Vancouver Canucks Recall Alexandre Grenier From Utica
The Canucks are getting some scoring help from the minor leagues. The team announced today that they’ve recalled Alexandre Grenier from the Utica Comets. The team missed Nikolay Goldobin last night with the flu and had to dress seven defensemen. The call-up is likely insurance against having to do that again in case Goldobin can’t go tomorrow night against Pittsburgh.
Grenier is 25 now, but has still not received a decent shot at an NHL job despite his size and proven scoring ability in the minor leagues. The 6’5″ forward has four straight AHL seasons of at least 16 goals and 39 points, yet has played just eight contests in with the Canucks. He was selected in the third round of the 2011 draft, and is perhaps now ready to take the next step in his professional career.
For the Canucks, giving Grenier an extended look as they continue to fight for the playoffs doesn’t seem like a bad idea. After the team sold assets at the deadline, and resigned themselves to a short rebuild, they’ve gone 2-1-2 and acquired six of a possible ten points. Just six points out of a playoff spot, the Canucks still at least have a reason to sell tickets down the stretch and giving players this time to see what they can bring to the table is expected. We’ll see if Grenier gets a chance in the lineup, or if he’s just up for insurance reasons.
Playoff Puzzle: Western Goaltending Experience
Corey Crawford must feel like an old man these days. When the Chicago Blackhawks goaltender looks around at the creases of his main rivals in the Western Conference, one thing is constant: inexperience. He knows it well, from when he took on the Vancouver Canucks in 2011 as a rookie. At the other end of the rink was a 31-year old Roberto Luongo, who had already been through three playoff runs and was about to win the Jennings trophy for dominating in the regular season.
Crawford and the Hawks would lose in seven games, but it was an important step towards their cup win in 2013 when he would post a .932 save percentage—still the best mark of his career. It’s not easy to backstop a team to the Stanley Cup, even if you do have an excellent group in front of you. Just ask Martin Jones, who actually played his best hockey last year in the Finals against Pittsburgh, despite losing. It took a while for him to really find his groove and even then it wasn’t enough.
So when Crawford sees the standings and notices a trend among the biggest contenders, it might make him even more confident heading into this year’s tournament. Perhaps even if he is a bit older, that experience will pay off in the toughest two months of any sport.
Canucks Non-Committal On Willie Desjardins’ Future
The job security of Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins has been in question dating back to last season and it appears those questions will last for a little while yet. In a recent interview on TSN 1040 in Vancouver (audio link), team president Trevor Linden didn’t exactly give Desjardins a glowing vote of confidence but certainly didn’t rule him out from returning either:
“I think we’re going to take our time and look at our options at the end of the season. I’ll have to do a full assessment of our organization, as I always do, and we’ll move forward from that point.”
It’s worth noting that around this time last year, Linden was unequivocal when answering a similar question about Desjardins, clearly stating that the decision had already been made to bring him back at that time.
The 59 year old is in his third season behind the Vancouver bench and has a 107-97-26 record through his first 230 games. He’s been tasked with guiding a Canucks team that is at the end of their window of legitimate contention and are likely headed towards a rebuilding (or at least a retooling) process.
However, some of his decisions have been called into question and there is some cause for criticism for the way some of the young players have been handled, even though the likes of Bo Horvat and Troy Stecher, among other youngsters, have progressed this season. If Linden has concerns about the way some young players are being deployed, the time may be right in the offseason to make a move. That said, Desjardins has spent plenty of time working with young players at the junior level (plus one year in the AHL) so he should have a good handle on the situation the team is heading for.
If he were to be let go, TSN’s Darren Dreger suggested on TSN 1040 that there would likely be a market for him, going as far as noting that at least one team has already asked him about what he thinks will happen (transcription via Fan Rag’s Chris Nichols):
“But you know what’s interesting about that is I’ve actually had other teams – and I can’t be specific to the team or teams who have asked me – but I have been asked about Willie’s future and whether or not the sense is that Vancouver will go in a different direction. And the reason I’ve been asked is there are teams out there who see him as a prime candidate. He’s a respected coach from an NHL perspective.”
Given Linden’s statements about waiting until the end of the season before making a decision, it’s safe to say that Desjardins should be around through to mid-April so the questions about his future should get a short reprieve though only for a few weeks.
