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Western Conference Snapshots: DeBoer, Canucks, Spezza

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Player development is instrumental to a team’s success in today’s NHL. The salary cap forces teams to waive goodbye to key veterans every year and integrating young players on ELC’s is the most effective way to replace the talent lost. Having a coaching staff that can mold young talent into quality NHL players simplifies that process and speeds up the player’s development. Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area writes that Sharks bench boss Pete DeBoer has done an exemplary job of doing just that in San Jose, despite a reputation from his previous job that suggested otherwise.

One of the reasons DeBoer was fired in New Jersey was his apparent unwillingness to utilize the team’s younger players. However, as Kurz points out, Stefan Matteau, Mattias Tedenby and Eric Gelinas, prospects DeBoer was criticized for not developing while with the Devils, have managed little in the way of NHL success since the coach was let go by New Jersey. On the flip side, the way DeBoer has handled players like Tomas Hertl, Dylan DeMelo and Kevin Lebanc has demonstrated he knows which buttons to push and when to push them in order to further a prospect’s development. And as Kurz notes, when DeBoer recognizes a player is simply not ready for big league action, he has no problem shipping that player back to the minors even if the decision doesn’t sit well with fans.

Elsewhere in the Western Conference:

  • In a highly entertaining piece for The Province, Jason Botchford touches on a number of Canuck-related topics. Chief among them is his assertion that veteran defenseman Alex Edler would be a valuable addition to any contending team’s blue line. It’s an interesting notion as Edler certainly would add loads of experience and is still an effective second-pair defender at this stage of his career. He has been a top-pair blue liner for Vancouver this season, averaging better than 24 minutes a contest while registering 10 points in 39 games, but would certainly be better off with less ice time on a playoff contender. Teams may also be hesitant to absorb the remaining two years on his deal, which come with an AAV of $5MM each. Edler also owns a NTC as part of his contract but might be willing to waive that for the right situation. It’s not inconceivable that a contender desperate for a boost on the back end would give the Canucks a call to see what it would take to pry the veteran Swede away from Vancouver.
  • The Dallas Stars announced this afternoon that they have placed veteran center Jason Spezza on IR retroactive to February 2nd. The team has been ravaged by injuries to key contributors all season and Spezza is just the latest example of the Stars bad luck with health. Spezza has just eight goals on the season but is fifth on the team in points with 31. He will be eligible to be activated off of IR tomorrow. Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News adds that the move might be procedural to allow the team to recall a player from the minors, either to practice with the club or for tomorrow’s game. The team was at the 23-man roster limit but now have an open spot should they decide to take that course of action.

Deadline Primer: St. Louis Blues

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With the trade deadline now just weeks away, we’re going to start taking a closer look at each team.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?

After earning a berth in the 2015-16 Western Conference Final, the St. Louis Blues were again expected to be among the top teams in the conference and to perhaps make it as far as the Stanley Cup Final. Unfortunately the Blues have underachieved on the season, ultimatley leading management to dismiss veteran bench boss Ken Hitchcock. More changes could be on the horizon as the team currently finds itself fighting for their playoff lives.

Record

27-22-5, 54 points, fourth in Central Division

Deadline Status

Buyer and perhaps seller

Draft Picks

2017: STL 1st, STL 2nd, STL 4th, BUF 5th, STL 6th, STL 7th

2018: STL 1st, STL 2nd, STL 3rd, CGY 3rd*, STL 4th, STL 5th, STL 6th, STL 7th

*Pick is conditional on whether Brian Elliot re-signs with Calgary

Trade Chips

It would be understandable if Blues GM Doug Armstrong doesn’t view this year’s edition of the team as a viable Stanley Cup contender and was therefore reluctant to part with either prospect or draft pick capital for rental players at the deadline. St. Louis boasts a shallow prospect pool after years of earning draft selections outside of the top-10. The team does possess their own first and second-round picks in each of the next two seasons and perhaps in the right deal they would be willing to include those assets but it would have to be a trade the brought back a young, controllable top-six forward.

