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Mark Hunter Making GM Choice Difficult For Maple Leafs

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With most people under the belief that with former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello out of the picture now, the Maple Leafs are likely to go with their long-time plan of naming GM-in-waiting Kyle Dubas as their next general manager.

However, Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet suggests that may not be the case. During a segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Kypreos says that many executives around the league believe that assistant general manager Mark Hunter may be the better choice. Elliotte Friedman reported on the same broadcast that team president Brendan Shanahan and Hunter met Friday to discuss the opening.

“A lot of executives I’ve spoken with believe that when it comes to the next general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, it goes in the favour of Mark Hunter, for no other reason than his resume,” said Kypreos.

The 55-year-old Hunter has quite a different resume than the 32-year-old prodigy Dubas. The 12-year NHL veteran has been a successful coach, owned, and ran the OHL’s London Knights and has been an executive with the Maple Leafs since 2014. Dubas, who also joined the organization in 2014, was the general manager of the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

“A lot of executives still believe that Kyle Dubas pales in comparison to the years of experience and multiple Memorial Cups [of Hunter],” Kyreos said. “The issue for Brendan Shanahan going forward is that if he decides to go with Kyle Dubas, he runs the risk of losing Mark Hunter, who would have a tough time answering to Dubas.”

With two solid candidates for the highly-coveted position, however, it’s likely the team will lose one executive at some point if they don’t get the position.

Toronto’s Babcock Travels To Arizona To Talk With Auston Matthews

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It looks like there was some truth between the reported rift between the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock and star Auston Matthews afterall. Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada reported Saturday evening that Babcock travelled to Arizona (Matthews home) for a family vacation, but plans to sit down and clear up any issues that Matthews may have with the coach, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

“The expectation is the two of them are going to talk or have talked this weekend as they try to air things out and fix things between them,” Elliotte Friedman said during Hockey Night’s “Headlines” segment on Saturday.

The rift was first reported by Nick Kypreos after Game 7 of the first-round playoff series between the Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins. Both player and coach denied the accusation.

While Babcock’s trip to Arizona is being passed off as a family trip, Kypreos feels differently.

“It is common for star players sometimes to battle with their coaches for things such as ice time,” Kypreos said during intermission of the Penguins-Capitals game on Saturday. “But what isn’t that common is a week after [exit meetings]. It’s clear that this is a priority for Babcock, who’s hoping to smooth things out so come training camp, everyone’s on the same page.”

LeBrun, however, tweeted that Babcock also has plans to visit goaltender Frederik Andersen in Denmark soon as well.

NHL Warns Marchand, Bruins About Licking Players

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The NHL’s vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell spoke to both the Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney and Brad Marchand today, warning the veteran forward that his actions of licking players is unacceptable and another incident like that will result in supplementary discipline, according to the NHL.

Marchand, who has been accused for licking a player for the second time in the Stanley Cup playoffs this year, was seen checking Tampa Bay’s Ryan Callahan into the boards and when Callahan shoved back, Marchand responded by licking him. He was accused of the same thing in the first round of the playoffs during Game 1 by the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Leo Komarov. Marchand was not penalized for either incident, but the league is stepping in now.

According to Rule 75.4 (iii), “Any player who persists in any course of conduct designed to incite an opponent into incurring a penalty,” which means the league could start handing out 10-minute misconduct penalties immediately for any similar actions, according to TSN’s Frank Seravalli.

“There’s absolutely no place in this game for that,” Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper said (via Joe Smith). “I don’t understand it.”

Even Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said Marchand needs to stop.

“Brad has to stop licking. That’s the end of the story,” said Cassidy (via Chris Johnston).

Tomas Plekanec Wants To Return To Montreal

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When the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Tomas Plekanec at the trade deadline, they knew he likely would only be there for a few months. The 35-year old center is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and now has made it clear that he would like to return to the Montreal Canadiens if possible. In an interview with TVA Sports this morning, Plekanec spoke about his upcoming free agency.

Obviously as I said before my priority is to play for the Montreal Canadiens, but you know, what’s going to happen? I don’t know. I don’t know what Marc [Bergevin] has planned, I don’t know what Claude Julien has planned so everything is open I guess from now on until July 1st. Like I said, my heart is in Montreal, my family is in Montreal, so that’s my priority…

Plekanec played 17 games down the stretch with the Maple Leafs but didn’t find his groove until after Nazem Kadri was suspended in their first round series with the Boston Bruins. Plekanec slid into a checking role with Patrick Marleau and Mitch Marner—two players he speaks highly of in the interview—and matched up well against the Bruins’ top unit.

