Archives for May 2021

Sweden Announces World Championship Roster

May 16, 2021 at 12:29 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

Sweden released their roster for the upcoming World Championships, which gets underway on Friday, early this morning. While they have plenty of players in the NHL (especially on the forward group), this team primarily consists of players playing in leagues overseas. Their roster is as follows with NHL affiliations noted where applicable.

The group has quite a few NHL players on their roster, especially at the forward position, although only a handful have World Championship experience. The biggest name on the list is Anaheim’s Rakell. The 28-year-old forward has appeared in one previous World Championship, back in 2017-18 when he scored six goals and 14 points in 10 games for Sweden. Los Angeles Kings’ Kempe also headlines a solid forward group. Kempe will be appearing in his third World Championship. Olofsson is another significant name who will be appearing in his first World Championship. He is coming off a 13-goal campaign in Buffalo this year. Sorensen, who has bounced back with a solid campaign in San Jose, also joins the group.

On the prospect front in terms of those that haven’t made their NHL debut, it’s the defense that is loaded up with a number of interesting names. The most notable name is Lundkvist, who is property of the New York Rangers. It’s believed that negotiations between the 20-year-old blueliner and the Rangers will get underway soon, likely after the World Championships to bring the prospect over. He could walk right away onto the Rangers’ blueline with a solid preseason (assuming he signs). Johansson is another defenseman who has put up solid numbers in the SHL and is likely to arrive in Detroit this coming season, although he will likely need some time in the AHL. Sellgren is another player on loan to the SHL who will likely be expected to establish himself in the AHL for the Carolina Hurricanes next season. Don’t forget Philadelphia’s Ersson, who has had a solid year in net this past year in the SHL and looks ready to come over as well.

Sweden’s tournament gets underway next Saturday with a matchup against Denmark.

Pittsburgh Penguins Activate Brandon Tanev Off Injured Reserve

May 16, 2021 at 11:05 am CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been playing well, but should receive a big boost on their bottom-six as forward Brandon Tanev, who has been out since March 18 with an upper-body injury, has been activated off of injured reserve. He’s expected to be in the lineup for Pittsburgh’s for today’s game against the New York Islanders.

Tanev should provide the team with quite a bit of energy, which is what he’s known for and why Pittsburgh went out and signed the 29-year-old to a six-year, $21MM contract in the summer of 2019. That was a high price to pay for a bottom-six player. However, the Penguins felt that his energy and abrasiveness was critical to getting the team deep into the playoffs.

The forward has been impressive, however, since joining Pittsburgh. He tallied 244 hits in 2019-20 to go with 11 goals and 25 points. His production looked like he might meet with some career highs this year before he got injured. He had seven goals and 16 points in 32 games to go with 139 hits.

Controversy Surrounds AHL’s Pacific Division Playoffs

May 15, 2021 at 8:20 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 11 Comments

The AHL’s Pacific Division is set to get underway with their postseason tournament on Tuesday, but those most crucial to the playoffs don’t actually want to be there: the participants. Agent Allan Walsh of Octagon Sports revealed that the Pacific Division players were surveyed about their thoughts on playing a postseason this year, as all other AHL divisions opted to end their seasons with a simple regular season champion. The result: 133 of 141 responses (over 94%) stated that they did not want to participate in a playoff.

Given the logistical issues of holding a full league postseason this season, the AHL had opted not to award the Calder Cup this year. Instead, they let each division decide how they would handle crowning a champion. With the AHL broken down into small, regional divisions this season due to the Coronavirus, the Pacific was one of five divisions and one of only three with six or more teams. Yet, the other two – the North and Central Divisions – did not decide to extend their seasons with a playoff tournament. Only the Pacific decided to move forward, despite heavy opposition by the players.

The major issue for the players is that they are not paid for postseason participation. This is true for athletes in all North American pro sports, as contracts only cover regular season performance (aside from postseason bonuses), but usually players have something worth fighting for besides money: a league championship. The Calder Cup is not at stake here and clearly the players do not feel that “2020-21 Pacific Division Champion” on their resume is worth the time and effort. Nor the risk. Health is another major concern, as worker’s compensation will not cover any injuries sustained in the postseason.

The players, with valid reasoning and the backing of their players’ association, did not support the Pacific Division postseason. Yet, the teams proceeded with implementing a playoff structure anyhow and one that includes all seven teams playing at least one game at that. To date, no player has backed out. Why? “That’s career suicide,” one AHL player told InsideAHLHockey.com. With contracts pro-rated for the shortened 2020-21, many AHL contract players are already having a difficult time making ends meet financially and cannot risk blacklisting themselves when they are desperately in need of continued employment next season. As for those on NHL contracts, they are not going to go against the wishes of their organization, either because they are also a veteran who needs another contract or they are a young player trying to stay in their team’s good graces to earn opportunity at the top level. The Pacific Division team had all the leverage in this situation and they used, despite the wishes of the lifeblood of the game. If you’re planning to enjoy the upcoming playoff, just keep in mind – no one wants to be there.

