Archives for February 2019

Carter Hart Expected To Remain With Flyers For Rest Of Season

February 9, 2019 at 7:26 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 4 Comments

With the impending return of goaltender Brian Elliott as well as the potential return of Michal Neuvirth and the presence of Anthony Stolarz, there are some who are worried that the Philadelphia Flyers might consider sending 20-year-old Carter Hart back to the AHL to make room for some of their veterans. Of course, Hart’s numbers would suggest that might be a mistake as he has won eight-straight games, which ties him for the NHL record for the most consecutive games won by a goalie under 21 years old (Jocelyn Thibault also had eight straight wins in 1995).

However, Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher confirmed reports today that Hart has been told that he’s staying in Philadelphia for the rest of the season.

“Yes most likely,” Fletcher said. “But he will be eligible for AHL playoffs if we don’t make it in Philly.”

Heralded as the CHL Goaltender of the Year two straight years, the belief was that Hart would need to play one full season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. However, with numerous injuries in net in Philadelphia and a change in leadership both in the front office and eventually behind the bench, Hart was recalled on Dec. 18 and has put up impressive numbers, including an 11-5-1 record, a 2.45 GAA and a .926 save percentage in 17 games. His current eight-game winning streak has vaulted the Flyers, long thought out of a playoff spot, back into the race as they are just six points out of a wildcard spot, although there are a number of teams in between them.

The team has already indicated they will consider keeping three goaltenders on the roster as Elliott is expected to return to game action next week. Regardless, the team has gotten solid play from both Hart and Stolarz recently and Philadelphia has made it clear, they don’t want to overwhelm the youngster by playing him too much, so adding a third goaltender shouldn’t have detrimental effects.

St. Louis Blues Sign MacKenzie MacEachern To One-Year Extension

February 9, 2019 at 5:28 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

Mackenzie MacEachern knew his game-winning goal against the Nashville Predators earlier today was significant, but the rookie benefitted more than that as the St. Louis Blues announced they have signed the 24-year-old forward to a one-year, one-way extension worth $750K.

MacEachern has come a long way since last summer when he re-signed with the team to a one-year, two-way deal in which he was coming off a 2017-18 campaign in the former Michigan State University scorer, tallied just 10 points last season with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. However, MacEachern turned a corner this year, putting up nine goal and 16 points in 33 games with San Antonio of the AHL before getting called up on Jan. 10. He has two goals and three points in 10 appearances, including Saturday afternoon’s game-winner in the second period against the Predators.

MacEachern, who was making just $650K on a two-year deal, now gets a small pay raise and must continue to show that he can contribute at an NHL level like he did when he tallied 33 goals in three seasons at Michigan State. He might have a tough time earning that however, as the team only has one player, Patrick Maroon, who will be an unrestricted free agent and isn’t expected back. However, with lots of youth like Robert Thomas, Sammy Blais and Jordan Kyrou expected to vie for more playing time next season, as well as a number of other young prospects fighting for a spot such as Klim Kostin, MacEachern will have his work cut out for him.

Pacific Notes: Baertschi, Carrier, Phaneuf, Thornton

February 9, 2019 at 4:28 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

The Vancouver Canucks may be fighting for a playoff spot, but they will have to do it for a while without winger Sven Baertschi, as Canucks’ head coach Travis Green reported that Baertschi will miss some time after being diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome, according to Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Sun.

Baertschi has been feeling ill since last Sunday, the day after the team played Colorado and he didn’t report any symptoms before the game. However, Green said this is not a new concussion as there is no indication that he suffered any hit during the game. Instead it is believed this ties in to a concussion Baertschi suffered in October when he took a hit to the head from Vegas’ Tomas Hyka. There is no specific timetable to how long Baertschi will be out.

“We’re going to give him some time off,” Green said. “(He’s) probably going to be out for a little bit.”

Baertschi did not accompany the team to Philadelphia last week and has now missed three games, all losses. Johnston adds that post-concussion syndrome can linger for months after an initial concussion.

