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.
Goalie Notes: Oilers, Stars, Fleury, Allen
It’s no secret that the Edmonton Oilers are in pursuit of a goaltender. While the team possesses some truly elite offensive talent, their severe struggle with preventing goals has overshadowed their ability to score. The result is a 26th-ranked 3.42 goals against per game that has directly contributed to the team’s 2-11-2 record in their past 15 games, including a seven-game winless streak. While this does not fall entirely on the netminders, the Oilers have not received much help from the group. Current starter Mikko Koskinen has an .895 save percentage and 3.33 GAA. The current backup, young Stuart Skinner, has outplayed Koskinen but not to a level that has forced the Oilers’ hand. For now, they seem hesitant to place any more responsibility on the 23-year-old. Expected starter Mike Smith has missed all but six games this season due to injuries that have kept his health status in flux all year. Even when healthy, Smith has not performed; he has an .898 save percentage and 3.76 GAA in his handful of outings. Yet, if there was any internal solution to the Oilers’ net woes, it was a return for Smith. So with the report today out of Edmonton that Smith is back on the injured reserve (with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins moving to LTIR), the situation has become even more dire. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported on Thursday that the Oilers were exploring all options, including Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo. However, with the news of Smith remaining sidelined combined with a current four-game losing streak adding to their nearly two-month long slump, “exploring” might just not be enough any more.
- Discussing Edmonton’s other trade options in net, LeBrun mentioned the Dallas Stars as a potential partner – namely with third-string Anton Khudobin as the likely target. The veteran keeper cleared waivers earlier this season amidst struggles that even surpass those of Koskinen and Smith. However, Khudobin is just two years removed from leading the league with a .930 save percentage and taking the Stars to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019-20, which briefly made him a hero in Dallas. While his numbers dropped off last season, they were well ahead of his current pace. Performance does not seem to actually be the main concern the Oilers have when it comes to Khudobin. Instead, his $3.33MM cap hit and additional year of term makes Edmonton hesitant to pull the trigger, especially considering their current cap crunch and the legitimate question of whether Khudobin is an upgrade to Koskinen. As LeBrun puts it, Khudobin is “less appealing” than other options. However, with Smith seeming less and less likely to be a dependable option this season and desperately in need of points, can the Oilers afford to be picky? If they can acquire Khudobin cheaply and quickly, they may have to do so. LeBrun points out that impending free agent Braden Holtby, who is enjoying a strong campaign, is the superior option on the Stars, but the team may not be willing to move him and will be much more costly to acquire, especially with the Oilers in such obvious need.
- One potential target mentioned by LeBrun but considered unlikely for the Oilers has all but confirmed that he will not be moving. Star veteran Marc-Andre Fleury of the Chicago Blackhawks is in the final year of his contract and having yet another solid season. This should have made him a prime rental target for any team with a need in net, especially considering that Fleury only has limited trade protection. However, the Blackhawks have stated that they will only move the respected vet if that is what he desired and it seems as though Fleury is happy where he is for now. Fleury told NHL.com’s Tracey Meyers that he is only interested in getting Chicago to the playoffs this season and is not looking to move. This might not be a realistic goal with the Blackhawks .094 percentage points back of the final wild card spot in the West with five teams ahead of them in the race. However, Fleury has earned the right to make that call. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner was just traded this summer and may not be keen to go through that process again so soon, especially at 37 years old and possibly at the end of his career. If the three-time Stanley Cup winner wants to stay loyal to his team rather than make another run, so be it.
- Another option off the table for the Oilers is Montreal’s Jake Allen. Edmonton needs immediate help and Allen can’t provide it. After leaving a game last week due to injury, the Canadiens have announced that Allen is out approximately eight weeks with an undisclosed lower-body ailment. The Oilers’ struggles this season pale in comparison to the Habs’, who find themselves with the worst record in the NHL after playing in the Stanley Cup Final just last year. Everyone is available for the right price in Montreal, including Allen even though he has performed admirably in Carey Price‘s absence over the past two seasons. Allen is signed at a reasonable $2.875MM through next season and maybe another team will still be interested despite the substantial injury. The Oilers, however, will have to look elsewhere.
Carolina Hurricanes Extend Jalen Chatfield
The Carolina Hurricanes have done a little offseason business ahead of time, signing minor league defenseman Jalen Chatfield to a two-year contract extension. The deal is two-way in 2022-23, paying Chatfield $750K at the NHL level, $250K at the AHL level and includes a $300K minor league guarantee. In 2023-24, it is a one-way contract worth $775K. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell released a statement:
From the moment camp began, he’s played the Hurricane way. Jalen earned this two-year extension, and we know he will continue to bolster our blue line.
