The Forman Files - Nathan MacKinnon the Superstar has Arrived

There's a superstar from Cole Harbour making waves in the NHL this season, and while I could talk about Sidney Crosby and his back-to-back Stanley Cup wins (and 33 points in 34 games this year), the player I'm referring to is 22-year old Nathan MacKinnon. Much like Crosby, Cole Habour-native Nathan MacKinnon was a 1st overall pick (2013 to the Avalanche), and burst onto the scene as an 18-year old with 24 goals/63 points in 82 games while taking home the Calder Trophy and helping the Avs return to the playoffs for the first time since 2009/10. As an Avs fan I was ecstatic about what was to come for MacKinnon, if he was this dominant at 18 years old who knew what he would be like 5 years from then. However since his rookie year he has failed to top 24 goals or 63 points in a season, and while he has always shown glimpses of being a talented player he lacked consistency in his game while the Avs have had struggled each of those 3 seasons.

The Avs hit rock-bottom last season with an NHL-worst 48 points, which took a toll on a number of their young players including MacKinnon and long-time Avs star Matt Duchene. Going into this season it was clear that Duchene was on his way out, and with Sakic finally pulling the trigger on a trade in early November the Avs quickly became MacKinnon's team. He responded with the best month of his NHL career, tallying 5 goals (2 OT winners) and 15 assists for 20 points in 12 games en route to winning the NHL's 1st Star of November. 

After starting with just 1 goal and 4 assists in his first 10 games of the season, MacKinnon has 14 goals and 20 assists (34 points) over his last 23 games which is the most in the NHL over that time. Through 33 games this season, MacKinnon has 15 goals and 39 points, which puts him in a tie for 8th in the NHL in points (7 behind Nikita Kucherov in 1st). MacKinnon has formed great chemistry on the Avs top line with Gabriel Landeskog (25 points) and Mikko Rantanen (29 points), as the line has combined for 93 points in 33 games.

As a big MacKinnon fan since the day the Avs drafted him, there's one thing that always has remained constant with #29: his ability to produce flashy, highlight-reel goals. The great thing about his play this season is he is not only on pace to score career-highs in goals and points, he seems to be scoring a highlight-reel goal every few games. Need proof? Here are some recent clips of his brilliant play this season:

Goal vs Tampa Bay (Dec. 16)

Goal vs Florida (Dec. 14)

2nd goal vs Florida (Dec. 14): https://twitter.com/NHL/status/941525703379562496

Goal vs Pittsburgh - waved off for offside (Dec. 11)

Goal of the Year Candidate vs Florida (Dec. 9)

OT Winner vs. Winnipeg (Nov. 29)

OT winner vs Detroit (Nov. 19)

Goal vs Washington (Nov. 16)

NHL Player of the Month - November (5 goals, 15 assists)

MacKinnon seems to be thriving in Colorado since the Duchene trade, and despite being on a young team with a lot of growing pains the future remains bright for both MacKinnon and the Avalanche. There's no question the Avs were the laughing stock of the NHL last season, but MacKinnon has brought the Avs back to relevancy this season and #29 is worth the price of admission himself alone. Most importantly, MacKinnon seems to be enjoying himself again both on and off the ice, as evident with this CBC interview a few weeks ago:

Nathan MacKinnon - After Hours with Scott Oake and Louie DeBrusk

It remains to be seen where MacKinnon will finish in the scoring race this season, but he's well on his way to his first career 30-goal/80 point season if he keeps producing at the pace he is. Either way, there's another Superstar from Cole Harbour and at 22-years old MacKinnon is going be an elite NHL player for years and years to come. This comes as no surprise to me, just happened a few years after I expected it to after his dominant rookie season. Now the entire hockey world is seeing how good Nathan MacKinnon can be.

OT goal vs Sweden at World Cup (was at this game live)

Joel Forman - The Forman Faceoff

The Forman Faceoff - 2017/18 NHL Quarter-Season Awards

The 2015/16 NHL Season is officially past the quarter mark, and with that in mind it's time to look at some NHL award trophy races and recognize the players that have made an impact so far this season:

Hart Trophy:

1. Nikita Kucherov (TBL) - 21 GP: 17 Goals, 16 Assists, 33 Points, +11, 13 PP Points

The Lightning are off to an impressive 15-3-2 start, and a huge part of that is thanks to the play of Nikita Kucherov and his NHL-best 17 goals. Dating back to February 21st of last season, Kucherov has an absurd 36 goals and 69 points over his last 43 games. You could make an argument for Kucherov or linemate Steven Stamkos at #1 on this list, but in my opinion Kucherov is playing better than any player in the NHL right now. Expect #86 to be in the Art Ross and Hart Trophy race all season long.

2. Steven Stamkos (TBL) - 21 GP: 10 Goals, 26 Assists, 36 Points, +12, 16 PP Points

As I mentioned with Kucherov above, you can make an equally compelling argument for Steven Stamkos to be in the #1 spot on this list. He leads the NHL with 36 points, and has 19 goals and 56 points over his last 38 games dating back to last season. It remains to be seen if Stamkos can stay healthy all season (played only 17 games last season), but if he can he will be in the running for the Art Ross and Hart Trophy race like his linemate Nikita Kucherov. The Lightning are a dangerous team with #91 healthy.

3. Johnny Gaudreau (CGY) - 21 GP: 10 Goals, 21 Assists, 31 Points, +5, 12 PP Points

The young American star is off to a fantastic start this season, with 10 goals and 31 points in 20 games pacing the Flames to 12-8-0 early on. Gaudreau has put up 60+ points in each of his first 3 NHL seasons (career high 78 points in 2015/16), but could top 80 points this year if he continues the way he is playing. If you don't watch much Flames hockey I would suggest to do so, Johnny Hockey is worth the price of admission alone (and that Jaromir Jagr guy!)

