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Snapshots: Yandle, O’Connor, Keller, Merzlikins

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Despite a disappointing season for the Philadelphia Flyers, there were several highlights, including veteran defenseman Keith Yandle, who broke Doug Jarvis’ ironman consecutive games played streak, setting his own mark with 989. At the Flyers season-ending media availability, Yandle notably chose not to speak to the media, reports Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic (link). O’Connor points out rumors that Yandle could in fact choose to retire this offseason, citing circumstantial evidence and comments from his Flyers teammates.

There’s reason to think Yandle could continue to play, but also reason to see why he may not. For one, Yandle is no longer the player he used to be. Once a defenseman that regularly topped 50 points per season, most recently hitting a career-high 62 points in 2018-19, he has seen that number consistently drop since, with just 19 points in 77 games this season. The veteran also saw his playing time limited this season, culminating in the ending of his ironman streak, even on a struggling Flyers team. On the other hand, Yandle is just 35-years-old, and while far from a rookie, there could certainly be something left in the tank, especially as a defenseman. To that end, Yandle continued his ironman streak into this year and was poised to continue it, but for the Flyers choice to sit him in lieu of younger talent.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they have recalled forward Drew O’Connor from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Penguins of the AHL (link). The 23-year-old O’Connor has split time between Pittsburgh and Scranton this season, playing in 33 AHL games and 22 NHL games. Nearly a point-per-game player in the AHL, O’Connor has just five NHL points this season. Per Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, bringing up O’Connor could be an answer for Pittsburgh in the wake of Jason Zucker’s uncertainty due to injury (link). Pittsburgh is set to begin its first round playoff series against the Rangers in New York this Tuesday.
  • Moving out west, according to Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports, Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller could resume skating in three weeks (link). This might not seem like big news, with Arizona’s season ending and approximately five-and-a-half months until opening night, but consider that Keller fractured his leg on March 31st, forcing him to be stretchered off the ice and taken to the hospital, where he would have surgery on his leg. At that point, Keller’s status for not only next season, but perhaps his career, seemed to be in question. While an opening night return for Keller was later confirmed, seeing Keller back on the ice in three weeks, roughly seven weeks after the injury and surgery, is a huge step forward and reason for optimism for the Coyotes.
  • From Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch, Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins is expected to play at the upcoming World Championships in Finland (link). Not a favorite to win the championship, Merzlikins’ home country of Latvia carries with it a passionate group of players and supporters, including Merzlikins. The goaltender recently opened up more about the loss of his close friend and fellow Latvian and Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender, Matiss Kivlenieks, who passed away this summer. Playing for their home country could surely be a way for Merzlikinis to honor his late friend.

Taro Hirose Clears Waivers

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According to CapFriendly, Detroit Red Wings forward Taro Hirose has cleared waivers after being placed on them yesterday (link). Hirose will now report to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL, who play their final game of the season tonight on the road against the Cleveland Monsters. The Griffins however, are not headed to the AHL playoffs, so if Hirose plays tonight, it would be his last game action of the NHL and AHL seasons.

The 25-year-old Hirose has bounced between the NHL and AHL the past four seasons, spending all of them in the Detroit organization. A standout at Michigan State for three seasons, Hirose turned pro in 2019, joining the Red Wings for 10 games down the stretch, putting up an impressive seven points. In the three seasons since, Hirose has played in 47 NHL games, tallying just 13 points in the process.

The forward has found success though in the AHL, where he has been one of the Griffins key players. This season, Hirose has 15 goals and 38 assists in 59 games for Grand Rapids, his highest points and games played totals in his AHL career. What’s next in his career remains to be seen, as Hirose is projected to be a Group 6 UFA this summer, during which he will turn 26. A good skater with playmaking ability, he could be valuable to a number of teams as a low-cost depth option with NHL experience.

Vegas Golden Knights Sign Brendan Brisson To Three-Year Entry Level Contract

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The Vegas Golden Knights announced that they have signed one of their top prospects, forward Brendan Brisson, to a three-year, entry-level contract (link). The signing does not come as much of a surprise, as Brisson had recently been signed to an amateur tryout with the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL after his sophomore season at the University of Michigan came to a close. With Vegas’ season having concluded and Henderson in the AHL playoffs, Brisson will obviously not see any NHL action this season, but could be a strong candidate to see serious time for Vegas next year.

