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Sidney Crosby

Snapshots: Malkin, Athanasiou, Subban

By | at October 14, 2016 8:03 pm

Penguins writer Sam Kasan reports that with Sidney Crosby out for indefinitely, the Penguins are looking at Evgeni Malkin as the man to lead the team in his absence. A mainstay in Pittsburgh since being drafted second overall in 2004, teammate Chris Kunitz comments that having Malkin is a huge plus that most teams in the NHL don’t have:

“Most teams don’t have that luxury. ‘Geno’ is an important guy for us. He’s going to get more offensive zone time for himself with ‘Sid’ being out and showed (Thursday) that he can change a game at any time.”

Kasan writes that Malkin already put the team on his back after having a breakaway goal, assist, and a shootout goal in the Pens’ 3-2 victory over Washington. Malkin admits that it’s not easy being with Crosby, but adds that he feels his confidence is back after having a sub-par performance in the World Cup of Hockey.

In other news from around the league:

  • Ansar Khan tweeted earlier that the Red Wings are already shuffling lines in the wake of a 6-4 loss at the hands of Stanley Cup favorite Tampa Bay Thursday night. The Red Wings jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead and held a 3-1 lead before the Lightning reeled off four straight goals. The Detroit penalty kill had a busy night while the line of Steve Ott, Drew Miller, and Luke Glendening had a statistically brutal evening. Khan reported that Andreas Athanasiou was slotted into a line with Henrik Zetterberg and Frans Nielsen, while Ott was working into the fourth line. Khan later tweeted that those would indeed be the lines for Saturday’s contest against Florida, meaning that Ott would be the odd man out. This could be an early indicator that head coach Jeff Blashill will truly mix and match in order to find a spark, and will be quick to yank players from the lineup swiftly, whether they’re veterans or rookies. Last season, Athanasiou had 14 points (9-5) in 37 games and did so averaging just over nine minutes on the ice.
  • PK Subban notched his first goal as a Nashville Predator with a blistering slap shot in the first period of Nashville’s contest against the Chicago Blackhawks. Subban, who was traded for Shea Weber on June 29, ripped a shot from just inside the blue line to even the score at one. Known for his enthusiasm, and philanthropy during his time in Montreal, Nashville has fallen in love with its new star and the success expected on the ice should only increase his legend in the Music City.
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Snapshots: Bruins Injuries, Crosby, Lindgren, Lindback

By | at October 12, 2016 11:14 am

Judging by their roster to start the new season, the Boston Bruins’ new colors might be black and blue. Patrice Bergeron, Adam McQuaid, and Kevan Miller will all miss the season opener in Columbus on Thursday night.

While Bergeron and McQuaid are considered day-to-day with lower and upper body injuries respectively, Miller will miss approximately six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture in his left hand.

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2016-17 Season Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins

By | at October 12, 2016 9:00 am

With the start of the regular season only hours away, we look at the last team in our season preview series: the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Last Season: 48-26-8 (104 points). 2nd in the Metropolitan Division. Won Stanley Cup.

Remaining Cap Space: $(-3.18MM) per CapFriendly (Pens are expected to place Pascal Dupuis and his $3.75MM cap hit on LTIR)

Key Newcomers: G Mike Condon (waivers, Montreal)

Key Departures: F Beau Bennett (trade, New Jersey), D Ben Lovejoy (UFA, New Jersey), G Jeff Zatkoff (UFA, Los Angeles)

[Related: Pittsburgh Penguins Depth Chart at Roster Resource]

Players To Watch: Sidney Crosby. The unequivocal best player in the NHL right now is sidelined indefinitely with another concussion. Crosby sustained his latest concussion during training camp on the Friday before the seasons starts. The concussion derails what was set to be a promising start to the season after Crosby returned from the World Cup of Hockey a champion and MVP. He led the tournament in scoring by potting 3G and 7A. And while concussions are now taken more seriously, Crosby’s history with head injuries only intensifies the potential harm for the Penguins Captain. He missed a significant chuck of 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons with concussions and neck issues stemming from hits to the head, and another similar injury is cause for concern.

