Rangers name Housley, Muse and Peca as assistant coaches

Posted on June 25, 2023 by Derek

On Friday, the Rangers announced the rest of the coaching staff, who will join Peter Laviolette behind the bench in 2023-24.

As expected, Michael Peca is one of the three new assistants that’s coming over from Rochester. He was an assistant coach for the Americans of the Sabres AHL affiliate. Peca played for Laviolette on the Islanders, helping lead them back to the playoffs.

The Rangers have also brought in experienced coach Phil Housley to handle the defense. A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, the former standout defenseman whose best days came in Buffalo and Winnipeg, has become a staple behind the bench. He’s been more successful as an assistant. He coached the Sabres for two seasons. Adding Housley should help a defense that struggled. It’ll be interesting to see what he adds.

Dan Muse also joins the staff as an assistant coach. Only 40, he was a former assistant for the Predators. He also recently served as head coach of the USA Under-18 Men’s National Team at the World Championships. He sounds like a good fit for the Rangers’ younger players, including potential new arrival Brennan Othmann.

As much as I wanted them to promote Kris Knoblauch from Hartford, I like what the Rangers have done since finally hiring Laviolette. He was excellent at his introductory press conference, emphasizing establishing more compete and an aggressive approach. Two characteristics that were missing from last season. He highlighted the need to play better defensively.

There’s no doubt that he’s an established coach who’s had plenty of success. It isn’t easy to take five different teams to the playoffs, including three to the Stanley Cup Finals. He won it all with the Hurricanes in 2005-06. The Capitals weren’t a good fit. They clearly regressed. I’m not sure how they’ll fare under new coach Spencer Carberry. They have an aging nucleus with Alexander Ovechkin chasing Gretzky.

Laviolette said it was great to return to New York, where his career started. There’s a lot to prove. His staff sounds impressive. I like the three additions. It sounds like he’ll have free reign to do things his way. I think Gerard Gallant, while a good coach, didn’t have full control, which is what led to the divorce between him and Chris Drury.

Obviously, Laviolette is more of a disciplinarian than Gallant. If a player isn’t playing well, they’ll sit. It won’t be run like a country club. This isn’t a knock on Gallant. He was successful in his two years on Broadway. But he was more laid back. Laviolette will keep the players on their toes. Sometimes, an experienced group needs that. A kick in the ass isn’t the worst thing. Especially for a team with high expectations in a tough Eastern Conference.

Now, it’s onto the NHL Draft. At least the Rangers have a first round pick. We’ll see what they decide this Wednesday in Nashville.

The off-season is underway. There was a trade made yesterday between Nashville and Colorado that sent Ryan Johansen to the Avalanche. There’ll be more activity. The latest rumors have Tony DeAngelo returning to Carolina, and Kevin Hayes possibly headed to St. Louis. As the draft nears, there should be more activity.

I’ll have another post on what happens.

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Devils re-sign Haula for three years, Meier or Hellebuyck?

Posted on June 23, 2023 by Derek

Check another one off the list for Tom Fitzgerald. The Devils re-signed Erik Haula to a new three year contract. The average cap hit is a reasonable $3.15 million.

Credit Ryan Novozinsky for breaking the story earlier this afternoon. He was the first to have it. Eventually, Elliotte Friedman confirmed it.

Since acquiring the versatile center from Boston last summer for Pavel Zacha in a deal that worked out for both teams, the Devils benefited from the veteran’s experience. At times, he shifted to the wing to play with Jack Hughes and take face-offs.

Haula is a solid all-around player who is trusted at five-on-five and is a good penalty killer. He also played power play in his first year as a Devil. Lindy Ruff did a good job utilizing the 10-year veteran. Whether it was on a checking line or up with Hughes, Haula provided secondary scoring. In 80 games, he had 14 goals with 27 assists for 41 points and a plus-13 rating. He added a pair of shorthanded goals. He won 54.2 percent of draws.

In the first round series victory over the Rangers, Haula proved to be the x-factor by scoring four goals, including the one that put Game 7 away. All six of his points in the playoffs came in Round One.

Following a disappointing second round defeat to the Hurricanes, he indicated that he wanted to return at breakup day. Hughes enjoyed playing with him.

“He’s a guy that’s been a gamer for us and pretty much played all the games all year. He’s fighting, he’s scoring, he’s penalty killing, he’s (on the) power play. He’s just a character guy and he fit really well in our locker room.

“That’s a guy we should bring back for sure.” the star center said after the season.

By getting it done prior to him becoming an unrestricted free agent, Fitzgerald made keeping the valuable Haula a priority. A wise move considering what he adds.

With that order of business done, now he can turn towards working out a new contract for key restricted free agent Timo Meier. Both sides have indicated a strong interest in working it out. Fitzgerald seemed confident that they’d get an extension done for the key power forward they traded for.

Meier certainly is a difference maker. He can score 40 goals and is lethal on the power play. He also loves to finish checks and plays with edge. Only 26, the former Shark is entering his prime. The 40 goals he scored last season were a new career high. After getting 31 in San Jose, he added nine more with New Jersey. Although he didn’t produce a big postseason, he was a factor. You noticed him during shifts.

It’ll take between $9 to 9.5 million per year to keep him. If it comes down to a choice between him or Connor Hellebuyck, who the team has discussed with the Jets, I’d probably lean towards Meier. He’s a few years younger and has more upside than the 30-year-old Hellebuyck, who’ll command around the same price to be signed into his thirties.

That doesn’t include what the Jets would want in a deal for the former Vezina winner. Hellebuyck has a year left on his contract with a $6.166 million cap hit. There’s no doubting his ability. He’s the top American goalie. A workhorse who carried the Jets to the postseason, he went 37-25-2 with a 2.49 GAA, .920 save percentage and four shutouts in 64 games. Whoever trades for him knows the window to win should be in the first three to four years.

A good question for the Devils is, do they want to risk that when Akira Schmid proved he’s capable of having some success as a 22-year-old rookie? Fitzgerald has an interesting decision to make regarding veteran netminder Vitek Vanecek. He had a good season, setting personal bests in games played (52), wins (33), GAA (2.45), and save percentage (.911). His playoff showing wasn’t up to par. He has two years remaining with a $3.4 million cap hit.

Do they keep Vanecek or look to move him and acquire a different veteran goalie who has more experience? It’s an interesting decision for Fitzgerald. With $22.3 million left on the cap, he must decide on Meier. Then, look to re-sign RFA’s Mike McLeod, Nathan Bastian, Kevin Bahl, Jesper Boqvist, and possibly Yegor Sharangovich. He could be the odd man out.

Tomas Tatar, Miles Wood, and Ryan Graves are unrestricted. Of the three, Graves has the most value. He worked alongside John Marino on the shutdown pair. But with the arrival of Luke Hughes and potentially Simon Nemec, the Devils could move on.

It should be an intriguing off-season in Jersey. They announced the hiring of former Canucks coach Travis Green as a new assistant on the staff. He replaces Andrew Brunette, who took the job in Nashville. They still haven’t revealed anything with Ruff, who will return.

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A dark cloud hangs over 2023 Hall of Fame Class, Lundqvist earns well deserved honor

Posted on June 22, 2023 by Derek

To say that I’ve been thinking about yesterday’s announcement regarding the 2023 Hockey Hall of Fame Class would be an understatement. On Wednesday, the Hall Committee again revealed their list of inductees who will be honored in Toronto this November.

While it’s nice to see Henrik Lundqvist have his name called for the well-deserved honor, it’s beyond incomprehensible how badly the crack committee has failed. Somehow, the members that include Hall of Famers Mike Gartner and Lanny McDonald have omitted Alexander Mogilny. It’s now 14 years and counting for a Russian player who not only deserves to be in for his on ice achievements. But for his bravery in helping break barriers by defecting from the former Soviet Union to come over to North America and play in the NHL.

