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Leo Komarov

Leo Komarov, Alex Nedeljkovic Clear Waivers

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Jan 13: Both Komarov and Nedeljkovic have cleared waivers and can be assigned to the taxi squad or minor leagues.

Jan 12: The big waiver day was yesterday, with teams putting dozens of players on the wire at the same time to prepare for the upcoming season, But the New York Islanders weren’t done there, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Leo Komarov has been placed on waivers today. After claiming Anton Forsberg from the Edmonton Oilers, the Carolina Hurricanes have also placed Alex Nedeljkovic on waivers.

Komarov, 33, has fallen off a cliff offensively since his early days with the Toronto Maple Leafs but is still a coach’s favorite given his in-your-face playstyle and defensive responsibility. To see him on waivers with the Islanders is something of a surprise, but certainly not much of a risk given his contract that carries a $3MM cap hit through the 2021-22 season. The Islanders are dancing a tight rope with regards to the salary cap and will gain some additional flexibility should Komarov clear. He’ll then be able to be moved at will to the taxi squad, periodically burying part of his cap hit.

Still, it seems likely that the veteran forward will get into the lineup at some point as the Islanders navigate the condensed schedule. A veteran of 457 regular season games, he played in 17 postseason contests with New York last year, scoring three points.

Nedeljkovic’s placement perhaps is even more surprising, given he was seen as the “goaltender of the future” for the Hurricanes relatively recently. The 25-year-old won the AHL Goaltender of the Year award for the 2018-19 season when he and the Charlotte Checkers took home the Calder Cup but did see something of a regression last season when he posted just a .906 save percentage in 29 minor league appearances.

Still, risking him to the rest of the league is certainly not ideal, especially if it was because of their claim of Forsberg today. While he has much more NHL experience, it still seemed as though Nedeljkovic had more upside. That is exactly the kind of reasoning a team may use to claim the young goaltender, though they would then need to carry him on the NHL squad until they can slip him through waivers themselves.

East Notes: Zibanejad, Islanders, Devils, Voracek, Marchand

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The New York Rangers have been trending upwards as they look forward to the upcoming season. However, one troubling aspect of training camp is the fact that their team leader and MVP Mika Zibanejad has missed the entirety of training camp with no explanation for his absence (standard league policy).

However, The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello (subscription required) writes that Zibanejad did skate Saturday before the team’s practice, suggesting he might be close to returning to the team. Head coach David Quinn said that Zibanejad has “had a couple of good days.”

The 27-year-old center had a breakout season last year, scoring 41 goals in 57 games and will be looked upon to lead the team once again.

  • The New York Islanders and general manager Lou Lamoriello signed Mathew Barzal to a three-year deal early Saturday, but there was hope that the two sides could agree to a six-year pact instead, according to The Athletic’s Arthur Staple (subscription required). The two sides were discussing a deal similar to the six-year, $9.25MM contract that Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen signed last year, but the Islanders could not make that work. The hope was the team could unload the contracts of Leo Komarov and/or Thomas Hickey to free up the necessary cap room, but no team was willing to take either contract.
  • The New Jersey Devils could be looking the trade route to fill its backup goaltending spot on the roster after veteran Corey Crawford announced his retirement. The Athletic’s Corey Masisak (subscription required) writes that they might be looking towards the Arizona Coyotes, who have quite a bit of goaltending depth, including Adin Hill, who Arizona would have to pass through waivers to get on the taxi squad. That could give New Jersey a chance to trade for Antti Raanta, who is in the last year of his contract and is earning $4.25MM.
  • Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault is completely focused on a long playoff run this season and has sent a message to veteran Jakub Voracek, who was moved off the first-team power play in practice and was told to step up, according to Philadelphia Enquirer’s Marcus Hayes. Voracek scored just 12 goals during the regular season, but especially struggled during the Flyers’ seven-game playoff series against the New York Islanders in which he had just one point. “I talked to Jake about this. I challenged him about this season. There’s a man who’s been in the league for a long time,” Vigneault said. “Basically, he’s won two playoff rounds.” Other young players are ready to take bigger roles on the team, including Oskar Lindblom, Nolan Patrick and Joel Farabee, which could put even more pressure on Voracek.
  • Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand, who is coming off sports hernia surgery, left practice early Sunday, according to Boston Globe’s Matt Porter. The 32-year-old was given a four-month recovery window in September, but Marchand returned early from that prognosis. While there is no word on why he left practice early, head coach Bruce Cassidy said he was getting treatment and doesn’t believe the injury is serious. He is a game-time decision for Monday’s scrimmage.

