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Michal Kempny

Metropolitan Notes: Letang, Texier, Kempny

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Following an up-and-down season, some have speculated if the Penguins could consider trading defenseman Kris Letang this summer.  Speaking with Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required), GM Jim Rutherford acknowledged that he’s not shopping the blueliner but he stopped short of confirming that he won’t be dealt:

“He’s not a guy that I’m actively trying to trade from our team. He’s been a great player for a long time and I think he’ll continue to be so. But, I can’t sit here and project an offer that some team could come along and make. I can’t project the future.”

The 31-year-old collected 51 points (9-42-51) in 79 games this season but struggled at times in the defensive zone.  However, he did manage to stay healthy which is notable since he was coming off of significant neck surgery.  Letang has four years remaining on his contract after this one with a cap hit of $7.25MM.  The Penguins would also likely need to get his permission for a trade as he carries an 18-team no-trade clause plus a no-move clause.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Blue Jackets prospect center Alexandre Texier will remain overseas for at least one more year, GM Jarmo Kekalainen confirmed to Steve Gorton of the Columbus Dispatch (Twitter link). The 18-year-old was a second-round pick (45th overall) back in 2017 and is coming off a quality showing at the World Championships where he picked up three assists in seven games despite being one of the youngest players in the tournament.  However, the team would like to see him get a little stronger physically and have decided that keeping him with KalPa of the SM-liiga is the best way to go.
  • While his acquisition largely flew under the radar, Capitals blueliner Michal Kempny has been a key addition to their back end, argues Matthew Paras of the Washington Times. He has worked his way into a regular role (something that wasn’t the case in Chicago) and Washington is allowing three fewer shots a game with him in the lineup compared to earlier in the season.  GM Brian MacLellan has expressed an interest in re-signing him although given their cap constraints, they may not be able to offer much more than the $900K he’s currently making.

Michal Kempny Fined For Cross-Checking Cedric Paquette

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Michal Kempny will not face suspension for his cross-check of Cedric Paquette in last night’s Washington-Tampa Bay game, but will get some supplemental discipline. The Department of Player Safety has decided to fine Kempny $2,419.35, the maximum amount allowed by the CBA, for the incident. Kempny was penalized on the play, in which his stick caught Paquette in the face as he was trying to box him out from the front of the net.

Notably, a very similar play with Winnipeg Jets’ defenseman Josh Morrissey earlier in the playoffs did rise to the level of a suspension. In that case, the cross-check was explained as “not a routine motion to box out an opponent” which perhaps is the difference in decisions.

Kempny will not be forced to sit out any action for the Capitals, but the fine will go into consideration in any future reviews from the DoPS. He’ll have to operate under increased scrutiny, but it’s a worthwhile trade-off for a team that has relied on Kempny as a solid midseason addition to their blue line. The teams will return to action tomorrow night in Washington.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Poll: Which Conference Finals Team Benefitted The Most At Trade Deadline?

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With a lot of attention that has gone towards the success of trade acquisition Paul Stastny in the playoffs this season, the Winnipeg Jets and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff look to have scored at the trade deadline this offseason. The GM was able to pick up Stastny’s expiring contract (50 percent of which was retained) as the team traded away Providence College prospect Erik Foley as well as their 2018 first-rounder and a conditional 2020 fourth-rounder (if Foley doesn’t sign with the Blues before he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2019). While losing a prospect and a first-rounder, the Jets have defintely benefitted by Stastny’s play, especially in the playoffs. The 32-year-old center, alongside youngsters Nikolaj Ehlers and Patrik Laine has put up six goals and nine assists in 13 games during the playoffs and has helped vault Winnipeg into a one-game lead in the Western Conference finals.

Of the other three teams that remain in the playoffs, the trade deadline also seems to have benefitted the Tampa Bay Lightning. Their acquisition of defenseman Ryan McDonagh and forward J.T. Miller from the New York Rangers at the deadline also brought some stability to the Lightning from both players. McDonagh added a stable presence on the defense’s second line, while Miller has excelled playing next to Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. McDonagh has aided the team’s offense with five assists in 11 games, while Miller has had two goals and five asissts in 11 games as well. In exchange for those two, the Lightning were able to avoid trading off any elite prospects to the Rangers, but still gave up a lot of pieces, including Vladislav Namestnikov, prospects Brett Howden and Libor Hajek, their 2018 first-rounder and another potential first-round pick in 2019 if Tampa Bay wins the Stanley Cup in either of the next two years.

