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Jaromir Jagr

High Likelihood Of Free Agent Class Shrinking Further

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Let’s state the facts: the 2017 unrestricted free agent class is really weak. Even before the season started it wasn’t full of household names, but with Brent Burns, Patrik Berglund, and, most recently, Ben Bishop agreeing to extensions already, the list has shrunk even further. The 2017 class has few impact players available, so much so that the New York Islanders easily have single-handedly deprived the rest of the league of three of the top fifty free agents simply by re-signing the likes of Thomas Greiss, Dennis Seidenberg, and Cal Clutterbuck.

Unfortunately, the trend of teams retaining their own talent and further forecasting a dull summer may not be done. The Washington Capitals have four of the best free agent names out there in T.J. Oshie, Kevin Shattenkirk, Karl Alzner, and Justin Williams and even given their tight cap space, it is reasonable to assume that at least one or two of that group will re-up with the President’s Trophy winners. Initially, many felt that the San Jose Sharks would not bring back both of their aging stars, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, and possibly even neither. However, after a strong season from career-Shark Marleau, the team will likely look to retain him, and with Thornton turning 38 soon and facing significant injury questions, he simply might take a hometown discount to stay in San Jose as well. In Montreal, revelation Alexander Radulov and key veteran Andrei Markov are impending free agents, but many assume in name only as handshake agreements seem to have been made on new deals following the Expansion Draft. Anaheim Ducks trade deadline acquisition Patrick Eaves has been a great fit and has expressed an interest in extending his stay. Same goes for Drew Stafford and the Boston Bruins. Even veterans like Radim Vrbata, Mike Fisher, and Jaromir Jagr seem likely to stay put in their current homes.

This does seem to be an awful lot of deals to be made in less than two months before free agency opens on July 1st, but don’t rule it out. Many teams are wary of the Expansion Draft ramifications of re-signing their impending free agents too early and may instead act swiftly in the waning days of June. Most, if not all, of these names could be off the table by the time free agency opens. Could we be looking at a free agent class highlighted by the likes of Sam Gagner, Martin Hanzal, and Michael Del Zotto? Let’s hope not.

Should The Capitals Trade Alex Ovechkin?

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For many, the latest second-round dud in a long history of stinging defeats for the Washington Capitals was the final straw. Commentators and analysts from around the league and in the nation’s capital have openly contemplated whether the team’s captain and generational talent Alex Ovechkin should be traded. While there is a case to be made for considering the option, there is a long list of reasons Washington would get fleeced in such a deal and should avoid it at all costs.

Firstly, Ovechkin is not likely to bring back a player anywhere near his caliber. Granted, all 30 other franchises would be clamoring for a chance to bid on his services. However, these would almost certainly involve lesser players. The old adage of “never trade quality for quantity” would hold true in this scenario. Although the Capitals could completely restock their 3rd and 4th lines, their prospect pool, as well as add a difference maker – the bottom line is they lose the best player in the deal.

Second, Ovechkin is a pure goal scoring menace. He dictates the flow of play when he is on his game in a way few other players can. His hitting ability and aggressiveness only add dimensions to the offense he brings to a team. There are few players who can score with as much consistency and be relied upon to bury a puck. He has accumulated 558 goals in 921 games. Other than Steven Stamkos and Phil Kessel, no one is even in the same stratosphere. When a game is on the line, you need a player who can score – Ovechkin can, even if he didn’t this spring. And his playoff goals per game – well, he’s potted 44 in 46 games played – good for be 24th all time.

