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Derick Brassard

Morning Notes: Trade Market, Brassard, Avalanche, Canadiens

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With expansion no longer something that general managers need to be planning around this season, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic told TSN 690 (audio link) that there should be more trade activity in 2017-18 than there was last year:

“I was talking to a GM today and we were saying this might be more active a trade year than last season because the Vegas expansion process kind of suffocated the trade market last year (during the season, that is).  Obviously, we had fireworks in the offseason.  But before the trade deadline, not quite as crazy a year.  And now teams don’t have to worry about that.  It’s something they don’t have to sweat.  I think it’ll liberate some teams.”

Of course, the trade market is rarely robust at this time of the year as most teams will want to wait at least a month or so to assess what they have and what they need before looking to make deals although there is likely to be a trade or two in the coming days as teams look to finalize their rosters before Tuesday’s opening roster deadline.  In the same interview, LeBrun suggests Montreal and San Jose as teams to watch for as they both lost a significant player in the summer and have plenty of cap space to work with while St. Louis may be doing something soon with their slew of injuries.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Senators center Derick Brassard has been cleared for contact by team doctors, notes Postmedia’s Ken Warren.  He underwent shoulder surgery back in June and was expected to be out four-to-five months and it appears that he will be back in the lineup at the four-month mark when Ottawa takes on Washington in the regular season opener on Thursday night.
  • The Avalanche have called a press conference for Monday where it’s expected that they will officially announce a new AHL affiliation with the Colorado Eagles, reports BSN Denver’s Adrian Dater.  The affiliation would come into effect starting in the 2018-19 season so the Avs would maintain their current affiliation with AHL San Antonio for the upcoming season while the Eagles will remain as an ECHL franchise for 2017-18.
  • Following their game on Friday, the Canadiens announced (Twitter link) that winger Nikita Scherbak and goaltenders Zach Fucale and Michael McNiven were all re-assigned to Laval (AHL). All three players had previously been cut during training camp but were called up for insurance purposes.

Atlantic Notes: Pastrnak, Karlsson, Brassard, Athanasiou

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While the Bruins and unsigned winger David Pastrnak remain far apart on money, Pastrnak’s agent J.P. Barry told Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald that they are both in agreement on discussing a maximum eight-year term.  Prior reports have suggested that the team is offering around $6MM per year while Pastrnak’s camp is looking for something closer to the $8.5MM that Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl signed for earlier this offseason so there is still quite a gap to bridge financially.  TSN’s Pierre LeBrun adds (Twitter link) that there were lengthy discussions between the two sides today.

More from the Atlantic:

  • There remains no timeline for Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson to resume skating as he continues his recovery from foot surgery back in June, reports Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press. At the time of the procedure, the expected recovery time was four months.  As a result, his availability for the season opener a month from now against Washington is now in question.
  • Another Senators player recovering from offseason surgery is center Derick Brassard, who told Postmedia’s Ken Warren that he feels that his recovery is ahead of schedule. The 29-year-old went under the knife to repair a torn labrum on June 6th with an expected recovery time of four-to-five months.  He doesn’t expect team doctors to clear him for contact until at least the four-month mark which makes it unlikely that he’ll play in the opener on October 5th.
  • There’s “nothing new” on contract talks between the Red Wings and RFA winger Andreas Athanasiou, GM Ken Holland told Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. Meanwhile, Athanasiou’s agent Darren Ferris told reporters that the KHL has “moved to more of a probability at this time”.  James notes that AK Bars Kazan in the KHL has a one-year offer worth between $2.5MM-$3MM while the Red Wings are coming in at two years at around $1.9MM.  It wouldn’t be surprising if Detroit’s PTO deal for P.A. Parenteau from earlier today came about with the uncertainty surrounding Athanasiou’s situation.

Rangers, Zibanejad Exchange Arbitration Numbers

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With the arbitration hearing for New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad coming up this Tuesday, July 25th, the two sides have exchanged salary figures. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Zibanejad’s side is asking for $5.35MM, while the team is offering $4.1MM.

