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Brandon Sutter Unlikely To Play This Season

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Canucks center Brandon Sutter hasn’t played this season as he deals with long-term COVID symptoms and it doesn’t sound like he’ll suit up at all as head coach Bruce Boudreau told beat reporter Jeff Paterson (Twitter link) that he doesn’t anticipate the veteran returning to play at any point this season.

The 33-year-old has been with Vancouver since being acquired in a draft day trade back in 2015 and after playing out his five-year, $21.875MM contract last season, he opted to not test the market, instead inking a one-year, $1.125MM contract at the start of free agency.  The deal made lots of sense from a value standpoint as Sutter’s defensive game and faceoff prowess made him a quality fourth-liner but unfortunately, he had to shut his offseason training down soon after signing.

Sutter was among the many Vancouver players who contracted the virus last March that resulted in a lengthy shutdown for the team.  He was able to return in April but things have certainly worsened for him since then and he currently is on long-term injured reserve (joining winger Micheal Ferland and defenseman Brady Keeper).  He’ll once again become an unrestricted free agent in July but at this point, his focus will simply be on recovering over trying to find a contract for 2022-23.

Central Notes: Kubalik, Blues, MacDonald

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Blackhawks winger Dominik Kubalik is one of the more interesting wingers that currently is in trade speculation.  He’s only two years removed from a 30-goal campaign and still has another year of team control remaining through arbitration.  However, he isn’t having a particularly strong year and that qualifying offer stands at $4MM, a high price for someone whose production is on pace for a 31-point season.  Accordingly, Mark Lazerus of The Athletic pegs (subscription link) the 26-year-old as a deadline enigma.  If Kubalik has his way, he’d like to stick around with Chicago and not be moved:

Chicago gave me an opportunity to be in the NHL and I love it there. So I’d love to stay.

The question for Blackhawks interim GM Kyle Davidson will be figuring out where the line is between opting for what would probably be an underwhelming trade return (relative to how he played a couple of years ago as a rookie) and where the smarter play would be to keep and qualify him this summer to give him one more chance.  In the meantime, Kubalik will have another month to try to up his value both on the trade and contract front.

More from the Central Division:

  • Blues defenseman Marco Scandella traveled with the team on their road trip and could play at some point in this four-game stretch, notes Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The veteran is dealing with a lower-body injury and missed his first game of the season over the weekend.  Meanwhile, the same can’t be said for fellow blueliner Scott Perunovich as Timmermann notes the youngster won’t be on the trip as he continues to battle an upper-body injury.  At this point, with Perunovich already being out for a month, a short-term stint in the minors seems likely when he is cleared to return.
  • Avalanche blueliner Jacob MacDonald has been cleared for contact as he works his way back from an injury that has kept him out of the lineup for more than two months, relays Peter Baugh of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 28-year-old has been limited to just seven games this season and is currently on LTIR.  Even with this step, MacDonald is still likely at least a couple of weeks away from returning.

Matt Dumba To Miss Time With Lower-Body Injury

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The Minnesota Wild got Matt Dumba back in the lineup on Saturday, his first game in the month of February. He played more than 22 minutes, added his usual three hits, and blocked two shots. Unfortunately, Dumba isn’t going to be doing any of that in tonight’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. He has already been ruled out with a lower-body injury, with Dakota Mermis recalled to take his spot.

Michael Russo of The Athletic is hearing that Dumba will miss a few weeks, and with Calen Addison also dealing with an injury at the moment the team doesn’t have the ready-made replacement they usually do. Mermis, 28, has played just 25 games in his NHL career, including just two this season for the Wild.

That’s a tough blow for the Wild, who have dealt with their fair share this season. Only Kevin Fiala and Ryan Hartman have played in every game this season, with almost every other key name missing more than a handful. At times, Minnesota has been dealing with as many as eight regulars out of the lineup but continues to be one of the best teams in the Western Conference. They’ve won eight of their last ten and are 29-11-3 on the season, which unfortunately is still only good enough for second place in the Central Division–11 points behind the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche.

