2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Third Overall Pick
Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.
Starting this week, we’re looking back at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now. Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?
Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:
1st Overall: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (1)
2nd Overall: Jamie Benn, Philadelphia Flyers (129)
Already Benn has made one of the biggest jumps in any of the three years we’ve covered in this series. The Dallas Stars captain had only played a single year of junior hockey in the BCHL when he was picked in 2007, but immediately made the Stars look like geniuses thereafter. A dominating power forward for the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL the following two seasons, Benn would step right into the NHL in 2009 and never really look back. Scoring 22 goals and 41 points as a rookie he would finish seventh in Calder Trophy voting, actually four spots ahead of James van Riemsdyk who was the real second overall pick.
Benn has scored at least 22 goals in every season of his career save for the lockout-shortened 2012-13. He reached his peak on offense a few years ago when he recorded 41 goals and 89 points in 2015-16, establishing himself as a star in the league and earning an eight-year, $76MM extension to stay with Dallas for the majority of his career. Second among all 2007 draftees in goals and points, it’s easy to see why the voters took him ahead of the other available names.
Third overall in 2007 belonged to the Phoenix Coyotes, who must have seen Benn up close at some point but decided that Kyle Turris was the BCHL star they wanted. The British Columbia native had just put up 66 goals in 53 games for the Burnaby Express, leading the league by 15 (though he actually lost the overall scoring title to undrafted Tyler Bozak). Turris looked like a lock as a future first-line center, but unfortunately things didn’t go quite that smoothly in Arizona.
After a year at the University of Wisconsin, Turris decided to sign with the Coyotes but things wouldn’t last in the desert. After a few years bouncing back and forth from the minor leagues, Turris sat out the beginning of the 2011-12 season as a restricted free agent to try and force a trade but eventually would decide playing hockey was better for his career. After just six games with the Coyotes that season however, Turris was shipped to the Ottawa Senators. He would become an excellent player when given the minutes in Ottawa, but in 2017-18 he was flipped again when the Senators got a chance at Matt Duchene.
While Turris has been a fine player, he is coming off a terrible year with the Nashville Predators and ranks 11th in scoring from the 2007 draft. Certainly not a bust if you take his whole career into account, but you can bet the Coyotes would have liked a different player if they could do it all over again.
With the third pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Philadelphia Flyers select? Cast your vote below!
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*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.
Snapshots: Marner, Murphy, Canucks
The market for restricted free agents is still being held up by Mitch Marner and today James Mirtle of The Athletic (subscription required) examined the situation between the young star and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mirtle believes that the Maple Leafs have been “aggressive” trying to get the contract done and are willing to get into basically unprecedented territory for a three-year bridge deal if it comes to that.
Obviously there is still a lot of mystery and negotiating through the media in the Marner situation, but as we get closer and closer to training camp things around the league have to start to resolve eventually. Mirtle writes that everyone is waiting for Marner to set the ceiling on what everyone else can earn, meaning there could be an avalanche coming whenever things are resolved in Toronto.
- The New York Rangers have hired Gord Murphy as an associate coach for their AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack. Murphy spent the last five years with the Philadelphia Flyers and has been in the NHL for nearly two decades as an assistant coach. In fact, he worked alongside new Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch in Philadelphia, meaning the two will have no trouble getting on the same page this year.
- There are lots of questions surrounding how Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green will deploy his lineup this season, so Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet sat down with him to try and get some answers. Green is excited about getting players like J.T. Miller and Micheal Ferland into their group this season as they can play both checking and scoring roles. Quite simply, when asked about having enough talent to surround Elias Pettersson and Bo Horvat on the top two lines Green responded “I do.” Green also admitted that he still hasn’t spoken to Loui Eriksson about the comments about how the two didn’t get along 100 per cent, though he is planning to when they next see each other.
Minor Transactions: 08/02/19
As August begins and we get closer to the end of arbitration hearings and contract holdouts, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:
- Zack Stortini has decided to retire after a 14-year playing career, instead joining the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL as an assistant coach. Stortini was part of of the Charlotte Checkers last season that won a Calder Cup, though he only played in 24 games and didn’t suit up in the playoffs. The veteran forward played in 257 NHL games over his career, racking up 725 penalty minutes. A captain of the Wolves for three years during his junior career, he’ll start the next chapter of his hockey story in a familiar place.
