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Snapshots: Murphy, Tkachuk, Michkov

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While the New York Rangers filled the final head coaching vacancy in the league today, officially hiring Peter Laviolette, their offseason work is far from over. The Rangers and Laviolette will need to fill out the rest of his staff, which, per The New York Post’s Mollie Walker, will not include assistant coach Gord Murphy.

Goalie coach Benoit Allaire will be the only returning member from last year’s coaching staff. The Rangers relieved former head coach Gerard Gallant’s other assistants, Mike Kelly and Jim Midgley, early last month.

Murphy had been on the Rangers’ staff only as long as Gallant had: two seasons. He was an internal promotion, though, spending two years with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack as an associate head coach from 2019 to 2021. The long-time NHL defender and father of Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy, Gord also spent lengthy stints with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, and Philadelphia Flyers as an assistant.

More from around the league today:

  • Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice offered no update on the status of star winger Matthew Tkachuk before tonight’s do-or-die Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. Tkachuk has not practiced with the team since their Game 4 loss, and his availability for tonight remains up in the air after a hard hit from Vegas Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar in Game 3. Already without the services of Eetu Luostarinen at forward as well, either Givani Smith or Grigori Denisenko could slot into the lineup tonight if Tkachuk can’t go. Smith played just over five minutes in one game during the First Round against Boston, while it would be Denisenko’s playoff debut.
  • Yesterday, reporting indicated that early presumptive top-two pick Matvei Michkov could fall completely out of the top 10 choices when the 2023 NHL Draft occurs this month. Today, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman spoke to a panel of anonymous NHL executives and scouts about a myriad of topics, including the perception of Michkov around the league. Multiple executives and scouts still had Michkov pegged in the top two or three spots in the draft, even considering his contract situation and the Russian geopolitical climate. Others were harsher on his play, with one scout saying, “you have a [5-foot-9] not-amazing-skating, average-compete winger.” What did appear clear in the responses, though, was that the extraneous factors surrounding Michkov’s development and NHL future weren’t a huge concern.

New York Rangers Hire Peter Laviolette

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June 13: The New York Post reported the New York Rangers were expected to name Laviolette their head coach today, and an official announcement from the team came in minutes later. General manager Chris Drury offered a statement:

We are thrilled that Peter will be the next Head Coach of the New York Rangers. With Peter’s extensive experience as a Head Coach in the National Hockey League, as well as the success his teams have had at several levels throughout his career, we are excited about what the future holds with him leading our team.

June 12: Shortly after the Calgary Flames named Ryan Huska their 21st head coach in franchise history, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the New York Rangers are prepared to name their 44th. Although nothing is officially complete now, Friedman writes that Peter Laviolette will man the bench for the Rangers next season unless something dramatic changes.

In just over two years spent as head coach of New York, the Rangers recently let go of head coach Gerard Gallant. In those two seasons spent in New York, Gallant coached the Rangers to a 99-46-19 record, losing in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022, and the first round of the playoffs in 2023. Coaching a team currently constructed as a Stanley Cup contender, the lack of playoff success likely pushed Gallant out the door.

About two weeks before Gallant’s exit in New York, Laviolette was also shown the door by his former employer, the Washington Capitals. Also coaching a team with expectations of playoff success, the Capitals finished this season with a 35-37-10 record and missed the playoffs entirely. After coaching in the United States Capital for three seasons, Laviolette finished his career in Washington with a coaching record of 115-78-27, including two first-round exits.

Although Gallant was able to coach the upstart Vegas Golden Knights to the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals, Laviolette is much more of a proven winner as a head coach. His first head coaching job in the NHL came all the way back during the 2001-02 season, coaching the New York Islanders for two seasons. Finishing his Islanders’ tenure with a 77-62-19-6 record, Laviolette was able to get the Islanders to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

After the Carolina Hurricanes fired then-head coach Paul Maurice after the 2002-03 season, Laviolette quickly joined on as head coach to replace him. Spending five seasons in Carolina, Laviolette’s stay with the Hurricanes was somewhat of a mixed bag. He only finished with a slight winning percentage, going 167-122-6-28, and missed the playoffs three times, having been fired midway through the 2008-09 season. Minus the playoff exits, Laviolette was able to coach the Hurricanes to their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history during the 2006 NHL Playoffs.

