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Nugent-Hopkins Watch Might Start Early

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With the recent signings of Leon Draisaitl ($8.5 MM AAV), and Connor McDavid ($12.5 MM), there are those around the league who are anxious to see how GM Peter Chiarelli will deal with the inevitable cap crunch on the horizon. David Staples of the Edmonton Journal contends that the possibility of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins being moved in the short-term is overblown. That said, it stands to reason that Nugent-Hopkins will be a focus of trade speculation for a long while. Milan Lucic is the only other forward with as heavy a cap hit, also at $6 MM AAV, but he has a no-movement clause to accompany his deal. If money is moving out, Nugent-Hopkins could be the man in the cross-hairs.

Staples provides a useful breakdown of salary for the next three seasons, and shows how minimal that cap crunch might end up being. Still, it’s expected that Edmonton will attempt to build on its successful season and attempt to compete this year. If they want to add this season, they can certainly do so at the deadline. With their current $8.33 MM in space they’ll have over $30 MM in deadline space, so it seems reasonable to anticipate short-term buys. That said, any additions will complicate the cap picture in 2018-19.  They’ve already moved multiple pieces who initially had great value, notably Taylor Hall, Nail Yakupov, and Justin Schultz, and received little in return, with the exception of Adam Larsson (for Hall). It seems unlikely that Chiarelli would risk having another top pick and valuable asset thrive elsewhere just in the name of saving a few dollars.

The trade of Jordan Eberle certainly alleviated some of the pressure that Nugent-Hopkins is bound to face, but that may only be temporary. His 18 goals and 25 assists in a full season are a sharp decline from even his rookie totals. For Nugent-Hopkins to cement his place on a team with two momentous contracts, his production will need to improve dramatically. He’ll certainly see more scrutiny this campaign if he struggles for long stretches, as the concern over money will only make fans and reporters more critical. If the 24 year-old were to be traded, it would most certainly be next summer, when the crunch really starts to surface as McDavid’s hit kicks in. Even after another season under 50 points, Nugent-Hopkins would likely bring in a sizable haul via trade, which might fill out the rest of the forward corps at a cheaper price in Edmonton. Thankfully for the Oil, the organization has multiple players who can slot in at center if necessary – Draisaitl, Mark Letestu, Jussi Jokinen, and Ryan Strome all have experience up the middle and could slot in after McDavid. Nugent-Hopkins will have to stand well above his competition at camp and throughout the year to prove his long-term value to the organization. If it’s another season of being outclassed by the likes of Letestu, he could find himself in the midst of intense speculation.

Snapshots: Malgin, Sheary, Walker

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The Florida Panthers are a team looking for a reboot after a disappointing campaign. GM Dale Tallon seems to have adopted a total shift in philosophy after buying out Jussi Jokinen and passing on re-signing Jaromir Jagr. The team is opting for a more total youth movement, particularly on offense. In an article with NHL.com’s Alain Poupart, the undersized Denis Malgin spoke about his hopes for the 2017-18 campaign.

Malgin only scored 6 goals and 4 assists in his 47 contest in the NHL last season, but undoubtedly has skill. The former Zurich SC (Swiss A) prospect is known for his craftiness with the puck and his vision for making plays. As any 5’9 player will attest, physicality will be a huge hurdle for him going forward. Still, he only needs to look to recently-ex Panther Jonathan Marchessault to realize that solid offensive instincts can trump a small stature. Malgin, a center, will look to make a more permanent home in Florida this season, although training camp will determine where he begins the year. At only 20 years old, he has plenty of time to improve and bulk up physically.

