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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.

Bode Wilde Signs With Saginaw Spirit

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After deciding earlier this summer to not attend the University of Michigan, Bode Wilde has officially signed with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL for the upcoming season. Selected 41st overall by the New York Islanders, the big American defenseman will try to traverse the CHL ranks instead of heading the collegiate route for the next step in his hockey career.

Wilde may have been recruited by former US National Development Team teammate Blade Jenkins, who also was drafted by the Islanders in June and spent last year with the Spirit. Jenkins will be back in Saginaw this season and with Wilde should give them a big boost this year. Last year the Spirit were able to sneak into the playoffs despite a losing record, one that should improve dramatically this season.

For the Islanders, having Wilde go to the CHL and renounce his NCAA eligibility can only mean positive things for their ability to sign him. While the argument can be made that spending a few seasons at a top program like Michigan would be better for his development, there is now very little risk that they will lose him to free agency. Wilde will also likely be given a bigger role in Saginaw than he could have received with the Wolverines, given Quinn Hughes’ return to the college for this season.

An extremely smooth-skating defenseman for his size, Wilde should find success in the CHL and translate that to a promising professional career in the coming years. Though he slipped out of the first round and was not invited to the recent Summer Showcase, there are plenty of reasons to believe he can turn things around to become the top-end two-way defenseman many have projected him as.

Southern California Becoming A Hotbed For Young Hockey Talent

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Can you name the all-time leading NHL scorer who was born or raised in California? No? It’s long-retired journeyman defenseman Lee Norwood of course with a total of 211 points. Coming in at number two is Brooks Orpik and his 185 career points and Orpik was raised in New York and played his developmental hockey in Massachusetts. The state of California has simply never been much of producer of hockey talent. Not for long. The grassroots movement in Southern California, fueled by the success of its three NHL rival teams, has begun to grow talent at a rate never before seen in the state or in many southern markets. Soon, California natives will be making names for themselves at the highest level.

For a while now, Boston Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller has been the best player in the NHL both born and raised in California. The rugged blue liner from Los Angeles is 30 years old, making him more of an outlier ahead of his time. However, younger pros are beginning to line up behind him for the title of top Californian. Chad Ruhwedel, Ian McCoshen, Matthew Nieto, Beau Bennett, Nic Kerdiles, Eric Comrie and Collin Delia make up the list of other West Coast natives that are getting play time in the NHL.

The above group is still not all that impressive. The point being that the SoCal hockey movement hasn’t hit just yet. It is the next wave that will really start to turn heads. The poster boy is Vancouver Canucks top goalie prospect Thatcher Demko. The San Diego product was an early second-round pick in 2014 and has impressed at every level: the USHL, NCAA, and AHL. Once the Canucks finally give him a legitimate role in the NHL, he could become a top goalie in the league.

Demko was a product of the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League, a nationwide premiere youth league with teams based in major cities across the U.S., some of whom have even adopted the local NHL club’s moniker. Demko played for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings U16 team in 2011-12. To take a look at how hockey has grown since, here are some other names who have suited up for the same team since:

  • Robby Jackson, the leading scorer for St. Cloud State University, the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2017-18. Jackson turned down pro offers to return to school for his senior season.
  • Jake McGrew, a 2017 sixth-round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks who currently plays a top-six role for the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL
  • Cole Guttman, a 2017 sixth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning and former top ten USHL scoring leader who heads to the University of Denver this year
  • Murphy Stratton, a point-per-game power forward in the BCHL last year who is committed to the University of North Dakota
  • Sahil Panwar, the 23rd overall pick by the London Knights in the OHL Priority Selection Draft this year and a 2020 NHL Draft prospect

While the Jr. Kings have had quite a run in recent years, the cross-town rival Anaheim Jr. Ducks have been keeping busy of late. In just the past year, the Ducks have had numerous major commitments. Josh Groll, on of the T1EHL’s top scorers last season, is bound for the University of Michigan. Ryan Johnson, who scored the second-most points by a defenseman in league history a year ago, is committed to the University of Minnesota. Just today, the University of Massachusetts received a commitment from forward Ethan Wothers. The top player to watch of them all though is Jackson Niedermayer, son of Hall of Famer Scott Niedermayer, who will join the Penticton Vees of the BCHL this season and promises to be an intriguing name in next year’s NHL Draft.

This is just the beginning of what grassroots hockey may grow to be in Southern California. Beaches and year round warm weather aside, the area has everything it needs to continue to grow the game: popular NHL teams, plenty of wealth to support facilities and training, an opportunity to be noticed, and now a high level of interest among the many young athletes. Kevan Miller may want to watch out, his title of being the best Californian in the NHL might not last much longer.

Minor Transactions: 08/17/18

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The hockey machine continues to chug along this offseason, with veteran players finding homes overseas and junior stars swapping sweaters. We’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.

