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Anaheim Ducks Sign Trevor Zegras

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Even though he only just turned 19 and had an up-and-down (if at times jaw-dropping) season at Boston University, Trevor Zegras is about to turn pro. The Anaheim Ducks have announced a three-year entry-level contract for the star freshman. Ducks GM Bob Murray had this to say about his newest forward:

We are happy to get this contract done and start Trevor’s professional career. He’s got quite a bit of work ahead of him, but we know he’s got the talent and intelligence to be an impactful NHL player.

Even if his freshman season was a bit rocky at times, there’s absolutely zero doubt that Zegras has the kind of talent to be a dominant player at the NHL level. The ninth-overall pick from 2019 recorded 36 points in 33 games for the Terriers, earning him a selection to the Hockey East All-Rookie team. Perhaps even more impressive than his performance in college was the show he put on at the World Juniors, recording nine primary assists (several which rendered spectators speechless) in limited ice time.

Make no mistake, Zegras’ playmaking ability would fit in on an NHL powerplay right now. The rest of his game still needs some polish, but there is no ceiling in sight for the Ducks’ newest star prospect. Whether he steps right into the NHL or spends some time honing his skills in the minor leagues isn’t clear at this point, but getting him into their organization and development program as soon as possible allows the Anaheim front office to control his destiny.

Again, Zegras won’t turn 20 until next March, meaning his contract could potentially slide another year if he doesn’t play in ten NHL games during the 2020-21 season. He will however be eligible to play in the AHL—the 20-year old age threshold is only for players drafted out of the CHL.

College Notes: Dugan, Zegras, York, Beecher, Ahcan, Chaffee, Richards

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So far when it comes to the college market, the Vegas Golden Knights have been quiet. However, rumors suggested that the Vegas franchise intended to bring aboard Hobey Baker Award finalist Jack Dugan, who wrapped up his sophomore season at Providence College. General manager Kelly McCrimmon confirmed that they will begin negotiations soon with Dugan, who led the NCAA in points this season, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen.

“We’ll have discussions with his representatives here at an appropriate point,” said McCrimmon. “It hasn’t been pressing because there’s no hockey being played. But those are conversations we’ll have here as we move along.”

Dugan, the team’s fifth-round pick in 2017, has driven up his stock in two years at Providence. He had an impressive rookie season where he posted 10 goals and 39 points in 41 games and followed that up with a much more dominant sophomore campaign, scoring 10 goals and 52 points in just 34 games. The 6-foot-2 winger would likely challenge for a role with the Golden Knights if he signs, although the team could send him to the AHL to further develop his skills.

  • In a Q&A, The Athletic’s Eric Stephens (subscription required) writes that from everyone he’s talked to, it’s expected that top prospect Trevor Zegras will leave Boston University and sign with Anaheim at some point during the offseason. Zegras, the ninth-overall pick in the 2019 draft, dominated at the World Junior Championships in December, leading the United States with nine assists in five games. He had 11 goals and 36 points in 33 games. Considered to be one of the top prospects in hockey, Zegras could conceivably make the Ducks squad next year and challenge for the Calder Trophy.
  • Michigan Daily’s Bailey Johnson reports that University of Michigan head coach Mel Pearson said that while he hasn’t had exit meetings with two of his top players, defenseman Cam York and center John Beecher, he expects both players to return to the Wolverines next season. York, the Philadelphia Flyers first-round pick (14th overall) in 2019, had five goals and 16 points in 30 games for Michigan. Beecher, the Boston Bruins first-round pick (30th overall) had nine goals and 16 points in 31 contests for the Wolverines. Pearson said both players are home and he’s giving them time before discussing the subject with them, but he believes both intend to stay in school.
  • AHL reporter Mark Divver reports that the Boston Bruins are expected to be in the mix for two of the remaining top NCAA free agents in St. Cloud State’s Jack Ahcan and University of Massachusetts-Amherst’s Mitchell Chaffee. Ahcan, a 22-year-old defenseman, wrapped up his senior campaign with seven goals and 25 points. Chaffee, who also is 22, scored 16 goals and 29 points in 30 games last season, his junior year, and is rumored to be courted by the Golden Knights as well. Divver adds that University of Minnesota-Duluth center Justin Richards is also on Boston’s radar.

