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Philadelphia Flyers Fire Ron Hextall

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The Philadelphia Flyers’ season has not gone according to plan, and now someone has been forced to pay the price. The team announced today that they have fired General Manager Ron Hextall, and will begin a search immediately for his replacement. Team president Paul Holmgren will be leading that search, and released this statement about the decision to fire Hextall:

The Flyers organization has decided to relieve Ron Hextall of his duties as Executive Vice President and General Manager. We thank Ron for his many significant contributions, but it has become clear that we no longer share the same philosophical approach concerning the direction of the team. In light of these differences, we feel it’s in the organization’s best interests to make a change, effective immediately. I have already begun a process to identify and select our next General Manager, which we hope to complete as soon as possible.

Not very often in the NHL do you see a GM fired before his coach, which led to plenty of speculation around the hockey world that Hextall had either refused to fire Dave Hakstol or wanted to and was not allowed by upper management. It’s not clear yet how the whole situation played out, but there were obvious differences of opinion in the front office on where the team should be and how to get there. The Flyers were recently demolished by the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-0 but notably took zero penalties in the entire match. When paired with the crumbling powerplay and penalty kill of the Flyers, those even-strength struggles likely accelerated this decision, especially given the lofty expectations of the Flyers this season.

After showing well last year and taking the Pittsburgh Penguins to game six in the first round, the Flyers were hopeful that they would take another step forward and challenge for the Metropolitan Division title. Instead, they now sit seventh in the division at 10-11-2 and are in danger of falling too far behind the playoff pack entirely. With that in mind, it doesn’t come as a total surprise that they would make a big change.

Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that former Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher and former Carolina Hurricanes GM Ron Francis are early candidates to take over in Philadelphia. Both were recently pushed out of their respective situations but are well respected around the league.

Pittsburgh’s Patric Hornqvist Out With A Concussion

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The injury ride continues in Pittsburgh as Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan announced that winger Patric Hornqvist is out with a concussion after leaving Friday’s game against Boston during the second period. While no timeline has been suggested, it’s just another blow for a team that is trying to turn around its slow start.

The Penguins find themselves tied for last place in the Metropolitan Division with an 8-8-5 record as the team has struggled out of the gate, while also dealing with multiple injuries, including injuries to Justin Schultz, Matt Murray, Derick Brassard and even losing Sidney Crosby for three games recently. The team lost nine of 10 games at one point and have done little to improve on that since.

Hornqvist’s loss won’t help either as the 31-year-old was putting up solid numbers as he has nine goals and 15 points in 21 games, providing the team with a reliable top-six presence. Concussions aren’t anything new for the veteran, however. This is Hornqvist’s third reported concussion in his career. He missed six games back in November of 2016 and then missed another five games during the same season in March of 2017.

Minor Transactions: 11/24/18

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As the final weekend of November gets underway today, the league presents a slate of eleven games, highlighted by some rivalry match-ups and intriguing story lines. The Capitals and Rangers get the action started with a matinee game, while later on the Jets and Blues, Bruins and Canadiens, and Blue Jackets and Penguins square off. Meanwhile, last season’s Calder Cup-winning tandem of Garret Sparks and Calvin Pickard will face one another when the Maple Leafs host the Flyers. With 22 teams going after a busy day yesterday as well, there will surely be some movement across the league today. Keep up with all the recalls and reassignments right here:

  • Last night, the Edmonton Oilers returned rookie forward Cooper Marody to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Edmonton had called up Marody early last week and gave him four starts, but Marody still failed to record his first NHL point. Marody has been held off the score sheet through six NHL games thus far in his first pro season, but has ten points in just seven AHL contests. The University of Michigan product has the ability and the Oilers believe in him enough to continue giving him looks, but he’ll need to show some production on his next try at the top level.
  • Trevor Carrick has earned his first call-up of the season, as the Carolina Hurricanes have placed Brett Pesce on the injured reserve and tabbed Carrick as the man to replace his roster spot. Pesce’s IR assignment, retroactive to November 10th, is the result of a lower-body injury. In his stead, Carrick and Haydn Fleury will be the likely candidates to replace him, either directly on the right side or on their natural left side with Trevor van Riemsdyk returning to his natural side. Carrick, 24, played in just one NHL game last year and has played in three total in his five-year pro career. However, the Charlotte Checkers veteran leads all defenseman on the team in scoring this season with 17 points in 19 games and is due for another look in Raleigh.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they have recalled winger Garrett Wilson from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.  It’s the second stint with the big club this month for the 27-year-old who got into four games with Pittsburgh in his first go-round.  Wilson has been quite productive in the minors, picking up 11 points in a dozen games but will likely play a fourth line role while on recall.
  • After seeing limited action upon being brought up, forward Michael Dal Colle is on his way back to the minors after the New York Islanders returned him to AHL Bridgeport and recalled winger Tanner Fritz.  Dal Colle played in just two games with New York, logging less than nine minutes per night.  He has been productive in his third full season with the Sound Tigers though, averaging a point per game in 14 contests.  Meanwhile, Fritz has spent most of this season with Bridgeport, amassing ten points in 17 games.
  • With Roberto Luongo injured, the Florida Panthers have brought back goaltender Michael Hutchinson from Springfield of the AHL.  The 28-year-old struggled considerably in his first stint with the team, posting a 4.18 GAA with a .839 SV% in four games with Florida.  He hasn’t fared much better with the Thunderbirds, notching a 3.48 GAA with a .903 SV% in four minor league appearances.  He’ll serve as the backup to James Reimer while Luongo is on the shelf.
  • After being called up Friday by the New York Rangers, the team announced they sent Tim Gettinger back to the Hartford Wolf Pack today. The good news for Gettinger is that he got a chance to make his NHL debut for the Rangers as he played 7:00 of ice time against the Washington Capitals, recording five hits and a blocked shot. The Rangers’ fifth-round pick in 2016, Gettinger has put up solid numbers so far in his first professional season with seven goals and 11 points in 20 games for the Wolf Pack.
  • The Arizona Coyotes announced they have recalled goaltender Adin Hill from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL as backup goaltender Darcy Kuemper is day-to-day with a minor lower-body injury. The 22-year-old Hill has struggled in four appearances with the team this year, but has a 3.49 GAA and a .891 save percentage. Hill hasn’t fared much better in Tucson as he has a 3.22 GAA and a .871 save percentage in six games.

Matt Murray Placed On Injured Reserve

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Speak up if you’ve heard this before: Matt Murray is headed to injured reserve. The Pittsburgh Penguins announced today that their young goaltender will be headed back to the shelf while Tristan Jarry has been recalled from the minor leagues under emergency conditions. Jarry will join Casey DeSmith in the Pittsburgh crease. Head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters including Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the lower-body injury to Murray will keep him out “longer term.”

Now 24, Murray has struggled to stay healthy for the last few years despite such an incredible start to his career. Winning a Stanley Cup in 2016 after coming on late in the season, he was still technically considered a rookie the next year when he helped Pittsburgh win again. That impressive, lanky goaltender has been hard to find over the last 18 months though, as Murray posted a .907 save percentage last season and is off to an even worse start in 2018-19.

DeSmith has held the Penguins together through the first few weeks of the season, and with Jarry pushing for an NHL role the decision to sit Murray down was probably made a lot easier. Sullivan explained that the problem had been bothering Murray for some time, but has become bad enough to need a stint on injured reserve and a long recovery period. That means Pittsburgh, who welcomed back their captain last night, will be in the capable hands of DeSmith and Jarry for the time being. The way both have played—DeSmith has a .924 save percentage this season in the NHL, while Jarry has a .909 in the minor leagues—it actually may be a good thing for the team moving forward.

Pittsburgh Penguins Showed Interest In Brandon Montour

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The Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks have made in-season trades in the past, most notably swapping Carl Hagelin for David Perron and Adam Clendening just a few months before the Penguins would go on to win the Stanley Cup. Hagelin was a huge part of that 2016 run, and Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford beat the rush at the trade deadline by acquiring him in mid-January. Well, now Rutherford has sent Hagelin packing and the Penguins are looking for more help to get them back into the playoff race, and he at least is looking west at an old trade partner. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes that Pittsburgh tried to get Brandon Montour out of Anaheim but the Ducks wouldn’t move the young defenseman. Friedman then speculates that perhaps Jakob Silfverberg could fit into the Penguins forward group, given they’ve been unable to find much help from the third and fourth lines this season.