If Crosby comes back healthy and with no lingering effects, then the Pens are expected to challenge for the Cup once again. The team made no major moves this off-season, and avoided the almost inevitable cap-shedding summers that plagued the Chicago Blackhawks over the past six years.

Key Storyline: Goaltending. Who will step up and take the reins this season? Most hockey pundits assumed that Marc-Andre Fleury would be traded and Matt Murray would assume the starting role. Fleury lost his starting position to Murray after the rookie’s excellent playoff performance. The Pens attempted to insert Fleury back into the lineup during the playoffs but the team faltered and Coach Mike Sullivan went back to Murray.

The other reason many thought that Fleury would be traded was that if he remained on the roster past June, his newly activated NMC would force the Penguins to protect him and expose Murray in the expansion draft. Obviously Pittsburgh would like to keep Murray over Fleury as the former is arguably better, younger, and cost-controlled. That leaves Fleury as the odd man out in this situation, and the Pens could move him during the season if the price is right. Regardless of when they move him, the tension surrounding the situation could have an adverse effect on team morale. The Penguins have a bit of time to contemplate platooning both goalies, however, as Murray broke his hand during the World Cup of Hockey and will miss a few weeks as he recovers.

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Snapshots: Concussions, Crosby, Prust

By | at October 11, 2016 7:06 pm

News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The NHL has updated its concussion protocol to add two key elements: (1) central office spotters watching all the games via the League office, and (2) mandatory fines for clubs who do not remove a player who requires a concussion evaluation. The central office staffers will watch the games back at league headquarters in New York and alert teams and in-arena spotters anytime they feel a player requires concussion evaluation. Concussions have become a hot topic is sports—namely the NFL—and the NHL’s on-going concussion litigation may have affected this change.
  • Speaking of concussions, Sidney Crosby has no timetable for recovery but is not worried about any longterm effects, reports Will Graves of the AP Sports. Crosby suffered another concussion this preseason and is currently out indefinitely. He took part in an hour-long skate today with other injured players but intends to take it day by day. Crosby is no stranger to concussions—he missed significant time in 2011 and 2012 with a concussion and related injuries stemming from numerous collisions. His history may be of benefit, however, as Crosby understands that concussion recovery takes patience and that he cannot rush progress.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have released forward Brandon Prust from his PTO, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnson. Prust failed to make the team after a disappointing training camp. Despite being released, Prust continued to practice with the team today before the season began in an effort to garner a contract nonetheless. Prust acknowledged that making the Maple Leafs was a long shot, and he hopes that he turned some heads in the process.

 

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Crosby Diagnosed With Concussion

By | at October 10, 2016 1:00 pm

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced today that captain Sidney Crosby has been diagnosed with a concussion. Coach Mike Sullivan said that the injury occurred in the Penguins’ Friday practice, but it was unclear at first that there was a head injury. What was orignally believed to just be sickness that kept Crosby out of the Pens’ preseason finale has now been officially diagnosed as a concussion. With so little time left before the start of the regular season, there is doubt as to whether or not Crosby will be healthy for the Pens’ home opener Thursday night against the Washington Capitals. There is no timeline for his return at this point. 

This is not the first time that Crosby has suffered a concussion as he has missed time in many seasons throughout his career due to head injuries. The worry with yet another concussion, even if it is minor, is that it could lead to an extended absence. The last thing that anyone wants to see is the player that most believe to be the best in hockey out with a head injury. Hopefully Crosby is back on the ice in no time.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh may have to do some line shuffling, but luckily for the defending Stanley Cup champs there is plenty of depth to go around. The diagnosis at this point in time allows the Penguins to re-analyze their roster situation prior to the cap deadline, perhaps preventing a player like Eric Fehr from hitting waivers. It could also allow the likes of Oskar Sunqvist, Teddy Blueger,  or college free agent Thomas Di Pauli to earn a role in the Penguins bottom-six. Should Crosby be unable to go on Thursday or even for an extended period of time, expect Evgeni Malkin to center the top line while Nick Bonino leads the “HBK line” in taking over second line duties. Matt Cullen, Fehr, or Wilkes-Barre/Scranton  reinforcements will center the bottom two lines. 

