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Ivan Provorov

“Every GM In The League” Has Called On Seth Jones

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are having to make another difficult decision this off-season, as star defenseman Seth Jones has indicated that he will test free agency next summer rather than re-sign. As The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline writes, barring a change of heart, this means that Jones will be traded, as expected. GM Jarmo Kekalainen has allowed other top players to stay with the team and walk as free agents in recent years, but with the team re-tooling and John Davidson back in his role as team president and focused on the future, Jones will not follow suit.

Fortunately, the Blue Jackets will have no trouble at all trading Jones and will be able to get a major return back. Kekalainen tells Portzline that he has ” heard from just about every GM in the league” since Jones’ availability became public. This could be puffery from the veteran executive to drive up the price, but is also entirely believable. Jones has been playing top-pair minutes for years, produces on offense, is solid on defense, and has improved in his physicality as well. At just 26, Jones is one of the more complete defensemen in the NHL and any club could use him.

Who will be the lucky team that lands Jones though? Portzline has heard four names come up repeatedly in conversations with sources around the league: Chicago, Colorado, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. The Avalanche certainly stand out as a outlier; the top contenders have plenty of depth on defense and are lacking in cap space, this year and beyond. They would likely be looking at Jones as a year-long rental as they push for that elusive Stanley Cup. Would the cost be worth the short-term investment though? The other three clubs certainly would be eyeing a long-term deal with Jones as they are each in need of a top-tier defenseman. The Flyers have long been searching for a capable player to pair with Ivan Provorov on their top pair and Jones is as good a fit as can be found on the market. The Blackhawks also have been without a truly elite defenseman for some time. Like Colorado, they have salary cap issues but would be more willing and able to make it work. The Kings are the most dangerous buyer on the market, armed with a ton of talented prospects and fueled by a desire to improve before their aging core calls it quits. A top defenseman would go a long way in L.A.’s effort to return to relevance.

Of course, as Jones’ market continues to develop and the asking price becomes more concrete, another suitor could swoop in. Every team in the league will keep an eye on the bidding war over the next few weeks, before the Blue Jackets are expected to pull the trigger, by the NHL Entry Draft if not before.

Trade Rumors: Jones, Foegele, Tkachuk

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A Seth Jones trade seems like a foregone conclusion this off-season. The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman has stated that he will not sign an extension before his current contract expires after the 2021-22 and will test the free agent market, all but guaranteeing that he will not re-sign with the team. The retooling Blue Jackets are not going to watch another star player walk away as they get nothing in return and recognize that Jones’ value will be much higher this summer as opposed to dealing him in-season. Columbus’ leverage is damaged by Jones’ public statements, but the team will try to create a bidding war to drive up the price. There should be no shortage of interest and one team is already hot on the trail. In his latest “31 Thoughts” column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman writes that the Philadelphia Flyers are “definitely” in on Jones and that it isn’t exactly a secret either. Friedman states that there is a lot of chatter surrounding a potential Jones-to-Philly deal already. The Flyers have been open about their desire to add another top pair defenseman across from Ivan Provorov and have a number of talented young roster players and a deep pipeline to offer Columbus whatever they want. In need of top center, perhaps the Blue Jackets will buy low on 2017 second overall pick Nolan Patrick as part of a package for Jones, a top-five pick himself.

  • Another player on the trade block, though not as publicly as Jones, is Carolina Hurricanes forward Warren Foegele. Foegele is looking to play a bigger role and on a deep Hurricanes roster he has been limited to bottom-six responsibilities. At first it seemed like Carolina may be reluctant to move the underrated forward, but it seems the tides are turning. Friedman believes that the ’Canes are going to re-shape their bottom-six after falling short in the playoffs once again and that Foegele’s unofficial trade request may just be honored. He reports that trade talks are occurring between Carolina and Foegele suitors. Friedman adds that impending unrestricted free agent Jordan Martinook is another player unlikely to return to Raleigh next season.
  • One player that Friedman does not see moving: Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk. While this may seem like common sense, the Flames are listening to all offers right now and could be making some major changes this summer. There were also whispers that Tkachuk himself may want to leave, however those rumors were met with swift and firm denials. As Friedman points out, that is a contrasting approach to how other teams have treated players who have recently asked to leave, such as Jones or Arizona’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson, implying that the rumors are in fact false. Friedman reports that Tkachuk’s name never came up in Calgary’s Pierre-Luc Dubois negotiations and the team has zero interest in trading him.

