Buchnevich Traded! Hello Kraken, Rangers make it official with Goodrow, Sabres rip off Flyers for Ristolainen, Eichel Watch, NHL Draft Weekend

Posted on July 23, 2021 by Derek

So, how’s your Friday going? On what’s a beautiful summer day minus any humidity here in Staten Island, it’s already a busy one for the Rangers. We knew the writing was on the wall following what Chris Drury said regarding Pavel Buchnevich. He was just traded to the Blues for Sammy Blais and a 2022 second round pick.

The reaction as you can imagine isn’t positive. Most of us grew to like Buchnevich, who grew up the past year. He certainly became a fan favorite with his infectious personality, going by Captain Happy. Not only did former coach David Quinn get the 26-year old Russian to change his game, but got Buchnevich to buy into playing a more physical style. He had teammates’ backs and killed penalties effectively. His best season was ’21 when he posted 20 goals with 28 assists for a total of 48 points in 54 games. That included three shorthanded goals and a career high plus-12 rating. Thirty-six of his 48 points came at even strength. The 48 being a career best despite a shortened season.

There’s no doubt he’ll be missed in the Big Apple. But for the Blueshirts, who are desperately trying to upgrade the center position behind Mika Zibanejad, it became a numbers game. As TSN insider Darren Dreger put it, the move gives them more flexibility. Had they opted to keep Buchnevich, he would’ve cost around $5.5 million on average per year. The cap situation moving forward isn’t good. So, they had to shed salary. Especially if they’re considering trading for Jack Eichel or acquiring another center which would spell the end for Ryan Strome. He’s due $4.5 million for ’21-22 before turning unrestricted. Like Buchnevich, his name has been floated around. We’ll see what direction Drury takes. He’s not done.

As for Blais, he plays the tough straight ahead style the Rangers prefer. He’s not going to blow you away in the goal department. However, his size and physicality are strengths. At only $1.5 million for the next season with restricted status next summer, Blais brings more grit and championship experience to the table. With the Rangers signing Barclay Goodrow yesterday for a six-year contract that’ll pay him an average cap hit of $3.64 million through 2027, you can slot Blais in on the new checking line. The question is who fills it out. It’s pretty obvious what Drury is doing. Unlike the previous regime, he’s addressing the lack of team toughness. The lack of grit and grind explains why the Rangers were so easy to beat for the Islanders. For the naysayers, who hate these moves, here’s a friendly reminder.

Islanders 13. Rangers 1.

That’s what predicated this drastic change to the organization and roster. If you think they could’ve gone with the same roster, you haven’t been paying attention. Or didn’t watch the Stanley Cup where it was again the Bolts’ secondary scoring that helped earn them a repeat. They’re gonna miss Goodrow, Yanni Gourde (taken by the Kraken) and likely Blake Coleman, who’ll probably moves on due to the salary he will command. Lightning friend Dan Wheeler told me he was bummed about losing Gourde to Seattle. He also told me how much he thinks of what Goodrow brought to his team in the two years they won. It’s not about goals and points. But about the overlooked intangibles he’ll bring. Board battles. Hits. Face-offs. Penalty kill. Experience. Goodrow understands what it takes. That’s important. So does Blais.

With the NHL Draft on tap for this weekend with the first round on ESPN2 later and Rounds 2 through 7 on NHL Network tomorrow, it promises to get even crazier. Maybe not as insane as the Flyers overpaying for Rasmus Ristolainen. Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams is laughing all the way to the bank. Would you really have paid a first round pick (13th overall), a 2023 second round pick and defenseman Robert Hagg for Ristolainen? Yikes. At least the Ryan Ellis trade made sense. It only cost Phillipe Myers and Nolan Patrick, who I still think could become a good player after Nashville rerouted him to Vegas for Cody Glass.

The Rangers have the number 16 pick for now. It could get moved if the right deal comes along. There was also talk that backup Alex Georgiev was available, but the asking price is high. They want a first round pick. That’s not happening. Not after the Hurricanes mysteriously moved Alex Nedeljkovic to the Red Wings for Jonathan Bernier and a ’21 third round pick. I don’t get it. Does a Petr Mrazek (assuming he re-signs) and Bernier tandem really give Carolina the goaltending they need? They didn’t want to pay Nedeljkovic. Is prioritizing Dougie Hamilton that important? They also must pay Andrei Svechnikov.

There was an Expansion Draft on Wednesday night. The Seattle Kraken were introduced to a lively crowd by the harbor. It was a nice backdrop for ESPN to broadcast from. While the selections of Dominic Moore and Kevin Weekes were excellent, the curious choice of Chris Fowler didn’t impress hockey fans. He is a college football and tennis guy. So, the mistake he made with Carolina by calling them Panthers wasn’t that surprising. At least the Hurricanes and Panthers had fun with it. Fowler did unintentionally roast the Maple Leafs, Sabres and Devils. But the material in front of him was easy. Joking about how many days it’s been since the last Leafs Cup was funny. Maybe not to Toronto fans. But they haven’t won since 1967. Yikes.

As for who the Kraken took, I’ll highlight the good picks. You have Gourde from the Lightning. Jordan Eberle from the Islanders, who continue to be rumored to make some impact move to upgrade their roster. I’m not buying the Gabriel Landeskog rumors. The guy thinks he’s worth between 8 to 9 million. The Isles must re-sign Adam Pelech, Ilya Sorokin and keep Casey Cizikas. Vladimir Tarasenko is a more realistic candidate to trade for if the Panthers don’t get him.

What did I like about the boring Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft? It was due to the fact teams were unwilling to overpay GM Ron Francis like we saw with Vegas. They learned their lesson. So, only one side deal was made with Seattle moving Tyler Pitlick to Calgary for a Kraken fourth round pick in 2022. Francis mostly focused on defense, goaltending and secondary scoring. Among the highlights were taking former Flames captain Mark Giordano, ex-Oiler Adam Larsson, who they signed for $16 million over four years. They also took Jamie Oleksiak and inked him for five years at an AAV of $4.6 million. Carson Soucy was a good get from the Wild. The question is will they reroute Vince Dunn to say Montreal, who needs a defenseman with Shea Weber out for next season. Seattle boasts plenty of defensive depth thanks to grabbing Jeremy Lauzon, Haydn and Cale Fleury, William Borgen along with Kurtis MacDermid and Dennis Cholowski.

I like the goalies. They went with Chris Driedger, who is signed at $3.5 million AAV through 2024. The former Panther should be the number one with former Cap Vitek Vanecek backing up. A solid tandem. Joey Daccord is the third stringer.

Among the notables up front also include Brandon Tanev, Joonas Donskoi, Jared McCann, Mason Appleton, Calle Jarnkrok and former Ranger Colin Blackwell. Nathan Bastian was the pick from the Devils. What you have are a lot of hardworking gritty forwards with the championship experience of Gourde leading the way. It’s not bad. Sure. It doesn’t seem like they’ll score much. But Seattle has almost $30 million in cap space. That’ll include re-signing restricted free agents and dipping into free agency beginning on July 28. We don’t know if Francis has any other trades coming. They’ve been linked to Strome. We’ll see if that’s true.

Given that there’s some great prospects in line for the 2023 Draft including Connor Bedard, it sounds like they’re planning ahead. Don’t forget Shane Wright and Matthew Savoie will be available next year. If they land either Wright or Bedard over the next two years, they’ll be set up well. That’s not a bad way to go. Not everyone lucks into a good roster like the Golden Knights.

It’s hard to believe. I covered everything in Lightning fashion. I want to wish the best of luck to Buchnevich and Brendan Smith, who won’t be returning. I have so much respect for Smith. He played the game honestly and was a great team guy. Nobody will ever forget his contributions. He took on Wilson in that insane rematch following what that loon did to Panarin. Line Brawl Part 2 was one that had to happen. The Rangers answered the bell. Something new coach Gerard Gallant mentioned during his introduction. You know it’s not over. Not with Blais added to the roster. Especially with the opening game against those Caps.

I’ll get to the schedule in another post. Let’s enjoy the NHL Draft. I expect Sam Reinhart to be gone by either tonight or tomorrow. Eichel by Monday. You know Buffalo wants to wrap this up. The Wild are in on Eichel. I’ll predict he goes to the Kings. So much for my prediction of Buchnevich, a first round pick and prospect for Reinhart. Oh well.

One more Buuuuuuuuccccchhhh! До свидания Павел Бучневич!

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A Foxy Proposition For Rangers’ Drury due to Heiskanen contract, Carey Price Update

Posted on July 19, 2021 by Derek
Adam Fox was the Rangers’ best player in 2021. The Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award winner who won the Norris is now in line for a big contract extension following the Stars rewarding Miro Heiskanen with a long-term contract that has implications for some of the best young defensemen.

This past weekend, amongst all the activity came a significant move that will impact the Rangers very soon. In signing restricted free agent Miro Heiskanen to a brand new eight-year contract worth a reported $67.6 million on Sunday, the Stars set the market for top defensemen Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes and Adam Fox.

With an average cap hit that comes out just below $8.5 million per year, Heiskanen will be handsomely paid in Dallas. Playing in a state with no income tax, he will get more of that money unlike Fox, who can turn restricted next summer. The big difference being he plays in ridiculously heavily taxed New York State. Given that the Rangers’ Steven McDonald Award Winner won the Norris Trophy by beating out Makar, who also is in line for a hefty raise this summer, Fox stands to make a ton when his entry level contract expires.

https://twitter.com/TheDraftAnalyst/status/1416455527056478217?s=19

If Heiskanen can get $8.45 million AAV through 2029, just imagine what Makar and Fox will receive. Both are better players than the talented smooth skating Stars’ defenseman who was instrumental in helping them reach the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. Heiskanen is no doubt an elite player who should improve. However, compared to both Fox and Makar, his offensive numbers are a cut beneath.

