Taming the Wild

The Minnesota Wild were predicted to have a decent team this season and possibly make a push for the NHL post season, but things have not gone according to plan.

The hiring of GM Bill Guerin was a promising step in the right direction. Especially when, within a day of his GM announcement, he signed RFA Joel Eriksson EK to a new deal. 

He was very vocal about what he expected and thought he would see from his team.

Fast forward to now, and we find the Wild sitting at the bottom of the standings with a dismal record of 1-6-0. Not what was expected from this team.

This leads me to believe a few things.

The first thing is that some inconsistencies of the early season are really hurting this team. New players pushing for permanent roster spots make things difficult because you haven't developed chemistry, and they can sometimes do things that aren't expected which may have a positive outcome or sometimes a negative one.

Goaltending is another issue at the moment. Veteran starter Devan Dubnyk has struggled to begin this season. Posting an expanded GAA of 4.44 and a terrible .867 SV%, Dubnyk doesn't look like the rock between the pipes that Wild fans are used to seeing.

Injuries. Injuries have plagued the start of this season for the Wild.

Newly signed F Mats Zuccarello, who has only played in four games for the Wild, was recently moved to the IR when another Wild forward, Joel Eriksson EK, went down with an injury the other night.

Added to the injury list are forwards Victor Rask and Greg Pateryn.
Putting the injuries and inconsistencies together, things only get harder for the Wild.

The last thing I wonder about is coaching.

There are articles and stories abound about how good Bruce Boudreau is at coaching. He gets teams to win, and his record shows that. But, there are also rumors (unsubstantiated) about how he loses a room within a few years.

Even now, he has called out the Wild for their poor play, and was even called out himself by the players for needing to "change something".

I personally don't know a whole lot about Boudreau or his style of coaching, but I feel even if emotions are running high, the players in the locker room are starting to turn a little bit on the head coach.

Looking at his coaching contracts, Bruce always seems to get fired in he final year of a deal (albeit, it is only with two other teams). Which makes me wonder if he gives up a little or if the players give up on him.

All in all, the accumulation of all of these issues, does not help the Wild win games and make it to the NHL Playoffs.

The inconsistencies, the injuries and the coaching have all amounted to a whopping two points for this squad. Placing this team dead last in the NHL to this point. Yes there are still a lot of games left. And who knows, if the St. Louis Blues can be dead last at January 1 last season and win the Stanley Cup, there is still hope for Minnesota.

For now, my prediction is that Bruce Boudreau is the first head coach relieved of his duties this season, and Wild will struggle for most of the year. They

won't make the playoffs and you may see a "fire sale" of players come the trade deadline.

Josh Ho-Sang Part 2

In my previous post about Josh Ho-Sang, I sort of explained a little about his career and the turmoil that has surrounded him since being drafted by the New York Islanders.
I also mentioned at the end of the post that he still may be a good fit somewhere if a team were to take a chance on him.

In this post, I will have a look at where he may fit in the best, and make a guess about what the Islanders may get in return for him.

I read an article that has mentioned three teams that should explore or trade for Ho-Sang. In it, they state the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings and the Ottawa Senators as possible destinations.
Of the three teams mentioned, I believe the Sens would be the best option. Allow me to explain myself.

They have an abundance of draft picks available to trade away if they see fit, and they also have the lowest cap hit in the league currently.
With a somewhat aging and transitioning core group of players, adding Ho-Sang now, who is just coming into what may be his prime, could be the perfect option for all parties involved.
A line of Brady Tkachuk on the left wing, Ho-Sang in the middle and Colin White on the right wing, seems a like a long shot, but it would be a crash the net with speed type of line.
Two players (Ho-Sang and White) who can feed Tkachuk as he streaks to the cage seems like a good option.
I mean, lets face it. This seasons Sens team isn't anything special. They were labelled underdogs from the get go. So if they can add a piece that may help now, for a reasonably low price. Why wouldn't they?

If the Sens were to send a pick, say a 3rd or 4th rounder to the Islanders, or perhaps one of the accumulated 2nd round selections they have received from another team, (Columbus/Dallas in 2020 and Columbus/San Jose in 2021) the Islanders may listen.

Really who knows what the Islanders will want in return for Ho-Sang. Islanders GM Lou Lamorillo runs a tight ship, and may ask the world for a return. He knows what kind of player he is (just under a half point per game, and a playmaker) and the Islanders could use some speed to keep up with Mathew Barzal as he streaks down the ice.
Since I'm not familiar with the Sens prospects and their skill sets or anything like that, I'll leave that area alone. But I'm sure there could be a couple of players that would peak the interest of Lamorillo and the management team of the Islanders.

In the next little while there will be a shopping period for Ho-Sang and like I mentioned earlier, if no one bites on a deal, he will be reporting to Bridgeport Sound.
With his small sample size of NHL time, Ho-Sang could possibly make a difference for some NHL team, and possibly become part of a young core of players for a struggling team.

Josh Ho-Sang

If you have followed hockey for the last five years, you will have probably heard about the boiling battle between the New York Islanders and forward Joshua Ho-Sang.

It all finally came to a head just a couple of days ago when Ho-Sang asked the Islanders to trade him right after they waived him and sent him down to their minor league team, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.


After being drafted in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Ho-Sang was sent down to the OHL where he was traded from the Windsor Spitfires to the Niagara Ice Dogs. He played in 49 games for the Ice Dogs and accumulated 62 points during the regular season campaign, while adding another 16 points in just 11 games during the playoffs.


It was after that season when things start to get a little rocky for the Toronto native.
He was to attend the Islanders training camp at the start of the 2015-2016, but on the very first day, slept in and was sent back down to Niagara as punishment for his tardiness.
Even though he tried to brush the issue off, it was obvious he was frustrated with the decision.
That season for the Ice Dogs, Ho-Sang led the team in scoring and helped them reach the OHL finals where they eventually were beat by the London Knights.


Skip ahead to the 2016 Islanders training camp and Ho-Sang is eager to prove he can make the big club. Faced with questions right off the bat about weather or not he had an alarm set, he laughed off the jokes by saying he had multiple alarms set for the morning.
Having a fairly good camp, Ho-Sang was eventually sent down to the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he would spend the majority of the season.


Since then, Ho-Sang has made 53 NHL appearances, tallying a total of 24 points (7G-17A), and while trying to make an impression, never really was able to carve out a spot on the Islanders roster.


Finally after seasons of frustration, and being cut from the Islanders roster, Ho-Sang cracked.
On Sept 30 he was placed on waivers to be sent down the the AHL and that was the last straw for the 23 year old. He (through his agent) told the Islanders that he would like to be traded from the team. 
Once the Islanders received this request, President of Hockey Operations and GM, Lou Lamoriello told Ho-Sang to not bother reporting to Bridgeport Sound until told otherwise. If a trade can be made, it will be completed, but if one isn't able to be completed, that is it. He is then to report and then he is just there.
Strong words from the GM who has a well known reputation for being a little more strict/hard on his players than most.

