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John Gibson

Finding A Match For A John Gibson Trade

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There has been trade speculation around Ducks goaltender John Gibson for several years now with that only intensifying following a trade request that was reported back in early June.  His agency denied a report earlier this month which suggested he had informed the club he wouldn’t play for them again but it’s still believed he wouldn’t mind a change of scenery.  However, most of the annual goalie shuffle is now complete and the veteran remains with Anaheim, at least for the time being.

The 29-year-old had posted a 3.99 GAA last season, leading the league in goals allowed (200) and losses (31) while putting up a .899 SV%.  Over the last four seasons, Gibson’s best save percentage has been .904 after putting up four straight campaigns of .917 or better so it’s not as if this was a one-time dip.  Of course, that also coincides with Anaheim entering a rebuild so at least some of the decline in performance could be attributed to that.  It’s possible that in a better situation, he could rebound.

That said, it won’t be a cheap gamble to make.  Gibson has four years left on his contract with a $6.4MM AAV.  That will be difficult for most teams to fit in now; fewer than ten teams in the league have that much cap space and several of those are of the rebuilding variety.  On top of that, the Ducks aren’t going to give their starter away either; there will be a fairly sizable price to pay in terms of assets to get his services.  What teams might those be?  Let’s look at some possible options, some admittedly more speculative than others.

New Jersey

The Devils have a tandem of Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid which, on the surface, isn’t all that bad.  Vanecek had a career-low 2.45 GAA with a career-high .911 SV% last season in 52 games, perfectly reasonable numbers for a starter.  Schmid, meanwhile, was even better in limited duty and even took over as the starter at one point in the playoffs.

That last point is why they’re on this list though.  When it mattered most, Vanecek struggled and with a core group that’s clearly built to win now, a possible upgrade between the pipes could be the missing piece to the puzzle.  A package that includes Vanecek would offset Gibson’s net added cost to no more than $3MM which would be affordable within their cap space, assuming they fill out their roster with low-salaried options.  More importantly, he’d cost less moving forward on the cap than Connor Hellebuyck based on his asking price.

Winnipeg

While the Jets have moved out Pierre-Luc Dubois and bought out Blake Wheeler, that shouldn’t be construed as them heading for a rebuild.  Look no further than the return they received for Dubois – one that had multiple roster pieces as they look to stay in the playoff mix.  Moving Hellebuyck would open up a big hole to fill in goal and Gibson would be a logical one to turn to, assuming either Winnipeg isn’t on his 10-team no-trade list or he’d be willing to waive to go there.

One thing the Jets don’t have in this scenario is another netminder of some significance to flip the other way so their return would likely have to be more futures-based.  Considering where Anaheim is in their rebuild cycle, that might even be preferable on their end.  The Hellebuyck domino has to fall first for this to be an option though.

Buffalo

The Sabres have been speculatively linked to a veteran goaltender for a few months now.  Craig Anderson has called it a career and Eric Comrie isn’t the solution as the starter either.  Meanwhile, the team has high hopes for Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen but the pair have 54 career NHL appearances between them.  There seems to be an expectation of Buffalo making a real playoff push in 2023-24 after really making it interesting in April before just coming up short so while there is an element of upside if Levi and Luukkonen do well, there is certainly some risk as well if they struggle.

Gibson could be a way of hedging that risk, giving Levi a veteran partner to work with and allow him to try to ease his way into a longer-term starting role.  Luukkonen, meanwhile, could be an intriguing part of a swap for Anaheim to start a young tandem of their own alongside Lukas Dostal.  Buffalo has enough cap space to take on Gibson’s contract outright but with pricey extensions a year off for Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, either seeking some retention or sending some sort of salary offset would be beneficial.

Edmonton

After signing Jack Campbell last summer with the hopes of finally finding themselves a legitimate starting goaltender, they find themselves in a familiar spot – still looking for that goalie.  Campbell had his moments last season as did Stuart Skinner but neither are in a spot where they can be counted on as a sure-fire starter when it matters most.  For a franchise that has two of the top players in the league in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, their contention window is now.  They improved the defense at the deadline so finally landing that reliable starter could be the final piece of the puzzle.