Imagine what Makar will get from the Avalanche, who are still hoping Gabriel Landeskog comes off his crazy contract demands north of $8 million in a flat cap. It doesn’t sound promising. Colorado already saved money by dealing Ryan Graves to the Devils and are prepared to possibly lose Erik Johnson. The number for Makar could be between nine and ten million. That also figures to be what Fox will wind up with. Quinn Hughes should come in a little lower in Vancouver. But his offensive skill is immense. Ditto for Makar, who should be the ’21-22 favorite to win the Norris.

With Rangers’ Team President and GM Chris Drury focused on getting Barclay Goodrow signed over the next week before he can test the market, he’ll eventually have to tackle the Foxy proposition. One of the first things he did was wisely re-sign Ryan Lindgren to a three-year deal worth $9 million. Getting Fox’s partner signed was a must. Why wait another year on Fox, who if he duplicates his ’21 success, could command even more money? After he takes care of the situations involving Pavel Buchnevich, Igor Shesterkin and Filip Chytil, Drury should see if he can try to extend Fox before October. That way that isn’t a concern moving forward. The best part is his next contract won’t go on the books until ’22-23.

When they released the protect list yesterday, Libor Hajek was included for the Rangers. He’s a restricted free agent. Having finally taken a step forward by establishing himself as a regular who can play third pair on the blue line, the forgotten part of the Ryan McDonagh/J.T. Miller trade may or may not be part of the roster moving forward. Due to the arrival of Nils Lundkvist along with Zac Jones, who made a nice first impression, Hajek might be the odd man out. Currently, the Blueshirts have four locks. They are Fox, Lindgren, Jacob Trouba and K’Andre Miller. Then the question is will Drury add a veteran defenseman similar to Brendan Smith, who might not be back. They still need some experience. Whether it’s a Niklas Hjalmarsson, Michael Del Zotto, or even <gulp> Alec Martinez, one more experienced player is needed to lend support to the defense. Unless they keep Hajek, who proved capable on the third pair, why rush Lundkvist or Jones? They might not be fully ready.

I’ve seen a few differing opinions on Goodrow. From the uneducated who continue to overlook the need for a gritty, physical forward to supply what the Rangers lacked. To the educated who noticed what an effective player Goodrow was in helping the Lightning win back-to-back Cups. The third line of Yanni Gourde, Blake Coleman and Goodrow was tough for opponents to play against. So was the fourth line that featured Tyler Johnson, Ross Colton and Pat Maroon. Having the right combo of skill and grit matters.

Just putting this out here for the naysayers. Islanders 13 Rangers 1. We still have yet to locate Artemi Panarin or Mika Zibanejad. The Rangers’ two best forwards. Even Fox struggled against the Isles. As did Ryan Strome and Buchnevich. That’s where the grit comes in. Why do you think the Identity Line that featured Casey Cizikas, Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck were so effective? Hint: It’s not about skill. But a word that rhymes with it.

The latest on Carey Price isn’t good. Apparently, the Canadiens’ best player has an injury that’ll likely lead to off-season surgery that could keep him sidelined the first eight weeks or even possibly longer. That’s why it was at his suggestion to Montreal GM Marc Bergevin that he would waive his No-Movement Clause by signing a waiver so the Habs could make the franchise netminder available for the Expansion Draft on Wednesday. Price wanted Bergevin to keep insurance policy Jake Allen, who proved to be a good pickup this past year. A player who would’ve drawn interest from the Kraken, instead he will stay in Montreal.

It’s also worth noting that Price is due an $11 million signing bonus. That’s in addition to the remaining five years of his contract that pays an average cap hit of $10.5 million through 2026. Price turns 34 on August 16. More astonishing is that he performed so well in the postseason despite knee and hip issues. According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, he will see a doctor in New York this week.

Given the nature of the Price situation, it’s highly unlikely the Kraken will select him. It sounds far too risky. They are evaluating everything in preparation for Wednesday. A better suggestion is selecting Wild goalie Kaapo Kahkonen, who isn’t protected despite being the heir apparent to Cam Talbot. My guess is Minnesota will try work out a deal to prevent Seattle from grabbing him. Kahkonen has good upside. I doubt the Wild want to lose him.

Finally, this is who Carey Price is. What a great person.

All the best to him.

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Rangers deal for rights to Goodrow, ship Howden to Vegas, Rooney a surprise protect, Price and Landeskog among big names left unprotected

Posted on July 18, 2021 by Derek

In a move that felt like a home run, the Rangers acquired the exclusive negotiating rights to center Barclay Goodrow before Saturday’s 3 PM freeze. They parted with a ’22 seventh round pick to the Lightning, who knew they were going to lose Goodrow in free agency.

Now, GM Chris Drury has over a week to get Goodrow signed. A gritty player who played on the Bolts’ key third line that played a pivotal role in their repeat, the 28-year old Toronto native is the kind of hard-nosed checking forward the Rangers have lacked. He’s a good team guy who does the little things well such as blocking shots and winning board battles.

While he won’t blow anyone away from a skill standpoint, the hardworking Goodrow is a solid player who will hustle his tail off to make plays like the huge one he made to set up a last second Blake Coleman goal to put the Lightning up on the Canadiens in Game Two of the Stanley Cup. A good penalty killer who likes to throw his weight around, Goodrow would be a good addition to a roster that can use more edge to it. Now, it’s up to Drury to get him signed. Hopefully, it isn’t more than five years. Even that might be pushing it. It’ll be interesting to see how much they’re willing to pay him.

In a surprising move Drury was able to pull off, he dealt Brett Howden to Vegas in exchange for a 2022 fourth round pick and defenseman Nick DeSimone. You knew a domino was likely to fall after Drury got both Howden and Julien Gauthier signed for a year. The question was who. The Rangers aren’t expected to keep DeSimone. It really was about getting a fourth round pick for Howden, who despite being an honest player who gave a consistent effort, never became the player the organization believed he could become.

Still only 23, it’s a chance for Howden to do better on an established team that’s been a contender since they entered the league. Of course, there were great expectations placed on the former Lightning ’16 first round pick after he came over with defenseman Libor Hajek in a blockbuster trade that saw Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller go the other way. At the time, the sell off also netted Vladislav Namestnikov along with an ’18 first round pick that became Nils Lundkvist, and a ’19 conditional second that saw them select Karl Henriksson. While McDonagh has gone on to win back-to-back Cups, the Rangers are hoping Lundkvist can help turn the trade around. He recently signed a three-year entry level contract. He’s expected to battle Zac Jones for a spot on the defense.

In regards to Howden, he never was the same following his surprising offensive start during a decent rookie year in ’18-19 that saw him produce six goals and 17 assists for a still career high 23 points. Although he improved slightly to nine goals in ’19-20, Howden was never more than a checking pivot who doubled as an effective penalty killer. The work ethic was unquestioned. It’s just that he never could find the back of the net with regularity. In ’20-21, he had a goal and six assists in 42 games. For his three-year Ranger career, Howden totaled 49 points (16-33-49) in 178 games.

Going to Vegas should be good for him. They play an aggressive physical style which should benefit Howden. They’re a four line team. It’ll be interesting to see how he does under coach Peter DeBoer. He’ll likely be in that checking role. Best of luck to him.

There were other trades yesterday. None bigger than the Flyers sending Phillipe Myers and former second pick Nolan Patrick to the Predators in exchange for right defenseman Ryan Ellis. A move that should aid their blue line. Ellis is 30 and signed through 2027. He is a good skating defenseman who can contribute offensively and defensively. As for Patrick, he was sent to Vegas in exchange for Cody Glass by Nashville. I would’ve kept Patrick, who if he ever can overcome the health issues, could develop into a power forward. The Golden Knights would seem to be a good fit. They have an opening at center to be filled. Might Patrick center Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty? It will all depend on his health. He’s still quite young. It’s an interesting three-team trade.

Other players moving included Jared McCann to the Maple Leafs from the Penguins for Filip Hallander and a ’22 seventh round pick. McCann wasn’t going to be protected. So, he became expendable. The Leafs get a good secondary scorer…. Jason Dickinson moved from the Stars to Canucks for a ’21 third round pick…. The Sharks acquired goalie Adin Hill and a ’22 seventh round pick from the Coyotes for Josef Korenar and a ’22 second round pick. Guess they think Hill can be the answer to their goalie issues thanks to Martin Jones.

The Islanders made two smart moves to clear room on their salary cap. First, they sent defenseman Nick Leddy to the Red Wings for forward Richard Panik and a ’21 second round pick. Aside from saving money on the remainder of the Leddy contract, they even got Detroit to retain half of Panik’s remaining salary. It really is mystifying why Steve Yzerman would do that. But adding the experienced Leddy will aid his team’s back end. Leddy can still play top four minutes and power play. He was a good player for the Islanders. They could miss him. Basically, GM Lou Lamoriello created enough room to get Adam Pelech, Ilya Sorokin and Casey Cizikas signed. There’s also talk they will have enough maneuverability to add a scoring wing after getting the dumping ground known as Arizona to take the Andrew Ladd contract with a ’21 second round pick, ’22 conditional second and ’23 conditional third. The stipulation is simple. If Ladd plays a single game next season, Arizona receives the second round pick in ’22. That’s the Coyotes in a nutshell. Always bailing out desperate teams. Marian Hossa? The Isles also re-signed Andy Greene for one year, $1 million. So, the veteran returns for another year on Long Island.

With the teams finally revealing their keeper lists earlier this morning, the Rangers decided to protect Kevin Rooney over Colin Blackwell and Gauthier. The only thing I can think of is they value Rooney due to his ability to play center and kill penalties. He was a solid addition by Jeff Gorton the previous year. Rooney can stick on a fourth line. The question is did they acquire Goodrow to play on that checking line or fill a void at third line center due to Filip Chytil. Chytil hasn’t proven he’s a center in his three years. He doesn’t win face-offs and struggles defensively. He looks more like a wing. Given the glut at forward the Rangers have, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Drury move the restricted free agent in a deal if the right one is there to be had.

