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Archives for March 2018

Adam Gaudette, Ryan Donato, Henrik Borgstrom Named Hobey Baker Finalists

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The selection committee has decided on the three finalists for the Hobey Baker award, naming Adam Gaudette, Ryan Donato and Henrik Borgstrom the Hat Trick Finalists for the 2018 trophy. All three have already signed their entry-level contracts and will be playing in the NHL this season.

Donato has already debuted with the Boston Bruins, scoring three goals and five points in his first five games. That kind of production may be hard to maintain, but it’s clear that the young forward is ready to make an impact at the next level. Gaudette and Borgstrom are both expected to make their debuts soon for the Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers respectively, and are huge parts of their prospect systems.

Gaudette has already had to deal with comparisons to Ryan Kesler, while Borgstrom will attempt to help the Panthers sneak their way into the playoffs with just eight games remaining. Florida is three points behind the New Jersey Devils with a game in hand, and Borgstrom’s offensive ability could help them catch up.

All three would be great choices for the Hobey Baker, which is handed out to the best player in college hockey, but Gaudette does seem like the favorite at this point. His 60 points led the nation, and the fact that they came in just 38 games is all the more impressive. Whoever does take home the trophy will join Will Butcher, Jimmy Vesey, Jack Eichel and Johnny Gaudreau as recent winners.

Markus Nutivaara Signs Four-Year Extension

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed Markus Nutivaara to a four-year extension, worth an average annual value of $2.7MM. Nutivaara was scheduled to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season. The salary breakdown is as follows:

  • 2018-19: $2.5MM
  • 2019-20: $2.5MM
  • 2020-21: $2.5MM
  • 2021-22: $3.3MM

Nutivaara, 23, was selected in the seventh round three years ago and has burst onto the scene as a full-time player for the Blue Jackets. Through 59 games this season, he’s recorded 22 points and could see even more ice time in the coming years. With Jack Johnson and Ian Cole likely leaving through free agency, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Nutivaara given more responsibility. With Ryan Murray still scheduled to become an RFA and rumored to be included in trade talks in the past, getting Nutivaara under contract was important.

It’s a very nice raise for the left-handed defenseman, but it does buy out one of his unrestricted free agent years. That obviously bumped up the cap hit a bit, but it is still low enough to be an inexpensive deal for the Blue Jackets if Nutivaara continues to develop. He’ll be just 28 when it expires, and could demand another solid contract on the open market.

The Blue Jackets are heading to the playoffs again if they can hold off the last few challengers, and you can bet that Nutivaara will play a larger role this time around. Last season, he played just two games in the postseason and averaged fewer than 12 minutes. Where he’ll slot in this time around isn’t set in stone, but with the way he has been playing lately there’s no way he should see the press box very often.

Eeli Tolvanen Joins Nashville Predators, Signs Entry-Level Deal

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Eeli Tolvanen was on the ice for the Nashville Predators’ morning skate, and has signed his three-year entry-level contract. Tolvanen was allowed out of his KHL contract at the end of their season with the intent on joining the Predators, but it wasn’t clear when exactly he would be ready to jump into the lineup.

According to Bob McKenzie of TSN, Tolvanen’s entry-level deal comes with the maximum bonuses available, something usually reserved for only the very top draft picks like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews (though also used in other rare circumstances).

The 18-year old phenom fell all the way to 30th in the 2017 draft, but has made quite the impression on the hockey community in less than a year since. By playing in the KHL, World Juniors and Olympics, he’s stacked up well against players from all sorts of levels. Now, entering the NHL just in time for what should be a long playoff run, he gives the Predators another offensive weapon to utilize. His shot is already extremely dangerous, and though he can sometimes wait for others to create chances for him, his natural elusiveness can be hard to combat when the puck is on his stick.

Predators Director of Player Personnell Jeff Kealty had this to say in the press release:

The thing that’s allowed him to translate and succeed at the men’s level as well as he has is that he thinks and executes at a very mature level for his age. It’s not just the goals, the assists and his shot, but the little things that he does, like the way he handles the puck and makes the right decisions in all areas of the ice. You always feel like the puck is in good hands when it’s on his stick and he’s going to make the right play when he has the opportunity.

Nashville is already loaded with offensive players, but Tolvanen could debut this weekend and give them another powerplay option. Though they’re certainly no slouches with the man advantage, Nashville’s point-shot strategy can be shut down at times and introducing a new weapon like Tolvanen could do damage in the postseason. We’ll have wait to see if he can make an impact in the NHL like he has in the KHL.

Adam Vingan of the Tennessean reported that Tolvanen was on the ice this morning, before anyone had announced a contract.

