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Archives for August 2019

Andrei Markov Joins Octagon Hockey

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Serious about a return to the NHL this season, veteran defenseman Andrei Markov has hired Allan Walsh of Octagon Hockey as his new agent. Markov is training in Florida looking for an opportunity to resume his career in North America after two years in the KHL. Earlier this month the 40-year old explained he would love the chance to play once again for the Montreal Canadiens, but is looking at all his options.

Markov infamously represented himself in negotiations with the Canadiens in 2017 before leaving for the KHL, after former NHL player Sergei Berezin was decertified by the NHLPA. That negotiation broke down with some bitterness but it appears as though Markov is looking to take a different tack this time around. Walsh is one of the most successful agents in the hockey world and represents some of the top players in the entire league.

The question now is whether Markov has anything left to give to an NHL organization. With 990 games under his belt with the Canadiens across 16 seasons he definitely fills the experience quota, but there’s no telling whether he can still keep up with the NHL pace of play. Markov’s skating ability had slowed considerably even before he left for the KHL but thanks to a sharp mind and elite positioning he was still able to provide the Canadiens with quality minutes. In his final two years in Montreal he totaled 80 points in 144 games.

Last season in the KHL however, things seemed to catch up with him. Markov recorded just 14 points in 49 games for Kazan Ak-Bars despite still averaging more than 21 minutes a night. With just a few weeks left before training camp opens it will be interesting to see if he’s will to take a professional tryout in order to prove he can still compete at the NHL level.

Thomas Bordeleau Commits To The University Of Michigan

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After a record-breaking 2019 draft class, the U.S. National Team Development Program won’t be making as many waves during the 2019-20 season. In fact, some draft pundits doubt that any American players will be selected in the first half of the first round next year. One of the few players who could challenge that prediction is forward Thomas Bordeleau. He may have already just taken a step toward a higher draft slot by committing to a top NCAA program. College hockey insider Mark Divver reports that Bordeleau will attend the University of Michigan after this season with the USNTDP.

Bordeleau, who actually grew up in Switzerland and later Quebec, was born in Houston, Texas while his dad was playing for the AHL’s Houston Aeros. Sebastien Bordeleau played in more than 250 NHL games from 1995 to 2002 and then played another decade in the NLA before retiring in 2012. Bordeleau thus grew up surrounded by hockey and has had a chance to grow his game in many unique environments. The undersized center opted to use his American citizenship to continue his development with the USNTDP rather than the Candian juniors and in his first season with the program Bordeleau notched 39 points in 56 games for the U-17 team. Set to star for the U-18 team this year, Bordeleau will look to improve those numbers and also fight for a top role at the U-18 World Junior Championship.

With a season still left to further prove himself, Bordeleau is already drawing great attention. In their preliminary rankings, scouting source Future Considerations ranked Bordeleau as the No. 52 prospect in the 2020 class and the well-rounded scorer has plenty of room to improve his draft stock with ample opportunity to star for the USNTDP. He’ll then head to Ann Arbor, where the University of Michigan already houses several NHL prospects, including recent USNTDP graduates and 2019 first-rounders Cam York (PHI) and John Beecher (BOS). The Wolverines are surely excited to add another potential first-round pick in Bordeleau, just as the young pivot likely is to join such a strong program.

Oilers Seeking Pick And Prospect For Jesse Puljujarvi

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The Edmonton Oilers quickly changed their tune today after forward Jesse Puljujarvi signed a one-year deal with his hometown team in Finland’s Liiga. The Oilers had been adamant that they were content to hold on to Puljujarvi, citing disappointing trade offers and a confidence that he could still be an effective member of the team. That changed after it became clear that he had no intention to play for Edmonton this season or possibly ever again. New GM Ken Holland was quick to clarify that Puljujarvi’s contract in Finland did not impact his trade value and that he could suit up in the NHL immediately if traded. Holland also took the opportunity to state that several new teams have made inquiries about Puljujarvi’s availability of late.