It appears that Ho-Sang has finally pushed a little too far in Lamoriello's eyes. To be told that he will just "be there" if no trade is found is a strong statement. 
As of right now, there has been no further information or update about a possible trade, or any interested teams. Although teams could have snagged Ho-Sang as he passed through waivers, he still remains a tradeable asset. If bundled with another player or not, the Islanders will be looking for a fair return. They won't just give away a disgruntled playmaker like Ho-Sang.
There are a few teams that could use a player with his skill and playmaking ability, but the question will be weather or not they want to take a chance on someone with such skill but a seemingly disgruntled past.

Does the Jets D ground them?

With signing RFA hold outs, Patrick Laine and Kyle Connor complete, the Winnipeg Jets are looking to not only repeat, but out due their performance from last season.
There is one major hiccup with that plan though. The defensive lineup the team will have available to them to start the season.

The Jets have lost Tyler Myers (Vancouver), Jacob Trouba (New York), Ben Chiarot (Ottawa) and recently Dustin Byfuglien (Personal). In short, the Jets defense core is decimated.

Tyler Myers signed a shiny new 5 year/30 million dollar deal with the Vancouver Canucks. Jacob Trouba was traded to the New York Rangers in exchange for defenceman Neal Pionk and the 1st round pick in the 2019 draft (Ville Heinola), and Ben Chiarot signed a free agency deal with the Montreal Canadians on July 4th for 10.5 million dollars over 3 years.

Now those are some large names from last season who have left the team over the last few months. And to top it all off, Dustin Byfuglien has asked (and been granted) for a personal leave from the team to decide his future of playing.
The plus side of the Byfuglien leave is that he can still come back. There are rumors out there right now that he has said he will return to Winnipeg soon and resume his role with the team. And for Jets fans that can't come soon enough.

With the disappointment of last seasons playoff exit still sitting in the back of their throats, the Jets appear to be aiming for a deeper run into the post season. They extended defenceman Josh Morrissey another eight years (starting in the 20/21 season), and they signed defenseman, and previously mentioned 2019 first round draft pick, Ville Heinola to a three year entry level deal. They still have Dmitry Kulikov in the line up and as well as newly acquired Neal Pionk.
Also as of today, they have acquired left handed, Swedish defenceman Carl Dahlstrom off of waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks.
So while some familiar names may be gone, the Jets have begun the task of restocking their roster to help them get through the regular season and beyond.

Will the new additions be able to soar to new heights carrying the load that will undoubtedly be placed on their shoulders, or will it be too much for them to handle and have it ground the team?

For me I feel the defense will crack a bit under the pressure and not be able to repeat their success from last season. I hope I'm wrong and we get to watch a Canadian team in the playoffs in the spring of 2020.

The Return

Hello again all.

After a couple of years away from posting on my hockey blog, I've decided that maybe I could get back into it a little.

My first post in my return will be about "my" team, the Vancouver Canucks!

I was reading through some recent articles surrounding the team and seeing who has survived the pre-season with out being cut and it made me think; will this team amount to anything this year? Or am I cheering for a draft pick already?

There is the obvious upside to the team with Bo Horvat, Brock Boeser and last seasons Calder Trophy winner, Elias Pettersson.
The middle of the road players who, if they have "up" seasons, could propel the team into the playoffs. Players like, Brandon Sutter, Michael Ferland and Jake Virtanen (all middle to bottom six forwards), need to have steps in the right direction to help this team accelerate their re-build/re-tool or whatever it is you want to call it.

Of the big three that I mentioned earlier, I would like to see, and expect, around 25-30 goals from each. Of course that is also dependent on if they can all stay healthy or not.

What are you doing, Chris Tierney? pic.twitter.com/Kjb6OJAnQt

— Daniel Wagner (@passittobulis) September 24, 2019

Since Boeser has already entered concussion protocol once this pre-season, it may be a stretch for them all make it through the grind of an 82 game season.

With all of that said about some of the forwards, it won't mean a thing if the defense on the team doesn't mesh and they can't keep the puck from entering their net.

The free agency addition of hometown boy Jordie Benn from the Montreal Canadians, the back end seemed to get a little more grit inserted into the lineup. He will add a nice veteran presence, along with Alex Edler, to the youthful squad on the blueline. But learning the in's and out's of a new team can take some time, no matter how much you are on the ice in the early stages of the season. I don't expect to see many growing pains from Benn, but you never know when it comes to new systems and coaches.

Young Quinn Hughes only had five games at the end of last season to show what he can do in the NHL, but he managed to tally three assists in those games and show everyone what he already believed; he was ready. Expect Hughes to pair up with a vet, probably Benn, in the early part of the season until he gets his feet wet and gets himself comfortable.

In net there is the same duo from most of last season. Jacob Markstrom and Thatcher Demko.
With a combined total of 32-26-10 record last year, (the rest of the games were covered by Anders Nilsson, Richard Bachman and Michael DiPietro) there is still room for improvement. Especially if they want to make the post season and prove their worth to this management team.
Markstrom will get the bulk of the starts again this year, but with decent numbers posted by Demko, he may be able to take a few more games off and relax a bit.
It seems that Markstrom performs better when he sees a lot of rubber fired at him. While Demko appears to play better when he sees consistent shots and play through the game.
When Demko has a lot of shots in a short period of time, he occasionally gets a little scrambled and the puck will then end up in the net.

While both goalies are good, they are not what you would call bonafide starters. Since Roberto Luongo, there hasn't been a solid (ok maybe Ryan Miller) starter in the lineup for the Canucks.  With one still seemingly missing, both of these goalies are going to have to work in tandem to stay consistent and perform well to help this team win some games.

With a lot of potential on the front end showing some heavy firepower, big bodies, speed and skill, the Canucks have a shot to make it through the regular season and into the post season. But like every other team out there, staying healthy and consistent will be the key.

Every hockey fan loves September/October, since it's the most optimistic time of year for both them and their teams. Myself included.

Jaromir Jagr and the Calgary Flames

After not receiving a NHL offer this past summer, it seemed that long time and multi team player, Jaromir Jagr, may be done playing in North America. But after lack luster pre-season performances from Curtis Lazar and Spencer Foo, the Flames brass thought it may be worth it to sign the Czech forward to play one more year in the NHL.

At 45 years old, Jagr adds one more team to his long list of stops during his career; and gets to add to his stats package that seems to scroll on forever when you look at it.

He currently sits 4th in all-time games played and has a chance to leap frog into 1st if this season pans out well for him and he can suit up for almost all of the remaining games. He is 3rd in goals scored, behind legends Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky. 5th overall in assists with a chance to gain a spot and pass Ray Bourque. And he is 2nd overall in points behind the untouchable Wayne Gretzky total of 2857, which is over 900 points on Jaromir's 1914.

Even last season with the Florida Panthers, Jagr managed to amass 46 points in 82 regular season contests which seems impossible given his age. The reason behind such a decent showing? Skill, hockey IQ, strength and seemingly never ending drive to want to play the game.

