Toronto’s Egor Korshkov To Be Loaned To KHL
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Egor Korshkov may be on the team’s postseason roster, but he is unlikely to see much action. The young forward is under contract for 2020-21 as well, but the same goes for his likelihood of suiting up for the Leafs. As a result, Korshkov may be in need of an early start to his season and possibly a prolonged place to play at a high level. According to multiple sources, that is expected to be the KHL.
Russian news source Sport24 first reported that Korshkov was planning to sign a contract with HC Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, the same organization that he played for during the seven years prior to his jump to the NHL. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman corrects this report, noting that Korshkov will be loaned rather than having his contract terminated in favor of a KHL deal. This will leave open the option for Korshkov to play for Toronto at some point next season.
Korshkov, 24, played in just one game with the Maple Leafs this year and saw only about ten minutes of ice time. However, he made the most of this debut by recording a goal. The big right wing is a natural scorer who excels around the net. He recorded 16 goals and 25 points in 44 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies this season and very well might have seen more NHL action if not for the league’s pause. There is upside to Korshkov’s game and this loan does not imply that he does not have a future in Toronto. However, with the Maple Leafs deep up front and the questions surrounding the 2020-21 AHL season, a return to the KHL could be the best bet for Korshkov.
Snapshots: Lightning, Robertson, Blackhawks, Ehlers, Nurse
The Tampa Bay Lightning is traveling to Toronto, but will be doing so without their star defenseman. Victor Hedman will not be traveling with the team, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith, due to personal reasons at his own request. However, he is expected to meet up with the team on Friday and is expected to participate in all three round-robin games. The blueliner did practice Saturday and is expected to work with strength coach Mark Lambert. He is expected to be tested regularly while in Tampa Bay.
The team did release its roster as NHL.com’s Bryan Burns reports that the team will only bring 28 players with them to Toronto. Including the team’s normal 25-man roster, the team is only adding forwards Mathieu Joseph, Alexander Volkov and goaltender Scott Wedgewood.
Also, head coach Jon Cooper said that Steven Stamkos remains day-to-day and is not expected to participate in the exhibition game, according to Smith. The veteran is hoping to be more involved in practice once the team gets to Toronto. “It’s still in the window of time to get him back,” said Cooper.
- TSN’s Mark Masters writes that if 19-year-old Nick Robertson hopes to get into the Toronto Maple Leafs playoff lineup, he must show that he can be comfortable on the ice in their upcoming exhibition game. The team’s 2019 second-round pick had an impressive junior campaign and has impressed the team enough to keep him on the playoff roster for the upcoming 24-team tournament. What might be more surprising is that the youngster continues to get third-line looks during practice. “He needs to look comfortable,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He needs to make an impact on the game, be it through his work ethic and enthusiasm or his ability to create some offence and capitalize when he gets chances. All those kinds of things … We’re just really looking to see if he can be comfortable and be himself and then see how it all sorts itself out in terms our other players.”
- Brandon Cain of NHL.com reports that the Chicago Blackhawks will take four goaltenders with them to Edmonton for the upcoming 24-team tournament. That is necessary due to the status of veteran Corey Crawford, who recently admitted he tested positive for COVID-19 and missed the first 12 days of training camp. While he has been cleared and participated in a full practice Saturday, that doesn’t mean he’s in game shape for the tournament. The team also will bring Malcolm Subban, Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen.
- NHL.com’s Mitchell Clinton reports that Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who was forced to leave Thursday’s scrimmage due to an undisclosed injury, was back at practice Saturday before the team leaves for Edmonton. He is expected to take on a second-line role with the team after scoring 25 goals in 71 games this year.
- Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins writes that Edmonton Oilers fans don’t need to worry about the fact that defenseman Darnell Nurse was forced to sit out Saturday’s team scrimmage with an undisclosed injury. The scribe described the injury as something he “tweaked” during practice earlier in the week. He’s expected to be ready to go.
