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Training Camp Notes: Kings, Gionta, Tryouts

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When the Los Angeles Kings begin training camp tomorrow, they will be without three notable players. The team announced today that starting defenseman Derek Forbort, top prospect Gabriel Vilardi, and first-year pro Austin Strand will not be full participants when camp opens. Forbort, who is entering his fourth season as a Kings regular, is the least concern. A back injury will keep Forbort from taking part in team drills, but he is well enough to skate and is considered day-to-day. Regardless, Forbort has his top-six role locked in to begin this year and will likely resume playing with Dion Phaneuf after the two found chemistry late last year. The same can’t be said for Vilardi and Strand, who are fighting for roster spots in camp but at this point are considered week-to-week. Vilardi, the eleventh overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, is also suffering from a back injury and is completely sidelined for now. The young center could play a major role for L.A. this year, but has to first get on the ice this month and prove he is ready for the NHL. Strand, an undrafted free agent inked by the Kings last season, is hoping to get a shot on the blue line at some point this season. However, the standout from the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds must first get over the concussion symptoms that are currently keeping him from practice and game action. In the meantime, the Kings revealed their camp roster with some extra bodies invited to perhaps make up for these injuries. Junior players Nathan Dunkley, Mark Rassel, and Michal Ivan – one from each of the three CHL leagues – are set to join the team on tryouts.

  • The New York Islanders weren’t willing to give Stephen Gionta a contract extension last summer, but the team ended up re-signing the veteran forward in December. This time around they are still unwilling to give Gionta a guaranteed contract, but they are willing to give him a shot at earning a spot in camp. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple reports that Gionta will join the team on a PTO in camp as he works to play a 13th pro season. Gionta, the younger brother of Brian Gionta, played for the New Jersey Devils organization for parts of eleven seasons, but has suited up for the Islanders and their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, for the past two years.
  • Gionta and the Kings’ junior tryouts are far from the only camp invitees across the league. As teams have announced their camp rosters, many previously unannounced PTO’s have been revealed. The defending champion Washington Capitals have invited Canadian collegiate forward Mark Simpson and WHL goalie Logan Thompson to camp. Their Stanley Cup competitors, the Vegas Golden Knights, will have junior forwards Raphael Harvey-Pinard and Ryan Chyzowski among their participants. The Anaheim Ducks will take a look at QMJHLers Justin Ducharme and Simon Benoit. The Edmonton Oilers add yet another PTO in former Detroit Red Wings prospect forward Luke Esposito. The Nashville Predators have just one additional skater in camp in WHL center Alex Overhardt. The Montreal Canadiens bring in some nearby QMJHL talent with keeper Samuel Harvey and forward Joel Teasdale. The New Jersey Devils will give ECHL goaltender Colton Phinney a shot, as well as junior blue liner Jeremy Groleau. The Detroit Red Wings host six junior players, as well as two of their ECHL affiliate’s players: defensemen Mackenze Stewart and Brenden Kotyk. The Minnesota Wild will also have a large group of tryouts, including twin forwards Drake and Darian Pilon. Finally, the Calgary Flames have invited surprise undrafted OHL defenseman Merrick Rippon to camp, while the Chicago Blackhawks will evaluate his Ottawa 67’s team mate, forward Shaw Boomhower. 

Training Camp Notes: Sharks, Motte, Betker, Kuhlman

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The San Jose Sharks had quite a few unfamiliar names listed when they released their training camp rosters. All in all, the Sharks have invited five unsigned junior prospects to camp: goalie Max Paddock, defenseman Keaton Middleton, and forwards Kyle Topping, Jake Gricius, and Justin Brazeau. Paddock is the youngest of the group at just 18 and has only one junior season under his belt with the WHL’s Regina Pats. The Sharks may be looking at Paddock, who still has draft eligibility remaining, as a potential long-term project signing, but will have to work quickly to get him signed within a limited window or else will have to hope they can select him in next year’s draft. Middleton, a fourth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs back in 2016, has been the captain of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit for the past two years and has proven to be a reliable two-way defender. Middleton has played significant minutes in 60+ games in each of his four junior seasons and is likely ready to make the jump to the pro level. Up front, Brazeau highlights the forward invites. The 6’6″ power forward registered 75 points in 68 games last season for the OHL’s North Bay Battalion and, if given the opportunity, the 20-year-old Brazeau could possibly be a difference-maker in the minor leagues with an NHL ceiling. Gricius, of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, is another big forward, but younger than Brazeu at 18 and more raw. He has yet to show the same offensive upside and may have limited potential, but the Sharks will judge that for themselves in camp. Finally, Topping is coming off a strong point-per-game season with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, but the 18-year-old has more developing to do. Both he and Gricius remain draft-eligible and San Jose could simply be thinking ahead to next June.

