Columbus Blue Jackets winger Artemi Panarin may not be willing to negotiate a contract extension with the season underway, but that apparently isn't stopping him from discussing his future with his agent.
Panarin and his agent, Dan Milstein, will sit down and discuss business during the club's bye week in January, Milstein told Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch.
"Artemi and I are going to discuss business when he is ready," Milstein said. "He is genuinely happy with the way things are going this season."
The Blue Jackets don't play a single game from Jan. 20 to 29 thanks to the combination of their bye week and All-Star Weekend.
Panarin is likely set for a raise from his current $6-million salary, and the organization faces a similar scenario with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who privately laid out his future plans with the team in September.
The Blue Jackets sit one point off the Metropolitan Division lead through 24 contests this year. Panarin leads the team with 26 points.
Weber hadn't suited up since Dec. 16, 2017. He missed the remainder of last season due to a tendon tear in his left foot.
The veteran blue-liner was expected to make a full recovery over the offseason, but a knee injury kept him sidelined for the first 24 games of the 2018-19 campaign.
Weber returns with Montreal holding down the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. It's his first appearance for the Canadiens since being named the 30th captain in franchise history.
The 33-year-old finished last season with 16 points in 26 games.
Former Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall showed a high level of loyalty to head coach Dave Hakstol. So much so that Hextall preferred to keep Hakstol instead of pursuing the second-most winningest coach in league history.
Joel Quenneville's name immediately came up after he was fired by the Chicago Blackhawks but Hextall wanted to stick to his plan, Flyers CEO Dave Scott revealed during a Tuesday press conference, according to USA Today's Dave Isaac.
Team president Paul Holmgren already stated Hakstol's fate will be determined by the club's new GM.
The Philadelphia Flyers may not wait until the general manager's chair is filled before looking for some insurance between the pipes.
That was the message from team president Paul Holmgren - the Flyers' GM from 2006 to 2014 - at a Tuesday press conference following Monday's firing of Ron Hextall.
"If I can make our team better, I'd be foolish not to look at it," Holmgren said when asked if he's interested in adding short-term goaltending help, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
Goalie
Record
GAA
SP
Brian Elliott
6-7-0
2.59
.911
Calvin Pickard
4-2-2
4.01
.863
Michal Neuvirth
0-1-0
6.00
.727
Anthony Stolarz
0-0-0
2.52
.943
Alex Lyon
0-1-0
12.00
.667
To say it's been a challenging campaign in the Philadelphia crease would be an understatement. Starter Brian Elliott has missed the past two weeks with a lower-body injury and backup Michal Neuvirth has been limited to a single appearance due to an undisclosed ailment.
Those injuries have forced the Flyers to reach deep down their depth chart; Calvin Pickard, Alex Lyon, and Anthony Stolarz have all been called upon through 23 games this season.
Carter Hart remains the team's future in goal though the 20-year-old has struggled in his first pro season, posting a 3.61 goals-against average and an .884 save percentage in 12 AHL games.
Matthews has yet to be medically cleared but hopes to be in the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the San Jose Sharks.
The 21-year-old has been sidelined for the past 14 games after he suffered a shoulder injury against the Winnipeg Jets in late October. He still sits fifth in team scoring with 16 points in 11 games despite the missed time.
A potential NHL expansion franchise in Seattle will have a building to play in by 2020 - at least according to mayor Jenny Durkan.
"We think it can (be ready) and so does (Oak View Group). Every major project there's surprises, things you don't plan for and can't expect, and we know that and try to build in those contingencies. But our plan is to open in 2020," Durkan said, according to King 5's Chris Daniels. "We want it; they want it. I think we are going to have the best arena - I think in America."
KeyArena is currently undergoing a $700-million renovation in preparation for an NHL expansion team. It's home to the WNBA's Seattle Storm and is the former residence of the NBA's now-defunct Seattle SuperSonics.
A vote to grant an expansion franchise to Seattle and prospective owner Oak View Group is expected to take place at the league's board of governors meeting next week. It's uncertain whether the potential team would play its inaugural season in 2020 or 2021; the league may lean towards the former if the arena is ready for action.