Interestingly, with the Oilers now seemingly focused on trading Puljujarvi, the asking price has arguably increased, despite underwhelming offers to this point. Previously reported as being an established third-line forward, TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports that Edmonton is now seeking a prospect with top-nine upside as well as a draft pick as their preferred return for Puljujarvi. He adds that an established player may still be a suitable return, but he would have to have term remaining on his contract beyond this coming season.

If the Oilers had struggled to this point to get a fair offer in their eyes for a player they weren’t shopping, it does seem odd that they feel they can increase the asking price when their priority seems to have shifted to moving Puljujarvi. Of course, some may feel that the asking price is of the same quality of lower, considering “third-line forwards” such as Pittsburgh’s Bryan Rust and Boston’s Charlie Coyle have been among rumored targets of the Oilers, either of whom could draw a first-round pick and top-nine prospect from a contender in need. Either way, Rishaug’s report of a changing asking price at least confirms that the mindset has changed in Edmonton and the team is more focused than ever on parting ways with Puljujarvi, even if they continue to maintain that they will only do so on their terms.

Snapshots: Brown, Thomas, Gomez

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Connor Brown may seem like just one of a number of additions the Ottawa Senators have made this off-season, but it turns out that the team had their eye on the veteran forward for some time and have high expectations for him this year. Speaking with Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, Senators GM Pierre Dorion states that his interest in Brown began long before the team hired former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant D.J. Smith as their new head coach and belongs in a separate category from familiar additions Nikita Zaitsev, Ron Hainsey, and Tyler Ennis. While that group of veterans was brought in from Toronto to provide leadership and stability in a young locker room under a first-time NHL head coach, Dorion sees a larger role for Brown. “We just feel he was someone on a very skilled team that probably didn’t get the offensive looks he would have gotten on a lot of other teams,” Dorion states, suggesting “We feel he’s going to get back to being the 20-goal scorer he was in his rookie year.” Brown did hit 20 goals, as well as 36 points, in a breakout rookie campaign three years ago, but his goal scoring totals have dropped precipitously since then: 14 goals in 2017-18 and 8 goals in 2018-19. Brown will certainly have the opportunity to improve his numbers on an Ottawa roster that lack many established scorers, but Dorion’s projection of 20+ goals may be lofty for a player who has looked comfortable as a 30-point, two-way forward over the last few years.

  • Akil Thomas is on the Los Angeles Kings’ roster for their upcoming rookie tournament and is poised to compete for an NHL roster spot in training camp. However, even though their intention was to honor the young forward, his junior team made it clear that they don’t expect him to break camp with the Kings this year. The OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs have named Thomas their captain for the 2019-20 season, the team already announced, although Thomas is still weeks away from pushing for a place with the Kings. Thomas more than earned the role with his play last year, recording 102 points in 63 games for a powerhouse team that has since lost the likes of Jason Robertson, Jack Studnicka, and Ben Jones to the pros. Nevertheless, even those dominant numbers don’t guarantee the 2018 second-round pick a role with L.A. this season. The Kings sport an impressive group of prospects competing for few openings. Recent high picks Rasmus Kupari and Jaret Anderson-Dolan probably have an edge on Thomas if the Kings opt to add a rookie forward to the starting lineup, likely leading Niagara to safely assume that their star forward will be back this season.
  • After two years on the job, Scott Gomez has decided to leave the New York Islanders coaching staff, Newsday’s Andrew Gross reports. The team has confirmed the move and stressed that Gomez was not fired. Gomez was originally hired by Doug Weight, but served under Barry Trotz last season as well. Gomez is remembered most for his dynamic offensive play early in his pro career with the New Jersey Devils. It could be that his philosophy on offense didn’t mesh with Trotz’ ultra-conservative scheme, prompting him to seek a better fit elsewhere, but there has been no word as to the reasoning behind Gomez’ departure. If Gomez wants to continue coaching, there is undoubtedly a place for him in the pro or junior ranks.

