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Sean Kuraly To Miss One Month After Undergoing Hand Surgery

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The Bruins will be without center Sean Kuraly for the next month after the team announced he has undergone successful surgery to repair a fracture in his right hand.  The expected timeline for recovery is one month.  Taking his place on the roster will be center Karson Kuhlman, who has been recalled from AHL Providence on an emergency basis (meaning it will not count against Boston’s four post-deadline recalls).

Kuraly was in the midst of a career year before suffering the injury back on Thursday against New Jersey.  He has played in 71 games this season, setting career highs in goals (8), assists (13), points (21), and faceoff percentage (53.8%) while logging more than 13 minutes a night, also a new personal best.  As a result of the surgery, he’s certainly out for the rest of the regular season while his availability for the first round of the postseason is very much in jeopardy as well.

As for Kuhlman, he’s in his first professional season after signing as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth.  He has spent the majority of 2018-19 at the minor league level where he has 12 goals and 18 assists in 58 games.  He also has five games with Boston where he picked up a goal and an assist.  With Kuraly set to miss the next month, Kuhlman will have the opportunity to build on those numbers down the stretch.

Bruins Sign Zdeno Chara To A One-Year Extension

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Zdeno Chara will be sticking around with the Bruins for a little while longer.  The team announced that they have inked their captain to a one-year contract extension.  The deal will carry a base salary of $2MM with the opportunity to earn another $1.75MM in performance bonuses.  Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that Chara will receive $1.25MM for playing in ten games, $250K if Boston makes the playoffs, and $250K if they win the Stanley Cup in 2020.

The 42-year-old is currently in his 21st NHL season (the 11th with Boston) and while he is no longer the high-end top pairing anchor he once was, he has still proven himself to be a valuable member of their back end.  This season, Chara has played in 55 games, collecting just 11 points but is still averaging nearly 21 minutes a night, third-most among Bruins rearguards.

In his career, Chara has played in 1,478 games between the Islanders, Senators, and Bruins which ranks fourth among all active players.  His next goal will be the 200th of his career and will make him just the 22nd defenseman all-time to reach that plateau.

The deal actually represents a sizable pay cut from his current contract which carries a $5MM base salary with the same bonus structure as this new pact.  While his offense has tailed off, this type of contract is certainly fair value for a mid-tier defender which is probably the best role for Chara at this stage of his career.

With the contract, the Bruins now have five of their top seven defenders locked up for next season with a total cap hit of $13.9MM guaranteed (not including the likely $1.25MM for Chara playing in ten games or Dennis Seidenberg’s buyout cost of $1.167MM).  That amount will go up considerably this summer with youngsters Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo slated to be restricted free agents.  Even so, Boston should be able to bring back their entire defense corps for next season, one that has been quite effective as their 186 goals allowed is the third fewest in the NHL.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor Transactions: 03/22/19

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Another week down in the NHL and a quiet night to finish things off. Just two games are on the schedule this evening, though they certainly mean a lot to the teams taking part. The Minnesota Wild will try to topple the Washington Capitals in a game that could be crucial in the Western Conference wild card race. Minnesota trails the Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes by just one point, but have gone 3-4-3 in their last ten and need to find a way to get things back on track. Meanwhile the San Jose Sharks will try to stop their four-game losing streak when they take on the Anaheim Ducks. San Jose has slipped out of the race for first place in the Pacific Division, and need a win tonight to have any chance at catching the Calgary Flames.

