Evening Transactions: Milano, Conacher, Paigin
The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent Sonny Milano back to the Cleveland Monsters after just one game. The top prospect was held scoreless again, and is still looking for his first NHL goal. Scoring 43 points in 59 games in the AHL, Milano has been a huge part of keeping them playoff relevant. After winning the Calder Cup last year, Cleveland is in danger of missing the playoffs completely should they not finish their strong in their last five games. Milano will likely be in the lineup tomorrow against the Milwaukee Admirals.
Here are some more moves around the NHL this evening:
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have called up Cory Conacher and Michael Bournival ahead of their important matchup against the Maple Leafs tomorrow. Both players have spent time in the NHL this season and will be used as insurance should Tyler Johnson or any other Lightning can’t go. As Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reports, there were several players who wouldn’t have played last night under normal circumstances. That 4-0 loss at the hands of the Boston Bruins means that Tampa Bay must beat the Maple Leafs in regulation to have any real chance at making the playoffs.
- The Bakersfield Condors have signed Ziyat Paigin to an amateur tryout. The seventh-round pick of the Oilers played his third season in the KHL this season and has made his way over to the North American system. While he doesn’t have an entry-level contract just yet with Edmonton, this is a strong sign that he wants to transition away from the Russian league. Paigin broke out last year with 27 points in 33 games after being loaned to Sochi, but has had another underwhelming campaign with Ak Bars this year. A huge defenseman who is already 22-years old, Paigin is a very interesting prospect for Oilers fans to keep an eye on.
Snapshots: Jagr, Lightning, Martenet, Sharks
While he has stated that he fully plans to play next season, there have been no discussions between right winger Jaromir Jagr and the Panthers regarding a potential contract extension, reports George Richards of the Miami Herald. Instead, the two sides plan to sit down following the season to see if they can work out a new deal.
The 45 year old Jagr has been on one year contracts for the last six seasons and undoubtedly will be signing another one wherever he winds up landing. In his second season with Florida, his numbers have taken a dip but he sits fourth in team scoring with 16 goals and 27 assists in 79 games. He may have to take a pay cut to remain with the team, however, as the Panthers already have over $61MM in payroll committed for next season. Jagr is carrying a $4MM cap hit this season but has already reached an additional $1.5MM in games played bonuses.
Other notes from around the league:
- After agreeing to terms on an entry-level deal with prospect goalie Connor Ingram earlier today, the Lightning also announced (via Twitter) that they’ve inked forward prospect Dennis Yan to an amateur tryout agreement and assigned him to their AHL affiliate in Syracuse. Joining them is 2015 first rounder Brett Howden who is now eligible to be sent down after his junior team was eliminated from the postseason. The trio represent some reinforcements for a Crunch team who has been hit hard by injuries in Tampa Bay and are in a battle for top spot in the AHL’s North Division heading into the final two weeks of the season.
- Also heading to the pros for the first time is Dallas defensive prospect Chris Martenet. The AHL’s Stars announced that he has been assigned to the team following his junior team, the Ottawa 67’s, was eliminated from the playoffs. The 20 year old tied a career high in points at the OHL level with 16 in 55 games split between London and Ottawa.
- Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer provided a brief injury update on forwards Logan Couture and Joe Thornton, classifying each as day-to-day, notes CSN Bay Area’s Kevin Kurz. He wouldn’t specify when either would be back, only saying that they’re expected back “at some point”. Couture has been out since taking a puck to the mouth on March 25th while Thornton suffered a knee injury on Sunday against the Canucks.
Minor Moves: Ingram, Backman, Khaira
When the Kamloops Blazers were eliminated from the WHL playoffs by the Kelowna Rockets on Sunday, Connor Ingram became a goalie without a net. That limbo won’t last long, as Bob McKenzie reports that Ingram has signed an amateur tryout contract with the Syracuse Crunch—Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate—for the rest of this season, and an entry-level deal with the Lightning starting next season.
