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 03/20/2021 edition:

NHL Rumors: Oilers, Stars, Senators, Sabres and Hall, More

By Jim Parsons on Mar 19, 2021 01:45 pm

In today’s NHL rumors rundown, there’s an update on what Taylor Hall is thinking about doing when it comes to his no-move clause and waiving it for the Buffalo Sabres. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars aren’t ready to be sellers yet, and the Columbus Blue Jackets have some decisions to make when it comes to Nick Foligno and Seth Jones. Finally, the Edmonton Oilers are set to start talking contract with a couple of pending free agent defensemen and how busy will things be for the Ottawa Senators?

Oilers to Talk Contract with Larsson, Barrie

TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Oilers GM Ken Holland plans to have preliminary contract talks with Adam Larsson and Tyson Barrie‘s camps about potential contract extensions. This is in addition to talks between the Oilers and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins that are ongoing.

Dreger called these early talks that, if they bleed into the offseason, is completely acceptable to the Oilers. He notes “the priority is on the playoffs for the Oilers.”

Hall Considering Options

Dreger also reports Taylor Hall is currently considering all his options, which include signing a new contract with the Sabres or allowing them to trade him. The 29-year-old left-winger is seeking stability somewhere but the Sabres reportedly are concerned about a long-term deal considering the uncertain direction their franchise is going.

If made available, Hall will generate interest among playoff contenders. Sportsnet’s Mike Johnston believes the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins could be potential destinations. Realistically, some of these teams are not really options for salary cap reasons.

Stars Trying to Make Playoffs

Frank Seravalli reports the Stars are not officially sellers and that general manager Jim Nill remains focused on his club reaching the playoffs. Because the team has a number of games in hand and the returns of center Tyler Seguin and goalie Ben Bishop could give the club a boost, it’s too early to determine what the team will be (buyers or sellers) prior to April 12th.

The club could become buyers but if they drop out of the playoff race expect there to be talk about the availability of pending UFAs like Jamie Oleksiak and Andrew Cogliano.

Senators Could Have Quiet Trade Deadline

According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, Pierre Dorion of the Senators expects to be patient but work the phones up to the deadline. Even though the team has nine prospective unrestrictive free agents, things may be relatively quiet for the Senators. Ottawa has a few more forwards but there are multiple moving parts and many teams they could deal with are salary in for salary out.

Garrioch writes:

Mike Reilly may be the most expendable and attractive option while Christian Wolanin could be another target because if he does not play enough games, he transitions to an unrestricted free agent.

Blue Jackets Could Move Foligno, Seth Jones Talk

Pierre LeBrun reports the Blue Jackets are fighting for a playoff spot and chasing the Blackhawks in the Central. While they aren’t prepared to sell yet, teams are calling about captain Nick Foligno. The forward has a 10-team no-trade list but the Jackets hope to keep him on board for a playoff run. If they decide to move him, LeBrun said the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs are the teams to watch.

Aaron Portzline of The Athletic notes that As of July 1, the Blue Jackets can sign defenseman Seth Jones to a long-term contract extension. Jones has said he is open to a new deal and it is believed Jarmo Kekalainen will have to throw the checkbook at him and that still may not be enough.

Portzline writes:

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NHL Rumors: Ducks, Maple Leafs, Golden Knights, Sabres, Jets, MoreBy Jim Parsons on Mar 18, 2021 01:45 pmIn today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Anaheim Ducks have apparently set their ask for forward Rickard Rakell. Not every team is keen to pay the price. The Toronto Maple Leafs are still favored to be active players before the deadline and New York Islanders’ GM Lou Lamoriello essentially admitted his plan is to use his newly found cap space to add a player. The Buffalo Sabres may talk to Taylor Hall about his no-move clause and could the Winnipeg Jets take another swing at the rental market?Ducks Want Huge Haul for RakellThe Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reports that if the Ducks are going to trade Rakell, the current ask is a young, experienced NHL player and a first-round pick. While Rakell is not a rental and he’s having a productive season (19 points through 30 games), that’s a hefty price. Rickard Rakell, Anaheim Ducks (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes that the Calgary Flames inquired on Rakell, but balked at that price. Friedman also believes that price may be too rich for the Maple Leafs, even though GM Kyle Dubas has said he’s willing to trade a top prospect to land the player he needs. It is expected that the market will favor buyers and if the Ducks want to move Rakell, they’ll need to lower their ask. At the same time, reports suggest the Ducks aren’t shopping the forward, merely taking calls. He could absolutely stay put and Anaheim is fine with that. Lehner Clears Up RumorsLehner is back with the Golden Knights but there was a bit of a shadow hanging over his return, many wondering what had taken so long. Some speculation was that Lehner’s previous struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues was keeping him out longer than expected. Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner on the rumors surrounding his absence and why he revealed he sustained a concussion last month. #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/0hXHxtZOtu— David Schoen (@DavidSchoenLVRJ) March 17, 2021Lehner spoke with the media and revealed that this was not the case and that he was not only was rehabbing his lower-body injury, but had also suffered a concussion. The goaltender added that he typically wouldn’t have explained why he was out or spoken much about his injury but he felt the need to clear his name. He was disappointed he felt the need to defend himself. Sabres to Ask Hall to Waive No-Move Clause?When asked about his feeling towards re-signing Taylor Hall, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun notes that Sabres GM Kevyn Adams was open-minded on the idea. He said he has a good relationship with Hall’s agent Darren Ferris and they would be talking. Then LeBrun noted: “Translation: Would be shocked if Adams doesn’t talk to Hall/Ferris about a potential move. Hall has full NMC so ball is in his court.” LeBrun later said on That’s Hockey!: “To me the idea that they had earlier in the year where Taylor Hall would sign an extension to stay in Buffalo, to me that’s out the door now in my opinion, even though the Sabres won’t confirm that.”The Sabres season has been a disaster and if the team can get something out of moving Hall to a contender, they might try. There’s been some talk about Hall to the New York Islanders and Sportsnet’s Luke Fox also listed Hall among his top-seven pure rental targets for the Maple Leafs. Other Leafs TargetsBeyond Hall, Fox also suggests that Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf, Buffalo’s Eric Staal, Columbus’ Nick Foligno, New Jersey’s Kyle Palmieri, Minnesota’s Mikael Granlund and Los Angeles’ Alex Iafallo could be targets for Dubas. The Sportsnet Staff reports that a mid-season slump raises speculation that the Toronto Maple Leafs may just go all-in this trade deadline.New Jersey Devils Kyle Palmieri (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)There is a bit more talk lately that Palmieri might be on Dubas’ radar and there’s still plenty of chatter Toronto and Nashville might do business. Islanders to Use Cap SpaceGM Lou Lamoriello admits he’ll use his $5.5 million of LTIR space to find a replacement for sidelined winger Anders Lee and The Athletic’s Arthur Staple believes the Isles’ first-rounder in this year’s draft is most likely in play. Staples writes:Spending assets for a forward or two who come off the books after the season just seems the simplest course for Lamoriello to take, and there are seemingly enough impact options already on the market to make that a worthwhile play.source – ‘Five things to know as the Islanders aggressively try to fill the Anders Lee injury void’ – Arthur Staple – The Athletic – 03/17/2021Jets to Take Another Swing Before Deadline?While it hasn’t always worked out for them in the past, Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet writes that the Jets might try again to add at the deadline. Who and what they go for really comes to price and fit. Noting that adding a rental versus a player with term changes what he’ll need to spend, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said:But as far as the UFAs, we’re hopeful that we can continue to do business as usual, whether it’s in a pandemic or not. I think the hard part is the flat cap moving forward. That makes it very uncertain how to allocate the different resources. So as far as that goes, we’ll try to make it as ‘business as usual’ as possible.”Sign up for our 'DAILY BEST Newsletter' for the latest & greatest hockey news & analysis.Email *Submit Catch up on all the latest NHL RumorsContinue Reading »Buffalo Sabres Report Card Through First Half of SeasonBy Nick Richardson on Mar 18, 2021 08:45 amIt’s unclear whether or not there’s actually a rock bottom when it comes to the Buffalo Sabres, but the 2020-21 iteration is doing its darndest to find out.The Sabres’ 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night ran their winless streak to 12 games and their overall record to a league-worst 6-18-4. For reference, the team’s points percentage of .286 is worse than that of both the 2013-14 (.317) and 2014-15 (.329) squads