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Niklas Kronwall

Marchand To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced today that Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins will have a hearing for what they refer to as a “dangerous trip on Detroit’s Niklas Kronwall,” during the game last night between the two teams. Marchand, who scored two goals in Boston’s 4 – 3 OT win, was not penalized on the play but it stands to reason a suspension could be looming.

Marchand would qualify as a repeat offender as the pesky forward has been suspended three times since the start of the 2014-15 season. As Joe Haggerty of CSN New England notes, his loss would for any length of time would be a significant blow to a Bruins team fighting for their playoff lives. Marchand leads Boston in scoring with 47 points and is second on the club in goals scored with 19, just one fewer than David Pastrnak’s team-leading total.

The incident in question occurred at the 12:27 mark of the first period and it appears Kronwall avoided injury on the play. The veteran Swede would remain in the game and finish with 17:51 of total ice time. He was in just his second game back after missing 2 1/2 weeks with a groin injury

Panthers Lose Reilly Smith For 7 – 10 Days

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Last night, the Florida Panthers blew a two-goal third period lead in their 4 – 3 loss to Detroit. Compounding that disappointment further is word that the team will be without the services of winger Reilly Smith for the next 7 – 10 days, according to head coach Tom Rowe via George Richards of the Miami Herald. Smith, who scored a goal in the first frame, suffered a concussion after a heavy hit from Niklas Kronwall in the second period.

Projecting a recovery time line for a concussion is usually a trick endeavor but Rowe said the team believes “it’s not too serious,” and the hope is that Smith will be back sooner rather than later.

Smith has scored seven goals and has 15 points in 35 games for Florida while averaging a career-best 19:12 of ice time per game. He’s been heating up as of late with three markers and five points over his last six contests. Last season the 25-year-old forward scored a career-high 25 goals and 50 points, helping the Panthers to an Atlantic Division championship and the team’s first playoff berth in four years. Smith’s production prompted Florida to sign the winger to a five-year, $25MM extension this past July, even though Smith still had a year remaining on his current contract.

Custance’s Latest: Teams Hurt By Cap Recapture Rules

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In the salary cap era, there is nothing worse than a bloated contract, especially one susceptible to the cap recapture rules. ESPN’s Craig Custance listed a number of teams who suffer from such a fate, and explains as such:

For some teams, that pain has arrived. And it could be worse than originally projected because of cap recapture rules since put in place in the new CBA to punish teams if the player retires early or the contract is traded.

“Teams that did those contracts essentially embarrassed Gary [Bettman]. We found a way to circumvent the CBA legally,” said one executive. “He was incensed, and said ’I’m going to get you back.’ Which he did.”

Now because of decisions made years ago, in the name of winning it all or rewarding players who helped make it happen, there are a group of teams that have legacy costs built into their current salary cap structure.

Two teams who managed to stay in good shape contract wise–while contending– are the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins, with the Pens not having any legacy costs. But the teams below, according to Custance, are the ones who suffered from the wrath of Bettman.

  • Los Angeles Kings

Dustin Brown, Marian Gaborik, and Matt Greene are the contracts that have the Kings on the hook for awhile. Along with Mike Richards’ cap recapture hit of $1.32MM, the Kings have a legacy cost of $8.545MM. Though they won two Stanley Cups since 2012, the cost may have hurt them in terms of losing Milan Lucic and Justin Williams due to a lack of cap room.

  • Chicago Blackhawks

Sure, they’ve won three Cups since 2010, but the Marian Hossa deal will eventually be a “real headache” since it still has four years left. Further, Custance writes that the Hawks could be in for real trouble by the 2019-20 season when the core of the Hawks, namely Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Brent Seabrook, and Corey Crawford are all into their 30’s and saddling the payroll with a combined $40MM.

  • Detroit Red Wings

General manager Ken Holland anchored the team with a number of long term, and expensive contracts. Custance’s list doesn’t include the new deals that include a 32-year-old Frans Nielsen, Justin Abdelkader, and Darren Helm. Henrik Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard, and Johan Franzen combine for a legacy cost of $9.34MM. Custance believes the Wings could get out of the Howard contract by trade, but Kronwall and Zetterberg’s deals will cripple the Wings for years to come, especially as their play declines. The legacy cost for Detroit: $9.34MM.

  • Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks have a few big contracts, namely the Sedin twins, Alex Burrows, Alexander Edler and Roberto Luongo ($800K retained). Custance notes that while he would take the Sedins on his team any day, their decline is certainly happening.

