Florida Panthers Sign Brady Keeper
The Florida Panthers have signed college free agent Brady Keeper to a two-year entry-level contract. Keeper just finished his sophomore season at the University of Maine, but will give up his final two years of eligibility in order to jump to the professional level. The deal will begin this season, and GM Dale Tallon expressed his excitement about bringing in the young defenseman:
Brady is a promising puck-moving defenseman who possesses strong offensive instincts and plays a physical game. He has been a leader for the University of Maine and found success as one of the team’s top defenders. We are excited for Brady to join the Panthers and continue to grow his game.
Keeper, 22, was a star in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League before going to Maine, recording big point and big penalty minute totals as part of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN) Blizzard. Back in 2016, Sam Laskaris of Windspeaker.com reported that Keeper, who is Cree, was recruited by several teams in the NCAA and USHL but decided on Maine because of goalie coach Alfie Michaud, a former First Nations (Ojibwe) professional hockey player himself.
The 6’2″ defenseman may have toned down his rough play somewhat since his first few years of junior, but Keeper still doesn’t shy away from engaging physically. That’s just a part of his well-rounded game now though, one which resulted in 44 points across 73 games in his collegiate career. He’ll jump into a Panthers organization that has plenty of depth on defense but has shown a willingness to give young players an opportunity at the NHL level.
Minnesota Wild Sign Mat Robson
The Minnesota Wild have added a goaltending prospect to their organization by signing Mat Robson. Robson will ink a two-year entry-level contract that starts this season, after finishing his sophomore season at the University of Minnesota.
When you see a player from the Golden Gophers signing in Minnesota it’s easy to expect them to be a homegrown talent, but Robson is actually a Canadian import that has recently starred at the university. The 22-year old goaltender went undrafted before posting a .933 save percentage as a freshman and taking over as the full-time starter this year. With a .921 in 31 games, Robson was a huge part of the team but will leave school after just two years to realize his dream of becoming a professional.
The Wild will burn the first year of Robson’s contract this season, a worthwhile cost for securing the young goaltender’s services. He’ll become a restricted free agent after the 2019-20 season but immediately adds another intriguing option to a system that already had Kaapo Kahkonen. The Wild are obviously preparing for life without Devan Dubnyk, as the veteran goaltender will turn 33 in less than two months and has just two years remaining on his current contract.
Michael Russo of The Athletic was the first to break the deal on Twitter.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Malkin, Sandin
The NHL has released their three stars for last week, and another New York Islanders goaltender has taken the top spot. After Robin Lehner was honored earlier this season, Thomas Greiss has now been given the top spot after stopping 116 of 121 shots to go 3-1 last week. The 33-year old Greiss is having the best season of his career under Barry Trotz’ disciplined system, and now has a .928 save percentage through 40 appearances.
While Connor McDavid appearing in the third spot won’t surprise many, Brendan Perlini‘s name in second certainly will. The former Arizona Coyotes forward struggled upon joining the Chicago Blackhawks this season, but has found the back of the net in three consecutive games and five of his last seven. That included a hat trick last week against his former club, and he now sits at 13 goals on the season.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their top players after Evgeni Malkin was listed as “week-to-week” last night by head coach Mike Sullivan. Somewhat quietly, Malkin is having another outstanding season with 71 points through his first 66 games and is a huge part of the Pittsburgh attack. The team will have to rely on their other superstars for the time being and hope the big Russian center can get healthy in time for the playoffs.
- While the Toronto Maple Leafs have struggled to keep the puck out of their net since Jake Gardiner and Travis Dermott suffered injuries (and perhaps even before that), they won’t rush top defensive prospect Rasmus Sandin to the NHL. Sandin has been on fire recently for the Toronto Marlies and now has 23 points through 36 games as a teenager, but head coach Mike Babcock reiterated the organization’s mantra to over-ripen prospects at the minor league level before bringing them up. Babcock pointed to Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson as examples of how the Maple Leafs development program has worked, and noted that there are still “good players” on the NHL roster. Sandin was the 29th overall pick last June and turned 19 earlier this month.
