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Syracuse Crunch Hire Joel Bouchard

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have found their new AHL bench boss, hiring Joel Bouchard to be the next head coach of the Syracuse Crunch. The team has also brought in Daniel Jacob as assistant coach.

General manager Julien BriseBois released the following statement:

The head coach position for our AHL affiliate is one of paramount importance with regards to our player development program. Joel brings a contagious enthusiasm to everything he undertakes. He is a strong leader with a proven track record in helping players and teams reach their full potential.

With him overseeing the pipeline of future Lightning players on a day-to-day basis, we expect Joel to be an important contributor to the overall mission of the Tampa Bay Lightning for years to come.

Bouchard replaces the outgoing Benoit Groulx, though his time with the organization does not appear to be up. The announcement explains that Groulx will be offered another coaching position within the Lightning, though there are no further details. Former assistants Gilles Bouchard and Eric Veilleux will not return.

The Tampa Bay development model is one to emulate, with huge emphasis put on their minor league programs. The Crunch have been one of the most consistent teams in the AHL for years now, churning out NHL-ready talents like Yanni Gourde (undrafted), Carter Verhaeghe (3rd round), Mathieu Joseph (4th round), Anthony Cirelli (3rd round), Ross Colton (4th round), and many others during Groulx’s tenure.

Bouchard will now be tasked with continuing that development and continuing to grow talent to backfill the Tampa Bay roster.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Carson Meyer To Extension

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A hometown kid is sticking around in Columbus. The Blue Jackets have extended forward Carson Meyer on a one-year, two-way contract, the team said today. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports the deal carries a league-minimum cap hit and NHL salary of $775K, an AHL salary of $190K, and a minimum guarantee of $210K.

Born in Powell, Ohio, and developed through the Blue Jackets’ youth program, Meyer’s strong freshman season at Ohio’s Miami University earned him a sixth-round selection in the 2017 NHL Draft as an over-age player. After a four-year collegiate career which included a transfer to the higher-exposure Ohio State, and one year of pro seasoning with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, Meyer made his NHL debut in 2021-22, scoring a goal and two assists in a 13-game callup.

Meyer saw 14 games of NHL action this past season, recording one assist, but saw his AHL point pace increase to 26 points in 34 games after recording just 27 points in 57 games the year prior. An oblique strain kept him out of the Blue Jackets lineup for a few weeks in the middle of the season, but he rebounded nicely down the stretch in Cleveland and recorded his lone point in his last NHL call-up of the campaign, an April 11th game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

He’ll be 26 by the time next season starts, though, and it’s not seeming like he’ll get a roster spot out of training camp. With Alexandre Texier back in the fold after a year overseas, as well as a potential opening night spot for their third overall selection in next week’s draft, the numbers game just isn’t kind to Meyer. He’ll remain one of their first few call-up options throughout the season, though, barring a significant setback in his minor-league play.

Morning Notes: Hershey, Walsh, MacKenzie

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Many on the East Coast woke up this morning to the news that the AHL’s Hershey Bears emerged victorious as the champions of the 2023 Calder Cup, outlasting the expansion Coachella Valley Firebirds on the road in a Game 7 overtime win. The Washington Capitals affiliate captured their league-record 12th championship thanks to the efforts of alternate captain and AHL veteran Mike Vecchione, who did get one game with the Caps in 2021-22.

It was a strong postseason for a few of Capitals prospects – namely 2019 first-round pick Connor McMichael, who led the team with six goals in 20 games. It was the team’s depth that carried them through the many tribulations a postseason brings, though, with seven players recording 10 or more points. 27-year-old Hunter Shepard, who excelled in his first full AHL campaign after signing with Hershey in 2020, won MVP honors after posting a 2.27 goals-against average, .914 save percentage, three shutouts, and a 14-6-0 record in 20 playoff games.

