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Teuvo Teravainen

4 Nations Notes: Tkachuk, Makar, Armia, Teräväinen

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One of the more unfortunate substories during Team USA’s victory over Team Canada on Saturday night was the lower-body injury forward Matthew Tkachuk suffered in the third period. He won’t play against Team Sweden tonight, as Dan Rosen of the NHL reported that Tkachuk didn’t practice with the team this morning.

Since they are the only team in the tournament with two regulation wins, there’s not much on the line for Team USA this evening. However, it seems the United States is confident Tkachuk will return for the championship game on Thursday. Amalie Benjamin of The Boston Globe shared a note from Matthew’s brother, Brady Tkachuk, saying Matthew will be ’good to go’ for Thursday’s matchup.

It’ll be important for the United States to get Matthew back in the lineup for the championship contest. He scored two goals and one assist in their victory against Team Finland last week and got the all-important matchup against Canada started with a fight against Brandon Hagel off the opening faceoff. Much like they are for their respective NHL clubs, the Tkachuk brothers have quickly become Teams USA’s emotional lifeblood.

Other notes from the 4 Nations Face-Off:

  • Another important substory from Saturday night’s rivalry matchup between Canada and the United States was the lack of the former’s top defenseman, Cale Makar. The former James Norris, Calder, and Conn Smythe Trophy winner was dealing with an illness that prohibited him from participating. Unfortunately for Team Canada, there’s no guarantee he’ll return against Team Finland. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski shared that Makar has again been listed as a game-time decision for today’s matchup, meaning a firmer decision will be made closer to puck drop.
  • Speaking of Team Finland, the team’s forward grouping will look slightly different. Dan Rosen reported that Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia is replacing Chicago Blackhawks’ Teuvo Teräväinen in this afternoon’s lineup. Teräväinen has gone scoreless throughout the tournament averaging approximately 8:30 of ice time per game.

Blackhawks Notes: Teräväinen, Commesso, Frost

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A few teams have alternated the dubious distinction of last place this season, but after dropping three in a row for the second time, the Blackhawks now hold that honor with a 6-12-1 record and .342 points percentage.

That skid has the team getting “less confident for sure,” free-agent returnee Teuvo Teräväinen told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday. He said the team’s lack of scoring is frustrating – an understandable sentiment considering he has just one goal on 28 shots in his last 16 games after starting the year with three goals in three outings.

“I’ve got to work harder or something,” Teräväinen continued. “I’m chasing the game a lot. [My] confidence is just getting lower and lower — like everybody, I feel like — but it’s just how it is.” Chicago’s 2.32 goals per game are 31st in the league, ahead of only the Predators. Their 19.6% power-play success rate, though, is exactly middle of the pack.

Other items of note from Chicagoland:

  • With Petr Mrázek back in goal tonight after a brief personal leave, the Blackhawks have returned Drew Commesso to AHL Rockford, per the NHL’s media site. Chicago recalled the 22-year-old on Tuesday to back up Arvid Söderblom against the Stars, but he didn’t enter the game. It’s the third Blackhawks game he’s sat on the bench for this season without playing. Their current lone AHL recall option with Laurent Brossoit on the shelf has a 3.71 GAA, .854 SV%, and a 2-4-0 record in six games for Rockford this season.
  • Keep Flyers center Morgan Frost in mind as a potential trade pickup for Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet opined Thursday. Frost is now fully in trade speculation after sitting in the press box for four of Philadelphia’s last five games, and the 25-year-old has just one goal and six points in 16 games on the year and is seeing his lowest average ice time since the 2021-22 campaign. The Blackhawks are casting a wider net in their search to add down the middle, but Friedman zeroed in on Frost as an age-appropriate option for their rebuild without too high of an acquisition cost.

Blackhawks Expected To Sign Teuvo Teravainen

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The Chicago Blackhawks are expected to sign winger Teuvo Teravainen to a three-year, $16.2MM contract, shares PuckPedia (Twitter link).

