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Matiss Kivlenieks

Snapshots: Senators, Merzlikins, Tarasenko

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Armed with a contract extension, Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion is looking to make this next stage of his time with the team much different than the most recent stretch. According to Dorion, the rebuild is over. In an appearance on TSN 1200 in Ottawa today, he stated the following:

We’ve had a plan since we started this rebuild. I feel that we’re in the next stage now, it’s time to start to win… Last year, we felt we were a team that was hard to play against, but now it’s time to challenge to get two points every night, be in every game. Games that maybe you got a point last year, you need two this year… A lot of our younger players have reached a maturity stage in their career where they should be leading us and not be considered young players anymore. As a group, It’s time to start winning.

The Senators did take a small step forward last season, finishing with a 23-28-5 record that was neither the last in their division nor a bottom-five mark in the NHL for the first time since 2016-17. The season ended on a strong note with a 16-13-4 run to end the year. However, there is more work to be done for the Senators to regain relevance. The team is still young and inexperienced and lacking in depth in many areas. In order to compete in the deadly Atlantic Division, at least this season, Ottawa likely needs more than what their current roster can offer even at their very best. Fortunately, the Senators also have a copious amount of cap space – still under the cap floor for now – and Dorion mentioned having “several irons in the fire”. Perhaps the Senators will add an impact player or two before the season begins if they are really committed to taking a step forward this season.

  • Another team that could be looking to surprise this season will be the new-look Columbus Blue Jackets. The x-factor could be goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, who has his sights set on more than just winning the starting job over Joonas Korpisalo. Merzlikins tells The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline that the tragic death of close friend, teammate, and countryman Matiss Kivlenieks has instilled in him a drive to become one of the best goaltenders in the NHL.  “I’m gonna win a f—— Vezina for him,” Merzlikins proclaimed. “This is my goal. I believe I’m going to reach it. I’m not going to have any limits. I’m just gonna go all-in.” The 27-year-old goaltender has certainly shown signs of elite ability through his first two NHL seasons, recording a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA in 61 games. While he may seem far from competing for a Vezina Trophy, especially sharing starts with Korpisalo and playing for a team that is not expected to be a playoff contender, never underestimate the inspiration that a life-changing event can create. Merzlikins credits Kivlenieks with saving his family and that should be more than enough motivation for him to honor his friend to the best of his abilities.
  • With considerable cap space and a desire to add top talent, both Ottawa and Columbus could be good landing spots for Vladimir Tarasenko, who requested a trade out of St. Louis earlier this off-season. However, Blues head coach Craig Berube does not expect the star sniper to be going anywhere. In an appearance on the “Cam and Strick” podcast, Berube stated that he believes that Tarasenko will remain in St. Louis this season. Berube says that he has no hard feelings toward Tarasenko, who has maintained that he would like to be traded, and will treat him like any other player in helping him to succeed with the Blues in the event that he stays with the team as Berube expects. Berube states that the team is focusing on what they can control (Tarasenko) and not on what they can’t (the market) which could mean that he really will not be traded despite all indications.

Matiss Kivlenieks Passes Away At 24

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The hockey world is in mourning today, as a member of the NHL fraternity has passed away far too early. Columbus Blue Jackets netminder Matiss Kivlenieks passed away last night. Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press reports that an autopsy revealed that Kivlenieks died of chest trauma due to a fireworks mortar blast, not the head injury that was originally reported. He was 24.

Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson released a statement:

We are shocked and saddened by the loss of Matiss Kivlenieks, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his mother, Astrida, his family and friends during this devastating time. Kivi was an outstanding young man who greeted every day and everyone with a smile and the impact he had during his four years with our organization will not be forgotten.

Kivlenieks, an undrafted goaltender from Latvia, played in six games for the Blue Jackets over the past two years, posting an .899 save percentage and a 2-2-2 record. He reached a new level of renown when he earned a shutout against Team Canada at the recent World Championships, the first time Latvia had ever defeated the hockey powerhouse at the event.

The staff here at PHR joins in the rest of the hockey community, sending our condolences to the Kivlenieks family.

