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Boston Bruins Sign Robert Lantosi

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According to several reports including Conor Ryan of Boston Sports Journal, the Boston Bruins have rewarded an AHL rookie with an NHL contract, signing Robert Lantosi to a one-year entry-level deal. The 24-year old spent the 2019-20 season with the Providence Bruins on an AHL contract but knew right from the start that he would be competing for an NHL deal before long.

It was easy to see why the Bruins would take a chance last year on the Slovakian forward. He had just scored 58 points in 56 games for his club team and showed well at the World Championships. A bronze medalist with Slovakia at the World Juniors several years ago, he had obviously continued to develop into a player who could be relied upon at the professional level.

That’s exactly what happened in Providence, as he finished the year as a core forward for the club and will now get a chance to compete for a spot even higher up the depth chart. The one-year deal leaves him a restricted free agent in 2021 and makes him call-up eligible next season.

Minor Transactions: 08/05/20

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With six NHL playoff games a day suddenly on the docket, summer days are now filled with hockey. Yet, the qualifying round and round robin games are not the only news-makers in the hockey world. Here are some minor moves from across several levels, including an NHL loan, a pair of AHL extensions, and some NCAA commitments:

  • With the delayed start to the season among North American leagues, there has been a rash of overseas loans among NHL prospects in recent weeks. Florida Panthers prospect Rodrigo Abols has now also joined that list. Abols, a late 2016 pick out of Latvia, is set to return to the SHL’s Orebro HK to begin next season, the team announced. Abols played in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds this season, but previously played with Orebro for the two seasons prior. He will return to Sweden on a short-term loan for now that expires in mid-November, allowing for the young forward to compete in training camp and in the AHL if the Panthers so desire, but it would also not be a surprise to see the project player stay in the SHL for the year.
  • The Ontario Reign, AHL affiliate of the L.A. Kings, have announced one-year extensions for forwards Blaine Byron and Jacob Doty. Byron, a former Pittsburgh Penguins prospect and a University of Maine standout, has been a force in the AHL through three pro seasons. Byron has recorded 72 points in 136 games, including a career-high 34 in 53 games this season. Acquired by Ontario from Springfield mid-season, Byron was one of the Reign’s best players down the stretch and could be in for a big 2020-21 season. Doty, a 27-year-old journeyman, made his return to the AHL this season but recorded just one point in 18 games for Ontario. However, he provides experience and work ethic for the young farm team.
  • Harvard University has made headlines lately for losing players, both current and committed, due to the Ivy League’s ban on fall sports this year. However, they got some good news today in the form of a commitment from twin brothers with a well-known last name. Marek and Daniel Hejduk, the sons of career Colorado Avalanche star and Stanley Cup champ Milan Hejduk, each announced on Twitter today that they have committed to play at Harvard. While the 16-year-olds are still at least two seasons away from joining the Crimson, Marek is already slated to join the U.S. National Team Development Program next year and Daniel could follow. The pair seem likely to have some NHL Draft prospects by the time they are ready to move to the NCAA.
  • As for another brother duo headed to the college ranks, 16-year-old defenseman Seamus Powell announced on Instagram that he will follow his brother Eamon Powell to Boston College. Eamon, a USNTDP graduate who is set to join the Eagles this coming season, is a 2020 NHL Draft prospect expected to be selected in the second or third round in November. Seamus, a comparable small, offensive defenseman, will join the USNTDP this coming season and will be draft eligible in 2022, when he is also expected to enroll at BC.

Snapshots: Schedule, AHL All-Star, Spacek

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The NHL has released game times for Thursday, though at least one of them may not even be needed. The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes will open things with game four of their series if the underdogs can extend it tomorrow. The full schedule is as follows (all times central):

Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Rangers – Game 4, 11:00am
Minnesota Wild vs Vancouver Canucks – Game 3, 1:30pm
Philadelphia Flyers vs Washington Capitals – Round-robin, 3:00pm
St. Louis Blues vs Vegas Golden Knights – Round-robin, 5:30pm
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Toronto Maple Leafs – Game 3, 7:00pm
Winnipeg Jets vs Calgary Flames – Game 4, 9:30pm