It’s truly disappointing on so many levels. For years, I’ve been outspoken about Mogilny’s exclusion. Far from alone, there are many pundits who cover the sport for a living that can’t comprehend how one of the greatest Russian hockey players has been denied entry into the Hall of Fame. It’s mystifying.

While I’ll extend congratulations to the rest of a class that includes Pierre Turgeon, Mike Vernon, Tom Barrasso, Ken Hitchcock, Pierre Lacroix and Caroline Ouellette, I can’t contain my disdain for a clearly biased committee that’s holding an undeserved grudge towards Mogilny due to the country he’s from.

At this point in a fake world full of mean-spirited people who live in their own bubble, xenophobia exists. Whether it be all the hate crimes against Asian people for a pandemic that they had nothing to do with, or a war started by a crazed sick old man that’s caused an absurd level of vengeance in the world towards athletes who represent Russia, it is extremely disappointing.

The term guilty by association is one that shouldn’t exist. Unfortunately, it does. The lyrics are best remembered in a Linkin Park hit song from the late Chester Bennington. I wish people treated each other better. It’s not fair. There should be more respect shown than there is. Too often, I see things that don’t make sense. Being decent should be easy. It doesn’t seem to work that way with Hockey Canada or the IIHF. They continue to punish Russia for a war that the athletes have no involvement in.

The only reason Mogilny isn’t in now is due to that irrational hatred. He has been screwed too many times. I’m sure he’s at peace with his family enjoying life rather than worrying over whether he makes some exclusive list that’s determined by a good old boys club. Hopefully, one day, his name will be called by the crack committee.

I’ve repeatedly gone over why the original Alexander The Great should be in the Hall of Fame. I’m not going to repeat myself anymore. For more on Mogilny, please refer to this special page dedicated to number 89. A number that has special significance. That’s the year he made the daring life decision to board a plane and defect during scary times. As many hockey fans, I’m thankful I got to see him play. He was a fabulous skater who could finish with the best and was an underrated passer. A triple gold member who won a Stanley Cup with the Devils following a successful decade with the Sabres and Canucks, Mogilny belongs in.

He’s been eligible since 2009. The unfair treatment has gone on long enough. What if they applied the same rules to Team Canada in the Under 20 World Junior Championships? Even with the past issues involving several players who were part of a sexual assault in a previous tournament, it wouldn’t be fair to the current roster representing them. However, they could’ve been punished by the IIHF. They even could’ve disciplined themselves.

Why should we look the other way? Maybe it’s because most people are forgiving. Imagine not being able to see Connor Bedard play on the world stage. That would’ve been a letdown. He led Canada to back-to-back gold medals. He set a new Canadian record for most career goals and points at the prestigious tournament. Without him, Canada doesn’t win gold. His overtime winner to defeat Slovakia to win the championship was one for the highlight reel.

No matter what, the election process for the Hockey Hall of Fame should be fair and unbiased. Pavel Bure had to wait until after they put in Cam Neely. As much as I enjoyed Neely’s career with the Bruins, Bure was by far the more dominant player. Sergei Zubov didn’t go in right away either. Even the great Sergei Fedorov waited until 2015 despite a brilliant career. Fedorov played with Mogilny to help the Soviet Union win gold in 1989 at the World Championships. They’d repeat in 1990 with Bure joining Fedorov on the same line.

The interesting aspect is that there have been other Canadian players who didn’t make it right away. Eric Lindros was the most dominant power forward of the 90’s. He patiently waited to be inducted in 2016. He was way over a point-per-game for his career despite concussions limiting him during the latter part. He was polarizing off the ice due to what happened in Quebec. But his play on the ice merited inclusion. Lindros has since spoken highly of Quebec. He’s a very misunderstood person who’s done a lot of good since his playing days.

I’ve yet to understand why quality players such as Steve Larmer, Rick Middleton, and Rod Brind’Amour aren’t Hall Of Famers. Both Larmer and Middleton had outstanding careers. Middleton is the one that got away in one of the worst trades the Rangers ever made. He scored at nearly a point-per-game clip while totaling 100 points in the playoffs for Boston. He retired at 34.

Larmer was over a point-per-game for his 15-year career spent mostly in Chicago. He was a key piece to the Rangers winning the Stanley Cup in 1993-94. A good scorer who also was a strong defensive forward, Larmer definitely helped the Rangers end a 54-year drought. He played one more year before hanging up the skates. Having also been on some good teams with the Blackhawks that went far, Larmer totaled 131 points in 140 postseason games. He has been overlooked for years.

The case for Brind’Amour is a bit different. He had 1,184 points over 1,484 games. After spending the beginning of his career in St. Louis, he became a key part of the Flyers. Always a good two-way center who played second fiddle behind the Legion of Doom centered by Lindros, Brind’Amour had an outstanding postseason in 1997. His 13 goals led all scorers. He had 21 points in helping the Flyers play for the Cup. They were swept by the Red Wings.

He spent two more years in Philadelphia before getting traded to Carolina for Keith Primeau in early 2000. It was with the Hurricanes where Brind’Amour cemented his reputation as one of the game’s best two-way players. He won two Selkes as the league’s top defensive forward. He also captained the Hurricanes to their only Stanley Cup in 2005-06. Highlighted by peak performances from Eric Staal, Cory Stillman, Justin Williams, and rookie goalie Cam Ward, Carolina was led by Brind’Amour, who posted 12 goals and 18 points during that run. He led them with four game-winners.

As an overall player who captained a team to a championship while being recognized as the game’s top defensive forward twice, Brind’Amour is overlooked. Winning hockey isn’t only about point production. It’s about leadership, grit, and intangibles. Those characteristics make Brind’Amour a good candidate. Ironically, he coaches Carolina. They’ve made two Conference Finals and won the Metropolitan Division twice. His credentials continue to get stronger.

For the most part, I’ve watched the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony on NHL Network. The speeches are always good. It’s fun to get the players, and builders’ perspectives. However, I’m drawing a line in the sand. As thrilled as I am for Henrik Lundqvist, who’s only the greatest New York Ranger this century, I can’t in good conscience watch the 2023 induction. Instead, I’ve decided to boycott it. Until they take the handcuffs off Russian players, I refuse to watch. I’ll catch what Lundqvist has to say on video. That’s what Twitter and YouTube are for.

I disagree with the selection of Barrasso. Are they suddenly going to open the door for Chris Osgood? Why isn’t Curtis Joseph in? It’s too confusing. Barrasso won two Cups, a Calder and Vezina. But I never viewed him as a great goalie. The Penguins won back-to-back championships due to Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, and Ron Francis, who they stole from Hartford. Barrasso was good. He didn’t need to be great. He didn’t have a good finish to his career. If he were Hall of Fame worthy, surely they would’ve stuck him in sooner.

At least Vernon had a Conn Smythe to go with his two Cups, which were won with Calgary and Detroit. He was better than Barrasso. But he waited a long time to get in. They hadn’t really been so lenient when it came to goalies. What changed? Good for Barrasso and Vernon, I guess.

If they’re both in, then Osgood should merit strong consideration. He won over 400 games to go with three Cups. He also was superb in helping the Islanders reach the playoffs in 2001-02. He took over for Dominik Hasek to help guide the Red Wings to another Cup in 2007-08. At 35, he was a big reason they won their fourth Cup in just over a decade. Osgood posted a 1.55 GAA, .930 save percentage and three shutouts to go with a 14-4 record.

Since this post focused on a questionable process that still won’t allow Jaromir Jagr to get inducted due to some ridiculous rule when he barely plays to help his hometown league back home in Kladno, Czech Republic, I’ll have a separate one on Lundqvist making it in his first year of eligibility.

The last thing I’ll say is that I think three years isn’t long enough for former stars. It should be a five-year waiting period. That way, they can right some wrongs. There needs to be a different process. Or perhaps a veteran’s committee. I know baseball doesn’t always get it right. But they at least try. The Hockey Hall of Fame should be for the game’s greatest players. It should be special. It doesn’t feel like it anymore.

