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Archives for September 2017

Brian Boyle Diagnosed With Leukemia

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The New Jersey Devils announced on a conference call that free agent signing Brian Boyle has been diagnosed with a form of bone cancer (Chronic Myeloid Leukemia). The disease was caught early enough that Boyle will be able to treat it with medication, but more tests will be performed. Boyle is “looking forward to getting back on the ice” and his focus is still on October 7th when the season begins.

"<strongBoyle was signed to a two-year contract this summer after splitting time between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs last season, and is generally considered one of the strongest leaders around the NHL. Beloved by his teammates and coaching staffs, there will no doubt be an outpouring of support for him from all around the league. It’s wonderful to hear that he feels largely healthy, and is still committed to starting the season on time.

The 32-year old is expected to play a big role on a team that is looking to make it back to the playoffs this year, solidifying a position that will have several young names vying for spots. The Devils currently figure to have Nico Hischier start the year down the middle, with youngsters Pavel Zacha and John Quenneville potential options. Boyle will likely be used in a bottom-six and penalty killing role, one he has excelled at throughout his career.

Amazingly, Boyle previously wrote a piece profiling his father’s own battle with cancer, and how he has been free of the disease for more than 15 years. Boyle has been involved in the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer initiative ever since. As he wrote then:

When it comes to cancer, people don’t always want to talk about it. Unfortunately, it’s often a sad story. But it can also be an inspiring story about people who are fearless in times of adversity, people who have battled and people who are not afraid to put up a fight. Sometimes, it can be a happy story.

Everyone at PHR and around the hockey world is with you Brian. This will be another happy story.

Latest On Matt Duchene Trade Front

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While Matt Duchene continues to practice with the Colorado Avalanche and take it “one day at a time” several other teams are pursuing the 26-year old forward. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that the Senators are one of those teams after Duchene, writing that GM Pierre Dorion “has been aggressive in his pursuit.” The Senators lost Colin White for several weeks last night, who could have been an option in their top-six to start the season; perhaps that will increase their offer ever more, though Garrioch is quick to point out that nothing is close at present.

It’s not clear if the Duchene saga is moving towards an end, but Mike Chambers of the Denver Post was on radio again today saying how players are getting frustrated with the situation. Duchene has been trying to avoid the media as much as possible since reporting to Avalanche camp, issuing only short statements and even changing in a different room. Chambers told Mike Halford and Jason Brough of TSN 1040 that players have expressed some disdain for that decision:

I think his teammates understand that he’s got issues with management and wants a trade. I think his teammates are okay with that, as it is. But I think his teammates cannot handle the fact that Duchene is undressing in another part of the building, so he won’t undress in the locker room where the media has access. I’ve spoken to a couple players—I’m not going to name names—but they think that’s a little off and that’s drawing too much attention to this saga.

While his teammates might not like exactly how he’s dealing with this, that certainly won’t force the hand of Avalanche GM Joe Sakic anymore than it already is. He’s clearly waiting for a deal that satisfies what he believes Duchene is worth, and won’t make a move before he absolutely has to. Garrioch notes that the Avalanche have shown interest in Cody Ceci before, but that the Senators are wary of moving what they believe is a building-block defenseman.

Snapshots: Josi, Faceoffs, White

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The Nashville Predators have named their on-ice leadership group for the 2017-18 season, starting with Roman Josi as the newest team captain. Josi will replace the recently retired Mike Fisher in that role, after wearing an alternate captain’s “A” for the last two years. Josi will be joined by “associate captain” Ryan Ellis and alternates Ryan Johansen, Mattias Ekholm and Filip Forsberg.

Josi will become the leagues second Swiss-born captain following Mark Streit, who wore the “C” for the New York Islanders between 2011-2013. The Predators’ players had a big part in selecting him, but head coach Peter Laviolette had great things to say about his all-star defenseman.

