Otto Leskinen Signs Two-Year Contract In Finland
Former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Otto Leskinen is once again returning to his roots, signing a two-year contract with Tappara in the Finnish Liiga, as announced by the team during a YouTube live stream.
Leskinen, 26, had returned to the Canadiens in 2022-23 after one season spent in Finland but has now opted to return back to his home country. Born in Pieksämäki, Finland, Leskinen was an undrafted free agent signed by the Canadiens in the summer of 2019.
After starting his professional career with the Liiga’s KalPa back in the 2015-16 season, Leskinen would develop into an adept puck-moving defender over the next few years before signing with Montreal. Leskinen would spend most of his time in the Canadiens organization with the AHL’s Laval Rocket but did appear in six NHL games in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
His attempt to get some more NHL games under his belt wasn’t successful. Leskinen suited up in just 24 games for the Rocket in 2022-23 before undergoing season-ending hip surgery, recording a goal and seven assists. He now returns to Tappara, where he recorded a combined 18 points in 25 games across the regular season and playoffs in 2021-22 en route to a Liiga championship.
With Leskinen back in the fold, Tappara will now look to challenge for a third straight championship in 2024. They’re on one of the most impressive contention runs of any professional team in hockey, having made it to at least the bronze medal game in the Liiga in every season since 2012-13, including nine championship appearances (five wins, four losses).
Wild Notes: Gustavsson, Reaves, Goligoski
This is an offseason full of questions for the Minnesota Wild. A team perenially on the verge of taking the next step has now lost seven straight playoff series, and they enter the 2023-24 landscape with only $8.23MM in projected cap space and multiple players to sign.
Wild general manager Bill Guerin spoke with The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Joe Smith on the unique challenges brought in by their cap situation and commented on the futures of multiple players, including breakout netminder Filip Gustavsson. The 24-year-old Swede will undoubtedly receive some Vezina Trophy votes after posting a .931 save percentage in 37 starts, but he’s also a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights. Guerin told Russo and Smith “there’s always challenges” when it comes to locking in contracts on a team without much maneuverability, but said talks with Gustavsson would start “very, very soon” and he’s confident they’ll reach an agreement.
Other notes from Guerin’s interview with Russo and Smith:
- Guerin highlighted Ryan Reaves as one of the unrestricted free agents he’s focused on retaining this summer. After an early-season trade from the New York Rangers, Guerin said he was impressed with Reaves’ on-ice and off-ice presence, viewing him as integral to the team’s locker room chemistry. Reaves scored 15 points in 61 games this season with Minnesota, his highest scoring total since the 2019-20 season with the Vegas Golden Knights. He’ll need to take a discount on his previous $1.75MM cap hit to stay in a Wild uniform.
- One player who’s not a pending free agent is defenseman Alex Goligoski, but Guerin said he’ll still sit down and have a talk with the veteran defenseman about his future. Locked in through next season with a no-movement clause and a $2MM cap hit, Goligoski, 37, oftentimes found himself as a healthy scratch this season, including in all six playoff games. If he’d be open to a trade somewhere else for more playing time in likely his last NHL season, it would free up some much-needed cap space for the Wild.
Jared McCann Will Be Game-Time Decision For Game 4
The Seattle Kraken are in position to take a stranglehold on the Dallas Stars tonight in their Second Round series, with a win giving them a 3-1 series lead. In their quest to do so, they may have regular-season goal-scoring leader Jared McCann back in the fold. Head coach Dave Hakstol would not confirm McCann’s Game 4 availability but told reporters he’d “probably” take warmups.
McCann has been out of the lineup since Game 4 of the First Round, taking a late hit from Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar which resulted in a one-game suspension. His return to the lineup could provide a potent boost to a team that lit the lamp seven times in Game 3, giving them yet another offensive weapon for Stars netminder Jake Oettinger to worry about.
