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AHL Announces First, Second All-Star Teams

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After announcing their All-Rookie team earlier this week, the AHL have now given us their choices for the first and second All-Star Teams for 2017-18. These players were voted in by coaches, players and media all across the league.

First All-Star Team:

Goaltender: Garret Sparks, Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Defenseman: Jacob MacDonald, Binghamton Devils (New Jersey Devils)

Defenseman: Sami Niku, Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets)*

Left Wing: Chris Terry, Laval Rocket (Montreal Canadiens)

Center: Phil Varone, Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers)

Right Wing: Mason Appleton, Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets)*

*Niku and Appleton were also named as part of the All-Rookie team.

Second All-Star Team:

Goaltender: Michael Hutchinson, Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets)

Defenseman: T.J. Brennan, Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers)

Defenseman: Zach Redmond, Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres)

Left Wing: Andreas Johnsson, Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Center: Austin Czarnik, Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins)

Right Wing: Ben Smith, Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Of course, much of the fanfare will go to Niku and Appleton who were not only rookies but late-round draft choices. Their appearance on the list is so impressive, especially given the success of the Jets already graduated young core. With a pipeline of talent, Winnipeg should have a wide open window of contention.

Probably the most interesting name though is Hutchinson, as he’ll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. One has to wonder if he’ll get a crack at an NHL job, given his outstanding minor league season and reliatively successful experience at the highest level. He’s making $1.3MM this season, but could look for a larger opportunity elsewhere while Connor Hellebuyck, Steve Mason and Eric Comrie man the crease in Winnipeg.

Ivan Lodnia Assigned To Iowa Wild

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The Minnesota Wild have had a knack for finding interesting prospects in the middle and late rounds lately, and Ivan Lodnia is no different. The 18-year old forward has been cleared to play after missing the end of the OHL season with an injury, and the Wild have given him an opportunity by assigning him to the AHL. Having Lodnia join the Iowa Wild even for a short stint at such a young age shows how highly the Minnesota front office thinks of the third-round pick, and could indicate that he’s closer to making an impact for them than one might have originally thought.

Lodnia scored 59 points for the Erie Otters this season, which while a slight improvement over last year isn’t an amount that screams future NHL scorer. Still, his offensive ability is perhaps secondary to the solid defensive game he has developed over the last few years as he was stuck behind other more senior players on the Erie depth chart. Lodnia is built in the same way that other successful two-way players have been on the Wild, and could follow them to the NHL to make an impact.

While it’s very likely he’ll return to the OHL for another season in 2018-19, Lodnia is one to keep an eye on in a Minnesota system that has several intriguing names. With other late round selections like Kirill Kaprizov, Dmitry Sokolov and Brandon Duhaime all finding success in one way or another, the Wild have found quite a bit of talent outside the first round.

German Star Dominik Kahun Eyeing Jump To NHL

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It certainly feels like Germany is about to take that next step toward becoming a legitimate hockey power. After an amazing run to the gold medal game at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, coached by arguably the best German player of all-time, Marco Sturm, hockey fans in Germany and around the world are starting to realize that German hockey has quietly gained a foothold in the NHL and has now announced its presence on an international scale. With the likes of Leon Draisaitl – easily the biggest threat to unseat Sturm or Jochen Hecht as the top German to ever play – Tobias Rieder and Tom Kuhnhackl making an impact as forwards in the NHL, Dennis Seidenberg (a German legend in his own right) and Korbinian Holzer still playing key roles on the blue line at the highest level, Philipp Grubauer and Thomas Greiss doing their best to be the next Olaf Kolzig, and young Dominik Bokk set to soon join the ranks as a surefire first-rounder in 2018, the quantity and quality of German players in the NHL may be at an all-time high.

So, it’s no surprise that there is interest from NHL teams in one of Germany’s top home-grown players. Munich-based news site “Abendzeitung” sat down (link in German) with forward Dominik Kahun, one of the heroes of the German Olympic team,  who said he has already received ample interest from the league. The article indicates that “the time has come” for the young German to make the jump to highest level. Kahun, 22, finished with the second-most points for Germany at the Winter Games and clearly outplayed former NHL talents like Christian Ehrhoff and Marcel Goc. His success came as little surprise to German fans, as Kahun was having the best season in the DEL, the top German league, of any of his national team compatriots. Playing for EHC Munchen alongside veteran American Keith Aucoin, Kahun is 15th in points, 7th in assists, and tied for 16th in plus/minus in the DEL so far in 2017-18. His 40 points in 41 games is tied for the fourth-best clip of any player with 40+ games on the year and is already a big step up from his 32- and 30-point totals from the past two seasons. Nearly every player close to Kahun in terms of DEL production this year is on the wrong side of 30, while the young left winger has only just begun to tap into his potential.