Snapshots: Tkachuk, Provorov, Hutton, Pastrnak

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Although his entry-level contract expires after this season, Brady Tkachuk and the Ottawa Senators are not rushing into contract talks. Tkachuk spoke with the media on Wednesday, including The Ottawa Sun’s Ken Warren, and stated that he was happy with the club and not worried about negotiating an extension. “We’re not really talking about (a new contract),” Tkachuk said, “I don’t think that’s the focus for both sides. Our goal right now is to do everything we can to make the playoffs.” Neither side really has much to worry about anyhow. Tkachuk has continually stated that he enjoys playing for the team and living in Ottawa and seems committed to a long-term future with the Senators. And with more than $34MM in projected cap space for next season and few existing long-term contracts to worry about, the club should have no problem giving their young centerpiece whatever he wants in order to ensure a lengthy extension of their relationship.

  • No league discipline is coming for Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov in regards to a net front collision that injured Buffalo Sabres goaltender Carter Hutton on Tuesday. The play in question did look like it was at least partially caused by Hutton’s teammate, Brandon Montour, and there is not nearly enough evidence for NHL Player Safety to state that Provorov was definitively at fault. That hasn’t stopped Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger from publicly stating his disappointment with the situation, though. Krueger tells The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor that Provorov’s actions were purposeful: “if you look at the way the elbow comes extended, you know what you’re doing.” Krueger believes his team has already been the victims of several bad hits to the head so far this season and is clearly to get some extra attention for the next time such a situation arises. Hutton continued on in the game following the collision, but did not return after the second intermission and is currently questionable for the Sabres’ next game.
  • The Boston Bruins’ scoring woes are one of the early season’s biggest stories, but help is on the way. NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin writes that David Pastrnak is ahead of schedule in his recovery from off-season hip surgery. Initially expected to return around mid-February, Pastrnak has already re-joined practice as a non-contact participant. Head coach Bruce Cassidy now expects that he could return to action as early as late next week. The reigning Rocket Richard Trophy winner will be a welcome addition to a team that has yet to produce an even strength goal through three games.

Metropolitan Notes: Devils, Kakko, Penguins, Provorov

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While the Devils ultimately opted to give Tom Fitzgerald the full-time GM role, at least two other executives received strong consideration for the position.  Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that Leafs assistant GM Laurence Gilman and former Kings assistant GM Mike Futa received multiple interviews for the role and were considered serious candidates for the position.  Meanwhile, Fitzgerald noted in a conference call with reporters that current assistants – including now-former interim head coach Alain Nasreddine – will have an opportunity to speak to Ruff about whether or not they’ll stick around, relays ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski (via Twitter).

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko is among those that the NHL could deem ineligible to return for medical reasons due to his diabetes but his agent Andy Scott told Greg Joyce of the New York Post that the rookie still intends to suit up against Carolina. Players have the right to appeal if league doctors rule them ineligible and this would suggest that Kakko would go that route if it comes to it.
  • While there will be a few days after the ratification of the CBA for players to opt out of participating in the NHL’s return this season, Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that no Penguins player yet has given head coach Mike Sullivan any indication that they’re thinking about doing so. Pittsburgh will take on Montreal in the best-of-five play-in round.
  • Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov received the Barry Ashbee Trophy as Philadelphia’s top defenseman as voted on by local media, notes Ed Barkowitz of the Philadelphia Daily News and Inquirer. 2019-20 was a resurgent season for the 23-year-old as his offensive numbers rebounded to a respectable 13 goals and 23 assists in 69 games after posting just 26 points in 82 games the year before; his seven power play tallies led all NHL blueliners.  Provorov, who logged just under 25 minutes a game to lead the team, will be wrapping up the first year of his six-year, $40.5MM deal, one that looked a little expensive at the time but looks better now after the season he had.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Philadelphia Flyers

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As the holiday season is upon us, PHR will continue its look at what teams are thankful for as we get closer to the halfway point. 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 Philadelphia Flyers.

