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Snapshots: Dubois, Extended Camp, Sheahan, Miller

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The Blue Jackets have started contract talks with soon-to-be restricted free agent center Pierre-Luc Dubois, reports Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch.  GM Jarmo Kekalainen indicated a desire to get this done relatively quickly, stating that “The sooner we get these things done, the better opportunity we have to make the team better”.  Columbus has nearly $74.5MM in commitments for next season already although that includes LTIR-bound Brandon Dubinsky which would allow them to spend up to $5.85MM over the Upper Limit.  Still, that doesn’t leave much room to re-sign Dubois who they would like to sign to a long-term deal and their other RFAs while having space left over to try to add pieces.  That’s why getting something done with the 22-year-old would be ideal for Kekalainen who would have a much better idea of his financial picture heading into free agency next month.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • A decision still hasn’t been made regarding extended training camps for the seven teams that didn’t participate in the NHL’s Return to Play, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly indicated talks are ongoing with the NHLPA but with no firm date for the beginning of training camps to begin, it’s unlikely that there will be any concrete plans on this for a while.
  • Oilers center Riley Sheahan was believed to be seeking $2MM per year to sign an extension midseason, relays Postmedia’s David Staples. The veteran had to wait until early September to sign a one-year, $900K deal for this past season and while he took a lot of faceoffs, he only managed to pick up eight goals and seven assists in 66 games.  Between that and the flattened cap environment, Sheahan’s next contract may wind up being closer to what he made in 2019-20 compared to that previous asking price.
  • The Ducks aren’t sure yet about bringing backup goaltender Ryan Miller back for next season, GM Bob Murray told Eric Stephens of The Athletic (subscription link). The 40-year-old has spent the last three seasons in Anaheim and has been working out with an eye on playing in 2020-21 if it’s the right situation.  Miller had a base salary of $1.125MM this season with another $1.2MM in performance bonuses and posted a 3.10 GAA with a .907 SV% in 23 games.  Anaheim is quite tight to the Upper Limit already for next season (although Ryan Kesler will probably be on LTIR again to give them some flexibility) so if the veteran does return, another incentive-laden deal would make sense.

Nominees Announced For 2020 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

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The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is given out annually to the NHL player who exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. The award has been voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association since 1968, and today they announced their nominees for 2019.

Past winners of the award include Robin Lehner (2019), Brian Boyle (2018), Craig Anderson (2017), Jaromir Jagr (2016), Devan Dubnyk (2015), Dominic Moore (2014) and Josh Harding (2013).

Below are the nominees from each team:

Anaheim Ducks – Ryan Miller

Arizona Coyotes – Conor Garland

Boston Bruins – Kevan Miller

Buffalo Sabres – Curtis Lazar

Calgary Flames – Mark Giordano

Carolina Hurricanes – James Reimer

Chicago Blackhawks – Corey Crawford

Colorado Avalanche – Ryan Graves

Columbus Blue Jackets – Nathan Gerbe

Dallas Stars – Stephen Johns

Detroit Red Wings – Robby Fabbri

Edmonton Oilers – Connor McDavid

Florida Panthers – Noel Acciari

Los Angeles Kings – Jonathan Quick

Minnesota Wild – Alex Stalock

Montreal Canadiens – Shea Weber

Nashville Predators – Jarred Tinordi

New Jersey Devils – Travis Zajac

New York Islanders – Thomas Hickey

New York Rangers – Henrik Lundqvist

Ottawa Senators – Bobby Ryan

Philadelphia Flyers – Oskar Lindblom

Pittsburgh Penguins – Evgeni Malkin

San Jose Sharks – Joe Thornton

St. Louis Blues – Jay Bouwmeester

Toronto Maple Leafs – Zach Hyman

Vancouver Canucks – Jacob Markstrom

Vegas Golden Knights – Shea Theodore

Washington Capitals – Michal Kempny

Winnipeg Jets – Mark Letestu

Three finalists and the winner will be named at a later date.