Montour’s name has been thrown around plenty this season, with some also pondering whether he’d be a match for a potential William Nylander trade. It’s easy to see why teams—including the Ducks themselves—would covet him after recording a 32-point campaign in his first full NHL season. Montour is averaging nearly 22 minutes a game this season and has seen that ice time jump even further since Cam Fowler went down to injury. He played a career-high 29:36 in an overtime loss to the Maple Leafs last week and looks like a top-pairing option even at such a young age.

The Penguins meanwhile haven’t been able to keep the puck out of their own net this season, allowing the ninth-most even-strength goals in the league despite having only played 19 games. That’s resulted in a 7-8-4 record and a spot at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division standings. Jack Johnson hasn’t worked out as planned, and Justin Schultz is out long-term with a leg injury.

Silfverberg though presents a different way to improve the team, given that only six forwards on the team have at least 10 points this season. The 28-year old winger is a pending unrestricted free agent, and has shown an ability to be a consistent 20-goal, 40-point player in the past. That’s the kind of offensive help the Penguins could use, and something they were hoping to spark in newcomer Tanner Pearson.

Regardless of whether the Penguins actually have any interest in Silfverberg, it’s obvious that the team is still looking for ways to make their team better this season. Pittsburgh is still in win-now mode with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel all still producing at a high level, and have a known horse trader in Rutherford at the helm. It won’t be surprising to see them make another move long before the trade deadline talk heats up, and try to right this ship before it gets too far off course.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Outdoor Game, Penguins, Patrick

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The 2019 NHL Winter Classic is still more than a month away and the 2019 NHL Stadium Series game even further, but that hasn’t stopped discussions about where the league could turn next for an outdoor game. Today, BSN Denver’s Adrian Dater reports that the Colorado Avalanche are likely to be an outdoor game host “sooner rather than later.” In talking with deputy commissioner Bill Daly, Dater learned that the league is very interested in placing a game at the nearby Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, where Falcon Stadium normally plays host to the Air Force football team and a capacity crowd of close to 47,000. Given the success of the NHL’s last foray into an outdoor game in Colorado – the 2016 showdown at Coors Field in Denver – and their special interest in games played at American military institutions, such as last year’s game at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, not to mention the successful Division I hockey program at Air Force, the school seems like a great fit to host a gme.  For now though, the league remains focused on their next contest at a college football venue, when the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks square off at Notre Dame on New Year’s Day.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins hope that their team is in much better shape when they take part in their outdoor game later this season, a match-up with the rival Flyers at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on February 23rd. The team continues to struggle and, even after his acquisition of forward Tanner Pearson, GM Jim Rutherford remains open for business per numerous sources. However, the next move might not be just a simple one-for-one to land a role player. TSN’s Bob McKenzie raised the stakes on the latest “Insider Trading” segment, stating that “anything and everything is on the table” in Pittsburgh. McKenzie says that the Penguins’ list of untouchables is rather short – just Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. McKenzie believes that anyone else could be move, perhaps adding fuel to the fire of recent rumors that Phil Kessel, Derick Brassard, Olli Maatta, and Matt Murray are among the names that could be on the move if things don’t improve.
  • The Penguins did make a noteworthy move today, announcing that legendary executive Craig Patrick has re-joined the team as a pro scout. The 72-year-old Hall of Famer served as Pittsburgh’s GM for 17 years, from 1989 to 2006. Patrick was the architect of the 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cup-winning Penguins teams and much of the 2009 championship team and beyond were the products of Patrick’s regime, including Crosby and Malkin. Many will also recognize Patrick as an assistant coach to Herb Brooks on the famed “Miracle” 1980 U.S. Olympic team, while he also served as both coach and GM for the New York Rangers over a nine-year span in the 80’s. The extent of Patrick’s role is unclear, but particularly in the midst of a difficult season, this is a great hire by the Penguins if only for the wisdom and guidance of an experienced hockey guru.