Honourable Mentions: Sergei Bobrovsky (CBJ), Brayden Schenn (STL), Jaden Schwartz (STL), Mark Scheifele (WPG), Phil Kessel (PIT)

Vezina Trophy:

1. Sergei Bobrovsky (CBJ) - 18 GP: 13-4-1, .936 Save %, 1.91 Goals Against Average, 3 Shutouts

The reigning Vezina Trophy winner is off to a blazing start this season, leading the NHL in goals against average (1.91) and shutouts (3) while being 2nd in wins (13) and save percentage (.936). Bobrovsky is looking to become just the 2nd European goalie in NHL history to win 3 Vezina Trophies (Dominik Hasek - 6) and the first Russian netminder to do so. Expect Bob to be in the Vezina Trophy race all season long.

2. Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL) - 18 GP: 15-2-1, .929 Save %, 2.32 Goals Against Average, 1 Shutout

Speaking of another talented Russian netminder, Andrei Vasilevskiy is off to the best start of his young career with an NHL-best 15 wins in 18 games while posting a .929 save percentage (5th) and 2.32 goals against average (5th). With Stamkos and Kucherov off to a ridiculous start, Vasilevskiy might not get the recognition he deserves but make no mistake he's been excellent this season. If he can continue to play this way for the rest of the season expect him to remain in the Vezina Trophy race.

3. Corey Crawford (CHI) - 18 GP: 9-7-1, .932 Save %, 2.23 Goals Against Average, 2 Shutouts

Don't let the wins/losses record fool you, Corey Crawford has been spectacular for the Blackhawks early on this season. The two-time Stanley Cup Champion has a .932 save percentage (3rd) and 2.23 goals against average (4th) while posting 2 shutouts. Despite the fact that the Blackhawks are off to a slow start (10-8-3), Crawford has been fantastic and deserves the recognition.

Honourable Mentions: Pekka Rinne (NSH), Frederik Andersen (TOR), Jonathan Quick (LAK)

Norris Trophy:

1. Erik Karlsson (OTT) - 15 GP: 1 Goal, 16 Assists, 17 Points, -5, 4 PP Points

Despite the fact that Karlsson missed the first 6 games of the season, and having a chunk of his heel removed in off-season surgery, he hasn't missed a step at all recording 17 points in his first 15 games. Karlsson hasn't won a Norris since 2014/15, losing to Drew Doughty and Brent Burns the last two years despite putting up 82 and 71 points. Many argue that those stats should have Karlsson more than 2 Norris Trophies by now, and I think that this could be a year where #65 runs away with the award.

2. Alex Pietrangelo (STL) - 22 GP: 7 Goals, 13 Assists, 20 Points, +11, 6 PP Points

After being named Captain last season, Alex Pietrangelo had one of his best years with the Blues scoring 14 goals and 48 points in 80 games. Flash forward to this season, and he's off to the best start of his career tallying 7 goals and 20 points over his first 22 games. Pietrangelo has always been a steady workhorse defenseman, but he seems to be hitting his prime right now and playing some fantastic hockey. Look for him to be in the running for a potential 1st career Norris Trophy this season.

3. John Klingberg (DAL) - 22 GP: 4 Goals, 16 Assists, 20 Points, -1, 8 PP Points

The Stars have struggled this season under new Head Coach Ken Hitchcock, sitting at 11-10-1 right now despite the new additions of guys like Alex Radulov, Martin Hanzal and Marc Methot. That hasn't stopped Swedish defensman John Klingberg from a great start to the season, scoring 4 goals and 20 points in his first 22 games (tied with Pietrangelo for 1st among defenseman). Klingberg's career-high in points is 58, and if he continues this pace he's well on his way to a career year and in the running for the Norris Trophy.

Honourable Mentions: Kevin Shattenkirk (NYR), Morgan Rielly (TOR), Victor Hedman (TBL)

Calder Trophy:

1. Brock Boeser (VAN) - 19 GP: 11 Goals, 10 Assists, 21 Points, +2, 9 PP Points

While there has certainly been a lot of talented rookies flashing their skill early this season, none have looked more dominant to me than Canucks winger Brock Boeser. He leads all rookies in goals (11), points (21) and PP points (9) and is the only rookie to be over a point per game so far (21 points in 19 games). Boeser has clicked with linemates Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi early on this season, and I expect him to match Auston Matthews/Patrik Laine from last season and score 30+ goals as a rookie. He's my Calder Trophy pick right now, and a guy Canucks fans should be ecstatic about having for the foreseeable future in Vancouver.

2. Clayton Keller (ARI) - 24 GP: 11 Goals, 9 Assists, 20 Points, -11. 6 PP Points

If Boeser isn't the choice for the Calder right now, it has to be Coyotes center Clayton Keller who has been the lone bright spot for the horrid 5-16-3 Coyotes. Keller is tied with Boeser leading all rookies with 11 goals, while being 2nd in points with 20. Despite being undersized (5'10 168 pounds), Keller has shown offensive instincts similar to Johnny Gaudreau and Patrick Kane and is going to be an elite player for years to come. Even with the Coyotes likely finishing 31st in the NHL, Keller will remain in the Calder Trophy hunt all season.

3. Charlie McAvoy (BOS) - 20 GP: 2 Goals, 8 Assists, 10 Points, -4, 3 PP Points

My pre-season pick for the Calder Trophy, McAvoy has looked well beyond his age of 19 playing for the Boston Bruins this season. While McAvoy has 2 goals and 10 points in 20 games, it's his defensive play that has him turning heads among NHL players and fans. He's the only rookie to average over 20 minutes per game, playing a whopping 23:27 on the top pair with Zdeno Chara. McAvoy reminds me of Drew Doughty in every way, and he's going to be a stud defenseman for years and years to come. Expect him to get strong consideration for the Calder Trophy at season's end.

