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Expansion Primer: Vancouver Canucks

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Over the next few weeks, we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, who will likely warrant protection, and which ones may be on the block to avoid the risk of losing them for nothing? Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4:00 PM CDT on July 17th. The full eligibility rules can be found here, while CapFriendly has an expansion tool to make your own lists.

When the Vegas Golden Knights entered the NHL in 2017, it was unclear who might become the expansion team’s biggest rival. Las Vegas was located close to a number of Pacific Division foes, but with deep-seated rivalries already in place in Southern California, it was unclear if there would be room for the Knight. The Seattle Kraken don’t have that problem. The Vancouver Canucks, located on the same body of water less than 150 miles north, will be immediate geographical rivals of the NHL’s newest team. While Seattle may not be as competitive right off the bat as Vegas – opposing teams learned their lesson in the last Expansion Draft – an attainable goal for the club in their inaugural season could be to get the best of the rival Canucks in the season series and the division standings. The rivalry could get off to a hot start if the Kraken can steal a player of value out of Vancouver in next month’s draft.

The problem? Just as they did in the last Expansion Draft, in which they lost stay-at-home defenseman Luca Sbisa, the Canucks have again set themselves up well to protect their key players from exposure. Seattle will have a number of options, but it is hard to picture any of them swaying the tide in the new rivalry.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards:
Jay Beagle, Brock Boeser, Loui Eriksson, Micheal Ferland, Jonah Gadjovich, Jayce Hawryluk, Matthew Highmore, Bo Horvat, Lukas Jasek, Kole Lind, Zack MacEwen, J.T. Miller, Tyler Motte, Petrus Palmu, Tanner Pearson, Elias Pettersson, Antoine Roussel, Jake Virtanen

Defense:
Guillaume Brisebois, Madison Bowey, Olli Juolevi, Tyler Myers, Nate Schmidt

Goalies:
Thatcher Demko, Braden Holtby

Notable Unrestricted Free Agents

D Alexander Edler, D Travis Hamonic, F Brandon Sutter

Notable Exemptions

G Michael DiPietro, F Nils Hoglander, D Quinn Hughes, F Marc Michaelis, F Vasily Podkolzin, D Jack Rathbone, D Jett Woo

Key Decisions

The Canucks really only have decisions to make at one position: forward. In goal, last summer’s free agent addition Holby was expected to be a player that Seattle might pursue, but after a poor season the 31-year-old not longer looks like an attractive option. Vancouver will protect the younger and superior Demko and won’t put any effort into a side deal to protect Holtby. No other goalies are eligible for selection. On the blue line, only five non-UFA defenseman are eligible for selection and Bowey was acquired specifically to meet the exposure requirement on defense. Barring a trade addition, the Canucks face the easy choice of protecting top-four defensemen Myers and Schmidt and choosing the younger, more experienced, and more highly-regarded young player in Juolevi over Brisebois. Even if any of their impending UFA defenders were re-signed, including veterans Edler and Hamonic, it is unlikely to change the protection plan on the back end. Signed or not, the Kraken selecting and extending career Canuck Edler would be a fun start to the rivalry albeit an unlikely result.

Up front, things are not so simple. The Canucks have a whopping 18 eligible non-UFA forwards and it is a mix of both NHL contributors and promising prospects. The locks are core forwards Horvat, Boeser, Pettersson, Miller and the recently-extended Pearson, leaving two spots available for the remaining 13 forwards. From there, it may be easier to begin with who won’t be protected. Veterans Ferland (injury), Beagle (injury), and Eriksson (overpaid and ineffective) will be exposed. Roussel is also very likely to fall into that group after consecutive seasons of poor play and injury concern. Prospects playing overseas in Jasek and Palmu also have no chance at protection. MacEwen, if only by process of elimination, is also unlikely to be protected as a one-dimensional checking forward.

