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Archives for September 2020

Pittsburgh Penguins Extend Jared McCann

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have come to terms on a new contract with one of their pending restricted free agents. The team has announced that forward Jared McCann has signed a two-year extension with a $2.94MM AAV. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman adds that the contract carries a $2.5MM salary in year one and a $3.38MM salary in year two. McCann will be a restricted free agent again when the deal expires after the 2021-22 season.

McCann, 24, is coming off of a career year and appears to have finally found a long-term NHL home. A 2014 first-round pick, McCann was traded first by the Vancouver Canucks after his first pro season and then again by the Florida Panthers midway through his fourth pro season. While those teams felt McCann was falling short of high expectations, the Penguins have gotten the most out of him. Since arriving in Pittsburgh in February 2019, McCann has recorded 52 points in 98 games, including 35 points this season, a career-high in points per game. McCann also ranks sixth among Penguins skaters in points during that span. If he continues to improve offensively and scores at a top-six level for the club, McCann’s extension will prove to be a major bargain for the Penguins.

The challenge though is where to place McCann in the lineup. While he has the versatility to play both wing and center, the Penguins have been unhappy with his performance when slotted down the middle. McCann’s record at the face-off dot leaves much to be desired, as does his ability to drive offense down the middle of the ice. If McCann is not a fit as the Penguins’ third line center, that position remains a major hole in their lineup while McCann becomes yet another of the team’s numerous wingers. Pittsburgh is unlikely to have re-signed McCann if they also planned to move him, but this deal makes it even more likely that the team could look to move another winger in order to improve elsewhere.

With McCann signed, the Penguins have just over $6MM in cap space with their situation in net still to resolve – Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry are both unsigned RFA’s – and two other RFA forwards in Dominik Simon and Sam Lafferty in need of new deals. This doesn’t leave GM Jim Rutherford much room to explore the free agent market unless another trade is still on the way.

Sharks’ Joel Kellman Loaned To Kristianstads IK

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Joel Kellman finally made the jump to North America this season, but now he’s headed back to Sweden. Well, at least for the time being. The San Jose Sharks’ rookie forward has officially been loaned to Kristianstads IK of the Allsvenskan, the team reports, but he will return to San Jose when NHL training camp opens. Kristianstads is the farm team of the SHL’s Karlskrona HK, Kellman’s hometown team who he played parts of five seasons for earlier in his career.

Kellman, 26, just signed a two-year extension with the Sharks late last month after a promising first season. He played the majority of his games with the Sharks, recording seven points in 31 games, but when he did play for the AHL Barracuda produced 16 points in 25 games. A perennial 30+ point scorer in the SHL, Kellman does have room to improve, and at a $750K AAV the Sharks have every reason to give him the opportunity to do so.

Whether Kellman does in fact play for Kristianstads or instead plays up with Karlskrona, he should be well-prepared to battle for a regular role with San Jose next season. Playing in the Allsvenskan, Kellman would have a major leg up on his teammates and competition. In the SHL, Kellman would have the added advantage of tough competition and would also enjoy playing with top 2020 NHL Draft prospects Ridly Greig and Connor McClennon. Either way, the former Swedish standout will fit in well back home and will be ready to go for the Sharks when the new league year begins.

League Notes: NHL Awards, 2020-21, USHL

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While the NHL has already revealed several of their end-of-the-year awards prior to recent playoff games, they will save the remaining awards for one special presentation. The league has announced today that the five remaining awards –  the Hart, Lindsay, Vezina, Norris, and Calder – will be presented virtually in a 30-minute special at 5:30pm CT on Monday, September 21. Since the event is technically being hosted from inside the Edmonton bubble, the awards will also have an “Oilers twist” to them. Wayne Gretzky is set to present the Hart and Calder trophies, with Mark Messier announcing the Lindsay, Grant Fuhr announcing the Vezina, and Paul Coffey announcing the Norris. The winners will then be made available to the media via Zoom for interviews following the awards presentations.

