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Eric Staal

Snapshots: Laine, Sabres, Henriksson, Team USA

December 6, 2020 at 3:57 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 15 Comments

With trade rumors surrounding the Winnipeg Jets and Patrik Laine, there are many wondering if a deal is coming any time soon. However, Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe writes that no matter what happens between the Jets and Laine, nothing will be happening any time soon.

With most teams already at the flatlined salary cap, Wiebe writes that general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will likely wait until next offseason when more teams might have the cap room to take on Laine and be able to send the assets that the Jets want back. That’s not to say that the Jets have given up on signing Laine to an extension. The scribe writes that while the two sides have had some issues, he doesn’t believe that it has reached a point of no return and believes an extension is just possible as a trade.

The problem with a contract is that Laine is a rare gem, who has 138 goals in 305 games and is tied for seventh in the league for goals scored since 2016. Throw in the fact that he’s still quite young at age 22 and is just starting to develop into a complete player and it isn’t easy coming up with the parameters of a deal.

  • The Buffalo Sabres could go in two different directions this season with a team having a solid chance to reach the playoffs. However, if the team goes its usual route lately and once again find themselves out of the playoffs near the trade deadline, NBC Sports James O’Brien writes that Buffalo would have a few assets that could net them a solid return. While newly signed forward Taylor Hall has a no movement clause, it still quite plausible that he would waive that if things go south in Buffalo to get a chance at the playoffs, while veteran Eric Staal might also proven to be a valuable asset if the team doesn’t make the playoffs. The 36-year-old has a affordable $3.25MM contract, which could make him attractive down the road. That doesn’t even include players like Rasmus Ristolainen, Carter Hutton and a few others who are already on the team. Needless to say, the hope is the team finally breaks its nine-year playoff drought, but it could turn into a different direction if things don’t go right in Buffalo.
  • Just yesterday, it was announced that Team Sweden would be without 2021 draft prospect William Eklund for the World Junior Championship this year after the 18-year-old tested positive for COVID-19. Now Sweden has taken another hit immediately after that news when Adam Johansson of Expressen.se reports (translation required) that the team’s No. 1 center Karl Henriksson will also have to miss the World Juniors after also testing positive for COVID-19. While the World Juniors don’t start in Edmonton until Dec. 26, the Swedish team is expected to leave for Canada on Dec. 13th, too late for the two young prospects to pass quarantine rules before having to enter the country. Henriksson, a second-round pick of the New York Rangers in 2019, has been centering top prospects Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holtz in international play and will be a big loss for Sweden.
  • Sticking with the World Juniors, Team USA has lost a few prospects as a Boston University trio will not be attending the World Juniors training camp due to COVID-19 protocols, according to New England Hockey Journal’s Jeff Cox. The U.S. team will have to do without forward Robert Mastrosimone, a second-round pick in 2019 by the Detroit Red Wings; defenseman Alex Vlasic, a second-round pick in 2019 by the Chicago Blackhawks; and goaltender Drew Commesso, a second-round pick by the Chicago Blackhawks this year.

Buffalo Sabres| Carter Hutton| Coronavirus| Eric Staal| New York Rangers| Patrik Laine| Snapshots| Team Sweden| Team USA| Winnipeg Jets| World Juniors

15 comments

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Buffalo Sabres

November 29, 2020 at 2:29 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 2 Comments

It’s Thanksgiving this week in the United States and the holiday season is right around the corner. Like the last few years, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for but this year comes with a bit of a change. Normally teams would have an idea of where their season was heading, coming up on the one-quarter mark with mountains of statistics to analyze. Instead, in this unprecedented year, the season hasn’t even begun. We’ll still take a look at what each group is excited about and what they could hope for once the calendar turns to 2021.

What are the Sabres most thankful for?

A deep forward group.

No longer are the Sabres putting all their hopes on youngsters. The team is suddenly loaded with established players who have proven themselves. To go with Jack Eichel, the team has added a number of key additions to go with solid playmakers as the team now boasts Eichel, Taylor Hall, Eric Staal, Sam Reinhart, Jeff Skinner, Victor Olofsson and a number of other players who can thrive in bottom-six roles like Kyle Okposo, Cody Eakins, Dylan Cozens, Casey Mittelstadt, etc. The depth at forward is a major improvement for a team that needs to score and this team should have that quality of depth that should be able to give Buffalo a chance to earn their first playoff appearance in nine years.

Who are the Sabres most thankful for?

Taylor Hall.

With the pandemic flattening out the salary cap for the foreseeable future, there weren’t too many long-term offers for Hall, the top free agent of the 2020 free agent class. Instead, Hall looked for a short-term deal from a team with extra cap room and surprised quite a few people when he picked the Sabres, due to the chance to play next to Eichel for the year.

