With 10 points in 14 games, Nick Ritchie is on the verge of playing himself into protected status. Ondrej Kase (projected to be protected) has missed 12 games due to injury. Meanwhile, youngsters Jakub Zboril and Jeremy Lauzon are playing big minutes for the B’s. – Darren (original post here)
Buffalo Sabres
Sabres Protected List
Watchlist
Buffalo had a middling start, then got shut down for two weeks because of COVID-19 and recently returned with two straight losses to the Islanders. The Sabres are in last place. Forward Tage Thompson failed to deliver when he was on Buffalo’s top line early in the season and has often been a healthy scratch.
Journeyman forward Riley Sheahan earned a roster spot after going to training camp on a professional tryout and has the trust of Sabres coach Ralph Krueger.
Henri Jokiharju’s struggles are reflected in his advanced stats: 44 percent Corsi for (even strength shot differential) and -13 Corsi relative to his teammates that are worst among Buffalo’s defensemen. Jake McCabe, who is due to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, ranks first among Sabres blueliners with a 55.9 Corsi for and 7.5 relative Corsi. – Jim (original post here)
Will Butcher hasn’t played this season and the young defenseman, a comfortable selection for protection this offseason, might have lost his spot to PK Subban. Subban hasn’t lit the world on fire but leads the team in ice time this year. – Josh (original post here)
New York Rangers
Rangers Protected List
Watchlist
The Rangers waived Tony DeAngelo and are trying to trade him after an incident with a teammate after a recent game against Pittsburgh. – Andy (original post here)
Hand up, leaving Vitek Vanecek off my protected list was an oversight. The 25-year-old netminder owns a .906 save percentage this season. It also may be worth wondering if the Capitals aren’t as big of fans of Jonas Siegenthaler as we are. The 23-year-old blueliner has drawn into the lineup in only six of 13 games this season. –Josh (original post here)
Despite a number of Covid-related postponements and delays caused by the run-of-the-mill, everyday blizzard in Texas, there are still a ton of NHL games on the radar this week and weekend that will be of interest to Seattle Kraken fans.
Most notably are the outdoor games.
That’s right, the NHL is moving outdoors. It’s just for the weekend but Saturday and Sunday are highlighted by two games played on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Word is that those shores are of the majestic variety.
For this week, we’ll take a look at those games as well as others you might want to keep an eye on.
Vegas Golden Knights versus Colorado Avalanche
When: Saturday, 12 P.M., NBC
Not only is this a matchup of two of the top teams in the Honda West Division, but it’s the Bridgestone NHL Outdoors at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort game. Not a shabby locale to watch some hockey. You’ll have to watch on television since no fans will be allowed on site.
The game should be just as majestic as the vantage point. Vegas leads the West with a 10-2-1 record in which they’ve fattened up on some of the division’s lesser teams. This will be a big test. Saturday’s game will be the third straight the two clubs have played this week, after splitting the first two.
Both earlier games were fun to watch, competitive hockey games played by two teams loaded with speed and talent. What’s not to love?
Players to watch
Nathan MacKinnon continues to lead the Avalanche in scoring although he’s only potted three goals. The Nova Scotia product has turned into a playmaker at the start of the season with 12 assists in as many games played. Somehow, MacKinnon doesn’t get as much national publicity as Connor McDavid, but he’s in the same class and is always must-watch hockey. Colorado is blessed with a dynamic defense highlighted by Cale Makar who has 12 points this year. But he’s been injured and hasn’t played since February 2nd which has allowed rookie Bowen Byram more playing time. The former Vancouver Giant has high expectations on him and so far, looks the part.
Vegas is just as deep as the Avalanche and led by Mark Stone. He’s a fun player to watch but keep eyes on him no matter where the play is. As proficient a scorer as Stone is, he plays in all zones and starts transitions with puck thievery on the regular. Local fans will recognize defenseman Shea Theodore who is a former captain of the Seattle Thunderbirds. Theodore is off to a good start despite some nagging injuries and appears ready to take the next step into the elite level for defensemen in the NHL.
The Seattle Kraken watchlist
Vegas is exempt from the Kraken Expansion List, so you’ll just be watching them for pure entertainment purposes. Colorado, on the other hand, has a lot of depth that will play to the Kraken’s advantage. Watch guys like defenseman Devon Toews who is a solid two-way blueliner. Also, watch do-it-all forward Joonas Donskoi. The former Shark plays all over the ice and can defend while chipping in offensively, as he has done with 10 points in the first 13 games this season.
