North Notes: Toronto Goalies, Sanderson, Ottawa Injuries, Canucks
The Maple Leafs have ruled out goaltender Frederik Andersen from the Western leg of their road trip, notes Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun. That means he will miss at least the next three games with head coach Sheldon Keefe indicating that the netminder will be re-evaluated after that. Andersen continues to deal with the same lower-body issue that sidelined him in late February and resulted in some struggles upon his return which resulted in him missing time again. That’s not an ideal spot to be in with a starting goalie.
To that end, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted in a segment on WGR 550 (audio link) that Toronto has spoken to Buffalo about Linus Ullmark. The Sabres netminder is a pending UFA and would certainly be a viable replacement if Andersen was to miss extended time. Friedman was quick to classify the talks as simply due diligence at this point and with the Maple Leafs having minimal cap space, they’d be hard-pressed to do a deal unless Andersen was to basically be out for the rest of the regular season.
Elsewhere in the East:
- While the Senators have signed two of their top prospects this week, they won’t be doing the same with Jake Sanderson. The defenseman confirmed to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald that he will return to North Dakota for his sophomore season. The 18-year-old was the fifth-overall pick back in October and fared quite well with 15 points in 22 games while playing a big role for Team USA at the World Juniors.
- Still with Ottawa, head coach D.J. Smith indicated in his press briefing today (video link) that winger Micheal Haley is out for the rest of the season due to his groin injury. Meanwhile, while Matt Murray was activated from injured reserve on Thursday, he is still not ready to return. Colin White, who left Thursday’s game early with an upper-body injury, is listed as day-to-day.
- Despite the COVID-19 situation for the Canucks, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre that there has been “no consideration” given to shortening Vancouver’s schedule once they’re able to resume play. The league recently extended the regular season to May 11th to provide an extra buffer when Montreal was shut down for a week but given the severity of this outbreak, they may have to miss more than a week which would make playing their full schedule between their return and May 11th next to impossible.
Injury Notes: Zucker, Malkin, Hischier, Andersen
The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially activated Jason Zucker from injured reserve and have listed him as a game-time decision for their contest tonight against the New York Islanders. Zucker is returning much quicker than many had anticipated when he went down with a lower-body injury in late-February but will be a welcome addition to the Penguins lineup.
Now 29, Zucker has just seven points in 17 games for Pittsburgh this season but is coming back at the perfect time. The team has moved Evgeni Malkin to long-term injured reserve retroactive to March 16 meaning he will miss at least six more games. Drew O’Connor and Jonathan Gruden have also been moved to the taxi squad.
- Another East Division team got some good injury news, as Nico Hischier has resumed workouts and cardio activity after his recent sinus fracture. There is still no timetable for Hischier’s return, but Devils head coach Lindy Ruff expressed some optimism for the young forward, saying he is “progressing” in his recovery. Hischier underwent surgery to repair the fracture on March 15 and was given a three-week timeline, meaning he is still expected back early next month.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs will have Michael Hutchinson in net tonight as they try to limit the workload for Jack Campbell, who has taken over starting duties in Frederik Andersen‘s absence. Toronto has been very tight-lipped when it comes to Andersen’s injury, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes that the team does not currently believe that it is season-ending. Of course, if it were to keep Andersen out the rest of the regular season, the Maple Leafs would have some added cap flexibility through long-term injured reserve. Friedman suspects the front office has “a move or two in his back pocket” for when the cap numbers work. Andersen hasn’t played since March 19.
Trade Rumors: Pearson, Hamonic, Andersen, Canadiens
The Tanner Pearson saga in Vancouver has been full of twists and turns and the ride isn’t over just yet. Early this month, reports emerged that the Canucks preferred to re-sign rather than trade the impending free agent Pearson. The two-way forward excelled in Vancouver last season and GM Jim Benning and company seemed more interested in keeping him around rather than shipping him off, even as arguably their most valuable rental chip. However, at the time contract talks had not yet occurred and this led to the assumption that the Canucks would have to move Pearson if terms of an extension could not be reached before the trade deadline. Two weeks later, it seemed the decision had been taken from the Canucks. Pearson suffered a lower-body injury and was given a four-week timeline for his recovery, meaning he would be injured through the deadline and much more difficult to trade, if not impossible in a quiet, cap-strapped market. The only silver lining was that perhaps the two sides would be more amenable to an extension with Pearson missing considerable time in his already-shortened contract year. Now, everything has changed yet again. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that Pearson is already preparing to resume skating and is expected to return to action ahead of the deadline. After receiving a second opinion on his injury, Pearson’s timeline was moved up and could return to his status as a viable deadline acquisition. As for the possibility of an extension instead? Johnston states that the two sides still have not had any contract talks and he believes that the Canucks will have no choice but to trade a soon-to-be healthy Pearson before the deadline if no contract terms are in place. Time is running out to keep the extension option open, as the deadline is now just two weeks away.
