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Potential 2016-17 Impact Rookies: Zacha, Barzal, Pulock, Provorov

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Last week Pro Hockey Rumors began profiling first year players who have both a solid chance of making their respective teams and of also impacting their club’s on-ice fortunes this season. We started with four Metro rookies and today we finish up with four more from the same division.

Pavel Zacha (New Jersey) – Zacha, a skilled 6-foot-3, 210-pound pivot, was the Devils first-round choice in the 2015 entry draft, selected sixth overall from the Sarnia Sting of the OHL. In his draft year, Zacha tallied 34 points in 37 games for the Sting and followed that solid performance with a stronger 2015-16 campaign, scoring 28 goals and 64 points in just 51 contests. His terrific play led to the Devils electing to suit him up for the team’s season finale where Zacha recorded two assists in nearly 17 minutes of ice time.

Zacha also appeared for the Devils AHL affiliate in Albany, netting three points (one goal, two assists) in three regular season games and another three points in five postseason contests. Ultimately, Zacha would find himself sidelined due to a hip pointer which knocked him out of the postseason and also prevented him from participating in the team’s summer development camp.

Even after acquiring LW Taylor Hall this summer, the Devils could certainly use additional offensive firepower up front and Zacha’s potential could earn him a spot in training camp. He’s already listed as the the third LW on the team’s depth chart over at Roster Resource, suggesting there isn’t a lot of experienced NHL talent he’ll have to beat out for a spot. Given his level of skill and the opportunity he should be presented with in New Jersey, there’s a reasonable chance Zacha could quickly become one of the Devils top offensive performers.

Matthew Barzal (New York Islanders) – It’s not often a player selected in the middle of the first round make their NHL debuts little more than a year after the draft. But the Islanders need for a scoring line pivot following the loss of Frans Nielsen to Detroit in free agency and Barzal’s skill could lead to a scenario where the 19-year-old center makes the club out of camp.

Barzal made a great impression in camp last year  and was one of the team’s final roster cuts. He returned to his junior team, the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, and got off to a blazing start with seven goals and 40 points in just 22 games. He finished with 88 points in 58 contests with Seattle.

The Islanders made what looks to be in hindsight a brilliant trade to acquire the draft choice used to select Barzal by sending defense prospect Griffin Reinhart to Edmonton for #16 overall along with a 2015 second-round pick. Reinhart had trouble cracking the Oilers lineup despite the dearth of competent defensemen in Edmonton. Meanwhile, Barzal is one of the game’s top prospects and could flourish with the Islanders as soon as this season.

Ryan Pulock (New York Islanders) – Drafted 15th overall by the Islanders in the 2013 entry draft, Pulock is a strong defenseman already with NHL size and a good, hard shot. He made his NHL debut in 2015-16 scoring two goals and 4 points in 15 regular season games. Pulock would also appear in six postseason contests tallying another three points.

Pulock also has extensive pro experience playing for the Islanders AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. In 108 games with the Sound Tigers, Pulock has netted an impressive 24 goals and 30 assists.

The Islanders do boast a solid contingent of top-four blue liners with Nick Leddy, Johnny Boychuck, Calvin de Haan and Travis Hamonic expected to see the lion’s share of defensive work. But there would appear to be an opening on the third pair opposite Thomas Hickey and Pulock should be a near lock to earn that spot. It’s possible playing a sheltered role while receiving some second unit power play time, where his big shot would be quite useful, that Pulock could prove to be a valuable asset on the club’s blue line.

Ivan Provorov (Philadelphia) – In an ideal world the Flyers would likely prefer Provorov to return to Brandon of the WHL for more seasoning. Philadelphia GM Ron Hextall wants young players to be ready for the rigors of the NHL and they simply need to be better than what the team already has on the roster. However, the Flyers currently list both Andrew MacDonald and Mark Streit among their top six defenders leaving open the possibility that a great camp could propel Provorov to a spot with the Flyers.

MacDonald was demoted to the minors to start the 2015-16 campaign despite the minimal cap savings the move created. He was only recalled in February when injuries to several regulars crippled the Flyers blue line depth. Assuming his standing in the eyes of the organization is much the same as it was a year ago, MacDonald shouldn’t prove to be much of an impediment toward Provorov’s chances of sticking with the Flyers.

