Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Jaroslav Halak

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/07/21

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today:

Boston – TBA (previously Jaroslav Halak)
Calgary – TBA
Colorado – TBA
Los Angeles – Matt Roy
Montreal – Joel Armia
Ottawa – Jacob Bernard-Docker, Shane Pinto
St. Louis – TBA
Toronto – William Nylander*
Vancouver – Travis Boyd, Jalen Chatfield, Thatcher Demko, Alexander Edler, Adam Gaudette, Travis Hamonic, Jayce Hawryluk, Nils Hoglander, Braden Holtby, Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes, Zack MacEwen, Marc Michaelis, Tyler Motte, Tyler Myers, Antoine Roussel, Brandon Sutter, Jake Virtanen, Nate Schmidt*

Players removed today: None

The Canucks released an update on their situation today, confirming that the team has now reached 25 positive tests among players and coaches. The full statement:

On March 31, the Vancouver Canucks in conjunction with the NHL and BC Health officials postponed a game versus the Calgary Flames and closed Rogers Arena’s team areas following confirmation of three positive COVID-19 test results over a period of two days. All players and staff currently remain in quarantine.

As of today, 25 individuals have tested positive and the source infection is confirmed a variant – full genome sequencing by BCCDC will be required to determine which specific type. Among the 25 positive cases are 21 players (three players from taxi squad) and four members of staff. One additional player is considered a close contact.

An ongoing investigation by Vancouver Coastal Health and club contact tracing staff attributes the source infection to a single individual obtained in a community setting, which has since been identified by public health as a public exposure location. Rapid spread of infection throughout the team indicates a link between contacts and the primary case.

The health and safety of players, staff, families and the greater community remains the utmost priority. The Canucks are grateful for the continued support of local public health officials, the NHL and NHLPA and encourage everyone to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by following health orders. COVID-19 infections are rising in BC. This is a stark reminder of how quickly the virus can spread and its serious impact, even among healthy, young athletes.

Schmidt is the newest addition for the Canucks, but Nylander’s presence on the list will be the breaking news from today. The Maple Leafs released a statement explaining that Nylander has had “exposure to a possible positive case with a close contact outside the team.” He is in isolation and will be re-evaluated tomorrow after further testing. Nylander will not play tonight against the Canadiens, but the Maple Leafs will continue as scheduled.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/06/21

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today:

Boston – Jaroslav Halak
Los Angeles – Matt Roy
Montreal – Joel Armia
Ottawa – Jacob Bernard-Docker, Shane Pinto
Vancouver – Travis Boyd, Jalen Chatfield, Thatcher Demko, Alexander Edler, Adam Gaudette, Travis Hamonic, Jayce Hawryluk, Nils Hoglander, Braden Holtby, Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes, Zack MacEwen, Marc Michaelis, Tyler Motte, Tyler Myers, Antoine Roussel, Brandon Sutter, Jake Virtanen*

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: None

One more name for the Canucks as their list continues to grow and now includes 18 of the team’s 22 active roster players. The team also has two taxi squad players and three coaches affected by the protocol, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. Today in his 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman indicated that April 16 is now the earliest the Canucks could return to play.

*denotes new addition

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/05/21

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today:

Boston – Jaroslav Halak*
Los Angeles – Matt Roy
Montreal – Joel Armia
Ottawa – Jacob Bernard-Docker, Shane Pinto
Vancouver – Travis Boyd, Jalen Chatfield, Thatcher Demko, Alexander Edler, Adam Gaudette, Travis Hamonic, Jayce Hawryluk, Braden Holtby, Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes, Zack MacEwen, Marc Michaelis, Tyler Motte, Tyler Myers, Antoine Roussel, Brandon Sutter, Nils Hoglander*

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: Anton Khudobin, Dallas Stars; Brendan Lemieux, Los Angeles Kings

Just one more name added to the Canucks list, as Hoglander joins the rest of his teammates in the protocol. Things are still shut down for the team and now the league has made a schedule change that indicates Vancouver’s game this weekend is no longer a target. Irfaan Gaffar of the Fourth Period tweets that Canucks players are being told to stay isolated until Sunday, though there has been no official announcement from the league so far.