What is left is a group of six bubble forwards, all with a case for why he should be protected. Despite a disastrous 2020-21 season, the best NHL resume of the bunch belongs to Virtanen Even with just five points in 38 games this year, the 2014 sixth overall pick has 100 points in 317 games, outpacing his fellow bubble candidates. The Canucks shopped the struggling Virtanen this year, but also refused to give him away for less than what they felt he was worth. If that sentiment remains, the team will not allow Seattle to get him for nothing.

With that said, Virtanen’s $2.55MM cap hit is also the heaviest of the bunch and was a roadblock in trade dealings this year. His ongoing legal troubles are also a serious cause for pause. If Vancouver feels that the Kraken will not select Virtanen based on these issues on top of his poor production this year, they could expose him. That idea becomes more likely when considering that three other, more affordable forwards outscored Virtanen on a per-game basis this year: Motte, Hawryluk, and Highmore. All three have a strong case for protection too. Motte, 26, when healthy last season, saw a major uptick in ice time to near top-six levels. A talented defensive forward involved in the checking game and serving on the top penalty kill unit, Motte has proved himself valuable to the Canucks and his timely offense in last year’s postseason helped to make him a fan favorite. However, with Motte out of the lineup down the stretch, it was Highmore who took on a similar role and thrived following a trade from the Chicago Blackhawks. Recording five points in 18 games and taking on some short-handed responsibility, Highmore, 25, looked at home in a bottom-six role with Vancouver. His ease of transition to a new team could peak the interest of Seattle. Hawryluk, 25, surprisingly has the second-best career offensive profile within the bubble, with 27 points in 98 games despite playing for three different teams over three years. Underutilized by the Canucks this year, Hawryluk showed promising flashes with more opportunity late in the year.

The two names remaining are prospects Gadjovich and Lind. Both 2017 second-round picks, Gadjovich and Lind are each high-scoring junior products who have improved every year in the pros and were point-per-game players in the AHL this year, as well as seeing their first NHL action. Both should see increased roles next year with the Canucks, potentially ahead of any of the aforementioned bubble forwards. The upside is certainly greater for either scoring winger than any of the group outside of possibly a resurgent Virtanen. If Seattle was to select either one, they would not be selecting “prospects”. Both will lose their waiver exemption next season. If the Kraken want to take and keep Gadjovich or Lind, they would need to be prepared to hand them a roster spot, as neither would be likely to clear waivers. This calculus would of course change if the Kraken plant to select then trade one of the promising young players.

One mitigating factor to the selection of Lind, as well as Hawryluk, is that they are unsigned restricted free agents. Seattle must select 20 players under contract in 2021-22. With just ten slots to use on both unrestricted and restricted free agents, the team may not feel that Lind or Hawryluk are worthy of a spot. Vancouver could extend Hawryluk to make him a more attractive selection and possible convince Seattle to take him over another more valuable forward. They will not do the same with the coveted Lind.

Projected Protection List

F Brock Boeser
F Jonah Gadjovich
F Bo Horvat
F J.T. Miller
F Tyler Motte
F Tanner Pearson
F Elias Pettersson

D Olli Juolevi
D Tyler Myers
D Nate Schmidt

G Thatcher Demko

Skater Exposure Requirement Checklist

When Vegas had their expansion draft, a minimum of two forwards and one defenseman had to be exposed that were under contract and played either 40 games in the most recent season or 70 over the past two combined.  Due to the pandemic, those thresholds have been changed to 27 games played in 2020-21 or 54 in 2019-20 and 2020-21 combined.  In creating our expansion list for each team in this series, we will ensure that these criteria are met.

Forwards (6): Jay Beagle, Loui Eriksson, Matthew Highmore, Zack MacEwen, Antoine Roussel, Jake Virtanen
Defensemen (1): Madison Bowey

With several top young players and near future contributors exempt and all core players protected, the list of options for Seattle is not strong. Vancouver does not appear to be a team that offers any UFA’s worth selecting, so the team will still lose a current roster player. However, they stand almost no chance of losing a player of any great meaning. The greatest impact would perhaps be if the Kraken went with the surprise selection of Holtby, as it would force the Canucks to find a new backup this off-season. However, this season provided little evidence that Holtby would be a worthwhile pick, especially at his current cost. There are no defenseman of value to Vancouver available and it hard to envision Seattle going in that direction anyway.

