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Nashville Predators Sign Cole Smith

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The Nashville Predators have landed an interesting college free agent, signing Cole Smith to a one-year entry-level contract for the 2020-21 season. The 24-year old Smith recently finished his senior season at the University of North Dakota. Predators’ AGM Jeff Kealty released a statement explaining the signing:

He is a big, strong guy who has gotten better every year. If you talk to the people at North Dakota, they just rave about the character traits that he has – his competitiveness, his drive, his physicality, all those ingredients he adds to a team in a winning environment. We feel like he’s going to be able to add all of that to our organization.

If you’re looking for a top-six scoring threat, you won’t find it in Smith. The 6’3″ winger recorded just 24 goals and 51 points in 137 games for North Dakota, instead playing depth energy role on teams that had their fair share of dynamic scoring threats.

That energy is exactly what the Predators are banking on as they give Smith his first professional opportunity. Given that he’ll turn 25 in October, he may actually battle for a fourth-line role in Nashville quite quickly, though he’ll almost surely start at the AHL level. If he can provide some physicality and polished checking ability, perhaps he can become a regular before long.

Peter Diliberatore Expected To Return For Junior Season

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The Vegas Golden Knights won’t be signing Peter Diliberatore this spring, as according to Chip Malafronte of the New Haven Register the defenseman has turned down an NHL contract offer to return to Quinnipiac for his junior season.

If you haven’t heard of the 19-year old Diliberatore, even as a Golden Knights fan, you’re probably not alone. A sixth-round selection in 2018, he was picked out of the high school hockey circuit in Connecticut and was never a part of the major international tournaments for players of his age. That is, he didn’t actually take part in any—but he was certainly on their radar.

Diliberatore was invited to Canada’s selection camp for the most recent World Junior Championship, and though he didn’t make the cut it was a huge accomplishment for such an unheralded prospect. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription required) chronicled that journey, including speaking to his high school coach who explained exactly what makes him special:

He’s elusive, he evades forecheckers really well and then he passes the puck off to a forward and who knows where it goes from there. And he quarterbacked our power play but his ability to run the breakout is much greater than his ability to run the power play. That contributed to him not having huge, huge numbers. What contributed to him being a draft pick was his skating and his compete level.

He hasn’t had huge, huge numbers at Quinnipiac either, but 40 points in 72 games over his first two seasons is still a very interesting total for a player that isn’t offense-only. It’s no wonder that the Golden Knights wanted to get him into their development system quickly, but they’ll have to wait to try and convince him next year.

Deliberatore’s exclusive draft rights will continue to be held by Vegas until August, 2022.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Ryan McGregor

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It’s not just college free agents that will be signing, now that junior leagues have also called off the rest of their regular seasons. Ryan McGregor, captain of the Sarnia Sting of the OHL, has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes.

McGregor, 21, was actually a sixth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2017 but failed to sign with them by last summer’s deadline and became an unrestricted free agent. The forward also got a bit of AHL experience with the Toronto Marlies, a league he’ll have to prove himself in next season.

In 52 games with the Sting this season McGregor recorded 27 goals and 68 points, but his future likely comes as more of a defensive option in the middle of the ice. The pivot took more faceoffs than all but four players in the entire OHL this season, while also contributing heavily to the penalty kill.

For the Coyotes, handing out a contract to a player like McGregor doesn’t pose a lot of risk. The team is trying to build a system of success from the minor leagues up, likely valuing his leadership and competitive abilities more than any potential offensive upside.

Blackhawks Notes: Barratt, Cap Concerns, Mitchell

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With the college season now finished, we have seen an uptick in NCAA signings over the past few days.  Don’t expect Blackhawks prospect Evan Barratt to be among those just yet.  The winger told Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) that he has yet to have any conversations with Chicago GM Stan Bowman about whether or not to turn pro next season.  The 2017 third-round pick (90th overall) is coming off a quieter year offensively, picking up 34 points in as many games after collecting 43 in 32 contests a year ago.  Nonetheless, he is one of Chicago’s better prospects and it’s likely that they will want to get a deal done to turn him pro for 2020-21.  But with no talks yet, it may be a little while yet before it happens.

More from Chicago:

  • The likelihood of a flattened salary cap due to the COVID-19 pandemic could wreak some havoc on Chicago’s plans. As Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times suggests, the Blackhawks may have to turn to the buyout market this summer to free up room to re-sign players like Corey Crawford, Dylan Strome, and Dominik Kubalik plus fill out the rest of their roster as they have more than $73MM in commitments to 17 players already for next season.  Veteran forward Zack Smith, if healthy by the offseason, would be a logical candidate given his role while Pope suggests blueliner Olli Maatta could also make some sense considering his buyout rate would only be one-third which would yield a lot of savings on the cap.
  • Another Blackhawks college prospect with a decision to make is defenseman Ian Mitchell. He told Mike Chambers of the Denver Post that he’s likely to forego his senior year and turn pro next season but nothing is finalized yet.  The 2017 second-rounder (57th overall) had a career best ten goals in 36 games with the University of Denver this season while also participating in Canada’s entry in the Spengler Cup.  He’s a player that could push for an NHL roster spot quite quickly and will carry a low price tag on an entry-level deal which would only boost his chances further considering their cap situation.

