Snapshots: Trocheck, Kaprizov, Dach
While the Boston Bruins will be dealing with injuries to major players for the start of the 2021-22 season, a new head coach and the potential return of captain Patrice Bergeron on an extension provides optimism for the Bruins’ 2022-23 outlook. One major need the team needs to fill is their second-line center spot. Erik Haula filled the role with moderate success this past season, scoring 44 points in 78 games, but his production in the playoffs (three points in seven games) and overall inability to factor in as a true difference-maker has left many with the belief that the Bruins will need a stronger second-line center in order to return to cup contention. The Bruins had long relied on David Krejci as the consistent second center behind Bergeron, but with Krejci now out of the picture GM Don Sweeney may need to find an upgrade on Haula this summer.
This summer’s free-agent market is not without options for the Bruins, and one player they are now specifically connected to is Carolina Hurricanes center Vincent Trocheck. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the Bruins are “believed to have interest” in Trocheck, who has spent most of his career playing for the Bruins’ division rival, the Florida Panthers. Trocheck’s pure offensive production would be a sure upgrade over Haula’s (94 points in 128 games over the last two seasons compared to Haula’s 65 in 129) and Trocheck may even reach new offensive heights when paired with former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall. Trocheck would surely cost more than the $2.375MM the Bruins owe to Haula, but since the Bruins’ old second-line center, Krejci, cost $7.25MM against the cap for many years, one has to assume that the Bruins are willing to pay up in order to get a higher quality player. Boston will have to compete with other teams vying for Trocheck’s services, but at the very least they should be in the mix for the established top-six centers that are set to hit the market.
Some other notes from across the NHL:
- Some eyebrows were raised on social media a few days ago when Russian winger Kirill Kaprizov was tagged in a social media post from what appeared to be a Russian doctor wishing him, per the translation, a “speedy return to the ice.” The Athletic’s Michael Russo calmed any fears of any major unannounced injury issues for Kaprizov, clarifying that the post was about a “minor procedure” that Kaprizov had undergone and that he would be “ready well in advance of camp.” That’s certainly a relief for any worried Wild fans because the team will need Kaprizov to hit the ground running next season. Kaprizov led the Wild with 108 points in 81 games in 2021-22 and figures to be the Wild’s most important player for the foreseeable future.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have made it no secret that they will be embarking on a scorched-earth rebuild under new GM Kyle Davidson. Nearly every player on their roster has seen his name surface in trade rumors, including star winger Alex DeBrincat. One player less frequently mentioned is 2019 third-overall pick Kirby Dach, likely because as a 21-year-old highly-drafted center most believe that Dach is the player a rebuilding club should hold on to, not deal. But per Friedman, a Dach trade might not be fully out of the question, and there is reportedly “a lot of research being done” on Dach by teams interested in acquiring him. Dach, who is still just 21 years old, has had an up-and-down NHL career thus far. He showed flashes in an injury-filled 2020-21, scoring 10 points in 18 games, but his past year was a disappointment (nine goals 26 points in 70 games) and there are some who look at him as a player in need of a change of scenery. Whether or not that’s true is still yet to be determined, although we now know that there are teams preparing for the possibility of Dach becoming available in a trade.
Snapshots: Trocheck, Ferland, Brennan
Today, we covered how Vincent Trocheck told reporters that he felt he had “unfinished business” with the Carolina Hurricanes and was open to a return to the team for next season. Trocheck will be an unrestricted free agent when the market opens next month and will likely have a variety of choices for where he wants to play next season. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Hurricanes are indeed one of those options but may not be Trocheck’s most financially beneficial one. Friedman reported that he “heard there was an offer” to extend Trocheck, but that it “didn’t get done.” Friedman notes that the Hurricanes’ front office often holds a clear view of what a player’s value is and doesn’t typically deviate from that, raising the question of whether the Hurricanes will up their reported offer to make it lucrative enough for Trocheck to accept.
Trocheck, 28, looks set to enter the free agent market in a generally favorable position. He is coming off of a strong playoff run where he posted 10 points in 14 games, and had a two-season stretch where he posted 94 points in 128 games. Top-six centerman are always in demand in free agency, and with Jordan Staal, Sebastian Aho, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi all under contract for next season, it could require some creativity for the Hurricanes to retain Trocheck. With the Hurricanes’ focus now squarely on their offseason, the team will have to make a decision on whether they are willing to raise this reported offer to Trocheck to keep him away from the open market.
