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Wayne Simmonds

Central Notes: Simmonds, Delia, Schwartz

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Despite a recent report that the Winnipeg Jets might be one of the many suitors for power forward Wayne Simmonds at the trade deadline, that may not be the case, according to Winnipeg Sun’s Ken Weibe.

While the scribe writes that it makes perfect sense that the Nashville Predators and the Jets, the two top teams in the Central Division, would be interested in the 6-foot-2 winger who can score. However, with two impressive lines already, the team might be paying quite a bit to bring in a player for their third line, considering the team likely wouldn’t have enough money to sign him during the offseason anyway.

Wiebe adds that the team is more likely to either add a left-handed defenseman to add to their injury-depleted blueline or bring in a center for their second line, much like the team did a year ago when they went out and traded for Paul Stastny. That trade deadline acquisition was quite successful as Stastny gelled immediately with Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers, posting six goals and 17 points in the playoffs last season as they went all the way to the Western Conference Finals before losing to Vegas.

  • Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that the Chicago Blackhawks may have found their goaltender of the future in Collin Delia. The 24-year-old has been impressive since being called up to fill in for the injured Corey Crawford. While six games is a small sample size, Delia has been tested often by opposing team as he’s faced 245 shots on goal, yet has posted an admirable .939 save percentage and helped the Blackhawks to 10 of a possible 12 points in the standings when he’s in net. With Crawford’s long-term status in Chicago a question mark, the team has some hope that they already have his replacement ready to go.
  • The Athletic’s Evan Sporer (subscription required) writes that while the 2017-18 season suggested the St. Louis Blues’ winger Jaden Schwartz was as consistent a player as the team had, it has been the total opposite this season. Schwartz has just one goal in the last 17 games and has had trouble putting the puck in the net on a struggling Blues team as he has just three goals and 17 points in 29 games this season. Sporer digs deeper, noting that Schwartz is taking shots as he is taking shots at a career-high level this season and is on target to 180 shots in 69 games. Despite that, Schwartz has been getting very similar looks from last year, but just hasn’t been able to put it in this season with the scribe suggesting that his goal totals could start increasing soon.

Wayne Simmonds Likely To Be Traded

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Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds is one of the more notable pending unrestricted free agents around the league.  His playing style will be endearing to several contending teams as a rental player and even more in free agency.  With that in mind, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported in an appearance on NBCSN (video link) that it’s “more likely than not” that Simmonds is dealt before next month’s trade deadline although there have been discussions regarding a potential extension in recent days as well.

The 30-year-old is on pace to surpass the 20-goal mark for the sixth straight season and is doing so while producing more at even strength than on the power play, something that hasn’t been the case in recent years.  He also remains one of Philadelphia’s most physical players.  However, that rugged playing style makes him a larger risk in terms of injuries and while that may not be as much of a concern for 2018-19, it will be when it’s time to give him a new contract.

Simmonds is in the final season of a team-friendly contract that carries a cap hit of $3.975MM (with a $5MM salary) and a 12-team no-trade clause.  McKenzie noted that the expectation is that he’ll easily be able to surpass that salary on his next contract, suggesting that it could approach $6MM per year on a contract of around five years or longer.  The Flyers have considerable payroll flexibility for next season and beyond but they also have several prominent young players in need of new deals within the next couple of years.  By the time they earmark enough money to accomplish that and perhaps look to fill some other holes on the roster (perhaps including a veteran goaltender to help mentor Carter Hart), there may not be enough wiggle room for Philadelphia to keep Simmonds around on that type of contract.

Assuming that they indeed go the trade route, it will be interesting to see what type of return they covet.  Given Simmonds’ contract and pedigree, GM Chuck Fletcher should have no trouble commanding a significant return.  However, the standard around selling at this time of the year is draft picks and young prospects but despite their struggles this season, they’re a team that will be looking to get back into contention sooner rather than later.  Accordingly, NHL-ready prospects could be coveted in the hopes that they can become a part of Philadelphia’s core in the near future.  Either way, with Simmonds sitting as one of the top rentals on a team that isn’t looking to enter into a long-term rebuild, the Flyers are certainly going to be a team to watch for in the weeks to come.

