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Snapshots: Brown, Thomas, Gomez

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Connor Brown may seem like just one of a number of additions the Ottawa Senators have made this off-season, but it turns out that the team had their eye on the veteran forward for some time and have high expectations for him this year. Speaking with Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, Senators GM Pierre Dorion states that his interest in Brown began long before the team hired former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant D.J. Smith as their new head coach and belongs in a separate category from familiar additions Nikita Zaitsev, Ron Hainsey, and Tyler Ennis. While that group of veterans was brought in from Toronto to provide leadership and stability in a young locker room under a first-time NHL head coach, Dorion sees a larger role for Brown. “We just feel he was someone on a very skilled team that probably didn’t get the offensive looks he would have gotten on a lot of other teams,” Dorion states, suggesting “We feel he’s going to get back to being the 20-goal scorer he was in his rookie year.” Brown did hit 20 goals, as well as 36 points, in a breakout rookie campaign three years ago, but his goal scoring totals have dropped precipitously since then: 14 goals in 2017-18 and 8 goals in 2018-19. Brown will certainly have the opportunity to improve his numbers on an Ottawa roster that lack many established scorers, but Dorion’s projection of 20+ goals may be lofty for a player who has looked comfortable as a 30-point, two-way forward over the last few years.

  • Akil Thomas is on the Los Angeles Kings’ roster for their upcoming rookie tournament and is poised to compete for an NHL roster spot in training camp. However, even though their intention was to honor the young forward, his junior team made it clear that they don’t expect him to break camp with the Kings this year. The OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs have named Thomas their captain for the 2019-20 season, the team already announced, although Thomas is still weeks away from pushing for a place with the Kings. Thomas more than earned the role with his play last year, recording 102 points in 63 games for a powerhouse team that has since lost the likes of Jason Robertson, Jack Studnicka, and Ben Jones to the pros. Nevertheless, even those dominant numbers don’t guarantee the 2018 second-round pick a role with L.A. this season. The Kings sport an impressive group of prospects competing for few openings. Recent high picks Rasmus Kupari and Jaret Anderson-Dolan probably have an edge on Thomas if the Kings opt to add a rookie forward to the starting lineup, likely leading Niagara to safely assume that their star forward will be back this season.
  • After two years on the job, Scott Gomez has decided to leave the New York Islanders coaching staff, Newsday’s Andrew Gross reports. The team has confirmed the move and stressed that Gomez was not fired. Gomez was originally hired by Doug Weight, but served under Barry Trotz last season as well. Gomez is remembered most for his dynamic offensive play early in his pro career with the New Jersey Devils. It could be that his philosophy on offense didn’t mesh with Trotz’ ultra-conservative scheme, prompting him to seek a better fit elsewhere, but there has been no word as to the reasoning behind Gomez’ departure. If Gomez wants to continue coaching, there is undoubtedly a place for him in the pro or junior ranks.

Senators Engaged In Extension Talks With Thomas Chabot

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After signing forward Colin White to a six-year, $28.5MM extension last week, GM Pierre Dorion and the Ottawa Senators have turned their attention to talented young defenseman Thomas Chabot. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that the Senators have entered talks with Chabot about a new contract. Chabot’s entry-level contract expires after this coming season, but the team likely wants to avoid a difficult negotiation with their young star. However, whileDorion was happy to talk to Garrioch about White, he kept things close to the chest when it came to Chabot:

In the case of Colin White we were able to keep everything very confidential and we were able to get a contract done. We don’t think talking publicly about any contract negotiations, whether it’s Chabot or any pending UFA, does us any good. But we understand the importance of our young core and having them in Ottawa as long as possible… We’re going to keep (Chabot details) quiet, we’ve had discussions and I don’t want think I should say anymore.

The 22-year-old Chabot recorded a whopping 55 points in 70 games in just his second NHL season in 2018-19, including a team-high 41 assists. In total, Chabot has accumulated 80 points through his first 134 NHL games and is considered one of the best young offensive defensemen in the game. With so many departures from Ottawa over the last six months, the pressure will be on Chabot to take on an even bigger role moving forward. With that also comes the opportunity to produce even more offense on a Senators blue line largely devoid of any other established puck-movers.

