Carter Hutton Injured, Blues Employ Emergency Backup
As is the case a few times each season, the St. Louis Blues were forced to bring in an inexperienced amateur as their backup goalie for their game tonight against the Dallas Stars. The team announced that regular understudy Carter Hutton had been injured earlier today in the morning skate, suffering a lower-body condition that was serious enough that he could not dress behind Jake Allen tonight. Although they were quick to recall Ville Husso from the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage on an emergency basis, sending rookie winger Sammy Blais down in the process, the 7:00 PM flight out of south Texas was not going to be in time for puck drop of tonight’s game.
So, the Blues have turned to local goalie Tyler Stewart. Stewart signed an amateur tryout agreement with the team and took part in warm-ups tonight. The plan was for Stewart to to serve as the backup until Husso arrived from San Antonio, but even that brief experience has to be the thrill of a lifetime for the St. Louis native. Stewart was the starting goalie for St. Louis University’s ACHA Division II squad for three seasons, but never came close to having pro prospects. A chance to wear the colors of his hometown team is quite the event.
Should Hutton miss substantial time, Husso may not be the best option to backup Allen long-term. The 22-year-old has yet to see any NHL action, but did spend time in the ECHL last year, plus his AHL numbers this season have been less than spectacular. Husso was the quickest recall for the Blues, but Jordan Binnington, currently on loan to the Providence Bruins out on the east coast, is likely to be called upon as the backup instead. Binnington boasts an impeccable 1.83 GAA and .930 save percentage this season in Providence and made his NHL debut last season.
What Your Team Is Thankful For: Vancouver Canucks
As the holiday season approaches, PHR will look at what teams are thankful for as the season nears the quarter point of completion. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We take a look at what’s gone well in the first month and what could improve as the season rolls on. So far we’ve covered ANA, ARZ, BUF, CGY, CAR, CBJ, COL, DET, LAK, NSH, NJD, NYI, STL, TOR, WSH, and VGK.
What are the Vancouver Canucks most thankful for?
A weak Pacific Division.
Heading into the season, the Pacific Division was expected to be a meat grinder. With the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks all considered legitimate contenders for the Stanley Cup, teams like Vancouver and Vegas were just hoping to stay competitive. Those predictions have been turned on their heads, as the Los Angeles Kings pace the division through the first third of the season while the aforementioned “contenders” are struggling to stay above (or even get to) .500.
Vancouver, led by some young stars and a brand new head coach find themselves in third place in the division and currently holding a playoff spot in the Western Conference. For a team expecting to take a hard look at a real rebuild, early success may have changed their minds.
Who are the Canucks most thankful for?
When Boeser suited up for the University of North Dakota on March 24th, 2017 he was preparing to play Boston University in a do-or-die matchup in the NCAA tournament. Little did he know that he’d be scoring the game-winning goal for the Vancouver Canucks a little over 24 hours later. The game against BU went to double overtime before Clayton Keller and Charlie McAvoy hooked up to end UND’s tournament, but Boeser wouldn’t have time to mope. He immediately signed with the Canucks and was in the lineup the next night, scoring his first on a rebound goal after Bo Horvat was stopped on a breakaway.
Boeser hasn’t slowed down since, and now has 17 goals and 30 points in 34 career games. He leads the Canucks in scoring this year—trailed closely by Horvat—and will likely be in the Calder Trophy conversation right until the end. The 20-year old has made such an immediate impact on the team, that they may believe their competitive window has been slid open just a bit more.
What would the Canucks be even more thankful for?
An appearance from Markus Granlund.
Last season, before there was the late-season appearance from Boeser, three other intriguing young forwards were making their mark: Horvat, Sven Baertschi and Granlund. The first two are back doing the things they showed last year, with 20 and 17 points respectively this season. The latter though, Granlund, has been nothing close to the 19-goal man he was a year ago.
The 24-year old Granlund had 32 points in 69 games last season, easily a career high and a sign that his future with the team was bright. After all, 16 of his 19 goals came at even strength (tied with Baertschi for the team lead) and he graded out as arguably the best possession player on the team.
That hasn’t been the case this time around, as Granlund has just five points on the season and has seen those strong possession numbers plummet. He’s been one of the most disappointing pieces on the roster under new coach Travis Green, and it’s no longer clear where exactly he fits long-term. He’s a restricted free agent this summer, and may end up being overlooked as a key piece for the Canucks going forward.
What should be on the Canucks’ Holiday Wish List?
More draft picks and prospects.
Despite their early success, this team is primed to sell at the deadline. We examined their collection of trade deadline assets recently, and the plan shouldn’t be deviated from. There is another wave of talent coming for the Canucks, as shown by the group of six Vancouver prospects that could suit up for their respective countries at this year’s World Junior Championship, but it isn’t enough.
