The Calgary Flames and forward Mark Jankowski have settled on a two-year, $3.35 million contract, two days before the 23-year-old's scheduled arbitration hearing, the team announced on Wednesday.
Jankowski, drafted 21st overall by the Flames in 2012, reached the conclusion of his entry-level deal at the end of the 2017-18 season, his first as a regular in the NHL.
Jankowski scored 17 goals and added eight assists while averaging over 13 minutes per contest in 72 games during the 2017-18 season. With him signed, the Flames have three remaining restricted free agents to secure: Garnet Hathaway, Brett Kulak, and the recently acquired Noah Hanifin.
Lets face it - if you're not quick on the trigger in your fantasy league, it will be difficult to draft a Vezina-caliber goalie.
But even though the Bobrovskys and Vasilevskiys are sure to go early, you can still find value in later rounds. Here are five goalies who could outperform expectations and be fantasy studs in 2018-19:
Keith Kinkaid, Devils
Kinkaid is coming off a season in which he posted an absurd 26-10-3 record for New Jersey while playing in nearly half the team's games due in large part to Cory Schneider's injury woes.
The 29-year-old certainly proved that he's capable of being a No. 1, as he posted a .913 save percentage and a 2.77 goals-against average - both of which were better than Schneider's marks.
Kinkaid actually started the first two games of the playoffs before Schneider took over, and you can expect the latter to be on a shorter leash next season while Kinkaid could eventually retake the starting job.
Antti Raanta, Coyotes
Raanta was limited to 47 appearances last season due to various injuries, but excelled in that time, finishing second among all netminders who played at least 30 games in both save percentage (.930) and goals-against average (2.24).
Additionally, Raanta posted those stellar numbers on a struggling team, as the Coyotes finished last in the Western Conference with just 70 points despite some improvements down the stretch.
That means Raanta could be in line for a big season if he can stay healthy and sustain his strong play.
Philipp Grubauer, Avalanche
Grubauer was arguably the most coveted goaltender who was expected to be on the market this offseason before being traded to Colorado, where he subsequently signed a three-year deal.
The 26-year-old served as Braden Holtby's second-in-command in Washington over the past three years, and briefly stole the starting role last season with a series of dominant performances before watching Holtby backstop the team to the Stanley Cup.
Through his career to date, Grubauer has dressed in 101 games while going 43-31-11 with a 2.29 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.
Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic has stated that he hopes both Grubauer and Semyon Varlamov will challenge for the No. 1 spot. If he earns the job, Grubauer could see much more playing time than he's ever had, which could make him a great late pickup for your fantasy team.
Scott Darling, Hurricanes
Darling was simply terrible last season, as he posted the worst save percentage of any goalie to play at least 25 games (.888), while giving up 3.18 goals per contest.
However, some of Darling's struggles can be attributed to the quality of shots he faced. The Hurricanes actually allowed the fewest shots in the league, but 42.5 percent of the ones they allowed at five-on-five were of the high-danger variety, the fifth-highest percent in the NHL.
In 2018-19, Carolina should have a stronger blue line following the acquisitions of Dougie Hamilton and Calvin de Haan.
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes said goodbye to Cam Ward in free agency and brought in career backup Petr Mrazek, suggesting they're likely hoping to give Darling another chance to be the No. 1. And considering Darling had rocked a 2.37 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage over his career prior to his disastrous 2017-18, he could be a value pick late in drafts if he recaptures his form.
Carter Hutton, Sabres
This season will be Hutton's first big test in the NHL.
After serving as a backup to Pekka Rinne in Nashville and then to Jake Allen in St. Louis - where he stole the show when he played in 2017-18 - Hutton signed with the Buffalo Sabres, where he's expected to be the starting netminder as the team searches for stability between the pipes.
Last season, Hutton quietly paced the entire league with a .931 save percentage and a 2.09 goals-against average in 32 appearances. His numbers aren't expected to be as rosy in Buffalo - which finished last in the NHL in 2017-18 - but the Sabres added depth this offseason by acquiring Conor Sheary, Patrik Berglund, and Vladimir Sobotka, while bringing in a generational talent in No. 1 overall draft pick Rasmus Dahlin.
Hutton could be a steal late in your draft, as he's talented and will be given every chance to succeed in his first starting role.