An earlier version of this story included comments from Novi, Michigan police that indicated Kivlenieks died because of a head injury from a fall while exiting a hot tub. 

Columbus Blue Jackets Activate Zach Werenski

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The Columbus Blue Jackets got some good news as one of their top-line defenders, Zach Werenski, has been activated off of injured reserve. The 23-year-old blueliner has missed the past three games since suffering a lower-body injury on Feb. 4 against the Dallas Stars. To make room for Werenski, Columbus has placed third-string goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks on injured reserve.

Werenski should help strengthen the team’s blueline, which has given up 12 goals in the three games that Werenski has missed, including a pair of five-goal games. Fortunately for Columbus, the Blue Jackets went 2-1 during that span. Werenski has averaged 24:09 of ice time this season and has a goal and three assists, well below his offensive numbers after posting 20 goals a season ago. He did put up three points in his previous five games before getting injured, suggesting that his offense is coming around.

Kivlenieks had been serving as the backup to Joonas Korpisalo with Elvis Merzlikins on injured reserve. Kivlenieks never saw any action and with Merzlikins activated a couple of days ago, the team has opened a roster spot by placing Kivlenieks on IR after he suffered a lower-body injury in practice a week ago and is considered day-to-day.

Matiss Kivlenieks Re-Signs With Columbus Blue Jackets

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed some of their goaltending depth, reaching a two-year deal with Matiss Kivlenieks. The contract is two-way and gives the Blue Jackets a goaltender to leave exposed for the upcoming Seattle expansion draft.

In that case, the Blue Jackets are in a perfect situation even if they keep both their NHL goalies. Joonas Korpisalo is eligible for the expansion draft but Elvis Merzlikins isn’t, meaning they don’t have to make the decision on which one to keep this offseason if they don’t want. Both Korpisalo and Merzlikins have been in trade rumors over the last few weeks because of players like Kivlenieks, who is an interesting prospect in his own right.

Now 24, the undrafted Latvian netminder has been in the Columbus system for three years now. He has been inconsistent in the minor leagues but did at least hold his own in six NHL games this season. No, that .898 save percentage is not what you’re hoping for at the highest level, but in terms of a depth option that could be number four on the chart, it’s certainly no disaster.

The Blue Jackets also have Veini Vehvilainen and Daniil Tarasov under contract, meaning even if they do trade one of their NHL netminders the system still has enough talent to stand up. Kivlenieks will likely go back to the minor leagues when things get started, but now that he’s signed it seems probable that he’ll be loaned overseas like Vehvilainen and Tarasov.

Columbus Blue Jackets Issue Qualifying Offers

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced which restricted free agents will receive qualifying offers, with few surprises. Josh Anderson, Gabriel Carlsson, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Vladislav Gavrikov, Matiss Kivlenieks, Ryan MacInnis, Kevin Stenlund and Calvin Thurkauf have all received qualifying offers from the team and will remain in the organization.

That means Devin Shore, Maxime Fortier, Justin Scott, Paul Bittner, Michael Prapavessis and Ryan Collins did not, making them unrestricted free agents on Friday.

The only real surprise is Shore, and only because the Blue Jackets acquired him this season in exchange for Sonny Milano. The 26-year-old Shore has not been particularly effective since the 2017-18 campaign, splitting the last two seasons between three teams and recording just 12 points in 2019-20. Add in the fact that he was due a $2.4MM qualifying offer in order to remain with the Blue Jackets and it’s not hard to see why the team decided to cut bait.

Still, Shore could represent a cheap depth signing for a team this offseason if they think he can be of use to a bottom-six. The 26-year-old forward has experience at center and on the wing and has scored double-digit goals in three different seasons.

Bittner and Collins may also bring a twinge of disappointment to Blue Jackets fans, given they were both second-round selections that never seemed to pan out. Bittner especially was hyped coming off a successful junior career but failed to score much in the AHL. Collins, the 47th pick in 2014, never added any offense to his defensive game and could only rely on his size for so long.