  • The Conor Sheary contract announced earlier today could turn out to be quite the bargain for the Penguins. The miniature winger’s chemistry with captain Sidney Crosby is undeniable, and he exploded with offensive production alongside him. With 53 points in only 61 games, if Sheary can maintain that sort of productive pace, he will be one of the more cost-effective wingers over the course of his contract. Speaking with the Post-Gazette’s Jason Mackey, Sheary said he hoped to prove that this past season wasn’t merely a “one-time thing”. If he can put 3 more campaigns anywhere near as successful as 2016-17, he’s assured to be paid quite a bit more on his next contract. Durability is a concern, but he did appear to absorb harder impacts less regularly as the year progressed.
  • Nathan Walker of the Washington Capitals re-signed with the organization at the beginning of the month, after playing the past two seasons in Hershey. As the Capitals are in a bit of a cap crunch, they will be relying on younger, cheaper players like Walker to fill holes, especially on the third and fourth lines. Walker, like the other two players in these snapshots, needs to prove that he can overcome his short height. At only 5’8, Walker plays a game well above his size. He can handle physicality and his energy can jump-start a shift in a pinch. He also has some level of offensive capability – he’s netted 64 points through 131 AHL contests in the last two seasons. Walker is particularly interesting to trivia buffs, because were he to make an NHL appearance (as seems likely), he would be the first Australian-born player to do so, as noted by Adam Gretz of NBC Sports. Walker’s competition in camp, as of now, isn’t too intimidating. Assuming Jakub Vrana makes the lineup, Walker will only need to beat out the likes of Travis Boyd, Wayne Simpson, Riley Barber and a host of AHL journeymen and minor prospects to cement his playing time.

Dead Space: Bought-Out, Buried, And Retained Salaries For Every Team

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It’s something that often goes unnoticed, but with the cap showing minimal growth the last few years, teams are starting to feel the crunch more than ever. Buyouts have become more common, especially with players with under three remaining years on their contracts. And it’s not just the big name busts that have seen the ax lately – we’ve seen lesser names at lesser money take the fall for their respective teams, then needing to scramble for work elsewhere in the league. Additionally, salary retention in trades has become a more utilized tactic as of late. Teams with “unmovable” contracts have offered to retain part of a poor contract in order to entice a team into giving them some relief.

All this said, some teams have been better with foresight than others. Some teams have shown a track record of being entirely unable of handing out poor contracts over the past five or so seasons. Considering many teams showed some progress in being more frugal this off-season, it seems a wise time to review the dead space every team has accumulated, either due to poor management decisions or poor luck.

Colorado Avalanche – $4.83 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after current year – Francois Beauchemin buyout; Cody McLeod retained

Arizona Coyotes – $4.61 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2020-21 – Mike Smith retained; Mike Ribeiro, Antoine Vermette buyouts

Columbus Blue Jackets – $4.025 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2020-21 – Fedor Tyutin, Jared Boll, Scott Hartnell buyouts

Carolina Hurricanes – $3.71 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2020-21 – Eddie Lack retained; Alexander Semin, James Wisniewski buyouts

Toronto Maple Leafs – $3.28 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2021-22 – Tim Gleason, Jared Cowen buyouts; Phil Kessel retained

Nashville Predators – $2.83 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2018-19 – Viktor Stalberg, Eric Nystrom, Barret Jackman buyouts

Boston Bruins – $2.73 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved 2019-20 – Dennis Seidenberg, Jimmy Hayes buyouts

New York Rangers – $2.61 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2022-23 – Dan Girardi buyout

Minnesota Wild – $2.5 MM in 2017-17, issues resolved after current year – Thomas Vanek buyout

Los Angeles Kings – $2.4 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2023-24 – Matt Greene buyout; Mike Richards termination/recapture

Edmonton Oilers – $2.33 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2020-21 – Lauri Korpikoski, Benoit Pouliot buyouts

Anaheim Ducks – $2.21 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2023-24 – Mark Fistric, Simon Despres buyouts; Patrick Maroon retained

Vancouver Canucks – $2.13 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2021-22 – Roberto Luongo, Jannik Hansen retained; Chris Higgins buyout

