All-Star Skills Competition Assignments Released
With the All-Star game one day away, many NHL fans often get more excited for the 2018 GEICO NHL All-Star Skills Competition, which will be tonight. The NHL released the list of who will be participating in each of the six competitions with the winner of each receiving $25K.
Enterprise NHL Fastest Skater – Each skater is timed for one full lap around the rink.
Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Rickard Rakell (Anaheim Ducks)
Noah Hanifin (Carolina Hurricanes)
Josh Bailey (New York Islanders)
Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)
Jack Eichel (Buffalo Sabres)
Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Dunkin Donuts NHL Passing Challenge – Requires three skills over one round, including Target Passing (making four passes to a target that light up randomly), Give-and-Go (must complete four successful passes through a course in the neutral zone) and Mini Nets (must complete four passes over barricades and into mini-nets).
Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers)
Brayden Schenn (St. Louis Blues)
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Arizona Coyotes)
Eric Staal (Minnesota Wild)
Alex Pietrangelo (St. Louis Blues)
Kris Letang (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings)
GEICO NHL Save Streak – Goalies attempt to win by making the most consecutive saves against an opposing division on a minimum of nine shots.
Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers) vs. Central Division
Connor Hellebuyck (Vancouver Canucks) vs. Pacific Division
Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators) vs. Metropolitan Division
Marc-Andre Fleury (Vegas Golden Knights) vs. Atlantic Division
Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning) vs. Central Division
Gatorade NHL Puck Control Relay – A timed event that involves three skills, including Stickhandling (where a skater must control a puck through a series of eight pucks in a straight line), Cone Control (where a skater controls a puck through a series of eight cones in a zig-zag formation) and Gates (where a skater must shoot or choose to guide the puck through a lighted rung of a gate).
Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary Flames)
Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers)
Erik Karlsson (Ottawa Senators)
John Tavares (New York Islanders)
Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Tyler Seguin (Dallas Stars)
Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks)
PPG NHL Hardest Shot – Over two rounds, each player will attempt two shots measured in miles per hour with the highest speed recorded.
John Klingberg (Dallas Stars)
Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals)
P.K. Subban (Nashville Predators)
Brent Burns (San Jose Sharks)
Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Honda NHL Shooting Accuracy – A timed event in which a skater is positioned 25 feet behind the goal line and must shoot at five LED targets in the goal. A target will light up and the players has three seconds to hit it.
Brian Boyle (New Jersey Devils)
Blake Wheeler (Winnipeg Jets)
James Neal (Vegas Golden Knights)
Brock Boeser (Vancouver Canucks)
Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins)
Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings)
Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Trade Candidates: Derek Ryan
With the trade deadline approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that have a good chance to be dealt by February 26th.
In 2016-17, Derek Ryan made headlines as a 30-year-old playing in his first full NHL season after working his way to the highest level through levels like the Canadian University system and pro leagues in Hungary and Austria. The Carolina Hurricanes forward was even nominated for the Masterton Trophy to recognize the perseverance and dedication in took to stick with his NHL dreams much longer than most. In 2017-18, the narrative has changed from Ryan, the feel-good story, to Ryan, the legitimate NHL asset. If you thought Ryan’s 29 points in 67 games as an unheralded, aging rookie was impressive, take a look at his 26 points through 20 fewer games so far this year. Ryan has quietly established himself as a capable, versatile forward and with the Carolina Hurricanes again looking like the odd man out in the Metropolitan Division, the next chapter in Ryan’s story could be that of a key Trade Deadline acquisition.
Contract
Ryan re-signed with the Hurricanes this past summer on a one-year, one-way deal worth $1.425MM. By the Trade Deadline, Ryan will count for less than $500K against the salary cap. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
2017-18
In 47 games, Ryan has nearly matched his offensive totals from last season, and then some. Ryan has already tied his 11 goals and is only three assists shy of his 18 and has done so in 20 fewer games. Ryan is on pace for 19 goals and 26 assists if he stays with the Hurricanes, though even the smallest hot streak, or perhaps a change of scenery, could push him over 20 goals or 30 assists. This season, Ryan has also been a superior five-on-five player, earning the trust of head coach Bill Peters and, in turn, more ice time. Even with a greater role and more exposure this season, Ryan has elite Corsi numbers and has been the best possession player on the roster. Ryan continues to be an asset at the face-off dot too, with a team-leading 56.3% success rate on nearly 600 draws thus far. He’s seen a slight uptick in hits and takeaways without an increase in penalty minutes as, despite a -13 rating that isn’t a true reflection of his game, he continues to be a two-way force who suppresses the opposition better than most of his fellow Carolina forwards. He often takes the ice against the best the other team has to offer and, compared to the team’s -17 goal differential, does well for himself. By all accounts, Ryan has taken another step forward in all facets in 2017-18.
