Devils’ offseason approaches with question marks

Posted on June 17, 2018 by hasan4978

It’s been nearly two months since the Devils’ 2017-18 season ended in Tampa Bay, five games later than most pundits thought it would end in the first round of the playoffs after a 97-point season that surprised the hockey world and ended the organization’s six-year postseason drought.  Not too long ago a 97-point season and a first-round exit would have been considered a failure by Devils standards, but coming off a 70-point season the year before 2017-18 can only be described as a rousing success – with a resurgent star in Taylor Hall, young guns like Nico Hischier and a backup goalie in Keith Kinkaid leading them through a scintillating 10-2-1 run down the stretch to clinch a berth in game #81 against the Maple Leafs with former GM and franchise czar Lou Lamoriello in the building.

What’s changed in the two months since the Devils’ 3-1 defeat against the Eastern Conferences’s top regular season team?  Not much yet, although there will be a couple of coaching changes on the docket with assistant Geoff Ward departing to take a similar position in Calgary, and fellow assistant Ryane Clowe leaving for a head coaching position with Newfoundland in the ECHL.  For once there aren’t many pending UFA’s to have angst over leaving on July 1 – the biggest names are defenseman John Moore (not likely to return) and deadline acquisition Patrick Maroon, who it came out was dealing with a herniated disc in his back but still managed to contribute 13 points in 17 games after coming over to the Devils.  Despite his lack of footspeed, Maroon fit into the team far better than fellow deadline acquistion Michael Grabner – who looked like he’d rather be elsewhere and was so bad he wound up being scratched for the team’s final two playoff games.  Don’t expect Grabner to return either.

Maroon wasn’t the only Devil who went for offseason surgery…as it turned out Hart Trophy finalist Taylor Hall was playing with torn ligaments in his hand from late December on.  Remarkable, considering he actually upped his game in the second half of the season.  Also, Cory Schneider had hip surgery which is expected to sideline him for a whopping five months (re: it’ll be iffy at best if he’s ready for the start of the season in October).  I’d be remiss if I didn’t start eating a plate of crow for downplaying the belief Cory was playing hurt after his groin injury in January, which actually wasn’t the cause of most of his issues physically since ostensibly the groin was fully healed when he came back into the lineup and struggled, but his cryptic comment about how this was he was as good as he was going to get when he came off IR, it would seem had to do with his hip more than his groin.  At least for Cory’s sake he was able to get a form of redemption for a dissapointing 2018 in his last three games of the season, Games 3-5 against Tampa were clearly his best of this calendar year and re-established him as the starter heading into 2018-19 despite Kinkaid’s inspiring six-week surge that helped carry the team to the playoffs.

With the NHL playoffs now over after a thrilling climax where (as SI put it) The Great Wait ended at last with one of hockey’s transcendent figures in Alex Ovechkin getting his long-sought Cup, next week begins the transition from 2017-18 to 2018-19, with the NHL Awards on Wednesday night, schedules coming out the following afternoon and the draft on Friday and Saturday with the FA interview period early the following week, events will start to accelerate fast heading into UFA day two weeks from now.  I won’t do a full preview of the Devils’ offseason in case some big draft-day deal happens although it would be hard to imagine the Devils dealing their first rounder considering they’ve already dealt off their 2nd and 3rd rounders in this draft.

I’ll say if you’re a fan looking for John Carlson to improve the defense, be prepared to pay through the nose after the recent eight-year contract at $8 million plus per season Oliver Ekman-Larsson signed to stay in Arizona.  It would also be hard to envision the Devils throwing out a big contract to any RD given that’s clearly their stronger side headed by Sami Vatanen while the left side could use a serious upgrade given Andy Greene’s decline and Moore’s departure.  And no, Mirco Mueller is not the long-term answer.  He’s more like the new Jon Merrill – a third-pairing plodder who won’t hurt you but won’t really help you either.  Will Butcher could develop into more of a two-way threat but how many top pairing defensemen do you see that are 5’10 and 190 pounds with average speed?

It’s also hard at this point to see them signing the key prize of this year’s FA crop in John Tavares.  Given the Isles’ recent organization restructuring that booted GM Garth Snow and coach Doug Weight out in favor of new franchise czar Lamoriello (yep, another change of address for the ageless Lou this offseason, this time back into the Metro area), it would seem evident they’re bent on convincing JT that the Isles aren’t looking to stay in neutral any longer.  With two early first-round picks, the smart money has Lou spending at least one of them in a trade towards an immediate improvement to a team that struggled last year but still has some talent worth building around.  While it seems that JT will at least get to the FA interview period it’s still likely he takes the extra contract year – which is off the table on July 1 – and re-signs with the Isles just before FA a la Steven Stamkos in Tampa a couple years ago.

If the Devils can’t spend money on the big FA’s, it seems obvious they’ll keep going with smaller signings and more under-the-radar trades to supplement building from within, possibly using 2019 picks or their lone top pick in 2018 and their cap space as a wedge to help another team out of a cap bind.  GM Ray Shero has come up with late-July surprises every year so far as Devils GM with his draft-day trade for Kyle Palmieri three years ago followed by the Hall for Adam Larsson heist a couple years ago.  Last year’s post-draft trade for Marcus Johansson didn’t work as well as the first two did in part due to the winger’s injuries.  It’s hard to envision a fourth at the moment but Shero’s patience has paid off in the past, and the GM knows this team still needs more to make the leap from upstart to contender.

