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Red Wings Notes: Abdelkader, Sheahan, Green

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WDIV’s Dave Bartkowiak lists five Red Wings who need to dramatically improve this season in order for Detroit to return to the playoffs. Justin Abdelkader, Danny DeKeyser, Dylan Larkin, Gustav Nyquist, and Riley Sheahan are the players he points to as needing to raise their games in 2017-18. Of the four forwards, Bartkowiak is insistent that the defensive aspect of Larkin and Sheahan’s game must improve. He adds that Sheahan shouldn’t have ice time “dished out” to him with such a poor shooting percentage and his inability to find the net. Such a fact was a consistent gripe all season, as Sheahan continued to log minutes on the power play despite not scoring a single goal until the final game of the season. Abdelkader, who Bartkowiak calls a leader on the team, believes Abdelkader is a 20-goal scorer if healthy. A look at the trend of Abdelkader’s stats, however, point to a player who benefitted from having Pavel Datsyuk on his line in 2014-15. A glance at his entire career where he played 40 or more games, Abdelkader produced more than 30 points only twice. Out of those eight seasons, he recorded just one twenty-goal season, though he had 19 in 2015-16. Regardless, asking for another 20-goal season may be a bit much based on past performance.

  • Mike Green was recently profiled by NHL.com’s Dana Wakaji who writes that the defenseman has been the offensive presence on the blue line that Detroit envisioned when they signed him two offseasons ago. The 32-year-old probably won’t hit the 70+ point campaigns he’s had in the past, but Wakaji adds that he’s a valuable offensive asset for a team starving for goals from its defensive pairings. Heading into the final year of his contract, Green could also be a prime trade chip should the Red Wings not be in the playoff hunt for a second consecutive season.

Snapshots: Krueger, Cholowski, Datsyuk

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Over the past year, Ralph Krueger has been the subject of speculation surrounding just about every head coaching vacancy in the league. Offered at least two jobs, Krueger has turned down every opportunity to return to hockey and instead kept his position as Chairman of the Southampton soccer club in England. The Premiership offers Kruger a chance to be part of one of the biggest sporting leagues in the world, and he’s seemed very content with his position there.

Today, eighty percent of the Southampton organization was sold off for more than $270MM to businessman Jisheng Gao and his family. While a letter from former majority owner Katharina Liebherr states that she and Gao still have complete confidence in Krueger’s leadership, some like Bob Stauffer of 630 CHED in Edmonton believe it could inch him closer to an NHL return. If the new ownership wants to install their own chairman, Krueger could be on the top of many team’s lists in the hockey world.

  • Detroit Red Wings’ prospect Dennis Cholowski has officially signed a CHL contract with the Prince George Cougars, where he’ll likely spend this season. After playing one year at St. Cloud State in the NCAA, Cholowski signed his entry-level contract in the spring and spent some time with the Grand Rapids Griffins. The 19-year old first-round pick will head to the WHL where he should dominate after already putting up impressive performances against much older players in the US college ranks. He could still be sent to the AHL or even make the NHL squad in training camp, but this signing lends more credence to the idea he’ll spend 2017-18 in the junior ranks. The left-handed defenseman has some of the best upside in the Red Wings’ organization, and won’t be rushed to the NHL for a team that is not expected to compete. Cholowski has a very good chance of representing Canada on the international stage at the World Juniors this year, after taking part in the Summer Showcase earlier this offseason.
  • After suffering an injury that forced him to watch as his team won the KHL’s Gagarin Cup, Pavel Datsyuk is healthy and back in the lineup for SKA St. Petersburg’s preseason game tonight. Datsyuk was an All-Star in his first year back in the KHL, and even at 39-years old should be a lock for the Russian Olympic team. The former Detroit Red Wings’ forward scored 42 points in 51 total games last year for St. Petersberg, and will try to take a depleted team back to the playoffs again. Both Vadim Shipachyov and Evgeni Dadonov left the team for the NHL this offseason, but they did add young defender and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Vladislav Gavrikov to the defense group.