New Jersey Devils – $2.09 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2023-24 – Mike Cammalleri, Devante Smith-Pelly buyouts; Ilya Kovalchuk recapture

Tampa Bay Lightning – $1.83 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2019-20 – Matt Carle buyout

Calgary Flames – $1.82 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2018-19 – Mason Raymond, Lance Bouma, Ryan Murphy buyouts

Detroit Red Wings – $1.67 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2020-21 – Stephen Weiss buyout

Dallas Stars – $1.5 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2018-19- Antti Niemi buyout

Philadelphia Flyers – $1.5 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after current year – R.J. Umberger buyout

Winnipeg Jets – $1.46 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2018-19 – Mark Stuart buyout

Florida Panthers – $1.33 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after 2018-19 – Jussi Jokinen buyout

Las Vegas Golden Knights – $1.1 MM in 2017-18, issues resolved after current year – Alexei Emelin retained

Ottawa Senators – $350,000 in 2017-18, issues resolved after current year – Andrew Hammond buried

Buffalo Sabres – Minimal in 2017-18, increased issues ($791,00) resolved after 2022-23 – Cody Hodgson buyout

 

 

Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, San Jose Sharks,  Montreal Canadiens – No dead cap space

After compiling the list, it became clear that utilizing these options isn’t a complete hindrance to competing in the NHL. In fact, most clubs have between $1 MM and $3 MM in dead space. That said, of the teams that have not needed to utilize the buyout or retention options, there has been a great deal of success. And among the five worst offenders, the Leafs, Hurricanes, Blue Jackets, Avalanche, and Coyotes, none has moved past the first-round in multiple years. It’s hard to draw massive conclusions without taking the context of each individual situation into account, but there is something to be said for making every dollar of cap space count. Perhaps this is merely a byproduct of past success rather than an indicator of future success, but considering how amenable many managers have become to the option, it bears consideration.

(All totals courtesy of the fantastic CapFriendly.com)

Jussi Jokinen Signs With Edmonton Oilers

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The Edmonton Oilers have signed recently bought out winger Jussi Jokinen to a one-year contract worth $1.1MM. The deal also has a limited no-trade clause. Jokinen was bought out of the final year of his previous contract on June 30th by the Florida Panthers, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Now 34, Jokinen is coming off a disappointing season with the Panthers that saw him register just 11 goals and 28 points in 69 games. Though father time has a cut off date for everyone, Jokinen did score 60 points as recently as 2015-16 and still shows ability as a powerplay option for a team looking for offensive help. Like former teammate and fellow UFA Thomas Vanek, Jokinen’s speed is a concern as the NHL trends faster and more mobile, but his offensive instincts in certain situations can still be beneficial to a club. The fact that he’s always been a capable defender and was never a true rush threat lends itself to success even as he continues to lose mobility.

As discussed in our live chat yesterday, there may be room on certain rosters for a sort of specialty player that doesn’t have to log big minutes 5-on-5, but could still contribute in other ways. Similar to the way Columbus deployed Sam Gagner at the beginning of last season, Jokinen is a nice buy-low option for teams that missed out on the bigger names of free agency. Though he likely won’t have the impact of an Alexander Radulov or even Patrick Marleau, Edmonton can still get some solid value out of him on a one-year deal.

With Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mark Letestu as solid options in the middle, Jokinen is probably destined to add his talents to a group of wingers that is less impressive. With Ryan Strome also likely headed for the wing, the team is trying to replace the outgoing offensive talent of Jordan Eberle with a more spread out attack.

To be clear, Jokinen is not eligible for a contract with performance bonuses until next summer after he turns 35.

Fox Sports’ Andy Strickland was first to report the deal was close with a Western Conference team, while Mark Spector of Sportsnet first provided the details. 

