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Andreas Athanasiou

Stretch Run Storylines: Edmonton Oilers

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As things stand, the NHL is planning to have games resume at some point over the coming weeks.  Assuming the regular season continues, there will be plenty of things to watch for over the stretch run.  Over the weeks ahead, PHR will examine the top stretch run storylines for each team.  We continue our look at the Pacific Division with Edmonton.

No one was quite sure what to make of the Edmonton Oilers coming into the 2019-20 season. Back in 2016-17, the team made a promising playoff run, suggested that Connor McDavid was set to take Edmonton to years of deep playoff runs. Instead, the team collapsed for two straight years, being bounced from the playoffs both years and struggling with a weak defense and a lack of top-six talent. Add a new general manager in Ken Holland and the team under new head coach Dave Tippett is back in the playoff race, beginning to look like that 2016-17 team.

Hart Trophy For Draisaitl?

McDavid may be the face of the franchise, but Leon Draisaitl has been grabbing many of the game-to-game headlines as the German center has finally moved from McDavid’s wing to center his own line and has found success. He has formed his own line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto, which has had great success throughout much of the second half of the season. The 24-year-old who had 50 goals and 105 points a year ago, has already surpassed that point total in less games. He has 43 goals and 110 points through 71 games and is leading the league in scoring.

Could Draisaitl be joining McDavid as a Hart Trophy winner? He is 13 points ahead of McDavid who is second in the league in scoring. With the turnaround success of the Oilers, who are in second place in the Pacific Division, Draisaitl may just be the lead candidate for the trophy.

Trade-Deadline Acquisitions

The Edmonton Oilers picked up three players at the trade deadline in a hope to bolster their defense and their offense to another level. The team gave up two second-round picks in order to pick up the speedy Andreas Athanasiou, while also moving a future fifth-rounder for winger Tyler Ennis. They also moved Kyle Brodziak and a fourth-round pick to Detroit for veteran defender Mike Green.

However, the Oilers have yet to get much of a return on those investments as Athanasiou has appeared in just nine games with just one goal. Ennis has fared better with two goals and four points in nine games. Green has appeared in just two games due to injuries. The hope is all three can make significant strides when/if play resumes. However, if the season is cancelled, the Oilers will only have Athanasiou left as the other two will be unrestricted free agents and no guarantees that they will return next season.

With so few games under their belt, the learning curve for all three players could be significant as they have to learn a new coaching system and how to play with new linemates.

Loss Of A Teammate

With all the tragedy stemming from the COVID-19, the Oilers suffered a separate loss when forward Colby Cave passed away on Apr. 11 when he was placed into a medically-induced coma due to a brain bleed. The forward had appeared in 44 games with the Oilers over the past two years and he played in 11 games this year with Edmonton.

While he wasn’t a full-time player with the Oilers, he was a big part of the team and the Oilers will have to deal with that loss as a team. How the team handles it could have a big effect on how the team performs in the playoffs when/if the league gets the season re-started.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pacific Notes: Dell, Edmonton Injuries, Demers

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It has been a resurgent season of sorts for Sharks goaltender Aaron Dell.  After it looked like they’d be forced to look for another option following a season where he posted just a .886 SV%, the 30-year-old has bounced back this year and has effectively taken the number one job from Martin Jones for the time being.  Despite that, Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News reports that there have been no discussions regarding a possible contract extension for the pending unrestricted free agent and it appears those will have to occur over the summer.  For his part, Dell appears to be interested in remaining with the team he signed with as an undrafted free agent back in 2013, citing that he and Jones (who is signed through 2023-24) work well together.  With San Jose likely remaining as a cap-strapped team for next season, re-signing Dell may be a more cost-effective option over bringing a more proven option in to push Jones.

More from the Pacific Division:

  • While Edmonton got hit with some tough injury news today, there are also some positives on the horizon. Paul Gazzola of the Oilers’ team website notes that winger Kailer Yamamoto participated in a full practice today and is close to returning as is defenseman Kris Russell.  Both players could potentially return as soon as tomorrow while winger Andreas Athanasiou, who left Wednesday’s game against Vegas early, is also expected to be available.
  • The Coyotes could soon be getting a key part of their back end back in the lineup. Craig Morgan of The Athletic mentions (Twitter link) that Jason Demers is likely to return on Saturday after missing more than three weeks with an oblique injury.  While he doesn’t produce much offensively (just nine points – all assists – in 46 games), he is averaging a little under 21 minutes a night in a top-four role which would be a good boost to a team that stood pat at the trade deadline.

