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Jonathan Dahlen Staying In Sweden

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Despite dominating the Swedish second league in 2019-20, Jonathan Dahlen still isn’t ready to come to the NHL. The 22-year old San Jose Sharks prospect will be remaining in Sweden for next season, his agent explaining to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News that he still does want to play in the NHL someday.

Dahlen, a second-round pick by the Ottawa Senators in 2016, has already been traded twice in his short professional career. Originally signing his entry-level deal with the Vancouver Canucks in 2017 he has played just 63 AHL games so far, instead spending most of the contract loaned back to his club team in Sweden.

After putting up two point-per-game seasons for Timra in 2016-17 and 2017-18, Dahlen returned this year and took his game to an entirely different level. The skilled forward was named the Allsvenskan MVP after putting up 77 points in 51 games, leading the league in goals with 36.

His entry-level contract will expire this summer, meaning the Sharks will have to extend a qualifying offer in order to retain his exclusive rights. You can bet they’ll do that even if he doesn’t plan on coming over in 2020-21, given the upside he still represents as a future top-six NHL player.

Potential Compliance Buyout Candidates: Part III

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As the current Coronavirus crisis wears on, it seems more and more likely that the NHL will not be able to complete the full remaining regular season schedule and talk of an expanded playoff field might indicate that there will be no return to the regular season at all. That lost revenue is expected to impact the 2020-21 salary cap, likely keeping the current $81.5MM upper limit in place. Given that teams expected an increase, initially projected to be between $84-88.2MM, this stagnation could have a harsh impact on a number of clubs’ cap situations. As such, many expect that compliance buyouts will return in some form or fashion to ease that pain. These buyouts, which do not count against the salary cap, would allow for teams to open up space that they otherwise expected from a cap increase.

After taking a look at teams 1-10, then 11-20, here is a breakdown of the names that the final 11 clubs could use a compliance buyout on, if they opt to use one at all:

Ottawa Senators: Bobby Ryan

While the oncoming cap crunch caused by COVID-19 will not impact the Senators, who have sat at or near the bottom of the league’s salary ranks in recent years, owner Eugene Melnyk is not one to miss out on an opportunity to save money. In the case of Ryan, that would mean casting off a player who has overcome the adversity of addiction to resume his career, but don’t expect that to stop the Senators from moving on. Ryan’s remaining two years and $15MM in actual salary represents a large chunk of what Ottawa owes its current roster. Ryan has not played at a level becoming of a $7.25MM player at any point over the course of his time with the Senators, but especially over the past four years in which he has failed to crack 50 points in any season. At 33 years old, Ryan’s best days are behind him and Ottawa won’t hesitate to but him out and face the potential public relations backlash.

Philadelphia Flyers: Shayne Gostisbehere

The Flyers are right up against the salary cap and will have to create some space if the upper limit does not move this off-season as had been expected. The team has been trying to trade Gostisbehere in the midst of a down year, but to no avail. It may seem counter-intuitive for a contender to give away a 27-year-old regular defenseman for free via buyout, but Gostisbehere is trending in the wrong direction and has three years at $4.5MM AAV remaining on his deal. If Philly cannot find a trade, which obviously would be the more ideal solution, they may not have a better alternative to clear space without buying out a more impactful player. Some may point to last summer’s Kevin Hayes mega-contract as a worse deal to consider moving, but it seems highly unlikely that the team would move on from Hayes this soon after signing him, especially since his production this season has been on par with his career numbers.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Jack Johnson

It was pretty obvious right from the start that Johnson was not going to be a value player for the Penguins. Many were skeptical of his 2018 signing right from the start and he has done little to prove those critics wrong. A minus player whose offensive ceiling now sits in the mid-teens, Johnson is 33 and his best days are well behind him. The Penguins are another team that needs as much cap space as they can create to keep their roster together. Can they really afford to pay Johnson $9.75MM against the cap over the next three years to be a bottom pair defenseman who is more often a liability than an asset? Pittsburgh has the depth on defense to make up for the loss and could desperately use the cap flexibility elsewhere.

San Jose Sharks: Martin Jones

Entering an off-season with a deep goalie market, which could grow even deeper with compliance buyouts, few teams would be happier to have a get-out-of-jail-free card than the Sharks. Goaltending, and their starter Jones in particular, has been at the heart of San Jose’s struggles over the past two years. Once seen as a safe bet to be a solid long-term starter, Jones has been unable to produce even passable numbers in the past couple of seasons. However, with four years and $23MM remaining on Jones’ deal – a $5.75MM AAV, it seemed hopeless for the team improve in net without either an expensive buyout, a painful trade, or a very overpriced backup. This scenario would be exactly what the team needed and there is little doubt that they would move on swiftly from Jones, re-focusing his cap space on improving the roster, most important of which would be finding his replacement(s).

