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PHWA Announce 2019-20 Midseason Awards

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Though they have no bearing on the eventual winners, each season the Professional Hockey Writers Association vote for the Midseason Awards to give fans an idea of who is leading the charge around the NHL at the halfway point. Today those ballots have been tallied and the midseason trophies were given out:

Hart Trophy – Most valuable player

1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
2. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
3. David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins

Norris Trophy – Best defenseman

1. John Carlson, Washington Capitals
2. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
3. Dougie Hamilton, Carolina Hurricanes

Selke Trophy – Best defensive forward

1. Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers
2. Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
3. Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues

Calder Trophy – Best rookie

1. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
2. Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
3. Victor Olofsson, Buffalo Sabres

Lady Byng Trophy – Sportsmanship & gentlemanly conduct

1. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
2. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
3. Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues

Vezina Trophy – Best goaltender

1. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
2. Ben Bishop, Dallas Stars
3. Darcy Kuemper, Arizona Coyotes

Jack Adams Award – Best coach

1. Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins
2. John Tortorella, Columbus Blue Jackets
3. Craig Berube, St. Louis Blues

Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award

1. Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
2. John Chayka, Arizona Coyotes
3. Doug Armstrong, St. Louis Blues

Rod Langway Award – Best defensive defenseman

1. Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
2. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
3. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators

Comeback Player of the Year Award

1. William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
2. Anthony Duclair, Ottawa Senators
3. Max Pacioretty, Vegas Golden Knights

Justin Schultz, Nick Bjugstad Out Long-Term

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The Pittsburgh Penguins can’t catch a break. The team has announced that Nick Bjugstad underwent core muscle surgery and will be out at least eight weeks, after head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters it would be “longer-term” earlier this week. That’s exactly the way he has now also described the injury to Justin Schultz, who suffered a lower-body injury and will be out “longer-term.” If there is a sliver of good news to be had, Patric Hornqvist has been activated from injured reserve.

It’s been a disastrous season so far for the Penguins, who have now lost Hornqvist, Bjugstad, Schultz, Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Brian Dumoulin and Kris Letang for long stretches. That’s the core of their group, but somehow they’ve still managed to put up a 11-7-3 record.

While losing Bjugstad hurts, it’s likely not nearly as painful as seeing Schultz go out for any length of time. The 29-year old was hoping for a big bounce-back season after missing a huge part of 2018-19, and he was off to a good start. Schultz had eight points in 21 games and was logging nearly 21 minutes a night for the Penguins.

Nick Bjugstad Out “Longer-Term” With Lower-Body Injury

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have suffered another injury. Head coach Mike Sullivan updated the media today and explained that though Nick Bjugstad was still being evaluated, he expects the big forward to be out “longer-term.” Bjugstad exited the game on Friday against the New Jersey Devils when he fell awkwardly into the boards.

Sullivan did announce that Patric Hornqvist is getting closer and that Kris Letang has resumed skating on his own, but isn’t ready for practice yet. The team is also still without Sidney Crosby as he recovers from his sports hernia surgery.

Bjugstad, 27, was already injured earlier this year and missed several games, limiting his impact for the team. In ten contests—two of which have been cut short by injury—he has just a single goal and zero assists. That’s a far cry from the nine goals and 14 points he registered in just 32 games for them following a trade from the Florida Panthers last season, and even further from the 24-goal campaign he put up as a 22-year old in 2014-15.

Selected 19th overall in 2010, Bjugstad has been something of a disappointment so far in his NHL career, dealing with injuries almost every season and not finding much consistency when he was on the ice. His absence will be missed however, given the other health concerns the team has at forward.

Kris Letang Out “Week-To-Week”

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The Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t been able to stay healthy at all this season. Just as they were starting to get some of their pieces back up front, head coach Mike Sullivan announced today that Kris Letang will be out “week-to-week” with a lower-body injury.

Letang sat out the team’s last game against the New York Islanders, which led to Justin Schultz playing a season-high 25:20 in the win. That’s likely the way the Penguins will navigate their top defenseman’s absence, leaning on Schultz to eat a lot of the vacant minutes.

Another player to keep an eye on though is young John Marino, who has been used extensively in the past few games as he continues his impressive rookie campaign. The 22-year old was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in the summer for a sixth-round pick and quickly decided to leave Harvard for the professional ranks. That has paid off so far for the Penguins, who add a capable defender for almost nothing.

Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bjugstad Out “Longer-Term”

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4:15pm: Both Malkin and Bjugstad have been placed on injured reserve. In their place the Penguins have recalled Sam Lafferty and Andrew Agozzino under emergency conditions from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Darren Dreger of TSN reports that Malkin suffered a soft tissue injury and is expected to be out at least a month.

11:45am: The Pittsburgh Penguins have already been dealt a debilitating blow in their quest for a Metropolitan Division playoff spot. Evgeni Malkin and Nick Bjugstad will both be out “longer term” with injuries according to head coach Mike Sullivan, though he did confirm that Malkin’s is not expected to be a season-ending one. Even if it doesn’t put him on the shelf all year, losing Malkin for a long period of the season is a huge hit to the Penguins’ chances, as they were hoping for a strong bounce-back season from the veteran center.

Malkin was injured when he was hit by Columbus Blue Jackets defender Vladislav Gavrikov and pinned up against the boards on Saturday. He suffered a lower-body injury and will have to watch from the press box as Pittsburgh tries to stay afloat. The 33-year old center recorded just 21 goals last season, the fewest he’s ever had in a year in which he played more than 50 games. That still came with 51 assists to give him 72 points in just 68 games, but by all accounts his season wasn’t up to the standard he had set previously. After working hard to re-establish his mental state this summer, Malkin and the Penguins had big plans for this year with an eye on the playoffs. That resolve will certainly be tested now.

Without Malkin and Bjugstad in the lineup, the Penguins had Jared McCann in the second-line center role between Alex Galchenyuk and Brandon Tanev, a unit that will need to find another level of production if the team is to succeed. It certainly seemed on Saturday like McCann was ready for the challenge, recording three points including the game-winning goal in a 7-2 demolition of the Blue Jackets. The 23-year old forward had previously only ever recorded three points in a single game once in his career, but will certainly get the opportunity for more of that success if he’s moved higher in the lineup.

Poll: Which Head Coach Has The Hottest Seat Entering 2019-20?

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Every game has a winner and a loser and not every team can meet or exceed expectations each year. Even entering a new season in which every team has a clean slate, it’s not incorrect to state that some NHL teams will struggle in 2019-20. And when that happens, the head coach is usually the first one to go. There are 31 head coaches in the league and one of them will inevitably be the first one fired this season. Who has the best chance of earning that unfortunate title?

Several names can likely be ruled out immediately – although anything can happen. Anaheim’s Dallas Eakins, Buffalo’s Ralph Krueger, Edmonton’s Dave Tippett, Florida’s Joel Quenneville, L.A.’s Todd McClellan, Ottawa’s D.J. Smith, and Philadelphia’s Alain Vigneault are all beginning their first season with a new team. In most cases, that affords them at least one year of job security before their seat can start warming up. However, in the event of a massive collapse or poor locker room dynamics, it’s not unheard of in hockey for a coach to be one and done.

It was a strong season for rookie head coaches last year though. Calgary’s Bill Peters, Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour, Chicago’s Jeremy Colliton, Dallas’ Jim Montgomery, Washington’s Todd Reirden, and of course, reigning Jack Adams Award-winner Barry Trotz of the New York Islanders all excelled in their first year on the job. It’s hard to imagine any of the group having a hot seat, barring a major disappointment against expectations. The New York Rangers’ David Quinn had a much tougher task for a team that internally had an eye on moving assets and developing young players, but the former top college coach will likely be given another year to work with a revamped lineup.

Other names whose seats are probably very cold: Stanley Cup combatants Craig Berube of the St. Louis Blues and Bruce Cassidy of the Boston Bruins. Both exceeded expectations last year and were rewarded with multi-year extensions in the off-season. Gerard Gallant, whose Golden Knights made a magical run to the Cup Final two years ago in their inaugural season, is likely safe as well.