Poll: Where Will Wayne Simmonds End The Season?

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It seems as though the biggest name in the rumor mill of late is that of Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds, who remains unsigned past this season and could be a huge help to basically any Stanley Cup contender. His unique mix of skills is a difficult thing to come by, and a reasonable cap hit of $3.975MM makes him able to fit into almost anyone’s budget.

That’s not to say that he is guaranteed to be traded. Under former GM Ron Hextall the Flyers had talked about an extension with Simmonds that would keep him in Philadelphia for several more years, but it’s unclear where new GM Chuck Fletcher stands on the matter, though he had previously tried to acquire the winger when in Minnesota. Now, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that Fletcher and agent Eustace King have spoken recently and that another conversation will take place this week.

If he doesn’t re-sign in Philadelphia and the Flyers decide to move him at the deadline, there won’t be any shortage of suitors for Simmonds. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked because of their apparent need for a physical net-front presence and it being Simmonds’ hometown, while Tampa Bay, Winnipeg and Calgary have also been suggested as good landing spots—though no link has been reported between any of them.

The Flyers have lost eight consecutive games and fallen all the way to the bottom of the Metropolitan Division, a clear sign that they will be sellers at the deadline. Simmonds is easily their most attractive expiring contract, though obviously Fletcher could choose to place a bigger explosive in the room and change the entire look of the team.

Where do you think Simmonds will end the season? Does he re-sign with the Flyers and try to help them flip the script next season, or will he be bought by the highest bidder at the deadline for a deep playoff run? Cast your vote below and explain your reasoning in the comment section.

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Philadelphia Flyers Could Be Ready To Make Coaching Change

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Sunday: Despite the Flyers falling 5-1 to Vancouver Saturday and the road trip being completed, there has been no coaching changes made of yet, according to Philly.com’s Sam Carchidi. The scribe writes that while a coaching change MAY happen at some point, rumors that the team has hired Joel Quenneville are not accurate. Hakstol remains the coach in Philadelphia.

Saturday: While it likely wouldn’t come as any surprise, they Philadelphia Flyers may be ready to make a coaching change. The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor tweeted that he’s heard rumblings from key people that the Flyers may be ready to fire head coach Dave Hakstol after their road trip ends, which will be tonight after their game against Vancouver.

While Hakstol had an impressive coaching resume when he was hired back in 2015, that success hasn’t necessarily translated to the NHL. While he’s reached the playoffs twice on a rebuilding roster, the team has failed to get past the first round of the playoffs and the team has been abysmal in a season where many people felt the team was ready to compete for the top of their division. Instead, the Flyers have struggled this season, currently holding a record of 12-14-4, tied for last place in the Metropolitan Division.

The team’s struggles already cost the job of general manager Ron Hextall back on Nov. 26 and replaced soon after with new GM Chuck Fletcher, whose intention was to sit back and observe the team before making any changes. Hakstol’s chances are likely near an end, however, after the team’s recent losing streak as they have gone 3-7-3 in the last 13 games. That has included a recent string of tough losses, which started with a 7-1 loss to Winnipeg last Sunday, followed by a 6-5 overtime loss to Calgary in which the Flyers held a two-goal lead with 68 seconds left in the game and still lost. The team followed that up with a 4-1 loss Friday to Edmonton.

While the team seems to be waiting until after the road trip, that’s not too unusual. The Los Angeles Kings fired head coach John Stevens on Nov. 4 after the team pulled off a 4-1 victory over Columbus the day before, suggesting the team had already made up their mind about firing Stevens. The same could happen here. The Flyers are a team loaded with a core of top forwards, including Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Sean Couturier, Travis Konecny, Nolan Patrick, James van Riemsdyk, Wayne Simmonds as well as top defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov, but haven’t been able to put anything together. The team’s goaltending situation is a mess and likely to be one of Fletcher’s first acts as GM, to find a reliable netminder. Regardless, the team doesn’t seem to be responding to Hakstol at the moment.

