Blues Sign Evan Fitzpatrick To Entry-Level Deal
Sunday is no day of rest for the St. Louis Blues and GM Doug Armstrong, as the team announced this morning that they have come to terms on entry level contract with young goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick was a second-round selection of the team in 2016 from the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix. The terms of the deal have not yet been announced.
Though he still has quite a bit of development left to go at age 19, the Blues have to be a bit discouraged with Fitzpatrick’s lack of improvement in 2016-17. The 6’3″ Halifax native was the fourth goalie off the board last year, as the Blues swooped in and used the 59th overall pick on him. Many believed that they had gotten good value for Fitzpatrick, who was coming off a slightly disappointing season as the starter for the Phoenix that had caused him to fall in the pre-draft rankings. Fitzpatrick posted a 3.42 GAA and .896 SV% in 54 games for Sherbrooke in 2015-16, but his play significantly increased in the QMJHL playoffs, and perhaps Armstrong and company saw that trend continuing upward this season. Instead, Fitzpatrick had a 3.46 GAA and .899 Sv%, almost identical to last season, but won fewer games as Sherbrooke finished at the bottom of the West Division.
Fitzpatrick’s signing does not imply that he will be with the Blues or their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, any time soon, but it is a step toward working closer with the young goalkeeper in hopes of turning his game around. Fitzpatrick is a physically talented goalie who seems to be struggling to develop the much-needed finesse aspects of the position, but some extra work this summer could have him back on track in 2017-18. St. Louis needs to see some improvement out of Fitzpatrick, who is still regarded as the organization’s top goalie prospect. Though young starter Jake Allen is just 26, he has had ups and downs in his first season with full control over the net, and the Blues need to have a young heir in mind just in case. At the AHL level, Jordan Binnington and Ville Husso have both played relatively well, but lack that promise that a high pick offers. If St. Louis doesn’t think either of the pair are the future, it falls on Fitzpatrick to be that next man up in the organization.
Binghamton Senators Sign Jordan Boucher
The Ottawa Senators’ AHL affiliate has brought in a fresh face today, announcing that they have signed college forward Jordan Boucher to an amateur tryout. Boucher is the latest in the recent rush of NCAA athletes whose seasons have ended and now turn into a new pro experience. Boucher just wrapped up his fourth season at Clarkson University and will stay in-state to start his professional career.
Boucher, 23, may not be the most attractive prospect to Ottawa, but plays a seasoned game that could help Binghamton right away. The Quebec native is a two-way left winger who plays a responsible game in all three zones. Though not the most exciting offensive player, Boucher is tough and can win battles along the boards and score scrappy, hard-nosed goals. He has also shown growth in each of his four seasons at Clarkson, scoring 26 of his 68 collegiate career points this past season, including highs in goals (10) and assists (16) in 30 games.
If Boucher can play at the AHL level, it will be apparent right away. Boucher moves from a middle-of-the-pack ECAC team in Clarkson to a Binghamton Senators team that has been one of the worst in the AHL all season long. Boucher’s mature game could immediately boost him toward the top of the Binghamton depth chart if it translates and could even catch the eye of the Ottawa brass, in which case Boucher could go from worst to first next year for a Senators squad that is challenging for the Atlantic Conference title.
Penguins Recall Warsofsky, Reassign Corrado
Fresh off back-to-back shootout losses, the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to tighten up their defense ahead of games against the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks this week. One step they’re taking to achieve that goal is the promotion of David Warsofsky from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In a corresponding move, fellow defenseman Frank Corrado has been sent down the minors to make room.
Warsofsky has skated in six games with Pittsburgh this season, but is no stranger to the system having played in 12 contests with the team last year as well. At just 5’9″, 170 lbs., the former Boston University blue liner does not exactly strike fear into the hearts of his opponents with his physicality. His career -9 rating doesn’t instill much confidence in his defense play either. However, Warsofsky is actually a very dependable puck-moving defenseman, who plays responsibly with the puck and can be leaned upon for minutes without risking a lapse in defensive play. While his Wilkes-Barre/Scranton compatriots like Cameron Gaunce, Chad Ruhwedel, and more were back and forth from Pittsburgh over much of the past few months, Warsofsky has excelled as the #1 defenseman for the AHL squad. As solid as he can be in his own end, where Warsofsky really shines is on the offensive, where he has posted AHL career highs this season. The AHL All-Star is currently ranked fifth among minor league defensemen in scoring. As hockey fans have seen for close to a decade now, the Pittsburgh Penguins are certainly not above the mantra of the “the best defense is a good offense”.
Meanwhile, the recently acquired Corrado will take a trip across Pennsylvania to join the Jr. Penguins for a while. Corrado wanted out of Toronto at the Trade Deadline due to a perceived lack of opportunity, and the Maple Leafs granted his wish by sending him to Pittsburgh in a deal that saw veteran forward Eric Fehr go the other way. However, despite multiple injuries on the Penguins’ blue line, opportunity has not knocked much for Corrado in Pittsburgh either. Corrado has skated in just two games for Pittsburgh thus far, the same number he played in with Toronto before being moved, and has been held without a point and has failed to make much of a difference in any matter. In the Penguins’ 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, Corrado was on the ice for just under six minutes. Pittsburgh will get the young defenseman some play time now, and hope that he can rediscover his game in the minors and return to the NHL level and make more of an impact if called upon.