The 26-year-old McCann did have just one assist in three-and-a-half playoff games against Colorado but led the Kraken in scoring with 40 goals and 70 points during the regular season. While rookie Tye Kartye has done well in McCann’s place, NHL experience tends to win out as the games get harder.
The Kraken will, however, be without forward Daniel Sprong tonight, as reported earlier.
NHL Announces 2023 King Clancy Memorial Trophy Nominees
In an announcement made Tuesday afternoon, the NHL unveiled the list of nominees for the 2023 King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The award is presented annually to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities both on and off the ice, as well as making a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to their community.
The list of nominees for this year’s award is an impressive one, featuring some of the league’s most well-respected captains, such as Boston’s Patrice Bergeron and Florida’s Aleksander Barkov.
One notable nominee is one of the youngest captains in the league – Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk. Tkachuk, in a few short years as a Senator, has already implanted himself in the community, especially in recent seasons. Working with the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, Tkachuk hosts the ‘Tkachuk’s Captains’ program, which works with kids at club locations across Ottawa to help develop leadership skills.
That’s not to diminish the off-ice efforts of anyone else named on the full list of nominees, found below. While an often-overlooked award, it’s a great way to highlight some players who focus on making positive contributions to their communities.
Anaheim: Kevin Shattenkirk
Arizona: Travis Boyd
Boston: Patrice Bergeron
Buffalo: Alex Tuch
Calgary: Mikael Backlund
Carolina: Jordan Staal
Chicago: Connor Murphy
Colorado: Devon Toews
Columbus: Zach Werenski
Dallas: Jason Robertson
Detroit: Dylan Larkin
Edmonton: Darnell Nurse
Florida: Aleksander Barkov
Los Angeles: Mikey Anderson
Minnesota: Matt Dumba
Montreal: Jordan Harris
Nashville: Juuse Saros
New Jersey: Jack Hughes
NY Islanders: Anders Lee
NY Rangers: Jacob Trouba
Ottawa: Brady Tkachuk
Philadelphia: Scott Laughton
Pittsburgh: Evgeni Malkin
San Jose: Luke Kunin
Seattle: Chris Driedger
St. Louis: Brayden Schenn
Tampa Bay: Victor Hedman
Toronto: Morgan Rielly
Vancouver: Elias Pettersson
Vegas: Reilly Smith
Washington: Tom Wilson
Winnipeg: Blake Wheeler
New York Rangers Expected To Make More Coaching Changes
The New York Rangers are making more modifications to their coaching staff after parting ways with head coach Gerard Gallant, says The New York Post’s Larry Brooks. The Rangers are expected to relieve assistants Mike Kelly and Jim Midgley of their duties, while assistant Gord Murphy will remain on staff pending the determination of their next head coach.
This latest move comes after the Rangers finished the 2022-23 season by losing their First Round series against the New Jersey Devils in seven games despite holding a 2-0 lead in the series. The decision to part ways with Gallant came as a surprise to many, as he had been with the team for two successful regular seasons, but multiple reports later said exit interviews with Rangers players weren’t kind to Gallant.
The Rangers will now make some deeper structural changes behind the bench as they look to revamp their coaching staff. Kelly, who worked with Gallant during his times with the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights, heads to the open market with 10 years of experience as an NHL assistant. Midgley, 45, had been with the Rangers since Gallant’s hiring in 2021 but has no previous NHL coaching experience.
Murphy, who also spent the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons as an associate coach with the Rangers’ AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, remains in the fold for now.
Jonas Johansson Signs In Sweden
After six full seasons stateside, Colorado Avalanche pending free agent netminder Jonas Johansson is opting to return home. The 27-year-old has signed a two-year contract with Färjestad BK of the SHL, according to a team announcement Tuesday.
Johansson was originally a member of the Buffalo Sabres, drafted by them in the third round of the 2014 NHL Draft. After multiple years in the minors, he was traded to the Avalanche in March 2021 and appeared in nine games with the team during the 2020-21 season. Since then, he’s stayed mostly in the Colorado organization, aside from a brief stint with the Florida Panthers in 2021-22 after they claimed him on waivers.