Cap space is at a premium for Edmonton, however, with most of their remaining cap room heading to RFAs Ryan McLeod and Evan Bouchard.  To make a move work, they’d need to match money.  That would mean Campbell and his $5MM AAV would almost certainly need to be part of the swap.  The Oilers could ask Anaheim to retain enough on Gibson’s deal to get him down to that same $5MM price point although that will only increase the acquisition price.  Fit-wise, Gibson would certainly be an intriguing addition but it would take some creativity to make it work.

Los Angeles

If you look at the Kings’ roster right now, there is one big question mark and that’s between the pipes.  Pheonix Copley has been more of a third-stringer than a legitimate NHL option for most of his career and veteran Cam Talbot is coming off an injury-plagued campaign that saw him struggle when he was in the lineup.  David Rittich is also in the mix but his track record isn’t the greatest either.  Going cheap at that position has certainly given Los Angeles the flexibility to bolster their lineup but it’s not without its risks either.

To get Gibson (assuming he’s open to going to a long-term division rival), they’d be in a situation where they’d need to match money like Edmonton.  A veteran on an expiring contract like Viktor Arvidsson or Matt Roy could help on that front while someone like Copley would need to be involved as well.  But none of those players will be of much interest to the Ducks so they would need to find a futures-based package to add to those players to include to make it worth Anaheim’s while.

Columbus

This one is admittedly a bit off the board but things did not go well in goal for the Blue Jackets last season as Elvis Merzlikins certainly struggled which played a big role in Columbus plummeting down the standings.  Their offseason activity so far has been geared toward shoring up the back end in the hopes that upgrades there will also help in goal and Mike Babcock is certainly not a rebuilding type of coach.  There’s an internal expectation for big improvement so it wouldn’t be shocking to see them at least kick the tires.

Merzlikins is signed for four more years like Gibson is at $1MM less so if Anaheim was open to taking him back in a swap, the Blue Jackets can fit Gibson onto the books.  They have a strong prospect pool that they could deal from, giving them an edge over some other teams who don’t have as deep of a group to work with when it comes to building a futures-based package.

Of course, it’s still quite possible that Gibson remains with the Ducks at the start of 2023-24 and they revisit the possibility of a trade in-season or next summer when teams will have more cap flexibility at their disposal.  But if there is still mutual motivation to find a deal that works for both sides, there are at least a few teams that could be an option for the veteran netminder.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Cap information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Snapshots: Gibson, Columbus, Slavin

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Touching on all three of the New York metro teams in a New York Post column, Larry Brooks reports that the New Jersey Devils are indeed interested in John Gibson, but only for the right price. The Devils are still weighing the possible tandem of Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid, and determining whether that is the right fit to earn them a Stanley Cup championship.

New Jersey’s interest in Gibson shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, as General Manager Tom Fitzgerald has been highly focused on building a lasting winner this offseason. As the trade market also includes Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, Gibson makes more sense given his current contract status.

Currently, Hellebuyck has one year, $6.17MM remaining on his current contract, but is reportedly seeking around $9MM in the next deal he signs. Articulating his displeasure with Winnipeg’s direction (similar to Gibson with the Anaheim Ducks), it is safe to say that Hellebuyck will not be getting that contract in Manitoba.

Gibson, on the other hand, has four years, $25.6MM left on his contract, a term that fits much better with the Devils’ long-term planning. No matter how much the cap increases next offseason, paying a goaltender $9MM a season for the next eight years will be tough to swallow for just about any team.

Other snapshots:

  • The main columnist of the Columbus Blue Jackets on The Athletic, Aaron Portzline, reported in his article today that the Blue Jackets still have some work to do in thinning out their forward core. One of the main areas of focus, Portzline adds, will be moving out some of the centers that Columbus has on their roster. Already carrying eight forwards with the ability to play center, and a couple more possibly in the minor leagues, the Blue Jackets could make a trade to fill out weaker areas of their team.
  • According to a press release, the Toronto Marlies have announced they have signed forward Josiah Slavin to a one-year deal. Slavin has spent the last several seasons playing for the Rockford IceHogs but was moved to the San Diego Gulls prior to last season’s trade deadline. Slavin has shown flashes in the past of being a solid third-line depth scorer, and the Marlies will be hoping for much of the same from him this season.

