Morning Notes: Slafkovsky, Nemec, Lyon
There’s a new number one on Bob McKenzie’s 2022 NHL Draft Rankings for TSN. Juraj Slafkovsky has overtaken Shane Wright for the top spot on a list that is developed by polling active scouts around the league. The Slovakian forward is 6’4″, skilled, and has already proven he can dominate at the senior level. Slafkovsky won tournament MVP at the Olympics, scored nine points in eight games at the World Championships, and was a force for TPS in the Liiga playoffs.
With just over a week to go before the draft in Montreal, the Canadiens’ choice is still unclear in the first-overall slot. The first round will be held on July 7 at the Bell Centre, with the official order now set following the completion of the Stanley Cup Final.
- Slafkovsky, Wright, and Logan Cooley appear to have separated themselves in the top three, though Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports notes that the Arizona Coyotes, slotted to pick third, could also be eyeing Simon Nemec. One of the top-ranked defensemen this year (along with David Jiricek), Nemec has the offensive upside and skating ability that make scouts drool in today’s NHL. Should he climb that high, it would be an incredible achievement for Slovakian hockey, with two picks in the top three selections.
- He won the Calder Cup over the weekend but Alex Lyon is getting suspended anyway. The Chicago Wolves netminder has been given a two-game AHL ban for his actions following the game, giving the finger to the Springfield crowd multiple times. The 29-year-old netminder will have to serve it whenever he is next on an AHL roster, though it’s not clear where that will be. Lyon is an unrestricted free agent this summer as a one-year, two-way deal with the Carolina Hurricanes expires.
Kasper Bjorkqvist Signs In Finland
At least one pending free agent for the Pittsburgh Penguins is off the table. Kasper Bjorkqvist, who is scheduled to become an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent, has signed a new two-year contract with Karpat in Finland. The Penguins will be able to retain his exclusive NHL rights by issuing him a qualifying offer this summer.
Bjorkqvist, 24, was the 61st overall pick in 2016 and made his NHL debut this season, playing in six games. He scored his first NHL goal during that short stint but was otherwise rather ineffective, registering just 12 points in 54 games at the AHL level. A member of the incredible 2016 Finnish World Junior team that took home the gold medal, he never has quite grown into his game at the professional level, at least on the North American circuit.
There is certainly hope for him in Finland, as during the 2020-21 season when the AHL was dormant due to COVID-19 restrictions, Bjorkqvist played in Finland and was named the Liiga rookie of the year after posting 26 points in 44 games. He also had an outstanding career at Providence College, which included being named captain for his final season, an extremely rare honor for European players at the NCAA level.
The Penguins will still have his rights when the contract expires but not for long. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent when he turns 27, which will be just a few days after the market opens in 2024. His time in Pittsburgh could very well be over.
Minor Notes: Cross, Chaulk, Henault
The 2021-22 campaign was an extremely successful one for the Springfield Thunderbirds, who fell just short of winning the 2022 Calder Cup. Newly affiliated with the St. Louis Blues, the Thunderbirds made the Calder Cup Final in the first season this iteration of the Springfield AHL franchise even made the playoffs.
Now, the team announced today that the man who captained them there is sticking around. Veteran defenseman Tommy Cross is staying in Springfield on a one-year AHL contract, continuing what’s been a long minor-league career for him. Now 32, the Connecticut native was a 2007 second-round pick of the Boston Bruins who, although he didn’t get a solid NHL role, stayed in the organization until 2018. He did get into four NHL games (three regular-season, one playoff) in Boston, registering a combined two assists. He was a captain in their organization as well, serving in the role for Providence from 2015-2018. One of the most well-respected leaders in the minors, Cross will get another chance at lifting the Calder Cup for the first time.
- Colin Chaulk stepped into the head coaching role for the Bakersfield Condors when Jay Woodcroft got the call-up to Edmonton mid-season. Today, Bakersfield announced he’ll be sticking around, stripping away the interim tag and naming him the ninth head coach in team history. The Condors won their best-of-three First Round series against the Abbotsford Canucks, but were swept 3-0 in the Division Semifinals by the Stockton Heat.
- The Baby Rangers are making moves. Via a team release, the Hartford Wolf Pack announced a one-year AHL contract for defenseman Louka Henault. The 2001-born Henault is an undrafted free agent, and after serving as the captain of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires last season, will head to Hartford professionally. In his last season of juniors, Henault scored eight goals, 57 assists, and 65 points in 63 regular-season games, adding 16 points in 25 playoff games.
Anthony Greco Signs In SHL
The New York Rangers don’t have to worry about signing at least one of their pending unrestricted free agents. Anthony Greco, who was a key player for their AHL affiliate, has taken his talents to Sweden, signing a one-year deal with Frolunda of the SHL.
Greco, 28, saw one game in the NHL this season, just the second of his lengthy professional career. The undrafted college talent has been an excellent producer in the minor leagues, scoring 235 points in 360 games, including 59 in 66 this year for the Hartford Wolf Pack. Now as he heads overseas, there’s no telling if he’ll ever suit up for another NHL match.
