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Trade Candidate: Michael Stone

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With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

Things weren’t supposed to go this way for Arizona Coyotes defenseman Michael Stone.  After signing just a one year contract in the summer, he was hoping for a big season to take him into his first crack at unrestricted free agency.  That has yet to happen while the Coyotes are nowhere near a playoff spot which makes him a prime candidate to be traded.

Contract

One year, $4MM – Will be a UFA in July

2016-17

Stone missed the first three games of the season while recovering from a torn ACL sustained back in late March.  While he was able to reassume a top four role upon returning to the lineup, he hasn’t been able to maintain the offensive progress he had displayed in recent years.  It could be suggested that part of that is attributable to the arrival of Alex Goligoski but even so, the decline in Stone’s offensive game is quite notable.

Feb 23, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Arizona Coyotes defenseman Michael Stone (26) shoots against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY SportsA couple of areas that haven’t been affected this season are his willingness to play physical and block shots as he’s averaging over two of each per game while he’s still logging over 20 minutes per game.  Those are all elements that contenders would love to add to their back end so despite his struggles, he should still have several teams interested in him.

Season Stats

35 GP, 1 goal, 7 assists, 8 points, -9 rating, 8 PIMS, 45 shots, 20:19 ATOI

Potential Suitors

A top four defender that plays the right side is something that pretty much any team with eyes on seriously contending would want to add.  The Lightning showed interest in him earlier in the year but GM John Chayka’s asking price was too high at the time.  The Rangers could be a team to watch for as well – they have a void on their back end and have the money to absorb his cap hit in full.  Considering the number of contending teams that are tight to the cap, that’s certainly an important factor.

In the West, the Blackhawks would undoubtedly love to add another top four blueliner to take some of the pressure off their top pairing but they don’t have the cap space to make it work with Arizona retaining or Chicago sending a contract back.  While Edmonton’s defense is much improved this year, they could still stand to add a top four option and like the Rangers, they have the cap space to fit him in easily as well.

One darkhorse team to watch for if they continue their hot streak is the Maple Leafs.  While trading for a rental player would go against standard practice for a team that’s still building, Stone would give Toronto a stabilizing presence on a thin blueline, something that they will need if they want to make a serious run at a playoff spot.  They have the prospect capital and some extra second round picks to work with as well.  The Leafs make sense as a landing spot for Stone in free agency so if he’s on their radar, it’s conceivable that they could look to add him now to not only help a postseason push but also for the chance to see how he would fit in before potentially making him a long-term offer in the offseason.

Likelihood Of A Trade

Considering that the team already has Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Goligoski, and Connor Murphy signed for at least two more years plus a pair of promising youngsters in Jakob Chychrun and Anthony DeAngelo, it’s unlikely that the Coyotes will pursue a long-term contract extension with Stone.  Unless Chayka’s asking price remains too high through the March 1st trade deadline, he’s pretty much a lock to be dealt.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Stafford, Bruins, Coyotes

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • Winnipeg Jets forward Drew Stafford suffered a lower body injury in the second period of a mid-afternoon game against the St. Louis Blues. He did not return for the third period. Stafford is struggling this season, posting only 4G and 8A in 33 games so far. The veteran forward is playing just under 14 minutes a night which is three minutes less than he’s averaged over the past five years. Stafford becomes a free agent this summer, but he’ll have to turn things around if he wants to earn more than his current $4.35MM a year.
  • The Boston Bruins sent down forward Anton Blidh to the Providence Bruins today. The move follows Blidh’s healthy scratch last night. The Swedish forward has 1G and 1A in 19 games for the Bruins, and 6G and 4A in 21 games for Providence. This is Blidh’s second full season in North America, but its unclear whether he offers enough to stick with Boston for longer than a few games. Blidh may need more time in the NHL to acclimate to the North American game
  • Arizona Coyotes prospect Christian Fischer makes his NHL debut tonight, reports AZCentral’s Sarah McLellan. Fischer, Arizona’s 2nd round pick in 2015, is lighting up the AHL this season. He has 16G and 16A in 31 games for the Tucson Roadrunners, and his call-up was all but certain. Expect the Coyotes to be patient with Fischer. The team is out of playoff contention and will use this opportunity to see what they have in their prospects.

