Latest On Bo Horvat
With every day that passes, it seems a new report emerges about the lack of progress in Bo Horvat extension talks. Today, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes that “it’s not trending well.” Horvat is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
Of course, some of the same things were said this summer about the Vancouver Canucks and J.T. Miller, before the two sides eventually agreed on a seven-year, $56MM extension that includes a full-no-movement clause through 2026-27. Most insiders at the time had expected the Canucks to trade Miller instead of extending him, something that obviously didn’t happen as the veteran forward instead cashed in with a deal that includes $8.5MM in signing bonuses the first year.
So, until he actually hits the open market or is traded, things could change with regard to Horvat. But it is Miller’s contract that might end up forcing the Canucks to move on. The team is not good enough to contend for the Stanley Cup right now, despite a pair of crazy victories in recent days, and also has several expensive, underperforming contracts on the books.
Miller is still scoring at a good clip but has been anything but consistent this year, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson‘s deal looks like one of the worst in the league as he plays through his age-31 season. The veteran defenseman will carry a $7.26MM cap hit for another four more years (and that’s not counting the portion the Arizona Coyotes are retaining).
Signing Horvat, then, would just add more money onto the pile without actually improving the Canucks roster. There’s no doubt that the 27-year-old center will be commanding more than his current $5.4MM cap hit in a new deal, especially after scoring 20 goals in his first 20 games this year. Goal-scoring centers are some of the highest-paid commodities in the league, as seen by Miller’s massive extension after a career-best 32 goals in 2021-22.
It should be noted that Horvat does not have trade protection in his current deal, meaning the Canucks could auction him off if necessary. Friedman notes that Canucks president Jim Rutherford will likely wait until February to try and squeeze the most value out of any deal, and suggests Luke Schenn as another chip he could cash in.
Toronto Maple Leafs Re-Assign Semyon Der-Arguchintsev
Ahead of their game tonight against the Los Angeles Kings, the Toronto Maple Leafs have loaned Semyon Der-Arguchintsev back to the minor leagues. This is notable, as it could signal the return of T.J. Brodie, who has been absent for weeks while dealing with an oblique injury.
Victor Mete was the latest Maple Leafs defenseman to go down to injury, leaving the team with even fewer experienced bodies on the back end. If Brodie can return, it would be a huge boost to a group that is being led by 39-year-old Mark Giordano.
Der-Arguchintsev, 22, made his NHL debut this week, playing just a handful of minutes on the fourth line. The 2018 third-round pick has been excellent for the Toronto Marlies, scoring 18 points in 20 games and generally being one of their most reliable forwards. Undersized, he relies on excellent playmaking skills to contribute.
Now 7-0-3 in their last ten, the Maple Leafs will take on the Kings in the first of a three-game homestand starting tonight.
Shane Wright Loaned To Team Canada For World Juniors
Dec 8: As expected, the Kraken have officially loaned Wright to Team Canada.
Dec 7: Seattle Kraken top prospect Shane Wright is expected to report to Team Canada’s selection camp for the 2023 World Junior Championship tomorrow, per TSN’s Darren Dreger.
When Wright wasn’t named to Canada’s selection camp roster announced Monday, some eyebrows were raised. But Canada could not add him to their roster until the Kraken loaned him there, and after the team’s plan of getting Wright back into a game after his AHL conditioning stint, it appears that’s exactly what Seattle will do.
The 2022 fourth-overall pick scored his first NHL goal last night, making it two points in eight games with the Kraken. Appearing in five games with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, he sniped four goals in just five games, proving he belongs in professional hockey.
Yet the Kraken don’t have a choice in where they send him long-term this year: it’s either the NHL or juniors, given his age and the NHL-CHL transfer agreement. Given Wright’s limited role on the team, and with Seattle sitting pretty in a playoff spot, it seems Wright is destined to return to junior hockey when the tournament concludes.
Wright joins an offense loaded with talent, including defenseman Brandt Clarke, who was loaned to Team Canada by the Los Angeles Kings just hours ago.
Snapshots: Barkov, Puljujärvi, Poulin
Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has missed much of the past few weeks with an illness, and now we have clarity on why his absence was so long. Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards relays a Finnish report that Barkov was dealing with a bout of pneumonia, causing him to be away from the team.