Although his tenure in Carolina was a mixed bag, after joining the Philadelphia Flyers as head coach before the 2009-10 season, Laviolette got off to a quick start. The Flyers made the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals but ultimately lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. The following two seasons, the Flyers would be knocked out in the semi-finals in back-to-back years, but still finished as one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference.

After missing the playoffs entirely during the 2012-13 season, Laviolette was quickly dismissed after only three games into the 2014-15 season, not returning to the NHL for the rest of the year. Before the start of the 2014-15 season, Laviolette was named the new head coach of the Nashville Predators. For the first time since his stay with the Islanders, Laviolette was able to coach the Predators to the playoffs every year spent as head coach (before his firing during the 2019-20 season). The most notable playoff appearance in Nashville came during the 2016-17 season, as the team made the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.

In all, Laviolette has coached his team to the playoffs 13 times and missed the playoffs only five times after 18 full seasons of coaching. He has appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals three times, and his only successful one came with the Hurricanes back in 2006. The Rangers will become the fifth team that Laviolette has coached within the NHL’s Metropolitan Division.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Patrick Sharp Joins Philadelphia Flyers As Special Advisor To Hockey Operations

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The Philadelphia Flyers have announced the appointment of longtime NHLer and former Flyer Patrick Sharp as Special Advisor to Hockey Operations, according to a press release today.

In his new position, Sharp, 41, will report directly to general manager Daniel Brière and advise in “all aspects of the club’s hockey operations department.” His primary focus will be on player development, particularly with the Flyers’ prospects, the team said.

Newly-minted president of hockey operations, Keith Jones, expressed confidence in Sharp’s addition:

In adding Patrick Sharp to our group, we are gaining an individual who has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to building an environment of winning at all levels. Patrick knows what it takes to win, he understands how to convey that to our players and is a relationship maker. He will be a vital component as we continue to build the foundation of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Jones and Sharp were colleagues for multiple years as broadcasters, both doing work for NBC Sports (and briefly TNT) on American television. Sharp spent the last five seasons in broadcasting roles following his retirement from the NHL in 2018. In September 2021, he also joined the University of Vermont as an advisor to their coaching staff.

As a player, Sharp served as an alternate captain for the Chicago Blackhawks during their championship seasons in 2010, 2013, and 2015. Originally selected by the Flyers in the third round of the 2001 NHL Draft, Sharp also contributed to the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms’ Calder Cup Championship in 2005.

Sharp also represented Canada in international competitions, including the 2008 and 2012 IIHF Men’s World Championships, and won a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Throughout his career, Sharp amassed 620 points in 939 NHL games over 15 seasons with the Flyers, Blackhawks, and Dallas Stars. In 142 Stanley Cup Playoff games, Sharp tallied 47 goals and 40 assists for 87 points.

Minor Transactions: 06/13/23

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The NHL season could end tonight with a Game 5 win for the Vegas Golden Knights, bringing them their first-ever Stanley Cup in just six years of existence. It’s business as usual around the rest of the hockey world, though, as non-candidates for NHL free agency solidify their homes for 2023-24. We’ll keep a list of those notable transactions here today, as always.

