NHL Draft Surprises

Posted on June 24, 2019 by Derek

On both Day 1 and 2, there were a few surprises at the NHL Draft in Vancouver. Before getting into which players moved up and fell, let’s first give credit where it’s due to the ultimate evil troll, Gary Bettman.

Unmercifully booed by the crowd as usual, the unpopular league commissioner played to it by saying, “I can keep it up if you can.” He might be annoying to listen to, but he certainly knows how to turn a negative into a positive.

In bringing up all-time great Canucks, Daniel and Henrik Sedin to the podium, Bettman took the spotlight off himself and put it on The Sedins. A great PR move as well by announcing that their jerseys will be retired by Vancouver in February 2020. That got loud cheers along with a video tribute.

It’ll come in the Canucks 50th Anniversary season. A year they’ll bring back these wonderful jerseys for select games.

The greatest Canucks finisher Pavel Bure. AP Photo via Getty Images

As for the Draft, there were some surprises early. Once Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko went 1-2 to the Devils and Rangers, things changed.

Most experts had defenseman Bowen Byram going third. Instead, the Blackhawks opted for center Kirby Dach. For a team that needs D help, it was surprising. They did get highly rated Swede Adam Boqvist last year at number 8. But adding Byram would’ve been a huge difference.

Instead, the Avalanche scooped him up at four, adding him to Hobey Baker winner Cale Makar, Samuel Girard, Erik Johnson and top offensive defenseman Tyson Barrie. There’s a chance Barrie gets traded for a forward. Given how close they came to beating the Sharks in the second round, yikes. They’re gonna be a handful next season.

How about the Red Wings going off the board in new GM Steve Yzerman’s first draft by taking German defenseman Moritz Seider. Even he couldn’t believe it.

Russian forward Vasili Podkolzin fell to number 10 where the hometown Canucks selected him. The reason for it is due to his contract with St. Petersburg SKA of the KHL. The 18-year old who is celebrating his birthday today, is signed for two more years through 2021. Even though he didn’t score a goal in the U20 WJC, Podkolzin is a very fast skater who can create scoring chances in transition. He is a player who can play penalty kill. He actually went from possibly a top three pick to 10th. That’s good value for Vancouver.

Perhaps the biggest shock was top American finisher Cole Caufield slipping to number 15 right into the Canadiens lap. It was astonishing to see quite a few teams pass on him. Especially the Coyotes after they moved up to number 11 in a trade with the Flyers, who predictably took American defenseman Cam York. Arizona, who needs offense, passed up Caufield for Swedish D Victor Soderstrom. It didn’t make sense.

With a prospect pool that now includes Caufield, who will become a 40 goal scorer like his comparable Alex DeBrincat, the Habs boast a plethora of young talent that should set them up well for the future. That includes Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Victor Mete, Ryan Poehling, Cayden Primeau, Jesse Ylonen and Alexander Romanov.

If Caufield didn’t wind up in the top 10 as expected, seeing Arthur Kaliyev fall completely out of the first round was a disappointment. A big finisher in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), the 17-year old from Staten Island scored 51 goals and had 51 assists for 102 points for the Hamilton Bulldogs in ’18-19.

Not the best skater, the 6-2, 190 pound right wing would up falling to Round 2 where the Kings scooped him up at number 33. The irony being the franchise’s best ever finisher Luc Robitaille fell all the way down to the ninth round in 1984. He scored over 600 goals in a Hall of Fame career mostly in LA. I’m not suggesting Kaliyev will become that successful. However, it certainly has to be a motivator for Kaliyev moving forward. Yes,his skating needs work. But he is a goal scorer. Those are hard to find. Here’s hoping it works out.

Another forward who fell out of the first round was Raphael Lavoie. The big 6-4, 196 pound center had a great postseason scoring 20 goals and 32 points in 23 games for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He dropped down to No. 38 where the Oilers took him. If he pans out, it could be a huge steal for Edmonton.

One thing about these drafts. We won’t know the answer for a while. That even includes the top picks. Even if they’re supposed to be can’t miss franchise players who can alter the future for both the Devils and Rangers, fans must remain patient. Had they not gotten Hughes at the number one pick, I doubt the Devils would’ve swung the blockbuster deal for PK Subban.

