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Willie Desjardins Returns To WHL

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It’s a homecoming for Willie Desjardins today, as the Medicine Hat Tigers announced that he will return as head coach and GM of the WHL franchise. Desjardins coached the Tigers from 2002-10 before taking his first coaching role in the NHL. His most recent NHL opportunity, coaching the Los Angeles Kings down the stretch, did not result in another position with the team after they instead turned to Todd McLellan this offseason.

Despite his stint in Vancouver not going very well, Desjardins is an accomplished coach. The 62-year old has won championships at the WHL and AHL level, along with medals at the World Juniors and Olympics. Unfortunately that didn’t carry over to the NHL, but there is little doubt that he can bring some stability and success back to the Tigers organization.

Full List Of 2019 Expiring Draft Rights

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When drafting a player out of North America or more European countries, a team acquires their exclusive negotiating rights for a set amount of time. Each year on June 1, a long list of players see those rights expire and they become unrestricted free agents (or choose to re-enter the draft, depending on specific circumstances). While this doesn’t always result in a flurry of signings in the last week of May, there are usually a few players who ink their deals at the last minute to stay in the organization that drafted them. With the deadline set for 4:00pm CT tomorrow, CapFriendly has provided a full list of players who will see those rights expire:

Anaheim Ducks

Kyle Olson (122nd overall, 2017)

Arizona Coyotes

Noel Hoefenmayer (108th overall, 2017)

Boston Bruins

Cedric Pare (173rd overall, 2017)
Daniel Bukac (204th overall, 2017)

Calgary Flames

Zach Fischer (140th overall, 2017)
D’Artagnan Joly (171st overall, 2017)

Carolina Hurricanes

Brendan De Jong (166th overall, 2017)

Chicago Blackhawks

Radovan Bondra (151st overall, 2015)
John Dahlstrom (211th overall, 2015)

Colorado Avalanche

Gustav Olhaver (191st overall, 2015)

Columbus Blue Jackets

Veeti Vaini (141st overall, 2015)

Dallas Stars

Liam Hawel (101st overall, 2017)
Brett Davis (163rd overall, 2017)
Markus Ruusu (163rd overall, 2015)

Detroit Red Wings

Lane Zablocki (79th overall, 2017)
Zachary Gallant (83rd overall, 2017)
Cole Fraser (131st overall, 2017)
Reilly Webb (164th overall, 2017)
Brady Gilmour (193rd overall, 2017)

Minnesota Wild

Ales Stezka (111th overall, 2015)
Jacob Golden (147th overall, 2017)

Montreal Canadiens

Scott Walford (68th overall, 2017)
Jarret Tyszka (149th overall, 2017)

Nashville Predators

Karel Vejmelka (145th overall, 2015)
Pavel Koltygin (176th overall, 2017)
Jacob Paquette (216th overall, 2017)

New Jersey Devils

Jocktain Chainey (191st overall, 2017)

New York Islanders

Petter Hansson (202nd overall, 2015)

New York Rangers

Daniel Bernhardt (119th overall, 2015)
Dominik Lakatos (157th overall, 2017)

Ottawa Senators

Filip Ahl (109th overall, 2015)
Jordan Hollett (183rd overall, 2017)

Pittsburgh Penguins

Zachary Lauzon (51st overall, 2017)*

St. Louis Blues

David Noel (130th overall, 2017)
Trenton Bourque (175th overall, 2017)

Toronto Maple Leafs

Ryan McGregor (172nd overall, 2017)

Vancouver Canucks

Kristoffer Gunnarsson (135th overall, 2017)
Matthew Brassard (188th overall, 2017)

Vegas Golden Knights

Maxim Zhukov (96th overall, 2017)

*Lauzon is obviously the highest pick in the group, but the chances of him earning a contract seem slim at this point. The 20-year old defenseman missed the entire 2018-19 season and most of 2017-18 with concussion issues.