Minor Transactions: 03/29/18

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The Arizona Coyotes are playing the ultimate spoiler down the stretch, winning again last night against the Vegas Golden Knights to draw even with the Vancouver Canucks for last in the Western Conference. Arizona has played well of late, giving them some hope for next season as they look to build around a young core.

For the Coyotes and all the teams out of the playoffs, now is the time to experiment with players who might not have had a chance to prove what they can do earlier in the season. With that, we’ll keep track of all the minor transactions around the league right here.

  • The Boston Bruins have sent Paul Postma back to the minors while recalling Tommy Cross under emergency conditions. Cross, the Providence Bruins captain, has played 66 games in the AHL this season and could be getting just a nice bonus for a good season. The 28-year old defenseman wasn’t on any of the pairings at morning skate, as both Zdeno Chara and Matt Grzelcyk took their normal spots.
  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Colin White under emergency conditions, and announced that Chris Wideman will not play again this season. White has played 15 games with the Senators this season, but failed to make enough of an impact to keep him in the lineup full-time. The 21-year old forward is still a big part of the Senators’ future, but hasn’t had the season many had hoped from him after his dominant career at Boston College.
  • Josh Jooris has been recalled by the Pittsburgh Penguins as Derick Brassard battles injury, meaning Riley Sheahan probably moves back to the third line center position. Jooris was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes for just this reason, giving the Penguins some added depth should they face injury.
  • Pheonix Copley has been re-assigned once again, sent back to the minor leagues after a short recall. Copley has been filling in for the Washington Capitals when needed, but still hasn’t actually entered a game.
  • Spencer Foo is coming up for the Calgary Flames, using their fourth post-deadline recall. Foo was signed out of the NCAA last spring, and has made an impact in the AHL during his first season of professional hockey. He’ll likely get a chance to make his NHL debut over the last week of the season, and compete for a full-time job next fall.
  • With Semyon Varlamov (illness) and Jonathan Bernier (infection) both expected to be available on Friday night, the Avalanche have returned goaltender Spencer Martin to San Antonio of the AHL.  Martin has not seen any action with Colorado this season but has appeared in 32 games at the minor league level, posting a 3.02 GAA and a .895 SV%.

Coyotes’ Nick Merkley Done For The Season

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The Arizona Coyotes will have to shut down one of their young forwards for the remainder of the 2017-18 season. ’Yotes beat writer Dave Vest relays the message today from GM John Chayka that a lower-body injury for promising 20-year-old winger Nick Merkley will end his first pro season prematurely.

The announcement may seem inconsequential for many reasons. First, and most obvious, is the knowledge that Arizona has nothing to play for down the stretch. Despite picking up 14 wins since the beginning of February, including an impressive 4-1 defeat of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, the Coyotes still sit in last place in the Western Conference with no incentive to win more games this season. There’s also the fact that Merkley has skated in just one game with Arizona this year, spending almost the entirety of the campaign with the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners.

However, the loss of Merkley will still sting for the Coyotes. On one hand, they may have considered bringing the 2015 first-rounder up for a tryout at the NHL level if he had been healthy, to give a future contributor a taste of playing with top competition. That option is now off the table. On the other hand, they also won’t have Merkley for the AHL playoffs, which the organization has stressed as the season has gone on. Chayka even went out and acquired the likes of Jordan Maletta, Trevor Murphy, and Pierre-Cedric Labrie at the deadline, which the young GM acknowledges was to strengthen his minor league roster for a Calder Cup run. The Roadrunners lead the AHL’s Pacific Division and were ready for a strong postseason, behind their overpowering top line of Dylan Strome between Merkley and Mike Sislo. With Merkley out of the equation, the deep playoff run for their young prospects that Arizona so desperately desired may not come.

In the long-term, Merkley’s injury is not expected to hinder him beyond this season and he will surely be in the running for a roster spot with the Coyotes come 2018-19. With better than a point-per-game pace in the AHL this year – 39 points in 38 games – coupled with an ever-growing hockey intelligence, Merkley is not a name going away anytime soon… except for the rest of this season.

Poll: Who Will End Up With The Best Odds In The 2018 Draft Lottery?

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The NHL released their official draft lottery odds today, giving the worst team in the league an 18.5% chance at selecting first overall in June. Rasmus Dahlin—the expected prize of the top spot—is a franchise-changing talent, and likely able to step right into the NHL next season and make a difference.

Behind him there are exceptional talents, but there is no mistake that the first pick is worth quite a bit more than second or third. With that in mind, front offices in cities across the league are hoping that the odds land in their favor when the season ends.

