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Pierre-Luc Dubois

Atlantic Notes: Danault, Dubois, Hedman, Panthers

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Montreal forward Phillip Danault was released from the hospital this morning and is resting at home after he was hit in the head by a 124 kilometers-an-hour slapshot by Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara, tweets Arpon Basu of The Athletic. The 24-year-old was just 10 feet away with 1:37 remaining in the second period when he tried to block the blistering shot only to have it hit him in the head.

Danault was motionless for some time, then slowly tried to get up to the applause of the Montreal fans, only to have him collapse again. With blood all over the collar of his jersey, he was wheeled off in a stretcher and taken to the hospital. While indications after the game was that he was OK, that was confirmed this morning by the team. No word yet on whether he will miss time.

  • In the Headlines segment of Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos says the Montreal Canadiens still have high aspirations to trade for Columbus Blue Jackets center Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Canadiens who have a desperate need for center help on their team have long coveted the former third overall pick from the 2016 draft. While there is talk that Columbus does like Canadiens forward Alex Galchenyuk, Kypreos says Columbus currently has no interest in moving their young center, at least until they find themselves fully healthy. Alexander Wennberg only came back a couple of games ago and the team still has other missing players as well.
  • In the same segment, Kypreos also added that with Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman out for the all-star game, the NHL is considering two replacements for him, including Toronto’s Morgan Rielly and Boston’s Charlie McAvoy.
  • The Florida Panthers intend to put a lot of stock into the next 16 games (number of games before the trade deadline) before they determine whether to bolster their roster, according to Sun Sentinel’s Craig Davis. The team, currently six points out of a playoff spot, has enjoyed great success with their top line of Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Evgeni Dadonov, but hasn’t seen the same production from their second line despite a solid season from center Vincent Trocheck. The scribe writes the team wouldn’t be against acquiring a winger like it did a year ago when it traded for Thomas Vanek, but general manager Dale Tallon said any deal would have to factor into their long-term plans. One other factor is that Florida has been playing well of late, having gone 6-3-1 over the past 10 games.

 

Central Notes: Jost, Girard, Wennberg, Schwartz, Stastny

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After a Friday report suggested 19-year-old center Tyson Jost of the Colorado Avalance might be allowed to play for Hockey Canada in the upcoming World Junior Championship in Buffalo in a few weeks, a new report from Mike Chambers of the Denver Post today suggests the opposite. In fact neither Jost nor defenseman Samuel Girard are likely to be allowed to leave Colorado.

The scribe writes that Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said he didn’t see that happening.

“It’s not up to me, but if it were I’d say no. They’re part of our team and we need them,” Bednar said.

Both Jost and Girard have said they have not spoken to Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic about playing in the under-20 tournament, which will start on Dec. 26. The tournament already has two top Colorado prospects in 2017 first-round pick Cale Makar and second-round pick Connor Timmons.

Jost and Girard both play with the Avalanche, although both players playing time have dropped recently. Jost plays on the “Kid Line” with Alexander Kerfoot and J.T. Compher and is still finding his way, while Girard has seen his time drop under 20 minutes after playing above that mark during his first eight games with the team.

“I’m just getting in my groove after being hurt so long,” Jost said. “I want to be here. Hockey Canada, whenever you can represent your country, it’s such an honor. I had my chance last year. Right now, honestly, I’m just focusing on playing on the Avs, focusing on earning the coach’s trust and put up numbers. Obviously, I haven’t been doing that and I’m trying not to get frustrated because I’m getting my chances and getting that opportunity. It will come. That’s what I’m focused on right now and just getting in this rhythm.”