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Poll: 2005 NHL Draft Take Two (1st Overall Pick)

By | at September 4, 2016 10:31 am

Hindsight is an amazing thing.

Piggybacking off an idea from our sister site Hoops Rumors, PHR looks back at the 2005 NHL Draft and how different it would look if general managers knew now what they didn’t know then.

The 2005 NHL Draft was unique in the fact that every team had a chance to select first due to the lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season. To make sure each team had an opportunity, the NHL brass assigned teams one to three ping pong balls for the draft–determined by previous performance–with the worst teams earning three ping pong balls. As history would have it, the Pittsburgh Penguins would select first and went onto draft Sidney Crosby, who would become the cornerstone of the franchise. Two Stanley Cups since then, many would agree that the correct choice was made. From there, it gets interesting.

Looking back, the 2005 NHL draft boasted some big names between the pipes. Carey Price, Ben Bishop, Jonathan Quick, and Tuukka Rask were just a few. There were also some late round steals.  The Blackhawks struck gold taking Niklas Hjalmarsson in the fourth round while the Predators took Patric Hornqvist with the final pick in the draft. The Penguins also benefitted from that pick as well–especially this past season.

The redrafting of the entire 2005 draft will be based upon votes from readers. Below is a list of just over 35 players who went onto have impactful careers since then. If you don’t see a player you feel should be on there, let us know in the comments section. As each pick comes up, it will be the votes of the readers who reshape the draft selections. Throughout the next few weeks, every team will be represented and will “pick” a new player in their slot. We will begin with Pittsburgh, though it seems obvious who will be selected, because it keeps the re-draft concept consistent and complete.

With the first pick in the 2005 draft, who should the Pittsburgh Penguins select?

With the 1st overall pick, the Penguins select:

  • Sidney Crosby 88% (1,002)
  • Carey Price 3% (37)
  • Gilbert Brule 1% (17)
  • Anze Kopitar 1% (16)
  • Jonathan Quick 1% (6)
  • Jack Skille 0% (5)
  • Kris Letang 0% (5)
  • Tuukka Rask 0% (4)
  • Jared Boll 0% (4)
  • Nathan Gerbe 0% (4)
  • Sergei Kostitsyn 0% (4)
  • Bobby Ryan 0% (3)
  • Benoit Pouliot 0% (3)
  • Marc Staal 0% (3)
  • Jakub Kindl 0% (3)
  • Niklas Hjalmarsson 0% (3)
  • Vladimir Sobotka 0% (3)
  • Devin Setoguchi 0% (2)
  • TJ Oshie 0% (2)
  • Steve Downie 0% (2)
  • Ben Bishop 0% (2)
  • Keith Yandle 0% (2)
  • James Neal 0% (1)
  • Marc-Edouard Vlasic 0% (1)
  • Cody Franson 0% (1)
  • Darren Helm 0% (1)
  • Anton Stralman 0% (1)
  • Jack Johnson 0% (0)
  • Martin Hanzal 0% (0)
  • Andrew Cogliano 0% (0)
  • Matt Niskanen 0% (0)
  • Ondrej Pavelec 0% (0)
  • Justin Abdelkader 0% (0)
  • Paul Statsny 0% (0)
  • Kris Russell 0% (0)
  • Patric Hornqvist 0% (0)
  • Mason Raymond 0% (0)

Total votes: 1,137

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Metropolitan Notes: Carlson, Cammalleri, Blandisi, Crosby, Hurricanes

By | at August 25, 2016 3:36 pm

Washington defenseman John Carlson isn’t experiencing any further issues with a broken ankle he sustained late in February, writes CSN Mid-Atlantic’s Tarik El-Bashir.  He had screws inserted in his ankle at the time of the surgery but doesn’t expect that he will need to have those removed:

“Only if it’s really, really bugging me, and it’s not.  It’s perfect, has been the whole summer. It’s good.”