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Laviolette all business at introductory press conference as new Rangers coach

Posted on June 21, 2023 by Derek

Yesterday, the Rangers introduced new coach Peter Laviolette at a press conference. The former Ranger became the 39th coach in franchise history.

Although he didn’t play more than a dozen games in the NHL, Laviolette was a defenseman who was a Ranger in 1988-89. A former USA Olympian who played in the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, he spent parts of three seasons playing in the minors. That included two for former AHL affiliate Binghamton.

Eventually, Laviolette wound up playing for the Providence Bruins. He lasted four years. Following 1996-97, he made the transition behind the bench. After starting with the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL, he coached Providence for two consecutive years. That included capturing the Calder Cup in 1998-99. He would join the Bruins as an assistant in 2000-01.

Since then, Laviolette has been a fixture as an NHL coach. He’s been successful everywhere. Highlighted by winning the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2005-06, he’s coached three different teams to the Stanley Cup Finals. He made history by guiding the Flyers back from a 0-3 series deficit to stun the Bruins in 2010. A team that squeaked into the playoffs by edging the Rangers in a shootout, the Flyers went all the way to the Finals before losing to the Blackhawks in six on Patrick Kane’s overtime winner.

Having also coached the Predators to their only trip to the Finals in 2017, where they lost to the Penguins, Laviolette’s last stop was with the Capitals. They reached the postseason twice and lost in the first round. Hindered by injuries last season, they missed the playoffs. The Caps decided to move in a different direction by hiring former Leafs assistant Spencer Carberry.

Now, the Rangers become the sixth stop for Laviolette. Astonishingly, he’s up to five teams in the Metropolitan Division. He previously coached the Islanders, Hurricanes, Flyers, and Capitals. However, it should be noted that when he took the Canes to their only Cup, they played in the Southeast Division. A time when the Atlanta Thrashers still existed.

Now, it’s all about turning the Rangers into winners. Something Laviolette is focused on doing. They went from within two games of reaching the Finals to losing in disappointing fashion to the archival Devils in a mystifying first round. They were uncompetitive in the deciding seventh game. A blowout between Chris Drury and Gerard Gallant during that series hinted that a change was coming. Once they lost, it was obvious to everyone except blind squirrels.

The real disappointment surrounding the ’22-23 Rangers’ was how inconsistent they were. Despite posting over 100 points for a second straight season under Gallant, there were too many nights where you didn’t know which team you’d get. Even shift to shift, it was unpredictable. The lack of consistency defensively, along with little sustained forecheck, were ominous signs that something was wrong. Even after convincingly taking the first two games against the younger Devils, the Rangers took their foot off the gas pedal.

There were too many key players who came up small. That was highlighted by Artemi Panarin, who never put up a single goal in seven games. His only points came in Game 1 when he posted two assists. It’s no secret that his relationship with Gallant wasn’t on good terms. He didn’t agree with Turk’s philosophy. However, if he thought Gallant was tough for emphasizing more of a North/South style over East/West, wait until he gets a load of Laviolette. Not afraid to discipline players for poor play, Laviolette is tougher and more demanding. It should be interesting to see how the players respond to Laviolette. The leadership that features Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Jacob Trouba, Adam Fox, and Ryan Lindgren will be tested.

Laviolette was hired to get the most out of a roster that also includes underachieving former first round picks Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere. Both set new personal bests in points. However, they have yet to reach their full potential. Even though they haven’t exactly been given enough power play time, which was something Kakko mentioned at last month’s breakup day that might’ve sealed Gallant’s fate, it’s up to both players to earn that trust. Laviolette indicated that he wants to give them more defined roles. We’ll see if they’re ready.

“Those young players do need an opportunity to grow. They have to be – not given – but they have to be given the opportunity to be counted on more… You certainly would like to see them take the next step. More minutes, maybe a little higher up in lineup, maybe more power play time. There has to be opportunity. These conversations will take place… These opportunities will be there for them to grab that ice time and to push.”

In terms of what Laviolette expects, he wants to see the Rangers play a solid fundamental game. Forechecking and compete level are two terms he emphasized at Tuesday’s press conference.

It’s no secret that last year’s group lacked the necessary grit to go far. That showed up in the first round. They went from a favorable 2-0 position with the next two at MSG to blowing the series. There was little in either Games 5 or 7. Those big games were about as exciting as watching cricket. Unless you rooted for the other side, there was no excitement. Nothing.

Laviolette’s message to the team is simple. It’s time to get going.

“Let’s go to work. Let’s get working. I think we have really good pieces in place. But to me, it’s about that work ethic that drives teams.

The compete inside the game is what makes teams great. It drives them to success. I don’t think that’s something you can just ask for. I think you have to practice that on a daily basis. It has to become habit. It has to become your identity… Part of the DNA of who you are. And it has to start in training camp. It has to be held to a level of accountability. When you have that and you have the skill, that’s how teams push on and they compete for Stanley Cups, win Stanley Cups and become really good hockey teams.”

It’s going to be different from Gallant. He was more hands-off. He let the players play and wasn’t as hands-on. Laviolette is a sharp contrast. It’s like going from Tom Renney to John Tortorella. Renney was a player’s coach. Tortorella was the tough cop who called things out. He’d bench players. Look for similarities with Laviolette. He runs a tight ship.

As far as who is on his staff, the Rangers announced the hiring of Michael Peca as an assistant on Laviolette’s staff. He was an assistant coach for Rochester in the AHL. He helped develop players for the Sabres. The former Sabre and Islander who played for Laviolette should be a good addition to the bench. For more on Peca, please refer to Stan Fischler’s piece in The Hockey News. Speaking of people who deserve to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame. If Alexander Mogilny isn’t elected today, it’ll be a crime.

As we know, goalie coach Benoit Allaire remains with the organization. He’s been a mainstay since the early days of Henrik Lundqvist. A former Ranger certain to be a first ballot Hall Of Famer. Now, he’s on TNT and MSG as a superb analyst. It’s pretty astonishing.

Laviolette indicated that he wanted to get in touch with Adam Fox, along with other veteran leaders. A smart idea that way he can get to know his players. They’re a good group. A new voice is needed. Hopefully, Laviolette can deliver in the Big Apple. Expectations remain high.

I’m most curious to see how much input he’ll have in who the Rangers add this off-season. Obviously, a good part of the $11.7 million will go to key restricted free agents Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller. There could be a tough decision on Barclay Goodrow due to his salary ($3.64 million thru 2027). He’s got a moderated no-trade clause. Perhaps Laviolette might decide to keep him. Goodrow fits the profile of a checking player who plays with grit. Gallant liked him. It became too much about the stars once Patrick Kane was added to Vladimir Tarasenko.

If they were to hang onto Goodrow, I’d like to see Laviolette try him on a third line with Vincent Trocheck. The Rangers desperately need a checking line that can match up against opponents’ top scoring lines. If Tyler Motte re-signed, that could be a possibility. Or they could go for a similar type of player that Laviolette’s familiar with, such as Garnet Hathaway. He coached him in Washington.

Before July comes the 2023 NHL Draft. It’s on Wednesday and Thursday of next week. Obviously, Connor Bedard is the big draw. We know he’s destined for the Blackhawks. Then, we’ll see if there’s any movement within the top 5. Possibly the Canadiens (5) or Flyers (7, 22). Matvei Michkov is still second on most lists over Hobey Baker winner Adam Fantilli. It depends on which team is willing to grab the gifted Russian who’s committed to the KHL. He put up nine goals and 20 points in 27 games for Sochi HC.

There will also be some players on the move. The biggest could come from the same team. With the Winnipeg Jets at a crossroads, Connor Hellebuyck wants out. The 30-year-old netminder has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $6.2 million. He would like to be traded and sign an extension that could reach in excess of $9 million. The Devils have had discussions per Pierre LeBrun. Personally, I wouldn’t do it. He’s 30. If you sign Hellebuyck long-term, you better in the Stanley Cup Finals in Years 1-3. It’s all downhill after that.

