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Archives for April 2017

Morning Notes: ISS Rankings, Marchand, Girard

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The International Scouting Service (ISS) has released their latest draft rankings, and the center position dominates. Behind Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier—who are still ranked #1-2 respectively—Gabe Vilardi slides into the #3 slot and twelve other centers appear in the top-31 names. While many of the names down the list don’t project as elite first line players, there is a lot of talent to be had to build a team from the middle. Casey Mittelstadt has jumped to number five, and Timothy Liljegren continues to drop down the list.

A name we’ve said to watch before, Owen Tippett, has moved all the way up into the #4 position and is having a strong playoff run with Mississauga. The Steelheads are through to the next round and will face the Oshawa Generals on Friday. Tippett is the best pure goal scorer in the draft, and will have an interesting case for jumping right to the NHL next season.

  • Brad Marchand will have a hearing with the Department of Player Safety on Thursday, regarding the spearing incident last night. Marchand used his stick to violently spear Jake Dotchin in the groin and was assessed a five minute major and game misconduct. With the Boston Bruins clinching a playoff spot last night, any suspension that took Marchand out for more than two games would leak into the postseason and possibly be devastating for the club. The Hart Trophy candidate has been suspended three times in the past and fined on multiple occasions. His standing as a repeat offender may mean at least one playoff game will be included.
  • The Nashville Predators have assigned Samuel Girard to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL. The 18-year old defenseman was eliminated from the playoffs when Shawinigan lost to Val-d’Or on Sunday. A second-round pick last summer, Girard had 75 points in 59 games and added another nine in five playoff contests. His offensive potential is incredible, and the Predators defense factory has turned undersized players into excellent all-around defenders before.
  • After playing in two games with the Red Wings, Evgeny Svechnikov has been sent back to the AHL. The young winger was held pointless, but scored the shootout winner against the Ottawa Senators on Monday night. He’ll now head down to the Grand Rapids Griffins and try to win a Calder Cup.

Prospect Notes: Comrie, Pilon, Hischier

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The Winnipeg Jets have recalled Eric Comrie, according to Gary Lawless of TSN. The young netminder will meet the team in Columbus, though it is not clear if he will get the start. Comrie was the Jets’ second-round pick in 2013, and has found moderate success in the AHL the past two years. The former WHL standout will be remembered best for his part in the 2015 World Juniors, where he and Team Canada won gold.

The younger (half) brother of former NHLer Mike Comrie, Eric isn’t an imposing figure in the net but has impressive athleticism and anticipation paired with enough size to make him NHL-viable. One of the better goaltending prospects in the league, he will hopefully one day be the answer to the long-standing issues in the Winnipeg net. The Jets rank 28th in the league in save percentage with an .899% mark, only ahead of Dallas and Colorado. If Comrie could provide even league average goaltending down the road, the team would be much better off.

  • As expected, the Hershey Bears have added Garrett Pilon on an amateur tryout now that the Kamloops Blazers have been eliminated from the WHL playoffs. The young center was signed to an entry-level deal with the Washington Capitals last week, and will now join the professional ranks for the remainder of the season. Pilon did everything he could in the Blazers 4-2 series loss at the hands of the Kelowna Rockets, registering four points in six games.
  • Speaking of first round CHL exits, the Halifax Mooseheads were eliminated on Monday and with it comes the end of the road for potential #1 pick Nico Hischier. Still in a battle with Nolan Patrick for that first overall slot, Hischier scored seven points in six games but couldn’t overcome the dominant Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. He and Patrick will now wait for the NHL combine to give one last impression on the top teams.

Olympic Reactions: NBC, Flames, Senators, Avalanche

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NBC Sports released a statement yesterday regarding the NHL’s decision to not participate in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics:

The Olympics have long been the world’s greatest international hockey tournament irrespective of whether professionals or amateurs are playing. Although we’re disappointed that NHL players will not get the chance to experience and compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics next February, we’re confident that hockey fans and Olympic viewers will tune in to watch the unique style of play that occurs at the Olympic Winter Games when athletes are competing for their country.”

As our own Gavin Lee noted yesterday, NBC had recently agreed to air the entirety of the Olympic hockey tourney. While the NHL would presumably install their new bye week system during the event, NBC will still be unable to air any NHL games between February 9th-25th, a crucial time of the season.

