Metropolitan Notes: Andersen, Snively, Rangers
After the Hurricanes got some good news when it came to goaltender Antti Raanta today, it appears things may be looking up even more on the injury front in Carolina. Sara Civian of The Athletic reports (subscription link) that goaltender Frederik Andersen should be good to go for the playoffs as well. The 32-year-old suffered an undisclosed injury a week and a half ago with little information revealed from there. While Civian notes that Andersen isn’t expected to dress for any of Carolina’s games this week, having both him and Raanta available for the postseason will certainly help their chances of a lengthy playoff run.
More from the Metropolitan:
- Capitals winger Joe Snively skated for the first time on Sunday after undergoing wrist surgery last month, relays Samantha Pell of the Washington Post. The 26-year-old did well in his first career NHL recall, picking up four goals and three assists before being injured in his 12th game at the end of February. Nevertheless, Snively did well enough to earn a two-year, one-way extension which he inked last month. It’s unlikely that Snively will be in Washington’s lineup to start the playoffs but if some injuries strike, he could be an option to suit up.
- The Rangers have listed forwards Andrew Copp, Kaapo Kakko, and Filip Chytil as game-time decisions for their game on Tuesday against Carolina as they look to stay in the mix for the top spot in the division, notes Ethan Sears of the New York Post. Copp (lower body) and Chytil (undisclosed) were both injured on Thursday while Kakko has been out for a week and a half with a lower-body injury and received a week-to-week designation at the time. Even if they don’t play on Tuesday, all three were full participants in practice which bodes well for their availability when the playoffs start next week.
Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Trocheck, Rangers
With Tristan Jarry injured with a broken bone in his foot, Pittsburgh’s decision to not upgrade their backup goaltending spot at the trade deadline has come into question. However, as Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette illustrates, doing so wasn’t a viable option for the Penguins on a couple of fronts. They only had enough money to add one piece – winger Rickard Rakell – with team president Brian Burke acknowledging they felt they needed to upgrade up front which made that the direction they took. On top of that, aside from Marc-Andre Fleury whose AAV was too expensive to fit in, there weren’t any realistic upgrades on Casey DeSmith that were readily available. DeSmith is now getting a prime opportunity to prove his value not only to Pittsburgh but around the rest of the league as he gets set to hit the open market in July.
More from the Metropolitan:
- Hurricanes center Vincent Trocheck is having a nice season with 20 goals and 28 assists in 78 games, setting him up nicely to have plenty of interest in his first trip through unrestricted free agency this summer. However, he reiterated to Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin that his preference remains to stay in Carolina. The recent extension given to Jesperi Kotkaniemi could potentially complicate that plan as their intention is to move Kotkaniemi to his natural spot down the middle and Trocheck’s pending free agency is a logical way to do that. If the 28-year-old ultimately reaches the free agent market, Trocheck will have plenty of suitors to choose from in July.
- The Rangers won’t have forwards Andrew Copp (lower-body injury) and Filip Chytil (upper-body injury) in the lineup on Saturday against Boston, relays Mollie Walker of the New York Post. Both players were injured on Thursday (Copp’s came after scoring a natural hat trick in the first period) and are currently listed as day-to-day.
Kaapo Kakko Out Another Month With Upper-Body Injury
The New York Rangers will be without young forward Kaapo Kakko for another month according to head coach Gerard Gallant, who spoke to reporters including Dan Rosen of NHL.com. He hasn’t played since January 21, missing the last several games before the break with the upper-body injury that’s keeping him out.
While he still hasn’t reached the level of offense that many expected from a second-overall pick, Kakko has been an excellent defensive presence for the Rangers this season. His average ice time is up to 16 minutes a night with outstanding possession numbers, and though he still isn’t a regular on the penalty kill, he’s at least seen some time shorthanded.
Unfortunately, he won’t get a chance to try and raise that offensive presence for a while. In 37 games he has 14 points, just seven shy of the 23 he had as a rookie. A month would take him out for another dozen games, after which he’d need to find his footing once again.
The team recalled Morgan Barron this morning but he may not be in the lineup for long. The 23-year-old has one point in nine games, playing fewer than ten minutes in five of his appearances, and could soon be replaced by Filip Chytil, who could return against the Boston Bruins when the Rangers come back from their long break next week.
Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Chytil, Raanta, Ovechkin
Pittsburgh’s recent recall of Louis Domingue may have raised some eyebrows as adding a third goaltender to the roster usually means there’s an injury. However, that’s not the case for the Penguins, reports Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Instead, starting goaltender Tristan Jarry didn’t travel with the team to Ottawa and won’t be in uniform against the Sens as they’ve elected to not have him travel to give him some extra rest but he’s expected to suit up for the Penguins tomorrow night in Washington. At that point, blueliners Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel will also be available to return after being re-added to COVID protocols yesterday for cross-border travel reasons, not another positive test.
