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Philadelphia Flyers Sign Frost, Ratcliffe To ELCs

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The Philadelphia Flyers have signed two more top picks from the recent draft, inking Morgan Frost and Isaac Ratcliffe to entry-level contracts. Each player is expected to return to the OHL for the upcoming season.

Frost was selected 27th-overall with the first of two first-round picks the Flyers received for Brayden Schenn. After a breakout season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, the thin center is poised for another big season as some older players move on. His responsibility and ice time should increase, and he’ll get even more opportunity to show off his creativity in the offensive zone. Growing up around the Toronto Maple Leafs due to his father’s job as PA Announcer at the Air Canada Center, Frost shot up draft boards this year due mostly to his high “hockey IQ.” If he can add some strength and show that more attention doesn’t slow him down he has a shot to be an effective middle-six center in the NHL.

The Flyers moved up to get Ratcliffe at 35th-overall, dealing a pair of picks to the Arizona Coyotes for the right to draft the 6’6″ winger. Another player who broke out and soared up draft boards, Ratcliffe ended up with 28 goals this year for the Guelph Storm and has a knack for protecting the puck down low with his big frame. While it’ll take quite a bit of work to get his skating up to an NHL level, there is the capability there for a net front powerplay presence and effective five-on-five possession player.

After Arbitration Hearing, Nate Schmidt Still Without Contract

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Though arbitration hasn’t resulted in any decisions yet this season, Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt could be the first to have a ruling come down. Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that the two sides went through the hearing today in Toronto, and still do not have a contract worked out. That leaves them with a 48 hour window with which to come to some sort of an agreement, similar to Tomas Tatar and Viktor Arvidsson last month.

Schmidt submitted a one-year $2.75MM ask, while the team countered with a two-year deal worth a total of $1.95MM. Like any arbitration, those are outside points on a contract that will ultimately fall somewhere in the middle. The two year term is not negotiable however, as Schmidt filed for player-elected salary arbitration, which gives the option on length to the team.

That said, a long-term contract is still a possibility between the two sides. Schmidt has shown impressive potential with the Washington Capitals in the past, and is a dynamic player who could fit in quite well with a team strapped for high-end skill. His skating ability would be quite the draw for new fans, though success on the ice is obviously paramount. If Schmidt does receive a cheap two-year term, he would immediately become an excellent trade chip, something we’ve discussed in the past for the Golden Knights. The 26-year old would be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the two years.

Florida Panthers Re-Sign MacKenzie Weegar

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The Florida Panthers have finished signing their RFAs for the summer after announcing a one-year contract with MacKenzie Weegar. Weegar will play next year on a two-way deal, and will still be a restricted free agent next summer.

Weegar, 23, made his NHL debut this season after working his way through the minor league ranks. Drafted in the seventh round in 2013 (206th-overall), he first dominated the QMJHL and then made his mark on both the ECHL and AHL. The undersized defenseman has high-end offensive upside, but has struggled at times in his own end. Last year, he posted 14 goals and 36 points in 60 AHL contests but was held scoreless during his short NHL stint.

A legitimate option as a powerplay quarterback and sort of specialty player, Weegar would need an opening at the NHL level either through trade or injury to play a real impact on the Panthers this year. Ian McCoshen is probably ahead of him on the depth chart in terms of a full-time replacement, but that’s not to say Weegar won’t get at least some time with the team. If the Panthers are serious about moving Jason Demers, he could be a potential addition to a bottom pair that could be sheltered from tough matchups.

That said, it’s likely the AHL once again for the Memorial Cup Champion where he can try to set a new career high and evolve into one of the most valuable minor league blueline pieces in the league.

Calgary Flames Name Don Maloney VP Of Hockey Operations

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The Calgary Flames have made some front office moves today, including promoting Don Maloney to Vice President of Hockey Operations. Maloney spent last season in Calgary as a pro scout after being the GM of the Arizona Coyotes for nine seasons. The team has also re-signed Craig Conroy and Brad Pascall to their current Assistant GM roles, while announcing several changes to their other front office staff titles.

