Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for April 2018

Poll: Who Will Win The 2018 IIHF World Championship?

at CDT | by 2 Comments

If you were one of the many hockey fans frustrated by the NHL’s decision to not attend the most recent Winter Olympics, or one of the many others who have already seen their team eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, this weekend is for you. On Friday, some of the best hockey players in the world will kick off the IIHF World Championship as Team USA and Team Canada do battle.

For more than two weeks, players will represent their countries in the top international tournament of the year. The bronze and gold medal games will be played on Sunday, May 20th—who will be there?

The Canadians look like favorites to contend once again, with Connor McDavid leading an impressive forward group that also includes names like Mathew Barzal, Ryan O’Reilly, Jaden Schwartz and Brayden Schenn. Tyson Jost was added to the team today, while a blue line manned by Aaron Ekblad and Colton Parayko should be smothering.

Team USA doesn’t lag far behind, with Patrick Kane headlining an incredibly skilled group of forwards. Cam Atkinson, Alex DeBrincat, Johnny Gaudreau, Dylan Larkin and others are going to bring speed and offense to the tournament.

Russia is always a wildcard in international tournaments, and is coming off an Olympic victory in Pyeongchang. The team will also have a new face behind the bench, as Oleg Znarok stepped down earlier this month. Ilya Kovalchuk won’t be there, but don’t expect a reduced level of play from the Russians.

As usual, Sweden—the defending champions—will have arguably the best defensive corps in the tournament, with names like John Klingberg, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Hampus Lindholm and Adam Larsson manning their blue line. The team will also feature young talents like Lias Andersson and Elias Pettersson up front, making their games must-see TV for prospect nerds.

The Czech Republic, Finland and Slovakia will all be tough outs like always, and don’t overlook a Leon Draisaitl-led German squad. The Germans have made the quarter-finals in the last two World Championship tournaments, and shocked the hockey world with an Olympic silver medal in South Korea.

In all, the tournament should be excellent and provide a hockey release for those already frustrated with their team’s performance in the Stanley Cup playoffs. With that, we ask you who you think will win the gold medal. Make sure to explain your reasons down below.

Mobile users click here to vote!

World Championships Offer Big Test For Draft-Eligible Prospects

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The last few years almost every professional hockey league and tournament has seemed to skew towards younger players. In the NHL, Connor McDavid has led a revolution of young talent that was epitomized perhaps best when Team North America shocked several opponents in the 2016 World Cup. That team would score more goals than anyone but Canada in the preliminary round, and could have perhaps gone further if not for an early injury to Matt Murray.

In Sweden this year, the league was dominated by Vancouver Canucks prospect Elias Pettersson and provided little challenge for potential first-overall pick Rasmus Dahlin. In a league that is notoriously difficult for young players, 19-year old Pettersson scored 56 points in just 44 games—leading the entire league. Other leagues experienced much of the same, like when Finnish forward Eeli Tolvanen tore through the KHL and broke several records for 18-year old scoring.

Tolvanen also was one of several players who suited up for both the World Juniors and Olympics this season, and though that was partly because of the lack of NHL involvement, their success at such an early age can’t be overlooked. The same can be said for the upcoming World Championships, which will host a small but extremely interesting group of draft-eligible talent.

Though Dahlin and potential second-overall pick Andrei Svechnikov will both miss the tournament, teams will be on the lookout for a few other names that could climb up their draft boards in the coming weeks.

Filip Zadina didn’t make the Czech Republic team, but interestingly Martin Kaut did. The 18-year old forward was an impressive talent at the World Juniors earlier this year, and climbed all the way to fourth among International skaters in the final CSS draft rankings. It’s a huge honor for the young player, and another chance to impress scouts and push him further up the draft board.

Joining Kaut from the international scouting list will be Martin Fehervary (Slovakia) and Yegor Sharangovich (Belarus), who were 15th and 51st on the final rankings. Fehervary is especially interesting as a defenseman who is not usually noted for his offensive ability. If he’s given a regular shift on the blue line against top competition, he could really improve his draft stock by just holding his own. Sharangovich may be more familiar, as he was at the tournament last year for Belarus and played all season in the KHL. The 19-year old wasn’t drafted in either of his first two years of eligibility, but is a big-bodied center that is just coming into his own.

Most interestingly though may be Quinn Hughes, the superstar defenseman for the University of Michigan and potential top-5 pick in the upcoming draft. Hughes was named to Team USA and could finish an incredible year by making an impact in the international tournament. If given the chance—which is far from certain—the 18-year old high-flying Hughes could make a case to dethrone one of the top three forwards (Svechnikov, Zadina and Brady Tkachuk) and be the second defenseman off the board. His offensive potential is about as high as you can get, and he’s shown the ability to shut down rushes and move the puck quickly out of his own end.