 

Red Wings Notes: Injuries, Sproul, Mantha

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The injury bug has certainly bitten Detroit hard as Darren Helm is the latest Red Wing to take a turn on the injury carousel. He joins Andreas Athanasiou, Thomas Vanek, and Niklas Kronwall as wounded Wings, but Vanek is expected to be back for Sunday’s game. The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James reports that Helm is expected out 6-8 weeks, but general manager Ken Holland said that no surgery will be required. Athanasiou will be out for another two weeks at a minimum while Kronwall is game to game with a bad knee. St. James writes that the Red Wings will be calling up a forward later this evening to take Helm’s place. Detroit just sent Tyler Bertuzzi back to Grand Rapids, but he could be back quicker than expected.

  • Speaking of younger Red Wings, the Detroit News’ John Niyo pens a column about the emergence of youth in the shadow of injury and how they might just be exactly what Detroit needs. Niyo looks at Ryan Sproul who stepped up in the place of Kronwall and to the joy of a Red Wings fan base clamoring for an injection of youth, looks to be closer to regular play. From Niyo:

And it’s a big reason, though hardly the only one, why Sproul needs to stay right where he is. Not just in Detroit, but also in the lineup, which is sort of what Blashill promised earlier in the day. Sproul hadn’t played in seven games, the last five because veteran Niklas Kronwall was back on the ice. But with Kronwall resting that chronic bad knee again Tuesday — he didn’t look good in the 5-0 loss at Montreal on Sunday — Sproul was given another chance. At the morning skate, Blashill stuck to his pat answer about how long it’d last, saying Sproul’s job was to make sure he was “ready to jump through the window.”

Sproul had a goal and an assist in the Red Wings 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay, but it was his work on the power play that opened eyes. Sproul is known for his booming slapshot, and it was featured in both goals, one that found its way into the net. The other led to a rebound that was dished to Henrik Zetterberg from another young Wing, Anthony Mantha. Mantha has stood tall in his call up, being a net-front presence on the power play, which led directly to the goal that tied the game. There have been questions as to why Mantha hasn’t been allowed to snipe goals like he has in the AHL, but Detroit wants consistency and a two-way game out of him. As injuries pile up, however, the Wings may be better off letting Mantha play the game that’s brought him success since he played juniors: shoot the puck often. The goal scoring problem that has plagued the Red Wings for several seasons may just be solved.

Niyo argues that as Detroit sits seventh in the Atlantic and is on pace for 82 points (which would certainly be way off of a playoff spot), letting the kids play may be in the Red Wings’ best interest.

Atlantic Notes: Red Wings, Maple Leafs, Panthers

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After a crushing 5-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday evening, Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill made some changes both on the roster and the ice. The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James writes that Blashill made the decision to move Luke Glendening up to the second line during practice, and that Niklas Kronwall, who has taken maintenance days since his knee injury during practices, will sit against Tampa Bay tomorrow. Further, Petr Mrazek will be back in after Jimmy Howard was shelled–though it was hardly his fault. The Red Wings defense has been porous and since Thomas Vanek’s injury, unable to generate scoring chances much less score goals. From Blashill:

“We’ve got to get to the other nets better. We’ve got to get more forecheck pressure, and we’ve got to win more puck battles. He does all those things. It frees you up on the wing, a little bit, to be able to get in on the forecheck, win puck battles, get to the net, and allow some more space for Nielsen and Larkin, potentially. It’s something we’re looking at.”

Glendening seems a curious choice to move up, but it fits the narrative of “toughness” and “grit” that Detroit continues to use as its guiding principle this season. Whether it translates into goals is an entirely different matter.

In other division news:

  • Michael Traikos of the National Post reports that the Maple Leafs players have followed the rules and adhered to Lou Lamoriello’s rules of short hair and clean shaven faces. Matt Martin says that his agent first brought up to him before he was signed, and Martin obliged, cutting his long blonde hair down to a modest offering. Though it may seem outdated, Traikos writes that Lamoriello indicated that his teams, not individuals win championships and having a “unified appearance” is one way to buy into that. Players have certainly bought in. Netminder Frederik Andersen says that it’s part of building a culture and that the “rich history” of Toronto begs the need for unity in order to win. Traikos adds that with a young team like the Leafs, anything to build culture is welcomed and can lead to better results down the road–even something as simple as shorter hair and no facial hair.
  • The Sun-Sentinel’s Craig Davis reports on newly acquired Panther Seth Griffith’s journey to Miami.  Griffith was snagged off the waiver wire from the Toronto Maple Leafs, who in turn, took Griffith from the Boston Bruins in October via the waiver wire. writes that Griffith should have ample opportunity to prove his worth with the Panthers as roster spots are aplenty.

Snapshots: Vrbata, Detroit Injuries, Beleskey, Flyers

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Arizona right winger Radim Vrbata holds a unique distinction among the 719 players to suit up in the NHL this season, writes Alex Prewitt of Sports Illustrated.  Vrbata is the lone player in the league to be in his third stint with the same organization.  Vrbata played with the Coyotes in 2007-08, then was traded back there again in 2009, staying until 2014.  After a two year stint with Vancouver, he returned to the desert, signing a one year, incentive-laden deal with Arizona this summer.

