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Brian Gionta

Snapshots: Gionta, Larkin, Berestnev

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Brian Gionta is still staying in shape in case a desirable contract falls into his lap, but doesn’t really like the idea of moving his kids around the country at this point in his career. Gionta spoke with Dave Stubbs of NHL.com, and explained that he’s instead looking at “non-playing hockey options” for the 2018-19 season. After captaining the US Olympic team and then signing for the end of the season with the Boston Bruins, Gionta may be finished with a playing career that lasted over 1,000 NHL games.

An extremely consistent two-way player, Gionta had an incredible career at Boston College winning the Hockey East title three times in four years and taking home a National Championship in 2001. His captaincy that season for BC would prepare him for the role he would be given in Montreal and Buffalo later in his career, after winning the Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils. A extremely well-respected player around the league, Gionta will likely finish his career with 595 points in 1,026 games and could be in line for a coaching role almost immediately.

  • Speaking of captains, Luke Fox of Sportsnet suggests that the path is now open for Dylan Larkin to be named captain of the Detroit Red Wings. After signing a five-year deal today, Larkin becomes the highest-paid player on the team eclipsing current captain Henrik Zetterberg, who may not even play this season (or ever again). If Larkin were to get a “C” on his sweater, he would follow a run that saw just three Red Wings players hold the honor over the last three decades. Zetterberg, Nicklas Lidstrom and Steve Yzerman have held the position since 1986, creating quite immense footsteps for the young forward to walk in.
  • The Val-d’Or Foreurs of the QMJHL will have super talented Daniil Berestnev on the team in 2018-19, taking one of their international roster spots. Berestnev was the seventh-overall pick in the most recent import draft, and will try to improve his stock for the 2019 Entry Draft with a good showing in North America. The 17-year old winger scored 62 points in just 38 games last season, putting him fourth in the U17 Russian league. Berestnev wasn’t included in the recent Hlinka-Gretzky tournament for Russia, but will get a chance at the CHL level to prove himself.

Snapshots: Edmundson, Gionta, Giroux

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After being active in the early stages of free agency, the Blues will be turning their focus to re-signing their own players now.  The most notable of those is RFA defenseman Joel Edmundson.  GM Doug Armstrong told reporters, including Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, that they have had initial talks with him so far but plan to really pick up negotiations next week.

Edmundson is coming off of the best season of his brief career, one that saw him collect seven goals and ten assists in 69 games while averaging over 20 minutes per game for the first time.  He also led the Blues in blocked shots per game.  Edmundson filed for arbitration last week and his case has been set for July 25th which gives the two sides two weeks to hammer out a deal before going to the hearing.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Veteran unrestricted free agent winger Brian Gionta hasn’t decided whether he’s finished playing or not, he acknowledged during an interview with the NHL Network (video link). He sat out most of last season but played in the Olympics and then signed with Boston for the stretch run but was told that they would not be offering him a new contract this summer.  He’s certainly at peace with having possibly playing his last game, stating that “The main focus right now is my family, my kids and trying to figure out what’s best for everyone involved. I’ve had a great run, playing a long time in the NHL, and if this is the end, it’s the end.”  If he does retire, Gionta could potentially get into coaching, something he dipped his toes into briefly last month as he served as a guest coach at Buffalo’s development camp.
  • After being unable to land a replacement for center Valtteri Filppula via free agency, the Flyers could be forced to shift Claude Giroux back to his former position, notes John Boruk of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Giroux flourished last season as a winger where he led the league in assists with 68 and finished second in points with 102.  However, considering that they have strong depth on the wing, shifting the 30-year-old back down the middle would allow them to run a much more balanced attack next season.  With the free agent market for centers largely dry, it will be interesting to see if GM Ron Hextall makes a trade for some insurance at center or if he opts to stick with the status quo and opens up the potential for Giroux to change positions again.

