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Senators Notes: Tkachuk, Pinto, Bishop

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The biggest story for the Ottawa Senators right now is still Brady Tkachuk, who is unsigned and has already missed a good chunk of training camp. There seems to be no end in sight to negotiations that have gone on for some time, despite Senators GM Pierre Dorion repeatedly stating that talks were progressing and positive. Last night, Darren Dreger joined TSN radio to explain the current situation:

It’s still an amicable process I’m told, between Newport, the Tkachuk camp and the Ottawa Senators. But at the end of the day it feels like they’re grinding over the obvious, aren’t they? If Brady is going to accept that long-term, then he’s going to need bonus money, he’s going to need a little [trade] protection, all that. Otherwise, he’s going to look at what brother Matthew has done in Calgary and he’s going to fight for that bridge [contract]. And what’s that bridge number going to look like? It’s going to be too much for Ottawa.

Notably, the Senators do not give out signing bonus money in any of their contracts. The only player who is set to receive any sort of bonus (outside of the small amounts attached to entry-level contracts) is Nikita Zaitsev, who signed his seven-year, $31.5MM deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs before being traded to Ottawa. Andrei Svechnikov, one of Tkachuk’s closest comparables, received just over $4MM in signing bonus money from the Carolina Hurricanes when he signed his eight-year, $62MM contract earlier this summer.

  • While the rest of the Senators’ young forwards prepare without Tkachuk in the mix, there have been more and more opportunities handed out. One player who has run with that chance? Shane Pinto, who is making a case to be the team’s second-line center according to Wayne Scanlan of Sportsnet. The 20-year-old forward was picked with the 32nd overall selection in 2019 and was impressive in his short 12-game stint with the Senators last season, registering one goal and seven points at the end of the year. He has been one of the team’s best players at training camp and is in the mix for a full-time role of some sort this year.
  • One of the players who could have been competing for a center role in the bottom-six appears to be out of the way, as head coach D.J. Smith told TSN radio today that the ankle injury Clark Bishop suffered last night could keep him out a “considerable amount of time.” Smith confirmed that Bishop’s ankle is not broken, but an injury at this point is terrible timing for the 25-year-old. Bishop signed a one-year, two-way deal in May to stay with the Senators and avoid Group VI unrestricted free agency, after playing in 13 games last season.

Los Angeles Kings Sign Martin Chromiak

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The Los Angeles Kings have inked another prospect, signing Martin Chromiak to a three-year entry-level contract. Chromiak was sent back to junior just yesterday but will get a nice going-away present of an NHL contract as he leaves Kings’ training camp. The deal will carry an average annual value of $833,333.

A fifth-round selection in 2020, Chromiak has had an interesting development path over the last few years. During his draft year, he joined the Kingston Frontenacs partway through their season, leaving his club team in Slovakia after registering just six points in 32 games. In the OHL he exploded with 33 points in 28 games, showing that he could dominate similarly-aged opponents. Last season, with the OHL not holding a season, he returned to Slovakia and showed off improved production, racking up 19 points in 32 games. He even played in a pair of AHL contests at the end of the season, though failed to register a point.

Now, with an NHL contract in hand, he’ll return to the junior ranks where he could end up having a monster year. He’s expected to line up beside expected 2022 first-overall pick Shane Wright and if he does, the pair–who were both selected to the OHL’s 2019-20 All-Rookie teams–should be among the most productive lines in the CHL. While that does not guarantee an NHL future, Chromiak is a player to watch even in the Kings’ crowded prospect system.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Jean-Francois Berube

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have added some more goaltending depth to the organization, signing Jean-Francois Berube to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will carry an NHL salary of $750K, an AHL salary of $200K, and a minor league guarantee of $225K according to Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch. Berube had been in training camp with the Blue Jackets on a professional tryout.

Berube, 30, hasn’t seen the NHL since the 2017-18 season, but is a veteran minor league option that will serve as little more than injury insurance in Columbus. In fact, he could very well be nothing more than a practice option if the league goes to taxi squads for goaltenders this season at any point. With only two netminders other than Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo signed to NHL contracts though, the Blue Jackets needed to add at least one more to cover any call-up issues.