While Dumba is not the most important defender on the team, he’s still a rock-solid top-four option that logs nearly 24 minutes a night. In 40 games this season he’s already recorded 20 points and he is without a doubt the most physical defenseman on the team. There have been trade rumors following the 27-year-old seemingly for his whole career, and those likely won’t stop in the next year if an extension isn’t worked out. Dumba is signed through 2022-23 at a $6MM cap hit but will be an unrestricted free agent afterward; with the Wild’s incoming cap issues, an extension will be difficult to fit in.

Mark Stone Placed On LTIR; Jack Eichel To Make Season Debut

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Speaking to reporters including Jesse Granger of The Athletic, Vegas Golden Knights general manager confirmed what had been reported in recent days. Mark Stone is headed to long-term injured reserve with a back injury. This is notable not only because the Golden Knights will be without their captain for the next while but it also opens up enough salary cap space to activate Jack Eichel to make his season debut on Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche.

McCrimmon explained that the team’s medical staff or the numerous specialists he has met with haven’t been able to determine exactly what is causing Stone’s injury, and did not have a concrete timeline for his return. That answer will certainly draw some curious glances from around the league as the team escapes the cap crunch they were facing without trading away any assets.

Still, losing Stone is no small thing. The 29-year-old forward is among the best two-way players in the game as a two-time Selke Trophy finalist and point-per-game producer. In 28 games this season–broken up by multiple absences due to his back concerns–Stone has scored eight goals and 28 points while playing a little over 18 minutes a night. Taking him out of the lineup for an extended period of time will certainly not be an ideal situation for the Golden Knights, especially as they are in no sure position in the Pacific Division

While they are in first currently, the Calgary Flames are nipping at their heels with a better points percentage and the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, and Vancouver Canucks are all above .500 and within striking distance. With so much time left, it’s not even a sure thing that the Golden Knights make the playoffs, let alone secure the division crown.

One way to help your case–add a $10MM center into the lineup. Eichel hasn’t played an NHL game since March 7, 2021 but is now fully healthy and ready to resume what has been a strong career so far, at least in terms of individual production. The second-overall pick in 2015, he has recorded 355 points in 375 games and scored a career-high 36 goals in 2019-20. That put him eighth in Hart Trophy voting, meaning this is a potential MVP candidate that the Golden Knights are sliding into the lineup. Sure, there will be some rust for the 25-year-old pivot, but Vegas has also never had a center like this to build around.

If the team is to bring Stone back before the playoffs, they’ll need to find a way to shed some salary. That would presumably need to be done before the March 21 deadline, so if they don’t–expect the captain to miss the rest of the regular season. Alec Martinez, the other key player on LTIR, is getting closer but there is also no clear timeline for his return just yet. Robin Lehner, who missed practice today, is out with an upper-body injury but his status for Wednesday is not yet determined.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Halak, Coyotes

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The NHL has released the Three Stars for last week and unsurprisingly, Jacob Markstrom takes the top spot. The Calgary Flames goaltender earned his league-leading eighth shutout, made 46 saves against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and then backstopped the Flames to another win against the New York Islanders. With a career-best .926 save percentage on the season, Markstrom has catapulted himself directly into the Vezina Trophy conversation in recent weeks and is one of the biggest reasons that Calgary has turned into a Stanley Cup contender.

The second and third spots went to Patrik Laine and Nico Hischier respectively, both coming off six-point weeks. Laine, who is heading into the summer as a pending restricted free agent once again, now has 27 points in 27 games for the Blue Jackets this season. His game-winning goal with just a few seconds left against the Montreal Canadiens was a perfect example of the incredible power he can generate, and why he’s such a feared goal scorer when playing his best. Hischier meanwhile had five goals of his own, taking him to 13 on the season. While he doesn’t generate the same kind of press that some other first-overall picks have, Hischier has quietly been an excellent performer for the Devils since entering the league in 2017, racking up 176 points in 273 career games while providing strong defensive play down the middle.

  • Vancouver Canucks goaltender Jaroslav Halak has been clear that he doesn’t want to be traded, according to Elliotte Friedman who joined Rick Dhaliwal on CHEK TV today. While Halak’s name continues to be in the rumor mill, the goaltender holds full control of his future with a no-movement clause and will not be traded without his approval. The 36-year-old has a .903 save percentage in ten appearances and will earn a substantial performance bonus for his next start.
  • If you want to get an idea of what Arizona Coyotes games will look like next season inside Arizona State University’s rather small facility, Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports was tweeting out photos of the construction. The small arena is expected to have a capacity somewhere between 3,000-5,000 when it is completed and will house both the ASU Sun Devils and Coyotes for the next several seasons.

