Snapshots: Zibanejad, Shattenkirk, Grundstrom
Mika Zibanejad, the recent addition for the New York Rangers, spoke in person with media today for the first time since the deal, and seemed positively thrilled for the upcoming season (via Andrew Gross of USA Today). Zibanejad, 23, is coming off two straight 20-goal seasons, impressive already for a player of his age but is expecting more this year:
I want to take the next step. I want that to be a big jump. I’ve been trying to take it step by step all the time but I think, I’m waiting and I think people are waiting, for that breakout year and that’s what I’m hoping for and that’s what I’m working towards. I feel I’m ready for that.
When the Rangers dealt established centerman Derick Brassard for Zibanejad, they traded consistency for upside, and experience for youth. Now they’ll try to build on his solid start and turn him into the top-end talent they believe he can be. Right from the horse’s mouth, speaking about his ability to break out in the future: “I guess they wouldn’t have made that trade if they didn’t think so.”
- While we discussed yesterday a long-standing trade rumor involving Kevin Shattenkirk, it’s definitely no longer a guarantee that he will be dealt before the season starts, as Craig Custance of ESPN reports. GM Doug Armstrong is quoted as saying “He’s a Blue and we’re excited to have him, and expect him to have a good year.” While this doesn’t rule out a deal, Armstrong said the rumor “grew a life of its own”
- Team Sweden lost their last game against the United States in this year’s National Junior Evaluation Camp (NJEC) happing in Plymouth, Michigan over the next few days, and now have lost one of their top scorers for at least the next couple of days. Carl Grundstrom, a recent draftee of the Toronto Maple Leafs, has been scratched from today’s game against Canada according to Adam Kimelman of NHL.com. The Swedish winger was taken 57th overall, and has three points (2G-1A) so far at the tournament.
Snapshots: Shinkaruk, Yamamoto
Just prior to the trade deadline in February, the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks executed an interesting, challenge-type trade. The Flames dealt C Markus Granlund, a player they originally selected in the 2nd round of the 2011 draft, to the Canucks for their 2013 1st round pick, Hunter Shinkaruk.
Granlund had failed to earn a regular role with the Flames and at the time of the deal didn’t seem to be considered much of a prospect anymore. As a more recent draft selection, Shinkaruk still had the look of a solid prospect, even if there may be more risk associated with his development.
Nevertheless, Shinkaruk now gets to suit up in his hometown playing for the team he grew up rooting for and is intent on earning a regular role on the wing in Calgary, according to this piece from the team’s website. Given the talented young pivots the Flames have – Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett specifically – Shinkaruk should have an excellent opportunity to not only make the club but to produce as well.
Now, more from around the NHL, focusing particularly on prospects.
- The Anaheim Ducks have signed their 2015 3rd round pick, RW Deven Sideroff to an ELC. According to General Fanager, Sideroff’s contract will max out at an AAV of $925,000 should he earn his performance bonuses. Sideroff was chosen 84th overall out of Kamploops in the WHL and finished his junior career with 39 goals and 109 points in 141 games. He also appeared in one contest with Anaheim’s AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, and will likely spend much of the upcoming season there.
- Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News has an interesting piece on 2017 draft prospect Kailer Yamamoto, who some scouts “cautiously” compare to Johnny Gaudreau. Yamamoto, grew up in the Spokane, Washington area and was taught to skate by the mother of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tyler Johnson. Yamamoto is close with Johnson and considers the Lighting sniper to be a “role model”. While it’s premature and probably unfair to compare Yamamoto to any established NHL player, much less one of Gaudreau’s caliber, it does seem quite possible we’ll hear his name called early on during the 2017 draft.
Snapshots: Kane, Russell, Staal, Parise
There’s little doubt that Buffalo GM Tim Murray has shown a penchant for making bold decisions during his tenure with the Sabres. As Bucky Gleason of the Buffalo News writes, Murray may be headed for another of those decisions when it comes to winger Evander Kane.
Kane pled not guilty earlier this week to charges of misdemeanor criminal trespass, non-criminal disorderly conduct, and four counts of non-criminal harassment. He was also previously charged with assault although that suit was later dropped. However, Gleason notes that Kane seems to have a penchant for finding trouble which has to be a concern for the Sabres.