So again, it all comes back to forward. With Vancouver opting to protect defensive ace Motte and budding power forward Gadjovich with their final two protection slots, the Kraken will be looking at the other four bubble forwards and MacEwen, as barring trade incentive from the Canucks they will not touch any of the overpriced veterans. Virtanen and Lind have the highest upsides, but each come with concerns. Virtanen is expensive, has off-ice baggage, and is coming off a poor season. If selected, he likely has no trade value as the Canucks were unable to deal him themselves this year. Lind would have to be selected with the intention of being a key, everyday starter. He would not clear waivers and would require a roster spot and would take up a valuable unsigned draft slot if selected. Lind is still a very viable option in this scenario, especially if the Kraken are high on him, as his junior and minor league production shows NHL potential and he would have trade value to other teams if he cannot crack the Seattle roster. If either of these two are selected and blossom with the Canucks new rivals, it will sting.

If the issues surrounding potential top-nine forwards Virtanen and Lind are too much for the Kraken, they will likely look for a dependable fourth-liner in Highmore or MacEwen rather than a depth option in Hawryluk, who is also unsigned. In fact, Highmore’s recent success jumping from Chicago to Vancouver and thriving in a bottom-six role could inspire the Kraken. If they don’t love Lind and don’t want to risk Virtanen, then Highmore is the likely choice.

Vancouver Canucks Plan To Retain Jim Benning As GM

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Things are getting interesting in Vancouver. On the eve of their season finale, a disappointing season at that, rumors are swirling around the Canucks. Earlier reports suggested that sweeping changes could be coming to the organization, including a potential return of Daniel and Henrik Sedin in front office roles. Meanwhile, head coach Travis Green is still working on an expiring contract and there has been no indication that a resolution is in sight. Given all of this mystery and speculation, the Canucks have made perhaps the most surprising move they could: retaining GM Jim Benning. The often-criticized executive has been informed that he will be back with the team next year, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

As Friedman relays, given all of the uncertainty that has arisen over the past 24 hours, ownership indicated to their front office leader that he would be returning. It’s a major decision to make ahead of a crucial off-season, as Benning will be charged with managing the Canucks’ approach to the NHL Expansion Draft (made more important by the Seattle Kraken becoming a geographical rival right away), properly executing a top-ten overall draft pick, and otherwise handling an off-season in which his roster must significantly improve despite sorely lacking cap space.

Therein lies most of the criticism of Benning as well. The GM, who has been on the job since 2014, has made some questionable decisions in regards to his most precious resource, cap space. Benning has deemed the likes of Brandon Sutter, Erik Gudbranson, Sam Gagner, Antoine Roussel, Jay Beagle, Sven Baertschi, and Micheal Ferland as being worthy of sizeable commitments during his tenure, which has hurt the team on the payroll and in opportunity cost. It also forced the departures of superior players, such as Jacob Markstrom, Chris Tanev, and Tyler Toffoli last off-season. Those losses were felt this year as the Canucks, fresh off a run to the Western Conference semifinals last year, lived in the basement all season. Benning is left having to pick up the pieces and will try to find a way to squeeze more talent into his roster this summer.

Why is it Benning fixing the problem though? For starters, his track record on the trade market and in the draft at least come close to balancing out his contract negotiation mistakes. Since the 2018-19 trade deadline, Benning has added core members Tanner Pearson, J.T. Miller, and Nate Schmidt at below-market prices. His recent draft picks also include current and budding stars such as Quinn Hughes, Nils Hoglander, Vasili Podkolzin, Jack Rathbone, Michael DiPietro, Jett Woo, Kole Lind, Jonah Gadjovich, and more. So while some of Benning’s criticism is fair, too often his successes are ignored. Despite allegedly wanting to make major internal changes, the Canucks understand and appreciate what Benning has achieved and what he is trying to build in Vancouver. It seems that he will now be given at least one more year to show that he is still steering the organization in the right direction. It’s unlikely to appease the fans in the meantime, but the club hopes that their loyalty will be rewarded.