The Rangers are thinking bigger too. Having added Jacob Trouba and Adam Fox, they’re also hoping to be in on big free agent Artemi Panarin,who’s visiting Florida tomorrow. They have yet to schedule a meeting with the gifted Russian forward. If they decide against it, maybe they keep Chris by extending him. He should cost about four million less than the Bread Man.

There’s a lot to look forward to for hockey fans. The negotiating period is finally here for prospective free agents. That includes Group II FA’s Mitch Marner, Brayden Point and Matthew Tkachuk. It also features Anders Lee, who could be leaving the Islanders based on his disappointment that it’s reached this point. Robin Lehner sounds fully committed to getting a new deal done with them.

It’s sure to be an exciting week ahead with July 1 fast approaching.

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Meet the newest Rangers

Posted on June 23, 2019 by Derek

Karl Henriksson was the Rangers second pick of Round 2. The Swede could be a steal despite being undersized. AP Photo via Getty Images courtesy Elite Prospects.

Yesterday, the Rangers got back to work for the remaining six rounds of the 2019 NHL Draft. While they couldn’t hit a home run like with second overall pick Kaapo Kakko on Friday night, GM Jeff Gorton was pleased with what they accomplished on Day Two.

Even though they parted with the number 20 and number 37 in shrewd deals for right defensemen Jacob Trouba and Adam Fox, the Blueshirts still had eight total draft picks. Seven of which were selected on Saturday in Vancouver.

It’s important to note that each player counts just as much as first round consolation prize Kakko. Of course, they won’t have the same lofty expectations or pressure the 18-year old NHL ready Finnish right wing will have. However, you never know which of the remaining seven will become gems.

Let’s meet the seven picks taken on Saturday:

Round 2

No. 45 D Matthew Robertson- In the final North American Skaters rankings, he finished 26th. A 6-3, 201 pound left shooting defenseman who’s played in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the Edmonton Oil Kings, Robertson sounds like a solid overall player, who is agile for his size and fully capable of contributing offensively due to a good shot. He can pass the puck as evidenced by his 26 assists in Year Two with the Oil Kings. In 52 games, he had 33 points (7-26-33). It sounds like the Rangers got good value too. Robertson could’ve gone late in the first round. Perhaps they got a steal in an unpredictable draft that saw first round talents Arthur Kaliyev and Raphael Lajoie to the second round.

No. 58 C Karl Henriksson- Not the biggest in stature due to his smallish 5-9, 176 pound frame, the TSN panel loved the pick of the 18-year old playmaking Swede. For those familiar with where Henrik Lundqvist started before coming over, Henriksson played for Frolunda where he’ll likely stay to further develop his skills. A competitive player who isn’t the best skater, he makes up for it by winning puck battles and having the patience to find em teammates. In the World Junior Championships U18, he paced Sweden with nine points (3-6-9) in seven games. He was the 23rd ranked European Skater entering the Draft. If you heard Pierre McGuire, he thinks Henriksson could make the NHL before a lot of players taken before him. High praise. We’ll see.

Round 3

No. 68 D Zachary Jones- Ranked 70th among North American Skaters, the USHL (United States Hockey League) Tri-City Storm product is a left shooting offensive defenseman with good hockey sense. Listed at 5-10, 176 pounds, Jones had a superb season to take home USHL Rookie of the Year honors. In 56 games, he put up 52 points including 45 assists (led all USHL defensemen) and seven goals while going plus-38 with 38 penalty minutes. He will attend UMass Amherst this Fall.

Round 4

No. 112 D Hunter Skinner- The 120th rated North American Skater is a bigger, more physical right shooting defenseman who can deliver big hits. The 6-2, 176 pound Skinner played 28 games for the Lincoln Stars following a trade from Muskegon. He was their most productive blueliner registering five go.als and 19 assists for 24 points. He describes himself as someone who likes to make plays. Skinner will attend Western Michigan University in the Fall.

Round 5

No. 130 RW Leevi Altonen- Believe it or not, the undersized forward was the 29th ranked European Skater. Approximately 5-9, 177 pounds, Altonen is listed as a left shooting right wing on Central Scouting. I’ve also seen him listed as a left wing. He sounds like a fast skater who can both score and set up while killing penalties. After tallying two assists in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup for Finland, he spent most of his time with SM-lliga Jr. where he went 12-24-36 in 29 games. He had a goal and two assists with 31 penalty minutes in six postseason contests. Next year, he’ll play for Liiga in Kalpa where he had a helper in seven games.

