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Metropolitan Notes: Chytil, Fast, Martin, Seeley

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The New York Rangers will be joined by centerman Filip Chytil when they travel to Washington D.C. for Games Three and Four, per Mollie Walker of the New York Post (Twitter link). It’s another substantial step in Chytil’s storied return from a November 2nd concussion. The 24-year-old hasn’t played a game since and took time away from the team around the holidays to recover in his native Czechia. He returned to New York in late January and received clearance to return to practice just two games before the end of the regular season.

Chytil has since worked his way out of a no-contact jersey, and back to full conditioning, even serving in Alexander Wennberg’s slot as the fourth-line center during the team’s Thursday morning practice while Wennberg took a maintenance day. There has been no indication of Chytil’s game availability, but his traveling is certainly an encouraging step. He’s been out of the lineup for six months and 74 games, ending his season with six assists in 10 games.

Other notes from the Metro Division:

  • Forward Jesper Fast will remain out of the Carolina Hurricanes lineup in Game Three, shares team reporter Walt Ruff (Twitter link). Fast hasn’t skated since exiting the team’s season-finale with an upper-body injury, missing the last two games. He was a steadfast piece of Carolina’s fourth line this season, recording 19 points in 73 games while averaging roughly 12-and-a-half minutes of ice time. His absence has made way for Jack Drury to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, after playing in 13 games in last year’s postseason. Drury has recorded two assists in two games but is still searching for the first postseason goal of his career.
  • New York Islanders veteran Matt Martin sustained an undisclosed injury and will be a game-time decision for Game Three, head coach Patrick Roy shared with The Athletic’s Arthur Staple (Twitter link). Martin has averaged just north of 10 minutes of ice time through the first two games of the series, recording 16 penalty minutes, five hits, and two blocked shots. Forwards Ruslan Iskhakov and Oliver Wahlstrom will likely contend for the open spot should Martin sit. Iskhakov was impressive when he received his NHL debut in the team’s season finale, recording an assist and seeming well-adjusted. He’d be an interesting change-of-pace option if the Islanders are looking for a spark, though Wahlstrom’s 32 NHL games this season could earn him the edge. The Islanders are currently down 2-0 in their First Round matchup with the Hurricanes.
  • Carolina has recalled defenseman Ronan Seeley as a black ace, shares Walt Ruff (Twitter link). Seeley has yet to make his NHL debut, though he did record 14 points in 58 AHL games this season. He’s in his second pro season, after being drafted in the seventh-round of the 2020 NHL Draft. Seeley is one of four extra defenders on Carolina’s roster, alongside Scott Morrow, Dylan Coghlan, and the injured Brett Pesce.

Logan Stankoven Wins AHL Rookie Of The Year

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Dallas Stars winger Logan Stankoven has won the 2024 Red Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL’s Rookie of the Year (Twitter link). This comes after Stankoven posted 24 goals and 57 points in his first 47 minor-league games. His 1.21 points-per-game is the highest scoring pace from an AHL rookie since Jack Quinn posted 61 points in 45 games in the 2021-22 season. Quinn also won the league’s Rookie of the Year award that year. The last AHL rookie to come close to Quinn and Stankoven’s scoring pace was Jake Guentzel all the way back in the 2016-17 season.

While it’s usually hard to find a correlation between most awards and NHL success, the AHL Rookie of the Year typically manages a fine NHL career – something made evident by past winners Quinn, Joshua Norris, and the 2015 tie between Mikko Rantanen and Frank Vatrano. Stankoven seems on a fast track to join his peers, gaining a consistent role in Dallas’ top-six just a few games into his NHL career. He finished the regular season with 14 points in 24 NHL games. He’s also recorded one point in his first two Stanley Cup Playoff appearances, looking plenty adjusted to the fast pace of the NHL postseason.

Dallas is undoubtedly giddy over just how well Stankoven’s first professional season has gone. The former Kamloops Blazers captain was very highly acclaimed during his four-year WHL career, posting 260 points in 179 games and becoming the highest-scoring Blazer since 2013. But played-out concerns about his 5’8″ frame and ability to engage physically dropped Stankoven to the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, where Dallas quickly took advantage of the rest of the league’s oversight. Two years later, he’s now being awarded for a dazzling start to his pro career and playing meaningful minutes in the postseason. Stankoven was Dallas’ second pick of the 2021 Draft, follwoing the team’s selection of Wyatt Johnston at 23rd-overall.

Stankoven was one regular-season game shy of solidifying this year as his NHL rookie season. That means he’ll remain eligible for the Calder Trophy next season, when he’s sure to have a much more clear-cut role in Dallas’ electric offense. He could also be more formally regrouped with center prospect Mavrik Borque, who led the AHL in scoring this season and formed a dynamic duo with Stankoven earlier in the year.

