Snapshots: Team USA, Patrick, Penguins
After the US National Women’s team announced their boycott of the upcoming World Championships two weeks ago, there has been a war of words between the two sides and an outpouring of support from other professional leagues and players around the world. Now, with the tournament just a few days from starting—games are set to begin on Friday in Plymouth with Team USA facing off against Canada—there seems to be somewhat of an agreement in place.
Multiple reports including one from Frank Seravalli of TSN have the two sides very close to a deal being ratified today on equitable pay going forward. This would send the team to the tournament and bring closure to what has been a contentious period in women’s hockey. This comes on the heels of a report that the men’s team may also boycott if USA Hockey were to allow replacement players into the tournament in the women’s stead.
- Nolan Patrick again won’t play for the Brandon Wheat Kings in their game three matchup against the Medicine Hat Tigers tonight. According to Mike Morreale of NHL.com, he remains day-to-day for the Wheat Kings with a lower-body injury. The Tigers are up 2-0 in the series, and if Patrick doesn’t return soon he might not get a chance to compete in the playoffs at all this year. That would be a disappointing end to what has been a terrible draft year for the projected number one pick. It would give Nico Hischier and the Halifax Mooseheads—who are tied 1-1 in their playoff series—even more chances to prove why he should be considered for the top selection in this summer’s draft.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins had a fairly production practice this morning, as according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette they had Jake Guentzel, Ron Hainsey and Conor Sheary all on the ice. While Guentzel and Hainsey were both in non-contact jerseys, it is still a step forward as they try to get healthy for the playoffs. Coach Mike Sullivan told Mackey that Evgeni Malkin skated on his own before practice, and is “hopeful” to get him back soon.
Snapshots: Penguins Injuries, Couture, Haley
Penguins center Evgeni Malkin did not skate on Sunday as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury. Head coach Mike Sullivan noted to Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the off day was a scheduled one and not a setback in the recovery process. Malkin has missed the last six games as a result of the injury and there remains no timetable for his return.
While Malkin (along with winger Carl Hagelin who has a lower body issue) didn’t skate, several other injured Pittsburgh players took to the ice. Defensemen Trevor Daley (knee), Ron Hainsey, Kris Letang (both upper body injuries), and Olli Maatta along with winger Jake Guentzel (concussion) all took to the ice although they did so before the team took to the ice to prepare for tonight’s game against the Flyers.
Winger Scott Wilson returned to the lineup for the Penguins after missing Friday’s game with an undisclosed issue. However, the team lost winger Conor Sheary midway through the first period after he blocked a shot with his hand and he did not return. Following the game, Sullivan told reporters, including Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link), that Sheary is day-to-day.
Other news from around the NHL:
- Sharks winger Logan Couture was taken to hospital on Saturday after taking a puck to the mouth against the Predators. CSN Bay Area’s Kevin Kurz reports that Couture was able to travel home with the team. However, a source tells Kurz that the injury is a bad one which suggests he’s likely to miss some time. The injury comes at a tough time with the playoffs fast approaching and the team struggling considerably at the moment having lost six straight games. On the season, Couture sits third in team scoring with 25 goals and 27 assists in 73 contests. An update on his condition is expected on Monday.
- Still with the Sharks, winger Micheal Haley will have a phone hearing on Monday regarding an incident against the Predators, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced (Twitter link). Haley was assessed a match penalty on the play, which occurred with just over seven minutes remaining in the third period. Haley has played himself into a mostly regular role with the Sharks this season, picking up a career best 11 points and 110 penalty minutes (fifth league-wide) in 54 games. San Jose next plays on Tuesday so a decision will have to be made whether or not to uphold or rescind the match penalty by then.
Snapshots: Agents, O’Regan, Penguins
In the newest column from Rick Westhead of TSN, he dives into the idea that the NHLPA is considering a regulation that would ban agents from contacting players under the age of 16. Westhead reveals the information that agents have been using former professional players as “bird-dog” scouts to contact young kids and establish relationships before anyone else can contact them—at ages of nine or ten years old.
As Westhead writes, this comes in conjunction with a study former Buffalo Sabres star Pat LaFontaine is conducting on the future of player development and drafting. We wrote in December about LaFontaine’s suggestion that the league change the draft age from 18 to 19. The idea that nine-year old kids would be recruited is hard to imagine, but for those who’ve ever been to a high-level tournament at that age easy to believe.
