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Vegas Golden Knights Shopping Max Pacioretty

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Perhaps spurred by the recent progress in getting the 2020-21 season up and running, the Vegas Golden Knights are back at it, working the phones in an effort to make a move to get salary cap compliant. Vegas is one of a number of teams currently over the salary cap upper limit and must shed some salary before play begins. However, the player that GM Kelly McCrimmon is allegedly pushing to other teams may come as a surprise. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that veteran forward Max Pacioretty has been the subject of trade talks this off-season, with those discussions picking up steam in recent days.

Pacioretty, 32, may be one of the older players on the Vegas roster but is still an elite scorer. The long-time Montreal Canadien was in fact the Knights’ leading scorer this past season, recording 66 points in 71 games for a career-high scoring clip. He added another eight points in the playoffs. In the two seasons since coming over from the Habs, Pacioretty has shown no signs of slowing down. His loss would be felt in a major way in Vegas, both on the ice and in the locker room.

However, Pacioretty’s $7MM, while commensurate to his production, is a massive weight on the Golden Knight’s salary cap. If the team were to move Pacioretty without retaining any salary, they would not only be under the cap ceiling but would have the flexibility to make an addition if they so desire. Seravalli mentions top available free agent Mike Hoffman or a reunion with Erik Haula as possibilities. One would also think that Pacioretty would still bring in a considerable return as well; he cost Vegas Nick Suzuki, Tomas Tatar, and a second-round pick just two years ago. However, in a definitive buyer’s market, McCrimmon would have to be careful not to give away Pacioretty for too little just for the sake of cap savings. The team was already lambasted for trading top defenseman Nate Schmidt for pennies on the dollar in order to facilitate the signing of Alex Pietrangelo. 

One other concern for the Knights’ brass is the locker room culture. There have already been reports of many players being unhappy with the frequent trades that the team has made and the perceived lack of loyalty toward the roster. The team has dealt Schmidt, Haula, Colin Miller, Cody Eakin, Malcolm Subban, Brandon Pirri, and Paul Stastny all in the past 18 months, leaving the young franchise with very little roster consistency. There are certainly some in the room who have to be unhappy to even hear the whispers of a potential Pacioretty move. Others in the media have noted that he is not the only name on the block either, with fan favorite Marc-Andre Fleury likely being floated again as well. Vegas must tread carefully when it comes to making any further moves and a Pacioretty trade in particular can only be made with a considerable return and a plan to replace him with the cap savings.

West Notes: Saad, Schmidt, Turris

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The Colorado Avalanche bolstered their offense during the offseason by trading for veteran winger Brandon Saad. The 28-year-old has done nothing but score goals over the last seven years, having scored 169 goals over his career and he should be a perfect fit with the Avalanche. Of course, Saad has just one year remaining on his contract, but has expressed interest in signing a long-term extension in Colorado.

However, what are the chances that the Avalanche bring him back?

NBC Sports’ Adam Gretz writes that there are quite a few factors that determine whether Saad comes back. However, while his numbers are solid, they don’t stand out either. However, Saad brings other aspects to his game, which Colorado might appreciate. He is a possession driver and really excels when around better players, which the Avalanche has a lot of.

However, while the Avalanche have done quite well with managing their cap space over the years, those days will soon be past. The team has already inked Mikko Rantanen to a six-year, $55.5MM deal (with five years still on it). Colorado also will have forward Gabriel Landeskog hitting free agency next season, while defenseman Cale Makar will be a restricted free agent. Those two deals are likely going to cost Colorado quite a bit.

Of course, how he performs in his one year in Colorado will have a huge impact, but unless he takes less to stay in Colorado, the team will likely have too many other contracts to deal with in the next season to bring Saad back.

