Maple Leafs Agree To Two-Year Extension With Sheldon Keefe
Teams generally don’t like when their coaches are in the final year of their contracts and the Maple Leafs were set to be in that situation with Sheldon Keefe. However, that won’t be the case anymore as Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that Toronto has inked their bench boss to a two-year contract extension that runs through the 2023-24 season.
The 41-year-old was promoted to Toronto’s head coaching role back in 2019 following the firing of Mike Babcock (whose contract runs through 2022-23) but hasn’t yet had a full 82-game season with the Maple Leafs and is in the middle of his first regular training camp with the team.
Toronto has had plenty of regular season success with Keefe at the helm with the team posting a .660 point percentage with young stars like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner immediately seeing their ice time and production improve. However, that hasn’t materialized into playoff success as they were upset in the bubble in 2020 by Columbus in the play-in series and last spring by Montreal in the opening round of the postseason.
Accordingly, this short-term pact makes sense from Toronto’s perspective. With Keefe barely having 100 games under his belt behind the bench plus their early ousters, he wasn’t in a position to command a lucrative long-term deal but their regular season success has shown enough to suggest he’s worth keeping around. This contract is a commitment from GM Kyle Dubas to stick with the process – one Dubas made this summer by not significantly shaking up the core – but is short enough that it shouldn’t be an impediment if it’s decided that a change has to be made.
Jakub Vrana To Undergo Surgery
The Detroit Red Wings received some bad news before the season even begins, as head coach Jeff Blashill announced that Jakub Vrana will require shoulder surgery and be out a minimum of four months.
Vrana, 25, just signed a new three-year, $15.75MM contract with the Red Wings last month after going on a tear down the stretch. Acquired from the Washington Capitals as part of the return for Anthony Mantha, the young forward had eight goals and 11 points in 11 games for the Red Wings. With the team still turning the corner on their rebuild, Vrana was one of the team’s most dangerous offensive weapons and will leave a huge hole in the lineup as he recovers from this surgery.
In fact, for a team that was just hoping to be competitive, losing Vrana could very well put them in the running for the 2022 Draft Lottery once again. It’s not that he’s the only effective player on the roster, but it’s hard to see how the Red Wings are going to be dangerous enough offensively to compete most nights without their second-highest paid forward. His absence of course will open the door for another young player to step up, but this is about as bad as it gets for the Red Wings.
There will be no need to move Vrana to long-term injured reserve, as the Red Wings are nowhere near the salary cap upper limit. He’ll move to regular IR as he works through this recovery, hopefully returning before the end of the season. Four months from today would be the end of January, though coach Blashill said it would be at least that long.
Zach Aston-Reese Tests Positive For COVID
The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without Zach Aston-Reese for a while after he tested positive for COVID-19. Head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters including Josh Yohe of The Athletic that Aston-Reese will enter the league’s protocol.
With the Penguins already missing their two best forwards, losing Aston-Reese for any length of time is certainly not ideal. The team re-signed the 27-year-old forward to a one-year, $1.75MM contract this summer as a valuable, versatile option that has experience playing all over the lineup. While he should be out of the protocols before the season begins, this obviously complicates his status.
This, like the recent absences of Kevin Lankinen and Mike Hardman in Chicago, is another reminder that this season will not be completely back to normal. Teams and players, even those who have achieved full vaccination status, could still face sudden absences based on testing results and will have to prepare accordingly. Having depth options at the ready will be extremely important, especially for a team like Pittsburgh that can’t afford to throw away any games in the competitive Metropolitan Division.
Snapshots: Vrana, Voracek, Augustana
Hockey is back as the preseason enters its second day. While teams continue to announce roster moves and training camp cuts, there’s a variety of news and notes from around the league and sport that have come through the wire. The most notable takes us to the Detroit Red Wings, where head coach Jeff Blashill reports that forward Jakub Vrana will see a specialist on Monday for a shoulder injury suffered this week. After yesterday’s report from Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen that Vrana would be reevaluated later, this is a quick turnaround from such an uncertain timeline. Any absence would be a huge blow to Detroit, for whom Vrana scored at a point-per-game pace last season.
Some other news from around the hockey world:
- The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline notes the discrepancy in the role that Jakub Voracek will carry during his second tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Voracek’s last season in Columbus came in 2010-11 at the age of 21, playing 10 seasons and 727 games in Philadelphia after a trade. Dealt back to Columbus this offseason in exchange for Cam Atkinson, Voracek now returns as the oldest player on the Columbus roster. He’ll be tasked with being a strong voice in terms of leadership to help gel a rebuilding squad. It’s something that Voracek says he’s “ready to fill” due to his experience in Philadelphia.
