Snapshots: Kane, Bruins, Thornton
USA Hockey has announced their captain for the upcoming IIHF World Championship and it will once again be Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane. Kane served as captain of the team last year when they took home a bronze, and has competed several times internationally.
The club is expected to release their preliminary roster later this week, but it appears as though they will be one of the favorites again. The American squad will also feature Kane’s teammate Alex DeBrincat, along with others like James van Riemsdyk and Quinn Hughes. The group will be led by Jeff Blashill behind the bench, and play their first official game on May 10th against Slovakia.
- When the dust settled on game two between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, it appeared as though both teams would lose players for their next matchup. Nazem Kadri is expected to be given a long suspension for his cross-check to the face of Jake Debrusk, but the Bruins forward was back on the ice today at practice and is expected to play tonight. The same can be said about Torey Krug, who will take part in the game despite looking severely injured after taking a big hit from Jake Muzzin. Kadri meanwhile is having his in-person hearing in New York with the league.
- After Kadri’s hearing the league will also be looking at Joe Thornton‘s hit from the San Jose Sharks-Vegas Golden Knights game according to David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Thornton made considerable contact with Tomas Nosek‘s head, and received a two minute minor penalty for it. It’s not clear if the hit will rise to the level of supplemental discipline, as the Department of Player Safety has not yet announced a hearing for Thornton. UPDATE 1:15pm: The league has announced a hearing for Thornton. It will happen today.
Pacific Notes: Vlasic, Eakin, Anderson
With the series hitting Vegas and both teams deadlocked at one, the San Jose Sharks already have hit a road bump as The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that the head coach Peter DeBoer said the team will be inserting reserve defenseman Tim Heed into the lineup and Marc-Edouard Vlasic will miss Game 3 with an undisclosed injury.
Vlasic left Friday’s game during the second period after replays look like he blocked a shot from Shea Theodore with his arm, although Kurz wonders whether the shot may have gone off his head. DeBoer declined to reveal where the puck hit Vlasic. While the 32-year-old’s point totals have dropped this season, he still is the team’s third-best defenseman on the team behind Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson and averaged 21:07 of ATOI this season, which will be a big loss for a Sharks’ team that will want to win one of the next two games to regain home-ice advantage.
The loss of Vlasic will likely mean even more minutes for both Burns and Karlsson. Burns has averaged more than 28 minutes in the first two games of the series, while Karlsson broke 29 minutes in Game 2. Heed will likely be paired with Justin Braun. The team also has recalled defenseman Jacob Middleton from the San Jose Barracuda, according to CapFriendly.
- Vegas Golden Knights third-line center Cody Eakin will be ready to go after suffering an injury to his face during Friday’s game on a hit from Timo Meier, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen. Eakin was seen on the ice this morning with a jaw protector attached to his helmet. The 27-year-old Eakin finished the season with a career-high 22 goals this season.
- ESPN’s Chris Peters reports that Los Angeles Kings defenseman Michael Anderson has likely played his last collegiate game after the University of Minnesota-Duluth blueliner won his second-straight NCAA championship Saturday. Expect the Kings to sign the 19-year-old sophomore to an entry-level contract soon. Anderson, the team’s fourth-round pick in 2017, is considered to be a solid shutdown defender with impressive leadership skills.
Los Angeles Kings Request Permission To Speak With Todd McLellan
With the Los Angeles Kings’ announcement today that interim coach Willie Desjardins will not return to the team, the Kings haven’t wasted any time in beginning their search for the next man to lead their team on the ice. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Los Angeles Kings have asked the Edmonton Oilers for permission to interview former coach Todd McLellan.
When the announcement came out this morning, The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman reported that the team was already working on a coaching hire, but nothing was imminent. However, the request and rumors around the league suggest that it’s McLellan that the team wants to bring in as their head coach.
McLellan has put together a solid coaching resume with a 434-282-90 record, including seven seasons with the San Jose Sharks and another three and a half seasons with the Oilers before he was dismissed on Nov. 20th this season. However, despite taking an impressive Sharks team to the Conference Finals in his second and third seasons with San Jose, McLellan has struggled throughout the playoffs, totaling a 37-38 record. His most recent tenure had some success in his second season when Edmonton got to the second-round of the playoffs in the 2016-17 season and looked like an up-and-coming team, but he wasn’t able to duplicate that afterwards. Of course with much of the blame of the Oilers placed on McLellan, Ken Hitchcock was not able to right the ship either, with the eventual blame going to now former-general manager Peter Chiarelli.
There are also rumors that the team will consider current assistant coach Marco Sturm, who the team had interest in developing into their future coach.
