Latest On Jakob Chychrun
Jan 22: Marek gave another update on Hockey Night In Canada this evening, giving some specific details on the Chychrun sweepstakes:
They do have that [offer] from one team in the NHL as we speak now, essentially two former first-round players and a first-round draft pick. That auction though does continue. Los Angeles, Anaheim, Boston, Florida, who may very well be the team to watch through all of this. The Rangers as well are in, they’ve offered a package that includes Vitali Kravtsov, and the Columbus Blue Jackets interested in the servicces of Jakob Chychrun as well.
Kravtsov was given permission from the Rangers earlier this season to seek a trade after not receiving a ton of NHL playing time and is currently playing in the KHL.
Jan 21: One of the biggest names emerging for the NHL trade deadline is Jakob Chychrun, who made his return to the Arizona Coyotes lineup on Wednesday with one assist in more than 20 minutes of action. The 23-year-old defenseman is the biggest trade chip the Coyotes have, as despite a poor season this year, Chychrun is signed at a very reasonable $4.6MM cap hit through 2024-25.
Every time Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet discuss the young defenseman more teams are involved in the chase, and today was no different. On the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman talked a little bit about Chychrun:
I think there is a lot [of teams involved]. I think the Coyotes prefer to send him east, though I don’t think that is absolutely 100 percent going to happen. I think Florida has let it be known that they are deep in this and that they are prepared to do what it takes to get it done. I don’t think they’re the only one. You’ve talked about Los Angeles, Anaheim, and St. Louis. I think Columbus is there. I’ve heard the Rangers; I’ve had people disagree, that it doesn’t make sense for them, but I’ve heard it.
From the moment Chychrun’s name hit the rumor mill, the reported ask has been “massive” from the Coyotes, and with so many teams involved it seems likely that they end up with something close to the package they’re looking for. Marek reported earlier this month that the team was after a young player, high-end prospect, and first-round pick for the young defenseman, something similar to the deal that saw Brent Burns go from Minnesota to San Jose a decade ago.
With 27 games under his belt this season, Chychrun has registered just two goals and eight assists after an outstanding 2020-21 campaign. He’s also is a league-worst -28, though much of that is due to the team around him as his underlying possession numbers still hint toward a strong two-way defenseman. At even-strength, Chychrun hasn’t had a consistent partner, skating almost equal amounts with Anton Stralman and Ilya Lyubushkin to this point.
The Panthers, meanwhile, have relied heavily on the trio of Aaron Ekblad, MacKenzie Weegar, and Gustav Forsling to this point, each averaging more than 21 minutes a night. Radko Gudas and Brandon Montour have been regulars behind them, but the sixth spot has been rotated through the likes of Lucas Carlsson, Kevin Connauton, Olli Juolevi, and Matt Kiersted, given Markus Nutivaara‘s injury issues.
Adding Chychrun to one of the best teams in the NHL would certainly seem like a good fit, especially given his ties to Florida. Born and raised there, he actually flew to Michigan for games every weekend as a 13-year-old before eventually joining the Toronto Jr. Canadiens at 15. A homecoming of sorts seems possible, but there’s more than just the Panthers in on the Coyotes defenseman at this point.
Ducks’ Deadline Strategy Still Developing
The Anaheim Ducks are one of the teams in the NHL still without a full-time general manager. After Bob Murray‘s resignation earlier this season, Jeff Solomon is working as an interim GM, though he’s also a candidate in their current search. That search has reached the interview stage, and whoever is eventually selected for the position will have some difficult decisions to make.
The Ducks woke up yesterday on a four-game losing streak and had won just twice since Christmas. That stretch had erased much of the early season success the team had experienced and meant they were unable to pull away from some other Pacific Division teams that had also been through recent struggles.
In his column yesterday, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic wrote that no decision had been made on what direction the Ducks will take at the trade deadline. The team has some of the most impressive rental options in the league should they decide to sell them, including Rickard Rakell, Hampus Lindholm, and Josh Manson.
If Anaheim is waiting to see what kind of performance they have over the next several weeks, they certainly got off to a good start. The Ducks picked apart the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, defeating them 5-1 on the back of a strong performance from John Gibson.