This group of young players likely won’t play prominent roles on their respective teams, but they are definitely names to watch if they make it onto the ice. Each is supremely talented and could make an impact at the NHL level down the road. Even though your team might be eliminated from the postseason, there are still plenty of reasons to tune in to some hockey this weekend. The tournament starts this Friday in Denmark.

Jimmy Schuldt Will Return To St. Cloud State For Senior Year

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Though he had several teams pursuing him over the last few weeks, Jimmy Schuldt is expected to head back to school for one more season. That’s according to Michael Russo of The Athletic, who reports that Schuldt had “plenty of free agent interest” but will try to win a National Championship as a senior in 2018-19. The undrafted defenseman has been on the NHL radar for quite some time, and was a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker trophy this season as one of the nation’s best players.

Russo reported earlier this season (subscription required) that as many as 22 teams had reached out to Schuldt, including the Minnesota Wild, while Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet linked him to the Montreal Canadiens back in November. He had attended Canadiens development camp in the past, and was an obvious target to help their blue line. After 38 points in 40 games anyone can understand the NHL interest, which is sure to resurface next spring as he closes out his NCAA career.

Schuldt isn’t your prototypical offensive defenseman despite his big point total this season, instead generating chances with his big shot and focusing more on the defensive side of the game. Though no college prospect is completely polished, Schuldt comes with built in leadership ability and poise and should be able to step right into the NHL without much trouble after next season. His ceiling may be a little lower than some other dynamic offensive talents that have turned pro over the last few seasons, but he’ll almost certainly be a useful player at the professional level.

For St. Cloud State, his return is a huge boost for a program that lost its head coach recently. After Don Lucia left his position at the University of Minnesota, it was filled by luring Bob Motzko away from St. Cloud after a 13-year stint with the program. Brett Larson has taken over as head coach of the Huskies, and will likely lean on Schuldt all season as his captain and veteran presence on the back end.

Carolina Hurricanes Officially Terminate Ron Francis’ Contract

at CDT | by 7 Comments

The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have officially terminated the contract of President of Hockey Operations Ron Francis, who had previously been moved out of his role as General Manager. Joe Nieuwendyk, pro scout and advisor for the team, has also resigned.

Francis had recently been asked to work from home according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, a clear sign that the team no longer wanted his presence associated with the team. It’s an unfortunate end for someone who was a Hurricanes legend when he played, but has failed to bring any playoff success to the team during his tenure in the front office.

The Hurricanes haven’t made the postseason since 2008-09, and finished with no more than 87 points in each of the seven seasons since Francis was hired as Director of Hockey Operations.

Despite those struggles, many would point to the relatively young roster and full prospect pipeline as positives for the Hurricanes and Francis, though at some point that needs to translate into on-ice success. New owner Thomas Dundon is currently conducting a search for the team’s next GM, and will now be able to tempt them with the second-overall pick in the upcoming draft.

Francis is now free to find another role somewhere around the league, and if he wants them there will likely be several opportunities. Likewise, Nieuwendyk still commands plenty of respect in the hockey world and could land on his feet somewhere despite the struggles he had when GM of the Dallas Stars.

Currently Don Waddell is operating the Hurricanes as interim GM, and just last night there was a report that no one was close to taking the job. Several high profile candidates have removed their names from consideration, and it’s clear that Dundon will not rush into a decision. Meanwhile, the team is also looking for a head coach after Bill Peters exercised his out clause recently to take a job with the Calgary Flames.

Carolina is one of the most interesting teams to watch this summer, as there are plenty of decisions to be made on the future of the team and how to get back to the playoffs. With Jeff Skinner just a year away from free agency and several high profile restricted free agents looking for new deals, the team could look drastically different in relatively short order.

Minnesota Wild Re-Sign Sam Anas

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Minnesota Wild have locked up Sam Anas for a while, signing the minor league forward to a two-year, two-way contract extension. Anas was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer. He’ll now become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2020.

Undrafted, Anas signed out of Quinnipiac University in 2016 after a huge junior season that saw him register 50 points in 43 games. The 5’8″ 160-lbs forward didn’t stop scoring when he turned pro, and put up 61 points this season for the Iowa Wild. That earned him the single-season franchise record in goals along with records for longest point streak and longest goal streak.

Though he didn’t get an opportunity in the NHL this season, that could be coming after the Wild signed him to another contract. The two-way nature of the deal suggests that he’ll still be spending time in the minors, but is a clear sign that he’s moving up the Minnesota depth chart. Should he make it into the league he would likely find success in offensive situations, but he’ll have to show that he can contribute at both ends in order to become a full-time NHL player.

