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Archives for March 2017

Central Notes: Blackhawks, Bednar, Sakic, Belfour

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The Chicago Blackhawks are seeing an increase in their performance thanks to better puck possession writes the Chicago Tribune’s Chris Hine. Aside from the metrics, where the Hawks are dominating opponents in five-on-five, but Hine is quick to point out that the puck possession is nothing near what the Hawks posted during their Cup runs in 2010, 2013, and 2015, where they were first, fourth, and second respectively. They’ve been twelfth since the beginning of February in Corsi percentage, and thirteenth for the season. While players are also feeling more comfort as the playoffs loom, advanced stats mavens will be quick to point out that it’s a far cry from Chicago’s championship-caliber seasons.

In other Central Division news:

  • Jared Bednar is expected to return to the Avalanche next season reports the Denver Post’s Terry Frei. Bednar is quoted as saying that the franchise is “working toward something” instead of it just being a one off “horrific” season. No one would blame Bednar for wanting to walk away from a job that Patrick Roy all but ran away from. In the same vein, would it be fair to fire the first year coach? Frei points out that the Avs are on pace to be the worst statistical team since the Atlanta Thrashers back in 1999-2000, when the Thrashers were an expansion team. Frei adds that dumping Bednar during what has felt like a “Groundhog Day” season would be unfair and ultimately unlikely since Joe Sakic should also be back. Frei sees Sakic giving Bednar a second season. But Frei stops himself there, noting though every question about Bednar’s job status to Sakic has yielded a response of Bednar’s job security being certain, Frei says that nothing is ever for certain. Reflecting on a long career covering hockey, Frei states that sometimes even the most “sincerely stated plans can go out the window.”
  • Former Stars goaltender Eddie Belfour was candid with the Dallas Morning News’ Mike Heika, saying that he believes it takes a great defense in front of a goaltender to truly create a winning formula. Returning for the Stars-Blackhawks game on Thursday at the United Center, Belfour enjoyed several successful seasons with both teams. Both featured strong defenses and appeared in a Stanley Cup Final and won a Cup respectively. For Belfour, it’s a no brainer: a great goalie is buoyed by a greater defense.

Rochester Americans Sign Jonas Johansson, Two College Free Agents

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Three potential future Buffalo Sabres joined the North American pro ranks today, as the AHL’s Rochester Americans announced the signings of Swedish goaltender Jonas Johansson, Sacred Heart forward Justin Danforth, and Nebraska-Omaha defenseman Ian Brady to Amateur Tryouts for the remainder of the 2016-17 season.

Johansson, 21, is a Sabres 2014 third-round pick who had been playing in his native Sweden until the season ended, but now appears to be committing to playing in North America. Standing 6’4″ and a remarkable athlete, Johansson has the intangibles to be a successful pro goalie. However, his skill development is still a ways off. Johnansson has mostly been playing in Sweden’s second-tier league, making only an occasional appearance in the Swedish Hockey League with Brynas IF over the past few years. 2016-17 has been Johansson’s best season by far, but he will need a few years of minor league seasoning before he’s NHL-ready.

Danforth is a relatively unknown commodity, but has been a solid contributor for Sacred Heart for the past two years, with especially impressive numbers over the past two campaigns. The 24-year-old center makes up for his lack of size, at just 5’9″, 181 lbs., with a strong two-way game and aggressive style and if he does ever make it to the NHL, it will be due to his work ethic. However, that future is far from certain. Danforth will have to spend a significant amount of time in Rochester before he can think about the next level.

Brady has been the epitome of consistency at Omaha over the past four years and hopes to bring that same dependability to the pro game. At 22, Brady has well-developed puck-moving skill and a strong, smart defensive game. Buffalo is in dire need of promising defensive depth, so look for Brady to turn his tryout into a contract by next season.

Sharks Sign Noah Rod To Entry-Level Deal

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The San Jose Sharks announced this evening that they have signed top prospect Noah Rod to his entry-level contract. The 20-year-old Swiss forward was the Sharks second-round pick in 2014, and has developed into one of San Jose’s most impressive young players while playing professionally in his native country in the NLA. Now, Rod will have to transition from pro hockey in Switzerland to pro hockey in California.

The two sides had been working toward a contract over the past few days, and reportedly have agreed to a three-year deal worth about $763K per year plus bonuses. Less than the maximum entry-level cap hit, the Sharks have afforded themselves a little extra flexibility in squeezing Rod into the mix next season if they deem him ready for NHL play. San Jose projects to be right up against the salary cap next season, so affordable young offense becomes extremely important to their success and Rod could be the key.

Over the past two seasons playing with Geneve-Servette HC of the NLA, the young forward has accumulated 30 points in 71 games. While that number may not jump off the page, it’s a very respectable total for a teenage playing against grown men in the what many consider to be the world’s third-best hockey league. Rod has also been an impressive contributor for Team Switzerland at each of the World Junior Championships, a point-per-game player both years. Rod’s offense has constantly been improving and he is known for his tough, scrappy play, but needs to bulk up his frame and adjust to the North American style before he can make an impact at the next level. The Sharks hope that those changes can be made sooner rather than later, but only time will tell.

