Jakub Jerabek Returns To KHL
After two seasons bouncing around North America, Jakub Jerabek has decided to return to the KHL. The defenseman is technically still under contract with the St. Louis Blues, but that didn’t stop the KHL from tweeting out that he has signed a one-year contract with Podolsk Vityaz, his former team. Jerabek had been playing with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL, but their season ended without a playoff berth. He was not part of the Blues’ “Black Aces” recall, likely meaning the team has let him leave without issue.
Jerabek, 27, signed with the Montreal Canadiens in 2017 after an impressive KHL debut but failed to really catch on in the NHL. After 25 games for the Canadiens and 17 more for their AHL affiliate, he ended up traded to the Washington Capitals at the deadline to provide some defensive depth. Jerabek actually did get into two games with the Capitals during their Stanley Cup playoff run, but mostly sat on the sidelines and watched his team celebrate victory after victory.
In the offseason Jerabek signed a one-year, $1MM deal with the Edmonton Oilers but failed to find a place on their blue line and was traded to St. Louis just before the season began. After playing a single game with the Blues, Jerabek was placed on waivers and sent down to San Antonio. He ended up hitting the ice 52 times for the AHL club, recording 15 points and a -22 rating.
Snapshots: Blackhawks, Matthews, Bean
The Chicago Blackhawks have announced a three-year extension with their ECHL affiliate the Indy Fuel. The agreement will take them through the 2021-22 season and means the Fuel will remain affiliated with the only NHL team they’ve ever known. The Indianapolis franchise came into the ECHL in 2014, though haven’t yet found a ton of success. In their five-year run, the Fuel have only qualified for the Kelly Cup playoffs once and were swept out of the first round that season by the Toledo Walleye.
More and more around the league the ECHL is used as a development team crucial in the early years of raw or unexpected prospects. Notably it is a place where young goaltenders can sharpen their skills while playing a lot, something that Blackhawks netminder Collin Delia did as recently as 2017-18. Delia played ten games for the Fuel during that season and now looks like a potential starting option for the Blackhawks going forward. Justin Holl of the Toronto Maple Leafs is also an alumni of the Indy program, having started his professional career there by playing 66 games for the team in 2014-15.
- Speaking of the Maple Leafs, the team announced today that Auston Matthews has undergone a procedure to remove hardware from a 2014 surgery. Matthews broke his femur while playing in the USNTDP several years ago, and according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN the screws leftover from that procedure may have been causing back pain for the young star. This explains why Matthews will not be playing in the upcoming IIHF World Championship, though it is not expected to affect his offseason training schedule.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Jake Bean from the AHL once again, though with the Charlotte Checkers starting their second round playoff series tomorrow evening he may not be on the roster very long. Bean has been up and down in the playoffs to give the Hurricanes some additional defensive depth as they deal with injuries to Calvin de Haan and Trevor van Riemsdyk, but he has yet to suit up. The 20-year old was named to the AHL All-Rookie team this season and made his NHL debut by suiting up twice for the Hurricanes earlier in the year.
Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins Recall “Black Aces”
Recalls and reassignment are few and far between these days, with just eight teams still alive in the NHL and AHL alike. A flurry of activity occurred today though, as two surviving Stanley Cup Playoffs contenders have called up a number of players from their AHL affiliates, who both ducked out of the Calder Cup Playoffs with first-round losses. According to the AHL, both the Colorado Avalanche and Boston Bruins have recalled their “black aces”, the group of minor league players brought up largely to practice with the NHL team during the postseason once their own season is over. With the salary cap not a factor in the postseason, most big league teams often choose to bring up a large number of AHLers for the experience, as well as emergency depth, and the Avs and Bruins have done just that.
