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Injury Updates: Demko, van Riemsdyk, Girard

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To say there has been a lot of speculation about Thatcher Demko’s injury would be a considerable understatement.  After playing the series opener against Nashville, Demko was ruled as out day-to-day and then week-to-week soon after, fueling plenty of theories about the nature of the injury.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the best way to qualify this injury is that it’s a unique one.  The Canucks are hopeful that it’s not as bad as they initially feared and it might not be something that surgery can ultimately fix.  Accordingly, they don’t have an idea of the true timeframe for a return other than he’s not going to be back within the next week or two.

Other injury news from around the postseason:

  • It has been a rough playoff on the injury front for Washington’s back end. Already missing Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen to injury, Ethan Bear (Player Assistance Program), and injury recall Vincent Iorio, the team announced (Twitter link) that rearguard Trevor van Riemsdyk sustained an upper-body injury in the first period and did not return.  He was injured on a hit from Matt Rempe who received a minor penalty for interference on the play.  Now down 3-0 in the series, the Capitals will have to turn to Hardy Haman Aktell if none of Sandin, Jensen, Iorio, or van Riemsdyk can return for Sunday’s fourth game.
  • The Avalanche welcomed back defenseman Samuel Girard tonight against Winnipeg as NHL.com’s Tracey Myers relayed (Twitter link). The 25-year-old suffered a concussion late in the regular season against the Jets and hadn’t played since then.  Girard had a bit of a down year for Colorado as he was limited to 18 points in 59 games, the lowest output of his career while his ATOI dipped to 19:23, the lowest since his rookie season.  Still, as a top-four blueliner, his return was certainly a welcome one.

Atlantic Notes: Sabres, True, Forbort, Brazeau

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The Sabres dealt from their center depth at the trade deadline, moving Casey Mittelstadt to Colorado for Bowen Byram.  Now it appears that they’ll be on the hunt for more help down the middle as David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period relays that Buffalo will be looking for a reliable two-way third-line center next season.  Internally, they were hoping that Peyton Krebs would have some success in that role but he struggled this season, notching just 17 points in 80 games.  Zemgus Girgensons has played down the middle regularly in the past but is a pending UFA and better suited for a spot on the fourth line so it makes sense that GM Kevyn Adams will be looking outside the organization to try to fill that spot.

More from the Atlantic:

  • Panthers minor leaguer Alexander True is expected to sign with Modo of the SHL next season, report SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson and Adam Johansson. The 26-year-old was once viewed as a possible part of San Jose’s plans but moved on after four years with the organization and hasn’t seen NHL action since 2021-22.  True, who has five assists in 27 career NHL appearances, has spent the full season with AHL Charlotte, notching 19 points in 55 regular season games.  A pending restricted free agent, it looks like he has decided to try his hand elsewhere instead of sticking around for another year in the minors.
  • Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort and winger Justin Brazeau both skated with the team today as they work their way back from their respective injuries but aren’t expected to play on Saturday, notes Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald. Forbort is believed to be a little ahead of Brazeau in terms of their potential game readiness so it’s possible that Boston could have another option available to them on their back end at some point this round.  Forbort was limited to just 35 games this season where he had four assists while Brazeau picked up five goals and two helpers in just 19 appearances after having his contract converted to an NHL deal back in February.

Kraken Re-Assign Eduard Sale To AHL

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In recent days, Seattle has been signing some of their junior prospects and then assigning them to the AHL to keep their seasons going.  When it comes to Eduard Sale, he was already under contract but he will also continue his 2023-24 campaign as the Kraken have re-assigned him to AHL Coachella Valley, per the AHL’s transactions log.

The 19-year-old was a first-round pick by the Kraken last year, going 20th overall.  He was rated considerably higher than that heading into the season but a quiet season with HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga hurt his stock despite good showings playing against his own age group in the World Juniors and World Under-18s.