Snapshots: Eriksson-Lucic, Markov, NWHL

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The rumor that just won’t go away early this off-season is a potential swap between Western Canada rivals Vancouver and Edmonton of Loui Eriksson for Milan Lucic. Originally thought to just be a hypothetical deal – one that readers were split over – it turns out that the possible exchange of bad contracts has actually been discussed. TSN’s Jason Gregor reports that sources within the Canucks organization say that GM Jim Benning and company did actually sit down with the Oilers to discuss a trade centered around the two former Boston Bruins. However, Gregor notes that these talks took place in April and May and does not specify whether new Edmonton GM Ken Holland has been involved in any of those discussions. On paper, there is a discrepancy between the term and contract structure of Lucic and Eriksson, making Eriksson the lesser of two bad contracts. Yet, Lucic has been slightly more productive and brings a consistent physical edge. Eriksson arguably has the higher ceiling though, if he is able to stay healthy. Any deal between the two sides would likely have to provide an additional benefit to the Canucks, beyond just bringing home the Vancouver native Lucic, likely in the form of a pick or prospect. But the idea that the two sides have actually had talks about a trade takes this rumor from a convenient hypothetical talking point to an actual trade that could, and may even be likely, to go down this summer.

  • A rumor that did go away has surprisingly resurfaced. TSN’s Andrew Zadarnowski reports that former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov is drawing considerable attention on the open market. Markov, 40, is a free agent after his two-year deal with the KHL’s Ak Bars Kazan expired and he is considering all of his options. No sooner did Markov leave for the KHL than did word get out that he was eyeing an NHL return, but nothing came of it. Now, Zadarnowski states that he has already received three NHL offers, as well as a KHL offer, while Kazan has publicly stated that they would be open to re-signing the veteran leader. The NHL interest may come as a surprise, but Markov has stayed productive even in his older age, recording 47 points over two seasons in the KHL and 36 points in 62 games in his final season with Montreal in 2016-17. Surely no team in North America is willing to offer Markov a multi-year deal at age 40, but a one-year flier may work out well in the right situation.
  • “Unless there is a change of heart soon”, don’t count on women’s professional hockey in Canada in 2019-20. After the Canadian Women’s Hockey League folded earlier this spring, the National Women’s Hockey League announced a planed expansion into the Canadian market with teams in Toronto and Montreal. However, with 200 of the game’s best female players on strike, the Associated Press reports that the NWHL is likely to hold off on expansion talks until next year. The league will continue operating with five American teams and will keep working toward a resolution that is best for the game of women’s hockey.

Oskar Sundqvist Suspended For Game Three Of The Stanley Cup Final

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After a hearing earlier today, St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist has been suspended one game for boarding Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk in Game Two of the Stanley Cup Final. The decision was handed down from the NHL Department of Player Safety this evening. A high hit from behind in the first period injured Grzelcyk and he did not return to the game, tilting the ice in St. Louis’ favor as Boston played two-thirds of the game with just five defenders. The Bruins will try to take advantage of karma swinging back in their direction, as the Blues will be without a key checking forward in Game Three.

Player Safety, which had top officials George Parros and Damian Echevarrieta on hand for Game Two, met with Sundqvist this afternoon and took a fair amount of time to make their decision. At the end of the day, the league could not ignore a hit to between the numbers on a defenseless player, even if Sundqvist was not intentionally trying to check Grzelcyk from behind as he played the puck behind his own net:

Sundqvist adjusts his force, then hits (Grzelcyk) forcefully from behind with speed, driving him violently into the glass and causing an injury. This is boarding. It is important to note that the boarding rule places the onus to deliver a legal check on the hitter. Therefore, while we acknowledge that Grzelcyk does adjust his body position in making a play on the puck, he does not do so in a way that absolves Sundqvist of responsibility for the nature of this hit. From the moment Sundqvist hits the bottom of the face-off circle until contact is made, Sundqvist sees nothing but Grzelcyk’s numbers. This is not a situation in which a sudden and unexpected movement by the player receiving the check turns a legal hit into an illegal one at the last moment… Sundqvist has time to react to Grzelcyk’s movements and reacts by cutting back across Grzelcyk’s body. This movement results in a more forceful and direct hit to Grzelcyk’s upper back and head, which then drives Grzelcyk’s head into the glass… Sundqvist chooses to finish his check into his opponent’s back with force. Sundqvist had sufficient time to minimize the force of this hit, avoid the hit entirely, or adjust his course to deliver a legal check.

