Jeremy Davies Agrees To Terms With New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils have agreed to terms on a two-year entry-level contract with Jeremy Davies. The young defenseman will give up his senior season at Northeastern to turn pro and join the Devils organization, starting his new contract in the 2019-20 season. Devils GM Ray Shero released a statement on his newest prospect:
We are very excited to sign Jeremy. He is a very smart puck-moving defenseman who can transition his team to offense in all three zones. His vision, skill, competitiveness, character and leadership helped Northeastern become one of the top echelon schools in the country during his time there. We also want to thank Jim Madigan and his staff at Northeastern for Jeremy’s development these past three years
Davies, 22, was originally selected by the Devils in the seventh round of the 2016 draft, and was seen as something of an afterthought. Following three outstanding seasons at Northeastern as one of the best offensive defensemen in the country, he’s certainly eclipsed that draft status. Now he’ll enter the Devils system as a potential powerplay quarterback and offensive catalyst, though he’ll have to prove that he can produce at the AHL level first.
If Davies can ever get to the NHL it would be an exceptional draft class for the Devils, who used a sixth round pick on Jesper Bratt that year. Michael McLeod, Nathan Bastian, Joey Anderson and Brandon Gignac, the team’s first four picks in 2016 have also made their NHL debuts.
Minor Transactions: 04/03/19
After a number of games had playoff implications last night, this evening is much more subdued. Only the St. Louis Blues really have anything to play for as they try to hunt down first place in the Central Division just a few months after being at the bottom of the standings. The Blues will take on the recently eliminated Chicago Blackhawks, and could pull even with both the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators at 96 points.
- Those Blackhawks have recalled Dennis Gilbert from the minor leagues, giving the 22-year old defenseman a chance at the NHL in his first professional season. The former Notre Dame standout has 14 points in 59 games for the Rockford IceHogs this season.
- Adam Clendening has been returned to the AHL by the Columbus Blue Jackets, joining the Cleveland Monsters for their playoff run. With the Blue Jackets loss last night the team is now tied with the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and can’t afford to drop any more points over the last two games. Clendening could be recalled quickly if Adam McQuaid or Ryan Murray aren’t ready to return.
- Brett Seney is on his way to New Jersey, having been recalled today by the big club. The 23-year old forward has played 50 games already this season for the Devils, recording 13 points as a rookie. The undersized Seney also has 18 points in 23 games in the minor leagues, though only two of those are goals.
- As expected, the Washington Capitals have recalled Jonas Siegenthaler once again. With Michal Kempny injured and out for the playoffs, Siegenthaler will likely serve as the team’s seventh defenseman.
- The Calgary Flames have recalled Dillon Dube under emergency conditions, giving them another forward option for the last few games of the regular season. Dube played 23 games for the Flames earlier this year, and has 39 points in 37 games for the Stockton Heat.
- Adin Hill has been recalled by the Arizona Coyotes, giving the team another goaltender as they make sure Darcy Kuemper‘s injury isn’t serious. Kuemper was hit in the head by a stick last night and had to leave the game, a huge blow to the Coyotes’ playoff race.
Blake Lizotte Signs With Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings have signed Blake Lizotte to a three-year entry-level contract that will begin this season. The undrafted forward just finished his sophomore season at St. Cloud State.
You won’t find many players in college hockey more skilled than Lizotte, who put up 42 points in 37 games this season. The former USHL star has a ton of offensive talent but has sometimes been listed even smaller than the 5’9″ 175-lbs that the Kings press conference includes. Still, he was named to the NCHC All-Rookie team in 2017-18 and made the First All-Star Team this season, winning the Penrose Cup twice as conference champion. That kind of success will always bring about some interest from the NHL, and Lizotte will now get a chance to show what he can do at the professional level.
The Kings’ AHL affiliate has also signed goaltender Jacob Ingham to an amateur tryout for the rest of this season. Ingham was a sixth-round pick in 2018 and just finished his season with the Mississauga Steelheads. The team was swept out of the first round of the OHL playoffs by the Sudbury Wolves, with Ingham posting just an .886 save percentage in the four games. The big netminder hasn’t yet put it all together but will get a chance down the stretch to work with the development coaches for the Ontario Reign and hopefully find another level next season in junior
Jimmy Schuldt Narrowing List Of Potential Destinations
Tuesday: Along with the Wild and Golden Knights are the St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders according to Russo’s new article on The Athletic (subscription required). Colleague Marc Antoine Godin tweets that Montreal is not among the finalists, despite Poehling’s attempts to convince Schuldt to join the Canadiens.
