AHL Signings: Marchin, Sawchenko, Boston College
The last time that the Providence Bruins signed a standout player from a nearby university it worked out pretty well for the organization. Providence inked former Quinnipiac University defenseman Connor Clifton to an AHL deal in the 2017 after the Arizona Coyotes opted not to sign their draft selection. Clifton later earned an entry-level contract with strong play in his first pro season and is currently up with the Boston Bruins, having played in 15 games with the team this year while also leading all Providence defensemen in scoring. The P-Bruins have made a similar signing and all parties involved hope it ends up as well as Clifton’s did. The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver reports that Brown University captain Tommy Marchin has signed an AHL contract for next season with the team in the same city as his alma mater. It appears that he will suit up on an amateur tryout offer for the remainder of this season. Marchin, Brown’s Hobey Baker candidate this season, enjoyed a strong collegiate career outside of a sophomore slump, twice cracking 25 points in a season. At 6’3″, 216 lbs., Marchin is a power winger with good offensive instincts who should be able to contribute immediately for the P-Bruins. Perhaps he too will earn his way to Boston as well someday.
- Many were surprised when highly-touted WHL goaltender Zach Sawchenko went undrafted year after year from 2015-2017 despite starting nearly every game for the Moose Jaw Warriors and leading a Canadian World Junior entry during that time and routinely displaying great athleticism. Sawchenko finally opted to go to college and has played the past two seasons for the University of Alberta, putting up stellar numbers. While not the usual route, that decision has led Sawchenko to finally reaching his dream of playing pro hockey. The San Jose Barracuda have signed the 21-year-old keeper to a two-year AHL deal, his university team has announced. Sawchenko could be in line for immediate play time next season, as current tandem Antoine Bibeau and Josef Korenar have evenly split starts this year, but neither has stood out. The situation is open for Sawchenko to assert himself as a starting option with consistent play. And with struggles in net for the San Jose Sharks as well, this is an ideal opportunity for Sawchenko to show he can be an NHL option one day.
- Boston College seniors are a hot ticket item right now, as Joseph Woll and Casey Fitzgerald have signed NHL contracts this week and now two veteran leaders have inked AHL deals. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have added both forward Chris Brown and defenseman Michael Kim to their roster for the remainder of the season, the team announced, bringing in a pair of respected and experienced Eagles. Brown is the more interesting addition, as he was a draft pick not of Pittsburgh but of Buffalo back in 2014 and is technically Sabres property until August. Yet, logic would dictate that if Brown and Buffalo were considering an entry-level deal, he would be joining the AHL’s Rochester Americans. His move to the WBS Penguins would indicate that Brown will be a free agent later this summer. The 23-year-old center is a capable two-way forward who has a limited offensive ceiling but could still be a role player at the pro level. As for Kim, the 23-year-old Toronto native has been consistently productive from the blue line over the past few years and plays a solid possession game. Although he went undrafted, Kim is well-regarded and should land an AHL contract at the very least heading into next season.
Casey Fitzgerald Signs With Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres have inked one of their more experienced prospects to his first pro contract. The team has announced that 2016 third-round pick Casey Fitzgerald has signed an entry-level deal. It is a two-year pact that begins in the 2019-20 season. The 22-year-old defenseman has additionally signed an ATO with the Rochester Americans and will close out the year with the Sabres’ affiliate.
Fitzgerald wrapped up a four-year career at Boston College this past weekend, as the Eagles came within one win of an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament but fell short. Fitzgerald was initially drafted by Buffalo after his freshman year at BC, which also ended up being his most productive with 27 points in 39 games to go with a whopping +27 rating. He had also spent time with the U.S. National Team Development Program and played for several World Juniors entries. The captain of the Eagles for the past two years, Fitzgerald’s offense may not have continued climbing, but he developed into an intelligent, two-way defenseman and a locker room leader.
Those are traits that run in the family, of course. Fitzgerald’s father, Tom, enjoyed a 16-year NHL career and is currently the Assistant GM of the New Jersey Devils, while his older brother, Ryan, is currently in the Boston Bruins system. The extended family also includes Jimmy and Kevin Hayes and Keith Tkachuk and sons Matthew and Brady. Casey is the latest addition to a Boston area family with deep connections to the NHL and hopes to make a name for himself like so many of them have.