The addition of Hall, totally enhances the team’s top-nine as he immediately will slot into the top line next to Eichel and will finally get a chance to play next to an elite center, something he hasn’t had in quite a number of years. The hope is that Hall can find his game from two years ago when he was the Hart Trophy winner with the New Jersey Devils, leading them single-handedly into the playoffs. If he can do that for the Sabres, Buffalo should have a legitimate chance to break their nine-year drought and Hall will establish himself again as the top free agent for 2021 in hopes of landing that big-term deal.

What would the Sabres be even more thankful for?

A return to form of Jeff Skinner.

After posting a 40-goal season in 2018-19 and signing a eight-year, $72MM deal, things never panned out after that for Skinner, who struggled mightily with just 14 goals and 23 points in 59 games last season. The forward was a disaster and found himself spending quite a bit of time on the third line trying to find his game. With seven years at $9MM AAV, the Sabres have to hope that Skinner will be able to bounce back and become that fixture on the second line that they were hoping for. The talent is there to surround the goal-scoring forward, but the team needs for him to execute, otherwise the team will be stuck with a player and a contract that they don’t want.

What should be on the Sabres’ Holiday Wish List?

The Sabres may be in need of help in goal. The Sabres have a solid offense and defense, but their goaltending could be what’s holding them back. The team can hope that Linus Ullmark is ready to take the starting load this season. He did produce impressive numbers with a .915 save percentage in 34 appearances, but is he the answer in net? Unfortunately, top goaltending prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, might not be ready for another couple of years, meaning the team may need to find a way to bring in a more proven goaltender that can handle big minutes.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Buffalo Sabres| Casey Mittelstadt| Cody Eakin| Dylan Cozens| Eric Staal| Jack Eichel| Jeff Skinner| Kyle Okposo| Linus Ullmark| Thankful Series 2020-21

2 comments

Trade Review Poll: Which Off-Season Acquisition Will Have Greatest Impact?

November 8, 2020 at 12:08 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 14 Comments

As NHL teams have been forced to shuffle their rosters this off-season in response to the flat salary cap, this off-season has quietly been filled with meaningful trades. While free agent deals always seem to dominate the headlines, there have been at least 20 different trades that sent a notable player to a new locale. This started way back in August, even as the postseason was in full swing, as teams had to look ahead to next season as early as possible to get a jump on cap management. When 2020-21 kicks off, who will make the biggest impact on their new team?

August 25: In a trade that actually contained six players, the only name of immediate note was Kasperi Kapanen making his return to the Pittsburgh Penguins from the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs had initially acquired Kapanen from Pittsburgh in the Phil Kessel trade, but clearly the Penguins maintained interest in the player. Back with the team that drafted him, Kapanen will very likely slot in on the Penguins’ top line with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel after scoring at a 40+ point full season pace in each of the last two seasons.

September 2: After many years, the Montreal Canadiens finally landed a reliable backup to Carey Price. In what amounted to a salary cap dump for the St. Louis Blues, the Habs acquired former starter Jake Allen. Although Allen played second fiddle to Jordan Binnington again this past season, he returned to form and outplayed the starter with an impressive .927 save percentage and 2.15 GAA. After signing an extension, Allen also has some job security in Montreal and may even have the added incentive of playing well in order to land the starting job for the Seattle Kraken.

September 11: After acquiring Kapanen, the Pittsburgh Penguins knew they needed to shed salary. They turned to former front office exec Bill Guerin, now the GM of the Minnesota Wild. The Wild landed forward Nick Bjugstad at next to no cost and Pittsburgh retained some salary as well. Back in the state where he made his name as a high school and college star, Bjugstad looks ready for a fresh start. In a forward group that is week down the middle and lacking in size, the big center is almost guaranteed a meaningful role. Bjugstad has been streaky and injury prone in his NHL career, but has also shown on multiple occasions that he has 50+ point upside playing a full season on a scoring line.

September 16: The Wild were right back at it a few days later, adding another new face to the forward corps. This time it cost them though. Minnesota acquired Marcus Johansson from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Eric Staal. Johansson provides great versatility as a player who can effectively play any forward position and in any situation. He has also scored at a half-point per-game pace or better for nine straight years with four different teams. Johansson should be able to step in and make an immediate impact. On the flip side, Staal provides the Sabres with a bona fide second line center and veteran leader that they have been sorely lacking. The experienced pivot may not have the positional versatility of Johansson, but is still a superior scoring threat at 36 and knows how to grind out wins in the regular season and postseason.

September 24: The Penguins make their third different deal in less than a month, sending veteran forward Patric Hornqvist to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Michael Matheson and forward Colton Sceviour. While Matheson and Hornqvist are both overpaid, they each still bring value to their new team. Matheson, likely to play a bottom-pair role for Pittsburgh, is a huge upgrade to the players the Penguins rolled out on their final pairing last season. A perennial 20+ point producer and sound defensive player, Matheson will not be asked to play the same minutes as he did in Florida, but will still make the same impact in the minutes he does get from Pittsburgh. Hornqvist meanwhile has not played in more than 70 games in over four years, but is quietly still the same 50-point player that he always has been, just on a per-game basis. An expert net front presence and power play asset, Hornqvist will likely play a major role for a Panthers team that lost two of its top scorers to free agency.

