Morning Notes: Buffalo, Prospects, Offside
After another disappointing loss at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets last night, the Buffalo Sabres were back on the ice today trying to right the ship. Unfortunately, things didn’t go so smoothly. According to Amy Moritz of the Buffalo News, Zach Bogosian was helped off the ice unable to put weight on his left leg.
Not only that, but tempers appear to be flaring as according to Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat, Evander Kane and Justin Falk got into a shoving match with the latter calling the former “selfish.” Things haven’t gone according to plan for the Sabres this year, who are now in the midst of a five-game losing streak and just three points ahead of the Arizona Coyotes for last place in the NHL.
- ISS Hockey and Jeff Marek of Sportsnet each released their new draft rankings today, with both agreeing that Rasmus Dahlin has solidified his position as the no-doubt first-overall pick in June’s draft. After that though, the lists diverge with Marek leaving Andrei Svechnikov in the second spot while ISS has moved Brady Tkachuk into that position. The remaining top 10 is a mixed bag, and should make for an incredibly interesting draft day with teams having very different boards.
- While the entire league is wondering whether the current offside review process will stay the same after another “skate blade incident” for the Edmonton Oilers last night, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that NHL Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell will bring up the issue once again at the GM meetings in March. There is a growing belief that the rule should be changed to that of a endzone-type plane that extends straight up, so that a player’s skate doesn’t necessarily need to be touching the ice to be onside.
The Tampa Bay Lightning Can Get Even Better
There’s not much doubt that the Tampa Bay Lightning are currently the best team in the NHL, and the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Even with the outstanding performance of the Vegas Golden Knights so far this season, not many would choose to face the Lightning over them in the first round of the playoffs. With two potential Hart Trophy candidates up front in Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos, the Vezina front-runner in Andrei Vasilevskiy and a perennial Norris-level defenseman in Victor Hedman, the Lightning have impeccable strength at every position.
Amazingly, it’s not just at the NHL level that they have talent. Brett Howden, Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh and Cal Foote take home gold at the World Junior Championship, all four Tampa Bay Lightning prospects. Libor Hajek, who was traded earlier today in the WHL, logged huge minutes for his Czech squad en route to a fourth-place finish. That’s to say nothing of Mikhail Sergachev who could have represented Russia if he wasn’t already in the NHL, and the four other prospects who suited up last year. The Lightning have a true pipeline of talent coming through their system, and should be able to replace any outgoing players from within.
But for this season, perhaps that load of prospect capital could be used to improve. Whether through dealing actual players, or the picks that Tampa Bay doesn’t desperately need this season, the Lightning could be big spenders at the deadline to make them even tougher down the stretch.
When looking for cracks on the roster, there aren’t many. If there was one worry it could have been the play of Peter Budaj, who struggled until his recent injury. Louis Domingue may have solved that, acquired from the Arizona Coyotes and looking refreshed in the AHL and his Lightning debut this weekend. While Vasilevskiy is the clear starter, having a capable backup is key for any team looking for a Stanley Cup.
Up front they possess perhaps more depth than any other team in the league. An incredible six forwards already have 30 points for the Lightning, with Ondrej Palat and Alex Killorn additionally notching 27 and 24 respectively. Even though Chris Kunitz and Ryan Callahan aren’t scoring, they provide some experience for a Stanley Cup run. One more scoring threat could help, but it certainly isn’t necessary.
So then the last few spots on defense may be the easiest place to find an upgrade. Though Hedman and Anton Stralman are horses, they’re being relied on quite a bit for the Lightning both at even strength and on the penalty kill. Dan Girardi and Braydon Coburn, the other two penalty killing options for the club, aren’t very effective at even-strength. Both players have one more year on their contracts, but don’t seem particularly locked into a role for next season. Not, at least, if the Lightning can go out and find another top-4 option on the open market.
It’s not like they don’t have internal options. Sergachev and Jake Dotchin have their place on the club, and both are getting increased minutes of late. Slater Koekkoek and Andrej Sustr are both still there, but neither have shown that they’re ready to step into a bigger role.