Kevin Shattenkirk might represent both the team’s most valuable asset as well as the one most likely to be dealt. Stung by losing veterans David Backes and Troy Brouwer for nothing as free agents last summer, Armstrong might be motivated to cash in the puck-moving defenseman in order to avoid a similar fate in July. As a skilled, right-shot defenseman, Shattenkirk is a tremendously valuable commodity on the open market, especially if he agrees to an extension with an interested club prior to the deal being made, and could return multiple pieces to improve the team moving forward.

Team Needs

  1. A Starting Goaltender – The Blues took a risk in the offseason by splitting up the effective netminding duo of Brian Elliot and Jake Allen, moving the former to Calgary at the draft in exchange for picks. Allen was viewed as the goalie of the future but has struggled to stop the puck with any consistency this season. His backup, Carter Hutton, simply isn’t a starting-caliber backstop in this league. If the Blues decide to go for it this year, it would behoove them to look at the starting goalie market where one of Marc-Andre Fleury or Ben Bishop would easily solve their need.
  2. A Top-Line Center – Paul Stastny is a nice, #2 pivot but he’s miscast in St. Louis as their top option due to the absence of any other competent scoring line options. Patrik Berglund (20 points in 54 games) and Jori Lehtera (16 points in 49 games) simply haven’t gotten the job done. The team chose to let Backes go in free agency and it’s looking more and more like a mistake that they didn’t either bite the bullet and re-sign him or replace him in the offseason. If the Blues could find a top-line center under long-term control, they’d have to take a look at it.

 

Latest From Insider Trading: Coaches, Jets, Canucks

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The all-star reporter panel at TSN comprised of Darren Dreger, Bob McKenzie and Pierre LeBrun took to the air again today with their latest segment of Insider Trading. They touched on both Claude Julien and Ken Hitchcock, two of the big coaching names that have been fired recently, saying both will likely wait until the summer to take another job. McKenzie said that Hitchcock would consider a move to a long-term situation if he finds a fit, but wouldn’t “come out of the bullpen” so to speak.

It will be interesting to see what this means for the Vegas club, which now has a very established list of coaches to try to bring in if they choose to go that way. It’s been said before that Vegas likely wants a big presence for their first coach to try and make a splash in the market, and it’s not clear if Julien, Hitchcock or even Gerard Gallant would fit that mold.

  • LeBrun insisted again that the Chicago Blackhawks sound like they’ll be very quiet at the deadline this year because of their cap issues. As much as Stan Bowman keeps saying that the Hawks won’t make another bold move at the deadline, it’s hard to believe that they won’t try to make at least a slight upgrade for another run. They still need help on the wing and remember that they do have three extra (albeit late round) draft picks for this season in hand.
  • The Vancouver Canucks are falling out of the picture after a successful middle stretch of the season, and will now start to field questions for their top players. McKenzie relates that even though GM Jim Benning said prior to the season that he would not ask any players to waive their no-trade clauses, he now admits that he would got to them with options if teams were calling on them. Goaltender Ryan Miller and forward Alex Burrows were mentioned specifically, but remember that Alex Edler and Brandon Sutter also have NTCs and would bring back solid returns in trade should the Canucks decide to completely tear it down.
  • After the Jets got some terrible news on the defensive front with Tyler Myers undergoing another surgery, Dreger says they’ll be hard pressed to find a replacement. GM Kevin Cheveldayoff had already been looking around for some depth on the blueline, and now has even more problems to try and fix. It will be interesting to see where the Jets are in another two weeks and whether they need to add to try and make a deep playoff push or sell off some expiring assets.
  • LeBrun does also mention the past reports that the Ottawa Senators kicked the tires on both Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog, but says that it didn’t get very far. Ottawa isn’t willing to part with the kind of package that the Avalanche are currently asking for, though would be open to negotiation should it fall. Both Avalanche forwards seem like tough bets to move in-season, but if the team is committed to shaking up the core, Ottawa could come back to the table in the summer.

Bryan Bickell Nearing Return For Carolina

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Carolina Hurricanes winger Bryan Bickell, out since late October with what was later revealed to be Multiple Sclerosis, plans to be ready to return following the team’s bye week, according to Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. The ’Canes begin a five-game homestand on February 17th and barring a setback, Bickell could be in the lineup for Carolina when they host the Colorado Avalanche.