Free Agent Focus: Columbus Blue Jackets

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With free agency now just a couple weeks away, teams are looking ahead to when it opens up.  There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign. While the Columbus Blue Jackets have no UFA’s of note, they still have their work cut out for them with a laundry list of RFA’s, including several core players.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Pierre-Luc Dubois – Getting Dubois, 22, locked up long-term is the core objective of the Blue Jackets’ off-season. Over the three seasons of his entry-level contract, Dubois totaled 158 points in 234 games, including a 61-point campaign in 2018-19 and a 57-point pace this season. He also wrapped up his contract on a high note, recording ten points in ten playoff games this year. For a team that is lacking in center depth and elite scoring talent, Dubois is critical to the short-term and long-term success of the Blue Jackets.

The problem is balancing Dubois’ long-term potential and dollar value with the team’s limited cap space for next season With no unrestricted free agents departing the lineup, the Blue Jackets have limited funds to work with against the flat cap. Yet, they also don’t want to settle for a more affordable short-term contract and risk Dubois continuing to improve and increasing his price on a new contract. Negotiations are already underway and the goal stated by both sides is to stick with a lengthy term and to get the deal done before free agency opens to provide the club with some cap clarity.

If a long-term extension can be reached, don’t be surprised to see an AAV of upwards of $8MM or more. If the two sides instead opt for a short-term deal given the fiscal constraints of the current NHL economy, Dubois is still likely set to make $6.5MM or more against the cap on his next deal.

F Josh Anderson – It’s difficult to know where the status quo lies between the Blue Jackets and Anderson. The last time that these two sides sat down to negotiate a contract, it was a contentious affair that ended in a late-summer, below-market contract that left Anderson unhappy and fueled trade rumors. Those flames were stoked by a 27-goal, 47-point season for Andersson in 2018-19 in which the young power forward greatly outplayed his contract. Yet, the tables turned again this season, as Anderson missed much of the year due to injury and was unproductive even when active. The season tanked Anderson’s trade value and at least some of his bargaining power and left his future with Columbus up in the air.

The latest twist in this saga was Anderson’s recent proclamation that he hopes to sign long-term in Columbus. This runs counter to his previous sentiment, but could end up working in the Blue Jackets’ favor. Given their cap crunch this off-season, the team could benefit from deflating the AAV on an Andersson extension by extending the term. Anderson could also return to form and again be a bargain for the club. The risk of course is that his injury troubles persist or he is unable to rediscover his scoring touch. Given the uncertainty of this off-season and Andersson’s health and performance, this seems like a case that is more likely to be settled in salary arbitration than with a long-term deal. While a one-year arbitrator’s decision might risk Andersson leaving as an unrestricted free agent next summer, the Blue Jackets would likely be happy to get an affordable deal done for Anderson and to have another year to consider whether they want to re-sign or trade the big winger.

D Vladislav Gavrikov – Since joining Columbus in the 2019 playoffs, Gavrikov has done nothing but prove that he is a solid two-way defenseman. While his lack of NHL experience makes it difficult to project his long-term value, Gavrikov has at least earned a raise and some security in his next contract. It’s unclear what the expectations are for Gavrikov’s new deal, but the Blue Jackets have all of the leverage. Due to his limited experience, Gavrikov falls under Section 10.2(c) of the CBA as a restricted free agent who is not eligible to sign an offer sheet. Barring a trade, Columbus is the only NHL team that Gavrikov can play for and they can more or less dictate the terms of the next contract. With that said, Gavrikov has proven to be a reliable top-four defenseman and the Blue Jackets are not going to play games. Expect the team to work out a short-term deal with Gavrikov and potentially trade one of their other seven one-way defensemen to cement his role as a core piece on the blue line.

