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Poll: What Should The Blackhawks Do With The No. 3 Pick?

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While there are still some who would argue that Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko should be selected first overall over American center Jack Hughes, the vast majority see Hughes going No. 1 to the New Jersey Devils and Kakko going No. 2 to the New York Rangers and everyone agrees that the pair will be the first two picks in whatever order. As such, the first real question of the 2019 NHL Draft comes with pick No. 3. The Chicago Blackhawks were the big winners of the NHL Draft Lottery this year, moving up from No. 12 to win the third overall pick. However, without an obvious option at that slot, Chicago’s decision could dictate much of the early first round.

In all likelihood, GM Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks will hold on to their pick and add an elite prospect to the pipeline, but which one? The recent NHL Scouting Combine did not provide many hints, as the team spoke multiple times with most of the top prospects in the draft class. Forwards Alex Turcotte, Dylan Cozens, Kirby Dach, and Peyton Krebs and defenseman Bowen Byram all met with Chicago several times over the week and could all be in contention at No. 3.

Turcotte will likely be the fan-favorite pick for the Blackhawks faithful. An Illinois native and lifelong Chicago fan, Turcotte has drawn comparisons to both Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Despite an injury-ridden season, Turcotte impressed when able and may be the most well-rounded forward in the draft class. It’s hard to find many holes in the talented center’s game and he’ll only improve after a year at the University of Wisconsin. In many ways, Turcotte is a bust-proof pick who is sure to be a good NHLer one day.

Yet, Turcotte may not be the best player available at No. 3. Most top scouting services are split between he and the defenseman Byram as the third ranked prospect. Byram is an incredible skater and is unmatched in this draft class in his ability to lead the rush and move the puck. Smart, skilled, and poised, Byram has the makings of a first pair defenseman. The only problem is that the Blackhawks used both of their first-round pick in 2018 on defenders – Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin – and a first- and second-round selection at the position in 2017 – Henri Jokiharju and Ian Mitchell. Chicago is well-stocked on the blue line and may be hesitant to take another defenseman, regardless of his talent level.

Of course, just because most scouts say it should be either Turcotte or Byram at No. 3, doesn’t mean the Blackhawks staff agrees. Cozens and Dach are bigger, stronger centers who, unlike Turcotte, could step in and play in the NHL right away next year if asked. Cozens is an athletic, hard-working player who could be an elite goal scorer at the pro level. Dach is dangerous at the center position, using space well, creating offense, and also playing a physical, two-way game. There’s also a chance that the Blackhawks could go off the board and take a player like Krebs, who they clearly have some interest in, undersized sniper Cole Caufield, who draws comparisons to budding Chicago star Alex DeBrincat, or skilled Russian project Vasili Podkolzin, who could be an offensive force in a few years.

Then there’s also the possibility that the Blackhawks could move the pick. Just because Bowman and company got lucky in the lottery doesn’t mean that they won’t entertain offers for No. 3. In such a deep draft, Chicago could move back to recoup another pick or prospect, and still land a promising prospect with their new pick. If a defense-needy team like the Los Angeles Kings (No. 5), Detroit Red Wings (No. 6), or Anaheim Ducks (No. 9) want to make sure they can get Byram, the Blackhawks could net a nice return and not have to move back too far. Other teams may also be dead-set one of the drafts top centers, while Chicago may not be as sold on one versus the other and could be willing to move back to still get a player they really like. It’s not often that NHL teams, especially ones in a top position, trade back, but the Blackhawks are in a unique position to do just that.

What do you think? What will Chicago do with the third overall pick?

Blackhawks Must Decide Whether To Sign Goaltender Ivan Nalimov

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The Chicago Blackhawks still have veteran Corey Crawford starting in net next season. After that, there are still quite a few questions. One of those is whether the franchise should bring over one of their top prospects, as The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required) writes that goaltender Ivan Nalimov has expressed interest in coming to the U.S. to continue his career.