More from the hockey news cycle this morning:

  • New Jersey Devils restricted free agent defenseman Reilly Walsh is set to lose his waiver-exempt status next season after three strong campaigns in the minors. In an interview with NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky, Devils assistant general manager Dan MacKinnon revealed the team is preparing to lose Walsh, either via trade early in the season or a possible waiver claim. A third-round pick of the team in 2017, Walsh has recorded back-to-back 40-plus point seasons with the AHL’s Utica Comets and notched an assist in his lone NHL appearance in 2021-22. With a logjam of elite defense prospects in the Devils organization that includes Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, though, there isn’t a clear path to sustained NHL time for Walsh.
  • The Nashville Predators have hired Derek MacKenzie as an assistant coach, the team said this morning. MacKenzie had previously worked with new Predators head coach Andrew Brunette for a three-year period with the Florida Panthers, concluding with a President’s Trophy win in 2021-22 with Brunette as head coach. MacKenzie had spent the 2022-23 campaign as head coach of the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves after the Panthers revamped their coaching staff last offseason, where he guided prospects such as forward Quentin Musty (who could be available with Nashville’s first-round selections) to high-end seasons.

Snapshots: Lyon, Love, Hockeyville

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Sergei Bobrovsky’s magical run for the Florida Panthers throughout most of the playoffs erased a lot of memories of the netminder who got them there in the first place. 30-year-old Alex Lyon, who started the season as the team’s third-string netminder, recorded a 6-2-1 record and .930 save percentage while playing in nine of the team’s final 12 games of the regular season, helping them snag a playoff spot after sitting on the outside looking in for much of the season.

Yesterday, Lyon’s agent, Pete Rutili of Wasserman Hockey, told Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic that his client’s preference is to stay in the Sunshine State, but there have been no talks between the Panthers and their pending unrestricted free agent. Florida expects youngster Spencer Knight back in the fold next season after taking time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, so Lyon wouldn’t have a likely NHL role if he returns. After seven seasons and more than 200 games of AHL action, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Lyon went elsewhere to find an easier path to more NHL action in 2023-24.

More from the NHL news cycle today:

  • The head coach of the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, Mitch Love, hasn’t completely cut ties with the Flames after being passed over for their head coaching vacancy in favor of his predecessor in the minors, Ryan Huska. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that while Love is still looking elsewhere for jobs on an NHL bench, he’s had discussions with the Flames about joining Huska’s staff as an assistant. Love has won AHL Coach of the Year honors in both of his two campaigns behind the Wranglers (formerly Stockton Heat) bench and guided them to a Pacific Division Final loss against the Coachella Valley Firebirds, who are now just one win away from the Calder Cup.
  • Next year’s Canadian Kraft Hockeyville preseason matchups will honor both the 2022 and 2023 winners of the award, seeing the NHL head to West Lorne, Ontario, on September 27 and Sydney, Nova Scotia, on October 1. Atlantic Division teams will comprise both matchups, with the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs facing off in West Lorne before the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators play in the Sydney showcase.

Buffalo Sabres Extend Lukas Rousek

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The Buffalo Sabres have made their second signing of the day, handing out a two-year contract extension to forward Lukas Rousek per his agent, Dan Milstein. Financial terms have not yet been reported.

Buffalo selected the 24-year-old in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL Draft, but he’s quickly worked his way up the organizational depth chart after a breakout 2022-23 campaign with the AHL’s Rochester Americans.

Making his NHL debut this season, the Czech winger scored a goal and an assist in two appearances and added 56 points in 70 regular-season games with Rochester. It comes after he recorded just four points in 19 games there last year, his first season in North America.

