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“Mr. Ranger” Rod Gilbert Passes Away At 80

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The hockey world mourns the loss of an all-time great as New York Rangers Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert has passed away. The Rangers announced that “Mr. Ranger”, the franchise leader in points, died today at the age of 80. The team released a statement for Gilbert’s family at this time. GM Chris Drury stated the following:

Everyone in the Rangers organization mourns the loss of a true New York icon. Rod’s remarkable talent and zest for life personified this city and endeared him to hockey fans and non-hockey fans alike. Growing up a young Rangers fan, one of the first names I ever heard about was Rod Gilbert – he was synonymous with Rangers hockey. It was an incredible privilege to get to know Rod. His passion and dedication to the Rangers will forever be a source of inspiration for me.”

Gilbert, whose No. 7 hangs in rafters of Madison Square Garden, recorded 406 goals and 1,021 points in 1,065 career NHL games – all with the Rangers. He is the franchise leader in both marks and the only player to every pass the 400-goal and 1000-point threshold for New York. A member of the famed GAG “Goal-A-Game” line with with Jean Ratelle and Vic Hadfield, Gilbert was an eight-time All-Star and Bill Masterton Award winner.

However, Gilbert truly earned the name “Mr. Ranger” from his involvement with the team well after his playing days. Gilbert was omnipresent at Madison Square Garden in community outreach roles with the Rangers, as well as working with alumni and in many charitable capacities. A beloved and respected member of the Rangers organization and the NHL family at large, Gilbert will be missed.

Ben Thomas Drawing Interest In Sweden

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Defenseman Ben Thomas was finally able to crack the NHL this season, skating in five games with the Tampa Bay Lightning in his fifth pro season. However, it was too little too late in terms of NHL experience, as Thomas qualified for Group 6 unrestricted free agency. Yet, it seems as though the interest overseas is greater than any NHL interest that Thomas may have hoped for. Swedish source Expressen reports that the SHL’s Leksands IF has been negotiating with Thomas as they seek a top pair defenseman.

Thomas, 25, was a fourth-round pick of the Lightning in 2014. A productive two-way defenseman in the WHL, Thomas largely translated that ability to the AHL, recording 16+ points in each of his first four seasons with the Syracuse Crunch. However, he took a big step last season, recording nine points in only 16 games, not to mention a +8 rating. After years of being the “next man up” that never actually got called up, Thomas finally earned his chance with five games with Tampa Bay. While he was held scoreless, Thomas contributed defensively and his other underlying numbers were strong in the small sample size. His play across both leagues was at least enough to garner attention from overseas.

Expressen notes that Leksands is actually looking for two top defensemen and have talked to several former NHLers in addition to Thomas. This includes Anton Lindholm, who recently signed in the KHL, and Gustav Olofsson, who like Thomas played on NHL contracts last season. Joe Morrow and Matt Donovan are also in the mix. With a number of notable names on their list of candidates, it is clear that Leksands is serious about adding talent to the blue line. It also stands to reason that Leksands push to sign Thomas, described as “extensive”, could also be drawing the attention of other SHL contenders. Perhaps the opportunity in Sweden, both financially and role, is actually attracting Thomas away from a two-way NHL contract.

Maxim Chudinov And The NHL’s Forgotten Prospects

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When a player like Maxim Chudinov becomes available, as he did yesterday upon being terminated by the KHL’s Avangard Omsk, it always raises some intriguing questions. What if the 2010 Boston Bruins draft selection had attempted to make it to the NHL earlier in his career? Better yet, after a long and successful career overseas, what if he finally decided to join the Bruins after all these years? Chudinov is not alone either; a number of European NHL draft picks never venture to North America and their rights are held in perpetuity by their drafting team. What could have been if these players had made a different decision in their careers? And could they still make the jump long after being drafted?

Though the list is long, the 31-year-old Chudinov is actually one of the most interesting players in this group. He has long been one of the more dependable stay-at-home defenders in Russia, in the KHL and on the international stage. In 571 games in the KHL, Chudinov has recorded 198 points, a +75 rating, and 545 PIM. Even though his offense has fallen off in recent years, it would be fascinating to see the veteran defenseman try his hand in the NHL.