Round 6

No. 161 C Adam Edstrom- The 73rd ranked European Skater is a big 6-6, 209 pound center who played for Mora in the SuperElit League in Sweden. In 20 games, Edstrom had 11 goals and five assists for 16 points with 12 penalty minutes. He’s a physical player with skill.

Round 7

No. 205 RW Eric Ciccolini- A 6-0, 170 pound right wing who finished ranked 108th among North American Skaters, Ciccolini played for the Toronto Jr. Canadiens of the Ontario Hockey Association (OJHL). In 48 games, the right wing registered 27 goals with 35 assists for 62 points and 58 penalty minutes. Voted the OJHL’s Top Prospect, he’s considered a hard worker with scoring capabilities. He’ll attend Michigan this Fall.

Overall, it sounds like a solid draft that continued to improve the team’s depth at key positions. Most notably, they didn’t take a goalie. They have plenty in the system. It should be fun to follow their career paths.

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Free Agents can start talks tomorrow

Posted on June 22, 2019 by Derek

With the Draft finally complete, attention will turn to free agency. Starting tomorrow, free agents can begin discussions with teams. TSN insider Bob McKenzie confirmed it with this unsurprising tweet.

Everyone knows the Panthers would like to sign soon to be former Blue Jackets Russian pair Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin. Even with Florida taking top goalie prospect Spencer Knight in the first round last night, young netminders take time to develop. If proud veteran Roberto Luongo retires, that opens up the starter position for Bobrovsky.

As for Panarin, it’s anyone’s guess where he winds up. There’s sure to be a lot of interest in the electrifying playmaking Russian forward with four NHL seasons under his belt. It’s not etched in stone he will sign in Florida.

There’s also this. The Islanders could be losing another captain. They have until tonight to get something done with Anders Lee. If not, he could be gone.

Lee turns 29 on July 3. He’s scored 25 goals or better in four seasons including a career high 40 with 14 power play goals during ’17-18. That also was the same year he had a career best of 62 points.

This past season, his role was different due to losing primary center John Tavares. The Isles captain still produced 28 goals and 10 PPG’s to pace the team. He also set a career high with a plus-20 rating. In all 82 games, he totaled 51 points (28-23-51) to rank fourth in team scoring. His postseason wasn’t the best winding up with just one goal and three helpers in eight games.

As Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello indicated, he wants to re-sign Lee along with Robin Lehner, who will get a nice raise following his special year. Having already re-signed Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle, the Isles would like to retain the core that got them back to the playoffs under coach Barry Trotz. If not, maybe they’ll be in on Panarin or Leafs Group II free agent Mitch Marner. Toronto dumped salary by getting rid of vet Patrick Marleau earlier today to Carolina by including a conditional first round pick. The Canes plan to buyout Marleau making him free for a possible reunion in San Jose.

The Hurricanes are shopping defenseman Justin Faulk. He has a year remaining with a $4.833 million cap hit. There is talk he could be swapped for a forward. Carolina would like to re-sign veteran captain Justin Williams. Micheal Ferland is expected to draw interest and leave. He would be a good fit on a young team like the Sabres, who also could have interest in veteran Wayne Simmonds.

Rasmus Ristolainen is available from Buffalo. An offensive defenseman who plays the right side, he’s struggled defensively. His contract has three years left through 2022 with an AAV of $5.4 million. The Lightning did have interest, but need to sign restricted free agent Brayden Point to a long-term contract. They cleared room by dealing former Ranger JT Miller to the Canucks for goalie Marek Mazanec, a 2019 third round pick and a 2020 conditional first. Somehow, the Lightning did it again. No disrespect to Miller, who’s a solid 50-point player. But he’s not worth a first.

The Devils swapped John Quenneville to the Blackhawks for John Hayden. They also traded down in the Draft today. They were all over the place this weekend thanks to Jack Hughes and big acquisition PK Subban. We’ll see if those upgrades convince Taylor Hall to stay by signing an extension.

There will be plenty more happening this week due to Marner, Point and Matthew Tkachuk. All RFA’s. Plus the UFA’s. It’ll be interesting to keep track of.