Snapshots: Coyotes, Bruins, Ellis

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The Arizona Coyotes swapped forwards with their AHL affiliate on Friday morning, according to GM John Chayka.

Laurent Dauphin is making his way to the Tucson Roadrunners while Christian Fischer will take his place on the NHL roster. Fischer has 16 goals and 32 points in 31 games in the AHL, which puts him first in goals and second in points on the Roadrunners. The 32nd-overall pick in the 2015 draft has been named to the AHL All-Star Classic. Meanwhile Dauphin has three points in 24 games with the big club.

The Coyotes have lost four games in a row, and are currently in 29th with a 13-26-6 record.

  • The floundering Boston Bruins will publicly address their coaching situation tomorrow, according to Bruins reporter Jimmy Murphy. Murphy quotes “numerous sources” as saying the team will speak regardless of the outcome of tonight’s game versus the Chicago Blackhawks. The Bruins have 52 points, which has them third in the Atlantic Division as of today, but they have played five more games than the teams above and below them. They have four wins in their past 10 games. Murphy tweets that the team’s management has “created a PR mess” by not publicly addressing the situation. This is Claude Julien’s 10th season as head coach of the Bruins.
  • Adam Vingan of the Tennessean tweeted an interesting fact, via Elias Sports. When Ryan Ellis scored twice against Calgary on Thursday night, he lost out on a Predators’ team record. Ellis had the most goals (35 before last night) in his Predators career without having a multi-goal game. That record now belongs to former Predator Dan Hamhuis, who had 32 goals during his six seasons with Nashville.

Radim Vrbata’s Bonuses May Limit Trade Partners

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Arizona Coyotes forward Radim Vrbata will garner attention come trade deadline time because he is an impending free agent. As TSN’s Bob McKenzie points out, however, Vrbata’s performance-laden contract poses problems for potential trade partners because his bonuses could significantly increase his salary and cap hit.

Vrbata signed a $1MM contract this off-season, but could earn an additional $2.25MM in bonuses. Those bonuses could wreak havoc on a contending team’s cap space next year if a team decides to shift those cap charges to next season as allowed under the cap. Spotrac.com lists Vrbata’s bonuses as:

  • 10 GP: $250,000
  • 30 GP: $250,000
  • 20 Goals/40 PTS: $500,000
  • Playoffs: $250,000
  • Per Playoff Round: $250,000

Vrbata has already hit his 10 and 30 GP bonuses, and is 10 goals or 11 points away from his other stat-based bonus. The two playoff bonuses listed seem innocuous and unattainable if Vrbata remains with the Coyotes, but if traded those bonuses become very valuable. Vrbata would receive $500K just by making the playoffs, and an additional $250K for each successive round. If Vrbata makes the Stanley Cup Finals he earns $1.25MM in additional bonuses on top of his performance-based bonuses.

Any team vying for Vrbata will be a playoff-bound team, so Vrbata’s potential bonuses become instantly attainable. This may eliminate teams like the Chicago Blackhawks because of the potential cap overages next season. The contract structure will not kibosh trades, but it may lower Arizona’s return as teams are trading for a potentially $3.25MM rental instead of a $1MM rental.

 

Anthony Duclair Sent Down to AHL

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The Arizona Coyotes sent prospect forward Anthony Duclair down to the Tucson Roadrunners, reports AZ Central’s Sarah McLellan. Duclair’s demotion opens up a roster spot for Ryan White, who returns tonight after missing 11 games with a lower body injury.

Duclair has struggled this season, scoring 3G and 6A in 41 games. His production pales in comparison to last season’s campaign where he scored 20G and 24A in 81 games. Duclair played just 10 minutes last night in a 6-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets but managed to earn a -3 rating during those ten minutes. The Coyotes gave Duclair numerous opportunities to turn things around, but it appears that the team has given up on Duclair regaining his scoring touch without any intervention.

