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Decisions Coming From Dante Fabbro, Shane Bowers

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The talent on the Boston University roster this season didn’t quite match up with the regular season results this year and the Terriers needed to win the Hockey East Conference Tournament to keep their season alive with an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. They faced the same scenario last season and were able to get in, but lightning didn’t strike twice. The Northeastern Huskies knocked off BU in the Hockey East semifinals tonight and now decisions await several of the teams stars.

The most notable decision will come from 2016 first-round pick Dante Fabbro. The 16th overall pick by the Nashville Predators that year, Fabbro was a superstar for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL and has only continued to progress at BU into a high-end two-way defenseman. Fabbro set a career high with 33 points in 37 games this season and was named a first-team all-conference selection for his efforts. Fabbro may not have much more growing to do at the college level, but does have another year of NCAA eligibility remaining. If he chooses to turn pro and surrender that final year, he would undoubtedly be a welcomed addition in Nashville. However, he does have some incentive to wait one more year. The Predators have one of the deepest blue lines in the NHL, armed with an elite top-four and seven veteran defenders already signed through next season. Fabbro could end up buried in the minors or at the very least outside top-four consideration for several years if he signs with the team that drafted him. If he instead opts to return to BU for his senior year, he could then wait until August 2020 and become an unrestricted free agent. The wait is now on to see what Fabbro decides to do. Ironically, teammate Patrick Harper finds himself in the same situation with the Predators. The talented forward had a down year after back-to-back point-per-game campaigns to begin his collegiate career. He may be looking to move on from the college game, but Nashville’s 2016 fifth-round pick could benefit from another year with the Terriers and also opens himself up to the possibility of free agency if he returns for a fourth NCAA season.

The clock may also be ticking for Fabbro’s teammate and fellow first-round pick Shane Bowers. A 2017 selection, Bowers actually has two years of eligibility remaining, but rumors surfaced earlier this season that Bowers was considering moving on from the NCAA ranks. In fact, there was some doubt that Bowers would return to BU after the World Juniors earlier this year, with some speculating he could sign with the Colorado Avalanche instead. Originally a pick of the Ottawa Senators, Bowers was one of the pieces moved to the Avs in the Matt Duchene trade and now finds himself with the opportunity to join a good team with a need for secondary scoring. Bowers certainly has room to improve before turning pro, but the former USHL standout would still likely step into an immediate role in Colorado. Bowers could potentially even join the Avalanche right away this season to help the team in their playoff push. Such a chance doesn’t come around very often and could persuade Bowers to cut his tenure in Boston short.

Elsewhere on the roster, starting goaltender Jake Oettinger, another 2017 first-round pick, may consider a move to the pros as well. The Dallas Stars top goalie prospect had another up-and-down year, but has undeniable talent and could choose to leave the college level behind him. However, after watching another talented, young Dallas keeper, Colton Point, see limited action and ample struggles in both the AHL and ECHL in his first pro season in the Stars’ system, Oettinger may not be in any rush. Most of the Terriers’ other NHL prospects have years of eligibility remaining and seem unlikely to jump ship. Among those who hypothetically could are Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Philadelphia Flyers first-rounder Joel Farabee, another Nashville Predators prospect in David Farrance, and intriguing Chicago Blackhawks defensive prospect Chad Krys. 

Two players without any choice in the matter are Bobo Carpenter and Max Willman. Carpenter, who struggled with injuries this season, nevertheless will be a priority free agent now that BU’s season is over. The undrafted forward has NHL lineage, leadership skills, and a strong work ethic. At just 22, Carpenter brings four years of NCAA experience and consistent scoring numbers to whichever team is lucky to land him. There may not be the same press to sign Willman. A rare five-year college player, Willman is a 2014 selection of the Buffalo Sabres but may not be tendered by the team. In four years at Brown University and a graduate year at Boston University, Willman managed just 51 points in 134 games with just one breakout year as a junior at Brown. Buffalo may like how the 24-year-old’s mature game could translate to the pros, but his upside may not be worthy of an entry-level contract. Should Willman become a free agent, the Cape Cod native will have plenty of AHL teams close to home who could be willing to give him a chance.

Change is coming to Boston University one way or another, but just how much change will depend on how many of their top players decide to turn pro versus return for another year. Either the Terriers or the NHL will end up with a good amount of talent added to the mix next season.