Snapshots: Canadiens, Ducks, Flames
The Montreal Canadiens are cruising, winners of six straight games and leading the Atlantic by six points. They’ll have to continue to play short handed for a while though, as Alexander Radulov, Tomas Plekanec and Brian Flynn are all likely out for tomorrow’s matchup against the Calgary Flames. None of the three practiced this morning due to varying injuries, but the Canadiens are carrying enough players to fill their role should they be held out.
Radulov and Plekanec were both absent yesterday when the team slipped by the Vancouver Canucks in overtime, and Flynn was injured during the first period and did not return. In their absence, Andrew Shaw led the forwards in ice time with over 22 minutes, seven more than his average this season. They’ll likely ask Shaw to step up again tomorrow if all three are out, though perhaps Micheal McCarron will draw back in and take some of that weight.
- John Gibson has been out since February 20th for the Anaheim Ducks, but Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register reports that he is with the team on their current road trip. The Ducks will face the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues on back to back nights starting tomorrow, and could definitely use Gibson in one of the games. In his absence Jonathan Bernier has shouldered the load admirably, but saw a slip last night against Nashville. Asking him to play back to backs would be extreme, and would likely turn to Jhonas Enroth against the Blues if Gibson isn’t ready.
- The Calgary Flames have seen a rejuvenated Micheal Ferland since moving him onto a line with Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau and now they’ll insert him periodically onto the first powerplay unit as well according to Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet. The young winger has continued to compete physically all over the ice and has five goals in his last seven games. Trailing only Troy Brouwer in hits on the club despite playing more than five minutes less a game than him, Ferland can create space for skilled players just by being on the ice with them.
- Jannik Hansen finally showed up in San Jose after dealing with visa issues since his trade from the Vancouver Canucks. He was immediately rewarded with time on the first line according to Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News. It looks like he’ll skate alongside Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski for his first game tomorrow night. With Kevin Labanc sent down, an opening was created beside the Sharks top duo and Hansen will get a crack at it to begin his San Jose career.
Canucks Notes: Goldobin, Markstrom, Tryamkin
The Vancouver Canucks will welcome the Montreal Canadiens to town tonight as they look to stay relevant in the playoff race. The team currently sits six points back of St. Louis and though it is a very outside possibility, they want to stay in it as long as possible. They’ll have to shake up their lineup tonight, as Loui Eriksson will be out for “a week to two weeks” according to Willie Desjardins. In his place, the newly acquired Nikolay Goldobin will get a chance to skate with Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi on the team’s second line. He’s excited about the prospect, and amazed at the amount of media talking to him prior to the game; “It wasn’t like this in San Jose!” he said before going on to say how happy he was to be in Vancouver.
- The team also relayed the news that Jacob Markstrom is still “at least a week away”, but did skate before the practice by himself. Markstrom hasn’t played since February 16th but would be a big help to the Canucks down the stretch if he can get back. The 27-year old goaltender looks like he’ll get a shot at the starting job next year as Ryan Miller is a free agent this summer. Markstrom’s extension will come into play next year, which will see him paid $3.67MM per year for the next three seasons.
- 22-year old Nikita Tryamkin has been a revelation for the Canucks this season, as he’s shown his capability to be a part of their defense going forward and showcased his big-hit ability early in the season. He has been out since February 19th though, and still isn’t quite ready to return. Despite skating earlier this morning with the team, he’ll miss his sixth straight game.
Snapshots: McQuaid, Goldobin, Koules
Adam McQuaid is one lucky man. When Boston Bruins’ forward David Backes was upended last night against the New Jersey Devils, his skate nicked the throat of McQuaid. As the big defender dropped his gloves and skated off immediately, there were images of Clint Malarchuk and Richard Zednik flashing through the minds of many onlookers. It didn’t seem as bad as those two though and as it turns out, it wasn’t.
McQuaid received 25 stitches to close the laceration on his throat, and expects to be in the lineup tomorrow against the Ottawa Senators. Head coach Bruce Cassidy called him a “tough customer,” and he’s proving just that. McQuaid has been given extra ice time and responsibility of late, including breaking the 20-minute mark twice in his last five games.
- Nikolay Goldobin is already making an impact in Vancouver, after scoring his second NHL goal in his Canucks debut on Saturday night. It came on a breakaway, something the Canucks hope Goldobin will see often in his time with the team. The talented forward came over in the Jannik Hansen deal, and as Ben Kuzma of The Province reports, will help lead a youth movement in the next few years. With Brock Boeser, Olli Juolevi, Adam Gaudette and Jonathan Dahlen all set to make an impact sooner than later, the Canucks may have kick-started a rebuild of their own when they chose to sell off two expiring veteran contracts at the deadline. Goldobin is just the first of many in Vancouver, and he puts it best when talking about the style he’ll bring: “there are no words, just let me show you and that will be easier.”