Other RFAs: F Paul Bittner, F Marko Dano, F Maxime Fortier, F Jakob Lilja, F Ryan MacInnis, F Justin Scott, F Devin Shore, F Kole Sherwood, F Calvin Thurkauf, D Gabriel Carlsson, D Ryan Collins, D Michael Prapavessis, G Matiss Kivlenieks

UFAs: D Dillon Simpson, D Doyle Somerby

Projected Cap Space

CapFriendly lists the Blue Jackets as having 22 of 23 roster spots already filled for next season, including 19 one-way contracts. As a result, it should not be a surprise that their cap space is limited, with CapFriendly projecting just over $7MM to spare. The concern though is that Dubois and Gavrikov – at the very least – will be on the roster and should combine for well over $7MM. And that is not even including any free agent or trade additions for a team that has vowed to be active on the forward market. Fortunately, the team will get a bit of a break in the form of Brandon Dubinsky, who is not healthy enough to play again. Dubinsky’s $5.85MM cap hit will be wiped out, bringing Columbus’ true cap space total to around $13MM. While most of that will still be taken up by RFA signings, it will give the club some more flexibility to change up the roster if they so desire.

Minor Transactions: 3/8/20

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With 20 teams in action Saturday, there was plenty of playoff implications, which included a big win for the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Boston Bruins in a rough, physical matchup. However, many other teams furthered their quest to get into the playoffs or pick up a higher seed with Carolina, Washington, Nashville, Florida, Philadelphia and Edmonton all picking up key wins. Several teams have made roster moves as teams juggle their lineups. We’ll keep track of all minor moves right here:

  • Late last night, the Anaheim Ducks announced they have assigned defenseman Brendan Guhle to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. Guhle didn’t see much time in the second half of Friday’s game against Toronto, playing just 14:43. The 22-year-old has four goals and eight points in 30 games for the Ducks this year.  The Ducks have also recalled goalie Anthony Stolarz from San Diego, reports Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register.  John Gibson is unavailable after suffering a groin injury against Toronto on Friday.
  • The New York Islanders sent defenseman Thomas Hickey to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL, according to the AHL transaction page. The Islanders brought up Hickey on an emergency loan Saturday due to the injury to Johnny Boychuk, but have opted to return Hickey after just one game.
  • The Buffalo Sabres announced they have assigned defenseman John Gilmour to the Rochester Americans of the AHL. Gilmour was recalled Saturday as a seventh defenseman after the team learned that Lawrence Pilut would not be able to play Saturday night.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, according to Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch. Kivlenieks has served as the backup to Joonas Korpisalo recently with Elvis Merzlikins injured. However, Merzlikins served as the backup Saturday, which allows the Blue Jackets to give Kivlenieks more playing time in Cleveland.
  • CapFriendly reports that after recalling Janne Kuokkanen from Binghamton Saturday, the New Jersey Devils have already assigned the forward back to his AHL affiliate. The team did not use him in their game on Saturday against the New York Rangers.
  • The Ottawa Senators announced they have assigned goaltender Filip Gustavsson to the Belleville Senators of the AHL. With Anders Nilsson and Marcus Hogberg both out, the Senators recalled Gustavsson last Monday, but he never got into a game. However, Hogberg is back at practice, meaning he will take over backup duties for Craig Anderson.

Minor Transactions: 02/25/20

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Roster limits are no longer a problem for teams around the NHL, meaning several veterans from the minor leagues will likely find themselves back up for the stretch run instead of floundering in the AHL. Paper transactions were all the rage yesterday because they made young talent eligible for minor league playoffs, but many should be back up today.

  • The San Jose Sharks have recalled Maxim Letunov and Lean Bergmann, giving them a 23-man roster again after trading several names yesterday. The next few weeks for the Sharks are all about prospect evaluation, finding out who can do what for next season.
  • Kevin Gravel has been returned to the minors by the Toronto Maple Leafs after filling in at practice yesterday. The Maple Leafs are expected to give Timothy Liljegren and Rasmus Sandin an increased role down the stretch, though Morgan Rielly and Cody Ceci were both spotted skating yesterday.
  • Dillon Dube has been sent back to the minor leagues by the Calgary Flames, making room for a couple of defensemen they added at the deadline. Dube has played 38 games for the Flames this season and will likely be back up soon.
  • A couple of players that were acquired yesterday, Daniel Sprong and Fredrik Claesson have been sent to the AHL right away. The pair will suit up for the Hershey Bears and Binghamton Devils respectively for the time being.
  • Following an injury to Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins last night, Matiss Kivlenieks has been recalled under emergency conditions. The Blue Jackets just can’t catch a break, losing two more players to injury in Merzlikins and Riley Nash.
  • After playing a man short last night, the Ottawa Senators have recalled Filip Chlapik from the minor leagues. The team now has 14 forwards on the roster, at least provided Rudolfs Balcers equipment has finally arrived.
  • Justin Dowling has been loaned to the AHL for a conditioning stint, allowing him to get into some action for the first time in a month. Dowling has six points in 27 games for the Stars this season.
  • After being papered yesterday, Nicolas Roy and Zach Whitecloud have been recalled again from the minor leagues. Both players will be eligible for AHL playoffs if the Vegas Golden Knights decide to send them down.

