Jordan Kyrou To Join Chicago Wolves For Remainder Of Season
After the Sarnia Sting were eliminated from the OHL playoffs at the hands of the Erie Otters, Jordan Kyrou has been assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. The St. Louis Blues prospect will get a taste of professional hockey before competing for an NHL job in the fall.
Kyrou, 18, was selected by the Blues in the second round (35th overall) of the 2016 draft and exploded this season for the Sting. In 66 games he scored 30 goals and 94 points, almost twice as many as his previous career high and sixth most in the entire OHL. If the league knew this next level was coming for Kyrou, they may have selected him even higher as he looks like a blue-chip prospect after this season.
Because he won’t turn 19 until May 5th, Kyrou will be in the position next season of making the NHL or going back to the OHL. He’ll have a tough time making the Blues out of camp, meaning another season of OHL action and a chance to lead the league in scoring is likely next for Kyrou. Drafted as a responsible two-way player, he’s showing that there might be top-level offensive potential in him as he relies on his elite skating ability to create room for himself.
He’ll also be an option for Canada at the World Juniors after not being invited to training camp for the tournament this season. He’s also Sarnia’s candidate for the Red Tilson award, given out to the OHL’s most outstanding player, though he will likely lose out to Erie’s Alex DeBrincat.
Morning Notes: Panarin, Dowling, Bindulis
Last year Artemi Panarin exploded onto the scene in the NHL, scoring 30 goals and 77 points in 80 games, winning the Calder trophy along the way. With that performance, he achieved all his entry-level bonuses (explained here, using Mitch Marner as an example), meaning the Blackhawks carried a cap penalty over this season. As Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune points out, the “Breadman” is close to achieving those bonuses once again.
Panarin will easily secure all of his Schedule A bonuses, and is well positioned to activate his Schedule B bonus as well, worth $1.725MM if he should finish in the top-10 in scoring. With 72 points, Panarin sits tied for tenth in the league with Evgeni Malkin and three games left to play. With games against the Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings left, the sophomore could easily jump a few spots into the top and cause Chicago to suffer another $2MM+ penalty next season.
- Steven Stamkos won’t play again tonight, in what is the definition of a must-win for Tampa Bay. A regulation loss for the Lightning at the hands of the Bruins, combined with a Maple Leafs win would clinch a playoff position for both Toronto and Boston, and leave only Ottawa as an outside target for Tampa Bay. It’s looking more and more like the captain won’t return this season in time to help his club get back into the playoffs.
- The Dallas Stars have brought Justin Dowling back up, after just a night in the AHL. The move must have been just a paper transaction, as the Texas Stars didn’t play last night. They’ll take on the Bakersfield Condors tomorrow night, likely without Dowling in the lineup.
- The Hershey Bears have released Kristofers Bindulis from his amateur tryout, without the NCAA forward actually playing a game for the team. Bindulis was signed to a contract by the Washington Capitals earlier this spring, but will now head to the World Championships for Latvia before starting the first year of his ELC next year.
- The Bears have also signed Beck Malenstyn to an ATO for the remainder of the year. Selected in the fifth round of the 2016 draft, Malenstyn had been playing for the Calgary Hitmen this season. Having just turned 19, he’ll likely head back to the OHL next season and try again to earn an entry-level deal.
Philadelphia Flyers Recall Samuel Morin From AHL
Another top prospect is on his way up to the NHL, as the Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Samuel Morin from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The 11th-overall pick in the 2013 draft will make his NHL debut should he make it into the lineup tonight against the New Jersey Devils. With the Flyers eliminated from playoff contention, it is expected they’ll give Morin and Mike Vecchione a look in the last few games to see if they are viable options for next season.
The fact that Morin hasn’t made a mark on the league yet shouldn’t be seen as red flag, as the 6’7″ 227-lbs defenseman needed time to grow into his frame and develop the raw talent he had shown in the QMJHL. After two excellent seasons in the AHL, it looks like he is ready to take that next step. Never an offensive producer, his 15 points in 62 games represent the kind of production he’ll see in the NHL as he is deployed in more defensive situations. Though he make look at first glance like Chris Pronger physically on the ice, it’s clear that he’ll never have the first pass ability or offensive instincts to be that type of defender.