Carolina Hurricanes Will Make Additions In Net

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4:43 p.m. — As expected, the Carolina Hurricanes announced they have recalled Forsberg and Nedeljkovic from Charlotte.

11:11 a.m. — Last night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs was nothing short of a once-in-a-lifetime event for the Carolina Hurricanes. The contest could not have gotten off to a worse start, with starter James Reimer being forced out of the game just six minutes in to the first period following a collision in net. Petr Mrazek entered the game in relief, but allowed a goal late in the period to give the Leafs a 1-0 lead. Things were looking up in the second frame following three Hurricanes goals, but then Mrazek was injured just over halfway through the period. This forced the team to turn to an emergency backup, 42-year-old Zamboni driver David Ayres, an employee of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment who had not played in a competitive game for more than five years. Yet, Ayres got the job done, allowing only two goals in nearly half a game (with some help from the team allowing just ten shots) to lead the Hurricanes to a 6-3 win.

While this was of course a tremendous story, the reality now sets in that the Hurricanes are now down both of their NHL goaltenders without any timeline yet as to when they may return to action. The timing of this is poor, seeing as tomorrow is the final day to make a trade this season and there is no time to wait for an official word on Mrazek or Reimer. The team is also in the thick of the Eastern Conference wild card race and can’t afford to take a chance in goal and miss out on potential points.

For now, TSN’s Pierre LeBurn reports that the team plans to recall both Anton Forsberg and Alex Nedeljkovic from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers today. Fortunately, both netminders have seen plenty of ice time this season, spitting appearances 50/50, and have performed relatively well. If asked to take on some NHL starts, either one could fair well enough. Forsberg is a veteran of 45 NHL games, while Nedeljkovic has fared well in his two NHL appearances and was arguably the best goalie in the AHL last season.

However, if there is any suspicion that both Mrazek and Reimer could be out long term, it seems unlikely that Carolina would be comfortable fighting for a playoff spot and entering the postseason with only Forsberg and Nedeljkovic. For that reason, LeBrun adds that a number of teams have already reached out to the Hurricanes about moving a goalie and it seems likely that the team could make a move. In fact, the team was kicking the tires on adding another goalie even before these injuries, so many conversations have already been had. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that the teams main focus is on Chicago Blackhawks’ keepers Robin Lehner and Corey Crawford, both impending free agents, while other rental options could include veterans Jimmy Howard, Craig Anderson, or Ryan Miller or available backups like Aaron Dell or Louis Domingue.

One way or another, the names in net are about to change for Carolina. Perhaps it will only be short-term while their current duo heal up or maybe it could be a major long-term addition for the rest of the season and a hopeful playoff run. With the team also needing a replacement on the blue line given the injuries to Dougie Hamilton and Brett Pesce and also rumored to be in on several big-name forwards, including the Rangers’ Chris Kreider, the next 27 hours should be very busy for the Hurricanes.

Extension Notes: Kreider, Miller, Willman

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New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider is considered the top rental player on the market and has been for some time. Yet, through it all the Rangers have maintained that they would like to re-sign their All-Star winger. It seems GM Jeff Gorton has finally decided that it’s time to talk details if the two sides are going to work out a deal ahead of the February 24th NHL Trade Deadline. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that Gorton and Kreider’s agent, Matt Keator, will sit down within the next few days to discuss a contract extension. While LeBrun thinks that it could be a tough extension to work out given Kreider’s status as arguably the second-best potential free agent this summer behind only Arizona’s Taylor Hall. In a weak market, Kreider could capitalize more on a bidding war than he likely would be able to re-signing with New York before testing the waters. However, the career Ranger may also see that he is on an up-and-coming team and wish to stay at the right price. Gorton and Keator will discuss what that number might be in the coming days and a decision on Kreider’s future, one way or another, will be made within the coming weeks.