2019 Trade Deadline Day Recap

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The trade deadline for the 2018-19 season has come and gone, with teams all around the league loading up for a Stanley Cup run. This year saw a nearly unprecedented level of skill available, though things got started quite early. Before deadline day, names like Matt Duchene, Brandon Montour, Mats Zuccarello, Charlie Coyle, Ryan Dzingel, Gustav Nyquist and Nick Jensen all switched teams. However, the day was no disappointment; a slow pace early on ended in fireworks right before the deadline and as deal trickled in right after. Below is a complete list of the 21 trades featuring all but seven of the NHL’s teams made on February 25th alone (chronologically):

To Anaheim Ducks:
D Patrick Sieloff

To Ottawa Senators:
F Brian Gibbons

 

To New Jersey Devils:
2022 fifth-round pick

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
G Keith Kinkaid

 

To Winnipeg Jets:
F Kevin Hayes

To New York Rangers:
F Brendan Lemieux
2019 first-round pick (top-3 protected)
2022 conditional fourth-round pick (if Winnipeg wins Stanley Cup)

 

To Montreal Canadiens:
F Jordan Weal

To Arizona Coyotes:
F Michael Chaput

 

To Florida Panthers:
F Cliff Pu
Future Considerations

To Carolina Hurricanes:
F Tomas Jurco (AHL contract)
Future Considerations

 

To Colorado Avalanche:
F Derick Brassard
2020 conditional sixth-round pick (no pick if Brassard re-signs)

To Florida Panthers:
2020 third-round pick

 

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
D Adam McQuaid

To New York Rangers:
D Julius Bergman
2019 fourth-round pick
2019 seventh-round pick

Read more

Adam McQuaid Traded To Columbus Blue Jackets

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have already pushed quite a few chips to the middle of the table, and now will throw a tip to the dealer. Adam McQuaid is the latest player to be acquired by the Blue Jackets according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, while Darren Dreger of TSN adds that the New York Rangers will receive a 2019 fourth-round pick and a 2019 seventh-round pick. The Rangers’ confirmation of the deal adds that minor league defenseman Julius Bergman was also included in the return.

With this trade, the Rangers recoup the same picks they traded to the Boston Bruins to get McQuaid this off-season, essentially renting the physical blue liner for five months at the cost of depth defender Steven Kampfer. The asking price for McQuaid was rumored to be at least a third-round pick. Following the Dallas Stars’ acquisition of a similar veteran defenseman in Ben Lovejoy from the New Jersey Devils yesterday for a third-rounder and young defenseman Connor Carrick, that price was expected to go up. However, it seems the market never really developed for McQuaid despite the lack of quality rental defenders on the trade block.

The Blue Jackets made their two big trades before deadline day, adding former Ottawa Senators forwards Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel, but continue to address their depth in other areas with a second value addition today. After adding former New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid as a solid third-string option in net for just a future fifth-round pick, they add a nice complementary piece on the blue line in McQuaid. Solidifying their defensive depth has been a need for the Blue Jackets and McQuaid fits the bill. The 6’4″, 210-lb. defender is an experienced pro with a Stanley Cup title to his name – the only Blue Jacket with that claim – and brings a strong, physical presence to the right side. McQuaid is likely to slot in as an everyday bottom-pair defenseman for Columbus down the stretch and in the postseason.

Columbus is likely done for the day and for good reason. Although they have addressed many needs and have found good value in several trades, the McQuaid acquisition leaves the Blue Jackets with just their own third-round pick and the Calgary Flames’ seventh-round pick to represent their entire 2019 draft class. GM Jarmo Kekalainen has undoubtedly decided to go all in this season to get Columbus deep into the postseason for the first time in franchise history, but has done so at the cost of the pipeline. The question now is whether it was all worth it.

Trade Deadline Notes: Lightning, Ristolainen, Stone, Simmonds, Valimaki

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The Tampa Bay Lightning are sitting pretty at the top of the NHL with 98 points, 15 points ahead of any other team in the NHL. There seems to be little need for the Lightning to be involved with any trades with the way they are playing. In fact, Joe Smith of The Athletic reports that head coach Jon Cooper said he isn’t going to lose any sleep if the team doesn’t make a trade.

