North Division Champion May Need To Adopt U.S. Home For Semis, Cup Final
While progress is being made against the spread of the Coronavirus daily, there are still concerns about the restrictions that may still be in place even months from now. Speaking on TSN’s “Insider Trading” on Thursday night, Pierre LeBrun expressed that there remain worries that the Canadian borders will still be closed in June. By that time, the NHL regular season will be over and the four North Division playoff teams will have battled each other and produced a winner. At that point, the Canadian team can no longer be separated from their American counterparts as they have been during the regular season. The team will need to play on the road in the U.S. as well as host an American team in the semifinal round as well as possibly in the Stanley Cup Final. If crossing the Canadian border still requires a 14-day quarantine, or really any multi-day quarantine, by that time then a playoff series cannot occur in Canada.
Of course, given the progress being made LeBrun hopes that Canada will have loosened its border policies over the next three months. Even if the COVID climate in Canada has improved to the point that the national and provincial governments are willing to make an exception and put together specific protocol for NHL travel, that would work. Otherwise, the only alternative solution that LeBrun has heard to this point would see the Canadian winner relocate to the nearest American city that would be a suitable home. While not an ideal option for the team or its fans, this would allow the series to occur normally. Selecting a close city would also require the least amount of travel for the Canadians and would make the logistics of setting up a temporary home easier. LeBrun notes that the league would likely have the cities for selected for each of the four North Division finalists when the postseason begins so to allow time to set up their new home.
While LeBrun offered Buffalo as the new location for the division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs, Minneapolis for the current second-place Winnipeg Jets, and an early introduction to the NHL for the city of Seattle in the event of an epic comeback for the Vancouver Canucks this season, that is where the easy relocations end. The closest American city to the Montreal Canadiens is Boston, an unlikely destination not only due to the age-old rivalry but also because the Bruins are a potential finalist and even opponent. Would Montreal also call Buffalo home? They could also move to a current or former AHL city like Portland, Manchester, Albany, Utica, or Syracuse. The closest potential home may even be Burlington, Vermont, home of of the University of Vermont. Montreal has options, albeit not without work to do. However, the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames are more difficult. The Alberta cities are not “close” to any American NHL or AHL cities. Seattle could be the best bet for these teams as well, if the arena is ready to go. However, Grand Forks, North Dakota, home to the University of North Dakota, made a strong pitch to the NHL to be a hub city for last season’s re-start and could make a similar offer to house the Oilers or Flames (or the neighboring Jets). Either way, the Alberta teams would be traveling quite far from home to close out the postseason. The plan would work, but surely the league and its Canadian contingent are hoping it won’t come to that when the time arrives in June.
Snapshots: Bennett, Niemela, Ovechkin
Sam Bennett is expected to be a healthy scratch again tonight for the Calgary Flames, according to Darren Dreger of TSN. Bennett, whose agent made it clear that a change of scenery would be welcome earlier this season, has been on quite the roller coaster. Suiting up on the fourth line one game, the first line beside Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau another, to finding himself in the press box watching, there has been very little consistency to his 22 games.
Still, there’s just not enough offensive production from Bennett no matter where he is plugged in. With just three goals and four points on the year, he is once again disappointing the Flames, who have now waited nearly seven years for Bennett to fulfill his fourth-overall status. His best offensive season was his rookie year when he scored 18 goals and 36 points.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs won’t have Topi Niemela in the system next season, as the young defenseman has signed a one-year extension with his Finnish club for the 2021-22 season. Niemela, 18, was the 64th pick in the 2020 draft but has already seen his stock rise after being named the best defenseman at the recent World Junior tournament. He has recorded four points in 15 games for Karpat this season and will stay overseas for at least another year.
- Trent Frederic might not be so quick to get in Alex Ovechkin‘s face the next time they meet, after a spearing incident last night. Ovechkin has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for “cup-checking” Frederic after the two had several meetings throughout the game. Frederic, who fought Tom Wilson earlier this season, had challenged Ovechkin earlier in the game, but the veteran spurned the offer. The young Bruins forward has shown a willingness to engage anyone in the league but still hasn’t added much offense—just two goals and three NHL points—since being selected with the 29th pick in 2016.