There was a time when Berube was one of the best goaltenders in the minor leagues, but even those days are passed now. He posted a .885 save percentage in 19 appearances with the Ontario Reign last season, the third consecutive year he was sub-.900. While he can give the team another option, don’t expect him to receive the majority of the starts so long as prospect Daniil Tarasov stays healthy.

21 Players Placed On Waivers

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Today is the first day of waivers for the upcoming season, meaning any player that needed to clear them in order to be sent to the AHL had to wait until now to be officially reassigned. That also means that the waiver wire will be quite active over the coming weeks as teams move through their final few rounds of cuts and try to sneak players down to their minor league affiliates. Today, 21 players have hit the wire, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet:

None of the players listed today are really surprises, as all of them were expected to be sent to the minor leagues before the season began. In terms of players who pose any risk of claim, Miska perhaps leads the way simply because of his success the last two seasons in the minor leagues. The 26-year-old goaltender had a .924 save percentage in 2019-20 with the Colorado Eagles and appeared in five games for the Avalanche last season.

Of note for those keeping track, waivers are now processed daily at 1 pm CT, two hours later than in previous seasons.

Prospect Notes: Draft Rankings, CHL Rankings, Oilers

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TSN’s Bob McKenzie has come out of his semi-retirement to provide one of the most interesting lists of the year, releasing his preseason rankings for the 2022 NHL Draft. McKenzie polls ten active NHL scouts and Shane Wright, the Kingston Frontenacs superstar center, was a unanimous choice as the top player heading into this season. Not only that, but the scribe suggests that Wright probably would have been the top-ranked player in the 2021 draft had he been eligible.

That’s incredibly impressive, given that Wright isn’t a late-September birthday that just missed the cutoff. He won’t turn 18 until January, but already has teams drooling over his potential as a true first-line center. Granted exceptional status for the OHL, he scored 39 goals and 66 points in his first season of CHL hockey in 2019-20, but missed last season when his league failed to hold a season. Still, Wright dominated at the U18 Worlds with nine goals and 14 points in five games, taking home the gold medal with Canada.

  • The presence of Wright in Kingston makes the Frontenacs a team to feat this season, but that still didn’t put them at the top of the CHL rankings released today. That spot went to the Edmonton Oil Kings, who look like a powerhouse in the WHL with top draft picks Dylan Guenther and Sebastian Cossa leading the way. Jake Neighbours, who is still in camp with the St. Louis Blues, will also likely be returning to Edmonton where he could very well contend for the league scoring title. Neighbours has been the talk of camp in St. Louis, with Blues head coach Craig Berube calling him a “dog on a bone” this week and Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest suggesting that he could even join the NHL team at the end of the 2021-22 season.
  • The Edmonton Oilers sent cut several prominent prospects today, including Raphael Lavoie, who will have to wait for his chance at the NHL level. The 21-year-old forward had an outstanding first season of professional hockey in 2020-21, racking up 45 points in 51 games during a loan to Sweden and then returning with a strong performance for the Bakersfield Condors down the stretch. While there are several more experienced names in Oilers camp vying for the last few spots, it is somewhat surprising that he was already sent to the AHL with five more preseason games to go.

Jakub Vrana To Undergo Surgery

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The Detroit Red Wings received some bad news before the season even begins, as head coach Jeff Blashill announced that Jakub Vrana will require shoulder surgery and be out a minimum of four months.

Vrana, 25, just signed a new three-year, $15.75MM contract with the Red Wings last month after going on a tear down the stretch. Acquired from the Washington Capitals as part of the return for Anthony Mantha, the young forward had eight goals and 11 points in 11 games for the Red Wings. With the team still turning the corner on their rebuild, Vrana was one of the team’s most dangerous offensive weapons and will leave a huge hole in the lineup as he recovers from this surgery.

In fact, for a team that was just hoping to be competitive, losing Vrana could very well put them in the running for the 2022 Draft Lottery once again. It’s not that he’s the only effective player on the roster, but it’s hard to see how the Red Wings are going to be dangerous enough offensively to compete most nights without their second-highest paid forward. His absence of course will open the door for another young player to step up, but this is about as bad as it gets for the Red Wings.