Minor Transactions: 08/27/19

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Many prominent free agents, restricted and unrestricted, remain unsigned, but the NHL markets largely remain relatively quiet. However, minor league teams, foreign clubs, and college programs continue to make make moves in preparation for the coming season. Keep up with all of those minor transactions here:

  • Dante Salituro was a lottery ticket signing by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2016, hoping his offensive explosion at the OHL level could carry over to professional hockey. After short stints in the AHL with the Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild affiliates, Salituro spent most of the last two seasons in the ECHL where he was dominant. Left unqualified by Minnesota this summer he became an unrestricted free agent and has now signed with the ECHL’s Indy Fuel for 2019-20. Salituro had 61 points in 66 games for the Allen Americans last year and should be another top performer in the low minors.
  • After four years at Yale University, 24-year old defenseman Charles Curti will begin his professional career with the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL. Curti was never a big offensive performer in college but will see if he can add a little more production to his game as he transitions to the new league.
  • 17-year old forward Andrei Bakanov has decided to sign with the Guelph Storm and bring his talents to the OHL, keeping his game in front of North American scouts ahead of the 2020 draft. The big bodied winger was born in Russia but has been playing in the United States for several years, including a full season with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL last season. He was selected 38th overall in the CHL Import Draft earlier this summer and could potentially go in the first few rounds of the NHL Entry Draft next June if his offensive game takes another step forward.
  • Former NHL defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka is remaining in the KHL, but moving on from HK Sochi. Sibir Novosibirsk has announced a one-year deal with the free agent Finn. Jokipakka, 28, recorded 24 points in 59 games last season for Sochi and his new Siberian club hopes for that or more this year.

Alexander Khovanov Undergoes Surgery To Remove Tumor

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The Minnesota Wild won’t have Alexander Khovanov in their lineup for the upcoming NHL Prospect Tournament, as they have announced the young forward underwent surgery last Friday to remove a benign bone tumor (Osteoid Osteoma) in his left leg. Khovanov is expected to miss four to six weeks, likely meaning he’ll miss his chance to take part in any of NHL training camp.

The 19-year old was selected in the third round in 2018 and experienced a breakout season for Moncton of the QMJHL in 2018-19. Scoring 74 points in 64 games, the Russian forward was impressive at both ends of the rink and is an exciting prospect for the Wild to look forward to. He is expected to return for a final year of junior with the Wildcats.

Minnesota will have an impressive group on the ice at the Prospect Tournament which takes place in Traverse City, Michigan between September 6-10. Nico Sturm, Ivan Lodnia, Will Bitten and Mat Robson will be among the players featured there for the Wild. They will take on teams from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers organizations in the Ted Lindsay Division.

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Eleventh Overall Pick

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Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.”  Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended.  For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

We’re looking back at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now.  Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

1st Overall: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (1)
2nd Overall: Jamie Benn, Philadelphia Flyers (129)
3rd Overall: P.K. Subban, Phoenix Coyotes (43)
4th Overall: Logan Couture, Los Angeles Kings (9)
5th Overall: Max Pacioretty, Washington Capitals (22)
6th Overall: Jakub Voracek, Edmonton Oilers (7)
7th Overall: Ryan McDonagh, Columbus Blue Jackets (12)
8th Overall: James van Riemsdyk, Boston Bruins (2)
9th Overall: Wayne Simmonds, San Jose Sharks (61)
10th Overall: Kevin Shattenkirk, Florida Panthers (14)

Despite his recent struggles, Shattenkirk still moves up four spots in our redraft and finishes out the top-10, taking the place of draft bust Keaton Ellerby who was originally selected by the Panthers in 2007. Though it took Shattenkirk a few years to make his way to the NHL, his debut there was outstanding in the 2010 season when he recorded 26 points in his first 46 games with the Colorado Avalanche. So good in fact that the Avalanche were able to flip him to the St. Louis Blues in a deal that landed them 2006 first-overall pick Erik Johnson.

Johnson was just 22 at the time and still considered a potential franchise defenseman who had put up 91 points in 203 games with the Blues. Though there were other assets included in the trade (top prospect Chris Stewart went with Shattenkirk for instance), the swap of defensemen would turn out to be the most important part. Johnson would never quite become that Norris-caliber defender in Colorado but is still with the team to this day as a solid contributor, while Shattenkirk became one of the most efficient offensive weapons from the blueline in the league.

