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Archives for November 2020

Pavel Gogolev Signs In Sweden

November 17, 2020 at 4:32 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

In 2019-20, the OHL had six players that recorded at least 40 goals and 85 total points. Nick Robertson, the Toronto Maple Leafs top forward prospect, led the way with 55 goals in just 46 games. Jack Quinn, who was selected eighth overall this fall by the Buffalo Sabres came in second in the goal-scoring race, tallying 52. Connor McMichael, the Washington Capitals wunderkind, hit the twine 47 times, Arthur Kaliyev, a Los Angeles Kings second-round steal notched 44 and Nashville Predators prospect Philip Tomasino recorded exactly 40 goals in his 100-point breakout season.

The sixth and final member of the 40/85 club was Pavel Gogolev, who shares little else with the rest of the list. Gogolev, who turned 20 earlier this year, went undrafted in his first two years of draft eligibility, despite being the 79th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting in 2018. This is a player who, after coming to Canada as a young teenager, went eighth overall in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection. After experiencing some ups and downs throughout the first few years of his junior career, Gogolev was a force with the Guelph Storm this season, scoring 45 goals and 96 points in just 63 games, his powerful shot finding the back of the net from all over the offensive zone.

By the end of September, as pundits were finishing their draft boards for the upcoming event, Gogolev’s name surfaced again. It was his third year of draft eligibility, and this time it looked certain that someone would take a chance. Corey Pronman of The Athletic even ranked him 50th on his final list, though as it turns out, that was quite a bit too high.

In fact, Gogolev would go undrafted for the third time. It appeared as though he may return to the Storm for an overage year, but the 20-year-old forward has now signed in Sweden, according to Guelph Today. Gogolev will join Vasby IK in the second tier of Swedish professional hockey (Allsvenskan) and try to continue his development there. According to his Storm GM George Burnett, the young forward will continue to search for a pro contract in North America, but has signed for the rest of the Allsvenskan season.

Fringe prospects like Gogolev need to take every opportunity they can to get on the ice and put film together for scouts around the world. With the uncertainty still surrounding the OHL season, it makes sense for him to take a deal somewhere else. Though he’s off the North American radar for now, his name is still one to remember down the road.

OHL| Prospects

3 comments

Snapshots: 2021 Schedule, USNTDP, Podell

November 17, 2020 at 3:01 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

The NHL and NHLPA continue to work through plans for the upcoming season but as Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets today, if January 1 is still the target, things will have to be finalized before the end of November. Training camps will need to open partway through December—remember, the seven teams not included in this summer’s playoff format are expected to get an extra week of camp—meaning players will have to soon start returning from around the world to serve out any potential mandated quarantines.

LeBrun also reports that the focus is on a schedule that includes at least 60 regular season games, but would see the Stanley Cup awarded by July 15 at the latest. That would give the league enough time to reset the clock for 2021-22 when the Seattle Kraken are scheduled to come into play, hopefully under a regular NHL schedule. Obviously, there are huge hurdles still to work through, including the idea of pro-rating player salaries given the reduced schedule.

  • The challenging year for NHL scouts continues as Corey Pronman of The Athletic reports that teams will not be allowed to scout U.S. National Team Development Program home games in person for “some time.” That comes after news that a similar restriction has been placed on University of Michigan games through the end of the calendar year. While video scouting has come a long way, teams obviously still would rather have a person in the building seeing these prospects up close throughout the season.
  • The St. Louis Blues have hired Ryan Podell as their new Director of Performance, working on the strength and conditioning of the team’s players. Podell has a long and varied resume including time with the Philadelphia Flyers, Indianapolis Colts, and Portland Trail Blazers. He’ll have to navigate a very different world just like everyone else, working with the Blues athletes while still abiding by the league’s COVID-19 protocols.