Third, nearly all historical examples of megastars being traded have turned into total backfires for the team. When 19 year-old Tyler Seguin was dealt to the Dallas Stars along with Rich Peverley from the Boston Bruins due to rumored conduct issues, the return was minimal. Loui Eriksson has ultimately contributed to his team after long slumps and Joe Morrow has just begun to crack the lineup. Reilly Smith has turned into a serviceable player, but Seguin’s 306 points in 305 games for Dallas easily dwarf Smith’s efforts. When Jaromir Jagr was dealt in his late prime to the Washington Capitals, the Penguins went 5 years without a Playoff appearance and suffered further heavy financial losses. Michal Sivek, and Ross Lupaschuk, both intriguing players at the time, went on to play a combined 41 games, and in 7 seasons Kris Beech only scored 25 goals. When dealing with prospect and pick returns, there is no sure thing.

Moving Ovechkin may seem to make sense in the aftermath of yet another playoff disappointment, but trading generational talents rarely works out well. Although changes are certainly coming Washington’s way, it would likely be a mistake to move on from the future hall-of-fame left wing. He is still earning his $9.5 MM contract, but a year removed from a Rocket Richard trophy.

Morning Notes: MacArthur, Jagr, Darling

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Ottawa’s Clarke MacArthur is day-to-day following an injury sustained in the second period of Game 2 versus the New York Rangers. MacArthur took a rather routine, if tough, hit from New York captain Ryan McDonagh. MacArthur appears to have gotten his hands up to absorb some of the high body check, but with MacArthur’s recent history, another concussion is always the fear. MacArthur missed the bulk of this and last season (8 games combined) to lingering concussion symptoms, and would likely have been a finalist for the Masterton had he not been on the same squad as goalie Craig Anderson. The 32 year-old left winger had dealt with quality-of-life issues and was forced to even contemplate retirement. Although coach Guy Boucher did not express major concern, Senators fans will certainly be holding their breath in hopes that nothing serious was sustained. As Boucher said, “it’s something he had last game and he aggravated today” – whatever it was, he had already played through once. It’s difficult to see a coach taking chances with concussion symptoms in this day and age, with this player – even in the playoffs. Whether he returns for Game 3 or at all this series is up in the air.

  • As expected, the Carolina Hurricanes organization will attempt to sign Scott Darling to a contract as soon as they are able. The Hurricanes took a bit of a gamble in acquiring an impending UFA for a 3rd-round draft pick. Certainly they have the inside track with regard to signing the goaltender, but there is every possibility he could choose to test the market. His phenomenal season as the backup in Chicago would certainly attract a few suitors, and by heading to July 1st, he only improves his leverage. Carolina was already in a pickle as to which goaltender they would protect. If Darling signs before June 18th, the team would expose both Cam Ward and Eddie Lack in the expansion draft, which could be quite financially beneficial. If they cannot sign him before that date, they could choose to leave Darling unprotected. It’s unlikely that Vegas would opt to choose a UFA who is seemingly holding out (considering they would have a limited negotiation period), but he might be one of the few UFAs that would be intriguing enough for them to roll the dice.
  • Jaromir Jagr’s agent is expected to meet with Florida Panthers management in hopes of negotiating a new contract. The 45 year-old future Hall of Famer has played for 8 separate franchises, but has spent his last 3 seasons in the sunshine state. Dale Tallon, newly re-instated, has nothing but praise for the tough, creative winger. This season, however, Jagr showed signs of slowing down, literally and figuratively. He posted a career low 16 goals and personally substandard 46 points. The totals were still good for 4th on the team, behind youngsters Vincent Trocheck, Aleksander Barkov, and Jonathan Marchessault. Jagr has repeatedly expressed his desire to keep playing until his body fails him, even proclaiming the goal of playing until the age of 60. Jagr will likely be able to find a fit for next season in Florida if his salary demands aren’t too excessive.

Snapshots: Jagr, Lightning, Martenet, Sharks

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While he has stated that he fully plans to play next season, there have been no discussions between right winger Jaromir Jagr and the Panthers regarding a potential contract extension, reports George Richards of the Miami Herald.  Instead, the two sides plan to sit down following the season to see if they can work out a new deal.

