The NHL will discuss the possibility of returning to a bubble for the 2021 postseason, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on "Saturday Headlines."
The league hosted the 2020 playoffs in separate bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton. Whether or not the same measures will be used depends on how the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, Friedman adds.
Over 33,000 tests were administered during last season's 24-team playoffs, and zero positive results were returned. Teams entered their respective bubbles on July 26, and the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup on Sept. 28.
Nearly every team has had at least one player enter COVID-19 protocol since the 2020-21 season began Jan. 13. The Vancouver Canucks currently have 14 players on the COVID-19 list, and the Brazil variant of the coronavirus has reportedly infected some of those players.
The regular season is scheduled to end May 8, with the postseason beginning May 11, but those dates are subject to change if the league needs to reschedule games.
Head coach John Tortorella didn't offer much when asked about Roslovic's play.
"(Jack's) still a work in progress, yeah," Tortorella told CBJ Radio's Bob McElligott. "And that's where I'll leave it."
However, the Blue Jackets bench boss voiced his displeasure with Roslovic's game in a 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.
"I didn't like Jack's line," Tortorella said postgame, according to Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch. "I didn't like Jack's play. But I'm not going to criticize anybody. I shouldn't. I thought 99% of this hockey club played their (butts) off tonight."
Roslovic ranks third on Columbus with 22 points through 30 games this season but has just two points over his previous six outings.
The Blue Jackets acquired Roslovic and Patrik Laine in a trade that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Winnipeg Jets in January. Despite Laine and Dubois being the headliners of the deal, Roslovic leads all three players in points since the transaction.
Tortorella sat Dubois before he was traded to Winnipeg. Laine has also been benched by Tortorella on multiple occasions this season.
The North Division has been an intriguing one this season, and with the April 12 trade deadline fast approaching, it's time for some difficult decisions.
Each of the seven Canadian teams finds itself facing a unique set of circumstances. Some clubs are looking to add, others are looking to sell, and some appear to be caught in between.
Here's a look at one move each team north of the border should make ahead of the deadline.
Calgary Flames - Trade Sam Bennett
Gerry Thomas / National Hockey League / Getty
Deadline cap space: $2.14M
Bennett's departure from the Flames has felt inevitable since his reported trade request earlier this season, and general manager Brad Treliving should deal the pending restricted free agent before the deadline to leverage Bennett's history of strong postseason play.
The 24-year-old forward has just four goals and seven points through 34 games this season, but he's assembled a strong body of work in the playoffs. Bennett led the Flames with eight points and five goals through 10 games in the bubble last season, and he has 11 goals and 19 points through 30 career playoff outings.
Calgary is clearly in need of some sort of shake-up. Any major changes to the core should wait until the offseason, but moving Bennett ahead of the deadline could net the Flames a future asset while giving him a fresh start.
Edmonton Oilers - Acquire Jake DeBrusk
Codie McLachlan / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Deadline cap space: None
Though it's been inconsistent, this group is probably the best the Oilers have assembled during the Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl era. Edmonton should look to add another talent up front, and hometown boy DeBrusk could be the perfect fit.
The Boston Bruins made DeBrusk a healthy scratch earlier this season, and he's struggled to find his form. Perhaps a change of scenery and a chance to play alongside Draisaitl or McDavid could revitalize the former 27-goal scorer.
DeBrusk, 24, is signed through 2021-22 at $3.67 million per season, so the Oilers would need to move out money to acquire the winger. Edmonton has a few impact players on expiring deals, but general manager Ken Holland would likely need to move draft picks or a prospect to sway Boston. Still, the Oilers finally appear ready to contend, and Holland shouldn't hesitate to get aggressive.
Montreal Canadiens - Trade for Brandon Sutter
Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / Getty
Deadline cap space: $448K
Marc Bergevin already made one move after claiming salary-cap constraints would likely keep him idle ahead of the deadline, and the Canadiens' savvy general manager could have another trick up his sleeve. Trading for Eric Staal was probably the largest splash Montreal will make, but it could still improve in a few areas.
Jake Evans hasn't quite found his stride in his first full NHL campaign, and the Canadiens could benefit by filling his spot in the lineup down the stretch. Sutter would come as a rental on an expiring deal, wouldn't have to quarantine upon arriving, and provides strengths in areas of need for the club.
The Canucks veteran ranks fifth among all centers in shorthanded ice time and would give Montreal's 21st-ranked penalty kill a reliable option. The Canadiens also struggle mightily at the faceoff dot, and the 32-year-old's 55.5% efficiency on draws would be beneficial in critical situations.
