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Philip Larsen Signs Two-Year Deal In KHL

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Just after the Vancouver Canucks learned that they’d lost Nikita Tryamkin to his old KHL club, the league announced that Philip Larsen has signed a two-year deal with Salavat Yulaev. Larsen was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, after playing just 26 games with the Canucks this season. He’ll be returning to the league in which he found so much success, scoring 36 points in 52 games during the 2015-16 season.

Larsen was acquired from the Oilers last spring, and signed a one-year deal with the Canucks hoping to become the powerplay quarterback he had been in Russia. Instead, tragedy struck when he was destroyed by a Taylor Hall hit behind the ice and had to leave the game on a stretcher. He would eventually return more than six weeks later, but played just a handful of games down the stretch for Vancouver.

Originally drafted in the fifth round by the Dallas Stars, Larsen has never been quite able to put together a full NHL season. His future always seemed to be overseas, either in the KHL or closer to his native Denmark. He spent his formative years playing in the Swedish Elite League, where he was first spotted by Dallas. While it’s not determined if he’ll ever return to the NHL, at 27 he’s found his niche in the KHL and could easily stay there. Unfortunately, Denmark will not participate in the 2018 Olympics in hockey, with their qualification stage being one of the toughest against both Slovenia—who eventually won the group and will play in Pyeongchang—Poland and Belarus.

Canucks’ Nikita Tryamkin Returning To KHL

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The KHL has claimed their first NHL victim, as Vancouver Canucks’ defenseman Nikita Tryamkin has re-signed with his old KHL club for next season. After repeating their desire to bring back some of their homegrown talent, the KHL has succeeded by baiting Tryamkin back after just one full season with the Canucks. The 22-year old defender was a restricted free agent this summer, and looked like he could be a part of the Canucks’ blueline for a long time.

Drafted in the third round in 2014, Tryamkin was always a risk to return to the KHL as he had previously warned that he would leave North America should he not stay in the NHL all season. His contract even contained an out clause should the Canucks try to send him to the AHL, likely signaling a hesitation to dedicate himself fully to the North American game. It’s hard to blame the big defender, who will be returning to play for his hometown team in Yekaterinburg.

The 6’7″ defenseman was a surprisingly good addition to the Canucks blueline this year, dealing out big hits and moving around the ice with ease. While he obviously needed some polish to his game, he could have easily turned into a solid piece on the blueline. Vancouver will now go forward without him, though they will retain his rights and keep him on their reserve list should he ever wish to come back. It’s not clear how long the contract is for, but with his youth and relative success this year, a return is not out of the question.

The Radulov Factor: Signing KHL Talent

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As the 14 teams who didn’t make the playoffs can certainly attest, there is a fine line between making noise and sliding to irrelevance. One look no further than the Colorado Avalanche to realize that one off-season of poor decisions and a bad string of luck can complete derail a season beyond salvage. A solid signing can put you right back into the mix. Stagnation can mean failure, and of course, loss of fan interest as well as precious revenue.

This off-season, with the UFA class looking more sparse than ever, teams will be hunting for NHL talent on cheap contracts. Many teams will seek the help of the undrafted NCAAer, and with good reason. However, Montreal’s tactic of paying a steep contract for a KHL superstar has paid dividends, through the season and now in the playoffs. Alexander Radulov had his fair share of nay-sayers, as his experience with Nashville didn’t go particularly well. And an anti-Russian, anti-European bias does always seem to sneak into the conversation whenever overseas talent is concerned. Artemi Panarin had plenty of suitors, to be sure, but even he was compensated less than what he realistically deserved. In his first season, the young star tallied 30 goals and 77 points on a line with Patrick Kane. Not much of an adjustment faze.