Snapshots: Bengtsson, Lomberg, Lorentz, Broberg

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After his college career came to an end in the 2024 National Championship, defenseman Jacob Bengtsson has found his new home. Earlier today, the Toronto Marlies, AHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced they had signed Bengtsson to a one-year AHL contract beginning in the 2024-25 AHL season.

One of the more unheralded members of the Boston College Eagles, Bengtsson had spent the last three years playing for Lake Superior State University. In those three combined seasons, Bengtsson played in 100 games for the Lakers, scoring six goals and 57 points while earning a role as an assistant captain in his junior season.

Transferring to Boston College for his senior year, Bengtsson played in 40 games for the Eagles, scoring three goals and 14 points in total while earning a +21 rating. Even though the Marlies were able to sneak into the 2024 Calder Cup playoffs, Bengtsson will have to wait until after the conclusion of summer to make his debut with the organization.

Other snapshots:

  • In today’s Game 2 matchup against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, the Panthers will be without forward Ryan Lomberg as he is out with an illness (X Link). Taking his place in the lineup will be forward Steven Lorentz, who managed 38 games for Florida over the regular season. It will mark Lorentz’s first postseason matchup since the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, as he skated in five games as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes.
  • After being recalled earlier today by the Edmonton Oilers, defenseman Philip Broberg was able to skate with the team in practice as they prepare to take a two-game lead over the Los Angeles Kings tomorrow night. Unfortunately, it does not appear as if Broberg will get to have that opportunity with the team, as Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic reports Broberg has been loaned back to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. Fortunately for Broberg, he should not miss playoff action entirely, as the Condors begin their opening-round matchup against the Ontario Reign tomorrow evening.

Chicago Blackhawks Reassign Alex Pharand, Samuel Savoie

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With their regular season coming to an end against the Chicago Wolves this past Sunday, the Rockford IceHogs, the AHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, will be receiving some solid reinforcements for the 2023-24 Calder Cup playoffs. In an announcement coming from the team, the Blackhawks have reassigned forward prospects Alex Pharand and Samuel Savoie to Rockford in preparation for the playoffs.

Pharand, who was selected with the 99th overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, just wrapped up his third season with his hometown team, the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League. In 68 games for the Wolves, Pharand scored 17 goals and 30 points in total, tied for 11th on the team in scoring. Although he is a strong skater and can create offensive opportunities with his deking ability, Pharand is more well known as a defensive forward with the ability to backcheck better than most of his peers.

Savoie, on the other hand, was a higher-drafted player compared to Pharand, going 81st overall to the Blackhawks in the 2022 NHL Draft. Carrying a higher-upside offensive potential, Savoie just completed his fourth season in the QMJHL and his first as a member of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Limited to only 21 games due to a broken femur suffered in Chicago’s training camp on September 30th, Savoie still managed to score 10 goals and 22 points in total.

With the IceHogs set to take on the Grand Rapids Griffins in the Central Division Semifinals, each player will have an opportunity to make an impact at the AHL level. Nevertheless, even if the team is unable to make a deep run in the Calder Cup playoffs, it will be an invaluable experience for two prospects looking to aid the Blackhawks organization in their return to competitiveness.

Prospect Notes: Brodzinski, Yager, Whitelaw, Cristall

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The Philadelphia Flyers aren’t expected to sign 2019 seventh-round pick Bryce Brodzinski before his rights expire on August 1st, shares Jess Myers of The Rink Live (Twitter link). Myers instead thinks Brodzinski will pursue free agency, after playing through a full five years at the University of Minnesota.

The Flyers drafted Brodzinski out of Blaine High, after he led the school to the State tournament’s semi-finals, serving as their top scorer and captain. He played in just 19 USHL games – scoring 17 points – before moving to college in the 2019-20 season. His lack of high-level experience showed through during Brodzinski’s underclassmen years, as he struggled to match pace and make plays around faster defenders. But Brodzinski improved in every single season at UMN, finding added scoring each season and working his way into a top-six role by the end of his collegiate career. He also maintained his lead-by-example work ethic, serving as Minnesota’s captain this season.

Brodzinski, 23, will now hit the open market, after totaling 119 points in 185 games with the Gophers. He’s the youngest brother of New York Rangers forward Jonny Brodzinski and should find plenty of role from a team encouraged by his growth in the Big Ten.

