Since being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 25, Stone's already bagged four goals and four assists while his new team has won nine of 10 games heading into Thursday's home date with the Jets. Quite simply, the fit has been impeccable.
It's crazy to think that just last month, Stone debated re-signing with the Ottawa Senators, who drafted him in the sixth round in 2010. However, the queasy state of the Senators ultimately saw the right winger shipped to Vegas, where he quickly signed an extension through 2026-27 at a team-high annual cap hit of $9.5 million.
Ethan Miller / Getty Images
Really, Stone's never had it so good.
After carrying the weight of being the best player on the NHL's worst team, the low-profile 26-year-old is now drawing second-tier matchups on a line with smart veterans Paul Stastny and Max Pacioretty. Individually, he's firmly in the Selke Trophy conversation for the first time in his career. And at the team level, he's playing for last season's Stanley Cup finalist, which should contend again in the Western playoff bracket.
So, let’s unpack how Stone arrived at this juncture of his career, and what makes him so effective on the ice.
The early days
Rob and Jackie Stone designated a boatload of time, energy, and money to hockey in the 1990s, which assured that Mark and older brother Michael, currently a Calgary Flames defenseman, could immerse themselves in the sport.
Over time, mom and dad developed a habit of stopping by one particular vendor at the arena to pick up a keepsake for whichever child had been competing that day. "If our games were being videotaped, we weren’t leaving the rink without one," Mark told theScore in a recent phone interview.
The collection of souvenirs morphed into pieces of research for young Mark, who became obsessed with reviewing not only his own shifts but also the performances of his brother’s team, particularly during the famous Brick tournament in Edmonton.
"We bought all the tapes of Michael's games," Rob said of the annual event showcasing the country's top 10-year-olds. "The only person who’s ever watched them is Mark."
Jeff Bottari / Getty Images
There were other early signs of potential stardom, namely Mark's elite hockey sense that began bubbling to the surface during his formative days in Winnipeg-area arenas.
Rob remembers other parents demanding that young Mark - then skating against kids a year older - strap on the goalie pads for a few two-minute shifts per game in an effort to level the playing field. Fair enough, the Stones thought. Unfortunately for the complainants, the lopsidedness continued.
"As the goalie, he would fire passes up the ice so his teammates could get breakaways," Rob recalled, seemingly still in disbelief 20 years later. "That’s how much of a strategist he was, even as a 5-year-old."
Along with his advanced mind, Mark developed what Michael calls an "ultracompetitive" streak, which the brothers shared. "We hated losing. To one another, and in anything," Michael said, referring to baseball, lacrosse, and other sporting adventures.
At least once, Mark broke a mini stick over the back of Michael's leg. And no family member was immune to his fits of rage.
"I remember him getting mad at my grandma because they lost the baseball game and she was just trying to say, 'Hey, everything’s alright,'" Michael laughed. "And he was so mad. He would have been, like, seven? Five? Really young and totally took it out on our grandma."
As he aged, Mark matured and gained a greater appreciation for the sport, although he refused to settle for anything less than perfect when it came to his hockey stick - much to the annoyance of his parents.
"You have no idea how many nights he'd go, 'I need a new stick,'" Rob said. "We'd be like, 'Another new stick? Ah man, OK. Let’s go and look.' We would never go to just one store."
The progression
Wedged between Stone's minor-hockey triumphs and his 400-game NHL career was a period of doubt. The general concern: How will this lanky teen with inefficient skating get from Point A to Point B?
"He hadn't, as a young player, added up to the sum of his parts," Kelly McCrimmon, then the Brandon Wheat Kings' owner, general manager, and head coach, said of the 14-year-old Stone he selected 92nd overall in the 2007 Western Hockey League bantam draft.
"The skating really needed work, physical maturation, getting stronger. Those were the things that had to come together for him."
Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
In due time, Stone made McCrimmon, now assistant GM of the Golden Knights, look like a talent-evaluation genius. It's true that a growth spurt in the forward's mid-teens had taken his skating from awkward to poor, but after a strong second season that saw the Wheat Kings nearly win the 2010 Memorial Cup, Stone broke out, piling up 229 points in 137 games across his final two junior campaigns.
The turning point arrived in the summer of 2011, when the Senators assigned Stone some gut-check homework one year after drafting him: Change the mechanics of your stride, kid. Get your feet moving in harmony instead of against each other.