Little more than a paper move for the Avalanche, the team has called up five players from their neighboring affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. The group includes goaltender Pavel Francouz, defenseman Anton Lindholm, and forwards A.J. Greer, Dominic Toninato, and Logan O’Connor. Each of these players has logged time with the Avs this season, with Greer leading the way with 15 games while the others all played in at least two. The skaters played minimal roles and combined for just three points, but Francouz, a veteran import from the KHL, was clutch in two relief appearances with a .943 save percentage and 1.96 GAA. Yet, it is Francouz who is least likely to see any playoff action as the third-string keeper. With lineup regular Matt Calvert battling an injury, one of the forwards could in fact make an appearance in this postseason. Greer and O’Connor, who finished second and third respectively in Eagles scoring, would be the top candidates.
Boston’s recruits are not coming from far away either, as they have called up a whopping 13 players from the nearby Providence Bruins. Forwards Anton Blidh – who signed an extension earlier today – Paul Carey, Peter Cehlarik, Ryan Fitzgerald, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Trent Frederic, Zach Senyshyn, Lee Stempniak, Jack Studnicka, and Jordan Szwarz and defensemen Jeremy Lauzon, Urho Vaakanainen, and Jakub Zboril have joined the club. Amazingly, all but Fitzgerald, Studnicka, and Szwarz have suited up for Boston this season and Szwarz played in a dozen NHL games last year. The least experienced name is actually the most exciting, as this will be Studnicka’s first non-training camp experience with the Bruins. The 20-year-old, who most consider the Bruins’ top prospect, is fresh off a 73-point regular season and point-per-game postseason in the OHL and his NHL debut is highly anticipated. However, it is very unlikely to come in these playoffs. In fact, the Bruins are deep at every position as is and it would be a surprise to see any of their “black aces” take the ice outside of extenuating circumstances. On the other had, the team could use some energy and offense in their current series, so who knows.
Nashville Predators Sign Mathieu Olivier
The Nashville Predators have decided to reward AHL forward Mathieu Olivier with a two-year, entry-level contract. The undrafted Olivier joined the Milwaukee Admirals this season on an AHL contract, but will now be part of the Predators organization through the 2020-21 season.
Olivier, 22, was a physical force for the Admirals this season and finished tied for the AHL lead in fighting majors with nine. The former QMJHL forward was never expected to be an offensive star, but gives the team a sheriff on the ice while chipping in 12 points in 54 games. The Predators have never been shy about bringing in players like this, believing that there is still at least some role for them in professional hockey.
After a successful rookie season this NHL contract signifies that the Predators believe Olivier can continue to help their organization, and could be the answer to two expiring contracts in Zac Rinaldo and Cody McLeod. Both players are set to become unrestricted free agents this summer.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Ryan McLeod
Wednesday: The Oilers officially announced a three-year entry-level contract for McLeod which will start next season, and an amateur tryout that allows him to join the Condors right away. McLeod will wear No. 28 for Bakersfield.
Tuesday: The Edmonton Oilers were far from playoff contention this season, but that wasn’t the case for their AHL affiliate. The Bakersfield Condors were one of the most exciting teams in the AHL this season and will begin a second-round playoff series on Friday against the San Diego Gulls. According to Mark Spector of Sportsnet they’re hoping to get some help for that series in the form of top prospect Ryan McLeod, who the Oilers are working to get signed this week.
McLeod, 19, was selected 40th overall last June and had another solid season in the OHL. The incredibly smooth skating forward recorded 62 points in 63 games split between the Mississauga Steelheads and Saginaw Spirit, only to record another 12 in 17 playoff contests. The Spirit were defeated by the Guelph Storm in seven games during the Western finals, meaning McLeod is free to join the AHL for the rest of the season.
Like his older brother, New Jersey Devils forward Michael McLeod, the Oilers prospect is a confident two-way player that looks ready to make a contribution at the professional level. While he may not have the huge point production of some of his contemporaries, his skating, size and work ethic are all good enough for him to take the next step. That speed is of considerable interest to an Oilers team that always seemed one step behind their opponents thi season—except of course for their captain—and something they will welcome happily into the organization.