Hockey Canada Names World Championship Management
We already know that New York Rangers assistant GM Chris Drury will be leading USA Hockey’s preparation for the upcoming World Championships, but now Hockey Canada has announced their own management group. Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill will join two recently fired men, Ron Hextall and Ron Francis as the management team tasked with putting together the roster for the tournament, which begins in May.
It won’t be the first time the name Botterill is seen at the World Championships, as sister Jennifer Botterill medaled eight times at the women’s tournament during her outstanding playing career. The Sabres GM will try to bring another gold back to Canada after the team failed to even win a medal last season. He’ll have a huge number of stars to pick from, as some of the best Canadian players look like they’ll be out of the NHL playoffs this season.
That all starts with Connor McDavid, who captained the team last year and has participated twice already in his young career. Teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is also a candidate to return, and other names like Drew Doughty, Jonathan Toews and Claude Giroux will also likely be asked to attend.
Minor Transactions: 03/26/19
After a night of wild outcomes that saw the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks both lose to teams well out of the playoff race, the NHL is back with seven more contests for us to watch. The best among those games will be a pair of Metropolitan Division contests, where four potential playoff teams do battle. The Carolina Hurricanes try to topple the Washington Capitals, while the New York Islanders will attempt to knock the Columbus Blue Jackets just a little further out of the race.
- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Will Borgen for the first time in his professional career, and are expected to give him a taste at the NHL level. The 22-year old defenseman signed out of St. Cloud State last season and has 12 points in 66 games at the AHL level this year. If you recognize his name from somewhere else, it may be from the 2018 Winter Olympics, where he was named to Team USA.
- The Nashville Predators have reassigned Matt Donovan to the minor leagues, which could leave some room for Dante Fabbro to enter the lineup. The team still has Dan Hamhuis working his way back to full health, and are now carrying just six defensemen on the roster until Fabbro’s deal is officially announced.
Minor Transactions: 03/24/19
It was a busy day across the NHL yesterday; 28 of 31 teams took the ice, with games in the early afternoon on the east coast to late night on the west coast, the Boston Bruins and Winnipeg Jets clinched playoff spots, and the Colorado Avalanche and Montreal Canadiens won crucial games in their postseason push. There isn’t quite as much action today, with only five games on the docket, but the few match-ups are arguably even more important than any yesterday. After dropping the first game of a home-and-home, the Chicago Blackhawks will look to keep their playoff hopes alive against the Avalanche, while the Columbus Blue Jackets are also desperate for a win to get them back in the playoff picture, visiting the Vancouver Canucks. The Philadelphia Flyers cling to slim playoff hopes as they visit the Washington Capitals, as the Arizona Coyotes face a tough task of their own, also in dire need of ending their recent skid, as they go up against the New York Islanders on the road. Finally, the Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes could be jostling for wild card seeding when they face off in Raleigh tonight. With another slate of games that stretches all day long, it’s possible to watch each of these key match-ups today. While you’re doing so, follow along here to see what the teams are doing behind the scenes:
- The Anaheim Ducks announced a pair of moves last night, just prior to their game, calling up forwards Sam Steel and Kiefer Sherwood from the nearby San Diego Gulls of the AHL. The Ducks are headed toward a bottom-five finish in the league this season and are testing out their young players as they already look toward next year. Steel, 20, has five points in 17 games with Anaheim this season, while Sherwood, 23, has been a more regular contributor with ten points in 47 games. One would expect both young forwards to be given every chance to earn a starting role in 2019-20, beginning with an increased workload down the stretch.
- Arizona Coyotes prospect Dennis Busby has joined the organization on a tryout basis for the rest of the season. The AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners announced that the Flint Firebirds standout, who missed much of the past two seasons due to injury, has been added to the roster on an ATO. It is commonplace for junior prospects to get some pro experience in the AHL late in the season on tryouts, but there is a little more at stake for Busby. The 2018 fifth-round pick has yet to be tendered an entry-level contract and the Coyotes may have some concern after he played in just 29 OHL games combined in the last two years. The puck-moving, right-shot defender could be a valuable asset and a strong showing in Tuscon would go a long way in proving to the Coyotes that he is worth holding on to. The Roadrunners also signed a familiar name to a PTO yesterday, adding former second-round pick and fan favorite Akim Aliu to the roster on loan from the ECHL. Aliu, now 29, is hockey’s foremost Nigerian-Ukrainian-Canadian player and, at 6’4″, 225 lbs., plays an entertaining physical brand of hockey, whether he’s lined up at defense or forward.