I thought they would keep either Blackwell or Gauthier over Rooney. But it appears the Rangers have placed more of a value on gritty forwards who can play center. Goodrow wasn’t protected due to his free agent status. He shouldn’t be taken. It’ll be either Blackwell or possibly Gauthier, who has ties to Seattle GM Ron Francis. It was Francis that took Gauthier in the first round a few years ago in Carolina. Whoever they lose, I’m okay with. I know whoever stays can fill a role on the checking line. So, I view it as a win win.

In terms of big names who have been made available to the Seattle Kraken this Wednesday, both Carey Price and Gabriel Landeskog were left unprotected. Price has an $11 million signing bonus that must be paid up front if Seattle decides to take him. That could be interesting. Price had a great postseason carrying the Canadiens to their first Stanley Cup appearance in 28 years. His contract is Pricey. If the Kraken select him, they can’t trade him to any other team. Some in the Canadian media have speculated that maybe Montreal GM Marc Bergevin has something worked out with Francis to get Price back and save some money. We’ll see.

As for Landeskog, he’s unrestricted. So, it’s no surprise the Avalanche left him unprotected. He wasn’t close to re-signing with the asking price not what Colorado was hoping for. It would have to be a team with a lot of cap space for Landeskog to get the $8 million he thinks he’s worth. In a flat cap world, I think $7.5 is more than fair. But where? Some of these Isles’ junkies actually believe they can get both Landeskog and trade for Vladimir Tarasenko ($7.5 million AAV through ’23). How? If anything, they can probably add Tarasenko depending on the Blues’ asking price.

St. Louis will be busy. They could be trading Vince Dunn. A restricted free agent, the 24-year old left defenseman could be a good addition for another team. Given the sad state with Shea Weber, who looks like he will have to retire due to all the injuries he played with, I wouldn’t be shocked if Bergevin called the Blues up and tried to acquire Dunn, who won’t cost as much as say unrestricted free agent Dougie Hamilton. It was reported a few months ago that the Habs had interest in soon to be bought out former Blueshirt Tony DeAngelo. The question with him is is there a team willing to give him another opportunity. He won’t cost as much. We know he’s a very capable offensive skating defenseman who can contribute at both even strength and power play. Given how bad the Habs power play is, it could be possible. But he’d have to be on his best behavior.

Of course, the unreliable bloggers are still trying to smear his name because they have nothing better to do. It’s embarrassing that our fan base have such fraudulent people who think they’re important. They should be sued for libel. As for DeAngelo, I hope he learned a valuable lesson. Even if I think what happened with Alex Georgiev was overblown because skirmishes do happen between teammates, he can’t be that guy if he wants another chance in the NHL. We don’t really know if he’ll get it.

The Lightning didn’t protect Ondrej Palat. He’s the kind of winning player teams love to have. Would Seattle pick him? Or might Julien BriseBois work out a deal involving draft picks so Palat isn’t grabbed? It’s going to be quite interesting as we get closer to Wednesday.

Jaro Halak also wasn’t kept by the Bruins. That isn’t surprising. It was time for Boston to move on. With Jeremy Swayman in the fold, the question becomes will the Bruins bring back Tuukka Rask. He only wants to play for Boston. It wouldn’t be the worst thing to bring the well respected veteran back in a teacher/student role. They also would like to re-sign Taylor Hall and David Krejci.

Came across a rumor involving Ryan Strome to Ottawa. Of course, some fans immediately were excited and proposed Drake Batherson and a late pick. As much as I like Batherson, he isn’t a center. The Rangers aren’t weak at the wing. You trade Strome, the center slot is weakened unless you replace him with say Sam Reinhart. Personally, I’d go into ’21-22 with both Mika Zibanejad and Strome as the 1-2 punch at center. Whatever happens happens.

That’s going to do it for this blog. To follow me, it’s @Dflex2123 on Twitter. See you around.

Derek

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Devils’ trade for Graves begins offseason with a bang

Posted on July 17, 2021 by hasan4978

It’s been more than two months since the Devils season ended and approximately four since their last meaningful game of 2021, waiting for the playoffs to end has felt like just another interminable delay in a year and a half full of them as a hockey fan. However with expansion protection lists due in less than two hours and a trading freeze currently underway, the offseason finally feels like it’s beginning in earnest. Things are starting to happen fast and furious now with the expansion draft itself, the NHL schedule release and the NHL Draft all in the next week and then the beginning of free agency after that.

For the Devils, their first big move of this offseason took place two nights ago when they traded prospect Mikhail Maltsev and a 2nd-round pick (previously an Islanders pick) for defenseman Ryan Graves from Colorado. I was uptown with friends when a buddy texted me about the deal, thankfully he filled me in on who Graves was since I had literally never heard his name before, and had no time to really look anything up. While the value of plus/minus in a player is debatable – personally I think it’s still somewhat valuable, but only in comparing players on the same team – what’s not debatable is that Graves has the highest plus/minus of any player in the NHL since the start of the 2019-20 season. Tom Fitzgerald admitted after the trade that Graves had been a target of his since shortly after taking over the GM job last January. Why not, given Graves is still just 26 and signed through next season? Graves seems like a fine add to me given he was good enough to play a top four role for a contending team, and provides sorely-needed size, physicality and defensive aptitude on our blueline.

https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1416079840088891396?s=20

Presumably Graves will now be one of the players the Devils will protect on their expansion list, which will likely consist of seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie. At least nine of those positions seem to be set assuming the Devils protect Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Pavel Zacha, Miles Wood, Yegor Sharangovich and Janne Kuokkanen up front, Mackenzie Blackwood in goal and Graves with Damon Severson on the blueline. As with most teams it’ll be the last spot(s) that are the most debateable.

Up front do the Devils protect Andreas Johnsson, coming off a poor year (though for some reason he’s a target to bounce back in the analytics community) with two seasons to go on a quasi-expensive deal or use their last slot on one of their young guns on the fourth line – center Mike McLeod or banging winger Nathan Bastian? McLeod seems marginally more valuable than his young gun counterpart Bastian given his position and chipping in a few more goals, plus his higher draft position probably still gives him more value. Just ask the Flyers, who just traded Nolan Patrick (former #2 overall) in a great deal for Ryan Ellis from Nashville. While not fully tipping his hand on a protection list, the GM actually compared McLeod to himself the other day, admitting he – Fitzgerald – was a first-rounder that didn’t live up to his draft position and had to find another way to carve out a long-term career in the league as a role player. I would probably protect McLeod over Bastian and Johnsson but it’s not a no-brainer considering the GM also acquired Johnsson last year and presumably won’t want to give up on him after one disjointed year.

On the blueline the choice for protection seemed cut and dry until the Graves trade. Now instead of protecting both PK Subban and Jonas Siegenthaler, the Devils will likely expose one to the expansion draft. On talent it’s a no-brainer choice, even with Subban’s meh tenure as a Devil he’s still a clear top four defenseman who’s one of our few vet leaders. Of course the fact Subban’s only signed through this season for $9 million has to factor in too, while again Sigenthaler is a player this GM acquired and just gave a two-year extension to. While I wasn’t impressed with his brief audition last year, it was a tough spot for the young Swiss defenseman after being benched in Washington for much of the season, then getting COVID shortly after coming here to play with a new team and new system, only getting in eight total games in NJ. I get the argument for rolling the dice and exposing Subban but it’s not going to help nearly as much in the short-term just trading off Subban for Graves if the Kraken decide to take him as a face of the new franchise/vet leader. It’s not as if the Devils need the cap space either, they’re not gonna come close to the celing this offseason and Subban’s contract is expiring after that.

My prediction is I’ll be annoyed when Johnsson and Siegenthaler are the last ones protected, and have a mixed reaction when McLeod winds up being taken. Obviously McLeod’s only a fourth-line center at most barring some huge later-career breakout but currently we don’t even have a third-line center, so we’ll probably need to fill those holes in the back six on free agency if that’s the way it plays out. If Subban winds up getting taken that’s a whole new kettle of fish though a big trade or FA signing could alleviate that. With the lists due at 5 PM you would think word would leak out tonight though the actual lists don’t have to be made public until tomorrow morning.

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Protection Lists Due Saturday, Rangers add Mike Kelly and Gord Murphy to coaching staff, Panthers buyout Yandle, Devils trade for Ryan Graves and re-sign Mike McLeod

Posted on July 15, 2021 by Derek

It’s the quiet before the storm. In anticipation of next Wednesday’s Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft on July 21, teams are preparing for a hectic off-season. Each of the 31 teams will lose an unprotected player off their roster to Seattle. The 32nd NHL team will submit their picks at 10 AM next Wednesday. It’ll be revealed at 8 PM on ESPN2.

In less than 48 hours, protection lists are due at 5 PM on Saturday. The transaction freeze goes into effect at 3 PM. Right now, moves are being made in preparation. That includes the re-signing of free agents and buyouts of select players. Trades can also be made.

While there’s been little activity, business will pick up leading up to the weekend. Especially with teams needing to be ready with their protection lists along with who’s available. It helps that certain players are exempt due to their status on an entry level contract.

The Rangers have some decisions to make. Will it be Brett Howden, Julien Gauthier or Colin Blackwell with Kevin Rooney likely available? Anthony Bitetto and Keith Kinkaid will be eligible due to having one more year on their deals. Rooney is also very cheap. A solid fourth line center and penalty killer, he only is due $750,000. That makes him a good candidate to get selected. Who would you keep between Blackwell, Gauthier and Howden? Only Gauthier is a restricted free agent while Blackwell and Howden are under contract. We’ll see what Chris Drury decides.

