Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Blues Rumors

Saturday Snapshots: Final Saturday Of The Regular Season

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

8:48pm: The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3, clinching a playoff spot for the first time since 2013. Despite losing goaltender Frederik Andersen, the Leafs rallied for three goals in the third to punch their ticket to the playoffs. TSN’s Bob McKenzie sums up the seedings with tomorrow’s results. If Toronto gets one point tomorrow, they will take on Ottawa in the first round while Boston faces off against Washington. Should they lose, they draw Washington and the Bruins get Ottawa.

2:54 pm: Today is the second last day of the regular season, and as such, there’s a lot going on around the National Hockey League. The entire playoff bracket can be finalized this evening, stars will be healthy scratched, and milestones hit.

Playoff Matchups:

  • Two Eastern Conference matchups have already been set: Canadiens vs Rangers and Penguins vs Blue Jackets. Another could be set tonight, if Toronto, Ottawa, and Boston all win. That would mean Capitals vs Maple Leafs. Should the Maple Leafs lose while the other two win, then that would guarantee Senators vs Bruins.
  • Wild vs Blues is clinched by a St. Louis win or a Nashville loss.
  • Oilers vs Sharks would be clinched by:
    • An Oilers extra-time loss vs the Canucks tonight, OR
    • An Oilers regulation loss and a Sharks loss in any fashion.
  • Blackhawks vs Predators happens if:
    • The Predators lose in regulation, OR
    • The Flames win and the Blues get a single point, OR
    • The Flames and Predators both lose in OT.
  • The Flames would take on the Ducks if:
    • The Oilers lose, the Blues get a point, and the Flames win, OR
    • The Oilers lose, and both the Flames and Predators lose in OT, OR
    • The Oilers lose, and the Predators lose in regulation.
  • The Flames would take on the Blackhawks if Calgary loses and the Predators win.
  • The Ducks would take on the Predators if:
    • Both Edmonton and Calgary lose, and the Predators win, OR
    • Nashville gets a point, while Edmonton loses and Calgary loses in regulation.

Other clinching scenarios:

  • The Oilers clinch home-ice with a single point. They visit Vancouver tonight, and host them tomorrow.
  • The Ducks clinch the Pacific Division with an Oilers loss of any kind.
  • To pass Anaheim and win the Pacific, the Oilers would need to sweep the Canucks this weekend and have Anaheim lose to Los Angeles tomorrow.
  • Should the Toronto Maple Leafs win tonight against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto will clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2013. That would eliminate the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning.
  • The Islanders could also be eliminated with a regulation loss or any kind of loss if the Maple Leafs get a single point.
  • UPDATE: Ottawa clinched home ice by defeating the Rangers, 3-1.
    • They defeat the Rangers today, OR
    • Boston and Toronto lose in regulation, OR
    • The Bruins and Senators each get a single point combined with a Maple Leafs OT loss.

Scratches:

Milestones:

  • Oilers captain Connor McDavid could become just the fifth player to score 100 points since 2010. He’s sitting at 97 points in 80 games, the seventh-most points in a season during in that time frame. Only Evgeni Malkin, Daniel Sedin, Crosby, and Patrick Kane have cracked the century-mark this decade. McDavid is nine points ahead of Crosby and Kane for the NHL scoring lead, and looks poised to take home the Art Ross in his first full season at age 20.
  • With one more goal this season, Auston Matthews can become the fifteenth rookie in NHL history to score 40 goals. Currently, he’s tied with Crosby, Steve Yzerman, and Peter and Anton Stastny at 39. Kings’ coach Darryl Sutter, Sylvain Turgeon, and Warren Young all scored 40 goals in their rookie seasons.