Snapshots: Agents, O’Regan, Penguins

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In the newest column from Rick Westhead of TSN, he dives into the idea that the NHLPA is considering a regulation that would ban agents from contacting players under the age of 16. Westhead reveals the information that agents have been using former professional players as “bird-dog” scouts to contact young kids and establish relationships before anyone else can contact them—at ages of nine or ten years old.

As Westhead writes, this comes in conjunction with a study former Buffalo Sabres star Pat LaFontaine is conducting on the future of player development and drafting. We wrote in December about LaFontaine’s suggestion that the league change the draft age from 18 to 19. The idea that nine-year old kids would be recruited is hard to imagine, but for those who’ve ever been to a high-level tournament at that age easy to believe.

Calgary Flames Sign Dillon Dube To Three-Year ELC

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The Calgary Flames have put pen to paper with one of their top prospects, inking Dillon Dube to a three-year, entry-level contract. The financials of the deal have not been released, and with Dube’s Kelowna Rockets still in the WHL playoffs, it’s unclear if he’ll head to the AHL on an ATO at all this year. Dillon Dube

Selected 56th overall in last summer’s draft, Dube put in another good season for Kelowna this year, scoring 55 points in 40 games. He was limited at the beginning of the season with a lower-body injury, but healed enough to play for Canada in the World Juniors where he scored three points in seven games and helped Canada to a silver medal.

Incredibly dangerous off the rush, Dube uses his elite quickness and edge work to fly around defenders through the neutral zone but sometimes has trouble engaging physically on the forecheck. Though he looks small at times on the ice, he actually is quite solid (5’11” 192-lbs) and has shown bursts of ability to use his strength to defend the puck and create havoc below the hash marks. He needs to do that more often, or he’ll never be able to create offense on a consistent basis in the professional ranks.

Since he doesn’t turn 19 until this summer, he will undoubtedly go back to Kelowna for his final year of junior, where he should be expected to improve on his numbers. If he’s healthy, he’ll hopefully push towards 80+ points and be a big part of the World Junior team in a more advanced role. Flames fans should be excited, as at worst he projects as an energy forward capable of moving up and down a lineup.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

East Notes: Crouse, Lappin, Addison

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When the Florida Panthers shipped Lawson Crouse off to Arizona in exchange for a pair of draft picks and the Coyotes taking on Dave Bolland’s cap hit, many people were shocked. Bolland was (and remains) on long-term injured reserve, without a clear picture on whether he’ll ever play hockey again. Crouse on the other hand was a 19-year old blue-chip prospect who looked like he had a long NHL career ahead of him as a prototypical power forward. Speaking to George Richards of the Miami Herald, Panthers GM Tom Rowe admitted it was tough to lose him:

We got criticized for giving up on a great young prospect but we had to. That contract was strangling us, cap-wise. When we traded him, our scouts were furious. I’m not going to lie. But we had to do something and that was trade Lawson.

Crouse has just 11 points this season for the Coyotes, but he’s gaining valuable experience as a teenager and still has a bright future ahead of him. Meanwhile the Panthers have already essentially used that cap space, as extensions for Aaron Ekblad, Vincent Trocheck, Jonathan Huberdeau and Derek MacKenzie kick in next year.

Clayton Stoner Sent To San Diego Gulls On Conditioning Loan

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After last playing in mid-November, Clayton Stoner is returning to professional hockey. The Anaheim Ducks defender has been sent to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL on a long-term injury conditioning loan. Stoner underwent abdominal surgery in December that came with a four to six week timetable, which obviously has extended much further. The 32-year old had rejoined practice with the Ducks in recent weeks, and is now presumably healthy enough to get back into game action. Clayton Stoner

Since Stoner’s been out the Ducks have used several defensemen in his spot, most notably Shea Theodore, who has been shuffled up and down between the NHL and AHL so many times it inspired a Sports Illustrated article. The team used Korbinian Holzer Wednesday night, and Brandon Montour the game before that, but none have really stuck in the lineup so far. If Stoner can get back to 100% by the end of the season, it wouldn’t be impossible to see him start the playoffs in the Ducks lineup. His experience would be a welcome addition as the team heads into a tough first round matchup in the Pacific Division.

Signed—somewhat inexplicably—to a four-year, $13MM contract in the summer of 2014, Stoner has another year at $3.25MM left after this one. Should he return and show he can still compete at the NHL level, perhaps the team will retain him to off-set a possible loss of one of their younger defensemen in the expansion draft. If he can’t, he’ll have to be one of the first players out the door to create some cap-space to re-sign some of the Ducks’ upcoming restricted free agents. For now though, he’s focused on one thing: getting healthy.

Boston Bruins Sign Ryan Fitzgerald, Emil Johansson

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The Boston Bruins have announced the signings of two of their past draft picks, inking Ryan Fitzgerald and Emil Johansson to two and three-year entry level contracts respectively. Both have also signed amateur tryouts for the remainder of this season, and will immediately join the Providence Bruins.