Ingram played exceptionally well this season, posting a .922 save percentage in the regular season before increasing that number to .946 for their short playoff run. While he didn’t have the best tournament at the World Juniors, his inclusion on a team that has a long history of elite goaltending goes to show how highly regarded he is in the CHL. Ingram was selected in the third round by Tampa Bay last summer, and has all the makings of an NHL starter one day.
- Sean Shapiro of NHL.com tells us that the Dallas Stars organization expects Mattias Backman to return to Sweden next season. At the AHL trade deadline, the Stars loaned Backman to Hershey for their playoff run but he has only played a handful of games since then. The former fifth-round pick never did make it to the NHL, and will now return home to compete in the SHL next season.
- The Edmonton Oilers have sent Jujhar Khaira back to the AHL, ending what has been a long stretch of NHL time without much NHL action. Playing in just 10 games this season, the young Khaira has registered just a single goal. With Bakersfield in a battle for the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division, Khaira will provide some depth up the middle. The 22-year old was drafted in the third round in 2012, and has struggled to make an impact at the NHL level.
Morning Notes: Panarin, Dowling, Bindulis
Last year Artemi Panarin exploded onto the scene in the NHL, scoring 30 goals and 77 points in 80 games, winning the Calder trophy along the way. With that performance, he achieved all his entry-level bonuses (explained here, using Mitch Marner as an example), meaning the Blackhawks carried a cap penalty over this season. As Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune points out, the “Breadman” is close to achieving those bonuses once again.
Panarin will easily secure all of his Schedule A bonuses, and is well positioned to activate his Schedule B bonus as well, worth $1.725MM if he should finish in the top-10 in scoring. With 72 points, Panarin sits tied for tenth in the league with Evgeni Malkin and three games left to play. With games against the Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings left, the sophomore could easily jump a few spots into the top and cause Chicago to suffer another $2MM+ penalty next season.
- Steven Stamkos won’t play again tonight, in what is the definition of a must-win for Tampa Bay. A regulation loss for the Lightning at the hands of the Bruins, combined with a Maple Leafs win would clinch a playoff position for both Toronto and Boston, and leave only Ottawa as an outside target for Tampa Bay. It’s looking more and more like the captain won’t return this season in time to help his club get back into the playoffs.
- The Dallas Stars have brought Justin Dowling back up, after just a night in the AHL. The move must have been just a paper transaction, as the Texas Stars didn’t play last night. They’ll take on the Bakersfield Condors tomorrow night, likely without Dowling in the lineup.
- The Hershey Bears have released Kristofers Bindulis from his amateur tryout, without the NCAA forward actually playing a game for the team. Bindulis was signed to a contract by the Washington Capitals earlier this spring, but will now head to the World Championships for Latvia before starting the first year of his ELC next year.
- The Bears have also signed Beck Malenstyn to an ATO for the remainder of the year. Selected in the fifth round of the 2016 draft, Malenstyn had been playing for the Calgary Hitmen this season. Having just turned 19, he’ll likely head back to the OHL next season and try again to earn an entry-level deal.
Morning Moves: Connor, Roslovic, Holmstrom, Vermin
The Winnipeg Jets have decided to bring up a pair of top prospects, recalling both Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic from the Manitoba Moose. Both first-round picks in 2015, they are the next wave of talented youngsters for Winnipeg to build around. Connor made his NHL debut at the beginning of the season, playing nineteen games with the Jets and registering four points. He has dominated the AHL since his return with 42 points in 45 games.
Roslovic on the other hand has yet to skate in an NHL game, but should be just as touted as a prospect. With 45 points in 61 games in the AHL while playing a more demanding position (center), Roslovic looks like a top-six option for the Jets down the line. The 20-year olds will get another taste down the stretch and both vie for full-time NHL gigs next season.
- The Red Wings have called up Evgeny Svechnikov from the AHL under emergency conditions. The Russian prospect is expected to make his NHL debut tonight, according to Ansar Khan of MLive. Likely the top prospect in the Red Wings system that hadn’t seen NHL ice yet, Svechnikov will be a key part of any rebuild Detroit tries. His offensive upside is tremendous, both on the rush and off the cycle.
