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Archives for March 2017

Kloos Chased By Flames And Wild

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Michael Russo of the Star-Tribune reported today that both the Calgary Flames and the Minnesota Wild are trying to sign University of Minnesota Gophers captain Justin Kloos. The Gophers failed to make the NCAA Frozen Four after losing to Notre Dame in the NCAA Regional tournament, ending Kloos’s four year run with the school.

Kloos is an intriguing college free agent. He had 18G and 25A in 38 games for the Gophers this season, equaling his point total from last season. The diminutive center—he’s only 5’9 and 179lbs—was second in team scoring, but ahead of recent New York Rangers signing Vinni Lettieri.

According to Michael Russo, the Wild offered Kloos a pro deal next season coupled with an amateur try-out with the AHL Iowa Wild this season. It is unclear at the moment what the Flames offered Kloos. If Kloos chose the Wild, however, he’d be playing in front of a home town crowd. Kloos grew up in Lakeville, MN—half an hour outside of Minneapolis—and was crowned Minnesota Mr. Hockey in 2012.

Jake Walman Signs Three-Year Contract With St. Louis Blues

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The St. Louis Blues have locked up an important prospect, as the team inked Jake Walman to a three-year, entry-level contract Tuesday evening. Walman had been expected to turn pro for some time, but had to wait until Providence College was eliminated from the NCAA tournament. He will head to the Chicago Wolves on an amateur tryout for the remainder of the season. Jake Walman

An incredible skater, Walman is difficult to stop when he he carries the puck through the neutral zone. A natural puck-rushing defender, he’s taken steps to become a better defender this season and will continue to do so at the professional level. His offensive upside is tremendous, but he won’t be able to use that ability at even strength enough without some good work at the AHL level to tighten up his gaps and stop relying on his speed to make up for any mistakes. At just 21, he’s ahead of the curve developmentally for a third-round pick, and should be pushing for an NHL job before he’s 23.

St. Louis has done well this spring to bring in their top NCAA prospects, getting Walman and Tage Thompson to both leave school early and join the professional ranks. Both players showed immense potential at the college level, and represent part of the next wave of players for the Blues. After a struggle in the first part of the season, the team has turned its NHL product into a contender again, while restocking the system with college players and a strong return for Kevin Shattenkirk. For anyone who thought the Blues might be headed in the wrong direction at the end of 2016, they look far from it now.

Boston Bruins Recall Zane McIntyre On Emergency Basis

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5:05pm: Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald reports that it is in fact Khudobin who has suffered a minor injury today. If he’s not able to dress, it would still put the Bruins at risk of having to use an unproven rookie in what will amount to another must-win game.

4:38pm:Despite saying this morning that Tuukka Rask would be back in net for the Boston Bruins tonight against the Nashville Predators, the team has recalled Zane McIntyre from Providence on emergency conditions. Whether this means Rask isn’t ready, or somehow Anton Khudobin has suffered an injury during the day isn’t clear.

Rask sat out the Bruins last game against the New York Islanders on Saturday with a mysterious lower-body injury, allowing Khudobin to make the start instead and help the team to a 2-1 victory. Rask received some heat from media and fans who compared it to last year when the goaltender sat out the final game with an illness and watched as the Bruins lost 6-1 to miss the playoffs. While it’s certain Rask and the Bruins wouldn’t fake an injury this late in the season, it is horrible timing for a club that is fighting for their playoff lives on a nightly basis. With the Tampa Bay Lightning now just one point behind the Bruins for the final playoff spot, they need every win they can down the stretch.

Though if it is Khudobin who makes the start tonight, perhaps it’s not the worst thing that could happen. The goaltender is 5-1 since the beginning of February and boasts a .920 save percentage in those matches. On Saturday, he stopped 18 of 19 shots in one of the biggest victories of the season for the Bruins. McIntyre on the other hand has appeared in eight games this season for Boston and has proved he’s not quite ready for the NHL with a save percentage of .858.

College Notes: Jost, Foo, Vecchione

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In the latest ’30 Thoughts’ column from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet there are several interesting tidbits about some college players that have been eliminated from the NCAA tournament in the past few days. One of the most notable is Tyson Jost, the Colorado Avalanche prospect and 10th-overall pick from last summer. Friedman says that it’s tough to read the situation on Jost after his freshman season at North Dakota, and mentions there is still the possibility of him returning for a second year.

Jost had an incredible year, scoring 38 points in 35 games for UND while also starring for Team Canada at the World Juniors. The former BCHL superstar turned 19 less than two weeks ago, and would benefit from another year in the NCAA and a run at the Hobey Baker trophy. There is no rush for Colorado, who won’t be competing next season but consider Jost one of their untouchables going forward.

