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Snapshots: Vegas, Expansion, Russia

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At yesterday’s press conference, AHL president David Andrews suggested that the Vegas Golden Knights may soon be interested in purchasing a minor league franchise. That idea is more than just a suggestion, as Jesse Granger of The Athletic (subscription required) reports the Golden Knights are working to bring a team in as soon as October. The AHL club would be called the Henderson Silver Knights if all goes according to plan.

While this is obviously not a done deal at this point, more and more teams have begun to bring their AHL affiliates as geographically close as possible. Having a team in the same city (or very close, should the team eventually move to Henderson) allows for numerous benefits, including easier game-day call-ups. The Chicago Wolves, currently affiliated with the Golden Knights, would not be the franchise to move and issued a statement yesterday explaining that they would find a new NHL partner.

  • Speaking of new franchises, The Athletic’s Eric Duhatschek published the outlet’s first take on a Seattle expansion roster based on the current situation. The group is headlined by several exciting forwards and has plenty of Stanley Cup experience in net. Obviously things are going to change considerably before the 2021 draft, but it’s time to start thinking about expansion circumstances when evaluating every move around the league.
  • Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet gave some clarification on Twitter about a potential NHL visit to Russia in the coming years, explaining that it will not happen next season but there is still interest for the 2021-22 campaign. Friedman suggests that the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals would be potential teams to take part in the showcase, both obvious choices given their respective Russian stars.

Snapshots: Penguins, Hockey Canada, AHL

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have been actively looking for an upgrade at forward since Jake Guentzel was ruled out for the rest of the season, and GM Jim Rutherford told Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required) that he is open to anything, including pure rentals that will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the year.

One thing Rutherford explained however is that he is happy with Pittsburgh’s defensive group and will likely not be pursuing an upgrade on the back end. The team will get Brian Dumoulin back at some point, who hasn’t played since November after ankle surgery.

  • Hockey Canada has named their management groups for the various junior age groups, while also announcing that Andre Tourigny will coach the u20 World Junior squad. Tourigny was an assistant coach with the team that recently won gold at the annual tournament, and serves as head coach of the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s. A former NHL assistant with the Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators, he has plenty of experience at the international level.
  • David Andrews will retire from his position as AHL President and CEO in a few months, but held a press conference today to discuss the state of the league. Patrick Williams of NHL.com tweeted out several of the biggest news items, including the fact that the Vegas Golden Knights are interested in buying an AHL franchise. The Golden Knights are currently affiliated with the Chicago Wolves. Palm Springs is set to become the 32nd franchise in the AHL when they begin play in the 2021-22 season as the affiliate for the Seattle NHL expansion.

Snapshots: Thornton, Faksa, Heiskanen, Sandin

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Joe Thornton has been with the Sharks since the 2005-06 season and in past free agent periods, his focus was solely on staying with San Jose.  However, with his team well out of playoff contention, some have wondered if the 40-year-old would be open to waiving his no-move clause to join a contender for the stretch run.  Thornton told reporters, including Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News, that it’s something he has yet to consider:

I really, I need to think about that.  I haven’t thought about it at all.  I’m just trying to win games here and see how it goes.  I’m still optimistic we can make a run at it, I really am. 

While Thornton’s numbers have tapered off significantly this season (2-17-19 in 50 games), he should still be coveted by several teams looking to add to their bottom six group of forwards and at this stage, it’s likely only a matter of time before the Sharks start selling.  With a $2MM contract (and no bonuses), he’ll be one of the more affordable rental players over the next month if he opts to waive his trade protection.

More from the around the league:

  • Dallas is expected to get some help from the infirmary on Monday night. Mike Heika of the Stars’ team website reports (Twitter link) that center Radek Faksa and defenseman Miro Heiskanen are expected to return against Tampa Bay.  Faksa has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury while Heiskanen missed their last game before the break due to a concussion.
  • The Maple Leafs appear to be set to play defenseman Rasmus Sandin on Monday night despite the pending return of Jake Muzzin, notes Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston (via Twitter). That’s noteworthy as in doing so, they will officially burn the first year of his entry-level contract as it will be his tenth NHL game of the season.  The next threshold for them to watch for is 40 games on the active roster as that will accrue a year of service time towards unrestricted free agency.

Snapshots: Methot, Muzzin, AHL All-Stars

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Though it certainly will come as no surprise given he hasn’t appeared in an NHL game since November of 2018, Marc Methot doesn’t expect to play professional hockey ever again. He told TSN radio that he tried to work his way back from the knee surgery he had a year ago, but is probably going to take a step back from the game and focus on his family.

