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Charlie McAvoy Enters COVID Protocol, Will Miss Game Four

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In what could ultimately decide the result of their first round series, the Boston Bruins have announced that star defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been placed in the NHL COVID-19 Protocol and will not be available for Sunday’s Game Four match-up with the Carolina Hurricanes.

The news comes as an unforeseen, last-minute change, as head coach Bruce Cassidy told the media no more than an hour earlier that he expected no changes to the lineup in Game Four from Friday’s Game Three. McAvoy’s absence is very much a change in the lineup and one that the Bruins may not be able to withstand. As the Bruins look to even the series at two games apiece, they are now without their entire top pairing, as McAvoy joins Hampus Lindholm on the shelf. The defense pairs will shift upward accordingly, with Matt Grzelcyk and Brandon Carlo playing on the top pair, Game Three hero Derek Forbort and Connor Clifton playing on the second pair, and Josh Brown drawing in to the lineup alongside Mike Reilly on the third pair. It is a much different looking group without McAvoy and Lindholm and they will have their work cut out for them against a high-energy Hurricanes team.

The Bruins have to hope that they can somehow eek out a win in Game Four or at the very least can get McAvoy back for Game Five. Cassidy also stated that Lindholm too could return for Game Five. However, down 3-1 going back to Raleigh will not be ideal even at full strength. McAvoy averaged nearly 25 minutes of ice time per game this season and has been over 25 through three playoff games. That ice time alone will be extremely difficult to make up, but McAvoy also led all Boston defensemen in points, hits, and blocked shots. His absence cannot be understated – the Bruins will need all the luck they can get on Sunday.

Minor Transactions: 05/08/22

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Half of the NHL is in the playoffs and focused on little else. The other half of the league has turned their attention to the offseason, but are limited in what they can actually do before the NHL Draft and free agency. However, for nearly every other league in the world, it is a busy time. The KHL, Liiga, and Swiss National League have all wrapped up their seasons and started offseason activities, and the SHL is at most two games from joining them. Closer to home, as CHL seasons come to an end in the playoffs, AHL rosters are being supplemented by assignments and amateur tryouts. NCAA programs are also finalizing their rosters for next season, some in response to pro signings. So while transactions may seem like a non-issue in the NHL right now, there is plenty going on elsewhere:

  • Cole Spicer, a member of the USNTDP and the silver medal-winning U.S. entry into the U-18 World Juniors, has finally landed on a new destination for his collegiate career. Spicer had recently decommitted from the University of North Dakota and Matt Wellens of the The Rink Live reports that he will instead play for a NCHC rival. Spicer has committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth and will join the Bulldogs next season. Spicer will now play alongside USNTDP teammate and presumptive 2022 first-round pick Isaac Howard at UMD, whereas no one from the program’s graduating class is headed to North Dakota now. Though Spicer is a step behind compared to an extraordinarily talented USNTDTP group this year, expected to go in the fourth round or later rather than the first two rounds, he was still a key contributor to the team and a prospect to watch moving forward.
  • Niko Huuhtanen, a seventh-round selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning last year, is getting his first taste of the pro level to end the year. The Bolts’ AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, have announced that Huuhtanen has signed an ATO with the team for the remainder of the season. The Finnish product is having quite the first season in North America; after recording 37 goals and 77 points in 65 games with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips, Huuhtanen is now getting a shot in the AHL less than a year after he nearly went undrafted, taken with the very last pick of the 2021 Draft. The power forward could be yet another late-round find by Tampa. The Crunch have also added undrafted defenseman Tyson Feist on an ATO. The 21-year-old captain of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets just wrapped up his junior career by scoring more points (39) in 65 games this season than he did in his first four WHL seasons combined. The Lightning want to see if he has what it takes to continue on to the pro level.
  • When Helsinki-based club Jokerit backed out of the KHL playoffs and later announced they would be leaving the league altogether, the expectation was that they would be returning to the Finnish Liiga next season. However, no such official decision has been made and with the Liiga now in offseason mode, a pair of notable Jokerit forwards have decided to move elsewhere. SC Rapperswil-Jona has announced that both Nicklas Jensen and Jordan Schroeder have signed two-year deals with the team. Playing on a Jokerit roster filled with former and future NHLers, Jensen and Schroeder ranked first and third respectively in goals and second and third respectively in points. The former Jokers are expected to fill those same top-line roles with the Lakers for the next two years and should be even more productive in the Liiga. Both first-round picks of yesteryear, Jensen and Schroeder combine for less than 200 NHL games between them, but have found their place as top scorers in Europe.
  • Usually when the KHL rights of active NHL players are traded, there is information informing the value of those rights. With that in mind, pay attention to Russian netminder Alexei Melnichuk this offseason. HC Sochi and SKA St. Petersburg have made a deal in which the rights to forward Ivan Morozov and goaltender Mikhail Berdin were sent to SKA, while Melnichuk’s rights are headed to Sochi, the club announced. Seeing as Morozov just signed with the Vegas Golden Knights two weeks ago and Berdin is signed through next season with the Winnipeg Jets and to a one-way deal no less, the only player whose rights could reasonably have value in 2022-23 is Melnichuk. An impending restricted free agent, the 23-year-old Melnichuk is not having the season he expected after making his NHL debut with the San Jose Sharks last year. Rather than gain more of a role in the Sharks’ organization, Melnichuk played exclusively in the AHL this year before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the deadline, who have kept him in the ECHL ever since. Melnichuk put up stellar numbers in the KHL at a young age before jumping to North America and there could be a strong draw to return given his recent usage and results. On the other side, though Berdin has long been committed to playing in North America and Morozov is an up-and-coming prospect who hopes to have a long NHL career, St. Petersburg certainly added the vastly superior talent in the deal and will be happy to cash in if either player ever return to Russia.

