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Archives for April 2018

NHL Announces Lady Byng Trophy Finalists

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The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy often doesn’t get the credit it deserves, but in 2018 the high-profile nominees should turn some heads. The three finalists, as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association, were announced by the league tonight as the Florida Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov, the Vegas Golden Knights’ William Karlsson, and the Buffalo Sabres’ Ryan O’Reilly. Whoever of the three is judged to have “exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability” will take home the hardware at the NHL Awards in June.

In many ways, this Lady Byng race is almost a runner-up competition to the Selke Trophy. All three of Barkov, Karlsson, and O’Reilly could have been a finalist for the best defensive player award this season. Barkov is a two-way wizard, Karlsson led the NHL in plus/minus, and O’Reilly continues to be one of the best face-off specialists of his generation. There was no lack of offense either, as Barkov and Karlsson each set career-highs with 78 points, while O’Reilly notched his fifth-straight season of 55+ points. However, they all have shown an adept ability to avoid penalties as well – a major criteria for the Lady Byng. O’Reilly in particular was a shockingly clean competitor in 2017-18, taking just one two-minute minor penalty in 81 games for an average of just one second worth of penalty minutes per game. This was far and away the most impressive mark on the year. Karlsson played in all 82 games, accumulating only six minor penalties for 12 PIM. Barkov was guilty of just seven minors, a total of 14 minutes in the box, all season.

The gentlemanly conduct is apparent among the finalists, as is the high standard of ability at both ends of the rink. All three played nearly game this season as well, showing the most important ability of all – availability. So what could decide the race? Sportsmanship, which is where O’Reilly’s recent remarks could hurt him. The Sabres center recently went on record as saying that he has lost his love for the game while playing in Buffalo. Compare that attitude to those of Karlsson, arguably the best skater on the team who has been the biggest story in hockey in their inaugural season, and Barkov, who has grown into a leader in Florida and led his team to an unlikely late-season surge, and you can see how O’Reilly could lose some votes. We’ll know for sure how it turns out at the NHL Awards on June 20th in Karlsson’s new home town.

San Jose Sharks Sign Ivan Chekhovich To Entry-Level Contract

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The San Jose Sharks have signed another prospect, inking Ivan Chekhovich to a three-year entry-level contract that begins in the 2018-19 season. Chekhovich has been playing with the San Jose Barracuda on an amateur tryout, after being eliminated from the QMJHL playoffs. GM Doug Wilson issued a statement regarding the signing:

Ivan had another productive season in juniors and took his game to a whole new level when he joined the Barracuda this season. He has proven in his short stint of professional hockey that he can keep up with the pace and physicality and, with help from scout Gilles Cote, has already become a difference maker in the Barracuda’s improbable run to the Calder Cup Playoffs. His offensive instincts and creativity make him a dangerous player in the opposing team’s end and we look forward to seeing him develop with our organization.

Selected in the seventh round in 2017, Chekhovich had another strong (but not outstanding) season for the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, but has really made an impact in his short stint with the Barracuda. Scoring nine points in six games, he has shown the quick hands and offensive awareness that made him an interesting prospect last June.

Chekhovich had a wide variety of rankings before the draft, including #52 overall at Future Considerations. His final ranking with the NHL’s Central Scouting was 71st among North American skaters, closer to his eventual selection at #212. There was a chance that he could be drawn back to Russia, but now that the Sharks have him under contract his future looks to lie in San Jose.

Winnipeg Jets Recall Michael Hutchinson From AHL

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After Steve Mason suffered an injury at morning skate, the Winnipeg Jets have recalled Michael Hutchinson. In a corresponding move the team has sent Jamie Phillips back to the Manitoba Moose to help with their first-round AHL playoff series. Phillips had been serving as the Jets’ emergency third goaltender, but with Game 5 set for Winnipeg there was enough time to get Hutchinson.

While he’s not expected to start over Connor Hellebuyck, Hutchinson is a wonderful piece to have at the ready for this type of situation. Some may argue that he is even an upgrade over Mason should he be forced into the net, after posting an outstanding season in the AHL. Though Mason stopped all seven shots he faced in relief of Hellebuyck earlier in the series, he had a very inconsistent season filled with injury. His .906 save percentage in just twelve appearances marks his worst season since 2011-12.