Snapshots: Maple Leafs, Granlund, DeAngelo, Draft
The Toronto Maple Leafs are the current kings of the NHL, leading the league standings and by a decent margin. In a rare season in which the Leafs don’t have to go through the Tampa Bay Lightning and more importantly the dreaded Boston Bruins early in the playoffs, Toronto is understandably excited about their prospects and willing to load up before the deadline to give themselves their best shot at a title. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the team’s current focus is on bolstering their forward corps. He states that the goal is to add a middle-six forward prior to the trade deadline and, if possible, one that could line up at center on the third line or shift to wing and play higher in the lineup. One potential fit that continues to be linked to Toronto is Nashville Predators forward Mikael Granlund, if you can call him “middle-six”. On a struggling Predators team, Granlund has been one of the few highlights, leading all Nashville forwards in ice time, blocked shots, and Corsi For and second only to Filip Forsberg in scoring. Dreger believes that Granlund, an impending free agent, will absolutely be available as the Predators seem poised to begin a fire sale of sorts and he could be the ideal pick-up for Toronto as a luxury depth addition – a current top-line forward moving into a middle-six role. Of course, given Granlund’s strong play there will be other suitors and Toronto will certainly take a look at additional options should a Granlund deal not prove to be viable.
- Trade talks have quieted down on New York Rangers defenseman Anthony DeAngelo, as it seems that teams do not want to make the financial commitment this year and next to the polarizing defenseman despite his obvious ability. Yet, DeAngelo wants to get back on the ice. He was told that his time with the Rangers was over and, per TSN’s Frank Seravalli, that extends to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack as well. New York has informed DeAngelo that he will not be assigned to their affiliate; however, they are willing to loan him out to another AHL team. Seravalli reports that DeAngelo and his representation are currently in the process of trying to find a spot for him to play out the rest of this season in the minors. In the big picture, the fact that it has come to this means that a trade elsewhere seems highly unlikely. Expect DeAngelo to be bought out this summer and take a short-term “show me” deal elsewhere.
- Even as the Canadian junior leagues continue to work towards a full return to play, there are concerns about the 2021 NHL Draft and the pressure on teams due to the lack of complete information on eligible prospects. While European leagues, American junior leagues, and the NCAA have all had some semblance of a full season, the same cannot be said for Canada, the largest producer of NHL talent. A number of teams have expressed support for postponing the draft until later this year or even next year and a number of option have been proposed. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman stated on a recent radio appearance that this change is easier said than done. Due to all of the language pertaining to draft eligibility and rights, all collectively bargained, it will be difficult to postpone the draft, even if it is in the best interests of the teams and many prospects. Friedman notes that the NHLPA presented the league with a number of issues that would need to be addressed before the draft could be delayed and Friedman hears that that there simply may not be enough fight on the league side to figure out the many solutions. Dreger reports that, one way or another, answers are needed soon and there could be a meeting as early as Thursday to discuss all issues and options.
Oilers’ Alex Chiasson Suspended One Game
After a hearing earlier today, the decision has come down from the NHL Department of Player Safety and Alex Chiasson has received a one-game suspension. The Edmonton Oilers forward exchanged words with Toronto Maple Leafs counterpart Jimmy Vesey after the final whistle on Monday night but took the skirmish too far with a cross-check to the head area. Chiasson technically received a major penalty and misconduct, but served neither with the game over. The league justly ruled that he thus deserved additional discipline:
Chiasson raises his stick, pulls it back, and delivers a sharp check to the neck of Vesey. This is a cross-check… What elevates this play to supplemental discipline is the fact that it is done after the game is over and for no legitimate hockey reason. This is not a hockey play. This is a forceful, high cross-check delivered to an opponent after the game has ended.
Player Safety does note that Chiasson has no previous history of league discipline, having never received a fine or suspension in his nine-year, 536-game career. This was likely a significant factor in Chiasson’s blatant post-game penalty not rising to the level of a multi-game suspension.
The Oilers will now be without Chiasson for Wednesday night’s re-match with the Leafs, the third straight game between the two teams. After losing the first two of this in-season series, shut out in both, Edmonton will have to try to right the ship without the help of Chiasson. Fortunately, Chiasson hasn’t been a key factor in the Oilers’ success this season anyhow; the 30-year-old has just seven points and has struggled to get shots on goal and create offense. Chiasson cleared waivers earlier this season, implying Edmonton was okay with losing him for nothing – a scenario they now face on Wednesday.
Maple Leaf Notes: Galchenyuk, Matthews, Andersen, Campbell
When the Toronto Maple Leafs sent forward Alex Galchenyuk from the taxi squad to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL Saturday, many felt that it was just to get a few games under his belt after having sat out since Feb. 11. That may not only be the case as Toronto Sun’s Terry Koshan writes the Maple Leafs intend to properly develop Galchenyuk and his lost game.
Galchenyuk, the third-overall pick in 2012, has never played a game in the AHL, having jumped straight from the OHL to the Montreal Canadiens. The Maple Leafs would have sent Galchenyuk to the Marlies right after the trade. However, the AHL squad has been on an eight-game road trip and finally has their home opener on Monday. Maple Leafs’ head coach Sheldon Keefe said the team intends to be patient with Galchenyuk as they try to help the forward find his game.