- After announcing a move to create a Division I hockey program back in June, South Dakota’s Augustana University will announce the program officially on October 5. Including the groundbreaking of the team’s new arena, the event will mark history for hockey in South Dakota. It continues a recent tradition of lesser-known schools breaking into the Division I scene.
Metropolitan Notes: Zibanejad, Lee, Malkin
The New York Rangers began extension talks with top center Mika Zibanejad earlier this month, but the two sides have not yet reached a resolution on a new contact. However, don’t expect that to bother Zibanejad this season. The New York Post’s Mollie Walker reports that Zibanejad is unfazed by his impending free agent status. He has been candid with comments stating that he will leave negotiations to his agent and the Rangers’ front office while he remains focused on the upcoming season. “Right now, they’re taking care of business — so I’m taking care of mine,” Zibanejad stated. While many players state us much while actually posturing, Zibanejad really does have nothing to worry about. Sure, the skilled center has stated that he enjoys playing in New York and would like to sign long-term with the Rangers. However, the 28-year-old could also be the top name on the open market if he cannot come to terms with the team on a new deal. Walker reports that Zibanejad’s side is seeking upwards of $10MM per year on a seven- or eight-year term, while the Rangers would prefer to keep that cap number between $7-9MM. While Zibanejad would lose the possibility of that eighth year should he test the market, competition would also certainly drive that AAV up toward his asking price. As a result, Zibanejad has all the leverage in talks with New York, especially if he performs this season, so it makes sense that he can calmly focus solely on his play and let negotiations unfold behind the scenes.
- Across town, the New York Islanders are looking forward to the return of one of their own core players in Anders Lee. Lee missed the final 29 games of the regular season and the entirety of the postseason after undergoing ACL surgery in March, but is now back to full strength. Yet, his comeback is still on hold for the time being. Though Lee has not been limited in training camp, NYI Hockey Now’s Christian Arnold relays word from head coach Barry Trotz that Lee will not be rushed into preseason action. The star forward is expected to be held out of at least the first few Islanders preseason games, if not more. While the team wants Lee to be up to game speed by the start of the regular season, they are being cautious with his workload on a surgically repaired knee. A hard-working veteran, Lee will be ready to go for New York’s season debut regardless of how much work he puts in prior.
- As for Evgeni Malkin, Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports that it is status quo for the star center’s return from off-season knee surgery. While Sidney Crosby is only expected to miss a few games to start the year following his own wrist surgery, the expectation remains that Malkin will miss the first two months of the season. The Penguins surely had hoped that Malkin could fast-forward his return to action, especially since the team’s limited cap space handicapped their ability to find a suitable replacement down the middle. The focus so far in training camp has been on veteran Evan Rodrigues and youngster Radim Zohorna battling for a starting center role, though neither will be able to bring even replacement-level offense to the lineup. Jeff Carter, Teddy Blueger, and eventually Crosby will likely be the Penguins top-nine centers until Malkin returns and the lines are re-shuffled.
Injury Notes: Vrana, Martin, Keeper
Expectations are high for 25-year-old Jakub Vrana this season after the talented forward arrived in Detroit late last season in the Anthony Mantha trade and promptly recorded eight goals and 11 points in 11 games. However, his 2021-22 season is not off to as smooth a start. As Kevin Allen writes for Detroit Hockey Now, Vrana arrived late to training camp due to visa issues and was only able to take the ice for the first time today. Less than ten minutes into his first session back with the team, Vrana suffered a shoulder injury and had to leave. Head coach Jeff Blashill did not have a prognosis after practice, stating only that Vrana would be “re-evaluated later”. As Allen notes, Detroit was missing Tyler Bertuzzi for nearly all of last season and don’t need another core scorer with a nagging injury again this year. Hopefully Vrana’s shoulder ailment is nothing serious.
- The New York Islanders iconic fourth line has looked a little different so far in camp with Richard Panik lining up with Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck rather than Matt Martin. No, head coach Barry Trotz isn’t just breaking up a line with proven chemistry. Instead, Newsday’s Andrew Gross reports that Martin is dealing with an ankle injury. Rather than taking part in line rushes as a full participant in practice, Martin has been skating by himself so far in camp. There is no timeline for when the veteran forward might return. In the meantime, Panik will have the opportunity to show that he should not be one of many notable victims of the Islanders’ impending roster crunch.