Evening Notes: Canucks, Stars, Reign

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The Vancouver Canucks entered Monday over the NHL’s salary cap upper limit. Yet, when waivers are completed tomorrow, the team will be in near-perfect shape regardless of the results. Spotted among the many names on waivers today were two veteran forwards from Vancouver: Loui Eriksson and Sven Baertschi. While any Canucks fan would like to see both claimed off waivers, there is almost no chance that either one will be moving elsewhere. Eriksson and his $6MM cap hit have failed to live up to expectations for four years now and no other team is likely to be willing to take a chance on the former All-Star. Baertschi and his own $3.37MM price tag were up for grabs on waivers multiple times last season and no one took a chance, leaving him buried in the AHL for much of the year. However, neither player needs to be claimed for the Canucks to benefit. Once both wingers clear waivers, they can be moved to the AHL or – more likely – the taxi squad. Their cap hits will thus be reduced by $1.075MM apiece for a total savings of $2.15MM. As CapFriendly points out, that is not only enough to get Vancouver back in the black relative to the cap ceiling; it will also leave them enough room to add a player on a minimum $700K salary back to the active roster. This is important, as it will bring the cap payroll as close to the upper limit as possible, allowing the team to take close to full advantage of Micheal Ferland’s Long-Term Injured Reserve placement. The savings of nearly $3.5MM will be used to sign defenseman Travis Hamonic and to replace one or two of the forward slots abandoned by Eriksson and Baertschi. Whether anticipated or not, it’s some impressive salary cap magic by GM Jim Benning and company.

  • The Canucks were also back at practice today after a COVID-19 scare on Sunday. Vancouver canceled all team activities yesterday in response to a possible exposure, but fortunately no players or staff have tested positive, per Sportsnet. The team is back on track and there are no further issues expected from this specific case of potential exposure.
  • Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars are still dealing with their Coronavirus issue. After six players and two staff members tested positive before Friday’s practice, the team shut down their facilities over the weekend and were not able to open back up today.  Their first three games of the season, on the road against the Florida Panthers twice and the first of two against the Tampa Bay Lightning, have already been postponed but the hopes is that their new opener, set for January 19 in Tampa, will go on as scheduled. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly tells Matthew DeFranks of The Dallas News that the league is prepared to do what needs to be done, but that they do feel the Stars are “at the end of that outbreak” and are now focused on how it occured initially. Daly added that medical personnel would decide when it is safe to re-open the facility and that all parties feel the 19th remains a fair goal for Dallas to be both healthy and well-prepared. DeFranks has since reported that Dallas will indeed return to practice on Tuesday, though all further camp sessions will be closed to the media.
  • The Ontario Reign, AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, have announced the hiring of Craig Johnson as an assistant coach for the club. The Reign already have a new head coach in John Wroblewski and now add another new face in Johnson, who is actually a familiar name to Kings fans who remember him from his seven season playing with the team in the late 90’s and early 00’s.  Johnson’s coaching experience is somewhat limited, serving as a head coach for local youth and high school teams in Southern California. However, he has also served as a development coach for the Kings over the past two seasons and briefly worked for the Reign previously in the ECHL back in 2010-11.

Snapshots: Dubois, Ferland, Girardi

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The headlines were already dominated today by Pierre-Luc Dubois news, but even with the new two-year bridge deal, it doesn’t appear like the conversation is over. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic joined TSN Radio in Vancouver this afternoon, explaining that even though the contract is inked, Dubois’ desire to stay in Columbus isn’t.

