NHL Rumors Update

NHL Rumors Update for 09/07/2020

September 07, 2020

The latest NHL rumors from The Hockey Writers.

 

 09/07/2020 edition:

By Jon Zella on Sep 07, 2020 08:35 am

Looking back over the last six weeks, it’s been a wild ride for the New York Islanders. As they advance to the Eastern Conference Final to face the Tampa Bay Lightning in a rematch of their 2016 series, it’s important to recognize that the franchise took an enormous step this postseason.

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Circumstances aside, this historic run has and will continue to change how the NHL and the media view this team. But, perhaps, more importantly, this postseason will change how the Islanders view themselves — as a contender.

Team Overviews

These two teams couldn’t be more different. The Lightning are loaded with offensive talent, strong defense, and their own version of the Islanders’ identity line in Mikhail Sergachev, Yanni Gourde, and Barclay Goodrow. And let’s not forget 2019 Vezina Trophy winner, Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is sporting spectacular numbers in 13 games so far this postseason.

Like any team, they have weak points in their armor, but the Lightning have shown last year’s sweep at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets was a fluke. This upcoming Eastern Conference Final will be their fourth appearance since head coach Jon Cooper took over for the 2013-14 season. The roster has changed slightly since these two teams last met in 2016, but many players have only gotten better, gaining valuable experience and growing into some of the league’s best offensive talent.

On the other side, the Islanders are a structured, team-defense focused squad with the ability to score off the rush with quick counter-punches and hem teams in their own zone with a relentless forecheck. Their goaltending has been solid, but it’s their offensive depth, surprisingly, that has fueled the Islanders during this run. Every line is contributing offensively, helping the team average well above three goals per game throughout these playoffs.

Unlike the Lightning, the majority of the Islanders’ roster has changed since their 2016 matchup with the Bolts. But, that doesn’t mean they haven’t grown, especially over the last two seasons under head coach Barry Trotz. This isn’t the same young, inexperienced team coming off their first playoff series win in over two decades. They’ve beaten two tough teams in the Philadelphia Flyers and the Washington Capitals so far this postseason, overcoming adversity in each series, and swept a veteran Pittsburgh Penguins team in last year’s playoffs.

By the Numbers

If you had to guess which team had the statistical advantage heading into this series, many would choose the Lightning. Their regular-season dominance and playoff success make it easy to draw that conclusion. However, a dive into both teams’ stats through the first two rounds and the qualifying round paint a different picture, one that makes this series a lot more even, at least on paper.

Team

Season

GP

W

L

P

P%

GF

GA

GF/GP

GA/GP

PP%

PK%

Shots/GP

SA/GP

FOW%

New York Islanders

2019-2020

16

11

5

22

0.688

54

31

3.38

1.94

17

82.2

30.9

26.9

49.7

Tampa Bay Lightning

2019-2020

13

10

3

20

0.769

39

30

3

2.31

17.1

81.3

35.5

32.2

47.7

The Islanders and Lightning have nearly identical numbers so far, with both teams having only slight advantages over one another in specific categories. This may be surprising to a lot of people, especially when you see that the Islanders have scored more goals per game than the Lightning by .38 goals per game. Granted, they’ve played three more games than the Lightning, but the Islanders have proved they can score goals over the long haul, a stark difference to their regular-season numbers.

The Islanders also have a significant advantage in goals against, leading by .38 goals against less per game. Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Greiss have combined for spectacular numbers so far and may give Vasilevskiy and the Lightning a run for their money. If the Islanders can continue to allow fewer than 30 shots a game on average and frustrate the Lightning forwards, the Isles may hold the advantage.

Series X-Factors

As it was for the Islanders’ last opponent, the x-factor for the Lightning will be the goaltending, in this case, Vasilevskiy. Carter Hart kept the Flyers in multiple games, leading them to overtime victories despite being outplayed for much of the series. Vasilevskiy is capable of playing difference-maker in this series as well and will provide a difficult hurdle for the Islanders to overcome.

For the Islanders, Jordan Eberle, who has yet to truly break out in these playoffs as he did in 2019, could be a difference-maker. Despite not scoring since Game 1 against the Capitals in the first round, the Islanders still posted great offensive numbers against the Flyers and throughout the playoffs, scoring three or more goals in every game. Eberle had his chances, though, making his breakthrough nearly inevitable.

If he were losing puck battles all over the ice and not driving the lanes, then you should be worried. Eberle led all Islanders in the series with 30 scoring chances at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick; it felt like 25 of those came in Games 6 and 7 alone. It’s not ideal, sure, but the bigger worry would be if no chances were coming and Eberle were getting pinned along the walls all game.

From, “Seven thoughts after the Islanders’ commanding Game 7 win,” The Athletic, 9/6/2020

Both teams are loaded with talent in their own ways, making this series pretty even. Vasilevskiy has been playing well, playing an important role in the Lightning’s success this postseason. Any change in his game could make a huge difference in this series. For Eberle, he needs to find his scoring touch if the Islanders plan on making this more than just an interesting series. He’s capable of scoring big goals and the team will need him to find the net early on against the Lightning.