- A scary scene occurred at Vancouver Canucks camp today as defenseman Brady Keeper has to be stretchered off the ice following an apparent seriously leg injury. As The Athletic’s Thomas Drance recalls, Keeper blocked a shot in the leg and went down in audible pain. Drance describes his state as “a ton of distress”. The stretcher was eventually brought out as Keeper could not get up under his own power. While any serious injury such as this is unfortunate, don’t underestimate the potential impact that an extensive absence for Keeper could have on the Canucks. The 25-year-old may only have two NHL games under his belt, but the market was such for the Group 6 UFA this summer that the Canucks signed him to a one-way contract and at a value above the $750K minimum. Vancouver seemingly felt that Keeper could be an NHL contributor this season, even though he is one of 11 or 12 defenders battling for a roster spot. Fortunately that depth will also help the team overcome the potential long-term loss of a player they clearly had plans for this season.
Training Camp Notes: Kane, Toews, Senators
Today marked the first day of training camp for the majority of teams across the league. With the first preseason tilt just two days away now, teams are getting fired up and ready to go see at what level players in their organization are able to perform. One team whose offseason led to much fanfare was the Chicago Blackhawks, and the health status of both of their stars were hot topics of discussion today. NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis reports that a nagging injury to star winger Patrick Kane, an undisclosed matter that had appeared before the start of the Edmonton bubble in 2020, hasn’t healed completely. However, neither Kane nor others in the organization are concerned about his ability to play through the matter, as Kane himself remarked today that he’s “optimistic with where [he’s] going.” A great sense of mysteriousness still veils whatever the nagging issue is, as the nature of the injury has yet to be reported.
More notes from today’s opening of training camps:
- After missing the entirety of 2020-21 due to Chronic Immune Response Syndrome, it was reported earlier in the offseason that Chicago Blackhawks Jonathan Toews was expected to return to play this year. Roumeliotis reports that after summer workouts, Toews rejoined the team today for his first formal practice since 2020. It would be a huge add for Chicago to get their captain back into the fold after an offseason that saw them forge a deeper team throughout. While Toews’ practice today went well, he hopes for but won’t guarantee an opening night appearance when their season opens in Colorado on Wednesday, October 13.
- The contract negotiation saga of Brady Tkachuk has largely been an arduous, open-to-the-public process that continues to plant nervousness in Senators fans. It’s come to a head in recent days, as training camp has now begun without Ottawa’s best forward in the fold. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that in his absence, they’ve kept the other two-thirds of his line together in Josh Norris and Drake Batherson. While it’s anybody’s guess on who could fill that role during play if Tkachuk misses the start of the season, head coach D.J. Smith used forward Nick Paul in that first-line left-wing role today. Potentially a sign of things to come, it’s still anything but a guarantee.
St. Louis Blues Name Peter Chiarelli VP Of Hockey Operations
The St. Louis Blues have made a few front office changes, naming Peter Chiarelli vice president of hockey operations and Ken Hitchcock a coaching consultant. Dave Taylor, who was previously in the role that Chiarelli was given will assume the role of senior advisor to hockey operations.
Chiarelli, 57, had already been working for the Blues as a consultant but will now have an expanded role in the front office. The long-time executive last held a full-time position in 2019 with the Edmonton Oilers, but was fired early that year halfway through another disappointing season. There’s no lack of experience assuming the role for the blues, as Chiarelli was an NHL GM for 13 consecutive seasons between the Boston Bruins and Oilers. Before that, he held various positions with the Ottawa Senators including assistant GM.
Hitchcock will be well known to Blues fans, given he was head coach of the team for parts of six seasons. His last season in 2016-17 was supposed to be his swan song with the team with Mike Yeo was brought on as a coach-in-waiting, but after a 24-21-5 start, GM Doug Armstrong pulled the trigger early and fired Hitchcock. As Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic tweets, Armstrong never lost respect for Hitchcock, and the legendary coach was already considered a mentor for Blues boss Craig Berube.
Hitchcock is fourth all-time on the NHL wins list with 849 and won the Stanley Cup as head coach of the Dallas Stars in 1999.