Several Buyouts Before Deadline

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The deadline to buy out players is today, and several teams have taken advantage of the option before free agency starts. The following players have been placed on waivers for the purposes of a buyout: Mike Cammalleri (NJD), Devante Smith-Pelly (NJD), Mark Stuart (WIN), Lance Bouma (CGY), Ryan Murphy (CGY), Jimmy Hayes (BOS), Jussi Jokinen (FLA). The new cap hits of each player will be as follows:

Cammalleri:

2017-18: $1.67MM
2018-19: $1.67MM
2019-20: $1.67MM
2020-21: $1.67MM

Smith-Pelly:

2017-18: $175K
2018-19: $225K

Stuart:

2017-18: $1.46MM
2018-19: $583K

Bouma:

2017-18: $667K
2018-19: $767K

Murphy:

2017-18: $100K
2018-19: $138K

Hayes:

2017-18: $567K
2018-19: $867K

Jokinen:

2017-18: $1.33MM
2018-19: $1.33MM

Expansion Primer: Florida Panthers

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Over the next few weeks we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, and which will likely warrant protection or may be on the block. Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4pm CDT on June 17th. The full rules on eligibility can be found here, and CapFriendly has provided a handy expansion tool to make your own lists.

After cracking 100 points and winning the Atlantic Division in 2015-16, injuries and overall under-performance sent the Panthers tumbling back to Earth in 2016-17. Florida finished with over 20 points less, at 81, good enough for sixth in the division and a top-ten draft slot. Yet, hopes remain high in Sunrise, FL as the Panthers are still a team built around young stars that has just begun to reach its potential. With Huberdeau, Trochek, Barkov, Bjugstad, Ekblad, and Matheson forming a core group under 25 with top prospects like forwards Henrik Borgstrom and Adam Mascherin and goalie Sam Montembeault still on the way, Florida only has to worry about adding complementary pieces to a talented young group.

Yet, the shadow of the Expansion Draft still looms large over the Panthers. With so many good, young players under contract, the expansion process will not be easy for the Cats. They may be able to protect their best young players, but they are nearly guaranteed to lose a solid complementary veteran.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards
Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, Reilly Smith, Vincent Trocheck, Nick Bjugstad, Jussi Jokinen, Derek MacKenzie, Colton Sceviour, Jonathan Marchessault, Steven Hodges, Michael Sgarbossa, Graham Black

Defense
Keith Yandle (NMC), Aaron Ekblad, Jason Demers, Alex Petrovic, Mark Pysyk, MacKenzie Weegar, Reece Scarlett

Goaltender
Roberto Luongo, James Reimer

Notable Exemptions

Jared McCann, Denis Malgin, Michael Matheson, Ian McCoshen

Key Decisions

The Panthers don’t have an easy decision to make at any position group. They face the risk of losing a prominent forward, defenseman, or goalie if they don’t read the Vegas Golden Knights correctly. Perhaps the biggest name who may be left unprotected in net: potential future Hall of Fame goalie Roberto Luongo. Many were surprised when the Panthers brought back Luongo, and with him the remainder of a 12-year, $64MM contract, in 2014. Even more were surprised when, nonetheless, Florida signed James Reimer to a five-year, $17MM contract on July 1st of last year. That move seems like it has partly been leading up to this point. While Luongo and Reimer each started 39 games in 2016-17 with very similar records, Reimer had the edge on Luongo in performance statistics. While this was their first season sharing the net, it is now the second season in a row in which Reimer has outplayed Luongo. It seems very unlikely that Florida will choose to protect the 38-year-old Luongo, who is under contract at $5.33MM per year until the age of 43, over the 29-year-old Reimer, with a more reasonable $3.4MM cap hit over that same span of time. Luongo will thus likely be one of the biggest names under contract and available to Vegas, but don’t expect a new team to take on that contract. Should they expose Reimer instead, the chances are much higher that the Knights will select a Panther goalie, but chances are both keepers are back in Florida next year regardless.

