NHL Eastern Conference Wild Card Playoff Chase Update
NHL Eastern Conference Wild Card Playoff Chase Update
Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 1, 2020
Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – March 1, 2020
Can the Golden Knights be forced to choose between Robin Lehner or Marc-Andre Fleury this summer? Could a shakeup come for the Ducks’ core in the off-season? Find out in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.
COULD THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS FACE A CHOICE BETWEEN LEHNER OR FLEURY THIS SUMMER?
LAS VEGAS SUN: Justin Emerson wondered what the Vegas Golden Knights’ acquisition of Robin Lehner at the trade deadline means for their goaltending tandem. Lehner is an unrestricted free agent this summer. The club, as a rule, doesn’t acquire playoff rental players, but GM Kelly McCrimmon said it was done to shore up their backup goaltending.
Does the Golden Knights’ acquisition of Robin Lehner put Marc-Andre Fleury’s tenure with the club into question? (Photo via NHL Images)
Emerson wonders if they might consider re-signing Lehner and trade Marc-Andre Fleury, though he considers the latter scenario unlikely. Fleury is the face of the franchise, popular among his teammates, and carries a 10-team no-trade clause. Nevertheless, Lehner is younger and has better stats than Fleury this season.
Emerson notes Lehner’s an upgrade over Malcolm Subban and could be an upgrade over Fleury. The Golden Knights lack an obvious successor for Fleury within their system. Re-signing Lehner, however, could prove expensive, as he could seek as much as Fleury’s annual average value of $7 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights had no choice but to bring in a reliable backup for Fleury. Subban wasn’t getting the job done, there were no decent options in the trade market under contract beyond this season, and they couldn’t pass up an opportunity to bring in Lehner. The Golden Knights see themselves as a Cup contender, so they had to ensure they had the goaltending depth to get them there.
If Lehner outplays Fleury and carried the Knights to the Cup, maybe McCrimmon will try to trade Fleury and re-sign Lehner. Even then, that’s not a certainty. They can’t afford to keep them both. They got over $72 million invested in 14 players for 2020-21.
MORE CHANGES COMING TO THE DUCKS?
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Following last Monday’s NHL trade deadline, Elliott Teaford reported Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray said he was concerned over a lack of leadership among some of his veterans, though he declined to name them. He also said he didn’t consider moving any of them at the deadline. “Not at this time,” he said. “But we can’t be talking about this at the same time next year.” Murray maintained his roster had to get younger and faster.
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens noted Murray remains resistant to shaking up his roster core. Those who were traded (Ondrej Kase, Nick Ritchie) were promising but considered supplementary players. Stephens feels they were as valuable to the Ducks as Ryan Getzlaf, Jakob Silfverberg, Rickard Rakell, Josh Manson, Adam Henrique, Hampus Lindholm or Cam Fowler. Nevertheless, Murray was displeased with the inconsistent play of his core group this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murray will likely spend the remainder of the season evaluating his roster as he lays the groundwork for the off-season. He may have been unwilling to move anyone from his core this season, but perhaps he could be tempted to trade one of them for the right offer this summer.
Manson and Fowler popped up in the rumor mill this season, though that was mostly fans and pundits musing over their availability. Some in Leafs Nation would love to see Manson traded to Toronto, while Fowler was linked to the Montreal Canadiens earlier this season.
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2020
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 1, 2020
Leon Draisaitl reaches 100 points, David Pastrnak gets closer to 50 goals, Steven Stamkos sidelined six-to-eight weeks, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
NHL.COM: Leon Draisaitl became the first player this season to reach 100 points as the Edmonton Oilers downed the Winnipeg Jets 3-2. Draisaitl led the way with two goals and an assist, giving him a league-leading 102 points. The Oilers (76 points) move into sole possession of second place in the Pacific Division, while the Jets (72 points) remain just outside the Western Conference wild-card picture.
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl reached 100 points for the second straight season (Photo via NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barring injury or a slump, Draisaitl is well on his way to winning the Art Ross Trophy and should be considered a serious contender for the Hart Memorial Trophy. He stepped up his game during captain Connor McDavid’s recent absence due to injury.
David Pastrnak tallied his 47th goal and Tuukka Rask turned in a 25-save shutout as the Boston Bruins down the New York Islanders 4-0. Charlie McAvoy had a three-point performance for the Bruins (94 points), who hold a seven-point lead atop the Eastern Conference and overall standings. Before the game, the Islanders honored Butch Goring by retiring his No. 91. Isles winger Cal Clutterbuck returned to action for the first time since suffering an injured wrist on Dec. 19.