Boeser, Horvat and others are already making an impact at the NHL level but the team still lacks the depth to really compete for the Stanley Cup. Using some expiring (or soon expiring) assets to add to the prospect cupboards could help them get there quicker than many would have believed in the middle of last season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
World Junior Rosters Filled With NHL Prospects
With USA Hockey revealing their 28-man preliminary roster for the upcoming World Junior tournament, and Hockey Canada expected to do the same today, prospect junkies from around the league are making lists of who to watch this holiday season. The rosters have been released from various other countries already, and they include many other players who’ve already been drafted around the league.
Below are the full preliminary rosters for Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic, along with their respective NHL teams in parenthesis. Russia has announced their KHL group, but has not yet revealed who from North America will be joining them in selection camp.
Ottawa Senators’ Struggles Could Lead To More Movement
The Ottawa Senators were facilitators of the biggest trade of the season so far, when they acquired Matt Duchene from the Colorado Avalanche while sending out Kyle Turris and a package of picks and prospects. That deal certainly shook things up in the Canadian capital, but so far not for the better. The Senators have gone 3-7-1 with Duchene in the lineup, and the former Avalanche center has just two points during that stretch. The struggles may lead to some more changes, as Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports.
Garrioch singles out Cody Ceci as the team’s top trade asset, noting that the Avalanche did try to acquire him in a deal for Duchene before the Nashville Predators were involved. Ceci’s high value isn’t all that surprising given his relative youth and experience, but some would say that it’s not warranted. The 23-year old defenseman rates very poorly in possession statistics, but at least part of that is due to his role playing against some top competition. Still, with just three even strength points on the year Ceci is struggling just like the rest of the roster.
The problem with Ottawa looking to acquire more talent though is that they don’t operate as a cap ceiling team. Moving out money—including Andrew Hammond‘s $1.35MM contract, that was already barely affecting the cap—was an important part of the Duchene deal, as the team can’t afford to pay out much more salary, especially if there are no playoff revenues on the way. That would suggest a player would be on his way out, but there are few obvious options.
Ceci is a restricted free agent at the end of the year, and will be expected a substantial raise from his current $2.8MM deal, but it’s obviously the Senators’ preference to keep him. Derick Brassard has just one more season at $5MM on the books, but would leave a gaping hole in the team’s center depth should he be moved. Bobby Ryan and Dion Phaneuf are both too expensive for their performance, but likely have too much money left on their deals to really drum up any interest, and you’re not trading Mike Hoffman, Mark Stone or Erik Karlsson.
The next move for the Senators might have to come internally as Garrioch suggests, but they’ve already given Thomas Chabot a bump in responsibility and it hasn’t worked. Bringing up young forwards like Colin White, Filip Chlapik or Nick Paul could be next, but none look like game-changing presences at the moment. There’s no clear answer in Ottawa, but you can be sure GM Pierre Dorion is working to find one.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Vancouver Canucks Earning Trade Deadline Capital
The Vancouver Canucks began their rebuild last season, when at the trade deadline they moved Alexandre Burrows and Jannik Hansen for a pair of interesting prospects. Jonathan Dahlen and Nikolay Goldobin were brought into the organization, to try and go along with other young players like Bo Horvat, Brock Boeser and Olli Juolevi as the next wave of NHL talent. At the draft, they passed on WHL star Cody Glass and British Columbia-native Michael Rasmussen to select Swedish forward Elias Pettersson, who is tearing up the SHL with a league-leading 28 points through 21 games.
In free agency, they added a trio of players in Thomas Vanek, Michael Del Zotto and Sam Gagner that could bridge the gap to that next wave. Now, even as the team finds more immediate success than expected they could find themselves in an enviable position at this year’s deadline. While Gagner hasn’t been as effective as last season, Del Zotto and Vanek are showing their worth. Vanek has 16 points through 24 games, and has shown once again he can help a powerplay anywhere in the league. His eight points with the man advantage trail only Boeser for the Canucks. Del Zotto on the other hand has logged the most ice time on the entire team, averaging more than 22 minutes a night. The smooth-skating defenseman has nine points on the season, and plays in all situations.
Vanek is on just a one-year $2MM deal, while Del Zotto carries just a $3MM cap hit for this year and next. If their play continues at this pace, they’ll both interest several buyers at the deadline if Vancouver chooses to start selling. They’re not the only two. Erik Gudbranson is dealing with an injury but has already been rumored to have several teams interested in him as he heads towards unrestricted free agency. The 25-year old comes with a $3.5MM cap hit, and can add physicality to any lineup. The Sedin twins are also pending UFAs, but seem unlikely to be traded because of their hefty cap hits.
