Snapshots: Sergachev, Key NHL Dates, Blackhawks
News and notes from around the NHL this afternoom:
- The Montreal Canadiens are keeping 2016 1st round pick Mikhail Sergachev around for at least nine games, reports TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie. Sergachev was drafted 9th overall this summer and has become a defensive prospect to watch over the course of the pre-season. He spent last year with the OHL Windsor Spitfires and scored 17G and 40A in 67 games—and an additional 2G and 3A in five playoff games. While it is likely that the Canadiens send Sergachev back to Windsor after nine games, an impressive performance could garner a longer look. The Canadiens have also decided to keep F Artturi Lehkonen. Last season Lehkonen scored 16G and 17A in 49 games for Frolunda HC of the SHL.
- Chris Nichols of Today’s Slapshot outlines some key dates to pay attention to during the NHL season. General Managers will meet in Toronto on November 15th. December 1st is the signing deadline for Group 2 Free Agents (most but not all RFAs). The NHL trade deadline is set for March 1st. Finally, the NHL GMs will meet again in Boca Raton from March 6-8.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have called up both D Viktor Svedberg and D Ville Pokka for its final preseason game tonight. Both did not make the big club out of camp, so this move is to either provide rest to Chicago’s starters, or as a trade showcase. Svedberg is a towering defensemen, measuring 6’8″ and weighing 238lbs. He scored 1G and 14A in 40 games for the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs last year. Pokka had more success in Rockford last year, scoring 10G and 35A in 76 games. He played on Finland’s World Cup team this year but failed register a point. Chicago is rumored to be asking about Edmonton Oilers’ Nail Yakupov, and any unexpected call-ups could point to a potential trade situation.
‘Yotes Notes: Rieder, Dvorak, Smith
One of the more interesting training camps this fall has been that of the Arizona Coyotes, with their glut of young players trying to make it, and ongoing speculation about Tobias Rieder‘s situation. On Monday, the German forward inked a new deal with the team, ending his holdout. Today, as Sarah McLellan reports, he has still yet to travel to Coyotes camp due to a visa issue. While head coach Dave Tippett hopes that he’ll join the team tomorrow, there is no guarantee either way.
Rieder signed a two-year, $4.45MM deal, a deserved raise after scoring 14 goals and 37 points last season. An excellent checker, Rieder provides a two-way game with enough secondary scoring to make him a very valuable player for any team, especially one that will have so many young faces up front this season.
- Also from McLellan, Tippett tells her that Christian Dvorak and Jamie McGinn will both miss tonight’s game with minor injuries. They’re both hoping to practice tomorrow, but won’t know until the morning. Dvorak is expected to make the leap from the OHL straight to the NHL club this season after posting 121 points in 59 games last season for the London Knights. He added 35 more in 18 playoff games and would have had a shot for the player of the year award, had it not gone to his linemate (and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect), Mitch Marner.
- McLellan also penned a piece about Mike Smith, mentioning that he worked hard this summer to build up his strength and change his mental approach to games. The goaltender will have to be sharp this season if Arizona has any dreams of the playoffs, as the 34-year old is still their best option between the pipes. The former Vezina trophy finalist got into just 32 games last season, but is feeling healthy this camp. He’ll start for the Coyotes tonight against the Sharks in their final preseason game.
New Jersey Devils Sign Michael McLeod To ELC
According to a team release, the New Jersey Devils have signed first-round pick Michael McLeod to a three-year, entry-level contract. The Devils took the center 12th overall in this year’s entry draft.
McLeod, 18, was drafted out of the OHL where he played for the Mississauga Steelheads. He was assigned back to the team the other day, but will now be under a professional contract during the year. In 57 games, McLeod scored 61 points including 21 goals, and is seen as a future top-six center with some grit and physical play.
While McLeod is still at least a year away from sniffing the NHL, his maturity and leadership have long been talked about as one of his best attributes. He’ll wear the ‘C’ for Mississauga this season, as he plays for his hometown team. If fellow top draftee Alex Nylander (Buffalo) heads back to Mississauga as well, they’ll form one of the top duos in the league once again. Nylander however could head straight to the AHL due to a rule quirk discussed earlier this summer.