Among the forward corps, there is a lot to sort out. To get the easy ones out of the way, young scorers Jonathan Huberdeau, Vincent Trocheck, Aleksander Barkov, and Nick Bjugstad are almost surely safe. Assuming the Panthers go with the 7/3 scheme, that leaves them with three forwards left to protect. If they do go 8-skaters, then those four would represent all the protected forwards. After a breakout campaign in which he led the Panthers with 30 goals, 26-year-old Jonathan Marchessault is also highly likely to be protected. This leaves just two spots left for four valuable veteran forwards: Reilly Smith, Jussi Jokinen, Colton Sceviour, and captain Derek MacKenzie. Luckily for the Panthers, all four meet the qualifications (having played 70 games over the last two seasons or 40 games last season and be under contract) to meet the two-forward quota, so whoever the GM Dale Tallon wants he can have without having to consider other expansion criteria. With the free agent status of Jaromir Jagr up in the air, the leadership value of Jokinen and MacKenzie must be considered by a young Florida team. However, MacKenzie has not scored more than 20 points in a season since 2010-11 and is likely not of interest to Vegas and can be left unprotected. So who of Jokinen, Smith, and Sceviour will join him in the Draft? The 25-year-old Smith has the best chance to be the best producer for the longest amount of time in Florida. This also could be a way for the Panthers to dump the five-year, $25MM extension they signed him to last summer before it even begins. As he did with the Boston Bruins, Smith had a great first season with Florida in 2015-16, but just as he did in Boston, Smith fell off significantly in year two. The Panthers will have to re-sign Bjugstad and Marchessault and give non-entry level deals to Denis Malgin, Jared McCann, and others before that contract expires. Can they afford the weight of a $5MM annual cap hit for an average player? If Smith has scared them off, expect them to expose him and hope Vegas takes the risk. If not, it comes down to Jokinen and Sceviour. Again, the 33-year-old Jokinen has the leadership and experience and is just one year removed from a 60-point season. Sceviour can’t boast that kind of career production, but at $950K to Jokinen’s $4MM and Smith’s $5MM, he gets the Panthers more bang for their buck.

Defense is the real nightmare for Florida. Keith Yandle’s No-Movement Clause makes him automatically protected, though he would be protected regardless after signing a seven-year deal last year that began with a nice 41-point season. Aaron Ekblad is also as close to a sure thing as their is in the Expansion Draft as far as protection. The 2015 Calder Trophy-winner struggled a bit last season, but is still a top pair defenseman at just 21 years old. That leaves defensive spot left in the 7/3 scheme and three stalwart defeseman to choose from: Jason Demers, Alex Petrovic, and Mark Pysyk. Unfortunately, unless circumstance change, Demers is out of the equation. With Yandle and Ekblad protected and Petrovic and Pysyk as restricted free agents, Demers is the only defenseman on the roster who can meet the 70-40 quota. It is possible for Florida to re-sign and expose Petrovic, Pysyk, or impending unrestricted free agent Jakub Kindl and then protect Demers, but their hesitation to do so yet seems to imply that they won’t be. Thus, Demers will be exposed and stands a very high chance of playing in Vegas next season. As for Petrovic verus Pysyk, both are similar in age and have great ability, but little to show for it on the score sheet early in their careers. The Panthers brass know best which 25-year-old fits best on the team, and likely both will remain in Florida, but don’t be surprised if they give the homegrown talent Petrovic the nod.

Projected Protection List

Scheme: 7F/3D/1G

Forwards

Jonathan Huberdeau
Vincent Trocheck
Aleksander Barkov
Nick Bjugstad
Jonathan Marchessault
Jussi Jokinen
Colton Sceviour

Defensemen

Keith Yandle (NMC)
Aaron Ekblad
Alex Petrovic

Goalie

James Reimer

Every team has a few risks that they must take in the Expansion Draft. As extraordinarily unlikely as it is, losing Luongo would be a blow and would cause the Panthers to have to change their off-season priorities to focus on helping Reimer in net. Smith being selected could come back to bite them if his $25MM deal pays off in Vegas. Being stripped of their captain would be rough on the locker room and they will likely hold out hope that there is no interest in MacKenzie. Having Pysyk taken from them after he was the centerpiece of last summer’s Dmitry Kulikov trade would feel like a waste.