Chatfield, 25, has appeared in seven games for the Hurricanes this season but spent most of his time in the AHL, recording four goals and seven points in 21 games for the Chicago Wolves. Undrafted, he signed with the Vancouver Canucks in 2017 and spent three seasons with the Utica Comets. In 2020-21, he made his NHL debut by skating in 18 games with the Canucks, registering a single point.
While he doesn’t figure to play a ton at the NHL level, Chatfield represents strong depth for the Hurricanes organization and can continue to lead with the Wolves. He cleared waivers without a problem at the beginning of October and now, with this two-year extension in hand, will likely clear them the next time the Hurricanes need to sneak him through.
Despite being just 25, Chatfield would have qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer. He’s now avoided RFA status altogether, as he’ll be a UFA when this new deal expires in 2024.
Babcock, Maurice Not Looking To Coach In NHL This Season
The turmoil surrounding the Edmonton Oilers resulted in several jerseys being thrown on the ice after a 6-0 defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers. As silly as it sounds, jersey tosses have often come just ahead of a coach’s dismissal, as Ron Wilson and Travis Green can attest. The situation with Dave Tippett in Edmonton is an evolving one, as Ryan Rishaug of TSN explains that though a change isn’t imminent, it is a “day-to-day process” at the moment and suggests that a poor result against the Calgary Flames tomorrow night would likely leave no choice for general manager Ken Holland.
With Tippett’s future unclear, some have suggested that Mike Babock, a long-time colleague of Holland’s with the Detroit Red Wings, could be a potential answer in Edmonton. Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that Babcock has no intention of coaching in the NHL this season and will be staying with the University of Saskatchewan through March. Babcock is technically still under contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, meaning hiring him would come along with buying out at least a portion of the remaining money owed. The eight-year contract he signed in 2015 paid him $6.25MM each season through 2022-23.
Another name, Paul Maurice, has also been thrown into the mix after he resigned as head coach of the Winnipeg Jets earlier this season. Similarly, Dreger reports that Maurice will not be coaching in the NHL for the rest of this season. Maurice is certainly a candidate for the Oilers or another NHL team moving forward, but is taking some time away from the game to refocus.
In terms of candidates for Edmonton then should they move on from Tippett, Rishaug explains that assistant coach Glen Gulutzan would be the most likely on an interim basis. Bakersfield Condors head coach Jay Woodcroft, who previously served as a video assistant under Babcock and Holland in Detroit, would be a candidate for the full-time job but Rishaug doesn’t expect the team would want to commit a multi-year contract to him midseason when the candidate list is so short.
Of course, any change in regard to the Oilers’ head coaching position is speculative at this point and obviously dependent on how the team plays moving forward.
Joel Farabee Out Four Weeks With Upper-Body Injury
The Philadelphia Flyers’ nightmare season continues, this time with an injury to Joel Farabee. The young forward had been placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss up to four weeks with an upper-body injury. Kevin Hayes has also been placed on injured reserve following his adductor procedure earlier this week. As replacements, the Flyers have recalled Wade Allison and Jackson Cates to the taxi squad.
Interim head coach Mike Yeo told reporters including Giana Han of the Philadelphia Inquirer that something happened to Farabee last night, but didn’t get into the specifics of whether or not it is related to his previous injury. At any rate, he’ll be out for the next few weeks as the Flyers continue to spiral down the standings. The team has now lost ten straight and barely sit ahead of the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders, who have each played fewer games.
Farabee, 21, is one of the few bright spots in Philadelphia, even though his overall production still hasn’t been outstanding this season. The 2018 first-round pick has 11 goals and 18 points in 33 games, enough to put him fourth on the team in scoring so far. While there are many players on the roster who might not be with the team after this dreadful season, it seems unlikely that Farabee would lose his spot as a building block. The young forward signed a six-year, $30MM extension in September that will keep him under contract at a reasonable $5MM cap hit through the 2027-28 season.
In terms of replacements, Cates has played just seven games at the NHL level this season and 11 since signing out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth as an undrafted free agent last spring. Allison, a second-round pick from 2016, scored seven points in 14 games last season for the Flyers but has missed a huge chunk of this year with an ankle sprain. In seven games with Lehigh Valley, Allison had four points.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/21/22
The NHL schedule is filled with eight games this evening, including the Florida Panthers trying to keep up their incredible goal-scoring pace against the Vancouver Canucks. After last night’s 6-0 debacle in Edmonton, the Panthers have scored at least five goals in eight of their last ten games, averaging 5.7 over that stretch. As they and others prepare for tonight’s action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league and taxi squad shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Buffalo Sabres have assigned Brett Murray to the taxi squad, meaning he won’t be available to the Rochester Americans this evening after all. Unfortunately, it’s because top prospect Jack Quinn suffered a lower-body injury in last night’s game and is undergoing an MRI today. Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat reports that GM Kevyn Adams expects Quinn to miss some time.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Joey Anderson and Carl Dahlstrom to the taxi squad, suggesting that there could be another change coming on the back end. The team is without Jake Muzzin and Justin Holl at the moment and face the New York Islanders tomorrow night. Alex Biega, playing for Holl, saw just 12 minutes of ice time in the team’s last game.