Now, for some other notes from across the world of hockey:
- Micheal Ferland hasn’t played hockey since early in the 2019-20 season, and some have wondered if his health is at a place where he could potentially return to the Canucks lineup. Ferland was a solid player when he last was an NHL regular, having hit the 40-point mark in his last two seasons. Despite that success the last time he played, it seems a return won’t be happening. Per Ferland’s agent, Jason Davidson, as relayed by CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal, Ferland “has no desire to return to the game of hockey” and is focused on his personal health as “priority number one.” Ferland has dealt with concussion issues and it’s entirely reasonable for him to prioritize his long-term health over a potential return to the ice. The Canucks are on the hook for a $3.5MM cap hit on his contract for next season, but just as they have done in the past it is expected that they will utilize long-term injured reserve for his deal, barring a trade similar to the Bryan Little swap from this past trade deadline.
- Former NHL-er T.J. Brennan has been out of the NHL for even longer than Ferland, having last hit NHL ice in the 2015-16 season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brennan turned in one of the best seasons of his career this past year, scoring 47 points in 48 games for Salzburg in Austria’s ICE Hockey League. It was announced today that Brennan will leave EC Red Bull Salzburg to pursue opportunities in Switzerland. At 33 years old, an NHL return for Brennan seems like a long shot. But perhaps success in Switzerland next year can be a springboard to returning to the NHL in a similar way to how success in the KHL got Chris Wideman (another early-thirties offensive defenseman) back on an NHL roster.
Vincent Trocheck Hoping To Return To Carolina
The Carolina Hurricanes, like many of the Stanley Cup contenders that fell short this season, have some tough decisions to make in the summer. Four roster forwards and two defensemen will be unrestricted free agents, including second-line center Vincent Trocheck. The veteran pivot is coming off a six-year, $28.5MM deal that he signed with the Florida Panthers and is likely looking at a raise from the $4.75MM cap hit he has carried since 2016.
When asked today about whether he’d like to stay in Carolina, Trocheck told reporters including Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer that the team has “some unfinished business” and that he would welcome a return to the Hurricanes. The two sides apparently did have some conversations about a new contract during the season but no decision was reached.
Trocheck, 28, arrived in Carolina at the 2020 trade deadline and has been a nice counterpoint to Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal, giving the team three centers that are all capable of filling various roles. All three average substantial penalty killing time, while Trocheck and Aho are both leaders on the powerplay. Combined, they give the Hurricanes a strong advantage in the faceoff circle and lengthen the lineup considerably. Trocheck’s 96 points in 135 games has been strong production, and he added another ten in 14 playoff appearances this year.
Still, there are some real critiques about the play of the former Panther as well, and the idea of bringing him back on a long-term deal may have some Hurricanes fans squirming in their seats. While Staal’s contract is set to expire after next season, the team is about to have several younger players–including Aho himself–that need new deals. Aho, Teuvo Teravainen, and Brett Pesce are all scheduled for unrestricted free agency in 2024, while Seth Jarvis will also need a new contract that summer as he comes off his entry-level deal.
The fact that Nino Niederreiter (and maybe Ian Cole) also needs a new contract this summer could also have an effect on the Trocheck negotiation, as there will only be so much money to go around. If the team feels as though they want to take another crack at it with the entire group, bringing everyone back will be an expensive proposition.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Looking At Vincent Trocheck’s Impending Free Agency
The Carolina Hurricanes have been one of the NHL’s best teams over the past several seasons, and a major reason for that success has been their depth down the middle. The team has Sebastian Aho, one of the best centers in hockey, and Jordan Staal, who is in his tenth season with the club. In addition to those two, the team has had Vincent Trocheck since a February 2020 trade with Florida, but they may not have him for much longer. Trocheck, 28, is set to be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, as the six-year, $4.75MM AAV contract he signed as a 23-year-old Panther is set to expire at the end of this season. With the Hurricanes having extended offseason addition Jesperi Kotkaniemi, getting him under contract until 2029-30 at $4.82MM against the cap, it looks as though Trocheck may be forced to join the third team of his career if he wants to maximize his earnings this summer.
