Dallas Stars forward Alexander Radulov was benched during the latter half of the first period in Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Kings, and he agrees with the move.
"I got benched," Radulov said after the 2-1 defeat, according to the Dallas Morning News' Matthew DeFranks. "It was the right decision by coach. I wasn't playing good and I talked back with (head coach Jim Montgomery) and he basically sit me until the end of the period.
"It's the right decision and I can't do that. It's been an issue in my career, but I got to learn from it. I got to be better. Try not to make those mistakes again."
Radulov ended his fifth and final shift of the opening frame at the 10:20 mark, and he didn't play again until the start of the second period. He appeared for eight shifts in the middle stanza and eight more in the third, ultimately logging 19:09 minutes of ice time in the game.
The 32-year-old winger picked up the primary assist on Esa Lindell's goal in the third period, and he's recorded 14 goals and 26 helpers this season over 38 games.
John Gibson stopped all 37 shots he faced as the Anaheim Ducks earned a 3-0 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night for their first win in 13 contests.
The Minnesota Wild and Carolina Hurricanes completed a one-for-one trade on Thursday, with Nino Niederreiter heading to Raleigh, and Victor Rask off to St. Paul. The deal reeks of foreshadowing for both franchises, and it's perhaps a precursor to higher-impact moves in the near future.
Carolina, a club that's missed the playoffs nine straight years, is seven points out of the second wild-card position in the Eastern Conference. About five weeks from the trade deadline, general manager Don Waddell’s team is straddling the seller-buyer line.
Minnesota, meanwhile, is hanging on for dear life. Heading into Thursday’s slate of games, GM Paul Fenton’s squad occupied the final Western Conference playoff spot, barely ahead of five clubs. Fans in Minnesota, the state of hockey, haven't watched their team make it past the second round since 2003.
What this means for the Wild
On a micro level, the trade is puzzling for Minnesota.
Rask, 25, isn’t a hot commodity. He's struggled mightily over 26 games in 2018-19, recording only six points after recovering from a season-opening hand injury. The Swede ranked last in even-strength shot attempt differential among Carolina's everyday players - which is particularly notable because the Canes are a puck-possession powerhouse.
“I think (Rask) needed a change of scenery,” Fenton said on a conference call, “and I’m hoping he gets back his scoring and his distribution so he can be very productive for us.”
The first-year GM's rationale continued: Rask is versatile as a left-handed center fully capable of slotting in on the wing; he's six months younger than Niederreiter; and the exchange of contracts (neither club retains salary) leaves the Wild on the hook for $4 million instead of $5.25 annually.
Gregg Forwerck / Getty Images
Rask, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 200 pounds, is in the third year of a six-year, $4-million-per-season deal. The 2011 second-round pick’s finest offensive years, the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, featured 48 and 45 points, respectively, so there's a history of production to latch onto.
On a macro level, Fenton is starting to assert himself on the trade market.
Following eight months of relative inactivity, the Niederreiter-Rask swap is Fenton’s second trade in as many days. The Wild acquired winger Pontus Aberg on Wednesday for minor leaguer Justin Kloos.
Fenton made it clear the organization isn't pleased with the dips in performance (including a 3-8 stretch in December) that have led to a 20-23-2 record a week from the All-Star break.
“One day I’m thinking that we have the opportunity to try to go forward ... and one day I’m thinking it’s not that great of a team,” he said of the Wild. “I’m letting the players convince us where they are.”
What this means for the Canes
Niederreiter is simply the more useful player. He's been on the right side of the puck more often, and generated more offense, all despite being deployed frequently in a defensive role:
CATEGORY
NIEDERREITER
RASK
GP
498
339
G
112
63
PTS
231
163
PTS/60
1.3
1.0
CF%
52.3
51.0
OZS%
50.8
58.8
PTS/60 = 5-on-5 points per 60 minutes; CF% = 5-on-5 shot attempts for percentage; OZS% = offensive zone start percentage
Carolina ranks 27th while averaging 2.7 goals per game. While Niederreiter is no world-beater as a scorer, he has a wicked shot and has recorded three 20-goal seasons. He brings decent upside and is potentially a nice fit on the third line and second-unit power play.
The fifth overall pick in 2010 - who's now on his third team - is shooting 11.1 percent this season, almost 2 percent below his career average. Percentages don't always even out, but there's no denying Niederreiter is due to start scoring more (in fairness, so is Rask).
Niederreiter, who has banked just nine goals and 14 assists in 46 games in 2018-19, is in the second season of a five-year contract paying him $26.25 million. Forward Jordan Staal is the only other Canes forward on a long-term deal.