That meant the Czech middleman could potentially return for training camp, but his status has since been pushed back to late November or early December, Stars general manager Jim Nill told Sean Shapiro of The Athletic.
A series of injuries limited Hanzal to just 38 games last season, with his final appearance coming Feb. 21 when he lasted just one period before leaving with a lower-body injury.
In signing Dano, the Jets avoid an arbitration date that was set for July 30. Winnipeg now has five restricted free agents left to re-sign, including defenseman Josh Morrissey.
A frequent healthy scratch last season, Dano was limited to just 23 appearances, in which he picked up three points.
The Winnipeg Jets have re-signed restricted free-agent defenseman Tucker Poolman to a three-year, $2.325-million deal, the team announced Tuesday.
Poolman appeared in 24 games with the Jets last season after making his NHL debut in October. He recorded one goal and one assist while averaging 12:34 of ice time.
Winnipeg selected the 25-year-old in the fifth round of the 2013 NHL Draft.
The contract includes another potential $500,000 in performance bonuses.
"Brooks has been a valuable player and a great mentor for our young players and we are thrilled to bring him back to our organization," general manager Brian MacLellan said in a release. "We feel his leadership and competitiveness on and off the ice will be welcomed back to our group."
Orpik was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche at the draft in June along with goaltender Philipp Grubauer. Then the Avalanche bought out the final year of his five-year, $27.5-million contract.
The 37-year-old has played the last four years with the Capitals and helped the club win its first Stanley Cup in franchise history this past spring. He tallied just 10 assists in 81 games during the regular season and added a goal and five points in the playoffs.
TORONTO - Hundreds of coaches from all levels of hockey gathered at Humber College this past weekend for the TeamSnap Hockey Coaches Conference.
The annual two-day event featured a series of presentations from a diverse list of speakers. This year’s headliners included two former NHL head coaches, Senators associate coach Marc Crawford and Oilers assistant coach Glen Gulutzan.
Industry meet-ups can be useful for identifying tactical trends across the NHL.
From an Xs and Os perspective, the study of different offensive zone entries is definitely in vogue. And coaches are almost exclusively promoting creativity over mundane approaches like the dump-and-chase.
Jets assistant coach Todd Woodcroft broke down the importance of puck management and forcing the opposition to make mistakes when hemmed in their own end.
"Hockey, really, it’s not about scoring," Woodcroft said, quoting his boss, Jets head coach Paul Maurice. "Hockey is about creating offensive zone time, offensive zone pressure, and sustaining it."
Todd Woodcroft (The Coaches Site/F10 Sports Photography)
Upon entry, the puck carrier has a number of viable options. A popular pick: feeding the puck to a teammate streaking through the middle of the ice. Woodcroft noted that some teams - like the Maple Leafs, Oilers, Sharks, Blackhawks, and Jets - are known as "middle drive" clubs, meaning they nearly always attempt to feed that streaker.
Naturally, Woodcroft used Jets winger Patrik Laine to demonstrate this type of entry. Laine, who has 80 goals in 155 NHL games, is exceptional at hustling to the net while a teammate brings the puck into the offensive zone. The Finnish sniper will find the middle lane and prepare for a scoring chance.
Below are a couple of examples of Laine doing his thing. Notice in these two GIFs how Laine keeps his feet moving through transition, presents himself as a pass target, and reacts instantly when the puck enters his orbit:
Laine's signature move may be his wicked shot, but his willingness to make a B-line for the goalmouth is probably underrated. He loves that middle lane.
Woodcroft, who broke into the NHL in 2000 as a video coach for the Minnesota Wild, says the Jets encourage all of their skaters "to take the ice in front of them at all times." If a defenseman happens to be the puck carrier at the offensive blue line, so be it.
"It used to be that the D were told to hold the blue line - your job is to defend," he said of a league-wide trend toward operating in five-man units. "Now we’re seeing how much the D are involved. Guys like Erik Karlsson - not only are they involved in the rush, they’re leading the rush."
Hartsburg an open book to teens
Mental health awareness is another area of the sport - and society, for that matter - gaining traction.
Chris Hartsburg is doing his part to minimize the suck-it-up attitude prevalent inside dressing rooms. The 38-year-old head coach of the OHL’s Erie Otters has no problem telling players about his battle with depression.
