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What Your Team Is Thankful For: St. Louis Blues

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will look at what teams are thankful for as the season nears the quarter point of completion. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We take a look at what’s gone well in the first month and what could improve as the season rolls on.

What are the Blues most thankful for?

After being known as a two-way, grind-it-out type of team under Ken Hitchcock, St. Louis has been a lot more aggressive and up-tempo under Mike Yeo.  It’s impossible to not be happy with the results as the Blues find themselves sitting atop the Western Conference.  There is a lot of optimism with the team and this new playing style at the moment and justifiably so.

Who are the Blues most thankful for?

Back at the draft, St. Louis paid what some might call a steep price to get Brayden Schenn out of Philadelphia.  They moved two first-rounders (plus Jori Lehtera to partially match money) for someone who had primarily been a second-line winger with the Flyers.  Fast forward to today and Schenn has become a dominant top-line center and is already more than halfway to his career high in points in just 23 games.  He has provided them with everything they could have asked for and more.

Another beneficiary of Schenn’s acquisition has been Jaden Schwartz.  He has found a home on the wing on that top line and is also producing at a rate that is vastly beyond anything he has put up in the past.  Those two alongside Vladimir Tarasenko have given the Blues a dominant top line at a level that they haven’t had in quite some time.

[Related: Blues Depth Chart from Roster Resource]

What would the Blues be even more thankful for?

Nov 16, 2017; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen (34) makes a save during warmups before a game against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY SportsIn this day and age, it’s hard to imagine that a team fighting for first overall in the league could be looking for better performances between the pipes but that’s the case with Jake Allen.  Through 18 starts, he has posted a save percentage of .909 which checks in slightly below the NHL average of .911.  His goals-against average (2.74) is only slightly better than the league average (2.80).  Right now, St. Louis is winning on the backs of their offense.  If Allen can return to his typical form, that would go a long way towards giving themselves some security if that top line starts to slump (and if that doesn’t happen, they would become that much more dominant).

What should be on the Blues’ Holiday Wish List?

While St. Louis hasn’t had much issue scoring so far this year, it has been primarily on the backs of that top line; secondary scoring has largely been sporadic.  They’ve gotten away with it so far but finding someone that can produce consistently to play in a second or third line role would certainly be beneficial.  Patrik Berglund is nearing a return to action and could help but if he isn’t able to get it done, they’ll have to look elsewhere.  Considering they won’t have much cap room to work with once Berglund is activated, that move may have to wait until closer to the trade deadline.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Sabres Notes: Botterill, Kane, Reinhart, Bogosian

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Although the Sabres are once again hovering around the basement of the Eastern Conference, GM Jason Botterill told MSG in a pregame interview on Friday (Twitter link) that he is pleased with some aspects of the season, particularly how things have gone development-wise with AHL Rochester as well as from an accountability standpoint.  However, given their struggles in stringing victories together, some have wondered if Buffalo will be looking to make some changes.  Botterill noted that given the parity around the league, the trade market has largely stalled which may make shaking things up more of a challenge:

“We’re always having dialogue, whether it’s my assistant general managers or with Phil [Housley, head coach] about what does the team need. I think you look around the league with the parity, there’s not a lot of trades just yet. Teams don’t know ’Are we going to be sellers or buyers?’ They don’t know that situation yet.”

Here is a look at some of the recent roster speculation surrounding the Sabres:

  • Any trade musings have to involve pending UFA winger Evander Kane. He’s off to a hot start which should help his value although, given his past, there is still some skepticism around the league.  In an appearance on Sportsnet 960 (audio link), Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Kings had interest in him dating back to the summer.  He also suggested that Columbus could have some interest even though Kane isn’t a center while also tossing out the Lightning as a team that might view Kane as the piece that puts them over the top for a Stanley Cup run.
  • TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported on TSN 1260 (audio link) that Buffalo is receiving trade interest in forward Sam Reinhart. The second-overall selection in 2014 hasn’t gotten off to a particularly strong start this year with ten points (5-5-10) through 23 games which has him on pace for the lowest point total of his young career.  Botterill may soon have to make a decision on whether or not Reinhart is part of the long-term plan for the Sabres or if he is expendable in the somewhat near future.
  • Zach Bogosian’s tenure with Buffalo since coming over in the Kane trade with Winnipeg hasn’t gone well so far. In fact, he hasn’t even played yet this season.  Matt Larkin of The Hockey News pegs him as a buyout candidate this summer, arguing that even at half of his cap hit (which would be $2.57MM) there may not be much interest around the league.  A Bogosian buyout next June would have the Sabres carrying a cap hit of $1.143MM for 2018-19 and 2019-20 plus a $2MM charge for the following two seasons.

