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Anthony Stolarz

Flyers Acquire Cam Talbot

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Following their loss to Carolina on Friday night, the Oilers pulled the trigger on trading goalie Cam Talbot, sending him to Philadelphia in exchange for netminder Anthony Stolarz. Both teams have announced the swap.

This move had been speculated over the past couple of days although it was believed that the Flyers preferred to send veteran Brian Elliott in the deal instead. Edmonton was facing a cap crunch with the pending return of defenseman Andrej Sekera as they needed to clear some room to activate him off LTIR. This move does that and more as the deal frees up just over $3.4MM in full-season cap space so when Sekera is indeed activated, they’ll still have a couple million at their disposal.

Beyond that, the deal is intriguing for both sides. In Talbot, the Flyers acquire what should be an upgrade for their backup position over Elliott and the oft-injured Michal Neuvirth which will help in the short term as they can ease Carter Hart’s workload down the stretch if they so desire. It will also allow them to get a look at the pending unrestricted free agent to see if he’s the right fit to work with Hart for the next few seasons. The two goalies know each other well already so there’s a good chance that this played into the decision.

Talbot will need to fare a lot better with Philadelphia than he did with Edmonton if he wants to come close to matching his current AAV of $4.167MM though. He lost the number one role to Mikko Koskinen while his GAA (3.36) and SV% (.893) are the worst of his career. However, his career numbers are much more impressive with a 2.59 GAA and a .915 SV% in 284 games between the Oilers and Rangers and the Flyers are hoping he’ll be able to return to that type of level. When he does suit up in a game for them, he will be the eighth different goalie they’ve used this season which will set an NHL record.

As for the Oilers, they too get to evaluate a potential fit for next season in beyond in Stolarz. The 25-year-old has battled injury issues over the past two seasons, playing in just 21 games combined over that span (including his stints in the AHL and ECHL). He was inconsistent with the Flyers this season, posting a 3.33 GAA with a .902 SV% in a dozen appearances and it’s likely he’s going to see a lot of action with Edmonton down the stretch.

Stolarz has to play at least 30 minutes in 10 of Edmonton’s remaining 25 games in order to avoid qualifying for Group Six unrestricted free agency this summer. Accordingly, expect Ken Hitchcock to be calling his name early and often in the weeks to come.  If he reaches that target and becomes a restricted free agent once again, the Oilers will owe him a qualifying offer of just over $799K.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers Discussing Cam Talbot Trade

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Friday: Dreger reiterated today that the Flyers and Oilers continue to talk of a Talbot trade. He claims the two sides are in a “holding pattern” and are trying to work out the kinks. The biggest new piece of news is that Stolarz, Philly’s impending RFA goaltender, is expected to be a piece of the return for Edmonton. Stolarz would presumably take over the backup job behind Koskinen this season, fitting under the salary cap without issue, and then challenge for the job again next year.

Thursday: The Philadelphia Flyers have already used seven goalies this season, so why not make it eight? According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Flyers and Edmonton Oilers are “definitely talking” about a Cam Talbot trade. The 31-year-old keeper is an impending free agent and known to be at the top of the Oilers’ deadline sale list, while the Flyers are not exactly looking for short-term help, but a long-term tandem option.

Were these talks purely for the purpose of Philadelphia using Talbot as a rental, they wouldn’t make much sense. The Flyers are eight points back of the rival Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild card slot in the Eastern Conference and would have to leapfrog the Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres to get there. The team is also already carrying three goaltenders – Carter Hart, Anthony Stolarz, and Mike McKenna – and has season-opening starter Brian Elliott on a conditioning stint. As it is, the team is probably going to have to place McKenna on waivers when Elliott is ready to return. They also have Alex Lyon in the minors and could get Michal Neuvirth back from injury by the end of the year.