Carlson was a force on the Capitals’ blueline in the postseason, averaging a point per game while logging nearly 27 minutes per night against the Flyers and Penguins.  He’ll be expecting to log big minutes in 2016-17 as a top pairing rearguard for Washington.

More from the Metropolitan Division:

  • Devils winger Mike Cammalleri is fully recovered from a right hand issue that caused him to miss considerable action last season, he told Sportsnet’s Luke Fox. The 34 year old suited up in just 42 games in 2015-16, his lowest total since becoming an NHL regular.  Despite missing so much time, he had quite the productive season, picking up 14 goals and 24 assists, giving him his highest points per game rate since 2008-09.  Cammalleri also told Fox that he expects to surpass the 70 games played plateau in 2016-17, something he hasn’t done since ’08-’09.
  • More with New Jersey, the Devils are expected to keep some spots on the roster open for their prospects (and the potential return of Patrik Elias). Among the youngsters vying for a spot up front is Joseph Blandisi, who told NJ.com’s Chris Ryan that ankle swelling that forced him to miss development camp last month has subsided and that he’ll be ready to push for a regular role in training camp.  Blandisi recorded 17 points in 41 games last season but failed to score a goal in his final 23 contests.
  • Hockey Canada has named Penguins captain Sidney Crosby as team captain for their entry into the upcoming World Cup of Hockey.  Chicago’s Jonathan Toews and Montreal’s Shea Weber were named alternates.
  • The Hurricanes have announced their roster for the upcoming Traverse City prospect tournament in mid-September. Among the notable invitees are 2016 first rounders Jake Bean and Julien Gauthier, 2014 first round pick Haydn Fleury, and forward Sergey Tolchinsky, who got into a pair of games with Carolina last season.
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World Cup Notes: Price, Tavares, Crosby

By | at August 16, 2016 8:06 pm

Worry not, fans of Canada and the Canadiens. Carey Price is healthy and ready to go for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. In an interview with Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, Team Canada’s GM Doug Armstrong said Price is “100 per cent and he’s ready to go” for the start of Team Canada’s training camp, which kicks off on the Labour Day long weekend.

Price hasn’t played an NHL game since November 25, so “he’ll have to shake off some of the rust”, according to Armstrong. The Canadian GM has been in touch with Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin since naming Price to the initial roster on March 2. Armstrong said Price may be the best goaltender in the world based on his play since the Sochi Olympics.

Here are some other notes from Canada’s World Cup roster:

  • Islanders captain John Tavares spoke with Sportsnet’s Luke Fox about the challenges that come with the early end to the summer, compounded by the Islanders making their longest playoff run since he was drafted in 2009. “You lose two weeks that you normally use for training or getting settled in your home city,” said Tavares. However, he’s excited to take part, especially after being forced to miss Canada’s last two games in Sochi. There’s no one player that Tavares is looking forward to lining up beside; instead its the chance to learn from the great leaders.
  • Tavares also commented on the possibility of the NHL not attending the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. He enjoys the best-on-best tournaments, and despite the return of the World Cup, says that there’s “something special” about the Olympics.
  • Unlike Tavares, there’s one player in particular that Sidney Crosby is looking forward to having on his team: fellow Nova Scotian and noted pest Brad Marchand. Crosby told Fox that “having [Marchand] on your team is going to be so much more enjoyable than having to play against him.” He added that Marchand is a “really good player” who plays “right on the edge”. The two skate together in the off-season with another local kid by the name of Nathan MacKinnon, who will play on Team North America.
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Oilers Notes: Lucic, Larsson, Talbot, McDavid, Lagesson