Ottawa Senators - Keep selling
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Deadline cap space: $37.83M
The Senators have started carving out an identity as the season has progressed, but general manager Pierre Dorion shouldn't overthink things at the deadline. Ottawa should continue to sell for future assets, and it has a few pending unrestricted free agents who are worth shopping.
Ryan Dzingel, one of the original "Pesky Sens" from the club's wild run in 2016-17, has revitalized himself in his second stint with Ottawa, scoring five goals in 11 games since rejoining the Senators at the start of March. He's not going to fetch a large haul, but Dorion would be wise to continue collecting assets when possible and ship the 29-year-old to a contender.
Braydon Coburn, 36, and Erik Gudbranson, 32, are both on expiring deals as well. They could be useful for playoff teams looking to shore up their defensive depth.
Toronto Maple Leafs - Find a way to add Taylor Hall
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Deadline cap space: $1.1M
Why not? Players of Hall's ilk rarely become available for far less than they're worth, and the Maple Leafs should take advantage. The 29-year-old winger hasn't been anywhere close to his normal self this season; if surrounding him with star talents on a team positioned for a deep playoff push doesn't bring the best out of the former Hart Trophy winner, we're not sure what will.
Toronto would need to do some cap maneuvering to acquire Hall, but as we explored in March, it's absolutely possible. The Maple Leafs are already one of the NHL's top offensive teams, and adding a player like Hall would give them arguably the most lethal top-six forward group in the league:
LW
C
RW
Zach Hyman
Auston Matthews
Mitch Marner
Taylor Hall
John Tavares
WIlliam Nylander
After years of opening-round failure, no team will face more pressure this postseason. Playing out of the North Division offers a unique opportunity for success, and Maple Leafs should go all-in.
Vancouver Canucks - Deal Jake Virtanen or Braden Holtby
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Deadline cap space: None
The season has progressed far enough to conclude the Canucks overachieved in the bubble last season. As such, the club should focus on the future rather than the present. Vancouver sits sixth in the North Division and has a 7% chance of making the playoffs, according to The Athletic's Dom Luszczyszyn. The club also has some significant housekeeping to do this summer.
Canucks general manager Jim Benning inked breakout netminder Thatcher Demko to a five-year pact reportedly worth $25 million on Wednesday, but franchise cornerstones Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes are set to become restricted free agents and have earned healthy paydays of their own.
With Demko emerging as Vancouver's No. 1 goalie, the team is paying Braden Holtby $4.3 million to be a backup. The Canucks would likely need to retain some of his salary to make a deal work, but several teams are looking for insurance in net, and Holtby's championship pedigree could be valuable during a playoff run.
Perhaps a more realistic option would be a deal involving Jake Virtanen, whose name has surfaced in previous trade rumors. Moving the 24-year-old winger would clear $2.55 million off the books for next season while fetching Vancouver additional assets.
Winnipeg Jets - Target an impact defenseman
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Deadline cap space: None
The Jets boast a lethal offense but have yet to fully replenish their blue line after losing several key rearguards during the 2019 offseason. The club is still one of the league's worst teams analytically and will likely need more than Connor Hellebuyck's brilliance in goal to make a Stanley Cup push.
Winnipeg has reportedly expressed interest in Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm, but with Nashville back in the playoff picture, it's hard to gauge the Swedish blue-liner's availability. The Predators are battling a slew of injuries that could mire their postseason push, so it's likely Ekholm could still be had for the right price.
Another somewhat under-the-radar option is Anaheim Ducks defenseman Josh Manson. The 6-foot-3, right-shooting rearguard would give the Jets a physical presence they've lacked on the right side since Dustin Byfuglien's departure, and his defensive metrics have been consistently strong.
Manson and Ekholm are both under contract through the 2021-22 season. Since neither is a rental, the Jets would need to move money out to bring one of them in. Perhaps Mathieu Perreault and his expiring $4.12-million cap hit could be a starting point.
Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman has been chosen to assemble the 2022 U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team in Beijing next February, USA Hockey announced Wednesday.
Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin will serve as assistant GM.
"We could not be happier to have the combination of Stan and Bill, with the support of John Vanbiesbrouck, guiding our men’s Olympic team," said Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey.
"We have a deep talent pool thanks to so many people, including volunteers at the grassroots level across the country, and it’s great to have the leadership and expertise that Stan and Bill bring in building our team."
