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Snapshots: Gagner, Condon, Hamonic

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The Blackhawks are linked to Columbus UFA Sam Gagner, by way of a report from The Athletic’s Scott Powers. The parties have reached out to one another and expressed “mutual interest”. Gagner could be a good fit in Chicago, as he could jump-start an oddly sluggish powerplay, which finished 24th in the league last season. As always, an issue with signing in the Windy City is available cap dollars. Even after parting with Scott Darling, Artemi Panarin and Niklas Hjalmarsson, the team is $2.99 MM over the cap ceiling, Luckily the team doesn’t have any free agents that absolutely need to be re-signed, so they are free to prune a few forwards from the roster to get within acceptable range. Adding another mid-tier contract could complicate matters. The team has already been rumored to move on from center Marcus Kruger, who only makes $3.083 MM himself. Gagner will be looking for a figure around there after his career season, so his acquisition would mean more shuffling from GM Stan Bowman.

Judging by the fan reaction to the Panarin and Hjalmarsson moves, further shuffling might only serve to further shake confidence in the team’s direction. This isn’t even taking into account the Marian Hossa Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) drama, which alone should make for an interesting summer. For what it’s worth, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector believes Gagner will not return to Edmonton, so that eliminates a potential landing spot. Still, there are few available centers with his skill-set and offensive output, so I wouldn’t be shocked to see Chicago out-bid on this particular player.

  • The Flyers are not comfortable with an Anthony Stolarz and Michael Neuvirth tandem heading into 2017-18, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sam Carchidi. Carchidi goes through the entire UFA selection, including former Flyer Steve Mason, Brian Elliott, Jonathan Bernier, Ryan Miller, and even Keith Kinkaid. Bernier could be a fit, but with his inconsistency I don’t see it being a good one. Mason endured a good deal of fan blame this season, and while a short-term deal is not impossible, it’s a fair assumption he searches for a role in another town. If the Flyers wanted to run a tandem, Neuvirth with Condon could work quite well. The author doesn’t believe that Condon is much of an upgrade over Stolarz, but at 23 and with 2 career wins, Stolarz is simply not at the same level. It’s rare to see a goalie that young be able to take a 40 game (or more) NHL workload with total success. Considering the Flyers’ developing defense, it might be a wise decision on GM Ron Hextall’s part to shelter him in the AHL for another season. Stolarz is definitely their future, and they will look to find a one to two year agreement with whatever stopgap they decide on.
  • A fascinating piece from Newsday’s Arthur Staple details what can only be described as an odd non-deal. The Islanders apparently offered Travis Hamonic and a 1st round pick to Colorado for Matt Duchene, which was subsequently declined by GM Joe Sakic. Isles GM Garth Snow proceeded to move Hamonic for picks while acquiring Jordan Eberle in a separate transaction. Duchene remains in Denver, and apparently his agent Pat Brisson is not happy with the turn of events. Duchene has been linked to trade rumors since nearly the start of the season, which saw his Avalanche finish with an abysmal 48 point dead-last league finish. Sakic was rumored to have a heavy asking price, and this apparent rejection only solidifies those rumblings. Hamonic himself ended up fetching a 1st and two 2nds from Calgary, which is a sizable haul for the Isles. Islanders faithful can’t be too disappointed by the alternative route Snow traversed.

Vancouver Considering Incentive-Laden Deal For Ryan Miller

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Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning has been clear from the end of the season that keeping Ryan Miller around for another season is something he’d like to do. Now, in speaking with Ben Kuzma of The Province, he mentions a possible one-year incentive-laden contract to keep the soon-to-be 37-year old in town.

Miller put together a pretty solid season in many respects, recording a .914 save percentage just a tick below his career average. Even as he heads into his late thirties, he’s still an effective goaltender in the league and would likely benefit even further from an improved defense should he land in a more competitive market. Instead, he may have to settle for the incentives and a one-year deal in Vancouver where he’ll help shepherd in the next wave of Canucks success.