Let’s look at a trio of names that have been, or should be, tossed into the ring for teams’ consideration in the near future:

Jan Kovar (C)  – Metallurg Magnitogorsk

Kovar has been mentioned from time to time for years, as an intriguing top forward for the star-studded Magnitogorsk. Talks to come over to the NHL have unfortunately never gotten particularly serious. Kovar scored 63 points in 59 games this past year, lead the Gagarin Cup playoffs with 25 points, and is still a decently spry 27 years-old. The Czech-born center is listed at only 5’10”, but as we have seen with Vladimir Sobotka, size isn’t always a deal-breaker. He is known for his solid shot and ability to create chances from very little. His playmaking abilities have only gotten better with age. Although his World Championship point totals aren’t fantastic, he would be a low-risk addition for any fringe team in need of offensive flair, or depth up the middle.

Evgeny Dadonov (RW) – SKA St. Petersburg

The former Florida Panther has been nothing short of phenomenal for SKA in the past year. During the team’s title run, the forward pulled off Datsyuk-ian moves with relative ease. He has previous ties to Carolina, and whatever they could offer should be matched by any other bottom-feeding team in the division – this player has the serious potential to burn defensemen for years. He could also be a complete bust, like he was his first time through. But the maturity that comes with multiple playoff runs and being trusted in a leadership role shouldn’t be under-estimated. Even in light of the NHL’s decision to avoid the Olympics, Dadonov is expected to strongly consider a return to the league. His pricetag may be an issue, however. Here’s hoping the cost isn’t a sticking point, because his remarkable creativity would be a welcome sight on NHL ice.

Emil Garipov (G) – Ak Bars Kazan

Yes, the goalie market is flooded with capable tenders already. Yes, you’ve probably never heard of this guy. Yes, no team has any rumored interest of late. But franchises struggling with goalie depth would be bonkers to not at least pick up the phone on this kid with the statlines he’s put up. At 25 years-old, Garipov is just hitting his prime years as a netminder. He kept his team afloat yet again with another strong showing in a KHL career that has been remarkably strong. His career save percentage is well above .930 and he survived an absolute barrage of shots last season with veteran poise. Garipov is technically sharp and he exudes a confidence that is well beyond his years. He also never quits on a play, which can be evidenced by scores of highlights such as these. Worst case scenario – you acquire a backup who struggles. But Garipov has shown flashes of next-level athleticism and focus which suggest that he could be capable of making the leap.

Of course, the Olympic situation complicates any potential KHL hoppers this summer. How much of a deterrent the Pyeongchang decision will be for Europeans remains to be seen, but as Radulov evidences on a nightly basis, the rewards for thinking outside the box can be great indeed.

Roster Notes: Haula, Lazar, Oduya

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Lineup changes have arrived for the Flames according to Kristen Odland, as the team will attempt to ward off elimination. Matt Stajan and Lance Bouma have both been told to take the night off, as Curtis Lazar and Freddie Hamilton find their way back to the ice. Hamilton had 2 goals and 0 assists in his 26 regular season games, and Lazar had 1 goal and 3 assists in his 37 games played. Neither is obviously expected to provide stellar offense, but instead to spark energy and infuse youth into a lineup which looked gassed in their Game 3 three-goal lead implosion. Lazar had been held pointless in 6 games while dressed for the Senators in the playoffs two seasons ago, though he was fantastic for the Oil Kings in their Memorial Cup run the year prior. This will be Hamilton’s first playoff experience.

  • Blackhawks’ Johnny Oduya has been yanked from the lineup by coach Joel Quenneville for a potentially deciding Game 4. Michal Kempny is expected to take his place. The 26 year-old Czech defenseman had a phenomenally underappreciated season, posting an absurd 56.1% Corsi For. The left-handed shooting defenseman has never played in a playoff game. He had gone unsigned until May of last year, when he was acquired by the organization for depth. He ended up playing 50 games for the Hawks, despite marginal offensive totals. Oduya’s veteran status makes this a surprising move, although his lack of speed and age were starting to show in a series where the Predators’ forecheck was relentless.
  • Erik Haula will not play for the Minnesota Wild tonight in their game against the Blues. Haula was held pointless and registered a -2 through 3 games. Coach Bruce Boudreau did not confirm who would take his spot, as he had been playing on the top unit with Mikko Koivu. This is a surprising move despite his struggles in the series, as the forward had been producing at a decent clip before running into the red-hot Jake Allen. There has been no word as to who will replace his position on the left wing.

