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College Hockey Notes: All-American Teams, Devon Levi, Rutger McGroarty

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College hockey’s final weekend of the season is underway with Minnesota and Quinnipiac winning semi-final games yesterday and now both teams will meet tomorrow in the national title game. Between those nights of on-ice action is the off-ice awards ceremony and part of that was the NCAA announcing its First All-American Teams. College hockey splits the country in two halves and names a First All-American Team East team and a First All-American West team.

Per Chris Peters of Flo Hockey, those teams were:

First Team All American East:

Goaltender: Devon Levi, Northeastern (Buffalo Sabres)

Defenseman: Lane Hutson, Boston University (Montreal Canadiens)

Defenseman: Henry Thrun, Harvard (San Jose Sharks)

Forward: Sean Farrell, Harvard (Montreal Canadiens)

Forward: Collin Graf, Quinnipiac (UFA)

Forward: Aidan McDonough, Northeastern (Vancouver Canucks)

First Team All American West

Goaltender: Blake Pietila, Michigan Tech (UFA)

Defenseman: Luke Hughes, Michigan (New Jersey Devils)

Defenseman: Brock Faber, Minnesota (Minnesota Wild)

Forward: Logan Cooley, Minnesota (Arizona Coyotes)

Forward: Matthew Knies, Minnesota (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Forward: Adam Fantilli, Michigan (NHL Draft 2023)

  • Another award handed out was for college hockey’s top goaltender. Per a team release, the Mike Richter Award went to standout goaltender Devon Levi of Northeastern. Levi, in his second season of NCAA action, posted a 2.24 GAA and a .933 SV% in 34 games, six of which were shutouts for the star goaltender. Levi was a seventh-round draft pick of the Florida Panthers in 2020 but has since been traded to the Buffalo Sabres in a deal that brought Sam Reinhart to Florida. Levi has already signed an entry-level contract, bringing a close to a fantastic college career where he put up a 1.90 GAA and a .940 SV% in two seasons.
  • In other college news, it sounds like Michigan will get one of its star players back for a second season after losing many top players following a strong freshman season in recent years. According to Murat Ates of The Athletic, Rutger McGroarty will return to Michigan for his sophomore season. The Winnipeg Jets selected McGroarty with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft scored 18 goals and 39 points in 39 games for Michigan this season, but has decided not to rush to the pro level and should be a key player on the Wolverines team next season.

Golden Knights Notes: Hill, Stone, Theodore

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The Golden Knights should be getting some help soon between the pipes as they announced (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned goaltender Adin Hill to AHL Henderson on a conditioning stint.  The 26-year-old has missed the last month with a lower-body injury but the fact he’s going to the Silver Knights means that he should at least be ready to suit up if needed for Vegas in the playoffs.  Hill has an impressive 2.45 GAA along with a .915 SV% in 27 games this season, a nice platform year as he gets set to test unrestricted free agency for the first time this summer.  While Jonathan Quick and Laurent Brossoit have helped keep Vegas atop the battle for first in the Pacific Division, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them turn to Hill for the postseason if he’s fully recovered.

More from Vegas:

  • Speaking with reporters today (video link), head coach Bruce Cassidy provided a small update on winger Mark Stone. The veteran has been “progressing well and there have been no setbacks, so that’s encouraging. I don’t know if that’s optimistic, it’s just he’s progressing well. No news is good news in terms of bad news.”  Stone has missed nearly three months with a back injury but there is clearly no timetable for a return.  That said, the fact things aren’t getting any worse is at least a positive sign.  The 30-year-old was in the middle of a productive campaign with 38 points in 43 games prior to the injury.
  • Also in Cassidy’s presser, he indicated that defenseman Shea Theodore won’t accompany the team for Saturday’s game in Dallas. The blueliner has missed five straight games since being injured against Edmonton late last month.  Theodore sits second on the team in points by a defender with 41 in just 54 contests while his 21:31 ATOI also ranks second on Vegas.  Cassidy won’t be able to provide an update on Theodore until he’s cleared to practice and wasn’t sure if he’ll be able to skate next week.

Adam Fantilli Wins 2023 Hobey Baker Award

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It was a banner year for Wolverines center Adam Fantilli and he was rewarded for his efforts on Friday by winning the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top player in the NCAA.  He beat out Golden Gophers forwards Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies.

Fantilli’s freshman year was nothing short of dominant with Michigan.  The 18-year-old leads the NCAA in scoring this season with 30 goals and 35 assists in 36 games; he collected at least a point in all but three of his appearances.  That also helped him take home National Rookie of the Year honors earlier today.  Fantilli also suited up at the World Juniors for Canada where he picked up five points in seven contests.  His performance this season has him as the consensus second-overall selection in the upcoming draft in June.

