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Archives for May 2018

Offseason May Bring Improvement, Danger For Montreal Canadiens

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The Montreal Canadiens head into this offseason with some clear holes on their roster. The most glaring of those needs is down the middle, where the team has lacked any sort of depth at center for many years. The team has tried Jonathan Drouin and Alex Galchenyuk in the role, but neither seem perfectly suited to handle big minutes at the position. Drouin will likely be tested there again, but many have suggested that the Canadiens go out and use their ample cap space to go free agent hunting. John Tavares is the obvious first choice if he reaches July 1st without a contract from the New York Islanders, but others like Paul Stastny, Joe Thornton, Tyler Bozak or even Derek Ryan could all bring some level of improvement to the team.

There is also the trade market, where names like Ryan O’Reilly, Sam Bennett, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and others are still floating around. The Canadiens will obviously look to upgrade, but they also have to be extremely careful in who they acquire, and how much—or perhaps more importantly how long—they pay them.

Even if they do nothing, Montreal will likely be a better team in 2018-19. Shea Weber and Carey Price should return with some modicum of health, while Drouin will have a full year of experience under the spotlight. Victor Mete, Noah Juulsen, Nikita Scherbak and Artturi Lekhonen could all take steps forward to become impact players, and the team owns the third-overall pick in this year’s draft. There’s no guarantee that a player like Filip Zadina would be able to step right into the NHL and contribute, but the Canadiens will obviously be able to add an elite prospect to the mix. The temptation of supplementing these players with some free agent help will be there, but it could just as easily backfire for the team.

Last summer the Canadiens handed out a five-year deal to Karl Alzner who, while not a disaster on the ice, failed to live up to some lofty expectations. While logging more than 20 minutes a night, Alzner wasn’t a shutdown defensive presence like many had hoped and now looks slightly overpaid at $4.6MM. Drouin didn’t quite live up to expectations either, though there is no reason to doubt that he has another gear ready for next season.

If anything can be learned from the Alzner contract, it’s that the Canadiens have to be careful not to fall into the trap of paying the best player available like he’s the best player at the position. Last year’s free agent market was remarkably thin, and while this season looks to have a better group, any of the names mentioned above are far from sure things. Even Thornton, who will go down as one of the league’s all-time great setup men, isn’t the same first-line center he once was.

Montreal heads into next season with plenty of cap room, but with Price’s eight-year $84MM extension just kicking off they must be extremely careful with their finances. With Weber’s long-term deal still on the books and eventual extensions due to a handful of young players, there is a clear danger of putting the team in a cap squeeze by handing out multiple big-money contracts. Even Tavares, who will likely command something between $10-12MM per season, could potentially put the Canadiens in a tough spot despite his obvious skills. Every team that has two highly paid superstars ends up shedding young talent to keep the salary structure balanced, and if Tavares and Price aren’t enough to lead the team to victory they could be in trouble.

Next season’s salary cap is expected to be somewhere between $78-82MM, giving the Canadiens somewhere around $17MM in cap space to spend this summer. That’s enough to be players in the market, but they shouldn’t be going all-in without some careful consideration. Otherwise they could find themselves in an even worse situation at this time next year, even if the results on the ice improve in the short-term.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

ECHL Announces Ryan Crelin As Next Commissioner

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The ECHL has announced that Ryan Crelin will succeed Brian McKenna as the league’s next commissioner. Crelin has been with the league since 2005, most recently as the Chief Operating Officer. Ray Harris, the Chariman of the ECHL Board of Governors, had this to say about Crelin’s appointment:

I am extremely happy to welcome Ryan as the Commissioner of the ECHL. It has been a distinct pleasure to work with Ryan for the past 13 years and witness his growth within our organization first hand. His effort and devotion to our League is inspiring and I am confident that he will continue the success and growth of the ECHL.

Beginning in 1988-89, the ECHL has developed into a third tier of development for many organizations around the NHL. Organizations like Toronto and Pittsburgh have invested plenty of resources into their respective teams, using them as a place to stash goaltending prospects and those who have certain weaknesses in their game. When the 2017-18 season began in the NHL, 66 players on opening night rosters had previously spent time in the ECHL, including Tom Kuhnhackl, Francois Beauchemin, Micheal Ferland, Jonathan Quick and Mike Hoffman.

Even the Stanley Cup final holds former ECHL players, including Ryan Reaves, Braden Holtby and Jay Beagle. Deryk Engelland, who has become the heart and soul of a Vegas Golden Knights team because of his connection with the community, formed that bond with the city of Las Vegas while playing for the Las Vegas Wranglers in the early part of his career. While the league isn’t known for producing high end talent, they do have an impact on teams around the league and will only continue to do so as organizations move to more thorough development models.

