Brad Marchand

Injury Notes: Bruins, Rakell, Weber, Wennberg, Sutter

November 26, 2017 at 12:51 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

The Boston Bruins injury list keeps growing as the team is dealing with injuries to Brad Marchand, Anders Bjork, Ryan Spooner and Peter Cehlarik. However, the one good piece of news is that forward David Backes, who underwent surgery to have a piece of his colon removed on Nov. 1, has already been cleared for contact in practice, according to NBC Sports Joe Haggerty.

Originally estimated to be out for eight weeks, putting the timetable to early January, Backes has already been skating with the Bruins for a week and could be returning sooner than expected.

The other news isn’t as good, according to Haggerty, who says that Marchand will miss today’s game against the Edmonton Oilers and was still sporting a non-contact sweater in practice Saturday. Bjork is expected to miss another week with an upper-body injury, while neither Spooner or Cehalrik practiced Saturday. The scribe says only Spooner has a chance to play today.

Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register tweets that Anaheim Ducks center Rickard Rakell, who didn’t play in Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings due to an upper-body injury, won’t travel with the team starts their road trip. Stephens adds that coach Randy Carlyle was vague about when Rakell would return to the team.
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber, who has missed the past three games lower-body injury, missed practice today, according to the Montreal Gazette’s Stu Cowan. Instead, the veteran defenseman opted for therapy. He remains day-to-day as Montreal hosts Columbus on Monday.
Cowan also reports that defenseman David Schlemko, who is on a condidtioning stint with the Laval Rocket of the AHL, was practicing with the Canadiens today, suggesting a return could be near.
Columbus Blue Jackets center Alexander Wennberg, who has been out with an upper-body injury since Nov. 11, participated in practice fully today and is expected to travel with the team for Monday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens, according to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline.
Vancouver Canucks center Brandon Sutter, who is expected to miss today’s game against the New York Rangers, is more than just “day-to-day,” according to Canucks head coach Travis Green. The coach adds that it’s nothing too serious, but in his place Alexander Burmistrov will fill in for him while he is out.
Dallas Morning News’ Mike Heika reports that defenseman Stephen Johns, who was suffered an upper-body injury in Friday’s game against the Calgary Flames, skated today and is expected to be ready for Tuesday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Atlantic Injury Updates: Daley, Panthers, Bruins, Weber

November 25, 2017 at 11:41 am CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Red Wings defenseman Trevor Daley is set to undergo an MRI today to determine the extent of an apparent neck injury sustained on Friday night against the Rangers, reports Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. His first season in a Detroit uniform has not gone to plan and this certainly won’t help things. Through 23 games this season, Daley has managed to record just a single assist despite logging more ice time than he has in the previous two years. That’s hardly the type of output GM Ken Holland was expecting when he signed the 34-year-old to a three-year, $9.5MM deal back in the summer.

Other injury notes from around the Atlantic Division:

While the Panthers are expected to get center Derek MacKenzie back in their lineup tonight after missing the last five games with a lower-body injury, they’ll have to wait a little while longer before winger Radim Vrbata makes his return, notes Matthew DeFranks of the Sun-Sentinel. The veteran took a puck to the face last Saturday and is hoping to play sometime next week. Vrbata sits tied for fifth in team scoring with three goals and eight assists through 19 games.
Brad Marchand’s return to Boston’s lineup won’t happen this weekend. The team announced (Twitter link) that they have ruled him out of the lineup for Sunday’s game against Edmonton. They’re now targeting Wednesday against Tampa Bay for his first game back. The Bruins also revealed in a separate tweet that forward David Backes took some contact in practice for the first time since undergoing surgery to remove part of his colon at the beginning of the month. The original recovery time was expected to be eight weeks so it appears he’s ahead of schedule.
Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber will miss his third straight game on Saturday as a result of his lower-body injury, the team announced via Twitter. He did, however, take part in the morning skate so his return likely isn’t too far away. Weber leads Montreal’s defenders in points (13) and average ice time (26:07) so far this season.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Boston Bruins

August 16, 2017 at 8:37 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 4 Comments

Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2017-18 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Boston Bruins

Current Cap Hit: $64,848,335 (under the $75MM Upper Limit)

Entry Level Contracts

D Charlie McAvoy (two years remaining, $917K)
D Brandon Carlo (two years remaining, $789K)
F Frank Vatrano (one year remaining, $792.5K)
F Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson (two years remaining, $917K)
F Anders Bjork (three years remaining, $925K)

Boston has one of the deeper prospect pipelines in the NHL with upwards of a dozen players in the system on entry-level deals who could earn a call-up before that deal expires. However, this group of five stands the best chance of having a major impact on the Bruins right away in 2017-18.