NCAA All-American Teams Named

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Prior to the reveal of University of Denver defenseman Will Butcher as the 2017 Hobey Baker Award-winner and ahead of the NCAA championship game tomorrow night, the American Hockey Coaches Association released the rosters of this year’s collegiate All-American Teams. The teams, first and second squads from either side of the country, are listed below with their NCAA teams as well as NHL-drafted or signed organization, if applicable:

East All-Americans

First Team:

RW Zach Aston-Reese, Northeastern (Pittsburgh Penguins)

RW Spencer Foo, Union

C Mike Vecchione, Union (Philadelphia Flyers)

D Adam Fox, Harvard (Calgary Flames)

D Charlie McAvoy, Boston University (Boston Bruins)

G Charles Williams, Canisius

Read more

Evening Snapshots: Sobotka, Roslovic, Karlsson, Team Canada

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • By now you’ve heard that Vladimir Sobotka has joined the St. Louis Blues and signed a three-year extension that kicks in next season. The Czech native will play this season under his arbitration-awarded $2.75MM contract. According to CapFriendly, Sobotka will earn $45K for playing in the Blues’ final two games this season. Not bad for a weekend of work.
  • Winnipeg Jets forward prospect Jack Roslovic makes his NHL debut tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Making the debut extra special is that Roslovic is from Columbus, and, as Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch points out, becomes the first Columbus-born NHL player. Roslovic has toiled in the minors all year, posting 13G and 32A in 61 games for the AHL Manitoba Moose. The 2015 25th overall draft pick spent last season at Miami University (OH) where he put up 10G and16A in 36 games.
  • According to the Boston Globe’s Fluto Shinzawa, Boston Bruins prospect Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson has finally secured his work visa and can join the team professionally. The Bruins signed Karlsson to a three-year ELC a few days ago, but the Swede has been unable to play in a game due to a work visa delay. He has, however, practiced with the team since leaving Boston University. He was successful at BU, posting 14G and 19A in 39 games this season.
  • TSN’s Darren Dreger tweeted that Winnipeg Jets’ Mark Scheifele and Colorado Avalanche’s Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon have agreed to play for Team Canada at the 2017 World Championships this spring. As is tradition, players on teams out of the playoff picture will begin to join their respective countries in the World Championships. Teams usually struggle to attract all the big-name players available, however, because some players would rather recuperate than continue to play more hockey.

Vladimir Sobotka Arrives In US, Signs Three-Year Extension

at CDT | by 2 Comments

After days of rumors that Vladimir Sobotka was working on a multi-year deal with the St. Louis Blues, the team has announced that he has signed his previously awarded arbitration contract, and agreed to a three-year extension worth $10.5MM ($3.5MM AAV) that will kick in next season. Sobotka will meet the team in Carolina for their Saturday night matchup against the Hurricanes, and is eligible for the playoffs. He will burn through a prorated version of his current $2.725MM deal this year, earning around $45K in the last four days of the season.

Sobotka has remained a thorn in the side of Doug Armstrong ever since. At times teasing that he would return, media and fans have discussed a reunion between the two sides for years now without one ever happening. Now, with just three games left in the St. Louis season, Sobotka will return to the NHL and look to make an impact right away. Vladimir Sobotka

The 29-year old center scored 30 points for Omsk this season in the KHL, and continued to show why fans hoped he would return. Despite never being the biggest player on the ice, Sobotka plays a fast, bang-and-crash style that can be effective against any opponent. He’ll never be a first-line player, but can provide a strong amount of depth down the middle and has been one of the best faceoff men in the world for several years.

All of these traits helped Sobotka play on both special teams in the past, and he could help the Blues in those areas once again—though, the team ranks fairly high in both already. With the team deciding to move Ivan Barbashev up to the first line today, Andy Strickland of Fox Sports commented on how head coach Mike Yeo believes Alex Steen is more dangerous from the wing. Adding Sobotka will help keep Steen there, while keeping the third line dangerous. Perhaps he can even get more out of Nail Yakupov, who has just nine points on the season.