This announcement comes after Laurence Gilman was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs, despite being believed by many to be a front-runner for the ECHL commissioner job. Gilman will instead join the Maple Leafs as an assistant GM, and help run the Toronto Marlies. His decision is Crelin’s gain, as the former COO will be promoted after just one year in his previous role.

Snapshots: Vrbata, Snow, Calgary

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Radim Vrbata had already announced that he would be retiring from the NHL after this season, and in an excellent piece by Craig Morgan of AZ Sports he goes into just why he made the decision. Vrbata plans on coaching his son’s hockey team in the Czech Republic, before deciding where his hockey career—whatever that entails—will take him next.

Vrbata will end his career having played 1,057 games in the NHL, scoring 623 points in the process. Though he never won a Stanley Cup, he did get to the Conference Finals with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2011-12, the same year he scored a career-high 35 goals. The seventh-round pick from 1999 proved to be an excellent offensive producer throughout his career, cracking 50 points on four occasions and scoring 30+ goals twice.

  • Garth Snow and the rest of the New York Islanders front office were apparently caught off guard by the hiring of Lou Lamoriello recently, as Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports. Snow and Islanders’ head coach Doug Weight were at the IIHF World Championship scouting in Denmark when the team hired Lamoriello to run their hockey operations, and were “kept out of the loop.” While Brooks doesn’t expand on what that means, it does add a little awkwardness as Snow is currently still listed as GM and Alternate Governor of the team, though many reports have Lamoriello with full control of the team.
  • Just as Ottawa falls into disarray again with the recent comments of Daniel Alfredsson over the desire for a new owner, Calgary gets some good news on their future. The Flames have been embroiled in a battle with the city over a prospective new arena, with both sides walking away from the table late last year. Now, city council has voted to open talks again with the team to try and get some progress towards a new home for the Flames. Several times team President Ken King has hinted that staying at their current home for much longer isn’t financially feasible, with some taking that to mean that possible relocation would happen down the road without a new arena. While this is extremely preliminary, it is at least a step in the right direction.

Tom Wilson Avoids Suspension After Game 1 Incident

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11:50am: That didn’t take long. Kevin Allen of USA Today reports that there will be no disciplinary hearing for Wilson for the hit on Marchessault.

11:28am: Game one of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals took place last night, and perhaps not surprisingly Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals was involved in another questionable incident. Wilson appeared to hit Vegas Golden Knights forward Jon Marchessault well after he had distributed the puck, resulting in a skirmish and calls for another suspension. Wilson has already been involved in several incidents in the playoffs, and was suspended for three games after hitting Zach Aston-Reese up high in the second round. According to Greg Wyshynski of ESPN, the league is still considering what to do about the latest Wilson hit. In a tweet, Wyshynski explains:

As of about 20 min ago, no official word on Tom Wilson from NHL Player Safety. One source told me they see the hit as slightly if not egregiously late, but that lack of head contact (it was shoulder to shoulder) is a big consideration. Personally, would be surprised if suspended.

In this case, there is also another player to consider in any disciplinary decisions. David Perron of the Golden Knights appeared to jump onto the ice after the hit was made, and collided with Alex Ovechkin immediately. Perron was the sixth player on the ice for Vegas, and immediately engaged with the opposing team. Leaving the bench is supposed to be a 10-game suspension, as we saw earlier this year with Luke Witkowski of the Detroit Red Wings. Whether the league will determine that Perron was leaving the bench as a response to the hit will likely decide whether or not he sees any further discipline.

For Wilson, it’s just another example of how he uses his physicality to rile up the opponents. Marchessault appeared to be okay after the hit, which did not connect with his head, but was forced off the ice and into the dressing room for a time. As one of the Golden Knights’ key forwards, missing any time would be a big blow to the team’s hopes for the rest of the series. So too would another Wilson suspension, as the physical power forward has found a home on the Capitals’ top line next to Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Wilson has 12 points in 17 playoff games so far, nearly matching his total (19) from the entire 2016-17 season.

Anaheim Ducks Sign Antoine Morand To Entry-Level Contract

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Fresh off winning the Memorial Cup with Acadie-Bathurst, Antoine Morand has now signed his first professional contract. According to CapFriendly, the Anaheim Ducks have signed Morand to a three-year entry-level deal that carries an average annual value of $776K.

