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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.

Central Notes: Montgomery, Jokiharju, Myers, Staal

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Dallas Stars head coach Jim Montgomery was hoping for a more impressive performance Saturday against the St. Louis Blues. He spoke to the players about the importance of coming out strong against St. Louis in the second game with them in five games. Instead, the team didn’t come out at all and suffered a disappointing 3-1 loss, frustrating the head coach to no end as the team, according to NHL.com’s Mike Heika.

“It’s frustrating,” Montgomery said. “I’m very frustrated that I haven’t been able to gain consistency in our performance and I haven’t been able to change the culture of mediocrity.”

The team was already coming off a disappointing loss to the struggling Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday as the team looked uninterested throughout much of the game. The team hired Montgomery to turn the franchise around and develop a talented team into a constant playoff threat, but the team has been quite inconsistent despite being third in the Central Division with a 23-19-4 record for 50 points. Unfortunately, six teams are within five points of them in the Western Conference, so there is no guarantee that Dallas will even make the playoffs.

“There have been some times, after a horrible period, where it’s their room,” Montgomery said of finding ways to motivate the team. “’You guys need to bring it forth.’ Unfortunately, there have been too many times where we have to think about how to motivate these guys. That’s a problem in and of itself that we have had to do that so many times this year already.”

  • The Chicago Blackhawks, who continually are making adjustments on their defense, made a minor tweak to their defense Saturday night when the team moved right-handed defenseman Henri Jokiharju to the left side of the blueline, according to Jimmy Greenfield of the Chicago Tribune. The team hopes Jokiharju will make the conversion now because 2018 first-rounder Adam Boqvist is also a right-shot defenseman and would likely be more comfortable on the right. “I think he was pretty good (on the left),” head coach Jeremy Colliton said. “He looked comfortable to me, made some plays, defended pretty well. So that’s a positive.”
  • Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun reports that Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice said that if defenseman Tyler Myers continues his progress, the veteran defenseman could be an option to return to the lineup Tuesday against Vegas. Myers missed Friday’s game against Detroit with a lower-body injury and is not expected to play tonight against Anaheim. The 6-foot-6 Myers is an instrumental figure in the team’s defense, especially while the team is without Dustin Byfuglien.
  • Mike Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that if anyone is going to need a break when the all-star game hits, it will be the Minnesota Wild’s Eric Staal, who has really looked slow lately and is in one giant rut. The 34-year-old forward, who could end up being a potential trade candidate as the trade deadline nears, struggled throughout the game Saturday against Detroit and continues to commit multiple turnovers. He has just one goal in his past 13 games and has just 13 goals at the midway point in the season.

Minor Transactions: 01/13/19

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It’s a relatively busy Sunday for the NHL as six games are scheduled for today, including an afternoon tilt between the Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes. While the league prepares for another important week, we’ll be here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • The San Jose Sharks have sent Rourke Chartier back to the minor leagues, given the team doesn’t play again until Tuesday. The 22-year old forward has played 13 games with the Sharks this season but has just a single goal. He very well could be recalled once again in a few days.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Kole Sherwood, a 21-year old forward that spent time in the ECHL earlier this year. The hometown kid has seven points in 22 games for the AHL Cleveland Monsters, but will get a shot to see what life is like in the NHL for at least a little while.
  • Jordan Kyrou and Jordan Nolan have bother been recalled by the St. Louis Blues, giving the team two forward options in very different situations. Kyrou is still trying to get his footing in his first season as a professional, but has recently found his way as the AHL Rookie of the Month for December. Nolan meanwhile is just trying to hold onto his NHL career after finding himself in the minor leagues this season for the first time since 2012-13.
  • In a minor transaction, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that St. Louis Blues’ goalie prospect Evan Fitzpatrick has been re-assigned from the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL to the Tulsa of the ECHL. The scribe adds the transaction is significant because it likely suggests that prospect Ville Husso might be ready to return from injury, which could provide the Blues with a solid emergency goaltender down the road. The 20-year-old Fitzpatrick has served as an emergency backup already, but has spent most of his season in Tusla.
  • The Vancouver Canucks announced they have assigned center Adam Gaudette to the Utica Comets of the AHL as the team expects the return of Josh Leivo, who has been out with back spasms. The former Hobey Baker Award winner spent the early portion of the season with Vancouver, learning as a bottom-line player, but was sent to Utica to get more playing time in. He has been producing in Utica, posting three goal and seven points in seven games, including a two goal, three-point performance on Jan. 5th. He was then recalled after Elias Pettersson went down with his knee injury and scored a goal in his one appearance on Thursday against Arizona.
  • The Arizona Coyotes announced they have recalled goaltender Calvin Pickard from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL now that his conditioning stint is over. The team claimed Pickard off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers due to injuries to both Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper. However, with Kuemper healthy once again and the emergence of Adin Hill, the Coyotes would have to keep Pickard around as a third goaltender, which they may not want to do. Pickard struggled in four appearances in Tuscon, despite a 3-0 record, posting a 3.47 GAA and a .889 save percentage.