So what sets Florida apart? Exposing Demers barely qualifies as a risk. The 28-year-old was one of the prizes of free agency last summer and just finished the first season of a relatively affordable five-year, $22.5MM deal. He scored 28 points this season, the second best campaign of his career and a level of production closer to that of his time back with the San Jose Sharks. He also has seen a steady climb in shooting percentage as the years have gone on and could easily break double digits next season, regardless of where he plays. However, the best thing about Demers for the Golden Knights is that he is a safe pick. He can lead their defense, can easily play 20+ minutes per night, can hit and block shots, and is signed long-term, meaning he can become a franchise player and potentially the team’s first captain. Unless the Panthers go 8-skaters or extend a current qualifying defenseman to then protect Demers, they face a real risk of losing a very solid player for nothing after just one year.

Panthers Notes: Ekblad, Bjugstad, Playoff Race

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Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad is out of the lineup with a neck injury, and his coach feels responsible.

After Ekblad missed four games with a concussion, he was medically cleared to return to the lineup. He lasted one game, and is now on the shelf with a sore neck. Coach and GM Tom Rowe made a startling admission to the Miami Herald’s George Richards.

“I’m not going to lie, I wish we didn’t. That’s on me. The doctors cleared him, our medical staff cleared him but I had some reservations and I wish I stayed with my gut. That’s no one’s fault but my own.”

The team has made it abundantly clear that Ekblad’s current injury is not related to his recent concussion, but suffering head and neck injuries 10 days apart is not a good thing for the 21-year-old defenseman. He’s already suffered at least two concussions in his career: in 2014 at the Canadian World Juniors camp and in 2016 after getting run by the Oilers’ Matt Hendricks. He also suffered whiplash at the World Cup in September, after a big hit from the Maple Leafs’ Leo Komarov; whiplash and concussions are often linked. With the Panthers’ season essentially over (more on that below), there’s little sense in trying to get him back in the lineup, argues Matt Larkin of The Hockey News. Ekblad has suffered as many concussions as NHL seasons played, which Larkin fears could lead him down the Eric Lindros path.

Ekblad is in the final year of his entry-level contract, and will start an eight-year extension next season.

  • It’s been a brutal season for center Nick Bjugstad. After three-straight seasons of 34-plus points, Bjugstad has just 10 points in 45 games this season, including five goals. Both Bjugstad and Rowe have publicly expressed displeasure with how the player’s season has gone. Injuries have played their part, but no one is using that as an excuse. Veteran teammate Jussi Jokinen told Richards that “every player has a tough year but you don’t define a career on one rough season.” Bjugstad has four years left in a six-year extension, making $4.1MM per season. After the season he’s having, it’s unlikely anyone will be trading for him just yet, so Bjugstad will get his chance to turn it around in Florida.
  • The Panthers were four points out of the playoffs when two-thirds of their top line returned from injury in early February. They won six of their next seven games, but have once again fallen out with just six wins in their next 17 games. Florida is seven points out of the final wildcard spot with nine games remaining. It would take a huge run combined with several stunning collapses by division rivals for them to make it now.

Another Look At What’s Gone Wrong In Florida

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It’s been nothing if not trying for the Florida Panthers in 2016-17. Expected to contend for a second consecutive division title following an offseason spending splurge, the Cats have instead underachieved, resulting in the removal of 2015-16 Jack Adams finalist Gerard Gallant as the team’s head coach. That step has yet to pay off, with the Panthers winning just three of 11 since the change behind the bench.