Honourable Mentions: Matt Barzal (NYI), Will Butcher (NJD), Alex Kerfoot (COL), Nico Hischier (NJD), Mikhail Sergachev (TBL)

Jack Adams Trophy:

1. Mike Yeo (STL) - Record: 16-5-1

Many questioned the direction the Blues were going after firing Ken Hitchcock last season, but what a transition the team has gone through under Mike Yeo and they are off to a fantastic 16-5-1 start this season. Yeo lead the Blues to the 2nd round of the playoffs last year after taking over for Hitchcock, and with an improved roster (Brayden Schenn has been terrific) and strong play from netminder Jake Allen they are in prime position for their 1st Central division title since 2014/15. 

2. John Cooper (TBL) - Record: 16-3-2

With a healthy Steven Stamkos and a re-tooled lineup full of young stars, John Cooper has the Lightning off to an NHL-best 16-3-2 to start the season. Cooper has the Lightning playing almost unbeatable right now, including the the Kucherov-Stamkos duo combining for 69 points in 21 games. He could become just the 2nd coach in Lightning history to win the Jack Adams Trophy (John Tortorella - 2004) and has the Lightning in prime contention for an Atlantic division title and potentially the Presidents Trophy at season's end.

3. Travis Green (VAN) - Record: 11-8-3

Perhaps the biggest surprise on this list, new Canucks Head Coach Travis Green has Vancouver off to an impressive 11-8-3 start this season. Green played 14 seasons in the NHL, while coaching 3 years in Portland of the WHL (won championship in 2012/13) and the past 4 years as Head Coach of the Canucks farm team in Utica prior to being hired by the Canucks. With a young exciting lineup featuring Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat, the Canucks are on the right track and look rejuvenated under Green. With the trend of coaches turning around bad teams and winning Jack Adams Trophies in recent years (Roy - Avs, Hartley- Flames, Gallant - Panthers), look for Green to remain in contention as long as the Canucks keep up their play.

Honourable Mentions: Mike Babcock (TOR), John Hynes (NJD), Gerard Gallant (VGK), Peter Laviolette (NSH), John Stevens (LAK)

Breakout Player:

1. Brayden Schenn (STL) - 22 GP: 10 Goals, 20 Assists, 30 Points, +19, 8 PP Points

In a somewhat surprising move the Flyers dealt Brayden Schenn Blus this past summer, and a fresh start has Schenn playing the best hockey of his career so far with 10 goals and 30 points in his first 22 games. Schenn has been dynamite with new linemates Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz, who have a combined 86 points in 22 games making them the 2nd highest scoring line in the NHL (Namestnikov-Stamkos-Kucherov - 90 points).

2. Sean Couturier (PHI) - 22 GP: 12 Goals, 11 Assists, 23 Points, +13, 3 PP Points

Speaking of surprising moves by the Flyers, before the season Head Coach Dave Hakstol moved Captain Claude Giroux from center to left wing in hopes of revitalizing his offensive game, shifting Sean Couturier to center between Giroux and Voracek. Couturier has responded with the best start of his career, scoring 12 goals and 23 points in the his first 22 games while that line has a combined 73 points (3rd highest scoring in the NHL). Couturier has never topped 15 goals or 39 points in a season, so he's well on his way to shattering career-highs in goals and points by season's end. 

3. Vladislav Namestnikov (TBL) - 21 GP: 9 Goals, 12 Assists, 21 Points, +9, 8 PP Points

Another guy off to a fast-start on a lethal top line, Namestnikov has 9 goals and 21 points in 21 games while playing alongside Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov (NHL's highest scoring line). Namestnikov has never topped 15 goals or 40 points in a season, so much like Couturier the 1st line promotion has him well on his way to shattering career-highs in goals and points by season's end.

Honourable Mentions: Anthony Mantha (DET), Teuvo Teravainen (CAR), Sven Baertschi (VAN)

Most Disappointing Player:

1. Carey Price (MTL) - 11 GP: 3-7-1, .877 Save Percentage, 3.77 Goals Against Average, 0 Shutouts

There hasn't been a bigger disappointment in the NHL this season than Carey Price, with just 3 wins in 11 starts and a brutal .877 save percentage and 3.77 goals against average. The Canadiens are off to a horrible 8-12-3 start, and with Price struggling the fact that they aren't scoring goals isn't even their biggest issue. Price has always been a safety blanket for the Habs, but this season has been a tire fire so far and has left lots of questions of uncertainty in Montreal.

2. Brent Burns (SJS) - 20 GP: 0 Goals, 8 Assists, 8 Points, -6, 4 PP Points

If Price isn't the biggest disappointment in the NHL, it has to be the reigning Norris Trophy winner in Brent Burns. After a career-high 29 goals and 76 points last season, Burns has yet to score this season and has just 8 assists in 20 games. I don't expect this to last and know that Burns is capable of finding his scoring touch again, but for now it's an area of concern for Pete DeBoer and the Sharks.

3. Joe Pavelski (SJS) - 20 GP: 4 Goals, 5 Assists, 9 Points, -3, 1 PP Point

Speaking of the Sharks, Captain Joe Pavelski is off to the slowest start of his career with just 4 goals and 9 points in 20 games this season. Pavelski has scored at least 29 goals in 4 straight seasons, and much like Burns we know that he is very capable of getting hot and finding his scoring touch again. For now it remains to be seen if the Sharks Captain can get it going again, luckily for him the Sharks are 11-8-1 and playing well otherwise.

