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Thomas Vanek

Trade Deadline Summary: Winners & Losers Of The Atlantic Division

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The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, and while it wasn’t the most exciting deadline day in recent memory, there were quite a few notable moves. Here are the winners and losers of the neck-and-neck Atlantic Division:

Winners

Boston Bruins:

GM Don Sweeney did not want a repeat of 2016, when he gave up second, third, fourth, and fifth-round picks for Lee Stempniak and John-Michael Liles, only for the team to miss the playoffs. In 2017, he succeeded in bringing in a reliable depth player and goal-scorer, Stafford, without having to pay the price of a top pick or any of Boston’s numerous high-end prospects. Sweeney deserves credit for not panicking when his divisional rivals all began making multiple moves, holding to his word of not overpaying and eventually getting a last-minute deal done at a bargain price for a good player.

Detroit Red Wings:

As hard as it is to imagine, the Red Wings are going to miss the playoffs and were in a complete fire sale at the deadline. For as long as it has been since they were in such a position, the team did pretty well. GM Ken Holland may have been able to get a better deal for Vanek earlier in the season, but getting two high picks for Smith and anything at all for Ott was nice maneuvering. The Red Wings in essence added five picks for four players that were unlikely to be on the team in 2017-18 anyway. Could they have dealt Riley Sheahan and Drew Miller too? Possibly, but they did enough as is.

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Tuesday Evening Snapshots: Vanek, Ott, Trotz, Forsberg

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Prior to the Red Wings game against Vancouver, several reporters tweeted that Steve Ott was scratched while potential trade target Thomas Vanek was scheduled to be on the ice–meaning that Vanek is still a Red Wing for at least another night. Vanek, who many thought would be scratched to avoid injury prior to the deadline, will play limited minutes according to a tweet from the Red Wings’ Dana Wakiji. Ott, meanwhile, has been another name linked to trade discussions, and his absence, after being in the lineup over the past several games, certainly raises eyebrows. Ott is beloved by teammates and coaches for his “grit” and “locker room presence,” so it remains to be seen if Ott is shipped off to another team.

In other snapshots:

  • Washington bench boss Barry Trotz notched his 700th career win after the Capitals knocked off the Rangers 4-1. He was denied the other night by his former team, the Nashville Predators, and sits at #6 on the all-time-wins list for coaches. He’s behind only two active head coaches: Joel Quenneville, and Lindy Ruff.
  • Filip Forsberg continues his tear, and NBC Sports’ James O’Brien writes that Preds defenseman P.K. Subban believes Forsberg is the best player in the league right now. Forsberg has four three-point games in his last six contests for a cumulative total of 14 points (10-4). The Tennessean’s Adan Vignan writes that Forsberg finished February with 11 goals and 17 assists in just 13 games. It’s the type of stride the Preds need, still sitting third in the Central but certainly not having a desirable cushion.

Red Wings Notes: Vanek, Larkin, Mantha, Holland, Howard

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The Red Wings have had a few discussions with Thomas Vanek’s agent Steve Bartlett regarding a possible contract extension, reports ESPN’s Craig Custance (Insider required).  However, it will take a no-move clause for Vanek to consider signing prior to the trade deadline.

The reason for that is the upcoming expansion draft.  Bartlett wants to avoid a scenario where he signs now and then is left unprotected in that draft, creating the risk that he could wind up with the Golden Knights; a full no-move clause would alleviate that but also force Detroit to leave another forward exposed.  From the Red Wings perspective, that may not be the best move especially considering they appear to be heading towards selling at the deadline.  With that in mind, Custance argues that GM Ken Holland would be wise to move Vanek now even though he has expressed a willingness to remain with the Wings beyond this season.