Perhaps the most intriguing case though is 38-year-old Vasili Koshechkin (TBL).Though extremely unlikely to jump to the NHL at this point, the veteran goaltender is still at the top of his game. One of the best goalies in the KHL for the entirety of his 13-year career as a starter, Koshechkin has a stunning .928 save percentage and 2.08 GAA in 570 career games, with absolutely no fall-off despite his advanced age. The Lightning may be set in net now, but its fascinating to think what the decorated keeper could have done in the NHL in his prime, surely outplaying his eighth-round status.

Other standouts on the list include Swiss forward Julian Walker (MIN), a physical power forward who has accumulated 214 points and 655 PIM in 701 career games in the NLA and at 34 may still have gas in the tank. Defenseman Mikhail Pashnin (NYR) is another interesting name, especially since he is 32. An effective defensive blue liner in the KHL, Pashnin has recorded 75 points and 712 PIM in 514 career games. Could the 2009 selection still join the Rangers at some point? Mikhail Yunkov (WSH) is another active KHLer with good career numbers. The 35-year-old has 139 points in 542 games, including 11 in 52 this year.

Other reserve list players who remain active in Europe long after they were drafted into the NHL include Yuri Trubachev (CGY), Sergei Gimayev (OTT), Kirill Lyamin (OTT), and Dmitry Megalinsky (OTT) in the KHL, Victor Bobrov (ARI) and Igor Ignatushkin (WSH) in the VHL, Anton Kyrsanov (ARI) in Ukraine, Dmitri Pestunov (ARI) in Belarus, Evgeny Skachkov (STL) in Romania, and Andrei Pervyshin (STL) in Turkey.

The odds of any of these players, all aged 30 and above, playing in the NHL are slim to none, even if some like Chudinov or Pashnin may even have the ability to do so. It is still fascinating to think that they all remain NHL property and to imagine what their careers may have been like had they decided to make the jump to North America and, against all odds, to think about an established veteran finally making good on his NHL selection.

Colorado Avalanche Hire Peter Budaj

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A familiar face is heading back to Denver. Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater reports that Peter Budaj has been hired by the Colorado Avalanche as the “Development Goaltending Coach”. Budaj returns to the NHL organization responsible for his own pro development to assist with the same for the Avs’ goaltending prospects. Dater states that Budaj will primarily be responsible for communicating with and advising Colorado’s goalies outside of the pro ranks. He will likely have a major presence at development and training camps and could have input into the drafting goaltending prospects as well.

Budaj, 38, only retired in 2019 after a career renaissance extended his playing days well beyond what had been anticipated. A second-round pick of the Avalanche in 2001, Budaj got his start in the NHL in 2005 and spent six years with Colorado. He then moved on to the Montreal Canadiens for several seasons, but by 2016 had spent the past two seasons almost exclusively in the AHL. Yet, injuries to the Los Angeles Kings keepers the following season gave Budaj another chance and he responded with an elite season, the best of his career by far. This led to a trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning and then eventually a return to L.A. that extended his career several seasons after it seemed to be winding down in 2016.

Budaj jumped into coaching immediately after retirement, taking an assistant coach position with both the Bozeman Ice Dogs of the NA3HL and at Montana State University with their ACHA club. After a year off during the pandemic, Budaj is ready to take the next step, jumping into a key developmental role for his former team. Interestingly though, it is not clear who Budaj will be working with this season. The AHL’s Colorado Eagles have their own goaltending coach, so if young prospect keepers Justus Annunen and Trent Miner wind up in Loveland despite Jonas Johansson and Hunter Miska also slated for jobs with the Eagles, it leaves little for Budaj to work with. Perhaps if either are demoted to the ECHL or loaned elsewhere, that will become Budaj’s focus this year. The only other prospect goalie in the organization is Russian Shamil Shmakov, who is expected to play in the second tier VHL this year. Regardless of who ends up working with Budaj, they will benefit from the veteran’s experience and knowledge of the position.

Poll: How Many Top Unsigned Free Agents Will Play In NHL This Season?

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Following a massive first day of free agency late last month, not to mention several more signings since, it may seem that there aren’t many big-name free agents left on the market. Yet, quietly there is still and abundance of quality players left unsigned. This includes ten of PHR’s Top 50 UFA’s i.e. 20% of the players that we believed were the best available. It also includes another 13 players who played in 40+ games out of 56 this past season. There’s also Bobby Ryan, who was on pace for 22 points in 53 games before season-ending injury, which would have made him the highest scoring player still unsigned, and Artem Anisimov, whose nine points in 19 games is the second-best per-game mark among remaining UFA’s. With a nice round number of 25 top players still unsigned, which still ignores plenty of other capable NHLers, how many of these can be expected to play in the NHL next season? Time is running out and so are roster spots. Late-offseason signings are not impossible and a fair number of PTO’s are expected in camp this year, but realistically how many of these players will be able to land an NHL deal?