East Notes: Rask, Kapanen, Komarov

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Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask spoke with reporters yesterday, including Boston Hockey Now’s Joe Haggerty, for the first time since leaving the bubble to tend to a family emergency.  During the discussion, he was asked about the potential of playing elsewhere as the 33-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July.  While there is no extension in place, Rask didn’t mince words about his preference:

I have no intentions of playing anywhere else except for with the Bruins. If I’m good enough to play one, two or three more years then so be it and if not then so be it. That’s where my head is at.

Rask has been a fixture in Boston’s lineup since the 2009-10 season and has suited up in 536 NHL games, all for the Bruins who acquired him from Toronto back in 2006.  His playing time has been more limited recently though so he should be expecting to take a dip from his current $7MM AAV in order to stick around.

Elsewhere in the East Division:

  • Penguins winger Kasperi Kapanen is expected to have his work visa in hand by Friday, notes Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. That’s an important hurdle to clear as he looks to join his new team after being dealt during the postseason but it still seems quite unlikely at this point that he’ll be available on opening night.  Kapanen will still have to go through a mandatory quarantine period of seven days so unless there is some sort of exception granted which seems extremely unlikely at this point, he will have to miss the first two games of the year against Philadelphia.
  • The Islanders are trying to trade winger Leo Komarov, reports David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period (Twitter link). GM Lou Lamoriello is trying to free up some extra cap room with Mathew Barzal still needing a new deal and with Komarov underachieving since joining them, he’s a logical player to try to move.  Of course, in this cap environment, an underachieving fourth-liner with two years left on his contract at $3MM is going to be a tough sell and will likely require some sort of incentive to get another team to take the 33-year-old on.  Komarov had just four goals and ten assists in 48 games last season.

East Notes: Reinhart, Komarov, Myers, Barkov

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One of the big items on new Sabres GM Kevyn Adams’ list this offseason will be Sam Reinhart’s case.  The pending restricted free agent has wrapped up his bridge contract and in doing so, he showed that his 50-point campaign in 2017-18 was no fluke.  Now just two years away from UFA eligibility, a long-term contract is going to be what both sides are likely looking for.

With that in mind, NHL.com’s Dan Rosen took a stab at trying to figure out what a good comparable would be.  He suggested Blues winger Jaden Schwartz, whose cap percentage at the time the deal was signed would translate to a roughly $6MM price tag today and next season with the Upper Limit expected to remain around the $81.5MM mark.  Buffalo has a plethora of players to sign still for next year but as a fixture in their top six, the Sabres shouldn’t have many qualms about signing Reinhart to a contract around that price tag.

More from the Eastern Conference:

  • A large group of Finnish players will be heading back to their respective club teams later this week. Heikki Miettinen of Helsingen Sanomat in Finland notes that Islanders winger Leo Komarov has leased a private plane to fly several of his NHL compatriots from Helsinki to New York in advance of training camps opening up next month.  The hope is that by doing a private flight, they will be able to avoid self-quarantining guidelines although that is not set in stone.
  • Flyers defenseman Philippe Myers has fully recovered from his fractured kneecap in March, reports Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Daily News and Inquirer. Prior to the injury, he was starting to carve out a bit of a bigger workload, averaging more than 18 minutes a night before going down.  Still just 23, this will be his first taste of the postseason and it will be interesting to see if head coach Alain Vigneault deploys him in a similar manner once it gets underway or if he’ll defer more to his veterans.
  • Panthers center Aleksander Barkov has purchased a stake in Tappara’s hockey program, notes George Richards of Panthers Pressbox. The 24-year-old is from Tampere and played in Tappara’s system from 2009 through 2013 before making the jump to the NHL.