Bruins Notes: Free Agents, Czarnik, Injuries, Draft

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Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney spoke with the media today from the NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo and was very up front about the team’s plans this off-season. The Bruins exceeded expectations this season with a young team that finished with one of the best records in the NHL. Sweeney has previously stated that he would like to return many of the team’s impending unrestricted free agents – Anton Khudobin, Riley Nash, Rick Nash, Tommy Wingels, Tim Schaller, Nick Holden, and Austin Czarnik – but due to salary cap restraints and a promising prospect crop in the AHL in need of opportunity, he did not expect that all would be back. Today, Sweeney went in a different direction, confirming that the team would not offer new contracts to several other free agents: Brian Gionta, Kenny Agostino, and Paul Postma. The announcement should come as no surprise, as the trio all underwhelmed in Boston this season. A late addition to the team for the stretch run and postseason, Gionta looked as if he would have been better off retiring after the Olympics. The veteran forward contributed only seven points in 20 regular season games and played in just one playoff game, in which he was a liability against the fast-paced Tampa Bay Lightning. Gionta is likely to call it quits for good this off-season. Agostino, the 2017 AHL MVP, not only made little difference in Boston with just one point in five games, but finished the minor league season in Providence with 30 points less than his MVP campaign in only one less game. Agostino will need to search for a new home for the third straight summer. Postma, while not necessarily a disappointment in Boston, ended up being of little use to the team. The relative health of the Bruins’ four right-handed defenseman and the emergence of rookie Matt Grzelcyk on the left side made Postma the #8 option for much of the year. He was unable to even retain that role after the Bruins acquired Holden at the trade deadline. Overall, Postma played in 14 games in Boston, recording just one point, before clearing waivers and being assigned to the AHL, where he played another 17 games with Providence in the regular season and postseason. The long-time Winnipeg Jets defender will be on the hunt for a more regular NHL role next year, if he can find one.

  • Sweeney briefly touched on the situation with Czarnik, which has put the Bruins in somewhat of a pickle. Czarnik, 25, played in 49 games as a rookie with Boston in 2016-17, but lost out on a roster spot this year to the likes of fellow youngsters Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, Anders Bjork, and Sean Kuraly. Czarnik managed to play in ten games for the Bruins, and looked good doing so with four points, but roster restrictions forced him back to the AHL each time. In the minors, Czarnik was unstoppable with 69 points in 64 games – good enough for third in the AHL scoring race. It was an impressive performance, but still not good enough to vault Czarnik back to the top of a Bruins’ prospect pipeline that is very deep, especially at center. Ideally, the Bruins would have liked to deal Czarnik as a restricted free agent with his value at its highest. However, as a 25-year-old with three pro seasons under his belt but less than 80 NHL games played, Czarnik instead qualifies for Group 6 unrestricted free agency per the NHL CBA and is free to sign with any team. Sweeney expressed that both the team and Czarnik have not closed the door on an extension, but that he feels Czarnik is “intrigued by what may exist elsewhere”. There will surely be a market for the swift, play-making forward and a return to Boston seems unlikely.
  • Sweeney also updated the injury status of his team, revealing that banged-up checkers Schaller and Noel Acciari both underwent surgery following the season. The Bruins’ fourth line, while not much of an offensive threat, was one of the best defensively this season. However, their play began to tail off in the postseason and the major injuries for Schaller and Acciari certainly lend some explanation to that trend. The duo were just two of myriad injuries for Boston, but join only Brandon Carlo in going under the knife. Sweeney stated that the rest of the injured – Torey Krug, Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Backes, DeBrusk, Nash, and Nash –  will all avoid surgery for now.
  • Finally, Sweeney responded to a question about whether or not he would try to trade back into the first round of the NHL Draft next month. The Bruins sent their first-rounder to the New York Rangers in the Rick Nash deal and do not own any other team’s pick. Sweeney seemed hesitant to promise anything, saying that it is “hard” to trade back in, but did add that “you never know what some team may want to do”. In a draft class that many feels runs out of elite prospects after the first  15 or so selections, Boston may not be scrambling to trade current or future assets for a first-round pick anyway. With a late second and an early third from the Florida Panthers, the Bruins should be able to add two players with similar career projections to some late first-round picks. Even if they don’t get a future star, the Boston system is one of the best in the league with more than enough talent pushing for play time in the NHL as it is.