The team still has Collin Delia, Kevin Lankinen, and restricted free agent Anton Forsberg in the system, but Nalimov presents an interesting option. Drafted in the sixth round in 2014, the 24-year-old Nalimov has played in the KHL for five years now, putting up his best numbers in the 2017-18 season when he put up a .938 save percentage in 27 games. Nalimov expressed interest in coming over last year, however with no goaltending openings in their system, the Blackhawks opted against bringing him over, prompting a trade request which he later rescinded. This year has been less impressive for Nalimov, who posted a .917 save percentage in 18 appearances, yet the goaltender has expressed an interest in coming over yet again, according to Powers.

The Blackhawks could have an opening now as the team must first make a decision on what to do with Forsberg. The 26-year-old put up solid numbers once again with the Rockford Ice Hogs, putting up 15 wins and a 2.64 GAA, but most importantly, a .919 save percentage, which tied him for third in the AHL. Unfortunately, for Forsberg, Delia has surpassed him as the team’s No. 1 prospect and is the likely candidate to take over backup duties behind Crawford. No longer waiver exempt, the team could end up losing Forsberg for nothing if a team claims him at the start of the season. The team could place Lankinen in the starting role in Rockford and after leading Finland to the gold medal at this year’s World Championships, he might be ready for that role. That could give Nalimov a chance to be the backup for the Ice Hogs.

Of course, all that depends on what the Blackhawks intend to do this summer. The team could just as easily bring in another veteran back-up goaltender and push their prospects back a spot in the depth chart, which would once again leave Nalimov in limbo.

 

Artem Anismov's Expiring No-Trade Clause And Declining Salary Make Him A Trade Candidate

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  • With the Blackhawks looking to shake things up this summer, Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago suggests that center Artem Anisimov is someone that could be on the move this offseason. His partial no-trade clause expires at the end of June and while his $4.55MM cap hit is on the expensive side, he’s owed just $5MM in total salary over the final two years of the deal after a $2MM bonus is paid on July 1st.  While the 31-year-old has dipped below the 40-point mark in each of the last two seasons, he should still be of interest to several teams around the league this offseason.

Snapshots: Edmonton, Sedlak, Blackhawks

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The Edmonton Oilers will not be bringing back Trent Yawney or Manny Viveiros as assistant coaches next season, according to Jason Gregor of TSN. It’s not a totally unexpected move given the changes in leadership behind the bench and in the front office for the Oilers, but now means that head coach Dave Tippett will get to put together his own staff. The early speculation is that Yawney could re-join Todd McLellan’s staff, this time in Los Angeles. Assistant Glen Gulutzan will remain and run the Oilers’ powerplay next season.

While both Yawney and Vivieros can hardly be blamed entirely for what happened last season in Edmonton, it makes sense to wipe the slate (mostly) clean and start anew. Edmonton must get it right this time with GM Ken Holland and Tippett on board, or risk wasting more prime seasons of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

  • Lukas Sedlak has signed in the KHL, inking a two-year deal with Traktor Chelyabinsk. The Columbus Blue Jackets forward was set to become a restricted free agent this summer, but according to team reporter Brian Hedger, was looking for a bigger opportunity and more money. Sedlak played just 47 games for the Blue Jackets last season in a depth role, and made $850K in the second year of a two-season contract signed back in 2017.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks are on the clock third in June’s draft, and are taking a close look at the prospects taking part in this week’s scouting combine. Mark Lazerus spoke with Blackhawks scouting director Mark Kelley, who told him that the team has narrowed their list to six potential players to pick with the third-overall selection, though he wouldn’t specify. Lazerus has heard though that Bowen Byram, Alex Turcotte, Cole Caufield and Trevor Zegras are among them.