Life Without Hossa: Looking At Chicago’s Options

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Following the stunning news that Marian Hossa would miss the entire 2017-18 season, much has been written, spoken, and analyzed regarding the loss of an impactful player. At 38, Hossa still put up great numbers (26-19-45) with the Hawks and continued to be the two-way forward whose best contributions often came away from the puck. It goes without saying that Hossa’s signing prior to the 2009-10 season was the missing piece that fulfilled the Chicago machine that won three Stanley Cups over the next six seasons.  Often described as a true gentleman and all-around great human being, one can’t help but feel bad for a guy who appeared to still have several good years of hockey left in him–not to mention the effect it’s had on his life.

So now what?

There are a myriad of issues at play here, some of which have already begun to discussed. Long rumored to be traded to Vegas, center Marcus Kruger still finds himself a member of the Blackhawks. While it doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll still be in the Windy City come training camp, it’s very likely that the loss of Hossa gave the Blackhawks brass pause in terms of ensuring their depth isn’t totally wiped out. Though Kruger hasn’t put up the numbers that earned him the $3.08MM contract he owns, he’s still a very worthy center who like Hossa, makes his impact felt off the scoresheet, mostly on the penalty kill and in the faceoff circle.

But his contract is still cumbersome for a player who hasn’t cracked 20 points since the 2013-14 season. Unloading the contract, if they can, would help with additional cap issues and that was apparently the plan until the Hossa announcement. But it’s anyone guess as to what Chicago will do.

Chicago Sportsnet’s Tracey Myers goes  writes that general manager Stan Bowman feels it’s unfair to speculate about a player’s status.  Having Kruger off the books along with Hossa’s contract would certainly free up over $8MM. But if Kruger isn’t moved, it’s not an issue since Hossa’s contract will come off the books.

Not exactly.

Should the Blackhawks get cap relief from placing Hossa on the LTIR, it would relieve north of $5MM. This would allow Chicago to fill it with another player or two in theory. But it’s not as cut and dry as it sounds. Myers goes on to explain:

Here are two basics about the cap: a team can be 10 percent over it during the summer, and a team must be at or below it the day the regular season begins. If the Blackhawks place Hossa on LTIR, it wouldn’t take effect until the second day of the regular season. So on Day 1 of the season, the Blackhawks would still be carrying Hossa’s $5.275 cap hit.

Once the LTIR would take effect, though, the Blackhawks would have wiggle room. If they spent to the $75 million cap, they could utilize Hossa’s entire $5.275 million cap hit on other players.

It’s not about the Blackhawks finding a guy this summer that makes an equal cap hit.

The Chicago Tribune’s Chris Hine doubles down on this, tweeting that Chicago most likely won’t be major players after July 1. Hine wrote earlier today that one other option the Hawks would have would be trading the contract to another team, to completely escape the hit should the league deny the move to the LTIR, though this seems unlikely.

Apr 17, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa (81) with the puck during the second period in game three of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the St. Louis Blues at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Teams eager to reach the cap floor would stuff the contract away, and Hossa, if this truly ends his career, would never take the ice for that team. The Arizona Coyotes have done this in the past, taking Pavel Datsyuk and Chris Pronger’s contracts when it was known their playing days were over.

The reality is that the Blackhawks are not only losing a great player, but also a leader. And that’s not instantly replaceable. Though there are options in free agency, adding a Joe Thornton or Patrick Marleau should they become available would still garner considerable cost, one that doesn’t seem justified. Players like T.J. Oshie would require a longer deal team for a lot of dollars, a spot the Blackhawks can’t possibly be in. As for Kevin Shattenkirk, he’s rumored to be heavily interested in the New York Rangers and while it would be an upgrade on the blueline, he would fall under the category of too expensive as well.

So what options are left? Thankfully, help is on the way in the name of Alex DeBrincat, who set the OHL on fire as a member of the Erie Otters. Though the Hawks will exercise patience with him, he at least is a glimmer of hope with a scoring prowess and coming in at the age of 19. But don’t doubt Bowman’s to find a deal. The most likely upgrade will come from a trade, one that will address some of the concerns while keeping things economically viable.

Few players are irreplaceable, but Hossa certainly seems to be. Between the contract issues and the loss of him on the roster, the Blackhawks certainly have a number of interesting decisions ahead to try and fill the void.