Monday: One of the biggest college free agents decided to head to the Minnesota Wild today when Nico Sturm signed his entry-level deal, and he may not be the only top name headed to the Wild. Jimmy Schuldt has narrowed his list of teams from more than twenty to just five according to Bob McKenzie of TSN, who lists Minnesota and the Vegas Golden Knights as part of that final group. Michael Russo of The Athletic has heard the same, and expected the list to be reduced even further at some point today.
Schuldt, 23, finished his four year career at St. Cloud State recently with another outstanding season and is a Hobey Baker finalist. The undrafted free agent defenseman recorded 35 points in 39 games while serving as captain for the third consecutive season. He has previously had ties with various NHL clubs including attending development camp with the Montreal Canadiens, who recently signed teammate Ryan Poehling.
There is obviously a strong connection between Schuldt and the Wild, but almost every team in the league has expressed interest in him at some point. He’ll almost certainly be able to leverage that widespread interest into a contract that starts this season, burning his entry-level deal right away and allowing him to become a restricted free agent this summer.
Troy Terry Suffers Broken Leg
Tuesday: The Ducks have given an update on the injury, stating that Terry will be out for eight to twelve weeks with a non-displaced fracture. That will at least give the young forward a chance to be fully recovered for training camp.
Monday: The Anaheim Ducks have dealt with plenty of injuries in a disappointing season, but have at least watched the development of several of their young players. One of those success stories has been Troy Terry, who dominated the AHL before recently establishing himself as a full-time NHL option. Unfortunately that NHL opportunity has come to an end prematurely, as the team is expected to announce that Terry suffered a broken tibia on Friday night according to Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register. Terry blocked a shot and will likely be out for the remainder of 2018-19, including the San Diego Gulls’ upcoming Calder Cup playoff run.
Terry, 21, left the University of Denver last year to start his professional career and recorded 41 points in 41 AHL contests for the Gulls this season. He had just 13 points in his 32 NHL appearances, but had recently been given more responsibility and is seen as a building block for the future in Anaheim. The talented forward has plenty of offensive upside and is part of an impressive group of prospects ready to change the look of the Ducks.
That group could very well get another pair of additions this June, as the Ducks own two first-round picks in the upcoming draft. While the one acquired in exchange for Brandon Montour will be in the back half of the round—Anaheim will receive either San Jose’s or St. Louis’ pick depending on final order—their own could be quite early. The Ducks currently sit in 25th place in the NHL and have just two games remaining.
Michal Kempny Out Four To Six Months
The news is in regarding Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny, and it is not good. The team announced today that Kempny will be out for four to six months following surgery to repair a torn left hamstring.
Kempny, 28, was such a stabilizing presence last season for the Capitals and will be missed dearly this time around. The smooth skating defenseman was having a career season with 25 points in 71 games, but will have to wait for next year to make an impact. Luckily this injury happened at a point that should only cost him a few regular season games and one playoff run, but you can bet Kempny will struggle with having to watch his teammates compete without him.
The Capitals did go out at the deadline to improve their depth on defense, acquiring Nick Jensen from the Detroit Red Wings. That should help them deal with this injury, but given he is right-handed it doesn’t completely fill the void left by Kempny. The team has been relying on Christian Djoos once again, and very well could have the 24-year old in their game one line up. Djoos played in 22 games during last year’s playoffs, but averaged fewer than 11 minutes of ice time.
As for Kempny, this may put his 2019-20 training camp in jeopardy but even six months doesn’t project him to miss many regular season games. The veteran signed a four-year $10MM deal last summer and is under contract through 2021-22.
Mason Jobst Agrees To Terms With New York Islanders
The New York Islanders have agreed to a contract with Mason Jobst, a college free agent from Ohio State University. The team has announced the deal is a two-year entry-level contract starting next season, but there is some confusion around how that would be possible. The undrafted forward turned 25 in February and should not be eligible for a two-year ELC—meaning it very likely is a two-year, two-way standard contract that will not include performance bonuses and will take Jobst right to unrestricted free agency in 2021.
Jobst has been one of the best offensive players in college hockey for four seasons now, recording 164 points in 150 games for the Buckeyes. He is a finalist for the Hobey Baker award this season (despite actually having a worse offensive year than the two previous) and has captained Ohio State for two years. The undersized forward has attended several development camps over the years, spending time with the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild.
