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Snapshots: Hurricanes, Nylander, Voynov, Global Series

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The Carolina Hurricanes have three scouts in attendance tonight at the Dallas Stars-Toronto Maple Leafs game and, according to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, that is not just a fluke. Per Friedman, for the one team to have that many scouts in attendance on a night with 26 teams in action, there has to be a reason. Unless the Hurricanes and Stars have a deal on the table that no one has heard about quite yet, the implication would be that Carolina continues to be in hot pursuit of young forward William Nylander. Yet, Nylander is not in the Toronto lineup tonight, as he remains unsigned as a restricted free agent. Why then would the Hurricanes still be out scouting the Maple Leafs? Friedman suggests that a possible Nylander deal, which looks more and more realistic with each day, could be of a much greater magnitude than a one-for-one swap. While many have suggested that a relatively simple exchange centered around Nylander and ’Canes defenseman Justin Faulk would make sense for both sides, it would seem to leave Toronto a little shortchanged. As such, if Carolina is watching other Maple Leafs, it would seem to indicate that the package from their side is quite larger than just one veteran defenseman. At the end of the day, there very well may never be a Nylander trade. However, the clues are building toward what could be a Toronto-Carolina blockbuster.

  • The opposite of mysterious trade dealings? How about a team outright stating they have no interest in acquiring a player. That is what the Arizona Coyotes did today, with The Athletic’s Craig Morgan reporting that the team has absolutely no interest in adding free agent defenseman Slava Voynov. Voynov, 28, has been out of the NHL for four years, but today applied for reinstatement. An interested team would have to trade for his rights from the Los Angeles Kings, but dealing with a division rival is likely not what is holding the Coyotes back. Voynov’s troubled past would mean bad PR for any team he ends up with and Arizona is simply opting not to expose themselves to that onslaught. There will no doubt be interest in the talented blue liner, just not from the Coyotes.
  • With NHL currently overseas as the Global Series takes place with games in Finland between the Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers, commissioner Gary Bettman took the opportunity to hint at what the future of the league’s action abroad could be. NHL.com’s Brian Compton writes that Bettman is currently working toward having preseason games in Germany and Switzerland again next year, while also planning for a season-opening series in Prague, Czech Republic and a later series in Stockholm, Sweden. He also states that the league has interest in returning to Finland in the near future as well. To date, the league has played 31 games overseas and has enjoyed success with growing the game on an international scale. The Global Series seems like a venture by the NHL with no shortage of opportunities and a excellent longevity.

Trade Rumors: Hurricanes, Hayes, Pearson

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The Carolina Hurricanes have been one of the biggest early surprises of the 2018-19 season with a 6-3-1 record that trails only the powerhouse Pittsburgh Penguins in the Metropolitan Division. The team is in the top half of the league in goals for and against, led by top-ten NHL scorer Sebastian Aho and a top-six on defense that rivals anyone in the league. The Hurricanes are certainly not without flaws, special teams and goaltending to highlight a couple, but overall have been very impressive with one of the youngest rosters in the league. Yet, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes that new GM Don Waddell is “open for business”. Given the surplus of talented defenseman on the Carolina roster and in the system, Waddell simply has the luxury of fielding offers from D-needy teams and waiting for the right offer. Potentially on the block could be long-time ’Cane Justin Faulk, young Brett Pesce, or reliable Trevor van Riemsdyk. Each of Carolina’s top-six defensemen is signed through at least next season, making these three righties attractive long-term additions. Teams in search of a younger asset could also take a look at AHLers Haydn Fleury or Roland McKeown, long considered by many to be players that should be playing regular minutes in the NHL. Garrioch notes that the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers are among the teams most desperate for help on the right side of the blue line and adds fuel to the fire by reporting that Toronto GM Kyle Dubas was in attendance at the ’Canes last game. It has been rumored that Carolina could be the leading candidate to land disgruntled William Nylander, while Edmonton could be willing to part with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the right deal. Waddell’s first trade, in which he acquired Micheal Ferland and Dougie Hamilton from the Calgary Flames, has worked out nicely thus far. Can he do it again?