Edmonton Oilers Acquire Andreas Athanasiou

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After coming close to a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Detroit Red Wings are actually sending Andreas Athanasiou back to his old GM instead. Ken Holland and the Edmonton Oilers have acquired Andreas Athanasiou and Ryan Kuffner. In return, the Red Wings will receive Sam Gagner, a 2020 second-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick. The Oilers will retain 10% of Gagner’s remaining salary.

As our Brian La Rose wrote when Athanasiou looked like he was heading to Columbus, it has been a very strange season for the 25-year-old.  Last year, he had a career-best 30 goals and 24 assists in 76 games and it looked like he was on his way to being part of Detroit’s long-term core.  However, things have gone completely off the rails this season.  He has struggled considerably offensively with only 24 points in 46 games while his plus/minus has been dreadful at -45.  That’s already in the bottom 30 all-time among NHL forwards.

While he would have had plenty of opportunity in Columbus due to their injuries, Athanasiou’s future in Edmonton may be even more exciting. One of the few players in the league who can keep up with Connor McDavid’s skating ability, there is a chance the pair could be combined to make the fastest line in the league. That kind of speed could be devastating for opponents to deal with, though Athanasiou will have to find some more consistency in his game to deserve a spot on the top line.

Not only will he know the GM from their time in Detroit, but Athanasiou will join Mike Green on his way over from the Red Wings at the deadline. You might not think that grabbing two players from the worst team in the league is a positive strategy, but familiarity is certainly a factor here for an executive that wants to win right away.

In terms of the return, Detroit gets two nice picks for a player that was bound to be a tough negotiation this summer. Athanasiou is a restricted free agent again and had already held out late into the offseason previously. The 25-year old currently carries a $3MM cap hit but could certainly put himself in line for a big raise with a strong few months in Edmonton.

Blue Jackets Close To Acquiring Andreas Athanasiou

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The Blue Jackets have entered the trade frenzy as they are on the verge of acquiring winger Andreas Athanasiou from the Red Wings, Sportsnet’s Eric Francis reports (Twitter link).  There is no word yet on the return.  The deal doesn’t come as much of a surprise as he was held out of the lineup for their game on Sunday for asset management purposes which is code for a trade being close.

It has been a very strange season for the 25-year-old.  Last year, he had a career-best 30 goals and 24 assists in 76 games and it looked like he was on his way to being part of Detroit’s long-term core.  However, things have gone completely off the rails this season.  He has struggled considerably offensively with only 24 points in 46 games while his plus/minus has been dreadful at -45.  That’s already in the bottom 30 all-time among NHL forwards.

Athanasiou should get a big opportunity with Columbus, a team that has somehow managed to hang in the playoff hunt despite a ridiculously long list of injuries.  At the moment, they’re missing two of their top offensive wingers in Cam Atkinson and Oliver Bjorkstrand, the latter being out for the rest of the regular season.  That should give him an immediate opportunity inside their top six.

Athanasiou is slated to become a restricted free agent this summer with salary arbitration rights.  He’ll be owed a qualifying offer of $3MM, his salary for this season.

East Notes: Bogosian, Chabot, Brassard, Lightning, Red Wings

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After clearing unconditional waivers Saturday, the market for defenseman Zach Bogosian has become quite intense as teams are looking to pick up a veteran blueliner on the cheap with the trade deadline prices for rentals being extremely high at moment. In fact, three teams are currently the frontrunners for the veteran’s services, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger, including the Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins and the Arizona Coyotes.

Carolina was already rumored to be looking for help on their blueline, but with the injury to Brett Pesce Saturday night in Toronto as well as the injury to Dougie Hamilton, the team is pushing even harder to add some depth. Pittsburgh is another candidate as they wait for the returns of Brian Dumoulin and John Marino. Arizona is a new candidate after the injury to Jakob Chychrun to an injury that looks to be serious.

Bogosian might serve as a band-aid for these teams, even though he has appeared in just 19 games this season.