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Devils complete dizzying day two with ten picks

Posted on June 22, 2019 by hasan4978

After the aforementioned blockbuster for P.K. Subban which kicked off a wild day two at the NHL Draft in Vancouver, Ray Shero still had eight day two picks in the last six rounds to play with including two late 2’s and two early thirds, but it turned out he wasn’t done trading just yet even after acquiring Subban.  Shero engineered two separate tradedowns to get extra picks, first dealing the Devils #55 pick to the Sharks for picks #82 and #91, then flipping the latter pick (#91) to the Capitals for picks #118 and #129 after inciting boos in the crowd by calling a timeout to consummate the Caps deal – clearly prioritizing depth in a deep draft.  For good measure he traded one-time first-rounder John Quenneville to the Blackhawks for fourth-liner John Hayden in a change of scenery move for Quenneville to add back-line depth.

My head is spinning just trying to recap the trades, let alone the draft picks.  While #1 overall Jack Hughes is clearly the headliner of the draft class itself, the Devils did add a bunch of potentially intriguing supporting cast members from picks #61 to #189.  Without professing to know squat about any of them here’s a quick summary of each:

#61 – LD Nikita Okhotyuk: A 6’1 200 pound defenseman who started a trend of the Devils beefing up a small blueline within the system.  Okhotyuk is best friends with now fellow Devils prospect Mitchell Hoelscher, who helped teach the Russian-born defender English while both have been teammates on the Ottawa ’67’s.

#70 – LD Daniil Misyul: Another Russian LD who’s tall but lanky at 6’3 and 175 pounds, Misyul played in the KHL this past season and has puckmoving ability but can also hunker down and defend in close.

#80 – RW Graeme Clarke: A 5’11 175 pound RW, Clarke’s shot and intelligence are said to be his strongest qualities while skating needs to improve but Okhotyuk and Hoelscher’s teammate on the Ottawa 67’s could be a nice mid-round sleeper at another position the Devils need organizational depth.

#82 – LD Michael Vukojevic: Did we mention size on the blueline yet?  Vokojevic is the biggest of them at 6’3 212 pounds and while he’s known as a shutdown defender with Kitchener of the OHL, he’s also supposedly a good skater for a guy his size, and another high IQ player.

#96  – C Tyce Thompson: Brother of NHL player Tage, the younger Thompson is 6′ but only 165 pounds and already played a season at Providence, putting up 25 points in 42 games during his freshman campaign.

#118 – RD Case McCarthy: On a day where the Devils looked both to replenish some of their defensive depth traded away in the Subban deal and add bulk to the blueline, McCarthy (6’1, 198)  is one of the more intriguing picks with physical, shutdown D promise and puckmoving skills, Hughes’ teammate with the USNTDP could possibly become what we once thought Steven Santini would be here.  McCarthy is currently committed to Boston University.

#127 – G Cole Brady: Speaking of size, Ontario-born Brady fills the net at a whopping 6’5, though the Arizona State freshman is only listed at 165 pounds and continues Shero’s tradition of picking at least one goalie in every draft with the Devils.

#129 – LW Artseni Gritsyuk: Perhaps this year’s late-round version of Jesper Bratt, the 5’10 168 pound skilled KHL forward will continue to develop overseas for the time being.

#158 – RW Patrick Moynihan: Yet another NTDP member, I’ll let Mike Morreale take this one

#189 – LW Nikola Pasic: An energy guy with skill that can skate, the 5’10 180 pound Swede is in the mold of other Shero late-round draftees like Gritsyuk and 2015 draftee Brett Seney who made the NHL this year, but Pasic does have a little more beef on the bone than Seney.

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Devils pull off blockbuster move for P.K.Subban

Posted on June 22, 2019 by hasan4978

https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1142478925928398848

I admit it up front, I owe Ray Shero an apology.  After multiple offseasons of needlessly sitting on our cap space with other big moves happening this offseason I started to think our GM was Rip Van Shero and nothing would happen this offseason either.  It always seemed like there was another excuse why we couldn’t get something done – NTC’s, saving cap space for moves that didn’t happen, someone wanting to sign somewhere else, whatever.  With this being a pivotal offseason vis-à-vis Taylor Hall, it was time for the GM to do something big.

So it was that finally, Shero did do something really big this afternoon turning the draft on its ear with the acquisition of former Norris Trophy winner P.K.Subban for a relative pittance in terms of everything except cap space, of which we were finally able to take advantage of in terms of keeping the player cost of the deal down.  For Subban at three years with $27 million left on his deal, the Devils only had to give up two second-rounders including our #34 pick this afternoon (which draftniks treated as a first-round talent and was probably the biggest asset we gave up in this deal), our second rounder next year, prospect defenseman Jeremy Davies and former prospect defenseman Steven Santini.