Steven Kampfer, Oscar Dansk Will Not Return To KHL

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The KHL season came to close last week, as CSKA Moscow took home the Gagarin Cup for the second time in four years. Now the offseason has begun, but roster building in the KHL this summer will not be as easy as most years. Due to the ongoing conflict in the Ukraine, which has caused teams and foreign players alike to flee the KHL, teams must first determine which import players are staying, regardless of contract status, before they can determine the holes they need to fill. Two such departing players, both of whom have contracts in place for 2022-23, have been revealed. Russian source Championat reports that NHL veterans Steven Kampfer and Oscar Dansk will both be released by their respective KHL teams.

Kampfer, 33, was playing in his very first season outside of North America in 2021-22, moving on from seven consecutive seasons with at least one NHL game played to sign with Ak Bars Kazan on a one-year deal. Kampfer was enjoying a terrific start to the season in the KHL when he signed a one-year extension in December, at which time Kazan indicated their hope that he would be around for more than just 2022-23 as well. Of course, this new deal arrived before the invasion of Ukraine, which shifted the status quo for many imports and Kampfer was no different. While he continued to excel on the ice, finishing with 30 points in 46 games and four points in six playoff games, the Championat article implies that Kampfer only stayed with the team through the postseason to facilitate his release from his next contract with Ak Bars. Now that the season is over, the two sides have agreed to move forward with a termination.

Dansk, 28, signed a two-year contract with Spartak Moscow last summer after playing the previous three seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights organization. Dansk ultimately ended up losing the starting job to Alexei Krasikov, but still performed well in 17 regular season appearances. However, it was Dansk and not Krasikov who got the call in the postseason as the hot hand late in the year. Dansk was stellar in five appearances, recording a .933 save percentage and 1.73. Yet, Dansk also seems to have wanted to depart the team well before the playoffs but felt he could not. Championat quotes the netminder as saying he felt “stuck” by the terms of his two-year deal, which required he pay back salary from year one if he did not honor year two. Dansk says that his agent is now working to resolve the issue, but that he definitively is not returning to Russia.

As both Kampfer and Dansk last played on NHL contracts before jumping to the KHL, they could look to return this offseason. However, with each having found success overseas this season, they might also stay in Europe, with Sweden, Finland, and Switzerland all providing opportunities for elite pro play and should be even stronger next season with the exodus of import players from the KHL.