Maloney was fired by the Coyotes last summer after another poor finish and replaced with John Chayka, who immediately started his restructuring of the Arizona team. There had been plenty of issues surrounding the Coyotes including the John Scott All-Star incident in which the team and league tried to get him to bow out.

In Calgary he will still report directly to GM Brad Treliving, who was extended this summer to a multi-year deal after building quite the team. The Flames are an early favorite for a deep playoff run after continuing to add to their defense by acquiring Travis Hamonic and re-signing Michael Stone.

Snapshots: San Antonio, Lodnia, McAvoy

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The St. Louis Blues have no AHL affiliate for this season after the Chicago Wolves signed a partnership with the Vegas Golden Knights instead, and will have to distribute their minor league players throughout various teams. That won’t last long though, as Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Blues have come to a five-year agreement with the San Antonio Rampage starting in 2018-19.

The Rampage are currently the AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche but there has long been rumors of the Colorado Eagles of the ECHL moving up next season and providing the Avalanche with an at-home affiliate. More and more teams are trying to bring their affiliates as close as possible so that recalls and assignments are easier, and the development staff can quickly transit between teams.

  • Recently Jeff Marek of Sportsnet reported that the Erie Otters of the OHL could soon trade Minnesota Wild prospect Ivan Lodnia, and the discussions were even confirmed by the player’s agent. Now however, Otters’ GM Dave Brown told GoErie.com that a deal is “very unlikely.” Lodnia dropped to the fourth round after a poor playoff performance, but is still expected to be a top player in the OHL this season at both ends of the rink.
  • Matt Kalman of NHL.com released his top prospect list for the Boston Bruins today as part of their “31 in 31” series, and the usual names are included. That said, Mike Morreale of NHL.com chimed in on Twitter saying that his personal prediction for the Calder Trophy is Bruins’ defender Charlie McAvoy, who made an impact in the playoffs and will be expected to take on a big role for the team this year. McAvoy has had immediate success at every level of his career, and now the 14th-overall pick from 2016 will face his toughest test in a full professional season.

Nate Prosser Signs Two-Year Deal With St. Louis

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Thursday: The Blues have officially announced the contract as a two-year, two-way deal.

Wednesday: Nate Prosser has spent his entire NHL career in Minnesota, but will be heading to St. Louis for the next chapter after signing a two-year deal with the team. The news was broken by Prosser’s agent, former NHL player Ben Hankinson on Twitter though he did not include any financial details. Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch points out it is likely a two-way contract.

Prosser played 39 regular season games with the Wild last year, and suited up for three games in the playoffs. He’s played 282 NHL games since signing out of Colorado College, and will likely take on a similar part-time role for the Blues this year.

It’s interesting to see what this means for young players like Jordan Schmaltz and Jake Walman, who looked in line for a big role should any Blues’ defenseman go down to injury. Now with Prosser signed, it’s not clear who would step in. Still, adding depth is an important part of any blueline as teams like Pittsburgh found out in the playoffs. It’s almost impossible to make it through the year with less than nine defensemen playing a substantial role.

Teams Currently Without Captains

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The Nashville Predators are the latest team to join the ranks of the uncaptained, after Mike Fisher officially announced his retirement from the NHL this morning. They’ll now have to make a decision on whether or not to give one of their current players the “C”, or wait until a leader emerges at some point down the road. Perhaps one of their young stars will show enough this year to deserve it, if they don’t immediately give it to one of their stud defensemen. Much of the chatter among fans has been about Roman Josi or Ryan Ellis taking on the mantle, though nothing is clear just yet.

There are five other teams who have yet to name a captain for the upcoming season, and though some may go through the year with three alternates instead, there are several options to take up the leadership and stitch that curved letter to the front of their jersey.