Snapshots: Turner, Tkachuk, Humitz
Hockey fans across the United States are going to see things a little differently this season after the league reached broadcast agreements with TNT and ESPN earlier this year. After previous announcements and leaks about who would be leading the TNT coverage, the network released the full game and studio lineup for the 2021-22 season today. At the top of the list is Wayne Gretzky, but he’ll be joined by quite the cast. The other studio analysts will be Anson Carter, Rick Tocchet and Paul Bissonnette, certainly bringing an Arizona Coyotes flair to the broadcast.
In May, Gretzky announced he would be stepping away from his role with the Edmonton Oilers to take the position at TNT. Tocchet, who seemed to interview for every vacant coaching position this summer after parting ways with the Coyotes, will now be adding his expertise to the panel instead. The network will have its first regular season coverage on Wednesday, October 13 with a doubleheader featuring the New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, and Colorado Avalanche.
- Talk continues between the Ottawa Senators and restricted free agent Brady Tkachuk and the team is believed to have tabled an eight-year, $64MM deal according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. That would match Thomas Chabot for the most expensive player on the Senators and the biggest contract handed out by GM Pierre Dorion. With less than two weeks before training camp opens, there are some pressure points approaching that could speed the negotiations along for all of the remaining restricted free agents.
- Max Humitz played eight games with the Grand Rapids Griffins this season after turning pro, but that short stint apparently wasn’t enough to land another AHL contract. The 26-year-old forward has signed with the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings for the upcoming season. Humitz actually had five points in those eight games after an outstanding career at Lake Superior State University, but measures in at just 5’8″ 168-lbs.
Snapshots: Fantilli, Avalanche, Tocchet
Everyone wants a piece of top 2023 NHL Draft prospect Adam Fantilli, even those who probably don’t have a reasonable shot at him. The Ontario native made his development plans clear when he spurned the OHL for the USHL and then solidified his intent by committing to the University of Michigan last month. However, at least one team back home in Ontario is still hoping that he changes his mind. The North Bay Battalion have announced that they have acquired the OHL rights to Fantilli from the Saginaw Spirit in exchange for a package of picks. While most of the selections are conditional, Saginaw will at least land a 2022 sixth-round pick outright (not to mention the 2022 compensatory first-rounder already heading their way based on Fantilli’s “defected status.) Should North Bay’s gamble pay off, the Spirit would receive a 2024 second-round pick and 2025 second-round pick if Fantilli plays an OHL game in 2023-24 and an additional 2023 third-round pick and 2024 fourth-round pick if he plays any earlier. With Fantilli expected to join the Michigan Wolverines next year, it is highly unlikely that Saginaw will receive all four conditional picks. However, if the NCAA does not go as planned or if Fantilli decides to turn pro immediately after being drafted but is reassigned to the OHL, there is a slight chance that they could land those second-rounders. In reality though, Fantilli will likely shine at the college level and either be on an NHL roster or leading Michigan for one last season in 2023-24. The big scoring center is still worth the risk for North Bay, but the odds of a payoff are low.
- The Colorado Avalanche have revealed a coaching shake-up in the minor league ranks. Brett Clark, assistant coach for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, will be unable to coach this season due to “new league protocols”. This implies that Clark is unvaccinated and cannot work with players during the 2021-22 campaign. In his place, Colorado has promoted Tim Branham, the head coach of their ECHL affiliate, the Utah Grizzlies, to the AHL assistant position. Branham, 40, has held the head coach as well as GM role for the Grizzlies since 2013 but will finally get a chance to show what he can do at the next level. The team release notes that Clark hopes to return to coaching as soon as possible.
- The top free agent coach right now is very likely Rick Tocchet, who mutually parted ways with the Arizona Coyotes this off-season and was a finalist for seemingly every other vacancy across the league. PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan writes that Tocchet did have at least two offers to serve as an assistant in the NHL, but decided to go in a different direction. Tocchet has joined TNT as a studio analyst, Morgan notes, and will work alongside Wayne Gretzky during the network’s weekly broadcast. That is, until another head coach position opens up. Tocchet felt that he had to stay close to the game to stay relevant as a coaching candidate, but decided that working as an analyst could accomplish that goal. “It’s an opportunity to stay in the game, learn more about the game and reinvent yourself,” Tocchet said. “I think that every year, coaches have to hit the refresh button on something. You can’t bring the same thing to the table every year. You’ve got to learn new things because the game is always changing; players are always changing.” A former standout two-way forward in addition to an experienced coach, Tocchet will bring a lot to the analyst position – for however long it lasts.