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Vaxjo GM Hopes Elias Pettersson Stays In Sweden For Another Season

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Among the most interesting prospect storylines this year has been the play of Elias Pettersson. When Pettersson was selected fifth-overall last summer by the Vancouver Canucks, no one knew just how well he’d transition to the highest level of hockey, given that he’d only played in the Swedish second league to that point. That the Canucks selected him ahead of WHL forward Cody Glass and impressive USHL scorer Casey Mittelstadt showed just how confident they were in his abilities.

Pettersson has not disappointed. After making the jump to the SHL this season, he took off scoring at a league-leading pace until departing the Vaxjo Lakers for the World Junior Championships. After collecting a silver medal for Sweden, he has returned and picked up right where he left off. Now sitting second in league scoring despite the missed time, Pettersson just passed Peter Forsberg for second all-time in points from a junior-aged player in the SHL. His 50 points in 40 games is an incredible testament to his skill at such a young age.

Still, those in Vancouver might have to wait a while to see him up close. Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 spoke with Vaxjo GM Henrik Evertsson today, who told him that he believes Pettersson still needs time to physically mature and hopes he’ll stay in Sweden next season. Evertsson believes that his star rookie will be suiting up for the World Championships this spring, meaning a ATO with the Utica Comets is likely out of the question.

All of that is up to Pettersson though, who has yet to sign an entry-level contract with the Canucks. Standing 6’2″ but only 165-lbs, Evertsson may have a point about his physical maturity. Perhaps another season away from the Canucks will make him even more dangerous when he finally makes his NHL debut.

The Significance Of March 1st On The NHL Calendar

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There has been quite the influx of prospect signings today as no fewer than four players have inked their entry-level contracts.  This isn’t a coincidence as March 1st is an important day on the NHL calendar that often goes under the radar.

When players sign contracts in-season, the first year of the deal has to be the current season until March 1st arrives.  Section 50.8(d) of the CBA notes the following:

No Club or Player may enter into an SPC that does not cover at least the then current League Year. The foregoing does not apply to an SPC entered into pursuant to Section 50.5(f), or to Unsigned Draft Choices or Draft Related Unrestricted Free Agents, who shall be permitted to sign an SPC during the period from March 1 through June 1 immediately preceding the League Year in which such SPC is to take effect.

As a result, today was the first day that prospects could sign entry-level deals that don’t begin until the 2018-19 campaign.  While most of the press releases announcing the signings did not state the actual term of the contract, it’s safe to assume that all of them will begin next season if the teams have waited until now to finalize the contracts.

This doesn’t mean that all entry-level deals signed from now until the end of the season will begin in 2018-19 though.  Teams are still able to sign players to contracts where the first year is 2017-18, something we’ll see in the weeks to come as NCAA free agency opens up as NHL teams looking to make their offer stand out will offer to ‘burn’ the first year of the entry-level pact.  That way, the player will get to restricted free agency one year earlier.

While the trade activity will come to a screeching halt in the coming months with the trade deadline having come and gone, there will be plenty of prospects signing these ‘future contracts’ in the days and weeks to come.

Pacific Notes: Sbisa, Strome, Jokinen

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Injuries haven’t been kind to Golden Knights defenseman Luca Sbisa this season.  He has dealt with multiple lower-body injuries already (costing him a combined 16 games) while missing another 16 due to a hand issue.  He had just got back into the lineup two weeks ago and now will be on the shelf again.  The team announced (Twitter link) that Sbisa will be “out for a while” with an undisclosed injury so as a result, he will likely be heading to the injured reserve list once again.  When healthy, the 28-year-old has put together a decent season with 14 points (2-12-14) in just 30 games while averaging 19:31 per night, his highest average since 2012-13.  Unfortunately for him, his trouble staying healthy enough to play will likely undo overshadow that as he gets set to hit the free agent market in July.