What he can do though, is dominate in his own end with a long reach and immeasurable strength. His body position and footwork has all improved over the past few years, to the point where he should rarely be taken advantage of by quicker players. Instead, he’ll be the one using his size advantage to remove attackers from the front of the net and win the puck back in the corner. In Philadelphia, where Shayne Gostisbehere is the polar opposite of Morin, they’ve been waiting for a big shutdown defender to come in and provide lock down minutes against top competition.
Snapshots: Lundqvist, Dowling, Smereck, Hextall
The first reactions are in from the NHL’s announcement to not participate in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, and among them is New York Rangers’ goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. Monday evening he tweeted out his thoughts:
Disappointing news, @NHL won’t be part of the Olympics 2018. A huge opportunity to market the game at the biggest stage is wasted…but most of all, disappointing for all the players that can’t be part of the most special adventure in sports.
Lundqvist has been part of the Olympic experience three times, winning gold in 2006 and silver in 2014 for Sweden. A hall of fame goaltender in the NHL, his thoughts will likely be echoed by stars around the league for the next year as players speak out against the decision. This likely was Lundqvist’s last chance at the Games as he will be just shy of 40 for the 2022 Beijing tournament.
- The Dallas Stars have sent Justin Dowling back to the AHL after just a two game stint. The 26-year old centerman has suited up for seven games this season, registering two points. Dowling has proven to be an excellent AHL scoring threat, but wasn’t given a chance at the NHL level until this season. If he can continue to win faceoffs and provide some secondary scoring, perhaps he could find a role on an NHL team next season. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- The Tucson Roadrunners have signed Jalen Smereck to an amateur tryout now that his Flint Firebirds have been eliminated from the OHL playoffs. The defenseman signed a three-year entry-level deal in October, and will likely join the Roadrunners to start next season. The undrafted 20-year old is a late-bloomer, turning 19 in his first OHL season. He has proved to be quite the offensive player though, with 45 points in 60 games this year.
- As rumored last week, Ron Hextall has been officially named the GM of the Canadian World Championship team. The Flyers’ GM will take over the duties once the NHL season is over, and will be joined by former NHL goaltender Sean Burke as an assistant general manager. With the NHL not heading to the Olympics, perhaps the World Championships will become a more important tournament to league players. It is usually overlooked by many fans, as it is held during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Joel Vermin from the AHL, in what amounted to about a seven hour assignment. The forward was sent down earlier this morning, but never left the team. He’ll stay as insurance for the Lightning as they try and get healthy and squeak into the playoffs.
San Jose Sharks Send Timo Meier To AHL
The San Jose Sharks have struggled over the last few weeks, passed in the Pacific Division by both the Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers and at risk of dropping into a wild card position. With this in mind, they’ve made a change to their forward group, sending young Timo Meier down to the AHL on Monday afternoon.
Despite having solid analytical numbers, Meier has struggled to contribute offensively since his call up in December. In February he was sent back to the AHL to work on shot selection after recording just five points in 26 games. Recording just a 4.6% shooting percentage during that time, he was getting forcing the puck to the net just a bit. During his latest stint with the team he generated 16 shots in six games but again failed to score, this time registering just one assist.
The Sharks can’t afford to keep Meier around if he’s not helping them win, and with the recent injury to Joe Thornton sapping them of even more center depth, they’ll have to bring up someone who can play the middle and help them limp into the playoffs. Don’t think this is the last of Meier though, as at just 20-years old he still has a long NHL career ahead of him.
Snapshots: Hughes, Hurricanes, Ekman-Larsson
It’s not a name that you may be familiar with just yet, but Jack Hughes is one to remember. The 15-year old was captain of the Toronto Marlboros, one of the best midget teams in the country and expected to go first overall in the upcoming OHL draft to the Barrie Colts. Eligible for the 2019 NHL entry draft, Hughes is an early (very early) favorite for the top few picks.
Instead, Darren Dreger of TSN is reporting that Hughes—born in Orlando, Florida—will sign with the US National Development Team for the next part of his hockey career. As Dreger says, it will be interesting now to see how far he falls in the OHL draft as there have been examples before of players telling the league they would be heading somewhere else, only to sign with a stronger team (see: London Knights) after falling in the draft. Regardless of where he plays, Hughes is a phenom that deserves attention even at a young age.
