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Brendan Leipsic

Brendan Leipsic Placed On Waivers

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According to CapFriendly, the Vancouver Canucks have placed forward Brendan Leipsic on waivers. Leipsic didn’t play in the Canucks most recent game and likely will be sent to the minor leagues if he clears.

Leipsic hasn’t been able to make much of an impact on Travis Green and the Vancouver coaching staff since coming over from the Vegas Golden Knights last year, and will now be at risk of claim. The 24-year old forward has a nice offensive ceiling, but has recorded just five points this season in limited minutes. With Jay Beagle’s return coming closer, the Canucks needed to make a decision on who would go, and felt that Adam Gaudette’s NHL development was more important.

With two other young offensive talents swapping teams through waivers the last few days, there may not be as many interested teams left for Leipsic. If he does clear, the Utica Comets will be getting a huge boost. The third-round pick has 159 points in 188 career regular season AHL games, including a better than point-per-game pace in his last stint during the 2016-17 season.

Loui Eriksson Out “Week-To-Week” With Lower-Body Injury

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Will Loui Eriksson ever catch a break in Vancouver? The former 30-goal scorer’s tenure with the Canucks has been an unmitigated disaster, with constant injury issues playing a role in two streaky, underwhelming seasons. Eriksson has suited up for just 115 of the Canucks’ 164 combined games over the past two seasons and has registered only 21 goals and 47 points in that time. Eriksson himself surely wants to be better, but the Canucks need him to improve at $6MM per season. The hope was the Eriksson could finally stay healthy and play up to expectations this season. That illusion has already been shattered.

The Province’s Ben Kuzma relayed bad news from Canucks head coach Travis Green earlier today. Accurately, Kuzma says “the injury bug bites Eriksson again”, as the veteran forward is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Eriksson was injured blocking a shot in Vancouver’s preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. Green describes the injury as a bone bruise to the leg, which does not sound overly serious. However, given that Eriksson missed 14 games with a knee injury last season (and another 18 with broken ribs), it is possible that the injury could be more serious if located near that same suspect area.

With free agent addition Antoine Roussel also sidelined with a concussion, and no timeline for a return, the Canucks seem likely to begin the season short-handed up front. Given the turnover for Vancouver this off-season, namely the retirement of Henrik and Daniel Sedin, it’s unclear where Eriksson and Roussel would have slotted in if healthy, but both typically line up at left wing. Their absences could mean that Brendan Leipsic or Tim Schaller play elevated roles to begin the year or that Jonathan Dahlen, Tanner Kero, or Tyler Motte have a chance to break camp. Either way, the Canucks will eagerly await the return of two players who need to be at their best if the team can take a step forward this season.

Pacific Notes: Toffoli, Giordano, Goldobin, Pettersson

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While the Los Angeles Kings did add Ilya Kovalchuk to their roster and have a healthy dose of veterans around, one key for the Kings will be whether the team can get Tyler Toffoli to show off more of his offensive prowess. The 26-year-old rebounded from a 13-goal season in 2016-17 to post a 24-goal season, but that’s still a far cry from the 31-goal season back in 2015-16 when he was considered one of the upcoming goal scorers in the league.

The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman (subscription required) writes that Toffoli feels that the team and especially coach John Stevens feel that it’s time for him to take that next step in his development.

“He obviously wants me to score more goals,” Toffoli said. “He said I didn’t have a bad season. Scoring 24 goals is not bad. He thinks that’s just something I need to focus on, bearing down on opportunities and not worrying about having the ups and downs.”

Many feel that Toffoli struggled over the last couple of years due to the lack of having Milan Lucic in 2016-17 as well as a healthy Jeff Carter playing alongside him last season. However, consistency has also been a problem as he tallied 11 goals in the first two months of the season and then struggled at different times to put numbers up, including one goal in January and just three goals in the Kings’ final 18 games, including going scoreless in the playoffs.