With the aid of Senators skating coach Marc Power, concerns began to fade. "We had to make sure he's learning how to use his edges and how to maximize his skating ability as much as he can, with the body that he has," said Paul MacLean, Ottawa's bench boss from 2011-14. "That was a priority for us, and it's something that he went and worked at and became good at."
"His skating, to me, was never going to be a big issue," added Cory Clouston, who took over for McCrimmon as Wheat Kings coach in Stone's last junior year. "I think he took it upon himself to say, 'If that’s my weakness, I’m going to turn it into a strength.' I think he's done a really good job at it."
Stone, who's now a coordinated 6-foot-4, 220-pound package on skates, graduated to the pro ranks in 2012-13. And the sixth-rounder from a few summers earlier - a complete long shot on paper - made noise almost immediately, contributing 38 points in 58 AHL games while managing to crack Ottawa's lineup four times.
"He was an impact player back then," said current Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg, Stone’s teammate in Binghamton that year. "You could tell, anytime he had the puck on his stick it was under control. He never seemed to be rushed on the ice. He was always making the right play. And that’s something he's still doing today, but maybe with more confidence."
Therein lies the secret to Stone’s rise, and the reason he didn’t fall off the rails amid the reconstruction of his skating stride. His mind, as Clouston framed it, is very "proactive." The winger is flexible, versatile, and really cares about winning.
"For an offensive guy at that level, I don't know if I’ve ever had a guy who took that much pride in his defensive game," the coach said. "He wanted to be successful. He didn't want to be a one-dimensional player."
The finished product
It seemed like something was always going wrong during Stone's tenure in Ottawa.
Sure, he was a key part of two Cinderella runs - the Hamburglar streak of 2015 and the near trip to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final - but the Senators were never considered true contenders.
Yet Stone, to steal a phrase from former Ottawa coach Guy Boucher, was Mr. Consistency. In four full seasons, he posted point totals of 64, 61, 54, and 62. He starred on special teams, drew the stiffest competition, housed rookies, and kept his mouth shut as the franchise spiraled out of control. Brilliantly, Stone even recorded five points in the first game after the infamous Uber video leaked in November.
Then there are the copious defensive plays. Including this year, in which he's recorded 107 takeaways through 69 games, Stone has paced the NHL in the category in five of his six seasons.
"His hand-eye coordination is second to none, and I think the way he reads the game he almost knows what you're doing before you even think about doing it," Senators goalie Craig Anderson said.
Beyond those skills, Stone has become the league's takeaway king while using one of the weirdest - and most effective - sticks in the league, especially in his first two NHL seasons.
"We called it the Lizard Stick. It comes out of nowhere and then is gone," former Senators teammate Curtis Lazar said of Stone's lumber during those early years. Meanwhile, Stone admits his stick obsession, which carried forward from childhood, got "out of control" when he entered the NHL.
"Mine have always been different than most," he said. "(These days), it's got a little shorter blade, it’s a little bit longer, but it’s a lot more standard than it used to be."
Along with the takeaways and the projected career bests in goals, assists, and points this season, Stone's underlying defensive numbers are off the charts. Among the 420 skaters who've played at least 700 five-on-five minutes in 2018-19, he leads in two important categories: Corsi Relative percentage and Goals Above Replacement. There's a strong possibility Stone could become the first winger to win the Selke - an award usually reserved for elite two-way centers such as Patrice Bergeron and Anze Kopitar - since Jere Lehtinen in 2003.
"As much as I love scoring goals and being out there for a goal, it almost makes it worse when you’re out there for something against," Stone said. "It’s just something that has stuck with me throughout my career."
Ethan Miller / Getty Images
So far in Vegas, the Pacioretty-Stastny-Stone line has been dominant at even strength, controlling 60 percent of shot attempts, 61 percent of scoring chances, 62 percent of shots, and 67 percent of goals. Stone's also found a spot on the first-unit power play, lining up on the right flank.
"Whatever that subliminal impact is across the entire team, I think Mark’s had a really positive impact to our team, and specifically to the two players he's playing with," McCrimmon said.
The adjustments have been seamless because both team and player needed each other. The Golden Knights had been yearning for secondary scoring, while Stone's time in Ottawa, like that of other franchise stars over the past couple seasons, had run its course.
Signing the long-term extension was a no-brainer as well. Stone, the former draft long shot, could finally cash in on his dedication and progression, while McCrimmon and Vegas could lock up an elite three-zone winger who quietly ranks eighth in points among those selected in the 2010 draft, which featured Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin at the top.