This season, Sale decided to try his hand in North America, coming to the OHL where Barrie held his rights.  He was a bit quieter than expected offensively, collecting 20 points in 25 games with them before being moved to Kitchener at the trade deadline where his output dipped a bit more to 18 points in 24 contests.  In between, he did well again at the World Juniors, averaging a point per game.  Sale finished up his junior campaign on a high note, notching 12 points in 10 games before Kitchener was swept in the second round.

Now, Sale will join the Firebirds for his first taste of North American professional hockey.  Having been drafted out of his native Czechia, he’s not subject to the usual NHL/CHL transfer restrictions.  Accordingly, Sale will be eligible to play in the minors full-time next season if Seattle decides they want to test him at a higher level so a good showing in the coming weeks could certainly make a difference in their plans for him.

Stars Recall Mavrik Bourque

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The Stars recalled forward Mavrik Bourque from AHL Texas, per a team announcement. After being named the AHL’s MVP for 2023-24 yesterday, he’s now eligible to dress in tomorrow’s Game 3 of their first-round series against the Golden Knights.

Bourque, 22, made his lone regular-season appearance on April 6 against the Blackhawks. The 5’10” pivot is in his second professional season after turning pro out of the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes, whom he captained in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Dallas acquired his signing rights by making him the 30th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, signing him to his entry-level contract the following March.

The right-shot center has quickly cemented himself as one of the best in a deep Stars prospect pool. He played all but one of Texas’ 72 regular-season games, leading the AHL in points with 77 (29 goals, 51 assists). He has two goals and two assists in two games thus far in the Calder Cup Playoffs as Texas swept its best-of-three First Round series against Manitoba. As they don’t begin their Central Division Semifinal clash against Milwaukee until next Thursday, recalling Bourque doesn’t harm the Stars’ minor-league club.

Bourque, along with Ty Dellandrea and Craig Smith (both healthy scratches in Games 1 and 2), could enter the series if Radek Faksa and/or Mason Marchment are unable to play as action shifts to Las Vegas. Both are day-to-day due to undisclosed injuries sustained in Game 2 on Wednesday. The Western Conference regular-season winners dropped both games at home and are down 2-0 against the defending Stanley Cup champs.

Bourque has one season left on his ELC and will challenge for a roster spot out of camp next fall. He won’t require waivers for reassignment until he plays two more professional seasons or 159 NHL games, whichever comes first.

Snapshots: Draft Lottery, Petry, Blues

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The NHL announced today the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery will be held on Tuesday, May 7, to determine the order of selection for the first 16 picks of the first round. It’s widely regarded as a deep class at the top with not much separation throughout the top 10 prospects, but there is a clear-cut choice at first overall.

That’s Boston University center Macklin Celebrini, who’s coming off one of the most memorable freshman seasons in NCAA history. He did everything short of winning the national championship, winning the Hobey Baker Award for the top collegiate player after leading the Terriers in scoring with 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games. He’s also the youngest player in NCAA history, playing his entire freshman year at age 17. He doesn’t turn 18 until June 13.

The Sharks have the best odds to land him after finishing last in the league with 47 points. They have an 18.5% chance of winning the first lottery draw and a 25.5% chance of exiting the night with the first-overall pick. A rule change that took effect in 2022 ensures only the top 11 teams in the standard draft order have a shot at moving up to first overall, as each team in the drawing can only move up a maximum of 10 spots. The other 10 clubs with a shot at landing Celebrini are the Blackhawks (13.5%), Ducks (11.5%), Blue Jackets (9.5%), Canadiens (8.5%), the yet-to-be-named Utah franchise (7.5%), Senators (6.5%), Kraken (6%), Flames (5%), Devils (3.5%) and Sabres (3%).