Amazingly, the Lightning even have cap space to burn. Not going forward, as they’ll have to re-sign Kucherov before long and Vladislav Namestnikov is due for a new contract this summer. But for this year, according to CapFriendly they could add approximately $9MM in cap hits at the deadline and still stay cap compliant. That’s a huge number for a team that doesn’t have any glaring needs, and it could result in them stealing one of the top rentals to make them even better. That’s a scary thought for the rest of the Eastern Conference, and perhaps even the whole league.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Dahlin, Hajek
The NHL has released their three stars of last week, with Patrice Bergeron leading the way after his four-goal game against Carolina. Bergeron may not be as flashy as some of his contemporaries, but is undoubtedly still one of the very best players in the NHL. Brad Marchand, who played a big part in his linemate’s impressive performance, wasn’t surprised, telling Tim Rosenthal of Boston.com:
It’s pretty impressive.
I think winning the Olympics, winning the Cup, and him being Patrice Bergeron is above that.
Jonathan Bernier of the Colorado Avalanche and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins took home second and third respectively, after their own impressive weeks. With Semyon Varlamov battling injury, Bernier has stepped in marvelously for the Avalanche, who continue to fight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, Crosby was up to his old tricks with eight points in four games.
- Craig Button of TSN has released his post-World Junior draft rankings, and he won’t be moving Rasmus Dahlin out of the top spot anytime soon. Button calls the 17-year old defenseman “franchise-defining,” and isn’t the only one. Corey Pronman of The Athletic wrote earlier today that Dahlin is “one of the all-time best defense prospects.” While Arizona remains in last place and has the best shot at the first-overall pick, the Buffalo Sabres aren’t far off from taking that title themselves. Remember though, that even the worst team in the league is actually more likely to lose the lottery and move down at least one spot.
- Speaking of impressive defense prospects, Libor Hajek has been traded in the WHL, heading from the Saskatoon Blades to the Regina Pats in exchange for a package of players and draft picks. Regina is hosting the Memorial Cup this season, and is loading up for the tournament. Hajek, a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, was impressive at the World Juniors for the Czech Republic and will now join others like Josh Mahura (an Anaheim prospect who barely missed out on representing Canada) and Cale Fleury (a Montreal prospect who was acquired from Kootenay earlier this season) on an imposing blueline.
Morning Notes: World Juniors, Thomas, Savard
The World Juniors have come and gone, and once again scouts all across the league have started to adjust their rankings and projections. One such prognosticator, Corey Pronman of The Athletic, goes in depth on what he saw at the tournament and his main takeaways.
Pronman agrees with the rest of the writers who voted Casey Mittelstadt as tournament MVP, after the Buffalo Sabres prospect looked dangerous on every shift. Even with Buffalo struggling once again this season, there may be a light on the horizon in Mittelstadt. The eight-overall pick from 2017 has found immediate success at the University of Minnesota, and looks ready to turn pro after just one season in the NCAA. While he’s made no indication on whether he’ll be a one-and-done, the Sabres will undoubtedly make a pitch in the spring to bring him aboard.
- Speaking of World Junior prospects, the London Knights of the OHL have traded St. Louis Blues’ prospect Robert Thomas to the Hamilton Bulldogs for a package that includes five draft picks, stretching all the way to 2026. Thomas, selected 20th-overall in 2017, didn’t have an outstanding tournament for Team Canada but is still an intriguing prospect for the Blues. His defensive ability and versatility all while being an outstanding offensive producer makes it easy to envision him transitioning to the professional ranks with success. If he doesn’t crack the Blues out of camp next season he can still return to the junior ranks, and could be a returnee at the World Juniors next year as one of Canada’s top options up front.
- David Savard‘s wallet is a little lighter this morning, after being fined $5,000 for slashing Vincent Trocheck last night. Savard wasn’t given a penalty on the play, but didn’t avoid the gaze of the Department of Player Safety. While this obviously isn’t a suspension, it will be taken into account on any further disciplinary action from the league.