The rest of the blueline could also draw interest from around the league. Both Alex Edler and Chris Tanev have faced injury this year and hold some form of no-trade protection, but would be valuable additions if a team could afford their contracts. Unfortunately the Canucks have already used two of their three retained salary transactions, eating some of Hansen and Roberto Luongo‘s contracts. As the deadline approaches and teams have less space to maneuver, that could prove costly.
Still, Vancouver has positioned themselves in a strong position this season. While Boeser leads the Calder Trophy race so far, and Pettersson lights up the European ranks they could add even more assets this spring. At 11-9-4 this season, it could be a quicker-than-expected rebuild.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Andrew Hammond Sent Back To Belleville
When the Colorado Avalanche traded Matt Duchene earlier this season, they acquired not only a solid package of young prospects and picks, but a salary-dump goaltender in Andrew Hammond. Hammond’s contract was too expensive to be sitting at the AHL level for the Ottawa Senators, so they shipped him off to Colorado to clear room for Duchene’s added costs.
With two NHL goaltenders on the books and a full crease in San Antonio, the Avalanche immediately started to shop Hammond around looking for a potential asset for the 29-year old goaltender. After all, Hammond had shown the ability to succeed in the NHL for at least short bursts and could be useful to a team with injuries in the crease.
It seems like they were unable to find a buyer though, as Colorado has once again loaned Hammond back to the Belleville Senators of the AHL, effectively sending him back to Ottawa while picking up his salary tab. His $1.35MM cap hit will mean that Colorado still takes a $225K hit even with him buried in the minor leagues, and his actual salary of $1.5MM will continue to be paid out by the Avalanche.
Snapshots: Campbell, Wideman, McDavid
The Los Angeles Kings acquired Torrey Mitchell earlier tonight in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens, but it’s not the only move they’ve made recently. Late last night the team signed goaltender Jack Campbell to a two-year, $1.35MM extension. The deal is two-way for 2018-19, but becomes a one-way contract in 2019-20.
Campbell has rediscovered his game after leaving the Dallas Stars organization, who originally selected him 11th-overall in 2010. He ran with the starting job for the Ontario Reign of the AHL last season, posting a .914 save percentage and has improved on that early in this season. The 25-year old was once considered one of the top goaltending prospects in the league and will continue to try and fight his way towards the NHL. Though Jonathan Quick is signed long-term, the Kings will have an opening to back him up after Darcy Kuemper‘s deal expires this summer.
- Dennis Wideman has returned to hockey, this time as an assistant coach of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. The Rangers, who are one of the most impressive teams in the league this season, are currently coached by former NHL defenseman (and Wideman teammate) Jay McKee. Wideman, a Kitchener native, was unable to secure a contract this summer after the Calgary Flames decided not to re-sign him. In 815 career NHL games, he had 387 points.
- Connor McDavid has been playing through a serious illness according to Darren Dreger of TSN, who reports that the Edmonton Oilers captain has lost between five and ten pounds recently. Amazingly, McDavid has nine points in his last five games, the best stretch of the season so far for the reigning Hart Trophy winner. McDavid and the Oilers remain near the very bottom of the NHL standings, with just 18 points through 22 games.
Snapshots: OHL, Sedlak, Gudbranson, Gaborik
The Ontario Hockey League has always been one of the premiere talent factories for the NHL, churning out elite prospects every season. Like every year, the talented folks over at OHL Prospects have put together a consensus ranking of the 2018 draft eligible players, with contributions from various scouting gurus like Mike Morreale (NHL.com), Scott Wheeler (The Athletic) and Dan Stewart (Future Considerations).
In this ranking of OHL prospects—like any other you’ll find—Andrei Svechnikov tops the list. He was first on all 22 contributing scouts’ lists, with several implying that he could jump right to the NHL already. Svechnikov had 14 points in 10 games for the Barrie Colts before injuring his hand, should return to the lineup at some point in mid-to-late December. He’s a near lock to go in the top three selections next June.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated Lukas Sedlak from injured reserve, giving them some more depth at center. The Blue Jackets have used Nick Foligno in the middle for much of this season, but could move him back to the wing where he is much more experienced now that they have another healthy body. The team could still obviously use another center, but have several options with how to deploy their lineup.
- Jason Brough of TSN has heard that the Florida Panthers have at least some interest still in Erik Gudbranson, even though we had previously heard otherwise. Brough also reports that “a few other teams” have interest in the Vancouver Canucks’ defenseman which would mesh with the report that the Toronto Maple Leafs have poked around. Gudbranson will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
- Marian Gaborik is nearing a return for the Los Angeles Kings, and head coach John Stevens spoke with Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider on the progression of the 35-year old sniper. The Kings continue to lead the Pacific Division, and it will be interesting to see if Gaborik can find a role on the team after several years of sub-par performance.