Other tidbits from around the league:

  • Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry has been added to USA Hockey’s roster for the 2024 IIHF World Championship, reports NHL Network’s Jon Morosi. The initial roster of 15 skaters, announced earlier this week, includes Red Wings teammates Dylan Larkin at center and Alex Lyon in goal. Petry, a right-shot, projects to serve third-pairing duties for now behind Seth Jones and Zach Werenski. He’s a candidate to be moved down the depth chart as the tournament progresses as players on teams eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs join their national teams partway through. The 36-year-old had a rough first season with his hometown team, posting three goals, 24 points and a -7 rating in 73 contests while averaging 18:47 per game. It was his worst offensive output since the 2015-16 season. He’s suited up for the U.S. at three prior World Championships, all as a member of the Oilers organization in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
  • The Blues are one of many teams looking to fill a head coaching vacancy after rolling with an interim down the stretch or making a change over the offseason. Drew Bannister is still a strong candidate to land the job after leading the club to a much-improved 30-19-5 record after taking over for Craig Berube in December, but the organization is still conducting an external search before removing his interim tag. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Matthew DeFranks examined who those external options could be in an article Friday (subscription required), namely University of Denver head coach David Carle, fresh off his second national title in three years. The 34-year-old will likely receive calls from all teams still with a hole, including the Senators and Sharks, so the Blues won’t be alone in their potential pursuit. Carle also added to his trophy case this season by leading the U.S. contingent to a gold medal at the 2024 World Juniors. A trio of coaches fired mid-season also made DeFranks’ list, including ex-Oilers bench boss Jay Woodcroft and former Kings coach Todd McLellan. Former Wild coach Dean Evason could also be an option, although he’s already been linked to Ottawa’s coaching vacancy.

Hurricanes Recall Ryan Suzuki

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The Hurricanes recalled center Ryan Suzuki from AHL Springfield on Friday, per a team release. He joins defenseman Ronan Seeley, who was recalled from the minors yesterday, as a player on Carolina’s expanded playoff roster without any NHL experience.

Suzuki, 22, managed to tread water in his development this season while other Hurricanes prospects struggled without a stable minor-league affiliate. Carolina loaned the 2019 first-round pick out to Springfield, the Blues’ top-level affiliate, for the entire season after they couldn’t reach a deal to extend their affiliation agreement with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. He made a career-high 51 appearances, managing 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points with a -9 rating.

He hasn’t yet managed to be a true impact player at the minor-league level, though, and he’s still searching for his first regular-season NHL recall. The younger brother of Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki was drafted as an expert playmaker out of the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts, and he made the jump to the pro ranks with AHL Chicago a year early when the OHL canceled the 2020-21 season entirely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s managed 39 goals, 47 assists and 86 points in 153 AHL games since turning pro.

They aren’t bad numbers, but they’re still disappointing for a first-round pick and not strong enough to force Carolina to disrupt one of the deepest offenses in the league. Since Carolina has options with more NHL experience (Max Comtois, Brendan Lemieux) and higher ceilings (Jackson Blake, Bradly Nadeau) ready to go if injuries strike, the chances of Suzuki making his NHL debut this postseason are slim to none.

The London, Ontario, native is in the final season of his entry-level contract. The Hurricanes owe him a $874,125 qualifying offer to retain his rights as a restricted free agent this summer. He’s not yet eligible for salary arbitration, although he would be in 2025 if he signed a one-year deal.

2024 Unrestricted Free Agency Preview: Left Wings

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The regular season is behind us, meaning many teams have already turned their main focus toward the draft and free agency. As the postseason schedule continues for the other half of the league, PHR will join those front offices in identifying the top targets expected to be available on the open market in July.

We kicked off our UFA previews early this month with the men between the pipes, outlining what looks to be an incredibly mild goalie class in July. Next up is a look at the forward options currently set to be available on the market, starting with left wings.

Note: only players on NHL rosters in 2024 are included in this exercise. Pending UFAs who play multiple positions are listed with their most frequent one in the 2023-24 season, not necessarily the position they’re listed as playing by the league. The listed ages are as of July 1, 2024.

