Devils buy out Schneider, trade for Murray as FA begins

Posted on October 9, 2020 by hasan4978
https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1314602750903291907?s=20

With that deserved sendoff, the Devils officially cut ties with star-crossed Cory Schneider yesterday, putting him on waivers for the purposes of buying out the final two years of his six-year contract. Given what kind of person Cory is everyone hates that it had to end this way, but given the fact he has gone from being one of the best goalies in the league to an unreliable, injury-prone backup making $6 million a year, a divorce was inevitable in the end whether it was this offseason or next. His departure is even more melancholy because his tenure here was filled with what ifs and might have beens.

Not to mention things started out great, as all marriages do and with a theatrical twist to boot as then-GM Lou Lamoriello traded for Cory at the 2013 NHL Draft in Newark with Gary Bettman’s memorable announcement complete with the ‘I think you’re going to want to hear this’ teaser stopping the boos while he spoke. When the announcement was made of the Devils trading the #9 overall pick to Vancouver for the well-regarded Schnieder, it sent the home crowd into a shocked roar.

It looked as if the Devils had their replacement for Martin Brodeur for the next decade. As the NFL’s 49ers went from Joe Montana to Steve Young or the Packers went from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, many thought it would be that kind of transition for the Devils in goal. As we know now, seven and a half years later it just wasn’t meant to be. Not that things started off badly although having Cory on the roster with Marty winding down his career was always going to make for an awkward transition in the first year. Cory did well enough on the ice (1.97 GAA, .921 save percentage) but only got 45 starts as a sporadic rotation helped neither guy in the long run.

Although Cory kept up his level of play for the first two years of the extension he signed after 2014, things only got worse around him on the ice as the team bottomed out in 2014-15. Injuries and a declining team started to take their toll in 2016-17, but Schneider did get off to a strong start in 2017-18 for a resurgent Devils team before he got hurt again, and the bottom fell out when he returned from injury as he couldn’t win a game or stop the puck. Eventually he lost his job to Keith Kinkaid, although he did pull himself together and came off the bench to get the Devils’ only playoff win as they lost in five games to the Lightning. At his nadir Cory was winless in 27 straight regular season starts between 2017-18 and 2018-19, but to his credit never made excuses or blamed anyone else for his struggles.

Even last year was one final frustrating kick in the teeth for Cory, as he played well enough at the end of 2018-19 to get his job back heading into the 2019-20 season, but after a solid camp and first two periods on Opening Night again he got hurt, and again his game went down the drain after that. Not only did he lose his job but he also got demoted for a second straight season down to the AHL. Hopefully whereever Cory lands he’ll be able to stay healthy enough to contribute.

Aside from buying out Schneider there hasn’t been much to report yet in free agency. Late-season defensive fillin Dakota Mermis signed with the Wild and plugger Kevin Rooney signed with the Rangers of all places. I actually wouldn’t have minded either coming back in the right role but Fitz clearly wants to put his stamp on this team, which he continued to do with his trade of a fifth rounder to Columbus for injury-prone defenseman Ryan Murray – who once upon a time was drafted second overall (2012). Murray should be a solid low-cost addition to the top six when he plays although he’s only signed through 2020 and at nearly $5 million so the Blue Jackets were looking to clear cap as much as anything.

So far it seems as if most of the big free agents – aside from the goalies – are in a holding pattern while role players are wisely trying to get cap dollars before they dry up with teams’ budgets going down and the cap remaining flat. We’ll probably be looking for a backup goalie to replace Cory, among other potential needs.

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Rangers Draft mostly North American players with a twist

Posted on October 8, 2020 by Derek

If Day One wasn’t a surprise with Alexis Lafreniere going first and Braden Schneider being a player they targeted by trading up to number 19, then the Rangers Draft on Day Two was again mostly focused on North American players with a twist. The twist is a unique one if it works out.

As noted yesterday, Rangers brass decided it was time to move on from former 2017 seventh pick Lias Andersson by trading him to the Kings for a second round pick. Apparently, letting Andersson play for HV-71 back home in Sweden really helped his stock. Teams checked in on him. So, give them credit for being able to net a number 60 pick from LA for the disgruntled center.

The end result was the selection of Will Cuylle. A young left wing who patterns his game after Tom Wilson. He’s posted back-to-back 20-plus goal and 40-plus point season in the OHL for the Windsor Spitfires. The 18-year old Toronto native is listed at 6-3, 204 pounds. With the ability to finish off one touch passes along with a willingness to get the jersey dirty, he sounds like the type of gritty player the Rangers can use. We’ll see how fast he develops.

In the third round, the Blueshirts liked Sweden’s Oliver Tarnstrom with pick 92. A lefty center who’s the son of former NHL defenseman Dick Tarnstrom, he’s currently playing for AIK in Sweden. He went from scoring a goal in two contests for the AIK Junior National Team to partaking in three games for AIK with no points so far. There isn’t much to go on. He is 6-1 and just 163 pounds. So, he’ll have to get stronger.

In Round Four, the Rangers went with a goalie by grabbing Canadian Dylan Garand out of Victoria, British Columbia. Taken at number 103, Garand is a 6-1, 172 pound netminder who moves well laterally and can recover in time if he misreads a shot. He sounds technically sound. In ’19-20, he posted good numbers for the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL. It was a breakout year with Garand going 28-10-3 with a 2.21 GAA, .921 save percentage and four shutouts in 42 games. He represented Canada at the Hlinka Cup posting a 1.51 GAA and .857 save percentage in two games. At the very least, he sounds interesting.