GM John Chayka stated that he hopes Duclair finds his skills in the AHL and leaves the door open for Duclair’s return. Duclair was linked to trade talks earlier this season, but it is unclear what the Coyotes plan on doing with the young forward after sending him down. It could be that Duclair gains more playing time in the AHL and thus the demotion may double as a showcase for interested teams.

Replacing Anthony Duclair is Ryan White who returns from injured reserve. White has 2G and 3A in 30 games this season. Unless White finds another gear, however, the Coyotes shouldn’t expect a flurry of offense with these moves.

Snapshots: Kreider, Hanzal, Carlson, Corrado

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The New York Rangers and Dallas Stars have met twice this season, and NHL Player Safety has had to get involved both times.

Back in December, Stars center Cody Eakin earned a four-game suspension for running over Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist (Streamable link of incident). The two teams met again last night, and Eakin was involved in another incident, though this time it was on the receiving end. Early in the second period, Chris Kreider picked a fight with Eakin, likely out of retribution for Eakin’s run-in with Lundqvist. During the fight, Kreider grabbed Eakin’s helmet and hit Eakin in the head with it (GIF via @myregularface).

Kreider has been fined $5K for the incident, which is the maximum allowable fine under the CBA. Under NHL rules, Kreider should have been ejected for attempting to “deliberately [injure] an opponent by throwing a stick or any other object or piece of equipment at an opposing player.”

Instead, he only received the usual five-minute major for fighting. The swing happened quickly, so perhaps the referees missed it or didn’t deem it to be a deliberate action.

  • The struggling Arizona Coyotes will be without one of their top players when they visit the Winnipeg Jets. Martin Hanzal has left the team temporarily to “attend to a family matter,” according to Dave Vest of the Arizona Coyotes. Hanzal has 15 points in 37 games for the second-to-last-place Coyotes. He’s expected to be dealt sometime before the NHL trade deadline on March 1.
  • Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson is doubtful for Thursday night’s game in St. Louis, according to coach Barry Trotz (via Isabelle Khurshudyan). Carlson missed Monday night’s epic 8-7 loss in Pittsburgh with a lower-body injury. Carlson has 25 points in 43 games this year. Trotz said the team may call up a defenseman before next game; Khurshudyan believes Aaron Ness is the likely call-up. Ness has 16 points in 31 games with the Hershey Bears.
  • While Morgan Rielly being out day-to-day is bad news for Toronto Maple Leafs, it’s good news for Frankie Corrado. Corrado has appeared in just one game at the NHL level this season, and will get a short window to make a good impression on Mike Babcock. Corrado told TSN’s Kristen Shilton that he’s “a hockey player, so it’s nice to play hockey.”

Quotable: Shane Doan On The Possibility Of Being Traded

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The report over the weekend that suggested that long-time Coyotes captain Shane Doan could be willing to accept a trade caught many by surprise.  Speaking with reporters, including Tim Campbell of NHL.com, he clarified the situation:

“People have texted and talked to me about it. I never said I wouldn’t go anywhere. I’ve always wanted to stay here. If there was ever an opportunity, the Coyotes have always been incredible to me and respectful to me in every way.

“I’d talk about it with my family and make a decision on that if it was to come up but it would have to be so perfect and so right that it’s pretty hard for it to all line up perfectly. It would have to be exactly perfect and that just doesn’t happen too often in our sport.”

Doan has been with the organization for 21 years, dating back to their original incarnation as the old Winnipeg Jets.  He’s one of just nine players in league history to spend that long with the same organization, a legacy that’s quite important to him, notes Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic.

Shane Doan

The 40 year old has struggled this season, posting just four goals and eight assists in 43 games, his worst point-per-game production since 1996-97.  The team is also expected to miss the playoffs as they 29th in the league and 16 points out of the last Wild Card spot so if he wants to play in the postseason this year, it will have to be somewhere else.

Doan was also quick to note, however, that the trade talk didn’t start with him:

“It wasn’t me saying it. I’ve been frustrated with the year, with us not winning and stuff, that’s always tough. I haven’t said it to them, to management, or said anything to them, but I’ve also never said I wouldn’t [agree to be traded].

