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Detroit Red Wings Acquire Ville Husso

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The Detroit Red Wings have decided to bring in another goalie, acquiring Ville Husso from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a third-round pick in today’s draft. The team then quickly signed Husso to a three-year extension, keeping him from unrestricted free agency next week. The deal will carry an average annual value of $4.75MM.

The Red Wings, who have Alex Nedeljkovic coming off an inconsistent season and signed for just one more year, needed another goaltender if they want to be competitive in the Atlantic Division this season. By acquiring Husso, they’ve grabbed one of the top options on the market.

Already an extremely shallow pool, the group of free agent goaltenders is getting smaller by the minute. Husso and Marc-Andre Fleury are now off the market, while Alexandar Georgiev is no longer expected to join them after being traded to the Colorado Avalanche. It leaves Darcy Kuemper and Jack Campbell in line for a big payday, as the two remaining options that could be considered starting goaltenders.

Husso, 27, had been considered a top goaltending prospect for years but it took until the 2021-22 season for him to get a real opportunity in the NHL. He ran with it, posting a .919 save percentage in 40 games and essentially stealing the starter’s role from Jordan Binnington. In his first taste of playoff action, he faltered and gave that job right back but the Finnish netminder has still shown he can be a strong option at the NHL level.

With Nedeljkovic, who has also shown flashes of brilliance over his relatively short NHL career, the Red Wings have a young, competitive tandem that should push each other for playing time this season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Philadelphia Flyers Select Cutter Gauthier Fifth Overall

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One of the best fits heading into the draft seemed like the Philadelphia Flyers and Cutter Gauthier, and it worked out for both sides. The big winger–who will be transitioning to center for Boston College–goes fifth overall.

If Gauthier can handle that transition, this could be a huge upside play for the Flyers. Finding centers this big, fast, and skilled is almost impossible outside of the draft, and rare to find even there.

The USNTDP standout is headed the college route and won’t be joining them in the fall but could be a one-and-done player for BC. Philadelphia has been clear that they don’t want a full rebuild, meaning waiting multiple years for their top pick might not be ideal.

Seattle Kraken Select Shane Wright Fourth Overall

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When the Seattle Kraken arrived in Montreal, they probably didn’t think they would be making this pick. Shane Wright is the fourth-overall selection and will join the NHL’s newest franchise.

Captain of the Kingston Frontenacs, Wright is coming off a season in which he scored 32 goals and 94 points in 63 games, an impressive total considering he started slow after missing the entire 2020-21 campaign when the OHL canceled the season because of COVID-19 restrictions.

It was in late 2018 that Wright applied for CHL exceptional status, which would allow him to enter the major junior league a year early. He wouldn’t turn 15 for another month, and wouldn’t be granted the status for another three, but there was already a momentum growing for the young center from Burlington, Ontario.

When he was just 13, top NHL player agents had lined up to advise him through the process, knowing that there was a potential star in the making. By the time he made his OHL debut in the 2019-20 season, he was already the odds-on favorite for the top spot in 2022, and he didn’t disappoint. As a rookie, he not only scored 39 goals in 58 games, snapping the puck past goaltenders from all angles but Wright was also named an alternate captain for Kingston, the youngest in team history.

The scene was set for him to follow in the footsteps of other exceptional players, including Connor McDavid, John Tavares, and Aaron Ekblad, who had all been taken at the top of their respective drafts as well. When he was granted the status, he was still comparing himself to Mathew Barzal, focusing on the offensive abilities of the New York Islanders star. Today, he says he would rather model his game after Patrice Bergeron, with defensive ability and the “details” of the game ranking just as importantly.

Having dropped to Seattle, general manager Ron Francis will happily snap up the top prospect and give him the chance to pair with Matty Beniers down the middle to prove those three teams wrong.

Arizona Coyotes Select Logan Cooley Third Overall

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With a chance to kickstart their rebuild with seven picks in the first two rounds, the Arizona Coyotes got things started with USNTDP standout Logan Cooley. The shifty center may be the most skilled player in the entire draft, capable of weaving between defenders with speed, creating space with his incredible edgework, or using his quick hands to finish close to the net.

There are some who believe Cooley might have the highest upside out of anyone available today, giving the Coyotes a potential franchise center to build around as they go through their ASU transition period.