Roman has led by example every day of his life. He is respected by all of his teammates and his peers. His work ethic, communication skills and accountability to his team make him the perfect choice to lead this group moving forward.

Other notes from around the league…

  • As anyone who watched the first few preseason games will have noticed, the NHL is cracking down on slashes to try to stop incidents like the Marc Methot–Sidney Crosby injury last season. Almost everyone is on board with trying to reduce hand injuries, but it’s not so clear cut on the other rule they’ve chosen to enforce. Faceoff violations drew 10 different penalties on Monday night, and the league says they’ll continue to enforce where a player can put his feet—signified by the in-circle hashes—and where they must start their stick. Neither the slashing rule nor the faceoff rule are actually new, they’re just being cracked down upon to try and quicken pace of play and reduce injuries.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have announced that Ryan White likely suffered a concussion and is in the league’s protocol, which doesn’t bode well for his chance to earn a contract in camp. White is on a professional tryout, trying to prove that he’s worth an NHL deal after splitting last year between Arizona and Minnesota. An effective fourth-line player, he could have potentially seen a regular shift for the Canucks who are in full rebuild mode.

KHL Team “Very Interested” In Jaromir Jagr

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12:30pm: Eronko spoke with Jagr about the potential KHL contract, who was very forthcoming in why he would consider the league.

KHL is possible ’cause if I’m not in NHL then I want to go to the Olympics. I want to try to make the team. If I want the Olympics, I have to play in the best possbile league; that’s what the KHL is.

11:20am: Though it’s not clear if there is any interest on his part, Jaromir Jagr is very much on the mind of Rail Yakupov, the head of HC Neftekhimik in the KHL. He was quoted today by the league’s Twitter account, saying that he’s “very interested” in the legendary Czech winger. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express confirms that the team is in talks with Jagr.

It’s clear why they would be interested in Jagr after missing the playoffs last season, but why exactly the 45-year old would want to sign there isn’t apparent. Perhaps they’re offering the most money, or he just wants the challenge of the KHL, but if he wants to play in the Olympics there are easier ways. Jagr owns a Czech team that he could join until the tournament begins, and since the NHL trade deadline is a day after the gold medal match, could sign and play the stretch run with a contender. Signing with Neftekhimik likely takes that option away (though there could be an out clause inserted into the contract), while not giving him a great chance at winning a Gagarin Cup.

It would be surprising if it were the only KHL team after him, but the offseason has been a wild ride of silence already in terms of his playing future. Why he hasn’t been signed to an NHL team remains a mystery to many, as it’s obvious he can still contribute in some ways.

Zach Sanford, Jay Bouwmeester Out Long-Term

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The St. Louis Blues announced today that Zach Sanford’s shoulder injury is much worse than originally expected, and the young forward will be out five to six months. Jay Bouwmeester has also suffered an ankle fracture, and will be re-evaluated in three weeks. Sanford was only expected to miss a few weeks, but will require surgery to fix his dislocated shoulder.

It’s a crushing blow for the Blues, who were expecting Sanford to compete for a full-time spot on the team to start the year. Acquired by St. Louis as part of the Kevin Shattenkirk deal, the 22-year old forward scored five points down the stretch and looked to be a big part of what the Blues were building. While his future isn’t in doubt, it’s certainly a terrible way to start what could have been his first full season in the NHL. Six months would put him returning in mid-March, which could feel almost like a trade deadline acquisition for the club.

Bouwmeester is an even bigger blow if he misses significant time. The Blues are much deeper on the right side with Alex Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko, but will now could have to turn to youngsters like Jake Walman or Vince Dunn to play some NHL minutes. There is always the chance the team could go out and get a defenseman from free agency or trade, but St. Louis does have some depth in their prospect pool at defense. Still, none of those young players should be expected to fill the role Bouwmeester played alongside Pietrangelo, logging more than 22 minutes a night for the 13th-straight year of his career.