*denotes new addition

Jaroslav Halak Enters COVID Protocol

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After Jake Debrusk came off the COVID Protocol Related Absences list yesterday, the Boston Bruins had a clean slate and everyone available to them. No more, as according to Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com, Jaroslav Halak has tested positive for coronavirus. That will put him into the protocol whether or not it is determined to be a false positive down the line, meaning he won’t be available tonight. As Benjamin points out, Dan Vladar was expected to start anyway, but will now likely have Jeremy Swayman backing up.

Halak, 35, has been his dependable self this season, posting a .910 save percentage in 17 appearances. That’s actually more work and better results than Tuukka Rask, who has been dealing with various injuries almost the whole year. Halak has been one of the most reliable goaltenders in the league for his whole career, only posting a season save percentage under .908 once since his rookie year in 2006-07. You can’t ask much more from a backup goaltender.

That, in addition to the fact that Rask is still unavailable, makes this absence concerning for the Bruins. If Halak misses substantial time, Boston will have to hope that Vladar can hold the fort. Benjamin reports that Rask will not play tonight or tomorrow but is expected to travel with the team on the three-game road trip.

Bruins Could Re-Sign Tuukka Rask And Jaroslav Halak

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Boston Bruins have one of the better goalie tandems in the NHL right now and have for several years in the veteran duo of Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak. The defending Jennings Trophy winners have shown no signs of slowing down either; Rask finished second in Vezina Trophy voting last season while leading the league in goals against average and Halak currently has a sub-2.40 GAA of his own for his third straight season in Boston. Yet, when the 2020-21 season comes to a close, the Bruins will no longer have either under contract as the tandem are slated for unrestricted free agency. That is unless they re-sign one or both during the season. Appearing on NBC Sports, Bob McKenzie reported that the Bruins are open to extending both Rask and Halak and would considering doing so in-season as well, “if they get the sense from the goaltenders that’s what they want to do.”

Breaking down McKenzie’s report into two pieces, it certainly makes sense that the Bruins would entertain re-signing Rask and/or Halak. Rask, 33, is the player McKenzie acknowledges as the “key” to the future in net in Boston. The Bruins starter is quietly on his way to a Hall of Fame career with a top-five all-time mark in save percentage and the leading save percentage and GAA among all active goalies. Yet, even more important to this conversation is that he is still among the best in the game. While Rask has received criticism throughout his career, he remains one of the more difficult goalies in the NHL to replace. Even with names like Jordan Binnington, Frederik Andersen, and Petr Mrazek potentially available on the open market this off-season, there is no sure thing that the Bruins could confidently replace the play of Rask. Fortunately, Rask is not much of a threat to follow the money to another club. Well-compensated throughout his career and having previously stated that he does not want to play anywhere but Boston, it seems that if Rask wants to keep playing the Bruins will re-sign him.

As for Halak, 35, he may be more valuable to Boston than any other team in the NHL. There is a strong correlation between proper rest and elite performance in Rask’s career and having a dependable backup behind him in Halak these past few years has been an incredible asset for the Bruins. The team’s trust in the aging but productive net minder may just lead to another contract. With plenty of cap space, Boston can afford to pay for a top-dollar backup for another year or two. Of course, the counter-argument to a Halak return is that it would be easier for the Bruins to find another reliable backup in free agency than and they could potentially save money in looking elsewhere. Bringing back such a proven commodity in Halak will also once again block top goalie prospects Dan Vladar and Jeremy Swayman, who each rank in the top ten in the AHL in save percentage so far this season. As the Bruins continue to inject youth into their lineup, the question becomes whether they can give opportunity to the prospects and still provide sound play from the backup position or if the safer route is to simply stick with the tandem that has worked so well.