This past season was Johansson’s best professionally by a country mile. He played in 26 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, his most with a single team in a single season since he played 27 with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones in 2018-19. He did well there, recording a .920 save percentage and a 14-9-2 record. In three appearances with Colorado this season, he posted a .932 save percentage and 2-0-0 record.
Still, with Johansson tossed around between leagues constantly over the past few seasons, it’s no surprise he’s opted for stability in the SHL. A return to North America isn’t out of the question upon expiration of his contract, though, as Johansson said in a translated statement:
The dream of the NHL will always live on as long as you play, I think. But at this stage in life, it feels good to be able to come home and play. A little closer to friends and family and get to experience Swedish hockey again. It will be a lot of fun.
Färjestad BK is one of the most successful teams in the SHL, having won 10 SHL/Elitserien championships in its history. The team finished in third place during the 2022-23 season but was upset by Frölunda HC in a seven-game quarterfinal series.
Johansson is currently the only goaltender on the Färjestad roster for 2023-24, and he’s likely the starter based on his recent play in the minors and extensive professional experience.
If Johansson does finish out his pro career in Sweden rather than returning to North America, he wraps up his NHL career with an 11-13-4 record in 35 games, posting one shutout, a 3.35 goals-against average, and .886 save percentage.
Gabriel Landeskog Unlikely To Play Next Season
The Colorado Avalanche announced today that captain Gabriel Landeskog will undergo a cartilage transplant in his right knee, likely causing him to miss the entire 2023-24 season.
This is a devastating blow for the Avalanche, who hoped to have their leader back on the ice for the upcoming season. Landeskog missed the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign due to a previous knee injury dating back to the season prior when Landeskog and his Avalanche lifted the Stanley Cup.
Colorado felt Landeskog’s absence deeply this season. Combined with other rashes of injuries, Colorado was plagued with inconsistency but seemed to get hot at the right time going into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Without Landeskog (and eventually Valeri Nichushkin) in the fold, though, the Avalanche’s depth couldn’t keep up, and they were eliminated by the Seattle Kraken in a seven-game First Round series.
The decision to undergo a cartilage transplant is a serious one, and it’s clear that Landeskog and the Avalanche are taking a cautious approach to his recovery. The procedure is a substitute for a joint replacement, involving a lab process where biopsied cartilage is allowed to grow and multiply before being inserted into the knee.
Despite the on-ice setback for Colorado, the team now knows Landeskog’s $7MM cap hit can remain on long-term injured reserve next season, giving them ample breathing room to make needed additions to their forward corps.
Off the ice, the focus now shifts to Landeskog’s long-term health in a personal sense, not just on the ice. Chronic knee pain is evidently becoming a serious issue in Landeskog’s life, and the team is inarguably making the right choice by supporting procedures such as this that prioritize Landeskog’s long-term comfort.
At this point in his career, Landeskog has skated in 738 regular-season and 69 playoff games, all with Colorado. He recorded 22 points in 20 games and a league-leading +15 rating en route to 2022’s Stanley Cup win and has amassed 248 goals and 571 points in his regular-season career.
Sweden Announces 2023 World Championship Roster
Sweden has revealed its roster for the upcoming 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship, and it’s filled with an impressive mix of NHL players, high-end SHL players, and young prospects. The team is hoping to bring in Sweden’s first medal at the tournament since winning back-to-back golds in 2017 and 2018.
Headlining the roster are some prominent NHLers, including seasoned veteran Jakob Silfverberg and younger players like Lucas Raymond, Jonatan Berggren, and Fabian Zetterlund. For Silfverberg, who’s rumored to return to Sweden after his current contract with the Anaheim Ducks expires, this is his first appearance at the Worlds in over a decade. There’s also top 2023 NHL Draft prospect Leo Carlsson, who could see his name called as early as third overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets after spending the entire season up in the SHL with Örebro HK.