This is not only the expected result on the play, but also a fair punishment and well-adjudicated by Player Safety. Sundqvist’s lack of any history of supplemental discipline and the fact that playoff games, Stanley Cup games in particular, are worth more than regular season games may have convinced some that he would avoid a suspension. However, the fact that Grzelcyk was hurt on a play that Sundqvist could have avoided in a game that was chippy and physical from the start hurt his case. So too did the fact that officials gave Sundqvist only a minor on a check that should have been deserving of a match penalty and could have evened the odds for the short-handed Bruins. Instead, Sundqvist will now sit for Game Three.

There is no word yet on when Grzelcyk is expected to return to the Boston lineup, but it won’t be for Game Three. NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin reports that Grzelcyk is considered day-to-day and has entered the league’s concussion protocol. He did not travel with the team to St. Louis and will miss Game Three, but that does not rule out him re-joining Boston for Game Four or later in the series, which will go at least five games and likely longer. In the meantime, John Moore is likely to draw in for Grzelcyk on Saturday night in St. Louis.

Combine Notes: Marner, Dubas, Johnson, Turcotte

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Toronto Maple Leafs fans may be nervous about the prospect of a Mitch Marner offer sheet, especially after some recent comments, but GM Kyle Dubas isn’t. Dubas tells NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger that he has used the ongoing NHL Scouting combine as an opportunity to meet with Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, in hopes of getting a new deal done with their star forward as soon as possible:

We’re not letting any time slip away. Any chance we’ve had to have time with Darren, we’re taking it. We’re trying to move it along. That’s really the key. I don’t see any need to delay it. We would like to come to agreements the very first minute we can. Unfortunately with the way things are it’s not overly realistic to think we can do that. Just keep working. I think I said before — we have to go back to check the tape — everyone knows how we feel about Mitch. I’m not afraid to say that Mitch holds a special place in the cosmos of our group… The reality is, Mitch is a great player. We’ve been very clear how we feel about him as a player and a person. He’s been a great Maple Leaf. He should be a Maple Leaf his whole career. I think Mitch and Darren have both stated that at times. We’re going to keep working with Darren to move this along and progress it ahead and come to an agreement which will make Mitch feel like he’s compensated at the level he’s deserved and us with a way to navigate our way ahead. I think if we’re all willing to work towards it we’ll get there. That’s what we have the time for here.

Dubas continues that he would be surprised if Marner were to entertain the idea of an offer sheet and has never been led to believe that it has been discussed as an option by Marner’s camp. Dubas knows that Marner, as well as Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson, could be popular targets for the elusive offer sheet, but is prepared to deal with that scenario if it arises:

I think you have to study what the probability may be. You can’t ignore it. You can’t just say that because something hasn’t happened, it won’t happen. You have to be realistic. You have to look around and identify which teams have the capital, which teams have the cap space, and which teams have the combination of both… That’s the way we’ve gone about it. As a management group, our focus has been on finding contract resolutions with Mitch and Johnsson and Kapanen.

By all accounts, Dubas is farther along in talks with all three of Marner, Johnsson, and Kapanen than he was with William Nylander at this time last year. Nylander of course held out well into the start of this past season, but that doesn’t appear to be the likely outcome for any Toronto RFA’s this year. And while the threat of offer sheets exist, that too doesn’t seem to be a probable ending. The question thus becomes, if new contracts can be signed with Marner, Johnsson, and Kapanen, where does it leave the Maple Leafs in salary cap terms and who will have to move this summer to make the team cap compliant?

  • While NHL executives and agents alike obviously use the NHL Scouting Combine as an opportunity to talk to one another, the focus of course is on the draft class. One prospect in particular has been busier than just about anyone at the combine. NBC Sports Chicago’s Slavko Bekovic reports that American defenseman Ryan Johnson is the only player in attendance thought to have met with all 31 NHL teams. Johnson is not your typical popular top-of-the-first prospect, though. Instead, he has been ranked as high as No. 18 and as low as No. 55 by reputable scouting sources and many teams are likely still trying to gauge whether or not he is a first-round caliber player. To his credit, Johnson will at least likely go ahead of many highly-regarded U.S. National Team Development Program defenders after he himself did not make the team. The stalwart defenseman for the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede is a solid, mobile defenseman and a strong locker room presence, but the question is whether he is a top-31 player in this draft. Every team in the league will apparently get the chance to answer that question.
  • Bekovic also reports that Illinois native Alex Turcotte, a top-ten prospect, has met with his hometown Chicago Blackhawks this week. While the Blackhawks have met with several other intriguing prospects who they could select at No. 3, including Bowen Byram, Dylan Cozens, Kirby Dach, and Peyton Krebs, it’s hard to ignore the fit that Turcotte would have with the organization. The USNTDP standout told Bekovic that he grew up a big Blackhawks fan and has always dreamed of playing for the team. He also models his game after Jonathan Toews and relishes in the frequent comparisons between the two. GM Stan Bowman is not going to let sentiment dictate a crucial pick for his franchise, but Turcotte’s talent alone may make him the third-best player in this class, with the local ties just an added bonus.

