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Dmitry Sokolov Signs Three-Year Deal With Minnesota Wild

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The Minnesota Wild have added another incredibly skilled prospect to the fold, signing Dmitry Sokolov to a three-year entry-level contract. Sokolov was recently eliminated from the OHL playoffs, likely ending what was a very interesting junior career.

Selected in the seventh round of the 2016 draft, Sokolov was a Russian import from the Sudbury Wolves who had several red flags in his profile. Though he showed incredible goal scoring ability, registering 30 in his first season in the OHL, there were questions about his conditioning and whether he’d return to the KHL in the coming years. One of those questions seems to have been answered by the signing of this contract, but the other is still something to keep an eye on.

This season was an outstanding one for Sokolov, who was off to a fine start for Sudbury before a midseason trade took him to the Barrie Colts. There, playing with some of the most talented forwards in the OHL, he exploded for 30 goals and 58 points in just 29 games down the stretch. His 50 goal season tied him for first in the entire league with teammate (also acquired midseason) Aaron Luchuk, and his 96 points put him fifth in league scoring.

Despite that, there are still some that believe he will struggle at the next level. The 6’0″ 210-lbs winger is still plagued by conditioning questions, and sometimes lacks consistency in the defensive end. His scoring talent comes about as naturally as anyone in his age class though, and if he’s committed to improving there’s no reason to think he can’t produce at the AHL level.

Michael Lindqvist Signs With New York Rangers

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Though they’ve been rumored to be close to a deal for weeks, the New York Rangers officially announced they’ve come to terms with free agent forward Michael Lindqvist today. Though he’s currently only 23, Lindqvist will be forced to sign a one-year entry-level contract with the Rangers since he turns 24 before September 15th. That means he’ll be scheduled to become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2019.

Several teams were reportedly pursuing Lindqvist, who experienced a breakout season in the SHL. After several years in the lower Swedish league, he found a home with Farjestad this season and ended up with 34 points in 33 games. That was good enough for fourth among all SHL players under 24 years old, and bodes well for his future in professional hockey.

Unfortunately, questions will be asked about whether or not Lindqvist will be able to survive the grind of the North American game. Listed at 5’11” 176-lbs by the Rangers, he doesn’t play a heavy game and instead relies on quickness and skill to create offensive opportunities. While the NHL and its minor leagues are moving more towards this style of play, there is still an added level of physicality—not to mention a longer season with a higher frequency of games—that is required.

The Rangers have made it clear that they’re after speed and skill as part of their rebuild, and Lindqvist certainly fits the mold. He’ll challenge for a spot in training camp, but is certainly not guaranteed a role on the team immediately.

Washington Capitals Sign Axel Jonsson-Fjallby To Entry-Level Contract

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The Washington Capitals are deep in the playoffs, but aren’t sitting on their hands when it comes to adding to the organization. Today the team announced the signing of Axel Jonsson-Fjallby to a three-year entry-level contract that carries a $860K cap hit. CapFriendly has the breakdown of the contract:

  • 2018-19: $725K salary, $80K signing bonus
  • 2019-20: $775K salary, $85K signing bonus
  • 2020-21: $825K salary, $90K signing bonus

The deal is two-way as like with any entry-level deal, and also includes a European Assignment Clause. That means should Jonsson-Fjallby fail to make the Capitals out of camp next season, he could potentially return to Sweden instead of playing in the minor leagues.

Selected in the fifth round in 2016, Jonsson-Fjallby may be best known for his performance in this year’s World Junior tournament. His flowing blonde locks were hard to miss, as he helped Sweden to a silver medal after a heartbreaking loss to Team Canada in the gold medal game. The 6’0″ winger recorded four points in the tournament, but was all around the puck and showed that his potential might be a bit higher than previously expected.

In 42 games in the SHL this season Jonsson-Fjallby recorded 16 points, a fair total for a 19/20 year old in his first full season at the level. Impressively though he added eight more in 11 playoff games as one of Djurgardens most dangerous offensive players. His six goals ranked fourth in postseason scoring, and could point to a higher level of play that he’s unlocked recently. A shoot-first winger, he was known more for his speed and forechecking ability before this year and could fit into various roles in a North American professional team.

Tom Wilson To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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After another incident involving contact to the head, Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals will receive a hearing with the Department of Player Safety. Wilson hit Zach Aston-Reese in last night’s game, causing a concussion and broken jaw for the Pittsburgh Penguins forward.

This is not the first incident involving Wilson during these playoffs to be reviewed by the league, after also colliding with Brian Dumoulin and Alexander Wennberg. Neither of those incidents resulted in supplementary discipline.

In this latest incident, as with the others, there is plenty of debate over whether it deserves a suspension. Wilson does make considerable contact with Aston-Reese’s body, driving through him in a manner which would normally be deemed a legal hit. His right foot however does leave the ice, and substantial contact is made with the shorter player’s head. The injury that resulted, as well as recent events, will also likely be taken into account.

Wilson is known for playing right up to (if not over) the line, but was not penalized on the play. He was however suspended twice during the preseason, once for a late hit on St. Louis Blues prospect Robert Thomas, and once for boarding Samuel Blais.