"The last year and a half have been tough on me, losing so many hockey games," Stone said. "Being in Vegas right now, I’m just so excited with how well the team is playing and how many wins we're getting. It looks like we’re going to have an opportunity to try and win a Stanley Cup.”
John Matisz is theScore's National Hockey Writer. You can find him on Twitter @matiszjohn.
TORONTO - It's a Friday evening in the Center of the Hockey Universe and thousands of Maple Leafs fans are streaming into Gate 1 at Scotiabank Arena. They gab and laugh, weaving through a tight hallway. It's nearly go time for a St. Patrick's Day weekend matchup against the Flyers.
Next door, on the 10th floor of 50 Bay Street, home of the National Hockey League offices, Sean Ellis settles in for the night. Four TV monitors, a laptop, an iPad, an iPhone, a TV remote, a computer mouse, a bottle of water, a sandwich, and a banana are all within reach. Like five other days this week and every week during the season, Ellis is in his element.
Nick Roy / theScore
This is the workstation of a professional hockey watcher. "I couldn't think of a better job for myself," says Ellis, who's wearing an NHL-themed Patagonia sweater and a Winter Classic ball cap as he sits in his computer chair, his back to a view of the Toronto waterfront.
Pro hockey was the dream when Ellis, who hails from Massachusetts, graduated from Amherst College in 2007. He dressed for five preseason games in the Central Hockey League, hit the waiver wire, and decided to turn the page. "It was pretty disappointing," the 35-year-old admits. " ... But if it meant I wouldn't have this job, I'd choose this every time."
A decade later, Ellis holds the title of senior director of hockey operations for the NHL. He's a key member of a group that, among other duties, audits games in real time from the Situation Room, the league's center for quality control.
Not to be confused with the Department of Player Safety - the NHL's New York-based disciplinary arm - the Situation Room reviews disputed on-ice events such as goals, offsides, and goalie interference. Ellis and his colleagues are responsible for handling coach's challenges and, in general, maintaining the integrity of the game.
On March 15, as the Leafs and Flyers skated before 19,290 fans a short walk away, the NHL granted theScore entry into the Situation Room. Here's what we learned from our trip behind the scenes.
__________
The Situation Room traces its origins back to an angry phone call from Ken Holland in 2002. The longtime Red Wings general manager rang the league in the middle of a Wings-Flames game to vent about a gaffe by the on-site goal judge in Calgary.
"You guys have to do something about this! This is wrong!" Holland said, as retold by Mike Murphy, the NHL's senior vice president of hockey operations. "We can't have amateurs and part-time people making calls on those games!"
At the next GM meetings, the idea of creating a centralized video room was tabled. That discussion eventually led the NHL to grant select employees final authority on plays that were deemed reviewable. Starting in 2003, all concerns were directed to a dedicated unit of professionals in Toronto, rather than a local part-timer who had the emotionally involved parties - like Holland and his GM peers, along with coaches, players, and fans - breathing down their neck.
"This room's in a bubble. You're insulated from that type of abuse and that type of problem. At the rink you can get influenced by the pressure of the crowd, the pressure of the general manager," Murphy says with the start of the Leafs-Flyers broadcast in his peripheral vision. "That was the creation of this, and it's just exploded with more technology. TiVo, high-definition TV, fiber optics … "
Nick Roy / theScore
On this particular night, Murphy and VP of hockey ops Rod Pasma man the bridge, an elevated strip inside the Situation Room. Five 90-inch screens are mounted at the head of the room. Above those screens, a ticker displays the operators and on-ice officials assigned to each active game. Monitors on a side wall ensure there's no shortage of visual aids.
On either side of the bridge sit the video room operators, part- and full-time NHL employees who inspect games. The operators have instant access to 14 camera angles, some of which are exclusive to the Situation Room, and they're trained to follow what other people aren't watching.
Ellis' spot is in the back row, a few seats away from Don Van Massenhoven. The longtime referee is part of a rotation of retired officials added to the group this season to supplement the review process. Their expertise lends a unique perspective and an extra layer of insight.
At around 7:35 p.m., with the Leafs and Flyers tied 1-1, the room comes alive.
Auston Matthews has batted a puck past Flyers goalie Brian Elliott in the final minute of the first period. On the ice, it's called a goal by head ref Dean Morton.
