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Patrick Marleau

Evening Notes: Marleau, Stamkos, Timashov, Merzlikins

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Just a handful of months ago, veteran winger Patrick Marleau made it clear he only wanted to play for the San Jose Sharks after he was bought out of his previous contract. He did eventually sign with them, but with Marleau’s approval, the Sharks traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline in hopes he might be able to chase a Stanley Cup.

However, with just 51 games remaining before he breaks Gordie Howe’s games played record, many wonder if Marleau might opt to re-sign with the Sharks this summer. When asked, Marleau admitted that might be a possibility, according to Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka.

“Yeah, I think the door’s open maybe to come back,” said Marleau. “I definitely would like to play another season, so that would be good.”

  • Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said that the decision to allow forward Steven Stamkos to undergo muscle core surgery was a tough one, but was the result of multiple tests and discussions with Stamkos and doctors, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith. Stamkos will have the surgery on Monday and will miss six to eight weeks, meaning he is likely to miss some of the playoffs. The timing is tough, but Cooper added, “Good thing is when it gets done, it’s done, and now we never have to worry bout it again.”
  • Detroit Red Wings forward Dmytro Timashov, claimed off waivers last Monday, will make his debut with the Red Wings Saturday in Ottawa. However, the forward will not travel with the team back home, however, as the forward is still dealing with visa issues and can only play with Detroit because they are in Canada at the moment, according to NHL.com’s Dana Wakiji. “He’ll have to stay in Canada here,” head coach Jeff Blashill said. “He has to pick up his passport. So he’s hoping to get that Monday and get back for the game Monday night.”
  • The Athletic’s Alison Lukan reports that Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, who left last Monday’s game after colliding with Ottawa’s Anthony Duclair, is out with a concussion. The scribe writes that the head injury is considered to be minor, but Columbus is taking the injury cautiously. Merzlikins has a 2.53 goals against and a .922 save percentage in 32 appearances. However, with Joonas Korpisalo back in the fold, the team doesn’t have to rush Merzlikins back quickly.

Deadline Notes: Skjei, Parise, Targets

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The Florida Panthers were perhaps the most surprising team at the NHL Trade Deadline. Still competing for a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division, the Panthers nevertheless traded away a top-six forward in Vincent Trocheck and failed to acquire a defenseman, which was considered their biggest need. As it turns out, they nearly got close on a major addition. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun writes that the Panthers were in on defenseman Brady Skjei for much of the day on Monday. After moving Trocheck, the team had hoped to fill his departed salary commitment with a term defenseman and Skjei was the top target, made available by the New York Rangers’ extension of Chris Kreider earlier in the day. However, Florida did not want to take on all of Skjei’s contract, preferring to make a hockey deal instead. LeBrun notes that Michael Matheson would have been part of the return to New York. However, taking on salary was contrary to the Rangers’ plans, and so they went for the Carolina Hurricanes’ offer of a first-round pick instead. Skjei would have made a huge difference in Florida, arguably more than on a deep blue line in Carolina, but the Panthers could not get the deal done. Expect Florida to continue scouring the trade and free agent markets this off-season for a long-term upgrade on the blue line.

  • The biggest rumor that emerged on deadline day was a possible trade of Minnesota Wild star Zach Parise to the New York Islanders. Few expected that Parise, who at 35 years old still has five years left on his contract at over $7.5MM AAV, could be a potential trade candidate. Yet, both Parise and the Islanders’ Andrew Ladd had waived their respective trade protections and were merely awaiting the finalization of the deal. That of course never occurred, as Minnesota GM Bill Guerin stated that the deal was very complex and simply did not come together in time. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the two teams have actually been discussing the deal for some time, but concerns over balancing salary and potential cap recapture penalties should Parise retire before his contract expires halted the deal, at least for now. Guerin stated that the two sides could revisit a possible trade in the off-season, but meanwhile Parise is back to work for the Wild. Twincities.com’s Dane Mizutani writes that Parise was relatively tight-lipped about the situation and understands that trades, actual or theoretical, are part of the business. He reaffirmed that he enjoys playing in Minnesota and in no way requested a trade; he was simply willing to waive his No-Movement Clause if the Wild felt that moving him was the best decision. It will remain an interesting topic through the remainder of the season and into the off-season how well Parise and the Wild play in light of this near-blockbuster and whether the trade finally does come to fruition.
  • Friedman writes that a number of players traded before the deadline nearly went elsewhere, while some players who stayed put were heavily pursued. Perhaps the most notable move could have been Robin Lehner to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Cane’s were anything but quiet at the deadline, acquiring Trocheck, Skjei, and Sami Vatanen, but failed to address goaltending, arguably their biggest need in light of recent injuries. Carolina has long been linked to Lehner dating back to the 2018 off-season (and could look at him as a free agent again this summer) but balked at the Chicago Blackhawks asking price for a rental. Two other teams that revisited players who they had previously pursued were the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers. Both team made notable additions as they fight for a Western Conference playoff spot, but allegedly could have done more. Friedman notes that Calgary was in on veteran winger Wayne Simmonds for the second deadline in a row, but likely could not make the salary work, whereas Edmonton kicked the tires of Patrick Marleau after courting him as a free agent this summer. Finally, two players that received considerable interest per Friedman but did not move were Detroit Red Wings forward Luke Glendening and Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton. Detroit has little to play for this season, but have always highly valued Glendening, who has another year left on his contract. A league source told Friedman that the asking price was simply too high. As for Laughton, the Flyers made only minor moves at the deadline and could not also trade away a key bottom-six piece with term remaining on his contract. It sound as though considerable interest did not sway the team into even considering offers for Laughton.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Vegas’ Pick, Marleau, Sheahan, Archibald

