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Latest On Jonathan Toews

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It wasn’t too many years ago that Jonathan Toews and his Chicago Blackhawks were at the top of the league’s pecking order, but it somehow also seems like the team’s rebuild has dragged on for too long with no end in sight. It’s an arduous process that’s called Toews’ (and Patrick Kane’s) future with the team into question, as the Blackhawks legends are just one year away from the expiration of their contracts and unrestricted free agency. Speaking with The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus, Toews says he “really doesn’t know” what the future holds for him and said the idea of a lengthy rebuild “[didn’t] sound appealing.”

In his interview, Toews spoke frankly about Chicago’s moves since the turn of the calendar year, specifically referencing the team’s trades involving Brandon Hagel, Alex DeBrincat, and Kirby Dach. Calling it “unfortunate that it’s come to that,” Toews especially named Dach as a player he felt he had under his wing and had developed a good mentor relationship with.

On a more positive note for Toews and Blackhawks fans, he spoke highly of the team’s expected approach under new head coach Luke Richardson. If he isn’t approached about a trade prior to the season (he does still have a full no-movement clause), he said he’s “really excited” to play under Richardson and his hard-working approach.

Regardless, this is a significant crossroads for Toews and the Blackhawks organization. Considering his declining production and recent health issues, it could very well be that this is simply Toews’ last season playing in the NHL. Toews had just 37 points in 71 games last season, and even his half-retained cap hit of $5.25MM might be too hard to stomach for most interested teams. If Toews plans to either retire or sign elsewhere in free agency, Chicago risks ill-affordable poor asset management by not getting potential trade value in return for Toews.

With that said, it’s nearly impossible to predict when Toews’ trade value would be highest. Does Chicago bank on Toews having a rebound year, allowing them to get a higher return closer to the trade deadline, or do they trade him prior to the season in anticipation of declining value? It’s a delicate, tricky situation as all parties are concerned.

Evening Notes: Denisenko, Kadri, Cogliano, Kane, Peter MacTavish

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A somewhat mysterious injury for a top Florida Panthers prospect has been cleared up, with Grigori Denisenko confirmed to have suffered a broken kneecap back on January 12th while playing with the Charlotte Checkers. The Checkers announced the injury today. The injury occurred in what would prove to be an incredible effort from the Russian winger, who broke his kneecap on a blocked shot, but continued to play, scoring the game winner. Denisenko would ultimately have surgery on his knee, but appears to be in good spirits and confident that he will be ready to go in time for Florida Panthers training camp.

Florida’s first-round pick in 2018, 15th overall, Denisenko’s development has not exactly been meteoric, however the team still has high hopes for him. Prior to being drafted, Denisenko was a standout for Yaroslavl in the KHL as a part of their development program and on Russia’s junior teams. After being selected by Florida, Denisenko made his KHL debut with Yaroslavl, though he didn’t take the steps forward Florida, and Yaroslavl, might have hoped, recording just 18 points in 63 games over two seasons. The forward made the jump to North America ahead of the 2020-21 season, but due to injuries and the COVID-19 situation, he was limited to just 45 AHL games and 8 NHL games over two seasons. In his limited time, Denisenko was solid, putting up 27 points in those 45 AHL games, and an impressive four assists in seven games in his NHL debut in 2020-21. Once healthy, if Denisenko hopes to have an impactful NHL career, he will have to continue to take steps forward in his production, especially if he wants to appear regularly in an incredibly deep Panthers lineup. The good news for Denisenko on that front is, with the flat salary cap and the Panthers being near the ceiling, they will need affordable pieces that they can rely on, and one of their top prospects may be a solution.

  • After being listed as day-to-day with speculation about when either could return, Colorado Avalanche forwards Nazem Kadri and Andrew Cogliano are now officially listed as scratches for tonight’s Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals, confirms ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. Though not particularly surprising, being without either player is a tough blow for Colorado who is tasked with defeating the reigning two-time Cup Champions in the Tampa Bay Lightning, who appear to be icing their regular lineup, which includes for the first time since Game Seven of the first round, playoff standout Brayden Point. Brandon Hagel, who’s status for Game One was questionable and considered a game-time decision is in the lineup tonight, taking the place of Riley Nash.
  • Earlier this evening, when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly conducted their media availability ahead of the Stanley Cup Finals, they touched on a range of NHL news and important topics, including the status of Evander Kane’s contract dispute with the San Jose Sharks. Today’s update was, in essence, not to expect an update all too soon, as Daly disclosed that it is likely Kane’s arbitration will not be decided until after the NHL’s free agency opens on July 13th (link). The reason, Daly added, is that the arbitrator in the matter is not available to conduct the next hearing until next month. Still, as TSN’s Chris Johnston’s notes, this isn’t expected to inhibit his ability to sign a contract for the 2022-23 season, or beyond.
  • A few days ago, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Ottawa Senators could be looking to make some hires in their front office after letting go of executive Pierre McGuire less than a year after they hired him (link). Now, it seems a bit more clear why that is, as TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Senators Assistant GM Peter MacTavish has departed the organization to join Quartexx Hockey, a full service agency with notable NHL clients such as Patrice Bergeron, Josh Anderson, Drake Batherson, Anthony Beauvillier, and more.