- The Milwaukee Admirals have signed Josh Healey to a one-year AHL contract, bringing in the 25-year old defenseman after he was left unqualified by the Calgary Flames. Healey was a top NCAA free agent in 2017 after four years at Ohio State where he was an offensive threat and a huge open-ice hitter, but failed to transition very well to the professional ranks. In 107 AHL games with the Stockton Heat he had just 15 points and 88 penalty minutes.
- Two-time Kelly Cup champion Sam Jardine has decided to take his talents overseas, signing with the Cardiff Devils of the EIHL. Jardine split time between the Toronto Marlies and Newfoundland Growlers last season before ultimately ending up with the latter for an ECHL playoff run. A sixth-round pick from 2011, the 25-year old defenseman is a pretty good attraction for the Devils this season.
Calgary Flames To Buy Out Michael Stone
Friday: Stone has cleared waivers and was officially bought out by the Flames. He is now an unrestricted free agent.
Thursday: The Calgary Flames received a second buyout window after dealing with their arbitration cases and will use it to buy out Michael Stone. The veteran defenseman has been placed on unconditional waivers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, which will be followed by a buyout tomorrow. Stone has one year remaining on his contract and carries a $3.5MM cap hit. The move will result in the following cap hits being applied to the Flames:
- 2019-20: $1,166,667
- 2020-21: $1,166,667
Stone signed a three-year $10.5MM contract with the Flames in the summer of 2017 after being acquired earlier that year from the Arizona Coyotes. The 6’3″ defenseman at that point was just a year removed from a solid 36-point campaign and looked like he could be a big part of the Flames’ blueline. Unfortunately that first full year in Calgary didn’t go according to plan and Stone was routinely limited to third-pairing duty, playing fewer than 16 minutes 40 of his 82 games. He registered just ten points on an extremely disappointing team that failed to even make the playoffs.
His second year with the team didn’t go much better, this time marred by injury and a blood clotting issue that kept him out for some time. Stone ended up playing just 14 games for the Flames all season. With the emergence of Juuso Valimaki and Rasmus Andersson as legitimate NHL options, there wasn’t a lot of room left for Stone to try and rehab his value. He’ll have to do that elsewhere.
For Calgary, a move like this was absolutely necessary in order to re-sign Matthew Tkachuk. The team currently projects to have just $4.67MM in cap space prior to a Stone buyout, leaving them little wiggle room to get the young star under contract. If they’re planning on signing Tkachuk to a long-term deal it will likely take up a huge amount of cap space and make him their highest-paid player, something that wasn’t possible without a trade or buyout of some sort.
Stone though shouldn’t have to wait around long to find work if he is truly healthy and ready for the season. The right-handed defenseman is still just 29 years old and could represent a bargain pickup if he can reclaim any of his past success. That’s obviously not guaranteed, but for cap-strapped teams looking for a defensive upgrade he may be an option.
Jake McCabe, Buffalo Sabres Submit Arbitration Figures
The arbitration figures for the last few cases came out fast and furious today from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Finally, Jake McCabe was the final player Friedman reported on, indicating that the defenseman asked for $4.3MM while the Buffalo Sabres filed for a $1.95MM contract. McCabe is scheduled for a hearing on Sunday. It is important to remember that the two sides can continue to negotiate up to (and for a short period after) the hearing. The arbitrator does also not need to choose one filing or the other, but will almost always decide on a number near the mid-point of the two.
McCabe, 25, is asking for quite the raise on the $1.6MM salary he averaged on his previous three-year contract. The former University of Wisconsin and World Junior star hasn’t quite taken the steps to becoming a top-pairing option like many believed he could, but is still a valuable part of the Sabres blueline. How effective he is in that role and where his future lies is another question as the Sabres continue to bring in more players to improve their defense corps. The left-handed McCabe has already obviously been overtaken by young phenom Rasmus Dahlin, but even Lawrence Pilut showed some more upside in his limited opportunity last season.
It’s not that McCabe is without value however. Logging nearly 19 minutes a night again for the Sabres last season he recorded 14 points in 59 games and more hits than any defenseman other than Rasmus Ristolainen. When he was healthy enough to contribute he was a staple on the penalty kill, and was given some of the toughest deployment of any Sabres defender.
