Archives for February 2022

Jujhar Khaira Undergoes Surgery

February 23, 2022 at 10:44 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that Jujhar Khaira underwent back surgery yesterday and is expected to be out between 10-12 weeks. Khaira hasn’t played in over a month and is currently on long-term injured reserve.

Signed to a two-year contract last summer that carries a cap hit of $975K, Khaira has played in just 27 games this season for the Blackhawks, and has just three points (all goals) to his name. With this new surgery, it is turning out to be a lost season for the big forward, who was supposed to add some size and versatility to the team’s bottom six.

This kind of timeline likely keeps him out for the rest of the regular season, meaning unless the Blackhawks go on an incredible run and make it into the playoffs, we won’t see Khaira again in 2021-22.

Dominik Bokk Loaned To DEL

February 23, 2022 at 10:01 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

It hasn’t worked for Dominik Bokk in the Carolina Hurricanes organization, and his time there may be coming to an end. The young forward has been loaned from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL to Eisbaren Berlin of the DEL for the rest of the season. He is expected to join the team tomorrow.

Bokk, 22, was the 25th overall pick in 2018 by the St. Louis Blues and ended up in Carolina as part of the package for Justin Faulk. In two seasons with the Wolves, he has recorded just 12 goals and 28 points in 61 games, finding himself further and further down the lineup. As Scott Wheeler of The Athletic points out on Twitter, this move “feels like it may be the end of the NHL road for him” though he’s obviously still young enough to prove otherwise, should his career turn around in Germany.

The German forward was selected after dominating the Swedish junior level with Vaxjo and has shown ability, if inconsistently, to produce high-end offensive results in the right environment. He was a big reason why his country worked its way back into the top division at the World Juniors, and then dominated at the 2020 event, scoring six goals in seven games.

Still signed for the 2022-23 season under his entry-level contract, it’s not clear where Bokk will spend next year. He would be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2023.

Rodion Amirov Diagnosed With Brain Tumor

February 23, 2022 at 8:56 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 4 Comments

The Toronto Maple Leafs released a shocking and heartbreaking message to fans today. Rodion Amirov, the team’s first-round draft pick from 2020, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. The young forward is receiving medical attention at a facility in Germany after extensive testing the last few months led to this discovery. General manager Kyle Dubas explained:

Rodion commenced the 2021-22 season with Salavat Ufa of the KHL but suffered an injury to open the season. During the course of his recovery from this injury, he developed some new, unrelated symptoms that required ongoing extensive investigations over the last few months.

Rodion is currently undergoing treatment at a medical facility in Germany and will not return to play for the remainder of the season.

Our medical staff has been involved throughout the process alongside Ufa’s and we are in direct contact with the facility on an ongoing basis to monitor his treatment and care. Rodion has the complete support of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and we will continue to ensure he receives the best care possible throughout this process.

Out of respect for Rodion and his family, the Club will not have any further comment at this time.

Amirov, 20, has played just ten games this season with Ufa Salavat Yulayev, his KHL team. Speaking with Sportsnet, Amirov explained that he wants to “stay positive” and for people to “think positively” about him.

The young forward will not play again this season as he continues treatment, though his agent released a statement that includes some encouraging news. Amirov is still skating three times a week and working out every day. He is in “good spirits” and is “determined to return back to professional hockey.”

Bruins Acquire Rights To Michael Callahan

February 22, 2022 at 9:10 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 2 Comments

The Bruins have added some prospect depth, acquiring the rights to blueliner Michael Callahan from Arizona in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2024. Both teams have announced the trade.

The 22-year-old was a fifth-round pick of the Coyotes (142nd overall) back in 2018 and is in his fourth and final season with Providence of the NCAA. Callahan is in his third season as captain of the Friars but is having a quieter season offensively with three goals and 11 assists in 34 games. By comparison, he had 28 points in 34 contests two years ago. Over his four years with Providence, he has 13 goals and 53 helpers in 134 games.

