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Archives for January 2018

Morning Notes: Seattle, Chabot, Brown

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Seattle remains a likely destination for expansion in the coming years, and people have been keeping an eye on domain names for a potential hint at what the team could name themselves. Though this is extremely early in the process and means little, it is interesting that Christina Song, general counsel for the Oak View Group, registered 13 domain names according Chris Creamer at Sportslogos.net.

Cougars, Eagles, Emeralds, Evergreens, Firebirds, Kraken, Rainiers, Renegades, Sea Lions, Seals, Sockeyes, Totems and Whales are the potential nicknames, a wide-reaching group that is in no way guaranteed to include the eventual moniker. Still, it’s fun to think about what a Seattle Kraken uniform would look like, or what colors the Seattle Firebirds would wear.

Kevin Shattenkirk To Undergo Knee Surgery, Out Indefinitely

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Injury news has gone from bad to worse for the New York Rangers, who announced today that Kevin Shattenkirk suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee and will need surgery. The defenseman has apparently been dealing with knee pain the entire season, but will now be out indefinitely after electing surgery.

Shattenkirk logged just over 17 minutes in a win last night, but will now be sidelined for at least a few weeks. All knee surgery also comes with the risk of a more long-term rehab, but we’ll have to wait until the team announces a timeline before knowing how long Shattenkirk will be out.

An injury like this, while the team also deals with more minor ailments for Kevin Hayes and Marc Staal, only lends more credence to the idea that the Rangers will not be buyers at the deadline. Though the team currently sits in a playoff spot, there have been multiple reports that they could still be willing to move some of their top assets like Ryan McDonagh and Mats Zuccarello for the right price.

Shattenkirk’s debut for the Rangers hasn’t gone exactly to plan, while though he has 23 points on the season he hasn’t been quite the top-pairing option the team had hoped for when they signed him to a four-year, $26.6MM contract this offseason. If he now has a prolonged absence, the team will have to find other ways of filling his role at both even strength and on the powerplay.

New York Rangers Assign Lias Andersson To AHL

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In an interesting move, the New York Rangers assigned top pick Lias Andersson to the AHL. The young forward had been on loan to Frolunda in Sweden, but will now join the Rangers organization and suit up for the Hartford Wolf Pack. The team has also recalled Anthony DeAngelo and Daniel Catenacci as they deal with injuries to Kevin Hayes and Marc Staal.

Andersson was part of the silver medal-winning Swedish World Junior Team earlier this month, captaining the squad even through a shoulder injury and recording seven points in seven games. He infamously threw his medal into the crowd after receiving it, frustrated by the late goal Sweden allowed to lose the tournament. Though he eventually got the medal returned and expressed his regret for the action, it certainly will go down as part of international hockey lore as Sweden continues to struggle in the medal rounds of the U20 tournament.

More importantly, an assignment to the AHL could mean Andersson is on his way to the Rangers this season. Impressive in training camp, there was some speculation that he would start the year with the team despite his young age and inexperience. With 14 points in 22 SHL games, Andersson once again showed off his high upside at both ends of the rink and could be an option for the Rangers up front at some point this season.

Minor Transactions: 01/19/18

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There will be plenty of minor moves again today as the NHL prepares for the weekend, and we’ll keep track of them right here. Keep checking back throughout the day to find out if your favorite team has tweaked their roster.

  • The Winnipeg Jets are coming off their bye week, and have recalled Michael Hutchinson and Jack Roslovic. Hutchinson’s recall likely means that Steve Mason is still dealing with the concussion-like symptoms that took him out of the lineup last week, and provides an interesting opportunity for the younger netminder. Hutchinson has dominated the AHL this season and is set to hit unrestricted free agency in the summer. Showing that he’s capable at the NHL level, even in a limited sample, would go a long way to earning him a contract in a few months.
  • Buffalo, fresh off another loss at the hands of the New York Rangers, have recalled Nicholas Baptiste from the Rochester Americans. Baptiste has played four games for the Sabres this season, and has 17 points in 34 games during his time in the AHL. The third-round pick had four points for Buffalo last season, but isn’t expected to make an immediate offensive impact.
  • The New York Islanders have placed Casey Cizikas on injured reserve, recalling Ross Johnston from the minor leagues in the process. Johnston can fill a physical role on the Islanders, as the 6’5″ 236-lbs winger currently leads the AHL in penalty minutes with 113. He does have 11 points through 37 games, but won’t be used for his offensive ability in the NHL.
  • The Calgary Flames are off their bye week, and with that they’ve recalled Marek Hrivik and Andrew Mangiapane from the AHL. The pair were sent down to continue playing, but were always expected to be brought back up when the week break ended. The Flames are back in action tomorrow afternoon against the Winnipeg Jets.
  • Ken Appleby is back up with the New Jersey Devils, this time under emergency conditions. Appleby will likely serve as the backup for Keith Kinkaid tomorrow, while Corey Schneider continues to deal with an injury. Appleby, 22, has now spent time on an ECHL, AHL and NHL roster this season.
  • The Minnesota Wild have recalled Kyle Rau from the AHL ahead of their game tomorrow against the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s Rau’s first call up of the season, but he does have 33 NHL games under his belt with the Florida Panthers. Rau was signed to a one-year, two-way deal on July 1st, and has 21 points in 36 games for the Iowa Wild.
  • With Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Nate Thompson dealing with injuries for the Ottawa Senators, the club has recalled forward Colin White from the AHL. The Senators take on the Maple Leafs tomorrow night, and needed a twelfth body to line up at forward. White has 16 points in 30 games for the Belleville Senators this season, but is a big part of the Ottawa plan going forward. The first-round pick could get a longer look down the stretch.