Columbus Blue Jackets Activate Joonas Korpisalo

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After an impressive performance in his first rehab start, the Columbus Blue Jackets have activated all-star goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from his conditioning loan, according to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, giving the team a slight break amidst their long injury list that seems to have been affecting their team.

The Blue Jackets weren’t necessarily sure how long Korpisalo, who has been out since Dec. 29 with a knee injury, would need on his conditioning loan to return to top form. However, Korpisalo made 32 of 34 saves to lead the AHL Cleveland Monsters to a 3-2 overtime victory over the Rochester Americans. That was enough to activate Korpisalo. The team also announced they have assigned goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks and forward Calvin Thurkauf to Cleveland. Korpisalo was not on injured reserve the entire time he was injured, but was placed on LTIR in order for the team to send him to Cleveland for his conditioning stint.

Korpisalo was a dominant player before going down with a 17-10-4 record, a 2.49 GAA and a .913 save percentage. He was named to the all-star team, but the knee injury he sustained prevented him from attending. With Korpisalo back, the Blue Jackets should have one of the top one-two tandems in the league as former backup Elvis Merzlikins has been dominant since Korpisalo went down. Merzlikins has gone 12-9-8 in Korpisalo’s place with a 2.37 GAA and a .922 save percentage. Together, they should comprise a top pairing.

The team has struggled through multiple injuries and have eight players on injured reserve at the moment, including forwards Cam Atkinson, Brandon Dubinsky, Alexander Wennberg, Josh Anderson, Alexandre Texier and defenseman Seth Jones, Dean Kukan and Ryan Murray.

 

Minor Transactions: 02/06/20

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After the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings completes a late-night trade yesterday, eyes are now peeled for the next move around the NHL. With 12 games on the schedule for this evening there will be plenty of minor moves as teams prepare, and we’ll keep track of them right here.

  • The Kings have recalled Cal Petersen after moving Jack Campbell to Toronto, giving them a second goaltender for the remainder of the season. Petersen should get a look down the stretch to find out if they really have a potential starter, as Jonathan Quick has struggled mightily this season.
  • Similarly, the Maple Leafs have demoted Kasimir Kaskisuo after acquiring Campbell. The trade gave Toronto 24 men on the roster and reassigning the now third-string goalie was the obvious solution to get them back down to 23.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Matiss Kivlenieks, Andrew Peeke and Kevin Stenlund, the former two returning after just one day in the minor leagues. The Blue Jackets will take on the Detroit Red Wings tomorrow night and are still dealing with various injuries.
  • Sebastian Aho is headed back to the New York Islanders, recalled once again. The young defenseman has been up and down all season, but still hasn’t worked his way into the NHL lineup.
  • Andy Andreoff has been recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers, as they prepare for a divisional matchup against the New Jersey Devils tonight. Andreoff has played in 13 games for Philadelphia this season, but has just one assist.
  • The Minnesota Wild have recalled Matt Bartkowski to the NHL while Carson Soucy deals with an illness. The Wild are facing the Vancouver Canucks this evening.
  • Robbie Russo is up with the Arizona Coyotes as Jason Demers deals with another injury. Demers has been placed on injured reserve, meaning he’ll miss at least a little bit of time.

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