What are the Flyers most thankful for?

It’s been an up and down season for Philadelphia this year under head coach Alain Vigneault, yet the team remains right in the middle of the playoff race in the Metropolitan Division. Philadelphia is in fifth place in the division, but are just three points out of second place. The team currently boasts a 21-12-5 record and should be right in there.

The team is a mixture of veterans and quite a bit of young talent the team is trying to integrate into the team. In many ways, it’s been a success, but with young players also comes inconsistency. If the Flyers can find some consistency, the team should be a top candidate to make the playoffs this year.

Who are the Flyers most thankful for?

The team has seen quite a few players step up this year, but the team has seen forward Travis Konecny that that next step in his development. The 22-year-old forward has scored 24 goals for two straight years and he’s heading for a similar number, but the rest of his game has opened up as he is two assists shy of his career high already after just 35 games and is heading for a career year. Konecny leads the team in scoring with 34 points as he is on a point-a-game pace, which could lead him to an 80-point season, which is critical for a team that is seeing some of their veterans take a step back in their production.

What would the Flyers be even more thankful for?

The continued improvement of their young players.

The team is loaded with young players, who Vigneault has worked hard to mix in with the team’s core of veterans. Several of them have performed well. Second-year goaltender Carter Hart has seen some of his numbers get better this year. His GAA has improved from a 2.83 to a 2.43, while his save percentage has dropped from a .917 to a .910. Regardless, Hart is continuing to develop his game. Rookie Joel Farabee hasn’t made the impact many were hoping for with just three goals and 12 points in 29 games, but has seen to settled in as a regular in the lineup. The team has gotten flashes from Morgan Frost as well, who has two goals and seven points in 18 contests, although he was recently assigned to Lehigh Valley. Even on defense, the team is getting solid play from Ivan Provorov and many of the young blueliners.

If they can continue to improve on their games, it could set Philadelphia to have a strong second half going into the playoffs.

What should be on the Flyers’ Holiday Wish List?

The health of forward Oskar Lindblom. The 23-year-old was having a promising breakout season for the Flyers until he was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma and will not return this season. The team hopes that he can get the proper treatment as quickly as possible and return to full health, regardless whether he ever takes the ice for the team again. However, consider his young age and recent success, the team is hoping that Lindblom can make a full recovery and be back on the ice, perhaps as soon as next season. However, the team has rallied around their young forward and put him and his health in the forefront.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Philadelphia Flyers Re-Sign Ivan Provorov

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Deadlines bring action and with training camps set to open, yet another restricted free agent has agreed to terms on a new contract. The Philadelphia Flyers have re-signed defenseman Ivan Provorov to a long-term extension. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report the full terms of the contract, which is six years and $40.5MM, a $6.75MM AAV. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic gives us the breakdown:

  • 2019-20: $6.75MM salary
  • 2020-21: $2.75MM salary + $2.0MM signing bonus
  • 2021-22: $4.125MM salary + $3.0MM signing bonus
  • 2022-23: $2.75MM salary + $2.0MM signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $5.5MM salary + $3.0MM signing bonus
  • 2024-25: $6.625MM salary + $2MM signing bonus

After a drawn-out negotiation, the Flyers wind up with a very reasonable contract for Provorov. Among the top young defensemen in the NHL and certainly the No. 1 defenseman in Philadelphia, the 22-year-old Provorov nevertheless settles for a cap hit that ranks just 16th among fellow defenders, tied with veterans Mark Giordano and Ryan McDonagh. Figuring for cap inflation and the corresponding rise in salaries over the next six years as well, this should prove to be a bargain if Provorov continues to progress. He is already a proven workhorse when it comes to big minutes and has shown the ability to produce at a high level. For his new price tag, continued success in those areas could make his a steal.