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HARD HITS: Canadiens take risk in dealing away Galchenyuk to Coyotes for Domi

Posted on June 16, 2018 by Derek

When the deal between the Canadiens and Coyotes came down on Friday, it coincided with the one-year anniversary of Montreal trading top defense prospect Mikhail Sergachev to the Lightning in exchange for forward Jonathan Drouin. Drouin’s underperformance in his first year as a Hab didn’t go well. He was a minus-28 with 46 points (13-33-46) in a miserable season that saw Montreal finish near the bottom. Signed through 2023 to a cap average of $5.5 million, Drouin must improve.

In his rookie year, Sergachev impressed for Tampa finishing second among all first-year defensemen in scoring with 40 points (9-31-40). The difference is he’s 19 and cheaper on a entry level contract.

So, how to analyze the latest trade involving the Canadiens and much maligned GM Marc Bergevin? This time, he cut salary by sending former first round pick Alex Galchenyuk to Arizona for Max Domi. Only separated by a year in age, each were taken in the first round. The difference being that the 24-year old Galchenyuk has already played six years with a cap charge of $4.9 million in each of the next two seasons. He can then become a unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2021. A forward who prefers to play center, he’ll get that opportunity with the Coyotes alongside Clayton Keller. If he can become more consistent, he could attain new personal bests in goals, assists and points.

For Domi, it’s a chance for a fresh start in a pressure packed media market. No stranger to playing for Team Canada at the IIHF Under-20 World Junior Championships, the 23-year old Canadian from Winnipeg is a passionate player who plays a classic North American game. Though only listed at 5-10, 195, Domi is the type of forward who’s not afraid to get in the face of opponents. Just ask veteran Ryan Kesler, who suffered a one punch knockout in a fight last season. Following a promising rookie campaign in ’15-16 in which he posted career highs in goals (18) and points (52), his production suffered the past two seasons. He’ll want to improve on the nine goals he scored in a injury riddled ’16-17 and full 82 games in ’17-18. He did tally a career best 36 assists for the Coyotes in his final year. The third most on the team.

Montreal is saving approximately $1.8 million in salary after signing Domi to a two-year deal with an AAV of $3.15 million thru 2020. If he performs well, maybe they decide to give him a long-term contract, buying up some free agent years.

It’s obvious the Canadiens are going in a different direction. Galchenyuk didn’t fit what vet coach Claude Julien wanted. Despite being a minus-31 on what was a awful team, the ex-Hab ranked second in team scoring with 51 points (19-32-51) in 82 games. He didn’t agree with how he was used. Consistency was an issue. We’ll see how he does on what should be a much improved Coyotes.

Montreal is likely to also be saying goodbye to captain Max Pacioretty. The proven finisher enters the final year of a contract that pays him $5 million in ’18-19 with a AAV of $4.5 million. He’ll be 30 on Nov. 20. Expect his name to be floated around at next week’s NHL Draft and on July 1 free agent frenzy day.

The Canadiens have the third overall pick in the upcoming Draft. Filip Zadina is expected to be available if they keep it. So should Brady Tkachuk.

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Karlsson/Hoffman fiasco in Ottawa a nightmare

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Derek

A year ago, the Ottawa Senators came within one overtime of making the Stanley Cup Final. Captain Erik Karlsson played on one good leg, putting up 18 points to lead the Senators on the verge of its second Stanley Cup appearance. They lost Game Seven in sudden death to the Penguins on Chris Kunitz’ overtime goal. Pittsburgh would repeat as champs.

A year later, a disastrous season that saw them rank near the bottom of the league, continues to haunt them. It was already apparent that the Senators can’t afford to keep Karlsson. The 28-year old defenseman is a two-time Norris winner. Considered the game’s best at his position, he enters the final year of a deal that pays him $7.5 million with an average cap hit of $6.5 million. A bargain for someone of the Swede’s unique blend of skating, offense and defense. There’s no better blueliner in transition.

It’s astonishing that he returned early to Ottawa in ’17-18. He was able to skate in 71 games, totaling nine goals, 53 assists, and 62 points. His defense struggled on a bad team, finishing minus-25. Though some of it can be attributed to him not being totally healthy.

Who knew about the odd relationship between Karlsson’s wife Melinda and teammate Hoffman’s fiancé Monika? Melinda recently filed a order of protection against Monika for harassment. A shocking news item that hit social media earlier this week.

It is crazy to think something of this magnitude could happen. Especially with key players on the same team, who were a huge part of Ottawa’s success in ’16-17. It’s very disturbing and sad. Now, the Senators must trade both their best player and a good finisher this summer.

Not surprisingly, rumors have circulated that Karlsson asked for a trade. Given the uneasiness of the situation, there’s no way he can return. Besides, following ’18-19, he’ll command a salary upwards of $10 million on the open market. Given the instability of the franchise due to horrible owner Eugene Melnyk, it makes sense for the Senators to get a good return for Karlsson now. He wasn’t even expected by some to last through the trade deadline. You have to think he’s a goner by the NHL Draft or on July 1.

As for Hoffman, he’s scored at least 22 goals or more over the last four seasons. He’s a good player capable of scoring 30 in the right situation. The 28-year old forward is signed for another two seasons with a AAV of $5.187 million. He’ll earn $5.65 million in ’18-19 and ’19-20. When he’s 30, Hoffman will be a unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2020.

