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Evening Notes: Marleau, Stamkos, Timashov, Merzlikins

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Just a handful of months ago, veteran winger Patrick Marleau made it clear he only wanted to play for the San Jose Sharks after he was bought out of his previous contract. He did eventually sign with them, but with Marleau’s approval, the Sharks traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline in hopes he might be able to chase a Stanley Cup.

However, with just 51 games remaining before he breaks Gordie Howe’s games played record, many wonder if Marleau might opt to re-sign with the Sharks this summer. When asked, Marleau admitted that might be a possibility, according to Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka.

“Yeah, I think the door’s open maybe to come back,” said Marleau. “I definitely would like to play another season, so that would be good.”

  • Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said that the decision to allow forward Steven Stamkos to undergo muscle core surgery was a tough one, but was the result of multiple tests and discussions with Stamkos and doctors, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith. Stamkos will have the surgery on Monday and will miss six to eight weeks, meaning he is likely to miss some of the playoffs. The timing is tough, but Cooper added, “Good thing is when it gets done, it’s done, and now we never have to worry bout it again.”
  • Detroit Red Wings forward Dmytro Timashov, claimed off waivers last Monday, will make his debut with the Red Wings Saturday in Ottawa. However, the forward will not travel with the team back home, however, as the forward is still dealing with visa issues and can only play with Detroit because they are in Canada at the moment, according to NHL.com’s Dana Wakiji. “He’ll have to stay in Canada here,” head coach Jeff Blashill said. “He has to pick up his passport. So he’s hoping to get that Monday and get back for the game Monday night.”
  • The Athletic’s Alison Lukan reports that Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, who left last Monday’s game after colliding with Ottawa’s Anthony Duclair, is out with a concussion. The scribe writes that the head injury is considered to be minor, but Columbus is taking the injury cautiously. Merzlikins has a 2.53 goals against and a .922 save percentage in 32 appearances. However, with Joonas Korpisalo back in the fold, the team doesn’t have to rush Merzlikins back quickly.

Pacific Notes: Russell, Nygard, Lehner, Meier, Backes

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The Edmonton Oilers have gotten a boost on defense. The team announced they have swapped roster players. The Oilers have activated defenseman Kris Russell from long-term injured reserve, while placing forward Joakim Nygard on IR as well. Russell’s return is well-timed after the team lost Mike Green for an extended period.

The 32-year-old Russell has been out since Jan. 29 with a concussion, but finally appears ready to return to the team’s defense. Russell is expected to step in as a third-pairing defender Saturday. He has appeared in 49 games with eight assists and 93 blocked shots. Nygard has been out of the lineup since Jan. 29 with a broken hand, but the team didn’t place him onto IR until now. He is not expected back until late March.

  • The Athletic’s Jesse Granger (subscription required) looks into the possibility of whether the Vegas Golden Knights could find a way to keep goaltender Robin Lehner, an unrestricted free agent this summer, in the future. With the estimation of a six-year, $6MM AAV contract as a potential contract for Lehner, Granger notes that it is possible to keep both Lehner and veteran Marc-Andre Fleury, who still has two years remaining at $7MM AAV. However, it would put the team in a very tight cap situation and investing $13MM in goalies doesn’t make much sense. However, the scribe did admit it is possible that the team could conceivably attempt to trade someone like Paul Stastny, who would be in the final year at $6.5MM. Either way, the Golden Knights will have to make some tough decisions this summer.
  • The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier is seriously considering playing at the World Championships that will be held in Switzerland. The 23-year-old from Switzerland said he hasn’t given it any real thought yet, but admits it would be a great opportunity to play in front of his own country. Meier did play for the Swiss back in 2018 when they took a silver medal.
  • Recently acquired forward David Backes hopes to get into an Anaheim Ducks game soon, perhaps even Sunday against the New Jersey Devils, according to OC Register’s Eliott Teaford. The 35-year-old was acquired a few days before the trade deadline that saw forward Ondrej Kase headed to Boston for Backes, a 2020 first-round pick and a prospect. Backes, however, has not appeared in an NHL games since Jan. 9, and has spent his time this week getting back into game shape. “I’ve probably reached a saturation point where it’s been just me and a coach out there being in a practice situation,” Backes said. “I’ve done a lot of that, so now it’s bumping and grinding and timing and angles. When you haven’t played in two months, it’s going to be a process. But I’m excited to start that process, hopefully, sooner than later.”