The son of prominent NHL player agent Pat Brisson, Brendan has quickly made his own name for himself, beginning his career as a first round draft pick, 29th overall, of Vegas in 2020. The forward played two seasons for Michigan, dominating the NCAA with 63 points in 62 games over those two seasons. Prior to college, Brisson played parts of two seasons in the USHL, including an impressive 24 goals and 35 assists in 45 games with the Chicago Steel in 2019-20. After turning pro, the forward again dominated the competition. Albeit a small sample size, Brisson showed he was ready for the competition, scoring three goals to go along with five assists in six games.

After a rollercoaster, and ultimately disappointing season for Vegas, signing one of their top prospects gives the organization a positive note to end on and something to look forward to in 2022-23. Still in a cap crunch, the team is clearly going to have to look towards low-cost options to produce at a higher rate and Brisson may be the best option available in that regard. Stepping up when the competition gets tougher has never been an issue for the 20-year-old and though the NHL is the toughest league in the world, he has yet to give anyone reason to doubt him.

NHLPA Begins Search For New Executive Director

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While the seasons of many NHL clubs end tonight, the work for the NHLPA is just beginning. The Players’ Association has announced that their Executive Board has voted to form a search committee to begin the process of finding a new executive director of their union. The union released a statement to go along with their announcement:

The many players who have played in the NHL over the last eleven years greatly appreciate the significant accomplishments under the leadership of Don Fehr.  Don joined the NHLPA after a long and successful career as Executive Director of the MLBPA and quickly stabilized the union following a very difficult period.  He led the NHLPA through the owners’ 2012-13 lockout and negotiated a new CBA that created a defined benefit pension plan which will greatly benefit players for generations to come. Don played an important role in reviving the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. After Covid-19 forced the suspension of the 2019-20 season, Don led the bargaining that resulted in an extension of the CBA in July 2020 and allowed for the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs to be played. We look forward to continuing to work with Don as we go through the succession process.

While this news comes at an unexpected time, it is not entirely out of the blue. Fehr’s future was already under scrutiny, with Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff previously reporting that there was a level of discontentment regarding Fehr’s leadership that could necessitate a change. The timeline of this move is a bit shocking, though, as many believed the process would be left for the summer, including TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

But as is made obvious by this announcement, the NHLPA decided now was the time to make a change. While Fehr’s role may not put him into the attention of most NHL fans, his job is one of major importance. As the leader of the NHLPA, he is the highest-level executive who represents the players as a whole, and he leads their charge in any contentious labor negotiations with the league. There will undoubtedly be many who will vie for this coveted position, and who the players choose could signal the direction they go in their future negotiations with the league. The NHL has been lucky to avoid a lockout similar to the one Major League Baseball faced this winter, so perhaps one major priority for the players will be finding a candidate who can maintain labor peace, but of course, only time will tell.

Frederik Andersen Expected To Miss Beginning Of First Round

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There have been many conflicting reports over the past few days regarding the health of the Carolina Hurricanes’ goaltenders, and while there’s largely an optimistic tone around the health of their top netminders, it may not be all sunshine and roses just yet. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reported today that the “current expectation” is that Frederik Andersen could miss the first few games of Carolina’s First Round series, which likely looks to be against the Boston Bruins. The report comes after sources suggested to The Athletic’s Sara Civian just yesterday that Andersen would be “good to go” for Game 1.

An undisclosed injury has sidelined Andersen since April 16, when he left the late third period of a game against the Colorado Avalanche. He’s run away with the starter’s crease in Carolina this season with a Vezina-consideration-worthy campaign, compiling 35 wins (7th in NHL), four shutouts (tied for 5th in NHL), a 2.17 goals-against average (2nd among qualified goalies), and .922 save percentage (tied for 3rd among qualified goalies).

With backup netminder Antti Raanta becoming injured a few days ago, it put Andersen’s potential return under the spotlight to shut down any goaltending issues for Carolina ahead of the playoffs. Pyotr Kochetkov, Carolina’s 36th overall selection in 2019, entered the game in relief and started the team’s game the night prior as well. While he’s earned a victory in both games, he has just a .889 save percentage in his now 89 career minutes of NHL ice time.