Morning Notes: Lorentz, Penguins, Datsyuk, Setoguchi

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The Carolina Hurricanes have added a talented young forward to their prospect ranks, inking Steven Lorentz to a three-year entry-level deal. The contract will pay him $650K in the first two years, and $700K the third season—contingent on him staying in the NHL. At the AHL level he’ll earn just $60K, but does receive a healthy $185K signing bonus. Not bad for a seventh-round pick in 2015 who despite being looked over in the draft has exploded onto the scene in the OHL playoffs, recording 15 points in 9 games and leading the Peterborough Petes to the third round.

Lorentz has the size and scoring ability to make an impact at the professional level, and will try to continue his playoff dominance against the Mississauga Steelheads. He’s got a long way to go to see the NHL, but he’s already outgrown his draft status.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have returned Josh Archibald, Tom Sestito and Cameron Gaunce to the AHL to help the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in their first round series with the Providence Bruins. Pittsburgh is off for a few days following their elimination of the Columbus Blue Jackets last night, and will nurse any wounds while waiting for the victor of the Capitals-Maple Leafs series.
  • Despite Pavel Datsyuk not being healthy enough to play in the clinching game in the Gagarin Cup, he intends to play in 2017-18 for SKA St. Petersburg. Dan Milstein, Datsyuk’s agent, tweeted that the 38-year old will also be looking forward to the 2018 Olympics, where he will presumably be selected to participate for Russia. Datsyuk found great success with SKA this season, scoring 34 points in 44 games while being much closer to his family in Russia.
  • Devin Setoguchi has signed with Adler-Mannheim of the German Hockey League, inking a two-year deal to continue his hockey career overseas. Setoguchi made an impressive comeback this year, making the Los Angeles Kings out of camp and recording 12 points in 45 games. The former 30-goal man has a long troubled history in the league but continues to work his way back to health and happiness. He’ll join several former NHL players including Carlo Colaiacovo, Marcel Goc and Drew MacIntyre with the Eagles next season.

Washington-Toronto Playoff Notes: Zaitsev, Shattenkirk, Matthews

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Nikita Zaitsev (upper body injury) has been ruled out for Game 2 in the Maple Leafs’ series with the Capitals today. Toronto coach Mike Babcock said he got excited when he saw him at the morning skate. However, the right-handed defenseman was ruled out instead, dealing a critical blow against the top-seeded Capitals after the team lost in overtime in game one.

“I saw him out there today, I got very excited, and they shut me down very fast,” Babcock said.

The loss is considered by many to be devastating as the series is expected to come down to the strength of each teams’ defensive depth. Washington general manager Brian MacLellan looks more and more like a genius for his deadline trade to acquire Kevin Shattenkirk. The veteran blueliner was acquired along with Pheonix Copley in a package that included Washington’s 2017 first-rounder, 2019 second-round pick, Bradley Malone, Zach Sanford and a conditional pick. The depth that he provides suddenly gives the Capitals a strong advantage against the young up-and-coming Maple Leafs.

Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan writes that Shattenkirk’s presence is not only enough to avoid concerns of a potential defensive injury, but the way in coach Barry Trotz managed his blueliners minutes in Game 1. Despite the game going into overtime, no defenseman played more than 25:22 or less than 16:32. Trotz’ ability to depend on his defensive depth is critical as it allows his defenders to get more involved in the offense. Shattenkirk showed that Thursday night when he put a game-high nine shots on goal.

“I think both teams and in this day and age in the game, you want to have the ability to be active,” Trotz said. “It’s so hard to score three-on-three, two-on-two, so you’ve got to create the next race, who’s going to create an odd-man rush, and if you can execute, you’re going to get a good look. That’s where the game is, that’s where you’re going to have some success, but you’ve got to jump at the right time.

“If you don’t have the legs to get up ice, you’re not going to have that opportunity. I think when you’re able to spread the minutes over, it does help. There’s a couple elite skaters in this league that can seem to go forever like a Drew Doughty or Brent Burns. They just don’t run out of gas, it seems, but for the rest of us mortals I think spreading the minutes is really helpful.”

