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Garrioch’s Latest: Shattenkirk, Lightning, Jurco, Vegas

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The recent run of the St. Louis Blues has all of a sudden made their decision regarding pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk a much more difficult one, writes Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun in his latest Insider Trading column.  It has long been believed that the Blues – who aren’t expected to re-sign him – were hoping to move him in an effort to avoid losing him for nothing in July but with the team now sitting somewhat comfortably in a playoff spot, it’s a much tougher sell as moving him would hurt their fortunes considerably.

The asking price from GM Doug Armstrong remains quite high, including a first round pick, a high quality prospect, plus a third element.  If he can get all of that in a return, moving him even while in a playoff spot would be a lot more palatable but there’s little indication at this time that anyone is willing to meet that price for a rental player, even the top one on the market.

Garrioch also has updates on several other goings-on around the league.  As usual, the full column is worth a read but here are a handful of the highlights:

  • Lightning GM Steve Yzerman is looking to free up some cap space beyond this season with players like Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, and Jonathan Drouin all headed for restricted free agency. A couple of players they’d like to move are defensemen Braydon Coburn and Jason Garrison.  Coburn has two years left on his deal after this one with a $3.75MM cap hit while Garrison has one year remaining at $4.7MM.  However, Yzerman will need to provide some sort of incentive to get a team to take on one of those deals and while it appears he’s willing to do so, the question becomes how much of a sweetener would they be willing to part with?
  • On top of pending UFA Thomas Vanek, the Red Wings are looking to find a new home for winger Tomas Jurco. It came out last month that the 24 year was hoping to be dealt as he has spent a significant portion of this season as a healthy scratch.  While it’s likely that GM Ken Holland would like to move some players with term left on their deals, that will be quite difficult as quite a few are on long-term pacts and are underachieving this season.
  • Golden Knights GM George McPhee reached out to now-Canadiens coach Claude Julien after he was let go by the Bruins but clearly no deal was reached. Considering Julien was primed to be in a spot to be very selective about where he went if he waited until the offseason and the likelihood that the expansion team struggles out of the gate, he likely wouldn’t have been the right fit in Vegas anyways.  The scribe suggests that former Florida bench boss Gerard Gallant remains the favorite to get the job although ex-Islanders coach Jack Capuano has also been interviewed.

Atlantic Notes: Panthers, Ryan, Lehner, Green

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With the Panthers now healthy up front and making their way up the Atlantic Division, the team now plans to be a buyer at the trade deadline, team president of hockey operations Dale Tallon told NHL.com’s Arpon Basu.  In particular, the team is hoping to add to what has become a more potent attack recently with the returns of Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov to the lineup.

While many teams appear to be hesitant to part with quality prospects, Florida finds themselves in a nice situation with a younger core, many of which are already signed long-term.  Accordingly, they may have the ability to move some of their picks or prospects if the right fit happens to present itself trade-wise in the next week and a half.

Another thing that the Panthers have that a lot of buying teams don’t is plenty of cap space.  They’re currently pegged to have the ability to take on nearly $43MM in salary on deadline day per CapFriendly which is clearly more than enough to fit in any acquisitions they have in mind.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • Senators winger Bobby Ryan suffered a hand injury last night against the Maple Leafs and is out indefinitely, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun (Twitter link). He notes that if Ryan’s hand is broken, he could be out of the lineup for the next three to six weeks.  Although he has underachieved this year (he has just 24 points in 50 games, not the type of production they’re expecting for someone with a $7.25MM cap hit), his absence will create a void in Ottawa’s middle six moving forward.  If he winds up being out for an extended period of time, it wouldn’t be surprising to see GM Pierre Dorion look to add another winger via the trade market.
  • Sabres goaltender Robin Lehner has quietly become one of the top goalies in the league and is doing so at the perfect time, writes Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News. He quietly sits tied for third overall in save percentage by a starting goalie this year (.926) and teammates have noted he has taken on more of a leadership role in the dressing room as well.  The timing for this is great for Lehner and the Sabres – not only are they making a late push for a playoff spot, the 25 year old is set to become a restricted free agent this summer and is positioning himself for a sizable raise from the $2.25MM cap hit he currently carries.  (He will be owed a qualifying offer of $3.15MM in June, his actual salary for this season.)
  • Red Wings defenseman Mike Green has now missed the last two games due to an illness and remains day-to-day, notes MLive’s Ansar Khan. The 31 year old has been Detroit’s top offensive threat from the back end by far, recording 26 points (10-16-26) in 49 games.  By comparison, their next highest point getter from the back end is Xavier Ouellet who checks in with ten points.  In the meantime, rookie Ryan Sproul will continue to play while Green is out of the lineup.