Morand, 19, was selected by the Ducks in the second round last summer and this year led the Titan in scoring with 76 points. Though that number is a fine total for a third-year junior player, it’s Morand’s all-around game that draws such positive reports and has now resulted in a professional contract. While his offensive awareness is quite good, he works hard in the defensive zone and continuously disrupts opposing forwards as they attempt to move the puck towards the net. His size, while not tremendous for a center prospect, has never been much of a deterrent as he deftly wins puck battles without much physical confrontation.

If Morand is going to make it to the NHL, there may need to be a slight improvement in his offensive game. He should dominate the QMJHL next season if he returns, and will need to prove he can produce at the next level to really remain a top prospect for the Ducks. There are always spots for hard working reliable centers on professional teams, but as the game moves more and more towards a four-line structure, even a defensively aware player needs to be able to contribute offensively. Next year will be a good test of his ceiling, before joining the AHL in 2019-20.

While the Ducks deal with aging stars on their NHL roster, the next wave of talent is approaching quickly. Sam Steel, Max Jones, Maxime Comtois and now Morand will all be expected to provide home-grown production for the roster in the coming years.

Toronto Maple Leafs Re-Sign Kasimir Kaskisuo

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have locked up part of their goaltending depth, re-signing Kasimir Kaskisuo to a two-year, two-way contract with an average annual value of $675K in the NHL. Kaskisuo was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer, after spending the 2017-18 season in the minor leagues. The 24-year old goaltender spent most of the season on loan to the Chicago Wolves, since Garret Sparks and Calvin Pickard were given the jobs with the Toronto Marlies.

Signed out of the NCAA in 2016, Kaskisuo may be the forgotten goaltender among Maple Leafs fans. While the other four names ahead of him on the depth chart have found immediate success in Toronto, Kaskisuo has had to battle in different cities to prove he has what it takes at the professional level. Playing for the Orlando Solar Bears in the ECHL and now the Wolves this season, the Finnish goaltender would need to take some big steps forward to overtake Sparks or Pickard in the pecking order. Either that, or Toronto is thinking about moving one of the two minor league goaltenders this offseason.

Sparks is under contract for another season and has shown he’s ready for the NHL, while Pickard is a restricted free agent this summer. Though the team doesn’t desperately need the former Colorado Avalanche goaltender for their minor league club, he still presents an experienced option to step in and play some NHL games if necessary. Curtis McElhinney, the current NHL backup, is now 35 years old and could take a step backwards at any time. All of this uncertainty is a positive for Kaskisuo, who likely just wants a chance to prove himself for the Marlies.

Video Game Addiction Affecting NHL Prospects

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With each new generation, technology is playing an increasingly larger role in day-to-day life. Many feel that technology should be embraced and can be used to improve upon society, while others feel technological advancements are having a negative effect on young people, becoming too prevalent in their lives. American author David Wong once wrote “New technology is not good or evil in and of itself. It’s all about how people choose to use it.” Few would argue that video games are inherently “evil”; they generally serve as an innocuous hobby and can even be used to bring people together and allow users to learn from one another. However, when video game users choose to devote too much of their daily lives to an activity that separates them from reality, then the gaming technology can certainly become dangerous and “evil”.

Such is the case of video game addiction, which is still a point of contention in the medical community, but is defined by some as a behavioral compulsion resulting in social isolation, hyper-focus on in-game achievements, and a resulting disassociation with other important real-life responsibilities. Video game addiction is becoming more and more common and has now found its way into the world of hockey. In Sportsnet’s “31 Thoughts” podcast this week with Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek, Marek reveals inside knowledge of a top NHL prospect who he now feels is unlikely to reach the NHL due to a video game addiction (conversation begins at 22:22). Marek declined to name the player, but mentioned that it is a Canadian major junior player and a recent first-round draft pick by a very prominent NHL team. Marek goes on to describe how team management has had to intervene and seek counseling for the player after his addiction led to late-night game play and negatively affected his energy level and on-ice performance. Marek admitted that this information is now a year old, but that the player’s stats would indicate that little has changed. He simply sums up the situation by saying that this talented prospect will “probably never play in the NHL because of a video game addiction… it is that bad.”