Many people know that Jagr has a habit of working out late into the night when at the arena and is often times one of the last ones out of the building. But what people may not see is the ability to teach young players new tricks and learn a new thing or two himself.  For a man who has seemingly done it all in the sport of hockey, he never seems finished with it. There is always a new technique to try, a new move to master and a new player for him to help turn into a pro. And what better teacher to have than the greatest Czech player of all time.

But what does it mean for some of his new teammates with his arrival? Well Spencer Foo was sent down to the AHL (Stockton Heat) and Curtis Lazar was given notice that if he doesn't pick it up, there will be more time in the press box in his future. Jagr didn't participate in last nights home opener for the Flames (6-3 W over the Jets), but all indications from his teammates were that he seemed ready during practice. He did mention in an interview that it's possible to see him play on the upcoming California road for the Flames, but it depends on how he feels before that decision will be made. That means that any player that possibly plays RW for the Flames may find themselves out of the line-up for a night or two or in a new position.

It's a given that Johnny Gaudreau, along with Sean Monahan and company will eventually get some playing time with the Czech veteran, but it remains to be seen how much and when that will happen. Rumor has it now that Jagr will see more 3rd line time with Sam Bennett and Kris Versteeg, and some potential time on the Power Play unit (either first or second).

Whenever it does happen, Flames fans are already rejoicing that Jagr has signed in their city and they  are looking forward to the first game he pulls that iconic #68 over his head wearing their colors.

2015 Young Star's Tournament

Each year rookie camps start a few weeks before main camps open up for NHL teams throughout the league. This season is no different, as rookies from all over are starting to report to their teams for up coming wellness evaluations and prospect camps/tournaments.
Once again this season the Vancouver Canucks are holding their Young Star's Tournament out in Penticton B.C. Here the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets will send prospects and contract hopefuls out to show their skills. All four of these teams have now released their rosters and some of them show some interesting information.
This is what I have noticed.

Calgary Flames:
-The Flames are sending the largest contingent to the tourney with 31 players attending, 16 currently under contract.
-They have the oldest player in the tournament. Bryce Van Brabant 23 years old (Nov.12, 1991)
-The most 23 year old players, four total.
-All five of their 2015 NHL Draft picks attending.
-Biggest player attending. Keegan Kanzig 6'7" 245 lbs. *Edmonton doesn't have ht/wt posted*

Edmonton Oilers:
-Have number one pick Connor McDavid attending.
-26 players on tournament roster.
-Most 18 year old players attending (9)
-3 of their 5 2015 NHL Draft picks are attending.
-Slepyshev is listed as playing RW for the tournament. Normally plays LW.
-Have nine players currently under contract attending tourney.
-Have most accumulated pro games on roster. (265) *Calgary doesn't have player stats listed*
-Only one 23 year old on roster. Joey Laleggia.

Vancouver Canucks:
-24 players attending tournament. 13 currently under contract.
-223 accumulated pro games on roster.
-Invited Mike Zalewski who's contract expired at end of 2014-15 season.
-4 of their 7 2015 NHL Draft picks attending.
-Missing Thatcher Demko and Brock Boeser from roster. (Both currently attending school)
-Moved defenseman Mackenze Stewart to forward on roster.

Winnipeg Jets:
-22 players attending tournament. Smallest group to attend. 13 players currently under contract.
-3 of their 8 2015 NHL Draft picks are attending.
-Multiple positional moves on roster. None are listed at new positions anywhere else.
   -Spacek from RW to C
   -Gennaro from C to LW
   -Ehlers from LW to RW
   -Lodge from C to RW
-209 accumulated pro games on roster.

While none of this information is blockbuster, some of it is interesting. With just under a month until the puck drops on the NHL regular season, the young players attending this tournament are hoping to make an impact and possibly get a NHL main camp invite.
I look forward to seeing what these players achieve in the coming weeks.

Thanks for reading.
Until next time.

Vancouver Canucks Young Star's Roster

The Vancouver Canucks are involved with a prospect tournament before the start of every season out in Penticton B.C. Each season the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets send some of their top prospects to compete with players along the same age lines and to showcase their skills.  This season the Canucks have released their roster before any other team and it has a couple of interesting things I've noticed on it.

Players not attending:
Thatcher Demko isn't attending this years Young Star's tournament and I can only assume that it is because he will already be at Boston College where he currently attends school and plays for their team.

Brock Boeser is the Canucks first round pick in this years NHL Entry Draft who was also left off of  the roster.  Much like Demko I feel that this is because Boeser is already a University of North Dakota commit who will most likely already be there attending school.

Many people are also wondering where Curtis Valk is and why his name isn't on the roster.  That's easy, it is because he isn't a prospect of the Canucks.  Last season he was invited to the Young Star's tourney by the Canucks and then afterwards, the Utica Comets signed him to a contract.  Utica also happens to be Vancouver's AHL affiliate.

Older Prospects:
The Canucks have added two names to their tourney roster who were not really expected to be on there.  23 year old Mike Zalewski and 24 year old Clay Witt.

Mike Zalewski is potentially still a Canucks prospect but his situation is an odd one.  He was under contract with the Canucks until the end of the 2014-15 season where the Canucks opted not to re-sign him. It appears that he is going to follow the same path that Valk did last season.  I would expect him to be signed by Utica or potentially a different AHL or ECHL team.

Clay Witt is a 24 year old goaltending prospect who is arriving in Penticton after spending last season with Northeastern in the NCAA.  He could possibly be the replacement for Demko for the tourney.

There is also a lot of speculation about how the Canucks can get away with these older players? The answer is because as long as the player hasn't played in 25 or more games in the NHL, they are able to attend the prospect tournament. Which is why you will not see Sven Baertschi's name on the roster.

The last thing that I noticed when going over the Canucks roster was that there has been a position change for a player.
Mackenze Stewart has changed from defense to forward according to the roster.  He is one of the biggest players attending the tourney for the Canucks at 6'3" and 216 lb's, so it is possible that Vancouver is transitioning him into a new role.  He has the size and strength to be a power forward if he can adapt to playing on the front end instead of manning the blueline.
Stewart plays for the WHL's Prince Albert Raiders, so as the season moves along, it will be worth tracking him and where he is playing position wise.

 As it stands, there are 13 players who are attending this tournament that are under contract with the club (according to Generalfanager.com). I would also expect to see about 8-10 players be invited to main camp later in September. Players like Hunter Shinkaruk, Jake Virtanen, Ben Hutton and Jared McCann.  Just so they get a taste of what is expected of them over the next few seasons.


Thanks for reading, and remember to +1, share, comment and follow.
Until next time.