Senators Notes: Phaneuf, Ceci, Payroll

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Despite the fact that he carries a pricey contract, the Senators are receiving some interest in defenseman Dion Phaneuf, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported in an appearance on TSN 1200 (audio link).  He does note that at this time, no deal appears to be imminent and teams appear to be viewing him as a fallback option more than a top target at this time.

Phaneuf has three years remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $7MM, a rather prohibitive contract considering his offensive game and ice time have dipped with Ottawa this season.  However, he can still play a top-four role while providing some physicality as well so he can still be a useful defender.  That said, Dreger also acknowledged that the Senators would either have to retain on his contract and/or take a bad contract or two back in order to help facilitate a move.  Phaneuf will also have some say as to whether or not he moves as he has a 12-team trade list.

More from Ottawa:

  • Phaneuf isn’t the only blueliner that is drawing some attention. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that a few teams have called defenseman Cody Ceci.  The pending RFA has had a quiet season offensively with just nine points in 42 games but he has still averaged nearly 23 minutes in playing time.  He also has arbitration eligibility for the first time in his career.  That should have him in line for a raise from the $3.35MM he’s making this season in salary (with a $2.8MM cap charge), something that the Sens may not be willing to give him.
  • Also from Garrioch’s column, GM Pierre Dorion stated that owner Eugene Melnyk has not given him a directive to try to cut payroll. Although they’ve long been viewed as a lower-spending team, they are quietly within $1.5MM of the cap while spending more than $72MM in salary.  Assuming they do wind up selling though, that will likely change by the time the trade deadline comes and goes.

Options For Chicago With Corey Crawford Out Long-Term

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With the report from earlier this week that the Blackhawks could be without Corey Crawford for possibly the rest of the season, Chicago GM Stan Bowman may be working the phones in the near future to bring in some help.  They sit in last place in the Central Division but are still only three points out of a Wild Card spot.  However, if they’re going to make a run, they’ll be in tough to do so with a tandem of Anton Forsberg, Jeff Glass, and the injured Jean-Francois Berube.

Dec 21, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) faces the Dallas Stars attack during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Stars shut out the Blackhawks 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY SportsWith that in mind, Bowman will be looking for some options.  However, given their perennial status as a team that’s right up against the salary cap ceiling, they’re likely going to set their focus on players that won’t be part of their plans beyond this season.  They’re also going to primarily be limited to dealing with non-contending teams which will take quite a few of the better rental players out of the equation.  Despite that, there are still a few goaltenders that could very well be of interest to Chicago down the stretch.  Here is a look at those players.

Michael Hutchinson (Jets): While Hutchinson has yet to play in the NHL this season, he has been dominant in the minors, posting a .942 SV% along with a 1.94 GAA in 20 games.  He is a bit of a streaky netminder at the NHL level but when he’s on, he can be quite effective.  Considering Winnipeg chose to recall Eric Comrie over Hutchinson at one point earlier on in the year, they could view him as expendable although moving him to a division rival could be a tougher sell.

Chad Johnson (Sabres): It hasn’t been pretty for Johnson in 2017-18.  However, he’s only a year removed from battling for the number one job with Calgary and two years removed from being one of the best backups in the league with Buffalo.  It’s safe to assume that he’s not part of the future for the Sabres with Linus Ullmark ready for full-time NHL duty so the acquisition price should be low.  He’s a risk given how he has struggled through the first half of the season but a change of scenery could also give him and Chicago a boost.