  • Detroit Red Wings goalie prospect Victor Brattström signed a one-year contract with SHL side HV71 today, forming a tandem with former Calgary Flame Joni Ortio. Brattström, 26, played the last two seasons primarily with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, but posted disappointing numbers (.891 save percentage, 15-24-7 record in 50 games played). An over-age sixth-round selection in the 2018 NHL Draft, Brattström was a pending restricted free agent and likely won’t be qualified by the Red Wings.
  • 27-year-old defenseman Keaton Thompson has signed a one-year contract extension with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, per the club. A third-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks back in 2013, Thompson’s become an AHL mainstay as a depth defenseman but has yet to make his NHL debut. The North Dakota product registered four goals and six assists in 40 games with Milwaukee last year, his first with the team after six previous seasons split between the San Diego Gulls and Iowa Wild.
  • The AHL’s Texas Stars have announced that defenseman Michael Karow has signed a two-year contract extension to remain in Cedar Park. The 24-year-old former Arizona Coyotes prospect just finished up his first full season as a professional after spending a half-decade playing college hockey. Karow began the year playing in the ECHL with the Idaho Steelheads but quickly proved himself to be ready for the next level. He eventually got into 36 games for the Stars, including eight playoff games, and tallied 11 total points.
  • The Laval Rocket of the AHL have re-signed forward Riley McKay and hybrid forward/defenseman John Parker-Jones to one-year, one-way AHL deals. McKay, 24, is a hard-nosed grinder who was twice the WHL’s most penalized player in his junior hockey days. This past season he split time between AHL Laval and the Montreal Canadiens’ ECHL affiliate, the Trois-Rivieres Lions. He scored seven points in 23 games at the AHL level while adding on 118 penalty minutes. Parker-Jones, 23, is a massive six-foot-seven, 230-pound player who played in 20 games for the Rocket and 17 for the Lions, flashing some offensive touch at the ECHL level with 7 goals and 11 points in 17 games.
  • 2020-21 ECHL Goalie of the Year Jake Hildebrand is moving to one of the top clubs in the DEL: Eisbaren Berlin. The 29-year-old secured a contract from the bounce-back-seeking Polar Bears after a strong two-season start to his overseas pro career. He led the second-tier DEL2 in save percentage and goals-against-average in 2021-22, leading Frankfurt to promotion to the top-tier DEL. This past season he played in 50 games and posted a solid .911 save percentage, helping his newly-promoted club avoid relegation and reach the DEL playoffs. Now the former college hockey star will join Carolina Hurricanes prospect Nikita Quapp in Berlin’s crease and likely be their go-to option in net.
  • Austrian ICEHL club Black Wings Linz will have to look for a new leading scorer as they announced today that Norwegian center Michael Haga will not be returning to the club for next season. Haga, 31, scored 16 goals and 45 points in 43 games for Linz, helping them reach the ICEHL playoffs. He’s a player with exceptional puck skills for his level of hockey and showcased them frequently not only with Linz but also with Norway at the IIHF Men’s World Championships last month, where he helped Norway achieve a historic upset victory over Canada. Haga has seen only sporadic success at higher levels of European competition earlier in his career, such as in the SHL or Liiga, but perhaps now with this release he’ll be afforded the opportunity to once again try his luck in one of Europe’s top leagues.
  • While Canadian Evan Jasper has been a quality scorer in the ECHL and was a crucial contributor to the Bietigheim Steelers’ promotion-winning 2020-21 campaign, his 17 goals and 32 points this past season were not enough to help the club avoid relegation back to the DEL2. With the Steelers now in the second tier of German hockey, Jasper has decided to sign elsewhere, landing with HK Mountfield in the Czech Extraliga. Jasper’s track record of solid scoring numbers in the ECHL and DEL should translate to the Czech league, where he’ll likely be counted on as a top-six forward for Mountfield.
  • Former EIHL First-Team All-Star Josh Roach has signed a contract extension to remain with the Belfast Giants, the reigning champions. Injuries cost him a large chunk of games this season but when healthy he’s among Belfast’s most important players. With Roach re-signed, Giants defenseman Will Cullen has signed elsewhere, joining with HK Olimpija Ljubljana of the ICEHL, a club in Slovenia’s capital city. Cullen scored 32 points in 52 games for the Giants and added three points in four playoff games. Now, the one-time ECHL blueliner will try his luck in Central Europe.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Patrick Roy Resigns From QMJHL’s Québec Remparts

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9:56 a.m. CT: Roy told the media this morning that “absolutely [no]” NHL team has reached out to him yet about a coaching position.

9:35 a.m. CT: NHL head coaching hopeful Patrick Roy announced today he’s leaving his post with the QMJHL’s Québec Remparts, reports TVA Sports. Roy and his Remparts just won the 2023 Memorial Cup, defeating the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds with a shutout win in the final game.