Honourable Mentions: Cam Talbot (EDM), Max Pacioretty (MTL), Cam Atkinson (CBJ)

Selke Trophy:

1. Patrice Bergeron (BOS)

2. Anze Kopitar (LAK)

3. Nazem Kadri (TOR)

Mark Messier Leadership Award:

1. Steven Stamkos (TBL)

2. Alex Pietrangelo (STL)

3. Blake Wheeler (WPG)

GM of the Year Award:

1. Doug Armstrong (STL)

2. Ray Shero (NJD)

3. Stan Bowman (CHI)

Rocket Richard Trophy (current):

1. Nikita Kucherov - 17 goals

2. John Tavares - 15 goals

3. Alex Ovechkin - 14 goals

Art Ross Trophy (current):

1. Steven Stamkos - 36 points

2. Nikita Kucherov - 33 points

3. Johnny Gaudreau - 31 points

-Joel Forman - The Forman Faceoff

The Forman Files - Breaking down the Blockbuster Colorado/Ottawa/Nashville 3-way Trade

Let me start off by saying you won't find a bigger Matt Duchene fan than myself, so this perhaps is one of the hardest articles I've ever had to write as a hockey blogger. I've been a Colorado Avalanche fan for 20+ years, grew up idolizing Joe Sakic until he retired in 2009. That summer, the Avs drafted an 18-year old kid (same age as myself at the time) from Halliburton Ontario named Matt Duchene, who instantly become my favourite player in the post-Sakic era. Duchene made the team as an 18-year old and has been one of their top players for the last 8+ seasons, but things seemed to have taken a dark turn ever since Patrick Roy quit last August.

Rumours of a Duchene trade have been around for almost 2 years now, but he formally requested a trade last December while the Avs were a tire fire and bottom of the NHL. The Avs were dead-last in the NHL last season with 48 points, and it clearly took a toll on Duchene who was sick and tired of losing (only 8 playoff games in 8 years in Colorado). Avs GM Joe Sakic stayed patient, holding off trading him at both the Trade Deadline and NHL Draft, before finally trading him a few days ago in a 3-way deal with the Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators. Now that I've had a few days to process the trade, here's my analysis of each team's return and the players/picks involved in the trade:

Trade Breakdown:

Ottawa Senators Acquire: C Matt Duchene

Nashville Predators Acquire: C Kyle Turris

Colorado Avalanche Acquire: D Samuel Girard, C Vladislav Kamenev, C Shane Bowers, G Andrew Hammond, 2018 1st-Round Pick (OTT), 2018 2nd-Round Pick (NSH), 2019 3rd-Round Pick (OTT)

Ottawa Senators:

Acquires: C Matt Duchene

Trading: C Kyle Turris, C Shane Bowers, G Andrew Hammond, 2018 1st-Round Pick, 2019 3rd-Round Pick

Analysis: Matt Duchene will provide instant offense for the Ottawa Senators, there's no question he wanted out of Colorado and will be motivated to show his new team that he can still produce at a high level. I know the Senators have been after Duchene for a long time now, and for the short term he's a great player to add for another potential deep playoff run. The real question mark of this deal is the long-term gain, as many people have speculated he will hit free agency in 2019 regardless of his success in Ottawa the next 2 years. If this is the case, it seems like an awfully steep price to trade Turris, Bowers a 1st and 3rd (Hammond was purely a salary dump) just to get Duchene for the short-term.

It was also reported the Sens refused to go higher than 5-years in negotiations with Turris (who signed 6-year $36 million in Nashville), which doesn't look good when Duchene's deal expires two summers from now and will be looking to cash in. There is also an argument made that Duchene and Turris are very similar players, in fact Turris has had more points than Duchene in 2 of the last 3 seasons (Duchene 428 points in 586 career games, Turris 320 points in 544 career games). While Duchene certainly has more offensive upside to his game, he might not be that much ahead of where Kyle Turris was with Ottawa as a consistent #1 center. As a big Matt Duchene fan I'm hoping he finds his game in Ottawa, but I'm really questioning the long-term gains of this deal for Pierre Dorion and the Sens.

GRADE = B

Nashville Predators:

Acquires: C Kyle Turris

Trading: D Samuel Girard, C Vladislav Kamenev, 2018 2nd-Round Pick

Analysis: This is an obvious "win now" deal from reigning GM of the year David Poile, who paid a premium price and some key parts of the Preds future for a guy who can make an impact right now in Turris. There's no question the Preds have one of the best defense groups in the NHL with Subban/Josi/Ellis/Ekholm, so while Girard is a top NHL D prospect Poile considered him expendable for an immediate impact player like Turris. Vladislav Kamenev has also shown some promise both at the World Juniors and in the AHL, while he may have made an impact at center for the Predators in the long-term future, Poile wanted an established top 6 center for the immediate future

The Predators lost Captain Mike Fisher to retirement this summer, and Poile has been tirelessly looking for another center behind #1 Ryan Johansen. Turris will be a great complement to Johansen and should find immediate success in Nashville, and he's in it for the long haul signing a 6-year $36 million deal. David Poile has taught us over the years that sometimes you need to make risky trades to get the reward you are seeking (ie Subban trade), and the Predators feel they are in their prime of their Stanley Cup window after losing in the finals last year. In the long run it remains to be seen whether Girard or Kamenev develop into successful NHL players, but for now this is a great deal for the Nashville Predators.

GRADE = A-

Colorado Avalanche:

Acquires: D Samuel Girard, C Vladislav Kamenev, C Shane Bowers, G Andrew Hammond, 2018 1st-Round Pick (OTT), 2018 2nd-Round Pick (NSH), 2019 3rd-Round Pick (OTT)

Trading: C Matt Duchene

Analysis: Avs GM Joe Sakic has taken a ton of criticism over the last year, whether that was fans hoping Duchene would be traded or members of the media speculating that Sakic was approaching the situation wrong, he was taking heat from all angles. Despite the rest of the hockey world hoping for a trade, Sakic remained patient and waited for the right return before finally pulling the trigger. That trade came in the form of 7 pieces coming back to the Avs, 4 players (Girard, Kamenev, Bowers and Hammond) and 3 draft picks (1st 2nd and 3rd) while losing only Duchene. Considering he wanted out of Colorado, and is a free agent in 2019, Sakic getting 7 pieces in return is an impressive haul to say the least.