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have brought in Miles Koules, signing him to a tryout with their AHL squad today according to Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch . The 22-year old forward is the son of former Tampa Bay Lightning owner Oren Koules, who you may recognize from the credits of the Saw movie franchise or Two and a Half Men. Koules had played in the ECHL this season, scoring 20 points in 36 games. He also played two contests for the Ontario Reign, in which he was held scoreless.
Snapshots: MacEwen, Tynan, Vermette
The Vancouver Canucks have dipped their toes into the 20-year old free agent waters, signing undrafted center Zack MacEwen to a three-year entry-level contract. MacEwen is playing for the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL where he often skates with Blue Jackets’ third-round pick Vitaly Abramov, one of the league’s top scorers.
Elliotte Friedman reports that both Ottawa and Tampa Bay had been in on MacEwen recently, before the Canucks eventually signed him. MacEwen is a point-per-game player for the first time in his junior career, scoring 62 in 59 games this season. He’ll join Matthew Highmore and many others as teams around the league start snapping up any talent that has slipped through the cracks.
- The Blue Jackets have recalled T.J. Tynan from the AHL on an emergency basis prior to tomorrow’s game against the Ottawa Senators. The 5’8″ forward is a former third-round pick that is known for his pass-first mentality and soft hands. Tynan was a linemate of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust at Notre Dame, where he led the team in scoring three out of four years.
- According to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN, Anaheim Ducks forward Antoine Vermette will not appeal his 10-game suspension with a neutral arbitrator the way Dennis Wideman did last season. Vermette has already served five games of the suspension and is eligible to return March 12th. Though winning an arbitration would recoup some of his lost salary, at this point it might just be better off to let sleeping dogs lie—as the Calgary Flames likely wish Wideman had.
Forgotten Futures: Checking In On Picks 3-5
While Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine have dominated many of the headlines around the NHL since the moment they put on their respective sweaters on June 24th, 2016 there were other names picked that day that have received much less attention. Matthew Tkachuk has burst onto the scene in Calgary, recording an incredible 41 points in his rookie season (including more assists than either of the top 2) while Jakob Chychrun has steadily improved in the desert and is now logging 20 minutes a night as an 18-year old.
There were three other names taken between Laine and Tkachuk, and though their respective fan bases surely haven’t forgotten about their prized assets, drooling over the potential they bring while combing through box scores—that is if anyone combs through box scores anymore—the rest of the league might have. As we head past the trade deadline many teams look towards the future, hoping for a brighter sunrise next season and looking at comparables for their expected draft position this summer.
5th Overall Pick – Olli Juolevi (VAN)
The first defenseman picked in the draft was Olli Juolevi from the London Knights. The smooth skating defender that was heralded as a future #1 who could play in any situation has had an excellent, if a little underwhelming season for the Knights in 2016-17. Playing on a great team in front of a great goaltender, Juolevi has continued to rack up assists while being a main part of one of the stingiest defensive teams in the OHL. The Knights have allowed just 165 goals this season and Juolevi is one of the reasons why.
With 39 points in 49 games, he continues to produce in junior hockey, though a little less can be said about his performance at the World Juniors. Captaining a Finnish squad that was without almost all of their key players—including one we will speak of later—Juolevi didn’t impress much through the preliminary round. After his coach got fired midway through the tournament, Juolevi stepped up a bit but still finished with just two points in six games.
It’s hardly enough to judge him on, but Vancouver Canucks fans were likely hoping to see him take over the tournament all by himself and drag the Finnish team to the medal round. They should however be excited about the prospect that London will be in the OHL playoffs starting later this month, where Juolevi will try for a second crack at the Memorial Cup.
The Day After: Racing To The Bottom
The NHL trade deadline came and went yesterday with little excitement. Yes, some (but not all) of the rentals that were expected to move went to interesting destinations, but we didn’t have a single blockbuster move or real hockey trade. So now the quest begins for the Stanley Cup with much of the teams and players that we had a week ago, with a Steve Ott here and a Lauri Korpikoski there.