The Rangers of course have plenty of other free agents to worry about, including Andrew Copp, Ryan Strome, and Frank Vatrano. Losing Greco will take away a bit of depth from the organization but with more young players ready to make the jump to the AHL, he wasn’t really necessary any longer. In Sweden, he’ll actually have quite a short offseason, as he joins the team on August 1 to prepare.
A one-year deal will leave him 29 at its expiry, an unrestricted free agent once again.
Chicago Wolves Win 2022 Calder Cup
The Chicago Wolves have won the 2022 Calder Cup, winning their series against the Springfield Thunderbirds in five games. This is the first Calder Cup to be won since the Charlotte Checkers captured the honor in 2019. The Wolves are the AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, making the Hurricanes the first team to have their affiliate win back-to-back Calder Cups since the Washington Capitals’ affiliate, the Hershey Bears, won in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
The Wolves were a high-scoring, high-flying machine for most of this season. They went 50-16-10, and led the AHL with 110 points. The Wolves are an independently owned team that prioritizes winning above all else in a league where player development is for many the number-one goal. That strategy has led them to success this year, and it’s their veterans that have led the way for them.
Forward Andrew Poturalski, the Wolves’ captain, won the Calder Cup with the Checkers in 2019 and led the Wolves in scoring with 101 points. Former New Jersey Devil Stefan Noesen potted 48 goals in the regular season and Josh Leivo, a veteran of 214 NHL games, scored 15 goals in the Wolves’ playoff run to capture the Jack Butterfield Trophy for AHL playoff MVP.
This victory over the Thunderbirds undoubtedly puts Wolves coach Ryan Warsofsky in the spotlight, as he’s now won two Calder Cups since becoming an AHL coach in 2019. He won his first as an assistant on the Checkers’ 2019 staff. Warsofsky has a 105-47-10 record as an AHL head coach and a 88-44-12 record as an ECHL coach. While it’s unlikely that he gets one of the current head coaching vacancies, he’s definitely a candidate to keep an eye on for next year’s cycle.
This is the Wolves’ third Calder Cup. They last won in 2008 and also captured the 2001-02 Calder Cup.
Ryan Kuffner Signs In Germany
Sometimes a college free agent signing turns out well but very often, it doesn’t. When the Detroit Red Wings inked Ryan Kuffner out of Princeton University in 2019, it appeared as though they had added a talented offensive piece to the depth chart for little more than a contract slot and some bonus money.
After all, he had put up 152 points in four NCAA seasons, scoring at a 1.15 point-per-game rate. Kuffner quickly entered the Red Wings lineup, playing in ten games down the stretch. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to record a point in those games–a sign of what would come at the professional level. Kuffner struggled the next season in the AHL, recording just six goals and nine points in 32 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins, before ending up with the Edmonton Oilers organization as part of the Sam Gagner–Andreas Athanasiou deal.
The Oilers decided not to qualify him at the end of the year (the same decision they made with Athanasiou, leaving them completely empty-handed from that transaction), making him a free agent. After a year in Germany during the 2020-21 season, Kuffner played this year in the ECHL, putting up huge numbers for the Iowa Heartlanders. He’s parlayed that into another opportunity in Germany, this time with Augsburger of the DEL.
Now 26, any dream of returning to the NHL is likely over for Kuffner, who leaves North America with just 11 points in 41 AHL games. The ECHL meanwhile is losing a star, a player who was right near the top of the leaderboard with 1.56 points per game this season.
Snapshots: Dubois, Papirny, HHOF
Winnipeg Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois made headlines yesterday when his desire to test free agency in two year’s time was reported by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Today, Friedman elaborated on his report, taking a wider view on Dubois’ situation in general. Friedman specifically pointed to Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff’s approach to other players who had their eyes on playing elsewhere, such as Jacob Trouba, to reveal how Cheveldayoff could approach the Dubois situation. In the face of Dubois’ desire to test the market in two years, it seems that no trade is imminent. Per Friedman, the Jets hope that Dubois will “be a Jet for a long time,” and will likely attempt to do whatever possible to change Dubois’ mind and get his signature on a long-term deal.
Dubois is an extremely talented player, and it’s easy to see why the Jets would want to do anything they could to change Dubois’ mind and keep him in Winnipeg. The Jets surrendered both Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic in order to secure Dubois’ services, and him leaving in free agency would be a major blow to the franchise. It’s a difficult situation for Winnipeg because ultimately Dubois does have the power to choose where he wants to play. If his heart is truly not in Winnipeg, the choice to hold on to Dubois and hope he changes his mind could be an incredibly costly one for the Jets. Cheveldayoff is an experienced GM who has gone through similar situations to this one before. How well he is able to handle this Dubois complication will be a major factor in determining how quickly the Jets can return to contention.