Season Stats
47 GP, 11 goals, 15 assists, 26 points, -13 rating, 10 PIM, 92 shots, 16:18 ATOI, 56.9 CF%
Potential Suitors
While most teams did not even his know his name a few short years ago, Ryan will now be a sought-after depth addition at the Trade Deadline. A responsible, well-rounded forward, Ryan is the type of player that nearly any team could use for the stretch run. With the versatility to play all three forward positions, the depth to his game to line up on the second, third, or fourth line depending on fit and need, and a cap hit that is a total non-factor, there is spot on every contender’s roster for Ryan this season. Who could use him the most? The league’s top team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, are a bit top-heavy on offense and could use a player like Ryan to add balance to their forward corps. The San Jose Sharks and Philadelphia Flyers are in a similar boat. Neither of those three teams have a specific, identifiable need that Ryan could fill, but could greatly use the flexibility he provides as a depth asset.
More specifically, Ryan could be another option for the Pittsburgh Penguins in their continued search for a third-line center. However, the Hurricanes may want to avoid trading Ryan to one of the teams they would need to leapfrog to make the playoffs – especially one with back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. Two other top contenders, the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals, could really use Ryan as an anchor on their fourth lines. Both teams could use an injection of talent on their energy line, as well as another forward who could fill in throughout the lineup, as they march toward the postseason. The Bruins’ responsible, two-way, possession-heavy game especially seems to fit Ryan.
Likelihood of a Trade
The Derek Ryan story has been a great one, but it’s time for the Carolina Hurricanes to move on. Ryan has been a major surprise and a great addition to the lineup the past two years, but the ‘Canes face an uphill battle to make the playoffs and should get what they can for all of their impending UFA’s. If they so choose, Carolina could bring Ryan back in free agency, but it’s no use holding onto him for this season. The 31-year-old second-year NHLer faces a limited window to win the ultimate prize, a Stanley Cup, and in the midst of an outstanding season, he deserves to join a contender. Despite his amazing climb from the bowels of the hockey world to the highest level, Ryan remains a name that few people really know. Yet, expect him to quietly garner a lot of attention over the next month.
Despite Cap Situation, Capitals Intend To Re-Sign John Carlson
Last summer, the Capitals surprised many by finding a way to keep winger T.J. Oshie around instead of losing him in free agency. This year, they’re facing that same situation with defenseman John Carlson who is set to become a UFA on July 1st. Speaking with NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, GM Brian MacLellan stated that although they don’t feel like they have to reach an extension before the trade deadline, they have decided that they are going to try to keep him with the team long-term:
“I think in the beginning, we were wondering where we were going to be as a team. [Now], we’re going to want him back no matter what, so we’re going to make our best effort to bring him back.”
As was the situation with Oshie last year, Washington has a lot of money committed for 2018-19 already and quite a few roster spots that will need to be filled. Per CapFriendly, they have nearly $59MM locked in to just 13 players for next season and while the salary cap was recently pegged to jump closer to $80MM, that still doesn’t leave much in the way of wiggle room to sign Carlson plus six to nine other players (including goalie Philipp Grubauer and winger Tom Wilson who are both restricted free agents with arbitration eligibility).
Accordingly, if the Caps and MacLellan are able to find a way to keep Carlson around, they will likely be in a situation where they will have to move out a notable player, similar to what they did with Marcus Johansson last summer when they flipped him to the Devils when Oshie re-signed and Evgeny Kuznetsov inked his new contract.
Considering how important Carlson is to the Capitals though, there’s a strong case to be made that losing another important piece to keep him around is still a move worth making. He is logging more than 26 minutes per night on the back end (fifth most in the NHL) while his 35 points have him on pace for a new career best while ranking second among all blueliners. It’s hard to lose a player like that for nothing in free agency.
As a result, Washington could be facing a situation where they have to come close to doubling Carlson’s current cap hit ($3.967MM) on a long-term deal; they are the only team that will be able to offer the maximum eight years. That would put them at over $30MM on their back end which is more than what any team is currently spending on their defense corps. At first glance, a buyout for Brooks Orpik and his remaining $5.5MM could alleviate the situation a little bit but even if they do that, they’d still carry a cap charge of $2.5MM for 2018-19 (plus $1.5MM in 2019-20).
