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Anders Nilsson

Snapshots: Return Plans, Murray, Nilsson

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In recent days, the NHL had briefly shifted their focus from restarting in centralized hubs towards playing in club cities, reports Larry Brooks of the New York Post.  That would have assuaged some concerns from players over the potential from being away for their families for an extended period of time.  However, Brooks notes that the league has quickly pivoted away from that to focus exclusively on the four-city plan.  It remains to be seen if the regular season will be concluded or if they will jump to the playoffs if they are indeed able to get things back underway.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • To say that Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray has been injury-plagued throughout his career would be an understatement. He has only played more than 66 games just once and multiple ailments have limited him to just 27 games this season.  The blueliner admitted to John Matisz of The Score that he wondered if he’d be forced to hang up his skates early as a result of everything but after consulting with doctors, there has been no reason to seriously consider that.  The 26-year-old has one more year left on his deal with a $4.6MM price tag and will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in the 2021 offseason.
  • Senators goaltender Anders Nilsson should be able to return if regular season play resumes, goalie coach Pierre Groulx told Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. He was sidelined by a concussion back in December and only passed his baseline testing last month.  However, with Ottawa well out of contention and a likely desire to give Marcus Hogberg as much playing time to evaluate him for a full-time spot for 2020-21, they will likely limit Nilsson’s action to only a handful of games at most.

East Notes: Williams, Nilsson, Borowiecki, Flyers Injuries

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After sitting out the first three months of the season while pondering his playing future, some have wondered if Hurricanes winger Justin Williams’ career will be over if the season is eventually called off.  In an appearance on Sportsnet 590 (video link), the 38-year-old indicated that he hasn’t been giving any thought to whether or not he’ll play beyond this season during this stoppage.  He has been a productive addition for Carolina, picking up 11 points in 20 games which is pretty good for someone who missed that much time to start the season.  Williams also expressed optimism that an extended training camp wouldn’t be needed if they get the green light to return to playing in the weeks and months to come.

More from the East:

  • If NHL regular season action resumes, many teams will be getting key injured players back which could make for quite the compelling stretch run. However, the Senators aren’t certain if they’ll be able to have defenseman Mark Borowiecki (ankle injury) or goalie Anders Nilsson (concussion) back in the fold, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.  Head coach D.J. Smith noted that while both players are doing better now, the fact that they’re unable to be put through the paces on the ice makes it tough to assess their recovery.  While Nilsson is signed and the presumptive starter for next season, Borowiecki is a pending unrestricted free agent and could benefit from getting back and showing he has fully recovered.
  • Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher spoke with reporters today, including NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman, to provide an update on their injured players. Defenseman Philippe Myers will be ready to return after being out fracturing his right patella in early March while winger James van Riemsdyk is expected to be cleared within the next week or two.  As for defenseman Samuel Morin who has been out with a torn ACL since November, he isn’t expected to return if play resumes but has started skating.  Meanwhile, center Nolan Patrick is working out at home as he continues to deal with a migraine disorder but has not been cleared for contact and there is no word on whether or not he’d be able to play if the season continues.

Atlantic Notes: Nilsson, Hogberg, Boyle, Dadonov, Girgensons

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Anders Nilsson’s recovery from a concussion hasn’t gone well.  The Senators had hoped he’d have been back a while ago but symptoms still linger and as Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch notes, Nilsson’s season may be over.  He’s not accompanying Ottawa on their upcoming road trip and with there now being less than a month left in the season, there may not be enough time for him to be cleared, get back into game shape, and return.  The 29-year-old is already under contract for next season with a $2.6MM cap hit.

Nilsson’s continued absence should mean more playing time for youngster Marcus Hogberg.  Garrioch notes that he’s expected to return from his personal leave next week.  The Sens seem to prefer to send him back to AHL Belleville to help in their playoff run but if there are considerable NHL minutes available, that would be crucial for his development as he’s likely to garner consideration for the full-time backup job to Nilsson next season.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • Panthers center Brian Boyle won’t play on Saturday against Montreal but is expected to return next week, reports TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie (Twitter link). He has been out with an upper-body injury for the last month and his return would be a good boost to Florida’s bottom six.  Meanwhile, NBC Sports Boston’s Joe Haggerty reports that winger Evgenii Dadonov will not face any supplemental discipline from the league following his elbowing penalty on Bruins blueliner Brandon Carlo on Thursday.  The hit initially received a five-minute major penalty but was reduced to a two-minute minor after video review.
  • Sabres winger Zemgus Girgensons is questionable to play in Saturday’s game against Philadelphia due to a lower-body injury that caused him to miss practice today, mentions Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News. If he is unable to play, Michael Frolik would likely draw in after missing the last four games as a healthy scratch which wasn’t what anyone was hoping for when Buffalo acquired him back in January.