While there’s been no word thus far on the term either side is requesting, it is reasonable to assume that Zibanejad would like just a one-year award if the negotiations go all the way through the arbitration process. The first year in New York did not go as planned for the 24-year-old pivot, as injury limited him to just 56 games. While the swift Swede was still able to put up 37 points, he snapped his 20-goal season streak and was unable to show off much of his physical game, playing a much more careful style. Nevertheless, Zibanejad still displayed his scoring ability, with a career-high 0.66 points per game and an 11.8% shooting percentage, as well as his two-way ability with a +9 rating and career-best 52% face-off winning percentage. He also skated in 12 playoff games and looked impressive, registering nine points and a +4 rating in nearly 18 minutes of ice time per game.

The Rangers may have expected more from Zibanejad in year one, but when he was healthy he was everything they could ask for. The last thing that New York wants is a short-term deal that exposes Zibanejad to unrestricted free agency anytime soon. Having traded Derick Brassard to acquire Zibanejad just around this time last year, they want to make that deal count. Expect the Rangers to do what they can to lessen the annual average value of the deal based on injury concerns in 2016-17, but in the end do what it takes to secure a long-term deal. New York will likely be the side to budge, despite a strange first season together, and this contract will likely end up as a five or six year pact (or longer) worth somewhere around $4.75MM+ per year, similar to the deal Brassard himself signed with the Rangers back in 2014.

Eastern Notes: Sexton, Brassard, Mason

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Now that the NHL draft is over, Pittsburgh will be losing another executive as TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that Randy Sexton, the Penguins director of amateur scouting, will be heading to Buffalo to join new general manager Jason Botterill and will take the Sabres’ assistant general manager position. Sexton will also take over as the general manager of their AHL team, the Rochester Americans.

Many believe that Sexton has been on Botterill’s list since he took over as general manager of the Buffalo Sabres back in May. Sexton has had a hand in drafting a number of key players to Pittsburgh’s recent two-time Stanley Cup champion team including Matt Murray, Bryan Rust, Olli Maatta and Jake Guentzel. The Sabres have made a total overhaul of their front office since the season ended with another disappointing season as the team hired Botterill to make organizational changes. The team has not reached the playoffs since the 2010-11 season.

  • Ottawa Senators Derick Brassard is progressing nicely after offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum to his right shoulder and should be ready at the beginning of the season, according to the Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch. The scribe says that head coach Guy Boucher says if Brassard is not ready to go in October, the team will find a replacement from within, rather than going out and signing an extra center. Despite playing in 81 games, the 29-year-old center had a down year despite the team’s success, scoring just 14 goals and 25 assists, his lowest numbers since the 2012-13 season.
  • While most teams have solved their goaltending issues already before the offseason has officially gotten underway, Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said the team is considering re-signing Steve Mason to share the net with the team’s only netminder in Michal Neuvirth. According to CSN Philly’s Tim Panaccio, Hextall claims he’s in no hurry, nor is worried since most teams have already found their goalies for the year. That leaves him with numerous options, but was quick to point out that Mason, “is still in the mix.” Mason, who just finished his fifth season with the Flyers, is an unrestricted free agent, but after a season in which he finished with a 2.66 GAA in 58 games, the 29-year-old may not have many options left to find a starting job in the NHL.

Derick Brassard, Brandon Dubinsky Require Surgery

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Tuesday June 6th: Brassard underwent successful labrum surgery and started in on his four to five month recovery time. While GM Pierre Dorion announced that the Senators “remain hopeful that [Brassard] will be ready for the start of the 2017-18 regular season” it’s now almost exactly four months to opening night, meaning Brassard will at least miss all of training camp.

Tuesday May 30th: Two more forwards have been revealed to have serious injuries, as both Derick Brassard of the Senators and Brandon Dubinsky of the Blue Jackets will be out several months. According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, Brassard will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum and faces a four to five month recovery, while Dubinsky has already had wrist surgery and will be out for three months. Derick Brassard

Obviously the news is worse for Brassard, whose timeline will likely cause him to miss at least all of training camp if not the start of the 2017-18 regular season. After being traded from the New York Rangers last summer, Brassard’s offensive production took a step back under notoriously defensive-minded head coach Guy Boucher. With only 39 points in 81 games, Brassard nevertheless put up an excellent possession season as the Senators #2 center.