This move reunites Teravainen with where it all began, having been selected by the Blackhawks 18th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft. Teravainen was drafted out of Finland’s Liiga, where he played two additional following his draft selection. The 2014-15 season marked Teravainen’s first full year in North American pros, and he managed it to good effect, earning an NHL role after posting 25 points in 39 games. The Blackhawks struggled to place the young and relatively inexperienced Teravainen in the lineup, but he still found his way to strong scoring – netting nine points in 34 regular season games and then lighting up for 10 points in 18 postseason games as the Blackhawks chased the 2015 Stanley Cup.

The performance during Chicago’s cup run turned Teravainen into a fan favorite, with Chicago eager for his first full NHL season in 2015-16. But Teravainen couldn’t hold onto his groove despite the anticipation, netting just 35 points in 78 games. Perhaps seeing their chance to sell high, Chicago dealt Teravainen to the Carolina Hurricanes, receiving a second and third-round pick in return, used on prospects Artur Kayumov and Keith Petruzzelli, respectively.

But Chicago was quickly forced to eat their words, as Teravainen posted 42 points in his first year with the Hurricanes, then exploded for 64, 76, and 63 points over the next three seasons. Each year was marked with high goal-scoring, including two 20-goal years. That’s the pace that Teravainen has held onto ever since, with last year’s 37 points in 68 games marking the lowest he’s scored when healthy in Carolina. Even then, he quickly rebounded, netting 25 goals and 53 points in 76 games this season. He added six points in 11 playoff games, pulling himself back into the scoring light after a down year.

He’ll now get a shot at potentially playing with Connor Bedard in a first-line role and is a major boon to their wing depth, joining Tyler Bertuzzi as their high-profile additions today.

Free Agency Notes: Stamkos, Stephenson, Toronto, Tanev, Teravainen

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As the Tampa Bay Lightning attempt to clear out the necessary cap space to retain their captain Steven Stamkos, another team may have entered the fray. In a list of news items around the league as the hockey world heads into the offseason, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (Subscription Required) indicates the Nashville Predators will attempt to sign the star forward if he hits the free agent market on July 1st.

In addition to Stamkos, LeBrun notes that the Predators will also look into the market for Chandler Stephenson this summer as the team looks to add some punch to their lineup. As one of the most active teams of last year’s free-agent period; Nashville does not appear content to be a fringe contender next season. Even without Stamkos or Stephenson on the roster last season, Nashville was one of the best offensive teams in the league as they finished 10th in the NHL with a GF/G average of 3.24.

The Predators may be better served in putting most of their efforts toward Stephenson, as Stamkos will likely look for a team closer to Stanley Cup contention if he decides to leave Tampa Bay in the first place. In any case, money will not be a factor in the negotiations for either player as Nashville owns just north of $26MM of cap space heading into the summer. According to EvolvingHockey, Stephenson will command a four-year deal with a salary of $6.1MM while Stamkos is projected to get a three-year contract with an AAV of $8.4MM.

Other free agency notes:

    • There is no question that the Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to add to their defensive core this offseason. However, as Pierre LeBrun reports, the team has not ruled out extending some of their current defensemen who are set to hit unrestricted free agency next Monday. That list would include Joel Edmundson, Ilya Lyubushkin, Mark Giordano, and T.J. Brodie although all signs indicate that the latter’s time in Toronto has ended. Edmundson and Lyubushkin are both physical defensemen who like to play with an edge while Giordano is a stabilizing presence on the back end. Depending on the cost, the Maple Leafs may decide to keep some of their current pieces around for next season.
    • Chris Tanev is looking to cash in on a solid 2023-24 NHL season as Jonas Siegel and James Mirtle of The Athletic (Subscription Required) report the veteran defenseman is looking for a four-year contract this offseason. The veteran defenseman is already engaged in contract discussions with the Dallas Stars on a new deal, but it is unknown how long the organization is willing to go on his next contract. If Tanev makes it to the open market, plenty of defensive-needy teams will be interested in his services, but the pack may thin out if teams are unwilling to make that long of an arrangement.
    • With the team’s sole focus on retaining Jake Guentzel before July 1st, it appears the Carolina Hurricanes will not make an offer to Teuvo Teravainen and he will hit the open market as suggested by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. Teravainen has quietly been one of the most effective players on the Hurricanes for eight years and should receive plenty of interest once free agency opens up. If his time in Carolina has ended, Teravainen will have amassed a total of 555 games in Carolina while scoring 137 goals and 415 points overall.