The question for the other 30 NHL general managers is what is Hoffman worth. He has baggage due to his longtime girlfriend, which is now public. It’s very ugly and can’t be easy for him. Is this really the kind of woman he wants to be with? His career is at risk. Especially if the allegations are true. Considering the support Karlsson’s wife Melinda received from former teammates’ girlfriends and spouses, it portrays a negative light on Hoffman’s girlfriend Monika.

With these unnecessary distractions entering the offseason, it won’t be easy for Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion. He’s also trying to find someone to take Bobby Ryan’s contract. There are four years left with an AAV of $7.25 million through 2022. Good luck with that.

There’s also the disturbing news on assistant GM Randy Lee. Lee is accused of sexually harassing a shuttle driver on May 30. He reportedly made lewd comments and rubbed the shoulders of a 19-year old male driver. He entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of second-degree harassment. A non-criminal charge. If found guilty, he faces a maximum of 15 days in jail and a $250 fine.

All these distractions make Ottawa a nightmare. They’re about to trade their best player. A great team guy and captain, who’s carried himself well. It’s going to be sad when he is gone. The Hoffman business between his girlfriend and Karlsson’s wife is despicable.

It’s a untenable situation. The question is how does it get resolved. We’re about to find out.

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Why is Lindy Ruff back

Posted on June 12, 2018 by Derek

Sitting here finishing off a Guinness in the wee hours watching classic videos on MTV Classic, I cannot help but wonder why Lindy Ruff is still here. The news came down officially over the weekend. The former Sabres and Stars coach, who was an assistant under Alain Vigneault in ’17-18, will return to the Rangers.

That’s right. The veteran coach will be part of new coach David Quinn’s staff. I’m wondering how that’ll work out exactly. Now, this isn’t a criticism of Ruff, who knows the game. It’s just that he was part of what was wrong on the first Rangers team to miss the postseason since the ill fated shootout nightmare in Philadelphia eight years ago. Under him, the defense struggled mightily. Even with Marc Staal returning to form, let’s just say the system the Blueshirts played was puzzling. Hopefully, it had more to do with Vigneault than Ruff.

Quinn enters his first NHL head coaching job emphasizing improved play from the defense. He comes from a good program coaching Boston University where Charlie McAvoy graduated, and was splendid in a good rookie season for the Bruins. So, I’m hopeful.

I think that’s the right word to describe most Ranger fans entering the offseason. Following the NHL Awards which will be filled with more celebrations from Alexander Ovechkin and his Capitals teammates along with either Taylor Hall or Nathan MacKinnon the new Hart winner, the NHL Draft hits in Dallas for two days a week from this Friday. I’m excited to see what our team can do with the extra picks in the first and second round. We’ll see if GM Jeff Gorton can parlay his ninth overall pick and extras along with possibly RFA’s Ryan Spooner or Vladislav Namestnikov going. We’ll see what happens.

Between a NHL Draft that’s loaded with talent including soon to be top pick Rasmus Dahlin to the Sabres, Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina, Brady Tkachuk, Noah Dobson, Quinn Hughes, Adam Boqvist, Oliver Wahlstrom, Evan Bouchard and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and potential established stars (Erik Karlsson, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Ryan O’Reilly) who could be moving, it’s sure to be an action packed weekend.

July 1 is around the corner. It’s not a big free agent class with only John Tavares, James van Riemsdyk and John Carlson the potential headliners. There are other good players such as James Neal, Joe Thornton (if he returns), David Perron, Paul Stastny, Rick Nash, and Michael Grabner all available.

The Rangers have a few Group II’s they’ll turn their attention to. Kevin Hayes should be at the top of the list with possibly a term in the $4.5 million AAV range and length between four to five years. Then Brady Skjei, who didn’t distinguish himself following a promising rookie season. Jimmy Vesey will likely accept a one or two-year deal that’s very affordable to prove himself. He wasn’t exactly utilized properly under Vigneault. A player of his stature should be looked at in the top six to see if he can be more than a 15-goal 30-point player. I believe there’s untapped potential.

As for Ruff, with him returning and of course valuable goalie coach Benoit Allaire, there isn’t much more to fill. One more assistant position is available. I have no idea what they’re thinking. Do they?

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HARD HITS: Larry Brooks needs to retire

Posted on June 10, 2018 by Derek

HARD HITS

By Derek Felix

You would think after what 2018 Conn Smythe winner Alexander Ovechkin has been through that everyone who covers him would be happy. Many of the hockey media expressed their joy for the outstanding postseason the emotional three-time Hart winner had in finally leading the Capitals to its first Stanley Cup.

It was a long time coming. After all the postseason nightmares in the second round to the Penguins and Rangers, Ovechkin and a worthy group of teammates conquered their demons. The 32-year old Russian never played better hockey in his life. Despite all the Rocket Richards, and 607 goals, he truly was the passionate leader of the 2017-18 Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals.

Nobody is more deserving than the electrifying captain of the Caps. It wasn’t only the playoff-leading 15 goals and 12 assists totaling 27 points- ranking just behind this postseason’s leading scorer, linemate Evgeny Kuznetsov, who finished with 32 points (12-20-32). The most in one postseason since Pens’ superstar Evgeni Malkin produced 36 in 2009. It was the sacrifices a burning Great Eight made to lead his team by example. He was determined to do whatever it took to win this Spring. He was more committed defensively, racing back as he did to deny a Golden Knights breakaway chance. He dove to block shots when it was necessary as many Capitals did. As usual, there was the trademark Ovi human freight train hits throughout the run.