  • It comes as no surprise that New York Rangers center Kevin Hayes is drawing trade interest. Despite his insistence that he would like to remain in New York, the one-year extension he signed this off-season said otherwise. The rebuilding Rangers are likely to deal Hayes, one of many younger centers on the roster, before he has the chance to walk as a free agent. Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reports that many teams already have their eye on Hayes, implying that he may not last until the NHL Trade Deadline. Kypreos specifically names the Winnipeg Jets as a team in need of a center, after Paul Stastny’s unexpected departure this summer has left them short-handed down the middle. However, the Jets are not alone in that predicament; after losing Riley Nash to free agency and a failed preseason competition for the spot, the Boston Bruins could very much use a rental player at third-line pivot, while the trades of three different centers away from the club this summer has left the Arizona Coyotes thin at the position. These are just three of what is likely to be a list of more than a dozen suitors for the Rangers to choose between. Hayes’ days are numbered in New York.
  • One name that could be a sneaky candidate to be the first notable trade victim of the regular season is Los Angeles Kings forward Tanner Pearson. The Kings are floundering this season, holders of the worst record in the Western Conference, and Pearson has been part of the problem. The 26-year-old winger has just one point through ten games and has looked like a shell of himself. In Pearson’s defense, the Kings have also cut his ice time somewhat and relegated him to the fourth line for a while, but only as a result of his poor performance. Yet, Pearson has totaled 36 points or more in each of the past three year and is quietly a very strong two-way player. It would not be a shock to see Pearson right the ship with a change of scenery, but the Kings would have to ensure that they don’t sell too low on the well-rounded forward. Trade inquiries come with the territory of a basement record though and L.A., needing to shake things up, may soon be tempted to give Pearson away for the right price.

Max Pacioretty, Victor Hedman Exit Game With Head Injuries

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UPDATE (10/27): Both teams have now issued updates statuses on the injured players. Despite the optics of each hit and the initial optimism from the Lightning, it seems that Hedman has likely suffered a worse injury than Pacioretty. Tampa Bay reports that their top defender will be re-evaluated in a week after an upper-body injury (while also noting that Ondrej Palat is day-to-day with a lower-body injury). Hedman will certainly miss the Bolts’ game against the Coyotes today and match-ups with New Jersey and Nashville later this week as well. His status for Tampa’s games against division rivals Montreal and Ottawa are in question. Meanwhile, Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant revealed that Pacioretty is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Given the time taken to update his condition, it is likely that Pacioretty was evaluated for a concussion but seemingly avoided one. Vegas also faces the Senators and Predators in upcoming games and the winger’s availability could be a game-time decision for each.

10/26: The Vegas Golden Knights are facing a possible absence from big off-season trade acquisition Max Pacioretty, while the Tampa Bay Lightning could be without defensive mainstay Victor Hedman. The veteran winger first left Friday night’s game between the two teams after suffering an apparent head injury. Lightning defenseman Braydon Coburn was the culprit, as he delivered a high hit on Pacioretty just five minutes into the contest. (video) Hedman was then the victim of an awkward collision with Knights forward Ryan Reaves in the second period that sent him toppling into the boards. Hedman appeared to injure his head/neck area as he landed. (video)

As the video shows, Pacioretty was carrying the puck and Coburn was simply playing his man. As Pacioretty cuts to the right, Coburn lands a shoulder right to his face. Pacioretty did get right back up, but quickly skated off and looked uneasy. “Patch” did not return to the game and Vegas has not issued an update on his status. An update should be expected soon, with the Golden Knights set to host the Ottawa Senators on Sunday and potentially in need of a roster move.