- Khan also reports that Axel Holmstrom has joined the Grand Rapids Griffins, now that his Swedish season has ended. The seventh-round pick of the Red Wings in 2014, Holmstrom is a 20-year old forward who has been playing in the Swedish men’s league for several years. A star at the World Juniors in both 2015 and 2016, his international success has shown an ability to skate alongside some of the more skilled players in the world (like William Nylander) and not miss a beat.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have added another transaction to the lengthening list for Joel Vermin. The forward was sent back down to the Syracuse Crunch today after his latest stint in the NHL. Vermin has been the insurance policy for a team ravaged by injuries this season, playing in 17 games spread across many different call-ups.
- Minnesota has decided to send Alex Stalock back down to the AHL, after making two starts in the place of Darcy Kuemper while the team was struggling. Stalock actually performed quite well in both, stopping 51 of a combined 54 shots. It will be interesting to see what the Wild do in the playoffs if Kuemper doesn’t bounce back in his next opportunity to back up Devan Dubnyk.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Sonny Milano from the Cleveland Monsters amid his excellent sophomore season. The 20-year old first-round pick has 43 points in 59 games and has continually shown off his incredible offensive upside. A highlight-reel player, Milano provide some amazing moments but still has work to do to become a top player in the NHL. His all-around game isn’t at a top-line level, but with a few games at the end of the season he may get to see what it takes to become a star in the NHL.
Ken Holland And The Red Wings Rebuild
Two postseasons ago before he left Hockeytown for hockey’s Mecca in Toronto, head coach Mike Babcock made a blunt assessment of the Red Wings’ future following a bitter 2-0 loss in Game 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Babcock said this:
“Our team is not as good as it was. It’s very evident. We battled our butt off just to get in the playoffs. You are what you are. [Tampa Bay] had a young team that have been around long enough to rebuild it. They’ve got young players at key positions. Three of our best players are 34, 35, 37. Any way you look at it, we’re a team that has changed a ton of players and added a lot of youth to our lineup, but nobody on the outside picked us to be a Stanley Cup contender.”
Missing the playoffs for the first time in a quarter century didn’t come as a surprise to many in Detroit. And while Babcock has his Maple Leafs on an accelerated path for what was supposed to be a “painful” rebuild, the Red Wings find themselves older, injured, and looking on the outside of the playoffs for the first time since Steve Yzerman wore the C.
Those in Detroit hoping for a Toronto-like teardown might be disappointed, however, as general manager Ken Holland believes his team needs a few tweaks to compete again. Though this is admirable for a general manager to fight for his team, it doesn’t seem all that reasonable as the Red Wings struggled to score goals, had major players regress, and find themselves financially strapped with several long term, high priced contracts. Curiously, senior vice president Jimmy Devellano was quoted as saying “the rebuild is on” which spoke opposite to what the general manager of the club said.
Holland, who spoke with Toronto’s Fan 590 and also the Hockey News’ Ken Campbell, made it abundantly clear that he is not in it for a tear down. With only a year remaining on his contract, Holland may not view it as viable when success in Detroit is measured with Stanley Cups and playoff appearances. But the fact of the matter is that the Red Wings have been sputtering for some time. Specifically:
- Since the retirement of Nicklas Lidstrom, the Red Wings only advanced once beyond the first round. The surprising run in 2013 that saw them squeak into the playoffs and nearly upend eventual champion Chicago seemed more of a red herring than truth when it came to the ability level of the team.
- Elite free agents have avoided Detroit, and those who have signed were nearing the end of their career, like Daniel Alfredsson or Brad Richards. Others, like Stephen Weiss or the second go around with Mikael Samuelsson were massive miscalculations that did little to help the team and in many ways, hindered the progress of younger players.