[Related: Vanek’s trade candidate profile]

Other news and notes from Detroit:

  • Skating is an area of focus for a pair of young players but for entirely different reasons, writes Dana Wakiji of the Wings’ team site. Head coach Jeff Blashill noted that they’ve been working with center Dylan Larkin to stop more often instead of just playing with speed at all times.  While Larkin’s speed was a major weapon early on last season, he has been guilty of trying to play too quickly at times this year which have contributed to some struggles.  On the flip side, Blashill noted that they’re working with winger Anthony Mantha to skate more frequently instead of stopping and watching or slowing the play down.
  • In a reader mailbag, MLive’s Ansar Khan suggests that Holland is likely to retain his job beyond this season. With the team set to miss the playoffs for the first time in a quarter-century, some have wondered if the timing would be right to turn the team over for someone else to build; Holland has held the GM title since 1997.  Khan also doesn’t expect a decision to be made regarding Blashill’s future and the rest of Detroit’s coaching staff until after the season.
  • Goalie Jimmy Howard was on the ice today but won’t be available to play before the Wings hit their bye week on February 22nd, reports George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Howard suffered a setback earlier this week as he continues to recover from a sprained MCL.  It’s expected that Howard will return to Grand Rapids of the AHL during the bye week with the hope that he’ll be able to get into another game down there.

Snapshots: Hanzal, Capitals, Gallant, Vanek

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While the Coyotes and center Martin Hanzal had engaged in contract extension discussions earlier this season (and remains open to re-signing), he has yet to receive an offer from the team, he told Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic.

“When I get an offer, I’ll see.  I haven’t got an offer yet from the Coyotes. We haven’t talked.”

“Obviously, we’re getting closer and closer (to the trade deadline).  So it’s going to be interesting, and I don’t know if they want to move me or not. I have no expectations. I’ll focus on the hockey games and see what happens.”

Hanzal is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July and with Arizona well out of the playoff picture, they’re likely to either sign him or trade him by the March 1st deadline.  GM John Chayka’s asking price is known to be quite high with a first round pick plus a quality NHL-ready younger among the elements he’s seeking in a trade.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • One team that is likely to be quiet at the deadline is the Washington Capitals, suggests Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. The offseason additions of Lars Eller and Brett Connolly have deepened their forward group so there’s no pressing need to add some depth there like they did last season with Daniel Winnik.  Khurshudyan notes that the team could add some more depth on the back end, which we also identified as their top need heading into March in our Deadline Primer.
  • The Panthers are granting teams permission to speak with former bench boss Gerard Gallant, reports Harvey Fialkov of the Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link). Gallant has two years left on his contract with the team after being surprisingly let go back in late November.  With Claude Julien now off the market, it will be interesting to see if interest picks up in Gallant.  If another team does hire him, they won’t owe Florida any compensation as the rule that permitted draft pick compensation was scrapped back in January of 2016.
  • After missing Sunday’s game against Minnesota with an ankle injury, Detroit winger Thomas Vanek returned to practice today and is hopeful he’ll be ready to play tomorrow night against St. Louis, notes MLive’s Ansar Khan. Vanek is having a solid bounce back season after being bought out by the Wild in the summer with 14 goals and 22 assists in 43 games and is widely expected to be one of the more sought after rental players in the coming weeks.  However, he suggested that he’s open to sticking around as well: “Could I see myself staying here? Yeah, that would be great but again, it’s a business.”

Evening Snapshots: Ducks, Vanek, Rielly

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Anaheim Ducks recalled center Kalle Kossila from the San Diego Gulls today. The Franco-Finnish is having a great year in the AHL, scoring 9G and 18A in 33 games. The Ducks signed Kossila out of the NCAA last spring, but kept him in the AHL until now. Kossila was born in France but moved to Finland at an early age.
  • Detroit Red Wings forward Thomas Vanek returns to action tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs, reports Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. Vanek suffered a lower body injury on Sunday against the New York Rangers, and missed Detroit’s next game against the Boston Bruins. To make room Detroit scratched forward Drew Miller. Vanek has been the lone bright spot on a disappointing Detroit team this year. The Austrian forward is second in team scoring with 12G and 19A in 36 games. That is great production from a forward making only $2.6MM this year. Vanek has a chance to earn much more this summer as he enters free agency at the end of this season. And because of his pending UFA status—coupled with Detroit presumably not making the playoffs—Vanek could be a top trade candidate at the NHL trade deadline.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to be without defenseman Morgan Rielly, reports the Toronto Star’s Kevin McGran. Rielly did not travel with the team to Detroit, and is not expected to be with the team tomorrow night in Philadelphia against the Flyers. Rielly hasn’t played since suffering a lower body injury on January 17th against the Buffalo Sabres. In that time, Toronto is 1-1-0-1, but did shut out the Calgary Flames on Monday 4-0. With the Atlantic Division playoff spots up for grabs, the Maple Leafs need Rielly back as soon as possible.