In the playoffs, Brassard stepped up his game and scored 11 points in 19 games, tied for second on the team among forwards. He currently has just two seasons remaining on his current deal before hitting unrestricted free agency, making any loss of time next season even more painful for the Senators.

For Dubinsky, it will mean a summer nursing his wrist back to full health and trying to get ready in time for training camp. The 31-year old forward had another solid season with 41 points, and once again led the team with 248 hits. His physical style is exactly what the Blue Jackets have modeled their structure after, trying to beat up opponents with four lines of heavy bodies chasing pucks in the offensive zone. He was also the Blue Jackets’ best faceoff man, winning 51.7% of his draws this season. It will be interesting to see how he reacts in the circle next season, as wrist injuries often affect a center’s faceoff ability.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Atlantic Division Snapshots: Pastrnak, Brassard, Red Wings

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Despite a first round elimination at the hands of the Ottawa Senators, the 2016-17 campaign has to be considered a success for the Boston Bruins organization. The team returned to the postseason after back-to-back non-playoff seasons and showed tremendous resilience during their six-game series loss, nearly overcoming injuries to key regulars Brandon Carlo, David Krejci, Torey Krug and Adam McQuaid to push Ottawa to OT in game six. Perhaps the silver lining to the season was the development of young Czech winger David Pastnak, who in his third year saw a marked increase across the board in terms of offensive production, setting career-highs in goals (34) assists (36) and points (70). Pastrnak stuggled some in the postseason, finishing with just five shots on goal and regularly turning the puck over, but as Joe Haggerty of CSNNE writes, the 20-year-old will be a better player long term in part because of the playoff experience.

Pastrnak also wrapped up his ELC, making him a RFA this summer. Boston will have a decision to make; do they try to lock up the talented offensive right wing to a long term deal or employ a short term bridge contract to keep the AAV down? Should the team choose the latter, Haggerty speculates a deal similar to that given by Chicago to Artemi Panarin (two years, $12MM) could work for both sides. If Boston chooses the former, they might have to approach the value of the accord signed by Calgary winger Johnny Gaudreau last summer, in Haggerty’s estimation. According to Cap Friendly, the Bruins are projected to have around just $10MM in cap space available with Drew Stafford set to hit unrestricted free agency and Ryan Spooner joining Pastrnak as a RFA. The team should have room as it stands to accommodate a new Pastrnak contract regardless of whether it’s a lucrative long term pact or a shorter term bridge deal. Still, what Boston does will likely have a great impact on what other moves the team can make this summer to fill holes on the roster.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • One of the second round’s more interesting subplots involves Ottawa center Derick Brassard facing his old team, the New York Rangers, and the player for whom he was acquired just last July, fellow pivot Mika Zibanejad. Expecting to contend for the playoffs in 2016-17, Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion wanted to add the more experienced and established Brassard to his lineup. It also didn’t hurt that the skilled center from Hull, Quebec is a proven playoff performer known in some circles as “Big Game Brass.” For their part, the Rangers needed to get bigger and younger and did so by adding the talented Zibanejad to the team. Neither player had the regular season they hoped – Brassard finished with just 14 goals and 39 points while Zibanejad missed time with a broken leg and scored 37 points in 56 contests. With scoring expected to be at a premium in the series between Ottawa and New York, it was widely felt whoever performed better between the two would give their team a significant edge. Well, after one game, Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun has the two players even, though the Senators are up in the series. As Brennan noted, neither player registered a point and both finished with roughly 17 minutes of ice time. Brassard was credited with five shots on goal, Zibanejad with four. While it would be unfair to paint the winner of the series as also the winner of last summer’s trade, it’s evident the two players will be heavily relied upon to help their respective team advance to the Eastern Conference Final and at this point in the season that’s really all that matters.
  • With their 25-season playoff streak broken, the Detroit Red Wings enter the offseason with a lot of work to do to reshape their roster into a contender, and without the resources (i.e. cap space) to easily tackle the challenge. In all probability, the team will be forced seek roster improvement via the trade market and with limited chips the team can afford to move, it’s likely Detroit will have to deal one of their starting-caliber goalies, if for no other reason than to open up much-needed cap space. Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press expressed the same belief in a recent mailbag feature. As the scribe notes, the Wings are currently projected to have less than $6MM in cap space with key forwards Andreas Athanasiou and Tomas Tatar scheduled to be RFA’s. The offseason goalie market is expected to be full of starting options, with Pittsburgh likely to entertain a trade of Marc-Andre Fleury rather than risk losing Matt Murray in the expansion draft. Ben Bishop, Brian Elliott, Jonathan Bernier and Ryan Miller headline the UFA crop of netminders and could represent viable starting options for any team looking for a #1. Those factors will hamstring the Red Wings in their attempt to move either Jimmy Howard or Petr Mrazek in return for fair value. In all likelihood, the team will have to be satisfied primarily with cap relief as opposed to acquiring young assets to further their retooling effort. Although St. James does offer up one intriguing possibility, noting that current Stars GM Jim Nill, formerly an assistant GM in Detroit, knows Mrazek and Howard well from his time with the Wings and could pursue one in an effort to upgrade his options between the pipes.