  • The Athletic’s Scott Kruikshank (subscription required) looks into the fitness level of Calgary Flames defenseman Mark Giordano. The team’s top defender just turned 34 and remains in the best shape of his career. Giordano’s conditioning is one of the main reasons for his success. He has ranked first, first, first and second (last year to Michael Frolik) over the last four camps, despite his age. “I want to keep my speed as I get older,” Giordano says. “So I do a lot of strengthening of my hips and groins, working on some ankle-mobility stuff. Little things to keep my skating up to par. Speed and conditioning are the two things I like to focus on the most. But you need that strength out there, too.”
  • Jason Brough of The Athletic (subscription required) wonders who will win the final spot on the Vancouver Canucks first line with Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat. The scribe says the team has three candidates in mind for that final spot, including veteran Sven Baertschi as well as Brendan Leipsic and Nikolay Goldobin. While Baertschi might sound like a logical candidate as he got some time with them last season, Brough wonders whether the team is giving every opportunity to Goldobin or Leipsic to seize the spot, which would allow Baertschi to play on the second line. The team has been hoping Goldobin, in particular, is capable of breaking out this season. He tallied eight goals in 38 games last season.
  • The Vancouver Canucks got a flash of their upcoming future when top prospects Elias Pettersson and Jonathan Dahlen combined for three goals, three assists in Friday’s first game of the Young Stars Classic, according to Ed Willes of the Vancouver Sun. The two Swedes showed a chemistry together that suggests they could play together for a long time. Pettersson potted two goals, while Dahlen added a third. The two played together for parts of three years in the Timra system.

Pacific Notes: Kovalchuk, Kings, Canucks, Ducks

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Los Angeles Kings free agent signee Ilya Kovalchuk finally spoke to the media today after agreeing to sign a three-year, $18.75MM deal with the Kings on June 23. The 35-year-old superstar has now spent the past five years in the KHL, putting up some great numbers and has made it clear that he believes that despite his age, he has three or four good years left in him, according to Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen.

The winger said one of his main reasons for choosing the Kings was because he wanted to play next to a high-end center like Anze Kopitar. Kovalchuk could be a perfect complement to Kopitar. The 35-year-old has been playing some of the best hockey of his career, posting 63 goals in his last two KHL seasons as well as winning MVP for Team Russia in the Olympics this past year.

Kovalchuk also believes he is young for 35, but declined to say that he could put up a 30-goal season next season, according to Helene St. James of the Los Angeles Times. Kovalchuk last posted a 30-goal season in the NHL back in the 2011-12 season when he scored 37.

  • Sticking with the Kings, Lisa Dillman of The Athletic (subscription required) does a Q&A with head coach John Stevens, who says that the Kings had no choice, but to place more responsibility on young players on their defense. The team has five veterans to hold down the core of the defense in Drew Doughty, Jake Muzzin, Alec Martinez, Dion Phaneuf and Derek Forbort. However, the team will have to rely on younger players, like Paul Ladue, Daniel Brickley and Kurtis MacDermid to fill out the rest of the roster. “There comes a point in time especially with the [salary] cap where you’ve got so many young guys. You have to make decisions,” Stevens said.
  • Jason Brough of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that after assessing the offseason in which the team spent money on multiple bottom-six forwards, the Vancouver Canucks are putting all their success next season on the scoring ability of their young prospects. For one, the team lost three of the team’s top five scorers and now besides Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser, the team will need to get increased scoring output from other forwards, including Elias Pettersson, Sven Baertschi, Nikolay Goldobin, Brendan Leipsic and Jake Virtanen. If they can’t make up for that offense, it should be another long season.
  • Eric Stephens of The Athletic (subscription required) looks at the Anaheim Ducks salary cap situation now and in one year from now to see if it will improve. Unfortunately the Ducks will not have much in terms of bad contracts that will come off the books in a year and the team will have to deal with other salary cap challenges instead. The team must deal with the cost of bringing back forwards Adam Henrique and Jakob Silfverberg, who will be unrestricted free agents as well as goaltender John Gibson, who will be a restricted free agent.