You wouldn’t know by the way they’re playing and their level of maturity throughout these playoffs, but for many current Islanders, this is unfamiliar territory, at least at the NHL level. They’ll need to continue to play beyond their years if they want to compete with Tampa and eliminate the mistakes that nearly cost them the second round series against the Flyers.

Want more Islanders content? Check out the Nassaumen Hockey Podcast, hosted by The Hockey Writers authors James Nichols and Jon Zella. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts to catch weekly episodes.

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By Mark Jones on Sep 07, 2020 08:25 am

In just over a month, all eyes in the hockey world will be focused on the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. For the young men who have been waiting to hear their names called, the wait will finally be over after a four-month delay.

Over the last calendar year, Rimouski Oceanic star Alexis Lafreniere has clearly emerged as the consensus first-overall pick, and will most likely be pulling on a New York Rangers sweater after the team won the draft lottery. Below is a look at four more QMJHL prospects who could have their names called early and their potential landing spots.

Dawson Mercer

Mercer has thrust himself into the conversation as one of the top forwards in the draft. He spent two and a half seasons playing for the Drummondville Voltigeurs before being dealt to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens at the trade deadline this past winter. He is a strong natural right-wing who did play some center last season and plays in all situations. Mercer has a powerful stride, can produce, protects the puck well, and plays a complete game in all zones. He projects to be a top-six forward in the NHL at some point.

In most rankings, Mercer is projected to be chosen in the middle of the first round. Although most teams can use a powerful right-wing who can score, the Nashville Predators are one team that may be hoping Mercer is still on the board. He should be pro-ready in a year or two and the Predators, who are strong down the middle, are in need of a wing on an entry-level contract who can step in right away and contribute.

Mavrik Bourque

Every NHL general manager is looking for a player with a natural ability to score. Bourque is a pure finisher who can score in multiple ways. He just completed his second season playing for the Shawinigan Cataractes, where he has been a point-per-game producer. His ability to make quick cuts and change directions quickly helps him gain space and put himself in positions to score, and when he is there, he rarely disappoints. A bit undersized at 5-foot-10, 178 pounds, this right-shot center will need to become a bit more explosive and stronger to compete at the next level, but his hockey IQ and uncanny ability to produce helps make him a very desirable pick.

The Calgary Flames’ exit from the bubble was hastened by an inability to score timely goals, and the future of some of their top-six forwards is uncertain. If Borque is available when the Flames select you may see them grab him in hopes his playmaking and scoring abilities translate to the NHL sooner than later.

Justin Barron

Barron is a smooth-skating defenseman with the Halifax Mooseheads who possesses a very complete game. A high character player on and of the ice, Barron has an advanced hockey IQ and will almost always make the right play. He’s an explosive skater who takes the ice that is given to him, can join the rush and get back into position with ease. He is also very effective on all special teams and is very tough to beat one-on-one. Last season, he missed time when he developed a blood clot, but that situation was remedied and shouldn’t be a concern for NHL general managers.

Barron’s brother Morgan recently left college to sign with the Rangers who had drafted him in 2017. The team has a solid, young blue line, but there have been rumors they may be looking to move Tony DeAngelo. Barron could be the right-shot D they are looking for down the line. The Rangers’ second pick in the first round is in the mid-twenties where most rankings have Barron being selected.

Hendrix Lapierre

Watching the NHL playoffs this season, you can see how top-end speed dictates the flow of the games. Due to that, Lapierre should be interesting to many teams picking late in the first round. He possesses explosive speed, can finish around the net, and his quick feet make him very difficult to defend. However, his best quality may be his playmaking ability. He is very dangerous on the half wall and is creative in the way he finds the open man.

Lapierre was injured for most of last season, which could make some general managers tentative, but there is enough of a sample size to know his offensive ability will help an NHL team down the road. He was awarded the 2018-19 QMJHL Offensive Rookie of the Year playing for the Sagueneens.

The Philadelphia Flyers have a franchise goalie in Carter Hart and a solid young defensive corp in front of him. Their inability to create consistent offense resulted in a playoff exit to the New York Islanders. Keep an eye on the Flyers possibly taking a hard look at Lapierre at the end of the first round.

QMJHL Alumni Are Proven

NHL general managers just have to look at some of the high-end performances in the two bubbles over the last few months to know that the QMJHL can be fruitful ground for talent. Lafreniere is a generational talent, but these four players will be given an opportunity relatively quickly to show they can perform on the biggest stage.

By Alex Chauvancy on Sep 07, 2020 08:15 am

Goaltending has long been a problem for the New Jersey Devils, to the point where general manager Tom Fitzgerald has to make a move of some sort this offseason. Because if they don’t shore things up in net, it’ll be hard for the team to take a step forward in 2020-21. 

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Fortunately, there’s a pretty decent group of goalies who’ll be unrestricted free agents this offseason. Some of them will be on the expensive side, like Braden Holtby and Jacob Markstrom. But there should be a few more cost-effective options who’ll be better fits as backups to Mackenzie Blackwood moving forward. Let’s take a look at those who fit that criterion. 

Anton Khudobin

Khudobin has been the Dallas Stars’ backup for the last two seasons and has put up fantastic numbers during that time. He finished with a .923 save percentage (SV%) last season and topped it with a .930 SV% in 2019-20. Before joining the Stars, he was the Boston Bruins’ backup in 2017-18 and had a .913 SV% that season. 

