Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for May 2019

Gary Bettman On Video Review: “A Blessing And A Curse”

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Before game one of the Stanley Cup Final kicked off tonight, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daley gave their annual “State of the NHL” press conference. One of the biggest questions on hockey minds around the world right now is video review and the possible expansion of the process in the future. Speaking to reporters including Frank Seravalli of TSN, Bettman called video review “both a blessing and a curse,” admitting that the Competition Committee would discuss the issue again when they meet in the near future. The league wants to avoid “destroying the essential fabric of the game” with too many reviews.

Expanding video review is not what everyone wants, but when asked about the possibility of a reduction—specifically in regards to the offside review process—Bettman indicated that it would not be possible at this point, using the phrase “that ship has sailed.”

Given the way things have gone in the playoffs, especially with regards to the San Jose Sharks, there was always going to have to be a longer discussion on video reviews. The Sharks were involved in two key incidents that drove public outcry for expanded review rules. First, Vegas Golden Knights forward Cody Eakin was given a five-minute major for cross-checking Joe Pavelski which the league eventually apologized for. Pavelski suffered a serious injury, but the Sharks were able to score four times during the ensuing powerplay to pull ahead in a deciding game seven. Next, a hand pass was missed completely in overtime of game three of the Western Conference Final, leading to the game-winner by Erik Karlsson. The league once again admitted that the call was missed, but nothing could be done.

Those may have been the most notable incidents given their game-changing nature, but they were obviously not the only missed calls throughout the playoffs. The question for the league to answer is when will does review expansion stop, if not now. The game isn’t yet riddled with stoppages and called to Toronto’s war room, but it also is still missing or making the incorrect call at key times.

Josh Norris Signs With Ottawa Senators

at CDT | by 2 Comments

After just two years with the University of Michigan, Josh Norris has decided to turn pro. The Ottawa Senators today announced a three-year entry-level contract for Norris, who was acquired as part of the package for Erik Karlsson last summer. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a statement on his newest forward:

Josh is one of the organization’s top prospects, a fast, skilled, competitive center who we project to play an important role with our team in the future. In speaking with Josh and his family, we were all in agreement that it is in the best interests of his development to make the step to turn professional after two great seasons at Michigan. We are very happy to have Josh signed and look forward to having him here at development camp in June.

Norris, 20, unfortunately missed a good chunk of the 2018-19 season due to injury and played just 17 games for the Michigan Wolverines. He was still able to make a big impact however, recording 10 goals and 19 points in those games while also helping Team USA to a silver medal at the World Juniors. The 19th overall pick in 2017, Norris is considered a polished two-way center that should be able to contribute at the professional level right away. Whether that comes in the NHL or AHL this year will be determined in camp, but there’s little doubt that he will get to Ottawa eventually.

While many pointed to Rudolfs Balcers at the time of the trade as one of the biggest keys, given his proximity to the NHL—Balcers would score 14 points in 36 games as a rookie in 2018-19—Norris was a huge part of the deal. His development will always be tied to Karlsson’s departure, putting even more pressure on him moving forward. That kind of pressure hasn’t seemed to distract him so far in his young hockey career, as Norris has routinely been among the best players at every level of competition including internationally and in college.

Interestingly, there may be an opportunity in the NHL right away for a player of his talents. While there is obviously a case to be made for some more seasoning in the minor leagues, the Senators currently have just five forwards signed to one-way contracts for 2019-20 (not including the injured Marian Gaborik or Clarke MacArthur). That leaves a lot of room for competition among the team’s prospect pool, and Norris should have every chance to earn a spot on opening day.

Harri Sateri Signs In KHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Detroit Red Wings won’t be bringing back Harri Sateri next season. The 29-year old goaltender has signed a one-year contract with Sibir Novosibirsk in the KHL for the 2019-20 season. Sateri was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after his one-year contract with the Red Wings expired.