Carlo, of course, already has a full year under his belt in which he skated in all 82 regular season games and played in over 20 minutes per night, all under the tutelage of one of the best defensive players of his generation: Zdeno Chara. Carlo has already made his #37 overall draft slot look like a steal, but with two more years at under $800K as he develops into a shutdown NHL defender, he could be one of the best blue line bargains in the league.

McAvoy is certainly ready to give Carlo a run for that title though. One of the Calder Trophy favorites for the upcoming season, McAvoy was thrown into the fire last season, making his NHL debut in the Bruins opening round playoff series. McAvoy performed admirably among a ragtag group of replacement players on Boston’s battered blue line and showed that he is more than ready for NHL action. Burning a season off of McAvoy’s ELC was a tough call for GM Don Sweeney and company, but giving McAvoy a taste last year could pay off this year. The former Boston University star and 2016 first-rounder will have all eyes on him in 2017-18.

Burning a year off of Forsbacka Karlsson’s entry-level deal for just one late-season game may have been ill-advised however. The Bruins love “JFK” and his two-way ability and cerebral play at center, with some in the organization and outside observers comparing him to Boston’s own Patrice Bergeron, widely considered the best two-way forward in the game. Those are big expectations to meet, but the Bruins will give Forsbacka Karlsson every chance to earn a regular role this season as they work to develop him into a well-rounded pro. JFK may not have the immediate impact, and expected pay day, of Carlo or McAvoy, but in two years he will certainly be worth more than $917K.

Vatrano has been a revelation for Boston since he was signed as an undrafted free agent, leaving UMass Amherst early in 2015. Vatrano led the AHL in goal scoring in 2015-16 with a stunning 36 goals in 36 games, while tallying 29 points in 83 NHL games along the way as well. Injury and inconsistency slowed down Vatrano’s rapid ascension last season, making 2017-18, his final ELC season, a major year in his career.

Finally, the Bruins were able to convince Bjork, a superstar at Notre Dame and the team’s 2014 fifth-round pick, to leave school early and sign on in Boston. The maximum three-year, $925K per ELC was nice motivation, but the team likely had to promise some play time as well. While Bjork’s spot on the team this season is not set in stone, with fellow high-end prospects Jake DeBrusk, Zach Senyshyn, Peter Cehlarik, and Danton Heinen clamoring for NHL play time, it seems that he’ll certainly get a chance. If the 2016-17 Hobey Baker candidate can find even remotely similar success in the big leagues compared to his past two NCAA seasons, his three-years of production at under $1MM will look mighty nice on the Bruins’ payroll.

One Year Remaining

D Zdeno Chara ($4MM, UFA)
F Ryan Spooner ($2.825MM, RFA)
F Riley Nash ($900K, UFA)
G Anton Khudobin ($1.2MM, UFA)

While it is a relatively painless 2018 free agency class for Boston, the end of Chara’s contract does loom large. The NHL’s tallest man has been the Bruins top defenseman since he signed with the team originally back in 2006 and very well could continue to be next season. It is possible that the Bruins re-sign Chara, whose cap hit drops from nearly $7MM to just $4MM this year, to a more affordable, short-term contract, but the more likely scenario is that the 40-year-old simply retires. He’ll leave the Boston blue line in much better condition than he found it back in ’06, with Torey Krug ready to lead the next wave of McAvoy, Carlo, and prospects like Jakub Zboril, Jeremy Lauzon, Ryan Lindgren, and Uhro Vaakanainen, but his size, strength, experience, and most of all, leadership, will not be easy to replace. The captain’s absence will be felt before the team even takes the ice for 2018-19 and could lead to the Bruins using the cap space Chara leaves behind to explore the free agent market.

Spooner and the Bruins nearly went to salary arbitration this summer, agreeing to terms on a one-year extension the morning of the hearing. Next year could be a very similar situation, whether Spooner performs or not. If Spooner can bounce back from a down 2016-17 season and prove that he is more than just a one-dimensional power play asset, then the Bruins will have to give him a raise on his new $2.825MM deal. If Spooner yet again struggles with the two-way and positional aspects of the game and is overshadowed by the Bruins’ younger talent, Sweeney will have to decide between bringing Spooner back again at a similar price and using up a roster spot or instead trading him away.