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The NHL announced its Three Stars for last week with Colorado Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz getting the top honors. Francouz, filling in for the injured Philipp Grubauer went 3-0-1 for the week, posting a 1.46 GAA and a .941 save percentage along with a 1-0 shutout over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. Francouz is in his first full season with the Avalanche and had done an exceptional job as their emergency starter where he ranks fifth in the league with a 2.27 GAA and tied for fourth in the league with a .927 save percentage.

Mika Zibanejad of the New York Rangers received the second star, scoring three goals and five assists over three games for the Rangers. He helped lead New York to three victories as the rebuilding franchise suddenly is within four points of a playoff spot. Calgary Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane takes the third star honors with five goals and six points in three games, which includes his first-career hat trick against Anaheim on Feb. 17.

  • The Vegas Golden Knights have been quiet so far on Monday, but the team still managed to pick up a fifth-round pick in 2021 from the Carolina Hurricanes, a condition of the Erik Haula deal this offseason, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. Haula was traded earlier today to Florida as part of a package for Vincent Trocheck, which enacted a condition in the Golden Knights trade which stated that the Hurricanes would send a fifth-round pick to Vegas if Haula was traded to another team for a player.
  • The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz adds that even though the San Jose Sharks have traded away veteran forward Patrick Marleau to Pittsburgh earlier today, the veteran is expected to be welcome back next year to San Jose if he is interested. The 40-year-old is just 53 games away from breaking Gordie Howe’s all-time games played mark. A reunion would allow him to do it in a Sharks sweater next season.
  • The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman reports that the Edmonton Oilers are currently working on getting extensions worked out for forwards Riley Sheahan and Josh Archibald, both who will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. Both players are key players on the team’s penalty kill with Sheahan logging the second-most minutes on the PK, while Archibald is fourth. Both players have fared well after singing one-year pacts this summer. Sheahan has seven goals and 14 points in 57 games, while Archibald has with 10 goals and 17 points in 53 games.

Patrick Marleau Traded To Pittsburgh

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After spending the first 19 seasons of his NHL career with one organization, Patrick Marleau will now join his fourth in the past calendar year. The San Jose Sharks legend will be traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a third-round selection according to Pierre LeBrun on TSN, pending a trade call with the league. LeBrun adds on Twitter that the pick can become a second-round selection should the Penguins win the Stanley Cup.

Marleau, 40, was traded last summer from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Carolina Hurricanes, only to be bought out and become an unrestricted free agent. After it looked like he might have a hard time finding work, his old team in San Jose ended up signing Marleau for one more go-round. In 58 games with the Sharks the veteran forward has ten goals and 20 points, but will bring his near 2000 NHL games played to the Penguins for one more shot at the Stanley Cup.

While he likely won’t be playing 20 minutes a night like he did earlier in his career, Marleau still has enough game left that he can give the Penguins’ bottom-six a different look. The team already added Jason Zucker to the group to skate next to Sidney Crosby, but still had some questions at the bottom of the lineup given their injuries.

Marleau never has lifted the silver chalice over his head, despite playing 191 playoff games in a long career. The iron man hasn’t missed a game due to injury in a decade.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Penguins Interested In Patrick Marleau

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Recently, Penguins GM Jim Rutherford indicated that he’d like to add one more forward to add to their depth up front.  One of the options they’re considering appears to be Sharks winger Patrick Marleau as Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that they’ve shown interest in the 40-year-old.

