The Department of Player Safety announced that Flames defenseman Mark Giordano has received a two-game suspension from a kneeing incident involving Minnesota center Mikko Koivu on Thursday night. In addition, the league also revealed that winger Ryan Lomberg has also been suspended one additional game on top of the automatic one-game suspension he received for instigating a fight in the final five minutes of that same contest.
Flames Rumors
Mark Giordano, Ryan Lomberg To Have Hearings With Department Of Player Safety
The Calgary Flames and Minnesota Wild exchanged various pleasantries last night in a physical battle, and several participants will be given supplementary discipline. Mark Giordano will have a hearing with the Department of Player Safety regarding his knee of Minnesota’s Mikko Koivu, while Ryan Lomberg will have one for initiating a legal line change in order to start a fight. Lomberg has also automatically been issued a one-game suspension for instigating a fight in the final five minutes, while his coach Bill Peters has earned a $10,000 fine.
This isn’t the first time that Giordano has been caught kneeing an opponent, and it could result in the Flames captain sitting down for a few games depending on how the league classifies it. Koivu suffered an injury on the play, though it is not clear how serious it is at this point. Lomberg on the other hand will be guaranteed at least one game after he chased down Mathew Dumba and started a fight late in the game. Dumba had delivered a hard, open-ice hit on Mikael Backlund previously, but will not be disciplined further for it.
It’s a tough outcome for the Flames, who won the game but could lose two players in the process. Calgary is leading the Pacific Division with an 18-9-2 record, and a big part of that has been the play of Giordano of late. If he has to sit, the Flames will have to turn to a less experienced option on defense, especially given that Michael Stone is still out—although skating today—with a blood clot. Lomberg will not face the automatic 10-game suspension for leaving the bench to instigate a fight since it was deemed a legal line change, but could have another few games added on.
Minor Transactions: 12/06/18
After a quiet Wednesday night in the NHL the league scheduler is back in action with 11 games on tap for tonight. That includes some prime divisional matchups in the Eastern Conference and a big game between the Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames. While we wait for the action to get started this evening, we’ll keep track of all the minor roster moves made ahead of time.
- The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Brian Lashoff in time for their game tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. With Danny DeKeyser’s recent hand injury, the team was left with just six healthy defensemen for the game. It’s unlikely that Lashoff is inserted into the lineup, but will serve as insurance in case anyone is injured over the next few hours.
- Meanwhile, the Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled their own defenseman, as Gabriel Carlsson is on his way back to the NHL. Carlsson has played just a single game for the Blue Jackets this season, but is a huge part of their future blue line plans after being selected in the first round in 2015. His long reach and defensive ability should come in handy if the team puts him into the lineup right away.
- In a somewhat surprising move, the Dallas Stars have sent Roope Hintz to the AHL. If the move is anything more than a paper transaction to save some cap space during a day between games, it makes the loss of Gemel Smith on waivers even more questionable. The Stars were already carrying just 22 players after the loss of Smith, meaning they could activate Martin Hanzal from long-term injured reserve.
- Nelson Nogier made his season debut for the Winnipeg Jets this week, but is already on his way back to the minor leagues. The Jets made the move earlier today, expecting one of their regular defensemen to be ready when they get back on the ice. Nogier will surely get another chance, but for now will have to continue his development in the AHL.
- Matt Beleskey is on his way back to the Rangers who announced that they have recalled him from Hartford of the AHL. His stint in the minors was short-lived as he was sent down back on Sunday. The veteran has played just once with New York this season but has been productive in the minors with nine points in 14 games.
Michael Frolik Suffers Setback In Recovery From Lower-Body Injury
- Flames winger Michael Frolik has suffered a setback in his recovery from lower-body injury, reports Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson. He last played on November 19th and was initially listed as day-to-day but it appears he’ll be out a fair bit longer as he has yet to even skate over the past week. Frolik has had a quiet start to his season; while he has a respectable seven goals in 20 games, he has yet to record a single assist while his ice time has dropped to a career-low 12:07 per night.
