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Seattle Kraken Hire Jason Botterill, Norm Maciver

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The Seattle Kraken have added to their front office, hiring Jason Botterill as assistant GM and Norm Maciver as director of player personnel.

Botterill, 44, spent the last three seasons as general manager of the Buffalo Sabres but was fired this offseason after missing the playoffs once again. He cut his teeth as an executive under veteran managers like Ray Shero and Jim Rutherford over several years in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, the latter having also been the front office mentor of Kraken GM Ron Francis. Though his time in Buffalo did not go well, Botterill was once known as quite the AGM, able to help fill the Pittsburgh prospect pipeline with unheralded prospects that overachieved year after year.

In the release, Botterill explains why he took this job:

Everyone in hockey is extremely excited about what’s happening in Seattle, and I am thrilled for this unique opportunity. I’m looking forward to working with the diverse and talented group that Ron has assembled.

Maciver, 56, was part of the Chicago Blackhawks front office for a decade, serving in various roles including AGM from 2012-2019. He was part of the group that brought three Stanley Cup championships to the city and should bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role in Seattle.

The Kraken have put together quite the front office so far and now will face the most important task so far, selecting an expansion roster. The 32nd NHL franchise will have a tough time replicating the Vegas Golden Knights’ immediate success, but Francis and company will certainly try.

Matt Martin Expected To Sign Four-Year Deal

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The New York Islanders haven’t announced it yet, but word has come out that the extension for fourth-liner Matt Martin is quite a bit bigger than expected. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported today that it would be a “bit of a surprise” and that it would reflect the Islanders’ loyalty to the big forward. Arthur Staple of The Athletic tweets that it is expected to be a four-year contract with an average annual value of $1.5MM. New York GM Lou Lamoriello recently confirmed the team had re-signed Martin, but the contract has yet to be officially filed with the league.

Sure, a four-year deal for a fourth-line player is usually a surprise, but perhaps it shouldn’t be one in this specific instance. Martin is actually coming off two previous four-year contracts, one signed with the Islanders in 2012 and one signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016 (notably with Lamoriello, who was GM of the Maple Leafs at the time). This one will come in somewhere between the $4MM he earned on that first deal and $10MM he earned on his last, but still means that Martin will be more than twice as expensive as the league minimum.

For a player that scored just eight points last season and has a career-high of 19, this kind of commitment is exceedingly rare. But Martin is beloved in the Islanders locker room and does often impact the game positively, even if it’s not by putting the puck in the net. His defensive ability is actually a bit underrated, with opponents generating fewer shots when he’s on the ice, while he is also always among the league leaders in hits, something still valued by the tough-as-nails Barry Trotz system. The fact that Martin actually rarely takes minor penalties is also a rarity for a player of his ilk; in 2019-20 he took only five of the two-minute variety.

At one point in the past, the trio of Martin, Cal Clutterbuck, and Casey Cizikas was known as the most effective fourth line in the league. The Islanders obviously believe that the 31-year-old Martin can still be an asset in that role.

Zack Smith, Marko Dano Clear Waivers

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Jan 5: Both players have cleared waivers and can be assigned to the AHL.

Jan 4: Two veteran forwards have been placed on waivers today, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Zack Smith of the Chicago Blackhawks and Marko Dano of the Winnipeg Jets have both hit the wire.

Smith, 32, was recently ruled healthy for the Blackhawks after undergoing back surgery in March, but may not end up on the opening day roster after all. Placing the veteran on waivers already suggests that Smith is headed for the AHL or taxi squad, though even if he clears he may not necessarily be sent down right away.

Normally a player with 662 games of NHL experience would be a likely candidate to be claimed on waivers, but in Smith’s case, it seems very unlikely. Not only is he coming off a major injury and saw his play deteriorate last season, but he is also set to earn $3.25MM this season in the final season of his four-year contract. That cap hit is high enough, but given that it is all due in salary, it’s also probably too pricey even for rebuilding clubs that may need some more veteran experience in the lineup.

Dano meanwhile is just trying to hold onto an NHL career that barely ever existed in the first place. The 27th overall pick in 2013 has played just 141 games at the NHL level, including just three last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 26-year-old signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Jets in November and had been playing overseas, but suffered an injury and was limited to just two games with Trencin Dukla of the Slovakian league.