NLA’s EHC Biel-Bienne Pursuing NHL Free Agent Targets

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The Swiss season is over, as the NLA has decided to cancel the remainder of its season. However, that will give perennial contender EHC Biel-Bienne even more time to plan ahead for what they hope is an impact off-season. According to Swedish news source Hockey Sverige, the club plans to go after some impending NHL free agent defensemen. The trio specifically named are all Swedes and include the Anaheim Ducks’ Christian Djoos and Joel Persson and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Gustav Forsling.

Djoos, 25, was just recently traded to the Ducks by the Washington Capitals and is set to be a restricted free agent this summer. A former AHL standout, Djoos grew into a regular contributor for the Caps in the previous two seasons, but roster and salary cap pressure forced him back to the minors this year. However, since the trade to Anaheim he has played exclusively in the NHL, recording three points in nine games which is technically a career-high clip albeit in a small sample size. Given Djoos’ history and RFA status, he seems the least likely of the listed names to jump to Switzerland this summer.

Persson, 26, is an entirely different case, other than the fact that he too will be an RFA. Persson has no NHL history other than his 13 games this season with the Edmonton Oilers. An undrafted prospect who turned heads in the SHL, Persson signed with the Oilers back in 2018 but was loaned back to Sweden last season. He was extended and came over to suit up for the Oilers this year, but failed to impress and has spent the bulk of the season in the AHL. Persson was dealt to Anaheim for next to nothing – ECHL goaltender Angus Redmond and a 2022 conditional seventh-round pick – at the deadline and has not played for the Ducks yet. He could very well depart North America after a disappointing year, but may choose to head elsewhere rather than go back to Sweden. Biel could be an attractive option in this case.

Forsling, 23, is the youngest of the players named and is also the hardest to speculate on. After beginning his pro career with considerable NHL action in each of his first three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, the young defender has played exclusively in the AHL this season following an off-season trade to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes are exceptionally deep on the blue line and that isn’t about to change. Heading into next season, Forsling will be eighth or ninth at best on the organization’s depth chart. As such, if the team opts to make him a qualifying offer, he could choose instead to depart North America and play a top role somewhere else. However, it’s fair to argue that remaining in the AHL may still be the better decision for his career. Of the players named, Forsling would be the least likely to stay with Biel long-term, but could produce the greatest immediate impact.

At this point, it is difficult to project that any of these three names will end up jumping to the NLA to play for Biel, especially given that all three are restricted free agents and that Djoos and Forsling have considerable NHL experience for their ages. However, if the top Swiss club pushes hard, potentially using this extended off-season to their advantage, they may be able to convince one of these three or another NHL free agent that a move to Biel to play a top pair role is the right call.

NHL Rosters To Be Frozen During Suspended Season

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According to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, the NHL will implement a league-wide roster freeze this evening after announcing a new directive for players earlier today. Johnston points to this freeze as the reason for several roster moves today, moving players between the NHL and AHL. We’ll list those moves below:

  • The New Jersey Devils have moved both Janne Kuokkanen and Matt Tennyson to the AHL. Both players are on two-way contracts, earning less at the minor league level.
  • The Minnesota Wild have moved Matt Bartkowski back to the AHL. He hadn’t played in a single NHL game this season and is on a two-way contract.
  • The Winnipeg Jets have recalled Mark Letestu from his conditioning loan in the AHL. He is on a two-way deal, but would need to clear waivers in order to be sent to the AHL full-time.
  • The Florida Panthers have moved Sam Montembeault back to the AHL. He is on a two-way deal and is still waiver-exempt.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have sent both Jani Hakanpaa and Anthony Stolarz to the AHL. Both players are actually on one-way contracts, meaning they don’t earn any less at the minor league level.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have sent Logan O’Connor to the AHL. The 23-year old is on a two-way contract.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have sent Keegan Kolesar and Brandon Pirri to the AHL. Pirri is on a one-way contract, while Kolesar is still on his two-way entry-level deal.

Jonas Hiller Announces Retirement

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One of the best Swiss goaltenders of all-time has decided to hang up his pads, as ECH Biel-Bienne announced today that Jonas Hiller has retired. The former NHL goaltender has been back in Switzerland for the last four seasons still competing at a high level, but just turned 38 and will now move on to the next chapter in his life.

Undrafted, Hiller was an outstanding performer both in the Swiss NLA and on the world stage for his country, before finally coming over to the NHL in 2007. He quickly took control of the Anaheim Ducks net and posted excellent numbers, recording a .916 save percentage over parts of seven seasons. After three trips to the playoffs with the Ducks he ended up playing two seasons with the Calgary Flames, before returning to Europe to establish himself once again as a star in Switzerland. Perhaps most impressive of all his accomplishments was the performance he put on at the 2018 Olympics, posting a .956 save percentage and 1.14 goals against average, both numbers that led the tournament.

