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Snapshots: Houston, Liljegren, Hunwick

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Ever since Tilman Fertitta bought the Houston Rockets of the NBA in September 2017, the market has been the center of much speculation that an NHL franchise could soon be heading there. Fertitta has expressed public interest in bringing the NHL to Houston, and visited the league offices to speak with the commissioner’s office about what it would take. None of that means in the slightest that there is actually going to be a second Texas-based team in the near future, but it does keep Houston at the forefront of any expansion or relocation speculation.

Today Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston reported on Twitter that Fertitta has had “preliminary talks” regarding the purchase and relocation of the Arizona Coyotes, though the Rockets’ owner would not comment on the story. There have been other rumors recently that the Coyotes are speaking with potential buyers, but absolutely no indication that they or the league would be interested in relocation at this time. Expansion, the other option for potentially getting a team to Houston, is also seemingly off the table for the time being given that Seattle has just been introduced. The NHL has fought hard to keep the Coyotes in Arizona for years, even through struggles with the fan base, arena and on-ice product. While this report doesn’t undo any of that, it once again indicates that there is an interested owner ready to pounce should the league’s position change.

  • Timothy Liljegren has been replaced on the Swedish World Junior preliminary roster by Philip Broberg, due to the ankle injury he suffered recently. The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect would have been one of the country’s returning players after taking home a silver medal last season. Broberg meanwhile is a potential first-round pick in the upcoming draft, and could improve his stock even further with a top performance as a 17-year old. The smooth-skating defenseman can take over a game with his puck-moving skills, and has the size to really be a difference maker at the NHL level.
  • Matt Hunwick is set to head to the AHL on a conditioning stint in order to get back in game shape after a long rehab process. The former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman was traded to the Buffalo Sabres along with Conor Sheary this summer, but has yet to play a game for the organization. There isn’t a ton of room on the Sabres blue line for the veteran when everyone is healthy, but the way Sabres defensemen have been suffering injuries he may be needed as soon as possible. Hunwick is in the second season of a three-year contract that carries a $2.25MM cap hit, and is currently on long-term injured reserve.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Nathan Schnarr To Entry-Level Contract

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The Arizona Coyotes have added another prospect to their cupboard, signing Nathan Schnarr to his entry-level contract. Though the Coyotes are currently sitting at their 50-contract limit, Schnarr will not count towards that total given that he is still just 19 and playing in junior for the Guelph Storm of the OHL.

Schnarr was a third-round pick of the Coyotes in 2017, and has taken over the offensive load for Guelph this year. The 6’3″ center was given more responsibility and has excelled, registering 40 points in his first 26 games and already surpassing his total from last season. Though he isn’t among the Coyotes very top prospects, he has developed well and will certainly fit into their minor league system next season.

This deal though brings up the fact that Arizona does sit at that 50-contract limit, which will drastically limit their ability to sign any college or European free agents in the spring. The team is going to have to clear some contracts over the next few months or be left with very little leverage in trade negotiations. This is one of the byproducts of being a contract graveyard, holding onto the likes of Dave Bolland and Marian Hossa despite them already being retired.

Arizona Coyotes Not Looking For Goaltending Help In Wake Of Raanta Injury

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The Arizona Coyotes announced some terrible news yesterday on goaltender Antti Raanta, telling reporters that he could be out for the entire season after surgery. Raanta was originally supposed to be out just a few days, but was then downgraded to week-to-week and is now out indefinitely. That is a huge blow for a Coyotes team that was relying on the veteran goaltender to help carry them to the playoffs, and immediately sparked speculation about whether the team would go after another experienced starter to help them for the rest of the year.

That speculation can be put to rest, as Coyotes GM John Chayka told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that the team would go with their internal options instead of seeking any help on the trade market. The team currently has Calvin Pickard and Adin Hill in the NHL crease, with Darcy Kuemper approaching his own return from injury. It appears that trio will handle the load for the rest of the season.

It’s hard to blame Chayka for believing in a group that includes Hill, who has posted a .939 save percentage through seven appearances this season, and Kuemper, who has a long history of serving well in a backup role.