“Part of our plan was to get him playing and we would have made this move probably a little bit sooner had the Marlies not been out west,” Keefe said.
- Sticking with the Maple Leafs, it looks like the team could be without star Auston Matthews for another game, according to TSN’s Mark Masters. The forward skated with the team Sunday in Edmonton, but didn’t skated as an extra and didn’t take any hard shots. However, Keefe didn’t rule out Matthews playing either, according to NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger. “He’s not ruled out for tomorrow,” said Keefe. Matthews missed Saturday’s game against the Oilers and now could miss Monday’s bout with them as well. If Matthews is out, John Tavares will fill in as the first-line center.
- No word on who will start in net on Monday for the Maple Leafs. Goaltender Frederik Andersen, who is dealing with a lower-body injury, was a full-participant in practice, but it’s not looking like he will play Monday, according to TSN’s Kristen Shilton. “Ah, it’s not looking that way, if we’re being honest,” said Keefe. “Basically, where we’re at now is just waiting for him to be comfortable … & we don’t really know when that’s going to be. But today was a very positive step towards that.” To make matters worse, Jack Campbell sat out of practice for a maintenance day after returning from a leg injury on Saturday. “Between Campbell and Fred and their situations, we’ve got a lot of things to sort through that I don’t suspect will get sorted out until tomorrow night,” Keefe said.
Snapshots: Skinner, Rutherford, Matthews
Jeff Skinner has been relegated to the taxi squad in Buffalo, not even skating with the active roster on a regular basis. His agent recently spoke with the team’s GM to voice concerns, but Skinner spoke to the media directly today. When asked by Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News whether he would want to be on a different team he was clear:
No. I love being a Sabre. I love the city of Buffalo. I wouldn’t have chosen to stay here if that wasn’t the case, so that answer is simple.
Skinner handled the questioning as professionally as possible, not willing to detail any of the conversations he’s had with head coach Ralph Kreuger. Unfortunately, professionalism isn’t really the issue here, production is. The 28-year-old didn’t score a single goal in his 14 games earlier this season and is still sitting on just 24 points since signing the $72MM extension.
- Jim Rutherford still has “the bug” to work in a hockey front office again, as he explained to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. The legendary executive resigned his position as GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this year, replaced by Ron Hextall. That transition seems to have been his plan all along, as he tells LeBrun he suggested Hextall to Penguins CEO David Morehouse as his eventual replacement several times both before and after his resignation.
- Auston Matthews has been dealing with a wrist injury for the Toronto Maple Leafs and today was absent at the team’s practice. Head coach Sheldon Keefe listed him as day-to-day but wouldn’t rule him out for tomorrow’s match against the Edmonton Oilers. The team did have some good news as Joe Thornton, Jack Campbell and Jake Muzzin (with a full shield after breaking a bone in his face), returned to practice.
Maple Leafs Confirm Broken Foot For Rasmus Sandin
If the Toronto Maple Leafs were planning on recalling top prospect Rasmus Sandin at any point this season, it’ll have to wait. The young defenseman suffered a foot injury earlier this month and after further examination, the team has confirmed it is a fracture. Sandin will be re-evaluated in mid-March, according to the club, at which point they’ll provide a further update on his recovery timeline.
Sandin, 20, ended up playing just one game for the Maple Leafs and one (partial) game for the Toronto Marlies before his injury. He did record a point in his NHL appearance but played only five minutes in the game as one of seven defensemen dressed.
The Maple Leafs were hoping that Sandin could go to the minor leagues and play big minutes, continuing his development until a spot opened on the NHL club. Unfortunately, this injury means he’ll miss a good chunk of the shortened AHL season. It’ll be almost an entire year of lost development time (at least in terms of game action), since Sandin was injured at the time of the 2019-20 season suspension as well. Not ideal for a top prospect.
AHL Announces Full 2020-21 Schedule For Canadian Clubs
Over a month since the AHL released the regular season schedules for its American teams and more than three weeks since those same teams started playing, the league has finally announced a full season schedule for its Canadian contingent. Of course, the clubs already began play over the course of the past week, but were operating on a limited schedule of just a few games. They now have a full slate to look forward to.
Like their American counterparts, the Canadian teams will all wrap up their regular seasons in mid-May. While the previously-released schedule ended on May 14, this new schedule has games up through May 16. Unlike the American teams, the Canadian clubs will all play the same amount of games. Though home and away splits differ, the Belleville Senators, Laval Rocket, Manitoba Moose, and Toronto Marlies will each play 36 games apiece.