Brandon Sutter's contract

Since the Vancouver Canucks traded Nick Bonino for Brandon Sutter there has been a bit of an uproar from the fan base questioning GM Jim Benning about what he is doing.
Many people, myself included, didn't like the trade of players who are similar in almost every area of the game because they felt they were losing something worth while.
While Brandon Sutter has more experience in the NHL and comes with a higher price tag, it's unfair to say that what the Canucks got in return isn't going to be worth it.
He may be that "foundation player" that Benning sees. And he might just break out of his shell a bit now since he isn't playing (somewhat) in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin's shadows anymore.
But we won't know any of that until the upcoming season gets rolling.

The only knock I have against Sutter at this very moment isn't even against him.  It's against the Canucks and it is the contract they signed Sutter to.
Don't get me wrong, if I was Brandon Sutter I would sign this deal too. But I think the Canucks could have gotten him for a little cheaper then they did.

I have taken a look at multiple players (all centers) in various categories and compared their contracts, more specifically their AAV, and their stats to Brandon Sutter and how they compare to what Sutter will now make on his new deal and tried to figure out what (I think) he should be worth.
The three categories were; centers with 33 points in the 2014-15 season (what Sutter had), career total points and games played totals.

I'll start with the players with 33 points in 2014-15.  The three players who were centers that ended the season with 33 points were; Eric Fehr (WAS) is the yellow dot, Darren Helm (DET) is the red dot and Mike Santorelli (TOR,NSH) is the blue dot. Sutter was obviously the green dot.
Eric Fehr just signed a new contract with Pittsburgh (presumably to replace Sutter) which is the contract I used.
Sutter (26) is the youngest player in this group by 2 years and Fehr and Santorelli are the oldest at 29 years old.
Looking at the AAV of all of the players, Sutter has more than double the AAV than the closest center with as many points.  So if he were to score 33 points again this upcoming season he would make $132,575.76 per point compared to Helm who would get $64,393.94 per point.  Seems like a lot, but it only goes up per point on the next graph.

So for the next graph I compared centers who are the next two below and the next two above Sutter in career point totals.  This one was a little harder to hone in on how much I thought that the Canucks should have paid him.  The two players above Sutter were not who I expected to see, and one of which I feel is overpaid as well.

Starting with the two below, there is; Colin Wilson was the blue dot (NSH) and Daniel Winnik was the red dot (TOR). The two above were; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was the yellow dot (EDM) and Artem Anisimov was the green dot (CHI). Sutter was the purple dot.

A lot more went into calculations than just the players AAV to career total points when I was trying to get a number I thought would work for Sutter.  Looking at how many games each player have played to get that number of points, RNH was the lowest at 258, as well as the length of the current contracts and when they were signed are a couple.  Also it is worth noting that the Anisimov contract I used doesn't actually start until the 2016-17 season because he signed an extension.  He will make an AAV of $3,283,222 this season which is the last year of his current deal.  So I think you found out who I feel was also overpaid a bit.

You can see Sutter is pretty much the middle of the road as far as AAV goes, with two extremes on the high and low side.  This group also has the widest spread in age ranges.  Oldest was Winnik at 30 years old and the youngest is RNH at 22 which also factors into how much each player should potentially earn on a contract.

The next and final graph that I have looks at games played total.  This was the hardest to try and figure out who is the best suitable contracts to compare to.  This is also a very grey area since injuries can hamper any player at any time which is fairly evident with a couple players on this list.

Starting once again with the two players who were below Sutter (purple).

First is the blue dot who is Steven Stamkos (TBL), then the red dot is Martin Hanzal (ARI).  The two above start with the yellow dot being Claude Giroux (PHI) and finally the green dot was Patrik Berglund.  All the players are fairly similar in age which ranges from 25-28, but the point totals are what are scattered all over the board. 2 are above 450 total points already in their careers and two are just shy of 250 point totals.  Sutter currently sits with 185 total career points.

So after looking at all of the players that I have compared to Sutter, I managed to pick 5 players I felt were good contracts to use as a base and range for what I think are good comparisons for where Sutter should be.  The five I chose are Martin Hanzal, Daniel Winnik, Colin Wilson, Darren Helm and Mike Santorelli. 
Some people might think I should have used other players I have mentioned but these are ones I found to be best suited in various ranges of length and amount that they are receiving.
Starting with length the highest comparison was the exact same to what he received at 5 years. 4 seems like a better number to me and that is where I settled.  5 wouldn't be a deal breaker but it's not what I would offer.
Next looking at the amount the others received made it a little harder.  I didn't think that there would be such a spread between all of the players I compared.  The range of the final 5 players goes from $1.5 million all the way up to $15.75 million total amounts on their contracts. 
Obviously I feel that the $21.875 million that Sutter is going to get is too much, but by how much.  Not a whole lot.  I think that looking at the other players ages and the various other stats made this decision a touch easier but still not just a stand out number,
I settled on the number of $3.5 million per season for the term I mentioned before of 4 years.
This would give a total of $14 million which I felt is fair.  Especially for a player who hasn't achieved better than 35 points in his last 5 seasons where he has only missed 3 games in that time frame.
You could obviously set performance bonuses to help boost Sutter motivation for stronger play, as well as signing bonuses.  On Sutter's contract with Vancouver he is set to receive $1 million per season signing bonus for the full term of his deal, so that is something else to look at.

In the end a 4 year contract worth $14 million with an AAV of $3.5 million would be (I feel) exactly where Sutter should have fallen in.  This gives you his possible break out years, where he isn't hidden behind Crosby and Malkin, at a decent rate that leaves you room for other players if needed.  A signing bonus would seem fine with me at an amount of $1 million for 2 of his 4 years. Then toss in some performance bonuses for incentive (make the playoffs, reach certain amount of points etc) and you would have a good contract.

All in all there is no changing what Sutter will be making, but I'm sure that the 4 year deal I came up with would possibly sit better with Canuck fans. But who knows.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment on, +1 and share this post with others.

Until next time.

Jacob Markstrom

Year after year it seems that the Vancouver Canucks have goaltending questions that always leads to controversy.  Luongo and Schneider, Luongo and Lack, Miller and Lack, and now Miller and Markstrom.  But the question this year isn't if Markstrom is going to steal away the starting job from Miller, but if he is ready to make the jump to a full time player in the NHL.

Markstrom spent 4 seasons in Florida before he was traded to the Canucks in the Roberto Luongo trade in the 2013-14 season.  While he was with the Panthers he played in 43 games and started 38 of those.
His numbers over the 4 seasons in Florida were not the best, posting a 11-25-5 record with a .898 SV% and a 3.20 GAA.  His best season (numbers wise) came in 2011-12 when he played in 7 games, starting in 6 of those, and he achieved a decent .923 SV% and a 2.66 GAA.  The next season he started in 23 games for the Panthers where he had a record of 8-14-1 and a SV% of .901 and a GAA of 3.22. 
Granted the Panthers were not the best team in the NHL those seasons.  They were a team trying to make the cap floor and slowly rebuild back to where they could be competitive in the post lock out NHL.
Markstrom seemed to struggle in the NHL at his young age and was really just thrown into the fire with the Panthers mostly due to injuries.

