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Evening Notes: Knoblauch, Wood, Miller, Rangers

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Edmonton GM Stan Bowman told Ryan Rishaug of TSN that extension talks with Head Coach Kris Knoblauch continue, with no foreseen issues ahead. Having taken the Oilers to new heights, and with a window still as open as ever, keeping Connor McDavid’s former OHL coach around is a no-brainer. 

Speaking of the Oilers’ mega star, Bowman did not provide any updates on McDavid, other than that they’re happy to play the long game if needed, and talk consistently with his agent, Judd Moldaver. 

Having acquired Connor Ingram earlier today, Bowman touched on the goalie front as well. Apparently, no talks have emerged with Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard yet, and that Ingram has been brought in as another good option for the club. 

It’s fair to say that running it back with Skinner and Pickard again this year has been a bit unexpected. Yet it appears Bowman will keep a close eye on each, evaluating their long-term prospects in Edmonton, especially with an intriguing addition coming into the fold.

Elsewhere across the league:

  • Brooks Bratten, Nashville’s beat reporter, shared today that top prospect Matthew Wood is week-to-week with a lower-body injury, an ailment sustained in the team’s Gold Star Showcase scrimmage last week. The 2023 first-round-pick has made a strong case to remain with the big club so far in camp, after a six-game trial fresh out of the NCAA last season. Now set to miss time, eyes turn to fellow key prospects Brady Martin and Joakim Kemell, who become more likely to make the team given Wood’s injury. Additionally, the Predators claimed Tyson Jost on waivers today.
  • Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic updated today that J.T. Miller remains sidelined since an unassuming lower body injury sustained in practice two days ago. Thankfully, the captain’s ailment isn’t thought to be serious, so perhaps the Rangers are content with being patient. Meanwhile, Sam Carrick was seen back in a red no-contact jersey, and Casey Fitzgerald was absent, but due to being waived today rather than injury. The former Sabres defenseman is expected to be a key piece for AHL Hartford for the second straight season. 

Transaction Notes: Oilers, Ducks, Senators

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As the preseason winds down and rosters take form, several teams have recalled players, having already cleared waivers, who are set to fill out NHL rosters before (most likely) being reassigned to their respective AHL clubs. 

The Edmonton Oilers announced today that they recalled forwards Viljami Marjala, James Hamblin, and Connor Clattenburg from AHL Bakersfield in advance of tonight’s preseason tilt in Seattle. 

Hamblin, an undrafted Edmonton native, proudly has 41 games under his belt for the Oil, but is expected to return to Bakersfield and continue to lead the Condors, in his sixth season with the team. 

Other transactional notes from today:

Although none of the players are expected to remain with their NHL clubs by season’s start, it stands a chance for them to make an impression, and for fans to get to see some former notable prospects skate at the highest level.

Evening Notes: Chinakhov, Oilers, Golden Knights, Stevenson

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Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported that Yegor Chinakhov has not been happy with his role of late. The tantalizing 24-year-old has been skating on the Jackets’ fourth line, with no attention on the power play either. When asked about the role, Chinakhov said, “No comment.” 

Portzline also mentioned Head Coach Dean Evason’s thoughts on the situation. The Jackets’ bench boss complimented the Russian forward’s play, but emphasized the team’s forward depth. 

The remark is interesting, considering that Chinakhov requested a trade over the summer, only to backtrack just 10 days ago, saying he had reached an understanding with Evason and was open to staying with the Blue Jackets. 

