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Archives for September 2023

Snapshots: Lindholm, Heatley, Mikheyev

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The 2023-24 season hasn’t even started yet, and some Calgary Flames fans may already be tired of discussing pending UFA Elias Lindholm’s future with the team. It’s been a major talking point this summer, with a potential mass exodus of unrestricted free agents from the Flames next offseason. Last week, however, Lindholm confirmed he’s open to the idea of an extension in Calgary, and today, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman gave us some clarity on what a deal may look like.

Speaking on NHL Network, Friedman said he “really thought [Bo] Horvat was going to be the comparable at 8×8.5, and I think it’s possible Lindholm now actually comes in higher than that, potentially… I think the number is going to have to be above Horvat, I’ve heard it might be closer to 8.75 or 9.” He, of course, is referring to Horvat’s eight-year, $8.5MM AAV extension signed with the New York Islanders after being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks this past season. While he does have multiple years of experience as a defensively solid first-line center, that would be quite a lot of money to pay someone who’s cracked the 70-point mark just twice in his career and the 30-goal mark only once.

Last season, Lindholm finished second on the Flames in scoring with 22 goals, 42 assists and 64 points in 80 games. It was a falloff from his career-high 2021-22 campaign between Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, where the then-27-year-old posted 42 goals and 82 points in 82 games alongside a ridiculous +61 rating. For comparison, 25-year-old Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson, who’s scored 85 goals in 156 games over the past two seasons, is signed for seven more seasons at a $7.143MM cap hit.

Elsewhere from around the NHL today:

  • The Philadelphia Flyers have confirmed the hire of two-time All-Star Dany Heatley as a pro scout, notes independent Flyers reporter Charlie O’Connor. This will be Heatley’s first documented off-ice staffing role since retiring from pro hockey in 2016. The 42-year-old former sniper won the 2002 Calder Trophy as a member of the Atlanta Thrashers and scored 372 goals in 869 NHL games across 13 seasons with the Thrashers, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild, and Anaheim Ducks.
  • Vancouver Canucks winger Ilya Mikheyev is still recovering from an ACL injury that was aggravated and then operated on in late January, and CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reports it may keep him out of preseason action. Mikheyev initially sustained the injury in preseason action for Vancouver last season but only missed a handful of weeks before being cleared to play in mid-October and recording 28 points in 46 games for the Canucks. He is still expected to be ready to go for opening night, however, and could very well begin his second season in British Columbia’s biggest city in a top-six role after averaging almost 17 minutes per game last season.

Michael Del Zotto Announces Retirement

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Longtime NHL defenseman Michael Del Zotto announced his retirement via Instagram today, ending a 13-season NHL career.

Del Zotto, 33, was drafted by the New York Rangers with the 20th overall pick out of the OHL’s Oshawa Generals in 2008. He would jump to professional hockey after one more season in juniors, recording 37 points in 80 games in 2009-10 and earning All-Rookie Team honors.

Unfortunately, while Del Zotto would turn into a serviceable NHL defenseman for over a decade, he didn’t develop into the potential bonafide top-pair player he hinted he could be at the beginning of his career. He would only beat his rookie totals once in New York, recording ten goals, 31 assists and 41 points in 77 games in 2011-12 before dropping to a bottom-pairing role in the 2013-14 campaign. Then-Rangers general manager Glen Sather dealt him to the Nashville Predators for shutdown defender Kevin Klein in a one-for-one swap in January of that season.

Things didn’t go much better for Del Zotto in a brief stint with Nashville to close out the season, which saw his ice time continue to decrease as he recorded five points in 25 games and a -4 rating. He was due a qualifying offer of $2.9MM that season with his contract expiring, which the Predators didn’t issue, and he signed a one-year, $1.3MM contract with the Philadelphia Flyers in August 2014. It turned out to be a prudent choice for Del Zotto, who, for a brief time, recaptured his former glory in Philadelphia. He notched 32 points in 64 games during his first season there while averaging nearly 22 minutes per game, but again fizzled out over the following two seasons with the Flyers.

After signing as an unrestricted free agent with the Vancouver Canucks in 2017, Del Zotto would play stints with the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, and St. Louis Blues in depth roles until the 2021-22 season. While he didn’t appear in any postseason contests, Del Zotto was on the Blues’ roster for their 2019 Stanley Cup championship.

