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San Jose Sharks Win 2024 NHL Draft Lottery

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The 2024 NHL Draft Lottery has finally rolled around, giving solace to the 16 teams that missed out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks lead the odds race, with the Sharks boasting a hardy 18.5 percent chance of winning the first-overall pick. The list of runner-ups is rounded out by fringe playoff contenders in the St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings, who share 0.5 percent odds at the top slot.

The 2024 NHL Draft is certainly one to be excited for. It features strong talent throughout the first round, including hotly-debated talents like Finnish standout pro Konsta Helenius and Russian big man Anton Silayev. It’s a contentious draft that kicks off a string of strong classes, with James Hagens and Gavin McKenna headlining the next two drafts.

This year’s deciding order is as follows:

1. San Jose Sharks
2. Chicago Blackhawks
3. Anaheim Ducks
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Utah Hockey Club
7. Ottawa Senators
8. Seattle Kraken
9. Calgary Flames
10. New Jersey Devils
11. Buffalo Sabres
12. Philadelphia Flyers
13. Minnesota Wild
14. San Jose Sharks (via Pittsburgh Penguins)
15. Detroit Red Wings
16. St. Louis Blues

The Sharks have officially won the race for superstar prospect Macklin Celebrini – the consensus top prospect in the 2024 NHL Draft. Celebrini recently became the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker Award as college’s MVP, adding to a trophy case that’s incredibly full for his age. He’s a dynamic and incredibly intelligent centerman capable of finding and making plays in all three zones.

Meanwhile, the Blackhawks, Ducks, and Blue Jackets will be left to sift through a rich list of top defense prospects, including Artyom Levshunov, Sam Dickinson, Zeev Buium, and Zayne Parekh. Forwards like Cole Eiserman or Cayden Lindstrom could fight their way into the top spots as well, giving teams plenty of options with their lottery winnings.

Coaching Notes: Devils, Blues, Kings

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The New Jersey Devils plan to solidify a new head coach within the next 7-to-10 days, per The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun (Twitter link). New Jersey just lost interim head coach Travis Green to a four-year contract with the Ottawa Senators, leaving their commanding spot vacant for the first time since firing Lindy Ruff in March. Green led the Devils to a 38-39-5 record, in his two months behind the helm, performing well enough to earn his first full-time head coaching role since leaving the Vancouver Canucks in the 2021-22 season. Ruff has also found a new home, returning to the Buffalo Sabres, where he’s already spent 10 years as a player and 16 years as a coach.

The coaching carousel has circled around the Devils and it’s now their chance to name a new boss. Jay Woodcroft and Craig Berube are seemingly leading the way, shares Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on The Jeff Marek Show. Friedman added that many around the league view New Jersey as the job with the highest ceiling. That’s certainly no surprise, as their next head coach will assume a roster with stars Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, and Dougie Hamilton. And New Jersey is only getting better, with rookie defenders Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec earning full-time roles last season and the Devils recently signing top defense prospect Seamus Casey. New Jersey had a shockingly poor season, missing the playoffs by 10 points after bearing with injuries, a lack of chemistry, and poor goaltending all year. There is star power throughout their lineup, but with very little cap space this summer the Devils will need to hope that a new head coach will be enough to bring out their full potential.

Other notes from the coaching circuit:

  • The St. Louis Blues will be retaining the entire staff behind head coach Drew Bannister, shares The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford (Twitter link). The Blues removed Bannister’s interim title earlier today, with Rutherford adding that the hiring process also featured interviews with the team’s advisors Peter Chiarelli, Alexander Steen, and Scott Mellanby. Bannister made it through each stage, and will now return to a team that he led to a 30-19-5 record last season. Bannister brought the best out of some of St. Louis’ youngest players, and manned a red-hot goaltending duo of Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer. While Bannister’s staff won’t lose any faces, the Blues haven’t ruled out the possibility of adding more coaching supports, as they look to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
  • The Los Angeles Kings are taking their time with their own coaching search, and plan to interview interim head coach Jim Hiller next week, shares LeBrun (Twitter link). LeBrun adds that the Kings liked what they saw out of Hiller but aren’t committed to him just yet. Hiller led the Kings to a 21-12-1 record after taking over for Todd McLellan on February 10th. It was the first head coaching opportunity of Hiller’s career, after 10 years of serving as an assistant coach across the NHL. He previously spent eight years as a head coach in the WHL, making the playoffs seven times.

