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Five Key Stories: 1/28/19 – 2/3/19

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With the trade deadline now less than a month away, activity has started to pick up around the NHL.  Several notable swaps highlight the top stories of the week.

Muzzin To Toronto: Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas had indicated earlier in the season that his preference would be to avoid the rental market.  He stayed true to his word, acquiring defenseman Jake Muzzin from the Kings in exchange for Toronto’s 2019 first-round pick, defense prospect Sean Durzi, and winger prospect Carl Grundstrom.  Muzzin is signed through next season at a very reasonable $4MM cap hit, giving the Leafs a defensive upgrade beyond the stretch run.  Meanwhile, this likely is only the beginning of what will likely be an intriguing fire sale in Los Angeles as they sit dead last in the West and will be entering a rebuilding process.

Panthers Acquire Brassard: Center Derick Brassard had been part of trade speculation for quite some time and Pittsburgh pulled the trigger on moving him, sending the pending UFA to Florida along with center Riley Sheahan (also a pending UFA) and three 2019 draft picks (a second rounder and two fourth rounders), for center/winger Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann.  The Panthers add some payroll flexibility for next season as it’s believed that they plan to be aggressive in free agency this summer.  It’s certainly possible that one or both of their acquisitions could be flipped in the coming weeks.  Meanwhile, the Penguins shake up their depth and add some longer-term stability down the middle.  Bjugstad has two more years remaining on his contract with a $4.1MM cap hit so he’ll be a longer-term commitment for the Penguins but if he can get back to his form of the last few years, he’ll be a nice addition.

Panarin Won’t Discuss An Extension: Following a meeting with his agent, it was revealed that Blue Jackets winger Artemi Panarin will not discuss a contract extension with the team this season.  That places Columbus in a tough situation as the pending UFA would certainly garner plenty of interest on the trade market but moving him would significantly impact their playoff chances as they are in a tight battle for positioning in the Metropolitan Division.  It appears that GM Jarmo Kekalainen is open to the idea of moving him, stating that the team is willing to make a “hard decision” when it comes to the 27-year-old.  Panarin leads the Blue Jackets in scoring this season with 20 goals and 39 assists in 49 games.

Watson Suspended Indefinitely: Predators winger Austin Watson has been suspended indefinitely after he was placed in Stage Two of the league’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program.  He also missed the first 18 games of the campaign due to a domestic violence arrest in the offseason but had played an important role for Nashville since returning to the lineup.  With there being no timetable for Watson’s return, it’s likely that GM David Poile will have to turn to the trade market to bring in some extra depth on the wing over the next few weeks.

Oleksiak Goes Back To Dallas: Last season, the Stars moved defenseman Jamie Oleksiak to Pittsburgh in exchange for a 2019 fourth-round pick.  The teams ultimately reversed that swap this past week as the 26-year-old rejoined Dallas with the Penguins getting the draft pick they dealt to them back in return.  (That pick was then flipped to Florida in the Brassard trade.)  Oleksiak was needed with Dallas announcing that veteran blueliner Marc Methot will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery.  He has already been transferred to LTIR.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Zuccarello, Kronwall, Marner

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The Penguins have shown some interest in Rangers winger Mats Zuccarello, reports Larry Brooks of the New York Post.  The pending unrestricted free agent has been on a hot streak as of late with a seven-game point streak, picking up 13 points in that span which has likely boosted his trade value with the deadline fast approaching.  Zuccarello would certainly give Pittsburgh an offensive boost on the wing but Brooks notes that the Penguins’ prospect pool isn’t the deepest while they’re also missing two of their top three picks which might make a trade harder as New York will undoubtedly be looking for futures in return.  Given Pittsburgh’s salary cap situation, they would need the Rangers to retain a significant portion of his $4.5MM contract as well to facilitate a move.

