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Evan Rodrigues

Atlantic Notes: Panthers, Jeannot, Samsonov, Quinn

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The Panthers will welcome back a pair of key forwards tonight as they take on Tampa Bay.  The team announced that center Sam Bennett and winger Evan Rodrigues have been cleared to return and will suit up.  Bennett missed Thursday’s game against Carolina with an undisclosed injury while Rodrigues has been out since last weekend due to a lower-body injury.  Bennett has battled injury issues this season but still has 16 goals and 16 assists in 54 games while Rodrigues has done well in his first year in Florida, collecting 10 goals and a career-best 26 assists through 65 games so far.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • Lightning winger Tanner Jeannot is with the team as their road trip gets underway, notes Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). The 26-year-old has missed the last month with a lower-body injury.  Jeannot has had a quiet year, notching six goals and six assists in 42 games although he does have 162 hits to his credit as well.  He took part in the morning skate but isn’t expected to suit up against Florida tonight.
  • While Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov exited today’s morning skate early with what looked to be an injury, head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link) that Samsonov is fine and will get the start tonight against Carolina. Samsonov has rebounded well after a disastrous start to his season, posting a .912 SV% since January 1st compared to the .862 mark he put up in his first three months of the year.
  • Sabres winger Jack Quinn skated Friday for the first time as he works his way back from a lower-body injury, relays WGR 550’s Paul Hamilton (Twitter link). The 22-year-old has been limited to just 17 games so far this season due to injuries but has been productive in those, notching five goals and seven assists.  There is still no timetable for when he might return but has been ruled out for their five-game road trip that began today.

Afternoon Notes: Bennett, Rodrigues, Filppula, Seguin, Penguins

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The Florida Panthers’ forward depth will take a major hit on Thursday, as both Sam Bennett (undisclosed) and Evan Rodrigues (lower-body) are set to miss the bout with the Carolina Hurricanes. This will be Rodrigues’ second straight absence after being forced out of the team’s Saturday game early – needing help off the ice after blocking a shot off of his left ankle. Bennett was able to play in the team’s last game, scoring one goal on four shots and playing in his usual role.

The absence of Rodrigues and Bennett leaves a notable hole on Florida’s third line. The pair has been incredibly effective this season, with Rodrigues boasting 10 goals and 36 points in 65 games and Bennett touting 16 goals and 32 points in 54 games. They play in a modest role, averaging around 15 and 16 minutes of ice time respectively, but their ability to produce down the lineup has proven to be crucial to Florida’s success.

Jonah Gadjovich will return to the lineup in their absence, marking his first game since March 5th. The 25-year-old winger is in his third season as an NHL depth forward, scoring two goals and four points in 33 appearances this season. The pair of injuries will also give way to newcomer Kyle Okposo, who is filling Rodrigues’ spot as the third-line right-wing. Okposo failed to record a point in the 10 minutes he played in his Panthers debut, though he did have 12 goals and 22 points in 61 games with the Buffalo Sabres prior to being traded. The 17-year veteran Okposo brings fantastic experience to the Panthers lineup that will likely earn him a spot even after Bennett and Rodrigues return.

Other notes from around the league:

  • NHL veteran Valtteri Filppula’s time with Switzerland’s Genève-Servette HC is set to come to an end, with the team sharing that the two sides will part ways at the end of the season. Filppula, now 39, has been in Switzerland’s top league since he left the NHL in 2021-22. He’s since totaled 131 points in 145 games with Genève-Servette. Filppula previously played in 1,056 NHL games across a 16-year career with the Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders.
  • Tyler Seguin is progressing back from a lower-body injury that’s held him out since February 22nd, per Brien Rea of Bally Sports SouthWest. Rea shares that head coach Pete DeBoer said “everything is on the table” as the Stars approach the end of their five-game homestand. Seguin has stayed effective despite injuries and age, scoring 20 goals and 45 points in 58 games this season. It’s his third consecutive season and 10th overall where he’s reached the 20-goal mark – an impressive feat for the 14-year pro.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins are facing troubles straight out of a 1990s sitcom, as a shipment of Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads meant to commemorate the winger’s jersey retirement was stolen in transit. The investigation is currently ongoing, and fans of tonight’s game will receive a voucher for the bobbleheads that can be redeemed at a later date. Penguins President of Business Operation Kevin Acklin told NHL.com, “We were shocked to be a victim of cargo theft… While this unfortunate incident adds to the legend of Jaromir Jagr, who will be in attendance as our guest at tonight’s game, we look forward to resolving this theft and delivering the prized Jagr bobbleheads to their rightful homes, with our fans.”