His four points in seven playoff games actually doubled the two he recorded during the regular season with the Maple Leafs, part of the lowest season total of his career. The veteran forward is on the last season of a two-year $12MM pact, but will have to take considerably less money to return to Montreal next season.

The Canadiens are weak down the middle, but Plekanec can’t be relied upon as anything more than a checking option at this point. Now closer to 40 than 30 and with dwindling point totals in three consecutive seasons, he may have to take an incentive-laden contract. Montreal is expected to push hard in free agency to try and turn around their franchise after a disappointing season, but they may choose to go in a different direction.

Young Talent Fills Finland’s World Championship Roster

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Finland has announced their final roster for the upcoming World Championship, and it is filled with young NHL talent. The Dallas Stars will be quite pleased with the results, as both Miro Heiskanen and Julius Honka will be present on defense. The entire group is as follows:

Affiliated NHL organization in parenthesis

Goaltenders:

Ville Husso (St. Louis Blues)
Eero Kilpelainen
Harri Sateri (Florida Panthers)

Defensemen:

Miro Heiskanen (Dallas Stars)
Julius Honka (Dallas Stars)
Niko Mikkola (St. Louis Blues)
Markus Nutivaara (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Tommi Kivisto
Miika Koivisto
Ville Pokka (Ottawa Senators)
Juuso Riikola

Forwards:

Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes)
Marko Anttila
Mikael Granlund (Minnesota Wild)
Pekka Jormakka
Kasperi Kapanen (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Sakari Manninen
Saku Maenalanen
Mika Niemi
Olli Palola
Janne Pesonen
Mikko Rantanen (Colorado Avalanche)
Veli-Matti Savinainen
Antti Suomela
Teuvo Teravainen (Carolina Hurricanes)

Heiskanen’s presence on the team is especially noteworthy given that he is only 18 years old still, and made it over other top young players like Olli Juolevi. The third pick in the 2017 draft, Heiskanen is an incredibly mobile two-way defender that should be an impact player in the NHL before long. The Stars will watch to see if he and Honka get any time together and can start to build chemistry, as the pair could be used together for years to come.

For Rantanen, a good performance at the Worlds would be just another feather in his cap for the 2017-18 season. After scoring 20 goals last season on a dreadful Colorado team, he and Nathan MacKinnon formed one of the league’s most dangerous duos this season and racked up the accolades. Rantanen finished with 84 points, a huge total for a 21-year old winger still learning how to best use his big frame in the NHL.

Lou Lamoriello Will Not Return As GM Of Toronto Maple Leafs

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The Toronto Maple Leafs today announced that legendary executive Lou Lamoriello will not return as General Manager next season. President Brendan Shanahan released a statement explaining the decision:

Three years ago, Lou and I agreed on a contract that would see him serve as General Manager of the Maple Leafs for three years and then transition to Senior Advisor for the following four years. This morning I informed Lou that I was not going to deviate from that course of action. I will now focus all of my attention towards making a decision regarding our next GM. 

Lamoriello oversaw a tear down and rebuild of the Maple Leafs that has resulted in two straight playoff appearances and a young core that can rival anyone in the league. With both Kyle Dubas and Mark Hunter waiting in the wings though as potential GM candidates, the original succession plan can still be put into place. It’s not clear which one—or who from outside the organization—will be given the title, but the Maple Leafs shouldn’t be leaderless for very long.

Dubas, the whiz kid GM from the OHL who has ascended the front office ranks incredibly quickly, was targeted by the Colorado Avalanche last summer as a potential replacement to Joe Sakic. The Maple Leafs didn’t allow Dubas to interview for the job, which was considered by many as a sign that he would eventually be promoted within the Toronto organization. He serves as GM of the Toronto Marlies, who are a powerhouse in the AHL and are on to the second round of the playoffs currently. His unique approach to player development and analytic implementation is a perfect example of how front offices are leaning in various cities around the league.

Hunter on the other hand is more of an old school hockey mind, who has been the backbone of the Maple Leafs’ scouting department for several years. The former NHL player and London Knights GM, Hunter is an outstanding judge of talent among young players and has unearthed several mid and late round picks for the Maple Leafs.