Stretch Run Storylines: Dallas Stars

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As things stand, the NHL is planning to have games resume at some point over the coming weeks.  Assuming the regular season continues, there will be plenty of things to watch for over the stretch run.  Over the coming weeks, PHR will examine the top stretch run storylines for each team.  We continue our look at the Central Division with Dallas.

The Stars have had a bit of a tumultuous season but nevertheless find themselves in a top-three seed in the Central Division.  An early season coaching change shocked many while a lack of production from their top players has been more than a little perplexing.  Those themes have been prevalent throughout the season and will continue to be key storylines down the stretch and into the postseason.

Offensive Struggles

On paper, a core of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Joe Pavelski, and Alexander Radulov looks pretty strong.  Seguin had six straight seasons of at least 72 points under his belt, Benn had reached 69 or more in five of the last six years, Radulov had two straight seasons of 72 in first two years with the team, and Pavelski came into the year with six straight campaigns of 64 points or more.  Yes, it’s an aging group so a slight decline would have been understandable.  But this hasn’t been a slight decline.

As things stand, none of them have reached the 20-goal mark.  Only Seguin has reached the 40-point mark, checking at 50.  Benn and Radulov have a shot at 40 points if the remaining scheduled games are played out while Pavelski getting there would be a longshot.

Not surprisingly, the Stars check in at 29th overall in goals scored.  They are the only team outside of the top-20 in that department to be holding down a playoff spot.  They can’t afford to rely on Denis Gurianov to continue to lead the team in goals if they want to be a postseason contender.  For context, he’s their only 20-goal player (20 on the dot) and spent a bit of time in October in the minors after seeing minimal ice time early on.

Some teams need an uptick in scoring from their primary players.  Some need a secondary scoring boost.  Dallas needs all of that and then some.  If Seguin, Benn, Radulov, and Pavelski can get back to the level they were at even a year ago (and this break could certainly help with that), it would go a long way towards fixing their scoring woes and making them a much bigger playoff threat in the process.

Interim Or Permanent?

It was a big surprise when Rick Bowness was asked to take over for Jim Montgomery behind the bench after the latter was dismissed for cause back in December.  At the time of the move, it was expected that the interim tag would be in place for the rest of the regular season and they would re-assess at that time.

So how has he fared?  Clearly, the offense is sputtering but at the same time, they have been the top defensive team in the Western Conference in terms of goals allowed which has allowed them to stay in a playoff spot for most of the year.  Basically, not a whole lot has changed from the transition from Montgomery to Bowness as the veterans were scuffling offensively at the start of the year while Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin have provided strong goaltending.

Is basically keeping the team afloat enough to justify the permanent job?  Considering the odd circumstances in which he took over, accomplishing that is notable.  However, it certainly feels like how they fare down the stretch and postseason (if those games get played) will ultimately determine whether or not GM Jim Nill sticks with him or goes after another bench boss in the offseason.

Early Extension For Heiskanen?

Last year was a good one for defenseman Miro Heiskanen who finished just shy of being a Calder Trophy finalist.  After putting up 33 points, he seemed like a prime candidate for a big jump in production which would have him in line for a big raise when he became eligible for an early extension in July.  Of course, the big jump in production hasn’t happened (putting him in line with just about everyone else on the team) although he has collected 35 points which is good enough to put him third on the team in scoring.

Even so, the small uptick offensively will call into question whether or not an extension is the right way to go as it’s possible that Heiskanen could be leaving money on the table without a 40-point season under his belt.  If regular season games resume and he picks up some points or is productive in the playoffs, he might be able to boost his value enough to make an early extension justifiable.  If not, waiting may be the better option so whether or not the NHL returns may be particularly important for him.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

OHL, WHL, USHL Announce Cancelations

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After the QMJHL canceled the remainder of their regular season yesterday, it was expected that the other two member leagues of the CHL would do the same. Today, both the WHL and OHL have announced that they will cancel their remaining games. Interestingly, they have used different tactics to determine the final standings. While the WHL used points percentage, it seems as though the OHL instead has taken the standings through the first 61 games of the season.

It’s not just the CHL that have decided to move on from the regular season either. The USHL has also canceled the rest of the 2019-20 season and playoffs, while the NAHL took that step yesterday.

Though the CHL has left some hope to resume for the playoffs at some point, it does seem unlikely at this point. The Memorial Cup, which was set to be held in May, is also in danger thanks to a provincial recommendation to cancel all sporting events involving more than 50 people until June.

The end of the junior season means draft eligible players have even less time to impress potential NHL organizations, or continue to develop their skills for the future.