This move suggests that Arizona either didn’t want to sign Callahan by the August 15th deadline or the blueliner had indicated he didn’t want to sign with them. By doing this, GM Bill Armstrong recoups a draft pick, albeit one that’s two rounds lower than the one that he was drafted in. Meanwhile, Boston believes they can sign the Massachusetts native and if they can, that’s a low price to pay for a prospect defender.

East Notes: Chara, Hamilton, Dahlin, Brassard

February 22, 2022 at 8:59 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 5 Comments

The Islanders are starting to receive trade interest in veteran defenseman Zdeno Chara, Pierre LeBrun reports in the latest TSN Insider Trading segment. While the 44-year-old is no longer the top pairing player he was for a lot of his time in Boston, some contending teams could use him as a shutdown and penalty kill player in a limited role. He carries a $750K AAV although there are bonuses of up to another $750K in the existing deal but those could roll over and be applied on next year’s cap with the bonus cushion. While Chara doesn’t have any trade protection, LeBrun adds that GM Lou Lamoriello will go to the veteran to see if he indeed wants to move. He has seven assists in 42 games this season while still averaging over 18 minutes a game.

Trade Deadline Primer: New York Rangers

February 22, 2022 at 7:57 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 12 Comments

With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms large and is now less than a month away. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the New York Rangers.

The Rangers opted to shake things up over the offseason with Chris Drury being promoted to GM and Gerard Gallant taking over as their new head coach. The roster was also reshaped and the results have certainly been promising as they’ve gone from a team that missed the playoffs to one that is within striking distance of first place in the East. As a result, Drury will be busy looking to add but with their salary cap situation, they will be balancing the short term and the long term with any acquisitions.

Record

32-13-5, 3rd in the Metropolitan

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$20MMM today, $33.5MM in full-season space, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2022: NYR 1st, NYR 2nd, STL 2nd, NYR 4th, WPG 4th, NYR 5th, NYR 6th
2023: NYR 1st, NYR 2nd, NYR 3rd, NYR 4th, NYR 5th, NYR 6th, NYR 7th

Trade Chips

Most contenders wouldn’t want to necessarily subtract from their current roster but it’s an option that New York may need to consider with backup goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. The 26-year-old has made it known that he’d like to play more but with Igor Shesterkin in the fold, that’s not going to happen barring injury. The pending restricted free agent carries a $2.425MM cap hit and is owed a qualifying offer of $2.65MM, one that might be a bit too pricey for them for next season. There are some teams that would likely want to get a longer look at Georgiev to see if he could be a longer-term option although the Rangers would be wise to get another goaltender if they opted to move Georgiev now with veteran Keith Kinkaid serving as their third-string option.

Things have not gone well for winger Vitali Kravtsov in his time with the Rangers. The 22-year-old didn’t make the team out of training camp, went back to the KHL, and it’s clear a change of scenery would be beneficial. However, considering he was the ninth overall selection in 2019, his draft status may carry some weight and be appealing to a team looking for a prospect that’s a little more developed over a draft pick. He’s a restricted free agent this summer but it’s hard to see him commanding a big raise on his $925K AAV since he only has 22 games under his belt.

Young defensemen are always desirable commodities to rebuilding teams and New York has one on its roster in Libor Hajek that is struggling to get into the lineup. He has played in just 14 NHL games this season plus five more on a conditioning assignment but is only a year removed from playing in nearly 80% of their games last year. He signed for his qualifying offer last summer for just over $874K and the lack of playing time doesn’t give him a case for much of a raise. With youngster Braden Schneider starting to establish himself, the path to playing time is even steeper now for Hajek and he seems like a logical player that could be added into a trade.

The three-year, $7.5MM given to blueliner Patrik Nemeth raised some eyebrows and he has had a limited role on the third pairing so far without doing a whole lot. If Drury looks to bring someone in with term left on their contract, Nemeth is the type of player they could try to use as a salary offset.