Central Notes: Simmonds, Delia, Schwartz

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Despite a recent report that the Winnipeg Jets might be one of the many suitors for power forward Wayne Simmonds at the trade deadline, that may not be the case, according to Winnipeg Sun’s Ken Weibe.

While the scribe writes that it makes perfect sense that the Nashville Predators and the Jets, the two top teams in the Central Division, would be interested in the 6-foot-2 winger who can score. However, with two impressive lines already, the team might be paying quite a bit to bring in a player for their third line, considering the team likely wouldn’t have enough money to sign him during the offseason anyway.

Wiebe adds that the team is more likely to either add a left-handed defenseman to add to their injury-depleted blueline or bring in a center for their second line, much like the team did a year ago when they went out and traded for Paul Stastny. That trade deadline acquisition was quite successful as Stastny gelled immediately with Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers, posting six goals and 17 points in the playoffs last season as they went all the way to the Western Conference Finals before losing to Vegas.

  • Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that the Chicago Blackhawks may have found their goaltender of the future in Collin Delia. The 24-year-old has been impressive since being called up to fill in for the injured Corey Crawford. While six games is a small sample size, Delia has been tested often by opposing team as he’s faced 245 shots on goal, yet has posted an admirable .939 save percentage and helped the Blackhawks to 10 of a possible 12 points in the standings when he’s in net. With Crawford’s long-term status in Chicago a question mark, the team has some hope that they already have his replacement ready to go.
  • The Athletic’s Evan Sporer (subscription required) writes that while the 2017-18 season suggested the St. Louis Blues’ winger Jaden Schwartz was as consistent a player as the team had, it has been the total opposite this season. Schwartz has just one goal in the last 17 games and has had trouble putting the puck in the net on a struggling Blues team as he has just three goals and 17 points in 29 games this season. Sporer digs deeper, noting that Schwartz is taking shots as he is taking shots at a career-high level this season and is on target to 180 shots in 69 games. Despite that, Schwartz has been getting very similar looks from last year, but just hasn’t been able to put it in this season with the scribe suggesting that his goal totals could start increasing soon.

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.

Blues Place Tyler Bozak And Robert Thomas On IR

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The Blues have taken another hit up front as the team has announced that centers Tyler Bozak and Robert Thomas have been placed on injured reserve.  Thomas suffered a shoulder injury in the first period last night against Montreal while Bozak has missed the previous three games due to a concussion.

Bozak is in his first season with St. Louis after signing a three-year, $15MM deal in free agency this summer.  His offensive numbers (18 points in 39 games) have dipped slightly from his time in Toronto but he has still logged over 16 minutes a night.  Meanwhile, Thomas locked down a regular spot in the lineup as a 19-year-old and has spent the majority of the season in the bottom six while chipping in with 14 points in 37 contests.