Let’s check out some more reactions from around the NHL…

  • Michael Frolik of the Flames expressed disappointment that he wouldn’t be able to interact with some of the best hockey players in the world. “You have a chance to meet the other athletes and sit with them, and that was cool. And just the experience and the atmosphere there was great,” Frolik, who previously represented the Czech Republic, told Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Herald. “As a little kid, we won gold in Nagano and I know how big it was at home, so always Olympics were really special…It was a little bit of a surprise for me. I thought they were going to make a deal. It’s a little disappointing. I’ve been lucky to play Olympics once, so at least I have that under my belt. But going for a second time, to have that chance would be nice.”
  • Flames teammate Mark Giordano, who has been on Team Canada’s radar for several years, implied that he was more focused on his NHL’s team success. “It’s a little disappointing,” he said. “Obviously, growing up, as a kid, you’ve always wanted to play in the Olympics. It’s kind of a dream. But right now, it’s something I try to keep my mind off of. I don’t think my answer, my opinion is going to change anything. So I think just worry about the Flames right now.”
  • Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson was a bit more abrupt when discussing the decision. “It is crap. That’s pretty much what I think. It’s going to do more damage to this sport than people realize, and whoevert made that decision obviously doesn’t know what they are doing,” the former silver medalist told Nick Wells of CTVNews.ca. “I just feel like we’re misrepresenting our sport on a pretty huge scale and a pretty huge level. I think the players do want to go, but I think it should be of interest to the players and the league. I think the NHL should be in the Olympics.”
  • Finally, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon seemed to place the blame on the higher-ups. “I think it’s obviously the owners’ decision,” MacKinnon told Terry Frei of the Denver Post. “It’s too bad. It’s a time for us to showcase the best players in the world and grow the game in places where hockey’s not very big, such as Korea. … This is an opportunity for us to grow it, with Beijing coming up in 2022 as well. Korea and China are places we haven’t really tapped yet, and I think that’s important. Hopefully something gets resolved and maybe they’ll change it, I’m not sure. Obviously, it’s unfortunate.”

Snapshots: Jagr, Lightning, Martenet, Sharks

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While he has stated that he fully plans to play next season, there have been no discussions between right winger Jaromir Jagr and the Panthers regarding a potential contract extension, reports George Richards of the Miami Herald.  Instead, the two sides plan to sit down following the season to see if they can work out a new deal.

The 45 year old Jagr has been on one year contracts for the last six seasons and undoubtedly will be signing another one wherever he winds up landing.  In his second season with Florida, his numbers have taken a dip but he sits fourth in team scoring with 16 goals and 27 assists in 79 games.  He may have to take a pay cut to remain with the team, however, as the Panthers already have over $61MM in payroll committed for next season.  Jagr is carrying a $4MM cap hit this season but has already reached an additional $1.5MM in games played bonuses.

Other notes from around the league:

  • After agreeing to terms on an entry-level deal with prospect goalie Connor Ingram earlier today, the Lightning also announced (via Twitter) that they’ve inked forward prospect Dennis Yan to an amateur tryout agreement and assigned him to their AHL affiliate in Syracuse. Joining them is 2015 first rounder Brett Howden who is now eligible to be sent down after his junior team was eliminated from the postseason.  The trio represent some reinforcements for a Crunch team who has been hit hard by injuries in Tampa Bay and are in a battle for top spot in the AHL’s North Division heading into the final two weeks of the season.
  • Also heading to the pros for the first time is Dallas defensive prospect Chris Martenet. The AHL’s Stars announced that he has been assigned to the team following his junior team, the Ottawa 67’s, was eliminated from the playoffs.  The 20 year old tied a career high in points at the OHL level with 16 in 55 games split between London and Ottawa.
  • Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer provided a brief injury update on forwards Logan Couture and Joe Thornton, classifying each as day-to-day, notes CSN Bay Area’s Kevin Kurz. He wouldn’t specify when either would be back, only saying that they’re expected back “at some point”.  Couture has been out since taking a puck to the mouth on March 25th while Thornton suffered a knee injury on Sunday against the Canucks.

Metropolitan Notes: Weight, Murray, Werenski, Sprong, Manning

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The Islanders will have several decisions to make at the end of the season, one that will likely see them miss the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14.  One of those will be the future of interim head coach Doug Weight, who admitted to Newsday’s Neil Best that he hasn’t given much thought yet as to whether or not he even wants to return behind the bench next season.

New York has a 20-12-4 record with Weight behind the bench after he replaced Jack Capuano back on January 17th and the team has played their way back into the playoff discussion, even if they have just a slim chance at making it now.  However, the 46 year old is also their assistant GM and may prefer to go back to working full-time on the management side of the game.