Especially as the Bruins have caused Carolina fits during their last two playoff meetings, continued stellar goaltending will be essential for the Hurricanes to avoid an upset. They’re just 1-8 in their last nine playoff games against their most likely First Round opponent.

Maple Leafs Notes: Bunting, Tavares, Muzzin, Liljegren

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In talking to TSN’s Mark Masters, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe gave several updates on his team, which has several players banged-up. One of those players is rookie Michael Bunting. The breakout forward suffered an undisclosed injury in last night’s game, and while he did take a puck to the face, the belief is that the injury is in fact to Bunting’s leg. According to Keefe last night, he expected Bunting to miss some time, but did not disclose how much. Today, Keefe reiterated that Bunting would certainly miss some time, but did add that he woke up feeling a lot better than expected (link). Still, the team will wait until they get back to Toronto after their road trip to further evaluate Bunting and get a more clear picture of how much time he will miss.

Bunting’s absence, especially at this juncture, is of concern for Toronto. The team has several formidable offensive weapons, but Bunting’s breakout season, which has seen him score 23 goals along with 40 assists in 79 games has helped to take some focus off of Toronto’s other weapons. Tonight’s game at the Washington Capitals will be the first Bunting has missed this season.

  • John Tavares, the Maple Leafs’ captain, will also miss tonight’s game, his second of the season and first since November (link). Tavares’ absence should be of no concern to Maple Leafs fans, as Keefe assured that this was merely a case of load management, acknowledging that despite being injured, Matthews’ absence from the lineup provided him with a break heading into the playoffs, something Tavares has not had.
  • Defenseman Jake Muzzin will also be out of the lineup tonight, missing his sixth straight game (link). The exact nature of Muzzin’s injury is not clear, however it is not believed to be connected to the concussion that saw him miss significant time in February and March. Keefe did not provide any timeline for Muzzin on a return or any further absence. Muzzin has played in just 45 of the Maple Leafs’ 79 games this season, but getting him back in the lineup would be a key addition heading into the playoffs.
  • Also missing tonight’s game is defenseman Timothy Liljegren, though his injury is considered a minor one (link). Keefe did not elaborate on the nature of Liljegren’s injury, or mention any timetable, however it does appear that the recently recalled Carl Dahlstrom will draw into the lineup in his place. The 27-year-old Dahlstrom has played in just two games at the NHL level this season for the Maple Leafs, recording an assist. In 47 games at the AHL level with the Toronto Marlies, Dahlstrom has 14 points, all assists.

Looking Ahead To Andrew Copp’s Free Agency

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The New York Rangers were active players at this year’s trade deadline, picking up several pieces, most notable among them, forward Andrew Copp, who the Rangers acquired from the Winnipeg Jets. The 27-year-old Copp is enjoying a fantastic breakout season, on the cusp of hitting unrestricted free agency this July, and will obviously look to capitalize on his excellent timing.

Copp has made work of continuously getting better throughout his career, culminating in what was a, to-date, career-best 39 points in 55 games in the shortened 56-game 2020-21 season. This season, Copp was on nearly the same trajectory, with 35 points in 56 games prior to the trade. However, since being traded to the Rangers, Copp has reached another level, putting up 18 points in 15 games, eight of those points from goals, and capped off by a hat-trick against the New York Islanders this past Thursday.

At 28 years of age on July 13th, the first day of NHL free agency, Copp will still be in the prime of his career, and any contract within range of expectation should see him still as an effective player through its entirety. Some factors to consider, when looking at what the gritty forward can sign for would be his production relative to offense around the NHL (i.e., increased offense league-wide), as well as his general role as a middle-six grinder who can provide offense and how he might age in that role.

Financially, Copp is making $3.64MM this season, the result of an agreement ahead of, and in lieu of, an arbitration hearing. One would certainly expect that he will command a fairly significant raise over that figure. After giving up significant assets to acquire Copp, and with his performance thus far, the Rangers would be expected to take a run at re-signing Copp, but with significant raises for Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox taking effect next season, the expiration of Kaapo Kakko’s ELC, and Ryan Strome, Frank Vatrano, Tyler Motte, and Justin Braun all hitting unrestricted free agency too, the organization will need to be careful and will have to make some tough decisions.