Elsewhere in the Pacific:

  • Although the Coyotes find themselves well out of a playoff spot and have top center prospect Dylan Strome lighting it up in the AHL, assistant GM Steve Sullivan acknowledged to Arizona Sports’ Craig Morgan that there is no firm plan in place to recall the soon-to-be 21-year-old for some more NHL time down the stretch. Strome has been unproductive in his appearances with the big club over his career and has just a single point in 11 games this season.  However, he has shown that he is among the top players at the minor league level with 48 points in just 41 games.  He remains a big part of their future plans so it seems likely that he will get another look over the next few weeks.
  • The inclusion of winger Jussi Jokinen in the trade that saw Thomas Vanek join Columbus came as a bit of a surprise considering he had cleared waivers mere hours before the swap was announced. Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet notes that the Blue Jackets insisted that the Canucks take him as part of the deal to help free up some wiggle room under the 50-contract limit.  Meanwhile, instead of assigning the 34-year-old to the minors as they are free to do since he went unclaimed, Vancouver has opted to keep him up with the big club although it remains to be seen how much ice time he will actually receive down the stretch.

Kings Sign Gabriel Vilardi To An Entry-Level Contract

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The Kings have locked up their top pick from last June’s draft, announcing that they have signed center Gabriel Vilardi to a three-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 18-year-old was the 11th overall selection in the draft but his 2017-18 season hasn’t exactly been one to remember.  He suffered a back injury while training during the summer which kept him out of the lineup in the early going this season.  He was assigned back to the OHL in November to continue his rehab but he didn’t actually see game action until January 5th after his junior rights were dealt from Windsor to Kingston.

Vilardi has certainly made up for lost time as he has gotten off to a flying start with 43 points (14-29-43) in just 23 games with the Frontenacs.  Unsurprisingly, he was a highly sought-after prospect at the trade deadline but the Kings had little intention of moving him.  Vilardi still has a year of junior eligibility remaining and won’t be able to play at the AHL level next year so he will have to return to the OHL if he is unable to land a roster spot with Los Angeles in October.

Coyotes Sign Brayden Burke To An Entry-Level Contract

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The Coyotes have put pen to paper with one of the top scorers in the Western Hockey League, announcing that they have signed forward Brayden Burke to a three-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.

The 21-year-old went unclaimed through three NHL Entry Drafts but it hasn’t been for a lack of scoring.  Heading into this season, Burke had amassed an impressive 219 points in 177 games but it still wasn’t enough to get him signed.  However, he has taken his play to another level entirely this season, scoring 31 goals while adding 81 assists in just 59 contests; his 112 points rank second in the league.

What likely hurt Burke’s draft stock is his smallish stature as he stands just 5’10 and 170 pounds.  As much as smaller players have made their mark more and more frequently in recent years, some like Burke still fall through the cracks.  He will finish up his season with Moose Jaw (where he is currently battling a lower-body injury) and will likely begin his professional career next year at the minor league level with AHL Tucson.

Loui Eriksson Out Rest Of Season With Fractured Rib

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The Vancouver Canucks season has been filled with injury to their star players, and today head coach Travis Green confirmed that Loui Eriksson will miss the remainder with a fractured rib. Eriksson last played on February 25th, but will be shut down for the Canucks final 18 games.

Eriksson’s tenure with the Canucks has been anything but what they expected when the team signed him to a six-year, $36MM contract in the summer of 2016. Coming off a 30-goal season with the Boston Bruins in 2015-16, Eriksson then scored just 11 goals and 24 points last season, a total he’ll come just shy of in 2017-18. This season has seen him suffer from several injuries, and he’ll end the year with just 10 goals and 23 points, his worst output since a 19-point rookie campaign in 2006-07.

With four more years and a $6MM cap hit, Eriksson’s contract is looking like one of the worst around the league. He’ll turn 33 before the beginning of next season, and now has just 47 points through 115 games with the Canucks. The three-time 70-point man has just looked out of sorts since joining Vancouver, and because of the front-loaded nature of his contract is almost buyout proof.

If the Canucks were to consider a buyout this summer, it would only save them $500K of cap space over the next three seasons, and $2.5MM in 2021-22. Add four additional years of a $500K cap charge, and it’s simply not worth it for the rebuilding club. Instead, they’ll hope he can find some of the success he had earlier in his career and bring it west with him when he returns for the 2018-19 season.

