Snapshots: Flyers, Ryan, Davidson, Oshie
With the Metropolitan Division being as tight as it is (five points separate third place from last place), decisions on whether the teams in that bottleneck will buy or sell are still likely a couple of weeks away. Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post suggests that if the Flyers were to be buyers, they will be more likely going after depth players such as a bottom-six forward or a third pairing defender that can kill penalties instead of pursuing the more prominent players available.
That approach would make sense considering how patient Philly GM Ron Hextall has been about building the team slowly but steadily. They certainly have a surplus of young talent to deal from if they want to but since the Flyers aren’t really a single player or two away from becoming top-flight contenders, they’re arguably better off waiting a little longer before making that bigger splash.
Elsewhere around the league:
- Bobby Ryan’s hand troubles have surfaced yet again. The Senators winger has been ruled out for the weekend with a hand injury and head coach Guy Boucher told reporters, including Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, that he is doubtful to play next week as well. This is Ryan’s fourth different hand injury already this season and his eighth since 2014-15. When he has been healthy, the veteran has been relatively productive with 20 points (7-13-20) in 39 games so far this season.
- Although he has played a sparing role since rejoining the Oilers, defenseman Brandon Davidson is worthy of keeping around beyond this season, argues David Staples of the Edmonton Journal. The 26-year-old is owed a qualifying offer of $1.55MM this offseason and with Edmonton expected to be a cap-spending team with center Connor McDavid’s new $12.5MM per year kicking in, that qualifying offer amount may be too much of a luxury for a role player.
- The Department of Player Safety announced (Twitter link) that Capitals winger T.J. Oshie has been fined $5K for a cross-check against Penguins defenseman Kris Letang last night. The fine is the maximum allowable in the CBA.
Snapshots: Lundqvist, Zetterberg, Ronning
The New York Rangers are staring down the barrel of a potential rebuild, but their one constant is here for the long haul. Henrik Lundqvist told Larry Brooks of the New York Post today that though he hopes to compete for the Stanley Cup every year, he has no intention of going anywhere even if they do start selling off assets.
I want to play for one organization. This one. I love it here. I want to be here and battle through the ups and downs, the good and the bad. It’s important to me.
Lundqvist has three years remaining on a contract that carries an $8.5MM cap hit and a full no-movement clause, and despite struggles in his last two games still carries a .919 save percentage this season. That mark is just barely under his career number, in what has been a likely Hall of Fame career already.
- Henrik Zetterberg, another legendary Swedish-born player who has played for just a single organization, is perhaps already in the midst of a sort of rebuild. The Detroit Red Wings are struggling to fight for a playoff spot and are rumored to be looking at deals for players like Mike Green and Petr Mrazek, but won’t be asking Zetterberg to waive his trade protection anytime soon. Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that the current Red Wings front office will not try to deal Zetterberg even if a contender comes knocking.
- Ty Ronning, son of long time NHL forward Cliff Ronning, is finding a ton of success as he finishes his junior career with the Vancouver Giants. The 20-year old forward has 44 goals in 50 games, and could find himself under a professional contract before long. Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 in Vancouver reports that Ronning has had “positive talks” with the Rangers, who drafted him 201st overall in 2016. The undersized sniper played 12 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack last spring, scoring five points in the process.
Snapshots: Tavares, Schmaltz, Hall
As we close out January, we’re still waiting for the rush of trade deadline moves to start. It’s been awfully quite on the market for some time, and as Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) writes, that might be because of John Tavares. It’s not so much that Tavares is available in trade, but that if he is really going to hit the open market in July, teams want to make sure they have enough cap space to take a run at him.
Custance mentions the San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues and Montreal Canadiens as potential players in free agency for Tavares, though those are all speculative at this point. All three could turn into big factors at the trade deadline—in different ways—and could be delaying their decisions as long as possible. For now, we’ll just have to hold tight and wait for the first real foot to drop in the rental market.
- Speaking of the St. Louis Blues, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet included a note about Jordan Schmaltz in his latest 31 Thoughts column, writing that the AHL All-Star is basically blocked from making an impact at the NHL level. That’s because of the Blues’ impressive depth on the right side, and it could lead to him being a trade chip in the next few weeks. Again, that’s just speculation, but Schmaltz certainly would hold substantial value. A first-round pick of the Blues in 2012, Schmaltz has found nothing but success in the collegiate and minor pro ranks, but has received just 13 games of NHL experience to this point. He’s also heading into restricted free agency this summer as he finishes his entry-level contract, and holds arbitration rights.
