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Archives for December 2017

Eeli Tolvanen Could Be Late-Season Addition For Predators

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Despite being under contract this season with Jokerit of the KHL, Adam Vingan of the Tennessean reports that Eeli Tolvanen could still play a role for the Nashville Predators. Vingan spoke to GM David Poile, who told him a late-season addition of Tolvanen “might be probable.” The KHL regular season ends at the beginning of March, but his contract—which runs through April 30th—would need to get an early termination similar to Vladimir Sobotka last season.

As Vingan points out, if Jokerit were to make the finals of the Gagarin Cup playoffs Tolvanen could be involved in KHL games all the way up to April 26th, which would also be several weeks into the NHL playoffs. The club is currently in second place in the Tarasov Division, only behind CSKA Moscow, and are destined for a playoff run.

Tolvanen was selected 30th-overall in the most recent NHL Entry Draft but made an impact right away in the KHL, and is now playing big minutes for the Finnish World Junior team in Buffalo. He’s also in consideration for the Finnish Olympic squad heading to Pyeongchang in February, which would certainly make his first season of professional hockey something to remember. The 18-year old was drafted out of the USHL, where he recorded 54 points in 52 games for the Sioux City Musketeers last season.

He does have a player option for next season with Jokerit, but the Predators will try to get him signed to his entry-level contract well before that. Remember, if he signs his deal this season and gets into 10 games with the Predators (regular season and playoffs combined) he would burn an entry-level year. That might be worth it for Nashville if he can play a role in a potential playoffs run, and could be enticing to him as a way to get to restricted free agent status earlier.

Chris Kreider Diagnosed With Blood Clot

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After mysteriously exiting last night’s game after the first period, speculation was rampant over whether the New York Rangers had traded Chris Kreider. Instead, the actual reason will keep him out of any lineup for the time being. Kreider was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right arm, and is out indefinitely while he seeks medical attention.

The Rangers did not release any information on the severity of the issue, but blood clots have put professional athletes’ careers in danger before. On Twitter, Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press linked to a piece he wrote in 2015 (while with the Canadian Press) about how more clots were affecting hockey players across the league, including Tomas Fleischmann, Tomas Vokoun and Kimmo Timonen. Clots can be extremely dangerous if they move to certain parts of the body, and even with medication can potentially put an end to athletic careers.

Obviously, everyone is hoping for Kreider to make a complete recovery and be back playing as soon as possible. Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that he’s expected to miss six to eight weeks, though that can change in the coming days and weeks. For now, Vinni Lettieri could get an extended look as part of the Rangers forward group after being called up today.

Minor Transactions: 12/28/17

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The roster freeze is over and we’re on to the next part of the season. With the trade deadline less than two months away, rumors and speculation will begin to heat up around the league. We’ll be here to sort through all the noise and bring you the most accurate, reliable information. Like always, we’ll also keep track of all the minor transactions of the day.

  • The New York Rangers have recalled Vinni Lettieri from the AHL, perhaps due to the injury Chris Kreider suffered last night. Kreider didn’t come back to the bench for the second period, and is out with an upper-body injury. Lettieri, 22, was signed out of the University of Minnesota last season and would be making his NHL debut if he gets into a game. Lettieri has 21 points in 31 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack this season, and can play both center and wing.
  • The Minnesota wild have officially sent Zach Parise down to the minors for his conditioning stint. We heard yesterday that it might just be for one day, while the Iowa Wild play Rockford.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled defenseman Frank Corrado, after going without Kris Letang last night. The Penguins would end up winning the game in a shootout, but had to play with just five defenseman after Chad Ruhwedel left the game early. Corrado could get a chance right away with the Penguins heading to Carolina for a game tomorrow night.
  • With Johnny Boychuk headed to injured reserve, the New York Islanders have recalled Sebastian Aho from the minor leagues. No, not the forward who stars in Carolina but the defenseman who was a fifth-round pick in June. Aho was passed over in three drafts before finally being taken, and has made an immediate impact for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers this season with 20 points in 29 games. The smooth-skating, undersized defenseman would be making his NHL debut if he makes it into the lineup.
  • As expected when he was claimed back off waivers, Nathan Walker has been assigned to the minor leagues by the Washington Capitals. Walker spent some time in the Edmonton Oilers organization, but is now back with the Hershey Bears where he has made such an impact over the last few years.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have recalled Andrei Mironov from the minor leagues in time for their game tomorrow against the Maple Leafs. The team had just six defensemen up with the club, but will now have another option should one be fighting a minor injury.
  • Arizona, Toronto’s opponent tonight, also recalled Mario Kempe ahead of their matchup. Kempe has played 18 games with the Coyotes this season in his return to North American hockey, scoring four points. The 29-year old has spent the last three years in the KHL.