The exception to all of this is the odd duck team of this AHL season: the Stockton Heat, an American team displaced for this year by a move to Calgary, the home of their parent club. The Heat, who were the final Canadian team to get started this season, will play a much different slate than any other team in the league due to their location away from American competition but also far from their fellow Canadian teams. “Stockton” will only play 30 games, broken up into long road trips and home stands. Their regular season schedule will also come to an end on April 29, more than two weeks before the rest of the league. The Calgary Flames knew there would be negative repercussions for relocating their farm team just before the season started, but felt the transactional benefits for the NHL club outweighed the limitations to their AHL club.
Minor Transactions: 02/23/21
During a year in which there is a unique and unprecedented mix of leagues at different points in their respective seasons, there are always moves to be made. While the NHL has seen internal transactions made at a newfound rapid pace this season, there continue to be other notable moves made across the hockey world every day. Keep up with those transactions here:
- While most European leagues are nearing the ends of their regular seasons, Germany’s DEL started up around the same time as the NHL and are less than 20 games into their campaign. With plenty of hockey left to play, teams are still scouring for talent. This has allowed former NHLer Simon Despres to find a home this season. Despres, 29, had a promising NHL career derailed by injury and, other than a brief AHL comeback attempt early in the 2018-19 season, has spent the past three seasons in Europe. He has found moderate success overseas and had his best season last year with Sweden’s IK Oskarshamn. Now, he is returning to Germany for a second stint, as Eisbaren Berlin has announced a contract with Despres for the remainder of the season. Despres has a great chance to play a key role in a long season for Berlin, who currently sit in second place in the DEL and have the scoring depth and goaltending to contend for a title. The team has not received much production from its defense thus far, but that is where Despres can step in and be a difference-maker.
- It has been a whirlwind couple of days for former RIT standout Adam Brubacher. The defenseman was released from his AHL contract with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, only to immediately land a PTO with the Manitoba Moose, per a team release. While RIT nor their conference, Atlantic Hockey, are among the elite in the NCAA, Brubacher’s accomplishments over the past four years remain impressive. A member of an all-conference team in three of his four seasons and Atlantic Hockey’s Rookie of the Year in 2016-17, Brubacher was among the most productive defensemen in the NCAA over his collegiate career with 106 point in 148 games. While he was released by Bridgeport before ever playing a game, if he is given an opportunity by Manitoba to show that his ability translates to the pros, he could become a nice piece on the back end for the club.
- Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Wyatt Schingoethe has made his college commitment. The 18-year-old center has announced that he will join Western Michigan University next season. A seventh-round pick in 2020, Schingoethe has excelled down the middle for the USHL’s Waterloo Blackhawks over the past few years, playing a fast and aggressive high-energy style that produces points, turnovers, and defensive support. While draft rankings differ greatly further into the draft, there were at least some sources that expected Schingoethe to go a round or two earlier than he did. He hopes to begin showing that he is a legitimate prospect for the Leafs when he arrives at WMU next year. The Broncos are a strong program, but currently count Philadelphia’s Ronnie Attard as their only NHL prospect. Schingoethe will be a major boost.
Jacob Markstrom, Frederik Andersen Scratched Late Due To Injury
Monday night’s match-up between the Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs has not one but two unexpected twists, both revealed in the hour leading up to puck-drop. The Flames first announced that starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom would not dress tonight and is considered day-to-day with an undisclosed upper-body injury. Minutes later, the Maple Leafs announced that their own starter, Frederik Andersen, also would not dress due to an undisclosed lower-body injury. It is not clear at this time how or when either injury was sustained.
In the long-term, the loss of Markstrom, possibly for multiple games, is the bigger story. A talented Flames roster has underachieved so far this season and are currently outside of the playoff picture. In a competitive North Division, Calgary is relying on major free agent acquisition Markstrom to help them battle back into postseason position. For the time being though, they will have to lean on incumbent David Rittich who has been serviceable in the past but is a notable downgrade from Markstrom. The team also used an emergency recall to add Artyom Zagidulin to the roster to dress as the backup tonight and possibly longer. The former KHL standout has a chance to make his NHL debut if his stay in Calgary is extended.
In the short-term though, the loss of yet another goalie in the Toronto organization is a major concern, especially if Andersen misses multiple games. The Leafs sit comfortably atop the division and can rely on the experienced Michael Hutchinson for a while. However, Hutchinson began the season as the Leafs’ fourth-string goalie. It has taken the waiver departure of Aaron Dell and injuries to Jack Campbell and now Andersen to boost Hutchison to the interim starter role. Behind him, untested Joseph Woll has been recalled to dress as backup and was the only choice, as the only other pro goalie under contract – Ian Scott – is also injured. The Leafs are an extended absence for Andersen or another injury in goal away from having to acquire another net minder.