Columbus’ first-round choice in 2020 (21st overall), Chinakhov has flashed his high skill, lighting up the AHL in short stints, but has yet to put everything together in the NHL. The emergence of other forwards such as Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko has had Chinakhov on the outside looking in. It appears the former top prospect is at a crossroads that many have found themselves at: accepting a lesser role for the greater good to stick in the NHL, or finding a home elsewhere. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • In Edmonton, Tony Brar of Oilers TV reported that Jake Walman, who has had rumblings of an extension lately, is day-to-day, but is expected to be ready for opening night. Vasily Podkolzin is expected to resume skating on Wednesday, after the tragic loss of his father.
  • SinBin.vegas noted that two Golden Knights, Pavel Dorofeyev and Jeremy Lauzon, are both progressing, per Head Coach Bruce Cassidy. They will remain sidelined tomorrow and are questionable for the Knights’ remaining preseason games. Dorofeyev was an 82-game player last year, breaking out with an eye-popping 35 goals, while Lauzon only notched 28 games in Nashville due to injury, before an offseason trade to Vegas.
  • Having been mentioned by Kevin Weekes last week, Elliotte Friedman echoed that the Capitals will likely lose goaltender Clay Stevenson on waivers, as reported by Russian Machine Never Breaks. The undrafted 26-year-old has yet to make a sizeable NHL impact (just one game played) but has caught the eye of many clubs, and could be the latest under-the-radar goaltender to burst onto the scene. Interestingly, Friedman noted the Rangers as a possible suitor, saying they pursued the Alberta native as a college free agent before the Capitals won out. Such a claim would especially be a blow to the marquee AHL franchise, the Hershey Bears. With Weekes pointing it out and Friedman following suit, Stevenson will be a name to watch closely.

Mammoth Notes: AHL Franchise, Peterka, Cooley, McBain

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Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports that Utah Mammoth owner Ryan Smith has discussed bringing an AHL team to Utah; however, it is likely years away. In the process, Smith said he and Smith Entertainment Group have considered the best locations in Utah for the franchise, and that somewhere “up north” stands out; perhaps Salt Lake City or St. George. 

With the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies (West Valley City) reaching 20 years in the state, the prospect of Utah continuing to grow the game with an additional professional team is an exciting concept. Hypothetically, they would join an exclusive club (California, New York, and Pennsylvania) as the only states to hold a team in all three of the top North American hockey leagues. 

Such news may raise a few eyebrows of those within the Tucson Roadrunners, the Mammoth’s current AHL affiliate, but only time will tell what the future may hold. 

AHL or not, Smith has his eyes on growing the game in Utah, akin to markets such as Dallas, Nashville, and Vegas, which have become youth hockey hotbeds after the NHL came to town. Bagley added that Smith’s offer to help build more rinks in Utah has been well received, as he says he has heard from 20 different communities that have shown interest. 

Finally, Bagley provided injury updates for the club as they wind up for their second season. Key offseason acquisition JJ Peterka returned to the ice today, per Bagley, having missed Saturday’s practice. The 23-year-old looks to build off a 68-point campaign in Buffalo last year and star for the Mammoth. 

Logan Cooley and Jack McBain remain sidelined, Head Coach Andre Tourigny told Bagley. Neither is expected out long term, but they will not play tomorrow vs the Kings.

Goalie Notes: Dostal, Vasilevskiy, Hellebuyck

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The Anaheim Ducks announced today that young starting netminder Lukáš Dostál will be day-to-day with a lower-body injury. 

The 25-year-old is a major key for the Ducks this season, fresh off signing a five-year contract in July. Having made additional offseason moves that affirm the team is pushing for a step forward, much will ride on Dostál and his ability to fill the void left by stalwart John Gibson, who was finally dealt over the summer. Anaheim has steadily developed the talented goaltender, with a workload that has gradually increased year by year. 

Now, with Gibson moving on, Dostal is the undisputed #1, with a fellow Czech, veteran Petr Mrázek in waiting. The Ducks have another notable former Red Wing in their goaltender room as well, in Ville Husso. Yet the 30-year-old, who once flashed serious potential, is likely set to hold things down for AHL San Diego, barring any setbacks from Dostál. 

Additional goaltender notes:

Metro Notes: Miller, Ovechkin, Milano

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A concerning story emerged out of New York today, as J.T. Miller left practice after an apparent leg injury. The new Rangers captain was seen lunging after a loose puck and came up favoring his leg, in a video posted by Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic.

Fortunately, Peter Baugh of The Athletic updated this evening that Miller is expected to be fine, a few days missed at worst. The 32-year-old will be relied on heavily in his second stint with the Rangers, as they seek a big turnaround this season, as outlined earlier today.