The turmoil doesn’t end with the head coaching situation. Last year the team promoted former GM Dale Tallon to the role of president of hockey operations. Though it was referred to as a “promotion,” in effect it reduced the veteran executive’s influence within the organization, according to industry sources. Tom Rowe was promoted to take over the general manager spot and other organizational moves apparently were made to highlight the greater use of analytics in the player personnel department. With Rowe replacing Gallant behind the bench, it appears as if owner Vinny Viola has gone back to Tallon, offering at least some of the decision-making authority back to the respected hockey man.

It’s been a difficult start to 2016-17 in Florida, to say the least, and while the disconnect between the front office and Gallant certainly played some role in the early-season struggles of the team, Adam Gretz of Fan Rag Sports Network identifies three other factors which are also responsible in part for Florida’s failings.

Number one on Gretz’s list is the departure of veteran puck-moving blue liner Brian Campbell. Campbell spent five seasons skating primarily on the top pair in Florida and helped mentor former top overall draft selection Aaron Ekblad. Gretz argues that the loss of Campbell has been understated and overshadowed in some circles by the losses of Erik Gudbranson and Willie Mitchell. It may be easy to point the finger at the new, analytically-driven front office for allowing Campbell to leave while doling out huge free agent bucks to Keith Yandle and Jason Demers, But the 37-year-old blue liner returned to Chicago in the offseason on a well below-market, one-year deal worth $2.25MM (with a games-played bonus included), suggesting Campbell may have had little interest in coming back to Florida.

Gretz also points out that the goaltending simply hasn’t been good enough. The team added veteran backstop James Reimer in free agency to pair with Roberto Luongo between the pipes and while the strategy was sound the results simply haven’t been good enough. Reimer has a GAA of 2.77 and a Save % of 0.904, numbers that rank outside the top-30 among qualified goalies in the league. Luongo, meanwhile, started off the campaign strong but has scuffled of late. He has allowed 18 goals in his last five games and has won just one of his last six starts.

Lastly, injuries to key players have contributed to the team’s poor start. Top-line left wing Jonathan Huberdeau, who reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his career in 2015-16, has yet to play a game this season. Nick Bjugstad missed the first six weeks and has just one point in 13 games since he returned. Finnish forward Jussi Jokinen, who finished second on the team last season with 60 points, missed 11 contests earlier in the campaign and has just five points.

Needless to say, much has gone wrong for Florida this season, and no matter who has final say in the front office, they’ll be an interesting team to watch leading into the trade deadline.

 

Rowe And Gallant: A Tale Of Two Hockey Philosophies

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After the shocking dismissal of Gerard Gallant on Sunday night, general manager and head coach Tom Rowe ran his first practice today. The Miami Herald’s George Richards writes that the practice didn’t look too different from the ones run under Gallant. Richards also included Rowe’s comments regarding Gallant after making the move to fire him Sunday:

“Gerard Gallant, first, is a great human being, a really good guy. The other day was brutal on everyone,” Rowe said. “The players really liked him, respected him. I came in and told them we weren’t going to change a whole lot, maybe a few things.”

Richards adds that Rowe hasn’t had a lot of time to change much in a short turnaround, but that some changes included Jonathan Marchessault returning to the top line.  Jussi Jokinen was shuffled to the second line while Seth Griffith, who played on Florida’s fourth line, changed to the third line.

While Richards looked at Rowe’s changes on the ice,  The Sun-Sentinel’s Dave Hyde focused on the shift in thinking within the organization.

Feb 25, 2016; Sunrise, FL, USA; Florida Panthers right wing <a rel=Hyde reports that it was analytics winning out in Rowe’s favor. Hyde doesn’t mince words, writing that old school mindsets have given way for the new wave of analytics and Gallant, along with President of Hockey Operations (and former general manager) Dale Tallon, were casualties of the new way of doing business. He also wonders who is “in charge” of the organization, quipping:

 To announce Gallant’s firing Monday, four Panthers officials were needed on the teleconference with media. Four. One more and they’d have a starting lineup Tuesday night in Chicago for the first game of their next chapter.