Tristan Broz, Cruz Lucius Leaving University Of Minnesota

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What is happening in Minneapolis? Fresh off of a Frozen Four appearance, the University of Minnesota is having a nightmare offseason – and the hits continue. Freshman Tristan Broz (PIT), and 2021 second-round pick, has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal after just one year, while incoming freshman Cruz Lucius, a promising 2022 draft-eligible prospect, has de-committed and will play elsewhere next season.

Lucius follows older brother Chaz Lucius out of town; after previously committing to return to the Gophers next season, the 2021 first-rounder reversed course last week and signed his entry-level contract with the Winnipeg Jets. Chaz joined Ben Meyers (COL)and Blake McLaughlin (ANA) in leaving Minnesota for the pros, but NHL departures are to be expected for such a talented team. The real shock comes in the transfer market, as Broz makes it seven players to enter the portal since the end of the season. That list includes Jack Perbix (ANA), Ben Brinkman (DAL), and Grant Cruikshank, who had just transferred to Minnesota for this past season. Add in the younger Lucius’ de-commitment and the Gophers are bleeding talent.

Fortunately for the program, there is still plenty of talent to go around. Ryan Johnson (BUF) is expected to return for his senior year to lead a roster that (for now) is set to return Matthew Knies (TOR), Jackson LaCombe (ANA), Sammy Walker (TBL), Bryce Brodzinski (PHI), Rhett Pitlick (MTL), Aaron Huglen (BUF), Mike Koster (TOR), and Brock Faber (LAK). They also add an impressive recruiting class that includes Cal Thomas (ARI) and 2022 first round hopefuls Logan Cooley, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Ryan Chesley. 

The Gophers are also not the only programs falling victim to the transfer portal. The May 1st deadline to enter the portal and be eligible to play next season has now passed, but just beforehand two other NHL prospects hit the transfer market. Ryder Donovan (VGK) has decided to move on from Wisconsin, while John Fusco (TOR) has opted to leave Harvard.

Kane And Toews Welcome To Stay Through Blackhawks Rebuild

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When then-interim general manager Kyle Davidson was officially handed the job, he made it clear that the Chicago Blackhawks were headed for a rebuild. He then quickly doubled down on those plans by trading away up-and-coming forward Brandon Hagel for a package of first-round picks and pro-ready prospects. Davidson has also discussed trades for fellow young forwards Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome and has been less than committal about re-signing veteran defenseman Calvin de Haan, who would like to return.

The situation has raised many questions about the futures of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. The duo have long been the franchise cornerstones of the Blackhawks and will see their numbers in the rafters of the United Center one day. However, they each have just one season remaining on their current contracts and if they want to compete for yet another Stanley Cup before their careers come to a close, they will likely have to leave Chicago for the first time in their careers.  Toews has already been vocal about his disappointment with the direction of the club, moving into a rebuild while there is still some veteran talent on the roster, and has questioned whether he would go elsewhere to end his career. Meanwhile, Kane is still one of the most dangerous offensive players in the NHL, fresh off of a 92-point season. If he does not plan to re-sign with the Blackhawks, the team can charge a king’s ransom to trade him this off-season.

Yet, it seems that Davidson’s rebuild plan may not require that his future Hall of Famers go elsewhere. Speaking to the media today, Davidson responded to a question from the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope about how Toews and Kane fit into the Blackhawks’ future:

There’s definitely a place for Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane moving forward. I don’t think there’s any question about that. What their roles are and how they fit into things, that’s part of the dialogue that we’re having. [We’re] being very honest about with how we see their role and what we need out of them moving forward. They’re fully aware of what those [views] are, and there’s going to be questions and further conversations to really firm that up because it is something that isn’t… solved with one conversation or understood with one conversation.

Having them around is something we’re never going to shy away from because they can show this next wave of players how it’s done. And you never know, maybe they could be part of (this) when we’re back to having success. We don’t know the timeline of any of that yet, but [with their] amount of experience, the understanding of what it takes to be a good professional, what it takes to develop into a high quality professional and then win at the professional level, that experience and understanding is invaluable, so absolutely there is a place for 19 and 88 with the Blackhawks in any form that they wish.