Snapshots: Richardson, Gionta, Blue Jackets

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Arizona’s acquisition of center Marcus Kruger from Carolina on Thursday could have an impact on one of their pending unrestricted free agents.  Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports suggests that Kruger could push fellow pivot Brad Richardson to the open market.  While GM John Chayka wouldn’t confirm that, he did acknowledge that Kruger has “a similar type of profile” to Richardson and that they wanted to make sure they could get a player like that if one became available.  Richardson recorded 15 points in 76 games this season while posting a 52.1% success rate at the faceoff dot but also had a career-low shooting percentage at just 2.9%.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Brian Gionta’s inclusion in Game Four for Boston against the Lightning could have some implications beyond this season. CapFriendly notes (Twitter link) that because he played in one game this round, he’s eligible for a $50K performance bonus if the Bruins win the series.  They finished with just over $100K in cap space at the end of the season per CapFriendly and that amount is before any performance bonuses get added in.  If Boston does indeed go over the Upper Limit due to bonuses, any overage would be deducted from their cap room for 2018-19.
  • Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski underwent shoulder surgery yesterday and he may not be the only one going under the knife. GM Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required) that at least two others could be facing surgeries in the weeks to come although he wouldn’t specify which players are in that situation.  In the meantime, they’re resting in the hopes that doing so will be enough to avoid going the surgical route.  If that doesn’t work, Werenski may not be the only player whose status heading into the start of next season could be in question.

Off-Season Retirement Watch List

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Although the Stanley Cup playoffs are in full swing with four excellent match-ups in the second round, as teams have been eliminated – and continue to be eliminated – from contention, players begin to make decisions about their futures. Knowing that they were not playoff-bound, Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin announced their departure from the Vancouver Canucks and pro hockey before the end of the season. Former teammate Radim Vrbata made the same decision days later. The Blackhawks’ Patrick Sharp announced that he was moving on, after a return to Chicago didn’t go as planned. Then, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin then got the off-season retirement party started last week, officially calling it a career. Meanwhile, for the third straight summer, Matt Cullen will be contemplating his hockey mortality. Who could be next?

Jaromir Jagr and Jarome Iginla: Let’s start with the easy ones – a Calgary Flames legend and a legend whose career likely ended with the Calgary Flames. Jagr and Iginla were both pushing hard for a final chance at the NHL last summer and both players continued their searches into the regular season. Jagr finally landed a deal with the Flames in October, but health issues and a lack of productions made for a poor tenure in Calgary. Jagr recorded just seven points in 22 games before heading back to his native Czech Republic in January. Iginla opted to undergo surgery in the fall, but was back skating in February and hoping to sign on with a team for the stretch run and postseason. However, no such offer came. These two have been a couple of the biggest names in hockey since the 1990’s and are surefire Hall of Famers, but there is little doubt that their NHL playing days are behind them. Expect official announcements this summer.

Brian Gionta: Gionta is in a similar spot. Unable to find a contract last off-season, Gionta worked out and skated with the AHL’s Rochester Americans ahead of his appearance with Team USA at Winter Olympics. It was a less-than-spectacular showing by the veteran, but he still managed to turn it into a late-season contract with the Boston Bruins. Gionta posted seven points in 20 games with the Bruins in the final months of the regular season, but has yet to see any playoff action, despite ample opportunity given injuries to multiple Boston players heading into and during Round One. Gionta’s play with the Bruins has not exactly harked back to his prime, but nevertheless has shown effort and intelligence. He may have earned another look next season, but it’s more likely than not that this current run with Boston will be the curtain call for Gionta.

Chris Kelly: Kelly also played at the Winter Games and signed on late like Gionta. However, both he and his team have not had similar success. Kelly saw just 12 games with the Anaheim Ducks after signing in February and only contributed two points to show for it. The Ducks were then swept out of the playoffs without Kelly having any say in the matter as a healthy scratch all season. Kelly surprised a lot of people when he played in all 82 games with the Ottawa Senators last season, but this short campaign has shown that the years of dependable play have caught up with him.