There will be no need to move Vrana to long-term injured reserve, as the Red Wings are nowhere near the salary cap upper limit. He’ll move to regular IR as he works through this recovery, hopefully returning before the end of the season. Four months from today would be the end of January, though coach Blashill said it would be at least that long.

Training Camp Cuts: 09/30/21

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With just two weeks left before the start of the regular season, teams across the league are starting to pare down their rosters to the last few competitions. As always, we’ll keep track of all the cuts and loans right here.

Arizona Coyotes (via PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan)

D Cam Crotty (to Tucson, AHL)
D Ty Emberson (to Tucson, AHL)
F Dylan Guenther (to Edmonton, WHL)
D Cole Hults (to Tucson, AHL)
F Liam Kirk (to Tucson, AHL)
F Manix Landry (to Gatineau, QMJHL)
F Matias Maccelli (to Tucson, AHL)
F Ben McCartney (to Tucson, AHL)
G David Tendeck (to Tucson, AHL)
F Reece Vitelli (to Prince Albert, WHL)

Boston Bruins (via team Twitter)

F Fabian Lysell (to Vancouver, WHL)
F Brett Harrison (to Oshawa, OHL)

Calgary Flames (via press release)

D Jeremie Poirier (to Saint John, QMJHL)
F Mark Simpson (to Stockton, AHL)
F Eetu Tuulola (to Stockton, AHL)
F Dmitry Zavgorodniy (to Stockton, AHL)
D Alex Gallant (to Stockton, AHL)
D Yan Kuznetsov (to Stockton, AHL)
D Ilya Solovyov (to Stockton, AHL)
F Luke Philp (to Stockton, AHL)*
F Colton Poolman (to Stockton, AHL)*

Chicago Blackhawks (via press release)

F Jalen Luypen (to Edmonton, WHL)
D Ethan Del Mastro (to Mississauga, OHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets (via press release)

F Ben Boyd (to Charlottetown, QMJHL)
F James Malatesta (to Quebec, QMJHL)
F Martin Rysavy (to Moose Jaw, WHL)
D Ole Julian Bjorgvik-Holm (to Mississauga, OHL)
D Stanislav Svozil (to Regina, WHL)
F Kaleb Lawrence (released from ATO)
F Peter Reynolds (released from ATO)
D Gerard Keane (released from ATO)
D Mark Woolley (released from ATO)
G Emerik Despatie (released from ATO)

Dallas Stars (via press release)

F Wyatt Johnston (to Windsor, OHL)
F Logan Stankoven (to Kamloops, WHL)
F Francesco Arcuri (to Kingston, OHL)
F Conner Roulette (to Seattle, WHL)
D Jacob Holmes (to Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)
G Remi Poirier (to Gatineau, QMJHL)
D Luka Profaca (released from ATO)

Edmonton Oilers (via press release)

F Xavier Bourgault (to Shawinigan, QMJHL)
F Devin Brosseau (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Matteo Gennaro (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Dino Kambeitz (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Raphael Lavoie (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Kirill Maksimov (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Ostap Safin (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Tim Soderlund (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Yanni Kaldis (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Minnesota Wild (via press release)

F Mitchell Chaffee (to Iowa, AHL)
F Damien Giroux (to Iowa, AHL)
F Ivan Lodnia (to Iowa, AHL)
F Nick Swaney (to Iowa, AHL)
D Turner Ottenbreit (to Iowa, AHL)
D Doyle Somerby (to Iowa, AHL)
D Keaton Thompson (to Iowa, AHL)
G Dereck Baribeau (to Iowa, AHL)
G Hunter Jones (to Iowa, AHL)
F Will Bitten (to Iowa, AHL)*
F Joseph Cramarossa (to Iowa, AHL)*
F Dominic Turgeon (to Iowa, AHL)*

Montreal Canadiens (via team Twitter)

D Xavier Ouellet (to Laval, AHL)*
D Louis Belpedio (to Laval, AHL)*

New York Islanders (per CapFriendly)

F Collin Adams (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Arnaud Durandeau (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Blade Jenkins (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Reece Newkirk (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Aatu Raty (to Karpat, SM-liiga)

New York Rangers (via press release)

