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NHL Will Not Participate In 2018 Olympics

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The decision is in, and it’s one that has been expected for a while. The NHL will not participate in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. In a press release, the league explains:

…the NHLPA has now publicly confirmed that it has no interest or intention of engaging in any discussion that might make Olympic participation more attractive to the [NHL] Clubs. As a result, and in an effort to create clarity among conflicting reports and erroneous speculation, this will confirm our intention to proceed with finalizing our 2017-18 Regular Season schedule without any break to accommodate the Olympic Winter Games. We now consider the matter officially closed.

In negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA on the matter, the league tried to trade participation in the Games for a CBA extension, an offer that was almost immediately turned down. Players around the league did not think they should have to make any concessions to go, which effectively shut down the dialogue between the two sides. Recently the IOC had publicly said that the league may not be welcomed at the 2022 Games should they skip South Korea, a tactic that clearly has not worked to persuade owners around the league.

In the statement the league mentions those comments, implying that they were part of the final decision to announce that they wouldn’t go. As they’ve shown time and time again throughout the past few decades, the league will not be threatened or pushed around publicly. Alec Ovechkin

All of this comes as players around the league speak out about going to the tournament, with some—including Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin—saying they would go anyway. While Ovechkin’s owner Ted Leonis has said that he will support his star winger’s decision to play, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has stated the opposite in regards to Erik Karlsson.

There is also the issue of what the league will now do for television coverage during the Games. NBC has recently agreed to air the entirety of the Games live, starting their coverage each day at 7pm EST. That means they won’t be able to air any NHL games during the February 9th-25th period, usually one of the most important times of the year. One would expect the league uses this time to install their new bye week system, but it will still pose a problem to coverage in the US.

In all, this has been the stance of the NHL for some time now and shouldn’t be taken as much of a surprise. The next year will be filled with controversy over players leaving their teams to participate anyway, and if they’re even allowed to do so. Losing players like Ovechkin for a few weeks right before the trade deadline is something no team will want to do, especially those in the thick of a playoff race. In fact, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet the league has told teams to not discuss individual players participating until a later time, when they have ruled on whether it will be allowed.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet broke the story just before the league released the statement.

Ken Holland And The Red Wings Rebuild

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Two postseasons ago before he left Hockeytown for hockey’s Mecca in Toronto, head coach Mike Babcock made a blunt assessment of the Red Wings’ future following a bitter 2-0 loss in Game 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Babcock said this:

“Our team is not as good as it was. It’s very evident. We battled our butt off just to get in the playoffs. You are what you are. [Tampa Bay] had a young team that have been around long enough to rebuild it. They’ve got young players at key positions. Three of our best players are 34, 35, 37. Any way you look at it, we’re a team that has changed a ton of players and added a lot of youth to our lineup, but nobody on the outside picked us to be a Stanley Cup contender.”

Missing the playoffs for the first time in a quarter century didn’t come as a surprise to many in Detroit. And while Babcock has his Maple Leafs on an accelerated path for what was supposed to be a “painful” rebuild, the Red Wings find themselves older, injured, and looking on the outside of the playoffs for the first time since Steve Yzerman wore the C.

Those in Detroit hoping for a Toronto-like teardown might be disappointed, however, as general manager Ken Holland believes his team needs a few tweaks to compete again. Though this is admirable for a general manager to fight for his team, it doesn’t seem all that reasonable as the Red Wings struggled to score goals, had major players regress, and find themselves financially strapped with several long term, high priced contracts. Curiously, senior vice president Jimmy Devellano was quoted as saying “the rebuild is on” which spoke opposite to what the general manager of the club said.

Dec 3, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Detroit Red Wings left wing <a rel=Holland, who spoke with Toronto’s Fan 590 and also the Hockey News’ Ken Campbell, made it abundantly clear that he is not in it for a tear down. With only a year remaining on his contract, Holland may not view it as viable when success in Detroit is measured with Stanley Cups and playoff appearances. But the fact of the matter is that the Red Wings have been sputtering for some time. Specifically:

  • Since the retirement of Nicklas Lidstrom, the Red Wings only advanced once beyond the first round. The surprising run in 2013 that saw them squeak into the playoffs and nearly upend eventual champion Chicago seemed more of a red herring than truth when it came to the ability level of the team.
  • Elite free agents have avoided Detroit, and those who have signed were nearing the end of their career, like Daniel Alfredsson or Brad Richards. Others, like Stephen Weiss or the second go around with Mikael Samuelsson were massive miscalculations that did little to help the team and in many ways, hindered the progress of younger players.
  • Holland, who was the undisputed king of trades before the salary cap, has appeared gun shy to make moves via trade. Instead, he’s been loyal, re-signing the likes of Justin Abdelkader, Darren Helm, Danny DeKeyser, and Jonathan Ericsson to long, expensive deals while seeing little in the way of return. Holland told Campbell that while he’ll work the phones to try and improve the team, other GMs may not “like our players or contracts.” Ironically, many of those contracts they wouldn’t like were offered to current Red Wings by Holland.

