Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Craig Smith

Atlantic Notes: Bruins, Mittelstadt, Watson

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Bruins forward Curtis Lazar was back in the lineup tonight against Florida but he very nearly wasn’t.  He told reporters, including Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald, that he was very close to having surgery to repair his injured elbow which would have taken him out for the majority of the remainder of the regular season.  Instead, simply resting it has worked well enough – for now at least – to allow the 26-year-old to return after just missing four games.  Lazar’s timing to return is certainly good with veteran Craig Smith not accompanying the team on their two-game road trip.  Anton Blidh was transferred to IR to make room for Lazar’s activation.

More from the Atlantic:

  • The Sabres are hoping that center Casey Mittelstadt will be able to return to the lineup after their road trip, reports Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News (Twitter link). The 22-year-old suffered an upper-body injury in their season-opening win over Montreal and has been out ever since.  Buffalo will kick off a four-game West Coast road trip on Thursday so Mittelstadt won’t be able to return until November 6th against Detroit.
  • Senators winger Austin Watson could return to Ottawa’s lineup for their game on Friday, suggests Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. The 29-year-old suffered an ankle injury in the final game of the postseason and hasn’t played since but did participate in practice today.  The Sens have an open roster spot even with the recent addition of Dylan Gambrell so no move will need to be made to activate Watson off injured reserve.

Coyle, Forbort Expected To Step Into Top Roles For Bruins

at CDT | by 12 Comments

With the unexpected departure of David Krejci, the unknown status of injured Tuukka Rask, and a shockingly busy first day of free agency that included adding a number of top names, there are plenty of questions surrounding the Boston Bruins and how they may look next season. With so many possible lineup combinations and the team having yet to even practice together once, it would be understandable to leave fans wondering how the team may be structured in 2021-22. However, head coach Bruce Cassidy is not afraid to hint at his plans. Speaking with beat writer Eric Russo, Cassidy was open about who he sees stepping into some of the most important vacancies in the Bruins lineup.

First and foremost on the minds of most is who will step into Krejci’s role as second line center, especially after Taylor Hall was re-signed following stellar production with Krejci and Craig Smith. Well, despite some speculation to the contrary, Occam’s Razor prevails. Third line center Charlie Coyle will indeed get the first shot at centering the second line, as Cassidy called him the “obvious choice”. Coyle may be coming off of the worst offensive season of his career, but the two-way forward will be healthy this season following off-season knee surgeries and will look to return to form, which is a player whose career full-season scoring pace is 40 points. Cassidy notes that with Hall and Smith having experience playing together and Coyle and Smith also having played together, the familiarity that the three would share makes it an easy initial choice as the team’s second line. However, Cassidy does note that free agent additions Erik Haula and Tomas Nosek both play their best at center as well and could be next in line if Coyle is not a fit.

On defense, while some were content with the Bruins’ most frequent top pair of Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy, not everyone was convinced. Count Cassidy among that group. The head coach opined that the role may have been asking too much of Grzelcyk. He believes that free agent addition Derek Forbort, who plays a much more defensive and physical style, could in fact be the better match with McAvoy. Cassidy stated that between competing for that role and likely playing alongside Brandon Carlo on the top penalty kill unit, Forbort will be expected to play “big minutes”. Of course, Forbort will have to prove himself worthy, as Grzelcyk has the advantage of being the incumbent. Cassidy noted that Mike Reilly will likely continue to play with Carlo, but that too could change if Grzelcyk is bumped from the top pair.

Elsewhere on the roster, Cassidy firmly stated his support for Connor Clifton as getting the first shot as the regular third pair right-handed defenseman in the wake of Kevan Miller’s retirement. However, he also noted that youngsters Jakub Zboril and Urho Vaakanainen as well as recovering veteran John Moore all have experience playing their off side and will compete for opportunity. In the bottom-six, Cassidy offered a vote of confidence for Jake DeBrusk retaining his starting job as third line left wing, while also advocating for top prospect Jack Studnicka to get a look for a roster spot. With the versatility of additions Haula, Nosek, and Nick Foligno, there are plenty of potential combinations on that third line and there is a high likelihood of a more offensive fourth line in Boston than in years with the overflow of the third line position battle matched with the likes of Curtis Lazar and Trent Frederic. In goal, Cassidy did not just announce free agent splurge Linus Ullmark as the new starter; in fact quite the contrary. Cassidy expects Ullmark and breakout rookie Jeremy Swayman “to compete for the majority of the starts.” While Ullmark was compensated like a starter by the Bruins in both salary and term, Cassidy notes that Swayman will be given a fair chance to “come in and potentially be the No. 1.”