Since he won’t turn 20 until September 21st, McLeod will not burn the first year of his potential entry-level contract even if he jumps right into the AHL playoffs this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins Extend Thomas DiPauli
Tuesday: The Penguins have officially announced the contract.
Monday: Jim Rutherford and his Pittsburgh Penguins got an earlier start to this postseason than they would have liked, but they are using the extra time to their advantage. In the midst of swirling trade rumors, the team has now made three signings since their playoff exit, the latest of which has come to light this evening. According to CapFriendly, the Penguins have re-signed forward Thomas DiPauli to a one-year, two-way extension. DiPauli is set to make the new 2019-20 minimum salary of $700K at the NHL level and $100K at the AHL level, with $135K guaranteed. The AHL numbers are a slight raise from this past season, but come in just under those of fellow minor league forward Joseph Cramarossa, who re-upped with the Penguins on Thursday.
The new deal for DiPauli prevents the young forward from leaving this off-season. DiPauli, who celebrates his 25th birthday today, just narrowly qualified as a Group 6 unrestricted free agent as a player of age 25 or older who has completed three or more seasons of pro hockey without playing in a total of 80 NHL games. In fact, DiPauli has played in zero NHL games thus far, due largely in part to struggling with long-term injuries suffered in two of his three pro seasons. Yet, the shifty forward showed enough in just 29 AHL games this season to earn a new contract, registering 15 points and a +6 rating for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
DiPauli, a native of Italy who also holds American citizenship, originally came to the Penguins as a college free agent in 2016. A fourth-round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2012, the U.S. National Team Develop Program product played four years at the University of Notre Dame and starred alongside promising prospects like Boston’s Anders Bjork and Montreal’s Jake Evans. Following his senior year, DiPauli opted not to sign with the Capitals, instead holding out until August to sign with the rival Penguins. There were some expectations that DiPauli could crack the Pittsburgh lineup in year one and become yet another quick, versatile forward who could excel in the Penguins system. Perhaps that role is still on the horizon, as the Penguins seemed determined to keep DiPauli around despite his lack of impact at the NHL level thus far.
Why Tampa Bay’s Defense Will Look Much Different Next Season
While recency bias has hockey fans looking back on the Tampa Bay Lightning’s season as a failure due to their shocking early playoff exit, in reality the team was historically good, winning 62 games en route to 128 points and an easy President’s Trophy win. In general, most teams who enjoy that level of success would look to change as little as possible, even with the postseason disappointment. Last year’s Stanley Cup-winning Washington Capitals have become the standard for staying the course and, by all accounts, the Lightning expect to follow in their footsteps and avoid the temptation to make sweeping changes.
However, it’s not that simple. As Joe Smith of The Athletic writes, the Bolts will have to undergo a major makeover on their blue line. Tampa Bay is already committed to over $73MM for 16 players next season. That list includes top defensemen Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh, as well as most core forwards like Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, J.T. Miller, and Yanni Gourde and starting goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. However, it does not include half of the eight defensemen used regularly by the Lightning this season: Anton Stralman, Braydon Coburn, Dan Girardi, and Jan Rutta. More importantly, it also doesn’t include sophomore breakout forward Brayden Point. Even with the salary cap expected to climb north of $80MM this off-season, re-signing Point will eat up most of that space and extending fellow RFA forwards Cedric Paquette and Adam Erne will add up as well. Without a considerable cap dump, it would seem re-signing even one of those UFA defensemen, nevertheless most of them, will be incredibly difficult.