“Zero” Chance Of Trading Oliver Ekman-Larsson

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With the Arizona Coyotes looking up from the bottom of the standings once again, trade speculation surrounding their best player has heated up in recent months. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is a free agent in the summer of 2019, and could fetch a massive return if the Coyotes decided to move him. That won’t be happening any time soon though, as GM John Chayka told Craig Custance of The Athletic. When asked about the chance Ekman-Larsson is traded, he made it clear:

Nope. None. Zero. For us, it’s pretty simple. Oliver has invested a lot into this team, continues to want to make it work. He’s one of the top defensemen in the league and, I guess, is expecting to be paid that way and that’s fine with me.

Ekman-LarssonChayka goes in-depth on his reasoning and strategy behind keeping Ekman-Larsson on the team, and Custance susses out some of his interesting theories on rebuilding. At the end, it seems clear that Chayka wouldn’t consider a move for his star defenseman.

While Chayka is usually seen as an analytics whiz-kid, who is trying to go down a new path in hockey management, we’ve seen some old-school ideals from him in the past. Radim Vrbata was an attractive trade chip at last year’s deadline, but Chayka set a high asking price and ended up keeping the veteran forward for the rest of the season. Vrbata signed elsewhere in the summer, but Chayka wasn’t willing to give away a player just to maximize assets.

It seems as though a similar thing is going on with Ekman-Larsson. In a vacuum, trading the defenseman now for help down the line seems like the most value you can pull from the situation. But Ekman-Larsson’s history with the team, value to the marketing department, and loyalty throughout his career so far all play a part. The fact that he’s an outstanding player and could still re-sign with the team makes this an easy decision for Chayka. He stays put—for now.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Chris Kreider Pulled After First Period With Upper-Body Injury

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10:05pm: Exhale, Rangers fans. Dan Rosen of NHL.com reports that it is an upper-body injury for Kreider, and that there will be an update tomorrow on his status.

8:36pm: The rumor mill is in full swing as we near the end of the holiday roster freeze, and it centers on New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider. After playing the first period tonight against the Washington Capitals, the team announced that he would not return to the game. No injury was listed for Kreider, and there was nothing apparent during the game. The trade freeze is lifted at 12:00am ET tonight, though it obviously could still be an injury or illness that’s keeping him out.

Kreider, 26, doesn’t seem like a prime trade candidate after another successful start to his season. After setting career highs with 28 goals and 53 points last season, Kreider has 22 points through 36 games and is logging nearly 16 minutes a night.

Still under contract for two more seasons at a cap hit of $4.625MM, he’s an affordable piece that interestingly does not have any trade protection. Whether it is due to injury or a transaction, losing Kreider for any length of time would put a lot of stress on a Rangers team that is stuck in the middle of the competitive Metropolitan Division.

Zac Rinaldo Suspended Six Games

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Zac Rinaldo must be used to this phone call by now. The Arizona Coyotes forward has been suspended six games for his latest illegal incident, punching Colorado defenseman Samuel Girard. Rinaldo has now been suspended five times in his NHL career. The Department of Player Safety had offered Rinaldo an in-person hearing to defend himself, but he declined and instead had a phone hearing today with the league.