The Flyers don’t need a goalie right now; what they do need is a goalie for the future. The rookie Hart has been phenomenal at just 20 years old and is a core piece in Philly moving forward, but he needs a reliable veteran presence for the next few years as well. Elliott and Neuvirth (and McKenna) are all unrestricted free agents and Stolarz is an RFA with an injury history. The Flyers were destined to bring in a new goalie for next season and beyond and have apparently tabbed Talbot as a top option. Dreger notes that Talbot and Hart already share a good relationship, making it an ideal pairing of a promising young goalie in need of a mentor and a capable veteran who can no longer support a full work load. Talbot initially arrived in Edmonton after a breakout year as the backup for the New York Rangers, but truly broke out as a Vezina candidate in 2016-17 with a .919 save percentage and 2.37 GAA in 73 games. It would be the first of back-to-back seasons in which Talbot would lead the NHL in games played and this season he has felt the effects of being overworked. Talbot has an .893 save percentage and 3.36 GAA on the year, much of the reason why he lost out on an extension to backup Mikko Koskinen. Talbot needs a new home moving forward, and preferably one with a share in net, but there are questions about how much interest he will garner on the free agent market. Philadelphia appears to be the ideal landing spot, especially if he gets to play there before the end of the season. The Flyers would also benefit from an early opportunity to sign Talbot, rather than just waiting for free agency.

As for the Oilers, there is no hiding the fact that Edmonton is struggling to manage the cap and their roster right now. The team needs to make room for defenseman Andrej Sekera, but need to clear cap space and a roster spot to do so and have only through this weekend to figure it out. Trading Talbot, who the team has already determined is not a long-term fit, would be the easiest way to accommodate Sekera, which explains why trade talks are heating up. What the return will be for the veteran netminder remains to be seen. Since the Flyers could just wait until the off-season to sign Talbot, it likely won’t be impressive. However, with the Oilers maintaining that they are a buyer at the deadline, it will be interesting to see if Elliot or another Flyers goalie ends up as part of a hypothetical package. Edmonton’s odds at the postseason are slim, but asking Koskinen to start nearly every game down the stretch backed up by Al Montoya or unproven Shane Starrett certainly won’t help.

Carter Hart Expected To Remain With Flyers For Rest Of Season

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With the impending return of goaltender Brian Elliott as well as the potential return of Michal Neuvirth and the presence of Anthony Stolarz, there are some who are worried that the Philadelphia Flyers might consider sending 20-year-old Carter Hart back to the AHL to make room for some of their veterans. Of course, Hart’s numbers would suggest that might be a mistake as he has won eight-straight games, which ties him for the NHL record for the most consecutive games won by a goalie under 21 years old (Jocelyn Thibault also had eight straight wins in 1995).

However, Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher confirmed reports today that Hart has been told that he’s staying in Philadelphia for the rest of the season.

“Yes most likely,” Fletcher said. “But he will be eligible for AHL playoffs if we don’t make it in Philly.”

Heralded as the CHL Goaltender of the Year two straight years, the belief was that Hart would need to play one full season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. However, with numerous injuries in net in Philadelphia and a change in leadership both in the front office and eventually behind the bench, Hart was recalled on Dec. 18 and has put up impressive numbers, including an 11-5-1 record, a 2.45 GAA and a .926 save percentage in 17 games. His current eight-game winning streak has vaulted the Flyers, long thought out of a playoff spot, back into the race as they are just six points out of a wildcard spot, although there are a number of teams in between them.

The team has already indicated they will consider keeping three goaltenders on the roster as Elliott is expected to return to game action next week. Regardless, the team has gotten solid play from both Hart and Stolarz recently and Philadelphia has made it clear, they don’t want to overwhelm the youngster by playing him too much, so adding a third goaltender shouldn’t have detrimental effects.

 

Snapshots: Draft Rankings, All-Stars, Hart

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TSN Insider Bob McKenzie is the latest to release his midseason draft rankings, and like all the rest he still has American phenom Jack Hughes at number one. McKenzie’s rankings are based on a survey of anonymous NHL scouts, meaning that if the draft were held today the young center would undoubtedly be the top choice.

It’s the rest of the rankings that bring some intrigue, as McKenzie notes that there is a group of several players that have closed the gap on Hughes at the top of the list. Players like Vasili Podkolzin (#3) and Bowen Byram (#6) are making scouts turn their heads and notice how dominant they can be, en route to potential top-five selections in June. This year’s draft is sure to be an interesting one given the skill at the top, and one that almost no team is going to want to give up a lottery pick for.

  • The AHL has made two more adjustments to their All-Star rosters, this time adding goaltender Kevin Boyle and forward Michael Bunting to the Pacific Division group. Troy Terry and Pavel Francouz will be unavailable, a disappointing turn for the Anaheim and Colorado players. Still, the Ducks will now get to watch Boyle suit up while the Arizona Coyotes will have another representative in the form of Bunting, who has 26 points in 27 games for the Tucson Roadrunners when he wasn’t playing in the NHL.
  • Anthony Stolarz has done enough to show his health for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and was recalled today by the Philadelphia Flyers, but the player replacing him in the minor leagues will turn some heads. Carter Hart has been sent down over the break so that he can keep playing, but the Flyers will have a decision to make when they return to action. Hart has easily earned a spot in the NHL with his strong play as a rookie, but the team likely wants to get Stolarz some playing time too. They’ll have to work to keep them both fresh down the stretch and see if they are a potential tandem for next season. Stolarz is a restricted free agent while other goaltenders Mike McKenna, Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth are all headed for unrestricted free agency.

