Midseason NHL Sophomore Stock Watch for 2019-20
Midseason NHL Sophomore Stock Watch for 2019-20
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 13, 2020
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 13, 2020
The Devils fire GM Ray Shero, Jonathan Huberdeau become the highest-scoring Panther in franchise history, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The New Jersey Devils 3-1 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning was overshadowed by their firing of general manager Ray Shero an hour before game time. Assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald takes over on an interim basis while Martin Brodeur moved to a role in hockey operations. The Devils’ victory brought the Lightning’s 10-game win streak to an end. The Devils also recalled goaltender Cory Schneider. Winger Kyle Palmieri missed the game with a lower-body injury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shero’s firing caught many observers off-guard. Ownership didn’t cite any specific reason, other than the club’s poor record this season. With the club poised to miss the playoffs for the fourth time in five years under Shero, they felt it was time for a change in the front office.
Shero made several positive moves during his tenure with the Devils, including the acquisitions of Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri and taking Nico Hischier with the first-overall pick in the 2017 Draft. However, his inability to suitably address his club’s defensive and goaltending issues hampered their development and led to his downfall. I’ll have more on the Devils in the Rumors section.
The New Jersey Devils fired general manager Ray Shero (Photo via NHL.com).
Florida Panthers winger Jonathan Huberdeau became the highest-scoring player in franchise history in an 8-4 thumping of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Huberdeau scored and collected an assist for his 420th point, surpassing Olli Jokinen as their all-time points leader. Mike Hoffman scored twice while Aleksander Barkov and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and two assists. Mitch Marner scored twice for the Leafs.
Earlier in the day, the Panthers called up goaltender Sam Montembeault as starter Sergei Bobrovsky was sidelined with an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s practice. Leafs forward Andreas Johnsson returned to the lineup after missing 15 games with a leg injury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 61 points, Huberdeau is enjoying a career season thus far. The 26-year-old left winger is among the league’s top-10 scorers and on pace for a career-high 110 points.
Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat scored twice to lead his club to a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. J.T. Miller picked up two assists for the Canucks, who moved into third place (54 points) in the Pacific Division. Wild defenseman Greg Patertyn made his season debut after missing 44 games to core muscle surgery.
Teddy Blueger’s shootout goal gave the Pittsburgh Penguins a 4-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Evgeni Malkin collected two assists for the Penguins (61 points), who move within four points of the Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division. Niklas Hjalmarsson returned to the Coyotes lineup after missing 43 games with a lower-body injury.
Jusse Saros had a 28-save shutout and Kyle Turris scored the only goal as the Nashville Predators blanked the Winnipeg Jets 1-0. Predators captain Roman Josi’s points streak ended at 12 games. Jets defenseman Tucker Poolman left the game in the first period with an injured right leg.
The Buffalo Sabres rolled to a 5-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings, Evan Rodrigues tallied twice while teammate Jack Eichel picked up an assist to stretch his points streak to seven games. The Wings played without goaltender Jonathan Bernier, who’s dealing with a lower-body injury.
IN OTHER NEWS…
SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers winger Zack Kassian will have a hearing today with the NHL’s department of player safety regarding his altercation with Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk on Saturday. Kassian took offense to two hits from Tkachuk, punching the Flames winger and throwing him twice to the ice.
TSN: New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba was fined $5,000.00 for slashing St. Louis Blues defenseman Vince Dunn on Saturday.
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Stephen Johns played his first game in 22 months with their AHL affiliate Texas Stars. Johns had been sidelined by post-concussion headaches.
NHL Rumor Mill – January 6, 2020
NHL Rumor Mill – January 6, 2020
The latest on the Leafs and Blackhawks, plus an update on Chris Kreider in today’s NHL rumor mill.
tHE LATEST LEAFS SPECULATION
TORONTO STAR: In a recent mailbag segment, Kevin McGran was asked if he sees a scenario whereby the Toronto Maple Leafs make a move before the trade deadline for a backup goaltender or a stay-at-home defenseman. Given the Leafs’ limited salary-cap space, McGran believes any trade will have to be dollar-for-dollar.
TORONTO SUN: Michael Traikos speculates the Leafs’ recent call-up of Mason Marchment might suggest they’ll look for toughness before the trade deadline. However, there’s an argument to be made for the Leafs to build on their strength by adding another skilled player. Traikos acknowledges the Leafs aren’t built for grinding opponents down physically, but it can do so with offense.
THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel believes the emergence of winger Pierre Engvall provides an option for Leafs management to move another forward for help on the blueline. Perhaps Andreas Johnsson, Kaspari Kapanen or someone else gets moved before the trade deadline or in the off-season. Engvall’s a restricted free agent after this season. Siegel suggests the Leafs re-sign him to a two- to a four-year deal that trades a lower salary-cap hit for extra security.
Could the Toronto Maple Leafs shop a forward like Kasperi Kapanen for defensive help? (Photo via NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Conventional wisdom suggests the Leafs won’t get far in playoff hockey where the game tends to be more physical than during the regular season. That certainly proved the case in their last two postseason appearances.
While there can be a debate over skill versus toughness, I believe the Leafs’ biggest need remains a reliable backup for starter Frederik Andersen. If he struggles or becomes sidelined over the remainder of the season or in the playoffs, the Leafs are screwed. Given their limited salary-cap space, addressing that need or others means dollar-in, dollar-out, and that could mean giving up a good, affordable forward like Johnsson or Kapanen.
LATEST ON THE BLACKHAWKS
THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Mark Lazerus was asked if the Chicago Blackhawks might weaponize their newfound available cap space to acquire an asset. He thinks it would be poetic for the Blackhawks, who spent years shedding players due to limited cap space, to take advantage of a desperate club’s salary-cap constraints and take on some bad money for a sweetener or two.
It remains to be seen if Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman stands pat at this year’s deadline or attempt to bolster his roster for a run at the playoffs. Much will depend upon what unfolds over the next several weeks. They’ll also face decisions over pending UFAs like Corey Crawford and Erik Gustafsson. Crawford’s modified no-trade clause would limit efforts to move him.
Lazerus doesn’t see the Blackhawks trading defenseman Connor Murphy. Andrew Shaw’s recent concussion injury takes him off the trade table. Lazerus acknowledged recent reports indicating interest from rival clubs in winger Brandon Saad, but he believes it would take a significant offer to move him.
Scott Powers reports a league source claims the Blackhawks have attempted to shore up their defensive depth since the start of the season. Those efforts have been unsuccessful because rival clubs want prospects the Hawks aren’t willing to give up. Their newfound salary-cap space makes it possible to add a blueliner, but it’s complicated because they’ll only want to take on a rental player.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With defensemen Brent Seabrook and Calvin de Haan out for the season, the Blackhawks have an additional $10 million to work with if they want to add a player. The problem, however, is they have limited tradeable assets and don’t want to move their few promising prospects.
The Hawks would have better luck as sellers if they decide to move Crawford or Gustafsson. If they fail to gain ground in the standings over the next month, they could attempt to use their available cap space to take on another club’s toxic salary for this season if they can also get a quality draft pick or prospect as part of the return.
NO CANADIAN CLUBS FOR KREIDER?
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes Chris Kreider’s limited no-trade clause likely means he won’t be accepting a trade to a Canadian team. Brooks believes that’s why the Montreal Canadiens decided to sign winger Ilya Kovalchuk.