Metro Division Snapshots: Capitals, Darling, McLeod
Big changes are expected this summer in D.C. after the Washington Capitals once again failed to advance beyond the second round of the postseason, despite boasting perhaps the most talented roster ever assembled in the organization’s 42-year history. Even if GM Brian MacLellan wanted to return the roster mostly intact, he would have a difficult time doing so given the team’s salary cap situation. It’s along this vein that Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post examines potential free agent and trade fits to replace the players the Capitals may lose off their President’s Trophy winning roster.
T.J. Oshie, coming off a career high 33-goal season, will be a UFA this summer and while the Capitals would like to re-sign the winger, doing so may prove hard to do, according to Khurshudyan. The scribe writes that Oshie is due for a significant raise on his $4.5MM 2016-17 cap charge, and suggests a long-term deal in the $6MM annual range is reasonable. Khurshudyan notes that both Kyle Okposo and David Backes, two players with similar profiles and historical production to Oshie, inked free agent deals with cap hits of $6MM last summer. If that should prove to be too rich for MacLellan’s blood, the team could pivot back to Justin Williams, who is coming off a two-year deal with the Capitals worth $3.25MM per year. Andre Burakovsky, a RFA, is expected to graduate to a full-time top-six role and the duo of Williams and Burakovsky could be good enough for Washington to get by. In terms of outside free agents Khurshudyan lists Drew Stafford and Patrick Eaves as potentially inexpensive fits, though at 31 and 33 respectively, each is on the back-half of their careers and would represent a risky proposition. As it is, Stafford netted just eight goals in 58 games in 2016-17. Eaves notched a career high 32 goals, besting his previous best by 12 and suggesting heavy regression is likely.
On the blue line, both Karl Alzner and trade deadline pickup Kevin Shattenkirk will head to free agency. Khurshudyan expects both to depart for greener pastures and speculates that Nate Schmidt will likely assume a role next to John Carlson on the team’s top pair next season. That leaves a hole on the third pairing with Brooks Orpik. Internal candidates, according to the scribe, include Taylor Chorney along with prospects Madison Bowey and Christian Djoos. The free agent market is thin at the position, though veteran defender Johnny Oduya could represent one option, according to the author.
On the trade front, Khurshudyan mentions recent reports that Minnesota would be willing to listen to offers for RW Nino Niederreiter, a pending RFA. Coming off a 25-goal season with the Wild, Niederreiter would certainly command a sizable return in any trade, but he would satisfy Washington’s need for a top-six forward and is young enough to fill that role for years to come. Additionally, given the restrictive nature of the expansion draft rules, both the Wild and Anaheim may have to leave a talented young blue liner exposed and could elect to make a trade to secure some value in return. While that may provide Washington with another means with which to add a needed defenseman, many teams in the league will be shopping in the same market and likely have more to offer in return than the Capitals.
Elsewhere in the Metro Division:
- Scott Darling‘s move to Carolina, where it is expected he will be given every chance to be the team’s #1 goalie, is viewed as the 28-year-old netminder’s biggest opportunity at the professional level. For his part, however, Darling sees it as just the next step in a pro career chock full of opportunities, writes Luke DeCock of The News & Observer. As DeCock notes, Darling has already overcome a drinking problem which nearly sunk his career before it ever even got started, and has worked his way up the pro ranks all the way from the SPHL up to where he is today; the presumptive starter for a young Carolina team hoping to contend for a playoff spot next season. It’s been a lengthy process for Darling but his approach finally appears to be paying off. “It’s kind of been my thing to just saw the wood in front of you, and just keep working toward the next step.” The “wood” in front of him is the high expectations that he will have to shoulder as the new #1 goalie for a team whose recent chances to compete in the postseason have been derailed by poor to mediocre play between the pipes. But given his history, Darling appears well-suited for the challenges that await in Carolina.