  • Lyle Richardson of The Hockey News suggests that despite the Columbus Blue Jackets’ previous stance that they are looking for a top-line center, many within the organization now feel that last year’s third overall pick, Pierre-Luc Dubois, is starting to show that he might be that player they were looking for. Dubois has taken a step forward in his development and now is centering the team’s top line with Artemi Panarin and Josh Anderson. Richardson even suggests that with the emergence of Dubois, the team might consider moving center Alexander Wennberg, who is struggling a bit this season after a 59-point season a year ago, and might be better off getting a chance on a different team, while the team focus on other areas of need. The team might need to get a center back, but with Brandon Dubinsky currently playing on the second line, the team might have an asset they could live without.
  • Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that St. Louis Blues winger Jaden Schwartz, who left today’s game against the Detroit Red Wings after taking a shot off his right foot is considered day-to-day. Coach Mike Yeo said X-rays were negative and he will be re-examined when they return to St. Louis. Any time missed would be a huge loss for the Blues. The 25-year-old scored his 14th goal of the season before going down today.
  • Staying with the Blues, The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford (subscription required) answers mailbag questions and writes that he doesn’t see the possibility of the NHL salary cap increasing potentially by $5MM as changing anything between negotiations between St. Louis and center Paul Stastny. Rutherford doesn’t believe that an increase in cap space will suddenly have general manager Doug Armstrong throwing money at Stastny. He believes the team has a set number in mind when it comes to Stastny and it will be up to him and his agent to decide if he wants to stay in St. Louis. The 31-year-old center hasn’t put up amazing numbers the last few years despite being paid $7MM AAV and will likely have to take a pay cut after his contract runs out at the end of the season. He currently has six goals and 20 points this season.

Metropolitan Notes: Vigneault, Atkinson, Johansson, Reinhart

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New York Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault might not have much time left to repair the sinking ship. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that he believes that Vigneault has one more game left to prove he can turn the Rangers disastrous start of 3-7-2 around. He will get that game Tuesday against the 8-1 Vegas Golden Knights.

While Brooks admits that it is his belief and he’s heard nothing to suggest that will happen, he points out that the team’s struggles to start the season, especially falling behind 3-0 in the first period to the equally struggling Montreal Canadiens shows that Vigneault may not be the answer. A coaching change may be the only way to breathe some life into the franchise who were heavily criticized for their efforts in thejr 5-4 loss.

Brooks also points out that the team’s poor start in first periods has been a key issue for New York. The team has been outscored 3-0 in the first two minutes of 12 games this season; 5-1 in the first three minutes of games; 6-2 in the first four minutes; 8-3 in the first six minutes; 10-4 in the first 10 minutes and 12-4 in the first 12 minutes of games. He writes this is inexcusable and is bad enough to physically allow so many early goals, but the team is also unengaged mentally the moment the puck is dropped.

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets may have to do without winger Cam Atkinson for a little while as he suffered a lower-body injury, according to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (subscription required). The team’s leading scorer for the past two years had a rough game, suffering a lower-body injury in the first period, a puck to his helmet during the second period and then sustained another hit to his lower body that knocked him out of the game in the third period. Portzline said an announcement won’t be made until Monday as the team didn’t practice today. Atkinson has four goals and an assist in 11 games this year. Rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois moved up to replace Atkinson for the remainder of the game.
  • Andrew Gross of Northjersey.com writes that winger Marcus Johansson is day-to-day after tweaking his lower body in pre-game warm-ups before Saturday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes. The scribe wrote that it was not a pre-existing injury, but the team choose to hold him out as a precaution. Johansson, who the Devils picked up in an offseason trade with the Washington Capitals, has been a solid contributor for New Jersey this year, having put up three goals and two assists in nine games this year.
  • NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti wonders whether the Washington Capitals might not consider claiming defenseman Griffin Reinhart, who was put on waivers this morning by the Vegas Golden Knights. At $800K and at just 23 years of age, Reinhart might be a good investment for a team that has little cap room and little blue line depth. Reinhart, the fourth overall pick in the 2012 draft, could be claimed by several teams in need of depth on defense. Unfortunately, the Capitals cannot take solace that they will get a high waiver claim even though the team presently sits at 5-5. CapFriendly reported today that current waiver priority is still based on last year’s record. Priority will switch to present standings starting on Nov. 1.

 

Keeping An Eye On Entry-Level Slides: An Update

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Two weeks ago we ran an article looking at the young players in the NHL who were also eligible to see their contracts slide by one year. Should they be sent back to their junior or European clubs before playing in 10 NHL games, they would avoid burning the first year of their entry-level contracts.