- The San Jose Sharks have sent Daniel O’Regan to the AHL after playing his second NHL game on Monday. The 23-year old was the Sharks’ fifth-round draft pick in 2012 before heading to Boston University. He’s easily the Barracuda’s top scorer this year, with 52 points in 56 AHL games.
- The Penguins will be without Evgeni Malkin again tonight as they “take a cautious approach”. The superstar center hasn’t played since March 15th, but is getting closer to a return. The Penguins need him if they’re to catch the Capitals for first place in the NHL and a better matchup in the first round.
- Those Penguins may get Bryan Rust back though, as the winger is a game-time decision for them tonight. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette did see Rust playing soccer in the hallway, for what it’s worth.
- The Buffalo Sabres have signed Jonas Johansson, Justin Danforth and Ian Brady to amateur tryouts with their AHL affiliate Rochester Americans. Johansson—who should not be confused with the former Colorado Avalanche prospect—was the Sabres’ third-round pick in 2014 and has played quite well in the Swedish second league, even making his Elite League debut this season. The goaltender shows exceptional potential, and could develop into an NHL netminder one day.
Penguins Notes: Crosby, Malkin, Rust
Sidney Crosby is this week’s second star in the NHL, after his sizzling hat trick on Sunday night. The Penguins captain broke 40 goals for just the second time in his illustrious career, while retaking the lead in the Rocket Richard race and tying Connor McDavid for the league-lead in point.
The 29-year old Crosby is doing most of his damage 5-on-5, leading the league in even strength goals with 28. His dominance comes in just the fourth year of his twelve-year, $104.4MM deal he signed in 2012. The contract sees him cause just an $8.7MM annual cap-hit, mostly because of the three extremely cheap seasons tacked on at the end. That means Pittsburgh will only have to pay a 35-year old Crosby $3MM in 2022-23, likely still an unbelievable bargain.
- Olli Maatta and Kris Letang were both spotted out early today in Pittsburgh by Will Graves of the Associated Press. It’s still unclear when the two will return to the lineup, but it is an encouraging sign to see them back on the ice after lengthy absences.
- The team will not bring Evgeni Malkin with them on their road trip to Buffalo and Ottawa as he continues to rehab an upper-body injury that he’s been dealing with. The star center hasn’t played in the last two contests since leaving practice early last week.
- Bryan Rust was not just on the ice, but returned for the practice in full this morning, skating in a regular jersey. He hasn’t been confirmed for the game tomorrow but did say that “there’s a game [he’s] shooting for.” Rust hasn’t played since leaving a game earlier this month against Colorado.
Metro Notes: Blue Jackets, Penguins, Rowney
The Columbus Blue Jackets surprisingly strong season put them in the rare position of deadline buyer earlier this month as the team added forward Lauri Korpikoski and blue liner Kyle Quincey, shoring up the club’s depth down the stretch. This newfound depth, while a good thing, has nonetheless forced head coach John Tortorella into making some tough lineup decisions now that the Jackets are again healthy, writes Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch. Korpikoski, acquired from Dallas for young defenseman Dillon Heatherington, was a recent casualty of that depth, as he was made a healthy scratch for the team’s 2 – 1 win over Florida Thursday night.
“I’ll continue to make my call during the game as far as who’s going and who’s not,” Tortorella said. “That will determine ice time. And then from game to game we will make a determination as to who will play. I don’t know what else to say about it, except it’s a good problem to have when you starting getting your players back healthy.”
Given the situation, it might make sense for Tortorella to take the opportunity to rest some of his veterans down the stretch but according to Portzline, that isn’t something the veteran bench boss has “even considered.” Instead, Torts will let it ride with 14 healthy forwards and use individual player performances dictate who plays and who doesn’t.
Elsewhere in the Metro Division:
- Five teams – Boston, Montreal, Florida, the New York Islanders and St. Louis – have made changes behind the bench at some point during the 2016-17 season and several Penguins players feel it’s in direct correlation to the success Pittsburgh experienced last year after replacing Mike Johnston with Mike Sullivan. But as Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes, in-season coaching changes are nothing new in the NHL. As Mackey adds, there have been 39 bench bosses replaced during the season since the 2006-07 campaign; a figure which is tops among the four major North American sports. While firing the head coach is not a recent trend in the league, it should be noted that four of the five clubs who have done so in 2016-17 are currently in contention for a playoff spot, suggesting the changes have in fact benefited the teams that made them.
