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Olympic Notes: Czechia, Johnson, Team USA

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David Krejci may be gone from the NHL but he’s not off the international stage. The former Boston Bruins star was one of 24 players named to the preliminary Czechia roster for the upcoming Olympics. The final group will be named later this month, but Krejci certainly feels like a lock at this point. Among the other names that will be familiar to NHL fans are Tomas Kundratek, Jakub Jerabek, Vladimir Sobotka, Tomas Hyka and Michael Frolik.

One name unfortunately not included is Jaromir Jagr, the 49-year-old who first appeared on the Olympic stage in 1998, winning the gold with a Dominik Hasek-led squad. Jagr has 19 points in 29 games with Kladno, the team he owns at the highest level of Czech hockey. A member of the exclusive Triple Gold Club, Jagr also has two World Championship golds and won the Stanley Cup twice with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

  • While it was obvious that Owen Power would be part of Team Canada after he starred for his country at last summer’s World Championship, another one of his college teammates appears to be coming with him. Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV tweets that Kent Johnson will also represent Canada at the Olympics next month. The Columbus Blue Jackets selected Johnson fifth overall in 2021 and the extremely skilled forward is currently leading the powerhouse University of Michigan program in scoring with 28 points in just 19 games. There will be quite a few Wolverines taking part in the tournament, just months before many of them are set to sign entry-level NHL contracts.
  • ESPN will reveal the full U.S. squad later today on The Point, where several Michigan players will be officially named. The squad should have a large college hockey presence, making it a unique experience for many of these young players. In a year where many were robbed of an opportunity to compete for a World Junior medal, they could bring home an even rarer one from Beijing.

Snapshots: Rask, Matthews, Team Canada

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Unrestricted free agent goaltender Tuukka Rask still needs to be medically cleared to return to action, but that could come as early as this weekend according to Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com. The return would likely come at the AHL level for the Providence Bruins, who play against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday and Sunday.

Rask, 34, hasn’t played a game in the AHL since the 2008-09 season when he went 33-20-4 for Providence and led them to the Eastern Conference Finals. He would likely sign a professional tryout contract in order to suit up at that level, as an NHL contract would require him to pass through waivers before being assigned to Providence. A conditioning loan, which would be another potential way of getting him time in the AHL while under an NHL contract, would not remove Rask from the 23-man roster, meaning Boston would be at a disadvantage while the veteran goaltender got up to speed. A PTO for Providence doesn’t have these restrictions, meaning there could be one coming down the pipe in the next few days if he’s cleared.

  • Auston Matthews’ positive COVID result from a rapid test yesterday was not confirmed today, as his PCR result returned negative. While he was still held out from practice, there is still a chance he avoids the protocol and can play for the team tomorrow night. Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Luke Fox of Sportsnet that they are awaiting the results of another test that should be known tomorrow morning.
  • The Canadian women’s hockey team will not play again before the Olympics as they try to avoid any further COVID-19 cases. According to the Canadian Press, the group will enter a bubble for the next few weeks in order to ensure they can all travel to Beijing in time for the tournament, which kicks off on February 2–actually a few days ahead of the opening ceremonies. The team must make three cuts from the 26 players they currently have, but will no longer play the tune-up matches against the United States or the AJHL.

Team Canada’s Alex Pietrangelo Uncertain About Olympic Participation

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In a piece by David Schoen of the Las Vegas-Review Journal, Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who was one of the three players initially named to Team Canada’s roster for the 2022 Winter Olympics, now says he’s uncertain if he’ll participate in the Games.

Pietrangelo’s concerns come after the International Olympic Committee confirmed a three-to-five-week quarantine period for a positive COVID-19 test. As Pietrangelo notes in the Schoen report, he has a young family and multiple kids and, understandably, doesn’t want to risk being away from his family for that long.

It’s a recent memory for a lot of NHLers, who were forced into a similar situation for the bubble-style 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. After the fact, many players expressed concerns and regrets about being away from their families for such a long length of time.

If he does proceed to opt-out, Pietrangelo would be the first confirmed member of an Olympic roster to do. Golden Knight teammate Robin Lehner said publicly last week that he wouldn’t be attending, but was not one of the first three players named to his native Sweden’s Olympic roster.

Obviously, losing a player of Pietrangelo’s caliber won’t be great for Team Canada. However, assuming they still have a large pool of NHLers to select from, they still prove to have the most dynamic puck-moving group of defensemen in the tournament.