Whereas White currently is owed more money than any other player on the Ottawa roster, that title will likely be short-lived. With the likes of Charlie McAvoy and Zach Werenski currently sitting unsigned and reportedly eyeing Jacob Trouba’s recent seven-year, $56MM contract as a comparable, Chabot is likely to land in that group as well. Owner Eugene Melnyk has been cautious about committing to large contracts over the last few years, but if he wants to hold on to the new Erik Karlsson, he will have to pay up for Chabot. Fortunately, the team has already begun negotiations, as it could be a long, arduous process.

Minor Transactions: 08/26/19

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Many prominent free agents, restricted and unrestricted, remain unsigned, but the NHL markets largely remain relatively quiet. However, minor league teams, foreign clubs, and college programs continue to make make moves in preparation for the coming season. Keep up with all of those minor transactions here:

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs announced their roster for their upcoming prospects tournament today, which included a slew of recent draft picks as well as recently signed young players. It also featured a large group of prospects currently signed to AHL deals with the Toronto Marlies, including two previously unreported extensions. According to the roster, incumbent forwards Ryan Moore and Hudson Elynuik have re-signed with the Marlies. Moore, 22, played in just one AHL game last season, but was effective in the ECHL just as he was at the junior level, despite a diminutive frame. He’ll be hoping to impress in the tournament in hopes of getting a chance to show his size won’t limit him at the next level either. Elynuik, 21, was a third-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2016, but the team opted not to sign him. In his first pro season last year, the massive center skated in ten games with the Marlies and was a near point-per-game scorer in the ECHL. He should be ready to take on a larger role in the AHL this coming season.
  • Philip Samuelsson is headed overseas. The 28-year-old defenseman, one of three hockey-playing sons of Ulf Samuelsson, has done all he can to stick in North America for several years. A second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009 and a standout at Boston College, Samuelsson entered the pro game with high expectations. However, over his eight-year career to date, Samuelsson has been almost entirely relegated to the AHL, skating in just 13 total NHL games and recording zero points. In fact, Samuelsson failed to even land an NHL contract last season, playing with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on a minor league pact. The Swedish-American defender has been a solid AHL contributor, but is looking for more in his career. He hopes to find it with Mountfield HK of the Czech Extraliga, who announced a one-year deal today. Samuelsson will undoubtedly be one of the best players on the team, but the question is whether he will be dominant enough at the top Czech pro level to turn any heads back in the NHL.
  • Anyone hoping for an NHL return for Damien Brunner can put those thoughts to rest. The 33-year-old Swiss forward has signed a three-year extension with the NLA’s EHC Biel-Bienne, the team announced, all but guaranteeing that his days in North America are over. After dominating the NLA early in his career, Brunner made the jump to the NHL in 2012. He enjoyed a pair of strong – albeit injury-riddled – seasons with the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils, totaling 51 points in 101 regular season games and a great 2013 postseason with five goals and nine points in 14 games. However, as soon as that production began to slip in his third NHL season, Brunner returned to Switzerland. As he continued to struggle with injuries, Brunner failed to re-gain his dominant form over the last few years. That is until last season, when he notched 37 points in 50 games for a well-timed bounce back campaign in a contract year. Biel-Bienne clearly did not want to lose their veteran leader, locking him down on a multi-year deal, something no NHL team would have entertained.

Bruins’ John Moore, Kevan Miller Still Battling Injuries

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No team learned more about the importance of blue line depth last season than the Boston Bruins. The team used a dozen different defensemen during the 2018-19 campaign, ten of whom played at least 16 games but none more than 72 games.  Injuries kept the Bruins in a constant state of flux on the back end, even throughout their long playoff run.

Well, they’re not out of the woods yet. With a new season about to begin, a pair of Boston defenders are still struggling to make their way back to full health. The Boston Sports Journal’s Conor Ryan has learned from GM Don Sweeney that John Moore will not be ready for the start of the season and Kevan Miller still does not have a set timeline for a return. Moore underwent shoulder surgery earlier this summer after playing through the injury late in the regular season and through the playoffs. Miller suffered through a slew of injuries last season, skating in just 39 regular season games, but missed the stretch run and postseason with a lower-body injury that apparently still ails him. Miller will resume skating soon, but it would not be a surprise if he remains limited through training camp and possibly beyond.

Fortunately, having learned their lesson, the Bruins have maintained impressive defensive depth heading into the 2019-20 season. All twelve defenseman who played last season remain under team control, including Steven Kampfer, whose surprise two-year extension earlier this off-season now looks like an important move by Sweeney and company. The team was also impressed by young rearguard Connor Clifton, who proved he can be a regular contributor with strong late season and postseason play. Promising prospects like Urho Vaakanainen, Jeremy Lauzon, and Jakub Zboril also got a taste of NHL action last season and should be ready to play a larger role if necessary. On the off chance that the younger players don’t look ready in camp, the Bruins also enlisted capable veteran Alex Petrovic to join the team on a PTO.