A three-time NLA champion, two-time NLA Goaltender of the Year and three-time participant at the Olympic Games, Hiller has had quite the career. He was even selected to the NHL All-Star game in 2011, though he never did capture the Stanley Cup. The 38-year old goaltender finished his career in the NHL with a .914 save percentage across 404 regular season appearances, posting a 197-140-37 record.

Kiefer Sherwood Clears Waivers

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Monday: Sherwood has cleared waivers, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.

Sunday: The Anaheim Ducks have placed forward Kiefer Sherwood on waivers, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. While the timing of the transaction is unusual, Sherwood was on the roster of the AHL’s San Diego Gulls on Feb. 24, which means he is eligible to play in the AHL playoffs, if they resume at some point.

CapFriendly notes that Sherwood can remain on the roster for 10 games or 30 days before having to pass through waivers again. With the season currently suspended, Sherwood is likely to remain on the NHL roster and then be reassigned to San Diego immediately if play resumes. Anaheim is just trying to stay ahead.

Sherwood has struggled at the NHL level this year. He has just one assist in 10 games for the Ducks, but the 24-year-old has been a key contributor in San Diego, posting 16 goals and 23 points in 37 games. The Gulls are tied for third place in a struggling Pacific Division and if play resumes, will need Sherwood to help guide them into the playoffs.

West Notes: Lindholm, Garland, Josi, Boeser, Toffoli

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While the Anaheim Ducks blueline seems to be getting healthier with the pending returns of Josh Manson, Erik Gudbranson and Cam Fowler soon, the team didn’t get a positive update for the return of Hampus Lindholm. The defenseman, who is second on the team in ice time, has no timetable for a return yet and with just 14 games remaining, it’s legitimately possible that he could miss the rest of the season, according to The Athletic’s Eric Stephens (subscription required).

Lindholm has missed the last five games after falling awkwardly into the boards while battling for the puck with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl. The upper-body injury is part of the problem, although Stephens added that a back issue is also part of the issue. The 26-year-old has two goals and 22 points through 55 games with 71 blocks, while averaging 23:04 of ATOI.

Regardless, the team expects Manson (upper-body injury) to potentially return as early as today, while Gudbranson (upper-body injury) and Fowler (lower-body injury) are both a week or two behind him.

  • The Arizona Coyotes announced that forward Conor Garland will be out “week-to-week” after suffering a lower-body injury Friday against Calgary. The injury occurred when Garland collided with Flames’ goaltender Cam Talbot. It’s a tough blow for Arizona as Garland leads the team in goals scored with 22.
  • The NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for cross-checking Dallas Stars forward Corey Perry. The incident happened at 15:13 of the second periond (video here) in which Josi cross checked Perry in the head after the play was over. Josi received a two-minute minor, although many have suggested that he should have received a five-minute major instead. Perry was a constant target in Saturday’s game after he received a five-game suspension during the Winter Classic after knocking Ryan Ellis out with a dirty hit. Ellis missed 20 games with a concussion.
  • The Vancouver Canucks look to be getting back forward Brock Boeser soon. The 23-year-old forward, who has been out since Feb. 8 with a rib injury, and while he is not expected to play today, Boeser feels that he “is close” to returning, likely later this week, according to Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma. He participated in a game-day skate with the team in full-contact gear. Boeser has 16 goals and 45 points in 56 games and should immediately upgrade the team’s top-six.
  • Sticking with the Canucks, Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre writes that Vancouver is unlikely to be able to retain the services of Tyler Toffoli after this season. The forward was acquired from Los Angeles at the trade deadline for Tim Schaller, prospect Tyler Madden a second-round pick and a conditional fourth-round pick based on whether the Canucks could sign him to an extension. Already dealing with cap issues, Vancouver still has to give out new contracts to goaltender Jacob Markstrom and defenseman Chris Tanev. Toffoli, who is currently making $4.6MM, might be too expensive to hold onto, although there is always the possiblity that the team moves out some contracts to make it happen. Toffoli has five goals and eight points in eight games since arriving in Vancouver.