Logan Stanley Activated; Neal Pionk Unavailable

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The Winnipeg Jets have activated Logan Stanley from injured reserve and will insert him back into the lineup for the first time since January 20. The big defenseman is coming at the perfect time since Neal Pionk is unavailable. Pionk tested positive for coronavirus ten days ago with the team on the road and though he has played in the last two games, can’t travel back with the Jets to Canada until tomorrow.

Stanley, 23, is one of the most physically imposing players in the league, standing 6’7″ and weighing in at 228 lbs. Though it took the 2016 first-round pick some time to grow into his potential, he’s become a regular with the Jets this season, averaging just over 15 minutes a night through 35 games. With the team struggling to keep pace in the Central Division, another step forward in Stanley’s progression would certainly be welcomed.

In fact, the deployment of the Jets’ defense down the stretch will be an interesting thing to watch, especially if they fall completely out of the playoff race. The veteran group of Pionk, Josh Morrissey, Nate Schmidt, Brenden Dillon, and Dylan DeMelo are all signed through at least the 2023-24 season at cap hits of at least $3MM, but the team has young defensemen like Stanley and Ville Heinola pushing for more playing time. If the management group decides to start looking forward to the future, perhaps someone from that veteran group will start appearing in trade talks with contending teams.

For now though, Stanley jumps back into a group that is desperately trying to find a way to put wins on the board. The Jets took Saturday’s game against the Nashville Predators and now have a winnable match against the Chicago Blackhawks. A team that was considered a Stanley Cup contender before the season began, Winnipeg sits sixth in the Central with a 20-17-8 record.

Calgary Flames Acquire Tyler Toffoli

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The Calgary Flames have been interested in Montreal Canadiens forward Tyler Toffoli for some time, and they’ve finally landed their man. The team has sent a 2022 first-round pick, a 2023 fifth-round pick, prospect Emil Heinemann and forward Tyler Pitlick to the Canadiens in exchange for Toffoli. The first-round selection is top-10 protected, though with Calgary’s current position that seems unlikely to occur anyway. If they do end up with a top-10 pick, Calgary would instead send their 2023 first-round selection and an extra fourth-round pick in 2024. Chris Johnston of TSN adds that no salary has been retained in the deal.

Toffoli, 29, has been an excellent offensive piece since arriving in Montreal, recording 37 goals and 70 points in 89 games with the Canadiens. While only nine of those goals have come this season, almost all of the Canadiens’ forwards have seen a dip in production due to the weak overall play of the team. If there’s anyone in the league that knows exactly what Toffoli can bring to the ice it is Flames head coach Darryl Sutter, who coached the forward to a Stanley Cup championship in 2014 when both were with the Los Angeles Kings.

The fact that Calgary has an obvious hole on the right side in the top-nine also makes Toffoli a perfect addition, though he can sometimes be a tough player to fit in with certain linemates. A powerful skater, he’s not a particularly graceful or efficient one, and his offensive chances usually come from his top-notch hockey IQ and anticipation instead of raw tools. Should he join Calgary, Sutter and company would need to find a mix that maximizes those abilities.

Notably, Toffoli also doesn’t represent a deadline rental. Signed to a four-year, $17MM contract in the fall of 2020, he is signed through 2023-24 at a $4.25MM cap hit. That’s certainly a reasonable amount given his offensive upside and the Flames have more than enough money coming off the books at the end of the year to go shopping for players with term. Even if they can get a deal done with Johnny Gaudreau to keep him in Calgary, names like Nikita Zadorov and Erik Gudbranson are all pending unrestricted free agent who could be shed to create some additional flexibility.