Now, for some other notes from across the league:
- The Vegas Golden Knights made a big move today, taking a top UFA winger off the market with a three-year extension for Reilly Smith. The Golden Knights’ AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, also made a signing today, inking goaltender Jordan Papirny to an AHL contract for the 2022-23 season. (per The Athletic’s Jesse Granger) While this signing may seem a bit curious at first glance since Papirny has only two professional games played on his record, the rationale behind it becomes a bit more clear when you do some digging. Papirny shared the crease with current Vegas goalie Logan Thompson in his time with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL, and his head coach was Kelly McCrimmon, the current Golden Knights’ GM. Papirny, 26, had his most success last season playing Canadian college hockey in the ACAC, where he had an 11-0-0 record and a .948 save percentage with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.
- Today, the Hockey Hall of Fame announced details of this year’s selection announcement, with the 2022 class’ reveal set to be broadcast on Monday on TSN and NHL Network. The currently eligible players give a potential 2022 class some real star potential, with names such as Roberto Luongo, Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, and Rick Nash entering the field, and familiar names such as Daniel Alfredsson and Alexander Mogilny hoping that this year will be the year their names are enshrined in Toronto.
David Rundblad, Kevin Czuczman Among Those Signing In Finland
Several players with links to the NHL signed in Finland today, including Stanley Cup champion David Rundblad. The veteran defenseman has signed with Karpat, while Kevin Czuczman, Jyrki Jokipakka, and Eetu Tuulola are among the players joining Ilves.
Rundblad, 31, won the Cup in 2015 with the Chicago Blackhawks, just a year before departing for Europe. A 2009 first-round pick by the St. Louis Blues, his time in North America equated to 121 NHL games, including just eight in the postseason. After winning a Swiss title with the ZSC Lions, he spent several seasons in the KHL, playing for SKA St. Petersburg and HK Sochi. Now his journey will take him to Finland.
The other three, meanwhile, have much more recent ties to North America. Czuczman spent this season with the Iowa Wild of the AHL, and is just over a year removed from suiting up for two NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Those were his first NHL games since 2013-14 with the New York Islanders, as he became a full-time minor league player, spending time with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Manitoba Moose, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins over the years.
Jokipakka, a seventh-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2011, has 150 NHL games under his belt, including 41 of them in 2016-17. He’s been in the KHL since but now returns home to play for the club that developed him in the first place.
While Czuczman and Jokipakka may be in the back half of their careers, Tuulola only just turned 24 and was still a depth option for the Calgary Flames. He played with the Stockton Heat this season, scoring 25 points in 61 games. Coming off his entry-level contract, the Flames will be able to retain his exclusive negotiating rights if they extend a qualifying offer. Notably, his contract in Finland is for just one year.
Daniil Miromanov Signs Extension With Golden Knights
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Daniil Miromanov has signed a two-year extension to stay in the desert, according to a team announcement Tuesday afternoon. Miromanov’s extension will carry him through 2024 and has an average annual value of $762,500.
The Golden Knights acquired the 1997-born Miromanov as an undrafted free agent in March of 2021, signing him to a one-year entry-level contract after he had 10 goals, 19 assists, and 29 points in 58 games with HK Sochi in the KHL during the 2020-21 campaign. Miromanov, 24, spent his first full professional campaign in North America this season, playing well with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights for 40 points in 53 games. He played his first 11 NHL games this season as well, notching an assist.
The versatile defenseman can also play right wing, as he did on limited occasions for Vegas this season due to injuries. While he likely won’t be a full-time member of the team come next October, he’ll be high up on the list of recall options from Henderson. Long-term, the NHL upside is still there.
Minor Notes: Warsofsky, Comets, Wilkins
The AHL Calder Cup Playoffs are an important scouting event for clubs all across the league, who want to see how their young players respond in high-pressure situations. But it can also be a proving ground for someone else: coaches. Ryan Warsofsky, for one of the youngest coaches in the league, it’s been exactly that. Patrick Williams of NHL.com writes that Warsofsky, who has led the Chicago Wolves to the finals, could soon start to receive interest from higher up after experiencing so much success.
Under Warsofsky, who took control of the Wolves when the Carolina Hurricanes switched their affiliate in 2020, Chicago has won 71 of their 109 games, posting an overall record of 71-25-13. Given his previous success in the ECHL, where he led the South Carolina Stingrays to the Kelly Cup Finals in his first year and then posted a .722 winning percentage in year two, it seems Warsofsky is on the fast track to becoming a staple in the NHL coaching community. The Wolves will continue their quest for the Calder Cup tomorrow night.
- The Utica Comets have announced several AHL contracts today, retaining captain Ryan Schmelzer along with two others. Samuel Laberge and Mareks Mitens have both agreed to terms in order to return, while Schmelzer has locked in for two seasons. Utica was one of the best teams in the league this season, posting a 43-20-9 record but were eliminated in the North Division Semifinals by the upstart Rochester Americans.
- Josh Wilkins, who left the AHL after the 2020-21 season to pursue a contract in Sweden is coming back to North America, agreeing to terms with South Carolina in the ECHL. The 25-year-old Providence College star actually signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators when he turned pro but wasn’t issued a qualifying offer in 2021 when it expired and is now an unrestricted free agent.