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NHL Announces 2023 King Clancy Memorial Trophy Nominees

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In an announcement made Tuesday afternoon, the NHL unveiled the list of nominees for the 2023 King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The award is presented annually to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities both on and off the ice, as well as making a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to their community.

The list of nominees for this year’s award is an impressive one, featuring some of the league’s most well-respected captains, such as Boston’s Patrice Bergeron and Florida’s Aleksander Barkov.

One notable nominee is one of the youngest captains in the league – Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk. Tkachuk, in a few short years as a Senator, has already implanted himself in the community, especially in recent seasons. Working with the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, Tkachuk hosts the ’Tkachuk’s Captains’ program, which works with kids at club locations across Ottawa to help develop leadership skills.

That’s not to diminish the off-ice efforts of anyone else named on the full list of nominees, found below. While an often-overlooked award, it’s a great way to highlight some players who focus on making positive contributions to their communities.

Anaheim: Kevin Shattenkirk
Arizona: Travis Boyd
Boston: Patrice Bergeron
Buffalo: Alex Tuch
Calgary: Mikael Backlund
Carolina: Jordan Staal
Chicago: Connor Murphy
Colorado: Devon Toews
Columbus: Zach Werenski
Dallas: Jason Robertson
Detroit: Dylan Larkin
Edmonton: Darnell Nurse
Florida: Aleksander Barkov
Los Angeles: Mikey Anderson
Minnesota: Matt Dumba
Montreal: Jordan Harris
Nashville: Juuse Saros
New Jersey: Jack Hughes
NY Islanders: Anders Lee
NY Rangers: Jacob Trouba
Ottawa: Brady Tkachuk
Philadelphia: Scott Laughton
Pittsburgh: Evgeni Malkin
San Jose: Luke Kunin
Seattle: Chris Driedger
St. Louis: Brayden Schenn
Tampa Bay: Victor Hedman
Toronto: Morgan Rielly
Vancouver: Elias Pettersson
Vegas: Reilly Smith
Washington: Tom Wilson
Winnipeg: Blake Wheeler

Afternoon Notes: Bruins, Samsonov, Sprong

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Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub is reporting that Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney is hinting that the Bruins will go into a re-tool this offseason. What that will be remains to be seen but the long-time GM was quoted as saying, “roster changes are likely coming.” Sweeney continually referenced Boston’s dire salary cap situation as well as integrating younger players into the lineup. Sweeney’s words are no surprise given that Boston has less than $5MM in cap space entering the offseason and have just seven of their current forwards signed to contracts for next year. Boston will also need to work out a new contract for backup goaltender Jeremy Swayman who will be a restricted free agent this summer.

On top of needing to work out a deal with Swayman, Boston has many other key free agents who will likely need to move on given the Bruins lack of cap space. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí are both unrestricted free agents who played on low cap hits last season and hit bonus clauses that will cause Boston to carry bonus overages of $4.5MM into 2023-24. Trade deadline acquisitions Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway are also all unrestricted free agents this summer and are likely to seek employment elsewhere. Given everything going on in Boston they will have a very different looking team than the one that lost in the first round to the Florida Panthers.

In other notes from around the NHL:

NHL Insider Chris Johnston tweeted today from Toronto Maple Leafs practice that Ilya Samsonov was not at Toronto practice and that goalie coach Curtis Sanford was working with Joseph Woll and Matt Murray. The Leafs have yet to offer an update on their netminders status for game 4. Samsonov is expected to have an MRI and some additional tests prior to the team offering an update on their starter for the elimination game on Wednesday. Woll would be the likely starter for Toronto should Samsonov be unable to play. The 26-year-old Samsonov was injured in a collision with teammate Luke Schenn in game 3 and was unable to return to action.

The Seattle Kraken have announced that forward Daniel Sprong has been ruled out of game 4 against the Dallas Stars. The 26-year-old is dealing with an upper body injury and won’t dress tonight as they Kraken look to take a 3-1 stranglehold on their second round series. Sprong has just two points in 10 games in these playoffs and is currently mired in a six-game pointless streak. He played just 6:36 in Seattle’s 7-2 game 3 victory and has been largely relegated to fourth line minutes during his recent stretch of poor play.