The top available name may also be the hardest to predict because his market is just one team and he isn’t ready to play. Future Hall of Fame goaltender Tuukka Rask (No. 14) remains a free agent and at 34 and recovering from major surgery it is fair to be skeptical that he will ever play again. The career Bruin reportedly will only play in Boston and recent comments by some of his teammates suggest that they expect him to do so at some point this year. But with Linus Ullmark signing a substantial contract to play alongside rookie sensation Jeremy Swayman, do the Bruins need Rask, especially coming in cold mid-season?

While Rask stands out as the only high-end goalie left available, the same cannot be said for forwards. Kyle Palmieri (No. 16), Tyler Bozak (No. 35), Casey Cizikas (No. 36), Zach Parise (No. 37), Nikita Gusev (No. 41), Alex Chiasson (No. 47), and Eric Staal (No. 48), as well as the aforementioned Ryan and Anisimov are all unsigned. Several of these names – Palmieri, Cizikas, Parise – have been linked to the New York Islanders, but no deals have been announced. All three have seemingly done enough to earn new contracts, but are still waiting. Bozak, meanwhile, was arguably the best of the players still available last season, with the top points per game mark even in a season plagued by injury. Gusev is a unique talent that has the chance to excel in the right system, Chiasson is a hard-working, consistent contributor, and Staal is one of the most respected veterans in the game. Ryan and Anisimov each showed that they still have gas left in the tank. It is hard to envision any of these players not playing this season, unless it is their own decision. Yet, none have signed on yet.

On the blue line, top talent is more scarce. Only Sami Vatanen (No. 43) and Erik Gustafsson (No. 44) remain from the Top 50 list and while each brings considerable strengths, they also have major weaknesses. With that said, each has been a regular in the NHL and are perhaps even more valuable as a depth option. Will Vatanen and Gustafsson find the right spot once more this season?

Among the players who were regulars in 2020-21 even though they may not come to mind as top options is a mix of aging veterans, versatile depth players, and discarded youngsters. Legends Patrick Marleau and Zdeno Chara lead the way as players who should be able to find a home if they want to keep playing just purely based on their Hall of Fame pedigrees, but lack the impact they once had. Other veterans still searching for work include Derick Brassard, Travis Zajac, and Jason Demers. Capable bottom-six forwards like Riley Sheahan, Colton Sceviour, Mark Jankowski, and Tobias Rieder are still available, as it stay-at-home defender Erik Gudbranson. Finally, formerly promising prospects Ryan Donato, Jimmy Vesey, and Dominik Kahun are all still looking for another chance.

Each player brings their own case for why or why not they should be employed in the NHL this season. All have been impact players in the league, but in a game progressively more dominated by younger players, history is no longer enough on its own to win a job. The supply of talent in the NHL currently seems to be greater than the demand, even with the expansion to 32 teams. Is there enough room for these 25 top players to find a new team this summer?

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Minor Transactions: 08/20/21

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With few NHL spots to go around and a fair amount of notable names still available on the open market, players have begun to make other plans for the 2021-22 season. While minor in scope at the current time, these move either include familiar players with NHL pasts or those with NHL futures. Don’t miss out on any of the action:

  • Kevin Boyle is on his way to Italy. The former UMass Lowell star who has been a solid AHL goaltender for a number of years is chasing down a greater role overseas, as HC Bolzano of the IceHL has announced a one-year deal with the 29-year-old. Boyle has been on an NHL contract throughout his career, beginning with an entry-level deal with the Anaheim, two extensions with the Ducks, and then a move to the Detroit Red Wings last season. He has only made five NHL appearances, but his stellar play in that small sample size combined with his consistency in the minors made him an attractive depth option. Boyle is a major addition for the Bolzano Foxes, who ironically are replacing another former NHL goalie in departed starter Leland Irving.
  • Though Anton Lindholm looked like he might become a fixture on the Colorado blue line early in his career, skating in 60 games with the Avalanche in his first two season in North America, he has only played in six NHL games in the three years since. This included zero NHL opportunities this past season following an off-season trade to the Chicago Blackhawks. Lindholm has decided to move on, signing a one-year deal with the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk, per a team release. An experienced pro with deceptively good defensive play despite his smaller stature, Lindholm is a nice addition for the Bison. The Swedish native may not wind up back in North America, but at 26 and with ample ability he could still have a long European career ahead of him.
  • After three strong seasons in the AHL to begin his pro career, Dave Gust earned a one-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes last season. However, he ended up playing in just 16 AHL games, recording four points, and did not see any NHL action. Yet, he enjoyed his time with the Chicago Wolves enough that he has decided to stick with the organization. The team has announced a new one-year deal with Gust. At 27, Gust may begin to transition into a veteran mentor role in the AHL, but he will look to bounce back this year and prove that he does indeed belong on an NHL contract.
  • The Vancouver Canucks did not feel that 2019 fourth-rounder Ethan Keppen was worthy of an entry-level contract, even after a year in the AHL, but they will give him another minor league deal. The Abbotsford Canucks have announced a one-year contract with Keppen, as the organization will continue to keep an eye on his development. With power forward size and scoring potential, having shown flashes in the OHL, Keppen is a worthy project even if he only managed one point in seven games with the Utica Comets this past season.

Avs’ Oskar Olausson Joins OHL’s Barrie Colts

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Oskar Olausson is making a change to his development path. The Colorado Avalanche’s 2021 first-round pick is making the jump to North America after playing exclusively in Sweden to this point. And while Olausson, who signed his entry-level contract earlier this month, will likely be in training camp with the Avs, it is unlikely that he will play in the pros this season. Instead, the OHL’s Barrie Colts have announced that Olausson has signed with the team and the press release implies that they expect him to be on the roster this season.

Olausson, the No. 28 overall pick last month, was selected in the first round of the NHL Draft in July but actually slipped to Barrie in the second round of the CHL Import Draft in June. A top draft talent who played professionally for much of last season, including spending time in the SHL with HV71, most CHL teams likely felt that Olausson was not a realistic target to switch to the major junior route. The Colts’ gamble will pay off, as they add one of the best players of the draft class and arguably the best non-pro prospect that the Avalanche own. Olausson joins fellow first round pick Brandt Clarke (LAK) and recent overage selection Ethan Cardwell (SJS) on a Barrie roster that hopes to make waves in the OHL’s return to action.

A slick skater and creative offensive talent, Olausson’s ability is apparent. However, the 6’2″ winger also has size and adjusting to the North American game prior to being thrown into the pro fire could be a massive boost to his development. Olausson won’t be leaving Sweden behind entirely this season either; the top prospect is likely to star for his country at the World Junior Championships as well. If all goes well at NHL training camp, at the WJC, and in his debut season in the OHL, it may not be out of the realm of possibility that he lands in Colorado next season.

Panthers Expect To Re-Sign Aleksander Barkov

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One name stands out high above the rest when it comes to the potential 2022 unrestricted free agent class and that is defending Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov. The Florida Panthers star has quietly established himself as an elite two-way center and a dependable point-per-game player. At just 26 years old next summer, he has room to grow as well. It is not often that a young, bona fide No. 1 center hits the open market and there would be no shortage of teams willing to hand Barkov a blank check next offseason.

Of course, the Panthers hope it never reaches that point. The team took a major step forward this past season, finishing in the top-five of the league standings and in front of their Atlantic Division rivals Tampa Bay, Boston, Toronto, and Montreal. Barkov is at the core of that success, but Florida believes that they have done enough to show Barkov that he has the talent around him to bring an elusive Stanley Cup to Sunrise. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski spoke with Panthers GM Bill Zito, who said that the team is not even considering trading Barkov before he has the chance to walk. Zito said a drop-dead date does not exist and even posited that Barkov could sign a new long-term extension before the season begins.

Does the player feel as strongly? Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards has talked to multiple sources and he echoes the sentiment. Richards states that Barkov and the Panthers began negotiations as soon as they could on July 28 and talks have been going well. Like Zito, these other sources also believe that an agreement could be imminent that keeps Barkov off the market and in South Florida for years to come. The holdup may simply be that the team is waiting for their superstar to return from Finland to sign the deal in person, making for a special announcement that will delight fans and disappoint 31 other teams.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Cole Sillinger

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have finalized a deal with one of their recent first-round picks, forward Cole Sillinger. The team announced that Sillinger has signed his three-year entry-level contract. PuckPedia reports that the deal will carry an $832.5K base salary, a $925K cap hit, and an AAV of $1.63MM as a result of performance bonuses. The No. 12 overall pick last month, Sillinger was the second of three Blue Jackets’ first-rounders but is the first one to sign his ELC.

