Blackhawks re-sign Marcus Kruger, low Canadian dollar could scuttle Quebec expansion bid & more in today’s collection of NHL headlines.
Notable NHL Game Recaps.
Bruins winger Brad Marchand scores in overtime against the Lightning.
BOSTON HERALD: Brad Marchand scored the only goal and Jonas Gustavsson made 42 saves to carry the Boston Bruins to a 1-0 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
TSN.CA: New York Islanders goalie Jaroslav Halak picked up his 200th career NHL win, but also was forced from the game late in the third period with a possible groin injury, backstopping his club to a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Alex Galchenyuk scored twice to lift the Canadiens to a 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars. Galchenyuk’s been red hot of late, with nine goals and an assist in his last seven games. It was a costly loss for the Stars, as defenseman Jason Demers left the game with a suspected neck injury that could sideline him for the rest of the season.
Injury Update.
CBC SPORTS: Speaking of the Canadiens, winger Brendan Gallagher will miss the next 2-3 weeks with a lower-body injury.
NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Dylan McIlrath (right kneecap) could be sidelined another two weeks.
THE SCORE: Toronto Maple Leafs defensman Matt Hunwick will undergo season-ending sports hernia surgery.
Notable NHL Headlines.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE: The Blackhawks re-signed center Marcus Kruger to a three-year, $9.25 million contract extension.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The annual cap hit is worth just over $3 million. It’s a fair and affordable new deal for Kruger, who’s been a invaluable depth player for the ‘Hawks. However, it bites further into the Blackhawks limited cap space for next season. Expect GM Stan Bowman to shed some salary, including another attempt to move out winger Bryan Bickell’s $4 million cap hit for 2016-17.
CSNPHILLY.COM: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Mark Streit recently played his 700th NHL game.
SPORTSNET: Quebecor chairman and former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney admits the weakened Canadian dollar has hampered his group’s bid to bring an NHL expansion franchise to Quebec City.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Canadian dollar is slow to significantly rebound from its current value, I wonder if the league could shift its view from Quebec City to an American-based city like Seattle or Portland?
ESPN.COM: An undiagnosed concussion might have contributed to the 1968 on-ice death of Minnesota North Stars forward Bill Masterton.
OTTAWA SUN: The NHLPA is reportedly seeking a tax exemption for Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators players from paying into the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan.
It could make more sense to use expansion to ballance out the conferences and use Quebec as a relocation option down the road.
“OTTAWA SUN: The NHLPA is reportedly seeking a tax exemption for Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators players from paying into the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan.”
Good luck trying to get Wynne to come around on THAT proposal!
I’m really looking forward to the summer to see how teams like Chicago manage their cap issues. With Kruger getting 3,083,333 per season Chicago has 61,008,309 committed to 15 players next season. They have Bickell buried at a cap hit of 3,050,000; saving 900K against the cap, Runblad at 100,000K & Scuderi salary retained next season at 1,125,000. That’s 65,283,309 with Bickell; 15 signed players, buried or 66,183,309 with Bickell; 16 signed roster players, on the roster. Meaning Chicago needs to sign 7 or 8 players depending upon Bickell’s status with the team. The only way their getting anyone to take that contract is with a serous enticement. At least a 2nd round pick or a solid prospect like Hartman, possibly even both.
Shaw is an RFA & if Kruger is worth 3 mil per surely Shaw deserves more? His stats an ice time are significantly better than Kruger’s. Is Kruger their 3rd or 4th line C? Is Teravainen a C or LW? Shaw a C, RW or LW?
Going to be an interesting summer.
As long as the Canadian dollar stays 70-75 cents I don’t think they’ll even let a team move to Canada.
I agree. It’s to bad as they would immediately be receiving revenue sharing as limited & restrictive as it is. Being in the East doesn’t help their cause either. They most likely accommodate Carolina when they final move, when ever that might be.
People can talk about Portland or Seattle but Seattle doesn’t have a suitable building & won’t for a very long time & the 1 on the drawing board is designed for Basketball 1st which don’t suit hockey very well. Portland does have the Moda Center which sits 18,280 for hockey but no ownership group has ever come forward.
If the only team entering the NHL in the next round of expansion is Vegas; 15 million per team, that’s to bad. Quebec City deserves to have a team but the current market conditions look bleak for this round. I’m hoping greed; 15 million dollars per team, fear; cap issues being solved for existing teams with 2 teams entering the next round, & common sense; long term growth of revenue, will prevail.