Sateri was originally a fourth-round pick by the San Jose Sharks in 2008, but failed to ever make it to the NHL with them during his time in the organization. In 2014 he left for the KHL and played three seasons with Podolsk Vityaz, before returning to try again in North America. Signing this time with the Florida Panthers, Sateri would make his NHL debut in early 2018 and would end up going 4-4 with a .911 save percentage in nine appearances. He signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings last summer, but only suited up for their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. Appearing in 40 games with the Griffins, Sateri posted just an .899 save percentage.

The last time that the Finnish goaltender played in the KHL he was among the best in the league, and could very well find some more success this time around. The one-year deal will allow him to return to North America once again in 2020-21 if he so chooses, but for now he’ll be removed from the list of potential depth signings this summer.

Morning Notes: Zucker, Zaripov, Dunn

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Twice now in the span of a few months the Minnesota Wild have come close to trading away Jason Zucker. Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) examines the recent trade talks between Minnesota and the Pittsburgh Penguins which were focused on a Zucker-Phil Kessel swap, and details the situation that the Wild forward now finds himself in. Zucker is obviously on the block as GM Paul Fenton continues to shake things up in Minnesota, and Russo reports that the Vancouver Canucks, Arizona Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames have all expressed interest of late, while last year the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes had discussed him.

The recent trade proposal from Pittsburgh seems to have been shut down by Kessel himself, but that could change at any minute if he decides to waive his no-trade clause. Either way, it seems like Zucker is destined to play for another team in 2019-20. The 27-year old forward has four years remaining on his current deal which carries a $5.5MM cap hit, and is coming off a 21-goal, 42-point season.

  • Danis Zaripov was once on the radar of NHL teams after receiving a two-year doping ban from the KHL in 2017. That ban was eventually reduced to just six months and Zaripov stayed in Russia, something he’ll be doing once again in 2019-20. The 38-year old forward has signed a one-year extension with Ak Bars Kazan, giving him a chance to add to his outstanding history in the KHL. Zaripov is a legend in Russian hockey, with five Gagarin Cup championships, five World Championship medals, and even a league title from before the KHL formed a decade ago.
  • Vince Dunn took part in the morning skate for the St. Louis Blues today, wearing a regular visor instead of the full cage that he has donned the last few days to protect his injured jaw. Still, he won’t play tonight in game one of the Stanley Cup Final according to head coach Craig Berube. Dunn has developed into a key part of the Blues’ defense corps over the last two seasons, and has an impressive seven points in 16 playoff games so far. Robert Thomas, another young player making an impact for the Blues these playoffs will be in the lineup tonight, Berube confirmed.

Montreal Canadiens Re-Sign Xavier Ouellet

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Montreal Canadiens have re-signed Xavier Ouellet to a one-year, two-way contract that pays him $700K at the NHL level. Ouellet was set to become a restricted free agent this summer.

Now 25, Ouellet has had quite the odd start to his NHL career. After being selected in the second round by the Detroit Red Wings in 2011, he quickly made his way through their system and debuted in the NHL during the 2013-14 season. By 2017, he signed a two-year $2.5MM extension with the Red Wings after spending the entire year in the NHL, but saw that contract bought out just a year later. It’s rare you see a player that young bought out, and it actually comes with different rules. The Red Wings were forced to pay out just one third of the remaining salary, ~$433K spread over two years.

Ouellet, then an unrestricted free agent, signed a one-year two-way contract with the Canadiens to continue his career. While he played 19 games for Montreal, his real impact came at the minor league level where the Laval Rocket named him captain in February after a trade took Byron Froese out of town. Oullet ended up with 28 points in 47 games for the Rocket as their primary puck-mover on the blue line, and now heads into next season as the young captain of a squad trying to make their way in the AHL.

He also represents some important depth for the Canadiens, given that he does have 160 games under his belt at the NHL level. Ouellet will be waiver eligible, meaning he’ll have to clear after training camp if the team wants him to reclaim his position with the Rocket to start the year.

Chris Bourque Signs In Germany

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

It was a dream come true when veteran minor league forward Chris Bourque was named to Team USA for the Olympics in 2018. He just so happened to not be on an NHL contract at the time and was allowed to participate, a reward for a life spent in hockey battling for opportunity wherever it presented itself. That opportunity has now taken the forward to Germany, where he will play for EHC Munchen next season in the DEL.