Getting any offense out of their defensive pairings would only add a new element in their attempt to finally gain that Stanley Cup that has eluded the Capitals so far. Defensively, they were ranked fourth in the NHL during the regular season with a 2.16 goals against. “When we were able to acquire Shattenkirk, it even took it to a different level of being able to spread out our top guy and our bottom guy, minutes-wise,” associate coach Todd Reirden said. “In the Eastern Conference, we have the lowest differential between our highest-minute defenseman and our lowest-minute defenseman, so that’s been an important thing for me this year. I think keeping our players fresh for a long run and also I think it correlated with the few number of man-games we lost. It’s definitely a strategy and something we were able to really see through this year.”

Other series notes:

  • The Capitals look at Thursday’s game as a wake-up call. However, they have won six of the last eight Game 2 playoff series and are now more focused than ever. “To me, it’s a really good wake-up call for us,” Trotz said of Game 1. “You get in the playoffs, and there are no easy games. The Leafs were well prepared, they’re a good hockey team, their kids are exceptional talents, and they can play. And you’ve got to play them hard.”
  • Babcock praised the play of rookie sensation Auston Matthews, saying the 2016 first overall pick reminds him of former Detroit Red Wings’ Pavel Datsyuk. The veteran was well known for his elite defensive skills and his game-changing offensive abilities. “When you think you’re out of his range, he’s able to get a puck,” Trotz said.
  • Speaking of Matthews, the youngster has preached patience after his quiet playoff debut. Babcock’s message: “Keep on keepin’ on.” What Babcock would like to see is Matthews and the Maple Leafs get more shots on goal in Game 2. They were outshot 19-9 in the third period and overtime and were outshot 44-37 overall. Matthews only managed one shot on goal.

 

West Notes: Vegas, Brodzinski, Janmark

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The Vegas Golden Knights are primed to use every dollar allowed under the salary cap, and they’ll be willing to do so in various different ways. As Dan Marrazza of NHL.com writes, the team will look at examples like last summer’s Pavel Datsyuk deal as ways to use their cap space to gather assets as quickly as possible. Remember, the Arizona Coyotes acquired Datsyuk’s cap-hit that had no salary attached to it, in order to move up in the draft and select Jakob Chychrun 16th overall. Bill Foley, owner of the Golden Knights, explained it this way:

Cap space is valuable, and there will be people willing to give us good assets to take certain contracts, because they have cap issues. There are teams that have cap stress, there re teams that have expansion stress, there are teams that have both. We’re here willing to talk to all these clubs.

Indeed, Vegas would be wise to take a book from the Coyotes asset collection strategies of the past couple of season, but they can go even further. With Foley willing to pay up to the cap, it doesn’t have to be just dead cap-hits that they acquire for assets, but real salary that is hurting teams. That opens up all 30 franchises as potential customers at the Golden Knights cap-space saloon, hoping to clear out some room to go after the big fishes on this year’s market.

  • Jon Rosen of NHL.com tells us that we shouldn’t be surprised if a Jonny Brodzinski call-up is announced tomorrow. The 23-year old winger has been lighting it up at the AHL level where he has 47 points in 56 games this season. Armed with a shot that can score from anywhere in the offensive zone, Brodzinski has been a pure goal-scoring threat at every level without possessing any other standout skill. His ability to be in the right spot at the right time has always followed him, which will now be tested at the NHL level. With the Kings now eight points back of a playoff spot and still struggling to score goals, there isn’t much risk in seeing what Brodzinski can do.
  • The Vancouver Canucks will be without Jayson Megna or Joseph Cramarossa for the rest of their current road trip after both missed practice today. Cramarossa is having trouble walking after blocking a shot in last night’s game, while Megna is dealing with an upper-body injury. The Canucks face off against the St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets before heading home at the end of the month.
  • Mark Stepneski of NHL.com relays that though Mattias Janmark was on the ice at practice today, he won’t play for the rest of the season. The young forward had surgery in September to fix a congenital knee condition that has been affecting him since he was a teenager. After scoring 29 points in his rookie season, the Stars were hoping for a big sophomore performance—one that never even got started. He says he’ll be ready for camp next fall.

Red Wings Notes: Burnside, Zetterberg, Ott, Larkin

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Count ESPN’s Scott Burnside as an impressed realist. Burnside notes that while the Red Wings are “cooked” and still sitting dead last in the Eastern Conference, they put on an impressive show when they beat the Washington Capitals Saturday and the Pittsburgh Penguins yesterday. Burnside reiterates that the Red Wings are all but out of the race, but that the fanbase should take solace in the fact that with its team showing such fight, the future isn’t so bleak after all. Petr Mrazek, in general, posted two strong games, and should Detroit improve its blue line, their return to prominence may not take as long as it could.