Streit has had a wonderful career in the NHL but turns 39 in December and is in the final year of his contract with Philadelphia. It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if at some point this season the club moved on from Streit to open up a spot on the blue line for a younger player like Provorov.

The Flyers do boast a lot of prospect depth among their defense corps and it’s possible the team would rather give one of Samuel Morin, Mark Alt, Travis Sanheim or Robert Hagg – all of whom already have professional experience – the first crack to make the team out of camp. However, Provorov has the most upside of the team’s defensive prospects and could force his way into the lineup with a solid preseason performance. While he likely wouldn’t have the same impact as last year’s breakout rookie, Shayne Gostisbehere, Provorov has plenty of talent himself and could provide a boost to the team’s blue line.

 

Potential 2016-17 Impact Rookies: Aho, Bjorkstrand, Werenski, Buchnevich

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It seems we’ve spent most of the offseason talking about Jimmy Vesey and pondering which of his many suitors would ultimately be fortunate enough to add him to their ranks. That chase is finally over with the New York Rangers coming out on top in their efforts to land the prized UFA forward from Harvard. Whether or not Vesey performs up to the high expectations all of the summer hype would suggest remains to be seen, of course, but this saga serves as a reminder of just how much teams value young talent on entry-level deals.

With the salary cap – or in some cases, internal budgets – forcing teams to allow quality veteran pieces to depart each summer in search of a bigger pay day, teams need young players to step in and fill roles vacated by experienced players. The CBA limits how much a player can earn on their ELC thus allowing clubs more freedom to spend lavishly on star players as long as they have enough young talent to balance out their budgets. By virtue of his status as an UFA limited to signing an ELC, Vesey has understandably garnered an unusually high level of attention for a soon-to-be first year player but he won’t be the only rookie expected to make a near immediate impact with his team in 2016-17.

In a series of posts, Pro Hockey Rumors will profile first-year players who will have an opportunity to step in right away and fill a potentially critical role for their team. Today we start in the Metro Division. (Note: In an effort to keep these posts relatively short, some divisions may be covered in multiple posts).

Sebastian Aho (Carolina) – Aho was the Hurricanes second-round choice in the 2015 draft out of Finland and signed his ELC with the club in June. He led his Liiga team (Finland’s top professional league), Karpat, in scoring in 2015-16 tallying 20 goals and 45 points in 45 games. Aho also has achieved remarkable success representing his home country at both the 2016 IIHF World Championships and the 2016 World Juniors. He recorded seven points for the silver medal winning Finns at the World Championships while averaging two points per game – 14 in seven contests – in helping Finland win gold at the Juniors tournament.

It would seem given his performances on some of the biggest stages in the sport that Aho should be ready for the NHL game. Count Hurricanes GM Ron Francis among those who believe Aho can contribute in Carolina immediately.

“Sebastian is regarded as one of the top prospects in hockey and is ready to begin his North American career. He had a tremendous season as an 18-year-old playing against men in Finland’s top league, and was outstanding in international competitions including the recent World Championship. He will play an important role for the Hurricanes moving forward.”

Carolina’s depth chart on Roster Resource lists Aho as the team’s third right wing and given Francis’ quotes, it seems probable he will be given every opportunity to become a key contributor right out of the gate. The Hurricanes have an excellent young blue line but need help up front if they wish to challenge for the playoffs. Aho’s skills and playmaking abilities would be a welcome addition to Carolina’s forward ranks.

Oliver Bjorkstrand (Columbus) – Danish forward Oliver Bjorkstrand proved he was ready for a prime time role with the Blue Jackets during an impressive playoff run as a member of the Lake Erie Monsters, Columbus’ AHL affiliate. The Monsters lost just one game en route to winning a Calder Cup and Bjorkstrand helped pave the way tallying 10 postseason goals. He was even more prolific in the Calder Cup Finals scoring five times, with three proving to be of the game-winning variety.

His head coach with the Monsters, Jared Bednar, had this to say about Bjorkstrand:

“He has a will to win that’s unparalleled, and that’s why he has always been successful, no matter where he’s been.”

