Snapshots: Expansion, Ingram, Schenn
The Vegas Golden Knights will not be taking part in the upcoming Seattle expansion payout that the other 30 teams will receive, and because of this will not be required to give up a player in the expansion draft. That has raised plenty of questions over whether the Golden Knights will be involved in other ways, perhaps even as some sort of extra protection list for teams to use just through the draft process by trading players there, only to get them back later. That kind of circumvention isn’t going to happen under the watchful eye of Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, as he told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) that you won’t be able to “park” a player on Vegas during the process.
LeBrun pressed on just how the league might avoid such scenarios without clearly laying out rules, but Daly channeled his inner Justice Stewart by telling the insider “I’ll know it when I see it.”
- Tampa Bay Lightning goaltending prospect Connor Ingram has been demoted to the ECHL despite apparently being healthy enough to continue playing. Ingram hasn’t suited up for the Syracuse Crunch since February 26th, but still leads the entire AHL in save percentage and shutouts, while carrying the second best goals against average in the league. Joe Smith of The Athletic tweets a response from Lightning GM Julian BriseBois who called it an “internal matter,” while Mark Divver of the Providence Journal notes that he had heard Ingram was available at the deadline for a draft pick. The 21-year old goaltender was selected 88th overall in 2016.
- Brayden Schenn has been activated from injured reserve by the St. Louis Blues, giving the team another weapon for their game tonight with the Anaheim Ducks. The Blues are currently in third place in the Central Division but with several teams hot on their heels they can’t afford to drop many more games down the stretch. Schenn has 39 points in 55 games this season but is in danger of failing to reach the 20-goal mark for the first time since 2014-15.
Steve Yzerman Still Working Closely With Tampa Bay Lightning
When Steve Yzerman shocked the hockey world last fall by announcing that he was stepping down as Tampa Bay Lightning GM, many believed it was to take some time with family before his next opportunity—perhaps even one with the Detroit Red Wings. Julian BriseBois took over the Lightning front office and Yzerman was officially moved to a “senior advisor” role, but it wasn’t clear what kind of impact he would have on the Lightning through the rest of his contract, which ends after this season. BriseBois cleared that up this week when speaking with NHL.com’s Nick Cotsonika at the GM Meetings in Boca Raton, Forida:
He’s missed maybe a handful of home games. He’s been at pretty much every home game. Usually when we’re home for a home stand, he comes in from Detroit. He’s been at some of our road games. I went and scouted with him to a number of (American Hockey League) weekends, junior games. So, he’s been very involved.
BriseBois goes on to say that he speaks to Yzerman daily and that the Hall of Fame player was involved heavily in the Lightning’s plans for the recent trade deadline. Some of that involvement may come as a surprise to those who are convinced Yzerman is heading back to the Red Wings after his contract is up, given that the two teams currently reside in the same division. The Tampa Bay GM wasn’t biting when asked about his advisor’s plans, and actually explained that if Yzerman wants to stay with the Lightning he will welcome him back with open arms.
The Lightning have been built into a powerhouse under Yzerman and BriseBois, including three trips to the Eastern Conference Finals and one Stanley Cup Finals appearance. The team has an incredible 51-12-4 record this season and are 17 points ahead of the next best team in the NHL. A Presidents Trophy is nearly a guarantee at this point, and anything short of a Stanley Cup would seem disappointing. With all of that success there is surely reason for Yzerman stay involved with the team going forward, though no decision is clear at this point.
Detroit on the other hand are in the midst of a rebuild, and still have GM Ken Holland under contract through the 2019-20 season. It would be closer for Yzerman, who resides in the area, but there is no guarantee he will be handed the keys this offseason. For now, he’ll keep working with the Lightning and try to help the team capture their second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Jimmy Huntington
Now that the calendar has turned over to March, we’ll see plenty of teams reaching out to junior and college free agents with contract offers. Entry-level contracts can now be signed that start next season. That’s exactly what happened with undrafted free agent Jimmy Huntington, who the Tampa Bay Lightning have signed to a three-year entry-level deal. Huntington is an overager playing for the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL, on a line with potential 2020 first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere.
