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Archives for April 2018

Black Monday: The Day The Coaches (Could) Disappear

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The NHL looks like it will finish an entire season without seeing a single coach fired for the first time since expansion in 1967, but there could be a dark lining on that stat coming next week. “Black Monday” as it is being termed could be coming after the final game of the regular season this Sunday, with close to a dozen coaches finding themselves on the hot seat.

In last night’s Insider Trading segment on TSN, Bob McKenzie broke down a list of potential firings that looked like this:

Glen Gulutzan, Calgary Flames
Bill Peters, Carolina Hurricanes
Joel Quenneville, Chicago Blackhawks
Jeff Blashill, Detroit Red Wings
Todd McLellan, Edmonton Oilers
Doug Weight, New York Islanders
Alain Vigneault, New York Rangers
Guy Boucher, Ottawa Senators
Barry Trotz, Washington Capitals

Some of these names simply don’t have a contract for next season, including Trotz, who also happens to be the only coach on the list heading to the playoffs. The Capitals have won the Metropolitan Division for the third year in a row, but will be judged entirely on their postseason performance. Washington must find some success past the second round, or there could be a shake up in order starting with the man behind the bench.

The rest of the list is a who’s who of disappointing seasons, with Quenneville sticking out like a sore thumb. Arguably one of the best coaches of all-time, Quenneville’s firing could cause what McKenzie terms a ripple effect throughout the league. Though he doesn’t expand on that idea, many have wondered whether another team would fire their incumbent to have the opportunity to hire Quenneville should he become a free agent, much like the Montreal Canadiens did last season when Claude Julien was let go from Boston.

In New York, while both coaches might not be back it would be for very different reasons. Vigneault has had a lot of regular season success with the Rangers, but as they enter into an unfamiliar rebuild they could want to start with a fresh face behind the bench. For Weight and the Islanders, this season was an abject failure as they tried to woo John Tavares with a trip to the postseason. They won’t get there, and now have to worry about whether their captain and superstar will stick around.

There could be many other names you could suggest for the list, and it is extremely unlikely that all of these will get the boot before the start of 2018-19. You can be sure some changes are coming though, even if it does come after a remarkable season of patience by general managers around the league.

AHL Names 2017-18 All-Rookie Team

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The votes have been cast, and this year’s AHL All-Rookie Team has been released. The AHL rookie teams are always a mix of top draft picks and surprising prospects, and this year is no different. The team is as follows:

Goaltender: Ville Husso, San Antonio Rampage (St. Louis Blues)

Defense: Filip Hronek, Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit Red Wings)

Defense: Sami Niku, Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets)

Forward: Mason Appleton, Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets)

Forward: Daniel Sprong, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Forward: Dylan Strome, Tucson Roadrunners (Arizona Coyotes)

Obviously winning this award doesn’t guarantee NHL success, but it is a strong sign for players who will experience a long and successful professional career. The past All-Rookie teams have included many eventual NHL All-Stars, and could again in this group.

Strome is obviously the most recognizable name, selected third overall in 2015. He hasn’t been able to find a ton of success at the NHL level, but dominated the AHL in his first season. Scoring 50 points in 47 games he leads all (qualified) rookies in points-per-game, and likely won’t be in the minor leagues again next season.

Of note is two Winnipeg Jets prospects, both selected late in the 2015 draft. Appleton and Niku were picked 168th and 198th respectively, but both had outstanding rookie seasons with Manitoba and are more names to look for in the Jets lineup over the next few years. Niku made his NHL debut last night and scored on his first shot, just the latest accomplishment in his first season in North America.

Injury Notes: Girgensons, Scherbak, Condon, Chychrun

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Zemgus Girgensons’ season is over, as the Buffalo Sabres announced today that he underwent facial surgery. No timeline has been released for his recovery, but one could assume he’ll be ready for next season. Girgensons will finish the season with 15 points in 71 games.

This has been another disappointing season for Girgensons, who was selected 14th-overall in 2012 as a potential power center capable of scoring and shutting down the opposition’s best. Unfortunately, the scoring has never come around and Girgensons has been limited to fewer than 20 points in the last three consecutive seasons. The 24-year old has one more season on his current contract, but could be moved if the Sabres look for drastic changes to their lineup this summer.