Kahun is not guaranteed to find immediate success in the NHL. It will take time for him to adjust to the speed and especially the physicality of the league and even the smaller ice surface. Playing on IIHF ice against non-NHLers at the Olympics was not a true indication of how he would play at the next level. However, Kahun is young enough and clearly talented enough to develop into a strong player down the road. He already possesses the all-important understanding of a complete, two-way game and is a strong enough skater to play at both ends of the ice. He also comes equipped with good stick-handling skills and offensive instincts. The right team willing to work on his development and give him chances to succeed could have a gem in Kahun.

Perhaps even more importantly, should Kahun find success in the NHL, it would continue to inspire a new generation of hockey fans and young hockey players in Germany. While the 2018 Olympics were largely dismissed by many North American spectators due to the non-inclusion of NHLers, the results still meant a lot to other participating countries, none more so than Germany. If their Olympic hero turns into the next great German NHL player, possibly playing for a long time with the likes of Draisaitl and Bokk, there’s no telling what the impact of these Games and that silver medal could have on the next class of young players and a country on the rise in the hockey world.

Minor Transactions: 02/17/18

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Though teams made several transactions yesterday to make their younger players eligible for the AHL playoffs, the rest of the season will still be filled with call-ups to help out the NHL team. Remember, after the trade deadline that though rosters have no limits in terms of total players, teams are allowed only four non-emergency recalls.

  • The Washington Capitals have recalled Travis Boyd, who had been playing with the Hershey Bears of the AHL. For the third consecutive season, Boyd is among the scoring leaders for Hershey with 44 points in 56 games. While it’s unclear if he’s scheduled to enter the Capitals lineup right away, he can definitely give them some offensive punch if inserted down the stretch.
  • Cory Schneider was assigned to the Binghamton Devils on a conditioning stint today, but is expected to be brought back on Wednesday to rejoin New Jersey on their current road trip. While that doesn’t guarantee he’ll be back in the crease right away, it is a good sign that he’s approaching his return to the lineup.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Tristan Jarry on an emergency loan after announcing that Matt Murray has been diagnosed with a concussion. Jarry had been sent down to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but will now have to help Casey DeSmith with the NHL duties. DeSmith is expected to start tonight for the Penguins, but Jarry has more experience in the starting role and could be asked to take over while Murray is out.
  • The Calgary Flames announced that they have sent Andrew Mangiapane to the AHL, but the move was actually completed yesterday to make sure he was eligible for the minor league playoffs. With the addition of Chris Stewart off waivers, Mangiapane was likely looking at some healthy scratches and now can help the Stockton Heat instead.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Seth Griffith from the AHL, spending one of their recalls to bring up the 25-year old forward. Griffith has played 76 NHL games over his career and is a point-per-game player at the minor league level. The undersized forward has excellent creativity and playmaking ability, but hasn’t ever been given an extended chance in a team’s top-6.
  • As expected, the Minnesota Wild have brought Luke Kunin back up from the minor leagues. The Wild are extremely close to the cap, and needed to move out some salary at the deadline in order to bring Kunin up for the stretch run while keeping enough room to sign Jordan Greenway. Kunin has just 19 points for the Iowa Wild this season, but is a hard working two-way center that could jump right into the lineup for the Wild.
  • Ethan Bear will be one of the Edmonton Oilers’ four call-ups for the remainder of the season, and will get a chance to show what he can do after an outstanding junior career. Bear was a 70-point defenseman in his final season with the Seattle Thunderbirds, and was a huge part of their qualifying for the Memorial Cup in 2017. The undersized but super-skilled Bear has 16 points in his first professional season for the Bakersfield Condors.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have returned winger Kalle Kossila and goalie Reto Berra to San Diego of the AHL, notes Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register.  Berra’s demotion was expected with John Gibson likely to return to the lineup on Friday. As for Kossila, he didn’t get into any games after being recalled back on the 24th; he has a goal and an assist in ten contests with Anaheim from earlier this season.