That’s the kind of game that makes the Ducks’ deadline strategy so interesting. At times, they’ve shown an ability to compete with the best teams in the league, relying on a strong defense, exceptional goalie, and forward group dotted with impressive young talents. Trevor Zegras, the club’s uber-skilled sophomore, will be at the All-Star Weekend to show off his hands and creativity in the Breakaway Challenge despite not being selected for the actual game.
But there is also real value in selling off some of those expiring contracts, especially if further negotiations aren’t going to happen in the next few months. Extensions for all three would seem unlikely at this point, though LeBrun does write that he guesses the team will circle back to Manson at some point.
When considering the future of the Ducks, Zegras, All-Star Troy Terry, top prospect Mason McTavish, and rookie blueliner Jamie Drysdale stand out as the main pieces to build around. In fact, only Cam Fowler and Gibson are signed past the 2023-24 season, meaning whichever candidate lands the GM job will have the flexibility to shape the entire roster. That shape starts with the decision of whether to buy or sell at this deadline, a decision that could have ripples for years to come.
Kyle Turris, Tim Soderlund Clear Waivers
Jan. 22: Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that both Turris and Soderlund have cleared waivers. Soderlund had his NHL contract terminated and a new one announced by Djurgardens. He signed back with the SHL club for the rest of this season, after which he’ll become an unrestricted free agent once again.
Jan. 21: The Edmonton Oilers have made one change, as Kyle Turris has been placed on waivers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The veteran forward was on waivers at the start of the season and cleared, but had been with the NHL team long enough that he needed them again in order to be assigned to the AHL. The Oilers have also placed Tim Soderlund on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination.
Turris, 32, carries a cap hit of $1.65MM for the Oilers, which means just $1.125MM would come off the cap if he were sent to the minor leagues. That, plus the opening of another contract slot with the termination of Soderlund, could suggest the Oilers are set to make an addition of some sort. Evander Kane is the obvious connection here, though the results of his investigation with the NHL have still not been released.
There is little chance that another team claims Turris, but if they did, the Oilers would likely welcome the departure. The veteran forward has recorded just one goal and four points in 21 games for Edmonton this season, averaging fewer than nine minutes when he does get into the lineup. There’s not much to suggest he’s providing any more value than a $750K replacement from Bakersfield, meaning the cap savings would be worth more than having him on the roster. PuckPedia reported this morning that the Oilers were expected to sign Ryan Malone from Bakersfield for exactly that reason, but Ryan Rishaug of TSN adds that a COVID situation in the minor leagues makes this impossible for now. Malone would need to clear waivers to report to the Condors if signed to an NHL deal.
Still, this certainly isn’t an answer to the Oilers’ problems unless the goaltending and defense are also addressed at some point. The team is struggling in all aspects of the game, meaning any slight cap space will have to be spent carefully.
Jonathan Drouin, Ty Smith Placed On Injured Reserve
The New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens are both in action tonight, taking on two of the league’s powerhouses in Carolina and Colorado respectively. Those would be difficult matches even at full strength for the two rebuilding clubs, but neither one will be.
The Devils have placed Ty Smith on injured reserve with an upper-body issue retroactive to January 19. Colton White has been recalled in his place, just a couple of days after he cleared waivers. Smith played just over 15 minutes against the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday and will now miss at least the next few days after receiving the IR designation.
Now 21, Smith has been an enigma this season after such a strong rookie campaign in 2020-21. After putting up 23 points in 43 games while averaging over 20 minutes a night and finishing seventh in Calder Trophy voting, the sophomore slump has gotten to him in 2021-22. Smith has just ten points through 33 games, has been moved up and down the lineup seemingly on a period-by-period basis, and has failed to come anywhere close to replicating the outstanding possession numbers he had as a rookie. Selected 17th overall in 2018, he’s a huge part of the future for the Devils that needs to get his game back on track. Perhaps a short stint away from the ice while he deals with this injury will actually do him good as a sort of reset halfway through the season.
Meanwhile, in Montreal, the Canadiens have placed Jonathan Drouin on injured reserve. Jeff Petry and Josh Anderson are also game-time decisions against the Avalanche tonight and Michael McNiven has been recalled as an emergency backup after Samuel Montembeault suffered a minor injury.