Now, we turn to a few comparable players with contracts in the vicinity of what Copp could push for in free agency this summer. These include a very similar player in a very similar situation, Jean-Gabriel Pageau of the New York Islanders, and a bit of a “high-hopes” contract on a player who is arguably a slightly better version of Copp: T.J. Oshie of the Washington Capitals.

T.J. Oshie: Eight-Years, $46MM, $5.75MM AAV

As mentioned, the Oshie contract is most likely going to be a real reach for Copp, however, a contract similar to this, at least in terms of AAV, may not be too far-fetched. This season, Copp has 53 points in 71 games following up a strong 39 in 55 last season. Due to COVID shortening Copp’s 2019-20 and 2020-21, and uncertainty surrounding a lower-body injury that is currently sidelining him, we’ll compare the players on a point-per-game basis.

This season, Copp’s production works out to 0.75 points-per-game, a marginal improvement over his 0.71 mark last year. Oshie signed his contract with Washington after the 2016-17 season, which saw him coming off a strong 56 points in 68 games, preceded by 51 points in 80 games in 2015-16. For a fair comparison, Oshie’s 2015-16 came in at 0.64 points-per-game, improving to 0.82 points-per-game the next season going into free agency.

Besides a higher jump in point-per-game going into free agency, what Oshie had that Copp does not, is a similar track record. Before the 2015-16 season, Oshie had already hit 54, 55, and 60 points in three of the previous four seasons, as well as 20 points in 30 games in 2012-13. In the three seasons prior to 2020-21, Copp averaged just 26.3 points. Though track record sets Oshie ahead of Copp, this contract is nearly five years old, and while the NHL is currently in a flat-cap state, the value of players has risen, meaning that Copp could push the $5.75MM AAV Oshie received. Eight years could be where Copp struggles more, considering the difference in the two players’ styles, one could argue that Oshie would be expected to age better as a smooth-skating, top-six, two-way point-producer over Copp’s middle-six grinder with offensive upside.

It should be noted also, that teams and players could look to trade term in exchange for AAV, much the same as the Rangers did when they signed Barclay Goodrow to a six-year, $21.85MM contract or when the Islanders signed Casey Cizikas to a six-year, $15MM contract, both coming just this past offseason.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau: Six-Years, $30MM, $5MM AAV

There may not be a better comparable player for Copp than Pageau. Both are similar players, both enjoyed breakout seasons heading into free agency, and both were dealt for a high price at the trade deadline to be impact players on teams that had their eyes set on a Stanley Cup. Pageau was dealt by the Ottawa Senators to the New York Islanders at the trade deadline in February of 2020, but unlike Copp, he would immediately ink an extension with his new club.

Like Copp, Pageau had truly broken out ahead of his new contract, with 24 goals and 16 assists in 60 games prior to signing, an average of 0.67 points per game. Pageau was injured the season prior, posting 12 points in 39 games, just a 0.31 points-per-game average, far short of his 2019-20 and his career best 43 points in 2015-16.

You wouldn’t be blamed for thinking Pageau has been better than Copp over their careers. While Copp has played in the postseason, Pageau has had a flair for the dramatic in a lengthy postseason career. But, it appears, Copp might be in a better position than Pageau was when he signed (keep in mind, two of Pageau’s deep postseason runs had not yet happened at that point). That said, if Copp is at least comparable and in the same position Pageau is heading towards his own contract, if not better, then six-years at $5MM per season would not only be attainable for Copp, but perhaps a jumping off point in negotiations.

Of course, it remains to be seen what exactly Copp will be able to sign for when his contract expires this summer, and right now his and his team’s focus is to get him healthy in time for the playoffs, and to chase a Stanley Cup. But, as it seems, Copp might look to sign somewhere between Pageau and Oshie–an excellent payday for a player well-regarded for his grit, but far from a superstar.