F Brennan Othmann (to Flint, OHL)

San Jose Sharks (via press release)

D Mark Alt (to San Jose, AHL)
F Joachim Blichfeld (to San Jose, AHL)
F Noah Gregor (to San Jose, AHL)
F Scott Reedy (to San Jose, AHL)
F Tristen Robins (to Saskatoon, WHL)
G Zach Sawchenko (to San Jose, AHL)

Seattle Kraken (via press release)

D Ryker Evans (to Regina, WHL)
F Brent Gates (released from tryout)
F Tye Kartye (released from tryout)
F Ryan Lohin (released from tryout)
F Cole MacKay (released from tryout)
F Jacob Melanson (to Acadie-Bathurst, QMJHL)
F Ryan Winterton (to Hamilton, OHL)

Toronto Maple Leafs (via team Twitter)

D William Villeneuve (to Saint John, QMJHL)
F Curtis Douglas (to Toronto, AHL)
F Rich Clune (to Toronto, AHL)

Winnipeg Jets (via team Twitter)

D Tyrel Bauer (to Seattle, WHL)
D Dmitry Kuzmin (to Flint, OHL)

*Must clear waivers

This page will be updated throughout the day

College Hockey Round-Up: Season Preview

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Though the focus of the hockey world may be on the NHL preseason right now as we prepare for a full season for the first time in two years, college hockey is also making its triumphant return to play this weekend. After a season in which a number of teams did not participate, NCAA Division I men’s hockey is back at full strength – and then some. The University of St. Thomas is the newest member to the upper echelon of college hockey and will make their DI debut on Saturday in the first game of a home-and-home against championship runner-up No. 2 St. Cloud State. The weekend’s docket, though all non-conference matchups, still contains a number of incredible contests. Reigning NCAA champs No. 1 UMass starts with a tough test as they host No. 5 Minnesota State in a must-watch series. Lake Superior State and No. 17 Nebraska-Omaha is another clash of 2021 tournament teams, while UMass Lowell travels to Arizona State in a meeting of hopeful programs and the vaunted No. 3 Michigan starts off their campaign with a good challenge against Bowling Green.

Season Opening Rankings

The first national rankings, courtesy of USCHO.com, were released on Monday to open up the college hockey season. Predictably (albeit unimaginatively) last season’s champ and runner-up sit at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. Yet, UMass and St. Cloud State face a serious threat in No. 3 Michigan, the majority favorite to win the NCAA title this year. Like Wisconsin two years ago, fans are gravitating toward the team with the most elite NHL Draft talent and Michigan takes that title handily with four of the top five selections in the 2021 draft class along with three additional first-round picks and a number of other NHL prospects. The Wolverines look dangerous, but have high expectations to live up to.

The “State of Hockey” is well-represented at the top of the rankings. Beyond St. Cloud State are No. 4 Minnesota, No. 5 Minnesota State, and No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth (who ironically all come from different conferences.) Duluth could have a bone to pick with their ranking as NCAA Champs in 2018 and 2019 and a Frozen Four finalist last year, only losing to eventual champ UMass. Minnesota State was a also a finalist in 2021, finally bucking the trend of early tournament exits. Minnesota won a stacked Big Ten Conference last year and should be taken seriously, even with Michigan in their path to a title.

No. 7 Boston College and No. 8 North Dakota round out the group that should be considered top contenders to begin the year. The Eagles and Fighting Hawks are historic programs and perennial contenders and were the top two seeds in the NCAA Tournament last year.

A major drop-off in voting points separates the rest of the pack, none of whom received any first-place votes either. Highlights of the remainder of the Top 20 include No. 9 Quinnipiac, a rising program with a ranking to match; frequent top competitors in No. 10 BU, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 12 Providence. and No. 13 Denver; and the return of Ivy League power houses No. 14 Cornell and No. 15 Harvard. Atlantic Hockey hero No. 20 AIC wraps up the rankings, but there are 16 other schools who received votes, with Northeastern and UMass Lowell leading the chase.

