Robbie Russo Close To Signing With Detroit Red Wings
According to Ansar Khan of MLive, the Detroit Red Wings are close to coming to an agreement with defenseman Robbie Russo. The restricted free agent was eligible for salary arbitration but decided not to file, usually a sign that the two sides have already had productive conversations during the year. He’s coming off his entry-level contract, but will likely sign a two-way deal with the Red Wings.
Russo, 24, made his NHL debut last season and spent 19 games with the Red Wings down the stretch. Drafted by the New York Islanders in 2011, he became a free agent in 2015 after four years at the University of Notre Dame and signed with the Red Wings immediately. After finding plenty of offensive success in the AHL in his first season and up to his call-up in March, he amazingly was held pointless in the NHL. That’s despite playing over 16 minutes a game with the Red Wings and generally being a positive possession player.
The Red Wings have a pretty full blueline after signing Trevor Daley and Luke Witkowski this summer—though the team has said the latter may play forward at times—and it’s unclear exactly where Russo fits in. Though both Niklas Kronwall and Jonathan Ericsson have dealt with injuries they’re expected to be ready for the start of the season, while according to Khan it’s not as clear for Ryan Sproul who is working through a knee injury. Either way, Russo will have to win a job in training camp to be included on the roster come the start of the season.
Two-Way Contracts Not Allowed To Participate In Olympics
Confirming what had been expected for weeks now, the NHL made clear to Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press that players signed to NHL contracts will not be allowed to play in the upcoming Winter Olympics even if they are currently in the minors. Players can go if signed to AHL-only contracts (or AHL/ECHL two-way contracts), but any deal with an NHL portion will not be allowed.
This drastically reduces the Olympic drawing pool, but it was already expected with Team Canada going with a squad almost entirely made up of European league players and USA Hockey admitting that they’d look mostly to the NCAA ranks for their team. Whyno adds another interesting detail that players under contract but loaned to European teams are eligible, since they wouldn’t be able to play in the NHL this season anyway. It would be tough to see players like Lias Andersson or Miro Heiskanen make the Olympic team, but this would make them eligible even though they’ve already signed entry-level contracts with their respective teams. Both are expected (for now) to return to their native countries for development this season.
That exemption also extends to players in the Canadian junior leagues according to Whyno, meaning other first-round talents who are headed back to the CHL after signing ELCs could be of interest to their various countries. Though Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier are expected to break camp with the Flyers and Devils, other young players could be included in Pyeongchang.
It will be interesting to see how many players under AHL-only contracts are considered, with someone like Darren Raddysh coming to mind as a potential option. Raddysh signed an AHL contract after a huge season in the OHL, and could be among those considered for the Olympic team. While many believed the 21-year old defenseman would find an entry-level contract somewhere after putting up 81 points in his final year for the Erie Otters, he instead settled for a minor league deal with the Chicago Blackhawks. Perhaps maintaining Olympic eligibility was a factor, as he would have to be seriously considered, especially if he gets off to a hot start with the Rockford team.
Is Houston A Viable NHL Hockey Market?
When the NHL began discussing expansion a few years ago, the plan was never to add one team. No owner or league executive stood up and said “31 is the perfect number!” The idea has always been to bring in two more teams to bring the total to 32, the same number that the National Football League has managed since 2002. So whether you are of the opinion that the Arizona Coyotes, Carolina Hurricanes, or New York Islanders need to re-locate or not, the fact of the matter is that the NHL will welcome a new city regardless in the near future.
The overwhelming opinion seems to be that Seattle, Washington is next in line to follow Las Vegas. The city is full of die-hard sports fans who cheer vehemently for the Seahawks, Mariners, and Sounders and have been clamoring for a basketball team since the SuperSonics left. They also show up to watch junior hockey, as the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds finished in the top half of attendance in 2016-17. Millionaire Chris Hansen has been pushing hard for support to build a new arena with plans to bring back the NBA and bring in the NHL, while Seattle mayor Ed Murray has been negotiating with the NHL on the city’s behalf as well.