Board Of Governors Notes: Salary Cap, Melnyk, Seattle
The NHL’s Board of Governors Meeting began today in Sea Island, Georgia, as the league’s owners and executives sat down today for the first of two days of discussions. Commissioner Gary Bettman then spoke with the media this evening, apprising the press of certain topics of discussions. The biggest announcement made by Bettman related to the projected salary cap for next season. As relayed by NHL.com’s Dan Rosen, Bettman expects the 2019-20 salary cap to raise to $83MM, a significant jump of $3.5MM for this season’s ceiling of $79.5MM. Rosen notes that this value could change, but that the league has been consistently accurate in their predictions in the past. Such an increase would serve to accommodate the growing salaries of younger players, as emphasized by the recent William Nylander negotiations. With several high-profile players on high payroll teams becoming restricted free agents this summer, this added cushion should help those squads to stay together in a more comfortable manner.
- TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk is not in attendance at the meetings, which is perhaps why Bettman took the opportunity to speak about his unhappiness with the situation in Ottawa. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman relayed that Bettman is “disappointed” in how the progress on a new arena in Ottawa has been going, although he did not point any fingers and stated that he understands it is a complex process. Nevertheless, with Melnyk’s seemingly poor management of the team, as well as his poor placement in the public eye, and now an admission from the commissioner that he is frustrated with the situation, perhaps the idea that the Senators owner will be forced to sell is not as outlandish as it once seemed.
- The meeting today did not involve any discussion on the expansion bid of the potential Seattle ownership group, although Rosen reports that David Bonderman and Jerry Bruckheimer were in attendance. Instead, any discussion has been tabled until tomorrow, when the owners will vote on Seattle’s entry into the league. A two-thirds vote in favor of expansion is needed to make Seattle official and there is a strong expectation of such a result. However, the vote also more or less is a vote of realignment, as Seattle will almost certainly be added to the Pacific Division, whereas the Central Division is currently short a team. One organization who could be moved, but has no desire to do so, is the Edmonton Oilers. The team does not want to move to the Central, meaning the Oilers’ and Calgary Flames’ owners could be two potential votes against on Tuesday. If those two teams don’t move, it’s likely the Arizona Coyotes being shifted to the Central and they can’t be too happy about the possible move either.
- The one piece of Seattle news that did come out today, albeit still not official, is that the team is likely to begin play in 2021. TSN’s Darren Dreger states that no one would go on the record, but that all signs point to the team’s inaugural season being 2021-22. While this is a year later than most expected when the current round of expansion officially began, the delays in making the move official combined with concerns over collective bargaining have hinted at a 2021 start for some time.
Edmonton Has No Interest In Moving Out of Pacific Division
With the expected approval on Tuesday for the Seattle expansion franchise at the board of governor’s meeting, the next question that will have to be determined is how to re-align the Western Conference as Seattle will obviously move into the Pacific Division, giving them nine teams, while the Central Division would have just seven. While there has been talk about moving the Arizona Coyotes over to the Central Division, many feel the team should stay where it is as they have short rivalry trips to Las Vegas and Los Angeles/Anaheim.
Another popular suggestion is to move both the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames together to the Central Division and sending the Colorado Avalanche back to the Pacific Division. However, Terry Jones of The Edmonton Sun writes that option isn’t very popular in Edmonton.
“We want to stay in the Pacific. And we’re pretty strong about it,” insists Bob Nicholson, vice chairman and CEO of the Oilers Entertainment Group. “Seattle is going to come into the league and when they do come in, we definitely do not want to move. We feel the rivalries are too strong for the NHL to do that to our franchise.”
The two teams have built rivalries in the Pacific, including one between the Flames and the Vancouver Canucks, while Edmonton has built some significant rivalries with some of the California teams, most specifically with recent playoff matchups with the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks. Nicholson said the team intends to appeal to the NHL to allow the Oilers as well as the rival Flames to stay in the Pacific Division.
“I just believe we’ve been in the league a long time now and hopefully the league will respect our rivalries, especially the Calgary and Vancouver rivalries,” said Nicholson.
Of course, there are new potential rivalries between both Calgary and Edmonton with a team such as the Winnipeg Jets and even the Minnesota Wild. Regardless, Nicholson has a strong feeling the league will accept the wishes of Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.
“I’m relatively confident from the unofficial conversations that have gone on, so far,” Nicholson said. “I’m expecting it to be simple and that it will be Arizona that would move into the Central. If it gets more complicated than that, I think there would be big debates. We expect to stay where we are. I would think it would be Arizona that would move.”
Reactions To The William Nylander Signing
With the Toronto Maple Leafs going down to the final minutes to sign restricted free agent William Nylander, who signed a six-year, $45MM deal, there was quite a reaction from journalists around the league. Here are some thoughts on the signing.