His offensive breakout didn’t come completely out of the blue, though. His point totals were climbing up during the end of his time in Czechia, recording 38 points in 49 games in 2020-21 with HC Sparta Praha, his final season before coming stateside. He’ll almost certainly find himself out the outside looking in on opening night next season, but that’s more a testament to the depth of young forwards the Sabres have cultivated in recent years. If injuries hit the team, he’ll surely be one of their first call-up options and should build on his NHL games played total next season.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Steven Kampfer

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A long-time NHL farmhand is sticking around. After heading to the Arizona Coyotes organization after the trade deadline in a minor-league deal, journeyman defenseman Steven Kampfer is extending his stay in the desert on a one-year, two-way contract for 2023-24, the team announced. PuckPedia confirms he’ll earn the league minimum of $775K at the NHL level, $225K at the AHL level, and is guaranteed a minimum of $250K next season.

Kampfer didn’t see any NHL ice last season but was under contract with the Detroit Red Wings, spending most of the season with their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. A March 9 trade sent him to the Coyotes for future considerations, though, and he recorded seven points in 15 games down the stretch with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. It was the 34-year-old’s first season back in North America after a one-year absence spent with the KHL’s Ak Bars Kazan, which allowed him to represent the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The 2007 draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks has consistently been an eighth/ninth defenseman option for NHL teams, seeing ice in seven straight seasons from 2014-15 to 2020-21. He’s spent most of his career with the Boston Bruins (in two separate stints) but has appeared in 231 NHL games overall, scoring 39 points. He’s also appeared in NHL games for the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, and New York Rangers.

While he’s likely destined for Tucson again next season, it wouldn’t surprise many to see Kampfer in at least a few games with the Coyotes’ blueline, given its paper-thin state.

Minor Transactions: 6/20/23

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Buyouts are the transaction du jour in the NHL, with the first window about a third of the way through completion. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Patrik Nemeth, and Zack Kassian are three players who will now unexpectedly need to look for new homes next season, while others are settling on their short-term futures in other leagues. As always, we’re keeping an eye out for any of today’s notable moves outside of the NHL:

  • ECHL standout and 2017 Hockey East champion Ryan Dmowski has signed a one-year deal with HK Poproad in the Slovak Extraliga, the team announced. The 26-year-old forward helped his Idaho Steelheads finish first in the ECHL during the regular season and reach the Kelly Cup Final, leading the team by a decent margin with 41 goals and 85 points in 91 combined regular-season and playoff games. Dmowski’s strong performances in the ECHL over the past few seasons haven’t translated to any sustained AHL production, though, and he’ll choose to play high-level professional hockey in Europe without a realistic NHL opportunity in the cards.
  • Undrafted CHL free agent Landon Kosior will begin his professional career with the AHL’s Iowa Wild, as the Minnesota Wild affiliate announced they’ve signed him to a one-year, two-way AHL deal. Passed over in the 2020 NHL Draft, Kosior’s since exploded on the blue line for the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders and notched over a point per game there in his final season. Set to turn 21 in August, Kosior will now look to stick in second-tier pro hockey and catch the eye of the Wild’s NHL brass.
  • A former top undrafted free agent prospect is getting another chance in the AHL as the Milwaukee Admirals have brought in Tye Felhaber on a one-year AHL deal. Once a promising signing by the Dallas Stars in 2019 after he recorded 109 points in 68 games with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, Felhaber’s AHL production never came close to translating to pro hockey. He had to settle for an ECHL contract for 2022-23, which paid massive dividends – he exploded for 63 points in 51 games with the Fort Wayne Komets and even recorded a respectable 13 points in 21 games on loan to Milwaukee. He’ll get a full-time chance there now as the 24-year-old looks to revive his career.

This post will be updated throughout the day.