Seattle could very well be the 32nd NHL team. However, some hockey purists would like to see the league go back to the small market of Quebec City and revive the Nordiques. Others don’t mind the Seattle plans, but would rather a team go about 150 miles south to Portland, Oregon, where the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks outdraw the Seattle Thunderbirds. Some stand up for places like Kansas City, Missouri, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Hartford, Connecticut. You may even hear a few in favor of going back to Atlanta already. What you don’t hear much of though is talk about Houston, Texas. That is until now.
Last month, Leslie Alexander, the owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets and the Toyota Center, announced that he would be selling the team. While this may simply seem like the NBA’s business on its face, it could have big implications for the NHL. Alexander had attempted to purchase the Edmonton Oilers back in 1998 with a plan to move them to Houston. However, the league turned the offer down, opting instead to keep one of it’s most well-known franchises in Canada where it belonged. Alexander held a grudge not only against the NHL, but against hockey. He all but forced the AHL’s Houston Aeros, beloved by the local fan base, out of the city by charging unreasonable rent at the Toyota Center. The Minnesota Wild had to move their part-owned affiliate to Iowa, where they remain today. With the Aeros gone, the city’s interest in hockey seemingly disappeared and with Alexander remaining in charge of the Rockets and Toyota Center, there was little hope of the NHL or AHL ever returning.
With Alexander selling the Rockets, and likely his stake in the Toyota Center as well, those hopes are alive once again. But is Houston interested in having an NHL team? Is the NHL interested in going to Houston? It certainly makes some sense on paper. Houston is the fifth largest city in the United States – behind only New York, L.A., Chicago, and nearby Dallas – and has only seen its population grow in recent years. It is also a major three-sport city. The Rockets have always been very successful, recently the MLB’s Astros have righted the ship and boast a strong team, and the NFL’s Texans, still the league’s newest team dating back to 2002, are wildly popular. With that success comes both a strong fan base and a industry that is comfortable with throwing lots of money into athletic sponsorship. Financially, Houston would seem to be as good a fit as any. They also have a suitable arena, which Seattle does not, and a much greater population and pro sports history than any of Quebec City, Portland, Milwaukee, or Hartford.
The NHL sought expansion bids three years ago and accepted just one: Bill Foley‘s Las Vegas bid. Many were surprised that Seattle and Quebec City among other could not place a suitable bid. If that process was to occur again, after the Rockets deal is done, would the new owner or another interested Texan place a bid? Or would a perceived lack of interest in the NHL prevent it from happening, yet another surprise in the NHL bidding process? There is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding the situation, but NHL Expansion is not over yet and now, for the first time in years, Houston is at least back in the conversation.
What Do You Think? Is Houston A Viable Hockey Market?
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Yes. Houston would be great for the NHL 54% (605)
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It doesn't matter, they're going to Seattle 26% (289)
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No. Houston would not work out for the NHL 20% (229)
Total votes: 1,123
Colorado’s Holes On The Blue Line
It’s no secret that many people expect the Colorado Avalanche to be the worst team in the NHL again next year. Those who don’t generally put them just ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights, and fighting to be better than an expansion team in their inaugural season is not exactly a great spot for a franchise. However, there was not really much that GM Joe Sakic and the Avs could do this off-season, with so few veteran players on their roster who would have value on the trade market and an understandable reluctance to trade away young talent. In a weak free agent and trade market, no one could have drastically turned the team around either. The rebuild is ongoing in Colorado and they need to take their time with it an do it right so that a 48-point season never happens again.
With that said, it still doesn’t hurt, even for a rebuilding team, to try to be more competitive by adding a veteran player or two. Sakic understands that. He has gone out and added Jonathan Bernier, one of top goalies available, to back up Semyon Varlamov following the expansion selection of Calvin Pickard. He then traded for forward Colin Wilson from the Nashville Predators for a fourth-round pick, a relative bargain but a draft pick from a rebuilding team all the same. If the team had decided to tank this season, and accept everyone’s expectations of them, they could have just handed those jobs to underwhelming prospects Spencer Martin and Rocco Grimaldi.