  • The Ottawa Senators have sent both Vitaly Abramov and Filip Chlapik back to the minor leagues, as Jean-Gabriel Pageau has completed his suspension and Chris Tierney is expected back. Abramov made his NHL debut last night and played just under 14 minutes, but was a -3 on the night and didn’t record a shot on goal. He’ll continue to polish his game in the minor leagues and wait for another chance.
  • The Winnipeg Jets have recalled goaltender Eric Comrie under emergency conditions, as Laurent Brossoit left last night’s game with an injury. Comrie has been great once again for the Manitoba Moose, posting a 23-16-2 record and .916 save percentage this season. The 23-year old looks ready to take the next step, and will need to take advantage of any opportunity he gets in the Winnipeg net.
  • Paul Carey has been sent back to the minor leagues by the Boston Bruins, a common occurrence for him recently. The veteran forward has been bounced up and down several times this month, and only played in two games with the team. He’ll continue to serve as an insurance policy for them whenever someone is dealing with a minor injury or illness.
  • Nick DeSimone and Dylan Gambrell have been recalled by the San Jose Sharks, an interesting move given that DeSimone has never suited up in the NHL. The 24-year old defenseman has been outstanding this season in the minor leagues though, recording 39 points in 55 games.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have recalled veteran winger Matt Puempel from the AHL. Puempel has had a stellar season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, second on the team in goals, assists, and points despite playing alongside several experienced AHL scorers. Yet, Puempel has not played for Detroit at all this season in year one of a two-year contract signed this past off-season. If he finally sees action on this call-up, he will try to show that he can make an impact at the NHL level and is deserving of a longer look in camp next fall.

NHL Prospects Receiving NCAA Conference Awards

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Tomorrow night kicks off the final weekend of conference tournaments in the NCAA, with Selection Sunday setting the stage for the NCAA Tournament beginning next week. With the collegiate regular season a thing of the past, the conferences haves used the gathering of their top teams ahead of this weekend’s games as a chance to hold end of the year banquets and announce award winners. To no surprise, many notable NHL prospects were also among those honored.

Perhaps the top pro prospect in the NCAA and the favorite to win the Hobey Baker Award this year, it was predictable that Cale Makar (COL) would first be unanimously named the Hockey East Player of the Year. The dynamic defenseman was the No. 4 overall pick by the Avalanche two years ago and has lived up to the hype through two seasons at the University of Massachusetts. Makar was one of six UMass players to also be named all-league players, including Mario Ferraro (SJ) and John Leonard (SJ) and scoring champion Mitchell Chaffee. 2018 first-round pick Joel Farabee (PHI) was named Hockey East’s Rookie of the Year following a point-per-game freshman campaign for Boston University. Similarly impressive teenager Cayden Primeau (MTL) was named Goaltender of the Year, backstopping Northeastern University with a .935 save percentage and 2.02 GAA. Providence College’s Vincent Desharnais (EDM) and the University of Maine’s Chase Pearson (DET) were also honored as the Defensive Defenseman and Defensive Forward of the year, respectively.

In the Big Ten Conference, recent Red Wings signing Taro Hirose (DET) out of Michigan State University was named Player of the Year, as well as scoring champion as the NCAA’s leading point-getter. The University of Minnesota’s Sammy Walker (TB) was named Freshman of the Year after the seventh-round pick surprised many this season. Quinn Hughes (VAN) of the University of Michigan and Evan Barratt (CHI) of Penn State University were other notable Big Ten stars, earning first-team all-conference considerations.

Elsewhere, a trifecta of NHL hopefuls won both Player of the Year and Defenseman of the Year for their conference. Adam Fox (CAR) is the most notable, as the Harvard University product enjoyed yet another dominant year in the ECAC and could be an impact player immediately once he joins the Hurricanes. Jimmy Schuldt hopes to do the same wherever he ends up, as the priority free agent from St. Cloud State University was named both Player of the Year and Defensive Defenseman of the Year for the NCHC and will push for a National Championship this year before turning his attention to the pros. Finally, Atlantic Hockey’s undisputed top player was Joe Duszak (TOR) of Mercyhurst University, who recently signed with the Maple Leafs after leading all NCAA defensemen in scoring.

 

Other awards of note include the University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Scott Perunovich (STL) winning the NCHC’s Offensive Defenseman of the Year Award for the second year in a row and Cooper Zech (BOS) being named the WCHA’s Rookie of the Year despite already leaving Ferris State University after just one year for the AHL’s Providence Bruins. With the NCAA postseason still to come, there will be more honors on the way for college hockey’s top players, but the conference awards already show that the best of the collegiate ranks includes many NHL draft picks and free agent signings, who will hopefully go on to continue their strong play at the next level.