I think there is a desire from the player, I don’t think it is an imminent move, but it appears—Pierre LeBrun the first to report this—that there is a desire by the player to move on, to have a change of scenery. Which is a nice way of saying get the heck out of town, he wants to play somewhere else. My first inclination was, I’m sure like yours, that this was just a ploy to move things along here and get this done so the young man could enjoy some bubbly and not have to worry about his contract tonight, but I think this is bigger than that. I think he wants a short-term contract in Columbus, I think he’s willing to let Jarmo Kekalainen to have some time to make a deal, because it is certainly going to be a major trade if it includes Pierre-Luc Dubois. But it is a short-term deal too because apparently unless something changes, there is a feeling with Pierre-Luc Dubois is that he does not want to be locked down in Columbus, Ohio long-term. 

For now, Dubois is signed and part of the Blue Jackets family. But his situation is obviously still one to keep an eye on as things continue, especially given how expensive he will likely become after this bridge deal expires. In 2021-22 he will already carry a heavy salary on his back-loaded contract, a number he will probably be looking to eclipse on any long-term deal.

  • Micheal Ferland will not be in Vancouver Canucks training camp when it starts in a few days, as his agent Jason Davidson told Rick Dhaliwal of TSN that the veteran forward is still at home trying to work through his post-concussion symptoms. Ferland played two games for the Canucks in the postseason but was forced out of the bubble due to his health complications. Though everyone is hoping that he will recover enough to play hockey again, moving Ferland’s $3.5MM cap hit to long-term injured reserve would help the Canucks get out of the tricky situation they find themselves in as the season approaches.
  • The Buffalo Sabres will be hiring Dan Girardi in a player development role, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The 36-year-old played 927 regular season games in the NHL over a long career, quite the impressive total for a player who was never drafted. Add in 143 postseason games and Girardi has a wealth of knowledge that he can pass off to Sabres prospects and players.

Pacific Notes: Ferland, Oilers, Kemp

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The future of Canucks winger Micheal Ferland remains uncertain, notes Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma.  The veteran has been plagued by concussion-like symptoms and left the postseason bubble when they resurfaced again although he hasn’t given up on giving it another shot.  GM Jim Benning indicated that they’re still trying to evaluate if he’ll be cleared to try to participate in camp:

He’s trying to work through it with our doctors now.  As we get closer to figuring out when we’re going to play, we’ll figure something out.

Ferland has three years left on his contract worth $3.5MM and the Canucks are already very tight to the cap ceiling.  If he isn’t cleared to play, they would be eligible to put him on LTIR and get some cap relief until he is given the green light (if it happens) which would give them a bit of extra flexibility as they figure out the last few roster spots on what is a relatively deep group of forwards.

More from the Pacific Division:

  • The Oilers are likely to bring in a veteran defenseman on a PTO deal once camps get underway, suggests Bruce McCurdy of the Edmonton Journal. Some of their prospects overseas who would seem to have an inside track for a roster spot have had their progress derailed due to injury or virus-related postponements.  Accordingly, having a veteran in camp to serve as extra depth makes a lot of sense to hedge their bets.  It was only two seasons ago that Edmonton went that route and ultimately signed Jason Garrison so GM Ken Holland could very well opt to try that approach again.
  • Still with Edmonton, the Oilers are working towards finding a place in Europe for recently-signed defenseman Phil Kemp, reports Postmedia’s Jim Matheson (Twitter link). The 21-year-old inked his entry-level deal earlier this week after his senior season at Yale was shuttered.  At this point, opportunities overseas are largely limited although Matheson adds there are a couple being considered.  If more teams bring back players for training camp – Kemp is unlikely to contend for a spot on the NHL roster so he may not be invited to camp – there may be other spots to open up in the days and weeks to come.

Injury Notes: Pacioretty, Merzlikins, Ferland, Carlson

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The Vegas Golden Knights will have a familiar face in the lineup tomorrow night when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks, as GM Kelly McCrimmon told reporters including Mike Morreale of NHL.com that Max Pacioretty would make his postseason debut. The top-line winger missed the entire round-robin but won’t be held back when things get going in the first round:

I think Max’s workload will be identical to what it was. I don’t think that will change in any way shape or form. He’s completely ready to go. We’re not worried about that at all.

