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Calgary Flames Re-Sign Martin Pospisil

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The Calgary Flames have taken care of another restricted free agent, inking forward Martin Pospisil to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750k, per a club announcement. Pospisil is one of the Flames’ final few RFA’s that still need contracts, part of a group headlined by Andrew Mangiapane and Oliver Kylington.

Pospisil, 22, was a fourth-round pick of the Flames at the 2018 draft, a selection out of the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL. The six-foot-one, 195-pound forward doesn’t have the sort of box score numbers that jump out, save for in one area: penalty minutes. In his first season on North American ice in 2017-18, Pospisil had a whopping 253 penalty minutes in 49 games. While he’s toned his game down a bit from that level, his aggressiveness and rambunctious style are things he’s carried into his professional career.

Pospisil has played the past three seasons with the AHL’s Stockton Heat, save for a brief 21-game stretch with HC Kosice in his native Slovakia in 2020-21. In the AHL, Pospisil has had so-so production, with 25 points in 47 games last season and 11 points in his 14 AHL games in 2020-21.

The one-year extension for Pospisil could be seen as an indication that he will need to show more on the ice in order to secure his spot in the organization’s long-term plans. Pospisil saw some time on the Heat’s power play last season, but did not factor into the team’s penalty kill. For him to have a true path to the NHL, he may need to shore up his defensive game, get some experience on the penalty kill, and prove he can adapt to and thrive in a bottom-six role, where he would likely end up if he made the NHL.

Pospisil has the sort of physical game in front of the net that suggests he can get there, but he’ll need to show some more versatility at the AHL level before getting an extended look in Calgary.

New Jersey Devils Sign Tyce Thompson

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The Devils and restricted free agent forward Tyce Thompson have struck a deal to avoid arbitration. The team announced today that they’ve signed Thompson to a two-year deal. The financial structure of the deal is as follows:

2022-23: $750K NHL salary, $175K AHL salary (two-way)
2023-24: $775,000 NHL salary (one-way)

Thompson, 23, is the brother of Buffalo Sabres star Tage Thompson and the son of former NHLer Brent Thompson. A 2019 fourth-round pick, Thompson made his professional debut in 2020-21 after a three-year stint at Providence College in the NCAA.

Thompson was a highly productive college forward, scoring 94 points in 101 career games, with time served as team captain in his senior season. Thompson’s time as a pro has been less successful than his collegiate career, although that’s largely for reasons out of his control. Thompson spent most of last season recovering from shoulder surgery, and as a result, only got into 18 games. (two with the Devils, 16 with the AHL’s Utica Comets)

In Utica, Thompson began to show why he was such a strong NCAA scorer. He had six goals and 15 points in 16 games, proving that his collegiate production could translate to the professional game. The Calgary, Alberta native will likely spend the first year of his new deal in the AHL, hoping to repeat his performance from last season in a larger sample size and continue to show Devils management that he’s worthy of NHL opportunities.

If all goes according to plan, 2023-2024 will be the year he becomes a regular NHL-er, as evidenced by the structure of the deal. Thompson was given a one-way contract for that year, meaning he cannot be sent to the minors without clearing waivers, and will not be subject to a significantly reduced minors salary. The Devils clearly believe in Thompson, and should he find his way to the NHL he will join a promising team in New Jersey that could be overflowing with talented youngsters in just a few years.

Minor Transactions: 08/01/22

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It’s been a long, slow grind since the craziness of free agency opening on July 13, with a good number of high-end free agents remaining unsigned. With many other leagues than just the NHL looking to get their rosters set for next season, though, that hasn’t been the case everywhere. Minor-league teams and overseas leagues are making moves and transactions to their squads every day, giving hockey fans something else to look at. We’ll keep track of today’s transactions right here.