Mike Fisher: Will Fisher re-retire? Almost surely. No one can blame Fisher for not wanting to miss out on a possible Cup run by the Nashville Predators one season after coming so close, but Fisher’s presence on the team thus far has been more about leadership and morale than on-ice impact. Fisher had just four points in 16 games down the stretch while averaging just over twelve minutes of ice time and thus far in the postseason has been held scoreless in seven games while seeing barely eleven minutes of time. Fisher’s days as a legitimate player seem to clearly be over, but he could still make a difference for Nashville in these playoffs with the right opportunity.

Dominic Moore: There may be no other player in the game today who has thrived by being a hired gun like Moore. Throughout his career, the veteran center has been able to join a new team, adjust, and play a critical support role. So, when that pattern fell apart this year with the Toronto Maple Leafs, it signaled the coming end to Moore’s career. Moore was common scratch for the Leafs and averaged only about ten minutes of ice time per night, but with twelve points in 50 games, he also didn’t make the most of his opportunities. If any player in the league can adapt to being 38-years-old and coming off a down season by finding the perfect fit for another go-round, it’s Moore, but don’t be surprised if he calls it quits instead.

Joel Ward: There’s no doubt that Ward would like to keep playing. A hard-nosed player and a consummate pro, Ward has been a reliable piece to every team he has been on. However, there is no looking past what by all accounts was the worst season of his career in 2017-18. Just twelve points in 52 games and less than twelve minutes of ice time per game shows just how small a role he played for the San Jose Sharks this year and that’s not even including the fact that the Sharks tried to trade him at the deadline and have yet to play him in the postseason. Ward’s time in San Jose is undeniably over, but that doesn’t mean another team can’t take a one-year flier on him. At this point, it seems unlikely though.

Dennis Seidenberg and Johnny Oduya: What else do these two 36-year-old, left-shot, physical defenders have in common? Their time has come. Seidenberg’s resurgence with the New York Islander was a great story last season, but he came back to earth in this campaign and was limited by injuries and inability to just 28 games and five points. Oduya has had back-to-back disappointing seasons like that, recording only 17 points in 104 games with four different teams across the past two seasons. Dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers at the deadline, Oduya did nothing, skating in just one regular season game and zero postseason games. Both of these men have been admirable NHLers, but it’s hard to see either continuing to play.

On the bubble: Jason Chimera, Antoine Vermette, and Kevin Bieksa, Anaheim Ducks; Josh Gorges, Buffalo Sabres; Matt Stajan, Calgary Flames; Lee Stempniak, Carolina Hurricanes; Ales Hemsky, Montreal Canadiens; Scottie Upshall, St. Louis Blues; Jussi Jokinen, Vancouver Canucks.

Injury Notes: Jets And Bruins

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Two of the best teams in hockey, the Boston Bruins and Winnipeg Jets, are both in action today and will both see changes to their lineups due to injury. The Bruins take on the Minnesota Wild with a chance to climb within two points of the Atlantic-leading Tampa Bay Lightning while still holding a game in hand. The Jets need a win over the Central leading Predators to clinch a playoff spot with their own efforts, but could also get in today with at least one point and an Anaheim Ducks loss. However, the Jets will have to do so tonight and going forward down a man, whereas it seems like the Bruins task is about to get easier as their mountain of injuries is shrinking.

The Winnipeg Jets have a tough situation on their hands, but it could be worse. The team announced today that veteran defenseman Toby Enstrom will be shut down for the remainder of the regular season. Head coach Paul Maurice told TSN’s Brian Munz that Enstrom will not play again over the final two weeks as he nurses a lower-body injury. However, the important distinction is that this was the team’s choice and that it only includes the regular season. The team seems optimistic that some time off will give Enstrom a better chance of being ready to go in the postseason. With Dmitry Kulikov all but done for the year, the Jets could really use a healthy Enstrom if they want to make waves in the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Bruins also have their eye on the Cup and have somehow stayed on course through mounting injuries over the past month. Boston’s last two games in particular have lacked Patrice Bergeron, Charlie McAvoy, Zdeno Chara, Jake DeBrusk, David Backes, Rick Nash, and Torey Krug, yet the Bruins picked up a combined three points against the St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars. Overall, the Bruins are shockingly 9-2-2 since Bergeron went down in late February, with McAvoy out since March 3rd and Chara and DeBrusk having missed the last two weeks. Now, the team is getting healthier, announcing that Bergeron and Krug are set to return to the lineup tonight and adding that Chara, McAvoy, and Backes are making their way back as well. That just leaves DeBrusk and Nash without an update and neither injury was reported to be overly serious when they first occurred, which means that Boston could be back at full strength before the start of the playoffs. Given the emergence of Ryan Donato and the strong play of Brian Gionta, Nick Holden, and others, that begs the question posed by beat writer Joe Haggerty today: who will start for the Bruins if everyone is healthy?