  • He may be 39 and noticeably declining with each season, but the Anaheim Ducks remain interested in bringing back veteran goaltender Ryan Miller for another year. That is, if he wants to play another year. The Orange County Register’s Elliott Teaford writes that Miller has earned the ability to decide how his career will end. Despite his struggles this season, Miller would have value on the trade market if the Ducks were to make him available, but Teaford believes that he will have the final say on a potential move. Miller could decline the opportunity to play for a playoff team down the stretch, as he did last season. He could also accept the trade with the knowledge that he would be welcomed back to Anaheim as a free agent this summer. Miller may also land with a legitimate Cup contender and decide to call it a career after a long playoff run. Or, and the only future the player himself is considering at this time, Miller may just stay in Anaheim and revisit his options in the off-season. While a decision on where Miller will play for the rest of the season must be made within the next few weeks ahead of the trade deadline, there is still time to consider his future beyond this season. However, the cushy role of backup to workhorse John Gibson in sunny Southern California is not a bad way for Miler to continue his career into his 40’s.
  • A notable AHL rookie signed an extension on Tuesday. Former Brown and Boston University forward Max Willman signed on for another year with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the team announced. Willman, 24, played five seasons of college hockey, a tenure extended by a senior season at Brown lost to injury. While Willman struggled to get back to full strength with BU last season, he still managed to make enough of an impression on the Philadelphia Flyers to earn a deal with their affiliate. Willman looked like his old self to begin the year, scoring at a point-per-game pace with the ECHL’s Reading Royals. Since being called up to Lehigh, he has three goals and five points in 15 games. The Cape Cod native works hard and plays a smart game and if he can stay healthy and continue to improve, it is not out of the realm of possibility that he could one day be signing an NHL contract.

Craig Anderson’s Trade Stock Plummeting

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Both the Ottawa Senators and goaltender Craig Anderson have an interest in the veteran’s trade value with the NHL Trade Deadline approaching next month. The Senators are again outside of the playoff picture and looking to deal any impending free agents for futures. Anderson meanwhile is 38 years old and has never come close to winning a Stanley Cup, reaching the postseason five times in his 17-year career and only twice advancing past the first round. Both sides would seemingly like to see a deal made.

Yet, as The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes, Anderson’s play of late may be ruining that chance for both he and his team. Anderson has allowed four or more goals in each of his last four games, all of which have ended in Senators’ losses. His save percentage has dropped below .900, while his goals against average has jumped to 3.27. Entering this season after back-to-back difficult campaigns, Anderson needed consistently strong play to redeem his value. Instead, the long-time Ottawa keeper looks like a player whose days as a reliable contributor are over.

However, Anderson remains “open-minded” to the idea of a trade and the Senators certainly would like to get anything out of him on the market, if at all possible. However, if Anderson’s value is to improve at all over the next six weeks leading up to the deadline, Ottawa must be wiling to but the veteran in net. Anders Nilsson received the lion’s share of starts early in the season, so much so that he has one fewer appearance than Anderson despite being out with an injury since mid-December. Even with Nilsson sidelined, Anderson has been sharing the net, now with young Marcus Hogberg. Hogberg has played in nine games this season, seven since Nilsson’s injury, and of late has been at the opposite end of the spectrum of Anderson, allowing two goals or fewer in each of his last three appearances. Despite these efforts, if the Sens want to move Anderson they must put him in the lineup, even once Nilsson returns to action.

If Ottawa isn’t willing to give Anderson the chance to improve his trade stock, they likely will struggle to get anything back for him. The rental goalie market is far from vacant; there are upwards of a half-dozen goalies who could easily be on the move by the end of February. The Chicago Blackhawks have at least one keeper that they could move, San Jose’s Aaron Dell and Montreal’s Keith Kinkaid are established backups who will be made available, and Anderson is not even the only gray-haired veteran on the block, with the Ducks’ Ryan Miller and Red Wings’ Jimmy Howard potentially available. There are more goalies for sale than there are backup buyers and not all of these names will move. If the Senators and Anderson hope that he is one of the few to go, things need to change – and soon.