Pietrangelo is third on the Golden Knights with 18 points in 26 games this season.

Snapshots: Doughty, Brind’Amour, Clarke

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Ahead of Tuesday night’s rivalry game against the Anaheim Ducks, the Los Angeles Kings activated defenseman Drew Doughty from injured reserve today, per a team tweet. Doughty is expected to draw back into his usual top-pairing role alongside Michael Anderson. He’s missed the last 16 games after a knee-on-knee collision with Dallas’ Jani Hakanpaa that the NHL Department of Player Safety deemed accidental. Prior to his injury, Doughty was off to a raucous start with seven points in just four games. Despite having three points in his first two NHL games, it appears as though Sean Durzi will come back out of the lineup to make room for Doughty. With Doughty back in the fold, the Kings will look to improve on their 9-8-3 record and make noise in what could be a very tight Wild Card battle in the Western Conference.

Some other news and notes from around the hockey world today:

  • According to a press release, the NHL fined Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour $25,000 today for inappropriate conduct during the team’s Sunday game against Washington. With 4:30 remaining in the third period, Brind’Amour could be seen pacing back and forth around the bench and yelling at the officials, although nothing’s known about what Brind’Amour actually said. He’s racking up a penchant for these fines, as a $25,000 punishment is becoming seemingly a yearly occurrence. The money from the fine will be donated to the NHL Foundation.
  • In a shocking move, Los Angeles Kings defense prospect Brandt Clarke, whom they drafted eighth overall in 2021, won’t be invited to Team Canada’s selection camp for the upcoming World Junior Championship as originally reported by Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek. Clarke, who was named captain of the OHL’s Barrie Colts prior to the start of this season, is off to a torrid start with 23 points in just 17 games. Widely regarded as a top-five pick and one of the best defenders available, there was some surprise in the scouting community when Clarke fell to the Kings at eighth overall. The omittance of Clarke from the selection roster is even more shocking when considering his performance at other international tournaments for Canada, including a point-per-game effort last season at the under-18 World Juniors.

Zayde Wisdom On Track For Canada World Junior Selection Camp After Surgery

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According to The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Zayde Wisdom is progressing ahead of schedule after receiving shoulder surgery and could return in early December in time for Team Canada’s selection camp for the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championships.

The Flyers announced Wisdom was out indefinitely after undergoing successful shoulder surgery on August 13.

Selected in the fourth round in the 2020 NHL Draft by Philadelphia, Wisdom already looks like a potential gem for the Flyers organization. After scoring 29 goals and 59 points in 62 games with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs in his draft year, the OHL’s COVID-related shutdown in 2020-21 allowed him the chance to play with the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley. With the Phantoms, Wisdom impressed, scoring seven goals and 18 points in 28 games as an 18-year-old.

Wisdom is eligible to return to the AHL this season, as he played enough games last season to become exempt from the standard NHL/CHL player agreement. Under normal circumstances, Wisdom would be required to play back with his team in Kingston, if not the NHL.

With that kind of production, Wisdom is expected to at least get a look to make Canada’s World Juniors team this year, although it will be a challenge with an exceptionally deep roster. If he returns to Lehigh Valley and continues to impress, he could be a candidate for a late-season call-up in Philadelphia as well.

Team Canada Announces First Three Members Of 2022 Olympic Team

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The first three members of the 2022 Canadian Olympic team have been announced, as general manager Doug Armstrong revealed to Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com that Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Alex Pietrangelo have made the team. Each participating country was required to declare three players, while the full “long-list” of 55 potential names will be submitted by October 15.

Crosby is an easy choice and likely the team’s captain, after finding so much success at the head of Team Canada in the past. The 34-year-old center has won World Junior, World Championship, World Cup, and Olympic Gold (x2) throughout his dazzling career, including scoring one of the most well-known goals in Canadian hockey history at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. A three-time Stanley Cup champion, two-time Conn Smythe winner, two-time Hart Trophy winner, there was never any thought of leaving Crosby off of the team.

If Crosby is the legend, McDavid is the focus though, entering his first Olympics as the best player in the world. The 24-year-old has won gold at the World Juniors and World Championship but hasn’t been able to suit up for Team Canada at the Olympic level to this point due to the NHL not going in 2018. The reigning Hart winner, McDavid had 105 points in just 56 games last season and has already won the Art Ross Trophy three times in a six-year NHL career. There’s no doubt he will be the forward that the rest of the roster is built around, and it makes sense he would be announced at this early stage.

