Ottawa Senators Recall Jacob Bernard-Docker
The Ottawa Senators have recalled defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker from their AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, per a team announcement. The 2018 first-round pick last played in the NHL in January, and in total has played in 13 games for Ottawa this season.
Bernard-Docker’s last stretch of NHL action came between January 16th and 21st, when he played in four games and got between 21 and 14 and a half minutes per game.
He’s registered just one point in his 13 games this year, but it’s important to note with Bernard-Docker that offense isn’t the priority. He’s more of a stay-at-home defender who earns his keep by playing a positionally sound crease-clearing game.
He’s done that to this point in the AHL, playing as a top-pairing defenseman for Belleville. What he hasn’t been able to do, though, is find a way to stick in the NHL consistently.
He was afforded an extended developmental runway at the University of North Dakota and performed well there, but as the Senators have been in need of capable NHL defensemen Bernard-Docker has been passed over in favor of other options in the past.
Eligible for restricted free agency in the offseason, this recall is an important opportunity for Bernard-Docker to leave a lasting, positive impression on the Senators organization.
Bernard-Docker will be eligible for waivers next season, meaning the time when the Senators need to make a choice as to whether he’s in their NHL plans is rapidly approaching. However many NHL games this recall earns Bernard-Docker will be his chance to make that choice a lot easier.
Colorado Avalanche Recall Ben Meyers
After spending most of this month with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, center Ben Meyers is getting another chance in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche. The 24-year-old has been recalled to the NHL roster, per a team announcement.
As mentioned, Myers has been with the Eagles since March 6th, when he was reassigned from the Avalanche’s roster. Meyers has been extraordinarily productive in this recent stretch of AHL games, with a total of 14 points in 11 contests, a run that includes a nine-game point streak.
It’s this prolific run of production that has likely earned him this additional chance with the Avalanche, as his first stretch with the team this year did not go as planned.
From a December 7th game against the Boston Bruins until he was sent down on January 28th, Meyers played in 25 NHL games for the Avalanche and did not register a single point.
His ice time declined from a high of 18:32 on December 9th to a stretch of 11 games in January where he got above 10 minutes of ice time just once, including a game against the Seattle Kraken that despite stretching into a shootout saw Meyers play only four minutes and five seconds.
A college hockey star and coveted NCAA free agent, Meyers’ young NHL career has been underwhelming to this point. He was a Hobey Baker Award finalist, Big 10 Player of the Year, and above-point-per-game scorer as a Minnesota Gopher.
But as an Avalanche, he has faded into the background of most games he’s played. His recent run of strong production in the AHL serves as a reminder of just how impactful he can be, though, and now he’ll get another chance to show what he can do against NHL competition.
Columbus Blue Jackets Recall Josh Dunne On Emergency Basis
The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled center Josh Dunne from their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters.
The move is on an emergency basis, and is meant to reward someone who Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said, per team reporter Jeff Svoboda, deserves a look in NHL games during what remains of this 2022-23 season.
Dunne, 24, is a rangy six-foot-four center who signed with Columbus two seasons ago as an undrafted college free agent. Dunne played three seasons at Clarkson University, captaining the squad in his final season there.
Dunne was an impact player for the program, tallying 55 points in 78 games. His solid freshman performance (14 goals, 23 points in 32 games) helped Clarkson win the ECAC championship in 2018-19, and the following season he was named to the ECAC’s Third All-Star team and named the conference’s best defensive forward.
As a professional, Dunne quickly acclimated himself to the AHL game by scoring eight goals and 10 points in his first 15 games in the league.
Last season was more of a struggle as he posted just 11 points in 29 games, but this season he has taken some positive strides.
Dunne has been a consistent force down the middle of Cleveland’s lineup this season, providing steady production as the team faced the fallout of their parent club’s significant injury losses.
He has tallied 20 goals and 36 points in 59 games this season, and that career-high production has earned Dunne this call-up. With Columbus in the NHL’s basement, the remaining games of this season don’t serve any major purpose from a wins-and-losses perspective.
Instead, these games can hold the most value from an evaluation perspective, giving their front office the chance to see what they have in certain players against NHL competition. With this recall, the organization will get a chance to look at Dunne, and Dunne will get the opportunity to impress just as he did in college and as he has this year in the AHL.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
New Jersey Devils Reassign Nolan Foote
Nolan Foote‘s most recent NHL run with the New Jersey Devils will end at three games, as the team has reassigned him to their AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. Foote registered one goal in that three-game stretch, playing under 10 minutes in each contest.
Foote, 22, is a 2019 first-round pick who was acquired by the Devils in the 2020 trade of Blake Coleman to the Tampa Bay Lightning. At that point, Foote was serving as captain of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, and he would make his professional debut the next season with the then-Binghamton Devils. Foote has always been a difference-maker at the AHL level, and this season is no different as he has posted 18 goals and 30 points in 48 games.
His career total is a healthy 79 points in 128 career AHL games, but despite that AHL production NHL success has eluded Foote.
