Department of Player Safety group vice president Damian Echevarrieta joined in marveling at the viral photo captivating the hockey world Sunday, "announcing" the longtime defenseman will face the music for his hit from behind on pop star Justin Bieber in Saturday's All-Star Celebrity Shootout.
The Department of Player Safety will have a hearing tomorrow morning with Chris Pronger for his Check from Behind on @justinbieberpic.twitter.com/UPK9pVuMWp
The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled goaltender Eddie Lack from an AHL conditioning stint as regular-season play gets set to resume Tuesday. Lack, who has missed 26 of 30 NHL games this season due to concussion, allowed three goals in 120 minutes of play with the Charlotte Checkers, posting a 1-1-0 record and a .952 save percentage.
Lack's return comes with the Hurricanes mired in a five-game losing streak and in danger of falling out of the Eastern Conference playoff race. Carolina sits seven points back of Philadelphia for the second wild-card spot with two games in hand and several other teams standing in the way.
Improved goaltending would give this team a much better chance of making up that difference. In five-on-five play, the Hurricanes rank fourth in the NHL with a Corsi rating of 52.02. Their team save percentage, however, ranks dead last at 90.29. Carolina, then, is carrying play and regularly recording more shot attempts than the opposition, but is being done in by poor performances in the crease.
General manager Ron Francis has assembled a wealth of talent both up front and on the blue line, and has also hitched his wagon to both Lack and Cam Ward for the balance of this season and next.
The former's tenure with the club has been bumpy at best, but the hope is he can find the kind of form displayed with Vancouver, where he posted a .917 save percentage in 82 games.
Ward will likely carry the lion's share of the starts right out of the All-Star break, and Lack will need to pick up the slack when called upon.
James Wisniewski has returned to North America after having signed a standard player contract with the AHL's Chicago Wolves.
"We are excited to have James as part of the Wolves organization," said general manager Wendell Young. "He brings a wealth of experience and skill to our team. He will be a great enhancement for an already outstanding group."
The 32-year-old began this season playing for the KHL's Vladivostok Admirals after being released from a pro tryout with the Tampa Bay Lightning back in training camp. In 16 games in Russia, Wisniewski scored one goal and added three assists.
The Wolves serve as the minor-league affiliate for the St. Louis Blues, but the contract is AHL only. An impressive showing could lead Wisniewski back to the NHL at some point, however.
Wisniewski previously appeared in 552 NHL games, recording 53 goals and 221 assists for 274 points with Anaheim, Carolina, Chicago, Columbus, Montreal and the New York Islanders.
NHL All-Star 3-on-3 Tournament When: Sunday, Jan. 29, 3:30 p.m. ET Where: STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, Calif. TV: NBC (U.S.); CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports (Canada)
It was so good last year, they're doing it again. And three remains the magic number.
The 2017 All-Star Game will follow in the footsteps of 2016: The world's best players - and its poor, helpless goalies - will decide divisional supremacy in a 3-on-3 three-game tournament.
Three 20-minute games played at 3-on-3 (teams will change ends at the 10-minute mark)
Games tied after 20 minutes will go to a shootout
$1 million goes to the winning team
Remembering 2016
Last year, All-Star weekend in Nashville, Tenn., became The John Scott Show.
The enforcer, with the Arizona Coyotes when the calendar turned to 2016, was voted to the annual showcase by fans online, much to the dismay of the NHL. Scott was traded on Jan. 15, 2016 to the Montreal Canadiens, and sent to the club's AHL affiliate in St. John's. Four days later, with much uncertainty around Scott's status, the NHL announced it would let him participate in All-Star weekend, as captain of the Pacific Division.
In the end, the big man stole the show.
Scott was given a rousing standing ovation during the Skills Competition, the only All-Star wearing his All-Star tournament jersey, since he was technically a member of the Eastern Conference, playing in the AHL, while representing the Pacific Division. (Yeah, only in the NHL.)
The 3-on-3 tournament began with the Atlantic defeating the Metro in the first semifinal, 4-3. Three-on-three at the All-Star Game was born, and it was beautiful.
In the second semifinal, with the Central up 1-0 after 26 seconds, Scott would make his mark only 21 seconds later, tying the game 1-1. The Pacific wouldn't trail in the tournament again.
Scott - who celebrated his first goal with a brilliant fist pump, like a man who'd scored a lot more than five goals in the NHL - finished with two goals, and the Pacific won 9-6.
The final was a tight-checking affair, obviously, with the Pacific prevailing 1-0 on Corey Perry's tally. Goalies Jonathan Quick and John Gibson were stellar and stopped all 17 shots they faced.