Philadelphia Flyers versus Boston Bruins
When: Sunday, 12 P.M. Pacific, NBC
Another great matchup, this time between two of the top teams in the MassMutual East Division. This game is officially the Honda Outdoors Sunday. Luckily for the NHL, the game will be played in the same rink at Tahoe as the Saturday game. That will make set-up easy.
The two teams started Wednesday separated by just four points – Boston is in first – with the Flyers holding one game in hand. Boston is one of the stingiest defensive teams in the NHL by allowing just over two goals per game. Philadelphia combats that with depth up front and defensemen who can move the puck.
That makes for a fun hockey game that will have an impact on the divisional race.
Players to watch
Boston is led by its top line that includes Brad Marchand – who, if you weren’t aware is from Nova Scotia – David Pastrnak, and Patrice Bergeron. The trio is one of the top lines in the NHL and the engine of the Bruins offensive attack. Will the crisp, cool air coming off the lake make Marchand more pest-like? We can only hope.
Marchand and Bergeron are leading the Bruins in scoring but Pastrnak is on the come up after missing games early.
The Flyers still have grizzled veteran Claude Giroux leading the way but are getting a resurgent start from James van Riemsdyk, who is leading them in scoring. He’s doing that by sporting a career-high shooting percentage. Can he keep that up? Tune in and see. Former Everett Silvertips goalie Carter Hart should be front and center at Tahoe which will delight Puget Sound hockey fans.
The Seattle Kraken watchlist
Boston has some interesting options for the Kraken, starting with forward Nick Ritchie, who is off to a hot start that should excite Seattle fans. The Kraken may have a tough decision on which Flyer they will select as their depth will force Philadelphia to lose a good player. Van Riemsdyk is one of those guys and his start is encouraging. Also on that watchlist is defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere who started the season on the injured list but is back in the lineup now.
Other notable NHL games on the radar
Edmonton Oilers versus Calgary Flames: Friday, February 19th 6 P.M. and Saturday, February 20th, 7 P.M. Nothing like a home-and-home two-game set of the Battle of Alberta. It’s just the second time this season but you can bet the heat will dial back up with two games in two nights.
We are updating our Expansion Draft protected lists and Seattle Kraken watchlists all week. Monday we went through the Scotia North Division, and today we step through the Honda West Division.
Anaheim Ducks
Ducks Protected List
Watchlist
Max Jones was a player who had a chance to earn protection but hasn’t been productive and was recently demoted to the taxi squad. Isac Lundestrom was recalled from the taxi squad and has two goals in his first eight games this season. – Andy (original post here)
Arizona Coyotes
Coyotes Protected List
Watchlist
The battle for the seventh protected forward spot in Arizona is being won by Tyler Pitlick who has outperformed Christian Fischer to start the season. – Andy (original post here)
Colorado Avalanche
Avalanche Protected List
Watchlist
Vladislav Kamenev has been playing in the KHL, and although he is still eligible for the Expansion Draft, we are dropping him off the watchlist. There could be an argument to bump Tyson Jost off the protected list to make space for Joonas Donskoi, but Jost is younger and has more potential in front of him. – John (original post here)
Los Angeles Kings
Kings Protected List
Watchlist
It is still VERY hard to predict which direction the Kings will go with several of their protection questions. We now think they will change from eight total skaters to a 7-3-1 protection scheme. Carl Grundstrom has shown some high-level skill this season, which moves him onto our protected list. Dustin Brown has 12 points in 13 games, so he can apparently still play and should be watched. Former Seattle Thunderbird Austin Strand is suddenly playing a role, though this would be more of a bet for the future. – Darren (original post here)
Minnesota Wild
Wild Protected List
Watchlist
Something still has to give here. When we wrote the Wild profile, we assumed Matt Dumba would be traded for a center. That hasn’t happened, and such a deal is appearing less likely as the season goes on. We’re now predicting that general manager Bill Guerin gets one of or both of his veteran forwards with no-movement clauses (Zach Parise and/or Mats Zuccarello) to waive their NMC’s so the Wild don’t have to protect them. This would let Minnesota go the route of protecting eight total skaters, and if that happens, they could keep Dumba while still protecting Jordan Greenway and Joel Eriksson Ek. – Darren (original post here)
San Jose Sharks
Sharks Protected List
Watchlist
Maxim Letunov has yet to get in a game this year, while Dylan Gambrell has been getting more responsibilities with the Sharks and Alexander True has four points in his first four games for the San Jose Barracuda, the Sharks AHL affiliate. We will keep Letunov on the list but feel that Gambrell and True are distancing themselves as better candidates. – John (original post here)
St Louis Blues
Blues Protected List
Watchlist
We are removing Jake Walman from the Kraken watchlist. He has only been in three NHL games this season and seems destined to spend a lot of time on the taxi squad this year. Meanwhile, Justin Faulk is putting together a pretty good season so far with five goals in the first 16 games. – John (original post here)
Loyal Sound Of Hockey readers will know that we have been publishing a synopsis on every NHL team participating in the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft this summer. We identified open issues facing the clubs, potential protected lists, and who the Kraken might keep an eye on from the respective clubs. We started with the Detroit Red Wings in November and finished with the Tampa Bay Lighting earlier this month.