In team news, the Rangers officially hired Mike Kelly and Gord Murphy as assistant coaches on Gerard Gallant’s staff. They’re still looking to hire one more assistant. Kelly has been with Gallant before In Vegas and Florida. Murphy was an associate head coach in Hartford while briefly filling a role when COVID hit David Quinn and his coaching staff. He’s been an NHL assistant before with the Blue Jackets, Panthers and Flyers.

This is nothing earth shattering. It is just an NHL team filling out their coaching personnel. Who replaces David Oliver? We’ll see. At least goalie coach Benoit Allaire remains with the organization. He’s been instrumental to the goaltending tree that once included Henrik Lundqvist, Cam Talbot, Antti Raanta and currently Igor Shesterkin and Alex Georgiev.

Heck. Even Steve Valiquette benefitted from Allaire’s expertise. Even if his NHL career lasted only 46 games. Thirty-nine came as a Ranger including his best season in ’07-08 when he won five games while posting a 2.19 GAA, .916 save percentage and two shutouts. Now he still references that NHL career during telecasts on MSG Network. You can’t help but chuckle. 

The biggest news items so far are the Wild buyouts of twins Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. There’s no reason to rehash it. See Hasan’s piece on the best friends who got those ridiculous 13-year contracts in the summer of 2012. I know all too well how he felt towards Parise for leaving New Jersey following a run to the Stanley Cup Final. Of course, Parise has been linked to the Islanders, who nearly traded for him last year. Given his previous relationship with current Islanders Team President and GM Lou Lamoriello, it would be no surprise if the veteran American signs with the Isles. Their cap situation isn’t great. We’ll see.

In another important news item, Keith Yandle was bought out by the Panthers. After threatening to not play him before the abbreviated 56-game season, coach Joel Quenneville wound up dressing the well respected Yandle for all 56 to continue his consecutive games played streak. A remarkable streak that began on Mar. 26, 2009 continued through the conclusion of the regular season on May 10, 2021. Yandle has played in 922 consecutive games to place second behind NHL record holder Doug Jarvis. His record streak of 964 could be in jeopardy if Yandle finds a team who will play him regularly in ’21-22.

Unfortunately, the 34-year old Yandle fell off in his 15th season. His 27 points (3-24-27) over 56 games were down from the 45 he put up in 69 contests the previous year. One of the best offensive defensemen, Yandle remains effective on the power play where 18 of his 27 points came in his fifth season with the Panthers. Prior to signing with Florida long-term for an average cap hit of $6.35 million, he was a Ranger for over a year. He did well in ’14-15 during the playoffs by producing two goals and 10 assists for 12 points in 19 games.

After they opted to trade his rights following a disappointing first round exit in 2016, Yandle signed through 2023 with the Cats. With two years remaining and strong indications that they wanted to go in a different direction, they bought out the final two years. The payout is divided over four years:

’21-22 $2,341,667

’22-23 $5,391,667

’23-24 $1,241,667

’24-25 $1,241,667

In related news, Anthony Duclair re-signed with the Panthers for three years, $9 million. It looks like the well traveled former Blueshirt has found a home. Ironically, he was the top prospect they parted with when they acquired Yandle as a two-year rental. Go figure. Duclair had since played for the Coyotes, Blackhawks, Blue Jackets and Senators before landing in Sunrise. Good for him.

In news that must’ve just broke, the Devils have acquired defenseman Ryan Graves from the Avalanche in exchange for forward Mikhail Maltsev and a 2021 second round pick. A solid physical left defenseman who the Rangers never gave a thought to, Graves has turned himself into a good NHL player. Due to a glut in their roster, Colorado wasn’t keeping him. The Devils took advantage to add a quality defenseman, who’ll probably replace Ryan Murray, who can become unrestricted later this month.

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Graves, 26, is signed through 2023 at a reasonable AAV of $3.167 million. He can deliver big hits and contribute some offense from the blue line due to his heavy shot. It looks like a decent move by Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald. He did part with a decent player in Maltsev and the number 61 pick in the upcoming NHL Draft. I’m sure Hasan will have more about it.

In related news, the Devils re-signed restricted free agent Mike McLeod to a multi-year deal. The average cap hit is $975,000.

I’ll have more on Shea Weber’s iffy NHL future due to the injuries he’s played through in Montreal. Plus anything else that happens this weekend.

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Parise, Suter buyout provides reminder of a franchise-changing day

Posted on July 13, 2021 by hasan4978

It was just over nine years ago – on the fourth of July to be exact – when the Minnesota Wild made a dual signing that sent shockwaves through the NHL, giving big-name free agents Zach Parise and Ryan Suter matching 13 year, $98 million contracts, which was supposed to mark their first step toward being a true contender. Of course this was before the most recent CBA where contract lengths got capped at eight years and before the format of contracts themselves got adjusted due to a myriad of artificially long deals that made a mockery of the salary cap. Relitigating the fact that the Devils were the only team punished for ‘violating the spirit of the CBA’ on the Ilya Kovalchuk deal is another debate for another blog.

Of course it was nine days after the fourth of July this year, after the shocking dual buyout of Parise and Suter’s contracts in Minnesota where I was reminded of that fateful day in the summer of 2012 that changed the Devils forever. For all the talk about how we were fortunate in avoiding Parise’s contract (more on that in the next paragraph), the on-ice facts are undeniable. New Jersey made the playoffs every year of Parise’s Devils career aside from 2010-11 where he was limited to thirteen games due to injury, and has only made the postseason one time since he left. Obviously plenty of other factors contributed to the franchise’s downfall, but the exodus of star wingers Parise and Kovalchuk in a twelve-month period certainly sped up the franchise’s inevitable decline at the very least.

While it does get tiring hearing that the Devils dodged a bullet not having to sign Parise to that deal, there is some obvious truth to it as evidenced by the fact the Wild saw fit to buy out both him and his bff Suter with four years left on each of their deals and a whopper of a dead cap hit 2-3 years down the road. Parise and Suter were the most infamous buddy package deal in NHL history since Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne’s ill-fated team up on the Colorado Avalanche in the early 2000’s, so it’s oddly fitting they both get their walking papers together. After their obvious (and unpunished) public tampering in the summer of 2012, my heart does not bleed one drop for the cap issues the Wild are going to have based on these buyouts.

Even at best, avoiding his deal was a bit of a pyrrhic victory for us though. Sure, it saved us cap space and allowed us to fully bottom out despite the efforts of then-GM Lou Lamoriello to keep the leaky ship afloat. Really if today proved anything though, it’s that nobody benefitted from the events of July 4, 2012 – at least on the ice. Parise and Suter made bank and Zach at least did get to be close to home in his dad’s final years but on the ice, it was a loss for all involved. Obviously our team still hasn’t fully recovered. All Minnesota got for splurging on two deals of a combined 26 years and nearly $200 million was a few first and second-round exits, and no real deep playoff run in their nine years for the Wild. Parise could have had a golden legacy as a Devil who was drafted, developed, became the captain and had a long, distinguished career in one spot – or mostly in one spot at least. Think Patrik Elias, only not quite as productive but with a longer stay as captain and more of a connection to the local fans as an American star.

Splitting his career between New Jersey and Minnesota with only one deep playoff run in a fourteen-year career – and that came as he was on his way out in NJ – leaves Parise’s overall legacy as muddled, although I’m sure he’ll probably hook on with a contender (cough Islanders cough) for a potential last gasp at a Cup. Right this moment though, it’s not too much of a stretch to say Zach is arguably more well remembered for his game-tying goal in the 2010 gold medal game at the Olympics than anything he accomplished as an NHL player, despite a largely distinguished career with nearly 400 goals and almost 800 points.

Despite my anger at Zach at the time for being the captain and ditching us in a disingenuous way right when we had a deep playoff run, I’ve more or less forgiven him. Maybe it’s just the vindictive part of me glad he never found the team success after leaving that so many other ex-Devils have as of late, and now pitying him toward the end of his career after he’s spent much of it in obscurity. Or maybe it’s just the realization it was a good thing he got to spend his dad’s final years near home, though I’m still not sure if it was a known fact he was sick at the time Zach left or if that occurred later. However, I am sure I’ll go back to rolling my eyes at him if (when?) he reunites with Lou in Long Island though. Cap issues and potential angst aside – and as Lou once famously said, ‘don’t worry about my cap’ – it makes too much sense for it not to happen. Parise goes to the team his dad played for, with his former long-time GM and a chance to compete.

That’s next month’s issue though, this blog is more just a reflection on arguably the darkest offseason day in Devils history. Darker than Kovalchuk skipping the country (especially since we dodged a potential long-term contract issue there too), or Bobby Holik and Scott Gomez – among others – prancing across town to take the Rangers money. At least the Devils won a Cup the year after Holik left, though Gomez’s departure definitely led to some short-term pain the next year when the Rangers punked us out of the playoffs. And at least Gomez was long gone by the time we next met our rivals in the postseason again, during the spring of 2012. Ironically both came back to the Devils late in their careers, and after more acrimonious departures than Zach had here. Just more proof that Lou’s all but certain to make a pitch to Parise about going to Long Island.

I don’t even conceive of the possibility of Zach coming back here enough to care one way or another, why would he return here when we’re still a rebuilding team? Especially if he can go play with fellow Devils buddy Travis Zajac (assuming Lou re-ups him too). Either way, hopefully the Devils will start winning again soon so we can stop looking back at the past and have new players and more spring hockey to embrace.

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Stanley Cup Wrap Up: Lightning Repeat, Kucherov trolls Canadiens’ fans, McDonagh dominant, Vasilevskiy wins Conn Smythe, Rangers sign Howden in preparation for Expansion Draft

Posted on July 10, 2021 by Derek
The Tampa Bay Lightning pose for a team photo after repeating as Stanley Cup Champions. The most dominant team this century. Photo by Derek Felix courtesy NBC Sports

It’s already been three days since the Stanley Cup wrapped up. Indeed, Lightning struck twice with the dominant Bolts blanking the Canadiens 1-0 in Game Five to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions at home in front of a near capacity crowd. They got to celebrate this time in front of their fans and it was great to see.