NHL Postseason First Round Match-Ups And Schedule Released
The NHL worked quickly after yesterday’s results, releasing the schedule for the first round of playoff action this morning, despite only two series being set in stone heading into Saturday’s final games. Per the league release, this is how the 16 teams who qualified for the postseason will match up over the next few weeks:
Eastern Conference
A1 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. WC2 Columbus Blue Jackets
Wednesday, April 10th @ 7pm ET
Friday, April 12th @ 7pm ET
Sunday, April 14th @ 7pm ET
Tuesday, April 16th @ 7pm ET
Friday, April 19th (if necessary)
Sunday, April 21st (if necessary)
Tuesday, April 23rd (if necessary)
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC1 Carolina Hurricanes
Thursday, April 11th @ 7:30pm ET
Saturday, April 13th @ 3pm ET
Monday, April 15th @ 7pm ET
Thursday, April 18th @ 7pm ET
Saturday, April 20th (if necessary)
Monday, April 22nd (if necessary)
Wednesday, April 24th (if necessary)
A2 Boston Bruins vs. A3 Toronto Maple Leafs
Thursday, April 11th @ 7pm ET
Saturday, April 13th @ 8pm ET
Monday, April 15th @ 7pm ET
Wednesday, April 17th @ 7pm ET
Friday, April 19th (if necessary)
Sunday, April 21st (if necessary)
Tuesday, April 23rd (if necessary)
M2 New York Islanders vs. M3 Pittsburgh Penguins
Wednesday, April 10th @ 7:30pm ET
Friday, April 12th @ 7:30pm ET
Sunday, April 14th @ 12pm ET
Tuesday, April 16th @ 7:30pm ET
Thursday, April 18th (if necessary)
Saturday, April 20th (if necessary)
Monday, April 22nd (if necessary)
Western Conference
P1 Calgary Flames vs. WC2 Colorado Avalanche
Thursday, April 11th @ 10pm ET
Saturday, April 13th @ 10:30pm ET
Monday, April 15th @ 10pm ET
Wednesday, April 17th @ 10pm ET
Friday, April 19th (if necessary)
Sunday, April 21st (if necessary)
Tuesday, April 23rd (if necessary)
C1 Nashville Predators vs. WC1 Dallas Stars
Wednesday, April 10th @ 9:30pm ET
Saturday, April 13th @ 6pm ET
Monday, April 15th @ 9:30pm ET
Wednesday, April 17th @ 8pm ET
Saturday, April 20th (if necessary)
Monday, April 22nd (if necessary)
Wednesday, April 24th (if necessary)
P2 San Jose Sharks vs. P3 Vegas Golden Knights
Wednesday, April 10th @ 10:30pm ET
Friday, April 12th @ 10:30pm ET
Sunday, April 14th @ 10pm ET
Tuesday, April 16th @ 10:30pm ET
Thursday, April 18th (if necessary)
Sunday, April 21st (if necessary)
Tuesday, April 23rd (if necessary)
C2 Winnipeg Jets vs. C3 St. Louis Blues
Wednesday, April 10th @ 8pm ET
Friday, April 12th @ 9:30pm ET
Sunday, April 14th @ 7:30pm ET
Tuesday, April 16th @ 9:30pm ET
Thursday, April 18th (if necessary)
Saturday, April 20th (if necessary)
Monday, April 22nd (if necessary)
A reminder that NHL playoff series are a 2-2-1-1-1 format wherein the higher seed hosts the first two games, the lower seed hosts the second two games, and the teams switch off the final three games if necessary. The NHL also uses a best-of-seven format, so it will take four wins for any team to move on to the next round.
While today begins a three-day stretch without any hockey, the league is ready to kick off the postseason in style with five games on Wednesday night. The first round can stretch on for two whole weeks potentially, with the final games scheduled for Wednesday, April 24th. Put these dates in your calendar and get ready for playoff hockey.
Pacific Notes: Karlsson, Meier, Hutton, Goldobin
Despite his long-awaited return Saturday, the San Jose Sharks remain somewhat concerned about the long-term status of star defenseman Erik Karlsson. The team gave Karlsson as much time to rest his injured groin as possible, but with the playoffs around the corner, the team hopes the injured blueliner can stay healthy throughout the playoffs, according to Mercury News’ Paul Gackle.
Karlsson, who has played in just five games since Jan. 16 before aggravating his injury, is dealing with an injury that could resurface at any time, according to Sharks’ head coach Peter DeBoer. “You don’t know,” DeBoer said. “It could be like last time where he was healthy, but he caught it awkwardly and it ended up being a different injury. You don’t know. But you get these guys to a point where you get the green light that they’re healthy and you go.”