- In addition to recalling Bryan Bickell less than five months after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the Carolina Hurricanes have brought up Andrew Poturalski from Charlotte and sent Lucas Wallmark and Phillip Di Giuseppe to the AHL. Poturalski went undrafted and signed with the Hurricanes last spring out of the University of New Hampshire. He has shown immense promise in his rookie AHL season, scoring 48 points in 69 games.
- Oliver Ekman-Larsson‘s season has come to an end early, as the team granted him early release to head home and deal with the death of his mother. She had been fighting a battle with cancer all season, something that has weighed on Ekman-Larsson throughout the year. “This has been a very difficult year for me personally,” said Ekman-Larsson in a statement on the team website. “I’d like to thank the Coyotes organization and all of my teammates for their incredible support all season long. I’m sorry that I’ll miss our last three games but family comes first.”
- The Coyotes won’t be the only team without a top defender for the last few games, as the Florida Panthers will likely shut down Aaron Ekblad for the remainder of the season according to George Richards of the Miami Herald. Ekblad returned from a concussion on March 21st—a move that seemed reckless at the time—only to suffer headaches immediately after the game, causing coach Tom Rowe to admit his mistake. For the Panthers, who are eliminated from playoff contention, protecting your superstar defenseman is more important than winning some meaningless games down the stretch.
Morning Moves: Connor, Roslovic, Holmstrom, Vermin
The Winnipeg Jets have decided to bring up a pair of top prospects, recalling both Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic from the Manitoba Moose. Both first-round picks in 2015, they are the next wave of talented youngsters for Winnipeg to build around. Connor made his NHL debut at the beginning of the season, playing nineteen games with the Jets and registering four points. He has dominated the AHL since his return with 42 points in 45 games.
Roslovic on the other hand has yet to skate in an NHL game, but should be just as touted as a prospect. With 45 points in 61 games in the AHL while playing a more demanding position (center), Roslovic looks like a top-six option for the Jets down the line. The 20-year olds will get another taste down the stretch and both vie for full-time NHL gigs next season.
- The Red Wings have called up Evgeny Svechnikov from the AHL under emergency conditions. The Russian prospect is expected to make his NHL debut tonight, according to Ansar Khan of MLive. Likely the top prospect in the Red Wings system that hadn’t seen NHL ice yet, Svechnikov will be a key part of any rebuild Detroit tries. His offensive upside is tremendous, both on the rush and off the cycle.
- Khan also reports that Axel Holmstrom has joined the Grand Rapids Griffins, now that his Swedish season has ended. The seventh-round pick of the Red Wings in 2014, Holmstrom is a 20-year old forward who has been playing in the Swedish men’s league for several years. A star at the World Juniors in both 2015 and 2016, his international success has shown an ability to skate alongside some of the more skilled players in the world (like William Nylander) and not miss a beat.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have added another transaction to the lengthening list for Joel Vermin. The forward was sent back down to the Syracuse Crunch today after his latest stint in the NHL. Vermin has been the insurance policy for a team ravaged by injuries this season, playing in 17 games spread across many different call-ups.
- Minnesota has decided to send Alex Stalock back down to the AHL, after making two starts in the place of Darcy Kuemper while the team was struggling. Stalock actually performed quite well in both, stopping 51 of a combined 54 shots. It will be interesting to see what the Wild do in the playoffs if Kuemper doesn’t bounce back in his next opportunity to back up Devan Dubnyk.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Sonny Milano from the Cleveland Monsters amid his excellent sophomore season. The 20-year old first-round pick has 43 points in 59 games and has continually shown off his incredible offensive upside. A highlight-reel player, Milano provide some amazing moments but still has work to do to become a top player in the NHL. His all-around game isn’t at a top-line level, but with a few games at the end of the season he may get to see what it takes to become a star in the NHL.
Florida Panthers Recall Ian McCoshen, MacKenzie Weegar
Prior to their game against Montreal this evening, the Florida Panthers have recalled both Ian McCoshen and MacKenzie Weegar from the AHL. Both players have yet to make their NHL debuts, though Weegar has spent time with the team this year. With Florida officially eliminated from playoff contention, the team will turn to some young professionals to get a taste of the league in the last few games.
Weegar, 23, has excelled in the AHL this season with 32 points in 57 games. The former seventh-round pick has shown a steady improvement during his three professional seasons, which will now culminate with a chance at the NHL. The offensive defenseman can quarterback a powerplay and rush the puck with ease, making him an interesting candidate for a spot on the Panthers next year, as the NHL moves more and more towards defensemen who can skate quickly and launch long passes.