Vanek, Larkin Out With Injuries

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With two key divisional games coming up this week, the Detroit Red Wings will be without a pair of their top offensive weapons. According to Red Wings beat writer Ted Kulfan, Detroit GM Ken Holland has announced that both Thomas Vanek (lower-body) and Dylan Larkin (upper-body) are struggling with injuries and are considered day-to-day. Both forwards are staying home from the team’s trip to Boston for a Tuesday night game against the Bruins, while Larkin has already been ruled out of the return to Joe Lewis Arena to host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday as well.

Vanek was hurt in the second period of last night’s 1-0 overtime loss to the New York Rangers and did not return, missing more than half of the contest. However, head coach Jeff Blashill said after the game that he did not think Vanek’s injury was serious, which may lend some hope to Vanek being back for Wednesday night’s game. On the other hand, Larkin played a full game last night, seemingly without incident, and he and linemates Riley Sheahan and Tomas Tatar led all forwards in ice time. Yet, Larkin has been ruled out for the next two games, meaning he won’t skate with the Red Wings for over a week as a result of the upcoming All-Star weekend.

The loss of their two leading goal-scorers comes at a tough time for the Red Wings. Things appeared to finally be coming together last week with three big wins in a row: a rout of the Pittsburgh Penguins, a shutout of the Montreal Canadiens, and a shocking comeback against the Boston Bruins. However, Detroit has been unable to close out back-to-back games in overtime against the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers and still find themselves sitting in sixth place in the Atlantic Division, just a point ahead of Buffalo and the Tampa Bay Lightning. It may be difficult for the Red Wings to keep picking up points with free agent surprise Vanek and sophomore stud Larkin out of the lineup as they go up against the desperate Bruins and upstart Maple Leafs. Detroit is 23rd in scoring and dead last on the power play as it is, set to face Boston’s 10th-ranked defense and second-best penalty kill and Toronto’s 4th-ranked penalty kill and high-flying offense. Two divisional losses would certainly put a damper on the recent comeback attempt and could send the team into All-Star weekend on a sour note. If other forwards can’t step up and score some goals over the next couple of games (or longer), the Red Wings could be back in the basement of the division before they know it.

Red Wings Notes: Travel Issues, Power Play Woes, Vanek, Shattenkirk

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It appears it’s not only the Detroit Red Wings’ power play that’s been grounded. Due to fog in Detroit, the Red Wings plane was grounded in Buffalo and practice was cancelled writes the Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James. It’s problematic, St. James writes, because the Red Wings have a 12:30CST game with the New York Rangers Sunday afternoon in Detroit. Such a break in the schedule hurts the Wings because the earlier time for the game negates a morning skate.

In other Wings news:

  • The power play continues to be a sore spot for Detroit after a 3-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres Friday night. MLive’s Ansar Khan reports that captain Henrik Zetterberg bemoaned Detroit’s inability to convert on a power play in overtime. Calling four-on-three chances “automatic” for goal scoring, the Red Wings watched as Buffalo cashed in on its overtime power play chance, albeit on a controversial no-call that led to the winning goal.
  • Khan’s colleague, Brendan Savage, wonders what decision the Red Wings will make on Thomas Vanek when the trade deadline approaches. While general manager Ken Holland has stated that he’ll wait until closer to the deadline to decide on selling off assets, Savage sees a potentially difficult decision no matter what the Red Wings do between now and then. Vanek has been one of Holland’s best signings after being bought out by the Wild. Vanek leads the Red Wings with 31 points (12-19), and Savage believes Detroit could re-sign him at the right price. However, he concedes that with only a 5.8% chance of making the playoffs, the Red Wings may want to go after a draft pick or more that Vanek could yield at the deadline.
  • Darren Dreger writes that St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk would “love” to play in Detroit. Speaking on Buffalo’s WGR 550 (transcribed via Fan Rag), Dreger believes that Holland could still try to pry the defenseman away from the Blues in an effort to not only keep the playoff streak alive, but to also solidify a blue line lacking marquee talent since the retirement of Nicklas Lidstrom.

Kris Letang Suffers Left Knee Injury

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8:00CST: Letang has not returned, playing only 2:06 tonight.

Kris Letang scored a goal just 27 seconds in for the Pittsburgh Penguins. And just as quickly, he was helped off the ice with an apparent knee injury.

The Detroit News’ Ted Kulfan reports that Letang got tangled up with the Detroit Red Wings’ Thomas Vanek in the corner and fell to the ice in obvious pain. He was helped off the ice, favoring his left knee. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writer Jonathan Bombulie confirms it was Letang’s left knee. Additionally, Bombulie tweets that Letang did return, tested the knee out during a stoppage, but then returned down the tunnel near the end of the first period. Bombulie reports that he played just one shift upon his return for 17 seconds.

This is tough news for the Pens should it be a significant injury. Letang has 23 points (4-19) this season for the Pens and is a staple on the blue line.

2017 Midseason UFA Power Rankings: 1-10

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With many teams having hit the halfway point of the season and the trade deadline fast approaching, it’s time to take a preliminary look at the UFA Class of 2017.  Here is the second half of our top-20 rankings, based on votes from our writers.

For rankings 11-20, click here.

  1. Kevin Shattenkirk, D, St. Louis – Shattenkirk has been no stranger to speculation about where he will wind up next year. He was part of trade discussions dating back to the draft and isn’t expected to be back with the Blues next season; some have wondered if they’d even consider trading him by the trade deadline to avoid losing him for free in July. He’s a premier offensive blueliner who should have numerous suitors if he makes it to the open market and was the only player to be ranked first or second by every writer.
  2. Alexander Radulov, RW, Montreal – One of the more controversial signings last summer, Radulov has had a very strong return to the NHL this season. Not only are the questions about his attitude going away, he has been a legitimate front line player for the Canadiens. He was forced to take a one year, ‘show me’ contract last July – he certainly has been showing teams that he can be a core player and should have more luck landing a long-term contract this summer.
  3. Joe Thornton, C, San Jose – Although he’s not playing at a point-per-game pace like he did last year, Thornton has been a high end playmaker once again this season. It’s believed that he’s seeking another three year contract despite the fact he’ll turn 38 in July. One thing to keep an eye on in the second half will be his goal scoring or lack thereof.  He has struggled considerably in that regard so far (both of his goals have been empty netters) and a repeat of that in the second half and the postseason will likely have him dropping in the rankings come the summer.
  4. T.J. Oshie, RW, Washington – Oshie continues to be a model of consistency when it comes to his production. He has picked up at least 50 points in four of the last five seasons and he’s on track for yet another 20+ goal campaign for the Capitals again this year. He will be one of the younger high-end wingers to hit the market and could be in line for one of the longer contracts to be handed out this summer.
  5. Ben Bishop, G, Tampa Bay – Although Bishop’s numbers are down this year, we saw how important he is to the Lightning when he missed nine games and the team fell out of a playoff spot. Bishop has been one of the top netminders in the league since joining Tampa Bay and given their salary cap situation, he’s all but guaranteed to be going elsewhere for next season. One thing that could hurt Bishop is the number of goalies that are slated to hit the market – although he is the best one, there will be more cap-friendly options for teams to choose from.
  6. Karl Alzner, D, Washington – The open market hasn’t been too kind to stay-at-home defensemen in recent years but Alzner is likely to buck that trend. He’s a key part of the Caps’ back end and there’s a chance he’ll be back with them next year. If he does get to the open market, Alzner is the type of player that a shutdown pairing can be built around.  Considering how many teams are looking for blueline help, he should be in line for a strong payday.
  7. Sam Gagner, RW, Columbus – When he signed with the Blue Jackets, some speculated the deal could prove to be one of the better bargains of the past offseason but no one expected the breakout year he’s currently having. Gagner is being used in an offensive exploitation role and is making the most of it as he is on pace for a career year. Some teams may be wary that his resurgence is a one-time thing but he still should have more suitors if he makes it to the open market in July.
  8. Thomas Vanek, RW, Detroit – There have been quite a few underachievers in Detroit this season but Vanek isn’t one of them. He sits second on the team in scoring despite missing 11 games due to injury. While his days of being a high end front line player have come and gone after struggling in that role with Montreal and Minnesota (who bought him out in June), he’s still set to be one of the better pure goal scorers on the market this summer.
  9. Martin Hanzal, C, Arizona – Hanzal’s name has been involved in trade rumors all season long and that’s likely to continue through to the trade deadline. Moving past that into free agency, he projects to be one of the top centers available and at 6’6, his size will certainly be appealing to many teams. He’s not a top line player but would slot in as a strong middle six forward pretty much anywhere.  He’ll be 30 in July and should be able to secure another long-term contract.
  10. Andrei Markov, D, Montreal – Despite being 38, Markov is still going strong for the Canadiens. He’s still an above average point producer that can help run a power play and while he is slowing down, he is still capable of playing 20 minutes a night in a second pairing role. Markov has eschewed free agency to re-sign with Montreal twice before so if there’s mutual interest in him sticking around past this season, history could wind up repeating itself here.