2021-22 was when it became clear Del Zotto’s days of playing at the highest level were drawing to a close. Despite recording a respectable 13 points in 26 games with Ottawa and posting decent possession numbers, the Senators waived him. They assigned him to AHL Belleville, where he managed over a point per game. It was enough to land him another NHL contract for 2022-23 with the Florida Panthers, but they waived him pre-season and didn’t include him on the opening night roster. He would record two goals and 10 points in 25 games with their AHL affiliate in Charlotte before they traded him back to Anaheim in the days leading up to Christmas in a three-way swap of minor-league players, including the Detroit Red Wings. Del Zotto closed the season with a strong 31 points in 40 games for AHL San Diego.

But without ever getting a callup to the NHL throughout the season despite a paper-thin defense in Anaheim, Del Zotto has opted to step away from the game. His 736 games rank 18th among players from the 2008 draft class at the time of his retirement, during which he recorded 63 goals, 199 assists, 262 points, and averaged 20:03 per game over the years. PHR congratulates Del Zotto on his lengthy career in the pros and wishes him the best in retirement.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Minor Transactions: 09/06/23

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Today was a busy morning in the hockey news cycle, with the Arizona Coyotes and Pittsburgh Penguins making notable front-office moves while the Toronto Maple Leafs added some potential scoring depth on a professional tryout. There’s also some notable movement on the transactions wire from other leagues, however, so let’s dive into today’s moves:

  • After two post-draft seasons with the OHL’s Barrie Colts, Vegas Golden Knights defense prospect Artur Cholach is staying in junior hockey for one more season with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede, per an announcement from the Colts. Cholach, 20, remains unsigned after the Golden Knights selected him in the sixth round, 190th overall, in the 2021 NHL Draft. His exclusive signing rights did not expire this summer because he only played OHL hockey after his draft date – he played his draft season with Sokil Kyiv in the Ukrainian Hockey League, meaning they have until June 1, 2025, to sign him to an entry-level contract. Over the past two seasons with Barrie, Cholach scored four goals and added 30 assists for 34 points in 116 contests whilst recording a cumulative +9 rating. He also notched eight assists in five games for the Ukrainian national junior team at the 2022 Division 1B World Junior Championship.
  • The AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds have signed defenseman Ryan Jones to a one-year deal, according to a league release. Touted as a physical two-way defender out of the USHL’s Lincoln Stars in the 2016 NHL Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the fourth round but did not sign him to an entry-level contract when he finished his collegiate career at the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 2020. He’s spent the three seasons since on AHL deals, including the last two seasons with the Syracuse Crunch, recording 27 points, 114 penalty minutes and a +4 rating in 137 games. Now a full-time bottom-pairing defender at the AHL level, Jones, 27, will look to grasp a spot on the Seattle Kraken’s AHL affiliate, who already added Mitch Reinke to their defense corps by way of their parent club earlier this week.
  • Veteran goaltender Kevin Poulin announced his retirement on his Instagram page.  The 33-year-old played in 50 NHL games over five seasons with the Islanders before embarking on a bit of a unique journey overseas, spending time in Kazakhstan, Croatia, Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden.  Poulin spent the last two years playing on an AHL deal in Montreal’s system, playing primarily with AHL Laval.

This page may be updated throughout the day.

Arizona Coyotes Place Liam Kirk On Unconditional Waivers

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Sept. 7: Although it was academic at this point that Liam Kirk would clear waivers, CapFriendly has officially announced it.

2:33 p.m.: Morgan reports Kirk has already found a new home for 2023-24, as he’s signed with HC VERVA Litvínov in the Czech Extraliga. There, he joins an offense led by a pair of brothers and former NHLers, David Kase and Ondrej Kase.

1:06 p.m.: The Arizona Coyotes have placed forward prospect Liam Kirk on unconditional waivers, according to PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan. The move was likely made for the purpose of mutually terminating his entry-level contract.

Arizona selected Kirk, 23, with the 189th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. In the process, Kirk became the first player born and developed in England to be taken in an NHL draft.

However, just over five years later, the two parties have decided to cut ties with one season remaining on Kirk’s entry-level deal. It’s a tough break for the hardworking prospect, who missed most of the 2021-22 season with injury and faced instability throughout the 2022-23 campaign, suiting up in three different leagues across two countries.

Kirk began last season in the minors with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners, making his season debut in November after recovering from the knee injury that kept him out for months on end, but was quickly demoted a level further to the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators after just one game in Tucson.