Elsewhere out East:

  • Although he doesn’t have a full no-trade clause, the Red Wings will hold off on moving defenseman Niklas Kronwall if he indicates that he does not want to be moved, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reports (video link). In fact, Kypreos suggests that the likelier scenario at this point may be a discussion of a contract extension for the 38-year-old.  Last offseason, Kronwall hinted that this could wind up being his final season but he’s still averaging nearly 20 minutes per game and has held his own so it’s certainly plausible to think he’ll want to stick around for another year.  However, he may have to take a cut from his current $4.75MM AAV to do so.
  • While there has been some speculation regarding a potential offer sheet for Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner this offseason, Matt Larkin of The Hockey News examines why it’s very unlikely to happen. In particular, it would be difficult to find a threshold below the four first-rounder mark that Marner would be willing to sign and Toronto would not be willing to match.  With there being numerous quality restricted free agents this coming summer, there is a chance someone tries an offer sheet but it’s unlikely to involve the 21-year-old who already has 63 points so far this season.

PHR Originals: 1/28/19 – 2/3/19

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Here is a rundown of the original content at PHR over the past seven days.

Our trade deadline primers continued as we wrapped up the Central Division and got the ball rolling on the Pacific.  Zach broke down the Blues and Flames, Holger looked at the Sharks and Golden Knights, and I did the same for the Blackhawks.

The rest of our UFA power rankings have now been revealed with our top-10 as well as the honorable mentions.  Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson took home the unanimous number one ranking while Blue Jackets winger Artemi Panarin narrowly edged out Senators winger Mark Stone for the second spot.  Despite a down season, Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky got the top goalie slot, coming in at number six.

One player that didn’t crack the top-20 in the rankings was Rangers winger Mats Zuccarello.  I took a closer look at his situation leading into the trade deadline and as far as secondary rental players go, he’s likely to garner quite a bit of interest in the coming weeks.

Gavin held his weekly Thursday live chat.  Topics included the potential for a pair of long-time Chicago defensemen to be traded, what Columbus could expect in return for Panarin and Bobrovsky, Boston’s potential trade deadline activity, what Winnipeg should be on the lookout for, and much more.

The Jake Muzzin trade is likely only the beginning of a sale in Los Angeles in the weeks to come (and quite possibly the offseason as well).  Who will the Kings move next?  Make your prediction by voting in our poll.

Snapshots: Islanders’ Trade Deadline, Byron, Elliott, Crawford

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The New York Islanders are expecting to get back two significant players from injury in the next few days as defenseman Thomas Hickey and winger Andrew Ladd took part in the Islanders’ optional morning skate Saturday in non-contact jerseys, according to New York Post’s Brett Cyrgalis. Hickey has been out with a concussion since Dec. 17, while Ladd has been out since Nov. 13 with a lower-body injury.

However, while many people look at their eventual returns as like picking up a couple of deadline acquisitions, Cyrgalis writes that Hickey and Ladd won’t stop general manager Lou Lamoriello and head coach Barry Trotz from going out and adding to the team at the trade deadline.

“We sat down and talked about where we are, our chemistry, our team. We’ve discussed maybe some of the areas we could improve,” Trotz said. “Lou is as diligent as anyone you’re ever going to meet in terms of making calls and seeing what’s out there. And if he’s going to do anything, it’s going to be in the best interest of the New York Islanders. He’s not going to do anything that’s — he’s looking to improve us all the time, either internally or externally.”

With the team in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 66 points, four points in front of both Washington and Pittsburgh, the Islanders are in a position to be buyers and have plenty of roster flexibility and cap space to make the right deals for the team. The team has a number of players on expiring deals, including Jordan Eberle, Anders Lee, Brock Nelson and goaltender Robin Lehner, but it doesn’t make any sense for the team to move them if their goal is to bulk up for the playoffs. So while many don’t know what to expect, Lamoriello is well known for pulling off some big moves at the deadline.

