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Evening Notes: Officials, OHL, Capitals

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The focus of late has been on peaceful collective bargaining talks between the NHL and NHLPA. The players’ association formally declined their opt-out on Monday, extending the current CBA through the 2021-22 season, while the two sides continue to work toward a new agreement. Meanwhile though, the league has been embroiled in another labor negotiation. The NHL Officials’ Association watched their deal with the NHL expire at the end of August and the two groups have been working hard to come to a resolution before the puck drops on a new season. Fortunately, a deal has been made with time to spare. Sports Illustrated’s Michael Farber was the first to report that the terms of a new agreement have been agreed for the NHL’s referees and the deal needs only to be ratified by the Officials’ Association. While neither side has confirmed the new agreement, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun also hears that a resolution has been reached, adding that it is a four-year term. Luckily, the NHL won’t have to deal with replacement referee any time soon, a debacle that played out poorly for the NFL in 2012.

  • The Ontario Hockey League began their regular season today and the league announced Opening Night rosters for each of its 20 teams. While many of the biggest names in the OHL are still competing in NHL training camps, many have already been returned to their clubs to start the junior season on time. Ontario will also be home to three of the biggest names in the 2020 NHL Draft class: forwards Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves) and Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit) and defenseman Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters). After a down year for the OHL – and Canada as a whole – in last year’s draft, this promises to be a bounce-back year with plenty of draft-eligible talent to watch.
  • Drysdale’s team, the Erie Otters, also started off the season with an exciting announcement. The team revealed a new ten-year lease agreement with the Erie Insurance Arena, keeping the team in the Pennsylvania city through the 2028-29 season. The decision was likely a no-brainer for the city of Erie. The Otters have been one of the top junior teams in all of the CHL over the last decade, winning the 2016-17 OHL Championship and producing the likes of Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, Anthony Cirelli, and, of course, Connor McDavid. The “McDavid Era” vaulted the popularity of the Otters and has created a nice fan base in Erie.
  • The Washington Capitals have cut two junior players from training camp, but won’t return them to their clubs just yet (if at all). Both Kody Clark and Riley Sutter, a second- and third-round pick respectively in 2018 and both part of famous hockey families, are no longer competing for an NHL roster spot. However, the team announced that they have been assigned to minor league camp with the Hershey Bears for now. Why? Both players are dealing with injuries and will continue to rehab under the supervision of the Washington medical staff before likely heading back to junior. Clark and Sutter are both currently battling upper-body injuries, but should be back competing in the CHL soon, with a possibility they stick in Hershey.

Morning Notes: Flyers, Canadiens, Colts

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The Philadelphia Flyers have extended their affiliation with the Reading Royals of the ECHL. The two organizations have been partnered for the past five years and have signed a one-year agreement with an option for 2020-21. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher explained the move:

We are very happy to extend our relationship with the Reading Royals. Over the last five years, we have seen how advantageous it has been to have each of our minor league affiliates, which includes the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, in close proximity to Philadelphia, as we continue to develop players within the Flyers system.

The Royals missed the playoffs last season for the first time in a decade, but still posted a 34-28-10 record. Like other teams in the ECHL, Reading is used as a place for raw or long-shot prospects to hone their games in hopes of a chance at the AHL or NHL level some day. The team was led in scoring once again by Chris McCarthy, a 28-year old forward that has become something of a superstar for Reading over the last few seasons.

  • Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin confirmed to Eric Engels of Sportsnet that the team did make an offer to Jake Gardiner before the defenseman signed with the Carolina Hurricanes, but explained that it is a “two-way street” and that the player needs to be interested as well. Gardiner’s market didn’t quite become what many thought it would be this summer as few teams offered him the term he was looking for. The Hurricanes signed him for four years and $16.2MM on Friday.
  • The Canadiens also won’t be bringing in Jason Pominville according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports, who notes that the club wants to give their young players a “fair chance” during training camp. Pominville is still unsigned despite a 16-goal, 31-point season in 2018-19 and may need to settle for a professional tryout at this point in order to earn a contract.
  • After Dale Hawerchuk was forced to take a leave of absence from the Barrie Colts coaching staff due to health concerns, the team has brought in a familiar OHL face. Warren Rychel, the long-time co-owner and general manager of the Windsor Spitfires will take over as head coach. Rychel sold his stake in the Spitfires earlier this year and stepped down from his post in the front office. Rychel played more than 400 games in the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.