The Philadelphia Flyers dismissed Ron Hextall on Monday, ending his four-and-a-half-year run as general manager after a particularly ugly 6-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs two days earlier.
Hextall became an icon for the franchise with his fiery temperament, but his approach to his GM work was significantly different. The 54-year-old preferred a patient, draft-and-develop-internally mentality that felt foreign in tumultuous Philadelphia.
Reflecting on his tenure with the Flyers, here are four blunders that played a major role in his firing.
Dealing Brayden Schenn for Jori Lehtera and two 1st-round draft picks
Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / Getty
To be fair to Hextall, not many of his trades were disastrous for the Flyers. But this one - which sent Schenn, a big-bodied, skilled forward to the St. Louis Blues for Lehtera - seemed to go egregiously against the spirit of Philly and its NHL team.
Here, you had Schenn, a talented youngster who had scored 25 goals for the Flyers in his final season with the club, traded for Lehtera, who had never scored more than 14. Sure, there was a salary-cap element that slightly favored Lehtera - he had one fewer year on his contract, which was about $400,000 less costly than Schenn’s deal - but did that really offset the production differential?
While the Flyers did acquire a pair of first-round picks in the deal - selecting center Morgan Frost and winger Joel Farabee - both players are still not close to contributing with the NHL club. And Hextall won't be around to see how they make out.
You have to give him credit for untangling the Flyers from their previously messy cap situation. But in the process, Hextall may have squeezed a little too tightly on the Schenn/Lehtera deal and wound up hurting Philadelphia’s ability to be a true offensive juggernaut.
Lehtera - with one goal and three points this year - hasn't been the answer in that department, while Schenn’s eight assists and 13 points in 18 games would've been a welcome sight in Flyers land. And although one bad trade isn't enough to fire any NHL GM, Hextall’s most notable deal evidently did not work out as he’d envisioned.
Refusing to go with a proven No. 1 goaltender
Debora Robinson / National Hockey League / Getty
For years, if not decades, the Flyers’ adventures in goaltending have been a story that could be filed in either the horror, comedy, or tragedy section of a bookstore. Things haven't changed this season: due to injury or substandard play, Philadelphia already has had five different goalies play at least one game, and not one of them has stepped up to claim the starter’s role.
Indeed, in the last game Hextall served as GM - when Philly was in Toronto - the Flyers were sunk less than halfway through the first period by poor goaltending. The fact Hextall - one of the top goalies of his generation - failed to acquire a netminder who could carry a team is an ongoing mystery.
That's not to say he needed to pull off some blockbuster trade for Carey Price. For example, Carter Hutton was languishing in the backup role in St. Louis until Sabres GM Jason Botterill plucked him out of there and made him Buffalo’s top netminder. Goaltending matters, and Hextall’s biggest mistake may have been his inability or refusal to acquire a goalie capable of being elite.
Hiring Dave Hakstol
Bill Wippert / National Hockey League / Getty
When Hextall brought in Hakstol to coach the team in May 2015, it was clear the Flyers were about to be a more defensive-minded group. He was successful at the NCAA level, but that doesn’t always translate to the NHL.
Though Hakstol has guided the Flyers to a playoff appearance in two of three years on the job, he has yet to coach Philadephia to a playoff series win and has begun this season 10-11-2. Although a coach is only as good as his goalie, the reality is, in a pressure-cooker environment like Philly, coaching four seasons without notable success (or even clear progress) usually doesn’t end well, and certainly doesn’t signal multiple future contract extensions.
Standing by Dave Hakstol
Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / Getty
Hextall's firing could ultimately come down to his decision to stick with Hakstol.
In the statement announcing Hextall’s dismissal, Holmgren mentioned philosophical differences - those differences could have included Hakstol remaining behind the bench.
Hockey can be a cold game, and sometimes you have to take the road less traveled if you wish to survive. It appears Hextall chose his relationship with Hakstol over his employment as GM. And while that’s his decision, it ultimately means he won't be able to see out his vision in Philadelphia.
It wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement, but Dave Hakstol's performance behind the Philadelphia Flyers' bench was given a light vote of confidence by team president Paul Holmgren at Tuesday's press conference.
