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USHL Gaining Top Players With Canadian Junior Leagues Out Of Action

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The United States Hockey League, USHL, is the top junior league in the U.S. and has been growing as a top developmental destination in recent years. Yet, they have never seen an influx of talent as they have this season. Early on, it was NCAA players whose teams (mostly Ivy League programs) canceled play this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, as the CHL leagues – OHL, WHL, and QMJHL – and other Junior-A Canadian leagues remain out of action, the flow of top players has continued. The USHL season is ongoing and has thus far operated without much delay, making it the greatest beneficiary on the other side of the border from the stalled Canadian leagues. This past week has shown that talented players throughout Canada are running low on patience with their current leagues and are now making the move south.

On Tuesday, the trend really began to pick up steam when the BCHL announced nine departures, four to the USHL including two top players from the powerhouse Penticton Vees. Buffalo Sabres forward prospect Matteo Costantini, who had joined Penticton this season before heading to the University of North Dakota next year, has now joined the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers. Well-regarded 2021-eligible defenseman Owen Murray is also headed to the NCAA next season as a University of Massachusetts commit, but instead of staying with the Vees this year, he has now joined the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers.

On Wednesday, Penticton lost another top defenseman, as projected 2021 second/third-round pick Jack Bar left for the USHL’s Chicago Steel and will not return to the Vees next season with Harvard University in his sights. However, the bigger story was the exodus from the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. Detroit Red Wings 2020 second-round pick Cross Hanas and potential 2021 first-round forward Jack O’Brien, along with two other teammates, all left for the USL’s Lincoln Stars. Lincoln also picked up 2021 defenseman and Boston University commit Charles-Alexis Legault from the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors.

The biggest move to date is a major addition for the Sioux Falls Stampede. Forward Cole Sillinger, a consensus 2021 first-round pick, left the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers to head to the U.S. Sillinger recorded 53 points in 48 games with the Tigers last year and may just be one of the best players in the USHL now that he has arrived in Sioux Falls.

The question of course with all of these transfers is whether any of these players will leave if their Canadian teams are able to play this season. These USHL clubs undoubtedly hope they can retain their newfound talent throughout their season and postseason and they almost certainly will if junior play in Canada is unable to return. However, the WHL is already taking steps toward a possible return and other leagues will try to follow. Regardless, this influx of talent is great for the competition level of the USHL this year and its reputation moving forward as it looks to compete for top players with the CHL elite in the future.

League Notes: OHL, Stadium Series, Schedule

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The OHL has pushed back the start of their season even further, with many now questioning whether it will happen at all. The entire province of Ontario will go into a lockdown on December 26, leading to a decision by the junior league to push things back indefinitely.

If the league does eventually cancel the season, it will be a lost year for many prospects trying to further their development. In that scenario, those that are already under NHL contracts could potentially join the team’s taxi squad or report to the AHL (should there be a minor league season). Those that are not signed could potentially also sign amateur contracts with the AHL like they often do after the CHL season ends, but it appears as though many will just lose an entire year of play. For draft-eligible juniors, that will only confuse their stock even more, perhaps leading to some wildly different evaluations come draft day.

  • The NHL has postponed the 2021 Stadium Series game that was set to be held at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh on February 20. Though that comes as no surprise, it is just another disappointment in a long year of them. The Carolina Hurricanes have never been involved in an outdoor game and will have to wait even longer for their first appearance. The league does say it “intends to return to North Carolina for this signature event in the near future.”
  • The league will release the full schedule for the upcoming season later today, which is expected to include short baseball-like series between teams. An earlier report even indicated that there could even be four-game segments between teams, though that seems to be the exception, not the rule. Leaks for opening night opponents have continued to spring up, including one recent report from Chris Johnston of Sportsnet that indicates the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers could play on January 13.

Minor Transactions: 12/15/20

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As we wait patiently for the NHL to return in a few weeks, minor, junior, and European leagues continue to fill out and tweak their rosters in the hope of title contention. As always, we’ll keep track of the notable minor moves right here.