More from the Metropolitan:
- Rangers center Filip Chytil is expected to miss his second straight game tonight versus Columbus as he works his way back from an upper-body injury, notes Mollie Walker of the New York Post. However, it doesn’t appear as if he’ll be out much longer as he skated for a half-hour before practice on Friday which suggests he’s close to returning. The 22-year-old has two goals and an assist in 12 games this season.
- Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta has resumed skating as he works his way back from a concussion, relays Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer (Twitter link). The veteran suffered the injury a week ago today against Florida in just his second game of the season.
- Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin’s goal last night against Columbus moved him into fourth all-time in NHL scoring with 742 tallies. Next up for him to catch is Jaromir Jagr who sits 24 ahead of Washington’s captain. Ovechkin is off to a hot start to his season with 12 goals and 12 assists in just 14 games.
New York Rangers Sign Filip Chytil
The New York Rangers have taken care of a little restricted free agent business, signing Filip Chytil to a two-year contract. Chytil was not eligible for salary arbitration. Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that the contract will carry an average annual value of $2.3MM.
Now several years into his NHL career, Chytil has become a valuable part of the Rangers forward group even if his offensive production still hasn’t quite risen to expected levels. He registered eight goals and 22 points in 42 games this season while playing just over 13 minutes a night, mostly alongside young wingers Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere. That trio, who are all 21-or-under, are an extremely important part of the future in New York but will all be expected to take a step forward this season.
In Chytil’s case specifically, the Rangers were not comfortable using him on the powerplay this season, which obviously limits his offensive potential. With Pavel Buchnevich gone, there may be more opportunity with the man-advantage, though it of course may not all go to Chytil. There is also the addition of a more traditional bottom-six option in Barclay Goodrow, one that may be able to take on heavy defensive minutes and allow players like Chytil to feast on weaker competition.
At the end of this contract Chytil will still be a restricted free agent, but will also be arbitration-eligible. If he wants to cash in on a big-money deal, he’ll have to put up improved scoring stats over the next two seasons. Still just 21, the first-round pick certainly has the talent to be a legitimate middle-six contributor. Now he just has to prove he can do it on a consistent basis.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Free Agent Focus: New York Rangers
Free agency is now just under a month away and many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up. There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market in late July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. The Rangers are more concerned with the latter than the former, with few impending UFAs of note but quite a few impact RFAs.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Pavel Buchnevich – Buchnevich is one of four of the Rangers’ top-twelve scoring forwards without a contract for next season, alongside Chytil, Gauthier, and Di Giuseppe, but is by far the most important. Buchnevich finished third in per-game scoring for New York this year, behind only stars Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. His 48 points were two more than his 2019-20 total, but in 14 fewer games. Buchnevich’s consistent scoring paired with his defensive improvements and success on both special teams units led to an increase in ice time to 18:44 per game, top line minutes again behind only Zibanejad and Panarin. Buchnevich timed this breakout year well; the 26-year-old forward is now a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. This is not an aberration either, as Buchnevich has shown steady improvement throughout his career and is firmly established as a top-six forward with 20-goal and 50-point regularity. The Rangers will have no choice but to pay up, short-term or long-term, with an unfavorable arbitration decision, not to mention the animosity created by the process, as a looming threat.
G Igor Shesterkin – The Rangers may have two young goaltenders in the pros and a multitude of talented prospects in the pipeline, but make no mistake: Shesterkin is invaluable. The 25-year-old netminder has only played in 47 games across two seasons since coming over from the KHL, but has been superb with a .921 save percentage, 2.59 GAA, and a .611 points percentage in his decisions for a team that has played at a .552 clip over the past two years. Shesterkin is the best of the bunch in net in New York and the Rangers need to lock him up on a multi-year deal, regardless of his lack of NHL experience. Shesterkin’s arbitration eligibility ensures that they will have to pay him fairly as well. Shesterkin is close to unrestricted free agency and the worst thing the team could do is sign what looks to be a solid NHL starter to a short-term deal (or settle for an arbitration decision) only to see him continue to perform or even improve and then price himself out of town.
Other RFAs: F Filip Chytil, D Brandon Crawley, F Gabriel Fontaine, F Julien Gauthier, F Tim Gettinger, D Libor Hajek, G Adam Huska, F Patrick Newell, F Ty Ronning, D Yegor Rykov
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
D Brendan Smith – It wasn’t long ago that Smith’s contract was one of the most criticized in the NHL as he was buried in the minors in the first season of a four-year, $17.4MM deal with the Rangers. In the years since, he has somewhat recovered to become a good albeit still overpaid depth defenseman for New York. Smith has played in over 80% of the Rangers’ games over the past three seasons since his abysmal debut season, providing physicality and defensive stability and, for the first time in 2020-21, more secure puck-handling and a hint more offense. With a deep stable of talented young defensemen, the Rangers don’t need Smith. However, they could do far worse than someone with versatility, checking ability, and veteran experience as a depth option. He would come much cheaper this time around as well, as Smith is unlikely to have a competitive market as a free agent.