Free Agent Profile: Cam Ward

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Since the unrestricted free agency rush of July 1st subsided, just two NHL goaltenders have been signed off the open market: Anthony Stolarz with the Anaheim Ducks and Jared Coreau with the New York Islanders. That’s two goalie signings in 33 days, making it easily the quietest position of this off-season, despite a major re-shuffling of UFA starters early on and several RFA extensions as well.

Unsurprisingly, several notable names remain available – Scott Darling, Chad Johnson, Mike McKenna, Al Montoya – while Michal Neuvirth has already accepted a PTO. However, one name sticks out above the rest for both his career accomplishments and his meaningful role in 2018-19.

Cam Ward, 35, ventured outside of Carolina last season for the first time in his 14-year NHL career. Ward signed a one-year, $3MM contract with the Chicago Blackhawks last summer and proceeded to play a major tole for the team this past season. Dealing with ongoing issues with starter Corey Crawford, Ward ended up playing in 33 games to Crawford’s 39 and Collin Delia’s 16. Although Ward’s .897 save percentage and 3.67 GAA were the worst among the trio, it was only a marginal gap. The Blackhawks struggled defensively and no goalie was safe, as all three finished with a save percentage below .910 and GAA above 2.90.

Still, Ward cannot have been happy with his results last year. A Stanley Cup winner and former All-Star, Ward was rock solid for the Hurricanes for several years. He thrived early on as a workhorse, including a 2010-11 campaign in which he posted a career-high .923 save percentage in a league-best 74 appearances. He then settled nicely into a timeshare role, posting back-to-back seasons with a 2.40 GAA while playing in around 50 games each year from 2014 to 2016. Even as he continued to age and his numbers slipped slightly, no one could have predicted his pedestrian performance last season. It was a sharp decline from his career numbers that could have been an outlier or could be signaling the end of his career.

One thing that is certainly working against Ward finding work this off-season is the now well-established narrative that he does not play well as a backup. Over his career, Ward has played in four seasons, including last year in Chicago, in which he did not make at least half of his team’s starts. In those three seasons combined, Ward is 49-38-13, with a a save percentage of .895 and a GAA of 3.37. In all of his other seasons combined, Ward has a record of 285-218-75, with a save percentage of .911 and a GAA of 2.63. It is extremely clear that Ward does his best work with regular appearances and any team looking to make the most of signing him will want to offer that opportunity. But does such a landing spot exist?

Potential Suitors

The honest answer is that the team likely to sign Ward, if any, isn’t aware of the need just yet. Ward could very well be a veteran option that a team turns to in case of injury or poor performance that can be a temporary starter. While it’s impossible to project injuries, the New York Rangers have a starter who is even older than Ward and have very little depth behind him. A Henrik Lundqvist injury could certainly turn the Blueshirts on to Ward as an option to step in at starter during a season that brings high expectations to New York. The same could be said for the Vegas Golden Knights, whose 34-year-old starter Marc-Andre Fleury has dealt with injury issues before. Vegas is in better shape with their depth in net and could handle a short absence from Fleury, but without a proven NHL goalie elsewhere on the depth chart, a long-term injury could send them on the hunt for a solution. Despite having both John Gibson and Ryan Miller, the Anaheim Ducks are far from safe when it comes to injury risk and could be an option for Ward if disaster strikes. The Philadelphia Flyers shuffled through goalies like no other team in NHL history last year, so another issue with Brian Elliott could easily have the Flyers intrigued in Ward.

As for teams who risk needing a starter due to poor play, no team jumps out more than the Columbus Blue Jackets. It’s perhaps even fair to call them the most likely landing spot for Ward, as they are sure to go through some bumpy times with their young tandem of former backup Joonas Korpisalo and unproven import Elvis Merzlikins. The team only has more untested foreign talent in the minors as well. The Blue Jackets have ample cap space, so if there was a bidding war for Ward at any point, Columbus would be the favorite to beat out any other team in need of an emergency starter.