NHLPA| Prospects| Schedule| Snapshots| St. Louis Blues

2 comments

Florida Panthers Hire Brett Peterson

November 17, 2020 at 1:30 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Florida Panthers have a new assistant general manager, hiring Brett Peterson away from his role as Vice President, Hockey for Wasserman Media Group, which acquired Acme World Sports earlier this summer. As the press release indicates, Peterson is believed to be the first Black assistant general manager in the NHL. Panthers GM Bill Zito, who founded Acme before he moved into hockey operations for the Columbus Blue Jackets, released this statement on the hire:

His substantive hockey experience as a player, significant developmental and evaluation skills, and business acumen as a negotiator combine to form an elite skill set that is very difficult to find in our sport. There are many who can excel in one of those disciplines, but few who excel in all three.

Peterson, 39, does not come only with experience on the agency side. A four-year defenseman for Boston College where he won a National Championship in 2001, he then played several years in the ECHL and AHL. A playing career ended in 2009, at which point he jumped to the other side of the table and became a certified player agent.

He’ll get his first chance in an NHL front office under Zito, but will continue his work to help make hockey more inclusive. The release indicates that Peterson will take an active role in the Panthers’ community-based programs. He joins Paul Krepelka who was hired as an AGM earlier this month and a front office that includes other experienced names like Paul Fenton and Tom Bark.

Florida Panthers

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Philip Tomasino Loaned To Team Canada

November 17, 2020 at 10:32 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Philip Tomasino feels he is ready to play in the NHL. But for now, he’ll be suiting up against 46 other top prospects at the Team Canada World Junior Championship selection camp. Tomasino has been loaned to Team Canada today, a move that will happen for many more prospects over the coming hours and days as the young players get ready for a month-long camp that will determine the tournament roster.

Tomasino, 19, was the 24th overall pick in 2019 and is coming off an incredible 100-point season in the OHL. Earlier this summer and before the 2020 draft, Scott Wheeler of The Athletic ranked Tomasino as the 20th-best drafted prospect in the entire league. Wheeler explained that the “result is likely a top of the lineup player and dynamic powerplay option who is equal parts scorer and playmaker.” Not bad for a late-first, but exactly what the Predators need as they look to find a real star to build their forward group around.

That said, even with his excellent season and strong development, Tomasino is not a lock to make the Canadian roster. The forward group that has been invited to camp is incredible, with names like Kirby Dach, Dylan Cozens, Quinton Byfield, and Connor McMichael all expected to take huge roles on the team. This will be Tomasino’s final chance to make the team and a great place for him to show he’s ready for the next step, but he’ll have to battle with some very talented prospects for the limited available spots.

Loan| Nashville Predators| OHL| Prospects| Team Canada

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Agent Notes: Survey, Peterson, Clarke

November 16, 2020 at 7:41 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 8 Comments

While general managers and other NHL executives are usually seen as the ones with the most insight on the free agent and trade markets and player values, on the other side of the table agents also have their fingers on the pulse of the game. The Athletic’s Craig Custance recently asked 21 of the top NHL player agents to answer some questions on recent results, the current off-season, and what to expect in the future. Among the most noteworthy responses were their thoughts on how teams have performed in the fall markets. A major rivalry may be renewed, as the highest vote-getter for best off-season was the Montreal Canadiens, while the Boston Bruins received the most votes for incomplete off-season. While agents liked how Montreal has added up front, they have concerns about Boston’s defense in the wake of Torey Krug’s departure. As for projecting upcoming moves, some may be surprised to hear that the top vote-getter for “highest profile player you expect to change teams in the next year” was Buffalo Sabres superstar Jack Eichel (tied with Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine), as many felt that Eichel and new addition Taylor Hall will not be enough to right the ship in Buffalo and one or both will be gone next summer. As for the coming season, two-thirds of those polled believed the 2020-21 season will exceed Custance’s over/under of 55.5 games in length. The vast majority also feel that NBC will retain exclusive television rights in the league’s new contract, but many feel ESPN will be a factor and could at the very least force a split. For more on the opinions of the NHL’s top agents, check out the rest of The Athletic’s survey results.