Five Key Stories: 4/29/24 – 5/5/24

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While the action was busy on the ice as the first round comes to an end (after the second round began), there was a lot of news away from the rink – particularly on the coaching front – which gets the focus in our key stories.

Michkov Arriving Earlier Than Expected? One of the reasons that Matvei Michkov slipped to seventh overall last June was the fact that he had three years left on his deal in the KHL and with no transfer agreement in place, he couldn’t be bought out of that contract with an NHL pact.  However, with still two years remaining, the chairman of Michkov’s KHL team (SKA St. Petersburg) stated that thanks to the good relationship they have with Philadelphia’s front office, they’ll consider letting Michkov out of his contract early, permitting him to come to North America earlier than expected.  They’ll decide on his fate for next season by the end of June.  Michkov spent most of this season on loan again to HK Sochi and finished second on the team in scoring with 41 points in 47 games.

Brind’Amour Extension Talks: While the Hurricanes were off for most of the week, there was certainly some intrigue off the ice.  A report surfaced that extension talks between the team and head coach Rod Brind’Amour had soured with their offer being pulled.  Then, the next day, it was reported that talks had resumed and that there was optimism that discussions would eventually get a deal across the finish line.  Brind’Amour has been behind the bench in Carolina for the past six seasons with the team playing to a .664 points percentage during the regular season while reaching the playoffs each time.  If a deal doesn’t get reached, it’s safe to say that he’ll be highly sought after on the open market.

Seattle Makes A Change: After the Kraken reached the second round last season, expectations were high heading into the franchise’s third year.  However, they dropped 19 points in the standings, missing the playoffs in the process.  As a result, they’ve elected to make a coaching change, firing head coach Dave Hakstol along with assistant Paul McFarland.  Hakstol had signed a two-year extension back in July but now has been dismissed before that new deal even kicked in with GM Ron Francis saying that the move was needed to help the team continue to improve and evolve.  Seattle played to a 107-112-27 record over Hakstol’s three seasons, a respectable record for an expansion franchise that will now join the Blues, Devils, Kings, Senators, and Sharks as teams looking for coaches or needing to make decisions on their interim bench bosses.

Cooper Reportedly Extended: After the Lightning were eliminated in the first round for the second straight year, some wondered if they could make a coaching change.  However, that won’t be the case with GM Julien BriseBois indicating it wasn’t time to think about extending Cooper since he was signed beyond next season, meaning he had already been extended.  Subsequent reporting indicated that Cooper received a one-year extension.  Cooper is the longest-tenured coach in the NHL having been behind Tampa Bay’s bench for parts of 12 seasons with his teams posting a 525-279-25 record during the regular season along with two Stanley Cup titles and two more Final appearances.  Even with the recent step back in the standings, this will be Cooper’s team for a little while longer at least.

Tampa To Work On Extensions: Despite the early exit, Tampa Bay won’t be looking to shake up its core as BriseBois stated that they’ve started preliminary talks about an extension for pending UFA forward Steven Stamkos and defenseman Victor Hedman, who is eligible to sign a new deal starting in July.  Stamkos, their captain, has made it known he wants to stay and was disappointed that talks didn’t start last summer.  Coming off his sixth career 40-goal season, he has a case to earn a raise on his $8.5MM AAV although the Lightning may not be able to afford that.  Hedman, meanwhile, has been a key cog on the back end for the last 15 years and is coming off an impressive season, one that saw him post 76 points, the second-best total of his career.  He also has a strong case for a raise on his current $7.875MM AAV.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Panthers Recall Seven Players Ahead Of Round Two

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The Florida Panthers have built out their list of black aces, recalling seven players ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs’ second round. The full list of call-ups includes forwards Mackie Samoskevich, William Lockwood, Justin Sourdif, and Rasmus Asplund; defenders Matt Kiersted and Mike Benning; and goaltender Magnus Hellberg, per Colby Guy (Twitter link). The group will join Spencer Knight, who was recalled on Thursday, and defenders Uvis Balinskis, Josh Mahura, and Tobias Bjornfot as Florida’s extra players.

This roster move gives Florida a chance to flex just how deep their roster goes, with each of Samoskevich, Lockwood, and Sourdif slotting into Florida’s lineup at some point this season, and six of the seven recalls boasting NHL experience. While none of the sextet has managed much NHL scoring, their experience could prove invaluable down the stretch. Samoskevich and Asplund provide a burst of speed and technical skill, while Sourdif and Lockwood should bring grit and physicality that’s always much-needed in the postseason. Meanwhile, both Kiersted and Benning offer a rangy, off-puck defense, with Benning adding strong puck-moving skills. Both defenders will slot behind the stockier Balinskis but should provide a stout, bottom-pair impact if called upon.