"Oh!" Pasma yells. "The net's off," Ellis says calmly, defining the issue. "Is it really?" Murphy asks. "Before it goes in?"
Within seconds, Pasma initiates review protocol, sending a signal to the off-ice official stationed between the penalty boxes inside Scotiabank Arena. A red strobe light flashes at ice level and a man picks up the phone. "Hey Luke, it looks like we might have a net off here … "
As Pasma, Murphy, and Van Massenhoven watch the sequence from numerous angles, Ellis transfers footage of the play to an iPad that can be viewed by the referees inside the arena. Morton picks up the tablet, puts on a headset, and links up with Pasma for a chat.
"Whaddaya got, Morty?" Pasma asks.
"We've got a good goal. Matthews bats the puck … (The Flyers are) talking about the net being off. I don't have the net moving at all until maybe after the play? And it looked like it was in play even when Matthews was batting away at the side of the net."
"Yeah. From where you are, Morty, it's hard to see because Elliott's pad's on it, but this net is definitely off the moorings before he shoots it in. OK? So, the net is off. This is no goal, Morty."
"So, we've got no goal. It wasn't continuous action and the Flyers did not bat it in?"
"That's exactly right. We looked at that, too, Morty. He shoots it well after the net's off."
"OK, so we've got no goal. The net was off its moorings prior to the puck crossing the line. OK, thank you."
Headset off, Morton delivers the verdict to the Toronto crowd. Matthews rolls his eyes. As a chorus of boos drowns out Morton's final words and social media reacts to the decision, the Situation Room launches into Phase 2: educating the hockey world.
The league's communications and public relations departments have been involved in the review process to varying degrees since the 2009 playoffs. In the moments following the Matthews decision, Corey Dempsey, an in-game communications employee, has already typed a rough draft laying out the Situation Room's reasoning for overturning the call on the ice.
PR colleague Trevor Bjergso consults with Dempsey, who has a Word doc open for Pasma's approval. Making his way over from the bridge, Pasma recites exact wording for one particular part of the draft. The language is important. Dempsey reads the passage back to Bjergso, Pasma, and Murphy. He gets the green light from his superiors. It's ready for public consumption.
The explanation is emailed to the PR departments for the Leafs and Flyers, as well as regional and national broadcasting partners. Roughly 10 minutes after Pasma's headset discussion with Morton, the rationale is published on NHL.com and fed through the league's social media channels. "The room's evolved," Pasma says, "into this real-time information generator."
Murphy connects via phone with his boss, executive VP of hockey ops Colin Campbell, who is working from his home in the southwestern Ontario farm town of Tillsonburg. In great detail, they discuss a potential issue with the nets in the Leafs' home rink. Toronto was on the wrong side of another goal review earlier in the week, and in both instances, the net seemed to be rather easily dislodged.
Pasma joins the conversation and the three higher-ups toss around several theories. Nothing official is being decided, but there's a strong sense of curiosity. They'd like to be proactive. So, what's really going on? Are the pegs used to secure the nets not gripping the ice? Is this actually an issue? If so, how can it be fixed?
This back-and-forth is a prime example of the Situation Room's influence on the game of hockey, which extends far beyond a goal review on a Friday night in mid-March. In the moment, the group is beholden to the rule book and errs on the side of caution. There are no knee-jerk reactions. However, the room often serves as a think tank for improving the on-ice product.
"Snow gets in there and either messes with the integrity of the peg or keeps it from going down. Something. When our ice crews go out, clean the holes out, put the pegs back in," Pasma says to Campbell and Murphy at one point. The pair clearly agreed. On Saturday, the hockey ops department emails a memo to arena crews across the league, encouraging them to pay closer attention to the stability of the nets.
Much like the dynamic within the Situation Room itself, the NHL's hockey ops department tries its best to operate democratically over the medium and long terms. The GMs, on the whole, act as the Situation Room's "compass," Pasma says, but the line of communication is always open.
"A lot of times, if we have a lot of contentious plays, we'll take them to the managers meetings," he continues, emphasizing the collaborative approach of the NHL's major off-ice influencers. "Here's the play, here's our ruling on it, here's why we ruled on it, can you tell us what you guys think?"
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There was a time when the NHL's hockey ops department only ruled on player safety issues, handing down suspensions for biting, spearing, and other egregious acts. Murphy, the 68-year-old former player and coach, laughs when he remembers attempting to review footage on the fly with 12-inch TVs and VHS tapes.