  • As the Stanley Cup Final gets underway in the Edmonton bubble, it is remarkable to look back at hat the NHL has been able to accomplish this postseason in Edmonton and Toronto. However, they face a much more difficult task right around the corner with trying to implement the 2020-21. While the league has held firm on their desire to begin the new season before the end of the calendar year and to play a full 82-game schedule, doubts are starting to creep in about how this can be arranged as COVID-19 continues to be prevalent in North America. Even Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly recently stated that he does not know for sure when and how the league will return to regular season play, though he did that a start date prior to December 1 is more unlikely than not. Speaking with others around the league, The Athletic’s Scott Burnside gets a growing sense of skepticism across all corners of the NHL . While most believe the season will still occur in some form or fashion, his sources believe that a likely start date is not until January at the earliest, which could rule out an 82-game season. Some believe that the league could wait until it is safe for fans to attend games before returning to play, while others believe that early-season schedules could be geographically-influenced to play a more compact schedule and to reduce travel risks. Burnside notes that continued outbreaks of Coronavirus in U.S. cities and the closed border between the U.S. and Canada will make a typical season impossible until they are resolved. In other words, there is still a lot to figure out before teams can return to play for the regular season, so a delayed start beyond what had previously been anticipated is an ever-growing possibility.
  • Two USHL teams have now decided to scrap their seasons altogether in response to the continuing COVID pandemic. The league announced today that the Cedar Rapids Roughriders and Madison Capitols will suspend operations for the 2020-21 season. On top of troubles related to Coronavirus, the Roughriders sustained damage to their arena in a recent storm and are finding it impossible to be prepared for a new season, while the Capitols, who are owned by Minnesota Wild star Ryan Suter, are so overly restricted by local health regulations that they cannot operate this year. The league stated that a dispersal draft will be held to give the teams’ players a new home for the coming season. However, the rights of those players who wish to continue in the USHL beyond this season will revert back to their teams next year.

Washington Capitals Sign Daniel Sprong

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The Washington Capitals acquired Daniel Sprong at the deadline in an under-the-radar move, but have now decided to re-sign the former top prospect. Sprong has signed a two-year, one-way contract with the Capitals that will carry a $725K average annual salary. The 23-year-old forward was scheduled for restricted free agency and would have been arbitration-eligible but will now be under contract through the 2021-22 season.

For several years following his second-round selection in the 2015 draft, Sprong was seen as a future top-six star in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. He made the team out of training camp just a few months after being drafted and played 18 NHL games as an 18-year-old. After finally returning to the QMJHL, he scored 61 points in just 45 games before then being sent back to pro hockey and playing big minutes for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the 2016 Calder Cup playoffs. That was followed by another very successful (though limited) season with the Charlottetown Islanders before Sprong burst back onto the AHL scene with a 32-goal, 65-point season with the baby Penguins in 2017-18.

Expected to then take the next step for Pittsburgh and become a core part of their NHL team, things fizzled. Sprong would fail to score a goal in 16 games to start the 2018-19 campaign and found himself traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Marcus Pettersson. 14 goals down the stretch for the Ducks wasn’t enough to keep him off waivers the following training camp and when he cleared, it was obvious his NHL outlook was not as rosy as it once was.

This season, Sprong spent the majority of the year with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, scoring 27 points in 39 games. He was swapped for Christian Djoos at the deadline, and finished strong with the Hershey Bears before the season was canceled. Now in Washington, where the team will be looking for inexpensive options at the bottom of their NHL roster, Sprong has another great shot to get his career back on track.

Still just 23, it’s impossible to write him off completely at this point. Should Sprong get an opportunity with some of the more skilled attackers in the Capitals lineup there is a real chance he flourishes in this next chapter. Still, he’ll have to prove he can do more than just contribute at the offensive end of the rink to keep himself up at the NHL level.

Edmonton Oilers Loan Cooper Marody To Dornbirn Bulldogs

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The roster spots for NHL prospects overseas are getting a little more uncommon. Today the Edmonton Oilers announced that Cooper Marody has been loaned to the Dornbirn Bulldogs of the Austrian pro league. Marody is heading into the final year of his entry-level contract and will likely be recalled when NHL training camp gets underway.

Now 23, Marody signed with the Oilers in 2018 after dominating at the University of Michigan and exploded onto the professional scene in 2018-19. In 58 AHL contests with the Bakersfield Condors, the rookie put up 64 points and was rewarded with six NHL contests.

Unfortunately, after a concussion in the 2019 playoffs, Marody didn’t return the same dynamic offensive threat this season. In 30 games with Bakersfield, he scored just five goals and 17 points.