Bonafide First-Liners

Jake Guentzel, 29
2023-24 team: Pittsburgh Penguins/Carolina Hurricanes

Guentzel isn’t just the best LW available. He likely has the highest market value of any forward – assuming he doesn’t extend with the Canes over the next two and a half months. He was again over a point per game as Sidney Crosby’s wingman through the first three-quarters of the season in Pittsburgh, and he’s been even better since a deadline blockbuster sent him south to Raleigh.

In 16 games since the trade, he’s erupted for eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points, leading the Canes in post-deadline scoring and tying for 10th league-wide. He’s a remarkable +16 in that span, too, quickly earning a promotion to first-line duties alongside Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis after starting his Carolina tenure on the second line. The 2013 third-rounder has clinched another season over the point-per-game threshold, his fourth time in the last five seasons. His 1.15 per-game rate and his +18.5 expected rating are both career highs, as is his 56.9 CF% at even strength. He was dominating shot attempts before the trade as well – he’d be the Penguins leader in CF% had he not been dealt.

His recent consistency and his sub-30 age mean he’s in line for a significant increase on his $6MM cap hit. He likely won’t reach eight figures – nor will any forward available. But he’s nearly a first-line lock anywhere he could end up and is the only left-winger on the market to average north of 20 minutes per game this season.

Steven Stamkos, 34
2023-24 team: Tampa Bay Lightning

Stamkos is slowly shifting away from center ice, primarily lining up at wing this season alongside either Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point or Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel. He’s still good for a fair amount of draws, winning 55.6% of his 619 attempts, most of which have still come at even strength. While the Lightning captain is getting up there in age, he’s one of three forwards, including Guentzel and in-state rival Sam Reinhart, to log over a point per game this year.

Seeing Stammer outside of a Tampa jersey remains unbelievable for some, and understandably so. He’s far and away the franchise leader in points (1,134), passed Vincent Lecavalier earlier this season for the games played record (1,080), and is only eight assists back of Martin St. Louis (580). The 2008 first-overall pick has done well to bolster those totals this season, recording 39 goals and 39 assists for 78 points in 77 games. His play away from the puck is starting to suffer as he enters his mid-30s, though, posting a team-worst -21 rating, the same number as the squad’s shockingly poor 5-on-5 goal differential. The shot attempt and possession metrics don’t paint as dire of a picture, but they’re the worst we’ve seen from him in a healthy season in five years.

Admittedly, giving him the “bonafide first-line” designation may be a bit ambitious if the aging curve takes an aggressive toll moving forward, but he’s still a true superstar name for now. There’s been no indication of meaningful extension talks since Stamkos expressed disappointment pre-season in the lack of communication. GM Julien BriseBois indicated that he wouldn’t commence talks until the season ended, a position that hasn’t changed.

Potential Top-Six Options

Jonathan Drouin, 29
2023-24 team: Colorado Avalanche

The former Canadiens top-six winger has found his groove again in Colorado, scoring 19 goals, 37 assists and 56 points with a +12 rating in 79 games played. He set career-highs in assists and points playing alongside former junior hockey teammate Nathan MacKinnon, averaging 18:11 per game in a top-line role. Drouin had only 17 goals in 163 games with Montreal over the past four seasons combined, so his laundry list of recent injuries, inconsistent play, and the uncertainty of his level of play away from MacKinnon will dampen his market value. Don’t expect anything too lengthy – Michael Bunting’s three-year, $13.5MM deal ($4.5MM AAV) with the Hurricanes last summer is a solid comparable.

Teuvo Teräväinen, 29
2023-24 team: Carolina Hurricanes

Like Drouin, Teräväinen had a nice rebound after a 2022-23 campaign that fell short of expectations. Injuries limited him to 68 games last year, and he wasn’t productive when healthy – his 0.18 goals per game were his lowest in a Carolina uniform. His playoff resume was also abbreviated after sustaining a broken hand in Game 3 of last year’s first-round win over the Islanders. Turbo is all healed up this season, though, and is back to his usual tricks – 25 goals, 28 assists and 53 points in 76 games for the Canes to rank third on the team in scoring. His possession metrics were around the team average (a remarkable 60.1 CF% at even strength), and he averaged over 16 minutes per game for the eighth straight season.