Finland Announces World Championships Roster

May 15, 2021 at 7:20 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Finland is the latest country to unveil its roster for the upcoming World Championships which get underway on Friday. While they have plenty of players in the NHL, this team primarily consists of players playing in leagues overseas. Their roster is as follows with NHL affiliations noted where applicable.

Goaltenders

Jussi Olkinuora
Harri Sateri
Janne Juvonen

Defensemen

Oliwer Kaski (CAR)
Miika Koivisto
Petteri Lindbohm (STL)
Olli Maatta (LA)
Kim Nousiainen (LA)
Atte Ohtamaa
Ville Pokka
Axel Rindell (TOR)
Mikael Seppala
Tony Sund (SJ)

Forwards

Marko Antilla
Hannes Bjorninen
Jere Innala
Jere Karjalainen
Petri Kontiola
Anton Lundell (FLA)
Saku Maenalanen (CAR)
Niko Ojamaki
Iiro Pakarinen
Valtteri Puustinen (PIT)
Mikael Ruohomaa
Arttu Ruotsalainen (BUF)
Jere Sallinen
Peter Tiivola
Teemu Turunen

It’s a very inexperienced group internationally with no fewer than 14 players making their debuts at the Worlds. Among the notable names on the list is Maatta, a veteran of eight NHL seasons. He’s coming off of a particularly quiet year with the Kings as he had just four assists in 41 games while averaging just 16:26 per game, the lowest ATOI of his career. He should be in line for a much bigger role in this tournament. Ruotsalainen saw regular action down the stretch for Buffalo and on a team that struggled mightily to score, he wasn’t bad in that regard, notching five goals in 17 games while logging nearly 14 minutes per night, numbers that aren’t bad for a rookie.

On the prospect front in terms of those that haven’t made their NHL debut, Lundell is the name that stands out. The 12th-overall pick last fall, he averaged nearly a point per game in 26 contests with HIFK in the SM-liiga and was tied for third in scoring at the World Juniors. He looks like he will be a big part of Florida’s future. Puustinen was a seventh-rounder (203rd overall) back in 2019 to the Penguins and looks to have outperformed that draft slot already, finishing second in scoring with HIFK with 21 goals and 20 assists in 51 games which helped him earn an entry-level deal with the Penguins earlier this month.

Finland’s tournament gets underway next Saturday with a matchup against the United States.

Overseas Notes: Lindholm, Bobkov, Vladar

May 15, 2021 at 6:18 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

It’s been an interesting season to say the least for forward Par Lindholm. The veteran sought his release from the Boston Bruins back in February and was granted a contract termination, citing his desire to play a more meaningful role than the 15th or 16th forward on the Bruins’ depth chart. His wish for more commitment and standing was granted almost immediately after he left Boston, returning to his former SHL club Skelleftea AIK on a whopping five-year deal. Lindholm played in 11 games down the stretch for Skelleftea, recording nine points, and then added six points in a dozen playoff games for the semifinalist. Lindholm quickly proved to be an invaluable piece for Skelleftea and with a long-term deal in place, it seemed that it would stay that way for some time. Well, that may not be the case. Skelleftea has announced today that Lindholm has exercised a previously unreported “out clause” in his contract to leave the team for the 2021-22 season. The team notes that the remaining four years on his deal do remain valid and they hope he returns to play out his contract. Where Lindholm is off to next that he considers an upgrade to Skelleftea remains unknown; his time in the NHL showed that the league’s teams do not see him as any more than a bottom-six depth player, so remaining in Europe seems likely. A better offer in Sweden or an opportunity in the KHL could have prompted this decision by Lindholm, but only time will tell.