Detroit Red Wings Sign Chase Pearson
The Detroit Red Wings have signed another college forward, this time inking Chase Pearson to a two-year entry-level contract. Pearson was Detroit’s fifth-round pick in 2015, and has played the last three seasons at the University of Maine. The deal will begin in the 2019-20 season, and Pearson will join the Grand Rapids Griffins on an amateur tryout for the rest of this year.
Pearson, 21, has been a Hobey Baker nominee in each of the last two years after solid seasons at Maine where he showed off his two-way ability and leadership abilities. Named captain as a sophomore, the 6’2″ center leaves school with 78 points in 107 games and will now try to continue his development at the AHL level. While there might not be huge offensive upside for Pearson, there is a real chance he could compete at the NHL level one day and be another piece of the rebuilding Red Wings.
Detroit currently sits at 49 contracts for this season after adding Taro Hirose and Ryan Kuffner, meaning they would have been completely tapped out if Pearson had signed for 2018-19. Instead, they can still add another college or international free agent down the stretch to burn a year of an entry-level contract. That leverage will only help them in whatever negotiations they are still involved in.
Morning Notes: Quenneville, Merzlikins, Gauthier
There are going to be several head coaching vacancies around the NHL this offseason, and fans have been wondering whether Joel Quenneville would be willing to get back behind the bench for 2019-20. The former Chicago Blackhawks head coach was fired earlier this year and has been away from the game, but is starting to get that itch again. That’s what Quenneville told Dan Roan of WGN9 recently:
It’s been a while now since we’ve been behind the bench, so I think there’s an appetite as we’re going along here to get back into the game. I watch a lot of games, I try to not watch as much Blackhawks as I used to, but I watch most of the games. It’s been a great [playoff] race, and it’s going to be fun to see how it all plays out.
The fact that Quenneville could be available will likely slow down the interview process for several teams, given his incredible resume. The 60-year old coach has an 890-532-77-137 record over his long career and won the Stanley Cup three times with the Blackhawks. He would be an easy selection for the Hall of Fame even if he retired now, given that he ranks second on the all-time wins list and is one of only four coaches to have been behind the bench for at least 1,000 games and maintained a winning percentage of .600 or greater.
- As we heard this weekend, the Columbus Blue Jackets will soon be signing goaltender Elvis Merzlikins to his entry-level contract. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required) expects Merzlikins to immediately join the Cleveland Monsters and likely make his AHL debut the weekend of March 29-30. Portzline also notes that it is unlikely that Merzlikins will see any time with Columbus this season despite burning his entry-level deal, meaning he’ll become a restricted free agent this summer with no NHL experience (save a stint as one of the team’s Black Aces if the Blue Jackets make the playoffs and Cleveland does not).
- The injuries keep coming for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who today announced that fourth-line center Frederik Gauthier will not travel with the team due to a foot injury. The 23-year old Gauthier has finally started to show some of the potential that made him a first-round pick in 2013, suiting up for 62 games with the Maple Leafs and recording 12 points. In his absence, it appears as though Nic Petan will get another opportunity to show what he can do in the middle of the ice.
Minor Transactions: 03/18/19
With ten games left in the regular season for most teams in the NHL, every match is incredibly important for those looking for a playoff spot. The schedule has just four games for tonight, but there are still some key matchups. The Arizona Coyotes try to keep their season alive against the league’s top team, while the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks face off in a potential first round preview. As teams prepare for the action, we’ll be here keeping track of all the minor moves.
- Cameron Gaunce has been recalled by the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are currently still without Dan Girardi and Anton Stralman. Gaunce likely won’t get into the lineup tonight—instead serving as insurance—but is certainly having a strong enough season to warrant an NHL stint. The 28-year old defenseman has 42 points in 56 games for the Syracuse Crunch, easily a career high.
