Poll: Where Will Wayne Simmonds End The Season?
It seems as though the biggest name in the rumor mill of late is that of Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds, who remains unsigned past this season and could be a huge help to basically any Stanley Cup contender. His unique mix of skills is a difficult thing to come by, and a reasonable cap hit of $3.975MM makes him able to fit into almost anyone’s budget.
That’s not to say that he is guaranteed to be traded. Under former GM Ron Hextall the Flyers had talked about an extension with Simmonds that would keep him in Philadelphia for several more years, but it’s unclear where new GM Chuck Fletcher stands on the matter, though he had previously tried to acquire the winger when in Minnesota. Now, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that Fletcher and agent Eustace King have spoken recently and that another conversation will take place this week.
If he doesn’t re-sign in Philadelphia and the Flyers decide to move him at the deadline, there won’t be any shortage of suitors for Simmonds. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked because of their apparent need for a physical net-front presence and it being Simmonds’ hometown, while Tampa Bay, Winnipeg and Calgary have also been suggested as good landing spots—though no link has been reported between any of them.
The Flyers have lost eight consecutive games and fallen all the way to the bottom of the Metropolitan Division, a clear sign that they will be sellers at the deadline. Simmonds is easily their most attractive expiring contract, though obviously Fletcher could choose to place a bigger explosive in the room and change the entire look of the team.
Where do you think Simmonds will end the season? Does he re-sign with the Flyers and try to help them flip the script next season, or will he be bought by the highest bidder at the deadline for a deep playoff run? Cast your vote below and explain your reasoning in the comment section.
Where will Wayne Simmonds finish the season?
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Toronto Maple Leafs 17% (417)
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Boston Bruins 12% (285)
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Philadelphia Flyers 7% (166)
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Pittsburgh Penguins 6% (151)
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Nashville Predators 6% (138)
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Winnipeg Jets 5% (131)
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Edmonton Oilers 5% (128)
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Calgary Flames 5% (118)
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San Jose Sharks 5% (112)
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Buffalo Sabres 3% (79)
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Vegas Golden Knights 3% (77)
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Tampa Bay Lightning 2% (60)
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Colorado Avalanche 2% (55)
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Minnesota Wild 2% (53)
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Washington Capitals 2% (51)
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Montreal Canadiens 2% (49)
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Los Angeles Kings 2% (48)
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Dallas Stars 2% (46)
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St. Louis Blues 2% (45)
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Chicago Blackhawks 2% (41)
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New York Islanders 1% (34)
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Carolina Hurricanes 1% (31)
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Detroit Red Wings 1% (29)
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New York Rangers 1% (27)
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Columbus Blue Jackets 1% (26)
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Anaheim Ducks 1% (22)
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Vancouver Canucks 1% (22)
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Arizona Coyotes 0% (7)
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Florida Panthers 0% (7)
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New Jersey Devils 0% (6)
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Ottawa Senators 0% (6)
Total votes: 2,467
[Mobile users click here to vote]
Philadelphia Flyers Claim Mike McKenna
In a move that’s sure to solve their goaltending woes, the Philadelphia Flyers have claimed Mike McKenna off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Canucks now face a dilemma in their minor league crease, given that Thatcher Demko has indeed been recalled as expected. For the Flyers, another goalie was needed after Michal Neuvirth suffered another minor injury. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher explained the decision:
Mike provides our organization added depth as we continue to battle injuries at the goaltending position. He is a veteran goaltender with a tremendous amount of professional experience.
Tremendous amount of experience may be an understatement when it comes to McKenna. The 35-year old goaltender has played just 34 games at the NHL level, but has suited up more than 500 times in the minor leagues since his debut in 2005. While Carter Hart is expected to carry the load, McKenna is a good option to hold the backup role until Neuvirth, Anthony Stolarz or Brian Elliott are ready to return to action.
McKenna’s claim is an interesting one for several other teams around the league, including the Canucks themselves. The team had only just acquired the veteran goaltender from the Ottawa Senators and obviously hoped they would be able to get him through waivers today. The Utica Comets, Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, were already without Richard Bachman due to a long-term injury and have now lost Demko to the NHL. That leaves them without a starting goaltender for now, something that Vancouver will have to address quickly.