Of course, there is still risk to the new pact for the Flyers. If Provorov does continue to improve, the team could risk losing him at the end of this contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent and, at 28 years old, it will be just in time for another long-term deal. Philly may have to pay up to keep the 2015 seventh overall pick with the team that drafted him. The flip side is that there is also a chance that Provorov has already reached the peak of his ability and, if so, this deal may not bring the value that the Flyers hope. Provorov still has several holes to his game, including struggles on the power play and matching up at even strength with tough competition. The team has to hope that he still has room to grow and learn over the course of the new deal to better reflect his new cap hit.

With both Provorov and Zach Werenski signed, the pressure is now on for Charlie McAvoy and the Boston Bruins to agree to a new deal, as he is the final big-name RFA defenseman available. McAvoy’s camp is likely ready to take the last best offer, after both comparable players signed team-friendly deals. McAvoy is a younger and more dynamic player than Provorov, but has more still to prove after struggling with injuries in his first two seasons. The young defenseman is a better fit for Werenski’s recent contract structure than the deal just signed by Provorov, but he and the Bruins now have to options to consider.

Morning Notes: Theodore, Flyers, Pettersson

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You can bet Shea Theodore didn’t have the summer he was expecting. After failing a random drug test at the World Championship because of an elevated hormone level, Theodore was informed that it was not because of a supplement but he in fact had testicular cancer and would need surgery right away. The Vegas Golden Knights defenseman opened up about the situation in an article for the Players’ Tribune today, explaining that though it was a frightful time in his life he has fully recovered.

Theodore said that Phil Kessel reached out this summer to give his support, given that the veteran forward dealt with the same diagnosis years ago. Theodore credits that drug test with potentially saving him from a battle that would have much more difficult, and implores everyone to get checked regularly and be open with your physician.

  • The Philadelphia Flyers are getting closer to a deal with Ivan Provorov, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN. The two sides are still working through the negotiation and both three and six year deals are on the table, but things have turned positive in recent days. It seems as though things aren’t so rosy for the other Flyers’ RFA, as McKenzie tweets that Travis Konecny is not close to a new deal. The pair are huge parts of the Philadelphia future and will hopefully join the team in training camp soon with freshly inked deals.
  • That’s exactly what is happening for Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson, who is joining the team and expected to sign in the “next day or so” according to McKenzie. The deal will be a short-term contract, but would mean the team has their full complement of players in camp. The Penguins do appear to have too many NHL-caliber defensemen on the roster at the moment, meaning a trade or waivers is coming for at least one. Of course, that is contingent on the rest of the group staying healthy through camp, which is not a certainty anywhere around the NHL.

Latest On Ivan Provorov

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1:25pm: Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the two sides had been working on a six-year deal, but that things may have changed since Werenski’s signing. He adds that Provorov will not sign the same three-year, $15MM contract and noted in response to a reader that a six-year at $7MM per season “may get it done.”

9:35am: After Columbus Blue Jackets’ defenseman Zach Werenski agreed to a three-year bridge deal in order to get a new deal signed before training camp started, heads turned to Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins and Ivan Provorov of the Philadelphia Flyers to see who would be next. Both young defensemen are in similar situations to Werenski, looking for big raises after solid starts to their careers. For Provorov at least, it seems to have moved things along. His agent Todd Diamond spoke to Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet today and reported that they and the Flyers were closer yesterday on a contract than they had been for weeks, and that things are starting to move in the right direction.

Provorov, 22, was taken just ahead of Werenski in the 2015 draft and has played all 246 games for the Flyers over the last three seasons. The former Brandon Wheat Kings superstar took almost no time at all to adjust to the speed of the NHL, recording 30 points and playing 22 minutes a night as a rookie. That ice time has only increased, to the point where Provorov was averaging more than 25 minutes a night in 2018-19, putting him sixth in the league in that category. Unfortunately his offense took a step backwards last season and the left-handed defenseman recorded just 26 points including just two on the powerplay. Granted, Shayne Gostisbehere is the lead dog when the Flyers have a man-advantage, but if Provorov is ever to become that Norris-caliber defenseman that some believed he could be, he’ll need to create more offense in one way or another.