- The New Jersey Devils have high expectations for their 2016 first round draft selection, center Michael McLeod, a skilled offensive talent who starred for Mississauga of the OHL. Chris Ryan of NJ Advance Media spoke with Paul Castron, the team’s Director of Amateur Scouting, about McLeod’s progress one year after the team made the 6-foot-2, 194-pound pivot the 12th overall pick in the draft. After impressing team brass at the Devils developmental and training camps last summer, McLeod struggled during the first couple of months of the OHL season, writes Ryan, though Castron is still high on the prospect: “He’s one of those players where he never lets you down with his work ethic and his speed game is always there, he’s always a factor. I think he was just frustrated early in the season for not producing at a higher rate. The team as a whole really struggled, and I think he felt a lot of pressure because he was captain, too, and he was their leader.” McLeod would get his game going in the second half of the season, notes Ryan, amassing 46 points over his final 31 contests and leading his team to the OHL Final, recording an impressive 27 points in 20 postseason games along the way. With New Jersey in the midst of an all out rebuild, one buoyed by winning the rights to the first overall choice in the 2017 draft in the NHL’s recent lottery, McLeod’s development will be important to the future success of the organization. It’s possible given the team’s dearth of offensive talent that McLeod could open the year in New Jersey with a strong training camp performance.
Snapshots: Ward, Gomez, Blues
Sharks right winger Joel Ward has undergone successful surgery, the team announced. In their press release, GM Doug Wilson notes that the veteran had the choice to have the procedure done or opt for rehab instead but clearly he opted to go under the knife.
Ward battled with this issue throughout the season which could very well be a contributing factor to his offensive decline. In 2015-16, his first season in San Jose, the 36 year old scored 21 goals while adding 22 assists; his 43 points coming in as the second best output of his career. However, he only tallied 28 points (10-19-29) this season in 78 games.
Ward is expected to make a full recovery and will be ready to suit up once training camp gets underway in September.
Other notes from around the league:
- After it was reported earlier this week that Kelly Buchberger is a candidate to join the Islanders’ coaching staff, Newsday’s Arthur Staple reports that former NHL center Scott Gomez is also under consideration for a role on head coach Doug Weight’s staff. Gomez retired back in early September after an NHL career that spanned over 1,000 games. Staple speculates that the 37 year old could potentially be tasked to work on a power play unit that ranked 28th in the league this season with a 14.9% success rate. Gomez is no stranger to power play success as 255 of his 756 career points came with the man advantage.
- The Blues are set to have several notable forwards left unprotected in next month’s expansion draft and Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch suggests in a reader chat (fifth panel) that winger Ryan Reaves is worthy of the final protection slot, even if that means exposing a more productive forward like David Perron. He notes that secondary scoring is typically easier to find in free agency than a forward like Reaves, who took some strides forward offensively this year, setting a career high in points. Rutherford adds Dmitrij Jaskin as another candidate to get the last protected spot up front despite only scoring once in 51 games in 2016-17.
Snapshots: Morin, Devils, Balinskis
Travis Morin will be staying in Texas next season, after the Texas Stars captain signed a one-year AHL deal today. The 33-year old forward has been one of the more impressive scoring threats in the AHL for years, and recorded another 55 points this past season. With 468 points in 548 games, you’d think Morin would have gotten more of a look at the NHL, but he’s only spent 13 games there over his career.
Texas finished out of the playoffs this season, but will hope Morin will bring back his offensive touch to a group that should be improved in 2017-18. Mark McNeill, acquired at the deadline from the Chicago Blackhawks, will be an especially important addition should he not be able to crack the Dallas lineup next year.
- The New Jersey Devils scouting staff is preparing “like we’re making the No. 1 pick” according to Mike Morreale of NHL.com, though there still does exist the possibility that the team would trade down. The team won’t make that final decision until much closer to the draft, but it’s clear that they have interest in both projected top picks. Paul Castron, the team’s director of amateur scouting, talks about how Nolan Patrick‘s injury shouldn’t be held against him, and that Nico Hischier has made a meteoric rise up everyone’s draft boards this season. For a team looking to turn their franchise around quickly, they’ll have to decide whether one of the top two names can help them in the short-term, or if moving down a few spots in exchange for an NHL-ready player makes more sense.
- Keep an eye on Uvis Balinskis from Dinamo Riga of the KHL and most recently the Latvian team at the World Championships. He’s now represented by Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey, who claims that the “NHL is next” for his client. Balinskis is “open for business” according to Milstein, and was impressive at the tournament. Balinskis played half the season for Riga after moving up from the MHL, and recorded 5 points in 21 games. The left-handed defenseman is just 20-years old and could have a professional future in North America should he continue to develop his two-way style.