Pietrangelo may be the most surprising of the three, but that doesn’t mean he’s much of a surprise. The 31-year-old has his own long history of success with Team Canada, taking home World Junior, Olympic, and World Cup gold medals. He has a long history with Armstrong from their days in St. Louis and there was little doubt he would be one of the defensemen to suit up in February. Pietrangelo finished fourth in Norris Trophy voting in 2020 and has received votes for the award in seven different seasons.

The list of potential names that will be submitted later this month will include many that won’t end up going to Beijing, making the first part of this NHL season something of a tryout. Only these three have their spots guaranteed, but that wasn’t something that really was in question even before this announcement.

Jon Cooper Named Head Coach Of Team Canada

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If the NHL goes to the Olympics next year, it will be Jon Cooper behind the bench as Team Canada’s head coach. Hockey Canada announced the full staff today, naming Cooper head coach along with Barry Trotz, Bruce Cassidy and Peter DeBoer serving as assistants. The Tampa Bay Lightning coach released a statement:

It is an honour to be entrusted with leading Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team next year in Beijing, and to be able to carry on the rich tradition of hockey excellence that is associated with Hockey Canada. The opportunity to work with an excellent management group and an elite-level coaching staff of Barry, Bruce and Peter is a great privilege. I have many fond memories of the Olympics, from watching games as a young kid to thrilling gold medal victories, and I look forward to helping create lasting memories for Canadians across the country while our team competes for a gold medal.

Cooper, has been a head coach of Canada just once previously, leading the 2017 World Championship team to a silver medal. He was never part of the Hockey Canada Program of Excellence, which not only helps develop players but coaches as well. In fact, back in 2008 he served as an assistant with the U.S. squad at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, as he was serving as the GM and head coach of the St. Louis Bandits of the NAHL at the time. Cooper’s path to the NHL is certainly not the one taken by most Canadian head coaches, but it’s hard to argue with the results. He’s won the Stanley Cup two years in a row with the Tampa Bay Lightning and holds an all-time winning percentage of .647 in the regular season.

The staff Cooper will have is incredible and has its own Stanley Cup ring to boast. Trotz won it all in 2018 with the Washington Capitals, and has twice taken home the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year. Cassidy has his own Jack Adams, along with a .677 winning percentage since taking over the Bruins, and DeBoer has been absolutely dominant since joining the Vegas Golden Knights. All four coaches have at least made it to the Stanley Cup Final, and will now try to take Canada to Olympic gold.

It is important to note that this does not mean the league is going for certain. The hope is still that the NHL, IIHF and IOC can reach an agreement, but things are not official yet. If the NHL does not participate, the coaching staff will have to be reworked.

New York Rangers To Interview Gerard Gallant

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After firing head coach David Quinn on Wednesday, the New York Rangers and new GM Chris Drury are wasting no time in their search for a replacement. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the club has already received permission to interview one of the biggest names on the coaching market. Gerard Gallant will get the first crack at interviewing for the head coach vacancy in the Big Apple.

The Vegas Golden Knights have approved of the interview, having fired Gallant from his role as head coach last January with term on his contract – to much surprise. The former Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers bench boss is a Jack Adams Award recipient with a .550 points percentage in his nine years as a head coach. He took the expansion Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season and then back to the playoffs the following year. Gallant has never made it through three years with any of his clubs, but has nevertheless established himself as an a valued name in the NHL coaching world. If Gallant doesn’t land the New York job, he will surely have interest elsewhere, particularly from the newest expansion team in the Seattle Kraken.

The timing of this interview does have some reasoning behind it. While Gallant may indeed be the Rangers’ top candidate, the rush to interview him has more to do with his upcoming plans. Gallant is getting ready to coach Team Canada at the World Championships, which begin on May 21. Gallant will actually depart for Riga, Latvia this weekend, according to Dreger, so the Rangers wanted to touch base with him before he left and his focus was elsewhere. Of course, Drury will be very keyed into the World Championships himself as the GM of Team USA. A strong outing for Gallant leading a Canadian roster that won’t have the typical amount of talent against Drury’s American squad could be what pushes Gallant to the top of the Rangers’ shortlist to be their next head coach.

Roberto Luongo Named GM Of Team Canada

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After a year where almost every international hockey event was canceled, things are getting back to normal soon. The IIHF World Championships are scheduled for May 21 – June 6 in Riga, Latvia, where teams including many playoff-eliminated NHL players will represent their respective countries. Canada has announced its management team for the event today, with an interesting name at the top.