Meanwhile, the Capitals had a pair of key updates on their forward core today. Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post confirmed Alex Ovechkin has been fully cleared for contact and was a regular participant in practice. Head coach Spencer Carbery told Johnson that the legend had no setbacks and looked the part. 

Carbery does not expect Ovechkin to appear in tomorrow’s preseason tilt against the Blue Jackets, but he could do so in the last two tune-up games for the Capitals. 

Johnson also noted that Sonny Milano is sidelined with an upper-body injury, which is unrelated to the ailment that cost Milano almost the entirety of last season. It is unfortunate timing for the 29-year-old former top prospect as he looks to return to the Capitals lineup, having carved a role as a solid contributor in the last few seasons.

Blues, Cam Fowler Agree To Three Year Extension

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A pending free agent, defenseman Cam Fowler has signed a three-year extension with the St. Louis Blues, per team announcement.

Per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the deal is set at a $6.1MM AAV, with Jeremy Rutherford of the Athletic adding that it is a flat contract with no variation year-to-year. It will take Fowler through his age 36 season, and comes in above the projected value of $5.4MM, according to AFP Analytics. 

Fowler, 33, was acquired last December in exchange for fringe prospect Jérémie Biakabutuka and a 2027 second-round pick, in a deal that was not totally expected given the Blues’ stock of veteran left handed defensemen. However, it proved to be fruitful, as Fowler was a great fit wearing the Note, with 36 points in 51 games, and a +19, filling the void left from Torey Krug and his likely career-ending injury. 

After a season in which the Blues exceeded expectations, pushing the President’s Trophy winning Winnipeg Jets to the brink in the first round of the playoffs, change on the blue line has been a point of emphasis. Out went Nick Leddy and Ryan Suter, allowing for a larger role for Philip Broberg, along with the acquisition of promising young defender Logan Mailloux. 

Now with Fowler locked up as well, the Blues have built up a formidable core on both ends, which are all signed for the foreseeable future. The veteran offensive defenseman will continue to lead the Blues powerplay attack, and will be leaned on to mentor Broberg, Mailloux, as well as emerging youngster Matthew Kessel and eventually, top prospect Adam Jiricek. 

Having fallen into their laps at 12th overall during the 2010 NHL Draft, Fowler quickly became a vital member of the Ducks throughout the 2010s. Making the team right out of camp as a rookie, the smooth-skating defenseman notched 40 points, and never looked back, having never played a game in the AHL. Fowler earned an eight-year extension worth $6.5MM per season in 2017. The Windsor, Ontario native continued to produce through thick and thin for Anaheim for fifteen seasons. Finally after 17 games in the black and orange last season, and with the contract nearing an end, Anaheim made the difficult decision to deal their second-longest tenured player, retaining $2.5MM per year in the process. 

Although a slight decrease in annual value, Fowler’s resurgence undoubtedly heightened his value at 33-years-old, and the Blues are surely relieved to reach an agreement on their key defenseman before the season has begun. 

Sabres Reassign Devon Levi, Isak Rosen

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Two notable names were found among the 24 which were trimmed from the Buffalo Sabres training camp roster Saturday: Devon Levi and Isak Rosen. 

Levi, 23, was unable to break through another crowded goaltender room, featuring Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, newcomer Alex Lyon, and the recently signed Alexander Georgiev. 

The addition of Georgiev was another blow to Levi’s chances to make the club, but the top prospect is set to return to a Rochester Americans team as a standout, and continue to develop in a winning AHL environment. It remains hard to forget that the seventh-round pick gem was a key piece from Florida in return for Sam Reinhart, however, Levi has put up elite numbers in the AHL, and clearly the Sabres are in no rush with his development, especially as the organization works to turn things around as a whole. 

Rosen, Buffalo’s 14th overall choice in the 2021 draft, has improved each season statistically with AHL Rochester, but has yet to make an impact in the NHL, with one assist in 15 games played. The 22-year-old was a name to watch going into Buffalo’s camp as pushing to make the club. Now Rosen will return to the AHL, looking to build off his team-leading 2024-25 campaign with the Americans, where he put up 55 points in 61 games, and fight to earn a midseason call-up from the Sabres. 