The Rangers are very deep in net with Igor Shesterkin and Alex Georgiev the tandem for next season. Tyler Wall will enter his first pro year at some point with the Wolf Pack. Adam Huska has been loaned to HMK Slovan of Slovakia. Olof Lindbom is in his second year with Mora IK in Sweden. Now, they’ve added Garand. A rare North American goalie to the prospect pool. He isn’t the only netminder they added.

In the fifth round, the organization decided it was worth dealing away a pair of seventh round picks to the Sharks for pick 127 to select center Evan Vierling. After spending part of last year with the Flint Firebirds, he was dealt to the Barrie Colts of the OHL where his production increased. After going 2-8-10 in 15 games with the Firebirds, Vierling was over a point-per-game with the Colts by tallying 12 goals and 22 assists for 34 points in 28 games. Perhaps that improvement was enough to impress Rangers scouts. Elite Prospects describes the left shooting pivot as a two-way, defensively reliable player who is capable of scoring. It also sounds like he doesn’t mind battling opponents in the corners. If it works out, maybe Vierling becomes a quality depth center who will be effective in a secondary role. Those kind of high character players help.

With their own fifth round pick at number 134, the Rangers liked Brett Berard from East Greenwich, Rhode Island. A gritty undersized American left wing who’s listed at 5-9, 163, Berard is of no relation to former Islander and Ranger Bryan Berard. He played for the U.S. National Development U18 team in ’19-20 where he had 34 points (16-18-34) in 41 games with 46 penalty minutes. He also played in the USHL and tallied 18 points (7-11-18) in 13 games. Someone even compared his style to a poor man’s Brad Marchand. They should be so lucky. The bottom line is he’s a fifth round pick. That doesn’t mean he can’t pan out. It’s not always where you drafted, but how well you develop. Berard will attend Providence College this year.

With their sixth round pick, the Blueshirts selected center Matthew Rempe out of Calgary. The big story with the 165th pick is his size. He’s 6-8. The tallest forward ever if he makes his NHL debut down the road. At 6-8, 236, he at least sounds intriguing. In his first season with the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL, he did alright by registering 12 goals with 19 helpers for 31 points while racking up 53 penalty minutes over 47 contests. For a guy with his size, Rempe sounds like a solid three zone player who works hard. I wonder if his height will work against him when it comes to skating. He should be interesting to follow.

In Round Seven, the Rangers had a little fun with their final pick by throwing a twist into the Draft. They did it by taking a goalie from Sweden in the same round they stole Henrik Lundqvist in 20 years ago. How’s that for irony? Especially with Lundqvist set to sign with the Capitals tomorrow. Even cooler is the number 197 pick is named Hugo Ollas. Haha. Has there ever been a NHL player named Hugo before? Insert cheesy The Girl Next Door references. Good movie. Elisha Cuthbert. Case closed. Even better, Ollas is 6-8, 238. So, they took a Swede in the identical round they got Lundqvist in 2000. His name is Hugo. And he’s 6-8. Naturally, the scouting report says he goes down on his knees early (butterfly effect) and uses his size to cut off angles. Ollas is described as “well schooled.” He currently is playing for Linkoping HC J20 back home. In seven games, he has a 2.40 GAA and. 894 save percentage. Who knows. Maybe we’ll see him one day in five or six years.

That’s gonna do it for this Rangers Draft. I’ll try to have more on the prospects with no live NHL hockey until next year. Vitaly Kravtsov is 6-2-8 with St. Petersburg SKA. There’s that. I think there’s a good chance Pavel Buchnevich gets traded soon. I’m not suggesting it’ll happen in the off-season. But he looks expendable given what Kravtsov could bring. I expect him to be on the team sometime in 2021.

In other news, the Senators acquired former Pens goalie Matt Murray yesterday for Jonathan Gruden and a 2nd round pick Wednesday. Now, the two-time Cup winner becomes Ottawa’s new number one goalie at age 26. He wasn’t as consistent for Pittsburgh the past two seasons and lost his job to Tristan Jarry. We’ll see if he can help the rebuilding Senators improve. Murray is expected to sign a extension. He’s a Group II free agent.

Anthony Duclair will be looking for a new NHL team again. The Sens waived him. The former Rangers prospect who was packaged to the Coyotes in the Keith Yandle deal, has yet to find a home. He’s gone from NYC to Arizona to Chicago to Columbus and to Ottawa. He can score goals, but isn’t consistent. Defense is lacking. I wish him luck.

The Devils made it official by placing Cory Schneider in waivers to buy him out. He had two years remaining with $12 million owed. That translates to $2 million in dead cap space over the next four years. Mackenzie Blackwood is a restricted free agent. They’ll be looking for a new backup.

The goalie market is flooded. It’ll include veteran Corey Crawford, who Blackhawks Teflon GM Stan Bowman indicated won’t be back after spending 14 seasons with Chicago. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion that still wants to play. Based on his performance against the Oilers, he still has something left at 35.