Who does that leave as a candidate for the hottest of seats? Despite a record-breaking regular season, all eyes will be on Jon Cooper and the Lightning as they look to bounce back from a shocking first-round sweep. Cooper is the NHL’s longest-tenured head coach, but he could lose that mantle if Tampa Bay isn’t a top-ten team all season and at least an Eastern Conference finalist. Similarly, Toronto and Mike Babcock had a strong regular season, but again could not fight their way past Boston in the first round. Babcock may to avoid any regular season struggles to even get back to a likely postseason re-match with the Bruins, as many feel his seat has warmed considerably. John Tortorella got his franchise their first ever playoff series win last year, but the Blue Jackets watched a ton of talent walk away this summer and Tortorella faces the tough task of getting the team back to the postseason. Winnipeg’s Paul Maurice, the second-longest tenured coach behind Cooper, faces the same difficulty of leading a team whose Stanley Cup hopes have been shaken this summer. Jared Bednar’s Avalanche were a surprise in the playoffs as well, but moved in the opposite direction this off-season and are a popular dark horse pick to win it all this year. High expectations demand results and Bednar’s job could hang in the balance if Colorado cannot take a step forward this year. The Devils’ John Hynes is certainly under a lot of pressure as well, as New Jersey missed the playoffs – by a wide margin – last year and responded with arguably the most impressive off-season in the league. Many will expect the Devils not only to make the playoffs, but to be competitive. Other coaches whose teams need to take a step forward via playoff success are Nashville’s Peter Laviolette, San Jose’s Peter Deboer, and perhaps even Pittsburgh’s Mike Sullivan. Coaches whose jobs could depend on making the playoffs include Arizona’s Rick Tocchet, Minnesota’s Bruce Boudreau, and Montreal’s Claude Julien.

The two outliers of the group: the Red Wings’ Jeff Blashill and the Canucks’ Travis Green. Neither team is expected to be a legitimate playoff contender, but at the same time both men need to show a marked improvement in their teams. Blashill has been in Detroit for four years but has little to show for it. Green enters his third season in Vancouver having fallen short of ownership and management’s lofty expectations in the previous two. It’s hard to set benchmarks for what would either save or end both coaches’ jobs.

All 31 coaches have a seat to start the year. Whose is hottest and in the most danger of being lost before the others?

Mobile users, click here to vote.

Pittsburgh Penguins Extend Mike Sullivan

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have decided to reward their head coach with an extension, inking Mike Sullivan for another four years. The deal will start at the end of the 2019-20 season and take him through 2023-24. GM Jim Rutherford issued a statement on his coach:

Mike has done a great job delivering four, 100-plus point seasons with our team. To win back-to-back Stanley Cups in this era speaks volumes of him as a coach. His instincts in managing the inter-workings of our team both on and off the ice has been impressive.

Sullivan was named head coach of the Penguins in 2015 after the team moved on from Mike Johnston mid-season, only to immediately lead them to a Stanley Cup after going 33-16-5 down the stretch. He’d come back the next season with an even more impressive performance, leading the Penguins to a 50-21-11 record in the regular season and a second consecutive championship. In all four years with Sullivan as head coach for at least part of the season, the Penguins have finished with at least 100 points.

Even with all that success however, there was some speculation over Sullivan’s future with the team. Reported clashes with start players like Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin along with an embarrassing exit in this year’s playoffs—the Penguins were swept out of the first round by the New York Islanders—led reporters to ask GM Jim Rutherford about his coach’s performance and future. Speaking with Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required) Rutherford came to the defense of Sullivan immediately:

Personally. I believe this was the best coaching job Mike Sullivan has done since he’s been with the Penguins. The dynamic of the team this season, it was difficult for him to deal with. This team never came together. It just never did. I don’t want to get into all of the details. But Mike had to deal with a lot of different circumstances this year. He had to keep things under control. It’s impressive that he still pulled off a 100-point season.

Even with that support, Sullivan had just one year left on his contract and when the team brought in famed minor league coach Mike Vellucci recently there was talk that he might be on the hot seat. No more, as Sullivan will now have job security and a chance to take the Penguins back to the playoffs again with a different looking lineup next season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Pittsburgh Penguins Extend Chad Ruhwedel

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The Pittsburgh Penguins may have a logjam on the blue line as it is, but that won’t stop GM Jim Rutherford from keeping one of his favorite players around. The Penguins have announced a new two-year, one-way deal with defenseman Chad Ruhwedel. The contract carries a minimum $700K AAV.

Ruhwedel, 29, arrived in Pittsburgh in 2016 as a free agent and took on a surprisingly large role for the Penguins as a primary depth option in the regular season and postseason en route to a Stanley Cup title. He played even more last year, skating in a career-high 44 games and starting in the playoffs. However, his career trend went in the opposite direction this season, as Ruhwedel spent almost the whole season in the press box, playing in just 18 games with Pittsburgh and five with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Even in a reduced role, Rutherford and head coach Mike Sullivan were consistent in their praise for Ruhwedel as a reliable depth player and positive locker room influence. In the team’s release detailing the new contract, Rutherford said the following of his extended defender:

Chad has exemplified what it means to be a team player the past two years. His work ethic and conditioning have allowed him to jump into the lineup at a moment’s notice, which is vital to a team’s success.