“If it comes to that point, we’ll sit down and talk about it. It’s happened in the past, it’s just that no one’s ever heard about it. We’ve had the discussion and said yes or no and for the most part it’s been no.”

Although his days of being a top six forward are over, it’s likely that several contending teams would be interested in adding him for the stretch run.  However, with a cap hit of just over $3.875MM (not including games played bonuses of over $960K), it would take some creativity to get the finances to work in a deal.  Doan’s contract also carries deferred signing bonus money over the next five years (CapFriendly has the detailed breakdown) which also has to be considered as well.

Doan was also asked about whether or not this would be his final season and noted that he isn’t ready to make that decision yet:

“I’ll decide at the end of the year. As long as I’m enjoying playing the game, I want to play. It’s the best sport in the world.”

With the trade deadline still six weeks away, there’s plenty of time for Doan to make a decision about his playing future.  If he decides to take a run at a Stanley Cup this season, he will be one of the more interesting players to change teams this season.  His case will be one to keep a close eye on in the weeks ahead.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Head Coaches Potentially On The Hot Seat

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As we pass the halfway point of the 2016-17 schedule, teams will soon have to make the sometimes difficult decision as to whether they are going to act as a buyer or seller ahead of the March 1st trade deadline. Additionally, teams that have underachieved their internal preseason expectations will take the time to look in the mirror and assess what they can do to improve their on-ice fortunes, both for the remainder of the current campaign and into the future. Sometimes that assessment leads to coaching changes.

Though just one bench boss has been relieved of his duties so far this season, several more could soon join Gerard Gallant on the unemployment line. In this post we’ll examine the situations of several coaches who would appear to be on the hot seat at this point in the 2016-17 season.

Jack Capuano (New York Islanders) – The Islanders have been one of the biggest disappointments this season, just one year after making it to the second-round of the playoffs for the first time in more than two decades. Currently residing in last place in the Metro Division and tied for the lowest points total in the East, the Islanders under Garth Snow have generally exercised patience with their head coach. In five full seasons behind the Islanders bench, Capuano has missed the postseason twice and has two first-round playoff defeats on his record. Other teams might have already pulled the plug on the coach. It’s not necessarily fair to assign all of the blame for the team’s underachievment this year on Capuano as Snow allowed two key players – Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen – to leave via free agency this past summer, and the players he inked to help replace them – Andrew Ladd and Jason Chimera – haven’t played well. Capuano has also had the unenviable task of trying to manage a three-headed monster in goal for much of the season until Jaroslav Halak was reassigned to Bridgeport after clearing waivers. With franchise player John Tavares nearing unrestricted free agency, the pressure to turn in a deep playoff run to help convince their captain to sign on long term has to be growing.

[Update: Capuano has been relieved of his coaching duties by the team.]

Dave Tippett (Arizona Coyotes) – It seems unlikely that just a year after being given more power and some influence over player personnel that the Coyotes would move on from their longtime head coach. Yet nonetheless, the struggles in Arizona will assuredly mean some changes are made and it’s always possible ownership in Arizona reverses course and moves on from Tippett. After all, it seems likely some improvement over their 78-point 2015-16 campaign was expected and with just 32 points to date, those improvements simply haven’t been there.

Paul Maurice (Winnipeg Jets) – The Jets certainly have talent in the form of Mark Scheifele, Dustin Byfuglien and Blake Wheeler – among others – but the team has been maddeningly inconsistent this year. Some observers believe the Jets have a tough time sticking to their system and structure and that doesn’t speak well of Maurice. But, the absence of a true number one goaltender is another one of the issues stifling the team’s success and that’s not the fault of the head coach. Maurice has also integrated a number of younger players into the linuep during his tenure in Manitoba, allowing management to get a better sense as to the real quality of their yong talent. Ownership in Winnipeg has a reputation of being patient when it comes to making decisions and will likely give the veteran coach another season to see what he can do.

Claude Julien (Boston Bruins) – The Bruins are currently in second place in the Atlantic and if they end up qualifying for the postseason, it’s likely the team refrains from making a change behind the bench. But three teams – Florida, Ottawa and Toronto – are just three points behind Boston in the standings and all have games-in-hand, meaning there is a real possibility the Bruins could miss the postseason tournament for the third consecutive season.