Regardless, DeBoer adds that the team isn’t rushing Karlsson just because the playoffs are here, claiming that Karlsson is ready to return to the ice now. The 28-year-old has three goals and 45 points in 52 games this season.
- The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier will not play Saturday in the team’s regular season finale, but DeBoer expects him to be ready for the first game of the playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights. Meier went down Thursday after falling awkwardly during the third period and having Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse then fall on top of him. The 22-year-old picked up a career-high 30 goals and 66 points this season.
- The Province’s Ed Willes writes that Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning has said the team wants to add a defenseman, but with little interest in paying out big bucks on the free-agent market. The scribe believes the team is thus likely to acquire one via trade, suggesting they may be looking to send off forward Jake Virtanen and defenseman Ben Hutton to upgrade the defense. The 22-year-old Virtanen continues to improve as he scored 15 goals last season, but has been somewhat underwhelming considering he was the sixth overall pick in 2014. Hutton, on the other hand, had an impressive season this year, making up for two down seasons, but his consistency is still in question.
- The Canucks will have other decisions to make as the team will have to decide on whether they want to keep forward Nikolay Goldobin going into next year as he will become a restricted free agent this summer. The 23-year-old finished the season with seven goals and 27 points in 63 games, but the team has used him sporadically in the second-half of the season. “You hope he takes the next step, he did make strides this year,” Benning said, via Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal. “We will sit down with the coaching staff and decide if we want him back and continue to work with him and develop him.”
Minor Transactions: 4/6/19
The final day of the regular season one is certainly a busy one with everyone aside from Anaheim in action. While the 16 playoff teams are locked in, several seedings have yet to be determined so there is still plenty at stake. There is bound to be a lot of roster movement today; we’ll keep track of those moves here.
- With Corey Crawford leaving Friday’s game early due to injury, the Blackhawks announced (Twitter link) that they have recalled goaltender Kevin Lankinen from Rockford of the AHL. The 23-year-old is in his first year in North America and has split the season between the AHL and ECHL levels. He’s expected to back up Cam Ward in their season finale against Nashville.
- A day after being sent down, Matt Tennyson is once again back up with Buffalo, per the AHL’s Transactions page. The 28-year-old has been shuttled back and forth from the Sabres and AHL Rochester on a daily basis for the last week and a half but he hasn’t seen any action with the big club during that time … and several hours later, the Sabres announced that they assigned Tennyson back to Rochester.
- The Bruins announced that they’ve recalled winger Anton Blidh and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon from AHL Providence on an emergency basis. It’s Blidh’s second recall of the season although he didn’t get into a game with Boston in his first stint with the team. He has 20 points and 92 penalty minutes in 71 games with Providence. Meanwhile, Lauzon has split the season between the two teams, suiting up in 15 games with the big club and 28 with Providence.
- The Sharks announced (Twitter link) that they’ve returned defenseman Jacob Middleton to San Jose of the AHL. He played in San Jose’s last two games, picking up an assist while logging a little more than 12 minutes a game. His spot in the lineup is expected to be filled by Erik Karlsson who is set to return after missing nearly six weeks due to a groin injury. Their AHL team also announced that blueliner Ryan Merkley, their 2018 first-rounder, has been assigned to the minors following his elimination from the OHL postseason.
- The Dallas Stars have announced they have assigned forward Joel L’Esperance to the Texas Stars of the AHL for the team’s potential playoff run. The 23-year-old forward had been recalled in late Februrary and has two goals in 18 games, although he did score Friday for Dallas. L’Esperance has potted 29 goals in 50 games for Texas this season.
- The Los Angeles Kings have assigned forward Michael Amadio to the Ontario Reign to make room for Blake Lizotte, according to Fox Sports’ Patrick O’Neal. Amadio was recalled in late February and scored six goals and 13 points in 43 games. However, the Kings intend to give Lizotte, recently signed out of St. Cloud State, a chance to play in their final game of the season. Lizotte scored 14 goals and 42 points in 37 games.
San Jose Sharks Sign Goaltender Andrew Shortridge
Wednesday: The team has officially announced the contract for Shortridge, who will join the San Jose Barracuda on an amateur tryout for the rest of the season.
Tuesday: Goaltending has been a concern for the San Jose Sharks this season, but some of those problems could be a thing of the past moving forward. The Sharks are set to add one of the top goalies in all of college hockey to the pipeline, as ESPN’s John Buccigross reports that Quinnipiac University junior Andrew Shortridge will sign with the team. San Jose has yet to confirm the entry-level pact, but Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold has confirmed his starter’s early departure.