Pierre-Luc Dubois is also expected to get moved. He wants to go to a contender. However, it has to be a city he likes. Montreal has always been linked to him. But the cost might prove too much. Dubois is a good player who can help a team. But he’s an RFA who is unrestricted next year. He’s hoping for a team that’ll commit to him long-term.

The Jets are also in discussions to trade captain Blake Wheeler. Owed $8.25 million in his final year, he has a moderated no-trade clause. If there are any takers, then the Jets can avoid a buyout. They’re also likely to trade Mark Scheifele during next season. The high-scoring forward enters his last year with a cap hit of $6.125 million. He also has a moderated NTC. Winnipeg will look very different next year.

Alex DeBrincat should also be on the table. It’s hard to tell what Ottawa will do. The Blackhawks were smart for getting rid of him. They knew they would’ve run into the same problem. He’s another player a year away from unrestricted status. If he’s dealt, then it would be to a team willing to extend him.

All of this is part of the excitement that’s coming up. The July 1 free agent class is headlined by Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko. Kane is recovering from hip resurfacing surgery. It’ll be interesting to see which teams have interest in the all-time American great. Tarasenko wants one final payday. Why not. He’s certainly capable of helping a few teams. A former Stanley Cup winner who’s capable of scoring 30-plus goals, he should have a good market.

Patrice Bergeron is the most interesting free agent. Still able to be a terrific two-way center in all facets, does he want to return? He’s won a Cup and been a five-time Selke winner. Bergeron will turn 38 on July 24. Either he returns for one more year with Boston or retires. It’s 50/50. He has a family and has played through some tough injuries. Whatever he decides, Bergeron will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He’s one of the greatest two-way players to ever play the game.

Other key free agents who could do well following strong postseason showings are Ivan Barbashev and Max Domi. Each proved worthy of good contracts. Jesper Fast is another player who did well. Will he leave Carolina where they gave him a bigger role? Tyler Bertuzzi definitely proved his worth even in the upset loss to Florida.

You’ll also see a goalie carousel. Perhaps Boston looks to trade Linus Ullmark, giving the keys to Jeremy Swayman. Vegas hero Adin Hill is available. So are Frederik Andersen and Tristan Jarry. Plus, serviceable veterans like Antti Raanta, Cam Talbot, and Martin Jones. Will the Rangers bring back Jaroslav Halak?

They recently re-signed Zac Jones for two years. I’ve been a backer of Jones for a while. I think he’s got the skating and offensive game to become part of the defense. He’ll have to prove himself under Laviolette. He doesn’t have much more to do in Hartford. It’s time to find out. Gallant preferred more experience, which is why Ben Harpur got a chance to play with Braden Schneider prior to Niko Mikkola, who will likely depart as a free agent.

We’ll see what happens. If there’s anything new, I’ll post it. The draft should be fun to follow. It promises to have some sizzle.

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Devils re-sign Bratt, is Timo next?

Posted on June 17, 2023 by hasan4978

With the NHL draft set to begin in two weeks, thankfully this year is one of the few I’ve paid little attention to in the last decade or so, given the fact we have no pick until late in the second round. Not that you can’t pick good players in the late second round and beyond (recently departed Damon Severson being one such example), but it’s even more of a crapshoot from a fan’s perspective. Ironically the only way the draft is really relevant to me this year is as a flashpoint for our big-name potential RFA signings. Thankfully GM Tom Fitzgerald got half of that problem solved with the announcement of an 8-year, $63 million extension agreed to with Jesper Bratt about two weeks before this year’s draft.

After all my kvetching over Bratt’s contract situation (and some by Fitz himself after last offseason) with two previous failed long-term negotiations, I have to admit part of me thought we were headed to a fatal crossroads this month. With the unofficial deadline approaching, it was going to become apparent very quickly whether Bratt and his agent’s priority was maxing out on money or getting the best deal he could to stay here. Fortunately, the answer proved to be the latter. Especially since the perceived deadline looks like it became a real one indeed:

Things were always going to be decided this month. If Fitz don’t get a long-term commitment in a third negotiation (whether it was one year on an RFA deal or a two-year one a la Vladislav Gavrikov in LA, anticipating a higher cap at that point), odds are Bratt would have gone to free agency – and if that was the case you couldn’t do what the Islanders did with John Tavares and let him walk for nothing in return, even if the return likely wouldn’t have been ideal for a team that’s now transitioned from worrying about the future to supplementing the present.

Thankfully, when push came to shove Bratt did indeed want to stay. While I think the idea of Jack Hughes’s deal being a cap on all Devils contracts was vastly overplayed (especially with Dougie Hamilton already making more), it may well have been an unofficial ceiling in Bratt’s case – if only because he’s clearly not the player Jack is. Bratt was certainly important to retain long-term however, given his two straight 73-point seasons with a career-high 32 goals in 2022-23, and being one of the key figures in the Devils’ turnaround.

Make no mistake though, this wasn’t any kind of a lowball – it was a fair deal for all in the end. Could Bratt have made a $500k to a million per year more if he slow-walked it to free agency? Perhaps, but then you can’t exactly control what team is the one that’s offering such a contract, assuming there is going to be one out there. We’ve seen time and again where players get their payday on bad teams, then aren’t happy there while the player can’t do anything to help said bad team win and a long-term divorce is inevitable. Bratt in the end getting his jersey number ($63) in millions on his extension wasn’t quite Sidney Crosby type $8.7 per year superstitious but it worked out nicely all things considered.

Both Bratt and Fitz met with the media yesterday morning and ironically, I’m probably going watch both of those pressers right after this blog as I haven’t had the time to do it yet. Let’s face it though, you can get the big nuggets via Twitter and other avenues anyway. I’m not sure if Bratt really had one per se other than saying he texted Nico Hischier to let him know about the extension before it became public a couple days ago.

Given the departure of Severson this offseason, if pending UFA Miles Wood also doesn’t return, Nico and Bratt will both become the longest-tenured Devils on the roster with six seasons each. My, how time flies. While Nico was the #1 overall pick in 2017, Bratt took the longer road to get here after being an unheralded sixth-round pick in 2016. He scored thirteen goals and 35 points and played 74 regular season games as a 19-year old rookie and played a role in getting the Devils back to the postseason after a six-year absence, but Bratt only got in the lineup for one of the team’s five first-round games. Bratt, like the team stagnated to an extent the next couple years but had a true breakout in 2021-22 with 26 goals and 73 points in 76 games.

Was last offseason’s failed long-term contract negotiation in part a product of Fitz saying ‘do it again’ first? Perhaps…thankfully, we no longer have to speculate on Bratt’s contract status until the next decade. With Bratt done, Timo becomes the next focus, then after that Dawson Mercer is up for his first post-ELC extension after this month. Fitz made no bones about where he stands on both – in regard to Mercer saying he wanted to have discussions about locking up the Devils’ breakout second-year player long-term. First things first, however and that’s dealing with Timo before the draft.

I’ve been a little nervous about how that negotiation would go but Fitz dropped this little nugget during his 25-minute presser:

Given that Fitz exuded confidence in the Bratt negotiations before officially getting it done, how can I doubt him now? Of course, long-term deals aren’t the easiest thing in the world to negotiate – but if player and team’s interests are aligned in wanting to stay then it seems a matter of when and how, rather than if Timo will re-sign at this point – which would be a tremendous boon to the Devils’ offseason plans assuming his contract also got done in the next couple of weeks.

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Off-season Begins: Golden Knights crowned new champs, Bratt re-signs with Devils, NHL Draft, July 1 ahead

Posted on June 15, 2023 by Derek

On Tuesday night in Vegas, the NHL crowned a new champion. In only their sixth year, the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup. They did it in convincing fashion by defeating the Panthers 9-3 in Game 5.