Still, there’s no doubt that he is one of the most important players on the Flyers roster. Depending on term, he very well could become the highest-paid defenseman on the team, eclipsing Matt Niskanen’s $5.75MM cap hit. Whether he follows Werenski down the path of a bridge deal is unclear, but that would at least give the two sides more time to negotiate a long-term deal down the road.

If a bridge deal does come out for Provorov, it will be important to note his salary in the final season. That will determine the qualifying offer that follows the deal, which could—like Werenski—walk him right into unrestricted free agency. Provorov is currently scheduled to reach UFA status in the summer of 2023.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

RFA Profile: Ivan Provorov

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Heading into last season, Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov appeared to be well on his way to stardom and a second contract that would put him in that higher echelon for blueliners.  However, things didn’t go exactly as planned and all of a sudden, he remains unsigned with the start of training camp just days away and a lot of confusion over what his next deal could look like.  Let’s take a look at some of the possibilities.

In 2017-18, Provorov picked up 17 goals and 41 points.  Despite logging an extra minute per night on average, his output dropped to just seven goals and 26 points last year.  Generally, players with that type of output aren’t candidates for big money, long-term contracts but a player with a stat line like his sophomore season are options for one.

Accordingly, potential contract values are all over the board.  Understandably, Provorov’s camp will be pointing to his 2017-18 numbers as a sign of things to come and that his dip was just a blip on the radar and not a sign of things to come.  On the flip side, management will be trying to use last season as the basis for comparison.  They’ve also indicated that they’d like to see other RFAs sign (players like Zach Werenski and Charlie McAvoy come to mind) before committing to a deal.  While everyone waits each other out, here are some of the possible comparables in play.

Statistics

2018-19: 82 GP, 7-19-26, -16, 32 PIMS, 145 shots, 25:07 ATOI
Career: 246 GP, 30-67-97, -6, 86 PIMS, 509 shots, 23:45 ATOI

Comparables

Rasmus Ristolainen (Buffalo) – Like Provorov, Ristolainen has been viewed as a top defender for the Sabres but one that has some warts as well.  His rookie season was only a partial one like Provorov though so on a long-term deal, Provorov should be expecting more than this.

Platform Year Stats: 82 GP, 9-32-41, -21, 33 PIMS, 202 shots, 25:17 ATOI
Career Stats at ELC Expiration: 194 GP, 19-46-65, -68, 65 PIMS, 375 shots, 22:19 ATOI

Contract: Six years, $32.4MM
Cap Hit Percentage: 7.40%
Current Equivalent: Six years, $36.816MM ($6.03MM AAV)

Dougie Hamilton (Carolina) – Hamilton was a little more consistent offensively than Provorov but the top years offensively were similar.  On the flip side, Provorov has handled a much tougher workload through the first three seasons of his career so he should be shooting a little higher than this equivalent as well.

Platform Year Stats: 72 GP, 10-32-42, -3, 41 PIMS, 188 shots, 21:20 ATOI
Career Stats at ELC Expiration: 178 GP, 22-61-83, +23, 95 PIMS, 385 shots, 19:32 ATOI

Contract: Six years, $34.5MM
Cap Hit Percentage: 8.05%
Current Equivalent: Six years, $39.365MM ($6.56MM AAV)

Aaron Ekblad (Florida) – This is the contract that Provorov’s side is almost assuredly bringing up.  This set the market for post-ELC defenders though it’s worth noting it was only signed after his second season (and his third year didn’t go so well).  Provorov is the better offensive threat of the two as well.

Platform Year Stats: 68 GP, 10-11-21, -23, 58 PIMS, 225 shots, 21:28 ATOI (last year of ELC)
Career Stats at ELC Expiration: 227 GP, 37-59-96, +7, 131 PIMS, 577 shots, 21:40 ATOI

Contract: Eight years, $60MM
Cap Hit Percentage: 10.27%
Current Equivalent: Eight years, $66.96MM ($8.37MM AAV)

In terms of a recent bridge contract to compare, there aren’t really any good options out there.  Most quality post-ELC players have signed deals of six years or longer.  Those that have had bridge deals (such as Jacob Trouba, Josh Morrissey, or even teammate Travis Sanheim) are all in the roughly 4% range which equates to roughly $3.25MM to $3.5MM.  That’s not going to get it done either.  Let’s look in between those two terms then.