Huntington, 20, isn’t the same type of offensive powerhouse that Lafreniere is, but has still had an excellent season for Rimouski. He ranks second on the team with 83 points through 60 games and actually leads the team in goals with 38. The 6’1″ center is extremely hard working and will routinely drive the net both with and without the puck, using strong body positioning to create chances.
While his offensive ceiling may not be extremely high, the Lightning have had success in the past with undrafted forwards out of the QMJHL. Yanni Gourde and Danick Martel immediately come to mind as examples of overlooked talents that have found their way to the NHL in Tampa Bay. Joining an organization with that kind of history is obviously attractive, even if there is no guarantee he’ll be able to make that kind of impact at the professional level.
Trade Deadline Notes: Lightning, Ristolainen, Stone, Simmonds, Valimaki
The Tampa Bay Lightning are sitting pretty at the top of the NHL with 98 points, 15 points ahead of any other team in the NHL. There seems to be little need for the Lightning to be involved with any trades with the way they are playing. In fact, Joe Smith of The Athletic reports that head coach Jon Cooper said he isn’t going to lose any sleep if the team doesn’t make a trade.
“It’s not make a trade to make a trade,” Cooper said. “We like our group… Whatever happens, it’ll be good for us. And that could be nothing”
Regardless, Fox Sports’ Andy Strickland contends that a rumor that the Lightning have been talking to the Buffalo Sabres about acquiring defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen won’t go away. Ristolainen, who had been considered the franchise’s No. 1 defenseman until this year when they drafted Rasmus Dahlin, could be a valuable trade chip and might be sought after, especially considering that Tampa Bay have three defensemen who will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Ristolainen has three more years at $5.4MM and could be a good fit in Tampa Bay.
- With Ottawa already having moved on from Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel, who were both separately traded to Columbus in the last two days, many eyes have focused on the third member of Ottawa who is expected to be traded in Ryan Stone. The market for the 26-year-old is starting to heat up and the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes that as many as eight teams are considered to be serious suitors for Stone’s services. Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg reports that the price for Stone is still considered “ridiculously high.”
- Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that a Philadelphia Flyers’ source reports that Wayne Simmonds has probably played his last game in Philadelphia. “Likely but not 100% decided yet.” Simmonds is one of the most targeted players in the league at the deadline behind Stone as the 6-foot-2 winger could give a playoff team that needed physical player they can play anywhere in their lineup.
- With multiple reports suggesting that teams are asking the Calgary Flames for young defenseman Juuso Valimaki, Sportsnet’s Dean Molberg reports that fans don’t need to worry. He reports that Valimaki is as close to untouchable as any player on the team. The 20-year-old has played sparingly for the team this year, making him an interesting trade chip, but the 2017 first-rounder is considered to be a big part of the team’s future. He’s played in 22 games this season for Calgary, posting two points.
Trade Rumors: Hart, Elliott, Tolvanen, Rangers, Senators
Some bad news on one player could turn out to be a blessing in disguise in regards to another. The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that rookie sensation Carter Hart will be out at least ten days with a lower-body injury. Hart has been playing phenomenally this season and his absence could end what little hope the Flyers had of reaching the postseason this year. However, it will force the team to start Brian Elliott tonight in their Stadium Series game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philly’s final game before the deadline. Recent acquisition Cam Talbot is still new to the team and unable to jump in net just yet. However, Talbot’s presence makes Elliott expendable and the Flyers are known to be shopping him. The team tried to move Elliott to the Edmonton Oilers as part of the Talbot return, but ended up trading away the younger Anthony Stolarz. However, with playoff-bound teams like the San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights in need of reinforcements in net, Elliott is very much still in play. A strong performance on a grand stage tonight could be enough to convince those kicking the tires to take a shot on Elliott. Moreso, the injury news on Hart could be the final straw for new GM Chuck Fletcher, as he is still allegedly unsure of whether to sell or not at the deadline. With Elliott, Wayne Simmonds, Michael Raffl, and several others drawing interest, Fletcher should be more encouraged to part with those pieces now that his stud goaltender is out for what could be weeks.