Fitzgerald, 22, was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 entry draft before heading to Boston College for four seasons. Scoring 132 points in 152 games in his college career, he showed that his small stature won’t stop him. Fitzgerald stands at just 5’10” 177-lbs, but has always played on the edge and will do anything to win a puck battle. His time at BC has only improved his game, and he should be a candidate to secure an NHL job down the line if he can bring the same energy and work ethic to professional hockey.

We wrote about Johansson earlier this week when it was reported he may join the P-Bruins before the weekend. Logging over 20 minutes a night in Sweden this season, he proved he can play at the professional level against men much older than him. The 20-year old, seventh-round draft pick will try to prove the same thing as Fitzgerald: size doesn’t matter. Standing 5’11” 194-lbs, Johansson isn’t that far off what the average NHL defenseman is, and with his puck moving ability and excellent skating, he should find success in the North American game.

While neither Fitzgerald or Johansson should be considered front-runners for NHL jobs next fall, both will be pushing up from the AHL for 2017-18 call-ups. With their development floors likely being successful AHL players, each will try to make enough of an impact to warrant a look at the top level while building on what has made them successful so far.

Winnipeg Jets Bring Up Kichton, Move Tanev To Regular Recall

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The Winnipeg Jets have recalled Brenden Kichton on an emergency basis, while removing those same conditions on Brandon Tanev. While it’s not clear who exactly is injured in the Jets’ defense corps, Rick Ralph of TSN reports that Dustin Byfuglien did exit the game early last night. Should Byfuglien be the one to sit out, he’d join an all-star group on the sidelines. Tyler Myers, Jacob Trouba, Toby Enstrom and Ben Chiarot are all dealing with various injuries at the moment, making the Jets’ defense look like an AHL squad.

One of those AHL players is Kichton, who Winnipeg selected 190th overall in 2013 after he failed to come to terms with the New York Islanders and re-entered the draft. The 24-year old as yet to make his NHL debut but does have two 40+ point seasons in the AHL and has always been an extremely offensive threat. He regularly jumps into rushes, and has an excellent point shot when he’s given the time to release it. The defensive game is coming along, and he has turned himself into more than just an afterthought when it comes to NHL call-ups.

Tanev on the other hand has established himself in the NHL this season, playing 43 games and showing that he can be relied on as a defensive presence among the bottom-six. The brother of Vancouver Canucks defenseman Chris Tanev, Brandon is a hard-working winger who has registered four points this season while logging 111 hits. His presence, while not usually seen on the scoreboard is definitely felt among the opposing player bench. He’ll likely stick around for the rest of the season.

Morning Notes: Crosby, Patrick, Cangelosi

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Last night, during the Pittsburgh Penguins-Ottawa Senators game, Sidney Crosby delivered a hard slash across the hands of Marc Methot resulting in one of the nastiest injuries this season in the NHL (*WARNING: GRAPHIC*). Senators’ head coach Guy Boucher said after the game that Methot would be out “weeks” with a “destroyed” and “shattered” finger, and owner Eugene Melnyk was upset about it this morning on TSN 1200 (via Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia and Frank Seravalli of TSN):

You hammer these [players who slash], you take away their money, and you say you know what? You are done for 10 games.  We all know who [Crosby] is. The guy is a whiner beyond belief. You do this kind of stuff—I don’t care who you are in the league, I don’t care if you’re the number one player in the league—you should sit out a long time for this kind of crap.

Melnyk said that he was sure the league would be looking at it, but Pierre LeBrun of ESPN reports Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly will not be evaluating it further. Crosby will receive no discipline for this incident, just as he faced no penalty for his spear in an unfortunate area of Ryan O’Reilly’s lower body.

  • For anyone hoping to catch Nolan Patrick in the first round of the WHL playoffs, you might have to wait a few days. Mike Morreale of NHL.com reports that the projected top pick in the upcoming entry draft won’t play in game one due to a lower-body injury. The Brandon Wheat Kings take on the Medicine Hat Tigers in the first round of the WHL playoffs.
  • The Calgary Flames have sent Garnet Hathaway back down to the Stockton Heat. The 25-year old forward didn’t play in his most recent call up, after Micheal Ferland returned earlier from his mumps quarantine. With Matthew Tkachuk now eligible to play after serving his two-game suspension, the need for Hathaway has lifted. Playing in 26 games for Calgary this season, Hathaway registered five points in under 10 minutes a night.
  • Similarly, the Minnesota Wild have sent Gustav Olofsson down to the minors, liking meaning Christian Folin is ready to return to game action. Olofsson has played in 13 games for the Wild this season, but will have to wait until next year to really make his mark at the NHL level. The 22-year old will try to help the Iowa Wild make the postseason for the first time in their short history.
  • Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports that the Albany Devils have signed Austin Cangelosi to a two-year AHL contract. The 22-year old forward just graduated from Boston College where he had back-to-back 20-goal seasons the past two years. The 5’7″ forward will try to prove that his size won’t stop his skill from shining through at the professional level, as he moves up to the next challenge in his hockey career.

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