- Taylor Hall has been fined $5,000 for his hit on Kyle Okposo last night, avoiding suspension. Hall hit Okposo into the boards from behind, resulting in a minor penalty and will have this incident added to his record with the Department of Player Safety. While Okposo suffered no apparent injury on the play and was back at Sabres’ practice today, it easily could have resulted in more serious damage. Now, only Hall’s wallet will feel that pain.
Snapshots: Islanders, Prospects, Recruitment
The New York Islanders will be opening the doors on their new arena at Belmont Park in a few years, but for the time being they needed to find a place to play. Today, the team announced that they would play 12 games at Nassau Coliseum next season, and split time evenly between there and the Barclays Center again in 2019-20.
During the press conference, the Islanders executive group spoke about John Tavares and his pending free agency, saying that it is completely in his hands and that they want him to spend the rest of his career with the club. As Tavares focuses on getting the Islanders back into the playoffs, rumors will continue to bubble up about him going to another city—it certainly won’t be because they don’t want him back as an Islander.
- Corey Pronman of The Athletic (subscription required) has released his midseason draft rankings, and they will definitely raise an eyebrow or two. Pronman has long been a proponent of ranking potential stars over depth players, despite the risk that may be involved. That might explain his ranking of Ryan Merkley at #6 and Brady Tkachuk down at #15. Pronman’s rankings are just another example of how difficult this draft will be to project, as players fall in wildly different categories on various lists. It could lead to more trading on the draft floor, as teams try to acquire “their guy.”
- NHL players don’t turn down an opportunity to help improve their club, and the All-Star weekend was no different. Several reports, including Craig Custance of The Athletic, listed examples of players trying to recruit others that might be heading to free agency soon. Mike Green, Drew Doughty and Erik Karlsson all heard it from players like Auston Matthews, while apparently Steven Stamkos was selling Tampa Bay to everyone who would listen.
Snapshots: Rangers, Dahlin, Johnson
The New York Rangers are currently just a single point out of a playoff spot, and two points out of second place in the Metropolitan Division, but according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post that won’t make them buyers at the deadline. In fact, Brooks writes that the Rangers are preparing to “blow it up” and are willing to deal Ryan McDonagh and Mats Zuccarello along with their rental options.
It’s not the first time we’ve heard McDonagh’s name mentioned, as he currently sits tenth on the TSN Trade Bait board, but is still might come as a surprise. The Rangers captain has logged 24 minutes a night again this season, and currently has 24 points through 45 games. While he may not match his career-high of 14 goals, he’s certainly a bargain at his $4.7MM cap hit this year and next.
- Welcome to “the Rasmus Dahlin draft” writes TSN insider Bob McKenzie, who released his early rankings for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft today. Dahlin tops the board like everywhere else, but McKenzie’s rankings do differ from some of the other leading sources. Perhaps most notably is Ryan Merkley at #11, as the dynamic Guelph defenseman has slipped to the back half of the first round in most other rankings. McKenzie explains why, noting Merkley’s perceived attitude problem and temperament as potential reasons for his fall.
- Darren Dreger was on TSN 1050 radio today, and said that he’d be “shocked” if the Toronto Maple Leafs’ GM Lou Lamoriello hadn’t called on Jack Johnson from the Columbus Blue Jackets. As noted in our most recent live chat, Johnson does seem like a pretty good fit for the Maple Leafs down the stretch as he tries to secure a long-term contract this summer. Johnson is looking for an opportunity to play a big role somewhere, and the Maple Leafs have had a revolving door in the back half of their defense corps. Still, with Morgan Rielly and Nikita Zaitsev returning from injury soon and Travis Dermott showing he’s ready for the NHL, the Maple Leafs aren’t guaranteed to be on the market any longer.
Snapshots: Dubinsky, Point, Marchand
The intrigue around Brandon Dubinsky and his apparent departure from the Columbus Blue Jackets continues. After Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported earlier that it was for disciplinary reasons, his agent Kurt Overhardt reached out to the Steve Gorten at the Columbus Dispatch to insist that it is actually for medical reasons.
The agent claims that he just needed to get “residual issues” from his broken orbital bone as well as hand and wrist injuries checked out, and flatly denied any disciplinary action. We’ll have to wait and see what happens after the All-Star break, at which point Dubinsky should have been ready to return to the ice, likely wearing a full face shield.