Another is the Toronto Maple Leafs, who very well could have put in a claim on McKenna given their own injury woes in net. Frederik Andersen is still out with a groin injury and the team confirmed that Garret Sparks has been diagnosed with a concussion. That leaves Michael Hutchinson as the lone experienced goaltender in Toronto, something they clearly are uncomfortable with.
Philadelphia Flyers Issue Update On Injured Players
The Philadelphia Flyers, win-less in their last five games, have struggled with injuries at every position this season. With 39 games under their belt already, Philadelphia approaches the midway point of the season as the last-place team in the Metropolitan Division and currently 12 points out of a playoff spot. While new general manager Chuck Fletcher has a reputation for making big trades, the team seems unlikely to be anything but a seller unless their fortunes change dramatically in the second half. Any chance of that happening thus depends on the team getting back to full health and staying that way, allowing for some consistency on the roster to yield results. The Flyers today released an update on six players currently sidelined, paired with predictions of when they might return to action.
The most pressing injury update obviously belongs to starting goaltender Brian Elliott. Elliott, out since mid-November with a lower-body injury thought to be a groin injury, has played in just 14 games this season for the Flyers. With injuries hampering Michal Neuvirth, Alex Lyon, and Anthony Stolarz (also currently out) at times this season as well, Elliott is one of six different keepers to man the Philadelphia net this season, none of whom have had much success. Elliott remains the Flyers’ top option and best chance of winning games. The team relayed that they expect the veteran net minder to finally return to action in the next 10-14 days. They also added that Stolarz, who missed almost the entire 2017-18 season due to injury, is also on the mend and should be back from his own lower-body injury within days.
On the blue line, veteran Andrew MacDonald is also struggling with a lower-body injury, but should not miss much time. The Flyers announced that he will sit for the team’s next two games, but should resume skating on the other side of the weekend. More importantly, young counterpart Samuel Morin, who has yet to play this season due to off-season ACL surgery, is finally progressing toward a return. However, a serious knee injury takes time and, while Morin is back at practice with the team, they don’t expect him to be game-ready until later in February. Up front, young center Nolan Patrick is not expected to miss much time with a recently-suffered upper-body injury. Patrick has missed the team’s past three games, but is close to being cleared and is expected to play at some point next week. Finally, Corban Knight, out since late October following surgery to repair a broke collarbone, is ahead of schedule on his initial four month timeline. Knight will be re-evaluated later this month and is expected to return in February.
The question now is whether or not the improved health of the Flyers makes a difference. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently named Philadelphia as a team he expected to be active on the trade market, but acknowledged that it is still unclear whether they consider themselves buyers or sellers. Despite the poor on-ice performance, Fletcher still sees the potential in his new club and would like to improve the roster rather than dismantle it. However, if health alone isn’t enough to close the gap substantially by the NHL Trade Deadline, he may have no choice but to move out his expendable pieces. Elliott, an impending unrestricted free agent, could be a valued piece for teams with needs in net, especially if he can prove that he is back at full strength with some strong play. Neuvirth and Stolarz, who also have expiring contracts, are other potential goalie rentals, albeit less likely to move. The real value for the Flyers would come from moving several forwards, namely Wayne Simmonds, but also fellow UFA’s Michael Raffl and Jordan Weal. Whether or not it comes to that for Fletcher and the Flyers depends on the team’s play down the stretch and they hope that this upcoming return to health helps to make the difference.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Lehtera, Caggiula
The NHL released the Three Stars for last week, and at the top is a man who has been there before. Patrick Kane, the electric winger for the Chicago Blackhawks comes in at the top spot, after recording five goals in just two games. The Blackhawks haven’t had much to celebrate this season, but Kane provided the fans with two game-winners to get them on the right track around Christmas. Even in an extremely down year for Chicago, Kane is having an outstanding season with 50 points in 40 games. He’s on track to record the second 40-goal, 100-point season of his career, which in 2016 won him the Art Ross, Hart and Ted Lindsay trophies as the league’s best player.
In the other two spots are a pair of youngsters trying to stand up to players like Kane. Second place goes to Mathew Barzal, who finished his week by showing New York Islanders fans that they don’t need John Tavares anymore. Barzal recorded a hat trick while the team demolished Tavares and the Maple Leafs 4-0 on Saturday night. In third is a newcomer to the list, MacKenzie Blackwood. The New Jersey Devils goaltender has exploded onto the scene and posted another shutout this afternoon to improve his numbers even further. The Devils may have found their goaltender of the present, let alone the future.