After how the Habs were able to stay alive by winning Game Four on a Josh Anderson overtime winner over four minutes in from Cole Caufield to take it 3-2 at a raucous Bell Centre, the Lightning were intent on finishing them off. They didn’t want to go back to Montreal. Who could blame them. You never want to give a live underdog a chance to believe anything is possible. They made certain there would be no new team joining the 1942 Maple Leafs to rally from a 3-0 series deficit to win the Cup.

How did they do it? In similar fashion to how they responded against the Islanders in the only elimination game they faced in the 2021 NHL Playoffs. In that Game Seven, the relentless Lightning pressed the action and dominated the Islanders in puck possession and shots. The only goal came from Yanni Gourde shorthanded early in the second period on a perfect line change. The Bolts continued to swarm Semyon Varlamov and hardly faced much pressure in their end. It resulted in a fourth consecutive series clinching shutout for Andrei Vasilevskiy, who again won after losing a playoff game.

That theme repeated itself when Vasilevskiy only had to make 22 saves for his fifth shutout in a series clincher dating back to last year. A ridiculous statistic that’ll be hard to match. It shows just how potent the champion Lightning are. They went back-to-back for a big reason. The resilience of the players following losses showed true character. When you can finish off opponents by blanketing them to pitch 1-0 shutouts, it says a lot about what kind of team you are. One for the record books. This time, it was rookie Ross Colton who scored the game’s only goal by tipping in a David Savard feed past Carey Price. Ryan McDonagh set it up. He was dominant throughout the series and had such a good postseason that he finished fourth for the Conn Smythe that went to Vasilevskiy. The Bolts’ most valuable player. Without him, they’re not champs.

The unique aspect that made Tampa so good is that it wasn’t only about the skill guys. We know how great Nikita Kucherov was in leading in playoff scoring with 32 points (8-24-32). Ditto for center Brayden Point, who remained clutch like last year by pacing all scorers with 14 goals including nine straight games with a goal to just miss matching Reggie Leach’s playoff record. Vasilevskiy was locked in and proved he’s the best goalie in the sport. At just 26, he’s already won two Cups and a Vezina. Though to hear Kucherov tell it in a bizarre interview courtesy of Bud Light, Vasilevskiy was the better than the Vegas guy (Marc-Andre Fleury) and the guy in Winnipeg (Connor Hellebuyck). He wasn’t lying there. However, that’s voted on by general managers. It’s the second part of his interview while intoxicated that created fireworks.

An engaging personality, Kucherov did a lot of celebrating while on the ice, even raising his arms up to his ears as if he were Hulk Hogan. It was obvious he was enjoying himself. So too was Pat Maroon, who must be the good luck charm. He’s now won three Cups in a row, becoming the first player to do it since the Islanders in ’83. Maroon was so pumped, he circled around the ice near the boards and took selfies with joyous fans. It was classic.

Back to Kucherov. With his shirt off in the postgame interview at the table, he went after Montreal fans. He said that he really didn’t want to go back to Montreal. Then he referred to how their fans acted after they won a game. He didn’t hold back saying last series against Vegas was their Stanley Cup. This was priceless. Here you had a star player being brutally honest. Something we rarely see in hockey. This didn’t sit well with the passionate Canadiens’ fans, who went after Kucherov for his remarks. Here’s the thing. Not every fan overreacted to their team’s win. He was referencing fans who crossed the line outside. At the same time, let’s not forget this was their team’s first Stanley Cup appearance in 28 years. You have many new fans who never experienced the Montreal success that includes an NHL record 23 Stanley Cups. The good fans who got excited by the Game Four win don’t deserve that label. But Kucherov was drunk. It just came out.

https://twitter.com/JessHa6s/status/1412972690433007617?s=19

Personally, I don’t see the big deal over what he said. It wasn’t what you’d get if Kucherov were sober. He had a little too much fun, even cursing while pondering how many questions he had to answer. I loved what he said about Vasilevskiy. It’s the truth. Anyone who thinks he’s not the Bolts’ most important player is lost. He started every playoff game the past two years to join Ken Dryden, who’s the last to do it. Imagine if Curtis McElhinney had to start a game. He’s the luckiest backup ever. But he got to skate the Cup as did many younger Lightning prospects who they included in the celebration. That kind of memorable experience will be something they won’t forget. With a few Bolts on the way out, that’ll serve as motivation.

Even funnier is that Kucherov signed with Bud Light to drink their beer out of the Stanley Cup. I’m not kidding. Twitter can be a bit chaotic, but occasionally you find the humor in it. I doubt anyone up North will be drinking Bud Light. They’re still riled up over Kucherov. However, look at the bright side. He’s now Public Enemy number one. A new rivalry exists. Games between the Habs and Bolts when they return to the same division will be intense. It’ll be worth watching. Will there be any carryover? It should be interesting.

Regarding the Canadiens, who played well in two of the five games, they have nothing to be ashamed of. Sure. The loss hurts. Whenever you get that far and lose, it isn’t easy to take. They made a great run and should be proud of what they accomplished. Many of us had them dead and buried when they fell behind 3-1 to the Maple Leafs. But they showed a lot of heart coming back to pull it out and again break Toronto hearts. Then swept Winnipeg. Who had the Habs over the Golden Knights? They stifled Mark Stone and held Max Pacioretty to one goal while getting outstanding goaltending from Price to win in six. Artturi Lehkonen played the overtime hero to win Game Six as Bell Centre celebrated along with so many fans going crazy outside. It was a great moment.

No matter what you think about how the Stanley Cup Final turned out, the Lightning still had to earn it by playing their very best game. They say the fourth game (or in this case the 16th) is the hardest to get. They proved they could win any type of game. Whether it be high scoring and unpredictable like the tough challenge they got from the Panthers in the first round, or coming from behind to stun the Hurricanes in a pivotal Game Four before closing the door, these Bolts expertly coached by Jon Cooper never cracked. They could’ve against the resilient Islanders after blowing Game Six and losing on a bad Blake Coleman turnover in overtime. That’s not who they were. They had tremendous character and short memories. The championship pedigree showed up. That’s why they joined the Penguins (’16 and ’17) as the only teams to go back-to-back this century. In my view, they’re the best champion since the powerful Red Wings repeated in ’97 and ’98. The biggest difference is they didn’t lose a single game against the Flyers or Capitals. But Tampa went 8-2 versus Dallas and Montreal.

I also want to single out Cooper’s game management. Without key cog Alex Killorn, he made a wise decision by sticking Colton on the second line and moving Tyler Johnson back to the fourth line. Every move he made worked. Ironic how Johnson did in the Habs earlier in the series when moved up and then it was Colton getting the Cup clincher by getting position on Joel Edmundson to steer in Savard’s feed. The role players excelled. Coleman redeemed himself by scoring clutch goals including the backbreaking game-winner with under two seconds left in the second period of Game Two. Barclay Goodrow assisted on it and also played his checking role well. He will leave as will Coleman due to the Lightning cap situation. Both will get paid. They’re each gritty players who help winners become successful. Johnson will also wind up elsewhere due to his $5 million price tag. He definitely is capable of playing a bigger role elsewhere. Savard will also depart for greener pastures.

Ryan McDonagh is interviewed by NBC reporter Pierre McGuire after winning his second consecutive Stanley Cup. The former Ranger captain made a huge difference throughout the 2021 Playoffs. Photo by Derek Felix

It was nice to hear Eddie Olczyk and Brian Boucher single out the performance of McDonagh. They praised the consistent defensive work from the former Ranger captain. He truly was at his best paired with underrated physical D Erik Cernak. They were a shutdown tandem, who provided superb work at five-on-five and on the penalty kill. McDonagh also made some good pinches to create offense like he did in NYC. How about that pass to set up a goal in Game Four. He also made the key block and long outlet that led directly to the Gourde shorthanded goal that finished off the Isles. Mac Truck was in beast mode all playoffs. He finished with eight assists and a playoff best plus-18. Good for him winning two Cups. He must think he died and gone to Heaven. From the ridiculous criticism that he wasn’t a good leader as a Ranger, he got moved to a better team where he could play behind Victor Hedman on the second pair. That meant not having to worry about running the power play or carrying the burden like he did on Broadway. McDonagh should send Jeff Gorton a postcard.

You can’t leave out the tremendous leadership from captain Steven Stamkos. Last year was tough for him. He was hurt almost the entire postseason, but had a memorable Stanley Cup moment by scoring a great goal off the rush with a rocket in his only game against the Stars. This time, he was able to participate by finishing with 18 points (8-10-18) while playing on the second line with Cirelli and Killorn before he missed the final four games due to a broken fibula. Astonishingly, he hoped to return and play after getting metal rod inserted during surgery last week. An injury that’ll take three to four weeks for him to do normal things. It didn’t stop him from being on the ice for the celebration and skating the Cup. What a warrior.

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Ondrej Palat is often overlooked on this team. A good two-way player who complements Point and Kucherov well, he remains a key part of the consecutive championships. A gritty forward who always battles hard to keep plays alive on the back check, the speedy Palat makes things happen. He can play both power play and penalty kill and is an underrated passer. He doesn’t get the ink of his linemates, but is a steady influence. He was sixth in team scoring with 13 points (5-8-13) and a plus-eight. He was a factor producing a goal and three assists in the Final. As much as Point and Kucherov are discussed for where they were selected, Palat went in the seventh round of the 2011 NHL Draft. Can you say steal?