Senators Not Likely To See Youth Movement Soon
The Ottawa Senators finally promoted one of their top prospects in 2015 first-rounder Colin White on Saturday with three games left before their bye week starts. It would be a perfect time for the 20-year-old center to prove himself to head coach Guy Boucher and the organization. However, Boucher is well-known to put little faith in young players as he prefers not to place young players in stressful situations. He proved that in White’s first appearance Saturday by giving the youngster a whopping 7:50 of ice time. At this rate, he’ll be reassigned after the next two games and not seen again for quite a while.
“We’re going to try to manage him as best as we can,” Boucher said before Saturday’s game. “We’re playing the best team in the league. The one thing we have is the last change (as the home team), so we’re going to have him play against players he’ll be able to manage. If we say it like it is, Tampa’s third line can beat most team’s first lines. In that respect, we have to be smart.”
And what makes that so difficult for fans is that the Senators are stockpiled with young talent. If the team continues to struggle, the fans want to see their young players give them hope. It took their other 2015 first-rounder Thomas Chabot a long time to get the confidence of Boucher, assuming he even has it. Chabot was rarely given a chance to prove himself at the NHL level and only now seems to be getting solid minutes with the franchise.
Ken Warren of The Ottawa Citizen writes that the best chance any fans have of seeing some of their top young players such as White, Chabot or Filip Chlapik getting legitimate minutes would be if the Senators completely fell out of the playoff race. Chlapik is another example of a player recently sent down to Belleville. He’s played in six games for Ottawa this year, averaging 9:06 of ice time. Not exactly enough time to learn your way around the NHL. Even 2017 secound-rounder Alex Formenton, who surprised many when he made the team out of training camp, only managed to get into one game for 4:54 before he was eventually returned to his junior team.
However, Warren says its about time to start taking time away from the veterans who haven’t produced enough for the team to enjoy the same success they had a year ago. Players like Alexandre Burrows and Gabriel Dumont might have to give way for progress, and find out if some of their youngsters can handle the pressure of life in the NHL. Neither has produced much as fourth-line players.
And there is even more talent on the way. The Athletic’s Ary Maharaj breaks down (subscription required) that many top Senator performers in the World Junior Championships, including Drake Batherson, Formenton, Markus Nurmi and 2016 first-rounder Logan Brown. Along with the likelihood that the Senators could end up with a top-ten pick (or none at all) in the upcoming 2018 NHL Draft, talent is definitely not their problem. Getting them on the ice will be.
Poll: Who Will Win The WJC Gold Medal Game?
In what has been a tournament filled with outstanding performances—except perhaps at the ticket offices—Canada and Sweden have outlasted all the rest and will come together in the World Junior Championship gold medal match tonight. Neither team lost a game in regulation during the tournament, with Canada only falling in a snowy shootout at the hands of the United States in the outdoor game.
Both teams are loaded with future NHL talent, including the almost consensus 2018 first-overall pick in Rasmus Dahlin. Dahlin has been incredible all tournament long, looking just as poised and confident as always. The 17-year old defenseman plays for Frolunda in the SHL, where he has 11 points in 26 games and has graced highlight reels all season. While other 2018-eligible players have impressed at the tournament, Dahlin has cemented his spot as a franchise-changing prospect and the prize of the draft lottery.
It’s not just Dahlin starring for Sweden though. Their group of 2017 first-round picks—Elias Pettersson, Lias Andersson, Erik Brannstrom and Timothy Liljegren—have all shown moments of brilliance throughout the last couple of weeks, and all look like they’ll make their NHL debuts before long. Alexander Nylander has shown off his elite offensive skill, and reminded Buffalo fans that even though he’s struggled at the AHL level he still has tremendous upside.
For Canada, a team that has just a single first-round pick on the whole roster, the scoring responsibility has been spread throughout. Every Canadian player save for Dante Fabbro has at least a point in the tournament, with St. Louis Blues prospect Jordan Kyrou leading the way. Perhaps the biggest surprise has been Cale Makar (that aforementioned first-round pick, fourth-overall to the Colorado Avalanche last year), who has worked his way up from the seventh defenseman on the roster. Makar has been a dynamic powerplay quarterback and will be relied upon again tonight against the tough defense of the Swedes.