That also could be a pointed look at how Montreal GM Kent Hughes is planning on moving forward with the current roster. He has hinted already that there would be substantial changes to the roster–not just rental sell-offs like Chiarot–as he looks to turn around the franchise. With this trade they’ve made the first major incision into the core group, carving out a key player for a package of futures.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic notes that the Canadiens were especially interested in Heineman, who they will still need to sign. The 20-year-old prospect arrived in the Calgary organization from the Florida Panthers in last year’s Sam Bennett trade after being selected in the second round in 2020. A forward that plays for Leksands IF in the Swedish Hockey League, he has 16 points in 36 games. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic recently ranked Heineman as the seventh-best prospect in Calgary’s system.

Adding another first-round pick is also notable because this year’s draft is in Montreal. The team already had 11 picks and will likely add even more before the March 21 deadline, with players like Ben Chiarot still garnering interest. If you wanted to rebuild the entire system, that kind of a draft is the best way to start.

For Calgary though, a move like this shows just how invested they are in a long playoff run this season. The team could potentially lose Gaudreau to free agency, will have to work out a new deal with Matthew Tkachuk, and will no longer have luxuries like Oliver Kylington on a league-minimum contract after this season. They have all the pieces to contend for the Stanley Cup and Toffoli’s addition should only strengthen their lineup with some added secondary scoring.

By moving Pitlick out at the same time, the Flames also created enough room to avoid any cap issues. The biggest concern for most contenders–and enticing prospect for most sellers–is how difficult the flat cap has made it to add at the deadline. Calgary avoids having to pay a premium for salary retention, even if they are still handing out a fairly substantial package for the veteran forward. Pitlick happens to be joining his cousin Rem Pitlick with the Canadiens, who was claimed off waivers last month, but the newcomer could also be flipped if healthy at the deadline. Since he is a pending UFA, it doesn’t make a ton of sense for the Canadiens to keep him–Pitlick netted the Seattle Kraken a fourth-round pick last summer.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet first tweeted that talks were picking up steam between the two clubs. 

AHL Shuffle: 02/14/22

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The NHL is back in action today with four games on the schedule, the Toronto Maple Leafs visiting the Seattle Kraken. By the time Toronto gets home, attendance restrictions should be eased. As Katherine DeClerq of CTV News relays, the Ontario government announced that as of February 17, seating capacity at sporting events will return to 50 percent with full buildings expected at the beginning of March. The Maple Leafs happen to have their next home game scheduled for the 17th, while the Ottawa Senators will have to deal with an empty rink one more time tomorrow night. As those teams prepare for the return of fans, we’ll keep track of all the roster movement around the league.

Atlantic Division

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Darren Raddysh from the AHL as they hit the road for a game against the New Jersey Devils tomorrow. The Lightning, who had played more than most teams before the break, have another long break following tomorrow’s match. They return home on Wednesday, February 23 against the Edmonton Oilers.

Metropolitan Division

  • The New York Islanders have recalled Cory Schneider under emergency conditions after Semyon Varlamov entered the COVID protocol on the weekend. Schneider has played in 16 games with the Bridgeport Islanders but isn’t expected to see any action for New York unless something happens to Ilya Sorokin.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Morgan Frost, sending Jackson Cates back to the AHL. Frost, a first-round pick from 2017, has seven points in 26 games with the Flyers this season but has been dominant during his time with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, recording 18 points in 20 games with the minor league club.

Central Division

  • Cole Smith is back up with the Nashville Predators, while Tomas Vomacka has been sent back to the ECHL. Vomacka has been used as a practice goaltender throughout the season while playing exclusively for the Florida Everblades where he has an .898 save percentage in 15 appearances.

Pacific Division

  • The Vancouver Canucks have returned Noah Juulsen to the AHL, after he played in a few games earlier this month. The 24-year-old has appeared seven times this season since arriving in a trade from Florida.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Logan Thompson, giving them an extra goaltender for the time being. It’s unclear whether one of their normal netminders is injured or unavailable for some other reason, but Robin Lehner is not at practice according to Jesse Granger of The Athletic.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Poll: Which Player Will Fetch The Biggest Trade Deadline Return?

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The trade deadline is almost within the next month, and as March 21st approaches, rumors continue to swirl about names that could be dealt. There’s a lot of big-name talent, and some high-end role players as well that teams are sure to value.