  • Much credit has been given to Vancouver for being able to acquire defenseman Nate Schmidt from the cap-strapped Vegas Golden Knights for just a third-round pick. The team had just lost Chris Tanev, so bringing in Schmidt is a solid if not significant upgrade to the defense. However, The Athletic’s Harman Dayal (subscription required) writes that the real question is will it be an upgrade defensively. Schmidt is mostly known for his puck-moving skills and his ability to move the puck up the ice quickly, not necessarily for his defensive prowess, while Tanev was basically the opposite — a ruthless defensive player. Dayal looks at Schmidt’s underrated defensive game, although he also notes that Schmidt’s defensive numbers took a significant decline this past season. Was it just a down season or is his game slipping in his late 20s. While it looks like Schmidt is a solid top-four acquisition, the scribe wonders if the team needs to acquire a defensive-first blueliner to fill in the unit’s current deficiencies.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have emphasized the need for a solid third-line center for a number of years and feel good about the recent acquisition of Kyle Turris, who should fill that role. Of course, Turris, who has struggled for the past two years with the Nashville Predators and was bought out, could still struggle. If Turris can’t handle the Oilers’ No. 3 center position, the Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins writes the team would then only have one option for that spot, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a player they really want in their top-six. The lack of depth centers could end up being a significant issue if Turris fails.

Trade Review Poll: Which Off-Season Acquisition Will Have Greatest Impact?

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As NHL teams have been forced to shuffle their rosters this off-season in response to the flat salary cap, this off-season has quietly been filled with meaningful trades. While free agent deals always seem to dominate the headlines, there have been at least 20 different trades that sent a notable player to a new locale. This started way back in August, even as the postseason was in full swing, as teams had to look ahead to next season as early as possible to get a jump on cap management. When 2020-21 kicks off, who will make the biggest impact on their new team?

August 25: In a trade that actually contained six players, the only name of immediate note was Kasperi Kapanen making his return to the Pittsburgh Penguins from the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs had initially acquired Kapanen from Pittsburgh in the Phil Kessel trade, but clearly the Penguins maintained interest in the player. Back with the team that drafted him, Kapanen will very likely slot in on the Penguins’ top line with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel after scoring at a 40+ point full season pace in each of the last two seasons.

September 2: After many years, the Montreal Canadiens finally landed a reliable backup to Carey Price. In what amounted to a salary cap dump for the St. Louis Blues, the Habs acquired former starter Jake Allen. Although Allen played second fiddle to Jordan Binnington again this past season, he returned to form and outplayed the starter with an impressive .927 save percentage and 2.15 GAA. After signing an extension, Allen also has some job security in Montreal and may even have the added incentive of playing well in order to land the starting job for the Seattle Kraken.

September 11: After acquiring Kapanen, the Pittsburgh Penguins knew they needed to shed salary. They turned to former front office exec Bill Guerin, now the GM of the Minnesota Wild. The Wild landed forward Nick Bjugstad at next to no cost and Pittsburgh retained some salary as well. Back in the state where he made his name as a high school and college star, Bjugstad looks ready for a fresh start. In a forward group that is week down the middle and lacking in size, the big center is almost guaranteed a meaningful role. Bjugstad has been streaky and injury prone in his NHL career, but has also shown on multiple occasions that he has 50+ point upside playing a full season on a scoring line.

September 16: The Wild were right back at it a few days later, adding another new face to the forward corps. This time it cost them though. Minnesota acquired Marcus Johansson from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Eric Staal. Johansson provides great versatility as a player who can effectively play any forward position and in any situation. He has also scored at a half-point per-game pace or better for nine straight years with four different teams. Johansson should be able to step in and make an immediate impact. On the flip side, Staal provides the Sabres with a bona fide second line center and veteran leader that they have been sorely lacking. The experienced pivot may not have the positional versatility of Johansson, but is still a superior scoring threat at 36 and knows how to grind out wins in the regular season and postseason.

September 24: The Penguins make their third different deal in less than a month, sending veteran forward Patric Hornqvist to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Michael Matheson and forward Colton Sceviour. While Matheson and Hornqvist are both overpaid, they each still bring value to their new team. Matheson, likely to play a bottom-pair role for Pittsburgh, is a huge upgrade to the players the Penguins rolled out on their final pairing last season. A perennial 20+ point producer and sound defensive player, Matheson will not be asked to play the same minutes as he did in Florida, but will still make the same impact in the minutes he does get from Pittsburgh. Hornqvist meanwhile has not played in more than 70 games in over four years, but is quietly still the same 50-point player that he always has been, just on a per-game basis. An expert net front presence and power play asset, Hornqvist will likely play a major role for a Panthers team that lost two of its top scorers to free agency.