After going up and down, traded back and forth, and clearing waivers previously, it seems very unlikely that anyone would take a chance on Dano at this point. But if he can get his game back on track (and remain healthy), perhaps he can still be a useful taxi squad player for the Jets in a condensed season.

Colin Wilson Announces Retirement

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A few months ago, Colin Wilson released a long, emotional piece in The Players’ Tribune, detailing his battle with addiction and a recent diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It was a brutally honest look at the mental health struggles of many athletes and ended with this:

And like I said, I don’t know if I’ll be back out on the ice anytime soon. But I know that, no matter what the future holds for me, I did it. I played in the NHL. I lived my dream. And I fought through hell to make a career for myself. My name might not be on the Stanley Cup, and that’s fine. Because I know there is an opportunity ahead of me to not just leave my mark on the game of hockey, but also on lives all across the world.

I don’t want to pretend like I have it all figured out, because I don’t. I’m still learning as I go. But what I do know comes from what I went through. So if you’re going through it, remember this:

Be kind to yourself, to your mind.

Have patience with your soul, your body.

And know that you don’t have to do it alone.

Today, he has at least figured out what the future will not hold. Wilson has retired after 11 NHL seasons, explaining that though it is a bittersweet moment to leave hockey behind, he’s excited for what will come next in his life.

Originally selected seventh overall by the Nashville Predators in 2008, Wilson made it to the NHL by the 2009-10 season and never looked back. A solid middle-six contributor, he reached a career-high of 20 goals and 42 points in 2014-15. In 632 career games, he scored 286 points, helping his team reach the playoffs on eight different occasions.

Though his career likely didn’t burn as bright as some expected after his dominant performances at Boston University, Wilson can still say he was a very good NHL player. Wish him well in the next chapter of his life and hope that the honesty he showed in October can continue to guide him.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Toledo Walleye Expected To Opt Out Of ECHL Season

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Another team appears poised to sit out the ECHL season as Jeff Marek of Sportsnet reports that the Toledo Walleye will not play. Toledo was one of the five teams still waiting to start their season after 13 squads kicked things off a few weeks ago. The two groups were supposed to play varied schedule lengths to try and get as much hockey in as possible, but with another team dropping out there are obviously new questions raised about the viability of a full season.

Toledo joins the Cincinnati Cyclones, Idaho Steelheads, Kalamazoo Wings, Worcester Railers, Maine Mariners, Reading Royals, Newfoundland Growlers, Adirondack Thunder, Brampton Beast, Atlanta Gladiators, and Norfolk Admirals as teams that will not play the 2020-21 season but expected to return in 2021-22. The other team that had not yet decided, the Fort Wayne Komets, are expected to play according to Marek.

The Walleye are the ECHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, who will now not have the luxury of sending prospects down to the ECHL this season. That said, the Grand Rapids Griffins, AHL affiliate of the Red Wings, was not one of the teams that pulled out of the AHL season and should be able to house the team’s prospects just fine. Still, for Toledo, this is brutal news as the Walleye are one of the most successful organizations in the ECHL with a strong fanbase.

Vancouver Canucks Plan To Sign And Play Vasili Podkolzin Later This Season

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With top prospect Vasili Podkolzin currently impressing on the international stage as the captain of Team Russia, the Vancouver Canucks want to assure their fans that it is only a matter of time before he’s doing the same for them. Speaking with Jon Abbot of TSN 1040 in Vancouver, GM Jim Benning reveals that the club expects to sign Podkolzin during this season and plans to play him in the NHL lineup immediately. Benning reports that Podkolzin’s KHL contract expires on April 30, at which time the team will look to sign him and bring him overseas.

While late April is typically the middle of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and not exactly an ideal time to introduce a teenage prospect to the NHL, the 2020-21 season is of course an exception. The playoffs do not begin until May 11 at the earliest this year, allowing Podkolzin nearly two weeks to settle in. Travel and quarantine could come into play, but the hope is that Podkolzin could see some regular season game action before the Canucks hopefully move on to the postseason.

The 2019 tenth overall pick also has the advantage of being very pro-ready. Podkolzin is already in his third season of seeing at least some KHL action, playing almost exclusively with SKA St. Petersburg so far this year. He also has pro size at 6’4″ and over 200 lbs., not to mention a developed offensive game. Once Podkolzin arrives in Vancouver, it may not take long for him to get up to speed.