So much for the Igor Bobkov NHL comeback speculation. Fresh off of a Gagarin Cup title, Bobkov was granted a release from the newly-crowned champs Avangard Omsk on Monday, with the expectation being that he would be looking to test the NHL free agent market this summer. The former Anaheim Ducks top prospect has dominated the KHL for six years running and at 30 years old could still have had appeal in a second try in North America. Instead, another KHL club, Ak Bars Kazan, has inked Bobkov to a one-year deal, putting an end to any NHL possibilities for next season. Why Omsk, who still had Bobkov under contract for one more year, opted to terminate him instead of trade him to Kazan remains a mystery, but regardless the KHL retains one of its very best netminders for at least the 2021-22 campaign.
Another KHL club has made an interesting move in net, although they may never reap the benefits. Automobilist Yekaterinburg announced today that they have acquired the KHL rights of Boston Bruins goaltender Dan Vladar in exchange for minor league forward Kirill Pilipenko. Vladar would of course be an excellent addition for Yekaterinburg, that is if he ever leaves North America in his pro career. While Jeremy Swayman has overshadowed Vladar in Boston this season, the latter has quietly been one of the very best goalies in the AHL both this season and last. In fact, he held the best save percentage and GAA mark in the AHL in 2019-20. The 23-year-old was a third-round pick by the Bruins back in 2015 and already has five pro seasons under his belt, including three AHL seasons with a .923 save percentage or better. While Vladar’s early NHL results have not been spectacular, that shouldn’t hurt his value as a prospect as compared to his size, composure, and minor league track record. Heading into next season, other teams may even get a chance to show just how much upside they see in Vladar. The young goaltender will lose his waiver exemption in 2021-22 and if, as many expect, the Bruins go with a tandem of re-signed Tuukka Rask and Swayman next year, the team may try to trade Vladar if they don’t think they can sneak him through waivers. Via trade or waiver claim, Vladar could find himself on an NHL roster on a permanent basis beginning next season. If it goes well, Vladar could be on an NHL roster for much of the rest of his career, as opposed to joining Automobilist in the KHL. Things would have to go south in a major way for the young keeper in order for Yekaterinburg to see any returns on this trade in the near future.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 05/15/21

May 15, 2021 at 5:08 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. While the league is waiting on a report from the Florida Panthers, here is today’s list for all remaining active teams:

Florida – TBA
St. Louis – Jake Walman, Nathan Walker, David Perron*
Washington – Evgeny Kuznetsov

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Ilya Samsonov, Washington Capitals

While Washington will be happy to see that Samsonov was one-and-done on his second stint on the CPRA list, the goaltender was still absent from morning skate earlier and he is not expected to play in Game One against the Boston Bruins tonight. Nevertheless, having Samsonov available for the remainder of the series is certainly a plus for Capitals. Their young goaltending tandem is the team’s biggest question mark heading into the postseason, but having both healthy improves the situation. Whether the Capitals will get Kuznetsov back during their first-round series remains uncertain.

In St. Louis, this is certainly not the news that the team hoped for on the eve of their postseason run. While the Blues would have liked to have Walman and Walker available as depth options if need be, their losses are not much of a factor to the team’s success. Perron’s addition to the COVID Protocol is another matter entirely. The veteran led the Blues in scoring this season with 58 points in 56 games and is a difference-maker on the ice and in the locker room. If he misses any time, it makes the daunting task of upsetting the Colorado Avalanche that much harder. The team and the league alike hate to see a player of his caliber sidelined at this time of the year.

Stars Haven’t Asked Ben Bishop To Waive No-Move Protection

May 15, 2021 at 3:59 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

One of the more intriguing goalie situations to watch for heading into Seattle’s expansion draft is in Dallas. Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin formed a high-quality tandem in 2018-19 and 2019-20 and would have this season had it not been for Bishop’s knee injury that cost him the entire year. Both goalies require protection from the Kraken and, of course, teams can only protect one.

By default, that spot is currently held by Bishop by virtue of his no-move clause which protects the player from being exposed unless he agrees to waive it. At Friday’s end-of-season media conference, GM Jim Nill told reporters, including NHL.com’s Tracey Myers, that the team has not approached Bishop about potentially waiving it; his comments also suggested that he may not be willing to ask either:

When Ben is healthy, he’s one of the top 3-5 goalies in the league. He’s a guy who can be a difference-maker for you in the playoffs and in winning the Stanley Cup. I think it’s important for him to get back with us. He’s a big part of our team, a big part of our leadership group. He’s a guy who puts us over the top.

Right now, our plan is, let’s see where he’s at here and let’s see where he’s at in July. Right now, he feels very good and he’s on track for being ready for camp, so we’ll play that by ear.

Assuming he is medically cleared by July which, by all accounts, should be the case, he won’t be able to medically exempted from the draft so it certainly seems as if Khudobin will be made available. The 35-year-old posted a 2.54 GAA with a .905 SV% in 32 starts for Dallas this season, his lowest save percentage since 2016-17. However, given the injuries they dealt with plus a schedule that was scrambled up on multiple occasions, a step back is certainly understandable. While he’ll only have one year left on his contract, Khudobin could be an intriguing option for the Kraken in July.

Meanwhile, it’s worth noting that Jake Oettinger, who had a nice rookie season, is exempt. Assuming that Bishop is ready to go next season, it stands to reason that those two would comprise the goaltending tandem which makes it unlikely that they will be willing to give extra compensation to steer Seattle away from Khudobin if that’s the direction they want to go.