September 26: In what was one of the more obvious salary cap dumps in recent memory, the New York Rangers traded away veteran defenseman Marc Staal and a second-round pick in exchange for “future considerations”. The lucky team on the other side was the Detroit Red Wings, who made out like bandits with a nice draft selection and a new veteran leader for their blue line. A young, rebuilding team who has seen countless veterans leave, many of whom just this off-season, Detroit adds a new face with years of experience and leadership in Staal. While he is definitely in decline at 33, Staal is still a strong defensive presence, a plus player, and a penalty kill asset. Even without much offensive upside, Staal seems locked in for at least a top-four role in Detroit.

October 5: It wasn’t the strategy that anyone expected, but the San Jose Sharks decided to try to solve their issues in net by bringing in another struggling veteran to compete with their current struggling veteran. Devan Dubnyk, who comes over from the Minnesota Wild, is just a few years removed from being one of the top keepers in the game. However, this past season he was not even close to that level of play, recording an .890 save percentage and 3.35 GAA, albeit in limited showings. He was one of the few goalies who performed worse was San Jose’s existing starter, Martin Jones. Dubnyk has more experience and his peaks are much higher than Jones’, but he is also four years older and may have less of an ability to return to form. Perhaps the goal is simply to elevate Jones’ game by giving him an established backup to compete with, but there is always the possibility that Dubnyk emerges the victor.

October 6: Two teams on the fringes of being contenders, each with specific needs up front, made a big swap that will have ramification far beyond this next season. The Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets exchanged restricted free agent forwards Max Domi and Josh Anderson, each of whom will look to rebound and play a major role for their new teams. Domi fills a need at center for Columbus and hopes to use his new two-year extension to finally earn a long-term home after bouncing around early in his NHL career. A player who has shown immense scoring potential, including a 72-point season in 2018-19, Domi could be a major difference-maker on the second line for the Blue Jackets, who desperately need scoring depth. Anderson was not able to provide that this past season, missing most of the year due to injury and underperforming when healthy. However, he too had a breakout 2018-19 campaign, recording 27 goals and 47 points. The Canadiens believe that this is his long-term yearly value, as they did not hesitate to sign Anderson to a seven-year deal. Montreal needs size up front and they hope the 6’3″, 220-lb. Anderson can be an impact power forward for years to come.

October 7: The Ottawa Senators have a deep pipeline of goaltenders, but did not have anyone ready to be a starter this coming season and perhaps for a couple seasons after that. As a result, they ignored that depth and landed a starter for the present who doubles as a starter of the future in young Matt Murray. A streaky, but accomplished keeper, Murray came over from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the price of a second-round pick and a prospect, but will be well worth it if he can solidify the net for the Senators. They certainly seem to think he will, signing him to a long-term deal. At just 26, Murray already has just under 200 regular season appearances and over 50 postseason appearances, with a pair of Stanley Cups backed up by stellar stats.

The same day, the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild swapped forwards, as the Wild continued to address the center position while the Predators got younger and faster. Minnesota acquired veteran center Nick Bonino to anchor the team’s third line, as he has for so many other teams. A two-way pivot who is good for 30-40 points and solid defensive play, Bonino is a useful addition for the Wild. Going the other way was 22-year-old Luke Kunin, who recorded 31 points in 63 games in just his third pro season this year. The 2016 first-round pick has found success at every level and on every team he has played for. Aiming for a top-six role in Nashville, Kunin could be an impact player right away and for years to come.

October 8: The Ottawa Senators continued to add via trade when they swung a deal for physical defenseman Erik Gudbranson from the Anaheim Ducks. A player who has now been traded three times in two years, Gudbranson is either in demand or expendable. He could be both for the Sens, who will give him a top-four role and let him be the defensively responsible counter to their other younger, more offensively-inclined defenseman, then could look to trade him away before his contract expires at year’s end.

Another defenseman was sold off for a late pick the same day and that was Ryan Murray. Though Murray has had immense struggles with health over the years, he had been a good player for the Columbus Blue Jackets when active. However, the team’s depth forced them to deal him away and the New Jersey Devils were the lucky recipients. While Murray is still remembered for his puck-moving pedigree as the No. 2 overall pick in 2012, he has taken on more of a two-way, defensive prowess in the pros and is very solid (again, when healthy). The Devils will almost certainly give Murray top-four and perhaps even top-pair opportunities and if they are fortunate enough to have him for a full season, they could be looking at one of the best value additions of the off-season.