Despite standing just 5’8″ 185-lbs, Jobst has never been one to avoid contact or refuse to play in the “dirty” areas of the ice. The 25-year old played in all situations for Ohio State and has produced even while short-handed. If the Islanders—or more likely the Bridgeport Sound Tigers—plan on using him that way he certainly won’t be complaining. Jobst told NHL.com correspondent Jessi Pierce last year that “you’ve got to be able to play a 200-foot game, you can’t be a perimeter player when you’re [his] size.”
NWHL Will Have Teams In Toronto, Montreal This Season
On the weekend one of the two major women’s professional hockey leagues ceased operations when the CWHL suddenly announced they were shutting down. That sent the women’s hockey world into turmoil, with speculation exploding over whether the NWHL would swoop into the markets left vacant. Emily Kaplan of ESPN finally got an answer today, as NWHL commissioner Dani Rylan told her that the league is expected to expand into Toronto and Montreal for the upcoming season. The NHL will also “significantly up” their sponsorship for the league—though according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that just means adding what they had been giving the CWHL.
The NHL has long stayed at arm’s length of the women’s professional market, not wanting to pick a side in the battle between the CWHL and NWHL. Though specific franchises have obviously made affiliations—Terry and Kim Pegula who own the Buffalo Sabres also own the NWHL’s Beauts—the league as a whole wasn’t going to be the one to decide which entity would come out on top. Getting a bigger investment from the men’s professional league is a huge step on the road to success for the NWHL, as other sports including the WBNA have proven.
Similarly, getting their league into Toronto and Montreal—obviously two of the biggest hockey markets in the world—was an absolute necessity after the CWHL folded. The NWHL is now expected to have seven teams for the upcoming season, and have not ruled out further expansion down the road.
The league is also about to get an influx of talent, as CWHL players flood free agency. Nearly the entire Canadian national team was playing there, and several prominent USA Hockey players including Hilary Knight, Briana Decker and Megan Bozek will also now be looking for new homes.
Connor Mackey Returning For Junior Season
The college free agent crop lost another name today, but not because of a big signing. Connor Mackey has decided to return to Minnesota State University-Mankato for his junior season according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, ending any speculation that he would be signing an NHL deal this summer.
Mackey, 22, has been on NHL radars for some time, ever since recording 47 points in his final USHL season in 2016-17. The 6’2″ defenseman can move the puck effectively and has appeared in development camps over the last few years. This season at college he recorded 25 points in 42 games, creating speculation that he was ready to jump to the professional ranks.
His decision to go back to school will end any negotiations for this year, but there will certainly be teams still interested after his junior season. In fact, Mackey may very well be one of the most highly anticipated free agents next time around, something he and his representation are probably betting on.
Minor Transactions: 04/02/19
Just a few days remain in the NHL regular season and there is still must-see television every night. This evening brings about several important games including a do-or-die matchup for the Montreal Canadiens against the best team in the NHL. Carey Price will have to try and keep the Tampa Bay Lightning off the board or the Canadiens risk falling further behind the Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes for the final two Eastern Conference playoff spots. Meanwhile the Arizona Coyotes are in a similar must-win situation, but happen to get the Los Angeles Kings—a slightly easier matchup.
- The Nashville Predators have assigned Zac Rinaldo to the minor leagues on a long-term injury loan. Rinaldo had been ruled out for the season earlier this year after shoulder surgery, but perhaps is healthy enough to at least participate in some minor league practices. It’s unclear if there are any expectations that he can get back into a game this season.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Andreas Englund from the AHL, likely a reward for his play this season. The 23-year old defenseman has six NHL games under his belt but spent this entire year in the minor leagues. Christian Wolanin has been assigned to the AHL in return, giving the Belleville Senators some more firepower as they try to lock up a playoff spot.
- Dylan Sikura has been sent back down by the Chicago Blackhawks for much the same reason, as the Rockford IceHogs are still within striking distance in the AHL. Sikura, 23, has 30 points in 40 games for the IceHogs this season.
- The Anaheim Ducks have sent Kiefer Sherwood and Chase De Leo back to the San Diego Gulls to help with their playoff run. The Gulls unfortunately won’t be getting Troy Terry back anytime soon because of his broken leg, but at least will get some other reinforcements.
- The Washington Capitals have sent Jonas Siegenthaler back to the AHL for the time being, though that is likely just a cap saving measure in case they suffer another injury over the next few days. The team will be without Michael Kempny through the playoffs, making Siegenthaler their likely seventh defenseman.