F Phil Di Giuseppe – At 27 years old with only 201 career games and 53 career points, Di Giuseppe has not much more than a depth option during his time in the NHL and likely won’t be. However, he proved to be valuable in that role in two seasons with New York, playing a gritty checking game and contributing some modest offense. Di Giuseppe’s success as a plug-and-play bottom-six forward is not limited to his time with the Rangers either, as some of his best seasons were playing the same role with the Carolina Hurricanes. As an affordable extra man, Di Giuseppe has value to the Rangers as an extension candidate, but he may be on the lookout for more opportunity rather than staying on a New York roster that is deep in young players in need of ice time and hoping to add more veterans this off-season.
Other UFAs: D Jack Johnson, D Darren Raddysh
Projected Cap Space
While Buchnevich and Shesterkin will earn considerable deals this summer and Chytil is deserving of a sizeable raise as well, the Rangers remain in good shape with the salary cap. They currently project to have $22.89MM in cap space with 18 players on the NHL roster, but that includes third-string goaltender Keith Kinkaid and cap charge for defenseman Anthony DeAngelo, who will be traded or at worst bought out in the off-season. A more accurate projection is closer to $25.5MM with 17 players on the roster. New deals for Gauthier, Hajek, and possibly Smith or Di Giuseppe (or replacements) should come cheap, leaving plenty of room to re-sign the key trio of RFA’s with room to spare to add another impact forward or two.
Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 02/21/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here are today’s results:
NY Rangers – Kaapo Kakko
Ottawa – Ryan Dzingel
Philadelphia – Justin Braun, Claude Giroux, Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton, Oskar Lindblom, Jakub Voracek
St. Louis – Sammy Blais
Vegas – Tomas Nosek
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Players removed today: Andrew Hammond, Minnesota Wild; Filip Chytil, New York Rangers
No new players on the list. With the list now at just 10 players, it’s the lowest number this season with the list being once in the 40s. Unfortunately, the Philadelphia Flyers still remain with six players sitting out.
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 02/20/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here are today’s results:
Minnesota – Andrew Hammond
NY Rangers – Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko*
Ottawa – Ryan Dzingel
Philadelphia – Justin Braun, Claude Giroux, Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton, Oskar Lindblom, Jakub Voracek
St. Louis – Sammy Blais*
Vegas – Tomas Nosek
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Players removed today: Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils
The Rangers took down Washington this afternoon even without Kakko, who was added to the list and unable to play. The 20-year-old forward was on the list earlier this season but didn’t have to miss much action. He has three points in 14 games.
*denotes new addition
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 02/19/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here are today’s results:
Minnesota – Andrew Hammond
New Jersey – Nico Hischier
NY Rangers – Filip Chytil
Ottawa – Ryan Dzingel
Philadelphia – Justin Braun, Claude Giroux, Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton, Oskar Lindblom, Jakub Voracek
Vegas – Tomas Nosek
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Players removed today: Samuel Girard, Colorado Avalanche; Hunter Miska, Colorado Avalanche
No new additions today and the total is down to 11 after the Avalanche have cleared the board. The league continues to trend in the right direction, though has to remain vigilant throughout the season.
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 02/18/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here are today’s results:
Colorado – Samuel Girard, Hunter Miska
Minnesota – Andrew Hammond*
New Jersey – Nico Hischier
NY Rangers – Filip Chytil
Ottawa – Ryan Dzingel
Philadelphia – Justin Braun, Claude Giroux, Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton, Oskar Lindblom, Jakub Voracek
Vegas – Tomas Nosek
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Players removed today: Andreas Athanasiou, Los Angeles Kings; Morgan Frost, Philadelphia Flyers, Jonas Brodin, Minnesota Wild; Victor Rask, Minnesota Wild; Carson Soucy, Minnesota Wild; Cam Talbot, Minnesota Wild
Hammond is the only new player today, added in the wake of the rest of Minnesota’s names coming off the list. It’s a good sign that names like Brodin are coming off, but at least a little concerning that another new name has been added. Los Angeles finally has no one on the list after Blake Lizotte and Athanasiou have come off the last few days, and the Flyers list has shrunk again as well.
It seems things are trending in the right direction. Hopefully, it can stay that way.
*denotes new addition