Snapshots: Backlund, Hagel, Draisaitl

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With the Flames facing a big summer of spending ahead of them with Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and Andrew Mangiapane among those in need of new contracts, there’s an expectation that they will need to free up some money to keep the rest of the core intact.  To that end, Hailey Salvian of The Athletic suggests (subscription link) that center Mikael Backlund could be a candidate to be moved this summer.  The 33-year-old has seen his production tail off slightly in recent years but he still put up 39 points in 82 regular season games before having a strong showing in the playoffs with eight points in a dozen contests.  Backlund has two years remaining at a $5.35MM AAV and with the center market not being particularly deep this summer, there could be some interest in him at some point as a fallback plan as long as they’re not on his partial no-trade list.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Although he has missed three straight practices, Lightning winger Brandon Hagel is expected to play in Wednesday’s Conference Final opener, relays NHL.com’s Corey Long. The 23-year-old has been battling a foot injury since blocking a shot back in the second game of the series against Florida although he has been able to play through it so far.  Hagel has been relatively quiet in the playoffs so far with just a goal and three assists in 11 games but he had 25 tallies between Chicago and Tampa Bay this season so as long as he’s able to keep playing through the injury, he’s an offensive threat in their bottom six.
  • Oilers center Leon Draisaitl participated in practice today for the first time since sustaining an ankle injury late in the first round, notes Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (Twitter link). The injury didn’t slow the 26-year-old down (he had 17 points in five games against Calgary last round) but he hadn’t been taking part in practices in an effort to help the injury heal.  The fact he returned to the ice today has to be considered a positive sign for Edmonton as they get set to open their series against Colorado on Tuesday.

Brandon Hagel Avoids Suspension, Earns Fine

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The Tampa Bay Lightning will still have Brandon Hagel in the lineup when they try to complete the sweep of the Florida Panthers this evening. The young forward avoided suspension and received a $3,750 fine from the Department of Player Safety for his hit on Eetu Luostarinen. The fine is the maximum allowable under the current CBA.

Hagel, 23, was originally given a major penalty for boarding but had it reduced to a two-minute minor after an official review. The incident occurred partway through the first period, as he delivered a cross-check to Luostarinen’s back a few feet from the boards, sending him headfirst into the corner. Luostarinen did end up returning later in the period and played nearly 14 minutes in the game.

One of the prized trade deadline acquisitions, Hagel has represented some secondary scoring and depth for the Lightning these playoffs, recording four points in ten games so far. While he is averaging just 13:25 of ice time, the young forward–who is signed at a very reasonable $1.5MM per season through 2023-24–has already shown signs of being able to play higher in the lineup next year when the team is forced to see other veteran names depart.

On this occasion, he may have taken his feisty play over the line but will escape without having to miss a game and pay nothing more than a nearly insignificant fine.

Kane And Toews Welcome To Stay Through Blackhawks Rebuild

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When then-interim general manager Kyle Davidson was officially handed the job, he made it clear that the Chicago Blackhawks were headed for a rebuild. He then quickly doubled down on those plans by trading away up-and-coming forward Brandon Hagel for a package of first-round picks and pro-ready prospects. Davidson has also discussed trades for fellow young forwards Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome and has been less than committal about re-signing veteran defenseman Calvin de Haan, who would like to return.

The situation has raised many questions about the futures of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. The duo have long been the franchise cornerstones of the Blackhawks and will see their numbers in the rafters of the United Center one day. However, they each have just one season remaining on their current contracts and if they want to compete for yet another Stanley Cup before their careers come to a close, they will likely have to leave Chicago for the first time in their careers.  Toews has already been vocal about his disappointment with the direction of the club, moving into a rebuild while there is still some veteran talent on the roster, and has questioned whether he would go elsewhere to end his career. Meanwhile, Kane is still one of the most dangerous offensive players in the NHL, fresh off of a 92-point season. If he does not plan to re-sign with the Blackhawks, the team can charge a king’s ransom to trade him this off-season.