 

Western Notes: Trouba, Kovalchuk, Canucks

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While the Winnipeg Jets are coming off an exemplary season in which it reached the Western Conference Finals with a young, talented team, now comes the hard part. The team is full of key restricted free agents which could start taking up what was once an ample amount of cap space. The team has already all but said they don’t intend to re-sign trade deadline acquisition Paul Stastny and for good reason. The team must lock up a number of key players, including all-star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, Adam Lowry, Joel Armia, Marko Dano, Tucker Poolman, Josh Morrissey, Joseph Morrow, and oh, Jacob Trouba.

Two years ago, the contract negotiations between Trouba and the Jets went south, as Trouba ended up holding out for an entire month of the season before coming back and signing a below-value two-year bridge deal. Now, with Trouba’s stock sky-high as one of the top defensemen on the team, things could get even more dicey, according to Winnipeg Free Press’ Paul Wiecek. Trouba and his agent are expected to ask for about $7MM per year, while the Jets hope to keep it between $5MM and $6MM. The question is whether the Jets can afford to give him a big, long-term contract, considering that his offense isn’t even close to his defense after posting three goals and just 24 points on the year.

The team not only has to lock up these younger players, but must eventually lock up captain Blake Wheeler as well as pay youngster Kyle Connor in one year. The money will start to dry up soon. The scribe suggests the team consider moving Trouba now to save some of that money, considering his value is at a premium. Bringing back a big haul could save the team some cap space and fill some of its holes in one swoop.

  • While there was a rumor mentioned by Pierre LeBrun recently about the St. Louis Blues’ interest in Ilya Kovalchuk, NHL.com reports that general manager Doug Armstrong confirmed the team’s interest in the veteran KHL winger. “There’s certainly intrigue there because he’s been such a dominant player internationally and he was a hell of a player when he left [the NHL],” Armstrong said. Kovalchuk, who has played in Russia for the past five seasons is looking for a new home and has already visited the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks, while other teams like the Boston Bruins have expressed interest in the 35-year-old veteran, who has tallied 417 goals in 816 NHL games with the Atlanta Thrashers and the New Jersey Devils.
  • Mike Halford of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that the Vancouver Canucks, who have always been adept at mining organizations to get quality players, need to continue to do that more than ever with the retirement of Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. With a lineup full of holes, the scribe writes that the team needs to continue mining other organizations for their unwanted, forgotten or unfulfilled talent like in previous years. Over the last few years, the team has picked up several key players such as Sven Baertschi, Markus Granlund, Nikolay Goldobin, Derrick Pouliot and Brendan Leipsic. The scribe goes on to point out three players the team should look into during the offseason and pry them away for late picks include Winnipeg’s Nic Petan, Columbus’ Sonny Milano and the New York Islanders’ Michael Dal Colle. All three are on the outside looking in within the organization and might need a franchise to give them a new chance.

Canucks Could Entertain Trading Sven Baertschi

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In general, it’s a bad idea for rebuilding teams to trade away promising young talent. While the Vancouver Canucks have defied the logic of a rebuild on several occasions, that rule applies to them as well. However, Jason Botchford of The Province makes a convincing case for one exception: Sven Baertschi.

Baertschi, 25, is a highly-skilled winger for the Canucks who has always carried a ton of potential since being selected 13th overall by the Calgary Flames in 2011. When on the ice, Baertschi shows flashes of brilliance that reminds fans of why he was selected so high. Yet, as Botchford points out, Baertschi has struggled to stay on the ice in his young career. In Calgary, it was inconsistency that kept him out of the lineup, but in Vancouver, it has instead been injury, which is even more concerning. Baertschi played in just 53 games this season and was shut down in early March with a separated shoulder. It was the third straight season in which Baerschi missed significant time and has still yet to crack 70 games in a campaign. Availability is one of the most important abilities a player can have and thus far Baertschi has failed in this department.