Roberto Luongo has been named general manager, with Shane Doan and Scott Salmond assisting him as part of the management group. Both Luongo and Salmond are part of the Olympic management group as well for Canada, meaning this is something of a test run for the bigger event. Tom Renney, CEO of Hockey Canada, released a statement explaining the decision:

Hockey Canada is excited to have Roberto lead our management group at the IIHF World Championship this year, and to continue to work with our entire Olympic management team as we continue to prepare for the 2022 Olympics. We are also fortunate to have Shane and Scott contribute as assistant general managers; both individuals bring a wealth of experience to Canada’s National Men’s Team. Roberto, Shane and Scott bring a strong combination of NHL and international experience, both on and off the ice, and they will complement each other as we work towards building a team that can compete for a gold medal.

Luongo certainly brings international experience. The former goaltender competed at two World Juniors, four World Championships, three Olympic Games and a World Cup over his long, exceptional career. He’ll now have to do his best work off the ice, selecting and convincing the best available players to compete in the spring tournament.

Negotiation Notes: Nugent-Hopkins, Driedger, Luongo

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The Edmonton Oilers and impending free agent forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins continue to talk extension, but thus far to no avail. Frank Seravalli reports on TSN’s latest “Insider Trading” that the Oilers’ latest contract offer was “not flattering”. He believes that the extension proposal contained just a five-year term, as well as an AAV that did not serve to counteract the short term. Unsurprisingly, Nugent-Hopkins’ camp was quick to move on from the offer. However, the two sides are committed to continuing talks and there does not yet seem to be any resentment growing despite the lack of progress on a new deal. Seravalli notes that, as of now, there is no desire on the Oilers’ part to trade RNH before the impending trade deadline. Should the two sides fail to come to terms on an extension, Nugent-Hopkins will be one of, if not the most sought-after free agent. It has previously been speculated that the Seattle Kraken, who will have plenty of cap space but could be short on center talent, would be a major suitor for the 2011 No. 1 overall pick if he were to hit the open market this off-season.

  • With the Florida Panthers signing star goalie prospect Spencer Knight on Wednesday, the pressure is on to decide the future of current backup Chris Driedger. Driedger has been one of the best stories of the 2020-21 season. A veteran minor leaguer, with more ECHL games than NHL games in his career, Driedger has broken out at the age of 26. After an excellent showing in limited action last season, Driedger has continued his stellar play into the current campaign, stealing starts from $10MM lead netminder Sergei Bobrovsky. However, the Panthers stand to lose him for nothing this off-season as an unrestricted free agent. The two sides had been in communication about an extension, but with Knight now joining the fold alongside Bobrovsky, leaving Boston College after just two seasons, there doesn’t seem to be a place for Driedger beyond this season – and other teams realize this. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that as soon as Knight’s contract was announced, a number of rival GM’s reached out to Florida’s Bill Zito to inquire on Driedger. In fact, LeBrun notes that multiple trade offers have already been made. However, to this point Zito has told all suitors that he has not decided what to do with Driedger just yet. The Panthers are not only in a playoff spot, but have a real chance at a Central Division title, especially if their goaltending holds up. Removing Driedger from the equation means losing the better of Florida’s two goalies this season and replacing him with a prospect who has no pro experience. Keeping Driedger would be better for the Panthers’ Stanley Cup hopes this season, but at the cost of what could be a considerable trade return. At the end of the day, this could all come back to contract talks. If Zito and company can convince Driedger that he has a role in Florida for another year or two even with Knight in the mix, then they have all the more reason to keep him. If the goalie is unconvinced and eyeing opportunity elsewhere this season, the team might opt to move him and lean on their well-paid current starter and highly-regarded future starter.
  • Normally, playing for your country’s national team is an honor. However, given the continued threat of COVID-19 as well as the wear and tear that this condensed 2020-21 season has had on players, recruiting for the 2021 World Championship in Latvia this spring is going to be a major challenge. For Team Canada, that responsibility will fall to Roberto Luongo, who will be named the team’s GM according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. This will be the first time that Luongo has served in such a major role on the international stage, but he very likely will not have the normal assortment of stars to choose from for his Worlds roster. Dreger believes that Canada’s roster – and many others – is likely to skew young, with players still looking to make a name for themselves more willing to go play in Latvia rather than established stars. Luongo may have the tall task of picking through some inexperience and unrealized potential, or else convincing veterans to join the squad, if he wants to build a winner.

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