Over the last three seasons, Khudobin’s play has been worth a goals above replacement (GAR) of 36.7. That ranks 15th in the league among all goaltenders and is better than starters such as Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jordan Binnington. His goals saved above average (GSAA) of 34.26 ranks sixth in the league among goalies with 1000-plus minutes logged. Long story short, Khudobin can play. 

The Devils’ SV% among goalies not named Blackwood was .885% this past season — Blackwood’s SV% was .915%. They also had a 6-15-4 record in games Blackwood didn’t start. Flip that around, and they would’ve made the 24-team, return-to-play format with ease. 

If the Stars don’t re-sign Khudobin, he should be high on the Devils’ list of UFA goalies. He can start around 30-35 games a season, which is what they need behind Blackwood. He made $2.5 million annually on his last contract, but it’ll probably cost a bit more to sign him this time around. Still, a two-year deal worth $3.5 million annually won’t be a problem for the Devils — who have $26 million in cap space — so that should not deter them from pursuing Khudobin. 

Corey Crawford

Crawford may be oft-injured, but he’s still playing some solid hockey for the Chicago Blackhawks. He finished the 2019-20 season with a .917 SV%, as well as a GSAA of 9.14. He also played a significant role in helping the Blackhawks knock out the Edmonton Oilers in the play-in round. 

Over the last three seasons, Crawford has a .917 SV% and GSAA of 20.13, the latter of which ranks 13th in the league and is better than Markstrom, Binnington, and Semyon Varlamov. Crawford’s play has been worth a GAR of 36.6 over that stretch, which sandwiches him between Khudobin and Robin Lehner. 

It’s clear Crawford can still play and help any team that chooses to sign him this offseason. The Blackhawks have cap trouble, though they’ll likely find a way to make room to bring him back. But if they don’t, he should be on the Devils’ radar to bring in as a 1B to Blackwood. 

Crawford made $6 million annually on his last contract. It won’t take anywhere near that much to sign him if he hits the open market next month. Nor will it take a long-term deal. If an affordable, short-term deal works, the Devils should give him a call when free agency begins. 

Thomas Greiss

Greiss has been the New York Islanders’ backup since 2014-15. His results have been generally quite good, though they have gone back and forth over the last three seasons. He finished 2017-18 with .892 SV% and GSAA of minus-17.86, the latter of which ranked fifth-worst in the NHL. He then bounced back with arguably the best season of his career in 2018-19, as he finished with a .927 SV% and GSAA of 19.80 (that happened to be Barry Trotz’s first season as the Islanders’ head coach). 

Though Greiss didn’t play to those levels this past season, he still finished with a .913 SV% in 31 games played. His GSAA also fell to 2.89, but he played well for the most part, and he’s looked good in a couple of starts during the playoffs. Overall, his play has been worth a GAR of 18.8 over the last three seasons, tying Carey Price for 34th-best in the league. 

With the Islanders’ signing Ilya Sorokin to a $2 million contract for next season, there’s a strong likelihood Greiss ends up hitting free agency. He’s a popular choice among Devils fans on social media to sign as a backup behind Blackwood. The rationale makes sense, but I think there’s a bit more risk to signing Greiss than some may think. 

For starters, he had the worst season of his career before Trotz took over behind the bench. The system Trotz has implemented with the Islanders seems to have helped all their goaltenders. It rejuvenated Lehner’s career, as well as Varlamov’s and Greiss’. 

Lehner’s still one of the best goaltenders in the league since leaving the Islanders. Can Greiss continue to remain as one of the NHL’s better backup netminders if he leaves? New Devils’ coach Lindy Ruff doesn’t seem intent on playing a defensive system like Trotz’s, so it’s not a guarantee. That’s something to consider if you’re the Devils. And given Greiss’ poor 2017-18 before Trotz took over, it’s a good enough reason to make Fitzgerald weigh other options seriously. 

Cam Talbot

Talbot has gone through some turmoil since a great 2016-17 with the Edmonton Oilers. He had a .893 SV% to start 2018-19, which led to the Oilers trading him to the Philadelphia Flyers at the 2019 Trade Deadline. He had just a .881 SV% while playing for the Flyers, though he only played in four games. 

But then came the Calgary Flames to the rescue. They signed Talbot to a one-year deal as a free agent last summer, and he had a strong rebound season, finishing with a .919 SV% and GSAA of 7.56, the latter of which was just .22 better than Blackwood’s. 

The Devils trying to acquire Talbot wouldn’t be the first time they’ve attempted to do so recently. Per The Fourth Period, they may have had talks with the Oilers about Talbot at the 2019 Trade Deadline. Though Ray Shero, the general manager at the time of possible talks in 2019, is no longer with the Devils, Fitzgerald still is, so that front-office knowledge may help. 

Plus, Talbot began his career with the New York Rangers, so he has familiarity with the New York metropolitan area. Unlike trading for him, there are no assets to give up in free agency, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Devils made a full-court press for him this offseason. 