Nash and Khudobin, both signed on July 1st, 2016 to affordable two-year deals, also had incredibly similar seasons last year. Both were very disappointing for much of the year before their play picked up toward the end of the season. Going into 2017-18, Nash faces more pressure as he could take on the full responsibility of being the veteran presence on the checking line with Dominic Moore now gone. If Nash rises to the occasion, the Bruins have shown a fondness and loyalty toward their veteran fourth-liners and could reward Nash with an extension and a raise. If not, he’ll be gone. Khudobin also needs to have a big year, with starter Tuukka Rask in need of more rest than he got last season, but if Khudobin flops or if 24-year-old Zane McIntyre continues to light up the AHL, it seems very unlikely that he will re-sign.

Two Years Remaining

D Adam McQuaid ($2.75MM, UFA)

McQuaid has had a great run in Boston, including a Stanley Cup in 2011, but with injury concerns already an issue and Kevan Miller having passed him up on the depth chart with a very similar playing style, there is little doubt that 2018-19 will be McQuaid’s last in Boston. McQuaid will be 32 that year, playing behind Miller, McAvoy, and Carlo on the right side, with the Bruins’ ample defensive depth in the pipeline pushing for play time. Unless he’s willing to take a major pay cut to keep his seventh-man job, McQuaid will be gone.

Three Years Remaining

D Torey Krug ($5.25MM, UFA)
D Kevan Miller ($2.5MM, UFA)
F Matt Beleskey ($3.8MM, UFA)

The Bruins are surely hoping that by 2020 the likes of McAvoy, Carlo, Zboril, Lauzon, Lindgren, Vaakanainen, and a few other additions here and there will make the end of Krug and Miller’s contracts a non-issue. At that time, Miller will be 32, like McQuaid the year before, and could be on the way out. Krug will be just 29, but four of those other defenseman listed are also lefties and could be a better value on ELC’s and bridge deals than what easily could be an extension worth $7MM annually. With that said, Krug could take on a vital leadership role on the blue line after Chara’s departure and that, coupled with his rising offensive numbers each year, could make him a valuable commodity that the B’s would rather keep around beyond his current contract. The same could go for the reliable Miller, who has really rounded out his game recently. Boston showed their true feelings this summer, opting to expose (and subsequently lose) young Colin Miller in the Expansion Draft rather than risk the same fate for Kevan Miller and his reasonable cap hit over three more years. Miller could be kept around as a solid stay-at-home anchor on the bottom pair beyond 2020.

Beleskey had a career year in his first season in Boston and his $3.8MM cap hit seemed well worth it. He then had a disastrous year in his second season, plagued by injury and utter ineffectiveness, and his $3.8MM cap hit was the Bruins’ biggest blemish. If the next season or two go more like last year, then Beleskey is unlikely to even make it to 2020 without being traded or bought out. If he straightens out and returns to near 40-point production, then he will surely play out his contract. Beleskey’s hard-nosed brand of hockey may even make him a fan favorite in Boston if he returns to form, which could lead to an extension. The future of Beleskey in Boston is completely unclear, but 2017-18 will make a major difference.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F David Krejci ($7.25MM through 2020-21)
F David Backes ($6MM through 2020-21)
G Tuukka Rask ($7MM through 2020-21)
F Patrice Bergeron ($6.875MM through 2021-22)
F Brad Marchand ($6.125MM through 2024-25)

Few teams in the NHL have their core locked up as well as the Bruins do. While both Krejci and Backes are coming off of down years and their expensive cap hits and four more years of term can seem like a burden on Boston, a return to form is expected in 2017-18 and both players have the physical tools to play out their contracts as reliable top-six skaters. Backes would be 37 at the end of his contract and Krejci would be 35, with neither a lock for any extension.

Even if Krejci and Backes continue to put up just modest numbers relative to their chunk of the salary cap, it is hard to compete with the job the Bruins have done locking up Bergeron, Marchand, and Rask.