- Brayden Point will be the replacement for Victor Hedman at the All-Star game in Tampa Bay, despite not playing the same position. Likely defensive replacements Morgan Rielly and Charlie McAvoy have both since suffered their own injuries, and perhaps the NHL wanted to maintain the same number of “hometown” players. The game is being held in Tampa Bay this weekend, where sophomore center Point will make his first appearance.
- Interestingly Brad Marchand, who has a disciplinary hearing with the league today after his elbow to the head of Marcus Johansson last night, will likely be part of the All-Star festivities regardless of a pending suspension. That’s according to several reporters including Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, who notes that the league does not have a firm policy for a case like this. If Marchand is removed from the All-Star game, you’d have to think his place would go to one of his linemates Patrice Bergeron or David Pastrnak, each of whom already have 20 goals on the season.
Snapshots: Sharks, McAvoy, Pesce
The San Jose Sharks have won two games in a row and find themselves in second place in the Pacific Division, and are still on the lookout for a fourth-line center to help out their forward group. Meanwhile, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic (subscription required) has kept track of the scouts attending recent games and one team stands out in particular.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been at three of the last six Sharks games, and also sent a representative to take in a San Jose Barracuda game recently. The expectation is that it was to see Paul Martin, who is still looking for another opportunity in the NHL. Martin has a single point in seven games during his AHL stint, and could be a potential option for a club looking to help their defense down the stretch.
- Charlie McAvoy is out of hospital and on the road to recovery after undergoing a procedure yesterday correcting an abnormal heart rhythm. McAvoy is expected to be out for two weeks, but has avoided a potential long-term problem. The Boston Bruins are one of the league’s hottest teams right now and will have to find a way to replace McAvoy’s minutes internally.
- Brett Pesce has been activated off injured reserve for the Carolina Hurricanes, just in time for their important matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight. The Hurricanes are in last place in the Metropolitan Division but just three points out of a wildcard spot, and will have to pass the Penguins if they’re to make the playoffs this season. Pesce’s return should help them correct what has been a porous defense of late, allowing 27 goals in their last seven games.
Snapshots: Prospects, Olympics, Savard
The NHL’s Central Scouting has released their midterm rankings for North American and International skaters, with Andrei Svechnikov and Rasmus Dahlin leading the way respectively. Dahlin is about as locked in as a prospect can be for the first-overall selection, but several others will be battling for the number two spot. Svechnikov, Filip Zadina, Adam Boqvist and Brady Tkachuk are all top options who could be in the top three selections, and should b considered blue chip pieces for whoever ends up with them.
Interestingly, players like Ryan Merkley (#21 among North American skaters) and Bode Wilde (#22) find themselves relatively far down the list despite their previous top-10 projections. Whether that has more to do with their own play slipping this season or the influx of talent throughout the draft class is unclear, but it should excite even teams in the playoff picture with the prospect of adding an impact player on defense.
- Many of the Olympic rosters have now been released, with young players like Dahlin, Miro Heiskanen and Eeli Tolvanen dominating the headlines for Sweden and Finland. Rosters for the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and host Korea are available on the IIHF website. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reports that the Olympic Athletes from Russia squad will release their roster on Thursday, which should be one of the powerhouses of the tournament.
- Marc Savard has officially announced his retirement, exactly seven years after his last game in the NHL. The exquisite playmaker was forced from the game due to concussion problems, but was still technically under contract through last season. His career ended in 2011 with the Bruins after 807 games, in which he registered 706 points including seasons of 97 and 96. According to Chris Lomon of the NHLPA, Savard is looking to move up the coaching ranks after spending some time behind the bench of his sons’ triple-A teams.
Evening Snapshots: Surging Avs, Daley, Sabres
The same Colorado Avalanche who had the worst record in the NHL by a long mile last season and still couldn’t get the top pick in the draft have won nine consecutive games following a 3-1 victory over the Rangers Saturday afternoon. The Denver Post’s Mike Chambers writes that in addition to the sudden turn of events, center Nathan MacKinnon is in the Hart Trophy conversation and head coach Jared Bednar is making quite the case for the Adams, an award many thought Vegas’ Gerard Gallant had already won. Chambers continues:
A year ago at this time, MacKinnon was having the worst season of his career and somewhat embarrassed to represent the Avalanche at the All-Star Game. And fans were calling for Bednar’s firing just five months after he was hired. Colorado was 13-30-2 at the time.