Antti Raanta Out Indefinitely, Could Be Out For Season

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The Arizona Coyotes’ goaltending situation just got worse. Already listed as week-to-week, starting goaltender Antti Raanta has been listed as out indefinitely. In fact, general manager John Chayka said that the injury could keep the goaltender out for the entire season after doctors noted that the severity of his injury was worse than originally thought during Raanta’s surgical procedure, according to The Athletic’s Craig Morgan.

“The recovery will be a little longer than we had hoped or expected,” Chayka said. “As we get further down the rehab process we’ll know more, but for now he’s out indefinitely & there’s a good chance he misses the entire season.”

Raanta was having a good, but not great season for the Coyotes so far as he was 5-6 with a 2.88 GAA and a .906 save percentage in 12 appearances. The team, however, will now have to put more of its faith in backup goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who is currently injured, and Adin Hill, especially if the team hopes to work its way into a possible playoff spot.

Hill has been impressive so far in his recall from Tucson of the AHL and could find himself having a breakout year with this opportunity. Hill has put up impressive numbers since being recalled on Nov. 25 as he has a 4-2 record with a 1.62 GAA and a .939 save percentage. Kuemper has been out since Nov. 21 with what is referred to as a minor injury, yet he has now missed more than two weeks and there isn’t a concrete date on a potential return. Kuemper is 4-5-2 in 11 appearances with a 2.71 GAA, but more importantly a .914 save percentage.

 “He’s in good health, it’s just a matter of getting his timing back,” Chayka said. “He should be back in the short term. Obviously with Antti out, he’s an important piece for us moving forward.”

Pacific Notes: Ekman-Larsson, Stastny, Roussel

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It’s been a wildly inconsistent year for the Arizona Coyotes who have seen losing streaks like when they went 2-6-2 during one stretch, but have also had a four and a five-game winning streak as well this season. One issue has been the play of defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. While his numbers have been similar to his yearly totals, coach Rick Tocchet wants to see more from his new captain, according to The Athletic’s Craig Morgan (subscription required).

Tocchet wants to see Ekman-Larsson be the best player on the ice every game, which hasn’t always been the case. In the past 11 games, Ekman-Larsson has just three assists, which just isn’t enough for a team that still remains short on fire power. Tocchet needs Ekman-Larson to take that next step in his development after the team gave him a six-year, $33MM extension last March and named him captain during the offseason.

“There’s no question I want him to take charge,” Tocchet said. “In a 2-2 game when he gets the puck, I want him to walk the blue line with that look like, ‘I’m going to make the play’ or ‘I’m going to shoot the puck.’ When you have those games – and we’ve all seen those games — where you walk off and say, ‘Wow, 23! What a game out there!’ It’s when he’s engaged.”

  • The Vegas Golden Knights could be ready to get back one of their injured players as center Paul Stastny, who has been seen getting some skating and practice times in, will join the team on their upcoming road trip which starts Wednesday in New York and may even get into the lineup at some point during the trip, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen.“Don’t be surprised if you see him early next week,” Vegas head coach Gerard Gallant said. Stastny has missed most of the season with a lower-body injury and has appeared in just three games so far this year. Stastny’s return should only add depth to a team that is still missing Erik Haula and has been forced to pair Max Pacioretty with third-liners Cody Eakin and Alex Tuch, although that line has fared quite well over the past few weeks.
  • While there was plenty of criticism during the offseason when the Vancouver Canucks signed forward Antoine Roussel to a four-year, $12MM deal, The Province’s Ben Kuzma writes that Roussel is proving his value as he has quickly taken over the role that Derek Dorsett once had with the team. The 29-year-old has produced a bit on the ice as well with three goals, 12 points and 67 penalty minutes and is on-pace to eclipse his career high of 29 points. “The one thing about Roussel is his engine always runs hot and he’s always competing, and that reminds me a little bit of Dorsett,” Vancouver head coach Travis Green said. “They care about their teammates and want to win desperately. That’s part of the culture we’re trying to create.”

Arizona Coyotes Lose Vinnie Hinostroza To Injured Reserve

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The Arizona Coyotes have revealed that forward Vinnie Hinostroza will be out for weeks and will be placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, according to The Athletic’s Catherine Silverman. That’s another tough injury for a team fighting to move up in the Pacific Division standings after placing Michael Grabner and goaltender Antti Raanta on IR within the last week as well.