 

 

Several Teams Showing Interest In Justin Brazeau

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Yesterday our Zach Leach profiled CHL undrafted free agent Justin Brazeau, and today his name popped up in the latest edition of Insider Trading. Darren Dreger reports that several teams have already shown interest in the 6’6″ forward, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights and Columbus Blue Jackets. Dreger notes that while teams would like to sign Brazeau to an AHL contract, he’s looking for an NHL entry-level deal after his outstanding performance this season.

Brazeau, 21, has dominated as part of a solid North Bay Battalion squad, scoring 61 goals and 113 points in 68 games. They’ll take on the Niagara IceDogs in a first round playoff matchup starting on Thursday evening, but are heavy underdogs. That means Brazeau’s season could be over relatively soon, giving him even more time to consider the offers from several squads.

Free Agent Profile: Justin Brazeau

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While many observers are caught up in the college free agent market right now, the prize among undrafted free agents hails from the junior ranks. Justin Brazeau, a 21-year-old winger from the OHL’s North Bay Battalion, is ready to be an impact pro player as soon as his season ends, which could be sooner rather than later.

The OHL regular season has ended and the playoffs are set to get underway, beginning on Thursday. Brazeau suited up in all 68 games for the Battalion this season, recording 61 goals and 113 points. The massive output by the North Bay captain was good enough for the league lead in goals and second in scoring behind only top Dallas Stars prospect Jason Robertson. Yet, it wasn’t enough to place the Battalion among the top teams in the league. North Bay finished seventh in the Eastern Conference and face a daunting match-up with Robertson and the Niagara Ice Dogs in the first round.

If Brazeau and the Battalion do indeed make an early exit – a sweep would end the series by the middle of next week – Brazeau could sign his entry-level contract by the end of the month. Of course, as a junior player he could sign an ELC at any time, but at this point Brazeau seems willing to wait until his final year of juniors is officially over. He has likely had conversations with many teams already, but seems poised to look at all options for the next step in his career.

Brazeau should be able to choose freely any team in the NHL he likes for his first contract. The overage forward is more than just numbers; while many before him have dominated the junior level offensively only to flame out at the pro level, those players tend to be smaller in stature and able to skate around their opposition at the junior level. Brazeau is a different type of player entirely. At 6’6″ and 225 lbs., Brazeau is a bona fide power forward. He has great skill and offensive instincts, but can hold his own defensively with great size and strength. In fact, maybe the only weakness that could prevent him from continuing to be a contributor in the NHL is his skating. If he can improve upon his ability to get back and forth, Brazeau can be dangerous in both ends.

Potential Suitors

The short answer is that all 31 teams have likely checked in on Brazeau. A junior player of both this size and production are few and far in between and all of the NHL is on alert that Brazeau could be a special player. At the cost of an entry-level contract, it would be silly for any team not to take a chance on the big scoring forward.

However, there are some leaders in the pursuit. Of course, the Toronto Maple Leafs are always a top contender. An Ontario native, Brazeau could have the opportunity to play on a top team close to home, while the Leafs are desperate for affordable help as they face an impending cap crunch and could afford to add some more size up front as well. Similarly, Brazeau could choose to play relatively nearby in Ottawa, as the Senators need all the help they can get and Brazeau could immediately take on a major role.

Brazeau also has some history with a pair of NHL teams. The undrafted product did spend time at development camp with both the San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets over the past few years and may have maintained relationships with those clubs. Both the Sharks and the Blue Jackets are talented teams on which Brazeau could find immediate success.