What To Watch For This Season

If you are only going to watch one or two college hockey games this season, make them Michigan games. Owen Power (BUF), Matthew Beniers (SEA), Luke Hughes (NJD), Kent Johnson (CLB), Mackie Samoskevich (FLA), Brendan Brisson (VGK), Johnny Beecher (BOS), and Thomas Bordeleau (BUF) are all elite NHL prospects. Erik Portillo (BUF) and Dylan Duke (TBL) are no slouches either. At best, this team will be unstoppable. At worst, they will still be fun to watch. And with a couple of impressive recruiting classes along the way, may as well jump on the bandwagon now.

If you plan to watch a number of college hockey games this season and not just the Wolverines, you’re in luck. 40 programs have at least one drafted NHL prospect and eight, not including Michigan, have a double-digit total. Tyler Boucher (OTT) of Boston University, Matthew Coronato (CGY) of Harvard, Chaz Lucius (WPG) of Minnesota, and Corson Ceulemans (CLB) of Wisconsin are all 2021 first-rounders that aren’t playing in Ann Arbor this season. Jake Sanderson (OTT)and Tyler Kleven (OTT), selected in the first and second round respectively in 2020, are both current North Dakota defenders and future Ottawa Senators who could be manning the same blue line for years to come. Reigning Mike Richter Award winner Jack LaFontaine (CAR) of Minnesota is back for yet another year with the Gophers but sure to turn pro after the season, while Jay O’Brien (PHI) of BU has his sights set on the scoring title this year after finishing ninth in goals per game last year.

Of course, while it is great to watch your favorite NHL team’s draft picks play, it can be even better to build up excitement for the draft by keeping an eye on those top draft-eligible prospects. While this year’s crop of to-be-drafted freshman is not best or the biggest, it is led by a familiar name. Jack Hughes, yes a different Jack Hughes, looks to be the only surefire first-rounder out of the college ranks this year. The Northeastern center has been a well-regarded prospect in the U.S. ranks for some time and is ready to show what he can do at the next level. Denver winger Jack Devine could also sneak into the first round with a big freshman campaign, while defenseman Jake Martin of Wisconsin will try to show NHL teams that they should not have passed up on his top-notch defensive skills in the 2021 Draft. As always, some dark horse candidates could emerge over the course of the season as well. This weekend provides the first opportunity for prospects to make their mark on the college level and on NHL scouts.

Defense Notes: Hamonic, Hajek, Capobianco

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Training camp is well underway but the Vancouver Canucks are still awaiting the arrival of veteran defenseman Travis Hamonic. Now, with the deadline to opt out of the coming season arriving on Friday, the team is left to wait to see if they will have the reliable blue liner back after extending him this off-season. Yet, it appears that they will remain patient and calm with Hamonic, who has family concerns to take into account with his decision. Hamonic previously opted out of the 2020 playoff bubble due to his daughter’s respiratory infection and with the NHL returning to a full slate of travel this season, he may be concerned about potential exposure to the Coronavirus and bringing that home. GM Jim Benning tells Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma that he is “confident” that Hamonic will arrive to camp and play this season, but also notes that “he’s dealing with a personal issue and I think everybody should just leave it alone.” Benning did however speak to the team’s COVID vaccination status when discussing Hamonic, which may also imply that he is unvaccinated, adding another layer to his decision. Whatever the cause, time is running out for Hamonic to make his decision, but the Canucks hope the veteran defenseman will be back in the fold as soon as possible.