It is difficult to argue that Bergeron is not the best two-way forward in the game and he may even be the best of all time. He is the undisputed leader of the Bruins’ forward corps and will take his rightful place as captain once Chara retires. Beyond those intangibles, Bergeron is also a consistent 50-60 point scorer. For all that, the Bruins pay less than $7MM per year for five more years. It is undoubtedly one of the best bargains in the NHL. There is also little concern about Bergeron slowing down. He may be the best bet of any player in the NHL to play into his 40’s due to his style and work ethic. Boston surely plans on having him mentor the likes of Forsbacka Karlsson, Trent Frederic, and Jack Studnicka into two-way stars in their own right. When Bergeron’s contract expires in 2022, he will still be just 37 years old, despite having 19 seasons of NHL experience. The smart money is on Bergeron signing another short-term deal in Boston after his current contract expires and whenever he does call it quits, it seems inevitable that there will be a spot in the rafters at TD Garden with his name on it.

Challenging Bergeron for one of the best contracts in hockey is long-time line mate Marchand. Marchand inked an eight-year, $49MM extension with the Bruins last summer to avoid the drama of impending free agency in 2016-17. However, Marchand then went and shattered his career highs, recording 85 points – 24 more than his best – and finishing in the top five in the NHL in goals and points. Marchand was named a First Team All-Star and even garnered some Hart Trophy consideration. If Marchand had hit the free agent market this off-season, there is no doubt that he would have made $8MM+ on a long-term deal, in Boston or elsewhere, rather than $6.125MM. Marchand has always been considered a talented two-way player with speed and scoring ability, but if he has really taken the next step toward elite NHL scorer, then then next eight years could be pretty special for Boston.

Finally, there’s Rask, who is signed for four more years at $7MM. Rask gets his fair share of criticism, and maybe more than his fair share in New England, but at the end of the day he is an elite goaltender. Many forget that Rask has the best career save percentage in NHL history, not to mention the top goals against average among all active players. While the game has changed over the years and it is hard to compare Rask to some of the greats of earlier years, the stats state that he is the best of all time which at least implies that he is an elite NHL goaltender. Compared to the $10.5MM that Carey Price will be paid starting in 2018-19 and the current contracts for aging keepers Henrik Lundqvist and Pekka Rinne, Rask’s deal is a steal and he has shown no signs of deterioration at age 30, making the four remaining years likely to be just as stellar as the past four.

Buyouts

D Dennis Seidenberg ($2.2MM this year, $1.2MM in 2018-19 and 2019-20)

F Jimmy Hayes ($567K this year, $867K next year)

Considering his rebirth with the New York Islanders, the Bruins short-term need on the left side of the defense, and the relatively steep cost of the buyout, cutting Seidenberg was regrettable. The Hayes buyout seems far less likely to leave Bruins fans feeling any regret.

Still To Sign

F David Pastrnak

The Bruins have stated that they will not trade Pastrnak and are looking to extend him long-term. The 21-year-old scorer with three NHL seasons and 123 points already is likely to soon join the list of smart long-term deals signed by Boston. Pastrnak scored 70 points in 75 games in 2016-17 and has 80-90 point upside, even in the conservative Boston offense. Even if it costs the Bruins $8MM per year to sign him for the maximum eight years it will be well worth it. Assets like Pastrnak don’t come around very often and when his eight-year deal expires and he’s still just 29 years old and ready for another eight years of elite production, the Bruins will be glad they did what they had to do to keep him.

Best Value – Brad Marchand

Worst Value – Matt Beleskey (for now)

Looking Ahead

The Bruins have been completely uninvolved in the free agent market this summer thus far, presumably opting instead to give their own young players a shot at roster spots this season. With lots of talent making its way to the pro level, that trend doesn’t seem likely to end any time soon. With their core locked up long term at an affordable rate and cheap young talent to fill out the roster, the Bruins are attempting to do one of the most difficult things in sports: rebuilding on the fly. If it works out, Boston won’t have to deal with a difficult cap crunch for many years. If it doesn’t and the Bruins have to dip into the 2018 free agent market, things could get a little tight.

Morning Notes: Wingers, Dzierkals, NCAA

August 14, 2017 at 10:33 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

NHL.com caused quite a stir among hockey fans by releasing their ranking of the top wingers in the game right now, listing Patrick Kane, Nikita Kucherov and Brad Marchand in the top three. It’s nearly impossible to defiinitively rank players in this fashion, as each bring very different skill sets to the game.