Shortridge, 23, and the Bobcats fell short of a Frozen Four appearance in the NCAA Tournament, but it was otherwise a flawless season for the talented keeper. Shortridge posted his third straight season with a 2.36 GAA or better, but his play was far beyond that mark. The Alaska native was arguably the best goaltender in the NCAA with a stunning .940 save percentage. and 1.51 GAA. Those marks ranked first and second respectively, with only emerging UMass freshman Filip Lindberg slightly ahead in goals against. Unlike others in the college hockey landscape, which can be inconsistent in talent level across conferences, Quinnipiac plays in the impressive ECAC and the Bobcats had a contender’s schedule this year, with Shortridge facing many elite teams. The competition never phased him, as the junior goalie was all but unbeatable this year.
The Sharks hope that Shortridge’s success against tough competition continues at the pro level. San Jose needs a contingency plan after both Martin Jones and Aaron Dell faltered this year. The tandem of 29-year-old’s has combined for a save percentage below .900 and a goals against average over 3.00 this season, with Jones only marginally outperforming Dell. The Sharks opted not to make an addition in net ahead of the trade deadline, despite their success this season being in spite of their goaltending, but need a new name to compete for appearances. Jones is signed long-term, but Dell’s contract expires after next season and San Jose could look to replace him then if not earlier. Youngsters Josef Korenar and Zach Sawchenko were the uninspiring options in the pipeline prior to this signing, but Shortridge provides an immediate boost to the team’s depth and talent in net. With good size, skill, and experience, the Quinnipiac standout should be in line for a major AHL role next year, perhaps with a chance to win NHL opportunities sooner rather than later.
Erik Karlsson Will Be Activated Ahead Of Postseason
The San Jose Sharks knew when they paid a substantial price for all-world defenseman Erik Karlsson that there was no guarantee that he would be with the team any longer than the one year remaining on his contract. Karlsson was a rental in some sense, acquired last summer to get the regular season-dominating Sharks over the playoff hump and to their first Stanley Cup title. Still without an extension in place, Karlsson may very well be playing his final games with San Jose; except that he hasn’t been playing at all. Karlsson has missed 16 straight games and 26 of the past 31 with a groin injury and doubts had begun to set in that perhaps Karlsson would not be at full strength or worse yet could be sidelined entirely for the only reason he was acquired: the postseason.
Rest easy Sharks fans, as that doesn’t appear to be the case. Both Karlsson and head coach Peter DeBoer tell NHL.com’s Kevin Woodley that the superstar defenseman will be ready for the playoffs. “I said a month ago I was going to be ready for the playoffs and that’s still the case,” Karlsson reiterated. DeBoer supported the claim, saying “He’ll be ready for the playoffs.” In fact, DeBoer would like to get Karlsson back before the end of the regular season. Karlsson has been ruled out of the Sharks’ Tuesday night match-up, but the team has two regular season games remaining afterward and the head coach would like to see his two-time Norris Trophy-winning mercenary see some game action prior to the postseason beginning. It may not happen, but the decision is being considered, as Deboer stated “I’d like to, but we’re not going to do it at the expense of rushing him, so we’ll see.”
Of course, the concern shifts from Karlsson not being ready for the playoffs to Karlsson still being an injury risk once he returns. The player himself is not thinking that way, saying “I’m not worried about re-injuring it or getting another injury; that’s not the way I approach the game, especially this time of year.” However, that’s exactly what happened earlier this season when Karlsson was forced from a late February game, after missing 10 of the previous 14 contests, and has not played since. Whether Karlsson was simply rushed back too soon or was re-injured is unknown, but the nagging groin injury could strike happen again. With the Sharks already locked in to a first-round collision with the talented Vegas Golden Knights, there’s little room for an absence of Karlsson’s magnitude. If San Jose is going to finally claim an elusive championship this season, they don’t just need Karlsson back for the playoffs, they need him in the lineup throughout the playoffs.
Joe Thornton, Ryan Reaves Receive Matching Fines For High-Sticking
The San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights seem destined for a first-round collision in the playoffs and the hype for that divisional rivalry series only increased last night after their final regular season meeting. A 4-3 overtime win for the Sharks, the game ended late but the contention started early as future Hall of Famer Joe Thornton and infamous grinder Ryan Reaves got into in the first period. The sparring between the two led to what appeared to be an intentional high stick from Thornton, who shoved the butt end of this stick into Reaves’ neck area. Reaves retaliated and ended up earning a ten-minute misconduct in addition to a two-minute minor for roughing, while Thornton only received a minor for high sticking. Late in the game, Reaves retaliated again with a high stick of his own on Thornton, which was not caught by the referees.