The Washington Capitals, with little cap room to work with at the trade deadline, still were able to pull off a couple of small trades, although the addition of Michal Kempny has had a major affect on the Capitals’ defense. With a number of young, inexperienced blueliners and little money to add a high-profile player, the team traded the Toronto Maple Leafs’ third-round pick in 2018 for Kempny. While the former Blackhawks’ defenseman had never played a full season in the NHL, he is 27 and had quite a bit of experience in the KHL and Czech Republic.

Finally, the Golden Knights did make one big trade at the deadline, sending a 2018 first-round pick, a 2019 second-round pick and a 2021 third-round pick to acquire Tomas Tatar. While the addition of Tatar is not a rental like many of the others (he has three years left at $5.3MM AAV after this year), the team gave up a lot for a player who has made little impact in Vegas. The 27-year-old has been a healthy scratch for much of the playoffs, having only played in four games with no points.

So, which team has benefiited the most from this year’s trade deadline?

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Playoff Notes: Zaitsev, Muzzin, Letang, Beagle, Kempny

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With the Boston Bruins dominating their playoff series with the Toronto Maple Leafs so far, it’s quite obvious the team needs to shore up their defense quite a bit more if they want to get back into the series. With the team’s defense having been a sticking point all season, it has been exposed even more by the Bruins.

What Toronto needs is to get defenseman Nikita Zaitsev to play like they need him to do, according to The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel (subscription required). The blueliner was not just on the ice Saturday for each of the Bruins’ four goals in the first period, but was part of each of the plays. Now in his second season, Zaitsev is still trying to prove that he is worthy of the seven year, $31.5MM deal he signed last summer. While he had a promising rookie campaign of four goals and 32 assists last year, his assists took a nosedive as he had just eight assists this year and a total of 13 points. And while his plus/minus rating has improved from a -22 to a +8 this year, his defensive play has not helped helped him in the playoffs. If the team has any chance of coming back, it must start with Zaitsev.

  • The Los Angeles Kings not only get back defenseman Drew Doughty from suspension tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights, but the team also got the good news that defenseman Jake Muzzin will be back as well, according to Fox Sports Jon Rosen. Muzzin, who has missed the past seven games with an upper-body injury, is a key part to the team’s defense as the team attempts to fight back from an 0-2 deficit to Vegas.
  • While Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, who took a hit from Philadelphi’s Claude Giroux Friday in Game 2, is considered a game-time decision for today’s game. Pittsbugh Post-Gazette’s Jason Mackey writes coach Mike Sullivan revealed that Letang did not have to go through concussion protocol Friday when he was injured during the game. The veteran defenseman missed all of the playoffs last year on the Penguins’ Stanley Cup run.
  • Tarik El-Bashir of NBC Sports writes that center Jay Beagle and defenseman Michal Kempny are both expected to play Sunday. Both players have played key roles behind the scenes in Washington who hopes to even their series with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Beagle, a faceoff specialist, was badly missed in Game 1 after the Capitals lost 10-of-11 draws in the third period. He has missed four straight games with an upper-body injury. Kempny was hit from behind by Columbus’ Josh Anderson in Game 1, but did not suffer a concussion.

Injury Notes: Wennberg, Beagle, Nash, Wingels

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are likely to be without center Alexander Wennberg Sunday when they play their second-round matchup with the Washington Capitals. Wennberg is listed as doubtful, according to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (subscription required) and did not practice today. He was victim of a hit to the head from Washington’s Tom Wilson in Friday’s 5-4 overtime victory in Game 1. Despite the impact of the hit, the league ruled that they were not going to punish Wilson as the league could not determine whether Wennberg’s head was the main point of impact.

The injury will force the Blue Jackets to adjust their lines as Brandon Dubinsky will move up to the third line to replace Wennberg. It likely means the return of rookie Sonny Milano to the team’s lineup. The 21-year-old has 14 goals this season.

  • The Washington Capitals could be getting a little help as the team hopes to get back bottom-line center Jay Beagle back for Game 2 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to the Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan. Beagle has been day-to-day with an upper-body injury and has missed four games. While he only has 22 points this season, the 32-year-old is one of the team’s top faceoff specialists as he has won 58.5 percent of faceoffs this year, a career high. “Jay is one of those guys that you don’t probably value him as much until you don’t have him,” said Washington coach Barry Trotz via Khurshudyan. A final decision will be made tomorrow, says NBC Sports Tarik El-Bashir, but Beagle said it will be up to coaches and team doctors. The team also expects that T.J. Oshie and defenseman Michal Kempny are both expected back Sunday despite lingering injury issues.
  • The Boston Bruins announced that Riley Nash will miss Game 2 today. The veteran has missed five straight games, including Game 1 of their playoff series against Toronto. The 28-year-old had 41 points this season, but suffered an ear injury when he took a puck to ear and needed 40 stitches.
  • In the same tweet, the Bruins added that Tommy Wingels is listed as a game-time decision for Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Wingels was hit in the head on a hit by Toronto’s Nazem Kadri, who was suspended three games for the incident. “Feel better than I did yesterday and I’ll come to the game tonight and see how I feel. Decide from there,” Wingels said via the Bruins. If Wingels doesn’t play, rookie Ryan Donato will get the call for Boston.