  • Matt Frattin has re-signed with Barys Astana in the KHL, returning to the league after playing in Switzerland at the very end of last season. Frattin, a former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect scored 29 points in 42 games during his first taste of KHL action last year and should find success again going forward. In 135 NHL games, Frattin recorded just 35 points but always showed flashes of a high offensive ceiling. Now 30 years old, his NHL career is likely behind him.
  • Former NHL defenseman Karl Stollery is heading to Jokerit of the KHL, leaving Dinamo Riga after a successful 2017-18 campaign. Stollery logged huge minutes for the club and also participated for Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics. After a great four year career at Merrimack College, Stollery tried to grind his way through the North American minor leagues and only managed to suit up for 23 NHL contests.
  • The Hershey Bears have signed Logan Pyett and Adam Morrison to AHL contracts, giving the team some more experience for this season as they look to bounce back. Pyett is a former Detroit Red Wings prospect who has played in the KHL the last few seasons, while Morrison was originally selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in round three of the 2009 draft. The 27-year old goaltender has spent most of his professional career in the ECHL, but regularly posts solid numbers and should give the Bears some depth at the position.
  • The Oshawa Generals have traded four draft picks to acquire Giovanni Vallati from the Kitchener Rangers, bringing in the Winnipeg Jets prospect to give them another puck-moving defenseman for this season. Vallati has a ton of talent though still is learning how to use those skills to lock down the defensive zone and play a more consistent game. Two second and two third round picks was the cost to acquire the 18-year old, meaning the Generals will hope to get immediate dividends from Vallati.

Minor Transactions: 08/15/18

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August is already half over and NHL training camps are just around the corner. In the meantime we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around professional hockey right here.

  • The Rockford Ice Hogs have agreed to terms with CHL undrafted free agent Connor Moynihan on a one-year AHL contract. Moynihan is an intimidating presence on the ice, standing 6’5″ and willing to engage physically when necessary. His 21-goal output for the Halifax Mooseheads last season doesn’t instill confidence he’ll ever reach the NHL, but has at least earned him a roster spot in the minor leagues.
  • New Jersey’s ECHL affiliate has added an undrafted college free agent, as the Adirondack Thunder have signed Nikolas Olsson out of Boston University. Olsson had just three points for the Terriers this season, but has been part of the team’s leadership group for the past two years. The 24-year old forward will continue his dream of playing professional hockey in the minor leagues, while trying to unlock some more offensive potential.
  • The final piece of the University of Michigan’s potent top line from last season is moving on to the pros. Dexter Dancs has signed with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads, the Dallas Stars affiliate announced. It may not be a coincidence that Dancs inked in the Dallas system; the team signed fellow Wolverines first-liner Tony Calderone to an entry-level deal earlier this off-season. While Dancs surely benefited from skating alongside Calderone and promising Edmonton Oilers center prospect Cooper Marody, he himself is also a very talented player. A big winger with speed and good hands who got better each year in Ann Arbor, Dancs could easily play a major role for the Steelheads and work his way into contention for an AHL contract next summer.

Snapshots: Lafreniere, Belmont, Nylander

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The World Junior Summer Showcase and Hlinka-Gretzky tournaments are now over, and junior aged players will soon be heading back to their respective teams to get the season underway. The summer headlines were dominated by performances by Jack Hughes, but one young talent may have impressed even more. Alexis Lafreniere won’t be eligible for selection in the NHL Entry Draft until 2020, but could already be one of Canada’s top forwards at the upcoming World Junior tournament. Craig Button of TSN believes the 16-year old Lafreniere should be at the selection camp and could easily climb out of a “13th forward” role normally given to underaged players.

Lafreniere already has a full season in the QMJHL under his belt despite not turning 17 until October and he registered 42 goals which ranked sixth in the entire league. There’s no doubt he’s already one of the CHL’s most talented offensive players, which may lead to a starring role at the late December tournament despite his age. Though teams often try to load up on as many 19-year old players as possible for the U20 tournament, the potential first-overall pick in 2020 could shake things up with a good first part of the CHL season.

  • Anyone that might have been worried about the progress of the New York Islanders future home at Belmont Park can rest easy, as Lou Lamoriello today told Brian Compton of NHL.com that the arena plans are still “100 percent” on track for 2021. The new building will give the Islanders a permanent home and a chance to build some organizational consistency moving forward, something they’ve lacked in recent years. With the John Tavares era over, and a bunch of new voices running the show in Lamoriello and head coach Barry Trotz, the Islanders are trying to turn things around and get back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in more than thirty years.
  • William Nylander remains without a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but James Mirtle of The Athletic was on TSN Radio where he explained the two sides may wait until much closer to training camp next month to sign a deal. Mirtle suggests that it would likely be either a two-year or six-year contract, given that a seven or eight-year pact would likely get too pricey for the Maple Leafs. Dylan Larkin’s new $6.1MM cap hit is brought up as a “pressure point” which we’ve noted in the past, and could drive Nylander’s price up even further if the Maple Leafs intend on buying out any unrestricted free agent years. Toronto heads to camp in a month, and would presumably like to have their final restricted free agent under contract and in uniform on the first day.