Craig Anderson’s Trade Stock Plummeting

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Both the Ottawa Senators and goaltender Craig Anderson have an interest in the veteran’s trade value with the NHL Trade Deadline approaching next month. The Senators are again outside of the playoff picture and looking to deal any impending free agents for futures. Anderson meanwhile is 38 years old and has never come close to winning a Stanley Cup, reaching the postseason five times in his 17-year career and only twice advancing past the first round. Both sides would seemingly like to see a deal made.

Yet, as The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes, Anderson’s play of late may be ruining that chance for both he and his team. Anderson has allowed four or more goals in each of his last four games, all of which have ended in Senators’ losses. His save percentage has dropped below .900, while his goals against average has jumped to 3.27. Entering this season after back-to-back difficult campaigns, Anderson needed consistently strong play to redeem his value. Instead, the long-time Ottawa keeper looks like a player whose days as a reliable contributor are over.

However, Anderson remains “open-minded” to the idea of a trade and the Senators certainly would like to get anything out of him on the market, if at all possible. However, if Anderson’s value is to improve at all over the next six weeks leading up to the deadline, Ottawa must be wiling to but the veteran in net. Anders Nilsson received the lion’s share of starts early in the season, so much so that he has one fewer appearance than Anderson despite being out with an injury since mid-December. Even with Nilsson sidelined, Anderson has been sharing the net, now with young Marcus Hogberg. Hogberg has played in nine games this season, seven since Nilsson’s injury, and of late has been at the opposite end of the spectrum of Anderson, allowing two goals or fewer in each of his last three appearances. Despite these efforts, if the Sens want to move Anderson they must put him in the lineup, even once Nilsson returns to action.

If Ottawa isn’t willing to give Anderson the chance to improve his trade stock, they likely will struggle to get anything back for him. The rental goalie market is far from vacant; there are upwards of a half-dozen goalies who could easily be on the move by the end of February. The Chicago Blackhawks have at least one keeper that they could move, San Jose’s Aaron Dell and Montreal’s Keith Kinkaid are established backups who will be made available, and Anderson is not even the only gray-haired veteran on the block, with the Ducks’ Ryan Miller and Red Wings’ Jimmy Howard potentially available. There are more goalies for sale than there are backup buyers and not all of these names will move. If the Senators and Anderson hope that he is one of the few to go, things need to change – and soon.

East Notes: Tortorella, Senators, Hajek

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Following his latest rant about officiating over the weekend, it was only a matter of time before Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella received a fine from the league.  That came down today as the league announced that they’ve fined him $20K plus an additional conditional fine of $25K should there be another similar outburst between now and December 29th of this year which basically places him on press conference probation.  The conditional element is a rather unique one but perhaps it’s justified as this is the twelfth time that Tortorella has been subject to discipline from the league – three suspensions and nine fines.

More from the Eastern Conference:

  • The Senators appear to be getting one of their injured defensemen back for Thursday’s game against Florida. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch notes (Twitter link) that defenseman Nikita Zaitsev is likely to return after missing the last seven games due to a lower-body injury.  However, Ron Hainsey is likely to miss at least another week.  Meanwhile, netminder Anders Nilsson has resumed skating after being diagnosed with a concussion following his last start back on December 16th.
  • Still with Ottawa, GM Pierre Dorion told Garrioch that they expect defense prospect Lassi Thomson to return to North America next season. Thomson was selected 19th overall by the Senators back in June out of Kelowna of the WHL but opted not to return there and instead returned to Ilves of the SM-liiga this season on loan.  Thomson is currently at the World Juniors where he captains Team Finland and collected three assists through the opening round of the tournament.
  • While Rangers defenseman Libor Hajek is a part of their future core on the back end, he hasn’t finished his time in the AHL just yet. Head coach David Quinn told reporters, including Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post, that the 21-year-old is likely going to be assigned to AHL Hartford once he’s cleared to return from his current knee injury that has held him out of the last dozen games.  Hajek has at least resumed skating so his return may not be too far away.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Ottawa Senators

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As the holiday season is upon us, PHR will continue its look at what teams are thankful for as we get closer to the halfway point. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Ottawa Senators.

What are the Senators most thankful for?

Before the season even started, almost everyone throughout hockey predicated that the Ottawa Senators would finish dead last and have yet another embarrassing season after they finished in 31st place last year with just 64 points, not even close to 30th place.