The main piece of this trade is 19-year old defenseman Samuel Girard, the smooth-skating flashy defenseman who had 3 points in 5 games for the Predators this season before the deal. Girard will join the Avs in Sweden for their 2 games against the Senators, it remains to be seen if he stays in the NHL or goes back to junior. The Avs had an obvious need for defense, and now have a trio of top D prospects in Girard, Cale Makar and Conor Timmins coming in the next few years. Kamenev was the Captain for team Russia at the 2016 World Juniors and has had success in the AHL (96 points in 137 AHL games), while Bowers was a 1st round pick of the Senators this past summer and is currently playing at Boston University. The Avs have stated they plan to flip Andrew Hammond, who remains on loan to Belleville in the AHL (Sens affiliate). It may take several years to see the full impact of this trade for the Avs, but they finally move on from Duchene and receive a pile of future assets in the process.

GRADE = A

Player Overviews:

Matt Duchene:

Kyle Turris:

Samuel Girard:

Vladislav Kamenev:

Shane Bowers:

Andrew Hammond:

It will be interesting to see how this trade plays out for all 3 teams, each feel they improved in the areas they were looking to. As an Avs fan, I'm excited to see what the haul of prospects/draft picks turn into, and I think Joe Sakic got this trade perfectly. But as a Duchene fan I also wish him nothing but the best in Ottawa, and I'm definitely rooting for him to be successful (whether in Ottawa or another team come 2019). Hopefully Duchene gets his chance at a Stanley Cup, only it's a shame that chance never came with the Avs, his childhood favourite team. But that's the nature of the business, hockey isn't always a storybook and sometimes a fresh start is needed.


Thanks for the memories Matt, Avs fans like myself will truly miss seeing #9 in burgundy and blue. Best of luck in Ottawa!

Duchene jersey hung proudly on my Avs wall

-Joel Forman - The Forman Faceoff

The Forman Files - The NHL Desperately needs a new Concussion Protocol

Monday night in the Kings vs. Leafs game in Toronto, Jonathan Quick was clipped in the head by Leafs forward Zach Hyman and went down after his head snapped back (https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/922615095494049792). The play ended and Quick stayed in the game for few shifts, that was until the concussion spotters decided to pull him from the game. This was initially weird to me because the play had happened several minutes prior, and if they were worried about a concussion he should have been pulled immediately. Even weirder, Quick returned to the ice seconds later after the quickest concussion test in history, and took the Kings crease without missing a shift. After a few seconds of confusion from both teams, Quick was forced out of the crease and on the bench for a mere 1 shift, returning to the game after one stoppage of play. As this bizarre sequence of events unfolded, I asked myself: what exactly do the NHL concussion spotters do? Or more importantly, what authority do they have to pull players from the game?

Concussion spotters were introduced to the NHL last season, with the "supposed" responsibility of being able to notice players with potential concussion symptoms and pull them from the game for evaluation. I say supposed because scenarios like the above on Jonathan Quick continue to happen since the NHL introduced the spotting program, where NHL coaches and teams ultimately make the final decision despite what the spotters have to say. Flash-back to the 2nd round of the playoffs last season, game 6 Penguins vs Capitals, Sidney Crosby went head first into the boards and looked visibly shaken up (https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status). After all, he had suffered a concussion only a week prior and missed one game in the series already, so this had to be even scarier for Penguins fans. And yet? Nothing from the concussion spotters, who supposedly didn't have the authority to pull the Penguin's Captain from the game. Didn't have the authority to pull a player from the game who had a concussion the week before, has had more than 4 concussions in his career prior (including 2 that season), and after a very blatant injury to his head. This leads me to my next question, does the NHL care about the safety of their players?

I write about this subject very passionately because I myself have suffered 3 concussions in my life, 2 from hockey, including one in June of 2016 that took 14 months to recover from. I can tell you first hand from my experience why concussions are not something to just brush off lightly, and yet I continue to see these issues on the big stage in professional sports and it really upsets me. These are professional athletes and role models for millions people, and promoting safety within the game of hockey is something that is far too often overlooked. There is no question hockey is a violent game, and injuries are impossible to prevent all together. But the harsh reality is the NHL doesn't do enough to prevent concussions, and the way the concussion protocol has been enforced has been embarrassing to say the least. The players, the fans, and hockey players around the world deserve better, and that's why changes need to happen what the concussion spotters can do.

If I could change the NHL concussion protocol:

-Concussion spotters would be given full power to pull players from the games, and that means having the ability to override the coaches/players decision.
-Any player that is injured in the head, or takes an obvious shot to the head and shows signs of a possible concussion should be immediately pulled from the game for evaluation.
-That player must pass a baseline concussion test (with the appropriate time in the "dark room") and be approved by the spotter before returning to the game.
-Any players that have been pulled from the game, whether they return or not, will be evaluated after the game. Concussion symptoms can intensify with 24-48 hours, and it's important to follow-up with that player even if they showed no immediate signs of a concussion.

The main emphasis of these changes is having the power to pull players from the game if the spotters suspect a concussion, regardless of who it is or what time of the game it may happen. Unfortunately injuries are impossible to predict, but why should a player's long-term health and safety be at risk for a short-term gain? A player or coach might be pissed they are being pulled from the game, as evident in the Jonathan Quick situation tonight, but being angry shouldn't override being cautious and safe. It doesn't make sense to have concussion spotters at the arena if they are going to decide to pull a player from the game but can't get the power to do so from that team, or else they are simply spectators like the rest of the paying fans in the arena. The NHL owes it to their players and fans to do better, be more cautious, and re-think the concussion protocol and how concussion spotters are used at NHL games. My opinion might be irrelevant to some, but as a diehard hockey fan who's also suffered from concussions I simply want people to have the freedom to play the game at all levels safely.