In contrast, Tampa Bay was quick to rule out Hedman, as The Athletic’s Joe Smith received word before the end of the period. Reaves hit itself was not bad, but caught Hedman off balance. The superstar defenseman crashed into the boards and quickly skated off the ice once he was back on his feet. It was unclear whether his head injury was more of a concussion concern, like Pacioretty’s, or instead a possible neck issue as a result of an awkward landing.

If Pacioretty did indeed suffer a serious head injury that will sideline him for some time, Vegas will have to make up for his offense. The former Montreal Canadiens star has only two goals through nine games, but is a five-time 60+ point player. Between he and Paul Stastny, out with a lower-body injury, the Knights would be without their two major off-season additions and expected top-six core contributors. Fortunately, the team has Alex Tuch back from the injured reserve to help pick up the slack. Cody Eakin, who has four points in six games while dealing with injuries of his own, will also be expected to step up. A Hedman absence would be a major loss for the Bolts, but not one that would be impossible to overcome. Between Ryan McDonagh, Mikhail Sergachev, and Coburn, the Tampa lefties will be leaned upon more. Slater Koekkoek would also be likely to see some action, filling Hedman’s roster spot. With a game tomorrow at the Arizona Coyotes, it would be no surprise to see the reigning Norris Trophy winner sit at least one game. More information on the status of both players should be available soon.

Realignment Proposal “Vetted And Adopted” For Potential Seattle Expansion

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The NHL Board of Governors have still not officially voted to allow expansion to the city of Seattle, but as Pierre LeBrun notes on TSN’s latest Insider Trading segment, they’ve already worked out a realignment plan. A proposal has already been “vetted and adopted” by the board’s Executive Committee, the small selection of owners that first decides if things are even brought before the whole group. The realignment plan is now just waiting to see if Seattle will in fact be brought in as the league’s 32nd team, a vote that is expected to take place in early December.

Though he can’t guarantee it, LeBrun—and his fellow panelists Darren Dreger and Bob McKenzie apparently—feels as though the realignment would consist of the Arizona Coyotes moving to the Central Division, with Seattle taking their place in the Pacific Division. That’s the most obvious option, given the Central currently consists of just seven teams and putting a team from Seattle there doesn’t make much sense. The league also wouldn’t want to break up the rivalry of Calgary/Edmonton, or move the Vegas Golden Knights so soon after establishing them in the division.

If Seattle does end up in the Pacific, there’s a natural rivalry ready to take off with the city of Vancouver.

Jakob Chychrun Cleared For Contact, Still Expected To Miss Two More Weeks

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Canucks defenseman Alex Edler has been part of trade speculation for several years now but nothing has come of it.  Now, the Swedish blueliner is in the final year of his contract and accordingly, he has been scouted quite frequently in the early going this season, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported in an appearance on Sportsnet 650 (audio link).  While Vancouver is off to a good start this season, the expectation is that they’ll eventually become sellers and Edler would likely be at the forefront of those efforts.  He’s off to a solid start with five points through nine games while leading the team in playing time at 24:28 per contest and would be a top-four upgrade for many contending teams.  However, the 32-year-old has a full no-trade clause so he would have the ability to control where he ultimately winds up.

More from the Pacific:

  • In an appearance on Insider Trading (video link), TSN’s Darren Dreger noted that Kings defenseman Alec Martinez has come up in trade speculation lately. Los Angeles has not gotten off to a particularly strong start this season which has led to an expectation that a move involving a notable player or head coach John Stevens will be made.  Martinez would certainly draw considerable interest around the league as a top-four player that can play the right side with a team-friendly cap hit of $4MM through the 2020-21 season.  Through nine games this season, the 31-year-old has a pair of assists while logging 21:28 per night of ice time.
  • Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun has been cleared for contact, reports Craig Morgan of The Athletic (Twitter link). He has missed the entire season thus far as he works his way back from surgery to repair a torn ACL.  GM John Chayka had previously indicated that once Chychrun got this green light, he’d be about two weeks away from being declared as ready to play.