At the time, none of the players eligible had surpassed that threshold. Today is a different story. Three players have already played their 10th game in the NHL, changing the goalposts somewhat for their respective teams. Now, those clubs must decide whether or not to keep them past the next threshold of 40 games, when they’ll get a year closer to unrestricted free agency. Below, we’ll take an updated look at the entire group.

10+ Games Played

Mikhail Sergachev (TBL)
Victor Mete (MTL)
Alex DeBrincat (CHI)

Each of these three seemed to have a good shot at staying with their respective teams right from the start, but now the most interesting thing to watch will be that 40 game mark. For Sergachev especially it holds quite a bit of value. Due to a condition on the trade that brought him to Tampa Bay, if he fails to play 40 games this season the Montreal Canadiens would have to send a second-round draft pick (Montreal would also receive a sixth-round pick in return). That extra asset could be tantalizing for the Lightning, but with Sergachev’s outstanding start—the young defenseman has 10 points in 11 games—it may not be worth sending him away from the team.

8-9 Games Played

Pierre-Luc Dubois (CBJ)
Nico Hischier (NJD)
Jesper Bratt (NJD)
Nolan Patrick (PHI)

All four of these players seem destined to play past the nine game threshold, with Dubois set to play his tenth game tonight, and Patrick only sitting out due to injury this week. Bratt and Hischier have played in all eight of New Jersey’s games, combining for 13 points. Their strong early play will likely keep them in New Jersey for the year.

Interestingly, Dubois has lasted in the Columbus lineup despite registering just one point all season. He’s not being sent back before tonight’s game, but it will be interesting to see how the season plays out. He’s not struggling with the pace of play, but hasn’t received the opportunity to really show what his offensive ceiling is. Should Columbus face more injuries, Dubois could be thrust into a more important role.

5-7 Games Played

Kailer Yamamoto (EDM)

Yamamoto is one of the most interesting cases, because though he’s played seven games with the club and at times been one of the ice-time leaders beside Connor McDavid, he was scratched last night against the Dallas Stars. As Leon Draisaitl and Drake Caggiula came back, there seemingly wasn’t a spot left for Yamamoto in the top nine.

The diminutive forward has three points through his seven contests, but isn’t a lock to stay past nine games if the Oilers feel he still needs some more development. Though he obviously has the skill to play at this level, if they’re not going to play him every night his path may lie back in the WHL. That would certainly change the fate for the Spokane Chiefs, his junior team, who are currently 8-6-1 on the season.

1-4 Games Played

Owen Tippett (FLA)
Janne Kuokkanen (CAR)
Samuel Girard (NSH)

Tippett finally worked his way into the lineup for Florida, and the early results suggest he could stay there all year. The winger from the Mississauga Steelheads scored his first goal last night, and could find himself getting more ice time as the Panthers try to dig their way out of a rough start. By no means is he guaranteed, but the team has hinted that he would stay in the NHL right away since the start of training camp.

Kuokkanen started off hot for the Hurricanes in limited minutes, but has been relegated to the press box for the team’s last five games. As we wrote in the previous article, the Hurricanes could actually send him to the AHL instead of back to junior, meaning he could bounce up and down this season.

Girard has certainly impressed in the three games he’s played, but none of those have come in the team’s last four. He may be back in the lineup tonight however when the team takes on the Chicago Blackhawks, and if he keeps up his high level of play they may have no choice but to keep him around. Still, it’s always tough for a 19-year old defender to stick in the NHL and especially one that is just 162-lbs. He’ll have to show beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s ready to be a contributor to this team all season.

No Longer On Roster

Logan Brown (OTT)
Filip Chytil (NYR)
Alex Formenton (OTT)
Martin Necas (CAR)

All four made their NHL debuts, but were eventually sent back before breaking the first threshold. Only Chytil remains in the North American professional ranks, currently playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL.

