PHR Live Chat Transcript: 02/17/22
Click here to read a transcript of this week’s live chat with PHR’s Gavin Lee.
Trade Deadline Primer: New York Islanders
With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms large and is just over a month away. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the New York Islanders.
If you were looking for the hockey version of Murphy’s Law, perhaps it is the New York Islanders, because everything that could have gone wrong, has gone wrong. The team began with 13 straight games on the road as they waited for their new arena to be finished, and while they started okay, it finished with a tired group losing the last four. Just when home cooking was finally calling their name, captain Anders Lee kicked was placed in COVID protocol and the team eventually needed to pause their season. Seven straight losses followed that season-opening road trip, and in many eyes, the Islanders were already out of the race. Things haven’t really gotten back on track and even with games in hand, it will be a tough task to climb all the way back to a postseason position.
Record
17-20-6, 6th in the Metropolitan
Deadline Status
Seller
Deadline Cap Space
$12.67MM in projected deadline cap space, 0/3 retention slots used, 44/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2022: NYI 1st, COL 2nd, NYI 3rd, NYI 5th, NYI 6th
2023: NYI 1st, NYI 2nd, NYI 4th, NYI 5th, NYI 6th, NYI 7th
Trade Chips
For a team that thought they would be contending for not just the playoffs but the Stanley Cup, it’s hard to know just how far the Islanders would go in terms of selling at the deadline. Cal Clutterbuck is the name most recently added to the rumor mill because of his expiring contract and his bottom-six experience. The 34-year-old has played over 900 games in the NHL and has been a key part of the team’s “Identity Line” for years, joining Casey Cizikas and Matt Martin as a bang-and-crash group that was trusted defensively.
But in terms of pure rentals, it doesn’t end with Clutterbuck. The Islanders also have Zach Parise, Zdeno Chara, and Andy Greene on expiring low-cost deals, with each bringing a ton of experience to the table for any playoff contender. While none of them represent much upside–for the acquiring team or the Islanders–the 35+ group could be shipped off to recoup some late-round picks, if they’re up for it.
Beyond that, there are some interesting names on the Islanders roster though. Scott Mayfield is an inexpensive right-handed defenseman with one more year on his deal. He could be among the most sought-after deadline targets for teams looking to improve their defense on a budget. Mayfield has averaged exactly 20 minutes per game this season, the most of his career, and brings a ton of size and physical play to the table.
Team Needs
1) Young NHL players: There’s no way the Islanders are going to pull the plug on this group and rebuild, so for next season they’re going to need some young talent to support their veteran core. Lee, Cizikas, Martin, Brock Nelson, Kyle Palmieri, Josh Bailey are all on the wrong side of 30 and signed for at least two more seasons, meaning someone is going to have to start providing some value on entry-level or bridge contracts if the Islanders want to get back to the top.
2) Draft picks: That of course can also be done with draft picks, but like Philadelphia yesterday, the Islanders also may need some assets this summer to add to their group or get rid of some bad contracts. With picks already sent out of town for 2022, getting a couple more bullets in the chamber could help Lamoriello in the offseason.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Toronto Maple Leafs Extend Mac Hollowell
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed one of their young defensemen to an extension, inking Mac Hollowell to a new one-year, two-way contract for 2022-23. The deal carries a salary of $750K at the NHL level. Hollowell was scheduled to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
Selected 118th overall in 2018, the 23-year-old Hollowell has been a nice example of the Maple Leafs development system, going through the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers before becoming a key member of the Toronto Marlies. He’s yet to play at the NHL level–which is still not a guarantee at all–but has 14 points in 23 games for the AHL club this season.
His biggest obstacle is still his size, as Hollowell measures in at just 5’9″ and 165 lbs. There have been small defensemen in the NHL before but usually, they come with some elite offensive upside. Hollowell does have good instincts in that regard but especially with the likes of Morgan Rielly and Rasmus Sandin ahead of him, those minutes would be hard to come by with the Maple Leafs.
He is right-handed though, which has been an area of concern for Toronto in recent years and still doesn’t feature a ton of depth. A new contract likely means nothing more than a spot on the Marlies but perhaps Hollowell can take his growth even further next season.