“It’s not make a trade to make a trade,” Cooper said. “We like our group… Whatever happens, it’ll be good for us. And that could be nothing”

Regardless, Fox Sports’ Andy Strickland contends that a rumor that the Lightning have been talking to the Buffalo Sabres about acquiring defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen won’t go away. Ristolainen, who had been considered the franchise’s No. 1 defenseman until this year when they drafted Rasmus Dahlin, could be a valuable trade chip and might be sought after, especially considering that Tampa Bay have three defensemen who will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Ristolainen has three more years at $5.4MM and could be a good fit in Tampa Bay.

  • With Ottawa already having moved on from Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel, who were both separately traded to Columbus in the last two days, many eyes have focused on the third member of Ottawa who is expected to be traded in Ryan Stone. The market for the 26-year-old is starting to heat up and the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes that as many as eight teams are considered to be serious suitors for Stone’s services. Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg reports that the price for Stone is still considered “ridiculously high.”
  • Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that a Philadelphia Flyers’ source reports that Wayne Simmonds has probably played his last game in Philadelphia. “Likely but not 100% decided yet.” Simmonds is one of the most targeted players in the league at the deadline behind Stone as the 6-foot-2 winger could give a playoff team that needed physical player they can play anywhere in their lineup.
  • With multiple reports suggesting that teams are asking the Calgary Flames for young defenseman Juuso Valimaki, Sportsnet’s Dean Molberg reports that fans don’t need to worry. He reports that Valimaki is as close to untouchable as any player on the team. The 20-year-old has played sparingly for the team this year, making him an interesting trade chip, but the 2017 first-rounder is considered to be a big part of the team’s future. He’s played in 22 games this season for Calgary, posting two points.

 

 

 

Columbus Blue Jackets Acquire Ryan Dzingel

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The Columbus Blue Jackets aren’t done adding. According to TSN’s Bob McKenzie, the Blue Jackets have finalized a deal to acquire forward Ryan Dzingel from the Ottawa Senators. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Senators will trade Dzingel and the Calgary Flames 2019 seventh-round pick to Columbus for Anthony Duclair and two second-round picks, ones in 2020 and 2021.

For Columbus, general managers Jarmo Kekalainen continues to add to a team that has decided to go all-in and try to win a Stanley Cup, so far getting all his additions from Ottawa after the team acquired Matt Duchene from the Senators Friday. This almost guarantees that the team will hold onto forward Artemi Panarin and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky as own-rentals instead of trading them both away. This time, Columbus moves a pair of second-rounders to get Dzingel, who should add another key element to the team’s top-six and continue to move the rest of their team to strengthen the third and fourth lines.

Dzingel, who was one of three pending unrestricted free agents in Ottawa who didn’t want to commit to the Senators’ long-term, returns to Ohio where he played three years of college hockey at Ohio State University (and was a Hobey Baker award finalist), making him a legitimate candidate to potentially re-sign with the Blue Jackets this summer. There has been no discussion as of yet of an extension, however. The 26-year-old has 22 goals and a career-high 44 points and should make an instant impact next to Duchene.

For Ottawa, the team gets back forward Anthony Duclair, who Columbus’ head coach John Tortorella said on Tuesday, “I don’t think he knows how to play.” The 23-year-old Duclair is considered to be a talented scorer, but is now on his fifth team in his young career and there were rumors that he was a locker room distraction. He will get a final chance to develop into the player that many teams have thought they could get when they traded for him. Duclair posted a 20-goal season with Arizona in his rookie season back in the 2015-16 season, but tallied five goals after that and combined for 11 between Arizona and Chicago last year. He was not handed a qualifying offer and eventually signed a minimum-salaried deal with Columbus this summer. Duclair started off strong this season as he scored eight goals in his first 19 games of the season, but has seen his playing time drop considerably due to his lack of defense. With the available playing time that Ottawa will have after moving their top three players, the Senators should have the playing time to see if they can get Duclair to figure things out in the NHL.

The key to the deal is the two second-round picks. While it is often said that second-round picks pan out at a significantly less rate than first-rounders, the Senators managed to snag two of them, not including the 2019 first-round pick that Columbus gave Ottawa in the Duchene trade as well as a conditional first-rounder in 2020. With their recent trades (not including those including Mike Hoffman and Erik Karlsson) last summer, Ottawa could have as many as 16 picks in the first three rounds of the draft in the next three drafts, including five first-round picks, seven second-rounders and four third-round picks.