Other Potential Trade Chips: F Morgan Barron ($925K through 2022-23), F Austin Rueschoff ($842K, RFA), F Evan Vierling (unsigned prospect)

Team Needs

1) Forward Depth: Injuries have thinned out New York’s forward depth at times this season and has left their bottom six group a little weaker than they’d like. Replacing Sammy Blais’ grit is one area they’d likely want to add but bringing in a two-way player that can score a bit and kill penalties is another element that would certainly be beneficial for them to add.

2) Top-Four Defender: Adam Fox and Jacob Trouba are proven top-four pieces but after that, New York’s back end primarily consists of younger players or depth veterans like Nemeth or Jarred Tinordi. A veteran that can allow them to take a bit of pressure off their younger players would help with an emphasis on being able to play a key defensive role.

3) Long-Term Center: Mika Zibanejad has his extension for next season so he’ll be in place for the long haul. But Ryan Strome’s fate remains in question and Filip Chytil likely isn’t ready to step onto the second line if Strome doesn’t re-sign. If there’s a way to get a long-term second pivot, that would be a nice pickup for Drury even if it means that Strome winds up moving on.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Central Notes: Zuccarello, Borowiecki, Matteau, Reichel

February 22, 2022 at 6:50 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Wild winger Mats Zuccarello was a late scratch for their game in Ottawa tonight with what the team revealed (Twitter link) was an upper-body injury. Michael Russo of The Athletic adds (via Twitter) that the injury is not believed to be too serious. The 34-year-old is well on his way to a career year with 52 points in just 41 games, good for second on the team in scoring behind Kirill Kaprizov.

Anaheim Ducks Hoping To Extend Hampus Lindholm

February 22, 2022 at 5:45 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

Time is ticking on Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek, who now has fewer than one month to make a decision on whether to trade or hold onto some of the most sought-after pending free agents in the league. Rickard Rakell, Josh Manson, and Hampus Lindholm are all on expiring contracts and could bring back quite a few assets on the trade market, but are also key members of a Ducks team that is trying to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

There is of course the possibility that the Ducks extend any one of those players before the deadline, taking out any risk of losing them for nothing in the offseason. That appears to be the tactic Verbeek is trying to take with Lindholm, as Pierre LeBrun explained on TSN’s Insider Trading:

When you talk to other teams around the league, they view Hampus Lindholm as the number one rental defenseman on the market–if he is indeed on the market. One of the first things that Pat Verbeek has done is reach out to Lindholm’s camp, led by agent Claude Lemieux, and start the process of seeing if there is enough common ground to sign an extension before the trade deadline, to remove Hampus Lindholm from the trade market. That would be a heartbreaker for a lot of teams who would love to throw some assets at Anaheim for a player who plays 23 minutes a night on the top pairing.

Earlier in the segment, Darren Dreger had noted that the Toronto Maple Leafs could now be interested in Lindholm after Jake Muzzin’s recent injury, though they will have to take their time to see what his recovery timeline is like. Of course, the Maple Leafs wouldn’t be the only team interested in the 28-year-old Lindholm. One of the most consistent two-way performers in the league since the moment he entered the NHL, Lindholm has 20 points in 50 games this season while playing in all situations. There’s no one that averages more even-strength ice time on the Ducks than the 6’4″ defenseman, and he has shown an ability to contribute both on the powerplay and penalty kill.

If you’re looking for someone who can reshape your entire defense corps, Lindholm is the kind of talent you can target. Though with any player like that, it will come at a cost. Not only will Lindholm cost you a big package at the deadline, but any team hoping to extend him after acquiring him would need to put a huge offer forward. Just recently, Eric Stephens of The Athletic suggested that on any extension, the pending free agent defenseman would be looking at a raise over the $6.75MM he earns this season, making him a huge commitment to any team, including the Ducks. Lindholm himself told Stephens that being on a competitive team in the playoffs is important to him, something that Anaheim is still chasing.