Why then does the Avalanche blue line look the way it does then? Even assuming that restricted free agent defenseman Nikita Zadorov re-signs with Colorado as anticipated, that would still give the team just four defenseman on one-way contracts. Zadorov, a 6’5″, 230-lb. behemoth, is just 22 and the centerpiece of the Avs defense, while Tyson Barrie and Erik Johnson are talented veterans on long-term contracts. Yet, Johnson is injury-prone and Barrie often struggles in his own end. The fourth man is Mark Barberio, who was claimed off of waivers from the Montreal Canadiens last season and is penciled into a top-four role next season despite regularly playing bottom-pair minutes before arriving in Colorado. Beyond those four, not the most inspiring blue line corps in the NHL by any means, the bottom pair would likely be occupied by AHL veterans Anton Lindholm and Duncan Siemens, who were -10 with zero points in a combined 15 games last year. Other options include Chris Bigras, who has just one NHL game under his belt, first-year pro Andrei Mironov, and free agent addition David Warsofsky.
Sakic was willing to solidify his net and his forward corps and needs to do the same for his blue line. Zadorov, Barrie, and Johnson are fine for a top three, though each have their issues, and Barberio is a suitable starter. No one will blame the Avs for moving on from aging and ineffective veterans Francois Beauchemin and Fedor Tyutin, but might the team at least look into bringing back one of Eric Gelinas or Cody Goloubef, who both remain unsigned? Even that may not be enough. The obvious top choice would have to be Cody Franson, the top free agent defenseman left on the market. Franson may be a right-handed shot like Barrie and Johnson, but no doubt could help this team and play a major role. Franson could be especially helpful in re-booting an Avs power play that ranked dead last in 2016-17. Another player who could help in that department and with moving the puck could be Dennis Wideman. The veteran rearguard was once a prominent possession defenseman like Barrie and could give a boost to a Colorado offense that is often stagnant. If the Avalanche are shying away from older players like Wideman, they could take a chance on the oft-injured, but talented Simon Despres or on the unproven Jyrki Jokipakka instead. A big move that could be in play if they wanted to take the risk: an offer sheet to young New Jersey Devils puck-mover Damon Severson. Severson had a breakout year last season and looks to be a bona fide top-four offensive defenseman. The Devils are in a similarly rough shape on their blue line and would likely match any deal offered, but it could be worth a shot for the Avalanche, who could desperately use a promising young defender, even with future star Cale Makar coming down the road.
There are many options open to Sakic and the Avalanche and hopefully they find an avenue they like and take it. No one is expecting a rebuilding team to sell off pieces for a premiere defenseman, but they do expect Colorado to at least make an effort to field an NHL-caliber defense. At this point in time, the Avs don’t have that. No one wants to see another 48-point season in Denver. It’s time for Sakic to take action.
Snapshots: Alexander Nylander, Jon Gillies, Max Talbot
19-year old winger Alexander Nylander may get his shot in Buffalo this season, according to Ian McLaren of the Score, who spoke with Nylander’s Swedish coach. Nylander was selected 8th overall in last year’s draft, and had a strong season in the AHL with Rochester. He saw action in 4 games for the Sabres, but tallied only one assist. He theoretically has the option to return to the Swedish Hockey League, for AIK, but there has been no indication he will do so. Nylander will have his work cut out for him if he hopes to crack the roster, however. The Sabres filled out their forward depth relatively well this off-season, adding Jason Pominville (right-winger) via trade and Jacob Josefson (right-winger) via free agency. He could likely find a home on the fourth-line, but he would likely benefit from more seasoning if he can’t force a decision outright. His older brother, William Nylander, did need parts of two seasons with the Marlies before he stuck with the Leafs. Alex Nylander’s dynamic offensive skillset is badly needed in Buffalo this season, however, especially when one considers the lean defense they will be trotting out.
- When Flames’ goalie Jon Gillies was signed to a two-way contract a few weeks ago, many wondered how much that would impact the team’s future plans in net. Gillies had a solid win in his first NHL start last season, but struggled slightly in Stockton. The 6’6 goalie is a third-round pick from 2012, but was solid in Providence and has shown flashes of brilliance at only 23. Gillies will need to string together a solid performance at the AHL level and hope for either Mike Smith or Eddie Lack to falter or fall to injury, as the two acquisitions by GM Brad Treliving put him in an unenviable position. The possibility of a goaltending carousel in Calgary seems more possible than many are willing to admit, especially if Gillies or Tyler Parsons push the issue from the minors with stellar performance. This will only be Gillies’ second pro season, after all, and he has the talent to make things interesting.