Alex Wennberg was also waived by the Blue Jackets, who bought him out. A playmaking center who never got back in John Tortorella’s good graces, the 26-year old should draw interest. Would the Rangers come calling if they walk away from Ryan Strome, who looks to be headed to arbitration?

Veteran Kyle Turris is also available after the Predators corrected a mistake by buying him out. That’s $2 million in dead cap space for Nashville through 2026. Wow. They also swung a deal with the Wild for Luke Kunin. A good move although they had to include a number 37 and 70 to Minnesota, who took Nick Bonino’s salary. The Wild sent back a 101 to complete the transaction.

The Golden Knights haven’t found a taker for veteran Marc-Andre Fleury. Even with them offering to include a first round pick, nobody bit. The problem for Vegas is Fleury is signed through 2022 with a cap hit of $7 million. They don’t want to buy him out due to the dead space it would create. With so many goalies available on the market tomorrow, it’s why teams are staying away.

Braden Holtby, Anton Khudobin and Jacob Markstrom headline the available goalie list that includes Cam Talbot, Thomas Greiss, Crawford, Jimmy Howard and now Schneider. Lundqvist will go to Washington. So, you can cross him off.

Finally, Justin Williams announced his retirement. The epitome of a clutch player, he won three Cups and always came up big for both the Hurricanes and Kings. Happy trails.

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Devils stay predictable at the draft table, with a twist

Posted on October 8, 2020 by hasan4978

If you were expecting fireworks from Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald’s first draft running the team – i.e. a splashy trade, you might have been dissapointed as the organization used all of its first-round picks. In fact the only draft move they made was punting their seventh-round pick, trading that for Arizona’s seventh rounder next year. However, if you were only hoping for more intriguing prospects to be added to the system, you probably weren’t dissapointed in the end.

Perhaps the biggest question going into the draft was whether the Devils would keep all three of their first-rounders, the answer was a resounding yes with nary a trade down or up. Fitz, like previous GM Ray Shero clearly believes in head scout Paul Castron and his staff. Plus it was supposed to be a strong first round anyway, so the Devils took their shots and I’d say went chalk with the first two picks at least, starting with their #7 overall Alexander Holtz.

Holtz is a winger who’s supposed to be the best pure goal-scorer in the draft and is capable of making plays as well. He got regular shifts and power play time for his team Djurgarden, as one of the more productive U18 players ever in the top Swedish league (16 points in 35 games) and was unquestionably among the top group of forwards after first overall pick Alexis Lafreniere. In many ways, this was an easy pick for Fitz considering the lack of pure goalscorers in the system, not to mention the top two defensive prospects were off the board and #7 overall was arguably too early for top goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov although I do think he’ll be the real deal and wound up in a great situation with Nashville.

Our #18 pick might have actually been less debatable, as the Devils picked highly regarded center Dawson Mercer who was expected to be off the board a few picks earlier. Mercer is a well-rounded two-way player who can play center or wing, and has some offensive skill (60 points in 42 games for his QJMHL team last year) but also a high understanding of the defensive part of the game. You could say Mercer is a high floor player but that might be underselling his potential celing if he improves his offense just a little bit.

With our third first rounder, Fitz threw his biggest curveball of the draft at #20. I admit I’ve done almost a complete 180 on defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin of the KHL since we selected a guy who was rated as more of a tweener 2nd/3rd round pick in the first round. As with Holtz, Fitz put a lot of stock in the fact this guy has held his own against men in an top professional league. He’s certainly got the toolbox, as a 6’3 defenseman who can move the puck and Mukhamadullin’s shown some offensive aptitude with 6 points in his first 14 games this year. Historically, U19 defenseman rarely play at all in the KHL, so the fact he is, and has taken a big step up early in this season bodes well. Defensively he might have consistency issues at this point in his development but if he can make full use of his frame and reach the Devils may have found a diamond in the rough.

My criticism was mainly why not at least trade back if you’re going to go off the board, but in hindsight Fitz was probably right to stand pat since the draft started wildly diverging from consensus ranks at about that point in the first round, with Columbus’s next pick even more off the board so to speak. Plus the fact you have games ‘this’ season to evaluate players like Mukhamadullin on makes it tricky to rate guys as if 2020 was a conventional summer draft. He could be one of those guys who is making a big leap from his age 18 season to his age 19 season.

Without a second round pick it was a long time yesterday (even longer with the insanely slow pace of the second round) before the Devils selected again, picking goalie Nico Daws. Daws is an overager who wasn’t drafted last year, but showed enough growth in the high-scoring OHL last season to be a member of Canada’s U20 team and get drafted here. As a 6’4 goalie, he’s certainly got the size for the position but like with all big goalies, lateral movement is a question at the highest level. Still, he’s an intriguing mid-round pick and an example of why I don’t like drafting goalies in the first round. You can find guys like Daws in the middle rounds every year, and sometimes they pop.

New Jersey rounded out its draft with Czech center Jaromir Pytlik in the fourth round, who showed enough aptitude to play a solid two-way game in the OHL but his lack of high-end skill or tools at this point of his development left him as a fourth-rounder. Assuming special assistant Patrik Elias put in a good word though, that’s enough for me to endorse the pick. With our two fifth rounders, the Devils picked undersized D Ethan Edwards from the Alberta Junior Hockey league and Russian-born forward Artem Shlaine from the USHL with picks #120 and #130. To finish off the draft, the Devils selected center Benjamin Baumgartner from Davos of the Swiss league at #161.