No corresponding roster moves have been announced but with two open spots and only 12 forwards on their current roster, it wouldn’t be surprising to see at least one player brought up soon.  With their farm team in action tonight, they will likely wait until after that time to determine their moves.

Regardless of what they do, one of those spots could soon be filled by winger Alex Steen.  Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that Steen will be with the team on their upcoming four-game road trip, suggesting that he could be getting closer to returning.  He has missed the last two games with a shoulder issue of his own and while it was initially thought that he could be out until after the All-Star break, it appears that he may be ahead of schedule now.

Brayden Schenn Drawing Interest As Trade Deadline Approaches

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The St. Louis Blues certainly haven’t had the season they expected, and even if they win tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens (which they lead 3-0 at the time of this writing) are still down another man. Robert Thomas left the game with an apparent shoulder injury and will not return. While that may not end up being anything serious, it’s just another frustrating development in a season full of them. The Blues sit in last place in the Central Division with a 17-20-4 record and can see their playoff hopes slipping away.

That’s almost certainly why a new Blues player is in the news every week as a potential trade target, and this time it’s Brayden Schenn who is drawing interest from around the league. That’s according to Pierre LeBrun on the latest edition of Insider Trading for TSN, who states that the Blues are in “full listening mode” after the frustrating start to the year. LeBrun uses the Boston Bruins as a specific team who are keeping an eye on Schenn, which makes sense given their struggles with secondary scoring and depth down the middle.

It won’t be just Boston interested in Schenn if he’s put up for sale near the trade deadline though, as there’s a lot to like from the player who recorded 70 points last season. Still just 27 years old, Schenn carries just a $5.125MM cap hit for this season and next before hitting unrestricted free agency. While that 70-point mark may be unreachable this year, he still does have 24 points in 37 games while offering some physicality and solid puck possession skills. If teams are looking for something more than the rental options of Kevin Hayes or Matt Duchene, Schenn would be an enticing player given his reasonable salary and big upside.

We’ve seen what that upside costs before though, as Schenn was traded to the Blues less than two years ago for a package that included two first-round picks. Even with a somewhat down year and a lot less time remaining on his contract the price tag is sure to be pretty steep on a player of Schenn’s caliber, which is why LeBrun suggests that some of the big trades St. Louis is planning might have to wait until the summer. Still, if a for sale sign is put up outside the Enterprise Center, there is sure to be plenty of buyers knocking on the doors.

Minor Transactions: 01/10/19

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It’s another busy day in the NHL with 24 teams in action, including the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks who are battling for position in the Pacific Division. As teams prepare for tonight we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo once again, who will serve as backup for Michael Hutchinson tonight. Frederik Andersen is close to returning for Toronto but will be held out of at least one more contest as he continues to rehab from a groin injury. Kaskisuo played yesterday for the Toronto Marlies, and has still not received a single start in the NHL.
  • Mackenzie MacEachern scored twice for the San Antonio Rampage last night and today he’s headed to the NHL. The St. Louis Blues have recalled the 24-year old forward for the first time this season. MacEachern is still waiting for his NHL debut, but has 15 points in 31 games for the Rampage this season.
  • With Mike Green returning to the Detroit Red Wings lineup, the team has sent Brian Lashoff back to the minor leagues. Lashoff has been bouncing up and down, but is still waiting for his first chance to actually play in an NHL game this season.
  • Brandon Pirri was returned to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. However, hours later, he was recalled to Vegas, per the AHL’s Transactions Page.  Pirri has scored seven goals and ten points in his eight appearances for the Golden Knights, but is in a tough situation as one of the only waiver-exempt players on the roster. Should Pirri play two more games with the Golden Knights he would become waiver eligible again.
  • Troy Grosenick has been recalled under emergency conditions by the Nashville Predators.  He’s taking the place of Juuse Saros who is day-to-day due to illness.

