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Pacific Notes: Karlsson, Meier, Hutton, Goldobin

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Despite his long-awaited return Saturday, the San Jose Sharks remain somewhat concerned about the long-term status of star defenseman Erik Karlsson. The team gave Karlsson as much time to rest his injured groin as possible, but with the playoffs around the corner, the team hopes the injured blueliner can stay healthy throughout the playoffs, according to Mercury News’ Paul Gackle.

Karlsson, who has played in just five games since Jan. 16 before aggravating his injury, is dealing with an injury that could resurface at any time, according to Sharks’ head coach Peter DeBoer. “You don’t know,” DeBoer said. “It could be like last time where he was healthy, but he caught it awkwardly and it ended up being a different injury. You don’t know. But you get these guys to a point where you get the green light that they’re healthy and you go.”

Regardless, DeBoer adds that the team isn’t rushing Karlsson just because the playoffs are here, claiming that Karlsson is ready to return to the ice now. The 28-year-old has three goals and 45 points in 52 games this season.

  • The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier will not play Saturday in the team’s regular season finale, but DeBoer expects him to be ready for the first game of the playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights. Meier went down Thursday after falling awkwardly during the third period and having Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse then fall on top of him. The 22-year-old picked up a career-high 30 goals and 66 points this season.
  • The Province’s Ed Willes writes that Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning has said the team wants to add a defenseman, but with little interest in paying out big bucks on the free-agent market. The scribe believes the team is thus likely to acquire one via trade, suggesting they may be looking to send off forward Jake Virtanen and defenseman Ben Hutton to upgrade the defense. The 22-year-old Virtanen continues to improve as he scored 15 goals last season, but has been somewhat underwhelming considering he was the sixth overall pick in 2014. Hutton, on the other hand, had an impressive season this year, making up for two down seasons, but his consistency is still in question.
  • The Canucks will have other decisions to make as the team will have to decide on whether they want to keep forward Nikolay Goldobin going into next year as he will become a restricted free agent this summer. The 23-year-old finished the season with seven goals and 27 points in 63 games, but the team has used him sporadically in the second-half of the season. “You hope he takes the next step, he did make strides this year,” Benning said, via Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal. “We will sit down with the coaching staff and decide if we want him back and continue to work with him and develop him.”

Canucks Notes: Edler, Boeser, Hughes

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While Canucks defenseman Alex Edler’s desire to remain in Vancouver is well-known, Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre suggests that there will likely be one significant hurdle that needs to be cleared for the pending UFA to remain with the team.  Unlike most contract talks, that hurdle won’t be salary or term either.  Instead, it could very well come down to GM Jim Benning’s willingness to include a no-move clause.

MacIntyre notes that Edler invoked his no-trade clause back at the trade deadline in late February to remain with the team.  If he did that this season, there’s a good chance that he’d likely continue to do so if approached about waiving a no-move clause down the road, especially with the Seattle expansion draft now two years away.  The expansion situation is what would likely push him to seek the no-move instead of a simple no-trade clause as the former would assure he’s protected for the draft.  Back at the deadline, the two sides agreed to table extension talks until the season came to an end so those discussions should pick up again in the coming weeks.

More from Vancouver:

  • Postmedia’s Ed Willes speculates that winger Brock Boeser’s asking price will start in the $6MM range per season. The pending restricted free agent has matched his point total from last season with 55 in 68 games but battled multiple groin issues throughout the season as well.  While that amount may seem low compared to some of the other notable young players that will also be up for new deals this summer, the fact that the 22-year-old only has two full seasons under his belt instead of three should keep his next AAV a little lower than some of the other comparables.
  • While the Canucks will see their season come to an end tonight, at least one player will be suiting up next month. The team announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Quinn Hughes will participate with Team USA at the upcoming World Championships.  The 19-year-old has made a quick impact with Vancouver since joining their lineup with three assists in four games and will continue his development at the international level.  Hughes suited up for them in the tournament last year, recording a pair of assists in ten games.