- The Detroit Red Wings announced they have swapped emergency defensemen as the team has recalled Dylan McIlrath from the Grand Rapids Griffins and assigned Libor Sulak to the AHL. Sulak had been recalled Wednesday, but has been sidelined by an illness for the last two games, so the team opted to bring in McIlrath to replace him. The 26-year-old McIlrath was the 10th pick overall in the 2010 draft, but has appeared in just 43 NHL games since then and hasn’t played there since playing five games with the Florida Panthers in 2016-17. Since being acquired from Florida that same year, McIlrath has played exclusively for the Griffins since then.
- The Colorado Avalanche have recalled forward A.J. Greer from the Colorado Eagles of the AHL, according to CapFriendly. Greer, who has been going up and down several times already this season, was sent down on Thursday to the AHL. The 22-year-old has fared well in the AHL with 18 goals and 42 points in 48 games with the Eagles. He has a goal and an assist in 15 games with the Avalanche so far this year.
- The Buffalo Sabres announced they have recalled defenseman Lawrence Pilut from the Rochester Americans of the AHL. The blueliner has appeared in 25 games for the Sabres this year, but was sent to Rochester in late February to work on his skills. With injuries to Zach Bogosian and Matt Hunwick injured, the team needs Pilut to help out. The 23-year-old was almost a point-per-game defenseman with the Amerks with 26 points in 28 games. He has a goal and six points with the Sabres in his rookie campaign.
- The Los Angeles Kings announced they have recalled Michael Amadio from the Ontario Reign of the AHL and will go with the team on their upcoming three-game road trip. Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen adds the team will not take forward Brendan Leipsic on the road trip in favor of Amadio. The 22-year-old has played 37 games for L.A. this season with four goals and eight points, while posting six goals and 22 points in 24 games with the Reign.
Decisions Coming From Dante Fabbro, Shane Bowers
The talent on the Boston University roster this season didn’t quite match up with the regular season results this year and the Terriers needed to win the Hockey East Conference Tournament to keep their season alive with an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. They faced the same scenario last season and were able to get in, but lightning didn’t strike twice. The Northeastern Huskies knocked off BU in the Hockey East semifinals tonight and now decisions await several of the teams stars.
The most notable decision will come from 2016 first-round pick Dante Fabbro. The 16th overall pick by the Nashville Predators that year, Fabbro was a superstar for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL and has only continued to progress at BU into a high-end two-way defenseman. Fabbro set a career high with 33 points in 37 games this season and was named a first-team all-conference selection for his efforts. Fabbro may not have much more growing to do at the college level, but does have another year of NCAA eligibility remaining. If he chooses to turn pro and surrender that final year, he would undoubtedly be a welcomed addition in Nashville. However, he does have some incentive to wait one more year. The Predators have one of the deepest blue lines in the NHL, armed with an elite top-four and seven veteran defenders already signed through next season. Fabbro could end up buried in the minors or at the very least outside top-four consideration for several years if he signs with the team that drafted him. If he instead opts to return to BU for his senior year, he could then wait until August 2020 and become an unrestricted free agent. The wait is now on to see what Fabbro decides to do. Ironically, teammate Patrick Harper finds himself in the same situation with the Predators. The talented forward had a down year after back-to-back point-per-game campaigns to begin his collegiate career. He may be looking to move on from the college game, but Nashville’s 2016 fifth-round pick could benefit from another year with the Terriers and also opens himself up to the possibility of free agency if he returns for a fourth NCAA season.
The clock may also be ticking for Fabbro’s teammate and fellow first-round pick Shane Bowers. A 2017 selection, Bowers actually has two years of eligibility remaining, but rumors surfaced earlier this season that Bowers was considering moving on from the NCAA ranks. In fact, there was some doubt that Bowers would return to BU after the World Juniors earlier this year, with some speculating he could sign with the Colorado Avalanche instead. Originally a pick of the Ottawa Senators, Bowers was one of the pieces moved to the Avs in the Matt Duchene trade and now finds himself with the opportunity to join a good team with a need for secondary scoring. Bowers certainly has room to improve before turning pro, but the former USHL standout would still likely step into an immediate role in Colorado. Bowers could potentially even join the Avalanche right away this season to help the team in their playoff push. Such a chance doesn’t come around very often and could persuade Bowers to cut his tenure in Boston short.