There is always potential for someone else to come in and fill the role for Shanahan and the Maple Leafs, and Lamoriello’s move to advisor may come with some skepticism from those who cover him regularly. Many believe he’s not ready to give up being a GM in the NHL, and as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet noted in his recent 31 Thoughts column, he has ties to the New York Islanders organization. Should Garth Snow move up to a higher role in the organization, Lamoriello could be a potential replacement as GM at least in the short-term.

For the Maple Leafs, this isn’t exactly a firing after a disappointing first-round exit. Instead, Shanahan has maintained a plan from day one and is continuing to move the team further down the line towards perennial Stanley Cup contention. Though Lamoriello is one of the league’s most well-known front office executives, there was a split coming eventually given that he is 75 years old and closing in on retirement.

Toronto Maple Leafs To Sign Par Lindholm

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Though he was recently linked to the Vancouver Canucks, Par Lindholm has made a different decision on where his hockey career will take him next. Uffe Bodin of hockeysverige.se in Sweden is reporting that Lindholm will sign a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs for next season. The 26-year old undrafted forward will be held to the entry-level system for one year, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent.

Lindholm has come the long way to the NHL, slowly working his way through Sweden’s junior and professional leagues before scoring 47 points in 49 games this season and drawing interest from across North America. In Toronto, he’ll follow the footsteps of Calle Rosen and Andreas Borgman who signed out of Sweden last season. While neither of those two lasted the whole season with the Maple Leafs—instead making big contributions on a powerhouse Toronto Marlies team—Lindholm is expected to compete for a role right away.

The versatile forward looks to have a good shot at a fourth line center role should the depth chart remain how it sits today, after Tyler Bozak, Dominic Moore and Tomas Plekanec are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents. Behind Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri, the Maple Leafs don’t have a lot of center depth at the NHL or AHL levels. William Nylander or Patrick Marleau could potentially move to the middle, but Lindholm should give them another experienced (in professional hockey at least) option.

His signing, when made official, will mark another first-time Olympian who has earned a contract this spring. While the NHL avoided the tournament, perhaps it created a proving ground of sorts that will lead to several players getting a chance when they would have otherwise been overlooked. Lindholm will try to prove that he should be playing in the most competitive league in the world, and earn another contract in the summer of 2019.

Off-Season Retirement Watch List

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Although the Stanley Cup playoffs are in full swing with four excellent match-ups in the second round, as teams have been eliminated – and continue to be eliminated – from contention, players begin to make decisions about their futures. Knowing that they were not playoff-bound, Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin announced their departure from the Vancouver Canucks and pro hockey before the end of the season. Former teammate Radim Vrbata made the same decision days later. The Blackhawks’ Patrick Sharp announced that he was moving on, after a return to Chicago didn’t go as planned. Then, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin then got the off-season retirement party started last week, officially calling it a career. Meanwhile, for the third straight summer, Matt Cullen will be contemplating his hockey mortality. Who could be next?

Jaromir Jagr and Jarome Iginla: Let’s start with the easy ones – a Calgary Flames legend and a legend whose career likely ended with the Calgary Flames. Jagr and Iginla were both pushing hard for a final chance at the NHL last summer and both players continued their searches into the regular season. Jagr finally landed a deal with the Flames in October, but health issues and a lack of productions made for a poor tenure in Calgary. Jagr recorded just seven points in 22 games before heading back to his native Czech Republic in January. Iginla opted to undergo surgery in the fall, but was back skating in February and hoping to sign on with a team for the stretch run and postseason. However, no such offer came. These two have been a couple of the biggest names in hockey since the 1990’s and are surefire Hall of Famers, but there is little doubt that their NHL playing days are behind them. Expect official announcements this summer.

Brian Gionta: Gionta is in a similar spot. Unable to find a contract last off-season, Gionta worked out and skated with the AHL’s Rochester Americans ahead of his appearance with Team USA at Winter Olympics. It was a less-than-spectacular showing by the veteran, but he still managed to turn it into a late-season contract with the Boston Bruins. Gionta posted seven points in 20 games with the Bruins in the final months of the regular season, but has yet to see any playoff action, despite ample opportunity given injuries to multiple Boston players heading into and during Round One. Gionta’s play with the Bruins has not exactly harked back to his prime, but nevertheless has shown effort and intelligence. He may have earned another look next season, but it’s more likely than not that this current run with Boston will be the curtain call for Gionta.