“Patches” as he is called by his teammates, was feeling right at home this season with the Golden Knights after a rocky first year with the team. Following a trade from the Montreal Canadiens, the only NHL team he had ever known, Pacioretty scored just 22 goals and 40 points in 2018-19. That was low for him, but things were right back to normal this season when he broke the 30-goal mark for the sixth time in his career and led the Golden Knights with 66 points in 71 games.

  • It was Joonas Korpisalo back in net for the Columbus Blue Jackets when they faced off against the Toronto Maple Leafs in a winner-take-all game five last night. Korpisalo would end up getting a shutout in the deciding game and he’ll have every chance to roll with the Blue Jackets for some time. Tandem partner Elvis Merzlikins, who came in for Korpisalo partway through the series, is out indefinitely with an injury according to head coach John Tortorella. Tortorella told team reporter Jeff Svoboda “he’s out. I’m not sure how long.” Merzlikins was outstanding in his first taste of NHL action this year, posting a .923 save percentage as a rookie. He also stopped 70 of 74 shots against the Maple Leafs, who had trouble scoring no matter who was in the net for Columbus.
  • Micheal Ferland remains “unfit to play” according to Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green. Ferland actually left the bubble in Edmonton last week and returned home to Manitoba after leaving a game against the Minnesota Wild. While the team cannot comment on the exact injury due to the COVID-19 reporting protocols, Darren Dreger of TSN was told at the time that Ferland was dealing with similar post-concussion issues that kept him out for most of the year. Though the team had said he would be re-evaluated after the Minnesota series ended, it’s clear that a return is not in the cards just yet.
  • The New York Islanders and Washington Capitals could potentially both be getting some reinforcements for their first-round series. Brian Compton of NHL.com reports that Johnny Boychuk is “highly probable” for game one, while Samantha Pell of the Washington Post was told by Capitals coach Todd Reirden that John Carlson took part in their optional skate today and is “taking steps in the right direction.” Carlson, a Norris Trophy finalist as one of the league’s top defensemen, didn’t play in the round-robin after taking an awkward fall in the Capitals exhibition game.

Vancouver’s Micheal Ferland Injured, Leaving Bubble

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A difficult year for Vancouver Canucks forward Micheal Ferland unfortunately continues. The team has announced that the veteran has sustained an injury that will force him to leave his team and the Edmonton bubble. Ferland is not headed back to Vancouver either, but to his home in Manitoba. There is no word on the nature or extent of Ferland’s latest ailment, but he has been ruled out for the remainder of the Canucks’ qualifying round series and will be evaluated once the series has concluded.

Ferland, 28, is in his first year of a four-year contract signed with Vancouver last summer. He got off to a rocky start to his Canucks tenure when he sustained a concussion in early November. Ferland missed 15 games on his first IR stint, returned briefly in November, and then was sidelined again due to concussion symptoms, missing the team’s final 38 regular season games. As a result, Ferland played in just 14 games and recorded only five points in his first season with the Canucks.

However, the lengthy pause in the NHL season due to Coronavirus allowed Ferland to regain his health and re-join the lineup for the postseason. The physical winger was a noticeable presence in Game One of the qualifying round match-up with the Minnesota Wild too, recording five hits and drawing seven penalty minutes (and a fine). Yet, in Game Two Ferland was held to just four shifts and 2:36 TOI. This was a clear sign that Ferland was not healthy and it is no surprise that he is set to miss more time. It is safe to assume that this absence is related to Ferland’s concussion struggles, especially after a Game One fight, but his official designation is “unfit to play”. More will be known when the Canucks re-evaluate his condition following this series, should they advance.

Snapshots: Vatanen, Fines, Raffl

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Sami Vatanen is in the Carolina Hurricanes lineup again this afternoon, meaning the New Jersey Devils are winners today. Since Vatanen has played in two games, the Devils will receive at least a fourth-round pick from the Hurricanes to complete the trade. That pick could still be upgraded to a 2020 third-round selection, but the Devils at least know they’re getting something.