The USA Today’s Kevin Allen offered his own take and believes Detroit must rely on youth, and realize that their brand is “stale.” Allen is a non-partisan national writer without any bias to the Wings. If a pair of eyes outside the organization can see this, Holland may want to consider it.

A rebuild provides a chance to change the image of the Detroit Red Wings, which is now one without stars, on the decline, and appears resistant to change. Reading what Holland says now is nearly identical to what he’s said in the past, when the Red Wings were already showing signs of sinking.

Babcock foretold a fall for the Red Wings. Holland has a chance to change course and put the team back on an upward trajectory. But it goes beyond signing older veterans and current players in moving the Wings beyond a fringe playoff team and back into the status of contenders.

Philadelphia Flyers Sign Mike Vecchione To One-Year Contract

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The Philadelphia Flyers have signed Mike Vecchione to a one-year, entry-level contract after a long pursuit. He’ll burn through that year in the last five games of the season, earning a prorated version of $925K and become a restricted free agent this summer.  The team has been negotiating with Vecchione since Union College was knocked out of the NCAA tournament by Penn State last Saturday. Vecchione is one of the three finalists for the Hobey Baker trophy, awarded to the nation’s top collegiate player. His 63 points tied him with Zach Aston-Reese for the top scorer in the NCAA, easily eclipsing his previous career high of 50. Mike Vecchione

Vecchione is a two-way forward that will step into an NHL role with ease. He’ll join former teammate Shayne Gostisbehere as part of the young group that will attempt to bring the Flyers back to the playoffs next season. The 24-year old has captained Union for the past two years, and from all accounts brings a level of leadership on and off the ice. Playing with Spencer Foo—another free agent who is expected to sign this summer—he exploded this season into an offensive powerhouse, scoring seemingly at will.

The first thing you’ll notice about Vecchione is how low he sits in his skating stride, using his incredibly strong lower body to stay balanced at all times and quickly accelerate in and out of tight areas. While he doesn’t have elite breakaway speed, his all-around skating ability is excellent and he can use his edge work to create space in the offensive zone. He’s not a huge body (5’10” 195-lbs) but is definitely built well enough for the NHL game and uses what size he does have effectively to shield the puck. With a deceptive release he can get his shot off quickly and fool goaltenders, though that will become more difficult at the higher level.

In all, Vecchione should fit into the Flyers middle-six nicely next season, and could be an option on both special teams. On Union’s powerplay, they use him in both the high circle on his off-wing (think Ovechkin, Stamkos) and as a bumper player in the high slot. A natural center, it’s not clear if he’ll fit into the Flyers’ plans there but his right-handed shot could fit nicely with Brayden Schenn or Jakub Voracek who are both left-handed.

Pursued by many other teams, Eric Engles of Sportsnet reports that Tampa Bay the other finalist for his services, but didn’t represent as much of a center option right away. Tampa already has decisions to make on whether to keep Steven Stamkos in the middle, or continue to use Brayden Point as a top-six option with Tyler Johnson. In any case, they missed out on Vecchione, who some called the best NCAA free agent this year.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was first to report the Flyers had signed the free agent forward, while Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post reported that he would join the team this year.

West Notes: DeSimone, Canucks, Strait, Couture

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Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported on Tuesday that Nick DeSimone of Union College was headed to the San Jose Sharks, and now CapFriendly has the details on the contract. It will be a two-year, entry-level deal worth the maximum $925K each season. The contract will kick in for next season, meaning DeSimone will become a restricted free agent after the 2018-19 season, at the age of 24.

DeSimone had a solid season for Union scoring 19 points in 38 games, but lacks some of the high-end offensive upside of his free agent contemporaries. Instead, he’ll need to focus on improving his d-zone work and try to carve out a niche as a two-way defenseman in the AHL. Former NHLer Matthew Barnaby had this to say about him: “Great kid , Elite skater with good hockey sense.” 

