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Archives for April 2017

Maple Leafs, Blackhawks In Pursuit Of Calle Rosen

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According to David Alter and Scott Powers of The Athletic, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks are front-runners for Calle Rosen. The 23-year old defender has come to the attention of several NHL clubs in recent years as his play has developed in Sweden. Because of his age he’d only be able to sign a two-year entry-level deal, but likely could step into the NHL quickly.

Undersized but effective, Rosen is considered a strong two-way defenseman and would add to the left-handed depth on both teams. Toronto has Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner installed in their top-4, while Chicago obviously has Duncan Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson. With the Maple Leafs watching Matt Hunwick head to free agency this season, and not completely trusting the play of Martin Marincin, Rosen could have an opportunity to make an impact.

Rosen’s 19 points in 41 games put him second among defenders on the Vaxjo Lakers in the SHL this season, though he was held pointless in six playoff matches. He’ll also likely need to improve his strength to last in the NHL, as he currently weighs in at just 176-lbs.

There are only so many avenues that big market teams can gain advantages, and the European and KHL markets are one. Even though salary is limited in the NHL, the attraction of the fan bases and possible sponsorship in the traditional hockey markets continue to be effective recruitment tools for teams like Toronto, Chicago and New York. Though it’s not clear whether Rosen will eventually land in one of them, it does seem like they are always the first ones linked to a sought-after free agent abroad.

Snapshots: Kucherov, Montgomery, Drug Testing

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Nikita Kucherov took another step forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning this season after being given a three-year deal, but he can’t say the same for some of his teammates. In a translated interview with Pavel Lysenkov of Sovietsky Sport (h/t Sergey Demidov of NHL.com) Kucherov made it clear that not all his teammates were working hard enough this year.

…some guys overstayed in team. They’ve got their money and stopped working. They knew there’s no competition for their positions and organization is not going to take someone else. They played not really well this year—you can see it in their stats and way of play.

Kucherov’s agent Dan Milstein got in contact with Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times to explain the comments, saying that the translation is accurate and that he doesn’t feel like every player is “on board to win.” His agent also told Smith that Kucherov hopes to play his entire career for Tampa Bay “like his GM”—Steve Yzerman famously spent his entire career with the Detroit Red Wings before moving into management.

  • Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet confirmed that Jim Montgomery interviewed in Florida for the vacant Panthers head coach position, but that the team will continue to look at all options before making a decision. Montgomery is coming off a national championship with the University of Denver, and has been rumored for all of the openings around the league this spring. The former NHL journeyman is a lock for a professional head coaching job eventually, and at just 47 years old has a long career still ahead of him in the industry.
  • In the newest article from Rick Westhead of TSN, he reports that the league increased their screening for both marijuana and cocaine this year, testing all 2,300 samples for recreational drugs. The NHL doesn’t suspend players who test positive for recreational drugs, but does monitor it and enroll players in substance abuse programs if deemed necessary. While the increase in screening—up from just 800 of the samples in 2015—shows the leagues increasing awareness of a rising problem among NHL players. Westhead cites two different criminal offenses from the past that involved cocaine, and rumors have persisted for years about the drug being used throughout the league. The testing will likely continue next season, with perhaps even more steps being taken to squash the problem if it indeed continued this season.

Viktor Antipin Expected To Sign With Buffalo Sabres Soon

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Originally linked to the Buffalo Sabres by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet back in March, new reports about Viktor Antipin signing with the team have surfaced today. KHL insider Aivis Kalnins reports that the two sides have talked recently, while Brayton Wilson of WGR 550 writes that sources have confirmed Antipin’s intention to sign in Buffalo for next season. The defender is only able to sign a one-year entry-level deal if he can agree to a termination with his club as he’s currently under contract through 2018.

Antipin’s teammate—and the other Magnitogorsk defender that Friedman mentioned in March—Alexei Bereglazov just signed with the New York Rangers, lending credence to the idea that Antipin will also journey to North America for next season. The 24-year old Russian has played in the KHL for six seasons already, and just completed a playoff run that saw him log more than 24 minutes a night for the Gagarin Cup finalists. His performance in the KHL playoffs was among the best, recording 11 points in 18 games and being named the top defenseman in the final series.