Deadline Primer: Carolina Hurricanes

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With the trade deadline less than 24 hours away, we continue our closer look at the situation for each team.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Carolina Hurricanes.

The NHL Trade Deadline is tomorrow at 2:00PM CT. Not only have the Carolina Hurricanes yet to make a move, but there have hardly been any whispers of GM Ron Francis and company talking to to other teams. The Hurricanes are in a tough position with the deadline growing closer and closer. Carolina is in the thick of the Eastern Conference wild card race, three points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final postseason spot, grappling for position with the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers. They also have an NHL-worst eight-year postseason drought to think about when considering their deadline position. At the same time, few would call the ’Canes lineup a true contender this season. Carolina is a bottom-ten team in both goals for and goals against with a -25 goal differential that ranks last among any team remaining relevant in postseason contention. So while the team is desperate to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs, they may be lucky to still even be in contention and could question giving up assets at the deadline without a real chance at a title run. The fact that the Hurricanes have had no presence on the trade market thus far speaks volumes about their own indecision on how to handle the 2018 trade deadline.

Record

27-25-10, seventh in the Metropolitan Division

Deadline Status

Standing pat

Deadline Cap Space

$72,699,714 in deadline cap space
49/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2018: CAR 1st, CAR 2nd, CAR 3rd, CAR 4th, CAR 6th, CAR 7th, VGK 7th
2019: CAR 1st, CAR 2nd, CAR 3rd, CAR 4th, CAR 5th, CAR 6th, CGY 6th

Trade Chips

If the Hurricanes are sellers, then they have a few impending free agents with value to contenders. The main target would likely be Derek Ryan, who has had yet another strong season in Raleigh after breaking into the NHL seemingly out of nowhere. A versatile, two-way forward with strong possession abilities, Ryan is an ideal pickup for any team looking to add depth and fill out their bottom-six. Veteran Lee Stempniak is also a serviceable bottom-six forward who is no stranger to being dealt at the deadline and finding a role for himself on a new team. Of course, the big name that could move from the Hurricanes would be career keeper Cam Ward, the hero of Carolina’s magical Stanley Cup run in 2006. Ward is an impending free agent and, although he has taken the starting job back from newcomer Scott Darling, is not likely to stay with the ’Canes for much longer. There are one or two teams out there looking for relief in net and Ward could be an attractive target if made available. For anyone expecting the Hurricanes to “sell” players like Justin Faulk and Jeff Skinner, don’t hold your breath, at least at this deadline.

If the Hurricanes are buyers, they offer several promising young prospects and a near-full collection of draft picks to sellers. Blocked by a deep top-six with staying power, young defenseman Roland McKeown is becoming more expendable as the days go on. The highly-regarded 2014 second-rounder could use a change of scenery to somewhere with more opportunity and Francis would be willing to deal him for the right return. Similarly, forward prospects like Valentin Zykov and Lucas Wallmark have been kicking around the AHL for long enough, without a real chance to showcase their NHL ability, that the value of their recent draft positions is beginning to wear off. The Hurricanes would be wise to move on from them if the right deal presents itself.

Players To Watch: F Derek Ryan, F Lee Stempniak, F Josh Jooris, D Klas Dahlbeck, G Cam Ward

Team Needs

1) A Star and A Starting Goalie

The main reason that the Carolina Hurricanes are most likely to stand pat at this deadline is because the two things they need to take the next step are the two things that are most difficult to find in hockey: a game-changing player and a top goaltender. It’s not unreasonable to think they can acquire these players somehow, but at the deadline it’s next to impossible. More than anything, the ’Canes need a legitimate first-line power center and that player simply isn’t available at this deadline. Maybe this summer, but not right now. The Darling experiment has been a failure, but there’s no one on the market who is a lock to outplay him long-term in net. Carolina’s two biggest needs are much easier to address in the off-season. Expect their efforts – and top trade assets – to be put to use then, rather than during the next 24 hours.

2) A Scoring Forward 

If, and it’s a big if, the Hurricanes decide to go for it this year and make a deal that significantly increases their odds of making the playoffs, they need to improve their scoring. The team is solid on the back end and the situation in net is what it is, but up front they have many nice complementary players, but lack that one player who can transform them into a cohesive unit (hence the need for a star forward). A player who can improve the team’s ability to put the puck in the net, not specifically a shooter or play-maker but simply a player with great offensive instincts, would be of interest to Carolina. An impending free agent or a player with term could be sought out; they certainly have the cap space to afford a long-term, expensive contract if need be. With a horrid playoff drought and a new, proactive owner, it’s definitely possible that Carolina could jump into the conversation for a Mike Hoffman or Max Pacioretty, but more likely than not, they save the assets needed to acquire either one for the summer trade market.