Bourque, 33, has played in the AHL, NHL, KHL and NLA prior to this trip to Germany, and found great success at almost every level. While his professional career may not be as well-known as his father Ray’s, he is among the most productive scorers in AHL history with 746 regular season points in 794 career games. His 118 postseason points are also among the best ever, and has hasn’t lost a step even as he heads into the back half of his career. The dream of a real shot at the NHL may be long gone however, as Bourque last suited up for the Boston Bruins in 2012-13.

With three Calder Cup championships under his belt to go along with multiple individual awards, Bourque will go down as one of the best players the AHL has ever seen. If this journey to Germany ends that minor league career, he’ll have gone out on another great season. In his lone year for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Bourque recorded 54 points in 72 games.

Five Key Stories: 5/20/19 – 5/26/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

While it was a fairly quiet week on the ice with only one game being played as the Blues punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final, there was plenty of news off the ice.  Those get the spotlight in the top stories of the week.

Smith To Ottawa: After a lengthy coaching search that saw seven candidates get an interview, the Senators have found their new bench boss as they hired Toronto assistant coach D.J. Smith, inking him to a three-year contract.  This will be his first time running an NHL bench after spending the past four years as an assistant to Mike Babcock.  Prior to that, Smith spent three years as the head coach of OHL Oshawa, winning the championship in 2014-15.  He’ll be tasked with working with a very young roster as Ottawa is in the midst of a full-scale rebuild so his experience working with younger players should be an asset.

Ownership Change Coming In Arizona: The ownership situation for the Coyotes franchise has been murky for many years now and it appears more changes are on the way.  Current majority owner Andrew Barroway will soon only have a minority stake in the team with a new, yet to be identified owner, taking on the majority stake.  Arizona’s arena in Glendale has been a contested issue over the past several years with potential new homes falling through.  It will now fall to this new owner to find a more suitable place to play in the area.

Six Years For Nelson: The Islanders have one less potential unrestricted free agent to deal with after they signed center Brock Nelson to a six-year, $36MM contract.  The deal also contains a full no-trade clause in the first two years of the deal and partial trade protection in the other four.  The 27-year-old is coming off of a career season that saw him reach the 50-point mark for the first time of his career while spending a lot of time on the front line; his ATOI of 17:58 per night was also a career best.  While the $6MM AAV may seem steep, the UFA market for top-six centers is quite thin which certainly worked in Nelson’s favor.  With this deal done, GM Lou Lamoriello will likely turn his focus to trying to get new contracts for winger Anders Lee and goalie Robin Lehner.  Winger Jordan Eberle is also a pending UFA but it’s expected that he will test the market.

Wild, Penguins Discussed Kessel Trade: After Pittsburgh bowed out quickly in the postseason, there has been an expectation for big changes.  Winger Phil Kessel has been in trade speculation for a while and that’s going to continue on as he has passed on an opportunity to be dealt to Minnesota by invoking his partial no-trade clause.  The proposed trade would have also sent defenseman Jack Johnson to the Wild while winger Jason Zucker and center Victor Rask would have gone to Pittsburgh.  This actually marks the second time that a deal involving Zucker has leaked with the other coming at the trade deadline when a move to Calgary fell through.  By all accounts, it appears that Kessel’s time with the Penguins may very well be numbered but at this time, his preference is to be moved to one of the teams on his eight-team trade list.

Voynov Suspension Reduced: Independent arbitration Shyam Das has reduced a couple of lengthy suspensions from the NHL over the past twelve months and he has done so again with defenseman Slava Voynov.  Instead of the blueliner being suspended for the entire 2019-20 campaign for a domestic violence incident from 2014, that duration has been cut in half.  The Kings, who terminated his contract at the time of the incident, still hold his NHL rights but announced that they will not be signing him.  If another team wants the 29-year-old, they will have to make a trade with Los Angeles to acquire his negotiation rights.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Oilers Have Interest In Frederik Tiffels

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Oilers have interest in German winger Frederik Tiffels, reports Postmedia’s Kurt Leavins.  Edmonton is looking to shore up their winger depth with cost-effective options and as a particularly quick skater, he’d fit in well with the style that they’re trying to play.

