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Archives for April 2018

New Jersey Devils Recall Seven Players

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The New Jersey Devils have recalled their “Black Aces”, several players who will skate with the team throughout the playoffs but are not expected to play. Christoph Bertschy, Nick Lappin, Michael McLeod, Blake Pietila, Kevin Rooney, Michael Kapla and Brian Strait are all on their way up from Binghamton. The AHL squad did not qualify for the playoffs, meaning the season is over for the rest of the team’s prospects.

For McLeod, the 12th-overall pick from 2016, it’s been a disappointing. After dealing with injury to start the year, he returned to the Mississauga Steelheads and didn’t take the expected step forward to become one of the most dangerous players in the league. Though his game has always been built on using his speed to play a solid two-way game, scoring 100 points in 77 games during the 2016-17 season showed off exactly how much offense he could create. In 44 games this year he recorded just 54 points, and Mississauga was knocked out in the first round of the OHL playoffs.

Hopefully a taste of the NHL playoffs will be able to spark another level in his development, and he’ll be battling for an NHL spot out of camp in the fall. Otherwise, he’s headed for the AHL to hone his skills and try to be the next young star to help widen New Jersey’s newfound window of contention.

Bill Peters’ Out Clause Expires Friday

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It’s been widely reported that Carolina Hurricanes coach Bill Peters has an out clause in his current contract, that could allow him to take another coaching job around the league instead of returning for the final year of his deal. The details of the clause though were unclear until now. Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer reports that Peters has until Friday to make a decision, and that he currently has a $1.6MM salary.

Though Peters has the clause and could remove himself from the situation in Carolina, new Hurricanes owner Thomas Dundon was also non-committal while talking about his coach’s future and acting GM Don Waddell told Alexander that his boss “has options too.” Teams have already been calling to interview the bench boss, though Alexander gives no answer for whether the Hurricanes have allowed it.

Carolina is still in the midst of a GM search, one that Waddell claims he is not a candidate for despite his interim title. The team had several high profile candidates remove their name from consideration, though since the search seems to be drifting into the offseason, one could expect several of them to resurface. The team is building a new organizational structure, and it’s unclear if Peters wishes to be a part of it going forward.

Nashville Predators Sign Tyler Gaudet To One-Year Extension

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The Nashville Predators have announced a contract extension for Tyler Gaudet, inking the minor league forward for another year. The deal will pay Gaudet $650K at the NHL level, while just $105K in the minor leagues. Despite being just 25, Gaudet was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer as he qualified for Group VI status.

Gaudet was acquired earlier this season as part of a minor league deal with the Arizona Coyotes, and joined a Milwaukee Admirals team in a checking role for the second half of the season. The undrafted forward has never been a huge scoring threat in the minors, but plays responsible heavy hockey that can help any AHL team.

It’s unlikely he’ll be given much of an opportunity in Nashville, but he does provide some center depth for a club that expects to compete for the Stanley Cup every year. If he sees the NHL, the Predators are clearly dealing with several injuries.

 

NHL Central Scouting Releases Final Rankings

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The NHL Central Scouting has released their final rankings for the 2018 Entry Draft, listing the best prospects in both North America and the rest of the world. Though Rasmus Dahlin is expected to be taken with the first-overall pick, there is no consensus behind him on who should go second and even less on who should fill out the top ten.

The NHL Draft Lottery will be held on April 28th, when all of the non-playoff teams will find out exactly where they’re picking in June. These lists will help to inform who your team might have a chance at, though obviously anything can happen. The top-5 North American and International skaters are listed below:

North America:

  1. RW Andrei Svechnikov, Barrie Colts, OHL
  2. LW Brady Tkachuk, Boston University, NCAA
  3. RW Filip Zadina, Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL
  4. D Evan Bouchard, London Knights, OHL
  5. D Noah Dobson, Acadie-Bathurst Titan, QMJHL

International:

  1. D Rasmus Dahlin, Frolunda, SHL (Sweden)
  2. D Adam Boqvist, Brynas Jr, SuperElit (Sweden)
  3. RW Vitali Kravtsov, Chelyabinsk, KHL (Russia)
  4. RW Martin Kaut, Pardubice, Czech Republic
  5. D Adam Ginning, Linkoping, SHL (Sweden)

The first thing that many people will notice is Tkachuk’s climb to the second ranked player in North America, ahead of the elite goal-scoring talent of Zadina. Tkachuk’s stock has been rising all season thanks to a strong freshman year at BU and a good World Junior tournament. He could be selected as early as second overall should a team feel more comfortable with him than Svechnikov, who dealt with injury and an underwhelming World Junior performance for Russia.