Young Talent Fills Finland’s World Championship Roster

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Finland has announced their final roster for the upcoming World Championship, and it is filled with young NHL talent. The Dallas Stars will be quite pleased with the results, as both Miro Heiskanen and Julius Honka will be present on defense. The entire group is as follows:

Affiliated NHL organization in parenthesis

Goaltenders:

Ville Husso (St. Louis Blues)
Eero Kilpelainen
Harri Sateri (Florida Panthers)

Defensemen:

Miro Heiskanen (Dallas Stars)
Julius Honka (Dallas Stars)
Niko Mikkola (St. Louis Blues)
Markus Nutivaara (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Tommi Kivisto
Miika Koivisto
Ville Pokka (Ottawa Senators)
Juuso Riikola

Forwards:

Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes)
Marko Anttila
Mikael Granlund (Minnesota Wild)
Pekka Jormakka
Kasperi Kapanen (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Sakari Manninen
Saku Maenalanen
Mika Niemi
Olli Palola
Janne Pesonen
Mikko Rantanen (Colorado Avalanche)
Veli-Matti Savinainen
Antti Suomela
Teuvo Teravainen (Carolina Hurricanes)

Heiskanen’s presence on the team is especially noteworthy given that he is only 18 years old still, and made it over other top young players like Olli Juolevi. The third pick in the 2017 draft, Heiskanen is an incredibly mobile two-way defender that should be an impact player in the NHL before long. The Stars will watch to see if he and Honka get any time together and can start to build chemistry, as the pair could be used together for years to come.

For Rantanen, a good performance at the Worlds would be just another feather in his cap for the 2017-18 season. After scoring 20 goals last season on a dreadful Colorado team, he and Nathan MacKinnon formed one of the league’s most dangerous duos this season and racked up the accolades. Rantanen finished with 84 points, a huge total for a 21-year old winger still learning how to best use his big frame in the NHL.

Lou Lamoriello Will Not Return As GM Of Toronto Maple Leafs

at CDT | by 6 Comments

The Toronto Maple Leafs today announced that legendary executive Lou Lamoriello will not return as General Manager next season. President Brendan Shanahan released a statement explaining the decision:

Three years ago, Lou and I agreed on a contract that would see him serve as General Manager of the Maple Leafs for three years and then transition to Senior Advisor for the following four years. This morning I informed Lou that I was not going to deviate from that course of action. I will now focus all of my attention towards making a decision regarding our next GM. 

Lamoriello oversaw a tear down and rebuild of the Maple Leafs that has resulted in two straight playoff appearances and a young core that can rival anyone in the league. With both Kyle Dubas and Mark Hunter waiting in the wings though as potential GM candidates, the original succession plan can still be put into place. It’s not clear which one—or who from outside the organization—will be given the title, but the Maple Leafs shouldn’t be leaderless for very long.

Dubas, the whiz kid GM from the OHL who has ascended the front office ranks incredibly quickly, was targeted by the Colorado Avalanche last summer as a potential replacement to Joe Sakic. The Maple Leafs didn’t allow Dubas to interview for the job, which was considered by many as a sign that he would eventually be promoted within the Toronto organization. He serves as GM of the Toronto Marlies, who are a powerhouse in the AHL and are on to the second round of the playoffs currently. His unique approach to player development and analytic implementation is a perfect example of how front offices are leaning in various cities around the league.

Hunter on the other hand is more of an old school hockey mind, who has been the backbone of the Maple Leafs’ scouting department for several years. The former NHL player and London Knights GM, Hunter is an outstanding judge of talent among young players and has unearthed several mid and late round picks for the Maple Leafs.

There is always potential for someone else to come in and fill the role for Shanahan and the Maple Leafs, and Lamoriello’s move to advisor may come with some skepticism from those who cover him regularly. Many believe he’s not ready to give up being a GM in the NHL, and as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet noted in his recent 31 Thoughts column, he has ties to the New York Islanders organization. Should Garth Snow move up to a higher role in the organization, Lamoriello could be a potential replacement as GM at least in the short-term.

For the Maple Leafs, this isn’t exactly a firing after a disappointing first-round exit. Instead, Shanahan has maintained a plan from day one and is continuing to move the team further down the line towards perennial Stanley Cup contention. Though Lamoriello is one of the league’s most well-known front office executives, there was a split coming eventually given that he is 75 years old and closing in on retirement.

Early Notes: Team Canada, Carolina, Browne

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Team Canada has announced their on-ice leadership group for the upcoming World Championships, with Connor McDavid named team captain. Brayden Schenn and Ryan O’Reilly will serve as alternates for what has turned out to be an impressive roster. It will be O’Reilly’s third time wearing an “A” for the squad.

McDavid previously served as captain of Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey, but has never worn a “C” for Canada previously in any major tournament. His presence makes the Canadians a favorite to take home the gold for the third time in four years, but he’ll have to get through some stiff competition. The tournament begins this Friday in Denmark.