Matt Cullen Out “Longer Term” With Lower-Body Injury

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are struggling to stay relevant this season, finding themselves at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division and on a three-game losing streak. The seemingly perennial Stanley Cup contenders haven’t been able to contend for much of anything this year, and still face the prospect of a Sidney Crosby-less lineup taking on the Buffalo Sabres later tonight. Unfortunately for the club, another key veteran center will be out as well. Head coach Mike Sullivan announced that Matt Cullen will be out “longer term” today after the morning skate, citing a lower-body injury.

Cullen, 42, has played more this season than some had expected when he signed a one-year contract at the league minimum this summer. The veteran is a beloved member of the Pittsburgh dressing room going back to his consecutive Stanley Cup victories in 2016 and 2017, but looked like a depth signing that would be buried behind several other options down the middle. Instead, Cullen has played in 18 games this season and is averaging nearly 12 minutes a night. He even has four points in those 18 games, contributing more than anyone could have expected.

Unfortunately, those contributions haven’t helped the team in the standings as the Penguins now sit at 7-8-3 and are tied with the Florida Panthers for last place in the Eastern Conference. That record includes a 2-7-1 run in their last ten, a plummet to the bottom that has only been amplified by Crosby’s recent absence. Losing Cullen obviously won’t make the same impact, but it’s just another factor in the decision making process of GM Jim Rutherford, who has already entered the trade market by swapping Carl Hagelin for Tanner Pearson, and could very well make more moves to try and turn things around.

Metropolitan Notes: Dal Colle, Brassard, Hischier, Rask, Murphy

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When the New York Islanders recalled 2014 fifth-overall pick Michael Dal Colle from Bridgeport, many felt the team was just rewarding him for improved recent play with the AHL squad, but the recall would likely result in a few trips to the press box and an eventual return to the Sound Tigers.

However, Andrew Gross of Newsday writes that head coach Barry Trotz made this opportunity sound different as he hinted that Dal Colle may get an opportunity to see some game action on Sunday.

“Good chance,” Trotz said when asked whether Dal Colle would be in Sunday’s lineup. “I’m going to let him play a little bit and try to find his game. Maybe he has his game and he’s great tomorrow and I don’t have to tell him anything other than, ‘Just keep going, kid.’ I want to see how he plays.”

Dal Colle has been much more impressive this year after tallying just seven goals in 60 games with Bridgeport last season. He’s equalled those goal totals already with seven goals and 14 points in 14 games. Of course, Dal Colle’s opportunities may not last long as Gross reports that Matt Martin is close to being activated off the injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins will get back a big name and just in time as the struggling Penguins will get Derick Brassard back from a lower-body injury after missing the past nine games, according to TribLive’s Jonathan Bombulie. Pittsburgh has won just two games in that span. The 31-year-old had a goal and five points in eight games before the injury. The center will be immediately placed on the team’s second line in between Phil Kessel and Jake Guentzel. “I’m just going to try to skate and keep everything simple and give the puck to Phil as much as I can,” Brassard said after morning skate.
  • The New Jersey Devils have high hopes that they may get back their top center Nico Hischier from injury after he has sat out for three straight games with an undisclosed injury. NHL.com’s Amanda Stein reports that Hischier intends to travel with the team on their one-game road trip to Carolina, suggesting he could be ready to play for that game. The team misses his offense after posting three goals and 12 points in 15 games.
  • Chip Alexander of the News & Observer writes that Carolina Hurricanes winger Victor Rask, who underwent surgery on Sept. 13 after slicing his hand while cutting up sweet potatoes in his kitchen, practiced with the team on Friday, but has not been cleared for contact yet. Regardless, that’s good news for a struggling Hurricanes’ team that could use some offensive help. Rask scored 14 goals last season.
  • The Athletic’s Scott Powers writes that the Chicago Blackhawks will continue to be without defenseman Connor Murphy for quite some time as head coach Jeremy Colliton said the 25-year-old is still “weeks” away. The team could use every advantage it has if it wants to break out of its struggles this season.