Trade Rumors: Hart, Elliott, Tolvanen, Rangers, Senators

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Some bad news on one player could turn out to be a blessing in disguise in regards to another. The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that rookie sensation Carter Hart will be out at least ten days with a lower-body injury. Hart has been playing phenomenally this season and his absence could end what little hope the Flyers had of reaching the postseason this year. However, it will force the team to start Brian Elliott tonight in their Stadium Series game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philly’s final game before the deadline. Recent acquisition Cam Talbot is still new to the team and unable to jump in net just yet. However, Talbot’s presence makes Elliott expendable and the Flyers are known to be shopping him. The team tried to move Elliott to the Edmonton Oilers as part of the Talbot return, but ended up trading away the younger Anthony Stolarz. However, with playoff-bound teams like the San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights in need of reinforcements in net, Elliott is very much still in play. A strong performance on a grand stage tonight could be enough to convince those kicking the tires to take a shot on Elliott. Moreso, the injury news on Hart could be the final straw for new GM Chuck Fletcher, as he is still allegedly unsure of whether to sell or not at the deadline. With Elliott, Wayne Simmonds, Michael Raffl, and several others drawing interest, Fletcher should be more encouraged to part with those pieces now that his stud goaltender is out for what could be weeks.

  • The New York Rangers are one of the most talked-about teams as the deadline approaches, as rentals Kevin Hayes, Mats Zuccarello, and Adam McQuaid and even term players like Chris Kreider and Vladislav Namestnikov are drawing considerable interest. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that the Nashville Predators are one of the teams in talks with the Rangers, but it appears that one of their best assets may be off the table. Brooks reports that the Predators will not trade 2017 first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen for a rental this season. Nashville does not have interest in Hayes, but has looked into Zuccarello, however they won’t offer up Tolvanen to land him. Brooks believes Tolvanen would only be available to the Rangers in a deal for Kreider. The talented Finnish forward has only seen limited NHL action thus far, but is still coveted by sellers – not only the Rangers – for his potential. In this scenario, it’s the sellers who may have to ante up with a signed player to get the prized prospect. As for the Rangers, they may have better luck getting a top return for Zuccarello elsewhere. Brooks states that the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins are among the teams pursuing the veteran winger, while a report yesterday stated some contenders are willing to pay the price to package Zucarello and Hayes together.
  • Meanwhile, the price for McQuaid has gone up significantly today following the trade of Ben Lovejoy to the Dallas Stars. McQuaid is arguably the top rental defenseman left on the market, currently ranked No. 21 overall on TSN’s Trade Bait List. With the trade statuses of Alex Edler, Niklas Kronwall, Cody Ceci, and others still unclear, McQuaid looks like the top target for defense-needy teams versus the likes of Michael Del Zotto and Bogdan Kiselevich. McQuaid is by no means a star or season-changing acquisition, but he is likely the best available defenseman even as just a physical, stay-at-home defender. If the New Jersey Devils can draw a third-round pick and young roster player for Lovejoy, the Rangers are suddenly looking at second-round territory with McQuaid. To protect their top trade assets, New York will not play McQuaid, Zuccarello, or Hayes today, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
  • Many have felt that the allure of the free agent market for Matt Duchene and Mark Stone and the caliber of return the Ottawa Senators could get for trading them left Ryan Dzingel as the most likely of the trio to re-sign with the team. That certainly isn’t going to be the case. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that Dzingel recently turned down a five-year extension offer worth more than $20MM, a significant pay raise over his current $1.8MM cap hit. After that, the team made the definitive decision to trade him before the deadline. Garrioch adds that Stone also rejected the Senators’ last offer, and eight-year pact of unknown value, but the team has not yet completely closed the door on a new deal. They continue to take offers on the star winger though, as Garrioch writes that the Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Tampa Bay Lightning are the team’s most involved in Stone talks. He believes the Bruins are also interested in Dzingel. It remains to be seen who ends up with Stone or Dzingel and how the returns compare to that of Duchene, but one way or another the Senators are walking away from the deadline with a complete lack of star power on the roster, but a massive influx of picks and prospects to show for it.

