Ryan Murphy Signs In AHL
A veteran NHL defenseman has returned from his sojourn in the KHL, as Ryan Murphy signs a one-year deal with the new Henderson Silver Knights for the 2020-21 season. The contract is of the AHL variety, meaning Murphy will not be able to be recalled to the Vegas Golden Knights.
A recall was always probably unlikely at this point in his career, given Murphy has just three NHL games under his belt since the 2017-18 season, but his presence does provide a certain stability for the Silver Knights as they head into their first season after relocation and rebranding. The 27-year old has suited up for 176 NHL games since being the 12th overall pick in 2011.
In 2019-20, Murphy played 56 games with Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik in the KHL, recording 23 points. There is a chance that at some point down the road he earns another NHL contract, but for now, he’ll just be a minor league leader.
Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag
The round-robin and qualification round is over and the real playoffs begin tomorrow in the NHL. Things got spicy over the last week, with upsets and comebacks galore. The draft lottery is tonight, where one of the eliminated teams will get the chance to grab the first-overall pick as a consolation prize. With 15 teams now watching from the (perhaps virtual) golf course, it’s time to run another PHR mailbag.
Our last mailbag was split into two parts, which you can read here and here. In the first, Brian tackled questions such as Jack Eichel‘s future in Buffalo and Lindy Ruff‘s new coaching gig. The second focused on team finances and the top NHL draft prospects.
You can submit a question by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below with the mailbag running on the weekend.
Snapshots: Hextall, Maple Leafs, QMJHL
The Philadelphia Flyers are roaring through the 2020 NHL postseason, winning all three of their round-robin games convincingly and downing the Montreal Canadiens in game one of their first-round series. The team, led by head coach Alain Vigneault and GM Chuck Fletcher looks poised for a long Stanley Cup run this summer, but neither man was part of the organization when the seeds of this group were sown.
A lot of that credit goes to former GM Ron Hextall, who spoke to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun about his time in Philadelphia and how his vision is now playing out. Interestingly, LeBrun notes at the end of the piece how Hextall is “ready for another crack at it” and points out that there is a vacancy in the Florida Panthers front office right now.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that Paul McFarland has now left the organization to take the head coaching job with the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL, something that had already been reported. New though was that they have also not renewed the contract of assistant coach Andrew Brewer, who had been with the club since 2015. Brewer, a video coach, has a long history with former Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock, who was let go earlier this season.
- Though the OHL and WHL have both indicated that they hope to start the 2020-21 season in December, the QMJHL is taking a different route. The other CHL league will begin to play on October 1 if all goes according to plan from here on out. Training camps are expected to start at the end of August with a 60-game regular season schedule planned.
Austin Czarnik Leaves Bubble
The Calgary Flames will be without Austin Czarnik for the next while. The forward has left the bubble in Edmonton to attend to a family matter. No timeline for his return has been issued, but he will be forced to quarantine for four days after coming back, providing four consecutive negative COVID-19 tests in the process.
Czarnik, 27, hasn’t played a game for the Flames yet this postseason and suited up just eight times in the regular season. His year was marred by injury and he spent a good chunk of the season in the minor leagues, scoring 33 points in 32 games for the Stockton Heat.
The Flames are tied with the Dallas Stars in their first-round playoff series after losing 5-4 last night.
Prospect Notes: O’Brien, Berni, Patera
Philadelphia Flyers draft pick Jay O’Brien will fulfill his commitment to Boston University, following a year in the BCHL as he sat out due to transfer rules. O’Brien struggled mightily in his first year of NCAA hockey with Providence College in 2018-19, scoring just five points in 25 games, but will try again after showing exactly why he was a first-round pick in 2018.
The 20-year old forward tied for fourth in BCHL scoring with 66 points in just 46 games, earning himself a first team All-Star selection in the process. While there is still a long way to go for O’Brien before he provides any kind of value for the Flyers, getting back into college hockey (whenever it happens) is a good step.
- Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Tim Berni will be playing in Switzerland for the next few months, after being loaned to the ZSC Lions for the time being. Berni will be allowed to return to North America for NHL training camp in November, though it is extremely unlikely at this point that he would make the Blue Jackets roster. The 20-year old was a sixth-round pick in 2018 but has played the last two full seasons in the NLA, recording 11 points in 45 games this year.
- Jiri Patera, who only signed his entry-level contract with the Vegas Golden Knights a little over a month ago, will begin the year in the Czech Republic with Motor Ceske Budejovice. The goaltending prospect put up a .921 save percentage for the Brandon Wheat Kings this season and will try to continue his development this season against professionals.
NHL Announces 2020 King Clancy Finalists
The NHL has announced the finalists for the 2020 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is presented “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.” Last year’s winner was Jason Zucker, then of the Minnesota Wild.
This year’s finalists are Matt Dumba of the Wild, Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers and P.K. Subban of the New Jersey Devils.
The selection committee, led by Gary Bettman and Bill Daly, consider the following criteria:
- Clear and measurable positive impact on the community
- Investment of time and resources
- Commitment to a particular cause or community
- Commitment to the League’s community initiatives
- Creativity of programming
- Use of influence; engagement of others
Full 2020 List Of Expiring NCAA Draft Rights
In a normal year, the middle of August usually represents the dullest time of the hockey calendar. Free agent frenzy is almost completely over, there are still a few weeks until training camp really gets underway and there isn’t even ice at many local rinks. 2020 is not a normal year.
This time around the NHL is playing multiple games every day, eliminated teams are preparing for a condensed offseason and Rod Brind’Amour is getting fined daily. Almost all of the regular dates on the NHL’s calendar have been shifted, but at least one threshold is about to pass normally. That’s the college signing deadline, when those drafted players who have spent four years in the NCAA but failed to sign an NHL entry-level contract can become free agents. These players will hit the open market if not signed by August 15th at 4pm CT.