Multiple Players Placed On Waivers

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With today being the last day to place players on waivers, many teams have placed players on waivers in hopes of adding some roster flexibility for the remainder of the season. According to Bob McKenzie, many players have been placed on waivers, including defensemen Christopher Breen and Paul Postma of the Boston Bruins, forward Jussi Jokinen of the Columbus Blue Jackets, defenseman Cody Goloubef of the Calgary Flames, forward Lance Bouma of the Chicago Blackhawks, forward Chris Stewart of the Minnesota Wild, forwards Alexandre Burrows and Jim O’Brien and defenseman Johnny Oduya of the Ottawa Senators, defenseman Mark Alt and goaltender John Muse of the Philadelphia Flyers and forward Chris Thorburn of the St. Louis Blues.

McKenzie adds that New York Rangers forward cleared waivers today.

Of teams that are still in the playoff race, the New York Islanders will likely get the first shot on many of these players if the team is looking to add more depth after trading for defenseman Brandon Davidson Saturday.

While several of these players are AHL players who aren’t seeing time, there are several veteran players who are affected by the moves. Two of the most obvious are Burrows and Oduya. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes that the team failed to find anyone interested in trading for either players, so the hope is a team might be willing to claim them without having to give anything up.

Burrows is one of those the team would like to close the book on. Acquired at the trade deadline a year ago for prized prospect Jonathan Dahlen, the team then made it worse by signing him to a two-year extension, worth $2.5MM per season. While he scored 15 goals between Vancouver and Ottawa last year, Burrows has struggled, having tallied just three goals in 51 games. Oduya was signed in the offseason and the veteran could be a solid candidate to be claimed by a team that needs some defensive depth.

Another player who is likely to be claimed is Stewart, who the Minnesota Wild placed on waivers as the team wants to make room for adding 2016 first-rounder Luke Kunin or if the team signs Boston University star Jordan Greenway. The veteran is an excellent locker room presence, has quite a bit of experience and can score as he has nine goals in 47 games this year. Jokinen who has already been on waivers this year returns to it and could be claimed if a team wants some depth to their forward line. Chicago’s Bouma is another who could be claimed as he has fallen out of the Blackhawks lineup, but provides forward depth that could be useful for a team making a playoff run. He’s played in 53 games this year, totaling three goals, six assists and +1 plus/minus ratio.

Other players like Alt and Postma are likely just heading to the AHL to join their playoff rosters. Alt has played just eight games in Philadelphia, spending most of his season in Lehigh Valley. Postma has been with the Bruins all year and might be heading to the Providence Bruins to help the team with their playoff push. He has appeared in just 12 games all season for Boston.

Both Breen, O’Brien, Muse and Goloubef each signed two-way contracts in the last 24 hours and had to be passed through waivers in order to assign them to their respective NHL teams. O’Brien signed a two-way contract today, while Goloubef signed yesterday. FlamesNation’s Ryan Pike reports that Muse signed a two-way deal today.

 

 

Deadline Primer: Colorado Avalanche

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With the trade deadline now just a few days away, we continue our closer look at the situation for each team.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Colorado Avalanche.

Well, it’s been a great run for the Colorado Avalanche this season. Really, who could have expected that the worst team in the NHL in 2016-17 would have still been competing for a playoff spot in February? The team has nothing to be disappointed in: they got a great return for Matt Duchene earlier this year, watched Nathan MacKinnon embrace his superstar role, and exceeded expectations as a group all year long. However, they were never supposed to be a playoff team this quickly and, barring a miraculous stretch run, they won’t be. Colorado has quickly fallen behind in the Western Conference playoff race in recent weeks. Since their ten-game win streak ended in January, the Avs are 5-7-2 and just barely sticking around the conversation for a playoff spot. They are sixth in the Central Division, with teams ahead of them like the Minnesota Wild and the Dallas Stars getting hot at the right time, making it difficult to see Colorado winning a divisional berth. Over in the Pacific, the resurgence of the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings, on top of the Stars, Wild and St. Louis Blues, also puts a wild card spot nearly out of reach. While it may not be the storybook ending some hoped for, it’s time for the Avalanche to cut ties with their rental players, if the right deal comes along, and move on, with eyes towards taking another step forward next year.