- One player who definitely won’t be leaving Vancouver: Travis Hamonic. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Carolina Hurricanes have been seeking a veteran, stay-at-home right-handed defenseman and inquired about Hamonic. They were told that he is not available. The Canucks signed Hamonic just before the season started to a one-year, short-money deal, but the key piece of the contract for the respected vet was a full No-Movement Clause. Hamonic wants to stay at home in western Canada and is not expected to waive his NMC. Perhaps an offer from the Edmonton Oilers is the only chance that Hamonic is on the move before the deadline.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs’ situation in net is certainly murky right now, but Friedman did his best to provide some clarity. He reports that starter Frederik Andersen is not currently participating in any on-ice work. Instead, he is undergoing “different evaluations” on his nagging lower-body injury and is sidelined indefinitely. Yet, Friedman also notes that Toronto is not actively searching the trade market for another goaltender either. Jack Campbell has played well since returning from his own injury, Michael Hutchinson has been stellar when forced into action this season as well, and the team just recently added some more net depth via trade in Veini Vehvilainen. The Leafs seem content to roll with this trio for now in anticipation of Andersen eventually returning to action. With limited cap room, the team can ill-afford to add another netminder that they may not need. Unless Andersen lands on Long-Term Injured Reserve, expect the Maple Leafs to stand pat in net.
- After adding Eric Staal, even at a surprisingly affordable cost, the Montreal Canadiens may be done dealing. GM Marc Bergevin told the media that he is not looking to open up cap space for any further moves, limiting Montreal’s ability to make another addition. With Staal on the roster, the Habs’ deadline cap space is currently projected to be around $2.25MM. However, that number is inflated due to Paul Byron‘s current taxi squad status. As Byron spends game days on the NHL roster and only off days on the taxi squad, his $3.4MM cap hit will chip away at that space, likely leaving the Candiens with closer to $1.75MM at best by the deadline. Bergevin noted that “anything is possible” but unless faced with a hockey trade that he cannot pass up, Montreal is limited to adding only a minor salary to the roster without reversing course on the decision not to seek options to create more cap space.
Snapshots: Pearson, Andersen, Dahlen
To this point, the Vancouver Canucks had approached the future of forward Tanner Pearson with two options. If the two sides could come to terms on an extension, the preference was to retain Pearson beyond this season. If no agreement could be reached before the trade deadline, then the team would instead trade Pearson rather than risk losing him for nothing in free agency. Now, than plan might have been taken away from them. Pearson was injured in the Canucks’ Wednesday night match-up with the Ottawa Senators and was forced to leave the game. The team has since announced that the injury is far worse than merely a one-game absence. Pearson is expected to miss at least four weeks with an undisclosed lower-body injury. With the trade deadline just 24 days away, Pearson will not return to action before the Canucks’ last chance to move him. In a normal year, perhaps a team would be willing to buy low on an injured Pearson at the deadline. However, in this cap-strapped climate, teams aren’t messing around with adding salary and with Pearson not only injured through the deadline but with an uncertain timeline to return altogether, there is very little chance that the Canucks will be able to move him. Perhaps GM Jim Benning and company will be able to leverage the injury into a more affordable extension; Vancouver’s lack of cap space is believed to be the reason why a deal hasn’t already been reached and a cheaper deal would help to make the squeeze work for next season and beyond. Otherwise, its seems the Canucks have missed their chance to get any value out of Pearson before he departs this summer. It’s not and ideal outcome for the team or the player, who would prefer to be competing for a playoff spot if and when he returns to action.
- Another player dealing with injury is Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen. Yet, Andersen continues to suit up for the team. After a two-week hiatus with a lower-body injury, Andersen returned to Leafs earlier this month. However, the injury continues to nag him, he tells TSN’s Kristen Shilton, and it has shown on the ice. Andersen brought a 2-4-0 record, .887 save percentage, and 3.30 GAA in March into Toronto’s Friday night contest with the Calgary Flames, only to allow four goals on 18 shots in yet another loss. Andersen has now allowed 19 goals in his last five games. With their starter faltering, the Leafs will turn to backup Jack Campbell to start their next game, but one game off for Andersen is unlikely to provide any long-term relief. The Maple Leafs, who are serious Stanley Cup contenders this year and face an unusually easy path to the Final without having to go through the Tampa Bay Lightning and/or Boston Bruins in the early rounds this year. If Toronto doesn’t give Andersen another extended break to shake his nagging injury and his play does not improve, they may need to start considering a major change in net before the trade deadline. Andersen’s play this season, injury or not, is also certainly impacting his impending free agency as well.
