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Archives for April 2018

Nashville Predators Sign Goaltender Niclas Westerholm

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The Nashville Predators have added a player to their goaltending pipeline, signing undrafted free agent Niclas Westerholm to a three-year entry-level contract. Westerholm played this season in Finland, where he made his professional debut with SaiPa.

Westerholm, 20, actually already has a bit of experience playing in North America after spending the 2015-16 season playing for a Minnesota high school. The 6’4″ goaltender had a great season in the junior Finnish league, posting a .926 save percentage through 28 games.

If there is anyone who can find an unknown Finnish goaltender and turn him into a star, it’s the Predators. In 2004, Nashville famously drafted Pekka Rinne in the eighth round despite seeing him only in warm ups and practice, as he was the backup goaltender for his club team in Finland. Rinne would turn out to be the best goaltender in franchise history, and continues to be a huge part of their team to this day. Though that’s not expected of Westerholm, he’ll definitely be someone to keep an eye on over the next few years.

Cam Fowler, Carl Gunnarsson Face Late-Season Injuries

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The Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues are still battling for the last few wild card spots in the Western Conference, and today both announced injuries to defensemen. The Blues announced that Carl Gunnarsson will be out at least six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL, while the Ducks will be without Cam Fowler for two to six weeks after suffering a shoulder injury. John Gibson also suffered an injury for the Ducks, but is considered day-to-day.

Fowler is obviously the bigger loss, as the Ducks rely on him for almost 25 minutes a night including time on both the powerplay and penalty kill. Though they have other strong defensemen, this means they’ll have to rely more on players like Francois Beauchemin or Marcus Pettersson, neither of which have shown the ability to contribute like Fowler this season. With Kevin Bieksa still out (and ineffective at times even when healthy) it’s unclear how the Ducks’ defense will shake out as they head towards the postseason. After losing players like Shea Theodore and Sami Vatanen over the last year, their depth isn’t as strong as it once was.

Gunarsson on the other hand doesn’t play nearly as much for the Blues, who have limited him to just over 16 minutes a night this season. Still, losing a player with his experience only thins out the depth of the team as they approach the postseason and makes them even more vulnerable to injuries in their top-4. The Blues though have to worry about the last few games of the season, as they sit a point back of Colorado for the final spot. Though they have a game in hand on the Avalanche, they’ll have to battle to scratch their way into the first round.

Buffalo Sabres Recall Alex Nylander From AHL

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The Buffalo Sabres have little to play for over the last few games of the season, so they are going to give an opportunity to one of their young prospects. The team has recalled Alexander Nylander from the minor leagues, along with journeyman and Rochester Americans captain Kevin Porter.

Nylander, 20, was selected eighth-overall in 2016 but hasn’t yet been able to breakthrough like his older brother William Nylander. Dealing with injury and inconsistency, the younger Nylander has amassed 54 points in 113 AHL games, but still possesses extremely high offensive potential. The Sabres gave him a four-game recall at the end of last season as well, hoping to spark that potential and give the team another high-end scoring threat.

With Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart playing well, and Casey Mittelstadt deciding to turn pro, the Sabres have a talented young group to build around in the coming years. Adding Nylander to that mix is imperative after spending such a high draft pick on him. Perhaps this latest taste of the NHL will be enough to push Nylander over the edge and have him compete for a roster spot with the Sabres next fall.

Porter, 32, played two games in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins last year but is generally limited to minor league action at this point in his career. In 249 career NHL games Porter has just 58 points, but he has consistently produced in the AHL and currently sits third on the Americans in scoring. His call-up is likely just a reward for another good season in the minor leagues, where he is preparing for the playoffs once again.

Minor Transactions: 04/03/18

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Just over a week until the NHL playoff begin, and there are still a few spots to be decided. Maybe the most intriguing game on the schedule for tonight is Boston and Tampa Bay, still jockeying for position at the top of the Atlantic Division. Though neither first round series will be easy, the first place team will avoid playing the upstart Toronto Maple Leafs right away.

Charlie McAvoy will make his return for the Bruins tonight, while Steven Stamkos remains sidelined for the Lightning. While your eyes are on that game, we’ll keep track of all the other minor moves around the league.