Minor Transactions: 08/27/19

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

  • Dante Salituro was a lottery ticket signing by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2016, hoping his offensive explosion at the OHL level could carry over to professional hockey. After short stints in the AHL with the Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild affiliates, Salituro spent most of the last two seasons in the ECHL where he was dominant. Left unqualified by Minnesota this summer he became an unrestricted free agent and has now signed with the ECHL’s Indy Fuel for 2019-20. Salituro had 61 points in 66 games for the Allen Americans last year and should be another top performer in the low minors.
  • After four years at Yale University, 24-year old defenseman Charles Curti will begin his professional career with the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL. Curti was never a big offensive performer in college but will see if he can add a little more production to his game as he transitions to the new league.
  • 17-year old forward Andrei Bakanov has decided to sign with the Guelph Storm and bring his talents to the OHL, keeping his game in front of North American scouts ahead of the 2020 draft. The big bodied winger was born in Russia but has been playing in the United States for several years, including a full season with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL last season. He was selected 38th overall in the CHL Import Draft earlier this summer and could potentially go in the first few rounds of the NHL Entry Draft next June if his offensive game takes another step forward.
  • Former NHL defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka is remaining in the KHL, but moving on from HK Sochi. Sibir Novosibirsk has announced a one-year deal with the free agent Finn. Jokipakka, 28, recorded 24 points in 59 games last season for Sochi and his new Siberian club hopes for that or more this year.

Minor Transactions: 08/15/19

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As August continues and we get further into contract negotiations, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:

  • The Toronto Marlies have re-signed Nicholas Baptiste to an AHL contract, giving them some firepower for next season. Baptiste was originally a third-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres but after 47 games in the NHL has been traded twice in the last ten months. The Toronto Maple Leafs decided not to offer Baptiste a qualifying offer this offseason which made him an unrestricted free agent, but he’ll stay with the Marlies for the time being.
  • The Brandon Wheat Kings have convinced Vegas Golden Knights prospect Marcus Kallionkieli to sign in the CHL, something we suggested when the NHL club signed him to an entry-level contract earlier this summer. The Wheat Kings are owned by Vegas executive Kelly McCrimmon, who picked Kallionkieli in both the NHL draft and CHL Import Draft within just a few days in June.

Minor Transactions: 08/13/19

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As August continues and we get further into restricted free agent contract negotiations, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the hockey landscape. We’ll keep updating as more come in:

  • Northeastern has announced a pair of graduate transfers for the upcoming season, one with a very familiar hockey name. Brendan van Riemsdyk, younger brother of NHL players James van Riemsdyk and Trevor van Riemsdyk, will join the Huskies after three seasons at the University of New Hampshire. Undrafted, the 23-year old forward had 16 points in 36 games last season.
  • Former Kelly Cup champion Gabriel Verpaelst has signed on with the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL for next season, bringing his physicality to a new organization. Verpaelst has racked up 706 penalty minutes in 292 ECHL games including 65 fighting majors.
  • The Halifax Mooseheads and Sherbrooke Phoenix of the QMJHL have completed a trade, swapping Cameron Whynot and a 2021 third for Xavier Parent. Whynot was the ninth overall pick in the most recent QMJHL draft and is already a 6’2″ defenseman at the age of 16. He is eligible for selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, but still has a lot of development to do in junior. Parent meanwhile was also a high pick, selected fourth in 2017 by the Mooseheads. He recorded 34 points in 67 games last season and was part of the gold medal-winning Hlinka-Gretzky team. He was eligible this season but went undrafted by the NHL likely thanks in part to his 5’7″ stature.

