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Schedule For Upcoming NHL “Bye Weeks”

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For the third year in a row, the NHL has scheduled a mandated multi-day break for each team in the middle part of the season. Meant to give each team a rest, much like the bye week in the National Football League, this break also includes limits on practice, including several days in which all team activities are prohibited. A seven-day break this season, on paper an increase from the original five-day break, the “bye week” is actually less intrusive this season than it has been in the past despite the longer length. All 31 teams will take their break either right before or right after the upcoming All-Star Weekend, with those two days counting toward the seven and simply extending what has always been a short break for non-participants. Below are the lists of teams who will take leave on one side of All-Star festivities or the other:

Before All-Star Weekend (January 20 – 24)

Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dallas Stars
New Jersey Devils
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Tampa Bay Lightning
Winnipeg Jets

After All-Star Weekend (January 27 – 31)

Anaheim Ducks
Arizona Coyotes
Calgary Flames
Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado Avalanche
Detroit Red Wings
Edmonton Oilers
Florida Panthers
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
Montreal Canadiens
Nashville Predators
New York Islanders
Ottawa Senators
San Jose Sharks
St. Louis Blues
Toronto Maple Leafs
Vancouver Canucks
Vegas Golden Knights
Washington Capitals

How each team feels about taking an extended break in the middle of the season generally varies based on situational factors. While many players would enjoy getting to spend some time away with their families, others would rather keep the pedal to the metal mid-season. More specifically, a team that is playing well and stringing together wins would rather keep playing and not lose out on that momentum. Another team may be in a slump or struggling with injuries and desperately in need of a break. Either way, not every team will be in favor of the bye week each season.

There also remains some scheduling flaws with the mandated break, as most teams will only get the actual seven days or an eighth day off for travel, but others are set to go ten or eleven days without a contest. The “bye week” seems to be a move by the NHL that has enough support to continue in future seasons, but the league could work on sharpening the schedule so as to give teams as close to an even break as their competition as possible.

Metropolitan Notes: Holtby, Jarry, Van Riemsdyk, Hickey

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The Washington Capitals look like they can breathe a sigh of relief as goaltender Braden Holtby was at practice Sunday after Columbus’ Cam Atkinson accidentally put his stick through a hole in Holtby’s mask into his left eye, forcing him to leave the game. It’s still unclear if the goaltender would start against St. Louis on Monday, the first of a back-to-back set, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post.

“Obviously anything with your eyes is a little scary,” Holtby said. “It’s fortunate that it wasn’t anything too serious. You just move on. … I didn’t have the sight to keep going. I just wouldn’t have been a benefit to the team. it was one of those things. Eyes heal quickly, so just 24 hours and I’ll be back to normal.”

The incident on the ice Saturday in the second period and the immediate thought looked scary with many worrying that the team’s star goaltender could miss a significant amount of time. However, it looks like the injury isn’t as serious as originally thought. Head coach Todd Rierden said that the team doesn’t intend to recall a goaltender from the AHL at this moment with the general belief that the team could start Pheonix Copley Monday and start Holtby on Tuesday against Nashville on Tuesday.

  • While there have been reports out of Pittsburgh that the team may be ready to move a defenseman, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that general manager Jim Rutherford may also be ready to move third-string goaltender Tristan Jarry as well. The 23-year-old and second-round pick in 2013 is a solid prospect, but with 24-year-old Matt Murray locked in as the starter and the fact that backup Casey DeSmith was recently extended for another three years, Jarry could be a nice trade chip. He has one more year at $675K before he hits restricted free agency, although his two-way deal will turn into a one-way deal next season. NBC Sports’ Adam Gretz adds, however, that goaltenders don’t often bring a lot back in trades, pointing out that Filip Gustavsson was a better prospect and he was just one part of a package to get Derick Brassard last season.
  • Sam Carchidi of Philly.com writes that Philadelphia Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk has a 50-50 chance of playing Monday after being banged up Saturday against New Jersey. Van Riemsdyk, who has struggled with injuries as well as production, had one of his better games of the season, playing 17:01 and scoring a goal and adding an assist, despite the loss. The 29-year-old has two goals and two assists in the last two games.
  • Newsday’s Andrew Gross reports that New York Islanders defenseman Thomas Hickey, who has missed 11 straight games with an upper-body injury, has had a slowdown in his recovery, according to head coach Barry Trotz. Hickey has been skating on his own, but was held out of the team’s last full practice on Wednesday. “We want to do what’s best for the player,” Trotz said. “I don’t know if it’s a setback. We just want to be cautious with it. He’s real important for us and we’re not trying to rush him at all. We back him off a little bit and that’s on trainers’ orders.”