Draisaitl Avoids Suspension, Receives Fine

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The NHL Department of Player Safety has opted not to suspend Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl for his spear on Chris Tierney, but has decided instead to fine him a total of $2,569.44. In the second period of Game 4, which at the moment of infraction was well out of reach at 5-0, Draisaitl and Tierney engaged in the corner – after which Tierney successfully cycles the puck behind Edmonton net. In seeming frustration, Draisaitl re-raises his stick upwards into the nether-regions of Tierney, at which point Tierney is felled to the ice. Draisaitl received a 5-minute major penalty and a game misconduct. The incident can be viewed here.

The NHL Department of Player Safety continues to display why suspensions are so impossible to predict. The only recent corollary which didn’t receive a suspension was Sidney Crosby’s similar maneuver back in March against Ryan O’Reilly. This incident sparked a flurry of criticism against the Department of Player Safety for its seeming inconsistency, although there were many notable detractors who concurred with the league. Stars in today’s NHL undoubtedly need to carve out space for themselves, but this sort of low-blow is generally considered beyond acceptable, gentlemanly bounds. Brad Marchand, less of household name (even though he scored only 8 less points on the season), received a 2 game suspension for a remarkably analogous blow.

Granted, history of less-than-stellar behavior had a definitive role in the Marchand suspension, whereas Draisaitl and Crosby both had clean slates. There is also the undeniable factor that playoff suspensions are rarer and generally far less extreme. Oilers fans will no doubt cheer the fact that the young stud Draisaitl will be laced up for an extremely important Game 5. His 77 points on the season would be even more remarkable if they were not out-shined by the extraordinary glow of his fellow millennial Connor McDavid. In a series which might be franchise-defining, this is the best of news.

But the fact remains that at some point, there needs to be a standard set with a star player. $2,569 is little hardship for professional athletes at this compensation level. Although the explanations by the DoPS have been extremely helpful in trying to convey the league’s perspective, the punishments seem to fluctuate wildly. For now, the roulette wheel of justice spins on.

Jack Eichel Responds To Contract Reports

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Earlier today it was reported by Paul Hamilton of WGR 550 that Jack Eichel had “no desire” to sign an extension this summer should Dan Bylsma be retained as the coach in Buffalo. Immediately, agent Peter Fish reached out to John Vogl of The Buffalo News to try and put out the fire created by the report, saying that it was “ridiculous” and that everyone was misunderstanding what had gone on. Now, Vogl has released an interview with Eichel himself, which goes into detail about how he’s dealt with the news today.

I want to be a Sabre and I want to be a Sabre for a long time and I want to be a part of Buffalo when we win. I know it’s an organization that is capable of doing that, and I want to be a part of it and I want to be a centerpiece of it. 

I want to be here for a long time. That’s the way I look at it. I don’t want to go anywhere else. I don’t want anybody to think that I want to be somewhere else. I want to be here, and I want to help this team win in any way that I can do that. I just want all the people there to know that.

Eichel made it very clear that he wishes to remain in Buffalo long-term, and that his conversation with Bylsma at the end of the year was very productive. He left that meeting thinking that they were “on the same page” about where the team was headed, and what the coach expected of him. While he doesn’t come right out and say it, it very much seems like Eichel is fine with going forward with Bylsma, regardless of whether or not they were in disagreement at times this year.