Since then, several events have impacted these projections. There were trades, waivers, and our opinions on players changed through the first month of the NHL season.
This week we will roll out our updated projected protected lists and watchlists for all teams. The first division up is the Scotia North Division.
Calgary Flames
Flames Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
Sam Bennett reportedly wants out of Calgary. If he continues to be unproductive and is still around by the Expansion Draft, it doesn’t make sense for Calgary to protect him over others who want to be there. He should still have a chance to redeem himself in the playoffs, when he usually puts in his best work. – Jim(original post here)
Edmonton Oilers
Oilers Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
We now project the Oilers to pursue the 7-3-1 protected list route with Caleb Jones playing his way out of protection. Jones has frequently been a healthy scratch this season and it’s likely more important for the Oilers to protect someone like Jesse Puljujarvi, a well-regarded prospect that’s playing high in the lineup for Edmonton this season. – Josh(original post here)
Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
Tomas Tatar was a healthy scratch against the Maple Leafs on Saturday which cast doubt on my earlier assumption that he would sign an extension and be protected. I am bumping him off the protected (if signed) list and down to the watchlist. Under this scenario he will likely be unsigned, and therefore the Kraken would need to sign him in their exclusive 48-hour free agent window. Jonathan Drouin moves up to the protected list to take his spot. Jake Evans also moves up on the Kraken watchlist. – John (original post here)
Ottawa Senators
Senators Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
Murray becomes available because of an awful start combined with a $6.25 million per year cap hit through 2023-24. Defenseman Josh Brown has struggled this season and dropped down the depth chart after frequent healthy scratches. – Jim (original post here)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
I am not changing my earlier lists. But if you watched or read Toronto-centric Canadian sports media last week, you’d think Justin Holl was the reincarnation of Bill Barilko. That’s what scoring your first goal in 350 days can do for you in hockey’s Center of the Universe.
Even without his “Hammer Time” shot, Holl was having a good season. But his solid play should not force the Leafs to protect eight skaters instead of the seven forwards and three defensemen option. That would give the Kraken more great options at forward: Zach Hyman, Alex Kerfoot and Pierre Engvall. Either way, the better the Leafs do this season, the possibility for side deals increases so Toronto can keep more core players. – Jim(original post here)
Vancouver Canucks
Canucks Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
Vancouver has been playing so poorly that no one has stepped up significantly to unseat infrequently used forward Jake Virtanen or defenseman Olli Juolevi. Keep an eye on right winger Kole Lind in Utica once the AHL season starts. Goalie Braden Holtby looks less appealing for the Kraken after his rough start, but he hasn’t had much support in front of him.– Jim (original post here)
Winnipeg Jets
Jets Protected List
Expansion Draft Watchlist
Losing Adam Lowry to Winnipeg’s protected list after the Jets’ two-for-one blockbuster trade with Columbus may sting a bit for Seattle. Mason Appleton and Jansen Harkins — the other two forwards on Winnipeg’s watchlist — have yet to register a point this season. – Josh (original post here)
Every Saturday I plan on doing a data dump on something I find interesting around the hockey world. I will approach it with some knowledge, a theory, or based on something I heard in the media that I find worth exploring. Some things may be interesting to you, and some not so much, but I hope you find some appreciation in this data and exploration.
This week I will be exploring some of the demographics across the NHL, specifically player nationalities, birth states of US-born hockey players in the league, and how these have changed year over year.
Nationality of NHL players
Everyone knows that hockey is dominated by Canadians, but not everyone realizes that the percentage of NHLers that are Canadians has been dropping steadily since 1981-82 season.