  • The Minnesota Wild have decided to add another goaltender to the mix in camp, listing minor league keeper C.J. Motte on their training camp roster. Motte, the older brother of Vancouver Canucks forward Tyler Motte, is a former college standout at Ferris State University and has been playing in the minor leagues for the past three seasons. Motte was under contract with the Quad City Mallards, ECHL affiliate of the Wild, for the past two years, although his play earned him several AHL loans as well, including to the Iowa Wild. Minnesota’s coaches and front office may want a closer look at what they have in the organization, as Motte could potentially be fighting for a two-way AHL deal in camp.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have invited defenseman Ben Betker to camp. A former sixth-round pick and project prospect of the rival Edmonton Oilers, Betker did not receive a qualifying offer this off-season and has been unable to land an NHL contract. Although the 6’6″, 230-lb. defenseman has great size and physical ability, as well as some modest puck-moving ability, his PTO with Vancouver doesn’t necessarily imply that he is fighting for a contract with the team. Betker has struggle to produce in the minors and could use some more seasoning. However, the 23-year-old could definitely land with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets.
  • Although the Boston Bruins are already bursting with pro-ready prospects, including Calder hopeful Ryan Donato, three centers fighting for a job in Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Trent Frederic, and Jack Studnicka, Anders Bjork and Peter Cehlarik returning from injuries, and recent high picks on the blue line in Urho Vaakanainen, Jakub Zboril, and Jeremy Lauzon, The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa suggests that a first-year pro free agent addition could actually end up having an impact this year. Karson Kuhlman, the captain of the reigning NCAA Champion Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, has impressed in camp so far. Shinzawa spoke with Providence Bruins head coach Jay Leach and watched Kuhlman dominate with two goals in the Bruins’ rookie game on Saturday and has formed the opinion that the young winger could be one of the first players called up by Boston this season. Although smaller and less skilled than some of his competition, Shinzawa states that his effort and two-way intelligence is evident and the team loves his hard-nosed style and natural leadership. Kuhlman seems like a nice fit as a bottom-six forward in the NHL and could realize that ceiling sooner rather than later. The embarrassment of riches in the Boston pipeline continues as another name to watch is added to the list.

Metropolitan Notes: Beauvillier, Bratt, Svechnikov, Hart

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Despite the loss of star John Tavares, the New York Islanders still are coming off a season in which the team was tied for seventh in goals scored. Throw in a Stanley Cup winning coach in Barry Trotz and don’t be surprised if the Islanders are competitive after all this year. While many players will have to deal with the task of making up for the loss of Tavares’ offense, one player that the team is counting on to take that next step will be Anthony Beauvillier, according to The Athletic’s Arthur Staple (subscription required).

The 21-year-old found his game in the second-half of his second season last year. After struggling early on last year, posting just seven points in the first 31 games of the season, he was demoted to Bridgeport of the AHL for the five-day break to work on his game. When he came back, his game took off as he scored 17 goals and 29 points in the final 40 games of the season when he was placed on the second line alongside Mathew Barzal.

While his success could have a lot to do with Barzal’s magnificent season, he replaced veteran Andrew Ladd, who scored just seven times in the first half of the season. Staple writes that if Beauvillier can find himself on the top line this year with Barzal and Eberle, the youngster could be in line for a breakout year.

  • Corey Masisak of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that New Jersey Devils forward Jesper Bratt needs a strong camp to prove to the team that he deserves a top-six spot in their lineup this year. After shocking many in the league by winning a spot on the Devils’ roster out of training camp last year, Bratt finished the season with 13 goals and 35 points. Now, the 20-year-old must prove he belongs and can build on a solid rookie campaign. However, the question is whether he can get enough playing time to better this season. Bratt scored 10 points in his first 10 games and then picked up 29 in his first 42 games. However, his offense disappeared on the injury return of Travis Zajac as well as other crippling injuries to Marcus Johansson and Kyle Palmieri. The team also added Patrick Maroon and Michael Grabner at the trade deadline as Bratt was actually often a healthy scratch.
  • It hasn’t taken long for Carolina Hurricanes’ winger Andrei Svechnikov to get a lot of attention. The second-overall pick in this year’s draft hit the ice at the Traverse City Prospects tournament, and the 18-year-old showed off his quickness and readiness to step right into the NHL, according to NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. In two games for Carolina, he’s posted a goal and a couple of assists along with 2017 first-rounder Martin Necas. Despite their compatibility together, the team expects to break up their two rookies when training camp begins, however. “Probably a little harder in the NHL to put the two young players like that together,” Carolina general manager Don Waddell said. “Down the road I can see it, but I think right now [coach Rod Brind’Amour’s] plan is probably to break them up in camp, let them play with some veteran players.”
  • Philadelphia Flyers’ prospect Carter Hart hopes to convince the team that’s he’s ready to make the leap to the NHL and give the Flyers a cure to their goaltending issues, according to NHL.com’s Bill Meltzer. The 20-year-old goaltender dominated juniors for the last two years, and was named the CHL’s Goaltender of the Year for two straight years, a feat no goaltender has ever accomplished before. Of course, winning a job in the NHL would be quite a challenge as most feel he’ll spend the year in the AHL, but if he could do it, he’d have to beat out Brian Elliott, Michal Neuvirth, Alex Lyon and Anthony Stolarz.