Snapshots: Athanasiou, Dubois, Lindholm, Vatanen

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Although Andreas Athanasiou has now agreed to terms on a new deal with Detroit, it’s still going to take some time before he rejoins the team.  GM Ken Holland told reporters, including Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, that the team will apply for a work visa for the winger on Monday morning.  As we’ve seen in recent weeks, it can take a few days if not longer for that to be approved.  Once that happens, he’ll need some practices before being game-ready; while Holland wouldn’t definitively rule out an AHL conditioning stint for Athanasiou, he did note that it’s an unlikely scenario.

In the meantime, Holland will likely be busy working the phones as he looks to make a roster move or two to free up the cap space required to add Athanasiou to the active roster.  A trade seems likely but if there is a significant injury between now and then, the Red Wings could use LTIR to get back into cap compliance in the short-term and give them more time to work out a trade.

More from around the league:

  • While Blue Jackets winger Pierre-Luc Dubois isn’t lighting it up (just one goal through seven games), Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that there are no indications that the team is planning on sending him back to junior before he plays his tenth game next week. The 19-year-old isn’t eligible to play in the AHL yet and the fact that he is playing a regular shift (he’s averaging nearly 13 minutes per game) is a good sign for him to officially burn the first season of his entry-level contract.  The focus will then shift to 40 games on the active roster when he will accrue a year towards UFA eligibility.
  • Although Ducks defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen have started skating with the team, both are out for tonight’s game against Montreal, the team announced (Twitter link). Both players had been targeting November 1st as a return date and while they’ll miss at least one more game, they still appear to be ahead of schedule in their recoveries from offseason shoulder surgeries.

Keeping An Eye On Entry-Level Slides

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In the NHL, players on entry-level contracts who are 18 or 19 years old do not burn a contract year until they play in their 10th league game. Otherwise, their contract “slides” and extends by one year. You often see this happen with players in their draft year, sent back to their respective junior or European clubs. Miro Heiskanen for example, the third-overall pick by the Dallas Stars, will see his contract extended after he returned to Finland this year*.

Around the league, there are twelve players currently on active rosters who could potentially have their contract slide by a year should they be returned to junior before playing in their 10th game. Teams will have to decide whether it is worth burning a year of their ELC to keep them around, as once returned to junior they cannot be recalled during the season except in emergency circumstances. The list is as follows:

Four Games Played

Alex DeBrincat (CHI)
Victor Mete (MTL)
Nolan Patrick (PHI)

Nolan PatrickIt seems like DeBrincat and Patrick have their spots locked up after quick starts to the season, and should be kept with the team for the entire year. The interesting one in this group is Mete, who has played exceptionally for the Canadiens but could still be sent back anyway.

Montreal is in a crunch on defense as David Schlemko nears a return, and if they can’t find a trade partner for Mark Streit, will need to waive one of their defensemen to protect Mete. That crunch could result in them sending him back to the London Knights for a year, if the team believes they can succeed without him. That’s a big assumption though, as Mete has easily looked like the best puck-moving defenseman on the roster.

Three Games Played

Jesper Bratt (NJD)
Nico Hischier (NJD)
Pierre-Luc Dubois (CBJ)
Mikhail Sergachev (TBL)

The pair of New Jersey rookies will certainly be staying after their early explosion this season. Bratt has six points in three games and an early lead in the Calder Trophy battle, while Hischier has been a key part of the Devils’ new speed attack. Sending either away at this point would be a huge surprise.

Dubois made the team after an exceptional camp, but saw his ice time reduced to just 11:37 in their most recent game. Josh Anderson re-joined the squad for that contest, and it’s not clear what Dubois’ role will be going forward. If he’s ticketed for fourth-line minutes on a regular basis, it might be worth sending him back to the QMJHL for another season to dominate and potentially even play at both the World Juniors and Olympics.

Sergachev on the other hand has several things working against him. While the young defenseman has shown that he can be an NHL contributor, there are several other options for the Lightning. In addition, conditions on the trade from Montreal would give Tampa Bay an additional second-round pick if Sergachev plays fewer than 40 games this season. While obviously the Lightning are going for a Stanley Cup and will take the best team, picks like that—even if it is likely a late second rounder—don’t come around every day.