Maple Leafs’ Eddie Shack Dies At Age 83
He played 16 seasons with six different NHL teams, but Eddie Shack was considered to be a Toronto Maple Leaf. The team announced that the forward, who helped lead the Toronto franchise to four Stanley Cup Championships in the 1960s, passed away Saturday after a long fight with throat cancer. He was 83 years old.
Shack was a popular player in his time in the NHL, who held several nicknames throughout his career, including “The Entertainer,” “The Nose,” and even had a novelty song written about him called “Clear the Track, Here Comes Shack.” However, his on the ice play, especially in his years with the Maple Leafs was what stood out. Shack played nine seasons with Toronto, including a seven-year run from 1960 to 1967 where he played on four Stanley Cup title teams in 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1967. He also scored the game-winning goal in 1963 to capture the cup and was well known for his celebrations on the ice after scoring a goal.
He did get traded five different times throughout his career and spent time with a number of other teams, including the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins, before finally wrapping up his career with two more years in Toronto before retiring after the 1974-75 season. He was even almost traded to the Detroit Red Wings in a package in 1960 for Red Kelly, but the trade was cancelled after Kelly opted to retire rather than be traded. Shack played in 1,047 games, scoring 239 goals and accumulating 1,439 penalty minutes over the course of his career. He was just a handful of players to score 20 or more goals for five different teams.
Everyone at PHR wishes the best for the family and friends of Shack at this time.
NHL Releases Qualifying Round, Round Robin Schedules
July 20: The NHL has announced some minor changes to the schedule for the round robin. The Boston Bruins-Washington Capitals game that was scheduled for August 8 will now be played on August 9. The Philadelphia Flyers-Tampa Bay Lightning game that was originally scheduled for August 9, will now be played on August 8.
July 14: After revealing the schedule earlier today for the exhibition games occurring after the conclusion of training camp, the NHL has followed up with the schedules for the games that actually matter. The league has announced the full schedule for the best-of-five qualifying round match-ups, four each per conference between the teams seeded No. 5 to No. 12, as well as the six round robin games per conference between the teams seeded No. 1 to No. 4. As a reminder, the qualifying round will serve as a knockout round to trim the list of postseason teams to 16 for a standard playoff format while the round robin games will serve as a means to seed the top team in each conference. Teams will re-seed following the conclusion of the qualifying round and each subsequent round.
The full schedule is as follows (all times ET):
Saturday, Aug. 1
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes, Game 1, 12 p.m.
Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders, Game 1, 4 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, Game 1, 8 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers, Game 1, 3 p.m.
Winnipeg Jets vs. Calgary Flames, Game 1, 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 2
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Round-robin
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins, 3 p.m.
Best-of-5 series
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Game 1, 8 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Arizona Coyotes vs, Nashville Predators, Game 1, 2 p.m.
Minnesota Wild vs. Vancouver Canucks, Game 1, 10:30 p.m.
Round-robin
St. Louis Blues vs. Colorado Avalanche, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 3
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes, Game 2, 12 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, Game 2, 8 p.m.
Round-robin
Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 4 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Winnipeg Jets vs. Calgary Flames, Game 2, 2:30 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers, Game 2, 10:30 p.m.
Round-robin
Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 4
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders, Game 2, 12 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Game 2, 4 p.m.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers, Game 3, 8 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Arizona Coyotes vs. Nashville Predators, Game 2, 2:30 p.m.
Calgary Flames vs. Winnipeg Jets, Game 3, 6:45 p.m.
Minnesota Wild vs. Vancouver Canucks, Game 2, 10:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 5
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
New York Islanders vs. Florida Panthers, Game 3, 12 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Montreal Canadiens, Game 3, 8 p.m.
Round-robin
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins, 4 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Nashville Predators vs. Arizona Coyotes, Game 3, 2:30 p.m.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Game 3, 10:30 p.m.
