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Cutter Gauthier To Make NHL Debut

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Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reports that Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens will play for Team Canada at the upcoming IIHF World Championships. The 23-year-old last played for Team Canada two years ago at the World Championship and was second in team scoring with seven goals and six assists in 10 games.

Cozens had a disappointing run during his fourth NHL season as he and the Sabres missed the playoffs once again, extending the second-longest playoff drought in North American pro sports. The Whitehorse, Yukon native saw his point total decrease by 21 as he dropped to just 18 goals and 29 assists in 79 games this year after posting career highs during the 2022-23 season with 31 goals and 37 assists in 81 games. Despite his disappointing campaign, Cozens is still hoping to end the 2023-24 season on a high note with Canada. He cited the chase for a gold medal as his main reason for electing to extend his season and play in the tournament.

In other morning notes:

  • TSN Insider Pierre LeBrun is reporting that the NHL does plan to hold an NHL Awards ceremony in the coming months and is currently looking to secure a venue for the show. The league hasn’t finalized any of the details at this time and remains in talks with several locations. Currently, the NHL hopes to hold the show on June 27th in Las Vegas which would be the eve of the NHL Entry Draft.
  • Anaheim Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier will make his NHL debut tonight in the Ducks season finale against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Hobey Baker finalist signed his three-year entry-level contract earlier in the week and will make his debut in Las Vegas. Gauthier was acquired by the Ducks earlier this season in exchange for Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick and figures to be a massive part of Anaheim’s forward group going forward.  No word yet on where he will play in the Ducks lineup.

Jakob Silfverberg Signs With HockeyAllsvenskan’s Brynäs IF

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Brynäs IF of the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier professional league, has signed Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg to a two-year contract, the team announced. Financial terms were not disclosed. Silfverberg announced last week that he would be retiring from the NHL at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old now returns to the club where he spent the entirety of his junior and professional career before arriving in the NHL with the Senators in 2012. It’s far from an unexpected move. As far back as May 2023, reports out of Sweden indicated that Silfverberg planned to return to Brynäs after his contract in Anaheim expired this offseason.

The pair of news items over the last week put a bow on Silfverberg’s decade in SoCal, which began when the Ducks acquired him, along with Stefan Noesen and a first-round pick that became Nick Ritchie, from Ottawa for Bobby Ryan in the 2013 offseason. He’s been a mainstay in the Anaheim lineup since, suiting up 771 times over the past 11 years. The 2009 second-round pick posted 158 goals and 354 points while averaging 16:23 per game, earning Selke Trophy votes in three straight seasons from 2015-16 to 2017-18.

Now in his mid-30s, it may be ambitious for Brynäs supporters to hope Silfverberg picks up where he left off. His final season with the club in 2011-12 was nothing short of electric. He played in the top-level Elitserien (now Swedish Hockey League) and captained the club while posting 54 points in 49 games, leading the league in points per game. The two-way winger is likely in line for a middle-six role there.

Brynäs may currently be in the HockeyAllsvenskan, but there’s a strong chance Silfverberg will play in the SHL next season. They were the best team in the regular season with a 33-5-3-11 record and have advanced to the finals against Djurgårdens IF. Their best-of-seven series begins Wednesday. The winner will gain promotion back to the top level in 2024-25.

Ducks Sign Cutter Gauthier

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The Ducks have reached an agreement with one of their top youngsters, announcing that they’ve signed forward Cutter Gauthier to a three-year, entry-level contract.  The team confirmed that the first year of the contract will be this season, meaning he will be eligible to play in their final game of the season on Thursday against Vegas.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed but PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that it breaks down as follows:

2023-24: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus
2024-25: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus, $950K ’A’ performance bonuses
2025-26: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus, $950K ’A’ performance bonuses, $950K ’B’ performance bonuses

That puts the cap hit for Gauthier at $950K and the AAV at $1.9MM.

The 19-year-old was the fifth overall pick back in 2022, going to Philadelphia.  At the time, it looked as if the Flyers had landed a key cog for their forward group for the future.  However, last year, Gauthier informed them that he was not willing to sign with Philadelphia.  The Flyers’ brass made efforts to try to convince him to change his mind but were unsuccessful.

Instead of waiting longer in the hopes he’d eventually have a change of heart, Philadelphia GM Daniel Briere opted to trade Gauthier while his value was at its peak not long after the World Juniors where he tied for the tournament lead in scoring with a dozen points in seven games.  While many teams showed interest, it was Anaheim’s offer that the Flyers accepted, acquiring blueliner Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick in return.