Combine Notes: Marner, Dubas, Johnson, Turcotte

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Toronto Maple Leafs fans may be nervous about the prospect of a Mitch Marner offer sheet, especially after some recent comments, but GM Kyle Dubas isn’t. Dubas tells NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger that he has used the ongoing NHL Scouting combine as an opportunity to meet with Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, in hopes of getting a new deal done with their star forward as soon as possible:

We’re not letting any time slip away. Any chance we’ve had to have time with Darren, we’re taking it. We’re trying to move it along. That’s really the key. I don’t see any need to delay it. We would like to come to agreements the very first minute we can. Unfortunately with the way things are it’s not overly realistic to think we can do that. Just keep working. I think I said before — we have to go back to check the tape — everyone knows how we feel about Mitch. I’m not afraid to say that Mitch holds a special place in the cosmos of our group… The reality is, Mitch is a great player. We’ve been very clear how we feel about him as a player and a person. He’s been a great Maple Leaf. He should be a Maple Leaf his whole career. I think Mitch and Darren have both stated that at times. We’re going to keep working with Darren to move this along and progress it ahead and come to an agreement which will make Mitch feel like he’s compensated at the level he’s deserved and us with a way to navigate our way ahead. I think if we’re all willing to work towards it we’ll get there. That’s what we have the time for here.

Dubas continues that he would be surprised if Marner were to entertain the idea of an offer sheet and has never been led to believe that it has been discussed as an option by Marner’s camp. Dubas knows that Marner, as well as Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson, could be popular targets for the elusive offer sheet, but is prepared to deal with that scenario if it arises:

I think you have to study what the probability may be. You can’t ignore it. You can’t just say that because something hasn’t happened, it won’t happen. You have to be realistic. You have to look around and identify which teams have the capital, which teams have the cap space, and which teams have the combination of both… That’s the way we’ve gone about it. As a management group, our focus has been on finding contract resolutions with Mitch and Johnsson and Kapanen.

By all accounts, Dubas is farther along in talks with all three of Marner, Johnsson, and Kapanen than he was with William Nylander at this time last year. Nylander of course held out well into the start of this past season, but that doesn’t appear to be the likely outcome for any Toronto RFA’s this year. And while the threat of offer sheets exist, that too doesn’t seem to be a probable ending. The question thus becomes, if new contracts can be signed with Marner, Johnsson, and Kapanen, where does it leave the Maple Leafs in salary cap terms and who will have to move this summer to make the team cap compliant?

  • While NHL executives and agents alike obviously use the NHL Scouting Combine as an opportunity to talk to one another, the focus of course is on the draft class. One prospect in particular has been busier than just about anyone at the combine. NBC Sports Chicago’s Slavko Bekovic reports that American defenseman Ryan Johnson is the only player in attendance thought to have met with all 31 NHL teams. Johnson is not your typical popular top-of-the-first prospect, though. Instead, he has been ranked as high as No. 18 and as low as No. 55 by reputable scouting sources and many teams are likely still trying to gauge whether or not he is a first-round caliber player. To his credit, Johnson will at least likely go ahead of many highly-regarded U.S. National Team Development Program defenders after he himself did not make the team. The stalwart defenseman for the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede is a solid, mobile defenseman and a strong locker room presence, but the question is whether he is a top-31 player in this draft. Every team in the league will apparently get the chance to answer that question.
  • Bekovic also reports that Illinois native Alex Turcotte, a top-ten prospect, has met with his hometown Chicago Blackhawks this week. While the Blackhawks have met with several other intriguing prospects who they could select at No. 3, including Bowen Byram, Dylan Cozens, Kirby Dach, and Peyton Krebs, it’s hard to ignore the fit that Turcotte would have with the organization. The USNTDP standout told Bekovic that he grew up a big Blackhawks fan and has always dreamed of playing for the team. He also models his game after Jonathan Toews and relishes in the frequent comparisons between the two. GM Stan Bowman is not going to let sentiment dictate a crucial pick for his franchise, but Turcotte’s talent alone may make him the third-best player in this class, with the local ties just an added bonus.

West Notes: Boeser, Trouba, Massie

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The Vancouver Canucks are another team with a high profile forward set to hit restricted free agency for the first time, as Brock Boeser’s current deal will expire on July 1. The 22-year old sniper has 59 goals through his first 140 NHL games, and looks like he will be a key part to whatever success the Canucks experience in the future. With that said, while this summer’s negotiation is extremely important, it may also be nowhere near concluding. Irfaan Gaffar of Sportsnet reports that the Canucks and Boeser are “not close at all” at this time, but are expected to meet again soon.