How it all plays out in Boston remains to be seen, but Cassidy did not hold anything back about his thought and plans for the current roster. That should give fans of the Bruins and their Atlantic Division rivals something more concrete to consider as the days tick down to the start of the regular season.

Boston’s Taylor Hall: “I Want To Play Here, Not Just For One Or Two More Years”

at CDT | by 5 Comments

The Taylor Hall trade has worked out splendidly so far for the Boston Bruins. The East Division finalists gave up the below market price of a (late) second-round pick and ill-fitting young forward Anders Bjork to land the 2018 Hart Trophy winner, at 50% retention, and Curtis Lazar, with an additional year on his contract, from the division rival Buffalo Sabres. Lazar as a throw-in has been excellent in his own right as the anchor of the fourth line, but Hall has come back to life in Boston and has made a major impact on the club. Since he was acquired on April 12, the Bruins have lost just three games in regulation out of the 21 in which Hall has played, including the playoffs, and have just one loss by more than one goal. In 16 regular season games, Hall quadrupled his goal total and nearly matched his total points from 37 games with Buffalo, tallying 8 goals and 14 points. He then added two goals and an assist in the Bruins’ five-game upset of the Washington Capitals in round one. Entering their second round series against the New York Islanders, the Bruins have been in every single game since Hall arrived and are 3-0 against the Isles in that span.

Unsurprisingly, both sides are very happy about the current arrangement and have interest in an extension. The Bruins actually courted Hall this past off-season, but could not find a way to afford the winger. Even with his return to form in Boston, Hall will likely have a much lower market value as compared to the $8MM price tag paid by the Sabres for a one-year deal. Hall admitted as much to ESPN, stating “I don’t even know what my worth is right now, honestly.” That alone is an exciting sound byte for the Bruins, who would like to bring Hall back at a more manageable cost, especially with his center, David Krejci, also in need of a new deal. However, that wasn’t even the most notable part of Hall’s interview:

I do want to play here, not just for one or two more years, hopefully longer than that… I was eager to join a playoff team, I was eager to join somewhere that had good culture, and where winning was sustainable. Because I was looking for somewhere I could re-sign, not just the 20 games to end the season… I’ve been surprised at how much better it’s been than I even thought it was…It showed me how fun hockey can be… So hopefully it all works out.

After a career spent almost exclusively on poor clubs, the soon-to-be 30-year-old Hall is clearly enamored with the idea of remaining in Boston long-term, playing on a deep, talented roster and competing for a Stanley Cup for years to come. He seems intent on spending a substantial portion of his remaining playing career with his current club, and may even be willing to take a discount to do so. With top-six forwards Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, and Craig Smith all signed for years to come at below-market value, the likes of  Krejci, Tuukka Rask, and Patrice Bergeron all considered likely to re-sign when their current deals expire, and young pieces like Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Jeremy Swayman in place, Boston isn’t going anywhere – especially if Hall signs long-term and maintains this production. Bruins President Cam Neely sees this potential as well, as he too expressed to ESPN that the team hopes to get a new deal done with Hall.

For now, the focus remains on the postseason; negotiations can wait. “I’m not worried about my contract right now, it’s something we’ll figure out in the summer,” Hall said. “I have much bigger things to worry about as a player, as a teammate.” If the Bruins continue to play as they have since the star forward was acquired, it’s fair to wonder how long this run could last and who could stand in the way on their path to a Stanley Cup. The Capitals were no match, the Islanders are up next.

 

Ondrej Kase Returns To Practice, Could Play For Boston This Week

at CDT | by 2 Comments

For the first time in 110 days, the Boston Bruins had winger Ondrej Kase back at practice on Friday. Kase suffered a concussion in just the second game of the season back on January 18, at least the fourth of his pro career, and had been unable to return to team activities ever since. There have been various reports for months about Kase skating, both independently and with the team, but he had never formally returned to practice. That changed yesterday, as the team reported that Kase was a full participant and taking line rushes. Head coach Bruce Cassidy addressed the excitement over Kase’s return by noting that Kase would not play on Saturday, but could return to the lineup in one or both of the Bruins final games on Monday and Tuesday – if he was feeling up to it.