- Philadelphia Flyers forward Jori Lehtera has been charged with buying cocaine in Finland, according to Tricia L. Nadolny of the Philadelphia Inquirer, though the NHL denies that he has actually been legally served at this point. Lehtera denies all charges, while the prosecutors are seeking a five-month sentence. Obviously there is more to come in this story, but for now deputy commissioner Bill Daly has told the Inquirer “we will not be intervening at this point and will continue to monitor the legal proceedings.”
- Drake Caggiula is part of the Chicago Blackhawks organization today, but it could have happened years ago had he made a different decision. According to Charlie Roumeliotis of NBCS Chicago, the Blackhawks pursued Caggiula out of college at the University of North Dakota and were a finalist for his services before he decided to sign and play with his childhood friend Connor McDavid in Edmonton. The team followed his progress and jumped at the chance to acquire him yesterday.
Brian Elliott To Avoid Surgery, Return In A Few Weeks
Though the Philadelphia Flyers are sitting in last place in the Metropolitan Division, they haven’t yet thrown in the towel. Several injured goaltenders are still working to try and get back to the team, and today GM Chuck Fletcher told reporters including Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer that Brian Elliott will not require surgery. Elliott should be back in three weeks, which makes him an interesting trade candidate at the deadline if the Flyers haven’t climbed back into the playoff picture.
Elliott, 33, is on the final year of his current contract and carries a $2.75MM cap hit. He could very well be heading for unrestricted free agency in the summer given the emergence of Carter Hart as the likely starting option next season, meaning he could be a short-term rental for a playoff team looking for some veteran depth. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that at one point Elliott was considered a premiere starter in the league, twice leading the league in save percentage as a member of the St. Louis Blues and even earning some Hart Trophy votes in 2011-12.
Now years removed from that performance, Elliott still wasn’t the biggest problem in Philadelphia before his injury. Posting a .911 save percentage in 14 appearances, he looked more than capable to carry at least a partial starter load or perform as the reliable backup. That’s something that playoff teams may be interested in, especially if they’ve dealt with injury concerns to their number one options already. The Toronto Maple Leafs, for instance, just went out and spent a draft pick to acquire Michael Hutchinson to give them some more experience at the position, knowing that they were a few injuries away from having Kasimir Kaskisuo suit up for a first round playoff game.
There is also the opportunity for Elliott to show that he can be a useful backup and mentor to Hart going forward, and perhaps sign an extension with the Flyers. It’s not clear how the goaltending situation will shake out exactly given the pending UFA status of both Elliott and Michal Neuvirth, meaning the stretch run could be a showcase for both of them to prove they can still help the team going forward.
World Junior Notes: Eriksson Ek, Czech Republic, Hughes, Keyser
With the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship underway in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, those teams that have yet to fill out their rosters continue to do so in the midst of the first round. Sweden made a notable addition to close out their roster, adding another goaltender in Olle Eriksson Ek, the IIHF announced. The 19-year-old keeper was a fifth-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2017 and was a backup for Sweden at the WJC last year. Eriksson Ek is having an underwhelming season with BIK Karlskoga of the Allsvenskan, the Swedish minor leagues, and has yet to appear in the SHL. However, the younger brother of Minnesota Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek has undeniable athleticism and ability and was worthy of a roster spot again for the Swedes. However, so long as Samuel Ersson, a Philadelphia Flyers fifth-rounder this year, continues his hot start to the tournament, Eriksson Ek is unlikely to see any action.
- The Czech Republic has also rounded out their roster with addition of a pair of NHL prospects. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman notes that the Czechs have added forward Jan Jenik and defenseman Radim Salda to their tournament team. Jenik was a third-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes back in June and has been a regular contributor for Bili Tygri Liberec of the top Czech league. Jenik is a smart, hard-working player who will bring a boost to the bottom-six for the Czechs. Salda is also a recent selection, a seventh-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Salda currently plays for Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL and brings the offensive touch that is typical of defenders out of that league. Salda is having a strong season for Rimouski and could prove to be a major addition on the Czech blue line. The Czechs have yet to win a game in regulation through two contests and face a tough challenge in the Canadians up next. The team hopes their newest additions can both be difference makers through the rest of their games.