Boeser’s situation isn’t exactly the same as some of the other RFA forwards this summer. While Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen and Brayden Point all achieved new highs this season and set themselves up for long lucrative contracts, Boeser has dealt with injury through the first two years of his career and played just 69 games this season. While still extremely effective during those years, his camp may see value in taking a short-term deal and betting that he can put himself in another category altogether with a full season.

  • Jacob Trouba’s name continues to come up in trade speculation around the league, and Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that there is “significant interest” in the Winnipeg Jets defenseman. That’s easy to understand given the season Trouba just had, scoring 50 points for the first time in his career and stepping into an increased role on the Winnipeg blue line. Still, Trouba has now completed six seasons despite being only 25 years old and has just a single year of restricted free agency left. He also has no contract, meaning anyone who acquires him runs the risk of him filing for arbitration and walking right into unrestricted free agency in 2020. That possibility is likely exactly why the Jets are even having trade discussions about him, as he has never seemed likely to sign a long-term deal in Winnipeg.
  • Defenseman Jake Massie has decided to turn pro, though nothing has been announced yet in terms of an NHL contract. Massie told his team at the University of Vermont that he would not be returning and instead will “pursue opportunities in professional hockey.” The Chicago Blackhawks own Massie’s rights after a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2015, just a few months after he was selected in the sixth round. The 22-year old played three seasons at Vermont, and totaled 23 points in 95 games.

Dominik Kubalik Signs With Chicago Blackhawks

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As expected, the Chicago Blackhawks have signed Czech forward Dominik Kubalik to a one-year entry-level contract. Kubalik most recently suited up for the Czech Republic at the IIHF World Championship where he recorded 12 points in 10 games.

Kubalik, 23, was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings back in 2013 but saw his rights traded to the Blackhawks in January. Perhaps the Kings knew they wouldn’t be able to sign him, but it is still surprising that they would give up on a player performing as well as he was overseas. Kubalik destroyed the competition in Switzerland this season, recording 57 points in 50 games for Ambri-Piotta to lead the NLA in scoring and was named both the league’s best forward and most valuable player.

It’s not the first time that Kubalik had found success in a European league, as he had previously dominated in the Czech Republic recording seasons of 25 and 29 goals despite playing only 48 and 51 games in those respective seasons. His performance at the World Championship shouldn’t shock anyone, as he performed well there and at the Olympics last year as well.

The 6’2″ winger will immediately compete for a spot on the Blackhawks next season, but it won’t be the first time he’s suiting up in North America. Kubalik played parts of two seasons in the OHL after being selected 27th overall in the 2012 CHL Import Draft, but didn’t find enough success to really cement himself as a potential NHL prospect.

Kubalik will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2019-20 season.

Chicago, Colorado, And Philadelphia Have Interest In Kevin Hayes

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Kevin Hayes will be one of the top centers available in free agency in July.  With that in mind, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in his latest 31 Thoughts column that several teams have already started doing their due diligence on the 27-year-old, including the Blackhawks, Avalanche, and Flyers.

Hayes is coming off of a career year offensively with 55 points in 71 games between the Rangers and Jets, who acquired him at the trade deadline.  However, he didn’t have the type of impact in the postseason that Winnipeg was hoping for as he was dropped to the fourth line in their first-round loss to St. Louis.

Despite that, he slots in as arguably the second-best option down the middle behind Matt Duchene so he will undoubtedly have plenty of suitors.

Seeing Chicago among that group is certainly interesting.  They actually drafted him in the first round (24th overall) back in 2010 but he opted to play out his college eligibility and become an unrestricted free agent where he joined the Rangers in 2014.  To further add to their frustration, the player they drafted with the compensation pick for not signing him (Graham Knott) has only been a depth player in the AHL for the past two seasons.  The Blackhawks are in good shape down the middle with Jonathan Toews and Dylan Strome both coming off career years and adding Hayes to that group would really make that position an organizational strength.