As Gulitti writes, Bickell has made tremendous progress since starting treatments of Tysarbi, a drug given monthly to “limit the debilitating effects of MS.” He began taking the medication in December and has been skating since early January.

“I feel good,” Bickell said after a conditioning skate at Verizon Center, where the Hurricanes face the Washington Capitals on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET: CSN-DC, FS-CR, NHL.TV). “I obviously don’t feel good right now, I just got skated pretty hard, but it’s going to help me down the long run. I think we’re getting there and getting close to getting back in the rotation. We’re shooting for probably after the bye week and then kind of day by day from there.”

Of course just because Bickell may be cleared for action doesn’t mean the Hurricanes will insert the veteran winger into the lineup. As the player himself notes, much of the decision will have to do with how other players are performing.

“It all depends too on what other guys are doing if they’re going on a huge streak,” Bickell said. “I like to see them win. If they need me, I’m sure an extra week of me skating is not going to hurt me. We’re just going to wait until after the next treatment and after the bye week and go from there.”

It’s also possible the team will seek to send Bickell down to Charlotte of the AHL on a conditioning assignment to help prepare him to return to the lineup.

Bickell was acquired last summer in a trade with Chicago that also brought winger Teuvo Teravainen to Raleigh in exchange for draft picks. The Blackhawks were forced to part with the talented, young Teravainen as a means to extricate themselves from the final year of Bickell’s $4MM cap charge.

With 58 points, the Hurricanes are currently on the outside looking in at a playoff berth but are just four points behind Philadelphia for the second wild card spot and have three games in hand on the Flyers. Carolina will likely hold onto their prospects but if the right opportunity arises, they could find themselves buying at the deadline. However, if Bickell returns and is effective, it reduces the team’s need to add.

Man On Wire: Checking In On The Waiver Claims

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In the new NHL where trades between cap-strapped clubs are so difficult, many teams look to the waiver wire to make small but potentially valuable additions to their club. That bottom pairing defenseman or fourth line center you just can’t seem to find may be available when another team has a roster crunch due to injury or poor play.

Since October 8th when teams made their final cuts before the season opener, there have been 26 players claimed on waivers. Many of these are duplicates as teams claim, then waive a player hoping to slip him through and down into the minors. Here we’ll check in on how they’ve done with their new clubs.

Martin Frk:
CAR from DET – 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A (returned to Detroit and sent to minors)

Mike Condon:
PIT from MTL –  1 GP, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 SV% (traded to Ottawa for a 5th round pick)

Seth Griffith:
TOR from BOS – 3 GP, 0 G, 0 A
FLA from TOR – 21 GP, 0 G, 5 A (returned to Toronto and sent to minors)

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Injury Updates: Malkin, Savard, Jets

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Evgeni Malkin has been out of the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup since January 24th, when he suffered a knee injury just before the All-Star break. He would miss the festivities (and the Top-100 list) and every game since, but he’s getting closer to a return. Bill West of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that he was back at practice today though he still is not taking any contact. Without Malkin, the Penguins have gone 3-1 but would welcome back one of the top players in the NHL.

There is no timetable still for Malkin’s return, but he took “a step forward” according to head coach Mike Sullivan. He will definitely not play on Tuesday when the Penguins welcome the Calgary Flames to town, but a return Thursday in Colorado hasn’t been ruled out.

PHR Originals: 01/30/2017 – 02/05/2017

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As we get closer to the NHL trade deadline, PHR has been pumping out the original pieces. Here is a look at the past week:

Robby Fabbri Out For Entire Season With ACL Injury

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After reporting that Robby Fabbri left last night’s game with an apparent leg injury, the St. Louis Blues have announced today that he will miss the rest of the season with an injured ACL in his left knee. The team has recalled Magnus Paajarvi and Kenny Agostino from the Chicago Wolves in a corresponding move.

Fabbri took a check from the Penguins’ Carter Rowney in the first period, slamming into the boards just in front of the Blues’ bench. He needed assistance to get off the ice and was in obvious pain, as he was heard yelling on the broadcast.