Thankfully, Barkov is now healthy. He’s returned to skating with the team and is expected to return to the lineup tomorrow against Detroit, says Richards. In the seven games Barkov missed, the Panthers went 2-3-2. The return of their captain can’t come soon enough, as the team currently sits outside a playoff spot after winning the President’s Trophy last year. Richards also notes the team is optimistic that Anton Lundell can return from an injury tomorrow after missing the last two games.
- After scoring just one goal in 26 games this season, offensive struggles are beginning to weigh on Edmonton Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi. Puljujärvi told a Finnish news agency today (translated) that “of course, I’d like to be a productive top-line player, but right now, it looks like I can’t do that in NHL. Maybe some other league.” The Finn had a career year last season with 36 points in 65 games and even received some Selke votes, but his play on both sides of the puck has dipped this year. Hopefully, the Oilers can help Puljujärvi figure out a way to regain his confidence.
- Team Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin has deservedly won the 2022 Northern Star award, given to Canada’s top athlete of the year. Poulin led Canada’s top women’s hockey contingent to both Olympic gold and World Championships gold, scoring a combined 27 points in 14 games. She’s the first hockey player to win the award in seven years.
Carolina Hurricanes Assign Dylan Coghlan To AHL On Conditioning Stint
The Carolina Hurricanes announced in a team release today that the team has assigned defenseman Dylan Coghlan to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL on a conditioning stint.
Coghlan has been pushed down the Hurricanes’ defense depth chart this season, although the team hasn’t given him much of a chance. They’ve instead favored more defensively-inclined options like Jalen Chatfield, who’s played in all of Carolina’s 26 games in 2022-23.
Acquired alongside Max Pacioretty from the Vegas Golden Knights in July, Coghlan has played only six games with Carolina this season, averaging just 14:08 per game. In 88 previous NHL games, all with Vegas, the 6′ 3″, 207 lb Coghlan had six goals, 13 assists, and 19 points.
Interestingly enough, this won’t be a new AHL stop for Coghlan. His only AHL experience has come in Chicago, where he played full seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-20. At the time, the team was Vegas’ AHL affiliate before the team purchased the San Antonio Rampage, promptly relocating them to Henderson to become the Silver Knights. Chicago, who has one of the most successful track records of any AHL team (and is the defending Calder Cup champion), then entered an affiliation agreement with Carolina.
While he didn’t nab any awards during his time in the minors, Coghlan was an integral part of the Chicago blueline when he was there. His 2018-19 rookie season as an undrafted free agent saw him lead the team’s defense with 40 points in 66 games.
Vegas Golden Knights Recall Jonas Rondbjerg, Place Brett Howden On LTIR
5:00 pm: Forward Brett Howden was also moved to long-term injured reserve to make the roster space for Rondbjerg, per CapFriendly. Pietrangelo will be away from the team indefinitely as he deals with an illness in the family and has been given a non-roster designation. Howden has missed six games with a lower-body injury.
12:31 pm: The Vegas Golden Knights have completed just their second recall of the season, adding Jonas Rondbjerg to the NHL roster. Alex Pietrangelo, who hasn’t played since November 26 as he continues to deal with a personal matter, is no longer listed on the official roster.
Vegas is also without Jack Eichel for the time being, after suffering a lower-body injury a few days ago. His absence could open up some playing time for the 23-year-old Rondbjerg, who suited up 30 times for the Golden Knights last season. A third-round pick from 2017, the Danish forward has seven goals and 14 points in 22 games with the Henderson Silver Knights this season.
The Golden Knights have continued to win despite these important subtractions, including a statement victory over the Boston Bruins on Monday. The club is now at home for three in a row, including a rematch with the Bruins on Sunday. Third in the league with 39 points, Vegas has allowed just 71 goals through 27 games and are getting offensive contributions from all over. Six different players have at least 20 points on the year, with Reilly Smith and William Karlsson about to join that group.
Rondbjerg will try to jump on that moving train and contribute, though it isn’t clear how much actual playing time he’ll receive on this recall. Last year, he averaged almost exactly 10 minutes a night in his 30 appearances, scoring six points.