Vancouver bench boss Willie Desjardins, who has been thought to be on the hot seat for much of the season, would seem to be safe for the time being with the Canucks in the mix for a playoff berth.

 

Garrioch’s Latest: Coyotes, Snow, Devils, Bishop, Van Riemsdyk

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Things aren’t going so rosy in Arizona right now.  Not only do they find themselves miles out of a playoff spot, the frustration is spreading to within the dressing room as well, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun in his latest Insider Trading column.  The decision to go to a more analytics-based decision making process hasn’t worked (so far, at least) and Garrioch adds that it’s not yet known what the fate of head coach Dave Tippett will be when the season comes to an end.

In the meantime, the focus will shift to who they can move prior to the trade deadline, particularly where it comes to the rental players.  We took a closer look at their situation earlier today.  The recent mention that Shane Doan could be willing to consider a trade in the right situation is drawing some attention; Garrioch notes that San Jose is a team that has shown some interest in the 40 year old over the last couple of years but obviously nothing came to fruition.

Garrioch also tackles several other topics from around the league.  Here are some of the highlights, though the full column is worth a read:

  • With the New York Islanders scuffling through the first half, he suggests that GM Garth Snow’s job may be in jeopardy. His decision to allow right winger Kyle Okposo and center Frans Nielsen to depart in free agency hasn’t exactly panned out with both players being named All-Stars earlier this week.  Left winger Andrew Ladd (signed to replace Okposo) hasn’t panned out and with six more years left on his contract with a cap hit of $5.5MM, that’s a near-impossible contract to move right now while John Tavares heading into his walk year is something that will need to be addressed sooner than later as well.  Accordingly, the team will have to make a decision as to whether he’s the right manager to try to fix things up and get Tavares locked up.
  • The Devils haven’t thrown in the towel on trying to make the playoffs yet but if they do, they could be a team to watch for. Only two teams have more cap space than New Jersey does which sets up the possibility of them becoming a clearinghouse for contending teams to free up some cap space.  GM Ray Shero could be open to doing so, provided he picks up some quality draft picks and/or prospects for doing so.
  • Dallas has inquired about the availability of pending UFA goalie Ben Bishop. Bishop, who ranked fifth in our UFA Power Rankings this week, isn’t expected to return to Tampa Bay next season with Andrei Vasilevskiy expected to take over as the starter.  The Stars already have the highest goalie cap hit in the league but have not received much bang for their buck so far.  However, GM Steve Yzerman’s asking price is quite high as it’s certainly quite possible that the Lightning will want to keep him around for their postseason push as well.
  • Toronto’s recent success may make their decision regarding left winger James van Riemsdyk that much more difficult. Garrioch reports that the team is fielding inquiries on him but he is a key piece in the Leafs’ lineup and if they plan to make a run at a playoff spot, they’ll likely want to keep him in their lineup.  The 27 year old has one year left after this season at a manageable cap hit of $4.25MM so it’s not a typical rental player situation while it’s also worth noting that van Riemsdyk has a modified no-trade clause.

Edmonton Oilers Recall Jordan Oesterle

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After holding their annual skills competition this afternoon, the Edmonton Oilers have recalled defenseman Jordan Oesterle from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. The team hosts the struggling Arizona Coyotes tomorrow night.

Oesterle has been up with the Oilers this season, but hasn’t yet to get into a game at the NHL level. In 18 contests for Bakersfield he has 11 points and is proving he should have been drafted years ago. The 24-year old went undrafted but developed into a leader at Western Michigan University in his three years, before signing with the Oilers in 2014.

It’s unclear why Oesterle was brought up, but with the team having an empty roster spot perhaps its he’s just there as insurance for any late injuries tomorrow. The Oilers sit second in the Pacific division at 23-15-7, and are looking more and more like they’ll get back to the playoffs this year.

Connor McDavid easily won the team’s fastest skater competition today, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins taking home most accurate, and Milan Lucic winning the hardest shot.

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