CapFriendly as always has the full list:
Arizona Coyotes
Dean Stewart – 188th overall, 2016
Boston Bruins
Cameron Clarke – 136th overall, 2016
Carolina Hurricanes
Matt Filipe – 67th overall, 2016
Luke Martin – 52nd overall, 2017
Luke Stevens – 126th overall, 2015
Max Zimmer – 104th overall, 2016
Chicago Blackhawks
Ryan Shea – 121st overall, 2015
Colorado Avalanche
Cameron Morrison – 40th overall, 2016
Denis Smirnov – 156th overall, 2017
Columbus Blue Jackets
Carson Meyer – 179th overall, 2017
Edmonton Oilers
Graham McPhee – 149th overall, 2016
Florida Panthers
Karch Bachman – 132nd overall, 2015
Miguel Fidler – 143rd overall, 2014
Benjamin Finkelstein – 195th overall, 2016
Patrick Shea – 192nd overall, 2015
New York Islanders
Nick Pastujov – 193rd overall, 2016
Ottawa Senators
Christopher Wilkie – 162nd overall, 2015
Pittsburgh Penguins
Ryan Jones – 121st overall, 2016
Nikita Pavlychev – 197th overall, 2015
San Jose Sharks
Karlis Cukste – 130th overall, 2015
Tampa Bay Lightning
Ryan Zuhlsdorf – 150th overall, 2015
One of the names that sticks out the most will be Morrison, who was a high second-round pick and has had an excellent career at Notre Dame. The 21-year old forward recorded 27 points in 37 games this season and should find his way into a professional program at some point, even if it’s not the Avalanche. Many of the other names will transition to pro hockey in the next few weeks as well, though most will not receive an NHL contract at this juncture.
Claude Julien Taken To Hospital
Friday: Julien has been discharged from the hospital and is headed home to Montreal following the stenting of a coronary artery. The procedure was carried out at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, and Julien is expected to make a full recovery.
Thursday: Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin told reporters today including Eric Engels of Sportsnet that head coach Claude Julien was taken to the hospital following last night’s game. Julien was experiencing chest pains, but is now stable. Bergevin clarified it is not COVID-19 related, though Julien will not return for the Canadiens series against the Philadelphia Flyers. Kirk Muller will take over head coaching duties for the time being.
In terms of a last-second replacement, it’s hard to get someone more qualified than Muller. Not only has he been an associate coach with the Canadiens for the last four seasons, he has NHL head coaching experience in the past and scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal with the organization in 1993 during a 1,349-game playing career.
The hockey world including everyone at PHR hopes for a speedy recovery.
Dan Hamhuis Announces Retirement
Nashville Predators GM David Poile told reporters today that some players on the club wouldn’t be returning, but this probably isn’t exactly what he meant. This afternoon on TSN radio in Vancouver, defenseman Dan Hamhuis announced his retirement. Hamhuis had been considering playing in Europe for a year just for the experience, but the COVID-19 pandemic changed those plans. Instead, he’ll skate off into the sunset following his 16th season in the NHL.
Hamhuis, 37, was selected 12th overall back in 2001 by the Predators in just the third draft the franchise ever took part in. It turned out to be quite the selection as his 1,148 regular season games are more than any other player from the class (though Jason Spezza will try to break that record next season). Once he got to the NHL in 2003, Hamhuis never looked back, quickly becoming one of the most reliable two-way defensemen in the league.
In that first season as a rookie, the left-shot Hamhuis averaged more than 22 minutes a night, a number he would hover around for the next decade-plus. While never a huge offensive threat, he recorded at least 20 points in each of his first 11 NHL seasons while also playing against the opponent’s best on a regular basis.
Hamhuis won’t be going to the Hall of Fame, but his career is one of incredible consistency. He reached the playoffs ten different times, going the farthest as part of the Vancouver Canucks run in 2011. He returned to his original organization in 2018 after stops in Vancouver and Dallas, and says goodbye as a member of the Predators, exactly how he said hello.
West Notes: Kings, DeMelo, Pospisil
The New York Rangers were the big winners at the NHL Draft Lottery, meaning the Westen Conference won’t have to deal with Alexis Lafreniere on a regular basis, right? Well, as Lisa Dillman examined for The Athletic, if the Los Angeles Kings or another team with a high pick came calling the Rangers would have to listen. The Kings have arguably the best prospect group in the entire NHL already and could potentially create quite a package of assets for the first overall selection.
While the Kings have that impressive prospect base and several high picks, the Ottawa Senators are primed to make a huge splash at this year’s draft as well. Not only do they hold the third and fifth overall selections, but they also have an incredible seven picks in the first two rounds of this year’s draft. Nine if you extend that to the third round, and 13 in total for 2020.
- Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff liked the fit for trade deadline acquisition Dylan DeMelo, but hasn’t started negotiations yet for a new contract according to Murat Ates of The Athletic. The team will “definitely take a look” at a new deal with the pending free agent, who ended up playing just 14 total games for the Jets after arriving from Ottawa partway through the season. The 27-year old DeMelo recorded just ten points in 59 games this season and is coming off a two-year deal that carried a $900K cap hit.
- Martin Pospisil, who signed his three-year entry-level contract in 2019, will be playing in Slovakia for the time being. The Calgary Flames prospect has been loaned to HC Kosice for the next few months but is expected back for NHL training camp. Pospisil played 26 games for the Stockton Heat of the AHL this season, recording ten points.