Snapshots: Ducks, Deadline, Hughes
The Anaheim Ducks seem like they should be obvious sellers at the upcoming trade deadline, given their place at the bottom of the West Division standings. The team is 9-17-6 and has allowed the third-most goals against in the entire league. Their -39 goal differential through 32 games tracks ahead of only the Buffalo Sabres (-40) and the Ottawa Senators (-43), two teams that have no hope of contending for a playoff spot this season. Despite all that, Ducks GM Bob Murray explains to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that things are still extremely quiet, implying that the deadline might not be very busy for Anaheim.
As LeBrun writes, the Ducks do not hold many pure rental players–that is those who will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. Instead, most of their biggest trade chips have some term left, meaning they could be dealt in the offseason instead when the market is a bit more flexible. Once again, LeBrun suggests Rickard Rakell as the best “hockey deal” the Ducks could make, with Murray agreeing that the veteran winger would be more appealing to contenders now than in the summer, giving them two playoff runs.
- It’s not just in Anaheim that things are quiet. As Dan Rosen of NHL.com writes, many teams around the league still haven’t determined the best way to attack a deadline that is clouded by the shadow of quarantine protocols and a flat salary cap. Rosen writes that the cost for the top rentals—of which he suggests Taylor Hall, Eric Staal, Kyle Palmieri and even Ryan Getzlaf are among—is expected to be high. Names like Mattias Ekholm and Filip Forsberg with term attached will cost even more. This seems to go against the prevailing thought process that supply may be higher than demand at this year’s deadline given how few teams can take on cap or salary. Perhaps even then the allure of a Stanley Cup run will drive prices up, allowing the bottom teams to cash in on a few assets with their feet already out of the door.
- Terrible news for top 2021 draft pick Luke Hughes, whose season is over after suffering a lower-body injury last week according to Corey Pronman of The Athletic. That means the star defenseman will miss the All-American Prospects Game and U18 World Championships in April, both events that are expected to have huge ramifications on draft boards this summer. Pronman does write that Hughes is expected to be back skating by the summer, which makes him a candidate for the U.S. World Junior camp.
Snapshots: Sorensen, Mrazek, St. Lawrence
The San Jose Sharks might be moving on from forward Marcus Sorensen, especially considering he will be hitting unrestricted free agency at the end of the season. In fact, Sorensen could find himself in the North Division soon as Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported that several Canadian teams have interest in the rental forward.
“Marcus Sorensen in San Jose is more of a traditional rental,” said Johnston during the “Headlines” segment on Hockey Night in Canada. “[Sorensen] only makes $1.5 million, he’s a UFA at the end of the year and I know he’s drawn some interest from the Canadian teams.”
Sorensen’s numbers aren’t overwhelming, however, with just a goal and three points in 17 games, while averaging 11:58 of ATOI. However, the experienced veteran would provide some bottom-six depth at a cheap salary and cost.
- The Carolina Hurricanes saw a familiar face on the ice as injured goaltender Petr Mrazek, who has been out since Jan. 30 after undergoing thumb surgery, practiced with the team on Sunday. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour said that Mrazek’s return will depend on how the netminder feels. “He’s got to feel like he can play and contribute at the level he needs to,” said Brind’Amour (via NHL.com’s Michael Smith). “It’s a good sign we got him back out there. … I think we’re moving in the right direction.” Mrazek’s return would be a big boost to the Hurricanes. In four games this year, he has a 2-1 record and a .955 save percentage.
- A tough day for St. Lawrence University. One day after capturing the ECAC Conference Championship and an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament, College Hockey News reports that the collegiate team has withdrawn its automatic bid to the tourney due to a positive COVID-19 test. In fact, head coach Brent Brekke announced that he was the one who tested positive. “I’m extremely sorry that this group has lost the opportunity to compete in the NCAA Tournament,” Brekke said. “It was my own test that came back positive today. The roller coaster of emotions in the last 24 hours for everyone is unimaginable. Last night we are holding the trophy above our heads and today we are shaking our heads in disbelief that the season is over. This hurts. But the one thing that can’t be taken away from this team — they are champions.”