For Drouin, this comes after the report from Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports earlier in the day that he is back in Montreal undergoing further evaluation. He suffered an injury on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights, when he played just 12:52 and wasn’t available for the team in overtime. While nothing has really gone right for any Canadiens players this season, it has been good to see Drouin back and contributing after taking a leave of absence from the team last spring. With 20 points in 32 games, he is actually the team’s second-leading scorer, just behind Nick Suzuki (22 points in 39 games). With him out of the lineup, the already offensively-challenged Canadiens will be even more so.
Arizona Coyotes Place Dysin Mayo In COVID Protocol
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Dysin Mayo entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol today, the team announced.
Mayo becomes the third Coyote in COVID protocol. He joins forwards Ryan Dzingel and Antoine Roussel.
If Mayo is only subject to a five-day quarantine, he would only miss Arizona’s next two games. He could be eligible to return on January 28th, a home game against the Boston Bruins.
An unexpected regular in the Coyotes lineup this season, Mayo has five points in 34 games. He’s impressed defensively, however, earning the right to 20:49 of ice time per game and only a -2 rating on a porous Coyotes team.
The 25-year-old was the team’s 133rd overall selection back in 2014.
Blackhawks Notes: Khaira, Stillman, Connolly
Per the Daily Herald’s John Dietz, the Chicago Blackhawks moved forward Jujhar Khaira to injured reserve today. He has a lower back injury, and the move is retroactive to January 17. Khaira can come off injured reserve as soon as the 27th, meaning the soonest he can return is January 28th at home against Colorado. He has just three goals in 27 games during his first season with Chicago.
More from the Blackhawks today, all per Dietz:
- Defenseman Riley Stillman was also moved to injured reserve today, dealing with a shoulder injury he sustained last night against Minnesota. The soonest he can return is February 1st, meaning he’ll miss at least the team’s next five games. In his absence, Caleb Jones should see playing time with more consistency. Stillman has a respectable 10 points in 28 games.
- The team also assigned forward Brett Connolly to the active roster, bringing him up from the taxi squad. He should play in his fifth game of the season tonight, drawing in on the fourth line alongside Sam Lafferty and Ryan Carpenter. Connolly was suspended earlier in the season for interfering with Dallas forward Tanner Kero.
NHL Player Safety Fines Cal Foote For Cross-Checking
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced today that they’ve fined Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Cal Foote $2,125 for cross-checking Anaheim Ducks forward Buddy Robinson. This is the maximum allowable amount per the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Foote delivered the cross-check to Robinson with 18.4 seconds remaining in last night’s game against the Ducks. The Lightning lost that game 5-1.
This is the first fine Foote’s received from NHL Player Safety in his NHL career.
The 23-year-old defenseman has just three assists in 28 games this year, but in recent days he’s gotten a look on the team’s top pairing with Victor Hedman. The potential is still there for the 14th overall pick in 2017.
Sabres Notes: Quinn, Anderson, Third Jersey
Buffalo Sabres rookie Jack Quinn just broke into the NHL lineup but now won’t see the ice for quite some time. The team has announced that Quinn will miss the next four-to-six weeks with an undisclosed lower-body injury. Quinn just made his NHL debut last week and has two points in his first two games. The 2020 No. 8 overall pick has been one of the best players in the AHL this season with 35 points in 24 games and appears to be on his way to stardom in the NHL. However, that will be on hold for this season as Quinn will be out until March, at which time he will probably return to action in the minors before seeing another chance in the NHL. While this injury won’t chance much about Quinn’s impressive trajectory, it is disappointing for a Buffalo team with nothing to play for again this season and with numerous injuries already who were hoping to see their exciting prospect play a top role the rest of the way.
- Veteran goaltender Craig Anderson finally looks ready to return to the Buffalo crease. Sabres GM Kevyn Adams revealed on a radio spot with WGR 550 that Anderson will accompany the team on their upcoming three-game western road trip and could see game action if he continues to progress. Anderson, 40, has been out since early November with an upper-body injury. After being convinced to come out of a brief retirement by the Sabres, this isn’t what Anderson was hoping for this season. However, in his six games prior to the injury Anderson was stellar, posting a .921 save percentage and 2.50 GAA. If he can get back to playing at that level, it could all be worth it for the respected veteran to go out on a high note.