Holmgren was speaking following Monday's dismissal of general manager Ron Hextall, who'd been at the helm since 2014. On Tuesday, he noted that one of the reasons leading to Hextall's firing was his unyielding approach.
"(Hextall) had his plan and he was sticking to it," Holmgren said.
As for Hakstol, he remains on as head coach, though his future will be determined by the incoming general manager.
"I'd hate to say Dave Hakstol's fate is in the hands of the new GM, but it is," Holmgren said, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
Hakstol's in his fourth year with the Flyers and owns a 132-97-40 record. He's made the playoffs in two of the past three seasons.
Dean Lombardi won't be the next general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers, and apparently, it won't be Chris Pronger either.
Team president Paul Holmgren said Tuesday that Lombardi is not interested in filling the GM vacancy, according to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Lombardi guided the Los Angeles Kings to Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014 and currently serves as senior adviser with the Flyers.
Former Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger isn't a candidate for the job, a source told Carchidi. Pronger's spent the past two seasons as senior adviser with the Florida Panthers.
In the second edition of theScore's Calder Trophy Power Rankings, we spotlight four newcomers to the list, all of whom are still chasing down the runaway favorite out in Vancouver. You can read October's rankings here.
5. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Montreal Canadiens
Francois Lacasse / National Hockey League / Getty
Playing center as an 18-year-old in the NHL is no easy feat, and Kotkaniemi's already established himself as a future pillar for hockey's most storied franchise.
His production (12 points in 24 games) isn't setting any records, but he's only averaging 13 minutes per night. It's clear he's comfortable making plays at the highest level, and his hockey sense routinely creates positive results for his teammates. What's more, Kotkaniemi's five-on-five Corsi For percentage (55.89) ranks fifth on the Canadiens. It'll be intriguing to see if he's rewarded with an increased role as the Habs' surprising season progresses.
4. Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
Glenn James / National Hockey League / Getty
Heiskanen is full steam ahead in his rookie season, leading all freshman skaters by averaging 22:46 per contest - a mark that also ranks third on the Stars.
John Klingberg's injury has elevated Heiskanen's role to top-pairing duties, and the 19-year-old hardly looks out of place. He's notched 10 points in 24 contests and ranks third among all rookies with 47 shots on goal.
Heiskanen possess both the speed and the skating ability to jump into the rush and then seamlessly get back on defense. It's only a matter of time until he blossoms into one of the league's top blue-liners.
3. Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
Bill Wippert / National Hockey League / Getty
Although Buffalo has impressed as a team overall, Dahlin's contributions to the red-hot Sabres can't go unnoticed.
The 2018 No. 1 overall pick is tied for second in rookie scoring with 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) through 24 games, and regularly displays his generational instincts with dazzling rushes, passes, and scoring chances. Dahlin is also one of two Sabres defensemen on the positive side of the team's shot share at five-on-five (51.89 percent), and he has a plus-5 plus-minus rating.
His start may be quieter than initially expected, but Dahlin is living up to the hype in his first taste of NHL action.
2. Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
Andre Ringuette / National Hockey League / Getty
Tkachuk might've surpassed Elias Pettersson in these rankings if it weren't for a nine-game injury absence, but the No. 2 spot will have to suffice for now.
In only 13 contests, Tkachuk ranks second among Calder candidates with seven tallies, adding six assists in the process. He plays a likable, hard-nosed style that leads to plenty of goals from in tight, and his early presence is making Ottawa's decision to forfeit their 2019 first-round pick in favor of drafting Tkachuk look more justifiable each game.
He's got quite a personality, too:
Tkachuk on Thursday’s fight: “I just thought it was a high hit...and especially on my landlord (Mark Stone). That’s me paying rent”
Simply put, it's Pettersson's trophy to lose at this point.
His pace has slowed down a touch over the course of a road-heavy schedule and a return from injury, but Pettersson still leads all rookies with 13 goals and 21 points through his first 20 games. He's also already become a top-level power-play threat, registering eight points so far on Vancouver's 17th-ranked power play.
The Canucks may be stuck in a rut, but Pettersson's contributions alone are worth the price of admission as he continues to make his mark as a freshman superstar.