No Extension Talks Yet For Aaron Dell

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It has been a resurgent season of sorts for Sharks goaltender Aaron Dell.  After it looked like they’d be forced to look for another option following a season where he posted just a .886 SV%, the 30-year-old has bounced back this year and has effectively taken the number one job from Martin Jones for the time being.  Despite that, Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News reports that there have been no discussions regarding a possible contract extension for the pending unrestricted free agent and it appears those will have to occur over the summer.  For his part, Dell appears to be interested in remaining with the team he signed with as an undrafted free agent back in 2013, citing that he and Jones (who is signed through 2023-24) work well together.  With San Jose likely remaining as a cap-strapped team for next season, re-signing Dell may be a more cost-effective option over bringing a more proven option in to push Jones.

Minor Transactions: 02/27/20

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How about ten NHL games with plenty of playoff implications for your Thursday night? That’s what is on offer this evening around the league as several postseason hopefuls do battle. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers kick things off with their seasons on the line, while the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators battle to stay in the Western Conference race. As the league prepares, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Joshua Norris, the young forward who has dominated the minor leagues in his first taste of professional hockey. One of the key parts in the Erik Karlsson deal, Norris now has 30 goals and 58 points in 52 AHL games.
  • With Sami Niku dealing with an injury, the Winnipeg Jets have recalled Nelson Nogier from the Manitoba Moose. The 23-year old Nogier has 11 NHL games under his belt, and just one since the 2016-17 season.
  • Jonathan Drouin will not play tonight for the Montreal Canadiens, so the team has recalled Charles Hudon under emergency conditions. Teams have limited recalls after the trade deadline, but emergency ones do not count towards that total.
  • The Predators have sent Connor Ingram back to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, signaling that Pekka Rinne has recovered from his recent illness. Ingram had been up under emergency conditions.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Lawrence Pilut from the minor leagues, as they continue their current road trip. After facing the Colorado Avalanche last night, Buffalo will journey to Vegas, Arizona and Winnipeg before heading home.
  • Joshua Jacobs has earned his first call-up of the season from the New Jersey Devils, after clearing waivers in late September. The 24-year old has just a single NHL game under his belt to this point, despite being the 41st overall pick in 2014.
  • Once again the San Jose Sharks have involved Lean Bergmann in a transaction, this time bringing him back up from the minor leagues. The 21-year old forward has played eight games with the Sharks this season, registering one points.
  • After needing Calvin Thurkauf to fill in for a long list of injured forwards, the Columbus Blue Jackets have sent him back to the AHL. The 22-year old played in three games, but didn’t tally his first NHL point.

Joe Thornton “Wanted A Shot” At Stanley Cup This Season

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One of the most interesting names to watch going into the trade deadline was Joe Thornton, who rumors had swirled around for weeks during the San Jose Sharks’ losing season. The idea of Thornton going to a contender—perhaps even the Boston Bruins—had fans around the hockey world salivating. Thornton is one of the best players in the history of the NHL without a Stanley Cup championship, with more than 1,600 games played and 1,500 points.

Unfortunately, the deadline came and went without a new address for the future Hall of Fame center. The 40-year old will finish the year with the Sharks, adding games and points onto his resume but no more playoff appearances. That obviously disappointed Thornton, who told Kevin Kurz of The Athletic just as much:

As you get older you realize you only have so many shots at this thing, and it would have been nice to have a chance. … I wanted a shot. I’ve been hunting this thing down for 22 years.