September 26: In what was one of the more obvious salary cap dumps in recent memory, the New York Rangers traded away veteran defenseman Marc Staal and a second-round pick in exchange for “future considerations”. The lucky team on the other side was the Detroit Red Wings, who made out like bandits with a nice draft selection and a new veteran leader for their blue line. A young, rebuilding team who has seen countless veterans leave, many of whom just this off-season, Detroit adds a new face with years of experience and leadership in Staal. While he is definitely in decline at 33, Staal is still a strong defensive presence, a plus player, and a penalty kill asset. Even without much offensive upside, Staal seems locked in for at least a top-four role in Detroit.

October 5: It wasn’t the strategy that anyone expected, but the San Jose Sharks decided to try to solve their issues in net by bringing in another struggling veteran to compete with their current struggling veteran. Devan Dubnyk, who comes over from the Minnesota Wild, is just a few years removed from being one of the top keepers in the game. However, this past season he was not even close to that level of play, recording an .890 save percentage and 3.35 GAA, albeit in limited showings. He was one of the few goalies who performed worse was San Jose’s existing starter, Martin Jones. Dubnyk has more experience and his peaks are much higher than Jones’, but he is also four years older and may have less of an ability to return to form. Perhaps the goal is simply to elevate Jones’ game by giving him an established backup to compete with, but there is always the possibility that Dubnyk emerges the victor.

October 6: Two teams on the fringes of being contenders, each with specific needs up front, made a big swap that will have ramification far beyond this next season. The Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets exchanged restricted free agent forwards Max Domi and Josh Anderson, each of whom will look to rebound and play a major role for their new teams. Domi fills a need at center for Columbus and hopes to use his new two-year extension to finally earn a long-term home after bouncing around early in his NHL career. A player who has shown immense scoring potential, including a 72-point season in 2018-19, Domi could be a major difference-maker on the second line for the Blue Jackets, who desperately need scoring depth. Anderson was not able to provide that this past season, missing most of the year due to injury and underperforming when healthy. However, he too had a breakout 2018-19 campaign, recording 27 goals and 47 points. The Canadiens believe that this is his long-term yearly value, as they did not hesitate to sign Anderson to a seven-year deal. Montreal needs size up front and they hope the 6’3″, 220-lb. Anderson can be an impact power forward for years to come.

October 7: The Ottawa Senators have a deep pipeline of goaltenders, but did not have anyone ready to be a starter this coming season and perhaps for a couple seasons after that. As a result, they ignored that depth and landed a starter for the present who doubles as a starter of the future in young Matt Murray. A streaky, but accomplished keeper, Murray came over from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the price of a second-round pick and a prospect, but will be well worth it if he can solidify the net for the Senators. They certainly seem to think he will, signing him to a long-term deal. At just 26, Murray already has just under 200 regular season appearances and over 50 postseason appearances, with a pair of Stanley Cups backed up by stellar stats.

The same day, the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild swapped forwards, as the Wild continued to address the center position while the Predators got younger and faster. Minnesota acquired veteran center Nick Bonino to anchor the team’s third line, as he has for so many other teams. A two-way pivot who is good for 30-40 points and solid defensive play, Bonino is a useful addition for the Wild. Going the other way was 22-year-old Luke Kunin, who recorded 31 points in 63 games in just his third pro season this year. The 2016 first-round pick has found success at every level and on every team he has played for. Aiming for a top-six role in Nashville, Kunin could be an impact player right away and for years to come.

October 8: The Ottawa Senators continued to add via trade when they swung a deal for physical defenseman Erik Gudbranson from the Anaheim Ducks. A player who has now been traded three times in two years, Gudbranson is either in demand or expendable. He could be both for the Sens, who will give him a top-four role and let him be the defensively responsible counter to their other younger, more offensively-inclined defenseman, then could look to trade him away before his contract expires at year’s end.

Another defenseman was sold off for a late pick the same day and that was Ryan Murray. Though Murray has had immense struggles with health over the years, he had been a good player for the Columbus Blue Jackets when active. However, the team’s depth forced them to deal him away and the New Jersey Devils were the lucky recipients. While Murray is still remembered for his puck-moving pedigree as the No. 2 overall pick in 2012, he has taken on more of a two-way, defensive prowess in the pros and is very solid (again, when healthy). The Devils will almost certainly give Murray top-four and perhaps even top-pair opportunities and if they are fortunate enough to have him for a full season, they could be looking at one of the best value additions of the off-season.