Marleau started the season as an unsigned free agent after being bought out by Carolina but eventually signed a two-way contract worth the league minimum with San Jose, the team he spent the first 19 years of his career with.  While he isn’t the point per game player that he was in his prime, he still has chipped in with 10 goals and 10 assists through 58 games while logging over 15 minutes per night.

In Pittsburgh, Marleau would likely play a lesser supporting role but given the number of injuries to key players they’ve had this season, the fact that he could move up if the injury bug strikes again would certainly have to be enticing to Rutherford and at $700K, it wouldn’t make much of a dent in their remaining cap space.

While Marleau doesn’t have any trade protection in his deal, LeBrun suggests that Marleau will have the ability to approve any potential deal.

Trade Rumors: Hall, Wild, Rangers, Hurricanes

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After spending the first few months of the season obsessing over him, few want to see Taylor Hall’s name back in the rumor mill. Fortunately, that doesn’t appear to be likely. Even though the Arizona Coyotes have failed to improve since acquiring the star forward from the New Jersey Devils in December and are far from a lock for the playoffs this season, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun confirmed on tonight’s segment of “Insider Trading” that the Coyotes have no intention of flipping Hall before the deadline. Although holding on to the high-profile impending free agent is a risk, the team remains intent on re-signing Hall, with the full backing of new owner Alex Meruello. In fact, LeBrun reports that Meruello, GM John Chayka, and Hall’s agent, Darren Ferris, all recently met and are on the same page that Hall will not be dealt this season and that extension talks will begin once the Coyotes’ season has come to an end, whenever that is. LeBrun believes that Arizona’s ability and willingness to offer Hall and eight-year term on his next contract could tip the scales toward the former Hart Trophy winner staying in the desert.

  • TSN colleague Darren Dreger reports that even after trading away long-time forward Jason Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins yesterday, new Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin may not be done dealing. Dreger states that the team is still listening to offers for young defenseman Matt Dumba, who has popped up in rumors over the last few weeks, as well as fellow rearguard Jonas Brodin. With that said, a trade of either skilled defender seems more likely to occur in the off-season, as Dreger believes the asking price for both would be a top-line center or a second-line center plus a pick or prospect. No contender will be in position to make a deal of that magnitude ahead of the trade deadline, but suitors could circle back this summer, perhaps even before free agency opens and the Wild have to make a decision on captain Mikko Koivu.
  • Another deal that could take place this summer is a resolution in the crowded net of the New York Rangers. Alexandar Georgiev was the name suggested by many as being available for trade, but TSN’s Bob McKenzie does not see a deal happening this season. He reports that the Rangers continue to listen on Georgiev but are not actively shopping him and head coach David Quinn is content to carry three goalies and ride the hot hand. However, the best keeper of late has been Igor Shesterkin, not future Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist. McKenzie wonders if Lundqvist will be content in New York moving forward if he is playing more of a backup role to Shesterkin or if he could ask for a trade this summer or perhaps even at the deadline.
  • The insiders wrapped up with LeBrun relaying word from sources around the league that the Carolina Hurricanes are openly offering a first-round pick in exchange for a top-four defenseman with term. The Hurricanes are owners of two top picks, their own and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ from the Patrick Marleau trade, and GM Don Waddell clearly feels that he could part with one of the two if it means landing long-term help. Even after trading Justin Faulk before the season, the Hurricanes are still considered one of the deeper blue line units in the NHL. Yet, they have been on the hunt for a Faulk replacement much of the year and that search was amplified by the injury to Dougie Hamilton. In that vein, LeBrun adds that the team has had talks on rentals Sami Vatanen of the Devils and Brenden Dillon of the Sharks as a short-term fix with Hamilton out, but owner Tom Dundon has encouraged Waddell to avoid rentals and target term if he is going to trade a first-rounder.

Snapshots: Dubois, Jets, Sharks

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The Columbus Blue Jackets won’t be announcing a contract extension for Pierre-Luc Dubois anytime soon, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. Portzline tweets that the two sides were willing to talk during the season, but will “probably” move those negotiations to the summer.

Dubois and the Blue Jackets have bigger fish to fry at the moment as they try to shock every preseason prognosticator by making the playoffs. The team has overcome a ton this season to remain in the Metropolitan Division race and Dubois’ development into a true star has been one of the biggest reasons why. Still just 21, the third-overall pick from 2016 has 17 goals and 42 points in 53 games this season and looks every part the franchise centerman that Jarmo Kekalainen saw in the draft. He will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, coming off his entry-level deal.