Columbus Will Not Move Artemi Panarin For Draft Picks

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Though it may have been obvious from their acquisition of Matt Duchene earlier today, the Columbus Blue Jackets aren’t going to give away Artemi Panarin at the deadline for just anything. After swinging a deal to bring in the Ottawa Senators captain, speculation erupted over what it meant for fellow pending free agent Panarin who has been drawing interest from all over the league. GM Jarmo Kekalainen explained exactly how this affects (or fails to affect) the Panarin situation to Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch:

I don’t think this affects that at all. We said right from the start and I think we have stayed consistent with what we’ve said about Panarin. We’re not going to trade Panarin just for draft picks. We’re going to keep our eyes and ears open on what the marketplace looks like. That’s what we have said right from the start. But it would have to be a deal that we can’t refuse. It would have to make sense now and into the future. 

The Blue Jackets are obviously trying to win right now and were willing to sacrifice a substantial package of assets to land Duchene. The former Senator was clear that he hasn’t yet agreed to or even talked about an extension with Columbus and is instead just focused on getting the team to the playoffs. To that end, the Blue Jackets are at risk of losing three top free agents this summer including Duchene, Panarin and goaltender Sergei Bobrovksy.

Columbus has been starved for a winner for some time as the organization is still looking for their first playoff series win in franchise history. Today’s acquisition was with that in mind, and so would be any Panarin trade. The deal would have to make the Blue Jackets better—or at least just as good—now, not just into the future. That’s a tall order when it comes to replacing one of the premiere offensive talents in the entire league. Columbus is currently sitting just out of the playoff picture but still believe they have a chance to do some damage in the Metropolitan Division.

Interestingly, another name that has popped up in trade talks over the last few weeks finds himself in the press box tonight. Alexander Wennberg has been made a healthy scratch with Duchene in the lineup, meaning his $4.9MM cap hit will be sitting and watching tonight’s action. Wennberg has struggled this season with just two goals and 23 points through 59 games, but still has four more years on his current deal. Ryan Murray meanwhile has been moved to injured reserve, leading to more speculation that the Blue Jackets could add a piece on defense as well.

Columbus Blue Jackets Acquire Matt Duchene

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The Matt Duchene era in Ottawa is over.  The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired Duchene and minor league defenseman Julius Bergman from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a package including a 2019 first-round pick (top-3 protected) and prospects Vitaly Abramov and Jonathan Davidsson. While extension talks have not yet occurred between the Blue Jackets and Duchene, the team would give up an additional first-round selection in 2020 if he re-signs. The two teams play each other tonight in Ottawa.

This deal has huge implications for not only the two teams involved, but the entire league that was waiting for a price to be set on the very best rentals available at this year’s deadline. Duchene was one of three players considered the top tier of the market, along with former teammate Mark Stone and, coincidentally new teammate Artemi Panarin. The fact that the speedy center is heading to Columbus complicates matters, given that it now seems unlikely that the Blue Jackets would move on from Panarin after adding such a big name.

In fact, there may be reason for Columbus to add even more in the coming days. Despite not having seen playoff hockey since the 2013-14 season, Duchene remains an incredible talent that can take over a game with his speed and skill. The Blue Jackets, who currently sit one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, likely see this opportunity as their best chance to finally win a playoff series, something the franchise has still never accomplished. The Metropolitan Division playoff spots are even still up for grabs, with third place Pittsburgh holding just a two-point lead on Columbus heading into tonight’s action.

Still, it’s a hefty price to pay for a player who is having a career year and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Duchene has 58 points through 50 games and will likely break his previous highs of 30 goals and 70 points, but is completely unproven in the postseason. In a ten year NHL career, Duchene has played just eight playoff contests and has never scored a playoff goal.

Bergman, who also comes to Columbus in the deal is unlikely to spend much time in the organization. There have been reports recently that the Swedish defenseman will be heading back to the SHL after the 2018-19 season when his entry-level contract expires. The Senators needed to keep the number of contracts equal given their other upcoming moves and the fact that they are currently sitting just two spots under the 50-contract threshold.

The Blue Jackets did however avoid giving up the very best of their prospects. While Abramov is armed with incredible puck skills (perhaps among the best in the world), he is undersized and has weaknesses throughout his game. In 52 games with the Cleveland Monsters this season the 20-year old winger has 22 points, but also still holds a development ceiling of a first-line NHL player. If Ottawa can get him there they’ll have a star on their hands, but that’s far from guaranteed at this point.

Davidsson meanwhile is a sixth-round pick who has found real success in Sweden since being drafted. The 21-year old forward recorded 31 points in a breakout season in 2017-18, and has 20 through 35 games for Djurgardens this season while playing a bigger role. His ceiling may not be quite as high as Abramov’s, but there is a good chance that Davidsson will play NHL games at some point in the near future.