He did well enough there, scoring 11 points in 15 games, but was loaned out of the organization entirely around New Year’s Day to Finnish club Mikkelin Jukurit in the Liiga. He did post one of the highest point-per-game rates on the team, scoring 19 points in 25 games, and he capped off the season with 10 points in five games for Great Britain at the Division 1A World Championships en route to a promotion to the top division next year. The decision to move on from Kirk is a bit puzzling after he managed to perform at a high level internationally despite a roller-coaster ride of the months preceding his loan.

It could be he’s just a victim of unfortunate contract math. The Coyotes are at 48 out of 50 maximum contracts signed, and with Jan Jeník remaining as an unsigned RFA (although he has reportedly requested a trade), it makes things tight for in-season adds and potential early-season waiver claims.

Arizona Coyotes Extend Bill Armstrong

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The Arizona Coyotes announced this morning that they have extended the contract of general manager Bill Armstrong. Financial terms and the length of the multi-year agreement were not released. The deal comes on the heels of what was a very busy summer for Armstrong and the Coyotes as they have added a lot of talent to their NHL roster including veterans Jason Zucker, Matt Dumba, Sean Durzi, Alexander Kerfoot and Nick Bjugstad.

PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan later reported Armstrong is now under contract for six more seasons – Armstrong signed a four-year extension, while the team picked up a previously existing option for 2024-25. He’s now under contract through the 2028-29 campaign.

The 53-year-old has been the Coyotes general manager since the 2020-21 season and has overseen a rather large rebuild during that time. Armstrong essentially stripped the Coyotes roster down to the studs and rebuilt it through drafting, trades, and free agency. Prior to joining Arizona, the Richmond Hill, Ontario, native worked in the St. Louis Blues’ scouting department from 2004-18. It wasn’t until the 2018-19 season that he earned a promotion to assistant GM before eventually joining Arizona.

The Coyotes have not qualified for the playoffs since Armstrong took over, and the team has only made the playoffs a total of four times since 2004. While they are once again going through a lean period, Arizona looks to be on the verge of a good run of hockey in the desert. Should they stay there.

The team will likely get a jolt from this summer’s signings and trades as well as top prospect Logan Cooley, who could be a difference-maker in Arizona as early as this season.

The signing of the coaching staff, Armstrong, and the player acquisitions this summer show stability within the hockey operations of Arizona, even if the team’s future off the ice is up in the air.

Niagara IceDogs Hire Bruce Boudreau

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The Niagara IceDogs announced this morning that they have hired former NHL head coach Bruce Boudreau as a Senior Advisor. The former Jack Adams award winner last coached the Vancouver Canucks and was unceremoniously fired by the club this past January after parts of two seasons at the helm.

Boudreau coached the Canucks to a 50-40 record during his time in Vancouver and was let go after weeks of speculation about his job security. Boudreau was stoic despite all the noise around him and he received a lot of support from the Canucks faithful in what was ultimately his last game as a head coach in Vancouver.

The 66-year-old ranks 21st all-time in NHL games behind the bench as well as in coaching victories. He has coached 1087 games in the NHL, compiling a record of 617-342-128. During his time in the NHL, he coached the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, and the aforementioned Canucks. He won his Jack Adams award in 2008 in a season that saw him guide the Capitals to a Southeast division title with a 43-31-8 record.

Now, at least for the time being, it appears as though Boudreau is ready for a new challenge. He joins his son Ben in Niagara, who joined Niagara’s coaching staff in July as an associate coach.

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Noah Gregor To PTO

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The Toronto Maple Leafs announced this morning that they’ve signed center Noah Gregor to a PTO for their upcoming training camp. Gregor spent last season with the San Jose Sharks where he posted 10 goals and seven assists in 57 games.

The 25-year-old was slated to be a restricted free agent this summer until the Sharks opted to non-tender him a contract, making him an unrestricted free agent. The former fourth-round pick had put up 26 goals and 25 assists over parts of four seasons with the Sharks. Gregor also played for Canada at the 2022 World Championship posting two goals and an assist in seven games as Canada won a silver medal.

While he has dressed in 178 career NHL games, Gregor has struggled to remain in the NHL, having spent time in almost every season with the Sharks AHL affiliate. Last year was the first time in his pro career that Gregor didn’t dress in any AHL games, as he managed to stick with the big club. When he has played in the AHL, Gregor has been a very proficient offensive contributor with 40 career points in 43 career AHL games.

Gregor will now have an opportunity to make the Maple Leafs out of training camp and could be slated for their fourth line. Barring that, it is very possible that he ends up on a two-way contract that sees him shuttle back and forth between the NHL and AHL.