So what does Tampa do about this situation? The aforementioned cap dump seems a near certainty, as veteran forward Ryan Callahan is expected to be traded or bought out this summer. A buy out could give the Lightning the wiggle room to re-sign one of the four pending UFA’s, while a trade could either open up cap space or allow the team to bring in a blue liner with a bad contract like Callahan’s. Yet, Callahan alone is not the only move that the Bolts could make before next season. Smith mentions Miller as the easiest forward to trade away, as his trade protection does not kick in until the new league year on July 1st. Johnson, Palat, and Alex Killorn all have full or limited No-Trade Clauses, making them harder to deal, but still expendable regardless. In moving any of those four valuable forwards – or even Point if negotiations reach an impasse – the Bolts would likely be able to land a talented defenseman in return.
Outside of Callahan though, the Lightning do not have to make other trades to form a capable defense. Internally, they already have a promising top-four in veteran stars Hedman and McDonagh and promising young rearguards Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak. AHL standout Cal Foote will also challenge for a job in camp, while the team will almost certainly target a defenseman with the 27th overall pick in the first round this year, who could push for an NHL spot right away if they’re lucky. Moving Callahan, if salary does not come back in return, could enable the team to re-sign Rutta, likely the cheapest option of the four, or perhaps Coburn or Girardi on hometown discounts. It is hard to imagine Stralman being within their price range or any two returning. Yet, affordable options will also exist on the free agent market, as many players may be willing to sign for less for a shot at the Cup in Tampa Bay. Veteran UFA options who could come in under $2MM or so include Michael Del Zotto, Adam McQuaid, Ben Lovejoy, and Roman Polak, among others.
The only certainty when it comes to Tampa’s defense this season is that it will not look the same as it did last year. There is simply no financial way for the team to maintain the depth and balance on the blue line that this unit had, but some savvy moves this off-season could still keep the defense just as strong. How the team handles Point, Callahan, and the free agency and trade markets will be one of the more intriguing story lines this summer and could dictate whether the Bolts are able to follow the Capitals’ model and stay the course toward a championship following postseason disappointment.
NCAA Notes: Kuznetsov, Hayhurst, MacKay
The University of Connecticut landed a big fish this week in 17-year-old Russian defenseman Yan Kuznetsov. The big, two-way defender has committed to join the Huskies as early as next season, NHL.com’s Mike Morreale reports. Kuznetsov, who is in fact not related to Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, is looking to make his name known for more than just its similarity to an existing NHL star. A 2020 NHL Draft prospect, Kuznetsov is a dominant defensive blue liner who stands 6’3″ and over 200 lbs. with room left to grow. Both with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede and on the international stage with Russia, Kuznetsov has shown high-end defensive positioning and instincts and is a strong skater, especially for size. The offense has yet to come, but it will follow as Kuzanetsov’s ability to move the puck continues to improve. Earlier this season, TSN’s Craig Button ranked the soon-to-be Huskie as the 13th-best player in the 2020 class and that projection could even improve if he makes the immediate jump to the college ranks next season and adapts well. It is very likely that Kuznetsov will become UConn’s highest-drafted player once 2020 rolls around. The Huskies, the newest addition to the Hockey East Conference, have done a good job of improving their program, especially in overseas recruiting, over the last few years and Kuznetsov is another major step. Recent draft selections like forwards Ruslan Iskhakov (NYI – 2nd, 2018) and Jachym Kondelik (NSH – 4th, 2018), and goalie Tomas Vomacka (NSH – 5th, 2017) played key roles this season, while 2019 draft-eligible winger Vladislav Firstov is expected by many to be a second-round pick this June before joining UConn in the fall. The future is bright for the program.
- It wasn’t enough for the University of Michigan to just add one of the top freshman classes in the NCAA to their program next year, including potential 2019 first-round picks out of the U.S. National Team Development program in Cam York and John Beecher. No, the Wolverines scoured the transfer market and are now adding one the top available graduate players as well. College hockey insider Jeff Cox reports that Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute standout Jacob Hayhurst will transfer to Michigan next year for his fourth and final collegiate season. Hayhurst, 22, enjoyed an impressive stretch at RPI. As a freshman, the talented forward was third on the team in scoring and in each of the past two seasons, he has been even better, leading the Engineers in points. Meanwhile, Hayhurst somehow managed to graduate from RPI in just three years as well and can thus move on to a new program without having to sit for a transfer year. In Hayhurst, the Wolverines are adding an intelligent and skilled forward, who makes up for his lack of size with vision and quickness. After losing Quinn Hughes to the pros, the addition of Hayhurst (and York) should help to keep Michigan’s power play lethal next season.