"If you saw something, you'd have to wait for a commercial break and then hurry back to the right spot (in the tape)," he says, recalling having to FedEx the cassettes to Campbell's home. "And then you'd hurry forward to reset it so you wouldn't miss the game."
Nick Roy / theScore
In 2019, the player safety department and the Situation Room operate completely independently from each other, and the latter's considered innovative in the pro sports landscape. Of course, it helps that the technology has improved immensely, solidifying and streamlining the review process.
Next season, player and puck tracking will be rolled out on a full-time basis, adding a new tool to the technological arsenal. Will it dramatically affect the Situation Room? As of now, it's tough to say.
"There are times where we lose a puck in the goalie's equipment - under a pad - and you think it may be in the net but you can't be 100 percent sure. Or it goes into his glove and you think it's across the goal line. I think tracking may help in that area," Pasma says. He also thinks it could, hypothetically, help in the realm of high-stick goals too.
But there are no guarantees with new tech. And for the Situation Room's inhabitants, that's part of the fun. The NHL's rules will forever be tweaked, its production quality always improved, yet the group's collective dedication to "getting it right" simply cannot slip.
On this particular Friday night, Ellis hops into his car well after midnight following a second game plus some additional Situation Room duties. With Leafs fans long gone from Scotiabank Arena and the weekend's Irish-themed festivities in full swing, the professional hockey watcher drives some 100 kilometers to his home in Cambridge, Ontario. He'll complete the same commute again and again and again, logging more than 400 games a year.
Not a bad gig for a guy who couldn't crack the Central Hockey League.
"At times, like in February and March, it can really feel like it's dragging. But you just need one game where something big happens and you snap out of it," Ellis says. "You walk away at the end of the night and remember how lucky you are to get to do this."
John Matisz is theScore's National Hockey Writer. You can find him on Twitter @matiszjohn.
In this episode, John's joined by theScore colleagues Hannah Stuart and Nick Faris to discuss the 2019 NHL Draft, as well as the AHL Senators. Topics include:
Kaapo Kakko over Jack Hughes as top 2019 prospect?
Rising stocks: Alex Turcotte and Cole Caufield
Huge year for US National Team Development Program
Red-hot AHL Belleville provides glimmer of hope for Sens
TORONTO - When Nikita Kucherov inevitably accepts the Hart Trophy this summer at the NHL Awards ceremony in Las Vegas, nobody will remember point No. 111.
That point didn’t break a record or signal a milestone. Heck, it's not even a nice, round number. The secondary assist, recorded in the first period Monday night at Scotiabank Arena, will be a mere footnote in the Lightning's late-season rout over the Maple Leafs.
Yet that's precisely the beauty of point No. 111. Kucherov, who's run roughshod over the world's best for five months straight, did what he does nearly every night. He found his way onto the scoresheet in a distinctly Kucherovian manner.
Screen shot (Courtesy: NHL)
After pouncing on a loose puck after an Auston Matthews turnover deep in Toronto's zone, Kucherov commanded the building's attention, roping in three lunging defenders before deftly dishing to Ryan McDonagh, who hit Tyler Johnson's stick for a tip-in at the net.
"That’s his whole game," Johnson told theScore prior to the 6-2 victory, reflecting on his linemate's gravitational pull and unpredictability. "He's deceptive in everything he does."
"He has the ability to beat you in different ways," Leafs center John Tavares added of Kucherov. "He's such a good shooter but also such a tremendous passer. He's so good at finding the late man, being able to slow things down even though he's a guy that can play at a high pace."
It can't be forgotten that the Lightning, now 18 points clear of the rest of the league with a 53-13-4 record, can beat you in many different ways. They're elite at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, ranking first among all NHL teams in each situation. Flush with star power, versatile mid-level talent, and capable role players, Tampa Bay is intimidatingly stacked and well-coached by Jon Cooper, earning the label of Stanley Cup favorite from fans, media, and those within the NHL's inner circle.
Atop the team's pile of talent is Kucherov, who's on pace for a gaudy 130 points with 33 goals and 78 assists through 70 games. Even though league-wide scoring rates keep rising year over year, those are still absurd numbers in 2019. When adjusting for era, Kucherov’s already produced the equivalent of 121 points, according to Hockey-Reference.
