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Central Notes: Laine, Predators Prospects, Gunnarsson, Honka

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With teams worrying about players’ second contracts more than ever, the Winnipeg Jets may have one of the most challenging tasks this summer when they have to lock up star forward Patrik Laine, who hits restricted free agency on July 1. While many may ask why not offer him what he wants, the Jets have two other serious issues, including an already full salary cap as well as the fact that Laine has proven to be wildly inconsistent so far in his early career.

While Laine still tallied 30 goals this past season (his lowest total of his career), 18 of those goals came in November with Laine scoring no more than four goals in any other month. Regardless, The Athletic’s Murat Ates (subscription required) writes that while a long-term deal could net Laine close to $9MM per season, he might even get more if he opts to take a bridge deal and bank on the potential to get back to 40 goals in the next two years. With the potential to hit his peak within that time, he could really hit payday if he waits. However, that could be an even bigger problem to the team’s long-term salary outlook.

  • The Athletic’s John Glennon (subscription required) writes that while the Nashville Predators have been ranked near the bottom when it comes to the franchise’s prospect cupboard, the Nashville Predators have some hope. The team does have a team in the AHL, the Milwaukee Admirals, who have slowly developed players that are ready to compete for spots on the NHL roster such as Eeli Tolvanen, Anthony Richard and Yakov Trenin, while the team has added some college depth to bolster their depleted group of prospects. Much of the team’s problems is that they have traded many picks to add talent over the last few years, but Glennon adds that the team has drafted well with the picks it has had whether they are in college, in juniors or playing overseas.
  • The St. Louis Blues will be missing a defenseman Saturday when they open up Game 1 against the Dallas Stars as NHL.com’s Chris Pinkert writes that Carl Gunnarsson will sit out after suffering a lower-body injury in Game 7 against the Dallas Stars in the second round. Veteran Robert Bortuzzo is expected to replace him in the lineup. Gunnarsson, a third-pairing defenseman, saw his playing time decrease somewhat in the second-round series.
  • SportsDay’s Matthew DeFranks writes that one offseason task that the Dallas Stars must look at is what to do with defenseman Julius Honka, who has been a healthy scratch for the final four months of the season as he hasn’t played a games since Jan. 15. The former first-round pick in 2014 has fallen down the depth chart as he has slipped behind Jamie Oleksiak, Ben Lovejoy, Taylor Fedun, Joel Hanley, Gavin Bayreuther and Dillon Heatherington. “We’re going to sit down over the summer now and we’re going to decide is he a part of this group or is he an asset to go get something else?” said Dallas general manager Jim Nill. “That’s what we’ve got to figure out.”

Minnesota Wild Sign Gerry Mayhew

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Friday: The Wild have officially announced the two-year, two-way contract. Mayhew will earn $700K at the NHL level.

Wednesday: Minnesota is close to finalizing a contract for forward Gerry Mayhew, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Mayhew, 26, is in his third season with AHL Iowa, the affiliate of the Wild after signing a tryout deal back in 2017 after he finished up his four-year NCAA career with Ferris State.  He was a bit of a late bloomer in college and the same can be said for his time in the pros as well.

After being a decent secondary piece with Iowa last season, Mayhew nearly doubled his point total in 2018-19, going from 32 points to 60 in 71 games.  27 of those points were goals, setting a team record in the process.  He has also been quite productive so far in the playoffs, leading the AHL with seven goals in just eight contests heading into action on Wednesday night.

Minnesota has rotated quite a few players on their fourth line in recent seasons in an effort to find some extra scoring depth so Mayhew should get a good look at training camp assuming he puts pen to paper on a contract.

Mason Shaw Undergoes Knee Surgery

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After already missing nearly the entire 2017-18 season, Mason Shaw has more rehab to do. The Minnesota Wild announced that Shaw underwent a successful ACL revision procedure on his left knee yesterday and will miss the rest of the AHL playoffs. The Iowa Wild are in a second round series against the Chicago Wolves, with game four set for tomorrow evening.

This is not the first time Shaw has gone under the knife to repair an ACL injury. As Micheal Russo of The Athletic points out, the young forward tore the ligament in his right knee last year and this left one the year before that. Even getting back to full health in time for the 2018-19 season was a battle, but one that Shaw won. The 20-year old ended up playing in all 76 contests for Iowa this season, recorded 33 points in his first year of professional hockey. That was a great season for a player who was so far removed from playing at a high level, and one that should have fans of the Wild organization excited about him.

It’s not clear how long Shaw will be out this time, but Russo tweets that recovery timelines for these injuries usually sit around six months. That would put the beginning of Shaw’s 2019-20 season at risk, and remove any possibility of him making a case for an NHL spot at training camp.

One player that Shaw may be able to look at for inspiration is St. Louis Blues forward Robby Fabbri, who tore the ACL in his left knee twice and also missed the entire 2017-18 season. Fabbri is back playing with the St. Louis Blues in these playoffs, suiting up eight times through the first two rounds. The 23-year old is certainly not back to where he was before the injuries, but just getting back into NHL action was a long time coming.