Cole Caufield Commits To The University of Wisconsin
The 2019 NHL Draft may seem like a long way away, as does the 2019-20 season, but the excitement is real and right now in Madison, Wisconsin. The Badgers today announced the commitment of five star prospect Cole Caufield to play hockey at the University of Wisconsin, beginning in 2019. Caufield is considered a potential top-ten pick in two years.
Caufield, 16, is a current member of the U.S. National Development U-17 Team. He and his brother, Brock Caufield, had both previously committed to Big Ten rival Ohio State University, but decommitted earlier this year. Brock, 18, announced his commitment to Wisconsin last week and will join little brother Cole in 2019. However, only the younger brother has drawn draft interest, and in a big way. A recent ranking of 2019 prospects by TSN’s Craig Button had Caufield as the eighth-best prospect. While the scoring winger lacks size in a major way – he currently stands at 5’6″, 146 lbs. – he has years left of growth and development remaining and Button believes that his offense speaks for itself regardless of his stature. Besides, the NHL is growing more and more comfortable with smaller, speedier players, as evidenced by 5’8″, 154-lb. Kailer Yamamoto‘s selection by the Edmonton Oilers at #22 this past June. Like Yamamoto, what really counts is the production and Caufield has scored at nearly two points per game so far with the USNTDP. By 2019, a slightly larger Caufield could easily fulfill his draft projection.
Meanwhile, the Badgers are quickly becoming known for their ability to recruit high-end talent. The 2017-18 roster contains nine NHL drafted players, including a pair of promising Boston Bruins prospects in 2016 first-rounder Trent Frederic and 2015 sixth-round steal Cameron Hughes, and just graduated another 2016 top pick, Minnesota Wild rookie Luke Kunin, this past year. And that’s just the beginning; Wisconsin has ten 2018 draft eligible (and likely to be drafted) players coming to Madison next year, including potential first-round defenseman K’Andre Miller, and another peer of Caufield’s, a likely 2019 first-rounder, in Alex Turcotte coming the year after. These are exciting times for Wisconsin hockey.
What Your Team Is Thankful For: Buffalo Sabres
As the holiday season approaches, PHR will look at what teams are thankful for this year. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We take a look at what’s gone well in the first month and what could improve as the season rolls on.
What are the Buffalo Sabres most thankful for?
The chance at another high draft pick.
They’re the worst team in the Eastern Conference and many aren’t sure they’ve hit bottom yet. They finally notched a win after an 0-4-1 start, and had a nice 3-2 stretch before going 2-7, with another loss coming at the hands of the Red Wings on Friday. Sabres fans are hunkering down for another long season of losses, but if the younger players grow it at least helps stomach the losing a bit. But to what is one of the most loyal and hardcore fanbases in hockey, the Sabres seem stuck in a perpetual rebuild while the Maple Leafs, who went the same route, are enjoying far more success.
The right numerical combination in April could net the Sabres the first or second overall pick but as the Avalanche learned last Spring, nothing is guaranteed. If anything, it would at least cushion what is looking like another brutal season.
Who are the Sabres most thankful for?
Evander Kane‘s stock continues to rise.
It’s no secret that the phone has been ringing in Buffalo with trade offers for the winger. Kane has been strong this season, being a point-per-game player. The better Kane plays–the more value he has as the trade deadline nears. Teams will be hunting for a goal scorer that could tip the scales in their favor, and Kane, being added to a team with playoff talent, would fit that need perfectly. While he is a UFA at the end of the 2017-18 season, his scoring knack would be too much to pass on for a team desperate for scoring. Should the Sabres continue to struggle, Kane could net valuable picks, top prospect or maybe both.
What would the Sabres be more thankful for?
Goalscoring. And lots more of it.
The slumping Sabres have been hurt by their players not putting the puck in the back of the net. Kyle Okposo was brought into score goals and he only has two (though he did rebound from a scary medical incident last season). Sam Reinhart hasn’t scored as expected. And that brings us to Jack Eichel.
Eichel is second on the team with points (5-11-16) but he is not finding the net, either. Worse, not one defenseman this season has scored a goal, through 19 games (through Friday). 
What should be on the Sabres’ Holiday Wish List?
If the season truly is doomed, fetching draft picks and prospects for impact players seems to be at the top of the list. New general manager Jason Botterill has hands full trying to navigate out of some bad contracts and a lack of depth that has handcuffed the Sabres chances of rebuilding successfully. At 5-10-4, hope of anything besides a last place finish seems far-fetched. Jason Pominville (6-7-13) has been a bright spot and could yield a higher pick, as well as cap relief, should his play continue to be strong. Like Kane, put in the right spot with a team seeking a long playoff run, he could be great depth scoring. At this point, anything on the wish list has an eye on the future.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images