 Hyde adds that it’s the analytics mindset led by Rowe and assistant general managers Eric Joyce and Steve Werier that “have the ear” of owner Vinnie Viola. Hyde continues that the writing was on the wall for Gallant, using the case of former Panther Logan Shaw as an example:

Gallant thought his big presence could help and kept pushing for him to be promoted from the minors. The front office didn’t like his analytics profile. Shaw recently was traded to Anaheim in a small deal for winger Michael Sgarbossa. Maybe it’s a good trade. Again, we’ll see. But it certainly sent a message to Gallant of where he stood.

Meanwhile Pierre LeBrun feels that there was no justifiable reason to fire Gallant, writing that the dismissal generated a league-wide “shaking of the head.” Echoing Hyde, LeBrun chalks the firing up to a philosophical schism, but cautions by saying he doesn’t intend to “fan the flames of that debate.” LeBrun continues:

I think you need to keep an open mind to both analytics and how best to use that information, within the context of understanding what makes a player useful just from knowing the game. There’s room for both schools of thought in hockey, and I’m mighty tired of people trying to make you pick a side.

LeBrun wonders who will receive the credit or blame based on the Panthers’ performance. Regardless, the Panthers’ decision making seems to be a microcosm of the debate raging on in the NHL regarding “old school” thinking versus the “new school” way.

Photo Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Panthers Notes: Jagr, Kampfer, Kindl, Injury Updates

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The Florida Panthers were widely expected to challenge the Tampa Bay Lightning for supremacy in the Atlantic Division but through 12 games this season they boast a 5 – 6 – 1 record and have dropped five of their last seven decisions. Injuries to several key players have obviously played a part in the team’s slow start but help may not be far off as a couple of players are nearing a return. As Tom Gulitti of NHL.com writes, the Panthers just need to hold it together and stay afloat for a while longer until those reinforcements arrive.

Jaromir Jagr is the latest to join the ranks of the wounded, sitting out the final two periods of Saturday’s 4 – 2 loss to Washington due to groin soreness. According to Florida bench boss Gerard Gallant, the injury to Jagr isn’t considered serious and the ageless wonder is listed as day-to-day.

Florida has been without the services of Nick Bjugstad (broken hand) and Jonathan Huberdeau (Achilles) all season while veteran winger Jussi Jokinen has been out since October 20th with a lower-body-injury. Gallant indicated Bjugstad and Jokinen may be able to return this week. While it might be understandable to do so, the coach won’t use the plethora of injuries as an excuse for his team’s early season woes.

“You can’t make excuses for injuries because everybody has them. But obviously with the depth of our hockey team it’s really testing us right now. The guys are working hard and competing. Sometimes you make mistakes. When you play against a great team like Washington, they’ll take advantage of your mistakes and we just made too many.”

While the absences have likely contributed to Florida’s recent slump, they have also allowed for two unheralded offseason additions to see more ice time and impress the organization. Jonathan Marchessault has potted six goals and has 12 points in 12 games while Colton Sceviour has five goals and eight points. While neither player is likely to maintain that scoring pace throughout the campaign, their early-season contributions have certainly been welcome and also represent hope for a balanced scoring attack upon the return of Florida’s top-six forwards.

While unlikely to change the team’s fortunes, the Panthers did place defenseman Steven Kampfer on waivers, according to Elliotte Friedman. To take his spot, presumably, the team has recalled fellow blue liner Jakub Kindl from Springfield of the AHL, as George Richards of the Miami Herald reported on Twitter. Kampfer appeared in just one game for Florida, going scoreless and taking two minor penalties in 16:48 of ice time. Kindl has recorded three points in nine minor league games this season. If Kampfer goes unclaimed, he will likely head to Springfield with Kindl assuming the role of seventh defenseman.

 

 

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