Matej Pekar Expected To Play In OHL

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When the Buffalo Sabres selected USHL standout Matej Pekar with their fourth round pick (94th overall) in June’s draft, it seemed that his path was set to eventually play in the NCAA at Miami University (Ohio). Pekar was likely going to play another season in the USHL before heading to college, but there was a clear route laid out for his development. Now, in a turn of events, Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald is reporting that Pekar will play in the OHL this season instead of the USHL. Pekar’s rights in the Canadian junior ranks are owned by the Barrie Colts after they selected him 108th overall in the most recent CHL Import Draft.

Pekar, 18, was named USHL Rookie of the Year last season after scoring 54 points in 56 games and was a key player for the Czech Republic at both the U18 World Juniors and Ivan Hlinka (now Hlinka-Gretzky) tournament. The shifty forward actually plays much bigger than he is and can fit into several different roles including agitator and top line playmaker. He was ranked as the 55th best North American skater by Central Scouting prior to the draft, but other services had him going ahead of his eventual selection. The Sabres looked like they were going to have to wait to try and sign him until after he felt he was finished with college, but now might have him right under their nose in the OHL.

Barrie of course is losing import forward Andrei Svechnikov to the NHL after being selected second overall by the Carolina Hurricanes, and have room for another import on the roster. If Pekar does end up there, he would be a huge addition to a group that already has quite a bit of talent and should compete for the OHL playoffs once again. Pekar will also take part in the Sabres upcoming Prospects Challenge, alongside other talent like Casey Mittelstadt, Brendan Guhle and Alexander Nylander.

Sergey Tolchinsky Signs With KHL’s CSKA Moscow

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Sergey Tolchinsky is an enigma, but one commonly found among Russian players. The young forward has loads of talent and ability, but for some reason struggled to put it all together at the pro level in North America. Likely frustrated by the disconnect between his skill and his production over three years with the Carolina Hurricanes organization, Tolchinsky signed a try-out deal back in June with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, the parent club of his former junior team. Today, the league announced that Tolchinsky has earned a roster spot, signing a one-year contract with CSKA.

Tolchinsky, 23, may not be entirely done with the NHL, but at the very least he won’t be suiting up in 2018-19. However, a comeback can never be ruled out for  player with so much natural talent who has previously shown a commitment to the North American game. Although undersized at 5’8″ and 170 pounds, Tolchinsky has proven to be a very capable scorer, albeit streaky in the AHL. Tolchinsky made the trek across the Atlantic early in his development, joining the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in 2012-13 after being selected 12th overall in the CHL Import Draft. In his first North American junior season, the then-17-year-old notched 51 points in 62 games, outscoring teammates like Jared McCann, Darnell Nurse, and Tyler Gaudet. Yet, Tolchinsky went undrafted in 2013. The Hurricanes were quick to jump on the free agent, inking him to an entry-level deal, although he played two more years for the Greyhounds. Tolchinsky led Soo in scoring in each of those seasons, amassing 186 points in 127 games. He entered the pro ranks with high expectations, but struggled to score at the same rate, finishing his first campaign with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers with 36 points in 72 games and a -16 rating. With point totals and games played totals even lower than that in each of the past two seasons since, Tolchinsky simply couldn’t replicate his success in the AHL. Although he managed to contribute a pair of assists in four games with the Hurricanes, his inconsistency in Charlotte prevented any full-time promotion and the disgruntled Russian did not see any NHL action in 2017-18.