  • Nikita Scherbak has suffered a concussion, though it’s not clear exactly when it happened. The Montreal Canadiens announced his injury this morning, telling reporters that he reported symptoms after his last game. That likely means he’s out for the rest of the season, and will have to wait until 2018-19 to make an impact for the club. The 22-year old has shown flashes of brilliance this season, but will end with just six points in 26 games.
  • Speaking of concussions, the Ottawa Senators confirmed today that is injury that Mike Condon suffered in practice yesterday, meaning he won’t suit up again this season. Instead, Craig Anderson will play tonight in a battle for the bottom of the league. The Sabres could climb within one point of the Senators with a win, and Anderson certainly could cause just that. The 36-year old goaltender hasn’t had the season many expected, recording an .898 save percentage through 56 games.
  • After suffering a brutal injury last night, Jakob Chychrun is likely done for the season. The Arizona Coyotes have just a pair of games remaining, and though head coach Rick Tocchet couldn’t give an update on the young defenseman he is “hoping for the best.” Chychrun was injured on a collision just behind his net last night, when Michael Frolik tripped him and sent his legs into the boards. The 19-year old defenseman already dealt with a knee injury last year that required surgery, but was able to return quickly from it and provide a stabilizing presence to the Coyotes blue line.

Owen Tippett Assigned To Springfield Thunderbirds

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Like his teammates Nic Hague and Micheal McLeod yesterday, Mississauga Steelheads forward Owen Tippett has been assigned to the AHL after his OHL playoff run came to an end. Tippett, who spent the start of the season playing seven games for the Florida Panthers, will ply his trade at the minor league level for the time being.

Tippett was selected 10th-overall last June after he had exploded for a 44-goal season and was routinely showing off his elite shot in the junior ranks. While that shot hasn’t deteriorated, the rest of Tippett’s game hasn’t taken the step forward many had hoped. He did reach 75 points in just 51 games this season, finding teammates more often in the offensive zone, but there were times that he looked uninterested or lacking the same desperation that he showed in his draft year.

While this wasn’t an outstanding development year for Tippett, he still should bring some huge excitement to Florida fans. In a league where goal scoring is extremely difficult, he has all the tools to be a dangerous offensive weapon. The 19-year old forward can skate well, has enough size to protect the puck and can seemingly beat goaltenders from anywhere in the zone. His release is noticeably quicker than his contemporaries, and he can create room for himself to use it.

Interestingly, the Panthers are still not eliminated from playoff contention after winning again last night. The team sits four points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for the final wild card spot, but has a game in hand and three total remaining. Technically they could even still catch the Blue Jackets and Devils, who sit at 96 and 95 points respectively.

Though it doesn’t seem like Tippett is on his way to Florida right now, there’s no telling what a long playoff run could bring. Regardless, look for him to try and make the team next fall.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 04/04/18

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Things are quiet in the NHL tonight, with just three games scheduled before a busy Thursday. One of those games, between Ottawa and Buffalo, is hugely important in the race to the bottom and the best odds at the upcoming draft lottery. Ottawa currently sits three points ahead of the Sabres for last in the NHL, with each team having three games remaining.

As they watch this Dahlin-bowl, the rest of the league continues to make tweaks to their rosters in preparation for the playoffs (or offseason). We’ll keep track of all the moves right here.

Washington Capitals Sign Brian Pinho To Entry-Level Contract

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The Washington Capitals have added some depth for the playoffs, signing Brian Pinho to a two-year entry-level contract. Pinho just finished his senior season with Providence College, and will report to the Capitals right away. The deal will begin in 2017-18 and Pinho will actually be eligible to play in the last few games or playoffs, meaning the first year will be burned right away. That’s the leverage the Capitals likely used to get him under contract, as he would have become an unrestricted free agent in August.

Pinho, 22, was second on Providence in scoring this season behind St. Louis Blues prospect Erik Foley, recording 32 points in 40 games. Though he didn’t project as an impact player in the NHL when the Capitals selected him 174th-overall in 2013, his excellent collegiate career has turned him into a legitimate prospect. While his solid stickhandling and playmaking ability can create opportunity for his teammates, there is also a willingness to go to the net that should benefit him at the next level.

Now listed at 6’1″ 191-lbs, Pinho has steadily increased his strength and stability to the point where he shouldn’t be overpowered in the NHL. While he might not step right into a lineup and be put on the special teams, he does have experience on the powerplay—where he played both net-front and left circle—and penalty kill.

Brandon Carlo Requires Surgery, Out 3-4 Months

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The Boston Bruins have been ravaged by injury in the second half of the season, and now have received the latest bad news. Brandon Carlo will require surgery to repair a broken left ankle, and is out for the next three to four months. While that puts him on target for the start of the 2018-19 season, he’ll miss the entire upcoming playoff run.

Carlo was injured on an awkward fall in the corner while trying to battle against Aleksander Barkov, twisting his ankle under his body and immediately realizing something was wrong. It was in almost the same spot that he was injured last season, which also took him out of playoff contention and basically opening up a spot for Charlie McAvoy to make his debut in the postseason.