Of course, expectations should be tempered for Kase’s return to game action after so much missed time. On talent alone, Kase likely has a spot in the lineup, even in the Bruins deep forward corps, but it will take him some time to get back up to speed. The former Anaheim Ducks standout was acquired last year in a deal that saw a first-round pick and promising prospect defenseman Axel Andersson head to Anaheim, so expectations have always been high for the 25-year-old forward. However, after missing eight games down the stretch and two in the playoffs last year due to injury (unrelated to concussions) and most of this season, Boston has still not seen much of Kase and may not rush him into the lineup. Playing in the final regular seasons games is a good start, but may not guarantee him a spot to begin the playoffs.

With that said, Kase did record four points in the postseason last year while showing chemistry with center David Krejci and playing top-six minutes for the Bruins through the team’s playoff run. While a spot next to Krejci may not be available right now, given the recent success that the veteran has had with Taylor Hall and Craig Smith, Kase could provide a spark to a third line that has not had as much luck. Kase split reps in practice on Friday at third-line right wing, skating with Sean Kuraly, Nick Ritchie, and Jake DeBrusk. Charlie Coyle will also be back in the third line mix when he returns from his own injury. With all but Coyle having spent time on the fourth line at times this season, Kase could prove himself worthy of a third line role thus knocking one of the others down the lineup. While injuries have prevented Kase from playing more than 66 games in any of his five NHL seasons, his 82-game pace during his time in Anaheim projected 20+ goals and 40 points while his posession stats have been consistently strong, numbers the Bruins can’t ignore for long if Kase is at full strength.

The Bruins face a series of difficult decisions this off-season regarding Kase and will certainly appreciate some added action this season with which to make their determination. A restricted free agent, Kase is owed a $2.6MM qualifying offer in order for Boston to retain his rights. While the club does not have the same serious salary cap issues as many other contenders, that is a sizeable amount of space to commit to a player that still remains such a mystery. If the Bruins do decide to qualify Kase, which is probably more likely than not, the next question will be how negotiations go from there. Does Kase accept his QO as a “show me” deal in 2021-22? Do the two sides discuss a multi-year extension, perhaps even at a lower AAV? Or does Kase instead file for salary arbitration and try go get more money based on his potential? The Bruins must also decide if Kase’s upside is worth protecting from the Seattle Kraken in the upcoming NHL Expansion Draft or if they can take the risk of the league’s newest team not selecting a player with an extensive injury history. There are more questions than answers when it comes to Kase, but both sides hope that his return to practice and possibly game action could lead to some playoff impact that helps to clarify the situation and lead to an extension in their relationship.

 

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/24/21

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today so far:

Anaheim – Danton Heinen, Ben Hutton, Jacob Larsson, Anthony Stolarz
Boston – Jake DeBrusk, Sean Kuraly
Calgary – TBA
Minnesota – Zach Parise*
Montreal – Joel Armia, Jesperi Kotkaniemi
NY Rangers – Phil Di Giuseppe, Brett Howden (plus their coaching staff)
Ottawa – TBA
Vancouver – Travis Boyd
Winnipeg – TBA

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: David Krejci, Boston Bruins; David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins; Craig Smith, Boston Bruins; Noah Dobson, New York Islanders

Minnesota had actually announced Andrew Hammond entered the protocol yesterday, but his name did not appear on the report. Now only Parise is present, with the team recalling Joseph Cramarossa under emergency conditions for tonight’s game. It’s unclear what has happened to Hammond, but perhaps the team is not including him on the list while he remains on the taxi squad.

The Bruins will practice this evening after three names came off the list, the same day that the NHL had hoped they would return to normal when things were first shut down. Still, DeBrusk and Kuraly remain in the protocol for now and will be unavailable until they exit.

It’s great news that it remains just two names for the Canadiens, who had four games postponed out of an abundance of caution. Hopefully, things will stay contained for the team and they can get back to normal next week.