If Ward is intent on signing before the season begins though, rather than wait for a need-based market to develop in-season, there are a couple of teams who could still be looking for a backup. Again, that isn’t the ideal role for Ward, but it is one that the respected veteran would likely be willing to try his hand at again. The Florida Panthers spent big on Sergei Bobrovsky this summer, but 22-year-old Samuel Montembeault is slated to be the primary backup heading into next year. He is waiver-exempt still and could head to the AHL without issue if the team opted to look at a veteran backup. However, this doesn’t seem extremely likely, considering their investment in Bobrovsky, who they likely expect to make 65 starts. In Colorado, the Avalanche seemed hesitant to give last year’s third-string, Pavel Francouz, an extended look despite strong numbers in the NHL and AHL. He is now the likely backup to Philipp Grubauer, who himself is still finding his footing as a true starter. The Avs have almost no depth in net and could look to add another name to the mix in Ward.

Projected Contract

Ward has made at least $3MM in each of the past four seasons and more than $6MM on the contract prior to that. Those days are now over. Regardless of the impact that his role or the team’s defense had on his 2018-19 performance in Chicago, Ward has lost his leverage to command a sizable salary after such a poor season. If he is settling in to a backup role before the season, he will almost certainly land somewhere between $1MM and the league minimum of $700K. If he is signing mid-season to take over as a starter or at least in a timeshare, that number could go up, but not much higher. If Ward feels like he has several years left, he will be looking at this season as an investment in future earnings; he will accept a cheap deal to go to the right place where there is the potential to succeed, so as to hit the market next summer with some more bargaining power. The only question is whether that right fit exists, now or down the road after the season begins. Ward could call it a career if no such opportunities arise by the end of the calendar year.

Anaheim Signs Anthony Stolarz

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After standing pat on day one of free agency, the Anaheim Ducks have come alive today with their third signing. Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, a Group 6 unrestricted free agent, has signed with the team, reports TVA’s Renaud Lavoie. It is expected to be a two-year, one-way contract for Stolarz worth $750K.

After parts of five seasons in the Philadelphia Flyers organization to begin his pro career, Stolarz finally got a change of scenery when he was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers in February for Cam Talbot. Stolarz was immediately considered a likely backup candidate for Edmonton moving forward, but failed to impress in six appearances with the team down the stretch and by all reports the Oilers made no attempt to keep him.

Stolarz now joins yet another team in Anaheim and hopes he can get his career back on track. Stolarz was a second-round pick in 2012 and injuries have prevented him from playing up to the expectations of his high draft price. Still just 25 though, Stolarz still has upside and his underlying numbers, in both the NHL and AHL, have been good when healthy.

Managing their depth in net could be tricky for the Ducks, however. Anaheim re-signed Ryan Miller to a one-year deal and may see Stolarz as the future backup to John Gibson after that deal expires, but in 2019-20 the team will either have to carry all three goalies or risk losing Stolarz on waivers. How it all plays out will be interesting to watch.

Anaheim Ducks Re-Sign Three Players

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6:07pm: Miller’s deal checks in a little higher than anticipated.  Eric Stephens of The Athletic reports the contract is worth $1.125MM.

5:40pm: The Ducks have made all three contracts official. Each player has been signed for one year.

9:53am: The Anaheim Ducks cleared a fair amount of cap space yesterday when they waved goodbye to one of their franchise icons in Corey Perry, and are now hard at work filling out their depth chart for next season. Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register reports that the team is expected to announce new deals for Ryan Miller, Derek Grant and Korbinian Holzer today. Miller’s deal is expected to be a one-year, $1MM contract to keep him in net behind John Gibson.