Minor Transactions: 01/17/19

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Though the NHL has just seven games on the schedule for this evening, there are two can’t-miss matchups taking place. First, the Toronto Maple Leafs try to right the ship against the league leading Tampa Bay Lightning. Toronto have been passed by both the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets in the Eastern Conference standings, but could get back to second place with a win. Next, the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators take part in a battle for the Central Division as the two clubs remain just two points apart in the standings. As those four clubs and the rest of the league prepare, we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • The Montreal Canadiens have recalled Karl Alzner as expected, and will bring him along on their trip to Columbus. Alzner played in last night’s Laval Rocket game, but failed to record a point in a 4-2 win.
  • Anthony Stolarz has been activated from injured reserve and loaned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he will serve a conditioning stint as he tries to get healthy. The Philadelphia Flyers goaltender could very well serve in a tandem with Carter Hart for the rest of the season to really give the Flyers a good look at what he could bring to the table next season. Stolarz is a restricted free agent at the end of the year.
  • Jason Dickinson has been activated from injured reserve and took part in practice today for the Dallas Stars and will be in the lineup tonight. Dickinson will skate alongside Jason Spezza and newcomer Andrew Cogliano.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have recalled Tanner Kero from the AHL as insurance for Bo Horvat who is dealing with a minor injury. Kero has been one of the best forwards all season for the Utica Comets, but is still waiting for his chance to impress the Canucks front office at the NHL level.
  • With Curtis McElhinney needing a few days off to nurse a knee injury, the Carolina Hurricanes have recalled minor league goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic from the Charlotte Checkers. Nedeljkovic has been outstanding for the Checkers this season with a league-leading 20 wins and just five losses.
  • MacKenzie Weegar has been moved to injured reserve after suffering a concussion on the hit that earned Paul Byron a suspension, so the Florida Panthers have recalled defenseman Josh Brown. Brown has yet to make his NHL debut, and has just three points (all goals) for the Springfield Thunderbirds this season.

Snapshots: Karlsson, Haula, Lightning, Stolarz

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While there has been plenty of talk recently about players potentially signing contract extensions, don’t expect that to be the case between the Golden Knights and center William Karlsson.  In an appearance on Fox Sports Las Vegas (audio link), GM George McPhee indicated that there is no push to get a deal done with his top pivot.  He noted that both sides came into the season looking for clarity and that they will re-assess the situation over the summer.  Karlsson signed a one-year, $5.25MM last summer following a breakout year that saw him collect 78 points, well above his previous career best of 25 so there were plenty of questions regarding whether or not he could duplicate that.  The 26-year-old has slowed down a bit with 30 points in 47 games and will once again be a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights.

McPhee also commented on center Erik Haula’s status.  He noted that his rehab is going well but there is no timetable for his return and they remain unsure if he’ll be able to return this season.  Haula sustained what McPhee called a rare injury for hockey players (the exact details are unknown but it pertains to his knee) and has been out of the Golden Knights lineup since early November.

More from around the league:

  • The Lightning hope to have forward J.T. Miller back in their lineup sometime during their upcoming three-game road trip, notes Diana C. Nearhos of the Tampa Bay Times. He has missed the last six games due to an upper-body injury.  Meanwhile, winger Ryan Callahan is also expected to return during this trip.  Head coach Jon Cooper indicated that the veteran re-aggravated something in his upper body (he has missed time with back and shoulder issues) which has caused him to miss the last two games.
  • Flyers goaltender Anthony Stolarz took part in a full practice today, reports Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News (Twitter link). He appears to be on track to return following the All-Star break.  Stolarz has struggled this season, posting a 3.90 GAA and a .880 SV% in nine appearances but he will give Philadelphia another option between the pipes.  They could then opt to waive the recently-acquired Mike McKenna or perhaps return Carter Hart to the minors although that scenario seems unlikely at this point given how the youngster has fared so far.  The Flyers carried three goalies earlier in the season and could do that again although they’d need to free up a roster spot first to do so.