Hutchinson is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, meaning he’d likely jump at any opportunity to prove himself in the playoffs for the Jets. The 28-year old goaltender put up a .935 save percentage in the minors this year, and could be an option for a team looking to improve their backup situation next year.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Lukas Jasek To Three-Year Deal

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The Vancouver Canucks have seen enough of Lukas Jasek to know that he’s a player they want in their organization, and today announced a three-year entry-level contract for the 20-year old forward. Jasek joined the Utica Comets in late March on an amateur tryout, and has seven points in his first six AHL games.

Despite being a sixth-round pick in 2015, there is a lot to be excited about in Jasek’s profile. He’s been on the radar of NHL scouts for quite some time, thanks to his obvious offensive talent and performance at tournaments like the Ivan Hlinka Memorial. He was ranked 23rd among European skaters in 2015, but fell to 174th-overall before the Canucks snapped him up. In the three years since, he’s dominated the Czech junior league, second league and now this season recorded an impressive 18 points in 48 games at the highest level the country offers.

One of the biggest knocks on Jasek was always his strength, as even though he would work hard for pucks and drive the net with a purpose, he was thin and could be knocked off the puck. The Canucks now list him at 6’1″ 184-lbs, which while not monstrous is definitely big enough to last in the North American game. He’s proven that in his short taste with Utica, where he’s looked dangerous every time the puck is on his stick.

There’s no guarantee that Jasek ever makes it up to the NHL, but the early returns have been quite good since he joined the organization. By getting him under contract the Canucks will hope to keep developing him in the minors and add another skilled prospect to their rapidly filling cupboard.

Snapshots: Doughty, Lehner, Myers

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There will continue to be speculation surrounding Los Angeles Kings superstar Drew Doughty until an extension is signed and filed, but it doesn’t sound like he expects to go anywhere in free agency when it rolls around in 2019. Doughty spoke today with the media and made it clear that he wants to stick around. Doughty’s comments via Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider:

It’s not that they have to show me or prove to me anything for me to sign here. I’ve always wanted to be an LA King and stay an LA King.

Doughty has been clear all along with the fact that he loves playing in Los Angeles, but like with Erik Karlsson and John Tavares, contract extensions for superstar players are tricky. Doughty will be just 29 when he hits the open market and is likely looking to become the highest paid defenseman in the league. A deal like that isn’t one you hand out easily, even to a player of his caliber. He can officially sign an extension on July 1st.

Andre Burakovsky To Miss Rest Of First Round

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The Washington Capitals pulled even in their first round series with the Columbus Blue Jackets last night, but announced some bad news this morning. Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post relays news from head coach Barry Trotz, who says Andre Burakovsky will be out for the rest of the series. Burakovsky has missed the last two games and now needs minor surgery to correct his injury. The coach didn’t give a full timetable for his return, just ruled him out for the first round.

Interestingly enough the Capitals have won both games without Burakovsky in the lineup, and look strong enough to continue without him. The 23-year old forward didn’t record a point in the first two games and has been relatively disappointing all season. With just 25 points he failed crack 40 for the fourth consecutive year, a level he was expected to hit with ease at this point in his career. Though he is an excellent possession player, he hasn’t been able to generate shots for himself on a regular basis and now has just 50 goals through 252 regular season games.

Though his $3MM cap hit isn’t unreasonable for the contribution he has made, his next deal will be an extremely interesting negotiation. Burakovsky is set to become a restricted free agent once again in summer of 2019, and the Capitals will be buying out nearly exclusively UFA years on any long-term deal. He’ll have to prove that he can be a better offensive contributor before then, and these playoffs were a huge opportunity for him to step into that role.

Josh Jooris Assigned To Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

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Josh Jooris wasn’t likely to get into a game with the Pittsburgh Penguins anytime soon, so the team has assigned him back to the AHL for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ upcoming first round series. The WBS Penguins take on the Charlotte Checkers later this evening in Game 1 of the best-of-five series. Jooris had actually been placed on waivers according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports, explaining how he was able to be sent down now that he has cleared.