Adam Henrique, 34
2023-24 team: Anaheim Ducks/Edmonton Oilers

Henrique has been a consistent middle-six producer throughout his prime, even if the Ducks would have had you think otherwise by nonsensically placing him on waivers and assigning him to the taxi squad briefly in 2021. He’s aging like fine wine, putting up one of his best NHL seasons at age 33/34. He appeared in 82 games for the fourth time, putting up 24 goals, 27 assists and 51 points for the Ducks and Oilers. An incredibly versatile talent who can truly play both center and wing (53.3 FOW% this season in over 1,000 draws), he also logged significant time on the power play and penalty kill for Anaheim this season. His usage dropped to under 15 minutes per game with Edmonton after the trade, but that’s more due to their high-end top-six group than anything else. For now, Henrique is still absolutely capable of second-line minutes.

Anthony Mantha, 29
2023-24 team: Washington Capitals/Vegas Golden Knights

Mantha once looked like money in the bank for 25 goals a season, but his tenure with Washington after a 2021 trade from the Red Wings resulted in nothing but injuries and dwindling ice time. He got his groove back in 2023-24, though, putting up some of the best possession numbers among Caps forwards with a solid 20 goals and 34 points in 56 games. He was solid down the stretch after Vegas picked him up before the trade deadline with three goals and 10 points in 18 games, more conservative point production from him that should be expected going forward. Mantha shot 22.2% with Washington, an obviously unsustainable rate, even considering his strong 12.6% career average. He may not be a surefire bet for second-line duties at even strength like Henrique and Teräväinen, but he has the upside on a weaker team and will be a solid secondary scoring option wherever he ends up.

Anthony Duclair, 28
2023-24 team: San Jose Sharks/Tampa Bay Lightning

Duclair can play either wing comfortably, but his deployment with Kucherov and Point since Tampa picked him up before the trade deadline has firmly planted him on the left side for now. He’s got great goal-scoring upside and good wheels, as evidenced by his 31 goals with the Panthers two seasons ago, but is prone to injuries and inconsistent showings from season to season. He did what he could for a severely understaffed Sharks offense this season, potting 16 goals and 27 points in 56 games with them after they took on the last year of his $3MM AAV contract from Florida for cap relief. Again thrust into a top-six role on a playoff team in Tampa, Duclair was on fire down the stretch, posting eight goals and 15 points in 17 games with the Bolts after the trade. He’s a career 13.8% shooter over 500 games and should be good for around 25 goals for the next few seasons – if he can stay healthy. Injuries limited him to 20 games in 2022-23.

Tyler Bertuzzi, 29
2023-24 team: Toronto Maple Leafs

Bertuzzi struggled heavily to begin the season after signing a one-year, $5.5MM pact in Toronto but rebounded well down the stretch. He finished the campaign with 21 goals and 43 points in 80 games – not quite as much as the Leafs were expecting, but still solid for a secondary scorer. The real win was getting him to stay healthy – those 80 games were a career-high, and injuries limited him to 68 and 50 games over the last two seasons, respectively, with the Red Wings and Bruins. He’s proven he can handle top-six minutes with ease and hasn’t had negative possession impacts since his rookie season, adding an appealing pot-stirring element to his game as well. Some ill-advised penalties do limit his value somewhat – his 53 PIMs this year were a career-high – but he remains a good secondary scoring and power-play option.

Middle-Six Wingers

James van Riemsdyk, 35
2023-24 team: Boston Bruins

The Bruins signed van Riemsdyk to a one-year, $1MM deal last summer that proved to be a solid value bet. He spent most of the season in third-line minutes, scoring 11 goals and 27 assists for 38 points in 71 games. He opened their first-round series against the Maple Leafs as a healthy scratch, and aging curves remain a risk, but he’ll be eligible for a 35+ contract this summer that could allow a team to keep his cap hit low while offering performance bonuses to match his current market value, likely around the $2.5MM to $3MM range after a bounce-back year in Beantown.