  • It’s a season to forget for Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron. Already having made a six-month recovery from offseason surgery on his right shoulder, Byron went down again Sunday after getting his left shoulder jammed after taking a hit from Edmonton’s Matt Benning. The forward was ruled out of the game Sunday, according to Sportsnet’s Eric Engels, and was steaming mad on his way off the ice. The 29-year-old has only appeared in 36 games. He has 10 goals and 19 points in that span. No word on how serious the injury to Byron was.
  • Philly.com’s Sam Carchidi reports that Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Brian Elliott is making progress. The veteran goaltender practiced with the team Sunday, but there remains no timetable for his return, but could be back within two weeks. Elliott has been out of the lineup since Nov. 15. No word on whether he will go to Lehigh Valley on a conditioning stint, but early rumors suggest that Philadelphia will likely keep three goaltenders once he returns.
  • The Athletic’s Scott Powers reports that while Chicago Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton said he didn’t have an update on injured goaltender Corey Crawford, he does expect Crawford to return this season. The veteran goalie has been out since Dec. 16 with a concussion. He already missed the second half of the 2017-18 season as well as the start of this season with a concussion.

Deadline Primer: Vegas Golden Knights

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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? We start with a look at the Vegas Golden Knights.

This is a somewhat different year for the Vegas Golden Knights who took the league by storm last season in route to a Stanley Cup Finals appearance. While Vegas remains playoff bound as they are firmly entrenched in third place with 62 points. However, this Vegas team has shown inconsistency throughout the year. While it looked like the Golden Knights had turned the corner throughout December and January, the team suddenly finds itself in a four-game losing streak with the Tampa Bay Lightning in front of them next. After trading a first, second and third-round pick to acquire Tomas Tatar at the deadline, who turned out to be a major disappointment, the team might be more reluctant to make a big trade at the deadline and may be more inclined to just add some depth options this time around.

Record

29-21-4, third in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$15.554MM in a full-season cap hit, 2/3 used salary cap retention slots, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: VGK 1st, VGK 2nd, VGK 3rd, NSH 3rd, WPG 3rd, VGK 4th, MON 5th, MIN 5th, VGK 5th
2020: VGK 1st, VGK 2nd, DAL 2nd, PIT 2nd, VGK 3rd, VGK 4th, VGK 5th, VGK 6th, VGK 7th

Trade Chips

Perhaps the biggest trade chips that the Golden Knights possess are their draft picks. General manager George McPhee has already sent off quite a few to acquire Tatar and then flip him along with top prospect Nick Suzuki and another second-rounder to pry Max Pacioretty from Montreal. However, as the team keeps an eye the future, the team also full well knows it may not want to move any more of their top picks in the next few years. That doesn’t mean they don’t have some later picks that they could move, including three third-rounders this year and three second-round picks in 2020 if they want to add some depth to their team. If they really want to make a splash, the team could include a first-rounder, but they may be reluctant to do so.

The team also has significant cap room, although that has been slowly disappearing. The team still has to lock up center William Karlsson, who will be a restricted free agent against after signing a one-year deal, but the team has all their key players locked up for at least the next two years, so they could take on an expensive contract for a discount.

The forward lines look pretty set even without Erik Haula, who could miss the entire season, but the team has a number of depth forwards who they could move like Oscar Lindberg, Ryan Carpenter or even Tomas Nosek to free up a valuable roster space. The question is whether other teams would be interested in any of those options. Carpenter could be of value to a team needing a bottom-six depth option, while Nosek is still young enough to offer some potential. As for defense, while the team could use an upgrade, the Golden Knights already traded away Brad Hunt, suggesting they are unlikely to move another defenseman now and although they have several interesting young defenseman waiting in the wings in the AHL, it’s unlikely the team is going to move out a player to make space for a prospect.