  • One high-profile agent could soon be changing his allegiance from the player side to the team side. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that Brett Peterson of Acme World Sports is in talks to join former colleague Bill Zito with the Florida Panthers. Zito, recently named GM himself, already added one fellow former player agent in Paul Krepelka as an assistant GM but could fill the other AGM vacancy with Peterson. The Boston College grad has over a decade in the business, having joined Acme back in 2009.
  • The agent for top 2021 prospect Brandt Clarke is reportedly trying to get creative. Clarke, a real candidate to go first overall in next year’s NHL Draft, is currently without a place to play as he waits for the OHL to kick off in February. Wanting as much exposure this year as possible, Swedish source Expressen writes that Clarke is considering a move to Vasby IK of the minor league Allsvenskan for the time being until he can return to the Barrie Colts. The elite two-way right-handed defenseman would step into an immediate top role with Vasby, even as he makes his pro debut, as the club is dead last in the Allsvenskan and desperate for help. In what could prove to be a savvy move by his agent, if Clarke can help turn the struggling Vasby club around, it could provide the boost to his draft stock that lands him at No. 1.

Boston Bruins| Buffalo Sabres| Florida Panthers| Montreal Canadiens| OHL Jack Eichel| Patrik Laine

8 comments

Snapshots: Reverse Retro, Holtby, Tomasino

November 16, 2020 at 4:30 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 10 Comments

The NHL may have lost a lot of revenue when they were forced to hold the playoffs in empty buildings, but they’re about to make a heck of a lot in merchandise sales. The league and Adidas revealed their designs for the Reverse Retro jerseys today to plenty of excitement (and disgust) from fans all over the world. Early favorites online seem to be the Colorado Avalanche’s Nordiques-based throwback, a return to green for the New Jersey Devils, and an homage to the North Stars by the Minnesota Wild.

Feelings seem a bit more mixed on the return of Wildwing for the Anaheim Ducks and for many of the other throwback uniforms. A healthy debate is surely what the league was hoping for with the new threads as they try to recoup some financial losses.

  • Who will be in net for the Vancouver Canucks when they first slip on their new alternate jersey? Speculation on who will be Vancouver’s starter this season continues after the team signed Braden Holtby in the offseason. Satiar Shah of Sportsnet believes that it will be Holtby over Thatcher Demko to start the year at least, given the team invested $8.6MM over two seasons in the veteran netminder. It is important to remember though that the Canucks back-loaded Holtby’s contract heavily, meaning he’ll make only $2.9MM in 2020-21. With the Seattle Kraken looming and their expansion draft scheduled for next summer, Holtby could end up only playing a single year in Vancouver. Whether he’s the starter on opening day remains to be seen, but Demko will certainly be battling for the spot after posting an .985 save percentage in four playoff appearances.
  • Philip Tomasino doesn’t want to just play for Team Canada at the upcoming World Juniors and then return to junior, he wants to play for the Nashville Predators this season. The 19-year-old forward spoke with Adam Vingan of The Athletic recently and stated quite clearly that he feels he is ready to take that next step to play professionally at the highest level. Tomasino, the 24th-overall pick in 2019, scored 100 points in just 62 games this season in the OHL and is off to the WJC selection camp for the next month where he’ll battle a loaded forward group for a final roster spot.

Nashville Predators| OHL| Snapshots| Vancouver Canucks Braden Holtby| Thatcher Demko

10 comments

Poll: Who Are The Best Centers In The NHL?

November 16, 2020 at 3:11 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 13 Comments

Earlier this month the NHL Network began its reveal of the top players at every position, starting with the best defensemen in the league. In their estimation, Victor Hedman was the top name this year, something our readership predicted in 2019 when they disagreed with the network’s choice. The network then moved on to wingers, listing Artemi Panarin as the very best after his third-place Hart Trophy finish.