Anton Forsberg or Laurent Brossoit

This scenario is a bit different from the other goalies mentioned here because of Cory Schneider, whose contract with the Devils runs for two more seasons, at a cap hit of $6 million. 

Schneider’s play has declined significantly over the last few seasons, making it hard for the Devils to trade him. That leaves them with the option to buy him out, but that’s not a guarantee to happen, at least this offseason. If they hang on to him, they’ll need some insurance with a third goaltending option. And that’s where Brossoit or Forsberg could be options. 

We’ll start with Forsberg, who has 48 games of NHL experience under his belt. Most of that came with the Chicago Blackhawks during 2017-18 when he played in 35 games, including 30 starts, and had a .908 SV%. Since then, he’s mostly played in the AHL, with the Charlotte Checkers being his most recent team — he had a .905 SV% playing for them this season. 

Brossoit, on the other hand, has been an NHL backup for a few seasons and has 70 career games played to his name. He’s played in 54 games for the Winnipeg Jets since 2017-18 and has compiled a .905 SV%. He finished with a .925 SV% in 2018-19, as well as a GSAA of 9.76, the latter of which ranked 16th in the NHL. 

But Brossoit’s overall performance has been inconsistent aside from 2018-19. He finished with a .883 SV% in 2017-18 and .895 SV% this past season. His GSAA in each of those seasons was minus-9.81 and minus-7.69. The Jets’ defense was a mess in 2019-20, so maybe that factored into the dip in his play. Still, it’s hard to know what the Devils would be getting in him. But he would be a decent third option if the Devils keep Schneider. 

Devils Should Avoid High-Priced UFAs

Besides the second and third-tier options, there’ll be some big-time UFAs available in Holtby and Markstrom. Both are going to cost an exorbitant amount of money, specifically Markstrom, who’s still at the top of his game. 

There are plenty of reasons why neither goalie is a fit for the Devils. They’re not close to being Stanley Cup contenders. They don’t fit into a Devils’ roster that’s trending younger (both Markstrom and Holtby are on the wrong side of 30). Nor should the team be looking to use a sizable percentage of their salary cap on a goalie when they have Blackwood. Holtby also seems to be in decline, so the Devils are just asking for trouble by signing him. 

The Devils’ strategy should be this: they cannot ignore the position this offseason, but nor should they waste a ton of money in doing so. Talbot or Khudobin would be their best bets from the UFA market, assuming they don’t have to overpay.

If not, Brossoit would be an inexpensive alternative to bring in as a third option behind Blackwood and Schneider. Brossoit is a bit of a wild card in the sense that you don’t know what you’re getting from him. But if he gives the Devils half what he did for the Jets in 2018-19, that’d be a noticeable improvement. That’s how they’ll win games they’re supposed to win, which hasn’t happened when Blackwood doesn’t start. Otherwise, expect more of the same if they don’t make any additions. 

* * *

Advanced stats from Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey

By Greg Boysen on Sep 07, 2020 08:05 am

One of the Chicago Blackhawks’ top young players recently drew a comparison to one of the most dynamic players in the league from someone who knows a thing or two about dynamic players. Also, a former goaltender and playoff hero is hoping to mount a comeback this season. Finally, another prospect is going to start his season overseas until training camp opens.

Dach Draws Favorable Comparison

When you try to think of players Blackhawks’ center Kirby Dach may compare to, Toronto Maple Leafs’ star Auston Matthews probably isn’t the first player to pop into your head. While they both play the same position and were top-three picks in the NHL Entry Draft, there is not much else there to go by.

Dach played well and showed progression during his rookie season. He showed flashes of greatness through the normal growing pains of being a first-year pro. Matthews scored four goals in his NHL debut and went on to win the Calder Trophy, for being the top rookie of the 2016-17 season, by scoring 40 goals and 69 points.

When the Blackhawks returned after the pause in play due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dach looked like a different player. He was stronger and seemed more confident than he ever was at any point during the season. This is where Chicago-area trainer Ian Mack draws the comparison to Matthews, as he recently told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times.

“[Dach is] 19, and then Auston Matthews — another one of our guys — he’s 22,” Mack said. “I would say those two guys are light years ahead of most people their age, just from a maturity level and what they’re willing to focus their time and attention on. They’re head and shoulders above everyone else I’ve met their age.”

From “Inside trainer Ian Mack’s plan to make Kirby Dach a dominant player for the Blackhawks” by Ben Pope – Chicago Sun-Times, 9/5/20

Mack knows a thing or two about elite players as Blackhawks’ superstars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are among his clients. That is high praise, for sure, and fans in Chicago are hoping Dach lives up to it

Darling Looks Forward

Scott Darling was a great success story. He was a hometown guy who overcame addiction to get back to the highest level of the game. He even picked up a couple of wins during the 2015 postseason run that ended with the Blackhawks’ third Stanley Cup championship in six seasons.

Following the 2016-17 season, Darling was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes and was given a chance to be a full-time starter. Things did not go as planned for him in Carolina as he struggled to have the success he achieved with the Blackhawks.

In November of 2018, the Hurricanes placed Darling on waivers and sent him down to the American Hockey League (AHL). On Feb. 10, 2019, he was granted a personal leave of absence. He was traded to the Florida Panthers the following offseason, who quickly bought the final two years of his contract.

