USA Hockey Announces 2022 World Championship Coaching Staff
The IIHF World Championship will begin next month in Finland, and former New York Rangers head coach David Quinn is set to lead the U.S. squad. Today, his staff has been announced, with Jeff Blashill of the Detroit Red Wings, Don Granato of the Buffalo Sabres, and Mike Hastings from Minnesota State University joining as assistants.
Blashill, head coach of the Red Wings for the last seven years, was actually head coach of the men’s national team at three previous World Championships. He also has experience with USA Hockey at the U18 and U20 levels and stops in both the AHL and NCAA. Several players that he is familiar with, including most prominently Dylan Larkin, could be in play for the U.S. at the event, as the Red Wings are set to miss the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.
Granato, who took over as the head coach of the Sabres last season, has received many accolades for his work turning the team around. While they won’t reach the playoffs this year, huge developmental steps have been taken from several players. One of those is Tage Thompson, who could play a significant role if selected for the U.S. squad, along with several of his Sabres teammates.
Hastings meanwhile is the lone assistant from outside of the NHL, coming to the Worlds after leading his Minnesota State Mavericks all the way to the national championship game this year. Hastings has been with the program for a decade and helped turn it into one of the most dominant teams in the NCAA, posting winning percentages above .800 in each of the last three years. Nathan Smith, the Mavericks standout who recently debuted with the Arizona Coyotes seems a likely candidate for the team if they so choose, after his outstanding junior season. Dryden McKay, winner of the Hobey Baker and a Mavericks legend, could also be in the mix, depending on the team’s goaltending situation.
The tournament begins on May 13 in Tampere and Helsinki.
Detroit Red Wings Sign Magnus Hellberg
April 14: Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Hellberg has indeed cleared waivers and can now join Detroit for the last few games of the regular season.
April 13: The goaltending for the Detroit Red Wings hasn’t really been up to snuff this season, with 26-year-old Alex Nedeljkovic posting a .900 save percentage in 53 appearances. That’s what makes today’s signing of Magnus Hellberg so interesting. Hellberg has signed a one-year contract. CapFriendly reports that the contract is for this season and includes an $800,000 salary, He now has to clear waivers in order to be eligible to play for the Red Wings down the stretch, and then would be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
This makes things very interesting in Detroit’s crease. Hellberg, 31, was a second-round pick of the Nashville Predators in 2011 who had a few cups of coffee in the NHL before leaving for the KHL in 2017. Over the last five seasons he has posted very strong numbers there, registering a .927 save percentage in 169 KHL contests. Add in a .940 in 22 playoff appearances, a World Championship gold medal and a recent Olympic appearance for Sweden, and Hellberg’s resume is pretty impressive.
He could potentially take the spot of Thomas Greiss, who is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and offer a potential tandem option for Nedeljkovic who is set to become a UFA in the summer of 2023. The Red Wings have Sebastian Cossa on his way, but the first-round pick is still just 19 and still a ways off being an NHL starter.
Hellberg at the very least offers them a depth piece for the organization as they try to transition from rebuilding to contending, and an experienced one at that. The fact that he is 6’6″ and fills nearly the entire net certainly doesn’t hurt.
San Jose Sharks Sign Max Veronneau
The San Jose Sharks have signed Max Veronneau to a one-year contract, bringing him back to North America after two seasons overseas. The financial details were not released by the team but Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group reports that the two-way deal has an NHL salary of $750K. PuckPedia provides even more details, confirming that the deal is for 2022-23 and includes a minor league guarantee of $400K.
Shin Larsson, the Sharks supervisor of European scouting, released a statement on the deal:
Max had a great season this year in Europe, leading the Swedish Hockey League in goals and being named the SHL’s Most Valuable Player. He has produced at every level offensively and previously was an ECAC Champion with Princeton. We look forward to him joining our organization.
Veronneau, 26, certainly did have a great season in the SHL. In 51 games he scored 34 goals and 60 points, showing just why he was so coveted out of Princeton University in 2019. At that time, he was one of the top undrafted free agent targets for several NHL teams and ended up signing a two-year entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators. After two frustratingly inconsistent years, which included a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs just weeks before professional sports shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Veronneau was left unqualified and became an unrestricted free agent once again.