that were actively trying to lose games.On Wednesday morning, general manager Kevyn Adams finally put Ralph Krueger out of his misery, firing the Sabres’ head coach at precisely the halfway point of the campaign. It’s a move that’s been long overdue in the eyes of many, though it won’t save Buffalo from extending its postseason drought to 10 years and counting.With the Sabres officially halfway through their 2020-21 season, here’s a look at how the team grades out:Forwards: DThe Sabres are dead last in the NHL with 2.07 goals per game, and it’s not particularly close (the 30th-place Anaheim Ducks are at 2.20). There’s not much more that needs to be said about this team’s offense.The reason this grade isn’t an outright “F” is twofold: first, the Sabres are also 31st in the league in shooting percentage (7.4%). This team just cannot find the back of the net. Whether it happens this season or next, that number simply has to go up.Second, the team’s best player, Jack Eichel, has clearly not been at 100 percent this season and may very well be out for a large portion of the second half. That Eichel even has 18 points in 21 games is a testament to his talent, but his injury issues have had a cascading effect on the rest of the forward group.Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)Big names like Taylor Hall, Eric Staal, and Jeff Skinner are all having career-worst seasons, while the likes of Cody Eakin, Kyle Okposo, and Tage Thompson have done next to nothing in the bottom-six.Former first-rounders Casey Mittelstadt and Dylan Cozens have shown promise that they can be contributors in the future. But by and large, the forward group has been a disaster zone for the Sabres.Defensemen: C-It’s hard to overestimate how much the loss of Jake McCabe has impacted the Sabres’ blue line. The veteran d-man was playing the best hockey of his career, posting a 62.0 expected goals for percentage (xGF%), per Natural Stat Trick, before suffering a season-ending knee injury.Meanwhile, Rasmus Ristolainen, who was also playing great before missing seven games due to COVID-19-related symptoms, hasn’t been the same since coming back. It was clear he was still suffering lingering effects of his illness while being asked to play top-pairing minutes, and as a result, has seen his xGF% drop to 45.2 percent.geeeeeeeeeeez TJ pic.twitter.com/qOs7I8xjzh— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 16, 2021Rasmus Dahlin appears to have been broken by Krueger’s defense-first system. The 20-year-old has lost confidence with the puck on his stick and has been a liability in his own end, boasting a league-worst minus-27 rating (in fact, Dahlin, Colin Miller, and Brandon Montour have three of the league’s 10 worst plus/minus ratings).Jacob Bryson has shown flashes as a rookie, but Henri Jokiharju has taken a noticeable step back, and Matt Irwin doesn’t provide much at either end of the ice.Buffalo’s defensemen have combined for just 11 goals this year; for reference, Montreal’s Jeff Petry has scored 11 by himself.Goaltending: C-A lot of people pointed to Linus Ullmark’s lower-body injury suffered on Feb. 25 as the moment when Buffalo’s season was well and truly over. It may not have been the death knell, but it has certainly put the shortcomings of the team’s other goaltenders front and center.Ullmark wasn’t in the running for the Vezina Trophy with a 5-4-2 record, .919 save percentage (SV%) and 2.44 goals against average. But it was a far cry better than what the Sabres have gotten from Carter Hutton and Jonas Johansson: the duo has combined to go 1-14-2 with matching .884 save percentages. Carter Hutton, Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)All three Buffalo goaltenders have negative goals saved above average marks, according to MoneyPuck. They certainly haven’t been getting much help given the play of the team’s skaters, but they also haven’t been anywhere near good enough to steal a win or two.With both Ullmark and Hutton set to become unrestricted free agents after the season, the Sabres are poised to hit the reset button on the goaltending position.Special Teams: B+For as bad as the Sabres’ season has been, it’s surprising to look at their special teams numbers and find that they’re… actually pretty good.The power play has cooled off considerably but still sits ninth in the NHL at 26.0%. Victor Olofsson may not provide much offense at even strength, but he’s continued to be a weapon on the man advantage, with 12 of his 19 points coming on the power play. While 10 different Sabres have scored a power play goal, only Olofsson and Sam Reinhart (five) have scored more than one.Victor Olofsson, Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)Despite Buffalo’s struggles on the blue line and porous goaltending, its 79.7 percent penalty kill rate ranks 15th in the league. Curtis Lazar and Tobias Rieder have proven to be assets on the PK, and Casey Mittelstadt has even gotten some run at 4-on-5. It’s worth noting, though, that the Sabres are one of just three teams who have yet to score a short-handed goal.It will be interesting to see what changes, if any, are made to the Sabres’ special teams with Krueger no longer around.Coaching: FIt’s no fun to pile on a guy who just lost his job, especially someone who seems as likeable and decent as Ralph Krueger. But the fact of the matter is that he went 36-49-12 (a points percentage of .433) in just over a full season as a head coach in Buffalo with a roster that had plenty of talent. He simply wasn’t good enough.When a few players are having bad seasons, you can chalk it up to classic randomness and regression. But when pretty much every single player is having a bad season, you can’t help but look at the coach as the main reason why. For as much as the Sabres talked up Krueger, they simply could not succeed playing the style of hockey he wanted them to play.If you’re going to claim that key players quit on the coach, name names. Jack played hurtHall returned to a game after a slap shot to THE FACE Reinhart producing Skinner definitely hasn’t quitRisto getting 25 minutes off CovidMcCabe/Ullmark out. Which “key player”?