Still, it goes to show how good some of the young players in the league are. Patrik Laine was ranked #8 and David Pastrnak #15 despite being just 19 and 21 respectively. Each were revelations for their teams this season, scoring more than 30 goals and proving that they’re ready to take the next step to the absolute elite around the league. Leave your take on the list in the comments below, and explain who you think was snubbed.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are close to the NHL contract limit, so they’ve inked prospect Martins Dzierkals to an AHL deal. The 20-year old Dzierkals was a third-round pick of the Maple Leafs in 2015, and is ready to take the next step from the QMJHL. Born in Latvia, Dzierkals was drafted out of Europe and was under exclusive Maple Leafs control for another two seasons, but had made it clear he did not want to return to the CHL as an overage player. Instead, he’ll join a Marlies team that should be flush with young talent like Adam Brooks and Jeremy Bracco and try to prove he’s worth an entry-level deal when space becomes available.
Tomorrow marks the final day that teams can negotiate with their NCAA draft picks, after which the players will become unrestricted free agents and allowed to sign anywhere in the league. Will Butcher and Alex Kerfoot lead a group of players who are now less than 48 hours away from controlling their own destiny in terms of where their hockey career will continue.

Boston Bruins Don’t Want Pastrnak’s Deal To Surpass Marchand

August 13, 2017 at 10:28 am CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 3 Comments

At this point in the offseason, there are often teams that still have unsigned restricted free agents and there are quite a few names still remaining, including Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, Columbus’ Alexander Wennberg, Vancouver’s Bo Horvat and Boston’s David Pastrnak. However, Joe Haggerty of CSNNE suggests one hold up to a deal is the team doesn’t want to give Pastrnak a deal that is bigger than their star veteran, Brad Marchand.

The 29-year-old wing, who signed an eight-year, $49MM ($6.125MM AAV) extension less than a year ago, is coming off a 40-goal season (if you include the playoffs) and his extension suddenly looks like a bargain. However, the team would like Marchand, who is the team’s leader and core franchise player, to be the top-paid player and not be overshadowed by a younger player. According to Haggerty, the team was working with Pastrnak to come in at a deal that was slighty below that of Marchand, but those talks have been put on hold.

While Marchand put up 39 goals and 46 assists for 85 points, Pastrnak had a breakout season himself. After putting up 25 goals in his first two seasons in Boston, the scored 34 goals and added 36 assists for 70 points. He is one of just 26 players to have reached the 30-goal plateau last year.

What is likely to work in Pastrnak’s favor is that Connor McDavid’s extension may have changed the landscape for top, young forwards and suddenly Pastrnak may wait until McDavid’s teammate, Draisaitl signs an extension. Many believe that contract will be significant and Pastrnak will want the same deal. Of course, Draisaitl may also be waiting for Pastrnak to sign as well, so it might take a while. Many believe, however, that Draisaitl may agree to a contract in the $7-8MM range, therefore altering Pastrnak’s demands as well.

Pastrnak, meanwhile, states that he is practicing hard and is not worried about signing an extension, according to Tim Campbell of NHL.com.

“I’m just waiting, leaving it all to my agent [J.P. Barry] to communicate with them,” Pastrnak said during the European Player Media Tour on Thursday. “I’m just focusing on getting ready for next season. I’m focusing on getting better and I’m trying not to think about that stuff. I just let it go and something will happen.”

Pittsburgh Names Mark Recchi As Assistant Coach

July 11, 2017 at 12:48 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 2 Comments

If there was any evidence that the Rick Tocchet-to-Arizona talks had been all but done for a while now, it was that the Penguins announced within minutes of the Coyotes’ official announcement that Mark Recchi would be replacing him as one of Mike Sullivan’s assistant coaches. Recchi had already been working within the organization the past three years, so his hire was internal and clearly an easy decision for owner and former teammate Mario Lemieux and the Penguins.

Although Recchi has no coaching experience, there is little doubt that he will fit in well on the Penguins’ staff. Recchi will take over Tocchet’s exact same duties: working with the forwards and power play units. The recently-named Hockey Hall of Fame inductee knows those two areas as well as anyone. Recchi is a member of two elite NHL clubs, having scored over 500 goals and 1500 points in his career. 200 of those goals also came on the power play. An extremely intelligent and versatile player with 22 seasons of NHL experience, as both a top-line scorer and role player, 198 playoff games and Stanley Cups with three different teams, Recchi is one of the most knowledgeable people in hockey. While he hasn’t spent any time coaching, that’s also due to the fact that he played right up until the age of 42 in 2010-11, walking away after helping the Boston Bruins to a Stanley Cup. The perks of playing that long is that Recchi can both relate to the Penguins’ aging veterans, having been one himself, as well as their young players, having skated alongside the likes of Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin just over six years ago.