The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reports that the Vegas Golden Knights will be swapping players Saturday. The team is expecting to get back fourth-line winger William Carrier for their game today against Columbus. Carrier has been out for more than a month after going down with an undisclosed injury. Carrier has played a career-high 44 games and has eight goals, but has been essential to the team’s bottom line with 219 hits. With Carrier’s return, the team has placed third-line winger Ryan Carpenter on injured reserve, also with an undisclosed injury.
The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman (subscription required) writes that after being scratched for the first time in his career, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Dion Phaneuf was unhappy with the developments and despite potential rumors of an eventual buyout, he claims he has plenty more left to give in the NHL. “I’m not that old. So I will say that,” said Phaneuf, who will turn 34 on April 10, “I’ve got lots left. Mentor, whatever you want to call it, I’ve got a job to do as well. I feel good. I know I’ve played a long time. I’ve got more left. Right now, it’s about working to get back in the lineup. When you get back in, you want to do your job.”
Despite talk of still being injured, The Mercury News’ Paul Gackle writes that the 10-day break that Joe Thornton and the San Jose Sharks got recently has done wonders for their third-line center. Thornton, who has struggled with knee issues on and off this sea is now fully healthy and starting to become what head coach Peter DeBoer envisioned when Thornton took over his third-line center duties, giving the team a sparkplug on a bottom-six line. “A healthy Joe Thornton creates mismatches. He turns depth players into very-good players,” DeBoer said. “That’s a key to success in this league.”

Snapshots: Grzelcyk, Lewis, Eaves, Canadiens

February 9, 2019 at 3:02 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 3 Comments

Matt Grzelcyk’s strong showing this season and cheap contract may make him a trade candidate over the next few weeks, suggests Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston. The 25-year-old (who is currently dealing with a lower-body injury) is logging nearly 20 minutes a night for the Bruins on their back end and carries a $1.4MM cap hit through next season. That’s bound to get the attention of some selling teams who would relish the chance to add a potential top-four player on a below-market deal. Boston is on the lookout for help up front and if they don’t want to part with one of their younger forwards, Grzelcyk could very well be on the move instead.

Trade Candidate: Marcus Johansson

February 9, 2019 at 1:39 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that have a good chance to be dealt by February 25th.

Things haven’t gone particularly well for Marcus Johansson since being dealt to New Jersey two summers ago. He has considerable trouble staying healthy and his production has dipped relative to how he performed in Washington. That said, the 28-year-old still could be one of the more under the radar targets around the league over the next couple of weeks.

Contract

Johansson is in the final season of a three-year, $13.75MM contract that carries an AAV of $4.583MM and a $4.75MM salary. He has a five-team no-trade clause and will be eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of the season.

2018-19

Let’s get the bad out of the way first. After missing the majority of last season with multiple concussions, he has already missed a dozen games with a couple of injuries. Durability wasn’t a major concern over his last few years with Washington but it has been now. On top of that, Johansson didn’t play particularly well early on and was even spending time on the third line. That’s a far cry from being the reliable and consistent producer that he was with the Capitals.

Lately, though, Johansson has played a lot better. Injuries have forced him into a bigger role and to his credit, he has stepped up which should boost his value around the league. Over the past month, he’s logging over 18 minutes per night and between that and his versatility (he can play all three forward positions), he’s positioning himself to be an intriguing addition for some playoff-bound teams.

Season Stats

41 GP, 8 goals, 12 assists, 20 points, -11 rating, 8 PIMS, 84 shots, 16:06 ATOI, 49.7 CF%

Potential Suitors

With Johansson’s contract being an expiring one, only playoff-bound teams (or ones with postseason aspirations) are likely to have interest in acquiring him. On top of that, his cap hit will also limit his suitors unless the Devils are willing to retain a portion of his contract (they can hold back up to 50%).