Bouchard and Dobson experienced similar rises, and have now pushed out some of their American contemporaries. Many scouts have players like Quintin Hughes and Oliver Wahlstrom in the top five across North America, but both find themselves on the outside looking in thanks to huge CHL seasons by the big defensemen. Both Bouchard and Dobson project as excellent two-way options, who could move quickly through development systems to make an impact in the NHL.

One of the more eye-catching rankings is Ryan Merkley’s fall to #45 among North American skaters. The risky defenseman has been called both an elite offensive talent and a locker room trouble by prospect gurus, and will have to show that he is willing to be coached before getting an opportunity at the next level.

Riley Sutter, the latest in the powerhouse hockey family to enter the draft has fallen to #80 among North American skaters, and could end up as a mid-round pick come June.

Early Notes: Barton, Grundstrom, Jokiharju

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If you missed it last night, linesman Steve Barton was injured on a play in the Columbus-Washington game after getting his feet tangled up with Josh Anderson. Barton ended up falling awkwardly and couldn’t get up without assistance. The linesman left the game, and today Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that Barton suffered a dislocated knee cap and torn quadriceps and will need surgery.

Emily Kaplan of ESPN reminds us just how far the NHL officials go to stay in peak physical condition, profiling several in a piece from earlier this year. While Barton is expected to make a full recovery, he won’t be working any more Stanley Cup playoff games this season.

  • Carl Grundstrom has made quite an impact since returning to the Toronto Marlies, and according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription required) will continue to do so next season. Grundstrom told Wheeler that he’s not going back to Sweden next season, and will attempt to make the Maple Leafs’ roster or suit up for the Marlies in 2018-19. The 2016 second-round pick has developed into an all-around winger with a bit of goal scoring upside, and could potentially replace an outgoing Maple Leafs free agent. With James van Riemsdyk and Leo Komarov still unsigned, Toronto could have a place for the speedy Grundstrom sooner than expected.
  • Among 20 notes on the Chicago Blackhawks, Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) examines top prospect Henri Jokiharju in depth and questions the fact that he’s still unsigned by the team. Leaving Jokiharju without a contract this long into his development isn’t usual for the Blackhawks, especially as he could make an NHL impact as soon as next season. Powers confirms that since the 2017 first-round pick was playing for the Portland Winterhawks on loan from his Finnish team, he can go straight to the AHL next year even as a 19-year old. Jokiharju had quite a season for Portland, recording 71 points in 63 games as one of the best defensemen in the entire WHL.

Five Key Stories: 4/9/18 – 4/15/18

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As always, the first week after the regular season was a busy one around the NHL, including the final odds for the Draft Lottery in two weeks’ time.  Here are the top stories from the past seven days.

Blues, Hutton To Start Contract Talks: Following a stellar season that saw him lead the league in GAA (2.09) and SV% (.931), Blues goaltender Carter Hutton is set to cash in nicely as a pending unrestricted free agent.  Although St. Louis still has Jake Allen locked up for three more years at $4.25MM, the team has reached out to Hutton’s camp in an effort to get contract discussions underway.  Finding the right fit on a new deal may be tricky as the 32-year-old has never had a number one workload in terms of games played and teams aren’t generally willing to break the bank for what might only amount to an above average insurance policy.

Four Surgeries For Monahan: It’s not uncommon for players on teams that aren’t playoff bound to be shut down early to undergo surgery to make sure they’re ready for next season.  It’s a lot less common for that player to have four separate surgeries in a short span but that’s what happened with Calgary center Sean Monahan.  He was shut down back on March 21st and since then, he had procedures done on his wrist, both hips, and his groin.  Despite playing through so many injuries, Monahan had a strong season overall, tallying a career-best 64 points (33-31-64) despite playing in his fewest games in any of his five NHL seasons (74).