It’s not common for an athlete to come out and address the rumors so candidly, and Eichel should be praised for that. For a player who has been surrounded by nothing but disappointment since his entering the league—even the disappointment in Buffalo that they missed out on Connor McDavid despite finishing last in the NHL—it is obviously bothering him that he hasn’t been able to turn around the franchise to this point.

If Eichel does in fact head into a negotiation with the Sabres this offseason, it will be interesting to see where a contract would land for him going forward. Nathan MacKinnon was three years into his career when he signed his seven-year extension in Colorado, which will pay him $44.1MM ($6.3MM AAV) and buy out three UFA years. Tyler Seguin gave up just two free agent years when he signed his six-year, $34.5MM ($5.75MM AAV) deal in 2012 two years into his career with worse numbers than Eichel.

Depending on how many seasons of free agency he gives up, inking an extension now after a season marred by injury may be the best thing for the Sabres but worst for Eichel. If he trusts that he’ll succeed next season, he would be putting himself in a greater position of leverage and could easily surpass both MacKinnon and Seguin’s deals by signing an eight-year extension. It will be interesting to see where the dollar mark lands, and if the two sides can come to an agreement on length. If Eichel really does want to be a Sabre for a long time, there is a clear want from Buffalo to keep him around.

Latest On Timothy Liljegren’s Draft Status

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It’s been an interesting season for eligible prospects for the 2017 Entry Draft. Nolan Patrick has suffered through injury, Nico Hischier has shot up boards, and the entire defense group has been mixed up. This time last year, Timothy Liljegren was the easy pick for #2 in the draft behind Patrick, but now, as Corey Pronman of ESPN points out, Liljegren may not even be in the top-2 defenseman, let alone the whole draft. Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News has heard the same thing, while Grant McCagg of Recrutes has had him outside the top-10 for a while now.

Liljegren has battled through a bout with mononucleosis, and struggled to get playing time at the top level with Rogle, his Swedish club. He’s now dropping down draft boards, including even the NHL’s Central Scouting rankings, which had him sixth in their final rankings among European skaters. He now has a chance to go below both Cale Makar and Miro Heiskanen among defenders, and fall somewhere into the middle of round one. That does not by any means make him a poor prospect, in fact the very opposite—whichever team that drafts him will still be getting a top talent, but at a reduced price.

Back in November of 2015, TSN’s Director of Scouting Craig Button compared Liljegren to Drew Doughty, saying that he also had a bit of “Erik Karlsson offensive flair sprinkled in.” While draft comparables tend to be a bit hyperbolic in nature—he’ll almost assuredly not reach the heights of either Doughty or Karlsson—the Swedish defender does still possess the excellent skating ability and vision on the ice that made him so projectable prior to this season.

Heiskanen and Makar however have just been much more consistent with their development this season, and could both go in the top-5 come June. Makar—who has also drawn comparison’s to the Ottawa captain—has already committed to UMass Amherst, where he’ll be developed by a former Karlsson coach in Greg Carvel. Heiskanen meanwhile will likely continue to play in the Finnish professional league, where he found success this season. The 17-year old left-handed shot is currently dominating the U18 Worlds, scoring eight points in four tournament games thus far, including a dominating effort against Canada yesterday.

Should a team miss out on those two, Liljegren is one of the best consolation prizes you can ask for. In a draft that has no real consensus from picks 5-15, there should be some action on the floor between GMs looking to get their top target. Perhaps we’ll see more trading than the last few years, especially if players like Liljegren continue to fall.