Philadelphia Flyers Issue Update On Injured Players

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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.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Philadelphia Flyers

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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.

Metropolitan Notes: Flyers Goaltending, Boychuk, Nieves

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When Chuck Fletcher took over general manager duties of the Philadelphia Flyers, he made it clear the one of the top priorities the team needed was some stability in net. Except suddenly things have changed. In the meantime, the team has gotten solid play from rookie Carter Hart which already brings into question whether the team intends to add a goalie to their depleted ranks.

The team’s starter, Brian Elliott, is undergoing medical tests and isn’t expected to be back any time soon. Anthony Stolarz is a few weeks away, while Michal Neuvirth is healthy, but extremely injury prone. However, with Hart performing well in three games so far, Philly.com’s Sam Carchidi writes that Fletcher now has more time to decide if Hart is the real deal and could find himself dealing from strength when the trade deadline comes around.

The scribe writes that Fletcher had a number of interesting goaltending options in front of him with rumors that Edmonton’s Cam Talbot, Los Angeles’ Jonathan Quick and Detroit’s Jimmy Howard (now injured) were available. However with Hart suddenly showing some early success (today’s loss notwithstanding) might allow Fletcher to re-think his plans. Of course, Hart may not be able to keep up his success for a long period of time and may still not be ready to be an NHL caliber goaltender, which could send Fletcher back to Plan A.

  • While it hasn’t been confirmed, Newsday’s Andrew Gross writes that New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk will likely miss Sunday’s game against Dallas. The veteran blueliner left the team after Thursday’s game against Vegas to return home to be with his wife for the birth of their third child and with a three-day Christmas break after Sunday’s game, the scribe writes it wouldn’t be surprising if he sat out Sunday’s game which could give Devon Toews a chance to make his NHL debut.
  • Newsday’s Colin Stephenson writes that while Boo Nieves, who returned to the Rangers’ lineup earlier this week after suffering his third registered concussion during the preseason tries not to worry about suffering another concussion and knows he can’t let that affect him when playing. “No, because that’s too much hesitation, and hesitation is what’s going to get you hurt,’’ he said. “So you have to just go into the game like you normally would, and you can’t worry about other things that are out of your control, like guys in your peripheral, and things like that. Things are going to happen, and you just have to be ready for them.’’

Philadelphia Flyers Looking For Goaltending Help

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Despite seeing top prospect Carter Hart have a successful NHL debut on Tuesday night, the Philadelphia Flyers appear to still be searching for an answer in net. Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that new GM Chuck Fletcher “sounds like he’s shopping for a goalie.” That shopping of course will have to officially wait until after the trade freeze is lifted later this month, but Fletcher is still able to have discussions with teams.

It’s not hard to understand why trading for a goaltender would be Fletcher’s first big move as GM. The Flyers have seen goalie after goalie fail miserably in their net over the last few years (or perhaps decades) and are dealing with several injuries to their group right now. Brian Elliott is still awaiting the results of some recent medical testing, while Anthony Stolarz is on the shelf again for a few weeks. Hart was impressive in his first start, but it’s hard to imagine that throwing him to the wolves as the Flyers’ full-time starter this early in his career is good for his development. More likely the team would rather keep Hart at the AHL level for this season and hand the reins to him somewhere down the road.

The Flyers are just one point ahead of the last place New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference standings, and are looking at a very interesting goaltending situation at the end of the year. Elliott and Michal Neuvirth are both pending unrestricted free agents, while Stolarz is scheduled to become a restricted free agent once again. Acquiring a netminder with a little term could help ease Hart into the role and provide some experienced help for him without having to re-sign any of their injury-prone options. Still, who they would be targeting is unclear.

It’s been reported several times already that Fletcher was looking to get a trade done of some sort before the freeze took effect, but nothing was submitted before it began this week. There’s bound to be goaltenders available, though the most notable ones—Jake Allen and Jonathan Quick come to mind—are inconsistent or expensive in both cap hit and pieces needed to acquire them. The Detroit Red Wings for instance are allegedly looking for a first-round pick for Jimmy Howard, something that doesn’t make much sense for a struggling Philadelphia team.

We won’t know where the Flyers are leaning in net until after the freeze lifts on December 28th, but for now Hart is scheduled to start another game tonight. If he can put up another impressive performance against Detroit, perhaps the team will reconsider their shopping efforts altogether.

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