Snapshots: Rempe, Canucks, Rodrigues

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Bruising forward for the New York Rangers, Matt Rempe has been suspended four games for elbowing by the Department of Player Safety, according to an announcement. It will mark the first time that Rempe has been suspended in the NHL throughout his career, as he has only played in a total of 10 games for the Rangers up to this point.

During the play in question, towards the end of the second period in New York’s Monday night game against the New Jersey Devils, Rempe attempted to drive Devils’ defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler into the boards near the penalty box, and his elbow came into contact with Siegenthaler’s head. Rempe was assessed an elbowing and game misconduct on the play by the game’s on-ice officials.

This morning, Rempe did partake in a phone hearing with the Department of Player Safety, which would have ultimately ended up in a maximum of a five-game suspension. With this suspension, Rempe will continue to add to his reputation as a modern-day enforcer, as he has also racked up a total of 54 penalty minutes in his young career.

Other snapshots:

  • Getting down to business in the front office, the Vancouver Canucks announce they have extended and promoted Ryan Johnson to Assistant General Manager. Johnson will retain his role as General Manager of the Abbotsford Canucks, but he was previously serving as Special Assistant to the General Manager at the NHL level. In the same announcement, the team has also extended Cammi Granato and Émilie Castonguay in their current roles as Assistant General Managers.
  • Senior Digital Content Manager for the Florida Panthers, Jameson Olive, reports that forward Evan Rodrigues will miss tonight’s game with an undisclosed injury. It will be Rodrigues’ first missed game of the 2023-24 NHL season as he has found new life in his current role with the Panthers. Signing with the organization as an unrestricted free agent last offseason, Rodrigues has scored 10 goals and 36 points in 65 games for Florida this year.

Aaron Ekblad Out At Least Two Weeks

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Panthers blue-liner Aaron Ekblad will miss at least two weeks with a lower-body injury, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters (via Jameson Olive of the team’s official site). The 2014 first-overall pick sustained the injury in Saturday’s win over the Flames, playing just over five minutes before exiting the contest. Maurice said Ekblad will be evaluated daily after the two-week mark, and the team aims for a return around the end of the month. He also said that winger Evan Rodrigues, who left the Calgary game with a lower-body injury in the second period, will be a game-time decision tomorrow in Dallas.

Ekblad appeared to sustain a left knee injury after colliding with new teammate Vladimir Tarasenko near center ice (video via Hockey Daily 365 on Twitter/X). The 28-year-old had logged two separate one-game absences due to lower-body injuries earlier this season, as well as a 16-game absence to begin the season while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Battling through injuries, he’s had a diminished offensive impact, recording four goals and 17 points through 47 games. It’s his lowest per-game pace in seven years, although his possession metrics have remained high-end, with a 56.9 CF% and 52.3 xGF%. He’s also averaging less than 22 minutes per game for the first time since 2017, but he does have a +26 rating, tied for second on the team behind Gustav Forsling’s league-leading +47.

His absence leaves the Panthers with just one right-shot defenseman – Brandon Montour – on the active roster. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who shouldered top-pairing minutes early in the season with Ekblad and Montour both sidelined, will return to that role by skating on his off-side on a pairing with Forsling, who’s fresh off signing an eight-year extension.

As Ekblad is not expected to miss at least 10 games and 24 days, he’s not eligible for long-term injured reserve. Placing him on standard injured reserve offers no benefit, as the 23-player roster limit is now lifted post-deadline. Waiver claim Tobias Björnfot is available to draw into the lineup if additional injuries occur on the blue line, while Josh Mahura, who skated in all 82 regular-season games last season, re-enters the lineup after slipping to seventh on the Panthers’ defensive depth chart.

Rodrigues, 30, has avoided a major injury, meaning the Panthers will have their new-look top-nine with Tarasenko in the fold remain intact. Rodrigues, who’s been one of Florida’s better two-way forwards after inking a four-year, $12MM deal last summer, has 10 goals and 36 points in 65 games.

Atlantic Notes: Timmins, Benson, Barkov

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TSN’s Mark Masters has tweeted that Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins will play today, making his season debut for the team after he suffered a lower-body injury in a preseason game back on September 29th. Timmins could help fill some of the offensive void left by injured rearguard John Klingberg who was recently put on LTIR. Timmins offensive capabilities were on full display in the preseason when he notched six points in three games and he does have a very similar skillset to that of Klingberg, although the Maple Leafs will be hoping for a different result as Klingberg struggled early in his first season with Toronto.

Timmins benefited greatly from last year’s trade that saw him sent to the Maple Leafs by the Arizona Coyotes. In 25 games with Toronto, Timmins posted two goals and 12 assists while averaging 15 minutes of ice time per game. His puck management left a lot to be desired, but he did talk in the preseason about learning not to force plays with the puck and making better reads.