Prospect Notes: Bukac, Rasmussen, Conger

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Boston Bruins defensive prospect Daniel Bukac is on the move, but remaining at the Canadian major junior level. Bukac, a seventh-round pick in 2017, has played the last two seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. However, Brandon released the Czech native after the end of the season to open up another roster spot and selection in the CHL Import Draft. Bukac himself became eligible for selection again and was drafted by the OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs in the second round. The team announced today that they have received a commitment from the hulking 19-year-old blue liner. The Bruins have to be happy with their prospect’s continued commitment to North American hockey, as Bukac reportedly had pro offers elsewhere in Europe but chose to remain in the major junior development track. Bukac is known mostly for his size and checking ability, but also his intelligence on and off the ice; he picked up English quickly after coming overseas and picks up offensive schemes even quicker with great positioning and awareness. Bukac will never be much of an offensive contributor – at any level – but could grow into a reliable stay-at-home defender and depth option for Boston down the road.

  • One player whose development path has gone quite differently than he and many scouts may have predicted is goaltender Dayton Rasmussen. Considered by many as a lock to be drafted in 2017, Rasmussen nevertheless went undrafted despite very strong numbers and two championship campaigns in the USHL, an impressive NHL Draft combine workout, as well as a commitment to an elite college program at the University of Denver. Rasmussen moved past it and joined the Pioneers this past season, hoping his performance would earn him a selection in his second time through the draft. Instead, Rasmussen struggled as a freshman, playing in just four games and posting an disappointing .882 save percentage and 3.28 GAA. Less surprising this time, Rasmussen again went undrafted in June. Now, Rasmussen is looking to reverse his fortunes and has decided to return to the USHL. The Lincoln Stars announced today that they have acquired the keeper’s rights from the Chicago Steel for a pair of draft picks and that he will be joining the team for the coming season. There is no word yet on Rasmussen’s long-term plans with just one year of draft eligibility remaining and the possibility of a return to the college ranks in the future still open. However, the athletic goaltender simply needs to focus on improving his play this season if he hopes to keep his pro ambitions alive.
  • Another college player making a change – albeit staying in the NCAA – is former Providence College forward Bailey Conger. The 21-year-old forward put up impressive numbers at both the prep school level with Cushing Academy and junior level with the USHL’s Waterloo Blackhawks before arriving in Providence, but wasn’t able to translate that same production to the college game. Part of that was certainly availability, as the freshman missed more than a dozen games due to injury and received only modest play time for a contending Friars program. Conger managed to record five points in 24 games, but seems to have the ability to do much more. Perhaps looking for a better opportunity to shine, Conger decided to transfer schools this summer and Colorado College announced that they have received a commitment from the scoring winger. Conger was reportedly considering Boston University as well among other schools, but will have a greater chance of receiving a transfer waiver to play right away if he is outside of Hockey East and away from his former team. The undrafted forward still has three years of NCAA eligibility remaining and could certainly still develop into an NHL prospect.

Snapshots: Gionta, Larkin, Berestnev

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Brian Gionta is still staying in shape in case a desirable contract falls into his lap, but doesn’t really like the idea of moving his kids around the country at this point in his career. Gionta spoke with Dave Stubbs of NHL.com, and explained that he’s instead looking at “non-playing hockey options” for the 2018-19 season. After captaining the US Olympic team and then signing for the end of the season with the Boston Bruins, Gionta may be finished with a playing career that lasted over 1,000 NHL games.

An extremely consistent two-way player, Gionta had an incredible career at Boston College winning the Hockey East title three times in four years and taking home a National Championship in 2001. His captaincy that season for BC would prepare him for the role he would be given in Montreal and Buffalo later in his career, after winning the Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils. A extremely well-respected player around the league, Gionta will likely finish his career with 595 points in 1,026 games and could be in line for a coaching role almost immediately.

  • Speaking of captains, Luke Fox of Sportsnet suggests that the path is now open for Dylan Larkin to be named captain of the Detroit Red Wings. After signing a five-year deal today, Larkin becomes the highest-paid player on the team eclipsing current captain Henrik Zetterberg, who may not even play this season (or ever again). If Larkin were to get a “C” on his sweater, he would follow a run that saw just three Red Wings players hold the honor over the last three decades. Zetterberg, Nicklas Lidstrom and Steve Yzerman have held the position since 1986, creating quite immense footsteps for the young forward to walk in.
  • The Val-d’Or Foreurs of the QMJHL will have super talented Daniil Berestnev on the team in 2018-19, taking one of their international roster spots. Berestnev was the seventh-overall pick in the most recent import draft, and will try to improve his stock for the 2019 Entry Draft with a good showing in North America. The 17-year old winger scored 62 points in just 38 games last season, putting him fourth in the U17 Russian league. Berestnev wasn’t included in the recent Hlinka-Gretzky tournament for Russia, but will get a chance at the CHL level to prove himself.

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