Pittsburgh Penguins Likely To Be Sellers On Defense

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have been impressive over the past few weeks with a record of 12-2 and the team may get even better as The Athletic’s Josh Yohe (subscription required) writes that defenseman Justin Schultz, who has missed all but four games this season with a broken leg, has been skating regularly with the team. While it’s too early for a specific timetable, the defenseman could conceivably be back in early to mid-February. However, Schultz’s return will only create more of a defensive logjam for Pittsburgh, which may be forced to make a move soon.

Yohe writes that once Schultz returns to the lineup, the team is likely to match Brian Dumoulin and Kris Letang together, Schultz with Olli Maatta and Jack Johnson with Marcus Pettersson, leaving several players out of the lineup, including 6-foot-6, 256-pound Jamie Oleksiak, promising Juuso Riikola and depth defenseman Chad Ruhwedel — far too may players to keep on their roster which, barring injury, will likely prompt a trade.

Surprisingly, the team is solid in that top six as the scribe adds that the team is devoted to playing Pettersson, who has been incredibly reliable since they acquired the blueliner from Anaheim back on Dec. 3 for Daniel Sprong. In fact, the team has been 14-3-1 when he’s playing, and while Pettersson can’t take all the credit for that, he is a significant defensive presence for the team with many believing that he will make up the left side of the defense with Dumoulin and Maatta for the next few years. Pettersson is only averaging 14:54 of ATOI this season, yet he’s seen a recent spike since arriving in Pittsburgh, averaging 16:09 and continuing to increase. He played 18:05 on Friday against his old team, the Ducks. His offense is also starting to come around as he has a five-game point streak going as he has six assists in the last five games.

That might suggest the team’s best trade asset would likely be the 26-year-old Oleksiak, despite being the second biggest player in the league, next to Winnipeg’s Dustin Byfuglien. Oleksiak has developed into a solid player in Pittsburgh after several years of struggling to break into the Dallas Stars’ lineup. He just recently returned from injury after suffering a concussion in a fight with Washington’s Tom Wilson and may be best known for a collision with Byfuglien earlier this season. Byfuglien came away with the worst of the collision as he suffered a concussion himself. Regardless, a player with Oleksiak’s size could stir quite a bit of interest if Pittsburgh is ready to move on from him. Although he is returning from injury, he has seen a decrease in playing time since his return.

If the team does opt to move Oleksiak, that could leave Riikola as the team’s seventh defenseman and Ruhwedel as the team’s eighth defenseman if the team chooses to hold onto eight defensemen, although that could be at the cost of another forward.

 

Extensive Power Forward Trade Market Forming

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If the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline is deep at any one type of player, it is power forward. As the February 25th deadline grows closer and teams begin to make tough decisions about who goes and who stays, it is becoming clear that many big, physical scoring forwards are about to be up for grabs before they hit free agency. Just this past week, it was reported that the Philadelphia Flyers’ Wayne Simmonds was likely to be moved and inferred that the Carolina Hurricanes and Micheal Ferland were unlikely to come to terms ahead of the deadline. And that’s just the beginning.

Outside of the 6’2″ Simmonds and 220-lb. Ferland, there are plenty of other names out there that fit the power forward mold. Since this summer, the New York Rangers’ Kevin Hayes has been earmarked for a deadline trade. If they cannot agree to an extension, the Ottawa Senators may be forced to move star Mark Stone. Should the New York Islanders or Colorado Avalanche fall out of the playoff race, Brock Nelson and Colin Wilson – neither of whom look like long-term fits on their respective teams – should be on the block. To some surprise, Patrick Maroon’s time with his hometown St. Louis Blues appears to be already running out. Even role player power forwards like New Jersey’s Brian Boyle and Florida’s Troy Brouwer should draw interest.