That alone is not enough to trade away a young player either, though. If Baertschi had played in 82 games in each of the past two seasons, he would have likely exceeded 20 goals and 45 points in both. If sold for pennies on the dollar, the often goal-hungry Canucks could live to regret a deal if Baertschi was to stay healthy and be a consistent 40-50 point player. However, Botchford also recognizes that Vancouver has ample depth in young player that they can afford to trade Baertschi if the right offer comes along. In particular, Botchford notes that Nikolay Goldobin has the makings of a very similar player to Baertschi and, beginning next season, is no long waiver-exempt and will require a full-time role. With players such as veterans Loui Eriksson, Sam Gagner, and Markus Granlund, Calder candidate Brock Boeser, young projects like Goldobin, Jake Virtanen, and Brendan Leipsic, and incoming prospects Elias Pettersson and Jonah Gadjovich, there is plenty of competition for spots on the wing, even without Baertschi. This doesn’t even count additions in free agency or with one of the Canucks early draft picks, either. There’s a safety blanket to moving Baertschi in the Canucks’ depth of options.

Will a deal actually happen? Baertschi is a restricted free agent and Botchford points to comments from GM Jim Benning stating that the team is only interested in re-signing him to a one-year deal. That doesn’t invoke feeling of confidence in their long-term plans for him. Then, even if he does have a full, consistent season, he would be an unrestricted free agent capable of pricing himself out of Vancouver for now return. It certainly appears that the time is now for the Canucks to capitalize on Baertschi’s remaining upside and intrigue to acquire further (re)building blocks. There’s always risk associated with trading away young talent, but for a player who has been better in theory than in reality thus far in his pro career, Benning and company would be smart to the pull the trigger this summer if the right opportunity presents itself.

Trade Deadline Recap: Western Conference

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After a month of lead up, a sprinkling of trades over the last week or so, and a wild deadline day today, NHL teams are done with transactions for the 2017-18 NHL season. Here are the deals that improved contenders in the Western Conference:

Deadline Day

Winnipeg Jets receive:
F Paul Stastny

St. Louis Blues receive:
F Erik Foley
2018 first-round pick
Conditional 2020 fourth-round pick

 

Vegas Golden Knights receive:
F Tomas Tatar

Detroit Red Wings receive:
2018 first-round pick
2019 second-round pick
2021 third-round pick

 

Nashville Predators receive:
F Ryan Hartman
2018 fifth-round pick

Chicago Blackhawks receive:
F Victor Ejdsell
2018 first-round pick
2018 fourth-round pick

 

San Jose Sharks receive:
F Evander Kane

Buffalo Sabres receive:
F Danny O’Regan
Conditional 2019 first-round pick
Conditional 2020 fourth-round pick

 

Anaheim Ducks receive:
F Jason Chimera

New York Islanders receive:
F Chris Wagner

 

Vegas Golden Knights receive:
D Philip Holm

Vancouver Canucks receive:
F Brendan Leipsic

 

Winnipeg Jets receive:
D Joe Morrow

Montreal Canadiens receive:
2018 fourth-round pick

 

Calgary Flames receive:
F Nick Shore

Ottawa Senators receive:
2019 seventh-round pick

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Canucks Acquire Brendan Leipsic From Golden Knights

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The Canucks and Golden Knights have agreed on a trade to send winger Brendan Leipsic to Vancouver in exchange for prospect defenseman Philip Holm, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports (Twitter link).

Leipsic was selected from Toronto in last summer’s Expansion Draft.  He has been a depth player for Vegas this season, suiting up in 44 games while tallying two goals and 11 assists.  It’s likely that Vancouver is looking to take a longer look at him to see if the 23-year-old is worth keeping around long-term.  He carries a league-minimum $650K cap hit and is signed through the 2018-19 season.  His contract is a two-way pact this year and then becomes a one-way contract next season.  Canucks head coach Travis Green is certainly familiar with what Leipsic brings to the table as the winger played for him at the WHL level.

Holm joined Vancouver last offseason after spending the previous three years in the SHL.  However, he has played just once with Vancouver this year and instead has spent the majority of his campaign with their AHL affiliate in Utica.  He has been quite productive at the AHL level, recording 11 goals and 18 assists in 42 games.  The 26-year-old is making $925K this season and will be a restricted free agent in July.

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