The story has now spread to Vancouver after an erroneous report left Marek without any option but to publicly deny that the player in question was top Canucks defensive prospect Olli Juolevi. However, in defending Juolevi, both Ben Kuzma and Patrick Johnston of the The Province tackled the issue of video game addiction in hockey. Kuzma spoke with GM Jim Benning who again defended Juolevi, but admitted that video games are beginning to pose a threat. When asked if he would inquire into prospects’ video game habits at the NHL Draft Combine, Benning initially laughed it off and said “Asking players if they play video games? I’ve never heard that it has been a problem”. That is until now, and Benning got serious saying “It’s getting bigger. And if a player is doing it all the time and has an addiction, it could be a problem.” Johnston details some of the benefits of playing video games, both mentally and socially, and discusses how it is already popular among NHL players. However, he warns that – like anything –  a lack of control can lead to problems.

Video game addiction is unlikely to begin while in the NHL, given the heavy schedule and locker room dynamics. It’s clear that they are popular among players – perhaps even the favorite way to pass the time – but veterans on any team would never allow one of their teammate to reach an addiction level of play. The multi-million dollar contracts tend to help with maintaining focus as well. Yet, the developmental levels are at risk and it will become increasingly important that coaches, executives, and older players ensure that everyone is keeping a healthy balance between hockey, social life, and then leisure activities like video games. Marek believes that one career has already been lost to video game addiction; it would be a travesty to see a trend begin.

Bettman And Daly Discuss Expansion, Salary Cap, Playoffs And More In State Of The League Address

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NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly spoke with the media today ahead of Game One of the Stanley Cup Final to address ongoing league issues. The pair answered questions for close to an hour combined and touched on many of the most important issues facing the NHL currently:

  • Bettman clarified the situation regarding Seattle and the next round of expansion in the NHL. He began by shooting down rumors that the Board of Governors would vote on Seattle’s expansion bid at next month’s meeting. Instead, Bettman offered meetings in September or December of this year as the likely voting date. Bettman stressed that there was never any timetable for this round of expansion, so there is no delay in evaluating Seattle’s situation, but instead said that “the train just hasn’t arrived at the station on time.” However, Bettman did add that there has been “no pushback whatsoever” from the owners on adding another team and using the same Expansion Draft rules that Vegas received, so it seems that the plan to add Seattle is full steam ahead.
  • Daly addressed the expansion possibilities in Houston, stating that there have been conversations with the new owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, Tilman Fertitta, about potential interest. Daly admits that Fertitta is interested and did not seem to care whether a Houston team would be added through expansion or relocation. However, Daly does not believe that any such move to Houston is imminent, as the Rockets ownership group is still adjusting to owning one team, nevertheless already looking to add another.
  • In regards to recent comments from Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, who stated that the league did not want a team in Quebec City, Bettman refuted the claim and said only that Jacobs was speaking for himself and not all of his fellow owners. It does seem that Quebec City is solidly in third, at best, among potential NHL expansion cities, but Bettman does not want to alienate a key Canadian fan base by agreeing that the league will never return to the city.
  • Bettman also addressed the situation in Ottawa, making it clear that the Senators are not for sale. Bettman stood behind owner Eugene Melnyk, as he has in the past, calling him a “committed owner”. Many Sens fans and other around the league may disagree, but the league currently seems content to let things play out in Ottawa.
  • Both Bettman and Daly confirmed that the league did not suffer an adverse effects from not participating in the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The league’s decision was highly criticized by fans, players, and corporate partners alike, but neither Bettman nor Daly expressed any regret. They said that no decision has been made about the 2022 Games in Beijing, China just yet.
  • In fact, the league must have enjoyed a strong season financially, as Daly estimates that the salary cap for the 2018-19 season will fall somewhere between $78MM and $82MM. The midpoint, $80MM, would represent a $5MM increase from this past season. Just that number would be the largest increase in the salary cap limit in a decade. This news, even just as an estimate, could drastically change the landscape of this upcoming off-season.
  • This increased profit also has Bettman optimistically talking collective bargaining. Bettman seemed pleased when discussing league finances and said he was ready to sit down and negotiate a new CBA with the players’ association at any time. The current CBA expires after the 2021-22 season, although both sides may opt out in September of 2019. Bettman seemed hopeful that the NHLPA would be ready to begin negotiations shortly to avoid any future work stoppage.
  • Bettman quickly addressed the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on legalized sports betting, saying that the NHL would prefer federal oversight and consistency rather than state-by-state unique betting structures. Unfortunately for him, that is unlikely given the court’s decision.
  • Bettman also briefly mentioned that the league is getting closer to having accurate player and puck tracking data readily available. This would provide a major boost to hockey analytics and player evaluation.
  • Daly added that third jerseys are on their way back to the NHL. Adidas did not make alternate jerseys this year in their first season as the NHL’s supplier, but will have them ready for next year. Daly revealed that nearly a third of the teams will have brand new third jerseys in 2018-19.
  • The most controversial comment of the night came from Daly, who said that the league feels that their current playoff format is the best ever and that no changes are on the horizon. This is totally counter to the general public sentiment this postseason.
  • Seemingly the only major topic that the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner did not touch on is concussions. Bettman fielded one such question by simply refusing to answer, saying “I’m not going to start another news cycle”. Daly added little more, saying that it’s not Bettman’s opinion, but so far there is not enough evidence from the league’s scientists that CTE and concussions are connected. Maybe that was the most controversial comment…