The 45 year old Jagr has been on one year contracts for the last six seasons and undoubtedly will be signing another one wherever he winds up landing.  In his second season with Florida, his numbers have taken a dip but he sits fourth in team scoring with 16 goals and 27 assists in 79 games.  He may have to take a pay cut to remain with the team, however, as the Panthers already have over $61MM in payroll committed for next season.  Jagr is carrying a $4MM cap hit this season but has already reached an additional $1.5MM in games played bonuses.

Other notes from around the league:

  • After agreeing to terms on an entry-level deal with prospect goalie Connor Ingram earlier today, the Lightning also announced (via Twitter) that they’ve inked forward prospect Dennis Yan to an amateur tryout agreement and assigned him to their AHL affiliate in Syracuse. Joining them is 2015 first rounder Brett Howden who is now eligible to be sent down after his junior team was eliminated from the postseason.  The trio represent some reinforcements for a Crunch team who has been hit hard by injuries in Tampa Bay and are in a battle for top spot in the AHL’s North Division heading into the final two weeks of the season.
  • Also heading to the pros for the first time is Dallas defensive prospect Chris Martenet. The AHL’s Stars announced that he has been assigned to the team following his junior team, the Ottawa 67’s, was eliminated from the playoffs.  The 20 year old tied a career high in points at the OHL level with 16 in 55 games split between London and Ottawa.
  • Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer provided a brief injury update on forwards Logan Couture and Joe Thornton, classifying each as day-to-day, notes CSN Bay Area’s Kevin Kurz. He wouldn’t specify when either would be back, only saying that they’re expected back “at some point”.  Couture has been out since taking a puck to the mouth on March 25th while Thornton suffered a knee injury on Sunday against the Canucks.

Snapshots: Matthias, Western Playoff Race, Jagr

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The Winnipeg Jets will be without forward Shawn Matthias for the remainder of the season, the team announced Saturday.

The first sign of trouble was on Wednesday, when Matthias missed practice. He was held out of the Jets’ last game with an upper-body injury. Matthias has eight goals and 12 points in 45 games this season, his first in Winnipeg after signing a two-year, $4.25MM contract in free agency. He split last season between Toronto and Colorado.

Detroit’s second round pick in 2006 has played 524 NHL games, scoring 171 points with Florida, Vancouver, Toronto, Colorado, and Winnipeg.

  • With just 11 or 12 games remaining, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector broke down the schedules for the Western Conference teams involved in a tight playoff race. Anaheim, Calgary, and Edmonton are within two points of each other, and will likely finish two-through-four in the Pacific Division. The Oilers have a game in hand on both teams, and play the Canucks tonight. Spector gives Edmonton the advantage in home games, strength of opponent, and ease of the final week of the season. Calgary gets the nod for having back-to-backs and getting tired opponents. Anaheim’s biggest advantage comes during a home-and-home series with the Flames in early April; Calgary hasn’t won in Anaheim since January 2004. The next team in the Pacific, Los Angeles, is four points behind St. Louis for the second wildcard spot. At eight points back, they have a slim chance at catching the next three teams, but do get Edmonton and Calgary three times each.
  • With two assists last night, NHL legend and Panthers winger Jaromir Jagr passed Gordie Howe for most points scored by a player in his 40s, with 269. The 45-year-old told Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel that he’s “going to pass [Howe] for most points after 50.” For the record, Howe had 41 points in 1979-80 a 51-year-old in his return to the NHL after six years in the WHA.

Sidney Crosby Records 1,000th Point

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In just 787 games, Sidney Crosby has recorded his 1,000th NHL point. On a beautiful setup of Chris Kunitz, the assist made Crosby the 12th fastest player to the mark and the third to hit it this season (Alex Ovechkin and Henrik Sedin). With it, the Penguins released an interactive booklet showing the journey to 1,000 for “Sid”, who is widely considered one of the greatest players of all-time.