Thornton’s longtime teammate, Patrick Marleau, another NHL icon without a championship to his name, got a chance to chase one when he was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins. But it didn’t happen for Thornton. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that there was interest in the veteran center from three or four teams, but not the real “elite Cup contending teams” that Thornton would have waived his no-movement clause for. LeBrun clarifies, by saying that he doesn’t believe the Bruins, Vegas Golden Knights or Colorado Avalanche showed any interest.

Thornton is currently on a one-year deal with the Sharks, the third such contract he has signed with the team. This time he only carries a $2MM cap hit though, making him much easier to fit into a team’s finances.

Still, it’s hard to know exactly what you would be getting. Thornton has just four goals on the season in 62 games, and while his assist totals are still strong—23 on the year—there might just not be enough left to really intrigue those top teams.

Minor Transactions: 02/25/20

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Roster limits are no longer a problem for teams around the NHL, meaning several veterans from the minor leagues will likely find themselves back up for the stretch run instead of floundering in the AHL. Paper transactions were all the rage yesterday because they made young talent eligible for minor league playoffs, but many should be back up today.

  • The San Jose Sharks have recalled Maxim Letunov and Lean Bergmann, giving them a 23-man roster again after trading several names yesterday. The next few weeks for the Sharks are all about prospect evaluation, finding out who can do what for next season.
  • Kevin Gravel has been returned to the minors by the Toronto Maple Leafs after filling in at practice yesterday. The Maple Leafs are expected to give Timothy Liljegren and Rasmus Sandin an increased role down the stretch, though Morgan Rielly and Cody Ceci were both spotted skating yesterday.
  • Dillon Dube has been sent back to the minor leagues by the Calgary Flames, making room for a couple of defensemen they added at the deadline. Dube has played 38 games for the Flames this season and will likely be back up soon.
  • A couple of players that were acquired yesterday, Daniel Sprong and Fredrik Claesson have been sent to the AHL right away. The pair will suit up for the Hershey Bears and Binghamton Devils respectively for the time being.
  • Following an injury to Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins last night, Matiss Kivlenieks has been recalled under emergency conditions. The Blue Jackets just can’t catch a break, losing two more players to injury in Merzlikins and Riley Nash.
  • After playing a man short last night, the Ottawa Senators have recalled Filip Chlapik from the minor leagues. The team now has 14 forwards on the roster, at least provided Rudolfs Balcers equipment has finally arrived.
  • Justin Dowling has been loaned to the AHL for a conditioning stint, allowing him to get into some action for the first time in a month. Dowling has six points in 27 games for the Stars this season.
  • After being papered yesterday, Nicolas Roy and Zach Whitecloud have been recalled again from the minor leagues. Both players will be eligible for AHL playoffs if the Vegas Golden Knights decide to send them down.

Brandon Davidson Sent To San Jose

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After acquiring both Derek Forbort and Erik Gustafsson, the Calgary Flames have decided to move on from one of their other depth defenders. Brandon Davidson has been traded to the San Jose Sharks for future considerations according to Ryan Leslie of Sportsnet. Davidson is on an expiring contract and has played just seven games for the Flames this season.

Barclay Goodrow Headed To Tampa Bay

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Even though the trade deadline has officially passed, the backlog of deals is still slowly leaking out. This time it’s a trade between the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning which will see Barclay Goodrow switch coasts. The Lightning will receive Goodrow and a 2020 third-round selection in exchange for a 2020 first-round pick and Anthony Greco.

Goodrow, 26, is a great story of hard work and dedication paying off, after going undrafted out of the OHL. After signing with the Sharks as a free agent in 2014, he quickly showed that he could compete at the NHL level even without much AHL seasoning. By the time he did spend some real time in the minor leagues he was ready to dominate, scoring 90 points in 125 games for San Jose’s affiliate. The last three seasons have been spent entirely in the NHL, where he has posted a career-high 24 points in 2019-20.