Snapshots: Doughty, Goodrow, Blackhawks

May 15, 2021 at 2:58 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 8 Comments

When Drew Doughty inked his then record-setting eight-year, $88MM contract, he wasn’t signing up for a rebuild but that’s what the Kings have been doing lately. Speaking with reporters in an end-of-season media conference (video link), the veteran called on GM Rob Blake to make some significant additions to the roster this summer:

Me and ’Kopi,’ ’Quickie,’ ’Brownie,’ we’re all getting older. We all had, I thought, phenomenal seasons, but we’re running out of time. You’ve got two of the best players at their position, both ways, two of the most complete players at the position. And with all this cap room, yeah, we’ve got to bring guys in. That’s it, for sure. There’s no point just waiting for these prospects to develop when you’ve got guys in their prime, guys that are hungry to win and guys that are sick of losing so, yeah, we’ve got to bring guys in.

Doughty is certainly correct in that the Kings have ample cap room; per CapFriendly, as they have a little over $20MM in space with no high-priced players to re-sign. That’s one of the benefits of having a roster that features several prospects on low-priced entry-level deals and as those will be getting expensive quicker, the time to strike for win-now veterans may very well be in the coming months.

Elsewhere around the league:

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper told reporters, including Joe Smith of The Athletic (Twitter link) that forward Barclay Goodrow will be out for at least another week due to his upper-body injury. The 28-year-old was an important piece of Tampa Bay’s bottom six in the playoffs last year but will have to wait a bit longer to start this postseason. It’s not all bad news though with winger Nikita Kucherov and center Steven Stamkos expected to be available for tomorrow’s opener against Florida.
The Blackhawks have started contract talks with several of their restricted free agents including defenseman Nikita Zadorov, notes Phil Thompson of the Chicago Tribune. GM Stan Bowman noted that talks are at the beginning stage for each of them. Zadorov’s arbitration eligibility makes his case a higher priority as it stands to reason that they do not want the defender to file, making him a non-tender candidate if they can’t get a deal done. Other restricted free agents this summer include winger Brandon Hagel and forward Pius Suter.

Russia Announces World Championships Roster

May 15, 2021 at 1:58 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 3 Comments

With the World Hockey Championships now less than a week away, countries have started revealing their roster for the tournament. Russia is the latest to do so, announcing a group that has a mixture of NHL experience with several key veterans from the KHL as well. Their roster is as follows with NHL affiliations noted where applicable:

Goaltenders

Ivan Fedotov (PHI)
Alexander Samonov

Defensemen

Grigory Dronov
Vladislav Gavrikov (CBJ)
Alexey Marchenko
Nikita Nesterov (CGY)
Ivan Provorov (PHI)
Igor Ozhiganov
Rushan Rafikov (CGY)
Nikita Zadorov (CHI)
Artem Zub (OTT)

Forwards

Alexander Barabanov (SJ)
Anton Burdasov
Emil Galimov (SJ)
Mikhail Grigorenko (CBJ)
Vladislav Kamenev (COL)
Pavel Karnaukhov (CGY)
Andrey Kuzmenko
Ivan Morozov (VGK)
Konstantin Okulov
Maxim Shalunov (CHI)
Anton Slepyshev (EDM)
Artem Shvets-Rogovoy
Sergey Tolchinsky
Evgeny Timkin
Dmitry Voronkov (CBJ)

That leaves Russia two players short – one goalie and one forward. They will have two taxi squads of sorts, one with the team and one in Riga. Players staying in the bubble with the team including goalie Ivan Bocharov and forwards Ilya Safonov and Vasili Podkolzin (VAN) while draft-eligible blueliner Kirill Kirsanov and winger Kirill Marchenko (CBJ) will be in Riga. Speculatively, keeping only one extra goalie in the bubble suggests that Russia may be looking to see if someone like Washington’s Ilya Samsonov was to become available if Washington is ousted quickly in the playoffs and would turn to Bucharov if that doesn’t happen.

If you follow the KHL closely, you might have noticed that most of the KHL players are from two teams. SKA St. Petersburg has 11 players on this list while three of the top four scorers from CSKA Moscow (highlighted by Okulov who has attracted NHL interest in recent years and will again this offseason) are there as well. That familiarity should certainly be helpful in a short tournament like this one. Russia’s first game is set for Friday against the Czech Republic.

North Notes: Mete, Ottawa Veterans, Edler, Weber

May 15, 2021 at 12:57 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 6 Comments

Among what was a busy day for the Senators yesterday with GM Pierre Dorion’s end-of-season media availability, he told reporters, including Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, that they are now working on a new deal for defenseman Victor Mete. The pending restricted free agent was claimed off waivers from Montreal at the trade deadline and while his playing time was limited to just over 12 minutes a game over his first five games with them, a good showing plus injuries on the back end saw that number jump to over 23 minutes per contest in their final five games. Mete is owed a qualifying offer of just over $770K but has salary arbitration eligibility which could come into play if they can’t get a deal done between now and the start of free agency in late July.

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