Josh Healey Signs With Calgary
Highly-sought after Ohio State defenseman Josh Healey has signed with the Calgary Flames, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie.
Healey will report to the Stockton Heat on an Amateur Tryout (ATO), which means his two-year entry-level contract won’t kick in until next season. He played four seasons with Ohio State, scoring 60 points in 133 games. Twenty-five of those points came in 35 games this season.
The 22-year-old is not expected to be an offensive presence in the NHL; he’s a physical defender who has been said to “hit too hard for college.” That’s been clear this season, as he’s been suspended three times. However, Elliotte Friedman has previously pointed out that his suspensions didn’t scare any teams, because many of the hits wouldn’t have been penalized in pro hockey.
The Edmonton-native attended the Flames’ development camp last summer, after spending the previous two summer camps in Edmonton with the Oilers.
Boston Recalls Goalie Zane McIntyre On Emergency Basis
The Boston Bruins announced this morning that they have recalled goaltender Zane McIntyre from Providence of the AHL on an emergency basis. McIntyre has appeared in eight games for the Bruins this season but like his colleague, Anton Khudobin, he has struggled to provide the club with quality play between the pipes, registering a record of 0 – 4 – 1 while posting a GAA of nearly 4 and a S% of just 0.858.
It’s been a different story in Providence for the 24-year-old goalie, as he leads the AHL in both GAA (2.03) and S% (0.931). His strong play in net for the Baby Bruins led to his selection to appear in the 2017 AHL All Star game.
Joe Haggerty of CSN New England suggests the recall is linked to Tuukka Rask not skating yesterday and may mean he will be unavailable for tonight’s game in Brooklyn against the Islanders. Rask’s absence, even for just one game, would be bad news for a Bruins team that has lost four straight and now sits three points behind Toronto for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Rochester Americans Sign Jonas Johansson, Two College Free Agents
Three potential future Buffalo Sabres joined the North American pro ranks today, as the AHL’s Rochester Americans announced the signings of Swedish goaltender Jonas Johansson, Sacred Heart forward Justin Danforth, and Nebraska-Omaha defenseman Ian Brady to Amateur Tryouts for the remainder of the 2016-17 season.
Johansson, 21, is a Sabres 2014 third-round pick who had been playing in his native Sweden until the season ended, but now appears to be committing to playing in North America. Standing 6’4″ and a remarkable athlete, Johansson has the intangibles to be a successful pro goalie. However, his skill development is still a ways off. Johnansson has mostly been playing in Sweden’s second-tier league, making only an occasional appearance in the Swedish Hockey League with Brynas IF over the past few years. 2016-17 has been Johansson’s best season by far, but he will need a few years of minor league seasoning before he’s NHL-ready.
Danforth is a relatively unknown commodity, but has been a solid contributor for Sacred Heart for the past two years, with especially impressive numbers over the past two campaigns. The 24-year-old center makes up for his lack of size, at just 5’9″, 181 lbs., with a strong two-way game and aggressive style and if he does ever make it to the NHL, it will be due to his work ethic. However, that future is far from certain. Danforth will have to spend a significant amount of time in Rochester before he can think about the next level.
Brady has been the epitome of consistency at Omaha over the past four years and hopes to bring that same dependability to the pro game. At 22, Brady has well-developed puck-moving skill and a strong, smart defensive game. Buffalo is in dire need of promising defensive depth, so look for Brady to turn his tryout into a contract by next season.
Snapshots: Agents, O’Regan, Penguins
In the newest column from Rick Westhead of TSN, he dives into the idea that the NHLPA is considering a regulation that would ban agents from contacting players under the age of 16. Westhead reveals the information that agents have been using former professional players as “bird-dog” scouts to contact young kids and establish relationships before anyone else can contact them—at ages of nine or ten years old.
As Westhead writes, this comes in conjunction with a study former Buffalo Sabres star Pat LaFontaine is conducting on the future of player development and drafting. We wrote in December about LaFontaine’s suggestion that the league change the draft age from 18 to 19. The idea that nine-year old kids would be recruited is hard to imagine, but for those who’ve ever been to a high-level tournament at that age easy to believe.
- The San Jose Sharks have sent Daniel O’Regan to the AHL after playing his second NHL game on Monday. The 23-year old was the Sharks’ fifth-round draft pick in 2012 before heading to Boston University. He’s easily the Barracuda’s top scorer this year, with 52 points in 56 AHL games.
- The Penguins will be without Evgeni Malkin again tonight as they “take a cautious approach”. The superstar center hasn’t played since March 15th, but is getting closer to a return. The Penguins need him if they’re to catch the Capitals for first place in the NHL and a better matchup in the first round.
- Those Penguins may get Bryan Rust back though, as the winger is a game-time decision for them tonight. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette did see Rust playing soccer in the hallway, for what it’s worth.
