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William Carrier

Snapshots: Samuelsson, Carrier, Roos

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When the Buffalo Sabres announced a gargantuan seven-year, $30MM extension for defenseman Mattias Samuelsson earlier today, it raised some eyebrows around the league – and justifiably so. Samuelsson has yet to score an NHL goal and has played just 54 NHL games, coming over the past two seasons. But as The Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski notes in his column breaking down the deal, general manager Kevyn Adams thinks Samuelsson and his contract and both key parts of his approach to building a championship contender.

“We wanted to be really disciplined and smart with how we put our roster together and the reason for that is we can do things like this and make sure that we identify the people that we’re gonna move forward with long-term and we know there’s more coming,” said Adams today. Buffalo is banking on development here, but the organization believes in Samuelsson and that he has long-term top-pairing potential. How that bet pans out remains to be seen.

  • After sitting out last night’s season-opening win in Los Angeles, Vegas Golden Knights forward William Carrier may be healthy for tomorrow’s home opener against Chicago, according to head coach Bruce Cassidy. Carrier has been listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury since September 26 but has obviously returned to practice. He’ll likely draw in for Michael Amadio if he does play, as Amadio was the only Golden Knights forward to receive 10 minutes or less of ice time against Los Angeles.
  • One of the more interesting names to appear on opening night rosters will be making his NHL debut tonight: Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Filip Roos. The 23-year-old Roos is a rare case: a European, undrafted free-agent on an entry-level contract playing in his NHL team’s first game of the season. Roos had six points in 50 games for Skellefteå in the SHL last season and will suit up on the third pairing alongside Alec Regula.

Injury Notes: Carrier, Muzzin, Blueger

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The Vegas Golden Knights have some good news and some bad news on the injury front. The good news is that captain Mark Stone has “checked all the medical boxes” according to head coach Bruce Cassidy, and should be able to take part in a preseason game in the next few days.

The bad news is that William Carrier will be re-evaluated next week after suffering an upper-body injury over the weekend. The 27-year-old Carrier is in the third season of a four-year, $5.6MM contract signed in 2020 and had 20 points in 63 games last season.

  • Jake Muzzin joined his teammates at practice today, after sitting out the last few because of an ongoing back issue. The Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman did leave early as a precaution, but head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including David Alter of Sports Illustrated that Muzzin could have continued.
  • Teddy Blueger left today’s practice with the Pittsburgh Penguins partway through and is now being evaluated for an upper-body injury. Blueger is an important part of the team’s forward depth, especially as Jeff Carter deals with an upper-body injury of his own. Ryan Poehling was skating as the third-line center in their absence.

Vegas Golden Knights Activate William Carrier Off LTIR

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The Vegas Golden Knights announced ahead of their game tonight that they have activated forward William Carrier off of LTIR. Carrier had been out of the lineup for Vegas since leaving a March 26th game against the Chicago Blackhawks with a lower-body injury. The forward was not initially placed on LTIR, however when Vegas activated Mark Stone off of LTIR on April 12th, the team was forced to put Carrier on LTIR to make room. So far, no corresponding move has been made, though Jake Leschyshyn’s assignment to Henderson of the AHL on Friday did create an open roster spot for Carrier.

Having Carrier back is a welcomed addition for Vegas as they play their final home game of the regular season tonight against the San Jose Sharks, a game the team must win in order to stay in playoff contention, a destiny which they do not alone control. Vegas currently sits four points back of the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators, with just a game in hand on Dallas (Nashville and Vegas both play their 79th game this evening).

One of the few remaining inaugural Golden Knights, Carrier’s presence in the lineup as a gritty forward who can chip in on offense, has been a strong presence in their lineup, one that has long been considered very difficult to play against. On the season, Carrier has seven goals and 11 assists in 59 games. The 27-year-old also represents great value for the Golden Knights, as he is signed through the 2023-24 season at just $1.4MM per season. Hopefully for Vegas, he will be able to contribute in a series of must-win games down the stretch.

William Carrier Placed In COVID Protocol

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It seems like everyday teams are adding players to the COVID protocol, and the Vegas Golden Knights are the latest to do so. William Carrier is unavailable for the team today as he has been placed in the protocol.