Minor Transactions: 6/19/23

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Most European rosters are settled after a busy overseas transfer period, but moves will continue to trickle in as NHL free agency opens up too. There’s also the matter of minor-league teams looking to solidify their rosters for next season, as the AHL’s Calder Cup Final is no more than two games away from wrapping up. We’ll keep tabs on any of today’s notable minor moves here:

  • Forwards Nate Sucese and Josh Melnick will likely forego any NHL opportunities next season, signing contract extensions today with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, who are slated to be the only non-NHL affiliated team in the league next season. A former undrafted Coyotes prospect, the 26-year-old Sucese completed his third AHL campaign last season with his third different team, recording career highs in goals (11), assists (12), points (23), and games played (69). 2022-23 and 2023-24 will mark Sucese’s first consecutive campaigns with the same team since graduating from Penn State in 2020. Melnick, 27, has just one more season of pro experience than Sucese but served as an alternate captain for the Wolves last season and finished fifth on the team in scoring with 35 points in 71 games.

This post will be updated throughout the day.

Flames Sign Clark Bishop To Extension

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With the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals having reached its conclusion, the offseason is finally upon us. As new General Manager Craig Conroy begins his work on re-tooling the roster of the Calgary Flames, he has already gotten one small piece of work out of the way. This afternoon, the Flames announced the signing of Clark Bishop to a two-year, two-way deal.

The contract will pay Bishop a total of $775K each season at the NHL, a small raise compared to what he was earning this past season. Bishop was set to hit the unrestricted free-agent market in a few weeks.

The last time Bishop suited up for an NHL game was back in the 2021-22 season, playing nine games for the Ottawa Senators, producing only one assist. Coming over to the Flames organization last offseason, Bishop played the entire 2022-23 season with Calgary’s AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers.

In 64 games played at the AHL level, Bishop scored a respectable 11 goals and 12 assists, also notching two goals and one assist during the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Wranglers were eliminated in the Division Finals against the Coachella Valley Firebirds but were the best regular season team in the AHL this year.

If the Flames deal with injuries next season, Bishop could be a viable call-up option to fill in a roster spot. However, if Calgary is able to manage a generally clean bill of health, Bishop will be helping the Wranglers repeat as the top team in the AHL.

 

Philadelphia Flyers Announce Qualifying Offers

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Weeks in advance of the June 30 deadline, the Philadelphia Flyers have become the first team to announce which of their pending restricted free agents are receiving qualifying offers. Forwards Noah Cates, Morgan Frost, and Olle Lycksell, as well as defensemen Ronnie Attard and Cam York, all received qualifying offers from the team and their rights have been retained. Forwards Evan Barratt and Kieffer Bellows and defenseman Wyatte Wylie were left unqualified, and they’ll hit unrestricted free agency on July 1 if left unsigned.

The Flyers also confirmed that goalie prospect Ivan Fedotov, who missed the entire 2022-23 campaign due to military obligations in Russia after intending to leave for the United States, has had his contract tolled over to the 2023-24 season. It’s unclear what his status is and if he’s expected to join the team, but he will be under contract.

Philadelphia acquired Barratt, 24, in an October 2022 minor trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. The 2017 third-round pick spent nearly the entire season in the ECHL with the Flyers’ affiliate, the Reading Royals, where he did well with 50 points in 46 games. After managing to stick in the AHL full-time with Chicago the past two seasons, however, it was a disappointing development that he couldn’t hold the same role in the Flyers organization. He’ll spend next season overseas, where he’s already signed a contract with the DEL’s Nurnberg Ice Tigers.

Bellows was the 19th overall selection in the 2016 draft but ended up on waivers this season after the New York Islanders decided he couldn’t stick in the NHL. Philadelphia claimed him, but the 25-year-old scored just three goals in 27 NHL games and never got anything above a fourth-line role. His power-forward style has yet to truly translate to any sustained success at the NHL level, and he remains unsigned for 2023-24.

Wylie is the youngest of the Flyers to go unqualified, still just 23 years old. After a fifth-round selection in 2018, though, he’s failed to become an every-night AHL player and appeared in 45 games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season. After a strong pair of seasons to finish out his junior career with the Everett Silvertips in 2019 and 2020, though, he should be able to find at least an AHL contract on the open market if the Flyers don’t retain him by the end of the month.

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