Performance bonuses can only be given to players in certain situations, and in Miller’s case it would have to be a one-year contract. It’s unlikely he’d get much more than that on the open market, though it’s definitely something his camp will have to consider. If someone wanted to give him a two-year deal worth the same as the total possible (salary+bonuses) offered by the Canucks, he’d have to wonder whether it was the safer bet.

The Canucks will use Jacob Markstrom more next season, but many general managers including Benning have been clear that strong goaltending is a big part of developing young players. It’s the reason John Chayka wouldn’t trade Mike Smith at the deadline (though he has now) and why Benning wants Miller back at all.

Canucks Notes: Goldobin, Markstrom, Tryamkin

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The Vancouver Canucks will welcome the Montreal Canadiens to town tonight as they look to stay relevant in the playoff race. The team currently sits six points back of St. Louis and though it is a very outside possibility, they want to stay in it as long as possible. They’ll have to shake up their lineup tonight, as Loui Eriksson will be out for “a week to two weeks” according to Willie Desjardins. In his place, the newly acquired Nikolay Goldobin will get a chance to skate with Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi on the team’s second line. He’s excited about the prospect, and amazed at the amount of media talking to him prior to the game; “It wasn’t like this in San Jose!” he said before going on to say how happy he was to be in Vancouver.

  • The team also relayed the news that Jacob Markstrom is still “at least a week away”, but did skate before the practice by himself. Markstrom hasn’t played since February 16th but would be a big help to the Canucks down the stretch if he can get back. The 27-year old goaltender looks like he’ll get a shot at the starting job next year as Ryan Miller is a free agent this summer. Markstrom’s extension will come into play next year, which will see him paid $3.67MM per year for the next three seasons.
  • 22-year old Nikita Tryamkin has been a revelation for the Canucks this season, as he’s shown his capability to be a part of their defense going forward and showcased his big-hit ability early in the season. He has been out since February 19th though, and still isn’t quite ready to return. Despite skating earlier this morning with the team, he’ll miss his sixth straight game.

Pacific Notes: Kings, Miller, Oilers, Canucks

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While the Kings could still stand to add some offense before tomorrow’s trade deadline, it appears likely that they’ll be quiet on the trade front, suggests Elliott Teaford of the Daily Breeze.  He notes that one of the challenges for GM Dean Lombardi will be to find trade assets that teams will be interested in.  It’s well-known that the team wouldn’t mind moving on from wingers Dustin Brown (who has five years left after this one) at a $5.875MM cap hit) and Marian Gaborik (four years at a $4.875 cap charge) but they won’t be able to get quality assets in return for either of them.

There’s a good chance that this played a factor into their decision to add Ben Bishop and basically double down on a strength even though it doesn’t address their scoring concerns (heading into Tuesday’s action, Los Angeles sits 11th in the West in goals).  They do still have some cap space to play with though as they can add another $3.2MM in a full-season cap hit, per CapFriendly.

More from the Pacific:

  • The Canucks are looking into the possibility of trading pending UFA goaltender Ryan Miller, TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reports (Twitter link). With the team now in sell mode, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them try to give Jacob Markstrom some more starts down the stretch and moving the 36 year old veteran would be one way to do so.  Lavoie suggests that the Flames and Sharks are among the teams looking at goaltending help.  However, both teams are tight to the cap which could make it a challenge to find the right fit, even if the Canucks retain on Miller’s $6MM deal.
  • The Oilers are also on the lookout for goaltending help behind Cam Talbot. It was reported earlier today that the team is interested in Islanders netminder Jaroslav Halak while Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal adds that Buffalo’s Anders Nilsson is someone they’ve kept tabs on lately.  Nilsson wouldn’t be an overly expensive upgrade while his 2.69 GAA and .921 SV% would represent a considerable improvement over what they’ve received from Jonas Gustavsson (3.10, .878) and rookie Laurent Brossoit (2.89, .910).  Matheson suggests a fourth round pick might be enough to get a deal done.
  • A pair of Canucks who presented with mumps symptoms earlier have received the green light to play, notes Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province. Defenseman Ben Hutton and forward Markus Granlund both tested negative and are expected to play tonight against Detroit.  However, forward Michael Chaput has tested positive and as a result, will be out indefinitely until the symptoms subside.

