Archives for January 2020

Trade Candidate: Mikael Granlund

January 31, 2020 at 8:57 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 5 Comments

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we continue to profile players that have a good chance to be dealt by February 24th.

Last season, the Nashville Predators made a big splash at the trade deadline with the acquisition of Mikael Granlund from Minnesota. They had been looking for one basically all season long and it wasn’t even a rental situation. Things were looking up, or so it seemed.

Granlund struggled down the stretch and in the playoffs last year and things haven’t gone too well for this season either. Between that and the fact that Nashville needed a couple of wins this week just to stay out of the basement of the Central Division, it seems quite likely that he’ll on the move over the next few weeks. Even if the Predators can stay close to the playoff picture, he could still be on the move due to his rather limited production on the team as his money could be better spent elsewhere.

Contract

Granlund is in the final season of a three-year, $17.25MM deal that he signed back in August of 2017. The deal was slightly back-loaded as his salary this season is $6.5MM, $750K higher than his $5.75MM AAV. He will become an unrestricted free agent in July.

2019-20

While he has performed better than he did after being acquired, Granlund has still underwhelmed, especially relative to his production in his final years with Minnesota. Despite playing in the top six basically all season long (including more than two minutes a night on the power play), his point per game output is the lowest of any full season of his career. The 27-year-old has a well-earned reputation for being a playmaking forward and has recorded at least 31 assists in each full season of his career. However, Granlund has just eight helpers on the season and has gone more than a month and a half without one. That pretty much sums up how disappointing his season has been.

Season Stats

44 GP, 10 goals, 8 assists, 18 points, -1 rating, 16 PIMS, 90 shots, 17:05 TOI, 55.3 CF%

Potential Suitors

Despite his struggles since joining Nashville, there will be several teams that look at Granlund’s body of work with Minnesota and think that a change of scenery can help get him going again. That’s the good news. The bad news is that a $5.75MM price tag is going to limit the number of trade options; even if Nashville retains (they can hold back up to 50%), he’s still going to be too expensive for some of the cap-strapped contenders.

In the East, the Islanders stand out as a team that would be a good fit. They are in the bottom ten in the league in goals scored and have a few players capable of scoring more than they have been. Yes, adding another underachiever into the mix is risky but Granlund’s overall track record suggests he’d give them a boost at the very least. They’re one of the only playoff contenders that can afford his contract outright as well. Lightning GM Julien BriseBois isn’t bullish on adding a rental player but Granlund could fit in well with their high-skilled attack in a middle-six role. And of course, when it comes to making splashes at the deadline, the Penguins can’t be counted off though they would need Nashville to retain some money or send a contract or two the other way. Pittsburgh has a clear vacancy to fill with Jake Guentzel out long term and Granlund is one of the more skilled forwards that’s available.

Out West, Flames GM Brad Treliving would prefer to add someone that’s signed beyond this season but if that falls through, Granlund would be a nice pickup for their top six and give them some extra skill in that group. However, the Michael Frolik deal last month doesn’t free up enough cap space alone to add Granlund so there would need to be some retention. The Avalanche are still one of the top teams in the league offensively but they have plenty of short-term cap room to work with and this is a year they should be trying to go for it so don’t be surprised if they still look to bolster their attack.

Likelihood Of A Trade

While the return isn’t going to be anywhere near what it would have been perceived to be a year ago, GM David Poile has all but certainly decided that Granlund won’t be staying past this season and that his money will go elsewhere on the open market. In this case, getting something is better than nothing, even if they wind up turning around and acting as a buyer to get a short-term replacement for him. Barring injury or a rapid turnaround, it’s hard to envision him still being in Nashville past February 24th.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pacific Notes: Sharks, Valimaki, Coyotes

January 31, 2020 at 7:37 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 3 Comments

As a result of the big-ticket contracts that the Sharks have handed out in recent years, the Sharks have become a team that isn’t able to afford much in the way of depth. As things stand, they already have more than $52MM locked up in their top-seven players for next year (plus 2021-22) which doesn’t leave a lot of room to round out their roster, especially if the jump in the Upper Limit of the salary cap is minimal. Despite that, GM Doug Wilson told Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News that he doesn’t view that as an impediment towards making improvements:

To win in this league, I think you have to have a bit deeper of a core. I don’t think you can be carried by just one or two players. When you look at the positions those guys play, center, defense or power wingers, it allows you to bring in people around them. I think how we’ve dedicated our dollars is to the proper positions. We’ll have some opportunities to grow this team. But I don’t think I look at it as a big an issue as (an outsider) would.