Jooris was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes earlier this season in exchange for Greg McKegg, as a depth option for the Penguins. He ended up playing in nine games for them as they dealt with injury down the stretch, but wasn’t expected to crack the playoff lineup.

Headed for unrestricted free agency this summer, it seems unlikely that the 27-year old forward will secure a one-way deal. Though he did play 40 NHL games this season, he registered just six points and doesn’t have much upside. Instead, he’ll likely have to take a two-way deal and prove himself in the minor leagues or sit as an extra forward.

Bill Peters Exercises Out Clause, Leaves Hurricanes

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Bill Peters will in fact exercise his opt-out clause and leave the Carolina Hurricanes. The head coach had until today to decide whether he’d leave the final season and $1.6MM of his contract on the table to pursue other opportunities. There had been speculation that both Peters and Hurricanes’ owner Thomas Dundon wanted to part ways, but were in a standoff to see whether he would exercise the option or have to be “reassigned.” In a statement, Peters thanked the organization for his time there:

I want to thank Tom Dundon, Peter Karmanos and Ron Francis for the trust they put in me to lead the team. I feel the incoming general manager should have the ability to hire his own head coach. I also want to thank Don Waddell and the entire front office and PNC Arena staff. This business requires hard work and long hours, and I greatly appreciate the efforts of the many people I have worked alongside during the past four years.

Peters has been the head coach of the Hurricanes for four years, missing the playoffs each season. After working as an assistant coach under Mike Babcock in Detroit, he was seen as one of the best coaching prospects in the league and a rising star in terms of head coaching positions. That expectation didn’t come to fruition in Carolina, where he ended with a 137-138-53 record. With the search for a new GM still underway, a departure was easy to predict one way or another. He’ll now be free to sign with another team.

The Calgary Flames sit as the favorite to hire Peters, as there has long been speculation that he would like to return to Alberta. The Flames recently fired Glen Gulutzan after just two seasons, and have made it clear they want a tougher voice in the room. Peters certainly wouldn’t be called a players coach, having previously called out publicly those who have underpeformed for him. That’s not to say that he is destined for Calgary though, as McKenzie reports that multiple clubs have expressed interest already.

As for Carolina, there has been some speculation that Hurricanes great Rod Brind’Amour would be considered for the now vacant position. Brind’Amour has served as an assistant coach for seven seasons, starting just a year after retiring as a player. It seems unlikely that they would name a new coach until the GM position is filled, but nothing Dundon has done to this point has been conventional, and he could decide to jump on one of the other free agents right away.

Bob McKenzie of TSN first reported that Peters would exercise the option.

Nashville Predators Recall Nine Players From AHL

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The Nashville Predators have recalled their group of Black Aces—players who will skate with the team throughout the playoffs but not get into any game action. The group includes Frederick Gaudreau, Harry Zolnierczyk, Brandon Bollig, Tyler Gaudet, Emil Pettersson, Alexandre Carrier, Petter Granberg, Frederic Allard and Troy Grosenick.

Though these types of call-ups rarely play in the postseason, there are a few interesting names in the group. Most notably perhaps is Gaudreau, who scored two game-winning goals (three total) in the playoffs last season for the Predators, stepping in due to injury and making an impact right away. Zolnierczyk too played in 11 games for the club last posteason, which just shows even further how much depth the Predators have amassed this season.

Most interesting this time around though might be Pettersson, who led the Milwaukee Admirals in scoring during his first professional season in North America. The 24-year old forward came over from Sweden this season, and registered 46 points in 72 games in the minor leagues. Like the others he isn’t expected to make his debut in the playoffs, but could fight for a roster spot with the Predators next season.

Poll: Who Should Win The 2017-18 Norris Trophy?

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There was much debate in the hockey world yesterday when the NHL released their three finalists for the Norris Trophy. The award, given to the best defenseman in the league, always stirs up controversy of some sort over who was snubbed. This year, that honor could go to John Carlson who scored more points than any other blueliner in the league but didn’t have his name mentioned in the final group.

P.K. Subban. Drew Doughty. Victor Hedman. Who should be taking home the trophy this season? Don’t vote on who you think will win, but who should win after the season they put up. We’ll list the finalists and some of the other common nominees to see if our readership would have selected the same three nominees.

Make sure to explain your reasoning in the comment section!

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

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