It’s quite auspicious timing for the announcement, given the sale of the Ottawa Senators to Michael Andlauer was agreed upon in principle this morning. Roy, who’s been connected to Senators coaching vacancies in the past, could be a leading candidate if the team decides to move on from D.J. Smith behind the bench this summer under new ownership.

Roy last coached in the NHL in 2016, serving as the head coach and VP of hockey operations for the Colorado Avalanche before abruptly quitting during training camp preceding the 2016-17 campaign. He was succeeded by Jared Bednar, who guided the Avalanche to their first Stanley Cup in over two decades in 2022.

After taking two years off, Roy returned to the Remparts as GM and head coach in 2018. Before joining the Avalanche, he had been Québec’s coach between 2005 and 2013 and general manager since retiring from the NHL in 2003. He also owned the Remparts from 1997 to 2014.

Roy has a penchant for a defensive style of play as a coach, an area where the Senators have struggled in recent seasons. One would argue, though, with the standout individual defensive performances of players like Artem Zub, that it’s more of a personnel issue than a coaching one. Nevertheless, if he does end up behind the Senators’ bench, improving the team’s defensive systems would be his first priority.

Michael Andlauer Expected To Purchase Ottawa Senators

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8:30 a.m. CT: Andlauer’s winning bid for the Senators is worth $950MM, sources tell Garrioch. The final purchase price comes in well above most valuations of the franchise – Sportico values the team at $655MM, while Forbes was more optimistic at $800MM in 2022 (although it was a 52% change from 2021).

7:52 a.m. CT: Soon-to-be-former Montreal Canadiens minority owner Michael Andlauer has won the bidding war for the Ottawa Senators and is expected to assume ownership, sources tell Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.

Andlauer’s bid won’t quite eclipse the $1 billion US mark but is close to it. The development comes after Garrioch reported Sunday that the NHL had urged the estate of previous owner Eugene Melnyk to reach a resolution to the sale process as soon as possible.

Multiple celebrity-backed bids for the Senators, namely Snoop Dogg’s involvement with Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Neko Sparks, The Weeknd’s involvement with Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, and Ryan Reynolds’ involvement with the Remington Group, were not selected. Reynolds chose not to submit a bid last month, while Andlauer’s bid eclipsed the value and stability of both the Kimel brothers’ and Sparks’ bids.

The agreement will now require approval from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and the league’s executive board. The board met regarding the sale last Wednesday but will likely meet again in a quick fashion considering today’s development. The approval process may extend beyond the upcoming NHL Board of Governors’ meeting in New York on June 22, but Bettman is expected to provide a comprehensive update to the governors on the status of the sale. In order to go through, Andlauer’s bid will require a two-thirds majority vote from the board.

This is expected to be the largest sale in NHL history, assuming it is indeed in the $1 billion US ballpark. It comes just two decades after Melnyk purchased the team out of bankruptcy. Per Garrioch, a no-relocation clause is included as part of this sale.

Garrioch’s reporting indicates Andlauer has impressed league representatives with his vision for the team and desire for competitiveness. Quality ownership, something that’s been missing at times throughout the team’s 30-plus-year history, should lead to more consistency on the ice.

All four final bids (Andlauer, Sparks, the Kimels, and Toronto billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos) ranged between $850MM and $1 billion, Garrioch said. Apostolopoulos withdrew from the sale process on Friday, citing frustration with the lack of a resolution, which could very well have influenced Andlauer’s camp to get this done quickly.

Per Garrioch, Anna and Olivia, Melnyk’s daughters and heirs of his estate, will retain up to a 10% stake in the franchise upon approval. As part of the agreement, Andlauer will obviously need to divest his ownership share in the Montreal Canadiens, where he currently holds a partial stake.

Andlauer is in a position to have a massive impact on the team – whether it’s by installing a new general manager, constructing a more centrally-located arena for the team, or both. After working with current Edmonton Oilers special assistant to the GM, Steve Staios, during Andlauer’s time owning the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, he should be a name to watch if Andlauer decides it’s time to move on from Pierre Dorion.