Trade Candidate: Johnny Oduya

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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 haven’t gone well for the Dallas Stars and defenseman Johnny Oduya this season.  Accordingly, he’s likely to be on the move by the March 1st trade deadline and will be one of the most experienced blueliners on the market.

Contract

Final year of a two year, $7.5MM deal ($3.75MM cap hit and salary) – Will be a UFA in July.

2016-17

Staying healthy has proven to be a challenge for Oduya this season.  He missed ten games with an ankle injury early in the year and re-aggravated that issue in late January; he has been out of the lineup since then and there’s no word on when he may return.

When healthy, Oduya hasn’t quite been the stabilizing presence that he has shown himself to be in previous seasons.  At the age of 35, that’s somewhat understandable but as a result, his average ice time has dropped to a career low as he has been deployed in more of a fourth or fifth blueliner role.  However, he remains a penalty kill specialist in particular as he leads the Stars in shorthanded playing time per game.

Season Stats

36 GP, 1 goal, 6 assists, 7 points, even rating, 10 PIMS, 23 shots, 80 blocks, 18:10 ATOI, 47.3 CF%

Potential Suitors

Assuming he’s back in the lineup (or at least close to receiving a clean bill of health) by the deadline, there should be several teams interested in adding some playoff-tested depth to their back end.

Feb 27, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars defenseman Johnny Oduya (47) skates against the New York Rangers at the American Airlines Center. The Rangers defeat the Stars 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY SportsIn the East, the surging Senators are in good shape in their top four but could use someone like Oduya to help strengthen their bottom pairing.  They have the cap space to add him but will ownership be willing to give them some more room in the budget to work with?  A similar argument can be made for the Blue Jackets who could use a boost on their bottom pairing while giving them more depth to work with.  They’re not the most experienced of teams in the playoffs either so that may be another point of interest for them.  Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin is familiar with Oduya from his days in Chicago and though he’s not the top pairing partner for Shea Weber that they need, he’d still represent a defensive upgrade.

Out West, the Blackhawks could very well look to repatriate him.  Their depth on the back end is thin and they could use a reliable presence on their third pairing to take some of the pressure off their top four.  As is always the case with Chicago though, money is a concern and GM Stan Bowman has indicated that he’d prefer to not move draft picks this year with them hosting the draft which could complicate things.  Calgary is in need of a second pairing upgrade and they could view him as worthy of a try there.  While several youngsters for the Kings have fared well as of late, they could opt for a more proven option for the stretch run as well.

Likelihood Of A Trade

With Dallas seeing their playoff hopes fading and the fact they have some youngsters they would be wise to give more ice time to in the next couple of months, there’s a very good chance he is dealt unless his ankle injury winds up being worse than is currently being reported.  Although Oduya hasn’t played as big of a role this year compared to previous seasons, his defensive play and postseason experience should make him one of the more sought after defenders on the market.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Afternoon Transactions: Oilers, Hurricanes, Blues, Wild, Capitals

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Assorted transactions from around the NHL this afternoon:

  • The Oilers announced (via Twitter) that they have assigned defenseman Jordan Oesterle to the Bakersfield Condors. The 24-year-old was recalled to the NHL earlier this month. In two games with the Oilers this season, Oesterle hasn’t recorded a point, although he has compiled three goals and 15 assists in 26 AHL games.
  • The Hurricanes announced that they have recalled forward Phil Di Giuseppe from the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. The 23-year-old has recorded one goal and one assist in 18 games with the Hurricanes this season, and he’s collected 20 points in 33 games with the Checkers.
  • The Blues have assigned forward Kenny Agostino to the AHL, reports Norm Sanders of the Belleville News-Democrat (via Twitter). The former fifth-rounder has played in seven games with St. Louis this season, compiling one goal and two assists. In 48 AHL games, Agostino collected 18 goals and 42 assists.
  • The Wild announced that they have returned right winger Alex Tuch back to Iowa of the AHL.  Minnesota’s first round pick (18th overall) back in 2015 has played in six games with the big club this season, being held off the scoresheet while averaging 10:42 of ice time per night.  He’s having a strong rookie year at the minor league level though, scoring 12 goals and 13 assists in 36 games with Iowa.
  • The Capitals announced they assigned center Jakub Vrana to Hershey of the AHL.  He was recalled on Friday but didn’t play over the weekend.  The 20 year old has a goal and two assists in 12 games with the Capitals this season and has put up 25 points in 33 games with Hershey.  Washington is off until Wednesday and there’s a good chance they’ll recall Vrana before that time but they will save a bit of cap space in the meantime by sending him down for a few days.