Anaheim Ducks Sign Chris Kelly For Remainder Of The Season

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Hours after the Boston Bruins signed Team USA Olympic captain and long-time pro Brian Gionta to a contract, the Anaheim Ducks have made a similar move. Veteran center and Team Canada captain Chris Kelly is on his way back to the NHL, as TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that he has inked a one-year deal with the Ducks. However, Kelly is commanding $1.25MM plus bonuses, adds Lebrun, compared to just $700K for Gionta.

The difference in salary between the two veterans could be explained by their recent production, as Kelly recorded three points en route to a bronze medal with Canada. In contrast, Gionta failed to record a point as the Americans were bounced in the quarterfinals. However, going back to 2016-17, Gionta performed far better, registering 35 points in 82 games for the Buffalo Sabres. Kelly too played a full 82-game season last year, suiting up in every game for the Ottawa Senators, but saw only limited ice time and added just 12 points. Yet, it is Kelly who will make nearly $300K in pro-rated salary before bonuses, while Gionta will make just over half of that with Boston.

It could also just be that Kelly is being valued on his expected role with the team. While Gionta is likely to be a 13th or 14th forward for the Bruins, who have for all intents and purposes already clinched a playoff spot with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, Kelly will likely push for a starting spot on the team’s fourth line as they fight for a playoff spot in the tight Pacific Division and Western Conference wild cared race. While scoring and power play production have been the bigger issues for Anaheim, Kelly’s two-way ability and intelligence will only further solidify a strong defensive team. It’s a savvy for GM Bob Murray and company, especially this year when the price of trading for assets has been so high.

 

Boston Bruins Ink Brian Gionta To 1-Year Deal

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The Boston Bruins haven’t finished making moves as they announced that they have signed Team USA captain Brian Gionta to a one year, one-way contract this year worth $700K.  TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reports (Twitter link) that the deal also contains a $100K bonus for ten games played (regular season and playoffs combined) plus an additional $50K for every playoff round Boston wins.

The move after trading for winger Rick Nash this morning, gives the Bruins two veteran leaders on the team who should increase the team’s depth at the forward position. A 15-year-veteran has a connection with the city as he played for Boston College between 1997 and 2001. After failing to find an NHL contract at the start of the season, the 39-year-old received quite a bit of attention when he captained Team USA during the Olympics to the quarterfinals in Korea these past two weeks. Despite not garnering a point in the team’s performance, Gionta still was able to catch on with Boston.

Even at his age, Gionta had a productive season last year as he scored 15 goals and added 20 assists for the Buffalo Sabres. Assuming he can break into the team’s lineup, he will likely help out the team’s fourth line or fill in for injuries as it prepares for a playoff run.

 

Deadline Notes: Plekanec, Green, Gionta, Kane, Lindberg

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While it’s still to early to know, Winnipeg Free Press’ Jeff Hamilton feels that there is a strong indication that the Winnipeg Jets are pushing to acquire Montreal Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec tonight. The 34-year-old veteran was also scratched for tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, although that may just be to ensure he doesn’t get hurt right before the deadline. While there are no details on how close the two teams are, the plan, according to Hamilton, is for the Jets to use Plekanec on the team’s third line alongside Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers, which would give the team a deep lineup. Andrew Copp would move to the team’s fourth line and would join Joel Armia and Adam Lowry.