As for McKenzie’s statement that the Bruins could re-sign Rask or Halak during the season, there is more reason to be more skeptical of that assertion. With Rask and Halak both on expiring contracts, there is no need to protect either in the impending NHL Expansion Draft. Especially given the number of attractive options on the Boston roster available to the Seattle Kraken, the team would not select a UFA goalie. In their current contract state, the Bruins can instead protect Vladar from Seattle while exposing impending RFA fifth-string Callum Booth. Vladar, 23, would otherwise become a potential selection risk if Rask or Halak are re-signed and thus require protection. The young goaltender is enjoying another elite season in the AHL and could very well be the Bruins’ goalie of the future if he can outplay Swayman. Why would the Bruins leave Vladar exposed when they don’t need to?

Well, as McKenzie points out, if there is pressure from Rask or Halak to sign a new deal before the end of the season then that could change the status quo. Additionally, Vladar will drop his waiver exemption next season, meaning that the Bruins could lose him anyway if he is not ready for the NHL. (This is exactly what happened with Malcolm Subban and the Vegas Golden Knights following the last Expansion Draft.) The Bruins may also look at Vladar as worthwhile bait for Seattle to take over one of their many established roster players at forward and defense who will also be exposed. In that case, there is no reason to hold off on an extension for Rask or Halak if the plan would be to protect them as a UFA anyhow in order to expose Vladar.

It remains to be seen what exactly will happen to Boston’s situation in goal, but timing aside it is a safe bet that Rask will be back between the pipes for the Bruins next season and beyond and Halak could be right there with him. If one or both don’t return, it will make for an intriguing off-season in Boston.

Goaltending Notes: Halak, Korpisalo, Holtby

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Boston Bruins will be without their top option in goal tonight when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers in the round-robin. Tuukka Rask has been ruled unfit to play by head coach Bruce Cassidy, meaning Jaroslav Halak will be in net for the Bruins.

Perhaps more than any other team in the playoffs, the Bruins have prepared for a situation like this all season. Halak is much more than a backup for Boston, playing in 31 games during the shortened regular season and posting a .919 save percentage. That’s a number most teams would be happy to get from their starter, but it still is a step down from Rask’s .929. One of the advantages of being a top seed in each conference is this round-robin structure, which will allow the team to get healthy without the risk of elimination for the first week.

  • One team not in quite as strong a situation is the Columbus Blue Jackets, who start a best-of-five series against the Toronto Maple Leafs later today. The Blue Jackets have two young excellent goaltenders of their own, but head coach John Tortorella has decided to go with Joonas Korpisalo in game one. While Elvis Merzlikins may have received more press this season due to it being his first in North America, it was easy to forget that Korpisalo was actually named to the All-Star game before suffering an injury. He posted a .911 save percentage on the season but has a strong history against the Maple Leafs and much more experience at the NHL level.
  • It may not come as much of a surprise, but Braden Holtby will be in net when the Washington Capitals start their own round-robin tomorrow afternoon. Holtby will start over Vitek Vanacek according to Samantha Pell of the Washington Post when the Capitals take on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Once Ilya Samsonov was ruled out due to injury the obvious choice was Holtby given his experience, but it is also important to remember that he was far from his dominant self this season. In fact, Holtby posted an .897 save percentage on the season, putting him 52nd among NHL goaltenders who appeared in at least 20 games.

Snapshots: Martinook, Toews, Tortorella, Khudobin

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Carolina Hurricanes really don’t like the NHL’s Return to Play plan. After Jordan Martinook and the ‘Canes were one of just two teams to vote against the initial postseason format last month, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Martinook was also one of the two NHLPA representatives who voted against ratifying the Return to Play plan and CBA extension. Martinook has previously stated that he and his teammates felt that the expanded playoff structure was a disadvantage to teams who were safely in the postseason picture, but not within the top four in their conference. It is a fair opinion for Carolina to have; the team has the second-best record of qualifying round contenders and almost certainly would have made the playoffs. Their reward for those regular season efforts? A five-game series match-up with a New York Rangers team that was playing their best hockey down the stretch and has been a tough match-up for the Hurricanes all season. As a result, Martinook tried not once but twice to change the league’s plan, but to no avail. They will face the Rangers in just over a week’s time with a playoff berth on the line.