David Ullstrom, Eric Gryba, Brian Lashoff On Waivers

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Friday: All three players have cleared. Gryba and Ullstrom have both been assigned to the minor leagues, Binghamton and Tucson respectively.

Thursday: According to Craig Morgan of The Athletic, the Arizona Coyotes have placed David Ullstrom on waivers, indicating that he is close to recovered from his most recent injury. Ullstrom was on season-opening injured reserve to this point, but will report to the Tucson Roadrunners if he clears waivers. Eric Gryba of the New Jersey Devils has also been placed on waivers according to Corey Masisak of The Athletic, and Brian Lashoff finds himself in the same situation according to CapFriendly. Cory Conacher meanwhile has cleared and will be assigned to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL, while Phillip Di Giuseppe has cleared but will remain with the Carolina Hurricanes for now.

Ullstrom, now 29, has been an enigma for his entire career. Selected 102nd overall in 2008, early on he looked like a steal for the New York Islanders given his size and speed while playing center on a regular basis. It’s hard to find quality centers that late in the draft, and when he made his North American debut in 2010 he found immediate success with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL, scoring 41 points in 67 games. Unfortunately, that would be his career high at any level to this point.

After two cups of coffee with the Islanders in which he rarely showed the kind of promise he had in the minor leagues, Ullstrom was off to the KHL where he’d bounce around to five different teams. He returned to Sweden in 2017 to play for his former club, HV71, but signed with the Coyotes this summer to give the NHL another crack. He hasn’t played this season due to injury, and now he’ll have to make his mark in the minor leagues once again. All the measurables are there with Ullstrom, but he’s never been able to put it all together for a prolonged period of time.

Gryba on the other hand is a veteran defenseman just looking for a way back into the NHL. After not seeing the minor leagues for a few consecutive seasons, he found himself back in the AHL last year after being waived by the Edmonton Oilers. A buyout followed in the summer, and Gryba had to work to earn himself a contract this year with the Devils. Unfortunately, that hasn’t turned into any NHL action just yet. A trip to waivers might be the best thing for him, given the need for defensemen around the league, and his $700K cap hit may be attractive to some teams—even perhaps Edmonton, who has had trouble with the bottom of their group. There’s a real chance that Gryba is claimed, but if not he’ll have to face the minor leagues once again.

Lashoff too is coming off season-opening injured reserve, and seems unlikely to be claimed at this point. The veteran defenseman has played just 17 NHL games since 2014, and is a full-time minor league player for the Detroit Red Wings. He’ll likely spend the entire season in the minor leagues unless the Red Wings are hit with more injuries to their defense, but even then the franchise would likely turn to younger more dynamic options.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Dvorak, Maple Leafs

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The NHL has handed out the Three Stars for the second week of the season, and once again a center from the Atlantic Division leads the way. Following in Auston Matthews’ week one honors is Patrice Bergeron, who gets the first star after a nine-point week with the Boston Bruins. Bergeron’s brilliance was on display in full force when he sent a backhand saucer pass to David Pastrnak for a tap in on Monday night against the Ottawa Senators. It wasn’t the first time the Bruins center is included in these awards, and it certainly won’t be the last.

Behind Bergeron were two more Eastern Conference opponents in Morgan Rielly and Sebastian Aho. Both players continued their scorching hot starts by adding seven points in three games, and helping the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes to league-leading records. While both have been good before, each could be experiencing another breakout in performance that could lead to playoff success for their clubs.