Other notes from across the league:

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled a host of prospects to the AHL, including first-round pick Owen Pickering, who’s WHL season ended on April 19th. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton could be due for even more WHL reinforcements, with the fellow first-rounder Brayden Yager also likely to sign an entry-level contract and join the team following the end of his WHL season (Twitter link). This information comes following Kyle Dubas’ sharing that he hopes both Yager and Pickering could challenge an NHL roster spot next season. Yager is currently leading the Moose Jaw Warriors through the WHL Playoffs, set to meet the Saskatoon Blades in the league’s semi-finals. The 19-year-old centerman has 14 points, split evenly, through nine postseason appearances; after posting 95 points in 57 regular-season games. His availability for the AHL postseason largely depends on when Moose Jaw’s season comes to a close, though they could be poised for a run to the Memorial Cup with a two more series-wins.
  • Columbus Blue Jackets second-round pick William Whitelaw has transferred from the University of Wisconsin to the University of Michigan for his sophomore season, per an announcement on his Instagram. Whitelaw had a slow start to his collegiate career, recording just 10 goals and 17 points in 37 games and often serving in a third-line role. This came after Whitelaw served as the leading forward on the 2023 Clark Cup championship-winning Youngstown Phantoms, scoring 61 points in 62 games in his only full-year in the USHL. He’ll hope for a much bigger role with the Wolverines, who recently lost Frank Nazar, Dylan Duke, and Gavin Brindley to NHL contracts.
  • The Washington Capitals have assigned 2023 second-round pick Andrew Cristall to the AHL’s Hershey Bears, following the end of his WHL season. This kicks off the pro career of one of 2023’s most divisive prospects – with Cristall’s 280 points in 191 career WHL games clearly showing his scoring ability, but skeptics pointing out his lack of explosivity and off-puck fundamentals. He recorded 111 points in 62 games this season alone, the most of any Kelowna Rocket since 1996, and will now hope to translate his flashy style into a tougher scene.

Avalanche Recall Ivan Prosvetov, Assign Arvid Holm

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The Colorado Avalanche have swapped third-string goaltenders, recalling Ivan Prosvetov and assigning Arvid Holm (Twitter link). These moves come after backup Justus Annunen sat out of the team’s Monday morning skate, with head coach Jared Bednar sharing that the goaltender is “still sick”, per DNVR’s Meghan Angley (Twitter link). Annunen wasn’t available for Game One against the Winnipeg Jets yesterday, with Holm stepping in as the backup. Starter Alexandar Georgiev would go on to allow seven goals on 23 shots in the eventual 7-6 loss. Prosvetov was playing in his own game while Holm filled in, saving 28 of 31 shots in a 6-3 AHL win.

Georgiev’s struggles in Game One seemed to set up a perfect chance for Annunen to challenge the starting role. He was able to wrestle it away from Georgiev at the end of the regular season, ultimately recording eight wins and a .928 save percentage in 14 games. But with Annunen still questionable for the lineup, the Avalanche are instead turning to Prosvetov to challenge Georgiev’s role.

Prosvetov has appeared in 11 NHL games this season, recording four wins and a .895 save percentage. He’s been much better in the AHL, where he’s managed 11 wins and a .921 in 21 appearances. Prosvetov has made spot NHL starts throughout each of the last four seasons but hasn’t yet found his way into a full-time role in the league. He’s also never played in a Stanley Cup Playoff game, likely decreasing his chances of making a surprise appearance. That is, if Georgiev can rebound from a disappointing Game One.

Pacific Notes: Jasek, Fanti, Brzustewicz

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The Canucks still hold the exclusive signing rights of Czech winger Lukas Jasek, but he won’t be returning to the organization next season. He’s signed a two-year contract with Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League (translated team release link).

Jasek, 26, was a sixth-round pick of the Canucks in 2015 and spent the following three seasons in the Czech Extraliga before signing his entry-level contract and joining their AHL affiliate, then the Utica Comets, in 2018. He played in parts of four seasons for the Comets, putting up overall decent numbers with 86 points (30 goals, 56 assists) and a +11 rating in 153 appearances, but didn’t get an NHL call-up during that time.

Vancouver liked what they saw enough to extend him a qualifying offer when his ELC expired in 2021, but Jasek declined to accept and returned to Europe for a bigger role. He spent two seasons in Finland with Liiga’s Pelicans before transferring to Sweden in 2022, signing on with the SHL’s IK Oskarshamn.

Jasek had 28 points in 49 games but couldn’t help them avoid relegation to the HockeyAllsvenskan, but he’ll stay in the top tier of the Swedish system next season with Örnsköldsvik’s MoDo. The Canucks must sign him before July 1, 2025, and buy him out of the second year of his new deal with MoDo, or he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.