Snapshots: Miller, Chayka, Dorion

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Ryan Miller was the topic on the mind of Pierre LeBrun of ESPN yesterday, when he discussed the possibility of the goaltender waiving his no-trade clause to move at the deadline. Today, Rick Dhaliwal of 1130 News in Vancouver reports that Miller’s agent Mike Liut will talk to his client about the possibilities this week, but that nothing is decided as of yet.

Miller has just five teams that he can be traded to without his permission, and with the news that the Los Angeles Kings will be soon getting Jonathan Quick back, the three we know of—Los Angeles, San Jose and Anaheim—don’t seem to need a goaltender. If he is acquired at the deadline it will likely be because he’s waived his clause to pursue another chance at the Stanley Cup.

  • Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News writes that John Chayka isn’t even close to finished after dealing Michael Stone earlier this week. He has so many assets that he could move at the deadline—like Radim Vrbata, Martin Hanzal and Shane Doan—that he’ll likely be one of the busiest GMs this week. Indeed, Chayka himself admitted today on Arizona Sports 98.7 (via Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports) that he’d had discussions on some big deals. The trio of rentals mentioned above are likely to move, but the Arizona GM could also move Anthony Duclair, Jamie McGinn or Tobias Rieder if he chooses to.
  • We learned today that Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion had been getting calls on Curtis Lazar, but what did those deals look like? He joined TSN today (video link) and said that other teams have been trying to “fleece” him. Obviously teams are looking at his single point this season and thinking that they could get a former first-round pick at an all-time low value. Dorion for his part still believes he will be a very good NHL player, and it’s just an unfortunate set of circumstances this season.

Evening Snapshots: Ducks, Miller, Red Wings

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Anaheim Ducks reassigned forward Corey Tropp back down to the AHL San Diego Gulls today. The Gulls leader in both points and assists (37P and 25A) failed to make an impact in his only game with the Ducks, going pointless while playing under ten minutes last night against the Arizona Coyotes. The Ducks did not specify why Tropp was reassigned, but his AHL scoring touch should have him back up with the big club at some point in the future.
  • ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun reported (video link) that Vancouver Canucks goaltender Ryan Miller has a modified No-Trade Clause that restricts trades to all but five NHL teams. Three of those teams are the San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, and the Anaheim Ducks. It’s clear that Miller wants to stay out west, but players have been known to waive NTCs for the right situation. Miller was last traded at the deadline by the Buffalo Sabres to the St. Louis Blues in 2014 for a planned playoff run. Those plans were cut short when the Blues fell in the first round to the then-defending Stanley Cup Champions Chicago Blackhawks. Miller is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
  • TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported today (video link) that interest in Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith is heating up. McKenzie said that the Red Wings “are getting lots of calls” on the young defenseman. He noted that the interest doesn’t necessarily parley into a surefire trade. The Red Wings will have to weigh the cost of a possible extension against any trade offer. Smith becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season, and has 2G and 3A in 32 games so far. He’s a likely trade deadline candidate if the Red Wings cannot come to terms with him in the next week.

Canucks Notes: Virtanen, Miller, Burrows, Hansen

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Although Canucks right winger Jake Virtanen has struggled once again this season, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted in an interview with Sportsnet 960 in Calgary (audio link) that he doesn’t expect the team to give up on the former first rounder just yet (transcription via Fan Rag’s Chris Nichols):

“But it’s looking to me right now that the Vancouver Canucks and Jake Virtanen – for whatever reason it’s oil and water right now. It’s not a mix. They probably should have sent him down last year. But you’re not giving up on a guy who is a first-round pick after two years. You’re still going to keep it, even though he’s devalued a bit.”