Ottawa’s Expansion Conundrum

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The Ottawa Senators are in for a tough decision come the completion of their playoff run, whenever that might be. Ottawa has a team which is built upon depth and scoring by committee, but each NHL team can only protect 7 forwards, 3 defensemen, and 1 goaltender – or alternatively, 8 total skaters and 1 goaltender in the upcoming expansion draft. The Senators are in a situation where they will likely prefer to lose a veteran with a large contract. This seems doubly true because the organization is believed to have an internal cap for financial reasons, and will need to clear space in order to hand out hefty raises to Mark Stone and Kyle Turris following the 2017-18 campaign.

Obviously, Erik Karlsson, Stone, Turris, and Mike Hoffman will be protected. Karlsson is a perennial Norris favorite, captain of the team, and one of the best offensive defensemen the game has seen in decades. Stone and Hoffman are the driving forces behind offensive production, and are both on the young end of their primes. Turris has finally, fully come into his own as a number one center, posting  a 27 goal, 55 point season. Considering the price to acquire him (Mika Zibanejad) and the relative value of centers to this team which isn’t too formidable up the middle, Derick Brassard also seems a certainty to stay. Craig Anderson is the obvious pick in net. He’s been an absolute rock that the team has depended on the past few seasons, and this year was simply extraordinary. Cody Ceci is also a rather safe bet, consider minutes logged, age, and his role on the back-end. Marc Methot should seemingly be a core piece to the defense as well, but as we will soon see, his situation is far more complicated. So, in terms of definitely protected players:

Forward:    Hoffman, Stone, Turris, Brassard

Defense:    Karlsson, Ceci

Goalie:    Anderson

That leaves 3 forwards and 1 defensemen, or, alternatively, 2 total skaters to protect. It seems somewhat unlikely (although not impossible) that they will opt for the latter option. If we look at the potential list of who can be protected, there are no easy answers. Up front, Alexandre Burrows seems to have been a solid fit, as he has played well since being promoted to Turris’ right wing on the top line, and his cap hit drops to a measly $2.5 MM going forward. Zack Smith has been a more-than-capable third-line center, and is signed to a cap-friendly deal for four years after this. Bobby Ryan is incredibly overpaid ($7.25 MM) considering his performance this past year (25 points), but has expressed his profound disappointment in his own season to the relative acceptance of the fanbase. It doesn’t hurt his cause that he has been Ottawa’s best skater this post-season by far, leading the team with 7 points through 6 games. Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Ryan Dzingel could also receive consideration for a protected forward spot, but only one is likely to remain unguarded.