October 9: As the Vegas Golden Knights cleared space for the off-season’s biggest free agent signing, it meant letting go of a proven veteran asset. The Knights traded center Paul Stastny to the Winnipeg Jets, letting go of a valuable two-way forward. While Stastny had an off year this past season, he is just one year removed from recording 42 points in 50 games, a 69-point full season pace. And he finished the season prior to that with none other than the Jets, with an incredible performance of 13 points in 19 regular season games followed by 15 points in 17 postseason games. Stastny has already shown that he can be an elite producer with Winnipeg’s talented forward group and has tremendous upside in the coming season. Even at 34, don’t be surprised to see the all-around forward return to form and potentially even rival the 70-point seasons of his early playing days.

October 10: If Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman knows one thing, it’s how to make a trade involving Brandon Saad. Saad was traded away to the Colorado Avalanche in a four-player deal, marking the third time in five years that has been traded away or to the Blackhawks. The key return for Chicago was young defenseman Nikita Zadorov. In Saad, the Avalanche add a legitimate top-six forward who will help their depth, especially in light of the injuries suffered by some of their top players last season. Saad has recorded 47+ points four times in seven full NHL seasons and would have hit 47 on the nose again this past season based on an 82-game pace. A consistent scorer with great finish and possession ability, Saad is a nice get for the Avs. Meanwhile, as Chicago begins a rebuild they have new cornerstone piece on defense in the 6’6″, 235-lb. Zadorov. A big, physical defenseman, Zadorov can sit back and be a reliable defensive presence, freeing up other members of the Blackhawks’ budding new defense corps, like Ian Mitchell and Adam Boqvist, to play their offensive game.

The same day, the New Jersey Devils made another buy-low addition, landing Andreas Johnsson from the Toronto Maple Leafs. A young player who has already shown signs of 50+ point upside, Johnsson will now find consistent top-six time and power play opportunity in New Jersey, which should get him closer to that mark. In need of impact wingers for Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes but not willing to derail the rebuild with high-priced trades or contracts, the Devils land a young player at next to no trade cost who is signed for several more years at an affordable price. It is the perfect fit and should pan out.

October 12: The Colorado Avalanche were back in the headlines a couple of days later when they dealt two second-round picks to the New York Islanders for RFA defenseman Devon Toews. The Islanders needed cap space and dealt from a position of immense depth and talent on defense. Yet, Toews was critically underrated in New York and the team gave up a very talented player. The rich get richer in Colorado, as Toews joins another strong blue line, but this time will be locked in for a top-four role and will get his due attention on one of the league’s top contenders. Even with only two NHL seasons under his belt, Toews has proven to be productive, defensively sound, an asset in puck possession, and overall capable of big minutes and an every-situation role. Toews may not be the biggest name traded this off-season, but could wind up as one of the best acquisitions.

Amazingly, the very last trade made in the NHL so far this season came nearly a month ago. In the final push needed for the Vegas Golden Knights to sign Alex Pietrangelo, the team dealt top pair defenseman Nate Schmidt to the Vancouver Canucks in order to clear the necessary space. It was quite a sacrifice and one the Canucks are happy about. At the cost of a third-round pick, a team who had had a disastrous off-season that point landed a bona fide top pair defenseman who is signed long-term. Schmidt did it all for Vegas: team-leading minutes, 30+ points, defensive awareness, shot blocking,  possession, power play and penalty kill roles, and even locker room leadership. A player with a strong all-around game who is respected by teammates and opponents alike, Schmidt is a rare player to come across. Vancouver essentially lucked into him and it might just be the best trade of the off-season.

What do you think? Which trade acquisition will have the greatest impact in 2020-21 and beyond?

Mobile users, click here to vote.

Adam Boqvist| Alex Pietrangelo| Anaheim Ducks| Andreas Johnsson| Brandon Saad| Buffalo Sabres| Carey Price| Chicago Blackhawks| Colorado Avalanche| Colton Sceviour| Columbus Blue Jackets| Detroit Red Wings| Devan Dubnyk| Devon Toews| Eric Staal| Erik Gudbranson| Florida Panthers| Free Agency| Ian Mitchell| Injury| Jack Hughes| Jake Allen| Jake Guentzel| Jordan Binnington| Josh Anderson| Kasperi Kapanen| Luke Kunin| Marc Staal| Marcus Johansson| Martin Jones| Matt Murray| Max Domi| Michael Matheson| Minnesota Wild| Montreal Canadiens| Nashville Predators| Nate Schmidt| New Jersey Devils| New York Islanders| New York Rangers| NHL| Nick Bjugstad| Nick Bonino| Nico Hischier| Nikita Zadorov| Ottawa Senators| Patric Hornqvist| Paul Stastny| Phil Kessel| Pittsburgh Penguins| Players| Polls| RFA| Salary Cap| San Jose Sharks| Seattle| Seattle Kraken| St. Louis Blues| Toronto Maple Leafs| Vancouver Canucks| Vegas Golden Knights| Winnipeg Jets

14 comments

Detroit Red Wings Acquire Marc Staal

September 26, 2020 at 6:32 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 17 Comments

Another Staal is on the move. Ten days after oldest brother Eric Staal was traded by the Minnesota Wild to the Buffalo Sabres, Marc Staal has been dealt to the Detroit Red Wings by the New York Rangers. Both teams have confirmed the trade, which will see Staal and a 2021 second-round pick go to Detroit in exchange for future considerations. This is a pure salary cap dump by the Rangers, who do not retain any salary in the trade.