After taking a 3-0 lead, the Tampa Bay Lightning held on for a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames. Earlier in the day, the Lightning learned captain Steven Stamkos will be sidelined six-to-eight weeks as he undergoes surgery on Monday to repair a core muscle injury. With 87 points, they sit second to the Bruins in the Eastern Conference standings. The Flames, meanwhile, hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 73 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos could return in time for the opening round of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Ryan O’Reilly’s shootout goal gave the St. Louis Blues a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars, who rallied from a 3-1 deficit to force the overtime and shootout frames. It was the Blues’ seventh straight win, giving them 88 points and a three-point lead over the Colorado Avalanche for first place in the Western Conference. The Stars (81 points) slip four behind the second-place Avs in the Central Division.
The Avalanche picked up their eighth straight road win and sixth consecutive victory by beating the Nashville Predators 3-2. Pavel Francouz made 30 saves for the win. The Avs (85 points) sit three behind the first-place Blues in the Central Division, while the Predators (72 points) hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with three games in hand over the Winnipeg Jets.
Martin Jones made 30 saves as the San Jose Sharks blanked the slumping Pittsburgh Penguins 5-0. The Penguins (80 points) are third in the Metropolitan Division, but they’ve dropped six straight games.
Martin Marincin’s first goal of the season proved to be the game-winner as the Toronto Maple Leafs doubled up the Vancouver Canucks 4-2. Auston Matthews tallied his 45th goal of the season for the Leafs (78 points), who’ve won three straight and hold a five-point lead over the fading Florida Panthers for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Canucks (74 points) remain in third place in the Pacific Division.
The Panthers, meanwhile, suffered their sixth straight defeat by dropping a 3-2 shootout decision to the Chicago Blackhawks. Jonathan Toews had a goal and an assist in regulation and scored one of the Hawks’ two shootout goals. Mike Hoffman also had a goal and an assist for the Panthers (73 points), who sit five back of the Maple Leafs. Earlier in the day, the Blackhawks announced Andrew Shaw (concussion) and Zack Smith (hand injury) are done for the season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those moves the Panthers made at the trade deadline have done nothing thus far to improve their performance. If they don’t snap out of their funk soon, they can forget about reaching the playoffs, and general manager Dale Tallon could start worrying about his job security.
The Montreal Canadiens blew a 3-0 lead to the Carolina Hurricanes but won the game 4-3 on an overtime goal by Jeff Petry. With 75 points, the Hurricanes are one point behind the idle Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern wild-card spot.
Clayton Keller tallied twice and collected an assist to lead the Arizona Coyotes to 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. The Coyotes (72 points) are sitting just outside the Western Conference wild-card spots. Sabres rookie Victor Olofsson left the game with an injured right leg.
Artem Anisimov scored two goals and the winner in a shootout as the Ottawa Senators nipped the Detroit Red Wings 4-3, handing the latter their fifth straight loss.
Adrian Kempe scored in overtime as the Los Angeles Kings edged the New Jersey Devils 2-1.
CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins was diagnosed with a concussion, but isn’t expected to be out of the lineup for long. Defenseman Ryan Murray will return to action today against the Canucks. He’s been sidelined by a back injury since Dec. 14.
Building Through The Draft is No Guarantee Of NHL Success
Building Through The Draft is No Guarantee Of NHL Success
NHL Rumor Mill – February 29, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – February 29, 2020
Check out the latest on the Rangers plus recent updates on Shayne Gostisbehere and Tyson Jost in today’s NHL rumor mill.
FLYERS WEREN’T SHOPPING GOSTISBEHERE AT THE TRADE DEADLINE
NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Jordan Hall reported the Philadelphia Flyers weren’t shopping Shayne Gotisbehere contrary to speculation on social media. Even if they were, his trade stock is low due to injuries and a career-worst performance this season.
General manager Chuck Fletcher admitted teams had called about the 26-year-old defenseman. “Nothing really makes sense right now to me to move one of our seven D unless we’re getting a really great impact player back in some area,” he said. “Those types of trades usually don’t happen right now.”
Despite trade speculation, Shayne Gostisbehere remains with the Philadelphia Flyers (Photo via NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It wasn’t just on social media where Gostisbehere surfaced in trade rumors. His name was floated more than once in the press, especially last fall when he was linked to the Montreal Canadiens.
Nevertheless, Fletcher admitted teams had made inquiries, but it’s apparent he wasn’t going to get back a solid return. That might not stop rival general managers from seeing if they can get him on the cheap.