 

 

Latest On John Gibson

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7:20 p.m.: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has somewhat contradicted Seravalli’s earlier report, saying Gibson indicated today that he hasn’t outright refused to play another game for Anaheim “if it comes to that.” Gibson’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, also called Seravalli’s statement “false, unjust and inflammatory” and said Seravalli did not reach out to him or Gibson before making the claim. He confirmed Gibson has not told the Ducks’ front office that he’d refuse to report for a game, although he didn’t refute reports of a trade request.

5:00 p.m.: The goalie trade market has sorely been lacking high-end names in recent years, but this summer, we have two: Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck and Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson. The former has made it clear he won’t be re-signing with Winnipeg when his contract expires next summer, while the latter is locked in longer-term but has told the team he’d like a change of scenery.

Now, it appears Gibson has given Anaheim more of a trade demand than a request. Per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, Gibson’s indicated he is “not playing another game for the Anaheim Ducks.” Whether that means a potential refusal to report if Anaheim hasn’t moved him by the start of training camp remains to be seen.

If interest in Gibson wasn’t spiking already, it likely will be now. It’s also poor timing for something like this to leak, at least from Anaheim’s side. With the trade market for Hellebuyck shrinking after teams backed away due to his salary demands, more and more teams looking for goalie help would likely have turned to Anaheim and Gibson, who’s got four seasons left on a deal earning him $6.4MM per season. Now, with less leverage on Anaheim’s part, they might not be able to recoup as much value in a deal.

The New Jersey Devils have been the team with the most reported interest in Hellebuyck, but they’ve also balked at the $9MM-plus he desires on an extension. With Gibson as a more affordable option, could the two sides engage in trade talks soon? No team has been specifically named in Gibson trade talks yet; in fact, it’s been eerily quiet on that front. But New Jersey is the best contending team with long-term goalie uncertainty.

Neither traditional nor advanced metrics have been kind to Gibson since his eight-year extension kicked in for the 2019-20 season. The Ducks haven’t been terribly good in that timeframe, but even accounting for the team’s poor defense, Gibson’s come in below average over the life of the deal. It’s why you’ll find vastly split opinions of him depending on who you ask.

It’s worth wondering, though, if the toll of Anaheim’s rebuild has affected Gibson’s play beyond just poor defense. It can’t be particularly motivating to give your best every night when you know your team isn’t anywhere near a playoff race, and with Gibson still having plenty of term left on his deal, there was no quick or easy way out of his situation. With Anaheim posting one of the worst defensive seasons in recent memory in 2022-23, it likely changed Gibson’s tune on wanting to try and stick around for a rebuild – a sentiment he echoed as late as the summer of 2022.

Anaheim is in a position to retain a small amount of salary to facilitate a deal, but they likely wouldn’t be interested in retaining more than 25% ($1.6MM) of his cap hit. With a slew of quickly developing prospects slated to come into the fold over the next few years, the Ducks could envision being competitive again by the time his contract expires. It’s a factor that surely impacts league-wide interest or the value of a return package.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

John Gibson Hoping For Trade From Ducks

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Goaltender John Gibson has been a fixture between the pipes in Anaheim for the better part of a decade now and is one of their longest-tenured players.  However, it appears that he’s hoping his time with the team has come to an end as Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that the veteran has told the team that he is ready for a change of scenery.  Lisa Dillman of the Orange County Register adds that the request was made last month.

In his end-of-season presser back in April, Gibson made it clear that he wants to win.  He hasn’t been doing much of that lately as the Ducks have missed the playoffs in each of the last five years.  Although they’ve made some good progress in their rebuild by adding several key youngsters to the puzzle (including another with the second-overall pick later this month), they’re still not at the point yet where they’re ready to emerge as a consistent playoff contender.

With the team in front of him struggling, Gibson has seen his performance drop steadily as well.  He posted a 3.99 GAA this season, leading the league in goals allowed (200) and losses (31) although he still managed a .899 SV% which is right around the league average.  His highest save percentage over the last four seasons is .904 after putting up four straight seasons of .917 or better so it’s not as if this was a one-time dip.