Adam Brooks Placed On Waivers
In an interesting turn of events, the Toronto Maple Leafs have placed Adam Brooks right back on waivers today after claiming him yesterday. It is the fourth time that Brooks has ended up on waivers this season.
Normally, if a player is reclaimed by his former team on waivers and no one else puts in a claim, that team can send him directly to the minor leagues. But since Brooks had a stop-off with the Montreal Canadiens in between his stints with Toronto and the Vegas Golden Knights, only Montreal was allowed that exception. The Maple Leafs could not send him to the AHL without first clearing waivers again. That could certainly be possible this time as even for the Maple Leafs to claim him yesterday, most of the league (including the Canadiens) would have had to pass. Toronto sits near the very end of the waiver order, which is based on the reverse standings.
Still, the Golden Knights now hold that exception, and if they are the only team to put in a claim this time around now they could assign Brooks directly to the minor leagues. That would be a risky move though, as if someone else claims him as well, the Golden Knights would have to keep him on the active roster–something that wasn’t possible given the recent Jack Eichel activation. If any other team claims him, including Montreal, he would have to stay on the active roster.
It’s a lot of roster and cap gymnastics but what it mostly comes down to is Brooks available once again. The 25-year-old forward has two goals and three points in 11 games this season, split between the Golden Knights and Canadiens. Perhaps this time there will be some stability for the fourth-round pick, at one level or another.
Snapshots: Nemeth, Fines, Boeser
The New York Rangers have moved Patrik Nemeth to injured reserve, and Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports that it is believed to be due to lingering effects from COVID-19. Nemeth has not played since January 22, missing six games during his current absence. He dealt with a symptomatic bout of COVID in December.
The 30-year-old defenseman signed a three-year, $7.5MM contract last July and has suited up 38 times for the Rangers this season. Always known as a stay-at-home option, he has just two points during that time and is averaging just over 17 minutes a night. It is not clear when he will be ready to return to action and the team has not confirmed Walker’s report.
- The NHL has handed out a pair of fines today, one to a player and one to a coach. Nashville Predators head coach John Hynes was fined $25K for “inappropriate conduct” following Tuesday’s game against the Washington Capitals. The league did not release any specifics about the incident, though there have been other fines handed out to coaches including Rod Brind’Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes and Rick Bowness of the Dallas Stars. While Hynes is out $25K, Calgary Flames forward Adam Ruzicka will have to pay $2,004.17 for his elbow on Kevin Shattenkirk last night. That is the maximum allowable by the current CBA based on Ruzicka’s salary.
- Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff has added Brock Boeser to his board of trade targets, even wondering if the New Jersey Devils could be a fit for the Vancouver Canucks sniper. Notably, Boeser is due a $7.5MM qualifying offer this summer as a restricted free agent, a salary that outpaces his production from this season. Still, since Bruce Boudreau took over in Vancouver there has been a noticeable improvement from the sniper, including four goals and eight points in his last seven games.
Jack Rathbone Discharged From Hospital, Will Travel With Abbotsford
It was a scary scene in the AHL last night when Abbotsford Canucks defenseman Jack Rathbone was hit into the end boards in a game against the Bakersfield Condors. Rathbone was eventually stretchered off the ice after a long delay and taken to the hospital for further evaluation. Thankfully, it’s good news. Rathbone was not only discharged last night but is also expected to travel with Abbotsford to Colorado today. The Canucks play the Colorado Eagles over the weekend.
Recently the AHL player of the week, the 22-year-old defenseman was also ranked as the Canucks’ top prospect by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic last month. Selected 95th overall in 2017 he exploded onto the college scene at Harvard during 2018-19 and is having an outstanding year–when healthy–for Abbotsford. With 21 points he sits fifth on the team in scoring despite playing only 19 AHL games, as he’s had to deal with a COVID diagnosis, shoulder injury and time bouncing back and forth from the NHL squad.