Now for many fans of teams who have been holding out hope for a late playoff push; those who sold many of their assets yesterday in a waving of the white flag for the 2016-17 season, a new journey begins. The quest for the first overall draft pick.
There is no fight, some might say, because of the Colorado Avalanche’s death-grip on last place in the NHL. They have just 37 points through 61 games and have a legitimate shot at becoming the first team to compile fewer than 50 points in a full season since the 1999-00 Atlanta Thrashers, an expansion team that won just 14 games. Colorado will finish last in the league, of that there is no doubt. But that by no means guarantees them the first overall pick
This year, with the addition of the Vegas Golden Knights the last place team will have just a 17.9% chance to select first, not a very good chance at all. The Arizona Coyotes are likely going to finish with the second worst record. With just 51 points they have an eight point “lead” on the Vancouver Canucks and have traded away several pieces. 
But that’s where it gets interesting. From the current third last team—those Canucks, who may have had the best deadline out of anyone—to the tenth worst is just six points. Beyond that the playoffs are just another handful of points away. The race for that third last spot is alive and well, and it could come with a big prize.
The 2017 draft class has been called weak, shallow and lacking impact talent. While it does in comparison to the past two—which featured generational talents not just first overall but second as well—it may be. But to think that it doesn’t house some incredible future NHL talent is ludicrous. It’s not like there are only third-line players available this season, and the battle for the top five should be as fierce as ever.
For teams that lack center depth (which is most of the NHL), this year gives you a choice of at least three phenomenal talents at the top of the board. Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier and Gabe Vilardi all play very different styles, but will all likely have long and prosperous NHL careers. The rest of the first round is littered with talent down the middle: Michael Rasmussen, Casey Middelstadt, Cody Glass and Ryan Poehling all will likely go somewhere in the top half of the draft and all play mostly center.
While Vegas has thinned the odds slightly for everyone after that top pick, coming 28th in the league would still give you a 10% chance at drafting first, and even better odds at landing in that top three. Make no mistake, all the teams that sold yesterday—Vancouver, Detroit, and New Jersey in particular—are after that spot. They’ll say the right things, and the players won’t take a single second of any shift off, but in the back of the GMs mind he’s hoping that Bill Daly opens that card on lottery day and they see their logo emblazoned in gold.
The day after the deadline, and the race for the bottom has begun.
Trade Deadline Summary: Winners & Losers Of The Pacific Division
The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, and while it wasn’t the most exciting deadline day in recent memory, there were quite a few notable moves. Here are the winners and losers of the upstart Pacific Division:
Winners
Anaheim Ducks:
- Acquired Patrick Eaves from Dallas Stars for conditional second-round pick
The Ducks had one real need at the deadline and that was another top six winger. By getting ahead of the market and making the deal for Eaves earlier this week, Anaheim was already a winner at the deadline. The conditional second-rounder, which can become a first, is a steep price. However, given that Eaves is having a career year, the market value had yet to be set, and the Ducks desperation had grown due to the Antoine Vermette suspension, they were right to swing a deal when they had the chance. It was a quiet deadline day in Anaheim, but this is still a team that could make a lot of noise down the stretch.
Arizona Coyotes:
- Acquired 2017 third-round pick and conditional 2018 fifth-round pick from Calgary Flames for Michael Stone
- Acquired 2017 first-round pick, 2018 second-round pick, conditional 2019 fourth-round pick, and Grayson Downing from Minnesota Wild for Martin Hanzal, Ryan White, and 2017 fourth-round pick
- Acquired Teemu Pulkkinen from Minnesota Wild for “future considerations”
- Acquired Joe Whitney from Colorado Avalanche for Brandon Ranford
The Coyotes messed up by not trading Radim Vrbata (and might have been able to get more for Stone), but put that aside and what they were able to get from the Minnesota Wild is pretty extraordinary. The team wanted to re-sign Hanzal, but when talks fell apart, it became a foregone conclusion that he would be moved. Yet, that inevitability never drove the prices down and the Wild ended up offering an amazing deal for the career Coyote. The Avalanche should take note because this is how you work the trade deadline as one the league’s worst teams. In exchange for impending free agents who were not coming back in Hanzal and Stone, Arizona ends up with five picks and two prospects (assuming, as it often does, that “future considerations” means nothing) and the team has suffered almost no loss. If GM John Chayka has decided to deal Vrbata, he likely would have added another pair of good picks to that mix, but as it stands, the Coyotes still did pretty well.