That is not his preference, though. In an interview with Matt Larkin of Daily Faceoff, Trocheck reiterated his desire to stay in Carolina, saying:
That’s still the goal, to be here. I love being a Hurricane and having a chance to win every year is where you want to be. So hopefully we can figure something out.
As previously mentioned, though, staying in Carolina may not make financial sense for both the team and the player. The team has committed nearly $20MM for next season to the trio of Staal, Aho, and Kotkaniemi, and with other significant contracts on the books already, things are getting tight. Additionally, Vezina Trophy hopeful Frederik Andersen will need an extension after next season, meaning with all that in mind, Trocheck may be the player who becomes the odd man out this summer.
It may even be probable. With the extension to Tomas Hertl, the offseason’s center market is looking a bit thin. Beyond breakout Avalanche star Nazem Kadri, there aren’t many players available on this summer’s market who can play center and have a scoring pedigree. It is expected that franchise icons Evgeni Malkin and Patrice Bergeron will re-up with the only NHL clubs they have ever known, and Florida’s Claude Giroux has been more of a winger than a center in recent years. That leaves Trocheck and the Rangers’ Ryan Strome as the only two centers set to hit the market this offseason who have even crossed the 35-point mark in 2021-22, meaning the market for Trocheck this summer should be very player-friendly.
Trocheck has had a nice season in Carolina, with 20 goals and 48 points in 79 games. This is Trocheck’s fourth season where he has reached the 20-goal plateau, and he potted 17 in only 47 games last season. Trocheck also has flashed even higher levels of offensive upside, as he hit 31 goals and 75 points in the 2017-18 season with the Panthers. In addition to his offense, Trocheck has a decently well-rounded defensive game, and he ranks third among Hurricanes forwards in shorthanded time-on-ice per game. So, in short, Trocheck is a two-way center that can help a team defensively and add 20 goals and 50 points as a baseline level of offensive production. Players like that get paid on the open market, and with the aforementioned dearth of quality centers in this offseason’s free-agent class, Trocheck is lined up to get a major contract.
So even if his preference is to remain in Carolina, money is typically the ultimate deciding factor for most players, (and rightfully so) meaning Trocheck’s time as a Hurricane is likely coming to an end. But that leaves a question to be considered: with comparable centers like Kevin Hayes crossing the $7MM AAV threshold in their long-term free-agent contracts, is $7MM+ per year on a long-term contract an appropriate price to pay for a player like Trocheck, someone who is an accomplished all-around center but far from a superstar?
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Trocheck, Rangers
With Tristan Jarry injured with a broken bone in his foot, Pittsburgh’s decision to not upgrade their backup goaltending spot at the trade deadline has come into question. However, as Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette illustrates, doing so wasn’t a viable option for the Penguins on a couple of fronts. They only had enough money to add one piece – winger Rickard Rakell – with team president Brian Burke acknowledging they felt they needed to upgrade up front which made that the direction they took. On top of that, aside from Marc-Andre Fleury whose AAV was too expensive to fit in, there weren’t any realistic upgrades on Casey DeSmith that were readily available. DeSmith is now getting a prime opportunity to prove his value not only to Pittsburgh but around the rest of the league as he gets set to hit the open market in July.
More from the Metropolitan:
- Hurricanes center Vincent Trocheck is having a nice season with 20 goals and 28 assists in 78 games, setting him up nicely to have plenty of interest in his first trip through unrestricted free agency this summer. However, he reiterated to Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin that his preference remains to stay in Carolina. The recent extension given to Jesperi Kotkaniemi could potentially complicate that plan as their intention is to move Kotkaniemi to his natural spot down the middle and Trocheck’s pending free agency is a logical way to do that. If the 28-year-old ultimately reaches the free agent market, Trocheck will have plenty of suitors to choose from in July.
- The Rangers won’t have forwards Andrew Copp (lower-body injury) and Filip Chytil (upper-body injury) in the lineup on Saturday against Boston, relays Mollie Walker of the New York Post. Both players were injured on Thursday (Copp’s came after scoring a natural hat trick in the first period) and are currently listed as day-to-day.
East Notes: Staal, Ristolainen, Trocheck
Marc Staal’s first season with the Red Wings was good enough that the team re-signed him to a one-year, $2MM contract for this one, a deal that also carried a full no-move clause. Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News feels there’s a scenario where Detroit could go that route again with the 35-year-old blueliner. Staal is logging just shy of 17 minutes a night on their back end and can still contribute defensively and on the penalty kill, making him a useful veteran for a team that’s still rebuilding. Staal recently said that he enjoys being with Detroit and considering he controls his destiny when it comes to a trade, there’s a chance that he isn’t flipped by the trade deadline.