Scott, tied for the team lead with two goals in two mini-games, was rightfully named tournament MVP. Sweet justice.
Scott's now retired, and isn't in L.A., but he went out a champion and MVP. His legacy is forever.
Tavares, scheduled for unrestricted free agency following the 2017-18 season, has said repeatedly he intends on staying in Long Island - er, Brooklyn - for the long haul, and a player discussing his contract situation, is, well, what players with expiring contracts do.
If Tavares makes it to the Summer of 2018 without signing an extension, he'll easily be the biggest free agent of the season. So, that begs the question: should he stay or should he go?
The pros and cons are weighed below:
It's his team
From the moment he was drafted first overall in 2009, Tavares has been the face of the franchise.
He's led the club in scoring all but one season of his career, when a knee injury suffered at the Olympics in 2014 limited him to 59 games.
Tavares has put the club on his back time after time, reaching the playoffs on three separate occasions, in which he's scored 22 points in 24 games. His defining moment coming a year ago on his double-overtime winner to eliminate the Panthers and give New York its first series win in 23 years.
The 26-year-old has displayed unrelenting loyalty time and time again to the only NHL club he's ever known, even after an arduous move to Brooklyn, a new ownership team, and numerous questionable management decisions.
Tavares' commitment to his organization is beyond admirable, and he's done nothing to show he wants to leave, but should he?
Is the feeling mutual?
Despite Tavares' will to bring glory back to a once storied franchise, from the outside looking in, it doesn't seem like the Islanders have done much to insist their captain stays put.
General manager Garth Snow has frequently let offensive talent walk away from the club, including Tavares' former linemates Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen, and Matt Moulson.
Beyond personnel decisions, the Barclay's Center - which the Islanders hope to leave the same year the captain's contract expires - averages the third-fewest fans in the league, and has been scrutinized for faulty ice conditions.
Show me the money
There's no question Tavares is due a raise from his current bargain of $5.5 million annually. Since 2012-13 only seven skaters have more points than Tavares' 309.
A la Steven Stamkos last offseason, Tavares will assuredly be linked to his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, but it will be far from a two team race if it comes to that. Talents like Tavares don't hit the market very often.
Snow has work to do to fit Tavares into the Islanders' books, and when the time comes, moves such as awarding role players Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizakas a combined $6.85M through 2021 might handcuff the 10-year GM in rewarding his best player, who's new salary will be well north of $8 million.
Good luck, Johnny
It's an alienating debate that claims athlete after athlete, year after year across all sports: loyalty to the organization or money and a fresh start? Even if Tavares and the Islanders begin negotiations right away, speculation of what the future holds will grow with each passing day.
This season's stretch run, and the future of the head coaching position are currently at the forefront of the Islanders' focus, but come July 1, all eyes will shift to No. 91.
Erik Karlsson enters Sunday's All-Star Game in Los Angeles with a bit of a cold stick.
The offensively gifted defenseman has failed to hit the back of the net in each of the Ottawa Senators' past 20 games dating back to Dec. 7 in nearby San Jose.
Perhaps the California sun and, more importantly, the three-on-three All-Star format can help Karlsson find his scoring touch, but either way, he doesn't seem all that concerned about being stuck on seven goals through 47 games this season so long as his team continues to impress.
"I’ve been around long enough to know things like this are going to happen," Karlsson said, per Don Brennan of the Ottawa Citizen. "I haven’t been needing to score that many goals in order for us to win. At the end of the day, that’s the thing you can’t take away from it. Still trying out there, but we’ve been playing good hockey. Guys have been stepping up. We’ve been getting a lot of creativity and goal-scoring from different guys. Obviously that’s huge for us."
Senators head coach Guy Boucher echoes the sentiment.
"Every game he’s so menacing, it’s not an issue. And the team is winning," Boucher said. "That’s the thing with Erik. At the beginning of the year when we talked, he says, 'Coach, I don’t care about my points. I just want to win. I’m at the point in my career, I want to win.'
"For him, it’s all about winning. Big smile after every game. Goal, point, no point, it made no difference. He’s been unbelievable for that. But he is pushing hard, because he wants to make a difference. He’s a top gun, and that’s what top guns do. And he’s got character, so it’ll happen."
What's more concerning, perhaps, is that Karlsson's shot rate has been dropping consistently over the past two seasons after he recorded a career-high 21 goals in 2014-15.
