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Maple Leafs Notes: Assistant Coach, Schenn, O’Reilly

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly mulling over several assistant coaches as they look to fill out their coaching staff. While head coach Sheldon Keefe’s future is still up in the air it does appear that he will return for this season. One coach that isn’t returning is assistant coach Spencer Carbery who already accepted the head coaching job with the Washington Capitals. Now Brad Treliving and company are tasked with filling that hole in their staff. Jeff Marek speculated today on the 32 Thoughts Podcast that he’s heard Toronto have shown interest in Mitch Love, Karl Taylor, and Todd Nelson.

Love is likely the biggest name of the three as he is the head coach of the Calgary Wranglers and has had that team play like a well-oiled machine the past two seasons posting a record of 96-33-8-3. The Wranglers are the AHL affiliate to the Calgary Flames which will lead to speculation about a connection with Treliving who of course came over from Calgary just a few weeks ago.

Taylor is the current head coach of the Nashville Predators AHL affiliate in Milwaukee and has been there for five seasons posting a record of 157-90-29-11. He’s struggled to get the Admirals over the hump as they have advanced to the second round just one in his five-year run with the club. Taylor has also coached in the WHL, ECHL and AHL during his 16-year coaching career.

Nelson is the most experienced of the three names that Marek mentioned as he has been coaching for over 20 years in the UHL, AHL and NHL. He was an assistant coach for four years in Dallas before taking over the Hershey Bears this season. Nelson has the club one win away from the AHL Calder Trophy and may have a lot of NHL opportunities thrown his way this summer.

In other evening notes:

  • Elliotte Friedman spoke today on CHEK TV’s Donnie and Dhali show saying that he doesn’t believe the Toronto Maple Leafs and Luke Schenn are very close on a contract extension for the pending unrestricted free agent. Friedman went on to state that the Maple Leafs would love to have the 33-year-old back but are looking at a salary around league minimum while Schenn is looking to cash in on his best offensive season in over a decade after he tied a career high by putting up 22 points in 70 games. Schenn has been playing under six figure deals for the past five seasons and might be looking at his last chance to get a contract with an annual value above $1MM per season.
  • TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button said today on That’s Hockey that he believes Toronto Maple Leafs unrestricted free agent center Ryan O’Reilly should be able to fetch a three-year contract. O’Reilly can no longer drive his own line but is still a solid two-way option for a team looking for help in the middle. O’Reilly dealt with injuries this past season but still put up 16 goals and 14 assists in 53 games. Button’s three-year projection matches Daily Faceoffs contract projection from last month when Frank Seravalli projected a three-year contract for O’Reilly at a cap hit of $5.5MM. If that is the number, it would likely price O’Reilly out of Toronto given that the cap constraints and needs that Toronto will have this summer.

Calgary Flames Will Likely Trade Noah Hanifin

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The 2023 offseason has been a monumental one for the Calgary Flames, and we’re still weeks away from the draft and free agency. New general manager Craig Conroy has a tough contract situation to deal with on his hands, with six important players currently headed for unrestricted free agency in 2024. A decision on what to do with one of those players has been made for him, though, as Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports defenseman Noah Hanifin is unwilling to sign an extension with the team and is likely destined for a trade.

Now 26, the top-flight defender has just shy of 600 NHL games under his belt and is entering the final season of a six-year, $4.95MM average annual value contract signed with Calgary in 2018. He’s had some very solid seasons in Alberta, including three 30-point campaigns and a firmly cemented top-four role throughout his time there. Historically a positive two-way force, Hanifin had some significant defensive struggles for the first time in 2022-23, seeing his advanced metrics dip slightly below the league average.

At his age and with his experience, though, that’s likely an outlier. Whichever team Hanifin ends up with can expect to pay him north of $6MM on a long-term deal and get their money’s worth. He’s one of the more consistent players from year to year in the league, really never having huge offensive or defensive lapses and maintaining solid (but not elite) numbers in heavy usage. His 0.48 points per game are tied for 47th among defensemen with at least 100 games played over the last three seasons, and his 21:32 average time on ice is 57th using the same parameters.

Competent on both the power play and penalty kill, the left-shot defender is not a true number-one defenseman but still a high-end, first-pairing caliber player. He may not fetch as much in a trade with the Flames as he would if he were a right-shot defenseman, but the Flames should still expect (and receive) at least a first-round pick for his services on the trade market – even if he makes it to the trade deadline and is sold as a rental.

With a steep trade market this offseason, though, moving him now is likely to get Calgary some good value with more time for their trade partner to negotiate an extension. And, given the Flames have pointed playoff aspirations next season, it would behoove them to free up Hanifin’s cap hit so he could be replaced via free agency or a separate trade later in the summer.

In 81 games this season, Hanifin registered seven goals and 38 points in 81 contests, recording a career-high average ice time of 22:39 in the process.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Calgary Flames Name Jarome Iginla Special Advisor To GM

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One of the most hotly-anticipated front-office moves of the summer, at least in Alberta, has come in across the wire. The Calgary Flames have named Hall of Famer and former captain Jarome Iginla a special advisor to new general manager Craig Conroy, the team confirmed in a release.