The Blue Jackets have several quality young players that will soon be ready to challenge for NHL roles but Bjorkstrand’s determination and recent postseason success should give him an advantage over his peers at cracking the Columbus lineup. Columbus could theoretically compete for a playoff spot, assuming a return to health and form from goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, along with an improved defense corps. Bjorkstrand should add more skilled depth to the forward group and he could enjoy a productive season if he finds chemistry with the right players.

Zach Werenski (Columbus) – Possibly joining Bjorkstrand in Columbus in time for the 2016-17 season is D Zach Werenski. Werenski, the team’s first round pick in 2015, eighth overall, played two seasons at the University of Michigan prior to signing his ELC last spring. He would see action in seven AHL regular season games, scoring one goal, before embarking on an excellent playoff run. In 17 postseason contests, Werenski tallied five goals and 14 points in helping the Monsters to the Calder Cup.

Werenski already boasts NHL size at 6-foot-2 and 209 pounds and adds tremendous skating ability as well as poise under pressure. Even after the addition of rising star Seth Jones via a mid-season trade with Nashville and the presence of Ryan Murray, Werenski has an excellent shot to break training camp with the big club. If Werenski develops as expected, the Blue Jackets could quickly transform their blue line from one of the league’s worst to one of the best in relatively short order.

Pavel Buchnevich (New York Rangers) – Vesey isn’t the only rookie the Rangers will likely be welcoming to the lineup for the 2016-17 season. Pavel Buchnevich, the team’s top prospect and a 2013 third round choice, elected to make the jump to North America and signed his ELC this past spring. While skating in the KHL, widely considered the second best league in the word behind the NHL, Buchnevich tallied a respectable 37 points in 58 regular season games.

To put those numbers in a bit of perspective, Rob Vollman in the Hockey Abstract has constructed a predictive chart to convert offensive numbers from one league to another based primarily on historical data involving players appearing in both leagues and how they’ve fared moving from one to the other. Buchnevich’s points-per-game ratio in the KHL projects to be roughly the equivalent of a 40-point campaign in the NHL based on Vollman’s chart. That’s pretty solid for a 20-year-old player.

The Rangers wouldn’t seem to need much of an offensive boost after finishing seventh in the NHL in goal scoring and returning much of their top-six forward talent – excepting of course the swap of Derick Brassard for Mika Zibanejad – but Alain Vigneault tends to use his third line as much or more than most NHL head coaches. That should allow for a rookie with the skill and ability of Buchnevich to earn quality ice time while also shielding him from the tougher match-ups.

 

Dallas Stars Notes: Niemi, Lehtonen, Nichushkin

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The Dallas Stars surprised many by taking the Central Division crown and finishing with the most points in the Western Conference in 2016-17, just one season removed from missing the postseason entirely. Their success was driven primarily by the most prolific offense in the league as Jamie Benn (41), Tyler Seguin (33) and Jason Spezza (33) led the way with hugely productive seasons. However, while the team had no problem putting the puck in the opposition’s net, they did have plenty of issues keeping it out of their own. Along those lines, Jason Brough of Pro Hockey Talk writes that the club’s “biggest question mark” entering the new season remains between the pipes in Big D.

Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen combined to stop just 90.6% of the shots they faced during the regular season a year ago. Lehtonen (90.6%) ranked 38th and Niemi (90.5%) 40th overall among qualified net minders in that category. They were even worse come playoff time with neither goalie able to stop 90% of the shots against.

The Stars were thought to be considering the possibility of acquiring another goalie, with Ben Bishop named as one possibility but it’s not clear whether any substantive talks with the Lightning or any other club ever took place. Nevertheless, Jim Nill seems confident his goaltending tandem will rebound enough to give the club at least capable play between the pipes. Each has had success in the recent past and it wasn’t that long ago that Niemi backstopped the Chicago Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup so there is some reason for Nill’s optimism.

For more on the Stars…..