The Knights defeated the Panthers in five games. They were clearly the better team. A dominant five-on-five team that played strong defensively in front of Adin Hill, Vegas ultimately proved that they were the best team in the playoffs. They finished 16-6 during the four rounds. That included eliminating Winnipeg in five, ousting both Edmonton and Dallas in six before conquering Florida.

It was a total team effort. Featuring Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault, whose 13 goals paced them, they had four 20-point scorers, including postseason leader Jack Eichel (6-20-26), captain Mark Stone (11-13-24), and Chandler Stephenson (10-10-20). Possessing scoring balance with all four lines chipping in, they were deeper than opponents. That included misfits Marchessault, William Karlsson, and Reilly Smith. They remained a key factor for winning coach Bruce Cassidy.

Deadline addition Ivan Barbashev was also instrumental in helping the Golden Knights reach the finish line. The former Blue tallied 18 points (7-11-18). He also mixed it up when necessary. Unlikely to return, there’s no doubt Barbashev increased his market value this off-season. Along with Max Domi and Vladimir Tarasenko, he’ll be part of the free agent class this July. Astonishingly, that’s around the corner.

The biggest reason the Golden Knights won their first championship is due to the superb defense they had. It always helps to have a strong back end. Featuring Shea Theodore and former Blue Alex Pietrangelo, who won his second Cup, they defended well and protected the house. That made it easier for Hill to make the big saves after he replaced Laurent Brossoit during the Oilers series. He certainly did his part to help them win.

However, the commitment from all six defensemen, including Brayden McNabb, Zach Whitecloud, Alec Martinez, and Nicolas Hague. They all played key minutes for Cassidy, who went from losing his job with the Bruins to winning the Cup with the Golden Knights. His former team had a historic season but was upset by the scrappy Panthers. A team that didn’t have much left in the tank by the Stanley Cup Finals.

It still was great run by the eighth seed. The Panthers beat the top three teams in the Eastern Conference. They took down the Bruins, Maple Leafs, and Hurricanes. They were led by Matthew Tkachuk. He scored clutch goals and set up the series winner Carter Verhaeghe scored to stun Boston. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken sternum on the big open ice hit Keegan Kolesar delivered. He somehow managed to play Game 4 despite needing help to dress. Tkachuk was unable to go in Game 5.

Brandon Montour played with a torn labrum. Aaron Ekblad had a broken foot, a torn oblique muscle, and two separated shoulder dislocations. Radko Gudas has a high ankle sprain. Eetu Luostarinen also had a broken tibia. When coach Paul Maurice revealed the injuries to Jackie Redmond on TNT, he didn’t make any excuses. He gave credit to the Golden Knights. Maurice also spoke highly of how much he loves sports and how special a group those players were to coach. It was quite an interview.

Sometimes, it isn’t always about winning and losing. What Maurice gave Redmond in that interview provided the viewers with a lot more substance. How much he loves competitive sports is why we watch. I’ve seen plenty of fans rip into players when their teams lose. Unless you’re there in the locker room, you don’t know anything. These guys care. They’re people. Just like us.

I think sometimes, we forget that these are human beings. They’re not perfect. As much criticism as a select number of players received for the Rangers’ failure to advance past the Devils in the first round, they lost as a team. We don’t know the mental side. So much of sports is mental. Mental affects physical. Vice versa. I find the more you do, the better you’ll feel. But I don’t play professional sports. The most pressure packed games are under the spotlight. It isn’t easy.

Regarding the off-season that’s coming up, every team is looking to improve. There’s 31 teams chasing the Golden Knights. Vegas is certain to lose a few guys from their Stanley Cup roster. That’s how it works in the salary cap era. They had an estimated $96 million in cap. The most ever. Long-term injured reserve allowed them to find enough room to add key pieces. Between LTIR and taxes in states such as Vegas, Dallas, and Florida, it is a flawed system that can use correcting. But that’s not why the Knights won. They proved to be the best team. They flew under the radar due to the Oilers and Avalanche.

When it comes to cap space, that determines what each team can do during the summer. The Rangers have $11.7 million left. If there are no moves, that means prioritizing key restricted free agents Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller. Whatever is left over, it becomes about what both Chris Drury and new coach Peter Laviolette want to do. Of the unrestricted free agents, only Tyler Motte and Jaroslav Halak are realistic options at re-signing. Expect Patrick Kane and Tarasenko to leave. Niko Mikkola will likely wind up elsewhere.

While the Blueshirts have an important off-season ahead of them, the rival Devils already kick-started theirs by agreeing to an eight-year contract with Jesper Bratt worth an average cap hit of $7.875 million.

The cap number isn’t surprising. Especially considering what Cole Caufield received from the Canadiens. It’s eight years for $63 million. The numbers are identical to Kevin Fiala, who received the same contract with the Kings last year after the Wild traded him.

The Devils still have $25.5 million remaining. Timo Meier is the next order of business. He’ll be a little more expensive. Figure the power forward to come in around $9 to $9.5 million. That should leave around $16 million. Erik Haula is one of the UFA’s who indicated he’d like to return. Ryan Graves could be expendable due to the arrival of Luke Hughes and possibly Simon Nemec. They also have to re-sign RFA’s Mike McLeod, Nathan Bastian, and Kevin Bahl. They have decisions on Yegor Sharangovich and Jesper Boqvist. Mackenzie Blackwood, Tomas Tatar, and Miles Wood could wind up elsewhere.

With the NHL Draft taking place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville beginning on Wednesday, June 28. Connor Bedard is expected to go first to the Blackhawks. After that, it’s between Matvei Michkov and Adam Fantilli. It’ll depend on what the Ducks and Blue Jackets want to do with their picks. There are rumors that the Canadiens might be interested in moving up. They pick fifth behind the Sharks.

The Rangers have a first round pick. They select number 23. The Devils gave up theirs to San Jose as part of the Timo Meier deal. As we draw closer, I’ll have more on the draft.

Once it concludes on June 29, that’s when the action should pick up. The free agent frenzy begins on July 1. There are also some stars who are a year away from hitting the market. Auston Matthews and William Nylander are entering the final year of their contracts. The Leafs’ off-season should be interesting to watch.

Expect the Hurricanes to sign captain Sebastian Aho to an extension. They must keep him. One big name who could surface in trade speculation is Connor Hellebuyck. He has a year remaining on his deal at a cap hit of $6.17 million. He’s indicated that he doesn’t want to stay in Winnipeg, who is also likely to move on from Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele. Both have moderated no-trade clauses entering their final year.

Keep an eye on Alex DeBrincat. The restricted free agent could again get moved. After changing addresses last year from Chicago to Ottawa, he might not want to sign long-term with the Senators. A former 40-goal scorer, he should be available. If he’s acquired, the team that gets him would have to extend him. Otherwise, they risk losing him next summer.

All of this makes the summer compelling. Even without hockey during the warm weather, there’ll be plenty of action. We’ll see how it all plays out.

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Rangers make it official by hiring Laviolette as the new coach, pressure on Drury

Posted on June 13, 2023 by Derek

It’s official. The Rangers have hired Peter Laviolette as the new coach. He becomes the 37th coach in franchise history. He takes over for Gerard Gallant, who had success by posting a 99-46-19 record for the second best winning percentage in team history.

Gallant’s first season saw the Rangers make the Conference Finals. They lost to the Lightning. After a second straight year of posting over 100 points, they suffered a disappointing seven-game first round series loss to the Devils. That was enough for Team President and GM Chris Drury to part ways with Gallant.

It took a while for the Rangers to make a final decision on the new coach. They interviewed Laviolette twice and also considered John Hynes. Hartford coach Kris Knoblauch was interviewed. They never considered Patrick Roy or the controversial Joel Quenneville. Credit Mollie Walker for getting it right on both.

As it turned out, the hold-up was due to the organization waiting to see what would happen in Pittsburgh and Toronto. It was fairly obvious that Drury had strong interest in Mike Sullivan. But new Team President Kyle Dubas decided to keep the Penguins bench boss. The Maple Leafs look to be retaining Sheldon Keefe after losing to the Panthers in the second round.