Elsewhere in the Pacific:

  • The Oilers will carry netminder Ryan Fanti as their emergency backup for tonight’s Game 1 of their first-round series against the Kings, the team announced. While not on the game roster, he could enter the game for Edmonton if Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard leave the game with injuries. They’ll allow the more experienced Jack Campbell to continue getting game action at the top minor-league level as AHL Bakersfield begins its playoff run. Fanti, 24, has played sparingly this season with ECHL Fort Wayne and missed the first few months of the season with an injury, going 9-6-1 with a .915 SV% in 17 outings since his return. He has no NHL experience and only nine games of AHL experience.
  • One of the Flames’ top defense prospects, Hunter Brzustewicz, will finish 2023-24 on an ATO with AHL Calgary, the minor-league club announced. Brzustewicz, 19, was a third-round pick of the Canucks last year but had his signing rights dealt to Calgary in the Elias Lindholm trade. He inked his entry-level deal back in March and, given his November birthday, will be eligible to suit up full-time with the Wranglers next season. He finished the year with 92 points in 67 games for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League.

Coyotes Assign Conor Geekie To AHL

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With the franchise being relocated to Utah for next season, there aren’t many too transactions coming in the near-term future for the Coyotes.  However, there was one today as the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve re-assigned center Conor Geekie to AHL Tucson.

The 19-year-old was the 11th overall pick two years ago by Arizona, giving them another potential core piece up front.  Geekie got off to a dominant start this season with WHL Wenatchee, notching 20 goals and 29 assists in just 26 games before leaving to play for Canada at the World Juniors where he had three points in five contests.

Upon his return from the tournament, Geekie was moved to Swift Current who was stocking up for what they hoped was a long playoff run.  He produced at a similar clip with the Broncos, tallying 23 goals and 27 helpers in just 29 games; all told, finished with 99 points in only 55 appearances, finishing fourth in the league in points per game.  However, the playoff run wasn’t as long as they were hoping for having lost to Moose Jaw in the second round.  Geekie was still productive in the postseason, however, collecting six goals and three assists in nine contests.

With the assignment to the Roadrunners, Geekie can now get his first taste of AHL action with Tucson, a team that finished second in the Pacific Division and third in the Western Conference.  It should be a good test for him as Geekie will be able to turn pro full-time next season.

Kraken Sign Carson Rehkopf, Assign David Goyette To AHL

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While Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf is certainly disappointed that his OHL playoffs came to an end, there was some good news for him.  The Kraken announced today (Twitter link) that they’ve signed the forward to a three-year, entry-level contract.  The deal will carry an AAV of $950K; CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that the deal breaks down as follows:

2024-25: $775K salary, $95K signing bonus, $80K ’B’ performance bonuses
2025-26: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus
2026-27: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus

The 19-year-old was a second-round pick by Seattle back in 2023, going 50th overall.  Early indications are that the Kraken got good value with that selection.  Rehkopf finished second in the OHL in goals this season, posting 52 in just 60 games with Kitchener while chipping in with 43 assists.  He also was productive in the playoffs, notching six goals and five helpers in 10 contests before being swept in the second round by London.

As a result of his elimination in junior, the Kraken can assign Rehkopf to AHL Coachella Valley if they so desire to keep him skating during the Firebirds’ postseason.  However, that will not be an option for him for the start of the 2024-25 campaign; he’ll either have to stick with Seattle or return to junior.  If the latter happens and he plays in fewer than 10 NHL games, his contract will slide and not start until 2025-26.

While they finalize their plans for Rehkopf, they have elected to send another OHL prospect to the Firebirds.  CapFriendly reported on Saturday (Twitter link) that the Kraken re-assigned forward David Goyette to Coachella Valley.  The 20-year-old center led the OHL in points this season, tallying 40 goals and 77 assists with Sudbury before adding five goals and five assists in ten playoff contests prior to their elimination at the hands of North Bay in the second round.  It’s the second straight year that Goyette has been loaned after the OHL postseason so he’ll get a chance to get some more experience before playing at that level full-time next season.

Rangers Recall Adam Edstrom And Louis Domingue

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Several teams have made roster moves today to add some extra depth for the playoffs.  The Rangers are the latest to have done so, announcing (Twitter link) the recalls of forward Adam Edstrom and goaltender Louis Domingue from AHL Hartford.

Edstrom is in the second season of his entry-level contract and got his first taste of NHL action this season, getting into 11 games with New York.  The 23-year-old picked up two goals while adding 30 hits on the fourth line, averaging just 8:25 per game.  He had a more prominent role with the Wolf Pack, however, resulting in more production as Edstrom had 11 goals and five assists in 40 appearances in the minors.  He’ll serve as an extra forward to start their series against Washington.

As for Domingue, the netminder won his lone NHL start this season back in November but has spent the rest of the year with Hartford.  Through 28 appearances, he has a 2.66 GAA and a .909 SV% while also scoring a goal last Friday.  The 32-year-old signed a one-year extension back in March and will now serve as New York’s third-string option for the postseason, a role he’ll likely reprise next year as well.

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