Of course, the bigger depth concern than Moore and Miller remains the unsigned status of elite young defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo. Both restricted free agents are waiting for new contracts, along with numerous other young players this off-season. While the Bruins have acknowledged that talks are moving slower than they’d like with the duo, the team remains confident that McAvoy and Carlo will be Bruins for a long time. Maneuvering a tight salary cap window is the reason behind the stalled negotiations, but if Moore and possibly Miller land on injured reserve to begin the year, it would open up some more cap space to sign McAvoy and Carlo without making a trade. Nevertheless, a trade is still a strong possibility and Miller, if healthy, continues to be one of the more talked-about candidates.

Assuming McAvoy and Carlo are signed to begin the season, the Bruins would still have a stout unit even without Moore and Miller, with Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug, Matt Grzelcyk, Clifton and Kampfer ready to go. However, given the team’s injury luck of late, particularly on the blue line, the Bruins will be happy to have Moore and Miller back as soon as possible to further reinforce that depth.

College Notes: Niagara, Simmons-Fischer, Cheremeta

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Niagara University officially announced their 2019 recruiting class today, including three notable NCAA transfers. The most well-known name is likely former UMass-Lowell defenseman Croix Evingson. A 2017 seventh-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets, Evingson was the NAHL’s Defenseman of the Year in his draft year and his size and scoring ability made him an intriguing prospect. However, after two seasons of limited usage and production at Lowell, Evingson opted for a change of scenery and is now set to join Niagara. The big, offensive defenseman will look to re-establish his pro value this season and next in hopes of landing with the Jets down the road. Joining Evingson are Merrimack College graduate transfer defenseman Ryan Cook and former Air Force Academy forward Walker Sommer.

  • Braidan Simmons-Fischer, son of former NHL defenseman and current Detroit Red Wings Director of Player Personnel Jiri Fischer, has committed to nearby Western Michigan University, according to MIHockey. Entering his draft year, Simmons-Fischer remains somewhat of an unknown commodity. Splitting his early years of hockey between several pedestrian seasons of bantam-level play in Michigan and a dominant season at the junior level in Austria, Simmons-Fischer has had one of the stranger developmental paths of any prospect to this point. However, there is enough to his size – similar to his father’s frame but even more menacing as a forward – and hockey bloodlines that a strong program like WMU is willing to bet on his progression. More will surely be known about Simmons-Fischer’s potential after this upcoming season, which he will spend with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers in his first true test against top competition.
  • Mark Cheremeta has left Boston University, marking yet another loss for the storied program. Since the end of last season, BU has seen Jake Oettinger, Joel Farabee, Chad Krys, Bobo Carpenter, Dante Fabbro, and Shane Bowers leave for the NHL, as well as a couple of players transfer to another school, and now young role player Cheremeta is headed to the USHL. The Dubuque Fighting Saints announced Cheremeta as a member of their training camp roster after selecting him in the third round of the USHL Entry Draft this year, marking his departure from BU after just one year. What Cheremeta will do next with his developmental path remains a mystery. Ironically though, he is set to play alongside Terriers commit and L.A. Kings prospect Braden Doyle with Dubuque this season.

Canucks Sign Goaltender Arturs Silovs

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From NHL Draft pick to an NHL contract faster than anyone might have imagined, 2019 sixth-round pick Arturs Silovs has signed his entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks, the team announced.  PuckPedia reports that the deal will carry a $925K cap hit, including his signing bonus.

The Latvian goaltender was selected 156th overall, a late stage in the draft in which some selections never even receive NHL offers, but seemingly has impressed enough to earn a shot right away and is likely on his way to North America.

Silovs, 18, was under contract with the KHL’s Dinamo Riga, based in his hometown and Latvia’s capital city, but did not see any action. Instead, Silovs played seven games with Dinamo’s affiliate in the minor league MHL and another 20 games with HS Riga of the Latvian pro league. Silovs fared much better against similar-aged competition in the MHL, posting a .920 save percentage and 2.45 GAA. He got another shot at that level of play at the U-18 World Junior Championships as well, in which he recorded a .918 save percentage and 3.32 GAA in five games for Team Latvia.