As Walker reported, the Rangers will introduce Laviolette next Tuesday at a press conference to make it official. He will get to bring in his own assistants. The organization let go of former assistant coach Gord Murphy. Hot tip to Arthur Staple.

Laviolette, 58, has been around the block for over two decades. He started out with the Islanders, getting them back to the playoffs in 2001-02 and 02-03. They were eliminated in the first round both times. His time in Long Island is best remembered for the memorable seven-game series against the Leafs. It was hard fought. But Toronto came out victorious. After losing to the Senators, the Islanders moved on.

Laviolette was hired by the Hurricanes in 2003-04. He replaced Paul Maurice. After missing the postseason, he guided the Hurricanes to a first place finish in 2005-06 with 112 points. After coming back to beat the Canadiens in the first round, they defeated the Devils to reach the Eastern Conference Final. There, they went back and forth with the Sabres before eliminating them in seven to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. It was there that they won the franchise’s only Cup by edging the Oilers in seven.

But following winning the Stanley Cup, the Hurricanes failed to reach the playoffs the following year. They became the first defending champion to do so since the Devils in 95-96. With the pressure on, Laviolette was dismissed in his third season 25 games in. Ironically, Maurice replaced him and led the club to the Conference Finals.

During 2009-10, Laviolette landed on his feet when the Flyers decided to make a change. He replaced John Stevens. He was able to get them in the playoffs. Once there, they defeated the Devils to advance to the second round. In a stunning upset, they successfully rallied from a 3-0 deficit to come back and defeat the Bruins in seven. They made history by joining the Islanders and Maple Leafs as the only teams to do so at that point. The Kings became the fourth in 2012.

The Flyers then took out the Canadiens in seven to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Matched up against the star-laden Blackhawks that featured dynamic duo Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, the Flyers put up a good fight. However, it was the Blackhawks that prevailed when Kane scored in overtime to stun the Flyers in six. Laviolette guided them to a second straight postseason. But after defeating the Sabres in seven, they lost to the eventual champion Bruins, who avenged the previous loss by sweeping the Flyers.

The next year, the Flyers again reached the postseason. They beat in-state rival Pittsburgh in a memorable first round that featured plenty of scoring and fights. But following the six-game series win that’s still fondly remembered, they were upset by the rival Devils in five. That was the beginning of the end for Laviolette, whose team missed the playoffs during the shortened season in 12-13. With his job clearly hanging in the balance, it only took three losses at the start of 2013-14 to fire him. It was absurd.

Laviolette eventually took over in Nashville for Barry Trotz. Starting in 2014-15, he had some success in Music City with the Predators. After a good first season where they won 47 games and had 104 points, they lost to the rival Blackhawks in six. The following year, Laviolette got them to the second round by edging the Ducks in seven. But they were ousted by the Sharks in the second round.

It was during 2016-17 that the Predators achieved their most success. After squeaking in with 94 points, they went on a memorable run to the Stanley Cup Finals. They finally got the better of the Blackhawks by sweeping them. Then, they defeated the Blues in six to reach the Conference Finals. It was there that they defeated the higher seeded Ducks for a second consecutive year. This time, they did it in six to reach the Stanley Cup Finals.

Although they had a very good team that featured Pekka Rinne, Filip Forsberg, Mike Fisher, Viktor Arvidsson, James Neal, Roman Josi, P.K. Subban, Mattias Ekholm, and Ryan Ellis, they were unable to defeat the Crosby/Malkin Penguins. They repeated as champs by taking the final two games after Nashville tied the series at two apiece. The Pens outscored the Preds 8-0 in Games 5 and 6.

Over the next two years, Laviolette continued to have success there. Ironically, the best season the Predators ever had was in 2017-18. They won 53 games and had 117 points for the top seed. But as often happens when you have a great regular season, it becomes harder to win. After defeating the Avalanche in six, they lost in seven on home ice to the Jets. Most discouraging is Winnipeg beat them 5-1 after they took Game 6 in enemy territory 4-0. Sometimes, the playoffs don’t make sense.

Following another good season, the Preds were eliminated in the first round by the Stars in six. That setback put Laviolette’s job on the line. Ironically, it was eerily similar to the path he took in Philadelphia. In the coaching business, it’s all about results. What have you done for me lately, basically. With the Predators struggling at the halfway point, Laviolette was dismissed in favor of Hynes. He got them to the playoffs, but they lost early. That became his undoing. Andrew Brunette recently replaced Hynes as Trotz’ choice. Go figure.

For the last three years, Laviolette spent his time in Washington DC. With the declining Capitals, he was there to see Alexander Ovechkin make history by passing Gordie Howe for second all-time in goals. However, after losing early the previous two seasons, the Caps failed to qualify for the playoffs. A mediocre third year doomed Laviolette, who refused to play some of the team’s young prospects. With Nicklas Backstrom struggling with his back and inconsistent defense and goaltending, it wasn’t a surprise they missed the postseason. They weren’t that good.

It was clear that the Caps wanted to go in another direction. They decided to let Laviolette go and hire Spencer Carberry. The former Leafs assistant is only 41. Even with an aging Ovechkin chasing Gretzky, the Capitals will look to rebuild. That’ll be interesting to watch considering Ovechkin’s pursuit of Gretzky’s all-time goals record. He needs 72 to tie and 73 to pass the Great One. That could be done in two years when he’s 39.

Although Laviolette has an impressive resume, having won a Cup and guided three different teams to the Stanley Cup Finals, he’s a retread. The record speaks for itself. His 752 wins rank first all-time among American born coaches. John Tortorella is second with 704. Among active coaches, Laviolette is third trailing, Lindy Ruff (834) and Maurice (817). The Devils are expected to bring back Ruff following their breakthrough season.

The only question is, is Laviolette the right coach for the Rangers? That remains to be seen. It’s obvious that Drury’s trying to save face.

The first round ouster after adding big fish Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane was unacceptable. Especially when the team hardly competed in a lopsided Game 7 to the Hudson rival Devils. But that was his roster. Gallant was right when he voiced his displeasure. It lacked the grit they had in 2021-22. That’s why it was ridiculous what most thought about the talent. Talent doesn’t win. The best teams do.

Now, it’s Laviolette’s job to try to get the most out of a roster that features Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Adam Fox, Igor Shesterkin, and the puzzling Artemi Panarin. A star player capable of 90-plus points who struggles in the playoffs. Can he change? Laviolette is tougher than Gallant. That $11.6 million cap hit isn’t going anywhere. It’s up to him to help Panarin produce when it matters most.

There are still questions for Drury as the off-season approaches. What will he decide on key restricted free agents Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller? Lafreniere should be more affordable. Miller, who knows? If his agent plays games, I’d consider trading him. Given his age and skill set, there should be plenty of interest if he prices himself out. Look at the return the Flyers got for Ivan Provorov. Only time will tell what happens regarding Miller.

The Rangers have over $11 million in cap space. If they retain both Lafreniere and Miller, that’s at least half. What about Barclay Goodrow? He has a moderated no-trade clause. I would ask Laviolette his opinion on Goodrow, who’s an effective player if used properly. His role decreased due to Kane and Tarasenko. Maybe they decide to keep him and try Goodrow with Vincent Trocheck as part of a checking line. It depends on what’s discussed between Drury and Laviolette.

They need to decide on a backup goalie and sixth defenseman. I’d ask Jaroslav Halak if he wants to return. He was good in that role. The market isn’t great. As far as defense goes, a lot depends on Miller. Niko Mikkola was low maintenance and did a solid job. But he’ll probably sign elsewhere. I’m open to giving Zac Jones another chance. He’s proven himself with the Wolf Pack, who made a good run in the Calder Cup Playoffs. It’s time to find out about Jones and possibly Matthew Robertson. Don’t forget that Ben Harpur was re-signed.