Murray gave up a considerable amount to Winnipeg back in February of 2015, including defenseman Tyler Myers plus wingers Drew Stafford and Joel Armia as part of a package that also landed Buffalo blueliner Zach Bogosian. However, given the off-ice concerns and the fact that Kane has not yet become the top liner the team was hoping he would, it’s unlikely that a Kane trade would yield anywhere near the type of value Buffalo gave up to get him just 18 months ago.
Even if Murray can’t get top value, Gleason suggests that he should still consider trading him for a lesser return under the concept of addition by subtraction. Doing so would certainly be a bold move but the Buffalo GM hasn’t hesitated to make those types of deals yet so there’s little reason to think he’d do so now.
More from around the league:
- Defenseman Kris Russell remains the most prominent of the remaining unrestricted free agents. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Russell’s camp is still waiting for some interested teams to free up some cap space. It’s believed that Russell is still seeking a multi-year deal around the $4MM per year range but that may be a challenge at this stage of free agency. Regardless, it appears the 29 year old blueliner is content to play the waiting game for now. Dreger doesn’t mention any specific suitors but we took a look earlier at some teams that could potentially have a spot for Russell on their back end.
- In an interview with KFAN 100.3 in Minnesota (and transcribed by Chris Nichols of Today’s Slapshot), Minnesota head coach Bruce Boudreau expects newly-signed center Eric Staal to play between Zach Parise and Charlie Coyle to start next season. Boudreau also noted that Parise told him that he is fully healthy after missing the postseason with a back injury. Parise is slated to suit up for Team USA at next month’s World Cup of Hockey.
Snapshots: Unsigned Restricted Free Agents, Trouba, Hudler
The list of Restricted Free Agents has some serious star power on it, despite the calendar turning to August. Between Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Hampus Lindholm, Rasmus Ristolainen, Nikita Kucherov, and Jacob Trouba, there are a handful of elite franchise building blocks without a contract. If you’re keeping count at home, that’s two legit number one defenseman, a possible number one in Trouba, and three high-end first line forwards. Quality players like Ryan Strome and Cody Ceci are also waiting to get contracts, having passed on their qualifying offers.
Here are some other snapshots from around the hockey world:
- On That’s Hockey, TSN’s Gary Lawless reported that things are very quiet between Trouba and the Winnipeg Jets, saying the two sides are far apart on “everything… they’re apart on term, they’re apart on money, they’re apart on usage”. Trouba finds himself behind Dustin Byfuglien and Tyler Myers on the right side, and according to Lawless he feels he should be playing with one of the team’s top defenders. A trade involving Trouba is unlikely according to Lawless.
- Also on TSN, Travis Yost made a strong case for UFA winger Jiri Hudler, arguing that while he’s past his prime scoring days, Hudler still has a very positive effect on his teammates. Hudler raises his team’s shooting percentage by 2.44 per cent when he’s on the ice. That ranks fourth in the NHL since 2010, behind superstars Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, and the now-retired Martin St. Louis. We ranked Hudler 18th on our Top 50 Free Agents list back in June, and estimated a four-year, $16MM contract. Look for him to sign a much less expensive one-year pact with a goal-hungry team to prove he’s still got it.
Snapshots: Predators, Strome, Athanasiou
The Nashville Predators are gearing up for an exciting season writes Adam Vingan of the Tennessean. Vingan makes his case for a trio of predictions as the season approaches. He writes that the over/under should be set at 35 goals for Filip Forsberg, but sees him falling short of 40. As for newly acquired defenseman P.K. Subban, Vingan bets that Subban will easily break 60 points. Vingan sees Pekka Rinne‘s as playing better than last season, but cautions that it may not be significant enough to warrant a dramatic improvement. He also points out that it was Rinne’s up and down play that made the Predators inconsistent.
In other NHL news:
- Arizona Coyotes forward Dylan Strome says he’s done with junior hockey and the timing couldn’t be more impeccable. With the Coyotes buying out the contract of Antoine Vermette earlier today, the path seems clear for the 19-year-old forward. Craig Hagerman writes that the 2015 third overall pick is ready for the next step in his career after posting consecutive 100+ point seasons in the OHL. One of the final roster cuts last Fall, Hagerman reports that another year of seasoning and strong performance has Strome hopeful for a shot with the big club.
- Speedy Detroit Red Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou isn’t concerned about his starting place this fall the Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James reports. Despite dazzling when given some ice time late in the regular season and then the playoffs, Athanasiou might be an odd man out when the Red Wings head into the 2016-17 season. With the addition of forwards Thomas Vanek, Frans Nielsen, and Steve Ott, roster space is limited, but Athanasiou says that he won’t let if affect him. St. James writes that along with Anthony Mantha, Athanasiou cannot be claimed on waivers. While this may not prove popular with the Red Wings fanbase, Athanasiou seems more concerned about building on last year’s successes.