The booklet included quotes from players and alumni around the league, including Wayne Gretzky, Evgeni Malkin and Jonathan Toews. Malkin’s is borderline adorable as he gives it to his long-time teammate:

Hey Sid, I want to say congrats on your 1,000 points. It is a huge number. We both know that 999 [of those] points is because of my help. I have enjoyed playing with you. Every game, every night is so fun. Everyone knows that you are the best player.

Crosby hit the mark in six fewer games than another Pittsburgh legend, Jaromir Jagr, who recently recorded the 1900th point of his career. While Crosby has quite a few seasons left before he catches that ageless wonder, he is pushing himself further up the career lists. He’s only the 86th player in league history to make it to 1,000 and may even jump into the top-75 before the end of the season. He’s still 723 points behind the Penguins’ franchise leader Mario Lemieux, though it’s not so far-fetched that he may push to pass him eventually. At just 29 years old, Crosby has many years of solid hockey left to play. With no evidence of slowing down—in fact, some may say he’s speeding up—he’d need 547 more games at his current pace to tie Lemieux. That’s just six and a half seasons.

More likely he’ll go down as the best player of the post-lockout generation, and that’s still a heck of an accomplishment. Congratulations Sid.

NHL Names Top 100 Players Of All Time

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Last night on the NBC Sports Network, the NHL released the top 100 players of all time and the debate, which has raged long before this was released, will continue on. Hosted by actor Jon Hamm, the ceremony honored players by decade, and categorized them by goalies, defensemen, and forwards.

The first thirty-three were released on New Years Day during the Centennial Classic in Toronto. The players named in the first thirty-three were active between 1917-1966. The rest, named last night, have played from 1967 to the present day.

There were a number of story lines:

  • Jonas Siegel of the Canadian Press wrote that Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, and Wayne Gretzky agree that Gordie Howe is the greatest hockey player of all time. Gretzky added that while Sidney Crosby is the greatest in the game today, Connor McDavid is making the case to “chase him” as the next in line.
  • Speaking of Crosby’s generation, the selection of the more recent players to the top 100 caused quite the debate around the hockey world. The arguments boil down into a couple ways: either include more current players by subtracting players from other decades or be more selective in the current generation. The six on the current list were Jaromir Jagr, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Crosby, and Alex Ovechkin.
  • The Score’s Sean O’Leary thinks that Evgeni Malkin, Jarome Iginla, and Joe Thornton should have “cracked” the list. O’Leary believes that Malkin is a lock for the top 100, while Iginla, though never winning a Cup, was a dominant force in the league, scoring 617 goals in his long (and still active) career.
  • Curtis Pashelka also wonders why Joe Thornton isn’t included on the list. His stats alone seem to qualify him for the top 100, but the lack of a Stanley Cup makes Pashelka think that it kept Thornton out of the illustrious club.
  • Finally, Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski includes his list of snubs which name the aforementioned Iginla, Malkin, and Thornton. But Wyshysnki also lists Zdeno Chara, Ed Belfour, Dale Hawerchuk, and Pierre Pilote as players deserving of inclusion.

 

2017 Midseason UFA Power Rankings: 11-20

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With many teams having hit the halfway point of the season and the trade deadline fast approaching, it’s time to take a preliminary look at the UFA Class of 2017.  Here is the first half of our top-20 rankings, based on votes from our writers.