October 9: As the Vegas Golden Knights cleared space for the off-season’s biggest free agent signing, it meant letting go of a proven veteran asset. The Knights traded center Paul Stastny to the Winnipeg Jets, letting go of a valuable two-way forward. While Stastny had an off year this past season, he is just one year removed from recording 42 points in 50 games, a 69-point full season pace. And he finished the season prior to that with none other than the Jets, with an incredible performance of 13 points in 19 regular season games followed by 15 points in 17 postseason games. Stastny has already shown that he can be an elite producer with Winnipeg’s talented forward group and has tremendous upside in the coming season. Even at 34, don’t be surprised to see the all-around forward return to form and potentially even rival the 70-point seasons of his early playing days.

October 10: If Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman knows one thing, it’s how to make a trade involving Brandon Saad. Saad was traded away to the Colorado Avalanche in a four-player deal, marking the third time in five years that has been traded away or to the Blackhawks. The key return for Chicago was young defenseman Nikita Zadorov. In Saad, the Avalanche add a legitimate top-six forward who will help their depth, especially in light of the injuries suffered by some of their top players last season. Saad has recorded 47+ points four times in seven full NHL seasons and would have hit 47 on the nose again this past season based on an 82-game pace. A consistent scorer with great finish and possession ability, Saad is a nice get for the Avs. Meanwhile, as Chicago begins a rebuild they have new cornerstone piece on defense in the 6’6″, 235-lb. Zadorov. A big, physical defenseman, Zadorov can sit back and be a reliable defensive presence, freeing up other members of the Blackhawks’ budding new defense corps, like Ian Mitchell and Adam Boqvist, to play their offensive game.

The same day, the New Jersey Devils made another buy-low addition, landing Andreas Johnsson from the Toronto Maple Leafs. A young player who has already shown signs of 50+ point upside, Johnsson will now find consistent top-six time and power play opportunity in New Jersey, which should get him closer to that mark. In need of impact wingers for Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes but not willing to derail the rebuild with high-priced trades or contracts, the Devils land a young player at next to no trade cost who is signed for several more years at an affordable price. It is the perfect fit and should pan out.

October 12: The Colorado Avalanche were back in the headlines a couple of days later when they dealt two second-round picks to the New York Islanders for RFA defenseman Devon Toews. The Islanders needed cap space and dealt from a position of immense depth and talent on defense. Yet, Toews was critically underrated in New York and the team gave up a very talented player. The rich get richer in Colorado, as Toews joins another strong blue line, but this time will be locked in for a top-four role and will get his due attention on one of the league’s top contenders. Even with only two NHL seasons under his belt, Toews has proven to be productive, defensively sound, an asset in puck possession, and overall capable of big minutes and an every-situation role. Toews may not be the biggest name traded this off-season, but could wind up as one of the best acquisitions.

Amazingly, the very last trade made in the NHL so far this season came nearly a month ago. In the final push needed for the Vegas Golden Knights to sign Alex Pietrangelo, the team dealt top pair defenseman Nate Schmidt to the Vancouver Canucks in order to clear the necessary space. It was quite a sacrifice and one the Canucks are happy about. At the cost of a third-round pick, a team who had had a disastrous off-season that point landed a bona fide top pair defenseman who is signed long-term. Schmidt did it all for Vegas: team-leading minutes, 30+ points, defensive awareness, shot blocking,  possession, power play and penalty kill roles, and even locker room leadership. A player with a strong all-around game who is respected by teammates and opponents alike, Schmidt is a rare player to come across. Vancouver essentially lucked into him and it might just be the best trade of the off-season.

What do you think? Which trade acquisition will have the greatest impact in 2020-21 and beyond?

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Canucks Acquire Nate Schmidt

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It was only a matter of time before Vegas made a move to shed some salary to fit in Alex Pietrangelo’s new deal which is now official.  That trade has now been made as the Canucks announced that they’ve acquired defenseman Nate Schmidt from the Golden Knights for a 2022 third-round pick.  GM Jim Benning released the following statement on the acquisition:

Nate has been one of the top defencemen in our division in recent years.  He’s a dynamic player who competes hard all over the ice. I think he will be a really good fit in our group.

The 29-year-old joined Vegas via the expansion draft and went from a depth defenseman to a core player along the way.  Last season, he had seven goals and 24 assists in 59 games, the highest point-per-game average of his career while logging 21:41 per night.  He played even bigger minutes in the playoffs at just over 23 minutes a game in 20 postseason contests.