Yet, it seems that Davidson’s rebuild plan may not require that his future Hall of Famers go elsewhere. Speaking to the media today, Davidson responded to a question from the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope about how Toews and Kane fit into the Blackhawks’ future:

There’s definitely a place for Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane moving forward. I don’t think there’s any question about that. What their roles are and how they fit into things, that’s part of the dialogue that we’re having. [We’re] being very honest about with how we see their role and what we need out of them moving forward. They’re fully aware of what those [views] are, and there’s going to be questions and further conversations to really firm that up because it is something that isn’t… solved with one conversation or understood with one conversation.

Having them around is something we’re never going to shy away from because they can show this next wave of players how it’s done. And you never know, maybe they could be part of (this) when we’re back to having success. We don’t know the timeline of any of that yet, but [with their] amount of experience, the understanding of what it takes to be a good professional, what it takes to develop into a high quality professional and then win at the professional level, that experience and understanding is invaluable, so absolutely there is a place for 19 and 88 with the Blackhawks in any form that they wish.

Davidson certainly didn’t parse his words. He understands that the situation may not be ideal for his iconic veterans, but if they are willing to stick it out then he is willing to keep them. If Toews and Kane want to re-sign with the Blackhawks then that is what will happen. It’s now on the players to make it clear in their conversations with the team what their thoughts are on the future. Will they stay on as the living embodiment of what Chicago wants out of the young stars of their rebuild? Or will they ask to be traded and chase another title while they still can? While the two side have plenty of talking to do, we may know sooner rather than later what the future will bring.

Tampa Bay Lightning Acquire Nick Paul

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The Tampa Bay Lightning aren’t done after acquiring Brandon Hagel on Friday. Instead, they are continuing to bolster their forward corps. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report that the Bolts have traded for the Ottawa Senators’ Nick Paul. Going the other way is Tampa forward Mathieu Joseph and a 2024 fourth-round pick, per The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch. The Senators are retaining 44.5% of Paul’s $1.35MM cap hit, approximately $601K. Both teams have confirmed the deal.

Even though the Bolts seemed to be out of options after adding Hagel, they manage to flip Joseph for Paul with a negligible impact on their difficult cap situation. With the salary retention, Paul will only cost about $749K, while Joseph was making $737.5K. It leaves under $5K in LTIR space for Tampa, but space all the same. That retention is likely what cost the Lightning their draft pick, which leaves them with just seven picks in the first four rounds over the next three years.

In many ways it may seem like swapping Joseph, a 25-year-old impending RFA with 18 points, for Paul, a 27-year-old impending UFA with 18 points, seems like a downgrade. However, Joseph is arbitration eligible this offseason and was unlikely to return to Tampa Bay anyway. He also has managed just 18 points with the high-flying Lightning, while Paul has done the same with the lowly Senators. Paul also brings a superior defensive game and more experience. His two-way ability garnered attention from around the league, but the Lightning were the lucky ones to land him and Paul will be equally excited to chase a championship and boost his numbers before hitting the open market.

 

Tampa Bay Lightning Acquire Brandon Hagel

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The Chicago Blackhawks have begun the teardown, though it will start with a very surprising move. They are trading Brandon Hagel and a pair of fourth round picks in 2022 and 2023 to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 first-round pick. After the deal became official, Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson issued the following statement:

“I said a few weeks ago that we are rebuilding, and this is clearly the start of that. Getting two first round draft picks as well as two, young, NHL players helps us kickstart that process in a major way. We know that Brandon Hagel was a fan favorite — our fans loved him for all the reasons we loved him — and we know he be successful with the Lightning.”

Hagel, 23, is on one of the most valuable contracts in the league this season and carries a cap hit of just $1.5MM through the 2023-24 season. The deal, signed in August, was after a rookie season that saw him score nine goals and 24 points in 52 games. This year he’s fired well past those marks, already racking up 21 goals and 37 points in 55 games.

That kind of an asset isn’t usually one that a struggling team trades, though the Blackhawks’ new management, led by general manager Kyle Davidson, has been clear that there is a full rebuild coming in Chicago. Trading Hagel now, when he very well might be at the peak of his value (but not necessarily his production), will give that rebuild a kickstart, even if it does mean they lose some prime, inexpensive years of a homegrown talent. Despite being selected by the Buffalo Sabres in 2016, Hagel waited and signed his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks two years later, and has only ever played for that organization.

