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Kevin’s Notebook:Staal hopeful, Slovak rising, JT Miller hot; Fri's Buzz |
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Former NHLer Eric Staal didn’t earn a medal at the Beijing Olympics. But he could end up with a job.
“He’s open to see what happens next,” said his brother, Marc, a defenseman for the Detroit Red Wings.
Marc talked to Eric the day before Canada was eliminated by Sweden.
“He was enjoying himself, enjoying the experience,” Marc said. “Obviously, they didn’t get the result they wanted.”
But Eric Staal ended up with a goal and three assists in four games. That comes on top of five points in four games playing for the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League. Staal is 37, but it’s minimal risk for a team to give him a contract for the rest of the season. He could be a good fit for a team looking for a depth forward. Eric Staal has never won a Stanley Cup.
“Hopefully he gets to jump on a team and go for a good run,” Marc said.
The Notebook:
2. Ammunition for those who believe Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin should win both the Vezina and Hart trophies. In his past 10 starts, he is 9-1 with a .949 save percentage. In 15 of his starts this season, he has posted a save percentage of .944 or better.
3. Nashville general manager David Poile said recently on radio that he is optimistic about getting Filip Forsberg signed.
4. On this day, Feb. 17, 43 years ago, goalie Bernie Parent suffered a career-ending eye injury in a game against the New York Rangers. He was clipped accidentally when a stick entered the right eye hole of his mask. It caused permanent vision damage. He was 34. He retired with a career 2.43 goals-against average.
5. For those wondering how Jesperi Kotkaniemi is faring with the Carolina Hurricanes, he has one assist in his past six games. He has played under 10 minutes in two of those games, under 11 minutes in one game, under 12 minutes in two others and 12:37 in the sixth game.
6. A 1953-54 Bobby Hull Hespeler Hawks game-used jersey is on sale on EBay for $31,700. He was 14 when Blackhawks scout Robert Wilson discovered him. It was originally planned for him to play in Galt. He played six games there, but played the rest of the season playing Junior B in Hespeler.
7. Look for NHL teams to be pursuing U.S. Olympian Ben Meyers who was the University Of Minnesota captain after his college season is over. He had two goals and two assists for the Americans. He has 26 points in 26 games for the Gophers this season.He is undrafted.
8. Would have to believe U.S. goalie Strauss Mann will draw some interest from the NHL. The only negative for Mann is he is not a big goalie. But you would think the Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Arizona Coyotes and Buffalo Sabres would be interested.
9. Defenseman Cale Makar’s 18 goals are impressive enough, but 14 of them are even-strength goals.
10. Juraj Slafkovsky has five goals in five games for Slovakia at the Olympics. He has been impressive in Beijing. Could he move into the top three in the 2022 draft. He’s 6-4.
on a team and go for a good run
11. Among several reasons why teams are so interested in JT Miller is because he has another season left on his contract. Some of the contenders like the idea that he could help them this season and next season. He has registered 48 points in 47 games this season and he can help your team in a variety of ways.
12. Everyone is waiting for Jim Rutherford and his staff to make several moves before the NHL trade deadline. But he may not do anything until the summer. But the Canucks will do plenty to change their look before next season. Would expect they will turn over 25% of the Vancouver roster.
13. How important are Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider to the Red Wings? The Red Wings have scored 24 power play goals and those guys have been involved in 19 of those goals. Detroit leads the NHL in rookie scoring. With 81 points. Raymond and Seider have 73 of those points.
14. If the Flyers deal Claude Giroux to Colorado, one player they will want is Boston College defenseman Drew Helleson. He is a second-round pick, a 6-foot-2, dependable player. He’s a safe bet to play in the NHL.
15. Fifty years ago goalie Ken Dryden was en route to winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL Rookie of the year. What made Dryden’s Calder interesting is that he already owned a Conn Smythe Trophy, won the previous spring when he helped the Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup. He was runner-up for the Hart in 1971-72. Dryden turned 74 last August.
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