Though he’s not as important a member as some of the other injuries the Bruins have faced recently, a loss of Carlo still drastically reduces the depth of Boston’s blue line. With a tough Eastern Conference matchup regardless of whether the Bruins finish first or second in the Atlantic, they needed all the help they could get to try and fight through the inevitable injuries the postseason will bring.

Poll: Where Will Mike Green End Up In 2018-19?

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It’s been a tough season for Mike Green. After starting the year in outstanding fashion, registering four points in his first game and 11 in his first nine, things didn’t end up where he expected. The Red Wings would fall out of contention rather early, and by the new year it was clear that they would be selling what they could at the trade deadline.

Since Green doesn’t have a contract that extended to next season, his name was an obvious candidate to be moved for some future assets and his strong start made him a desirable target for teams looking to solidify their right side. In January, even with his name being bandied about in trade rumors, he expressed his desire to re-sign in Detroit. In a Luke Fox piece for Sportsnet, Green explained:

I’m happy in Detroit. I enjoy it. It’s an incredible organization. Things are good. 

I would love to be [back in Detroit]. Whether that happens, there’s so much uncertainty in this league, you just don’t know.

That uncertainty would affect both sides over the next month, as an injury would scare off any would-be buyers and leave Green stranded in Detroit for the last few months of his contract. The defender would re-enter the lineup, only to require back surgery in late March and be shut down for the season. He’s expected to make a full recovery, but his days in Detroit could be over.

But, should they be? Could Detroit use a player like him over the next few seasons to guide the young players along, logging big minutes to protect some of the youth that will need to fill the defensive ranks? A short-term deal could give them another chance to move him at a trade deadline, provided he doesn’t continue to deteriorate at an accelerated rate.

Or will another team look at him as one of the top options on the free agent market, even despite his injury troubles and lack of production in the second half. We ranked Green #10 on our Midseason Free Agent Power Rankings, but he’ll be a tough player to get a read on this summer since there won’t be any post-surgery playing time to judge.

Where do you think Green will end up? Cast your vote, and explain how much money you think he’ll get in the comment section below.

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

San Jose Sharks Sign Lukas Radil To One-Year Contract

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The San Jose Sharks have dipped their toes into European free agency a bit early, signing Lukas Radil to a one-year deal that starts next season. The 27-year old forward recently suited up for the Czech Republic at the Olympics, and has been playing in the KHL for three seasons. Even if the contract began this season, Radil would not be playoff eligible for the Sharks.

Sharks GM Doug Wilson spoke about Radil in the press release:

Lukas is a big-bodied, puck possession forward who has been playing professional hockey at a high level for seven-plus seasons. He is coming off his most successful year yet, and has represented his country on the world’s biggest stages. We feel his game will translate well to the way we play and we’re excited to welcome him to San Jose next season.

That successful year that Wilson mentions was a big one, as Radil registered 38 points in 53 games for Moscow Spartak. That trailed only former AHL dynamo and Boston Bruins second-round pick Alexander Khokhlachev for the team lead.

Radil is a big-bodied forward who was a solid contributor at both even strength and on the powerplay, and could step right into a bottom-six role for the Sharks next season. There is no reason to think that he will turn into a real impact forward right away, but adding NHL-caliber players on reasonable deals adds depth to any team. Radil will turn 28 in August, meaning he won’t be restricted by the entry-level contract system. No word has been released on the financial details of the contract.

Nic Hague, Michael McLeod Heading To AHL

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After the Mississauga Steelheads were eliminated from the OHL playoffs, two of their best players are headed to the AHL to test their skills. Vegas Golden Knights prospect Nic Hague is on his way to the Chicago Wolves, while New Jersey Devils pick Micheal McLeod is joining Binghamton.

Hague was selected in the second round by the Golden Knights after falling a bit in the draft, but has taken another step forward this season. With 35 goals and 78 points in 67 games, the 19-year old defenseman led the Steelheads in scoring and skated huge minutes for them all season long. His 6’6″ frame is used to effectively move attackers off the puck in the defensive zone, while his long reach and active stick routinely cuts off passes. Jumping into the rush and taking plenty of shots from the point, there are still some warts in Hague’s game as he can get caught of position. With some strong coaching at the next level though, there is huge upside to his game as a future NHL player.

McLeod on the other hand has had a disappointing season for Mississauga, after battling injury to start the year. While 44 points in 38 games still puts him as one of the more effective players on the team, his breakaway speed and dynamic puck control have been absent at times. Those skills are the ones that made him the 12th-overall pick in 2016, and ones that could make him a star in the NHL down the road. McLeod did find his game somewhat in the playoffs, scoring some big goals as the Steelheads tried to fend off elimination. If he can continue to get back to what made him such a high pick, there’s a chance the 20-year old forward could be in New Jersey as soon as the fall.

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