It will be a very tough matchup for both sides, as neither has given up very many chances. With the quick-strike offense both teams possess, the game could hinge on which experienced defense corps makes the fewest mistakes. It also could be an Olympic preview for some of the players, as Kyrou and Victor Mete are possibilities to go to Pyeongchang for Canada, while several of the Swedes (including Pettersson and Dahlin) playing in the SHL could crack their squad.
So who will take home gold tonight? Who will win MVP? Who have you been most impressed by in the tournament? Vote below, and use the comment section to discuss.
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Snapshots: Hoffman, Andersen, Carrier, AHL
The Ottawa Senators already have one offer in hand for forward Mike Hoffman according to Darren Dreger of TSN, but it’s not enough to pry him away. The offer is for “futures” as Dreger calls them, and likely made up of a draft pick and prospect. It’s not clear which team has offered it, what prospect is involved or what round the pick would be from.
The idea that the Senators wouldn’t sell Hoffman for just a prospect and picks makes sense, as they aren’t looking to completely tear it down. This is a team that went out and acquired Matt Duchene earlier this year, and may only have one more year with Erik Karlsson under contract. More likely, the Senators would be looking for young roster players that can make an impact next season in any deal, though they haven’t come out and said that as of yet.
- Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen has been fined $2,000 by the league for diving, after an incident in the New Year’s Eve game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Andersen had previously been warned by the league for a play against Carolina, but will now face a monetary penalty and be watched more closely.
- William Carrier has been activated by the Vegas Golden Knights and is expected to be back in the lineup tonight, as Pierre-Edouard Bellemare is away from the team for the birth of his first child. Carrier hasn’t played since November 25th, and has just two points on the season.
- The AHL announced their All-Star rosters, including several players who’ve spent time or are currently in the NHL like Vinnie Hinostroza. The rosters are filled with an interesting mix of prospects and veterans, and should be a good performance for fans. The league will hold its skills competition on January 28th, and play the All-Star Classic on January 29th in Utica.
Minnesota Wild Finally Meet With Kirill Kaprizov
In a story that has been worthy of Abbott and Costello at points due to the vast amounts of misunderstandings, Kirill Kaprizov has finally sat down with Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher, nearly three years after the team selected the Russian forward in the fifth round. Michael Russo of The Athletic has been following the story closely since the beginning, and now reports that Fletcher met with Kaprizov and fellow prospect Andrei Svetlakov on Tuesday night.
Kaprizov is a dynamic forward who has found nearly unparalleled success in the KHL for a player of his age, registering 42 points in 49 games last year at 19, and 36 in 38 games this season at 20. His offensive upside makes him one of the most interesting prospects in the game, and one that Minnesota would put on their NHL squad right now if they had the chance. Unfortunately, as Russo explains, Kaprizov is signed through the 2019-20 season and neither side has talked about a potential buyout. The Wild won’t lose his rights, but they’ll have to wait a while for him to come to North America.
In the meantime, Wild fans will likely be able to see him in some international competitions. While he’s not guaranteed a spot on the Olympic team, there’s a good chance we’ll see Kaprizov suit up in the World Championships at some point. If Fletcher can continue to create a relationship, perhaps we’ll see him in a Minnesota uniform in fall of 2020.
Vancouver Canucks Will Look To The Future As Deadline Nears
A month ago, one might have been able to understand a Vancouver Canucks team that wasn’t planning on selling at the deadline. After all, the club was 14-10-4 and playing like a potential playoff contender. It was unexpected, but with new head coach Travis Green bringing the best out of a rag-tag lineup and young players like Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser leading the way offensively it didn’t seem so far out of the question.
Then disaster struck. The team would announce that Horvat would be out long-term with a broken foot, and a few days later Sven Baertschi would break his jaw when a puck struck his face. Since Horvat’s injury the team is 2-9-1, and quickly dropping out of any playoff talk. They now sit second-last in the Western Conference, only ahead of the lowly Arizona Coyotes, seven points out of a wildcard spot. Even with a healthy lineup that would be tough to overcome, and the Canucks are far from healthy.