- Holland, who was the undisputed king of trades before the salary cap, has appeared gun shy to make moves via trade. Instead, he’s been loyal, re-signing the likes of Justin Abdelkader, Darren Helm, Danny DeKeyser, and Jonathan Ericsson to long, expensive deals while seeing little in the way of return. Holland told Campbell that while he’ll work the phones to try and improve the team, other GMs may not “like our players or contracts.” Ironically, many of those contracts they wouldn’t like were offered to current Red Wings by Holland.
The USA Today’s Kevin Allen offered his own take and believes Detroit must rely on youth, and realize that their brand is “stale.” Allen is a non-partisan national writer without any bias to the Wings. If a pair of eyes outside the organization can see this, Holland may want to consider it.
A rebuild provides a chance to change the image of the Detroit Red Wings, which is now one without stars, on the decline, and appears resistant to change. Reading what Holland says now is nearly identical to what he’s said in the past, when the Red Wings were already showing signs of sinking.
Babcock foretold a fall for the Red Wings. Holland has a chance to change course and put the team back on an upward trajectory. But it goes beyond signing older veterans and current players in moving the Wings beyond a fringe playoff team and back into the status of contenders.
Morning Snapshots: Stamkos, McDonagh, Sherwood, Panarin, Quenneville
News and notes from around the NHL this morning:
- Despite reports that Steven Stamkos may return to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Times writer Joe Smith reports that Stamkos will not play tonight against the Dallas Stars. Stamkos took part in the morning skate but confirmed that he will not lace up the skates this weekend. The Lightning have four games left on the schedule, including one each against the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs—two teams the Lightning are chasing for the East’s final wildcard spot. If Stamkos returns from his knee injury, expect him to play in those high-stakes games.
- The New York Rangers will most likely be without captain Ryan McDonagh for a second straight game. NHL.com’s Dan Rosen reports that McDonagh did not skate with the team this morning ahead of its game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Rangers captain suffered an undisclosed injury this week and missed Friday’s game. Coach Alain Vigneault did not expand on McDonagh’s injury, but assured reporters that it is day-to-day rather than something serious. Leaving McDonagh out may be nothing more than precautionary as the Rangers have all but locked up the first wild card slot in the East.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned forward Kole Sherwood to the AHL Cleveland Monsters this morning. The Blue Jackets signed the undrafted free agent in July 2015, and the Ohio native lit up the OHL with the Flint Firebirds this season. Sherwood scored 33G and 52A in 60 games, and an additional 4G and 1A in 5 playoff games. The Blue Jackets prospect may make his professional debut today against the Iowa Wild.
- According to TheAthletic’s Scott Powers, Chicago Blackhawks forward Artemi Panarin would hit his $1.75MM Schedule B bonus as of today. Panarin can trigger that bonus by finishing in the top-ten forward in scoring this season. If the season ended today, Panarin would sit 11th overall, but because Brent Burns is a defenseman, Panarin remains the tenth highest-scoring forward this season. Panarin may be looking over his shoulder, however, as both Winnipeg Jets’ Blake Wheeler and Dallas Stars’ Tyler Seguin are only one point behind.
- The New Jersey Devils have reassigned forward John Quenneville to the AHL Albany Devils. The Devils rookie has 1G and 3A in 12 NHL games, but 12G and 29A in 53 AHL games this season. With the New Jersey Devils well outside the NHL playoff picture, the organization now focuses on Albany, where the Devils hold a playoff spot by only two points.
Minor Transactions: 4/1/2017
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.
Lightning Injury Notes: Stamkos, Johnson, Kucherov
Injuries are a harsh reality in the NHL and something each team is forced to deal with each season. Tampa Bay, however, has perhaps experienced more than their fair share of health woes this season, losing captain Steven Stamkos and gritty, two-way winger Ryan Callahan for much of the year. In addition, the team has had to manage at times without stalwart defenseman Anton Stralman as well as top-six forwards Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov for short stretches this season because of injuries. All told, the Lightning have used 33 different skaters this season with 30 appearing in at least 10 games.