- The Boston Bruins have recalled Connor Clifton and Paul Carey from the AHL under emergency conditions, and had them both on the ice today at practice. Clifton was skating with Steven Kampfer on the third pairing, while Carey was working as an extra forward. The Bruins take on the New York Islanders tomorrow night in a matchup of potential Eastern Conference playoff teams, and are working to get healthy again before the postseason begins.
- The Calgary Flames have recalled Curtis Lazar from Stockton, bringing up the former top prospect after a strong season in the AHL. Lazar has 37 points in 49 games for the Heat this season but has failed to get into a single NHL game.
- Lukas Radil and Jacob Middleton are on their way back to the San Jose Sharks, back up after just a few days in the AHL. The pair were sent down on Friday to stay fresh but will be back up to help the team as they prepare for the Golden Knights tonight.
- Speaking of quick turnarounds, Justin Bailey is on his way back to the minor leagues. The Philadelphia Flyers forward has been involved in almost daily transactions all month, bouncing back and forth between the NHL and AHL.
Extension Negotiations Expected For Jeff Blashill
The Detroit Red Wings haven’t found a ton of success this season, but they’re not blaming the coaching staff. The rebuilding team is expected to begin extension negotiations with head coach Jeff Blashill at some point according to Bob McKenzie of TSN, as the front office is happy with the job he has done during the rebuilding year.
Blashill took over the Red Wings for the 2015-16 after former head coach Mike Babcock left for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and took them to a playoff appearance in his first year. After being eliminated in the first round in 2016, the team has now missed for three straight seasons while saying goodbye to franchise icons like Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. With those legendary forwards out of the picture this season, the team has turned to a youth movement led by 22-year old Dylan Larkin. Larkin has taken over as the face of the Detroit franchise and is in the midst of a career season at both ends of the rink. His 62 points in 65 games easily leads the club, with second place Gustav Nyquist sold off at the trade deadline.
In fact, the Red Wings were active once again at the deadline as they look towards the future. Nyquist and Nick Jensen were both flipped for substantial assets, giving the Red Wings a loaded basket of draft picks and young players to build around. Blashill will be credited for getting the best out of Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou, Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi, and will be tasked with the same shepherding of prospects like Michael Rasmussen, Filip Zadina and eventually Joe Veleno.
That’s not to say there hasn’t been bumps along the road. The Red Wings currently sit 30th in the league and have gone 1-9-3 in their last 13 games. While that may give them a better chance at the draft lottery next month, it certainly doesn’t inspire much confidence in this group for next season. While Blashill may be credited with getting the best out of his young players in losing seasons, there will come a point where he must get some success in the standings as well.
CapFriendly lists Blashill as earning just $800K this season, the final of a four-year deal he signed in the summer of 2015. While he’ll likely get a raise from that if the Red Wings do reach an extension, it will be interesting to see just how long of a leash they give him this time around.
West Notes: Kesler, Mitchell, Canucks
The Anaheim Ducks are well out of the playoff race in the Western Conference, meaning they don’t need to rush players back from injury for the last bit of the season. That could mean that Ryan Kesler‘s year is finished after 60 games, given his chronic hip pain and absence recently. GM Bob Murray told Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register that he doesn’t know if Kesler will play again this season, and that if Kesler were willing to shut down for the year and start the recovery process it “would be fine.”
The veteran center broke the 1000-game threshold just this month, but is a shadow of his former self and has just eight points on the season. The 34-year old has three more years on his contract but seems like a candidate for long-term injured reserve at some point in the future, if his hip injury doesn’t improve.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have their eye on second round pick Ian Mitchell as he progresses at the University of Denver, and Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) caught up with the young defenseman to get a read on whether he would be willing to sign after this season. Mitchell wouldn’t commit to anything, but explained that a recent rumor of him not wanting to sign in Chicago wasn’t true. “I want to play for the Blackhawks as soon as I can,” Mitchell told Powers, though he is still focused on taking Denver as far as they can go this year.