After being a go-to scorer with the U.S. National Team Development Program, Gauthier became an impact scorer with the Eagles right away, recording 16 goals and 21 assists in 32 contests.  This season, he took that even further, notching 38 goals along with 27 helpers in 41 appearances.  While that wasn’t enough to lead the Eagles in scoring – San Jose’s Will Smith was six points ahead of him, he finished second in NCAA Division I scoring.  Gauthier was named a Hobey Baker Hat Trick Finalist, NCAA All-American, and a Hockey East First Team All-Star for his efforts.

Gauthier, who spent the majority of the season at center, joins an Anaheim group of middlemen that is quickly becoming one of the deepest in the NHL.  The Ducks already have 2021 third overall selection Mason McTavish, 2023 second overall pick Leo Carlsson, and Trevor Zegras (who went ninth in 2019) among their group of centers.  That allows them to let Gauthier get his feet wet on the wing next season if they want although lots can change roster-wise between now and the time the puck drops on the 2024-25 campaign in October.  Regardless, the Ducks now have another core forward under contract as their rebuild continues.

Ducks Reassign Alex Stalock, John Gibson Cleared To Play

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  • The Ducks have reassigned netminder Alex Stalock to AHL San Diego. Starter John Gibson is set to return from an upper-body injury tonight against the Flames. The latter is expected to make his first start since March 30 against the Oilers, head coach Greg Cronin said. Gibson backed up Lukáš Dostál in two contests before sustaining the injury outside of game action, forcing Stalock’s recall last week. The 36-year-old farmhand didn’t play, with Dostál making five straight starts. Stalock’s been recalled on multiple instances this season but hasn’t seen any NHL ice, with either Dostál or Gibson leading the way in the other’s absence. He’s struggled heavily in the minors this season, posting a .889 SV% in 13 games. A pending UFA, Stalock could be heading toward retirement this summer.

Ducks Sign Sam Colangelo To Entry-Level Contract

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The Anaheim Ducks have signed forward prospect Sam Colangelo to a two-year, entry-level contract that begins this year (Web link). Colangelo signed an amateur try-out contract with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls on April 1st – recording both a goal and an assist in his professional debut and since totaling four points in his first four AHL games. The Ducks are quickly rewarding the strong start, signing Colangelo to a deal that now allows him to be called up.

This move continues what’s been a whirlwind season for Colangelo, who served as the leading goal-scorer at Western Michigan University before turning pro. He totaled 24 goals and 43 points in 38 games with the Broncos, a significant boost from the 24 points he scored in 35 games at Northeastern University the year prior. Colangelo’s poised playmaking has always been his calling card, but he found a new layer this season – showing an added ability to calmly make plays in a high-tempo offense. He creatively uses space along the boards and at the top of the circles to open passing lanes, and effectively drives the slot when he’s not on the puck.  Those traits helped Colangelo fit right in with San Diego’s forecheck, as he adapted quickly to the AHL’s heavy zone play.

Colangelo will now prepare for his biggest test yet, with The Athletic’s Eric Stephens reporting that he could make his NHL debut on Friday (Twitter link). Stephens added that Colangelo was skating alongside Isac Lundeström and Jakob Silfverberg at practice, giving him veteran support as he tries to hang onto a lineup spot in Anaheim’s last three games of the season.

Ducks’ Jakob Silfverberg Announces Plans To Retire

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Anaheim Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg has announced his plans to retire from the NHL at the end of the season (Twitter link). Friday will mark his last time suiting up at the Honda Center, as the Ducks host the Calgary Flames in their last home game of the season.

This news comes as a surprise from the 33-year-old Silfverberg. While injuries limited him as the 2020s rolled around – he’s otherwise had a generally healthy career, playing in 70-or-more games in seven different seasons, including each of the last two. His scoring has taken a major hit, though, with Silfverberg netting just 19 points in 78 games this season – less than half of his totals from just four seasons ago.

Still, Silfverberg has had a fruitful career, totaling 817 games over the last 12 seasons. All but one of those seasons came with Anaheim, who acquired the Swedish winger in the 2013 trade that sent Bobby Ryan to the Ottawa Senators. Silfverberg would go on to play in the fifth-most games in Ducks history – playing 769 with the Ducks – and score the seventh-most points with 354. He also added the fourth-most playoff points, scoring 41 in 57 postseason performances. While he hasn’t dominated the scoresheet like former teammates Ryan Getzlaf or Corey Perry, Silfverberg provided invaluable consistency for a long time in Anaheim, always carrying a controllable cap hit.

While Silfverberg’s NHL career is coming to a close, there is no indication of whether he’ll return to Sweden’s SHL or not. Silfverberg played in 166 games with Brynäs IF before moving to the NHL, after growing up through the organization’s youth program. He served as team captain in the 2011-12 season – his last year in Sweden – while wearing #100.