- San Jose Sharks prospect Jonathan Dahlen has been named the MVP of the Allsvenskan, the team was proud to announce. Although the Allsvenskan is Sweden’s second-tier league, Dahlen’s 25 goals and 71 points in 45 games are still impressive and helped Timra IK to a regular season title (by a wide margin) and a chance at promotion to the SHL. This is Dahlen’s second straight season of 70+ points as the leading scorer for Timra and it seems like he is finally ready to make the transition to the NHL. Dahlen, 23, has played parts of two seasons in the AHL, but always seemed to have one foot out the door given his preference to play in Sweden if he wasn’t in the NHL. Perhaps that has contributed to his NHL rights being traded twice already. However, the Sharks are in no position to turn away affordable forward talent and should be ready to give Dahlen a shot at a roster spot next season, if not sooner once his Allsvenskan season ends.
Maple Leaf Notes: Galchenyuk, Matthews, Andersen, Campbell
When the Toronto Maple Leafs sent forward Alex Galchenyuk from the taxi squad to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL Saturday, many felt that it was just to get a few games under his belt after having sat out since Feb. 11. That may not only be the case as Toronto Sun’s Terry Koshan writes the Maple Leafs intend to properly develop Galchenyuk and his lost game.
Galchenyuk, the third-overall pick in 2012, has never played a game in the AHL, having jumped straight from the OHL to the Montreal Canadiens. The Maple Leafs would have sent Galchenyuk to the Marlies right after the trade. However, the AHL squad has been on an eight-game road trip and finally has their home opener on Monday. Maple Leafs’ head coach Sheldon Keefe said the team intends to be patient with Galchenyuk as they try to help the forward find his game.
“Part of our plan was to get him playing and we would have made this move probably a little bit sooner had the Marlies not been out west,” Keefe said.
- Sticking with the Maple Leafs, it looks like the team could be without star Auston Matthews for another game, according to TSN’s Mark Masters. The forward skated with the team Sunday in Edmonton, but didn’t skated as an extra and didn’t take any hard shots. However, Keefe didn’t rule out Matthews playing either, according to NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger. “He’s not ruled out for tomorrow,” said Keefe. Matthews missed Saturday’s game against the Oilers and now could miss Monday’s bout with them as well. If Matthews is out, John Tavares will fill in as the first-line center.
- No word on who will start in net on Monday for the Maple Leafs. Goaltender Frederik Andersen, who is dealing with a lower-body injury, was a full-participant in practice, but it’s not looking like he will play Monday, according to TSN’s Kristen Shilton. “Ah, it’s not looking that way, if we’re being honest,” said Keefe. “Basically, where we’re at now is just waiting for him to be comfortable … & we don’t really know when that’s going to be. But today was a very positive step towards that.” To make matters worse, Jack Campbell sat out of practice for a maintenance day after returning from a leg injury on Saturday. “Between Campbell and Fred and their situations, we’ve got a lot of things to sort through that I don’t suspect will get sorted out until tomorrow night,” Keefe said.
Jacob Markstrom, Frederik Andersen Scratched Late Due To Injury
Monday night’s match-up between the Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs has not one but two unexpected twists, both revealed in the hour leading up to puck-drop. The Flames first announced that starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom would not dress tonight and is considered day-to-day with an undisclosed upper-body injury. Minutes later, the Maple Leafs announced that their own starter, Frederik Andersen, also would not dress due to an undisclosed lower-body injury. It is not clear at this time how or when either injury was sustained.
In the long-term, the loss of Markstrom, possibly for multiple games, is the bigger story. A talented Flames roster has underachieved so far this season and are currently outside of the playoff picture. In a competitive North Division, Calgary is relying on major free agent acquisition Markstrom to help them battle back into postseason position. For the time being though, they will have to lean on incumbent David Rittich who has been serviceable in the past but is a notable downgrade from Markstrom. The team also used an emergency recall to add Artyom Zagidulin to the roster to dress as the backup tonight and possibly longer. The former KHL standout has a chance to make his NHL debut if his stay in Calgary is extended.
