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Dmitry Orlov

Potential Suspensions: Matt Calvert Edition

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The Columbus Blue Jackets may be down a player going forward in this year’s NHL playoffs. During last night’s Columbus Blue Jackets – Pittsburgh Penguins game 2 playoff match, Columbus forward Matt Calvert crosschecked an unsuspecting Pittsburgh forward Tom Kuhnhackl that should warrant league attention. Below we analyze the situation and past NHL playoff suspensions.

With less than a minute to go in the 4-1 Columbus loss, Calvert skated up to Kuhnhackl from behind and crosschecked him across the back/neck area—breaking his stick in the process—before turning around and shoving him in the face. (Video link). It looked like a deliberate cheap shot to the head area that would concern the Department of Player Safety.

Despite the hit’s optics, ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun tweets that he doesn’t think the NHL will suspend Calvert. The Columbus Dispatch’s Aaron Portzline corroborates, stating that his sense is that Calvert avoids a suspension. Pierre LeBrun thinks that the Department of Player Safety is concerned that the stick-breaking aspect of the play makes the play seem much worse, given that hockey sticks are prone to break easily.

If Calvert avoids a suspension, it will reiterate the League’s position that playoff games are more important than regular season games. It will also highlight a growing concern that the Department of Player Safety issues punishments haphazardly, and without any real consistency. As Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News points out, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen received three games for a mistimed hit on Pittsburgh forward Jake Guentzel. The League has always been criticized for its inconsistency in handing out punishments, and if Calvert avoids a suspension that sentiment will only grow. Anything less than a suspension will also reignite the sentiment that the League governs by a different rule book during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Last season the NHL issues four suspensions during the 2015-16 NHL playoffs that directly affected future playoff games. Three suspensions were for one game each, and one was for three games.

The NHL suspended Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Pierre-Edouard Bellemare one game for a hit on Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov (video link). Bellemare hit Orlov from behind a few feet from the boards, causing Orlov to crash headfirst into the boards.

Next, the NHL suspended Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw one game for using a homophobic slur. He directed the slur to an on-ice official while sitting in the penalty box.

The NHL then issued its biggest suspension of that year’s postseason by suspending Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik three games for a late hit to the head of Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta (video link).

Finally, the NHL issued its last suspension to Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, giving him one game for his late hit to the head of Washington Capitals forward Marcus Johansson (video link).

All the issued suspensions involving physical hits involved hits to the head. The NHL did not issue any suspensions for stick infractions. If the NHL was concerned with a play’s optics, it would issue Matt Calvert at least a one-game suspension. However, if the League has a strict standard when it comes to playoff suspensions, do not be surprised if Calvert walks away with just a lighter wallet.

2016-17 Season Preview: Washington Capitals

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As the NHL season is now just days away, we continue our look at each team’s offseason and preview the upcoming year.  Next up is the Washington Capitals.

Last Season: 56-18-8 record (120 points), 1st in the Metropolitan Division and Presidents Trophy winners for the most points in the NHL.  Defeated Philadelphia 4-2 in Round 1.  Lost to Pittsburgh 4-2 in Round 2.

Remaining Cap Space: $1.45MM as per Cap Friendly

Key Newcomers: RW Brett Connolly (free agency, Boston), C Lars Eller (trade, Montreal)

Key Departures: LW Jason Chimera (free agency, NY Islanders), C/RW Michael Latta (free agency, Los Angeles), C Mike Richards (free agency, unsigned), D Ryan Stanton (free agency, Colorado), D Mike Weber (free agency – unsigned)

[Related: Capitals Depth Chart from Roster Resource]

Players to Watch: LW Andre Burakovsky – The 21 year old had a productive sophomore season despite not getting a lot of playing time (17 goals and 21 assists in 79 games while logging just 13:01 per night).  There is potentially a top six spot up for grabs depending on what the plans are for Marcus Johansson and it’s likely that Burakovsky will get a look in that role at some point.  If the 2013 first round pick can continue his progression, he’ll have a shot at making an already potent lineup that much deeper.