- The New York Rangers are one of the most talked-about teams as the deadline approaches, as rentals Kevin Hayes, Mats Zuccarello, and Adam McQuaid and even term players like Chris Kreider and Vladislav Namestnikov are drawing considerable interest. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that the Nashville Predators are one of the teams in talks with the Rangers, but it appears that one of their best assets may be off the table. Brooks reports that the Predators will not trade 2017 first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen for a rental this season. Nashville does not have interest in Hayes, but has looked into Zuccarello, however they won’t offer up Tolvanen to land him. Brooks believes Tolvanen would only be available to the Rangers in a deal for Kreider. The talented Finnish forward has only seen limited NHL action thus far, but is still coveted by sellers – not only the Rangers – for his potential. In this scenario, it’s the sellers who may have to ante up with a signed player to get the prized prospect. As for the Rangers, they may have better luck getting a top return for Zuccarello elsewhere. Brooks states that the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins are among the teams pursuing the veteran winger, while a report yesterday stated some contenders are willing to pay the price to package Zucarello and Hayes together.
- Meanwhile, the price for McQuaid has gone up significantly today following the trade of Ben Lovejoy to the Dallas Stars. McQuaid is arguably the top rental defenseman left on the market, currently ranked No. 21 overall on TSN’s Trade Bait List. With the trade statuses of Alex Edler, Niklas Kronwall, Cody Ceci, and others still unclear, McQuaid looks like the top target for defense-needy teams versus the likes of Michael Del Zotto and Bogdan Kiselevich. McQuaid is by no means a star or season-changing acquisition, but he is likely the best available defenseman even as just a physical, stay-at-home defender. If the New Jersey Devils can draw a third-round pick and young roster player for Lovejoy, the Rangers are suddenly looking at second-round territory with McQuaid. To protect their top trade assets, New York will not play McQuaid, Zuccarello, or Hayes today, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
- Many have felt that the allure of the free agent market for Matt Duchene and Mark Stone and the caliber of return the Ottawa Senators could get for trading them left Ryan Dzingel as the most likely of the trio to re-sign with the team. That certainly isn’t going to be the case. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that Dzingel recently turned down a five-year extension offer worth more than $20MM, a significant pay raise over his current $1.8MM cap hit. After that, the team made the definitive decision to trade him before the deadline. Garrioch adds that Stone also rejected the Senators’ last offer, and eight-year pact of unknown value, but the team has not yet completely closed the door on a new deal. They continue to take offers on the star winger though, as Garrioch writes that the Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Tampa Bay Lightning are the team’s most involved in Stone talks. He believes the Bruins are also interested in Dzingel. It remains to be seen who ends up with Stone or Dzingel and how the returns compare to that of Duchene, but one way or another the Senators are walking away from the deadline with a complete lack of star power on the roster, but a massive influx of picks and prospects to show for it.
Radko Gudas To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety
Not only is Nikita Kucherov continuing his incredible offensive season, but now he’s drawing suspensions too. Radko Gudas will have a hearing today with the Department of Player Safety after high-sticking Kucherov in last night’s Philadelphia Flyers-Tampa Bay Lightning game. With Kucherov’s back turned and the puck already on its way out of the zone, Gudas brought his stick down hard on top of the Lightning forward’s head. Gudas did receive a minor penalty on the play.
This is not the first time that Gudas has faced supplementary discipline, in fact far from it. The Flyers defenseman has been suspended three times in his career, most recently for a similar play against Winnipeg forward Mathieu Perreault. In that instance, Gudas was given a ten-game suspension for what was admittedly a more violent slash to the head. Still, the fact that he has a long history with the Department of Player Safety will certainly not work in his favor this time around.