  • Tim Schaller, a veteran of nearly 300 NHL games, has found a new AHL club for next season. Per a team announcement, the Milwaukee Admirals have signed Schaller to a one-year AHL contract. Schaller was, just a few years ago, a capable bottom-six center for the Boston Bruins. He scored 12 goals and 22 points in 82 games in 2017-18 and looked to have established himself in the NHL. But injury issues and underperformance relegated him to part-time duty with the Vancouver Canucks, and he’s spent the past two full seasons in the AHL. Last year with the Bakersfield Condors, Schaller posted 10 goals and 25 points in 67 games, playing in a similar defense-first bottom-six role to the one he played in the NHL. There is a leadership component to Schaller’s game, as he’s worn letters in both professional and collegiate hockey settings, and he should help an Admirals team looking to graduate its young talent and send them to Nashville.
  • Former QMJHL star, captain of the Quebec Ramparts, and longtime DEL fixture Brent Aubin is headed to France. After a disappointing 17-point season with the Iserlohn Roosters of the DEL, Aubin has signed a contract with Grenoble of the French Ligue Magnus. Aubin is a capable forward who has a long resume of productive seasons in Europe. He should help Grenoble defend their Ligue Magnus title next season and chip in as they attempt to make a run in the Champions Hockey League.
  • 2015 third-round pick Blake Speers is headed overseas. The 25-year-old center, who was traded to the Arizona Coyotes as part of the Taylor Hall trade, has signed a one-year deal with Vasteras IK of Swedish second-tier league HockeyAllsvenskan. Speers was an accomplished scorer for the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds, forming a deadly partnership with Boston Bruins 2015 first-rounder Zachary Senyshyn. But since he ended his OHL days, Speers has struggled to make much of an impact in the professional game. Speers has just 42 points in 203 NHL games and will look to help Vasteras achieve promotion to the SHL.
  • Swedish winger Jakob Lilja, who played 37 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2019-20, is changing KHL teams. The forward, who has spent the past two seasons with KHL side Nur-Sultan Barys, has signed a two-year, one-way contract with HC Dynamo Moscow. Lilja has been productive in his KHL career thus far, with 62 points in 106 games. He’ll join a Dynamo squad eager to return to the KHL playoffs after a run to the conference semifinals last season.
  • KHL club Amur Khabarovsk announced the signings of two North American pro players today: Cam Lee and Andrew Calof. Lee, 25, was a star defenseman for Western Michigan University and became a regular with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins after turning pro, playing as a bottom-pairing defenseman under coach J.D. Forrest. Calof, 31, was, like Lee, a star in the NCAA. Calof was a top scorer for Princeton University for four seasons, finishing his collegiate career with 123 points in 117 games. After graduating, Calof immediately signed a contract with SHL side Skelleftea AIK, and became an important contributor there. After a poor final season in Skelleftea and a bounce-back year for the Vaxjo Lakers, Calof left for the KHL, where he was similarly productive. He spent last season back with Vaxjo and now heads back to the KHL once again. Both Lee and Calof are capable professionals who should be able to help Amur recover from what was a difficult 2021-22 season that saw them languish near the bottom of the KHL standings.
  • Former NHL-er Brian Gibbons, a veteran of over 200 NHL games, is changing leagues once again. The two-way forward signed with Swiss club HC Lausanne after leaving North America and spent last season  SHL club HC Linkoping. Now, he’s heading to the DEL, signing with German club ERC Ingolstadt, per a team announcement. Gibbons has brought his reliable all-arond game to Europe, although while he was productive in Switzerland he struggled in the SHL. A move to the DEL should benefit him, and be a strong addition for Ingolstadt in their climb up the DEL.
  • Forward Benjamin Baumgartner, a 2020 sixth-round pick of the New Jersey Devils, is switching teams. The forward, who spent 2021-22 with HC Lausanne, has signed a two-year contract with fellow Swiss club HC Bern. Baumgartner has 71 points in 149 career games in the Swiss National League and is part of a growing movement of young Austrian hockey talent that boasts recently-drafted prospects in Minnesota Wild first-rounder Marco Rossi and Montreal Canadiens third-rounder Vinzenz Rohrer.
  • Matt Tugnutt, the son of longtime NHL goalie Ron Tugnutt, is headed for Europe. The 26-year-old spent last season in the ECHL, splitting time between the Greenville Swamp Rabbits and the Idaho Steelheads. The 26-year-old is a center and had 25 points in 53 ECHL games last season. He’s joining the Chamonix Pioneers of Ligue Magnus, with the goal of helping them secure their place in the top division of French hockey for another season.
  • After a long NCAA career, Seamus Donohue has chosen to continue his pro career overseas. The defenseman got seven games with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays last season, and now heads to Liiga club SaiPa. Donohue is a crease-clearing defenseman who lacks experience in professional hockey. He joins a SaiPa squad that has abundant opportunities to excel, seeking new faces to help them bounce back from a 2021-22 campaign that saw them finish second-to-last in Liiga. Per the team announcement, Donohue’s contract with SaiPa is a one-year deal with an option for 2023-24.
  • The AHL’s Utica Comets announced today that they’ve signed rough-and-tumble forward Noah Corson to a one-year, two-way AHL/ECHL deal. Corson turned pro in the Southern Professional Hockey League and parlayed that strong production (16 points in 19 games) into a shot with the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals. Corson’s ECHL debut was impressive, as he posted 24 goals and 55 points in 57 games to go along with 162 PIM’s. He got a brief call-up with the Chicago Wolves and heads to Utica hoping to make their AHL squad and continue his climb up the pro hockey ladder.
  • The Minnesota Wild’s AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild, announced the signing of defenseman Matt Murphy to a one-year, two-way AHL/ECHL deal. Murphy spent time with three teams last season, getting into 21 games with the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets and the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks and Providence Bruins. Murphy had 14 points in 21 ECHL games and should serve as dependable depth for the Iowa Wild.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