I won’t presume to put a grade on the draft, part of me still wishes we could have been able to trade one of our latter two first rounders for more of an immediate upgrade but such deals weren’t made at all on day one by anyone so it’s impossible to get on Fitz for that. You could pretty much debate any pick except maybe Mercer to a degree. Even with Holtz, many Devil fans were going gaga over playmaking Marco Rossi, who went to the Wild two picks later at #9. Time will tell in the end on just how well Fitz managed this draft, and how well Castron and his scouts did in finding future players for the Devils organization.

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Rangers deal Lias Andersson to Kings for the 60th pick, take forward William Cuylle

Posted on October 7, 2020 by Derek

Day Two of the NHL Draft is very busy. Rounds 2-7 continue at lightning speed with the two-day event concluding later tonight.

For the Rangers, that meant saying goodbye to Lias Andersson. Once billed as a key part of the future following the Derek Stepan trade that netted the seventh pick in 2017 and defenseman Tony DeAngelo, the Swedish center never established himself on Broadway. Though the lack of communication between the organization and player is why it didn’t work out.

Andersson was dealt to the Kings in exchange for the 60th pick near the end of the second round. While Andersson could eventually wind up getting a new start in Los Angeles assuming he comes over next year after playing for HV-71, the Rangers moved on by selecting forward William Cuylle. A young left wing with size going 6-3, 204 pounds, the 18-year old Cuylle has spent the past two seasons playing for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). If anything, he’s been consistent putting up 41 points (26-15-41) in ’18-19 and 42 points (22-20-42) in ’19-20.

A player who patterns his game after Caps pest extraordinaire Tom Wilson, he sounds like another gritty North American the Rangers can use in the future. They have plenty of skill. It seems like the draft strategy by GM Jeff Gorton and Team President John Davidson is clear. After landing prize top pick Alexis Lafreniere, they’re addressing the lack of toughness that was exposed by the Hurricanes.

First, it was by trading with Calgary up to number 19 to grab defenseman Braden Schneider, who might’ve been on the Devils radar. Everything about him sounds tough. He got into a tussle with Rangers 2019 second round pick Karl Henriksson at the Under 18 World Junior Championships in 2019. In seven games, he had two goals and a helper.

Now, they’ve added Cuylle, who’s also a huge fan of Star Wars. In fact, he raved about it during an interview via Zoom conference. Funny stuff. It shows that he has some personality. Aside from that, he is a player who has a quick release. Based on the scouting report off Elite Prospects, Cuylle can put the puck in the net with a good wrist shot. He was ranked number 45 among North American skaters by semi-retired TSN analyst Bob McKenzie. McKeen’s Hockey had him rated 63rd and Craig Button number 94.

It’s always interesting to see the different opinions on a young prospect. I’ll trust McKenzie with this one. No disrespect towards Button. Interestingly, Central Scouting had Cuylle ranked 34th among NA skaters. So, opinions vary.

As for Andersson, who turns 22 next week, best of luck to him. Sometimes, it doesn’t always go as expected with your first team. I know there was a lot of pressure and high expectations due to who he was traded for and where the Rangers took him. They deserve some blame for that. Clearly, taking Andersson at number seven was a reach. Even in a draft that hasn’t produced many established players. However, they took him over Martin Necas, Nick Suzuki and Robert Thomas.

Filip Chytil went 21st to the Rangers. He’s still very much in their plans. The question is is it as a center or wing. With the team deciding to qualify Ryan Strome before today’s 5 PM EST deadline, they have options. Is it to determine what to do with Strome, who could be headed towards arbitration? Maybe. Or they could trade his rights if there’s an interested suitor. We’ll see where that goes.

In regards to who else the Blueshirts have added today, they grabbed Swedish defenseman Oliver Tarnstrom at number 92 and then went for yet another goalie in Canadian late bloomer Dylan Garand at 103. Evan Vierling was taken in the fifth round at number 127.

That’s it for now. I’ll have more on the draft later. That’ll include who got former Pens goalie Matt Murray.

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Lundqvist to sign with Capitals on Friday

Posted on October 7, 2020 by Derek

In a story that veteran beat writer Rick Carpiniello broke via Twitter by translating a Swedish article, it looks like Henrik Lundqvist will indeed land in Washington.

The all-time Rangers leader in wins (459), games (887), shutouts (64) and saves (23,509) and minutes played (51,818), is expected to sign with the Capitals on Friday. That’s the first day of free agency. On October 8. Strange times indeed in a crazy year.

The Caps were one of the front runners to land Lundqvist. Especially with the departure of former Stanley Cup and Vezina winner Braden Holtby. Washington needs a veteran goalie to share duty with Ilya Samsonov. A young Russian who had a good rookie season in DC. He went 16-6-2 in 22 starts with a 2.55 GAA, .913 save percentage and a shutout over 26 games.

In what proved to be the final season of a brilliant 15-year career as a Ranger, the aging 38-year old Lundqvist appeared in 30 games while making 26 starts. He finished 10-12-3 and posted career lows in GAA (3.16) and save percentage (.905). His lone shutout came against the Red Wings to add to his franchise record of 64. Something that likely won’t be matched.

