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Buffalo, Boston Cancel Morning Skates Due To COVID

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12:30pm: Both the Sabres and Bruins have announced that after further testing and tracing, tonight’s game will go on as scheduled.

9:50am: Both the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins canceled their morning skates today due to separate COVID-19 situations. The Sabres were first, canceling their practice due to a staff member entering the COVID protocols, according to John Vogl of The Athletic. The team immediately began contact tracing. Just a few minutes later, the Bruins announced they would also not hold a morning skate as one of their players has entered the protocol.

The two teams were set to play each other this evening in the first of a two-game series. It is not clear yet if the game will be played but it is currently still scheduled.

Boston has not released any information about who has entered the league’s protocol, but it will be made public when the COVID Protocol Related Absences list comes out later today.

Golden Knights Notes: Lehner, Fleury, Trade Deadline

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The Vegas Golden Knights finally got presumptive starting goaltender Robin Lehner back on Tuesday, activating the newly re-signed net minder from the Injured Reserve. Lehner had missed more than a month, leaving veteran Marc-Andre Fleury to carry a heavy load in this season’s condensed schedule. There was some confusion as to why it took Lehner so long to return from what was initially considered a minor lower-body injury. Unfortunately, some of that speculation brought up Lehner’s previous struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues. Looking to set the record straight, Lehner spoke with the media today and revealed that he not only was rehabbing his lower-body injury, but had also suffered a concussion. Lehner noted that normally he would not have disclosed this information, as teams and players are not typically open about injuries beyond what is required, but he felt that needed to clear his name, even though he was disappointed it had reached that point. Fortunately, Lehner appears to have moved past both injuries and is expected to return to action shortly now that he is back on the active roster.

  • As for Lehner’s partner in net, if former Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford would have had his way, Fleury would not even be in Vegas this season. Speaking with The Athletic’s Josh Yohe, Rutherford explained that he heavily pursued his former starter this past off-season. Despite a difficult 2019-20 season for the veteran, Rutherford was hoping to bring Fleury back to Pittsburgh to pair with young Tristan Jarry in the wake of Matt Murray’s departure. Rutherford began planning even before the off-season began, contacting the Knights during the playoffs to inform them of his interest. Rutherford also stated that he even went so far as to buy out Jack Johnson primarily to open up cap space to add Fleury. At the end of the day, trade talks never went too far, with Rutherford implying that they could not make the cap implications work. However, Vegas owner Bill Foley also previously hinted that he may not have signed of on a Fleury trade anyhow. Foley knows that Fleury is the face of the Golden Knights franchise and could not be happier about it. For his part, Rutherford told Yohe that allowing Fleury to go to Vegas in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft was the hardest thing he ever had to do as GM.
  • In just a few short years, the Golden Knights have shown that they are not afraid to make bold moves, such as signing Lehner to an expensive, long-term deal even with Fleury’s heavy contract already on the books. So, while the club looks to have few holes this season, don’t be surprised to see another eye-popping transaction ahead of the trade deadline. Even in what is shaping up to be a quiet trade market, TSN’s Frank Seravalli labels Vegas as one of just eight team that are considered to be legitimate buyers. He believes that they could target a top rental center to solidify their depth down the middle.

NHL Postpones Blues-Kings

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The NHL has been forced to postpone another game, though once again it isn’t because of any COVID-related issues. The St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings will not play their scheduled game this evening thanks to weather conditions in Denver. The Kings, who just finished a two-game set against the Colorado Avalanche, were unable to fly to Los Angeles yesterday. The game does not have a makeup date yet.

This is not the first game postponed due to inclement weather, as the Dallas Stars also went dark for a week while Texas was dealing with a drastic winter storm. In a year that was already incredibly difficult due to the pandemic, weather-related postponements are just another issue the league has had to deal with all season long.