Silovs largely flew under the radar during the pre-draft process, but there is a lot to like about his performance against equal competition, as well as his impressive (and still growing) 6’4”, 200+ lb. frame. While the Canucks were able to wait until the sixth round to grab him, Silovs’ stock was much higher in the subsequent CHL Import Draft. Silovs was selected 11th overall by the OHL’s Barrie Colts and could very well be headed to the club next season. However, Silovs is also eligible to jump immediately into the AHL/ECHL, as has become a more popular move of late with young European goaltenders. Yet, Silovs is now the seventh goalie under contract for the Canucks, making giving him play time even in the ECHL a major challenge. Odds are that the teen keeper will head to the junior level to begin a long development process under Vancouver’s watchful eye.

Atlantic Notes: Senators, Dahlin, Alzner

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The Ottawa Senators are very much a brand new team entering the 2019-20 season. Gone are the likes of Mark Stone, Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, Cody Ceci, and Zack Smith. New to the team are names like Artem Anisimov, Nikita Zaitsev, Ron Hainsey, and Connor Brown, while prospects like Erik Brannstrom, Drake Batherson, Josh Norris, and Max Veronneau are set to push for regular roles. On top of all of the roster turnover, the team also has a new head coach in D.J. Smith. Given these considerable changes, Smith’s comments to Sportsnet’s Wayne Scanlan comes as little surprise. First and foremost, Smith tells Scanlan that the Senators will not name a captain in the coming season. The team did not have a captain last season following the departure of Erik Karlsson and now has even fewer tenured veterans. He did say that there will be veteran members, old and new, who he will rely on to play leadership roles in the locker room, but simply feels that the team must wait for a captain to naturally emerge. It also may not necessarily be one of the established veterans, as Smith notes that he will make a “conscious effort” to share ice time and responsibility evenly between the older players and many young players pushing for an opportunity. More than anything, Smith states that he hopes to change the culture in Ottawa, instilling a sense of belief and confidence in the new additions, young players, and perhaps even some of those long-time Senators who have survived a couple of difficult seasons. Based on Smith’s comments, it seems that the Senators will be a very new team indeed in many ways this coming season.

  • A young leader is developing for one of the Senators’ divisional rivals, the Buffalo Sabres. Phenom Rasmus Dahlin, the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 and a Calder Trophy finalist last season, is not afraid to speak his mind and knew what he was doing when he made some bold predictions to the Associated Press’ John Wawrow. “We’re going to be a winning team and be in the playoffs,” Dahlin told Wawrow, “I’m putting more pressure on myself… I think everyone is putting more pressure on ourselves now, and we’re ready to go… I feel more prepared. I feel more mature. Like that one year of experience, I know what’s coming this season. I feel more comfortable in my position… we’re going to get something good going on here.” It’s a strong statement from Dahlin and one that will surprise many. The Sabres have not made the playoffs since 2011 and finished 13th in the Eastern Conference this past season after a late-season collapse. The team arguably plays in the toughest division in the game as well, as Atlantic powerhouses Tampa Bay, Boston, and Toronto will almost certainly claim the top three seeds in the division, leaving Buffalo to fight for one of two wild card spots. Yet, the Sabres have to be happy that their 18-year-old centerpiece is bold enough to put those playoff expectations on his shoulders and will look to follow him back to postseason glory this season, no matter how tough the road may be.
  • Montreal Canadiens defenseman Karl Alzner would like to be part of his team’s playoff push next season as well. Unfortunately, Alzner’s poor play left him relegated to the AHL for all but nine games last season. After spending the summer working out with teammates Carey Price and Shea Weber, Alzner tells TVA’s Louis-André Larivière that he feels he is ready to once again be a regular contributor and hopes he is given a fair shot to compete for such a role in the team’s upcoming training camp. While Alzner stated that he does not want to waste years of his career, whether or not he has an NHL role is ultimately up to him. His own play and taxing $4.625MM cap hit are why he spent last season with the Laval Rocket and he must prove that he is worth keeping on the roster. Alzner revealed that he did not formally request a trade last season, but that he will likely do so if he is cut from Canadiens camp this fall. However, there may not be much of a market for his services and likely even less interest in promising him a regular role at the NHL level.

Veeti Miettinen Commits To St. Cloud State University

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The St. Cloud State University Huskies have been the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for two years in a row and aren’t looking to slow down. Today they picked up another impressive commitment in Finnish forward Veeti Miettinen, according to The Rink Live. The 2020 NHL Draft-eligible prospect is expected to join the program ahead of the 2020-21 season.