St. Louis Blues: Alex Steen

Steen may be a respected veteran coming off of a championship season, but he is also one of the Blues’ few reasonable candidates for a buyout. St. Louis does not have many long-term contracts and has arguably no bad long-term contracts. Steen, 36, is also one of only three players over 31 signed through this season. Without many bad deals or regressing veterans to compete with, Steen’s final year at $5.75MM looks ugly, especially since his production has dropped off immensely in each of the past two seasons to just 17 points this year. Perhaps the only other buyout option for St. Louis would be backup goaltender Jake Allen if the determine that Steen’s experience and versatility is of greater value. However, Allen is younger and cheaper and coming off a bounce-back season in which he was one of the best backups in the NHL. Steen seems like the more reasonable selection.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Tyler Johnson

Tampa Bay was always going to have to blow up its core to accommodate its young players. However, a flat cap not only ensures that this time has come this off-season, it also makes the situation much worse. In order to sign a number of key restricted free agents, the Bolts must move out a considerable amount of salary this summer. Normally, players like Johnson, Yanni Gourde, and Ondrej Palat would have enough value to garner a nice trade return rather than needing a buyout. However, in an off-season where most teams could be up against the cap, acquiring a $5MM+ player will be easier said than done. Making it even harder is that all three hold No-Trade clauses and may not be willing to accept a deal to the types of team that can afford to acquire them. Of this trio, the Lightning are most likely to keep Palat; although he is the most expensive, he is also the most valuable. Gourde is slightly more expensive than Johnson’s $5MM AAV, but is also slightly younger and has largely outplayed Johnson over the past few years. Gourde is a more valuable asset than Johnson, which could mean he is easier to trade or it could mean that Tampa tries to find a way to keep him. Johnson seems like the odd man out. An undersized forward whose numbers fell off considerably this season to just 31 points and who is signed for four more years, Johnson is a trade risk, especially in a cap-strapped market. The odds are that some team would find a way to take him via trade – if he agrees – but if the Lightning get desperate they may have to buy him out. He’s their most reasonable candidate if it comes to that.

Toronto Maple Leafs: None

The Toronto Maple Leafs really don’t have any need for a compliance buyout at this point in time. The team is very young, many players have been extended recently, and arguably none have fallen so short of expectations that they warrant a buyout. Unless the Leafs trade for a bad contract simply to use their compliance buyout, it would be a surprise to see the club get in on the action this off-season.

Vancouver Canucks: Loui Eriksson

The Canucks have wanted to get rid of Eriksson for some time and with a compliance buyout they would be free to do so. The veteran forward has been one of Vancouver’s highest paid players since he joined the club in 2016, yet he has never recorded more than 30 points in a year through four seasons with the Canucks. At odds with coaches and severely underperforming relative to his $6MM AAV, Eriksson has worn out his welcome in Vancouver. However, he still has two years remaining on his contract. The team would be quick to erase that from the books. This buyout is a no-brainer; what is more interesting is whether Eriksson can return to his status as a valuable two-way forward with another team.

Vegas Golden Knights: None

Like the Maple Leafs, the Golden Knights simply don’t have any obvious candidate for a buyout. They have done well with their long-term contracts and have a roster constructed of players who they want in the lineup, including several who they have recently re-signed. That includes Nick Holden, who may be the only player who could have been considered an odd man out but recently took a pay cut to re-sign for two more years with Vegas. No one else jumps out as a player that the club would entertain giving up for free.

Washington Capitals: Nick Jensen

As good as the Capitals are and have been, this one is a toss-up because there are a number of players who could go. T.J. Oshie was brought in to win a Stanley Cup and has accomplished that task. He is still producing at a high level, but could the team cut ties with the 33-year-old while they have the chance rather than face the remaining five years and $28.75MM left on his contract? Lars Eller and Carl Hagelin, both on the wrong side of 30 and both signed for three more years, are in a similar boat. Their scoring is fine relative to their cap hit, but will it continue to be through the length of their contracts? Depending on how much room the Capitals may need to clear, any of these three could be a candidate for a buyout. However, Washington can impact their performance and their locker room far less by opting for Jensen instead. In his first full season with the team, Jensen has not been bad, but he has drawn his fair share of criticism. Jensen’s offense, though not typically a hallmark of his game, has been non-existent and he has been prone to turnovers and blown assignments. If the Capitals need to use a compliance buyout, they can likely find a better use for $7.5MM over the next three years.