- Jonas Siegel of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that the Maple Leafs accomplished their goal of locking up Nylander to a long-term deal for a reasonable price of $6.97MM. That gives Toronto what they wanted, which is to lock up their core for the next five to seven years and Nylander is just another piece that the team has added to that long-term puzzle. The scribe writes that fans should remember that he is an elite player, despite struggling in the playoffs last year. Nylander is only 22 and should continue to develop into a consistent goal scorer.
- Siegel also reports that general manager Kyle Dubas said that it’s not likely that Nylander will debut on Tuesday against Buffalo, the team’s next game. The likely scenario is that Nylander will make his NHL debut on Thursday against Detroit. TSN’s Kristen Shilton writes that Nylander will have to undergo medical tests before being allowed to play and reports that Dubas suggested that even Thursday might be too early for Nylander’s season debut.
- Kevin Allen of USA Today reminds fans that while Nylander will eventually return to the Maple Leafs’ lineup, that doesn’t mean a trade isn’t possible. In fact, now that Nylander has a long-term deal, it should be even easier for Dubas to find a quality return if they opt to trade the 22-year-old. The fact that Toronto has proven that they don’t need Nylander to win, that could mean that Nylander might find a new home at the trade deadline or before the NHL draft. Allen suggests that Matthew Dumba would be the perfect fit in Toronto.
- The Athletic James Mirtle writes that the Maple Leafs will have to eventually make a roster move to get Nylander on the roster. While they may have a few days to make a decision, the scribe writes that Justin Holl, who has been a healthy scratch for 25 games, would be the obvious candidate to be waived. Other candidates would be Frederik Gauthier or defenseman Martin Marincin.
- Chip Alexander of the News & Observer says he never believed the Toronto Maple Leafs had any interest in trading Nylander. He believed that Dubas was just using a trade option as leverage against Nylander. Carolina was considered to be the most interested team in acquiring the 22-year-old and were rumored to be willing to move defensemen Justin Faulk or Brett Pesce as part of a major package.
- Sam Carchidi of Philly.com writes that while many players are happy for Nylander, Travis Konecny could be the happiest as the 21-year-old will be a restricted agent himself this offseason. Konecny has already tallied 42 career goals over the course of his career, while Nylander is a year older and only has six more goals in that time. With similar numbers, Konecny could easily equal that contract next summer.
- Ryan Pike of FlamesNation adds that another beneficiary in the Nylander signing could be Calgary Flames’ Matthew Tkachuk. The 20-year-old already has 49 career goals and will also hit restricted free agency next year. He also has better point production as he averages .741 points per game, compared to the .729 points per game by Nylander over his career.
- Michael Augello of HockeyBuzz writes that in spite of the $10.2MM cap hit the team will take this season, the team still has the option of placing Nathan Horton’s contract on long-term injury reserve, which should free up some money to add some rental players at the trade deadline this season.
Minor Transactions: 11/30/18
As we close in on the end of November, there are storylines aplenty around the league. William Nylander’s contract situation should come to a close, while the Philadelphia Flyers continue to search for a new GM. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche are pushing for the top spot in the entire NHL. With five games on the schedule for tonight, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.
- Those Sabres have recalled Matt Tennyson from the minor leagues while placing Marco Scandella on injured reserve. That may mean it’s time for talented young defenseman Lawrence Pilut to make his debut, trying to prove he can bring his elite minor league production to the NHL.
- Andrew Mangiapane is on his way up to join the Calgary Flames after a great start in the AHL. The 22-year old forward has 14 points in 13 games for the Stockton Heat, continuing his strong minor league career. The Flames welcome in the Los Angeles Kings tonight as they try to extend their lead in the Pacific Division.
- The Anaheim Ducks have made a defensive swap, sending Andrej Sustr to the minor leagues in exchange for Josh Mahura. The 20-year old Mahura made his NHL debut earlier this year and is a top prospect for the Ducks, armed with explosive skating ability and offensive upside. They also assigned Kalle Kossila back to San Diego to create a roster spot for Hampus Lindholm who was activated off injured reserve.
- After acquiring Calvin Pickard yesterday off waivers, the Arizona Coyotes have assigned goaltender Hunter Miska back to the AHL. Miska played one game with the Coyotes but had to know his time was coming to an end with Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper both also working their way back from injury. In his place, the Coyotes have recalled Mario Kempe once again.
Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames Swap Prospects
The Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs have announced a late-night trade, exchanging long-time prospects. Leaving Calgary is native son and former first-round pick Morgan Klimchuk, while productive defenseman Andrew Nielsen departs Toronto.
Klimchuk, 23, entered his pro career with high expectations in Calgary, not only as a local product and high draft pick, but due to his consistently impressive production at the junior level. However, Klimchuk has struggled to stand out against the Flames’ other prospects over the years. Despite solid production for the AHL’s Stockton Heat, Klimchuk has only played in one NHL game and has never asserted himself as a top depth option for Calgary. Moving forward, Klimchuk brings a capable offensive game and good offensive mind to Toronto, but will still have to fight for attention among a deep AHL roster and even deeper NHL lineup.
Nielsen, 22, brings both a strong, physical presence and checking game, as well as good passing ability and a hard shot. Nielsen was a point-per-game player in his final junior season and has been a strong contributor in two plus seasons with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Nielsen has earned a shot at the NHL, but has not been given one with the Maple Leafs and was due a change of scenery. He should immediately take over a major role with Stockton and hopefully will get his shot in Calgary sooner rather than later.
College Notes: Henrikson, Crone, Risers
The jump to North America has not been kind to Arvid Henrikson thus far and it has impacted his college recruitment. Yet, the big Swedish defenseman has made his decision on where he will begin his NCAA career and hopes that transition yields better results than his move to the USHL this year. Henrikson, 20, was a seventh-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2016, following a point-per-game campaign in the Swedish juniors. His success in the pro ranks in Sweden has been less impressive, prompting a change in career path this off-season. Henrikson joined the Des Moines Buccaneers for the 2018-19 campaign, but has only registered one point through 18 games so far. While Henrikson has the size – 6’5″, 212 lbs. – and physical style to make a career out of being a stay-at-home defender, he has shown ample offensive ability before and hoped to showcase that side of his game in the USHL. Instead, he will hold out hope that perhaps his production will improve when he enrolls at Lake Superior State University next season. The Buccaneers announced today that Henrikson has committed to join the Lakers, where he will replace senior defenseman and Anaheim Ducks prospect Steven Ruggiero as the only drafted player in the program. Lake Superior may not be a powerhouse college program, but less spotlight and fewer expectations may be exactly what Henrikson needs to develop into the defenseman that the Canadiens hoped they were getting with a late flier a few years ago.
- When Hank Crone finished third in scoring in the USHL in 2016-17, ahead of the likes of Andrei Svechnikov, Eeli Tolvanen, and future Boston University teammate Shane Bowers, many expected that it would be enough to get him drafted. Yet, the talented albeit undersized forward again was passed up. Last season, his first with BU, also did not go according to plan. Crone managed to record just twelve points and failed to live up to the offensive prowess he showed in juniors. As a result, Crone is back in the USHL this season, re-joining the Fargo Force rather than staying on with the Terriers. Unsurprisingly, he’s back at his old ways with 21 points in 19 games. As a result, he’s also willing to try his hand at the college game again and has committed to another top program. Hockey Commitments announced today that Crone has signed on to join the University of Denver next season, where he will have three years of eligibility left to show NHL teams what they missed. If Crone is able to get it right on his second try in the NCAA, he should draw considerable interest from the pro ranks down the road.
- In his latest article about the biggest early “risers” of the most recent draft class, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman tabbed college or college-bound players as half of the most surprising performers so far this season. The top played named, who Pronman says has established himself as a “legit NHL prospect”, is Calgary Flames pick Emilio Pettersen. The Denver forward was a sixth-round pick out of the USHL after a strong but unspectacular season, but has been better than a point-per-game so far through twelve games and has looked like an elite play-maker against tough competition. Northeastern forward Tyler Madden, the Vancouver Canucks’ third-round pick, is next up. Madden has ten points through twelve games for the Huskies and has easily transitioned his two-way game to the college level. Also on Pronman’s list are UConn center Jachym Kondelik (NSH, Rd. 4), UMass center John Leonard (SJ, Rd. 6), Pettersen’s Denver teammate Brett Stapley (MTL, Rd. 7), and St. Lawrence-bound Martin Pospisil (CGY, Rd. 4), as the college game continues be a great developmental option for the NHL’s top prospects.