On the blue line, Sweden is led by a pair of longtime NHLers in Christian Folin and Patrik Nemeth, but their best defender is undoubtedly Washington Capitals youngster Rasmus Sandin. Others, such as three-time Swiss league defenseman of the year Henrik Tömmernes, provide some valuable depth.
In net, Sweden will be relying on a trio of capable goaltenders led by one of the best prospects in the world – Jesper Wallstedt. The Minnesota Wild prospect posted a .908 save percentage in 38 games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild and put up a .940 mark in international play for Sweden last year at the World Junior Championship. If Wallstedt doesn’t run away with the crease, there’s a high-end second option in SHL and KHL veteran Lars Johansson, who recorded a sparkling .958 save percentage for Sweden at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
The full roster can be found below:
F Pär Lindholm
F Dennis Everberg
F Marcus Sorensen
F Andre Petersson
F Leo Carlsson
F Lucas Raymond
F Oscar Lindberg
F Jakob Silfverberg
F Jonatan Berggren
F Fabian Zetterlund
F Linus Johansson
F Carl Grundström
F Jacob de La Rose
F Alexander Nylander
D Christian Folin
D Henrik Tömmernes
D Patrik Nemeth
D Lukas Bengtsson
D Rasmus Sandin
D Anton Lindholm
D Jonathan Pudas
D Joel Persson
G Jesper Wallstedt
G Lars Johansson
G Jacob Johansson
Snapshots: Heiskanen, Raanta, Bertuzzi
Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen was involved in a scary play in last night’s Game 3 loss to the Seattle Kraken, taking a puck to the face in a bad spot. In some positive news, though, head coach Peter DeBoer spoke to reporters, including The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf, today and offered an update on Heiskanen’s condition, labeling him day-to-day.
“He’s here with the group. Obviously a pretty bad cut,” DeBoer said. “I would call him day to day. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. 24 hours makes a big difference with those types of things.” Fortunately, DeBoer also clarified Heiskanen is not in concussion protocol. It’s great news for Dallas, who needs to rebound after getting dominated by the Kraken last night, although goaltending is mostly to blame. The 23-year-old Heiskanen has seven assists in nine playoff games, tied for third on the team in postseason points.
More from around the NHL today:
- Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta returned to the ice for practice today after missing Games 2 and 3 of the team’s Second Round series against the New Jersey Devils with an illness. NHL.com’s Dan Rosen reported that Raanta participated in the team’s practice, along with current starter Frederik Andersen and third-string netminder Pyotr Kochetkov. Raanta played the first five games of the postseason for Carolina, helping them jump out a 3-2 series lead against the New York Islanders in Round One before Andersen came in to clinch the series.
- Tyler Bertuzzi‘s agent, Todd Reynolds, has not had any talks with the Boston Bruins regarding his client’s future, according to a tweet from Matt Porter of the Boston Globe. In a text message, Reynolds stated that Bertuzzi was “very positive” about his time with the Bruins and would be open to staying, although the stress of cap implications for the Bruins makes it seem unlikely. Bertuzzi tied for the team lead in playoff scoring with 10 points in seven games in their First Round loss to the Florida Panthers.
St. Louis Blues Sign André Heim
The St. Louis Blues signed undrafted free agent forward André Heim to a one-year entry-level contract Monday, per a media release. Heim, who plays both center and wing, has played the past six seasons in the Swiss National League.
St. Louis did not disclose the financial term of Heim’s one-year pact, although it will be a two-way contract. The 25-year-old was nearing the end of his eligibility to sign an entry-level deal and will be a restricted free agent in 2024.
Heim spent the past two seasons with HC Ambrì-Piotta, seeing a much larger role than in previous seasons with SC Bern. In 2022-23, Heim was an alternate captain for the Swiss club and posted 12 goals, 19 assists, 31 points, and a +10 rating in 42 regular-season games. While his team didn’t qualify for the postseason, he did win the Spengler Cup tournament with Ambrì-Piotta, scoring a goal and an assist in four games.