It’s Gibson’s previous performance back when Anaheim was a playoff-caliber team that is likely to have teams interested in him this summer.  How much of his weakened performance was due to the struggles of the team in front of him, particularly their back end which has gotten considerably weaker over the years?  Is he still an above-average goalie with a better team in front of him?  If teams believe so, he’ll shoot to either the top of the list or close to it for desired acquisitions this summer in a goalie market that doesn’t have a lot of number one options.

However, the 29-year-old does have a bit of a pricey contract, one that has four years remaining at a $6.4MM AAV.  While plenty of teams could use a goaltending upgrade, not many of them can necessarily afford to take on the full freight of that deal.  Anaheim hasn’t used any of their three salary retention slots for 2023-24 and beyond although it should be noted that they have two retentions on the books (defensemen John Klingberg and Dmitry Kulikov) until July 1st.  Would they be willing to carry some dead cap space for four seasons to help facilitate a trade?  Alternatively, taking a high-priced contract back as an offset might be more palatable for GM Pat Verbeek.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Anaheim look to get a goaltender back as part of a return if they move Gibson.  Veteran Anthony Stolarz battled injury issues this season and is set to his unrestricted free agency and while Lukas Dostal might be ready to move up full-time to the NHL, he’s far from ready to take over as the starter.  If not, they’ll have to turn to free agency for a replacement but Pittsburgh’s Tristan Jarry is the only true number one on the market, assuming he doesn’t re-sign in the coming weeks.

Seravalli noted that Gibson was available last summer but the asking price was quite high.  While their asking price is still likely on the high side, if they’re more motivated to move him now as a result of Gibson’s ask, there’s a good chance that he’ll be suiting up somewhere else next season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ducks Recall Olle Eriksson Ek

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Apr. 7: Another day, another Eriksson Ek transaction.  This time, he’s back on his way to Anaheim with the team announcing that he has been recalled once more from San Diego.

Apr 6: Eriksson Ek has been returned to the AHL today. The Ducks don’t play again until Saturday, after losing to Edmonton last night.

Apr 5: In case of a potential injury to starting goaltender John Gibson, Derek Lee of the Sporting Tribune reports that the Anaheim Ducks have recalled Olle Eriksson Ek from their AHL affiliate San Diego Gulls. This will mark Eriksson Ek’s third call-up to the professional club so far this season.

After being drafted 153rd overall in the 2017 NHL draft, Eriksson Ek has had a difficult time moving up in the Ducks’ organization. He has spent the last four seasons in North America, splitting time between the AHL and the ECHL. Understandably, he has produced much better numbers playing with the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers.

Unfortunately for the Ducks, Eriksson Ek has produced increasingly depressed numbers each season he has been within the organization. In his rookie season in the AHL, he played in 15 games, going 8-6-1, carrying a .901 SV% and a 3.14 GAA.

Last year, Eriksson Ek followed his rookie campaign up with a 7-15-3 record in 26 games, posting a .880 SV% and a 3.44 GAA. This year hasn’t been any better, going 2-14-0, with a .852 SV% and a 4.81 GAA in 20 games. If Gibson is injured for tonight’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, and Eriksson Ek does play, it will be his first-ever start in the NHL.

Snapshots: Carlson, Gibson, Hartman

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The Washington Capitals’ status as a conservative seller at the deadline may have surprised fans just a few months ago. A relatively secure Wild Card position in late 2022 has since fallen by the wayside, mainly due to injuries to key players.

Their longest-term absence has been that of defenseman John Carlson, who hasn’t played since December 23 after taking a slapshot to the head in a game against the Winnipeg Jets. Head coach Peter Laviolette had some positive news to share today regarding the All-Star defenseman, who joined Capitals practice today wearing a non-contact jersey. While Washington won’t be making a playoff run this year, barring a miracle, a return to health is positive news for Carlson after such a scary injury. The 33-year-old is under contract until 2026 and had 21 points in 30 games this year before exiting the lineup.