By | at August 9, 2016 2:35 pm

The Edmonton Oilers are next up on Pro Hockey Talk’s daily team series and Jason Brough identifies summer signing Milan Lucic as the Oiler under pressure for 2016-17. Considering the large contract given to Lucic and the expectation he will assume the first-line left wing spot vacated following the trade of former #1 overall pick Taylor Hall, there is certainly plenty of pressure on the menacing forward.

One could argue that Adam Larsson, the defenseman the Oilers dealt Hall for and who is expected to be a viable top pair blue liner for a team desperate to improve on the back end, is under even more pressure than Lucic. Lucic is already a finished product for all intents and purposes, and with four 20-goal seasons on his resume already, Lucic needs only perform at the level he has been over the last several seasons.

On the other hand, Larsson has yet to fulfill his potential completely, and needs to take the next step in his development in order to meet expectations. If the Oilers are going to push for a playoff spot this season they need Larsson to become the player they believe he can be.

More on the Oilers…..

  • In another piece on Pro Hockey Talk, Brough talks about the up-and-down season Cam Talbot had in his first year as a starter in the league. As Brough notes, Talbot got off to a slow start through November but rebounded in December and January posting save percentages of 93.4% and 93.2% respectively during those months. Given the somewhat inconsistent nature of Talbot’s performance and his relative lack of starting experience, Brough feels the goaltending situation is still uncertain in Edmonton. It appears Edmonton will go into the season with journeyman backstop Jonas Gustavsson as Talbot’s backup between the pipes (all team depth charts can be found at Roster Resource). Given that likelihood, Edmonton will need Talbot to play at the level he did in the latter part of last season if they want to compete for a playoff spot.
  • Bruce McCurdy, writing for the Edmonton Journal, discusses the progress of Edmonton defense prospect William Lagesson. Lagesson, the Oilers 4th round pick in 2014, played last season as a freshman for a U-Mass program that struggled to a 8-24-4 mark and was outscored by 62 goals. The Swedish rearguard led the teams defense corps recording a -6 plus-minus rating. Edmonton obviously needs all the good defense prospects they can accumulate and it appears Lagesson is developing into one.
  • Meanwhile, David Staples, also covering the Oilers for the Edmonton Journal, penned a piece on how one publication, hockey prognosticator The Hockey Forecaster, is projecting Connor McDavid to have a Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin-like impact on his team’s offensive output. In their rookie campaigns, Crosby and Ovechkin helped their teams score 53 and 44 more goals respectively than they potted the previous season. The Oilers are predicted to tally a total of 237 goals, which would be an increase of 38 markers over their 2015-16 season total. The Hockey Forecaster also predicts career seasons from Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl and Oscar Klefbom, among others. Staples writes that those projections might be a stretch but recognizes that an elite talent such as McDavid, Crosby and Ovechkin can have that type of impact for a team. Assuming the predictions even come close to fruition then Edmonton might be able to outscore their way to postseason contention.
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Salary Cap Report: Metropolitan Division

By | at August 6, 2016 9:39 am

As the hockey world takes its collective breath before the World Cup, training camps, and the regular season begins, most teams have checked off their boxes and marked their ledgers. There are some teams not finished, as trades or financial meandering will be necessary due to cap crunches. Others have plenty of room.

We’ll look at the Metropolitan Division next.  Some interesting notes:

  • The Hurricanes have the most cap space of any team in the NHL.
  • The Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist has the highest cap hit of any goalie in the NHL. The second highest is Columbus’ Sergei Bobrovsky.
  • Four of the NHL’s top ten cap hits are found in the division: (Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Henrik Lundqvist. Claude Giroux is 11th).

By the numbers:

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