Winnipeg Jets: Mathieu Perreault

The Jets have great depth at forward an nearly everyone carries the weight of their contracts. Perreault is an exception. The 32-year-old’s point totals have fallen in each of the past three seasons to just 15 points in 49 games this year. At a cap hit of $4.125, Perreault is not doing enough. He’s not the answer at second-line center and he’s overpaid to play in the bottom-six. There’s no place for Perreault and the team would likely be willing to move on a year early. While Bryan Little has also shown signs of slowing down and his signed for far longer and for more than Perreault, his lack of impact in 2019-20 is tied to injury. Even if injury issues persist, Little’s cap hit does not cause a problem when he is not active, so Perreault still makes more sense a buyout candidate.

Stretch Run Storylines: San Jose Sharks

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As things stand, the NHL is planning to have games resume at some point over the coming weeks.  Assuming the regular season continues and play doesn’t jump immediately to the postseason, there will be plenty of things to watch for over the stretch run.  Over the weeks ahead, PHR will examine the top stretch run storylines for each team.  We complete our look at the Pacific Division with San Jose.

The San Jose Sharks made a solid run through the 2018-19 playoffs and looked ready to challenge for another run in hopes of winning a Stanley Cup final. Instead, the wheels fell off with the team struggling immensely. Lack of depth and not enough stars stepping up, San Jose wasn’t able to put together their winnings ways, which cost the job of head coach Peter DeBoer (who eventually took the Vegas job and turned their struggles around) and saw the team drop like a brick in the standings with the worst record in the Western Conference.

Hertl Bounce-Back

The team suffered through a number of injuries this season, but their most devastating loss was top scorer Tomas Hertl, who tore his ACL and MCL in his left knee during a game on Jan. 29. Even if the league does go with a 24-team playoffs, the Sharks would be on the outside looking in, so they have to  hope their star players can bounce back.

After a 35-goal, 74-point season in 2018-19, many thought that Hertl might take his team to the next level. His numbers, however, were down this year in 48 games, scoring just 16 goals and 36 points. The team will need the veteran to not only bounce back from a major knee injury and find that scoring touch, which could be a great challenge. Word is that Hertl is making valuable progress in his recovery and is well ahead of schedule, suggesting he should be ready to be ready for training camp, whenever that is. Of course, can he bounce back offensively?

Will Sharks Bring Back Veterans?

The Sharks will have a couple decisions to make about their longtime veterans, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Both are unrestricted free agents, but do they want to bring back both their long-time stars for another year?

Thornton will turn 41 in July and has expressed interest in returning to the Sharks for another season. The veteran was open to a trade when the trade deadline neared, but he received little interest from top playoff teams and San Jose didn’t get an offer worth taking. Thornton remains a solid middle-six option for them. Even at age 40, he still managed to score 31 points, while averaging 15:30 of ice time. The question is can he keep those numbers up or will his play continue to regress, making him more of a liability on the ice.

Marleau is a somewhat different story as the Sharks did get an offer for him at the trade deadline and did trade him to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a conditional 2021 third-rounder (unless the Penguins win the 2020 Stanley Cup, which would make it a 2021 second-rounder). However, there have been plenty of reports suggesting that Marleau, who will be a unrestricted free agent this offseason, would be open to returning to the Sharks. Even though he will turn 41 in September, Marleau finished with 11 goals and 22 points this season and showed some of his old scoring ways. Again, those numbers are also career-lows even with the Coronavirus shortening the season. However, he is just 51 games away from breaking Gordie Howe’s games played record, which suggests he’s open to another season.