At this point, it’s no longer clear if Marody can be an impact player at the NHL level but he is certainly still planning on it. David Staples of the Edmonton Journal wrote a piece on the young forward back in July examining Marody’s future which included a quote:

I’m just so motivated more than ever to be a long time NHL player and prove myself.

For now, he’s an IceHL player that will need to continue his development overseas.

Minnesota Wild Will Not Re-Sign Mikko Koivu

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In an almost unprecedented move, the Minnesota Wild have publicly announced that they will not re-sign captain Mikko Koivu, a pending unrestricted free agent. His 15-year career with the team will end with a press release from GM Bill Guerin:

[Koivu’s] hard work, dedication and team-first mentality will be extremely difficult to replace in our lineup. Off the ice, Mikko’s impact in the State of Hockey was immeasurable as he went out of his way to make a positive impact on so many people in our community, including his charitable contributions to Children’s Minnesota.

We thank Mikko for everything he has done for our organization and wish him and his family the best in the future.

Koivu, 37, debuted with the Wild in 2005 and has played his entire 1,028-game NHL career with the organization, serving as captain the last eleven seasons. The sixth-overall pick from 2001 amassed 709 points during that time, reaching the postseason on nine different occasions.

In recent years, Koivu’s offensive production has deteriorated immensely, resulting in a career-low of just four goals and 21 points this season. While the 6’3″ center was still a capable defensive presence, it was obvious that his time in the Minnesota lineup was coming to an end.

This move continues what has been a busy offseason for Guerin as he desperately tries to reshape the Wild and get younger throughout the roster. Eric Staal was dealt earlier this week for a younger Marcus Johansson, while Nick Bjugstad was also brought in to compete for minutes down the middle. If the trade rumors surrounding Matt Dumba and Devan Dubnyk are to be believed, there are more changes coming for Minnesota in the coming weeks.

For Koivu, he now must decide whether or not to continue his career elsewhere and if so whether that elsewhere is in the NHL or overseas. Earlier this month Michael Russo of The Athletic profiled the forward, examining his near-endless Minnesota records and future options. That included a potential non-playing role with the organization, though it doesn’t seem like that is going to happen right away given today’s statement.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

New Jersey Loans Janne Kuokkanen To Karpat

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When Janne Kuokkanen arrives at New Jersey Devils training camp later this year looking to earn a full-time NHL role for the first time in his career, he will have the advantage of being in game shape. The Devils have announced that Kuokkanen has been loaned to Karpat of the Finnish Liiga for the time being and will be recalled from the loan when New Jersey opens training camp.

Kuokkanen, 22, has just a dozen NHL games under his belt to this point in his career, but did make his Devils debut in one game following the deadline deal that brought him to New Jersey in February and prior to league’s pause in March, which served as the end of the Devils’ season. Kuokkanen was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes alongside Fredrik Claesson and a conditional draft pick at the trade deadline in exchange for veteran defenseman Sami Vatanen. Kuokkanen, a second-round pick in 2016, was undoubtedly the prize of the return for the Devils, as the young forward has racked up points in the AHL over the past few years and appears ready to take the next step. Kuokkanen recorded 48 points in 56 games this year, including six in four with AHL Binghamton, and has totaled 126 points in 164 AHL games in his career. A player with two-way ability and positional versatility. Kukkanen should be a useful piece for New Jersey as he breaks into the NHL.

There is no better place for Kuokkanen to prepare for the 2020-21 season than with Karpat. The team plays in his hometown of Oulu and rosters several former and current NHLers. Karpat notably also owns a number of top 2020 and 2021 draft prospects, as well as some previously drafted prospects. Perhaps the Devils will turn to Kuokkanen for some advice ahead of the draft next month or as they evaluate trade offers this summer (Jesse Puljujarvi perhaps?). Regardless, Karpat is a great place for Kuokkanen to play, as he will have a major role to begin the Liiga season, which he hopes will give him a leg up when it comes to securing a meaningful role with New Jersey down the road as well.

Snapshots: Rochester, Dubnyk, Danault

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The Rochester Americans have added a new pair of assistant coaches, and Buffalo Sabres fans will certainly be familiar with them. Mike Weber and Adam Mair, who suited up for a combined 839 regular season games for the Sabres in their playing careers, will join Seth Appert’s staff in the AHL this season.