Snapshots: Nyquist, Bishop, Benn
The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James reports that Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist expects to bounce back following a disappointing 2015-16 campaign. Nyquist failed to reach the 20 goal mark for the first time since becoming a Wings regular. After being counted on to step up as one of the core players, Nyquist’s production slipped with 43 points (17-26) and just one goal in five playoff games. Though St. James believes Nyquist could recover with a new assistant coach in John Torchetti, she also writes that the 26-year-old Swede could be packaged in a deal to acquire a defenseman. With the Red Wings logjam at forward and Nyquist’s disappointing return last season, it’s a realistic scenario with forward Tomas Tatar due a hefty raise following the 2015-16 season.
In other NHL news:
- The Hockey News’ Jared Clinton indicates that Ben Bishop believes he’ll be ready for the World Cup of Hockey. Clinton recaps the injury that torpedoed the Lightning’s attempt at a second straight Stanley Cup Final appearance, but writes that Bishop does feel better and plans on taking his recovery slow. Even if he does recover in time, Clinton reports that Bishop could easily be the third option behind Jonathan Quick and Cory Schneider. Entering his final season in Tampa, Bishop could be shuttled to another team or kept as an insurance option during the post-season. Arguably a pre-season favorite to win the Stanley Cup, Bishop could once again backstop a deep run in the playofs should he remain healthy.
- Clinton also reports that Dallas Stars’ forward Jamie Benn should also be ready for the World Cup of Hockey after undergoing surgery for a core muscle injury. While Benn believes he will suit up for the Canadian squad, Clinton writes that the Stars will have final say, especially after they inked their captain to an eight-year, $76MM extension.
Snapshots: Kane, Bartkowski, Jets
Sabres forward Evander Kane pled not guilty at his arraignment in Buffalo court today stemming from charges last month, reports Aaron Besecker of the Buffalo News. Kane faces a charge of misdemeanor criminal trespass, non-criminal disorderly conduct, plus four counts of non-criminal harassment. WBEN’s Brian Mazurowski adds that the maximum sentence for Kane would be 90 days but that District Attorney Michael Flaherty noted that first time offenders rarely receive prison sentences.
Other news and notes from around the league:
- Free agent defenseman Matt Bartkowski has received a few offers so far but has yet to land with a new team, writes Jeff Paterson of the Vancouver Province. Bartkowski’s agent, Stephen Reich, suggests that a deal isn’t likely to come until later in the offseason but is optimistic that he will be able to land a one way contract. Bartkowski earned $1.75MM with Vancouver last season and got into 80 games with the Canucks, collecting six goals and 12 assists while averaging 18:37 of ice time per night.
- Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun takes a closer look at Winnipeg’s defense depth and notes that there could be a bit of a logjam, particularly when RFA Jacob Trouba inks his new deal. He speculates that 2013 first round pick Josh Morrissey could be ready for full-time NHL duty but the Jets may deem it would be better for him to play a #1 role in the AHL over a depth role with the big club. Wiebe also suggests that Paul Postma could be a candidate to be dealt between now and the start of next season.
Snapshots: St. Louis, Barrie, Marner
Sixteen years ago today was one to remember for the Tampa Bay Lightning, as on July 31st, 2000 they signed Martin St. Louis after he’d been released by the Calgary Flames. One of the biggest little-men in NHL history, the 5’8″ St. Louis would go on to score 953 points for the Lightning, and helped lead them to their first and only Stanley Cup championship in 2004. Their all-time leading scorer, and a two-time Olympian, St. Louis finished his career with the New York Rangers and is currently #71 on the all-time points list. He’s got a good case for a hall-of-fame induction eventually, and it’s all because Tampa Bay gave the diminutive forward a second-chance in the NHL.
- The only player to have reached salary arbitration this year, Tyson Barrie had his hearing on Friday to determine his cost for the upcoming season. The arbitrator had 48 hours to make her decision, and that window will come to an end at 1:30pm today central time. We profiled Barrie’s case last week, and showed how well he compares to some of the elite offensive defensemen in the league. Now, with only a few hours left (as of this writing) to negotiate a deal, it’s coming down to the wire for the two sides to reconcile their perceived differences.