  • Last night during the Winnipeg Jets-Nashville Predators game, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that Steve Greeley will not be taking the Carolina Hurricanes GM job. That means Don Waddell will continue to lead the club for the time being, as there are “no plans to hire anyone in the near term.” Greeley, an assistant GM of the Buffalo Sabres, was considered the front-runner for a job that has already had several high profile names remove themselves from consideration. Whoever does take the job will get the opportunity to select second in the upcoming draft, after Carolina moved up nine spots in the recent draft lottery.
  • Harrison Browne, the first openly transgender hockey player in North America, has decided to retire from the NWHL to complete his physical transition. Just 25 years old, Browne is a two-time NWHL Champion, most recently winning with the Metropolitan Riveters. In a long exclusive piece for The Athletic, Corey Masisak (subscription required) details just how Browne came to his decision to leave hockey and the impact he’s leaving behind.

Toronto Maple Leafs To Sign Par Lindholm

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Though he was recently linked to the Vancouver Canucks, Par Lindholm has made a different decision on where his hockey career will take him next. Uffe Bodin of hockeysverige.se in Sweden is reporting that Lindholm will sign a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs for next season. The 26-year old undrafted forward will be held to the entry-level system for one year, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent.

Lindholm has come the long way to the NHL, slowly working his way through Sweden’s junior and professional leagues before scoring 47 points in 49 games this season and drawing interest from across North America. In Toronto, he’ll follow the footsteps of Calle Rosen and Andreas Borgman who signed out of Sweden last season. While neither of those two lasted the whole season with the Maple Leafs—instead making big contributions on a powerhouse Toronto Marlies team—Lindholm is expected to compete for a role right away.

The versatile forward looks to have a good shot at a fourth line center role should the depth chart remain how it sits today, after Tyler Bozak, Dominic Moore and Tomas Plekanec are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents. Behind Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri, the Maple Leafs don’t have a lot of center depth at the NHL or AHL levels. William Nylander or Patrick Marleau could potentially move to the middle, but Lindholm should give them another experienced (in professional hockey at least) option.

His signing, when made official, will mark another first-time Olympian who has earned a contract this spring. While the NHL avoided the tournament, perhaps it created a proving ground of sorts that will lead to several players getting a chance when they would have otherwise been overlooked. Lindholm will try to prove that he should be playing in the most competitive league in the world, and earn another contract in the summer of 2019.

Five Key Stories: 4/23/18 – 4/29/18

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

There are weeks where news around the hockey world is dominated by the players on the ice.  This was not one of those as most of the big news came away from the ice.  Here are the top stories from the past week.

Peters To Calgary: The speculation started as soon as Glen Gulutzan was let go in Calgary and it picked up even more when Bill Peters resigned in Carolina.  It didn’t take long for it to be made official as the Flames officially introduced Peters as their new head coach, signing him to a three-year contract.  He will now be tasked with turning around a team that struggled considerably down the stretch and missed the playoffs despite having one of the stronger defense corps in the league.

Roy Back To Remparts: Former Colorado head coach Patrick Roy has been out of hockey since abruptly resigning back in August of 2016.  He had only been a speculative candidate for any openings since then so he has decided to return to his old post as coach and GM of the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL.  He had quite a successful run in his first stint with that team (one he also owned at the time), compiling a 349-159-37 record and will look to build on that in his second go-round.

Extension For Bednar: What a difference a year (and a trade) can make.  Colorado head coach Jared Bednar had a rough first year behind the bench but his team turned it around this season, going from dead last overall to a playoff spot before falling to Nashville in six games in the opening round.  What’s even more impressive is that they did so without Matt Duchene, one of their core players who was dealt away early on in the season.  Management is clearly happy with the progress the Avs are making as they handed their bench boss a one-year contract extension, one that locks him up through the 2019-20 season.  In the press conference announcing the deal, GM Joe Sakic suggested that the team plans to get even younger for the 2018-19 season so it appears they’re more than content with staying the course.

Draft Lottery: The annual Draft Lottery was held on Saturday and the results were a bit different this time around.  After none of the teams with top-three odds won one of the top spots last year, Buffalo, the team with the top odds, held onto the top spot which makes them the favorites to select Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.  The other big winner was Carolina who jumped from eleventh to second while Montreal moved up a position from fourth to third.  Early expectations are that wingers Andrei Svechnikov and Filip Zadina are likely to go in those two spots.

Fletcher Out In Minnesota: Chuck Fletcher was one of the longest-tenured general managers in the league, spending the last nine years with the Wild.  His time with the team has come to an end, however, as the team announced that they would not be renewing his contract.  Minnesota has consistently made the playoffs under his watch and has done so for each of the last six years.  That hasn’t resulted in much success though as they haven’t made it past the second round each time.  Fletcher may have to wait to get another chance at running a team as there currently is just one other GM vacancy (Carolina) around the league.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top