Minor Transactions: 08/08/19

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As August continues and we get further into contract negotiations, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the hockey landscape. We’ll keep updating as more come in:

  • Anthony Florentino has signed a one-year contract with the Worcester Railers of the ECHL, continuing his professional career after two seasons with the Cincinnati Cyclones. Originally selected in the fifth round by the Buffalo Sabres in 2013, Florentino stayed at Providence College for all four years and never did get an NHL contract. Last year saw the defenseman record eight points in 62 games for Cincinnati.
  • The Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL have convinced one of their import selections to sign for the 2019-20 season, inking Vitali Pinchuk according to his agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey. Pinchuk was the 62nd pick in the CHL Import Draft earlier this year and will leave Belarus to start his North American career. The 17-year old is eligible for selection in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
  • Peter Worrell has been a member of the amateur and youth hockey community in Florida since his retirement more than a decade ago, and will now join the Panthers organization directly. The former NHL enforcer has been named the director of the Florida Panthers IceDen where he will continue to help build the hockey community in the state. Worrell played 342 games for the Panthers during his career, racking up 1,375 penalty minutes.

Minor Transactions: 08/07/19

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As August continues and we get further into contract negotiations, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:

  • Jamie Devane and Yushiroh Hirano have joined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the 2019-20 season on AHL contracts. It’s been a great week for Japanese hockey after 2020 draft prospect Yu Sato decided to bring his talents to North America and now Hirano has landed an AHL deal. The 23-year old forward played his first season of professional North American hockey last year and dominated the ECHL, scoring 57 points in 67 games. Devane meanwhile has been in the AHL for years now, most recently with the Ontario Reign where he racked up 79 penalty minutes in just 27 games last season.
  • If you’re a CHL fan who has been impressed with Swiss goaltender Noah Patenaude at the current Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, you might get another chance to see him up close next season. The 16-year old has signed with the Saint John Seadogs and will make the jump to North America test his skills next season.
  • Jaakko Haarti may not be coming to the NCAA after all. The Finnish defenseman will play with the Lahti Pelicans instead for the upcoming season, taking away a top recruit for UMass. The 5’10” Haarti recorded 14 goals and 28 points in the top Finnish junior league last season in just 50 games.
  • The Charlotte Checkers have signed Cedric Lacroix to a two-way AHL contract, bringing in an ECHL standout for a new opportunity. Lacroix played his first professional season with the Wheeling Nailers in 2018-19 and recorded 42 points in 71 games. That was more than he had in four whole seasons at the University of Maine, but he didn’t forget his roots as a physical presence. In those 71 contests, Lacroix finished sixth in the league by racking up 215 penalty minutes including 12 fighting majors.

Yu Sato Signs In QMJHL

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If you were following along with the 2019 CHL Import Draft in June, you may have noticed something extremely uncommon partway through the first round. With the 24th selection, the Quebec Remparts picked Yu Sato of Japan. While countries like Finland, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland are commonly represented in the draft, Japan is not. Six weeks later Sato has signed with the Remparts and will be suiting up for head coach Patrick Roy this season.

Sato, 17, is eligible for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and if selected would become just the third Japanese-born player ever picked. Defenseman Hiroyuki Miura was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in 1992 but never appeared in an NHL game, while goaltender Yutaka Fukufuji was picked by the Los Angeles Kings in 2004 and played four games for them in 2007. There was also the infamous Taro Tsujimoto incident in 1974, when Buffalo Sabres GM Punch Imlach created a fictional Japanese player to select in the late rounds as a joke.

The young Remparts forward however is no joke. Sato played last season in Finland’s junior system and dominated, something he’d done in Russia’s junior league the year prior. If he can find some success in Quebec under Roy this season, perhaps there will be a new name added to the history books next June and potentially the first Japanese NHL skater a few years after that.

Snapshots: Shattenkirk, Miller, Malik

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There appears to have been more interest in Kevin Shattenkirk than most anticipated, making his one-year, $1.75MM pact with the Tampa Bay Lightning all the more interesting. Earlier today, it was reported that the Lightning and the Arizona Coyotes were just two of eleven teams that reached out to Shattenkirk. Now, The Fourth Period’s Dennis Bernstein states that the Anaheim Ducks went so far as to make Shattenkirk a formal, multi-year contract offer. He notes that the Los Angeles Kings also entered the mix. Colleague David Pagnotta adds that the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, and Winnipeg Jets were also serious contenders. As for some of the other possible suitors, there was rampant speculation that both the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers would have interest in Shattenkirk. At the end of the day, the veteran puck-mover clearly chose what he felt was his best opportunity to return to form as a high-scoring, dynamic defenseman, playing with the uber-skilled Lightning. There were surely offers for more money and term than what Shattenkirk ended up accepting to go to Tampa, and what remains is to make the most of that gamble by asserting himself as a top option on a crowded blue line and padding his stats before hitting the free agent market again next summer.