Hitchcock Retires: Ken Hitchcock’s second stint behind the bench in Dallas was a short one as the 66-year-old announced his retirement from coaching after just returning there for this season.  He will, however, remain with the Stars in a consulting role.  Hitchcock sits third all-time in NHL wins as a head coach with 823 behind only Scotty Bowman and Joel Quenneville.  Now, for the second straight offseason, Dallas GM Jim Nill will be looking for a new head coach.  While some will suggest Alain Vigneault for the role, the team could also look to bring in a fresh face after having a pair of long-term coaching veterans previously in Hitchcock and Lindy Ruff.

Senators Could Use Buyouts This Summer: In his press conference following the conclusion of the regular season, Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion acknowledged that they had discussed the possibility of contract buyouts with several players during their exit interviews.  The Sens aren’t exactly known as a high-spending team so the revelation that it’s something that is being considered for multiple players is certainly intriguing.  While high-priced veterans Bobby Ryan and the recently-acquired Marian Gaborik are speculative candidates, winger Alexandre Burrows, who cleared waivers back at the trade deadline, may be another option and would be one that wouldn’t have as significant of a financial impact.

Chiarelli To Return: Despite a dreadful season that saw the Oilers fall well short of expectations, the Oilers have decided to bring back GM Peter Chiarelli for another year.  His tenure with Edmonton has had its ups and downs with some questionable moves such as the Milan Lucic signing and the Taylor Hall trade in recent years but the team still has a strong core to work with as well.  No decision has been made on the fate of their coaching staff just yet with CEO Bob Nicholson stating that Chiarelli will be evaluating them and making a decision at a later date.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Bruins, Komarov, Grabner

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The Bruins are on the verge of having some lineup decisions to make in advance of Game Three of their first-round series against Toronto.  The team announced (via Twitter) that center Riley Nash could be ready to return from concussion-like symptoms sustained on an ear laceration while winger Tommy Wingels skated and is very close to returning as well.  Nash put up a career-best 41 points this season and will certainly be slotted back in as soon as he gets the green light, likely in place of Ryan Donato who drew in when Wingels missed Saturday’s contest.  However, Wingels may have to wait to get his spot back as it’s unlikely that Boston will want to make too many changes following a strong two games to start the series.

More from the East:

  • Still with the Toronto-Boston series, Maple Leafs winger Leo Komarov may not be ready to suit up in Game Three after suffering a lower-body injury on Saturday. Head coach Mike Babcock acknowledged to reporters, including TSN’s Kristen Shilton (Twitter link), that Komarov is still being evaluated but they are planning as if he won’t be available. If he can’t play, one of Matt Martin, Josh Leivo, or Dominic Moore will draw into the lineup.
  • With winger Michael Grabner struggling to produce in New Jersey since being acquired, Larry Brooks of the New York Post suggests that this could create an opportunity to return to the Rangers next season. The 30-year-old speedster has posted just five points (2-3-5) in 23 games since the trade, including the playoffs, hardly what New Jersey was hoping for when they dealt for him.  Brooks believes that this could quell his market in free agency and while he could still double his current $1.65MM cap hit, Grabner’s asking price could drop down to the point where a reunion on Broadway may make sense.

An Underwhelming 2018 Goalie Draft Class

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There are already 15 teams whose 2017-18 season has come to and end, with eight more joining the group in the next week or two. For those teams, full attention has already been turned to preparing for the off-season. The first major event of the summer is the NHL Entry Draft, coming up on June 22-23, where teams can add promising young prospects at every position. However, for any teams in need of a major addition in net to the pipeline, the 2018 class leaves a lot to be desired.

The days of goaltenders being selected early in the first round may be over, but at least one goalie has been selected in the first fifty picks of the draft every year since the turn of the century, including several years with multiple first-round keepers. That streak may come to an end in 2018. Somewhat lost in the hype of top prospects like Rasmus Dahlin and many other high-ceiling forwards and defenseman is the fact that few see any young goaltenders worthy of value picks this year. The first mock drafts from NHL.com and Yahoo both fail to include any keepers in the top 31 picks and Sportsnet’s latest Top 31 makes no mention of one either. The Hockey Writers takes it one step further, including just one goaltender among the first 75 players in their Top 93.