-Joel Forman - The Forman Faceoff

The Forman Faceoff 2017/18 NHL Season Predictions

Eastern Conference:

Atlantic Division:

1. Tampa Bay Lightning

2. Boston Bruins

3. Toronto Maple Leafs

4. Ottawa Senators

5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Florida Panthers

7. Buffalo Sabres

8. Detroit Red Wings

Metropolitan Division:

1. Pittsburgh Penguins

2. Washington Capitals

3. Columbus Blue Jackets

4. Philadelphia Flyers (WC #1)

5. New York Rangers (WC #2)

6. Carolina Hurricanes

7. New Jersey Devils

8. New York Islanders

Western Conference:

Central Division:

1. Chicago Blackhawks

2. Nashville Predators

3. Minnesota Wild

4. St. Louis Blues (WC #1)

5. Winnipeg Jets (WC #2)

6. Dallas Stars

7. Colorado Avalanche

Pacific Division:

1. Anaheim Ducks

2. San Jose Sharks

3. Los Angeles Kings (WC #2)

4. Calgary Flames
5. Edmonton Oilers

6. Vancouver Canucks

7. Vegas Golden Knights
8. Arizona Coyotes

NHL Award Predictions:

Hart Memorial Trophy - Sidney Crosby

Art Ross Trophy - Connor McDavid

Rocket Richard Trophy - Patrik Laine

Vezina Trophy - Matt Murray

James Norris Memorial Trophy - Drew Doughty

Calder Memorial Trophy - Charlie McAvoy

Lady Byng Trophy - Johnny Gaudreau

Frank J. Selke Trophy - Patrice Bergeron

Mark Messier Leadership Award - Ryan Getzlaf

Ted Lindsay Award - Connor McDavid

NHL GM of the Year - Steve Yzerman

Jack Adams Trophy - Mike Sullivan
Presidents Trophy - Tampa Bay Lightning

Prince of Wales Trophy - Pittsburgh Penguins (over Tampa Bay Lightning)

Clarence S. Campbell Bowl - Chicago Blackhawks (over Anaheim Ducks)

Stanley Cup Champions - Pittsburgh Penguins

Conn Smythe Trophy - Sidney Crosby

2017/18 NHL Season begins tomorrow! Hockey is back!

-Joel Forman - The Forman Faceoff

Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Draft Results

New Golden Knight's Marc-Andre Fleury (left), Deryk Engelland (center) and Brayden McNabb (right)

The Vegas Golden Knights are officially part of the NHL! What an exciting time for hockey fans, the 31st team has their new jerseys and the initial roster is now set after last night's expansion draft. This article will detail all the players chosen in the expansion draft, the trades made by Vegas in addition to the draft picks, and how my mock expansion draft stacked up to the real team. Before I dive into the roster, here is a look at the new jerseys for Vegas:

The new home (left) and away jerseys for the Vegas Golden Knights

Personally I am a huge fan of the new Golden Knights sweater, I like the Gold/Red/Black colour scheme (very similar to Hockey Germany) and the logo looks sharp! It's definitely going to take some getting used to seeing players like Marc-Andre Fleury and James Neal (among others) in a new jersey next season, but this change is for the better of the NHL! Now it's time to get into the expansion draft results:

Pre-Expansion Draft Prediction:

Above you can see my prediction for the expansion draft from a few days ago (http://formanfaceoffnhl.blogspot.ca/2017/06/the-forman-faceoff-vegas-golden-knights.html), the players boxed in green are the ones that Vegas selected from my list. Without a knowledge of all the side deals it was hard to completely predict the full roster, but 13/30 picks is a good start! Now here's what the actual roster turned out to be:

Expansion Draft Results:

Roster Breakdown:

14 FORWARDS

13 DEFENSE

3 GOALTENDERS

Forwards:

New Vegas Golden Knight's sniper James Neal

David Perron (Blues) - Last Season: 82 GP: 18 Goals, 28 Assist, 46 Points, -2

Erik Haula (Wild) - Last Season: 72 GP: 15 Goals, 11 Assists, 26 Points, +5

William Carrier (Sabres) - Last Season: 41 GP: 5 Goals, 3 Assists, 8 Points, -1

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (Flyers) - Last Season: 82 GP: 4 Goals, 4 Assists, 8 Points, -1

Brendan Leipsic (Maple Leafs) - Last Season: 49 GP: 18 Goals, 33 Assists, 51 Points, +4 (AHL)

William Karlsson (Blue Jackets) - Last Season: 81 GP: 6 Goals, 19 Assists, 25 Points, +10

Jonathan Marchessault (Panthers) - Last Season: 75 GP: 30 Goals, 21 Assists, 51 Points, -21

Oscar Lindberg (Rangers) - Last Season: 65 GP: 8 Goals, 12 Assists, 20 Points, +2

Cody Eakin (Stars) - Last Season: 60 GP: 3 Goals, 9 Assists, 12 Points, -7

Tomas Nosek (Red Wings) - Last Season: 11 GP: 1 Goal, 0 Assists, 1 Point, -1

James Neal (Predators) - Last Season: 70 GP: 23 Goals, 18 Assists, 41 Points, -10

Teemu Pulkkinen (Coyotes) - Last Season: 13 GP: 2 Goals, 0 Assists, 2 Points, -2

Connor Brickley (Hurricanes) - Last Season: 69 GP: 15 Goals, 11 Assists, 26 Points, +8 (AHL)