Buffalo continues to hold three veteran goaltenders, which will be worth monitoring as the season approaches.

Capitals’ Clay Stevenson Possible Waiver Claim Candidate

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Kevin Weekes of ESPN noted earlier today that the Washington Capitals may be in danger of losing goaltender Clay Stevenson on waivers, as he has impressed in camp so far. 

Coming out of the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express, Stevenson went undrafted, ending up at Dartmouth College, where he posted a standout .922 save percentage and a 2.70 GAA in 2021-22. Such performance caught the eye of the Capitals, who signed him to an entry-level deal. Stevenson spent the next season mostly in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays before graduating to the AHL’s Hershey Bears, where he split duty with Hunter Shepard, winning the Calder Cup in 2024. 

The Alberta native made his NHL debut last April against Pittsburgh, a 5-2 defeat, despite making 33 saves. Having made a great impression in camp so far, and with a logjam in net as the Capitals have Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson set to hold things down, Stevenson has caught the eye of some teams, being just 26, with an impressive frame at 6’4″. 

Perhaps Stevenson could be of interest to two contenders who have missing pieces between the pipes, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights. Both teams are thought to be searching for stability in the net and have been linked to Carter Hart as well. Given Frederik Andersen’s ongoing health issues and Pyotr Kochetkov’s overall inconsistency, the Hurricanes are evaluating many options.

Cayden Primeau stands as an intriguing in-house choice for Carolina, having flashed potential in the past with the Canadiens, and was acquired for just a 7th-round pick in June. Nonetheless, perhaps the Hurricanes could take a flyer on the Capitals’ netminder as the latest in their revolving door of depth goalies.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights are no strangers to seeking goaltenders either, as they also face uncertainty, being thin behind Adin Hill. Akira Schmid, acquired from New Jersey, looked great in a small sample size last season (just 5 games), but Stevenson could have appeal as their latest under-the-radar pick-up. 

Wherever any case, Stevenson is a name to watch as roster cuts loom.

East Notes: Panarin, Rempe, Kulich

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In today’s episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman discussed Artemi Panarin and his status with the Rangers. Somewhat quietly, amidst so much talk surrounding Connor McDavid, the 33-year-old Russian enters the final year of his seven-year, $77MM deal signed with the Blueshirts back in 2019. It is thought that the Rangers are looking for a discount for their star to stay in the Big Apple. 

Once the highest-paid winger in the league, now surpassed by Mikko Rantanen and Mitch Marner, Friedman noted that earlier in the summer, the Rangers had early discussions with Panarin on potentially taking a more team-friendly deal, similar to Anze Kopitar, who inked a two-year contract with an AAV of $7MM in 2023. 

Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic echoed Friedman’s thoughts, adding that the Rangers are in no rush with their star, only willing to move forward now if at a discount. Despite slightly regressing to 89 from his 120-point explosion in 2023-24, Panarin remains among the league’s elite and will have no shortage of suitors. With the Rangers already facing pressure to rebound from a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, perhaps extra emphasis will be placed on their ability to keep Panarin happy.

Other notes from the Eastern Conference:

  • Staying in New York, Matt Rempe discussed his goal to become a more complete hockey player, as told by Colin Stephenson of Newsday. “I want to turn into not being known as an enforcer,’’ Rempe said. “I want to be turned into, ‘This guy’s a really good young power forward… who also can fight.’” The 23-year-old has made an impression on new Head Coach Mike Sullivan, with his work ethic and strong skating. Rempe last netted double-digit goals as a 19-year-old with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, and has not notched more than 12 points in a season as a pro, but at 6 foot 9, 265 pounds, the Calgary native is certainly an imposing netfront presence, and has the right mindset to stick around in today’s game. 
  • Meanwhile, in Buffalo, young center Jiri Kulich was noted as having left the ice a few minutes into morning skate on Thursday, and is sidelined for the Sabres’ preseason tilt with Detroit. Head Coach Lindy Ruff said it was a muscle tweak, and Kulich is not expected to be out for more than a few days. 

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