In the East, Pittsburgh doesn’t have the cap space to take on his full deal but they’d be an intriguing fit. The Penguins are still searching for the right wingers alongside Sidney Crosby and given Johansson’s ability to play both sides, it’s possible he could get a shot there which would be a significant boost heading into free agency. If Buffalo decides to try to add a player or two to give them some more firepower up front, they would be a good fit for Johansson as well. Columbus could be looking for a short-term addition as well depending on what happens with Artemi Panarin so they could be involved here while if the Capitals could find the money, they’d be a dark horse as well. (However, given their cap constraints, Andre Burakovsky would need to be a part of the deal with the Devils also retaining a sizable chunk of Johansson’s deal.)

Given his style of play, I think Johansson’s a better fit in the East but a handful of Western teams make sense as a fit. San Jose may want to shift Marcus Sorensen back onto the fourth line which would open up a spot for Johansson on their third line but again, the cap will make it a little tricky. The recent injury to Mikko Koivu in Minnesota opens up a big hole for them to try to fill and while Johansson can’t cover the defensive element that Koivu brings, he’d at least replace some of the offense. Vegas will also probably be on the lookout for extra forward depth and will be limited to the rental market with their upcoming extensions. GM George McPhee also has some familiarity from his time in Washington.

Likelihood Of A Trade

With New Jersey being well out of the postseason picture, the odds of Johansson getting dealt have to be high. He’s not among the top rental players available but his recent play and versatility will make him an enticing piece for teams looking to add for the stretch run. The contract may wind up limiting the return but the Devils should still be able to get a decent draft pick or prospect for Johansson.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Metropolitan Notes: Simmonds, Elliott, Hurricanes, Panarin

February 9, 2019 at 12:20 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 2 Comments

The Flyers have not made any recent progress in contract extension talks with winger Wayne Simmonds, reports Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News (Twitter link). The veteran is slated to become an unrestricted free agent and GM Chuck Fletcher indicated last month that either an extension would be reached or he would trade Simmonds by the upcoming trade deadline.

Presumably, a big sticking point here is the term of the contract. There’s no doubt that Simmonds will land a significant raise on his current $3.975MM AAV but how long will the Flyers (or other teams) want to sign him for? His rugged style of play has made him quite successful thus far in his career but also makes him a prime candidate to be susceptible to injuries while he turns 31 in August. It’s likely that Simmonds is looking for a deal that would take him to retirement but that might be a tough sell to Fletcher at this time.

Elsewhere in the very tight Metropolitan Division:

Still with the Flyers, goaltender Brian Elliott is now participating in full practices and is likely to return to game action next week, suggests John Boruk of NBC Sports Philadelphia. However, it’s likely that those appearances will come with Lehigh Valley of the AHL in the form of a conditioning stint. Elliott has an outside chance of being moved by the deadline if a team decides they want some extra depth between the pipes so a good showing there may ultimately determine his fate when it comes to the trade market.
Carolina’s recent hot stretch has their front office potentially rethinking their trade deadline strategy, notes Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic (Twitter link). Instead of being likely sellers, the talk has turned to whether or not they should be looking to add over the next couple of weeks with the emphasis continuing to be on upgrading up front. Most notably, this could change the plans regarding pending UFA winger Micheal Ferland. Instead of moving him elsewhere, the Hurricanes could look to keep him as an internal rental to not subtract from their postseason push.
Artemi Panarin’s decision to change agents yesterday does not appear to be changing his plans beyond this season. Speaking with reporters, including Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch, the winger indicated that he’s still looking forward to testing free agency and that there is a chance he could still re-sign with the Blue Jackets. The 27-year-old ranked second in our Midseason UFA Power Rankings last month.

Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers Agree To Four-Player Trade

February 9, 2019 at 10:31 am CDT | by Zach Leach 4 Comments

The Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers have agreed to a rather rare trade, in which each club has sent two players that have not worked out with their team to the other, with neither really trading anyone that they considered valuable. The Canadiens have announced that veteran forward Dale Weise is returning for a second stint with Montreal and will be accompanied by defenseman Christian Folin. Heading to Philadelphia is journeyman defenseman David Schlemko and minor league forward Byron Froese.