Perhaps best remembered for his overtime goal against the Vegas Golden Knights after the infamous major penalty comeback, Goodrow will give the Lightning another bottom-six center option and is signed through next season at an incredibly low number. Tampa Bay will owe him just $850K for the 2020-21 season, though his cap hit comes in slightly higher at $950K.

That inexpensive contract is the crux of this deal for the Lightning, who are about to face another cap crunch when they try to negotiate new deals with Anthony Cirelli, Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak. The team wasn’t able to bring in high priced talent with any term, but landed another player they feel will be a contributor towards a Stanley Cup.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Vegas’ Pick, Marleau, Sheahan, Archibald

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The NHL announced its Three Stars for last week with Colorado Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz getting the top honors. Francouz, filling in for the injured Philipp Grubauer went 3-0-1 for the week, posting a 1.46 GAA and a .941 save percentage along with a 1-0 shutout over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. Francouz is in his first full season with the Avalanche and had done an exceptional job as their emergency starter where he ranks fifth in the league with a 2.27 GAA and tied for fourth in the league with a .927 save percentage.

Mika Zibanejad of the New York Rangers received the second star, scoring three goals and five assists over three games for the Rangers. He helped lead New York to three victories as the rebuilding franchise suddenly is within four points of a playoff spot. Calgary Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane takes the third star honors with five goals and six points in three games, which includes his first-career hat trick against Anaheim on Feb. 17.

  • The Vegas Golden Knights have been quiet so far on Monday, but the team still managed to pick up a fifth-round pick in 2021 from the Carolina Hurricanes, a condition of the Erik Haula deal this offseason, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. Haula was traded earlier today to Florida as part of a package for Vincent Trocheck, which enacted a condition in the Golden Knights trade which stated that the Hurricanes would send a fifth-round pick to Vegas if Haula was traded to another team for a player.
  • The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz adds that even though the San Jose Sharks have traded away veteran forward Patrick Marleau to Pittsburgh earlier today, the veteran is expected to be welcome back next year to San Jose if he is interested. The 40-year-old is just 53 games away from breaking Gordie Howe’s all-time games played mark. A reunion would allow him to do it in a Sharks sweater next season.
  • The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman reports that the Edmonton Oilers are currently working on getting extensions worked out for forwards Riley Sheahan and Josh Archibald, both who will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. Both players are key players on the team’s penalty kill with Sheahan logging the second-most minutes on the PK, while Archibald is fourth. Both players have fared well after singing one-year pacts this summer. Sheahan has seven goals and 14 points in 57 games, while Archibald has with 10 goals and 17 points in 53 games.

Patrick Marleau Traded To Pittsburgh

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After spending the first 19 seasons of his NHL career with one organization, Patrick Marleau will now join his fourth in the past calendar year. The San Jose Sharks legend will be traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a third-round selection according to Pierre LeBrun on TSN, pending a trade call with the league. LeBrun adds on Twitter that the pick can become a second-round selection should the Penguins win the Stanley Cup.

Marleau, 40, was traded last summer from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Carolina Hurricanes, only to be bought out and become an unrestricted free agent. After it looked like he might have a hard time finding work, his old team in San Jose ended up signing Marleau for one more go-round. In 58 games with the Sharks the veteran forward has ten goals and 20 points, but will bring his near 2000 NHL games played to the Penguins for one more shot at the Stanley Cup.

While he likely won’t be playing 20 minutes a night like he did earlier in his career, Marleau still has enough game left that he can give the Penguins’ bottom-six a different look. The team already added Jason Zucker to the group to skate next to Sidney Crosby, but still had some questions at the bottom of the lineup given their injuries.

Marleau never has lifted the silver chalice over his head, despite playing 191 playoff games in a long career. The iron man hasn’t missed a game due to injury in a decade.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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