Credit the Lightning scouting staff for doing an outstanding job finding such superb players. Imagine passing on Kucherov, who wound up going in the second round of the 2011 Draft number 58. He has a Hart Trophy and led the postseason in scoring during consecutive Stanley Cup championships. This is a special player who’s totaled 547 points in 515 games and put up 127 points in 113 playoff games. He reminded us why he’s in the conversation as one of the game’s best players. Point was stolen in the third round in the 2014 Draft 79th overall. His career numbers in the playoffs are over a point-per-game with an impressive 36 goals and 37 assists for 73 total points in 67 games. A complete first line pivot, who plays a 200-foot game. His regular season marks are proof. He has 310 points (139-171-310) with a plus-75 rating in 351 games. Only 25, he’ll continue to get better.

When the Lightning can count on virtually everyone to contribute including Jan Ruuta (who didn’t work out in Chicago), who paired up with the towering force in Hedman (2-16-18), it says everything. They’re the best T-E-A-M. Even Luke Schenn stepped in for Cernak against the Islanders and Mathieu Joseph filled in admirably on the fourth line when Killorn went down. Cooper moved Colton up and Joseph played with Johnson and the charismatic Maroon. Everyone was part of it.

The Lightning will hold a boat parade on Monday in Tampa. They’ve done it before. It’s definitely unique. But probably cool. Especially cruising with the Cup around the ocean. A bit different from most championship celebrations that include long parade routes. As Cooper noted in an on ice interview, he knows they won’t be the same team next time. But noted how extremely focused they were on winning the Cup for a second consecutive time. He wouldn’t allow anyone to think about it or what lied ahead. The right mentality. A coach with a law degree who got involved coaching high school hockey, he went from being a lawyer to a successful coach who’s won at every level. It’s a pretty good story.

It’s hard to believe there’s no more hockey for another three months. It was a strange feeling with there not being a game on Friday night. However, with the first buyout window here, there certainly will be a flurry of activity in what promises to be an interesting off-season that includes the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft prior to the NHL Draft. There’s sure to be a lot of focus on who GM Ron Francis selects from each team along with trades like we saw Vegas make to their advantage. Each team have tough decisions coming up on who they’ll protect. Then, you have the Draft, free agency and potential trades with Vladimir Tarasenko requesting out of St. Louis. Where will he wind up?

For the Rangers, they’ll have their own decisions to make on who to protect. With the team re-signing Brett Howden to a one-year dehuial worth $885,000. With him signed for a year, will he be left unprotected? You have to think Kevin Rooney and either Howden, Julien Gauthier or Colin Blackwell are the candidates. Personally, I’d like to keep Gauthier due to his combination of size, speed and strength. I believe a coach like Gerard Gallant can get more out of him. If not, then maybe they decide it’s worth retaining Blackwell, who proved he could score goals and win battles while being moved around the lineup.

There is the upcoming restricted free agency of key scorer Pavel Buchnevich. They can decide to keep him past next summer when he could become unrestricted. He’s got some good years ahead. Would a contract around $5.25 million on average over say four to five years get it done? It all depends what’s in new Team President and GM Chris Drury’s plans. What if Matthew Tkachuk really becomes available? With the Rangers lacking that kind of physical forward who can score and drive opponents nuts, they’d have to consider it. But who would be in such a deal? I’m not going to speculate. If Tkachuk switches teams, he’ll help someone.

What about locking up Norris winner Adam Fox? A year away from restricted status, they can extend him this summer which means a long-term contract wouldn’t kick in until ’22-23. It would be wise to get it done now. Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil and Libor Hajek are also RFA’s. So is Gauthier. Do they re-sign him for a similar year like Howden to make him more attractive for Seattle? It’s all about being calculated.

What about Brendan Smith? He was the consummate teammate. A good locker room leader who brought a strong work ethic and did a solid job. Does he want to stay? If not, who could fill that role? It can’t just fall on kids Zac Jones and Nils Lundkvist. They need a veteran defenseman who can play occasionally or perhaps more if Jones and Lundkvist aren’t ready. Nothing should be assumed.

The lack of grit is an area Drury has spoken about addressing. He noticed the physicality during the postseason. It’s that tenacious style that helps teams be successful. Circle Barclay Goodrow as a free agent checking pivot who might be a good fit. The sheer hustle, grit and determination he plays with makes him a coveted player around the league. Casey Cizikas is similar, but his loyalty is with the Islanders. I have to believe he’ll find a way to stay. They don’t have a great cap situation. There’s also Joel Armia, who has the size and speed to make a difference if he isn’t brought back by Montreal. He can score the garbage goals and is a valuable checking forward who’s a strong penalty killer. We can further examine who’s available at a later date.

There’s plenty of time to see what develops. We know the buyout is coming for Tony DeAngelo. A skilled offensive defenseman who will not make anywhere close to what he did this past year. I believe in second chances. I also think John Davidson and Jeff Gorton did him wrong due to David Quinn. Sometimes, stuff happens in the heat of the moment. Players do get into scuffles sometimes. It was unfortunate how it ended after his blowup with Alex Georgiev. A likable backup goalie who should remain in the Big Apple to play behind Shesterkin. I hope he apologized to Georgiev. He never stopped throwing support to his former teammates including congratulating Fox on his Norris win via Instagram. You wonder what’s going to be with DeAngelo, who proved in ’19-20 he could be a big contributor at five-on-five and on the power play. Will a team give him an opportunity to prove himself? There can’t be anymore issues.

These are all stories to follow in the coming weeks. Now that I’ve set it up, it’s time to kick back and make a smoothie while enjoying the end of Wimbledon and tomorrow’s men’s final between Matteo Berrettini and heavy favorite Novak Djokovic along with the big European Championship between Italy and England at Wembley Stadium. Go Italy!

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RIP Matiss Kivlenieks (1996-2021)

Posted on July 6, 2021 by Derek
It is with tremendous sadness that we send our heartfelt condolences to the family of Matiss Kivlenieks. The Columbus Blue Jackets goalie was taken tragically on the Fourth of July. He was just 24. RIP Kivi (1996-2021)

Tragedy struck the hockey community on Independence Day. It was revealed yesterday that Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks tragically passed away late Sunday night due to a horrible accident involving fireworks in Novi, Michigan. He was only 24.

According to several reports, Kivlenieks was struck while in a hot tub during a Fourth of July party. In addition to chest drama, he suffered internal injuries that led to his tragic death. With more details about the horrible accident, Novi Police Department Lt. Jason Meier indicated that from his investigation, it looked like they lighted a nine shot mortar box. The issue was the box tipped over causing the last two mortars to fire in the direction of Kivlenieks. Kivlenieks tried to scramble out of harms way, but the last shot hit him in the chest.

A two-year NHL pro, Kivlenieks was struck by a fireworks mortar blast that caused chest drama. He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The sad tragedy happened while he was at coach Manny Legace’s house celebrating the former NHL goalie’s daughter’s wedding.

It’s an awful way to go. What should’ve been a happy time had by all turned into a sad tragedy. Kivlenieks’ close friend and teammate Elvis Merzlikins also attended the celebration. Both are from Riga, Latvia. It was heartbreaking for Merzlikins, who paid tribute to his friend following the tragedy.

“My little brother, what to say, I really loved you, you were the little brother for me that I took care of,” he expressed on his Instagram that included a photo of the two from that night. “I really love you, I’ll miss you, we had our last basketball game in the pool and we enjoyed before you left me right after.

“We love you and fly high baby, fly high!
You saved your last puck! ❤️
You will be our guardian angel
R.I.P #80❤️🕯“

It really is an emotional tribute from Merzlikins, who referred to Kivlenieks as Kivi, which was his nickname. Teammates and former teammates paid tribute to Kivlenieks. The NHL showed tremendous support on Twitter. It is gut wrenching to think that a life can be lost in such a haunting way. It was a freak accident. It makes one wonder why. Sometimes, life isn’t fair. It’s a reminder how precious life is.

The hockey community always is very strong and close knit when it comes to such tragedies. During last night’s Game Four at Bell Centre prior to puck drop, the Canadiens and Lightning held a moment of silence for Kivlenieks. It sure was emotional. Then, they went out and played a great game won by the Habs on a Josh Anderson goal in overtime to keep his team’s Stanley Cup hopes alive.

Stick taps go out to the family of Matiss Kivlenieks along with all the friends and fans he had. It’s hard to believe it was a year and a half ago that I was at MSG with my family to see the Rangers take on the Blue Jackets. It was on the night of Jan. 19, 2020 that Kivlenieks made his NHL debut in net for Columbus. He was giving Merzlikins a rare night off due to Joonas Korpisalo being out for an extended period. What a memorable night that was for him.

It wasn’t hard to remember that his first game came against the Rangers. What I recall most is how well Kivlenieks played. He made 31 saves on 32 shots to backstop the Blue Jackets to a 2-1 win at The Garden. A hard fought game that was won by teammate Oliver Bjorkstrand with 27 seconds left in regulation. He made a lot of good stops to give his team a chance at the come from behind win. So, it was well deserved.

It’s just hard to believe he’s gone 18 months later. In ’20-21, Kivlenieks didn’t play in many games for Columbus due to the goalie situation. He was third behind the tandem of Merzlikins and Korpisalo. After spending much of the season on the Taxi Squad, he started consecutive games against the Red Wings on 5/7 and 5/8. After losing the first one, he won the second start making 33 saves on 37 shots. It was his second career NHL win. As it turned out, he won the first and last start of a career cut short by an unfortunate tragedy.

It’s really a shame. With Columbus expected to move on from either Merzlikins or Korpisalo, next season was going to be Kivlenieks’ chance as a backup. There is nothing else to say. It hurts just thinking about it. Our hearts go out to Matiss Kivlenieks’ family and inner circle. Rest easy. Fly high in the sky. You lived your dream.