While serving a 20-game suspension for violating terms of the NHL’s performance-enhancing substances policy back in 2018, Schmidt signed a six-year, $35.7MM contract extension of which five years remain on it heading into next season.  That deal also contains a 10-team no-trade clause.  Vegas is not retaining at all on the contract, meaning that Vancouver will be absorbing the entirety of the deal.

It has been a tough offseason for the Canucks so far with the free agent departures of Jacob Markstrom and Chris Tanev (Calgary), Troy Stecher (Detroit), and Tyler Toffoli (Montreal) with Braden Holtby taking Markstrom’s spot between the pipes.  Schmidt should step in nicely into the spot vacated by Tanev inside Vancouver’s top four.

Both teams appear to have some work to do still when it comes to their salary cap situation.  Vancouver has just under $2MM in cap room per CapFriendly with forwards Jake Virtanen and Adam Gaudette needing new deals.  Meanwhile, Vegas is still nearly $1MM over the cap per CapFriendly and that’s only with carrying the minimum number of forwards on their roster.  Assuming that they’ll want a spare, that will only add to what they have to try to clear in the coming weeks and months.  Marc-Andre Fleury has been a speculative trade candidate for a while now but his market may be thin with most teams have their tandems in place already.

TSN’s Darren Dreger was first to report that Schmidt was heading to Vancouver.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Vegas Working On Nate Schmidt Trade

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7:35PM: Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic notes that the Panthers have not completed a deal for Schmidt.  Considering their cap situation, a trade of someone making a sizable salary will need to happen before they can finalize any contract with Pietrangelo.

5:59 PM: While the talk the last hour or so has been with the Vegas Golden Knights looking to deal one of their defenseman to the Winnipeg Jets to make room for an Alex Pietrangelo signing, now Fox Sports Andy Strickland reports that Vegas is expected to send defenseman Nate Schmidt and his contract of five years at $5.95MM, is heading to the Florida Panthers. No word yet on the return.

Schmidt has been a big component for the Golden Knights since their inception. The blueliner was one of the Golden Knights selections in the expansion draft and has been one of their top minutes eaters since joining the team. While likely being surpassed as the team’s top defenseman last season by the improved play of defenseman Shea Theodore, Schmidt has been a key face for the Golden Knights franchise and a major locker room presence, going back to the Golden Misfit days. Last year, the 29-year-old blueliner averaged 21:41 of ice time, while posting seven goals and 31 points last year, while providing solid defense for the Golden Knights.

In Florida, Schmidt should immediately fill a significant role for the Panthers that was hurting on the defensive end. Last year, Florida spent significant money on free agent goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who struggled out of the gate, much due to the fact that the Panthers defense was subpar, even under first-year head coach Joel Quenneville. This offseason, Florida has re-tooled their defense, moving multiple players out. The speedy Schmidt should fit in well besides Aaron Ekblad, Keith Yandle, Anton Stralman and newly acquired Radko Gudas and Markus Nutivaara.

Teams are only able to go more than 10% above the Upper Limit during the offseason which is $89.65MM.  Accordingly, this deal will seemingly need to be finalized before Pietrangelo’s contract can be made official.

Vegas Golden Knights Closing On Deal With Alex Pietrangelo

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The Vegas Golden Knights are rumored to be close to signing the top unrestricted free agent on the market in defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, according to The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford, who says a deal could be completed as early as tonight. Fox Sports Andy Strickland confirms that the Golden Knights and Pietrangelo are working towards finalizing a contract.

The deal could also coincide with a trade as the Golden Knights, who have already moved out Paul Stastny, are also a likely candidate to move out defenseman Nate Schmidt and his contract, which includes five more years at $5.95MM AAV. It’s likely both moves could be done in tandem with the belief that the Winnipeg Jets might again be part of that package, which would include restricted free agent Jack Roslovic. Even that trade could prove to be complicated as the Jets might be forced to move out a contract in order to take on Schmidt’s contract.

For the Golden Knights, bringing in Pietrangelo would finally give the franchise its first clear cut No. 1 defenseman. The team had tried to pry away Erik Karlsson several years ago at the trade deadline, but failed to pull that trade off. This time, the team is trying to juggle its finances to fit Pietrangelo into their salary cap, which is quite a daunting task.