Minor Transactions: 3/8/20

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With 20 teams in action Saturday, there was plenty of playoff implications, which included a big win for the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Boston Bruins in a rough, physical matchup. However, many other teams furthered their quest to get into the playoffs or pick up a higher seed with Carolina, Washington, Nashville, Florida, Philadelphia and Edmonton all picking up key wins. Several teams have made roster moves as teams juggle their lineups. We’ll keep track of all minor moves right here:

  • Late last night, the Anaheim Ducks announced they have assigned defenseman Brendan Guhle to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. Guhle didn’t see much time in the second half of Friday’s game against Toronto, playing just 14:43. The 22-year-old has four goals and eight points in 30 games for the Ducks this year.  The Ducks have also recalled goalie Anthony Stolarz from San Diego, reports Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register.  John Gibson is unavailable after suffering a groin injury against Toronto on Friday.
  • The New York Islanders sent defenseman Thomas Hickey to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL, according to the AHL transaction page. The Islanders brought up Hickey on an emergency loan Saturday due to the injury to Johnny Boychuk, but have opted to return Hickey after just one game.
  • The Buffalo Sabres announced they have assigned defenseman John Gilmour to the Rochester Americans of the AHL. Gilmour was recalled Saturday as a seventh defenseman after the team learned that Lawrence Pilut would not be able to play Saturday night.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, according to Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch. Kivlenieks has served as the backup to Joonas Korpisalo recently with Elvis Merzlikins injured. However, Merzlikins served as the backup Saturday, which allows the Blue Jackets to give Kivlenieks more playing time in Cleveland.
  • CapFriendly reports that after recalling Janne Kuokkanen from Binghamton Saturday, the New Jersey Devils have already assigned the forward back to his AHL affiliate. The team did not use him in their game on Saturday against the New York Rangers.
  • The Ottawa Senators announced they have assigned goaltender Filip Gustavsson to the Belleville Senators of the AHL. With Anders Nilsson and Marcus Hogberg both out, the Senators recalled Gustavsson last Monday, but he never got into a game. However, Hogberg is back at practice, meaning he will take over backup duties for Craig Anderson.

Minor Transactions: 03/06/20

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The hockey world is in mourning today after Henri Richard’s death, but the league unfortunately must march on even while grieving. As always, we’ll keep track of the minor moves right here.

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Christian Wolanin from the minor leagues, sending Christian Jaros back to take his place. The swap gives them a different option for their trip to the west coast, which starts tomorrow with a game against the San Jose Sharks.
  • The New Jersey Devils have sent both Jesper Boqvist and Josh Jacobs back to the AHL. Boqvist, 21, has played 35 games this season but has just four goals and zero assists. He’ll need to find his game again in the minors if he ever wants to be an impact player for the Devils.
  • Jonas Johansson has been assigned to the Rochester Americans once again, leaving the Buffalo Sabres after two weeks. The big goaltender now has six games under his belt at the NHL level, with many more likely coming in the future.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have returned goaltender Anthony Stolarz to AHL San Diego.  He was recalled earlier this week to serve as the backup while Ryan Miller dealt with the flu but now that he has returned, Stolarz can return to his role as the starter for the Gulls.  Anaheim has also returned defenseman Simon Benoit to San Diego, per the AHL’s Transactions Page.  He was recalled for the second time this season on Wednesday but has yet to see NHL action.
  • With Cody Ceci being activated off IR, the Maple Leafs have loaned defenseman Timothy Liljegren to the AHL’s Marlies.  The 20-year-old got into 11 NHL games with Toronto, recording an assist while logging just over 10 minutes a night in ice time.

Anaheim Ducks Sign Bryce Kindopp

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According to CapFriendly, the Anaheim Ducks have added another prospect to the cupboard, signing undrafted forward Bryce Kindopp to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal will kick in for the 2020-21 season, while Kindopp will continue to play the rest of this year with the Everett Silvertips of the WHL.

Kindopp, 20, current serves as captain of the Silvertips and is having another strong offensive season. With 38 goals and 71 points in 60 games he leads the team, a notable honor for such a dominant squad. The Silvertips are currently sitting with a 44-12-4 record on the season and are one of the favorites to win the WHL championship.

Even though his offensive game is effective at the junior level, Kindopp doesn’t project to be a top player for the Ducks. What he might be however is another effective depth option to help surround their next wave of high-end talent, getting them back to contention.

Kindopp attended the Colorado Avalanche training camp last summer, and was ranked 170th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting in the 2019 draft.

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