- Mitch Marner, the sometimes-forgotten uber-prospect in the Maple Leafs system is in an interesting situation this season; the 19-year old is too young for the AHL, and must either crack the NHL roster or go back to junior to play for the OHL’s London Knights. When asked about his possible play at this year’s World Junior Championship, Marner intimated that he’s doing everything he can to stay in the NHL. “It’s not up to me. If I am in the OHL, then I am going to play and look forward to it.” Fellow top-prospect Dylan Strome was much less reserved about his hopes for next year when he was asked the same thing by Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun: “I feel like I’m done with junior, and don’t want to be there next year, but if Arizona thinks it’s best for me, I don’t have a choice.” Strome and Marner were picked third and fourth overall in the 2015 draft, following Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, who have both already made an impact at the NHL level.
Snapshots: Hossa, Barrie, Vesey
The Athletic’s Scott Powers writes that Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa is just fine with whatever comes his way during the 2016-17 season. The 37-year-old winger has slowed a bit since joining the Hawks in 2009-10 and had his lowest point total since the 1998-99 season. Powers reports that Hossa is cognizant of where he is in his career, and that the extra rest following a first round playoff loss to the Blues has recharged Hossa mentally and physically.
Hossa is comfortable with a more defensive-minded role, Powers adds. The gifted two-way forward’s impact on possession should remain stable even while his numbers decline. Underrated throughout the seven seasons of his Blackhawk career is the impact he has on the ice disrupting plays defensively, and then setting up scoring chances at the other end–oftentimes in the same shift.
Though he climbs in age, Hossa’s value to the Hawks is anything but diminished. If the Hawks are fortunate enough to land Jimmy Vesey, the offense that Vesey could generate would more than compensate for Hossa’s drop off. If anything, a full-out defensive minded Hossa would only ratchet up the Stanley Cup expectations in Chicago.
In other NHL news:
- Adrian Dater argues that the purported angst between Tyson Barrie and the Colorado Avalanche isn’t as bad as many think. He also shoots down the rumor that the Avs will deal the young d-man. Dater indicates that the Avs still own Barrie’s rights for another three seasons and wouldn’t dream of dealing him unless the trade package was significant. Dater writes that the Avs are in the “driver’s seat” when it comes to Barrie and that both sides see this negotiation as business, not personal.
- Dater also weighs in on the Vesey-to-Blackhawks speculation and claims that the Hawks would likely use Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane as recruiting tools to bring the young forward into the fold. With every organization being bound to the same financial constraints, Dater writes that the Hawks are head and shoulders above other teams because of their prestige and standing in the league. Vesey would also be an affordable top six forward for the Hawks. In true Dater fashion, he concludes by saying “he’s been wrong before.” Regardless, Dater joins the cacophony of voices reporting the Hawks’ high chance of landing the coveted winger.
Snapshots: NHLPA, Boston’s Prospects, Murphy
Ian McLaren writes that the NHLPA has hired Bruce Meyer as the senior director of collective bargaining, policy, and legal. NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr commented that the hiring brings someone in who has over three decades of legal experience. The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on September 15, 2022. However, the league or the player’s union can opt out of the current early, just at different dates. As long as it is delivered in writing, the NHL can opt out on September 1, 2019. The NHLPA can opt out on September 15, 2019.
The addition of Meyer brings more talent into the NHLPA’s fold as many analysts felt the NHL “won” the last round of labor war. There have been work stoppages in each of the last three negotiations which included an entire season wiped out in 2004-05. Both the 1994-95 and 2012-13 were shortened as a result of the league and player’s union’s negotiations.
In other NHL news:
- Joe Haggerty writes that prospects Ryan Donato and Ryan Fitzgerald are on their way in terms of development. Both are currently playing college hockey, Donato with Harvard and Fitzgerald with Boston College. While Donato is entering his sophomore season that is full of promise, Fitzgerald is gearing up for what will be his final season playing college hockey. Haggerty reports that Fitzgerald, coming off a 47 point (27-20) campaign in 2015-16, seems to be saying the right things in terms of joining the Bruins upon graduation. However, as Haggerty points out, anything is possible should Fitzgerald have a dominant senior season.
- Sarah McLellan reports that with the signings of Connor Murphy and Michael Stone, the defensive corps are all but solidified. Though McLellan points out more moves could happen, she writes that the Coyotes are happy with the long term deal with Murphy, who appeared to take the next step in his development last season. Stone, who suffered a season ending knee injury, expressed his desire to put in the work to earn a long term deal down the road.