Elsewhere on the roster, starting goaltender Jake Oettinger, another 2017 first-round pick, may consider a move to the pros as well. The Dallas Stars top goalie prospect had another up-and-down year, but has undeniable talent and could choose to leave the college level behind him. However, after watching another talented, young Dallas keeper, Colton Point, see limited action and ample struggles in both the AHL and ECHL in his first pro season in the Stars’ system, Oettinger may not be in any rush. Most of the Terriers’ other NHL prospects have years of eligibility remaining and seem unlikely to jump ship. Among those who hypothetically could are Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Philadelphia Flyers first-rounder Joel Farabee, another Nashville Predators prospect in David Farrance, and intriguing Chicago Blackhawks defensive prospect Chad Krys.
Two players without any choice in the matter are Bobo Carpenter and Max Willman. Carpenter, who struggled with injuries this season, nevertheless will be a priority free agent now that BU’s season is over. The undrafted forward has NHL lineage, leadership skills, and a strong work ethic. At just 22, Carpenter brings four years of NCAA experience and consistent scoring numbers to whichever team is lucky to land him. There may not be the same press to sign Willman. A rare five-year college player, Willman is a 2014 selection of the Buffalo Sabres but may not be tendered by the team. In four years at Brown University and a graduate year at Boston University, Willman managed just 51 points in 134 games with just one breakout year as a junior at Brown. Buffalo may like how the 24-year-old’s mature game could translate to the pros, but his upside may not be worthy of an entry-level contract. Should Willman become a free agent, the Cape Cod native will have plenty of AHL teams close to home who could be willing to give him a chance.
Change is coming to Boston University one way or another, but just how much change will depend on how many of their top players decide to turn pro versus return for another year. Either the Terriers or the NHL will end up with a good amount of talent added to the mix next season.
Snapshots: Retirement, Meier, Hall
As the season comes to an end for half the teams in the NHL, various older players—especially those without a contract for next season—will have to consider what comes next. Two of those players, Ryan Miller of the Anaheim Ducks and Jason Pominville of the Buffalo Sabres, were profiled today by Josh Cooper and Joe Yerdon of The Athletic (subscription required) and both had basically the same answer—”I’ll think about it after the season.”
It’s unclear what the future holds for each of them, but they are entering the summer in different situations. Miller, 38, still had a solid year for the Ducks despite his injury, but has been clear in the past that he wants to stay in Southern California (where his wife works as an actress). Pominville meanwhile is about to be a healthy scratch for the third time this season and will turn 37 in November. While his production is still adequate—the Sabres forward scored 15 goals and 28 points this season—there might not be a huge lineup at his front door on July 1st. Neither player is admitting that retirement is a possibility, but only because they’re still focused on the end of this year. A few more weeks and they might have a very different answer.
- The NHL has issued a $2,000 fine to San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier for diving, a punishment that only kicks in for the second reported incident. Meier apparently was cited for embellishment on February 5th in Winnipeg, while this latest occurence took place in Saturday’s game against the Nashville Predators. Meier received an unsportsmanlike penalty on the play. While these fines aren’t a huge bill for an NHL player to pay, on the fifth offense the head coach begins to receive similar punishments. Causing your boss to pay thousands of dollars in fines certainly isn’t something anyone wants to do, let alone a professional hockey player.
- Taylor Hall‘s name has kept coming up in trade speculation through a disastrous season for the New Jersey Devils and the reining Hart Trophy winner in particular, but that doesn’t mean the team is looking to move him. In fact, GM Ray Shero discussed Hall on the latest Executive Suite podcast and explained that he’ll approach him about a contract extension after the season ends. The two sides can’t officially sign a new deal until July 1st when Hall will have just a single year left on his deal, but they can certainly iron out the details.