While the injuries have derailed what many pundits thought would be a Stanley Cup contender, the Lighting have displayed tremendous resiliency and remain within striking distance of a postseason berth. Currently three points behind Boston for the final playoff spot in the east, Tampa Bay’s chances might get a shot in the arm as the team enters the final stretch. As Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times writes, Stamkos is close to returning and may play as early as tonight when the Lightning host the Montreal Canadiens.
Stamkos has been skating with the club for the last while and according to Smith, was one of the last players to leave the ice at the team’s optional skate Thursday. He was expected to be reevaluated yesterday and if all checks out, he could be in the Lightning lineup for the first time in nearly five months for tonight’s contest. Of course with another game slated for Sunday, head coach Jon Cooper would likely have to monitor the captain’s minutes but Stamkos’ return would certainly represent a much-needed boost to Tampa’s playoff chances.
- In the same article, Smith also touches on the status of center Tyler Johnson, who has missed the last 10 games with a lower-body injury. He finally joined Stamkos and the rest of his teammates on the ice for the first time in three weeks on Thursday and while that is a positive development, Smith points out that it’s “hard to tell” whether Johnson will be able to suit up this weekend following just one optional skating session. Johnson has posted 19 goals and 44 points in 64 games and is an important player in the team’s top-six as well as on the power play.
- Perhaps Tampa Bay’s best player, at least with Stamkos sidelined, Nikita Kucherov sat out Tampa Bay’s 5 – 3 win over Detroit Thursday night due to an illness. Smith notes that the bug has made it’s rounds over the last couple of months in Tampa, afflicting Jason Garrison and Victor Hedman as well as Cooper at various points. The hope is that Kucherov will be ready to go tonight. The 23-year-old Russian may well merit MVP consideration with his performance this season. Through 68 appearances, Kucherov has 38 goals and 80 points while averaging a career-high 19:34 of ice time per night. A healthy Kucherov along with the potential returns of Stamkos and Johnson would certainly make the team’s attach much more formidable and presuming the team is able to squeak into the playoffs, the Lightning should be a challenging out in the first round.
Morning Notes: Patrick, Johnson, Parise
Thought the Brandon Wheat Kings came into their WHL playoff series as underdogs, it looked like the series could be a long one because of Nolan Patrick and his recent dominance. Instead Patrick would never appear in the series, held out with a lower-body injury for all four of the Medicine Hat Tigers victories. A 3-2 win last night showed how lopsided the series was without Patrick, as the Tigers out shot Brandon 54-25.
It has been a very disappointing year for Patrick, who missed a large chunk of the season, the World Juniors and now the playoffs. Mike Morreale of NHL.com still thinks he’ll go first overall, and reminds us of some of the other injuries to top players in their draft year or immediately following. Patrick’s only real competition for the #1 spot is Nico Hischier of the Halifax Mooseheads, who was excellent in tying up his QMJHL series at 2-2. Hischier had four hits, was 10/16 on faceoffs and scored the game winner on the powerplay.
- Tyler Johnson was back out on the ice before Tampa Bay Lightning practice today and though he’s still not sure when he’ll get back into the lineup, he told Bryan Burns of NHL.com he hopes to soon. “I better [return] or I’m going to be pretty upset,” he told Burns after the skate. Johnson has been out since the March 9th game that saw three Tampa Bat centers hurt, and would be a huge boost to a club still right in the thick of the playoff race. With Steven Stamkos upgraded to day-to-day (and taking line rushes on the top unit today), Tampa Bay might be getting healthy just in time to make some noise in the final few weeks of the season.
- Michael Russo of the Star Tribune reports that Zach Parise was out skating at the optional practice for the Minnesota Wild today. Parise took a stick in the eye on Tuesday night and had to leave the game, a scary moment for Wild fans and players alike. The alternate captain was in all kinds of agony on the ice after smashing his head on the way down. Russo reports that though he’s likely to miss tonight’s game against the Ottawa Senators, he may return sooner than many expected. The Wild need to get back on track after going 1-7-2 in their last ten and falling within striking distance of the St. Louis Blues. While they’re definitely going to make the playoffs, if they continue playing as they are right now it would be an early exit.