Snapshots: Pearson, Andersen, Dahlen
To this point, the Vancouver Canucks had approached the future of forward Tanner Pearson with two options. If the two sides could come to terms on an extension, the preference was to retain Pearson beyond this season. If no agreement could be reached before the trade deadline, then the team would instead trade Pearson rather than risk losing him for nothing in free agency. Now, than plan might have been taken away from them. Pearson was injured in the Canucks’ Wednesday night match-up with the Ottawa Senators and was forced to leave the game. The team has since announced that the injury is far worse than merely a one-game absence. Pearson is expected to miss at least four weeks with an undisclosed lower-body injury. With the trade deadline just 24 days away, Pearson will not return to action before the Canucks’ last chance to move him. In a normal year, perhaps a team would be willing to buy low on an injured Pearson at the deadline. However, in this cap-strapped climate, teams aren’t messing around with adding salary and with Pearson not only injured through the deadline but with an uncertain timeline to return altogether, there is very little chance that the Canucks will be able to move him. Perhaps GM Jim Benning and company will be able to leverage the injury into a more affordable extension; Vancouver’s lack of cap space is believed to be the reason why a deal hasn’t already been reached and a cheaper deal would help to make the squeeze work for next season and beyond. Otherwise, its seems the Canucks have missed their chance to get any value out of Pearson before he departs this summer. It’s not and ideal outcome for the team or the player, who would prefer to be competing for a playoff spot if and when he returns to action.
- Another player dealing with injury is Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen. Yet, Andersen continues to suit up for the team. After a two-week hiatus with a lower-body injury, Andersen returned to Leafs earlier this month. However, the injury continues to nag him, he tells TSN’s Kristen Shilton, and it has shown on the ice. Andersen brought a 2-4-0 record, .887 save percentage, and 3.30 GAA in March into Toronto’s Friday night contest with the Calgary Flames, only to allow four goals on 18 shots in yet another loss. Andersen has now allowed 19 goals in his last five games. With their starter faltering, the Leafs will turn to backup Jack Campbell to start their next game, but one game off for Andersen is unlikely to provide any long-term relief. The Maple Leafs, who are serious Stanley Cup contenders this year and face an unusually easy path to the Final without having to go through the Tampa Bay Lightning and/or Boston Bruins in the early rounds this year. If Toronto doesn’t give Andersen another extended break to shake his nagging injury and his play does not improve, they may need to start considering a major change in net before the trade deadline. Andersen’s play this season, injury or not, is also certainly impacting his impending free agency as well.
- San Jose Sharks prospect Jonathan Dahlen has been named the MVP of the Allsvenskan, the team was proud to announce. Although the Allsvenskan is Sweden’s second-tier league, Dahlen’s 25 goals and 71 points in 45 games are still impressive and helped Timra IK to a regular season title (by a wide margin) and a chance at promotion to the SHL. This is Dahlen’s second straight season of 70+ points as the leading scorer for Timra and it seems like he is finally ready to make the transition to the NHL. Dahlen, 23, has played parts of two seasons in the AHL, but always seemed to have one foot out the door given his preference to play in Sweden if he wasn’t in the NHL. Perhaps that has contributed to his NHL rights being traded twice already. However, the Sharks are in no position to turn away affordable forward talent and should be ready to give Dahlen a shot at a roster spot next season, if not sooner once his Allsvenskan season ends.
Snapshots: AHL, PWHPA, Simmonds
The Utica Comets have had their Friday matchup against the Rochester Americans has been postponed due to COVID protocols, with a make-up date not yet announced. The Americans have been dealing with their own COVID outbreak, but this postponement is apparently due to protocols affecting the Comets. Rochester hasn’t played since March 10 and is now postponed until at least March 24, their next scheduled game against Utica.
It’s not just those two teams facing a developing situation either. The Grand Rapids Griffins and Chicago Wolves have also had their matchup for tomorrow postponed, though in the release there is some optimism it can be rescheduled soon. In this unique, irregular schedule, minor league players are certainly not experiencing the same kind of grind a normal AHL season entails.
- The PWHPA has formed a partnership with another NHL team, this time linking up with the St. Louis Blues to play a showcase at the Enterprise Center on April 12. The tour had already partnered with the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs previously and have announced this showcase in St. Louis will be the last one before players go to international camps for the women’s World Championships in May. The event will also include a game at the Centene Community Ice Center on April 11.
- Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed that Wayne Simmonds‘ return from a broken wrist is “imminent” though wouldn’t commit to playing him tomorrow night against the Calgary Flames. Simmonds’ return should have an impact on the trade deadline as the Maple Leafs have been very open about their desire to add a forward down the stretch. When ready, the team will need to activate Simmonds from long-term injured reserve and add his $1.5MM cap hit back to the roster. That move will further complicate an already tight cap situation in Toronto that will make any deadline moves difficult and may force them to send money out at the same time.
Snapshots: Rakell, Karmanos, Prep Hockey Conference
The Anaheim Ducks aren’t opposed to trading star forward Rickard Rakell, but at their current asking price they might not find any takers. The 27-year-old winger, who has another year on his contract at a $3.8MM AAV, is undoubtedly worth a nice return. Rakell has recorded 19 points through 30 games so far this season, scoring at the same 50+ point pace as he has the past two years amidst some difficult seasons for Anaheim, and has also shown the potential for far more production when the Ducks were in better shape. With more talent around him, the slick, two-way forward could be a highly valuable piece for a contender. However, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the current ask by the Ducks is a young, experienced NHL player and a first-round pick. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes that the Calgary Flames inquired on Rakell, but balked at that price. He believes that it may be too rich for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ blood as well. In what is expected to be a buyer’s market, the Ducks may need to lower their ask if they are intent on moving Rakell. However, with another year on his contract and plenty of value left to contribute to Anaheim, the Ducks do not have to make a move if they want to hold out for a more suitable offer.