Today, at a press conference to discuss the state of the franchise (audio from Sportsnet 650), team president Trevor Linden spoke about the upcoming trade deadline and how his team would approach it:
I think when you talk deadline, plans going forward a lot can happen. There’s a lot of hockey left between now and then. As always, we constantly talk as a group about where we’re at and where we need to be. We understand that our eye is focused on the future, and we’re excited about some of the young players who’ve taken steps here…
…if there’s an opportunity to make this team better we’re going to do that, but it will be with our eyes focused firmly on the future.
When pressed on the idea of moving a defenseman in particular, Linden said that they aren’t in a rush to trade away anyone, but that it could change at any moment. The Canucks don’t have a single defenseman signed past the 2019-20 season, and could use several of them as potential trade bait at the deadline. Erik Gudbranson, a pending unrestricted free agent, isn’t the biggest name on the market but is likely to either re-sign with the team or be dealt at some point.
It seemed as though this was the plan all along when the Canucks signed the trio of Thomas Vanek, Michael Del Zotto and Sam Gagner in the offseason. All three were low-risk, high-reward players who could turn into excellent assets for the organization if they returned to their top form. Vanek currently sits second on the team in scoring, while Del Zotto has logged more than 21 minutes a night all season.
Like last season, when the team traded away Jannik Hansen and Alex Burrows for a pair of interesting prospects, the Canucks are one of the most likely teams to sell over the next few months. With interesting assets on the blueline, and a prospect cupboard that’s starting to fill up, a rebuild seems well on its way in Vancouver.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Poll: Who Will Win Gold At The World Juniors?
With the NHL about to head into its Christmas shutdown—no games are scheduled from December 24-26th—die hard hockey fans will need to look elsewhere for their frozen fix. The answer to that, unless you are a big Spengler Cup fan, is obvious. The World Junior Championship begins preliminary round play on December 26th with a matchup between Russia and the Czech Republic at 11:00am central. That’s followed by four more games that day and the rest of the tournament that stretches until January 5th.
It’s easy to see why our readers are overwhelmingly more interested in the junior tournament than the upcoming Olympics, after the NHL pulled out of competition. The interesting part is how popular the U20 competition has become regardless of other international events. For prospect junkies, and patriotic puck lovers there’s just nothing better than seeing (mostly) amateur athletes compete for their country and show why they’ll be the next star of the NHL. The tournament can be used as a coming out party where potential flourishes, or a harsh spotlight that uncovers flaws previously unnoticed.
The United States, reigning champions of the tournament, are bringing back an exceptionally talented squad and should be in the running for the medal round once again. Returnees like Kieffer Bellows and Adam Fox are expected to be among the tournament leaders for their respective positions, and there are exciting young prospects making their first appearance.
Canada, as always, can never be overlooked. After losing to the USA in the gold medal game a year ago, the team has gone with almost an entire team of 19-year old players, cutting some surprising names in the process. While there is a distinct lack of name recognition on the usually star-studded Canadian squad, it is a chance for some less heralded prospects to show that they deserve to be household names.
Sweden is as usual strong defensively, boasting some of the strongest skaters in the tournament on their blueline. Timothy Liljegren will certainly garner a lot of attention, as will potential 2018 first-overall pick Rasmus Dahlin. They’re not to be overlooked up front though, as current SHL scoring leader Elias Pettersson will show exactly why he went fifth-overall to Vancouver last June.
Finland will look to bounce back after an incredibly poor performance last season that saw the coaching staff fired mid-tournament. After taking home gold in 2016, there is a lot to like about the 2018 squad. Eeli Tolvanen, one of the biggest stories of the KHL season, is a favorite to lead the tournament in scoring, while their defense corps led by players like Miro Heiskanen and Olli Juolevi can stand with anyone.
Russia, of course, can never be completely taken out of the running, but haven’t won a gold medal since 2011. Their team has a ton of relative unknowns to North American viewers, but will have one name everyone will be especially intrigued by. Andrei Svechnikov, another potential first-overall selection in 2018, is considered by many already ready to make the jump to professional hockey. While this tournament isn’t the pros, it certainly is the highest level he’ll have ever played.
So who do you think will take home gold? Will it be one of the favorites, or will one of the lesser-known teams find lightning in a bottle and ride it all the way? Who will be the tournament MVP? Discuss all that and more after voting below.
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