After spending last season with Oskarshamn IK in the SHL, this year he moved to Leksands where he dominated the league in almost every offensive category. His return represents an interesting lottery ticket for the Sharks, and at the very worst a strong contributor for the San Jose Barracuda.
Strauss Mann Leaving Skelleftea, Becomes Free Agent
When the U.S. Olympic hockey roster was revealed, a few eyebrows were raised at the goaltending position. Drew Commesso, a top prospect for the Chicago Blackhawks and recent starter at the World Juniors was included, alongside veteran minor leaguer Pat Nagle. The prospective Olympic starter, though, was Strauss Mann, a name that wasn’t so familiar to NHL or even AHL fans.
Mann, 23, had been a star at the University of Michigan previously, even captaining the squad in the shortened 2020-21 season. But he was undrafted and had left North America to play in Sweden, where he was part of Skelleftea AIK. The young netminder ended up splitting time at the Olympics with Commesso, putting up a .945 save percentage in his Team USA debut, and finished the year in the SHL with a .914 save percentage in 22 appearances.
Eliminated from the playoffs rather quickly, Skelleftea has now announced that Mann–along with several others, including the recently-signed Adam Wilsby and former NHL forward Jayce Hawryluk–will not be returning for 2022-23, making him an unrestricted free agent once again. Mann can now sign an entry-level contract with an NHL team, should there be interest in his services, or try his hand at the minor league level.
If he does end up landing an NHL contract for 2022-23, it would be a one-year deal, as Mann will turn 24 in August. While he doesn’t have the prototypical NHL frame, standing just 6’0″, there has been a shift toward accepting undersized (or at least non-gigantic) goaltenders of late. Mann’s success overseas and at the Olympics certainly has put him on the radar of some professional organizations in North America, so it will be interesting to see where he lands next.
AHL Shuffle: 04/14/22
The NHL schedule is jam-packed with action these days, and tonight is no different. Twenty-four of the league’s teams are in action, including some incredibly important Western Conference matchups. The Dallas Stars welcome in the Minnesota Wild in a game that will break at least one Central Division streak–each of the top six teams in that division are currently on winning streaks–while the Pacific-leading Calgary Flames say hello to the Vegas Golden Knights in a potential first-round preview. As they and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling:
Atlantic Division
Metropolitan Division
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned Jake Christiansen to the minor leagues, ending his short run with the team. The 22-year-old defenseman has played in eight games for the team this season, recording his first NHL goal. In his last appearance, he saw just five shifts and 3:45 of ice time.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have returned Tanner Laczynski and Felix Sandstrom to the minor leagues, following the latter’s strong performance last night. In just his second game at the NHL level, and behind a Flyers team that is now near the very bottom of the league standings, Sandstrom stopped 30 of 33 shots. He now has a
Central Division
- The Nashville Predators have recalled Cody Glass, adding the young forward for the stretch run. Glass, 23, has been exceptional for the Milwaukee Admirals, scoring 60 points in 63 games this season. Selected sixth overall in 2017, he has played in 70 NHL games to this point.
- Connor Dewar has been recalled by the Minnesota Wild, giving them another body for tonight’s game. The young forward has five points in 30 games this season with Minnesota–and 17 in 19 games with the Iowa Wild.
Pacific Division
- Juuso Valimaki is on his way back to the AHL, sent to the Stockton Heat after his short recall. Valimaki has played just nine games at the NHL level this season, and just two since October.
This page is updated throughout the day
Robert Mastrosimone Enters Transfer Portal
If Detroit Red Wings fans were hoping to sign Robert Mastrosimone to an entry-level contract this spring after his junior season at Boston University, it looks like they will be disappointed. According to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald, Mastrosimone has entered the transfer portal and will change schools.
Importantly, Mastrosimone’s rights are only held by the Red Wings through August 15, 2023. At that point he could become an unrestricted free agent and sign anywhere in the league. Originally selected 54th overall by the Red Wings in 2019, he has spent the last three seasons at BU, including putting up 25 points in 34 games this season.