The Jets were supposedly working hard to acquire Derrick Brassard Friday, but lost out to the Pittsburgh Penguins and were forced to look for another center to fill their needs. While Plekanec is a step down from Brassard, the veteran may get some new life with the Jets, especially if he gets to play with Laine and Ehlers.

  • With the trade deadline less than two days away, the Detroit Red Wings still have their top trade chip remaining on their roster, but the problem is that he’s still hurt. In fact, the top rental defenseman on the market hasn’t played in five games and could miss Sunday’s game as well. While Green as practiced with the team twice now, including Friday, MLive’s Ansar Khan suggests that while there is little doubt that Green will be moved by Monday, the timing of the injury could easily diminish the team’s returns for him. He writes teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning might pause first if they feel he could re-injure himself the moment they acquire him.
  • As mentioned earlier today, there has been some interest in Team USA captain Brian Gionta. However, Pierre LeBrun adds that a couple of East teams have expressed interest in Gionta, including the Boston Bruins. While nothing in imminent, a deal could be made at some point this weekend.
  • The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington writes that the Buffalo Sabres are holding forward Evander Kane out of the lineup tonight. Kane, one of the most anticipated trade candidates join a group of players who have been held out in the last day or two as the team doesn’t want to risk losing a player to injury just before the deadline. “Management thought it was the best decision moving forward and the best decision for Evander,” coach Phil Housley said in his pregame media briefing two hours before faceoff. “… That’s the situation for right now.” No other pending trade candidates were scratched.
  • Tobias Lindberg, who the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights Friday in the Derrick Brassard trade, has been assigned to the AHL, but not to their affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but back to the Chicago Wolves, the affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, according to Chicago Wolves broadcaster Jason Shaver. The Penguins didn’t want to move him at this point of the season to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but can still recall him at any point during the season.

Snapshots: Gionta, Soshnikov, Leivo

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Brian Gionta may have been invisible at the Olympics, but he still managed to catch the eye of one NHL team. The USA captain failed to record a point, took only 16 shots, and cleanly lost several face-offs in an effort that seemingly had quieted the talk of his NHL comeback. However, WGR 550 in Buffalo is reporting that Gionta is finalizing a deal to join a team for the remainder of the season. Gionta must sign by the trade deadline Monday to be eligible for postseason play, but WGR’s Paul Hamilton spoke with agent Steve Bartlett, who says to expect a deal with a “playoff-bound team” sometime this weekend. Despite a lackluster performance in Pyeongchang, Gionta is less than a year removed from an 82-game, 35-point campaign with the Buffalo Sabres in 2016-17 and was eager to re-sign with Buffalo this off-season, only to be rejected by the new administration. Having worked out during the year, including skating with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, Gionta is ready to go. The only question is whether he plays like he did with the Sabres last year or with Team USA last week.

  • The St. Louis Blues announced that they have activated Nikita Soshnikov off of injured reserve and he could soon make his debut for the team. Soshnikov was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs last week for a fourth-round pick, but was on IR when traded (because of course he was “injured”, the Leafs weren’t just circumventing roster limits) and remained there after the move. With the Blues on a three-game losing streak and playing poorly for weeks now, maybe Soshnikov can be the injection into the St. Louis lineup that gets the team back on track. The 24-year-old has been a near point-per-game player in the AHL this season, but without the same success at the NHL level.
  • With Soshnikov and Eric Fehr now out of town, the Leafs’ lineup has opened up enough to finally give Josh Leivo some play time. TSN’s Mark Masters reports that Leivo is in the lineup for tonight’s game, his first game action in months. The 24-year-old is no longer waivers-exempt, so Toronto has refrained from trying to move him to the AHL at any point this season. As a result, Leivo has skated in only 12 NHL games this season, the last of which came back in December. When Leivo takes the ice tonight against the Boston Bruins, it will be his first game action of 2018. Despite being cold and having little production to show for his limited ice time this season, its no coincidence that Leivo is finally getting into a game just prior to the trade deadline. While it’s been disputed whether or not he has asked for a trade out of Toronto, Leivo could easily just be in the lineup tonight for the purposes of being showcased to other teams.

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