Currently, the Buffalo Sabres sit in last place with 60 points, but they have Casey Mittelstadt debuting and could catch several other teams before the season is finished. Arizona, Ottawa and Vancouver are all still within reach, while the Red Wings and Canadiens are long-shots.

Who do you think will end up with the best odds in the lottery, and will they actually win it? Make sure to leave a comment below explaining who you think will be picking first overall in June.

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Ottawa Senators Sign Andrew Sturtz To Two-Year Deal

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The Ottawa Senators have signed NCAA free agent Andrew Sturtz to a two-year entry-level contract. Sturtz recently finished his junior season at Penn State, where he led the team in scoring with 40 points in 37 games.

Sturtz, 23, played his junior hockey in Carleton Place just outside of Ottawa and will now complete a homecoming of sorts after three years at Penn State. The undersized forward will actually graduate after just those three seasons, something Senators’ GM Pierre Dorion mentions in his press release to announce the signing:

Andrew is a player whom we identified as someone we were interested in for some time. He is a skilled, competitive player who can play both center and the wing. He’s not only talented, but the type of character player we are looking for. He’ll graduate from Penn State in only three years and we look forward to having him in camp next season.

The contract will begin in 2018-19, meaning that Sturtz won’t hit restricted free agency until the summer of 2020. Though he may have a long road to the NHL, this first step has been made possible by the continued effort around the league to give chances to smaller skilled players. Talent like Sturtz may have been overlooked in the draft even just a few years ago, but after finding success in college there is little risk in giving him an opportunity at the AHL level.

Minor Transactions: 03/28/18

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Tonight’s games are the first time the NHL situation room will have control over goaltender interference reviews, which will undoubtedly come up at some point in the four games on tap. If it does, we’ll get to see the first instance of what should be a more consistent decision-making process. Hopefully, all the kinks will be ironed out before the playoffs start in a few weeks.

As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league heading into tonight’s action. Check back throughout the day for more updates.

Early Notes: KHL, Carlson, Foley

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The KHL has contracted by two teams again for the 2018-19 season, with Ugra Khanty-Mansiysk and Lada Togliatti both exiting the league. Those two combined for just 33 wins this season, bringing up the bottom of the Kharlamov Division.

That’s the second straight season the KHL has contracted, after previous expansion. The league has dealt with financial disparity since its inception, but will open the doors on September 1st and start their 11th season with 25 teams.

  • After initially proposing the idea that John Tavares could be a sign-and-trade candidate for the New York Islanders, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) has expanded that notion to John Carlson of the Washington Capitals. Carlson is in line for a huge payday this summer as the best defenseman on the market, but will be a tough contract to fit into the Washington salary structure. The only real benefit a sign-and-trade has in the NHL is the ability to get an eighth year under contract, which makes it a tough thing to sell to a player before he’s able to talk to all the team that may be interested in his services. LeBrun examines exactly what would have to happen in Carlson’s case.
  • Mark Divver of the Providence Journal is extremely plugged into the college hockey circles in the northeast, and he reports that Erik Foley is expected to sign with the St. Louis Blues after his junior season. The Providence College forward led his team in scoring with 35 points this year, and could make an impact quickly in the NHL. Foley was a third-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets, but was included as part of the deal for Paul Stastny last month.

Chicago Blackhawks Place Jean-Francois Berube On Waivers

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Wednesday: Berube has cleared waivers and been assigned to the minor leagues. Collin Delia, a 23-year old goaltender in his first professional season, has been recalled. Delia signed last summer out of Merrimack College, and has now spent time in the ECHL, AHL and NHL this season.

Tuesday: Though we haven’t had much waiver action since the trade deadline, the Chicago Blackhawks have decided to use it today. The team placed goaltender Jean-Francois Berube on waivers today, likely to have him head to the AHL since he is eligible to play there. Berube was included on a paper transaction at the deadline so that he could maintain AHL eligibility, where Rockford is heading to the playoffs.

It seems very unlikely that anyone would claim Berube, after his poor performance this season and one-way deal in 2018-19. Berube hasn’t been able to help the Blackhawks in Corey Crawford’s absence, posting an .891 save percentage in 11 games. His numbers in the minor leagues, like they’ve been his entire career, are much better.

The 26-year old goaltender is earning just $700K next season, meaning his cap hit won’t affect the Blackhawks while he’s in the minor leagues. Still, he’s not that attractive an asset as they’ll owe him the entire salary regardless of which level he plays.

Since Crawford has not skated with the team recently, the Blackhawks will likely recall another goalie (perhaps Jeff Glass) tomorrow.

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