The 24-year-old has a fair amount of experience in North America already.  A fifth-round pick of Pittsburgh back in 2015, Tiffels spent two seasons in the USHL before playing three years with Western Michigan before turning pro.  However, things didn’t go well once he signed.  He spent the bulk of his first season at the ECHL level and wanted to return to Germany after that, resulting in Pittsburgh terminating the final year of his contract last August.

Tiffels played quite well in an injury-shortened season with Kolner Haie of the DEL in 2018-19, recording 22 points in just 27 games while adding nine more in 11 postseason contests.  He also made a positive impression at the recently-concluded World Championships, chipping in with two goals and two assists in eight contests for Germany, who was eliminated by the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals.

It’s worth noting that Tiffels has two more seasons left on his contract overseas which could complicate things.  It’s unknown if his deal has an NHL out clause or whether or not his team would willingly let him out of his contract early.  Either way, Edmonton has already made one international signing on the wing in Joakim Nygard last week and it appears they’re not done trying to add via that route just yet.

Offseason Keys: Tampa Bay Lightning

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With the postseason down to just two teams, many squads are now well into their offseason planning.  What storylines lie ahead around the league in what is shaping up to be a likely busy NHL offseason?  Next up in our Offseason Keys series is a look at the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Even with the surprise resignation by Steve Yzerman as GM for Tampa Bay before training camp, things pretty much went the way of the Lightning during the regular season.  They were the class of the league and it wasn’t even close.  They were a popular pick to contend for the Stanley Cup and then within a week, it was all over as they were swept at the hands of the Blue Jackets.  Now, GM Julien BriseBois must figure out what went wrong and make some tweaks to a roster that didn’t appear to have a whole lot of holes heading into the playoffs.  Here’s what they need to accomplish this offseason.

New Deal For Point

Back in 2017-18, Brayden Point cemented himself as a key part of the team after posting 66 points.  He was a big part of their secondary scoring and it looked he’d anchor the second line.  No one’s thinking that now.  He exploded with a 92-point campaign that put him tied for 12th in scoring league-wide.  Instead of thinking he could be a secondary producer for the Lightning, he’s now a bona fide front liner.

Tampa Bay has benefited considerably from him being on his entry-level deal, one that made him arguably the best bargain in the entire league in 2018-19.  That’s about to change.  He is among the class of high-end restricted free agents this offseason and is about to get a massive raise.

Given Tampa Bay’s salary cap situation (more on that shortly), he has been a speculative offer sheet target.  While that probably won’t happen, his case will still be interesting to follow.  While most – if not all – of the other major RFAs will sign long-term deals, Point could be forced to settle for a bridge contract.  It’s not like there isn’t precedent for doing so with a top player either as Nikita Kucherov just wrapped up his three-year bridge deal this past season.  A long-term pact will be desirable for both sides but it will take some roster manoeuvering from BriseBois to give them a shot at making that happen.

Clear Cap Room

Speaking of that roster movement, that’s almost assuredly going to involve Ryan Callahan.  The veteran winger is entering the final year of his contract with a $5.8MM cap hit.  He spent time as a healthy scratch in 2018-19 and didn’t make much of an impact when he was in the lineup.  They badly need to clear out his contract and will be faced with figuring out the lesser of two evils – do they trade him with an incentive (assuming he waives his partial no-trade clause) or buy him out and carry two more years of him being on the books at a reduced cap hit ($2.567MM in 2019-20 and $1.567MM in 2020-21)?

Doing that may not even be enough.  As things stand, Tampa Bay has over $74MM tied up in 17 players for next season, per CapFriendly.  They have some work to do on their back end and Point’s new deal will be pricey, even if it’s a short-term pact.

