John Tortorella wasn't ready to accentuate the positive after a season-ending loss to the Boston Bruins.
When a reporter pointed out that this is the furthest the Columbus Blue Jackets have ever gone in the playoffs and asked if there's a sense of accomplishment for their head coach, he made his feelings crystal clear.
"Don’t even go there," Tortorella said after suffering a 3-0 defeat in Game 6. "Don't even go there with me. I’m not going to listen to that shit about an accomplishment, 'you get to the second round,' I don't even want to listen to it."
Tortorella appeared to motion as if he was going to get up to leave when the reporter asked a follow-up wondering if it felt as empty as it did last year, when the Blue Jackets lost in the first round.
"I don't remember last year's feeling," the bench boss said.
Tortorella also declined to discuss Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy receiving a minor penalty for his hit to the head of Blue Jackets forward Josh Anderson, and called Game 6 Columbus' best of the series.
The succinct session with reporters followed an equally terse on-ice exchange with Sportsnet's Kyle Bukauskas shortly after the game ended.
During the warmup before Game 2 of the series, Marchand skated away from Bukauskas after the reporter asked him, presumably in jest, if he managed to get his skate resharpened "after Thursday."
That was a reference to Marchand stomping on Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson's stick and breaking it in Game 1, as well as the ensuing war of words between the two players.
"Hockey play," he said following the Bruins' 3-0 win that eliminated Columbus, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. "Just trying to deliver a legal check."
Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen didn't seem to agree.
"I think the video on that hit was pretty self-explanatory," Kekalainen said, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
Columbus captain Nick Foligno initially called the hit "unnecessary," but then added he felt referee Kelly Sutherland made the right call to issue a minor penalty.
“You’d like to see it be five minutes, but we didn’t score on the power play and we didn’t score on the one after that,” Foligno said.
McAvoy hit Anderson in the head with 20 seconds left in the second period.
Charlie McAvoy gets two minutes for an illegal check to the head on Josh Anderson.
The Boston Bruins eliminated the Columbus Blue Jackets and advanced to the Eastern Conference Final with a 3-0 victory in Game 6 of their second-round series Monday night.
Boston will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the next round.
This is the deepest the Bruins have gone in the playoffs since they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final.
McAvoy was instead assessed a two-minute minor for a hit to the head.
Jody Shelley, who’s working between the benches, just said in an interview broadcast throughout the building that the referees told the #CBJ bench that they didn’t see the hit.
Retired referee Kerry Fraser explained the decision officials faced.
Only options for Refs is 2 minute minor or Match Penalty (deliberate intent) for Illegal Check to Head. When rule implemented NHLOA wanted it this way given the inconsistency of suspensions in this area & rescinded game misconducts Refs called. Preferred to let DPS handle it.
The Edmonton Oilers' reportedly imminent anointing of Ken Holland as general manager appears to be sitting well with their captain.
Connor McDavid is feeling "very positive" about the move and has a lot of "respect for Holland's experience and acumen," according to TSN's Ryan Rishaug, who reached out to the superstar's camp to gauge his reaction.
Rishaug reported late Sunday night that Holland had accepted the Oilers' offer and that the team was expected to make it official over the next few days.
Following a game in early April, McDavid made his feelings known about Edmonton missing the playoffs, calling his frustration level "really, really high."
With Holland as GM, the Detroit Red Wings failed to qualify for the postseason in each of the past three campaigns and have failed to advance beyond the first round since 2012-13.
However, before their current postseason drought, the Red Wings made the playoffs in every campaign since the 1997-98 season, when Holland was named Detroit's GM. They also won the Stanley Cup three times during that span.
The Oilers missed the playoffs this spring for the second straight year after reaching the second round in 2016-17.
“We’re all in on Mike and Mike is all in on us," Dubas said. "We’ve had productive management meetings as an organization and Mike and I have had some really good meetings as well since the season ended. It’s our very strong belief Mike is the one to lead us. That’s the reality of it.”