In terms of defense, Dion Phaneuf has a bloated contract which would be especially helpful to be rid of. Phaneuf is getting an absurd $7 MM per year , but he is on the “must-protect” list due to his modified no-trade, no-movement clause. The team could ask him to waive, but considering his solid play of late, this is more difficult to conceive. There is also no guarantee that Vegas would be interested in the player. The up-and-coming Fredrik Claesson is exempt from the expansion draft and needs no protection. Therefore, it seems likely that Methot ($4.9 MM) will be the odd man out, as he would likely be exposed in the 7-3 option. This would be a difficult pill for Ottawa fans to swallow, as Methot has arguably been their best shutdown player and he logs a ton of tough minutes.

For a team that has worked so hard to shore up its back-end and add depth up front, there are no easy solutions for GM Pierre Dorion. If you lose Methot, you lose your best defensive defenseman – if you expose a resurgent Ryan, you surrender a creative offensive weapon. Either way, Vegas is likely going to pick one of its integral players from Canada’s capital city.

RFAs Looking For Playoff Payouts

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Every post-season, players look to make their mark. Relative unknowns break onto the scene, rookies steal the show, and goaltenders go from backup to fan-embraced starter. Contracts are always in the back of management’s thinking, however, and a strong post-season showing for a player can cost a team in dollars. Here are some restricted free agents who could stand to earn a more lucrative deal depending on how far their teams go and how bright they shine individually.

 

Ryan Johansen – NSH

Johansen will look to get a slight raise from his current $4.0 MM cap hit. A large determinant for whether he will see a take-home pay ($6.0 MM) decrease or not will be his performance in these playoffs. Johansen’s past two seasons have been fruitful in terms of points, 60 in 15-16 and 61 in 16-17, but not quite the numbers of the marquee offensive star Nashville fans were hoping for. This is a player who scored 33 goals in the 13-14 season, and was projected to consistently flirt with 80 points. Johansen’s imposing frame and play-style is a challenge for opposing centers, and he has undeniably improved his defensive prowess. Johansen only potted 14 goals this year, but it is fair to say his game has become more well-rounded. His Corsi For % took a massive hop from last season, taking a solid 52.3% to a remarkable 55.9% this past outing. Considering his quality of competition and his ability to provide solid two-way play, Johansen will be looking to prove his worth this post-season with a deep post-season run with the Predators.

Evgeny Kuznetsov – WAS

Washington’s Kuznetsov should definitely be considered part of the team’s core. At 24 years old, the center has already tallied a 77 point season and had a 5-goal playoff run. His inconsistency in terms of production could hinder his payday, however, as he struggled to regain his footing in what was essentially his third full season. He returned to form on the backend of the season, totaling a respectable if unremarkable 59 points. The flashy forward already has 3 points through 5 games against Toronto,  and a strong playoff showing can only help his position. With Nicklas Backstrom taking first-line duties and the red-hot Justin Williams on his wing, Kuznetsov could easily find himself in the spotlight again. Whether his next contract is a bridge deal at a lower cost or a long-term lock-down, Kuznetsov is certain to see a raise from his measly $3 MM.

Leon Draisaitl – EDM

Anyone who has watched Edmonton this season in hopes of catching a glimpse of Connor McDavid has undoubtedly been shocked and/or awed by the dominance of his 21 year-old linemate Draisaitl. Draisaitl’s vision with the puck and dogged determination make him a beautiful sight to behold. He accumulated an absurd 77 points this season, 29 goals and 48 assists, in what was only his second full season. The forward is already flirting with a point per game, and has shown remarkable chemistry with the generational talent McDavid. His flexibility in being able to shift from center to wing only makes him that much more valuable to the franchise. The Oilers will obviously pay whatever price is needed to lock up Draisaitl long-term, but the deeper the team goes, the better his bargaining position. He’s obviously going to get a fair deal more than his current $3.4 MM, likely upwards of $6 MM.