Ruhwedel was unlikely to land anything other than a minimum contract on the free agent market, so it makes sense that he chooses to return to Pittsburgh where he is comfortable and where he has found success. More likely than not, Ruhwedel will have to clear waivers at some point this season, as the Penguins are well-stocked on the back end. Barring a trade, Ruhwedel joins Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin, Justin Schultz, Olli Maatta, Erik Gudbranson, and Jack Johnson on one-way contracts, with Marcus Pettersson and Juuso Riikola in need of a new contracts as restricted free agents. The renewal of Ruhwedal does improve the odds that a defenseman is dealt out of Pittsburgh, though.

Evening Notes: East Playoff Race, Rantanen, Dumoulin, Parayko

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The Eastern Playoff race has been decided. The Carolina Hurricanes have drawn the first wildcard spot and will face the Metropolitan Division-leading Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs. The New York Islanders will be the second seed in the Metro and will have to square off against the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the Atlantic Division, the Columbus Blue Jackets end up with a tough match-up as they will face the Tampa Bay Lightning, while the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs will meet once again, as everyone has known about for quite some time. The final results of the night will determine how the Western Conference Shakes out.

  • The Colorado Avalanche’s Mikko Rantanen was spotted on the ice Saturday in San Jose wearing a non-contact jersey, according to The Athletic’s Ryan S. Clark. The injured forward, who hasn’t seen action since March 21st with an undisclosed injury, traveled with the team but will sit out once again. While that doesn’t sound like great news, considering the playoffs are right around the corner it is better to have him skating than not. If Colorado has any chance of advancing out of the first round, they will need their young scorer. The 22-year-old will have played eight less games than last year, but has a career high 31 goals and 87 points in his sophomore season. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said later today that he is hopeful that Rantanen will be available for the playoffs, according to BSN’s Adrian Dater.
  • Speaking of injuries, the Pittsburgh Penguins got some good news as defenseman Brian Dumoulin skated on his own after missing the past three games with a lower-body injury, according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Dumoulin, who normally skates alongside Kris Letang, would make a big impact on a lineup that is preparing for the playoffs and could use the player tied for fifth in the NHL with a +31 rating. “The fact that Dumo is on the ice is really encouraging from our standpoint,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. He added that the injury isn’t considered major and Doumolin remains day-to-day.
  • The St. Louis Blues expect to get back defenseman Colton Parayko, who has sat out the past two games with an undisclosed injury. The 25-year-old defender is expected to play in the playoffs, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas. Thomas added that Tyler Bozak was just held out for precautionary reasons Saturday after he was in a car accident getting to the game. The veteran center was rear-ended, but wasn’t seriously hurt. He too is expected back for the playoff opener.

Bryan Rust, Chad Ruhwedel Out “Longer Term”

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have suffered several injuries of late, and two more names can be added to that list. Bryan Rust and Chad Ruhwedel are both out “longer term” according to head coach Mike Sullivan. Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports that Ruhwedel left the arena last night with his right arm in a sling, while Rust was on crutches with his left foot in a walking boot.

Pittsburgh went out and added Erik Gudbranson and Chris Wideman at the trade deadline this week to address other injuries on the blue line, but will feel the loss of Rust up front. The hard working forward had been playing an increased role of late and actually ranks third on the team in even-strength goals with 15. He has added two short-handed tallies for a career high of 17 on the year and is an integral part of the Penguins attack. While they obviously still have plenty of firepower with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel and Phil Kessel leading the way, Rust provided a level of versatility that is lacking elsewhere on the roster.

Losing two more players will hurt the team and it is no guarantee that the Penguins even make the playoffs at this point. With a quarter of the season remaining the team sits in the final wild card spot but just a single point ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets who recently loaded up at the deadline. Philadelphia, Buffalo and Florida are all within ten points and chasing down the Penguins, who themselves are trying to leapfrog the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens in the standings. It will be a fight right to the end in the Eastern Conference, and the Pittsburgh depth will surely be tested now.

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