The other “no” vote against the Return to Play plan was reported to belong to Chicago Blackhawks representative Jonathan Toews. However, Toews has come out today and refuted that report. There is no doubt that Toews asked hard questions about health and safety protocols and gameplay logistics and made the case for why his peers should consider voting against the plan, but he tells Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun Times that at the end of the day he voted “yes”. In fact, he said that he always planned to vote yes but wanted to make sure that there was a thorough conversation before a decision was made. There is no word on who the mystery second “no” vote came from, but it was not the Blackhawks captain.

  • Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella might be re-thinking his teams approval of the expanded postseason plan. While a standard 16-team format would have excluded his team, which was in ninth in the Eastern Conference at the time of the league’s pause, their preparation for the knockout round is not going according to plan. Tortorella told NHL.com’s Craig Merz outright that he does not like what he has seen from his best players. “My concern is some of the people that we are going to need to make a difference for us to win a series, I don’t think they’re ready right now,” the Jack Adams finalist stated. “I don’t think they’re doing the things they need to do right now to get ready for that series… This isn’t getting ready for the regular season and then trying to find your game in 15 games during the regular season. This is a sprint… I don’t want us to fall into this trap of wading in. We need to be ready to go.”
  • Anton Khudobin and the Dallas Stars have some extra time to get ready for the postseason as they are one of the four top seeds in the West and will have four round robin games ahead of them before the real competition begins. Although Khudobin may only see action in the round robin and not in the Stars’ postseason series, as starter Ben Bishop will get the nod unless his play warrants a change, Khudobin’s value to Dallas cannot be understated. One of the best backups in the NHL, Khudobin recorded a .930 save percentage and 2.22 GAA in 30 games this season. While these numbers are outstanding, even better than Bishop’s, it doesn’t appear that Khudobin is looking to move on from Dallas to a greater role. He tells Matthew DeFranks of The Dallas Morning News that his preference is to remain with the Stars for a while longer. However, the impending UFA admits that he will let his agent work out the details and find the best opportunity. Khudobin is certainly comfortable and thriving in Texas, but the Stars’ limited cap space and the presences of Bishop and top prospect Jake Oettinger may mean that his current team cannot offer him top dollar. On the other hand, a potentially strong goalie market and Khudobin’s age, not to mention a flat salary cap, may mean that there won’t be the demand on the open market that Khudobin’s performance would normally command. This seems to be the case with another elite backup, Boston’s Jaroslav Halak, who recently signed a one-year extension for less guaranteed money despite another stellar season as the Bruins’ backup after replacing Khudobin himself. Perhaps Khudobin will have to settle for the same fate, especially if he wants to remain in Dallas.

NHL Officially Announces Several Awards

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With the league announcing their return to play format, the regular season is now over. Though we don’t know exactly when the Stanley Cup will be handed out, we do know who has won several regular season awards. The league officially announced the winners of the Art Ross, Maurice “Rocket” Richard, William M. Jennings and Presidents’ Trophy today.

Leon Draisaitl is your 2019-2020 Art Ross winner, after recording 110 points in just 71 games. He was 13 points ahead of teammate Connor McDavid for the league lead and the only player to crack the 100-point threshold in the shortened season. Draisaitl now has 93 goals and 215 points over his last two seasons, truly proving himself to be a superstar talent even when anchoring his own line. The 24-year old is under contract through the 2024-25 season at an $8.5MM cap hit, a deal that now looks like a huge bargain.

Like most years since he entered the league, Alex Ovechkin will take home the goal-scoring title once again. The Washington Capitals superstar has now won the Rocket on nine different occasions, the most of any player in history. This year is a little different however, as he won’t win it alone. David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins tied Ovechkin for the lead league, meaning they will both be given the award. Pastrnak becomes the first Bruin to lead the league in goals since Phil Esposito nearly a half-century ago.

It wasn’t just offense in Boston however, as Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak take home the Jennings as the goaltending duo with the lowest goals-against-average. The team allowed just 174 goals in 70 games, with Rask and Halak combining for an eye-popping .921 overall save percentage.

That balanced performance is exactly why the Bruins take home the Presidents’ Trophy as the regular season’s best team. With a 44-14-12 record they had dominated the Eastern Conference right from the start of the year, following their Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 2019. Though anything can happen in the restarted playoff picture, the Bruins should still be considered one of the favorites.