Round-robin
Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 6
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, Game 3, TBD
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers, Game 4*, TBD
Round-robin
Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers, TBD
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Vancouver Canucks vs. Minnesota Wild, Game 3, TBD
Calgary Flames vs. Winnipeg Jets, Game 4*, TBD
Round-robin
Vegas Golden Knights vs. St. Louis Blues, TBD
Friday, Aug. 7
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
New York Islanders vs. Florida Panthers, Game 4*, TBD
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Montreal Canadiens, Game 4*, TBD
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, Game 4*, TBD
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Nashville Predators vs. Arizona Coyotes, Game 4*, TBD
Vancouver Canucks vs. Minnesota Wild, Game 4*, TBD
Edmonton Oilers vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Game 4*, TBD
Saturday, Aug. 8
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes, Game 5*, TBD
Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, Game 5*, TBD
Round-robin
Boston Bruins vs. Washington Capitals, TBD
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Winnipeg Jets vs. Calgary Flames, Game 5*, TBD
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers, Game 5*, TBD
Round-robin
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Colorado Avalanche, TBD
Sunday, Aug. 9
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders, Game 5*, TBD
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Game 5*, TBD
Round-robin
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, TBD
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Best-of-5 series
Minnesota Wild vs. Vancouver Canucks, Game 5*, TBD
Arizona Coyotes vs. Nashville Predators, Game 5*, TBD
Round-robin
Dallas Stars vs. St. Louis Blues, TBD
With round robin games scheduled through August 9, the first round will not begin until August 10 at the earliest. However, given that exhibition games don’t even begin until July 28, the NHL is about to cram a lot of hockey into a span of just a dozen days.
Atlantic Notes: Coyle, Pastrnak, Stamkos, Paquette, Hyman
After an inconclusive COVID-19 test and being forced to sit out Saturday’s practice, Boston Bruins’ Charlie Coyle looks like he will be fine. The forward followed the inconclusive test with a negative test, according to The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa (subscription required) upon talking to Coyle’s agent, Bob Norton. The team is not expected to practice Sunday, yet several players who didn’t practice Saturday did skate today, which includes Coyle, according to NBC Sports’ Joe Haggerty.
Coyle was one of nine players who were not permitted to practice Saturday, including Coyle’s linemates, Sean Kuraly and Nick Ritchie. David Pastrnak, Ondrej Kase, David Krejci, Chris Wagner, Torey Krug and goaltender Tuukka Rask. Coyle had a solid season in Boston with 16 goals and 37 points.
General manager Don Sweeney did say the team hopes to get Pastrnak back on the ice with the team soon. He hasn’t practiced so far and was seen practicing with Kase with non-NHLers at a suburban rink, but Sweeney said both players were still under Phase 2 and were able to train on their own.
- Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos was on the ice for a full practice for a second straight day after undergoing core muscle surgery on March 3. The Athletic’s Joe Smith reports that it’s a good sign that he is back out for a second straight day as it suggests that he’s close to being deemed healthy and ready to go for the upcoming tournament. The 30-year-old Stamkos had 29 goals and 66 points in 57 games before going down with the injury.
- Sticking with the Lightning, NHL.com’s Bryan Burns notes that forward Cedric Paquette, who was out both Friday and Saturday, was still not with the main group in practice Sunday, but did skate in the morning session. The team will not release any information on his health due to the NHL’s new injury update policy. He also reports that center Mitchell Stephens also skated this morning, but didn’t join the main group.
- TSN’s Kristen Shilton reports that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman was back in practice Sunday after missing Saturday’s training camp activities. Hyman was forced to leave Friday’s practice session after taking a shot off his leg. The 28-year-old tied his career high with 21 goals, but in 20 less games from last season.
Maple Leafs Sign Teemu Kivihalme To A Two-Year Extension
The Maple Leafs will be keeping one of their depth defensemen in the fold for a while yet as they announced that they’ve signed Teemu Kivihalme to a two-year, two-way contract. The deal will carry a $725K AAV which means the NHL salary for both seasons will be at the league minimum – $700K in 2020-21 and $750K in 2021-22.
The 25-year-old was actually drafted by Nashville back in 2013 (140th overall) but he never signed with them. Instead, after three seasons at Colorado College, he opted to turn pro in Finland and spent two years with Karpat of the SM-liiga. The second of those seasons saw him pick up 30 points in 60 games which got him on the radar for several NHL teams including Toronto as they signed him in May of 2019.