Florida is in a rare spot for a playoff team, only facing one injury and one illness to forwards Sam Bennett and Ryan Lomberg respectively. Head coach Paul Maurice shared that Bennett should return to the lineup at some point during the second round, though he remains ruled out for Game 1. Steven Lorentz has stepped up in Bennett’s absence, recording two points in four postseason games. Florida could turn towards Asplund for a depth centerman role if they’re looking for a spark, though it doesn’t seem any lineup changes are incoming after the Panthers’ emphatic Round 1 win.

Team Finland Announces Final 2024 World Championship Roster

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Team Finland has finalized their roster for the 2024 IIHF World Championship, with the additions of Jesse Puljujarvi and Valtteri Puustinen bringing the lineup to a full 23 skaters and three goalies. The lineup isn’t too deep with NHL talent, though it does feature top 2024 NHL Draft prospect Konsta Helenius, who joined the Men’s squad after posting seven points, all assists, in five games at the World U18 Championship. Helenius will have a chance to learn from San Jose Sharks centerman Mikael Granlund – who plays a similar pass-first, high-tempo style. Finland will hope the duo can click, with the support of NHL wingers, as they chase their third gold medal over the last five World Championships.

The full roster is as follows:

F Hannes Björninen (Örebro, SHL)
F Mikael Granlund (Sharks, NHL)
F Konsta Helenius (Jukurit, Liiga)
F Arttu Hyry (Kärpät, Liiga)
F Jere Innala (Frölunda, SHL)
F Juha Jääskä (HIFK, Liiga)
F Pekka Jormakka (Jukurit, Liiga)
F Oliver Kapanen (KalPa, Liiga, Canadiens)
F Saku Mäenalanen (SCL, National League)
F Ahti Oksanen (Oskarshamn, SHL)
F Iiro Pakarinen (HIFK, Liiga)
F Patrik Puistola (Jukurit, Liiga)
F Jesse Puljujarvi (Penguins, NHL)
F Valtteri Puustinen (Penguins, NHL)

D Oliwer Kaski (HV71, SHL)
D Mikko Lehtonen (ZSC, National League)
D Olli Määttä (Red Wings, NHL)
D Jesper Mattila (KalPa, Liiga)
D Juuso Riikola (SCL, National League)
D Rasmus Rissanen (Örebro, SHL)
D Vili Saarijärvi (SCL, National League)
D Veli-Matti Vittasmäki (Tappara, Liiga)

G Emil Larmi (Växjö, SHL)
G Lassi Lehtinen (MoDo, SHL)
G Harri Säteri (Biel, National League)

The World Championship is set to kick off in Ostrava and Prague, Czechia beginning on May 10. Finland will once again be commanded by head coach Jukka Jalonen set to coach in his 10th World Championship. Jalonen has also manned the Finnish bench at the World Juniors and served as a coach in the KHL and Liiga. He now works with Finland’s Men’s team full-time, building out this year’s roster with general manager Jere Lehtinen. Lehtinen, an 875-game veteran of the NHL and former Stanley Cup winner, has served as the GM for Finland’s men’s team for the last nine seasons.

NHL Announces 2024 Selke Trophy Finalists

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The NHL has announced the finalists for the 2024 Selke Trophy, awarded annually to the forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. Boston Bruins legend Patrice Bergeron took home the trophy last season, marking his sixth time winning the award.

This year’s Selke Trophy finalists are Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov, and Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Staal.

Barkov is the only former winner of the group, having taken home the Selke in 2021 after not missing a beat during the shortened COVID-19 season. Barkov’s 200-foot impact has been clear throughout his career, with his style rooted in an elite ability to play with more speed, strength, and skill than any of his opponents. Barkov posted a 71.95 Corsi-For per-60 (CF/60) and a 1.99 expected-goals-against per-60 (xGA/60) while cruising to 23 goals and 80 points this season.