The huge divide between filings is indicative of how unclear McCabe’s future is (and also something of a trademark for the Sabres recent arbitration cases). Is he a second-pairing defenseman that can contribute offensively and face the toughest minutes on the team, or is he better suited to soak up 15-16 minutes at the bottom of the lineup and help on the penalty kill? With the Sabres already having six defensemen under one-way contracts for at least $2.25MM, there actually isn’t a ton of room for another one on the roster. The team has just over $3.1MM in cap space remaining, though obviously that can be worked around by sending players down in training camp.
One possibility that remains is the second buyout window that the Sabres will receive after their arbitration filings are complete. Several defensemen could be potential buyout candidates if the team can’t find a trade as they simply have too many to start the year with at the moment. Zach Bogosian, Marco Scandella and Matt Hunwick have all seen their effectiveness drop off considerably in recent years, and the Sabres seem committed to rebuilding the defense corps to give them a different look in 2019-20.
Rocco Grimaldi, Nashville Predators Submit Arbitration Figures
The arbitration figures for the last few cases came out fast and furious today from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Rocco Grimaldi was third, with Friedman reporting that the forward submitted a $1.275MM ask while the Nashville Predators filed for a $700K/$200K two-way contract. Grimaldi is scheduled for a hearing on Sunday. It is important to remember that the two sides can continue to negotiate up to (and for a short period after) the hearing. The arbitrator does also not need to choose one filing or the other, but will almost always decide on a number near the mid-point of the two.
Grimaldi, 26, received the biggest opportunity of his professional career last season with the Predators when the team dressed him for 53 games. The former University of North Dakota standout had previously played just 47 NHL games in his entire career, despite being the 33rd pick in 2011. It’s not like he hasn’t kept up his offense, as Grimaldi has routinely been one of the most dangerous players in the AHL. His height however—standing at a generous 5’6″—still likely plays a part in how teams and scouts evaluate him for the NHL.
Regardless of his stature, Grimaldi became a valuable part of the Predators this season. Though he recorded just 13 points when he was on the ice the shot totals were drastically shifted in Nashville’s favor, and though part of that is quality of competition there is nothing wrong with having your fourth line feed the other team’s their lunch on a regular basis. Grimaldi averaged just ten minutes per game, but was effective in that role.
In the postseason he was given even more responsibility and it paid off. Grimaldi scored three goals in five games for the Predators, which amazingly actually led the entire team. Roman Josi was the only other Predator to score more than one goal in their first round loss to the Dallas Stars.
Grimaldi is coming off a one-year, two-way contract with the Predators that carried a $650K salary in the NHL, meaning he’s going to get a raise no matter what happens through arbitration. The league minimum has increased to $700K this season and it seems likely that he will be able to secure a deal even higher than that. Whether he can keep his job on the NHL roster is another story, but one that he’s ready to fight for.
Anton Forsberg, Carolina Hurricanes Submit Arbitration Figures
The arbitration figures for the last few cases came out fast and furious today from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Anton Forsberg came down second, with Friedman reporting that the goaltender filed for $833K while the Carolina Hurricanes submitted a $700K/$70K two-way offer. Forsberg is scheduled for a hearing on Sunday. It is important to remember that the two sides can continue to negotiate up to (and for a short period after) the hearing. The arbitrator does also not need to choose one filing or the other, but will almost always decide on a number near the mid-point of the two.
Forsberg, 26, came over to the Hurricanes earlier this offseason in a deal that saw Calvin de Haan head to the Chicago Blackhawks. While the biggest piece of that trade for Carolina may have been Gustav Forsling, Forsberg is not to be overlooked as a potential competitor for the NHL backup role. Petr Mrazek was re-signed as the primary starter for the Hurricanes, but Forsberg, James Reimer and Alex Nedeljkovic will all try to prove they’re the best option for that second spot.
Forsberg showed he could be a relatively reliable backup option last season with the Blackhawks when he started 30 games and registered a .908 save percentage. That number is actually substantially better than Reimer’s .900 from last season, though the former Florida Panthers netminder has a much longer track record. Nedeljkovic of course is the wild card having just won the AHL Goaltender of the Year award and a Calder Cup with the Charlotte Checkers. Nedeljkovic has only played in two NHL games, and posted a .916 save percentage in the minor leagues last season.
Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer tweets that Carolina GM Don Waddell expressed “some surprise and irritation” that the Forsberg situation was heading to arbitration at all when he met with the media yesterday. That may suggest that a deal is done at some point before the decision comes down, especially given the relatively small gap between the two sides. Forsberg is coming off a two-year, one-way contract that carried an average annual value of $750K.