Goaltending Needs

The Sharks goaltending was also a significant reason for the teams’ struggles. San Jose locked up Martin Jones in 2017 to be their long-term goalie for the next six years, but with four years still on his contract, the team has to wonder if Jones is that answer. The 30-year-old is coming off two straight inconsistent seasons as he finished this season with a 17-21-2 record with a 3.00 GAA and a .896 save percentage. The hope was that backup Aaron Dell might be able to take a bigger load, but he struggled as well this year and now will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

Where will the relief come from. It seems likely the team will bring in someone to help out, but with cap room being an issue, the Sharks may not be able to add anything more than a backup. The team did sign Russian goaltender Alexei Melnichuk to an entry-level contract. The 21-year-old dominated as a backup netminder in the KHL, but likely will need some time in the AHL before being ready to contribute.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

San Jose Sharks Sign Timur Ibragimov

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The San Jose Sharks continue to complete contract negotiations as they wait for the NHL season to resume at some point. Today, they have signed Timur Ibragimov to a three-year, entry-level contract. Sharks GM Doug Wilson released a short statement on his newest prospect:

Timur is a fast, physical winger with a nose for then net. He uses his quickness to beat players up the ice and is hard to play against. We are confident his speed, shot, and work ethic will be assets to this organization.

Ibragimov, 19, marks the fifth signing the Sharks have made since the NHL hit pause on the regular season. The sixth-round pick from 2019 made his VHL debut (the Russian AHL equivalent) this season and recorded 13 points in 35 games for SKA. That performance may not seem all that impressive, but when you consider how young he was it obviously was strong enough for the Sharks to believe he has a future in North American professional hockey.

There is still a long way to go in the development of Ibragimov, but it’s not every day you find his mix of skating ability and physicality in an offensive-minded player. The raw tools are there, but the Sharks organization will need to put them all in the right places for him to contribute at the NHL level.

San Jose Sharks Sign Fredrik Handemark

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The San Jose Sharks couldn’t stop at just one free agent signing for the day. After it was reported earlier that the team had signed Russian goaltender Alexei Melnichuk to a two-year entry-level contract, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic tweets that the Sharks have also added Fredrik Handemark on a one-year entry-level deal.

Handemark, 26, has been playing in the SHL for the past seven seasons, captaining Malmo for the last three. He was among the league leaders in scoring this past year, recording 38 points in 52 games. The big-bodied center comes with plenty of polish as a two-way force, even if he hasn’t ever really been one of the most dynamic offensive weapons. Handemark has led the SHL in faceoff percentage in two of the last three seasons.

Adding an established pro like Handemark is another sign that the Sharks aren’t interested in the rebuilding path, despite their struggles this season. The team is reloading for another run at the playoffs, given that their core is still made up of aging veterans on long-term contracts. Introducing some more center depth with a cheap signing can only help those playoff prospects, though it’s still to be determined whether Handemark can contribute enough to help the NHL squad.

San Jose Sharks Sign Alexei Melnichuk

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The San Jose Sharks have won the race for KHL goaltender Alexei Melnichuk, signing him to an entry-level contract according to his agent Dan Milstein. San Jose had been one of several teams pursuing the young goaltender, who is coming off an excellent debut in the KHL.

In 16 appearances this season, Melnichuk recorded a 1.68 goals-against average and .930 save percentage. Though KHL save numbers are often higher than those in the NHL, the 21-year old still more than held his ground as a rookie for St. Petersburg and obviously has a bright future.

Because Melnichuk turns 22 this summer the deal will be a two-year entry-level contract. The Sharks already do have a few goaltending prospects in their system, but because of his pro experience in Russia Melnichuk may actually jump to the top of the line.

It’s important to remember with this signing that Aaron Dell, who has served as an NHL backup for the last several seasons, is scheduled for unrestricted free agency. There will likely be an opportunity with the team in the short term, perhaps one that the young Russian will get a crack at.

Joel Ward Hopeful To Rejoin Sharks In A Coaching Capacity

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  • While Joel Ward is now retired, he’s hoping to rejoin the Sharks organization. Speaking with reporters including NBC Sports Bay Area’s Brian Witt, the former winger indicated that he has had some brief discussions already about potentially returning in a coaching role but that those talks are on hold until this pandemic passes.  While jumping behind an NHL bench right away seems unlikely, Ward could do like several other veterans have done in recent years and work in a player development role.

Snapshots: Phase 2, Melnichuk, Franco

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Yesterday, the NHL and NHLPA released a joint statement on the status of the regular season and the encouraging signs that have started to make engaging “Phase 2” look like a realistic possibility. That would mean a return to their team cities for players spread out around the globe and the resuming of team workouts. On the latest Insider Trading for TSN however, Darren Dreger explains that it won’t be mandatory:

The goal is to initiate Phase 2 at some point around the middle of May, perhaps the third week of May. But it is a recommendation, it’s not mandatory. What is mandatory, assuming there is a go-ahead, is that NHL players report to their NHL cities for the start of training camp—potentially that could be around June 1.