  • Despite Shattenkirk’s ties to the city during his collegiate career, it’s safe to assume that the Boston Bruins were not one of the teams interested in his services. The Bruins are having a hard enough time getting their own right-handed defensemen under contract with limited cap space, never mind adding another to the mix. Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo remain unsigned and the team has acknowledged that one or both may miss time during training camp due to to the rigors of difficult negotiations. Barring some magic from GM Don Sweeney and company, Boston will likely have to make a move to free up cap space. While many hope that it would be overpaid and ineffective veteran David Backes leaving town, such a trade would be hard to make and/or would cost the Bruins too much in picks or prospects. NBC Sports’ James O’Brien writes that defenseman Kevan Miller is instead the most likely casualty. Miller is a strong two-way defenseman who can make an impact on any team, when healthy. The problem is that he is not healthy as often as the Bruins have liked, leading them to invest heavily in defensive depth, such as signing John Moore last summer and extending Steven Kampfer and Connor Clifton in recent months. The Bruins have the depth to survive next season without Miller, after which he is likely to leave as a free agent anyway. Eliminating Miller’s $2.5MM cap hit may give the team just enough wiggle room to sign McAvoy and Carlo to long-term contracts. Meanwhile, even with so many teams facing salary cap issues, there would be a market for Miller’s services as a year-long rental to play a shutdown role for a contender.
  • NHL scouts will have to travel to the Czech Republic to evaluate one of the 2020 draft class’ top goaltenders in-person this upcoming season. 17-year-old Nick Malik, son of former NHL defenseman Marek Malik, was drafted by the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in this summer’s CHL Import Draft, but will not sign with the club. His Czech junior team, HC Ocelari Trinec, announced today that their starting goaltender will be staying through the 2019-20 season. Malik is considered one of the top handful of goaltenders early on in the 2020 evaluation process, with one scouting source, Future Considerations, naming him their No. 2 goalie and No. 59 overall prospect in their preliminary rankings last month. The Czech keeper, who was actually born in Raleigh, North Carolina while his dad was playing for the Hurricanes, has turned heads with his calm demeanor and lightning reflexes in net and performed very well at the U-17 World Junior Championship last year. Rather than split time with new Greyhounds acquisition Christian Propp, who made 51 appearances for the North Bay Battalion last season, Malik will likely be the undisputed starter for Ocelari and will have the chance to make more appearances in the Czech secondary pro league.

Minor Transactions: 07/31/19

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As July comes to a close and we get closer to the end of arbitration hearings and contract holdouts, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:

  • Legendary Texas Stars forward Travis Morin has decided to retire from his playing career and take a job in the team’s front office. Morin’s #23 will be the first number retired by the team in a ceremony scheduled for October 19. The 35-year old forward played in just 13 NHL games but suited up 778 times in the AHL, scoring 625 points. 773 of those AHL games and all but one point came in a Texas uniform. In 2014 he was named regular season and playoff MVP en route to a Calder Cup with the Stars.
  • The Cleveland Monsters have signed Anton Karlsson to a one-year AHL contract. The 26-year old defenseman has played the last five seasons in the SHL, recording his best offensive output—13 points—in 2018-19. Undrafted, Karlsson will get a chance to show what he can do on North American ice and try to work his way towards an NHL contract down the road.
  • Selected 35th overall in the CHL Import Draft, Ville Ottavainen is on his way to the Kitchener Rangers. The 16-year old defenseman has signed with the OHL club and will play on their blue line next season. Ottavainen recorded 34 points in 49 games in his Finnish junior league last season and will try to bring that kind of production to North America. He is eligible for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

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