  • In a separate piece for Pro Hockey Talk, Brough identifies Stars winger Valeri Nichushkin as being “under pressure.” Despite playing on the most prolific offensive team in the league, the 21-year-old Nichushkin struggled, netting just nine goals in 79 regular season contests. He followed that up with a lone point, an assist, in 10 playoff games. Nichushkin, the 10th overall selection in the 2013 entry draft, has a ton of ability and as veteran scorers Patrick Sharp and Ales Hemsky each enter the final years of their respective contracts, the club may well need the young Russian to step into one of those spots sooner rather than later.
  • Revisiting the goaltending situation in Dallas, Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News addressed a reader’s question on the subject as part of a recent chat. Specifically, Heika was asked how much salary the Stars would need to retain in order to facilitate a trade of one of Niemi or Lehtonen. Heika speculated that any team that would look to acquire either goalie would want Dallas to keep 50% of the player’s salary on their books. On the other hand, Heika says that GM Jim Nill doesn’t seem too keen on the idea and would rather hang on to the duo in the hope that one or both can rebuild value with solid 2016-17 performances. At this point it seems most likely that the Stars will at least open the season with Niemi and Lehtonen manning the net. But should they again scuffle and with plenty of teams perhaps willing to move a goalie prior to the 2017 expansion draft, Dallas could look to upgrade the position ahead of the trade deadline.

 

Penguins Re-Sign Matt Cullen

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed veteran center Matt Cullen to a one-year deal worth $1MM, as reported on the team’s website. As of last week, Cullen was believed to be entertaining offers from at least four teams but evidently chose to remain with the club with whom he just won the Stanley Cup championship.

A veteran of 18 NHL campaigns, Cullen had a resurgent year for Pittsburgh, scoring 16 goals and 32 points while appearing in all 82 games. He was also a key contributor during the Penguins Cup run, netting another four goals and six points in the postseason. Cullen provided tremendous value after converting a PTO into a one-year, $800K deal with the Penguins.

It’s likely Cullen will again reprise his role in the club’s bottom-six, providing a fair amount of offense while also serving time on the penalty kill and taking critical, defensive zone draws. Last season, Cullen led all Penguins forwards averaging 2:32 of shorthanded ice time per contest. He also won an impressive 55.7% of his faceoffs, a figure good enough for 16th overall among players who took at least 500 draws.

The signing does appear to put the Penguins even further over the cap than they already were which suggests GM Jim Rutherford will have some work to do to get the club cap compliant before the regular season begins.

Eastern Conference Notes: Alfredsson, Hrivik, Jurco, Kennedy

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The Ottawa Senators announced this afternoon that they will retire the #11 sweater worn for 17 seasons by former captain Daniel Alfredsson in a pregame ceremony prior to their December 29, 2016 tilt against the Red Wings. Alfredsson, of course, wrapped up his remarkable career with Detroit so choosing a game between the only two NHL franchises “Alfie” ever played for makes perfect sense.

Alfredsson was drafted all the way down in the sixth round of the 1994 entry draft, after 132 other players had already come off the board. He would make his NHL debut during the 1995-96 campaign as a 23-year-old and would go on to win the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie, scoring 26 goals and 61 points in 82 games. He would ultimately go on to set Ottawa franchise records in goals (426), assists (682), points (1,108), even-strength goals (270) and power play goals (131).

After such a lengthy and prodigious career, Alfredsson has essentially become synonymous with Ottawa Senators hockey and he deserves to have the honor of his #11 hanging in the rafters at Canadian Tire Center.

Elsewhere among the league’s eastern teams….