- In a separate piece for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Mackey writes about how the Penguins depth has helped the team survive a bevy of injuries to key regulars. At some point this season, Pittsburgh has been without the services of Kris Letang, Trevor Daley, Evgeni Malkin, Patric Hornqvist and Carl Hagelin, among others for significant stretches but the Penguins have kept right on rolling. But GM Jim Rutherford, never one to shy away from making a deal to help his club, added blue liners Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit to bolster the defense corps while the club has relied primarily on AHL call-ups to fortify the forward ranks. One veteran minor leaguer, 27-year-old Carter Rowney, has filled in admirably when called upon this season. He tallied his first NHL goal and multi-point game in Pittsburgh’s victory over New Jersey last night. Last season, the Penguins received strong efforts from Tom Kuhnhackl, Bryan Rust and Conor Sheary, all of whom began the year in the minors, on their way to a Stanley Cup championship. It’s questionable whether Rowney will have that same level of impact on Pittsburgh’s fortunes this postseason but in a short sample he has proven he can at least serve as much needed depth.
Snapshots: 100 Classic, Hornqvist, Malkin
As reported yesterday, the Ottawa Senators will host an outdoor game next year. The “NHL 100 Classic” will be held on December 16th, 2017 to honor the first NHL game played in Ottawa 100 years prior (actually December 17th, 1917). The Senators will welcome the Montreal Canadiens to TD Place, the football stadium right along the Rideau Canal.
Just a few weeks after the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup, TD Place will have extra seating installed to accommodate the extra crowd. The Stadium currently seats 24,000 for football, but expect that to grow substantially. BMO Place in Toronto added more than 10,000 seats for this year’s Centennial Classic, after hosting it’s own Grey Cup earlier in the winter. This will be the Senators’ first hosted outdoor game.
- Patric Hornqvist re-joined the Pittsburgh Penguins at practice today, and is a game time decision tonight against the New Jersey Devils. The winger has been out for the last five games with a concussion, his second this season. An important part of the Penguins forward group, he’ll be welcomed with open arms when he does make his return.
- Hornqvist will be even more important if he can go tonight, due to Evgeni Malkin being held out with an upper-body injury. He left practice early this morning and won’t go tonight, as Mike Sullivan says he’s been dealing with it for a while.
- Ron Hainsey is out on a week-to-week basis, thus the need for Derrick Pouliot this morning. The Penguins just can’t catch a break with their defense corps, and will now need Pouliot and Mark Streit to play even bigger roles than expected down the stretch.
Morning Notes: Expansion, Enstrom, Butcher
As the expansion draft gets closer and fans start to guess what the new Vegas Golden Knights will look like, anticipation for the upcoming season has started to grow in Las Vegas. In a conversation with Josh Cooper of Puck Daddy, the league disclosed that the announcement of the roster will be televised along with the NHL Awards show, which is always held in the city.
Because the team doesn’t go team-by-team for the draft, it wouldn’t be possible to televise the actual process. But be sure that the league will make a spectacle out of the announcement—it is Las Vegas after all. Teams have to submit their list of protected players on June 17th, with the Golden Knights selecting the players by June 20th and revealing them the next day.
- Toby Enstrom is in the hospital following a brutal hit from behind by the Pittsburgh Penguins tough-guy Tom Sestito. The enforcer was called up for the game against Winnipeg because of the expected payback against Evgeni Malkin for a hit on Blake Wheeler—except Malkin took his punishment early in the first period when he dropped the gloves with Wheeler himself. Sestito would go on to fight Chris Thorburn before taking a run at Enstrom. The Winnipeg defender is being treated for possible facial fractures, according to Sportsnet.
- As teams begin to lock up their prospects to entry-level contracts, Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reminds Avalanche fans of a deadline approaching for one of their own. Will Butcher, a former fifth-round pick of Colorado who went on to excel at the University of Denver, will become a free agent on August 15th much like Jimmy Vesey did last summer. Though the Avalanche will try everything they can to sign him, with a deadline so close many prospects are tempted to just wait and see where the could go on the open market. Butcher would likely have several teams after him should he become a free agent, after another outstanding campaign as the captain of his university team.
Snapshots: Guentzel, Bindulis, Rangers
The Pittsburgh Penguins, like any other champion of the salary-cap era, have found worthwhile contributions from previously unheralded sources. Last year saw the playoff breakout of Bryan Rust and Conor Sheary, while this year Justin Schultz has turned into the defenseman that everyone had hoped for in Edmonton. As Dave Holcomb of FanRag Sports details, it may be Jake Guentzel that is the next breakout star for a team that has so many.