Sergei Andronov Drawing NHL Interest

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About this time every year, rumors start to pop up regarding the top KHL players who could have NHL suitors in a few months. Today, it was reported that Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is in Russia to scout some of their own players and potentially meet upcoming free agents. One of those pending free agents is Sergei Andronov, who Darren Dreger of TSN reports is a “player of interest” for the Maple Leafs and “several” other NHL clubs. Dreger notes that Andronov could command a salary of somewhere between $1.5-2.0MM next season.

If you’re a St. Louis Blues fan scratching your head wondering where you’ve heard the name Andronov before, it’s because he was a third-round pick of the team back in 2009. He even came to North America and signed an AHL contract in 2012 to play in the minor leagues, before earning a one-year entry-level contract with the Blues. Unfortunately, that would be the end of his affiliation with that organization as he would return to the KHL and CSKA Moscow in 2014, where he has remained ever since.

Andronov doesn’t bring a ton of offensive upside, but is an elite faceoff man and a capable defensive center. It makes sense that he would be drawing interest as a fourth-line and penalty killing option for an NHL team, though they’ll have to convince him to leave one of the most stable organizations in the KHL. Andronov recently suited up for Russia at the Olympics and World Championships, and will be a name to watch over the next few months. Though his contract only officially runs through the end of April, Dreger notes that Andronov will only be making the (potential) move for the 2019-20 season.

Blues’ Patrick Maroon Likely To Be Traded

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Last season, Patrick Maroon was moved by the Edmonton Oilers at the NHL Trade Deadline to the New Jersey Devils for a third-round pick and prospect Joey Dudek. Maroon had 30 points in 57 games with the Oilers, on pace for the best offensive season of his career, but was even better on the other side of the deal, adding 13 points in 17 games to finish with 43 points on the year. This off-season, Maroon was expected to cash in on that success as a free agent. Instead, he signed an unexpectedly small one-year, $1.75MM deal with his hometown St. Louis Blues. Even with the local connection, many speculated that there must be a handshake agreement between the two sides for a more substantial extension once some salary could be moved off the roster this upcoming summer, an idea fueled by the unusual combination of a full no-trade clause on a single-year contract.

Well, it appears that won’t be happening after all. The season has not gone according to plan for Maroon or the Blues. The team has been struggling greatly despite several prominent off-season additions and Maroon has been part of the problem. The big winger has just three goals and eleven points in 32 games for St. Louis and has frequently been a healthy scratch. The Blues are not quitting on the season; in fact, the team with the fewest games played in the league looks far worse in the standings than their actual points percentage rank would indicate. The playoffs are not an impossibility for St. Louis, but the team is listening on all offers and would not be opposed to moving anyone who isn’t actively helping them win. According to The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford, that includes Maroon, who he expects to be traded by the deadline for a second year in a row.

What about that no-trade clause? Rutherford made the revelation that Maroon’s NTC status changes after January 31st. In the final month ahead of the trade deadline, Maroon no longer has a full no-trade clause, but instead must submit a measly eight-team no-trade list, allowing him to be moved to 22 other teams. So while Maroon is protected through the next few weeks – although Rutherford suggests the team might ask him to waive the clause earlier – the time is coming when the Blues should be able to move Maroon relatively easily.

Of course, the return this season won’t quite be what the Oilers netted last year in a mid-round pick and middling prospect. Especially in the current buyers’ market, the 30-year-old Maroon in a down year will not cost much to a team simply looking to add a bottom-six depth forward. Maroon is a hard-working forward with the versatility to play a scoring role or checking role. Even in a down year, Maroon has the size and motor to be an intriguing addition. He also assured Rutherford that he is not being bothered by any injuries nor has he stopped playing as hard as possible. St. Louis just simply hasn’t been a fit for Maroon, despite his hopes, and no longer looks like a long-term landing spot. The Blues have little reason not to shop him ahead of the deadline and sell him off to the highest bidder. Expect just that to happen by February 26th.

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