Season
Games
Goals
Shots
Shots/GP
2014-15
82
21
292
3.6
2015-16
82
16
248
3
2016-17
47
7
108
2.3
His shooting percentage (6.5) sits at half a percent lower than his career average (7.0), meaning a barrage of shots on net down the stretch could bring him on pace for the 15-20 goal range.
The Senators sit second in the Atlantic Division at the break, but rank 11th in the Eastern Conference with 127 goals. A bump from Karlsson would go a long way to securing a playoff spot.
Absolutely no one will be surprised if one of the usual suspects emerges from Sunday's All-Star Game in Los Angeles as the Most Valuable Player.
While there's no John Scott to jump from way off the radar to steal the honor from Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, or Alex Ovechkin (to name a few), there are some underdogs capable of shining brightest among some of the very best in the game.
Here are three in particular to watch out for.
Cam Atkinson
Tied for second in goals heading into the break, Cam Atkinson may have something to prove.
Cam Atkinson was a bit disappointed he wasn't on the original #NHLAllStar roster: "I felt I played well enough to get the nod."
Named to the Metropolitan Division roster as an injury replacement for Evgeni Malkin, the Columbus Blue Jackets forward has recorded 24 goals this season, tied with Jeff Carter and behind only Sidney Crosby (28).
Atkinson played well enough to merit an original nod, and will look to rise above his peers by putting his speed and goal-scoring skill on display in the three-on-three tournament.
Yeah, it's been that bad, and Nathan MacKinnon may not be in attendance were it not for the fact each team has to be represented.
Having said that, the 2013 first overall pick and 2014 Calder Trophy winner is certainly not devoid of game-breaking talent, and a strong showing would go a long way not only towards proving he's the star player to build around in Colorado, but also in making a name for himself among the game's wealth of young talent.
Nikita Kucherov
Among players with at least 40 games played this season, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov ranks fourth in points per game (1.02), behind Crosby, McDavid, and Malkin.
In the mind of Vancouver Canucks defenseman Luca Sbisa, Kucherov - a first-time All Star - is the Lightning's best player.
"All you hear about is 'Stamkos, Stamkos,' but (Kucherov) is probably their best player," Sbisa told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "He's so smooth, effortless. He's not flashy. He doesn't go 100 miles per hour, doesn't make all the highlight reel kind of plays. But he does all the little things of the game so well. Now he's finally getting the recognition."
Kucherov, who's recorded 19 goals and 25 assists in 43 games, may very well be in line for some MVP recognition at Staples Center on Sunday.
Barclays Center does not appear to be a long-term solution for the New York Islanders.
Speaking Saturday at his annual All-Star weekend press conference, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman admitted the arena isn't equipped to create optimal ice conditions, and new team owners Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky are considering a move elsewhere in the New York area.
Well, the owners are committed to the franchise. They're committed to New York and the great fan base that has followed the Islanders. There are some issues about playing in Barclays. It may be fundamental to the system, and that's not something that can be fixed in the short term. I think as is prudent, Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky are reviewing the situation and looking very seriously at what their options are.
Several players have complained about the ice conditions, while a report emerged earlier this season stating the arena's piping system doesn't meet NHL's requirements.
The Islanders can reportedly opt out of Barclays Center after the 2017-18 season, and the club was believed to be eyeing different spots around New York in which to build a new arena as recently as July.
The Islanders have called Barclays Center home since the beginning of 2015-16 after moving to Brooklyn from Nassau County's Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The All-Star goalie hasn't thought about potentially waiving his no-trade clause, adding he's happy in the desert and sees himself as an active part in turning things around for the 29th-place club.
"Obviously, everyone wants to be in a position to win and get in the playoffs and be a competitive team and that’s no different for me," Smith told Sarah McLellan of azcentral.com. "I think I want to be in a position to have a chance to win before my career’s over, but I feel like this is moving in the right direction. Things can turn around fairly quickly here. I want to be a big part of that.
"To sign a long-term deal at that time with young kids, to be in one place for a longer period of time and to call a place home, I think was as important as believing in what we were doing here," he continued. "I don’t regret that for a second. I think it set me up to play a lot of games."
General manager John Chayka acknowledged that teams haven't been calling to assess Smith's availability due to a belief that there isn't much point in inquiring rather than a lack of interest.
"We’re trying to grow, and he’s a key cog of that growth for us," Chayka said.
Smith, 34, remains under contract with the Coyotes until the end of the 2018-19 season at a salary cap hit of $5.67 million. While he's not racking up wins with the Coyotes, he has posted a solid .917 save percentage, no small feat on a team that low in the standings.