Snapshots: Brannstrom, Komarov, Tarasenko

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The Ottawa Senators aren’t competing for the playoffs this season, even if a recent hot streak brought them a little more respectability—the team had won four of their last six before getting pummeled by the Carolina Hurricanes last night. No, this season is entirely about development as they look to turn the page on the old guard and install a new identity under rookie head coach D.J. Smith.

Because development should be their primary concern, Wayne Scanlan of Sportsnet examines how the team is using one of their top defensive prospects and suggests that Erik Brannstrom could benefit from a little more time in the AHL. The Senators are back in action tomorrow night against the New Jersey Devils, in a battle for the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

  • Leo Komarov has been activated from injured reserve by the New York Islanders, giving them another one of their veteran forward options for their game tomorrow. That game is against Komarov’s former team as the Islanders welcome in the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first time this season. The 32-year old forward is a versatile player and registered 26 points for the Islanders last season, but will be playing just his eighth game this year after dealing with injury for the last several weeks.
  • Speaking of forwards missing time to injury, St. Louis Blues sniper Vladimir Tarasenko spoke for the first time today and explained to reporters including Lou Korac of NHL.com that he’s not sure if he’ll be able to play again this season. Tarasenko underwent shoulder surgery on October 29th and will be re-evaluated in five months, but hopes he can come back sooner than expected like he has from previous injuries.

Metropolitan Notes: Andersson, Crosby, Komarov

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It was only a couple of years ago that Lias Andersson appeared to be a key cog of the future down the middle for the Rangers when they made him the seventh-overall pick in 2017.  However, while he has spent all of this season in the NHL and more than half of last year with New York, his playing time has been extremely limited (just 9:54 per game so far in 2019-20).  Accordingly, Larry Brooks of the New York Post opines that the team may need to consider trading the 21-year-old over running the risk of having his value drop even further.  The Rangers don’t appear to be interested in sending him to AHL Hartford for more playing time and he isn’t playing his way off the fourth line either which leaves them at a bit of a crossroads.  If they don’t think he’s part of their long-term core moving forward, then perhaps the time is right for a move and considering his age and draft pedigree, there would be considerable interest around the league.

More from the Metro:

  • While the Penguins are still evaluating the injury to Sidney Crosby, they’ve already announced (Twitter link) that he has been ruled out for tomorrow’s game against the Rangers. Crosby suffered a lower-body injury early in the third period on Saturday versus Chicago.  While his offensive output is down this season (he has 17 points in as many games), he’s still Pittsburgh’s top player and leading scorer and any prolonged absence would be a tough blow.
  • The Islanders appear to be close to getting forward Leo Komarov back in the lineup. Newsday’s Andrew Gross notes that he has taken part in two straight practices with the team and appears to be on track to return on Wednesday after missing the last nine games due to neck soreness and an illness.  Which role he’ll fill remains to be seen as Gross mentions that center Casey Cizikas’ availability for Wednesday is up in the air and if he can’t go, Komarov may wind up taking his place down the middle as he did earlier this season.

Islanders’ Martin, Kuhnhackl Out Four To Six Weeks

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The New York Islanders have been dealing with injuries up front since the season began and that isn’t going to change any time soon. GM Lou Lamoriello spoke with the media this morning and The Athletic’s Arthur Staple relays the news that both Matt Martin and Tom Kuhnhackl will be out of the lineup with lower-body injuries for the next four to six weeks. The pair, who were both injured in the Islanders’ last game on Friday night, join Jordan Eberle, Leo Komarov, and Andrew Ladd on the shelf. The timeline would see Martin and Kuhnhackl return to action around when Ladd is also expected to be healthy, late November into early December.

Kuhnhackl was injured early in the first period on Friday against the Ottawa Senators when a crunching check left him favoring his right leg as he skated off the ice. There has been no specific designation of what his injury is, but it is certainly related to his left leg. Not long after that, Martin fell awkwardly into the Senators’ open bench door and appeared to injure his leg as well. With the Islanders already icing a lineup of eleven forwards and seven defensemen for the game, losing both Kuhnhackl and Martin would have left them with just nine forwards. Amazingly, given the recovery timeline of the injury he suffered, Martin returned to the game to avoid leaving New York with only three lines. Granted, he only managed 5:17 time on ice, but that was nearly double the lost Kuhnhackl. Perhaps even more impressive is that the Isles still came away with the 4-2 win over Ottawa despite the Senators outnumbering them by three healthy forwards.