Move forward now to the 2013-14 season after Markstrom was traded to the Canucks.  Markstrom saw very little time in the NHL (4 games) after the trade and was re-assigned to the AHL affiliate Utica Comets where it seems Jacob flourishes.

In all of his time in the AHL, Jacob Markstrom has posted some seriously good numbers and even helped lead the Utica Comets to the AHL Calder Cup finals in the 2014-15 season.
Over 5 seasons in the AHL, Markstrom has played in 163 games with a record of 83-65-9 and has a very respectable 2.48 GAA and a .921 SV%. 
His best season was last season where he played in 32 games for Utica and went 22-7-2.  He posted a 1.88 GAA and a .934 SV% in the regular season, and went on to start in 23 games for the Comets in the play offs where the Comets ended up losing to the Manchester Monarchs in the finals.

So when people look at Jacob Markstrom and say he isn't any good, look again.
He is only 25 years old now and has been up and down getting little bits of  NHL experience for the last 5 seasons.  Although his time so far in the NHL hasn't been stellar, his numbers in the AHL are great, and he has tons of potential.
The biggest question is weather or not he can convert that AHL confidence into NHL confidence.  Being a full time back up to Ryan Miller this season should help out a great deal.  Learning the game at the highest level with an elite, although slightly fading, goaltender in front of him will help Jacob's game.  He will learn skills not only Miller, but goaltending coach Roland Melanson should also help elevate the 25 year old's game to the NHL platform.
Markstrom recently signed a 2 year, one way contract worth $3.1 million, (an AAV of $1,550,000) which shows the confidence that the Canucks management team has in the young goalie. 
Trevor Linden has recently compared Markstrom to Crawford (Chicago) and Bishop (Tampa Bay) not for their numbers or contracts, but their age and when they managed to break into the NHL.  Goaltenders sometimes take longer to develop and make the transition from AHL to NHL and it seems that Markstrom is no different.  Once he gets his routine down and his comfort level up, Markstrom could once again force a difficult decision upon the Canucks management. 
I wouldn't expect to see him get a bunch of starts this season, but he will see his fair share.  And if Miller should go down due to injury, Markstrom could get his time to shine, much like Eddie Lack did.  Although I feel that trading away Eddie Lack was a bad move, I look forward to seeing how Markstrom progresses and develops at the NHL level.  I hope he proves all the doubters wrong.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to share this post or comment on it with your thoughts.

Until next time.

Can Calgary repeat thier 2014-15 success?

Being one of the surprise teams in the 2014-15 season, the Calgary Flames saw great success from a group of players that weren't expected to produce the way they did. Their young players stepped up and filled roles that weren't expected of them and their defense was one of the best in the league as far as point production was considered.  They fought through highs and lows and a serious injury that took captain Mark Giordano out of the picture from late February and kept him sidelined the remainder of the season.
Veteran players like Jiri Hudler had career seasons posting numbers they haven't seen before; and young players like Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan had some incredible seasons with both posting 60+ point seasons.
Skeptics (myself included) expected them to come crashing back to earth and miss the playoffs, but they proved everyone wrong and showed everyone just how good this team was.

Their team PDO was a 101.4 and they had a goal differential of +25 on the season.  Multiple players had 10+ goals on the season and their goaltending was on their game as well.  They posted a team average 0.915 sv% (average for the NHL) giving the team a chance every night and helping them to a 45 win season.
So many are asking the question, will they be able to replicate what they did in the 2014-15 season in this upcoming season?
Well there is a strong possibility that they won't be able to do it again, but with some off season moves and acquisitions; they should be able to come close it.
With the addition of Dougie Hamilton and Michael Frolik, this team's rebuild seems leaps and bounds ahead of their rivals to the north, the Edmonton Oilers (which is a whole new story).
A very modest interview with Brian Burke during this summer he was quoted as saying that even he doesn't believe that they will be able to replicate what they achieved last season, but they sure are going to try and get there again.
He credited GM Brad Treliving with all of the deals made this off season and said he has great faith in what this management team is doing.

Looking at the numbers of some key players like Hudler, Monahan, Gaudreau, Brodie, Hiller and Giordano, you can see that all of them achieved way more than they were expected, but were able to do so over the whole season.  For a 1st year player like Gaudreau to achieve 64 points and be a go to player when goals were needed says a lot about this small, speedy left winger.  He was a guy who when needed would step up his game and put it all on the line.  Blocking shots, making plays and shooting the puck.
Will he be able to do it again in 2015-16?  Only time will tell, but every hurdle placed in front of him, he's cleared with pretty much no issue.
For veteran players like Hudler and Giordano, they are going to have to work harder to achieve what they did last season and help lead this team like they did.
Both had great seasons, when available to play, and showed that when on the ice with the right line combo they were able to make even the best teams back peddle and cause them fits.
The depth of the Flames was another question mark at the start of the season but that was answered quickly by play off time when players like Ferland and Bennett were called up to help out.
Both made significant contributions to the team by using their speed and their aggressive play to cause havoc for teams, and in the playoffs, they caused the Vancouver Canucks headaches like you wouldn't believe.
Those are just a couple of players that are in the pipeline for the Flames, and I'm sure we will soon see them both in Calgary on a regular basis.

In an effort to better this team, the GM made deals and decisions to move players or not re-sign players (so far) through last season and into this off season.
Players like Curtis Glencross who went to Washington with the Capitals 2nd and 3rd round picks going back to Calgary in the deal.
Prospect Sven Baertschi went to Vancouver at the trade deadline for 2nd round 2015 draft pick (Rasmus Anderssen).
Prospect Max Reinhart went to Nashville for a conditional 4th round pick in 2016 and he signed there on a one year deal.
Looking at all of these moves, it shows that Calgary is looking to re stock their prospect pool and are trying to add depth as much as possible.  This is a good thing for Flames fans who are going to be able to see some young talent added to their team as time goes on. 
The players they have drafted over the last couple seasons most likely won't join the Flames in the NHL for a few more seasons, but you will start to see them slowly make appearances as time goes on.  I would expect to see some players make a few starts at the start of the season just so the coaches and management can have a good look at them and see how they are progressing.  Players like Drew Shore, Tyler Wotherspoon and even Sam Bennet.  All of them played in games for the Flames last season, but don't be surprised if they stay in the AHL for a while this season.
All three of those players are still on their 2 way contracts and have the ability to move up and down as needed. So if they do get to see some time in the NHL, say to fill in for injury, they are still able to be sent back when the time or space is right.

The Flames had 3 players who went to arbitration for new contracts, but have already settled with 2 of them (Bouma, Jooris) and just have Paul Byron left to try and get signed which should happen next week sometime. (Arbitration date is July 30)
They also have some players who are RFA's and UFA's left that they have said they want to get signed but neither the players or the club are in a huge rush to get them done.  Ferland (RFA) and Schlemko (UFA) I believe would be the top two on the list of players to get under contract.