Davidson certainly didn’t parse his words. He understands that the situation may not be ideal for his iconic veterans, but if they are willing to stick it out then he is willing to keep them. If Toews and Kane want to re-sign with the Blackhawks then that is what will happen. It’s now on the players to make it clear in their conversations with the team what their thoughts are on the future. Will they stay on as the living embodiment of what Chicago wants out of the young stars of their rebuild? Or will they ask to be traded and chase another title while they still can? While the two side have plenty of talking to do, we may know sooner rather than later what the future will bring.

Metropolitan Notes: Marchenko, Morehouse, Panarin, Copp

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It is only a matter of time now before prospect Kirill Marchenko officially signs with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Marchenko, 21, has finished his KHL season, as SKA St. Petersburg fell in the conference finals of the Gagarin Cup playoffs, and he isn’t wasting any time making his next move. While his contract does not officially end until April 30, like many of his SKA teammates Marchenko is already negotiating his next deal. Russian source Sport Express reports that Marchenko will soon sign his two-year entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets. The 2018 second round pick is coming off a 20-point KHL season, finish fifth for St. Petersburg in scoring – a notable feat for a player of his age in a league with many accomplished veterans. A big, rangy winger with a goal scorer’s mentality, Marchenko figures to be yet another young impact player next season for a Columbus team that will have Yegor Chinakhov, Cole Sillinger, and Kent Johnson up front as well.

  • After 16 years on the job and contributing to three Stanley Cup titles, Pittsburgh Penguins CEO David Morehouse has stepped down, the team announced. The Penguins’ release states that Morehouse made the decision himself, though the move comes not long after the team was sold to the Fenway Sports Group which may have played a role. Morehouse, a Pittsburgh native, joined the team in 2007 to spearhead the arena construction project that became Consol Energy Center and now PPG Paints Arena. Not only did Morehouse oversee the construction of the arena, but played a key role in filling the seats as well. Morehouse played a role in a number of strategic initiative and capital projects that have taken advantage of the Penguins’ lengthy stretch of consistent success to help build one of the NHL’s most valuable franchises.
  • Artemi Panarin and Andrew Copp both left Tuesday night’s game between the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes due to injury, but head coach Gerard Gallant was adamant that these were precautionary measures. He told NHL.com’s Dan Rosen that both would have returned if it was a playoff game. There is reason to be skeptical of these comments though. First, last night’s game was virtually a playoff game; the Rangers faced the Hurricanes in a must-win for New York if they hoped to take the division crown from Carolina. Even more interesting though was the Rangers’ lineup for tonight’s game. New York understandably kept a number of starters in the press box for the contest with Tuesday’s loss cementing their playoff position. However, rather than listed as a health scratch like the rest, Panarin and Copp were listed as injured. Rosen reports that Panarin is out with an upper-body issue and Copp with a lower-body issue. In case this ends up being a strategic move by the Rangers to downplay these injuries ahead of a seven-game series, the health of Panarin and Copp bears watching.

Winnipeg Jets Sign Chaz Lucius To Entry-Level Contract

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In a surprising turn of events, the Winnipeg Jets have announced that vaunted prospect Chaz Lucius has signed his three-year entry-level contract with the club. The deal will start with the 2022-23 season and will carry a $925K base salary and $1.325MM AAV. The 2021 first-round pick will depart the University of Minnesota after just one year.

Lucius’ signing comes as a surprise for a plethora of reasons, but none greater than the fact that it was reported earlier this month that Lucius would remain at Minnesota for at least one more year. That decision seemed reasonable, as the 18-year-old played in just 24 games in his freshman year to the tune of only 19 points; not exactly numbers that begged for an early exit from the college ranks. Lucius is still a rather raw prospect, jumping directly from the U.S. National Team Development program to the NCAA and now to the pros in just two years time. It seems especially odd that the decision was made so long after the end of the collegiate season.

On top of developmental reasons, it also would have been more than fair for Lucius to want to stay at Minnesota for another year given what’s on the horizon in 2022-23. The Gophers were a Frozen Four finalist this season and plan to return much of their core. Then there is the incoming recruiting class, which could wind up being the best in the NCAA and includes one name in particular of interest: Cruz Lucius. Chaz’ younger brother, who is also a USNTDP product, will arrive at Minnesota next season, where he was expected to play alongside his sibling. Before then, he is expected to be a second- or third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Cruz is part of a group of elite U.S. prospects joining the Gophers, including presumptive top-five pick Logan Cooley and potential first-round selections Jimmy Snuggerud and Ryan Chesley, not to mention several other draft hopefuls.