Front Office Updates: O’Hearn, Minnesota GM Search, Nill

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The Arizona Coyotes are moving on from a top executive. The team announced today that they would not renew the contract for Assistant GM Chris O’Hearn. O’Hearn had been with the Coyotes for eleven years and was in his third year as AGM. O’Hearn handled much of the legal and administrative operations for Arizona, such as contract negotiations, salary arbitration, and cap management. GM John Chayka will now have to find a replacement or delegate those duties to others in the front office.

  • Perhaps O’Hearn can throw his hat in the ring for the Minnesota Wild GM job. Owner Craig Leipold is certainly expanding his search, adding two new names to the mix alongside Nashville Predators’ AGM Paul Fenton and Columbus Blue Jackets’ AGM Bill Zito. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that Boston Bruins’ AGM John Ferguson Jr. interviewed for the position today, while New Jersey Devils’ AGM Tom Fitzgerald will make his case tomorrow. Ferguson Jr. was previously the GM and Vice President of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the mid-2000’s and has entered the potential-GM market in a big way this week, now connected with both Minnesota and the Carolina Hurricanes’ vacancy. Fitzgerald had already dropped out of the Hurricanes’ hunt, citing “bad timing”, but the timing appears to be right for a potential move to Minneapolis. The Wild now have four legitimate candidates for Leipold to choose from and he may not be done yet.
  • Another job search is ongoing in Dallas, as GM Jim Nill has his hands full finding a new head coach. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that Nill is considering at least ten different candidates to take over for Ken Hitchcock as the Stars’ new bench boss. That was in response to TSN’s Frank Servalli’s note that University of Denver head coach Jim Montgomery is the newest addition to the list. Montgomery has been dominating college hockey over the last five years, leading the Pioneers to a NCAA Tournament berth each year and winning the National Championship last season. Montgomery has been a popular candidate the last couple of years and would be an excellent choice for Dallas.

Poll: Which Open Coaching Job Is Best?

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It was an uncommon year in the NHL with no coaches being fired in-season. Some of the worst teams in the NHL – the Buffalo Sabres, Arizona Coyotes, and Vancouver Canucks – had coaches in their first seasons and were willing to reserve judgement at least into a second season. Others, like the Ottawa Senators (confirmed today), Montreal Canadiens, and New York Islanders are willing to wait and see with relatively new staffs.

Entering the first full month without regular season activity, the season is over for all but eight teams. Yet, only two coaches have been fired: the New York Rangers’ Alain Vigneault and the Calgary Flames’ Glen Gulutzan. The Dallas Stars’ Ken Hitchcock retired and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Bill Peters opted out. Peters then quickly took the Flames job and what is left are just three coaching openings in the NHL.

The Carolina Hurricanes, under new ownership, are still looking for a GM and likely will wait to make a decision on a head coach until after that initial decision has been made. However, for those free agent coaches, the ’Canes do offer an attractive mix of long-term depth and talent on defense, youth and skill on offense, a solid prospect pipeline, and mass amounts of cap space to get better. However, Carolina lacks two of the hardest things to find in hockey: a legitimate starting goaltender and a bona fide #1 star center. Any coach who is excited about the team’s potential has to look at Peters’ inability to turn it into wins and wonder if the few pieces missing in Carolina are the most important ones.

It took a late season collapse for the Dallas Stars to miss the postseason this year. The team has three superstars in Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and John Klingberg and a handful of very good players behind them like goalie Ben Bishop, defensemen Marc Methot and Esa Lindell, and forwards Alexander Radulov and Radek Faksa. They also have the potential for a quick turnaround if Jason Spezza and Martin Hanzal can bounce back. Beyond that group though, the team is lacking in depth on the roster and there doesn’t appear to be real game-changing talent in the pipeline either outside of Miro Heiskanen. They’re also right at the top of the salary cap limit. The Stars have the appearance of a team that is close to being a contender, but may not be able to get much better than they already are.

The New York Rangers are this year’s rebuild option for a coaching candidate. After trading away both impending free agents and core players at the deadline, the Rangers are left with a young-top nine that bring energy and skill but lacks experience and top-end talent and defense corps with veteran leadership surrounded by youth and potential but also lacking any high-end ability. However, they still have an all-world goalie in Henrik Lundqvist and are now loaded with prospects at every position and a wealth of draft picks. The Rangers may not look like much now but have a lot to offer down the road.

So, if you were a top head coach candidate with no particular style preference, which team would you choose?

Russ Brandon Resigns As President Of Buffalo Sabres

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The Buffalo Sabres had a great weekend, winning the draft lottery and the chance to select Rasmus Dahlin first overall. Their week isn’t going quite so smoothly though, as today Pegula Sports & Entertainment (PSE) has accepted the resignation of Russ Brandon, President of the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills. Tim Graham of the Buffalo News reports that the decision comes after an internal investigation into allegations of personal misconduct. Kim Pegula will take over duties as President of the Sabres, Bills and PSE.

Brandon has long been connected to the Bills, but was named President of the Sabres in 2015 when the two franchises came under similar ownership. Though he was not directly involved in hockey decisions, his leadership was behind their marketing programs and brand building.