Weise, 30, signed a four-year, $9.4MM contract with the Flyers as a free agent in 2016, but quickly fell out of favor in Philadelphia. After two and half seasons and a total of 34 points in 152 games, the Flyers waived Weise and, after he cleared, sent him to the AHL last month. Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports that it was around that time that the Canadiens and Flyers began putting this trade together, as Weise was done in Philly and desperately wanted to return to Montreal. Weise previously played for the Habs for parts of three seasons from 2014 to 2016 and found his greatest success with the team, recording 59 points in 152 games. Montreal hopes he can return to that level of production, as he is signed for one more year at $2.35MM, but for now they will take advantage of his waiver status. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that Weise has been assigned to the AHL’s Laval Rocket.

Folin though could be an asset right away for the Canadiens. The impending free agent was used sparingly in Philadelphia, skating in just 26 games for the team, but just last year played in 65 games and registered 13 points for the Los Angeles Kings. The 28-year-old is a bargain depth addition, as Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that the Flyers will retain $150K of Folin’s $800K salary, bringing his cap hit down to just the $650K. The addition also gives Montreal another right-handed option on the blue line and a solid physical defender who plays well in his own zone. Karl Alzner has again been placed on waivers in an effort to bury him in the AHL to make room for Folin.

As for Philadelphia’s return, they add a veteran piece not all that different from Weise. Schlemko, 31, also cleared waivers and was sent to the AHL in January. The Canadiens initially acquired Schlemko, and his four-year, $8.4MM contract, from the Vegas Golden Knights after he was selected from the San Jose Sharks in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Hoping he could be a fixture on their blue line, injuries and simply poor play have instead limited Schlemko to just 55 games with the Habs over two years, as well as several minor league stints. While his cap hit next season, especially while buried in the AHL, is less of a burden for the Flyers, Schlemko is not even as much of an NHL option at this point in his career as Weise was. Case in point: NBC Sports’ John Boruk reports that youngster Phil Myers will be recalled to Philadelphia to fill Folin’s spot, while Schlemko will report to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Also headed to the Phantoms is Froese, who has not played in the NHL this season. Froese is a veteran of 110 NHL games and set a career high with 11 points in 48 games with Montreal last season, but has struggled to show that he is anything more than a fourth-liner at the top level. However, Froese is enjoying a strong AHL campaign and was the captain of the Laval Rocket. Lehigh Valley could use his leadership and production down the stretch and in the postseason and perhaps Froese will even get a look in Philly at some point. The 27-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and will try to show the Flyers’ brass that he is worthy of an NHL contract.

All things considered, this is a big trade in terms of the number of players and some notable names, but means very little. New Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher saved himself some cap space next season by swapping out Weise for Schlemko and strengthened his AHL roster this year by adding Froese. Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin, whose team is in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, adds some needed depth in Folin and a fan-favorite who has a chance to rebound next season in Weise. Weise is a slight risk as a salary cap burden, and neither player has extraordinary upside, but it cost Montreal nothing of value to acquire them. Could the Flyers have gotten more? Probably, but at the end of the day neither team will likely end up regretting this trade as it is.

Minor Transactions: 02/09/2019

February 9, 2019 at 9:35 am CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

It’s a busy Saturday slate for the NHL, with 28 teams set to square off today. All seven Canadian clubs are set to play, as the nation celebrates Hockey Day in Canada, while in the U.S. ten teams will get an early start with 1:00pm ET puck drops. With several other games in the late afternoon, evening, and late night, it’s a true all-day affair for the league. While you enjoy all the action, keep up with what should be a busy day for transactions as well:

Attached to the trade yesterday that saw Laurent Dauphin and Adam Helewka head to the Nashville Predators from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Emil Petterson was an AHL exchange as well. The Tuscon Roadrunners, affiliate of the ’Yotes, announced that they have acquired forward Jeremy Gregoire from the Preds’ affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, for future considerations. Gregoire, a former Montreal Canadiens prospect, was not qualified by the team after last season and signed with the Admirals as a free agent. The 23-year-old center has 12 points in 42 AHL games this year. Arizona GM John Chayka has shown in the past that he values a postseason run for his minor league team, adding pieces at each of the past few trade deadlines to help his top prospects experience the postseason even if the Coyotes don’t qualify.
CapFriendly reports that the Anaheim Ducks have recalled goaltender Kevin Boyle from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. This is not a positive sign for the status of starter John Gibson, who left Thursday night’s game with an injury and did not practice yesterday. It seems likely that Boyle will back up Chad Johnson today when the Ducks visit the Philadelphia Flyers. Boyle, 26, has been with the Ducks organization for the past three seasons after signing as a free agent out of UMass – Lowell, but is still looking for his first NHL appearance.
The Ottawa Senators have called up veteran grinder Darren Archibald, the team announced. Archibald, who turns 29 years old today, was acquired alongside Anders Nilsson from the Vancouver Canucks earlier this season. The big winger has two points in ten NHL games this year, but was held scoreless in his Ottawa debut early last month and then sent back down. Yet, as Archibald continues to quietly put together a productive AHL campaign and brings a heavy, physical presence to any lineup, he has earned another shot with the Senators. The impending UFA is trying to prove to possible suitors this off-season that he is more than just a minimum salary, two-way player.
After their victory over Winnipeg earlier today, the Ottawa Senators announced they have returned Archibald to Belleville. He did not appear in today’s win.
The New Jersey Devils have made a flurry of moves, according to CapFriendly. They report that the team has officially placed forward Miles Wood on the injured reserve and activated rookie winger Joey Anderson. Wood left the Devils’ last game with an arm injury, but his injury status had been unclear. Obviously, this is an injury that will keep Wood sidelined for some time. Hopefully Anderson can make up for his absence; the collegiate product had two points through eleven games this season before breaking his ankle in November. New Jersey has called up additional reinforcements from AHL Binghamton as well in forward Nick Lappin and recently-acquired defenseman Ryan Murphy. Lappin has yet to play in the NHL this season after suiting up for 49 games with the Devils over the past two years, but brings some added experience to the table among the options to replace Wood. Murphy, who came over from the Minnesota Wild last week, will hope to show that he can still produce at the NHL level. The 2011 twelfth overall pick has failed to live up to his draft position so far in his pro career.
CapFriendly also notes that the St. Louis Blues have called up defenseman Chris Butler from the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL. The 32-year-old veteran has over 400 NHL games to his credit, but only 12 this season and 24 total over the past four seasons with St. Louis. However, Butler – the Rampage captain – has continued to be effective in the minors. With the Blues suddenly surging toward a playoff berth, a recent report indicated that they might prefer to hold on to one or both of their impending free agent defenseman on the roster, Jay Bouwmeester and Carl Gunnarsson. If that is the case, the team could be using this opportunity to showcase Butler for a potential trade to a contender so that they might walk away with some kind of return at the deadline without moving an established NHLer.
Haydn Fleury’s recent stretch of bouncing back and forth between the NHL and the minors continues. The Hurricanes announced that they have sent the defenseman back to AHL Charlotte. It’s the third time in less than three weeks that they’ve done so with recalls coming shortly after each time, something that will likely be the case again this time. Fleury isn’t getting much playing time in Carolina so this is allowing him to at least get some game action in to stay ready in case he’s called upon by the big club.
It didn’t take long for the Pittsburgh Penguins to get their starting goaltender back as Matt Murray is expected to back up Casey DeSmith Saturday. Therefore the Penguins announced they have returned Tristan Jarry to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. Jarry was recalled Thursday on an emergency basis while Murray was out, Jarry’s trip didn’t last long and he didn’t see any action with the club either.
With Travis Hamonic officially back, the Calgary Flames opted to make a roster move with eight defenseman on their roster. The Flames announced they have assigned defenseman Rinat Valiev to the Stockton Heat of the AHL. The 23-year-old was recalled last Saturday as an emergency defenseman, but never saw the ice.