Tyler Motte is a free agent. He’s much more affordable than either Tarasenko or Kane (hip resurfacing surgery). Motte again proved he was a good fit on the checking line and penalty kill. He indicated he would love to return. I’d love to see him stay. Adding another gritty physical forward in the mold of Garnet Hathaway is something they should explore. They weren’t tough enough.

Whatever happens, there will be pressure on both Drury and Laviolette. Either it works or disaster awaits. Shesterkin’s future depends on the next two years.

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Stanley Cup could be awarded to Golden Knights tomorrow

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Derek

It’s been a pretty easy ride for Vegas. The Golden Knights are one win away from winning their first Stanley Cup. They can wrap it up tomorrow night at the Fortess against the Panthers.

Unlike recent years, the Knights flew under the radar entering the playoffs. They won the Pacific Division. Despite finishing atop the Western Conference with 111 points to clinch the top seed, most including yours truly didn’t think they would come out of the West.

The Oilers were the trendy pick led by the explosive duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But when the teams met in the second round, the Knights were the superior team. After dismissing Winnipeg in five, they eliminated Edmonton in six.

Then, they went up against the Stars. I thought it could’ve been a better series. But perhaps Dallas being forced to go the distance in the first two rounds hurt their chances. It did go six, but when push came to shove, the Knights easily ousted Dallas in enemy territory to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in franchise history.

Facing the upstart Panthers, who became just the second eight seed to make the Stanley Cup Finals by stunning the Bruins and defeating the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes, it’s been the steady play of the Golden Knights that has them up three games to one. They’ve led most of the way in all four games, including Game 3, when a late Matthew Tkachuk goal led to Carter Verhaeghe overtime winner.

In Game 4, Vegas got the jump on the Panthers by scoring early. Thanks to a pair of Chandler Stephenson goals, they eventually took a three-goal lead. But on a fluky bounce off two different skates, the Panthers got some life to make it 3-1 before the second period expired. An Aleksander Barkov goal in an intense third period pulled Florida within one with plenty of time left.

Although they mostly sat back by clogging up the neutral zone and relying on a strong defense anchored by Alex Pietrangelo, the Knights had one strong shift where they had the Panthers pinned in for nearly a minute. Radko Gudas made a big mistake in the neutral zone by going for a big hit. Instead of going for the puck, he missed completely, allowing the Knights to kill some time in the Cats’ zone. Gudas also had a giveaway during that long shift. But Sergei Bobrovsky was able to freeze the puck to get a line change.

In crunch time, the Panthers were able to lift Bobrovsky for the extra attacker with over two minutes remaining. They came close once to tying it. But Adin Hill made a big pad save. The virtual unknown who once was a Shark has made timely saves when his team has needed it. Since taking over for the injured Laurent Brossoit, he’s been strong in goal. Whoever would’ve believed Hill could take over and have Vegas in position for their first Cup?

Although the Knights hung on to win on Saturday night, there was a missed call on Brayden McNabb that saw him deliver a cross-check to the back of Tkachuk, who went down. The refs blew the play dead. But after Tkachuk went back at McNabb, there was nothing called. That puzzled Paul Maurice on the Florida bench. Had they called it, his team would’ve had a six-on-four with 1:26 left.

Instead, a Pietrangelo delay of game with only 17.4 seconds left gave the Panthers a six-on-four a little too late. They fiddled around after winning the key offensive draw. That was a big mistake. Especially the way the Golden Knights blocked shots. For the game, they blocked 30. That mindset has them within a grasp of the Cup. Eventually, the Panthers forced Hill to make one save. Then, a centering feed for Tkachuk in front saw him get off a dangerous shot with 0.1 seconds to go. Hill made the save. It wouldn’t have counted. But he was there.

Of course, chaos ensued once the final buzzer sounded. With Tkachuk and Brandon Montour battling in front, there was a big scrum. Tkachuk gave Pietrangelo a chop after the game ended. Hill went after Sam Reinhart. The ever entertaining goalie who won’t tolerate anything made it fun to watch. Montour charged McNabb. Penalties were handed out. It was all bookkeeping.

Maybe if they hadn’t fallen behind by three goals on home ice, the Panthers might be all even entering Game 5 tomorrow. Instead, it’s do or die. A tough situation to be in. Especially with how well Vegas played at home to take the first two games of the series.

For the Golden Knights, Jack Eichel has gotten most of the kudos. He’s delivered in his first postseason with 23 points (6-17-23). He did some of his best work against the Oilers by playing two-way hockey. However, it’s been the play of mainstays Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson that has Vegas ready to celebrate. Marchessault leads the postseason with 13 goals. His 24 points are tied for the most with Tkachuk and Roope Hintz. He’s a plus-16 with three game-winners during the run. He is likely the Conn Smythe favorite.

Karlsson remains a good overall player who makes things happen. Even though he’s never been able to match the incredible 43 goals and 78 points he hit in the inaugural season as a Golden Knight, Wild Bill plays both sides of the puck. He excels in all situations, including the penalty kill. His speed and skating continue to be on display. It was his 11th goal of the playoffs that proved to be the winner the other night. Very quietly, Karlsson has 16 points with a plus-9 rating. He gets it done.

What makes Vegas tough is their balance. Captain Mark Stone has been strong, producing eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points. Key deadline pickup Ivan Barbashev has added 17 points (4-13-17) along with edge when it’s been needed. He’s also a plus-13. Barbashev is unrestricted this summer.

Stephenson remains a productive player. He has 10 goals and 9 assists for 19 points in the playoffs. Even role players such as Brett Howden, Nicolas Roy, and Michael Amadio have contributed. Maybe the biggest play of the series was when Keegan Kolesar delivered a clean hit to Tkachuk, who clearly is playing banged up. Kolesar is a checking player who brings energy. The same as Howden, who has been used by coach Bruce Cassidy on the third line.

With a strong blue line led by Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore, the Knights don’t have many weaknesses. They’re tough to play against at five-on-five. That’s why they’re a win away from making history.

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Severson moves on to Columbus in sign-and-trade deal

Posted on June 9, 2023 by hasan4978

While the Golden Knights and Panthers are still contesting the Stanley Cup and the NHL draft remains a couple of weeks away, at least there’s a timely resolution for arguably our biggest-name UFA in Damon Severson. New Jersey and Columbus completed a surprisingly rare sign-and-trade deal, allowing Severson to go to Columbus on an eight-year deal at a reported $6.25 million per season, while we receive a third-round pick from Columbus (#80 overall – transferred from Calgary) in exchange for trading his rights and facilitating what can only be described as a win-win deal for all parties.

Reading the tea leaves as a Devils fan, you knew this day was coming probably from the moment that Tom Fitzgerald acquired defenseman John Marino last offseason and suddenly our right side was stacked with not only Marino and Dougie Hamilton, but also #2 overall pick Simon Nemec – who had a terrific AHL debut season with 12 goals, 34 points and a +13 in 65 regular season games (as well as a goal and three assists in six playoff games). Not to mention the as-of-yet unsettled contract situations with RFA forwards Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier make cap space more limited than it appears. Fitzy was (as usual) honest when discussing the future with Severson this offseason:

It was just going to be a matter of where Severson wound up and how it happened. To his credit, Severson never let his uncertain future affect his play this year, as he was finally able to enjoy a little more team success after one playoff season (2017-18) surrounded by a whole bunch of losing the rest of his career since debuting as a rookie in 2014-15. Admittedly, the fact Severson has been so identified with the losing years here (and the fact we have bigger fish to fry this month with our RFA contracts) makes me a bit more…blase about losing a guy who’s been here for nine seasons and performed at a reasonably high level than I should be, though at times he also made annoying mental mistakes and his plus-minus – if you want to put anything into that – left a lot to be desired too.