In the short-term though, the loss of yet another goalie in the Toronto organization is a major concern, especially if Andersen misses multiple games. The Leafs sit comfortably atop the division and can rely on the experienced Michael Hutchinson for a while. However, Hutchinson began the season as the Leafs’ fourth-string goalie. It has taken the waiver departure of Aaron Dell and injuries to Jack Campbell and now Andersen to boost Hutchison to the interim starter role. Behind him, untested Joseph Woll has been recalled to dress as backup and was the only choice, as the only other pro goalie under contract – Ian Scott – is also injured. The Leafs are an extended absence for Andersen or another injury in goal away from having to acquire another net minder.
Free Agency Notes: Krejci, Andersen, Jensen
While some attention has been on the future of teammate Tuukka Rask of late, the Boston Bruins have another major impending free agent in center David Krejci. Like Rask, Krejci is reaching the end of a long-term, big-money contract and while he won’t get another at 35 years old by next season, Krejci does not appear to be done. The career Bruin matched a career-high 73 points in 2018-19 and last season was a top-five scorer for Boston and trailed only David Pastrnak in shooting efficiency. He capped off the campaign by reminding everyone of his career-long knack for playoff success with a team-best 12 points in 13 games. Krejci looks poised to extend his career beyond this season, likely in Boston, but there has been little public talk of an extension thus far. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta provides an explanation, reporting that Krejci’s camp opted not to open talks this off-season. Krejci’s preference was to hold off on negotiations through the brief off-season as well as through training camp. However, the two sides are expected to begin talks once the season begins. If and when a resolution is reached, the extension could also remain as a handshake agreement, as many might this season given the Expansion Draft ramifications of signing would-be UFA’s. With that in mind, Boston fans should not be discouraged that Krejci is entering his fifteenth Bruins season without a new contract, nor should they worry if a deal is not done during the season; talks will be ongoing and the likelihood of an extension is strong.
- Unlike Krejci, Toronto Maple Leafs starting goaltender Frederik Andersen does not appear likely to negotiate an extension during this season. The impending free agent, likely to be one of the best names available in the 2021 goalie market, did not have any extension talks with Toronto this off-season, reports TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. And now that the season is about to begin, LeBrun does not expect those talks to finally occur until next off-season. LeBrun notes that Andersen’s agent, Claude Lemieux, prefers not to discuss contracts in-season due to the distraction it may cause his clients. Obviously, any number of factors could shift the status quo and force the two sides to come together during the year, but it is unlikely. As such, Andersen is expected to head into the summer without a new contract and the Maple Leafs will have a small window of time to review the season and work out an extension before their starter becomes a free agent.
- Andersen’s fellow countryman and former NHLer Nicklas Jensen was set to be a free agent this off-season but no more. The skilled Danish forward has signed a two-year extension with the KHL’s Jokerit, the club announced. The move comes as a bit of a surprise, as Jensen has re-signed with his current club in-season for the second year in a row, never allowing for NHL teams to make an offer during the off-season. Jensen has shown that he is worthy of a second chance in North America, too. The 27-year-old power forward, a 2011 first-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks, may not have found much success in the NHL last time around, but now a more mature player, Jensen has been a prolific scorer in the KHL. Jensen led Jokerit and finished fourth in the league in points per game in an injury-shortened 2019-20 with 25 points in 27 games and has never scored below .69 points per game through four KHL seasons, including his current campaign. A capable scorer with size and speed who has established himself in the KHL and previously flashed immense potential in the AHL, Jensen would seemingly be an intriguing target for an NHL team. A two-year extension taking him into his thirties does not completely eliminate the chance of an NHL comeback for Jensen, but makes it all the more unlikely.
Atlantic Notes: Montour, Miller, Andersen
The Sabres paid a steep price to acquire Brandon Montour from Anaheim last February with young defenseman Brendan Guhle and a first-round pick going the other way. He was expected to be a core part of their back end but has struggled the point where he was considered a possible candidate to not be tendered a qualifying offer back in October. The two sides eventually settled on a one-year, $3.875MM contract, walking him to unrestricted free agency next summer.
Part of the reason for his struggles may have been the fact that he often played his off-side. Accordingly, with Buffalo’s back end remaining intact for the upcoming season, he has spent a lot of his extended offseason training with a focus on playing that off-side, notes Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News. Montour will need a strong season to have a chance of commanding his current salary on the open market next offseason, one that will likely be as tough to navigate as this one so there is definitely plenty at stake as he tries to re-establish himself as a core defenseman for the Sabres.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:
- Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller is expected to be ready to suit up on opening night, whenever that day comes, relays Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic (Twitter link). The veteran missed all of last season due to recurring knee injuries and wound up re-signing for a guaranteed $1MM plus another $250K roster bonus and $750K in games played in playoff bonuses. While he’s a right-shot defender, he could be called upon to help cover the departures on the left side of Torey Krug (St. Louis) and Zdeno Chara (still unsigned).