Darling spent the 2019-20 season playing for Innsbruck HC in the Austrian Hockey League, where he posted a 3.34 goals-against average (GAA) and .898 save percentage (SV%). He was recently a guest on former Blackhawk John Scott’s podcast, “Dropping the Gloves,” and gave us an idea of what he’d like to do this season.

“I’m still playing, I’m going to try to sign (in the US) this year and stay domestic,” Darling explained. “But with everything going on, teams have bigger things to worry about than signing a backup, third string or fourth string goalie.”

No matter where Darling ends up for the upcoming season, there is little doubt that he will have a lot of Blackhawks fans cheering for him.

Teply to Stay Put for Now

On Saturday, the Blackhawks announced that two more of their prospects will be starting their 2020-21 season in Europe. They confirmed that Philip Kursashev will be loaned to HC Lugano of Switzerland’s National League. This was first reported by a Swiss media outlet earlier in the week.

The Blackhawks also revealed that forward Michal Teply has been loaned to BK Mladá Boleslav of Czech Republic’s Czech Extraliga. The Blackhawks originally drafted him in the fourth round (105th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

Teply quickly rose up the prospects pyramid during the 2019-20 season. He led all Western Hockey League (WHL) rookies with 29 goals, 34 assists and 63 points for the Winnipeg Ice. In addition, he picked up five assists in five games for the Czech Republic at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship. His big season earned him a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blackhawks, which he signed in April.

Both players are expected to return to Chicago for the start of training camp, which is tentatively scheduled to start on Dec. 1. At least we will have some players to keep track of while we wait for the NHL Entry Draft and free agency to begin. This will be a quick and unprecedented offseason and we will keep updated with all the news as it breaks.

Sign up for our “Blackhawks Newsletter” for all the latest on the team.

By Nathan Moser on Sep 07, 2020 07:55 am

The Philadelphia Flyers had quite the 2019-20 season. It was a season where there was new change all around, from bench boss to some faces suiting up in Orange and Black. The leap in progress that was made this year deserves credit all throughout the entire organization.

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As disappointing as it is right now for the Flyers and their fans, this is a sign of better days to come. Management will continue to build from here and shape the roster into a squad that will finally bring the Stanley Cup back to the City of Brotherly Love.

With that being said, where did things go wrong on this run? There are a few factors that stuck out to me throughout the postseason.

Scoring Struggles

It is always great to have scoring depth throughout a roster, especially getting contributions from the bottom six. Philly had a lot of help throughout their playoff run offensively thanks to bottom-six forwards such as Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Scott Laughton, and Michael Raffl to name a few. Laughton in particular had an overall great postseason. He tallied 9 points in 15 games, 5 of those being goals. That part of the offense got hot at a good time, but the same cannot be said for some of the bigger names in the lineup throughout portions of the playoffs.

Players such as captain Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny were in goal droughts for most of the playoffs. Giroux was able to find the goal column once, but Konecny did not find the back of the net one time the entire postseason (he did have seven assists though). That absence of offense caused problems, especially when Travis led the team in the regular season (both in goals with 24 and overall points with 61). Sean Couturier only posted 2 goals as well throughout 15 games, and James van Riemsdyk notched 2 himself in 12 games played.

The offense as a whole jumpstarted in Games 5 and 6, giving the Flyers a chance to redeem themselves after being down three games to one, but their old woes came back to haunt them in Game 7. Philly was not able to score at all in the deciding game of the series, chalking up 16 shots to the Islanders’ 26.

It was great that bottom-six players like Laughton and Raffl found offensive touches to their game, but it was not sustainable because the top-six offensive players who were expected to score more did not put up enough of their own production.

Unfortunate Breaks

Flyers goalie Carter Hart was solid overall throughout this postseason run. The 22-year-old has been molding into the franchise goalie that the team wants. If you did not know his background, you would think that Hart has been in multiple playoff appearances before, with this actually being his first trip to the show.

With all that said, Hart had a rough go in a few playoff games, including a couple from the series against the New York Islanders. There were a couple goals in Game 3 specifically that I think he wanted to have back. The Matt Martin goal was a tough one that trickled in to tie the game, but the one that really stung later in the contest was the tally by Islander forward Leo Komarov. Both goals gave the Isles a 2-1 lead, and on top of that, the Komarov goal was scored in the dying seconds of the second period.

Those two goals alone cost the Flyers that game, and it was pivotal to the series; the Islanders took the lead two games to one. Overall, as stellar as Hart was throughout this year’s postseason run, there were still some struggles along the way for him. There were a few goals throughout the playoffs that he could have defended against differently. This stuff happens though, and he will grow from it. He is still so young, and he handled the starting job very well. It is just unfortunate that there were some bad breaks during a few games.

I do not want this to come off as being too hard on Hart, though, because the offense did not back him up in that Game 3 I mentioned either. Tying back into the prior point on the scoring drought for some players, the bottom-six forwards were the only ones to find the back of the net that night. Tyler Pitlick got the lone goal in the contest. There were no goals scored by Giroux, Konecny, or Couturier among other players who were not contributing to the scoresheet.