Staal, 33, has only ever played for the Rangers after the team used the 12th overall pick to select him in 2005. While Staal has been a long-time stalwart for New York and even an All-Star at one point, his game has been on the decline for some time. Entering the final season of a six-year, $34.2MM contract, the Rangers have been trying to move Staal and his $5.7MM cap hit and have finally succeeded. It comes at the cost of a second-round draft pick, but will give the team much-needed flexibility to re-sign restricted free agent defenseman Anthony DeAngelo, a protégé of Staal’s, as well as RFA forwards Ryan Strome and Brendan Lemieux while maintaining the ability to improve elsewhere in free agency.

As for Detroit, this could merely be the beginning of GM Steve Yzerman weaponizing his cap space. The rebuilding Red Wings have several of their own restricted free agents to sign this off-season, but have more than enough room to work with given their projected $27.4MM in cap space. This allows Yzerman to essentially buy a high draft pick by taking on Staal’s contract, which counts for $5.7MM against the cap but is worth only $3.2MM in real dollars. Detroit now has three second-round picks in 2021 and 12 picks in the first three rounds over the next two drafts, with more surely on the way.

The one remaining question in this deal (other than the future considerations of course) is whether Staal actually plays for Detroit or not. While the young Red Wings could use his veteran presence, they already have Danny DeKeyser, Patrik Nemeth, and Dennis Cholowski on the left side and are expected to be a top suitor for UFA Torey Krug. This deal was about the second-rounder more than it was Staal, so the team could opt to buy out the remaining year of his contract and make him a free agent. Such a move would save the team just over $1MM in real dollars and over $2MM against the cap this year, with a cap penalty of about $1MM being tacked on in 2021-22. Detroit could also opt not to buy out Staal, but explore trading him with salary retained to try to recoup even more draft capital. Or Staal could simply play out his final season in Detroit. Only time will tell in this unpredictable off-season.

Detroit Red Wings| Eric Staal| Marc Staal| New York Rangers| Newsstand| Salary Cap

17 comments

Buffalo Sabres Acquire Eric Staal

September 16, 2020 at 4:42 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 25 Comments

The Buffalo Sabres have traded Marcus Johansson to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Eric Staal. No salary will be retained by either team. Though both players hold partial no-trade clauses, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that neither one had their new team blocked.

This deal represents a swap of two players scheduled for free agency in 2021, though Johansson is nearly six years younger than Staal. The former Buffalo forward heads to Minnesota after experiencing arguably the worst offensive season of his career, scoring just nine goals and 30 points in 60 games. Johansson never really found his footing in Buffalo and couldn’t manage the move back to center ice, a position he hadn’t routinely played since his second season in the NHL. If he stays in Minnesota, it will be interesting to see where he fits into the lineup since the Wild have made it clear they are looking for an upgrade down the middle. They recently acquired Nick Bjugstad who can also play center, though he wasn’t used there full-time in Pittsburgh.

For Staal, this trade apparently took him by surprise. Russo tweets that the veteran forward is “stunned” though he’ll have some familiar faces in Buffalo to greet him. Kevyn Adams, who will mark his first trade as Sabres GM with this deal, was a teammate of Staal’s with the Carolina Hurricanes, winning a Stanley Cup together in 2006. Perhaps more notably though is the connection with Sabres forward Jeff Skinner, who played several years with Staal in Carolina and is coming off a dreadful 23-point season after signing a huge $72MM extension.

There’s no doubt that Staal represents an upgrade down the middle for the Sabres, as even at the age of 35 he was still effective this season. In 66 regular season games with Minnesota, he recorded 47 points, a total that would have put him third on the Sabres behind only Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart. The fact that he comes at a discount—Staal is owed just $3MM and carries a cap hit of $3.25MM for next season, compared to $4MM and $4.5MM for Johansson—makes this seem like an easy win for the Sabres, as long as his play doesn’t drop off a cliff next year.

Still, there is a chance that Johansson can find his “MoJo” in Minnesota. Remember that this is a player who scored 24 goals and 58 points as recently as 2016-17 and will only turn 30 next month. He also played quite well for the Boston Bruins in last year’s playoffs, scoring 11 points in 22 games as a depth option. That postseason performance is exactly what earned him the two-year $9MM deal with the Sabres last summer.