D Dmitry Orlov – Orlov was rumored to be seeking a long-term deal this offseason after an improved 2015-16 campaign.  However, he had to settle for a one year, $2.57MM pact late last month instead.  He has shown glimpses of becoming an impact blueliner in the past but consistency and injuries have held him back.  At age 25, this is Orlov’s chance to prove he can be part of the core moving forward and earn the big term, big money contract he has been coveting.

Key Storyline: After leading the league in points last season, it’s all about getting over the playoff hurdle.  The team has made the postseason in eight of the last nine years but has failed to advance past the second round in any of those.  Despite routinely being one of the higher scoring teams in the league, the Caps have struggled to score consistently when the playoffs get underway; Braden Holtby’s elite level goaltending hasn’t been enough to carry them to victory on his own.

The core of the team is unchanged from last year and has been together for a while now.  As long as they stay healthy, they should pretty much be a lock for the postseason so the main question will be how do they get over the hump this time?  In particular, what can they do differently to avoid the repeat struggles of recent years?  Will this core get another kick at the can or will GM Brian MacLellan change it up between now and the trade deadline in early March?  The measure of success in Washington this season will be determined by their play in May (and possibly June) meaning that it will be quite a while before their key storyline this season gets to play itself out.

Compelling RFA Cases For 2017: Gostisbehere, Dumoulin

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Jacob Trouba, Johnny Gaudreau and Nikita Kucherov highlight a strong and deep group of restricted free agents that remain unsigned at the moment. While they will each ultimately cash in and receive substantial contracts for the 2016-17 campaign and likely beyond, their status as restricted free agents has certainly complicated their respective negotiation processes.

Next summer, another quality group of players are set to hit restricted free agency, unless they can agree to terms on a new deal prior to the 2017-18 league year. In a series of posts, Pro Hockey Rumors will profile the top pending 2017 RFAs and examine what kind of contract they could elicit assuming they put up a strong performance during their platform year. Today we continue in the Metro.

Shayne Gostisbehere (Philadelphia): Gostisbehere exploded upon the scene in 2015-16, netting 17 goals and 46 points – in just 64 games – to lead all rookies in those categories. The former Union College defenseman quickly became one of the league’s most exciting blue liners and earned a spot on the Team North America entry in the World Cup.

The agents for this year’s top remaining unsigned RFA defenders – Hampus Lindholm and Rasmus Ristolainen – are pointing to the recently-signed and massive extension signed by Aaron Ekblad as the target. Ekblad of course inked an eight-year, $60MM deal with Florida and while Lindholm and Ristolainen are probably not at the level the Panthers blue liner is, they will still likely pocket something in the vicinity of $6MM annually when they finally sign.

Chances are Gostisbehere is also going to use the Ekblad deal as a comparable. Ekblad hasn’t produced offense at the same rate as Gostisbehere (0.72 PPG for “The Ghost” versus 0.47 PPG for Ekblad) but is a former #1 overall pick and projects as a perennial Norris Trophy candidate.

It’s likely the Lindholm and Ristolainen deals will actually serve as a better framework for a new contract for Gostisbehere. Assuming they each get something close to $6MM per, it’s fair to guess the Flyers young blue liner will also land in the same neighborhood.

Brian Dumoulin (Pittsburgh): Dumoulin tallied just 16 points in 79 contests and failed to net a single goal in 2015-16. Ordinarily those numbers wouldn’t be reflective of a guy who is going to cash in but Dumoulin showed in the postseason he has more to offer the Penguins. In 24 playoff games, Dumoulin scored two goals and eight points while averaging 21:31 of ice time per game. If he can carry over that level of play into the 2016-17 regular season, Dumoulin will surely be rewarded handsomely on his next contract.

A similar comparable could be Dmitry Orlov, who eventually signed a one-year deal with Washington worth $2.57MM. Orlov has clearly been a superior offensive producer, averaging 0.30 PPG during his career while Dumoulin has averaged just 0.19. But at 25, Dumoulin is just entering his prime and as we saw in the playoffs, he is capable of producing more offense in the right role. Currently he is listed opposite Kris Letang on the Penguins top blue line pair which could result in a higher point total for Dumoulin.

