Expansion Primer: Edmonton Oilers
Over the next few weeks, we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, who will likely warrant protection, and which ones may be on the block to avoid the risk of losing them for nothing? Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4:00 PM CDT on July 17th. The full eligibility rules can be found here, while CapFriendly has an expansion tool to make your own lists.
Back in 2017, the Oilers lost a young defenseman to Vegas in expansion in Griffin Reinhart. The fact they lost him wasn’t a big deal – he only played one game for the Oilers in 2016-17 and never played a game for the Golden Knights; he played in Germany this season – but it provided a harsh reminder of what they gave up to get him in 2015 first and second-round picks. (The first-rounder became Mathew Barzal and the second-rounder turned into Mitchell Stephens.) This time around, they may very find themselves losing a young defenseman once again.
Eligible Players (Non-UFA)
Forwards:
Josh Archibald, Tyler Benson, Leon Draisaitl, Seth Griffith, Dominik Kahun, Zack Kassian, Jujhar Khaira, Cooper Marody, Connor McDavid, James Neal, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jesse Puljujarvi, Devin Shore, Anton Slepyshev, Kyle Turris, Bogdan Yakimov, Kailer Yamamoto
Defense:
Ethan Bear, Caleb Jones, Oscar Klefbom, William Lagesson, Darnell Nurse, Kris Russell
Goalies:
Mikko Koskinen, Alex Stalock, Stuart Skinner, Dylan Wells
Notable Unrestricted Free Agents
D Tyson Barrie, F Alex Chiasson, F Tyler Ennis, D Slater Koekkoek, D Dmitry Kulikov, D Adam Larsson, G Mike Smith
Notable Exemptions
D Evan Bouchard, D Philip Broberg, F Ryan McLeod, D Dmitri Samorukov
Key Decisions
The first key decision was made earlier this week when they re-signed Nugent-Hopkins. Had they not done so, it was possible that they could have gone with the eight-skater route, allowing them to protect an extra defenseman. That won’t be the case now as he joins McDavid, Draisaitl, Yamamoto, and Puljujarvi as sure-fire protectees.
There are quite a few candidates for those last two spots. A year ago, it felt like Kassian was going to be in that guaranteed protected list. He had just signed a four-year deal and was coming off a career year offensively; it felt like he was finally becoming the type of power forward that he was expected to when he was a first-round pick in 2009. Then 2020-21 happened. He had two significant injuries that cost him half the season and when he was in the lineup, he wasn’t particularly productive as he managed just two goals in 27 games. His contract has gone from market value to an overpayment in a hurry and as a result, he could very well be left exposed even though when he’s on his game, he can be a difference-maker for the Oilers.
Archibald has become more of what they were hoping for from Kassian – a physical forward that can move up and down the lineup where needed and chip in with a timely goal here or there. His scoring total dipped to just seven this season after a dozen in each of the previous two years but he’s the type of versatile player they’ll likely opt to keep around.
In terms of their other veterans, Khaira is a capable checker but a $1.3MM qualifying offer makes him a possible non-tender candidate as in this market, that’s a bit much for a fourth liner. That uncertainty makes it difficult to think he’ll be protected. Turris, Neal, and Shore cleared waivers and spent frequent time as healthy scratches. It’s safe to say they’ll be exposed as well. Kahun had a tough year after two straight years of more than 30 points which has him in the possible non-tender category as well. If they agree on a new low-cost deal early, it could earn him a protected slot but it’s not a guarantee.
That leaves Benson, a player with seven career NHL games under his belt with none of them coming this season. (This year, he had 36 points in 36 games with AHL Bakersfield.) He’s now waiver-eligible and seemingly on the cusp of a roster spot. Even if he winds up being the odd man out in training camp, he still has more upside than several of the veterans that are vying for one of the last two protected slots.
On the back end, there are two safe bets to be protected. Nurse has become their number one defenseman while Bear’s tough season is overshadowed by a strong 2019-20 campaign. His potential is high enough that he’ll be kept away from the Kraken.
Larsson is a pending UFA but there is mutual interest in getting a new deal in place before he hits the market. If that was to happen in the next couple of weeks, he’d get the third spot.
Assuming that doesn’t happen (or they wait to announce until after the draft), it would appear that two young blueliners – Jones and Lagesson – will be in the mix for the final slot. Jones’ best showing came in his rookie year in 2018-19 and he hasn’t been able to lock down a full-time spot since then. Of the two, he has a bit more offensive upside than Lagesson, who is more of a stay-at-home defender. Lagesson’s a year older (25 vs 24 for Jones) and doesn’t have as much NHL experience (27 games vs 93 for Jones). Jones would appear to have the slight edge out of the two.