Nazem Kadri Suspended For Three Games

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After much anticipation, the NHL Department of Player Safety has finally made their decision on Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri. Kadri, who had a hearing today regarding his charge and boarding of the Boston Bruins’ Tommy Wingels last night, learned his fate this evening. Kadri will be suspended for the next three games of the Leafs’ first-round series against the Bruins. Player Safety explained their decision as such (video):

“Kadri sees Wingels has fallen, and with sufficient time to adjust his course or minimize the force, instead drives recklessly into the defenseless Wingels, causing his head to dangerously impact the boards. This is boarding. It is important to note that Kadri is in control of this hit at all times… Instead of avoiding or minimizing this hit, Kadri drives his hip into Wingels’ upper body”.

What Player Safety doesn’t address is the context that also leads one to believe that the hit was intentional. Kadri had just served a minor penalty for boarding Wingels less than four minutes earlier and, just before the hit in question, Sean Kuraly had scored for Boston, giving the Bruins a commanding 4-1 lead late in Game One. Kadri has a history of losing his cool, as this is his fourth career suspension – all of which have come from dirty hits to the head area – another fact that Player Safety definitely took into consideration in issuing this lengthy ban. Also likely taken into account is the fact that Wingels did not return to the game last night and did not practice today (and now the Leafs will likely have to deal with Ryan Donato in Game Two and beyond). Down in the series, the Leafs will be forced to bounce back from a convincing four-goal loss without the services of a veteran top-six forward for three more games. Head coach Mike Babcock and Kadri’s Toronto teammates can’t be happy about what was honestly a thoughtless, selfish decision by Kadri in the team’s playoff debut. Kadri could live to regret it, especially if he’s already played his final game of the season.

Kadri’s suspension is already the second handed down by Player Safety this postseason and just two days into the action. Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty will serve his one-game suspension tonight for a high, dangerous hit to the Vegas Golden Knights’ William Carrier on Wednesday. Yet, some are upset that the number of suspensions is not even higher. The Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals traded cheap shots last night, with the Jackets’ Josh Anderson injuring Michal Kempny and the Caps’ Tom Wilson injuring Alexander Wennberg, but neither player received any additional punishment. Nashville’s Ryan Johansen also had a questionable check on Colorado defenseman Tyson Barrie that didn’t draw any league scrutiny. As always, the playoffs take the physicality to the next level, but this year has seen heavy hitting early and often. At least through two suspensions in two days, Player Safety has shown that they aren’t afraid to hit players with postseason suspensions.

Metropolitan Notes: Rangers, Boychuk, Pulock, Ward, Kempny

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With the New York Rangers being the first team in almost a year to be looking for a head coach after firing Alain Vigneault Saturday evening, the team has said it will commence with their search immediately. The team must decide whether they are looking for a big name coach, a up-and-coming coach or a coach that is good at working with young players.

The New York Post’s Larry Brooks offers 10 potential candidates to replace Vigneault, leading those suggestions with three collegiate coaches, including the University of Denver’s Jim Montgomery, Boston University’s David Quinn and Union College’s Rick Bennett. He also suggests Toronto Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe of the AHL would be a good fit.

According to Brooks, there are also several veteran NHL coaches available, including Dan Bylsma, Darryl Sutter, Dave Tippett and Patrick Roy.

  • Andrew Gross of Newsday reports that veteran defenseman Johnny Boychuk will undergo surgery Monday, but would not reveal what it is for. The 34-year-old defenseman missed quite some time this season, playing in just 58 games this season. He is expected to be 100 percent by June.
  • Arthur Staple of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that while little has gone right this year, one bright spot has been the strong finish of rookie defenseman Ryan Pulock. The 23-year-old blueliner finished with 10 goals, most in the NHL for rookie defensemen. His 18:24 of average ice time was second among rookie defensemen behind Boston’s Charlie McAvoy. Staple suggests that his improvement on the defensive end could potentially make him a top-pairing defenseman.
  • The Charlotte Observer’s Chip Alexander wonders what will happen to long-time goaltender Cam Ward now that the season is over. The veteran goalie who has spent 13 years with the organization will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and at 34 years old, the team must decide whether they want to bring him back or go in a different direction. Despite taking a backup role this year, Ward still played in 43 games and finished with a 2.78 GAA and a .906 save percentage as he had to fill in for a struggling Scott Darling. Of course, with no general manager in place yet, it might be a while before the team sorts that out.
  • After going out a year ago and trading for star defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and then being eliminated in the first round, the Washington Capitals have taken the opposite course this year, quietly trading for Michal Kempny from the Chicago Blackhawks. While hardly a headlining defenseman, Kempny has been a good fit with Washington and has changed their defense for the better, according to Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan. Kempny, who was often a healthy scratch for Chicago has filled in as a top-four defenseman and is averaging 16:46 per game. As the team prepares for a matchup with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of the playoffs, they hope the improvement of their defense might help them with a long playoff run.