If in this case, he has avoided major injury, Canucks fans can breathe a huge sigh of relief. Hopefully, he can jump back into the lineup soon, or even make another appearance at the NHL level. His last game with Vancouver came in November when he logged 16 minutes against the Colorado Avalanche.
AHL Shuffle: 02/17/22
It’s a busy night in the NHL with ten games on the schedule, including Seth Jones facing his old team in Chicago. The Blue Jackets are in town to take on the Blackhawks in a battle of two teams both struggling to find their way after serious offseason changes. In the west, an important matchup between the Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers is set that could have playoff implications down the road. The two teams are currently tied at 55 points, though the Ducks have played three more games. As they and others prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Montreal Canadiens have assigned Michael McNiven back to the AHL, as Sam Montembeault and Andrew Hammond will carry the load for the time being. The 24-year-old McNiven made his NHL debut this season but allowed three goals on seven shots in a period of action. He’ll return to Laval, where he has an .876 save percentage in 2021-22.
- The Florida Panthers have loaned Chase Priskie to the AHL, just two days after hitting injured reserve. It’s not clear if that means he’s ready to get back on the ice.
- With Urho Vaakanainen back from injured reserve, the Boston Bruins have sent Jack Ahcan to the AHL. Vaakanainen hasn’t played in more than two weeks, since leaving the game against the Seattle Kraken on February 1.
Metropolitan Division
- The New Jersey Devils have made a goaltending swap, sending Nico Daws down and recalling Akira Schmid from the AHL. Daws stopped both shots he faced earlier this week in relief of Jon Gillies but with the Devils off until February 24, he’ll get back into some more game action in the minor leagues.
Central Division
Pacific Division
This page will be updated throughout the day
Drake Caggiula Undergoes Surgery
It’s the end of the season for Buffalo Sabres forward Drake Caggiula, who will be undergoing fusion surgery on a herniated disk today. Caggiula has been given a recovery timeline of six to eight months, according to Heather Engel of NHL.com.
Not only does that mean that Caggiula’s season ends with just 18 games played, but given his status as a pending unrestricted free agent, this surgery will also affect offseason negotiations. With no clear picture of when he will be back on the ice training, it’s hard to imagine him getting anything but a one-year, two-way contract at this point.
That’s a steep fall for the 27-year-old who once looked like he was going to be a bottom-six force for years to come. In 2017-18, his sophomore season, Caggiula scored 13 goals in 67 games for the Edmonton Oilers, racking up 147 hits with his fearless playstyle. He followed that up with another 12-goal campaign the next year, with time split between Edmonton and the Chicago Blackhawks, but hasn’t been able to crack double digits in the years since. This season, he had just two goals and five points in the 18 games, while recording just 17 hits.
It’s not to say his career is over but it will be a long recovery for a player that was already having trouble impacting the game at the NHL level. Caggiula’s future is very unclear at this point.
IIHF President Luc Tardif Promises NHL In 2026 Olympics, 2022 WJC Make-Up
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: there is optimism that the NHL will participate in the next Winter Olympic Games. Despite participation being agreed to in the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement, the NHL pulled out of the current Beijing games late, citing Coronavirus as the main concern though many existed. After two consecutive Winter Olympics without NHL participation, it is hard to guarantee anything but IIHF President Luc Tardif is ready to do just that.
In a report by Stephen Whyno for the Associated Press, Tardif states that he is confident that NHLers will return to the Olympic Games in 2026 when the event takes place in Milan and Cortina, Italy. Tardif does not expect there to be any mitigating factors in 2026 as there were this year and that the league will honor the agreement with the NHLPA, IIHF, and IOC to allow their stars to represent their countries on the largest international stage. Tardif briefly mentioned that while he sees plenty of merit in moving the hockey tournament to the Summer Games, he does not see that happening and believes the NHL can make it work in-season. He hopes that an agreement on the terms of participation can be agreed to well ahead of time, at least a year before the tournament starts.
Whyno adds that NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly appears to be on the same page. Daly has stated that the league does not foresee any issues with participation and expect an agreement “on a relatively expedited basis.”