Now, Tolchinsky looks re-establish himself back home in Russia. There has never been a question of how skilled the young winger is, but rather can he put it all together. Skating for a CSKA squad that has been almost dynastic in its success this decade, he stands a good chance of producing plentiful points and boosting his image. Tolchinsky will be re-united with Hurricanes teammate Klas Dahlbeck and will also call the likes of Mikhail Grigorenko, Linden Vey, Jannik Hansen, Sergey Kalinin, Anton Slepyshev, Kirill Kaprizov, Nikita Nesterov, Alexey Marchenko, and Ilya Sorokin his teammates. Moscow looks to be dominant again this season and Tolchinsky will be one of many members of the team keeping an eye out for NHL offers next off-season. The Hurricanes chose not to qualify Tolchinsky, a restricted free agent, after he chose to sign with CSKA, meaning he is free to sign with any NHL team when his new contract in the KHL expires.

 

OHL Institutes Draft Pick Trade Restrictions

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If you’re a fan of junior hockey, some of the trades made in the OHL the past few seasons have drawn laughter and confusion upon announcement. In order to load up on present day talent, various teams had begun trading draft picks that wouldn’t be used for six, seven or eight years into the future. A January trade involving Los Angeles Kings top prospect Gabe Vilardi for instance from the Windsor Spitfires included a Kingston Frontenac second-round pick from 2025. The OHL has had enough of these transactions, and today announced new trade restrictions that will come into effect on September 1st:

Commencing September 1, 2018, OHL teams will be allowed to trade draft choices a maximum of six years into the future, transitioning to five years prior to the commencement of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, and four years prior to the 2021 OHL Priority Selection. 

At the conclusion of the phase-in period, league policy will stipulate that OHL clubs may only trade a draft choice four years into the future.

Though the stiffest restrictions will not come into play for another few years, this will begin to reduce the number of transactions teams can make by mortgaging their future for today’s success. The entire CHL has an issue with teams cycling through short periods of intense contention followed by firesales that make them barely competitive, usually aligning with hosting the Memorial Cup. Some more financially stable teams can stay competitive on an annual basis through other means, but this hopefully will bring more parity to the league by avoiding cycles like this.

Minor Transactions: 8/28/18

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August is almost over and training camps are right around the corner. Yet, players continue to make decisions on where they’ll play this season. On a day with a surprising amount of signing news, here are some other smaller moves around the hockey world:

  • The AHL’s Providence Bruins have added another body up front. Mark Divver of the Providence Journal reports that the team has signed center Brett McKenzie to his first pro contract. An unsigned 2016 seventh-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks, McKenzie just wrapped up an OHL career that featured 224 points in 328 games. Most recently, he led the Owen Sound Attack in playoff scoring with eight goals and eight assists in just eleven postseason contests. The big pivot also plays a strong physical game and can make a living lower in the lineup. The P-Bruins are already an extraordinarily deep AHL team and McKenzie may spend some time down in the ECHL, but could fight his way into a consistent role with the team during the season.
  • AHL teams tend to be more interested in adding younger players out the junior and college ranks as bottom-six contributors than recycling past AHLers. Hayden Hodgson is a case in point, as the former Cleveland Monsters grinder was unable to find another AHL deal this off-season. Instead, Hodgson has signed with the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL, the league announced. Hodgson spent some time in the ECHL last year and will be able to play a bigger role at the lower level. It remains to be seen whether he can show the offensive upside to ever climb back up the hockey ranks though.
  • The most common route for elite American prospects in recent years has been through the U.S. National Development Program and then into the NCAA or right into the NHL. However, that path didn’t yield the desired results for young defenseman D.J. King. Despite having great size and playing a prominent role on the blue line for both the U-17 and U-18 squads this past season, King went undrafted in June. This likely points to a lack of belief in his offensive abilities, as he produced little in the way of scoring for the USNTDP. In an effort to improve that image before his next go-round in the draft, King has signed with his junior rights holder, the defending OHL champion Hamilton Bulldogs. Hamilton has announced the deal with King, who they are excited to bring in after spending a second-round pick on him back in 2016. Former NHL defenseman and Bulldogs President and GM Steve Staios spoke to King’s upside as a prospect, citing his leadership, toughness, and puck-moving ability. Perhaps a change of scenery is all the big defender needs to boost his production this season.

Vladislav Kolyachonok Joins OHL’s London Knights

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The London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League used their second-round pick in the CHL Import Draft in June to select a very intriguing prospect. Now, they have been able to convince him to come over to North America and join the team for the coming season. The OHL announced today that the Knights have signed Belorussian defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok to  a standard player agreement, as the 17-year-old will begin his draft-eligible year in London.