  • The Vancouver Canucks will welcome both Loui Eriksson and Troy Stecher back into the lineup tomorrow night against the Los Angeles Kings. Eriksson, signed to a six year, $36MM deal this offseason has been a bitter disappointment this season between injuries and ineffectiveness. With 24 points through 65 games, he will likely register his lowest total since his rookie season (when he played just 59 games) and end the season with fewer than 15 goals (he currently has 11).  Those are numbers the Canucks can’t be happy with, as Eriksson will enter his age-32 season next year looking for a big bounce-back. If he can’t, that contract will hang around their necks for the next several years, as it is very much buyout-proof due to front loading and signing bonuses.
  • Winnipeg has loaned Brian Strait to the Manitoba Moose after playing five games for the club. The former New York Islander recorded two assists during that time, but won’t be needed now that Dustin Byfuglien is back in the lineup and Nelson Nogier looks to finish the season with the NHL club.
  • Kevin Kurz of CSN reports that Logan Couture will miss at least three more games after getting hit in the mouth with a puck on Saturday night. That means Couture will miss the entire road trip through Western Canada, as the Sharks look to reclaim that top spot in the Pacific Division. Now tied with the Oilers and just three points ahead of the Flames, the Sharks could legitimately fall to a wildcard spot before the end of the season and possibly even have to face the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round. It’s been a rough run for them lately, going 3-7 in their last ten.

Buffalo Sabres Sign C.J. Smith To Two-Year Deal

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Thursday: The team has announced the contract. It is a two-year, entry-level deal for Smith.

Wednesday: According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Buffalo Sabres are about to make a splash in the college free agent sweepstakes. Friedman is hearing that C.J. Smith out of the University of Massachusetts-Lowell will sign with the team shortly. No details on the deal have been released yet. Just yesterday Smith’s teammate Joseph Gambardella signed with the Edmonton Oilers,and we mentioned Smith as a possible signing next season if he didn’t leave school early. He apparently has decided to turn pro after his junior season, and is an exciting signing for the Sabres.

Blessed with exceptional speed and acceleration, Smith is extremely dangerous off the rush and in the offensive zone. His 51 points in 41 games sat just one behind the older Gambardella for the River Hawks lead, and he looks poised to create scoring chances at the next level. One of his strongest attributes is his quick release, able to get the puck off in traffic with enough power to beat goaltenders.

His biggest obstacle at the next level will be adjusting his game to defenders who he can’t beat with foot speed alone, and improving his ability to retrieve pucks in the offensive zone. While he should provide ample offense at the AHL level, that same creativity might not be possible in the NHL, and he’ll have to find new ways to help his team. Despite all that, he represents a very intriguing option for the Sabres as soon as next season and should push for a job at camp.

He’ll have to try and fight his way through some more established names on the left side, with Evander Kane, Marcus Foligno and William Carrier all established there for the immediate future. Even if he were to try and crack the lineup on his off-wing, he’ll have Alex Nylander to deal with next season. Once he signs, he’ll likely jump onto a Rochester Americans team that isn’t headed for the Calder Cup playoffs and try to show he belongs in professional hockey.

College Notes: Jost, Foo, Vecchione

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In the latest ’30 Thoughts’ column from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet there are several interesting tidbits about some college players that have been eliminated from the NCAA tournament in the past few days. One of the most notable is Tyson Jost, the Colorado Avalanche prospect and 10th-overall pick from last summer. Friedman says that it’s tough to read the situation on Jost after his freshman season at North Dakota, and mentions there is still the possibility of him returning for a second year.

Jost had an incredible year, scoring 38 points in 35 games for UND while also starring for Team Canada at the World Juniors. The former BCHL superstar turned 19 less than two weeks ago, and would benefit from another year in the NCAA and a run at the Hobey Baker trophy. There is no rush for Colorado, who won’t be competing next season but consider Jost one of their untouchables going forward.

  • Friedman also touches on Mike Vecchione, the Union College star who is a free agent and can sign anywhere. Reports indicate that he’ll make a decision within the next 24 hours. On Monday it came out that Philadelphia was pushing hard for the 24-year old, though it’s not clear if they are still in the running today. The offensive dynamo tied for the leading point-scorer in the nation, and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker this season.
  • Spencer Foo, a teammate of Vecchione at Union, has told teams he won’t play pro hockey this season. That doesn’t mean that he’s definitely going back to school though, and LA Kings Insider Dan Rosen has heard that basically the entire league is interested in him. As Rosen notes at the end of his piece, Foo was an Edmonton Oilers fan growing up and Friedman notes that there is a lot of interest from the Canadian NHL clubs. The winger scored 62 points in 38 games this season and is another Hobey Baker finalist.
  • Rosen goes on to report that Steven Johnson, a Los Angeles Kings draft pick from 2014 will head back to school at the University of Minnesota for his senior year. The Kings will have just a few months to sign him after next season if they so choose, but he’ll have to take another step forward to earn an entry-level contract after graduation. Right now his entire game still needs polish and he’ll hopefully have the chance to step into a bigger role now that Jake Bischoff is off to the professional ranks.