  • Isaac Johnson, who had previously signed with the Manitoba Moose earlier this year, now appears to be heading to the SPHL for the 2020-21 season. Johnson, an undrafted free agent who scored 28 goals and 73 points last season with the Winnipeg ICE of the WHL, has signed with the Huntsville Havoc.
  • Matthew Spencer did not receive a qualifying offer from the Buffalo Sabres when his entry-level contract expired this offseason, but he has found the next stop of his hockey career. The unrestricted free agent has signed an ECHL contract with the Orlando Solar Bears for the 2020-21 season. Still just 23, Spencer was a second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2015 (44th overall) and was flipped to Buffalo last year in exchange for Devante Stephens who happens to now be his teammate with the Solar Bears
  • Stephen Davis, who had previously been with the Boston College hockey program, has decided to take his talents to the QMJHL. Davis will join the Halifax Mooseheads when their season resumes in January after failing to play in a single game with BC. Not ever really expected to go to the CHL, Davis was nearly the last pick of the 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft, selected 250th overall by the Mooseheads.

Minor Transactions: 12/10/20

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The NHL offseason has come to a standstill, with no unrestricted free agents signed to one-way contracts in a month. Still, the ECHL and many European leagues continue to play or prepare, meaning hockey players signing deals all over the world. We’ll keep track of the notable minor transactions right here.

  • Among the season-opening rosters that were announced by the ECHL today are a few interesting names, including 26-year-old Nikolai Skladnichenko listed as “immigration pending” for the Orlando Solar Bears. Skladnichenko once won a bronze medal as part of Russia’s World Junior squad in 2014 but hasn’t to this point tested his game in North America.
  • Jonathan Sigalet, who was a fourth-round pick of the Boston Bruins in 2005 and played one game in the NHL, was traded in the SHL back to Frolunda HC. Sigalet, now 34, played at Bowling Green State before spending several productive years in the AHL. He left for Europ in 2011 and hasn’t looked back, spending four seasons in the KHL and the last five in the SHL.
  • Colton Beck, who was actually under an NHL contract as recently as the 2019-20 season, has signed with EV Landshut in the German second league. The 30-year-old forward spent five seasons with the Iowa Wild of the AHL but scored just 11 points in 47 games last year.

Minor Transactions: 12/09/20

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With the NHL finally making solid progress on starting the 2020-21 season, the rumor mill has started warming back up with a number of teams who still need to make roster changes, in some cases extreme makeovers, and many talented free agents still available. However, those concrete moves are still to come. For now, the minor moves being made by NHL teams involve minor league assignments with the ECHL about to open up. The ECHL’s list of transactions for today reveals a few different notable moves:

  • After sending goaltender Kyle Keyser and forward Matt Filipe to the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen last week, the Boston Bruins have reassigned another intriguing name. Priority college UFA Jack Ahcan, one of the top offensive defensemen in the NCAA over the past few years will make his pro debut with Jacksonville after signing with Boston this spring. Ahcan, 23, may get his start in the ECHL but is an interesting name to watch this season given his success at St. Cloud State University and the Bruins’ lack of talent on the left side of the blue line.
  • Jacob McGrew, 2017 sixth-round pick of the San Jose Sharks, will get his pro start with the ECHL’s Allen Americans. McGrew is eager to get back on the ice after missing all but six games last season with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. He did record eight points in those six games and the talented right wing could be a scoring factor in the AHL right away, especially with a strong start in the ECHL.
  • In somewhat of a twist, the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers have recalled Greg Meireles from the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits after assigning him to club late last month. With the ECHL starting this weekend and the AHL still eyeing a February start, Meireles’ reassignment would imply that he is not ready to begin his season just yet. Meireles, who was drafted by the Florida Panthers in 2019, was deemed not worthy of an entry-level contract by the NHL club but signed with their AHL affiliate in October. A dangerous junior scorer with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers, Meireles will be looking to earn that NHL contract with his play this season.