The team has not confirmed whether or not Carrier tested positive for coronavirus, or how long the forward is expected to be out. For now, at least, they’ll have to prepare as though he will not be available for them tomorrow night against the Carolina Hurricanes. They will also be without Alec Martinez, who was cut by Brandon Duhaime’s skate last week and is out for tomorrow night. Chandler Stephenson and Mattias Janmark, the other two absences from practice, had maintenance days according to Jesse Granger of The Athletic.

Vegas is on a hot streak of late, going 8-2 in their last ten after a rocky start. Carrier is a legitimate part of that success, despite the fact that he averages fewer than 12 minutes a night. His physicality is a constant for the Golden Knights, and he’s even contributed with a little offense this season, adding two assists in his last game. He’s missed the last two though, meaning the team won’t have to make substantial changes to the lineup with him now in the protocol.

William Carrier Signs Extension With Vegas Golden Knights

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1:15pm: Well that didn’t take long. The Golden Knights have announced a four-year extension for Carrier that will carry an average annual value of $1.4MM.

12:33pm: The Vegas Golden Knights were busy in February adding pieces for a Stanley Cup run, but now that the trade deadline has passed there is work to be done with the rest of the roster. Specifically the restricted free agents, who will need new contracts by the start of next season. Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports that the team is working hard with pending RFA forward William Carrier on an extension.

The bang-and-crash winger has found a home with the Golden Knights, using his speed to create havoc in the offensive zone even in limited minutes. Though he still averages fewer than 10 minutes of ice time a night, Carrier has seven goals and 18 points on the season, which actually puts him eighth among Vegas forwards.

Currently in the final season of a two-year, $1.45MM deal, Carrier will be arbitration eligible in the summer but could avoid any nasty hearings by inking an extension in the coming weeks. Though he obviously won’t be demanding top-six money given his role, there’s certainly reason for him to get a slight raise.

One of the most interesting things to watch in Vegas however is how they treat Robin Lehner after acquiring him at the deadline. If the team shows any interest in retaining his services and pairing him with the $7MM/year Marc-Andre Fleury, they won’t have a ton of cap space to spend around the edges of the roster. President George McPhee and GM Kelly McCrimmon haven’t been shy to hand out extensions to rental players they’ve acquired through trade, but there is only so much pie to go around.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Pacific Notes: Burns, Kane, Quick, Carrier

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Already without Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson for Sunday, the San Jose Sharks could be without another Norris Trophy winner on Sunday as well as defenseman Brent Burns skipped today’s voluntary practice with a flu bug and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks, according to the Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka. Oh, and Burns currently holds the iron man streak of 454 straight games played.

There’s a “little bit of a flu bug going through the team,” said Sharks’ head coach Peter DeBoer.

The team already announced that Karlsson will miss Sunday’s game due to re-tweaking a groin injury last week. However, the team hasn’t played a game without Burns on the ice since Nov. 21, 2013. The defenseman currently leads all Sharks with 71 points in 65 games and is in the running for his second Norris Trophy in the last three years. If Burns can’t play, the team is expected to utilize Joakim Ryan to replace him. Ryan hasn’t played in a game since Jan. 22.

  • Sticking with the Sharks, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that Evander Kane’s remains questionable for Sunday’s game after missing Friday with an undisclosed middle-body injury. Kurz writes that the injury to Kane is not considered to be serious. The 27-year-old has 27 goals and 51 points this year and is closing in on career highs in both areas.
  • The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman (subscription required) suggests that this may be Jonathan Quick’s last season in Los Angeles as the team might be looking to trade their longtime goaltender. With a solid season by backup Jack Campbell and the impressive play of rookie Calvin Petersen, the team could consider moving on from Quick. While most teams in need of a goaltender might be looking at Sergei Bobrovsky as their first choice, Quick might make a solid second option for teams who miss out on Bobrovsky. Of course, the 33-year-old Quick isn’t having his best season as he has just 11 wins, a 3.31 GAA and a .897 save percentage and is owed $5.8MM for four more years. However, most people expect Quick to rebound after a tough, injury-plagued season.
  • David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Vegas Golden Knights fourth-liner William Carrier, who has missed six straight games with an upper-body injury and has appeared in only 48 games this season, could begin skating today and could return to the lineup within the next two weeks. Carrier is second in the NHL in hits with 247 this season, two behind teammate Ryan Reaves.