The school recently fired head coach Albie O’Connell after a dreadful season and will now lose one of their best players. Mastrosimone was third on the team in scoring and was one of the few pure goal-scorers in the group. His departure may leave room for players like Montreal Canadiens draft pick Luke Tuch to step up, though it certainly won’t improve the overall depth of the program.
For Mastrosimone in particular, a transfer to a program with its sights set on a National Championship certainly could improve his stock if he’s looking to become a UFA next summer or even if he’s still committed to Detroit. Of note is that he will not have to sit out a year like under old transfer rules; Mastrosimone is allowed to transfer once and still be eligible to play the following season.
Snapshots: Kravtsov, Wallmark, Celebrini
The New York Rangers are primed for a legitimate Stanley Cup run, but it appears as though their malcontent prospect will not be joining them. Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that instead of joining the Rangers for the playoff run, Vitali Kravtsov will begin his offseason training regimen in Russia, with the plan of arriving in New York well ahead of training camp.
Kravtsov, who requested a trade and basically forced his way back to the KHL for this entire season rather than play in the minor leagues, was eliminated from the KHL playoffs this week when Traktor Chelyabinsk fell to Metallurg Magnitogorsk. The 22-year-old forward is a restricted free agent this summer and would need a new contract if he’s to play in New York next season.
- Earlier this month, both Lucas Wallmark and Joakim Nordstrom terminated their contracts in the KHL because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Their agent, Claes Elefalk, told SVT Sport that the two left “substantial amounts” on the table by terminating contracts that would have originally kept them in Russia until May 2023. The pair of Swedes are obviously well known to NHL fans, who watched Wallmark play nearly 200 games with the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and Chicago Blackhawks, and Nordstrom play nearly 500 with the Blackhawks, Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, and Calgary Flames, before leaving for the KHL last summer. Both are now unrestricted free agents.
- Though he was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Macklin Celebrini ended up being drafted first overall by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the most recent WHL U.S. Prospect Draft, after playing parts of two seasons at the powerhouse Shattuck St. Mary’s prep academy in Minnesota. Celebrini put up incredible numbers this year for the program, scoring 50 goals and 117 points in just 52 games. Unfortunately for the Thunderbirds, it appears as though that pick was wasted (at least for now). Celebrini–a top prospect for the 2024 draft–has signed a tender agreement with the Chicago Steel of the USHL for the 2022-23 season. He will take the place of Chicago’s first-round pick in next month’s USHL draft, and will continue his development at another powerhouse program with the Steel.
Chicago Blackhawks Extend Reese Johnson
The Chicago Blackhawks have reached a two-year contract extension with Reese Johnson, signing him through the 2023-24 season. The deal comes with a cap hit of $800K, and means that the young forward will avoid restricted free agency for the time being. PuckPedia reports that the one-way deal carries a salary of $750,000 in year one and $850,000 in year two.
If there’s an opponent that Johnson doesn’t want to hit, he hasn’t found it yet. The 23-year-old forward has racked up 111 hits in just 28 games this season, his first semi-regular NHL campaign. Coming into the year he had seen just five games with the Blackhawks and was still looking for his first NHL point, and he now has six of those to his name, including one goal.
While he might not offer much offense, the undrafted free agent signing can certainly provide some energy and physicality in a fourth-line role, and now appears to be penciled into that spot for the next few years. With the Blackhawks starting into a full tear-down, and other players likely traded out this offseason, there may be a full-time opportunity coming down the pipe for Johnson and other cheap forwards like him. This deal avoids arbitration and locks him in through his age-25 season at a price barely above the league minimum.
That’s certainly some job security, especially given Johnson would have to pass through waivers in order to be assigned to the minor leagues starting next season. The two-year term on the deal likely helps him clear, should that be the Blackhawks’ plan at any point.