- The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Calvin Pickard to the taxi squad, giving them another goaltender as they prepare for the Dallas Stars tonight. Detroit will be hitting the road after the game to play again tomorrow night in Nashville.
Metropolitan Division
- The Washington Capitals have returned Axel Jonsson-Fjallby to the Hershey Bears of the AHL, after playing just eight minutes last night. The 23-year-old has one point in nine games this season, his first in the NHL.
Central Division
- The Chicago Blackhawks have removed both Kirby Dach and Brett Connolly from the COVID protocol, while recalling Mike Hardman from the AHL. To make room, Cale Morris has been sent to the AHL. Hardman, 22, has drawn the ire of some fans this season after failing to score a single goal in 20 appearances with the Blackhawks but remains an option for the bottom-six.
- The Dallas Stars have sent Thomas Harley, Ty Dellandrea, and Rhett Gardner to the AHL, where they’ll join the Texas Stars ahead of tonight’s game against the Rockford IceHogs. Harley, a top prospect for Dallas, has played in eight games for the NHL squad this season.
- Calen Addison, Matt Boldy, Connor Dewar, and Andrew Hammond have all been recalled from the taxi squad ahead of the Minnesota Wild game against the Chicago Blackhawks this evening. Boldy, 20, has four points in four games for the Wild so far this season.
- The Nashville Predators have reassigned Matt Tennyson to the taxi squad, as they take a day off from a busy schedule. The Predators will be back in action tomorrow, meaning Tennyson could be back.
Pacific Division
- The Los Angeles Kings have loaned Jacob Moverare to the AHL and sent Samuel Fagemo, and Alex Turcotte to the taxi squad. Christian Wolanin, Austin Strand, and Matt Villalta have also all been assigned to the taxi squad. The Kings continue to make off-day moves in order to save money and cap space; recalls should be expected before Sunday’s game in New Jersey.
- With J.T. Miller and Thatcher Demko entering the COVID protocol yesterday, the Vancouver Canucks have recalled Sheldon Dries, Justin Bailey, and Michael DiPietro from the taxi squad. Guillaume Brisebois has been moved to long-term injured in the meantime.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Oilers Have Shown Interest In Joonas Korpisalo
With Mike Smith injured once again, Mikko Koskinen struggling, and the Oilers in a tailspin at the moment, they’re on the lookout to try to shore up their goaltending. To that end, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported in the latest TSN Insider Trading segment that Edmonton has kicked the tires on Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.
With Elvis Merzlikins inking a five-year, $27MM contract extension at the start of the season, he cemented himself as the starter of the present and future in Columbus, basically making Korpisalo expendable. The 27-year-old is also on an expiring contract with a $2.8MM AAV and while Edmonton’s salary cap situation doesn’t exactly give them much in the way of flexibility, some retention and some good fortune on the injury front could make a move doable.
Prior to this season, Korpisalo’s track record had been decent with a .905 SV% and a 2.90 GAA over his first six NHL campaigns. Those aren’t numbers that scream a sizable upgrade but mediocrity would still be an upgrade on what Edmonton has had at times over the past few years, Smith’s strong 2020-21 campaign notwithstanding.
However, this season has been another story. Korpisalo has a 3.95 GAA and a .882 SV% in 14 games, the worst numbers of his career by a significant margin. Edmonton’s goaltending has struggled this season but the trio of Smith, Koskinen, and youngster Stuart Skinner have done better than that. In that sense, there’s some question on how much he’d move the needle for the Oilers and whether or not that’s the best use of their very limited cap room.
While Edmonton needs a longer-term upgrade, affording one with their cap situation would be a significant challenge. Even a higher-end rental starter would be tricky with the Oilers in a money-in, money-out situation and the fact that few are available; TSN’s Darren Dreger noted in the same segment that Chicago’s Marc-Andre Fleury wouldn’t be a great fit for that reason.