MacLellan was able to find a way to keep most of his core together last summer despite their salary cap situation. It will certainly be interesting to see if he can pull it off for a second straight year by keeping Carlson away from the open market.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Capitals Return Travis Boyd, Madison Bowey, And Jakub Vrana To Hershey
- The Capitals announced that they have returned winger Travis Boyd to Hershey of the AHL. His stint with the big club was short-lived as he was only recalled yesterday and he did not play in their game against Carolina. Boyd has been productive at the minor league level this season, tallying 27 points (8-19-27) in 37 games. Washington has also returned winger Jakub Vrana and defenseman Madison Bowey to Hershey, via the AHL’s transactions page. The moves come as no surprise with the Caps on their bye as they have been shuffling the two back and forth on a regular basis recently to save a little bit of cap room.
2018 All-Star Rosters
The NHL released the rosters for this year’s All-Star game in Tampa Bay, leading to an inevitable onslaught of discussion over who missed out and who didn’t deserve to go. The event will take place on January 27-28th. The full rosters can be found below:
Atlantic Division:
F Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay Lightning (captain)
F Nikita Kucherov – Tampa Bay Lightning
F Auston Matthews – Toronto Maple Leafs
F Aleksander Barkov – Florida Panthers
F Brad Marchand – Boston Bruins
F Jack Eichel – Buffalo Sabres
D Victor Hedman – Tampa Bay Lightning
D Erik Karlsson – Ottawa Senators
D Mike Green – Detroit Red Wings
G Andrei Vasilevskiy – Tampa Bay Lightning
G Carey Price – Montreal Canadiens
Head Coach: Jon Cooper
Metropolitan Division:
F Alex Ovechkin – Washington Capitals (captain)
F Taylor Hall – New Jersey Devils
F Sidney Crosby – Pittsburgh Penguins
F Josh Bailey – New York Islanders
F John Tavares – New York Islanders
F Claude Giroux – Philadelphia Flyers
D Seth Jones – Columbus Blue Jackets
D Noah Hanifin – Carolina Hurricanes
D Kris Letang – Pittsburgh Penguins
G Henrik Lundqvist – New York Rangers
G Braden Holtby – Washington Capitals
Head Coach: Barry Trotz
Central Division:
F Patrick Kane – Chicago Blackhawks
F Nathan MacKinnon – Colorado Avalanche
F Blake Wheeler – Winnipeg Jets
F Brayden Schenn – St. Louis Blues
F Eric Staal – Minnesota Wild
F Tyler Seguin – Dallas Stars
D P.K. Subban – Nashville Predators (captain)
D Alex Pietrangelo – St. Louis Blues
D John Klingberg – Dallas Stars
G Pekka Rinne – Nashville Predators
G Connor Hellebuyck – Winnipeg Jets
Head Coach: Peter Laviolette
Pacific Division:
F Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers (captain)
F Johnny Gaudreau – Calgary Flames
F Brock Boeser – Vancouver Canucks
F James Neal – Vegas Golden Knights
F Rickard Rakell – Anaheim Ducks
F Anze Kopitar – Los Angeles Kings
D Drew Doughty – Los Angeles Kings
D Brent Burns – San Jose Sharks
D Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Arizona Coyotes
G Jonathan Quick – Los Angeles Kings
G Marc-Andre Fleury – Vegas Golden Knights
Head Coach: Gerard Gallant
Minor Transactions: 01/10/17
The NHL world is in a frenzy about offside review calls once again, after the Edmonton Oilers had a goal overturned last night that could have changed the outcome of the game. Connor McDavid doesn’t like the review system, and he’s not alone. Still, life must go on around the league and we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.
- The Nashville Predators have flipped Juuse Saros and Anders Lindback once again, as the likely will throughout the team’s bye week. The team has done this several times throughout the year to get Saros more playing time and keep him fresh for a potential run should Pekka Rinne go down to injury.
- Ottawa has brought back Filip Chlapik from the AHL according to the minor league’s transaction board. The young forward played six games with the Senators earlier this year, but is still looking for his first NHL goal. He’ll get into the lineup tonight with Bobby Ryan out due to injury.
- The St. Louis Blues have sent Vince Dunn and Ivan Barbashev to the Chicago Wolves during their bye week, while also assigning Tage Thompson to San Antonio. The Blues won’t be back in action until they take on the Maple Leafs on January 16th.
- The Capitals have once again sent Madison Bowey and Jakub Vrana to Hershey of the AHL, via the AHL’s transactions page. This isn’t a sign that the team isn’t pleased with their play but rather a way to save a little bit of money on the cap. With Washington in action tomorrow, they’ll likely be recalled for that game.