The GM also acknowledged the team still has areas of concern to address, but he made it clear Babcock will be included in that process.
“There are things we need to improve upon," Dubas said. "There are things we need to do to adapt and evolve and continue to get better. As an organization, we believe we can do that together.”
The GM refrained from committing to Babcock or anyone else in the organization in his end-of-season comments last month.
In March, Babcock insisted there were no issues in his relationship with Dubas.
The clock is ticking on the career of legendary New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, but he isn't sure if the Big Apple will be the site of his swan song.
"I don't know if I'll stay with the Rangers my entire career," Lundqvist told Swedish outlet Expressen, according to NHL.com's Jon Lane. "I have two years left on my deal and it has always been my goal to stay with the Rangers, but once you get up there in age you never know. I know what I want, but if the club has other ideas I know I'll have to listen. You can't just do your own thing.
"Sometimes the dream might not work out in the end ... we'll see what happens. Right now all my focus is on the upcoming World Championships."
The 37-year-old Lundqvist is signed through the 2020-21 season at an $8.5-million cap hit. He has a full no-movement clause, so he would dictate any potential trade.
A Stanley Cup is the only achievement missing from his Hall-of-Fame resume that includes a Vezina Trophy and an Olympic gold medal. Time is running out for Lundqvist to capture the NHL's ultimate prize, especially with the Rangers in a clear rebuilding stage.
"The season started good," Lundqvist said. "I came in and had a lot of energy. I haven't felt as good in years, physically, mentally, and in terms of technique. I was incredibly pleased with my first month of the season. After that, it turned out to be a lot harder than I thought.
"We lost a lot and it really took its toll on me mentally. Very much a challenge. I've always played to win and every year with the Rangers I've felt like we've had a shot at winning the Cup. But not this season. It was a very strange situation to be in."
Lundqvist's .907 save percentage (the league average was .910) and 3.07 goals-against average this past season were both career lows as the Rangers missed the playoffs for a second straight year.
Rangers ownership executive James Dolan said the club gave Lundqvist the option to be moved prior to the 2018 trade deadline, but King Henrik declined the offer.
If Lundqvist does decide he wants to move on, the Rangers should still be well-equipped between the pipes. Backup Alexandar Georgiev, 23, showed flashes of potential with a .914 save percentage in 33 games. The club also recently signed 2014 fourth-round pick Igor Shesterkin from the KHL after a historic tenure with SKA St. Petersburg.
Ken Holland is entering a sticky situation after reportedly agreeing to become the general manager of the Edmonton Oilers. He has world-class talents Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at his disposal, but thanks to the previous regime led by Peter Chiarelli, there isn't much else to smile about.
Due to some of the bad contracts Chiarelli signed during his tenure as GM, Holland will have limited spending flexibility throughout his first few seasons at the helm. And even though the Oilers' roster has more holes than a block of Swiss cheese, there's a still a formula Holland can follow to make the Oilers more competitive next season without derailing their long-term contention plan.
Shed contracts via buyout
Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty
Milan Lucic provides zero value to the Oilers on the ice. Even though his seven-year, $42-million contract is bonus-heavy, Edmonton is better off buying him out. Here's what it would look like, courtesy Cap Friendly:
Season
Pre-buyout cap hit
Post-buyout cap hit
2019-20
$6M
$3.625M
2020-21
$6M
$5.625M
2021-22
$6M
$4.125M
2022-23
$6M
$5.625M
2023-24
$625K
2024-25
$625K
2025-26
$625K
2026-27
$625K
It's certainly not ideal, but the buyout would save the Oilers $2.5 million, and give Holland significant cap flexibility in two of the next four seasons.
In addition to Lucic, Holland should also buy out Andrej Sekera's contract. After signing a six-year, $33-million deal in 2015, Sekera enjoyed two solid campaigns with the Oilers. However, a torn ACL in 2017 and a torn Achilles tendon in 2018 have limited the 32-year-old to 60 games over the past two seasons, where he's been a shell of his former self.