Ironically it was friend of the blog ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski who first had PK to the Devils after a few minutes of Twitter saying he’d been traded without knowing to who.  In the breathless minutes that followed waiting to first find out if the trade would be confirmed by others, and then when it was waiting on what the price would be.  I feared the worst in either a first-rounder or a guy we wouldn’t want to give up like Damon Severson.  Thankfully because Nashville was looking to get Subban’s contract off the books completely – presumably for a run at FA pivot Matt Duchene – we finally had an edge trade-wise over teams like the Leafs, who’d just paid a hefty price dealing off Patrick Marleau to the Canes with a first-rounder to get his cap hit off the books.

When word came down about the terms of the deal I went from cautiously happy to ecstatic.  Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of great talents I’d have liked to draft at #34 and Davies had played his value up from being a former 7th round pick.  Santini could still thrive with a fresh start but things seemed to have gotten static here.  Fact is though, the Devils finally got a legitimate top pairing or at worst top four defenseman for prospect depth and money.   Let’s leave out the whole Subban will be a coup for Newark (for obvious reasons) talking point, I’ve always felt PK was a class act regardless and his character assassination was a product of the pirahnas in the Canadian media who’d also smeared Hall before he was out the door as well.

Talentwise he was certainly a necessary add to our D, even if he was coming off a down year (for him a down year, being on pace for about 12 goals and 40 points, both of which would have led our team).  Just two years ago he had a 59-point season so he certainly has that capability in a wide-open system with young talent around him.  He’ll certainly be utilized more here than he was on a stacked blueline there and hopefully has at least a couple of big seasons left.  And with two second-rounders and two third-rounders remaining in this year’s draft, arguably the Devils still have enough ammunition for a forward add – or a tradeup in the draft itself – and then they won’t even have to worry about free agency and the kids can develop on their own timeline without being gifted jobs, for the most part.

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Devils make blockbuster trade for PK Subban

Posted on June 22, 2019 by Derek

https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1142476686044254210?s=19

In a stunning move, the Devils have acquired defenseman PK Subban from the Predators. The 30-year old star blueliner was said to be made available by Nashville, who wanted to dump his salary to clear cap space to make a splash in free agency this July. Supposedly, they’re after Matt Duchene.

In getting the game’s biggest personality, the Devils didn’t give up a whole lot. Going to the Predators is defenseman Steven Santini, prospect Jeremy Davies, New Jersey’s 2019 second round pick and their 2020 second.

After landing top prospect Jack Hughes last night with the top pick, GM Ray Shero made a splash by acquiring the top pair right defenseman. Subban has three years and $27 million remaining on his contract.

https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1142477034590834689?s=19

Not long ago, Subban was considered one of the game’s premier defensemen. A Norris winner in ’12-13 for the Canadiens, he spent his first six seasons with Montreal. It was during the summer of 2016 that a fantasy hockey trade was made with the Canadiens sending Subban to the Predators for Shea Weber. At the time, most observers loved it for Nashville due to Subban being younger and not having as long a contract.

Subban helped lead the Preds to its only Stanley Cup appearance in 2017. He posted two goals and 10 assists for a dozen points in 22 postseason games. Nashville lost to the Penguins for the Cup.

In ’17-18, Subban had a big year scoring a career high 16 goals including 11 even strength, while adding 43 assists for 59 points in all 82 games. He finished third for the Norris.

This past season wasn’t as good for him. In an injury riddled season, he dropped significantly to 31 points (9-22-31) in 63 games. In a first round elimination to the Stars, Subban had a goal and two assists while struggling in his end.

The big question is how motivated will he be. A trade like this should rejuvenate him. Especially after all the criticism and rumors.

Now that he’s a Devil, Subban will be asked to be the man on a blueline that needs him. New Jersey missed out on Jacob Trouba, who wound up with the Rangers. This looks like an answer by Shero to rival GM Jeff Gorton.

It’ll make the rivalry more intriguing.