- When it was announced that American prodigy Jack Hughes would miss his team’s game against Kazakhstan yesterday, few were concerned, as the Americans won handily anyway, 8-2. However, head coach Mike Hastings has now announced that Hughes will also miss tonight’s game against another undefeated team in Sweden and that is concerning. Hastings added that Hughes is “progressing” toward getting back in the lineup, but how long the presumptive 2019 No. 1 overall pick remains out with this undisclosed injury could dictate how far the U.S. goes in the tournament.
- Hastings also announced that Boston Bruins prospect Kyle Keyser will be back in net tonight for the Americans after getting a rest against the underdog Kazakhstan team. With top 2019-eligible goalie Spencer Knight and impressive collegiate keeper and Montreal Canadiens draft pick Cayden Primeau also on the roster, few expected the undrafted Keyser to be the go-to goalie for the Americans. However, Keyser is in the midst of a dominant season for the OHL’s Oshawa Generals and performed well in the Americans first game of the tournament, so Hastings seems content to ride Keyser’s hot hand for as long as he can.
Nolan Patrick To Miss The Next Three Games
- Flyers center Nolan Patrick will miss the next three games due to an upper-body injury sustained on Thursday against Tampa Bay, notes Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Daily News and Inquirer. His sophomore season has not gone as anyone has hoped as he has managed just five goals and six assists through 33 games, a pace that’s below his output from his rookie year. Winger Jordan Weal is set to take his place in the lineup.
Coaching Notes: Robinson, Huffman, Ruutu
When the St. Louis Blues removed Mike Yeo as head coach last month and replaced him with assistant Craig Berube in the interim, experienced hockey mind Larry Robinson left his front office post to assist with the transition behind the bench. Robinson, the Blues’ Senior Consultant to Hockey Operations, took over as an temporary assistant coach, with GM Doug Armstrong noting that it would be for “three weeks to a month”. The brief change of duties lasted a bit longer than expected, but St. Louis has now announced that Robinson has returned to his front office role. A legendary player with the Montreal Canadiens and Los Angeles Kings, Robinson was a nine-time Stanley Cup champion, two-time Norris Trophy recipient, and a Conn Smythe Trophy winner, and holds the NHL record for plus/minus at +730. Robinson was also a member of the New Jersey Devils coaching staff that won three Stanley Cups in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. While his coaching experience was surely a big help in the successful changeover process behind the St. Louis bench, the team clearly wants to make use of his full set of hockey knowledge back up in the front office.
- Another interim head coach, Scott Gordon of the Philadelphia Flyers, left an opening at the AHL level, where he had been the head coach of team’s minor league affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. When Gordon was promoted earlier this month, assistant Kerry Huffman took over temporarily while the organization decided on its next steps. Today, the Phantoms announced that the decision has been made to keep Huffman as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Huffman has been an assistant for the Lehigh Valley for three years after making a big jump from the junior level as the head coach of the NAHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights. He also skated in more than 400 NHL games with the Flyers, Quebec Nordiques, and Ottawa Senators, bringing ample experience as a pro player. The Flyers have brought in some outside help for Huffman though, adding that Terry Murray has returned to the organization as an assistant for the Phantoms for the rest of the year. Murray, a long-time NHL and AHL coach, has previous stints as the head coach of the Flyers as well as the Phantoms, not to mention time as the bench boss for the Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers, and Los Angeles Kings. Murray brings an incredible amount of experience and intelligence to Lehigh Valley which should help the team and its young players through this transition.
- One of the more recognizable names at the ongoing World Junior Championships is not on the ice, but behind the bench. Team Finland counts recent NHLer Tuomo Ruutu as one of their assistants at the tournament, which by all accounts is Ruutu’s first official coaching experience. Ruutu, 35, last played in the NHL in 2015-16 and retired from playing after a year abroad in the NLA in 2016-17. A veteran of 735 NHL games, Ruutu was a hard-working, intelligent two-way player over many seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils. Ruutu has all the makings of a good coach and it will be interesting to see where the next stage of his hockey career goes after this World Juniors experience.