Knowing they have Podkolzin in their back pocket for later this season, the Canucks may not feel the need to make any other roster additions this season, at least up front. If Podkolzin actually joins the team on April 30, that would be just over two weeks after the Trade Deadline on April 12. Vancouver may be hesitant to give up trade capital to add a forward with reinforcements on the way not long after. In fact, Benning stated that the team is “done for now” in terms of transactions (outside of a Travis Hamonic PTO becoming a contract), so Podkolzin may very well be the next notable addition that the team makes this season.

NHL Will Not Require Blanket Quarantine Period For AHL Recalls

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Alongside the news of three teams opting out, four teams temporarily relocating, and realigned divisions for the coming season, more information continues to emerge following today’s AHL Board of Governors meeting. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that NHL clubs and their AHL affiliates have been informed that there will be no blanket quarantine period for player recalls and reassignments this season. Instead, quarantine measures will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis considering the totality of the circumstances. This will include team protocols, travel logistics, and accordance with local COVID-19 health guidelines.

As Johnston notes, this will make AHL recalls much easier for those teams whose affiliates share a city or even a state or province. Short, safe travel ability and uniform local policies will allow for much shorter quarantine periods. Teams in this situation may even ask their affiliate to maintain the same NHL-level of day-to-day quarantine protocols to make recalls even easier, perhaps even without any quarantine. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, and San Jose Sharks (if and when the team returns home from Arizona) all share a city with their AHL affiliate, as do the New Jersey Devils temporarily. The Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Boston Bruins (temporarily), Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins all have their AHL affiliates within state or provincial lines as well.

For those teams with some distance between themselves and their minor league clubs, recalls could remain difficult. Especially for those Canadian teams whose affiliates remain in the U.S. – the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks – quarantine logistics will be a struggle. Johnston points out that for these teams and the American clubs with affiliates elsewhere in the country, travel will be a major obstacle. The one blanket policy for all NHL and AHL players this season is that a seven-day quarantine period is required following a commercial flight. This could also stand to effect any team on a long-term road trip that is desperate enough to make a recall.

However, while this policy will help a great number of teams, it is important to remember that  taxi squads were established for this season to reduce the reliance on AHL recalls, at least as a frequent measure. Regardless of each NHL team’s location relative to their AHL affiliate, most teams will largely use their six-man taxi squad for emergency substitutions and will have options in the meantime should they decide to recall a player who must quarantine.

Three Teams Opt Out Of AHL Season

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The AHL will have a season, but it won’t be with 31 teams. The Charlotte Checkers, Milwaukee Admirals, and Springfield Thunderbirds have all elected to opt out of the 2020-21 season. All three will return for 2021-22. After a board of governors call today, the league has announced realignment for the upcoming season that will see 28 teams operate in five divisions. Those divisions will be as follows:

Atlantic:

Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Hartford Wolf Pack
Providence Bruins

Canadian:

Belleville Senators
Laval Rocket
Manitoba Moose
Toronto Marlies

North:

Binghamton Devils
Hershey Bears
Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Rochester Americans
Syracuse Crunch
Utica Comets
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Central:

Chicago Wolves
Cleveland Monsters
Grand Rapids Griffins
Iowa Wild
Rockford IceHogs
Texas Stars

Pacific:

Bakersfield Condors
Colorado Eagles
Henderson Silver Knights
Ontario Reign
San Diego Gulls
San Jose Barracuda
Stockton Heat
Tucson Roadrunners

Several teams have also secured provisional relocations. The Binghamton Devils will play in Newark, New Jersey; the Ontario Reign will play in El Segundo, California; the Providence Bruins will play in Marlborough, Massachusetts; and the San Diego Gulls will play in Irvine, California.

The league will play a schedule with variable lengths for each division but will have a minimum of 24 games. The league is hoping to start on February 5, though an official schedule has not been announced yet.

The question now becomes what will happen to minor league players for the Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues, NHL affiliates of Charlotte, Milwaukee, and Springfield respectively. Patrick Williams of NHL.com reports that St. Louis will be sending players to Utica; no word yet on the other two franchises.

Injury Notes: Patrick, Dallas, Colorado, Marchand

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The Philadelphia Flyers had a welcome face join them for the first on-ice session of training camp today. Nolan Patrick, who hasn’t played an NHL game since April of 2019, was present and taking part in practice. In fact, he’s even cleared for contact and says he’s feeling better every day as he recovers from the migraine issues that kept him off the ice for so long.