After delivering a hit on Nathan MacKinnon, Rinaldo grabs Girard and throws a punch without the Colorado defenseman even looking at him. As the accompanying video explains:

It is important to note that while we accept Rinaldo’s explanation that he believed that because Girard had approached him after the hit, meant that Girard was anticipating a fight, ultimately the video shows this is not the case. Whatever Girard’s intentions, he gives Rinaldo no clear indication that he is a willing combatant.

While he doesn’t qualify as a repeat offender in terms of the increased salary sacrificed during his suspension, the DoPS takes into account all of his former disciplinary matters. Rinaldo has also been fined by the league twice and received suspensions in the minor leagues.

The 27-year old will be kept out of the lineup until January 11th.

Anthony Duclair Could Be Given A “Fresh Start”

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Tucked away in the middle of Elliotte Friedman’s always interesting 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, is a nugget surrounding Arizona Coyotes forward Anthony Duclair. Friedman writes that it “sounds like Arizona is working to find Duclair a fresh start,” which would certainly be selling low on the youngster. Duclair was a 20-goal scorer two years ago, but has just 12 goals and 28 points over his last 86 games and spent time in the AHL last season.

Anthony DuclairDespite his struggles, Duclair is just 22 and makes just $1.2MM this season. Though he’s a restricted free agent, any acquiring team would be getting several years of team control and a player who has shown the talent to be an effective scoring threat in this league. His camp doesn’t have a ton of leverage going into contract negotiations unless he takes off in the second half of the season, and should come in at a reasonable cap hit on another bridge deal or arbitration ruling.

Duclair was part of the package Arizona received for Keith Yandle several years ago, and was originally drafted in the third round by the New York Rangers. You have to wonder if an Eastern Conference team would be a preferred destination for Arizona if they indeed move him, not wanting him to reach his potential an a rival club. Coyotes’ GM John Chayka has never showed much hesitation in trade talks, but has seen his offseason moves blow up in his face this season. None of the win-now moves have resulted in much success, and Duclair could be used to regain some of the future assets they spent on the likes of Niklas Hjalmarsson, Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta.

Interestingly, even through his struggles Duclair has remained a positive possession player. His shooting percentage was one of the biggest factors in his unfortunate numbers last season, as he scored on just 6.6% of his shots. If he can continue to generate shot attempts at a similar rate while surrounded by better players that 20-goal, 45-point potential could show up quickly. Don’t think the Coyotes haven’t realized that with their analytical front offense, meaning they won’t be just giving him away.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

2017 Year In Review: Stats Leaders

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We’ve been looking at 2017 in a month-by-month series over the past few days, but we’ll take a detour to look at something a little different. 2017 saw some incredible individual performances, and with just a few games left before the calendar turns over it’s interesting to inspect who has been the most productive players.

Here are your statistical leaders for the calendar year of 2017:

Goals:

Nikita Kucherov – 51
Brad Marchand – 44
Anders Lee – 42
Alex Ovechkin – 39
Four players tied at 38

Perhaps the most interesting name in the top five is Lee, who few would put on the same level as his goal-scoring contemporaries this year. Lee ranks third in the NHL this season with 22, and set a career-high with 34 in 2016-17. At just 27 years old and carrying a $3.75MM cap hit for one more season, it will be interesting to see if he starts getting mentioned among the “Superclass” of free agents set to hit the open market in the summer of 2019.

Assists:

Connor McDavid – 70
Nicklas Backstrom – 63
Blake Wheeler – 62
Josh Bailey – 60
Johnny Gaudreau – 55

When you look at the 6’5″, 225-lbs freight train on skates that is Wheeler, it’s hard to imagine that he’d be among the other speed demons and playmakers on this list. His ranking among the league’s best shows just how efficient he has been over the last year in Winnipeg, and proves what Mark Scheifele has been trying to tell people for some time—Wheeler is simply one of the best passers in the game.

Points:

Nikita Kucherov – 101
Connor McDavid – 100
Patrick Kane – 87
Three tied at 86

You have to wonder how far ahead Kucherov could be had Steven Stamkos not been injured last season. In the first month of the 2016-17 season while they were together, Kucherov was on an 108-point pace, but only finished the season with 85. Now that they’re back together, he has 51 in 35 games and looks like he’ll easily be the next 100-point player in the NHL. It’s hard to believe he’s just 24 years old.