It is interesting to note that the Sabres don’t currently have a General Manager, so Antipin’s courtship must now be conducted by someone other than Tim Murray. Should the Sabres land the young defender, he’ll add an interesting option to the team for next year’s blueline. As Wilson reports, it would be likely that the deal would contain a clause for Antipin to return home should the team wish to send him down to the AHL, similar to the one Nikita Tryamkin negotiated into his deal.

Antipin’s success on the powerplay is an appealing factor for the Sabres, who already boasted the top unit in the league this year. Adding another dangerous option on the blueline can only help the team as it looks to rebound from another disastrous season and claw their way back into the playoffs. Antipin will be playing in the upcoming World Championships, where he’ll test himself once again alongside NHL players.

St. Louis Blues Recall Petteri Lindbohm From AHL

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In an interesting move, considering his team is locked in a 2-2 playoff series, the St. Louis Blues have recalled Petteri Lindbohm from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Lindbohm played just yesterday in the Wolves’ 5-1 victory over the Charlotte Checkers, and was set to play tonight in game 5. Instead, he’ll come up as an insurance policy for the Blues as they start their series with the Nashville Predators.

The normal six defensemen were all present at practice this morning, with Robert Bortuzzo taking his spot next to Carl Gunnarsson on the third pairing. Interestingly, the Blues already had Tommy Vannelli up with the team skating as a Black Ace, but perhaps they don’t consider him ready enough to step into a role should someone get injured and have returned him to the AHL. Jordan Schmaltz, who played one game for the Blues in the first round, is staying down with the Wolves for their playoff run.

The Blues will begin the series at home tonight against the Predators, after both sides overcame long odds to emerge from round one. The Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild were the top two teams in the Western Conference this year and were defeated in quick fashion showing that nothing is secure in the NHL playoffs. Now, two teams that struggled at times this season will face off in what should be an exceptional series.

Latest On Buffalo Sabres’ GM Search

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The Buffalo Sabres have been without a General Manager for nearly a week now, and owner Kim Pegula told John Vogl of the Buffalo News that they have already “put a lot of work” into the search for a replacement. The team has started holding interviews according to John Shannon of Sportsnet, though he has been told that they’ve not yet asked permission to speak with Dean Lombardi. The Sabres would need to get the Los Angeles Kings’ permission, because of the way firings work in the NHL.

“Relieved of their duties” is the term teams use when coaches and executives are still under contract—which Lombardi was—are fired, retaining their rights around the league. It’s why often teams like Columbus and Edmonton had to give up draft pick compensation even though John Tortorella and Peter Chiarelli had both been fired by their teams. While the compensation aspect was eliminated last year, the fact that you still need to ask for permission to speak with them remains. It would be unlikely that the Kings would deny the Sabres access to Lombardi, but perhaps it signals that he isn’t on their list.

Instead, Craig Custance of ESPN and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet made an interesting connection to Arizona’s John Chayka, who does have ties to the Niagara area after going to school at Brock University in Saint Catharines, Ontario. The Canadian college town sits about 35 minutes away from Buffalo, and is still the home of Stathletes, the advanced analytics company that Chayka founded before being plucked away by the Coyotes. The Pegulas claimed that they wanted experience in the role, and even though he’s just 27 Chayka now has a full year operating in the league.

Friedman also lists Julien BriseBois (Lightning), Chris Drury (Rangers) and Mark Hunter (Maple Leafs) as possibilities, while several other names have been floated in various reports. Our own poll here on PHR ended with Lombardi as the overwhelming favorite for the job, with former Sabres’ President of Hockey Ops Pat LaFontaine as the runner up.

It will be interesting to follow over the next week or so who Buffalo eventually installs in the position, and if he will get to pick in the top-3 during his first entry draft. On Saturday, the Draft Lottery will be held to determine the order of selections, with Buffalo holding a 7.6% chance at the top selection. Even if they were to secure another top-five pick like they have in the past, another excellent player would be added to a young stable that still has the potential to grow into a contender.

Jakub Jerabek Expected To Sign With Montreal Canadiens

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According to multiple reports, the Montreal Canadiens have come to terms with Jakub Jerabek, a Czech defender from the KHL. Because his current deal doesn’t expire until April 30th, no official announcement can be made as of yet. No financial details have been released. Even though Jerabek will turn 26 in a few weeks he is still required to sign a one-year entry-level contract if he wishes to join the league for next season. Earlier this month, agent Allan Walsh announced that Jerabek had multiple NHL offers and though his decision took a bit longer than expected, he’s now headed to North America and the NHL.

