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Simon Despres, Thomas Di Pauli Sign In Germany

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It’s been nearly five years since Simon Despres last played in an NHL game and almost exactly four since his contract was bought out by the Anaheim Ducks, but he still won’t turn 30 until later this summer. The 29-year-old defenseman has re-signed with Eisbaren Berlin of the German DEL for another year, continuing his career overseas.

Despres was once an up-and-coming two-way defenseman in the NHL, armed with good size and skating ability. He scored 43 points in 193 regular season games and even went on a long playoff run with the Ducks before concussion issues forced him off the ice. His five-year, $18.5MM contract with Anaheim was bought out after just one season, meaning the team will still pay him $662,500 for each of the next three seasons. His playing career meanwhile has now taken him to the KHL, the SHL and the DEL as he tries to continue playing professionally. Last season with Berlin, he recorded 10 points in 19 games and added five more in a playoff run that resulted in the DEL Championship.

He’s not the only former NHL player that signed in Germany today, as Thomas Di Pauli has inked a deal with the Krefeld Pinguine. The 27-year-old forward sat out all of 2020-21 but suited up twice for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019-20. A fourth-round pick by the Washington Capitals, those were Di Pauli’s only games at the NHL level, instead spending most of his time in the minor leagues with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He’ll now head to Germany to try and keep his playing career on track.

2021 Norris Trophy Finalists Announced

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The NHL continues to release their award finalists, this time announcing the three nominees for the Norris Trophy. The award is given out to the top defenseman “who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.” Last year’s winner was Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators.

This year’s finalists are Adam Fox of the New York Rangers, Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, and Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Get used to seeing Fox’s name here, as the 23-year-old defenseman has turned into one of the most dynamic two-way players in the entire league. A third-round pick by the Calgary Flames, Fox was originally traded to the Carolina Hurricanes and then to the Rangers when there were doubts he would sign out of college. New York is thanking their lucky stars for that decision after letting him loose and watching Fox score 47 points in 55 games while logging nearly 25 minutes a night. Perhaps the most impressive part is the improvement defensively he showed this season, routinely breaking up a cycle and quickly getting the puck out of his zone. Fox now has 89 points in 125 NHL games and seems like he’ll be at the top of the Rangers depth chart for a decade.

You can’t talk about young defensive phenoms without mentioning Makar though, who has been even better through his first two seasons. The 22-year-old has 94 points in 101 games and is coming off a Calder Trophy campaign. Though his point total was slightly lower than Fox, that was only really because Makar missed time with an injury. His 44 points in 44 games made him the only qualified defenseman with a point-per-game ratio this season (apologies, Brogan Rafferty). From the moment Makar stepped on the ice for the Colorado Avalanche in the 2019 playoffs he has been a difference-maker—he even scored the game-winning goal in that first match—and a Norris is bound to come before long.

It might not come this season though, as there is an old hand standing in the way of the two young guns. Hedman has been a finalist for five straight years now, winning the award in 2018 as the league’s best. He took home the Conn Smythe last year when the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup and is generally regarded as the best defenseman in the league. Sure, that may be changing with these young players improving every day and Hedman’s defensive game showing a little inconsistency, but the 30-year-old is still a force every time he touches the ice. In a season where he also dealt with injuries, Hedman totaled 45 points in 54 games and averaged the seventh-most ice time in the league at 25:03.

Jake Evans Out Indefinitely With Concussion

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June 9: Ducharme announced today that Evans has resumed off-ice training, though there is still no timeline for his return to the Montreal lineup.

June 3: After being stretchered off the ice last night following a hit from Mark Scheifele, Jake Evans will be out indefinitely with a concussion. The Montreal Canadiens forward was knocked out as he scored the game-clinching empty-net goal, and laid on the ice as a scrum ensued around him. Scheifele has a hearing today with the Department of Player Safety, while Evans is now out dealing with a head injury.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Evans has laid on the ice unconscious. In 2018 at the Canadiens prospect tournament, Evans was upended by Ottawa Senators defenseman Jonathan Aspirot and as he fell, hit his head hard on the ice. He was stretchered off in that incident as well, going to the hospital before being placed in the concussion protocol.

Speaking with the media today, head coach Dominique Ducharme explained that Evans is doing better and did not need to go to the hospital last night following an evaluation from team doctors. He did suffer a concussion though and will be out indefinitely.

Poll: How Should The Seattle Kraken Approach The No. 2 Overall Pick?