- With the certainty of NHL non-participation in the 2018 Olympics, it opens quite a few doors for players who have left the league for Europe or elsewhere. “Busts” and “has-beens” could make up a large portion of the U.S. and Canadian rosters, it seems. Today in Sochi, numerous ex-NHLers displayed their skills in hopes of impressing those who will choose the 2018 Olympic roster. A miniature tournament is essentially the beginning of the audition to be considered for the selection process. Canada faced off against Russia, and the teams will have friendly contests against one another later in August. According to Tim Wharnsby of CBS Sports, some of those hopefuls for Canada include Max Talbot, Gilbert Brule, and Rob Klinkhammer. Talbot was a gritty winger who clutched two goals against Detroit in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals for Pittsburgh. Brule is a former top pick of CBJ who floated from team to team without much success, and Klinkhammer was a fringe bottom-sixer who never truly found a home. Many players of this ilk could claim roster spots, and fans of the sport may have some names from the past resurface to prominence as we approach Pyeongchang.
Blues Snapshots: Steen, Parayko, AHL, Fabbri
Don’t be surprised if the St. Louis Blues move on from Alex Steen, eventually. While St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jim Rutherford answered questions on the newspaper’s website, he added that while he’d be surprised to see Steen moved at this point in the offseason, he wouldn’t be shocked if the Blues were to look into trading him at the trade deadline next year or in the offseason.
The 33-year-old Steen’s new contract that he signed last offseason will be kicking in this year. He signed a four-year, $23MM contract and while his production has been consistently solid over the last couple of years (33 goals and 70 assists combined in last two years), the veteran is suddenly beginning to get in the way of the Blues massing core of young wingers, including Vladimir Tarasenko (25), Jaden Schwartz (25), Dmitrij Jaskin (24), Robby Fabbri (21 — although he could move to center next season — see below), Oskar Sundqvist (23) and Beau Bennett (25).
Rutherford adds the team still needs a veteran like Steen to provide the leadership to the youth, but there will be a point in which the team will be confident in its young wingers that it’s unlikely he’ll finish out his contract in St. Louis.
- In the same piece, Rutherford writes that he expects young defenseman Colton Parayko to step up this season for the Blues and become the star defenseman they were hoping for. While his goals scored dropped from nine to four last year, his points still went up, finishing with 35 points compared to 33 two years ago. The scribe writes that with Kevin Shattenkirk finally gone, Parayko should be able to raise his scoring numbers and develop into a No. 1 defenseman.
- Rutherford also writes that with the team agreeing to AHL agreements with the Chicago Wolves (Vegas’ affiliate) and the San Antonio Rampage (Colorado’s affiliate), the team will send prospects to either team, but are likely to have little say about playing time for their prospects. Both Vegas and Colorado will be putting a priority on their own prospects, leaving any Blues prospects to force their way into playing time.
- Former 2014 first-rounder Fabbri is currently penciled in as the team’s third-line center behind Paul Stastny and new acquisition Brayden Schenn. However, if they feel he is ready to put up a big season, Rutherford writes that it is likely he’ll be moved up to be a wing on the second line and force Steen to move to the right side.
Minor Transactions: 8/5/17
It may be August, but hockey transactions are still ongoing. While the major names on the NHL free agent market appear to still be in a holding pattern, AHL teams have begun to fill out their rosters with minor leagues deals. The result has been a recent influx of minor news, both of AHL signings and those with less luck finding a contract in North America signing overseas. Keep track of these moves today right here:
- The EBEL has already made their presence felt this summer more so than ever before with the signings of NHL veterans like Matt Fraser, Ben Walter, and Rob Flick, and now the small Austrian-based league is back at it again. Defenseman Mat Clark has signed on with HC Bolzano for the coming season, the team announced yesterday. Clark, a veteran of nine NHL games with the Anaheim Ducks and over 400 AHL games since turning pro in 2010, is a big addition for the Foxes. Like most North American signings in the EBEL, Clark should step in and compete right away for the title of best player on the team. The big blue liner, a second-round draft pick of the Ducks in 2009, is a dominating stay-at-home threat, but has also contributed some modest offense in the AHL as well.