Golden Knights Sign Jonas Rondbjerg To Entry-Level Contract

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The Vegas Golden Knights have inked a member of their inaugural draft class to his first NHL contract. Forward Jonas Rondbjerg, selected by the Knights in the third round in 2017, has agreed to terms on his entry-level contract, the team announced. While the team confirmed that it is a three-year term, as required by the CBA, no financial terms have been disclosed.

Rondbjerg, 20, was the sixth player selected by Vegas two years ago and their first ever European forward. A native of Denmark, Rondbjerg has quickly established himself as one his country’s top young players. A two-time participant at the World Junior Championship, Rondbjerg led Denmark in scoring in 2018 and 2019, managing to impress despite the team’s lack of talent and success. He has also enjoyed an early start to his pro career, having played the past two seasons with the Vaxjo Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League. Although Rondbjerg’s offensive totals are not eye-catching – he has 17 points in 80 games over two seasons – he has nevertheless played a critical energy role for Vaxjo, displaying a strong two-way game, especially for such a young player. Rondbjerg’s work ethic and tenacity are the hallmarks of his game and pair nicely with his high hockey IQ. He may not be the biggest, fastest, or strongest player on the ice, but he is always involved in the play and making smart decisions. His willingness to play a checking role is not to say he doesn’t also have ample skill as well.

Rondbjerg is still likely a few years away from being a regular at the NHL level, but he will certainly work hard in training camp and in the AHL to try to prove he is ready for an opportunity. With a mature game and pro attitude, he may not be far off if his game translates to North America. A young player who is comfortable in a bottom-six role, can play either wing, and can flash offensively is a nice depth piece, making Rondbjerg a valuable addition for Vegas.

This may not be the final entry-level deal for the Golden Knights before the end of the month. Russian goaltender Maxim Zhukov, the next player selected after Rondbjerg in 2017, remains unsigned and his draft rights expire on June 1st. If Vegas wishes to sign Zhukov, who admittedly had a tumultuous season between the OHL and USHL but has good size and a positive track record prior to this year, they must do so in the next 24 hours.

Minnesota Wild Acquire, Sign Fedor Gordeev

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4:17pm: The Wild have indeed signed Gordeev to a three-year entry-level contract, meaning Toronto will now receive their 2020 seventh-round pick.

11:45am: The Minnesota Wild have acquired the rights to Fedor Gordeev from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Gordeev needs to be signed by June 1 or else his exclusive rights would expire and he would re-enter the draft. If he does sign, the Maple Leafs will receive a seventh round pick.

Gordeev, 20, was originally selected in the fifth round of the 2017 draft, but wasn’t going to sign with the Maple Leafs. The 6’7″ defenseman had a fine season in the OHL, starting out with the Flint Firebirds before joining the OHL Champion Guelph Storm at the deadline. Gordeev may not have had the offensive impact that he was hoping for in the OHL playoffs, but is still an interesting project for the Wild to try and develop. Obviously his size presents a big opportunity, given that he can also move the puck and skate well.

Minnesota must have liked Gordeev, given that they could have drafted him themselves in a few weeks had he re-entered the draft. For the Maple Leafs, getting anything for a player you were about to lose for nothing is obviously a positive, but it does represent another failed late-round pick. Outside of their early selections the Maple Leafs haven’t found much success in the last few drafts, with another 2017 pick Ryan McGregor also expected to go unsigned. With the impending cap crunch in Toronto, the team will need to start finding some organizational depth in the later rounds in order to keep their window open.

Bob McKenzie of TSN first reported the deal.