While nothing has been confirmed, it’s likely the injury occurred on Thursday in the Coyotes’ loss to Washington as Hinostroza played just 6:53 of ice time and reportedly had been limping off the ice at one point in the game. The team recalled Michael Bunting from Tucson of the AHL this morning and the team would likely replace Hinostroza or Conor Garland in the lineup.

Hinostroza came aboard during the offseason in one of the many trades Arizona has made with the Chicago Blackhawks recently in which the Coyotes acquired Hinostroza in the Marian Hossa trade in July. The 24-year-old has been solid for Arizona as he ranks as the team’s fourth-best scorer as he has posted four goals and 12 points in 27 games.

Vinnie Hinostroza Listed As Week-To-Week

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The Sharks could soon turn to the trade market to address their struggles on the fourth line, suggests Paul Gackle of The Mercury News.  The team has tried four different players in the fourth line center position with none of them having any extended success.  Head coach Peter DeBoer is a proponent of running a four-line attack and the struggles of San Jose’s bottom trio has made that a difficult proposition.

GM Doug Wilson has had to make moves to shore up that line in recent years.  Last season, he picked up Eric Fehr in a midseason move while in 2016, he added Nick Spaling via a trade and Dainius Zubrus as a free agent.  They can add a player making roughly $1.6MM right now per CapFriendly so if they intend on filling other holes between now and the deadline, they may want to wait a little bit before attempting to add a fourth line pivot.

Elsewhere around the Pacific:

  • Although Kings center Jeff Carter has struggled considerably this season, Eric Duhatschek of The Athletic (subscription required) believes that the time may be right for the team to move him. As a result of his back-diving contract, the financial outlay over the final three years of his deal is just $7MM in total which would make him attractive to lower-spending teams while his cap hit of roughly $5.27MM isn’t overly pricey for a top-six forward and would still carry some value.  The 33-year-old has been quiet offensively this season with just five goals and nine assists in 29 games but a change of scenery might give him a boost.  Carter does not have any trade protection in his contract.
  • On top of missing goalie Antti Raanta on a week-to-week basis, Coyotes winger Vinnie Hinostroza has received the same designation, notes Craig Morgan of The Athletic (Twitter link). He sustained a lower-body injury on Thursday night against Washington.  Arizona is now missing six regular players out of their lineup as they look to hang around the postseason picture.

Minor Transactions: 12/08/18

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With ten games on deck today spanning nine hours from first to last puck drop, there is plenty of NHL hockey to watch. The Flyers and Sabres get the action started with an early afternoon matinee, followed by the Golden Knights and Kings with their own early game on the west coast, and then eight contests later tonight, highlighted by Maple Leafs-Bruins, Lightning-Avalanche, Capitals-Blue Jackets, and Predators-Flames. In preparation, expect a flurry of moves today as teams align their rosters for Saturday’s games and beyond:

  • The Arizona Coyotes have recalled forward Michael Bunting from the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners, the team announced. Bunting is off to a strong start in the minors this season, currently tied for second on the Roadrunners in scoring with 18 points through 20 games. Bunting led the club in goal scoring last season and finished third in points and his continued success begs for a look at the NHL level. This is not Bunting’s first recall, yet he has not actually seen any game action with Arizona just yet. That could change this week as the ’Yotes look to fend off tough competition in the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, and Buffalo Sabres.
  • As expected, the Calgary Flames have called up forward Alan Quine, per a team release, making it his first recall of the season and first with the club. Quine signed with the Flames this summer, expecting to compete for a regular role, but has instead been relegated to a full-time job with the AHL’s Stockton Heat. He’s certainly made the most of that situation, recording 19 points in 15 games, among the top per-game producers in the AHL. With Mikael Backlund joining Michael Frolik on the shelf for Calgary, Quine should slot in nicely as a capable two-way forward. A strong performance could make it difficult for the team to send him back down to the minors at first opportunity. The Calgary Flames also announced they have recalled defenseman Rinat Valiev from the Stockton Heat of the AHL. He likely was brought up as an emergency option for the team with back-to-back games approaching on Saturday vs. Nashville and Sunday in Edmonton. The 23-year-old is already on his third NHL team after the Flames picked him up right before the season from Montreal in exchange for Brett Kulak. Valiev has three assists in 20 games for Stockton this season.
  • The Winnipeg Jets have returned defenseman Cameron Schilling to Manitoba of the AHL, reports Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun.  He suited up in four games while on recall, his first NHL action since the 2014-15 season.  With Dustin Byfuglien and Dmitry Kulikov both returning on Friday, Schilling was no longer needed to serve as injury depth and will return to the Moose where he has six assists in 15 games so far this season.
  • The New York Rangers announced that they have recalled center Cole Schneider from Hartford of the AHL.  He is tied for second on the Wolf Pack in scoring with eight goals and nine assists in 25 games so far this season.  If he gets into a game with New York, it will be his first NHL action in more than two years.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have returned winger Saku Maenalanen and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to AHL Charlotte, per a team release.  Maenalanen made his NHL debut last night, logging just 6:49 of ice time.  He has 11 points in 23 games so far with the Checkers.  As for Nedeljkovic, he was recalled to serve as the backup last night with Curtis McElhinney dealing with a minor injury and will now go back to Charlotte where he will likely split playing time with Scott Darling.