Getty Images
He's a virtual lock for MVP, because, much like Tampa on the team level, it's as if Kucherov's playing a different sport than his peers. He's putting up video-game numbers and doing so in style for the best team. Clearly, Kucherov is benefiting from his environment - especially playing alongside star center Brayden Point and the ever-effective Johnson - but the cold, hard facts should wash away any skepticism of his Hart candidacy.
Consider these notes following Monday's games: Kucherov has a 13-point lead on Patrick Kane for the scoring title, owns a 28-point cushion on Point for the team lead, has racked up almost as many multi-point games (17) as pointless ones (18), and sports underlying numbers that show teammates routinely see their performances dip when they take the ice without him. As a bonus, the play-driving winger is a tremendous bargain at a salary cap hit of $4.8 million.
Truthfully, the other Hart considerations - Kane in Chicago, Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh, Johnny Gaudreau in Calgary, Alex Ovechkin in Washington, and, if you choose to ignore the no-playoffs asterisk, Connor McDavid in Edmonton - all seem like afterthoughts at this point.
The Hart is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, but Kucherov's sensational season isn't lost on his rivals. Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock believes Kucherov is the "most dangerous guy in hockey right now." (Remember: best-on-planet McDavid and Crosby are also enjoying excellent seasons). Even Cooper, a mild-mannered, process-oriented bench boss, finds himself marveling at Kucherov, admitting he sometimes watches the stealthy Russian winger like a fan.
The tantalizing skill set and the eyebrow-raising production make it very hard to avoid the Kucherov buzz. Not a single NHLer has surpassed the 125-point threshold since the salary cap arrived in 2005, and the Lightning have 12 games left. The next tier is reserved for Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr, the last players to surpass 130 points (161 and 149, respectively, back in 1995-96).
The points have come in bunches, both on the power play and at five-on-five. Kucherov's picked up 43 of them on Tampa Bay's potent PP, occupying the right flank on the first unit. And at even strength, he and his teammates rank highly in shot generation, scoring chances, and point production:
Category
Kucherov
NHL Rank
Points per 60 minutes
4.1
4th
Scoring chances per 60
32.6
17th
Shot attempts per 60
66.6
27th
*Minimum 700 minutes at five-on-five
Kucherov, who logs an average of 19:41 per night, can be deceiving when he shifts his 5-foot-11, 178-pound frame around the rink, changing speeds and body positioning to confuse opposing skaters. The 25-year-old seems to always be hiding in plain sight, using his edgework to weave east-west and his quick first steps to bolt north-south.
But while Kucherov processes the game at such a high rate, his teammates don't find him difficult to play with.
"He's deceptive but he’s easy to read off, if that makes sense?" Point said. "He goes to the right spaces, he makes the right play almost every time. So, being on his line, you just try to get to those soft areas and he’ll find you."
Said Johnson, "Really, I just know that when he has the puck, if I can get open or find a lane, he's going to drag a few guys to him and allow me to take over some empty space."
Kucherov's shot can be deceiving, too, as he's figured out how to fool goaltenders by firing the puck from a variety of release points or by using a defender as a screen. A skills coach even dedicated seven minutes to Kucherov's unique mechanics and technique in a recent YouTube video:
It's been a steady climb for Kucherov through six NHL seasons, with his points-per-game rate rising from 0.4 in his rookie campaign to 1.2 in Year 4 and 1.6 now - not bad for a player who went 58th overall in the 2011 draft.
"Is it a credit to us or is it a shame on the 57 picks that went before that?" Cooper said half-jokingly.
Of course, you can joke about it when the soon-to-be MVP is on your side, tormenting the rest of the league.
John Matisz is theScore's National Hockey Writer. You can find him on Twitter @matiszjohn.
In this episode, John's joined by Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic to discuss the Senators and Oilers, two struggling NHL franchises. Topics include:
The odd timing and delivery of the Boucher firing in Ottawa
A tumultuous year in Oilers land coming to a close
Ken Hitchcock, Keith Gretzky report cards
Will Connor McDavid force his way out of Edmonton?
In this episode, John is joined by Gus Katsaros of McKeen's Hockey and Graeme Nichols of The Athletic Ottawa to recap the trade deadline action on Monday. Topics include:
Quick-hit analysis of big-league trades completed Monday, Feb. 25, updating live as each deal's made ahead of the 3 p.m. ET NHL trade deadline.