Overall, San Jose has nearly $63MM in commitments to just a dozen players for next season, per CapFriendly. That will leave the Sharks some wiggle room to replenish their depth but it’s hard to imagine they’ll be shopping at the top of the free agent pool.

Trade Deadline Primer: Los Angeles Kings

January 31, 2020 at 5:44 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

With the trade deadline now less than a month away, 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 Los Angeles Kings.

It hasn’t been a good season for the Kings. In fact, the team currently has their worst winning percentage since 1997, a year in which Dmitri Khristich led the club in scoring with 56 points. They could use that kind of production right now, as only two players have more than 30 points and they sit dead last in the Western Conference. The deadline is all about the future for the Kings, who will be selling everything not tied down (or too expensive).

Record

19-28-5, eighth in the Pacific Division.

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$23.87MM in a full-season cap hit (using LTIR), 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: LAK 1st, LAK 2nd, LAK 3rd, LAK 4th, CGY 4th, LAK 5th, LAK 6th, LAK 7th
2021: LAK 1st, LAK 2nd, LAK 3rd, LAK 4th, LAK 5th, LAK 6th, LAK 7th

Trade Chips

The first thing you’ll notice when it comes to the Kings, is how much cap space they have. The team has worked hard to rid themselves of some bad contracts over the last few years, including agreeing to a mutual termination with Ilya Kovalchuk. Not only will that allow them some flexibility in free agency this summer, but they can also use that space to take on bad money at the deadline.

That’s likely what they’ll have to do in order to move any of the best trade chips they have. Tyler Toffoli is the biggest name up front, but his $4.6MM cap hit is hard to fit in for many contenders. The same can be said about Alec Martinez’ $4MM hit, especially because it comes with another year on it.

Those two are definitely the biggest names you’ll hear, but there are several other expiring contracts the team could shed. Trevor Lewis, Kyle Clifford, Derek Forbort and Joakim Ryan all have various levels value at the deadline, along with some of the older pending RFAs like Nikolai Prokhorkin and Kurtis MacDermid.

Five Players To Watch For: F Tyler Toffoli, D Alec Martinez, F Trevor Lewis, F Kyle Clifford, D Derek Forbort

Team Needs

1) Young Scoring: Anze Kopitar will be 33 by the time next season begins, and yet is still leading the Kings by 15 points this season. With Jeff Carter and Dustin Brown really showing their age, the Kings need some new players up front to lead them into this decade. Yes, they have some interesting prospects coming but it isn’t enough just yet.

2) Draft Picks: There’s no doubt that the Kings will still be looking at draft talent at the deadline. While they obviously don’t want to stay at the bottom of the league for very long, they realistically know that to compete in the NHL their system needs to start providing impact talent. Even the lottery ticket mid- and late-round picks are worthwhile for the Kings right now, and that’s exactly what they might have to settle for in some of the upcoming trades.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Gerard Gallant Not Expected To Take New Role This Season

January 31, 2020 at 4:01 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 14 Comments

The 2019-20 NHL season has seen quite a fair amount of turnover in the coaching ranks, including the firing of veteran bench bosses Mike Babcock, Peter Laviolette and Pete DeBoer. One name that hit the unemployment market recently to the surprise of many was Gerard Gallant, who was fired by the Vegas Golden Knights after taking them to the playoffs in each of their first two seasons (including an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final).

Gallant should have plenty of suitors if he wants to jump back behind an NHL bench, but Pierre LeBrun reported last night on TSN’s Insider Trading that the expectation is that he will wait until the summer to make any decision.

What he told me Thursday is that he is in no rush. He’s going to use the rest of the year to decompress. He’s enjoying spending time with family, in fact he’s in Vegas this week tying up some loose ends. He says he has not spoken with any teams since his firing. His phone has been quiet that way.

LeBrun goes into even more detail in his latest column for The Athletic (subscription required), including examining several potential landing spots. The first team many will think of is Seattle, who would have to look at Gallant’s success in Vegas as extremely enticing as they prepare to enter the league. Gallant is under contract with the Golden Knights through next season so he wouldn’t be desperate for a salary, but of course that isn’t the only thing that drives coaches at this level.