The defense could have done a better job supporting Hart throughout the Islanders series. A lot of goals were given up in Game 6 as well, and the offense had to bail the defense out in order to force Game 7. If the offense had not found a way to keep up with the Isles in goals, the series would have been over right then and there. The Flyers’ goals in Game 6 came from Kevin Hayes, van Riemsdyk, Raffl, and Laughton.

Blown Leads

On multiple occasions throughout their series, the Flyers found themselves with a significant lead. Game 2 saw them ahead 3-0, while Game 5 had them up 3-1.

In both instances, the Islanders were able to bounce back and tie the score up before regulation ended. The Flyers was fortunate enough that they won both games in overtime (Philippe Myers clinched the victory in Game 2, and Laughton got the winner in Game 5).

Even though Philly won both of these games, the Flyers struggled to close out their games before the end of regulation. The Islanders were able to power back into the contest on two occasions. Game 2 saw Islanders comeback goals from Anders Lee, Anthony Beauvillier, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, while the comeback goals in Game 5 were posted by Brock Nelson and Derick Brassard. On a side note, Nelson himself was a Flyer killer throughout the entire series. He had four goals in the seven-game series, while also assisting on four.

While the Flyers still won those games with a blown lead, it shows there is a little more work to be done finding ways to close the deal on games. That can be improved upon through experience and growth in players’ games. Players will take lessons that they learned from these hard-fought contests and build on them.

Speaking on overtime in general, the Flyers needed extra time to win every game in that series versus the Isles. They did not win one game in regulation against them, which is a bit problematic in its own way. The Flyers can regroup in this offseason and learn from these mistakes that occurred during their series.

Bright Future Ahead

The Flyers accomplished a lot during their 2019-20 campaign. Coming off of a season where they missed the playoffs and ultimately fired both their head coach and general manager, the organization covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time. New general manager Chuck Fletcher took over and made significant moves to aid the veteran core that can mentor the younger players.

One of his best additions last offseason, though, was hiring head coach Alain Vigneault. He has stepped in and helped provide a culture to bring his locker room together. The players have bought into what he is selling and are not only going to battle just for him but for their teammates as well. Vigneault is a well-respected hockey man, and there is a reason he is a finalist again for the Jack Adams Award.

It is heartbreaking seeing the Flyers’ season officially finished, but there is light at the end of the tunnel for fans of the club. Their offseason has begun and they can now shift their focus into gearing up for next season.

By Greg Boysen on Sep 07, 2020 07:45 am

There was plenty of National Hockey League prospect news over the weekend. One top draft pick scored a goal as his season began and another European player will start the season in his home country. Also, the shuffling in the American Hockey League (AHL) might be just about over.

Kravtsov Scores as KHL Season Begins

The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) started its 2020-21 regular season and there are quite a few NHL prospects who were in action. Last week, learned New York Rangers prospect Vitali Kravtsov would be spending the entire season with KC Traktor. He made an immediate impact in the team’s second game of the season.

Kravtsov scored a goal in Traktor’s 3-1 victory over Kunlun Red Star. His tally early in the third period increased Traktor’s lead to 3-0.

He led all skaters with six shots on goal in the game. Originally the eighth overall pick of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Kravtsov could return to North America after the conclusion of the KHL season. He scored six goals and 15 points, in 39 games, for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL last season.

Vejdemo to Stay in Sweden

It has been a hectic couple of days for Montreal Canadiens prospect Luks Vejdemo. First, he signed a one-year contract extension on Friday, and then he learned that he is starting the 2020-21 season overseas.

The Canadiens officially announced on Sunday that Vejdemo has been loaned to Södertälje in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s equivalent to the AHL.

The HockeyAllsvenkan season will start on Sept. 11. The plan is for Vejdemo to return when the Canadiens open their training camp some time in early December. He scored one goal in seven games for Montreal last season. He also played in 47 AHL games for the Laval Rocket where he scored nine goals and 19 points.

Report: Panthers Have New AHL Affiliate

This week as been a busy one for the Florida Panthers. First, they hired Bill Zito to be their next general manager and now it appears that the Charlotte Checkers will be their new AHL affiliate starting this season.

Over the weekend, George Richards of Florida Hockey Now reported that the Checkers and Panthers will have a new partnership. There has been quite a bit of shuffling around in the AHL over the past few months, which is not unusual but has tapered a bit with so many NHL teams now owning their affiliates.

The chain of events started when the Vegas Golden Knights wanted to purchase their own AHL team. Their affiliate since joining the NHL had been to the Chicago Wolves, which is one of the few independently owned AHL teams left. The Golden Knights purchased the San Antonio Rampage in February and have since relocated them to Henderson, NV.

Less than a month later, the St. Louis Blues, who were affiliated with the Rampage, announced a new partnership with the Springfield Thunderbirds. This left the Panthers without an AHL team, but it looks like they will hook up with the Checkers, even though there has been no announcement from either organization.

The Checkers were the affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, but the rumblings in Chicago for the past few months have said that the Wolves and Hurricanes will work together. General manager Don Waddell has a past relationship with the Wolves as they were the Atlanta Thrashers’ AHL affiliate when he held the same position there.