Top-10 Finalists Announced For 2020 Hobey Baker

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The college hockey season may have come to an abrupt end, but award voting will go on anyway. Today, the ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Award were announced. The trophy is given to the top NCAA player in the country, and has an impressive line of winners over the past few years. In 2014, Johnny Gaudreau took home the award as a junior for Boston College, followed by Jack Eichel in his only year for Boston University in 2015. Jimmy Vesey, Will Butcher and Adam Gaudette don’t bring quite the same impact, but are still NHL regulars after winning from 2016-18.

Last year’s winner was University of Massachusetts defenseman Cale Makar, who has gone on to be one of the most impressive rookies in the NHL this season with the Colorado Avalanche. Makar leaves big shoes to fill by this year’s nominees.

The award also has several top NHL alumni in its small fraternity, including Neal Broten, Tom Kurvers, Paul Kariya, Chris Drury, Ryan Miller and Brendan Morrison. With that group behind them, this year’s winner is certainly not someone to take lightly.

Earlier this year, 78 players from the NCAA ranks were nominated for the award, and today that number has been reduced to just ten. These ten players will be narrowed to just three, a process that anyone can be a part of by participating in the fan vote. Votes will be added to the decision from a selection committee to produce three finalists, from which a winner will be crowned.

The top-10 finalists are as follows, with the NHL organization who owns their draft rights in parenthesis:

Morgan Barron, Cornell University (New York Rangers)

Jason Cotton, Sacred Heart University

Jack Dugan, Providence College (Vegas Golden Knights)

David Farrance, Boston University (Nashville Predators)

Jordan Kawaguchi, University of North Dakota

John Leonard, University of Massachusetts (San Jose Sharks)

Dryden McKay, Minnesota State University-Mankato

Marc Michaelis, Minnesota State University-Mankato

Jeremy Swayman, University of Maine (Boston Bruins)*

Scott Perunovich, University of Minnesota-Duluth (St. Louis Blues)

*Swayman has already signed his entry-level contract with the Bruins.

Boston Bruins To Sign Nick Wolff

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The run on college free agents has started, and the Boston Bruins are getting involved today. The team is expected to sign University of Minnesota Duluth defenseman Nick Wolff according to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. PuckPedia adds that the deal is for one year and will carry an average annual value of $925K. Wolff recently finished his senior season and was an undrafted free agent.

The 23-year served as captain this season for the Bulldogs and was a big part of both titles the team took home over the last two years. Standing 6’5″ he is a mean, physical presence on the back end that can erase opposing forwards on a regular basis. That size didn’t earn him a selection in the NHL draft, but certainly makes him an interesting addition to the Bruins organization.

Obviously there is still a long road ahead of Wolff, but he already does have some familiarity with the team. He has been at the Bruins’ last two development camps and should be present again this year—whenever that happens.

Buffalo Sabres Agree To Terms With Brandon Biro

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The Buffalo Sabres have dipped into the college free agent market, agreeing to terms with Brandon Biro on a two-year entry-level contract. The young forward just finished his senior season at Pennyslvania State University, where he served as captain. Sabres GM Jason Botterill released a short statement on the signing:

Brandon will bring a combination of skill, hockey sense and character to our organization. We’re confident that his four years at Penn State with Coach Gadowsky have prepared him well for the next phase of his development.

Biro, 22, has been a standout for years now at Penn State, scoring at a near point-per-game pace since his sophomore season. The undersized forward will jump into professional hockey hoping that production continues and that he’ll be useful depth for a Buffalo team still looking for an identity.

From Sherwood Park, Alberta, Biro was the AJHL Rookie of the Year a season before Cale Makar burst into the league and took all the attention. While he likely won’t have the same trajectory as that former opponent, there’s certainly hope that Biro can make a mark at the pro level.

Ottawa Senators Player Tests Positive For COVID-19

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The NHL could only escape for so long. Tonight the Ottawa Senators have announced that one of their players has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) and is in isolation. The player is experiencing mild symptoms.

According to Hailey Salvian and James Mirtle of The Athletic (subscription required), several Senators players are dealing with symptoms and awaiting test results. The report notes that the Senators team played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles just before the NHL shutdown, which had just hosted the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA, who have had four players test positive for COVID-19 in recent days.

The Senators announced that the team is now notifying anyone who has had close contact with the player in question—whose identity has not yet been revealed—and that the rest of the team has been asked to stay isolated.

This is the first NHL player to test positive for the disease.

If it was contracted in the Staples Center facilities, it shows just how important it was for both leagues to quickly suspend play. After the Senators played on March 11th, there was due another team—be it NHL or NBA—in one of the visiting locker rooms for each of the next 11 days. The Nets, Houston Rockets, Anaheim Ducks, New Orleans Pelicans, Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, Montreal Canadiens, Utah Jazz, Boston Bruins, Phoenix Suns, Vancouver Canucks and Arizona Coyotes were all on the schedule from March 12th through 22nd, not to mention the Los Angeles Kings, Clippers and Lakers who would all be sharing the playing surface.

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