It’s unclear if the Pegulas intend on hiring a new President after some time, but there is certainly some changes coming with Brandon’s departure. The team has a chance to turn around their on-ice product with the acquisition of Dahlin and development of Jack Eichel, and needs to find a way to secure a level of competitiveness over the next few years.

Los Angeles Kings Sign Brad Morrison To Entry-Level Contract

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The Los Angeles Kings have signed free agent forward Brad Morrison to a three-year entry-level contract. Morrison was originally a draft pick of the New York Rangers, but became an unrestricted free agent last June when he failed to sign with the club.

Back in 2015 when he was taken in the fourth round, Morrison was just an average offensive player in the junior ranks with a lot of speed and questionable upside for the NHL. Now, after an incredible playoffs with the Lethbridge Hurricanes that saw him register 37 points in 16 games the Kings may believe he’s something more.

It’s not the first time that Morrison has generated interest around the NHL. He attended Calgary Flames development camp last summer but didn’t earn a contract, instead going back to dominate in the WHL. The scouting report on the relatively small Morrison was never that he was unwilling or afraid to go to the tougher areas of the ice, or work hard to retrieve pucks and create opportunities, just that some had doubts he would be able to do it at the next level on a regular basis.

Now he’ll get that chance as he starts his professional career with the Kings next season. He’ll likely head to the Ontario Reign and try to prove that his doubters were wrong about his NHL upside. The Kings have been very clearly trying to add more skill into their organization, and Morrison is just the latest signing to bring that in spades.

Entire Ottawa Senators Coaching Staff Will Return

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Though there had been some speculation that Guy Boucher would potentially be let go from the Ottawa Senators, GM Pierre Dorion confirmed on TSN 1200 that the entire coaching staff would be back for the 2018-19 season.

Boucher and the Senators fell from the Eastern Conference finals in 2017 to one of the worst teams in the league this season, finishing 30th overall with a 28-43-11 record. They struggled in basically every aspect of the game, and even dropped out of the top three spots in the recent draft lottery. Those struggles came despite trading several future assets for Matt Duchene, including a first-round pick for next season (or this one, if they decide to give up the 4th overall selection).

It also comes during a time when there is a decision to be made over superstar and captain Erik Karlsson’s future, and whether or not the team can afford a huge extension going forward. Though Boucher normally runs a very defensive system, he has freed up Karlsson at times to play his offensive game.

Still, this might be the last chance for Boucher and his coaching staff. If they fail to produce a winner again this season there seems little doubt that they would be the first out the door, especially if the team holds on to Karlsson but can’t get an extension worked out this summer. Letting him walk in free agency in a losing season is unacceptable, meaning Boucher will have quite the hot seat in 2018-19.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Mikko Koskinen To One-Year Deal

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Though there was plenty of speculation that goaltender Mikko Koskinen had agreed to a two-year $5MM deal, the Edmonton Oilers today announced something different. The team revealed that Koskinen has signed on for just one year, meaning he’ll hit unrestricted free agency once again in the summer of 2019. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic adds that it will be a $2MM salary with $500K signing bonus, meaning the goaltender will carry a $2.5MM cap hit.

Koskinen, originally a draft pick (31st overall) of the New York Islanders, has been playing in the KHL for the past five seasons. This year the 29-year old put up some of the best numbers in his professional career, posting a .931 save percentage and 1.69 GAA in 31 games for SKA St. Petersburg. The monstrous goaltender went 24-4-1 in those games with five shutouts, and will now try his luck in the NHL. He also competed in the Olympics for Finland, posting a .932 in five games.

Interestingly, the Oilers also have Cam Talbot and Al Montoya heading into the final years of their current contracts, leaving some uncertainty about where the goaltending position is headed for Edmonton. Laurent Brossoit will be a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer, and none of the other young goaltenders in the organization look ready to take on a starting role.

That would suggest that this season could be a proving ground for Koskinen, if he’s given the chance to battle Talbot for starts. The Oilers have relied on the 30-year old Talbot heavily over the last few years, giving him the most starts in the league each of the last two seasons. Though he was outstanding in 2016-17 and placed fourth in Vezina trophy voting, his play fell off dramatically this season as he posted the worst numbers of his career.

Talbot obviously has the talent to rebound and become an above average goaltender again, but the Oilers can’t take the chance that he struggles once again. They needed to find another goaltender who could take some of the load off his shoulders, and they believe Koskinen is it.

This deal may actually excite New York Rangers fans the most, as it now opens up the full-time starting job on St. Petersburg to young phenom Igor Shestyorkin. The 22-year old goaltender registered a .933 save percentage in 28 starts this season, but with Koskinen out of the picture should get even more work. They’ll try to bring him over to North America eventually, perhaps to be the successor to Henrik Lundqvist in a few years.

For Edmonton though, this is a worthwhile gamble on a goaltender who has long been considered one of the best playing outside of the NHL. If he can find his game, perhaps they’ll sign him to a longer deal next summer, or use him as trade bait come February. If not, a one-year deal provides little risk for the franchise as it looks to build a perennial contender behind Connor McDavid.

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