Miettinen, 17, is considered an early-round candidate for next year’s draft. In their preliminary rankings, Future Considerations placed the talented Finn at No. 40, an early second-round score, but he could very well push for first-round consideration. At 5’9” and 159 lbs., Miettinen is far from a physical force, but hasn’t let his lack of stature stop him from being an offensive force. Last season, he recorded 61 points in 48 games for the Espoo Blues’ U-20 team competing in the junior Liiga. He then tacked on four points in five games at the U-18 World Junior Championships. Miettinen will be back with the Blues and the U-18 Finns again this season, but he could greatly improve his draft stock if he can also earn a look with the Liiga’s Blues and the U-20 Team Finland World Junior entry.

Once at St. Cloud, Miettinen will be joining a program that just graduated stars like Ryan Poehling, Patrick Newell, and Jimmy Schuldt, but are far from empty when it comes to talent. Defenseman Nick Perbix (TBL) and forward Sam Hentges (MIN) are among the top young contributors who will still be around when Miettinen arrives next season, with many still sure to be added to the recruiting class. With that said, St. Cloud fans should be very excited about Miettinen, who has the potential to be the next Ryan Poehling in terms of game-changing talent up front.

Jack LaFontaine Joins The University of Minnesota

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Carolina Hurricanes prospect goalie Jack LaFontaine is back in the NCAA. The 21-year-old keeper has enrolled at the University of Minnesota and will play this season, the program announced. LaFontaine had been away from the college game for one year with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL, having previously spent two seasons with the Big Ten rival University of Michigan.

LaFontaine was a third-round pick of the Hurricanes back in 2016 out of the NAHL. While some considered the pick to be a reach, seeing as Fontaine had not been challenged at an elite level yet and was raw in terms of his skill development, Carolina was clearly happy to select a player with good size and athleticism who they could groom as a long-term project. LaFontaine jumped right into the college ranks after being drafted, but failed to take advantage of no clear starter in net for the Wolverines. In each of his two years, the young netminder posted a GAA over 3.33 in just eleven appearances. Seeking a fresh start, LaFontaine left Michigan and signed with Penticton. He was beyond impressive last season, recording a .923 save percentage and 2.19 GAA in 45 starts and earning the BCHL’s Top Goaltender honors.

Having re-asserted himself as a promising young goalie, LaFontaine is ready to give the NCAA another go. He has two years of eligibility remaining, after which he hopes to have proven himself to be a pro-caliber prospect. Much like when he began with the Wolverines, the Gophers net is wide open; all three goalies who made an appearance last season, including starter and recent Minnesota Wild signing Mat Robson, have departed. LaFontaine is the odds-on replacement, but he will have to hold off 20-year-old Jared Moe, a sixth-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets in 2018. If he can do so and can put up numbers similar to this past season in Penticton, perhaps the Hurricanes will come calling even sooner than two years from now.

Rob O’Gara Signs With AHL San Antonio

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Once a highly-touted prospect, it looks as though defenseman Rob O’Gara will need to work his way back into the NHL. Newsday’s Colin Stephenson reports that O’Gara has signed with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL. The 26-year-old was a Group 6 unrestricted free agent this summer after failing to play in 80+ NHL games through his first three pro seasons. Yet, 2018-19 was his first campaign without any NHL action.

A late-round pick of the Boston Bruins in 2011, O’Gara played four seasons at Yale University and grew into one of the most effective two-way defenders in the NCAA during that time. He signed with Boston in 2016 and immediately became a key player at the AHL level and also made three NHL appearances. He played in eight more NHL games for the Bruins the following season, but was traded to his hometown New York Rangers in exchange for Nick Holden. O’Gara finished the season with the Rangers, playing in 22 games down the stretch and looking like a candidate for a regular role moving forward.

Unfortunately, that’s not how things played out this past season. O’Gara was cut from training camp and never re-emerged as a top recall option, even as the Rangers struggled. O’Gara was a solid defensive presence for the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, but didn’t take advantage of a full year in the minors with an improved offensive contribution. As such, the local product did not earn a new deal with New York and seemingly was unable to find a two-way role with any other NHL team. In San Antonio, he will have to reassert himself as a legitimate NHL option with a consistent, well-rounded game if he hopes to one day make it back to the top level.

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