Pietrangelo has been a stabilizing force the last 11 seasons with the Blues and is coming off an impressive season last year. The 30-year-old had 16 goals and 52 assists in 70 games and another six points in nine playoff games for the Blues, but is probably best known for his defensive abilities, something that could only help Vegas in their quest to win a Stanley Cup in the next couple of years. Vegas also has a major need for a right-handed blueliner as the only right-hander on the team is Zach Whitecloud.

The Golden Knights still have to move out goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and his $7MM AAV contract for the next two years, but with little movement on that front over the last week, the team might be more likely forced to move out one of their pricier defensemen with Schmidt’s salary being the largest at the moment.

Winnipeg Jets Looking To Trade Jack Roslovic

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The Winnipeg Jets have been shopping restricted free agent forward Jack Roslovic with more intensity today with the hope of moving him for a top-four defender, according to the Winnipeg News’ Mike McIntyre. Several teams have expressed interest in the young center with the Vegas Golden Knights being at the top of that list, although the Columbus Blue Jackets are also interested in the Columbus native.

The scribe writes that there has been talk of dealing Roslovic, who has expressed an interest in a change of scenery. The 23-year-old Roslovic has steadily improved in his three years in the league with the Jets. He posted career highs in goals (12) and assists (17) and has been starting to show the potential to be a No. 2 center on the team, a role he has not been able to seize up until now. However, after making $1.1MM last season, Roslovic could get a considerable raise, something that other teams will have to take into account.

While the Golden Knights are just one candidate to acquire the young center, several names have already been mentioned by McIntyre, including Nate Schmidt and Alec Martinez. Winnipeg, who is looking for a left-handed defenseman, has already completed one trade with the Golden Knights recently when it acquired Paul Stastny just before free agency opened on Friday.

The Golden Knights are rumored to be close to signing No. 1 free agent, Alex Pietrangelo to a long-term deal, but still would need to move out some salary to make the deal work. With little known progress on moving goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, it would make sense to move on from one of their top-four defenders, likely Schmidt or Martinez. Both offer different advantages to Winnipeg if they choose to take one. Schmidt is locked up for another five years at $5.95MM with a 10-team no-trade list, which would give the Jets some security at that position. Martinez, on the other hand, will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2020-21 season, but comes in a little cheaper at just $4MM.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Vegas Golden Knights

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We’re in the home stretch in our thankful series where PHR will continue its look at what teams are thankful for as the second half of the season gets underway.  We’ll examine what has gone well in the first half and what each team may be looking for at the trade deadline.  Next up is the Vegas Golden Knights.

What are the Golden Knights most thankful for?

Considering the team’s inability to show any consistency throughout the year, Vegas should be thankful they remain at the top of a stacked Pacific Division. The team remains tied with the Arizona Coyotes with 54 points, and while that might make a competitive division on its own, there are several teams breathing right down their necks. Both the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames each are one point away from the divisional lead with 53 points, while the Vancouver Canucks round out the top five with 52 points, which should make for a exciting finish at the end of the season. However, that small lead in the standings now could be exactly what they need down the road.

Who are the Golden Knights most thankful for?

Max Pacioretty.

Many thought that the Golden Knights might have made a mistake when they traded Tomas Tatar, Nick Suzuki and a second-round pick for Pacioretty last summer. However, the one forward that the Golden Knights have been able to count on this year is Pacioretty, who made the all-star team and is on pace to return to his 30-goal form from his Montreal days. The 31-year-old has 20 goals and 45 points in 47 games and has been one of the few consistent players on the squad.

What would the Golden Knights be even more thankful for?

Some wins at home.

One thing that Vegas could count on in the past is they were dominant at T-Mobile Arena. They had a 29-10-2 record in their inaugural season and a 24-12-5 record last season. That’s just 22 losses in two seasons. This year, the team has already accumulated nine losses through the first half of the season and have lost two straight at T-Mobile. The team needs to get that home mojo going once again if they want to stay at the top of the Pacific Division, something that the team has never really had a problem with.

What should be on the Golden Knights’ Wish List?