Joel Edmundson, St. Louis Blues Submit Arbitration Figures
The arbitration figures for the last few cases came out fast and furious today from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Joel Edmundson was first, with Friedman reporting that the player had submitted a $4.2MM while the St. Louis Blues filed for $2.3MM. Edmundson is scheduled for a hearing on Sunday. It is important to remember that the two sides can continue to negotiate up to (and for a short period after) the hearing. The arbitrator does also not need to choose one filing or the other, but will almost always decide on a number near the mid-point of the two.
Edmundson, 26, is in the final year of team control with the Blues and will only be able to receive a one-year arbitration award. The 6’4″ defenseman is coming off his fourth straight season as a regular member of the Blues’ defense corps, playing between 64-69 games in each year. He also remained a constant on the blueline through their Stanley Cup run, suiting up in 22 games and recording seven points. A big part of the team’s penalty killing unit, he also led all Blues defensemen in hits for the 2018-19 season.
Like with any arbitration hearing, both numbers filed seem like stretches. There is no way the Blues can afford to pay Edmundson more than $4MM per season for the role he plays, but he deserves more than $2.3MM as well. If it goes to a hearing the result will likely come down somewhere in the middle, though that might not necessarily be the best option for the Blues. An arbitration decision would walk Edmundson right into unrestricted free agency next summer and though they do have some young players ready to contribute, losing one of their stalwarts would only set their blueline back.
The Blues have just over $5MM in cap space currently however and still have Ivan Barbashev to sign as well. Lou Korac of NHL.com tweets that Barbashev is looking for a four-year term like linemate Oskar Sundqvist received earlier this offseason at somewhere around $1.75-2MM per year. A deal like that for Barbashev and a ~$3.2MM award for Edmundson would put the Blues right up against the cap to start the year.
Minor Transactions: 08/01/19
As August begins and we get closer to the end of arbitration hearings and contract holdouts, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:
- The Tucson Roadrunners have signed Matt Berry, Ryker Killins and Vince Pedrie to one-year two-way minor league contracts. This will be Killins’ first full professional season after four years at Ferris State University where he recorded 35 points in 102 NCAA games. Both Berry and Pedrie were also collegiate standouts but haven’t yet found their way to the NHL.
- Adam Musil is returning to the Czech Republic to play in 2019-20 after finding himself on unconditional waivers in late June. The latest in a huge hockey family that includes former NHL players Frantisek Musil (father), Bobby Holik (uncle) and David Musil (brother), the 22-year old forward spent the last two seasons in the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage but will pursue new opportunities overseas.
- The Hershey Bears have added Ed Wittchow and Matthew Weis on AHL contracts, bringing in two more experienced minor league players to give them some more depth. Wittchow spent last season in Finland playing in their highest professional league where he registered 18 points in 47 games. He’ll return to the AHL where he last played for the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2018.
- Minor league forward Wade Megan has announced his retirement, instead becoming a youth instructor for NoCo Hockey camp according to Cap Carey of NNY360. Megan was picked in the fifth round by the Florida Panthers back in 2009 and actually suited up for 15 NHL games over the years. The 29-year old even saw 11 of those games in 2018-19 with the Detroit Red Wings, but will leave his playing days behind to focus on the next part of his hockey career.
St. Louis Blues Agree To Terms With Nikita Alexandrov
The St. Louis Blues have agreed to terms on a three-year entry-level contract with recent draft pick Nikita Alexandrov. The 18-year old forward was selected 62nd overall in June and has spent the last two seasons playing for the Charlottetown Islanders of the QMJHL.
Despite having Russian heritage, Alexandrov was actually born and raised in Germany while his father was playing in the DEL. He played in the German junior ranks where he was a star offensive player before eventually going 50th overall in the 2017 CHL Import Draft. After two years with Charlottetown the young forward was ranked 29th among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, but ending up dropping to the very end of the second round.
Last year for Charlottetown Alexandrov recorded 68 points in 70 games, putting him second on the club only behind undrafted overage forward Daniel Hardie. If he returns to the team in 2019-20 he could very well be looked at as their top offensive weapon. Returning to junior would also allow Alexandrov’s contract to slide foward, something that can happen twice. That seems a likely scenario given his unpolished game, though with some careful coaching there’s a chance he is ready for a professional league sooner than that. Of course, Alexandrov and the Blues could decide that he’s ready for a European pro league right now and send him overseas (perhaps to Germany). That would still allow his deal to slide forward.