Snapshots: Blackhawks, Richardson, Wong
Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune took a look at possible trading partners for the Blackhawks as they look to reload for another Cup run next season. Out of all the possible options Hine mentions the Toronto Maple Leafs in particular, with James van Riemsdyk‘s name popping up again.
The left winger has just one year remaining on his current contract, and younger brother Trevor currently plays in Chicago. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s an option for the Blackhawks though as the team would have to clear a fair bit of cap space to fit van Riemsdyk’s $4.25MM salary into their current structure. With almost all of the expensive players on Chicago holding full no-movement clauses, making any deal will be difficult this summer.
- As expected, the New York Islanders have indeed hired Luke Richardson as an assistant coach for Doug Weight. The former NHL defender was the head coach of the Binghamton Senators between 2012-16, and will “have his hands on every aspect of the team, including our systems, skill development and team culture.” Bob Corkum will not return as assistant next season.
- The Vegas Golden Knights have already added a player for their minor league team, as the Chicago Wolves signed WHL free agent Tyler Wong to an AHL contract today. Wong scored 51 goals and 109 points as an over-ager for Lethbridge this year, after playing three games for the Toronto Marlies on an amateur tryout last spring. The 5’9″ forward is a dynamic offensive player, who will try to carry over that scoring touch to the professional ranks.
Snapshots: Oilers, Flames, Grubauer
The Edmonton Oilers are preparing for the expansion draft, and GM Peter Chiarelli knows his club will lose a talented player. Speaking with Paul Gazzola of NHL.com, Chiarelli admitted that the selection from the Oilers may be a little more painful than some other teams, especially because of the success the franchise experienced this year.
Edmonton is expected to go with the 7-3-1 protection scheme, and while there is no risk of losing a player like Leon Draisaitl or Adam Larsson, other possibilities like Griffin Reinhart or Mark Letestu remain depending on how much stock the team puts in youth versus experience. With rumors swirling about Jordan Eberle‘s potential availability, perhaps a deal would be made before the draft in order to free up a potential protection slot for the forward group.
- The Flames continue to search for a goaltender and Eric Francis of Postmedia writes about all of their options. In discussing the new deals for Ben Bishop and Scott Darling, Francis lists veterans like Marc-Andre Fleury and Ryan Miller as possibilities to bridge the gap to their young prospects. He also touches on other successful backups like Antti Raanta, who could try to follow the Cam Talbot-path from the shadow of Henrik Lundqvist to the ice in Alberta. In one way or another, the Flames must solve their goaltending issue, as both Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson will be free agents come July 1st. Interestingly, that adds the Flames as a landing spot for a goalie before the expansion draft, as they currently have none to protect.
- One other name that is mentioned in regards to the Flames is Philipp Grubauer of the Washington Capitals, who Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press also goes in depth on. Grubauer knows that he is a target for the Vegas Golden Knights, and teammate Braden Holtby believes he’s ready to become a starter somewhere in the league. It’s not just Calgary and Vegas who will likely check in on Grubauer though after his performance this season. The 25-year old registered a .926 save percentage in 23 games and should be on the radar of several other teams—Whyno includes Winnipeg, Philadelphia and Colorado as teams possibly looking for an upgrade this summer.
Snapshots: Blues, Wilson, All-Star Game
The St. Louis Blues cleared house today, firing coaches Ray Bennett, Steve Thomas, Rick Wilson and Ty Conklin. The quartet had hugely varying experience levels, from Wilson’s 27 seasons as an NHL assistant to Thomas’ three. Conklin may be the most surprising though, as he was part of the team—along with assistant GM Martin Brodeur—to turn around Jake Allen‘s season after goaltending coach Jim Corsi was fired. Allen’s second-half turnaround continued into the playoffs and helped the Blues make a splash, recording an amazing .935 save percentage in the postseason.
Brodeur is also not returning as the team’s goalie coach, but is heading up a search for a new one. Many would have presumed that Conklin would have been a front-runner given his familiarity with Allen, but apparently they will go in another direction. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet tweets that both Craig Berube and Darryl Sydor are “good bets” to move up from the Chicago Wolves and take places in the St. Louis coaching staff next season.