Virtanen made the NHL roster out of training camp but struggled early on, collecting just a single assist in ten games.  He was then sent to the minors in November in the hopes that he would rediscover his scoring touch but that has yet to happen as well as he has just five goals and five assists in 39 minor league contests.  However, he’s still just 20 years old so it’s far too early to sell low on him (which they would be doing by moving him now) just yet.

Other notes out of Vancouver:

  • While the team remains within striking distance of a playoff spot (they’re just five points out of a Wild Card position), Sportsnet’s Mark Spector argues that the Canucks need to be in full seller mode. He cautions about what goaltender Ryan Miller would fetch in a possible trade as many playoff-bound teams already have their goaltending in place and that he’d be more of an insurance policy than an upgrade.  He also notes Alex Burrows as someone who would be attractive to teams and suggests that New Jersey’s return for Vernon Fiddler from the Predators (a fourth round pick) could be around what they should expect to get for him.
  • Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province notes that GM Jim Benning will talk to some of the players with some form of no-trade protection about potentially waiving those clauses as the team gets set to begin their CBA-mandated bye week on Monday. That list is a long one as Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin and Loui Eriksson all have no-move clauses, Burrows, Miller, Brandon Sutter, and Alex Edler all have full no-trade clauses while Jannik Hansen can block a trade to 21 teams.  Kuzma also suggests that the Canucks may have some extra motivation to try and move Hansen in particular as he may be a player the team considers leaving unprotected in June’s expansion draft.

Canucks Don’t Plan To Trade Draft Picks This Season

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While Vancouver GM Jim Benning has been willing to move draft picks in recent years to bring in younger players, he told TSN 1040 in Vancouver (audio link) that he isn’t willing to do so this season.

Two years ago, the Canucks dealt a second rounder to Calgary for Sven Baertschi while this past offseason, Benning flipped their 2016 second and fourth round picks to Florida as part of the package to acquire Erik Gudbranson.  They also dealt a fifth rounder away in the 2015 summer as part of the Brandon Prust acquisition.

Instead, it’s looking highly likely that the Canucks will remain quiet on the trade front this season.  Vancouver has clawed their way back into a tie for the final Wild Card spot in the West but aren’t expected to be a serious postseason threat which is why Benning is planning to stay the course more than anything else (transcription courtesy of Fan Rag’s Chris Nichols):

“We’re going to just continue to monitor where we’re at going into the trade deadline. But like I’ve said all along this year, we’re happy with the development of our kids. Unless some of our older players with no-trade contracts approach me, we’re going to hold the fort and just go from there.”

Vancouver has quite a few players with no-trade or no-move clauses in their contracts which certainly has the potential to create a challenge in making any deals.  Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, and Loui Eriksson all have no-move clauses while Alex Burrows, Brandon Sutter, Jannik Hansen, Alexander Edler, and Ryan Miller all have at least partial no-trade protection.

If the Canucks drop out of the postseason picture in the next month or so, it’s likely that Burrows and Miller will start to come up in trade talks despite their trade restrictions.  Burrows is the typical bottom six upgrade that many teams will seek out at trade deadline time and there is some doubt as to whether he’d have a future with Vancouver beyond this season; he’s 35 and a pending unrestricted free agent.

As for Miller, also a pending UFA, Jacob Markstrom is making a push for more playing time while youngster Thatcher Demko is viewed as their goalie of the not-too-distant future which could make him expendable.  However, with a $6MM cap hit and the other goalie options out there, any return for Miller wouldn’t likely be too significant.

On the flip side, if Vancouver is in the playoff picture at the deadline, their unwillingness to move picks will make it more difficult to facilitate any ‘buyer’ deals as well.  Either way, it’s looking like the Canucks won’t be particularly active on the trade market in the next six weeks.