After briefly appearing when the list was released, Dobson has also been removed. The Islanders defenseman will not be traveling with the team for their next three games but is eligible to return whenever ready to play.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/23/21

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today so far:

Anaheim – Danton Heinen*, Ben Hutton*, Jacob Larsson*, Anthony Stolarz*
Boston – Jake DeBrusk, David Krejci, Sean Kuraly, David Pastrnak, Craig Smith
Montreal – Joel Armia, Jesperi Kotkaniemi
NY Islanders – Noah Dobson
NY Rangers – Phil Di Giuseppe, Brett Howden (plus their coaching staff)
Vancouver – Travis Boyd*

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: None

It’s a bad day for the Ducks, who have added four players to the protocol after canceling morning skate today. The team is still currently scheduled to play tomorrow against the Minnesota Wild, but that is obviously up in the air at this point. Interestingly, the Wild announced earlier today that Andrew Hammond had entered the protocol, though he does not actually appear here. Perhaps he will be added later. Three of the four Ducks players dressed against the Wild last night.

In Boyd’s case, it is almost certainly travel-related after he was claimed by the Canucks from the Maple Leafs. He is expected to be ready to play for the March 31 game after the Canucks upcoming break though no details have been officially announced.

After Montreal’s game was postponed last night, the league took three more games are off the schedule as they try to contain the spread of the virus. While their list was delayed, TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie was among those to report that Armia and Kotkaniemi were Montreal’s only players on the list.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/22/21

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today

Boston – Jake DeBrusk, David Krejci, Sean Kuraly, David Pastrnak, Craig Smith
Montreal – Joel Armia*, Jesperi Kotkaniemi*
NY Islanders – Noah Dobson
NY Rangers – Phil Di Giuseppe, Brett Howden* (plus their coaching staff)

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Zach Sanford, St. Louis Blues

Sanford’s appearance was confirmed as a false positive, and the Blues forward admitted he already had the virus in December so was surprised when he ended up in the protocol. Now removed, he’s expected back in the lineup for St. Louis.

Armia’s appearance is an ominous one as the North Division works to stay postponement-free this season. There have been very few names from the Canadian division even enter the protocol, even fewer stay for very long. Hopefully, Armia’s name will be removed in the coming days, but he will not be available for Montreal tonight. After an update, Kotkaniemi also appeared on the list for the Canadiens, meaning Montreal will need to dip into their taxi squad for tonight’s game.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/21/21

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the complete, updated list for today:

Boston – Sean Kuraly, Jake DeBrusk, David Krejci, David Pastrnak, Craig Smith
NY Islanders – Noah Dobson
NY Rangers – Phil Di Giuseppe (plus their coaching staff)
St. Louis – Zach Sanford

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Alexandre Texier, Columbus

It’s certainly encouraging that there were no new additions to the list from Boston given their recent outbreak or from anywhere else in the league.  Things went in the right direction today with Texier being activated and immediately sent to the taxi squad, a move that may be more procedural than anything else since the youngster only missed two games while being in the protocols.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/20/21

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the complete, updated list for today:

Boston – Sean Kuraly, Jake DeBrusk, David Krejci, David Pastrnak, Craig Smith
Columbus – Alexandre Texier
NY Islanders – Noah Dobson
NY Rangers – Phil Di Giuseppe (plus coaching staff)
St. Louis – Zach Sanford*

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: None

The outbreak in Boston remains a concern, but no additional Bruins and no Buffalo Sabres being added to the list today is encouraging. The hopes is that Boston, who will remain quarantined until Wednesday, will then be able to move forward and the NHL can get back to trending toward an empty CPRA list.

They did move in the wrong direction today, though. Sanford’s addition in St. Louis adds a ninth player and fifth team to the list. However, if this is another case of a false positive then Sanford’s stay could be short. In the meantime, Sanford will miss the Blues’ Saturday night match-up.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 03/19/21

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list so far:

Boston – Sean Kuraly, Jake Debrusk*, David Pastrnak*, David Krejci*, Craig Smith*
Columbus – Alexandre Texier
NY Islanders – Noah Dobson
NY Rangers – Phil Di Giuseppe (plus the coaching staff)

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: None

The news in Boston led to two games being postponed, even though the team played last night against Buffalo. In the release, however, the NHL was optimistic the team would be able to open up their facilities next Wednesday. If these players are not back by then it would be a very difficult test for the Bruins, given how important the group is.

This is the second event that includes the Sabres and has terrible optics for the league, given that all four of the Bruins added today played last night against Buffalo, despite Kuraly being added earlier in the day. It’s key to remember that it doesn’t necessarily mean they have tested positive though and the league has more detailed medical information than it shares with the public.

After being made a late addition to the list, Vegas’ William Karlsson was removed from the list just hours later with a confirmed false positive test.

*denotes new addition

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top