Shaw was originally selected in the fourth round by the Wild in 2017, after having a huge season for the Medicine Hat Tigers. His potential was clear when he scored 94 points in 71 games that year, and will hopefully be able to show itself again after this most recent injury. He is under contract for two more seasons before being scheduled for restricted free agency in 2021.

Central Notes: Berube, Modano, Trouba

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Just a little more than 24 hours ago, St. Louis Blues coach Craig Berube was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award along with Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper and the New York Islanders’ Barry Trotz, an honor which goes to the best NHL coach. Strangely enough though, Berube isn’t the team’s permanent coach. Berube was brought in to replace the fired Mike Yeo on Nov. 20, but was handed the interim tag, a role he still has despite leading the franchise to an impressive run that got them into the postseason and through the first round of the playoffs.

Tom Timmermann and Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wonder why the franchise hasn’t removed Berube’s interim tag and named him the team’s permanent coach. He’s definitely earned that. Regardless, Berube isn’t too worried about it:

Honestly, I’m not even focused on that. I’m focused on the playoffs. That’s the honest truth. I have nothing to say about it. It’s a great honor for sure to be in the conversation with those other coaches. I’ve said that all along, it’s an organizational thing. Doug (Armstrong)’s done a great job of putting the players together and my coaching staff – obviously a great coaching staff – they’ve done a great job with these guys and the players.

  • Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that the Minnesota Wild are close to bringing former local star Mike Modano to the organization in a front-office role. The Hall of Famer and franchise face played his first five seasons with the Minnesota North Stars before moving with the franchise to Dallas, where he played the next 16 seasons, but is now ready to move his family back to Minnesota where he will likely start on the business side in an ambassador-type of position. However, Russo adds that he will also likely have more of a hockey ops role down the road as well.
  • Mike McIntyre of The Winnipeg Free Press suggests that the Winnipeg Jets need to act quickly and trade off defenseman Jacob Trouba before the team loses him in a year for nothing. Trouba, who has shown a reluctance to sign a long-term extension, will be a restricted free agent for the final time this off-season. If he opts to sign a one-year deal, he could be an unrestricted free agent after the 2019-20 season. McIntyre suggests the team needs to swap Trouba for a young, inexpensive defender, suggesting several teams, including the Philadelphia Flyers, as a trade partner. If they can make that trade quickly enough, it could give the Jets the opportunity to bring back Tyler Myers, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, with the money they saved from moving Trouba.

 

 

Poll: Who Is The Stanley Cup Favorite Now?

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If you had asked a crowd of hockey fans before the playoffs began to put down a bet on who would win the Stanley Cup, there would likely have been one resounding favorite. The Tampa Bay Lightning had just completed a historic 62-win season and had everything you would want in a team. Top scorers, including potential Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov who led the league with 128 points this season. Shutdown defenders like Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh, both playoff-tested from years of postseason play. One of the best goaltenders in the world in Andrei Vasilevskiy, a Vezina finalist for the second consecutive season.

None of that mattered though, after the Columbus Blue Jackets erased a 3-0 first period lead in game one and never looked back. Tampa Bay was swept out of the first round, and weren’t the only favorite to be overcome. All four division leaders were knocked out this season, the first time that has happened in the history of the NHL. The Calgary Flames (107 points), Washington Capitals (104) and Nashville Predators (100) all saw their playoff run end early. Even other 100-point teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins were ousted, though this time by even better regular season teams that were forced to face higher seeds than in playoff formats of the past.

The second round started last night, with the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues taking early series leads. Are they now the default favorites to go all the way? What about the upstart wild card teams like the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes who have more young talent than they know what to do with?

If that same crowd were asked today to name a favorite, it might not be as easy. Cast your vote below and make sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section!

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

2018-19 King Clancy Finalists Announced

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The NHL has released the finalists for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The award is given to “the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.” Last season was the first time it was awarded to a pair of players, as the Vancouver Canucks’ Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin took home the trophy for their long history of helping the Vancouver community.

Each team nominated one player for the award. The finalists are:

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes

Jason Zucker, Minnesota Wild

Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

Minor Transactions: 04/21/19

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The NHL has just two games scheduled for today after several series came to an end this week, including the Colorado Avalanche upsetting the Calgary Flames. Each game today features a favorite facing elimination as the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks look for a way to avoid the golf courses and play again on Tuesday. As teams prepare for that action, we’ll be here keeping track of any minor moves they may make.