That will change once star center and restricted free agent Sebastian Aho re-signs, but the team's lack of commitment at the forward position is glaring. Carolina, a franchise known for shedding salary, is taking on additional dollars here, which is something to monitor in the coming weeks.
The main takeaway
There's only a small chance that Waddell and Fenton are done. Neither appears eager to sit on his hands as the trade deadline approaches.
The 22-19-5 Hurricanes always seem to be attached to trade rumors. Head coach Rod Brind'Amour is thirsting for finishers, and the club didn't help itself by shipping pending unrestricted free agent Jeff Skinner to Buffalo this past summer.
Who's next out of the door? If you believe in "where there's smoke, there's fire," either winger Micheal Ferland or defenseman Dougie Hamilton. Or both.
The Wild are a little less predictable, though Charlie Coyle's name has been thrown around as a potential trade chip. The 26-year-old center is signed for $3.2 million per year through next season, and he could very well be in Niederreiter territory after wearing out his welcome in Minnesota.
The common thread: The Wild and Hurricanes are a) middling, and b) hungry for change as the Feb. 25 deadline creeps closer. Buckle up.
John Matisz is theScore's National Hockey Writer. You can find him on Twitter @matiszjohn.
When it comes to the future of the Ottawa Senators, much of the attention has been on pending unrestricted free agents Matt Duchene and Mark Stone. But the team is also reportedly getting calls about a lower-profile player.
Other NHL clubs have contacted the Senators to see if they'd consider trading defenseman Cody Ceci, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.
"Unlike Stone and Duchene, he is not (a pending) unrestricted free agent. He's a (pending) restricted free agent. And yet, there are teams out there that have been calling Ottawa to see if there's any interest in moving him," McKenzie said of Ceci on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading."
"That's also a decision-making process that the Senators have to go through between now and the deadline," McKenzie added.
Ceci signed a one-year, $4.3-million deal to stay with the Senators in August.
The 25-year-old ranks second on the club in ice-time this season, averaging 22:45 per game. He has 13 points in 43 games.
Ceci is in his sixth season with Ottawa after the Senators drafted him 15th overall in 2012.
Niederreiter, 26, is in the midst of a down season with nine goals and 14 assists in 46 games. The former fifth overall pick averaged 23 goals per 82 games over the last four campaigns.
Rask, 25, began the season on injured reserve after he accidentally sliced his hand in a kitchen accident this past summer. He hasn't quite found his footing since returning to the lineup, picking up a goal and five helpers in 26 games while averaging a career-low 12:02 minutes of ice time.
Both players will become unrestricted free agents following the 2021-22 season. Rask's contract has an average annual value of $4 million, while Niederreiter's cap hit is $5.25 million.
The Hurricanes will look for Niederreiter to add scoring punch to a team that sits 27th in goals per game despite ranking first in shots on goal.
Meanwhile, Rask could fill a future need at center for the Wild. Eric Staal, 34, is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and 35-year-old Mikko Koivu's contract expires after next year.
Matthews was a member of the ever-exciting Team North America during the 2016 World Cup, which consisted of a group of players from Canada and the United States age 23-and-under.
Since the tournament preceded Matthews' rookie campaign, it marked the first chance for Maple Leafs fans to see their prized No. 1 pick live, as the event took place in Toronto. Matthews didn't disappoint, scoring twice and adding an assist in three games while playing on a line with Connor McDavid.
The team is seeking a first-round pick and a prospect in exchange for Muzzin, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.
LeBrun notes it's not certain the Kings will deal Muzzin ahead of the Feb. 25 trade deadline, but they are listening to potential offers.
The 29-year-old is having a solid season with 20 points in 47 games, second among the club's defenders behind Drew Doughty. He leads all Kings blue-liners with a 50.96 Corsi For rating and is first on the team in both hits and blocked shots.
Muzzin has one year remaining on his contract after this season and carries a $4-million cap hit.
The club is seeking a first-round pick for each player, a source told MLive.com's Ansar Khan.
For Howard, it seems his price tag has remained consistent over the last month. Back in mid-December, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the Red Wings were asking for a first-round selection for the veteran netminder.
According to Khan, the team doesn't expect to get that return for either player and will look to re-sign Nyquist and Howard as a result. Both will become unrestricted free agents on July 1.
To each player's credit, they have performed well on a team that sits just two points out of last place in the Eastern Conference. Nyquist ranks second on the team with 40 points in 48 games. Meanwhile, Howard has gone 13-12-5 with a 2.71 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage over 32 games while earning an All-Star Game nod.