Boston Bruins Extend Jaroslav Halak

at CDT | by 8 Comments

The Boston Bruins will continue to have their veteran goaltending tandem for at least one more season. The team has signed Jaroslav Halak to a one-year extension, taking him through 2020-21. The new deal carries a $2.25MM salary, actually a slight pay cut from the $2.75MM cap hit he carried this year. Halak will join Tuukka Rask as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2021, allowing the Bruins to reconsider their goaltending situation at that time.

Because the one-year deal is actually a 35+ contract (Halak turns 35 in less than two weeks) he is eligible for performance bonuses. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the deal also includes $1.25MM in potential bonuses, given out if Halak plays in 10 games. That would mean his cap hit is very likely to be $3.5MM, as long as injury doesn’t keep him from contributing.

Even though Rask is still considered the starter in Boston, it’s hard to overstate just how important Halak has been to the team. In his two seasons with the Bruins he’s made 71 appearances, posting a 40-17-10 record. His .921 save percentage during that time is among the league leaders, ranking sixth among goaltenders with at least 40 starts. That kind of production—especially when combined with Rask, who is eighth on that list—is part of what makes Boston so dangerous. On any given night whoever is in net can steal the show, while their powerful top-six and strong defense corps hold onto the puck for two-thirds of the game.

Halak has seemingly been happy to live outside of the spotlight throughout his career, despite being an excellent NHL goaltender for more than a decade. Perhaps remembered best for the outstanding playoff run he made with the Montreal Canadiens in 2010, he has posted strong numbers in almost every single one of his 14 seasons in the league.

Atlantic Notes: Red Wings, Stamkos, Romanov

at CDT | by 4 Comments

With plenty of cap room and a major need in the net, many feel that the Detroit Red Wings and general manager Steve Yzerman might make a splash into the free-agent market this offseason. Longtime goaltender Jimmy Howard is 36 years old, coming off his worst season and is an unrestricted free agent, meaning that a return is extremely unlikely. Throw in the fact that there are several big names that could become available at the time, including Braden Holtby and Robin Lehner, and it’s very likely the Red Wings will be exploring that market.

However, the Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James writes neither Holtby or Lehner are likely candidates to come to Detroit next season. Holtby might not be too interested in joining a rebuilding team and the scribe believes that both players’ price tags are likely to be too rich for what the Red Wings are going to be interested to pay. Holtby is currently making $6.1MM per season, while Lehner is currently on a one-year deal at $5MM. Neither is likely to be willing to take much of a pay cut.

James suggests the team is likely going to look for a player to join Jonathan Bernier in more of a tandem role on a short-term deal, including players like Cam Talbot, Anton Khudobin and Jaroslav Halak.

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning suffered a major loss back in early March when it was announced that captain Steven Stamkos would miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a core muscle injury. The recovery time would likely have forced him to miss at least the first-round of the playoffs. However, the suspension of play due to COVID-19 has allowed Stamkos the time he needed to get healthy and recently told Joe Smith of The Athletic (subscription required), that he’ll be ready to go when play resumes. “With the timing of all this, it was devastating at the beginning because I thought I would possibly be missing some playoff games,” Stamkos said. “And the stoppage happened, and we didn’t know how long it was gonna be. So the silver lining in that was I’ll be ready when we resume. So I’ve been able to still use this time to rehab. I’ve been going to the rink … about three times a week to skate and just start feeling normal again.”
  • Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports that while Montreal Canadiens fans are waiting for top prospect Alex Romanov to sign on the dotted line in the next few days, that might have to wait. Despite that fact that his KHL contract will expire on April 30, Romanov doesn’t intend to sign a contract until he knows what is happening in regards to the NHL’s 2019-20 season. He does intend to sign once play is expected to resume, but the 20-year-old wants to make sure he doesn’t sit for a lengthy amount of time. The defenseman has already played two full seasons in the KHL and many hope that Romanov is ready to step into Montreal’s lineup as soon as next season.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top