When he had signed with the Canucks, Vrbata admitted that he never really wanted to leave the Coyotes and had stayed in touch with plenty of players and staffers over the past two seasons with the hope of returning down the road.  The 35 year old enjoyed the familiarity that only Arizona could provide, from the market to the coach (Dave Tippett), to even his linemate in Martin Hanzal.

That comfort level appears to have been quite helpful for Vrbata in his third stint with the team.  After following up a 63 point effort two years ago with arguably the worst season of his career in 2015-16, he’s off to a strong start with Arizona this season with four goals and six assists through his first nine games and is currently skating on their top line.

[Related: Coyotes Depth Chart]

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Red Wings right winger Thomas Vanek is expected to miss the next 2-3 weeks with a hip strain, GM Ken Holland told MLive’s Ansar Khan. Holland remains hopeful that defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who has yet to play this season with a knee injury, will be able to return to the lineup in the next week or so.  Meanwhile right winger Tomas Jurco, who is still recovering from offseason back surgery, is likely to be cleared for contact sometime next week.  Holland anticipates Jurco would need another 7-10 days beyond that to get into game shape.
  • Bruins left winger Matt Beleskey is set to be a healthy scratch tonight against Tampa Bay, notes CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty. Beleskey is off to a tough start this season with no points and a -7 rating in nine games.  Prospect Sean Kuraly will make his NHL debut in Beleskey’s spot on Boston’s third line.
  • The Flyers have sent center Scott Laughton to their AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley on a conditioning assignment, the team announced. The 22 year old suffered a lower body injury back in training camp and is currently on long-term injury reserve.  He’s eligible to be activated on Saturday but it would appear that he’ll get into a couple of games in the minors before joining Philadelphia’s active roster.  Still with Philly, defenseman Andrew MacDonald is expected to miss at least the next week with a lower body injury, the club announced (Twitter link).

Snapshots: Oduya, Sproul, Trouba, Fowler

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Mike Heika writes that the development of Dallas’ young defenseman has been helped by the presence of Johnny Oduya. The four defenseman standing to benefit, Patrik Nemeth, Jamie Oleksiak, Stephen Johns and Esa Lindell, have the two-time Stanley Cup champion defenseman patrolling the blue line. General manager Jim Nill talked about Oduya’s professionalism and dedication to the sport and how it plays a huge role in the development of younger players:

“It’s hard to tell his age, because he’s in such great shape. He’s a consummate professional, and he’s the kind of guy that players naturally attract to. They want to ask him what he’s eating and why. They want to know how he’s working out.”

Oduya was signed as a free agent by the Stars in 2015 and defenseman Stephen Johns followed from Chicago when he was dealt along with Patrick Sharp to the big D. Johns commented on Oduya’s leadership, especially during a rough series for Johns against Minnesota during the 2016 playoffs. Johns said that Oduya’s words of wisdom were instrumental in his confidence growing.

Though the Stars are 3-3-1, the steady Oduya should help the younger defensive corps bring the Stars back to its expected perch as one of the best in the West.

In other NHL news:

  • The Red Wings have guaranteed one of their young defenseman an extended stay with the big club writes MLive’s Ansar Khan. Khan answered a number of questions and regarding young defenseman Ryan Sproul, the club has apparently told Sproul to a find a place to live in the Detroit area. Khan reports that Sproul will duke it out with Alexey Marchenko and Xavier Ouellet for a final spot on the blue line when Niklas Kronwall returns from a knee injury. When Tomas Jurco returns, Khan opines that it will most likely be Ouellet as the odd man out, which would mean being exposed to waivers.
  • Khan also answers about the Red Wings’ likelihood of obtaining Jacob Trouba or Cam Fowler via a trade, but from the sounds of it, Trouba is still a far fetched option while Fowler might end up staying in Anaheim after all. Khan says that the Ducks may reconsider moving Fowler should their offensive woes continue. Trouba, on the other hand, will simply cost too much for the Wings to trade for, and the young, left handed defenseman the Jets seek in return is something Detroit cannot provide.

Snapshots: Flyers Rookies, Kronwall, Jordan, Rod

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The Flyers may have a pair of rookies in their opening night lineup. Forward Travis Konecny and defenseman Ivan Provorov have both looked good so far in the pre-season; Konecny is leading the team with six points in six games and Provorov is playing big minutes on a pairing with Mark Streit.

Konecny has played up and down the lineup so far in the pre-season, and figures to be a feisty bottom-six forward with the potential to move up the lineup as needed. He can play either wing or center. Count head coach Dave Hakstol among those impressed by Konecny’s “ability to read a play and make things happen.”