Elsewhere in the East:
- Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is targeting Monday as his return from his upper-body injury, notes Giana Han of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). The veteran has had a tough first season with Philadelphia with just 11 points in 42 games while logging just over 21 minutes a game. Nevertheless, he remains one of the more notable pending unrestricted free agent blueliners that should be on the move between now and the March 21st trade deadline as the Flyers will likely want to recoup at least some of what they paid to get him at the draft (blueliner Robert Hagg, a 2021 first-round pick, and a 2023 second-rounder) if they can’t extend him before then.
- Hurricanes center Vincent Trocheck left tonight’s game against Nashville with an upper-body injury (Twitter link). The pending UFA has had a nice contract year with 32 points in 48 games while winning over 53% of his faceoffs.
Metropolitan Notes: Trocheck, Pulock, Zohorna
The Hurricanes plan to revisit extension talks with pending UFA center Vincent Trocheck soon, GM Don Waddell told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription link). The two sides discussed a new deal earlier in the season but tabled those talks when there was no progress being made. The 28-year-old has done a nice job rebuilding his value since coming over in a trade from Florida in 2020. At that time, his role and production have dipped but with Carolina, he has become an important part of their top six while becoming particularly sharp at the faceoff dot. He’s playing at close to a 60-point pace this season and knowing how high the demand for quality centers can be in free agency, his camp can certainly make a case for an increase on his current $4.75MM AAV. However, that type of contract could be tough to fit into Carolina’s long-term cap structure.
More from the Metropolitan:
- While Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock returned to play in a pair of games before the All-Star Break, he told reporters, including Ethan Sears of the New York Post, that he still isn’t fully healthy. The 27-year-old, when healthy, is New York’s top blueliner and often logs over 22 minutes a game. However, he has missed most of the season with a lower-body injury and played under 17 minutes in both contests after his return. The All-Star break is well-timed for him in that respect as it gives him another extended rest to try to get back to full health to try to finish his season on a high note.
- While Penguins forward Radim Zohorna has seen very limited action with Pittsburgh (just six games this season after eight appearances last year), head coach Mike Sullivan still has high hopes for the 25-year-old. He told Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that they view Zohorna as someone that could be a top-nine piece for Pittsburgh moving forward. If Sullivan is that high on Zohorna’s upside, it will be interesting to see if they find a way to use him more regularly in the second half of the season.
Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Trocheck, Backstrom, Rangers
The Penguins had close to a full group at practice today with winger Jake Guentzel returning from COVID-19 protocol while center Sidney Crosby participated once again. However, head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters, including Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that those two as well as winger Zach Aston-Reese, have all been ruled out for tomorrow’s season-opener. However, Guentzel is a possibility to play on Thursday night while Crosby is unlikely to play on their road trip. An IR placement for him appears likely which could open up a roster spot for the expected signing of veteran Brian Boyle.
More from the Metropolitan:
- While Carolina placed center Vincent Trocheck on IR over the weekend, Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes’ team site notes (Twitter link) that the team remains optimistic that he will be available for their season-opener against the Islanders on Thursday. Trocheck had 43 points in 47 games last season while primarily playing on Carolina’s second line, a role he’s likely to reprise in 2021-22.
- Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom has been making progress as he works his way back from a hip injury but the team announced (Twitter link) that the veteran has been designated as injured/non-roster on their season-opening roster. Head coach Peter Laviolette told reporters, including NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti (Twitter link) that the 33-year-old has to start skating. As a result, it appears it will be a little while longer before Washington’s top pivot is in the lineup.
- While the Rangers were expected to name a captain before the season started, that is not the case. Instead, the team revealed (Twitter link) that they have named six alternates – defenseman Jacob Trouba plus forwards Barclay Goodrow, Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome, and Mika Zibanejad.