Pacific Notes: Baertschi, Carrier, Phaneuf, Thornton

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The Vancouver Canucks may be fighting for a playoff spot, but they will have to do it for a while without winger Sven Baertschi, as Canucks’ head coach Travis Green reported that Baertschi will miss some time after being diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome, according to Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Sun.

Baertschi has been feeling ill since last Sunday, the day after the team played Colorado and he didn’t report any symptoms before the game. However, Green said this is not a new concussion as there is no indication that he suffered any hit during the game. Instead it is believed this ties in to a concussion Baertschi suffered in October when he took a hit to the head from Vegas’ Tomas Hyka. There is no specific timetable to how long Baertschi will be out.

“We’re going to give him some time off,” Green said. “(He’s) probably going to be out for a little bit.”

Baertschi did not accompany the team to Philadelphia last week and has now missed three games, all losses. Johnston adds that post-concussion syndrome can linger for months after an initial concussion.

  • The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reports that the Vegas Golden Knights will be swapping players Saturday. The team is expecting to get back fourth-line winger William Carrier for their game today against Columbus. Carrier has been out for more than a month after going down with an undisclosed injury. Carrier has played a career-high 44 games and has eight goals, but has been essential to the team’s bottom line with 219 hits. With Carrier’s return, the team has placed third-line winger Ryan Carpenter on injured reserve, also with an undisclosed injury.
  • The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman (subscription required) writes that after being scratched for the first time in his career, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Dion Phaneuf was unhappy with the developments and despite potential rumors of an eventual buyout, he claims he has plenty more left to give in the NHL. “I’m not that old. So I will say that,” said Phaneuf, who will turn 34 on April 10, “I’ve got lots left. Mentor, whatever you want to call it, I’ve got a job to do as well. I feel good. I know I’ve played a long time. I’ve got more left. Right now, it’s about working to get back in the lineup. When you get back in, you want to do your job.”
  • Despite talk of still being injured, The Mercury News’ Paul Gackle writes that the 10-day break that Joe Thornton and the San Jose Sharks got recently has done wonders for their third-line center. Thornton, who has struggled with knee issues on and off this sea is now fully healthy and starting to become what head coach Peter DeBoer envisioned when Thornton took over his third-line center duties, giving the team a sparkplug on a bottom-six line. “A healthy Joe Thornton creates mismatches. He turns depth players into very-good players,” DeBoer said. “That’s a key to success in this league.”

Snapshots: Vanek, Carrier, Perry, Eaves

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Red Wings winger Thomas Vanek is no stranger to being moved at the trade deadline.  It’s undoubtedly part of the reason he pushed for a no-trade clause last summer in free agency and he managed to get one.  Although Detroit is believed to be selling between now and the February 25th trade deadline, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press suggests that it’s unlikely that Vanek will be moved as he’s valued as a leader in the dressing room.  For his part, the 35-year-old indicated that thought of waiving his no-trade clause simply hasn’t crossed his mind.  Vanek has 23 points in 42 games so far this season.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Golden Knights winger William Carrier has missed the last three weeks with what had been called an illness. Today, GM George McPhee informed reporters including Jesse Granger of The Athletic (Twitter link) that it’s actually an injury that’s keeping him out of the lineup although he declined to provide further specifics or an idea of how much longer he’ll be out.  Despite missing seven games already, Carrier remains the league leader in hits by a significant margin and is averaging just under five per game.
  • Ducks winger Corey Perry returned to practice for the first time since suffering a knee injury during the preseason, notes Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register. While there is no timetable for his return, head coach Randy Carlyle indicated that he believes Perry is a little ahead of schedule.  When he underwent surgery late in September, Anaheim announced that he was likely to be out until early March so that would suggest he’s a few weeks away from returning.
  • In the same column, Teaford adds that the Ducks received permission to extend Patrick Eaves’ AHL conditioning stint by two more games. He’s on a Bona Fide Long-Term Injury/Illness Exception Conditioning Loan which is only supposed to last three games or six days, whichever comes first.  Eaves has been out of the lineup since mid-November due to a fractured rib and has played in just five NHL games so far this season as well as the past three with AHL San Diego.