Roberto Luongo Could Return As Florida’s Backup Next Season

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The future for Florida Panthers icon Roberto Luongo is still a mystery, with the veteran keeper stating as recently as two weeks ago that he was undecided on what his next move would be and would wait until the off-season to make that call. However, The Athletic’s George Richards heard enough from talking to Luongo recently to believe that the future Hall of Famer is not quite ready to hang up his skates. The main piece of evidence: Luongo would be happy to serve in a backup role next season and possibly beyond, which is perhaps the only way his storied career can continue.

Luongo, 40, is undoubtedly in decline. Although his 42 appearances – 43 after Saturday’s season finale start – are an improvement over each of the past two seasons, his .900 save percentage and 3.10 GAA have made this the worst season of his 19-year career. Luongo entered the season as the Panthers starting goalie, backed up by another veteran in James Reimer, but that hierarchy has not exactly held up. Luongo and Reimer have almost identically poor stats, with Luongo making only six more appearances than Reimer. The two have essentially been a time share with rookie Samuel Montembeault also making eleven appearances and performing only marginally worse than the experienced tandem. Richards writes that the status quo will almost certainly change before next season. Luongo is obviously still undecided about his future, but regardless Reimer is not expected to be back and Montembeault is likely to remain a presence. The Panthers are going to add a new starting goalie in free agency, with many speculating that Columbus Blue Jackets star Sergei Bobrovksy could be the primary target.

So, if he was to return, Luongo would have to be content to sit behind another established netminder, which Richards notes includes increased practice time alongside decreased play time. While the limited action could in fact improve the performance of the aging keeper, it’s not exactly a role that many players of Luongo’s pedigree would be happy to take on. Yet, he seems open to the prospect:

I have done it before. I know what it takes. I realize I am 40 years old, and taking on a heavy workload at this age is tough. I am well aware if I come back, that is the likely scenario for me. And I am OK with that. I like to practice. The only time I don’t practice is if I am tired, but if I am not playing as many games, I would have more energy to practice and work on my game. When I have missed some time, I have had some of my best games when I have come back. So, that’s not an issue at all.

For fans of the storied goaltender, this has to be good news. For fans of the Panthers and Vancouver Canucks, it also bodes well for their respective teams’ payrolls. With three years remaining on his contract at a cap hit of $5.33MM but salaries of $1.6MM or less, Luongo’s contract was a front-loaded behemoth that would slap both his current club and former club with cap recapture penalties if he retired early. Avoiding leaving that sour taste in the mouths of his supporters is likely another factor that Luongo is considering and that could persuade him to return.

At the end of the day though, the decision will come down to an amalgam of many different choices and they won’t all be made by Luongo alone. As he tells Richards, the goal right now is to get through the end of the season, clear his head, and then consider all options:

I want to sit down and have a talk with (the Panthers) because, right now, everything else is hearsay. I want to make sure everyone is on the same page and we all want the same thing. We will see what the plans are for the team moving forward. For me, there are a lot of things involved in the decision, but sitting down with management and seeing their plan is the first step… It is important for me to make that decision once this season is over — after we are removed from everything. We have to see where everyone is at. This is not just up to me. I think the team has something to say about it as well. We will come to that when the time comes.

So for those expecting tomorrow to be the last hurrah of an NHL star, don’t be so sure. Luongo has struggled in net this season, has struggled with injuries in recent years, and could struggle with a decision to take a back seat if he was to continue playing. However, if he really is open to being the backup, it would allow Luongo to keep fueling the fire he has to play hockey, which appears to be as strong as ever, while also limiting his work load and injury exposure. It seems like a good fit and may just be one that keeps a living legend in the game.

Will Lockwood: “Goal Is To Still Play In Vancouver”

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Like every team in the league that has top prospects playing in college, the Vancouver Canucks find themselves hoping Will Lockwood will sign with them at some point before turning to unrestricted free agency. Lockwood already told the team he is returning to the University of Michigan for his senior season, and could potentially pick his professional destination by waiting until August 2020. Today however he gave Canucks’ fans a bit of hope when speaking on Sportsnet radio (via Rick Dhaliwal):

I talked with [Canucks’ GM Jim] Benning and [Utica Comets GM Ryan] Johnson, things don’t change for me, the goal is to still play in Vancouver at the end of next year. I also want to leave a little bit of a legacy in Michigan. 