If Washington is indeed where he continues his NHL career for a year on a inventive laden contract that shouldn’t hurt their cap, it’ll pair up two of the game’s biggest stars since the lockout. Lundqvist and the brilliance of Alexander Ovechkin, whose chase of Wayne Gretzky continues. The electrifying 35-year old Russian sniper added 48 more goals to tie for the league lead in goal scoring with David Pastrnak. He has 706 for his career.

Of course, Ovechkin finally won the Stanley Cup in 2018 that has eluded Lundqvist. They sure faced off a lot in the playoffs with Lundqvist winning the final three series versus Ovechkin after the Great Eight had owned him and the Rangers in ’09 and ’11.

The most memorable being the final one in the second round five years ago when Lundqvist and the Blueshirts rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to stun the Ovechkin Caps, thanks to late game heroics from Chris Kreider and overtime magic from Ryan McDonagh and Derek Stepan.

The idea of King Henrik and Ovi on the same side is strange. Picture the number 30 with Lundqvist in a Capitals jersey facing his former team. It is sure to be odd. They are a old rival.

The thing is this. No one knows when next season will begin and if or when we could see fans back at arenas. That’s the new abnormal we now live in. With so much uncertainty.

So, who’s ready to see Lundqvist play for the Caps and face heir apparent Igor Shesterkin on Broadway? It’s definitely a storyline we could soon get.

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Rangers trade up to Number 19 and select defenseman Braden Schneider, Devils add three including Alexander Holtz

Posted on October 6, 2020 by Derek

The Rangers decided to make a interesting move with their second pick of the first round. Before the Devils could make their third pick at number 21, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced a trade between the Flames and Rangers.

GM Jeff Gorton decided to trade the number 22 pick and number 72 in the third round to move up to number 19. While the TSN panel speculated on whether they’d take a center with Hendrix Lapierre sliding down the first round due to his concussion history, instead the Rangers took defenseman Braden Schneider. A surprise considering he’s a right shooting D.

Although I was initially disappointed due to the gap at center with Ryan Strome expected to be gone by tomorrow, when they showed the highlights of the big, physical 19-year old out of Prince Albert, Saskatoon, I was pleased. Schneider looks like the kind of rugged, in your face defenseman this team has needed. He’s spent the past four years honing his game for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

The Canadian plays a “two-way game” and isn’t shy about letting opponents know he’s there. In some aspect, this sounds like a do-over for Dylan McIlrath. The difference is Schneider is a better skater and is capable of playing the point on the power play. He can contribute offensively, putting up seven goals with 35 assists for 42 points in 60 games for the Wheat Kings in 2019-20. Schneider also finished with 42 penalty minutes and a plus-nine rating.

Predictably, the wise TSN panel including Craig Button knew some of our fans would be less than enthused about the Schneider pick because it takes longer to develop defensemen. However, I regret my first reaction. I’ve never seen him play. Once they showed the highlight package and spoke highly about him, my mood improved. In fact, the only thing I’m annoyed at is the ridiculous managing of Aaron Boone. The less said, the better.

I honestly think the Rangers organization had a inkling that the Devils could be targeting Schneider with their number 20 pick. Why? Because with plenty of good players left on the draft board, they went off it to select Russian defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin of Ufa Salavat Yulayev in the KHL.

He sounds more like a good skating, offensive defenseman who plays power play. I’m sure the Devils like him, but probably were interested in Schneider to fill a void. We’ll see who turns out better in the future.

As for Lapierre, he fell to number 22 where the Capitals swung a second deal with Calgary, who were happy to gain more picks later to grab center Connor Zary two slots down at 24.

The Kings went for Quinton Byfield over Tim Stutzle following the Rangers’ consensus top pick of Alexis Lafreniere. Byfield made history by becoming the first black hockey player to go that high. Second overall in a great draft. Pretty memorable. Stutzle went to the Senators, who were happy to add the scoring German and then draft the first defenseman at number five by taking American born Jake Sanderson. The son of former NHLer Geoff Sanderson.

Anaheim followed suit by going defenseman as well by grabbing Canadian born Jamie Drysdale at six. With the seventh pick, the Devils chose Swede Alexander Holtz. A scoring right wing, who was extremely happy with his family following the selection. Jack Quinn was the eighth pick going to the Sabres. Rounding out the top 10 were center Marco Rossi (Wild) and center Cole Perfetti (Winnipeg).

At number 11 is where the very highly rated Russian goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov wound up. The Predators were very happy to scoop up the future star, who drew favorable comparisons to Carey Price and even Devils legend Martin Brodeur. It’s rare for goaltenders to go this high. But Askarov is very good and should be the next franchise goalie in Nashville. He’s currently in his first full season playing for St. Petersburg SKA of the KHL. Unlike most goalies, Askarov catches right-handed and is very athletic.

He definitely sounded like a prospect that interested the Devils, Sabres and probably the Oilers, who didn’t pick until number 14. Other notable players who went high included Anton Lundell (No. 12, Panthers) and Seth Jarvis (No. 13, Hurricanes).

The Devils had a third pick in Round One. Their second one was forward Dawson Mercer of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the QMJHL. A right center at number 18.