RIP Matiss Kivlenieks (8/26/96 – 7/4/21) 🤤😢🙏💜💛

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Dominant Lightning Bolts on the verge of history, why going to a Stanley Cup game is worth everything, salty NYR fans, Price vs Lundqvist, a funny Del Zotto exchange

Posted on July 3, 2021 by Derek

Maybe I should’ve known better. But admittedly, I didn’t. I thought the Canadiens could give the Lightning a series. So far, the Bolts are proving why they’re defending champs. They’ve flexed their championship muscle to outscore the Habs 14-5 in taking the first three games of the Stanley Cup.

On Monday night at Bell Centre in Montreal, they’ll go for the sweep. It’s too bad only 3,500 fans are allowed to attend the Canadiens’ first Stanley Cup games in 28 years. Not sure it would have made a difference. But those are passionate fans who love their Habs. That city lives and dies with them. Seeing the energy both inside and outside the home arena certainly signifies how much it means for them to have their team back playing for the Cup. Even though it might end in two nights, they have waited a long time to see their Les Habitants get this far. Kudos to the extremely loyal Montreal fans.

The bottom line is the Lightning have acted like a true NHL heavyweight in the series. Not that they have been perfect. Far from it if you watched their 3-1 win in Game Two. One in which they owed it all to the game’s best goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy. A more desperate Canadiens dominated for long stretches, but were turned away time and again by the unflappable Vasilevskiy, who stopped 42 of 43 shots in earning the game’s First Star. That along with some great hustle and determination from Blake Coleman broke the Habs’ back at the conclusion of the second period. His diving goal coming with over a second left from Barclay Goodrow proved to be the crushing game-winner.

Those last second goals hurt. So too did a total misplay from normally dependable Joel Edmundson that allowed Ondrej Palat to score a gimme that put that game away. Palat is one of those underrated glue guys that doesn’t get the ink of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman or Vasilevskiy. But the smart two-way left wing who completes that dynamic top line, makes things happen. He’s always around the puck, more often than not winning key battles by keeping plays alive. Just ask the Islanders.

It’s not only the stars for coach Jon Cooper’s Lightning. But those crucial secondary scorers who provide the grunt work that make the difference. It was Yanni Gourde who haunted the Islanders along with Anthony Cirelli, who is such a smart player. Even without gritty Alex Killorn, who’s missed the last two games due to an injury, the Bolts are a total T-E-A-M. In Game Three at Montreal on Friday night, you had old hat Tyler Johnson shift back to center. All he did is score two goals with both putting the Habs in three-goal deficits. That was too much to overcome in their first home Stanley Cup game since they finished off the Kings at the old Forum in 1993. Johnson will be sacrificed due to the Lightning’ salary cap when the season ends. He’ll have his name engraved on two Cups and wind up playing a bigger role elsewhere. He’s been a good player for Tampa.

You can have your pick of players in supporting roles for the soon to be crowned Lightning. No. I can’t see the Canadiens making history by becoming only the second team in Stanley Cup history to climb out of a 3-0 hole. Only the 1942 Maple Leafs did it to win the Cup. Of course, you also had the Islanders, Flyers and Kings accomplish it. But in a different round. Only the Kings went onto win the Cup of the latter three. Sharks fans really despise them for good reason. So do Ranger fans. But I digress. I don’t want the Habs to get swept on home ice. I have some good friends over there. May they at least get a win in Game Four like the Rangers did. If you have to lose, it’s better to do it on the road.

When you have defensemen like Jan Rutta and Erik Cernak scoring for Tampa, that sums it up. Almost all six D have been involved offensively in this series. Ryan McDonagh doesn’t have a goal, but has set up one while playing stellar shutdown defense alongside the very physical Cernak, who really loves to throw his weight around. David Savard also has an assist while playing a third pair role after coming over from Columbus. He’s a strong physical player, who’ll draw interest this summer. You also have former Hab Mikhail Sergachev. While he hasn’t done much offensively, the young left skating defenseman has been trusted by Cooper as that third left D behind Hedman and McDonagh to log important minutes.

There aren’t many holes with this team. When you have battle tested veteran Pat Maroon playing hard on the fourth line and they can plug youngsters Ross Colton and Mathieu Joseph (assist in Game 3), the depth is incredible. Cooper has also taken advantage of the match-up between Point line and Nick Suzuki line which have been severely outplayed. Give Suzuki credit for getting a couple past Vasilevskiy, who otherwise has been almost unbeatable. He’s only allowed five goals on 97 shots including four on 78 over the last two games. Although he allowed a pair of bad ones to Suzuki and Corey Perry last night, he shut the door on a rushing Ben Chiarot to calm things down before a Coleman empty netter. More often than not, the 26-year old Russian netminder makes the critical stops when he must. Just as he did to finish off the Panthers, Hurricanes and Islanders. It’s why you could make a case for him for the Conn Smythe. But that honor probably will go to Kucherov, who leads in postseason scoring with 32 points (8-24-32).

You can’t go wrong with either Point (14-9-23) or Vasilevskiy (15-6, 1.94 GAA, .938 save percentage, 4 shutouts). Those are the top three candidates headed into Game Four unless Carey Price turns it around. I’ve seen a lot of snide remarks about his play in the three games. But who’s most responsible for the Canadiens being here? Exactly. It isn’t only the goalie, who hasn’t had his best series. He admitted he can be better after last night when asked by the obnoxious Canadian media. They really are. How many goals do they want to blame him for? Has he been perfect? No. He’d love to have the Hedman power play goal back that put his team in an early 2-0 hole. But they’ve been outclassed. Even the return of interim coach Dominique Ducharme wasn’t enough to turn the tide. At least he used his timeout at 2-0 down. Phillip Danault scored to get the Habs within a goal. They wound up with 17 shots, playing much better. But that was as close as they got.

It wasn’t Price who got caught on a bad line change that led directly to Kucherov burying a ridiculous backhand one-timer off a two-on-none pass from Palat to make it 3-1 early in the second. Price also had the misfortune of a Joseph save bouncing off his skate right to Johnson for an easy backhand finish that allowed Tampa to score two more quick goals for a second consecutive period. Even with Suzuki finding the five-hole on Vasilevskiy from a bad angle late in the period, the game was over. Tampa shut everything down in a stifling third similar to what they did to the Islanders in Game Seven. There was no room and little scoring chances until Perry beat Vasilevskiy with Price pulled with 4:02 left. The trouble was it only made it 5-3 due to Johnson abusing over matched Montreal defenseman Erik Gustafsson. Oy. Why is he playing over Alex Romanov? A Coleman empty netter sealed it 50 seconds later.

The Canadiens got here by rallying past the Maple Leafs from a 3-1 deficit. That included winning Games Five and Six in sudden death. They dominated Winnipeg and then stunned the Golden Knights behind the brilliance of Price and timely scoring from Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Tyler Toffoli, Paul Byron and overtime hero Artturo Lehkonen. Plus the Danault line with Brendan Gallagher and Lehkonen completely stifled Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Chandler Stephenson and even William Karlsson. The notion that they lucked into a Stanley Cup appearance is ridiculous. They weren’t favored to beat Toronto and were huge underdogs against Vegas. It’s okay to give the Habs credit for what they have done.

What run is more impressive? The ’13-14 Rangers over the mediocre Flyers in seven, huge 3-1 comeback to upset the Pens and six-game win over the Habs minus Price. Or the ’21 Canadiens winning in seven over the Leafs from a 3-1 deficit, sweeping the Jets without foolish Mark Schiefele, and surprising the Golden Knights in six. It’s close. But the edge goes to Montreal, who are getting beaten by a great team. The Kings weren’t that. They needed third period comebacks, questionable officiating and overtimes to win all three home games in a closely contested five-game series. Maybe had Alain Vigneault not sat back, the Rangers prevail. We’ll never know.

Which leads me to my next point. The salty fans. Somehow, this Stanley Cup has morphed into Carey Price versus Henrik Lundqvist. Who’s better? Only foolish Ranger fans could start this crap. We’re not talking about the knowledgeable fans who respect tradition and history without having the sudden urge to bring up such nonsense. But the basement dwellers who stare at charts and graphs all day.

Personally, I think Price and Lundqvist are comparable. Price has a Hart and Vezina to his name while Lundqvist also won a Vezina. He could’ve won the Hart in ’11-12, but lost out to Evgeni Malkin. He actually finished third behind Stamkos. Lundqvist has five top three Vezina finishes including his win where he beat out <gulp> Jonathan Quick. Price has two top three Vezina finishes including the dominant ’14-15 where he swept the Hart, Pearson, Vezina and Jennings to be named a First All-Star. That dwarfs anything Lundqvist has ever accomplished in the regular season. Consider that Price won 44 games out of 66 starts while posting a 1.96 GAA with a .933 save percentage and nine shutouts. As great as Lundqvist was, he never won 40 games despite having stronger supporting casts. Pacioretty, Tomas Plekanec, P.K. Subban, David Desharnais, Andrei Markov, Alex Galchenyuk, Brandon Prust and Gallagher aren’t on par with Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider, Martin St. Louis, Brad Richards, Rick Nash, McDonagh, Dan Girardi, Marc Staal, Anton Stralman, Derick Brassard, Benoit Pouliot, Mats Zuccarello, Brian Boyle and Dominic Moore. The ’14 and ’15 Blueshirts were deeper and should’ve won a Cup. 2015 stings more due to how they lost. By that point, Boyle and Stralman were on the other side with Ryan Callahan. A horrible mistake from Glen Sather, who somehow still cashes a paycheck from Dolan. Mystifying.