Methot, 33, has played in just 45 games since the start of the 2017-18 season and will likely end his career with 624 regular season contests under his belt. Playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators and Dallas Stars, he carved out a role as a tough-as-nails defender that could handle skating alongside a roving offensive player. Methot’s final four-year, $19.6MM contract expired at the end of last season.

  • Another gritty defenseman is on his way back from injury, as Jake Muzzin has been loaned to the Toronto Marlies on a conditioning stint. The Maple Leafs’ defender has been out for several weeks with a broken foot but could be back after the All-Star break to help Toronto’s own-zone woes.
  • Evan Bouchard and Sam Miletic have been added to the AHL All-Star festivities, joining the Pacific Division and Atlantic Division squads respectively. The two young prospects are both having great success in the minor leagues this season, despite coming to professional hockey in very different ways. Bouchard was the 10th overall pick in 2018 and remains one of the Edmonton Oilers’ top prospects, while Miletic is an undrafted free agent that signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017.

Snapshots: McDavid, Manning, Milano

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The legend of Connor McDavid is about to grow at the NHL All-Star Game, where not only will he be a participant, but a documentary will air examining his return after a knee injury at the end of last season. Ryan Rishaug of TSN spoke today about how McDavid turned down the surgical option that could have kept him out for the entire 2019-20 campaign, and instead went down a road of grueling rehab.

McDavid, who turned 23 just over a week ago, is having another outstanding season with 76 points through 49 games. The young forward is on track for his fourth consecutive season with more than 100 points, and third Art Ross Trophy as the top offensive player in the league.

  • While McDavid is heading to St. Louis to represent the Edmonton Oilers organization, Brandon Manning won’t even be getting on the ice for a while. The Oilers’ minor league defenseman has been suspended five games for using a racial slur towards an opponent last night. Keith Gretzky, the Bakersfield Condors’ general manager, released a statement supporting the league’s suspension and condemning Manning’s actions.
  • Sonny Milano missed Columbus Blue Jackets practice today due to a court appearance in New York, according to Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch. Milano and Colorado Avalanche forward A.J. Greer had their assault charges dismissed after showing proof of community service and paying the medical bills of the victim.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Penguins, Miller

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The Metropolitan Division is well represented in the NHL’s Three Stars of the Week, as the league announced that the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin and the Blue Jackets’ Elvis Merzlikins have been named the first and second stars, respectively. Ovechkin is no stranger to the honor, but was certainly deserving of recognition once again with a whopping eight goals in three games, including back-to-back hat tricks. The 34-year-old trails only David Pastrnak in the NHL goals race right now and is eight goals away from cracking 700 in his career. Meanwhile, Merzlikins is brand new to both the NHL and any sort of league recognition. The young goaltender, who dominated the Swiss ranks for many years, got off to a rocky start this season after signing with Columbus last spring. However, he has performed admirably in the place of injured All-Star Joonas Korpisalo, including winning each of his past four start with three shutouts mixed in. In 20 appearances on the year, Merzlikins is now up to a .928 save percentage and 2.36 GAA in an impressive rookie campaign. The third star of the week belong to another familiar name, Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. Toews shook off a cold spell, recording three goals and nine points in four games this week, extending his point streak to six games. As Toews goes, so do the Blackhawks, who have been surging of late back into the postseason conversation.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins are among the top-five NHL teams in man-games lost this season and first in lost production due to injury. However, they have weathered the storm, not just maintaining through their losses, but actually improving. Now, they are getting healthy once again, with Sidney Crosby now back (and red-hot) and defenseman Justin Schultz getting close, per a team report. Schultz was cleared for full participation in practice today and appears ready to go, but stated that he and the team will be “smart” with the decision, especially with the All-Star break approaching and the opportunity for even more rest if they opt not to rush him back this week. Meanwhile, after leaving Sunday’s game, Dominik Simon has avoided any lasting injury, the Penguins The same can’t be said for Dominik Kahun, who suffered a head injury and has entered the concussion protocol. That just seems to be how things have gone for Pittsburgh this year though – for every player back to full strength, there’s another player sidelined.
  • One of the Penguins’ biggest rivals for the Eastern Conference title could be getting a somewhat forgotten player back in the mix. The Boston Bruins, after not having an update on defenseman Kevan Miller for some time, surprised the media by stating that he returned to the ice with the team yesterday. Miller has not played a single game this season, nor has he even been part of the active roster. The veteran defenseman has suffered multiple setback in his return to health after a litany of injuries last season. Should he reach the point that he is fully able to return to action, the Bruins would welcome him back, despite their logjam on the blue line, as Miller would bring the physicality and checking ability that the team has been missing too often this year. Of course, his return could pose some cap problems in addition to roster questions, but given Miller’s inability to get healthy this season, that is a bridge that the team will cross if and when they come to it.