He has just 19 NHL games on his resume, and has scored seven points. A lack of foot speed has hurt Foote’s ability to separate himself in an NHL that is getting quicker and quicker.
Foote’s return to the AHL will certainly help the Comets, who are currently second in the AHL’s North Division and looking to lock up their spot in the Calder Cup playoffs.
But heading back to the AHL after again failing to latch on in the NHL for an extended period has to come as a disappointment for Foote.
As numerous other 2019 draft picks are breaking out and establishing themselves as NHL options, Foote is getting closer to a crucial point in his development. He’ll be waivers-eligible next season, so the Devils will have to make the choice next fall whether to finally include Foote in their NHL plans or risk losing him to another NHL team.
Foote could see the possibility of being exposed to and potentially claimed off of waivers next fall as an opportunity rather than a risk, though, as he could be in line to receive more NHL opportunities in an organization without the type of embarrassment of riches along the wings that the Devils can boast.
Regardless, with this reassignment Foote can’t focus on the possibility of waivers next fall. The priority has to be putting together a strong finish to his regular season and helping Utica go on a long Calder Cup playoff run. Doing those two things would likely improve Foote’s standing within the Devils organizational plans, and perhaps inspire more confidence in the team that he’ll be ready to earn a spot on the 23-man roster next season.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Montreal Canadiens Sign Jakub Dobes
The Montreal Canadiens have announced the signing of NCAA netminder Jakub Dobes to a two-year, $925k AAV entry-level deal, set to begin next season. Dobes has also signed an AHL contract allowing him to be with the AHL’s Laval Rocket for the rest of this season.
By signing with Montreal, the 21-year-old Dobes leaves Ohio State University after just two years there. The 2020 fifth-round pick has seen his stock rise rapidly since being drafted, going from a .908 save percentage in his final season in the USHL to a .934 save percentage in his first season as a Buckeye.
In total, Dobes’ 35-game freshman season was a resounding success. He took home a multitude of conference honors, including winning Big 10 Goalie of the Year, All-Rookie Team, and First All-Star team honors.
His 21-12-2 record, .934 save percentage, and 2.26 goals-against-average were each major improvements from his numbers in the USHL, and provided hope for Canadiens fans that they might have something in Dobes to lead a relatively thin set of goalies in their prospect pool.
This past season, Dobes’ numbers took a step back, but remained strong overall. He posted a 21-16-3 record, a .918 save percentage, and a 2.31 goals-against-average. While it wasn’t quite as good as the elite performance he posted as a freshman, Dobes’ sophomore season reinforced his status as a legitimate NHL prospect.
With the backing of those solid numbers the kind of six-foot-five, 200-pound frame NHL teams covet in their netminders, Dobes earns his entry-level deal and a chance to play professional hockey.
With Jake Allen and Samuel Montembeault entrenched in the Canadiens’ crease in the NHL and Cayden Primeau holding down the fort as Laval’s starting goalie, Dobes will likely either see time with the Canadiens’ ECHL affiliate next season or split time in the AHL in a tandem with Primeau.
After seeing his save percentage decline from .920 last season to .888 this season, veteran minor league netminder Kevin Poulin‘s spot behind Primeau is likely there for Dobes to seize, and this entry-level deal puts him in a prime position to do so.
And while Primeau is penciled in as Laval’s number-one for next season, his uneven performances this year (3.13 goals-against-average, .906 save percentage) leave the door open for Dobes to grab a greater role than expected if he can hit the ground running as a professional just like he did to start his collegiate career.
Los Angeles Kings Recall Tobias Bjornfot On Emergency Basis
The Los Angeles Kings have recalled defenseman Tobias Bjornfot from their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, on an emergency basis.
This recall was likely necessitated by an injury sustained by top-pairing defenseman Mikey Anderson, an injury that knocked him out of last night’s 2-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
While the Kings already had seven defensemen on their roster (Sean Walker was a healthy scratch versus Edmonton) adding Bjornfot gives coach Todd McLellan additional defensive reinforcements for the Kings’ upcoming trip to the Pacific Northwest, with games against the Vancouver Canucks and Seattle Kraken.
Bjornfot, 21, is a 2019 first-round pick who has spent most of this season with the Reign. With the Kings’ trade deadline acquisition of Vladislav Gavrikov, the team’s pool of left-shot defensemen got even deeper, further pushing Bjornfot down the depth chart, even though he played 70 NHL games last season.
In the AHL, Bjornfot has played a top-pairing, minutes-eating role that has often paired him alongside 2019 fourth-rounder Jordan Spence. His sound overall game has led him to be the defensive anchor on that pairing, and as a result, he has helped Spence play with the sort of offensive freedom that has allowed him to post 42 points in 51 games.
Bjornfot’s numbers aren’t quite there (he has 12 points in 47 games) but he has had a strong run of recent production, with a four-game point streak between March 21st and 26th.