  • Though most of the talk coming out of the Winnipeg Jets’ dressing room today revolved around Dustin Byfuglien and his impending departure from the organization, the team also announced some pertinent injury news. Nathan Beaulieu has been activated from injured reserve, while Mathieu Perreault takes his place. Perreault is expected to be out for at least two weeks after being hit by Karson Kuhlman last week.
  • While Kevin Kurz of The Athletic writes today (subscription required) that San Jose Sharks defenseman Brendan Dillon “will almost certainly” be dealt before the trade deadline later this month, it is the more veteran subjects of his latest article that will raise some eyebrows. Kurz examines potential landing spots for franchise icons Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, if either of the two decide they want to get another shot at the Stanley Cup this spring. That’s not going to happen in San Jose, with the Sharks compiling a 22-27-4 record through their first 53 games and sitting 13th in the Western Conference.

Trade Deadline Primer: San Jose Sharks

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With the trade deadline now less than a month away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  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 San Jose Sharks.

It couldn’t have been a worse season for the Sharks, who were expecting to be near the top of the Pacific Division, only to find themselves looking old and depthless and sitting near the bottom. The team tried to fix things by firing coach Peter DeBoer, who one month later took a job with the rival Vegas Golden Knights. To make matters worse, the team has lost two of its best forwards to injury, including captain Logan Couture and all-star Tomas Hertl. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Sharks also don’t have their first-round pick, which they sent to Ottawa to acquire Erik Karlsson. Tough year.

Record

22-26-4, sixth in the Pacific Division.

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$2.97MM in a full-season cap hit (using LTIR), 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 49/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: SJ 2nd, PHI 3rd, OTT 5th, SJ 5th, PIT 7th, WAS 7th
2021: SJ 1st, SJ 3rd, SJ 4th, SJ 5th, SJ 6th, SJ 7th

Trade Chips

Perhaps the biggest trade chip for San Jose will be defenseman Brenden Dillon. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound blueliner is in the final year of his contract and is expected to hit unrestricted free agency and could demand a significant raise to his $3.27MM cap hit he currently has and is in high demand of teams needing defensive help. Dillon may not provide significant offense, but his physical nature is a plus for teams looking for a top-four d-man. While he has 13 points this season, Dillon also has 58 blocks and more importantly, has 159 hits, which could develop into a career high. Quite a few teams are likely to express interest from them including rival Vegas, where DeBoer might want Dillon to come back and play for him.

The team also has a couple of veteran leaders who could possibly be dealt. Both Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau could be the perfect trade candidates for playoff teams, looking to bring in bottom-six talent at a low price. The 40-year-old Thornton ($2MM AAV) has just two goals this season and is showing his age, but his leadership could be invaluable for the right team. While he does have a no-movement clause, he didn’t reject the idea when asked if he’d be willing to waive that, suggesting he might if the right team comes calling. Marleau might even be the better bargain at the league minimum ($700K) without a no-trade clause. He has 10 goals in 48 games so far.

Five Players To Watch For: G Aaron Dell, D Brenden Dillon, F Melker Karlsson, F Patrick Marleau, F Joe Thornton

Team Needs

1) A First-Round Pick: It’s bad enough that the Sharks could end up giving a top lottery pick (in a good draft) to the Ottawa Senators. However, the team has moved quite a few of their draft picks and are rumored to be on the lookout for a first-round pick to replace the one they traded away. Whether that type of return is possible for what the team is looking to move seems unlikely, however.

2) Young talent: The Sharks hope is to retool quickly with a potential return to the playoffs as quickly as next year, considering the team has six players locked up to expensive long-term contracts for the next four years after this year and that doesn’t include Timo Meier or a new contract for Kevin Labanc. The team seems to lack young players in their prospect pool and even fewer who are ready to step into the lineup, so bringing in some talent that might be able to contribute immediately might be exactly what the team is looking for.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Rumors: Georgiev, Sharks, Canadiens

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On Sportsnet’s “Saturday Headlines” segment last night, Elliotte Friedman made it very clear that trade talks are heating up and teams have begun issuing league-wide statements on where they stand ahead of next month’s trade deadline. The top story belongs to the New York Rangers, who have informed their competitors that they are willing to listen to offers for young goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. The team’s stance has changed in just a matter of days since recalling top goalie prospect Igor Shesterkin from the AHL, who proceeded to win his first two starts, including a 46-save performance on Thursday. Shesterkin, though an older prospect at 24, was actually an established superstar in the KHL before coming over this season and looks like the heir apparent to Henrik Lundqvist. Georgiev, still only 23, has performed well in three seasons with the Rangers, but doesn’t project to be the type of player that Shesterkin is, making him expendable. Both Lundqvist and Shesterkin are under contract through next season and the team cannot continuing carrying three goalies that whole time. Additionally, the Rangers have Adam Huska playing well in the AHL in his first pro season, Tyler Wall dominating the NCAA in his senior year at UMass Lowell, and 2018 second-round pick Olof Lindbom waiting in the wings in Sweden. It’s an embarrassment of riches in net for the Rangers’ organization and Georgiev looks like the odd man out.