That one goalie, Czech pro Jakub Skarek, is a polarizing prospect. Skarek has good size and put up good numbers for HC Dukla Jihlava, one of the worst teams in the top Czech league, earning his top ranking among European goalies by NHL Central Scouting. Yet, Skarek also looked completely over-matched at the World Juniors and many feel is still a very raw talent, lending some explanation to what some feel is a third-round grade. Skarek may be the best the class has to offer though. The QMJHL offers a relatively strong group – Alexis Gravel, Olivier Rodrigue, and Kevin Mandolese – but all pale in comparison to top prospects from recent draft years.

Could one of these goalies slip into the first round? It would be a major surprise. The top fifty picks? That could more likely, but at this point in the pre-draft process seems to also be a stretch. So, for those teams in need of a top goaltender in the system, and there a quite a few, this may be the year to look for a sleeper in the late rounds rather than reach for an underwhelming option early on.

Western Notes: Coyotes Free Agency, Perron, Jarnkrok, Fowler

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With the team comfortable at both goaltending and defense, the Arizona Coyotes are expected to be add to their forward lines this offseason. Don’t be surprised if Arizona looks into the free agent market this summer and attempts to grab itself a top-six forward, according to AZCentral’s Richard Morin.

A team with ample cap space, Arizona has spent the last few years building through the draft and then this past season made multiple trades to upgrade its roster, acquiring the likes of Derek Stepan, Antti Raanta, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Richard Panik. The scribe writes the franchise, especially after an impressive second-half run, might look to dip its feet into the free agency market. While acquiring center John Tavares is not a likely scenario, the team might be able to snag an elite winger such as James van Riemsdyk, Patrick Maroon or Rick Nash. The team will have a couple of their own free agents they must sign, including veteran Brad Richardson, Zac Rinaldo, Kevin Connauton and Luke Schenn (as well as try to extend defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson), but the team should have the assets to upgrade their offense.

Morin does also admit that general manager John Chayka might also go back to the trade route as well, but at the same time, the team believes they will see an uptick in production from rookie Clayton Keller and now believe that prospect Dylan Strome is ready to handle full-time duties in the NHL.

Minor Transactions: 4/15/18

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Four teams Saturday took 2-0 leads in the first-round series of the Stanley Cup playoffs first round. The Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Nashville Predators did their job at home and now will try to further advance their leads as they travel to Toronto, New Jersey and Colorado, respectively, to play on the road. The San Jose Sharks, however, completed a two-game sweep in Anaheim with a 3-2 victory over the Ducks and now go home to further take control of the series. In the meantime, several teams will keep making moves to keep their roster as stocked as possible.

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets announced they have recalled goaltender Jeff Zatkoff as a third goalie option from the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. The 30-year-old journeyman was acquired in January from the Los Angeles Kings and will serve as an extra goalie to help the team during practices between games. Zatkoff has played in 17 games for the Monsters, putting up a 3.22 GAA and a .855 save percentage. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports that more Blue Jackets will be recalled in the next couple of days after exit interviews.
  • The Minnesota Wild announced they have recalled four players from the Iowa Wild now that their AHL season has finished. The team promoted forwards Kurtis Gabriel, Justin Kloos, Kyle Rau and goaltender Niklas Svedberg. All will provide depth, most likely for practices in between games. Gabriel, a long-time member of the Iowa Wild, had three goals in 45 games. Kloos had 19 goals with Iowa, while Rau had 23 goals this season. Svedberg had a 2.87 GAA in 44 games this year.
  • After being assigned to the San Antonio Rampage Saturday for their final regular season game, Colorado Avalanche goaltender Spencer Martin has been recalled once again to serve as a third goaltender, according to CapFriendly.
  • The Washington Capitals have added a third goalie for their playoff run as the team recalled Pheonix Copley from the Hershey Bears of the AHL, according to CapFriendly. Likely to provide depth during practice in between games, Copley had a tough year with the Bears, finishing his AHL season with a 2.91 GAA and a .896 save percentage.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forward Matthew Peca from the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith. He was recalled as insurance in case the injury to veteran Ryan Callahan is more serious than the team thought. The 24-year-old has played in 10 games for the Lightning this season, putting up five points.
  • The Nashville Predators announced that they have recalled netminder Anders Lindback from Milwaukee of the AHL.  Their season came to an end on Saturday so he will serve as injury insurance for Pekka Rinne and Jusse Saros.  Lindback tied for the AHL lead in victories with 31 while posting a 2.82 GAA and a .908 SV% in 56 appearances.

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