Iginla has joined Conroy to offer assistance across all aspects of hockey operations, the Flames said. He, Conroy, and assistant general manager Dave Nonis now make up the nucleus of Calgary’s hockey operations department.

It’s a heartwarming front-office reunion for the two former linemates, who are now charged with leading this generation of Flames players to sustained playoff success. Conroy offered the following statement:

Dating as far back as our playing days with the Flames, Jarome and I have always talked about one day working together in the NHL. That day has finally come and I’m happy to welcome him back to Calgary. Jarome provides a creative approach and smart hockey mind to our team blended with a passion for the game, and a desire to win the Stanley Cup. Our relationship goes back 20 years and includes being opponents and teammates combined with a long-standing friendship. While our views on the game are similar, we often challenged each other on systems and playing style, always pushing each other to be better. I look forward to our team benefiting from his fierce competitiveness, career experiences and love of hockey.

Iginla currently serves as a coach for the RINK junior hockey academy in Kelowna, British Columbia. Per the Flames, he’ll continue in this role during 2023-24 and support Calgary in a shared capacity.

This is the Flames legend’s first executive experience, and it comes at a crucial time in Calgary’s history as they have a multitude of long-term deals and close-to-expiring core pieces. However, no one knows what it means to be a Flame more than the 45-year-old Iginla, who recorded 1,095 points across 1,219 games in a Flames jersey.

Flames Sign Clark Bishop To Extension

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With the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals having reached its conclusion, the offseason is finally upon us. As new General Manager Craig Conroy begins his work on re-tooling the roster of the Calgary Flames, he has already gotten one small piece of work out of the way. This afternoon, the Flames announced the signing of Clark Bishop to a two-year, two-way deal.

The contract will pay Bishop a total of $775K each season at the NHL, a small raise compared to what he was earning this past season. Bishop was set to hit the unrestricted free-agent market in a few weeks.

The last time Bishop suited up for an NHL game was back in the 2021-22 season, playing nine games for the Ottawa Senators, producing only one assist. Coming over to the Flames organization last offseason, Bishop played the entire 2022-23 season with Calgary’s AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers.

In 64 games played at the AHL level, Bishop scored a respectable 11 goals and 12 assists, also notching two goals and one assist during the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Wranglers were eliminated in the Division Finals against the Coachella Valley Firebirds but were the best regular season team in the AHL this year.

If the Flames deal with injuries next season, Bishop could be a viable call-up option to fill in a roster spot. However, if Calgary is able to manage a generally clean bill of health, Bishop will be helping the Wranglers repeat as the top team in the AHL.

 

Mitch Love Looking At Other Opportunities

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Today, the Calgary Flames made the news official, hiring Ryan Huska as their next head coach. It appears, however, that their AHL head coach, Mitch Love, is not entirely enthusiastic about the Flames’ decision. Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff reports that although Love still has term left on his current contract with the Flames’ organization, he is open to all options moving forward.

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Calgary Flames Name Ryan Huska Head Coach

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June 12: The Flames are expected to name Huska their head coach in a press conference this morning, Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg reports. The team would later make the hire official.

June 9: After locking in Craig Conroy as their general manager last month, the Calgary Flames’ focus for the past few weeks has been exclusively on their search for a new head coach. Current assistant Ryan Huska has emerged as the leading contender to assume the role, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said during the second intermission of last night’s Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Huska’s emergence as Calgary’s top candidate is in line with the organization’s seemingly new philosophy. Since his hire, Conroy has expressed a keen desire to use the organization’s depth more effectively, something most felt was a struggle under previous coach Darryl Sutter.

Having spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach for the Flames and four seasons before that as the team’s AHL head coach, Huska has extensive experience in developing younger players and helping them transition to the pro level. Before his appointment as head coach of the AHL Adirondack Flames in 2014-15, Huska had spent 12 seasons behind the bench of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets.

If appointed, Huska would succeed the aforementioned Sutter, who the Flames fired on May 1 ahead of his two-year extension kicking in this summer. Sutter’s firing came after one of the most disappointing Flames campaigns in recent memory, slipping out of the playoffs entirely thanks to a lack of chemistry among the team’s new complement of stars.

As noted by The Calgary Sun’s Wes Gilbertson, Huska is recognized in the organization as a strong communicator, an area of expertise Sutter evidently lacked heavily, especially with younger players. In his years behind the Flames bench, he’s been charged with running the team’s penalty kill, one of the team’s strongest elements.

Gilbertson also notes that during Huska’s time in Adirondack/Stockton, he was the head coach who oversaw the primary professional development of current Flames contributors Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington, and Andrew Mangiapane. He also coached potential Flames captain Mikael Backlund during his time in Kelowna.

While not a done deal, things do look promising for the 47-year-old to assume the role he’s prepped for over two decades. He would face the challenge of revitalizing the Flames’ core, especially Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri, and leading them back to the playoffs like many expected this season.