Kucherov appeared to not suffer an injury on the play, but the league will be sure to protect their leading scorer and potential Hart Trophy winner. The Lightning forward has 99 points already and snapped a five-game multi-point streak against the Flyers. It’s been an outstanding year for the entire Tampa Bay organization, but Kucherov especially has been at another level than the rest of his NHL competition.
Minor Transactions: 02/13/2019
It’s a quiet lineup for the NHL tonight, with just two games on the docket. Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers visit Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, while the Anaheim Ducks look to snap a seven-game losing streak against the division rival Vancouver Canucks. However, more than just these four teams will be busy. With the NHL Trade Deadline just twelve days away, look for another flurry of activity today:
- Patrick Brown was promoted by the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday and just as soon demoted to the AHL on Tuesday night. The ‘Canes announced after last night’s game that they have reassigned Brown to the Charlotte Checkers. The AHL captain did not suit up for Carolina in their win over the Ottawa Senators and still has not seen any NHL action since 2016-17. Yet, he remains a dependable producer in Charlotte and a capable depth option for the Hurricanes down the stretch.
- Also yesterday, the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda signed veteran forward T.J. Hensick to a contract for the remainder of the season, per a league release. Hensick, 33, had been playing in the ECHL with the Toledo Walleye, affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, and was leading the league with 58 points in 47 games. Hensick now brings that ability and experience back to the AHL as one of the more accomplished active players in the league’s history. It’s unlikely that Hensick – who has over 100 NHL games to his credit as well as a member of the Colorado Avalanche – will end up with a contract from the Sharks, but should be a positive locker room and on-ice presence for the Barracuda the rest of the way.
- The Boston Bruins have opted to fill David Pastrnak‘s roster spot by giving a first-year pro his first NHL call-up. The team announced that Karson Kuhlman has been recalled from the AHL’s Providence Bruins and will join the team on their upcoming five-game west coast road trip. Kuhlman captained the University of Minnesota – Duluth to an NCAA Championship last year, was a standout in the preseason, and has been one of Providence’s most consistent contributors, so it was only a matter of time before the two-way winger earned an NHL recall. As the Bruins continue their pursuit for secondary scoring, Kuhlman is the latest to get a shot at earning a spot in Boston.
- Vinni Lettieri is headed back down to the minors. The New York Rangers announced that their most frequent recall has again been reassigned to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. Lettieri should not be surprised; while he’s been close to a point-per-game scorer for the Wolf Pack, he’s now been held scoreless in 18 games with the Rangers this season.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have flipped their transaction from yesterday, calling up forward Mathieu Joseph – who never really left – and sending defenseman Jan Rutta back to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. Rutta, acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks last month, was brought up to be the extra defenseman with Erik Cernak sidelined, so this move would suggest Cernak is ready to go tomorrow against the Dallas Stars. Meanwhile, Joseph should return to his role as a capable bottom-six contributor.
- The Ottawa Senators have returned veteran grinder Darren Archibald to the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Archibald, acquired from the Vancouver Canucks alongside Anders Nilsson, has been sent back in forth by the Sens several times, but still has one lone appearance with the team back in January.
- CapFriendly reports that the Anaheim Ducks have swapped out a veteran defenseman for a young forward. Max Jones has been recalled by the team, while Korbinian Holzer has been reassigned. Neither player has had much of a role for the Ducks this season; Jones was held scoreless through four games earlier in the year, while Holzer has one point in two games since coming off season-opening injured reserve. However, it’s Jones who has a future in Anaheim and should compete for a starting job next season, so better to see him get some NHL minutes down the stretch. The big winger is a 2016 first-round pick who has 28 points in 40 games for the AHL’s San Diego Gulls in his first pro season.
Deadline Primer: Tampa Bay Lightning
With the trade deadline fast approaching, we continue our look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? We turn our focus to the Eastern Conference with a look at the Tampa Bay Lightning.