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Rangers introduce the next franchise player in No. 2 pick Kaapo Kakko

Posted on June 22, 2019 by Derek

Shortly after 8 PM (well 5 in Vancouver), the Rangers waited patiently for the Devils to make it official by selecting consensus top pick Jack Hughes. To their credit, they played the poker game well by using all three minutes before having GM Ray Shero give way to Martin Brodeur, who announced the 18-year old American center.

Once the suspense was out of the way, it was finally the Rangers’ turn to make their highest selection in an NHL Draft ever. Unless you want to count Brad Park in the 1966 Amateur Draft with the future Hall of Fame defenseman also going number two. Too bad they eventually packaged him with Jean Ratelle and Joe Zanussi to the Bruins in exchange for Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais.

When GM Jeff Gorton stepped up to the podium along with the Rangers management which included new Team President John Davidson, former architect Glen Sather, chief scout Gordie Clarke and coach David Quinn, he didn’t mince any words. Gorton wasted no time by quickly announcing Kaapo Kakko from TPS Turku, Finland as the second pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.

There was no acknowledgement of Vancouver being gracious hosts. He didn’t congratulate the Blues on finally winning their first Cup. Gorton doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who’s comfortable doing such stuff. Other GM’s like Lou Lamoriello might be. The bottom line is Gorton is here for one purpose. To continue improving the Rangers as they prepare for Phase Two of the rebuild.

It’s an exciting time for Ranger fans. By all accounts, they won last month’s NHL Lottery by moving all the way up to number two to get their man in Kakko. The Devils were always gonna be in the top three based on the odds. So, it wasn’t a great shock when they beat out their close Hudson rival for the top pick where they got their guy in Hughes.

The thing is by adding the physically gifted Kakko to a young talent pool that eventually will include K’Andre Miller added to Filip Chytil, Lias Andersson, Brett Howden, Vitali Kravtsov and Igor Shesterkin, this team is going to be fun to follow. Let’s temper expectations for next season. Sure. Adding Jacob Trouba and Adam Fox should help bolster the blueline. Especially if they don’t do something foolish like trading Tony DeAngelo.

It’s possible that by training camp, both veterans Kevin Shattenkirk and Brendan Smith could be gone. If that comes to fruition, only Marc Staal will remain as the elder statesman with a couple of years left on his contract. The rest of the Ranger defense could be projected top pair Brady Skjei and Trouba, DeAngelo, Fox, Libor Hajek and Ryan Lindgren. They already relinquished the RFA rights of Fredrik Claesson, making him unrestricted.

My one question is how much does management value keeping a vet like Shattenkirk around if Fox struggles to establish himself early. That’s why he might not be going anywhere for now. It’s more likely Smith gets bought out. A solid citizen, who filled in on the fourth line admirably, he’s expendable. Quinn used him up front and on the back end when called upon.

There are other roster questions that will soon be answered. Will Chris Kreider still be a Blueshirt? Even though he didn’t go last night, it’s uncertain he’ll be retained with a year left on his contract. He’s gonna go from making $4.625 million on average to somewhere between $6.5 to 7 million next year. As much as I would prefer to keep him, it’s thought that the organization has already decided on his future. It doesn’t look like he’s staying.

What about Jimmy Vesey and Vladislav Namestnikov? Vesey’s name has been tossed around the rumor milk with a few teams interested. The Sabres could be a possible destination. They can use more depth up front. Wouldn’t that be ironic?

There’s even some talk about key restricted free agent Pavel Buchnevich. He improved under Quinn by setting a new career high with 21 goals. In 64 games, he went 21-17-38. The 24-year old Russian forward would be a good player to keep. He has good chemistry with Mika Zibanejad and should improve on his next contract. It depends how the Rangers view him.

Would they use Buchnevich as part of a package to pry William Nylander from Toronto? The Maple Leafs are in a bind due to leading scorer Mitch Marner, who wants to get paid too dollar over the long-term. If there’s a deal to be done, I’m sure Gorton will explore it.

In the meantime, the Rangers showed off their new toy to very pleased fans who turned out at the Draft Party last night.

The work isn’t done. Day Two will continue at 10 PST or 1 PM local time. Rounds 2-7 will go by quickly today. We’ll see what else they’re thinking.

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Rangers take Kaapo Kakko

Posted on June 21, 2019 by Derek

Following the Devils doing a nice touch by having Hockey Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur introduce first overall pick in American center Jack Hughes, the Rangers wasted no time.