Snapshots: Kovalchuk, Sorokin, Backes

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How the tables have turned already for Ilya Kovalchuk. The veteran forward was unemployed entering the new year after having his contract terminated by the Los Angeles Kings. Despite his decorated history in pro hockey, he was left scouting the market for a minimum contract with a team that maybe had a chance at the postseason in 2019-20. He landed in Montreal, signing a one-year, pro-rated $700K contract with a team heading in the wrong direction for playoff contention because that was his best option at the time. Just two weeks later, Kovalchuk’s stock has skyrocketed. The 36-year-old has eight points in eight games with the Canadiens and has looked phenomenal, especially compared to his play in L.A. When he first started scoring, many Habs fans were excited at the prospect of the team flipping him for assets at the trade deadline.

While this remains a distinct possibility, as Kovalchuk continues to produce many other are asking whether Montreal should instead look to re-sign the winger. Not only has Kovalchuk been an impressive offensive contributor, but he provides the veteran presence and star power that the team is lacking in its forward corps, which plays a part in why Kovalchuk has been such a hit with fans so early in his tenure. Yet, Kovalchuk has been so successful in such a short time with the Canadiens, that his camp is already thinking about cashing in, mere weeks after settling for the smallest NHL contract possible. When asked about the prospect of Kovalchuk re-signing in Montreal, agent Pat Brisson told TVA Sports that it is too early to talk extension. While he admits that Kovalchuk is enjoying his time with the team, Brisson states that the focus is only on making the playoffs, which – when spoken by an agent – is a strong indication that Kovlachuk will be looking to test the market or at least continue to drive up his price before talking contract with Montreal.  A trade would also change the status quo and could afford Kovalchuk the opportunity to improve his stock even more with a postseason appearance, which seems unlikely in Montreal this season. While the veteran star is not going to land a long-term contract this season, his sudden resurgence all but guarantees that he will be back in the NHL next season and making significantly more than his current $700K cap hit.

  • Ilya Sorokin is a name that has long been tied to the NHL, despite the player never having set foot on pro ice in North America. The New York Islanders prospect has long been one of the best goalies in the KHL, even at just 24 years old, yet he has been reluctant to sign with the team and commit to coming overseas. Reports earlier this season were that Sorokin wanted a clear shot to a guaranteed NHL job and has not been happy with the situation in New York, first with Thomas Greiss and Robin Lehner last year, now Greiss and Semyon Varlamov this year, and at least Varlamov signed for several more years. Those reports indicated that Sorokin intended to stay in Russia unless traded by the Islanders. Some subsequent rumors believed that the team was considering moving Sorokin’s rights as a result. However, when KHL insider Igor Eronko approached Sorokin about the topic, a different sentiment came from the horse’s mouth. Sorokin expressed that he was surprised to read the stories about his trade demands and that the team was looking into moving him. He stated that he and the Islanders have a different understanding and he has not been told that the status quo has changed. Don’t be surprised if the Russian star remains Islanders’ property through the trade deadline after all.
  • The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa writes that David Backes has five choices after being waived and demoted by the Boston Bruins. One option that might come as a surprise, not as a suggestion but as a concrete theory, is that Backes could retire rather than accept his assignment. Shinzawa reports that Backes seriously considered retirement after his concussion earlier this season, but was assured by a concussion expert that it was safe for him to return to action. Yet, after Backes failed to return to an NHL-caliber level of play, could he decide to play it safe and call it quits? He would forego the remaining salary on his contract, but would protect himself from the risk of long-term harm with another injury, one that would especially be a shame while merely competing at the AHL level. Shinzawa suggests that Backes could instead decline his assignment and see his contract terminated, which would make him a free agent where he could at least try to find a worthwhile job elsewhere in the NHL. The other option is that he simply accepts his assignment to AHL Providence, which could also lead to a trade request down the road or further consideration of retirement or contract termination before the end of next season.

Snapshots: Gallant, KHL Cross-Over Series, Kovalchuk

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Gerard Gallant spoke to the media for the first time since being relieved of his duties as head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights for two and a half years, along with his longtime assistant in Mike Kelly, and made it clear that he intends to return to coaching, according to Jason Simmonds of the Journal Pioneer.

“I’m far from done,” said Gallant, 56. “I enjoy coaching. If an opportunity comes up I will definitely look at it – myself and Mike. Mike is a big part of what I do too and sometimes people forget about the assistant coaches. Mike is a good man, we have been together for a long time. It’s not just me, Mike is part of that, too. We will get ready and hopefully, something comes up.”

Despite being shocked and disappointed that his tenure in Vegas ended so suddenly, the longtime coach still has good feeling about his time with the team.