Pittsburgh Penguins Hire Doug Wilson

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The Pittsburgh Penguins announced this morning that have hired former San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson as a Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations. According to the Penguins press release, Wilson’s role will see him provide his opinion and counsel to Penguins president and general manager Kyle Dubas, as well as offer his expertise relating to all hockey matters, including personnel decisions.

Wilson brings over four decades of NHL experience to the Penguins management group having spent over 25 years in management with the San Jose Sharks on top of his 16-year Hall-of-Fame playing career. Wilson oversaw a Sharks team that was consistently in contention without ever undergoing a true rebuild. Something the Penguins are likely staring down when the Sidney Crosby–Evgeni Malkin–Kris Letang era of hockey comes to an end.

Wilson was inducted into the Hockey Hall-of-Fame as a player in 2020 after dressing in 1024 career NHL games split between the Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks. The Ottawa, Ontario native recorded 237 goals in his career and 827 points and was the Norris Trophy winner in 1982.

He spent 19 years as the general manager of the Sharks, guiding them to 14 playoff appearances as well as a Presidents’ Trophy in 2009, to go along with six division titles. The Sharks never did win a cup under Wilson’s tutelage, coming close in 2016 when they lost in the Stanley Cup final to the Penguins.

Since arriving in Pittsburgh, Dubas has rebuilt the Penguins both off and on the ice, having overhauled their defense, their forward group, and now the hockey operations department. It should make for an interesting season in Pittsburgh as there is renewed optimism after the Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006. The Penguins have felt stale since 2018 and with the addition of Dubas, along with the Erik Karlsson trade, it seems the Penguins are trending in a positive direction as they enter what is likely to be the final run with this core.

Los Angeles Kings Sign Jean-François Bérubé To PTO

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CapFriendly is reporting that the Los Angeles Kings have signed goaltender Jean-François Bérubé to a professional tryout agreement. Bérubé will join netminders Pheonix Copley, Cam Talbot, and David Rittich in the collection of goalies who will vie for two NHL roster spots.

A native of Repentigny, Quebec, Bérubé spent last season with the Panthers’ organization playing for Charlotte in the AHL. While a member of the Checkers, Bérubé posted an .885 save percentage to go along with a 3.22 goals-against average in 19 appearances.

Bérubé was originally drafted into the NHL by the Kings back in 2009. The Kings selected the 32-year-old in the fourth round, 95th overall and he spent the first four professional seasons of his career with the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL.

It wasn’t until the 2015-16 season with the New York Islanders that Bérubé made his NHL debut. This kickstarted a three-year run in which he bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL.

Bérubé’s last NHL appearances came with the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2021-22 season, where he dressed in six games, going 3-2-0 with a 4.12 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage.

Given his career numbers, and where his game was last season in the AHL, it seems unlikely that Bérubé will crack the Kings lineup and earn an NHL contract. However, he should be able to snag an AHL contract and play professional hockey in North America this season.

Edmonton Oilers Add To Coaching Staff

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The Edmonton Oilers announced today that they’ve added to their coaching staff promoting Noah Segall to their video coach while Mike Fanelli has been hired as Video & Coaching Analytics Coordinator. The news broke this morning as Segall will replace former video coach Jeremy Coupal who had a mutual split with the team in July. Coupal had become a bit of a cult hero in Edmonton thanks to his many split-second decisions to challenge offside calls on opposing team goals. Thanks to Coupal’s quick work the Oilers were able to wipe many goals against off the board, something they are sure to miss in his absence.

Segall does have previous experience in the video coach role with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors, a role he held before he joined the Oilers last year and worked under Coupal as Edmonton’s video coordinator. He also worked in college hockey with the University of Vermont, the University of Wisconsin, Canisius College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Segall’s new job, while important, is more of a technical role, while the hiring of Fanelli is an indication that Edmonton is planning to further embrace the fancy stats around the game of hockey. The 28-year-old won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning after spending four years in the team’s analytics department. He also has USHL coaching experience as he served as an assistant with the Sioux City Musketeers, winning a championship with the team in 2022.

Teams have been embracing the numbers game for quite a while now, but it seems that it has become more prevalent in the last few years. Just last week the Ottawa Senators hired the first full-time analytics person on their staff when they brought Sean Tierney into the organization, signalling that teams realize that there could be an advantage to evaluating the deeper facets of the game that go unnoticed to the naked eye.

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