Another few notes from around the hockey world:

  • The AHL has already canceled the 2021 All-Star Game because of its truncated calendar. The league is hoping to start the season at the beginning of December, meaning there won’t be a ton of extra time to fit in events like this. Laval, which was supposed to host the event, will instead receive the 2022 All-Star festivities.
  • Minor league forward Michael Spacek has signed a one-year contract in Finland for the upcoming 2020-21 season. The 23-year old is currently under contract with the Winnipeg Jets, but is scheduled to become a restricted free agent after the season and has yet to receive an NHL opportunity. In fact, Spacek had his worst AHL season this year as well, recording just nine goals an 20 points with the Manitoba Moose. Winnipeg will be able to retain Spacek’s rights with a qualifying offer.

Minor Transactions: 08/03/20

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The NHL is back and we’re well into the qualification round. As the hockey world focuses on those playoff matchups, minor league and European teams continue to build their depth for an upcoming season. As minor signings roll in, we’ll keep track of them right here.

  • The Iowa Wild have signed Jarrett Burton to a one-year AHL contract, bringing him over from the Rochester Americans. Burton had a dreadful season in 2019-20, scoring just one goal and recording two points in 39 games. The 29-year old went undrafted and has had to grind his way up from the ECHL.
  • Ben Freeman has started his professional career, signing with the Maine Mariners of the ECHL after four years at the University of Connecticut. Freeman captained the Huskies in 2019-20, recording 28 points in 33 games.
  • The Colorado Eagles have re-signed Kevin Davis and Peter Tischke, bringing both young defensemen back to give them some extra depth. Combined, Davis and Tischke played 18 games for the Eagles last season, spending most of the year in the ECHL with the Utah Grizzlies.

Moritz Seider Loaned To DEL

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The Detroit Red Wings have a handful of exciting prospects in the minor leagues, but with the uncertainty surrounding the 2020-21 AHL season, they will need to find places to play for the next six months. Reports have already surfaced about Joe Veleno and Filip Zadina who could be headed to the Czech Republic to get into some game action, and now Moritz Seider is also headed overseas.

Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports that Seider will be loaned to Adler Mannheim of the German DEL, though the Red Wings retain the ability to recall him at any time. Seider played for Mannheim before being selected sixth overall in 2019, but spent this season with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL.

There are few defensive prospects in the game that generate as much excitement as Seider, who was an immediate hit in Grand Rapids and has shown off his ability on the international stage. The 6’4″ right-handed shot is an all-situations defender that recorded 22 points in 49 games during his rookie season in the AHL. He is expected to challenge for a role on Detroit’s blueline before long, meaning he’ll likely be back in time to participate in NHL training camps in November.

Kasper Kotkansalo, another Red Wings draft pick, will also be headed overseas for the 2020-21 season. The third-round pick from 2017 has decided to leave Boston University and join Assat of the Finnish Liiga to continue his development. Kotkansalo, 21, had 25 points in 112 games for BU.

Jesper Sellgren Loaned To SHL

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When the Carolina Hurricanes signed Jesper Sellgren to a three-year entry-level contract in 2019, they likely expected him to be an important contributor for the Charlotte Checkers. After all, the young defenseman had just debuted for the Checkers in the Calder Cup playoffs and would help them secure a league championship soon after.

Unfortunately, Sellgren hasn’t played a single game for the organization since that 2019 AHL playoff run. Last season he was loaned back to the SHL where he recorded 21 points in 47 games. That was likely a decision made to get him more playing time and opportunity since the Checkers already had names like Jake Bean eating up ice time in the minor leagues. Today, Sellgren has been loaned to the SHL once again, this time to Frolunda, for the 2020-21 season (with the release from Sweden indicating it will be for the entire season).

That means two of his three contracted years will already be gone before Sellgren gets back into the Carolina organization. The deal is scheduled to expire in 2022, at which point he will become a restricted free agent. The sixth-round pick from 2018 is quite an interesting prospect, but it’s hard to know exactly how his future in North America will play out without more experience on this side of the pond.