East Notes: Teräväinen, Oshie, Jeannot

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Hurricanes winger Teuvo Teräväinen didn’t travel with the team on their road trip and will be out for Saturday’s contest against the Maple Leafs, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said. He’s listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The playmaking winger didn’t appear to sustain anything serious during his last showing, a win over the Panthers on Thursday. He logged a +1 rating and three shots on goal in the game, playing 16:01 – normal usage for the top-six fixture. A pending UFA nearing completion of his five-year, $27MM extension signed with the Canes in 2019, Teräväinen has reached the 20-goal plateau for the fourth time in his career and has 47 points in 66 games on the season, right around his career-average pace. He’s back on the upswing after a 2022-23 season where he struggled to produce, recording 12 goals and 25 assists for 37 points in 68 games. It was his worst scoring pace since the 2016-17 campaign, his first in Carolina.

With Teräväinen sidelined, Jesper Fast took line rushes in a first-line role alongside Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov and will likely occupy that role tonight with youngster Jack Drury also dealing with a lower-body injury. Fast, 32, has six goals and 17 points in 63 games this season and still carries solid value as a competent defensive winger.

Elsewhere out East:

  • Capitals veteran T.J. Oshie’s 1,000th game in the league may be on hold. The 37-year-old sustained an upper-body injury in practice on Saturday morning and will be a game-time decision tonight against the Canucks, head coach Spencer Carbery said (via Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post). The 2018 Stanley Cup champion has been plagued by injuries this season, missing 24 of Washington’s 65 games with lower and upper-body injuries. When in the lineup, they’ve dragged down his ability to contribute on the scoresheet. His 11 goals and 19 points in 41 games work out to 0.46 points per game, the lowest rate of his remarkably consistent 16-year career. Possession control has been an issue this season as well – his 46.4 CF% at even strength is also a career-low. Despite that, he’s still logging consistent top-six usage, averaging 16:33 per game.
  • The Lightning will again be without Tanner Jeannot as they exercise caution in his return from a lower-body injury that’s kept him out for most of the last two months, head coach Jon Cooper said (via Chris Krenn of the team’s official site). Indications pointed toward Jeannot returning from his absence earlier this week, but his return has now been delayed twice ahead of a rivalry matchup with the Panthers tonight. Cooper said they’re aiming for Jeannot to return at some point over their West Coast road trip, meaning there’s no guarantee he’ll be ready for Tuesday’s matchup in Vegas, either. Jeannot attempted to return from the injury, which he sustained early in January, during a Feb. 13 contest against the Bruins but played less than six minutes before sustaining an aggravation. When in the lineup, the 26-year-old has been limited to six goals and 12 points in 42 games with a -11 rating.

Metropolitan Notes: Carter, Teravainen, Stillman

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After struggling for most of last season in Pittsburgh, many have speculated that retirement could soon be on the horizon for Penguins forward Jeff Carter.  He told reporters including Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he has not yet given any thought as to whether this season – his 20th in the NHL – will be his last.  The 38-year-old played in 79 games last season, his highest total since 2016-17 but managed just 13 goals and 16 assists while seeing his playing time drop under 14 minutes per game.  Early indications in training camp are that it might be dropping again as he has lined up as a fourth line winger so far which wouldn’t be a great return on a deal that carries a $3.125MM cap hit for the upcoming season.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Hurricanes winger Teuvo Teravainen dealt with a thumb injury last season that caused him to miss part of the playoffs as well. While he was able to return for the final game of the postseason and is a full participant in training camp, the winger told reporters including Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer, that while his thumb feels pretty good, he doesn’t believe it will truly get back to ‘normal’.  The 29-year-old is entering the final year of his contract and will be looking for a big year whether it’s with Carolina or elsewhere; significant talks on an extension have yet to begin.
  • Devils prospect Chase Stillman will be out for multiple weeks after being injured in New Jersey’s prospect tournament, relays Ryan Novozinsky of the Newark Star-Ledger. The 20-year-old was a first-round pick back in 2021 (29th overall) and will be making his professional debut this season after spending last year with OHL Peterborough where he had 48 points in 59 games in 2022-23.