Canucks To Sign Top Prospect Brock Boeser

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman tweeted this morning that he has heard the Vancouver Canucks are making a concerted effort to sign Brock Boeser in advance of the team’s game this afternoon in Minnesota. He added in a subsequent tweet that Boeser is at the team’s hotel, suggesting the two sides are nearing a deal that could lead the 20-year-old forward to make his NHL debut today.

Brad E. Shlossman, who covers college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald and would seemingly be in a position to know, replied to Friemdan’s initial tweet, saying that Boeser will indeed sign with Vancouver.

The Canucks appear to have confirmed the signing by tweeting a picture of a Vancouver sweater with Boeser’s name stitched on the back hanging from a locker stall.

Boeser, selected by Vancouver in the first round of the 2015 draft, 23rd overall, recently wrapped up his sophomore season at the University of North Dakota. He scored 16 goals and 34 points in 32 NCAA games this season. The 6-foot, 190-pound right wing was even better as a freshman, tallying 60 points in 42 games. North Dakota’s season ended following a thrilling 4-3 double-OT loss to Boston University last night.

Even though playing Boeser in meaningless games down the stretch will burn a year off his ELC and allow the young forward to reach free agency sooner, Vancouver likely sees the value of adding the skilled prospect to the organization now as worth the downside. If nothing else, Boeser’s debut will add an element of excitement to what has otherwise been a down year in Vancouver.

Metro Division Notes: Shattenkirk, Provorov, Konecny, Ryan

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Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, in the midst of a career season offensively, is poised to become one of, if not the most sought after free agent of the 2017 offseason. We ranked the Capitals blue liner #1 in our mid-season free agent power rankings in January and since moving to Washington from St. Louis at the trade deadline, the 28-year-old has only helped his cause, tallying six assists in 10 games for his new employer. Shattenkirk reportedly rebuffed overtures from three different clubs since the 2016 entry draft who were interested in acquiring the seven year veteran on the condition they could lock him up to a contract extension. With nearly every team in the league looking for skilled, puck-moving defensemen, particularly those that happen to shoot right-handed, there figures to be a robust market for Shattenkirk’s services in July.

Elliotte Friedman, appearing on Toronto’s Sportsnet 590 Friday morning (H/T to Chris Nichols of Fan Rag Sports for the transcription), speculated that one team who may go all-in on Shattenkirk this summer is the New Jersey Devils. The Devils currently rank 28th overall in the NHL in scoring and have just one blue liner, Damon Severson, who has tallied at least 20 points on the season. Clearly they could use a point-producing defender and Shattenkirk will far and away be the top free agent option. Friedman notes that New Jersey will have the cap space ($19.5MM in projected cap space with 17 players under contract for 2017-18 according to Cap Friendly) to essentially outbid any other interested suitor if they so choose.

“I don’t know if Kevin Shattenkirk is going to go there – I still think he wants to be a Ranger. But I could see them throwing a big number at him. They’ve got a lot of cap room. They’ve got a spot for him on their blueline. He’s exactly what they need. It would not surprise me in the least if New Jersey is a team that goes out there and just throws bags of money at him and says, ‘Turn us down.’”

It’s interesting to note that Friedman also believes that Shattenkirk has his sights set on joining the Rangers. The Blue Shirts were among the teams that spoke to the Blues about dealing for the blue liner at the deadline but simply had no desire to meet St. Louis’ high asking price. The thought then was that they were content waiting for the summer when they can add the skilled blue liner without sacrificing any assets to do so. However, given the Rangers heavy, long term commitments to Marc Staal and Dan Girardi, it stands to reason they will have to be creative in fitting a projected Shattenkirk contract under the salary cap. That may mean trading or buying out one of the aforementioned duo.