That’s why it’s absolutely ridiculous to see what the miserable Larry Brooks wrote in his column Slap Shots that appeared in the New York Post. So, if we’re to understand it, so because Ovechkin and the Capitals didn’t go through Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers, it doesn’t count. Or at least that’s what Brooks insinuates. It’s as if it’s not the same due to Ovechkin not having to beat Lundqvist. Correct me if I’m wrong here. How did the early match-ups go between the two? How did Lundqvist perform along with the Rangers this past season? They finished dead last in the division.

It’s time to put this nonsense to bed. I get that Brooks is a bitter pill. If I didn’t know any better, he could be related to Oscar The Grouch. At least that was Sesame Street fun. Sometimes, I get the distinct impression that Brooks thinks he invented hockey. Until he’s put out to pasture, he’ll continue to harp on the negatives, including playing the role of Scrooge when it comes to the amazing run the expansion Vegas Golden Knights had.

He can be a real curmudgeon. It’s not the Knights’ fault the NHL set up this new playoff format which by the way, the NHLPA signed off on. It must’ve been my imagination that the Golden Knights ran through the Winnipeg Jets in five games. Save us the excuses that they played Nashville the previous round. Vegas went six against the Sharks. They earned the right to play for Lord Stanley, and didn’t roll over in Game Five. They made the Caps earn it.

If you cannot see why the Vegas run was so great for the sport, please don’t cover hockey anymore. Turn in your media credentials and go back to the bar. It’s time for this undeserving fool to retire.

Brooks and that troll Brett Cyrgalis have made more enemies covering this sport than most. It makes me glad Dan Boyle stood up to them.

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Ovechkin wins Conn Smythe in Capitals first ever Stanley Cup

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Derek

It took only five games. But getting the fourth one against the Golden Knights proved difficult for the Capitals. Led by their captain, they fought back after falling behind a goal to stun Vegas 4-3 in Game Five to capture their first ever Stanley Cup.

Alexander Ovechkin is finally a Stanley Cup champion. The game’s most electrifying superstar scored a franchise playoff record 15th goal to lead the postseason. He was magnificent during the Caps’ run. Playing a more complete game that included hustling back defensively, selling out to block shots and leading by example, the Great Eight is the most deserving player I can think of to win Lord Stanley. The passion he plays with and how excited he gets for teammates’ success is second to none.

It’s truly great to see Ovechkin silence the critics, who had him pegged based off past Washington playoff failures. The thing that got lost in those defeats is he always performed well. They just didn’t have the right cast until now. Of course, nobody saw it coming. Not after they won the Metropolitan Division. Not when they fell behind 2-0 to Columbus in the first round. They weren’t good enough to be in the same class as the Penguins, Lightning or Bruins. I didn’t see it. I was proven wrong as were many pundits.

Congrats to the Washington Capitals and their fans, who waited over 40 years for this moment. Many of the sea of red made the trip to Vegas to see their team stage a nice comeback to make history. Goals by unsung heroes Devante Smith-Pelly and Lars Eller turned a one-goal deficit in the third period into a one-goal lead.

It was that kind of team effort that personified these Caps. From top to bottom, everyone contributed. All four lines and three defense pairs were involved. When it wasn’t Ovechkin or leading scorer Evgeny Kuznetsov, there was Tom Wilson scoring and setting up big goals while playing on the edge with a freight train of monster hits that crushed the Golden Knights defense. He did the same thing to the Lightning in the Conference Final. If it wasn’t Nicklas Backstrom or T.J. Oshie making plays, it was rookie Jakub Vrana scoring a huge breakaway goal top shelf past Marc-Andre Fleury to put the Capitals up 1-0 in the second period.

Throughout the run, you had key pickup Michael Kempny scoring and setting up goals while paired with leading scoring D John Carlson. A move nobody gave much thought to. The Caps gave up a third round pick to Chicago. Who knew? The same can be echoed for veteran Brooks Orpik. Supposedly ‘washed up,’ the proven physical blueliner who had the only Cup on the roster with the Pens, was a tower of strength in a more limited role on the third pair. He even scored in this series and it was great keep and shot that allowed Smith-Pelly to tie the score with 10:08 left.

As fate would have it, Eller would get the Stanley Cup clincher 2:31 later. The first ever player from Denmark to get his name on the trophy also had the biggest goal in Game Three of the first round. His overtime winner against the Blue Jackets flipped the script. He was splendid in a second line role when Backstrom missed a few games. He won key draws and logged big minutes under winning coach Barry Trotz. He played power play and killed penalties. He was the most indispensable Cap. It was fitting that he got the tip in front from Brett Connolly and Andre Burakovsky with 7:37 remaining.

Braden Holtby made 28 saves with many enormous when his team trailed following consecutive Knights tallies from David Perron and Reilly Smith. Holtby was at his best keeping a more determined Vegas at bay. Without him, the series goes back to D.C. Who knows what could’ve happened if there was a Game Six.

The Caps were relentless to get it done last night. They did it by sending the expansion Golden Knights to their first four-game losing streak in its inaugural season. A special one that’ll be remembered despite the final outcome. They played their butts off for coach Gerard Gallant. The Caps earned it.

Even though the Vegas show closed at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday night, they have nothing to be ashamed of. Nobody could’ve predicted this for a first year franchise built from scratch. I’ve seen way too many sourpusses rain on their parade. They took players other teams didn’t want and turned into a division winner, who wouldn’t be denied in conquering the West.

