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.
Scott Wedgewood To Start Conditioning Stint In AHL
The Dallas Stars have their eyes set on more than just a playoff appearance. The club has the best goal differential in the Western Conference and hopes to go on a long postseason run, contending for the Stanley Cup. While their hopes rest on the shoulders of star goaltender Jake Oettinger, getting his backup healthy enough to contribute down the stretch is a priority.
Scott Wedgewood hasn’t played since February 18, leaving Oettinger to start nearly every game since, given the lack of NHL-level depth behind the two netminders. Now, Wedgewood appears to be on the brink of a return.
Team reporter Mike Heika reports that the veteran netminder will go on a conditioning stint to the AHL and start for the Texas Stars on Friday. He could be back up with the NHL club as early as next week, allowing Dallas to give Oettinger a couple of nights off before the playoffs begin.
The Stars finish the season with a home-and-home with the St. Louis Blues on consecutive nights, games that could have serious significance depending on how things go from here. They currently sit three points behind the Minnesota Wild for the Central Division lead, and are tied with the Colorado Avalanche for the other two division playoff spots.
Home ice advantage in the first round – or even avoiding a matchup with the defending champs entirely – may come down to how they perform in that back-to-back.
Calle Clang Assigned To San Diego Gulls
The Anaheim Ducks have one young netminder in Lukas Dostal, who looks ready to make an impact, and they’re hoping another isn’t far away. Calle Clang has been reassigned to the San Diego Gulls after his SHL season ended recently, giving him a chance to start his North American pro career over the next few weeks.
Clang, selected 77th overall in the 2020 draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, was included in the Rickard Rakell trade last year, coming to Anaheim along with Dominik Simon, Zach Aston-Reese, and a second-round pick that turned into Tristan Luneau.
The 20-year-old netminder struggled through a rather disappointing season this year, posting a .900 save percentage in 25 games for Rogle, but has shown a ton of potential as a young player. He posted a .944 in two World Junior games last year and even saw a bit of SHL playoff action in 2022.
Even if he is still years away, the Ducks can afford to be patient with his development. The team is rebuilding, John Gibson is still signed for several more years, and Dostal is next in line to replace him. Clang can focus on AHL action for the stretch run before he and the Ducks determine his future. Under contract through 2024-25 in Sweden, he’ll likely return to Rogle for more development back home next season.
Calgary Flames Sign William Stromgren
The Calgary Flames have signed one of their better forward prospects, inking Swedish forward William Stromgren to his three-year entry-level contract on Wednesday. The contract will begin next season, making him a restricted free agent in 2026. He will report to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers on an amateur tryout for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.
Stromgren, selected 45th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, played in the SHL full-time for the first time this season. In 45 games with Brynäs IF, however, he recorded just eight points.
His production should be taken with a grain of salt, however. Brynäs finished near the bottom of the league and lost their relegation series, meaning they’ll be demoted to the second-tier Allsvenskan next season. With Stromgren already coming over to the city on an ATO, it appears that he’ll stay in North America next season rather than having Calgary loan him back to Sweden to help with Brynäs’ efforts to rejoin the SHL.
A big and fast winger, Stromgren also registered an assist in seven games at this past year’s World Junior Championship for Sweden. Set to turn 20 over the summer, Stromgren will look to find some more offensive opportunity in the minors.
Vegas Golden Knights Recall Brayden Pachal, Shea Theodore Injured
The Athletic’s Jesse Granger reported Wednesday that defenseman Shea Theodore is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury and will not travel with the team on their brief road trip to San Jose. In response to Theodore’s injury, the Golden Knights announced the recall of defenseman Brayden Pachal from their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights.
With the playoffs rapidly approaching, the Golden Knights will likely be cautious with Theodore’s status and not rush him back if unnecessary. While a playoff spot is practically guaranteed, they do have the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers breathing down their neck for first place in the Pacific Division, so their remaining schedule isn’t exactly meaningless.
Theodore holds a slight edge on Alex Pietrangelo for the highest points per game by a Vegas defenseman this year, recording 41 points in 54 games while playing over 21 minutes per game. Theodore remains a dynamic puck-moving defender and an analytical darling, as he has for much of his NHL career.
Pachal comes up to the NHL club as an extra body, with Ben Hutton expected to replace Theodore in the lineup. The 23-year-old recorded his first two NHL points this season, both assists, in a nine-game stint spanning December and January. This is his first recall in over two months.