Despite the prognosis for Martin and Kuhnhackl, Lamoriello stated that the team would not make a roster move right away. Staple provided updates that Komarov is considered day-to-day and Eberle has resumed skating, so the pair could return to action soon. While the Islanders wait for their now five-man group of veterans to recover, the team will lean on its younger forwards. New York scratched all three of Michael Dal Colle, Ross Johnston, and rookie Oliver Wahlstrom for their last game, but now the trio are all expected to join the starting roster for now. Fortunately, Casey Cizikas also just returned from the injured reserve and is able to help out. It will be entirely different looking bottom six when the Isles take the ice against the Philadelphia Flyers tonight and it could be a group that remains in flux through the next month or longer.

Snapshots: Seidenberg, Vilardi, Cizikas

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Dennis Seidenberg has finally called it quits after a long professional career, according to a report out of Germany. Seidenberg suited up for 859 regular season games in the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011. He also appeared in the Olympics on three different occasions, and was included on Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Seidenberg actually signed a contract with the New York Islanders in February of this year that covered the remainder of the 2018-19 NHL season, but didn’t play for the team. The veteran defenseman will end his career with 251 NHL points, not bad for a sixth-round pick.

  • While the Los Angeles Kings are “happy” with where Gabe Vilardi is in his recovery process after returning to the ice recently, team reporter Jon Rosen writes that the young forward will have to deal with pain management for the rest of his career. Vilardi’s back injury has stopped him from becoming the player the Kings were hoping for when they used the 11th overall pick for him in 2017, but at just 20-years old there is still plenty of time for him to make an impact.
  • The New York Islanders have activated Casey Cizikas from injured reserve, placing Leo Komarov there instead. Komarov is just dealing with an illness however, meaning the Islanders will soon have to make a different move to clear a roster spot. Oliver Wahlstrom and Noah Dobson are the only two players who are waiver-exempt, though Cole Bardreau cleared recently enough that he could also be sent down without having to go through the process again.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: New York Islanders

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

New York Islanders

Current Cap Hit: $74,746,666 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Oliver Wahlstrom (three years, $925K)
D Sebastian Aho (one year, $925K)
D Noah Dobson (three years, $894K)
F Mathew Barzal (one year, $863K)

Potential Bonuses:

Wahlstrom: $538K
Dobson: $538K
Barzal: $400K
Aho: $100K

Barzal will be an interesting case as the young center saw his numbers drop off after an amazing rookie campaign as the 22-year-old got more attention from top defenders without John Tavares to protect him. While his goals only dropped by four (18) last year, he saw his assist numbers slip from 63 to 44. However, many people feel that Barzal should take that next step and establish himself as top-line center. While the Islanders can only hope that this will happen, it could also prove to be costly for New York as Barzal will be wrapping up the final year of his entry-level contract and could be in line for a major deal as the youngster is likely keeping a close eye on all the unsigned restricted free-agents on the market currently.

The Islanders have quite a bit of talent in the system and several of their top picks from 2018 could be ready to contribute this season. Wahlstrom, the 11th-overall pick, played well in his one season at Boston College, but looked even more impressive in a short showcase with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL. He played five regular season games, scoring two goals, but added another two goals and four points in five playoff games. Dobson, the team’s 12th-overall pick last season, could be ready to take a key spot in the Islanders defense.

While the defense could add Dobson this season, another addition could be Toews who looks to be ready for an increased role with the Islanders. The 25-year-old put up 18 points in 48 games last season and looks ready to contribute.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

G Thomas Greiss ($3.33MM, UFA)
F Matt Martin ($2.5MM, UFA)
D Ryan Pulock ($2MM, RFA)
F Derick Brassard ($1.2MM, UFA)
F Tom Kuhnhackl ($850K, UFA)
D Devon Toews ($700K, RFA)

While Robin Lehner received all the attention for his stellar play in goal, Islanders’ fans were just as pleased with the play of Greiss, who just a couple of years ago was considered to have an untradeable contract. However, no one is complaining after Greiss put up impressive numbers last year. The 33-year-old had a .927 save percentage and a 2.28 GAA in 43 appearances and should be a key piece for New York in his final year, although with several prospects getting closer to being NHL ready, this is likely to be his last year with the Islanders.