They embarrassed the Kings behind Fleury and the top line of William Karlsson, Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. They then beat a good Sharks team in a hard fought six before stunning the hockey world by wearing down Winnipeg in five. That’s a helluva run. They got beat by a better team. Despite that, most of the games were competitive. Even Game Four was misleading. For nearly two games, nothing went in for Vegas. That was despite better play until things imploded following a few goalposts and close calls. Sometimes, the hockey gods can be cruel. They were on the Caps’ side.

The on ice Cup presentation included fireworks as fan favorite Gary Bettman presented Ovechkin with the Conn Smythe and then the sweetest trophy in all of sports. It was truly a magic moment to behold. A screaming Ovi for all to see cheering like a kid with glee. It finally was his time to shine along with his team. The last one standing. Well deserved.

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Lou cleans house, names self new Islanders GM

Posted on June 5, 2018 by Derek

As expected, Lou Lamoriello wasted no time making changes. The new Islanders Team President cleaned house by firing both former GM Garth Snow and coach Doug Weight earlier this afternoon.

The 75 years young Lou named himself the new general manager of the team. The search for a new coach for the Islanders begins immediately.

There you have it. In classic fashion dating back to the glory days with the Devils, Lamoriello is in full charge of another local franchise. This was always the easy move to make for a proven executive, who sounded energized in a recent interview with WFAN’s Mike Francesa. So, he has something in common with New York’s biggest sports talk radio personality. Neither are the retiring types.

It’ll be interesting to see what Lou decides to do next. He’ll want a coach in his no nonsense personality. He didn’t leave a easier post in Toronto to take it easy. He’s in Brooklyn (for now) for one reason. To rebuild on the fly a team that could be on the verge of losing its premier star, John Tavares to free agency. That all depends on the current Isles captain. Will he stay with favorite ex-coach Weight gone along with Snow? We don’t know.

It’s funny to see all these rumors spreading like wildfire on social media that Lamoriello will trade Tavares’ rights before July 1. How does anyone really know? He spoke to Tavares when he accepted the job. You never know with Lou.

The Islanders first need a coach, which could happen as soon as the Stanley Cup Final ends. The Capitals will get the first of three chances to win their first Cup on Thursday against the Golden Knights in Vegas. As soon as it concludes, expect Lamoriello to move fast. Maybe he’ll get permission to speak with Toronto Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe. Considering the ties to the Leafs, it makes sense.

There’s also the small possibility of Washington coach Barry Trotz, who could become the biggest coaching free agent. That is if the Caps don’t keep him. That doesn’t seem very likely with Trotz on the verge of guiding the franchise to its first championship.

Whatever Lamoriello decides, the Islanders are a whole lot more interesting now. No longer will they be the laughingstock of the NHL. There won’t be any more jokes about Snow having the same lifespan as current NBC analyst Mike Milbury. Both weren’t too successful with similar results. Only Snow had a team finally advance out of the first round thanks to Tavares’ heroics.

With soon to be named Calder winner Mathew Barzal ready for bigger things and top prospect Kieffer Bellows poised to be the next good player the Islanders produce, they should be okay for the future.

Lamoriello will have the task of re-signing Tavares and less discussed defenseman Calvin de Haan. A valuable player, who the team sorely missed. He also must choose a new number one goalie after Snow did nothing. Thomas Greiss and Jaro Halak aren’t starters.

He’ll want to see if he can sign 2014 fourth round pick Linus Soderstrom. A 21-year old Swedish goalie prospect who could hold the key to the future. Although he didn’t perform as well in ’17-18 for HV71 Jonkoping in Sweden, he’s an important player. Particularly with no positive development on 2014 third round pick Ilya Sorokin. A highly rated 22-year old Russian who stars for CSKA Moscow of the KHL.

All this makes the Isles one of the more intriguing teams to watch this summer.

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Hard Hits: Ovechkin and Caps silencing critics

Posted on June 3, 2018 by Derek

Through three games of the most unpredictable Stanley Cup Final, it’s Alexander Ovechkin and the Caps needing just two more wins to capture the franchise’s first Cup. In a virtuoso performance following a bizarre introduction from game show host Pat Sajac, Ovechkin scored his team’s first goal in a 3-1 home win in Game Three over the Golden Knights to take a two games to one series lead.

As has been the case throughout this postseason, the Great Eight has continued to play at another level. In continuing to lead his team by playing excellent two-way hockey that’s included sacrificing his body for the cause to block one of 26 Vegas shots, Ovechkin is proving the critics wrong. As if the greatest goalscorer of this generation and second best player behind Sidney Crosby, was to blame for previous Washington failures. He always produced but wasn’t as complete. That’s the difference with every skater on the Caps along with the laser focus of Braden Holtby.

What they lacked before was the grit and determination along with the tenacity to get it done. Now, they’re more resilient winning the one on one battles. They play much tougher defensively which makes games like Saturday night’s ugly for the viewers but beautiful for long suffering Caps fans. It might not be a pretty style of hockey under coach Barry Trotz. But unlike 2015, ’16 and ’17, they’ve persevered to the point where they can taste it.