Free Agent Focus: Tampa Bay Lightning

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Free agency is less than a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens.  There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well.  We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Lightning.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Tanner Jeannot – Jeannot was traded just prior to this year’s deadline for one of the most eyepopping returns we’ve seen in recent memory. Tampa Bay traded five draft picks plus Callan Foote for Jeannot who was held pointless in three playoff games this year. It remains to be seen if Jeannot can recapture the magic he showed in the 2021-22 season where he put up 24 goals and 17 assists in 81 games for the Nashville Predators and looked to be well on his way to being the NHL’s next power forward. This past year was a different story for the 26-year-old as he appeared lost at times and struggled to get to his game. He put up just six goals and 12 assists in 76 games between Nashville and Tampa Bay and looked as though he was searching for answers as the season went on.

Apr 20, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Luke Schenn (2) fights with Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Tanner Jeannot (84) during the third period in game two of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay will be looking for bigger things from the Saskatchewan native next season as their depth will be tested in the absence of some key contributors. Jeannot’s deployment changed after the trade from Nashville, and he was gifted the opportunity to have about 10% more offensive zone starts than he was getting with the Predators. He also saw less time on both the penalty kill and the powerplay which led to an average of three minutes less ice time per game. Jeannot may see more ice time this coming season as a lot of the forwards that were pushing him down the depth chart are likely to be exiting Tampa Bay this summer. This could lead Jeannot to sign a short-term deal to try and rebuild some of his value after coming off what was a bit of a lost season. I would expect a two-year bridge contract, but it is hard to nail down the annual value given how wildly different his past two seasons were. There are few comparables to Jeannot which should make for an interesting negotiation.

F Ross Colton – Colton has become a bit of a Swiss army knife for the Lightning and therein lies his value in the trade market, but also for any contract extension he is to sign. Colton is due for a significant raise on the $1.25MM he made last season. Given that he is a good penalty killer, can play center and the wing as is a good bet to hit 15 goals and 35 points he could triple his salary next season on a long-term deal.

Tampa Bay will have to decide if Colton is the piece to move out to bring in younger and cheaper assets, or if he is a piece that want to extend on a contract not unlike the one they signed Nick Paul to last summer. At 26-years-old Colton has plenty of productive seasons in front of him and could even develop into a perennial 25 goal scorer. He already has a season in which he scored 22 goals and is coming off a year where he put up 16 goals in 81 games while playing just 12 minutes a night.

Other RFAs: F Rūdolfs Balcers, F Gabriel Fortier, F Cole Koepke, F Grant Mismash, F Simon Ryfors, D Dmitri Semykin

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Alex Killorn – Killorn is the longest tenured Tampa Bay Lightning player having been drafted back in the third round of the 2007 NHL entry draft. The 33-year-old Halifax native is coming off a season in which he posted a career high 27 goals and 37 assists in 82 games. According to Elliotte Friedman, Tampa Bay has reportedly already made Killorn a long-term contract offer, but given his track record, he will be in demand and could be difficult for Tampa Bay to retain given their salary cap troubles.

Killorn has been consistency available for the Lightning having missed just two games since the 2015-16 season and scoring 40 points or more in nearly every season. While his 64 points this past season appear to be an outlier, he did put up 59 points last season and has shown steady offensive improvement despite being on the older side of 30. Tampa Bay can still make Killorn’s situation interesting, but it does appear that the long-time Lightning veteran will start next season in a different uniform. Killorn should be able to fetch a four-year contract with an average annual value north of $5MM per season.

D Ian Cole – Two-time Stanley Cup winner Ian Cole signed last season in Tampa Bay to provide the Lightning with a depth defenseman who could provide steady minutes on the backend as well as kill penalties. He did exactly that.