Through parts of seven seasons with St. Louis, Shattenkirk recorded 258 points in 425 games and received Norris Trophy votes on three different occasions. His ability to quarterback a powerplay was outstanding, but it unfortunately rarely led to much playoff success for the Blues. In 2017 as he neared the end of his contract and approached free agency, he was flipped to the Washington Capitals for a solid package.

Shattenkirk was recently bought out of his contract with the New York Rangers after concerns with his commitment to defense and overall impact on the game. Signing a much cheaper deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning could allow him to recover some of that perceived value, though even if he doesn’t it has already been quite the career. Shattenkirk trails only P.K. Subban in terms of scoring among defensemen drafted in 2007, and comes in at 12th overall from that year. His climb into the top-10 is warranted, though a rebirth in Tampa Bay would only do more for his eventual legacy.

That takes us to pick number 11 from 2007, which originally belonged to the Carolina Hurricanes. After the Panthers went with a defender just ahead of Carolina, the team decided to reach a bit for a forward with a legendary hockey name. Brandon Sutter was ranked 28th among all North American skaters in 2007, but with bloodlines that included father Brent Sutter and uncles Brian Sutter, Darryl Sutter, Duane Sutter, Rich Sutter and Ron Sutter, it was easy to imagine him experiencing a long and successful NHL career.

The pick was certainly not unanimously praised, as Sutter had scored just 20 goals and 57 points in 71 games during his draft year with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL (who were incidentally owned, managed and coached at the time by his father and included his brother Brett Sutter as another top forward). There was obvious talent there, but some questioned the eventual offensive upside of the young forward. Those questions would be amplified during his first season in the NHL when Sutter registered only six points in 50 games with the Hurricanes, but seemed to be answered the following year. In 2009-10 Sutter recorded 21 goals and 40 points, establishing himself as a full-time NHL option that could contribute at both ends of the rink.

Unfortunately, that 40-point season would end up being the best of Sutter’s career to this point. He has just 32 points in his last 87 games in the NHL, a span that encompasses the last two full seasons thanks to injury. Now with two seasons left on his contract with the Vancouver Canucks it isn’t clear what kind of role he will have in 2019-20 and whether he can ever fulfill his draft (and family) pedigree.

If they had another chance knowing what we do now, you can bet the Hurricanes would pick someone else. But who would it be?

With the eleventh pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Carolina Hurricanes select?  Cast your vote below!

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*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.

Mike McKenna Announces Retirement

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One of the most well-traveled goaltenders in professional hockey is finally calling it quits. After a 14-year professional career which included stops with teams in Las Vegas, Norfolk, Milwaukee, Omaha, Portland, Tampa Bay, Lowell, Albany, New Jersey, Binghamton, Peoria, Springfield, Columbus, Arizona, Syracuse, Texas, Dallas, Belleville, Ottawa, Vancouver, Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley, Mike McKenna is hanging up his pads. The 36-year old goaltender announced his retirement on Twitter, thanking everyone he has come in contact with over the years.

McKenna was a sixth round pick of the Nashville Predators in 2002 after his first year at St. Lawrence University, and even with an extremely limited NHL career still carved out quite the name for himself in the hockey world. Described as a great teammate basically everywhere he went, the 6’2″ goaltender also performed admirably on the ice. In 35 career NHL contests he had just an .890 save percentage and 7-17-3 record, but he routinely posted strong numbers at the AHL level.

In 2017 and again in 2018 he came close to raising the Calder Cup, reaching the finals with the Syracuse Crunch and Texas Stars in consecutive seasons. Unfortunately he would lose both series through no fault of his own, meaning he would fail to secure a championship throughout his entire career.

McKenna is now known for his social media presence where he often comments on goaltending performances from around the NHL in real time. It’s not clear where his future will take him or if he even wants to stay involved in hockey, but broadcasting seems a natural progression for the journeyman netminder.