- If Clark had been able to find a good fit in the AHL for the 2017-18 season, one would think he would have jumped on it. Instead, he decided to take a deal overseas. Dalton Thrower, another defenseman, has chosen a different path. Thrower has signed with Allen Americans of the ECHL for the upcoming campaign. It’s quite the change in direction for Thrower’s career path, as he was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Montreal Canadiens this off-season and goes from an NHL contract to an ECHL contract. A second-round pick of the Habs just five years ago, Thrower has not come close to reaching his lofty expectations, having played almost exclusively in the ECHL since turning pro. However, softening the blow of Thrower losing his NHL connection is a familiar face joining him in Allen. The Americans announced that they have signed both he and his younger brother, Josh Thrower, who aged out of the WHL after last season. The pair are set to dominate the Allen blue line in 2017-18.
- Nolan Zajac is having the opposite fortunes of Thrower, as he’ll jump up a level ahead of next season. The younger brother of New Jersey Devils’ mainstay Travis Zajac, the 25-year-old defenseman has signed an AHL deal with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Zajac had signed with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye out of college last off-season, but after 54 points in 61 games and strong performances on loan to three different AHL teams, he has earned a full-time role at the next level. The former University of Denver standout is a strong skater who has left his mark on the score sheet wherever he has played, Zajac will look to continue to climb through the ranks of pro hockey next season. With a big year in Lehigh Valley, the Philadelphia Flyers’ affiliate, Zajac may just end up with an NHL contract next summer and a possible divisional sibling rivalry down the road.
- The AHL’s Ontario Reign, the affiliate to the Los Angeles Kings, have re-signed two-way forward Sam Herr to a one-year extension. The former Notre Dame winger made his pro debut in 2016-17 with 14 points in 61 regular season games with the Reign and looked his best during the team’s short playoff run. The 24-year-old may not have NHL chops, but is a smart player and hard worker who will surely be able to help Ontario out in the coming season.
More to come…
Is Andrei Svechnikov The Next Generational Prospect?
It’s never too far to look ahead to the draft and as the offseason enters the dog days of summer, Russian prospect Andrei Svechnikov is already projecting to be the top pick in the 2018 NHL draft. The question, before the season even begins, is if Svechnikov is a generational talent in the mold of Connor McDavid, or Auston Matthews. Taken first overall in the CHL Import Draft by the Barrie Colts, the upcoming season will reveal if Svechnikov is the high end prospect many believe he’s developing into. Svechnikov will sign with the Colts prior to training camp, and could even push the words “generational” into the conversation.
Svechnikov’s older brother Evgeny plays in the Detroit Red Wings system and though an exciting prospect Wings fans are waiting to see, Andrei looks to be even better. MLive’s Mark Opfermann penned a piece on Svechnikov back in March when the ’18 class was in the shadow of the soon-to-be-drafted ’17 class. Opfermann wrote this about him:
“For his age, and you don’t even have to look at his age, let’s just say he’s a first-year player in the league, whatever age he is,” Muskegon Lumberjacks coach John LaFontaine said. “He doesn’t get pushed off the puck, he outmuscles guys to the net, his shot is deceptive and his ability to create plays is high end no matter what level you’re playing at. There’s no question, if he was a ’99 (birth year) and on the list this year, they’d be talking about him this year.”
The Hockey News’ Daniel Nugent-Bowman wrote back in December that Svechnikov has the potential to be the “next big thing” out of Russia. The big bodied, goal scorer has excelled on both the world stage and the amateur stage, taking USHL Rookie of the Year honors with Muskegon–playing in the league primarily as a 16-year-old. It’s expected that he’ll take the OHL by storm, cementing his status as the #1 overall pick.
But does it make him generational?
If looking strictly at points, McDavid put up 120 the year he was drafted by the Oilers first overall. Matthews, while playing for ZSC had 46 points in 36 games, but that was also in a professional league. Patrik Laine and Jack Eichel have put up elite numbers in the NHL, and also showed the same flash while playing prior to the NHL.