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The Seattle Kraken will be much more than just an idea with one undrafted junior player on their roster by the time the 2021 NHL Entry Draft rolls around. The club will have added at least 30 players to their arsenal by way of the Expansion Draft several days earlier. Seattle is not expected to have the same advantage in making side deals like the Vegas Golden Knights did in 2017, as the other 30 teams have learned their lesson. However, one major advantage they will have compared to Vegas is in the Entry Draft. Picking No. 2 overall after moving up in the draft lottery, the Kraken will pick four spots higher than the Knights, who slid to No. 6 overall in their lottery. While Vegas’ first ever draft pick, Cody Glass, is still fighting for regular play time on the NHL roster four years later, Seattle has a chance to add a player who can contribute right away in their inaugural season – one way or another.

The results of the Expansion Draft are unlikely to change the Kraken’s draft plans. They will have several days between the submission of Expansion Draft protection lists and the draft itself and to map out their plan of attack and to talk trade with the rest of the league. Sure, they could find that there are some unexpected trade options that could allow them to add other picks and prospects ahead of the draft, but unlikely anything that will change their opinion on how best to use the No. 2 pick. Only the Buffalo Sabres at first overall could potentially throw Seattle a curveball. Otherwise, their plan should be set well ahead of July 23.

So what should Seattle do with the second overall pick? It is a critical pick that will undoubtedly impact the new franchise for years to come. What is the best approach?

Take The Best Available Player – Pretty straightforward, right? The Kraken should take the best player remaining on their board after Buffalo makes their selection. Regardless of the positional value or any perceived positional needs following the Expansion Draft, Seattle should simply take the prospect that they feel has the highest ceiling and most realistic pro ambitions. While there is no consensus top prospect in this draft, many feel that University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power is that top prospect. If the Kraken agree and Buffalo goes elsewhere at No. 1, they pull the trigger.

Take The Best Available Center – Center is the position that many point to as the most important in the NHL and feel that a true No. 1 center is the hardest player to find. At No. 2 overall and Power potentially going first to Buffalo, Seattle could conceivably have their pick of every forward in the draft class to find that future top center. That could very well be Power’s Wolverines teammate Matthew Beniers. Even if Beniers or another center isn’t the best player on their board, Seattle shouldn’t pass up on the opportunity to add an elite prospect down the middle.

Take The Best Available Defenseman – Some live by the team-building mantra of building from the net out. While goalie Jesper Wallstedt is an elite prospect, he isn’t going No. 2 overall. However, the Kraken could instead choose to bolster their blue line with an elite prospect. Even if Power is off the board and there are forwards ranked higher on their draft board, Seattle needs to target one of the small group of blue chip defenders in the draft class, such as Brandt Clarke or Luke Hughes.

Trade Back And Add Picks – Starting a pipeline from scratch is about quantity over quality, right? The No. 2 overall pick is nice, but if Seattle isn’t able to acquire any other top picks in Expansion Draft deals, they would be better off trading back and adding picks. The New Jersey Devils at No. 4 and Columbus Blue Jackets at No. 5, both with extra first-rounders, seem like enticing trade partners. All three of Clarke, Hughes, or Wallstedt could still be available at either of those picks.

Trade For Established Star – Seattle doesn’t want a slow build-up. They want to compete right away like Vegas, but they won’t be able to so easily dupe the rest of the league in the Expansion Draft. Perhaps they should use the No. 2 overall pick as part of a deal to pry a star from a rebuilding team. Jack Eichel? Dylan Larkin? Logan Couture? Patrik Laine or Seth Jones?

What do you think? Which direction should GM Ron Francis and company go with the franchise’s first pick and the second pick of the 2021 NHL Draft?

Minor Transactions: 06/08/21

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Is this the calm before the storm? It’s been eerily quiet of late in terms of off-season moves, but with the entry draft order all but set following the lottery and soon just four teams left alive in the playoffs, not to mention the NHL Expansion Draft just six weeks away, the trade market seems primed to explode. While we wait, here are some of the notable minor moves being made:

  • Veteran net minder Viktor Fasth has announced his retirement. The 38-year-old Swede has been playing at home in the SHL for the past four years and was in the KHL before that ever since departing the NHL in 2015. The former Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers goalie burned bright, but burned up fast in North America. He was a breakout star in 2012-13 and continued his strong play into the next season despite a mid-year trade. Yet, his play fell off immensely in his first (and only) full season with Edmonton in 2014-15 and he left the league for good. Burnout hasn’t been a problem for Fasth since then. Even at his advanced age, he has continued to put up elite numbers in Europe, including a .934 save percentage and 1.79 GAA for the Vaxjo Lakers this season in 31 games, arguably the best season of his career. Fasth has decided to go out on top rather than try his luck heading into his forties next year.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins are happy with the play of first year pro Felix Robert in the minors this season and have signed him to a one-year AHL contract extension. Robert, a QMJHL scoring phenom in 2019-20, adjusted well to the pro level despite his small stature. He recorded 13 points in 27 games with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and added six points in ten ECHL games as well.
  • Former Arizona Coyotes prospect Erik Walli Waterholm will be staying in Sweden a while longer. Walli Waterholm opted not to sign with the ’Yotes earlier this month, letting his NHL Draft rights expire. The forward has not developed as expected since he was selected in 2017, but this was his best pro season in 2020-21 as he recorded 14 points in 44 games. Timra IK certainly believes he has room to improve as well, announcing that they have signed Walli Waterholm to a two-year extension. If he continues to grow, the 22-year-old could still one day be on an NHL radar.
  • With his third and final go-round in the NHL Draft around the corner, goaltender Samuel Hlavaj has taken the next step in his career and is hoping that maybe it will change his draft fortunes. Hlavaj is taking his talents to Slovakia, but isn’t just joining any team. Instead, he has signed with the league’s top club, HC Slovan Bratislava, where he will learn behind former NHL keeper Kristers Gudlevskis. The No. 5-ranked goalie in Europe according to NHL Central Scouting in his first draft year in 2019, Hlavaj was widely expected to be drafted, but wasn’t. He was however taken in the first round of the CHL Import Draft by the Sherbrooke Phoenix and was stellar in his first season with the club last year. Again, he was passed over in the draft. The third time is usually not the charm for most draft prospects, but perhaps Hlavaj’s status on a top European team behind a former NHL commodity will change some minds. A goalie with size and the stats to back him up, Hlavaj is just looking for a chance to show he has pro potential.

Felix Sandstrom Signs In Finland, NHL

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June 8: Not only will the Flyers retain Sandstrom’s rights, the team has actually re-signed him to a one-year, two-way contract. Interestingly enough, Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic tweets that the goaltender will be staying with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms next season, not heading overseas. Either way, this $750K deal keeps him linked to the Philadelphia organization and, importantly, continues to fill the Flyers exposure requirements for the upcoming expansion draft.

June 7: The Philadelphia Flyers will have to add a few more names to the goaltending depth chart this summer with Brian Elliott and Alex Lyon both scheduled for unrestricted free agency. Felix Sandstrom, who could have potentially been a candidate to move up in some capacity, won’t be an option after signing a one-year contract with TPS in Finland. Sandstrom is a pending RFA, meaning the Flyers can retain his rights by extending a qualifying offer.

The 24-year-old netminder was selected 70th overall by the Flyers in 2015 and despite strong numbers overseas, has never really found his game on North American ice. In 11 appearances for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season he posted a 5-3-4 record, .903 save percentage, and 3.19 goals-against average. In 2019-20 he spent almost the entire season in the ECHL, registering even more pedestrian numbers.

Philadelphia did recently sign 21-year-old Samuel Ersson to his entry-level contract, but otherwise have only Kirill Ustimenko—who spent the entire season on the shelf following hip surgery—signed for next season. Carter Hart, the team’s presumed 2021-22 starter, is also set to become a restricted free agent and will need a new deal.

Los Angeles Kings Looking For Top-Six Forwards

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The Los Angeles Kings missed the playoffs again in 2020-21, finishing with a 21-28-7 record in the West Division. Once again, they had trouble scoring enough to keep up with the rest of the playoff opponents, finishing 27th in the league with just 142 goals in 56 games. Anze Kopitar once again led the team in scoring with a strong 50-point season but no other forward had more than 31.

It makes sense then that they will be looking for more offense this summer, and today Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that the team is hoping to add two top-six forwards through trade or free agency.

The first player that many minds will go to is Jack Eichel, who has been linked—however thinly—to the Kings for weeks. That is more speculative and based on how many young assets that Los Angeles has, but with teams calling the Buffalo Sabres recently it wouldn’t be surprising to hear the Kings were one of them.

There’s more than just Eichel out there though, and the Kings are going into the offseason with more than $20MM in cap space after moving some pricey contracts in recent years. The team only retained just over $2.6MM on Jeff Carter’s contract when they sent him to Pittsburgh and Alex Iafallo’s extension only increases his cap hit to $4MM. There’s still concerning term on deals for the 33-year old Kopitar and 31-year-old Drew Doughty, but GM Rob Blake still has a little flexibility to use this summer.

Of course, there is also the possibility that the Kings already have their top-six options on the roster. Gabriel Vilardi averaged fewer than 15 minutes of ice time in his first full season and could be given more responsibility next season. Quinton Byfield also should take a step forward if given more than just six games to show his skills at the NHL level. Rasmus Kupari, Arthur Kaliyev, and Jaret Anderson-Dolan are all high picks who could take developmental steps as well.

The excitement for Blake though is if he doesn’t have to move those high-potential players in order to acquire these so-called top-six forwards, the Kings could turn from one of the league’s worst offensive teams to one of its best in short order.