But there are others who say that Phase 2 may not be initiated, there is certainly no guarantee of that and that’s all health-related. Important to note though, there will be no agreement on an NHL resumption unless players have an allowance to visit with their families.

The topic of family access has been brought up by several players in recent days, including Phillip Danault of the Montreal Canadiens and John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Even with the hopeful nature of some of the recent reports, there is still plenty of work to do in order to make anything possible this summer.

  • The San Jose Sharks may be landing a KHL free agent, as a report out of Russia has Alexei Melnichuk set to sign with the team. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, however, hears that though the Sharks are a finalist for Melnichuk’s services, there is another team “in the mix” and that nothing is final just yet. Melnichuk, 21, is an up-and-coming goaltender in the KHL who posted a .930 save percentage in 16 games this season.
  • The Rochester Americans have signed Dominic Franco to an AHL contract, following his senior season at West Point. The 24-year old winger scored 23 points in 33 games while serving as an alternate captain, leading the team in scoring for the third season.

Snapshots: Egle, Handemark, Cehlarik

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Over the past two years, Clarkson University forward Haralds Egle has been one of the best and most consistent scoring forwards in college hockey. An undrafted prospect out of the USHL, the Latvian-born winger just completed his final collegiate season but truly began to hit his stride last year. In total, Egle accumulated 33 goals and 72 points in 71 games over the past two seasons, leading a national contender. Now, Egle is ready to take on the pros. The AHL’s Manitoba Moose have announced a two-year deal for the 23-year-old scoring forward. Latvia remains an under-represented nation in the NHL, but if Egle’s NCAA ability translates to the AHL its very possible that his he could be the next name from his country to join the ranks of the elite.

  • Swedish forward Fredrik Handemark is no stranger to the NHL rumor mill, with the most recent reports naming the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks as suitors should the SHL veteran choose to make the jump this off-season. It appears he has made his choice though, as Swedish news source Aftonbladet reports that Handemark is expected to sign with the Sharks this summer. After posting a career-high 14 goals and 38 points this season, the 26-year-old Malmo Redhawks captain has decided to take the next step in his career with San Jose. While the terms have not been confirmed, Aftonbladet expects Handemark to sign a one-year entry-level contract with a $900K AAV, which could prove to be a bargain for the Sharks if the Swedish star can replicate his production at the next level.
  • Boston Bruins forward Peter Cehlarik may be eyeing a move to the opposite side of the Atlantic. Slovakian news source TA3 reports that the local product may be considering a move to Europe, namely the SHL, after another season in which he was unable to secure a consistent NHL job. Cehlarik, 24, played his developmental years in Sweden and was drafted by Boston from Lulea HF in 2013. In his four years since coming over from Europe, Cehlarik has played in at least three NHL games each season, including a career-high 20 in 2018-19. However, his considerable scoring ability – 136 points in 185 career AHL games – has not translated to the NHL, where he has just 11 points in 40 games. Beyond just his production, Cehlarik has struggled to find a natural fit in the Bruins’ lineup and has been passed up on the organizational depth chart. A restricted free agent this summer, Boston may qualify Cehlarik as a useful minor league depth player, but he could opt instead to chase a starring role back in the SHL.

PHR Panel: Playoff Predicting

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We’re now more than a month into an NHL postponement and there is still no clear timeline on when professional hockey will return. While fans of the sport have received small tidbits of news over that time, including college signings and contract extensions, the thirst for discussion has rarely been quenched.

With that in mind, we’re happy to continue our new feature: The PHR Panel. Three times a week, our writing staff will give our individual takes on a question many hockey fans have been wondering about. If you’d ever like to submit a subject for us to discuss, be sure to put it in the comments. This series will run each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

To catch up on the previous edition, click here.

Today, we’ll each give our thoughts on the future of three struggling west coast franchises.

Q: Which team has the best chance at a playoff spot next season: San Jose, Anaheim or Los Angeles?

Brian La Rose:

Of the California trio, the Sharks have the best chance of making it and I say that fully knowing that they’re going to be bringing the same core group back that has currently has them dead last in the Western Conference. But with the Kings still early in their rebuilding process and the Ducks’ youth movement not going as well as they hoped, neither of them are realistically in the postseason mix for next year so San Jose has the best odds by default.

The good news for the Sharks is that there’s cause for optimism. Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson are immediate bounce-back candidates after putting up underwhelming numbers (relative to their respective contracts) from the back end this season. That will help get them a few more wins.