In other Red Wings news:

  • The Detroit News’ Ted Kulfan writes that captain Henrik Zetterberg is anything but done as he leads the team in points and continues to cobble together quality games despite the Red Wings’ struggles. Head coach Jeff Blashill is quoted as saying that with Zetterberg’s struggles as last year’s season wore on, he was prepared to slash the captain’s ice time. But this season hasn’t seen that fall. Zetterberg’s 45 points (13-32) are just five short of his total last season, and that’s impressive being that last season included Pavel Datsyuk on the roster. In the face of challenges not seen in over 25 years, the captain has still carried the team.
  • Kulfan continues, complimenting the play of forward Steve Ott, who added a goal and an assist of his own in yesterday’s victory over Pittsburgh. He quotes Blashill as saying that Ott “has a way about him in the locker room and he’s an asset to a hockey team.”
  • On the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of age and productivity, center Dylan Larkin has seen a dip in ice time due to some of his struggles writes the Detroit Free Press’ George Sipple. He reports that Larkin has played less than 12 minutes in his past three games, and Blashill states that its more of Larkin not being on the ice for power plays and penalty kills than punishment. The bench boss, does, however offers words for improvement, saying that the 20-year-old center needs to work on his stopping “all over the ice” to earn the trust from his coach–which leads to more ice time. Sipple adds that Blashill indicated that after a few talks with the young forward, it has already improved.

Is Gustav Nyquist A Scapegoat For Detroit’s Problems?

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When Gustav Nyquist was called up for good in 2013-14, he made sure that Detroit wouldn’t send him back to Grand Rapids. In what was the first of many injury ravaged seasons for the Red Wings, Nyquist went on an absolute tear, scoring 28 goals and 48 points in just 57 games, setting the bar high in terms of expectations. Nyquist followed up in 2014-15 with 27 goals and 54 points. From there, however, Nyquist has fallen off in terms of overall production. In 2015-16, he had 17 goals and 43 points, and had a goal in five playoff games. This year has seen similar results on the score sheet, as Nyquist has only one goal in his last 27 games.

The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James suggests that the Wings begin benching players to send a message as Detroit dawdles near the bottom of the Atlantic Division. Detroit is 14-15-4 and failing to score goals, have an inefficient power play, and cannot keep pucks out of their net. St. James begins with the idea of possibly sitting Nyquist, who St. James has written about before in terms of his lack of production. However, a deeper dive shows that Nyquist should not be the first player benched by Jeff Blashill.

Nov 23, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA;Detroit Red Wings right wing Gustav Nyquist (14) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the second period at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Winging It In Motown’s Prashanth Iyer argues through a series of tweets that Nyquist’s value to the Red Wings is beyond just goal scoring. Though he is one of the higher paid Red Wings, Nyquist’s value is seen on the ice because of what he produces in both goals and assists. Additionally, the team sees a jump in production with Nyquist skating. Iyer begins with this idea, tweeting that Nyquist ranks 35th in 5v5 points per minutes played, which leads all players on the Detroit roster. This is also higher than stars like Alex Ovechkin, and Artemi Panarin. A harder look beyond just goals reveals that the Wings are earning a fair return from Nyquist. It’s just outside the goal column.

In fairness to St. James, she targets other players like Riley Sheahan, and Tomas Tatar, citing their scoring woes as the #1 reason Detroit is struggling. But the Red Wings problems are much deeper than this. The roster construction of this team has been heavily criticized, as players like Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, Drew Miller, Luke Glendening, and Steve Ott are not known for excessive goal scoring. Those five players constitute nearly two lines of players who do not score at high clips. But as written about before on PHR, several of those players, namely Helm, Glendening, and Abdelkader, were given handsome raises despite their lack of goal scoring prowess. Ott, who St. James held up against Nyquist, brings the “grit” factor that general manager Ken Holland and Blashill laud and has been labeled as a valuable “locker room guy.” While his $800K value doesn’t break the bank, it could be argued that he blocks the way for younger players who could score goals–which is what Detroit desperately needs.