St. Louis Blues Name Kevin Maxwell GM Of AHL Springfield

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A few days ago, we covered how the St. Louis Blues were expected to hire former New York Rangers director of pro scouting director Kevin Maxwell to an at-the-time undisclosed role. The move is now official, and Maxwell’s responsibilities have been made clear. Per a team announcement, Maxwell has been named general manager of the Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. The team has also announced that as part of Maxwell’s responsibilities, he will serve as a pro scout as well.

As previously mentioned, Maxwell had served as the Rangers’ director of professional scouting, operating in that role from 2011-12 to 2020-21. Maxwell has been a director of pro scouting for two other organizations as well, including the now-relocated Hartford Whalers. He is a highly experienced talent evaluator who managed the Rangers’ pro scouting operation at a time of significant team success. With Maxwell on staff, the Rangers made numerous deep playoff runs, including a run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 and runs to the Eastern Conference Final in 2012, 2015, and 2021.

Maxwell joins a Blues organization that is, like the Rangers, interested in competing in the near-term, perhaps heightening the importance of his professional scouting abilities compared to, say, an executive with an amateur scouting background. Not only are the Blues in “win-now mode,” the Thunderbirds are as well. Springfield made a run to the Calder Cup Final this spring, storming past the league’s Eastern Conference before falling to the Chicago Wolves.

Maxwell will be tasked with not only keeping the Thunderbirds competitive but also maintaining the team’s status as a quality developer of NHL-bound talent. Standout Thunderbirds from 2021-22 such as Charlie Lindgren, Dakota Joshua, and Calle Rosen each earned NHL contracts this summer, with Lindgren getting a relatively sizeable $1.1MM AAV on his deal as well as the chance to enter the fall penciled into the team’s backup goalie role. As their new general manager, Maxwell will be responsible for maintaining the Thunderbirds’ status as a premier developer of NHL talent as well as continuing the historic legacy of minor league hockey in Springfield, Massachusetts.

It’s a major responsibility for Maxwell, but it’s also a great opportunity. With former Springfield GM Kevin McDonald moving on to a post as assistant GM of the Colorado Avalanche, the Blues organization has tapped an extraordinarily experienced executive for this important role. Maxwell is a two-time Calder Cup champion from his time as a player, and perhaps there will be another Calder Cup in his future.

Looking Back At The First Round Of The 2005 NHL Entry Draft

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On this date 17 years ago, the first round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa. It was the league’s first major event since the lockout that cost them the entire 2004-05 season ended just over a week prior, and considering the draft’s top prize, there was added intrigue.

With the lack of regular-season standings to determine the draft order, the league implemented a snake draft system to make things more equitable for teams in later rounds that didn’t fare so well in the draft lottery. One team that did fare well that night, though, was the Pittsburgh Penguins, who cemented a 15-plus year run of success by drafting future captain Sidney Crosby with the first overall pick.

Five players selected that night went on to appear in at least 1,000 NHL games, including Crosby. One was 2022 Stanley Cup Champion Jack Johnson, taken third overall by the Carolina Hurricanes. Johnson never played a single game for Carolina, though, as he was traded the following offseason to the Los Angeles Kings along with defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky in exchange for defenseman Tim Gleason and center Eric Belanger.

Johnson wasn’t the only player from the first round to play meaningful games for the Kings, though. The team selected two-time Stanley Cup champion and future captain Anze Kopitar with the 11th overall selection. Another thousand-gamer was selected directly after him when the New York Rangers picked defenseman Marc Staal 12th overall, while Johnson’s teammate on the 2022 Avalanche, forward Andrew Cogliano, was selected 25th by the Edmonton Oilers.