Minor Transactions: 11/20/20

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It’s the dog days of…November? The NHL offseason is moving like molasses these days, with no one-way UFA contracts handed out for the last two weeks. While things may be ramping up again at the end of the month, minor leagues and those in Europe have still continued to finesse their rosters recently. We’ll keep track of the notable moves right here:

  • Philip Holm has signed a contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk for the 2020-21 season, bringing him back to the KHL. Holm has tried multiple times to start a career in North America, but ended up playing just a single NHL game with the Vancouver Canucks in 2017-18. His latest NHL deal, signed with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019, was terminated in January in order for him to play in Switzerland. He’ll now be in Russia, trying to find some stability.
  • Lawton Courtnall, son of former NHL forward Russ Courtnall and nephew of Geoff Courtnall, will start his professional career with the Wheeling Nailers this season. The 24-year-old forward spent the last four years at Western Michigan University but has now signed a one-year ECHL deal.
  • Top draft prospect Mason McTavish is trying to go to Switzerland to play for the upcoming season, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. McTavish, 17, is eligible for selection in 2021 and scored 29 goals in his rookie OHL season. Switzerland may seem like an outside the box choice, but McTavish was actually born there when his father, Dale McTavish, played in the NLA. The young forward’s plans have “hit some snags” according to Wheeler, meaning he is currently skating in Ottawa while his representatives try to work through the issue.
  • Former Blue Jackets prospect Maxime Fortier has signed a one-year contract with Wichita of the ECHL.  The 22-year-old signed with Columbus as an undrafted free agent back in 2017 but didn’t progress past the minor league level in his first two professional seasons which resulted in him not receiving a qualifying offer last month.

Minor Transactions: 11/17/20

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It’s the dog days of…November? The NHL offseason is moving like molasses these days, with no one-way UFA contracts handed out for the last two weeks. While things may be ramping up again at the end of the month, minor leagues and those in Europe have still continued to finesse their rosters recently. We’ll keep track of the notable moves right here:

  • Brandon DeFazio, who played two games for the Vancouver Canucks in 2014-15 and was a standout at the AHL level, has signed with HC Kometa Brno of the Czech professional league. DeFazio has been travelling the world playing hockey in recent years, suiting up in the KHL and Liiga. His numbers dropped off a cliff with Kunlun Red Star last season, but he’ll try his luck again overseas in a new league.
  • Cameron Hebig, who was not extended a qualifying offer by the Edmonton Oilers and became an unrestricted free agent, has signed an ECHL contract with the Florida Everblades for 2020-21. Hebig, 23, scored 29 points in his rookie season in the AHL a few years ago but ended up spending half of 2019-20 in the ECHL anyway. The undrafted forward will have to take a big developmental step if he has any hope of making an NHL roster.
  • Mads Sogaard, the 37th overall pick in the 2019 draft, has been loaned to Esbjerg Energy in Denmark for the upcoming season. The 19-year-old goaltender had played the last two seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL. Joining him is defenseman Mathew Hill of the OHL’s Barrie Colts, a sixth-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2019.
  • Former Dallas Stars prospect Cole Ully has signed a one-year deal with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays, the team announced. Ully returns to the Charleston-based club after playing the whole season with the Stingrays this past year while on an AHL contract with the Hershey Bears. Ully previously played parts of four seasons in the minors for the Stars after being selected in the fifth round in 2013.
  • The rumors have been confirmed and top 2021 NHL Draft prospect Brandt Clarke is officially headed to Sweden. Vasby IK of the Allsvenskan announced that Clarke has joined the team, though they do not state definitively whether it is on a loan basis from the OHL’s Barrie Colts or if he has signed on for the full season. Either way, the club did not pull any punches in describing their excitement for Clarke’s arrival (translated):

    Sometimes it is easy to use superlatives when describing new acquisitions. But this time, the title super talent is simply the only correct description one can make of the Canadian acquisition… Clarke will probably be the greatest talent in the entire history of Väsby Hockey.