Kari Lehtonen (Stars): The division factor is in play here as well but their salary cap situation could make the two teams interesting trade partners.  Chicago can absorb Lehtonen’s full contract with LTIR (assuming Crawford is out for the year) which would give them a veteran that could stabilize things while Dallas would free up the money to fill other holes.  It’s always a tough sell helping someone you’re battling for a playoff spot but such a move could be mutually beneficial.

Petr Mrazek (Red Wings): While Mrazek is a restricted free agent after the season, his qualifying offer in June will be set at his $4.15MM salary.  Considering how he has played in 2017-18, he’s a strong candidate to be non-tendered which makes him a rental candidate.  Mrazek has taken over the starting role and run with it in the past and he should be motivated down the stretch knowing he’ll be showcasing himself around the league.

Ondrej Pavelec (Rangers): Pavelec hasn’t been victorious often this season but he has quietly posted a .915 SV%, slightly better than the NHL average while also higher than Forsberg and Glass.  If the Rangers wind up selling, the asking price shouldn’t be very high which might allow Bowman to try to upgrade without mortgaging much of the future.

Antti Raanta (Coyotes): Raanta offers the most upside but also will probably be the most expensive to acquire.  He’s looking to prove himself as a legitimate starting goalie before entering free agency in July and would undoubtedly welcome a chance to do so while pushing for a playoff spot.  They’re not going to be the only team showing interest in him, however.

Considering that the Blackhawks are on the outside looking in at a playoff spot, they’re not likely going to be willing to mortgage a key prospect or high draft pick to get a Crawford replacement for the stretch run which could take Raanta out of the equation.  However, the other veterans would give them some more depth at the very least with a little bit of upside if they can get hot down the stretch.  There’s no guarantee that adding one of these players will get Chicago back to the postseason but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Bowman do just that in the coming weeks.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Injury Updates: Murray, Luongo, Muzzin, Staal

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While the Blue Jackets weren’t expecting to be without defenseman Ryan Murray for too long after he suffered a back injury in late November, he still has yet to play and Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that it may be a while yet before he returns.  He tried to take part in practice on Wednesday but made it through just one drill before leaving the ice which is never a good sign.

Not only is that an important loss that Columbus will continue to have to work through but this may also have implications on what happens with Jack Johnson.  While he’s not denying his trade request, the Blue Jackets may be in tough to grant it if it looks like Murray won’t be back for a while yet.  At any rate, it wouldn’t be surprising to see GM Jarmo Kekalainen on the look for defensive depth between now and the trade deadline.

Other injury notes from around the league:

  • Florida is getting closer to have their starting goaltender back in the fold. Head coach Bob Boughner told Jameson Olive of the Panthers’ team site that Roberto Luongo has “turned a corner” in his rehab from a lower-body injury sustained back on December 4th.  The hope is that he will be able to skate with the team in a practice in the coming days and work towards getting back into the lineup from there.  Prior to the injury, Luongo was off to a strong start to his season, posting a .928 SV% (a mark that would equal the second highest of his career) in 15 appearances.
  • The Kings announced that they have activated defenseman Jake Muzzin off injured reserve. He had missed the last three games due to an upper-body injury and is expected to be in the lineup tonight against Pittsburgh.  Muzzin has been a key part of the back end in Los Angeles this season, logging 22:38 per night while picking up 23 points in 41 games.
  • The Rangers revealed (Twitter link) that defenseman Marc Staal has been ruled out for at least the next two games as a result of the hip flexor he sustained on Tuesday. Head coach Alain Vigneault stated that if he’s likely to be out longer than through the weekend, they will likely bring up someone from the AHL at that time.

Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

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I have no doubts that Boston has the pieces to put a strong offer together for Pacioretty.  However, I’m leery that the Canadiens would trade their captain to an archrival, especially since he has another year left on his contract. 

That’s our Brian La Rose answering several questions about the availability of Max Pacioretty and his likelihood of being traded to the Boston Bruins. Our last mailbag featured more than one Bruins-centric question, but we’re looking forward to what you have to ask this week. Will Oliver-Ekman Larsson really be moved? What do the Canadiens do after all their injuries? Are the Golden Knights headed for a Stanley Cup appearance?

Brian will be answering the mailbag on Sunday, but be sure to submit your questions now! Leave a comment below or tweet at @prohockeyrumors using the #PHRMailbag.

2018 Midseason UFA Power Rankings: 1-10

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With the halfway point of the season now behind us and the trade deadline fast approaching, it’s time to take a preliminary look at the UFA Class of 2018.  Here is the first half of our top-20 rankings, based on votes from writers Gavin Lee, Brian La Rose, Nate Brown, Zach Leach and Holger Stolzenberg. We ran numbers 11-20 yesterday, and will release an honorable mention group tomorrow.