  • The Ottawa Senators could breathe easier today when they learned that defenseman Thomas Chabot, who left Saturday night’s game with a lower-body injury, suffered just a minor injury, according to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie. Apparently the injury is just a bruise. The 23-year-old tried to test his knee during a TV timeout Saturday, but could not go on it. While Chabot’s offensive numbers have been down this season, five goals and 33 points in 62 games, the blueliner has logged a career-high in minutes at 25:43.
  • Newsday’s Andrew Gross reports that New York Islanders forward Derick Brassard skated Sunday for the first time since suffering a samll fracture to his cheek after taking a puck to his head on Wednesday in Colorado. He is considered day-to-day, but has cleared concussion protocol, although he said that he is still dealing with some nausea. “I had a broken jaw so I had a plate [inserted],” Brassard said of a previous injury. “I got hit just above it. I’m lucky a little bit. When I was down, I thought my ear had split in half because of the pressure.”
  • With injuries to defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Erik Cernak, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who already have been active before the trade deadline, could be looking to add to their defensive core, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith (subscription required). Tampa Bay already moved a first-round pick and top prospect Nolan Foote to New Jersey for forward Blake Coleman. However, since there is no word yet on the severity of Cernak’s injury, it’s possible that general manager Julien BriseBois could add even more as he’s “always on the lookout for an opportunity to improve.”
  • MLive’s Ansar Khan reports that the Detroit Red Wings are holding out defenseman Mike Green and forward Andreas Athanasiou from Sunday’s game against Calgary. According to the Red Wings, they have both been scratched due to “asset management,” meaning both players are likely candidates to be traded by Monday.

Red Wings Get Back Athanasiou, Lose Zadina For 2-3 Weeks

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One forward in, one forward out. Head coach Jeff Blashill said that forward Andreas Athanasiou was ready to return to the team on Monday, according to NHL.com’s Dana Wakiji. However, the team also announced that young forward Filip Zadina will be out for the next two to three weeks after suffering a lower-body injury.

It’s believed that Athanasiou, who has been out since Dec. 29 with a lower-body injury, is expected to join the team and likely will take Zadina’s spot on the first line. Unfortunately for Athanasiou, the 25-year-old forward has struggled terribly this season after posting a 30-goal campaign in 2018-19. He currently has just five goals and 19 points in 36 games, far from the expectations that were set from their speedy forward. The team had hoped he had turned the corner, but now might even be a trade candidate as he will hit restricted free agency this summer and could require a significant payday even with his struggles so far. However, Detroit might still have some time to showcase him, especially if the forward has an opportunity to get first-line minutes for the next few weeks. The Red Wings will have to activate Athanasiou still, but that move may not come until Monday.

As for Zadina, it looks like the injury came Friday during the team’s 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers. However, Zadina played through the injury and played the full game on Saturday. In fact, Zadina broke the 20-minute mark for just the second time in his career on Saturday despite the injury. The timing, however, is disappointing as Zadina has seen an uptick in his minutes, while starting to produce like the player the team drafted in 2018 with the sixth-overall pick. He has five goals over the past 11 games and has established himself as a top-six player on a team that needs scoring.

Wikiji also notes that forward Frans Nielsen is expected to be out Monday with an upper-body injury, but is considered day-to-day.

Minor Transactions: 12/31/19

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The NHL is embracing the celebratory feeling on New Year’s Eve with a few afternoon games today, including a tough matchup between the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals. As that gets underway, we’ll keep an eye on all the minor moves around the league.

  • The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Givani Smith from the AHL after Andreas Athanasiou suffered another injury. Athanasiou could be out for a few weeks according to head coach Jeff Blashill, though the team isn’t in a position to compete for the playoffs anyway.
  • The Arizona Coyotes recalled Michael Chaput last night, giving them another option up front for their game against the St. Louis Blues. That game represents another potential playoff matchup, as the Blues are running away with the Central Division but Coyotes could drop into a wild card spot at any point.

East Notes: Athanasiou, Hajek, Brown

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Andreas Athanasiou has been wildly inconsistent throughout his NHL career.  After scoring 30 goals last season though, it looked like he was emerging as a key piece of the puzzle for the Red Wings.  However, he has struggled considerably this season with just five goals in 28 games along with a league-worst -31 rating.  To that end, MLive’s Ansar Khan suggests that GM Steve Yzerman could be reaching the point where he believes it’s time to move on from the winger.  Athanasiou is one of several wingers that are slated to become restricted free agents and it’s likely that they’ll be seeking long-term pacts with Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi.  Given Athanasiou’s struggles though, it’s harder to envision them pursuing a long-term deal with him at this time.  Of course, the timing for a trade isn’t ideal as they’d be selling low so if Yzerman does decide to move on, the offseason may be the better time to pull the trigger on a deal.