Del Zotto Out 4-5 Weeks With Lower Body Injury
According to a team release from GM Ron Hextall, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Michael Del Zotto will be out four to five weeks after sustaining a lower-body injury. Del Zotto joins Brandon Manning and Scott Laughton on the injury shelf, after both were ruled out this week.
Del Zotto played in Thursday’s game against the Rangers, logging just over 16 minutes. After an injury plagued 2015-16, the last thing the Flyers wanted was another slow start for the 26-year old. Del Zotto played just 52 games and recorded 13 points in what was arguably the worst season of his career.
Hugely talented, Del Zotto has never been able to find consistency in the NHL, dealing with various bouts of injury and ineffectiveness throughout his career. After seemingly finding his stride in the first year of his Philly career, he’s now back to being the unknown that the Rangers eventually got fed up with.
With the season starting in less than a week, he’ll miss at least the first month and likely will not hit the 70 game mark again – something he’s done only twice in his career. Ivan Provorov, a 19-year old standout, will likely make the team if Manning and Del Zotto cannot go to start the year, though there is some hope still that Manning will be ready.
Clayton Stoner Clears Waivers; Stays With Ducks
After placing Clayton Stoner on waivers this week, the Anaheim Ducks were hoping a team would take a shot at the veteran defender and take the entirety of his cap hit off their hands. Instead, the 31-year old has cleared and will remain in camp according to Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register.
Stoner has become the odd man out in Anaheim after the development of their young defense corps, and is dead cap space for a team trying desperately to re-sign Hampus Lindholm and Rickard Rakell. The two young stars are still both without contracts as opening day approaches, with some believing that the team doesn’t have enough room to sign both to long-term deals.
The Anaheim blueline is very crowded even without Lindholm in camp however, as the team sent down two blue-chip prospects in Brandon Montour and Shea Theodore today. As discussed previously, the team will have to sort out the situation before next year’s expansion draft, or risk losing one of them for nothing.
Stoner for now will continue to skate in camp, and may perhaps find a spot on the team if Lindholm is not signed in time. More likely however, the veteran of 346 career NHL games will be buried in the AHL to save as much money as possible.
Harrison Browne Becomes First Openly Transgender Professional Hockey Player
In a story from Michele Steele at ESPN today, it was announced that Harrison Browne, a winger for the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women’s Hockey League will now be recognized as the first openly transgender professional athlete in the league, and likely, the world. Browne, who identifies as a man, contacted the league prior to announcing it, to make sure the NWHL would support his transition.
After the story came out, Browne took to The Ice Garden, an SB Nation blog dedicated to the Beauts, to personally explain the decision. In it, he includes an excerpt from his initial email to Dani Rylan, league commissioner.
I am interested in coming out in the league as transgender. I will not be legally changing my name or beginning a physical transition until after I conclude my career in the NWHL. I will be playing in the exact condition that I did last season, just under a new name while using male pronouns.
I would feel most comfortable being addressed via the media, roster, during games, and any PR as Harrison Browne versus Hailey Browne along with using all male pronouns versus female pronouns.
Rylan immediately extended her full support for Browne, saying that the league would do everything necessary to make Browne’s transition possible. In what is a perfect way to explain and sooth any concerns at the situation, Browne ends the piece with this:
When all is said and done, I’m still Brownie: hockey player, teammate, friend, fan of the game.
The Beauts start their season tonight against the Boston Pride at the HarborCenter in Buffalo.
Snapshots: Flyers Rookies, Kronwall, Jordan, Rod
The Flyers may have a pair of rookies in their opening night lineup. Forward Travis Konecny and defenseman Ivan Provorov have both looked good so far in the pre-season; Konecny is leading the team with six points in six games and Provorov is playing big minutes on a pairing with Mark Streit.
Konecny has played up and down the lineup so far in the pre-season, and figures to be a feisty bottom-six forward with the potential to move up the lineup as needed. He can play either wing or center. Count head coach Dave Hakstol among those impressed by Konecny’s “ability to read a play and make things happen.”