Minor Transactions: 11/17/18

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As usual, Saturday is a busy day on the schedule with 22 teams in action so there will likely be considerable roster movement throughout the day.  We’ll keep tabs on those moves here.

  • The Devils announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled defenseman Eric Gryba from AHL Binghamton. To make room for him on the roster, they placed blueliner Sami Vatanen on injured reserve retroactive to Thursday.  Gryba has been up and down so far this season; he made the team out of training camp but was waived in mid-October and this will be his second stint with New Jersey since clearing.
  • With their goaltending depth quickly getting depleted with their top three options injured or sick, the Kings have inked veteran Michael Leighton to a minor league PTO per a team release from their AHL affiliate in Ontario. The 37-year-old has yet to play this season and spent time in three different organizations in 2017-18.  CapFriendly adds via Twitter that Cole Kehler, who was brought up on an emergency recall on Friday, has been sent back to Ontario.
  • The Coyotes announced that they’ve recalled center Mario Kempe from AHL Tucson. The 30-year-old has been quite productive in the minors with nine points in eight games while he has also seen action in four games with Arizona this season where he has been held off the scoresheet.  To make room for him on the roster, Jason Demers was transferred to injured reserve.
  • The Sharks have recalled center Dylan Gambrell from the minors and assigned center Rourke Chartier to San Jose of the AHL, per the AHL’s Transactions Page.  Chartier has just a single goal in 13 games with the Sharks this season so he’ll go down with the hopes that some more ice time at the lower level will help him rediscover his scoring touch.  Meanwhile, Gambrell has been productive in his limited time with the Barracuda, recording six points in seven games.  He also has one game with the big club where he failed to record a point.
  • Dallas announced that they have brought up defenseman Ben Gleason and center Roope Hintz from Texas of the AHL.  Hintz leads their affiliate in points per game (1.22) and has seen action in five games with the big club this season although he has been held without a point.  Meanwhile, Gleason made his NHL debut last weekend but was returned to Texas on Tuesday.  He has fared quite well at the minor league level in his rookie campaign, collecting eight points in 13 games.
  • With their road trip now complete, the Maple Leafs have returned winger Trevor Moore to the AHL’s Marlies.  Moore has been up twice with the NHL team so far this season but has yet to play in a game.  He has been quite productive in the minors though, collecting a dozen points (including nine goals) in as many games to start his season.
  • The Penguins announced that they’ve re-assigned winger Garrett Wilson back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.  The move was made to free up a roster spot for center Derick Brassard as he was activated off injured reserve.  Wilson played in four games with Pittsburgh, his first NHL action since the 2015-16 season with Florida.

Penguins’ Matt Cullen Fined For Dangerous Trip

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The NHL Department of Player Safety has made a ruling today on an incident that no one has considered ripe for supplemental discipline. Player Safety announced that veteran Pittsburgh Penguins center Matt Cullen has received a $1,000 fine for a “dangerous trip” of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s J.T. Miller in last night’s game. A minimum fine by any measure for a pro athlete, $1,000 equates to 0.0015 of Cullen’s $650K salary or approximately one-eighth of his game check.

The incident in question occurred late in the first period of a 4-3 win for the Lightning. Cullen’s stick appeared to jab Miller in the back of the right leg as he was about receive a pass in the offensive zone, sending the Bolts forward toppling backward. Cullen was assessed a two-minute minor penalty for tripping and Brayden Point scored on the resulting power play for Tampa Bay. Apparently, this was not enough for Player Safety who, while not expanding on their decision, felt that this trip qualified as “dangerous” and worthy of a fine.

Cullen recently voiced his opinion about the NHL’s system of punishing its players, citing his displeasure with the appeals process and the overturned suspension by a neutral arbitrator of rival Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson. Cullen, 42, is a well-respected veteran player who himself likely has a future beyond his playing days with the league or in a front office. Yet, there would be quite a degree of comical irony if he was to appeal his own minor punishment, perhaps even all the way to a neutral arbitrator. Seeing as this fine is relatively random, he may even have a case. Cullen, of course, is unlikely to move forward with an appeal of $1,000 fine unless only to display his own opinion on the redundancy of the NHL’s appeals process.

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