Two Games Played

Janne Kuokkanen (CAR)
Kailer Yamamoto (EDM)

Kailer YamamotoKuokkanen is in a different situation than most, as he was drafted out of the Europe in 2016. Even though he played for London last season, he’s not held to the same CHL-NHL agreement as players drafted out of the league, meaning he could play in the AHL this season if the Hurricanes so choose. That could keep him close, and let the team make a decision to burn a year only if they are in desperate need. While Kuokkanen is talented, he’s played sparingly through the Hurricanes’ first two games.

Yamamoto blew everyone away in his first training camp, and made the club over fellow first-round pick Jesse Puljujarvi. That doesn’t seem destined to last though, as Yamamoto was a scratch in the team’s second game and was given fewer than 12 minutes in their third. The diminutive forward is hard to bet against, but it seems poor management to keep him around just to play him every other game.

One Game Played

Logan Brown (OTT)
Alex Formenton (OTT)
Samuel Girard (NSH)

Neither Brown nor Formenton were expected to make the Senators’ roster out of camp, and yet due to injury and their own impressive play both did. Now, it’s extremely unlikely the team keeps both around but as of yesterday they weren’t willing to make a decision. Pierre Dorion admitted that since Brown had already dominated the junior circuit, spending time around the NHL club—even if it isn’t in games—isn’t a bad thing. It does seem like both will eventually be sent back at this point.

Girard got into his first NHL game last night due to an injury to Roman Josi, and didn’t look out of place. He recorded his first NHL point on a Filip Forsberg goal, and skated almost 19 minutes. He’s done everything he can to prove he should be a full-time option for the Predators, and with Ryan Ellis out long-term with injury perhaps they keep him around. He’s certainly ready to be a contributor, even if he does need to be sheltered somewhat.

*For more information about entry-level slides, check out CapFriendly’s tracker.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

2017-18 Primer: Columbus Blue Jackets

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With the NHL season now just a couple of days away, we continue our look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come.  Today, we focus on the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Last Season: 50-24-8 record (108 points), third in Metropolitan Division (lost in the first round to the Pittsburgh Penguins)

Remaining Cap Space: $7.99MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Artemi Panarin (trade, Chicago)

Key Departures: F Brandon Saad (trade, Chicago), F Scott Hartnell (buyout), F Sam Gagner (free agency, Vancouver), D Kyle Quincey (free agency, Minnesota), F William Karlsson (expansion, Vegas), F David Clarkson (trade, Vegas), F Keegan Kolesar (trade, Vegas), F Josh Anderson (unsigned RFA)

[Related: Blue Jackets Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Pierre-Luc DuboisPlayer To Watch: F Pierre-Luc Dubois – When Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen strode towards the podium at the 2016 draft, holding the third-overall pick almost everyone in the building expected him to select Finnish forward Jesse Puljujarvi. Puljujarvi had been neck and neck with Patrik Laine for much of the year as the potential second-overall pick, and had only fallen to a close third in recent months. Despite the obvious talent in Puljujarvi, Kekalainen went after the more important position and selected Pierre-Luc Dubois, the second best center available in the draft (behind just Auston Matthews). That selection was surprising, and early indications may have had fans calling for their GM’s head.

Dubois was sent back to junior and struggled mightily early for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, not even playing center full-time. It looked like it might be a disappointing season for a player who had such high hopes until a mid-season trade to Blainville-Boisbriand turned things around. Dubois would start showing his dominant physical presence once again, and recorded 59 points in 41 games down the stretch and into the playoffs. He was a more well-rounded player, and showed he could be ready for the jump sooner than initially thought.

That jump is about to happen as Dubois has survived all the Columbus cuts and is penciled into the lineup for opening night. Meanwhile, Puljujarvi had a disappointing camp and was sent back to the AHL to begin the year. While those two will be tied together for some time, it seems likely that Dubois will be given every chance to succeed this year with the Blue Jackets. While he’ll begin the season as a winger, there is still a real chance he ends up in the middle at some point. If he could lock down that role, it would be a huge advantage for a club that has some of the best forward depth in the league.