Elsewhere in the Metropolitan:

  • Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray may not be ready to return to the lineup by the time the playoffs start, GM Jarmo Kekalainen told Tom Reed of the Columbus Dispatch. Murray has been out since March 12th with a broken hand and the team was hopeful he’d be able to return with a month.  Columbus will also be without rookie blueliner Zach Werenski who is listed as day-to-day with a shoulder issue although the team doesn’t know at this point if he will be cleared to return by next week.
  • Despite a prolific regular season where he averaged better than a goal per game at the junior level, the Penguins do not plan to add prospect winger Daniel Sprong to their roster once his CHL postseason ends, reports Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Instead, the team plans to assign him to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton once Charlottetown (QMJHL) is eliminated from the playoffs.  In the first round sweep, Sprong led the way with eight points.
  • After returning to the lineup a couple of weeks ago from an upper body injury, Flyers blueliner Brandon Manning is once again out with an upper body issue, notes CSN Philly’s Jordan Hall. He’s listed as day-to-day and joins Radko Gudas (upper body) on the sidelines.  His departure paves the way for Samuel Morin, who was recalled earlier today, to make his NHL debut.

Clarke MacArthur Will Return To NHL Action

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After missing nearly two full seasons with concussion problems, Clarke MacArthur will return to the lineup tonight for the Ottawa Senators. MacArthur last played a regular season game in the NHL on October 14th, 2015. Senators GM Pierre Dorion says that multiple doctors cleared him over a week ago, and that the team wanted his first game to be at home. Even his teammates were surprised to see his name in the lineup, as he was still expected to miss the entire season. "<strong

MacArthur suffered his fourth concussion in an 18-month period when he was hit in training camp by prospect Patrick Sieloff, a collision that sparked a brawl between teammates. MacArthur was then shut down in January when it was deemed that it was too dangerous to return to hockey this season. Many people believed that his career was over, though MacArthur would never admit that and always maintained that he would return this year. With the Senators barely holding on to a playoff spot and the Tampa Bay Lightning breathing down their necks, MacArthur’s return could pay off if he can return to his previous form.

A three-time 20-goal scorer, MacArthur was an extremely effective possession winger who could fit in alongside almost any type of play style and find success. Moving up and down the lineup, he’s been considered a solid two-way player mainly because of how easily he could retrieve and move the puck. He’s also an effective powerplay player, which he will be put on right away tonight. 34 of his 133 career goals have come on the powerplay, something the Senators have had trouble with this season—they rank 23rd in the league in PP%.

While his return is a heartwarming story, it will bring the brain injury discussion to the forefront once again as a player returns earlier than expected. Despite installing their concussion protocol and spotters in every rink, the NHL is embroiled in a legal battle about brain injuries and the possible development of CTE. While they fight that battle in the courtrooms, every hit MacArthur takes will make fans and league officials alike wince and hope for no further injury. With Aaron Ekblad recently returning “too soon”, it would be a blow to the NHL should MacArthur suffer a setback now.

Minor Moves: Ingram, Backman, Khaira

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When the Kamloops Blazers were eliminated from the WHL playoffs by the Kelowna Rockets on Sunday, Connor Ingram became a goalie without a net. That limbo won’t last long, as Bob McKenzie reports that Ingram has signed an amateur tryout contract with the Syracuse Crunch—Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate—for the rest of this season, and an entry-level deal with the Lightning starting next season.

Ingram played exceptionally well this season, posting a .922 save percentage in the regular season before increasing that number to .946 for their short playoff run. While he didn’t have the best tournament at the World Juniors, his inclusion on a team that has a long history of elite goaltending goes to show how highly regarded he is in the CHL. Ingram was selected in the third round by Tampa Bay last summer, and has all the makings of an NHL starter one day.

  • Sean Shapiro of NHL.com tells us that the Dallas Stars organization expects Mattias Backman to return to Sweden next season. At the AHL trade deadline, the Stars loaned Backman to Hershey for their playoff run but he has only played a handful of games since then. The former fifth-round pick never did make it to the NHL, and will now return home to compete in the SHL next season.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have sent Jujhar Khaira back to the AHL, ending what has been a long stretch of NHL time without much NHL action. Playing in just 10 games this season, the young Khaira has registered just a single goal. With Bakersfield in a battle for the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division, Khaira will provide some depth up the middle. The 22-year old was drafted in the third round in 2012, and has struggled to make an impact at the NHL level.