Pittsburgh Penguins Re-Sign Juuso Riikola

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have locked up Juuso Riikola to a one-year one-way contract worth $850K. The 25-year old defenseman was a restricted free agent this summer, but will now get another chance to prove he is worth a multi-year contract as a full-time piece of the Penguins’ blue line. Pittsburgh assistant GM Bill Guerin released a statement on the defenseman:

Juuso has adjusted to the North American style of hockey seamlessly. He’s a very confident guy, and he’s also a great skater that moves the puck really well. We expect him to make an even bigger impact this year.

Riikola was signed out of Finland last year as an undrafted free agent, and immediately made an impact on the Penguins. When Justin Schultz went down early in the season with a broken leg, Riikola was used heavily by the Penguins and ended up playing 37 games for them through the first half of the season. By March, the Penguins had acquired some additional depth on the blue line and the team ended up eventually sending him down to the minor leagues.

Depth seems to be the key word to describe this contract, given the number of defensemen the Penguins now have signed for next season. There are already six players earning at least $3.25MM on one-way deals, plus the recently extended Chad Ruhwedel and RFA Marcus Pettersson. Right now it doesn’t appear as though there will be much opportunity for the young Finn, however the Penguins have been clear about their desire to shake up the roster this summer.

Toronto Maple Leafs, Nikita Zaitsev Working To Find “Fresh Start”

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are working to find Nikita Zaitsev a “fresh start” according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, who reports the defensemen is available for trade. Zaitsev has five years remaining on the seven-year contract he signed in 2017, and carries a $4.5MM cap hit. Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey, Zaitsev’s agent, told Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun that he would not comment publicly on the matter, though Bob McKenzie of TSN tweets that it was the player who asked for the team to try and trade him. McKenzie notes the request was for “personal reasons.”

It’s been a tumultuous few years since Zaitsev signed his long-term deal. After scoring 36 points as a rookie in 2016-17, he was taken completely off of the powerplay and given a hefty defensive workload as one of head coach Mike Babcock’s most trusted penalty killers. Instead of thriving in that role, Zaitsev unfortunately suffered a broken foot that cost him a quarter of the season and his offensive output dropped to just 13 points in 60 games. This season, still in a defensive role, Zaitsev’s offensive production dropped even further to register just 14 points in 81 games. That included a stretch of 22 straight contests where he was held scoreless, despite averaging more than twenty minutes of ice time over that stretch.

Still, there were signs that he might turn things around going forward. A late season and playoff pairing with Jake Muzzin appeared to work well, though the right-handed Zaitsev was held under 18 minutes in four of the seven games against the Boston Bruins.

The idea that Toronto would be looking to shed Zaitsev is likely not entirely based on his play however. The Maple Leafs are desperate for cap room, given their upcoming summer in which they have to sign Mitch Marner, Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson, and that $4.5MM cap hit is an easy target. Zaitsev still may hold some value on the open market as an experienced right-handed defenseman who has played in all situations, but the real benefit of moving him for Toronto would be to open up some room for their young forwards. That would come with the cost of depleting their already razor thin depth on the right side, but GM Kyle Dubas may have a plan to fill those spots internally.

In terms of Zaitsev’s landing spot, there may be teams around the league who believe he can be more than he showed over the last two seasons. The 27-year old was actually a relatively offensive defenseman during his days in the KHL, and is an excellent skater. If those offensive numbers can bounce back to the level they reached in 2016-17, $4.5MM isn’t a problem, even if it is for five more years.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Eetu Luostarinen

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The Carolina Hurricanes have signed another prospect, inking Eetu Luostarinen to a three-year entry-level contract. Luostarinen has been playing in Finland for the last several years, but could now be on his way to North America if the Hurricanes decide to bring him over right away. The deal will carry an average annual value of $897,500 after bonuses, and begin in 2019-20.

Luostarinen, 20, was picked 42nd overall in 2017 but has developed into a top prospect for the Hurricanes over the last two seasons. His production in Finland has skyrocketed, to the point where he finished second in scoring on KalPa only behind Columbus Blue Jackets forward Alexandre Texier. The 6’3″, 178-lbs forward also recently suited up for Finland at the IIHF World Championship, where he took home a gold medal but was held scoreless.

If a Finnish forward is looking for an organization that he will feel comfortable in, there may be no better place than Carolina. The team is led by Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen, and has also has players like Saku Maenalanen, Aleksi Saarela, and Janne Kuokkanen on the way to being consistent contributors. The team will hope that Luostarinen can be the next Finn to make an impact on the squad, after his development takes another few steps.

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