However, with new head coach D.J. Smith, the team has not been a last place team. Granted the young, rebuilding squad is hardly in a playoff position, but the team has proven that they aren’t a laughing stock anymore as the team is starting to regain respectability and is proving that they are no longer they easy victory they have been in the past. The team is currently in a tie for 26th place in the league with a 16-18-4 overall record and their 36 points is a far cry from the last-place Red Wings, who have just 21 points.

Who are the Senators most thankful for?

The team has gotten a large chunk of their offense from two players who they weren’t expecting to get it from. Anthony Duclair, who was playing for his fifth team already at the young age of 24 and was written off just a season ago by Columbus head coach John Tortorella as someone who can’t play hockey, has been a surprise as the forward looks to have figured things out, having scored 21 goals and 30 points in 38 games. Duclair always had potential as a third-round pick back in 2013 and had a 20-goal season with Arizona during his second NHL season, but fell out of favor and failed to re-establish himself the last few years until now.

The team also has seen center Jean-Gabriel Pageau take another step in his development. Used mainly as a third-line center the last few years, the 27-year-old Pageau has taken on a bigger role this year, having already potted 18 goals and 28 points. He is just one goal away from tying his career high.

What would the Senators be even more thankful for?

The team is loaded with prospects and young talent, but the team has gotten little production so far from them. Several top prospects have played with Ottawa, but few have made any impact. Erik Brannstrom, who was the key piece in the Mark Stone trade, has struggled in 28 games and currently is working on his game in Belleville. Several others, including Logan Brown, Filip Chlapik, J.C. Beaudin, Jonathan Davidsson, Vitaly Abramov, Maxime Lajoie, Max Veronneau and Drake Batherson, have been given opportunities, but none has been able to cement a spot into the team’s permanent rotation yet. The team also has a number of young players thriving in Belleville, including Josh Norris, Rudolfs Balcers and Alex Formenton. If the team can get one or two of those players to step up and establish themselves as top-line players, they would be in a much better state.

What should be on the Senators’ Holiday Wish List?

Goaltending.

While many have been pleased with the play of Anders Nilsson in net for Ottawa, his numbers still haven’t been that impressive for a starting goaltender. The netminder has a 9-9-2 record with a 3.18 GAA and a .908 save percentage, which might work for a backup, but what the Senators really need is to find a starting netminder who can help take the team to that next level. Whether the team could find a trade partner soon or wait to try to pry a goaltender off the free-agent market, the team must find an answer to this problem sooner than later.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Senators Notes: Nilsson, Hainsey, Prospects

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The Ottawa Senators will be without Anders Nilsson for a while, as GM Pierre Dorion told TSN radio that the goaltender has suffered a concussion. Nilsson has been excellent for the the Senators this season even with a leaky defense corps, putting up a .909 save percentage and 9-9-2 record.

Craig Anderson will be back in the net for the Senators, but Nilsson is going on injured reserve.

  • The team also is dealing with a minor injury to Ron Hainsey, after the 38-year old logged at least 24 minutes in each of his last four games. Hainsey is going to be out until after Christmas, a tough break for a Senators group that is already missing Nikita Zaitsev and Dylan DeMelo. Maxime Lajoie will be recalled to give them another option on the roster.
  • Still, that leaves the Senators without many healthy defensemen on NHL contracts in the organization. With that in mind, Dorion admitted that they are considering recalling Lassi Thomson or Olle Alsing, who are both playing in Europe. While the team obviously doesn’t want to give up future assets for NHL players right now, they may be forced to if the injuries continue.