Patrick, the second overall pick from 2017, is still just 22 and could be a big part of the Flyers lineup this season should his health hold. Without any leverage in negotiations, he accepted a one-year contract at his qualifying offer salary of $874,125. Even if he never becomes the top-line center they hoped for, Philadelphia can still certainly use a bargain in the middle-six.

  • The Dallas Stars were without two postseason standouts as camp opened, announcing that Anton Khudobin is still dealing with some immigration issues and Joe Pavelski is listed as day-to-day pending further examination results on an undisclosed injury. Remember, with such a short training camp this year every day is even more important, meaning there may be some extra rust to shake off for Dallas early on.
  • Speaking of missing important time, five Colorado Avalanche players were deemed “unfit to play” today and head coach Jared Bednar wasn’t sure when they would be back. Gabriel Landeskog, Brandon Saad, Erik Johnson, Philipp Grubauer, and Keaton Middelton (AHL contract) were all held out, though the exact reasoning was not given. The first four are obviously extremely important to the Colorado lineup, so hopefully they can get back on the ice before long.
  • While David Pastrnak wasn’t on the ice and will still miss the first part of the regular season, the Boston Bruins had Brad Marchand out there in his familiar place next to Patrice Bergeron. Marchand is coming back from sports hernia surgery in September and explained today that he had been dealing with the injury for the last two and a half years. The veteran forward also spoke about Kevan Miller’s return to the ice with the Bruins, calling him an “animal” and saying that he hasn’t missed a beat. Miller last played an NHL game in April of 2019 and has had multiple major surgeries in the interim. He signed a new one-year, bonus-laden deal with the Bruins in October.

NHL Announces Full 2020-21 Schedule

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Jan 4: The league has added start times to the entire schedule, including that Pittsburgh-Philadelphia opener that will begin at 4:30pm CT on January 13. Two other games were moved, but the schedule has for the most part maintained its original integrity. Just over a week remains until the games matter and the race through a shortened season commences.

Dec 23: The NHL has announced the full schedule for the upcoming season, kicking things off with a five-game slate on January 13. Things will start with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers renewing an old rivalry in game one of the 2020-21 season while the Tampa Bay Lightning will also raise the Stanley Cup banner against the Chicago Blackhawks on opening night. Montreal-Toronto, Vancouver-Edmonton, and St. Louis-Colorado make up the rest of an explosive return for NHL hockey.

The full schedule can be seen here, but below is every team’s season opener:

North Division:

Calgary Flames (@ WPG) – January 14
Edmonton Oilers (vs VAN) – January 13
Montreal Canadiens (@ TOR) – January 13
Ottawa Senators (vs TOR) – January 15
Toronto Maple Leafs (vs MTL) – January 13
Vancouver Canucks (@ EDM) – January 13
Winnipeg Jets (vs CGY) – January 14

West Division:

Anaheim Ducks (@ VGK) – January 14
Arizona Coyotes (vs SJS) – January 14
Colorado Avalanche (vs STL) – January 13
Los Angeles Kings (vs MIN) – January 14
Minnesota Wild (@ LAK) – January 14
San Jose Sharks (@ ARI) – January 14
St. Louis Blues (@ COL) – January 13
Vegas Golden Knights (vs ANA) – January 14

Central Division:

Carolina Hurricanes (@ DET) – January 14
Chicago Blackhawks (@ TBL) – January 13
Columbus Blue Jackets (@NSH) – January 14
Dallas Stars (@ FLA) – January 14
Detroit Red Wings (vs CAR) – January 14
Florida Panthers (vs DAL) – January 14
Nashville Predators (vs CBJ) – January 14
Tampa Bay Lightning (vs CHI) – January 13

East Division: 

Boston Bruins (@ NJD) – January 14
Buffalo Sabres (vs WSH) – January 14
New Jersy Devils (vs BOS) – January 14
New York Islanders (@ NYR) – January 14
New York Rangers (vs NYI) – January 14
Philadelphia Flyers (vs PIT) – January 13
Pittsburgh Penguins (@ PHI) – January 13
Washington Capitals (@ BUF) – January 14

The schedule does not include game times; those are expected to be assigned next week. The 56-game schedule is littered with back-to-back situations for all the teams in the league, meaning just as expected, depth (especially at the goaltending position) will be extremely important this season.

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