  • The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun today speculated on the future of goalie John Gibson with the Anaheim Ducks, whose name has begun to creep into trade speculation over the past months. LeBrun noted that some teams still view the netminder as a difference-maker, especially with the 29-year-old posting a string of elite performances lately. After this season, Gibson still has four years remaining on a contract carrying a $6.4MM cap hit. A move to a contender, especially as Gibson has partial trade protection, likely hinges on the Ducks retaining some salary.
  • According to a Twitter announcement, Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman was fined $4,594.59 today by the NHL Department of Player Safety for slashing Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson. The figure is the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Hartman received a minor penalty on the play, which occurred in the middle of the first period of last night’s 1-0 shootout loss to the Flames.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Hutchinson, Kaut

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The NHL has announced the Three Stars of the Week ending on February 26th. For the third time this season, Oilers captain Connor McDavid receives the first star honors, while goalies Linus Ullmark and John Gibson finished second and third, respectively. McDavid continues on pace toward one of the most incredible individual seasons in recent memory. McDavid put up six goals and five assists leading the Oilers to two wins in three games over the week. Predominantly known for his incredible playmaking and powerplay work, McDavid was also able to register two shorthanded points on the week, showing why he is one of only a few players who can play at an elite level in any situation.

Following behind, Ullmark similarly continued on an elite individual season, winning two games while collecting a 1.00 GAA with a .966 SV%. Aside from the phenomenal goaltending stats, Ullmark also scored the first-ever goalie goal in Bruins franchise history. As he put the game against the Canucks out of reach, Ullmark became the most recent goalie to score in the NHL since Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators scored during the 2019-20 NHL season.

Rounding out the list, Gibson finally sparked a moment of joy for Ducks’ fans this season. Not having much to get excited about, Gibson was able to rattle off a couple of 51-save performances, as well as leading the league in saves for the week with 143. Although this season has not gone well for the Ducks, earning a third star of the week is a tremendous victory for Gibson in his own right, as he becomes the second Ducks player to receive the honor this year.

  • After being recalled on an emergency loan and sent back down a few days later, the Vegas Golden Knights have once again recalled goaltender Michael Hutchinson from the minor leagues. Serving in the backup role on the Winnipeg Jets for many seasons at the beginning of his career, Hutchinson has become somewhat of a journeyman goaltender in the NHL. Having only played 10 games since the start of the 2020-21 season, it will be hard to say if this will be an extended call-up or another short stay in the NHL for the netminder. As starting goaltender Logan Thompson heals, and as cap space becomes increasingly more important toward the trade deadline, the Knights may have to play some musical chairs behind the crease for the time being.
  • Since being acquired by the Sharks in January, Martin Kaut has spent much of his month in the minor leagues, until being called up on February 20th. Scoring one goal in three games, the Sharks have decided to return Kaut to the minors. The Sharks are expected to move some more players off the roster in the coming days, so it is very likely that Kaut will see time in the NHL more this season. Noted upon his arrival in San Jose, Kaut is good friends with Sharks’ forward Tomas Hertl, as the two are known to do offseason training together.

Snapshots: Ducks Goaltenders, Maple Leafs, Rielly

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The Ducks will have their starting goaltender back between the pipes tonight as head coach Dallas Eakins relayed to reporters including Bally Sports West’s Aly Lozoff (Twitter link) that John Gibson has been cleared to return from his lower-body injury and will start against Vegas.  It has been a tough year for the veteran as his GAA has jumped to 3.99 while his save percentage is down to just .896, numbers that are the worst of his career by a considerable margin.  In a corresponding roster move, the team officially returned goalie Olle Eriksson Ek to AHL San Diego.

Meanwhile, backup goaltender Anthony Stolarz has started skating on his own and could join the team for practice soon, relays Lisa Dillman of The Orange County Register.  The veteran suffered a lower-body injury back on December 12th and hasn’t played since.  He, too, is having a tough year with a 4.02 GAA and a save percentage of just .886, hardly the performance he or the Ducks were hoping for as he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • The NHL has levied a pair of fines on the Maple Leafs. First, the team was fined $100K for a CBA travel violation as they traveled to St. Louis late on December 26th.  While it was a late-night flight, the rule states that teams cannot travel or have any activities until the 27th.  The second fine was issued to head coach Sheldon Keefe for demeaning conduct directed at the officials during last night’s game against St. Louis.  He’ll be $25K lighter in the wallet as a result.
  • Still with the Maple Leafs, they are expected to have their top blueliner back in the lineup tomorrow as Keefe told reporters including Sports Illustrated’s David Alter that Morgan Rielly should suit up Thursday against Arizona. The 28-year-old suffered a knee injury a little over a month ago and was placed on LTIR.  Toronto will need to get cap-compliant in order to activate him but a pair of LTIR placements yesterday and an eventual return of Mac Hollowell to the minors will be enough to allow them to activate Rielly.