If you only look at this trade, it looks like a win for the Senators. Selling off an expiring asset during a lost season for potentially four valuable assets is a good way to build up your system and compete in the future. Unfortunately, Duchene leaves Ottawa with quite a bit of baggage that cannot be ignored. The Senators gave up a ton of value to acquire him from the Colorado Avalanche in the fall of 2017, sending out Kyle Turris, Shane Bowers, Andrew Hammond, a third-round pick and, most notably, an unprotected first-round selection.

That first-round pick did have a condition that the Senators could give up their top selection in either 2018 or 2019, but after finishing fourth in the draft lottery and staring at Brady Tkachuk on the board, Ottawa decided to push it to this season. The hope was that with some added youth and health the team would not find itself at the bottom of the standings again. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened and Ottawa now sits in last place in the entire NHL and has the best shot at first overall in June’s draft. Colorado now owns that pick, meaning the Senators may very well have given up Jack Hughes in order to acquire Duchene for less than two seasons.

The Senators were never going to recoup full value for Duchene, but they do still have a chance to make this deadline a success. With this return plus potentially even more in trades for Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel, the team can start their rebuild in full and hand the keys to a new wave of talent. The team already recalled Drake Batherson and Logan Brown today, and will still have at least three picks in the first two rounds in June.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

 

Senators, Devils Hold Top Trade Candidates Out Of Lineup

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The match-up between the Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils tonight could have somewhat of a preseason feel. When two of the NHL’s three worst teams face off, they will do so without many of their top players. Matt Duchene, Mark Stone, and Ryan Dzingel will not dress for Ottawa and neither will Marcus Johansson and Ben Lovejoy for New Jersey.

Both teams have confirmed that the scratches are “precautionary”, but seeing as all five are impending unrestricted free agents rumored to be on the trade block with the NHL Trade Deadline just four days away, it is easy to read between the lines. While the likes of Duchene and Johansson have been confirmed as on the market and likely to be traded, speculation is set to soar about Stone and Dzingel, as well as Lovejoy. Case in point: TSN’s Frank Seravalli has moved Stone up to No. 1 on the TSN Trade Bait List following this news, stating that “sitting out signals his apparent decision to forego a contract extension with the Senators in favour of testing the open market.” Stone and Duchene are now occupying the top two spots on the list, with Dzingel at No. 9. For New Jersey, Johansson comes in at No. 14 and Lovejoy at No. 41. Tonight’s lineup decisions indicate all five could be headed elsewhere in the coming days.

Fans in attendance tonight will likely be disappointed by the lack of star power, but not as much as the scouts in attendance. TSN’s Gord Miller notes that the many scouts still evaluating Ottawa’s big three – who make up 41% of their scoring this season – will likely be frustrated by the absence of not just Duchene, who sat out last game, but also Stone and Dzingel. This includes the Winnipeg Jets, who have been frequently linked to the Senators’ stars. NJ.com’s Chris Ryan reports that the Jets have three scouts in attendance, yet no Ottawa stars to observe. Ryan states that ten teams have scouts in attendance and some were likely there to see Johansson and/or Lovejoy as well, but instead will only see sellers protecting their assets.

Ottawa Senators Recall Two Forwards

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With the Ottawa Senators expected to keep at least Matt Duchene out of the lineup tonight against the New Jersey Devils, two forwards have been recalled from the minor leagues. Filip Chlapik and Darren Archibald have both been added to the roster giving the team 14 forwards for the time being. The team obviously has three major trade chips up front in Duchene, Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel, but won’t be able to sit them all without suiting up seven defensemen.

If the team does insert Chlapik into the lineup it would be a great opportunity to show that he can be a full-time part of the team going forward. The 21-year old played 20 games for the team last season and recorded four points, but has been limited to minor league duty this year. The 6’2″ forward has 30 points in 41 games for the Belleville Senators and is developing nicely after being picked with the 48th overall selection in 2015.

Archibald meanwhile is just trying to get any chance at the NHL level before it’s too late. The 29-year old forward spent years in the Vancouver Canucks system toiling in the minor leagues, but arrived in Ottawa as part of the Anders Nilsson trade earlier this season. A mix of skill and physicality, he has just 14 points in 54 career NHL games and is looking for his first point for Ottawa.

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