  • Friedman also touches on Mike Vecchione, the Union College star who is a free agent and can sign anywhere. Reports indicate that he’ll make a decision within the next 24 hours. On Monday it came out that Philadelphia was pushing hard for the 24-year old, though it’s not clear if they are still in the running today. The offensive dynamo tied for the leading point-scorer in the nation, and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker this season.
  • Spencer Foo, a teammate of Vecchione at Union, has told teams he won’t play pro hockey this season. That doesn’t mean that he’s definitely going back to school though, and LA Kings Insider Dan Rosen has heard that basically the entire league is interested in him. As Rosen notes at the end of his piece, Foo was an Edmonton Oilers fan growing up and Friedman notes that there is a lot of interest from the Canadian NHL clubs. The winger scored 62 points in 38 games this season and is another Hobey Baker finalist.
  • Rosen goes on to report that Steven Johnson, a Los Angeles Kings draft pick from 2014 will head back to school at the University of Minnesota for his senior year. The Kings will have just a few months to sign him after next season if they so choose, but he’ll have to take another step forward to earn an entry-level contract after graduation. Right now his entire game still needs polish and he’ll hopefully have the chance to step into a bigger role now that Jake Bischoff is off to the professional ranks.

Snapshots: Team USA, Patrick, Penguins

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After the US National Women’s team announced their boycott of the upcoming World Championships two weeks ago, there has been a war of words between the two sides and an outpouring of support from other professional leagues and players around the world. Now, with the tournament just a few days from starting—games are set to begin on Friday in Plymouth with Team USA facing off against Canada—there seems to be somewhat of an agreement in place.

Multiple reports including one from Frank Seravalli of TSN have the two sides very close to a deal being ratified today on equitable pay going forward. This would send the team to the tournament and bring closure to what has been a contentious period in women’s hockey. This comes on the heels of a report that the men’s team may also boycott if USA Hockey were to allow replacement players into the tournament in the women’s stead.

  • Nolan Patrick again won’t play for the Brandon Wheat Kings in their game three matchup against the Medicine Hat Tigers tonight. According to Mike Morreale of NHL.com, he remains day-to-day for the Wheat Kings with a lower-body injury. The Tigers are up 2-0 in the series, and if Patrick doesn’t return soon he might not get a chance to compete in the playoffs at all this year. That would be a disappointing end to what has been a terrible draft year for the projected number one pick. It would give Nico Hischier and the Halifax Mooseheads—who are tied 1-1 in their playoff series—even more chances to prove why he should be considered for the top selection in this summer’s draft.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins had a fairly production practice this morning, as according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette they had Jake Guentzel, Ron Hainsey and Conor Sheary all on the ice. While Guentzel and Hainsey were both in non-contact jerseys, it is still a step forward as they try to get healthy for the playoffs. Coach Mike Sullivan told Mackey that Evgeni Malkin skated on his own before practice, and is “hopeful” to get him back soon.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Joseph Gambardella To Two-Year Contract

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The Edmonton Oilers have jumped into the NCAA free agent waters, signing Joseph Gambardella to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal will start in 2017-18, a season in which Gambardella will turn 24. The undrafted forward has just finished his senior year at University of Massachusetts-Lowell and was a free agent.

While he was already 23 for much of the season, Gambardella really excelled in his final year, scoring 52 points in 41 games and led the River Hawks in scoring for the first time in his college career. The somewhat undersized forward has a relentless drive for the net and played most of the season alongside C.J. Smith, another undrafted scoring threat that might sign after next season. Gambardella is fearless in front of the net, battling for position against bigger players and often coming up with the puck.

Most of his scoring has come from within five feet of the net, winning rebounds and finding a way to bury the puck from incredibly difficult angles. Because he doesn’t have elite skill with the puck, he’ll need to continue to be that feisty net-front presence at the next level to find success. Because of that style, and his level of strength and balance, he could likely contribute to an NHL roster’s bottom-six within the next year. As long as he accepts a different role than the top scoring threat at even strength and on the powerplay, he could become a very productive professional.

Minor Moves: Fucale, Renouf, Pedrie

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The Montreal Canadiens won the most important game of the season on Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators, putting them up by three points in the Atlantic Division. That had them flying high until this morning when the team announced that Al Montoya has suffered a lower-body injury and will be unavailable for the game tonight against the Dallas Stars. Instead, the Canadiens have recalled Zach Fucale from the ECHL Brampton Beast to back up Carey Price tonight.