This is less of a decline of hockey in Canada and more of a testament of hockey’s growing popularity across the world, particularly in the US. Here is a look at the current nationality makeup of the current NHL season.
Here is the breakdown of the nationalities of players on NHL teams.
Given the growth in American players, I wanted to dig into where this growth might be happening.
US-born players
Here is a look at the birth state of American NHL players since 1981-82.
It may be difficult to see, but California ranks fifth in the NHL with the most US-born players in the NHL. If the lastfew NHLDrafts are a leading indicator, I would anticipate these numbers to continue to climb.
The NHL southern expansion has also had a huge impact on broadening the sport to more people in more states. Over the last three years, there have been 31 states with at least one NHL player born from their respective states.
And while we are here….Washington State has been well represented over the last three years.
Just wait until the Kraken start playing in our region.
I hope that gives you a little more insight of the nationalities and states represented in the NHL and how those trends have changed over time.
It will just be 24 games. The games will be against just four different opponents. There will be no playoffs, no overnight trips, no long swings through the Canadian prairies, and there will be no fans in the building. Without a doubt, the 2021 Western Hockey League’s U.S. Division will look different this season.
Now that the Washington State government has given the WHL the green light, the U.S. Division will open the season on March 19th. It will be over a year since the last game in the division and it comes at a time that normally is reserved for playoff races and positioning.
“It’s nice to finally know that we’re going to play some hockey,” Seattle Thunderbirds forward Lucas Ciona says. “It’s been a tough year just sitting at home, training, and doing schoolwork. It’s nice to know that we’re getting to go back to Seattle, and it will be good to be with the guys again.”
While not the most ideal situation the short season will allow the Thunderbirds, Everett Silvertips, Portland Winterhawks, Tri-City Americans, and Spokane Chiefs to play hockey.
Pulling this off will be a financial burden on the five clubs as they rely heavily on gate receipts for income. There will be none of that.
On the surface it begs the question of why go through with it at all?
The WHL is one of the top development leagues in the world — last year’s draft saw 28 WHL players selected — and it’s that development that’s the driving influence for the league and its member teams.
“It’s definitely about developing our group but it’s also about making sure that these kids have as much normalcy as possible,” Seattle general manager Bil La Forge says. “Hockey is a great game, and they get to play it. We want to develop our team and our young men. We want to reward these kids for the hard work they’ve put in.”
It’s been a long summer for U.S. Division players
The last game played in the division was a 3-0 win by the Spokane Chiefs over the visiting Kamloops Blazers on March 10th, 2020. Two days later the league and most of the world shut down due to concerns over the growing Covid-19 pandemic.
Players were sent home and the playoffs, Championship Series, and Memorial Cup were all shelved.
Ciona, 17, was one of those players. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound winger had just finished his rookie season in Seattle and was suddenly homebound in Edmonton. Since then, he and the rest of the WHL’s players have been waiting for the call to return to their teams.
“We’ve been finding ways to keep busy,” Ciona says. “I’ve been working out and doing schoolwork. I really enjoy working out, so it hasn’t been too bad. Skating, going out to the ODR’s (outdoor rinks). We’ve been going full pads at the ODR so it gets a little competitive.”
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Endless split squats and lunges are great for a player’s endurance. So is playing pick-up games on an outdoor rink, but for young players to develop, they need to play real games. The speed, competition, and intensity just aren’t the same.
To find that edge, Ciona was one of many U.S. Division players who hit the ice last November to get ice time by playing in Junior A leagues like the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He got into four games with the Spruce Grove Saints as did a handful of his Seattle teammates like Kai Uchacz, Tyrel Bauer, and Matthew Rempe.
Other players found some ice time in other Junior A leagues. Among those guys were Everett Silvertips and Montreal Canadiens prospect defenseman Gianni Fairbrother who played for the Nanaimo Clippers of the BCHL and was joined by teammate Dylan Anderson who played for the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
Those stints ended up being short-lived as the Canadian provinces ultimately would shut down all hockey leagues after just a few games. By the time these players get through quarantine and back on the ice for abbreviated training camps, any advantage they earned will be long gone.
“It’s going to be a whole other thing,” Ciona adds. “We’ll be coming back and it will be another fresh start for everybody. Nobody has been practicing or playing too much so it will be interesting.”