- On Wilson, Friedman believes that he may immediately head to Dallas to reunite with Ken Hitchcock a long-time friend and coaching associate. Wilson was behind the Stars bench going all the way back to the Minnesota North Stars days, and was present for Hitchcock’s entire first run with the team. They won a Stanley Cup together in 1999.
- The lack of an announcement for next year’s All-Star Game had people wondering if the league was holding out a sliver of possibility of still heading to the Olympics, but it seems as though the announcement will come soon on the host city. After Friedman broke that it may be heading to the southeast this morning, Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Lightning are the likely candidates. Though it’s “not a done deal yet” Smith writes that Tampa obviously has the capacity to host big events. The city has held several huge sporting events over the years including Super Bowls and Frozen Four tournaments. If the All-Star festivities are announced with the full schedule, it likely means any ray of hope that the league will head to the Olympics is finished. Once plans are set in motion for the city, it would be near-impossible to go back on.
Snapshots: Buffalo’s Coaching Search, Jones, Dell
Communication. That’s what new Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill tells John Vogl of The Buffalo News is the most important thing in his next head coach. Vogl breaks down the four key lessons Botterill had learned from his time hiring Wilkes-Barre Scranton head coaches, including current Pittsburgh Penguins bench boss Mike Sullivan.
Botterill swears to look high and low for the next Sabres head coach, but would like to have one in place before the 2017 Entry Draft on June 23rd. That gives him just more than a month to find the best available name. Earlier today it was written that Washington Capitals assistant Todd Reirden may be a candidate, though it still seems like a long-shot given his previous connection to Dan Bylsma. Many others, including Phil Housley (Nashville) and Rick Tocchet (Pittsburgh) are still working in the playoffs and won’t leave their teams until they’re eliminated or win the Cup. It may be a mad dash before the draft then, if Botterill wants to speak to all possible candidates before making a decision. Last year the Cup-clinching game was played on June 12th, less than two weeks before the draft.
- Kevin Kurz of NBC Sports takes a stab at what a Martin Jones extension may look like, positing that he’ll undoubtedly get more than both Scott Darling and Ben Bishop received from their respective teams. Darling got $16.6MM over four years from the Carolina Hurricanes while Bishop inked a six-year $29.5MM deal with Dallas. Jones, who will be eligible for an extension on July 1st, has just one year remaining on his deal worth $3MM. Kurz thinks Jones will fall somewhere in the range of $5.5-6MM per season, though that would still be quite the risk given that Jones put up just a .912 save percentage this season. That number is fine, but puts him 20th among goaltenders who started at least 40 games this season. His playoff performance has been exceptional, but committing to a long-term deal will be hoping Jones regular season numbers increase.
- Giving Jones a big contract also puts the Sharks in an interesting position with backup Aaron Dell, who burst onto the NHL scene this year with a .931 save percentage in his limited appearances. Dell is actually almost a year older than Jones, but will be looking for a raise after next season in line with Darling’s deal should his solid play continue. While most of the league wouldn’t trust Dell with a starting job just yet, Darling was a similarly late-blooming backup that has just 64 games started at this point. Should the Sharks lock up Jones this summer, look for Dell to be on the market next trade deadline or at the draft as a potential option for teams looking for a cheaper starting option.
Snapshots: Niku, Nill, Braunstein
The Winnipeg Jets have signed seventh-round pick Sami Niku to a three-year entry-level contract. The Finnish defenseman broke out in Liiga this year, registering 27 points in 59 games while playing for Jyvaskyla. Niku has been praised for his mobility and offensive upside, but had trouble producing in a consistent manner before this season.
He’ll enter a Winnipeg Jets system that is fairly weak on the left side behind Logan Stanley, now that Josh Morrissey has graduated to the NHL. With some of the best right-handed depth in the NHL including newcomer Tucker Poolman, the Jets are likely ecstatic with Niku’s development. Should he come to North America next season, he’ll pencil in as one of the top defenders for the Manitoba Moose and try to adapt to the pro game here.
- Jim Nill is standing by the contract for Ben Bishop according to Yahoo! Sports’ Greg Wyshynski. Nill admitted that in a perfect world he wouldn’t have had to give up six years, but is happy that Bishop wanted to make a commitment to his team. He also seemed confident that there will be opportunities to move one of his goaltenders this summer because of their expiring contracts, something that is necessary after committing to Bishop. As we wrote last week, the Stars do have several options to rid themselves of a goaltender, with Antti Niemi seemingly being the leading candidate for a buyout. Even with a long-term deal, Bishop will have a lot of pressure on him to help the Stars bounce back from a disappointing season. They’ll be looking not only to make the playoffs but to contend in short order, after leading the Western Conference in 2015-16.