The Oilers could buy out Kris Russell instead, but Sekera's durability is a major concern, and his buyout would save the club more money. Here's what it would look like:
Season
Pre-buyout cap hit
Post-buyout cap hit
2019-20
$5.5M
$2.5M
2020-21
$5.5M
$2.5M
2021-22
$1.5M
2022-23
$1.5M
In total, it would save the Oilers $3 million while opening a spot for a younger, more mobile defenseman, which brings us to Holland's next task.
Trade Jesse Puljujarvi
Harry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty
This may be a tough pill to swallow for some Oilers fans, but a Jesse Puljujarvi trade seems inevitable at this point. Back in February - after Chiarelli had already been fired - the Oilers were reportedly open to trading him, and Puljujarvi's agent also suggested a change of scenery would be beneficial for both sides. This doesn't necessarily mean Holland will want to deal the former fourth overall pick, but with no prior ties to the restricted free agent, he likely doesn't care about the investment the old regime made in him, and will take the best offer he can get.
Quantifying Puljujarvi's trade value is not easy. He still has upside, but flashes of his potential - although tantalizing - have been few and far between at the NHL level. It isn't often that players of his age and with his draft status get moved after posting such a lack of production.
Former third overall pick Dylan Strome, who was dealt from the Arizona Coyotes to the Chicago Blackhawks this past season, is the most recent example, but even his sample size in the NHL was much smaller than Puljujarvi's.
Obviously the Strome trade hasn't looked good for the Coyotes, as he flourished upon his arrival in the Windy City. He was sent to Chicago along with Brendan Perlini in exchange for a quality top-six forward in Nick Schmaltz. As a center with more intrigue, Strome's trade value was higher than Puljujarvi's is now, even though some had already labeled him a bust.
For the Oilers to get their best return on Puljujarvi, it would have to involve a team that has a great incentive to acquire the forward, and perhaps no club possesses this more than the Carolina Hurricanes. After seeing how Strome flourished in a reunion with junior teammate Alex DeBrincat, the Canes could be intrigued by Puljujarvi, who was part of a dominant line for Finland at the 2016 world juniors with Sebastian Aho - Carolina's No. 1 center.
Here's a possible trade that could benefit both sides:
Oilers receive
Hurricanes receive
F Lucas Wallmark
F Jesse Puljujarvi
D Trevor van Riemsdyk
2019 2nd-round pick
This return is not as sexy as Oilers fans might've hoped for, but it would immediately make them a better team. Wallmark is a high-floor, 23-year-old two-way center who would give Edmonton's next coach more options if he wants to play McDavid and Draisaitl together. He'll be an RFA after 2019-20.
Van Riemsdyk, 27, didn't see significant ice time because of Carolina's deep defense core, but he proved during his days with the Chicago Blackhawks that he's capable of effectively playing top-four minutes. He'll be a UFA after next year, so this hypothetical trade would be attached to a reasonable four-year extension with a $3-million cap hit. He recently underwent shoulder surgery and is expected to miss four-to-six months, meaning, at worst, he'll miss the first month of 2019-20. At best, he'd be ready in time for training camp.
Find value in free agency
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
With limited cap space, Holland is going to have to find bargains in free agency to fill out the rest of the Oilers' roster. With the defense mostly intact, and plenty of center options, Holland's attention should fall on speedy wingers who can drive possession and complement Edmonton's talent down the middle, and possibly a backup netminder.
Brandon Tanev
Tanev is a speedy, gritty, versatile forward capable of playing either wing up and down the lineup. He would help the Oilers' penalty kill and is coming off a career-high 14-goal season. At age 27, he's likely seeking a multi-year deal, so let's give him a four-year contract worth $3 million per season. The term may seem steep, but that'll likely be the going rate. With a low cap hit, there's minimal risk involved.