While Tampa Bay’s season got off to a surprising start with the resignation of GM Steve Yzerman before training camp, there haven’t been many surprises since then. They went into the season with the expectation of being one of the elite teams and they have done exactly that. Now, new GM Julien BriseBois is tasked with making the final tweak or two to what should be a Stanley Cup-contending roster.
Record
40-11-4, first in the Atlantic Division
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$7.953MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 49/50 contracts per CapFriendly
Upcoming Draft Picks
2019: TB 1st*, TB 3rd, TB 4th, TB 6th, CHI 7th, TB 7th
2020: TB 1st, TB 2nd, TB 3rd, TB 4th, TB 5th, TB 6th, TB 7th
* – If Tampa Bay wins the Stanley Cup this season, the Rangers will receive Tampa Bay’s 2019 first rounder while the Lightning will get back their 2019 second rounder.
Trade Chips
Sellers are going to be coveting some of Tampa Bay’s younger NHL-ready assets. Winger Mathieu Joseph is bound to draw a lot of attention as a rookie that has a shot at 20 goals this season but it will take a significant player coming the other way for them to part with him. At the AHL level, 2017 top pick Cal Foote is having a nice rookie year at the professional level and will also draw a lot of interest. However, given the state of their back end, it’s plausible that Foote will be counted on to play a regular role next season with the Lightning so it would be tough to see him in play for a rental. Second-year center Mitchell Stephens recently returned from injury and is someone that has bottom-six upside which would make him a little easier to part with. Winger Danick Martel is likely expendable but given how little he has played this year, it’s hard to imagine him having much of a market.
While Tampa Bay isn’t going to be selling, one veteran that many expect to be in play is winger Ryan Callahan. His $5.8MM cap hit is extremely pricey relative to what he brings to the table and with some big ticket deals on the horizon (more on that later), they would love to clear his deal off the books for next season. The question is how much are they willing to pay to make that happen? Do they part with a quality prospect or a high draft pick to serve as a sweetener? Do they retain on the contract which would still be better longer-term than a possible buyout next summer? They have more than enough salary cap space this season to carry Callahan – who has been a healthy scratch as of late – but how motivated will they be to clear his contract for next season?
Five Players To Watch For: F Ryan Callahan, D Dominik Masin, F Danick Martel, C Mitchell Stephens, F Alexander Volkov
Team Needs
1) Top Four Defenseman: Mikhail Sergachev has shown that he isn’t quite ready to play regularly in the top four on the back end while veterans Braydon Coburn and Dan Girardi are better served in limited roles. Adding a second pairing defenseman would allow Tampa to push their bottom guys into the proper roles while giving them some extra insurance should one of their top three blueliners get injured.
2) Free Up 2019-20 Cap Space: Tampa Bay currently has $73.1MM tied up in just 13 players for next season and need to re-sign or replace three defensemen as well as lock up center Brayden Point, one of the top pending restricted free agents around the league. As things stand, there’s no way they’ll be able to do all of that and fill out the rest of their roster without shedding some salary for next season. Finding a way to move Callahan’s contract would certainly help while winger Alex Killorn could also eventually be on the move although given his role, that may be more of an offseason deal. At either rate, financial flexibility moving forward will need to be at the top of their to-do list.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Atlantic Notes: Buffalo Trade Options, Point, Ennis, Jaros
With a desperation for scoring wingers, The Athletic’s Jon Vogl (subscription required) writes that the Buffalo Sabres need to consider moving some of its depth on defense if it wants to add some secondary scoring to its ranks. The team is in desperate need at the right wing position, both now and in the near future, and there is little help on the way from Rochester. The Americans top two right wingers are Daniel O’Regan, who is expected to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this offseason due to not playing enough games at the NHL level, while the team’s first-line right winger, Wayne Simpson, is on a minor-league deal.