Bowman helped lead the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup titles (in 2010, 2013, and 2015) since being hired as general manager in 2009.
The Buffalo native has been a member of the U.S. Men's National Team Advisory Group - which helps select players and staff for the U.S. Men's National Team - since 2012. Bowman was also selected as general manager for Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey alongside Peter Chiarelli.
The Wild hired Guerin as general manager in August 2019. The Massachusetts native served as assistant GM for the Pittsburgh Penguins and eventually as GM for the club's American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before joining Minnesota. Guerin won consecutive Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
The NHL is expected to send its players to the Olympics after skipping the 2018 PyeongChang Games. Their participation is still pending an agreement between the league, the NHLPA, the International Olympic Committee, and the International Ice Hockey Federation.
The Buffalo Sabres took a 3-0 advantage into the third period against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, with the end of their 17-game winless streak on the horizon. By the end of overtime, however, the Sabres skated off the ice without a victory for the 18th consecutive game, tying the all-time NHL record set by the 2003-04 Pittsburgh Penguins.
So much has gone wrong for a team that was never particularly strong on paper, to begin with. Buffalo battled a COVID-19 outbreak in early February and later lost captain Jack Eichel and starting netminder Linus Ullmark to long-term injuries.
The club fired head coach Ralph Krueger earlier this month, but the change hasn't done anything to spark better results. Offseason addition Taylor Hall has been a complete shell of himself, $9-million man Jeff Skinner still can't find the net, and the team looks like it's simply waiting for the season to finish.
With the Sabres at risk of setting the longest winless streak in NHL history on Wednesday night, we take a look back at some eye-popping statistics the club has endured throughout its slide.
Minus-45: The Sabres' goal differential during the skid. They've been outscored 75-30 and allowed at least three goals in every game, conceding an average of 4.11. Mikko Rantanen, the NHL's leading scorer since the Sabres' last win, has 26 points of his own to the Sabres' 30 goals.
.878: Buffalo's team save percentage over the 18 games. With Ullmark injured, the trio of Carter Hutton, Jonas Johansson, and Dustin Tokarski were absolutely shelled. Ullmark was back in goal for the two most recent losses, so the 27-year-old should help the team snap the slide soon.
5: The Sabres have been shut out five times amid the slump. The Detroit Red Wings are the only other team to be blanked five times this season, and those came in their 36 total games.
8: Sam Reinhart's team-leading point total since the Sabres' last win. Reinhart ranks 167th among all players in that span. Only six forwards have netted more than one goal, and Hall isn't one of them.
0.08%: The Sabres' dreadful power play has been almost non-existent. Buffalo has just three goals with the man advantage, and two of those tallies came in the first of the 18 losses back in February.
7: Buffalo has lost multiple games to all seven teams in the division except for the Washington Capitals, who have had the fortune of playing the Sabres only once.
11: The total number of losses by three-plus goals. The Sabres haven't even been close to winning the majority of games throughout the losing streak.
13: The number of times Buffalo allowed the first goal, which leads all NHL teams during the 18-game span.
1 - Plus/minus is an overused stat, but it's worth noting that just one player has avoided the dreaded dash throughout the losing streak. Congratulations to Tobias Rieder for his even rating, though the German winger has appeared in just 12 of the 18 outings.
Gostisbehere, 27, has two years beyond this season remaining on his current deal, which carries an annual cap hit of $4.5 million.
The 5-foot-11 blue-liner ranks third on the Flyers in average ice time this season (20:01) and has contributed five goals and 11 points through 25 outings. He missed the opening two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19.
Gostisbehere stormed onto the scene with a 46-point rookie campaign in 2015-16 to finish second in Calder Trophy voting. He ranked eighth among all defensemen in goals (37) and ninth in points (150) between then and 2017-18.
He's seen his game slip in recent years, however, particularly in the defensive end, according to Hockey Viz's isolated impact tool. (Red, or positive, is good in the offensive zone, while blue, or negative, is good in the defensive zone.)
The Flyers, who rank 30th in goals against per game (3.56), have won consecutive contests after losing five of their previous six.
Carter Hart may have avoided the dreaded sophomore slump, but his third NHL campaign has certainly not gone as planned.
The Philadelphia Flyers netminder will be a healthy scratch for the club's next two games on Monday and Wednesday, and head coach Alain Vigneault wants the 22-year-old to work his way back into the crease.
"This is not a rest day for Carter, this is a work day for him," Vigneault said Monday, according to NHL.com's Adam Kimelman.