NHL Announces Frank J. Selke Trophy Finalists

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The NHL is announcing finalists for the annual NHL Awards this week, though they will not be handed out until late June between the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency. The finalists for the Hart Trophy will not be named until Friday, May 12, but the Frank J. Selke Trophy finalists have been announced already. This award goes to the league’s best defensive forward.

To no one’s surprise, Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron was one of the finalists. This marks the 12th consecutive season that Bergeron is a finalist for the Selke Trophy, as he will go down as perhaps the best defensive forward in hockey history. He has already won the award a record five times and is looking to add to that total with a sixth win. At age 37, Bergeron still remains one of the best penalty killing forwards and faceoff guys in the entire league.

Nico Hischier is also a finalist for the award, and this is his first time as a nominee. The New Jersey Devils center really broke through offensively this season with 31 goals and 80 points, but his defensive game is just as good, if not better, than what he does in the offensive zone. He wins over 53% of his draws, blocks shots, is the Devils top penalty killing forward and limits scoring chances against.

Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs is also up for the award. Known mostly for his offensive wizardry, the Leafs continue to lean on Marner in defensive situations as well and he has risen to the occasion. Though it is rare for a winger to win the award, the Maple Leafs always limit chances against when Marner is on the ice, and he is among the best forwards in the league at taking the puck away from opponents while he has also become one of the most used penalty killers among forwards in the league.

Injury Notes: Bergeron, Carrier, Lomberg

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Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron will make his 2023 Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Game 5, according to Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com. The 37-year-old veteran center missed the first four games of the series with an undisclosed injury that was suffered in the Bruins final game of the regular season. The Bruins have held their own without an important piece of their lineup, as they have a 3-1 lead in the series and will look to eliminate the Florida Panthers and be the first team to advance to the second round.

Bergeron scored 27 goals and 58 points in 78 regular season games and is among the best defensive forwards to ever play the game. The Bruins are without center David Krejci, so having Bergeron return fills a huge hole down the middle of the lineup. After winning 65 regular season games, the Bruins are hoping to go on a long playoff run. A healthy Bergeron would go a long way in helping them in their quest for a Stanley Cup this spring.

  • Jesse Granger of The Athletic reports William Carrier is fully healthy and once again a full participant at practice for the Vegas Golden Knights. Carrier has not played since March 3 due to a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old winger scored 16 goals and 25 points in 56 regular season games for the Golden Knights, giving them scoring from a depth position in their lineup. Carrier will be an option in Game 5 as Vegas looks to eliminate the Winnipeg Jets.
  • Ryan Lomberg will not play Game 5 for the Florida Panthers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Lomberg has played an effective forechecking style using his speed and toughness to win puck battles, though he has been held pointless in the series thus far. The 28 year old had 12 goals and 20 points for the Panthers while playing every regular season game so it is unusual to see him out of the lineup. No official update was given, but Lomberg was hit hard in the face with a cross check in Game 4.

East Injury Notes: Bergeron, Krejčí, Bonino

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Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron participated in an optional morning skate today and will be a game-time decision tonight, said NBC Sports Boston’s Ty Anderson.

Bergeron, 37, hasn’t suited up in the playoffs, missing four games with an illness and upper-body injury. It hasn’t slowed the Bruins down much, though, as they’re in position to advance to the Second Round tonight with a win in Game 5. The skill and calming presence of Bergeron certainly boosts their chances.

If Bergeron does return to the lineup tonight, he’ll do so with some different linemates. After spending most of the regular season positioned between Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk on the team’s first line, Bergeron took line rushes between Tyler Bertuzzi and David Pastrňák yesterday.

More from the Eastern Conference this morning:

  • While the team may get Bergeron back tonight, they won’t have David Krejčí’s services. He’s been ruled out for Game 5, head coach Jim Montgomery said. The veteran playmaker had a strong performance in Game 1 of the series, recording an assist, but had a rough Game 2 (no points, -3 rating) and missed Games 3 and 4 with an upper-body injury. It means additional usage for his countryman, Pavel Zacha, who has four assists in four games against Florida.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t in the playoffs, but they did make a roster move yesterday. After a scary injury that kept him out for the last few weeks of the season, Nick Bonino was taken off long-term injured reserve yesterday, CapFriendly reports. After re-joining the Penguins at the trade deadline from the San Jose Sharks, the veteran suffered a lacerated kidney in his third game with the team and missed the final 18 games of the season. The 35-year-old is an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Boston Bruins Notes: Bergeron, Krejčí

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Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now is reporting that it appears as though center Patrice Bergeron will be dressing in game five for the Boston Bruins. Bergeron has been sidelined for all four of Boston’s first round games against the Florida Panthers after sustaining an injury in the regular season finale against the Montreal Canadiens.