Anaheim Ducks Reassign Nikita Nesterenko

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  • After having spent five days with the Anaheim Ducks, Nikita Nesterenko is headed back down to the AHL as the organization announced they have reassigned back to their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls. Nesterenko was able to make his season debut with the Ducks over this emergency recall, suiting up in three games while scoring one goal. Now returning to San Diego, the former sixth-round pick will look to build upon his 15-goal, 33-point campaign in the last few contests.

    [SOURCE LINK]

Kyle Kukkonen Transfers To Wisconsin

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  • After Kyle Kukkonen’s sophomore year at Michigan State didn’t go anywhere near as well as his freshman campaign, he has transferred to Wisconsin. The Ducks drafted the 21-year-old in the sixth round in 2021 (162nd overall) and things were looking up last year when he had 18 goals and nine assists in 39 games.  However, the center was limited to just a goal and 11 helpers in 27 contests this season, leading to the change of scenery.

Ducks Recall Alex Stalock On An Emergency Basis

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With John Gibson unavailable to dress tonight against Seattle, the Ducks needed a backup goaltender.  In a move they have made several times, the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve brought up Alex Stalock on an emergency basis.  The emergency designation means he won’t count against their post-deadline recalls.

This is the sixth recall of the season for the 36-year-old who has been returned to the minors within 48 hours of the promotions each time; it wouldn’t be shocking if that trend continued as long as Gibson is clear to return on Sunday versus St. Louis.  With his NHL time being short-lived this season, Stalock has yet to see regular season action with Anaheim so far.

Instead, Stalock has served as the veteran third-string option with AHL San Diego this season, playing in just 13 games behind prospects Tomas Suchanek and Calle Clang.  With his playing time being limited, it’s no surprise that he has struggled, posting a 3.81 GAA and a .889 SV% in 13 appearances.  Those numbers certainly won’t help his cause when he hits the open market as an unrestricted free agent in July.

Ducks Recall Nikita Nesterenko, Issue Injury Updates

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The Ducks announced that they’ve recalled forward Nikita Nesterenko from AHL San Diego amid multiple changing injury designations ahead of tonight’s game against the Kraken. Forwards Max Jones (upper body) and Mason McTavish (lower body) are out, Derek Lee of The Sporting Tribune reports, as is standout rookie defenseman Pavel Mintyukov (lower body). Lee also relays that blue-liner Radko Gudas will return after missing 10 games with an upper-body injury. As a result of McTavish’s injury, the only new absence after their last outing, Nesterenko’s recall comes under emergency conditions. It does not count their two remaining standard recalls this season. Lee also reported on Nesterenko’s recall prior to the official announcement.

Nesterenko, 22, is in his first full professional season after signing with the Ducks out of Boston College to close out 2022-23. Drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 draft by the Wild, his signing rights were traded to Anaheim as part of the deal that sent defenseman John Klingberg to Minnesota at last year’s deadline. He ended last year with one goal in nine NHL games but didn’t crack the Ducks’ opening night roster this season, spending the entirety of 2023-24 thus far on assignment to San Diego. He’s settled in as their most competent two-way center, notching 15 goals and 33 points in 63 appearances. His +8 rating is the highest among forwards and second on the team behind veteran NHL defenseman Robert Hägg.

That strong showing on a bottom-five Gulls club may earn him some NHL viewings down the stretch. He wasn’t much of a factor in his first major league attempt, losing all three faceoffs he took and averaging 13:17 per game, but his otherwise poor 41.8 CF% at even strength was better than his teammates’ down the stretch, a testament to just how inept last season’s Ducks were at controlling possession. They’ve improved dramatically in that category under first-year head coach Greg Cronin, posting a 47.0 CF% at even strength compared to last year’s 42.6.

Anaheim is rather set down the middle with McTavish, Leo Carlsson, and Isac Lundeström doing decent work anchoring the top three lines, although a third-line checking unit anchored by Lundeström moving to the wing with Nesterenko down the middle is an appealing thought for Ducks fans. The club also has 2022 first-round pick Nathan Gaucher in the center pipeline. Trevor Zegras, who’s mustered only nine points in 25 games this season and has battled injuries seemingly non-stop, seems locked into a spot on the wing for the remainder of his tenure in SoCal.

With Ben Meyers and Jakob Silfverberg destined for unrestricted free agency this summer, there may be a spot for Nesterenko on next season’s opening night roster if GM Pat Verbeek doesn’t plug too many holes on the open market. His NHL performance to close out the season will likely go a long way toward dictating that likelihood. He’s set for restricted free agency in a few months after completing his two-year entry-level contract and still has five more years under team control until he’s eligible for UFA status.

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