While Ovechkin has been front and center scoring timely goals in the last two games which are both wins, the supporting cast has continued to play their roles as perfectly. In Game Two, they held off a Golden Knights’ strong third period to pull out a hard fought 3-2 victory to square the series. They did it without star center Evgeny Kuznetsov, who missed most of the last two periods due to an upper body injury he sustained on a clean, heavy hit. Lars Eller was instrumental in the victory with a goal and two assists while dominating on faceoffs. His primary helper on a Ovechkin power play goal broke a 1-1 tie. He also helped set up unlikely hero Brooks Orpik’s game-winner.

In the playoffs, it’s not always the stars who help you win. It’s guys like André Burakovsky, who sprung to life in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Final with two goals to help the Caps shutout the Lightning. Burakovsky was benched in the same series. He had two helpers in Game Two. Without guys like Devante Smith-Pelly and Brett Connolly, the Caps wouldn’t be where they are. Even with Kuznetsov returning to play last night and score a huge goal to convert a three-on-one rush, Smith-Pelly stepped up with his fifth of the tournament. A big insurance marker that restored a two-goal lead in the third after a rare Holtby misplay had given Tomas Nosek an easy goal. Jay Beagle recorded two assists while centering the fourth line that had Smith-Pelly and hustling rookie Chandler Stephenson on it.

On a night the second scoring unit of Nick Backstrom, Jakub Vrana and T.J. Oshie were quiet, it was the vaunted top line with Kuznetsov (goal/assist), Ovechkin (franchise tying 14th goal) and pest Tom Wilson (5 hits, big recovery that led to Ovechkin goal) that set the tone. They easily could’ve had more than two of the three Washington goals. Marc-André Fleury was spectacular throughout making big saves that gave Vegas a chance. He robbed Ovechkin at least three times including twice with superb glove stops. The score could’ve been more lopsided given how much the Caps dominated territorially.

The Golden Knights didn’t have the puck enough. Turnovers were a theme with some blown assignments leading directly to goals against which Fleury had no chance on. It was a credit to how thorough the Caps checked. They gave their opponent nothing by blanketing the neutral zone and making a cocoon around Holtby. This led to plenty of missed opportunities. Forty of the Knights’ 62 attempts never reached the Washington net. Twenty-six were blocked while another 14 missed the net completely.

A tighter checking game has favored the detail oriented Caps, who have won both low scoring contests since the wild and crazy Game One that featured 10 goals and a Stanley Cup record four lead changes. They shutdown the Knights’ top line of William Karlsson, Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. They also exposed the Vegas second line turning James Neal, Erik Haula and David Perron into a combined minus-nine. They were victimized on all three goals. Perhaps that’ll result in Vegas coach Gerard Gallant adjusting that line along with a couple of personnel changes. Something he hasn’t shied away from all season. Figure either Tomas Tatar or Oscar Lindberg to be back in for a crucial Game Four tomorrow night.

As far as Holtby, he’s on a good roll. Following a shaky Game One in which he allowed five goals on 33 shots, he’s given up just three on 61 shots. His defense has been better at protecting the net and swarming Vegas skaters. But he’s also been much sharper, bringing back his old Vezina form. Three goals allowed in the last 128:28 is pretty dominant.

It’s all working for the Caps. Two more wins and they finally reach the mountain top.

Body Checks

-I know it wasn’t the greatest game to watch. Now, I kinda understand what critics of the ’11-12 Rangers were talking about with all the blocked shots. It’s ugly but effective. It’ll be interesting to see what adjustments Gallant makes.

-It is absurd that two Stanley Cup games in a row didn’t air on NBC. Especially Saturday night in prime time. Instead, it was on NBCSN. NBC was re-airing a Dateline piece from a year ago in the 8 PM time slot. Genius programming. What a great league partner.

-The amount of clutching and grabbing the sea of red got away with was reminiscent of the pre-lockout days when anything went. So much for having a rulebook on obstruction.

-John Carlson hasn’t hurt himself one bit this postseason. A unrestricted free agent in July, the biggest Caps weapon from the right point will make a lot of money this summer. What better situation is there than the one he’s in? Unless the Devils come calling and sell him on a homecoming featuring Taylor Hall and Nico Hischier, he would be nuts to leave.

-Every tweet former pugilist Daniel Carcillo sends out is one of significant interest to fans and current players of the sport. The current lawsuit against the NHL is no laughing matter. Every time Gary Bettman sidesteps the issue of responsibility for the damage caused by head trauma that’s led to struggles off the ice, he comes off like a fraud. He can talk up the good PR of the expansion Golden Knights proving that anyone can make a run and build a new fan base. But he’s a jackass when it comes to the seriousness of how the league looked the other way on concussions damaging the brain to the point where CTE could be linked.

-New Islanders Team President Lou Lamoriello is no better. TSN continues to roll out a series of damaging articles on former players such as ex-Devil Mike Peluso, who played through concussions due to expectations. The league was a lot different in the 90’s and even 00’s. There was a lot more fighting. These guys put themselves at risk not knowing the severity of the damage blows to the head along with landing on the ice could cause. Nobody knew except Eric Lindros, who was right about how poorly the Flyers and Bobby Clarke handled him. Concussion protocol probably wouldn’t be around if not for former NHLPA leader Lindros.

-For old school executives in Lou’s class to not acknowledge it smacks of arrogance. He always talks about putting the team first. The logo in the front of the jersey over the name on the back. That’s all well and good. But what about caring for the players? I guess that didn’t matter. Winning at all costs.

-Per Doc Emrick, 13 remaining Caps were drafted by former GM and current Vegas one George McPhee. So, if his old team wins, he’ll have a lot to do with it. I’m sure that’s not what he’s thinking at the moment.