  • The Montreal Canadiens have sent Rinat Valiev back to the minor leagues, but he won’t be able to help the Laval Rocket reach the postseason this year. Laval is near the bottom of the entire NHL in their first season since relocation, and have mirrored the Canadiens’ inconsistency from the beginning of the year. Valiev, a restricted free agent this summer, should be able to help out that team in 2018-19 as he’s shown an ability to play at a high level in the minor leagues.
  • Christopher Gibson’s emergency recall has been terminated, now that two other New York Islanders goalies are healthy enough to play. Thomas Greiss will start tonight, and will try once again to show that he can be counted on for the next two seasons of his current contract. The 32-year old goaltender hasn’t had a good season, and comes into tonight’s game with an .891 save percentage.
  • With John Gibson sidelined with a minor injury, the Anaheim Ducks have recalled Reto Berra from the minor leagues. Berra has been one of the best goaltenders in the AHL this season, sporting a .925 save percentage with the San Diego Gulls.
  • Daniel Taylor has been recalled by the Ottawa Senators as they deal with goaltending issues of their own. Mike Condon was injured in practice today, meaning Taylor could see some action down the stretch as the backup for Craig Anderson. The Senators play three games in four nights to finish the season including back-to-back contests on Friday and Saturday. If Taylor does play one of those games, it would be his Ottawa debut and only fourth career NHL appearance.
  • Not to be outdone, the Detroit Red Wings have recalled goaltender Tom McCollum under emergency conditions. That means the Grand Rapids Griffins are without either of their starters as they finish out the regular season, already missing Jared Coreau since Petr Mrazek was dealt out of town. McCollum was actually a first-round pick of the Red Wings back in 2008, but has played just three NHL games in his career.
  • The Washington Capitals have recalled both Travis Boyd and Madison Bowey, likely so that they can give a few regulars some rest over the last few games. The Capitals have clinched first place in the Metropolitan Division, and will play whichever team finishes in the first wild card position. That’s currently Philadelphia, but could easily change over the next few days.

Morning Notes: Raanta, Barzal, Dahlin

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According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, the Coyotes have extended a contract offer to goaltender Antti Raanta. The deal could be up to four years with a cap hit between $4-4.5MM, which would be a huge raise over the $1MM deal Raanta is currently on. While the Coyotes have been open with the fact that they want to re-sign Raanta, he potentially could enter the market as the top goaltending option this summer and have his pick from several opportunities.

After struggling through injury for part of the season, Raanta has really found his groove and now carries a .929 save percentage on the year. That puts him second among goaltenders who have started at least 30 games, only trailing Marc-Andre Fleury’s .931 mark. Raanta’s exquisite play and relative youth—he won’t turn 29 until May—could land him a long-term deal from any number of teams in the offseason. If he’s going to stay in the desert, it may take even more money.

  • Mathew Barzal will suit up for Team Canada at the World Championships according to Andrew Gross of Newsday. The outstanding rookie has 79 points on the season and has quickly turned into a household name around the NHL. Citing excitement to play with Connor McDavid, Barzal will join a pretty impressive group already signed up for the tournament. With the Olympics not taking NHL players this year, perhaps even more are willing to pull on their country’s sweater and play in an international event.
  • Rasmus Dahlin on the other hand won’t be appearing in any more games for Sweden this season. After his club team’s season ended recently, Dahlin will shut it down and prepare for what will be a whirlwind offseason where he is expected to go first overall in the NHL draft. Uffe Bodin of Elite Prospects reports on the situation, noting that without Dahlin at the upcoming U18 tournament, all eyes will shift to Adam Boqvist, another top defensive prospect in the upcoming draft.

Christoffer Ehn Joins Grand Rapids Griffins

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The Detroit Red Wings have brought over another prospect, assigning Christoffer Ehn to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins after his season in Sweden came to an end. Ehn signed his entry-level contract last spring, and will now get a chance to show what he can do on North American ice.

Ehn, 21, was selected in the fourth round in 2014, but remained unsigned in Sweden for the next few years. After signing last year, he joined the Griffins during their playoff run but didn’t enter a single game. This season he was sent back to Frolunda to play another season in the SHL, where he set a career-high with 17 points in 50 games.

It’s not clear if Ehn will get into any action with the Griffins this time around, but it does lend credence to the idea that he could play there full-time in 2018-19. The young center is extremely defensive-minded, and does his best work when battling the opposition’s top names and grinding them down in the corners. Though his offensive game still hasn’t matured, he does have the size and awareness to play make a difference as a checking-line option.