Yegor Rykov Traded In KHL

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When the New York Rangers sent Michael Grabner to the New Jersey Devils in 2018, they got back an interesting young defense prospect by the name of Yegor Rykov (in addition to a second-round selection). Rykov had been a fifth-round pick by the Devils in 2016, but was still playing in the KHL and there was no clear timeline on when he would be coming to North America. A little over a year later the Rangers convinced Rykov to sign his entry-level contract, and he spent this season in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack. Now, with uncertainty over when the AHL will start play, Rykov appears to be heading back to Russia.

The 23-year old’s rights were traded from SKA St. Petersburg to CSKA Moscow, a deal between two of the KHL powerhouses. When the news came across, Rick Carpinello of The Athletic tweeted that the expectation is that Rykov will spend the 2020-21 season in Russia, given how far he is down the Rangers depth chart.

Rykov is still under contract with New York for next season, but according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, the deal has a European Assignment Clause for the 2020-21 season. That would mean Rykov essentially controls his own fate unless the Rangers were willing to give him an NHL roster spot.

That may not be so far off, given his early-career experience. The 6’2″ left-handed defenseman has played three fulls seasons in the KHL and a year in the AHL already, despite only turning 23 a few months ago. He was a standout at the World Juniors in 2017 for Russia, taking home a bronze medal before returning to Russia and winning a Gagarin Cup with SKA.

If the speculation proves correct, his development will have to continue overseas for now. Hopefully the Rangers can come to an agreement for another contract in 2021 when he will be a restricted free agent.

AHL Issues Update On 2020-21 Season

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The AHL has finally released some information regarding the 2020-21 season, announcing today that the anticipated start date will be December 4, 2020. The league canceled the remainder of the 2019-20 season in May after the coronavirus outbreak.

Because of the nature of revenue streams in the AHL, next season was still very much in doubt. The league relies on ticket sales even more than the NHL, meaning playing games without fans will require a large financial commitment. Still, minor league hockey is so imperative for the development of players around the league that a start date is an encouraging sign at this point.

Should they return to play in early December, it seems likely that they would be able to fit in a full schedule. The league has not released any details on that schedule, however, and will continue to monitor health guidelines before committing to anything.

Minor Transactions: 07/28/20

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The NHL is back, kicking things off with some exhibition action between rivals. As the hockey world focuses on Pittsburgh-Philadelphia, minor league and European teams continue to build their depth for an upcoming season. As minor signings roll in, we’ll keep track of them right here.

  • Swiss journalist Gregory Beaud tweets that Lausanne HC of the NLA will announce two more foreign signings once the NHL season is complete, following their deals with Cory Conacher and Brian Gibbons today. While not confirmed yet, he believes that Mark Barberio of the Colorado Avalanche will be one of those to head to Switzerland next season.
  • NHL draft pick Martins Dzierkals will be returning to Dinamo Riga next season, signing a deal with the KHL team after spending last season in Finland. Dzierkals, 23, was picked 68th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015 but never signed and subsequently saw his draft rights traded to the Vegas Golden Knights earlier this year.
  • The Manitoba Moose have signed Nathan Todd to a one-year AHL contract, bringing back a player who spent 16 games in their uniform this season. Todd is an elite offensive presence at the ECHL level, but has just one point in 27 career AHL games.

Nashville Predators Sign Anthony Richard

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The Nashville Predators have handed out another 2020-21 contract, signing Anthony Richard to a one-year, two-way deal. Richard was scheduled to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season when his entry-level contract expired. The new contract will carry a salary of $735K at the NHL level and $65K at the AHL level.

Richard, 23, was a fourth-round pick of the Predators back in 2015 and has played two games for the NHL club. While he’s still looking for his first point at that level, he has been a regular contributor for the Milwaukee Admirals and represents solid depth for the organization. Versatile enough to play both center and wing, he’ll likely be heading back to the minors again next season, though, with a flat cap teams may be giving more opportunities to their young players.

Signing Richard leaves just three pending restricted free agents for the Predators: Rem Pitlick, Yakov Trenin and Michael McCarron. The much more important negotiations will be with some of their unrestricted free agents, which include key roster players like Mikael Granlund, Craig Smith and Dan Hamhuis.

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