The 24-year-old Pulock continued to improve his game, especially offensively. He finished the season with nine goals and 37 assists, which is impressive considering the team’s offense dropped off quite a bit since the 2017-18 season as the defenseman continues to work on his defensive game. He could be prime for another big contract if he can take his game to another level.

Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello is a big believer in a veteran bottom-six and has done well with both Martin and Kuhnhackl as well as Brassard, who the team signed recently and could always get a new contract if they continue to perform well.

Two Years Remaining

F Casey Cizikas ($3.35MM, UFA)
D Adam Pelech ($1.6MM, UFA)
F Michael Dal Colle ($700K, RFA)
F Tanner Fritz ($700K, UFA)

The 28-year-old Cizikas had a breakout season last year. Not only did he finally break the double-digit barrier, he actually reached 20 goals. The hope is that Cizikas can repeat that success as he is expected to continue playing on the team’s impressive fourth line. The team also has hopes that Dal Colle can win a regular spot. The 23-year old got a 27 game trial, scoring three goals and seven points last season.

The defensive minded Pelech has been a solid player for the Islanders and is quite a bargain at $1.6MM. Perhaps the top left-handed defenseman, he has received solid minutes and should continue to get good minutes this season. The team

Three Years Remaining

D Johnny Boychuk ($6MM, UFA)
D Nick Leddy ($5.5MM, UFA)
F Cal Clutterbuck ($3.5MM, UFA)
F Leo Komarov ($3MM, UFA)
D Thomas Hickey ($2.5MM, UFA)
F Ross Johnston ($1MM, UFA)

At age 35, the team will be paying for Boychuk’s late years and there does seem to be a decline in his play as both his ATOI and his points dropped. On the positive, his 74 games played is the most he’s played since he was with the Bruins back in 2013-14. However, he saw his minutes drop by almost two per game and picked up just 19 points last season. That could mean a reduced role for the veteran this season as he could slide outside the top four and move into a bottom-pairing role. The 28-year-old Leddy, however, continues to play well as he broke the 20-minute mark for the fifth-straight season. His offense, however, took a hit as he only tallied 26 points after three straight 40-point seasons, but with a defense-first philosophy, that might not be surprising. The team also has high hopes that Hickey, who missed quite a bit of time due to an upper-body injury, will stay healthy this season. The two-way blueliner will be a key addition for the team, but he will have to earn his playing time, especially if Dobson makes the roster out of training camp.

With Cizikas and Martin, Clutterbuck gives the Islanders a physical and offensive fourth-line that is one of the best in the league and the 31-year-old has been putting up 200-plus hits 10 of the last 11 years and is expected to continue that success. Komarov also has put up big hits (203), giving the team quite a bit of physicality for the next few years.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F Anders Lee ($7MM through 2025-26)
F Brock Nelson ($6MM through 2024-25)
F Jordan Eberle ($5.5MM through 2023-24)
F Andrew Ladd ($5.5MM through 2022-23)
G Semyon Varlamov ($5MM through 2022-23)
F Josh Bailey ($5MM through 2023-24)
D Scott Mayfield ($1.45MM through 2022-23)

Lamoriello was busy this offseason, signing four of these long-term deals this summer. The team was hoping to steal Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers at the last minute, but when that fell through, the team immediately locked up their captain to a seven-year deal. Lee posted solid numbers, scoring 28 goals and 51 points, while showing off a plus-20 rating on the ice. Nelson, who many believed was the most likely to bolt the Islanders, surprised many by signing a six-year deal at $6MM after career-high 53 points and netted four goals in eight playoff games last year. Eberle was another key signing as the team committed five years and $5.5MM per season to him despite a down year where he had just 37 points, one of the lowest numbers of his career. However, a strong playoff performance might have been enough to prove his worth after he tallied four goals and nine points in eight playoff games.