Team Canada Names Eighteen Players To World Championship Squad

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With the World Championships beginning in just a few weeks Team Canada has released their first wave of players, announcing 18 names for the upcoming tournament. Five players are returning from the 2016 gold medal team: Calvin Pickard, Michael Matheson, Matt Duchene, Ryan O’Reilly and Mark Scheifele. The full roster so far is as follows:

Eric Comrie (Winnipeg Jets)
Calvin Pickard (Colorado Avalanche)

Tyson Barrie (Colorado Avalanche)
Calvin de Haan (New York Islanders)
Jason Demers (Florida Panthers)
Michael Matheson (Florida Panthers)
Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg Jets)

Sean Couturier (Philadelphia Flyers)
Matt Duchene (Colorado Avalanche)
Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers
Alex Killorn (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Travis Konecny (Philadelphia Flyers)
Ryan O’Reilly (Buffalo Sabres)
Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)
Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg Jets)
Wayne Simmonds (Philadelphia Flyers)
Jeff Skinner (Carolina Hurricanes)

The tournament will start on May 5th for Canada with their first game coming against the Czech Republic, and will be held in Paris, France and Cologne, Germany. The coaching staff will be made up of Jon Cooper (Tampa Bay Lightning), Gerard Gallant (Vegas Golden Knights), Dave Hakstol (Philadelphia Flyers) and Dave King.

Minor Moves: Labanc, Mete, Kuokkanen, Oilers

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The San Jose Sharks have sent Kevin Labanc back to the AHL prior to their AHL affiliate San Jose Barracuda’s first playoff game. Labanc wasn’t going to get into the Sharks lineup unless an injury struck, and he will be a huge help to the Barracuda’s chances. In 55 NHL games this season, Labanc registered 20 points and was a point-per-game player in the 19 matches in the AHL.

A former OHL superstar, Labanc scored 127 points in his final year of junior with the Barrie Colts, and has turned from sixth-round afterthought to legitimate prospect in the San Jose system. Here are some more moves from around the league…

  • The St. John’s IceCaps have signed Montreal Canadiens’ prospect Victor Mete to an amateur tryout. Mete was a fourth-round pick last summer who has enjoyed an excellent season in London, out performing fifth-overall pick Olli Juolevi offensively. His 44 points in 50 games was best on the team from the blueline, and he’ll now get a chance to show off at the professional ranks. Only 18, Mete will head back to London next year for another chance at the Memorial Cup.
  • The Charlotte Checkers have added a London Knight of their own, as the Carolina Hurricanes re-assigned Janne Kuokkanen to their AHL affiliate. The 18-year old center was signed to a three-year entry-level deal just last month after his huge rookie season in the OHL. Scoring 62 points in 60 games, he proved why the Hurricanes made him a second-round pick (43rd overall) last summer.
  • After letting Jesse Puljujarvi head to Team Finland for the World Championships, the Edmonton Oilers have recalled a group of Black Aces for their playoff run. Jordan Oesterle, Mark Fayne, Joey LaLeggia and Anton Lander will all join the club now that the Bakersfield season is over. This group will be first up should anyone suffer an injury during the Oilers’ postseason series against the Sharks.

Jesse Puljujarvi, Jack Eichel Join World Championship Rosters

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After just writing today that Jesse Puljujarvi would be a long shot for the Edmonton Oilers this series, the team has sent him to the World Championships to compete for Finland. Jack Eichel, fresh off the latest report of displeasure in Buffalo, is also off to the tournament for Team USA. Puljujarvi could be recalled at any time from his loan if the Oilers decide they need him in their playoff lineup.

The 18-year old Finn will play in his first World Championship after dominating the World Juniors in 2016. With 17 points in just seven games, Puljujarvi was named the tournament MVP and helped a loaded Finland win gold alongside other current NHL players like Sebastian Aho, Patrik Laine, Kasperi Kapanen and Mikko Rantanen. In fact, in 52 international contests, Puljujarvi has scored 53 points—albeit all at the junior level.

Eichel on the other hand has already suited up for a World Championship, helping Team USA to a bronze medal last spring. Eichel was one of the offensive weapons on that team, scoring seven points in ten games and trailing just Brock Nelson and Trevor Lewis for the team lead. He also starred at the World Juniors in his day, captaining the 2015 USA squad. He’ll join NHL players like Dylan Larkin, Jacob Trouba and Noah Hanifin at this year’s tournament.

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