If Klefbom was healthy, he’d be a guaranteed protectee. However, he missed all of this season after shoulder surgery and it doesn’t sound like he’ll be ready to start next year either. Could Seattle pick him in the hopes of him returning to health and becoming a possible trade asset down the road? Perhaps but that’s an expensive gamble with $9.669MM still owed in salary in the final two years of his deal. Russell was extended during the season to meet one of the exposure criteria and nothing has changed on that front.
Unlike most teams, Edmonton’s protected spot between the pipes is uncertain. It’s safe to say it won’t be Koskinen who may very well be bought out this month. Stalock was claimed off waivers during the season and is signed for cheap but he didn’t play at all. Are they prepared to make him the full-time backup next year? If so, he could get this slot but if not, keeping a youngster makes more sense.
That should be Skinner. He struggled in his lone NHL appearance this season but was much better with Bakersfield, posting a 2.38 GAA with a .912 SV% in 31 games. He’s still waiver-exempt and if made available, could be intriguing to Seattle in terms of having another goalie in the system. Wells struggled in both the AHL and ECHL this season so it’s safe to say he won’t be protected.
Having said that, if they come to terms on a new deal with Smith between now and the draft, he’ll get the protected spot.
Projected Protection List
F Josh Archibald
F Tyler Benson
F Connor McDavid
F Leon Draisaitl
F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
F Jesse Puljujarvi
F Kailer Yamamoto
D Ethan Bear
D Caleb Jones
D Darnell Nurse
Skater Exposure Requirement Checklist
When Vegas had their expansion draft, a minimum of two forwards and one defenseman had to be exposed that were under contract and played either 40 games in the most recent season or 70 over the past two combined. Due to the pandemic, those thresholds have been changed to 27 games played in 2020-21 or 54 in 2019/20 and 2020-21 combined. In creating our expansion list for each team in this series, we will ensure that these criteria are met.
Forwards (4): Zack Kassian, James Neal, Devin Shore, Kyle Turris
Defensemen (2): Oscar Klefbom, Kris Russell
The Oilers are well-positioned as things stand. If Seattle likes one of Khaira or Kahun, it’s possible one of the pending RFAs gets selected. Otherwise, Lagesson could be the target as a young defender with potentially a little bit of trade value or someone that can hold down the seventh or eighth spot on the back end. Edmonton appears to be set to be one of the teams that won’t be impacted all that much when they lose a player to the Kraken.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.
Devils Given Green Light To “Spill The Coffers”
New Jersey has been a team that has been well below the Upper Limit of the salary cap but that may be changing this offseason. Scott O’Neil, the outgoing CEO of the owning partnership of the team, made an appearance on the Speak of the Devils podcast (audio link) earlier this week and indicated that GM Tom Fitzgerald had been given the green light to spend and add to his roster:
Let’s spill the coffers. We’ve got plenty of cap space, let’s use it. We’ve got plenty of picks, let’s go get ’em. We’ve got the expansion draft, that’s going to create opportunity. ‘Fitzy’ seems like he’s locked in, zeroed in. He’s got the green light to go. Let’s put some players on the ice.
It’s time. It’s time to start building up. We have this young core in place. Now let’s go build a hockey team and win some games.
It has been a tough stretch as of late for the Devils who missed the playoffs for the third time in a row and the eighth time in the last nine years. Along the way, they’ve added a pair of number one picks in centers Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes but the supporting cast still needs some improvement. Over the past three years, they’ve finished no higher than 25th in goals scored and no better than 26th in goals allowed. Upgrades are needed pretty much everywhere as a result although Mackenzie Blackwood has some promise in goal.
New Jersey has an extra first-round pick at 29th overall from the Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac trade but they only have one pick in each of the remaining six rounds. That could limit their trade chips from there although the late first-round selection is certain to intrigue teams on draft night, especially in a draft like this which has much more uncertainty than usual. If someone starts to slide, that pick will generate some interest.
But what they do have plenty of is cap space as they sit more than $37MM under the cap, per CapFriendly. More importantly, there aren’t many prominent unrestricted free agents (other than defenseman Ryan Murray) while there are no pending big-ticket contracts for a restricted free agent either. Once they take care of those, there will still be plenty of money to go around.