As reported earlier, the Golden Knights are on the lookout for defensive help. While the team is loaded on offense, it hasn’t gotten the same consistent defensive effort from their blueline as players like Nate Schmidt, Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore have been a little more inconsistent. Throw in a rookie in Nicolas Hague and an aging Deryk Engelland, the team could use a top-four caliber blueliner who can step in and help the team out. The problem, of course, is that the team has little cap room to work with and very few moveable pieces that it could move out, leaving the team budget hunting to fix the defense at the upcoming trade deadline.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Injury Updates: Golden Knights, Sekera, Red Wings, Hyman

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The Golden Knights received some good news and bad news on the injury front on Monday.  David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes (Twitter link) that winger Alex Tuch, defenseman Nate Schmidt, and goalie Malcolm Subban were all full participants in practice today.  Tuch has missed all of the season with an upper-body injury, Schmidt has missed 12 straight games with a lower-body issue, and Subban has been out since October 10th due to a lower-body injury.  While this doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll all be ready to play in their next game on Thursday, it’s certainly a good sign that their returns are approaching.

However, as they near a return, defenseman Deryk Engelland is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, Schoen mentions in a separate tweet.  Including Engelland, the Golden Knights are only carrying five healthy defensemen on the roster at the moment (with Schmidt on IR) so it’s likely that they will have to summon someone from AHL Chicago later this week.

Other injury notes from around the league:

  • The Stars will be without defenseman Andrej Sekera for their game tomorrow against Minnesota, reports Sean Shapiro of The Athletic (Twitter link). He has not been ruled out for the weekend so his undisclosed injury appears to be a minor one.  With seven defensemen on the roster, Dallas doesn’t necessarily have to make a recall although they could dip into Martin Hanzal’s LTIR opening if they wanted to have an extra blueliner available.
  • Red Wings winger Adam Erne is close to returning from his upper-body injury and could suit up on Tuesday night, notes Dana Wakiji on Detroit’s team website. He has missed four straight games and five of the last six with the issue.  Meanwhile, winger Justin Abdelkader participated in practice after missing two straight with a lower-body issue but head coach Jeff Blashill indicated that he might not be ready to return for that game.
  • While the Maple Leafs will activate defenseman Travis Dermott off LTIR for Tuesday’s game against Washington, winger Zach Hyman hasn’t been cleared to return and could still be a week or two away from playing, suggests TSN’s Kristen Shilton (Twitter link). Toronto will have to clear up some cap room to activate Dermott and will have to free up even more space to bring his $2.25MM AAV back onto the books.

Pacific Notes: Dillon, Schmidt, Subban, Gudbranson

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Many in Toronto, after watching a San Jose Sharks’ hit against Auston Matthews Friday night, felt that the Sharks’ Brenden Dillon deserved to have the hit looked at by the Department of Player Safety. However, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that Dillon won’t face any supplemental discipline for the hit as the belief is that the head was not the main point of contact.

Dillon hit Matthews at 11:30 in the second period of Friday’s game just as Matthews was entering the Sharks’ offensive zone as Dillon’s hands appeared to go high on the Maple Leafs’ forward. There was no penalty on the play. Matthews left the game and underwent concussion protocol. However, he did return in the third period.

  • After a embarrassing performance against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday, the Vegas Golden Knights got a hint at the potential return of one of their top players as Vegas’ head coach Gerard Gallant said that defenseman Nate Schmidt could be close to a return. “I’d love to have him in my lineup, trust me, and he’s going to be there soon,” said Gallant, via Ken Boehlke of Sinbin.vegas. Schmidt suffered a lower-body injury on the first game of the season and has been out ever since. However, he has resumed skating. Considered to be the team’s top defenseman, the team is eager to get him back into their lineup.
  • David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes that the Vegas Golden Knights could be getting back goaltender Malcolm Subban soon. The backup goaltender suffered a lower-body injury and has missed eight straight games. However, the scribe reports that his equipment was seen in front of his locker, which would suggest he’s ready to skate and could return to the lineup soon. Garrett Sparks is currently the backup for Vegas.
  • After attempting to add both Kevin Shattenkirk and Justin Faulk earlier this year, the Anaheim Ducks finally were able to trade for a veteran defenseman Friday when they acquired blueliner Erik Gudbranson. In fact, the Ducks had been interested in acquiring him for quite a while, according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic (subscription required). “This is something we have been looking at for some time. We haven’t been tough enough to play against and hopefully Erik can help us address part of that need,” general manager Bob Murray said.

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