Colton Parayko (St. Louis) – This isn’t a perfect one considering Parayko’s entry-level pact was only two years but there isn’t a large list to draw from.  He had a bit more of an offensive impact that Provorov but as is the case with everyone else on this list, Provorov was logging heavier minutes.

Platform Year Stats: 81 GP, 4-31-35, +7, 32 PIMS, 188 shots, 21:12 ATOI
Career Stats at ELC Expiration: 160 GP, 13-55-68, +35, 61 PIMS, 353 shots, 20:18 ATOI

Contract: Five years, $27.5MM
Cap Hit Percentage: 7.33%
Current Equivalent: Five years, $29.87MM ($5.97MM AAV)

Projected Contract

Earlier this summer, I thought Provorov was heading for a bridge deal simply because of the large variation between his last two seasons.  However, I’m not as confident in that idea now just because of the largely uncharted waters they would be entering.  Provorov’s camp is going to want Ekblad money but GM Chuck Fletcher isn’t going to give that out.  Going with a Parayko-type deal could happen but that would only buy out one year of UFA eligibility.  It’s hard to see Fletcher wanting that either.  As a result, a six or seven-year contract could be where this ultimately winds up.  He should slot in a little higher than Hamilton which would put an AAV around $6.75MM on a six-year pact and a little higher than that on a seven-year one because of the extra UFA year.  Fortunately for Fletcher and the Flyers, they have ample cap space to get a contract done, no matter how long or how much it will cost.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Evening Notes: Luukkonen, Josi, MacEachern

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As many expected, the Buffalo Sabres would be without their top goaltending prospect, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, at the Prospects Challenge and now Sabres assistant general manager Randy Sexton revealed that the prospect, who underwent hip surgery in April, will miss training camp as well, according to Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski. However, Luukkonen could be ready to play games as soon as the beginning of the season.

The 20-year-old goaltender was impressive in his one year North America, posting a .920 save percentage in 53 games with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL and now is ready to join the Rochester Americans of the AHL. However, he was given a six-month recover time after the hip surgery, but Sexton said he was “on track” and continues to work with Sabres goaltending coach Seamus Kotyk to get ready for the regular season.

“He’s doing very well,” Sexton said. “He’s right on track, which is great. … No pain, no soreness. A little bit of fatigue but you would expect that. He’s on track. He’ll be around here in Buffalo for a while because he’s obviously not ready to play, but we’re really encouraged by the progress he’s made and we have every expectation, barring a setback, he’ll be ready to play when the schedule starts.”

  • The Athletic’s Adam Vingan (subscription required) writes that the reason why the Nashville Predators haven’t locked up defenseman Roman Josi to a contract extension yet is due to the restricted free agent market in which a group of top players are holding out for big-time paydays. While Nashville doesn’t have any restricted free agents at the moment, the team is in a holding pattern as the team awaits the outcome of the signings. Among the restricted free agents, there are a number of unsigned defensemen, including Boston’s Charlie McAvoy, Philadelphia’s Ivan Provorov and Columbus’ Zach Werenski. While Josi, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, is a much more established player, it’s likely that he and his agent are waiting to see how those three players fare before agreeing to any contract. Josi has expressed a desire to remain in Nashville.
  • St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas writes that with Pat Maroon signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the St. Louis Blues must find a replacement for their veteran leader in the bottom-six. The scribe believes that player to be Mackenzie MacEachern, who has the size (6-foot-3) and will to hit players and was the forgotten man during the team’s playoff run, scratched for the final 10 games of the regular season and he never saw the playoffs. The 25-year-old played 29 games for St. Louis last year, scoring three goals, five points and 49 hits and could establish himself as a solid replacement for Maroon and might be even better than Maroon was in the regular season. Other possibilities might include Sammy Blais and prospect Klim Kostin.

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