Penguins Notes: Defense, Trade Deadline, Fleury

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The Penguins are reportedly seeking some defensive reinforcement prior to the March 1st trade deadline. However, as Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes, the team recently lost defensemen Justin Schultz and Olli Maatta, perhaps adding some urgency to their pursuit. General manager Jim Rutherford told Molinari that the recent injuries wouldn’t urge him to quickly make a deal.

“I don’t think it changes a whole lot,” he said. “Everybody is going to move their players at their own time. I don’t think, necessarily, that they’re going to move up the date on when they decide to move any of their players.

“We were considering a defenseman going into the trade deadline, and we’ll [still] consider doing that. Whether we’re able to pick up one or two, we’ll have to see what the market is.”

Let’s take a look at some other notes out of Pittsburgh…

  • Of course, with the Penguins competing for playoff seeding, the team will still be seeking a trade. “We have a lot of games between now and [the playoffs], so we have to address that,” Rutherford said. “We have depth guys in our organization who we believe in, so we’ll just move when we feel the right trade comes along.”
  • There’s still plenty of time prior to the offseason, but Rutherford is already thinking about the upcoming expansion draft. “That’s a tough call,” he told Molinari. “We have a bunch of good players at forward, and a bunch on defense. That’s something we won’t decide until after the year.” As the writer notes, teams are required to protect players with no-movement clauses, so Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury wouldn’t be going to Vegas.
  • Speaking of Fleury, there’s no guarantee that the goalie will be on the squad following the trade deadline. During Thursday’s victory, the veteran had the Pittsburgh fans chanting his name at what could have been his final home game as a Penguin. “The support I get here is always amazing,” Fleury told NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. “You don’t know what’s coming [at the trade deadline], and that was nice, a nice feeling.”

Blues Claim Ty Rattie From Hurricanes

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Ty Rattie is back with the Blues. After getting waived by the Hurricanes yesterday, the right winger has been claimed by St. Louis (via Sportsnets’ Elliotte Friedman on Twitter). The 24-year-old originally joined the Carolina organization after being waived by the Blues earlier this season. Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that Rattie will likely land in the AHL.

The 2011 second-round pick ultimately played in five games with the Hurricanes, compiling two assists and averaging 13:28 of ice time. During his previous stint with the Blues this season, Rattie didn’t collect a point in four games. The forward has played in three AHL games this season, although he did collect 17 goals and 29 assists last season with the Chicago Wolves.

Rattie is making $650K this year and will be a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration eligibility.

Meanwhile, the Sabres waived blueliner Taylor Fedun yesterday, and Friedman tweets that the 28-year-old has cleared waivers. The team announced that he’s be assigned to the Rochester Americans.

Lightning’s Brian Boyle Discusses Trade Rumors

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We’ve heard Brian Boyle’s name come up several times as we approach the March 1st trade deadline, but the Lightning center told Joe Smith of TampaBay.com that he’d prefer to stay with the organization.

May 13, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Brian Boyle (11) moves the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period in game one of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Lightning won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

“We’re really blessed to be able to play here,” Boyle said. “We’ve talked about it plenty of times, how wonderful it is to be playing in Tampa, being close to her family. The community here. We want to keep playing here.”

The rumors make plenty of sense, as the impending free agent would be an excellent acquisition for those seeking some offensive reinforcement. Smith mentions that the Maple Leafs, Blue Jackets, and Oilers as the teams that have been connected to the 32-year-old veteran. The writer also notes that the organization is currently seeking a haul for the forward, with other teams being hesitant regarding the high asking price. Of course, Boyle is more interested in helping his current squad.