Svechnikov tore up the USHL with 58 points in just 48 games, with 29 of those points being goals. Measuring him against McDavid in the OHL at the same age, (albeit a much different measuring stick), McDavid had 99 points in 56 games, though he did spend the 2012-13 season with the Otters as well–turning 16 during the middle of that season. McDavid also showed a high IQ on the ice from a very early age and also drew comparisons to Crosby and Gretzky as well.
Svechnikov, from scouts, to coaches, to teammates, and backed by statistics, looks like the real deal. A season with Barrie will be the best indicator of whether or not he’s generational. Barring significant injury, Svechnikov is shaping up to be a prize for the team that selects him.
Morning Notes: Hurricanes, Sabres, Rangers
After a report came out last month that indicated Chuck Greenberg, former minority owner of the Texas Rangers, had signed a letter of intent to purchase the Carolina Hurricanes, there had been little news from current owner Peter Karmanos on whether the sale would go through. Today, Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer caught up with Karmanos who told him that around a dozen groups had already expressed interest in buying the team, and that he’d wait to see what Greenberg’s offer is.
The $500MM report—that seemed unrealistic at the time—may not have been premature as though it doesn’t seem like Greenberg has submitted a formal offer yet, the asking price is indeed $500MM for now. For a club that is struggling immensely to draw enough fans every night, despite the positive direction the hockey operations staff is taking the on-ice product in, new ownership could breathe fresh air into a stagnant franchise.
- The Buffalo Sabres have hired former NHL defenseman Mike Komisarek as a development coach, bringing him into a franchise that he knows intimately from his time with the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. After Komisarek’s retirement in 2014, he returned to the University of Michigan to complete his degree, where he also served as an assistant coach with the men’s hockey program. In 551 career games, Komisarek registered 81 points and 679 penalty minutes.
- The New York Rangers have hired Joe Mormina as an assistant coach for their AHL team, bringing him back to the league after only retiring from his playing career in 2016. Mormina spent last year as an assistant coach for Mercyhurst University, but has eleven years of experience as a player in the minor league. Only getting into a single NHL game throughout his playing career, the hulking defender was a staple on several AHL franchises for many years. In 670 AHL contests, he recorded 151 points and 837 penalty minutes.
Snapshots: Pastrnak, Walker, Coyotes
David Pastrnak remains one of the top unsigned restricted free agents in the league, and looks like he’s due for a huge raise from the Boston Bruins when a contract is finally hammered out. That doesn’t seem any closer today than it has been, as GM Don Sweeney told Ty Anderson of WEEI the negotiations are in a “holding pattern” but that there is plenty of time to get something done. Pastrnak scored 34 goals and 70 points last season, and though he’s still ineligible for arbitration is set to command quite the price on a long-term deal.
Despite only turning 21 a few months ago, Pastrnak has already completed three seasons in the NHL and is on track to become an unrestricted free agent at the age of 25. That means any deal longer than four seasons will be buying out UFA years at a premium, pushing any cap hit up and up as the length increases. Obviously, the Bruins would like to keep him around as long as possible but they’ll have to make a decision on whether to lock him into a seven or eight year deal right away, or offer him a bridge contract and revisit the negotiations in a few years. With just over $10.1MM in cap space, the team could go either route to keep their star winger in town.
- According to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune, Jack Walker has signed an AHL deal with the Minnesota Wild organization after impressing in development camp. Walker was actually a draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs as recently as 2016, but was not extended a “Bona Fide Offer” by the team and became an unrestricted free agent. That likely had to do with the combination of Walker being too old to return to junior and the Maple Leafs not having enough contract slots left—the team is currently at 49/50 with Connor Brown still to sign. Walker was a solid scoring threat in the WHL, and will try to improve his all-around game in the minor leagues.
- The Arizona Coyotes have announced a one-year affiliation with the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL, replacing the Rapid City Rush who have moved on to partner with the Wild. The Komets operated independently last season after ending a partnership with the Colorado Avalanche a year early, but will now house the lower Arizona prospects. Even without a parent organization the Komets reached the postseason for the fourth straight year, and will try to get back there this season. Interestingly, Brett Perlini, the older brother of Coyotes’ forward Brendan Perlini was traded to the Komets mid-season last year, where he scored 26 points in 33 games.