Prospect of the Day – Shakir Mukhamadullin

We are heading back to Russia for our Prospect of the Day to take a look at an intriguing youngster on the back end. Mukhamadullin is ranked as the 17th best European skater by NHL Central Scouting and sixth among defensemen. Larry Fisher, one of our top draft experts at THW, has him ranked 48th overall and 14th among all draft-eligible blueliners.

Mukhamadulllin has two things that separate him from other defensemen in this draft class; size and experience. He checks in at 6-foot-4 and 179-pounds, which is the frame that NHL scouts love. He played in 27 KHL games for Salavat Yulaev Ufa last season. Add that to the over 60 international games he’s played for Russia since the start of the 2017-18 season and he is one of the most seasoned players on the board.

In addition to the size and experience, he also has the shot and hockey sense to make him a very good pro. While his shot is good, he still needs to work more on his overall offensive game. But he excels when his team doesn’t have the puck. He uses his size to dominate play along the boards and keep bodies out of his crease.

Our own Eugene Helfrick thinks the ceiling is very high for the 18-year-old defender.

Even if Mukhamadullin fails to reach his full potential, his size and toolkit alone should allow him to become a bottom-pairing defenseman. However, if he reaches that potential, he could be a dominant top-pairing defender by the time he hits his mid-twenties.

As always, defensemen are hard to predict, so there’s a chance that his game may not translate, but that risk appears somewhat low. Barring injury trouble, he should reach the NHL in three to four years, if not sooner.

Mukhamadullin’s rankings are all over the place heading into the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Despite that, don’t be surprised to hear his name called somewhere in the first round. His size is something that cannot be coached and he never looked out of place in Russia’s top professional league as a teenager. Those are things that are pretty appealing during draft season.

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By Greg Boysen on Sep 07, 2020 07:35 am

Another class of National Hockey League greats took their rightful places in the Hockey Hall of Fame on this date. Also, one of the biggest tragedies to devastate the hockey world took place in Russia.

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A New Class Gets the Call

The Hockey Hall of Fame opened its doors to an impressive group of six inductees on Sept. 7, 1988. Goaltender Tony Esposito, forwards Guy Lafleur and Buddy O’Connor and defenseman Brad Park were enshrined as players. Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider was inducted as a builder. George Hayes, a long-time linesman who was the first official to ever work 1,000 games, rounded out the class.

After playing 13 games for the Montreal Canadiens during the 1968-69 season, Esposito’s first full season with the Chicago Blackhawks was one for the record books with 38 wins a modern-era record 15 shutouts, which still stands today. In 16 NHL seasons, Esposito appeared in 873 and posted a 418-302-148 record with a .906 save percentage (SV%), 2.93 goals-against advantage (GAA) and 74 shutouts.

Lafleur was inducted after playing 961 games for the Canadiens, scoring 518 goals and 1,246 points. He won five Stanley Cups in Montreal as well two Hart Trophies (league MVP), three Art Ross Trophies (leading scorer) and the 1977 Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP).

Shortly after this ceremony, he became one of just three players, along with Gordie Howe and Mario Lemieux, to play in an NHL game after being inducted into the Hall of Fame. He came out of retirement and joined the New York Rangers for the 1988-89 season before playing two more seasons with the Quebec Nordiques.

Park played in 1,113 games during his 17-season NHL career with the Rangers, Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. He scored a career-high 25 goals and 82 points during the 1973-74 season. The seven-time All-Star finished his career with 213 goals, 896 points and a plus-363 rating.

O’Connor split his career with the Canadiens and Rangers, playing in a total of 507 games and scoring 140 goals and 397 points. He won the Lady Bing Trophy, for being voted the league’s most gentlemanly player, in 1948 with the Rangers. He won two Stanley Cups during his time in Montreal, in 1944 and 1946.

Tragedy in Russia

One of the worst tragedies in hockey history occurred on Sept. 7, 2011. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl boarded a plane headed towards Minsk for their opening game of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHK) 2011-12 season. A botched take-off caused the plane to almost immediately crash near Tunoshna Airport.

Of the 45 crew and passengers on the flight, 43 are killed in the crash. Lokomotiv forward Alexander Galimov was pulled from the alive, but he died five days later in a Moscow hospital. Flight engineer Alexander Sizov was the only person to survive the crash.

There were seven former NHL players who were killed in the crash. Head coach Brad McCrimmon and his assistants Alexander Karpovtsev and Igor Korolev as well as players Pavol Demitra, Ruslan Salei, Karlis Skrastins and Josef Vasicek.

Odds & Ends

On Sept. 7, 1946, league president Red Dutton announced that, for the first time in the history of the sport, the rules as adopted by the NHL would now be standard in all of organized hockey, both in the professional and amateur ranks.

The Blackhawks purchased the contract of veteran goaltender Frank Brimsek on Sept. 7, 1949. He had earned the nickname of “Mr. Zero” and won two Stanley Cups in his previous eight seasons with the Bruins. He missed two seasons in the midst of his career to serve in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. In his lone season with the Blackhawks, he played 70 games, going 22-38-19 with a 3.49 GAA and five shutouts.