Atlantic Injury Updates: Daley, Panthers, Bruins, Weber

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Red Wings defenseman Trevor Daley is set to undergo an MRI today to determine the extent of an apparent neck injury sustained on Friday night against the Rangers, reports Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.  His first season in a Detroit uniform has not gone to plan and this certainly won’t help things.  Through 23 games this season, Daley has managed to record just a single assist despite logging more ice time than he has in the previous two years.  That’s hardly the type of output GM Ken Holland was expecting when he signed the 34-year-old to a three-year, $9.5MM deal back in the summer.

Other injury notes from around the Atlantic Division:

  • While the Panthers are expected to get center Derek MacKenzie back in their lineup tonight after missing the last five games with a lower-body injury, they’ll have to wait a little while longer before winger Radim Vrbata makes his return, notes Matthew DeFranks of the Sun-Sentinel. The veteran took a puck to the face last Saturday and is hoping to play sometime next week.  Vrbata sits tied for fifth in team scoring with three goals and eight assists through 19 games.
  • Brad Marchand’s return to Boston’s lineup won’t happen this weekend. The team announced (Twitter link) that they have ruled him out of the lineup for Sunday’s game against Edmonton.  They’re now targeting Wednesday against Tampa Bay for his first game back.  The Bruins also revealed in a separate tweet that forward David Backes took some contact in practice for the first time since undergoing surgery to remove part of his colon at the beginning of the month.  The original recovery time was expected to be eight weeks so it appears he’s ahead of schedule.
  • Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber will miss his third straight game on Saturday as a result of his lower-body injury, the team announced via Twitter. He did, however, take part in the morning skate so his return likely isn’t too far away.  Weber leads Montreal’s defenders in points (13) and average ice time (26:07) so far this season.

Brooks Laich Clears Waivers

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Saturday: Laich has cleared waivers, per James Mirtle of The Athletic (Twitter link).  It will be interesting to see if he opts to report to Ontario of the AHL given his low minor league salary or if they will possibly consider a mutual contract termination.

Friday: Following Thursday’s acquisition of Torrey Mitchell from the Canadiens, the Kings have placed center Brooks Laich on waivers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link).

Laich attended training camp with Los Angeles but wasn’t given a contract at that time.  He did, however, remain with the team on a PTO into the season and when Jeff Carter went down with a long-term ankle injury, he signed a one-year contract worth the league minimum $650K in the NHL and $50K at the minor league level.

While the 34-year-old has largely played a regular role since then, the results just haven’t been there.  Through 12 games with the Kings, he has just a single assist while averaging 11:12 of ice time per game, his lowest since becoming a regular NHL player back in 2005-06.

In other waiver news today, Friedman notes that both Eddie Lack (Calgary) and Jaycob Megna (Anaheim) cleared waivers.  Lack has already been sent to Stockton of the AHL.

Minor Transactions: 11/25/17

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Despite a busy Friday, there is a large slate of games on the schedule for Saturday which means there should be several roster moves made leading up to puck drop.  We’ll keep tabs on those here.

  • The Blue Jackets have once again shuffled their backup goaltenders, announcing that Joonas Korpisalo (along with forward Markus Hannikainen) have been assigned to Cleveland of the AHL while netminder Matiss Kivlenieks has been recalled. Korpisalo has only played in four NHL contests this season which isn’t ideal for a waiver-exempt goalie so this will allow him to get a game or two in at the minor league level before swapping back in the near future.  As for Hannikainen, he has been in and out of the lineup this year and has four points in 12 games despite playing just over eight minutes per game.
  • The Bruins announced that they have recalled winger Jordan Szwarz on an emergency basis and have returned defenseman Rob O’Gara to AHL Providence. Szwarz rejoins Boston after being sent down back on Wednesday.  He has played time times with the big club in 2017-18, collecting three assists but has been quite productive in Providence, picking up eight points in only six games.  Meanwhile, O’Gara has split the season between the NHL and AHL so far.  In eight appearances with Boston, he has been held off the scoresheet while logging 10:59 per night and has collected two assists in seven minor league contests.
  • Chris DiDomenico’s debut with Tampa Bay will have to wait a while yet as the team has assigned him to Syracuse of the AHL on a conditioning stint, per the AHL’s Transactions Page.  The Lightning claimed him off waivers from the Senators on Friday but he hasn’t played in nearly a week.