Trade: Blues acquire Michael Del Zotto Analysis: St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong had a relatively quiet deadline day, and this deal is by no means a game-changer. Del Zotto, who's skated for five teams over a 10-year NHL career, fell out of favor this year with both the Canucks and Ducks. That dropped his stock significantly, and he ultimately fetched Anaheim a sixth-round pick in 2019. The 26-year-old could be a fit on the Blues' third pair, but fans should temper their expectations.
Trade: Jets add Nathan Beaulieu Analysis: Insurance. That's what Winnipeg must see in Beaulieu, an offensively minded defenseman who's been in and out of the Sabres' lineup this season. Winnipeg's blue-line corps is nothing to scoff at with Josh Morrissey, Jacob Trouba, Dustin Byfuglien, and Tyler Myers leading the charge, so it's hard to envision Beaulieu's ice time rising in a major way. This deal might not work out for him on a personal level, but he's got a new home, and Buffalo gets a sixth-round pick in 2019.
Trade: Jets reunite with Matt Hendricks Analysis: Winnipeg adds a familiar face to its incredible collection of forwards, parting with a seventh-round pick in the 2020 draft for the services of ex-Jet Hendricks. Their trade partner, the Minnesota Wild, isn't giving away much, as Hendricks is a fourth-line talent headed for unrestricted free agency this summer. It's a straightforward swap that makes sense for both clubs.
Trade: Maple Leafs grab Nic Petan Analysis: Toronto wasn't expected to rock the boat on deadline day, and this deal - depth forward Par Lindholm for Jets tweener Petan - doesn't do anything to discredit that notion. However, it could become something meaningful. Petan, a 23-year-old ex-junior star, has a higher ceiling than Lindholm, who's 27 and has shown very little offensive potential at the NHL level. Petan's played only 13 games for the Jets this season, contributing two points in a limited role. The Maple Leafs' robust development staff takes on a new project while Winnipeg receives the more polished player.
Trade: Canucks gain Tanner Pearson Analysis: Pearson's changing his address one more time. Traded to Pittsburgh via Los Angeles in November, the former 40-point man is now off to Vancouver. The 26-year-old winger is under contract through 2020-21 at $3.75 million per year. If he can rediscover his touch, that's a solid addition for the Canucks. Slow-footed defenseman Erik Gudbranson goes the other way in the one-for-one deal. It's a puzzling move by the Penguins considering they already dress Jack Johnson - another blue-liner struggling to keep up with the league's speedsters.
Trade: Bruins net Marcus Johansson Analysis: Thankfully for Devils fans, the Marcus Johansson era in New Jersey is over. Since he was acquired from the Capitals in July 2017, Johansson's been plagued by injuries and has struggled to produce, but he gets a fresh start in Boston. In exchange, Jersey adds a second-round pick in 2019 and a fourth-rounder in 2020 to their growing collection of upcoming selections. The Bruins are too top-heavy up front and missed out on headliners like Mark Stone and Kevin Hayes, so Johansson is a nice consolation prize. If he ends up anchoring the third line, Boston's suddenly got some solid center depth.
Trade: Predators get Wayne Simmonds Analysis: It came down to the wire, but Simmonds is leaving Philadelphia instead of staying with the Flyers and sputtering toward free agency. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher found a dance partner in Nashville's David Poile, acquiring Predators winger Ryan Hartman and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2020. The Preds had a clear objective of adding scoring forwards at the deadline and, while Simmonds' play is in decline, the rangy winger should help in that regard. The 30-year-old is often a thorn in defensemen's sides and he's hungry for a Stanley Cup.
Trade: Golden Knights land Mark Stone Analysis: A year after missing out on Erik Karlsson, GM George McPhee pulled a rabbit out of his hat by not only acquiring the best player available at the deadline, but also agreeing to a long-term deal with the marquee player. Stone, 26, is a game-changing winger who vaults the Golden Knights into Stanley Cup-contending territory. He's off to Las Vegas for dynamite prospect Erik Brannstrom, depth forward Oscar Lindberg, and a second-round pick in 2020. For the Ottawa Senators, this is a quality haul, as Brannstrom is considered one of the best defensemen who's not playing in the NHL right now. Both teams should be pleased.
Trade: Predators reel in Mikael Granlund Analysis: While rivals Vegas and Winnipeg reeled in the day's big fish, Nashville GM Poile may have fleeced Wild GM Paul Fenton. Creative top-six winger Granlund is a Predator, with 22-year-old Kevin Fiala going the other way in a one-for-one deal. Perhaps a change of scenery helps former high-end prospect Fiala reach his ceiling, but Granlund is by far the better player right now. The Wild are clearly banking on youth, which is fine, but you'd expect a draft pick or two from the Preds. Meanwhile, Nashville needed secondary scoring and Granlund, who costs $5.75 million per season through 2019-20, can provide that.