Even if Dumoulin doesn’t produce much offensively, there is still plenty of value in a steady and reliable performer on the back end. If both team and player elect for a one or two-year bridge deal, an AAV close to $2.5MM would seem fair. A long-term deal buying out free agent years could take the price up north of $3MM annually.

Confirmed: Orlov Signs One-Year Deal With Capitals

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The Washington Capitals and Dmitry Orlov agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.57MM. Orlov was a restricted free agent this summer, and while his contract will keep him as an RFA next summer, he is arbitration-eligible. The signing wraps up the Capitals’ obligations right before training camp opens.

Orlov is currently playing on Team Russia’s blueline in the World Cup of Hockey and averaging around 20 minutes a game. Last season he scored 8G and 21A in 82 games for the Capitals, but remains a bottom-pairing defenseman because of a stacked Capitals’ blueline.

The signing leaves Washington with approximately $880K in salary cap space to start the season. The Caps have little wiggle room to add, however, and will have to manipulate the cap creatively in order to make space at the trade deadline. The deal itself seems team friendly, but if Orlov continues to progress he is in line for a healthy raise next year.

Capitals And Orlov Expected To Agree To Terms

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Update: Orlov and the Capitals have agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.57MM. Orlov will remain a RFA next year, but he will be arbitration-eligible.

According to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post, defenseman Dmitry Orlov and the Washington Capitals are close to getting a new contract signed.

Citing multiple sources, Khurshudyan is expecting a one-year contract worth “something in the neighborhood of $2.6 million”.

The Capitals have approximately $3.45MM in cap space for the upcoming season, according to Cap Friendly. Orlov made $2.25MM in 2015-16, his most successful campaign in the NHL.

However, Orlov is looking for a bigger role this season after averaging just 17 minutes-per-game thus far in his career. Earlier this off-season, coach Barry Trotz said he’s looking for Orlov to play top-four minutes this season with John Carlson or Matt Niskanen at even strength, and to contribute at both special teams disciplines.

More to come.

Snapshots: Faksa, Canucks, Oilers, Orlov

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The Dallas Stars may not be big fans of the World Cup of Hockey at the moment.  Tyler Seguin suffered a hairline fracture in his foot in a pre-tournament game for Team Canada and now another center is banged up as Radek Faksa of the Czech Republic squad did not suit up for their game against Team Europe this afternoon due to an upper body issue.  GM Jim Nill clarified the injury, calling it concussion-like symptoms, Mark Stepneski of the Stars team site reports.

Faksa suffered the injury in their 6-0 loss to Team Canada on Saturday.  No timetable has been set for a possible return but he will be re-evaluated on Tuesday.

The 22 year old projects to be a bigger contributor for the Stars this season after getting into 45 games with the team last year as well as 13 postseason contests.  Last week, we profiled him as one of the more compelling pending RFA cases heading into the year.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • The Canucks are hoping to break camp with eight defensemen on their roster, GM Jim Benning noted on TSN 1040 in Vancouver. The team has five blueliners on one-way deals plus two others in Andrey Pedan plus Alex Biega on two-way pacts but must clear waivers.  Nikita Tryamkin is waiver exempt but has a clause in his contract that allows him to return to Russia if he’s sent down.  2016 first round pick Olli Juolevi is expected to make a push for a roster spot as well, which should create an interesting battle to watch during the preseason.  Benning also confirmed that Ryan Miller is entering camp as their #1 goalie despite a strong performance from Jacob Markstrom last season.  Markstrom is currently at the World Cup with Team Sweden.
  • The Oilers announced five tryouts heading into their training camp. Notably among the invites are LW Ryan Hamilton, who last played with Edmonton in 2014-15 and RW Ryan Vesce, who has played in the KHL since 2010 but has 19 games of NHL experience with San Jose.
  • Speaking with Igor Eronko of Sport-Express, agent Mark Gandler noted that there is nothing new when it comes to discussions for Washington RFA defenseman Dmitry Orlov. He also wouldn’t rule out him signing in the KHL, saying that all options are open.  Gandler, who also represents Dallas RFA Valeri Nichushkin, declined to comment on the report that he is nearing a two year deal in Russia.