Minnesota will be especially happy for their loaded incoming class now that they are losing one of their top building blocks in Lucius. The likely reason for the departure could be Lucius’ ongoing health concerns. Though he flashes elite ability when he is on the ice, Lucius has been notoriously injury-prone so far in his young career. He played only 24 games this season, missing much of the second half of the season and the Gophers’ entire NCAA Tournament run. In 2020-21, he only suited up for 25 games with the USNTDP. For Lucius to reach his potential, he needs to get into more games and the Jets likely feel that getting him in front of an NHL medical staff and training team is the best way to do that. Although there will likely be a steep adjustment to the pros at this point in his development, Winnipeg can at least ensure that he spends the year adding to his frame and improving his conditioning, easier to do without the distractions of college life.

Also worth noting is that Lucius did show immense improvement as his freshman season wore on. After recording just one goal and three points in his first eight NCAA games, the skilled forward was a point per game player over his next 16 games, including tallying eight goals. Even in limited action over the past two years, Lucius has proven that he has top-end talent and the Jets simply might not have wanted to wait for him to develop slowly at the college level when they can use affordable scorers on the NHL roster as soon as possible. Yet – health issues aside – it feels as though one more year at Minnesota likely would have done Lucius well. Perhaps the youngster will spend time with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks next year – his CHL rights holder is another avenue now that he has signed – but that would also run counter to the idea of the Jets keeping a closer eye on him. Whatever happens next, hopefully Winnipeg didn’t pull the trigger too soon trying to benefit the present at the cost of the future.

Poll: Who Will Be The Odd Teams Out In The West?

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Though the actual playoff match-ups are not yet set in the East, the eight playoff teams have essentially been locked in since January, due in no small part to the fact that for the first time in NHL history all eight teams to qualify for the postseason in one conference will do so with 100+ points on the year. The Western Conference has been more wide open and with just over a week remaining in the regular season, there are still several playoff spots left unclaimed. While the Colorado Avalanche clinched a spot more than two weeks ago and the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, and St. Louis Blues have since followed (the latter two are the only known first-round series thus far), the final spot in the Pacific Division and the two Western wild card berths remain available.

The Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars currently occupy the wild card positions and the Los Angeles Kings sit in third in the Pacific. Will the status quo prevail over the remaining slate of regular season games? The Vegas Golden Knights remain in the hunt for all of these spots and certainly have the talent on paper and the pre-season expectations to keep things interesting. The Vancouver Canucks are still in the mix as well, but realistically only for a wild card spot. It would require an incredible run to end the year coupled with some help, but it certainly isn’t impossible.

Los Angeles Kings
Currently: 42-27-10, 94 points (.595) – third in the Pacific
Remaining Games: vs. ANA, @ SEA, @ VAN

Key Note: The Kings are on a three-game winning streak and need just a win on Saturday night and a Vegas loss on Sunday to lock up the Pacific. Given the caliber of their remaining schedule, the Kings appear to be in good shape – they always have the wild card to fall back on as well.

Nashville Predators
Currently: 44-28-5, 93 points (.603) – fourth in the Central, first wild card
Remaining Games: @ TBL, vs. MIN, vs. CGY, @ COL, @ ARI

Key Note: The Predators have the best points percentage and goal differential of the teams still fighting for a playoff spot. Nashville should a playoff team, but needs to play like one down the stretch with four very difficult match-ups remaining.

Dallas Stars
Currently: 43-30-5, 91 points (.583) – fifth in the Central, second wild card
Remaining Games: vs. SEA, vs. VGK, vs. ARI, vs. ANA

Key Note: Dallas is slumping at the wrong time, dropping three in a row heading into Saturday. Other than a critical clash with Vegas, they could not have asked for an easier end to the year with a homestand and several easy opponents. If they can’t clinch a playoff spot with this slate, they probably don’t belong there anyhow.