  • Christian Dvorak of the Arizona Coyotes has suffered a setback in his rehab from a lower-body injury according to Matt Layman of AZ Sports, who notes that the team will give an update on his status later in the week. Dvorak hasn’t played yet this season as he tries to make good on the six-year, $26.7MM extension he signed this summer, and will likely now be held out of the lineup even longer. Now on the final year of his entry-level contract, Dvorak is looked to as a leader on the Coyotes and one that was expected to take a step forward from the 15-goal, 37-point performance of 2017-18. The 22-year old will need to perform at an even higher level in order to eclipse that if he misses much more of the season.
  • The Maple Leafs were forced to recall minor league goaltender Eamon McAdam today to fill in while Frederik Andersen deals with a minor knee injury, and as CapFriendly points out are using one of their two goaltender exemptions for the year. The team is sitting at 24 players on the roster since they didn’t move Andersen to injured reserve, and will now have to be even more careful going forward. McAdam will serve as backup tonight while Garret Sparks makes his second start of the season.

Chicago Blackhawks’ Crawford Expected To Return Thursday

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In an analysis of the Chicago Blackhawks season so far, the Chicago Tribune’s Jimmy Greenfield mentions one interesting fact nestled deep in his article that Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville said he expects goaltender Corey Crawford to return this week on Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes.

Crawford, who hasn’t played since Dec. 23 of last season due to concussion issues, has been rumored to be getting closer to being ready and is a critical piece to Chicago’s playoff hopes. The hope had been that Crawford would have been ready for training camp, but he admitted this summer that he wasn’t ready and might miss training camp and some time during the season. He finally got back onto the ice during training camp and now has been practicing with the team for a little over two weeks now.

The 33-year-old was having a fine season until he got hurt last year, posting 16 wins, a .929 save percentage and a 2.27 GAA in 28 games. While no one really knows how often Crawford can play or if he can return to form from his previous years, but the team is better off with him on the ice than without, even though the play of Cam Ward has improved significantly in his last two games, as he is boasting a .917 save percentage.

Pacific Notes: Getzlaf, Thornton, Yamamoto, Coyotes’ PK

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The Anaheim Ducks got some good news today as Ryan Getzlaf skated for the first time since suffering a groin injury in the third period of their game against Arizona on Oct. 6. While he skated effortlessly, his appearance on the ice was a short one and isn’t expected to play in either game this weekend, according to Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register.

Regardless, the Ducks and Getzlaf have high hopes that he’ll be back soon, which is much better than the original estimate that he could miss as much as a month, although the veteran refused to commit to a return date.

“It’s hard to say because you talk to the doctors and originally it was going to be 2-3 weeks, 3-4 weeks, those kinds of thing,” he said. “Obviously, we’re ahead of schedule. We can’t put a timeline on it because everybody’s body is going to heal differently. We’ll make our adjustments. If the leg progresses faster, then I’ll be back faster.”

Getzlaf has posted two assists in the two games he’s played this year. He scored 11 goals last season in 56 games.

  • Paul Gackle of The Mercury News wonders whether the San Jose Sharks made a mistake putting all of their faith in a Stanley Cup run when much of their center-line depth relies on 39-year-old Joe Thornton, who suffered an infection in his surgically-repaired knee and is currently out. While it is not considered to be a serious injury, the scribe writes that the Sharks are weak up the middle as even head coach Peter DeBoer admits that Joe Pavelski isn’t a real center when Thornton isn’t in the lineup. If the team loses Thornton for any significant time this season, the team may have trouble competing with other teams in the Pacific Division that are much stronger at that position.
  • The Edmonton Oilers picked up their first win of the season today when they defeated the New York Rangers 2-1, but the Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins, in grading the performances of several different players, suggests that 20-year-old Kailer Yamamoto hasn’t shown much in his stint with the team so far this year and while he showed some potential early in the game, he disappeared after the second period and might need to be moved off the team’s second line.
  • Richard Morin of The Arizona Republic writes that the Arizona Coyotes success this year may come down to the success of their penalty kill unit. The Coyotes are just one of four teams that hasn’t allowed a power play goal this season as they’ve stopped seven power plays going into Saturday’s play. The team, which is focused on playing defense and limiting their opponents chances, believe that an impressive penalty kill will be whether the team has success or not. “Our special teams is something we’re really going to rely on this year,” head coach Rick Tocchet said. “Our PK (penalty kill) and power play have to be better than they were last year because it can win you hockey games. Saying that, I think anytime you have a commitment to defense and playing a pursuit style to limit the other team’s chances, you have a better chance at winning.