In an offseason where teams will be looking to move money and free agency likely to resemble the fall where big offers aren’t as prominent as usual, this should set Fitzgerald and the Devils up for a productive summer, especially now that they have the green light to spend more.
Finding A Match For A Duncan Keith Trade
Yesterday, a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated that the Blackhawks are working with defenseman Duncan Keith on a trade that would send him to either the Pacific Northwest or Western Canada. The move is speculated to be for family reasons which would explain the specific geographical region where he’d waive his no-move clause to go to. With that in mind, let’s look at the potential fit for each of those teams to take on the final two years of his deal ($5.538MM both years but just $3.6MM in total salary combined).
Vancouver – With Alex Edler set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the month, there is a potential spot for Keith to step into if Edler doesn’t re-sign while it would shift Nate Schmidt back to his off-side. Although the Canucks don’t have the cap space to absorb Keith’s contract outright, they have some expiring contracts (Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, and Antoine Roussel) that could be used as offsets to make the money work this year. He’d also be a mentor for top youngster Quinn Hughes.
However, bringing in Keith would also put another roadblock in place for two of their young left-shot blueliners in Olli Juolevi and Jack Rathbone. Juolevi was able to carve out a limited role last season but more is expected from the fifth overall pick in 2016. As for Rathbone, he didn’t look out of place in a late-season stint and could be in the mix for a full-time spot in training camp. Developing some cost-controlled assets will help offset the big money owed to Hughes and Elias Pettersson this summer and Brock Boeser next summer.
It’s potentially for those reasons that they don’t appear to be interested in acquiring Keith at the moment. There are ways to make the money work for 2021-22 but 2022-23 could be a lot trickier and if they want to let Juolevi and Rathbone see some more NHL action, adding Keith would make that more difficult.
Edmonton – The early indications are that Oscar Klefbom ($4.167MM) may not be ready to return at the start of next season so he could be heading for LTIR once again. Last fall, they used that money on Tyson Barrie but they could have to go in a different direction if Barrie prices himself out of what the Oilers can afford. Theoretically, Keith could fill that same role next year although if Klefbom can return later in the year, that would complicate things.
Behind Darnell Nurse, there are few proven options on the left side of Edmonton’s back end. Caleb Jones and William Lagesson have both had their ups and downs to this point in their young careers while Kris Russell is a third-pairing role player at best. Dmitry Kulikov and Slater Koekkoek will both become unrestricted free agents later this month as well. They have high hopes for Philip Broberg, the eighth pick back in 2019, but he probably isn’t ready to step into a top-four role either. Keith could presumably serve as the bridge player for Broberg.
Edmonton also has some pricey contracts that could be moved to offset money. Winger James Neal has two years left at $5.75MM, nearly the same as Keith while goaltender Mikko Koskinen has one year at $4.5MM remaining. Both are buyout candidates as a result and could be included to balance the cap. With the state of their back end, a veteran that can play on the left side of the second pairing could be a useful pickup and Keith could conceivably fill that role.
Calgary – At first glance, there doesn’t appear to be a great fit. The Flames have their top four defenders signed for next year at a cost of $20.75MM. While Keith on the third pairing would certainly improve their depth, paying more than $5MM for the privilege is something they can’t realistically afford.
However, expansion is looming and Calgary appears to be a team that will need to protect seven forwards which means one of their top four blueliners – likely Mark Giordano – will be left exposed to Seattle. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see the Kraken take on the final year of Giordano’s contract which would create an opening in the top four and $6.75MM in cap space. That could be an opening for Keith but otherwise, the Flames shouldn’t be the landing spot.
Seattle – For the Kraken to pick him in expansion, Keith would first have to waive his no-move clause. Considering his apparent desire to be in the Pacific Northwest, that shouldn’t be an issue. What will be trickier is finding the fit for a trade. Does Seattle want to take on that contract outright or are they going to want some sort of sweetener or salary offset? The latter can’t really happen until after the expansion draft when they’ll have players to trade which would take picking him off the table.
Those small logistics aside, Keith would certainly be an intriguing fit for an expansion team. There’s a chance he’d wind up in a bigger role than he should have (he turns 38 later this month) but he’s also someone that would potentially be their inaugural captain and help shepherd their roster through what will certainly be an interesting first couple of years. If they take a defenseman with their second-overall pick this month and put him on the NHL roster, Keith would work as a good mentor as well. Generally, players that old don’t make sense for a new team but there’s a fit here.