Meanwhile, Provorov has shown great chemistry with Streit after another wonderful season with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the WHL, with 21 goals and 73 points in 62 games. He might be the best of many high-end defensive prospects in the Flyers system.
Seeing as Konecny and Provorov are both still junior-eligible, they’ll need to either play in the NHL or go back to junior. Expect both men to get at least nine games to show he’s ready.
- The Red Wings may be without Niklas Kronwall to start the season. The veteran defenseman has a knee injury according to Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News. Coach Jeff Blashill says if Kronwall isn’t available on opening night then the Red Wings will carry eight defensemen to start the season.
- Former Hurricanes depth defenseman Michal Jordan has signed with Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL. It was reported earlier this off-season that Jordan was seeking a one-way contract as an unrestricted free agent (UFA). The Hurricanes had apparently offered him a two-way contract but Jordan wasn’t interested. Jordan has 3 goals and 7 points in 79 NHL games over the last four seasons.
- And speaking of players signing overseas, San Jose Sharks 2014 second-round pick Noah Rod has signed a five-year extension with his Swiss club, Genève-Servette HC. According to ESPN’s Corey Pronman, Rod does have an out-clause to come to North America to play with the Sharks.
Training Camp Cuts: 10.07.16
It’s the final week of training camp, and teams are close to naming their opening night rosters. In order to do that, there are still a handful of cuts to be made.
Here are the cuts made on Friday, October 7, 2016:
Anaheim Ducks (via team release):
C Kalle Kossila (assigned to San Diego, AHL)
D Brandon Montour (assigned to San Diego, AHL)
D Shea Theodore (assigned to San Diego, AHL)
Boston Bruins (via Chris Johnston):
C Zac Rinaldo (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Providence, AHL)
Buffalo Sabres (via Bill Hoppe):
D Tyson Strachan (to Rochester, AHL)
C Cal O’Reilly (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Rochester, AHL)
D Taylor Fedun (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Rochester, AHL)
Calgary Flames (via Chris Johnston):
C Linden Vey (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Stockton, AHL)
D Tyler Wotherspoon (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Stockton, AHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (via Mike Morreale):
G Anton Forsberg (assigned to Cleveland, AHL)
LW Markus Hännikäinen (assigned to Cleveland, AHL)
LW Sonny Milano (assigned to Cleveland, AHL)
Edmonton Oilers (via Frank Seravalli):
D Griffin Reinhart (assigned to Bakersfield, AHL)
Nashville Predators (via Chris Johnston):
LW Austin Watson (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Milwaukee, AHL)
New York Rangers (via Steve Zipay):
C Gabriel Fontaine (assigned to Rouyn-Noranda, QMJHL)
LW Nathan Gerbe (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Hartford, AHL)
LW Tanner Glass (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Hartford, AHL)
C Cristoval “Boo” Nieves (assigned to Hartford, AHL)
G Magnus Hellberg (assigned to Hartford, AHL)
Pittsburgh Penguins (via team Twitter):
C Jake Guentzel (assigned to Wilkes-Barre, AHL)
RW Carter Rowney (assigned to Wilkes-Barre, AHL)
St. Louis Blues (via team release):
F Kenny Agostino (to Chicago, AHL)
F Ivan Barbashev (to Chicago, AHL)
F Samuel Blais (to Chicago, AHL)
D Jordan Schmaltz (to Chicago, AHL)
G Jordan Binnington (to Chicago, AHL)
D Mike Weber (released)
More to come…
2016-17 Season Preview: Buffalo Sabres
With the start of the regular season less than a week away, we continue to look at each team’s offseason and preview the upcoming year. Today, we focus on the Buffalo Sabres.
Last Season: 35-36-11 record (81 points), 7th in the Atlantic Division.