1. John Tavares, C, New York Islanders — There was never any doubt that Tavares would hold the top spot on this list, and he was ranked #1 on all five ballots. The superstar Islanders center will only be 27 on July 1st, and could challenge Connor McDavid for the largest cap hit in the league if a bidding war starts over his services. Even with all of his career success, Tavares may have not experienced a season quite like this one, as he is currently tied for second in league scoring with 54 points in 46 games. There is very little negative that can be said about him, and teams could legitimately change their franchise direction by landing the biggest fish on the market.

2. John Carlson, D, Washington Capitals — Though it’s a steep drop off after Tavares, Carlson is an elite free agent in his own right. It’s rare that a defender of his caliber hits the open market, and the fact that he only just turned 28 makes him a target for 31 teams in the NHL. Logging more than 26 minutes a night this season on a depleted Washington blueline, Carlson trails only John Klingberg in terms of scoring from defensemen with 35 points through 45 games. Though it’ll be a tough case to make at the end of the season, Carlson should get some Norris consideration and could land a huge long-term contract.

3. Evander Kane, F, Buffalo Sabres — Everyone’s favorite trade rumor is headed to free agency after the season, as the Sabres haven’t even approached him to discuss an extension. Unless he’s so enamored with his next team and signs a contract right away, he should be able to pick a landing spot from a dozen or more suitors in the offseason. How many years teams will offer him has been disputed at times, but at just 26 he’s one of the youngest free agents to hit the market and should provide several years of prime performance.

4. James van Riemsdyk, F, Toronto Maple Leafs — van Riemsdyk doesn’t carry the puck a ton, and doesn’t often score from far out, but might be the most dangerous scorer in the league within five feet of the net. He’s well on his way to another 30 goal season this year, even while playing the fewest average minutes since he was 21. Expected to ask for something around $36MM over six years, there will be no shortage of teams looking to add him to their powerplay.

5. James Neal, F, Vegas Golden Knights — Before this season, free agency or even the expansion draft, we looked at Neal’s incomparable consistency and how he was headed for a big contract on the open market. He’s never recorded fewer than 21 goals in a season, and already has 18 this year. Obviously a huge part of what the Vegas Golden Knights have done to start their franchise history, they’ll try to retain him on a reasonable deal. If they can’t, he might just end up scoring 20 for his fifth organization in 2018-19.

6. Josh Bailey, F, New York Islanders — It’s not just Tavares that the Islanders have to worry about leaving this summer, but Bailey (and de Haan below) too. He and Anders Lee have formed the perfect wing pair for Tavares this season, and Bailey is going to blow his career-high in points—set only last season—out of the water just at the right time. He’s 28, has 50 points in 42 games and is a lethal powerplay setup man. Who doesn’t want to add that on the open market?

7. Mikael Backlund, C, Calgary Flames — Maybe underrated because of his personality and lack of flash on the ice, Backlund is nevertheless one of the most valuable assets available this summer. Soon to be 29, he’s coming off back-to-back 20-goal seasons and is a legitimate long-term center option. Centers with 50-point upside and responsible defensive ability don’t hit the market that often, and Backlund should be able to cash in because of it.

8. Paul Stastny, C, St. Louis Blues — Speaking of centers, Stastny is in good position to cash in on one last multi-year contract. The 32-year old is still logging big minutes for the St. Louis Blues, and though he may not be the 70-point man of his youth is still an effective weapon at both ends of the rink. A decline is coming, but with 33 points through 47 games this season including 20 even-strength assists, he will still be able to command an audience on the first day of free agency.

9. Calvin de Haan, D, New York Islanders — That’s right, the third Islanders player in the top 10 is de Haan, who has steadily developed into an excellent all-around defenseman. While he doesn’t have the offensive upside of Carlson, his youth—he’ll turn 27 in May—and ability to plug into a top-4 will still have teams knocking down his door. Our writers had him placed everywhere from #7 to #16, but no one disagrees he’ll have plenty of options on the open market.

10. Mike Green, D, Detroit Red Wings — There was a time, nearly a decade ago, when Green was the shining example of an offensive defenseman. Two years in a row, starting in 2009, he finished second in Norris voting behind a more well-rounded player—first to Duncan Keith, then Zdeno Chara—despite point totals in the seventies. In 2008-09 he even recorded 31 goals, the highest total from a defenseman since Kevin Hatcher in 1992-93, and unmatched in the years since. At 32 years old he won’t be putting up 70 point seasons anymore, but is still an excellent puck mover and can quarterback a powerplay. He’ll likely be one of the stars of the trade deadline and free agent day.

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