Los Angeles Kings Loan Brandt Clarke To Team Canada
Finally, Brandt Clarke is getting his chance to play for Team Canada at the World Juniors. After not being named to the roster for the 2022 World Juniors, the Los Angeles Kings have now loaned the 19-year-old to Canada for 2023.
Clarke has not played for the Kings in over a month and was recently recalled from an AHL conditioning stint that allowed him five games in the minors. He’s been a healthy scratch since.
Those scratches haven’t necessarily been because of his play. Clarke is sitting at NHL games on the season – one more would cause his entry-level contract to go into effect. If he doesn’t play another game for LA, his contract will slide to next season.
Head coach Todd McLellan spoke on the team’s decision-making progress with where to assign Clarke moving forward:
Sometimes players get rushed and we don’t want to do that with Clarkie. There’s the hockey part, and then there’s all of the strength and professional habits, practice habits, travel habits and teammate habits that are really important and you don’t always get that at the junior level when you play 38 minutes a night and you stay on the power play for two straight minutes. I’m not saying that’s happening with Clarkie, they’re a very well-run team [in Barrie], but that can happen in certain situations. Right now, we think that this is a real good spot for him and we’ll see where it goes.
The eighth overall pick in 2021, Clarke has a goal and three assists in 14 games split between NHL Los Angeles and AHL Ontario this season. Despite notching over a point-per-game on a subpar Barrie Colts team in the OHL last season, Canada did not name him to their 2022 World Juniors roster.
It didn’t harm them – they won gold anyways. But with several players aging out of the tournament, Canada’s defense seemed weaker than last year’s when their selection camp roster was announced Monday. Clarke’s addition undoubtedly brings this team to an entirely different level and solidifies their status as favorites to win back-to-back gold medals for the first time since they won five straight from 2005 to 2009.
James Van Riemsdyk Activated From Injured Reserve
The Philadelphia Flyers are finally getting a bit of good news on the injury front, as veteran forward James van Riemsdyk has been activated from injured reserve and is set to make his return against the Washington Capitals tonight.
While it may be too late for the Flyers to make any sort of run toward the playoffs, getting van Riemsdyk back into the lineup is important for another reason. The 33-year-old is on an expiring contract and could potentially be a top trade deadline target later this season.
Even though he doesn’t have quite the same impact he might have had in his prime, there are still few players as dangerous as van Riemsdyk when planted in front of the net. He has long been one of the best in the league at deflecting pucks and cleaning up rebounds, and even this year he had two powerplay goals in the first six games of the season.
Yes, his $7MM cap hit makes him an overpriced asset for a club like Philadelphia, but at the deadline, he will look like an interesting depth scoring option for a contender. Perhaps most importantly, van Riemsdyk does not have any trade protection in his contract.
Getting him back up and running, racking up powerplay points, and showing he can still contribute should only help the Flyers flip him later on. For now, he’ll also give the lineup a boost as they try to build on a big win over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.
What Your Team Is Thankful For: Montreal Canadiens
With American Thanksgiving now behind us and the holiday season coming up, PHR continues its look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Montreal Canadiens.
Who are the Canadiens thankful for?
Kent Hughes.
It hasn’t even been a year since the Canadiens installed Hughes as general manager but his impact is already found throughout the organization. He has completed 14 trades in the months since arriving, adding nearly a dozen high-end future assets including Kirby Dach, Justin Barron, and multiple first- and second-round picks without taking much value out of the organization.
Yes, fans have had to say goodbye to Artturi Lehkonen, Jeff Petry, Ben Chiarot, and Tyler Toffoli, but none of those players were expected to be around the next time the Canadiens were competitive. Alexander Romanov could have been part of the rebuild but Hughes saw an opportunity and jumped at it, cashing in an asset to get a player in Dach that he more highly coveted.
Perhaps his most important move, however, was having the guts (and relationship) to hire Martin St. Louis to run the bench, despite no formal coaching experience. The home run cut appears to have worked, as St. Louis’ impact has been felt throughout the roster – nowhere more significantly than with Cole Caufield. Last season, the young sniper didn’t score his second goal until February 10, after a stint in the minor leagues. He would score 22 times in 37 games down the stretch under the new coaching staff, and has continued that production this season. Caufield now has 37 goals in 63 games under St. Louis and has become the core piece that Montreal fans knew he could be.