Buffalo Sabres

Brian Gionta wore the “C” for the past three seasons, but it seems as though the team might go in a different direction this year. Gionta remains unsigned, and though a return is still a possibility it seems remote. Gionta himself gave some options for the next captain next year, listing Ryan O’Reilly, Kyle Okposo and Jack Eichel as obvious possibilities. O’Reilly does seem to be the most logical choice right now, after playing as an alternate last season and generally being regarded as one of the team’s best players. It will be hard to deny Eichel of it though, who was drafted as the face of the franchise and will likely one day lead the team.

An outside chance could be Josh Gorges for a season, as he finishes his current contract. The 32-year old defenseman has been part of the leadership group since coming over from the Montreal Canadiens in 2014, and could prove to be a nice buffer for another season before handing it over to Eichel.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes haven’t had a captain since Eric Staal was moved at the 2016 trade deadline to the New York Rangers, instead using Jordan Staal, Justin Faulk, Jeff Skinner and Victor Rask as their leadership group. There isn’t any indication on whether the Hurricanes will name a captain before the season, but any of those four could be successful options.

There is also the possibility of the newly extended Brett Pesce and Jaccob Slavin, both of whom are quite young but figure to be huge parts of the franchise for many years. It will be interesting to see who is picked to lead the young group, as the core is set to stay together for quite some time.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs have always held their captaincy as a sacred role, and after the ugly exit that was Dion Phaneuf’s departure may wait a little longer to embroider their next jersey. Auston Matthews is the obvious option, but it’s clear the team doesn’t want to put too much on his shoulders right away. Morgan Rielly has developed into a leader on the blueline, and is still young enough to grow with the rookies and help the Maple Leafs find glory once again.

Leo Komarov, Tyler Bozak and Matt Hunwick also wore letters last season, but the latter is already in Pittsburgh and the former two are free agents at the end of the year. It will likely be a whole new leadership group in 2018-19.

Arizona Coyotes

After parting ways with their long-time captain Shane Doan, the Coyotes have yet to announce the next captain of their team. Though it’s not official yet, many believe that role will go to Oliver Ekman-Larsson in part as an attempt to sway him to re-sign next summer. OEL has just two years left on his contract before becoming one of the highest-paid defensemen in the league, and is clearly Arizona’s best player.

This summer the team brought in a friend and former teammate Niklas Hjalmarsson to try and prove to Ekman-Larsson that they’re ready to take a step forward, and if he’s there long-term he would undoubtedly have a “C” sewn on.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights haven’t announced any of their captains as of yet, and it will be a very interesting decision when they do. Only three active players are signed for more than two years, and you would think the expansion franchise would want a stable leader to grow with the team for some time. That said, announcing a captain would be a big marketing play for an organization that is trying to connect with fans.

Deryk Engellend was brought in because of his ties to the Las Vegas community, but he’s only under contract for a single season and is already declining rapidly in effectiveness. Marc-Andre Fleury is likely the face of the franchise for now, but isn’t signed long-term and can’t officially have the “C” as a goaltender. Reilly Smith—one of the only players signed for more than two years—did captain his college team once upon a time, and could potentially grow into that role with his new club. They could also wait and hope Cody Glass or Nick Suzuki make an immediate impact in the NHL, and give the role to one of them in a few years.

Mike Fisher Retires From NHL

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It was either play for Nashville for one more season or call it quits, and Mike Fisher has decided on the latter. The free agent forward announced his retirement today, penning a letter to the fans of the Nashville Predators, thanking them for everything they’ve turned that city into over the past few years.

Mike FisherThis is the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, but I know I’ve made the right one. I’ve decided to retire from the NHL.

A thank you here isn’t enough to say goodbye with, but all those memories, like the moments in the locker room before Game 6, cherishing those is what I hope will keep me, this team and the city intertwined forever.

Fisher has spent parts of seven seasons with the Predators, captaining them all the way to the Stanley Cup final last year in what was a resurgent offensive season. On a team that lacked center depth throughout the year, Fisher recorded 18 goals and 42 points while playing the same hard-nosed defensive game he’s been known for his whole career.