Conor Sheary – PIT

Conor Sheary had an incredible breakout season that practically no one, even Penguins fans, expected. On Sidney Crosby’s wing, the short-statured winger made himself absolutely invaluable. The chemistry the two showed together hadn’t really been seen since the likes of Hossa in Pittsburgh’s Finals run of 2007-08. Sheary is in a bit of a bind, however, as Jake Guentzel has shown equal or even greater chemistry with the league’s marquee center since being placed on the top line. Sheary struggled to find his groove in the first round series, even being demoted to the third line in favor of Patric Hornqvist. Sheary is a good bet to string together solid showings in the next round, but if he does not, perhaps it impacts his case for a long-term contract. Regardless, Sheary will look to eat up a large portion of the money allocated this offseason in Pittsburgh, as his current $0.925 MM cap hit is one of the best bargains in the league. His 53 points in 61 games placed him at 23rd in the league in points per game, ahead of the likes of Phil Kessel and John Tavares.

Mika Zibanejad – NYR

The Rangers organization loves this player, and it is easy to see why. His point totals had steadily increased the past three seasons, and he was looking to do so again if he did not miss so many games to injury. Zibanejad is a strong center who takes pride in his two-way ability. He has a solid shot, although he might be criticized for under-utlizing it, and is often deployed against opposing team’s top players. Considering that New York gave up the solid veteran Derick Brassard to acquire his skillset, they are nearly certain to double down on Zibanejad’s continued improvement. His role will only expand as the leadership of the team ages and he will be expected to fill some of the leadership void left behind. Zibanejad is up for a new contract, and will look for a sizable raise over his current $2.625 MM. There is perhaps still untapped offensive potential left in Zibanejad’s game, but will he display it in these playoffs? He has already potted 4 points in 6 games in the team’s successful series against Montreal, including an overtime winner.

Morning Notes: Flames Burn Out, Toronto’s Unlikely Hero, Looking Ahead

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Saturday April 15th was a riveting evening of hockey for any fan of the sport. The Blackhawks were dominated 5-0 by the Predators in Game 2, but the other three games were all nail-biters. The Flames looked to take the lead after climbing out of a 2 goal deficit in the 2nd period, but the call on the ice of goalie interference against John Gibson kept the game tied. The Ducks would go on to get a bizarre ricochet goal from the stick of Ryan Getzlaf with just 4:46 remaining in regulation to secure an ugly win, and go up 2-0 in the series.

  • The Leafs’ Kasperi Kapanen has not been in the spotlight – the likes of Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and Auston Matthews have been so phenomenal that he is easily forgotten in the mix. The promising young crafty forward was the centerpiece of the Phil Kessel deal, which until now, had undoubtedly looked to favor the Penguins. Serving 4th-line duty, the forward had only scored one goal in his 8 games up with big squad this season. In the second overtime of Saturday’s Game 2 versus the Capitals, the forward crept in to the back post as Brian Boyle used his lanky frame to fool the netminder into sealing the near post in anticipation. The result was a gorgeous finish to a game where an unlikely hero was desperately needed. If the forward can build on this huge goal, perhaps he can become an X-factor in a series where they are the underdogs. He seems to be confident in the team’s chances.
  • The Senators would not go down quietly. Down 2 goals through 40 minutes, the squad rallied to tie the game with tallies from Chris Wideman and Derick Brassard. As mentioned in an earlier post, Chara’s late regulation delay-of-game penalty proved quite costly, as the Senators capitalized on the powerplay’s momentum and ended the overtime quickly. Dion Phaneuf hammered one home after the team had hit two posts previously in quick succession. The series has been incredibly tight, but surely Bruins fans will lament the lost opportunity, especially in light of their badly bruised defensive squad.
  • Four games will take place this Sunday. The Wild will try to avoid going down 3-0 in hostile territory, the Blue Jackets will hope to dodge a similar fate with cannons firing, and the Sharks and Rangers look to go up at home after splitting the first two on the road.