Chuck Fletcher “Not Concerned” About Lingering RFA Negotiations

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The Philadelphia Flyers are like a dozen other teams around the NHL, waiting to have some clarity on whether their top restricted free agents will be suiting up when training camp opens in a few weeks. The Flyers have two top players still without contracts in Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny, but GM Chuck Fletcher isn’t ready to panic just because they aren’t signed yet. Speaking with Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer yesterday, Fletcher explained the Flyers are in the same situation as all of the other teams but isn’t stressing out:

We’ll keep working at it. They’re good young players and we expect to have them signed and ready to go as soon as we can. … Right now, the landscape league-wide is murky, and I think things will start to clear up in the next few weeks. At this point, I’m not concerned. This has been the trend the last few years.

Fletcher is right, restricted free agents have started to wait longer and longer to sign their deals, though this crop is even bigger than normal. Last summer saw Noah Hanifin, Ondrej Kase, Josh Morrissey, Darnell Nurse, Sam Reinhart and Shea Theodore all sign in either late-August or September, and among high profile players only William Nylander’s negotiation leaked into the season. That group doesn’t exactly stand up to names like Mitch Marner, Brayden Point and Mikko Rantanen, but it’s not just complementary or depth players either.

Things will certainly start to clear up for some of the restricted free agents in the near future, but there’s certainly no guarantee that both Konecny and Provorov will be signed by camp. Carchidi suggests that Provorov could get a deal worth around $7MM per season while Konecny is expected to get somewhere between $4-4.5MM per season. Obviously both of those cap numbers are contingent on the term of the contracts.

Jesse Puljujarvi Signs One-Year Deal In Finland

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10:55am: Mark Spector of Sportsnet spoke with Holland, who explained that there has been new interest in Puljujarvi around the league but nothing is imminent:

I don’t know that him signing in Finland has a huge effect on the situation. I’ve had conversations with numerous clubs that have had interest, some interest, in acquiring Jesse. And I have had, probably in the last 10 days, two or three new teams reach out to me. Teams whose position have changed and are checking into the Puljujarvi situation.

I’ll do a deal if I feel good that I’m making a deal in the best interests of the Edmonton Oilers.

Holland basically has all the leverage here, as Puljujarvi playing a year in Finland can only really improve his value to the Oilers. There’s no rush to get a trade done from their perspective unless a team comes forward with an offer that can help them right away.

7:30am: Jesse Puljujarvi will at least have somewhere to play in 2019-20, even if things don’t get worked out with the Edmonton Oilers. The disgruntled young forward has signed a one-year deal with Karpat in Finland, though the contract includes an option to leave for the NHL before December 1st. In the NHL, if a restricted free agent is not signed before that date they are not eligible to play for the rest of the season.

Puljujarvi’s free agent status will not be changed by this contract. Even if he decides to play the entire year in Finland, the Oilers will still own his exclusive negotiating rights.

This is not necessarily the end of the story for Puljujarvi and the Oilers, but at least it provides some sort of a resolution for the time being. The 21-year old has not been able to establish himself in the NHL since being the fourth overall pick in 2016 and needed a place to see regular playing time. He wasn’t going to get that in the AHL given that he has said he does not want to play in that league and the fact that he would need to clear waivers in order to be sent down. Finland may actually be the best place for his development to continue if the Oilers weren’t willing to give him a regular shift in the NHL.

For new GM Ken Holland and head coach Dave Tippett, giving him that top-six role seems out of the question. Puljujarvi has scored just 37 points in 139 NHL games, and though those have been about as inconsistently distributed as possible he simply hasn’t been good enough to deserve more playing time. He and his agent Markus Lehto have been clear about their desire for the Oilers to trade Puljujarvi to a team that would give him that opportunity, but that situation may not actually exist anywhere in the league. There is also likely a hesitation from Holland to move the young forward given the huge draft capital that has been invested in him, since he would be selling at an extremely reduced value.

Finland does not represent the same competition level as the NHL, but Liiga is still a solid professional league where Puljujarvi will be tested. He played one full season there before coming to the NHL and recorded 28 points in 50 games, but will hopefully be able to do even more now that he has some additional professional experience under his belt. Technically the Oilers will lose his negotiating rights on his 27th birthday, but since that is almost six years away one would expect the situation to be resolved before that happens.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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