It was however caught by the NHL Department of Player Safety. Player Safety reviewed the incidents and have decided that supplemental discipline is necessary, but the altercation was not suspension-worthy for either player. Instead, they settled on enforcing matching fines for each case of intentional high-sticking. Both Thornton and Reaves have been fined $2,500 for high-sticking, Player Safety announced.
The league’s response to Thornton’s and Reaves’ actions seems fair for now, but the big question is how they will act if the two continue to battle outside the rules when these two teams clash in the postseason. Reaves isn’t exactly one to forget grudges, while Thornton is well beyond the point in his career where he is willing to put up with disrespect. The two seems almost guaranteed to go at each other in the first round and Player Safety may have to decide whether more fine will be enough if the altercations continue or grow more dangerous. A suspension in the playoffs, even a one-game ban, is usually reserved for major incidences, but Thornton and Reaves might not be slowed by fines for further aggression and could be a cause for concern over a four-to-seven game stretch.
Minor Transactions: 03/31/19
Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin picked up his 50th goal of the season on Saturday in the team’s 6-3 victory over Tampa Bay, giving him eight 50-goal seasons throughout his career. That puts the Capitals forward among elite company, as only Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky have accomplished that feat. Of course, both of those two players have done it nine times, which means that Ovechkin will need to pull it off one more time if he wants to tie those two legendary players. With another slate of potential season-altering games today, with the playoffs now right around the corner, keep an eye out for the minor moves that teams are making to give them the best chance to maximize their points in these final games:
- The Buffalo Sabres have returned defenseman Matt Tennyson to the Rochester Americans of the AHL, according to CapFriendly. The team recalled him Thursday, but Tennyson didn’t see any action in either game the Sabres have played since then. The 28-year-old Tennyson has four goals and 20 points in 45 AHL games.
- The San Jose Sharks have returned defenseman Jacob Middleton after recalling him Saturday night to serve as an emergency defenseman, according to CapFriendly. He did not play in Saturday’s overtime win over Vegas. The 23-year-old Middleton will return to the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL, where he has five goals and 19 points in 54 games.
- CapFriendly reports that the Boston Bruins have assigned center Karson Kuhlman to the Providence Bruins of the AHL. Kuhlman was recalled Friday on emergency conditions. Kuhlman did not see any action in the team’s loss to Florida Saturday. The 23-year-old Kuhlman has 12 goals and 30 points in 58 AHL games.
- The Detroit Red Wings announced they have recalled goaltender Kaden Fulcher from the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL under emergency conditions. He is expected to backup starter Jimmy Howard while Jonathan Bernier is out with an upper-body injury. Fulcher hasn’t even made an appearance with the Griffins as the 20-year-old has played his entire season with the ECHL Toledo Walleye where he has gone 15-7-2 with a 3.00 GAA and a .899 save percentage. CapFriendly also reports that the team has recalled forward Dominic Turgeon on an emergency basis. The 23-year-old prospect hasn’t played a game for Detroit this season, but has accumulated six goals and 19 points in 69 games with the Griffins.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs officially announced they have recalled defenseman Calle Rosen from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. Rosen, who signed as a free agent in the summer of 2017, played four games for Toronto immediately then, but then was assigned to the Marlies. He put up 22 points in 62 games that year , but has taken his game to another level this season as he has posted seven goals and 46 points in 54 games and was signed to an inexpensive, tw0-year extension with the understanding he will take over a spot on the Maple Leafs’ blueline next season. Rosen is expected to meet the team in New York and play with the team on Monday.
- The Colorado Avalanche have recalled defenseman Mark Barberio from his conditioning stint with the Colorado Eagles of the AHL, according to CapFriendly. The 29-year-old blueliner hadn’t played in a game since Jan. 21, so the team sent him to the AHL to get his timing back in case they need to use him. Barberio has played in just 12 games this season for the Avalanche. He picked up an assist in two games with the Eagles.
- The Nashville Predators have recalled forward Austin Watson from his conditioning stint with the Milwaukee Admirals, according to The Athletic’s Adam Vingan. Watson, who had been suspended indefintely to an “alcohol related relapse,” and entered Stage Two of the joint Substance Abuse and Behavioral Program, was reinstated on Mar. 18. To get him ready for the approaching playoffs, the team sent him on a conditioning loan where he scored four goals in two games.