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Snapshots: Nordstrom, Cracknell, Murphy

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A report out of Russia from Semyon Galkevich has linked Calgary Flames forward Joakim Nordstrom to the KHL, suggesting he will sign a one-year deal with CSKA Moscow. The 29-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent later this summer when the one-year, $700K deal he signed with Calgary last October expires. Though no one could have been expecting much offense from the bottom-six forward, Joakim still disappointed, scoring just a single goal in 44 games. In 444 career regular season contests, he has just 75 points.

More notes from around the hockey world:

  • Adam Cracknell has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Bakersfield Condors, returning after a strong campaign with the Edmonton Oilers affiliate. Cracknell, 35, has played 15 years of professional hockey and can help insulate Oilers prospects while in the minor leagues. In 39 games with Bakersfield this season, he recorded 11 goals and 30 points, proving he’s far from just a locker room leader.
  • Ryan Murphy, another long-time minor league star, has won the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s most outstanding defenseman for 2020-21. The 28-year-old, who was originally selected 12th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes, had 27 points in 37 games for the Henderson Silver Knights this season. In 232 career AHL games, Murphy has recorded 146 points.

Vegas Golden Knights Recall Seven

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The Vegas Golden Knights, set to take on the Colorado Avalanche in game two of their second-round series tonight, have recalled seven players to the taxi squad. Carl Dahlstrom, Jack Dugan, Cody Glass, Kaedan Korczak, Jonas Rondbjerg, Jimmy Schuldt, and Logan Thompson have all been brought up. Glass and Thompson were on the ice with the rest of the team at practice, while the others are likely just serving as “Black Aces” for the team.

Jesse Granger of The Athletic tweets that both Mattias Janmark and Robin Lehner are game-time decisions for tonight’s match, explaining why the other two are practicing. Of course, the team will also be without Ryan Reaves for the next two thanks to a suspension for his antics in game one. Glass, 22, has played in just a single playoff game thus far and saw fewer than 13 minutes of ice time in it. The sixth-overall pick from 2017 has yet to really establish himself as a regular at the NHL level, with just 22 points in 66 career games.

It’s some of the other names that will draw interest if even just as examples of how well the Golden Knights staff has built up the depth of the organization. Players like Dugan, a fifth-round pick that scored 33 points in his first AHL season or Korczak, a second-rounder that looked excellent in his first year of professional hockey are going to challenge for playing time in the NHL at some point in the near future.

St. Louis Blues Sign Keean Washkurak

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The St. Louis Blues have signed prospect Keean Washkurak ahead of today’s deadline, inking the young forward to a three-year entry-level contract. Washkurak appears to be an oversight on CapFriendly’s list of expiring draft rights, as his also would have expired if not signed today given he was selected out of the OHL in 2019. The confusion likely comes from Washkurak spending most of this season with HK Levice of the Slovakian league, but a return to North America and the AHL last month on an amateur tryout would have put his timeline back on its original track.

Washkurak, 19, scored 19 points in 21 games overseas but was more notable for his physicality. He led the league in penalty minutes with 110 in the regular season and added another 26 in the playoffs. Even though he stands at just 5’10”, Washkurak has always been known for his ability to “play bigger,” being compared to 6’5″ power forwards for his strength and fearlessness.

Originally selected in the fifth round, he recorded 52 points in 49 games for the Mississauga Steelheads in 2019-20 and will try to continue his offensive development in the Blues’ system. He’ll turn 20 later this summer and can go right to the AHL next year, after getting into three games with the Utica Comets down the stretch.

Kenny Agostino Signs In KHL

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have a long list of forwards hitting unrestricted free agency this summer, but at least one of them won’t be returning. Kenny Agostino has signed a contract with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL after spending most of the last two seasons in the minor leagues.

Agostino, 29, signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Maple Leafs in 2019, likely believing he’d be an often-used injury replacement after playing 63 NHL games the previous year. Instead, he spent the entire 2019-20 campaign in the AHL, racking up 49 points with the Toronto Marlies. This season was much of the same, though Agostino did receive one game with the Maple Leafs where he went scoreless. In 22 AHL contests, he continued his career point-per-game pace, scoring nine goals and 22 points.

With 30 points in 85 career NHL games and a 30th birthday that doesn’t come until next year, one might have expected Agostino to search for another job in North America. Instead, he’ll head overseas to test himself at the KHL level. While obviously nothing is guaranteed, the veteran forward is certainly talented enough to be a star in Russia.

Detroit Red Wings Sign Wyatt Newpower

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The Detroit Red Wings have snapped up a prospect from under a division rival’s nose, signing Wyatt Newpower to a two-year entry-level contract. Newpower spent this season playing with the Clevland Monsters, AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets on a minor league contract. The Blue Jackets of course were only division mates of the Red Wings for this season, but it still is interesting to see the young defenseman jump to another organization.