As we wrote yesterday, losing Fabbri is a big hit for St. Louis, who were trying to turn around their early season struggles. They would lose 4-1 to the Penguins last night, unable to build on their big win against the Maple Leafs on Thursday. For a team sitting at 55 points and just barely out of a playoff spot, losing a top forward can completely change the complexion of a season.

Already expected to deal expiring contracts in Kevin Shattenkirk and Patrik Berglund, it will be interesting to see how another injury like this one will affect the way the team views the trade deadline. Other players like David Perron, Paul Stastny or even Alex Steen would be attractive pieces to many teams if the Blues could make the salaries work (which will be difficult, as all three come with significant cap-hits).

The Blues were expected to be a contender for the Stanley Cup once again but are having a nightmarish season. Between Jake Allen’s struggles, nagging injuries, the Ken Hitchcock circus and now the end to Fabbri’s year, the team may want to put this year in their rear-view mirror.

Peter Budaj And The Comeback Kids

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Peter Budaj was done. Finished. Washed-up. On his way out. Lost at sea.

Then, suddenly he wasn’t.

When Jonathan Quick and Jeff Zatkoff both sustained injuries within the first two weeks of the season, many believed the Kings would panic and overpay for a replacement netminder. Ben Bishop, Jimmy Howard, Marc-Andre Fleury were all names that were expected to be linked to the west-coast royalty, but nothing materialized. The team immediately said that they weren’t going to overpay for a goaltender when they weren’t sure how long Quick would be out, and believed their team was good enough to hold down a playoff spot until his return. What they didn’t expect, was that they would get all-star level goaltending from a guy who had never given it before, and who was rapidly approaching the back half of his thirties.

Peter Budaj made his first start for the Los Angels Kings this season on October 20th, and allowed three goals on 20 shots. Here we go, thought Kings’ fans who expected an .850 save percentage was about all they would get from a 34-year old journeyman. After all, Budaj had played in just one NHL game the last two seasons, and had a career .903 save percentage. Their season was lost unless they went out and got another goaltender, but how could they afford it?

And then, magic. Budaj would find another gear and lead the Kings to a 24-14-3 record while recording a .923 save percentage. His seven shutouts lead the league (ahead of some household names in Braden Holtby, Devan Dubnyk and Tuukka Rask) and he’s recorded a goals against average 0.7 less than his career average. In short, he’s been great.

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Atlantic Notes: Lightning Woes, Maple Leafs, Viola

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The Tampa Bay are in unfamiliar territory writes the Tampa Times’ Joe Smith. Sitting in the basement of the Eastern Conference, the Lightning have lost six of their last seven games and are sorting out exactly what is wrong. Veteran Brian Boyle says that it’s driving everyone “crazy” on the team, while Smith writes that the Bolts are playing like a team without confidence. Keep in mind, this is the 2014-15 Stanley Cup runner up and a squad that came within a game of returning to the Stanley Cup Final last season. Lauded for his ability to keep the roster together, Smith adds that general manager Steve Yzerman will not make a panic trade to turn the team’s fortunes. But Smith believes a change is necessary somewhere.

  • Mike Babcock only wants to look ahead, and not dwell on the Maple Leafs’ recent struggles writes The Toronto Sun’s Terry Koshan. The Leafs slipped out of the playoff hunt by three points in both the division and the Wild Card race, but Babcock believes it’s a moment of accountability for each of the players. Koshan writes that Auston Matthews has just one point in his last seven games, while Frederik Andersen’s struggles haven’t helped the team’s fortunes at all. After posting back-to-back shutouts last week, Andersen gave up three against Dallas and five in St. Louis. Andersen “owns” his struggles, Koshan reports, and the veteran netminder knows he has to be better–along with the rest of the team.
  • Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola has declined President Donald Trump’s offer to be secretary of the Army reports the Sun-Sentinel’s Harvey Fialkov. In a statement, Viola said the following:

“I am deeply honored to have been considered for this post, and appreciate the confidence President Trump showed in me,” Viola said in the statement. “I offer my continued support for President Trump and his administration, and look forward to re-doubling my efforts to support the Army and its veterans as a private citizen.”

Fialkov adds that Viola was struggling to separate himself from his business affiliations. Minority owner Doug Cifu would have taken over had Viola chosen to accept the post.

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