One name from that night who could still join the 1,000-game club was St. Louis Blues selection and current Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie. Taken 24th overall, he only needs 100 more appearances to hit the mark.

Future Stanley Cup-winning skaters weren’t the only future legends drafted that night, though. Two of the greatest goalies in recent memory were drafted that night, with the Montreal Canadiens selecting Carey Price with the fifth overall pick and the Toronto Maple Leafs selecting Tuukka Rask with the 21st overall pick, of course prior to trading him to the Boston Bruins the following season.

Just three players selected that night, all taken within four picks of each other, would never make an NHL appearance. Slovak forward Marek Zagrapan, drafted 13th overall by the Buffalo Sabres, played just three years in the organization with two different AHL affiliates, scoring 20 goals there just once. At 35 years old, Zagrapan is still active, playing the 2022-23 season in the French Ligue Magnus.

Directly after him, the Washington Capitals took Canadian defenseman Sasha Pokulok with the 14th overall pick. The first overage player taken in the draft, he’s arguably the biggest bust of the night. He never spent a full season in the AHL, bouncing up and down between there and the ECHL for four seasons after turning pro in 2006. He failed to make a notable impact in Europe, too, only lasting one season in the DEL (2010-11) before floating around various lower-level leagues in Eastern Europe and Quebec.

Lastly, there’s Canadian winger Alex Bourret, taken by the Atlanta Thrashers at 16th overall. A short but strong power winger, Bourret had a very successful junior career in the QMJHL that just didn’t translate. His North American career fizzled out quickly after a strong start in the AHL, but after being traded twice (first to the Rangers, then to the Coyotes), he had just 14 points in 48 AHL games during his final season there in 2008-09.

Dallas Stars Sign Ben Gleason

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The Dallas Stars have signed Ben Gleason to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2022-23 season. The young defenseman was a restricted free agent after his previous one-year deal had expired this summer.

Gleason, 24, experienced an outstanding season this year with the Texas Stars, racking up 44 points in 70 games to finish fifth among all AHL defensemen in scoring. Undrafted, he was signed out of the OHL in 2018 and has been an excellent performer for Texas ever since, even getting into four games with Dallas during his first professional season.

While he won’t likely play a big role at the NHL level this year, he certainly warranted bringing back on a two-way contract as he’s an integral part of the minor league depth chart. Perhaps he’ll receive a chance to play a few games but mostly, Texas fans should be ready to watch Gleason rack up points once again in 2022-23.

Sami Niku Signs In Finland

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There was a point, a few years ago, when Sami Niku seemed destined for NHL success. The Finn had dominated the minor leagues in his first season in North America, earning the AHL’s Eddie Shore Award as the best defenseman in the league, after putting up 54 points in 76 games for the Manitoba Moose. He was a smooth skater with plenty of offensive upside that didn’t suffer from a lack of size.

Now, before he even turns 26, he’s back in Europe. Niku has signed a one-year contract with JYP, the Liiga program that developed him in Finland.

Niku, 25, spent last season with the Montreal Canadiens organization, playing 13 games in the NHL and recording six points. His play in the minor leagues was still strong (especially in the playoffs) but because he didn’t reach a certain number of games with the Canadiens, he qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer.

In 67 career games in the NHL, spread over parts of five seasons, Niku registered 16 points. Whether he ever gets another chance at that level remains to be seen but his name shouldn’t be entirely forgotten, given his relative youth.

Minor Transactions: 07/27/22

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It’s been a long, slow grind since the craziness of free agency opening on July 13, with a good number of high-end free agents remaining unsigned. With many other leagues than just the NHL looking to get their rosters set for next season, though, that hasn’t been the case everywhere. Minor-league teams and overseas leagues are making moves and transactions to their squads every day, giving hockey fans something else to look at. We’ll keep track of today’s transactions right here.