Just like defensemen, we asked our readers to select the best wingers in the NHL and you came up with a slightly different order. Panarin is safely near the top, but he hasn’t quite managed to leapfrog a recent Stanley Cup winner. Our PHR community-voted Top 20 Wingers list currently looks like this:

  1. Nikita Kucherov (693 votes)
  2. Alex Ovechkin (641 votes)
  3. David Pastrnak (573 votes)
  4. Artemi Panarin (561 votes)
  5. Patrick Kane (542 votes)
  6. Brad Marchand (473 votes)
  7. Mikko Rantanen (347 votes)
  8. Mitch Marner (337 votes)
  9. Taylor Hall (325 votes)
  10. Patrik Laine (312 votes)
  11. Mark Stone (304 votes)
  12. Matthew Tkachuk (298 votes)
  13. Gabriel Landeskog (295 votes)
  14. Vladimir Tarasenko (287 votes)
  15. Andrei Svechnikov (255 votes)
  16. Blake Wheeler (229 votes)
  17. Jonathan Huberdeau (225 votes)
  18. Johnny Gaudreau (223 votes)
  19. Claude Giroux (205 votes)
  20. Filip Forsberg (167 votes)

Over the weekend, the network released its ranking of the best centers in the league, which also happens to usually include the debate of who is the best overall player. Centers can impact the game much more than those who line up on the wing and have been the faces of the NHL for decades (rightly or wrongly).

This year is no different, with Connor McDavid leading the way once again. Though he failed to reach the 100-point mark for the first time since his rookie season and watched a teammate take home the Art Ross, Ted Lindsay and Hart, McDavid is still overwhelmingly considered the most dangerous offensive player in the NHL. His blinding speed and brilliant puck skills are something to behold and have turned Edmonton Oilers games into must-watch events since he debuted in 2015-16.

But, perhaps, McDavid has a rival. No, not his teammate Leon Draisaitl who received all of the hardware this season, but Nathan MacKinnon, who seems to be coming up more and more in discussions of who the best player in the NHL is. MacKinnon comes in second on the network’s list, edging out Draisaitl and Sidney Crosby, who is still relevant as ever after recording his 15th straight point-per-game season.

The rest of the list is like reading the All-Star rosters, but perhaps some special attention should be paid to Brayden Point, who continues his climb every year. Point now sits at ninth, but don’t be surprised if he climbs even further up the list in years to come. He’ll have to settle for the bigger trophy his playoff-leading 14 goals helped earn the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Just like the other polls, we want the PHR community to let us know who the best centers in the world are. Unlike the last poll, however, we’ll ask you to select 10 names because of the smaller pool of talent. Make sure to leave a comment below on who you think deserves to be recognized or your thoughts on how the winger poll ended. We’ve included many names that could be considered, but if you think we’ve missed someone important (which we undoubtedly have) make sure to leave his name below.

[Mobile users click here to vote]

There will always be some crossover with wingers and centers, but we’ve done our best to match what the NHL Network seems to have used. For instance, Leon Draisaitl, though appearing in the winger list last year, is now be listed in the center vote.

Polls Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

13 comments

Landon Ferraro Signs In Germany

November 16, 2020 at 1:41 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

The European adventure will continue for Landon Ferraro, who has signed a short-term deal with Frankfurt of the German second league. The contract only covers the next two months as the team deals with an injury to Stephen MacAuley, one of their most important offensive players. Ferraro spent last season in the DEL with Berlin as he tried to get his career back on track.

Now 29, the Detroit Red Wings second-round pick has had a long and winding professional career. He has played in 84 career NHL games, including two in the 2017-18 season for the Minnesota Wild. He was with Minnesota’s AHL affiliate in 2018 when he needed multiple surgeries and ended up playing just 12 games during the 2018-19 season. A professional tryout with the Vancouver Canucks didn’t result in a contract last year, meaning it was off to Europe for a new chapter.