Key Storyline: In 16 seasons since the Blue Jackets were added to the NHL, the franchise has won exactly three playoff contests. Last year marked just the third time the team had been to the postseason, and they have still yet to make it past the first round. That seems destined to change over the next few years, as the Blue Jackets proved last season that they were one of the premiere clubs in the league. With 108 points, they amazingly finished third in their division but should be pushing the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals and New York Rangers once again for the top spot.

With a Hart Trophy-caliber goaltender, elite defense corps, the reigning coach of the year and a lineup featuring a solid mix of size, skill and speed there is no one they shouldn’t be able to play with. Still, the playoff demons are there for this club and the structure could backfire once again. Even with their 100+ point season they were forced to face the Penguins in the first round, and could face a similar fate this year should they not be able to take down the top spot. While they can’t look too far ahead, the playoffs are the real test for this team.

Injury Notes: Lindholm, Stolarz, Dubinsky

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While many pundits and fans alike are picking the Anaheim Ducks to push for one of the top spots in the Western Conference once again this year, one of the biggest question marks heading into the season was the health of top defenders Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen. Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register gives us an update on the former, talking to Lindholm about his recovery and where he’ll be for the start of the season.

I feel real good but it’s up to [the medical staff] to say when I’ll be ready to go out there and play a hockey game. As I said, I’m feeling really good out there. Feeling really good in the gym. Strength is coming back real quick. But we’ll have to talk to each other and discuss when they think I can be back.

The Ducks went out and added depth in the form of recently bought-out defenseman Francois Beauchemin this summer, bringing the veteran back to the place his career really took off. While Beauchemin isn’t the defense horse he once was, he’ll have to weather some tough minutes until Lindholm and Vatanen return at some point during the season.

  • Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Anthony Stolarz underwent meniscus surgery on his left knee yesterday and will be out indefinitely. The operation explains why the Lehigh Valley Phantoms signed another goaltender last week, inking Leland Irving to an AHL deal. Stolarz, who has flashed huge amounts of potential but has been unable to stay healthy, will now have to work his way back from an injury that can take quite some time to recover from. For the time being, Alex Lyon will take the starter’s duties in the AHL, something he’s more than capable of.
  • Columbus Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky was back on the ice doing some puck drills this week, a little over three months since he underwent wrist surgery. Tom Reed of The Athletic spoke with Dubinsky, who explained the injury has bothered him since 2015-16. He’s not sure if he’ll be ready for the start of the season, which would give even more of a chance to youngsters like Pierre-Luc Dubois and Sonny Milano, depending on how coach John Tortorella decides to deploy his other forwards. An interesting thing to watch will be how Dubinsky’s faceoffs are affected, as wrist surgery often hurts a player’s efficiency in the dot after his return. The 31-year old has long been one of the better faceoff men in the league, never losing more draws than he’s won in a season.

Eastern Notes: Toronto’s Defense, Prospects, Butcher

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have received plenty of attention this offseason with their moves, including the surprising signing of San Jose veteran Patrick Marleau to a three-year deal. Add Marleau to the young cast of offensive weapons the team already has like Auston Matthews, Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk, William Nylander and Mitch Marner, the team has hopes of making a run towards a Stanley Cup Finals this season.

However, Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun is quick to point out that the Maple Leafs need to emphasize defense too. He writes that many people have forgotten that the team finished 22nd in goals against last year. Every team that finished behind them didn’t make the playoffs. And when you look at the moves the team made, very little of it was to help the defense. The team did sign 36-year-old Ron Hainsey, but how much will that help? He’s 36 years old.

Simmons writes that Toronto leadership knows the importance of defense. Coach Mike Babcock, who has won a Stanley Cup in 2008 with the Detroit Red Wings, had a team that was first in goals against that year. General Manager Lou Lamoriello won his last Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2003, they were also first in goals against.