- One of the leaders of the two-time defending champion University of Minnesota – Duluth Bulldogs has found a home in the pros. The AHL’s Texas Stars announced today that hard-working forward Parker MacKay has signed a one-year deal with team. MacKay, who steadily improved over his four years at UMD, topped out at 16 goals and 33 points as a senior, which both led the team. MacKay, 24, is a tough, talented forward who wins puck battles and creates offense with his effort. He did just that in the National Championship game this year, recording a goal and assist to earn Frozen Four MVP honors. While a relatively late college free agent signing, MacKay is sure to make an immediate impact for Texas next season and could have NHL upside if he continue to be a force at the pro level.
Snapshots: Samberg, Moutrey, Mikheyev
The Winnipeg Jets won’t be signing one of their top defensive prospects this summer, as Dylan Samberg is heading back to the University of Minnesota-Duluth for next season according to Matt Wellens of the Duluth News Tribune. Samberg recently completed his sophomore year and has won consecutive NCAA titles with the Bulldogs.
Originally selected 43rd overall in 2017, Samberg has developed into one of the most feared defensemen in the country and looked ready to make the jump to professional hockey this season. The 6’4″ 215-lbs defender has twice suited up for Team USA at the World Juniors, bringing home silver and bronze medals. That’s a lot of hardware for the young Samberg, who could become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2021 if Winnipeg fails to sign him.
- The Rockford IceHogs will have Nick Moutrey around for another year, as the team announced today that they have signed the 23-year old center to a one-year AHL contract. Moutrey was a fourth-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2013 but has failed to reach the NHL. The 6’3″ forward had just five points in 49 games this season, but will provide another big body willing to go into the corners for the IceHogs next year.
- Reports out of Russia make it sounds like the Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs are the final two contenders for Russian forward Ilya Mikheyev, but he won’t announce his decision quite yet. The 24-year old winger will see his KHL contract with Avangard Omsk expire at the end of the month, making him free to sign with whoever he wants. After scoring 45 points in 62 games this season there were several teams chasing his services.
Ville Pokka, Klas Dahlbeck Staying In KHL
An NHL career never did materialize for former Chicago Blackhawks top prospect Ville Pokka. After a trade last season took him to the Ottawa Senators organization, he bolted for the KHL and signed with Avangard Omsk in the summer. Pokka has now signed a one-year extension with his KHL club, ending any chance he was going to return to North America this year. Klas Dahlbeck, who played for Chicago as well as the Arizona Coyotes and Carolina Hurricanes, has also re-upped in the KHL, signing a one-year extension with CSKA Moscow.
Pokka, 25, was originally selected 34th overall by the New York Islanders in 2012, but was one of the big pieces sent to Chicago for Nick Leddy in 2014. At that point, the young defenseman looked like a potential star after putting up 27 points in 54 games during his final year in Finland. Pokka got off to a great start with the Rockford IceHogs, and continued to rack up points throughout his minor league career. Unfortunately, his foot speed and defensive awareness were just never enough to earn a chance at the NHL level. He was traded to Ottawa without ever suiting up for Chicago.
Dahlbeck meanwhile was also a Blackhawks prospect for a time, selected by them in the third round of the 2011 draft. He made his debut for the club during the 2014-15 season but was sent to Arizona along with a first-round pick to bring Antoine Vermette to Chicago. He would end up playing 170 NHL games before leaving last season for the KHL, and won a Gagarin Cup with CSKA recently.