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Archives for February 2018

Vancouver Canucks Announce Multi-Year Extension For GM Jim Benning

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The Vancouver Canucks have announced a multi-year extension—expected to be three seasons—for GM Jim Benning, keeping the executive in charge for the foreseeable future. In a release, Canucks’ President of Hockey Operations Trevor Linden explained his confidence in Benning:

With Jim’s guidance and leadership we have put the building blocks in place for a bright future. We have strong internal alignment and I am excited to continue working towards our ultimate goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to Vancouver.

Benning has been at the helm for Vancouver since 2014, and has gone down several different paths the last few years. First trading away some established names like Ryan Kesler and Kevin Bieksa, before making some questionable additions like Erik Gudbranson and Loui Eriksson. While his tenure has certainly not been accepted by all parts of the fan base, the start of a sort of rebuild over the last 12 months has Vancouver headed in the right direction.

Last trade deadline, the team dealt Jannik Hansen and Alex Burrows for a pair of interesting prospects, and now they seem poised to have a similar sell-off. Thomas Vanek, Michael Del Zotto and others could be on their way out, as suggested by Linden in a letter to season ticket holders today, when he states that they will be adding some prospects and building towards the future over the next few months.

Moving forward, the next several months will be important as we add even more prospects to our pool and build on the positive steps we have seen this year. We still need to be patient, but I am excited about our journey ahead together. 

The Canucks have an exciting pair of young players in Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat, and a supporting cast of solid developing talent. For now, the plan will stay in place with the same man at the wheel, guiding Vancouver through the next part of their rebuild.

Los Angeles Kings Still Looking For Scoring Winger

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The Los Angeles Kings added a big name on their blue line last night, bringing in Dion Phaneuf from the Ottawa Senators for almost nothing but money. Now, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the team is still looking for a “mid-level scoring winger” to help them into the playoffs. The Kings sit out of the playoffs at the moment, but are just three points behind the San Jose Sharks for second in the Pacific Division.

There is no shortage of wingers on the market, from the expensive rentals like Evander Kane or Rick Nash, to the players with more term like Mike Hoffman and Max Pacioretty. Whether Los Angeles would ante up for any of the top names is unclear, but there are less expensive versions like Patrick Maroon and Michael Grabner that could interest them as well. The Kings have had trouble scoring since Jeff Carter went down, but are still one of the tightest defensive groups in the league.

If the Kings do go after one of the top names, they have their full cupboard of draft picks available to offer. With interesting prospects like Gabe Vilardi and Kale Clague in the system, they might be able to afford selling a piece of their future for success this season. Still, with the playoff picture so undecided in the Western Conference, every team will have to be careful with how much they’re willing to spend.

Anaheim Ducks GM: “I’m Not Really Talking To Anybody”

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The Anaheim Ducks sit in fifth place in the Pacific Division, just a few points out of the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. They have a 32-year old #1 center likely headed to the Hall of Fame when it’s all said and done, and a roster populated with All-Star talents. Still, things aren’t going well.

Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) sat down with Ducks’ GM Bob Murray recently, for an incredibly candid interview on his team’s success so far this season. Murray believes that his team hasn’t shown enough to really be heavy buyers at the deadline, and explains that he’s just watching waiting for something to happen before he commits to any trades.

I’m still kind of waiting for them to show me something and they’re not. We’re very inconsistent. We’re very up and down. So far when it’s come to real, critical big games — we’ve basically [expletive] the bed in the big games. Right now I sit and watch. I’m not really talking to anybody, not really doing anything.

Murray goes on to explain his thought process for the Ducks, and how he feels about the rental market in most seasons. He also announces that even though Ryan Kesler is back playing, he likely won’t be 100% until next year, despite his best efforts.

The Ducks are an interesting team to watch over the next few weeks, as a good stretch could put them right back in the hunt for a high seed in the West. There are only four teams that have a five or more point lead on Anaheim, and three of them reside in the Central Division. Even though Murray says his team isn’t showing him anything, a short hot streak could put them in position for home ice advantage in the first round. A lasting cold streak could push them out of the race entirely.

Minor Transactions: 02/14/18

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We finally saw the first crack in the trade market last night, when Dion Phaneuf was sent to Los Angeles in a swap of bad contracts. Could that be the start of a fire sale in Ottawa, or did they just take advantage of a (perceived) opportunity? We’ll have to wait and see, but for now we’ll keep track of all the minor moves that go on around the rosters of the NHL.

  • In Ottawa the team has sent Max McCormick to the minor leagues, a move they’ve completed several times recently. This time though, it’s unclear if he’ll be on his way back up after the Senators added a couple forwards last night. McCormick has played in six games for the Senators this season, registering two points.
  • According to the AHL transactions page, the St. Louis Blues have returned Tage Thompson to the San Antonio Rampage. This comes after a minor injury that has kept him out of the lineup the last few games. Thompson has shown flashes of his potential as a big scoring winger, but hasn’t yet really put his stamp on the NHL as a full-time player. The Blues don’t play again until Friday, meaning they could recall Thompson in a few days.