Drafted in the second round by the Ottawa Senators in 1998, Fisher will end his career after 1,088 games and 585 points, the model third-line center. His steady presence and high effort level made him into a fan favorite in both Ottawa and Nashville, while his community involvement will keep him attached to both cities for a long time.

In Ottawa, Fisher was chair of Roger’s House, a children’s palliative care center—a role that was taken over by Chris Neil and his wife upon Fisher’s departure—while in Nashville he was involved in several charities like Room In The Inn, a homeless shelter and the Vanderbilt children’s hospital. In 2012 he was awarded the NHL Foundation Award for his charitable work, even releasing a children’s book of which all the profits were donated.

On the ice, he was a huge part of both franchises. Fisher will go down in the top-15 for both franchises in games played, while ranking sixth all-time in goals for the Senators and fourth for the Predators.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Free Agent Notes: Pastrnak, Horvat, Ebert

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While talks are currently in a holding pattern between the Bruins and winger David Pastrnak on a new deal, CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty notes that some progress had been made previously on a long-term deal.  He reports that the contract that had been discussed would be slightly less in both money and term than the contract extension that winger Brad Marchand inked last September.  For perspective, that deal was eight years and $49MM for a cap hit of $6.25MM.

Haggerty adds that Pastrnak may be waiting for Edmonton RFA center Leon Draisaitl to sign his next contract as his side sees Draisaitl as a potential comparable player although it wouldn’t be surprising to see his contract come in at a higher AAV than Marchand’s.  While a team could technically ink Pastrnak to an offer sheet, it’s very unlikely that it would happen and even if it did, the Bruins have more than enough cap space to match (they sit with a little more than $10MM in room at the moment per CapFriendly).  This could be a negotiation that takes a little while longer to drag out, something that has become more common in recent years with prominent players coming off their entry-level deals.

Other free agency notes:

  • Canucks GM Jim Benning told Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province that “talks are progressing” between the team and RFA center Bo Horvat. The team is interested in avoiding a bridge deal and are discussing long-term pacts although Kuzma reports that Vancouver has balked at giving the 22-year-old a maximum eight years in term.  Horvat is coming off a career year where he led the Canucks in scoring and will likely command at least $5MM per season, especially if his new deal buys out some years of UFA eligibility.
  • After not being tendered a qualifying offer from the Stars back in June, unrestricted free agent defenseman Nick Ebert has inked a one-year deal with HC Slovan Bratislava, the KHL team announced (link in Slovak). The 23-year-old had 25 points in 68 games with AHL Texas in 2016-17, nearly equalling his production from the previous two seasons combined.

Hockey Canada Reveals Ivan Hlinka Roster

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The Ivan Hlinka tournament is one of the top destinations for U18 players around the world, looking for another chance to show off in their draft years. The tournament will be held in the Czech Republic starting on Monday, and Hockey Canada recently released their roster. Several of the Canadian players will be selected in the first round come 2018, and some—like Joe Veleno and Ryan Merkley—could climb right to the top of the draft.

One other name to watch out for is Akil Thomas, who is starting to climb up draft boards after a solid first season in Niagara of the OHL. The 5’11” 169-lbs forward is outstanding with the puck on his stick and should be more than most teams can handle at the tournament. While his size holds him back a bit from entering the top-10 projections, we have seen similarly built players excel in the NHL in recent years.

Here is the full roster:

Forwards

Joe Veleno
Akil Thomas
Gabriel Fortier
Ty Dellandrea
Benoit-Olivier Groulx
Jack McBain
Barrett Hayton
Serron Noel
Aidan Dudas
Anderson MacDonald
Luka Burzan
Jackson Shepard
Nolan Foote

Defencemen

Kevin Bahl
Ty Smith
Calen Addison
Noah Dobson
Ryan Merkley
Jett Woo
Jared McIsaac

Goaltenders

Alexis Gravel
Olivier Rodrigue

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