While his best years are likely behind him, Cole still played nearly 20 minutes a night and took almost 60% of his starts in the defensive zone. He doesn’t chip in much offensively, but he can still move the puck and get around the ice when he needs to. Cole had three goals and 14 assists in 78 games last season for Tampa Bay and could likely produce something similar again next season. Cole is likely looking for more security on his next deal as he has signed in back-to-back off-season’s for just a single year. However, I can’t see him getting more than two years at around $2.5MM-$3MM per season. It’s hard to say though, given the contracts NHL general managers threw at defensive defenseman last offseason, anything is possible for the 33-year-old.

C Pierre-Édouard Bellemare – Bellemare struggled in the minors before breaking into the NHL in his age 29 season. While it was a nice story at the time, Bellemare used his arrival to springboard himself into nine seasons in the NHL. Now at the age of 38, the native of France is coming off a down year in which his age appeared to catch up with him. Bellemare looked tired near the end of the year and struggled to four goals and nine assists in 73 games. Bellemare appeared to chase the game a lot more this season and had a hard time lining up hits, he also took more penalties as he uncharacteristically found himself out of position and was forced to take obstruction penalties.

Should he choose to keep playing, Bellemare could get a one-year contract, but given his age and lack of production last season, he is likely looking for something that is just above the NHL minimum.

Other UFAs: D Trevor Carrick, G Brian Elliott, F Pierre-Cédric Labrie, G Maxime Lagace, F Corey Perry, F Gemel Smith, F Daniel Walcott

Projected Cap Space

The Tampa Bay Lightning are one of a handful of teams that are right up against the cap with several key free agents to still try and lockup. Tampa has 17 players signed to NHL contracts with just $450K left to try and fill out their lineup. They will be able to put Brent Seabrook onto LTIR which will free up nearly $7MM in additional space. While this gives the Lightning some breathing room, it still won’t be enough to dress a full lineup for next season.

The club will likely have to move out a roster player or two to sign their remaining RFA’s which will create an additional complication. The Lightning have four players with full no movement clauses and an additional four players with full no trade clauses or modified no trade clauses. That effectively takes half of their signed players out of play if they are looking to make a move to free up cap space which will limit general manager Julien BriseBois’ options.

Tampa Bay has done a good job navigating cap challenges in the past but could be facing their toughest task yet as their two-time cup winning core has become increasingly expensive.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Evening Notes: Olofsson, Senators, Andersen

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Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News wrote today that Buffalo Sabres forward Victor Olofsson, and his representatives expect him to be traded prior to the start of training camp in September. Olofsson has spent his entire five-year career with the Sabres where he has put up 167 points in 263 NHL games. This news isn’t all that surprising given that the soon to be 28-year-old is just a year away from being an unrestricted free agent and he was a healthy scratch for the Sabres down the stretch while they were battling for a playoff position.

The Swedish forward has been remarkably consistent in his career notching at least 20 goals in three of his last four seasons with the lockout shortened 2020-21 season being the one year he didn’t reach the mark. This past season Olofsson set a career high with 28 goals in 75 games to go along with 12 assists, but he has been made expendable by the emergence of several Sabres forward prospects and his pricey $4.75MM cap hit. Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has reportedly been very active on the trade market as he tries to get Buffalo back to the playoffs for the first time in 12 years.

In other evening notes:

  • The sale of the Ottawa Senators franchise may finally be entering its final days. This is according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia who has been tirelessly reporting on the process. It seems likely that the new owner will be either Michael Andlauer or Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of the Harlo Capital Group, however Los Angeles producer Neko Sparks remains in the mix but seems less likely to be the preferred bidder. League sources told Garrioch that they are confident there are no more major hurdles to clear leading them to believe they are on the verge of closing out the eight-month process. It’ll be interesting to see if the bid comes close to the $1B bid that was apparently posted by Steve Apostolopoulos, who has since left the bidding after he reportedly became frustrated with the process.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes tweeted today that defender Amalie Andersen has inked a one-year contract with the Buffalo Beauts and become the first Danish born player to sign in the Premier Hockey Federation. The 23-year-old is the younger sister of Hurricanes netminder Frederik Andersen and played four years at the University of Maine where she put up two goals and seven assists in 60 career games. The Beauts are one of the founding teams in the PHF having started with three other clubs back in 2015 while the league was named the National Women’s Hockey League.