Snapshots: Kovar, Simmonds, McQuaid, Stars Defensemen

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The Bruins are close to making a decision regarding the future of center Jan Kovar, reports Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston.  The 28-year-old is currently on a minor league deal with the team but he has skated with Boston for the last couple of days.  Kovar initially signed with the Islanders last summer but after failing to crack their lineup, his contract was mutually terminated and he caught on with AHL Providence shortly after that.  Head coach Bruce Cassidy commented on the situation:

“There are clearly skills. He’s proven that in Providence, he’s put up numbers in the past.  It’s just is he going make us a better team or do we like what we have, and want to work with what we have? That’s the ultimate question.”

Kovar has indeed been productive in the minors, collecting four goals and six assists in a dozen games at that level.  If the Bruins decide not to tender him an NHL offer, it’s likely that he will look to return to the KHL where he has spent the past five seasons.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Prior to Philadelphia relieving Ron Hextall of his duties as GM, the Flyers were in discussions regarding a contract extension for winger Wayne Simmonds, notes Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News (Twitter link). However, Hextall indicated that the two sides were not close.  Simmonds is a pending unrestricted free agent but given his style of play and tendency to play through injuries, locking the 30-year-old up long-term will carry some risk.
  • Rangers defenseman Adam McQuaid is getting closer to returning from his lower-body injury. Head coach David Quinn told Larry Brooks of the New York Post that the 32-year-old is likely a couple of weeks away from getting back into the lineup.  McQuaid has missed 16 straight games with the injury and has played just eight times so far this season.
  • Stars coach Jim Montgomery provided an update on some of their injured defensemen to Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Connor Carrick (lower body) and John Klingberg (hand) are expected to miss about three more weeks each while Marc Methot (lower body) is more uncertain.  He’s slated to undergo more testing that will hopefully determine how much longer he’ll miss.

Snapshots: “Trade Bait”, Lindholm, Spezza

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The second month of the NHL season is underway and with it comes the first iteration of TSN’s “Trade Bait” board. To no surprise, unsigned Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander tops the list. With the countdown at 28 days until the December 1st deadline for Nylander to sign and play in the NHL this season, the impasse between the two sides is desperately in need of a resolution, and with each day that goes by, a trade looks more and more likely. TSN’s Frank Seravalli notes that it was the first week of November last year when No. 1-ranked trade bait player Matt Duchene was traded away, making it entirely possible that a Nylander trade or other big name move could drop in the next few days. Joining Nylander in the top six of the list are recent rumor mill highlights Kevin Hayes of the New York Rangers and Alec Martinez and Tanner Pearson of the Los Angeles Kings, as well as summer trade bait board holdout Mats Zuccarello, also of the Rangers, and perennial rumor monger Gustav Nyquist of the Detroit Red Wings. Both free agency-bound Columbus Blue Jackets superstars – Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin – feature in the top ten, as does a possible Nylander return piece Brett Pesce of the Carolina Hurricanes. A surprise addition is Winnipeg Jets defenseman Tyler Myers, who seems unlikely to move in the midst of what the Jets hope is a Stanley Cup-caliber season. So too is Wayne Simmonds, who the Philadelphia Flyers seemingly would like to re-sign and keep on as a leader and core contributor, but the Flyers’ success this season will likely determine his availability. The trade board is limited to just 15 names right now, but this initial list certainly features plenty of talent and some names that have already featured prominently in rumors. TSN may have perfect timing, as the NHL trade market seems ready to heat up.