The Rangers named Muzz Patrick as their new head coach, Sept. 7, 1962, replacing Doug Harvey. This was Patrick’s third stint behind the bench in New York. He coached 100 games for them between 1953 and 1955 and two more during the 1959-60 season. Patrick only lasted 34 games of the 1962-63 season as he was let go after a poor 11-19-4 start.

The New York Islanders signed veteran free agent defenseman Bob McGill, on Sept. 7, 1993, after he spent the previous season with the Maple Leafs. He only played in three games for the Islanders before claimed off of waivers by the Hartford Whalers. He appeared in 30 games for the Whalers and retired at the conclusion of the 1992-93 season. McGill spent 13 seasons in the NHL and played in 706 games for six different teams.

Happy Birthday to You

A group of 26 current and former NHL players have been born on this date. Born on Sept. 7, 1908, Brady Northcott was the first to play in the league. He scored 133 goals and 245 points in 448 career games with the Montreal Maroons and Blackhawks during the 1930s. The most recent to make his NHL debut was Nicholas Caamano, who turns 22 today. He had a goal and an assist in 12 games for the Dallas Stars this past season.

Jacques Lemaire is the lone Hall of Famer of this group. He was born on Sept. 7, 1945, in LaSalle Quebec. Lemaire debuted for the Canadiens in the 1967-68 season and won the first of his eight Stanley Cups championships during his playing career. The final goal of his career clinched the 1979 Stanley Cup for the Canadiens. During his 12 seasons in Montreal, he scored 366 goals and 835 points in 853 games.

Lemaire won two more Stanley Cups in the front office of the Canadiens before leading the New Jersey Devils to the 1995 title as head coach. He coached a total of 1,262 games in the NHL with the Canadiens, Devils and Minnesota Wild.

Other notable players born on this date include Orland Kurtenbach (84), Chris Oddleifson (70), Tony Tanti (57), Gino Odjick (50), Matt Cooke (42), Paul Mara (41), Eric Fehr (35) and Andrew MacDonald (34).

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By Brett Pickler on Sep 06, 2020 07:00 pm

The Vegas Golden Knights have made headlines in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs not only for their high level of play, but for a certain goalie situation that crept in out of nowhere. The battle between Robin Lehner and Marc-Andre Fleury for the starting job has caused headlines. The most prominent one being a now deleted tweet from Fleury’s agent of his client being stabbed in the back with a sword. However, with head coach Peter DeBoer’s decision of starting Lehner in Game 7 in the tail-end of back-to-back games, it seems like the drama is over.

Lehner Is the Starter

Lehner has proven his worth for the Golden Knights in his short time with the team. He went undefeated during the regular season and holds a record of 8-4 with a 1.99 goals against average in the playoffs so far. Lehner was not the first choice for many fans heading into the playoffs, but his performance is starting to turn some heads. In the Vancouver series, the 29-year-old goaltender posted three shutouts and looked dominant in the net.

Although it was shocking for some, the writing was on the walls for Lehner to inherit the net from Fleury. During the exhibition and round-robin series, Lehner played against arguably the two best teams in the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche. Meanwhile, Fleury played the exhibition game against the Arizona Coyotes, but lost to the St. Louis Blues. What also helped Lehner take control of the net was that the Golden Knights took on his former team in the first round. 

Fleury’s Future

It seems as if history is repeating itself for Fleury. He was in a very similar position back in 2016 when he won his second Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, during that season, there was not nearly as much drama as there is now. Now, at 35 years old, this could mean much more for his future with the Golden Knights.

Although being ranked sixth all-time in playoff wins, Fleury is forced to take a back seat during this playoff push. He was seen as the face of the franchise when the Golden Knights came into the NHL, but now his time could be up. Fleury carries a $7 million cap hit for the next two seasons. This has the potential to be a giant roadblock for the team as it does not have much salary cap space to play with.

If Vegas wants to re-sign Lehner, then Fleury might have to go. Even though Fleury has a no-trade clause in his contract, this only applies to 10 teams. However, his contract is not a favorable one. This leaves Vegas in a similar boat with the New York Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist. Ultimately, if the Golden Knights were to trade Fleury, they would have to eat at least $2 million of his salary. 

DeBoer’s Decisions

Before the playoffs started, DeBoer touted how Vegas’ goalies were one of their biggest advantages. The further the Golden Knights’ playoff push continues, the more this rings true. Lehner is obviously the hot hand right now and DeBoer’s decision to play him over Fleury is justified. With his somewhat shocking decision to give Lehner the Game 7 nod, DeBoer also became the first coach to win his first five Game 7’s. 

As it seems, DeBoer has a game plan and is sticking to it. As head coach, it is his responsibility to put forth the best lineup to ensure his team has the best odds of winning. The noise of the media and the fans calling for Fleury to play does not phase him, as he believes the best odds lie with Lehner. Sticking true to Las Vegas, DeBoer gambled and so far he has hit the jackpot. He is playing with house money right now and it will take a significant loss to alter his current plan.

The Golden Knights had to deal with this off-ice adversity much earlier than they probably anticipated. However, with Lehner’s solid play and DeBoer sticking to his guns, the Golden Knights have found a winning recipe. This combination should end the drama in the crease for the time being. Lehner has proved his worth and nothing is going to change until the offseason comes around. 

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