Snapshots: Flames, Tkachuk, Kings

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Today, the Calgary Flames made the news official, hiring Ryan Huska as their next head coach. It appears, however, that their AHL head coach, Mitch Love, is not entirely enthusiastic about the Flames’ decision. Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff reports that although Love still has term left on his current contract with the Flames’ organization, he is open to all options moving forward.

Over the last two seasons, Love has been the head coach of the Stockton Heat, and now the Calgary Wranglers. In 140 games leading the bench, Love has accrued a total record of 96-33-9-3, finishing first in the Pacific Division in both seasons. Last season, he led the Heat to the Western Conference Finals in the Calder Cup playoffs and surprisingly were upset in the Division Finals this year by the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

In speaking with the media this afternoon, new Calgary General Manager, Craig Conroy, had this to say about Love’s situation, “Mitch is going to be a head coach in the NHL, 100%. I don’t question that, nor does he. But it’s all about being in a room with elite athletes with huge contracts, the rinks, the media… it’s a whole different animal when you get to NHL. The pressure that goes along with being a head coach in a Canadian Market when you’re trying to learn on the fly, the refs, the travel… the media… it’s a different beast in the NHL and I think to put him in that situation now wasn’t fair” (Tweet Link).

Conroy does seem to have faith that Love will one day become a head coach at the NHL level but deemed that the pressure in a Canadian market would be too much to handle for the young coach. The question is up in the air for how many General Managers across the league share the same opinion when it comes to Love, which could project him to an assistant coaching role in Calgary in the near future.

Other snapshots:

  • Having missed quite a bit of ice time during the Florida Panthers Game 4 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports that forward Matthew Tkachuk was not seen at the Panthers’ practice today. Because of the nature of hockey players, especially during the Stanley Cup playoffs, it should still be expected for Tkachuk to play in an incredibly important Game 5. Being the deepest the young forward has ever gone through the playoffs, Tkachuk has shown signs of wear and tear throughout the last couple of series.
  • In recent reporting, it has been indicated that center Pierre-Luc Dubois will not sign a new contract with the Winnipeg Jets, and has requested a trade from the team. Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period reports that the last time Dubois was traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Los Angeles Kings finished second to the Jets. It appears that Los Angeles still has quite a bit of interest in bringing Dubois into the mix, but with only a projected $7.3MM in cap space this summer, it will be difficult to sign Dubois to a long-term contract without moving out a significant contract.

 

San Jose Sharks Sign Filip Bystedt

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The San Jose Sharks have gotten one of their more promising prospects under contract as they announced the signing of center Filip Bystedt to a three-year, entry-level deal. Bay Area News Group’s Curtis Pashelka reports the average annual value of the deal is $925,000 with a yearly signing bonus of $83,300.

Bystedt, 19, could play on either side of the ocean next year. Drafted out of the Swedish Hockey League, he’s eligible for AHL play if the Sharks choose to bring him to North America. The Sharks could also loan Bystedt, who was under contract in Sweden through 2025, back to his SHL club, Linköping HC.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and nearly 200 pounds, Bystedt broke out in a big way in his first full SHL campaign in 2022-23. After earning the 27th overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, Bystedt recorded seven goals and 20 points in 45 games with Linköping, solid production for a teenage player.

His game revolves around his combination of size and speed – he’s quite the skater for possessing such a rangy frame. It’s what permits him to excel offensively from the middle of the ice, posting positive impacts in transition and having a decent shot to go along.

If he doesn’t hit 10 games in the NHL this season, Bystedt is still young enough to be eligible for an entry-level slide. If he spends the entire year in Sweden (or the minors), his contract will kick in for the 2024-25 season instead.

Bystedt was one of three draft picks the Sharks received from the Arizona Coyotes on draft day in 2022, trading down from the 11th overall pick. Bystedt was the highest of those three selections. The selection was originally owned by Carolina, but was transferred to Montreal as compensation for signing Jesperi Kotkaniemi to an offer sheet. Montreal then traded it to Arizona in exchange for Christian Dvorak.

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