Five Players To Watch For: F Carpenter, D Nicolas Hague, D Nick Holden, F Nosek, G Malcolm Subban

Team Needs

1) Top-Four Defenseman: While the team doesn’t really need a big-name forward at the trade deadline, defense could be a different matter. The Golden Knights defense is good, but the team was almost desperate to acquire Erik Karlsson last season from Ottawa, but came up just short. They followed that up by adding Nick Holden during the offseason, but that’s hardly the answer either. With Deryk Engelland starting to show his age, Holden struggling and star prospect Erik Brannstrom not yet ready to contribute, the team could use a defenseman that can help protect goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. Plenty of rumors seem to have Vegas focused on one of St. Louis’ top defenders, including Alex Pietrangelo or Colton Parayko, but the team would obviously have to move more than a few middle-round picks to acquire either of them.

2) Back-up Goaltender: Vegas has struggled finding a solid backup. While Subban has the skills, the 25-year-old is just 2-5 this season with a 2.95 GAA and a .904 save percentage and is currently injured. On top of that, he has made just eight appearances this season, which isn’t really helping a 34-year-old Fleury who has already appeared in 46 games this season, the same number he played in during the regular season a year go. With no prospects in the wings, it might make sense for Vegas to go out and get a Keith Kinkaid, Jimmy Howard or another veteran goalie to fill the void for the remainder of the season and give them an option to re-sign them this summer if they work out.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

“Zero Chance” New Jersey Devils Will Trade Taylor Hall This Season

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With talk of the Columbus Blue Jackets possibly trading away their star players Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky to avoid losing them for nothing has led other teams to reassess their teams in hopes of avoiding similar problems with their own stars.

One team that many are looking at are the New Jersey Devils and Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall. The 27-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2019-20 season and with New Jersey’s struggles in the standings, there is concern that Hall may want to walk just like Panarin or Bobrovsky do in Columbus. There are some who believe that New Jersey may want to consider moving Hall now, despite the fact that he has been struggling with injuries this year and has just 11 goals in 33 games, could bring back a bigger return if a playoff team could have Hall for a playoff run this year and then an entire season in 2019-20 before he hit free agency. Hall’s $6MM salary would seem like a bargain for a former Hart Trophy winner, who tallied 39 goals and 93 points a year ago.

However last night, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Hockey Night in Canada that he spoke to New Jersey general manager Ray Shero who said that there was a “zero chance” the team will be trading Hall this season. That doesn’t rule out the team may consider making a big trade this summer in hopes of rejuvenating their team which currently stands 12 points out of a playoff spot with 31 games to go.

Atlantic Notes: Buffalo Trade Options, Point, Ennis, Jaros

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With a desperation for scoring wingers, The Athletic’s Jon Vogl (subscription required) writes that the Buffalo Sabres need to consider moving some of its depth on defense if it wants to add some secondary scoring to its ranks. The team is in desperate need at the right wing position, both now and in the near future, and there is little help on the way from Rochester. The Americans top two right wingers are Daniel O’Regan, who is expected to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this offseason due to not playing enough games at the NHL level, while the team’s first-line right winger, Wayne Simpson, is on a minor-league deal.

Vogl writes the team is overloaded with defenseman with more help on the way as the team has Brendan Guhle, Brandon Hickey and Will Borgen are performing well in Rochester. With that kind of depth, the team should consider moving a depth defenseman like Nathan Beaulieu, Marco Scandella, Matt Hunwick or even Jake McCabe as trade options to get a winger. He suggests that Dallas, Detroit, New Jersey, St. Louis and Winnipeg as potential trade partners before the deadline.

  • Despite missing Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury and being listed day-to-day, Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after the game that Brayden Point was held out as a precaution because it was the second game of a back-to-back set and the team has a day off today, according to NHL.com’s Dan Rosen. Cooper added that he believes Point should be OK and is likely to play against Vegas on Tuesday.
  • NHL.com’s Dave McCarthy reports the Toronto Maple Leafs got some good news as forward Tyler Ennis, who has been out of the lineup since Dec. 22 with a broken ankle, skated Saturday and is coming closer to a potential return, although head coach Mike Babcock was quick to point out that there is no timeline for his return. “I don’t know exactly the timeline on that,” Babcock said. “I know he skated real well today in his testing. They always tell you, ’I’m ready, I’m ready’ but that doesn’t mean they get a get-out-jail free card yet.”
  • Ottawa Citizen’s Ken Warren reports the Ottawa Senators offered no new information on the injury suffered by defenseman Christian Jaros when he was tripped into the boards Saturday by Detroit’s Darren Helm. He remains day-to-day. Jaros has been averaging 13:48 of ATOI, but has seen an increase of ice time recently, even getting some top-four minutes.