Dion Phaneuf, Nate Thompson Dealt To Los Angeles For Marian Gaborik

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After much speculation, TSN’s Darren Dreger tweets that the Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings have agreed to a deal that will send Marian Gaborik and Nick Shore from LA to Ottawa for Dion Phaneuf and Nate Thompson. The deal will also see Ottawa absorb 25% of Phaneuf’s cap hit. The trade call was confirmed by the league at 9:14 CST per a tweet from TSN’s Bob McKenzie.

McKenzie tweeted out earlier that “something appears to be done,” but players involved were still competing in their respective games. McKenzie tweeted even earlier that Phaneuf had been pulled from the lineup during the Ottawa-Pittsburgh contest so the trade could get done. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also confirmed the speculation, tweeting that the teams were working on a deal.

Phaneuf still has three years left on his 7-year, $49MM deal at the end of the season. With 25% of the deal eaten by the Senators, Ottawa will save $4MM tweets TSN’s Frank Seravalli. The Kings will see a cap hit of $5.25MM.

McKenzie was the first to report that a deal was being worked between LA and Ottawa. Dreger was the first to report the actual deal that involved Gaborik and Shore for Thompson and Phaneuf. 

Blackhawks Notes: Bowman, Crawford

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FanRag’s Craig Morgan takes aim at Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman as the reason for  Chicago’s dizzying descent this season. After a 6-1 loss to lowly Arizona last night, the Blackhawks are not only staring down their first playoff-less season since 2007-08, but a crack at their first losing season since 2006-07. Morgan writes that after six straight losses, the Hawks are 10 points behind Minnesota for the final wild card spot. While there are whispers that head coach Joel Quenneville is in trouble, it’s Bowman, Morgan believes, who should face the brunt of the firing squad.

There are rumors swirling that Quenneville’s job could be in jeopardy if the Hawks don’t snap out of this funk soon. The timeworn clichés of “he’s lost the team” and “he isn’t using players properly” are the dullest forms of the shallow analysis littering social media.

If you go one level deeper you’ll find the real problems.”

What isn’t a secret is that Chicago has struggled to replenish the pipeline with talent following drafts that haven’t produced the players necessary to keep the Hawks at a top level (Nick Schmaltz and Alex DeBrincat are exceptions to this). Some of this is due to picks being traded for Cup runs, which is understandable. But mining the later rounds for NHL talent to supplant what is lost at the pro level is the only way a team can stay afloat. Many players the Hawks were counting on, namely Ryan Hartman, have struggled after showing promise last season.

Worse for the Hawks, captain Jonathan Toews’ struggles continue and the move to get Brandon Saad, who is also struggling, was supposed to help Toews. The mismanagement of personnel, Morgan writes, has seen a flux of talent leave via trade, which is on Bowman. Though he’s been deft in walking the tightrope that is the cap, it seems that the luck may be running out.

All that remains to be seen is who pays for those struggles once the season is over.

  • NBC Sports’ Adam Gretz believes the Blackhawks have hit “rock bottom” as he reports that the 6-1 loss against Arizona may have buried a team so many thought were due to rebound. Gretz points to the goaltending conundrum, where the loss of Corey Crawford has certainly hurt the team between the pipes. Backup goalie Anton Forsberg was yanked after the third goal and Jeff Glass, despite his inspiring ascent to the NHL, hasn’t been the answer either. Even if Crawford would return, Gretz doesn’t see much of a chance for Chicago to make up the ground necessary to make the playoffs. The Sun-Times Mark Lazerus believes that even if he’s better, Crawford shouldn’t be rushed back in what he dubbed a “lost season.”

Deadline Primer: New York Rangers

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With the trade deadline fast approaching, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? Next up is a look at the New York Rangers.

The New York Rangers still sit just a few points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but have made it clear to fans that they’re ready to build towards the future. Changes are coming, and they could extremely alter the composition of the team for the remainder of the season. Everyone seems available in New York, including most of the leadership group.

Record

27-24-5, eighth in Metropolitan Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$3.63MM full-season cap hit, 0/3 retained salary transactions, 48/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2018: NYR 1st, NYR 2nd, NYR 3rd, NYR 4th, NYR 5th, NYR 6th
2019: NYR 1st, NYR 2nd, NYR 3rd, NYR 4th, NYR 5th, NYR 6th, NYR 7th

Trade Chips

Ryan McDonaghThe Rangers are selling off everything that’s not tied down, and that starts first and foremost with Rick Nash and Michael Grabner. Both forwards are unrestricted free agents at the end of the year, and should bring back a pretty penny for New York at the deadline. Nash is reportedly being pursued by the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars among others, while Grabner’s low cap hit could make him a target for virtually any playoff contender.