Kolyachonok is part of what might just be the most highly-regarded class of prospects out of Belarus this century. While no one is expecting the import blue liner or any of his countrymen to be taken in the first round – at least not yet – Kolyachonok is one of eight Belorussians selected in the Import Draft out of a class of 77 players. There have only been 15 players selected out of Belarus in the NHL Draft since 2000 and only two of those picks – Andrei Kostitsyn and Konstantin Zakharov in 2003 – have come in Round Three or earlier. In that same time span, there have been nine drafts in which no players hailing from Belarus were selected. While Kostitsyn and brother Sergei, as well as Mikhail Grabovksi, developed into capable NHLers, there has not been a Belorussian player of note in the league for some time. Philadelphia Flyers forward prospect Maxim Sushko, a 2017 fourth-rounder, might just be the most well-known active prospect, while multiple Belorussians were selected this year for the first time since 2005, with both Yegor Sharangovich and Vladislav Yeromenko being chosen in the fifth round.

Kolyachonok is just one of a number of talented draft-eligible players from Belarus who could turn the tides for the country’s developmental history next June. Vladimir Alistrov, the second overall pick in the Import Draft and now a member of the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings, leads a group that includes Kolyachonok, Aliaksei Protas, Daniil Stepanov, and more who could hear there names called next June. Kolyachonok is likely to be the top defenseman of the bunch, as last season he was one of the top players for the U-18 national team, recording 20 points in 43 games on the top pair. He was also a hidden gem at the World Juniors, where he led all Belorussian defenders in points and plus/minus. While Kolyachonok still has a long season ahead of him, adjusting to tougher competition and a more intense pace of play in the OHL, if he is able to thrive in London, then he could potentially even be the highest-drafted player from his country in some time at the draft next year.

Overseas Notes: Sandin, Taffe, Garbutt

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Murray Pam of Sporting News Canada is reporting that Toronto Maple Leafs first-round pick Rasmus Sandin will not return to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL next season, and is currently with Rogle of the SHL preparing for the season. The Maple Leafs could still assign Sandin to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies if they chose to, because the 18-year old defenseman was playing on loan to the CHL.

Toronto brought top pick Timothy Liljegren over right away and allowed him to play all season in the AHL last year, and could potentially do the same with their latest first rounder. That would allow the two to potentially play together on a Calder Cup-winning squad, but may block Sandin from receiving the same type of minutes that he would in the SHL. The Marlies currently project to have some combination of Martin Marincin, Calle Rosen, Andreas Borgman and Andrew Nielsen on the left side this season, which doesn’t leave a lot of room for Sandin to play big minutes.

  • HC Slovan Bratislava of the KHL have signed Jeff Taffe, the epitome of a professional hockey journeyman. Taffe, 37, played pro for more than a decade in North America, suiting up for 180 NHL games split between the then-Phoenix Coyotes, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild before heading overseas to play in Europe and the KHL. He’s played in the SHL, KHL and NLA the last few seasons and will return to Slovakia to suit up for Slovan Bratislava this season. Once a first-round pick by the St. Louis Blues, Taffe has always been an incredibly talented offensive performer in the minor leagues and internationally, and will try to continue that at his advanced age in the KHL.
  • Speaking of HC Slovan, Ryan Garbutt won’t be playing for them again this season after signing in Germany’s DEL. Garbutt, a veteran of over 300 NHL contests, played for three different KHL teams last season after failing to find a job in North America. Once a 17-goal man for the Dallas Stars, the offense dried up for Garbutt fairly quickly and he found himself in the minor leagues for a good chunk of the 2016-17 season. At 33, it seems unlikely he’ll make a return to the NHL and will finish his career with 87 career points.

Ty Smith Signs Entry-Level Contract With New Jersey Devils

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The New Jersey Devils have signed their top draft pick, inking Ty Smith to a three-year entry-level contract. Smith was the 17th-overall pick in June’s draft, and is expected to continue his CHL career with the Spokane Chiefs this season. If he fails to play in more than nine games with the Devils, his entry-level deal would slide forward at least a year.

That nine game mark seemed unattainable when Smith was drafted, but after impressing everyone at the Devils’ development camp earlier this summer there is a chance he could begin the year in New Jersey. Few players from his place in the first round jump right to the NHL, but is already a fairly polished offensive defenseman capable of moving the puck with incredible quickness and accuracy. It’s clear that the Devils are trying to build a defense corps with those skills, after adding players like Will Butcher and Sami Vatanen over the last year.

It remains unlikely that Smith will be a full-time option for the Devils this year, but that won’t be the case very long. He believes he will find great success in the NHL and there is little reason to doubt him at this point. For now, a return to Spokane and a key role with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship in December should help him take the next step in his development.

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