At the end of the day for Blues fans, Sobotka’s return is an important one for the playoffs. Whether you think of him as a redundancy on a roster that gave Patrik Berglund a five-year extension just before the trade deadline, or the NHL version of a spurned-lover who can never be forgiven, if the team wants to go far into the playoffs depth is important. At this point, Sobotka represents an upgrade over some of the players who would be forced into the spotlight if a star suffered an injury.

Next year may be a different story, with the Blues committing a lot of money to players who are likely on the wrong side of their performance curve. With Colton Parayko in line for a big raise should they want to lock him up long-term, the team will find themselves pressed pretty tightly up to the cap. Only Scottie Upshall is coming off the books as an unrestricted free agent. In terms of the expansion draft, Sobotka was always eligible, but back on US soil and with a contract extension in tow, he would look much more attractive to the Vegas Golden Knights should he be left unprotected. That poses a bit of an issue, as the Blues have at least eight forwards (and likely a few more) that deserve protection. It will be interesting to see who they decide to expose, and if the Golden Knights go after potential or performance when selecting a Blues player.

Bob McKenzie of TSN was first to report that Sobotka was on US soil and undergoing his physical.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Zaitsev, Sobotka, Meier, Lorito

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

When the NHL announced its intentions to not attend the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympic Games, many Russian stars stood by their previous statements about heading there anyway. CSKA Moscow of the KHL  even came out saying they would try to lure players back to Russia with the promise of the Olympics. Nikita Zaitsev, the Toronto Maple Leafs rookie was one of those players since he will technically still be a restricted free agent come the summer.

Zaitsev though is in the process of finalizing a huge extension with the Leafs, and told Chris Johnston of Sportsnet today that the Olympic decision won’t change his plans for staying in North America. “I think everybody wants to play for their national team, especially in the Olympics, but it’s not the right time to think about it right now,” he told Johnston. The 25-year old defender has represented his country at several international tournaments in the past, though never an Olympic Games.

  • Both Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post Dispatch and Andy Strickland of Fox Sports believe that a Vladimir Sobotka decision will be announced soon, after the news broke that he was discussing a multi-year contract extension with the team. Sobotka isn’t a superstar and never will be, but could give the Blues even more depth down the middle for a long playoff run. If he returns to the team this year, he’ll be honoring the one-year $2.725MM deal that was awarded by an arbitrator before heading to the KHL three years ago.
  • Timo Meier won’t unpack his bags just yet, as Kevin Kurz of NBC reports he has been recalled by the team once again. Meier went down to the Barracuda yesterday to play in an AHL contest that he dominated, scoring two goals and flying all over the ice. He hasn’t been able to find that same finishing ability in the NHL, but remains one of the top prospects in the league because of his tremendous potential.
  • Andreas Athanasiou may miss Saturday’s game for the Detroit Red Wings with an upper-body injury and, according to Ansar Khan of MLive, if he does the team will call up Matt Lorito from the AHL. Lorito has 54 points in 59 games this season but has still yet to crack an NHL lineup. The 26-year old has come a long way since playing in the OJHL as a youngster, unable to crack an OHL squad. Four years at Brown University and a grind in the AHL may culminate in an NHL debut on Hockey Night In Canada against the Montreal Canadiens.

Friedman’s Latest: Sobotka, Salary Cap, Tkachyov, Zaitsev

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After terminating his KHL contract yesterday, center Vladimir Sobotka and the Blues are making progress on a multi-year deal that could see him rejoin the team shortly, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

The 29 year old owes the Blues one year at $2.725MM on a contract that was awarded by an arbitrator prior to the 2014-15 season.  Rather than signing it, Sobotka opted to go play with Avangard Omsk back in Russia for the past three seasons.

If he were to return this season, he could fulfill the previous contract but he would be eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer.  While St. Louis could certainly use the upgrade, that wouldn’t be the most ideal way to bring him back.  If they can come to terms on an extension, it would be a strong compromise for both sides, allowing the team to potentially get Sobotka back for the playoffs while giving him a multi-year deal at presumably a higher AAV.