- The Buffalo Sabres have signed Jonas Johansson, Justin Danforth and Ian Brady to amateur tryouts with their AHL affiliate Rochester Americans. Johansson—who should not be confused with the former Colorado Avalanche prospect—was the Sabres’ third-round pick in 2014 and has played quite well in the Swedish second league, even making his Elite League debut this season. The goaltender shows exceptional potential, and could develop into an NHL netminder one day.
Calgary Flames Sign Dillon Dube To Three-Year ELC
The Calgary Flames have put pen to paper with one of their top prospects, inking Dillon Dube to a three-year, entry-level contract. The financials of the deal have not been released, and with Dube’s Kelowna Rockets still in the WHL playoffs, it’s unclear if he’ll head to the AHL on an ATO at all this year. 
Selected 56th overall in last summer’s draft, Dube put in another good season for Kelowna this year, scoring 55 points in 40 games. He was limited at the beginning of the season with a lower-body injury, but healed enough to play for Canada in the World Juniors where he scored three points in seven games and helped Canada to a silver medal.
Incredibly dangerous off the rush, Dube uses his elite quickness and edge work to fly around defenders through the neutral zone but sometimes has trouble engaging physically on the forecheck. Though he looks small at times on the ice, he actually is quite solid (5’11” 192-lbs) and has shown bursts of ability to use his strength to defend the puck and create havoc below the hash marks. He needs to do that more often, or he’ll never be able to create offense on a consistent basis in the professional ranks.
Since he doesn’t turn 19 until this summer, he will undoubtedly go back to Kelowna for his final year of junior, where he should be expected to improve on his numbers. If he’s healthy, he’ll hopefully push towards 80+ points and be a big part of the World Junior team in a more advanced role. Flames fans should be excited, as at worst he projects as an energy forward capable of moving up and down a lineup.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
East Notes: Crouse, Lappin, Addison
When the Florida Panthers shipped Lawson Crouse off to Arizona in exchange for a pair of draft picks and the Coyotes taking on Dave Bolland‘s cap hit, many people were shocked. Bolland was (and remains) on long-term injured reserve, without a clear picture on whether he’ll ever play hockey again. Crouse on the other hand was a 19-year old blue-chip prospect who looked like he had a long NHL career ahead of him as a prototypical power forward. Speaking to George Richards of the Miami Herald, Panthers GM Tom Rowe admitted it was tough to lose him:
We got criticized for giving up on a great young prospect but we had to. That contract was strangling us, cap-wise. When we traded him, our scouts were furious. I’m not going to lie. But we had to do something and that was trade Lawson.
Crouse has just 11 points this season for the Coyotes, but he’s gaining valuable experience as a teenager and still has a bright future ahead of him. Meanwhile the Panthers have already essentially used that cap space, as extensions for Aaron Ekblad, Vincent Trocheck, Jonathan Huberdeau and Derek MacKenzie kick in next year.
- The New Jersey Devils have assigned Nick Lappin to the AHL today, after their loss last night to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team is headed home for the next three games, as they continue to battle for position in the draft lottery. The team now sits 28th in the league, meaning they’ll have a solid shot at a top-5 pick in the draft this year.
- Montreal has signed Jeremiah Addison to a three-year, entry-level contract. The Windsor Spitfires forward is still in the OHL playoffs and will be playing at the Memorial Cup this year regardless of the outcome. Windsor hosts the tournament, and therefor gets an entry even without winning the OHL championship.
- The Buffalo Sabres will lose Rasmus Ristolainen for three games following his suspension, but as John Vogl of the Buffalo News writes, won’t actually be shorthanded in their next game. That’s because Kyle Okposo, William Carrier and Dmitry Kulikov are all ready to enter the lineup after being held out with various injuries. The Sabres take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
Clayton Stoner Sent To San Diego Gulls On Conditioning Loan
After last playing in mid-November, Clayton Stoner is returning to professional hockey. The Anaheim Ducks defender has been sent to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL on a long-term injury conditioning loan. Stoner underwent abdominal surgery in December that came with a four to six week timetable, which obviously has extended much further. The 32-year old had rejoined practice with the Ducks in recent weeks, and is now presumably healthy enough to get back into game action. 
Since Stoner’s been out the Ducks have used several defensemen in his spot, most notably Shea Theodore, who has been shuffled up and down between the NHL and AHL so many times it inspired a Sports Illustrated article. The team used Korbinian Holzer Wednesday night, and Brandon Montour the game before that, but none have really stuck in the lineup so far. If Stoner can get back to 100% by the end of the season, it wouldn’t be impossible to see him start the playoffs in the Ducks lineup. His experience would be a welcome addition as the team heads into a tough first round matchup in the Pacific Division.
Signed—somewhat inexplicably—to a four-year, $13MM contract in the summer of 2014, Stoner has another year at $3.25MM left after this one. Should he return and show he can still compete at the NHL level, perhaps the team will retain him to off-set a possible loss of one of their younger defensemen in the expansion draft. If he can’t, he’ll have to be one of the first players out the door to create some cap-space to re-sign some of the Ducks’ upcoming restricted free agents. For now though, he’s focused on one thing: getting healthy.