While you were away: goalies earn rare distinction; more notes

Canadiens, Senators goalie earn rare distinction; Panthers have another weapon; more notes.

Author:
Joshua Kloke
Publish date:
Oct 12, 2015

Welcome to While You Were Away, a new feature that catches you up on some of the stories from across the NHL and the hockey world that you might have missed.

We’ll be tracking players who are trending up and down, updating you on roster transactions, offering a few predictions and generally keeping you updated on all things hockey beyond your favorite team.

Bruins, Connor McDavid struggling; this week’s games to watch

• There was only one game on the NHL schedule on Sunday night but it wasn’t without some historical relevance: For the first time since 1967, two goalies made their NHL debuts in one game. In Montreal’s 3–1 win, Canadiens netminder Mike Condon bested Ottawa’s Matthew O’Connor. Condon’s, as impressive as he was in training camp while beating out Dustin Tokarski for the backup role behind the all-world Carey Price., likely won't see much time.

But O’Connor, the highly-touted rookie out of Boston College who chose the Senators as a free agent, could factor prominently in Ottawa’s plans between the pipes. Last year’s breakout star Andrew Hammond is currently on the IR with a groin injury and the Sens have back-to-back games this week, so he’ll likely be given another opportunity to show what he can do.

#http://www.120sports.com/video/v154096646/canadiens-skate-past-senators

• Speaking of the Senators, owner Eugene Melnyk spoke to the media for the first time since undergoing a lifesaving liver transplant surgery in May. Melnyk revealed to the Ottawa Sun that he received the liver from an anonymous donor and has spent most of his time living in a condo near Toronto General Hospital.

“Nothing can be negative for me now,” said Melnyk. “You can’t hurt me because I’ve been at the darkest end of a person’s life and come back from it.”

• Colorado Avalanche defenseman Francois Beauchemin continued his strong start to the 2015-16 season adding two assists in a 6–3 drubbing of the Dallas Stars. He now has five points through his first two games.

Whale claim first goal, victory in NWHL history in downing Riveters

Beauchemin, 35, was acquired by the Avalanche on the opening day of free agency in July. Many believed his addition was not going to be enough to help Colorado’s fragile young defense corps but early indications are that Beauchemin is settling into the lineup nicely.

• Vincent Trocheck scored a goal and added three assists as the Florida Panthers beat up on the Philadephia Flyers 7–1 on Saturday night. Trocheck, a 5'10", 182-pound center, split time last season with the Panthers and their AHL affiliate the San Antonio Rampage. If he continues to blossom, he’ll be another reason why the young, improving Cats could very well sneak into a Wild Card berth this season in the wide-open Atlantic Division. Sharing the scoring duties may be the key.

• Losing starting goaltender Robin Lehner to an ankle injury for six to 10 weeks was a blow to the Sabres, who gave up the 21st pick in this year’s draft for him (Ottawa took center Colin White). Buffalo is sure to have an exciting, potent attack this season but without stability between the pipes, it could be another long season in the Queen City. As Allan Muir wrote on Friday, the Sabres may try to swing a deal for a replacement, possibly for Calgary’s Karri Ramo or Jonas Hiller

• The NHL named Detroit winger Justin Abdelkader, center Oscar Lindberg of the Rangers, and Arizona netminder Mike Smith its first, second and third Stars of the Week, respectively. Abdelkader is off to a blazing start with four goals, including a hat trick in his first two games. New York’s Lindberg is only the sixth rookie in NHL history to score a goal in each of his team’s first three games of a season. (He has four.) Smith's performance (2-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and .971 save pct. has to be encouraging to the Coyotes after the buswreck of a season he had in 2014-15.

Bruins clown show may cost coach; first big trade near?; more notes

• Winnipeg’s plan to rely more on it young scoring talent has begun to pay off immediately. They mopped the floor with the Bruins in their season opener en route to a 6–2 win with six different Jets scoring, including rookie Nicolas Petan and Alex Burmistrov, who is fresh off his return to the NHL after a stint in the KHL. None of the goals came on the power play either. Veterans Blake Wheeler, Mathieu Perreault and Andrew Ladd had mult-point games the next night in a 3–1 win over the Devils. It’s early yet, but if coach Paul Maurice continues to roll four lines and spread out the ice time among his forwards, the Jets’ attack could develop into one of the most potent in the league.

GALLERY: NHL's teen phenoms through the years

NHL Teen Phenoms

Bobby Orr, 18, 1966-67

The kid was as good as expected (13-28-41 in 61 games), winning the Calder Trophy and launching a blue line revolution with his skating, passing, dynamic rushes and solid defense. Norris winner Harry Howell prophetically said, “I might as well enjoy it now because I expect it’s going to belong to Bobby Orr from now on.” He was right. Orr won it in each of the next eight seasons.

Wayne Gretzky, 19, 1979-80

In his first NHL season, the Great One scored 51 goals and led the league with 86 assists and 137 points, good for the Hart and Lady Byng trophies, but not the Calder. His previous season in the rival WHA made him ineligible for rookie of the year, which went to another 19-year-old.