With such a narrow window of teams to work with (Winnipeg is too far East to qualify as part of Western Canada), Chicago and Keith’s camp will have their work cut out for them. Of the four, Edmonton may be the best fit before expansion while Calgary could become an option after that depending on what happens. And with their clean cap situation, Seattle could be in the mix at any time as well. There are options but likely not enough for the Blackhawks to bring in any sort of sizable return for the 16-year veteran.
July Critical Dates Calendar
Normally, July 1st is the first day of the new league calendar year and most of the offseason events have already occurred. However, with the delayed start to the season, most of the key summer dates haven’t occurred yet with one key exception. CapFriendly provided a detailed list (Twitter link) of the new key target dates for this month. Some deadlines were known while others were speculative up to this point.
Before jumping to the list, the one key event on the calendar that remained July 1st is the payment of signing bonuses. Anyone scheduled to receive a signing bonus on the 1st will still get one today. That means it’s a great day for players like Connor McDavid and Artemi Panarin who each received a $12MM signing bonus which represents the majority of their earnings for the 2021-22 calendar season which doesn’t even start for another four-plus weeks. As for the rest of the dates to watch for, they are as follows:
July 13
Deadline for teams to ask players to waive their no-move clauses for the purpose of the Seattle expansion draft.
Latest possible start date for the buyout period (this could be moved up if the Stanley Cup Final ends as the window begins 24 hours after the playoffs end).
July 16
Deadline for players to accept requests to waive their no-move clauses for the purpose of the Seattle expansion draft.
Deadline for players to be placed on waivers prior to the transaction freeze.
July 17
Transaction freeze comes into effect – no trade or waiver activity permitted. Players eligible for selection to Seattle also have a signing freeze.
Deadline for teams to submit their protection lists for the expansion draft.
July 18
NHL approval and distribution of protection lists to all teams.
Beginning of Seattle’s exclusive RFA/UFA negotiation period for all unprotected players.
July 21
Expansion Draft
July 22
End of expansion-related transaction freeze.
July 23/24
NHL Entry Draft (first round on the 23rd, remaining six rounds on the 24th)
July 26
Deadline for teams to submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents.
July 27
Expiration of contracts originally slated to end June 30th.
Buyout period ends.
RFA interview window opens for players that have received a qualifying offer.
July 28
Free agency begins.
Beginning of window for players to accept their qualifying offer.
While the beginning of the month won’t be the usual frenzy that we’re accustomed to, it won’t be long before activity starts to pick up across the league with a very busy stretch coming up in a couple of weeks.
Trade Rumors: Eichel, Blackhawks, Kings
Jack Eichel remains the biggest name on the trade market and will remain as such until he is dealt. Or not dealt? The Athletic’s John Vogl spoke to both sides and found that GM Kevyn Adams and Eichel’s agent had a long, productive meeting on Wednesday. Eichel’s camp believes that the situation is “heading toward a resolution.” Read into that what you will, but the language at least hints at a possible reconciliation between the two sides. This report comes on the heels of TSN’s Darren Dreger reporting that the Sabres’ asking price of “the equivalent of four first-round picks” has depressed the market. If the Sabres are not willing to drop the price of this franchise-altering trade, they could instead try to make amends with their superstar. Then again, Vogl also notes that the Sabres have not changed their opinion on Eichel’s proposed controversial neck surgery, a line in the sand that could still split the two sides. “Resolution” could still mean that the team and the player are working toward finding a trade.
- One team in on Eichel are the Chicago Blackhawks. Don’t mistake their openness to trading iconic defenseman Duncan Keith as transitioning into a rebuild. Dreger notes that they are big game hunting this summer and have talked to Buffalo about the star center. However, Dreger does not believe that adding Eichel to a roster that already has two top-tier forward contracts in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews is feasible from a cap perspective, even if Keith is moved. Instead, he believes that Chicago has a far better chance of landing one of their other two rumored targets: defensemen Seth Jones and Dougie Hamilton.
- The equivalent of four first-round picks is a mighty big ask, but it won’t slow down the Los Angeles Kings if they want to add Eichel. L.A. has long been a rumored landing spot for Eichel and it seems there is mutual interest in a trade. As Vogl notes, the Kings’ ability to part with the pieces needed to land Eichel hasn’t changed with today’s deal for Nashville forward Viktor Arvidsson. L.A. parted with two valuable draft picks, but not a first-round pick nor any of their top-flight first-round prospects like Quinton Byfield, Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Turcotte, Rasmus Kupari, or Tobias Bjornfot. If Eichel remains on the market, the Kings will definitely be in play.