    • Just a few years after being one of the cornerstone prospects in the Ryan McDonagh trade return, Libor Hajek’s job with the New York Rangers could be in jeopardy. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that sources believe Hajek has slid outside a starting job on the Rangers’ depth chart and possibly even outside of a roster spot. Behind established 23-year-old Ryan Lindgren, 21-year-old rising sophomore K’Andre Miller, and 20-year-old rookie Zac Jones, the 23-year-old Hajek has not done enough to assert himself as a roster lock and can no longer depend on his upside with so much talented youth around him. Lindgren and Miller both greatly outplayed Hajek last year and Jones came in late in the season, after a long college season that ended in a National Championship with UMass, and proceeded to match Hajek’s season point total in just ten games.  Beyond just the youngsters, Brooks reports that veteran free agent addition Patrik Nemeth is also above Hajek on the depth chart. With four lefties seemingly locked into roster spots, Hajek would have to unseat a righty to make the team – and that certainly won’t be Adam Fox or Jacob Trouba – or hope that New York opts to carry eight defenseman, five of which are lefties. Another promising rookie, Nils Lundkvist, is currently penciled in for the final spot on the right side, while a potential fifth lefty spot would also be open to competition from veterans Jarred Tinordi and Anthony Bitetto and promising prospect Matthew Robertson. This all goes to show that there are a lot of defensemen in the mix for the Rangers and Hajek no longer has the shine of a budding star. Even though the likes of Miller, Jones, Lundkvist, and Robertson are all waiver-exempt, don’t be surprised to see New York subject to Hajek to waivers anyhow in order to ensure the best players are on the NHL roster. Whether that decision ultimately means Hajek’s days in the Big Apple are numbered remains to be seen.
    • The Arizona Coyotes have announced that Kyle Capobianco is currently sidelined with a knee injury, which is exactly what the young defenseman did not want in training camp this year. Though PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan writes that he is only considered day-to-day, this is a critical preseason for Capobianco. The left side of the Coyotes blue line was obliterated this off-season with the trade of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, free agent departures of Alex Goligoski and Jordan Oesterle, and retirement of Niklas Hjalmarsson. Even with the addition of Shayne Gostisbehere to a left side now led by Jakob Chychrun, Capobianco flew up the depth chart into a top-three slot. This was his chance to finally secure an NHL starting job, but he risks missing out with a surplus of right-handed defensemen also jockeying for position. If youngsters like Victor Soderstrom, Conor Timmins, and Ty Emberson all prove they should be on the NHL roster while Capobianco sits out, he could lose his starting job, especially with veterans Ilya Lyubushkin and Anton Stralman able to play their off-side.

Minor Transactions: 09/29/21

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Though the numbers have dwindled, there are still many players looking for work this season. The includes in North America, where some are seeking minor league deals or hoping to capitalize on PTOs, as well as in Europe, where most leagues are already underway but players are still trying to find their way into the action. Keep up with all of these transactions here:

  • Miraculously, 38-year-old power forward Evgeny Artyukhin is back for another year of hockey. The Russian forward has signed a one-year deal with the KHL’s Admiral Vladivostok, the team announced. Admiral becomes his ninth different KHL club in his 18-year pro career, which also included a multi-year stint in the NHL. Artyukhin is so old (how old is he?) that the last NHL club he played for was the Atlanta Thrashers in 2010. A 2001 Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick, Artyukhin spent two seasons with the Bolts, collecting 33 points in 145, before splitting his final NHL season between the Anaheim Ducks and the Thrashers with 16 points in 54 games. An effective bottom-six forward who played a physical game and could chip in on offense, Artyukhin likely could have played longer in North America, but was always drawn back to Russia. And KHL teams are drawn to him; it seemed that Artyukhin’s career could be over back in 2018-19 when he missed the whole season due to injury, but now he is on to his second contract in two years as he continues to elongate an already impressive career.
  • Two Boston PTO’s have earned a contract with the Bruins, the AHL’s Providence Bruins that is. Defensemen Aaron Ness and Jack Dougherty have signed on with the junior Bruins for this season reports Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal. The organization has yet to confirm, but it would not be a shock given that both players are currently in camp. Ness, who turned down a PTO with the Seattle Kraken to join the Bruins instead, is coming of a contract with the Arizona Coyotes and saw NHL action just last year. He brings 72 NHL games and over 500 AHL games worth of experience to Providence. Dougherty, 25, is a former top prospect of the Nashville Predators who has struggled to make his mark in the pros but has been extremely consistent in the minors.
  • Jared Cockrell will have to spend another year in the ECHL to prove he is ready for the next level. The former Colgate standout transferred to St. Cloud State last year and appeared in the NCAA Championship with the Huskies. Soon after he signed with the Wheeling Nailers and got in 16 games, but disappointed with only one point and a -8 rating. His college play suggests that he is far better than that performance and he will look to show that this season after re-upping with Wheeling, per a league release. Cockrell will have his eye on establishing more consistent play at both ends in the Coast and then maybe he could be in line for an AHL loan at some point this year.

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