  • Jim Cerny of Blueshirts United spoke with Rangers prospect Marek Hrivik about his chances of making the team after a solid campaign playing for their AHL affiliate in Hartford, and a brief five-game cup of coffee with the Rangers. Hrivik indicated the club is happy with his progress and that he is “close” to making it as an NHL regular. He will face plenty of competition in camp as fellow rookies Nicklas Jensen and Pavel Buchnevich will also be in the hunt for a job.
  • Another young player who faces an uphill battle to secure a regular role is Tomas Jurco of the Detroit Red Wings. Ansar Kan, writing for MLive.com, argues that Jurco will have to distinguish himself in camp at a time when the club will be missing several regular skaters who will be participating in the World Cup. Jurco looked like a core building block following a solid debut in 2013-14 when the then 21-year-old posted eight goals and 15 points in just 36 games. Since then, Jurco has tallied just 24 points in 87 contests and could find himself on the outside looking in with Detroit.
  • Finally, while some players are at least guaranteed a shot to win a job in camp, others like Tyler Kennedy are still waiting for a call from a club willing to offer another chance. Kennedy, who was in the same position last summer, is fearful he may not get another opportunity to prove he belongs in the NHL, as Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette writes. Kennedy did receive a camp invite last year from New Jersey and earned a contract with a solid showing. He would see action in 50 games for the Devils but scored just three goals along with 13 assists. Kennedy, who once scored 21 goals as a 24-year-old during the 2010-11 season in Pittsburgh, has seen his offensive production decline significantly ever since that breakout campaign. One advantage he does possess over other veterans clamoring for one last kick at the can is that he is still considered a speedy player. More teams are looking to add speed to their lineup, following the successful blueprint perfected by Pittsburgh, and Kennedy might be able to offer just that on the cheap to a team looking for a low-risk, bottom-six type of forward.

Minnesota Wild Notes: Boudreau, Staal, Tuch

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Pro Hockey Talk continues their run through the NHL, each day covering a different team. Today the Minnesota Wild are in the cross-hairs as Joey Alfieri of NBC Sports reviews Minnesota’s summer and previews the upcoming campaign for the Wild.

Alfieri highlights the hiring of former Washington Capital and Anaheim Duck head coach Bruce Boudreau to replace John Torchetti behind the Minnesota bench. He cites Boudreau’s past regular season success and suggests establishing a “winning culture” is the first order of business for the new coach.

Despite his postseason failures, the primary reason he was relieved of his duties in Anaheim, Boudreau is still an excellent coach and is well respected throughout the league. His teams generally excel in the puck possession department and have always played a solid two-way style. The Ducks got off to a slow start last season and it was rumored the team was considering making a mid-season change behind the bench before Boudreau was able to right the ship. Ultimately the Ducks would come all the way back to win the Pacific Division regular season crown but were eliminated by Nashville in the first round of the playoffs. It marked the second, first-round playoff exit in Boudreu’s four full seasons at the helm in Anaheim.

Minnesota is an interesting team in that they have enough talent to be considered a solid contender to qualify for the postseason, yet maybe not enough to realistically challenge for a Cup. They are also not bad enough to miss the playoffs altogether. Consequently they don’t have the resources to dramatically improve the roster to compete today but are also not in a position to add high impact young talent through the draft to build for the future. Hiring Boudreau has an excellent chance of paying off in the short term as he should be able to guide the team to the playoffs for the fifth consecutive campaign. Once the postseason begins, though, all bets are off.

  • The biggest offseason player acquisition for Minnesota came in the form of free agent signee Eric Staal. Alfieri calls the three-year, $10.5MM deal Staal received from Minnesota “team friendly,” and while it was expected he would receive more lucrative offers on the open market, it’s important to note the veteran pivot posted his worst season since his rookie campaign back in 2003-04. Staal scored just 13 goals and 39 points while playing 83 regular season games – 63 with Carolina and 20 for the New York Rangers. He is still expected to center a scoring line for Minnesota and even if $3.5MM annually is a relatively small sum for a top-six forward, the Wild will need more production out of Staal if they wish to compete in the Central Division.
  • In a separate post for Pro Hockey Talk, Jason Brough identifies young RW Alex Tuch as one of the team’s few top prospects and a player who could compete for a roster spot this season. Tuch, 20, is listed at 6’4″ and 220 pounds and was the Wild’s first round selection (18th overall) in the 2014 draft. He played two seasons with Boston College and scored 32 goals in 77 NCAA games skating for the Eagles. Brough believes Tuch is most likely destined to open the season playing for Iowa in the AHL but he also notes the big winger could conceivably make the team with a strong camp. The club did sign a similar player in Chris Stewart, to a two-year contract which should make him a presumptive favorite to beat out Tuch for a roster spot should it come down to a competition between the two.