  • One of the off-season’s biggest trades almost went differently, writes Sportsnet’s Luke Fox. Fox talked to new Calgary Flames head coach Bill Peters recently, who stated that he expected a different package from a different team entirely in return for defenseman Dougie Hamilton, only to find that his former club, the Carolina Hurricanes, had offered the top package of Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin. Peters (obviously) says that he likes the way the deal turned out. While Hanifin is off to a slow start in Calgary, Lindholm has been an excellent fit next to Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau on the top line and currently sports a 24.3% shooting percentage to go with a team-leading nine goals and total of 14 points.
  • Fox also recently spoke with Dallas Stars center Jason Spezza, who this past week played in his 1,000th NHL game, about how he is approaching a contract year. Spezza was transparent with his answer:

“Not when you’re 35. You don’t care about the contract years… I just want to play the year, have a good year. I want to be back here next year. The money doesn’t matter. I just want to play and make sure I have a good role… It’s different when you’re at this point in my career. I just want to be on a team that has a chance to win. So, no, I can’t say that’s once played into my mind… That time has passed in my career. I’m just looking to play and be on a good team and have a good role and contribute… If you put the work into it, you get rewarded with big contracts. I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever played the game for the money.”

Spezza’s honesty is refreshing, but he also contradicts himself with a scenario that is likely to unfold as the season progresses. Spezza states that he wants to be back in Dallas next season, yet also wants a chance to finally win the Stanley Cup. Those two things may not coincide soon enough for the veteran center. The Stars currently share the 14th-best record in the NHL, but sit sixth out of seven in the powerhouse Central Division and have struggled to score goals early on this season. If Dallas cannot improve over the course of the season, Spezza will become an attractive trade rental candidate, especially since his eight points thus far indicate a bounce-back season compared to a disappointing 2017-18 campaign. Dallas may also be a few years away from really competing with the likes of Nashville and Winnipeg in the Central. A desire to win may make a continued career with the Stars less likely, but would make Spezza’s decision to waive his No-Movement Clause and choices in free agency much easier.

Wayne Simmonds, Philadelphia Flyers Have Had “Preliminary” Extension Talks

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Extension updates are coming out like wildfire from the BioSteel training camp in Toronto, and John Matisz of theScore gives us the latest regarding Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds. Simmonds told Matisz that he’s had preliminary talks with the Flyers about an extension, but wants to prove that when healthy he can still be the dominant offensive presence he was two years ago.

Simmonds, 30, is heading into the final year of his current contract with much to prove after an injury plagued 2017-18. Even though he still recorded 24 goals and 46 points, it was a significant drop off from his consecutive 30+ goal campaigns in previous years and 60-point output in 2015-16. Simmonds was obviously limited by injuries for much of the year, which also reduced his willingness to engage physically at times leading to his lowest hit total (129) in a full season since 2010-11, and the lowest fight total (3) of his career.

While there was still obviously plenty to like about Simmonds game, there is now some question about how he’ll hold up over a long-term contract given his style of play and age. The Flyers were clear that they had interest in signing the power forward to an extension when GM Ron Hextall spoke about it at the NHL Entry Draft, but few reports have come out about any negotiations since. Simmonds has been one of the game’s biggest bargains on his current six-year $23.8MM contract that he signed in 2012, but is likely looking for a substantial raise from the $3.975MM cap hit he’ll carry this season.

East Notes: Simmonds, Wilde, Noel

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The Flyers are hopeful that they can sign Wayne Simmonds but GM Ron Hextall indicated at a press conference today that they have no issue with talks for the winger leaking over into next season (quote via the Flyers’ team website):

“If we get something done before training camp or going into the year, I don’t have the answer for that… Simmer’s got the character that something like that is not going to affect him. It’s not going to affect our team. I can certainly live with it. I’m sure he can too.”

Simmonds is entering the final year of what has become a very team-friendly deal with a cap hit of $3.975MM.  The 29-year-old has scored at least 24 goals in each of the last five years and is one of the better pure power forwards in the league.  As a result, he’ll undoubtedly garner plenty of interest from elsewhere if the Flyers can’t lock him up on a new deal.