Metro Division Notes: Shattenkirk, Teravainen, Zibanejad, Werenski

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The Washington Capitals pulled off perhaps the biggest acquisition of the recent trade deadline, reeling in mobile, puck-moving defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk from St. Louis, further bolstering their offensive attack while also preventing one of their Eastern Conference rivals -notably Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers – from adding the skilled blue liner to their lineup. While often times it takes time for a player to adjust to his new surroundings following a mid-season trade, Shattenkirk has fit in well with Washington registering 13 points in 17 games since the deal. As Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post writes, the trade has so far been a big success for the Capitals. But unless Shattenkirk helps Washington embark on a deep playoff run, one that culminates in a berth in the Eastern Conference Final at the very least, it will be hard to consider the deal a win for the Caps.

Though GM Brian McLellan was hesitant to disrupt the team’s chemistry by making a headline move at the deadline, Shattenkirk was the one player he was willing to roll the dice on, according to Khurshudyan. In today’s game you can seemingly never have enough puck-moving ability on the back end and McLellan, recognizing that, didn’t shy away from acquiring the skilled right-handed defender. The GM also benefited from first-hand information as to how Shattenkirk would fit in as both T.J. Oshie and Brooks Orpik have been teammates of the blue liner at some point in their respective careers.

Of course this season, and consequently this trade, will hinge entirely on the success achieved in the postseason. Despite having one of the league’s best players in Alex Ovechkin piloting the ship, the Capitals have failed to advance further than the second round of the playoffs since the 1997-98 campaign, when the team surprisingly made it to the Stanley Cup Final. Should the Capitals bow out again before the Eastern Conference Final, there will be no escaping the conclusion that this was yet another disappointing campaign in Washington.

Elsewhere in the Metro Division:

  • After a stellar postseason which saw the then 20-year-old winger tally 10 points in 18 games for Chicago during the Blackhawks Stanley Cup run in 2015, Teuvo Teravainen was expected to develop into a star player in this league. Following a mediocre 2015-16, Teravainen was dealt to Carolina along with veteran winger Bryan Bickell in a deal designed to create precious cap space for Chicago. With a fresh start in a new city, it was thought that Teravainen, now 22, would start to realize his vast potential yet that hasn’t proven to be the case. The 5-foot-11 winger has bested his offensive output from a year ago – 41 points to 35 – yet more was expected from the skilled Finn. But, as Chip Alexander of The News & Observer writes, Teravainen has a plan to get better this offseaon. The native of Helsinki, Finland plans to add more muscle this summer in the hopes that improves his board play and ability to win one-on-one battles. For Teravainen, who will be a RFA this summer and most likely in line for a bridge contract, the 2017-18 campaign will help determine whether he can take the next step in the NHL and become a high-end scoring forward or whether he will settle in as a middle-six winger who leaves you wanting more.
  • Mika Zibenajad, who returns to Ottawa for the first time since last summer’s trade to New York, could be a big key for the Rangers in the playoffs, writes Larry Brooks of the New York Post. Zibanejad started strong this season with 15 points in his first 19 games but suffered a broken fibula during a November game against Florida and has struggled with consistency since returning. As Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault noted, Zibanejad’s skating is perhaps his best asset and it’s taken time to fully heal after the injury. Still, as Brooks reports, Vigneault sees Zibanejad as “a good playmaker with good speed,” who has a chance to develop into a “top-notch player and top-notch centerman,” heading into the playoffs. Derick Brassard, who went to Ottawa in the Zibanejad trade, was a big time performer in the playoffs for New York and there will be pressure on the former Senator to produce for his new club when it matters most.
  • Good news for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who could use some while in the midst of a five-game losing streak, as the team is confident that rookie blue liner Zach Werenski will be ready to play in the postseason. Both GM Jarmo Kekalainen and head coach John Tortorella have expressed that belief, tweets Tom Reed of the Columbus Dispatch. Werenski, who has 11 goals and 47 points in 78 games as a 19-year-old rookie, was injured by a high but legal hit from Alex Ovechkin in a recent game against the Capitals and has missed the last three games, including today’s tilt against Philadelphia. Werenski is an important player for the Jackets and their odds of upsetting the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins improve dramatically if he is 100% and ready to play in game one of their first round playoff match-up.

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