three games for the team but rarely saw the ice. With less than eight minutes a night, Tynan was being wasted at the NHL level and instead will return to continue his excellent minor league season. With 30 points in 55 games, Tynan ranks second on the Cleveland Monsters in scoring and has shown a consistent ability to find his teammates.
- Connor Carrick was back skating with the Toronto Maple Leafs today, after missing the past eight games. According to James Mirtle of The Athletic, he likely won’t play tomorrow night against Florida but could make his return soon. The Maple Leafs have been flipping between Alexey Marchenko and Martin Marincin in his spot, both of whom have been largely ineffective.
- Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun gives us a report on the injured Senators, with some bad news surrounding Mark Stone. The forward is out on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury and will miss at least the next three games. Kyle Turris and Bobby Ryan are both close to a return though, which will provide some respite for a bruised and battered top-six. Ryan has been out since February 18th with his second broken finger of the year, and had been given a three to six week timetable.
- George Richards of the Miami Herald confirms what was expected, that both Aaron Ekblad and Denis Malgin will be out for seven to ten days with concussions. As with any concussion, that is a very rough estimate and either or both could last much longer. Not like a healing bone, brain injuries often react differently to different people. For now, Jakub Kindl will draw in tomorrow night against the Maple Leafs.
East Notes: Weegar, Namestnikov, Islanders
After Aaron Ekblad was taken out of Saturday’s game for the Florida Panthers, it looks like he’ll be out for at least a while with a concussion. In the meantime, the Panthers are expected to recall MacKenzie Weegar, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald. The 23-year old has developed steadily in the minors since being selected in the seventh round (206th overall) of the 2013 draft. With 12 goals and 29 points this season, Weegar has been Springfield’s “best defenseman overall” according to Eric Joyce, the Panthers’ assistant general manager.
Weegar will likely make his NHL debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night, as the Panthers try to stay relevant in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Now seven points behind Toronto for the final playoff spot, their current five game losing streak has all but dashed those postseason hopes completely.
- Vladislav Namestnikov was at Lightning practice this morning in a regular jersey according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. One of the three Lightning centermen that were injured last Thursday, it would be huge if he could return so quickly. With Tampa just three points back of the Maple Leafs, this back-to-back against the New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators is crucial to their season hopes. Today, the team called up Byron Froese to give them some depth up the middle, but hopefully Namestnikov can still return either tonight or tomorrow.
- Both Tyler Johnson and Cedric Paquette missed the skate entirely, with Smith not convinced Paquette even made the trip to New York. That likely explains why Froese was called up, though it doesn’t bode well for the Lightning.
- Smith also reports that Steven Stamkos again skated before the rest of the team as he continues to work his way back. Wednesday would mark four months since he last appeared in a game, the minimum amount of time he was expected to miss. If the Lightning have any chance of taking and holding a playoff spot, they’ll need their captain back sooner than later.
- The New York Islanders had some friendly faces back at their morning skate, as Alan Quine and Casey Cizikas both stayed on after their pre-skate workout to practice with the team according to Arthur Staple of Newsday. Though they’re both “close, but not ready”, it is definitely a good sign for a team battling for their playoff lives. Cizikas is a very important piece to their lineup, able to move up and down whenever needed. After returning home from their nine-game road trip, the Islanders have a home-and-home with Carolina tonight and tomorrow. They currently sit just a point back of Toronto, and have as good of a chance as anyone to take home that final wildcard position.