Newpower, 23, was an undrafted free agent signing out of the University of Connecticut, where he spent four seasons prior to this year. In his senior year the 6’4″ defenseman posted 22 points, a strong offensive performance that carried over to his first season of professional hockey. In 24 games for the Monsters, Newpower scored three goals and 10 points, finishing first on the team at +10.

It’s not like this is a dramatic signing that brings in an impact player for the Red Wings, but it’s clear that GM Steve Yzerman is willing to look just about anywhere to add talent and depth to the organization. At worst, Newpower can continue to develop and be a strong contributor for the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Winnipeg Jets Sign Jeff Malott

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It was an impressive rookie campaign with the Manitoba Moose for undrafted forward Jeff Malott, and he’s going to get rewarded for it. The Winnipeg Jets have agreed to terms with Malott on a one-year entry-level contract for the 2021-22 season. The two-way deal will carry an NHL salary of $780K.

Malott, 24, played four seasons at Cornell University period to this year but never experienced anything quite like the offensive success he had for the Moose. In 34 games playing on an AHL contract, he recorded 14 goals and 20 points while also bringing a level of physicality every night. The 6’3″ forward had one fighting major and 35 penalty minutes in his debut season.

A teammate of Cale Makar with the Brooks Bandits of the AJHL, Malott went undrafted despite dominating the league in 2015-16. He scored 25 goals in 46 games that season but failed to record more than six goals in any of his four years at Cornell. It seems that scoring touch has returned to Malott and it brings the promise of an NHL deal.

Emil Larmi Signs In Finland

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have some question marks at the goaltending position after a rough playoff performance and at least one member of the depth chart won’t be there next season. Emil Larmi, who signed an entry-level deal with the team in 2019, is on his way back to Finland after inking a new two-year contract with the Lahti Pelicans.

Larmi, 24, has spent the last two seasons with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL, though his performance there has been less than stellar. In six appearances this season he posted just an .845 save percentage, allowing nearly five goals per game. That follows the .883 he put up in 2019-20, certainly not what the Penguins were hoping for when they signed the undrafted netminder.

The team could potentially retain his restricted free agent rights with a qualifying offer, but there may not be much need after he struggled so much in North America. Larmi would technically still be an RFA after this new two-year deal expires, but would be arbitration-eligible, a relatively risky situation for a Penguins team that doesn’t want to commit any contract slots or salary unnecessarily. More likely he will go unqualified this summer and become an unrestricted free agent, perhaps never to play in North America again.

North Notes: Canucks, Muzzin, Shore, Canadiens

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The Canucks are a team that’s going to be looking to free up some cap room this summer and their situation for next season just got a bit more challenging.  PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that as a result of Quinn Hughes maxing out on his bonuses and Nils Hoglander hitting a games played-related bonus, Vancouver will be facing a $649K bonus overage penalty heading into next season.  With the team being in LTIR for the entire year, they were unable to bank any cap room throughout the season which means that full amount is added to their 2021-22 payroll.

More from the North Division:

  • The Maple Leafs have not yet ruled out defenseman Jake Muzzin for Monday’s seventh game against Montreal, head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Postmedia’s Terry Koshan. The blueliner left Saturday’s game midway through the second period with a lower-body injury and the team is awaiting results on testing to determine his availability moving forward.  If Muzzin is unable to play, Rasmus Sandin would likely return to the lineup to replace him.
  • The usage of Devin Shore in their final two postseason games suggests that the Oilers will try to retain him this summer, suggests Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal. While Shore has arbitration eligibility, he also cleared waivers twice in the year and managed just nine points in 39 games so it’s unlikely he’d command much more than the $735K qualifying offer that he’s owed to stick around.  Edmonton will need some cheap depth for next season and he could fit in that role for another year.
  • Canadiens winger Artturi Lehkonen took part in an optional skate today but was in a non-contact jersey, relays TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie (Twitter link). As a result, his availability for Monday’s game against Toronto appears to be in jeopardy.  He has been out since suffering an upper-body injury in the third game of the series.  Montreal’s AHL affiliate in Laval also announced (Twitter link) that they’ve re-signed Tobie Paquette-Bisson to a one-year, one-way AHL contract.  The blueliner played in 28 games with the Rocket this season.