 

New Jersey Devils Recall Cory Schneider, Re-Assign MacKenzie Blackwood

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The New Jersey Devils announced they have terminated the conditioning loan of goaltender Cory Schneider and have recalled the veteran netminder. To make room for him, the team has assigned promising goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood to the Binghamton Devils of the AHL.

Schneider returns home after showing improvement in his most recent conditioning stint, as he has allowed just five goals over the past two games with Binghamton this weekend, including picking up a big shutout win Saturday over Belleville in which he made 24 out of 26 saves. Schneider has struggled with injuries and success this season. Even with his improved performance this past weekend, he still has a 3.24 GAA and a .881 save percentage with Binghamton over eight games. His numbers in New Jersey have been even worse with a 4.66 GAA and a .852 save percentage. The hope is that he’s starting to recover from his abdominal strain and might be ready to serve as the team’s backup goaltender. The 32-year-old still has another three years on his contract at $6MM per season.

As for Blackwood, the team’s future might have to wait some time longer. Blackwood’s impressive play with New Jersey this season has given him the title of goaltender of the future. The 22-year-old has a 2.37 GAA and a .926 save percentage in 13 appearances. There is talk that the team may look to trade Keith Kinkaid, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, at the trade deadline, which would allow the team to officially make Blackwood the team’s starter. For now, Blackwood will have to settle for the starting role in Binghamton, where he was recently played at the AHL All-Star game and will bide his time till an opportunity presents itself.

Minor Transactions: 02/03/19

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It’s Super Bowl Sunday and the eyes of the world’s sports fans will likely be fixated on just that one big event later on tonight. Yet, the NHL will continue with business as usual, albeit with a small three-game slate today. The Boston Bruins will face the Washington Capitals early this afternoon before rooting on their football counterparts, the New England Patriots, later on tonight. The Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens square off later this afternoon, as do head coach Bill Peters and the Calgary Flames in a homecoming against the Carolina Hurricanes. Other teams will be active as well, just in the front office, making minor changes to their rosters in anticipation of the coming week of games. Keep up with all the transactions here:

  • One day after handing Michael McNiven his first NHL call-up to serve as the team’s backup, the Montreal Canadiens have sent the young goaltender back down, per the AHL. Curiously, the team has flipped yesterday’s transaction completely and have recalled buried defenseman Karl Alzner. Alzner has played in just one game with the Habs since November and has suited up for the AHL’s Laval Rocket for more games than he has with Montreal this season. Yet, the team seems open to giving him another chance to earn his keep in the second half. Alzner is signed for three more seasons at $4.625MM and the Canadiens would undoubtedly like to see his play improve to the point that he can win his job back.
  • As hinted at yesterday, the Washington Capitals have now officially reassigned defenseman Christian Djoos to the AHL’s Hershey Bears on a conditioning assignment. Djoos has returned from a serious bout with compartment syndrome sooner than expected, but the Caps would rather he work out the kinks in his game and get back up to speed down in the minors. He’ll get the start for Hershey right away today. Djoos should be patrolling the D.C. blue line again soon enough, though.
  • After clearing waivers today, the Buffalo Sabres will be sending forward Remi Elie to the Rochester Americans of the AHL, according to CapFriendly. Elie played just four regular season games in the AHL last season with the Texas Stars, but he did return and play for the veteran-laden team in the playoffs as they went all the way to the Calder Cup finals before losing to the Toronto Marlies, playing 19 games, scoring two goals and nine points.
  • Already potentially clearing two roster spots, the Minnesota Wild announced they have placed Pontus Aberg on injured reserve after leaving Friday’s game against Dallas with a lower-body injury. Aberg has played five games so far for Minnesota since being acquired via trade from Anaheim. He has three assists so far.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs announced they have loaned defenseman Martin Marincin to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL after he cleared waivers earlier today. The 26-year-old Marincin is familiar with playing with the AHL squad as he played 52 regular season games with them last year as well as playing another 20 in the playoffs, helping the franchise win the Calder Cup. His NHL experience should only help the AHL squad, full of prospect defensemen.