“If teams want you, it means you’re doing something right,” Boyle said. “I want to add something to this team. I want to be an impact player, help us get to where we want to go. That’s the way I’ve approached (the trade rumors). It’s what’s best for our team. Stuff like that, you have no control over.”

Boyle has played in 51 games this year, his third with the organization. The forward has compiled 13 goals and eight assists this season. Tampa Bay is currently sitting 16 points out from the final wild card spot.

“I want to stay here,” Boyle said. “We’ve been on a mission for a few years now and haven’t accomplished it yet. We want to do it here.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

 

Morning Transactions: Blackhawks, Lightning

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Assorted transactions from around the NHL this morning…

  • The Blackhawks announced (via Twitter) that they’ve recalled forward Vinnie Hinostroza from the Rockford IceHogs. In 46 games this season for the big-league club, the former sixth-rounder compiled six goals and eight assists. The 22-year-old ultimately played in three games for the AHL affiliate, collecting a single assist.
  • With Tyler Johnson set to return from injury, the Lightning announced that they have re-assigned forward Cory Conacher to the Syracuse Crunch. In seven games with Tampa Bay this season, the 27-year-old recorded one goal and one assist. The former undrafted free agent played 41 games in the AHL this season, collecting 10 goals and 32 assists.

“At Least One Other Team” Had Negotiations With Canadiens’ HC Claude Julien

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Following the Canadiens sudden hiring of head coach Claude Julien last week, we learned that several teams had reached out to the Bruins in hopes of securing an interview with their former head coach. Now, we’ve learned that at least one team (besides Montreal) was in negotiations with Julien.

“It was well known that the Boston Bruins had been asked by several teams to have permission to talk to Claude Julien,” reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. “One of the reasons Montreal had to move quickly was because there was at least one other team that was in negotiations with (him).”

What team was Julien talking to? Friedman believes it wasn’t the incoming expansion franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights. Instead, the insider believes it was “somebody who has a coach right now. That’s one of the reasons Julien did so well financially.” Julien ultimately earned a five-year, $25M contract, and Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos says the coach will possibly be earning $12 million through the first two years.

Following a recent stretch that saw the team drop 10 of their past 13 games, the Canadiens decided to fire head coach Michel Therrien and replace him with Julien. The 56-year-old spent much of the past decade in Boston, where he led the team to seven playoff births and a Stanley Cup Championship. However, the Bruins failed to make the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and their 26-23 record led to Julien’s firing earlier this month.

Alexander Radulov Seeking Long-Term Deal

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On Hockey Night In Canada between the second and third periods in the Ottawa-Toronto game, Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet reported that Montreal Canadiens forward Alexander Radulov is seeking a long-term deal that could be up to as many as six years. The Canadiens don’t necessarily want to go that long, but may do it if the AAV drops a bit. Alexander Radulov

Kypreos mentioned the possibility of a short-term deal with a much higher salary, even as much as $7MM on a three-year deal. We listed Radulov at #2 on our ranking of the Top Midseason Free Agents, and it’s clear that he would have multiple suitors should he hit the open market again this summer.

For what it’s worth Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz, who maintains a friendship with Radulov from his days in Nashville, recently said that he would be “shocked” if Montreal and the Russian forward didn’t come to some sort of an agreement. Trotz said that Radulov loves it in Montreal, and if he is looking for a long-term deal he may be there for a while yet.

Montreal has a few contracts coming off the books next year, including David Desharnais and Andrei Markov but also will need to re-sign Alex Galchenyuk this summer. While he’s had a very up and down season, hit by injuries and inconsistency, Galchenyuk should get a very substantial upgrade to his current $2.8MM hit, especially if he gives up several free agent years.

Assigning upwards of $6MM per season to a soon-to-be 31-year old for more than five years would be a risky proposition regardless of his excellent production this year. The Canadiens already have Shea Weber on the wrong side of 30 earning a ton of money for a long time (nine more years in fact) and Jeff Petry signed until he’s 34.

It does seem like there is a deal to be worked out between the two sides, after Montreal convinced Radulov to come back from the KHL, but how long and for how many millions is still very much up in the air.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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