Playoff Notes: Wahlstrom, Merrill, Lauzon, Foligno, Reaves

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It’s the postseason which of course means injuries. And while players often try to play through their ailments come playoff time, it’s not always possible. This appears to be the case for young New York Islander forward Oliver Wahlstrom. The dynamic winger was injured in Game Five of the Isles’ first round series with the Pittsburgh Penguins and did not appear in Game Six. Per Newsday’s Andrew Gross, head coach Barry Trotz stated on Friday that Wahlstrom is trying to work his way back into the lineup, but remains “doubtful” for Game One against the Boston Bruins. Saturday’s morning skate did not bring any update and it appears as though Wahlstrom will miss at least one more outing. Whatever injury he has sustained, New York is clearly concerned that it many linger. They have yet to disclose any details about Wahlstrom’s condition, likely to protect him should he fight through the pain and return to the lineup.

  • While the Montreal Canadiens hope to stay alive on Saturday night in order to see a Game Seven with the rival Toronto Maple Leafs, defenseman Jon Merrill will need much more than just one or even two wins if he is to see the ice again this postseason. The Canadiens have announced that Merrill will not play in Game Six, replaced in the lineup by Brett Kulak, and further comments by interim head coach Dominique Ducharme suggested that Merrill’s timeline for return is likely 7-to-14 days. If the Canadiens are to survive another week or two in the playoffs, they not only will need to complete an unlikely comeback against Toronto, but will also have to be the first team to defeat the Winnipeg Jets this postseason. It’s a tall task, especially without their solid deadline acquisition on the back end.
  • The Boston Bruins announced the opposite news this morning, with head coach Bruce Cassidy welcoming defenseman Jeremy Lauzon back to the lineup, according to The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa. Lauzon missed most of the team’s first round series with the Washington Capitals after taking a shot off the hand in Game One. With Kevan Miller also sidelined following a head injury in the series, Lauzon’s return will provide the Bruins with much-needed support on their bottom pair and adds a top penalty killer back to the lineup.
  • Nick Foligno was a full participant in morning skate for the Toronto Maple Leafs and was wearing a regular practice jersey, but TSN’s Kristen Shilton warns not to read into that too much. Foligno has appeared to be ready for previous games in this series, but has nevertheless missed each of the past three match-ups with a lower-body injury. Shilton adds that he did not look comfortable at morning skate. Head coach Sheldon Keefe also noted that Foligno remains a game-time decision, so Shilton appears to be right to caution any expectation that the big deadline addition will suit up.
  • Vegas Golden Knights forward Ryan Reaves was the cause of an injury on Friday night, shoving Minnesota Wild defenseman Ryan Suter face-first into the post. The check earned him a two-minute penalty for interference, but there was plenty of speculation that it could result in a suspension, especially given Reaves’ spotty reputation. However, it appears the grinder will move forward with his postseason scot-free. Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now reports that Reaves will not have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety and as such will not receive any supplemental discipline. The stars of the Colorado Avalanche will have to watch for Reaves (and watch out for their faces) in Round Two.

Snapshots: Rutherford, Urquhart, COVID Protocol

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It sure doesn’t sound as though former Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford is done with hockey. The 72-year-old Hall of Fame executive left the Penguins abruptly back in January and it felt as though it could be the end of an illustrious front office career. However, it didn’t take long for speculation to mount that Rutherford wanted to get back into the management game. Now, his interest is official. PBI Sports Agency has announced that they now officially represent Rutherford, who is looking for new “NHL management opportunities.” The GM and President of the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes for 20 years and GM and Executive Vice President of the Penguins for another seven, not to mention considerable time spent in the OHL, there are few in hockey with as much front office experience as Rutherford. If he wants a new job in the league, PBI shouldn’t have a hard time finding him one.

  • San Diego Gulls assistant coach David Urquhart is moving to the college game and returning to his old stomping grounds. The Anaheim Ducks’ affiliate has announced that Urquhart has accepted the head coach position at McGill University, where he was an assistant for four years before joining the Gulls in 2018. Urquhart also played at McGill and was one the rare four-year Canadian collegiate players to go on to have an extended pro career, playing three seasons in the AHL and another three in Italy. While USports pales in comparison to its American counterpart, the NCAA, McGill is one of its most highly regarded institutions and based in a high-publicity area in Montreal. While Urquhart’s move was clearly impacted by loyalty to his university, it could also lead to greater heights in his career, especially if he finds success in his first head coaching position.
  • The NHL is loosening it’s COVID Protocol restrictions as it relates to fans. With many playoff teams having already received permission from local authorities to host increasing amounts of fans, the league is moving forward with improving that spectator experience. The NHL has announced that, beginning in the second round, fans will no longer be required to wear masks at games. Individual teams may still enforce a mask mandate if local health policies insist, but the league will no longer do the same. Additionally, the glass behind the penalty boxes and benches, initially removed to allow for more breathing room for teams, can also be removed if teams are 85% vaccinated. This will be the case for most remaining American teams.

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