Elsewhere out East:

  • Islanders prospect Bode Wilde expects to play in the OHL next season, he noted to Brian Compton of NHL.com. The 2018 second-rounder (41st overall) spent last season with the US National Team Development Program which allowed him to maintain his college eligibility but the prospect of a longer schedule has pushed the defenseman to the major junior ranks instead of Michigan where he was originally expected to go.  Saginaw holds his junior rights but Wilde mentions that he’s not sure where he will actually play next season but expects to know where he’ll suit up soon.
  • Panthers prospect Serron Noel has been added to Canada’s entry for the upcoming World Junior Summer Showcase, Hockey Canada announced. The winger was Florida’s second-round pick (34th overall) last month and will be taking the place of Penguins fifth-round center Justin Almeida, who is unable to play due to injury.

Philadelphia Flyers Will Try To Sign Wayne Simmonds To Contract Extension

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Speaking to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet on the draft floor immediately after selecting Jay O’Brien, Philadelphia Flyers GM Ron Hextall confirmed that he’ll try to sign Wayne Simmonds to a contract extension this summer. Simmonds is on the final season of his current deal, and is considered one of the most underpaid assets around the league. He’ll be able to demand quite a raise from the $3.975MM cap hit he currently carries.

Simmonds, 29, is coming off a relatively disappointing season as he battled injury, but is still a 30-goal player who can contribute at both even-strength and on the powerplay. He’s a special player that represents something not many of the other Flyers forwards can bring, and could be part of the 2019 “Superclass” next summer should he wait out this year.

Still, it’s not an easy decision to sign him long-term. Though he is obviously an excellent offensive player, some worry that his style could result in a quick decline as he enters his thirties. With such a strong resume he’ll likely be able to demand a contract in excess of six years, taking him into the later stage of his career at what could be a fairly high cap hit.

Eastern Notes: Carolina GM Search, Simmonds, Islanders

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With just a 9.9 percent chance to finish in the top three, the Carolina Hurricanes beat the odds Saturday when they moved up from a team with the 11th-worst record in the league and were awarded the No. 2 pick in the 2018 draft. While that gives the franchise lots of new options that they weren’t expecting, it also makes their general manager and coaching openings much more attractive, according to Chip Alexander of the News & Observer.

The general manager position, which has been open since the team transitioned former general manager Ron Francis to President of Hockey Operations on Mar. 7, was not a popular destination after new owner Tom Dundon ousted Francis and multiple candidates declined to interview, forcing to team to announce they would wait until the offseason to address their needs. On top of that, the team then lost head coach Bill Peters when he triggered an out-clause in his contract and took the head coaching position with the Calgary Flames.

However, Alexander writes both openings are now more intriguing with the No. 2 pick as adding an impact player immediately after they take the job is always a positive. Adding a winger like Andrei Svechnikov could change the team dramatically as he would likely be the No. 1 overall pick if Rasmus Dahlin not been there.

  • NHL.com’s Bill Meltzer writes the Philadelphia Flyers have a lot of work ahead of them this offseason. To start with, the team must depend on the continued development of their youth, including Nolan Patrick, Travis Konecny, Oskar Lindblom, Travis Sanheim, Robert Hagg and Samuel Morin. However, general manager Ron Hextall intends to make many roster changes to improve the team with the idea of adding more speed, especially to the special teams. Hextall, who is known for making offseason trades, is likely to be active again on the trade market and could attempt to move winger Wayne Simmonds. While Simmonds has said he wants to stay, the team could get a good return as the 30-year-old will enter the final year of a reasonable $3.975MM deal. With plenty of youth in their system working their way up, it would seem unlikely the Flyers would extend his contract.
  • With two picks in the lottery, the New York Islanders have multiple options in front of them, writes Arthur Staple of The Athletic (subscription required). While the team could use the 11th and 12th picks in the 2018 NHL Draft to trade down and pick up a top forward, the team could also stay where they are and rebuild the team’s prospect pool, which isn’t as strong as it once was. The scribe also adds that the team could use one of the picks in a package to acquire a veteran defenseman who could help fix their leaky blueline.

 

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