NHL Announces 2023 King Clancy Trophy Finalists

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In just under three weeks from today, the 2023 NHL Awards show will take place at Bridgestone Arena, home of the Nashville Predators. Most of the award finalists have been announced up to this point, however; there are still some to get through.

This afternoon, the NHL announced the three finalists for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, annually awarded to the player that “best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community“. This season, the three finalists will be Mikael Backlund (Calgary Flames), Anders Lee (New York Islanders), and Darnell Nurse (Edmonton Oilers).

As in the description, this award is heavily weighted in humanitarian work off the ice, and these three players have no shortage of that. In Backlund’s case, he and his wife have raised over $400K for the ALS Society of Alberta, a disease that his wife’s mother passed away from. Aside from that, Backlund has also been heavily involved with The Kids Cancer Care, Special Olympics Calgary, and Parachutes for Pets.

For Lee, the current captain of the Islanders, the veteran forward has become involved with a non-profit called “Jam Kancer in the Kan”, which is dedicated to helping families and children dealing with cancer. Since Lee’s involvement, the company has raised well over $2MM for families dealing with the disease. Additionally, Lee has been helping college students with academic scholarships over the last several years.

Nurse’s involvement with the community has been primarily focused on diversity and inclusion in athletics. Working for “Free Play for Kids”, Nurse has helped underprivileged communities in Canada gain access to sports in a safe and accessible way. Nurse also has a scholarship of his own, setting up the Excellence Scholarship in 2021, which is given to two students pursuing post-secondary education, annually.

Regardless of who wins this award, these three players, among others, have helped their communities in pretty incredible ways. The winner will receive a $25K donation to a charity of their choice, while the other two finalists will receive a $5K donation each.

Calgary Flames Re-Sign Oscar Dansk

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The answer to the trivia question “Who was the first player Craig Conroy signed as general manager of the Calgary Flames?” will not be who you expect. Oscar Dansk, the organization’s minor league backup, has inked a one-year, two-way contract extension. The deal carries an NHL salary of $775K.

Dansk, 29, had been heading for unrestricted free agency after appearing 18 times with the Calgary Wranglers this season. The veteran minor league netminder put up a .905 save percentage in the regular season, far outpaced by starter Dustin Wolf’s .932 in 55 games.

With Wolf pushing for an NHL spot but the Flames still financially committed to Jacob Markstrom and Daniel Vladar, it’s unclear where Dansk fits into the picture. He very well could be the AHL backup once again—a fourth-string option that could be used in a pinch.

There is a small amount of NHL experience in his past. Dansk has appeared in six games, all with the Vegas Golden Knights, and actually won four of them. His most recent appearance was in the 2020-21 season.

Flames Continue Head Coaching Search

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Currently, the Rangers are only one of two teams without a head coach for the 2023-24 NHL season, joining the Calgary Flames. In recent reporting, it appears that New York has whittled their list down to two candidates, John Hynes, and Peter Laviolette. Up to this point, there have been no links drawn between Roy and Calgary, but they still remain in the early stages of their search compared to New York.

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  • Continuing on with the Flames’ head coaching search, Ryan Pike of Flames Nation reports that Calgary is down to “4-5 candidates” and will begin the second round of interviews this week. With two major positions to fill this summer, it is not surprising that the Flames are taking a bit longer to fill their head coaching role, after naming former player Craig Conroy as General Manager late last month. Calgary appears to have a desire for a newer face in the league, likely eliminating names like Laviolette, Gerard Gallant, and Bruce Boudreau from contention.

Brad Treliving Not Allowed At Maple Leafs Draft Table

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Brad Treliving was recently announced as the 18th general manager in Toronto Maple Leafs history. Treliving was officially introduced today and stated that his first priority is to meet with superstar Auston Matthews. While getting Matthews signed long-term is the focus, another focus is the upcoming NHL entry draft, which Treliving will not be allowed to take part in. Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets is reporting that this condition was put in place by the Calgary Flames when granting Toronto permission to talk to him. Treliving is under contract with Calgary until July 1st.

Maple Leafs president of hockey operations Brendan Shanahan was asked about this stipulation at the press conference this morning and praised the teams scouting staff and said they are still preparing to pick late in the first round of the draft as well as the fifth and sixth round. One would have to presume that either Shanahan or head scout Wes Clark will be making Toronto’s picks this year in the absence of Treliving.

It’s not surprising to see the Flames attach a condition like this to Treliving as they were originally apprehensive about even allowing their long-time general manager to interview for other jobs before his contract expired. Three weeks ago, it was reported by The Hockey News that Calgary wasn’t allowing him to speak with teams, however they had a change of heart and let the 53-year-old pursue other employment. One would have to guess that the draft condition was a compromise Treliving, and the Maple Leafs had to make to move forward with the interview process.

It’s not unheard of for a team to block a former employee from participating in the entry draft, although it doesn’t happen often. In fact, it happened to the Flames back in 2000 when general manager Craig Button came over from the Dallas Stars and was blocked from taking part in draft day.

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