St. James in one of her tweets argues that Ott justifies his cost because of his role, while Nyquist does not. Iyer answered this here, revealing that Nyquist is still a better bargain than pricey addition Frans Nielsen, Abdelkader or Helm.

Related: Detroit’s Depth Chart

The point is not to pile on a writer who’s seeking answers for Detroit’s struggles: it’s more about looking at the whole picture instead of focusing on a few players. Nyquist, along with Tatar, were supposed to be the next in a long line of duos to lead the Red Wings. They were supposed to follow in the footsteps of Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov or Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk. But that hasn’t happened for a number of reasons, beginning with how the talent level is not nearly as high as it was for the aforementioned, but also because of some flaws in building the roster. Even Iyer admits that Nyquist and Tatar are “really good,” but not elite.

Nyquist is hardly the problem. While his lack of scoring hasn’t helped matters, his presence on the ice is a positive for a team failing to score goals. Porous defense, questionable coaching decisions, flawed roster construction, and excessive injuries have the Red Wings rivaling Toronto for the last spot in the Atlantic. If players are benched, it shouldn’t start with Nyquist.

Red Wings Notes: Nyquist, Zetterberg, Sheahan

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Gustav Nyquist is once again being unfairly criticized writes Red Wings blogger Prashanth Iyer via Winging It In Motown. Nyquist was expected to see an uptick in goals this season after Jeff Blashill promised more ice time, but the Swede hasn’t responded in turn, scoring just one goal in his last 24 games. However, Iyer argues that his production is what should be expected out of an average first line player while pointing out the disconnect in expectations between the fanbase and Nyquist. Iyer reports that Nyquist’s insane goal scoring binge of 2013-14 was an anomaly based on the results versus his time on the ice. Those expectations, coupled with a strong season in 2014-15, made Nyquist a bonafide goal scorer in the minds of Detroit fans.

Iyer shows through stats and graphs that the culprit for Nyquist’s drop off is a shift in power play philosophy, where Nyquist is quarterbacking a powerplay instead of cashing in on chances in the slot. Putting Nyquist back into the slot–where he buried goals at an impressive rate–is one suggestion Iyer has for the coaching staff. Though he’s not the caliber of a Henrik Zetterberg or a Pavel Datsyuk, Nyquist is certainly valuable. It’s a matter of being utilized correctly.

  • Speaking of Zetterberg, he was a game time decision in tonight’s game against Arizona. According to MLive’s Ansar Khan, there isn’t a major cause for concern since Zetterberg also sat out practices in the past. Khan speculates that it could be either back or knee issues, since they have flared up in the before. Through a period of play, Zetterberg was playing his usual high number of minutes.
  • Riley Sheahan has struggled immensely this season and it’s been a source of frustration for the team, fans, and himself. Helene St. James reports that Sheahan’s lack of production, along with Nyquist and Tomas Tatar, has “choked” the Wings. Blashill had his own thoughts as well:

“I talked to him on Saturday,” Blashill said. “You’re telling me Vanek said a few words — I don’t think it hurts. If Riley keeps playing the way he is playing, he’s going to get points. No question. So, you just have to keep playing the way you’re playing and not panic. The only thing I’d say is to make sure he hits the net, because he’s got a really good shot.”

Coyotes Send Zbynek Michalek To AHL

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After clearing waivers just before the season started, the Arizona Coyotes have now sent Zbynek Michalek to their AHL affiliate Tucson Roadrunners, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.

Michalek, a former stalwart of the Coyotes’ blueline has seen his play deteriorate greatly in recent seasons, perhaps due to the multiple concussion or concussion-like injuries he’s suffered on the ice. While the 33-year old isn’t the shutdown defender he once was, this move is clearly one to save cap space for a team who suddenly finds themselves right up against it.

John Chayka, the league’s youngest GM, has openly spoken about how valuable cap space is as an asset in the new NHL, and has used it often to acquire talent.  Pavel Datsyuk, Dave Bolland, and Chris Pronger are all examples of the team using their space (but not neccessarily actual money) to gain prospects or draft picks to fuel their rebuild.

With Michalek earning $3.2MM this season, it will save the Coyotes close to a million dollars in cap space to bury him in the minors for the entire year. While the player might not like it, these are the realities of a cap-driven league.

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