NHL Reveals Coaches For Upcoming All-Star Game
The NHL announced the coaches for the 2018 NHL All-Star game in Tampa Bay on Jan. 28, as Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jon Cooper, Vegas Golden Knights’ Gerard Gallant, Washington Capitals’ Barry Trotz and Nashville Predators’ Peter Laviolette will coach their respective divisions.
For the third straight season, the all-star game will feature a 3-on-3, three-game tournament, showcasing each division. Each divisional team will have six forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders. The coaching selections were based on the team that had the highest point percentage as of Jan. 6, the halfway point of the season.
Cooper earned his first trip to the all-star game in six years as an NHL coach. Tampa Bay has the best record in hockey at 29-9-3. Gallant has earned the invite by taking a first-year expansion team and given them the second-best record in hockey at 28-10-2. It is his second all-star selection in seven years of NHL coaching. Trotz will make his third NHL all-star appearance in 19 years of coaching. The Capitals boast a 25-13-3 record. Laviolette will make his second appearance in 16 seasons as a coach. The Predators have a 25-11-6 record, tied for second in the Central Division, but have a slightly higher points percentage than Winnipeg Jets coach Paul Maurice, who has one more overtime loss.
Full all-star rosters will be released Wednesday. The all-star captains were already named by fan votes as Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (Pacific), Washington’s Alex Ovechkin (Metropolitan), Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos (Atlantic) and Nashville’s P.K. Subban (Central) were voted in.
Capitals Recall Madison Bowey And Jakub Vrana
- The Capitals have brought back defenseman Madison Bowey and winger Jakub Vrana from Hershey (AHL), via the AHL’s transactions page. Neither move comes as a surprise as they were just sent down yesterday in an effort to free up a little bit more cap space. For perspective, it’s the fourth time they’ve been sent back and forth since December 17th.
No Extension Talks Between Capitals And John Carlson
The Capitals have yet to engage in contract talks with pending UFA defenseman John Carlson, his agent Rick Curran told Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. Curran notes that he expects that to change in the coming weeks. Washington’s salary cap situation likely has a lot to do with there being no discussions so far – the team has nearly $59MM tied up in just 13 players for next season already so there may not be enough room for another big-ticket deal. Carlson is positioning himself for a big raise from the $3.97MM cap hit he has now as he has 31 points in 41 games which ranks him second among NHL defenders while averaging a career-high 26:10 per night in ice time.
Eastern Notes: Hoffman, Claesson, Duclair, Trotz, Burakovsky
The Ottawa Senators may be struggling in the standings, but that didn’t stop the team from holding their annual skills competition at the Canadian Tire Center with forward Mike Hoffman and defenseman Fredrik Claesson each winning the key awards of the afternoon, according to Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch.
Hoffman captured the speed award with a time of 13.944 seconds, just short of his time a year ago (13.836) when he won the same event. Ryan Dzingel finished second in the competition at 14.016 and Thomas Chabot placing third at 14.229.
“I always did power skating as a kid and played inline hockey growing up, which can help on your skating as well,” Hoffman added.
Claesson won the hardest shot competition at 104.6 mph in the preliminary rounds and then beat fellow defenseman Johnny Oduya in the finals with a 103.7 shot. Oduya had a 98.0 mph shot.
- Larry Brooks of the New York Post recommends that in the wake of the Chris Kreider injury and the fact he could be out for two months, the New York Rangers should look into the price of acquiring Arizona Coyotes forward Anthony Duclair, a perfect buy-low candidate. With few options in the AHL, a cheap player with NHL experience might be perfect for New York.
- Pointing out a suggested trade for Duclair as well, Tampa Bay Times’ Joe Smith also likes the idea of the Tampa Bay Lightning kicking the tires on acquiring the 22-year-old winger. Smith writes he would be a perfect low-risk, high reward option as a top-nine player for a team to fill out its depth. However, the scribe does add the team might want to focus more on defensive depth first, such as Ottawa’s Codi Ceci.
- With the Washington Capitals victory Saturday, head coach Barry Trotz recorded his 737th victory, making him the fifth winningest coach in NHL history. Trotz, who is in his 19th year as a head coach, has 180 victories with the Capitals. He had spent the previous 15 years in Nashville.
- Tarik El-Bashir of NBC Sports writes that young winger Andre Burakovsky, who many felt might have a breakout year, will have a hard time getting back into the Capitals’ lineup as he is one of four players fighting for time on the fourth line. He missed time this year after undergoing thumb surgery and has struggled since his return. “There’s some things that I feel like I’m not really back to after my injury,” said Burakovsky via the Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan. “I guess it’s been taking a little bit longer time than I was expecting.”