So by keeping pieces of
the team from last season and by adding new ones this off season, the Calgary Flames seem to be poised to repeat their success from the 2014-15 season.  They seem, to me, to be a better team right now on paper then they were last year and should be able to be a top contender in the Pacific Division this season.
I would expect to see them make the play offs again but I wouldn't expect them to just walk right in.  They should be a 6-8th place team in the west, but with all of the confidence this team has and some key additions, they could be much better.

Let me know what you think of the Calgary Flames and how they will do this upcoming season.
Can they repeat their success?

Thanks for reading.
Until next time.

Phil Kessel and the Penguins.

If you were to ask almost any hockey fan if adding Phil Kessel to the Pittsburgh Penguins would automatically make them the #1 contender for the Stanley Cup next season, I would wager a decent bet that most people would say yes.
Myself, I feel that it doesn't, but it definitely doesn't hurt their chances at all.
There are just too many other factors and teams that have gotten better to say that they are the number one contending team.

After watching Phil Kessel over the last few seasons every Saturday night on Hockey Night in Canada, (since Toronto apparently is the only eastern team that ever plays on Saturday) I have noticed a few things. 
He has great speed down the wing which gives defenders fits, and his hands are something that leaves people with their mouths open.  He also has an ability to cut to the middle and take a shot that other players wouldn't dream of doing.  If they did, they very well may lose their heads.  His vision on the ice is very good.  He sees teammates and lanes for passes that not many others do.  And the release of his shot.....wow.  Super fast release that fools even the best goalies who seem ready for it. 
Now you can't have all good all the time so there are some negative things.  He doesn't back check all the time which results in a lot of chances going the other way.  It seems that if things aren't going his way when he is on the ice, he changes or gives up on the play. 
He also needs to get a little dirtier in the corners (I think) to get the puck.   We all know that usually the elite stars of the NHL are not the grinder type, and I'm not saying that's how he should play. He just needs to show a little more want in the offensive zone when the defenders have the puck down low or along the wall.
Those are just a few things that I have noticed about his play over the last couple of seasons while watching him on tv.  Seeing him live however gives you a much better idea of just how good he is when he is on the ice.  I've only seem him live twice when he was with the Maple Leafs and his skill in one game in particular drew my interest.  It was a step ahead of everyone else.  The other, a complete beat down in Boston, was one where you could see the whole team could not wait to leave that building and get on to the next game.  Even still in that blow out, he was still one of the better players on the ice for the Leafs and was still trying to make something work to get a spark of any kind going.

After seeing him live a couple times and watching him so often on tv, would changing the small things in his play make them the possible top contender?  Simply, no. 
It's going to take depth.  The Penguins have some depth but they aren't as deep as they were a couple of seasons ago.  They have gotten rid of some defensemen and moved some key forwards which has given them space for new talent, but unless they are all ready to play 82 games in the NHL on a consistent basis, their depth just isn't there.
Their top two lines are what makes this team what it is. Even with that, www.dailyfaceoff.com shows that they are going to have a newcomer in their line up and on the 2nd line LW.  Sergei Plotnikov, who just signed his entry level contract this off season, is slotted into the second line LW spot.  Now that most likely will change and David Perron will get that spot, but it just goes to show what their depth is right now.
They have decent depth on defense with players who have a lot of NHL experience which is good. It's just going to be how well they gel together and if they can all play their systems properly.

In goal, they really only have Marc Andre Fleury.  Once again according to dailyfaceoff, their back up tender is going to be Jeff Zatkoff.  A player who has seen some time in an NHL crease, but not a lot.  If Fleury doesn't stay healthy for the whole season, we may see a trade for an experienced back up.

So there is a very brief look at some of the depth issues, and now I circle back to my question.  Did adding Phil Kessel make the Pens a top contender next season?
I still say no. Strictly due to depth issues.  They have the scoring but not the depth to make the full run.
Let me know what you think.
Leave a comment on who you would add to help fill out the roster and how you think they will do this season.

Thanks for reading.
Until next time.

Trent Whitfield joins Calgary Hitmen as Asst coach

It was just announced that the WHL's Calgary Hitmen had signed on a new assistant coach by adding former AHL workhorse Trent Whitfield.
Whitfield retired from playing pro hockey after the 2013-14 season and moved right into his coaching career by joining the AHL's Portland Pirates, a team that Whitfield played parts of 7 seasons for.  He joined on as an assistant coach there and helped lead the team to the 2014-15 AHL playoffs where they would be beat out in the first round by eventual Calder Cup champs the Manchester Monarchs.

Whitfield now takes all of his playing experience and little coaching experience and moves into a more developmental league where he has the chance to help mold these young major junior players into professionals. 
This seems like a perfect position for a recently retired player of over 800 AHL games and over 190 NHL to really get his feet wet and get into his coaching stride.  A smaller league with loads of potential for players and coaches alike, the WHL is the perfect place to hone your craft.
I look forward to seeing what he and the rest of the coaching staff, head coach Mark French, assistant coach Joel Otto and goaltending coach Darcy Wakaluk, can do with this club.  They will most likely have a team that is in the midst of a retooling and filling some large shoes in the player department,
so look for them to lean on the "vets" of the team to help lead the way and guide the younger players as the season goes on. But also look to see Trent and his counter parts teaching and showing these young players the good and bad of their play. 

This season should prove challenging for the Hitmen, but as well exciting for a new assistant coach and young players.
I wish nothing but the best for this seasons Hitmen and I look forward to catching as many games as I can.

Until next time.

Vancouver Canucks prospects

Right now is the time of year where NHL teams hold their development camps to introduce the young prospects that they have drafted to the team and to get an idea as to what development is needed for the young players.  It is also a chance for the young players to show their skills to coaches and management and let them see how much they have developed over the last year.

In Vancouver there are not a lot of roster positions left for young players to fill so the battle is going to be intense when it comes time to try and make the NHL club.
Currently I believe there are 18 occupied roster positions for the Canucks, leaving just a handful of open spaces for the up and coming prospects.
With salary cap issues (being tight to the cap ceiling) and not a lot of space left to sign one way deals to players, there are still options for the Canucks to turn to.
There are plenty of young and talented players in the pipeline that are just waiting for their chance to "get the call" and move up to the NHL and show that they belong with the Canucks full time.
The reason for this post is to look at some of the players that are just waiting, or have a decent shot at making the NHL club (at least for a 9 game stint in some cases).

Starting with the forwards there are many options at centre but on the wings the depth wears a little thin.  It was worse at RW until this year when the Canucks drafted a couple more, but now the depth at LW could become the issue.

The RW's that would eventually crack the NHL line up will probably be Jake Virtanen and Nicklas Jensen.  Then in a few years followed by Brock Boeser when he completes his college career.

Virtanen is a strong and speedy power forward who has and accurate shot and has the ability to either skate around you or go right through you if you are in his way.  He may see a brief stint in the NHL to start this season (2015/16) but I wouldn't expect him to stay with the Canucks past his 9 game mark. 