Still, for a package of picks and players like this, it is easy to understand why Davidson pulled the trigger for his first trade since losing the interim tag and being officially named general manager earlier this month. The team had gutted their own system through previous acquisitions like the Seth Jones trade from last summer and it will likely be several years until they are truly considered playoff contenders again. If they are moving Hagel they are likely willing to trade just about anyone on the roster for the right price.

For the Lightning, they have no one to imitate but themselves when it comes to trade deadline moves. This deal is extremely similar to the one that landed them Blake Coleman two years ago, which–along with the addition of Barclay Goodrow–made their forward group incredibly deep and ultimately helped them win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. Like Coleman, Hagel may be slightly undersized but plays a versatile, in-your-face game that can work in basically any spot in the lineup.

Even better, while Coleman was under contract for just one more season following that 2019-20 campaign, Hagel won’t even be an unrestricted free agent when his current three-year deal ends in 2024. He’ll still be an RFA at that point, meaning the Lightning have even more control. His extremely low cost means that he won’t negatively affect the Lightning’s cap situation, one that is always tight as they often find themselves in long-term injured reserve and in need of inexpensive options. In fact, simply moving out Katchouk and Raddysh makes the cap work for Tampa Bay, thanks to how cheap Hagel is.

While collecting draft picks is one thing, Davidson will soon have a bigger task on his hands than sending assets out the door. The Blackhawks are going to need to not only find the right players in the draft–the picks from Tampa Bay are certainly not expected to be very high, and even in the case that Tampa falters, the picks are top-ten protected–but also develop them into legitimate NHL talents. That work has already been mostly completed with Katchouk and Raddysh, who were both second-round selections and have been regulars this season in the Lightning lineup.

That’s not to say either of them will bring the level of offense Hagel had, though there are certainly some interesting aspects to the new Chicago forwards. For one thing, Raddysh isn’t heading into a room of unknowns, as he played on a line with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome for the Erie Otters. He’s also been developing quite nicely in the Lightning system and, standing 6’3″, brings size that Hagel never could. Raddysh has five goals and 12 points in 53 games with Tampa Bay this season, though that comes while averaging just barely over 11 minutes a night.

Katchouk is another big, powerful forward, and another OHL graduate, this time from the Soo Greyhounds. He has two goals and four points in 38 games with the Lightning this season, averaging under ten minutes a game. Notably, though he has played 20 fewer games than some of his teammates and rarely sees the ice when he does get in the lineup, Katchouk ranks third among all Tampa Bay forwards in hits with 98. It will be interesting to see if size becomes a trademark of the Blackhawks under Davidson, given the first player out the door is a 5’11” 174-lbs winger, albeit one that has never shied away from contact or the physical side of the game.

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was first to report that Hagel had been traded, while John Buccigross of ESPN provided the specific details. 

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Deadline Notes: Ducks Defensemen, Hagel, Giordano

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Earlier today on TSN’s Insider Trading segment, Anaheim Ducks’ defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson were hot topics. The Athletic writer and Insider for TSN, Pierre LeBrun, reported that Manson was nearing his return from injury and is being watched closely by teams around the league. LeBrun also noted that there have not been any contract talks yet between the Ducks and Manson, as the Ducks have been focusing on negotiations with Lindholm.

Speaking of those negotiations with Lindholm, word continues to be that Anaheim is unwilling to give out big-time term. The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli notes the Ducks’ unwillingness to give out term to any of their pending UFAs, and mentions this might be in-line with the trends of Ducks’ GM Pat Verbeek’s previous boss, Detroit Red Wings’ GM Steve Yzerman. Not beginning extension talks just yet with Manson may not be a concern for the Ducks, who currently have many cards to play at the deadline. In fact, Anaheim does leave itself in a preferable position, having both Lindholm and Manson as potential extension candidates and trade chips. This could allow Anaheim to try to negotiate an extension to their liking on one or both, but if that contract does not materialize, there will almost certainly be a strong market for both defensemen.