NHL Announces Global Series Dates For 2019-20
The NHL will be heading overseas again next season, bringing the top league in the world to fans all across Europe. Four teams will be included in the 2019 Global Series, as the Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres will all participate in regular season games in another country. The full series is as follows:
September 29, 2019 – Berlin, Germany
Chicago Blackhawks vs Eisbaren Berlin (exhibition)
September 30, 2019 – Lausanne, Switzerland
Philadelphia Flyers vs Lausanne HC (exhibition)
October 4, 2019 – Prague, Czech Republic
Chicago Blackhawks vs Philadelphia Flyers
November 8-9, 2019 – Stockholm, Sweden
Buffalo Sabres vs Tampa Bay Lightning
The games in Sweden will be special for several players on the Sabres and Lightning, including standout defensemen Victor Hedman and Rasmus Dahlin. The two squads will go head to head in a pair of games, and Dahlin spoke with Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com about his excitement:
Now it’s going to happen, and it’s unreal. It’s awesome. I mean, I’ve been on the same ice surface as [Hedman], but to be able to do it at home in front of friends and family, it’s unbelievable.
I can’t believe it’s actually going to happen.
The league also has details on the outdoor games for next season that had already been announced, including the 2020 Winter Classic between the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars.
Snapshots: Pekar, Miami, Yakupov
After his season came to an end in the OHL, Matej Pekar is headed to join the Rochester Americans for the rest of the season. The 19-year old forward is currently injured and it is unclear if he’ll get into any actual games, but he can at least become familiar with the team and their facilities. Pekar was just a fourth-round pick last June, but has already become one of the more intriguing prospects for the Sabres after a solid season with the Barrie Colts.
Pekar recorded 36 points in 33 games and attended the World Juniors with the Czech Republic. The left-shot forward will see his entry-level deal slide to next season, and won’t start burning years even if he does get into some AHL action over the next few weeks.
- It wasn’t a very successful season for Miami University (Ohio), and head coach Enrico Blasi has been fired because of it. Athletic Director David Sayler announced the decision today, explaining that he needs to see more competitive play out of his school as they try to battle in the NCHC—arguably the toughest conference in college hockey. Miami went just 5-17-2 this year and 45-84-15 under Blasi over the six seasons as part of the NCHC. Blasi had been head coach of the program for nearly two decades overall.
- While reports surfaced this morning out of Russia that the Arizona Coyotes were one of a few teams interested in bringing Nail Yakupov back to the NHL, Craig Morgan of The Athletic threw cold water on the idea. Morgan tweeted that a league source called the report “completely inaccurate.” Yakupov found great success after heading back to the KHL this season, recording 23 goals in 47 games and being a big part of a St. Petersburg SKA team that looks poised to return to the Gagarin Cup finals. It’s unclear if there are other teams circling Yakupov to see if he’s willing to come back.
Atlantic Notes: Abdelkader, Daley, Pastrnak, Thompson
It looks like the Detroit Red Wings might have lost one of their veteran players as MLive’s Ansar Khan writes that Justin Abdelkader will likely miss the rest of the season after suffering a hairline fracture in his leg and will miss 3-4 weeks.
The 32-year-old Abdelkader was injured Thursday after blocking a shot during their game against Tampa Bay. The forward has struggled this season, although he did recently end his 40-game goal-scoring drought, but has just six goals and 19 points with a minus-14 rating in 71 games this season.
Abdelkader has one of the most frustrating contracts on a team full of them as he has seen his playing time shrink in each of the past three seasons and yet still is on the books for another four years at $4.25MM per year.
- Sticking with the Red Wings, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free-Press writes that defenseman Trevor Daley took warmups today before their 2-1 win over the Islanders, but wasn’t able to play due to a bad back. With a back injury, Daley could be a game-by-game decision for the rest of the season. “It might be one of those things where when he feels good, he can play,” Detroit head coach Jeff Blashill said. “When he doesn’t, he can’t. Might be in and out a little bit.”
- The Boston Bruins got some good news as they announced an update on star forward David Pastrnak who has been out of the lineup since Feb. 10 after undergoing thumb surgery. After skating at this morning’s skate, the team expects to join the Bruins’ full practice on Monday and should be ready to return to the lineup shortly thereafter. The 22-year-old has already hit 30 goals for the third-straight year, but is close to hitting career-highs if he can get back on the ice as he has just 31 goals and 66 points in 56 games.
- In an update on the development this season of Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson, The Athletic’s Joe Yerdon (subscription requried) writes that the team has made the 21-year-old forward eligible to play in the AHL playoffs for the Rochester Americans and it is expected the team will send him there when the playoffs start, but he likely won’t be assigned there until after the Sabres’ regular season ends. Thompson has struggled to show consistency this season, which is normal for young players, but the team hopes they can get the 6-foot-5 forward as developed as possible for next season.