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The Latest On Gabriel Landeskog Trade Rumors

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It seems like every week brings a new Colorado Avalanche trade rumor. Teams plummeting in the standings attract sharks looking to pick off the best pieces in exchange for future prospects. This week’s target is Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog.

Adrian Dater tweeted that both the Los Angeles Kings (here) and the Boston Bruins (here) were rumored to be in the mix for Landeskog. The problem, however, may be with Colorado’s requested return. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Colorado is looking for “top-level defenseman, first-round draft pick, plus.” He noted that some teams find that ask outrageous—especially because Landeskog is struggling this season with 7G and 6A in 29 games.

Boston is one of those teams. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Boston ended talks with Colorado after Boston refused to part with defensive prospect Brandon Carlo. Boston drafted Carlo in the second round in 2015, and while his numbers don’t raise any eyebrows, his defensive play has impressed scouts. Boston is reportedly very high on Carlo, and expect him to develop into a top-flight defenseman.

Because of this ask, TSN and ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun says that most teams think that the Avalanche wait until the offseason to make any moves. The rationale is that teams are relatively unshackled from cap constraints and have more freedom to make moves. Left unsaid was that an offseason deal protects a team from losing a fringe player or prospect in the June expansion draft.

Colorado’s asking price may drop as more teams drop out of the playoff race, notes Elliotte Friedman today on the Fan 590 (audio link). Right now only Colorado and the Arizona Coyotes are definite non-playoff teams, creating scarcity in the market for available players. Colorado may reduce its price for Landeskog in a few weeks once the NHL standings filter out some of the bubble teams like the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, and New York Islanders.

Snapshots: Glass, Hurricanes, Olympics

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • Goaltender Jeff Glass signed an AHL contract with the Rockford IceHogs today, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. Glass was released from a PTO from the AHL Toronto Marlies yesterday as the Toronto Maple Leafs prepared to claim Curtis McElhinney off of waivers. Glass has spent the last seven years on various KHL teams after failing to make the NHL with the Ottawa Senators. He had a stellar World Junior Championship in 2005, going 5-0 with a 1.40 GAA en route to Canada’s first gold medal since 1997.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes activated forward Elias Lindholm off of IR today. Lindholm suffered an upper body injury on December 30th against the Chicago Blackhawks, ending a three-game scoring streak. In 30 games this season Lindholm has 4G and 9A. The Hurricanes also assigned Andrej Nestrasil to the AHL Charlotte Checkers after clearing waivers today.
  • Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the Jan 15th deadline to decide whether NHL players would go to the Olympics has moved to the end of January. This date coincides with another Board of Governors meeting. Friedman speculates that both the NHL and NHLPA are waiting to see exactly what the IIHF will contribute financially. There’s been little update since the NHLPA rejected the NHL’s offer to attend the Olympics in exchange for agreeing to a slate of NHL-hosted international events.

CHL Trades Involving NHL Prospects

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Today is the trade deadline for the Canadian Hockey League, which encompasses the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Western Hockey League (WHL). Like the NHL, teams out of the playoff picture move top players for youth and prospects. The best players are expected to make the NHL and not return, so they are akin to NHL free agents in that their current team may lose them for nothing.

Below are all the NHL prospects moved (updated as trades come in):

F Jeremy Bracco (TOR): Kitchener Rangers -> Windsor Spitfires
F Mitchell Stephens (TB): Saginaw Spirit -> London Knights
F Anthony Cirelli (TB): Oshawa Generals -> Erie Otters
D Mitchell Vande Sompel (NYI): Oshawa Generals -> London Knights
D Chris Martenet (DAL): London Knights -> Ottawa 67’s
LW/D Carsen Twarynski (PHI): Calgary Hitmen -> Kelowna Rockets

Snapshots: Ovechkin, Malgin, Flyers

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin chases two important milestones tonight: 29th most career NHL goals and 1000 career NHL points. Ovechkin entered the game tonight against the Montreal Canadiens with 543 goals and 996 points. One more goal ties him with Canadiens’ legend Maurice Richard for 29th most goals. As of writing, Ovechkin has one assist so far in his game tonight, leaving him 3 points short of 1000.
  • Florida Panthers forward Denis Malgin left tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils with an upper-body injury. Malgin sustained the injury when Devils forward Pavel Zacha hit him into the boards midway through the first period. Zacha received a 5-minute boarding major on the play. The NHL Department of Player Safety may review this play for further discipline. N.J. Record writer Andrew Gross reports that Malgin will not return to the game.
  • Philadelphia Flyers prospect German Rubstov terminated his contract with the KHL’s Vityaz Podolsk to join the Chicoutimi Saugueneens of the QMJHL, reports RDS (source in French). As Tony Androckitis of Highland Park Hockey points out, Rubstov is eligible to play in AHL despite being under 20 because Rubstov played professionally in Europe before being drafted. It is the same exception to the CHL transfer rules that current Buffalo Sabres prospect Alexander Nylander uses to play for the AHL’s Rochester Americans at 18 years old. Rubstov played for Russia in the World Junior Championships this year but went pointless in five games.