-When Emrick disagrees with a missed call, he lets the audience know about it. During a sequence in which he thought there was a penalty, he said, “Play continues.” Then when expecting an icing that never came, he quipped: “Why would it be?”

More reasons to love Doc.

-So many experts on what the Rangers should do including the captaincy. I don’t think they have a captain on the current roster. Mats Zuccarello enters his final year if he’s not dealt. Chris Kreider could be a good leader but isn’t ready for that kind of responsibility yet. Why not enter ’17-18 without a captain? They did it before in ’05-06 following the lockout under Tom Renney. It worked out well. Of course, they had Jaromir Jagr and savvy vets Martin Straka, Martin Rucinsky, Michael Nylander and Steve Rucchin. As Vegas has proven, you don’t have to name a captain.

-The Lamoriello hiring for the Islanders was a no brainer. Even at 75, he’s a fine executive who still has a healthy appetite to want to clean up the mess in Brooklyn and soon Long Island. From a business standpoint, it makes sense. What happens if John Tavares still leaves?

-Things I hate:

-the mini advertisements before play following a icing or offside.

-Pierre McGuire waxing poetic on another fourth liner. It doesn’t matter what year it is. It’s a team game. But fourth liners shouldn’t have this much impact. If they do, why didn’t Jed Ortmeyer win a Cup? How about Dominic Moore or Brian Boyle? They’re all guys I like. But at what point does it become ridiculous? Then you wonder why teams overpay these guys. For the same reason unheralded defensive defensemen get ridiculous contracts.

-The league talks up the talent and it’s true. But then you watch these games and there’s little room to make a play or take a shot. Even with all the rule adjustments, it’s a drag. Goalies have too much equipment. So do players. Particularly shoulder pads that can do damage on big hits. Plus the substandard officiating which frustrates benches and viewers while confusing broadcasts.

-So, Larry Brooks will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame for his contributions as a writer. When asked about it, favorite target John Tortorella had ‘no comment.’ I wonder what Dan Boyle thinks about this. It’s funny that Brooksie stuck. Tort’s old nickname for Brooks. Will he mention Torts in November?

-Brooks used to be a fun read for his Slap Shots column in the New York Post. But he’s so negative about everything that I am not sure he should keep covering the sport. I admit to similar frustration with the league. But if I can see how great a story Vegas is, why can’t Larry? Because he can be a stick in the mud. The show in Vegas is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. While some critique the Medieval Times act, I enjoy it for what it is. Entertainment in a sport that takes itself too seriously. When you have NBC talent gushing over it and using Jeremy Roenick in all sorts of chaotic roles engaging the fans, they know it’s funny. Why can’t hockey fans laugh? We are sometimes our own worst enemies.

-I guess Pat Sajak won’t be introducing the Nationals lineup in October.

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New Rangers coach David Quinn is a hockey lifer

Posted on May 25, 2018 by Derek

Yesterday at a press conference, David Quinn was introduced by general manager Jeff Gorton as the New York Rangers 35th head coach in franchise history.

The 51-year old hockey lifer has been involved playing the game and coaching it since childhood. He played all four years at Boston University from ’84-87 and represented Team USA in 1986.

Unfortunately, when he tried out for the ’88 Olympic team, Quinn was diagnosed with Haemophilia B (Christmas Disease), a rare disorder that prevents blood from clotting properly. Forced to retire from the game, he discovered expensive medication to battle the disease and attempt a comeback as a professional.

After failing to make the ’92 Olympic team, ironically it was the Rangers who signed him to a pro contract in February that same year. He completed the remainder of the season with the AHL affiliate Binghamton Rangers before spending ’92-93 with the Cleveland Lumberjacks in the International Hockey League (IHL).

Following his retirement, Quinn began his coaching career as an assistant with Northeastern before joining the University of Nebraska-Omaha for six years. After spending time as a USA developmental coach, he returned to his alma mater as a assistant, helping guide the Terriers to a national title in 2009.

Before returning to become coach of Boston University in 2013 replacing legendary coach Jack Parker, he got his first head coaching position with the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL in ’09 while with the Colorado Avalanche organization. He spent three seasons there before serving as a assistant on the Avalanche for ’12-13.

Following five successful seasons coaching his alma mater BU to a NCAA Runner-Up in the 2015 Championship Game along with two Regional Finals the last two years, he moves up to become the coach of the Rangers. His third position as a head coach.

A former defenseman who’s developed Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk, he will emphasize a attacking style from the defense out. That doesn’t mean only improving team defense which was a sore spot under former Rangers bench boss Alain Vigneault the past two years. It also emphasizes using defensemen to transition the puck through the neutral zone and activate offensively which can make it harder on opponents to clear the zone.

In a rebuild with several young players, the Rangers must get back to harder working habits. If they are successful under Quinn, they’ll have a more sustained forecheck involving all five players during shifts. An area that disappeared from their game. In order for the team to have success, they must press the attack and have more puck possession in the offensive zone. A role reversal from what we saw recently.

All one has to do is watch how this year’s Disney story the Vegas Golden Knights play under Gerard Gallant. Every player has a defined role. He rolls four lines and plays three defense pairs in front of Conn Smythe frontrunner Marc-Andre Fleury. The way they use their skating and team speed attacking offensively and defensively has given opponents fits. Even the mighty Winnipeg Jets wore down losing in five in the Western Conference Final.