Calgary Flames Re-Sign Colton Poolman
Saturday: The Flames have confirmed Poolman’s re-signing.
Friday: It may not be the surprise deal that brother Tucker Poolman got with the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, but defenseman Colton Poolman has signed a new deal of his own. CapFriendly reports that Poolman and the Calgary Flames have come to terms on a one-year extension. Poolman’s new contract actually carries a lesser NHL salary at the minimum $750K compared to his $842.5K entry-level deal, but he earns a raise in the AHL from $70K to $80K.
Poolman, 25, is older than your average second-year pro, but his long-term development path has produced a defender with a well-rounded, intelligent game. A highly sought-after NCAA free agent last off-season, the Flames knew that they were getting a polished product when they emerged as the lucky winners for his services. The former University of North Dakota standout took his lumps early in his first AHL season, but improved as the year went on. A capable puck-mover and solid defensive player, Poolman is a reliable presence on the back end.
Poolman may not have much upside beyond what he has already showed, but is still a nice depth option. The Flames are deep on the blue line and it would be a surprise to see Poolman among the initial seven or eight names on the opening night roster. However, Poolman will be one of the top call-up options and in his second season with the team should make his NHL debut at some point.
Minor Transactions: 07/01/21
The first day of July is usually the busiest transaction day of the NHL year. For the second straight year, that won’t be the case today. Fortunately, the calendar has finally flipped to the month when free agency will open, not to mention the Expansion Draft and Entry Draft will take place and the trade market will certainly begin to flourish. For now though, transactions of the minor variety will continue to occur as players that are not looking at NHL opportunities for next season make their decisions.
- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are bringing captain Cal O’Reilly back for another go-round. The Philadelphia Flyers’ AHL affiliate has announced a one-year extension for O’Reilly, who took over as captain last season and led the team in scoring. This will be O’Reilly’s 16th pro season, as he has previously played in over 750 AHL games, 145 NHL games with Nashville, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Minnesota, and spent a pair of seasons in the KHL as well.
- The AHL’s Laval Rocket have made an addition of their own, announcing the signing of Quebec-born defenseman Carl Neill to a one-year, two-way contract. Neill, an unsigned Vancouver Canucks draft pick, ended up playing college hockey in Canada and spent his first pro season this year in Denmark with the Aalborg Pirates. It is an unusual path to the pro level in North America, but he made the most of it with strong blue line production.
- The Rocket have also lost a Quebecois from their roster, as veteran forward Yannick Veilleux has signed his first European contract. The 28-year-old former St. Louis Blues prospect has been an AHL fixture for eight years, the past two with Laval, but is making the jump to Germany’s DEL. Eisbaren Berlin has announced a one-year deal with Veilleux, who they see as a key piece to their offense and checking game. Veilleux will join another Quebec native and former Laval Rocket Simon Despres on the Polar Bears’ roster.
- The OHL’s Owen Sound Attack have worked quickly to sign a recent CHL Import Draft selection. The Sound have announced that 16-year-old first-round pick Servac Petrovsky has opted to join the team. Though relatively unknown at this point, Petrovsky has been dominant in the Czech and Slovak junior ranks and his name will become more well-known as his draft year approaches, especially if his ability translates to the North American game.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Andre Tourigny Named Arizona Coyotes Head Coach
After days of speculation suggesting that Andre Tourigny was the front-runner to take over as Arizona’s new head coach, the team made it official on Thursday, hiring Tournigny while signing him to a three-year contract. GM Bill Armstrong released the following statement:
“We are very pleased to name André as the new head coach of the Arizona Coyotes. André is a tremendous person and one of the best young coaches in the game today. He is a winner, a great teacher and a strong communicator who has a proven track record of developing young talent. We are confident that he is the right person to lead our team on the ice and we are thrilled to have him in our organization.”
While this is Tourigny’s first NHL head coaching job, it’s not his first time working in the league. Tourigny’s been an active coach since 1998, serving as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche from 2013-2015 and with the Ottawa Senators in 2015-16.
Since then, Tourigny has been the head coach and vice president of hockey operations for the OHL’s Ottawa 67s, in which he’s seen great success. He’s coached recent highly touted prospects such as Marco Rossi and Jack Quinn en route to being one of the best teams in the league. He also served as the head coach for Canada’s U20 team at the World Juniors this year, winning a silver medal to add to his trophy case.