Fucale was drafted in the second round in 2013, and Montreal still has high hopes for the 21-year old. The young netminder has struggled since his draft year at different levels, but still has the raw talent to put it all together as his body matures. Goaltenders often put it together much later than skaters, meaning Fucale could still improve drastically. For now, he’ll get a taste of the NHL from the bench.

  • The Detroit Red Wings have re-assigned Dan Renouf to the AHL after making his NHL debut just last night. He was called up on an emergency basis, and will now return to Grand Rapids for the time being. The 22-year old was an NCAA free agent last spring, and has had a solid professional debut this season. With 15 points in 58 games, he has provided a little offense for the Griffins in addition to his normal physical brand of defense. Renouf’s departure likely means the return of Niklas Kronwall to the Detroit lineup for the game against Carolina tonight.
  • As expected, the Rangers have signed Vince Pedrie to an entry-level contract. The Penn State defenseman broke the news himself last night on Instagram, before deleting it and waiting for the team’s announcement. 23-years old and just finished his sophomore year, Pedrie will instead turn to the professional ranks for the next chapter in his hockey career. The puck-moving defenseman is a nice addition to a Rangers prospect system that has been stripped bare in recent years.

Jake Bischoff Signs Two-Year Deal With New York Islanders

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After announcing the amateur tryouts for Matt Gaudreau and John Stevens earlier today, the New York Islanders have also signed Jake Bischoff to a two-year, entry-level contract. While the team did not reveal whether the deal was for this year or next, Arthur Staple of Newsday reports that Bischoff will sign an ATO for the remainder of the season and report to Bridgeport.

The 22-year old Bischoff was the Islanders’ seventh round pick in 2012, and was voted the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in his senior season at the University of Minnesota. A rock on the blueline for the Gophers this season, Bischoff registered 32 points in 38 games and served as an alternate captain for the second year. His excellent two-way game has developed even further this year, as he continues to look more and more like a future NHL defenseman.

While the Islanders try to make the playoffs in the NHL, the Sound Tigers are desperately trying to catch either Hershey or Providence for a spot in the AHL postseason. Bischoff will help them try to do that, but a five point spread with nine games remaining will be a very difficult task.

Morning Notes: Gaudreau, Street, Pedrie, Vermin

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Don’t worry Flames fans, the headline “Islanders Sign Gaudreau” shouldn’t scare you, at least not in 2017. The New York team has signed Johnny’s younger brother Matt Gaudreau to an amateur tryout for their AHL affiliate. The younger Gaudreau has just completed his senior season at Boston College, where he scored 35 points in 40 games.

Not blessed with the exceptional skill of his brother, Gaudreau is similarly sized at 5’9 150-lbs and must rely on his quickness and playmaking ability. While he does have potential to play at a higher level, his offensive upside isn’t as high as his brother and thus will have a hard time getting a look at the NHL level.

  • The Detroit Red Wings have called up Ben Street on emergency condition, but Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports that it will turn into a regular recall should he not play in tonight’s game. The team is playing the third of three consecutive games, likely leading to some soreness and minor injuries.
  • Steve Zipay of Newsday reports that Vince Pedrie of Penn State may be close to a deal with the New York Rangers, as the free agent forward sent out a now deleted Instagram photo with the caption “It comes with a heavy heart that I announce I will not be returning to Penn State for my remaining two years…I am extremely excited to start my professional hockey career with the New York Rangers.”  Pedrie scored 30 points in 39 games in just his sophomore season, though he is already 23-years old.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have sent Joel Vermin back to the AHL after playing in the previous four games for the club. The 25-year old winger has just three points in 15 games in the NHL this season, and with the team getting healthier, he’ll now return to help the Syracuse Crunch into the playoffs.

New Jersey Devils Sign Michael Kapla To ELC

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The New Jersey Devils have brought in some young leadership, signing University of Massachusetts-Lowell captain Michael Kapla to a two-year, entry-level contract. Unlike most of the other college free agent signings, Kapla’s contract will kick in right away for the 2016-17 season, and the defenseman will report to New Jersey for the rest of the season.

Kapla, 22, has put together four solid seasons for U. Mass-Lowell, but broke out this season with 30 points in 41 games. His 27 assists put him first among defenders on his team, and he logged big minutes as part of their top pairing. Though he’s slightly undersized for the NHL, his puck moving ability and positioning in the defensive zone are both already at a professional level and should translate well to the league. Whether he can defend well enough against bigger, faster players is still a question mark, one he’ll get to answer down the stretch.

In burning a year of his two-year ELC, Kapla is now on pace to become a restricted free agent after just next season. He’ll try to make enough of an impression in the last handful of games to prove he deserves a spot on the roster for next year.

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