Notably, Cooley isn’t headed directly to the NHL, as he is committed to the University of Minnesota for next season, where he’ll join a powerhouse program that should be in contention for the national championship. For Arizona, delaying his entry into the league actually might make some sense, as they continue to collect draft picks over the next few years.

There has been some debate over whether Cooley’s size–he measured 5’10.5″, 180 lbs at the combine–will hold him back at the professional level, but there’s no denying the upside in his offensive game. The thing that made some people believe Cooley should go even higher than this–some had him at the very top of their board–is that it’s not all offense; the Pittsburgh native is a tenacious backchecker that can make an impact all over the ice.

For Arizona, who have two more first-round selections tonight and four more second-round picks tomorrow, Cooley will be at the head of a huge influx of talent over the next few years. The team has barely any players signed long-term, more trades coming for the ones that are, and a brand new identity to be forged as they prepare for a new Tempe arena. The young center is the first true building block for that identity.

New Jersey Devils Select Simon Nemec Second Overall

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It’s a clean sweep of the top two spots for Slovakia. After watching Juraj Slafkovsky go first overall, the New Jersey Devils strode to the podium and picked countryman Simon Nemec second, grabbing the defenseman they so desperately wanted.

If you wanted to pick a defenseman that screamed “modern hockey” it is Nemec, who floats around the ice creating offense whenever he touches the puck. Already a star in the Slovakian league, he represents that top-pairing, right-handed shot defenseman that is so highly sought after in the NHL.

Another member of the bronze medal-winning Slovakian Olympic team, and this year’s World Championship club, Nemec is closer to the NHL than most defensemen drafted out of Europe. He’s already proven his skill at a high level and could step into the league within just a few years.

In New Jersey, he’ll join a group of talented young players that is growing quickly and will help make the organization an interesting contender down the road.

Montreal Canadiens Select Juraj Slafkovsky First Overall

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After refusing to reveal their selection all week, the Montreal Canadiens have decided to pick a player that only recently climbed into the top spot on most prospect lists. Juraj Slafkovsky is joining the historic franchise, beating out Shane Wright and Logan Cooley for the top spot after months of speculation.

In January, Bob McKenzie’s scout poll for TSN had Slafkovsky ranked fifth–a very good player but still far from the very top. At the Olympics in February, however, things started to change. Dragging his country to its first-ever medal in hockey, Slafkovsky was a force, scoring seven goals in seven games to lead the tournament. He would be named MVP, and suddenly it was easy to imagine how he could perform at the NHL level.

A few months later, he did it again at the World Championship, this time scoring nine points in eight games just two months after his 18th birthday, at a tournament that included even more NHL talent. His performance at these events, plus strong play in the Liiga playoffs for TPS, have pushed Slafkovsky right to the top of the wishlist for many teams.

The impressive part of his game is how it already appears he has full control of his 6’4″ frame, using it to shield the puck from defenders or drive the net to finish plays. So often, young players his size appear out of control, needing time to grow into their abilities and might take longer to develop than some of their peers. That’s not the case for Slafkovsky, who will likely step directly into an NHL lineup and be difficult to handle.

In Montreal, he’ll join an exciting young core centered around Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, who could very well be his linemates for years to come. With another pick later in the first round and 12 more picks tomorrow, the Canadiens will have a huge influx of talent this year, led by the big Slovakian winger.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Dylan Strome Not Expected To Receive Qualifying Offer

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In the ongoing Chicago Blackhawks teardown, another young(ish) forward is about to walk out the door. Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that Dylan Strome is not expected to receive a qualifying offer next week, which would make him an unrestricted free agent. The deadline to submit qualifying offers is July 11.

For those who have watched Strome’s up-and-down tenure with the Blackhawks since arriving in 2018, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. The team has been trying to trade the center for quite some time, even despite his strong offensive production in the back half of this season.

Strome, 25, would be an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent if the Blackhawks did extend him the $3.6MM qualifying offer he would need, making him a pricey asset. That is the same number that any acquiring team would need to hand out, which may explain why no one would want to give up a prime asset for him at this point–especially knowing that Chicago will likely be walking away.