The team made a shocking move this offseason when they opted not to keep the fan-favorite Lehner and instead signed Russian goaltender Semyon Varlamov away from Colorado. One reason for that was because the team still hopes to convince top Russian goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin to come to the U.S., which might be easier with Lehner out of the way and a veteran countryman in place to ease him into the NHL. However, Varlamov has the potential to be quite successful with the Islanders’ defensive system. He has been quite successful over the years, but has had to deal with many injuries as well.

Bailey may be one of the better deals the teams has. The pass-first winger put up another solid season, putting up 16 goals and 56 points and added four goals in the playoffs and is a key player on the team’s top-six. On the other hand, Ladd may have the contract that looks the worst on the team. The 33-year-old veteran continues to deal with injury issues. This time, the veteran only appeared in 26 games, putting up just three goals for the team. He put up a 23-goal season back in the 2016-17 season, but the team rewarded him with a seven-year, $38.5MM deal, which so far looks like a disaster after he has scored just 15 goals in two seasons and isn’t likely to get the minutes he needs to make that deal look decent.

Buyouts

None

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Salary Cap Recapture

None

Still To Sign

F Anthony Beauvillier

This will be a key year for Beauvillier once he signs. A 2015 first-round pick, the 22-year-old winger struggled in a top-six role last year, putting up 18 goals and 10 assists and he must show that he can take his game to another level. He likely will command some kind of bridge deal to prove his value to the franchise as he hasn’t necessarily shown enough to warrant a long-term deal. However, if he can’t show that he belongs on the top-six, he could find himself falling to the third line soon.

Best Value: Bailey
Worst Value: Ladd

Looking Ahead

The Islanders put all their eggs in one basket this summer. Lamoriello had all the cap space he needed to shape the franchise any way he wanted, but in the end, he brought back almost all of his key unrestricted free agents and has committed to keep his team. The team broke all expectations last season as few expected the team to even make the playoffs, let alone sweep their first-round opponent. Regardless, the belief that under head coach Barry Trotz, the team will continue to get better and battle for a Stanley Cup for the next few years. The team has committed to its core and now have to hope that their farm system can continue to develop their young players and add to the Islanders team for the next few years.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eastern Notes: Zaitsev, Niskanen, Mayfield, Komarov

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After another disappointing exit for the Toronto Maple Leafs, in which the team lost in a Game 7 to the rival Boston Bruins, has left the team with nothing more than an off-season to look forward to for the remainder of the year, many expect changes to be made to an already strong, but flawed roster.

The Athletic’s Ian Tulloch (subscription required) grades out each player for the season, breaking down who were the elite players on the team and who struggled throughout the season. While it’s no surprise that the Maple Leafs problems often centered on their defense, Tulloch points out that both Nikita Zaitsev and Ron Hainsey fell into the underwhelming category. Zaitsev, in particular, struggles to get the puck up the ice which often puts him constantly on the defensive, hence why his defensive numbers are so weak. Although his play has improved since being paired up with Jake Muzzin, Tulloch believes that Muzzin has been carrying him. The scribe adds that the Maple Leafs must find a way to rid themselves of Zaitsev’s contract, which will be critical for general manager Kyle Dubas.

Of course, that’s a tall task for Dubas as the underachieving defenseman has five more years on his contract at $4.5MM AAV and a modified no-trade clause kicking in this coming season, meaning that Toronto will have to give up something significant to a team that is willing to take on his salary.

  • In a playoff report card for the Washington Capitals, The Athletic’s Chris Kuc (subscription required) grades out the defensive combination of Matt Niskanen and Dmitry Orlov with C’s, suggesting that while neither defenseman hurt the team with their play, neither blue liner helped the team either. In fact, Kuc points out that at age 32, Niskanen is beginning to show signs of slowing down, compared to last year, and a sudden lack of jump could set the franchise back if he can’t return to form next season. Niskanen still has two years remaining on his deal at a $5.75MM AAV.
  • Newsday’s Andrew Gross writes that there is nothing to worry about after defenseman Scott Mayfield and forward Leo Komarov did not practice Saturday. Head coach Barry Trotz said that both players received maintenance days, but are expected to play in Game 2 of their series against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. Komarov has a goal and an assist in five playoff games so far. Mayfield has averaged more than 20 minutes in his last two playoff games.

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