Trade Deadline Recap: Eastern Conference

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After a month of lead up, a sprinkling of trades over the last week or so, and a wild deadline day today, NHL teams are done with transactions for the 2017-18 NHL season. Here are the deals that improved contenders in the Eastern Conference:

Deadline Day

Tampa Bay Lightning receive:
D Ryan McDonagh
F J.T. Miller

New York Rangers receive:
F Vladislav Namestnikov
F Brett Howden
D Libor Hajek
2018 first-round pick
Conditional 2019 second-round pick

 

Columbus Blue Jackets receive:
F Thomas Vanek

Vancouver Canucks receive:
F Tyler Motte
F Jussi Jokinen

 

Columbus Blue Jackets receive:
D Ian Cole

Ottawa Senators receive:
F Nick Moutrey
2020 third-round pick

 

New Jersey Devils receive:
F Patrick Maroon

Edmonton Oilers receive:
F J.D. Dudek
2019 third-round pick

 

New York Islanders receive:
F Chris Wagner

Anaheim Ducks receive:
F Jason Chimera

 

Boston Bruins receive:
F Tommy Wingels

Chicago Blackhawks receive:
Conditional 2019 fifth-round pick

 

Pittsburgh Penguins receive:
F Josh Jooris

Carolina Hurricanes receive:
F Greg McKegg

Read more

Gabriel Dumont, Taylor Chorney On Waivers

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According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the Ottawa Senators have placed forward Gabriel Dumont on waivers. The 27-year old forward was claimed earlier this season from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Joining him is Washington Capitals defenseman Taylor Chorney, who was absent from the team’s morning skate after they acquired Michal Kempny yesterday.

Dumont is in the first season of a two-year deal signed last summer, that interestingly turns into a two-way contract in 2018-19. His entire $650K cap hit can be buried by the Senators if he clears and is assigned to the minor leagues, but he could potentially be claimed by a team looking for a player with experience at center. He offers little offensive upside, as he has scored just two points this season and nine in 87 career games.

Chorney on the other hand is a veteran defenseman with ten seasons of professional hockey under his belt. The 30-year old has played 24 games for the Capitals this season, but was made expendable by the Kempny addition. The Capitals can bury his entire $800K cap hit in the minor leagues if he clears, giving them a little more flexibility at the deadline.

Michal Kempny Traded To Washington Capitals

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The trade market is heating up once again, with Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Michal Kempny on his way to Washington to join the Capitals. The Blackhawks will receive a conditional 2018 third-round pick in return, the higher of the two Washington currently has (their own, and Toronto’s).

Kempny makes sense as a target for the Capitals, who don’t have much cap room for additions at the deadline. The 27-year old defenseman is earning just $900K this season, and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer.

For a team like the Capitals that is heading to the playoffs, defensive depth is a huge issue. Everyone around the league is trying to add pieces that could step into an NHL role should injuries arise, and Kempny fills that for Washington. Though he’s not really a top-4 option, he can provide a team with a stable option for a third pair that won’t be noticed much at either end. With 15 points in 81 games since coming over from the KHL in 2016, he won’t be asked to run a powerplay or contribute much offensively.

He’ll slide into the group on the left side for Washington, that also includes Brooks Orpik, Dmitry Orlov and Christian Djoos. Though he may not play every game for them down the stretch, it’s a much needed addition to a defense corps that has seen several pieces leave over the last year.

For the Blackhawks, a third-round pick is an excellent return for a player who was headed for free agency. Kempny had played just 31 games this season, and with Chicago sitting in last place in the Central Division, selling off expiring contracts is the only thing left to do.  The third-rounder will help replace the two selections—second and fourth—that the Blackhawks are already missing for the upcoming draft.

Scott Powers of The Athletic was first to report the deal, after being told by Kempny himself. Bob McKenzie of TSN added the third-round pick return, 

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