Yesterday both head coach Jim Montgomery and general manager Don Sweeney had stated that Bergeron would likely return to practice Tuesday morning. Bergeron did in fact skate with the team today and led the stretching. After practice he said that he didn’t foresee any issues keeping him from playing in his first game of the playoffs.

Boston will have an opportunity on Wednesday to eliminate the Florida Panthers after taking both games three and four in Florida. The Bruins will return home with an opportunity to punch their ticket to a second-round matchup with either the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In other Boston Bruins notes:

  • While it appears that Bergeron will be returning, Jimmy Murphy tweeted that head coach Jim Montgomery told the media that David Krejčí will be unavailable for game five. Krejčí dressed for the first two games of the series in Boston, but then was a late scratch for game three and hasn’t dressed since. He struggled mightily in game two of the series going -3 and getting beat up in the faceoff circle. Not much is known about Krejčí’s injury and Boston has been tight lipped about it other than to offer updates on his status. NHL.com’s Eric Russo writes that Don Sweeney has said that Krejčí is slated to undergo further testing and an update could come after the team hears from the doctors.

Bruins Notes: Bergeron, Krejčí, Steen

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Conor Ryan of Boston.com tweeted out today that Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney told the media that Patrice Bergeron will skate with the Bruins tomorrow. Bergeron hasn’t dressed for Boston in these playoffs after suffering an injury in the team’s season finale against the Montreal Canadiens. Despite his absence, the team has jumped out to a 3-1 series lead over the Florida Panthers. Bergeron has taken more of an advisor role in the first four games of the series but would certainly welcome the opportunity to return to his main role of centering Boston’s first line.

In a separate interview with head coach Jim Montgomery, the first year Bruins head coach hinted that if Bergeron is cleared to play, he would dress in game 5. The Sports Hub writer Ty Anderson tweeted that the if Bergeron was ready to go, he would play and the Bruins wouldn’t prioritize rest, even with a two-game series lead.

Bergeron would bring a wealth of big game experience back into the Bruins lineup should he be cleared to play in game five. Not only that, but Boston would be getting back one of the best two-way centers in the game at a time when the team is dealing with multiple injuries to other key players.

In other Boston Bruins notes:

  • Conor Ryan also tweeted that Don Sweeney doesn’t think David Krejčí will be able to skate with the Bruins tomorrow. Sweeney added that the center was undergoing further testing, which doesn’t point to an imminent return for the 36-year-old. Krejčí is dealing with an upper body injury, although not much more is known about the ailment. He played in the first two games in this series, notching a single assist, but Krejčí struggled badly in game two of the series going -3 in 19:26 of ice time and winning just 42% of the faceoffs he took.
  • The Boston Bruins also announced that they’ve assigned Oskar Steen to Providence of the AHL. The 25-year-old Swede skated in just three games for the Bruins this season, notching a single goal. He hasn’t dressed in any of the Bruins four postseason games against the Florida Panthers. Steen looked like a possible candidate to secure a role in Boston’s bottom six this season, but with the depth in the Bruins forward rank, the numbers game appears to have pushed Steen back into the minors. Steen has been a solid but unspectacular option for Providence this season, putting up 14 goals and 31 points in 64 games.

Patrice Bergeron Unlikely To Return Until Game Five

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Boston Globe reporter Matt Porter tweeted out this morning that Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron likely won’t return until game five in their best of seven series against the Florida Panthers. This tweet comes from a quote from Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery. Bergeron also did not travel with the team to Florida and has not dressed in any of the first two games of the series.

Bergeron was hurt in the Bruins regular season finale against the Montreal Canadiens. While much has been made of the decision to dress so many regulars in a meaningless game, it was apparently something that Bergeron wanted to do in what could have been his final NHL game in his home province. Bergeron had been resting the week prior to the game in Montreal and was also hoping to ramp up for the playoffs.