Metropolitan Notes: Domi, Trocheck, Ovechkin, Flyers
While he was expected to be out until at least November, Blue Jackets forward Max Domi has progressed quicker than anticipated in his recovery from shoulder surgery back in June to the point where he could be ready for next week’s season-opener. To that end, the team announced today that he’ll be in their preseason finale tonight against Pittsburgh to assess his readiness to start the season. The injury plus his $5.3MM cap hit resulted in Columbus leaving him unprotected in expansion with Seattle shying away. While Domi’s long-term future with the team remains somewhat uncertain after a tough first year with them, it looks like he’ll have a full season or very close to it which should help his value on the open market next summer and in the trade market in the months to come.
More from the Metropolitan:
- While the Hurricanes haven’t yet started extension discussions with Vincent Trocheck, GM Don Waddell told John Matisz of The Score that they do intend to sit down at some point to try to work out a long-term deal. Trocheck’s first ‘full’ season in Carolina was a strong one as he notched 43 points in 47 games last season so it’s understandable that they’d want to keep him around. However, youngsters Martin Necas and Jesperi Kotkaniemi – both natural centers – are in need of new deals as well next summer and it’s possible that they could view one of them as a replacement for Trocheck if his asking price gets too high. He has a $4.75MM AAV this season and should be getting more than that on his next deal.
- Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin will be re-evaluated today after leaving Friday’s game with a lower-body injury, relays Samantha Pell of the Washington Post. He was injured in the first period on a hit on Philadelphia winger Travis Konecny.
- Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher acknowledged to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer that they may start the season with a minimum-sized roster in order to bank some extra salary cap space early on. Philadelphia’s campaign begins with four games at home and with their farm team in Allentown fairly close by, they can carry the minimum knowing they can recall someone without much difficulty over that first week of the season.
Injury Notes: Bozak, Trocheck, Bruins, Kings
After a month-and-a-half on the sidelines, St. Louis Blues forward Tyler Bozak is finally making some progress toward a return. Speaking to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, head coach Craig Berube displayed optimism when discussing the health of his veteran center, who was back at practice on Friday. “He’s gonna get some work here in the next few days and he could be available soon,” Berube said. “It’s good to see him out there and working… making some real good progress.” Bozak has not played since January 26th, when he was forced out of game against the Vegas Golden Knights with an apparent concussion. With the Blue about to embark on a six-game road trip, they will have to decide if bringing Bozak is the right move or if he requires additional time before his return. While St. Louis also just got Vladimir Tarasenko back and Oskar Sundqvist returned from a short-term injury, they could still use all the help they can get. Colton Parayko, Jaden Schwartz, Ivan Barbashev, Robert Thomas, Jacob De La Rose, and more are still among the Blues’ injured.
- The news on Carolina Hurricanes forward Vincent Trocheck does not sound as optimistic. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour tells The Athletic’s Sara Civian that Trocheck’s recent upper-body injury will keep him sidelined for “longer than hoped”. The coach held back on providing any definitive timeline, but any long-term absence for Trocheck will be a major loss for the team. In his first full season with the Hurricanes, Trocheck has been a point-per-game player and is tied with Sebastian Aho for the team’s scoring lead. If there is one silver lining for Carolina, it is that the injury occurred before the trade deadline; with a considerable amount of cap space, the ‘Canes still have time to bring in help to make up for an extended period without Trocheck.
- Back on the positive side, the Boston Bruins have been dealing with an onslaught of injuries for some time, but there could be some help on the way. Head coach Bruce Cassidy announced today that veteran defenseman Kevan Miller has resumed skating and is likely to travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. Miller has been resting his surgically-repaired knee, but seems like he is ready to get back on the ice. Cassidy also said that defenseman Brandon Carlo is “coming around” and, while he is unsure if it will happen, there is at least some consideration that he could travel as well. This is the first concrete update on Carlo since he was hospitalized by a high hit from Washington’s Tom Wilson, but its seems that Carlo will not be out for a lengthy period as many feared.
- It’s a scary time for any unknown illness given the shadow of the Coronavirus, so the Los Angeles Kings played it safe and cancelled practice this morning, citing an “illness” spreading around the group. Head coach Todd McLellan and the Kings do not believe that this is COVID, but a seasonal virus. However, the team will wait to see what their latest batch of test results say. Defenseman Olli Maatta is currently on the league’s COVID Protocal Related Absences list, though Alex Iafallo missed the team’s last game with similar symptoms and did not test positive for COVID. Obviously, the hope of all involved is that this is what McLellan believe it to be: some unrelated bug going around the locker room.