  • Also during the Insider Trading segment, TSN’s Darren Dreger provided an update on Chicago Blackhawks’ forward Brandon Hagel. Dreger mentions that while Chicago would like to keep Hagel as part of their rebuild, they would not be opposed to moving him. However, the return would have to be at least a first-round draft pick and something else. Hagel has been one of the better producers for the Blackhawks this season, scoring 17 goals along with 14 assists in 51 games entering Tuesday night’s game against the Ducks. While the asking price on Hagel might seem a bit excessive to some, the 23-year-old Hagel is viewed as part of the long-term solution in Chicago, and carries just a $1.5MM cap hit through the 2023-24 season, where he will still be a RFA.
  • During the second-intermission of the Toronto Maple Leafs game, Dreger again gave his thoughts on several key trade deadline topics, including Seattle Kraken defensemen Mark Giordano. Dreger reported that the Kraken would like to explore the trade market for Giordano, but their asking price on the veteran is at least a first-round pick. While this price may be steep for a 38-year-old with a $6.75MM cap hit, Giordano still produces at a high level, putting up 23 points in 52 games this season for the struggling Kraken. Giordano is also a responsible defenseman who can provide veteran leadership that is always valuable on a team looking to make a long run in the postseason. If Seattle is willing to retain some of Giordano’s cap hit, which would seem likely as they will have $36.66M in cap space on trade deadline day, they may be able to sweeten the pot to acquire that first-round pick at least.

Snapshots: Niemelainen, Goloubef, Debunked Rumors

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The wallet of Edmonton Oilers defenseman Markus Niemelainen is a little lighter today. The NHL Department of Player Safety announced today that Niemelainen has been fined $2043.75 for cross-checking, the maximum fine allowed under the terms of the CBA. The incident in question occurred during the Oilers’ match-up with the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. Niemelainen cross-checked Jets forward and fellow Finn Kristian Vesalainen in the third period as he cut toward the net on a scoring chance. Despite what in retrospect was an obvious and vicious cross-check to Vesalainen’s face, no penalty was called on the play. Niemelainen is somewhat fortunate to have escaped with only a fine in this situation.

  • Following multiple PTO’s with the AHL’s Belleville Senators this season, including suiting up for 11 games, veteran defenseman Cody Goloubef finally has a contract – except it isn’t with Belleville nor with Ottawa. Instead, the 32-year-old has signed a contract with SC Bern of the Swiss National League for the remainder of the season. Goloubef undoubtedly had his sights set on a return to Ottawa, having played in 29 games with the club over the last three seasons, but for whatever reason that did not come to fruition. An alternate captain for Belleville last season, Goloubef clearly still has strong ties to the Senators organization but it is unknown if he was offered a contract with the AHL Sens and opted to go to Switzerland instead. Bern gains a two-way defender with 160 NHL games to his credit as they fight to earn a playoff berth.
  • The nearer to the trade deadline, the more rumors begin to emerge and, of course, not all rumors are grounded in truth. Two such whispers that were put to rest this weekend revolved around Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub and Chicago Blackhawks forward Brandon Hagel. While both the Sens and the Hawks are struggling again this season expect to be sellers at the deadline, they aren’t eager to move cost-controlled assets that are actually contributing on a regular basis. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports rather definitively that Zub will not be moved this season, which makes perfect sense. The 26-year-old is signed through next season at $2.5MM and while he will be an unrestricted free agent at that time, possibly making him a deadline target next season, the Senators don’t want to move on too quickly from a blue liner playing top pair minutes while also leading the team in plus/minus. In Chicago, the Blackhawks have even less reason to trade young winger Hagel, signed on for just $1.5MM AAV for two more years and still a restricted free agent after that. The 23-year-old is fourth on the team in scoring and second in goals, shooting percentage, and Corsi. While Chicago is understandably receiving interest in Hagel, The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reports that they have zero interest in moving him.

Snapshots: Senators, Hagel, Boeser

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The Ottawa Senators don’t want to be sellers anymore. General manager Pierre Dorion spoke with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, explaining that he hopes this is the last deadline for his club to move pieces out, instead of bringing them in. Nick Paul is the player who sticks out as a featured trade candidate, given his expiring, inexpensive contract, though there are certainly others.

Chris Tierney, Zach Sanford, Tyler Ennis, and others are also on expiring deals and headed for UFA status, though Dorion doesn’t even know exactly how much they’ll sell at all.

  • Among the top few names on Daily Faceoff’s trade targets board is one that wouldn’t normally be expected; Chicago Blackhawks’ Brandon Hagel is listed fourth, with Frank Seravalli noting that the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, and Calgary Flames have all looked into the young forward. With two more years on his contract at a very inexpensive $1.5MM cap hit, Hagel’s price tag would likely be extremely high.
  • The pair of Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman discussed several Vancouver Canucks forwards on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast for Sportsnet, including pending restricted free agent Brock Boeser. Marek suggests once again that the New Jersey Devils would be a good fit for the sniper, given the big qualifying offer he’s owed after this season.

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