2018-19 Season Primer: Arizona Coyotes

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With the NHL season now underway, we continue our look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Next up is a look at the Arizona Coyotes.

Last Season: 29-41-12 record (70 points), eighth in the Pacific Division (missed the playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $7.72MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Alex Galchenyuk (trade with Montreal), F Michael Grabner (free agent, New Jersey) , F Vinnie Hinostroza (trade with Chicago), F Marian Hossa (trade with Chicago – assuming the remainder of his contract), D Ilya Lyubushkin (free agent, Lokomotiv, KHL), D Jordan Oesterle (trade with Chicago)

Key Subtractions: F Max Domi (trade with Montreal), F Freddie Hamilton (free agent, unsigned), F Jordan Martinook (trade with Carolina), D Luke Schenn (free agent, Anaheim)

[Related: Coyotes Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F Dylan Strome – While it is typically unfair to say a 21-year-old player is in a make-or-break year, it certainly feels that way when it comes to Strome.   In an era where top picks are making an NHL impact right away, he has been an exception as he heads into 2018-19 with just 28 NHL games under his belt.

Strome was drafted as Arizona’s center of the future back in 2015, earning himself the third overall selection.  To say he was dominant at the junior level after being drafted would be an extreme understatement.  To say he was productive in the minors last year (his first season of AHL eligibility) would also be one.

However, when the NHL opportunities have been there, he hasn’t fared anywhere near as well.  His skating has been a concern and as the league is trending towards being faster and faster, this has been a point of emphasis in his development.  If he’s going to become that core center they hope he can be, he’ll need to improve.

Injuries to Alex Galchenyuk and Christian Dvorak have opened up an opportunity for Strome to play an important role with Arizona early on and he has fared well in a short sample size thus far.  However, if he falters, he could find himself back in the minors before too long which will only amplify the questions about his long-term potential.  Even though he’s just 21, there is a lot riding on this season for Strome.

Key Storyline: Goaltending has been a question mark in the desert for a while now and while there are still questions about their current duo, there’s also more optimism than there has been lately.

When healthy, Antti Raanta has very quietly been a very effective goalie.  However, injuries have been a concern and as a result, he has yet to play a full season with a number one workload.  The closest he came was last season where he played in 47 games.  However, he also had four separate injuries.  If he can maintain his performance from last year and stay healthy, Arizona should be in great shape.  However, both of those ifs are certainly question marks.

Darcy Kuemper has had a bit of a tumultuous last few years.  He went from someone that Minnesota hoped could push for the number one role to someone that had to sign for the league minimum last summer to someone that was viewed as a higher quality backup, all in the span of a couple of years.  The 28-year-old fared quite well with the Kings last season which enabled him to nearly triple his previous AAV upon being dealt to the Coyotes.  However, he didn’t play well after the trade.  Is he the high-end backup he was in Los Angeles that could push for more playing time or was that an aberration and he’s more of a run-of-the-mill number two?  Given Raanta’s injury history, they’re clearly banking on the former but it’s far from a given.

If everything goes well, Arizona could quietly have one of the better goalie duos in the league.  However, there is certainly some risk associated with both netminders which makes this a key factor in their success for this season.

Overall Outlook: The Coyotes were a popular sleeper pick throughout the summer and with good reason.  Their young core is a year older while Grabner and Galchenyuk give them an improved scoring touch up front while the back end remains solid.  They’re not in the echelon of the top teams in the division but after being an afterthought for the past few years, Arizona should be in the mix for a Wild Card spot in 2018-19.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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