The list of postponements continues to grow, one way or another:

Read more

Seattle Kraken Among Teams Restricted In College Free Agency

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The college free agent market has yet to really kick into high gear. Some NCAA teams have already finished their seasons, some of the names attached to those teams are now available, and some have even signed minor league deal. Yet, to date there has not been an NHL signing by a college free agent just yet.

That will all change soon, though. As conference tournaments continue through this weekend and next week, many more seasons will come to an end shortly. For those programs who aren’t a realistic candidate for at-large bid, ranked at least in the top-20 nationally, the next loss will be the final one of the season. This will continue until next Sunday – “Selection Sunday” – when the 16-team field for the NCAA Tournament will be revealed. Any fringe teams holding out hope will learn their fates and those on the outside looking in will join the teams that have already been eliminated in saying goodbye to the 2020-21 season. A week later, all but four of the tourney teams will also be done. By the end of the month, at the latest, college free agency will be in full swing and after the Frozen Four concludes and a National Champion is named on April 10, it is safe to assume that the free agent market will have been picked clean within days. Although college free agency has not yet made its mark this year, by this time next month the majority of the NCAA player rush could be over.

This poses a problem for the NHL’s newest team, the Seattle Kraken. As Darren Brown writes for Sound of Hockey, the Kraken have yet to make their final expansion payment to the league and as such still lack official standing. This means that they cannot yet sign any free agents to contracts for next season. When the Vegas Golden Knights entered the league, they made their inaugural signing, undrafted junior free agent Reid Duke, on March 6. Already beyond that date this year, Seattle is behind on their payment schedule compared to Vegas and it will impact their ability to add prospects. It is believed that the Kraken are on track to make their final payment next month, presumably before the April 12 trade deadline, but by that time it may be too late to cash in on college free agency. If at all possible, Seattle would be best-served to make their final payment as soon as possible.

The delayed trade deadline date could cause some difficulty with college free agent decisions for a number of other teams, too. Normally, the deadline falls two weeks earlier than it will this season and much of the college free agent frenzy takes place after that date. Following the deadline, teams know for sure where they sit in terms of roster limits for the season, which has taken on even more importance in recent years as a key negotiating tactic for young free agents has been the opportunity to sign right away and burn a year off of their entry-level contract. For the Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Washington Capitals, all of whom currently have 49 of their maximum 50 contract slots filled, they won’t have that assurance when the market begins to heat up this year. While the Ducks, a seller, have more certainty that they can move a current contract or two to make room for any college free agent signings, the Flyers and Capitals are expected to be buyers and risk leverage in deal-making above all else if they hit the 50-contract maximum by signing a college free agent and sellers know that they must shed a contract to add one at the deadline. The Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and St. Louis Blues, all at 48 contracts, will also have to be careful with the college free agent market if they plan to add multiple pieces at the deadline. This could all make for an intriguing period of NCAA additions, with some of the usual top suitors potentially playing it safe while teams with more flexibility and opportunity swoop in.

Snapshots: Rakell, Schedule, BCHL

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The Athletic has updated their Trade Deadline Big Board, adding several Anaheim Ducks players including Rickard Rakell, who is reportedly generating plenty of interest from around the league. The 27-year-old winger would be a good fit for many teams, but Pierre LeBrun pointed out how well he would seem to work as a candidate for the Toronto Maple Leafs (participants in our weekly chats may have heard that idea before).

LeBrun included a potential price tag in his speculative deal, indicating that first-round pick Rodion Amirov wouldn’t be enough to net Rakell on his own. Maple Leafs fans might balk immediately at that given how hyped Amirov has been since the fall entry draft, but Rakell isn’t going to come cheap, wherever he ends up. The winger will have a chance to improve his value further when the Ducks take on the San Jose Sharks later tonight.