It’s also hard to believe that they’ll be as banged up as they’ve been this year in 2020-21. Karlsson, Logan Couture, and Tomas Hertl are among the players that have missed at least 14 games due to injuries and it’s hard for any team to overcome that. While San Jose is in the basement this season, they wouldn’t be had it not been for their list of injuries. Being healthier will get them a few more wins as well.

They will certainly need better goaltending from Martin Jones next season but he can be better than he has been lately. I’m not saying I expect them to get back in next year but I wouldn’t be surprised if they did.

Holger Stolzenberg:

That’s a tough one. I really cannot under any circumstances see Anaheim or Los Angeles, both in the middle of full rebuilds suddenly jumping into the playoff race next year. I would be surprised if either team spent significant money on big free agents this offseason, which would be essential considering how young both squads are.

So, if there was a team that had a chance it might be San Jose, even though that seems like a stretch as well. The team does have quite a bit of veteran talent and some top players on their roster which could make them contenders. However, they don’t have enough of that talent and some of it has aged considerably such as Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau (assuming they return to the Sharks next season).

What they don’t seem to have is depth and with little cap room to work with (potential compliance buyouts notwithstanding), there is little incoming youth coming into San Jose. The team has traded most of its top picks and with much of their young talent in the AHL struggling last season, it’s hard to envision the Sharks being overly relevant in a top-heavy Pacific Division. Of course, the team could get a boost from Ryan Merkley next year on defense if he can prove he’s ready to play at the top level, but even that seems like a long-shot. Perhaps some high-quality, inexpensive depth signings could alleviate some of those issues and give the Sharks a chance.

Zach Leach:

Each member of what used to be an elite three-team rivalry in Southern California is looking for a return to form. While the Sharks may have the best veteran pieces and the Kings have the most cap flexibility to improve via free agency and trade, I will give the Ducks the best chance to make it back to the postseason in 2020-21.

I think that Anaheim has more talent than most people realize. It starts in goal with all-world keeper John Gibson, who would be a perennial Vezina candidate if he got more help. On the back end, Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson, and Erik Gudbransson all missed considerable time due to injury this season, but if healthy and backed by youngsters Jacob Larsson, Brendan Guhle, and Josh Mahura, there is the potential for it to be a strong unit.

However, the forward corps is where there is the greatest opportunity for improvement from this season to next. The Ducks’ talent in the pipeline cannot be overlooked. Max Jones, Sam Steel, Troy Terry, Isac Lundestrom and Maxime Comtois will all have another pro season under their belts, while standouts Trevor Zegras and Brayden Tracey will be looking to make an impact as well. Add that group to veterans Ryan Getzlaf, Rickard Rakell, Adam Henrique, and Jakob Silfverberg, as well as new faces Danton Heinen and Sonny Milano, and Anaheim appears to have a number of potential difference-makers.

On paper, the Ducks seem to have the depth to be a contender and could look to add another high-end player, either on the blue line or perhaps as a physical force up front, to further that strength. Anaheim has fallen short of expectations for several years now, but with expectations for next year now lower than they probably should be, the Ducks have a chance to be a surprise playoff team is they can stay healthy and capitalize on their youth and talent.

Gavin Lee:

The loss of Joe Pavelski seemed to have a bigger impact than many expected on the Sharks this season, who at times looked leader-less and lost on the ice. Nothing went right for the team and perhaps they could bounce-back with some offseason tweaks, but I wonder if there isn’t more pain coming in San Jose before any pleasure.

Anaheim too could take a step forward to compete for a playoff spot, given how much young talent is coming up through the system. I’ve been vocal in my live chats for some time expressing my doubts in the real ceiling of some of their recent high draft picks, but there’s still a good chance at least a couple of them hit.

While it’s hard to imagine right now, I actually think that the Kings might be the best bet here.

The team is in the beginning stages of a rebuild no doubt, but there is a lot to like about what they’ve accomplished so far. After stripping several older pieces off the roster they not only loaded up on draft picks—six in the first three rounds this year—but also started playing much better. I’m a huge believer in Cal Petersen as a legitimate starter in the NHL and he showed it with a .922 save percentage in eight appearances, while Gabriel Vilardi is finally healthy enough to show why he was taken so high.

I think a new season with new expectations and new faces could rejuvenate Drew Doughty, allowing him to help mold some of the team’s talented young defenders into a strong unit.

In the games leading up to the league pause, the Kings were 10-2-1 and on a seven-game winning streak. I think that might be a sign of things to come, and they could potentially sneak into the playoffs as soon as next season.

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