Jerry York Retires As Head Coach Of Boston College
The winningest coach in NCAA hockey history is hanging up his whistle. Jerry York, head coach of Boston College for the past 28 years, has announced his retirement. Director of Athletics Patrick Kraft released the following statement:
It is difficult to put into words all that Jerry York means to Boston College. His record as the winningest coach in NCAA men’s ice hockey and BC hockey speak for themselves, but it is his humility, decency, unwavering commitment to his players, fellow coaches, and all of us in the BC family, and the quiet ways in which he contributes to this community that make him so beloved. He is a legend and one of the classiest individuals to ever coach in college sports. It has been a joy to work with him, and on behalf of all of us in the BC community I wish him, Bobbie, and his entire family the very best in his retirement years.
In 1993, York left Bowling Green State for BC, and found a program that was in trouble. In the years since, he turned it into one of college hockey’s powerhouses, winning the national championship in 2001, 2008, 2010, and 2012. His team won the Hockey East Tournament nine times, and was named Hockey East Coach of the Year on five different occasions. Nearly countless NHL and AHL players have come through the BC program with York at its helm, including names like Johnny Gaudreau, Cam Atkinson, Kevin Hayes, Noah Hanifin, Chris Kreider, Alex Tuch, and many, many more. Jack McBain, who debuted last night for the Arizona Coyotes, is the latest product to hit NHL ice.
One of the most well-respected and well-liked coaches in all of North American hockey, York was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019 in the builder category, and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2020. There are few people who have had a bigger impact on the game in the U.S.
In his retirement, York explained that he told his coaches and players of his retirement today. It is based on a desire to “travel more with his wife, Bobbie, play golf for the first time during a weekend in the fall, spend more time with his family, and watch his two grandchildren play hockey, lacrosse, and soccer games in Pittsburgh.”
Colorado Avalanche Sign Ben Meyers
Arguably the top college free agent from this year’s crop was Minnesota captain Ben Meyers, and he has decided on where he’ll start his professional career. The Hobey Baker finalist has signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche which begins immediately, meaning he is eligible to play down the stretch but not in this year’s playoffs. The deal has a cap hit of $912,500, and the breakdown, per CapFriendly, is as follows:
2021-22: $807,500 base, $92,500 SB, $25,000 GP bonus
2022-23: $832,5000 base, $92,5000 SB, $212,500 Schedule ‘A’ bonus
Burning the first year of the contract is an obvious selling point for the 23-year-old Meyers, who will become a restricted free agent following the 2022-23 season. Undrafted, he spent three years with the Golden Gophers, becoming one of the most reliable offensive players in the country. In 34 games this season he racked up 17 goals and 41 points, while also being selected to participate in the Olympics for Team USA. On the international stage he was a clear standout, scoring two goals and four points in four games.
Along with Wyatt Aamodt, who signed with the Avalanche earlier this week, Colorado has now brought in two of the captains from this year’s Frozen Four. While Aamodt is more of a depth play, Meyers is a legitimate NHL option right away and was being courted by nearly the entire league. In fact, he could actually see action in the next few weeks despite not being eligible for the playoffs. Colorado has ten games left in the regular season and could slot Meyers into the lineup to help them chase down the Presidents’ Trophy, which brings guaranteed home ice throughout the postseason.
While he wouldn’t be considered a power forward exactly, standing 5’11” and weighing 194-lbs, Meyers is certainly not a perimeter player. Willing to fight through traffic, play in front of the net, and battle in the corners, he’s exactly the kind of player that quickly becomes a fan favorite. That’s exactly what happened in Minnesota, where the Delano native became an alternate captain as a sophomore and one of the most beloved players at the top program by his junior year.
A top-three finish for the Hobey Baker this season capped off an incredible year, though the Gophers would eventually fall to Aamodt and the Minnesota State Mavericks before reaching the NCAA Championship game. With NHL interest likely at an all-time high, it makes sense for him to capitalize on the market and sign with a top NHL team. The Avalanche, of course, have a whole litany of pending unrestricted free agents upfront and could have a number of spots open next season. Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky, Valeri Nichushkin, Darren Helm, Nico Sturm, and Andrew Cogliano are all set to hit the open market this summer, leaving an opportunity for a player like Meyers to grab a full-time spot.