The 25-year old is undersized, but possesses excellent puck-moving ability and is a strong skater. In his rookie season with Chekhov Vityaz he recorded 34 points in 59 games while skating over 21 minutes a night and was named to the KHL All-Star team. The left-handed defenseman had played parts of eight seasons in the Czech professional league prior to this year, debuting when he was just 17. This year he played on the same squad as Maple Leafs’ signee Miro Aaltonen and former NHL star Maxim Afinogenov, but was eliminated early from the playoffs by the eventual Gagarin Cup winners SKA St. Petersburg.

For Montreal, Jerabek offers another option for them that could possibly replace Andrei Markov as he heads into free agency. Though the long-time Canadien has said he wants to play again next year for the Habs, the team may want to go in a younger direction after being eliminated in the first round. Jerabek offers them that youth, though there is no guarantee that it comes with much effectiveness. While Nikita Zaitsev’s rookie season was successful in Toronto, there have been many before him that failed to make the transition smoothly.

Jerabek first will suit up for the Czech Republic in the upcoming World Championships that begin May 5th, where last year he recorded five points in eight games and was among the tournament leaders from the blueline. His resume boasts quite a bit of individual success at international tournaments, including captaining the Czech team at the 2011 World Juniors where he scored eight points in six games.

Aivis Kalnins was first to report the deal on Twitter, while R-Sport has also been made aware of his intention to sign. 

Morning Notes: Brouwer, Jodoin, Seguin

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Eric Francis writes for the Calgary Herald that Troy Brouwer is expected to be one of the forwards exposed in the upcoming expansion draft for the Flames, and with it could be leaving the organization almost as soon as he joined it. Francis points out that Vegas GM George McPhee has traded for Brouwer once in the past, acquiring him for a first round pick from Chicago in the summer of 2011.

If you’d been following along, it was clear the Flames couldn’t protect Brouwer after acquiring Curtis Lazar at the deadline, giving them at least seven young forwards that would be ahead of him on the list. While it doesn’t mean for certain that the Flames will submit their protection list on June 17th with Brouwer exposed, it certainly looks that way right now. The 31-year old is coming off his worst point total of his career, but still would add a veteran presence to a weak Vegas squad should he be selected.

  • The Montreal Canadiens announced today that Clement Jodoin has chosen to leave the organization after his latest stint. Jodoin has been an associate coach for the team for two different five-year periods, and also worked as the Hamilton Bulldogs’ head coach and in the Canadiens’ player development department over the years. New head coach Claude Julien will meet with his other assistants in the next few days to decide what’s next for the coaching staff.
  • Tyler Seguin apparently was playing with a damaged labrum in his right shoulder for much of the season, and the team announced today that he underwent surgery yesterday to repair it. His recovery timeline is set at four months, meaning he’ll be lucky to be ready for the start of training camp next fall. Seguin was criticized for his play much of this season, but still ended up with 72 points despite the injury. He’ll be expected to take another step forward and help the Stars return to the playoffs next season, or there may be even bigger shakeups in Dallas next summer.

Boston Bruins Remove Interim Status From Bruce Cassidy

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The Boston Bruins have named Bruce Cassidy head coach for the 2017-18 season, removing the interim status he had been working under since the firing of Claude Julien. Cassidy led the Bruins to an 18-8-1 record after the switch, getting them into the postseason but falling at the hands of the Ottawa Senators. The Bruins scoring woes under Julien disappeared, and Cassidy’s systems seemed to reinvigorate the team.

He’ll now be tasked with trying to rebuild relationships with certain players, as both Frank Vatrano and Ryan Spooner spoke out against their former head coach after his departure. While neither may represent a key player going forward, removing discontent from the locker room is always done one way or another. The Bruins will have to decide whether to commit long-term to some of their young restricted free agents, or move certain players for improvements elsewhere.

With the biggest task of the offseason being David Pastrnak’s next contract, the Bruins will be hard-pressed to really free up any additional cap space. So much of their salary is tied up in the big-4 up front—David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Backes—and their no-longer-elite goaltender Tuukka Rask. While Marchand’s deal may be one of the best of last summer, Backes especially looks like he may be an anchor to the team’s cap structure for years to come.