Right now, Price is 33 having carried his team to its first Stanley Cup Final since ’93. He never got the chance to go head to head in the ’14 Eastern Conference Final against Lundqvist. But Henrik edged Price in the ’17 first round rematch. A series the Rangers prevailed in six. He was a little better that series to win the one true match-up of great goalies. It would’ve been nice to see them go up against each other more. It never happened due largely to the Lightning and then the Rangers’ decision to remake the roster with Lundqvist in decline. He did have three cracks at it. You can’t tell me the Devils or Lightning had better teams in ’12 and ’15. The same way I’ll never believe the Senators behind well respected Craig Anderson were better than the Rangers in ’17. It is what it is.

After missing the entire 2021 season due to heart valve replacement surgery, it’s uncertain if Lundqvist will be able to return. At 39, his health and well being are the most important things along with his family. I would love to see him get medically cleared so he can go out on his own terms. In 887 career games, he has won 459 games while posting a respectable 2.43 GAA, .918 save percentage and 64 shutouts. Excellent numbers that should one day get him into the Hockey Hall of Fame. We’ll see if he can play again.

In regards to Price, he hasn’t made the postseason as much as Lundqvist. Let’s just say Montreal hasn’t been as consistent in the regular season. They haven’t had the best teams. They made the playoffs this year due to realignment. Playing in the North Division helped them. However, they’ve proven they deserve to be where they are. Let’s not forget that Price missed a lot of time due to a concussion. It was Jake Allen helping them reach the playoffs. Had Price been healthy, they would’ve finished higher in the standings.

On Aug. 16, Price will celebrate his 34th birthday. In a career that’s over a decade, he has won 360 games in 707 appearances. 695 have been starts. The numbers are similar. He’s posted a 2.50 GAA, .917 save percentage and 49 shutouts. So, at five years younger than Lundqvist, Price has 99 fewer wins and 15 less shutouts. If you believe he still has peak years left with the Canadiens improving, then he should reach those marks. There’s really not much difference between them.

If you want to point out how well Lundqvist has performed in the postseason, by all means do so. But don’t use weird statistics that have no basis. At present, this is how they compare.

PLAYOFFS

Lundqvist 130 GP 117 GS 61-67 2.30 .921 10

Price, C. 90 GP 87 GS 42-44 2.41 .918 8

Again, pretty comparable. What’s the difference? They’re both great players who have meant a lot to their respective Original Six franchises. Neither has a Cup. Both have now made it that far once. Until Price’s career is over, we can’t say definitively who’s better. For now, it’s a draw.

Does any of this stuff matter? Of course not. It’s petty nonsense drummed up by bitter NYR fans who have nothing better to do than mock a great goalie. The truth is these Lightning are way better than the team the Rangers lost to. They’re not only supremely skilled. But bigger, stronger, faster and grittier. Montreal is up against the best team since the Red Wings dynasty. That’s why it’s playing out the way it is. If Tampa sweeps the Cup, they match what the Red Wings did in both ’97 and ’98. It hasn’t been done since.

Now, let’s get to the next topic. I’ve seen some “fans” question diehard Montreal Canadiens fans if it’s worth shelling out top dollar to see their team lose in the Stanley Cup. It’s the STANLEY CUP! Hell-O! It’s worth everything to see your team play for the Cup. It doesn’t happen often.

https://twitter.com/JessHa6s/status/1411156114146795523?s=19

Like Jess put it, it’s a memory that’ll last forever. That’s why I purchased the Stanley Cup Yearbook when we went to Game Three in 2014. A Kings shutout that sucked. It meant going down three games to none. Just like the Habs did yesterday. But the electricity, atmosphere and energy level at Madison Square Garden that night was worth it. It didn’t matter that they lost. As much as it hurt, that was an amazing run. I can remember going crazy when they clinched Game Six of the Eastern Conference Final against the Canadiens. A 1-0 shutout in which they couldn’t have played better. The Lundqvist sprawling save on Thomas Vanek. Boyle to Moore. The eruption. The fireworks at the end. The feeling of euphoria. You never wanted to leave. That’s what it’s all about. I never thought we’d ever see a Stanley Cup game. I’m glad there are still passionate fans like Jess and her friend Christina who understand what it means. Everything. Once in a lifetime.

https://twitter.com/MathieuMMtl/status/1411263597498535938?s=19

What would this column be without a little fun stuff? This cool exchange with former Ranger Michael Del Zotto yesterday. I’m pretty sure he enjoyed it as did Lindsay Berra. The awesome granddaughter of Yogi Berra.

It’s nice to see Del Zotto doing well. He certainly went through a challenging time earlier in his career. But he matured and took it seriously. And yes. While I doubt MDZ will ever return to NYC, he’s the kind of character player the Rangers need on their defense to fill in and play a role. It can’t just be all kids. I hope someone picks up Del Zotto. He plays the game the right way. That’s why he was a plus on a bad Columbus team while Seth Jones was a huge minus. Buyer beware. Good luck to MDZ.

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A Foxy Blueshirt: Adam Fox makes history by becoming only the fourth Ranger to win the Norris Trophy

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Derek

Adam Fox is a lot of things. Already a special player that in my mind has become the most important Ranger in just two years time, the 23-year old was recognized for his outstanding second season on Tuesday. The brilliant defenseman became only the fourth Ranger to win the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman.

It’s quite an honor for a young player, who becomes only the second Norris winner to capture the prestigious award in their second year. He joined exclusive company alongside the greatest defenseman ever in Bobby Orr. A legendary player considered by many older generation fans to be the best player of all-time. Of course, that would be a great bar debate with Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe joining the conversation. It all depends on your preference.

It’s a pretty cool achievement for Fox. Following a terrific rookie season in which he posted 42 points in 70 games to finish fourth for the Calder Trophy, the poised former Harvard University standout who the Rangers wisely traded a pair of second round picks to Carolina for, finished second among defensemen in scoring with 47 points (5-42-47) in 55 games. That included 22 even strength points, 23 power play points and two shorthanded points. In averaging 24:42 of ice time per game, Fox was trusted by former Rangers coach David Quinn in every situation. Whether it was matching him and cohesive partner Ryan Lindgren at even strength or having him play power play or penalty kill, Fox excelled in all situations. He also finished a plus-19 with just 14 penalty minutes.

The smart skating right defenseman wasn’t just an offensive threat due to his great vision. But he sacrificed for the Rangers by blocking 102 shots. He also was plus-two with 38 takeaways and 36 giveaways. A good indicator of what kind of player he is.

In two seasons, Fox has tallied 89 points (13-76-89) and a plus-41 rating in 125 games. The Jericho native can turn restricted the following summer. If the organization is smart, Team President and GM Chris Drury will lock up Fox this summer to a long-term extension. They can save money and buy up free agent years. Something that makes sense with a special player of Fox’s talent.

In winning the Norris, Fox is the first Blueshirt to win the award as the league’s top defenseman since two-time winner Brian Leetch. Leetch won it in ’92 and ’97. Fox joins Leetch, Harry Howell and Doug Harvey as the only New York Rangers to ever win the Norris. Quite an exclusive group consisting of Hall of Famers. Might Fox one day be so lucky to join them? Let’s not go crazy. Let’s enjoy Adam Fox for what he is. A very mature player who will continue to have a bright future. He will be a huge building block along with a unique young core that features Ryan Lindgren, Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, K’Andre Miller, Igor Shesterkin, Vitali Kravtsov, Zac Jones and Nils Lundkvist. The latter three still looking to establish themselves.

It’s an exciting time for the Rangers. They certainly didn’t waste any time congratulating Fox by having proud teammates record personal messages via the official team Twitter account. That also included former teammate Tony DeAngelo, who took to his Instagram and posted a nice congratulatory post in his story wishing Fox the best. Contrary to popular belief falsely spread by toxic blogs who don’t care about integrity, DeAngelo has remained supportive of his former teammates. Good job by him.

https://www.instagram.com/stories/tonydeangelo7/2607121670309186806/?utm_medium=share_sheet

The best aspect is they got the vote right. Fox won pretty easily by beating out Cale Makar and Victor Hedman. Rounding out the top five were Dougie Hamilton and Charlie McAvoy. Islanders duo Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock each received a vote.

I hope we get to hear from Foxy Clean this week on winning the award. It’s well deserved. Congratulations go out to Fox on a great season. It’s wonderful to see him get recognized. He sure earned it.

As for the other big awards, Marc-Andre Fleury won his first ever Vezina by edging out Andrei Vasilevskiy for the top goalie. It was a close vote, but Fleury justifiably took home the hardware in the first time he’s ever been nominated. Philipp Grubauer finished a distant third.

Not surprisingly, Connor McDavid was a unanimous winner for the Hart Trophy by receiving all 100 votes. He also swept the Lester Pearson. Ted Lindsay Award. Behind McDavid for league MVP were Auston Matthews and Nathan MacKinnon. Sidney Crosby finished fourth with Brad Marchand fifth.

Similarly, it was no surprise that Kirill Kaprizov won the Calder by a unanimous vote. Jason Robertson finished runner-up and Alex Nedeljkovic was a distant third. In case you’re curious, Shesterkin got fourth. The All-Rookie Team consisted of Kaprizov, Robertson, Josh Norris, Ty Smith and K’Andre Miller. Nice to see Miller make it on the blue line with Devil Smith. Nedeljkovic rounded out the list in net.

The First All-Star Team saw Adam Fox join Cale Makar on defense with Connor McDavid, Brad Marchand and Mitch Marner up front. Andrei Vasilevskiy got the nod in net. The Second All-Star Team consisted of Victor Hedman with Dougie Hamilton on defense while Auston Matthews, Mikko Rantanen and Jonathan Huberdeau were up front with Marc-Andre Fleury in net. So, Fox also got recognized as a First All-Star. Awesome!

RANGERS NORRIS WINNERS

Doug Harvey ’61-62 6-24-30

Harry Howell ’66-67 12-28-40

Brian Leetch (1) ’91-92 22-80-102*

Brian Leetch (2) ’96-97 20-58-78

Adam Fox ’20-21 5-42-47

*Last defenseman to top 100 points and win Norris

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