However, the team’s defense should be stronger. The team boasts a number of young, developing defensemen like Nikita Zaitsev, who is just 25 years old. Morgan Rielly is only 23 years old. Jake Gardiner is 27. Martin Marincin is 25 as well, while Connor Carrick is 23. That’s a young defense and maybe a major reason why the team brought Hainsey in. However, even with a year of development, how much better can this defense be?

  • With rookie camps just a week away for many teams, Fanrag’s Craig Morgan put together a detailed list of rookies who could make an impact on the team. While it has the usual candidates like Nico Hischier, Nolan Patrick and Clayton Keller, there are quite a few lesser known ones as well. Players like Washington’s Jakub Vrana, New York Islanders’ Ryan Pulock and Columbus’ Pierre-Luc Dubois are players rarely mentioned who could make an impact this year.
  • Sports Illustrated featured New Jersey Devils Will Butcher after he chose the Devils last weekend. Butcher claims he sees similarities in his game to three NHL players including Chicago’s Duncan Keith, Boston’s Torey Krug and New Jersey’s Andy Greene. ”If I was fortunate to make the big team, he would be a great mentor to me, just because he does everything,” Butcher said of Greene. ”He penalty kills, power play, all situations. He is a smart player, not necessarily the biggest guy, but he uses his abilities to defend well and play the game of hockey.”

Blue Jackets Look To Fill Center Hole

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When center William Karlsson was sacrificed to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Blue Jackets lost a potent two-way tool up the middle. For a team who scores as much by committee as Columbus did last season, the team was bound to lose a valuable roster player. Although he only scored 6 goals and 25 points, he logged tough minutes against tough competition. It should be noted that, for all his defensive starts (62%), his advanced stats have been persistently sub-par. While Karlsson easily passed the eye test, his Corsi For was a lousy 43% in 2016-17, and that isn’t far from his career average. It may be a situation where analytics don’t tell the entire story, but Karlsson was actually trending backwards last season when looking at relative possession. Regardless, someone will need to step up internally to fill that roster void at the the 3rd line center position, as noted in an article by Mark Scheig of the Hockey Writers.

Scheig of course notes the work of rookie Lukas Sedlak, who performed admirably in his fourth-line duties. Sedlak could be ready to step up, but a lot will depend on how he performs in camp. He showed a bit of offensive touch, with 7 goals in 62 NHL contests, and marginal point totals in his Junior days. However, Sedlak was injured down the stretch and will need to re-assert himself into the lineup. He won’t be nearly as sheltered as he was last season, either. Notably, he’ll be competing against Pierre-Luc Dubois, the #3 pick from last year’s draft. Dubois finished out his last year in the QJMHL with the Blanville-Boisbriand Armada after being traded min-season. In an injury shortened campaign, he only posted 55 points in 48 games, a sharp step down from his 99-point performance in 62 games during his draft year. Dubois arguably regressed more than any other 2016 top-10 pick, and it might be unreasonable to expect him to dominate in camp. Dubois still has a heavy shot, solid hockey IQ and uses his size effectively, but consistency at the NHL level may be a difficult ask from a 19 year old returning from a down year.

Internally, other players can slot to the position. Scheig mentions that Boone Jenner can fill in when needed, but it’s no permanent solution. Going the free agency route at this late stage seems rather unlikely, as well. That really leaves coach John Tortorella in a tough position if Dubois fails to make an impact and Sedlak remains what he is. The team does have a glut of defensive prospects, but considering that they went out of their way to protect them from Vegas’ expansion sights, they may not be willing to part with a major piece just yet. The Blue Jackets may simply need to ride out some of the season with a hole in their top-nine if training camp doesn’t crown a clear replacement for Karlsson. Unlike many of the Vegas selections, this one could impact a team’s makeup noticeably. In an incredibly competitive Metropolitan division, a solitary step back could mean the difference between eyeing a division title or fighting for a wild card berth. Still, after adding the dynamic Artemi Panarin this off-season and watching a talented young defense gain valuable playoff experience, Jackets’ fans will likely not be overly concerned just yet.

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