Jensen is a tall speedy forward who has an accurate NHL ready shot that tends to fool goalies.  He is more of a sniper/scorer rather than a play making forward which is better for him.  The only thing that is really holding Jensen back from making the NHL full time is his defensive zone play.  He can be a little slow to his position in his own zone but he still knows where he has to be.  This is something that if he is going to make the Canucks roster full time he is going to need to work on.

Brock Boeser is the Canucks 2015 first round draft pick and for the 2015/16 season he has already committed to the University of North Dakota.   According to NHL central scouting Boeser has a hard accurate shot and shows lots of speed which can create offensive chances.  Look for him to finish off his schooling and move into the AHL for some experience in a couple of years.

Sitting at the LW position there are a couple of prospects that have seen some pro action with the Utica Comets and show a skill set that can easily transfer over to the NHL game.
First off is Hunter Shinkaruk, who is a little on the smaller side of things but has great upside.  He has a never quit attitude and isn't afraid to get into the dirty areas and battle for the puck.  He is willing to pay the price to score or set up a play which can lead to injury, which is a downside to his play.  He is a fast skater and has good ability to read the play and set up teammates for offensive chances.
Another LW to watch is Ronalds Kenins.  He made a brief (30 game) run with the Canucks in 2014/15, and looks to build on that going into the new season.  He uses his speed to be a good two way player who is able to set up teammates for chances in the offensive zone.  He is another player who is willing to pay the price in front of the net and is well adapted to causing havoc for goaltenders. Look for him to add to his NHL game totals in the up coming season, and if he can't make the team at the start watch for him to hone his game in the AHL for a little bit before a call up.

Moving to the back end on the blue line the Canucks have some talent starting to stack up in their talent pool.  With players like the recently signed Clendening and Corrado looking to make the jump to the NHL and others following behind such as Audrey Pedan and Jordan Subban, the Canucks have no shortage of young talent pushing each other to the next level.

Adam Clendening is a d man who is looking to make the full time jump to the NHL this season after spending last season split between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Canucks in the NHL and eventually the AHL to end the year.  He is a strong puck moving offensive defenseman who can control the tempo of the play when he is on the ice.  He reads plays extremely well and is able to be the "go to" man on the PP.   He doesn't shy away from physical play in his own zone but he needs to keep his feet moving when he his there.  When he stops moving the oppositions job gets way easier.
I would expect to see Clendening in the NHL this season filling out the bottom 4 on the blue line.

Frank Corrado has spent part of the last two seasons with the Canucks where he fills out the bottom pairing on the blue line.  He is a fast skating d man who has the ability to read plays well.  He is capable of making strong first passes out of the defensive zone and move the play up ice.
Look for him to be the call up/send down player the Canucks utilize when injuries happen on the blue line.

Audrey Pedan is a extremely physical player and he loves to play the game with an edge.  He isn't afraid of anyone on the ice and battles well and hard in front of his own net.  He is more than able to hold his own when push comes to shove and he is a defensively sound player in his own end.  I don't imagine that you will see a lot of him in the NHL unless injuries really hamper the blue line, but he could be a solid call up if you want to inject some physical play into the roster.

Jordan Subban is another young d man who is coming up the ranks that just isn't quite ready to make the jump to the NHL.  The younger brother of PK Subban (Montreal), he is a smaller version of his brother but with out some of the skill set.  He is an offensively inclined defenseman who likes to join the rush but sometimes does so at the peril of the odd man rush.  He has speed to get himself back into position when things don't go as planned but that sometimes happens to often when he is on the ice.  He is a player that coaches can mold into a top 4 defenseman but for the time being is a little to raw for the NHL.  In a couple years I would expect to see him in the blue and green.

Playing in the crease there are a couple options to turn to for the Canucks if something were to happen to Miller or Markstrom.  The guys standing in the blue for the AHL team are Joacim Eriksson and Joe Cannata.  Both of which are players who aren't totally ready to make the jump to the NHL yet but are not far off when it comes to how long until they are,
Joacim Eriksson is a 6'2" Swedish born butterfly goalie who uses his size well to cover the net.  He follows the play well and is able to read plays before they develop.  He has quick reflexes and strong mental ability, which you need in spades to be a goalie in Vancouver.  He split to duties in Utica last season with Jacob Markstrom who is making the jump this season to back up Ryan Miller in the crease.  Should either of those two go down with an injury don't be surprised to see Eriksson make an appearance.  But for now, expect to see him in the AHL for another year.

Last but not least there is Joe Cannata.  He is an athletic and technically sound goaltender who doesn't let too much shake his confidence (another good thing to have as a Canuck goalie).  He follows the play well and has good lateral movement and covers his angles well.  He could be a little more aggressive and challenge the opposition more when they break in.  That is something that he can work on with coaches over the season in the AHL where he will most likely back up Eriksson.  He has good hand-eye and is a solid back up in the AHL for the year.  He could use a little more experience but his professional game is progressing well.

An honorable mention in the goal tending department has to go to Thatcher Demko.  He is a young goalie (19) who is playing for Boston College in the NCAA.  He is slated to return there again this season for one more year of play before possibly making the jump to the pros.  He has had hip surgery on both sides of his hip this year (torn laburnums) but is looking to show his skills at the Canucks prospect classic in Penticton in September. 

Well that is a quick look at some of the up and coming prospects in the Vancouver Canucks pipeline and it gives you a little bit of an idea of what to look for and who to look for.
If you have any input on these players or any other in the Canucks system please feel free to comment on this post.

Until next time.

Pavel (Pavlo) Padakin

Padakin was invited to the Philadelphia Flyers development camp this week where he signed an AHL only contract for the up coming 2015-16 season which will guarantee that the former WHL player will play for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Flyers AHL affiliate).

Padakin, a RW, played two seasons for the WHL's Calgary Hitmen where he racked up 50 goals, 43 assists for a total of 94 points in just 137 games. 
At the start of the 2014-15 season Padakin was traded to the Regina Pats where he amassed 26 goals and 28 assists for 54 points in 69 games which earned the undrafted overage player an invite to the Flyers development camp this summer. 

Padakin is a speedy, high hockey IQ player who can move the puck fairly well and has the ability to make goalies bite on moves they shouldn't.
He tends to overthink and underwork at times which causes pressure for his line mates and defensemen.  But on the upside he has shown vast improvement from when he first entered the WHL.

He possesses the skills to be a 3rd line, maybe 2nd line, forward that can play special teams.  He was very good on the PK where he uses his speed to pressure the opposition into mistakes in which he can capitalize and create short handed offensive chances.

It is nice to see a WHL player who went undrafted take another step forward in their career with this new contract.
I look forward to seeing what he can do for his new team and maybe even one day in the NHL.

Thanks for reading.
Until next time.

Lucic to LA

It was just released that Milan Lucic is now an LA King. 
Now making them even tougher and harder to play against!

Going to Boston are Martin Jones (goaltender), a prospect and the 13th overall pick in todays draft.  
I'm not sure who the Bruins would want to target as far as prospects go, (maybe d-man Alex Roach??)
But this will give the Bruins an edge if they are looking to get that 3rd overall pick from Arizona.  They should be able to trade a bundle of 1st round picks to get the 3rd.