 

Antti Raanta Moved To Injured Reserve

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The Arizona Coyotes had a decision to make soon on whether Adin Hill had earned an NHL role going forward, but won’t have to make it for another few weeks. The team announced today that Antti Raanta is now considered week-to-week and has been moved to injured reserve. Craig Morgan of The Athletic spoke with Coyotes GM John Chayka, who claimed it wasn’t actually a setback for Raanta.

While injuries to Raanta seem to have become commonplace for the Coyotes, this time they may be better prepared than ever to keep things running smoothly in net. Hill has been outstanding since his recall, recording a shutout and posting a .957 save percentage in six appearances. The 22-year old goaltender will likely remain the starter, while waiver claim Calvin Pickard can help provide some NHL experience.

Darcy Kuemper, who is also dealing with injury, is expected to be back before long, meaning they’ll still have to make a decision on who to keep. Hill is obviously playing well enough to remain in the NHL, but is also still waiver exempt. Pickard, obviously, is not and would need to clear in order to be assigned to the minor leagues. Risking him might not be the absolute worst move though, given that the Coyotes are currently at the 50-contract limit and have been for much of the season. Still, having depth at such a crucial position is key for Arizona as they try to push towards the playoffs in the Pacific Division. Raanta is obviously their starter if healthy, but he hasn’t been much of that for any length of time.

Coyotes Open To Carrying Three Goalies

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The Coyotes have received strong goaltending from Adin Hill after he was pressed into action following the lower-body injuries to both Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper.  He has posted a 0.56 GAA with a .977 SV% in five appearances so far this season which has led some to speculate if he could make a run for the starting job even when the team is fully healthy.  In an interview on Arizona Sports (audio link), GM John Chayka was quick to dispel any talk of a goalie controversy but hinted that they may keep all three goalies up when Raanta and Kuemper return:

“We’re in a performance-based industry. We’ve had some injuries and underperformance at times whether it’s been goalies or other players.  To have a young guy step in who has got a good track record, it gets your attention. Credit to him. I think we need all three [goalies].”

That doesn’t appear to bode well for Calvin Pickard’s future in the desert.  The Coyotes added him off of waivers late last month but has yet to see game action with Arizona so far.  With both Raanta and Kuemper (who took part in practice today) getting close to returning, the 26-year-old could find himself back on the wire shortly.

Elsewhere in the Pacific:

  • Flames winger Michael Frolik has suffered a setback in his recovery from lower-body injury, reports Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson. He last played on November 19th and was initially listed as day-to-day but it appears he’ll be out a fair bit longer as he has yet to even skate over the past week.  Frolik has had a quiet start to his season; while he has a respectable seven goals in 20 games, he has yet to record a single assist while his ice time has dropped to a career-low 12:07 per night.
  • The Oilers announced (Twitter link) that winger Drake Caggiula is dealing with a minor hand injury and will miss tonight’s game against St. Louis. As a result, winger Patrick Russell will remain in the lineup instead of ceding his place to center Connor McDavid who returns after missing the last game due to illness.

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