Remaining Cap Space: $7.6MM per CapFriendly
Key Newcomers: RW Kyle Okposo (UFA, NY Islanders), D Dmitry Kulikov (trade, Florida), G Anders Nilsson (trade, St. Louis)
Key Departures: C David Legwand (UFA), Carlo Colaiacovo (UFA), G Chad Johnson (UFA, Calgary)
[Related: Sabres Depth Chart from Roster Resource]
Players To Watch: C Jack Eichel – Last year’s 2nd overall draft pick lived up to expectations by potting 24G and 32A in 81 games. The Sabres are hoping that Eichel does not suffer from the dreaded sophomore jinx, but the young center’s World Cup performance has to make Buffalo nervous. While he managed 1G and 1A in three games, he did not display the elite playmaking he was known for last year. He’ll be expected to carry a bigger load this season, and those expectations could have a detrimental effect on a young player.
Buffalo will need Eichel to improve upon his rookie season if they hope to challenge for a playoff spot this season. He’ll most likely center the second line as Ryan O’Reilly will take first line duties. As the 2nd overall pick, Eichel will also be constantly compared to Connor McDavid, the same way former Sabres David Legwand was compared to Vincent Lecavalier throughout his career. He’ll have to handle more scrutiny than any other Sabre, despite his young age.
RW Kyle Okposo – Kyle Okposo was the Sabres’ prize free agent signing this summer, inking a seven-year, $6MM a year contract. This is an opportunity for Okposo to escape John Tavares‘s shadow, and silence critics who consider him solely a beneficiary of Tavares’s skill. Last year Okposo racked up 22G and 42A in 79 games, and another 2G and 6A in 11 playoff games. He’s scored more than 50 points in each of the last three years, so he should produce even if he doesn’t wow. Playing with Eichel, O’Reilly, and Evander Kane, however, may be enough to treat fans to some world-class highlights.
Key Storyline: The Buffalo Sabres are poised to break free from their rebuild and reap the benefits of prospect development. Last season saw a 27 point jump in the standings, a welcome sign after years of bottom-dwelling. Despite the improvement, however, the Sabres face the toughest part of any rebuild: the shift to a competitive team. This next step stymies rebuilding teams all the time because drafting elite talent with lottery picks is easy—constructing a competitive cap-compliant team and surrounding them with skilled veterans is much more difficult.
A playoff spot may not be attainable yet, but they have to be in the mix until the end for this upcoming season to feel like progress. Anything less would be a setback. Luckily, the Sabres have made strides to improve. They brought in the hottest free agent this year in Kyle Okposo, and traded for an above-average defenseman in Dmitry Kulikov. Couple that with a healthy Robin Lehner and you should see an improved Sabres squad. It may not be enough to challenge in the Atlantic Division, but it will makes things a lot closer than last season.
Snapshots: Korpisalo, Russell, Downie
News and notes from around the NHL this evening:
- Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo will be out for at least four weeks after suffering a groin injury Tuesday, reports the Columbus Dispatch’s Tom Reed. Korpisalo was favored by many to backup Sergei Bobrovsky this season, but the preseason injury opens up that spot to Anton Forsberg or Curtis McElhinney. Korpisalo had a terrific debut last season, earning a 2.60GAA and .920Sv% in 31 games for the Blue Jackets. He’ll likely have the backup job when he returns.
- The Ottawa Senators are reportedly out of the Kris Russell sweepstakes. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reported that Sens GM Pierre Dorian is set with his eight defenseman and implied that they will not seek additional help via free agency. Russell still remains a free agent after failing to find a deal in the off-season. Time is ticking for the shot-blocking defenseman to find a home before the regular season begins. Russell is arguably the best UFA remaining, but with rosters all but finalized it will be hard for him to find a team willing to come close to his demands. Four teams are reportedly still in the mix, according to TheScore’s Cory Wilkins, but it is not known what offers are on the table.
- Steve Downie, another unsigned UFA, is mulling over an offer to play in the KHL, per his agent (via SportsNet). Downie last played with the Arizona Coyotes, scoring 3G and 3A in 26 games. He had some success two seasons ago with the Pittsburgh Penguins—scoring 14G and 14A in 72 games—but could never duplicate his 2009-10 season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. That year he scored 22G and 24P in 79 games while racking up over 200 penalty minutes. Discipline issues have dogged Downie his entire career, however, which may explain NHL GMs’ reluctance to sign him.