Elsewhere in the Metro Division:

  • While the Philadelphia Flyers are a likely bet to miss the playoffs this season, the development of Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny has been a bright spot, as Sam Carchidi of Philly.com writes. Provorov, just 20, has recorded 28 points as a rookie blue liner and has shown the potential to be a top-pair defender for years to come. Konecny, meanwhile, has registered 11 goals with 16 assists and has the elusiveness and creativity the Flyers sorely lack on their roster, according to Carchidi. Flyers GM Ron Hextall wisely avoided the temptation to be a buyer at the trade deadline and instead chose to remain patient with his retooling. The continued development of Provorov and Konecny demonstrate that Hextall’s decision was the correct one.
  • Carolina center Derek Ryan has taken an unusual route to becoming a NHL regular, playing professionally in both Austria and Sweden prior to joining the Hurricanes organization. Ryan, who played for current Hurricane head coach Bill peters for the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs, went undrafted and spent four seasons playing collegiate hockey at the University of Alberta before turning pro. Now the 30-year-old rookie is Carolina’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, writes Chip Alexander of The News & Observer. Playing on a one-year, two-way contract this season, Ryan has registered 11 goals and 24 points while playing all over the Hurricanes lineup and has likely earned a raise on his $600K salary when he reaches free agency this summer. While he doesn’t qualify as a game-breaking talent, Ryan has proven he belongs in the NHL and is a solid, bottom-six contributor.

Snapshots: Hayden, Centennial, Healey

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When the John Hayden finished his season at Yale University, other teams must have hoped that he would wait just a few more months before making a decision on his playing future. The Chicago Blackhawks forward could have become a free agent in August, but according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, never considered anywhere else.

What’s not to like about playing here? There was an opportunity, you know you’re going to have a chance to win, they supported me staying in school. There was no reason to go anywhere else. 

That kind of thinking has paid off for Hayden already, as it didn’t take long for the Blackhawks to insert him into an important position alongside captain Jonathan Toews. Hayden has responded with three points in his first four games, and has shown he can be a physical presence at the highest level. The big forward—who is actually a natural centerman—is turning heads around the league, and is just another example of the exemplary drafting Chicago has shown over the past decade. As they ship players out due to salary limitations, they back-fill with talented youngsters like Hayden, Nick Schmaltz and Ryan Hartman. Each of those three will likely play a key role down the stretch and into the playoffs for the Blackhawks, who once again look like the team to beat in the Western Conference.

  • Friedman also notes that the NHL is looking towards next New Year’s Eve to celebrate the end of the league’s centennial season with some sort of event. While Friedman guesses it could have to do with Montreal, the Canadiens are already confirmed to be the opponents of the Ottawa Senators in their outdoor game on December 16th. While that doesn’t rule them out, it would be odd to see the team involved in events so close together.
  • Josh Healey has been suspended for the third time this season and fifth in his time at Ohio State, but that isn’t scaring off teams around the league. Friedman points out that many teams believe several of the incidents wouldn’t have even been penalized at the professional level, and enjoy his physical play. That said, Healey is apparently down to a short list for where he will sign once his college season eventually ends. He’s been linked to several teams in the past, including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg. Born in Edmonton, he has twice attended their development camps but actually lists St. Louis as his favorite team on his Ohio State bio.

KHL Forwards Shipachyov, Dadonov Looking For Big Payday

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As we discussed at length earlier this year, KHL forwards Vadim Shipachyov and Evgeni Dadonov could be headed to the NHL as soon as next season. The two St. Petersburg players enjoyed excellent seasons and have considered a change to the North American game to see if they can compete at this level and cash in on their prime seasons. Cash is exactly what seems to be on their minds, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes in his latest “30 Thoughts” column.

Asking for per-season amounts around $5.5MM and $3.5MM respectively, Shipachyov and Dadonov will come at a high cost to a team looking to upgrade in their top-six. While both have produced at better than a point-per-game pace in the KHL, there is no guarantee that success would translate to the NHL. Playing for the powerhouse St. Petersburg squad alongside Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk has helped improve their games, but both come with an element of risk.

Shipachyov just turned 30, and has never before experienced quite the amount of success he’s found this year skating almost exclusively with Kovalchuk. A deal that stretched into his mid-thirties could easily backfire for a team if his scoring touch is limited at this level. He does however come with a bit more size and strength than his teammate Dadonov, who struggled as a youngster with the Florida Panthers after being drafted in 2007. Dadonov is (exactly) two years younger and comes with reported smaller ask, which will likely give him a wider net of teams interested in his services.

Friedman notes that the Vegas Golden Knights have been previously linked to the pair, which would give the expansion team a big, unknown name to market around for their inaugural season. With owner Bill Foley apparently willing to spend right up to the cap in his first season, making a big international splash like either Russian sniper could be an interesting play as they try to entice new fans.

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