  • Over in Germany, Wolfsburg in the DEL could look to add a major name with some NHL experience, per the German-language publication Wolfsburger Nachrichten. 34-year-old Kaspars Daugavins is still floating around in the European leagues after a brief NHL career between 2009 and 2013, where he’s been an all-star caliber player in both the KHL and Swiss NL. It appears SC Bern, his NL club for 2021-22, however, has bought him out after he registered 25 points in 34 games.
  • The AHL’s Ontario Reign today announced a one-year extension for defenseman Cameron Gaunce. A second-round pick back in 2008, the 32-year-old is a veteran of 731 AHL games but has seen just 37 games of NHL action in that timeframe. This will be his third straight season in the Los Angeles Kings organization, helping mentor their pack of young defenders that come up through Ontario. Gaunce had seven goals, 20 assists, and 27 points in 61 AHL games last season.
  • The Colorado Eagles have signed forwards Tarun Fizer and Cameron Wright to one-year, two-way AHL contracts. Fizer, 21, was the captain of the WHL’s Victoria Royals in 2021-22, scoring 17 goals, 34 assists, and 51 points in just 35 games. He had an impressive transition to pro hockey, suiting up for the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies after the conclusion of his junior campaign, and had 15 points in 18 games during their Kelly Cup Playoffs run. Wright, 23, joins the Eagles after a five-year NCAA career, the last season of which was spent with the University of Denver. A member of this year’s national championship team, Wright had 23 goals and 34 points in 41 games.
  • The Milwaukee Admirals have signed right wing Todd Burgess to an AHL deal for the 2022-23 season, per a team tweet. Burgess was drafted in the fourth round in 2016 by the Ottawa Senators, but the team let his rights expire after a disappointing college career and he’s yet to land an NHL contract. In 2021-22, his first professional season, Burgess had seven goals and six assists for 13 points in 35 games with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
  • Per The Athletic’s Jesse Granger, the Henderson Silver Knights have signed 25-year-old defenseman Darian Skeoch to an AHL contract for the 2022-23 season. Skeoch, a rare breed of enforcer, had a whopping 135 penalty minutes in 52 games with the ECHL’s Allen Americans last season, registering just eight points in the process. He can play both defense and right wing, but the 6’4″, 220-pound defenseman’s main focus is on physical play.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Edmonton Oilers Announce ECHL Affiliation

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For the last few seasons, the Edmonton Oilers had been partnered with the Wichita Thunder for their ECHL affiliation, using the minor league team to help develop their prospects. That will change after the team announced a new agreement with the Fort Wayne Komets. The two teams had been previously affiliated between 1988 and 1990.

Oilers assistant general manager Bill Scott released the following statement:

On behalf of Ken Holland, Keith Gretzky and the entire Edmonton Oilers organization, we are thrilled to announce our new affiliation with the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL. As one of the premiere clubs in the ECHL with a rich history of professional hockey in Indiana, we are very excited to have our future Oilers in Fort Wayne.

One of the most notable connections with the two organizations will be Colin Chaulk, who had his number retired by the Komets in 2017 after a long outstanding career with the team. Chaulk was named the new head coach of the Bakersfield Condors, Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, last month after serving on an interim basis after Jay Woodcroft’s promotion last season.

The Komets won the Kelly Cup as ECHL champions as recently as 2021, while partnered with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Alexander Khovanov Clears Unconditional Waivers

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July 27: Khovanov’s contract has been terminated and he will play with the Ak Bars program this season, starting in the VHL.

July 24: The Minnesota Wild announced that they have placed forward Alexander Khovanov on unconditional waivers today. A third-round pick of the Wild in 2018, Khovanov made his North American professional debut in 2021-22, but struggled to make a real impact, putting up six points in eight games with the Iowa Heartlanders of the ECHL and just five points in 22 games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild. Khovanov had one year remaining on the ELC he signed with Minnesota in the spring of 2019.

Once an intriguing prospect for the Wild as a dynamic offensive weapon, Khovanov hasn’t lived up to the promise he had shown in the junior levels in both Canada and Russia. A standout in the Ak Bars development program, Khovanov came to North America prior to the 2017-18 season, spending three seasons with the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL. Khovanov’s best performance came in 2019-20, where he scored 32 goals to go with 67 assists in just 51 games for Moncton. With questions about who would play and when due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Khovanov headed home for the 2020-21 season, once again playing in the Ak Bars organization. The forward spent the majority of that season in the VHL where he again impressed with 24 points in 30 games and was even able to finally make his KHL debut, getting into seven games.

After the 2020-21 season, Khovanov announced he was heading back to North America, splitting this season between the AHL and ECHL in the Wild organization. It’s unclear what the plan is for Khovanov now that he has been placed on unconditional waivers, though a return to the KHL could be likely given his production in the VHL and Ak Bars’ willingness to have him play games at the KHL level just two years ago.

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