Snapshots: Olympics, Vanek, Kane

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The NHL is using the Olympic dream to play hardball with the Players Association, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.

As we’ve previously reported, the NHL is offering Olympic participation in exchange for a three-year extension of the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA). But the NHLPA isn’t likely to accept that proposal due to their unhappiness with the escrow agreement.

Brooks compared the escrow situation to a classic Seinfeld quote, “the players are angry, my friends, like old men trying to send back soup in a deli.”

The players are not happy with losing 15% of their yearly salary. And they’re furious, according to Brooks, that the NHL is holding the Olympics over their head to increase the CBA’s length. Originally, the NHL said they needed the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to cover player costs, which President René Fasel ultimately agreed to. But then NHL decided it needed more from the players in order to go to the Olympics. As Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist put it, “it sounds like they’re pretty happy at the league with what they have, doesn’t it?”

Brooks writes that this could be the issue that finally unites the Players Association for the first time since they fractured during the 2004-05 lockout as different parts fought for and against the implementation of a hard salary cap. They could fight for a hard cap on escrow, like the NBA has.

With the NHL publicly open to extending the current CBA, it would be “an Olympian task” for them to lock out the players for a fourth time under Gary Bettman.

 

  • The Detroit Red Wings will have some scoring help when they face the Calgary Flames on Sunday as Thomas Vanek is set to return to the lineup. Vanek has missed 11 games, in which the Red Wings had a paltry record of 3-7-1. They’ve had trouble scoring just 18 goals in those 11 games. Vanek has four goals and eight points in seven games played, and should boost the Red Wings. He’ll play on the top line with Frans Nielsen and Dylan Larkin against the Flames, according to George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press.
  • On Friday, we reported that the Vancouver Canucks were no longer interested in pursuing hometown boy Evander Kane. On Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Sabres’ asking price was too high for the Canucks, and that’s what lead to the breakdown of talks. Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshnyski wrote that the two would have been a poor fit, as the Canucks are rebuilding and Kane averages “a police investigation per season and can’t stay healthy.” Wyshnyski said he doubts Kane would be able to stay on his “best behaviour during a prolonged rebuild,” and concluded “thank God for high asking prices.”

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