William Carrier Re-Signs With Vegas Golden Knights

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The Vegas Golden Knights have signed one of their final three restricted free agents, inking William Carrier to a two-year contract worth a total of $1.45MM. Carrier was not eligible to file for salary arbitration this year, and will still be an RFA at the end of this deal.

The 23-year old Carrier was an interesting expansion selection for the Golden Knights, given that the Buffalo Sabres had left Linus Ullmark unprotected and available in the draft. Buffalo sent Vegas a sixth-round pick to make the decision for them, which still appears to be a good value for the Sabres to keep their goaltender of the future. While the Golden Knights certainly didn’t have a lack of goaltending options in the draft, it could have been useful to have Ullmark around when the team was down to their fifth-string netminder at one point this season.

Instead, Carrier was the pick and he ended up playing in 37 games for the Golden Knights during the regular season. Throughout those games he brought effective energy and physicality, though he recorded just three points and was held scoreless in 10 playoff games. Vegas didn’t rely on their fourth line to score, but you still would have liked to see a bit of offensive upside from a player who was once a second-round pick. Carrier now has just 11 points in 88 total NHL games, but will be asked to provide a big body for the fourth line for at least the next two seasons. His deal does not appear to be a two-way contract meaning he’ll earn the same amount in the NHL and AHL, and he is eligible to be claimed off waivers if the team tries to send him to the minor leagues.

The Golden Knights have plenty of cap space remaining for next season, but still have work to do before their roster is complete. William Karlsson and Shea Theodore are their final two unsigned players, and both are candidates for long-term deals. Karlsson has a more pressing timeline, as his arbitration hearing is scheduled for August 4th. After jumping from a career total of 18 goals to scoring 43 just last season, he’ll be one of the more interesting arbitration cases in the history of the NHL if he makes it that far. Carrier meanwhile will be arbitration eligible when this new contract expires.

Vegas Golden Knights Sign Colin Miller To Four-Year Deal

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The Vegas Golden Knights have signed restricted free agent Colin Miller to a four-year, $15.5MM contract worth an AAV of $3.875MM, according the Associated Press’ Stephen Whyno. The deal makes him the highest paid defenseman with the Golden Knights.

Miller was one of the key components for Vegas during an impressive run in its inaugural season that took them all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. The 25-year-old had his best year as a pro player with the Golden Knights. He led all defenseman with 41 points, including 10 goals and 31 assists and was a key contributor in the team’s playoff run, where he tallied three goals and seven points in 20 games. He was also a critical part of the team’s power play unit. For Miller, it marks a big raise as he played the last two seasons for $1MM per year.

Acquired through the expansion draft from the Boston Bruins, Miller has quickly taken the reigns as the top defenseman along with Nate Schmidt in Vegas. His average ice time for the year increased from over 15 minutes a game last year in Boston to 19:21 this year with the Golden Knights. Considered to have an elite-level slapshot as he had a record-breaking shot back in the 2015 AHL Hardest Shot competition, clocking in at 105.5 mph, Vegas has asked him to shoot more, which he did all season. However, more importantly, Miller’s defensive game has rounded out this year, which has been key to the blueliner’s success.

The four-year deal means the team opted to offer him a long-term deal that ate into two future unrestricted years. At $3.875MM, the Golden Knights got solid value again from a young, emerging player. The team still has quite a few restricted free agents it must deal with including No. 1 center William Karlsson, as well as Shea Theodore, Tomas Nosek, William Carrier, Philip Holm and Teemu Pulkkinen. Vegas remains in a good situation cap-wise as the team still has a little under $15MM in salary cap space left after the Miller signing and that doesn’t include the money they will get back for David Clarkson, who’s $5.25MM contract can be put onto LTIR when the season starts.

 

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