Minor Transactions: 12/09/19

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A new week begins in the NHL with four games on the schedule, including the NHL’s two hottest teams. The Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche are both on six-game winning streaks and will welcome in the Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames respectively. As teams prepare for that action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Cory Conacher again, but this time he’s coming with another teammate. Mitchell Stephens has been recalled as well and could make his NHL debut tonight after taking part in the morning skate. Tyler Johnson was absent according to Joe Smith of The Athletic, leaving an opening for the young forward.
  • Marcus Hogberg is back for the Ottawa Senators, while Craig Anderson is heading back to the injured reserve list. Anderson suffered a lower-body injury over the weekend when taking on the Philadelphia Flyers, meaning Anders Nilsson will take over the starting duties once again in Ottawa.
  • Jordan Kyrou has recovered fully and is on his way back to the St. Louis Blues. He and Austin Poganski have both been recalled by the club, giving them a little more forward depth while they continue to deal with major injuries.
  • Michael Dipietro has been returned to the minor leagues by the Vancouver Canucks, meaning Jacob Markstrom is back with the team. Markstrom had been granted a leave of absence to attend the memorial service of his late father.
  • The Avalanche are dealing with a few minor injuries, leading to the recall of goaltender Adam Werner from the AHL. Philipp Grubauer has been listed as day-to-day, but with Colorado taking on the Flames tonight they needed someone to backup Pavel Francouz.
  • Caleb Jones is getting another chance at the NHL level, recalled by the Edmonton Oilers today. The team has sent Joel Persson to the AHL in his place. Jones, 22, has played in nine games for the Oilers this season.
  • Nico Sturm has been returned to the minor leagues by the Minnesota Wild, after being recalled just a few days ago. Sturm is still waiting to make his NHL debut after signing with the team in the summer.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Valentin Zykov from AHL Chicago.  Cody Eakin and Cody Glass are dealing with injuries so even with Zykov up, Vegas is only carrying 12 healthy forwards on their active roster.
  • Robbie Russo is getting his first look of the season as the Arizona Coyotes announced that they’ve recalled the defenseman.  He last saw NHL action with Detroit back in 2016-17 when he played in 19 games with Detroit.

Atlantic Notes: Babcock, Dahlin, Anderson

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Three weeks ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs were just OK. They weren’t dominating the Atlantic Division, but their underlying numbers were acceptable. However, quite a bit has changed in three weeks. The team has just one regulation victory in its last nine games (two in their last 15 games) and the team’s special teams are at the bottom of the league.

Now, after defending Mike Babcock three weeks ago, The Athletic’s James Mirtle (subscription required) now compares the pros and cons on whether it might be time to remove the head coach. While he points out that some of the team’s struggles are out of Babcock’s control, there are more reasons to look at the coaching staff skeptically within the last nine-game stretch.

Mirtle examines the coaches’ tactics and the special teams challenges (including 11.8 percent success rate on the power play and a 71.4 percent kill ratio on the penalty kill). However, the most interesting take is that the scribe believes that the head coach has lost his team in the locker room. Whether that will eventually fuel a coaching change is unknown, but Toronto fans won’t be happy long with a 9-9-4 record with all the expectations that were expected from this team.

  • Despite being benched for the third period Saturday night, the Buffalo Sabres still intend to play second-year defenseman Rasmus Dahlin Sunday, who has struggled in the eyes of head coach Ralph Krueger. “We’re making decisions for the team in the moment. It was a coaching room decision, not against Rasmus at all; it was for the other guys to just tighten things up,” said Krueger (according to The Athletic’s John Vogl). “It worked, but Rasmus will grow from it, learn from it and move forward quickly from it, I’m sure. … Just sometimes wanting too much maybe and finding the balance between his amazing genius and skill and what we need when. He’ll improve from it.”
  • The Fourth Period’s Matteo Pasculli wonders whether Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson’s career with the Senators could be coming to an end. The 38-year-old veteran has been struggling this season with a 3.31 GAA and a .894 save percentage in 12 appearances this year. With Anderson losing hold of his job to Anders Nilsson, who has been steadier, Anderson could find himself on the trade block as a potential backup goalie for a playoff team. Of course, a playoff team would require some cap space to accommodate his $4.75MM contract, although Ottawa could retain some of that salary. He is, however, in the last year of his deal, which could be appealing to a team looking for a rental.

 

Snapshots: Three Stars, Abdelkader, Lewis

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The NHL has released their Three Stars for last week and at the very top is a name not many expected when the season began. Ottawa Senators goaltender Anders Nilsson has been given the first star after stopping 96 of 101 shots for a 3-0 record. Nilsson has actually been excellent since joining the Senators last season, posting a .919 save percentage in 32 appearances.

Two youngsters took home the other two spots, as Auston Matthews and Cale Makar were named second and third respectively. The Toronto Maple Leafs forward has jumped all the way up to sixth in the NHL scoring race after recording nine points last week, while Makar now easily leads all rookies with 17 points through the first part of the season and looks to be running away with the Calder Trophy.

  • The Detroit Red Wings will be without Justin Abdelkader for at least three weeks according to head coach Jeff Blashill. The veteran forward is out with a mid-body injury after blocking a shot in Sunday’s game. Once an important part of the Red Wings’ attack, Abdelkader has zero goals through the first 16 games and is averaging just 13 minutes a night.
  • Trevor Lewis has been placed on injured reserve after missing Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury. It’s not clear how long Lewis will be out, but his absence just opens up more opportunity for the young forwards in Los Angeles to show the Kings’ front office what they can do.

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