As always, Friedman’s full 30 Thoughts column is worth a full read but here are a handful of the other highlights:

  • The arrival of the Golden Knights next season may have an impact on the salary cap, particularly the NHLPA’s decision to use their annual escalator at a rate of up to 5%. It has been used each year since being instituted but it has resulted in escrow increasing quickly as well, something that the players aren’t happy with.  With Vegas having some money to spend as an expansion team, the players could opt to decide that their entrance is enough of a boost to the market this summer and instead decline to artificially raise the salary cap ceiling with the escalator.
  • The NHL’s announcement that they will not stop the season to allow the players to participate in the Olympics could have an effect on the international free agent market. In particular, Friedman cites Russian forward Vladimir Tkachyov, who has received interest from the Devils, Maple Leafs, and Oilers, as someone who may now be less likely to make the jump across the pond in time for 2017-18.
  • While the rumored extension between Toronto and defenseman Nikita Zaitsev that leaked last week has yet to become official, Friedman notes that there’s no expectation that the deal will fall apart. The seven year term caught many by surprise but the team was okay going with that long of a deal in order to keep the AAV of the contract down.  Morgan Rielly, their top blueliner, has a cap hit of $5MM so it’s understandable that Toronto would want to keep Zaitsev at a lower price tag.

Vladimir Sobotka Terminates KHL Contract

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After months of speculation, Vladimir Sobotka has agreed to a mutual termination of his contract with Omsk Avangard of the KHL ahead of the April 30th expiry date. He is now free to return to North America if he wishes to sign with the St. Louis Blues, and would be eligible for the playoffs this season. This is still not a likely scenario, as even playing a single game would burn the year he owes the Blues—Sobotka signed a one-year deal in July of 2014, before bolting for the KHL. Vladimir Sobotka

The 29-year old center showed off in the KHL playoffs this year, scoring 10 points in 12 games while continuing to play a physical style. Even though he only scored 30 points during the regular season, he still could likely play an effective role on a Blues team that has turned around their season since firing Ken Hitchcock partway through. Now firmly in the playoff picture, the Blues are just playing to determine who they’ll face in the first round with the most likely scenario being the Minnesota Wild.

Sobotka was traded to the Blues back in 2010 from the Boston Bruins, and played four years for the team before his KHL departure in 2014. Now that there is a chance he may return to the NHL, he’ll have to play at least one season for the Blues before becoming a restricted free agent. The length of that season is up to the two sides, as whenever he returns he will be reinstated off the suspended list and resume the $2.725MM deal he agreed to. He is also eligible for the expansion draft, regardless of whether he burns that year now or later.

Terminating his contract early does add some smoke to the fire of his early return, but Blues’ GM Doug Armstrong has made it very clear in the past that he wouldn’t talk about Sobotka until he was back on North American soil. Losing the asset after just a few games would be unfortunate, but with the Blues looking again like they could make some noise in the playoffs, perhaps his addition could put them over the top.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Jordan Kyrou To Join Chicago Wolves For Remainder Of Season

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After the Sarnia Sting were eliminated from the OHL playoffs at the hands of the Erie Otters, Jordan Kyrou has been assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. The St. Louis Blues prospect will get a taste of professional hockey before competing for an NHL job in the fall.

Kyrou, 18, was selected by the Blues in the second round (35th overall) of the 2016 draft and exploded this season for the Sting. In 66 games he scored 30 goals and 94 points, almost twice as many as his previous career high and sixth most in the entire OHL. If the league knew this next level was coming for Kyrou, they may have selected him even higher as he looks like a blue-chip prospect after this season.

Because he won’t turn 19 until May 5th, Kyrou will be in the position next season of making the NHL or going back to the OHL. He’ll have a tough time making the Blues out of camp, meaning another season of OHL action and a chance to lead the league in scoring is likely next for Kyrou. Drafted as a responsible two-way player, he’s showing that there might be top-level offensive potential in him as he relies on his elite skating ability to create room for himself.