The Bruins desperately need Bergeron to return, the 37-year-old dressed in 78 games this season and had 27 goals and 58 points. He was a force for the President’s Trophy winners throughout the season and his absence in the series with the Panthers has made Boston look beatable for the first time all season. Boston split the first two games of their series with Florida and now head into game three tied 1-1.

Porter also tweeted out the Bruins line rushes from practice this morning and it appears as though Charlie Coyle will be taking Bergeron’s spot on the first line. While Coyle is a capable NHLer, he is a sizable downgrade from one of the best two-way centers in the league. Coyle had 45 points in 82 games this season but spent most of the year playing lower in the lineup. In game three Coyle could be tasked with taking on Florida’s top unit.

Boston Bruins Will Have Multi-Million Dollar Cap Penalty Next Season

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The Boston Bruins’ plan of bringing back Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí for one last ride panned out unquestionably. Unfortunately for the Bruins, they’ll need to pay a steep price for their decisions next season.

PuckPedia’s Hart Levine confirms in an article for Northstar Bets that Boston will face a $4.5MM cap penalty next season, created by performance bonus overages stemming from Bergeron and Krejčí’s unique contracts.

With Bergeron and Krejčí eligible to sign particular types of contracts reserved for players 35 or older, they’re also eligible to receive performance bonuses in their contract that are not incorporated into the cap hit of the deal. It operates in the same way as an entry-level contract, where rookies can earn millions of dollars per season based on their performance despite a six-figure cap hit.

That’s exactly what they did, with Bergeron’s contract entitling him to up to $2.5MM in bonuses, while Krejčí was eligible for up to $2MM. Thanks to Boston’s record-breaking season and subsequent playoff appearance, both players hit every benchmark required to receive all of their bonuses.

Unfortunately, since Boston used long-term injured reserve to stay cap compliant, they weren’t able to accommodate Bergeron and Krejčí’s performance bonuses under the cap at the end of the regular season. It means Boston, along with 14 other NHL teams (albeit with much smaller amounts), will have a cap charge next season equivalent to the amount of performance bonuses earned that the team couldn’t fit under the cap at the end of the season.

To put it plainly: if Bergeron and Krejčí don’t return to the team next season, Boston will have a greater cap charge next season than their combined cap hits this year ($3.5MM).

The cap is, again, expected to only creep up by a $1MM increment to an $83.5MM ceiling next year. Per CapFriendly, a $4.5MM bonus overage charge leaves Boston with just $5.288MM in space heading into the offseason, with most of their forward core needing new contracts.

Morning Notes: Sabres Goaltending, Bergeron, Eyssimont

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The Buffalo Sabres had a rather unconventional system of goaltending this season. With the early-season emergence of youngster Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the team rotated three netminders for most of the season. That number became four when Devon Levi joined the team late in the year after wrapping up his collegiate career.

Buffalo’s depth chart in the crease will be thinner next season, however. 41-year-old Craig Anderson has ridden off into the sunset after a fantastic final season, leading the team with a .908 save percentage, albeit in just 24 starts. Veteran Eric Comrie, signed through next season, struggled mightily with a .886 save percentage in 19 starts. That leaves Buffalo with Levi and Luukkonen, who head coach Don Granato said today he’s comfortable with as next season’s tandem.

It’s a tall ask of two goalies under the age of 25 to help propel a franchise toward its first playoff appearance in over a decade, especially given Luukkonen’s shaky injury history throughout his development. He did show major promise in the NHL this season, however, and it doesn’t seem Buffalo is at the point yet where they’re prepared to give up on possible major future pieces in exchange for a quick fix.

More from around the league this morning:

  • While Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron skated on his own before practice this morning, he didn’t join the team’s full session, per The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa, and is expected to remain out of the lineup for Game 2 against the Florida Panthers tonight. Florida made more noise against the Bruins than most expected in the opening match, but Boston still secured a 3-1 win without their captain’s services. Bergeron is still dealing with a minor injury and illness that have sidelined him for approximately the past week.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning lost the services of two defensemen to injury last night, but also had to contend without forward Michael Eyssimont for most of the game after a hit from Toronto Maple Leafs defender Jake McCabe. Eyssimont had recorded two assists in 15 games with the Lightning since arriving from the San Jose Sharks at the trade deadline.

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