Along with Vegas’ performance this season, the Avalanche’s sudden surge is one of hockey’s best stories of the 2017-18 season and reveals how the league’s parity can change a team’s fortunes in such a short amount of time. The nine-game winning streak is tied for the longest in team history.
- MLive’s Ansar Khan tweets that the Detroit Red Wings’ Trevor Daley left the Red Wings-Hurricanes game with a lower body injury sustained during the first period of play. Though the Red Wings are sliding further away from a playoff spot, the news is significant since Daley was one of many Red Wings named as possible trade by the Detroit News’ John Niyo but a major injury would certainly derail any chances of a deal. Daley hasn’t exactly lit up the scoresheet for Detroit, but his presence with the back-to-back champion Pittsburgh Penguins and smooth skating make him an intriguing target for teams seeking depth and experience.
- The Buffalo News’ Bucky Gleason questions Sabres bench boss Phil Housley’s analysis following a 7-1 drubbing by the Dallas Stars. Wondering how Housley could have labeled the early part of a blowout as “pretty good hockey,” Gleason points out that the team was booed off the ice while adding that the Sabres looked “uninterested” from the opening faceoff. In what has been a challenging season for the Sabres, Gleason believes that the performance is another indicator that Housley “appears to be in over his head.” Gleason doesn’t stop there, blasting everyone from ownership to the idea that tanking would actually bring the Sabres a winner. The fans, Gleason writes, are being taken advantage of by an organization that appears no closer to the playoffs or escaping the hockey wilderness.
Snapshots: Neal, Chara, Berra
Vegas Golden Knights winger James Neal scored his 20th goal of the season last night in the team’s match-up with the Florida Panthers and, while 20 goals in nothing for a former 40-goal scorer, the mark actually puts Neal into quite the impressive group. This is now the tenth season in a row – for the ten-year veteran – that Neal has scored at least 20 goals in a season. From his early years in Dallas through his All-Star seasons in Pittsburgh and several strong campaigns in Nashville, Neal has always had a knack for finding the back of the net and it hasn’t stopped with the expansion Knights. There only five other active players who have scored 20+ goals in each of their first ten seasons: Jaromir Jagr, Thomas Vanek, Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Kane, and Jonathan Toews. That’s some Hall of Fame caliber company that Neal has joined.
- Another player quietly dominating is none other than Zdeno Chara. Sure, the 6’9″ 40-year-old is one of the most well-known players in the NHL, but after a few seasons where the talk was that Chara had lost a step, the Norris Trophy-winner looks like his old self again, even if his play isn’t grabbing headlines. As Sportsnet’s Eric Engel writes, Chara’s success has gone largely unnoticed mostly because of the immediate success of his new pair mate, rookie Charlie McAvoy. With McAvoy in the fold, as well other impact young players like Torey Krug, Brandon Carlo, and Matt Grzelcyk, Chara has been able to play fewer minutes this season, take a backseat role on the power play, and overall focus less on offense. The result has been a rejuvenation of Chara’s elite shutdown game, which pairs perfectly with the smooth-skating puck-mover McAvoy. Less than two months away from turning 41, Chara has played in every game for the Bruins, leads the league with a +24 rating, and is on pace for his most hits in over a decade. He’s back to being one of the most feared opponents in the NHL and it’s no surprise that the Bruins are strongly considering an extension.
- Another player who may have earned an extension – even in just a small sample size – is veteran goalie Reto Berra. Swiss reporter Marc-Andre Berset relays that Berra has received an extension offer from the Anaheim Ducks, who Berra suited up for in four games early this season when backup Ryan Miller was injured. In those four appearances, Berra looked as good as he had in years. The 31-year-old journeyman posted a .932 save percentage and 2.27 GAA and earned a win in his one start. His performance for the AHL’s San Diego Gulls has been slightly less outstanding, but he still remains a solid veteran depth option. While Berra surely would like to be playing a greater role, a multi-year deal in Anaheim could result in his return to a regular NHL role, with Miller’s contract expiring after next season. Playing for his third NHL organization in three years, it would be no surprise for Berra to opt for a long-term situation rather than continue moving around. However, Berset also seems to imply that Berra has options waiting for him back in Switzerland, as NLA club HC Fribourg-Gotteron could come calling with a starting opportunity. Only time will tell what Berra decides to do next with his hockey career.