A fun fact about this announcement is that it is not the first time that Tocchet has been traded for Recchi. However, the first time it was Pittsburgh losing Recchi and gaining Tocchet. After leading the Penguins in scoring, and to a title, in 1990-91, young Recchi was traded at the 1992 Trade Deadline to the Philadelphia Flyers alongside Brian Benning and a first-round pick for Tocchet, who was in his prime at the time, Kjell Samuelsson, Ken Wregget, and a third-round pick. Recchi went on to have the better playing career, but we’ll have to wait and see which guy ends up on top in their coaching career. Tocchet certainly has a leg up, already on his second head coaching gig, but if Recchi stands for anything, it’s don’t count out the little guy.

Expansion Primer: Boston Bruins

June 11, 2017 at 4:02 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 6 Comments

We’re continuing to break down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, coming up next week: which players are eligible, and which will likely warrant protection or may be on the block. Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4pm CDT on June 17th. The full rules on eligibility can be found here, and CapFriendly has provided a handy expansion tool to make your own lists.

While the Boston Bruins have a legion of talented young players pushing for major roles, they are still a team that is defined by a veteran core: 2011 Stanley Cup winners Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Krejci, Zdeno Chara, and Tuukka Rask. Add young mainstays like David Pastrnak and Torey Krug and 2016 free agent acquisition David Backes to the mix and it may seem like the Bruins would be in a tough position with expansion like many other deep veteran teams.

However, the expansion process, while burdensome for some, gives the Bruins just enough space to protect all of their most valuable players including that entire core. They still face some tough decisions, but none that will drastically alter the franchise on June 21st.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards
David Krejci (NMC), Patrice Bergeron (NMC), Brad Marchand, David Backes (NMC), Matt Beleskey, Jimmy Hayes, Riley Nash, David Pastrnak, Ryan Spooner, Tim Schaller, Alexander Khokhlachev

Defense
Torey Krug, Zdeno Chara (NMC), Adam McQuaid, Kevan Miller, Colin Miller, Joe Morrow

Goaltender
Tuukka Rask (NMC), Anton Khudobin, Malcolm Subban

Notable Exemptions

Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Frank Vatrano, Austin Czarnik, Zane McIntyre

Key Decisions

With Bergeron, Krejci, and Backes having No-Movement clauses and Marchand and Pastrnak two of 2016-17 top scorers, Boston is locked into a 7-3 protection scheme. Chara also has a No-Movement clause and Krug isn’t going anywhere so that’s five forward spots and two defensive spots locked up (Rask has a NMC as well if that was even a question). So which three Bruins get the final spots?

There have been many rumors this off-season, and even before the season ended, that perhaps Ryan Spooner’s time had run out in Boston. The 25-year-old center clashed with former coach Claude Julien and, after a brief rejuvenation, also lost play time under replacement Bruce Cassidy, including scratches in the playoffs. However, Spooner is still a top-end passer and a power play expert and the Bruins won’t just let him go for nothing. If Spooner hasn’t been traded before protection lists are due, he is guaranteed a slot. Whether or not he is still traded after the Expansion Draft remains an unknown.

For the final forward spot, the Bruins face a tough decision, but one with few negative repercussions. Jimmy Hayes has been a disaster in Boston and Tim Schaller is nothing more than fourth liner, so neither likely even gets consideration, nor would Vegas be interested unless otherwise incentivized, as has been rumored with Hayes. Alexander Khokhlachev left the organization last summer to play in the KHL, and little attention has been paid to his absence. The Golden Knights have drawn the interest of Russian players, but drafting Khokhlachev, who never proved his NHL viability in Thus, the decision comes down to Matt Beleskey and Riley Nash. Beleskey had a career year in Boston in 2015-16, the first of a five-year deal, and seemed to fit in well with the Bruins. After a brutal, injury-riddled 2016-17 campaign, that fit is in doubt and there have been rumors that the team might look to trade a pick to Vegas in order for them to take the remaining three years and $11.4MM off of their hands. However, a healthy Beleskey could be far more valuable than Nash, who struggled to produce in his first season with the Bruins. Yet, Nash is a versatile veteran forward and a key penalty killer who makes just $900K next year. Hayes, Beleskey, and Nash all fulfill the 40/70 qualification and two will be exposed, so the team won’t have to worry about that requirement.