“The 2 ½ years were incredible,” said Gallant. “That first year was a magical season. If we could have capped it off winning the Stanley Cup it would have been incredible. The second year was a really good year, too. We made the playoffs, battled hard. Up until I got fired, I had 2 ½ years of being really happy in Vegas. It’s a good organization, a good team and I was excited.”

  • There has been high hopes that the NHL and KHL might be able to produce a cross-over event between the two leagues. However, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports that possibility now remains unlikely after an interview with KHL president Dmitry Chernyshenko. “Everyone dreams of having a series, but it’s a matter of schedules,” said Chernyshenko. “What’s convenient for us is not convenient for them.” Kaplan said that Chernyshenko sat down with NBC to try to work out a time period that both leagues might get together, however, they failed to come up with dates to make it work.
  • The Montreal Gazette’s Jack Todd writes that Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin needs to sign forward Ilya Kovalchuk to an extension now. Currently on a one-year deal with the Canadiens, the 36-year-old has been impressive in his first eight games with the franchise, posting four goals and four assists. The scribe suggests that with the window closing for players like Carey Price and Shea Weber, the team needs veteran players to aid an already young locker room. He also notes that while often players struggle when they reach Montreal and the pressure that comes with it, Kovalchuk has thrived, suggesting he’s a perfect fit for the Canadiens and needs to be retained rather than moved at the trade deadline or worse, hope that he’ll sign a new deal in the summer when other teams can lure him away.

Snapshots: Williams, Tryamkin, Sorenson, Luukkonen

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The Carolina Hurricanes are close to getting their former captain back as Justin Williams is expected to return to the ice on Sunday against the New York Islanders, according to News & Observer’s Chip Alexander. While head coach Rod Brind’Amour did state that Williams will go through pre-game warmups before he made a decision on whether to play Williams, the scribe writes that everyone, including Brind’Amour believes that Williams will make his debut on Sunday.

“I’m nervous before every game I play so I’m going to have nerves,” Williams said. “But the one thing you never question is your ability and that’s one thing I’m never going to question. I’m going to go out there and work my tail off and let my instincts take over.”

The 38-year-old Williams signed a one-year deal 11 days ago and has been working with the team trying to get into game shape. Williams is coming off a solid season in which he scored 23 goals and 53 points last season and likely will take a bottom-six role to start.

  • The Vancouver Canucks still remain hopeful they can bring back defenseman Nikita Tryamkin, who left the team three years ago after his dissatisfaction with his playing time and refusal to play in the AHL. The Canucks have hoped to bring back the 6-foot-7, 265-pound blueliner back after several successful seasons in the KHL. The 25-year-old might be open to coming back, according to his agent, Todd Diamond (via TSN’s Rick Dhaliwal. “It’s very much on the table, the goal and desire is to sign in Vancouver, that’s what we have had discussions about,” said Diamond. “I don’t want to disrupt his season. There is plenty of time to talk when his season is over.”
  • San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner changed up the lines of his team, which also included listing forward Marcus Sorensen as a healthy scratch. Boughner used the word “message” when addressing the media, according to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz, suggesting he needs more “relentlessness” and for him to play “more on the inside.” After a 17-goal campaign, the 27-year-old is struggling this season with just five goals and has just one point in the last 19 games.
  • Buffalo Sabres goaltending prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made his season debut in the AHL Saturday, stopping 24 of 27 shots in the Rochester American’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Cleveland Monsters. The Buffalo News’ Bill Hoppe writes that the plan has been to allow Luukkonen to stay with the team for a week before they return the top prospect to the ECHL, where he will play in their all-star game. The team may give him one more start before sending him back.

Snapshots: Kassian, Moore, Arvidsson

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Zack Kassian is just a point away from tying his career-high already this season and will likely set a new high water mark in goals as well. It’s perfect timing for that kind of performance as he heads towards unrestricted free agency in the summer. According to Mark Spector of Sportsnet however, the big forward may never get there.

Spector tweets that Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland has spoken several times with the representatives for Kassian and believes that the team will announce a multi-year contract before the trade deadline. That would take the 28-year old off the market and provide the team with a little more cost certainty up front. The Oilers currently have seven rostered forwards on track to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have assigned Trevor Moore to the minor leagues on a conditioning loan, indicating the speedy forward is getting closer to a return. Moore has played just a single game since the middle of November as he dealt with various injuries, but could be another boost to a Maple Leafs’ team that is built around their offensive depth. The team has just one game before their bye week and All-Star break, meaning Moore will have plenty of time to recover fully.
  • Viktor Arvidsson has been fined $2,000 for his second citation of embellishment this season. The first incident, which comes with just a warning, was against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the end of December. This newest one came against the Boston Bruins on January 7th. Though the punishment is not very expensive at this point, it does escalate for repeat offenders and can even cause fines for a  head coach eventually.

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