- The Buffalo Sabres made a major move today, firing head coach Ralph Krueger and beginning the search for a permanent replacement. However, their next personnel addition may be in the front office rather than behind the bench. GM Kevyn Adams told the media today that he is also searching for an Assistant GM. Friedman reports that one name previously linked to the vacancy is former Pittsburgh AGM Jason Karmanos. In fact, the Sabres have received permission from the Penguins to speak to Karmanos, who was fired this off-season with term remaining on his contract. Karmanos, who was once highly touted as a possible future GM himself, has close ties with Adams and is the likely frontrunner to join the front office.
- A number of top developmental programs have decided to finally join together in an official capacity. Friedman notes in his latest “31 Thoughts” that many of the prep schools most familiar to hockey fans have come together and formed the Prep Hockey Conference, which will play in its inaugural season next year. They include Culver Academy (Indiana), Mount St. Charles (Rhode Island), Northwood (New York), Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota), South Kent School (Connecticut), and St. Andrew’s College (Ontario), a group that has contributed to the development of countless NHL stars. The school have long scheduled games against one each other and participated in tournaments together, but now will legitimize their partnership with the formation of the conference. While the geographical differences will force the league to be split into East and West divisions, all the teams will get together at least once during the regular season and will participate in a single-location postseason. The Prep Hockey Conference will immediately rival the New England Prep School Athletic Conference (NEPSAC) and the Minnesota public high school ranks as the top non-junior leagues in all of development hockey.
Snapshots: Jets, Americans, Kallionkieli
The Winnipeg Jets are in action tonight against the Montreal Canadiens after going 7-2-1 in their last 10, climbing all the way to second in the North Division. One might assume that the team is looking to supplement their imposing roster in a trade and do it soon, given the two-week quarantine any newcomer will require if he comes from a U.S.-based team.
Speaking with reporters including Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff explained that he is willing to make another deal to improve the club if the fit is right, regardless of COVID protocols and the wait. Mattias Ekholm has been linked to the Jets in recent days, but Cheveldayoff wouldn’t comment on any specifics.
- The Rochester Americans are still not playing thanks to at least one positive coronavirus test and have announced a new postponement for this week. The team’s Wednesday game against the Syracuse Crunch has been postponed with no current makeup date, while Saturday’s game that was already pushed will now be played on May 3. The Americans players continue to be unavailable for the Buffalo Sabres as they stay in the protocol.
- The Henderson Silver Knights have a new player to use after Marcus Kallionkielli was reassigned from Finland to the AHL today. The 19-year-old was a fifth-round pick in 2019 and spent part of last season with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. In nine games with HIFK’s junior squad in Finland this season, he recorded five points.
Snapshots: Murray, MacEachern, Raffl, Graovac
The Senators were expected to start Matt Murray in goal tonight in their matchup against Toronto. However, the team announced (Twitter link) just before the game began that the netminder suffered an upper-body injury in the pregame warmup and would not dress for the game. It’s the latest negative in what has been a tough first season with Ottawa for the 26-year-old as Murray has a bloated 3.84 GAA along with a .880 SV% in 22 games so far. Joey Daccord got the start as a result with the team recalling Kevin Mandolese from the taxi squad on an emergency basis to dress as the backup.
Elsewhere around the league:
- The Blues announced that they have placed winger Mackenzie MacEachern on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. The 27-year-old was frequently shuffled to the taxi squad early on in the season after he cleared waivers but has been on St. Louis’ roster for nearly a full month now. He has played in 17 games so far this season, picking up a goal and an assist while logging 9:29 per game.
- Flyers winger Michael Raffl could return for tomorrow’s contest against the Rangers, relays Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia (Twitter link). Raffl has missed the last four games due to a swollen right hand and was off to a decent start to his season before the injury with three goals and four assists in 21 games.
- Canucks center Tyler Graovac has been cleared to play after recovering from a concussion, notes Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston. The veteran actually suffered the injury last week in the minors but was quietly recalled anyway from AHL Manitoba to begin quarantine protocols due to some of the injuries they had up front. Vancouver’s farm team is in Utica which means any direct recalls would require a two-week quarantine which is why they placed a couple of players with other Canadian-based teams where that time is cut in half. Graovac was their only available forward to recall which is why he was brought up as soon as he was injured, making for an unusual situation.