  1. Michael Del Zotto, D, Philadelphia – The first half of his season hasn’t gone particularly well to say the least. He missed 12 games to start the season with a lower body injury and came to a reduced role while even spending a bit of time as a healthy scratch. However, there’s no denying the offensive skill he brings to the table and he will be one of the youngest players on the open market, turning 27 just a week before free agency is slated to open.
  2. Radim Vrbata, RW, Arizona – Vrbata is rebounding nicely after a very tough final season with Vancouver. He’s not the top line threat he was for a brief time but is still a quality secondary scorer…at least with the Coyotes. He’s likely to be dealt before the trade deadline and how he performs with his new team may go a long way towards shaping his market after struggling to land a contract this past offseason.
  3. Vadim Shipachev, C, SKA, KHL – Several teams pursued him last summer but the language in his Russian contract stopped him from crossing the pond at that time. That won’t be the case this coming offseason and Shipachev is having an even better year compared to his 2015-16 campaign. He didn’t have a great World Cup of Hockey tournament but his body of work in the KHL should have several teams looking into him as a second line center this summer.
  4. Trevor Daley, D, Pittsburgh – Things didn’t work out too well for him in Chicago last year but since joining the Penguins partway through last season, Daley has played more like a top four defender. His production is down a bit so far this season which is notable for someone who has a reputation of being a quality point producer from the back end. As an undersized blueliner who isn’t the most reliable in his own end, that drop off has the potential to hurt him quite a bit if it continues the rest of the way.
  5. Michael Stone, D, Arizona – It has not been a great platform year for Stone so far. He missed the start of the year while recovering from offseason knee surgery while also missing time with an upper body injury. His role has diminished slightly this season but young (he’ll be 27 come July) blueliners capable of logging top four minutes in free agency are few and far between.  He’s a strong candidate to be dealt before the deadline which could be the opportunity he’s looking for to have a bounce back second half.
  6. Mike Fisher, C, Nashville – After a tough year in 2015-16, Fisher is putting together a much better season this time around as he already has eclipsed his previous point total in barely half the games. He’s still well above average at the faceoff dot and logs plenty of time on the penalty kill. He’ll turn 37 in June so while he’s producing as a second line center, it will be interesting to see if he’s able to get paid as one whether it’s with the Predators or elsewhere.
  7. Patrick Sharp, RW, Dallas – Concussions have been a major problem for Sharp as two separate trips to injured reserve have cost him 26 games already in the first half. When healthy, he is a consistent top six scoring threat and at the age of 35, he shouldn’t be seeking a long-term deal. Sharp is just getting back into playing shape now and should be in line for a bigger second half of the season which could go a long way towards setting his market in free agency.
  8. Dmitry Kulikov, D, Buffalo – After being dealt to the Sabres at the draft, many hoped that Kulikov would blossom in a new environment and show more of the offensive upside he showed as a junior player. That hasn’t happened yet. He missed 13 games due to back problems and finds himself on the shelf once again with a lower body ailment.  At one point he seemed like a real threat to be one of the top free agent defensemen in this class but Kulikov has only hurt his stock so far.
  9. Jaromir Jagr, RW, Florida – While Jagr is unlikely to crack 60 points like he did last year, he’s still producing as a top six forward despite the fact that he’ll turn 45 next month. His ability to mentor young players has been lauded during his time with the Panthers which could result in him not only receiving interest from contending teams looking for a veteran to help put them over the top but also rebuilding teams who would want Jagr to work with a group of younger players.
  10. Kris Russell, D, Edmonton – Russell had to wait quite a while to get a contract last summer but his play with the Oilers so far should stop that from happening again when the market opens up in July. The numbers don’t jump off the board at anyone but he has really helped to stabilize their back end (while logging over 21 minutes per night) and that should have teams around the league taking notice.

Be sure to check back on Friday for our top ten potential unrestricted free agents.

Atlantic Notes: Jagr, Smith, Outdoor Game, Ennis

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At the age of 44, Panthers right winger Jaromir Jagr isn’t lighting up the scoresheet like he did last season (where he posted 66 points) but interim head coach Tom Rowe is quite pleased with Jagr’s overall performance, he told Dave Caldwell of the New York Times:

“He’s done everything we’ve expected. He’s going to get his points — he’s going to end up with 40, 45, maybe 50 points this year. And the fact that he’s in the locker room every day and our young guys have a chance to watch him not just for games but practices as well is a great addition for our roster and a great addition for our young kids.”