Colin White Suffers Broken Wrist

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The Ottawa Senators announced a crushing blow today, revealing that young forward Colin White suffered a broken wrist last night in a preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and will be out six to eight weeks. Just yesterday we profiled White as one of the players to watch for the Senators this season, as he made the transition from top prospect to NHL player. That plan will have to wait for now, as eight weeks would cause him to miss 16 games.

It’s extremely disappointing for White, who left Boston College this spring to sign with the Senators and start his professional career. He even made it into three games for Ottawa down the stretch, including one playoff matchup. As we examined in their 2017-18 Primer yesterday, the Senators could have trouble scoring enough goals this season but White was a wildcard in that department. If he continued the offensive dominance he showed at the college ranks, he was ready for a full-time role right away with the Senators. With Derick Brassard still working his way back from labrum surgery this summer, there was an opportunity for White to start the year in the top-six.

Now, with Brassard uncertain for the season opener, White guaranteed to miss it and question marks still surrounding Erik Karlsson’s recovery, the Senators will already be limping when the games get under way. They’ll need players like Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone to make even more of an impact this year, and hope Bobby Ryan can recapture some of his previous skill.

Ottawa Senators Sign Parker Kelly To ELC

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The Ottawa Senators have added an undrafted forward to their prospect ranks, signing 18-year old Parker Kelly to a three-year entry-level contract. Kelly had taken part in the team’s rookie camp and is still at Senators training camp with the rest of the club.

Kelly has spent the last two seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL, after being selected in the seventh round of the 2014 bantam draft. That late-round pick paid off this year with a breakout campaign, scoring 43 points in 72 games to finish second on the team in scoring. Just 5’7″, 140-lbs when he entered junior hockey, Kelly is now 5’11” 172-lbs and took off in the second half of the year to push his way onto the NHL Central Scouting list. Still, he wasn’t selected in June but has earned a contract with his play at camp this summer.

While he’s still undersized for the NHL, it hasn’t stopped him from playing a professional-style game. Kelly works hard in the corners and has a quick release when he’s in a prime scoring position. While he may not have the elite upside of some of the players drafted ahead of him, he’ll never let any of them outwork him in pursuit of his goal. Though he’s still in camp, he’ll almost certainly return to the Raiders this year to play in the WHL.

Minnesota Wild Sign Mikko Koivu To Two-Year Extension

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The Minnesota Wild have signed captain Mikko Koivu to a two-year extension worth $11MM in total, reports the Athletic’s Michael Russo. The deal breaks down to $6MM in 2018-19 and $5MM in 2019-20. Koivu was sent to become an unrestricted free agent at this season’s end.

Last season Koivu put up 18G and 40A in 80 games, good for third overall in team scoring. He has been the model of consistency for the team over his career. Koivu is not a flashy player, but he gets the job done game after game.

It is not that far off to say that Koivu is the face of the franchise. The Finnish forward—Wild captain since 2009—leads the Wild in all-time games played, assists, points, shots on goal, power-play points, and short-handed goals. He is also second in goals scored and third in penalty minutes earned.

Evening Snapshots: Duchene, Preseason, Maple Leafs

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • BSN Denver’s Adrian Dater reported that Matt Duchene spoke to media today, but said little to illuminate the uncomfortable situation surrounding his trade rumors. Duchene is taking things “one day at a time” and “not looking that far into the future.” The Colorado Avalanche center has been mired in trade rumors for much of the past year, and was expected to be traded at the deadline last season. Nevertheless, he is still with the Avalanche for now, and is focusing on training camp. The Avalanche are reportedly asking a high ransom for Duchene, and want to ensure a better return then what they received for Ryan O’Reilly.
  • Tonight marks the preseason debut of many NHL teams. Eight games are being played across the continent as young prospects and veteran players on PTOs try to impress coaches and management. Many teams are still carrying upwards of 50 players, so expect a deluge of cuts between now and opening night. One game that is not being played, however, is between the Los Angeles Kings and the Arizona Coyotes. That game was cancelled for bad ice and will not be made up.
  • According to the Toronto Sun’s Terry Koshan, the Toronto Maple Leafs have given out three As tonight. Wearing the alternate captain designations are Auston Matthews, Morgan Rielly, and Matt Martin. The Maple Leafs have already announced publicly that they will not have a captain this year, and many insiders think that the team is grooming Matthews to become the new team captain. It should also be noted that preseason ’A’s are not permanent.