Snapshots: Capitals, Zetterberg, Team Canada

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Washington Capitals fans will get a taste of what could have been on Wednesday night, when Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom and former Capitals first-rounder Filip Forsberg line up together for Sweden in D.C.

Forsberg told NHL.com’s Katie Brown that playing with his countryman Backstrom was a dream of his when he was drafted by the Capitals back in 2012. Unfortunately for Capitals fans, it didn’t work out that way as Forsberg was dealt to Nashville for Martin Erat in one of the worst trades in recent memory. Forsberg told Brown “it’s pretty cool” to play with Backstrom, even though “a lot has changed since then”.

In other news out of D.C., Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post reports that Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov isn’t sure where he’s going to end up playing next season. Orlov posted 29 points in 82 games last season, posting good possession numbers while averaging just over 16 minutes per game. Coach Barry Trotz said he’s looking for Orlov to play top-four minutes with John Carlson or Matt Niskanen at even strength, and to contribute at both special teams disciplines.

[Related: Capitals’ depth chart at Roster Resource]

The 25-year-old Russian is coming off a two-year contract worth $2.25MM per season, and will likely be looking for a raise on that. Based on the Capitals’ salary cap situation, Khurshudyan estimates the most the Capitals could give Orlov is around $2.6MM. That has lead to Sergei Fedorov, former Capital and GM of the KHL’s CSKA Moscow to contact Orlov’s agent. CSKA owns his KHL rights, and expressed interest in bringing him over to Russia, even if it’s just for one season. Despite the interest from overseas, Orlov says he enjoys playing in the NHL and “would like to stay there, but I don’t know how it’s going to happen. We’ll see.”

In other news from around the hockey world:

Free Agent Updates: Strome, Orlov, Gryba, Horcoff, Bartkowski

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With training camps just a few weeks away now, several free agents are still jockeying to find a new home or in the case of some restricted free agents, are looking to get new deals with their current teams done.  Here is the latest on several players still looking for new contracts:

Restricted Free Agents

  • Islanders GM Garth Snow and representatives for Ryan Strome continue to talk about a new deal. Newsday’s Arthur Staple reports that they are likely talking about a two year bridge contract.  Strome is coming off a down season as he recorded just 28 points (8-20-28) in 71 games, considerably lower than the 50 points (17-33-50) he put up in 81 games in 2014-15.
  • Washington defenseman Dmitry Orlov has spoken with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, reports Igor Eronko of Sport-Express. However, he indicated that he is concentrating on securing an NHL deal.  Orlov had a career year with the Caps last season, notching 29 points (8-21-29) in 82 games.  He will suit up for Russia in next month’s World Cup of Hockey, even if a new deal hasn’t been reached by then.

Unrestricted Free Agents

  • Defenseman Eric Gryba, who spent last season with Edmonton, has received training camp offers from three different teams so far, notes Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. Gryba’s first choice is to remain with the Oilers but they have yet to offer him a contract.  He suited up in 53 games with Edmonton last year, picking up six points (1-5-6) while seeing greater than a two minute jump in his ice time per game compared to the year before (from 15:39 to 17:53).
  • More from Matheson, center Shawn Horcoff has no interest in taking a tryout contract and is closer to retirement than continuing his playing career (Twitter links). Horcoff played in 59 games with the Ducks last year, tallying 15 points (6-9-15) but most notably was suspended for 20 games back in January after testing positive for a performance enhancing substance.
  • Blueliner Matt Bartkowski is still holding out hope for a one-way contract, reports Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Bartkowski told Warner that his agent has been in touch with “a ton” of teams but evidently nothing has materialized in terms of an offer just yet.  He played in a career high 80 games with Vancouver in 2015-16, collecting 18 points (6-12-18).