Mike Richards Still Looking To Play

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Hockey writer Dhiren Mahiban tweeted today that Mike Richards still wants to play in the NHL, but may also look to Europe if nothing materializes. Richards last played for the Washington Capitals last season but could not find any takers in the offseason for a 2016-17 contract.

Richards finished last season with 2G and 3A in 39 games for the Capitals. He averaged just over 12 minutes a game—a career low for the veteran forward. The former Philadelphia Flyer’s production dropped dramatically in his last three seasons, scoring 41 points in 2013-14, 16 points in 2014-15, and 5 points last season as mentioned above.

Richards joined the Capitals after having his contract terminated by the Los Angeles Kings in 2015. The Kings stated that Richards breached his contract when he was charged for possession of Oxycodone after crossing into Canada from the United States. The NHLPA filed a grievance, and the two sides eventually reached a settlement that pays Richards $10.2MM over 17 years until 2031-32, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The Kings benefitted because the small settlement payments are less than the cap hit would have been had the team bought out Richards. The RCMP eventually dropped all charges.

Richards is only 31, and could model a comeback from the Kings’ Devin Setoguchi. Setoguchi battled substance abuse during his NHL career before entering rehab. He is not lighting up the scoreboards, but his 4G and 5A in 34 games signals potential to be a 3rd or 4th line energy player. Richards can also look to Sam Gagner and his resurgent season with the Columbus Blue Jackets this season as inspiration. Most thought Gagner was done following a slew of disappointing campaigns, but the former Edmonton Oiler now has 14G and 16A in 38 games on a one-year, $650K contract.

NHL Teams With Prospects On Both USA and Canada

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The United States and Canada face off in the World Junior Championships gold medal game tonight. Each team is loaded with NHL draft picks, and it is inevitable that some teams have players from both teams. While these players may be part of the same organization, there is no love lost when the two countries play each other. Below are all the NHL teams who have prospects on both Canada and USA tonight:

Arizona Coyotes
F Dylan Strome (CAN) vs. F Clayton Keller (USA)

Boston Bruins
D Jeremy Lauzon (CAN) vs. D Ryan Lingren* and D Charlie McAvoy (USA)
*Lingren was a late scratch before the gold-medal game

Calgary Flames
F Dillon Dube (CAN) vs. G Tyler Parsons and D Adam Fox (USA)

Nashville Predators
D Dante Fabbro (CAN) vs. F Patrick Harper (USA)

New Jersey Devils
F Michael McLeod and F Blake Speers (CAN) vs. F Joey Anderson (USA)

New York Islanders
F Matthew Barzal (CAN) vs. F Kieffer Bellows (USA)

Ottawa Senators
D Thomas Chabot (CAN) vs. F Colin White (USA)

Philadelphia Flyers
G Carter Hart and D Phillipe Myers* (CAN) vs. F Tanner Laczynski (USA)
*Myers was injured in the CAN vs. USA preliminary game and was unable to play in the gold-medal game.

 

Snapshots: Panthers, Stars, Lightning

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Florida Panthers have called up Jared McCann from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, reports Harvey Fialkov. The Panthers acquired McCann from the Vancouver Canucks—alongside a 2016 2nd and 4th round pick—for defenseman Erik Gudbranson and a 2016 5th round pick. Initially drafted by Vancouver in the first round in 2014, McCann now has 1G and 2A in 17 games for the Panthers. He has also scored 4G and 2A in 15 games for Springfield.
  • Dallas Stars prospect Denis Guryanov scored the overtime game-winning goal for Russia—against Sweden—to win the bronze medal in the World Junior Championships. The Russian forward scored 4G and 3A this tournament, good for 11th overall in scoring. Stars color commentator Daryl Reaugh tweeted that the team’s veterans liked Guryanov’s attitude, work-ethic, and talent. Guryanov currently plays for Dallas’s AHL affiliate the Texas Stars, and has scored 4G and 9A in 23 games. The team hopes his tournament performance carries over to the second half of his AHL season.
  • Tampa Bay Lightning forward Cedric Paquette returns to the lineup tonight against the Nashville Predators. Paquette missed the last six games with a lower-body injury suffered on December 20th against the Detroit Red Wings. Paquette has struggled so far this season, scoring only 3G and 4A in 31 games. Tampa is currently on the outside of the playoffs looking in, but could make a late season push when both Ben Bishop and Steven Stamkos return.