This season, Kivihalme played exclusively in the AHL with the Marlies, picking up four goals and 14 assists in 55 games. While those numbers don’t jump off the table by any means, he impressed enough in his own end to earn an invitation to Toronto’s ongoing training camp with a chance for him to earn a spot on their roster for the NHL’s return in August. If that doesn’t happen though, he’ll at least be armed with the security of a two-year deal, one that will see him become an unrestricted free agent at its expiration.
Snapshots: Eller, Panthers, Mikheyev
Washington Capitals forward Lars Eller has decided against opting out of the return to play tournament, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be there for the whole thing. Eller told reporters including Greg Wyshynski of ESPN that he will leave the “bubble” at some point for the birth of his child. The expected due date is August 8th, right in the middle of the qualification round that the Capitals will not be taking part in.
As Wyshynski explains, leaving the bubble is relatively easy—it requires extenuating circumstances like the birth of a child and a GM’s approval—getting back in is not. Eller will be subject to several tests before being allowed to return, including a potential 14-day quarantine depending on where they have traveled.
- With assistant Mike Kitchen opting out, the Florida Panthers will have to make some changes to their coaching staff. George Richards of Florida Hockey Now reports that with Kitchen gone, Andrew Brunette will be taking care of the defense while former captain Derek MacKenzie will organize the forwards. Geordie Kinnear, the head coach of the Springfield Thunderbirds, has also been added to the staff.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs will be getting some reinforcements when they take the ice against the Columbus Blue Jackets in a few weeks. Ilya Mikheyev, whose rookie season was lost after he suffered a frightening wrist injury in late December, is seemingly back to full strength. In fact, Mark Masters of TSN reports that teammates are raving about the improvements that the 25-year old has made to his game during the time off. Mikheyev was already off to a strong start in Toronto, scoring 23 points in his first 39 games before going down to injury.
Pontus Aberg Signs In KHL
When the Toronto Maple Leafs recently released their training camp roster for the qualification round, there was a notable absence—at least in terms of depth players. Pontus Aberg, who had been one of the team’s injury recalls during the season, was not found on the list. Perhaps now we know why, as Aberg has signed a one-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL. Earlier this spring there were reports that Aberg had been offered a deal, though it wasn’t clear at that point which organization was trying to bring him overseas.
Though he spent only five games in a Maple Leafs sweater this season, the 26-year old Aberg dominated at the minor league level once again. Scoring 20 goals and 44 points in 55 games for the Toronto Marlies, it was easy to expect his name as a reserve option for the upcoming tournament. Instead, the two sides will part ways for now with Aberg heading overseas to try and get his career back on track.
Originally selected 37th overall by the Nashville Predators, Aberg was once a promising young forward with oodles of offensive potential. His presence was felt in the 2016-17 playoffs when he stepped into a larger role on the injury-riddled Predators and helped them reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately, his NHL playing time has wavered ever since, with only 132 regular season games under his belt to this point.
The Maple Leafs can retain Aberg’s rights temporarily by issuing him a qualifying offer this summer, but it’s hard to know if he will ever get another legitimate chance in the NHL.
Snapshots: Anderson, Kaprizov, Pelech, Cizikas, Petan
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 33 players on their training camp roster, which will force them to cut two players. However, one roster spot may already be claimed by a player not even on the training camp roster in Josh Anderson. The forward has been out with a left shoulder injury since December and had surgery on March 2. While he was deemed to be out for the season in March, that could change if Columbus can make a playoff run, according to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (subscription required).
Anderson was given a four to six-month recovery period after his surgery. It’s already been four months and six months should hit in early September, so there is a chance the 26-year-old could be fully healthy any time before then. The team could use the winger’s grit. He scored 27 goals and recorded 214 hits in 2018-19, but struggled before his injury posting just one goal in 26 games along with 68 hits. Regardless, he could be a valuable addition to a team hoping to pull off more upsets like it did a year ago.