In the end, all that GM Ken Holland may be able to afford is a nominal improvement at best and when you factor in Korpisalo’s track record, that’s about all he’d be. While there wouldn’t be a ton of upside with such a move, he’d at least give them some insurance between the pipes and with Holland not being interested in moving top young assets, this would be a move that could be made without moving those future pieces. With Edmonton not in a position to accrue cap space since they’re well into LTIR, it’s also a move that they wouldn’t have to necessarily wait until closer to the trade deadline to try to make and with the Oilers struggling, Holland may be forced to try to do something sooner than later.
2021 Year In Review: December
2021 was certainly another eventful year, both on and off the rink. Over the past few weeks, we’ve taken a look back at the top stories from around the game on a month-by-month basis. We wrap things up with a look at December.
Changes In Vancouver: After a disappointing start to their season, the Canucks opted to clean house. Head coach Travis Green was let go with veteran bench boss Bruce Boudreau taking over. The hope was the change would give them a spark and it’s fair to say it did as they’re 10-3-1 since then. Meanwhile, GM Jim Benning was also fired with Jim Rutherford joining Vancouver soon after. However, he’s not in his usual GM role but is instead president of hockey operations. Their search for Benning’s permanent replacement continues.
Fabbri Sticks Around: Red Wings winger Robby Fabbri could have been an intriguing trade candidate closer to the trade deadline as a rental player. Instead, he’s off the market after inking a three-year, $12MM contract extension. After struggling towards the end of his time with St. Louis, Fabbri has become a reliable secondary scorer for Detroit, reaching the double-digit goal mark in his first three seasons with the team and has a shot at hitting the 20-goal plateau this season, a target he has never reached.
Bishop’s Career Ends: After missing all of last season due to knee trouble, Stars goaltender Ben Bishop was hoping to return this year. He practiced regularly with Dallas at the start of the season and got to the point where he was ready to test things out on a conditioning stint in the minors. Unfortunately, that didn’t go well and soon after, it was revealed that Bishop’s playing days have come to an end as he’ll remain on LTIR for the duration of his contract which runs through next season. His playing days end with 413 games played for five different teams while he was a three-time Vezina Trophy finalist and posted a 2.32 GAA along with a save percentage of .921 and 33 shutouts.
Coaching News: Vancouver wasn’t the only team to change coaches as the Flyers parted ways with veteran bench boss Alain Vigneault and assistant Michel Therrien after a slow start to their season. Mike Yeo, who had been serving as an assistant, has taken over on an interim basis. The Jets also made a coaching change although it was one initiated by Paul Maurice who surprisingly resigned partway through his ninth season with the team. He had been the second-longest tenured coach in the NHL prior to his decision, one that was made as he felt a new voice was needed and that he had led Winnipeg as far as he could. On the other end of the spectrum, Minnesota has been quite pleased with Dean Evason’s performance as head coach and he was rewarded for his efforts with a multi-year contract extension. Now in his third season in that role, the Wild have played to a 65-30-8 record under his tutelage so far.
Out Of Olympics: The enthusiasm for NHL players going to the Olympics was short-lived when the league jointly announced with the NHLPA that they were officially withdrawing from Olympic participation. The announcement came as little surprise as a result of the league having to postpone so many games due to COVID-19 positive tests and attendance restrictions so the drought of a true best-on-best tournament continues.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Atlantic Notes: Namestnikov, Juolevi, Dichow
Vladislav Namestnikov’s second season with the Red Wings has been a more productive one as the 29-year-old has 11 goals and nine assists through the first 40 games, already surpassing his point total from last season. As a result, he could be one of Detroit’s more intriguing rentals heading into the trade deadline.
However, if Namestnikov has his way, he won’t be going anywhere at all as he told reporters including Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News that he’s open to an extension and that “it would be great to stay”. Namestnikov has a $2MM cap hit and should be looking at a similar price tag on his next deal. A short-term deal to stay with the Red Wings is certainly plausible although if they can get a decent future asset in a trade over the next couple of months, they may prefer to go that route over signing an extension now.
More from the Atlantic:
- The Panthers have placed defenseman Olli Juolevi on injured reserve, relays George Richards of Florida Hockey Now (Twitter link). The 23-year-old has had a tough first season in Florida as he has struggled to stay healthy, playing in just nine games. He had been on a nice little stretch as of late, averaging nearly 16 minutes per night on the third pairing in his last four games but that has been put on hold for now.
- Canadiens prospect Frederik Dichow is expected to transfer to Frolunda of the SHL next season, reports Johan Svensson of SportExpressen although his agent wouldn’t confirm the report. Dichow – who was recently named to Denmark’s Olympic team – has posted a .929 SV% in 20 games in Sweden’s second division this season. Montreal has until June of 2023 to sign the 20-year-old.
PHR Live Chat: 01/20/22
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