He’ll also be an option for Canada at the World Juniors after not being invited to training camp for the tournament this season. He’s also Sarnia’s candidate for the Red Tilson award, given out to the OHL’s most outstanding player, though he will likely lose out to Erie’s Alex DeBrincat.

Blues Recall Kenny Agostino

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Fresh off securing a playoff berth last night, the St. Louis Blues have added even more firepower to their red-hot team in the AHL’s leading scorer. The team announced today that they have recalled forward Kenny Agostino from the Chicago Wolves on an emergency basis and he is expected to be in the lineup tomorrow against the Central Division rival Nashville Predators.

There is no word yet on what warranted Agostino’s emergency recall or if he is replacing a major contributor in the lineup, but coach Mike Yeo and the Blues could do much worse than giving the 24-year-old left winger a shot down the stretch. Agostino already has a goal and two assists in seven games with St. Louis this season and has been on a tear in the minors, recording 79 points in 63 games, including nearly an assist per game. Agostino is in his first season with the Blues organization after signing as a free agent this summer – a move that is paying off in spades so far for GM Doug Armstrong and company. Just three years removed from a prolific career at Yale University, Agostino, then a Penguins prospect, was dealt to the Calgary Flames in the Jarome Iginla trade in 2013 while still in college, but has seen a major uptick in offense in 2016-17 relative to his first to pro seasons with the Flames organization.

The Blues are 7-1-2 in their last ten games and are rolling toward the postseason. A win tomorrow against Nashville would go a long way in locking down that second spot in the Central Division and a first-round date with the Minnesota Wild. Should Agostino play, he should be able to jump in and contribute right away in the crucial game and may even earn a spot on the postseason roster with his play over the next week. If not, the AHL Wolves have already clinched a playoff spot as well, so Agostino is postseason bound, one way or another.

Minor Transactions: 4/1/2017

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

There may be just a little more than a week remaining in the NHL regular season, but teams are still making roster moves. We’ll track all of the days minor league call-ups and reassignments in this post.

  • Philadelphia Flyers GM Ron Hextall announced this morning that the team has recalled forward Colin McDonald from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. McDonald, 32, has yet to appear in the NHL this season but has 145 NHL games on his resume, a vast majority coming as a member of the New York Islanders. He is expected to be in the team’s lineup tonight as the Flyers are set to host their Metro Division rivals, the New Jersey Devils. McDonald, the Phantoms captain, has tallied 23 goals with 18 assists in 67 AHL games and has helped the team to the third best record in the league. The recall of McDonald seems strange on the surface, as Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post notes via Twitter. The team has plenty of healthy options and a lengthy stay in Philadelphia may have a negative impact on the Phantoms AHL playoff chances. Perhaps it’s a reward for the veteran pro, who has had a strong season, giving him a chance to earn a larger paycheck while in the NHL, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him returned to Lehigh Valley after tonight’s game.
  • Joel Vermin continues to rack up the frequent flyer miles as the 25-year-old native of Switzerland was again reassigned to Syracuse of the AHL, according to Lightning GM Steve Yzerman. Vermin has been called up seven different times this season, only to be reassigned each time. In 16 games for Tampa Bay, Vermin has tallied three assists in 10:00 of ice time per night. Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times suggests the reassignment bodes well for Nikita Kucherov, who missed the Lightning’s victory over Detroit Thursday night due to an illness, but would appear set to return to the ice tonight.
  • The St. Louis Blues announced via Twitter that they have recalled defenseman Petteri Lindbohm from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL on an emergency basis. Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch adds that fellow blue liner Robert Bortuzzo was hurt in last night’s 2 – 1 shootout loss to Colorado and may not be able to play tomorrow. Additionally, Carl Gunnarsson is still out, thus necessitating the call up of Lindbohm. In five earlier appearances this season with the Blues, Lindbohm is pointless with four penalty minutes while averaging under 13 minutes of ice time a night.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top