LATEST ON THE RANGERS
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes the Rangers trading Brady Skjei to the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline means they won’t have to rip up the roster to accommodate new contracts for restricted free agents such as Ryan Strome and Tony DeAngelo. He also feels they won’t have to trade winger Pavel Buchnevich to get under next season’s salary cap.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers are in a better spot cap-wise for next season, but they’re not out of the woods yet. They have over $67 million invested in 15 players for 2020-21.
With Skjei off the books and Kreider re-signed, they have sufficient room to re-sign RFAs DeAngelo, Strome. Alexandar Georgiev and Brendan Lemieux, as well as UFA winger Jesper Fast if they wish. The arbitration rights held by those RFAs could complicate things. If they seek much more than the Rangers are willing to spend, it’ll quickly eat up that cap space.
They could pass on Fast, or consider trading one of those RFAs this summer if their asking prices prove too expensive. They could walk away from an arbitration ruling, or maybe move Buchnevich or somebody else to make room for the new salaries. If they’re looking at adding someone, that could also lead to a cost-cutting deal.
DOES JOST STILL HAVE A FUTURE WITH THE AVALANCHE?
THE ATHLETIC: Following the trade deadline, Ryan S. Clark wondered if Tyson Jost still has a future with the Colorado Avalanche. The 21-year-old center popped up in the rumor mill leading up to the recent trade deadline. He’s spent 31 games as their fourth-line center this season and has shuffled up on the lineup due to injuries. A healthy roster might not leave much room for Jost.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Jost isn’t traded this summer, next season could prove crucial to his future with the Avs. Clark suggests he could be left unprotected in the 2021 expansion draft.
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 29, 2020
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 29, 2020
Chris Kreider sidelined with a fractured foot, the red-hot Golden Knights and Flyers continue their winning ways and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Jakub Voracek tied a career-high with four assists as the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the New York Rangers 5-2, snapping the latter’s nine-game road winning streak. Claude Giroux also scored twice as the Flyers (81 points) moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division. It was a costly loss for the Rangers (74 points) as winger Chris Kreider suffered a fractured foot in the first period. They remain two points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider suffered a fractured foot on Friday against the Philadelphia Flyers (Photo via NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lengthy absence for Kreider could prove fatal to the Rangers’ playoff hopes. He sits third among the Blueshirts in goals (24) and provides a physical presence to their forward lines.
The Flyers vaulted over the Pittsburgh Penguins (80 points), who dropped a 3-2 decision to the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson made 28 saves as the Ducks held on for the win. Jason Zucker scored both goals for the Penguins, who’ve lost five straight games.
Netminder Robin Lehner stopped 32 shots for his first victory with the red-hot Vegas Golden Knights by doubling up the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. Reilly Smith tallied twice for the Golden Knights (80 points), who’ve won eight straight and hold a six-point lead atop the Pacific Division. Vegas winger Mark Stone missed the game with a lower-body injury.
Minnesota Wild goaltender Alex Stalock kicked out 24 shots to blank the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-0, with Zach Parise scoring a goal and setting up two others. The Wild (71 points) are just one point out of a wild-card berth in the Western Conference. The Jackets have lost 10 of their last 11 games and cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 76 points. Jackets winger Alexander Wennberg returned to action for the first time in 12 games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: These are two teams going in different directions. The Wild have won six of their last 10 and are rising in the Western standings, while the Blue Jackets are danger of tumbling out of a playoff spot.
The Colorado Avalanche picked up their fifth straight win by edging the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2. Avs goalie Pavel Francouz turned aside 45 shots while Tyson Jost tallied two goals. Colorado (83 points) moved three points ahead of the Dallas Stars for second place in the Central Division. Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho extended his points streak to 14 games. Carolina sits two points behind the Blue Jackets.
HEADLINES
WINNIPEG SUN: Jets winger Patrik Laine remains doubtful for tonight’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. Laine took a shot off his foot in Wednesday’s win over Washington. X-rays revealed he didn’t suffer any broken bones.
SPORTSNET: Oilers defenseman Mike Green will be sidelined three-four weeks with a knee injury.
NEWSDAY: The New York Islanders loaned winger Josh Ho-Sang to the St. Louis Blues’ AHL affiliate in San Antonio. Sources also say the Islanders will play all their playoff games this season and next at Nassau Coliseum, as well as their entire 2020-21 regular-season schedule. The Isles are expected to begin playing in their new arena at Belmont Park in 2021-22.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The AHL approved the transfer of ownership of the San Antonio Rampage to the Golden Knights, “as well as the relocation of the franchise to Henderson/Las Vegas.”