Ray Bourque, 19, 1979-80

The eighth pick in the ’79 draft launched his Hall of Fame career by going 17-48-65 with a dazzling +52 to earn Norris votes, a first team NHL All-Star nod and the distinction of being the answer to a trivia question: Who won the Calder during Wayne Gretzky’s first season in the NHL?

Dale Hawerchuk, 18, 1981-82

The Canadian Major Junior Player of the Year was the first pick in the ’81 NHL draft after his 81-goal, 183-point season in the QMJHL. An agile, quick playmaker and scorer, Hawerchuk won the Calder by becoming the first NHL rookie to post a 40-goal, 100-point campaign. He went on to become a Hall of Famer.

Steve Yzerman, 18, 19883-84

The fourth pick of ‘83—after Brian Lawton (North Stars), Sylvain Turgeon (Whalers) and Pat LaFontaine (Islanders)—Yzerman was undersized, highly skilled and gritty. He had to win a job in training camp, but stuck and went 39-48-87 in 80 games, finishing second in the Calder race behind Sabres goalie Tom Barrasso.

Tom Barrasso, 18, 1983-84

Entering the NHL out of high school, the fifth pick in the ’83 draft became the first goalie to win the Calder since Canadiens legend Ken Dryden in 1972, going 26-12-3, with a 2.84 GAA and .893 save pct. in 42 games. His performance also earned him the Vezina, first team All-Star honors, and a spot on Team USA for the ’84 Canada Cup tournament.

Mario Lemieux, 19, 1984-85

After the towering Super Mario posted a mindblowing 133 goals and 149 assists in his final junior season, it was easy to believe the Penguins tanked to secure the first pick in the ’84 draft. (There was no lottery at the time.) Lemieux scored on his first NHL shift and took the Calder with his 43-57-100 rookie season.

Pat LaFontaine, 19, 1984-85

An American out of the QMJHL where he scored 104 goals and 234 points in only 70 games, LaFontaine was drafted third in ‘83. He played for Team USA at the ’84 Olympics before making his NHL debut with 13 goals in 15 late-season games, then helped the Isles reach the Stanley Cup Final. As 19-year-old rookie in ’84-85 he went 19-35-54 in 67 games, going on to a Hall of Fame career that was cut short by concussions.

Jimmy Carson, 18, 1986-87

Remembered as the Kings’ key player in their trade for Wayne Gretzky, Carson was the second pick in the '86 draft, after winger Joe Murphy (Detroit). A natural scorer with a mostly one-way game, Carson produced 39 goals and 79 points as a rookie, finishing behind teammate Luc Robitaille and Flyers goalie Ron Hextall in the Calder voting. At 19, he scored 55 goals and 107 points before being dealt. His career was brief, though, and he retired at 29.

Mike Modano, 19, 1989-90

One of the greatest American players of all time, the speedy, explosive center with the lethal shot was the first pick in 1988 out of the WHL and Team USA. Modano made his NHL debut during the 1989 playoffs and then went 29-46-75 the following season, finishing second to 31-year-old Sergei Makarov of the Flames in the Calder voting.

Eric Lindros, 19, 1992-93

The Next One was a junior superstar when he was chosen first by Quebec in the 1991 draft but infamously fought for the trade to Philadelphia that sent Peter Forsberg and a parcel of players the other way. Big, strong and offensively gifted, Lindros scored 41 goals and 75 points for the Flyers but finished fourth in the Calder vote won by Teemu Selanne who’d set the NHL rookie record of 76 goals with the Jets.

Vincent Lecavalier, 18, 1998-99

After 86 goals and 217 points in two QMJHL seasons, the speedy, skilled 6’ 4” center was drafted first in 1998 and billed by the Lightning’s owner as a potential Michael Jordan of hockey. Lecavalier had a modest rookie campaign (13-15-28, -19 in 82 games) and was a distant 14th in the Calder voting, but he improved to 25-42-67 the following season and was named the NHL’s first teenaged captain.

Ilya Kovalchuk, 18, 2001-02

An international star, he was the first Russian ever chosen first in an NHL draft (2001). He went 29-22-51 in 65 games as a rookie but suffered a shoulder injury and finished second in the Calder vote behind Thrashers teammate Dany Heatley, 21. A fast, exceptional puckhandler and explosive scorer, Kovalchuk upped his goal (38) and points (67) totals at 19, setting up a run of six straight 40-plus goal seasons.

Sidney Crosby, 18, 2005-06

The grand prize in the 2005 lottery, Sid The Kid was a bona fide prodigy who was compared to Wayne Gretzky. Crosby scored 39 goals and 102 points as a rookie but the Calder went to a 20-year-old named Ovechkin. The next season, at 19, Crosby won the Hart, Pearson and Ross trophies with a 36-84-120 slate that made him the youngest NHL scoring champ of all time. He also became the NHL’s second teen captain.