Hurricanes Notes: Pesce, Teravainen, DeAngelo

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Hurricanes blueliner Brett Pesce has switched agents, reports Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer.  After working with Edge Sports Management, the defenseman is now represented by Wasserman’s Judd Moldaver.  The timing of the change is notable since the 28-year-old is entering the final year of his contract.  Pesce has emerged as a quality top-three defender over the past few years and set a new career-high in points last season with 30.  He’s undoubtedly in line to land a sizable raise on his current $4.025MM AAV but with Brady Skjei also in need of a new deal, Carolina probably won’t be able to afford to keep both.  Pesce made it clear that his preference is to remain with the Hurricanes but earlier this summer, GM Don Waddell noted that the team wasn’t close to re-signing any of their pending UFAs.

Elsewhere in Carolina:

  • Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer wonders if Carolina would be better off just letting winger Teuvo Teravainen play out the final year of his deal and then move on next summer. The 29-year-old is coming off a down year that saw him score just 12 goals in 68 games but has a good enough track record that it would still cost more than his current $5.4MM AAV to extend him.  With Martin Necas and Seth Jarvis both restricted free agents next summer, they may need Teravainen’s money to get those two locked up to long-term agreements.
  • In his latest piece for The Athletic (subscription link), Cory Lavalette sat down with blueliner Anthony DeAngelo, a mid-summer signing after his contract was bought out by Philadelphia. Despite their strong defensive depth, he opted to go back to an organization that he was comfortable with over one where he would have had a better shot at a bigger role and more playing time.  After what he called a season full of inconsistent play with the Flyers, he’ll be looking to stabilize things somewhat before testing the market again next summer.

Hurricanes “Not Close” On Extension Talks With Pending UFAs

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Today was a ceremonious day for the Carolina Hurricanes organization, locking in franchise center Sebastian Aho to the richest deal in franchise history. Don’t expect groundbreaking extensions for any other Hurricane hitting the open market in 2024, though. General manager Don Waddell told reporters, including the North State Journal’s Cory Lavalette today, that the team “isn’t close” on extensions with any of their other pending UFAs.

This rather consequential list includes, first and foremost, long-rumored trade target defenseman Brett Pesce. It’s long been believed that Carolina would trade Pesce sooner rather than later if an extension wasn’t in the cards, and Waddell confirmed that that was the case today. It’s fair to wonder whether his quote today increases Pesce trade speculation in the coming days, especially since little is known about the list of teams who’ve called the ’Canes about Pesce’s services.

Moving out Pesce with haste would free up more space for the Hurricanes to pursue Erik Karlsson, who they’ve also been connected to on the trade market for many weeks. Bringing in Anthony DeAngelo for his second stint in a Carolina jersey also seems like a targeted backup plan if Carolina trades Pesce but fails to nab Karlsson, the 2023 Norris Trophy winner, in a trade from the San Jose Sharks.

Pesce isn’t the only notable Hurricane headed for unrestricted free agency next summer, however. On offense, Teuvo Teravainen and his five-year, $27MM deal signed in 2019 are set to expire. While he had arguably his worst season in a Hurricanes jersey last year, registering just 12 goals and 37 points in 68 games, he’s been one of Carolina’s top scorers for the better part of the previous half-decade. That being said, he’s also destined for a reduced role next season, with the addition of Michael Bunting in the team’s top six and Seth Jarvis likely to surpass him on the team’s depth chart. It makes sense why the Hurricanes wouldn’t want to pay Teravainen what he believes he’s worth, especially at this stage without any clear evidence of a permanent decline. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him hit the UFA market for the first time next July.