Max Pacioretty, 35
2023-24 team: Washington Capitals

Pacioretty missed the first half of the season rehabbing from his second Achilles tendon injury in the past two years, struggling to look the part in his first 40-plus game showing since 2020-21. It’s been a difficult stretch for the six-time 30-goal scorer with Montreal and Vegas, who had just four tallies in 47 games with the Caps. His overall point production was still passable with 23, but it’s clear he’s no longer the first-line threat he was two years ago. Despite his -14 rating, he still maintained decent possession metrics on a poor puck-control Washington squad with a 46.9 CF% and 51.1 xGF% at even strength.

Dakota Joshua, 28
2023-24 team: Vancouver Canucks

The former minor-league mainstay has had a spectacular breakout season with Vancouver, forcing his way into a third-line role. His 18 goals and 32 points in only 63 games made him one of their most important depth scorers in their unexpectedly strong regular season, averaging 14:32 per game. After doing decently well with 23 points in 79 games in fourth-line minutes in Vancouver last year, it’s clear he’s earned a full-time spot in the league and will almost certainly fetch upward of $3MM annually on the open market.

Danton Heinen, 28
2023-24 team: Boston Bruins

Heinen began his second stint in Boston on a PTO, not signed to an NHL contract until late October. He’s proven to be a solid depth piece, much like JVR, but with better wheels and more upward mobility. Slotting in opposite David Pastrňák on the Bruins’ first line in the playoffs thus far, he had 17 goals and 36 points in 74 regular-season contests.

Warren Foegele, 28
2023-24 team: Edmonton Oilers

The Ontario-born winger wrapped up his third season in Edmonton, setting career-highs across the board while playing in all 82 games for the second time in his career. Averaging 13:59 per game and seeing spot duty on their second line, he was fifth on the squad with 20 goals and added 21 assists for 41 points. His per-game point output has steadily climbed in Edmonton, increasing from 0.32 in 2021-22 to 0.50 this year. His 10.0% shooting percentage this year was in line with his career average, so it’s feasible he’ll be able to maintain this level of production for another few seasons.

Jason Zucker, 32
2023-24 team: Arizona Coyotes/Nashville Predators

Zucker’s one-year, low-risk pact with the Coyotes just didn’t work. Signed to a rather pricey $5.3MM cap hit, he had 25 points in 51 games with Arizona and only garnered a sixth-round pick from the Preds at the deadline, with the Yotes’ front office reportedly unwilling to allow GM Bill Armstrong to retain salary. His production wasn’t much better with Nashville down the stretch, adding five goals and seven points in 18 games, and played just over 13 minutes per night. While his six 20-goal seasons suggest second-line upside, Zucker is more firmly suited for third-line minutes at this stage of his career.

Jordan Martinook, 31
2023-24 team: Carolina Hurricanes

Martinook remains an invaluable checking winger for a truly terrifyingly dominant Canes forward group in all three zones. The 10-year veteran has managed 132 points in 394 games with the Canes since joining in 2018 and has broken the 30-point plateau in each of the past two seasons while playing in all 82 games. He broke out with an incredible playoff performance last season, too, stepping up with 12 points in 15 games while main scoring options Teräväinen and Andrei Svechnikov were injured. He controls shot attempts in a dominant manner, too, posting a CF% at even strength above 60 since 2022-23.

Depth Options/Rebound Hopefuls

Stefan Noesen, 31
2023-24 team: Carolina Hurricanes

Noesen has been impeccable in a fourth-line role for Carolina the past two years, racking up 27 goals and 73 points in 159 games. He’s untested in tougher minutes, though, and he’s played in a rather advantageous system under head coach Rod Brind’Amour. Still, that level of production while managing over 100 shots on goal each season in his low-end usage is impressive, and the AHL mainstay just two years ago is in line for a seven-figure deal this summer.