The decision was more difficult than I thought but the Canucks were very understanding and didn’t force me and gave me the time.

Lockwood, 20, was the Canucks’ third round pick in 2016 and exploded offensively this season for Michigan, recording 31 points in 36 games. He trailed only Quinn Hughes in team scoring, a player the team hopes he will follow to Vancouver after next season. Hughes signed this year and jumped right into the lineup, something that Lockwood could do in order to burn a year of his entry-level deal next season.

Hughes is not the only college star finding success with Vancouver. The team has signed Adam Gaudette and Brock Boeser the past two springs and both are now key contributors in the forward group. The undersized but talented Lockwood could be next, though he’ll be closer to unrestricted free agency than either of them were. Boeser signed as a sophomore and Gaudette as a junior.

Vegas’ Cody Glass Among Several Notable AHL Additions

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When the Portland Winterhawks’ season ended in the WHL playoffs the other night, fans of the Vegas Golden Knights knew what would come next. Vegas has reassigned junior forward Cody Glass to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves to continue his season as the team takes a close look at how their top prospect competes at the pro level. Glass has his sights set on an NHL roster spot next season, but for now he’ll look to continue his outstanding junior season with the playoff-bound Wolves.

Glass, 20, was the first draft pick in Golden Knights history, selected No. 6 overall in 2017. Arguably the best 200-foot center prospect in all of hockey, Glass is an elite offensive talent, armed with next-level vision and quickness, but also possesses a responsible, two-way game. In 2017-18, Glass notched an incredible 102 points in 64 games and added another 13 points in a dozen playoff games. While injuries limited him to just 38 games this season, Glass was even more productive, recording 69 points in 38 games, a clip of nearly two points per game that led the WHL. While the Winterhawks captain wasn’t able to do enough to advance his team further into the postseason, Glass could be an immediate difference-maker for the Wolves in his first AHL action.

Vegas was not alone in moving an intriguing junior prospect to the pro level. In fact, the Vancouver Canucks have added not one but two talented defensemen to the roster of the AHL’s Utica Comets, the team announced. Jett Woo of the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors and Mitch Eliot of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting are both AHL-bound after their teams exited the postseason. Woo and Eliot each signed their entry-level contracts with Vancouver this season and are getting their first taste of the pro game. Woo, 18, is looking like a steal by the Canucks as a second-round pick last year after he exploded for 66 points in 62 games this season. That dimension of his game had previously been seen as limited, but Woo obviously has taken a big step in his development and it will be interesting if can continue to produce in the AHL. As for Eliot, he earned an NHL contract after first proving his offensive ability. Eliot struggled greatly for two years at Michigan State University before leaving for the OHL, but found his game this season in Sarnia with 55 points in 66 games. Eliot has some work left to do on his game, but he did enough early on for Vancouver to make an ELC offer in December and the 21-year-old will now have time to develop in Utica moving forward.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a similar junior reassignment, moving forward Semyon Der-Arguchintsev from the OHL’s Peterborough Petes to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. SDA, a third-round pick last year, is an undeniably skilled forward who continues to struggle with consistency and complete play. While he had yet another solid junior campaign, recording 46 points in 62 games, his goals dropped off by 50% and he finished just sixth on the team in scoring. He also had defensive issues yet again this season. SDA may be a player who benefits more in his development from being a role player in the AHL rather than continuing to play in the OHL. The Leafs can gauge that decision better after the talented Russian joins the Marlies.

Vancouver made yet another move today, as Cornell University’s Mitchell Vanderlaan was added to the Comets roster on an amateur tryout offer. Vanderlaan, a four-year starter for the Big Red, enjoyed his best season to date as a senior with 30 points in 36 games. Vanderlaan is significantly undersized at 5’7″ and 179 lbs., but that hasn’t stopped him from playing a well-rounded game. If he can hold his own in this brief AHL stint, he could be in line for a contract in Utica next season. Another college standout signing an ATO is Quinnipiac University’s Craig Martin. A solid, two-way forward, Martin registered 30 points in 38 games in his final college season, establishing himself as a prospect with pro ambitions after three up-and-down seasons prior. It has at least earned him a look, as Martin has joined the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, the affiliate of the Florida Panthers. A strong performance will surely earn him a longer look next season.