Meanwhile, Provorov has shown great chemistry with Streit after another wonderful season with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the WHL, with 21 goals and 73 points in 62 games. He might be the best of many high-end defensive prospects in the Flyers system.

Seeing as Konecny and Provorov are both still junior-eligible, they’ll need to either play in the NHL or go back to junior. Expect both men to get at least nine games to show he’s ready.

  • The Red Wings may be without Niklas Kronwall to start the season. The veteran defenseman has a knee injury according to Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News. Coach Jeff Blashill says if Kronwall isn’t available on opening night then the Red Wings will carry eight defensemen to start the season.
  • Former Hurricanes depth defenseman Michal Jordan has signed with Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL. It was reported earlier this off-season that Jordan was seeking a one-way contract as an unrestricted free agent (UFA). The Hurricanes had apparently offered him a two-way contract but Jordan wasn’t interested. Jordan has 3 goals and 7 points in 79 NHL games over the last four seasons.
  • And speaking of players signing overseas, San Jose Sharks 2014 second-round pick Noah Rod has signed a five-year extension with his Swiss club, Genève-Servette HC. According to ESPN’s Corey Pronman, Rod does have an out-clause to come to North America to play with the Sharks.

Injury Notes: Kronwall, Zetterberg, Klefbom, Kessel, Miller

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Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall may not be ready to start the regular season as his knee is not recovering as quickly as originally anticipated, reports Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.  Unfortunately for both him and the team, this won’t be an issue that will completely go away, even when he does return to the lineup as the damage is permanent.  As a result, he’ll be dealing with pain management throughout the season:

“We have somewhat of a plan in place. But in saying that, you feel how you feel every day. If something doesn’t feel right, then you have to take a step back. But so far, we’ve been able to move along.”

If Kronwall isn’t ready to start the season, he could potentially be placed on injured reserve which could buy the team a bit more time to sort out the rest of their blueline.  Xavier Ouellet, Ryan Sproul, and Nick Jensen are all waiver eligible and if all of Detroit’s defensemen are healthy, at least one of them will be heading for the waiver wire.

[Related: Red Wings Depth Chart]

Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg is also recovering a bit slower than expected from his knee issue but St. James adds that he is more optimistic about being ready to start the season.  Zetterberg is also expected to spend more time on the wing this year which should be a little less stressful in terms of skating.

Other injury notes:

  • Although Edmonton defenseman Oscar Klefbom was pulled out of the lineup by a concussion spotter last week, he didn’t actually suffer one and passed all of the baseline tests, notes the Edmonton Sun’s Robert Tychkowski.  The 23 year old missed 52 games last season due to injuries and will be counted on to play a key role for the Oilers this season.
  • Pittsburgh’s Phil Kessel admitted that his hand is not yet 100 percent but he is expected to make his preseason debut tonight, writes Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The right winger had surgery in the summer to correct a lingering issue in his hand and is at the point in his recovery that playing is the next step in the rehab process.  Assuming no issues come up, he should be ready to start the season to keep his consecutive games streak intact.
  • Boston defenseman Kevan Miller left Tuesday’s preseason game against Montreal with a lower body injury after getting hit with puck and CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty notes that Miller was also absent from practice today. However, it appears the Bruins are exercising caution more than anything at this point and head coach Claude Julien doesn’t expect it to be more than a day-to-day thing.

Injury Notes: Monahan, Seguin, Kronwall

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When Sean Monahan had to pull out of the World Cup with a back injury, many Flames fans clutched their hearts and hoped for the best. Indeed, with Johnny Gaudreau still without a contract, a Monahan injury could have spelled the end for the Flames before the season even started.

After returning to the ice a few days ago however, Monahan skated without the dreaded no-contact jersey today, according to Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet. A full participant in practice, Monahan should be ready for the start of the regular season. With a Gaudreau contract sounding at least a bit closer to a reality, perhaps Flames fans have nothing (or at least less) to worry about.

  • Another World Cup deserter, Tyler Seguin, will ramp up his skating workload today, according to Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News. Seguin suffered a hairline fracture in his foot just before the tournament began, but has never been expected to miss the start of the regular season. Lindy Ruff stands by that, telling Heika that he assumes Seguin will be ready for opening night.
  • Niklas Kronwall, one of the injured Red Wings was on the ice for the first time today during his rehab of a knee injury. While Kronwall isn’t expected to take part in any preseason games, Ansar Khan of MLive reports that head coach Jeff Blashill thinks he has a chance at opening night in Tampa Bay next Thursday. Tomas Tatar, Frans Nielsen and Thomas Vanek all re-joined in practice today as well, the trio coming off the silver medal winning Team Europe.

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