Injury Notes: Gibson, MacKinnon, Schwartz, Sheahan

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As many NHL teams wrap up their preseason work, the last thing they want to see is any of their players, especially key ones, go down with injury. Although some teams, in theory, can afford to lose a player or two and keep their season afloat, a team like the Anaheim Ducks, who are trying to climb out of their rebuilder status, will need to keep as many pieces as possible healthy and performing if they wish to push for a playoff spot.

Unfortunately for the Ducks, one key piece, goaltender John Gibson, was injured in today’s preseason game against crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Kings. Gibson left the game with an upper-body injury and did not return, replaced by backup Anthony Stolarz. The good news for Anaheim is, in the event of a prolonged absence from Gibson, Stolarz has established himself as a strong backup netminder, however being without Gibson, a three-time All Star, will make things difficult for Anaheim if he’s out for any stretch of time.

  • Speaking of All Stars, Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon is considered day-to-day according to head coach Jared Bednar, as relayed by Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater. Bednar added that MacKinnon “tweaked” something, but did not disclose what, or exactly how, MacKinnon hurt himself. Losing the recently-extended superstar, even for a game, puts Colorado in a tough position, but considering he is only day-to-day should be a relief to the team.
  • Seattle Kraken forward Jaden Schwartz is considered day-to-day with a lower body injury says Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol, who spoke to Mike Benton of 93.3 KJR radio. Schwartz had left last night’s preseason contest against the Edmonton Oilers early and did not return. Also of note, forward Daniel Sprong, who recently signed with Seattle after being invited to camp on a PTO, was not in practice today. Fortunately, today was simply a day off for Sprong, Benton adds.
  • Riley Sheahan is also day-to-day with a muscular injury Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato told members of the media, including Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat. It was unclear what muscle exactly was bothering Sheahan, who hasn’t practiced either of the last two days.

Snapshots: Gibson, Dahlen, Brink, Oilers

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With the Maple Leafs being one of the teams that still need to add a starting goaltender, some have speculated that Ducks goaltender John Gibson could be a potential trade option for them.  However, his agent Kurt Overhardt told Sportsnet 590’s Nick Kypreos (Twitter link) that Gibson has “no interest” in playing in Toronto and is committed to staying in Anaheim.  Gibson has five years left on his deal with a $6.4MM AAV with a ten-team no-trade clause so even if the Ducks were inclined to move him this summer, the 28-year-old may be able to block a move.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • While Sharks winger Jonathan Dahlen had a decent rookie season with 12 goals and 10 assists in 61 games, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports that the team is considering non-tendering him by tomorrow’s deadline. Even though he has only been in the NHL for one year, this is his fourth year on an NHL contract which gives him salary arbitration rights.  While Dahlen couldn’t command a significant increase on his league-minimum salary from this past season, San Jose likely will want to keep the last few spots on their roster at low salary slots so whatever raise he could get from an arbitrator may be more than they can afford to allocate.
  • Flyers winger Bobby Brink has sustained a hip injury during offseason workouts that might require surgery, Anthony SanFilippo of Crossing Broad was first to report (Twitter link). No timeline for a return is known yet but SanFilippo suggests the injury is severe enough that it could run into the start of next season; Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer adds (via Twitter) that the 21-year-old will see a specialist in a few days and that the team will have a better understanding of how much time he’ll miss by the end of the week.  Brink had four assists in 10 NHL games down the stretch while logging over 15 minutes a night.
  • The Oilers announced (Twitter link) that they’ve tendered qualifying offers to forwards Tyler Benson, Ryan McLeod, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Kailer Yamamoto. That means that defenseman Filip Berglund and forwards Brendan Perlini and Ostap Safin will go non-tendered.  Those three will become unrestricted free agents later this week.  Of the unqualified players, only Perlini has NHL experience and had four goals and an assist in 23 games this past season while Berglund has already signed in Sweden.

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