With that said, New York will not give him away. Friedman reports that the asking price for Georgiev is a young roster forward or a pro-ready forward prospect. The Rangers are looking to add young building blocks up front and feel they can land one young asset by trading away another. Friedman stressed that the Rangers are just listening right now and will wait for a deal to their liking before moving Georgiev. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, and San Jose Sharks are the teams rumored to be most interested in Georgiev, but are they willing to pay the asking price?

  • When it comes to the Sharks, the answer may be no. Friedman reports that the Sharks have let it be known that they are not willing to move any core pieces this season. Friedman cites the 2014-15 campaign, when San Jose last missed the playoffs, as management resisted a tear-down in that year as well and ended up going to the Stanley Cup Final the next season. The Sharks have many good pieces in place and believe they can be contenders again in 2020-21, so they will only entertain trade offers for impending free agents this season. Defenseman Brenden Dillon is a name that is very much in the rumor mill, while fellow blue liners Tim Heed and Radim Simek and forward Melker Karlsson will also be for sale. It remains to be seen whether the Sharks would be willing to move future Hall of Famers Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau or backup goalie Aaron Dell. Moving forward, the Sharks will have to address their issues in net, so perhaps the one exception to their rule about only moving rentals this season could be a deal a top prospect for a new goalie, but they could wait until the off-season to make a move.
  • Fans of the Montreal Canadiens don’t want their team to wait any longer to make a trade. The Habs are 2-7-1 in their past ten games and currently in 13th in the Eastern Conference, seven points back of a playoff spot with more games played than all but one of the teams ahead of them in the wild card chase. It seems like all hope is lost for this season, but Friedman reports that the team won’t be making a move any time soon. GM Marc Bergevin is being careful with his next steps, especially when his job could be on the line. He has told potential trade partners that he will wait until after the team’s pre-All-Star break meetings to make a move. Meanwhile, the Canadiens are about to play four games in six nights, during which suitors can see more from potential trade chips, but with those players exposed to the risk of potential injury as well. Montreal will have their “bye week” leading up All-Star weekend, giving Bergevin and company plenty of time to discuss their options, but there is no telling how the trade market could change in the meantime. Eventually, the team will make a decision on their direction in the coming weeks, but there is no expectation as to what that might be. Some have speculated that they could play it safe, opting to deal expiring contracts like grinders Nate Thompson, Dale Weise, and Matthew Peca and recent additions Ilya Kovalchuk and Marco Scandella. Others believe that the team is eyeing a complete rebuild and could move Tomas Tatar, Jonathan Drouin, or Jeff Petry or even ask Carey Price and Shea Weber if they would like to move on. Only time will tell, but that time will come a little bit later than some have hoped.

Snapshots: Williams, Marleau, Miller

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Free agent winger Justin Williams has resumed skating, reports TSN’s Frank Seravalli.  The 38-year-old announced last month that he was ‘stepping away’ from the game as he wasn’t quite ready to decide on his playing future at the time.  While this certainly doesn’t mean he’s coming back, it at least suggests that he’s open to the possibility.  Williams is believed to have spurned overtures from several teams over the summer and the belief at this time is that if he does return, it would only be with Carolina.  While the Hurricanes don’t have enough cap room to pay anywhere near the $4.5MM AAV he had on his last contract, they would be able to structure it with achievable performance bonuses that could be applied on their cap next season when the buyout of Patrick Marleau is off the books.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Speaking of Marleau, Toronto head coach Mike Babcock suggested to reporters, including Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News (Twitter link) that the 40-year-old’s goal is to break the all-time NHL record in games played. That mark is currently held by the late Gordie Howe, who suited up in 1,767 regular season NHL contests.  Marleau enters play tonight 104 games shy of matching that mark so if he does intend to break that record, he’ll have to stick around for another season after this one.  Considering it took him until into the season to land a contract, that’s not a guarantee to happen though Marleau is off to a strong start with six points in as many games.
  • The Rangers will decide at the end of the season whether or not they want to turn defense prospect K’Andre Miller pro or leave him in college, notes ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. The 22nd pick in 2018 had a very strong freshman campaign with Wisconsin and is off to a good start in his sophomore year as well which could potentially put him in the mix for a spot in the New York lineup down the stretch if the team decides that Miller foregoing his final two years of college eligibility is best for his development.

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