Trade Rumors: Boyle, Seabrook, Petan

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Interest in veteran forward Brian Boyle is increasing and the New Jersey Devils may be forced to move the respected two-way veteran. Boyle, 34, is an impending free agent and the Devils have expressed a desire to re-sign him, but with the postseason out of reach they could feel pressured to capitalize on his trade value. Boyle is not without protection, though. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that the specifics of Boyle’s Limited No-Trade Clause are that he may submit a list of eight teams that he may not be traded to. That would hypothetically leave New Jersey with 23 other suitors, but if Boyle’s list includes mostly deadline buyers, the options could be much more limited. Seravalli adds that Boyle’s preference is also to remain in New Jersey, so he could seek to make it difficult for the Devils to move him. Boyle is currently on pace for 22 goals and 32 points on the year, which would rival his 2010-11 season for the best offensive campaign of his career. Meanwhile, he continues to excel as a defensive forward, leading all Devils forwards in blocked shots and trailing only Blake Coleman for the team lead in hits. The all-around impact on the ice coupled with the experience and locker room leadership that Boyle brings will continue to make him a talked-about deadline target.

  • Brent Seabrook may be immovable for a number of reasons, but the Chicago Blackhawks are going to do their best. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Blackhawks have asked Seabrook to waive his No-Movement Clause. Friedman then adds that, so far, Seabrook has declined. The veteran defenseman is in a steep decline, but apparently is content to ride it out in the city and with the teammates that he has played his entire career, rather than trying to rejuvenate his game with a change of scenery. That’s Seabrook’s prerogative, but meanwhile his cap hit of $6.875MM will continue to cripple Chicago’s attempts to improve and it will likely only get worse each year. For that reason, it comes as little surprise that Friedman notes the Blackhawks plan to keep shopping Seabrook despite the trade protection in hopes that they can find a taker in the market that Seabrook would accept a trade to. It’s a lofty expectation, but if any GM has proven that he can find someone to take expensive contracts off his hands, it’s Chicago’s Stan Bowman.
  • There are no guarantees at the NHL Trade Deadline, but the one player who is looking almost certain to be on the move is young Winnipeg Jets forward Nic Petan. Petan, 23, was a highly-touted second-round pick back in 2013, but has been unable to carve out a full-time role for himself in Winnipeg. Petan played a career-high 54 games in 2016-17, recording 13 points, but that number dropped to just 15 games last year and 13 games so far this year. The jury is still out when it comes to whether or not Petan can be an impact player at the NHL level, but it doesn’t look like he’s going to get the chance to prove it with the Jets anyway. As such, Winnipeg is shopping Petan in their pursuit of help up front, writes Jason Bell of the Winnipeg Free Press. Bell goes so far as to say that the team will not play Petan, in fear of injury or simply because he is not trusted, until after the deadline or longer. The Jets are all-out buyers this season and selling off a young depth forward is not something that they will rule out if it helps to land a top-six forward. However, Bell says that the team is not keen to move Jack Roslovic, rejecting several offers including the budding forward so far; Petan appears to be the go-to “young roster player” that the Jets are willing to give up. For his part, Petan did a good job of treading carefully around questions from The Winnipeg Sun’s Ken Wiebe about his frustrating season and needing a fresh start, but did admit that he’s looking forward to his “next opportunity”. Reading between the lines, it seems pretty clear that Petan is as eager to get out of Winnipeg as the Jets are to trade him.

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