 

Snapshots: Outdoor Games, Devils, Dubois

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced today that the NHL expects to hold three outdoor games next season, reports ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun. The NHL is already exploring Ottawa as one potential site given the city hosted the first ever NHL hockey game—something the NHL wants to commemorate in its 100th anniversary. Montreal and Columbus also deserve serious consideration as they remain the most prominent and climate-ready locales yet to host an outdoor game. The expansion Vegas Golden Knights may garner some consideration if the NHL wants to give the franchise some supplemental exposure.
  • The New Jersey Devils are without both Travis Zajac and Jacob Josefson tonight against the Boston Bruins. Both forwards are out with undisclosed illnesses. Zajac leads the Devils in scoring with 8G and 16A in 37 games. Josefson, however, only has 2A in 16 games. Finally, defense prospect Steve Santini makes his NHL debut tonight. Santini is scoreless in 15 games for the Albany Devils so far this season.
  • Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Pierre-Luc Dubois was demoted off of Canada’s top line at the World Junior Hockey Championships prior to tonight’s Quarter-Final game against the Czech Republic, reports Scott Wheeler. The 3rd overall pick in 2016 has 0G and 4A in the tournament so far, but has not impressed the Hockey Canada coaching staff. Dubois is having an excellent year in the QMJHL, scoring 6G and 12A in 20 games so far this season. The top line now consists of Colorado Avalanche prospect Tyson Jost, New Jersey Devils prospect Blake Speers, and Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome.

Injury Updates: Sabres, Senators, Blues

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Injury updates around the NHL today:

  • Buffalo Sabres defenseman Cody Franson is close to returning from a “mid- to lower-body” injury, reports John Vogl of the Buffalo News. Franson has missed the past three games with the semi-undisclosed injury right before the holidays. Franson has 1G and 7A in 31 games for the Sabres, but only 1 powerplay point all year. The 29 year-old defenseman will look to improve those numbers upon his return.
  • Staying with the Buffalo Sabres, forward Tyler Ennis is “7–10 days” from returning to practice, reports the NHL’s Bill Hoppe. Ennis is currently out with a sports hernia suffered in early November, and is sorely missed. The Sabres are 29th in scoring this season, and while Ennis only had 1G and 1A in 12 games before his injury, he led the team in scoring two years ago. Ennis played only 23 games last season, and he’ll need to rebound this season if the Sabres hope to progress in their rebuild.
  • The Ottawa Senators do not expect forward Clarke MacArthur back before mid-January, reports the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch. MacArthur has been sidelined with a concussion since the the season’s start, but has skated regularly with the team as of late. He joins in on most Senators’ non-contact drills but hasn’t made the jump to sustained physical contact yet. Ottawa must be careful with MacArthur because he has a history of concussion problems. He missed all but four games last season with concussion symptoms.
  • Ottawa Senators coach Guy Boucher also do not expect goaltender Craig Anderson back “for awhile”, reports the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch. Anderson left the team to be with his wife Nicole as she battles cancer. Anderson has left the team for short stints before but this absence looks to be an extended one. The Senators acquired goalie Mike Condon from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 5th round draft pick and the goalie has been thrust into the starting role.
  • Adding to the Sens roster woes is forward Zack Smith will miss at least two games with an abdominal strain, reports the Ottawa Citizen’s Ken Warren. Smith suffered the injury Tuesday night against the New York Rangers. Smith has 8G and 7A in 35 games. Smith is looking to build on his surprising goal-scoring prowess last year—he scored 25 goals in 81 games.
  • The St. Louis Blues have activated forward Paul Stastny from Injured Reserve, reports NHL.com’s Lou Korac. Stastny suffered an upper-body injury on December 20th against the Dallas Stars. Because of the NHL’s three-day holiday break, Stastny  has only missed one game—a 5-2 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning—and will return against the Philadelphia Flyers tonight.

Red Wings Reassign Bertuzzi And Lashoff To AHL

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The Detroit Red Wings will reassign forward Tyler Bertuzzi and defenseman Brian Lashoff to the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins, reports MLive.com’s Ansar Khan.  Both moves come ahead of tomorrow night’s game against the Ottawa Senators.

Bertuzzi will be in Grand Rapids to get some playing time after coming off of injured reserve. Bertuzzi suffered a high ankle sprain against the Montreal Canadiens in November and hasn’t played since. The young forward is pointless so far in seven games for the Red Wings, but has 3G and 3A in 10 games for Grand Rapids earlier this season.

Lashoff is a more classic reassignment due to poor performance. The big defenseman is pointless in five games for the Red Wings, and languished on the third-pairing averaging less than 13 minutes a night. This isn’t Lashoff’s first stint in Grand Rapids, however. In 18 games this season he’s scored 1G and 2A. Lashoff has struggled to make the big team signing with Detroit as an undrafted free agent in 2008, playing in a full NHL season only once in his career.

 

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