In other Atlantic Division notes:

  • The Buffalo News reporter Lance Lysowski tweeted today that Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson skated with the Sabres’ second power-play unit and looks as though he will plan in his tenth NHL game of the season today. Sportsnet later confirmed the news meaning that Benson will see the entry-level contract he signed for three seasons kick in immediately, and it can no longer slide or extend by a year. Benson is one of four players from the 2023 NHL entry draft who is playing in the NHL at the moment, and he has been productive thus far in nine games tallying a goal and four assists.
  • Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald tweeted that Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice has confirmed that star center Aleksander Barkov will return to the lineup tonight against the Winnipeg Jets. Barkov injured his knee last week against the Anaheim Ducks and missed the Panthers last two games. He took his usual spot in the lineup during this morning’s practice centering a line alongside Evan Rodrigues and Sam Reinhart. Barkov’s return will be a welcome sign for the Panthers as the 28-year-old has registered six goals and 11 assists in 16 games this season.

Panthers Injury Notes: Bennett, Ekman-Larsson, Rodrigues

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The Florida Panthers have shared injury updates to three recently hurt players, announcing that Oliver Ekman-Larsson is likely to play, Evan Rodrigues is hopeful, and Sam Bennett is likely out for the team’s Thursday night matchup against the Detroit Red Wings.

More specifically, head coach Paul Maurice said that Bennett will miss a little more time than a typical day-to-day designation would suggest, although the injury isn’t as severe as the one that delayed Bennett’s start to the season.

Bennett’s injury is a tough one to stomach. The 27-year-old centerman was in his first game back from injury but hurt his left leg – seemingly his left ankle – in a net-front scrum with Boston’s Hampus Lindholm. He is now set to miss even more time, making this season the sixth time that Bennett has appeared in fewer than 75 of his team’s games through his nine-year NHL career.

The injury is especially tough given how successful Bennett has been with the Panthers. He tallied a modest 40 points in 63 games last season but exploded for 15 points and 60 penalty minutes in 20 playoff games – operating as a key piece of Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals. He set his career-high in scoring in the 2021-22 season – his first full year with the Panthers – when he scored 28 goals and 49 points in 71 games.

Luckily, it doesn’t seem like Florida will be missing any other key pieces. Ekman-Larsson, who has three points in eight games this season, is good-to-go after taking a sucker punch from Charlie McAvoy. The punch earned McAvoy a four-game suspension that he’s in the process of serving. As for Rodrigues, Maurice said that the team was taking precaution in holding him out of Wednesday’s practice, and he should be good for Thursday night’s game.

Devils Offered Tomáš Tatar A One Year Contract

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Colorado Avalanche forward Tomáš Tatar lingered in free agency peril for most of the summer before he finally signed a one-year deal with the team for $1.5MM. However, he recently told the Boris a Brambor Podcast that the New Jersey Devils had offered him a one-year contract earlier in the offseason.

When discussing the one-year offer from the Devils, Tatar said he wanted more term from the Devils when they made their offer, but only realized later in free agency that a multi-year deal wasn’t possible. By the time he’d changed his mind, the Devils had already acquired forward Tyler Toffoli from the Calgary Flames, making his return to New Jersey improbable.

Given Tatar’s timeline of events, it seems likely the Devils made their offer prior to June 27th when Toffoli was dealt to New Jersey. It’s hard to fault Tatar for thinking he could get a multi-year deal as he was coming off a good season in which he scored 20 goals and 28 assists in 82 games. His run-in free agency was one of the more puzzling things that happened this summer in hockey as he didn’t come close to getting the contract that many pundits predicted he would. The Athletic had Tatar projected to receive a three-year contract with an average annual value of $3.9MM but the flat cap and an underwhelming playoff hurt his earning potential.

Tatar’s situation is not unlike that of Evan Rodrigues last summer, he also signed with Colorado on a one-year deal after lingering in free agency for quite a while. Rodrigues signed a four-year $12MM contract this year with the Florida Panthers, something that Tatar could mimic next summer if he has another good year.

Free agency is often a guessing game, and it is sometimes hard to project who will take a one-year deal and who can get term. Many people were blindsided by which players received term on their new deals (Ryan Reaves) and which players took one-year deals (Jason Zucker). But with the flat cap, free agency has become harder than ever as evidenced by a useful middle six forward like Tatar going more than two months unsigned.

Florida Panthers Sign Evan Rodrigues

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The Florida Panthers announced that the team has agreed to a four-year contract with forward Evan Rodrigues. In a follow-up report, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet shares that Rodrigues will earn an AAV of $3MM.

Although coming off of nearly a 20-goal campaign during the 2021-22 season, Rodrigues had to wait until September to eventually sign a one-year, $2MM contract with the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Colorado Avalanche. Playing a high-speed game, Rodrigues’ versatility fit very well into Colorado’s lineup.