Kiefer Sherwood, 29
2023-24 team: Nashville Predators

Sherwood has a similar career profile to Noesen but is two years younger and less productive. A top-line threat at the AHL level for a number of years, Sherwood earned a long runway in Nashville this season and responded well with 10 goals and 27 points in 68 games, all career-highs. His +17 rating shouldn’t be considered too much by suitors – his possession metrics were quite average and don’t point to it being sustainable. He’ll cost less than Noesen, though, and is a strong option for teams looking to put together an offensively-inclined fourth line.

Mike Hoffman, 34
2023-24 team: San Jose Sharks

A 36-goal man with the Panthers five years ago, Hoffman is likely a PTO candidate this summer – if he stays in the NHL at all. He already has to overcome his reputation as a one-dimensional winger, and an injury-dotted season with 10 goals and 23 points in 66 games for the Sharks didn’t help restore his market value. By failing to secure top-six minutes on the worst team in the league, he may have written his ticket to professional hockey in Europe in 2024-25.

Tomáš Tatar, 33
2023-24 team: Colorado Avalanche/Seattle Kraken

Tatar had a difficult campaign in every department. His nine goals and 24 points in 70 games between Colorado and Seattle were career lows for him in a full season, as was his 12:27 ATOI. The 2009 second-round pick has been criminally underrated in Selke Trophy voting over the past few seasons and often had some of the best possession quality metrics in the league, but his 49.2 xGF% this year was his worst since 2017-18. He’ll likely find another home somewhere, but he didn’t land a contract until September last summer, meaning he could be destined for a PTO if he wants to extend his NHL career.

Maple Leafs Notes: Nylander, Lyubushkin, Brodie, Matthews

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Star winger William Nylander has finally received some positive momentum in his return from injury, with head coach Sheldon Keefe telling The Athletic’s Luke Fox that Nylander will be a game-time decision ahead of Game Four (Twitter link). He has missed the first three games of the series with a migraine issue, though his exact diagnosis hasn’t been confirmed. When asked about it earlier, Nylander said, “Look, that’s just personal so I’m not going to get into that … but anything else you guys want to discuss [I’ll comment on].”

There’s no arguing that Toronto is simply better with Nylander in the lineup. The 27-year-old forward just wrapped up his second consecutive season with 40 goals and set a career-high 98 points along the way. He’s now missing his first games of the season, after playing in all 82 regular-season games for the second year in a row. Migraines have plagued Nylander for years now, even pushing him to switch to a tinted visor ahead of last season. He’s now overcoming those challenges once again and could be poised to make a big impact in a series that Toronto is trailing 2-1.

Other notes from Toronto:

  • Defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin welcomed the birth of his first daughter, and third child, on Friday morning. He traveled home to be with his wife during the process, missing Toronto’s Friday morning skate. Despite that, Keefe says he’ll still be an option in Saturday’s Game Three, shares the Toronto Sun’s Terry Koshan (Twitter link). Lyubushkin has so far appeared in all three games this series, recording one assist, one penalty, and one shot on net. He’s a part of a rotation of Leafs defensemen vying for a lineup spot, competing with Joel Edmundson, Simon Benoit, and Conor Timmins.
  • Speaking of that competition, veteran T.J. Brodie is expected to step into the lineup over Timothy Liljegren, per Fox (Twitter link). Liljegren has yet to record a point through three playoff games, with his only stat change coming in the form of a -2. That’s despite averaging over 19 minutes of ice time through the start of the series. He’ll be replaced by Brodie, who’s managed 55 games of postseason experience over his 14-year NHL career. This includes 11 games with Toronto last season, with Brodie managing three assists, a -3, and 12 penalty minutes.
  • Superstar Auston Matthews also missed the team’s Friday skate with an illness that NHL insider Chris Johnston says he played through on Wednesday (Twitter link). Per Johnston, Keefe dubbed Matthews’ absence as a maintenance day, and didn’t make it seem like the historic goal-scorer was at risk of missing time. Toronto will certainly hope that’s the case, as Matthews is currently tied for the team-lead in playoff scoring with three points in as many games. His scoring has been matched by linemate Max Domi.