- TSN’s Travis Yost profiles the tricky decision that the Maple Leafs will soon face regarding goaltender Frederik Andersen, a pending unrestricted free agent. With so much of their money tied up in their top forwards, they’re not in a position to be able to afford a high-priced goaltender but before last season, he had put up some strong numbers. Now 31, Andersen will be looking to show that his dip (which included a career-low .909 SV%) was an outlier and not a sign of things to come.
Atlantic Notes: Eichel, Hyman, Senators
While many fans look to the Buffalo Sabres offseason as a success, team star Jack Eichel is just as excited about the team’s moves. The 24-year-old expressed frustration with the Sabres’ team and made it clear the Sabres were in need of more veteran players. The team did just that under new general manager Kevyn Adams, who brought in a number of experienced players, including Taylor Hall, Eric Staal and Cody Eakin to bolster their forward depth.
“I know the league is trying to go younger, but I think that you still need those older guys, the veteran guys, the guys that have been there and won,” said Eichel in an interview with Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski. “I think you need them in your locker room, first of all, and you need them on the ice. We’ve definitely been young. We’ve been in a transition for a few years now. There’s always young guys coming through the organization and you want to see everyone have success, but you look at the transformation that our team made this offseason.”
Eichel, who has not been to the playoffs in his entire career, as Buffalo hasn’t reached the playoffs in nine years, has seen a number of veteran players moved out such as Ryan O’Reilly and Eichel’s friend Zach Bogosian in favor of bringing in younger players. However, Eichel is enthusiastic of the direction of the team this season.
“It’s so hard to win when you’re young,” said Eichel. “I think it’s so important to have that veteran presence in the room and on the ice, so I think it was good for us to add that this offseason. We’ll see what happens.”
- The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel and James Mirtle (subscription required) debate whether the Toronto Maple Leafs can retain some of their other soon-to-be free agents, including goaltender Frederik Andersen, defenseman Morgan Rielly and forward Zach Hyman. While all three are not likely to be retained due to the team’s continual cap problems in the future, both writers agreed that the slam dunk signing would be Hyman, whose hard-working attitude and competitive culture that he sets in the locker room are critical to bringing back down the road. Of course, both writers did add that much of those hopes will come down to whether Hyman, now 28 and coming off two 20-goal seasons, will be willing to accept a minor home-town discount to stay. If he’s looking to cash in, that could force the team to go in a different direction.
- While many people are beginning to see hope in Ottawa with some of their offseason moves this offseason as well as the development of their youth, The Athletic’s Hailey Salvian (subscription required) writes that the Senators could find themselves at quite a disadvantage next season assuming they end up in an all-Canadian division next season. Ottawa struggled against their Canadian counterparts, posting a 4-8-2 record, including a minus-12 goal differential against those teams. To make matters worse, most of the Canadian teams have improved during the offseason, which could make Ottawa’s season that much more challenging with no cellar dwellers they can take advantage of.
Frederik Andersen Expected To Start For Toronto
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been rumored to be one of the teams considering a change in net this offseason, but when GM Kyle Dubas took the (virtual) podium today to speak with reporters he didn’t seem interested in changing his starter. As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet tweets, Dubas explained that he expects Frederik Andersen to be the team’s starting goaltender when the next season opens and has addressed the speculation directly with his netminder.
Just because Dubas says he expects Andersen to be in net, doesn’t necessarily mean that the team didn’t have talks with other teams. Specifically, discussions with the Carolina Hurricanes were widely reported to have included Andersen’s name.
In a year where there are at least a dozen strong options available, it’s hard to imagine there would be a huge market for Andersen, who has just one year remaining on his current contract. The Maple Leafs would also have needed a replacement unless they decided to give the starting role to Jack Campbell, something that seemed unlikely given his experience and the team’s desire to compete for a Stanley Cup.
That contract of Andersen’s is something to keep an eye on though as Toronto will need to make plans for the 2021-22 season at some point. Their top two goaltending prospects, Ian Scott and Joseph Woll are not ready for the NHL yet while an extension for Andersen would be pricey and risky given his age and inconsistency in the past. If the Maple Leafs have shut the door on a move this offseason, a window might have to be opened in the coming months.
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