Golden Knights Notes: McPhee On Trades, Perron Injured

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Before the season started, the Golden Knights were widely picked to be at or near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.  Expansion teams rarely have success in their inaugural campaign but despite a litany of injuries between the pipes, Vegas actually finds themselves in first place in the Pacific Division.

With low expectations and the way the roster was constructed with a lot of players on short-term contracts, many have wondered if the team will still plan to be active sellers at the trade deadline.  Gary Lawless of the Golden Knights’ team site asked GM George McPhee that very question and he didn’t exactly commit either way:

“We certainly have a plan, but in this business it changes every day. I don’t know what will take place over the next three or four months. What we do know is that we’re here to compete every day. We’re going to practice hard and we’re going to play hard. We’ll see what it takes and what develops four months from now remains to be seen. We’re here to compete and win hockey games.”

Forwards James Neal, David Perron, and Jonathan Marchessault highlight a lengthy list of pending unrestricted free agents.  The longer they stay in the hunt, the odds of these players being dealt may dip but it still wouldn’t be surprising if they moved some of their other veteran depth regardless of where they find themselves standings-wise come February.

More from Vegas:

  • Speaking of Perron, he suffered an upper-body injury in Friday’s victory over San Jose in a collision with Timo Meier during the second period. Although he tried to play through it for a couple of shifts, he did wind up leaving the game.  Head coach Gerard Gallant told reporters postgame, including David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, that Perron is listed as day-to-day.  The 29-year-old leads the Golden Knights in assists (13) and sits tied for second in points with 19.

Blues Likely To Trade Or Waive Nate Prosser

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The Blues are likely to waive or trade defenseman Nate Prosser in the coming days, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required).  The recent return of Jay Bouwmeester to the lineup has pushed Prosser down to eighth on their depth chart which makes it unlikely that he’ll be seeing much action for the foreseeable future.

[Related: Blues Depth Chart from Roster Resource]

Prosser signed with the Blues back in early August, inking a two-year contract worth the league minimum salary of $650K per year.  However, despite getting the one-way deal and a bit of job security, it hasn’t resulted in much playing time as the 31-year-old has suited up just once this season while being a healthy scratch 22 times.  That lack of game action may make it difficult to find a taker via the trade route, at least without him accepting a conditioning stint first.

Russo wonders if Prosser’s former team in Minnesota might be interested in bringing him back.  The Wild have been basically rotating Gustav Olofsson, Kyle Quincey, and Mike Reilly in and out of the lineup and none have been particularly effective as of late.  They would certainly be familiar with Prosser as he has played in 282 games with them over two separate stints while he would also provide them with a third right-handed shot on their back end.

Considering the situation, it’s hard to imagine Prosser yielding much of a return via a trade for St. Louis.  Defensemen on the fringes of the roster like he is have made it through waivers a few times already this season which makes it more likely that he’ll similarly find himself on the wire before too long.

Minor Transactions: 11/24/17

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With no games on the schedule on Thursday, Friday is a busy day in the NHL with all but three teams in action.  Here’s where we’ll keep tabs on today’s minor roster moves.

  • The Anaheim Ducks announced they have assigned defenseman Jaycob Megna and goaltender Reto Berra to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. Megna, who was placed on waivers Thursday and cleared this morning, will indeed, be sent to the Gulls. Now that Cam Fowler was healthy, the team had to make a move to reduce their number of defensemen. Berra will also return to San Diego as backup Ryan Miller is expected to return after being out for the past week with a lower-body injury. The team didn’t have to put Berra on waivers as the goaltender had been placed on waivers on Nov. 4 and cleared. Since he wasn’t up for 10 games or 30 days, he doesn’t have to pass through waivers again.
  • The Vancouver Canucks announced they have reassigned defenseman Philip Holm to the Utica Comets of the AHL. The 25-year-old defenseman was recalled on Monday, but did not see any action. Holm has two goals and eight assists in 15 games for Utica. He was sent down after the team activated defenseman Troy Stecher off injured reserve.
  • Dallas Stars prospect Nick Caamano has been dealt from the Flint Firebirds to the Hamilton Bulldogs tweets NHL.com’s Sean Shapiro. Caamano has 21 points in 23 games and was highlighted during training camp as a player who continues to rise through the organization. Within that article, The Dallas Morning-News’ Mike Heika writes that he would return to Flint “as a face” to specifically sell Firebird hockey. Now, he’s off to Hamilton where he will be reunited with former Flint coach John Gruden.