Morning Notes: USA Hockey, Milano, Lomberg

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USA Hockey has rounded out its coaching staff for the upcoming IIHF World Championship, announcing four assistant coaches to serve behind head coach John Hynes. The new additions include Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde, Ottawa Senators associate coach Jack Capuano, Pittsburgh Penguins assistant coach Ty Hennes, and U17 NTDP head coach Greg Moore.

This is, most notably, a big step in Lalonde’s ever-growing involvement with USA Hockey. He made his World Championship debut as an assistant coach for last year’s squad, serving as a part of Team USA’s fourth-place finish behind leading scorer Rocco Grimaldi. Lalonde’s only international appearances before that tournament were at the World Junior-A Challenge in 2013 and 2014, first serving as an assistant and then taking on the head coaching role. USA took home Gold in both of those tournaments, on the back of strong performances from Vinnie Hinostroza and Nick Schmaltz. Lalonde will look to rekindle that success as he heads to the main stage for the second year in a row, regrouping with his Detroit starter Alex Lyon on the Team USA lineup.

This news also marks the first time that Hennes and Moore have coached for the Men’s National Team. Both are young coaches who have climbed the ranks of the coaching circuit over the last few years. Success at the World Championship would only provide more wind behind their sails.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Winger Sonny Milano shared that he’s good to go for Game Three, after missing Thursday’s practice with an undisclosed injury, shares NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti (Twitter link). Gulitti also shared that Capitals rookie Ivan Miroshnichenko is expected to make his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut on Friday. Miroshnichenko played in the first 21 NHL games of his career this season, recording two goals, six points, six penalty minutes, and a -4. He also recorded 25 points in 47 AHL games. He’ll step in for Nicolas Aube-Kubel, who hasn’t scored through Washington’s first two playoff games. The Capitals trail the New York Rangers 2-0 in the Round One series.
  • Florida Panthers bruiser Ryan Lomberg is still feeling under the weather after missing the team’s last two games to illness. He is expected to remain out of the lineup in Game Four, with Kyle Okposo remaining on the fourth-line in his place, head coach Paul Maurice shared with Colby Guy of Florida Hockey Now (Twitter link). Okposo played in his first playoff game since 2016 on Thursday, recording one assist in a game where the fourth line stood out. It was the first point of Okposo’s seven-game career with the Panthers. He now gets a chance to continue making an impact, and might even solidify his spot in the lineup with another strong performance.

Avalanche Recall Arvid Holm

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Colorado Avalanche have brought goaltender Arvid Holm back to the NHL lineup after sending him down on Monday (Twitter link). Holm served as the backup to Ivan Prosvetov in the Colorado Eagles first game of the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs – a 4-2 loss against the Abbotsford Canucks. This loss puts the Eagles on the brink of elimination, which could be why the Avalanche are recalling the AHL backup for added depth ahead of their own Game Three.

Prosvetov and Holm are two of the six goaltenders who have played games with the Eagles this season. Prosvetov has managed a solid 11 wins, .921 save percentage, and 2.33 goals-against-average in 21 AHL appearances, while Holm is the only routine starter with a sub-.900 save percentage, posting an .887 and six wins in 12 games. Holm has also spent time in the ECHL this season, recording two wins and a .907 in four appearances.

Holm has yet to receive his NHL debut, despite now six call-ups to the NHL in the last two years. All but two of those came before this season when Holm was a member of the Winnipeg Jets. Winnipeg drafted the Swedish netminder in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL Draft but chose not to extend him a qualifying offer last summer. That left him open to sign a one-year, two-way, $775K contract with the Avalanche. He joined a crowded goalie room and has since been competing with Prosvetov, Justus Annunen, and Trent Miner for NHL opportunity behind starter Alexandar Georgiev. Holm seems to be closer to the bottom of the depth chart, though he’s set to once again serve as the Avalanche’s emergency third-string goalie this postseason.

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