Record

32-23-5, sixth in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$37,680,931 in deadline cap space
44/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2018: COL 1st, COL 2nd, NSH 2nd, COL 3rd, COL 4th, COL 5th, COL 6th, COL 7th
2019: OTT 1st, COL 1st, COL 2nd, OTT 3rd, COL 3rd, COL 5th, COL 6th, COL 7th

Trade Chips

Even if GM Joe Sakic and company decided they still wanted to keep pushing for a playoff spot, their deadline plans would be more or less the same. Colorado does not have a firm enough seat in the Western playoff race to warrant buying, but there is little difference between standing pat and “selling”. The team has only a few impending unrestricted free agents and Sakic will move them if the right deal comes along. If not, he will likely be happy to keep them as the Avs’ own “rentals” and, in some case, may even have extension talks. Headlining the group of available Avs are goaltenders Jonathan Bernier and Andrew Hammond, either of which could be expendable whether Colorado is a traditional “seller” or not. Bernier, who is currently sidelined with an injury but expected back soon, has been a great value addition to the team this season, outplaying incumbent starter Semyon Varlamov and forcing a near-even split in net. Bernier, if healthy, could be an attractive addition for a team in need of a more reliable backup goalie for the postseason. He could always re-sign in Colorado even if he is dealt. Hammond, on the other hand, has not seen any NHL action this season, but could be affordable added insurance for a playoff-bound squad. Blake Comeau, a former 20-goal scorer and consistent bottom-six contributor, will likely get the most attention as the deadline draws closer. Comeau would be a nice depth addition for any number of contenders. To a much lesser extent, Gabriel Bourque and Joe Colborne could also draw some interest. Colin Wilson has been a huge disappointment in Denver, but if the team is willing to eat some of his near-$4MM salary in 2019, they could easily trade the veteran forward away less than a year after acquiring him from Nashville.

Players to Watch: RW Blake Comeau, G Jonathan Bernier, D Mark Barberio, LW Gabriel Bourque, G Andrew Hammond

Team Needs

1) Picks and prospects

Again, the success that this team has achieved is a total surprise. They are still very much in a rebuild and, like all rebuilding teams, simply need to stock up on draft picks and prospects. The team got a great return for Duchene earlier this year, including a first-round pick and player selected with a first-round pick last year, and simply want to continue to accumulate those franchise building blocks. Given the pieces they’re willing to move, the Avs won’t be getting much back outside of mid-round picks and middling prospects anyway. If the Avalanche walk away from the trade deadline with some combination of third- and fourth-round picks and a prospect scoring winger or two, it will be a major success.

Trade Deadline Notes: Lightning, Predators, Bruins

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The Tampa Bay Lightning are one of the best teams in the NHL this season and are looking to round out their roster ahead of Monday’s deadline. In fact, it has been rumored that the Bolts might be looking to do more than just add depth, as they’ve been connected to some of the bigger names on the market, such as star defensemen Erik Karlsson and Ryan McDonagh. However, in speaking to GM Steve Yzerman, the Tampa Bay Times’ Joe Smith is not so sure they’re willing to pay the price for players of that caliber at this point in time. Smith indicates that it could be a much quieter deadline for Tampa, as Yzerman is not interested in dealing any of his young roster players, such as Brayden Point and Mikhail Sergachev. “We’re trying to keep this team together with the hope of improving it”, Yzerman said, though he also added that there have been very few “fits” in his trade discussions thus far. Smith suggests that the Lightning could still get their major blue line addition without losing top young talent if they target the Detroit Red Wings’ Mike Green. However, there are few who would argue that Tampa can’t win the Cup this year without making a move and Yzerman seems willing to test that hypothesis is the market doesn’t meet his expectations over these next few days.