There’s also the matter of fan-favorite depth forward Jordan Martinook, a vital locker-room fixture with the team who’s had a tumultuous season in Raleigh. Placed on waivers (and cleared) before the season started to create some salary cap flexibility, Martinook would go on to play a pivotal depth role for Carolina in 2022-23. His 21 assists and 34 points in 82 games were both career highs, and he notched a remarkable 12 points in 15 playoff games as the Hurricanes marched on to the Eastern Conference Final yet again. Entering the final season of a three-year, $5.4MM contract signed in 2021, Martinook’s stock is at an all-time high. If there is an extension to be had here, don’t expect it to come before the New Year.

Finally, at least among the significant roster pieces headed for free agency next year, Pesce’s defense partner remains without a contract past 2024. Brady Skjei is now in the final season of a six-year, $31.5MM contract, and he’s had a rather up-and-down tenure with Carolina since they acquired him via trade in 2021. He’s been inconsistent defensively over the life of his contract but has settled into posting solid second-pairing numbers for the Hurricanes, at least from an offensive standpoint – he registered a career-high 18 goals last year after posting 39 points in 82 games the year before. While an effective player, he’s also not worth the $5.25MM per season they’re paying him – at least not for Carolina’s needs. With multiple high-end defense prospects on the way, it again shouldn’t be a surprise that the Hurricanes aren’t chomping at the bit to extend him.

Rounding out the list of pending UFAs for Carolina in 2024 are forwards Brendan Lemieux and Stefan Noesen, defenseman Jalen Chatfield, and goalie Antti Raanta. DeAngelo is also slated for unrestricted free agency in 2024 as well. All of those players were either signed to one-year deals this summer or have sub-$1MM cap hits.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Hurricanes, Rogers

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In the latest 32 Thoughts podcast (audio link), Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes that Lightning assistant GM Mathieu Darche remains in the mix for the vacant Penguins GM position.  Darche received consideration for the opening in Montreal last season that later went to Kent Hughes.  He has been with Tampa Bay for the last four seasons but this is only his first one with the AGM title.  Friedman adds that former Toronto GM Kyle Dubas is their desired candidate and they’re prepared to wait a little bit to give him some time to decide if he wants the job but if he doesn’t, it could be Darche getting his first opportunity at running a team.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer examines a trio of Hurricanes forwards that he thinks could be on the move this summer. Teuvo Teravainen has one year left on his contract at a $5.4MM AAV but will be seeking more for 2024-25.  If Carolina doesn’t think they can extend him or they don’t want to pay his asking price, it’s possible he could move.  DeCock also wonders if the team might opt to sell high on RFA center Martin Necas who’s coming off a career year or Jack Drury who has done well in the minors but hasn’t put it together yet in the NHL; at 23, he’s still young enough that a rebuilding team might have some interest.
  • The Capitals have invited forward Jack Rogers to their development camp this summer, reports Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal (Twitter link). The 20-year-old played his freshman year at St. Cloud State this season, picking up three goals and five assists in 34 games.  Rogers is a year removed from a 30-goal campaign with Steinbach of the MJHL.  Washington almost certainly won’t be signing Rogers but they’ll get some information on him should they decide to pursue him later in his college career.

Teuvo Teräväinen Will Play Game 1

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Carolina Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teräväinen is set to return to the lineup in tonight’s Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers, per TVA’s Renaud Lavoie. This is Teräväinen’s first game in nearly a month after breaking his hand in Carolina’s First Round win against the New York Islanders.

Hurricanes team reporter Walt Ruff said this morning Teräväinen was taking line rushes in practice alongside Jordan Staal and Martin Necas, bumping 23-year-old Jack Drury back down to a fourth-line role.

Teräväinen didn’t have the most productive season in 2022-23, but he’s still a very important part of a Hurricanes squad looking to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. In last year’s playoffs, Teräväinen scored 11 points in 14 games.

He’d gone without a point in two games against the Islanders, but now with some time off and a bit of a restart, look for Teräväinen to help rejuvenate the offensive game of Necas, who’s near the middle of the pack in team scoring with six points in 11 games.

It’s a needed boost against a Panthers team with an extremely balanced attack, receiving consistent production from their top three lines. Carolina’s managed to do the same with some unlikely players, but the past consistency of Teräväinen is still a major fortification to the Hurricanes’ forward corps.

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