The Ducks currently sit just outside the playoff picture in the Western Conference, two points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the final wildcard spot. That’s with 52 games played though, the most in the league and two more than both Los Angeles and the Edmonton Oilers, who currently hold the final spot in the Pacific Division. With a negative goal differential on the season and a so-so record recently, it’s not clear that the exciting Ducks will be able to actually take that next step and contend this season.

It does seem that playoff contention is coming though, with young talents like Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras, Isac Lundestrom, and Jamie Drysdale already showing how dynamic they can be at the NHL level. Third-overall pick Mason McTavish will be there soon enough to help, meaning on a long-term deal, Lindholm could certainly expect several years of postseason play in Anaheim.

Jake Muzzin In Concussion Protocol; Out Indefinitely

February 22, 2022 at 4:28 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without Jake Muzzin for the next little while, as the defenseman returned home to recover from last night’s scary incident. After being involved in an awkward collision and appearing to slam his head on the ice, Muzzin left the game and was taken to a Montreal hospital. He has now been released, returned to Toronto, and is “feeling better today” according to head coach Sheldon Keefe, who spoke with reporters including Mark Masters of TSN.

Muzzin, whose 33rd birthday it was yesterday, has had a nightmare season that already included a different concussion. The veteran defenseman has just 12 points in 41 games and has been on the ice for 43 goals against at even-strength, compared to just 34 goals for. That imbalance has been arguably the worst part of the Maple Leafs’ season, as Muzzin had previously been one of the most reliable two-way defensemen in the league, able to match up against an opponent’s best and tilt the ice in Toronto’s favor.

As he leaves, Rasmus Sandin, who was scratched from yesterday’s game, returns. He’ll be joined by newcomer Ilya Lyubushkin, who takes the spot of Justin Holl, who is not expected to play tonight.

Muzzin’s absence though leaves many questions to be answered in Toronto. Will he be able to find his previous level of play, or even be able to return at all? Putting him on long-term injured reserve doesn’t really do the team any good unless he is going to miss the rest of the season, meaning an unclear recovery timeline will only complicate their deadline plans. Hopefully, he’ll be able to recover without issue in the coming days and weeks, even if his return to the ice takes a little longer than that.

Florida Panthers Activate Maxim Mamin; Loan Owen Tippett To AHL

February 22, 2022 at 2:46 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

The Florida Panthers already have too many forwards, and yet one more is returning today. The team has activated Maxim Mamin from injured reserve and expects to have him on the first line with Carter Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov this evening. To clear a roster spot for Mamin, the team has sent Owen Tippett back to the AHL once again.

This isn’t the first time Tippett finds himself without much opportunity in Florida. He was sent to the minors for a few days last month, was scratched the past two games, and played fewer than eight minutes in his last appearance. The young forward’s name has been in the rumor mill for months, and it was brought up again today by Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet’s The Jeff Marek Show:

Obviously you would like to see him play, I’m sure he wants to play. But I don’t think that’s necessarily the hold up of a trade. [Teams] scouted him in the American Hockey League, I’m sure there are plenty of teams that scouted him when he was a junior. Everyone kind of knows, or has an opinion on what they have or haven’t got yet. So while I’m sure [not playing] sucks for him, it doesn’t hold up a deal in my mind. And I think he’s going to be traded, I think it’s just a matter of–is he going to be part of a package to get something, or does he just go himself.

Sending Tippett to the minor leagues does give him a chance to play, but as Friedman suggests, it’s not like he has much to prove at that level. The 23-year-old forward recorded four points in his two-game stint with the Charlotte Checkers earlier this season and overall has 20 goals and 46 points in 53 career AHL appearances. Selected tenth overall by the Panthers in 2017, Tippett possesses a huge shot and powerful frame, but still faces inconsistency when trying to create offense for his linemates. Through 94 regular season games in his NHL career he has 14 goals and 33 points, though his short playoff run last year with four points in six games suggested he might have even more to offer in the postseason.

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