Ryan Suter To Undergo Surgery, Out Rest Of Season

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Though it was already assumed to be a long-term injury, the Minnesota Wild have officially announced that Ryan Suter will require surgery to repair a broken right ankle. Suter will be out for the remainder of the season.

Though the announcement doesn’t specifically mention the playoffs, one can assume that Suter won’t be able to return until 2018-19. That’s a huge blow for the Wild, as Suter is one of the most involved players in the entire league, logging almost 27 minutes a night and leading the team in both powerplay and short handed ice time.

Suter’s 51 points through 78 games actually tied a career-high, and his 22 powerplay assists put him among the league leaders. The Wild will need to find another quarterback if they’re going to have any success in the postseason.

The team is already dealing with an injury to Jared Spurgeon, which makes the loss of Suter even harder to deal with. While Carson Soucy makes his debut tonight, he’s hardly an answer for a tough first round series against the Winnipeg Jets or another tough Western Conference team.

Snapshots: Bozak, World Championships, Fast

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The Vancouver Canucks received some financial certainty today, when Henrik and Daniel Sedin confirmed their intention to retire at the end of the season. With their decision comes the fact that the Canucks have $14MM coming off the books, and should have ample room to make a splash in free agency if they choose.

Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 notes that he’s hear Tyler Bozak’s name as a player the Canucks could have interest in, should he go unsigned by Toronto and reach free agency. Bozak, 32, isn’t a top-line player anymore (if he ever was) but should still command a multi-year deal as one of the better center options on the open market. Where he fits into a Canucks rebuild isn’t clear, but the Vancouver front office has been clear that they aren’t willing to turn the entire franchise over to the young guns, and want some experience to help guide them through the next few years.

  • The World Championships are coming fast, and several players indicated their intentions today over whether to play in it or not. Matt Duchene told media that he wouldn’t play for Team Canada in the upcoming tournament, while Ryan O’Reilly confirmed to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that he would be. O’Reilly has competed five times previously, including being named an alternate captain last year. With two golds and one silver, he will be a welcome addition to a team that looks like it could be a powerhouse.
  • Jesper Fast will likely not play again for the New York Rangers this season, after suffering a groin injury that should keep him out the rest of the year. That ends what has been a career year for the 26-year old, with 33 points in 71 games. The Rangers will hope that progression can continue over the next two years of his current contract, as he’ll be relied upon as a key forward while the team rebuilds with their eyes on contention down the road.

Nashville Predators Sign Tanner Jeannot To Entry-Level Contract

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Though he won’t come with the fanfare of their last deal, Tanner Jeannot has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators. Jeannot is a CHL free agent forward who is currently playing in the WHL playoffs with the Moose Jaw Warriors.

Jeannott, 20, exploded this season in his fourth season with Moose Jaw, scoring 40 goals and 80 points in 72 games. After his previous career-high in goals was just 19, this season’s output may have come as a surprise to many scouts, though perhaps not those in Nashville or even Minnesota and Washington, where he attended development camp in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

The 6’2″ 207-lbs forward has dramatically improved his skating for this season, and will now try to take the next step in his hockey career. Likely heading to join the Milwaukee Admirals next season, he’ll try to prove that he should have been drafted or snapped up in years prior.

New Jersey Devils Sign Marian Studenic To Entry-Level Contract

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The New Jersey Devils have decided that seventh-round pick Marian Studenic has done enough to deserve an entry-level contract, signing the 19-year old forward to a three-year deal. Studenic is currently playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs in the OHL playoffs, where he’s headed to the second round.

Some may remember Studenic from the World Junior Championship where he has represented Slovakia in the past two tournaments. Though he went scoreless in both the 19-year old winger hasn’t had the same problem in the OHL, recording 48 points in 62 games this season for Hamilton. Though those aren’t the numbers of a top-tier prospect, Studenic is still adjusting to the North American game and could take another large step in the next few years.

Either way, the Devils shouldn’t be a system to second guess as they’ve developed several young forwards over the last few years. Studenic could be ticketed for the OHL again next season, though there are several options available to the playmaking forward. Turning 20 in October, the AHL and Europe are options if the Devils feel that he needs a new challenge.

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