While Barkov may be the favorite, Matthews’ nomination may be the most impressive. He had a historic season on the opposite side of the puck, becoming the first player to reach 69 goals since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96. Matthews led all Maple Leafs in scoring with a career-high 107 points in 81 games. But his effort didn’t stop in his own zone, with Matthews still showing a sixth sense for how to get in the way of opponents and steal away possession. While he posted the fewest hits and worst CF/60 and xGA/60 of the bunch, Matthews did record 85 takeaways on the season – more than Staal and Barkov combined, per Evolving Hockey. His ability to consistently make things happen in all three zones could be enough to earn him the edge over the rest.

Staal is the only nominee who didn’t play on his team’s top line this season – instead comfortably manning Carolina’s middle six, averaging 15:23 in ice time through 80 appearances. He proved incredibly stout in the role, serving as the safety net behind flashy wingers Teuvo Teravainen and Seth Jarvis. Staal posted the best statline of the three nominees, with a 76.67 CF/60 and 1.90 xGA/60 – showing just how well he controlled possession and limited opponents’ scoring chances. This nomination marks just the second time in Staal’s 18 year career that he’s been a Selke finalist – despite receiving votes for the award in 15 seasons. His last time as a finalist led to a third-place finish in the 2009-10 season.

The award will be announced at the NHL Awards this summer. That event is still pending a time and location.

Snapshots: Smith, Schenn, Second Round, DiPietro

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Forward Cole Smith was held out of Friday night’s Game 6 lineup due to a lower-body injury, per the team (Twitter link). Smith was replaced by Juuso Parssinen making his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut. Parssinen took on a larger role than Smith’s received, stepping into the team’s second line and bumping Mark Jankowski down the lineup. Only three Predators forwards, including Smith, have failed to record at least one point through their first five playoff games. Parssinen will need to quickly join that list, with Nashville down 3-2 in the series.

The Predators also welcomed Luke Schenn back to the lineup, after he missed Game 5 with illness, shares The Athletic’s Thomas Drance (Twitter link). Schenn’s absence made way for Tyson Barrie to return to the lineup. Barrie brought speed and tempo to the lineup, even recording an assist in Nashville’s eventual 2-1 win. But with elimination so close, the Predators opted for the more physical and defensive presence of Schenn.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The NHL has announced the start times for the Second Round’s Eastern Conference matchups. The round will begin with Game 1 between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers on Sunday, while the Florida Panthers will take on the winner of Toronto versus Boston on Monday. Start times for each of these games haven’t yet been announced. This schedule marks a quick turnaround for Boston or Toronto, while each of Carolina, New York, and Florida will have at least five days off.
  • The Boston Bruins have returned goaltender Michael DiPietro to the minor leagues, per NHL.com’s Mark Divver (Twitter link). DiPietro has served as Boston’s emergency third-string goalie for a handful of playoff games, though he’s yet to play his first game as a Boston Bruin. He instead spent all season with the AHL’s Providence Bruins, where he recorded 18 wins and a .918 save percentage in 30 appearances. He’ll now return to a prime role for Providence, as they prepare to take on one of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Charlotte, or Hartford in the Atlantic Division’s Semifinals.

Jets Sign Thomas Milic To Entry-Level Contract

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The Winnipeg Jets have signed goaltender Thomas Milic to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will carry an AAV of $841.7K beginning next season. Winnipeg drafted Milic in the fifth round of the 2023 NHL Draft and signed him to a minor-league contract in October.

Milic has since played out his first professional season, starting the year in the ECHL but climbing into the AHL starting role by February. He totaled 19 wins and a .900 save percentage in 33 AHL games this year, leading the Manitoba Moose in all three stats. Milic also represented Team Canada in December’s Spengler Cup, allowing two goals on 18 shots in his only appearance. It was his fourth time representing Canada internationally, having previously played in the World U17 Hockey Challenge, the World U18 Championships, and the World Juniors.

The climb to AHL starter has to feel rewarding for Milic, who went undrafted twice before Winnipeg selected him in his final year of eligibility. He posted strong numbers throughout parts of four seasons in the WHL, totaling 60 wins and a .917 save percentage in 91 games in juniors – but the 2023 World Juniors earned Milic his acclaim. Still draft-eligible, he won all five of his starts and posted a .932 save percentage en route to Canada’s gold medal win. He’s carried the momentum from a strong juniors career into the pros, now being rewarded with his first NHL contract.

Milic will get another chance to compete for the AHL starting role next season, going up against Oskari Salminen and Domenic Divincentiis, the only other minor-league goalies Winnipeg has under contract. Winnipeg will also need to negotiate a new deal with NHL backup Laurent Brossoit, who made up one-half of the team’s William M. Jenning Trophy win this season.