Deadline Primer: Anaheim Ducks

February 8, 2019 at 8:59 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

With the trade deadline fast approaching, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks. 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 Anaheim Ducks.

While they don’t really play the most exciting of styles, the Ducks have been a fascinating team this season. They were one of the surprises of the early going despite several key injuries. However, they are in a massive tailspin at the moment having won just twice since mid-December. The expectation is that something has to give and that it’s a matter of if, not when it happens.

Record

21-25-9, seventh in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Moderate Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$1.198MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 48/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: ANA 1st, ANA 2nd, ANA 4th, ANA 5th, ANA 6th
2020: ANA 1st, ANA 2nd, ANA 3rd, ANA 4th, ANA 5th, ANA 6th, ANA 7th

Trade Chips

Strictly based on their position in the standings, it’s likely that GM Bob Murray will be open to moving most of their pending unrestricted free agents. Winger Jakob Silfverberg will attract the most interest as even though he isn’t picking up a lot of points, he has a very strong track record of postseason success and can hold his own in a defensive role as well. Between that and being able to play on both wings, he will have numerous suitors. However, Silfverberg has already indicated his preference is to remain with Anaheim and talks regarding an extension are believed to have gone well so far. With that in mind, any move involving the 28-year-old will likely come much closer to the deadline.

Defense has been an area of strength for the Ducks for several years and while their depth has taken a hit compared to what it once was, their top four is still pretty strong. Many teams will be calling about the availability of Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Brandon Montour, and Josh Manson. If one of them is to be made available, Anaheim could get a significant return. At the lower end of the scale, pending Group Six UFA Andy Welinski is an intriguing under the radar candidate. He has held his own in a third pairing role when called upon and even got a sniff of postseason action last season.

In terms of controllable forwards, it’s unlikely that their top players will be made available. However, one depth piece that could attract some interest is Carter Rowney. He’s a fourth liner that can play both center and the wing and has a Stanley Cup title under his belt with Pittsburgh. He has two years left on his deal at a manageable cap hit of just over $1.1MM which would be affordable for most contenders. They’d likely want to get out of Patrick Eaves’ deal given his troubles staying healthy this season but that might require moving another asset to get a team to take on his $3.15MM for next year.

Five Players To Watch For: F Brian Gibbons, G Chad Johnson, F Carter Rowney, F Jakob Silfverberg, D Andy Welinski

Team Needs

1) Scoring: On paper, the Ducks aren’t a bad team up front. However, this hasn’t translated to much success offensively as they are dead last in the league in scoring. It’s hard to win when you’re barely averaging 2.25 goals per game, no matter how good John Gibson plays (and even he has struggled as of late). If Murray opts to make a move to try to shake up the core, expect that adding offense will be the primary focus.

2) Cap Space: In the short-term, Anaheim doesn’t have much room to make an addition of consequence without matching salary the other way. Long-term, they have over $70MM tied up in just 14 players for next season. Even if the Upper Limit goes up a few million as expected, that doesn’t leave them with much room to work with to fill out their roster and even less so if they can re-sign Silfverberg. Finding a way to shed some salary for 2019-20 needs to be an immediate priority for the Ducks.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pacific Notes: Silfverberg, Anaheim Veterans, Edler, Kings

February 8, 2019 at 7:55 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 3 Comments

The Bruins are among the teams interested in Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg, reports Eric Stephens of The Athletic (subscription required), who classifies Boston’s level of interest as great. The 28-year-old quietly leads Anaheim in goals this season with 12 but his 0.43 points per game average is his lowest since his rookie year. However, Silfverberg’s two-way play and track record will make him a popular rental for teams looking to add by the deadline. There is mutual interest in a contract extension but Anaheim’s tagging situation makes that a bit of a tricky proposition if they can’t free up some money for next season in the next couple of weeks.

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