McCoshen, 21, was signed out of Boston College last summer after leaving school a year early. The big two-way defenseman was Florida’s second round pick (31st overall) in 2013 and has big upside to his defensive game. He’ll likely be an NHL player for many years, though he may have to wait another season in the AHL before obtaining a full-time role. While he can do it all and will benefit from this taste of the NHL, a little more refinement is necessary to his overall game.
Canucks Extend Jayson Megna
The Vancouver Canucks announced this evening that they have reached an agreement on a one-year, one-way deal with forward Jayson Megna. The extension carries a $675K cap hit for the 2017-18 season and provides some job security for the hard-working veteran forward.
In the team’s press release, GM Jim Benning describes Megna as a players whose “character and professionalism” are valued by the organization. As a bottom-six depth forward, it’s the intangibles that make a major difference for a player like Megna and the Canucks clearly have enjoyed having him around in his first season with the team. The Florida native had spent much of his early pro career with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, playing mostly in the AHL, and again skated in mostly minor league games after signing with the New York Rangers last year. In Vancouver, Megna has apparently finally found a full-time NHL home. Megna has played in 53 games for the Canucks in 2016-17, versus just four with the AHL’s Utica Comets, and has recorded four goals and four assists in that span, one point shy of his career high. Megna also does the non-flashy things well, such as checking, blocking shots, and winning battles along the boards.
However, like many minor signings this season, the Canucks are likely just posturing that this signing is for need and fit and not just for the upcoming Expansion Draft. After trading Jannik Hansen to the San Jose Sharks at the Trade Deadline, Vancouver put themselves in a position where they needed to add another body that qualifies for exposure – having played 40 games this season or 70 games over the past two seasons and having term on his contract – or else risk losing a good, young forward. With an extension signed, Megna now qualifies for sacrifice to the Vegas Golden Knights. However, don’t expect the 27-year-old grinder to be the pick. Megna appears to have found a unique fit in Vancouver, but has previously been an AHL-caliber player for all intents and purposes. The Knights will inevitably end up with quite a few players of similar talent levels, but will likely choose to go younger than the likes of Megna.
Bruins Sign Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson To ELC
With Boston University teammate Charlie McAvoy already committed to going pro, fellow Terrier sophomore Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson has decided to follow suit. However, while McAvoy made his pro debut with the AHL’s Providence Bruins last night, on an amateur tryout contract, it appears that “JFK” will head straight to the big-league club, as Boston announced that they have inked the young Swedish center to a three-year entry level contract and are prepared to burn a year by adding him to the NHL roster right away.
Unlike McAvoy, a right-shot defenseman who would be buried on an NHL team that has four NHL-caliber righties on the blue line, including one rookie already, Forsbacka-Karlsson can fill an immediate need for the Bruins. With Frank Vatrano, Jimmy Hayes, and Tim Schaller currently sidelined with injuries, Boston has been plugging holes up front, most recently with Sean Kuraly in today’s 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. However, Forsbacka-Karlsson presents an upgrade to Kuraly, as well as several other options currently waiting for the call in Providence, and will thus make the jump right from the NCAA to the NHL.
Don’t let the Bruins’ needs imply that the 20-year-old pivot isn’t making his NHL debut right away based on talent; Forsbacka-Karlsson certainly has the skill to be in Boston. A second-round selection of the Bruins in 2015 out of the USHL’s Omaha Lancers, JFK was considered a high-upside project player for Boston as he readied himself for the college game. Instead, Forsbacka-Karlsson has shown nothing but skill, consistency, and a mature, well-rounded game in two seasons at BU. JFK posted 63 points over 78 games in college career, playing a major role in back-to-back strong seasons for the Terriers. He possess both a strong offensive game and the instincts and intelligence to play a defensive game that is unmatched by many his age. For this reason, Forsbacka-Karlsson has often drawn comparisons to a young Patrice Bergeron, while playing right down the street from the man himself. Now, much like Zdeno Chara and Brandon Carlo, the Bruins can have Bergeron mentor JFK and hope for the same quick development and production like they have seen from Carlo. Expect the kid forward to step in right away, likely alongside Ryan Spooner on the team’s third line, and contribute immediately as the Bruins look to extend their five-game winning streak and lock up a playoff spot.