Anthony Cirelli Recalled By Tampa Bay Lightning

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One might think that after trading away so much young talent on Monday, that the Tampa Bay Lightning prospect cupboards could look a little bare. After all, they dealt both Brett Howden and Libor Hajek, two prospects who would be considered among the best of most teams around the league. Those assuming an empty cupboard though, would be mistaken.

Anthony CirelliToday, the Lightning have recalled Anthony Cirelli from the Syracuse Crunch and he is expected to make his NHL debut tonight against the Dallas Stars. Cirelli is leading the Crunch—one of the AHL’s best teams—in scoring this season with 37 points through 51 games, his first (full-season) taste of the professional level. The 20-year old is extremely polished, and looks ready to take the next step and contribute at the NHL level.

Cirelli was selected 72nd-overall in 2015 after just a single season in the OHL, but quickly showed that he should have been taken much higher. In his second season for the Oshawa Generals, he was named captain after Islanders’ prospect Michael Dal Colle was traded midseason, and last year he was a big part of the silver medal-winning World Junior squad for Canada. Cirelli was tasked with a checking role for the squad, but still managed to contribute seven points in seven games.

Now, the Lightning will give him his first taste of NHL hockey where he can start to make an impact as a two-way presence in the bottom of their lineup. Though his game still has some growing to do, he’s a rare prospect that is expected to be as reliable defensively as they are exciting offensively. For the Lightning, who are trying to fend off the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs for top spot in the Atlantic Division, an injection of young talent could be just what the doctor ordered.

Michael Bournival has been returned to Syracuse, and Cirelli’s call-up is under emergency conditions. That means he won’t count towards Tampa Bay’s four post-deadline recalls, unless they decide to keep him after players come back from injury.

Minor Transactions: 03/01/18

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Though there may not be as many minor transactions around the league for the next few months, we’ll still be keeping track of any that do happen. Teams may only get four recalls for the rest of the season, but with emergency call-ups and injury transactions make sure you still check back to find out who has moved up and down.

  • The New Jersey Devils have assigned Eddie Lack to the AHL after activating Cory Schneider from injured reserve. Lack cleared waivers on November 24th when he was still with the Calgary Flames, and was only recalled a few weeks ago by the Devils. That means he can go directly to the minor leagues without having to clear again.
  • David Warsofsky has been sent back to the AHL by the Colorado Avalanche, after the team claimed Mark Alt off of waivers this week. Warsofsky has played just six games for the Avalanche this season, and was “papered” on Monday to make sure he was eligible for the minor league playoffs. That’s where he’ll stay for the time being, as the Avalanche try to sort out their defense corps and continue their run towards the playoffs.

Kole Lind Signs Entry-Level Contract With Vancouver Canucks

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Like the Tampa Bay Lightning did earlier today, the Vancouver Canucks have turned their attention to entry-level deals for CHL players. This time, it’s Kole Lind, the Canucks’ second-round pick from 2017 that has inked his three-year entry-level contract. The deal will begin in 2018-19, and according to Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130, contains the maximum performance bonuses. GM Jim Benning shared his thoughts on Lind, who plays for the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL:

Kole has had an outstanding season in Kelowna despite missing games due to illness and injury. We’ve been impressed not only with his high-end offensive skill but also in the way he battles, sees the ice and makes plays in the defensive end. We’re excited for him to continue his development and provide further forward depth for our organization.

Lind, 19, is an excellent two-way forward who has put up 85 points in 51 games this season and could be in the Canucks future before long. Though he’s likely at least another year or two away from the NHL, his big shot and compete level give him an inside track on a top-six role down the road.

Along with Elias Pettersson, Jonah Gadjovich and Michael DiPietro, Lind is part of an incredibly talented crop for Vancouver from the 2017 draft. All four have a good chance to play in the NHL for a long time, and could be a huge part of the rebuild for the Canucks. For now, Lind will focus on taking the Rockets through the WHL playoffs and a potential Memorial Cup appearance.

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