Earlier updates:

  • The Capitals announced that they have recalled center Tyler Graovac from his long-term conditioning loan with Hershey of the AHL. He got into four games with the Bears during that stretch, recording a goal and an assist.  Those loans typically only last three games but Graovac agreed to the extension.  The 24-year-old played in three games with Washington early in the season before suffering an upper-body injury back on October 17th.
  • Buffalo has reassigned defenseman Casey Nelson to AHL Rochester per a team release. That suggests that Rasmus Ristolainen is ready to return to the lineup after missing the last three weeks with an upper-body issue.  While Nelson was recalled back on November 16th, he didn’t get into any action with the Sabres.  In 14 minor league games this season, he has a goal and three assists.
  • Tampa Bay has recalled forward Cory Conacher according to an announcement from their AHL team in Syracuse. Conacher leads the Crunch in scoring this season with 13 points (6-7-13) in 17 games.  While this will be his first NHL stint in 2017-18, the 27-year-old did relatively well in his NHL action with the Lightning last year when he recorded a goal and three helpers in 11 contests.  GM Steve Yzerman told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link) that a couple of forwards are dealing with minor injuries so Conacher’s recall is insurance as the team heads into back-to-back games.
  • Calgary has brought up goaltender David Rittich from Stockton of the AHL, reports Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun (Twitter link). The Flames were expected to bring up a goaltender following their decision to waive Eddie Lack on Thursday.  The 25-year-old is off to a solid start with the Heat, posting a 2.17 GAA and a .931 SV% in six minor league appearances so far this season.
  • The Canadiens announced that they have assigned defenseman David Schlemko to Laval of the AHL on a conditioning stint.  This marks the second time this season that this has happened; he played in one game the first time and then went back on injured reserve with the same hand injury.  He has yet to play in Montreal after being acquired from Vegas shortly after the Expansion Draft.

Poll: Which Surprise Team Will Make The Playoffs?

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It’s still early and injuries or other misfortunes can befall a team at any point, but there certainly are a number of “surprise” teams in the playoff hunt as of today. Many general managers use the American Thanksgiving as a measuring point for whether their team is truly built for the second season. Some of those teams, namely the Vegas Golden Knights, were expected to endure years of losing before they experienced a playoff appearance. Just a week outside of December, there a number of squads that will continue to push toward a playoff berth while others regress to the mean.

So which surprise team has the best chance of making the playoffs?

East Notes: Red Wings, Sabres, Capitals

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The Athletic’s Prashanth Iyer hands out some quarterly grades (subscription needed) for the Red Wings and there were some surprises for Iyer in the first 20+ games. Iyer lists Jonathan Ericsson and Luke Glendening as a couple players who earned better marks for improved play while youngsters Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha both received As for their strong, team leading performances thus far. Iyer points out that Detroit has seen some modest improvement from last season, but it’s in the special teams where they’ve seen jumps, which has certainly helped their bubble-team playoff hopes. He does point out, however, that the 5v5 play will need to improve, or the Wings will be on the outside looking in for the second consecutive season.

  • Sportsnet’s Rory Boylen writes that despite tanking and acquiring a star in Jack Eichel, the Sabres blueprint of suffering through lean years to get top talent hasn’t worked as they planned. Now, as they sink to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the losing appears to be taking its toll on not only the fanbase, but players both on the current roster and those who went to playoff-ready teams. Boylen points out that for every success story in Toronto, Pittsburgh or Chicago, there are the Edmonton and Colorado cautionary tales that reveal a circle of hell that revolves around missing the playoffs and drafting high only to see little in return. Buffalo seems to be trapped, once again eyeing a top pick in 2018 with an 82% chance of not even getting that top pick. Worse, it’s shedding that “culture of losing” which has ensnared Sabres present and past. Changing the front office and coaching staff hasn’t changed much, and though it will take time, the Sabres are mired in a negative cycle that is challenging to escape.
  • Are the Capitals next to see a decline in play? ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski listed a number of reasons why dark days may be ahead for Washington, who has come oh-so-close to turning that corner in capturing a Stanley Cup. And yet, it’s always found a way to be stopped–be it the always vexing Pittsburgh Penguins or a key injury at the most inopportune time, the Caps could never find a way to maneuver around that last hurdle to secure as much as a Cup Final appearance. Wyshynski writes that optimism remains in the organization but they’re certainly inching closer to that “iceberg” that could ultimately sink the Caps once and for all.

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