Maybe to a degree I’d describe my feelings for Severson as love-hate, but one thing I won’t deny is that he is a good person and loyal soldier who never caused any real controversy through a lot of lean years, so I’m happy he was able to get every penny he could in free agency. I’m not sure he’ll be getting any more than that – although Columbus is clearly making yet another desperate attempt at win-now this offseason given their recent rumored hiring of the controversial Mike Babcock as coach, and their recent trade for Ivan Provorov from the Flyers. Still, it would be a bit of a cruel joke if Severson finally had one year of team success then went right back to losing with Columbus.

Of course, a lot of the time you can’t get both money and a good team in free agency because usually the good teams don’t have enough cap space to throw around big contracts – exhibit A our signing Hamilton when we were still in the middle of losing while needing to hold onto cap space now to retain our own guys. And given that we did trade him in division, I can’t say I’m exactly rooting for Severson to have a lot of team success. I do like that Fitz did right by him and allowed him to get an eight-year deal, though certainly a mid-third round pick is a nice little enticer to do so as well.

Not entirely through fault of his own, there weren’t really a lot of Severson highlights to cite or remember prior to this season but he certainly had a seminal moment in January with his OT winner against the Rangers that completed an emotional comeback from two goals down and helped stop our December swoon:

Seeing how neat and tidy the Severson situation got resolved makes me wonder why there aren’t more sign-and-trades in the NHL. Certainly the player has motivation to do so, wanting to get the extra year on their contract though admittedly most guys who’d command max term usually get re-signed by their teams, or at least they try to do so until the last minute. Also Columbus had no intention of getting into a July 1 bidding war with other teams, most of whom are closer to winning on paper in spite of their so-far splashy offseason moves. When you’re not a premier destination, your only potential advantages in signing guys are money and getting negotiating rights before free agency. Maybe deals like this and the quasi sign-and-trade with Matthew Thachuk last offseason will facilitate more of this from NHL GM’s.

Hopefully Sevo enjoys good health, a good family life and individual success in Columbus.

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Puzzling coaching search continues for indecisive Rangers

Posted on June 5, 2023 by Derek

As we approach Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals tonight in Vegas between the Golden Knights and Panthers, it appears that the Rangers are no closer to making a decision on a new coach. They continue to mystify the media and fans in their coaching search.

While some teams have made decisions such as the Predators opting to replace John Hynes with former Devils assistant Andrew Brunette behind the bench, you still have the Rangers and Flames remaining without a coach. Even the Blue Jackets decided to go with Mike Babcock, who gets four years to try to turn them around.

With it appearing that Mike Sullivan will stay put in Pittsburgh following the hiring of former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas as new Penguins president of hockey operations, that eliminates the favorite. All of that nonsense well known reporters put out about Dubas and former Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe being a package deal proved to be wrong. As it turns out, nobody knows anything.

At this juncture, no one has a clue what the Rangers are thinking. While beat writer Mollie Walker and the well-respected Elliotte Friedman have reported that both Peter Laviolette and Hynes remain the favorites for the job, Team President and GM Chris Drury still hasn’t made a decision. If they were certain about who they wanted, maybe it would’ve been announced already.

What’s more surprising is that Walker’s latest breaking news is that the Rangers won’t consider Patrick Roy. The former Avalanche Stanley Cup hero who coached Colorado for three seasons between 2013 and 2016 went back to running the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. They won the Memorial Cup last night by defeating the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-0. It was the second time Roy won it. This was his last year as coach. If he isn’t hired, he’ll move upstairs with the Remparts.

With Roy likely out, that leaves the Rangers with potentially four candidates. They can go with an established coach who’s been successful. Laviolette checks off those boxes, having won a Stanley Cup and taking three teams (Hurricanes, Flyers, Predators) to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Hynes is close to Drury. He has coached both the Devils and Predators. A disciplinarian who emphasizes defense, he’s never made it out of the first round. Most interesting, Hynes replaced Laviolette in Nashville. He made the playoffs twice with the Preds just missing out to the Jets this year.

If the Blueshirts opt for someone with less experience, then they could stay in-house and promote Hartford coach Kris Knoblauch. A successful coach who once helped guide the Erie Otters to the OHL Championship, he parlayed his junior success with the Kootenay Ice and Erie Otters by becoming a Flyers assistant for two seasons.

Since departing the Flyers, he’s been behind the bench of the Hartford Wolf Pack the last four seasons. The Wolf Pack reached the third round of the Calder Cup Playoffs before losing to the Hershey Bears. Given his familiarity with some young players, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to hire Knoblauch. He’s paid his dues.

The question is, would the Rangers really put their trust in an unproven coach who’s only been behind the bench on an emergency basis due to Covid? Given how the organization operates with all the pressure now on Drury to deliver a winner, that could mean a conservative choice like Laviolette or Hynes. Is that the way to go? I have my reservations.

There’s also Seattle Kraken assistant Jay Leach available. The Rangers have yet to schedule an interview with him. A former player who played in 70 NHL games, he was a former assistant coach on Sullivan’s staff when he ran Wilkes-Barre Scranton. He also served as an assistant for the Providence Bruins. Eventually, he coached them before getting hired by the Kraken to be an assistant coach to Dave Hakstol in Seattle. Now 43, Leach is hoping to land an NHL position. Will either Calgary or New York consider him?

At this point, only time will tell what the Rangers decide. With Joel Quenneville still not cleared to return to the NHL following his suspension for his knowledge of the sexual assault that happened to former Blackhawks player Kyle Beach, it doesn’t seem realistic that he would be an option. Even if he becomes available, hiring him would be a public relations nightmare. Fans are divided on him. I remain steadfastly against it. I can’t support it.

It really seems like it’s going to be either Laviolette or Hynes. While you can at least rationalize hiring Laviolette due to his resume, everyone I’ve spoken to is against Hynes. It would almost feel like Drury was going with a buddy who can be controlled. That wouldn’t sit well with fans. If that’s really what they do, then Drury may as well get behind the bench. It’s his job on the line.

Whatever happens following the decision, the next two years will likely determine the fate of Igor Shesterkin. Signed through 2024-25 at a cap friendly hit of $5.67 million, he wants to win badly. It would be unacceptable if the Rangers fail to do so with an elite goalie of Shesterkin’s caliber in his prime.

Can they succeed in a very tough Eastern Conference that will continue to improve due to the emergence of the Sabres and Senators? Whoever is hired will be under the pressure cooker.

As the Stanley Cup reaches its conclusion, the Rangers must have a new coach in place before the NHL Draft. Following Draft Weekend in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena, July 1 looms. That’s when key decisions will be made by the organization on restricted free agents Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller.

They’ll also decide on unrestricted free agent Tyler Motte, who is a realistic option to re-sign over Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane, who had hip resurfacing surgery. He’s expected to be out 4 to 6 months. That could affect the market.

There’s also the issue of backup goalie. Jaroslav Halak did a fine job. After a slow start, the well-respected veteran settled in to become a trusted second goalie behind Shesterkin. For some of his flaws, Gerard Gallant did a good job utilizing Halak to spell Shesterkin, who made a career high 58 starts. If Halak is open to a return at slightly over a million, I’d consider bringing him back. If not, there aren’t many options. Unless you think Thomas Greiss can rebound. It’s slim pickings.

With just over $11.7 million to work with, how much of that will be tied into Lafreniere and Miller? You hope both accept bridge deals. Miller is dealing from a position of strength while Lafreniere isn’t. I still wouldn’t go long-term with Miller, whose first round was underwhelming following a career best 43-point regular season. He still needs to improve defensively.

If Niko Mikkola leaves, that opens up a spot on defense. What will Drury decide? Is Zac Jones going to get another chance? They wisely re-signed vet Ben Harpur, who can be the seventh defenseman. So, they could go the cheaper route.

I wouldn’t mind the Rangers going after a high energy depth forward, who brings grit to the table. If Barclay Goodrow is subtracted due to his lofty $3.6 million cap hit, that could free up space for another key move. We’ll see what happens.

For now, the Rangers are in a holding pattern. They’re an unsolved mystery. Cue Robert Stack.

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