"For me, it’s nothing to be afraid of," Hartsburg said in an interview. "There’s not as much stigma towards it anymore and it’s slowly starting to get to the point where everyone is being very open about it. But, you still have the issues where people are either ashamed, afraid, or they don’t know what’s going on, and I think it’s important to have open dialogue about it."
Hartsburg says he was diagnosed with eight concussions during a playing career that plateaued with five pro seasons. The Colorado College alumnus suffered all eight in his mid-20s, but he didn't start suffering from depression until his 30s.
"You’re in a dark place. You don’t feel like getting out of bed," said the son of former NHL head coach Chris Hartsburg. "You just sit there and don’t do anything and, fortunately, my wife was a big turning point for me and helping me feel better about myself. She pushed me to get help, see a therapist, and find the medication that works for me. Those are the types of things that I found worked.
"I can’t control my depression, unfortunately. It’s going to be there and, potentially, it could get worse. I can combat it. I’m active, I did as much as I can to get outside and enjoy the outdoor life. But it wasn’t fun and it’s something that I don’t allow to control me anymore."
Where is the love for goalies?
Steve Briere of the Maple Leafs made a valid point during his presentation outlining a development plan for goalies - North Americans don’t give netminders enough TLC.
Through work trips overseas, the renowned goalie coach has noticed some countries - namely goalie factories Sweden and Finland - place a greater emphasis on building up the position and the people playing it from an early age.
"The No. 1 thing they do is they praise goaltenders," Briere said of Finland, home to NHL starters Pekka Rinne, Tuukka Rask, and Antti Raanta.
Briere feels that parents and coaches in Canada and the U.S. tend to make excuses for why young players shouldn’t be goalies. He constantly hears about kids being too skilled or too tall or too fast to strap on the pads.
Also grinding his gears: "Goalies only try to work on the mental side of the game when they start struggling. The problem with (that strategy is that) it’s too late. You talk to a goalie when he’s struggling and he doesn’t hear half of the things you’re saying to him. OK? So that’s something we need to work on every day."
Briere, as you can imagine, is the ultimate goalie spokesperson.
"Everything I have in my life is from being a goalie. I’m a midget. I’m a short, fat, bald guy from Winnipeg," he said. "I’ve got a masters degree, a beautiful wife, beautiful kids, I’ve been around the world - all from being a goalie. It was the greatest gift I’ve ever been given."
Jagr apparently a man of his word
Photo courtesy: Getty Images
Finally, an anecdote about the man, the myth, the legend - Jaromir Jagr.
Presenter Dave Barr, who coached the future Hall of Famer in both New Jersey (2013-14, 2014-15) and Florida (2015-16), relayed an amusing story from an undisclosed assistant coach.
"There’s a knock at the door. He’s the closest coach to the door so he goes to the door and it’s Jagr," started Barr, now an assistant coach for the San Jose Sharks.
"Jagr says, 'Tell the (head) coach that I feel great tonight. I feel great, tell the coach I feel great. I get points, I get goals for sure tonight. Tell him!'
"Coaches meeting is a half hour later and the head coach, at the end, says 'Anybody got anything?' Assistant coach says, 'Yeah,' he goes, 'Jagr came by and said he feels great tonight, can you give him a few extra shifts?' Head coach goes, 'OK, I’ll squeeze him in, I’ll give him a few extra shifts.'
"That game: two and two. Jagr: two goals, two assists. And they win.
"Next game, knock on the door - this is a true story ... same assistant coach goes to the door, opens it, 'I feel good again, I’m telling you I feel great. Tell the coach to play me!'
"He gets three and one.
"So, this goes on for a little bit ...
"Another knock on the door - this is a couple of weeks later now. Assistant coach (thinks it’s) Jagr again. Opens the door, it’s Jagr.
"Jagr says, 'Tell the coach I just got back from Vegas, I feel like s---! Don’t play me too much tonight!'"
Watson will be placed on probation, and any violation could result in up to a year in jail. Among the conditions of his probation, Watson is ordered to complete 26 weeks of a batterer intervention course.
If convicted, Austin faces up to 11 months and 29 days in jail, and up to a $2,500 fine.
The 26-year-old was free on $4,500 bond, and the Predators released the following statement after his arrest.