Snapshots: Rakell, Schedule, BCHL
The Athletic has updated their Trade Deadline Big Board, adding several Anaheim Ducks players including Rickard Rakell, who is reportedly generating plenty of interest from around the league. The 27-year-old winger would be a good fit for many teams, but Pierre LeBrun pointed out how well he would seem to work as a candidate for the Toronto Maple Leafs (participants in our weekly chats may have heard that idea before).
LeBrun included a potential price tag in his speculative deal, indicating that first-round pick Rodion Amirov wouldn’t be enough to net Rakell on his own. Maple Leafs fans might balk immediately at that given how hyped Amirov has been since the fall entry draft, but Rakell isn’t going to come cheap, wherever he ends up. The winger will have a chance to improve his value further when the Ducks take on the San Jose Sharks later tonight.
- The NHL has announced a few schedule changes, including moving a postponed game between the Vegas Golden Knights and Sharks from February 25 to April 23. Another Vegas game originally penciled in for that date against the Ducks will now be held the following evening, April 24. Schedule changes have come fast and furious this season as the league desperately tries to squeeze in 56 games for all 31 teams.
- The BCHL has approved a shortened 2020-21 season and will start its schedule in the first week of April. The league, which is one of the top options for Canadian prospects that wish to pursue an NCAA opportunity, will operate in a “pod” model where three to four teams will play each other in five different locations across British Columbia. There have been countless players from the BCHL reach the NHL, but the current alumni group includes names like Josh Manson, Duncan Keith, Jamie Benn, Tyler Bozak, and Alexander Kerfoot. Getting back on the ice will only help the next wave of prospects develop their game and expose them to new hockey opportunities.
Snapshots: ESPN, Pettersson, Wu
The NHL has reached a seven-year agreement with ESPN to become one of the league’s media partners next season, according to reporting done by Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. The league has not announced the deal yet and Johnston does not have confirmation on the other media company that will be involved. The deal with ESPN is for one-half of the league’s U.S. media rights, which will include four Stanley Cup Finals between 2022 and 2028 in addition to streaming rights for Disney.
More information about the deal is obviously needed, but this could be a very strong step in the right direction for the league, at least in terms of getting back to full financial health. The flat cap which has hindered so many teams this season isn’t likely to change right away, but a strong broadcast deal could get the league on track to start increasing the ceiling once again.
- The Vancouver Canucks will be without top forward Elias Pettersson for at least another week, according to head coach Travis Green. The team is actually on a three-game winning streak even despite his absence, but still have a long way to go if they want to climb up the North Division table. Vancouver currently sits just three points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the last playoff spot but has played five more games than them. Pettersson, 22, had 21 points in 26 games this season.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins, in action already today against the New York Rangers, named Katerina Wu to the team’s hockey operations department earlier today. Wu will hold the position of data scientist and be asked to “design and implement new statistics to evaluate player and team performance.” She will report to Penguins’ director of hockey operations Sam Ventura and work closely with Nick Citrone, who was recently promoted to senior data scientist of hockey and business operations.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Vegas, Simmonds, Pettersson
The NHL has released the Three Stars for last week, with Mark Stone leading the way after a few incredible performances. The Vegas Golden Knights captain scored ten points in four games including a five-assist outing against the Minnesota Wild. The two-way forward is off to the best start of his career with 27 points in his first 21 games and has the Golden Knights in first place with a 16-4-1 record.
Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks and Martin Necas of the Carolina Hurricanes take home the second and third stars after outstanding weeks of their own. Demko has really started to lay claim to the Vancouver crease with four strong performances in a row, including a .969 save percentage in his three appearances last week. The Canucks won all three games, not something the team has been able to say often this year. Necas meanwhile has broken out this season for the Hurricanes, recording 18 points in 21 games and looking like a potential top-line player for the team in the coming years. The 22-year-old has been strong at both ends of the rink and is working on a four-game point streak (2 G, 5 A).
- Though Stone won the top honors, he may not play tonight for the Golden Knights. Justin Emerson of the Las Vegas Sun reports that Stone, Alex Pietrangelo, and Brayden McNabb are all game-time decisions for the matchup against the Wild tonight. The Golden Knights have four games between now and Saturday as they squeeze in matchups, including an important back-to-back against the St. Louis Blues.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs presented a nice surprise this morning when Wayne Simmonds took the ice for the first time before practice. The 32-year-old broke his wrist on February 6 and was given a six-week recovery timeline. Toronto’s bottom-six has been playing well of late but there is no doubt they’d love to have Simmonds back in the fold, given how well he had been playing in the early going. The veteran forward had five goals in his first 12 games.
- The Vancouver Canucks will be without Elias Pettersson again tonight as they look for their third consecutive win. After beating the Maple Leafs twice, Vancouver will try to slow down the Montreal Canadiens without their top forward. Pettersson was just starting to find his rhythm when he suffered this latest injury and has 21 points in 26 games this season.