Many of these players feature on the trade bait lists from both The Athletic and TSN, as well as some non-UFA power forwards like the Blues’ Brayden Schenn, the Rangers’ Chris Kreider, the Wild’s Nino Niederreiter, and even young Jesse Puljujarvi of the Edmonton Oilers. While it may seem like too many names for too few teams – and it is a buyer’s market this year for sure – The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun mentioned a number of suitors for a power forward who could make a move for one or more of these trade candidates in the coming weeks. At the top, LeBrun sees some of the biggest contenders as likely landing spots, naming the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets, and Calgary Flames as good fits for Simmonds, Ferland, and the like. He also adds the Boston Bruins and Vegas Golden Knights into that group. Of course, the Bruins and Jets also have needs down the middle and could be more ideal fits for Hayes or Nelson, while the wingers would appeal more to Tampa Bay and Nashville. While LeBrun casts doubt on the Toronto Maple Leafs being interested, if an arms race begins the team could feel pressured to add to their forward corps as well. The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, both in need of secondary scoring, could also jump in on the action, while the Patric Hornqvist injury could prompt the Pittsburgh Penguins to make another move.

With so many power forwards potentially available and prices expected to be low, it could be that the majority of playoff-bound teams decide to add a hired gun up front this season. You can never have too much size and grit in the postseason, not to mention scoring touch, and the 2019 deadline could be defined by many players possessing those exact traits heading to new teams. With plenty of talent available, one of the aforementioned players might just end up being the x-factor for the eventual Stanley Cup champions this year.

Anaheim Ducks’ Randy Carlyle On The Hot Seat

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Mired in a nine-game losing streak, The Athletic’s Eric Duhatschek wrote yesterday that this is a “critical time” for the Anaheim Ducks. While he notes that the Ducks have the unfortunate designation of leading the NHL in man-games lost this season, they were set to finally add top-pair defenseman Cam Fowler and first-line forward Rickard Rakell back into the lineup last night. The team hoped that the duo’s return would finally spark a win for a team that is as close to full health now as they have been all year.

It didn’t work out that way. Despite taking a 3-0 first period lead on the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, the Ducks ended up losing 7-4 behind four unanswered Penguins goals in the third period in one of the more disheartening defeats that any team has faced this year.

Despite the optimism that injuries were the cause of their slump and a return to health would right the ship, Anaheim lost again last night for their tenth straight game without a win. The team has plummeted down the standings, now a whopping 12 points back of the final Pacific Division seed, held by the surging Vegas Golden Knights, and a point behind Minnesota for the final wild card spot, with the Wild holding two games in hand. The Ducks are one more loss away from being a .500 team and have slipped to a -27 in goal differential, not quite the numbers of a playoff-bound team. Anaheim is second-to-last in goals for per game, fueled by the fewest shots per game in the league on average, have an anemic 14.3% power play, and – despite the best efforts of starter John Gibson playing behind a porous defense of late – are a middle of the road goals against team.

Nothing seems to be working out for the Ducks and the early indications are that injuries are not entirely to blame. With a roster that has ample talent on paper, the blame then rationally falls onto the head coach, Randy Carlyle. Carlyle, in his third year of his second stint with Anaheim, has been unable to find the cure for what ails them this season. The team has struggled to score goals as well as prevent them, has not had success on special teams, and allows far too many shots, especially in light of how few they take themselves. The Ducks have lost three games in overtime during this stretch, as well as several more one-goal and two-goal games, as Carlyle has been unable to turn any game situation in his favor. Given the talent available for Anaheim – even accounting for the absences of Corey Perry and Patrick Eaves – the fact that Carlyle has not been able to get more out of the likes of Rakell, Ryan Getzlaf, Jakob Silfverberg, Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson, and more is alarming – and it may just cost him his job.

Duhatschek noted, even before last night’s embarrassing collapse, that change would be coming if the team could not get it together. He specifically refers to trades, as the team trends in the direction of “deadline seller” territory. Certainly, GM Bob Murray will need to consider moving impending free agent Silfverberg, as well as deal from his depth in goaltending and defense in the minors, but a roster move seems less likely to be the next big decision. Carlyle is absolutely on the hot seat and if he can’t find a way to motivate his players, solve his situational struggles, and string together some wins, he will likely be fired long before the Ducks begin making trades. As the team begins a five-game road trip, it begs the question whether Ducks fans will see Carlyle behind the home bench again this season.

Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Casey DeSmith To Three-Year Extension

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have locked up one of their goaltenders for the next few years, signing Casey DeSmith to a three-year extension. The contract will carry an average annual value of just $1.25MM, making DeSmith quite the bargain in Pittsburgh. Penguins GM Jim Rutherford explained why he signed DeSmith:

Since joining the Penguins’ organization, Casey has excelled for us at every level, first in Wheeling and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and now here in Pittsburgh. We’re pleased to have him signed with our organization for the next three-and-a-half seasons.

It’s important to note the mention of the Wheeling Nailers in Rutherford’s comments, because it didn’t always look like DeSmith was destined for the NHL. Undrafted out of the USHL, DeSmith first attended the University of New Hampshire where he dominated over three seasons, posting incredible save percentages and being named to the conference All-Rookie team as a freshman.

Unfortunately as UNH prepared for their 2014-15 season with DeSmith expected to start as a senior, he was arrested in a domestic violence incident and suspended by the team. DeSmith did not play a game during the 2014-15 season and didn’t have an NHL contract waiting for him anymore. Instead, he signed to play in the minor leagues with the Penguins and had to start his professional career in the ECHL with Wheeling. Obviously still a talented goaltender he found success there and eventually when he joined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

DeSmith signed his first NHL contract in 2017, and is still on a two-way deal with the club. That contract is scheduled to expire at the end of this season, which would have put him on the free agent market. Obviously DeSmith wanted nothing to do with that, as he has now locked himself into the Penguins organization for the next three years at a price likely lower than he could have received on the open market. Through 26 games this season the 27-year old has a .924 save percentage and may have been seen as a potential starter for a goaltending-needy franchise. Instead, he’ll stay in Pittsburgh where he can be an excellent tandem option for Matt Murray as the team continues to pursue a Stanley Cup.

Patric Hornqvist Suffers Concussion

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As if Patric Hornqvist hadn’t already had enough bad injury luck, he is now out with another concussion according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Hornqvist was hit by a puck in Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers, a match that also forced Zach Aston-Reese out of the lineup with an upper-body injury. Mackey reports that Aston-Reese will be out “longer term.”

Hornqvist has already missed time earlier this season with a concussion, but has been extremely effective for the Penguins when in the lineup. The tenacious, physical forward has 15 goals and 26 points in 34 games, which would put him on pace for the best season of his career if he had been able to play in all 82 games. Unfortunately that isn’t going to happen, and it’s not clear how long he’ll now be out. Mackey notes on Twitter that this is Hornqvist’s fifth concussion since December 2014.

The Penguins do have some time off coming up later this month, when they’ll go eight full days between games thanks in part to the All-Star break. That time will hopefully help their forward group get healthy, and ready for a second half run to put them back in Stanley Cup contention. After starting the season slowly, the Penguins are 9-1 in their last ten and have climbed within just two points of the Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division. It’s not only Hornqvist and Aston-Reese getting them there, but having those two healthy and in the lineup gives them a dimension that few others can.

Jim Rutherford Doesn't Feel The Same Urgency To Add Center Depth

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While Derick Brassard’s tenure with the Penguins hasn’t gone as well as they’d hoped, it doesn’t appear as if GM Jim Rutherford is as eager to shake things up down the middle as he was a year ago.  Speaking with Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Rutherford indicated that he’s not as determined as he was to upgrade that spot compared to this time last season:

Brassard is in the final year of his contract and considering that Vegas is paying 40% of his $5MM salary, he’s not looking like a strong candidate to stick around with the Penguins beyond this season.  However, when he’s on his game, he’s a capable top-six player and having some of those on the third line (his current linemates are wingers Tanner Pearson and Phil Kessel) can only help their chances in the postseason.