What are the Canadiens thankful for?
Nazem Kadri‘s long free agent process.
There is one trade that looks like a complete gold mine for the Canadiens, and had Kadri – one of the league’s top free agents last summer – not taken so long to make a decision, who knows if Hughes would have come out so far ahead. By the time the Calgary Flames signed the free agent center to a seven-year, $49MM contract, it was already August 18, and training camp was right around the corner. Calgary didn’t have a ton of time to sort out its financial situation and clear cap off the books. Right away, they made the move to flip Sean Monahan to the Canadiens along with a first-round pick for nothing in return.
Now, after returning from another hip surgery earlier this year, Monahan looks rejuvenated and is playing big minutes for the Canadiens. If the team wants to, they shouldn’t have any trouble flipping the 28-year-old at the deadline, perhaps even for an extra first-round pick, given his strong performance so far.
Had Kadri not signed with Calgary, or had it not taken more than six weeks from the start of free agency, the Flames might not have been in such a rush to dump Monahan’s contract. Taking advantage of that timing worked out perfectly for Montreal, who gained a high pick and a top-six center to ice for the first part of this season, if not longer. They do have the option of extending his expiring contract, though the future assets that are possible with a deadline deal might seem too good to pass up.
What would the Canadiens be even more thankful for?
The return of Brendan Gallagher.
There are some players in the NHL that get by for years without suffering serious injuries, and play well into their thirties without much of a decline. Gallagher is not one of those players. The in-your-face, bang-and-crash, do-anything-required forward has long been the engine of the Montreal forward group, flying around the ice and creating havoc in the opponent’s end. For a time, he was also one of the most effective players in the league below the hash marks, despite being just 5’9″. He scored 64 goals over a two-year stretch from 2017-19, 51 of them coming at even strength.
But after years of abuse, his game has declined. Gallagher has just eight points in 22 games and is seeing fewer minutes than he has since finishing second in Calder Trophy voting in 2013. While the Canadiens aren’t desperate for his production as they move through this rebuild, the problem lies in his contract. Gallagher is signed at a $6.5MM cap hit through 2026-27, a deal that will be extremely difficult to move if the team needs additional space. Remember, this isn’t a complete teardown – the Canadiens already have some of the pieces in place for their next competitive team. Four more years of Gallagher being paid like a top-end forward is one of the only difficult contracts on the books.
There is still hope, at least, that the 30-year-old can rebound at some point. But there are a lot of miles on that body from the playstyle Gallagher has embraced and injuries just keep piling up.
What should be on the Canadiens’ holiday wishlist?
Another young, NHL-ready forward.
Grabbing first-round picks is great, but the Canadiens already have so many draft picks that they should shift their trade focus to players closer to contributing. Dach was a move in that direction, and there will be more opportunities to grab players in the same age range. As they start shedding expiring veteran contracts like Monahan, Mike Hoffman, Evgenii Dadonov, Jonathan Drouin, and even potentially Joel Armia, there will be spots and ice time to hand out.
Adding another dynamic piece to build around should be the goal now, instead of just collecting lottery tickets for the future. If one becomes available, Hughes has proven he won’t hesitate to pull the trigger, even if it costs another future asset in the process.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Evgeny Svechnikov, Dominic Toninato Clear Waivers
Dec 7: Both players have cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the minor leagues.
Dec 6: Two more forwards have hit waivers today, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports Evgeny Svechnikov of the San Jose Sharks and Dominic Toninato of the Winnipeg Jets are available for claim.
The former’s placement is especially curious, given the Sharks just placed Matt Nieto on injured reserve today, recalling C.J. Suess to take his place. Svechnikov played a season-high 16:26 in the team’s most recent game, and has six points in 20 appearances this year. The older brother of Carolina Hurricanes star Andrei Svechnikov, the 26-year-old finally saw regular NHL action last season, playing in 72 games with the Winnipeg Jets and scoring 19 points.
Toninato, meanwhile, cleared waivers in October, but has spent enough time on the active roster to need it again if the Jets want to assign him to the minor leagues. The 28-year-old has played in just four games, registering a single point. Like Svechnikov, he too was a regular in the Winnipeg lineup last season, scoring 14 points in 77 games.
Both players come with cap hits of the league minimum $750K.