- Speaking of the college market, the Vancouver Canucks are still eyeing potential NCAA defensemen even after inking Quinn Hughes and Josh Teves over the last few days. That’s what GM Jim Benning told Ben Kuzma of The Province yesterday, explaining that they would like to sign one more defenseman out of the college ranks. It’s not clear who they have their eye on, but with names like Jimmy Schuldt still to sign there is plenty of talent to recruit over the next few days and weeks. The Canucks have a great example to point to during that recruitment process, as Troy Stetcher has found great success with the team since signing out of the University of North Dakota in 2016.
Erik Brannstrom To Make NHL Debut
Friday: After one game, Brannstrom has been returned to the AHL. The young defenseman played just over 17 minutes for the Senators in a 2-0 win over the Blues, including being on the ice for the game-clinching empty net goal. He did not record a point or even a shot on goal in the effort, but impressed with a few stretch passes and poise with the puck.
The Belleville Senators play at home tonight and will have Brannstrom in the lineup. Both Ottawa and Belleville have games at home on Saturday.
Thursday: The Ottawa Senators aren’t going to wait until next season to show off what they received for Mark Stone. Prospect Erik Brannstrom will be recalled today and make his NHL debut against the St. Louis Blues this evening. The move comes after Thomas Chabot was listed as week-to-week with a broken toe.
Brannstrom, 19, was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights at the deadline as the major piece coming back for Stone. The 15th-overall selection in 2017 had found great success in his first season in North America, racking up 28 points in 41 games for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Now after just five games (and one point) for the Belleville Senators, he’ll get a chance to show what he can do at the NHL level. The smooth skating defenseman is one of the most dynamic players in the minor leagues with the puck on his stick, able to carry it through the neutral zone with ease and create chances for himself and teammates. There are questions about his overall ability away from the puck, but with such a huge offensive ceiling still great hopes for his eventual impact at the highest level.
Interestingly, the Senators will have a few decisions to make down the stretch. The team has 12 games remaining in the regular season, meaning Brannstrom could potentially cross a pair of thresholds if he plays out the year in the NHL. First would be playing a tenth game, which would burn a year off his current entry-level contract. The 19-year old is still young enough to see his deal slide forward if he plays in nine or fewer matches. The other consideration would be making him eligible for the 2021 expansion draft and forcing the Senators to use one of their protection slots on him. Brannstrom is currently projected to be exempt from the draft, though that would change if he plays out the rest of the season.
Likely the Senators will just give him a taste of the NHL and then return him to Belleville for a shot at the Calder Cup. The AHL Senators are battling for a playoff spot and could use the talented defenseman’s help if they’re going to make any noise in the postseason.
Prospect Notes: Boka, Texier, Rasanen
According to Mark Divver of the Providence Journal, the Iowa Wild have signed Nick Boka to an amateur tryout after his college season came to an end recently, a move that will get him into the organization quickly. Boka still does not have an NHL contract, meaning he would potentially become an unrestricted free agent this August if he can’t come to terms with Minnesota.
A sixth-round pick in 2015, Boka spent four years at the University of Michigan where he amassed 30 points in 147 games. The 21-year old defenseman is a good player in his own end but has never shown a ton of offensive upside, which may limit his potential at the professional level. Still, he’ll get a chance to show the Minnesota brass what he can do down the stretch.
- As expected, Alexandre Texier has joined the Cleveland Monsters after finishing his season in Finland. Texier will likely get into the lineup either tonight or tomorrow for the Monsters. The 19-year old forward was second among all U20 players in scoring this season in the top Finnish league with 41 points in 55 games and easily led his club. Coming over to North America was the next step in his development track, one which has him speeding towards a Blue Jackets debut in the near future, perhaps even next season.
- After a recent report surfaced that Eemeli Rasanen had been allowed out of his KHL contract in order to join the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, the AHL Marlies announced a professional tryout with the young defenseman today. Rasanen—and fellow PTO Joseph Duszak—will help the Marlies immensely at this point in the season given how thin their blue line has been stretched due to injury at both the NHL and AHL levels. The 20-year old defenseman was selected 59th overall in 2017 out of the OHL, but continued his development overseas this year.