Colorado GM Joe Sakic indicated earlier this month that the team would be more aggressive in its pursuit of free agents this summer.  While Nathan MacKinnon is entrenched as their top pivot, they have several young players behind him (along with veteran Carl Soderberg) that aren’t quite ready to take on the number two role on a full-time basis.  At the very least, Hayes would serve as a reasonable bridge player until one of Tyson Jost, Alexander Kerfoot, or J.T. Compher jumps into that spot while giving them some extra depth down the middle.

Philadelphia is in a similar situation.  Sean Couturier is their top center and Nolan Patrick, the number two pick in 2017, isn’t quite ready to play on the second line just yet.  Claude Giroux, a natural center, has fared quite well on the wing so moving him back down the middle probably isn’t their preference for next season.  Hayes would fit in well on the second line and could flip spots with Patrick a couple of years from now.

Last summer, Hayes signed a one-year, $5.175MM deal with New York to avoid salary arbitration.  Given the year he had and the dearth of top-six centers available on the open market, it’s quite likely that he will earn considerably more than that on the open market in July.  Teams will be eligible to speak to Hayes once the UFA interview period opens up on June 23rd.

Chicago Blackhawks Hire Tomas Mitell

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The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t afraid to go overseas to find talent, and that isn’t just limited to players any more. The team has hired Tomas Mitell as an assistant coach to serve under head coach Jeremy Colliton for next season. Mitell is coming off a season as the head coach of AIK Hockey in Sweden’s Allsvenskan (second league), setting franchise records with 109 points and 35 wins.

This isn’t the first time that Mitell will be working with Colliton however, as he previously served under him when the Blackhawks bench boss was working in Sweden. Colliton took a rather unusual path to the NHL, which included transitioning from player to head coach for Mora IK in Sweden after dealing with concussion issues. It is there where he hired Mitell first, working together for the 2016-17 season and earning the team a promotion to the SHL.

Mitell will join Sheldon Brookbank on Colliton’s staff after the former NHL defenseman was promoted earlier this year from the AHL. It’s not clear how the duties will be broken up, but it certainly will be one of the youngest coaching staffs in the league. Colliton, 34, will be flanked by two 38-year old assistants as he tries to right the ship in Chicago and take the Blackhawks back to the playoffs.

Anton Wedin Signs With Chicago Blackhawks

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May 23rd: It may have taken more than a week, but the Blackhawks have finally confirmed their signing of Wedin. The import forward has signed a one-year entry-level contract worth the maximum $925K. Wedin is believed to have chosen Chicago over the Arizona Coyotes and Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

May 12th: The Chicago Blackhawks will be adding some extra forward depth for next season after the team was informed that Swedish free agent Anton Wedin has chosen Chicago over two other teams and will sign a one-year entry-level contract, according to The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required). Wedin’s agent, Michael Deutsch, commented on the signing:

Anton was faced with a very difficult decision. He had multiple offers, all of which were excellent opportunities. Ultimately, he felt that the Blackhawks were a good fit for his style of play and felt comfortable knowing that the coach already knew him from his time in Sweden.”

The 26-year-old left-shot winger had a breakout year in his first year in the Swedish Hockey League after spending most of his career in the Allsvenskan, posting 14 goals and 27 points for Timra IK. However, with his team heading back to the second-tier Allsvenskan next season, Wedin was ready to jump to North America. He chose the Blackhawks over the Toronto Maple Leafs and Arizona Coyotes, although he was received significant interest from across the league. One potential reason could be his familiarity with Blackhawks’ head coach Jeremy Colliton, who previously coached for a rival team in the Allsvenskan, Mora IK.

While the Blackhawks have improved their top-six, the team continues to add to their depth to put together the best team possible. General manager Stan Bowman has shown interest in adding talent from overseas, as the team has signed Artemi Panarin, Erik Gustafsson, David Kampf and Michal Kempny in recent years. The team had success a year ago as well when they signed German forward Dominik Kahun to a two-year entry-level contact, who proved to be a key depth piece after putting up 13 goals and 37 points. In Wedin, a 5-foot-11, 194-pound forward is known for his speed and all-around game, but he’ll have to fight for a roster space and may start the season in the AHL.

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