Radel Fazleev Clears Unconditional Waivers, Signs In KHL
Dec. 25: It hasn’t taken long for Fazleev to find a new team. The KHL announced that he has signed a contract with Ak Bars Kazan for the remainder of the season.
Dec. 21: Friedman reports that Fazleev has cleared waivers.
Dec. 20: Along with Patrik Berglund of the Buffalo Sabres, another player is gracing unconditional waivers today. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Radel Fazleev will see his contract terminated provided he clears waivers as expected. The 22-year old forward is in the final year of his three-year entry-level deal signed in 2015, and has just two points in 15 games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season.
Fazleev was a sixth-round selection in 2014 out of the WHL, where he had put up good numbers in his first year of junior hockey. Those numbers continued to grow as he developed with the Calgary Hitmen, eventually leading to a 71-point season in 2015-16 and a silver medal at the World Juniors. Unfortunately, that kind of playmaking talent wasn’t carried over to the minor leagues and Fazleev has struggled in the minor leagues with Lehigh Valley.
As CapFriendly pointed out today, situations like this are almost always due to a player failing to report or leaving the club. There have been plenty of examples of contract terminations this year, and Fazleev will likely join the majority of them in finding a new job overseas. The Russian forward could very well be headed to the KHL to try his luck.
What Your Team Is Thankful For: Philadelphia Flyers
As the holiday season quickly approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. Let’s take a look at what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Philadelphia Flyers. Click here for the other articles in this series.
What are the Flyers most thankful for?
The Flyers should be thankful that the team has made the necessary front-office and coaching changes and can now move forward for the rest of the year. While the firing of general manager Ron Hextall came as a shock to many, the team has since hired GM Chuck Fletcher who has replaced Dave Hakstol and seems poised to stick with current coach Scott Gordon for the remainder of the season at the very least, which gives the team some current stability. The hope is that between Fletcher and Gordon, the team can attempt to refocus their energy on the ice and try to fix some of the issues that have plagued the team.
Fletcher is likely going to make several moves, whatever those are going to be. There are questions whether Fletcher will attempt to trade for a goaltender now that Carter Hart has debuted in Philadelphia, but the team may also be more inclined to focus more on their defensive struggles as the team just isn’t getting it done on the blueline. Regardless, change is coming and should be here within two months.
Who are the Flyers most thankful for?
While the Flyers had one of the best first lines in hockey a season ago with Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek and Sean Couturier, only Giroux seems to be keeping with an impressive pace this year. Giroux is the only player who averaging more than a point per game as he has 12 goals and 42 points, which is good for 16th in the NHL. While his goal totals aren’t as high as last season when he tallied 34 goals for the season, Giroux continues to work his magic and set up as many of his teammates as possible.
While he hasn’t seen as much time with both Voracek and Couturier, the team has opted to move Giroux back to the center position to focus on getting some of their wingers moving. The most recent attempts is pairing him up with Travis Konecny and James van Riemsdyk, but he has seen time with a number of players to get more involved in the team’s 18th-ranked offense.
What would the Flyers be even more thankful for?
An improved blueline. The team had high expectations with their defense, especially from their top two as Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov were expected to continue their ascent to develop among the top NHL D-men. Instead, both have struggled a bit, especially on offense. Gostisbehere has a team-low minus-15 rating and just 15 points on offense so far this season, quite down from his 65-point season. Provorov hasn’t performed much better with a minus-8 rating and has just 11 points after a 41-point campaign. Few others on the blueline have stepped up either. The team ranks third in the league in goals against as they have allowed an average of 3.62 goals per game.
What should be on the Flyers’ Holiday Wish List?
The team must figure out its goaltending situation as soon as possible. Hextall spent most of his time waiting for his multitude of goalies to return from injury, but neither the original intended starters, Brian Elliott or Michal Neuvirth, have been able to stay healthy for any significant amount of time. Elliott has fared adequately in 14 appearances this year as he boasts a 2.59 GAA and a .911 save percentage. Neuvirth has been a disaster. Anthony Stolarz showed some success recently, but when he went down, the Flyers had no choice but to bring up Hart, who has fared well in his first three starts. However, at 20 years old, few believe that he can keep up the pace at the NHL level. The team must decide whether to use some of their assets to acquire an interim goaltender.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.