Chris Thorburn (Jets) - Last Season: 64 GP: 3 Goals, 1 Assist, 4 Points, -7

Notes:
-Leading the group on forward is James Neal, 9-straight seasons of 20+ goals and fresh off a Stanley Cup appearance with Nashville. Neal could very well end up the 1st Captain in Golden Knights history, he will be a massive part of the franchise early on.
-11 of the 14 forwards taken are 26 or younger, with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (32) and Chris Thorburn (34) the only 30-year old forwards taken. 
-The Golden Knights benefited from some questionable choices by the Florida Panthers, drafting 30-goal scorer Jonathan Marchessault and adding Reilly Smith via trade too. Both Marchessault and Smith figure to be in the Knights top 6 group next season.
-The Golden Knights drafted 5 LW (Perron, Haula, Leipsic, Bellemare, Carrier) 5 C (Karlsson, Marchessault, Lindberg, Eakin, Nosek) and 4 RW (Neal, Pulkkinen, Brickley, Thorburn)

Defense:

New Vegas Golden Knights D Deryk Engelland fields questions at the Expansion Draft

Marc Methot (Senators) - Last Season: 68 GP: 0 Goals, 12 Assists, 12 Points, +13

Luca Sbisa (Canucks) - Last Season: 82 GP: 2 Goals, 11 Assists, 13 Points, -1

David Schlemko (Sharks) - Last Season: 62 GP: 2 Goals, 16 Assists, 18 Points, +4

Nate Schmidt (Capitals) - Last Season: 60 GP: 3 Goals, 14 Assists, 17 Points, +22

Alexei Emelin (Canadiens) - Last Season: 76 GP: 2 Goals, 8 Assists, 10 Points, +1 

Brayden McNabb (Kings) - Last Season: 49 GP: 2 Goals, 2 Assists, 4 Points, +1

Griffin Reinhart (Oilers) - Last Season: 54 GP: 7 Goals, 14 Assists, 21 Points, +8 (AHL)

Trevor van Riemsdyk (Blackhawks) - Last Season: 58 GP: 5 Goals, 11 Assists, 16 Points, +17

Colin Miller (Bruins) - Last Season: 61 GP: 6 Goals, 7 Assists, 13 Points, Even

Deryk Engelland (Flames) - Last Season: 81 GP: 4 Goals, 12 Assists, 16 Points, +2

Jason Garrison (Lightning) - Last Season: 70GP: 1 Goal, 8 Assists, 9 Points, -9

Clayton Stoner (Ducks) - Last Season: 14 GP: 1 Goal, 2 Assists, 3 Points, Even

Jon Merrill (Devils) - Last Season: 51 GP: 1 Goal, 5 Assists, 6 Points, -9

Notes:
-Defense was the position I predicted best, with 6 of the 13 defenseman taken on my list (Methot, Sbisa, Schmidt, McNabb, van Riemsdyk and Miller).
-The two players that standout among this group are Marc Methot and Nate Schmidt, I thought both Ottawa and Washington would protect these guys (especially Methot after the Sens Cup run) and they will be a big part of Vegas next season (assuming they don't get flipped).
-Interesting to note that of this group of 13 defenseman, only 3 shoot right: Trevor van Riemsdyk, Colin Miller and Deryk Engelland.
-GM George McPhee will be a busy man in the next few days looking to move some of these defenseman, with van Riemsdyk already heading to Carolina and Schlemko to Montreal.

Goaltending:

New Vegas Golden Knights G Marc-Andre Fleury meets his new bosses Bill Foley (left) and George McPhee (right)

Marc-Andre Fleury (Penguins) - Last Season: 38 GP: 18-10-7, 3.02 GAA, .909 Save %, 1 Shutout

Calvin Pickard (Avalanche) - Last Season: 50 GP: 15-31-2, 2.98 GAA, .904 Save %, 2 Shutouts

Jean-Francois Berube (Islanders) - Last Season: 14 GP: 3-2-2, 3.42 GAA, .889 Save %

Notes:
-I had Fleury and Pickard on my initial prediction list, but was very surprised to see Vegas not take any of Petr Mrazek (Detroit), Antti Raanta (New York) or Philipp Grubauer (Washington).
-Marc-Andre Fleury is the clear-cut starter, with Calvin Pickard being a nice compliment in net as the backup. Berube likely the the starter for Vegas's AHL team the Chicago Wolves.
-Many people predicted Vegas would take 4 goalies in order to flip 1 or 2 via trade, but it seems they only took 3 so that they could load up on defense (13).
-Marc-Andre Fleury becomes the face of the Golden Knights for the inaugural season after winning his 3rd Stanley Cup with the Penguins 10 days ago. Fleury was also picked by Vegas 14 years to the day (June 21st) that the Penguins took him 1st overall in the 2003 NHL Draft.

Trade Returns:

Vegas Golden Knights added promising young blueliner Shea Theodore from the Ducks via trade

Shea Theodore (Ducks) - Last Season: 34 GP: 2 Goals, 7 Assists, 9 Points, -6

David Clarkson (Blue Jackets) - LTIR: Did not play last season

Reilly Smith (Panthers) - Last Season: 80 GP: 15 Goals, 22 Assists, 37 Points, -13

Alex Tuch (Wild) - Last Season: 57 GP: 18 Goals, 19 Assists, 37 Points, +10 (AHL)

Jake Bischoff (Sound Tigers) - Last Season: 6 GP: 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 3 Points, -2 (AHL)

Mikhail Grabovski (Islanders) - LTIR: Did not play last season

Nikita Gusev (St. Petersburg SKA) - Last Season: 57 GP: 24 Goals, 47 Assists, 71 Points, +33 (KHL)

1st-Round Picks - Islanders (2017), Jets (2017)

2nd-Round Picks - Blue Jackets (2019), Islanders (2019), Penguins (2017), Lightning (2017)

3rd-Round Picks - Jets (2019)

4th-Round Picks - Penguins (2018)

5th-Round Picks - Bruins (2017)

6th-Round Picks - Sabres (2017)