His addition to the free agent pool is interesting though, as Strome has always shown great offensive ability. Even this year, between stints in the press box as a healthy scratch, he managed to rack up 22 goals and 48 points in 69 games. It’s the rest of his game that has been criticized since he entered the league and the thing that has kept him from fulfilling the promise he once held as the third-overall pick in 2015. The Blackhawks basically refused to start him in the defensive zone this year, with only Patrick Kane and Erik Gustafsson receiving a higher percentage of offensive zone starts.

Still, for a team that is desperate for offense, there’s little doubt that he can provide it. In 225 games for Chicago, Strome racked up 60 goals and 154 points, an 82-game rate that would result in 22 goals and 56 points. In other situations, he might be looking at a long-term extension with a big dollar figure, instead of being cut loose without a qualifying offer.

Chicago Blackhawks Listening On Kirby Dach

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The Chicago Blackhawks are open to just about anything this offseason. Having already traded Brandon Hagel, they are now expected to move Alex DeBrincat at some point and are also listening to offers for Kirby Dach, according to Scott Powers of The Athletic. It would appear as though no player is safe, regardless of age or draft pedigree.

Dach, 21, was the third-overall pick just three years ago, selected behind Kaapo Kakko and ahead of Bowen Byram. The young center has gone through several injuries, leading to just 59 points in his first 152 games. This season was especially disappointing for Dach, who scored just nine goals and saw his ice time drop significantly by the end of the year.

Powers suggests that the Blackhawks are looking for a top-15 pick in any deal, as they continue to tear down the organization in one of the most dramatic rebuilds the league has seen in a while. Hagel (23), DeBrincat (24), and Dach would normally be considered the pieces to build around but general manager Kyle Davidson obviously has a different opinion, at least if he can get enough value back in trade.

There is certainly reason to be down on Dach, but for some teams, he might appear to be the perfect buy-low candidate. There is still real upside to his game, and as a restricted free agent without any arbitration rights, this summer is at the mercy of whatever team holds his rights. There is little leverage that Dach could use to land an expensive deal, meaning there is at least the opportunity–slim as it may be–for a huge amount of excess value as soon as next season.

For contending clubs and ones a little further along in their rebuild, that might be a very appealing prospect.

Edmonton Oilers Promote Brad Holland

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The Edmonton Oilers have updated the status of several members of the front office and coaching staff, confirming that Glen Gulutzan, Dave Manson, Dustin Schwartz, Jeremy Coupal, and Keith Gretzky will all be returning to their current positions. Changes include Noah Segall being promoted to video coordinator from the AHL club, and Brad Holland being named assistant general manager.

Holland’s promotion is the headline, not only because of his obvious ties to Oilers general manager Ken Holland (his father) but also the fact that he had been chased by other organizations this summer. Chris Johnston of TSN and Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff both tweeted that there was significant interest from other teams.

The 41-year-old AGM joined the Oilers in 2019 as a pro scout and has a history that includes stops with the NHL’s hockey operations department and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Retaining Gulutzan and Manson is also an important distinction, as Jay Woodcroft enters his first full season with the club after seeing the interim tag removed this summer. The assistant coaches can help the rookie head coach navigate the waters as the Oilers attempt to go on another deep playoff run. Manson, who came up with Woodcroft from the AHL, will also be in his first full season behind an NHL bench, though he sat on it for more than 1,100 games as a player.

Wayne Gretzky Purchases Minority Stake In Niagara IceDogs

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The sale of the Niagara IceDogs has been unanimously approved by the OHL’s board of governors, transferring ownership from Bill and Denise Burke to a group that includes Wayne Gretzky. The majority owner will be Darren DeDobbelaer, a long-time minor hockey executive that also owns OJHL and GOJHL clubs in Brantford.

Gretzky (also from Brantford, a city about an hour west of St. Catharines, where the IceDogs play) released the following statement:

I’m really excited about being back in junior hockey and have always loved it. To be partnered with a fellow friend from Brantford is so exciting for all of us and we can’t wait to get started.

The sale follows 15 years of ownership by the Burkes but also serious suspensions handed out in April to general manager Joey Burke and head coach Billy Burke, for inappropriate comments made in a group messaging conversation. The two were banned from the league until June 1, 2024, when they could apply for reinstatement. Niagara was also fined $150,000 for the incident.

The IceDogs have experienced two losing seasons in a row (sandwiched around the canceled 2020-21 campaign) but have some promising young players that could help turn things around in the next few years.

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