— Jeremy White (@JeremyWGR) March 17, 2021There’s no doubt that there should be a place for Krueger in professional hockey. It just isn’t going to be with the Buffalo Sabres.Interim head coach Don Granato will lead the Sabres as they open their season series against the Boston Bruins with a home doubleheader on Thursday and Saturday.Sign up for our regular 'Sabres Newsletter' for all the latest.Email *Submit Continue Reading »Sabres GM Kevyn Adams Predicts More Change After Krueger FiringBy Brandon Seltenrich on Mar 17, 2021 05:32 pmBuffalo Sabres fans woke up Wednesday to the news that head coach Ralph Krueger had been relieved of his coaching duties only 28 games into the 2020-21 season. The Sabres had just suffered their 12th straight loss, a 3-2 defeat at the hands of the New Jersey Devils, perhaps the only team in their division that they have looked competitive against this season. The Sabres, led by Krueger, are last in the Mass Mutual East Division with a record of 6-18-4, good for just 16 points.Krueger, who was hired to be the Sabres’ new coach ahead of the 2019-20 season, was 36-49-12 during his tenure with the team and failed to lead them to the playoffs last season. The Sabres have not reached the playoffs since 2011, creating a sense of urgency to get things done and to get them done now.Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams took to the stage for the first time in two weeks and just the second time this season late Wednesday morning to address the media following the news.Adams Fires Krueger, Steve Smith After 12th Straight Loss“It’s been a tough day,” said Adams to start his opening remarks to the media. “It felt right that it needed to be done now.” Adams sounded emotional when announcing Krueger’s firing, stating that the two of them spoke this morning about the decision, one that was undoubtedly coming sooner than later. “He believed to his core that he could turn this around, but my job was to tell him where I thought we were and have an honest conversation.”Ralph Krueger coached the Sabres to a 36-49-12 record during his one and a half seasons with the team. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File)In addition to Krueger being shown the door, assistant coach Steve Smith was also relieved of his coaching duties. Out of all coaching personnel, they were the only two to be fired as of today. Krueger, who has one year left on his contract next season at $3.75 million, will remain on the Sabres payroll, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun confirmed.For Krueger personally, it’s hard to tell whether he’ll find another coaching job in the NHL. This was his second chance, after all, a sort of experiment following his last job as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2012-13 shortened season, where he led that team to a 19-22-7 record for 45 points in 48 games and was promptly fired afterward. With a dismal winning percentage at the NHL level, it’s difficult to see another team taking a chance on Krueger.Adams made it clear during his press conference that the players on the Sabres “adored” Krueger, some calling him the best coach they’ve ever had, others calling him an “alpha male.” Despite those qualities, however, his inevitable departure from the locker room was all but guaranteed with the way things were going.Don Granato Named Interim Head CoachThe Sabres play their next game Thursday and needed to fill the coaching void left by Krueger in preparation for the game. Adams announced that he elevated assistant coach Don Granato to interim head coach, with assistant coach Mike Bales and video coach Myles Fee sticking around, too. Additionally, Matt Ellis and Dan Girardi, who had both previously occupied player development roles, will join the coaching staff on an interim basis as well.GM Kevyn Adams has announced the following changes to our coaching staff. pic.twitter.com/ncQSYyA6pg— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 17, 2021“Don Granato’s been a head coach for many years at different levels,” said Adams on his new interim status. “He’s commanded a room as a head coach before.” Perhaps some familiarity will be a positive thing for the players for the rest of the season, but how effective Granato can be at helping the team get back on track remains to be seen.One thing is for sure, though: the Sabres are at no shortage of experience with Granato behind the bench. Before being hired by the Sabres, he spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks and was head coach of the University of Wisconsin in the NCAA in the 2016-17 season.Granato spent seven seasons with the St. Louis Blues organization as an assistant and was head coach of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves for two seasons. The Sabres are hoping his lengthy resume translates into a positive impact in the locker room.Adams Signals More Change Is on the WayWhen asked about what the team’s mentality is as the NHL trade deadline approaches, Adams quickly replied that “[The Sabres are] open to anything and everything.” Fans had to be encouraged by that unmistakably clear messaging since it shows he’s willing to take everything into consideration in order to make this hockey team better than they are now.Selling at the deadline is just one way the makeup of this team could change in the coming weeks and months, but there are plenty of other areas that Adams pointed to, as well. One of those is finding a new head coach.Several former coaches with huge name recognition and years of success in the NHL are currently out of a job and looking for work. The names we’ve heard most often in recent weeks are the likes of Bruce Boudreau, Gerard Gallant, and Claude Julien, who was also fired earlier this season as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.Bruce Boudreau has emerged as the front-runner for the Sabres new head coaching job, last coaching with the Minnesota Wild. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)Some have said it wouldn’t be surprising if the Sabres stuck with Granato as interim head coach and Ellis and Girardi as his assistants for the remainder of the season, but Adams also indicated that were the right candidate to come along, it wouldn’t be out of the question for them to pull the trigger.One thing to note is that the NHL, AHL, and NCAA seasons will all be wrapping up not too long from now, and the team might be able to generate a wider search from a deeper pool of candidates if they stay patient. One big reason Adams said he is unsure of what the hiring timeline will be is simple: he needs to get this right.One last change that Adams told the media was on the way was beginning a search for an assistant GM. This would be a welcome hire, as it’s most always better to have a couple of voices beside you when making tough calls in the NHL.Assistant GM, New Head Coach, and Player Moves to ComeThe hunt for an assistant GM will begin immediately. Per Elliotte Friedman, the Sabres apparently have permission to speak with Jason Karmanos, most recently a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins organization and someone with whom Adams has a “long history.” Some synergy in the front office might serve the Sabres well, as that’s something they’ve appeared to lack for quite a while now.Likewise, the search for a new head coach will begin immediately, too. Adams shared some traits he is looking for in the next coach of the Sabres, namely, someone who is able to build trust and good relationships with the players, but also someone who is able to be accountable when needed.On his media call today, BUF GM Kevyn Adams said he was looking at adding an AGM. Word is Sabres have permission to speak to Jason Karmanos, most recently in PIT. He and Adams have a long history.— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 17, 2021“There will be a lot of people that I will speak to,” said Adams on the coaching search. “What I don’t want to do is rush into anything . . . This is about getting it right.” Besides the names I mentioned earlier, word is there can be a couple more candidates added to the list, a few of them still current coaches in the NHL. Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella is one, the Arizona Coyotes’ Rick Tocchet another, and Nate Leaman, head coach of the NCAA’s Providence Friars, is a third. Leaman is an interesting, out-of-the-box candidate who just so happens to have coached Team USA to a gold medal at the 2021 World Junior Championship a couple of months ago.Sabres’ Outlook for Second Half of the SeasonChanges are coming, and there is a lot to be excited about. This place that the Sabres are in right now is not a new one for fans of the team; this is the sixth head coach that has been fired since the Pegula family purchased the club in 2011. However, there is something that being in this position again evokes, and that is a sense of optimism. It’s never fair to rule out that things will be done the right way this time around.In the meantime, the Sabres look to end their 0-10-2 skid, play with some pride, and show that they are not pushovers to be toyed with on the ice.“We have to be better in every single area of this organization. It starts with me. I need to manage better,” Adams said this morning. “I need to be better in every way. We need to coach better, we need to scout better, we need to develop players better. I mean, you name it, we need to do it better. Period.”Hopefully, a change as drastic as firing Ralph Krueger can send a message that it’s time to kick things into gear and show the world what it means to pull a Sabres jersey over your head every game. The players have all 28 games remaining on the season to prove it.Sign up for our regular 'Sabres Newsletter' for all the latest.Email *Submit Continue Reading »NHL Rumors: Canucks, Maple Leafs, Sabres, Canadiens, Sharks, Oilers…By Jim Parsons on Mar 17, 2021 01:59 pmIn today’s NHL rumors rundown, Wednesday morning was busy in the NHL. The Buffalo Sabres fired their head coach, the Toronto Maple Leafs found out their player was being claimed off waivers and the Vancouver Canucks and Ottawa Senators picked up new assets. The Canadiens have decided not to make drastic moves, but the Leafs are certainly all in. The San Jose Sharks may be trading a goalie before the deadline and the Edmonton Oilers are making lineup changes after losing a couple players in their recent loss to the Calgary Flames. Maple Leafs Lose Jimmy Vesey to CanucksOn Tuesday, the Maple Leafs placed forward Jimmy Vesey on waivers and on Wednesday the Canucks picked him up. A depth forward for Toronto, Vesey will likely get more time in Vancouver and this should be a good opportunity for him. Vesey had 7 points (5 goals, 2 assists) in 30 games with Toronto this season and it’s hard to argue the Canucks didn’t pick up a good depth piece for cheap. Jimmy Vesey, Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)Vesey will join the Canucks in Ottawa today and his availability to play will be updated once details of work permit status are confirmed. Agent Peter Fish says he is talking to the Canucks about the next move, there may not be a seven day quarantine.When asked about his decision to waive Vesey, Maple Leafs’ GM Kyle Dubas suggested it was all about injured players making their return. He said, “One of the things we’re looking to do is to increase our flexibility on the roster, but also as [Jack] Campbell gets closer to return and [Wayne] Simmonds is closer to return, we do have to do some juggling with the cap situation.”Related: NHL Rumors: Oilers, Maple Leafs, Canadiens, Blackhawks, MoreSabres Couldn’t Wait Any LongerAlso on Wednesday, the Sabres announced they were relieving head coach Ralph Krueger of his coaching duties. The team also removed assistant Steve Smith. 12-straight losses made it nearly impossible to ignore making a change. While some thought Krueger’s close relationship to GM Kevyn Adams would get him a bit more of a chance to right the ship, Adams spoke with the media on Wednesday and said, “It needed to be done now.” He added:“For me, the results haven’t been good enough. I look and evaluate everything and I try to take a real honest, fair evaluation, understanding the adversity and the situation our team was in, take it all into account. But, it felt like the right time now and this is about moving forward. This is about how do we improve.”The search for a new head coach will begin right away. Speculation is that the team will look to a veteran and experienced coach but that’s not been indicated by Adams, nor how long it will take to make a decision. For now, Don Granato will take over as interim head coach and he will be joined by assistants Matt Ellis and Dan Girardi. Canadiens and Leafs Taking Two Different Paths to DeadlineTSN’s Pierre LeBrun noted during the recent Insider Trading segment that the Maple Leafs and Canadiens are taking two different approaches heading into the April 12 trade deadline. Dubas is going all-in and buzz is that the team would like to add a forward. Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin indicated he might not do much thanks to limited salary cap space, 14-day quarantine issues and returning players from injury. LeBrun does suggest the Canadiens stance could change because on their inconsistent play and further struggles could mean Bergevin adds at the deadline. Bergevin didn’t completely rule out making a trade if something made sense but it’s clear it would have to be a dollar-for-dollar swap. Dubas has said the Leafs are willing to do what’s need to improve the team, including trade a top prospect. That said, Frank Seravlli considers Rasmus Sandin as close to untouchable as the Leafs might have on their team. It would take something really special for Toronto to move him. Senators Claim Anton ForsbergFor the third time this season, goaltender Anton Forsberg has been claimed off waivers. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman tweeted the netminder is headed to the Ottawa Senators where the team is dealing with injuries to both Matt Murray and Marcus Hogberg. OTT claims Forsberg— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 17, 2021The good news for Ottawa is that Forsberg is coming from the Winnipeg Jets. He won’t have to face a full two-week quarantine reserved for players coming to Canada from the U.S.Oilers With Some Lineup ChangesAs per a report by Jason Gregor of TSN 1260, head coach Dave Tippett said of the plan of attack for the Oilers power play, “If Barrie can’t play tonight, then [Darnell] Nurse will be the first option as he has played there the most.” Both Barrie and Zack Kassian are game-time decisions, while Kyle Turris and Jujhar Khaira are not available. Khaira is out after badly losing a fight to Brett Ritchie and Evan Bouchard will draw into the lineup. It also appears third-string goaltender Alex Stalock is close to joining the team. Coach Tippett noted this morning that he expects Stalock to be able to join the main group for practices starting tomorrow. TBD on how soon he might see game action.Devan Dubnyk Could be on the MoveLeBrun also notes that San Jose Sharks goalie Devan Dubnyk could be available by the trade deadline and that despite having a 10-team no-trade clause in his contract, the goaltender would waive it for the right contender and the right fit. LeBrun notes that the Colorado Avalanche and Washington Capitals are teams to watch. Specifically, he noted the Avs have been calling around and are in the market for a short-term replacement for sidelined backup Pavel Francouz.Sign up for our regular 'Rumors Newsletter' for all the latest.Email *Submit Continue Reading »One for the Ages: Roger Crozier’s 1970-71 NHL SeasonBy Nathaniel Oliver on Mar 17, 2021 01:17 pmThere was no player more valuable to the Buffalo Sabres in their first two or three years of the franchise than the acrobatic Roger Crozier. Oftentimes heralded as “The Artful Dodger” in between the pipes for the Sabres, the diminutive 5-foot-8, 160-pound goaltender truly lived up to the moniker. If you watch old footage of Crozier’s career, there were times that he used his goal crease in the way a gymnast might use a balance beam. He would leap through the air to make saves, swing with one arm hung from the crossbar so that he could quickly change direction, or even hook onto one of his goalposts to pull himself across to make a save.It was not just that Crozier’s saves were spectacular to watch, though they certainly were. No, it was the multitude of saves that he made and his ability to keep scores respectable for the fledgling Sabres when otherwise they would have certainly been blown out. Crozier was the savior of those early Sabres teams, and it was never more apparent than in their first year in the league, 1970-71.“The Artful Dodger”, goaltender Roger Crozier was the backbone and MVP of the early Buffalo Sabres teams. (Photo by Denis Brodeur/NHLI via Getty Images)We take a look back at Crozier’s heroics during that first season. While he may have had better years in the NHL during his 14-year career, no season’s performance was more imperative than the one Crozier put forth during that first year in Buffalo. This is what makes his 1970-71 NHL season one for the ages.Crozier’s Previous Success in the NHLCrozier was a well-established netminder in the league well before the Buffalo Sabres were even a gleam in Punch Imlach’s eye. Originally the property of the Chicago Blackhawks from playing his junior career for the team-sponsored St. Catharines Teepees, Crozier was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1963. From the 1963-64 NHL season until 1969-70, he handled the more sizable chunk of action for the “Winged Wheels”.Don’t Miss Our One for the Ages Collection, including:Alex DelvecchioDoug HarveyBilly SmithRay  WhitneyCrozier was never more important to the success of the Red Wings than during the middlemost years of the 1960s. After just 15 regular season games during the 1963-64 season, Crozier suited up for all 70 regular season games of 1964-65. He compiled a remarkable 40 wins for Detroit to go along with seven ties, and a rather minuscule 22 losses. That included six shutouts and a very solid .913 save percentage in net. Deservedly so, Crozier received the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s most outstanding rookie that season.Roger Crozer demonstrating how incredibly acrobatic he could be in a game here for the Detroit Red Wings. (THW Archives)Keep in mind too that with the emergence of such a remarkable young goaltender, it would not have been unheard of for the Wings to regain some of their glory days from the 1950s. Though most of them were well into their 30s at this point in time, that same 1964-65 season Detroit still had legendary players like Alex Delvecchio, Ted Lindsay, Marcel Pronovost, Bill Gadsby, and of course, “Mr. Hockey” Gordie Howe leading their charge.Therefore, it was not at all surprising that in his next full season, surrounded by such a profound supporting cast, Crozer vaulted the Red Wings into the Stanley Cup Final. It would be the first of two championship series that he would play in during his career. Despite his heroics in net, the Red Wings lost in six games to the Montreal Canadiens. Posting a shutout in those playoffs and coming away with a .914 SV% and a 2.34 goals against average, Crozier became the first player in NHL history to be on a losing team and be awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs.“The Artful Dodger” Arrives in BuffaloAfter the run to the Final, Crozier’s amount of action with Detroit began to diminish. This was namely due to ongoing bouts with pancreatitis, and even depression. The pancreatitis was something that would plague Crozier throughout the duration of his career, and even briefly caused him to retire at the beginning of the 1967-68 season. After his 70-game season, followed by a 64-game one the year he won the Conn Smythe, his games played with the Red Wings then dropped to seasons of 58, 34, 38 and 34.Roger Crozier became the first individual in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs for a team that did not win the Stanley Cup. (THW Archives)A change of scenery was needed. Sometimes in instances of illness and depression, the best thing that can happen for an individual is to get a fresh start. That fresh start happened when Crozier was acquired on June 10, 1970 by the Buffalo Sabres and the colorful Punch Imlach, the team’s first general manager and head coach. Imlach knew that in order to be competitive, he had to quickly obtain a goalie who was capable of stonewalling powerhouse offenses like Montreal’s and that of the Chicago Blackhawks. Crozier was his man. In return the Red Wings received Tom Webster who would have one 30-goal season with the team, before going on to have a successful career in the WHA.Crozier would handle the bulk of the Sabres goaltending duties that first season, but had assistance from both Dave Dryden and a maskless Joe Daley. None of the three goalies posted a winning record that year, although Dryden went 3-3-0 in 10 games. Daley would add up the most wins of the Sabres’ netminders with 12 victories in 38 games. But there is no question about it – the most important of the three was certainly Crozier.Understanding the Value of Crozier’s 1970-71 SeasonHere is the main crux when discussing this particular season in “The Artful Dodger’s” career. Not only were the Sabres extremely fortunate in winning the lottery by a spin of a quasi-roulette wheel, and thus obtaining the franchise’s marquee player in Gilbert Perreault, but Imlach was wise enough to surround his superstar with numerous “golden oldies” up front. During the 1970-71 season, the Sabres forwards featured numerous Stanley Cup champions, and in once instance an eventual Hockey Hall of Famer. Veterans Floyd Smith, Phil Goyette, Don Marshall, Dick Duff, and Eddie “The Entertainer” Shack all provided aged support to Perreault and the team as a whole.Happy Birthday to "The Acrobat", Roger Crozier. Buffalo Sabres goalie 1970-71 to 1975-76. Buffalo's first great goalie, born on this date in 1942. pic.twitter.com/I1hxGw3oug— ThisDateInBuffaloSportsHistory (@BuffSportsHstry) March 16, 2018But what you have to understand is that while the proven forwards were rather plentiful for Buffalo, the team’s defense corps that first year left quite a bit to be desired. With the exception of longtime toughie Reggie Fleming who won a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 1961, the remainder of the blueliners (at least at first) were primarily castoffs and journeymen. Doug Barrie, Jim Watson (not to be confused with the Philadelphia Flyers Jimmy Watson), Al Hamilton, Tracy Pratt, Mike McMahon, Hap Myers. These were not household names and often presented Buffalo’s back end as rather beleaguered.Perhaps recognizing his defensive woes, Imlach would add seven-time Stanley Cup champion Jean-Guy Talbot in November as part of a trade with the St. Louis Blues. Talbot was 38 years old at the time, but finished out his final NHL season with Buffalo. Even with experienced defenders in Talbot and Fleming, the Sabres still gave up the fifth most amount of goals in the league that year. The reason why this total was not worse is solely attributable to Crozier. At times, the nimble goaltender was the definition of brilliance in net.Crozier’s Finer Performances of the First YearWe take a look now at some of Crozier’s more memorable games during the 1970-71 NHL season:Oct. 10, 1970: The Buffalo Sabres began their history with a 2-1 win on the road against the Pittsburgh Penguins. While it was rookie star Gilbert Perreault who tucked away the game-winner on Les Binkley, it was Crozier who kept the game so close. While the Sabres only put forth 20 shots, Crozier turned aside 35 of the 36 shots that he faced from Pittsburgh.Oct. 14, 1970: Even though the Sabres would lose 3-0 at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers, Crozier made 44 saves while facing 47 shots. He had to bail his team out, as Buffalo only was able to muster 15 total shots on Ed Giacomin all game long. Crozier meanwhile faced no less than 15 shots in each period.Oct. 15, 1970: This would be the Sabres’ first home game in the team’s history and would be played in the venerable old Memorial Auditorium against the Canadiens. After Sabres captain Floyd Smith and Montreal’s captain the great Jean Beliveau took the ceremonial face-off, it became a shooting gallery by the “Flying Frenchmen” against Buffalo. Even though the Sabres lost again by a score 3-0, Crozier faced an astounding 53 shots and turned aside 50 of them. He faced 22 in the second period alone. This performance of Crozier’s typified his immeasurable value to the Sabres.Oct. 17, 1970: The Sabres fourth game saw Crozier make his fourth straight appearance in net. While it came out as another loss, this time 4-1 against the Blues, the more important thing to note