Bob Hartley, Yegor Chinakhov Win KHL Awards

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It’s been two decades since Bob Hartley lifted the Stanley Cup over his head as the victorious head coach of the Colorado Avalanche, but don’t think that means he stopped winning. The former NHL bench boss was named KHL Coach of the Year today after taking home the Gagarin Cup with Avangard Omsk.

This championship season continues a winning tradition for Hartley. In 1990 and 1991 he took home the title in the CJHL with the Hawkesbury Hawks. In 1993 he was a QMJHL champion with the Laval Titan. In 1997 he won the Calder Cup with the Hershey Bears. Then came the Stanley Cup in 2001 with the Avalanche and some lean years, but he was back on top as an NLA Champion with the ZSC Lions. Now champion of the KHL, there’s little Hartley hasn’t accomplished (his Latvian World Championship squad even recently downed the Canadians in an incredible upset).

Hartley’s name has been brought up in talks of NHL vacancies, but it’s not clear if he is ready to return to the NHL just yet. If he does decide to put his name in the ring, it’s hard to find a more impressive overall resume at this point.

That wasn’t the only award handed out by the KHL today though. The league named Eddie Pasquale the top goaltender, Chris Wideman the top defenseman and Yegor Chinakhov the top rookie.

Chinakhov may be a familiar name now thanks to the draft day confusion that followed his selection by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Seen as an “off-the-board” pick by Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen, the 20-year-old proved he was worth the 21st overall slot when he scored 17 points in 32 games for Hartley’s team and added another seven in the Gagarin Cup playoff run. Chinakhov signed his entry-level contract at the beginning of May but didn’t have time to get into any games with the Blue Jackets down the stretch.

Nazem Kadri’s Eight-Game Suspension Upheld

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For the second time, the eight-game suspension of Nazem Kadri has been upheld. This time by neutral arbitrator Shyam Das, the final appeal Kadri can make after the suspension was already upheld by commissioner Gary Bettman. The decision was first reported by Darren Dreger of TSN.

Kadri has already served six of the eight games, meaning he will be eligible to return for the Colorado Avalanche in game seven of their current series, should it go that far.

In the decision, Das explains that the “key factor” in Department of Player Safety head George Parros’ decision to issue and Bettman’s decision to uphold an eight-game suspension was Kadri’s history of supplementary discipline.

It is true that in this case, unlike his two most recent suspensions in the 2018 and 2019 playoffs, respectively, Kadri did not act in an emotional, hotheaded or retaliatory manner, but in this instance, unlike those two prior ones, there was an injury — a significant one — to the opposing player. Parros testified that the DPS believed that Kadri’s history showed the message was not getting through, and that the discipline needed to go up from the most recent five-playoff game suspension issued to Kadri — without doubling that suspension as had been done in some other cases — in order to send a strong message. The Commissioner came to the same conclusion as the DPS, after also taking into account the comparisons with other players that the NHLPA presented to him.

Das had previously reduced the lengthy suspensions for Tom Wilson and Austin Watson, but Kadri was not so lucky. His appeal has been denied and he will serve the full eight games before being eligible to return to action.

Bruce Cassidy Fined $25,000 For Critical Comments

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He probably knew it was coming, but Bruce Cassidy has been fined $25,000 for his comments last night criticizing the officials. The Boston Bruins head coach was clear that he thought they are normally good referees, but called them out on their different treatment of his team and the New York Islanders.

We’re playing a team that has a very respected management and coaching staff, they won a Stanley Cup. But I think they sell a narrative over there that it’s more like the New York Saints, not the New York Islanders. They play hard, they play the right way but I feel we’re the same way. The same calls, the exact calls that are being called on us do not get called on them and I don’t know why. These are very good officials…

…they just need to be better than that. Just call the game that you see, quit listening to these outside influences and get it done right. I don’t think they were great tonight I’m not going to lie to you. But they have been, they’re good officials. I know those two guys, they’re good guys, good officials. Tonight I just thought they were off, but you could say the same about us. 

The fine will go to the NHL Foundation.

Cassidy is obviously frustrated with the way the series is going for the Bruins, who weren’t able to come back against the Islanders last night despite drastically outshooting them. New York was able to score on three different powerplays in the first two periods while taking only two penalties of their own the entire game. Boston outshot the Islanders 44-19, but went down 5-4 and are now on the brink of elimination in their second-round series.

Just a few minutes after the Cassidy fine was announced, the Department of Player Safety also announced that Bruins forward Nick Ritchie has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for an elbow on Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield. That’s the third max fine the Bruins have been given during this series, following Jake DeBrusk’s cross-check and David Krejci’s slash (which some would call a spear).

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