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Injury Notes: Barrie, Kesler, Parise

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Tyson Barrie will be out four to six weeks with a hand injury according to Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, a huge loss for the team as they look to stay competitive in the Western Conference. Barrie was off to a great offensive start this year, recording 27 points through his first 34 games while once again logging more than 21 minutes.

In his absence, Bednar explained that Erik Johnson and Samuel Girard will take most of the powerplay time, though it will be tough to fill Barrie’s shoes with the man advantage. The 26-year old already had 10 powerplay assists on the season, the third time already in his career he’s hit double digits.

2017 Year In Review: June

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2017 has been quite a busy year in the hockey world. There have been several big trades, the first expansion team in over 15 years, and much more. Over the coming days, PHR will take a look back at the top stories from around the game on a month-by-month basis. Next up is a look at the incredibly busy month of June.

Connor McDavidPenguins Repeat: On June 11th, 2017 the Pittsburgh Penguins once again hoisted the Stanley Cup as NHL Champions, becoming the only team to win back-to-back titles in the salary cap era and first since the Detroit Red Wings of 1997-98. Sidney Crosby took home his second consecutive Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP, and solidified his legacy even further as one of the greatest players in the history of the game. Matt Murray took home his second title despite technically being a rookie, starting off his career in incredible fashion.

McDavid MVP: The NHL Awards were handed out, with young Connor McDavid taking home his first Hart Trophy as league MVP. McDavid was also voted the Most Outstanding Player by his peers, and took home the Art Ross as league scoring leader. Sergei Bobrovsky would take home the Vezina as the league’s best goaltender, Brent Burns would win the Norris as the top defenseman, and Auston Matthews was almost unanimously crowned Rookie of the Year.

Expansion Intrigue: The league held the first expansion draft in many years, and the Vegas Golden Knights were brought into existence. Though many of the selections were leaked ahead of the actual ceremony, GM George McPhee kept us guessing with several trades over the coming days. The group that did stay in Sin City has found immediate success, while the future is bright after accumulating so many draft picks.

Change Comes To The Desert: After years of mediocrity or failure, the Arizona Coyotes went through an entire restructuring. Andrew Barroway bought out minority owners and the franchise immediately went about changing their core. Long-time captain Shane Doan was told he would not be re-signed, goaltender Mike Smith was shipped off to Calgary, head coach Dave Tippett was let go, and several trades were made to re-shape the look of the roster. Arizona sacrificed the seventh overall pick in the draft to try and bring some immediate success to the team, and once again have failed to do so. The team sits in last place in the entire NHL with just eight wins.

Nico HischierNico Or Nolan: The 2017 NHL Entry Draft came about near the end of the month, with many wondering whether the New Jersey Devils would select Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick. They picked the former, which would start an exciting night of movement all around the league. The draft floor saw several high profile trades, including one that worked out so well for St. Louis it might have earned Doug Armstrong a four-year extension.

Buyout Bonanza: Many teams in the league took the opportunity to rid themselves of burdensome contracts, with buyouts for many players including Mike Cammalleri, Jussi Jokinen, Jimmy Hayes, Antti Niemi, Dan Girardi, Francois Beauchemin, Simon Despres, Scott Hartnell, and Benoit Pouliot among others. While the 2018 buyout season might not be as busy, there are likely several more big names that will hit the waiver wire in late June.

Greatness Enshrined: The Hockey Hall of Fame announced their 2017 inductee list, which included Teemu Selanne, Paul Kariya, Dave Andreychuk, Mark Recchi, Danielle Goyette, Clare Drake and Jeremy Jacobs. Of particular note was Kariya, who had rarely surfaced in the years since he was forced out of the game by concussion issues. The former Mighty Ducks captain would get to go into the Hall with one of his best friends and inexorably linked teammate in Selanne, a duo that will always be remembered together.

Photo of McDavid courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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