Vesey Updates: 8/16/2016

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4:00pm: Teams not considered major contenders for Jimmy Vesey will nonetheless reach out to the representatives of the college star. Even if there is only the slightest chance that Vesey will even meet with the team, it is still worth it to inquire about this unique situation. Two such teams in this position are the Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets, though more will surely be calling.

12:32pm: The Boston Bruins are set up to make the final pitch to Vesey, according to Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com. This may or may not give the Bruins an advantage over the competition but it can’t hurt Boston to have the final word as they work to recruit the hometown kid.

12:00pm: Even though they haven’t been linked previously as a contender for his services, we can nonetheless now count the Detroit Red Wings out of the Vesey sweepstakes. Ansar Kan of MLive reports that the Wings did indeed make a pitch to Vesey’s camp, focusing on the team’s depth and potential playing time, but according to assistant general manager Ryan Martin, the club was told that Vesey “preferred to play closer to home.” This news might potentially impact the Blackhawks odds of landing the coveted forward since Chicago also is not geographically close to Vesey’s hometown of Boston.

10:36am: Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News confirms the probability that Vesey will also meet with Chicago, Boston and the New York Rangers, “as soon as Wednesday,” before making his final decision by week’s end.

Jimmy Vesey, and speculation surrounding with whom the former Harvard star would sign his first pro contract, has dominated NHL headlines for weeks seemingly. With time having run out on Buffalo’s window of exclusivity to get the young forward under contract, any other club interested in bringing Vesey into the fold can officially begin negotiating with his representation as of 12:01am today. Even though it’s been reported Vesey will likely not sign until later this week, Pro Hockey Rumors will continue to monitor the latest news today using this post with updates appearing at the top of this post.

According to Mark Divver of The Providence Journal, Vesey is set to meet with the Isles, Penguins, Leafs and Devils today. While it was expected that essentially every NHL club would express at least some interest in adding Vesey to their ranks, the Penguins have rarely been listed among the top suitors up to this point. But the opportunity to play with two of the world’s best players – Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin – and for a team fresh off a Stanley Cup win has to be enticing so it shouldn’t be much of a surprise Vesey would at least meet with the Pittsburgh contingent as he weighs his options.

It’s likely that Vesey and his reps will also take meetings with other teams throughout the week before making his decision. Chicago has often been listed as a potential front-runner in the sweepstakes and Boston is Vesey’s hometown team so expect both of those clubs to also get a shot to woo him in person.

 

 

Avalanche Sign F Ben Smith

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Update (11:50am): General Fanager provides the contract details and it is indeed a two-way deal. Smith will earn $675K in the NHL – a figure $100K above the minimum – and $150K in the AHL. It’s a contract structure that is becoming more common for players like Smith; players who excel in the AHL but can’t find a regular NHL job. The NHL salary is just above the minimum but in order to lure Smith, Colorado had to guarantee him an AHL salary well above the average for a minor league player.

The Colorado Avalanche have announced the signing of veteran depth forward Ben Smith to a one-year deal, per the club’s website. Financial details were not made immediately available but it’s likely Smith’s 2016-17 salary won’t be much more than the league minimum. Additionally, there was no mention whether the arrangement is a one or two-way deal. Of course under terms of a two-way contract, Smith would earn a lesser salary while suiting up in the AHL.

Smith split this past season between Toronto and San Jose, tallying six points in 16 contests for the Leafs after going scoreless in six games with the Sharks. He also netted 12 goals and 16 points in 19 AHL games.

It’s likely Smith will split the upcoming campaign playing for the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate in San Antonio while also serving as experienced depth for the big league team should injuries arise. Colorado would already seem to have plenty of other options up front after signing UFA F Joe Colborne and trading for C Rocco Grimaldi this summer. But it’s never bad to stock a few veteran players like Smith in your organization, even if their biggest contribution is mentoring the team’s prospects in the minor leagues.

(Team depth charts courtesy of Roster Resource)

Oilers Notes: Lucic, Larsson, Talbot, McDavid, Lagesson

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The Edmonton Oilers are next up on Pro Hockey Talk’s daily team series and Jason Brough identifies summer signing Milan Lucic as the Oiler under pressure for 2016-17. Considering the large contract given to Lucic and the expectation he will assume the first-line left wing spot vacated following the trade of former #1 overall pick Taylor Hall, there is certainly plenty of pressure on the menacing forward.