is how much work the netminder had seen through just four games. The Blues peppered Crozier with 44 shots, and he stopped 40 of them. This meant that through only four games he had faced 180 shots. That in and of itself is something to marvel at.Nov. 18, 1970: In what would be Punch Imlach’s first game coached against his former team the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Sabres did not let their man behind the bench down. Buffalo would crush the Maple Leafs 7-2. Still, that victory was not as easy as it sounds. Every Sabre did his part, including Crozier. Even though the score was lopsided, the Sabres goalie still had to make 44 saves on 46 shots.Dec. 6, 1970: Crozier records the first shutout in Sabres’ history with a 1-0 win over the Minnesota North Stars. He stopped all 24 shots that he faced during the game at The Aud, while right wing Ron Anderson scored the only goal Buffalo would need for the victory.Jan. 29, 1971: Perreault would scored a hat-trick, including his third goal as an empty-netter, as Buffalo defeated the California Golden Seals 4-2. The trip out west was good for Crozier as he turned aside 31 of the 33 shots he faced to get Buffalo the victory behind Perreault’s brilliant play up front.Jan. 31, 1971: Two nights later Crozier remained strong in Vancouver as Buffalo took a 6-1 victory over their fellow expansion team. Perreault would score two more goals, while his goaltender steered away 32 of the 33 shots that came at the Sabres. Despite any illnesses or fatigue, Crozier continued to be most strong in net for Buffalo.Feb. 4, 1971: Still on the Pacific Coast, Crozier and the Sabres faced the Los Angeles Kings. Having been acquired from the Kings earlier in the season, Shack scored a hat-trick against his old team to give Buffalo a decisive 5-2 win. Meanwhile, Crozier stopped 37 of 39 in net.Feb. 20, 1971: While Gordie Howe would beat him in the third period to tie it at 5-5, and then Red Berenson scored the game-winner shortly afterward, Crozier still stopped 45 of the 51 shots he faced in a 6-5 loss to the Red Wings. Once more Crozier faced no less than 15 shots in each period.Mar. 3, 1971: In a wild 3-3 tie with the Kings in Los Angeles, Crozier and Daley split the goaltending duties and faced 56 shots between the two of them. Daley came in as relief to make 31 saves on 34 shots, while Crozier had been perfect through the first 25:09 as he made saves on all 22 shots he faced. Having been injured, Crozier would not appear back in net for Buffalo until a brief appearance on Apr. 1.Crozier’s Later Days in Buffalo1970-71 would be the first of Crozier’s six seasons in Buffalo. If the first year was not his finest as a Sabre, it was arguably his most important. However, Crozier was paramount in numerous other future successes to be had in the early years of the franchise. The six years he played with the team seem longer, and the games seem more numerous than the actual 202 regular season games that they ended up being. Perhaps it was because of the multitude of saves that Crozier made that make memories of him seem more larger than life.During the 1972-73 season, Crozier and Dave Dryden shared the nets as Buffalo would make the playoffs for the first time in only their third year of existence. That year Crozier manned the nets for 49 games as opposed to Dryden’s 37. Likewise, “The Artful Dodger” assembled a winning regular season record of 23-13-7 to post his first winning season with Buffalo.Aging and in more of a backup role, Crozier was also important during the Sabres’ first run to the Stanley Cup Final during the 1974-75 season. This would be the goaltender’s second legitimate shot at a Cup. During the regular season Crozier posted a outstanding record of 17-2-1 in 23 games played. Despite Buffalo losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games, Crozier appeared in two games in the Final to go 1-1 with 1.53 GAA.At the age of 34 years old and his best years well behind him, the Sabres traded Crozier to the Washington Capitals in Mar. 1977. In three games with the Capitals, he allowed just two goals, recorded one win, and posted a 1.17 GAA to go with a .967 SV%. These would be Crozier’s final NHL games before retiring and assuming various positions in the Capitals’ front office over the next number of years.Remembering Crozier’s Legacy TodayMost fans these days lack the appreciation for how spectacular of a goaltender Crozier truly was. Perhaps the best way to get the point across is to acknowledge the fact that in 2000, the NHL presented the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award for the goaltender in the league with the best save percentage by season’s end. The award itself was presented by the MBNA Corporation in memory of Crozier, who worked for the MBNA America Bank after he had retired from playing. While the award has ceased to be presented since 2007, it is still important to recognize that both the NHL and the goalie’s former employer valued his legacy enough to incorporate him into honoring more contemporary goaltenders.Separately, while Crozier sadly passed away in early 1996 – he was just 53 years old – after battling cancer, he has since been inducted into the Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. There have even been some rumblings of him someday being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, but that honor is likely held back because he never won a Stanley Cup.While Dominik Hasek may very well be the greatest goaltender in Buffalo Sabres history, Crozier should undoubtedly be runner-up. That means ahead of Tom Barrasso, Don Edwards, and Ryan Miller too. It is partially because of superb goaltenders like those and the passing of time that what Crozier did for the Sabres is sometimes overlooked.Make no mistake, the Buffalo Sabres would not have been a Cup contender so early in their existence had it not been for Crozier being their cornerstone. He laid the foundation in 1970-71, and we remember it always as one for the ages.* originally published in April 2018Continue Reading »Recent Articles: Buffalo Sabres Fire Ralph KruegerSabres Could Use Brian Boyle’s Positivity on Their Roster 

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