"He's going to skate today in practice, stay on after, practice with the team tomorrow, stay on after. Wednesday he'll do the same thing ... he needs to work on his game. He needs to work harder, he needs to work better. I've had good conversations with him and Kim (Dillabaugh, goalie coach) about my expectations about his practice habits and him stopping the puck."
Hart cemented himself as one of the top young goalies in the league after his dominant playoff run in the bubble last summer. He posted a .926 save percentage and a 2.23 goals-against average over 14 starts to help lead the Flyers to the second round.
The 22-year-old has failed to replicate that level of play this season, however. Hart has allowed four or more goals in five of his last six starts and ranks dead last among all netminders (minimum 11 games played) in save percentage (.869) and goals saved above average (-23.06).
"I just need to find more ways to stop pucks. Just go out and play," Hart said earlier this month. "Not overthink things and just trust my game. It's just shitty right now."
Brian Elliott will start Monday against the last-place Buffalo Sabres, who are winless in their last 17 games.
Anisimov, 32, is in the final year of a five-year deal with an annual cap hit of $4.55 million. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
The 6-foot-4 pivot has two goals and two assists through 14 games in his second campaign with the Senators after tallying 15 goals last season.
Ottawa acquired Anisimov from the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2019. The four-time 20-goal scorer has amassed 180 tallies and 371 points over 766 career NHL outings.
The Montreal Canadiens' newest forward is excited to be back in the playoff race after spending the first half of the campaign with the historically poor Buffalo Sabres.
"Well, the good part for me right now is I don't really need to explain," Staal said Sunday, according to The Athletic's John Vogl.
"I can kind of put that behind me and focus on what I can do for the Montreal Canadiens, which is what I'm going to try and do ... for me, having this chance to be a Montreal Canadien and join this team, with a lot of great players and talent, is exciting for me."
Montreal acquired the 36-year-old on Saturday in exchange for a pair of draft picks. Staal tallied three goals and 10 points over 32 games for Buffalo, which is currently enduring a franchise-worst 17-game winless streak.
The Sabres have been hit with several setbacks this season. A COVID-19 outbreak sidelined the club for the first two weeks of February, and Buffalo has since lost captain Jack Eichel and starting goalie Linus Ullmark to long-term injuries.
"There were so many hurdles, there were so many things that just didn't line up the way we envisioned," Staal said, per Vogl.
"The reality is we started OK, we had an up and down first two weeks or so, we were kind of finding our game, filling our roles, and then we got hit with COVID. It went through our room like wildfire, and it wasn't great. Two weeks of guys battling that, and a couple of guys battling it pretty hard, it was difficult. We kind of, after that, coming back, never found any footing."
Staal has tallied 439 goals and 1,031 points through 1,272 career outings but has appeared in the playoffs just five times since capturing the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes during his rookie season in 2005-06.
The Canadiens occupy the fourth seed in the North Division entering Sunday's slate of games.
Thatcher Demko's emergence as the Vancouver Canucks No. 1 option in goal has been a welcome revelation for the club, and his teammates believe his brilliance is no longer a secret after a dominant March.
"I don't know about underrated, but I know he's really good, and we all know he's really good," J.T. Miller said Thursday on Dropping the Gloves podcast. "He's super competitive, practices really hard, and gives us a chance to win every game, and that's all you can really ask for."
Demko has been a steady presence in goal since his incredible playoff run in the bubble, but he took a massive leap in his development this month. The 25-year-old has collected eight wins while posting a .937 save percentage and a 2.15 goals-against average over 11 starts in March.
The California native's also faced one of the heaviest workloads all season on a Canucks' team that's been a wreck defensively. Demko ranks second in shots faced among all netminders and fourth in minutes played, while Vancouver sits among the bottom teams in Corsi For %, shot share, and expected goals share at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.
"He's a huge part of our team, keeps us in a lot of games when we're not bringing our A-game, and he's an awesome guy too," Miller said.
"It's obviously a really bright future for him, and obviously, he's playing like one of the best goalies in the league right now, so we expect nothing less, and I know he's challenged himself to be that guy."
Demko is in line for a new contract following this campaign. Braden Holtby, who the Canucks inked to a two-year, $8.6-million deal in October, has turned into an expensive backup, and Vancouver could look into trading him to clear more cap space for stars Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, who are also up for new deals this summer.
The Canucks sit sixth in the North Division entering Sunday's action. Vancouver is two points shy of a playoff spot, but the math is heavily against the franchise, with the fourth-place Montreal Canadiens having six games in hand.