- The Minnesota Wild are expected to burn the first year of Russian prospect Kirill Kaprizov‘s entry-level contract, according to The Athletic’s Michael Russo. Teams have a 53-hour window, starting tomorrow, to sign their prospects to a 2019-20 deal, which would burn that first year. Russo writes that general manager Bill Guerin indicated the team is willing to agree to that if they can get the 23-year-old to sign on the dotted line. Kaprizov, considered to be one of the top players playing outside the NHL, would not be allowed to play in this year’s playoffs. However, Guerin said that he would want to bring him over and get him acclimated and he would be allowed to practice with the team during Phases 3 & 4.. Kaprizov scored 33 goals in 57 games with CSKA Moscow of the KHL this year. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple followed Russo’s report up with the same sentiments for New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin.
- The New York Islanders and head coach Barry Trotz are expecting to get back two injured players for the 24-team tournament. NHL.com’s Sasha Kandrach writes that defenseman Adam Pelech and center Casey Cizikas are both expected to be healthy for training camp. “I don’t get to see them a whole lot if at all,” Trotz said. “But I did get a peek or two of them when heading to our meeting site — they seem like they’re in really good shape. With Adam’s injury and the length of time, he might be in the best shape. He’s had to rehab right through the summer and had to be on the ice. Same with Casey in getting back.” Pelech has been recovering from surgery to his Achilles Tendon since Jan. 2, while Cizikas has been out since Feb. 12 after suffering a leg laceration. Pelech averaged heavy minutes on New York’s blueline with 21:01 of ATOI, while Cizikas has been the center for their fourth-line checking line.
- Not long after the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t include forward Nic Petan on its training camp roster, general manager Kyle Dubas announced that Petan is now fit to play and is expected to be placed on the roster with forward Mac Hollowell being removed, according to NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger. Petan was left off the intitial roster that the Maple Leafs released and should be a solid depth option for Toronto after the 25-year-old appeared in 16 games for the Maple Leafs.
Atlantic Notes: Alzner, Bruins, Petan, Johnsson, Foote
The Montreal Canadiens announced that defenseman Karl Alzner has chosen to opt out of the Return to Play Plan and will sit out both Phases 3 & 4. The decision isn’t a big surprise, considering that he wasn’t likely to receive much, if any playing time and has young children at home.
Alzner has been quite a disappointment since general manager Marc Bergevin signed the veteran defenseman to a five-year, $23.1MM deal back in 2017. He struggled in his first year with the Canadiens and since then has appeared in just 13 games with the team mostly keeping his contract buried in the AHL. He played 53 games with the Laval Rocket this year, compared to just four NHL games.
- Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said that he will speak to all of his upcoming restricted and unrestricted free agents throughout the Return to Play and said that if signing someone to an extension makes sense, he will do that, according to Matt Porter of the Boston Globe. The team has a number of unrestricted free agents, including Torey Krug, Zdeno Chara, Kevan Miller and Joakim Nordstrom as well as a few key RFA’s, including Jake Debrusk, Anders Bjork, Zachary Senyshyn, Karson Kuhlman, Matt Grzelcyk, Jakub Zboril and Dan Vladar. NBC Sports’ Joe Haggerty adds that Sweeney said he was not going to be aggressive about potential re-signings. While a Krug signing would seem unlikely, especially with the league planning to stick to a $81.5MM flat cap next season, the team may be forced to let some of those players go unless they can get some players to take lesser contracts.
- With the Toronto Maple Leafs’ training camp roster released, there were few surprises on their list, although The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler noted the absence of forward Nic Petan. The 25-year-old did spend more time with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, but still played 16 games with the Maple Leafs and was having a solid offensive year with the Marlies (10 goals, 31 points in 25 games). NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger also points out that with a six-month timeline for his knee injury, the team will not see forward Andreas Johnsson during the Return to Play until possibly the second round.
- Perhaps the biggest surprise on the roster for the Tampa Bay Lightning was defenseman Cal Foote. The 21-year-old wrapped up his second pro season with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. The Athletic’s Joe Smith (subscription required) writes that while there is no guarantee that Foote will see any playing time, but with the Lightning’s cap situation for next season, there is a strong chance he makes the team for the 2020-21 season and could use the practice time as a learning experience.