On defense, the decision holds some more weight. If Boston is unable to entice the Knights into selecting Hayes or Beleskey, it seems most likely that a defenseman will be chosen. The team must choose whether they want to protect long-time Bruin Adam McQuaid, exciting young player Colin Miller, or perhaps the most complete player of the group, Kevan Miller. Joe Morrow was once a top prospect, but his time to reach those lofty expectations in Boston has come and gone and the Bruins would be happy if Vegas chose to take him instead of one of the other two. Assuming that doesn’t happen, this becomes a big decision. Colin Miller is just 24 years old and an offensively-minded puck-mover, whereas Kevan Miller and McQuaid are very similar stay-at-home types. Colin Miller was also a major piece of the Milan Lucic trade from just two years ago. However, his development has had its fair share of bumps and Kevan Miller has definitely established himself as a more complete player. McQuaid also is in the mix and could be the beneficiary of club loyalty and a desire to have a seasoned vet behind young centerpieces Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo on the right side of the blue line. All three players meet the 40/70 qualification and have term on their contracts, so again meeting that one-player quota won’t be a concern.

Projected Protection List

Scheme: 7F/3D/1G

Forwards

David Krejci (NMC)
Patrice Bergeron (NMC)
David Backes (NMC)
Brad Marchand
David Pastrnak
Ryan Spooner
Riley Nash

Defensemen

Zdeno Chara (NMC)
Torey Krug
Colin Miller

Goalie

Tuukka Rask (NMC)

The general rule of expansion (and just common sense) is that if you’re allegedly willing to trade a draft pick to move a player, like Matt Beleskey, you’re probably happy with taking the risk of leaving him unprotected as well. Riley Nash played his best hockey toward the end of the season and that effort level next season at only $900K is tough to pass up. Still, the Bruins are unlikely to lose a forward, unless they do make a trade, because of the superiority of the players that they could potentially expose on defense. Kevan Miller is likely the best defenseman of the three, but Colin Miller brings a unique skill set from he and Adam McQuaid and has youth and potential on his side. Vegas would likely jump on the chance to take a young, offensive defenseman like Colin Miller, while there may be several defenseman of similar caliber to Kevan Miller and McQuaid available. Protecting Colin Miller may in fact be the Bruins’ best chance of retaining all three. If Vegas does pass up on a defenseman, it will be to take a goalie. No, not Anton Khudobin. Khudobin finished the season with a stretch of some of his best play since his last stint in Boston, but Vegas has more than enough options for backups that Khudobin won’t be of interest. Instead, young keeper Malcolm Subban could be the pick. Subban has been passed up by Zane McIntyre on Boston’s organizational depth chart and simply doesn’t appear destined to be an NHL regular with the Bruins at any point. Vegas GM George McPhee has stated that the team will likely draft many goalies and a minor leaguer with some promise would not be a wasted pick. Subban would also be the most harmless pick the Bruins could endure.

Hart Trophy Finalists Announced

May 1, 2017 at 6:48 pm CDT | by Mike Furlano 6 Comments

The NHL’s Hart Trophy finalists were released today and include Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby, and Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid.

The names surprise no one as all three were expected finalists. Crosby and McDavid were one and two in NHL scoring, and Bobrovsky led the league in GAA and SV% amongst starting NHL goaltenders.

Bobrovsky, as noted by the Blue Jackets’ Public Relations team, is the first MVP finalist in Blue Jackers history. He posted a .931 SV% and a 2.06 GAA in 63 games. He was considered Columbus’s best player in a surprising season for the Metropolitan Division team. He’s also a finalist for the NHL’s Vezina Trophy awarded to the league’s best goaltender.

Sidney Crosby finished tied for 2nd in league scoring with 44G and 45A in 75 games. He tied Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane in points with 89, but did it in seven fewer games. Crosby has already locked up the Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophy for most goals this season. Crosby has been a Hart Trophy finalist six times, and won the award in 2007 and 2014

Connor McDavid led the NHL in scoring with 30G and 70A in 82 games. He led a Edmonton Oilers squad to its first playoff birth since 2006 in only his second pro season. This season he won the Art Ross Trophy for most points in the NHL.

Notable absences—thought to have finished fourth and lower—include Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, and Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand.

Iginla Eyeing A Return To Bruins?

April 28, 2017 at 8:31 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 1 Comment

File this one under extreme speculation if you like, but future Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, at the very least, is moving to Boston. Whether or not he’s playing for the Bruins in 2017-18 is another matter altogether, but the 39-year-old icon will be spending time in Boston one way or another, as he just purchased a $4.5MM home in the city. The six-bedroom house is located in Chestnut Hill, the home of the Boston College Eagles.