Snapshots: Larsson, Yurov, Oshie

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Swedish goaltender Filip Larsson has announced he is leaving the SHL’s Leksands IF to pursue an NHL contract, as reported by the team (Twitter link). Larsson just wrapped up his first full season in the SHL, posting an admirable 19 wins and .920 save percentage through 28 regular season games. It was tied for the highest save percentage in the SHL among goalies with 20 or more starts, alongside veteran Lars Johansson, who posted a .920 in 40 games.

Larsson, 25, was formerly a Detroit Red Wings draft pick, hearing his name called in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Draft. He came over to America in the subsequent season, playing one year with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm before moving to the University of Denver for a year. He posted strong stats through both juniors and college, posting a .941 and .932 save percentage in the respective seasons. However, his strong performances fell flat when Larsson turned pro in the 2019-20 season. He spent the bulk of the year as a backup searching through starts in the AHL and ECHL – ultimately posting a .843 in seven AHL games and a .910 in 10 ECHL games.

Larsson moved back to Sweden for the 2020-21 COVID season and has since climbed the ranks through Sweden’s second-tier league, the HockeyAllsvenskan. He recorded 30 wins and a .918 save percentage across three seasons and 60 games in the league. Those appearances, and one spot start in the SHL, were all Larsson had to go on when he took on Leksands’ starting role this year. And he still performed well, even adding a .929 save percentage through five postseason appearances. Rather than settle down too much, Larsson is now trying to seize that momentum and make a return to North American pros. While his track in North America could’ve been better, Larsson has shown exactly what he’s capable of with dominant years throughout Swedish hockey. He’ll undoubtedly be a free agent to follow, with so many NHL teams vying for new and impactful goaltending.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Top Minnesota Wild prospect Danila Yurov is reportedly set to sign a one-year extension in the KHL as soon as tomorrow, per Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). This news comes after Yurov completed his championship run with Magnitogorsk Metallurg. He led the team in regular season scoring, with 21 goals and 49 points in 62 games, and added nine points in 23 playoff games. Minnesota drafted Yurov as the 24th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, and they will now have to wait one more year to bring him to North America.
  • It was revealed after their Game 4 loss that Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie played through the elimination game with a broken hand, shares The Hockey News’ Sammi Silber (Twitter link). It was linemate Dylan Strome who revealed Oshie’s injury while praising him for being such a great teammate. Strome added that fans don’t know the full extent of things Oshie has to do to prepare for a game, which certainly makes sense after the veteran forward suffered a seemingly endless string of injuries this year. He was limited to just 52 games this season, scoring 12 goals and 25 points. He has one year left on his deal, but after reaching 1,000 games and battling through injuries, there’s a chance the 37-year-old Oshie could bring his career to a close. On that idea, Strome says, “If it is his last game, he’s a hell of a warrior, hell of a guy. Everything you can ask for in a teammate.”

Avalanche Recall Chris Wagner

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The Colorado Avalanche have recalled veteran forward Chris Wagner back to the NHL roster. He’ll provide added depth as the team addresses Joel Kiviranta’s lower-body injury, which has the winger out day-to-day. The Avalanche originally filled the spot with Russian prospect Nikolai Kovalenko, who made his NHL debut in Game 4. Kovalenko moved to America following the end of the KHL season and posted four points through six AHL games before being recalled ahead of yesterday’s game. He received just seven minutes of ice time in his debut, with four hits marking the only change to his stat line.

Kovalenko is an exciting young prospect who could provide a spark should the Avalanche need it. But their 5-1 win in Game 4 made it clear that the lineup’s top-end can handle the scoring and that the bottom six should instead focus on defense and physicality. That’s exactly what the Avalanche will get in Wagner, who’s served as a depth checking-forward able to make spot starts in the NHL for much of the last decade. Wagner only has 65 points in 373 career games, but he’s proven to be a stout fourth-liner capable of making a consistent impact on his own side of the ice.

That could be the trait Colorado needs as they approach a chance to clinch the series in Game 5. Wagner joins Kovalenko, Kiviranta, and Jonathan Drouin – the latter two both injured – as Colorado’s extra forwards. While exactly when the pair of injured forwards will return isn’t clear yet, it will be interesting to see which healthy scratches earn a spot in the lineup when everyone is at full strength. The Avalanche now carry a healthy of skill, two-way reliability, and bruting defense in their extras, giving them a chance to build lineups that can fit a lot of different approaches.

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