That’s going to do it for this post. We’ll have much more news coming soon including the fate of former Ranger Henrik Lundqvist. It’s not a surprise.

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Rangers make it official and select Alexis Lafreniere

Posted on October 6, 2020 by Derek

The anticipation was building. When they won Part Two of the flawed lottery two months ago, the worst kept secret in New York City was that Alexis Lafreniere would go first overall to the Rangers. Following a long postseason and patient wait, Lafreniere’s dream finally came true during tonight’s live first round of a special video format NHL Draft.

Predictably, GM Jeff Gorton made Lafreniere wait it out until time expired before making it official. The top ranked scoring left wing was very pleased to become the first player from the Province of Quebec to go number one overall since Marc-Andre Fleury did in 2003. You could tell that it meant a great deal to him.

Family Photo Op: Newest Rangers top pick Alexis Lafreniere celebrates his selection with his sister and parents from their home in Quebec. AP photo credit New York Rangers via Getty Images

The 19-year old playmaking left wing was also quite respectful on joining the Rangers organization. Via a video conference call with Jamie Hersch of NHL Network, he spoke highly about the history of the franchise. He also loved putting on a New York jersey. Lafreniere looked good and at ease while his family celebrated the historic draft pick.

Even though it wasn’t like he probably envisioned, it’ll be a day he’ll remember forever. So will the Rangers, who moved one step closer to being more competitive. It’s definitely exciting for Blueshirt fans. This is the first time the team has had the chance to take a player first overall since 1965. Back then, it was different. This feels different because it is. It just doesn’t happen.

While getting Kaapo Kakko at number two last year was nice, Lafreniere at the top spot is a home run. He won’t struggle to adjust to the NHL level either. There isn’t a language barrier or a skating issue for the very speedy and instinctive young teenager. It should be much easier if he eventually winds up teaming with Artemi Panarin on a top line. Who will center it they’ll worry about later. Especially considering that it looks like Ryan Strome could be either traded or become a unrestricted free agent by tomorrow.

The Rangers also pick at number 22. What they decide to do with the pick acquired from Carolina, could depend upon what players are still available on the draft board. It won’t be Anton Lundell, who just went 12th overall to the Panthers. They do need a center. We’ll see where they go.

That’s if they hang onto the pick. We’ll have more on the big first round later.

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As Blueshirts get ready to take Lafreniere, a flurry of activity is coming

Posted on October 6, 2020 by Derek

On a nice autumn day in NYC, the NHL Draft takes place remotely in October. Normally, Oct. 6 would be a hockey night that kicks off a new season. Such is quarantine life during a pandemic that saw a great Stanley Cup Playoffs conclude a week ago.

Tonight is the highly anticipated First Round of the 2020 Draft. One that features Alexis Lafreniere, who’ll become the first overall pick on a video conference call with the Rangers. They’ve never had this opportunity before. Sorry. I don’t count 1965 when the rules were very different. However, they did pick second last year by grabbing Finnish right wing Kaapo Kakko after the Devils took Jack Hughes.

With the Rangers making it official later, that means that all three area locals have won the Lottery and been rewarded with the top pick. The Islanders in 2009 with John Tavares. They also took Rick DiPietro number one in 2000 when Mike Milbury traded away Roberto Luongo in a blockbuster with the Panthers. The Devils with Nico Hischier in 2017 and Hughes on 2019. We’re just talking recent history due to the lottery.

The question is who goes following Lafreniere at number two. Do the Kings go with Canadian center Quinton Byfield or German scoring forward Tim Stuetzle? That will determine which player the Senators grab at three. Then come the Red Wings, who can go with either a scoring forward or defenseman. Then come the Senators again followed by the Ducks and then it’s the Devils’ turn at seven. Are they interested in Russian goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov? What about the Sabres at number eight? Or perhaps the goalie starved Oilers look to trade up from number 15.

This is a deep draft with plenty of talent. The Devils boast three picks in the first round. Maybe they swing a trade. The Rangers also have Carolina’s number 22 due to the Brady Skjei trade. They could use it and another player to move up and get someone else. Anton Lundell possibly? He’s well liked.

There is going to be a lot of stuff going on. We’ve already seen some moves. The Wild traded Devan Dubnyk to the Sharks for a fifth round pick and seventh round pick in 2022 while also moving Ryan Donato to San Jose for a 2021 third rounder. The Canadiens traded center Max Domi with a 2020 third round pick to the Blue Jackets for forward Josh Anderson. A gritty player who needed a change.

The rumors are rampant. They involve significant names including Patrik Laine and Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, who’s available. I wouldn’t touch him if I’m the Rangers. That’s not what they need. It still is a rebuild. Even if they don’t intend to qualify center Ryan Strome by tomorrow’s 5 PM EST deadline, making him unrestricted, they need a legit number two center behind Mika Zibanejad. Who they target remains to be seen.

I also would not be crazy about moving key restricted free agent defenseman Tony DeAngelo, who supposedly the Flyers have interest in following Matt Niskanen stunning everyone by announcing his retirement due to COVID-19. He didn’t want to put himself through another ringer where he could be on the road again without family. Can you blame him? There could be more older players who decide that this is the best way to go. Niskanen was a solid top four defenseman who was only 33. The news shocked the Flyers.