Cooley was the third-overall pick by the Coyotes last summer and had a dominant freshman year, notching 22 goals and 38 assists in just 38 games for the University of Minnesota with one more contest to come tomorrow in the championship game.  That puts him second in college scoring this season behind only Fantilli.  Cooley also dominated at the World Juniors with seven goals and seven assists in just seven games and while that had no bearing on the voting for this award, the Coyotes have to be thrilled with the progression of their top prospect.  It’s possible that he’s a one-and-done player with a decision on that front to come likely early next week.

Knies, a second-round pick of the Maple Leafs back in 2021, has been one of the more prominent power forwards at the NCAA level while often playing alongside Cooley on the Golden Gophers.  The 20-year-old has 21 goals and 21 assists in 39 games this season, good for a tie for 15th in NCAA scoring, and can add to those totals tomorrow against Quinnipiac.  It’s widely expected that he will turn pro after Saturday’s championship game with his entry-level deal likely to begin immediately, giving Toronto a bit of extra depth heading into the first round against Tampa Bay later this month.

Fantilli becomes the third Wolverine to win the award since it was first handed out in 1981, joining former NHL players Brendan Morrison (1997) and Kevin Porter (2008).

Last year’s winner of the award was goaltender Dryden McKay.  An undrafted free agent, McKay eventually signed a two-year AHL deal with Toronto.  A full history of Hobey Baker Award winners can be found here.

Pittsburgh Penguins Recall Alexander Nylander

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Apr. 7: Nylander is once again back up with Pittsburgh after being recalled on an emergency basis.

Apr. 6: A few hours after being recalled, it seems Nylander is headed back down to Wilkes-Barre Scranton. The Penguins announced in advance of their game tonight against the Minnesota Wild that Nylander has been reassigned back to their AHL affiliate.

Apr. 3: According to a team release, the Pittsburgh Penguins sent forward Alexander Nylander down to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Monday.

Nylander, 25, heads back to the minors after sitting as a healthy scratch for eight straight games. He’s one of Pittsburgh’s best recall options out of their relatively thin depth in the AHL but was a week away from requiring waivers to head back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Pittsburgh remains locked into a tight battle for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as they look to keep their 16-year postseason streak alive, by far the longest in the league. With salary cap constraints, though, they’re forced to carry a trim roster, having less than $100,000 in space before returning Nylander to the minors.

The eighth-overall pick in 2016 is having by far his best season in the AHL, leading the team in goals and points per game. His 25 goals and 25 assists in 54 games have given him his first 50-point season, marking another step in a long road back to potential NHL relevancy after an injury-plagued development period.

He could remain a lineup option for the Penguins in the playoffs if they make it there. He has one assist in six games this season with Pittsburgh, his first NHL point since the 2019-20 season.

Capitals Notes: Malenstyn, Gibson, Persson

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The Capitals announced that they’ve recalled winger Beck Malenstyn from AHL Hershey.  The 25-year-old comes up a day after winger Anthony Mantha was a late scratch against Montreal due to a lower-body injury, giving them 12 healthy forwards on the roster once again.  Malenstyn has played in five games with Washington so far this season, picking up a goal and an assist despite averaging just 8:34 per night of playing time.  He hasn’t been much more productive in the minors either, collecting just seven goals and three assists in 39 contests.  Malenstyn has one more year left on his deal after this season with it converting from a two-way pact to a one-way agreement for 2023-24.

More from Washington:

  • Mitchell Gibson’s previously reported deal with the Caps is now official, per a team release. He receives a one-year, entry-level contract for next season which carries a cap hit of $867,500.  The 23-year-old posted a 2.25 GAA and a .919 SV% with Harvard in 27 games this season, earning him a spot on the All-ECAC Hockey Second Team.  Gibson is expected to sign a tryout agreement with AHL Hershey to finish the season with the Bears.
  • The Capitals also announced that they’ve re-assigned forward Ludwig Persson to Hershey. The 19-year-old was a third-round pick last summer and is already signed to his entry-level deal.  Persson spent this season playing at home in the second-tier Allsvenskan, recording four goals and 11 assists in 45 games with BIK Karlskoga.  He also made one appearance at the SHL level, extending his streak to four straight seasons with at least one game played in Sweden’s top division.

Senators Assign Two To AHL

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With Ottawa (and the rest of the league) off today, they have elected to send a pair of players down to the minors, announcing (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned center Ridly Greig and goaltender Leevi Merilainen to AHL Ottawa.

Greig has played in 20 games with the Sens this season including nine on this most recent recall.  He fared a bit better offensively in that second stint, picking up a goal and four assists in that stretch, giving him two goals and seven helpers on the season.  At the minor league level, the 20-year-old has been much more productive, tallying 13 goals and 14 assists in 35 games in his first full professional campaign.

Merilainen, meanwhile, has gotten into two games with the Senators this month.  He made 34 stops in an overtime loss to Carolina on Tuesday but his second start didn’t go as well as the 20-year-old was yanked early in the second period versus Florida.  Overall, he has a 4.23 GAA and a .878 SV% with the Sens after posting a 2.02 GAA and a .918 in 42 games with Karpat of the Finnish league.