For the Wild, the acquisitions of Johansson and Bjugstad over the last few days have added a pair of players on expiring deals that will both be looking to rebuild their value before free agency. Either one could be potential trade chips at the deadline should the 2020-21 season go sideways, or potential extension candidates if they can get back on track. For Buffalo on the other hand, Staal’s acquisition is much more about starting to turn the team in the right direction and providing some backup for Eichel upfront. Saving $1MM in salary may also be important for a team that has been rumored to be looking at an internal budget this season due to reduced revenues.

Darren Dreger of TSN was first to break that Johansson had been traded from Buffalo, while Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported it is a one-for-one deal. 

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Buffalo Sabres| Eric Staal| Marcus Johansson| Minnesota Wild| Newsstand

25 comments

Minnesota Wild Acquire Nick Bjugstad

September 11, 2020 at 8:15 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 13 Comments

8:00pm CT: The terms of this trade have now been revealed by Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and certainly seem to tilt the favor even more toward Minnesota. First, the Penguins will retain half of Bjugstad’s salary this year, the final season of a six-year, $24.6MM deal. As a result, Pittsburgh will only dump $2.05MM in cap salary while the Wild get a full year of Bjugstad at a bargain price. Second, the Penguins will only receive the conditional seventh-round pick if Bjugstad plays in at least 70 games or scores at least 35 points this season. Otherwise, the team does not receive any return. If this trade is indication, shedding salary this off-season is going to be easier said than done.

7:00pm CT: Nick Bjugstad, one of the most well-regarded prospects to come out of the Minnesota high school ranks this century, is headed home. The Minnesota Wild announced that they have acquired the 28-year-old center from the Pittsburgh Penguins. In what is all but a salary cap dump, the Penguins only received a conditional 2021 seventh-round draft pick.

Bjugstad is a polarizing player, but certainly one worth risking a late pick and one year of term on. Named Mr. Hockey in 2010 as the best player in Minnesota high school, Bjugstad went on to be drafted in the first round by the Florida Panthers later that year. After starring for the of Minnesota for three years, Bjugstad joined Florida and  immediately became a contributor. He recorded 38 points as a rookie, even garnering Calder Trophy votes, and totaled 191 points in 394 games with the Panthers over parts of seven seasons. While these were solid numbers, they weren’t exactly what Florida was hoping for from one of their core players. In 2018-19, Bjugtad was traded alongside Jared McCann to the Penguins for Derick Brassard, Riley Sheahan, and three draft picks. His time in Pittsburgh has been forgettable, marred by injury and inconsistency that left him with just 16 points in 45 games to show for a season and a half.

Yet, Bjugstad is healed and expected to be fully healthy for the start of the 2020-21 season for Minnesota. No one will blame Pittsburgh for dumping Bjugstad’s $4.1MM cap hit (and $5.25MM salary) as they face a stiff cap crunch, but the Wild could easily wind up with the better side of this deal if Bjugstad can return to form back at home in the Twin Cities and produce 40-50 points as he has several times before. As the Wild look to replace the experience and two-way ability of Mikko Koivu down the middle this season – and quite possibly Eric Staal next season – Bjugstad is a prime candidate. At 6’6″ and 215 lbs., Bjugstad is a menacing presence on the ice and has the proven ability to take the puck with both brute force and finesse. After a pair of down seasons, Bjugstad may not be the most exciting name, but he could be primed for a major comeback this year with the Wild and could potentially earn himself a long-term extension with his hometown team in the process.

 

Eric Staal| Injury| Jared McCann| Mikko Koivu| Minnesota Wild| Newsstand| Nick Bjugstad| Pittsburgh Penguins| Salary Cap

13 comments

Injury Notes: Vatanen, Lankinen, Tatar, Staal

March 5, 2020 at 2:45 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

The Carolina Hurricanes decided to take the risk at the trade deadline of acquiring an injured rental defenseman, and it may be about to bite them. Sara Civian of The Athletic reports that Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour does not expect Vatanen back any time soon after suffering a setback today.

Vatanen hasn’t played since February 1st with the New Jersey Devils, but the Hurricanes still gave up Janne Kuokkanen and a conditional draft pick to acquire his services down the stretch. How many actual games that may consist of isn’t clear at this point, especially given the fact that the Hurricanes are currently outside the playoff picture. Carolina still has 18 games remaining.

  • Should the Chicago Blackhawks need an extra goaltender down the stretch, it won’t be Kevin Lankinen. The 24-year old is out for the next four to five months after shoulder surgery, ending his season with the Rockford IceHogs. Lankinen, an undrafted free agent signing out of Finland, had posted a .909 save percentage through 21 AHL games this season.
  • Tomas Tatar won’t be with the Montreal Canadiens for a while, as he instead will fly back to Montreal for further evaluation. Tatar suffered an upper-body injury earlier this week and hasn’t improved yet. The skilled forward is the team’s leading scorer, and with just 14 games any absence will only be amplified.
  • Though not an injury, Eric Staal will also not be with his team while they go on the road. The Minnesota Wild center has left the team for the time being after a death in his family. The Wild begin a three-game west coast road trip tonight.