One could argue that Adam Larsson, the defenseman the Oilers dealt Hall for and who is expected to be a viable top pair blue liner for a team desperate to improve on the back end, is under even more pressure than Lucic. Lucic is already a finished product for all intents and purposes, and with four 20-goal seasons on his resume already, Lucic needs only perform at the level he has been over the last several seasons.

On the other hand, Larsson has yet to fulfill his potential completely, and needs to take the next step in his development in order to meet expectations. If the Oilers are going to push for a playoff spot this season they need Larsson to become the player they believe he can be.

More on the Oilers…..

  • In another piece on Pro Hockey Talk, Brough talks about the up-and-down season Cam Talbot had in his first year as a starter in the league. As Brough notes, Talbot got off to a slow start through November but rebounded in December and January posting save percentages of 93.4% and 93.2% respectively during those months. Given the somewhat inconsistent nature of Talbot’s performance and his relative lack of starting experience, Brough feels the goaltending situation is still uncertain in Edmonton. It appears Edmonton will go into the season with journeyman backstop Jonas Gustavsson as Talbot’s backup between the pipes (all team depth charts can be found at Roster Resource). Given that likelihood, Edmonton will need Talbot to play at the level he did in the latter part of last season if they want to compete for a playoff spot.
  • Bruce McCurdy, writing for the Edmonton Journal, discusses the progress of Edmonton defense prospect William Lagesson. Lagesson, the Oilers 4th round pick in 2014, played last season as a freshman for a U-Mass program that struggled to a 8-24-4 mark and was outscored by 62 goals. The Swedish rearguard led the teams defense corps recording a -6 plus-minus rating. Edmonton obviously needs all the good defense prospects they can accumulate and it appears Lagesson is developing into one.
  • Meanwhile, David Staples, also covering the Oilers for the Edmonton Journal, penned a piece on how one publication, hockey prognosticator The Hockey Forecaster, is projecting Connor McDavid to have a Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin-like impact on his team’s offensive output. In their rookie campaigns, Crosby and Ovechkin helped their teams score 53 and 44 more goals respectively than they potted the previous season. The Oilers are predicted to tally a total of 237 goals, which would be an increase of 38 markers over their 2015-16 season total. The Hockey Forecaster also predicts career seasons from Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl and Oscar Klefbom, among others. Staples writes that those projections might be a stretch but recognizes that an elite talent such as McDavid, Crosby and Ovechkin can have that type of impact for a team. Assuming the predictions even come close to fruition then Edmonton might be able to outscore their way to postseason contention.

St. Louis To Host 2017 Winter Classic

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The NHL announced today that the 2017 Winter Classic will be held in St. Louis with the Blues hosting their Central Division rivals, the Chicago Blackhawks. The game will be played on January 2, 2017.

Gary Bettman had this to say about the choice of St. Louis: “What better way to celebrate 100 years of NHL hockey than playing in the shadow of the Gateway Arch. At the same time we will be able to spotlight the incredible growth of hockey in St. Louis. There will be plenty of history to commemorate and lots of excitement to anticipate.”

Bettman’s comment with regards to the growth of the sport in the city is driven by the fact five St. Louis natives – Matthew Tkachuk, Clayton Keller, Logan Brown, Luke Kunin and Trent Frederic – were chosen in the first round of the 2016 draft. A sixth, Joseph Woll, was selected in round three. All six players once suited up for the St. Louis AAA Blues.

This will mark the third Winter Classic appearance for Chicago and the first for the Blues. The Blackhawks have also appeared in two Heritage Classic games and have played in more outdoor contests than any other team.

On their way to a berth in the Western Conference Finals, the Blues downed Chicago in an entertaining back-and-forth, seven game series.  The league obviously saw the benefit of pitting these two rivals in the marquee game of the regular season.

Of course, several longtime Hawks – including Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook – have loads of experience outdoors, while the Winter Classic will mark the first opportunity for several Blues to play in such a contest.

 

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