One player who truly encapsulates both of those terms is Claude Giroux. The longtime captain of the Philadelphia Flyers is in the last year of his deal, and as the Flyers skid further and further out of playoff contention, there’s continual chatter about them moving their captain out for assets, helping him get a chance to win a Stanley Cup. There are many teams who would line up to acquire his services, including the already powerhouse Colorado Avalanche, who have been linked to Giroux in recent days.

Another potential big-name center on the market is San Jose’s Tomas Hertl. Speculation about his future has ramped up rapidly. With the Sharks in a sort of “tweener” status as they look to exit their rebuild sooner than planned, Hertl is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season in the prime of his career. This will be the biggest payday of his life in all likelihood, and while Hertl does enjoy San Jose, if the Sharks feel it’s unlikely they’ll be able to reach a deal, he could be suiting up elsewhere next month.

Defenseman Jakob Chychrun is having a tough year in Arizona, but that doesn’t mean the young, cost-controlled blue-liner isn’t an attractive piece for teams looking at adding to their top-four. The rumoured asking price for him is large, but Chychrun has just 11 points in 37 games, a far cry from his torrid pace last season. He’s no rental, though, as if he rebounds, his $4.6MM cap hit until 2025 could be incredible value for an acquiring team.

One defenseman who is racking up points is Dallas’ John Klingberg. While injured right now, he has 26 points in 39 games. An unrestricted free agent this year, Klingberg reportedly requested a trade. With Dallas not guaranteed to make the playoffs at this point, they could make the choice to recoup assets on Klingberg while they can.

So, we ask you, PHR readers: who do you think will fetch the largest return at the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline? Will it be someone other than the options mentioned? Make your voice heard here.

Mobile users, click here to vote!

Latest On Tomas Hertl

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Feb 13: Hertl continues to be a hot topic among the Sharks fanbase and media. Today, a piece by The Athletic’s Corey Masisak breaks down a whole host of potential comparables for a Hertl contract. He names Mika Zibanejad as one of the closest possible comparisons for Hertl, with Zibanejad signing an eight-year, $68MM extension this offseason.

Feb 12: Today, Hertl spoke on the subject with reporters including Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News. He explained that though he can’t guarantee a deal will get done, he would like to stay in San Jose if possible and play his entire career with the Sharks.

Feb 10: The San Jose Sharks are an interesting team to keep an eye on as the trade deadline approaches given their current position in the standings. The team has now lost three in a row and sits sixth in the Pacific Division, a long way from truly contending for the Stanley Cup. There’s also one name that would draw a ton of interest if made available; Tomas Hertl is a pending free agent with 22 goals and 38 points in 46 games this season.

The Sharks have maintained for some time that they would rather sign Hertl to an extension as a core piece of the team, and Joe Will, who is serving as interim general manager while Doug Wilson deals with a health issue, spoke to Corey Masisak of The Athletic about that specific topic today. Will does “not have any interest” in doing anything outside of contract negotiations, suggesting that a trade is off the table at this point. He also stated that he believes Hertl wants to stay in San Jose long-term.

That would certainly follow what Hertl has said publicly to this point. In September, he hinted that he would even be willing to take less money to stay in San Jose if the team was competitive, not wanting to max out his earning potential somewhere else just to lose for the next chunk of his career.

Of course, while only focusing on extension talks may be his stance now, Will could be missing a huge opportunity to add assets to the organization if he allows the trade deadline to pass without a resolution one way or the other on Hertl’s next deal. Contract negotiations can always fall apart, meaning if something isn’t done in the next six weeks, there will be a difficult decision to be made.

Among players on expiring contracts, it’s hard to find a more attractive mix of size, skill, and versatility than Hertl. The 6’3″ forward is a natural center but can also play the wing if necessary, is proficient on the powerplay and the penalty kill, has easy 30-goal upside, and only carries a cap hit of $5.625MM this season. The amount of value the Sharks could likely receive in a deadline deal is tremendous, but with any deal of that nature, it begs the question of whether that makes them a better team than signing Hertl long-term. If there is still a realistic shot at an extension, it’s easy to see the draw of keeping him given his public desire to stay.

The Sharks have 16 games left before the March 21 trade deadline. While those are still the focus with the playoffs not completely out of reach, Hertl’s future is certainly the biggest question mark in San Jose right now.

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