Snapshots: Pavelski, Trouba, Orlov, DiPauli, Sobotka

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According to CSN Bay Area’s Kevin Kurz, Sharks captain Joe Pavelski is expected to be named captain of Team USA at the upcoming World Cup of Hockey. After being named San Jose’s captain last October, Pavelski led the Sharks to their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Sharks managed to do this despite whatever acrimony may have been caused by having two veteran stars, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, who had previously been stripped of the captaincy. The captain of the last American Olympic team, Zach Parise, is expected to play in this tournament.

Pavelski, 32, is the second oldest American player at this tournament, two months younger than Boston’s David Backes. He has scored 116 goals over the last three seasons, second only to Alex Ovechkin in that time. He also led this year’s playoffs in goal scoring with 14. Pavelski has previously represented the United States at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, as well as the 2009 IIHF World Championships.

Here are some more links from around the league.

  • Being out of a contract won’t stop players from appearing at the World Cup. Kurt Overhardt, the agent for Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba confirmed today that his client will still suit up for Team North America. Mark Gandler, the agent for Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov, told the Washington Post that Orlov will still play for Russia.
  • CBC’s Tim Wharnsby reports that the Penguins will sign free agent forward Thomas DiPauli from the University of Notre Dame. His agent, Peter Fish, called this report “a little premature,” adding that “nothing has been signed or agreed to yet.” DiPauli was a fourth round pick of the Capitals who, like Jimmy Vesey, went unsigned and became a free agent. DiPauli scored 14 goals, 32 points in 37 games for the Fighting Irish this year. He was, for two years, a teammate at Notre Dame of Penguins forward Bryan Rust.
  • Despite reports out of Russia to the contrary, St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong says that he spoke with the agent for forward Vladimir Sobotka yesterday, and that he has been assured of Sobotka’s return to the team for this coming season. Sobotka has played the last two seasons in the KHL for Avangard Omsk, but has committed to returning to the NHL this season. Sobotka had nine goals, 33 points in 61 games for the Blues in 2014, his last season in the NHL.

 

Snapshots: Las Vegas, Johansson, Ladd, Okposo

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The hockey world was abuzz with the confirmation that Las Vegas will in fact be the benefactor of expansion, making it the first of the big four sports in the city.  According to Associated Press writer Greg Beacham,  the fact that the team is bid out by Black Knight Sports and Entertainment lends credence to the thought that the nickname will in fact be the Black Knights. Beacham also points out that despite the financial woes seen in Arizona, the NHL is confident that hockey can flourish in the southwest.

Other news around hockey:

  • Marcus Johansson and the Washington Capitals appear ready to battle over money reports Chuck Gormley at CSN Mid Atlantic.  Johansson had another stellar season for the Capitals, registering 46 points in the regular season and adding 7 more in the playoffs. But Gormley writes that it might not be enough for Capitals GM Brian MacLellan, who believes a hometown discount won’t happen. Gormley also points out that Johansson is a valuable commodity, playing both wings and center for head coach Barry Trotz. Johansson isn’t the only one up for a contract, as defenseman Dmitry Orlov, and forwards Tom Wilson, and Michael Latta headline the restricted free agents the Capitals must re-sign.
  • ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun  penned that unrestricted free agent forward Andrew Ladd is most likely moving on from the Chicago Blackhawks. The 30-year-old winger was dealt to the Blackhawks in February but knew the Hawks had salary cap restrictions. While Ladd provided a spike in production, scoring 8 goals and 12 points in his return to Chicago, the Blackhawks were bounced by the Blues in 7 games in the first round of the playoffs. Ladd notched a goal and an assist in the seven games. LeBrun writes that Ladd is looking to join a contender, and is also considering his family’s wishes on where he goes next.
  • LeBrun also reported that New York Islanders forward Kyle Okposo is all but headed to free agency. The 28-year-old winger was a major contributor with 64 points (22-42) and will be a hot commodity once the window opens for free agents. LeBrun points out that Okposo’s age and scoring acumen are the main reasons teams will chase after him in July.

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