Chris Kelly: Kelly also played at the Winter Games and signed on late like Gionta. However, both he and his team have not had similar success. Kelly saw just 12 games with the Anaheim Ducks after signing in February and only contributed two points to show for it. The Ducks were then swept out of the playoffs without Kelly having any say in the matter as a healthy scratch all season. Kelly surprised a lot of people when he played in all 82 games with the Ottawa Senators last season, but this short campaign has shown that the years of dependable play have caught up with him.

Mike Fisher: Will Fisher re-retire? Almost surely. No one can blame Fisher for not wanting to miss out on a possible Cup run by the Nashville Predators one season after coming so close, but Fisher’s presence on the team thus far has been more about leadership and morale than on-ice impact. Fisher had just four points in 16 games down the stretch while averaging just over twelve minutes of ice time and thus far in the postseason has been held scoreless in seven games while seeing barely eleven minutes of time. Fisher’s days as a legitimate player seem to clearly be over, but he could still make a difference for Nashville in these playoffs with the right opportunity.

Dominic Moore: There may be no other player in the game today who has thrived by being a hired gun like Moore. Throughout his career, the veteran center has been able to join a new team, adjust, and play a critical support role. So, when that pattern fell apart this year with the Toronto Maple Leafs, it signaled the coming end to Moore’s career. Moore was common scratch for the Leafs and averaged only about ten minutes of ice time per night, but with twelve points in 50 games, he also didn’t make the most of his opportunities. If any player in the league can adapt to being 38-years-old and coming off a down season by finding the perfect fit for another go-round, it’s Moore, but don’t be surprised if he calls it quits instead.

Joel Ward: There’s no doubt that Ward would like to keep playing. A hard-nosed player and a consummate pro, Ward has been a reliable piece to every team he has been on. However, there is no looking past what by all accounts was the worst season of his career in 2017-18. Just twelve points in 52 games and less than twelve minutes of ice time per game shows just how small a role he played for the San Jose Sharks this year and that’s not even including the fact that the Sharks tried to trade him at the deadline and have yet to play him in the postseason. Ward’s time in San Jose is undeniably over, but that doesn’t mean another team can’t take a one-year flier on him. At this point, it seems unlikely though.

Dennis Seidenberg and Johnny Oduya: What else do these two 36-year-old, left-shot, physical defenders have in common? Their time has come. Seidenberg’s resurgence with the New York Islander was a great story last season, but he came back to earth in this campaign and was limited by injuries and inability to just 28 games and five points. Oduya has had back-to-back disappointing seasons like that, recording only 17 points in 104 games with four different teams across the past two seasons. Dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers at the deadline, Oduya did nothing, skating in just one regular season game and zero postseason games. Both of these men have been admirable NHLers, but it’s hard to see either continuing to play.

On the bubble: Jason Chimera, Antoine Vermette, and Kevin Bieksa, Anaheim Ducks; Josh Gorges, Buffalo Sabres; Matt Stajan, Calgary Flames; Lee Stempniak, Carolina Hurricanes; Ales Hemsky, Montreal Canadiens; Scottie Upshall, St. Louis Blues; Jussi Jokinen, Vancouver Canucks.

Should Leafs Fans Really Worry About Babcock & Matthews?

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It was mentioned in a recent PHR post that rumors of friction between Toronto Maple Leafs bench boss Mike Babcock and star Auston Matthews carried over into the postseason, a rift that was discussed at length by Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos who appeared on Sportsnet’s Starting Lineup. Kypreos believes that Babcock “lost” Matthews because, as Kypreos notes, Matthews went from being the “guy” for Babcock, and in what he calls a “Freaky Friday” situation, Mitch Marner emerged as Babcock’s “go to guy.” In addition to losing Matthews, Kypreos believes that there is “no trust” between the two, which of course, ignited a swell of stories regarding the relationship between the Leafs’ superstar and the man considered one of the best coaches in the game.

An Associated Press story refuted any sort of rift, quoting Babcock after he received a text from a friend asking if the stories were true. Along with taking a shot at the speculation, Babcock indicates he went straight to the source–Matthews:

“I said, ’What’s going on?’” Babcock told reporters of his conversation with Matthews. “It’s interesting in Toronto, you (media) do such a good job. You’re everywhere. You’re under the bench, you’re in the crack in the door, you’re in the car, you’re in the parking lot. You’re everywhere, and any time anybody does anything there’s a big story.

“I asked him flat-out, ‘Do we have any (issues)?’ He was sitting right there. We don’t seem to.”