It was just released that the prospect going to Boston could be Colin Miller.

This seems to be a Dynamite day for Boston.....see what I did there.....did ya see it?

Boston/Calgary trade and other rumors

So it has been a bit of a busy afternoon.
Boston somehow totally managed to irritate all of their fan base by trading away a young core defenseman for nothing more than draft picks.
They traded young d-man Dougie Hamilton to the Calgary Flames for a 1st rd (15th overall) and two 2nd round (45,52) picks.  Not sure what Sweeney is thinking with this trade, other than maybe he can flip some picks to get up to the 3rd overall draft position in a deal with Arizona, but this deal doesn't make much sense to me.
If you are a Flames fan you are hailing Treliving and Burke as hero's and should be throwing gold coins at their feet.  To add Hamilton to this defense core you are adding another 30+ point producing player to one of the most offensively talented back ends in the NHL.
It should be noted though that Hamilton is a RFA this year.

As if Boston hasn't done enough so far today, they are rumored to be shopping forward Milan Lucic around for a high price.  It sounds like right now the Los Angeles Kings are the front runners to land Lucic but it remains to be seen who will go the other way or who the Bruins are looking for.  Most likely multiple prospects or a combo of picks and prospects seems to be the answer.

More on the Bruins front, they have signed d-man Adam McQuaid to a 4 year deal worth a total of $11M.  An AAV of $2.75M.  I'm unsure if there is and NTC or what the annual pay would be in each year.

The Minnesota Wild have landed former Golden Gopher Mike Reilly which will help out their defense.

Martin St. Louis has said that he isn't ready to retire yet, but it was posted earlier that he will not be back with the New York Rangers.  It isn't clear where he could land but you won't be seeing him in Rangers colors.  A possible destination was rumored to be Pittsburgh.

More to come.
Thanks for reading.

Draft Day #3

There are loads of rumors and talks going on apparently in the NHL right now over players (signings and trades).
A few that have caught my attention are:
A rumor that Milan Lucic would waive his NTC to go to Vancouver (local boy) if the chance came up.  But Vancouver is 1 of 15 teams apparently on his list.
A rumor that Alex Burmistrov can and will be brought back by the Winnipeg Jets after July first (reported by Darren Dreger) but the question would remain do you trust him and keep him or trade him off?

The Los Angeles Kings have re-signed Tyler Toffoli to a 2 year contract worth $6.5M.  $2.6M the first year and then $3.9M the second.  A good bridge contract for a good young player.  He has shown that he can perform in the NHL so this is a good deal.

The Detroit Red Wings have re-signed Joakim Andersson to a 1 year $815K deal.  Andersson was a pending RFA so this is nice for him to have this signed.

One other signing that is of note, Dallas Eakins has been hired/signed on to coach the AHL's San Diego Gulls (Anaheim's affiliate) where he will take the head coach job for the upcoming season.  This is also in a new division in the AHL.

Those are some of the notes that I thought could be of some impact since the last post.

Thanks for reading.

And if you haven't seen it yet, there is a graphic floating around on twitter of how many picks each team has in this years entry draft (before trades).  Quite interesting.

Draft day #2

With a follow up on more news and rumors from this mornings post, here is some more info that has been shared in the hockey world today.

Carl Soderberg has signed a 5 year contract with the Colorado Avalanche worth a total of $23.75 million, with an annual average of $4.75 million.   The yearly breakdown is year $5M,  $4.75M, $5M, $5M and $4M.  He has a full NTC for the first two years of his deal and a limited NTC for the final 3 years. 

Another signing was  Mike Fisher staying in Nashville on a 2 year deal worth a total of $8.8M.
He has a full NTC for the entire length of his contract and his breakdown is $4.8 in the first year and $4M in the second.

Then there was the trade that has sparked a strong debate in Buffalo as to weather their GM is making the right moves.
The deal sees the Buffalo Sabres getting goaltender Robin Lehner and forward David Legwand in return for the 21st overall pick in this years draft.  Buffalo will also take on all of Legwand's contract.  This deal sees a young 23 year old (24 in July) goaltender moved to a team that is rebuilding and has lots of potential as well they get a vet in Legwand who can help lead this locker room on and off the ice.
This now solidifies the tandem of Anderson and Hammond in Ottawa for the upcoming season.

One other thing to make note of as the day rolls on is the list of teams that have multiple first round draft picks in this years draft.
Arizona (3,30), Edmonton (1,16), Ottawa (18,21), Philadelphia (7,29), Toronto (4,24) and Winnipeg (17,25).  These are all teams that have options to upgrade at the expense of a draft pick.

Thanks for reading.
There is more to come. 

2015 NHL Entry Draft Day.

Well it is early morning on June 26 2015 and that means one thing.  Today is the NHL Entry Draft Day!
The day that most Edmonton Oiler fans have been dreaming about (Trent) since the draft lottery was held to determine the #1 overall pick.
It most undoubtedly will be Connor McDavid going at #1 to the Oilers with Jack Eichel going at number #2 to Buffalo.  If that doesn't happen I would be shocked and amazed at whatever the turn out would be.

Along with this being draft day, it is also the start of what seems to be a very busy trade season (potentially) with teams having to fit under the salary cap and others looking to beef up in areas they seem to need help in.
So far this morning there have been many rumors floating around in the Twitterverse that could potentially become done deals.
A few that I have noted are the Arizona Coyotes looking/listening to offers for the #3 overall selection in this years draft.  One noted potential option being Dougie Hamilton sent to Arizona for the #3 pick since Hamilton is a RFA this summer it would help with Boston's cap and allow them to possibly draft a local boy in Noah Hanifin.
Another player rumored to be possibly on the move is Kevin Bieksa of the Vancouver Canucks.
It was let known that the Canucks had asked Bieksa if he would waive his NTC to allow a trade to take place, and as it seems right now there are two teams that are in the running for his services.  In the West it would be the San Jose Sharks (a team Bieksa said he would move to) and another team in the East that has yet to be named.
So look for a deal that sees Vancouver dealing away one of the faces of their d-core.

Another rumor for the day is goalie movement. 
There seems to be lots of interest in New York Rangers back up Cam Talbot, as well as Lehner (OTT), Lack (VAN), Jones (LAK) and maybe Dubnyk (MIN).  Not saying that anyone is going to be on the move but there are teams looking to add to their goaltending.
Some of them being Buffalo, Dallas, Calgary, Edmonton and San Jose.  So don't be surprised if you see some tenders on the move today.

Those are just a few of the rumors I have read about today, BTW all rumors and info has been gathered from various media outlets and the NHL crew at TSN. (Bob Mackenzie, Darren Dreger) and is not gathered by myself.  HA! Like I have NHL contacts.

Keep checking back here through the day, and when I get a chance I will be posting various trade deals and rumors that pop up as the draft draws near.

Thanks for reading.