Elsewhere in the East:

  • Rangers defenseman Libor Hajek will miss the next three to four weeks due to a knee sprain, the team announced (Twitter link). The injury occurred early in Thursday’s game against Columbus.  The second-year pro has held down a regular spot on New York’s back end this season, playing in 27 games while averaging just over 16 minutes a night in playing time.  The injury means that Marc Staal, who came off IR for Friday’s game, should have a regular spot in the lineup for at least the next few weeks.
  • After sending down defenseman Erik Brannstrom earlier this week in an effort to get him more playing time, Senators head coach D.J. Smith acknowledged to Postmedia’s Ken Warren that center Logan Brown could be in a similar situation before too long. Brown played just 5:28 on Wednesday and was a healthy scratch a week ago and is poised to be on the fourth line for today’s game in Philadelphia.  That low of ice time isn’t ideal from a development perspective so if it continues much longer, he’ll likely be heading back to AHL Belleville.

Snapshots: Desjardins, Beaulieu, Tuch, Red Wings

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After not landing a coaching offer from the NHL upon not having his interim deal renewed with Los Angeles, head coach Willie Desjardins decided to return to the WHL for another stint with Medicine Hat.  He’s off to a good start with the Tigers which could have him back on the NHL radar when other opportunities become available.  However, he told Postmedia’s Steve Ewen that he’s not really giving any thought to possibly taking a third run at being an NHL bench boss.  With Medicine Hat, the 62-year-old is also serving as GM which gives him full control over his roster which would be tough to give up at this stage of his coaching career.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • The Jets could get some help on the back end for Tuesday’s game against New Jersey. Ken Wiebe of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that Nathan Beaulieu is on track to make his season debut after suffering an upper-body injury late in the preseason.  While Winnipeg non-tendered the defenseman back in June, they quickly re-signed him in July to a one-year, $1MM contract, well below his required $2.5MM qualifying offer.  After logging nearly 17 minutes a night after being acquired last season, Beaulieu should be able to step in and play a regular role right away.
  • The Golden Knights will be without Alex Tuch for the start of their four-game road trip, notes David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Tuch sustained an upper-body injury in just his second game of the season after returning from an LTIR stint to start the season.  Head coach Gerard Gallant declined to comment on whether or not the winger is in concussion protocol and suggested that it’s possible that Tuch rejoins the team later on during the trip.
  • With the Red Wings struggling early on, it certainly seems as if they’ll be sellers before the trade deadline. However, as MLive’s Ansar Khan points out, GM Steve Yzerman’s options are relatively limited given that the veterans on expiring contracts that they have to sell aren’t likely to attract much interest so someone like Andreas Athanasiou may ultimately be their best trade chip.  He has struggled considerably to start the season but he did reach the 30-goal mark last season and has another season of team control after this one as a restricted free agent.

Red Wings Place Four On Injured Reserve

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The Detroit Red Wings will undergo a massive roster overhaul before their next game, which is just their third of the season. Ansar Khan of MLive.com was the first to report that Detroit has placed four players on injured reserve and recalled four others to replace them. Forwards Andreas Athanasiou and Frans Nielsen and defensemen Jonathan Ericsson and Trevor Daley will all hit the shelf. In their stead, forwards Evgeny Svechnikov and Ryan Kuffner and defenseman Oliwer Kaski have been recalled from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins while recently-acquired defenseman Alex Biega will remain in Detroit rather than report to the minors.

The Red Wings will have a very different look when they host the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, although not all that different. Athanasiou and Ericsson have yet to suit up for the team this season as they have both been fighting lingering injuries. In fact, Athanasiou’s IR placement is retroactive to September 20th, meaning he can be activated as soon as he is ready. Ericsson, Daley, and Nielsen will have to sit for at least seven days. Daley and Nielsen both left Detroit’s contest with the Dallas Stars on Sunday with injuries that apparently are more serious than originally thought.

However, this sudden rash of injuries does allow for the Red Wings to take a closer look at some of their depth players. Most notable is Biega, who was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks late last night, likely with these injuries in mind. The 31-year old defender played in 41 games for the Canucks last year, recording a career-high 16 points. Detroit has good depth on the back end in Grand Rapids, but Biega is the most experienced option and could work his way into a regular role with Detroit. Kaski is also an interesting figure on the blue line. The talented 24-year-old Finn was a near point-per-game scorer in the Liiga last season and may already be NHL-ready. Up front, Svechnikov is a name known by many, even though he missed all of last season with an injury. The 2015 first-rounder was once considered a surefire future Red Wing and he is out to prove he can still reach that expectation. Kuffner is looking to do the same; he got a taste of the NHL last season after wrapping up a dominant college career at Princeton University and wants to show that he is a player that belongs at the top level. So, while injuries to core players are never a positive, this could be an exciting time for Red Wings fans to witness a group of players who all want to win a regular spot in the Detroit lineup well past when their fallen teammates return to action.

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