 

Canucks Sign Brogan Rafferty

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The Canucks have been active in adding college defensemen in recent weeks and they continued that on Monday, announcing the signing of Brogan Rafferty to a one-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 23-year-old recently wrapped up his junior season at Quinnipiac University.  He finished third on the team in scoring by a defenseman, recording four goals and 20 assists in 38 games, equalling his career high in points from his rookie campaign.  Over his three seasons at the school, he had 60 points (9-51-60) in 108 contests.

Rafferty’s deal begins (and ends) this season, which means he will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer where he’ll fall outside the entry-level system.  Vancouver has been aggressive with this particular approach as blueliners Quintin Hughes and Josh Teves as well as goalie Jake Kielly (who just signed earlier today) have all burned the first year of their contracts this season.  Only Hughes was an actual prospect at the time so the Canucks have certainly added some depth to their organization.

It’s worth noting that Rafferty’s deal puts Vancouver at the maximum 50 contract limit.  That will restrict them from adding any other players signed for this season while any trades made leading up to July 1st (the start of the new league year) will need to see a similar number of players going out as are being brought in.

Jake Kielly Signs With Vancouver Canucks

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The Vancouver Canucks have added some more goaltending depth, signing undrafted free agent Jake Kielly to a two-year entry-level contract. Kielly recently finished his junior season at Clarkson University, and will burn the first year of his deal in 2018-19.

Kielly, 22, recorded a .929 save percentage in each of the last two seasons for Clarkson, and was named to the ECAC Second All-Star team this year. The 6’2″ netminder went undrafted but has continued to develop nicely, dominating the USHL and the college ranks for the last several seasons. He was even named an alternate captain for Clarkson despite being a goaltender, and led all active NCAA goaltenders with 16 career shutouts.

After having depth problems all season at the goaltending position, the Canucks are now set for next season. Kielly will likely join Michael DiPietro in the minor leagues, while Jacob Markstrom and Thatcher Demko make up the NHL tandem. There’s more than one way the future can shake out with all of these young goaltenders, but the position is certainly looking bright at the moment.

Canucks Notes: Demko, Hutton, Schenn, Lockwood

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With the impressive play of Jacob Markstrom this season, the Vancouver Canucks have an interesting conundrum to face as the team suddenly may have themselves too much goaltending depth. The 29-year-old Markstrom has had another solid season as the Canucks’ starting goaltender, posting a winning record of 28-22-9 on a losing team, while posting a 2.76 GAA and a .913 save percentage.

However, Markstrom’s solid play raises some questions, according to the Vancouver Sun’s Patrick Johnston, who suggests that with his improved play, the team might want to consider trading from strength and consider moving top goaltending prospect Thatcher Demko this off-season. With another franchise goaltender in waiting with 19-year-old Michael DiPietro ready to go pro next season, the team could move Demko without significant loss. Demko has played in seven NHL games, and has played extremely well in five of those games. However, because of two poor outings, his .903 save percentage doesn’t look as impressive.

Regardless, the 23-year-old Demko would be high in demand from teams looking for a future franchise goaltender. Johnston suggests it’s a similar situation to when the team opted to trade goaltender Cory Schneider back in 2013 for a first-round pick, which eventually turned out to be Bo Horvat.