Minor Transactions: 01/09/19

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It’s a day off for all but six NHL teams today, with only three games scheduled for this evening. Of those three the clash between Colorado and Calgary strikes as the most important, given their respective positions in the Western Conference. The Flames are trying to hold onto first place in the Pacific Division while Colorado is just trying to hold onto a playoff spot, meaning these two points are extremely important to both clubs. While they and the rest of the league prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves of the day.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Garrett Wilson from the minor leagues, after placing Zach Aston-Reese on injured reserve. Aston-Reese suffered an injury in last night’s game and could be out for a while, providing Wilson with another opportunity at the NHL level. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins captain has just two points in 14 NHL games this season but provides a physical presence for the club that may be lacking elsewhere.
  • Dan Renouf is on his way back to the Charlotte Checkers after just a day in the NHL, a reward for the hard work he has put in at the AHL level this season. Renouf has just one NHL game to his name during three years of professional hockey, but has been the Checkers’ most reliable defenseman for much of the season.
  • Michael Bunting will join the Arizona Coyotes today, giving the team another option while Josh Archibald is awaiting the birth of a child. Bunting has 18 points in 22 minor league games this season.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have brought up goaltender Maxime Lagace from Chicago of the AHL.  He will take the place of Malcolm Subban who is day-to-day with an illness.  Lagace has played in 18 games with the Wolves this season, posting a 2.72 GAA and a .898 SV%.

Minor Transactions: 01/06/19

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Despite many eyes across North America focused on the NFL Wild Card playoffs, the NHL has a busy Sunday scheduled this weekend. Seven games are on tap today, with the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators—two teams that are in the rumor mill—kicking things off this afternoon.  As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league today.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo back to the minor leagues once again, and could have him dressed for the Toronto Marlies game this afternoon. Kaskisuo has been serving as the backup for Michael Hutchinson while the team deals with injury, but still hasn’t gotten into an NHL game. With Frederik Andersen expected to return soon, he may have to wait for another opportunity.
  • Though the terminology varies on the ECHL and AHL websites, minor league defenseman Nolan De Jong will be playing for the San Jose Barracuda for the time being. With Jacob Middleton recalled by the Sharks, the Barracuda have acquired De Jong to give them some more depth on the back end. The former University of Michigan captain has nine points in 22 games with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL this season.
  • The New Jersey Devils announced they have recalled goaltender Cam Johnson from the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. He was recalled with the recent injury to MacKenzie Blackwood, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Johnson will serve as the backup today against Vegas. The former University of North Dakota standout has had an up and down season between the ECHL and Binghamton. While he has had quite a bit of success with the Adirondack Thunder, he hasn’t been as successful in 14 AHL games. Johnson has a 3.91 GAA and a .866 save percentage. To make room for Johnson, the team assigned defenseman defenseman Egor Yakovlev to the AHL.
  • The Calgary Flames announced they have assigned forward Dillon Dube and goaltender Jon Gillies to the Stockton Heat of the AHL. Dube has appeared in 23 games with Flames, but if the team is sending him down, it’s likley that forward Andrew Mangiapane is ready to return from injured reserve. And with David Rittich healthy and ready to go, the team didn’t need Gillies, who was serving as an emergency backup. He has yet to make an appearance for Calgary.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have assigned both forward Ben Street and defenseman Jake Dotchin to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic. Both players had cleared waivers recently. The team also sent defenseman Korbinian Holzer to San Diego. The moves are expected to open up roster spots for the return of center Rickard Rakell and Cam Fowler, who have been on injured reserve. Rackell has been out since Dec. 5 with a ankle injury, while Fowler has been out since Nov. 12 with a facial fracture. UPDATE: Stephens adds that Fowler has officially been activated off of injured reserve.
  • The Edmonton Oilers will get back a key defenseman as they announced they have activated Kris Russell, while placing forward Kailer Yamamoto on injured reserve. Russell has been out since Dec. 11 with a groin injury and has been badly missed in Edmonton, who have since acquired multiple defenseman to add depth to their team. Russell has eight points and a plus-four rating for the Oilers. Yamamoto, the team’s first-round pick in 2017, is still trying to gain a full-time position with the team, but has just a goal and two points in 13 appearances, while having eight points in 11 games in the AHL.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they have recalled Chad Ruhwedel from his conditioning stint with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The 28-year-old defenseman has played the role of the team’s seventh defenseman for several years now, but found himself in the press box for a long stretch of time, since Nov. 19, and the team opted to send him to the AHL to get him back into game shape. Ruhwedel played five games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, posting one goal, five points and a plus-eight.

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