Notes:
-George McPhee did a terrific job adding a number of draft picks and prospects through the expansion draft process. He basically held teams hostage for their own unprotected players, the most power a GM has ever had in the NHL before.
-Clarkson/Grabovski both are on LTIR and have played their last NHL games likely. Vegas takes on each of their contracts but got a 1st-round pick from Columbus and a 1st-round + 2nd-round pick from New York.
-Reilly Smith and Shea Theodore will both be important players for Vegas this upcoming season.
-With trades today of David Schlemko and Trevor van Riemsdyk, the Knights are up to 29 draft picks in the next 3 years, including five 1st rounders and seven 2nd rounders. Here is a chart showing all their picks (via https://twitter.com/Steve_Dangle/status/877941540177489922)

Signings:

Vadim Shipachyov was 3rd in the KHL with 76 points in 50 games last season

Vadim Shipachyov (St. Petersburg SKA) - Last Season: 50 GP: 26 Goals, 50 Assists, 76 Points, +33 (KHL)

Reid Duke (Brandon Wheat Kings) - Last Season: 59 GP: 37 Goals, 34 Assists, 71 Points, +9 (WHL)

Tomas Hyka (Mlada Boleslav BK) - Last Season: 48 GP: 17 Goals, 21 Assists, 38 Points, +8 (EHL)

Post-Expansion Draft Trade Tracker:

1. Vegas Golden Knights send D Trevor van Riemsdyk and a 7th-Round Pick (2018) to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2nd-Round Pick

2. Vegas Golden Knights send D David Schlemko to the Montreal Canadiens for a 5th-Round pick (2019)



Joel Forman - The Forman Faceoff

The Forman Faceoff - Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Draft Prediction

Expansion Draft Prediction:

Forwards:

Mike Cammalleri (Devils) - Last Season: 61 GP: 10 Goals, 21 Assists, 31 Points, -9

Brock Nelson (Islandes) - Last Season: 81 GP: 20 Goals, 25 Assists, 45 Points, -6

William Carrier (Sabres) - Last Season: 41 GP: 5 Goals, 3 Assists, 8 Points, -1

Brendan Leipsic (Maple Leafs) - Last Season: 49 GP: 18 Goals, 33 Assists, 51 Points, +4 (AHL)

Jujhar Khaira (Oilers) - Last Season: 10 GP: 1 Goal, 0 Assists, 1 Point, +1

Tomas Plekanec (Canadiens) - Last Season: 78 GP: 10 Goals, 18 Assists, 28 Points, +10

Jonathan Marchessault (Panthers) - Last Season: 75 GP: 30 Goals, 21 Assists, 51 Points, -21

William Karlsson (Blue Jackets) - Last Season: 81 GP: 6 Goals, 19 Assists, 25 Points, +10

Yanni Gourde (Lightning) - Last Season: 20 GP: 6 Goals, 2 Assists, 8 Points, -1

Jordan Weal (Flyers) - Last Season: 23 GP: 8 Goals, 4 Assists, 12 Points, +5

Marko Dano (Jets) - Last Season 38 GP: 4 Goals, 7 Assists, 11 Points, Even

James Neal (Predators) - Last Season: 70 GP: 23 Goals, 18 Assists, 41 Points, -10

Radim Vrbata (Coyotes) - Last Season: 81 GP: 20 Goals, 35 Assists, 55 Points, -18

Lee Stempniak (Hurricanes) - Last Season: 82 GP: 16 Goals, 24 Assists, 40 Points, +2

Joel Ward (Sharks) - Last Season: 78 GP: 10 Goals, 19 Assists, 29 Points, -2

Nail Yakupov (Blues) - Last Season: 40 GP: 3 Goals, 6 Assists, 9 Points, -3

Defense:

Marc Methot (Senators) - Last Season: 68 GP: 0 Goals, 12 Assists, 12 Points, +13

Luca Sbisa (Canucks) - Last Season: 82 GP: 2 Goals, 11 Assists, 13 Points, -1

Nate Schmidt (Capitals) - Last Season: 60 GP: 3 Goals, 14 Assists, 17 Points, +22

Brayden McNabb (Kings) - Last Season: 49 GP: 2 Goals, 2 Assists, 4 Points, +1

Jamie Oleksiak (Stars) - Last Season: 41 GP: 5 Goals, 2 Assists, 7 Points, -4

Sami Vatanen (Ducks) - Last Season: 71 GP: 3 Goals, 21 Assists, 24 Points, +3

Matt Dumba (Wild) - Last Season: 76 GP: 11 Goals, 23 Assists, 34 Points, +15

Trevor van Riemsdyk (Blackhawks) - Last Season: 58 GP: 5 Goals, 11 Assists, 16 Points, +17

Colin Miller (Bruins) - Last Season: 61 GP: 6 Goals, 7 Assists, 13 Points, Even

Michael Stone (Flames) - Last Season: 64 GP: 3 Goals, 12 Assists, 15 Points, Even

Goaltending:

Marc-Andre Fleury (Penguins) - Last Season: 38 GP: 18-10-7, 3.02 GAA, .909 Save %, 1 Shutout

Antti Raanta (Rangers) - Last Season: 30 GP: 16-8-2, 2.26 GAA, .922 Save %, 4 Shutouts

Petr Mrazek (Red Wings) - Last Season: 44 GP: 18-21-9, 3.04 GAA, .901 Save %, 1 Shutout

Calvin Pickard (Avalanche) - Last Season: 50 GP: 15-31-2, 2.98 GAA, .904 Save %, 2 Shutouts

Already Signed:

Vadim Shipachyov (St. Petersburg SKA) - Last Season: 50 GP: 26 Goals, 50 Assists, 76 Points, +33 (KHL)

Reid Duke (Brandon Wheat Kings) - Last Season: 59 GP: 37 Goals, 34 Assists, 71 Points, +9 (WHL)


Joel Forman - The Forman Faceoff