You basically can’t ask for a better backup goaltender than the 38-year old Miller, who has a .921 save percentage over his two years with the Ducks while making just $2MM per season to this point. That salary will actually be cut in half in order for the veteran to stay in California, the only place he wanted to be given his wife Noureen DeWulf’s acting career. While he hasn’t been the absolute picture of health, Miller doesn’t need to play a ton to be effective behind a workhorse like Gibson. Now just 12 away from 400 for his career, the American-born goaltender will likely eventually be in the Hall of Fame as he now sits 16th all-time in wins.

Grant, 29, hasn’t had quite the same Hall of Fame career, but is still a valuable depth piece for the Ducks. The center ended up playing 31 games for them after a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins and will serve as a veteran option down the middle as they transition to a new forward group. With Ryan Kesler, Corey Perry and Patrick Eaves all out of the way, the Ducks will have plenty of youngsters in the line up every night.

Holzer, 31, has been that depth player for the Ducks for several years now. Never playing in more than 32 games in a single season for the club, the defenseman has nevertheless been an important part of the puzzle for the team as an injury replacement. He suited up 22 times in 2018-19 recording four points, and could very well serve as the seventh or eighth defenseman on the roster once again in 2019-20.

Anaheim Ducks Interested In Ryan Miller Return

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The Anaheim Ducks are interested in bringing back Ryan Miller for another year, according to Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest. Strickland suggests it would be a bonus-laden contract, meaning it could only be for one season. Miller is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after his current two-year, $4MM deal expires.

Players are only eligible to receive performance bonuses in certain situations, but a one-year deal for Miller would qualify given his age. The 38-year old goaltender is coming off a year in which he suited up just 20 times, his fewest games played in a single season since 2003-04. The veteran still put up a .912 save percentage in those appearances, but dealt with a sprained MCL that limited his action.

Miller has been clear in the past that he only wants to play in California at this point, given his wife Noureen DeWulf’s career as a Hollywood actress. With Anaheim still relying on John Gibson to carry the majority of the load, Miller might still be the best backup option available. As recently as 2017-18 he recorded a .928 save percentage and a 12-6-6 record for the Ducks, and a bonus-laden deal would be of little risk to the team. Miller is currently making just $2MM, but had strong trade protection in order to ensure he controlled his playing destination.

The question now will be simply if he wants to suit up again, as Miller can clearly still contribute when healthy. The Ducks are hoping for a better season with whoever they install as head coach, and a tandem of Gibson and Miller would certainly help them accomplish whatever goals they set for themselves.

Ducks Activate Ryan Miller; Place John Gibson, Chad Johnson On IR

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Talk about a reshuffling in net. Anaheim Ducks GM and now head coach Bob Murray announced today that starting goalie John Gibson and backup Chad Johnson have been placed on the injured reserve. The Athletic’s Eric Stephens adds that Kevin Boyle will make his first NHL start tonight as the Ducks face the Vancouver Canucks and will be backed up by Ryan Miller, who has been activated from the injured reserve.

Gibson, the Ducks’ Vezina-caliber keeper, missed Anaheim’s last game with an undisclosed upper-body injury suffered in his previous game. Murray provided some more clarity on that situation, describing Gibson’s injury as head, neck, and back soreness from being “whacked a whole bunch on one play”. The Ducks’ release noted that Gibson is improving, but the team still opted to place him on IR. Gibson should return to action when the requisite ten days have passed.

As for Johnson, this move seems just as much about moving Miller off of IR as it does the current backup’s status. Officially, Johnson is out with a head injury, but as Stephens notes, he took a puck up high yesterday in practice and was suffering from a headache. While all head injuries should be taken seriously, an IR stint may be considered overkill in this situation. However, the Ducks do not want to carry three goalies for the rest of the season, so have put off the decision – possibly in hopes of solving the problem via trade – by deactivating Johnson and activating Miller, who seemingly has been deemed the better option to backup Boyle in the short term. It remains to be seen if Miller is actually ready to take the net again for Anaheim. He has been sidelined with a knee injury since early December and was not expected back for another few weeks. Hopefully, Boyle can follow up a pretty good NHL debut with a strong start (or several).

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