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev Loaned To KHL

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have loaned another one of their prospects overseas, this time sending Semyon Der-Arguchintsev to Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL. Der-Arguchintsev signed his entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs back in 2018 but has been playing in the CHL, meaning it still has three years remaining on it.

Now 20, Der-Arguchintsev’s professional career is about to start. The undersized forward was drafted 76th overall by the Maple Leafs in 2018 and recorded 75 points in 55 games this season for the Peterborough Petes of the OHL. Notably, he has routinely been a linemate of Toronto’s top forward prospect, Nick Robertson, who led the league with 55 goals this season. A pure playmaker, Der-Arguchintsev racked up and 63 assists, good for third in the league behind only top draft picks Marco Rossi and Cole Perfetti.

Born in Russia, Der-Arguchintsev has been playing in Canada since he was 14 and has never been included in the Russian national junior teams. Now he’ll be heading back to his native country to take the next step in his professional career. The Maple Leafs did not specify whether the young forward will return for NHL training camp in the coming months, or spend the entire season in the KHL.

League Notes: Inclusion Efforts, QMJHL, Schedule

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The NHL and NHLPA have released a long list of Inclusion and Anti-Racism Efforts, including a partnership with the Hockey Diversity Alliance to establish and administer a grassroots hockey development program for BIPOC boys and girls in the Greater Toronto Area. There will be a similar pilot program in the United States, announced at a later date. NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr released this statement:

Everyone should be able to live and work in an environment that is inclusive, and one that is free from racism and discrimination in any form. In our sport, from the NHL to youth programs, we must take actions to achieve that goal, and to make our sport available and accessible to all.

Three committees have also been formed to develop “action-oriented solutions that positively impact the access, opportunity, and experiences that underrepresented groups have in the game–and in the business–of hockey.” The Player Inclusion Committee will be co-chaired by former NHL player Anson Carter and current NHL defenseman P.K. Subban, while the Fan Inclusion Committee and Youth Hockey Inclusion Committee have also been announced today.

  • The QMJHL has released its schedule for the 2020-21 regular season, with things kicking off on October 2. It will be region-based and played almost exclusively on weekends (Fri-Sun), finishing on April 3, 2021. This is an encouraging announcement for those junior players in the league, looking to continue their development and build up their draft stock, and an ambitious model for other leagues to examine. The WHL and OHL, the other two leagues that make up the CHL, have both delayed their starts until December at the earliest.
  • Though the conference finals were set to be held in Edmonton’s bubble, that may not necessarily be the case in the east. Should the New York Islanders finish off the Philadelphia Flyers tonight, their first game against the Tampa Bay Lightning will likely be held in Toronto according to John Shannon. On Monday, Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper explained on TSN radio that he still didn’t know where the team would be playing and suggested that they could play “a game or two” in Toronto before heading west.

Minor Transactions: 09/03/20

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Minor, junior, and European leagues continue to prepare for the 2020-21 season with signings, trades, and loans. As always, we’ll keep track of the notable transactions right here:

  • The departing captain of Minnesota State University (Mankato) has signed his first professional contract, inking a deal with the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL. Nick Rivera spent four years with the Mavericks, serving as captain the final two and scoring 60 points over 151 NCAA games.
  • Trevor Murphy, former NHL defenseman and long-time minor leaguer, has signed a new two-year contract with Kunlun Red Star in the KHL. Murphy, 25, had 27 points in 60 games for Kunlun last season, his first overseas after bouncing around the AHL for the last several years.
  • Two prospects for the 2020 draft are heading overseas to play in the Swedish third league. Connor McLennon and Ridly Greig, who both spent the 2019-20 season in the WHL, will play for Karlskrona HK this season amid the uncertainty in Canadian junior hockey. While both are likely to be picked in the upcoming draft, Greig’s name will draw much more interest as he could climb into the first round. The 18-year old forward was ranked 14th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.

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