The Stanley Cup which starts on Memorial Day between the Caps and Knights in Vegas Monday night, should be very entertaining for fans of the sport. Nobody could’ve predicted this final.

You have Alexander Ovechkin playing the best hockey of his brilliant career with a more together Washington team that sacrifices to win in beating the Pens and stunning the Lightning in seven with a dominant 4-0 win on the road to make their first Cup appearance since 1998.

You have the expansion darling Golden Knights comprised of players 30 teams didn’t want led by William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith along with Fleury. It’s a fascinating match-up.

In many aspects, this is what Ranger fans want to see. How soon it happens remains to be seen. Quinn is a strong personality who wants to change the culture. Even after turning down the job multiple times, he changed his mind and decided to take on a big challenge. Now, he’ll have to prove he’s worth the $2.5 million per season the Rangers are paying him over the next five years. Listening to him speak, he sounds excited.

He should be. It’s not every day that a job like this becomes available. His familiarity with many of the young Blueshirts who played collegiately should come in handy. It’s all about developing the new core and improving.

With the welcome mat for Quinnsanity, a new era is upon us. The job starts right away.

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Rangers bring in a new era with hire of David Quinn

Posted on May 23, 2018 by Derek

As the playoffs have gone on, it’s taken a while for the Rangers to find a new coach. After swinging and missing on Jim Montgomery, who reportedly turned down more money to stay in the Midwest and accept the job with the Stars, they have convinced David Quinn to leave Boston University and take over behind the bench in Manhattan.

Even after Quinn was rumored to stay with BU where he had developed good players including most recently Jack Eichel, Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk, the Rangers persisted in their quest to go outside the box as GM Jeff Gorton and even Garden CEO James Dolan had hinted at during the process. More committed to a rebuild, it makes perfect sense for the Rangers to hire a developmental coach familiar with working with young talent. A avenue I suggested in this space.

After spending five seasons with the Terriers producing a 105-67-21 record in the Hockey East which included a runner-up in the Frozen Four in ’14-15 when they lost in heartbreaking fashion, the 51-year old Quinn will try his hand at coaching in the NHL.

It’ll be interesting to follow his path. There haven’t been many college coaches who moved up to the NHL ranks. The most notable are Miracle worker Herb Brooks and Badger Bob Johnson. The Flyers have had moderate success with Dave Hakstol overachieving by making the first round this year. Now, you can add two new former college coaches in Montgomery and Quinn.

So, how will Quinn do? That remains to be seen. With the Rangers organization finally confirming him as the 35th coach in franchise history earlier today, now comes the real challenge ahead. Turning around a bad team that missed its first postseason since 2009-10.

Much depends on what Gorton decides with his new coach and chief scouts. With the NHL Draft a month away, the team owns the ninth overall pick. They also hold a extra first from the Bruins in the Rick Nash deal that also netted D prospect Ryan Lindgren and key restricted free agent Ryan Spooner. He’s a year away from unrestricted status. Management must decide if it’s worth retaining Spooner for a year and make a similar decision on Group II forward Vladislav Namestnikov, who didn’t have a good showing after coming over from the Lightning in a blockbuster trade that sent former captain Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller. A deal that netted D prospect Libor Hajek, forward prospect Brett Howden along with a 2018 first round pick if the Lightning win the Stanley Cup. Plus a 2019 conditional second.

So much is tied into those two trades. There’s three prospects the Blueshirts are counting on for development along with what they can turn the extra picks into. Is the plan for Gorton to shop the number nine along with the additional first and second to move up into the top four and grab Oliver Wahlstrom, Brady Tkachuk, Filip Zadina or Adam Boqvist?

Gorton faces tough decisions on RFA’s Kevin Hayes, Brady Skjei and Jimmy Vesey. Plus whether they have full confidence in Alexandar Georgiev to back up Henrik Lundqvist, who shouldn’t start over 50 games. He can’t physically do it anymore. Do they trust Georgiev off his good first impression or consider re-signing Ondrej Pavelec?

The team will have cap space to make moves this July. What are they planning? Are they in on big free agents John Tavares, John Carlson or James van Riemsdyk? I would think not but you never know what the thought process is. Now a hard nosed vet such as James Neal on a reasonable deal could work. The same for Calvin de Haan, who has peak years left if he leaves the Islanders.

Most importantly, how Quinn and the new staff handle key young players like Lias Andersson, Pavel Buchnevich, Filip Chytil, Tony DeAngelo, Neal Pionk and Brady Skjei will go a long way to determining where the franchise is over the long term.

The leadership will fall not just on veterans Marc Staal (assuming he’s back), Lundqvist, Kevin Shattenkirk and Mats Zuccarello but Jesper Fast, Hayes, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.

It is a new day for Blueshirt fans. At times, the fan base has been impatient and quick to judge things. They must understand that a rebuild like this could take time. Realistically, I don’t expect this team to see the playoffs until 2020 or 2021. There are too many good teams ahead inside the division and improving in the East.

We must be ready for it. A youth movement is something many have wanted to see following the last ditch effort that hit a wall against Ottawa in the second round of the 2017 NHL Playoffs. Now, things have changed. Alain Vigneault is finally gone and so too are most of the players who made big contributions to the 2014 and 2015 rosters that made deep runs.

It’s all about the future. The present could be a trying time for fans. We’ll see how quickly the final roster after this offseason adjusts to Quinn. I’m looking forward to it.

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