Torey Krug Out With Upper-Body Injury

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The St. Louis Blues announced that defenseman Torey Krug will miss tonight’s game with an upper-body injury. Krug played in the Blues’ last game on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins, playing 17:53 in an overtime loss. It’s unclear how much time Krug will miss after tonight, if any, but for now the Blues will be without the veteran defenseman as they take on the Sharks in San Jose.

This is not Krug’s first battle with injury this season, as he has missed 15 games thus far. While the Blues have clinched a playoff spot, they are currently battling with the Minnesota Wild for second place in the Central Division, essentially battling for home-ice advantage in a first round series. Going without Krug, a reliable defender who has 40 points in 62 games this season, will not do St. Louis any favors in their battle in the standings, but it’s certainly better to have him out now rather than come playoffs.

Replacing him in the lineup tonight is defenseman Calle Rosen. The 28-year-old Rosen has played in just 14 games at the NHL level this year, however he’s been effective when he’s in the lineup, tallying two goals and five assists from the blueline. Rosen has played more regularly for the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL this season though, having four goals and 24 assists in 40 games at that level.

Snapshots: Forsberg, NHLPA, PWHPA

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This evening on Hockey Night in Canada’s 32 Thoughts segment, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman discussed an update on Filip Forsberg’s contract extension talks, noting that Forsberg’s agent, J.P. Barry and Nashville Predators’ GM David Poille recently met face-to-face for the first time in a while. Friedman says that while it is difficult to gauge any progress on the talks, as nothing was made public from these discussions, the development is significant and represents the two sides continuing to talk.

Forsberg is an impending UFA, who the Predators chose not to trade at this year’s trade deadline, despite not having an extension in place with the forward. Part of the reason to hang onto Forsberg would be for Nashville to use him themselves in another playoff run, but also perhaps their confidence that they could get a deal done with Forsberg before he hits free agency. One advantage Nashville will have over other teams, besides an extended negotiating period and familiarity, is the ability to give Forsberg an eight-year contract as opposed to seven, something he will almost assuredly get.

  • Also from Friedman is that a succession plan for NHLPA Director Donald Fehr could be in place by this summer, though Friedman adds he is not entirely sure what that will look like. Fehr has served in this role since 2010, after a storied career with the MLBPA, however his position has come under fire recently, especially with the release of the results of an independent investigation into the NHLPA and Fehr’s handling of the accusations against the Chicago Blackhawks and Brad Aldrich. The 73-year-old Fehr had already been rumored to be nearing retirement, so to see a succession plan being rumored now is not surprising, even with the investigation news.
  • With the PWHPA planning to go their own way in forming a league without the PHF, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek shares some details of what the new league will look like. First and foremost, Marek says that the league will have a new name, though what that will be is not yet known. The league’s first season will take place from January through April of 2023 and consists of 32 games per team, including six teams spread between the US and Canada. Each team is expected to have 23 players, with the minimum salary being $35K and the average salary being $55K, as well as benefits for all players. Without too many more pertinent details, it’s hard to forecast what this league and season will truly look like and what fans can expect, however having these basic plans in place is a promising step forward after talks between the PWHPA and PHF have not progressed to anything of note thus far.

Ottawa Senators Place Colin White In COVID-19 Protocol

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The Ottawa Senators announced that forward Colin White was placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol ahead of tonight’s game at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Defenseman Victor Mete will take his place in the lineup for tonight. It’s not immediately clear whether White tested positive or if he is in protocol for other related reasons.

The NHL has seen a vastly decreased number of players in COVID protocol in the past couple of months due to several factors, however White’s absence is a reminder that these protocols are still in place and can still creep up on teams when they don’t necessarily expect it. As of right now, White appears to be the only player affected for Ottawa, with no further announcements on other players or staff thus far.

White has been somewhat of a disappointment this year for Ottawa, with just 10 points in 24 games. The forward spent the majority of the season on IR, making his season debut on February 26th. Though his numbers are not too far off from his career averages, White signed a lucrative six-year, $28.5MM contract, carrying an AAV of $4.75MM, prior to the 2019-20 season. Despite the contract, White is still waiting for the true breakout season that Ottawa has seen from the likes of Joshua Norris, Brady Tkachuk, and Drake Batherson.

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