Beyond that, Mats Zuccarello, Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller will all bring their fair number of interested parties, while Ryan McDonagh could be the best defenseman available in the next two weeks. The Rangers captain has one year left on his deal after this season, and can legitimately be pushed into a top pairing without issue.

Trading rentals is one thing, but there could be an appetite from the Rangers front office to wait on any potential McDonagh deal until the summer when almost all the teams in the league could show interest. If he isn’t traded in the next two weeks, he’ll be a player to keep an eye on in June as we head towards the draft.

Five Players To Watch For: F Rick Nash, F Michael Grabner, D Nick Holden, F David Desharnais, D Ryan McDonagh

Team Needs

1) Draft Picks: For four straight years between 2013-2016, the Rangers table waited patiently while the first round of the NHL draft took place. In two of those years they didn’t make a pick until the third round, and it has shown in their prospect development. Last year, all that turned around when they kept their own pick and traded Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta for the seventh-overall selection. Now, they’ll look to select another few times in the first 60 picks if they can, and really kick-start the rebuild. All of the trades will likely include some kind of draft capital, as the Rangers aren’t looking for a quick flip to contention next season but a real rebuild.

2) Quickness: Second, the team has made it clear that they want to get fast. As the NHL moves further and further away from lumbering, physical players and towards smaller, skilled talents, the Rangers believe they can find success with a faster lineup. It’s not that they don’t already have some speed in their group, but mobility will be at the top of the list in any young talent acquired, both on offense and defense.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Seattle Officially Files Expansion Application

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Though it took a little longer than expected, the Oak View Group based out of Seattle has officially filed its application for NHL expansion and given a $10MM down payment according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

The group plans on having construction completed on their KeyArena renovation project in time to have NHL hockey start in the fall of 2020, meaning the league would need to hold another expansion draft that summer. Seattle hasn’t started on a season ticket drive yet, but has the full support of mayor Jenny Durkan as she attempts to bring both NHL and NBA franchises to the city.

An expansion team in Seattle would represent the 32nd franchise in the NHL, and would likely cause some additional division re-alignment. Currently, the Central is the only division with seven teams, and Seattle doesn’t make much sense there. Though it’s not for some time, teams will begin to prepare their rosters for an eventual expansion draft as they did for the Vegas go-round. Ultimately it didn’t matter much, as the Golden Knights have been one of the league’s best teams right from the start. Seattle will try to emulate their success, though it will certainly be a difficult task.

Montreal Canadiens Sign Charlie Lindgren To Three-Year Extension

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The Montreal Canadiens have their goaltending locked up for the next few years, as young Charlie Lindgren has been signed to a three-year contract extension. Lindgren will be on a one-way deal through 2020-21 that pays him an average of $750K per season.

Lindgren made his first real run of NHL starts earlier this season when he stepped in during injuries to Price and then-backup Al Montoya, and acquitted himself well in his short sample. With a .929 save percentage in 11 NHL starts, and a history of success at the collegiate and minor league level (though this year has not gone as well), Lindgren looks ready to step into the backup role with the Canadiens next season. Antti Niemi, the current backup, is set to be an unrestricted free agent and is unlikely to be retained.

Signed out of St. Cloud State in 2016, Lindgren is now 24 and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the extension. The almost minimum-level salary is a perfect compliment to Price, who will start in on an eight-year, $84MM extension next season. With Price taking a $10.5MM cap hit, the Canadiens needed to save money at the backup goaltender position. If Lindgren can hold his own, this deal will be more than affordable.

Brian Elliott Undergoes Surgery, Out Five To Six Weeks

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The Philadelphia Flyers won’t be getting Brian Elliott back anytime soon, as the goaltender underwent core muscle surgery this morning and will be out five to six weeks. Elliott was injured during Saturday’s shootout against the Arizona Coyotes.

Though Elliott hadn’t been having an outstanding season, he was once again the de facto starter and integral to the Flyers playoff plans. With him gone for nearly the entire remainder of the season, Philadelphia may have to look outside the organization for some help. In Elliotte Friedman’s latest 31 Thoughts column, he mentioned some connection between the Flyers and Buffalo Sabres, though there is no indication whether that was about goaltending.

There could be a fit with Buffalo if they’re willing to trade one of their pending free agent goaltenders, as both Chad Johnson (UFA) and Robin Lehner (RFA) are on expiring contracts. Detroit is another place that has a surplus of goaltending, and as Frank Seravalli of TSN points out, the Red Wings could still be looking for a landing spot for Petr Mrazek.

If the Flyers end up staying within the organization, Michal Neuvirth will have to handle the lion’s share of the starts down the stretch. Alex Lyon has looked shaky in his first few appearances, and has less than two years of professional experience. Beyond that there is Dustin Tokarski, who has struggled this season at the AHL level. Neuvirth does have 12 playoff starts in which he’s registered a .933 save percentage, but the majority of those came some time ago with the Washington Capitals. It would be risky to put the load squarely on his shoulders without much NHL experience to help.

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