  • Another contender that could be somewhat reluctant to make a move are the Nashville Predators. Predators staffer Thomas Willis spoke with GM David Poile today, and the long-time executive sounded less than thrilled about the prices on his trade targets. “Every team we talk to asks for Eeli Tolvanen“, Poile told Willis. Tolvanen, the Preds’ 2017 first-rounder unexpectedly fell in the draft last year and already has teams regretting that, as he has dominated the KHL, World Juniors, and now the Winter Olympics in an epic age-18 campaign. Of course, Tolvanen is untouchable and it was recently reported that he could even join Nashville this season, so Poile is understandably upset by that unreasonable trade request. Poile also said to Willis that he would prefer not to give up the Predators’ first-round pick this year in a trade, unless he absolutely had to. After watching Tolvanen slide right into their hands at #30 last year, no one can blame Poile for being protective of his top pick again, although it could handicap his ability to make a splash at the deadline.
  • After trading Frank Vatrano to the Florida Panthers and announcing that Anders Bjork would be out long-term following shoulder surgery in a matter of hours today, it’s clear that the Boston Bruins will be on the hunt for an addition or two to their forward corps. However, they may be able to do so without even making a trade. Though there has been nothing official as of yet, there is speculation that one of the Olympics’ top scorers, Ryan Donato, could sign with the Bruins in a matter of time. The Hobey Baker candidate is likely to stay with Harvard through the end of their season, WEEI’s Ty Anderson believes, but could then join the team for the playoffs much like Charlie McAvoy did last season. Another option right in their back yard could be old friend Jarome Iginla. Iginla skated again with the Bruins’ AHL affiliate in Providence today and told The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver that the Bruins were one of his preferred destinations for one last run at the Stanley Cup. Iginla added that he’s not sure that an offer will come, but it sound like if one did, he would accept it.

Minor Transactions: 02/21/18

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After a busy night in the NHL, the league has just three games on tap for today. Instead, teams might use their time off to cement their status for the trade deadline and make inquiries around the league. All the minor moves we’ll keep track of right here. Refresh the page throughout the day to make sure you stay up to date on all the comings and goings.

Red Wings Notes: Trade Rumors, Athanasiou

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The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James writes that general manager Ken Holland is absolutely cognizant of the fact that the Red Wings are in “seller” mode. St. James quotes Holland as saying:

“I’m working the phones, I’m trying to see what the other teams in the league are thinking,” Holland said. “We are obviously not a buyer, we are not spending future assets to try to get in. We’ll see here over the next week what direction we are going, but I am aware we are eight points out and games are running out.”

The quote is nearly verbatim from last year, where Holland pulled the plug during early February and started dealing at the deadline.  Beating the Anaheim Ducks last night, in a game where the Ducks outplayed and outshot the Red Wings, isn’t anything to mistake as a game that get Detroit into a playoff spot. The issue remaining is whether or not Holland will truly begin rotating players out to stockpile as much young talent and higher draft picks that he can. Where the verbiage has changed is that on a roster that Holland usually gives the nod to a veteran, he seems to be ready to open up spots for younger players:

“I’ve talked to lots of teams over the last week and 10 days, and I’m doubling back with a number of them,” Holland said. “We’d like to get assets, open up spots for a kid or two for next season.”

Holland has been gun shy when it comes to making trades in the Cap era, and he’s still working without a contract extension. With Mike Green, Jimmy Howard, Petr Mrazek, Gustav Nyquist, and even Tomas Tatar in trade conversations, it will be interesting to see if Holland really will make the deals he seems to be hinting at.

  • Andreas Athanasiou is ready to make amends for his lackluster play that resulted in a third period benching reports the Detroit News’ Ted Kulfan. Punished for a lack of effort, Athanasiou played just one shift in yesterday’s 2-1 win during the third period. In spite of his athleticism, speed, and gamebreaker ability, Athanasiou has long been made an example by head coach Jeff Blashill when he hasn’t been at his best. Kulfan writes that consistency has been an issue for Athanasiou during his young career, but it’s an interesting take in that several players, especially higher priced ones, have been similarly inconsistent or turnover prone with the puck. Though he hasn’t scored in 11 games, Athanasiou still has more points than Darren Helm, and Justin Abdelkader, and is tied with Frans Nielsen, and Tomas Tatar, who have both played 10 more games than the 23-year-old forward. The combined cap hit for Abdelkader ($4.25MM), Nielsen ($5.25MM), Tatar ($5.3MM) and Helm ($3.85MM) is $18.65MM while Athanasiou makes a fraction of their individual salaries at $1.38MM. He’s also just a point behind Gustav Nyquist ($4.75MM), who also has ten more games to his name. Though it is fair to try and teach the young forward good habits, the larger issue in Detroit is once again giving large contracts to players who simply don’t produce the points to justify such payment.

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