  • The Athletic’s Harman Dayal (subscription required) writes that Vancouver should consider moving defenseman Ben Hutton. The 25-year-old blue liner seems to have returned to the form he showed in an impressive rookie year back in the 2015-16 season. After two seasons of struggles, Hutton has once again proven to be a top-four defenseman. Regardless, Dayal suggests that the 25-year-old’s success might be the best the team will ever see and they might be better off moving on from him now while his value is at its highest.
  • The Canucks are close to signing defenseman Luke Schenn to a one-year contract extension, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman late last night on Hockey Night in Canada. Schenn, who came over to the Canucks in a January swap with the Anaheim Ducks for Michael Del Zotto, has fared well, showing energy and becoming a quick fan favorite in his 15 games with Vancouver. Schenn, who fell out of favor in Anaheim, is currently finishing out a one-year, $800K deal that he signed with the Ducks last offseason.
  • In the same commentary, Friedman also confirmed rumors that University of Michigan forward William Lockwood has told the Canucks that he intends to return to college for his senior year. The 20-year-old had a solid year with the Wolverines as he tallied 16 goals and 31 points in 36 games last season. The 2016 third-round pick out of Michigan could opt to become a unrestricted free agent at this point next season.

Snapshots: Elias, Hedman, Lockwood, Marino

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The New Jersey Devils will have a familiar face around the team as former Devils’ great Patrik Elias will be spending time with the John Hynes and the Devils’ coaching staff for the final week of the season, according to NHL.com’s Amanda Stein. The former star player is interested in coaching and wants spend time with the staff and gain experience with working on a coach’s schedule.

Elias, who played 1,240 games with the Devils over the course of his career, scored 408 goals and 1,025 points over that time. However, with his playing days over, he has shown more interest in coaching in the last year. Elias spent time with the Devils this summer and even asked Hynes about coaching the Czech National Team.

Stein says that Elias will be on the ice with the Devils during practice and sit through coaching meetings. He is also expected to be assigned certain duties for the remainder of the season.

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning are facing a scare as Victor Hedman left Saturday’s game during the second period. Evidently, the helmet of Washington Capitals forward Carl Hagelin hit Hedman on the chin accidentally and the Lightning announced that Hedman would not return to the game as a result of the incident. Any long-term loss could be devastating to a team that has been consistently dominant all season and can’t afford to be without their top defenseman for any extended period of time.
  • Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that Vancouver Canucks prospect Will Lockwood will likely stay put and return to the University of Michigan. Lockwood, who just finished his junior year, had a breakout season with 16 goals and 31 points for the Wolverines. If Lockwood, the Canucks’ third-round pick from the 2016 draft, chooses to return to Michigan, he could play out his senior and opt to become a unrestricted free agent after that, free to sign with any team in the NHL.
  • The Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson writes that the Edmonton Oilers might have a tough time signing their 2015 sixth-round pick John Marino, who just completed his junior season at Harvard. Unfortunately, because he played a season of USHL hockey, he could opt to become an unrestricted free agent now if he wants. The 21-year-old defenseman had three goals and 11 points for Harvard.

 

Prospect Notes: Jenik, Sadek, Hughes

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Though the team hasn’t announced the deal yet, Jan Jenik has announced that he has signed an entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes (h/t Craig Morgan from The Athletic). Jenik is currently dealing with an injury but his junior team the Hamilton Bulldogs were recently eliminated from the OHL playoffs meaning he could jump to the AHL to get a look at the professional level.

Jenik, 18, was selected 65th overall in 2018 and split this season between the Czech Republic and OHL. In 27 games for the Bulldogs he recorded 30 points, but could potentially go back to the junior ranks next season to continue his development. Another lottery ticket for the Coyotes, we’ll have to wait to see when they actually announced the contract.

  • The Iowa Wild have signed Jack Sadek to an amateur tryout, allowing the 21-year old defenseman to get his feet wet at the professional level after a season in the NCAA. The seventh-round pick finished his career at the University of Minnesota with an 18-point season, but will have to prove he deserves an NHL contract in Minnesota. Sadek technically will become an unrestricted free agent in August if he waits that long, but a minor league pact could keep him in the Wild organization.
  • The time has come for Vancouver Canucks prospect Quinn Hughes, who will make his NHL debut tonight after nursing a foot injury. Hughes signed his first NHL contract after deciding to leave the University of Michigan, and will be must-see action for prospect watchers all around the league. The talented defenseman is a dynamic skater and brings some incredible offensive upside to the table. With five games left in the season for the Canucks, Hughes could actually earn himself a $25,000 bonus if he suits up in all of them according to CapFriendly.

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