  • The NHL has announced a few schedule changes, including moving a postponed game between the Vegas Golden Knights and Sharks from February 25 to April 23. Another Vegas game originally penciled in for that date against the Ducks will now be held the following evening, April 24. Schedule changes have come fast and furious this season as the league desperately tries to squeeze in 56 games for all 31 teams.
  • The BCHL has approved a shortened 2020-21 season and will start its schedule in the first week of April. The league, which is one of the top options for Canadian prospects that wish to pursue an NCAA opportunity, will operate in a “pod” model where three to four teams will play each other in five different locations across British Columbia. There have been countless players from the BCHL reach the NHL, but the current alumni group includes names like Josh Manson, Duncan Keith, Jamie Benn, Tyler Bozak, and Alexander Kerfoot. Getting back on the ice will only help the next wave of prospects develop their game and expose them to new hockey opportunities.

League Notes: Draft, Alignment, Playoffs

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The 2021 NHL Entry Draft is not expected to be moved, deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed today during his media availability with Gary Bettman. The reported changes concerning the lottery will be put to a full board of governors vote next week after the executive committee approved it recently. The full draft event, which is scheduled for July 23-24, will happen without the benefit of a full year of in-person scouting and could certainly provide some fireworks.

More notes from the availability today:

  • The league is expecting to return to the previous divisional alignment next season, though there will still be the change of the Arizona Coyotes moving to the Central Division and the Seattle Kraken debuting in the Pacific. While there has been some excitement about the new geographic rivalries created this season, the plan has always been to go back to the previous divisions once things got back to normal.
  • On the note of the Kraken, Bettman explained that both the rink in Seattle and the one on Long Island are on schedule to open in time to start the 2021-22 season. Climate Pledge Arena (Kraken) and UBS Arena (Islanders) will give updated homes and new destinations while hopefully providing some stability for the two franchises.
  • When asked about where the winner of the North Division will play once the NHL is down to four teams in the playoffs, Daly explained there is still some time before a decision has to be made. The Conference Finals round is scheduled for some time in mid-June, meaning they won’t have to make a decision on whether the Canadian team will have to come to the U.S. to play for a while yet.

Devils’ Nico Hischier Placed On Injured Reserve

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An unlucky season for newly-minted New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier continues. The Devils have announced that Hischier has been placed on the injured reserve as a result of injuries suffered when he was struck in the face with the puck in a February 27 match-up with the Washington Capitals. He is considered week-to-week.

This latest incident for Hischier occurred on Saturday when a high slap shot from teammate P.K. Subban hit Hischier square in the visor, knocking him out of the game. Hischier has not played since and the Devils have revealed that he has been in concussion protocol and will continue to undergo observation. Additionally, Hischier suffered a “sinus fracture”, a broken nose or facial bone.

This is Hischier’s third separate health issue so far this season. He got a late start to the season due to a leg injury, only to land on the NHL’s COVID Protocol Related Absences list with many of his teammates before he could even return to action. Hischier finally returned to the lineup on February 20 and, thanks to a condensed schedule, was able to play in five games before this latest injury occurred only a week later. Altogether, he has missed 13 games – or 72% – of New Jersey’s season so far and there is now out for another indefinite period of time.

The Devils will continue to have to rely on their many young players to step up in Hischier’s place as they have so far this season. One of the early highlights for New Jersey this season has been Janne Kuokkanen, who has six points in 13 games. While it may not seem like much, it is in fact tied for fifth-most among Devils forwards. Kuokkanen has been promoted back to the active roster from the taxi squad to take Hischier’s place in the lineup.

Sharks-Golden Knights Game Postponed

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Feb 25: The Sharks have released a statement on their future schedule:

As of Thursday afternoon, no additional tests have come back as confirmed positives. If the team and staff continue to receive negative results, the NHL and NHLPA have approved the team’s resumption of practice on Friday. In such event, Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Blues will move forward as scheduled. 

The San Jose Barracuda have also received no positive test results and are also scheduled to resume practicing on Friday, and will host the Ontario Reign on Saturday at Sharks Ice at San Jose. 

Tomas Hertl remained the only Sharks player on the COVID Protocol list today.