Bouncing around the top three forward lines for the Avalanche, Rodrigues nearly replicated his best season, scoring 16 goals and 23 assists, while averaging almost 18 minutes of ice time per night. With a staggering amount of injuries in Colorado, Rodrigues even found himself on their second power-play unit for much of the year.

In the move to South Florida, Rodrigues is joining another team with its sights set on the Stanley Cup. His versatility should be able to factor in very well to that lineup, as General Manager Bill Zito said, “Rodrigues brings skill and the ability to compete in three zones of the ice. A culture fit and someone who adds versatility to our lineup, we can’t wait to welcome Evan to the Panthers”. 

East Notes: Maple Leafs, Lightning, Sabres

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While the Toronto Maple Leafs did finally win a playoff series this season, a five-game loss at the hands of the Florida Panthers in the second round erased most of the team’s forward momentum and goodwill with the fanbase. Team president Brendan Shanahan and new general manager Brad Treliving seem content to keep the team’s core intact, so any answers from outside the organization are likely going to come through free agency.

The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel today speculated defenseman Dmitry Orlov should be the team’s top target on the unrestricted free agent market, citing a need for a more puck-moving inclined defender to replace Jake Muzzin and Rasmus Sandin. He’ll likely cost more than $6MM per season on a multi-year deal, one that may not age particularly well given he’s already 31, but he showed with both Washington and Boston this season that he can still handle big minutes and big competition with strong results on both sides of the puck.

Among forwards, Siegel listed Connor Brown, Evan Rodrigues, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Lars Eller as potential adds on the open market.

Also in the Eastern Conference news cycle today:

  • Stealing the Ottawa Senators’ thunder from earlier this week, Sportico reports the Tampa Bay Lightning are selling a minority stake in the club to Arctos Sports Partners at a massive $1.4 billion valuation. It’s over a ten-fold rise in franchise valuation in 13 years – majority owner Jeff Vinik purchased the team in 2010 for just $170MM. He’ll retain his majority stake in the team, so this won’t lead to any notable changes at the top of the franchise’s organizational pyramid.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have mutually agreed not to extend their affiliation with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reported Thursday. Per Lysowski, the team is close to an agreement with a new affiliate at that level. Since 2017, two netminders with playing time in Cincinnati had advanced to Buffalo’s NHL lineup: Michael Houser and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Afternoon News: Capitals, Howden, Maple Leafs

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Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic wrote a piece today that highlighted the nine forwards he believes would fit what the Washington Capitals are looking for this offseason. El-Bashir begins the piece by shining a light on the salary cap crunch that will leave the Capitals with around $5MM in cap space this summer. That leaves Washington with precious little space to work with, however El-Bashir quickly points out that Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha are both trade options that are finding their names on a lot of trade boards.

El-Bashir feels that Washington won’t target players over 30 given their age and Washington’s precarious cap situation. He lists Tyler Bertuzzi, Connor Brown, Andreas Athanasiou, Ivan Barbashev, Michael Bunting, J.T. Compher, Max Domi, Pierre Engvall, and Evan Rodrigues as the likely targets for Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan. Washington has an extensive group of forwards signed to contracts for next season but have a glaring hole on the right wing. Given the cost and the need I would likely put current Capitals forward Connor Brown near the top of the list. Brown was acquired from the Ottawa Senators for a second round pick last summer but only dressed in four games before suffering a season ending ACL injury in his right knee.

In other afternoon notes:

  • Jesse Granger of The Athletic is reporting that Brett Howden of the Vegas Golden Knights was on the ice for the team’s morning skate ahead of their game 4 matchup against the Dallas Stars. Granger reported yesterday that the 25-year-old center had tweaked a lower body injury in game 2 and tried to play through it but couldn’t. Howden missed game 3 and given that he’s seen a lot of time in Vegas’ top-6 as of late, his return would be a welcome boost if he can dress tonight. Howden had a pedestrian regular season with 13 points in 54 games, however in these playoffs he has three goals and three assists in 14 games. Vegas has a chance to sweep Dallas this evening.
  • Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star wrote an opinion piece today about why former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving checks so many of the boxes that Brendan Shanahan and the Toronto Maple Leafs would be looking to tick. McGran highlights Treliving’s experience in Calgary working in a collaborative environment with former president of hockey ops Brian Burke. Toronto’s future general manager would be tied to Shanahan as well as the board of MLSE, it is a job that is different from some other NHL clubs, however Treliving has worked within a similar structure. McGran also cites Treliving’s penchant for having the guts to make bold moves, Treliving spent last summer overhauling the Calgary Flames out of necessity by trading Matthew Tkachuk to Florida for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar as well as signing Nazem Kadri as a free agent.

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