Vogl writes the team is overloaded with defenseman with more help on the way as the team has Brendan Guhle, Brandon Hickey and Will Borgen are performing well in Rochester. With that kind of depth, the team should consider moving a depth defenseman like Nathan Beaulieu, Marco Scandella, Matt Hunwick or even Jake McCabe as trade options to get a winger. He suggests that Dallas, Detroit, New Jersey, St. Louis and Winnipeg as potential trade partners before the deadline.
- Despite missing Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury and being listed day-to-day, Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after the game that Brayden Point was held out as a precaution because it was the second game of a back-to-back set and the team has a day off today, according to NHL.com’s Dan Rosen. Cooper added that he believes Point should be OK and is likely to play against Vegas on Tuesday.
- NHL.com’s Dave McCarthy reports the Toronto Maple Leafs got some good news as forward Tyler Ennis, who has been out of the lineup since Dec. 22 with a broken ankle, skated Saturday and is coming closer to a potential return, although head coach Mike Babcock was quick to point out that there is no timeline for his return. “I don’t know exactly the timeline on that,” Babcock said. “I know he skated real well today in his testing. They always tell you, ‘I’m ready, I’m ready’ but that doesn’t mean they get a get-out-jail free card yet.”
- Ottawa Citizen’s Ken Warren reports the Ottawa Senators offered no new information on the injury suffered by defenseman Christian Jaros when he was tripped into the boards Saturday by Detroit’s Darren Helm. He remains day-to-day. Jaros has been averaging 13:48 of ATOI, but has seen an increase of ice time recently, even getting some top-four minutes.
Atlantic Notes: Larkin, Point, Brassard, Condon
The Detroit Red Wings pulled off a big overtime win over the Toronto Maple Leafs Friday, but suffered an even bigger loss when star center Dylan Larkin had to leave the game in overtime while trying to chase Mitch Marner. He was doubled over and appeared to hurt his rib cage.
Fox Sports John Keating reports that coach Jeff Blashill said that Larkin will miss one to two weeks with a strained oblique muscle, although the team is hoping he will only miss one week. He has already been ruled out for tonight’s game against Ottawa. Andreas Athanasiou is expected to replace Larkin at center on that line.
Larkin has been a key player for the struggling Red Wings. He is having a career-year as he already has 22 goals, just one shy of his career-high and is close to being a point-per game player.
- In a mailbag article, The Athletic’s Joe Smith writes that Tampa Bay Lightning soon-to-be restricted free agent Brayden Point has made it quite clear that he wants to remain in Tampa Bay for a long time and the scribe suggests that the team might be best offering a five-year deal which might be the perfect compromise between a bridge deal and an eight-year pact. Both sides have agreed to put off contract talks until the summer. With 30 points goals and 65 points already in 51 games, the 22-year-old should receive quite a bump in pay when signing his new deal.
- Even though the Pittsburgh Penguins were able to get their new acquisitions Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann into their game Friday by giving them a police escort from the airport to the game, the Florida Panthers didn’t do the same thing. The Panthers, who acquired Derick Brassard, Riley Sheahan, three draft picks and future cap room from Pittsburgh earlier in the day Friday, opted to go without the pair Friday and are expected to have the two in the lineup Saturday against Vegas, according to Sun Sentinel’s Wells Dusenbury “I didn’t find out [about the trade] until about 11 [am],” Boughner said. “We were planning on having a different lineup in there tonight and so we built the lineup with what we had and unfortunately [Brassard and Sheahan] couldn’t get in for the game.”
- The Ottawa Senators continue to be without goaltender Mike Condon, who the team placed on waivers on Oct. 31 who had and still is trying to come back from a hip injury, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. The veteran goaltender cleared waivers, but has appeared in just one game for the Belleville Senators in all that time. Condon has recently started skating and working out in Ottawa, but there remains no timetable for his return. The hope is that he can make a return to the ice for Belleville March. The team acquired goaltender Anders Nilsson to be their backup goaltender on Jan. 2, who has fared well in eight appearances for Ottawa with a .922 save percentage, meaning that Condon will have a tough time getting back into the goaltending rotation, barring injury.