Through 43 games this season, Jagr, who turns 45 next month, has just seven goals which puts him on pace for the lowest total of his career.  While part of the reason for his struggles can be attributed to his age, the fact that the Panthers have been without Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, and Nick Bjugstad – among others – for extended periods of time hasn’t helped either as their injuries have thrust a lot more pressure and responsibility onto Jagr.

The veteran of 1,672 career NHL games is set to be an unrestricted free agent after the season and has suggested in the past that he’d like to try to play until he is 50.  Last year, he opted to forego free agency and signed an extension with the Panthers.  If Florida struggles in the coming weeks, they could potentially entertain the possibility of trading him as a rental player if no new contract has been agreed upon by then as well so his situation will be one to watch in the weeks ahead.

More from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Senators and Zack Smith’s camp have engaged in preliminary discussions regarding a contract extension, writes Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen. Smith is currently making $2.3MM this year (with a cap hit just below $1.9MM) and is slated to be a UFA on July 1st.  The center noted that there’s no rush to get a new deal done and that he feels there is mutual interest in finding a way to keep him around.  Smith has 17 points (9-8-7) in 37 games this year and has a chance at surpassing his career high 36 points from last season.
  • Still with Ottawa, progress continues to be made regarding a potential outdoor game to be held in December, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. While at one point there appeared to be a mid-January deadline to reach an agreement for this game, that deadline no longer is in place.  While there were hopes that this game could be played at Parliament Hill, those talks fell through and as a result, Ottawa’s CFL stadium is expected to host the game which will feature the Senators and the Montreal Canadiens.
  • Buffalo forward Tyler Ennis is getting closer to returning to the lineup after going through some tough skating drills at practice but will not be in the lineup tonight against Tampa Bay, notes Amy Moritz of the Buffalo News. Ennis has been out of the lineup since November 8th after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia and has just a goal and an assist in 12 games so far this season, certainly not the type of production they were hoping for from a player with a $4.6MM cap hit.

5 Key Stories: 1/2/16 – 1/8/16

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Let’s recap the five biggest stories from the week of 1/2/2016 through 1/8/2016:

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets occupy the top spot in the league due in large part to their recent 16-game winning streak. The team had a chance to tie a record set by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins – a team led by “Super” Mario Lemieux and the ageless Jaromir Jagr – but the Blue Jackets came up short, falling to the Washington Capitals by the score of 5 – 0. Nonetheless, it’s an incredible feat accomplished by the Blue Jackets and an announcement to the rest of the league that they are indeed a team to be taken seriously.
  • It’s been an up-and-down year in Winnipeg, but Jets rookie phenom Patrik Laine has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season. The 18-year-old Finn is currently tied for third in the league in goal scoring with 21 and has already established himself as one of the league’s most exciting young stars. Unfortunately, Laine is out indefinitely after suffering a concussion in Winnipeg’s 4 – 3 loss to Buffalo on Saturday.
  • Colorado has certainly been one of the league’s biggest disappointments in 2016-17. An offseason coaching change was expected to spark a talented roster back into playoff contention but instead the Avalanche have been the worst team in the league and at this point are one of the few clubs who can safely be called “seller” in advance of the trade deadline. This of course has led to all kinds of rumors, with the most recent involving Boston. The Bruins reportedly inquired as to the availability Gabriel Landeskog with Colorado asking for rookie blue liner Brandon Carlo in return. While there appears to be no traction in trade discussions between the two teams, that could change closer to the March 1st deadline.
  • It was a busy week on the waiver wire with several players switching teams by virtue of waiver claims. Reid Boucher changed clubs twice going from Nashville to New Jersey and finally on to Vancouver all via waivers. Ty Rattie went from St. Louis to Carolina and San Jose lost Matt Nieto to Colorado.
  • Montreal winger Brendan Gallagher is slated to miss the next eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured hand. Gallagher was injured when a shot from teammate Shea Weber struck his hand during a recent game.

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