Vladimir Sobotka Terminates KHL Contract

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After months of speculation, Vladimir Sobotka has agreed to a mutual termination of his contract with Omsk Avangard of the KHL ahead of the April 30th expiry date. He is now free to return to North America if he wishes to sign with the St. Louis Blues, and would be eligible for the playoffs this season. This is still not a likely scenario, as even playing a single game would burn the year he owes the Blues—Sobotka signed a one-year deal in July of 2014, before bolting for the KHL. Vladimir Sobotka

The 29-year old center showed off in the KHL playoffs this year, scoring 10 points in 12 games while continuing to play a physical style. Even though he only scored 30 points during the regular season, he still could likely play an effective role on a Blues team that has turned around their season since firing Ken Hitchcock partway through. Now firmly in the playoff picture, the Blues are just playing to determine who they’ll face in the first round with the most likely scenario being the Minnesota Wild.

Sobotka was traded to the Blues back in 2010 from the Boston Bruins, and played four years for the team before his KHL departure in 2014. Now that there is a chance he may return to the NHL, he’ll have to play at least one season for the Blues before becoming a restricted free agent. The length of that season is up to the two sides, as whenever he returns he will be reinstated off the suspended list and resume the $2.725MM deal he agreed to. He is also eligible for the expansion draft, regardless of whether he burns that year now or later.

Terminating his contract early does add some smoke to the fire of his early return, but Blues’ GM Doug Armstrong has made it very clear in the past that he wouldn’t talk about Sobotka until he was back on North American soil. Losing the asset after just a few games would be unfortunate, but with the Blues looking again like they could make some noise in the playoffs, perhaps his addition could put them over the top.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Olympics, Gabrielle, Hemsky, Meier

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If you thought the Olympic story was over after the league announced yesterday they would not participate in the 2018 Winter Games, you were wrong. Almost every player around the league was asked about their stance on the tournament, and some of the strongest opinions once again came from Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. When Ovechkin was pressed, he repeated his intention on attending the tournament whether the NHL allows him to or not. “Somebody going to tell me don’t go, I don’t care, I just go” Ovechkin told Chris Johnston of Sportsnet before going on to say he believes the NHL is bluffing.

There is chance the NHL will install fines or suspensions for players who do go, and Rick Westhead of TSN reports that Donald Fehr, the head of the NHLPA, is already telling agents that he expects the NHL to try and stop them in one way or another. Westhead expects the players’ union to fight any such “impromptu rule” though.

  • The Boston Bruins may get a closer look at prospect Jesse Gabrielle soon, as Mark Divver of the Providence Journal reports that the Prince George winger will join the AHL Bruins as soon as this weekend. Prince George was knocked out of the WHL playoffs after another solid season by Gabrielle. He spent time with Providence last spring before heading back to junior, but next year will likely play all season in the AHL. The young winger has offensive upside and an in-your-face style that Bruins fans both love and expect from their young players.
  • Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News gives us an explanation on the Justin Dowling transaction carousel, reporting that Ales Hemsky will be out for the remainder of the season. The Stars had thought he was ready to return to the lineup, but instead he will sit out the last few games and head into the summer as a pending unrestricted free agent.
  • Despite sending Timo Meier to the AHL yesterday, Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News reports that he has been brought back up by the team today. It must have been a cost-saving measure, though the point still stands that Meier has struggled to get quality chances despite racking up shots on net. The youngster will look to break his goalless drought if he gets back into the lineup.
  • Flyers’ prospect German Rubtsov won’t be getting any more time on the ice this year, as he has been shut down following hand surgery to repair a broken bone. The young forward had 22 points in 16 games since coming over from the KHL in January. He signed his first entry-level contract a month ago, and looks like a can’t miss prospect for the Flyers going forward.

Jordan Kyrou To Join Chicago Wolves For Remainder Of Season

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After the Sarnia Sting were eliminated from the OHL playoffs at the hands of the Erie Otters, Jordan Kyrou has been assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. The St. Louis Blues prospect will get a taste of professional hockey before competing for an NHL job in the fall.

Kyrou, 18, was selected by the Blues in the second round (35th overall) of the 2016 draft and exploded this season for the Sting. In 66 games he scored 30 goals and 94 points, almost twice as many as his previous career high and sixth most in the entire OHL. If the league knew this next level was coming for Kyrou, they may have selected him even higher as he looks like a blue-chip prospect after this season.

Because he won’t turn 19 until May 5th, Kyrou will be in the position next season of making the NHL or going back to the OHL. He’ll have a tough time making the Blues out of camp, meaning another season of OHL action and a chance to lead the league in scoring is likely next for Kyrou. Drafted as a responsible two-way player, he’s showing that there might be top-level offensive potential in him as he relies on his elite skating ability to create room for himself.

He’ll also be an option for Canada at the World Juniors after not being invited to training camp for the tournament this season. He’s also Sarnia’s candidate for the Red Tilson award, given out to the OHL’s most outstanding player, though he will likely lose out to Erie’s Alex DeBrincat.

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