- The Sabres are bringing back a familiar face from the 90’s. No, not Dominik Hasek or Alexander Mogilny, but the literal face of the Buffalo. Chris Creamer of Sportslogos.net reports that the Sabres will bring back their 90’s primary logo, often referred to as the “Goathead” logo, to grace their third jersey in 2022-23 and beyond. Creamer even suggests that the alternate jersey could bring back the red and black scheme that the Sabres dawned for more than a decade in the mid-90’s into the 2000’s before returning to the blue and gold. It remains to be seen if that will actually be the case – the difference in appearance between the primaries and the alternate would be quite jarring – but it seems the Buffalo head logo will return regardless. A polarizing logo in its time, though far from the worst in Sabres’ history, it will be interesting to see if enough time has passed for the Buffalo fan base to embrace the return in the name of nostalgia.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/22/22
The action starts early today as the Flyers visit the Sabres for a 1:00pm local time puck drop to kick off the Saturday slate. Ten more games will follow over the course of the day and night, highlighted by the Battle of Alberta between the Flames and Oilers. With a total of 16 games on the docket this weekend, teams will be busy tweaking their rosters. Keep up with all of the recalls and reassignments right here:
Atlantic Division
- Call it a waivers loophole if you like, but the Detroit Red Wings have reassigned recently claimed forward Gemel Smith to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. They have done so legally via a conditioning loan. Smith landed on waivers as the Tampa Bay Lightning attempted to activate him from season-opening injured reserve, so Detroit is using the fact that he has yet to play this season in order to move him to the minors for the time being. Of course, this is a short-term loan and the elder Smith will have to earn a full-time role on the Red Wings if he wants to play with younger brother Givani Smith and avoid the wire again.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs are adding some insurance in net without costing Michael Hutchinson or Joseph Woll AHL starts. The team has recalled Erik Kallgren to the taxi squad from the AHL Marlies, making him the de facto third-string behind Jack Campbell and the injury-prone Petr Mrazek. The Leafs’ goaltending situation has been in flux much of the season, with Mrazek, Hutchinson, and Woll all making NHL appearances. The result has been Kallgren getting the lion’s share of starts in the AHL, though the Marlies have actually seen six different keepers so far this year.
- Jacob Bernard-Docker is up from the taxi squad yet again and this time he is joined by Clark Bishop. The Ottawa Senators announced that the duo have been recalled to the active roster ahead of back-to-back match-ups this weekend.
- After being reassigned to the taxi squad on Friday, Brett Murray is back with the Buffalo Sabres today, the team announced. Murray has played well at the NHL level this year in just his third pro season, recording six points in 18 games despite a limited role. He will likely remain the Sabres’ first recall option up front this season.
- According to the New England Hockey Journal’s Mark Divver, forward Jesper Froden is on his way up to the Boston Bruins taxi squad from AHL Providence. He made his NHL debut earlier this season and has 20 points in 29 games with Providence.
- The Florida Panthers are moving players down, assigning defenseman Chase Priskie to the taxi squad and goalie Evan Fitzpatrick to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Priskie made his NHL debut this season, while Fitzpatrick was signed for goalie depth earlier this month.
Metropolitan Division
- Reinforcements are on the way to Philadelphia’s forward corps as the team announced that Wade Allison and Jackson Cates have been recalled from the taxi squad. Amidst a ten-game winless streak and with any shot at the postseason slipping away, combined with a litany of injuries, the Flyers will be looking to use more of their prospect depth the rest of the way, especially up front. Cates, who has already played in seven games with Philly this season, and Allison, who has only played in seven AHL games but has three goals to show for it, are first up.
- The New York Rangers are shuffling up their practice squad composition. The team has announced that goaltender Tyler Wall has been returned to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack with defenseman Tarmo Reunanen and veteran forward Anthony Greco promoted to the taxi squad. Wall was in need of some game action after a stint on the practice squad, while Reunanen and Greco have earned time with the NHL group. Greco is second among Wolf Pack forwards in scoring and Reunanen holds the same place among club defensemen.
- Columbus has sent forward Liam Foudy down to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, the team tweeted today. He went pointless in his lone NHL game this season.