Now, this could simply mean that Iginla, an unrestricted free agent, enjoyed his time in Boston during the 2013-14 season and, facing a very real possibility that his career may be over, is investing a new place to spend his retirement years. Iginla did really like playing with the Bruins and would have liked to re-sign in Boston in 2014, but the Bruins did not have the cap space to meet his salary demands, due in part to the bonus overages from his incentive-laden $1.8MM contract from the year before.

However, it does seem strange that the Canadian winger, an Edmonton native who spent much of his career in his home province of Alberta with the Calgary Flames and the past three years in Colorado, would suddenly decide he wants to invest in real estate on the east coast. Could Iginla and the Bruins have a handshake agreement on giving the veteran scorer another shot at the Stanley Cup? It would seem to be a strange fit. After re-signing restricted free agents David Pastrnak and Ryan Spooner this off-season, the Bruins will already have eight “top nine” forward under contract: Pastrnak, Spooner, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Krejci, David Backes, Frank Vatrano, and Matt Beleskey. That’s not even including many forwards who made their NHL debuts in 2016-17 and will be looking for regular roles next season, including Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Peter Cehlarik, Austin Czarnik, Danton Heinen, and Sean Kuraly, up-and-coming prospects Jake DeBrusk, Zach Senyshyn, Jesse Gabrielle, Ryan Fitzgerald, and (potentially) Anders Bjork, or fourth-line contributors with some top-nine upside in Riley Nash and Noel Acciari. Do they really need another forward, especially another big, slow body who fills a similar role to Backes and Beleskey? Probably not, but if Iginla is at the point in his career where he is willing to play for the veteran minimum just on the off chance that he can finally win that elusive Cup, the Bruins are a team that values veteran leadership and would be happy to help Iginla out.

Iginla scored just 14 goals this season and ended the year with only 27 points. However, just three years ago Iginla was a 30-goal scorer in Boston on his way to a 61-point campaign. Iginla and Krejci enjoyed playing together, as Krejci too had an excellent season with 69 points and a league-best +39 rating. The two would not necessarily play together again next season, but the possibility should not be ruled out. Iginla going back to Boston would be strange, and assuming it is happening based on a property transaction is certainly a reach, but stranger things have happened. Everyone in hockey wants Iginla to win a Cup. Why not return to the team he most recently found success with and city he really enjoyed playing in?

Draisaitl Avoids Suspension, Receives Fine

April 19, 2017 at 5:22 pm CDT | by Seth Lawrence Leave a Comment

The NHL Department of Player Safety has opted not to suspend Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl for his spear on Chris Tierney, but has decided instead to fine him a total of $2,569.44. In the second period of Game 4, which at the moment of infraction was well out of reach at 5-0, Draisaitl and Tierney engaged in the corner – after which Tierney successfully cycles the puck behind Edmonton net. In seeming frustration, Draisaitl re-raises his stick upwards into the nether-regions of Tierney, at which point Tierney is felled to the ice. Draisaitl received a 5-minute major penalty and a game misconduct. The incident can be viewed here.

The NHL Department of Player Safety continues to display why suspensions are so impossible to predict. The only recent corollary which didn’t receive a suspension was Sidney Crosby’s similar maneuver back in March against Ryan O’Reilly. This incident sparked a flurry of criticism against the Department of Player Safety for its seeming inconsistency, although there were many notable detractors who concurred with the league. Stars in today’s NHL undoubtedly need to carve out space for themselves, but this sort of low-blow is generally considered beyond acceptable, gentlemanly bounds. Brad Marchand, less of household name (even though he scored only 8 less points on the season), received a 2 game suspension for a remarkably analogous blow.

Granted, history of less-than-stellar behavior had a definitive role in the Marchand suspension, whereas Draisaitl and Crosby both had clean slates. There is also the undeniable factor that playoff suspensions are rarer and generally far less extreme. Oilers fans will no doubt cheer the fact that the young stud Draisaitl will be laced up for an extremely important Game 5. His 77 points on the season would be even more remarkable if they were not out-shined by the extraordinary glow of his fellow millennial Connor McDavid. In a series which might be franchise-defining, this is the best of news.

But the fact remains that at some point, there needs to be a standard set with a star player. $2,569 is little hardship for professional athletes at this compensation level. Although the explanations by the DoPS have been extremely helpful in trying to convey the league’s perspective, the punishments seem to fluctuate wildly. For now, the roulette wheel of justice spins on.

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