However, San Jose and Columbus, as well as Toronto, are deep up front. Brazeau wants to play as soon as possible and may not get that chance this season with one of those three teams. The Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins are two top contenders who do have flexibility in the top-nine and could be willing to give Brazeau a shot right away. The New York Rangers aren’t at the same competitive level as those teams, but are shockingly thin at right wing and Brazeau could hypothetically play

Projected Contract

Brazeau is going to sign an entry-level contract, so there is a limit on both base salary and potential bonuses, both of which he will likely max out. It will also be a three-year term, per the CBA. The key to signing the power forward will instead be who is willing or even able to burn the first year of the contract this season. Brazeau has shown that he has the size, skill, and competitive nature to play in the NHL and will want to prove that right away. The potential future star will also want to get another year closer to making real money. If a team can promise Brazeau play time this year, it will go a long way in locking him up. If such a landing spot doesn’t exist, he could opt for a team with which he can play the greatest role next season.

Atlantic Notes: Abdelkader, Daley, Pastrnak, Thompson

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It looks like the Detroit Red Wings might have lost one of their veteran players as MLive’s Ansar Khan writes that Justin Abdelkader will likely miss the rest of the season after suffering a hairline fracture in his leg and will miss 3-4 weeks.

The 32-year-old Abdelkader was injured Thursday after blocking a shot during their game against Tampa Bay. The forward has struggled this season, although he did recently end his 40-game goal-scoring drought, but has just six goals and 19 points with a minus-14 rating in 71 games this season.

Abdelkader has one of the most frustrating contracts on a team full of them as he has seen his playing time shrink in each of the past three seasons and yet still is on the books for another four years at $4.25MM per year.

  • Sticking with the Red Wings, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free-Press writes that defenseman Trevor Daley took warmups today before their 2-1 win over the Islanders, but wasn’t able to play due to a bad back. With a back injury, Daley could be a game-by-game decision for the rest of the season. “It might be one of those things where when he feels good, he can play,” Detroit head coach Jeff Blashill said. “When he doesn’t, he can’t. Might be in and out a little bit.”
  • The Boston Bruins got some good news as they announced an update on star forward David Pastrnak who has been out of the lineup since Feb. 10 after undergoing thumb surgery. After skating at this morning’s skate, the team expects to join the Bruins’ full practice on Monday and should be ready to return to the lineup shortly thereafter. The 22-year-old has already hit 30 goals for the third-straight year, but is close to hitting career-highs if he can get back on the ice as he has just 31 goals and 66 points in 56 games.
  • In an update on the development this season of Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson, The Athletic’s Joe Yerdon (subscription requried) writes that the team has made the 21-year-old forward eligible to play in the AHL playoffs for the Rochester Americans and it is expected the team will send him there when the playoffs start, but he likely won’t be assigned there until after the Sabres’ regular season ends. Thompson has struggled to show consistency this season, which is normal for young players, but the team hopes they can get the 6-foot-5 forward as developed as possible for next season.

Minor Transactions: 03/16/19

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The playoff picture received a shake-up last night. The Maple Leafs stormed back from down three to beat the Flyers, crushing Philadelphia’s postseason hopes in the process; the Blue Jackets blanked the Hurricanes to pull even in the wild card race; the Golden Knights held off the surging Stars, who had an opportunity to leapfrog the Blues in the Central race; and the Avalanche suffered an upset at the hands of the Ducks that may very well have wiped out their chances of a playoff run. We have entered the home stretch, as no team has more than a dozen games left on their regular season schedule. Each day’s slate of games will have more of an impact on the postseason placement than the next and today is no different, with match-ups like Blues-Penguins, Bruins-Blue Jackets, Flames-Jets, Capitals-Lightning, and Predators-Sharks that can cause four-point swings in playoff races. Even the smallest moves can be crucial the rest of the way, so keep up with all of those transactions here:

  • Cody Goloubef’s stint with the Ottawa Senators lasted just one game this time around, as the team has announced that the veteran defender has been reassigned to AHL Belleville. Goloubef has played in five NHL games with the Senators this season, which is five more than he had played with the Boston Bruins prior to a mid-season trade.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have made veteran defenseman Brian Lashoff an emergency recall, the team announced. The 28-year-old has not played in the NHL this season and in fact has just 17 games with Detroit to his credit since the end of the 2013-14 season, in which he started nearly every game for the team. Nevertheless, Lashoff – a leader for the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins – earned a two-year extension this week and the Red Wings may be rewarding that commitment by giving the long-time defender another shot at the top level.
  • Jacob Middleton’s shot at filling a gap on the Sharks’ blue line was short-lived. CapFriendly reports that the rookie defenseman has been returned to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. Fortunately, that just means he’s down the hall in the other locker room, so Middleton can easily be used as needed down the stretch. With Radim Simek done for the year and Erik Karlsson still sidelined, the Sharks are thin on the back end and Middleton has been a consistent defensive asset for the Barracuda this season.
  • The back-and-forth continues for Jordan Kyrou, who has been reassigned by the St. Louis Blues yet again in his fourth move in about 48 hours. This time, Kyrou’s roster spot has been lost to the return of David Perron. The Blues announced that Perron has been activated from the injured reserve and will re-join the lineup. The veteran winger has missed the past 24 games with an upper-body injury, but is finally ready to get back to work. St. Louis could use the help as their hot streak has faded some and the Dallas Stars are suddenly right on their heels.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers announced they have recalled Justin Bailey from the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms. It his fourth recall in the last five weeks since Feb. 10. The team needs that extra forward with Mikhail Vorobyev injured Wednesday. Bailey has played seven games for the Flyers this season with no points.
  • Despite a recall Friday, the New Jersey Devils have chosen to re-assign forward Nick Lappin to the Binghamton Devils of the AHL, according to CapFriendly. Lappin did not play Friday. The 26-year-old forward has 16 goals and 27 points in 45 games with Binghamton.
  • The Boston Bruins have assigned forward Trent Frederic to the Providence Bruins of the AHL, according to Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont. Frederic was recalled Tuesday as an emergency call-up, but several player getting healthier, including the return of Jake Debrusk, the team can return him to Providence. The 21-year-old has appeared in 13 games for Boston, but has failed to register a point.

Quotable: Stamkos, Lehner, Tavares

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It’s not hard to find a critic of the NHL’s current playoff format, but it refreshing to hear criticism come from a player, particularly one of the game’s biggest names. Asked by the media the other night how he felt about the current format and it’s effect on the Tampa Bay Lightning, Steven Stamkos has this to say (video courtesy of TSN):

It is what it is. It’s been that way for a while now… I understand where they’re coming from from a marketing perspective, wanting to get some rivalries early on, but from a perspective of what you’re grinding 82 games for during a season is to finish as high as you can so you can have that advantage come playoffs. I don’t think that’s an advantage to Toronto or Boston to be what could be the top three teams in the whole league from one division and then have to play that team in the first round. I don’t think that’s right…. It is what it is, you can’t change it now, but I don’t think it’s the most fair in terms of why you play and the advantage you’re supposed to have come playoff time.

Stamkos very clearly demonstrates the core problem with current format which is, in an effort to improve divisional rivalries and boost TV ratings in the postseason, the league is devaluing the entire regular season. As Stamkos references, the Bruins and Maple Leafs are inching closer to locking in the second and third spots in the Atlantic Division and a guaranteed meeting in the first round, despite the fact that they are both top-five teams in the league standings. While he avoids seeming like he’s complaining by framing the argument through Toronto and Boston, Stamkos also knows that the format is a detriment to Tampa Bay, who are awarded with a first-round win this year by likely having to play the next-best team in the conference in the second round. Similarly, the current format will prevent the San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames, both top-three teams in the league, from meeting in the Western Conference final, as they will be forced to play in the second round per the current divisional emphasis. A strong performance in the regular season should offer more of an advantage to teams in the postseason, Stamkos states. For exmaple, by the old 1-8 playoff format, the Bruins and Maple Leafs could not meet until the second round and neither could play the Lighting until the conference final, while the Sharks and Flames also could not play until the conference final. The NHL has not expressed any desire to change this current format, but with a star of Stamkos’ caliber speaking out with a very logical argument, perhaps they will begin to look at changes.