Central Division
- The good news for the Winnipeg Jets is that captain Blake Wheeler is back, activated from the injured reserve. The bad news is that the team announced the move as corresponding with Nikolaj Ehlers moving to long-term injured reserve. Young forward Kristian Reichel has also been reassigned to the taxi squad. The Jets have had a light schedule of late with just four games (three of them losses) in the past two weeks, but need to overcome the loss of Ehlers and find their groove with the Bruins, Penguins, Panthers, and Blues on the docket this week.
- There is no shortage of Chicago Blackhawks updates today as team beat writer Carter Baum revealed numerous moves. Firstly, forward Jujhar Khaira and defenseman Riley Stillman have been placed on injured reserve. Fortunately not all health news was bad as forward Brett Connolly has been activated to the Chicago roster. Youngsters Wyatt Kalynuk and Cale Morris have been recalled to the taxi squad while forward Mike Hardman goes the other way to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.
- As has occurred frequently this season, Dallas Stars forward Riley Damiani is on the move. This time, he’s headed back to the minors to suit up for AHL Texas.
Pacific Division
- The Seattle Kraken will let forward Alexander True get some play time down in the minors. The club has announced that True has been reassigned from the taxi squad to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, the Kraken’s temporary shared affiliated. True, 24, has been held scoreless in eight games with Seattle this season but has 18 points in 22 AHL games.
- A trio of players have been added to the Vancouver Canucks roster. Experienced forwards Justin Bailey and Sheldon Dries have been recalled from the taxi, while young goaltender Michael DiPietro was made an emergency recall as well. Ironically, it is a defenseman that will be missing from the roster in a corresponding move, as Guillaume Brisebois has been placed on injured reserve.
- The team additionally activated defenseman Ashton Sautner from COVID protocol, immediately assigning him to Abbotsford.
This post will be updated throughout the day.
Hall Of Famer Clark Gillies Passes Away At 67
The hockey community, especially those in New York, has lost one of the greats. New York Islanders legend Clark Gillies has passed away at the age of 67, the team announced late Friday night. Gillies spent a dozen seasons in New York to begin his career and wrapped up his playing days with a pair of seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. Since retiring in 1988, he has worked closely with charities on Long Island, including his own Clark Gillies Foundation, and has stayed involved with the Islanders club.
Gillies is best remembered as a key piece of the Islanders early-1980’s dynasty that won four consecutive Stanley Cups. Gillies played an integral role in each title, recording 250 points in 302 games in those regular seasons and 47 points in 66 postseason games as well. Gillies was the fourth overall pick by the Isles in 1974 out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and the WHL’s Regina Pats and jumped immediately into the NHL. It didn’t take long for him to find his groove, recording career-best seasons of 85 and 91 points in 1977-78 and 1978-79. For his career, Gillies notched 697 points in 958 games, only topped by his 1,025 career penalty minutes. The epitome of a power forward, the 6’3″ Gillies was notoriously tough to play against in all three zones. A physical net front presence, especially on the power play, and menacing checker, it was easy for Gillies’ teams to score when he was on the ice and far more difficult for the opposition, as evidenced by a whopping +245 rating for his career. The two-time First Team All-Star had his No. 9 retired by the Islanders in 1996 and was a 2002 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee.
The Islanders, in announcing the sad news of Gillies’ passing, including a statement from GM and fellow Hall of Famer Lou Lamoriello:
The entire Islanders community is devastated by the loss of Clark Gillies. He epitomized what it means to be a New York Islander. The pride he felt wearing the Islanders sweater on the ice was evident by his willingness to do anything to win. Off the ice, he was just as big of a presence, always taking the time to give back to the local community. The New York Islanders have four Stanley Cups because of the sacrifices he and the members of those dynasty teams made for the franchise. On behalf of the entire organization, we send our deepest condolences to the entire Gillies family.
Many more have released statements sharing their condolences and expressing their appreciation for the role that Gillies played in a number of hockey communities, including NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, WHL Commissioner Ron Robison, Pittsburgh Penguins great and close friend Mario Lemieux, and many former and current Islanders. It is clear that the charismatic and caring Gillies made a major impact on many lives.
We here at PHR extend our condolences to the family, friends, and many fans of Clark Gillies.