Allen’s Latest: Playoff Surprises, Second Round Predictions

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The USA Today’s Kevin Allen listed his playoff surprises as teams advanced into the second round. His biggest surprise is a take shared by many: the four game sweep of the Chicago Blackhawks. He wonders if they’ve “run out of magic” and comments that the team looked worn out. He also believes that Stan Bowman will be a man of his word and certainly look to tweak the roster. The house cleanings in Buffalo, and Los Angeles certainly caught Allen (and others) by surprise. He believes that the recently fired Dean Lombardi may be just what Buffalo needs to get over the hump. Allen underscores the importance of Jake Allen in the Blues’ first round triumph, and notes that Alexander Radulov should get a hefty payday after playing well with Montreal. Allen also sees Ryan Johansen as the #1 center the Predators envisioned him to be when they dealt for him last season.

  • Allen mentions Johansen again when he points out the five reasons Nashville shocked Chicago in four games. Besides getting the best of Chicago defensively, he notes that Pekka Rinne rose to the occasion and was next to impossible to beat between the pipes. Rinne posted a staggering .976 save percentage and gave up just three goals in four games. Allen adds that the Predators were also a much deeper team than the one who faced Chicago back in 2015. Finally, strategic moves by head coach Peter Laviolette played a key role in Chicago’s inability to contain the Preds. Focusing on speed, by placing Harry Zolnierczyk and Pontus Aberg into the lineup made the Blackhawks lives miserable trying to keep up.
  • In terms of who will advance to the conference finals, Allen is the only one of his staff who sees the Penguins getting past the Capitals. He believes the Penguins speed will cause matchup problems for Washington, and result in yet another Washington-Pittsburgh tilt that sees the Penguins triumph. Allen has the Rangers meeting the Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final, dispatching the Senators in six games. Over in the West, Allen forecasts an Anaheim-Nashville Western Conference Final, though he thinks both matchups will see seven games, writing that the Nashville-St. Louis series is most likely a toss up.

Central Notes: McDonough, Seguin, Nashville – St. Louis

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Chicago Blackhawks president and CEO John McDonough is blunt in his assessment of the Blackhawks to the Chicago Sun-Times Mark Lazerus: they were steamrolled. Said to be “steaming” at their quick demise, McDonough is confident that general manager Stan Bowman can improve upon the latest first round exit for the only franchise in the salary cap era to win three Stanley Cups. Though happy with what Bowman and coach Joel Quenneville have done in the past, he tasks the Blackhawk bosses with building upon the talent that’s already there. Blackhawk fans can take solace in the fact that McDonough sees a lot of gas in the tank for a team many think may be worn out, but McDonough says that the organization is reviewing everything to make sure the Hawks fortunes are on an upward trend.

  • The Dallas Morning-News’ Mike Heika answers fans by indicating that the Stars won’t consider trading Tyler Seguin–unless they believe he’s not the right match with Jamie Benn. Heika believes that the Stars are hoping for new bench boss Ken Hitchcock to have a role in making Seguin a dominant two-way center. With an expensive contract, but still only 25 years of age, the Stars aren’t about to give up on the center. He also believes that Seguin will be motivated to take the next step as a player and sees Seguin being “very determined” to improve after fighting through injury the past few seasons.
  • It’s the battle of goaltenders when the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues meet up in the second round of the playoffs. NHL.com’s Shawn Roarke writes that the goaltending is just one of many storylines as the two Central division foes meet for the first time in playoff action. Roarke sees lead time as another factor, as both teams enjoyed leading their respective first round opponent for long stretches of time. The Tennessean’s Joe Rexrode believes the Predators should win the series,  but is far from issuing a guarantee about it. Rexrode sees St. Louis’ staunch defense giving the Preds some problems while he openly wonders if the inconsistent Predators during the regular season could return for a playoff encore, disappearing just as quickly as they appeared to remind fans why they were preseason favorites. Meanwhile, St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Jeff Gordon echoes a number of Rexrode’s insights, adding that the return of Colin Wilson for the Preds and matching Nashville’s depth serves as some difficulties St. Louis might encounter.

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