No fans and new safety protocols for U.S. Division
When the league starts up in March there will be no fans allowed in the building.
The U.S. Division has become known for loud, large, and intimidating crowds in its arenas. Last season, four of the division’s five teams were in the top seven in WHL attendance. It’s going to be a bit quieter this year and is something the players will have to adjust to.
“We’re going to have to learn to create our own emotion,” La Forge says. “The one thing that this has taught all of us is to not take this game for granted. Not being able to do it for 12 months, I know the excitement I have, and I won’t be on the ice. I don’t think emotion will be a problem.”
Having to create that emotion without a crowd is another skill these players can develop this season. It’s one that should pay off when fans are able to come back to the arenas.
Emotion may come easier than one might think when you consider the schedule being played. The U.S. Division has some well-established and heated, rivalries. The heat is already there, fans or not.
“There’s always some bad blood between Everett and Portland,” Ciona says. “I think it’s going to be getting in those games, getting riled up for those. It’s kind of like the Battle of Alberta here. That’s still pretty heavy even without fans. It’s going to be fun to play those rivalry games even if we don’t have a crowd.”
Another big adjustment for players will be the safety protocols required to play. They’re aware that the NHL has had its share of troubles with Covid cases popping up which has led to the postponement of games with a lot of questions and scrutiny.
The WHL doesn’t want the same hurdles, and it will require both the clubs and the players to follow the protocols and stay safe.
“We’re going to be on top of that and we feel really comfortable with the protocol set in place,” La Forge says. “We think if we do that, we’ll have a really good chance. It’s not something you can guarantee but we’re going to give ourselves a chance. If there’s an issue we’ll address it and deal with it, but we’re confident with the group of young men that we have that we’re going to put our best foot forward and give ourselves a chance.”
WHL teams have been in touch with their players during the shutdown, reminding them of the seriousness of staying safe. The motivation should be easy. Having missed over a year of hockey, getting players 16 to 20 years old to toe the line should not be too hard.
“It’ll be hockey, hockey, hockey,” Ciona says. “There won’t be anything else going on for us. We’ll be coming from our billets to the rink every day. We won’t be out getting distracted by the malls or tourist things. We’ll be locked down, focused on hockey and being safe.”
Eye on the next level
Staying safe and getting the full season in is important to Ciona.
Like many players in the U.S. Division, this is his NHL Draft season. He’s on the radar, having received a ‘C’ ranking by NHL’s Central Scouting. Being drafted is a dream for every young player, but so far this season, he has not been able to be seen by NHL scouts.
Getting 24 games will go a long way for him to show off his progression from last year. He’s not alone. This coming season is going to give other Draft hopefuls a chance to shine for the pros as well.
“I want to be higher on that list,” Ciona, who had 13 points in 53 games as a rookie last year says. “I don’t want to be a ‘C’ prospect. It was cool and humbling to see my name and see that some of my hard work got noticed, but that’s not the end game. I want to continue to push and get myself higher on that list.”
Seattle Thunderbirds winger Lucas Ciona will benefit from playing hockey this year. (Brian Liesse/T-Birds photo)
First time NHL Draft eligible players are not the only ones who will benefit from playing this season.
There are many players in the Division who were passed up the last Draft, sitting on the NHL bubble. They are still eligible to hear their names called during this year’s Draft which is scheduled for July. Continued development could push them over the line but could also lead to a free agent signing, getting to play pro in Europe, or in Canadian college.
Incoming rookies will also get valuable ice time and a taste of the higher level of play the WHL offers. These are players that will be looking forward to the 2022 NHL Draft as well as restocking the U.S. Division and league with more talent.
Development is the key to this season but that doesn’t mean teams aren’t looking to win. There will be no playoffs to aim for, but hockey players and general managers alike are hyper-competitive, so winning is still number one.
“If they kept score in the warmup, we’d win that,” La Forge says.
Seattle will ice a young team that is loaded with talent and potential. They’ll be competitive but will have to deal with good teams such as the Portland Winterhawks – last year’s U.S. Division champions – and the always tough Everett Silvertips.
It’s going to make for a fun sprint of a season that will provide entertaining games for fans who will either have to watch online or on television. The coaches, general managers, and players will be ready to go on March 19th.
“I want to win every single (game).” Ciona says. “Obviously it’s a bummer there won’t be any playoffs, but I still want to win them all. We’re competitive, that’s been our identity and we want to show that. We don’t just want to get through the 24 games, we want to dominate.”