Matthews responded as well:

“I don’t know what that’s all about,” he said. “Our relationship’s fine. Obviously, you guys can speculate all you want, but I think it’s pointless. Stuff happens, people speculate. I can tell you right now it’s not the case.”

If history is any indicator, this is likely much ado about nothing.

The Leafs just finished off their season in the most excruciating of ways: rallying from a 3-1 series deficit, holding a 4-3 lead heading into the third period of Game 7, and then watching Boston blow past them with four goals to seal the game, series, and Toronto’s season. Emotions from the players to the front office are going to be raw. Factor in that the Maple Leafs are under a microscope from local and national media, and you have a perfect platform for finger pointing.

Conflict with players is hardly new when it comes to Babcock. Known for his background in psychology and tough love, news has always followed the coach that players were either passing on a contract to play for him or that he was alienating players on his current roster. Chris Chelios famously came out after Babcock went to Toronto and said on a Detroit radio show that the Red Wings would have a better shot at free agents because Babcock was “a tough guy to play for.” Chelios was speaking more for veterans, as he commented that younger guys benefitted from Babcock because he held them “accountable.”  Captain Henrik Zetterberg, in comments to MLive’s Ansar Khan back in 2015, spoke about how both the team and Babcock were ready to move on from one another. Though he never came out and spoke poorly of Babcock, many inferred from his words that players were tiring of him.

The claims weren’t unique to Detroit, either. Jeremy Roenick, back in 2009, argued that Babcock didn’t like American players.  Going all the way back to 2003, the New York Post’s Larry Brooks insinuated that former Ducks Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya bolted Anaheim for Colorado because of Babcock’s “unforgiving system.”

Mike Babcock is a tough coach to play for. That has been chronicled since he first came up with Anaheim. So why fret as a Leafs fan about friction between its star player and coach? History has revealed that any team with Mike Babcock will certainly see some kind of conflict with his players–as well as the success that has followed Babcock from Anaheim, to Detroit, and finally, to Toronto.

Eastern Notes: Flyers Defense, Malkin, Korshkov, Primeau

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While the Philadelphia Flyers took a major step this year by reaching the playoffs and showing some success in their playoff series with the Pittsburgh Penguins, it was also quite obvious the team must continue to improve their roster if they want to compete for an Eastern Conference title at some point in the near future. While the team’s stable of forwards looks solid, Philly.com’s Sam Carchidi writes that the team’s defense might be the most important issue on the team.

While the team got some good play from many of their defenders, the team’s lack of depth was critical as players like Brandon Manning and Radko Gudas were exposed as weak links on their defense. Even Shayne Gostisbehere struggled in his playoff series with the Penguins. With Manning not expected back and a reduced role for Gudas likely, finding replacements is critical if it wants to take that next step. The team does expect Samuel Morin to earn a full-time role with the defense, but the team needs more.

With approximately $25MM in cap space, free agency might be the most logical way of filling that need, despite general manager Ron Hextall’s struggles at signing free agents. However, with players like John Carlsson, Toby Enstrom, Thomas Hickey, Jack Johnson and Ian Cole out there this summer, the team might find what it needs there.

  • Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, who missed the first game of their playoff series and is listed as day-to-day for Sunday’s game, had a successful practice Saturday and will decide tomorrow on whether he’s ready to play with his team up one game against the Washington Capitals. “I feel so much better,” said Malkin (via the Penguins). “We’ll see how I feel overnight. If I play, I’m ready to play. If I play, I need to go 100%. The team won two games without me, great team. They played so hard. If I’m in I’ll try to do my best and make us stronger.”
  • Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Yegor Korshkov will not come over to North America this summer like some people originally thought. The 21-year-old wing has signed a one-year extension to remain with his KHL team, Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, according to The Athletic’s Corey Pronman. “The Leafs were OK with my decision but obviously weren’t glad,” said Korshkov (via Igor Eronko). “My position is I should have a leading role in Lokomotiv to leave the KHL. Who knows, maybe in a year I will reach my goal.”  Korshkov did improve his goal and points production this year with Lokomotiv, putting up eight goals and 18 assists, but also played 18 more games this season.
  • The Athletic’s Mitch Brown (subscription required) breaks down the Montreal Canadiens prospects and how they fared with 2017 seventh-round pick Cayden Primeau leapfrogging to one of the top of the team’s prospect pick. Taken late in the draft last year after possessing the third-worst save percentage in the USHL, the 18-year-old goaltender rebounded with Northeastern University, putting up the best save percentage by an 18-year-old in NCAA history.

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