With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them shop one of their other mid-tier veterans.  J.T. Miller ($5.25MM for four more years), Tyler Johnson ($5MM for five more seasons), and Alex Killorn ($4.45MM for four more years) all hit the 40-point mark in 2018-19 and would be good secondary scorers on a lot of teams.  They do that already in Tampa Bay.  But a younger player like Anthony Cirelli or Mathieu Joseph is ready to step into a larger role for a fraction of the price.  Moving one of those veterans out would free up a spot for one them to take on that extra responsibility and would give them a lot more wiggle room on the cap in the process.

Add Defensive Help

Tampa Bay’s back end is going to look a whole lot different next season.  Anton Stralman, Braydon Coburn, and Dan Girardi are all unrestricted free agents and aren’t likely to return.  That’s basically half a blueline corps that needs replacing.

Some of that will come from within.  Jan Rutta, a midseason acquisition for depth purposes, was already re-signed after he agreed to a $950K pay cut.  After being in and out of the lineup upon being recalled, he’ll likely play a regular role next season.  So too will Erik Cernak, who started out as the number seven and consistently worked his way up the lineup.

Even with those two joining incumbents Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, and Mikhail Sergachev, some additions are going to need to be made.  None of their minor leaguers are ready to make the jump on a full-time basis just yet so they’ll likely have to look to either get a cheap rearguard as part of their cap dump(s) or look for bargains on the free agent market.  On top of that, it’s likely that they’ll look to add a veteran or two on two-way deals with an eye on having some recallable injury depth, similar to what pending UFA Cameron Gaunce was brought in for last summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Playoff Notes: Marchand, Dunn, Thomas, Chara

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Boston Bruins fans got a scare Sunday when star forward Brad Marchand was missing from practice as Karson Kuhlman took his place in practice, according to NHL.com’s Matt Kalman, making many wonder if Marchand would be made available for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, which start on Monday.

“He had a maintenance day today, so that’s all, he’ll be ready to go tomorrow,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said about Marchand.

There was some concern that Marchand, who leads the Bruins with 18 points (seven goals and 11 assists) in 17 games, injured his left hand in Thursday’s scrimmage when he bumped into Connor Clifton and returned to the bench at one point, favoring his left hand. However, he continued playing in the scrimmage.

“I’ve been trying to get out of practice every day this week,” Marchand joked. “It’s just been dragging out here, so we’re excited for it to start tomorrow and it should be fun.”

Kalman also writes that David Krejci, who has been out with a fever the last couple of days, practiced today and is expected to be ready for Monday’s game as well.

  • St. Louis Blues defenseman Vince Dunn, who has missed three straight games after taking a puck to the head during Game 3 against the San Jose Sharks, has traveled with the team to Boston and skated with the team Sunday, wearing a plastic face guard around his entire face, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He is still considered doubtful for Game 1 as he practiced with the extra defensemen. Head coach Craig Berube said there is a chance that Dunn returns at some point in the playoffs. “That was the best he’s looked, which is a good sign. He’s pretty close,” Berube said.
  • Thomas also posts that St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas (undisclosed injury) did not skate among the regulars during practice on Sunday. He came out later in practice and worked on his own. However, Berube said that Thomas was “a go” for Monday and is expected to play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Robby Fabbri filled in for Thomas on the third line.
  • In an in-depth piece on Boston Bruins 42-year-old defenseman Zdeno Chara, the Boston Globe’s Christopher L. Gasper writes that Chara expressed an interest to play until he’s 45, a claim very similar to the ones made by fellow New England athlete Tom Brady with the New England Patriots. “Obviously, I’m signed for next year. I’m planning to play. I want to compete and still play. I’ll be 43. I’m not, obviously, that far away. I’m taking it one year at a time,” Chara said. “I think you have to respect that things could change. It could go from my end, ‘Hey, I just don’t feel like it.’ Or it could be, ‘Hey, I still love it. I still have so much passion for it. I want to keep going.’ But I want to play until I can still be contributing to the game and still be effective. At the same time, you’ve got to realize that when there is a time there is a time. At this point, I’m still hungry. I still love the game. I have so much passion for it.”

 

 

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top