There are sure to be more rumors and trade talk. On the first night of a two-day draft with Rounds 2-7 tomorrow, we’ll see what happens.

Enjoy the moment tonight Blueshirt fans. It will still be special.

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A glimpse at tomorrow’s big first round of the NHL Draft

Posted on October 5, 2020 by Derek

Quenton Byfield (left) and Alexis Lafreniere (right) are expected to go in the top three tomorrow in the first round of the NHL Draft. Lafreniere will go number one to the Rangers.

Tomorrow night is the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft. It’ll air on NBCSN at 7 PM EST.

Unlike previous years due to extreme circumstances, it won’t be in person. That’s the new abnormal. The whole seven round draft, which includes Rounds 2-7 on Wednesday, will be done virtually via Zoom.

This is a strong draft that will feature the world’s best prospects in the first round. Not only is it about consensus top pick Alexis Lafreniere going to the Rangers at number one. But also where such good young talent such as Quenton Byfield, Tim Stuetzle, Jamie Drysdale, Alexander Holtz, Jake Sanderson, Lucas Raymond, Cole Perfetti, Marco Rossi, Anton Lundell, Seth Jarvis and Yaroslav Askarov could wind up.

Former contributor Brian Sanborn took a shot at a mock draft of the Top 10. Take a look:

1. New York Rangers – Alexis Lafreniere – LW – Rimouski (QMJHL)

2. Los Angeles Kings – Tim Stützle – C/LW – Adler Mannheim (DEL)

3. Ottawa Senators – Quinton Byfield – C – Sudbury (OHL)

4. Detroit Red Wings – Marco Rossi – C – Ottawa (OHL)

5. Ottawa Senators – Lucas Raymond – RW – Frolunda (SHL)

6. Anaheim Ducks – Alexander Holtz RW Djurgardens IF

7. New Jersey Devils – Cole Perfetti – C – Saginaw (OHL)

8.Buffalo Sabres -Seth Jarvis – RW – Portland (WHL)

9. Minnesota Wild – Anton Lundell – C – HIFK (Liiga)

10. Toronto Maple Leafs (TRADE) – Yaroslav Askarov, G, St. Petersburg (VHL)

His mock is definitely intriguing. He has the Kings passing on Byfield for European forward Stuetzle. A possibility given that Byfield looks to be a more overall two-way center while Stuetzle is expected to be a big scorer.

Sanborn is very high on both Rossi, who he likes for the Red Wings at number four, and Raymond at number five for the Senators. With the Sabres selecting eighth, he likes Jarvis. It’ll be interesting to see what they also do in the offseason after adding veteran center Eric Staal to help Jack Eichel.

Askarov is the top goalie prospect in the draft. He’s off to a quick start with St. Petersburg SKA. In three games, he’s 2-1-0 with a 0.74 GAA, .974 save percentage and a shutout. That translates to two goals allowed in 163 minutes. Last season, he debuted for SKA winning his only start by making 23 saves. So, the 18-year old Russian netminder is 3-1-0 in his KHL career allowing just four goals on 103 shots.

There are a few NHL teams who could have interest including the Sabres, Red Wings, Devils, Oilers and Leafs, who Brian projected to trade to the number 10 pick and grab Askarov for the future. It might make sense. They do have former 2016 third round pick Joseph Woll in the system. He just completed his first pro year after spending three seasons at Boston College.

Here is the official Draft Order for the first round barring any trades:

1. Rangers

2. Kings

3. Senators (San Jose)

4. Red Wings

5. Senators

6. Ducks

7. Devils

8. Sabres

9. Wild

10. Jets

11. Predators

12. Panthers

13. Hurricanes (Toronto)

14. Oilers

15. Maple Leafs (Pittsburgh)

16. Canadiens

17. Blackhawks

18. Devils (Arizona)

19. Flames

20. Devils (Vancouver/Tampa Bay)

21. Blue Jackets

22. Rangers (Carolina)

23. Flyers

24. Capitals

25. Avalanche

26. Blues

27. Ducks (Boston)

28. Senators (Islanders)

29. Golden Knights

30. Stars

31. Sharks (Tampa)

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Lundqvist not ready to call it quits

Posted on October 4, 2020 by Derek

A King of New York City: The next time we see Henrik Lundqvist, it could be in a very different uniform if a team is willing to give him a chance he deserves.

Over the past few days, Henrik Lundqvist revealed some emotional thoughts about his great 15-year Rangers career being over. After being officially bought out, the passionate 38-year old had some good messages for the only NHL team he knew along with a loyal fanbase, who’ll miss what King Henrik represented.

My favorite Tweet was this one that Lundqvist posted on what this city is experiencing. It’s a message we need more of.

His fifth and final Tweet on playing for the Rangers is one I think that’s pretty cool. When Lundqvist arrived in the Big Apple, he was a bright eyed 23-year old rookie with everything ahead of him. We cheered his first NHL win against the Devils at Madison Square Garden and so many more memorable moments. My favorite coming when he used his blocker like a gymnast and robbed Thomas Vanek in Game Six versus Montreal at a electric Garden.

Seeing the cute photographs of his wife with their children watching Dad play including outdoors for one of those special Outdoor Games, is what it’s all about. He had that same love and support from the Garden Faithful. A cool phrase Adam Graves coined during his jersey retirement. One day in the near future, we’ll overcome the pandemic and Number 30 will join past Rangers greats up in heaven above the Chase Bridges. It’ll be a special moment.