Tyler Ennis
Ennis was bought out by the Minnesota Wild prior to the 2018-19 campaign, and inked a one-year prove-it deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Playing a limited fourth-line role, Ennis finished seventh in the entire NHL in goals per 60 minutes (minimum 300 minutes). He proved he still has the skill and quick first step that made him a serviceable top-six forward during his early days with the Buffalo Sabres. We'll give the Edmonton native a two-year deal worth $2.5 million per season, though it's possible he could take less to return home.
Brandon Pirri
All Pirri does is score goals. He's played at a 20-goal pace in his career, and finished last season sixth in goals per 60 minutes (minimum 300 minutes), but has had difficulties carving out an everyday role. He has the offensive upside to flourish alongside the Oilers' high-end talent. Let's pencil him in for a one-year, $1.5-million contract.
Curtis McElhinney
It's tough to upgrade Edmonton's goaltending after Chiarelli unnecessarily handed a three-year, $13.5-million extension to unproven 30-year-old Mikko Koskinen. However, with open cap space available for the 2019-20 season, McElhinney could be a nice fit. He may want the security of a multi-year deal after bouncing around the league, but for the first time in his career he'd enter training camp with a legitimate chance to win the starting job, and may jump at a generous one-year, $4-million contract.
Hire the right head coach
Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Holland's most pressing task as the Oilers' new GM will be finding a head coach to replace Ken Hitchcock. Four candidates he should target are Toronto Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe, University of Minnesota Duluth head coach Scott Sandelin, Syracuse Crunch head coach Benoit Groulx, and St. Louis Blues assistant coach Steve Ott.
Keefe, Sandelin, and Groulx are bright, forward-thinking bench bosses who boast impressive winning resumes and seem ready to make the step to become NHL head coaches. Ott is a bit of an outlier, as he's been an assistant coach for just two years since retiring as a player in 2017, but fits the Rod Brind'Amour motivator mold.
This list is subject to change if one of the league's current head coaches became available, but as of now, none of the retreads provide inspiring options.
The end result
Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty
After all the proposed changes, the finished product would result in an Oilers team that's younger, deeper, faster, and more skilled without handing out poor, long-term contracts, or giving away draft picks and prospects.
Forwards: $43.5M
LW
C
RW
Leon Draisaitl
Connor McDavid
Zack Kassian
Brandon Pirri
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Tyler Ennis
Brandon Tanev
Lucas Wallmark
Sam Gagner
Tyler Benson
Colby Cave
Kailer Yamamoto
Jujhar Khaira
Kyle Brodziak
It remains to be seen whether the new coach would want to play McDavid and Draisaitl on the same line or not, but for the sake of this projection, we've kept the dynamic duo together. Nugent-Hopkins would be flanked by two skilled wingers with 25-goal potential. Benson, a 21-year-old former second-rounder, produced nearly a point per game in the AHL this year. It's easy to see either him or Yamamoto playing their way up the lineup out of training camp.
Defense: $20.7M
LD
RD
Oscar Klefbom
Adam Larsson
Darnell Nurse
Trevor van Riemsdyk
Kris Russell
Evan Bouchard
Matthew Benning
Nurse would be the biggest beneficiary of the Puljujarvi trade, as he'd have a mobile, positionally sound partner who can help move the puck. Bouchard was the OHL's top defenseman this year, but if he's not ready to break with the team out of camp, some AHL seasoning could serve him well. In that case, Benning would become the sixth defenseman.
Goalies: $8.5M
G
Mikko Koskinen
Curtis McElhinney
McElhinney will push Koskinen for starts, and serves as a nice stopgap until Shane Starrett, who posted a .918 save percentage in the AHL last year, is NHL ready.
Buyout cap hit: $7.75M Buried cap hit: $1.175M Total cap hit: $81.64M Projected 2019-20 salary cap: $83M
This new squad is still far from perfect, but it would give the Oilers their best shot at making the playoffs in 2019-20, and set them up better long term. Plus, if this postseason has been any indication, anything can happen once the playoff ticket is punched - especially with team-carrying stars like McDavid and Draisaitl.