Now back in the NHL for the first time since February, Bjornfot will have the chance to re-enter the Kings’ lineup and show what he can do on an NHL stage. As he’s eligible for restricted free agency over the summer, any NHL time Bjornfot receives could be crucial in helping him leave a strong impression before offseason negotiations.
San Jose Sharks Reassign Martin Kaut
The San Jose Sharks announced today that forward Martin Kaut has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. The move comes just after Kaut registered an assist in the Sharks’ 4-3 overtime victory against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Kaut’s reassignment is somewhat surprising given the strong form he has displayed in recent games. Since his March 18th recall, Kaut has scored four points in six games, seeing his ice time rise to over 18 minutes on two occasions.
Acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Ryan Merkley in a swap of underachieving 2018 first-round picks, (the deal also involved two other players) Kaut has fit in quite well wherever he’s been assigned in the Sharks organization.
In the AHL, Kaut has scored 13 points in 15 games for the Barracuda, and his overall total for the Sharks is five points in nine games. While he has just 11 career points in 56 games, the Sharks were intrigued enough by what Kaut could bring to the table to surrender Merkley, a player who was once the team’s top defensive prospect.
While it’s still too early to tell if the swap will ultimately pay off for GM Mike Grier, it’s impossible to be anything but encouraged by how Kaut has been playing. Now back with the Barracuda, he’ll be expected to take an important, top-of-the-lineup role as the team looks to close out what has been an uneven AHL campaign.
This reassignment obviously hurts the 23-year-old’s ability to get a few more productive NHL games on his resume before his contract expires over the summer and he hits restricted free agency. But if he can continue to play well in the AHL, he will likely head into offseason negotiations on stronger footing than he entered the year on.
Calgary Wranglers Sign Mark Duarte To ATO
The Calgary Wranglers of the AHL announced the signing of Mark Duarte to an amateur tryout contract.
Duarte, 20, recently completed his final season in the OHL, as the undrafted forward notched 48 points (20G, 28A) in 65 games for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. He also played two seasons with the Hamilton Bulldogs, but did not see action in the canceled 2020-21 season.
After a productive overage season, Duarte will get the opportunity to join a Wranglers team that currently sits at the top of the AHL standings. If he is able to show that his offensive improvement in the OHL can translate, Duarte could be on a path to carving out a role for himself in the professional ranks.
Marco Kasper Coming To North America
March 31: Late last night, the Red Wings officially recalled Kasper from Rogle, meaning he’ll immediately join the NHL team instead of reporting to the minors.
March 29: The Detroit Red Wings organization is getting a little stronger in the coming days, as Marco Kasper is set to come over from Europe now that his SHL season has ended. His club, Rogle, reports that Kasper will join the Red Wings “as early as this week,” though he didn’t specify whether he’ll go to Detroit or report to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL.
Kasper, 18, was the eighth overall pick in the 2022 draft and scored 23 points in 52 regular season games for Rogle this season. In nine playoff games, he added three points, and will now get a chance to make his professional debut on this side of the pond.
Since he already signed his entry-level contract, Kasper is eligible to play at either level – and since the Red Wings only have nine games remaining, there’s no threat of burning the first year of his deal. The young forward can get his feet wet and then play full-time in North America next season, if the Red Wings deem him ready.
Otherwise, his contract with Rogle extends through 2024-25, and he could return to Sweden for another year of development. Either way, he has done nothing but impress since being drafted so high, and looks like another future star for the Red Wings to bring along.
Prospect Notes: Pickering, Hildeby, Gratton
After his season came to its conclusion with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League, Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports reports Owen Pickering will be joining the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins for the rest of the 2022-23 season. Pickering signed an entry-level contract with the Penguins last summer, ending after the 2024-25 season.
Last season, for the Broncos, Pickering scored 33 points in 62 games, en route to being selected 21st overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2022 NHL Draft. Following up on last year’s performance, Pickering will finish his junior career on the tails of a nine-goal, 36-assist performance over 61 games this season.
Unfortunately for the Penguins and Pickering, the WBS Penguins only have eight games remaining this year, and will not make the playoffs as they currently sit in last place in the AHL’s Atlantic Division. As he officially joins an organization that is severely lacking in prospect depth, Pickering will have some added pressure moving forward in hopes of becoming the player the Penguins need him to be.
Other prospect notes:
- Jumping over across the pond, the Toronto Marlies announce that goaltender Dennis Hildeby will be joining the team after his season finished for Färjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League. Drafted 122nd overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, this will be Hildeby’s first taste of action in North America, coming off an 11-9 performance with a .918 SV% and a 2.26 GAA in the SHL.
- Mark Divver, a contributor at the NHL, reports that Tyler Gratton of Penn State University has entered the transfer portal. Already playing four seasons at Penn State, Gratton has played 123 regular season games, scoring 20 goals and 14 assists. An alternate captain for the team last season, Gratton will spend his final year in the NCAA for a team other than the Nittany Lions.