Patrick Kane, 19, 2007-08

An American stickhandling wizard out of the OHL, Kane was the first pick in the 2007 draft. He dispelled concerns about his size (5’ 9”, 160) by playing in all of Chicago’s 82 games, going 21-51-72 and beating out 19-year-old teammate Jonathan Toews and Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom for the Calder.

Steven Stamkos, 18, 2008-09

“Seen Stamkos?” the billboards in Tampa asked after the Lightning took the coveted sniper with the first pick in the 2008 draft. His rookie season was solid if unspectacular (23-23-46, -13) and he finished ninth in the Calder voting, but the next season, at 19, Stamkos hit the 50-goal mark, leading the NHL.

John Tavares, 19, 2009-10

The first player to be given “exceptional” status by the OHL (making him eligible to play a year early at 15), Tavares broke Wayne Gretzky’s league mark for goals by a 16-year-old, with 72. The first pick in the 2009 NHL draft, he went a solid 24-30-54 for the Islanders and finished fifth in the Calder voting won by towering 19-year-old Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers, the 12th selection.

Victor Hedman, 19, 2009-10

The highly regarded Swedish defenseman was the second pick after John Tavares. Big (6’ 6”, 230) and blessed with all-around skills that invited comparisons to Chris Pronger and Zdeno Chara, he patterned his game after Red Wings great Nicklas Lidstrom. Hedman finished ninth in the Calder voting after a 4-16-20, -3 rookie campaign and needed several seasons to mature into the star and cornerstone everyone expected he would become.

Taylor Hall, 19, 2010-11

The big question on draft night 2010 was Taylor or Tyler (Seguin)? Hall, the big, speedy winger who’d posted 106 points in 57 OHL games, was the first pick. He went 22-20-42 in 65 games with struggling, rebuilding Edmonton, his season ended by an ankle sprain in March. The Calder was won by Carolina’s 18-year-old Jeff Skinner (31-32-63), the seventh overall pick.

Tyler Seguin, 19, 2010-11

The OHL MVP was the second pick in the 2010 draft. A creative playmaker and scorer with a defensive upside, Seguin put up modest numbers (11-11-22 in 74 games) under the weight of great expectations, received no Calder votes and spent Boston’s first 11 postseason games as a healthy scratch. When he saw action, he became the first teen to score four points in a playoff match (Eastern final Game 2 vs. Tampa Bay).

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 18, 2011-12

A deft playmaker, the top pick of 2011 tied for first in rookie scoring (18-34-52 in 62 games) but finished second behind Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog, 19, for the Calder, only the third time teens were 1-2 in the voting, and first since Bryan Berard and Jarome Iginla in ’97. Three others earned votes: Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk, 19, Flyers center Sean Couturier, 19, and Devils blueliner Adam Larsson, 19.

Gabriel Landeskog, 19, 2011-12

A natural leader, the calm, skilled winger who captained Sweden’s U-16, U-17 and U-18 teams was the second pick in 2011 draft. The only member of his rookie class to play all of his team’s 82 regular season games, he won the Calder by going 22-30-52 with a stellar +20 rating. The Avs then made him the youngest player in NHL history to wear the C.

Nathan MacKinnon, 18, 2013-14

From Sidney Crosby’s hometown of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, MacKinnon was the first top pick out of the QMJHL since Crosby in 2005. Playing wing and center, this skilled scorer with great hands and solid two-way game won the 2014 Calder with a 24-39-63, +20 season, beating out two of Tampa Bay’s Triplets: Ondrej Palat (22) and Tyler Johnson (23). But at 19, he suffered a sophomore slump and was sidelined by a broken foot, his production declining to 14-24-38, -7.

Seth Jones, 19, 2013-14

The celebrated son of ex-NBA player Popeye Jones looked like the possible No. 1 pick of 2013 before falling to No. 4 behind Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado), Aleksander Barkov (Florida) and Jonathan Drouin (Tampa Bay). A big (6’ 4’, 205), athletic blueliner, Jones went 6-19-25, -23 as a rookie while adjusting to his difficult position at the NHL level, earning 15 Calder votes (11th).

Aaron Ekblad, 18, 2014-15

The second player to be given “exceptional” status by the OHL, and second defenseman since 1996 to be the NHL’s top pick, the uncannily mature Ekblad made a seamless transition, winning the Calder with 12-27-39, +12 rookie season. His 39 points were two shy of Bobby Orr’s NHL record for an 18-year-old blueliner and his offensive totals were all team rookie marks.

Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel

The two 18-year-old centers were so highly coveted ahead of the 2015 NHL Draft that teams were suspected to tanking in order to increase their chances of winning the lottery. McDavid, an OHL scoring sensation taken No. 1 by Edmonton, inspired Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuk to say, “He skates like Bobby Orr. He has the vision of Wayne Gretzky. And he handles the puck like Mario Lemieux.” An NHL scout said of Boston University standout Eichel, who went No. 2 to Buffalo, “It’s not just his speed; it’s his skill, his hockey sense. It doesn’t even look like he’s trying, but the puck comes to him. He makes things happen.”