Trade: Flames add Oscar Fantenberg Analysis: Why not? Flames GM Brad Treliving picking up the Kings defenseman for a conditional fourth-round pick feels like a no-brainer. The bottom-pair blue-liner provides some insurance for one of the league's best defense corps. Fantenberg's on an expiring contract, so it was a tap-in for the Kings as they gut their roster in the name of a rebuild.
Trade: Blue Jackets score Adam McQuaid Analysis: Make it four trades in four days for Jarmo Kekalainen. After beefing up his top-six forward group (Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel) and goaltending depth (Keith Kinkaid), the Blue Jackets GM reinforced his blue line with McQuaid. The stay-at-home defenseman netted the Rangers AHLer Julius Bergman and a fourth-round and seventh-round pick. A 31-year-old pending unrestricted free agent, McQuaid will likely find a home on Columbus' third pair. He won't make a Duchene-level impact in Ohio, but he's a solid add for a win-now team. Looking forward, the Blue Jackets only have two picks (in the third and seventh rounds) in the 2019 draft, while asset-clearing New York boasts 10 selections. Talk about two teams going in opposite directions finding a middle ground.
Trade: Avalanche nab Derick Brassard Analysis: In a low-risk move, the Avs bought low on Derick Brassard. GM Joe Sakic's bringing in a struggling but playoff-tested center who can slot in behind Nathan MacKinnon - and possibly Tyson Jost, depending on how head coach Jared Bednar deploys Brassard - at the cost of a third-round pick in 2020. The trade makes sense for Florida, too. Brassard's a pending free agent the Panthers acquired from the Penguins earlier in February with the intention of flipping, and they did well in receiving an extra lottery ticket in exchange for the final 20 games. Colorado also receives a conditional sixth-round pick. If Brassard re-signs with the Avs, the sixth-rounder returns to Florida.
Trade: Canadiens deal for Jordan Weal Analysis: Of course Weal's on the move. Already traded in 2019 - from the Flyers to the Coyotes in January - the 26-year-old depth winger is now the property of the Habs, via Arizona. In this minor transaction, Chaput (5 points in 32 games) is switching places with Weal (2 points in 19 games). Montreal is a bottom-five faceoff team, so perhaps right-handed Weal and his 53 percent career success rate in the faceoff circle can help turn the tide.
Trade: Jets acquire Kevin Hayes Analysis: The rich get richer as the high-powered Jets land one of the top goal-scorers on the market from the Rangers. A preseason Stanley Cup favorite, Winnipeg's underperformed a little bit through 62 games. GM Kevin Cheveldayoff's leaving nothing to chance, supplementing an already formidable attack with a big-bodied center. Hayes, a pending unrestricted free agent, has 14 goals and 28 assists for 42 points in 51 games. New York receives the Jets' 2019 first-round pick, forward Brendan Lemieux, and a conditional fourth-round pick. True to their word, the Rangers continue to turn over their roster and look toward the future, making legendary goalie Henrik Lundqvist cry in the process.
Trade: Blue Jackets pick up Keith Kinkaid Analysis: GM Jarmo Kekalainen bolstered the Jackets' goaltending depth by acquiring Kinkaid from the Devils in exchange for a 2022 fifth-round pick. We all know about starter Sergei Bobrovsky's nightmarish playoff history. Kinkaid, who's on an expiring contract, provides some stability as a quality No. 2 netminder. As evidenced by this past weekend's Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel trades, Columbus isn't screwing around. Adding Kinkaid on Monday morning hammers home the "going for it" message.
Trade: Sharks snag Gustav Nyquist Analysis: Bidding farewell to a pair of draft picks, San Jose's added another secondary scoring option. Nyquist, who's spent his entire eight-year NHL career in Detroit and is due for a new contract this summer, is on pace to set a career high in points. Wouldn't he look nice on Joe Thornton's left side? The picks going the other way: a second-rounder in 2019, and a conditional third-rounder in 2020, which becomes a second-rounder if the Sharks advance to the Stanley Cup Final or re-sign Nyquist. With the Red Wings retaining 30 percent ($1.425 million) of his 2018-19 salary, this is a smart bet by the Sharks.