Feb 24: Tomorrow’s San Jose Sharks-Vegas Golden Knights game has been postponed after a Sharks player entered the COVID Protocols earlier today. The league will continue to analyze the test results of the rest of the team in the coming days. Further precautions:

As an appropriate precaution, the team’s training facilities have been closed, effective immediately, and will remain closed until further notice. The League is in the process of reviewing and revising the Sharks’ regular season schedule. The Sharks’ organization has, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of its Players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, state and national agencies.

It appears as though the league is reacting more proactively when a player enters the protocol, as previously teams were allowed to continue playing games. Widespread transmission appeared to occur in those contests as both the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres had outbreaks, though that obviously can’t be confirmed. In this case, the two teams will not play.

The list of postponed games in the NHL continues to grow, with this being the 40th game that will need rescheduling. In fact, tomorrow’s game was actually a reschedule of an earlier game missed between the two teams. Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press reports that the AHL will also postpone tomorrow’s San Jose Barracuda game out of an abundance of caution.

AHL Announces Full 2020-21 Schedule For Canadian Clubs

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Over a month since the AHL released the regular season schedules for its American teams and more than three weeks since those same teams started playing, the league has finally announced a full season schedule for its Canadian contingent. Of course, the clubs already began play over the course of the past week, but were operating on a limited schedule of just a few games. They now have a full slate to look forward to.

Like their American counterparts, the Canadian teams will all wrap up their regular seasons in mid-May. While the previously-released schedule ended on May 14, this new schedule has games up through May 16. Unlike the American teams, the Canadian clubs will all play the same amount of games. Though home and away splits differ, the Belleville Senators, Laval Rocket, Manitoba Moose, and Toronto Marlies will each play 36 games apiece.

The exception to all of this is the odd duck team of this AHL season: the Stockton Heat, an American team displaced for this year by a move to Calgary, the home of their parent club. The Heat, who were the final Canadian team to get started this season, will play a much different slate than any other team in the league due to their location away from American competition but also far from their fellow Canadian teams. “Stockton” will only play 30 games, broken up into long road trips and home stands. Their regular season schedule will also come to an end on April 29, more than two weeks before the rest of the league. The Calgary Flames knew there would be negative repercussions for relocating their farm team just before the season started, but felt the transactional benefits for the NHL club outweighed the limitations to their AHL club.

NHL Announces More Widespread Schedule Changes

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The NHL schedule maker continues to earn their paycheck. Today the league announced another two dozen changes to the schedule, moving games around to try and make sure all 31 teams play a 56-game season. The league has not only seen games postponed due to COVID-19 outbreaks but also due to inclement weather.

The following games have been rescheduled:

  • Tampa Bay at Dallas, Feb. 18–>March 2
  • Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, April 13–>March 6
  • Nashville at Dallas, Feb. 15–>March 7
  • Dallas at Columbus, March 15–>March 14
  • Tampa Bay at Dallas, Feb. 20–>March 16
  • Nashville at Dallas, Feb. 16–>March 21
  • Florida at Tampa Bay, March 16–>March 21
  • St. Louis at Colorado, April 20–>April 2
  • Philadelphia at Boston, March 7–>April 5
  • Boston at Philadelphia, April 5–>April 10
  • Dallas at Nashville, April 29–>April 11
  • Philadelphia at Washington, Feb. 9–>April 13
  • Tampa Bay at Nashville, April 12–>April 13
  • NY Islanders at Boston, April 14–>April 15
  • Chicago at Nashville, April 4–>April 19
  • Colorado at St. Louis, Feb. 7–>April 20
  • Philadelphia at NY Rangers, Feb. 14–>April 22
  • Dallas at Tampa Bay, March 1–>April 29
  • Dallas at Tampa Bay, May 4–>May 5
  • Chicago at Carolina, Feb. 20–>May 6
  • Dallas at Tampa Bay, May 10–>May 7
  • Dallas at Chicago, May 6–>May 9
  • Carolina at Nashville, May 7–>May 10
  • Dallas at Chicago, May 8–>May 10

The following game will be rescheduled for a date to be announced later:

  • Tampa Bay at Florida, originally scheduled for May 6

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