General Manager Jeff Gorton didn’t even thank Vancouver or congratulate the Blues. Not sure why. But he cut to the chase and selected Finland forward Kaapo Kakko with the second overall pick.

It’s official. The Rivalry is back. How long it takes both the Devils and Rangers to reach the playoffs remains to be seen. What I do know is this is a great night for the Hudson Rivalry.

Listening to the excitement from Hughes after he went first to the Devils was great. He was “fired up!” I wish they would’ve had Kathryn Tappen interview Kakko. He speaks English well as evidenced by the dry humor he showed the day before. Instead, new Team President John Davidson glowed over Kakko and for good reason.

It’s definitely an exciting time to be a Ranger fan. With a young crop that now features Kakko along with Filip Chytil, Lias Andersson, Brett Howden, Adam Fox, Vitali Kravtsov and Russian goalies Alexandar Georgiev and Igor Shesterkin, there is a lot to like going forward.

No news on the trade front yet. Chris Kreider and Jimmy Vesey have been mentioned as possibly getting moved. We’ll have to wait and see. Meanwhile, P.K. Subban is supposedly on the block.

I’ll have more on the Draft later.

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Popular former Ranger Callahan forced to call it quits

Posted on June 21, 2019 by Derek

A day before tonight’s NHL Draft, the news was sad about Ryan Callahan. Due to a debilitating back injury, the popular former Ranger will be forced to call it quits.

It stinks. The prideful 34-year old from Rochester was a blood and guts, classic overachiever. Selected by the Rangers in the fourth round of the ’04 Draft, the 127th overall pick proved to be the kind of hard working player who would go through a brick wall to help his team win.

I can recall watching him represent Team USA at the 2005 World Junior Championships. In assessing Callahan, I could tell what type of player he would be. Seeing him outwork opponents on the forecheck while do a solid job on the penalty kill, I projected him as a third liner who fans would love.

Maybe it was just my sixth sense. I knew he would make the Rangers. That he did it following a dominant AHL season in which he scored 35 goals and had 55 points with 74 penalty minutes, speaks volumes about his work ethic.

Never the biggest in stature, the 5-10, 187 pound right wing became a staple on the classic Black and Blueshirt teams. Callahan did whatever it took. Going from a role player in the early days to a top six forward, who sacrificed his body for the good of the team, he became a fan favorite.

Known as Cally to teammates, coaches and fans, he eventually became the captain of the team. A tremendous honor for a gritty player, who hit hard and blocked shots even if it wasn’t always wise. Example number one would be diving in front of a Zdeno Chara shot to get the Rangers back to the playoffs in ’10-11. He broke his ankle and missed the first round against the Capitals. A series they lost in five games.

They won the big game 5-3. That’s what mattered most. Especially a year later after losing to the hated Flyers in a shootout that ended their ’09-10 season in Game 82. In the 60 games he played that season, Callahan wound up second in scoring with 23 goals, 25 assists and 48 points. He played primarily with Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky. Better known in these parts as the Draft Line.

A year later, he was a big part of coach John Tortorella’s club that overachieved by winning the Atlantic Division. In fact, they finished first in the Eastern Conference with a 51-24-7 record. Good for 109 points. In a good year where free agent addition Brad Richards helped improve team scoring along with top finisher Marian Gaborik, Callahan set career bests with 29 goals and 54 points in 76 games. That included a team-leading 13 power play goals and nine game-winners, which tied him with Richards for first on the team.

Even though they lost to the bitter Hudson rival Devils in six games during a competitive Eastern Conference Final, it was a positive step for a franchise that hadn’t gotten that far in the postseason since the ’97 run fueled by Wayne Gretzky and Mike Richter.

Following a second round disappointment to the defending champion Bruins in 2013, Tortorella was replaced by Alain Vigneault. Playing in the final year of his contract, the Rangers captain said all the right things despite it being a distraction. With his role decreasing under a coach who preferred more speed and skill, Rangers GM Glen Sather opted to keep defenseman Dan Girardi by re-signing him. That spelled the end for Captain Cally. He was dealt to the Lightning along with a pair of first round picks for Martin St. Louis and a second round pick on March 5, 2014.

It was a bittersweet day for fans. While some foolishly sided with the Rangers, who leaked Callahan’s contract demands as a way to use PR to turn some against him, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. It was like all the hard work and sacrifice he put in was forgotten.