Amazingly, Gallant has never made it through a third season as head coach of an NHL team. His stints in Columbus, Florida and now Vegas have all ended in year three, despite being above .500 with the latter two at the time the axe fell. Overall, the 2018 Jack Adams Award winner for Coach of the Year has a 270-216-4-51 record.

Carolina Hurricanes Considering Adding On Defense

January 31, 2020 at 2:49 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 4 Comments

Earlier this season the Carolina Hurricanes were rumored to be looking to shed some defensemen, given how many NHL options they had at the position. Now as we approach the trade deadline however, that thinking seems to have flipped. In an interview with NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, Hurricanes’ GM Don Waddell explained that the team would “certainly look at adding” a defenseman if the right one was available.

The Hurricanes of course lost the Norris-contending Dougie Hamilton earlier this month when he broke his leg, but Waddell also isn’t ruling out a potential return for the puck-moving defenseman at some point before the playoffs. As Gulitti explains, that means the Hurricanes can’t go into the long-term injured reserve opened up by Hamilton’s injury until they know for sure if he’s going to come back or not.

Carolina is in a dogfight in the Eastern Conference playoff race, trying to fend off the Toronto Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers who are right on their heels for the final wild card spot. They’re also still within striking distance of the New York Islanders for a divisional spot, but still have more than 30 games to go.

Adding a defenseman–especially one that is focused more on his own end–would be a change for the team, but also a curious decision when their depth chart still has so many capable options. Beyond Haydn Fleury, who has stepped into the lineup recently, the team still has Roland McKeown, Gustav Forsling, Jake Bean and Fredrik Claesson who all have NHL experience. Oliwer Kaski and Chase Priskie too were expected to challenge for spots in the NHL this season. That’s not to even mention the fact that their NHL group is still headlined by Jaccob Slavin, one of the best two-way defenders in the league.

It is of course important to note that Joel Edmundson and Trevor van Riemsdyk are both unrestricted free agents at the end of the year. With those potential openings available the Hurricanes don’t necessarily have to go for a rental just to cover Hamilton’s absence, but one that could be around a little longer.

Bruins Notes: Backes, Rask, Didier

January 31, 2020 at 12:48 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

David Backes is in limbo right now, assigned to the Providence Bruins but not required to report. Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney explained in a short statement yesterday that Backes is healthy enough to play, but wouldn’t be going to the AHL, a nice gesture by the team to not suspend the veteran forward. Today, Sweeney told Joe McDonald of The Athletic that Backes has not actually requested a trade, but is hoping for another opportunity if he’s no longer going to get one in Boston.

Of course, finding another NHL opportunity for a 35-year old with a $6MM cap hit is easier said than done. It also may not really be in Backes’ best interest to be traded. Right now, the Bruins are allowing him to collect his salary without reporting to the minor leagues thanks to their strong relationship. That might not be possible with another organization if he fails again at the NHL level. The most likely scenario still seems to be a buyout this summer, which would allow Backes to seek out other opportunities at a much lower cost.

Tuukka Rask will be back for the Bruins tonight when they take on the Winnipeg Jets. The goaltender was placed on injured reserve a few weeks ago, but ended up missing just three games thanks to the All-Star and bye week breaks. The Bruins already have one of the best “backup” goaltenders in the league in Jaroslav Halak, so a short rest for Rask is no problem for the club. Still, getting their Vezina-caliber starter back is still a boost for the Bruins, who are being chased down by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division race. Perhaps a bit quietly, Rask has a .925 save percentage this season through 28 appearances, his best mark since 2014.
Depth in net is important, and depth in the minors is important too. Providence today extended alternate captain Josiah Didier for another two years, inking him to an AHL contract. Didier was originally a fourth-round selection by the Montreal Canadiens in 2011, but went the college route and has never actually signed an NHL deal. The 26-year old defenseman has seven points in 40 games for Providence this season.

Minor Transactions: 01/31/20

January 31, 2020 at 10:24 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Seven games are on tap in the NHL this evening, including a Pennsylvania rivalry and Connor McDavid welcoming in the Stanley Cup champs. Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals are back in action as well as he looks to pass another great on the all-time leaderboard. Ovechkin sits just a single goal behind Mark Messier for eighth and just seven shy of becoming the newest member of the 700-club. Given his history of 29 goals in 47 games against the Ottawa Senators, another giant could fall later tonight.