Pacific Notes: Fowler, Garbutt, Demko, Coyotes

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After being heavily mentioned in trade rumors over the offseason, Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler is off to a strong start this year with 17 points (7-10-17) through 28 games.  As Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register notes, head coach Randy Carlyle has certainly taken notice, stating that Fowler is as important to Anaheim as Brent Burns (San Jose) and Erik Karlsson (Ottawa) are to their respective clubs, certainly high praise given the stature of those other blueliners.

Not only is Fowler leading the way offensively from the back end, he’s averaging a career high 23:58 per game of ice time, including regular minutes on the top power play and penalty kill.

While it has been speculated that Fowler and his $4MM cap hit would have to be moved for salary cap reasons, the long-term concussion for fellow blueliner Simon Despres has given the Ducks enough wiggle room for the time being.  Even when he returns (which isn’t likely to happen for quite a while yet), he’s too valuable to Anaheim for them to realistically consider dealing him any time soon.

Still with Anaheim, after clearing waivers on Friday, forward Ryan Garbutt has been assigned to their AHL affiliate in San Diego, the team announced.

Other news from the Pacific Division:

  • With goaltender Ryan Miller leaving Thursday’s game with what is believed to be a lower body injury, the team announced via Twitter that they have recalled top prospect Thatcher Demko from Utica of the AHL. Demko is off to a decent start in his first professional season after spending three years at Boston College.  He has a 7-5-1 record in 14 appearances with a 2.59 GAA and a .909 SV%.
  • The Coyotes announced that they have recalled center Laurent Dauphin and defenseman Anthony DeAngelo from their AHL affiliate in Tucson. Dauphin has played in 18 games with Arizona so far this season, notching a goal and an assist while DeAngelo made a strong impression in his first call-up last month, picking up seven points (2-5-7) in just 11 games.  Dauphin’s recall comes on the heels of Max Domi being placed on injured reserve.

Canucks President Trevor Linden Offers Thoughts On Team

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In a lengthy Q & A session with Luke Fox of Sportsnet, Trevor Linden, president of the Vancouver Canucks, offered his thoughts on the direction of the team, among many other topics. The entire interview is well worth the read but here are a few of the highlights:

  • When asked about the biggest positive so far this season, Linden spoke of the team’s youthful defense: “Tonight we’ll have the youngest defence core in the National Hockey League. Our oldest defenceman will be 26-year-old [Luca] Sbisa and [Philip] Larsen. Gudbranson’s 24. [Ben] Hutton’s 23. [Troy] Stecher and [Nikita] Tryamkin are 22. That’s a new group. We’ve rebuilt that defence.” Not only is Sbisa the gray beard of the crew, he is also the longest-tenured member of the blue line, now in his third season with the team. From that perspective Linden is spot on in his assessment that Vancouver has essentially rebuilt the team’s defense. But it remains to be seen whether this young group can develop into one of the league’s top blue line units.
  • Interestingly enough, when discussing the defense, Linden also touched on the Sedins, Henrik and Daniel. The executive admitted there is no chance the team will trade their longtime stars, unless requested by the twins to do so: “Two guys that, quite simply, were just never going to be moved. That’s 33 (Henrik) and 22 (Daniel). They’re going to be here until they decide to not be here.” The Sedins are no longer in their prime but are still capable of producing solid offensive numbers commensurate with top-six forwards – Daniel has 14 points and Henrik 15 through 24 games this season. Dealing the twins would fast-forward the Vancouver rebuild tremendously given the quality assets they would be able to get in exchange. Of course finding a trade scenario that works for Vancouver would be difficult. With NMC’s in hand, it’s certain the duo would insist on continuing to play together. Not many teams will have enough room, even at the trade deadline, to accommodate the Sedin’s combined cap charge. Still, it’s a scenario Linden should not-so-easily dismiss.

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