Mair is moving over from the development side with the Sabres where he has served for the past five years, while Weber is making the jump to pro coaching from the OHL. Appert, who will be coaching a pro team for the first time, has decades of experience at the collegiate level and with the USNTDP.

  • Devan Dubyk’s name has come up lately in the rumor mill, as the Minnesota Wild continue to reshape their roster heading into next season. Michael Russo of The Athletic touched on the goaltender in his latest piece, explaining that he has heard the Wild will not be buying out Dubnyk this offseason. That suggestion has surfaced because of the $4.33MM cap hit that the veteran goaltender carries this year despite losing the crease to Alex Stalock and posting a .890 save percentage in 2019-20. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet noted today that the Montreal Canadiens did consider Dubnyk before eventually trading for Jake Allen earlier this summer.
  • Speaking of the Canadiens, Friedman also wrote today that Phillip Danault’s name is “out there” generating interest, though there is still uncertainty about whether he’s actually available. The 27-year-old center is heading into his final year under contract before reaching unrestricted free agency for the first time. The Canadiens currently have only three NHL forwards signed past the 2020-21 season (Jonathan Drouin, Paul Byron and Nick Suzuki), meaning GM Marc Bergevin can pretty much do whatever he wants to shape this group for the years to come.

Philadelphia Flyers Sign Nicolas Aube-Kubel

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The Philadelphia Flyers have finished some offseason business early, reaching a contract with Nicolas Aube-Kubel before he hits restricted free agency. The new two-year deal will carry an average annual value of $1.075MM and run through the 2021-22 season.

Aube-Kubel, 24, made his presence felt in the NHL for the first time this season, scoring 15 points in 36 games with the Flyers. The 48th overall selection from 2014, he had played three full seasons in the minor leagues and had just nine NHL games and no NHL points to show for it before 2019-20 started. When he agreed to a one-year, two-way $700K contract last summer he seemed like he may be destined to be organizational filler instead of a real option for the Flyers lineup.

Now, after finding himself on the ice for 13 of the team’s 16 postseason games, it’s hard to imagine he won’t get a real shot at a full-time roster spot in 2020-21. With Nate Thompson, Derek Grant and Tyler Pitlick all scheduled for unrestricted free agency, there may be some more minutes to go around for players like Aube-Kubel.

With a $1.075MM contract, he becomes an inexpensive option that could technically still be completely buried in the minor leagues if the team needed. That cap number is precisely the amount that comes off the books when someone is stashed in the AHL, though Aube-Kubel would need to clear waivers in order to go to the minors in the first place. One other thing to worry about is Group VI UFA status after the deal expires, though he’ll need just 22 games over the length of the contract to avoid that designation.

The Flyers still have some work to do with their restricted free agents, including Nolan Patrick, Philippe Myers, and Robert Hagg.

Prospect Notes: Askarov, Hogberg, McPhee

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If anyone needed a reminder of just how good Yaroslav Askarov is, he provided it today. The top 2020 draft-eligible goaltender posted his first KHL shutout when he blanked Spartak by stopping all 33 shots he faced (including a penalty shot). Askarov only turned 18 a few months ago but is already turning heads at the highest level in Russia, raising expectations even further as he heads into the draft next month.

A consensus first-round pick, the young goaltender is signed through the 2021-22 season with SKA St. Petersburg but is a potential franchise starter for a team willing to take the chance on him in a few weeks. How high he climbs that board is unclear, though Spencer Knight’s selection at #13 last year may show that teams are now a little less hesitant to spend big on goaltending at the draft.

  • The Philadelphia Flyers have loaned Linus Hogberg to HC Vita Hasten of the Swedish second league, keeping him overseas once again. Drafted in 2016, Hogberg’s rights would have expired had he not signed an entry-level contract with the Flyers before June 1 of this year. He ended up inking his two-year deal on May 30, but will be staying in Sweden for the time being. The 22-year-old defenseman has played four full seasons in the SHL, scoring 14 points in 50 games in 2019-20.
  • Just a few days ago Graham McPhee signed a one-year AHL contract with the Bakersfield Condors, but now he’s suiting up for Vienna in the Austrian pro league. The son of Vegas Golden Knights executive George McPhee, the 22-year-old forward actually became an unrestricted free agent when the Edmonton Oilers decided not to sign him to an entry-level deal last month. After four years at Boston College, the fifth-round pick will have to work his way up the professional hockey ladder, starting in Europe for now.
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