After last night’s win over the Buffalo Sabres, the Montreal Canadiens have decided to send Cale Fleury to the minor leagues. Fleury hasn’t played for Montreal in a few weeks, so he needed to get some games in to continue his development.
Adding injury to insult, the Buffalo Sabres appear to have lost Kyle Okposo in the game last night. The team recalled Jean-Sebastien Dea today to replace him, though it is not yet clear how serious the injury is.
Kevin Gravel has been recalled by the Toronto Maple Leafs, giving them another defensive option as they head into a Saturday matchup against the Senators. It is a bit of an interesting move as the team is coming home from a road trip, but perhaps someone is fighting a new injury (Update: After Gravel filled in at practice with Travis Dermott fighting an illness, he has been returned to the minor leagues.)
Justin Dowling has been placed on injured reserve by the Dallas Stars, while Joel Kiviranta is on his way up to the NHL club. Kiviranta played seven games earlier in the season for Dallas, but has spent most of the season with the Texas Stars of the AHL.

Edmonton Oilers Make Several Roster Moves

January 30, 2020 at 7:49 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

The Edmonton Oilers have placed Joakim Nygard and Kris Russell on injured reserve, while recalling Tyler Benson and William Lagesson. Nygard is out with a hand injury that “could be a serious” one according to head coach Dave Tippett, while Russell has been placed in the concussion protocol. This will be Benson’s first call-up to the NHL.

At Least Eight Teams Pursuing Chris Kreider

January 30, 2020 at 5:46 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 7 Comments

The top rental on the open market this season as the trade deadline approaches is undoubtedly Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers. It shouldn’t surprise anyone then when Pierre LeBrun reports on the latest edition of TSN’s Insider Trading that “at least eight teams” have expressed interested in the big winger.

LeBrun does not expand on who those teams may be, but does suggest that the asking price would be similar to what the Rangers received for Kevin Hayes last year. That deal with the Winnipeg Jets included a first-round selection and young forward Brendan Lemieux. According to the insider, contract talks between the Rangers and Kreider haven’t been ruled out, but they also haven’t occurred at this point.

An All-Star this season, Kreider should be of interest for many teams around the league that need an upgrade in their forward ranks. The 28-year old has 17 goals and 32 points in 48 games, but more importantly also brings incredible speed and physicality to the ice every night. In fact, Kreider placed third in the Fastest Skater competition at the All-Star festivities, behind only Connor McDavid and Mathew Barzal.

That kind of dynamic speed is something that allows Kreider to fit in almost anywhere in a lineup, but add it to the fact that he’s 6’3″, 217-lbs and you have a player that has opposing executives drooling at the thought of adding him to their group. The question will be who is willing to pay the highest price for a player who is only guaranteed for a few months.

Kreider is currently on the final season of a four-year, $18.5MM deal he signed in 2016 and holds an 11-team no-trade list. He’ll be due a huge raise on that number in the summer, given he will almost definitely reach the 20-goal mark for the fifth time in six seasons.

Snapshots: Draft Ranking, Nygard, Gallagher

January 30, 2020 at 4:34 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Alexis Lafreniere has topped another list, this time leading TSN’s mid-season ranking. Bob McKenzie compiles the list based on the determinations of ten NHL scouts, but writes that Lafreniere is in a “class all by himself.”

The rest of the list includes 61 other ranked players (plus five honorable mentions), with the usual suspects like Quinton Byfield, Tim Stuetzle and Jamie Drysdale near the top. Jake Sanderson is one of the interesting risers, finding himself the top-ranked American and in the top-10.

There is at least one casualty of the battle between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. Joakim Nygard is still being evaluated by the Oilers’ medical staff after leaving last night’s game, but head coach Dave Tippett explained that it looks like it “could be a serious injury.” Nygard blocked a shot in the first period and could miss another huge chunk of games in his rookie season.
In an absolute must-win for the Montreal Canadiens, they’ll have the heartbeat of their forward group back. Brendan Gallagher is expected to return for the team after missing six games with headaches, as they take on the Buffalo Sabres for the rights to fifth-place in the Atlantic. The Sabres and Canadiens both have 51 points and are seeing their playoff hopes slip away as we enter the last third of the season.

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