- The Vegas Golden Knights have hired Rick Braunstein away from the Arizona Coyotes as their new Director of Player Services according to Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Braunstein was one of the Coyotes first hires after the move from Winnipeg, and had been with the franchise for their entire 21-year history. While not having an impact in personnel decisions, the Player Services role is an especially important one when it comes to Las Vegas, a city known for its endless temptation. Some of the hesitation by professional sports franchises for decades has been the worry that young, wealthy athletes will get into “trouble” in Vegas and the team will need a strong support system to stop it from happening; Braunstein represents some of that system.
Snapshots: Lightning, Talbot, Russell
The Western Conference Final featuring the Ducks and Predators could yield more interest around the NHL than just which team will be vying for the Stanley Cup, suggests Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. Both teams have very strong defensive depth which will be great for the series but will present some challenges when it comes to the looming expansion draft. Accordingly, Smith expects Lightning GM Steve Yzerman to be keeping close tabs on this matchup with the thought that both teams may have to make one of their defenders available.
Yzerman is on record saying he would like to get more production out of his back end. Victor Hedman had a career best 72 points this season but the rest of their blueline failed to reach that mark combined. They were interested in Kevin Shattenkirk prior to the trade deadline and will likely pursue other two-way threats as well this summer. Considering the depth both Anaheim and Nashville have on their bluelines, the Lightning certainly won’t be the only team watching this series closely and looking to see if they can take advantage prior to the expansion draft in June.
Elsewhere around the league:
- Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot has declined a request to join Team Canada for the World Championships, notes Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. He led the league in games played by goalies this season with 73 while adding 13 more during their postseason run. Canada currently has only registered two netminders for the tournament in Calvin Pickard and Chad Johnson. Winnipeg prospect Eric Comrie is also with the team but is not officially on the roster as of yet.
- Still with Edmonton, defenseman Kris Russell told Paul Gazzola of the Oilers’ team website that he’s hoping to re-sign with the team for another year: “They showed faith in me by going out and signing me there so obviously, I’d like to come back but there’s a business side to this and you never know what’s going to happen. They have to make decisions too, the brass here. I’m an Oiler and I’m not going to look past that until I’m told otherwise or come July 1st maybe but I want to be here.” After pricing himself too high at the outset of free agency, the 30 year eventually agreed to a one year, $3.1MM deal in early October and had a quality year for the team, logging over 21 minutes a night during the regular season while leading the league in blocked shots with 213 despite missing 14 games.
Snapshots: Hedman, Capitals, Daley
Tampa Bay Lightning fans can breathe now, after Victor Hedman‘s eye has been declared safe following his visor exploding at the World Championships today. Aftonbladet out of Sweden has photos of his laceration (*WARNING: GRAPHIC*), which needed four stitches to sew back up. Apparently it was the actual visor that cut him, after a shoulder or elbow broke the protective shield.
Hedman is an important part of the Swedish defense, but is perhaps even more important to the Lightning’s chances over the next few years. The Norris trophy finalist will be entering an eight-year extension in 2017-18 which will pay him $63MM over the duration. His point total exploded this season while his defensive play is as steady as ever.
- Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov and Philipp Grubauer will all head to the World Championships now that their season is finished and lockers are cleaned out. Following their exit interviews today, the quartet will head to Europe to compete in the remainder of the tournament. While Backstrom is signed for the next three seasons, the other three are restricted free agents this summer and will be key to how Washington comes back from their latest playoff exit. While Vegas may go after Grubauer in the expansion draft, Kuznetsov and Orlov represent a big piece of the team going forward, and will both command hefty raises. For a team with so many free agents, there may not be enough money to go around for everyone.
- Trevor Daley isn’t expected to play in game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals for the Pittsburgh Penguins, but is still just being classified as a day-to-day lower-body injury. Head coach Mike Sullivan said that Tom Kuhhackl was a healthy scratch in game 7, while Carl Hagelin was dealing with a lower-body injury of his own.