  • After being demolished last night by the Washington Capitals, the Carolina Hurricanes have sent Aleksi Saarela back to the minor leagues. The team hopes that young star forward Andrei Svechnikov will be ready for tomorrow’s elimination game, after suffering a concussion at the hands of Alex Ovechkin earlier in the series. Saarela made his NHL debut last night but failed to record a shot on goal in his nine minutes of ice time.
  • Minnesota has been active in signing its prospects to Amateur Tryout Agreements to bring them to AHL Iowa for the postseason and they’ve added two more as Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that winger Ivan Lodnia and center Connor Dewar have both signed ATO deals.  Lodnia was a third-rounder back in 2017 and recently finished up with Niagara of the OHL where he had 14 points in 11 playoff games.  Dewar was a 2018 third-round selection and had a career year with WHL Everett with 81 points in 59 contests.
  • The Capitals continue to shuffle their third goalie as the team announced that Parker Milner has been recalled from South Carolina (ECHL) while Ilya Samsonov has been returned to Hershey (AHL).  Milner spent nearly the entire season at the ECHL level so if one of Braden Holtby or Pheonix Copley were to be injured, they would likely bring someone else up to serve as the backup.

AHL Notes: Ness, Wild, Barach

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It was a scary moment for everyone in attendance when Hershey Bears defenseman Aaron Ness lay motionless on the ice during last night’s Calder Cup playoff game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The 28-year old fell and collided head first into the end boards, not moving for several minutes as the medical staff brought out a stretcher. The entire Bears team stood stoically while their teammate was rolled off the ice, hoping he would be okay.

Good news came down today, as the team announced that though Ness did go straight to hospital for further evaluation he was in stable condition and was expected to be released. Obviously there is no timeline for his return to action, as his health is the first priority in an incident as serious as this.

  • The Iowa Wild have signed three players to amateur tryouts for the remainder of the season, bringing in Shawn Boudrias, Alexander Khovanov and recently signed Brandon Duhaime. Khovanov may be the most interesting of the group, as the 18-year old put up 74 points in 64 games while playing in the QMJHL this season. The third-round pick signed his entry-level deal last month, and will be a name to watch over the next few seasons to see if he can compete for a spot on the NHL roster.
  • Derek Barach had been playing with the Cleveland Monsters on a tryout since finishing his college career at Mercyhurst, and will stay on with the club for another year. The 24-year old forward signed a one-year AHL contract with the Monsters for next season, giving the team another offensive weapon for next season. Barach had 11 points in 15 games with the team down the stretch, but hasn’t been able to light the lamp yet in the postseason.

Minnesota Wild Sign Brandon Duhaime

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The Minnesota Wild have signed forward Brandon Duhaime to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal will kick in for the 2019-20 season, while Duhaime will join the Iowa Wild on an amateur tryout for the rest of this year. The former Providence College standout will not return for his senior season, instead deciding to start his professional career.

Duhaime, 21, recorded 34 points in 42 games for Providence this season, helping the Friars to the Frozen Four. Originally selected in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, he has taken the necessary steps in his development to earn a professional contract and should jump right into the action with the Iowa Wild as a full-time player next season. It’s unclear if he’ll get any playing time with the Wild during their Calder Cup run, but the Parkland, Florida native could potentially help them if given the chance.

Minnesota is constantly mining the NCAA ranks for talent and once again have convinced a prospect to join their organization before flirting with unrestricted free agency. With GM Paul Fenton looking for a way to turn around the disappointing and mediocre results of the franchise quickly, college talent may be able to help. Given that Duhaime is set to turn 22 in May he could potentially be fast-tracked to the NHL, though he’ll have to prove he can translate some of that college production to the minor league level first.

Snapshots: Makar, Minnesota, Turcotte

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Cale Makar scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game last night for the Colorado Avalanche, with it eventually becoming the game-winning tally in a 6-2 victory. While the fans in Colorado may feel like giving him the Conn Smythe already, the accountants of the team may have something to say about that. CapFriendly tweets out the interesting performance bonus structure of Makar’s deal, which includes a $25,000 bonus for playing in five playoff games, a $107,500 bonus for playing in his tenth playoff game, and a $787,500 bonus for winning the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP.

Obviously Makar winning a trophy like that is incredibly far-fetched, but it does just add another layer to his outstanding debut. The young defenseman is expected to take on a substantial role with the team next season and doesn’t seem to be afraid of anything. Nathan MacKinnon even told reporters today (video via Altitude Sports Radio) that the 20-year old was calling for the puck on the play that resulted in his first career goal.

  • The Minnesota Wild have announced a new 10-year extension on their lease of the Xcel Energy Center, which will now extend through 2035. The team did not find much success on the ice this season, but is still a thriving organization in one of the best hockey markets in the world and will now have some extra stability moving forward. The arena opened back in 2000 when NHL hockey returned to Minnesota in the form of the expansion Wild, and has housed them ever since.
  • Alex Turcotte has been added to Team USA for the upcoming U18 World Championship, set to kick off later this week in Sweden. The 18-year old forward is expected to be a top draft selection this June, ranking fourth on the final Central Scouting rankings among North American players. Turcotte was dealing with an injury recently but looks like he’ll be able to take part in the tournament that is often a final showcase for draft-eligible prospects.

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