Guentzel has seen his ice time skyrocket since his latest call up, playing as much as 19:52 in a regulation loss on the 28th. He’s become a relied-upon member of the Penguins top-9 and will be needed past this year’s playoffs. With Sheary and Schultz up for new contracts as restricted free agents this summer and Nick Bonino hitting the open market, the team will have to make some tough decisions on the future construction of their lineup around the $25MM trio of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel. Having a cost-controlled option like Guentzel that can slot in with any of the three is a huge plus for the Penguins and their long-term future.
- Mark Divver of the Providence Journal reports that Kristofers Bindulis is the latest college free agent to watch. Several teams are after the Lake Superior State defenseman after his solid debut in the WCHA. The Lakers are having a rough season, but Bindulis has turned heads with 12 points in 28 games. Rail-thin in his draft year, Bindulis is now listed at 6’3″, 180-lbs and likely still able to fill out into his large frame. Watch for Vegas to start their roster off with some college free agents, and perhaps Bindulis is on their minds.
- The New York Rangers better hope they don’t finish fourth in the Metropolitan Division. After getting pummeled by the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 last night and causing Alain Vigneault to become more angry than he has all season (according to Brett Cyrgalis of the NY Post), the team is now just 5-4-1 in their last 10 and 0-3 against the Habs this season. With the first wildcard sport set to face the Atlantic Division winner, the Rangers would be up against the Canadiens right away and would need to turn that record around fast.
Trade Deadline Summary: Winners & Losers Of The Metropolitan Division
The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, and while it wasn’t the most exciting deadline day in recent memory, there were quite a few notable moves. Here are the winners and losers of the dominant Metropolitan Division:
Winners
Carolina Hurricanes:
- Acquired 2017 second-round pick and Danny Kristo from Pittsburgh Penguins for Ron Hainsey
- Acquired 2017 third-round pick from the Ottawa Senators for Viktor Stalberg
Not all that much happening in Raleigh, but what GM Ron Francis did do, he did well. Both Hainsey and Stalberg brought back returns that were greater than their market value. It was also nice of Francis to send Hainsey to a team where his career-long playoff drought would definitely be snapped. Not sure why Jay McClement wasn’t moved, but there simply may not have been interest. The Hurricanes have a ton of salary cap space and have to dip into their depth on defense sooner or later, but this year’s deadline was definitely not the time for big moves. Expect Carolina to be a major player in the off-season trade market.
New Jersey Devils:
- Acquired Dalton Prout from the Columbus Blue Jackets for Kyle Quincey
- Acquired 2017 sixth-round pick from the Nashville Predators for P.A. Parenteau
The Devils didn’t really have any trade capital today other than Quincey and Parenteau, so good on GM Ray Shero for doing what he could with what he had. It’s strange that New Jersey was able to get a higher pick from the Predators for Vernon Fiddler earlier this season than they did for Parenteau, but injuries may have played into that. A full season of production and a draft pick in compensation isn’t that bad a return for an early-season waiver claim. The Quincey deal was the real star of the show though. The Devils went from taking a risk on an older, washed-up defenseman this off-season to trading him for a young, strong defensive defenseman who can be a starter for years with the team. Shero played the long con on the league this year, and it paid off.
Jacob Trouba Suspended Two Games For Illegal Check
The Department of Player Safety has come down on Jacob Trouba today, suspending him two games for his illegal check to the head of Mark Stone last night.
Trouba hit Stone in the head at the end of the game against the Ottawa Senators, and was given just a two-minute minor for the check. Immediately, those watching the game knew that it would get a look from the DPS and possibly a suspension. Winnipeg fans will be upset with the decision as just a few days earlier Evgeni Malkin was not given any supplementary discipline for his high check on Blake Wheeler that had him clearly leaving his feet. Bob McKenzie of TSN wrote about the difference between the two hits today, mostly stating that because Malkin delivered a full-body check, instead of just catching the head, he wasn’t given a suspension.
In the middle of a playoff race, losing Trouba—who is arguably their second most important defenseman—is a tough blow to the Winnipeg hopes. He’ll miss games against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night, and Minnesota Wild a week later after their mandated bye-week. Just one point behind the Calgary Flames for the final playoff spot, every game counts as the Jets try to overcome their sluggish start.
Trouba is the 12th player suspended since the start of the regular season, and the third in the recent days following Gustav Nyquist and Antoine Vermette. Trouba’s two-game ban is the first of his career, but he will be under increased scrutiny going forward.