Carolina Hurricanes| Chicago Blackhawks| Eric Staal| Injury| Minnesota Wild| Montreal Canadiens| Tomas Tatar

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Trade Deadline Primer: Minnesota Wild

February 22, 2020 at 9:00 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

With the trade deadline now just a few days away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Minnesota Wild.

While there was a time that many thought that the Minnesota Wild might be at the bottom of the NHL this year, the veteran team have made a competitive season out of 2019-20. It may be unlikely that the team makes the playoffs, it is still possible the team could go on a run and reach that point. Regardless, new general manager Bill Guerin has little by little been making changes to the team and roster with the hopes that he can make it a younger team in the future. The team already did that recently, when they traded forward Jason Zucker to Pittsburgh for Alex Galchenyuk, prospect Calen Addison and a conditional 2020 first-round pick.

Record

29-24-7, sixth in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$14.208MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: MIN 1st, PIT 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th
2021: MIN 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 3rd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th

Trade Chips

Perhaps one of the team’s most obvious trade chips has already been eliminated as long-time center Mikko Koivu already took himself out of the running today, when he exercised his right to refuse any trades. The veteran told Guerin today that he is not interested in leaving Minnesota and with a no-movement clause in his expiring contract, the team has no choice but to comply. That eliminates one trade chip.

Perhaps Guerin’s biggest trade chip is on defense. The team has two players that are receiving significant interest from other teams, including Mathew Dumba and Jonas Brodin. Dumba has three more years on his contract after this one at $6MM, but would be heavily coveted and if Guerin gets the right offer, could quickly bring in some much needed youth and talent to the system. Brodin also has another year on his contract at $4.17MM and could also bring in quite a bit of talent, as both players are top-four impact defensemen. However, whether Guerin pulls the trigger is another question. If he doesn’t like the offers, he doesn’t have to make a deal since the team has both players for a minimum of one more season.

While the team just acquired Galchenyuk, the team brought him over merely to even out the contracts for Pittsburgh. The 26-year-old isn’t part of the team’s rebuilding plans and since he’s going to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Wild flipped Galchenyuk to a contender for another piece to their rebuilding puzzle. While Galchenyuk is already on his fourth team, he has looked good in the five games he has played in Minnesota, scoring a goal and two assists. Minnesota might be able to find a suitor who is willing to take him and use him in a bottom-six role.

Five Players To Watch For: D Jonas Brodin, D Mathew Dumba, F Marcus Foligno, F Alex Galchenyuk, Eric Staal

Team Needs

1) Young Top-Six Forwards: The Wild have few talented forwards on their roster. They have a few, but what the team needs is difference-makers. Anyone who can step in and inject some youth to their lineup would be a step in the right direction for a team that is hoping to rebuild their team in a short order.

2) Draft Picks: The team picked up an extra first-rounder in the Zucker deal to give the team two first-round picks for this coming draft, but if the team begins any sort of rebuilding effort, then draft picks is exactly what they need for their future to remain bright.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Alex Galchenyuk| Deadline Primer 2020| Eric Staal| Jason Zucker| Jonas Brodin| Marcus Foligno| Mikko Koivu| Minnesota Wild

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NHL All-Star Selections Announced

December 30, 2019 at 3:05 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 18 Comments

Although it took some time, with each individual team rolling out their own selections, the final rosters for All-Star Weekend have come into focus. Below are each of the four divisional team, set to face off in the Skills Competition on Friday, January 24th and the All-Star Game on Saturday, January 25th:

Atlantic Division

G Frederik Andersen, Toronto Maple Leafs
G Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins
D Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
D Shea Weber, Montreal Canadiens
F Tyler Bertuzzi, Detroit Red Wings
F Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres
F Anthony Duclair, Ottawa Senators
F Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida Panthers
F Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
F David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins (C)

Metropolitan Division

G Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals
G Joonas Korpisalo, Columbus Blue Jackets
D John Carlson, Washington Capitals
D Dougie Hamilton, Carolina Hurricanes
D Seth Jones, Columbus Blue Jackets
F Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders
F Jake Guentzel, Pittsburgh Penguins
F Travis Konecny, Philadelphia Flyers
F Kyle Palmieri, New Jersey Devils
F Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers

Central Division

G Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
G Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
D Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
D Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues
F Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
F Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche (C)
F Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues
F Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets
F Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars
F Eric Staal, Minnesota Wild

Pacific Division

G Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights
G Darcy Kuemper, Arizona Coyotes
D Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames
F Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks
F Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
F Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
F Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers (C)
F Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
F Jakob Silfverberg, Anaheim Ducks
F Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames

Additionally, each divisional squad will have one more addition as decided by the Last Men In fan vote. Voting opens on January 1st and closes on the 10th. Here are the candidates:

Atlantic Division – Patrice Bergeron, Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Larkin Aleksander Barkov, Max Domi, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Steven Stamkos, Mitch Marner

Metropolitan Division – Teuvo Teravainen, Nick Foligno, Nico Hischier, Brock Nelson, Mika Zibanejad, Claude Giroux, Kris Letang, T.J. Oshie

Central Division – Jonathan Toews, Cale Makar, Jamie Benn, Ryan Suter, Matt Duchene, David Perron Patrik Laine

Pacific Division – Ryan Getzlaf, Clayton Keller, Johnny Gaudreau, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Drew Doughty, Tomas Hertl, Quinn Hughes, Max Pacioretty

Alex Pietrangelo| Anaheim Ducks| Anthony Duclair| Anze Kopitar| Arizona Coyotes| Artemi Panarin| Auston Matthews| Boston Bruins| Braden Holtby| Buffalo Sabres| Calgary Flames| Carolina Hurricanes| Chicago Blackhawks| Colorado Avalanche| Columbus Blue Jackets| Connor McDavid| Dallas Stars| Darcy Kuemper| David Pastrnak| Detroit Red Wings| Dougie Hamilton| Edmonton Oilers| Elias Pettersson| Eric Staal| Florida Panthers| Frederik Andersen| Jack Eichel| Jake Guentzel| Jakob Silfverberg| John Carlson| Jonathan Huberdeau| Joonas Korpisalo| Jordan Binnington| Kyle Palmieri| Leon Draisaitl| Logan Couture| Los Angeles Kings| Marc-Andre Fleury| Mark Giordano| Mark Scheifele| Mathew Barzal| Matthew Tkachuk| Minnesota Wild| Montreal Canadiens| Nashville Predators| Nathan MacKinnon| New Jersey Devils| New York Islanders| New York Rangers| NHL| Ottawa Senators| Patrick Kane| Philadelphia Flyers| Pittsburgh Penguins| Roman Josi| San Jose Sharks| Seth Jones| Shea Weber| St. Louis Blues| Tampa Bay Lightning| Toronto Maple Leafs| Travis Konecny| Tuukka Rask| Tyler Bertuzzi| Tyler Seguin| Vancouver Canucks| Vegas Golden Knights| Victor Hedman| Washington Capitals| Winnipeg Jets

18 comments

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Minnesota Wild

December 21, 2019 at 8:54 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads towards the midway mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Minnesota Wild.

What are the Wild most thankful for?

Not being at the bottom of the Western Conference. For the first 18 games of the season, Minnesota had a 6-11-1 and were at the bottom of the conference and looked to be an obvious lottery team that had a chance at the top pick. Instead the veterans seems to have found their game, going on a 11-3-4 run (including a six-game winning streak) and the team suddenly finds itself in the playoff race once again.

While the team currently sits outside the playoff race, the Wild have returned to respectability and have plenty of time to make up for lost time and try and fight for a playoff spot down the road.

Who are the Wild most thankful for?

Eric Staal.

The team got 42 goals from the veteran winger after the 2017-18 season, but then came away with a disappointing 22-goal performance last season, suggesting that the now 35-year-old might be fading quickly. While he may never return to that 42-goal season form ever again, Staal has looked a bit more like himself, having scored 13 goals already through 37 games, which could bring him close to a potential 30-goal season, something the team desperately needs.

Staal still has another season on his contract after this one and a big performance from Staal this year, will make his final year sound more promising.

What would the Wild be even more thankful for?

While the team has gotten solid production from backup goaltender Alex Stalock who has been solid with a 2.81 GAA and a .907 save percentage, the Wild need to get starter Devan Dubnyk back on track. The starter, who just returned Thursday after being out since Nov. 16 due to a personal matter, has struggled before this season. He carries a 3.48 GAA and a .891 save percentage through 15 games. Dubnyk appeared in 67 games last season and maintained a .913 save percentage, which is a number that the team needs their star goaltender needs to return to. A solid netminder in goal would help this veteran team make a legitimate playoff run.

What should be on the Wild’s Holiday Wish List?

The team needs to get some of its young players going and producing more offense. The team has been waiting for Joel Eriksson Ek, Jordan Greenway and Luke Kunin to take that next step and develop into bonafide top-six players. While they occasionally find themselves up there, they have yet to show any consistency the team needs to move forward. Eriksson Ek has just two goals and 12 points through 30 games, while Greenway has just four goals and 13 points in 35 games. Kunin might have the most goals with eight, but still has just 13 points in 36 games.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Alex Stalock| Devan Dubnyk| Eric Staal| Joel Eriksson Ek| Jordan Greenway| Luke Kunin| Minnesota Wild| Thankful Series 2019-20

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