Karri Ramo Expected To Return To KHL’s Avangard Omsk

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Former NHL goaltender Karri Ramo has his sights set on a return, but not across the Atlantic. Instead, Ramo is expected to remain in the KHL, but sign with former team Avangard Omsk in Russia. Ramo spent this season with Jokerit, a KHL squad in his native Finland, but Russian source Championat reports that Omsk will soon announce that they have brought back the talented keeper.

Ramo, 31, is coming off of such a strong season that there was speculation that there could be interest in the NHL even though he made only 18 regular season starts for Jokerit. Ramo shared the net with U.S. Olympian Ryan Zapolski this year, but made less than half as many starts as the veteran American. However, in his limited action, Ramo was easily the best “backup” in the KHL with a .930 save percentage and 1.94 GAA. Appearances aside, those numbers were good enough for thirteenth and seventh respectively in the KHL, yet somehow just a shade worse than Zapolski. Ramo’s time came in the postseason though; he was the hot hand and made six starts to Zapolski’s five and posted an incredible .954 save percentage and 1.31 GAA.

With Omsk, Ramo will return to the team that he starred for from 2009 to 2013. A sixth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, Ramo joined the Bolts as a rookie in 2006-07 and spent three years as the team’s primary backup. Ramo then left for the KHL in 2009 and quickly became on of the league’s top keepers, leading Avangard to four straight postseason appearances while posting a GAA of 2.11 or better in each season. Given his renewed value overseas, Ramo returned to the NHL in 2013 and split starts for the Calgary Flames for three seasons, but struggled to find the same success he had in Russia. In returning to Omsk, Ramo will be expected to solve the severe goaltending issues that plagued the team last season with the help of fellow new addition Igor Bobkov. Ramo will also reunite with former Calgary coach and recent Omsk hire Bob Hartley as the pair look to improve on a team that is lacking in high-end talent. A star goalie, strong defense, and experienced coaching could be all that Avangard need to make a run next season though.

Poll: Who Will Win The 2018 Stanley Cup Finals?

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The day has come. In just a few hours, the Washington Capitals will take on the Vegas Golden Knights in a Stanley Cup Finals matchup no one expected before the season. Even when the playoffs started and Vegas and Washington had won their respective divisions, few gave them a real fighting chance at winning the Stanley Cup. Now, in the matter of a four wins, a team will be crowned 2018 NHL Champions, and take home the first Stanley Cup in franchise history—short as that history is for the Golden Knights.

For Vegas, this is not something to take lightly. Though their team was constructed less than a year ago, and the team has blown their competition out of the water time and time again this season, they could just as easily take a massive step backwards in the years to come. Thanks to some exquisite drafting that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, but nothing is ever certain in sports. Just ask the Capitals, who have had season after season of individual successes, but are getting to the finals for just the second time in franchise history and first since 1998.

Washington is made up of much the same core as their previous early playoff exits, but feel like they are playing better now than ever before. A 32-year old Alex Ovechkin looks rejuvenated, and has 22 points in 19 playoff games. He’s generated a playoff-leading 80 shots on goal, and is playing physical hard working hockey. Their coach, Barry Trotz, could still be fighting for his future as he continues to work without an extension. Like a free agent during a contract year he’s showing the world what he can do at his best.

Those pesky Golden Knights won’t lie down easily though. Marc-Andre Fleury, an old nemesis of the Capitals will be standing in the way, flashing his Conn Smythe-caliber .947 playoff save percentage in their face. Fleury was replaced in Pittsburgh by Matt Murray in recent years, but is showing that he can still perform on the biggest stage. Vegas GM George McPhee knows the Capitals roster probably better than anyone not still with the organization, as he drafted many of the current players and constructed huge chunks of the group when he was Washington’s GM.

This series will be a war. After several (see: too many) days off, both teams are ready to get things started and will do so later tonight. Who do you think will win? Cast your vote below and comment on who you think will show up to secure the series for their team.

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