As it turned out, it was better for both sides. St. Louis came over and helped lead the 2014 Rangers to their first Stanley Cup appearance in 20 years. There was the emotional goal he scored on Mother’s Day following his Mom June’s death. It sparked the team to its first ever 3-1 comeback, also beating the Pens for the first time in the second round. Ultimately, they came up a little short that June.

Ditto for 2015 when they ironically were eliminated by Callahan’s new team in a gut wrenching seven games in a very odd Conference Final. The road team won five of the seven including the final four. It was bizarre.

The injuries piled up for Callahan following a very good ’14-15 in which he matched his career high with 54 points while registering a career best 30 assists with 24 goals. He did some damage against his former team in a emotion return to MSG by scoring twice on the power play. It was strange.

Even with the Lightning losing to the Blackhawks in six games for the Cup in ’15, Callahan saw his role decrease due to the meteoric rise of Nikita Kucherov. Still an effective player on the forecheck and penalty kill under coach Jon Cooper, he toughed it out for two more deep runs.

However, the Lightning never could get past the Conference Final again. They lost to the Pens and Caps in consecutive years. Then came the very disappointing first round sweep to the Blue Jackets, who ironically were coached by Tortorella. Callahan only got into two games.

For his NHL career, he finishes with 186 goals and exactly 200 assists for a total of 386 points over 757 games split between the Rangers and Lightning. He wound up with 254 points (132-122-254) and 268 penalty minutes in 450 games as a Blueshirt. For the Bolts, Callahan had 132 points (54-78-132) in 307 games.

His best postseason came during 2012 when he went 6-4-10 in 20 games with the Rangers.

I’ll miss him. Thank you Captain Cally.

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The courageous words of deserving Masterton recipient Robin Lehner

Posted on June 20, 2019 by Derek

If anyone suffers from mental illness, then you know the stigma attached to it. It can really suck. It kicked my ass recently in the form of a panic attack. Then a mini episode yesterday.

Having battled Panic Disorder for 14 years, I am better equipped to deal with it. However, the bouts with anxiety and depression can be such a chore. It makes you want to gouge your eyes out. You literally feel like you’re stuck forever in a dark hole with no end in sight.

You must continue to battle. Don’t ever give up. The brave words of Jimmy Valvano always stay with me. And he battled cancer, eventually succumbing to the horrible disease when I was a teenager.

Mental illness can be just as scary. For Robin Lehner, he struggled with it for a long time without getting help. After leaving the Sabres where he never quite was right, he finally sought out help. Having battled alcohol and substance abuse probably due to trying to cope like miraculous survivor Theo Fleury, the goalie finally came clean during his first season with the Islanders.

It resulted in an amazing turnaround that included him winning 25 games while posting a 2.13 goals-against-average (GAA), a .930 save percentage and career high six shutouts. In sharing time with Thomas Greiss, Lehner was a big reason the Islanders surprised so many by not only making the playoffs, but sweeping the Penguins to advance to the second round.

His performance got plenty of recognition by his peers and the league. He finished third for the Vezina which was awarded to Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy tonight.

Most importantly, Lehner was nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy for the tremendous comeback season he had. He deservedly won the award and got plenty of cheers from a supportive crowd in Vegas. Here are the courageous words he said regarding mental illness:

“I’m not ashamed to say I’m mentally ill. But that does not mean mentally weak.”

Those are fighting words every person who experiences this issue needs to hear. You are not alone. Thank you to Robin Lehner and congratulations to him on being a true champion for mental health.

As expected, the Hart and Pearson went to Nikita Kucherov. Mark Giordano finally took home his first Norris beating out Brent Burns and Victor Hedman. The Selke was won by Ryan O’Reilly, who edged Mark Stone with Patrice Bergeron finishing third.

Elias Pettersson took home the Calder by getting much more first place votes than runner-up Jordan Binnington, who was honored for the Playoff Moment.

Barry Trotz won the Jack Adams over Jon Cooper and Craig Berube. It was the second time he’s won it. The Lady Byng went to Aleksander Barkov.

In perhaps the most emotional moment, Carey Price came out on stage and surprised Anderson Whitehead with a Canadiens Price jersey and invited him to next year’s All-Star Game. Whitehead is the big Habs fan who lost his Mom to cancer. What a heartwarming story.

Hockey won tonight.

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