Vegas Golden Knights
Currently: 42-31-5, 89 points (.571) – fourth in the Pacific
Remaining Games: vs. SJS, @ DAL, @ CHI, @ STL

Key Note: The Knights have just as many wins as the Kings and in fewer games; overtime results are all that separate the talented team from a divisional playoff spot. The unclear situation in net is certainly a potential make-or-break issue for Vegas, but if the team should still have a good chance against two non-playoff teams and a playoff team who should be taking the night off in their regular season finale. The decision against Dallas could ultimately decide Vegas’ fate.

Vancouver Canucks
Currently: 38-29-11, 87 points (.558) – fifth in the Pacific
Remaining Games: @ CGY, vs. SEA, vs. LAK, @ EDM

Key Note: Losing is no longer an option for Vancouver, but it might not be anyway. The Flames are locked into their playoff spot and the Oilers and Kings will likely be as well by the time they face the Canucks later in the week; these teams lack purpose in their current match-ups and the Kraken should be a win regardless of the effort level. If Vancouver can take advantage of these situations, perhaps they still have a chance.

What do you think? Who will finish the job and who will be left on the outside looking in?

[mobile users vote here]

 

 

Snapshots: Byron, Team Canada, Perbix

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Paul Byron can’t catch a break. The veteran forward has been limited to just 26 games this season due to injury. While many of these absences came while Byron was recovering from hip surgery, he has continued to be in and out of the lineup ever since he returned. The Montreal Canadiens announced that he was returning to the lineup on Tuesday night – but the return was short-lived. Less than two periods into the game, the Habs revealed that Byron has left the game and would not return due to a lower-body injury. Its unclear if this is another new injury or a reoccurrence of his hip issue. Either way, with just five games remaining in a lost season, it might be time for Montreal to simply shut Byron down for the year. Byron has one year remaining on his contract and will be back with the Canadiens in 2022-23 if he isn’t traded or bought out.

  • The Canadian entry into the upcoming IIHF World Championship may look very familiar to the fans of a Canadian NHL team. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes that Senators head coach D.J. Smith, who will be an assistant for Team Canada, has recruited several of his star players to join the tournament. If healthy, Drake Batherson, Connor Brown, and Thomas Chabot will suit up for Canada. Health is a question though; Chabot is currently on the injured reserve with a fractured hand and Batherson and Brown have both missed time due to injury this season and may not rush to play extra games if those issues flare up.
  • Another notable name has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. Defenseman Jack Perbix, an Anaheim Ducks fourth-round pick in 2018, is leaving the University of Minnesota. Most would have expected that if Perbix was leaving the Gophers, it would be for the NHL. Older brother Nick Perbix, a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, signed his entry level contract last month after four years at St. Cloud State University. Rather than follow suit, Jack will instead stay in college for his senior year but will don a different jersey and have a different name on his degree.

Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine Out Day-To-Day

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Any injury hurts a team and a star player’s injury makes an even greater impact. However, when superstar players are sidelined, it even hurts the league itself as the on-ice product suffers. The NHL was dealt some bad news on Sunday night regarding two high-profile players, but at least their absences seems short-term. The Toronto Maple Leafs were without league-leading goal scorer Auston Matthews as they took the ice, with TSN’s Mark Masters relaying that he was out with an undisclosed “minor” injury. The Columbus Blue Jackets were in the same sport with point-per-game scorer Patrik Laine, announcing that he would miss Sunday’s game with an upper-body injury. Both players, who went No. 1 and No. 2 overall in 2016, are considered “day-to-day”.

Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe told Masters that Matthews was held out for precautionary reasons, especially as the team played the second of a back-to-back. In fact, it was during Saturday’s game that Matthews suffered the injury. Matthews has been relatively healthy this season, only missing time due to injury for the first three games of the campaign, which has helped him reach his massive 58-goal, 102-point totals for the year. The Maple Leafs are understandably playing it safe surrounding the source of so much of their offense.

While Columbus is out of the playoff picture, the team is still rightfully careful with their skilled winger who has dealt with injury issues. Laine is quietly having a career year, recording 56 points through 56 games thus far. Had he been healthy this whole season, Laine very easily might have been on an 80+ point pace. There is no reason to rush him into action if he is dealing with an ailment, no matter how small, with the season lost. Instead, the Blue Jackets will hold out hope that Laine can stay on the ice next season and produce at the same rate.

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