Despite his NHL career not quite living up to expectations, there are few in the game who would speak an ill word about the forward. Ferraro was named the Iowa Wild’s Man of the Year for the 2018-19 season even despite his few games played and he ended up taking home the AHL’s Yanick Dupre Memorial Award that year for community involvement.

After scoring just 21 points in 40 games last season for Berlin, it seems unlikely that Ferraro will ever return as an impact player in the NHL. That doesn’t, however, mean you won’t see his name pop up at some point on an AHL roster. This two-month contract would leave him enough time to jump into AHL training camp if the league does move forward with their plans for a February start.

AHL Landon Ferraro

2 comments

Buffalo Sabres Sign Jack Quinn

November 16, 2020 at 11:04 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 4 Comments

Welcome to Buffalo, Jack. The Sabres have signed their top draft pick, inking Jack Quinn to a three-year entry-level contract. Quinn was selected eighth overall in last month’s draft and plays for the Ottawa 67’s of the OHL. Today, he’s headed to the World Junior selection camp for Team Canada where he’ll compete over the next month against the country’s top players. Sabres GM Kevyn Adams released a statement on the pick:

…You see the ability for him to keep getting better. His athleticism is high. Just a lot of the metrics that we look at when we’re scouting, he met and some. This was just a player that, the more work we did, the more excited we got.

Quinn, 19, was one of the best goal-scorers in the draft this year after lighting the lamp 52 times in 2018-19. That put him second in the entire OHL behind only Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson, who had 55. There were some questions about how much was because of Quinn’s development jump and how much was due to playing beside the league’s top-scorer, Marco Rossi, but those concerns obviously didn’t slow down Buffalo. Quinn was actually taken just ahead of the 5’9″ Rossi, who Minnesota snapped up at ninth overall.

Of course when you think of the way the Sabres are built, it makes a lot of sense to bring in an elite right winger that is expected to play in the top-six relatively quickly. The team doesn’t have a ton of talent on that side behind Sam Reinhart, even if Dylan Cozens starts his career on the wall before eventually moving to the middle of the ice. Quinn shouldn’t have a ton of resistance if he continues to score at the rate he showed last season.

Even though he dominated OHL competition, it will be a fight for Quinn at the upcoming selection camp. The Canadian roster is absolutely loaded with forward talent this year, meaning there will be some surprising cuts before the tournament gets underway.

Buffalo Sabres| OHL

4 comments

Eetu Tuulola Loaned To Vasterviks IK

November 16, 2020 at 10:05 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

November 16: After playing in 11 games with Vasterviks, the player Tuulola had replaced returned from injury, pushing him off the roster. The Flames have found him a new team, loaning the young forward to SaiPa in Finland’s top league until training camps begin in North America. Tuulola had four points in 11 games during his time in Sweden and will try to keep that production going with his new club.

September 22: The Calgary Flames have loaned another prospect overseas, this time sending Eetu Tuulola to Vasterviks IK in the Swedish second league. Tuulola just finished his first season in North American pro hockey, scoring 23 points in 50 games for the Stockton Heat. He’ll be eligible to return to the Flames when NHL training camp opens.

Tuulola, 22, is an interesting prospect after rising from a sixth-round draft selection in 2016. His offensive game has drastically improved since then while maintaining the same work ethic and drive that put him on Calgary’s radar in the first place. Interestingly he already has plenty of experience playing at a high level in Europe, though he won’t be returning to Finland’s Liiga where he spent parts of three seasons before coming to the Heat. Instead he’s headed to the Swedish Allsvenskan where he will try to continue to hone those offensive instincts and polish his overall game.

His older brother, Joni Tuulola a Chicago Blackhawks draft pick, also returned to Europe earlier this month when he signed a new deal in Finland. Luckily for the Flames, their Tuulola has two years remaining on his entry-level deal and will have to come back if they want him to compete for an NHL spot.

Calgary Flames| Loan

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