The Coyotes hope that a shift behind the bench can help propel the team to success sooner rather than later. Inconsistency on and off the ice has plagued the franchise for over a decade now, and they’ve made the playoffs only once since 2012. It may be a very different-looking team next year too, as forward Conor Garland finds himself in trade rumors. Tourigny will work to rehabilitate a roster that’s had a concerning lack of offense, and he’ll try to get more out of important players like Clayton Keller and Phil Kessel. A system more beneficial to Arizona’s offensively inclined players could unlock the next level for this team, something they’re hoping the Tourigny hire will do. He becomes the team’s seventh head coach since relocating from Winnipeg in 1996.
Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider was the first to report that Tourigny’s hiring had been finalized.
Los Angeles Kings Acquire Viktor Arvidsson
The NHL trade market has been slow to this point, with many teams wary of making big moves that could upset their plans ahead of the Expansion Draft later this month. However, a move was made today as Nashville announced that they have dealt scoring winger Viktor Arvidsson to Los Angeles. The Predators will receive L.A.’s 2021 second-round pick, No. 40 overall, and a 2022 third-round pick. Though the deal may lack excitement with none of the Kings’ high profile prospects going the other way, it is a solid return for Nashville, who need to restock their system. According to The Athletic’s draft pick value chart, the Kings’ second-rounder this year plus a presumptive top-half third-rounder next year is equivalent to a late first-round pick.
Arvidsson, 28, has cracked 30 goals and 60 points twice in his six-year NHL career, showing dangerous scoring ability. Even as his numbers have tailed off the past two seasons, he has maintained a half-point per-game scoring mark in all five of his full NHL seasons. It is also worth noting that his 6.6% shooting percentage this season was an extreme deviation from his career average. Positive regression likely means that more goals are on the way. Arvidsson is more than just his scoring totals, too. The undersized, but hard-working wing plays big minutes, contributes to both the power play and penalty kill, and is an excellent possession player.
[Related: Expansion Primers – Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators]
With all that said, Nashville was not wrong to be shopping Arvidsson. At times this past season, he seemed too passive and uninvolved. While he has still put up solid top-six numbers, the Predators have been relying on him as a top-line scorer and he has fallen short. It seems that both sides will benefit from this change of scenery. Nashville will certainly benefit from the expansion flexibility, cap space, and draft pick capital as they look to get back into Stanley Cup contender status after some up-and-down years.
As for the Kings, this is exactly what GM Rob Blake and company have promised their veteran core. The team plans to add established talent this year to help take their young team to the next level and to give their long-time centerpieces another chance to win. In a new place with and with a fresh group of teammates, Arvidsson could easily return to elite production. They had draft picks they could afford to move, the Expansion Draft slot to spare, and a desire to win and now they have a capable veteran in the fold as they look to get back into playoff contention.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report that the Kings were acquiring Arvidsson.
Montreal Canadiens Won’t Get More Fans For Stanley Cup Final Games
The Montreal Canadiens’ public relations department announced today that despite rumors, there won’t be an increased fan capacity for Montreal home games in the Stanley Cup Final. There was widespread hope of being able to increase the attendance limit to 10,500 spectators, or around 50 percent capacity. Instead, the Habs will remain with just 3,500 fans allowed in the building to watch Games 3, 4, and a potential Game 6.
An announcement was expected from either Montreal or the health department of Quebec today after the Tampa Bay Lightning announced they’d be opening up full capacity from Game 2 onwards. Now, it appears as such the Habs won’t be getting a similar boost. Fans at the Bell Centre for tonight’s watch party voiced their displeasure, booing loudly as the capacity limitation was announced on the broadcast.
With only 3,500 fans allowed in the building for Montreal’s last game, Game 6 against the Vegas Golden Knights, even more people were gathered outside of the Bell Centre in order to watch and eventually celebrate Montreal’s win. It ended up creating a dangerous environment outside. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reported after the game that the Bell Centre had been put into a lockdown, due to the zone outside being declared by a riot zone by the city.
For the team, though, a playoff run without a full house hasn’t mattered. Montreal owns a 5-3 record on home ice in these playoffs, and haven’t lost in regulation at home since Game 4 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. With the result of Game 2 pending, Montreal’s success in Games 3 and 4 may be absolutely necessary if Tampa emerges victorious again at home. It won’t be anything new for the Habs, who didn’t even play with fans in the stands until the playoffs started. As they gear up to attempt to win their first championship since 1993, they’ll continue to do it in a limited-capacity environment.