The Hurricanes are likely just happy that Vatanen is healthy and contributing, given the fact that he didn’t play a single game for the team before the shutdown. The 29-year old defenseman is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, using these playoffs as a nice portfolio piece for upcoming negotiations.

  • Not only did Vancouver Canucks forward Micheal Ferland escape suspension for his spearing incident last night, but he also won’t even be the only person receiving a fine. The Department of Player Safety has decided to fine Ferland $5,000 for the incident, along with giving Minnesota Wild forward Luke Kunin a $1,000 ticket. Ferland seems to always be in the middle of physical altercations, playing his role well for the Canucks.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers will be without an important piece of their lineup, as head coach Alain Vigneault told reporters including Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer that Michael Raffl will be out for “a while.” The team will insert young forward Joel Farabee in Raffl’s spot, giving him a chance to show exactly why they took him 14th overall in 2018.

Morning Notes: Scheifele, Ferland, Dano

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The Winnipeg Jets don’t have long to turn things around, but there was at least some good news coming out of the hotel in Edmonton this morning. Sara Orlesky of TSN tweets that one of her sources has indicated Mark Scheifele’s injury is not believed to be long-term, but he and Patrik Laine are still doubtful for game two.

While that leaves the Jets scrambling for options in their top-six and at risk of being quickly eliminated by the Calgary Flames, it does bode well for next season. Speculation on Scheifele’s injury rant wild in the aftermath of game one, with some expecting him to require surgery and miss an extended amount of time. Hopefully, as Orlesky reports, that’s not the case.

  • Micheal Ferland may be facing some discipline from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety after spearing a player on the Minnesota Wild bench last night, but Darren Dreger of TSN believes it is more likely a fine than a suspension. Ferland also had a fight with Marcus Foligno in his return to the Vancouver lineup. The 28-year old hadn’t played since December after suffering post-concussion symptoms. (UPDATE: Ferland has received a $5,000 fine, according to several reports including Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.)
  • Marko Dano still hasn’t established himself as a full-time NHL player, meaning it comes as little surprise when a report out of the Czech Republic has him hoping to go overseas next season. The 25-year old was a first-round pick in 2013 but has just 141 NHL games and 45 NHL points under his belt since then. Dano apparently would be willing to sign with HC Ocelari Trinec, the parent team for the club his father coaches. Dano’s one-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets will expire after this season, though he will still be a restricted free agent.

Snapshots: Ferland, Kakko, Kunin, Sabres

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Canucks winger Micheal Ferland has resumed skating as he continues to work his way back from concussion issues, reports Rick Dhaliwal of TSN 1040 and The Athletic (Twitter link).  He suffered a concussion back on October 30th where he missed a little more than a month.  He tried to come back in December but was shut down in his second game.  He made a second comeback attempt in February but was pulled from his first game on a conditioning assignment as the symptoms came back once again.

At that time, he was ruled out for the season but with play not resuming until into the summer, there’s now a possibility that Ferland could return while having the benefit of a full training camp to show that he has indeed recovered.  If healthy, he can make a difference in the bottom six for the Canucks, bringing them a physical presence with some offensive upside after recording at least 40 points in each of the previous two seasons.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • People with diabetes are at a higher risk if they contract COVID-19 and accordingly, some have wondered if NHL players in that situation would opt out of playing. However, com’s Dan Rosen relays that Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko is expected to play in their play-in round series against Carolina while Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports the same for Wild winger Luke Kunin who is expected to suit up against Vancouver.
  • Now-fired AHL Rochester head coach Chris Taylor actually had a two-year extension verbally agreed to before getting let go among Buffalo’s big shakeup earlier this week, notes Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in his latest 31 Thoughts column. Ownership opted to hold up the deal which had been negotiated with ex-GM Jason Botterill and will now not honor it.  The rationale for Taylor’s departure (which included his assistant coaches) was attributed to how the team wants to run the Amerks.  In recent years, they’ve relied on veterans but it appears that they will shift towards a younger team with a higher emphasis on prospect development.

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