Sillinger, 18, was selected with the pick that Columbus acquired in the Seth Jones trade, which makes him a symbol of the Blue Jacket’s next steps as a retooling franchise. Most felt that the team used the pick wisely, as Sillinger was regarded as a consensus top-16 pick. A two-way center with a snipe of a shot, Sillinger is a dangerous offensive weapon who puts in the work defensively as well. Sillinger has excelled in each of the past two years, first with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers and then with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede. Though already a dangerous talent, Sillinger is still likely to return to Medicine Hat this season despite his ELC.

The Sillinger name should sound familiar, not only to Columbus fans but to 11 other fan bases and NHL spectators at large. Mike Sillinger, who was selected one spot ahead of his son at No. 11 overall in 1989, played for a dozen NHL teams over a 17-year career that included more than 1,000 games. It just so happens that Cole was born in Columbus is 2003 while Mike was playing in his second of back-to-back 43-point seasons with the young Blue Jackets franchise. This makes Sillinger’s selection and signing somewhat of a homecoming. Columbus will give him adequate time to develop, but they know that the younger Sillinger could have the makings of a fan favorite, much like his dad was in the franchise’s early days.

Metropolitan Notes: Capitals, Clarke, Brylin

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While the awkward silence from the New York Islanders, who are presumed to have unannounced deals in place with a number of free agents, has drawn headlines this summer, it is the inactivity from the Washington Capitals that should perhaps be gaining more attention. It seems that the oddsmakers have taken notice, even if the national media have not. The current odds from BetMGM, adjusted following the Expansion Draft, NHL Draft, and free agency rush, have the Capitals at 25-1 to win the Stanley Cup in 2021-22. While this may not seem so bad, as Washington is tied with reigning Cup finalist Montreal, they are also tied with the New York Rangers – for the fourth-best mark in the Metropolitan Division. While the Capitals are just outside the top ten league-wide in terms of championship expectations, they first need to make the playoffs to get there. The Carolina Hurricanes (14-1), Pittsburgh Penguins (18-1), and New York Islanders (20-1) top the division’s best bets, which implies that MGM believes that they will receive the automatic bids from the Metropolitan Division.

This isn’t unreasonable; this past season the ’Canes won the Central Division, the Penguins won the East Division, and the Isles advanced to league semifinals. Meanwhile, the Capitals were easily dispatched in the first round by the Boston Bruins. The real surprise, though maybe it shouldn’t be, is that MGM feels the Rangers have drawn even with the Capitals. New York is a young, up-and-coming team while the Capitals are an older team that has lost Brenden Dillon and Michael Raffl and is listening to offers for Evgeny Kuznetsov. Yet, many would still say there is a gap between the two clubs. The oddsmakers feel differently. With three bids from the division and two wild card spots, with four Atlantic Division teams holding better odds than Washington and the Canadiens holding even, it will not be easy this season for the Capitals to even reach the postseason out of the Eastern Conference, nevertheless take home another Stanley Cup. It doesn’t help that they have made no improvements this summer.

  • Capitals prospect goaltender Chase Clark has made his college commitment. The 2021 sixth-round pick out of the NCDC’s Jersey Hitmen has signed on with Quinnipiac University, the Hitmen announced. Clark will join the Bobcats for the 2022-23 season after suiting up in the USHL this year. Clark will return to the Tri-City Storm this season, where he played three games last year, before heading off to college. While the NCDC is usually more of a feeder league for the USHL, NAHL, and prep school level rather than a direct source of NHL talent, Clark did enough this season with a .935 save percentage and 1.92 GAA to earn a flier from the Capitals late in the draft. He will be a long-term project for Washington, but developing at a strong program like Quinnipiac, Clark could turn out to be a solid prospect.
  • The New Jersey Devils re-located their AHL affiliate from Binghamton to Utica and now coach Sergei Brylin will make the move as well. The Utica Comets have announced that Brylin will join head coach Kevin Dineen’s staff as an assistant, transitioning from his role as associate coach with the Binghamton Devils. Brylin, who played exclusively with the Devils in his 13-year NHL career, has been with the organization as a minor league coach since 2012, joining the former Albany Devils immediately after retiring from playing, then in the KHL. The 47-year-old is likely in line for a promotion to AHL head coach or NHL assistant coach the next time a spot opens up.

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