As for other IIHF events impacted by COVID this year, Tardif added that he fully expects the 2022 U-20 World Junior Championship and Women’s U-18 Tournament to both take place this summer after being canceled in December. Tardif believes the Women’s Championship will take place in the U.S. in June, while the WJC returns to Canada in August. Notably, this would put the tournament after the NHL Draft, removing it as an option for any last-minute scouting, though still an invaluable tool for prospect evaluation.
Minor Transactions: 02/16/22
With NHL action ramping up as the trade deadline approaches in just over a month and the Olympic tournament ongoing, it would seem to be an odd time for much other notable news around hockey. Yet, there has actually been a flurry of recent action surrounding players and teams familiar to NHL fans:
- A busy year for veteran defenseman Eric Gelinas continues. Gelinas initially signed with the Carolina Hurricanes this past offseason following an outstanding 2020-21 campaign in Sweden with Rogle BK. However, when it became clear that he was buried on the ‘Canes depth chart and would be stuck with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves for the year, Gelinas’ contract was terminated in late November and he returned to Rogle. However, this was only a short-term pact and Gelinas signed a new contract for the remainder of the SHL season with Djurgardens IF last week. Now he’s on the move again – at least in a future sense. A quirk of the European league structures, Gelinas has in fact signed a two-year deal with SC Bern of the Swiss National League, but one that does not start until next season. Gelinas will finish the season in Sweden before making the jump to Switzerland. The 30-year-old defenseman has nearly 200 games of NHL experience and has found success in a number of European leagues, making him a highly-desirable asset that both Djurgardens and Bern are extremely excited to have under contract.
- Matt Quercia has finally had enough of the college game. The senior forward has decided to leave Michigan Tech in the middle of the season to sign his first pro contract, inking a deal with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers according to the league’s transactions register. Quercia was in his first season at Michigan Tech after transferring from Boston University. Overshadowed with the Terriers, Quercia hoped he might find a bigger role with the Huskies. Instead, he had just four points in 14 games and Michigan Tech, one of the surprises of the season with a current national rank of No. 14, has found success without much help from the transfer. Quercia hopes things will be different in the pro ranks.
- Quebec native Charles-David Beaudoin is moving on from the AHL’s Laval Rocket. The 28-year-old defenseman has played in just five games with the team this season versus 28 with the ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions and has decided to chase more opportunity elsewhere. Beaudoin has signed with IF Bjorkloven of Sweden’s second tier Allsvenskan for the rest of the season, the team announced. The AHL veteran could return to North America this summer, but likely has a better chance of playing an impact role in Europe, especially if he is not content spending time in the ECHL.
- A pair of former Calgary Flames teammates are on the move in Europe, going their separate ways after briefly reuniting in the KHL. Emile Poirier, a first-round pick of the Flames in 2013, is joining the aforementioned Gelinas in Djurgardens for the remainder of the season, the team announced. Since leaving North America after the 2019-20 season, Poirier has played in Slovakia and then in the KHL with Latvia’s Dinamo Riga to this point this season, finding success in both places. He now joins a Djurgardens club loading up for the SHL postseason. Hunter Shinkaruk, a 2013 first-rounder himself – selected two spots after Poirier by the Vancouver Canucks, is leaving Dinamo Riga for Sweden as well. He has signed with HV71 of the Allsvenskan, the club announced. Shinkaruk wound up in Calgary in a swap for Markus Granlund and appeared to be on his way to a regular role, but like Poirier ended up stuck in the AHL and left North America during the 2019-20 season. In Poirier and Shinkaruk, Riga has lost two of its top six scorers, but fortunately still has former San Jose Shark Lukas Radil leading the team.
- The Providence Bruins are bringing back a power forward for another season. The team has announced that former OHL star Justin Brazeau has signed a one-year extension. Brazeau, 24, has mammoth size and the on-ice presence to match in his net front presence and checking ability, but is still a project due to his skating ability. Nevertheless, Brazeau has six goals and two assists in 19 games with Providence this season and ten goals and 20 points in 18 ECHL games, showing that he is still capable of scoring despite some shortcomings in his game. That makes him a worthwhile investment for at least one more season for the Bruins.