  • New York Islanders goaltender Robin Lehner is back from injury and ready to put an end to skaters crashing the net and running over goalies, as Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk did to him earlier this month. Lehner told Brett Cygralis of the New York Post that he won’t be a victim again. Instead, he’s advocating that goalies do a better job of defending themselves, perhaps with some leniency from the referees, to teach skaters that there are consequences for these dangerous plays:

Got to be honest, everyone always does it on purpose… Plays like that, all of sudden, you tear a knee and [your] career is over. They’re the ones that do it. It’s still part of the game. Maybe I need to brace myself more for next time. Next time someone comes in, I’ll protect myself and we’ll see if they do it again. I think it’s a joke… You look around at all the different hits and all the different stuff, it’s so inconsistent… I don’t think they really know what they’re doing. This is a problem around the league that a lot of goalies get run into like that. I cannot complain about it, but maybe all the goalies should start protecting ourselves with our blockers and our sticks, and they shouldn’t call anything about that if we do it.

  • Toronto Maple Leafs star John Tavares has a problem with a lack of calls in net too, but different from Lehner’s. Tavares is sick of non-calls for the goal being intentionally knocked off it’s moorings. The Maple Leafs went down 5-0 to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night, but mounted an impressive comeback to come within a goal of tying the game. However, in the waning seconds of the game with goalie pulled and possession in the Chicago zone, the net came loose and play was stopped and Tavares at least suspects Blackhawks goaltender Collin Delia of doing it on purpose. Tavares told the media after the game, including TSN’s Kristen Shilton, that there should be more to it than just a whistle and a face-off:

If that’s on purpose by them, especially in the last couple minutes in big situations, I would love to see that be a challenge at some point. When we get that kind of pressure, that’s kind of a free out if that’s what happened. I didn’t really see it, but…”

 

Minor Transactions: 03/13/19

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The NHL is quiet on this Wednesday evening, with only three games on the schedule. In Edmonton, the Oilers will try to keep their season alive against the New Jersey Devils, while in Toronto they just try to forget the beat down they suffered earlier this week. With most of the league resting today, there will likely be several minor moves to keep track of. Like always, we’ll do that right here.

  • The Boston Bruins have recalled Paul Carey from the minor leagues according to Mark Divver of the Providence Journal. Carey has 20 points in 21 games since being acquired by the Bruins in mid-Januaray, and could potentially jump right into the NHL lineup. The 30-year old forward has long been an excellent scoring threat at the minor league level, but has totaled just 16 points across 97 NHL appearances.
  • The Bruins have also recalled Connor Clifton from Providence, while assigning Peter Cehlarik back down to the AHL. Clifton, 23, has played in just nine NHL games this season but has been dynamic in the minor leagues with 27 points.
  • Colton White was returned to the minor leagues last night, without actually getting a chance with the New Jersey Devils. The 21-year old defenseman has 25 points in 61 games for the Binghamton Devils this season, but will have to wait a little longer to make his NHL debut.
  • The Ottawa Senators have sent Filip Chlapik back down, since he was only on an emergency recall. The young forward will get plenty of opportunity in the coming years to make an impact for Ottawa, but for now will continue his development with the Belleville Senators.
  • With Robin Lehner getting ready to make his returned to the New York net, the Islanders have reassigned Christopher Gibson back to the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The 26-year-old Finnish keeper has been stellar in two appearances with the Isles this season, posting a .941 save percentage and 1.50 GAA in two periods of relief. However, he may be yet another beneficiary of the team’s system; his underlying AHL numbers – a .900 save percentage and a 2.89 GAA – and his previous NHL outings suggest he’s still not playing at an NHL level.
  • The AHL’s Hershey Bears have signed veteran Joey Leach to a contract for the remainder of the season. Leach, 27, had been loaned to Hershey from their AHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays, but did enough in 17 games with the Bears to earn a contract. Leach was both the captain of the Stingrays and one of their most valuable player. He had 20 points in 28 games with the team prior to his loan, suiting up at both defense and forward.

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