2017-18 Primer: Ottawa Senators

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With the NHL season now less than a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come.  Today, we focus on the Ottawa Senators.

Last Season: 44-28-10 record (98 points), second in Atlantic Division (lost to Pittsburgh in third round)

Remaining Cap Space: $4.81MM per CapFriendly

Key Newcomers: D Johnny Oduya (free agency, Chicago), F Nate Thompson (free agency, Anaheim)

Key Departures: F Chris Kelly (PTO, Edmonton), D Marc Methot (expansion, Vegas), F Chris Neil (free agency, unsigned), F Viktor Stalberg (free agency, Switzerland)

[Related: Pittsburgh Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

"<strongPlayers To Watch: D Thomas Chabot – The next wave of talent is on its way in Ottawa, and it starts with a blue chip defense prospect in Chabot. The 20-year old played one game for the Senators last season but spent most of the year dominating junior opposition and being a key part of Team Canada’s World Junior team. He’s ready to take the next step to the NHL right now, but there is no guarantee he cracks the lineup in game 1.

Ottawa’s system relies on its defensive structure to limit chances for both teams, slowing the game down in the neutral zone and especially forcing it to the left side. After losing Methot, the team had a opening for a left-handed shot to fill some of those minutes. Chabot could have been an option—though he has played both sides throughout his junior career—but the team brought in Oduya to also compete for time and Fredrik Claesson looked like he could take over in the playoffs. It will be interesting to see where Chabot could fit in, and which side they’ll align him on.

F Colin White – The other half of that youth movement is present in young centerman White, who could fill various different roles for this club if given the chance. He’s talented enough to play up in the lineup on the wing right away, but could also be given the keys to the fourth line if the team wants to keep him at his natural position. Ottawa has its three top centers locked in with Derick Brassard, Kyle Turris and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, meaning minutes would be hard to come by for White down the middle.

That means it could even be the AHL for him to really get his professional career started. Coming out of Boston College last spring he suited up for three games in the minors and three games (including one playoff contest) with Ottawa. He’ll be given the chance to impress this preseason, but Zack Smith or Nate Thompson are more well-suited to the fourth line pivot role.

Key Storyline: When Erik Karlsson returns from his lingering injury, the Senators are expected to once again to be a frustratingly effective defensive team. They suffocate rushes in the center ice area and don’t give up their blueline very easily. Even when you do beat that trapping system, the duo of Craig Anderson and Mike Condon provide some solid goaltending and can steal games if given the chance.

The question for the Senators will be can they score enough to get them back to the playoffs and compete for the Stanley Cup once again. Their top few scoring forwards in Mike Hoffman, Turris and Mark Stone all registered over 20 goals and 50 points last season, but after that their offensive depth falls off a cliff. Brassard was held to just 39 points in his first year with the team, while the high-priced Bobby Ryan scored just 13 goals. While Ryan played to a higher level in the postseason, it will be imperative for him to provide some elite wing play once again if this team is to really compete.

The loss of Clarke MacArthur this training camp—the winger failed his physical and doesn’t have a clear path back to the ice—weakens their scoring depth even further to the point where they may have to rely on Alex Burrows as a top-six option. Burrows of course is a former 30-goal man, but is now 36 years old and hasn’t cracked 35 points in the last five seasons. It may be a struggle at times for the Senators on the powerplay as well, after finishing 24th in the league last season even with the elite play of Karlsson.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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