Belleville is back in action on Saturday for a rematch against Cleveland as they battle for a play-in spot in the North Division so it’s unlikely that Greig and Merilainen will be recalled for Ottawa’s contest tomorrow versus Tampa Bay.

Panthers Assign Mack Guzda To AHL

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There is some good news on the horizon for the Panthers on the injury front in goal as the team announced today (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned Mack Guzda to Charlotte of the AHL.

The 22-year-old is in his first professional season after signing with Florida last year as an undrafted free agent.  Although Guzda has been up for the better part of the last month, he has yet to see any NHL action, instead serving as a backup netminder.  He has suited up in 26 games with the Checkers this season, posting a 2.86 GAA along with a .899 SV%.

Guzda’s demotion means that Sergei Bobrovsky has been cleared to return from the undisclosed injury that has kept him out of the lineup for the last week and a half; George Richards of Florida Hockey Now notes (Twitter link) that the veteran will serve as the backup tomorrow against Washington.  While it might seem odd that Bobrovsky won’t start right away, Alex Lyon is coming off a career-high 56 saves last night against Ottawa and has won his last five games.  If nothing else, they’ll have a capable second netminder behind him as they look to lock down a Wild Card spot in the final week of the season.

Ducks Recall Olle Eriksson Ek

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Apr. 7: Another day, another Eriksson Ek transaction.  This time, he’s back on his way to Anaheim with the team announcing that he has been recalled once more from San Diego.

Apr 6: Eriksson Ek has been returned to the AHL today. The Ducks don’t play again until Saturday, after losing to Edmonton last night.

Apr 5: In case of a potential injury to starting goaltender John Gibson, Derek Lee of the Sporting Tribune reports that the Anaheim Ducks have recalled Olle Eriksson Ek from their AHL affiliate San Diego Gulls. This will mark Eriksson Ek’s third call-up to the professional club so far this season.

After being drafted 153rd overall in the 2017 NHL draft, Eriksson Ek has had a difficult time moving up in the Ducks’ organization. He has spent the last four seasons in North America, splitting time between the AHL and the ECHL. Understandably, he has produced much better numbers playing with the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers.

Unfortunately for the Ducks, Eriksson Ek has produced increasingly depressed numbers each season he has been within the organization. In his rookie season in the AHL, he played in 15 games, going 8-6-1, carrying a .901 SV% and a 3.14 GAA.

Last year, Eriksson Ek followed his rookie campaign up with a 7-15-3 record in 26 games, posting a .880 SV% and a 3.44 GAA. This year hasn’t been any better, going 2-14-0, with a .852 SV% and a 4.81 GAA in 20 games. If Gibson is injured for tonight’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, and Eriksson Ek does play, it will be his first-ever start in the NHL.

Thomas Greiss Out For The Rest Of The Season

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The St. Louis Blues have announced that goaltender Thomas Greiss will be out for the remainder of the season with a lower body injury. Greiss played in 21 games for the Blues and will finish the season with a 7-10-0 record to go with a .895 save percentage and a 3.64 GAA. He underwent a procedure this past Monday and it was being speculated that it would sideline him until the end of the year.

Greiss was signed in the offseason as a backup to Jordan Binnington and struggled in his first season with the Blues. It was his 14th season in the NHL and his second season in a row where he put up a save percentage under .900.

Greiss had a tremendous five year run with the New York Islanders from 2015-2020 which saw him win 101 games and put-up a save percentage of .915. However, by the time Greiss signed in St. Louis late last summer there was talk that he nearly retired due to a lack of interest in his services.

Now given his struggles the past two seasons it seems possible that the 37-year-old could hang up his skates after this season. It’ll be interesting to see what Greiss does, there remains a possibility that he could still find work as a backup, given how thin the free agent goaltending market will be this summer.

Robert Thomas Back Skating With St. Louis Blues

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Some good news for the St. Louis Blues as they enter the final week of the regular season. Lou Korac of NHL.com is reporting that Robert Thomas is back skating today at the team’s optional skate. Thomas has missed the last five games with an upper body injury but took a step towards returning as he did some drills with Blues assistant coach Steve Ott this morning.

Thomas had started to heat up just before his injury with three points in the two games prior to getting hurt. Before that he had been on a cold streak going pointless in four straight. Thomas has been streaky this year putting up points in bunches and then going cold for a handful of games. Despite this, he still has 19 goals and 63 points in 70 games this year.

The Blues have just three games left in the regular season, so it is not yet known whether Thomas will return before the Blues play game 82. St. Louis is already officially eliminated from the playoffs so there is little rush to bringing him back too soon, especially with his eight year $65MM dollar extension kicking in next season.

St. Louis will be an interesting team to watch this offseason. The team has been visibly frustrated with the play of goaltender Jordan Binnington, their defense is old and could use an injection of youth, and they’ve got a solid group of forwards led by Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. They aren’t that far removed from their 2019 Stanley Cup and will likely be looking to push for the playoffs again in 2023-24.

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