Following his five Tweets that officially said goodbye to New York City, Lundqvist posted this earlier on a football Sunday. One which included yet another mind numbing Giants loss where they never scored a touchdown.

This can’t be easy for a prideful man who loved being a New York Ranger and is a New Yorker through and through. However, I’m glad he still has the desire to play. Hank deserves another opportunity so he can take one last shot and go out on his terms. Not subbing for the future in Igor Shesterkin during a Play In round that went poorly for the Rangers.

The last image of Lundqvist shouldn’t be seated on the bench watching the Hurricanes sweep the Blueshirts in a uncompetitive three-game elimination to essentially miss the real Stanley Cup Tournament. One that was executed splendidly by the NHL and the 16 teams who competed. Kudos again to Gary Bettman and the Lightning on being a deserving Stanley Cup winner.

What lies ahead is a NHL Draft with the expected top pick Alexis Lafreniere officially becoming a Ranger this Tuesday. The Rangers also have the number 22 pick from the Hurricanes. One I expect them to dangle if the right deal comes along. I believe you will see a major move made by the organization. Not just the end of the Lundqvist and Marc Staal Era. But something else we probably have no idea on.

In regards to Lundqvist looking for a new NHL team, I truly hope there’s someone who’s willing to give him that chance. He handled everything this past season extremely well. Being relegated to third string duty behind Shesterkin and Alex Georgiev had to hurt mentally. But he never said anything negative to the press and it was kept in house. I’m glad he got two more starts even though Shesterkin was hurt in that miniseries. He played well enough in Game One to give them a chance. Game Two just didn’t go as well. It happens.

So, where could be potential landing spots? How about the Oilers, who don’t seem to have the right goalie in place to seriously challenge in the postseason. The thing is Mikko Koskinen is signed through 2022 with an AAV of $4.5 million and a moderated no-trade clause. Veteran Mike Smith is unrestricted. So, there could be a potential fit for Lundqvist, who shouldn’t cost a lot on a one-year contract. He could work well with Koskinen in a tandem if he’s willing to accept that on a Western Canadian team that boasts Hart winner Leon Draisaitl and all world scorer Connor McDavid.

Another possible destination could be the Capitals. With Braden Holtby on the out’s, they’re ready to hand the reigns over to young Russian Ilya Samsonov. With Samsonov only making $925,000 and over 10 million in cap space, they can use a more experienced number two goalie. Who’s to say they wouldn’t consider Lundqvist, who has quite a resume? They can’t exactly spend a lot with key veteran defensemen Radko Gudas and Brenden Dillon UFA’s. That’s assuming they want to retain both. I can see them keeping one and chasing someone else. I’m sure they still believe the window is open with Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, Evgeny Kuznetsov, T.J. Oshie and Tom Wilson assuming he stays.

Imagine Lundqvist on the same team as Ovechkin. That would be strange. They sure had a unique rivalry. Don’t forget old friend Carl Hagelin plays for the Caps too. He played a nice role with the ’13-14 Rangers before going on to win with the hated Pens. I’d prefer not to see Lundqvist in that ugly Caps jersey.

The other factor is the amount of goalies who are available. With a flat salary cap likely holding at $81.5 million, many teams are facing hard decisions ahead. They have to cut costs. That means buyouts or getting creative with trades like the Rangers did by throwing in a 2021 second round pick to unload Staal’s remaining $5.7 million to Detroit. The Blackhawks dumped defenseman Olli Maatta to the Kings earlier today.

There’s been discussions between the Wild and Sharks regarding former starter Devan Dubnyk and possibly Ryan Donato. We’ll see what happens. With the Golden Knights re-signing Robin Lehner for a manageable five-year, $25 million due to no state income tax, veteran Marc-Andre Fleury should be on the move. With the team in cap dire straits, who can afford Fleury’s remaining two years at an AAV of $7 million? They’ll have to make it worthwhile for a suitor.

The Penguins committed three years and $10.5 million towards Tristan Jarry, which could spell the end for two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray. He’s a restricted free agent. So, he should be affordable for someone.

I’m going to throw two more possibilities out there. Might the Maple Leafs consider it if they decide a partnership between fellow Swedes Frederik Andersen and Lundqvist? Probably not due to the deadline pickup of the affordable Jack Campbell. Andersen has a year left with a moderated no-trade clause.

The Blues are minus a backup behind Jordan Binnington, who came back to earth in an uneven year where he struggled mightily in a disappointing first round ouster to the emerging Canucks. They moved backup Jake Allen to the Canadiens, who needed insurance for Carey Price. There is a opening. Would they actually consider Lundqvist? They don’t have much room.

It also could come down to location for Henrik. Especially if they still are playing at well less than capacity due to the COVID-19. A second wave seems likely with some increases since schools reopened. What are the NHL plans for next season? I can’t see them returning until the new calendar year, which can hurt someone like Lundqvist.

I wish him the very best. He deserves it. Now, it’s time for both him and the Blueshirts to move ahead. If he does wind up on another roster, it’ll be strange. I just hope it works out and he gets to return to 33rd and 7th with fans able to give him a sendoff fit for a King.

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