Cale Makar Turns Down Olympic Offer
Since his explosive performance at the World Junior Championships as a powerplay quarterback and dynamic offensive presence, Colorado Avalanche prospect Cale Makar‘s name has been thrown around as a potential option for the Canadian Olympic team. According to Darren Dreger of TSN, Makar did in fact get an invitation to the team but has “respectfully declined.”
This option has also been mentioned recently, as Makar already took time off from his freshman year at UMass-Amherst and wanted to get back to his development path for the NHL. The fourth-overall selection in last year’s draft, Makar had already said he was unlikely to stay in the NCAA for more than “one or two years” meaning the next few months could be his only time spent outside the professional ranks. With his performance so far this year the Avalanche must already be counting the days until he gets into their system, and he could even play a role for them down the stretch this season.
None of that is to say that the Olympics would prevent him from turning pro this season. But if Makar believes his long-term future would be adversely affected by another stint away from his college team (and studies, for that matter) this decision is understandable, if a little surprising. He’ll almost undoubtedly play more important minutes with his college team than what he would be asked to do for Team Canada.
The Canadian squad will have to go without his dynamic playmaking, and according to Dreger likely won’t have the speed of Jordan Kyrou either. Dreger reports that no CHL players are expected to be named as of right now. Victor Mete, another potential option, is still with Montreal following his World Junior stint and could be in the NHL the remainder of the season.
Snapshots: Olympics, Sergachev, Sanford
Ken Campbell of The Hockey News is reporting that despite no official announcement, CHL players will be allowed to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics. That goes along with what Bob McKenzie of TSN tweeted earlier today, regarding Victor Mete and his potential selection to the Canadian squad after the conclusion of the World Juniors.
Nothing has been decided on Mete yet by the Montreal Canadiens, who would have to send him back to junior for the remainder of the year in order for him to be eligible to play in the Olympics. Other potential options for Team Canada would be Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues and even Colorado prospect Cale Makar after his powerplay performance at the junior tournament.
- Mikhail Sergachev played in his 40th NHL game last night, which meant the additional draft picks involved in the trade that brought him to Tampa Bay in the offseason will now be staying put. It also means that Sergachev is one year closer to free agency, as this season now counts as a full NHL campaign. Players can become unrestricted free agents after seven accrued seasons in the league, meaning Sergachev could potentially hit the open market just a few days after his 26th birthday.
- In the wake of a season-ending injury to Robby Fabbri and subsequent long-term maladies for Jaden Schwartz and Jay Bouwmeester during the season, some may have overlooked Zach Sanford‘s absence from the St. Louis Blues roster. The organization sure didn’t, and Sanford was back on the ice skating with assistant Steve Ott yesterday and continues to try and work his way back from shoulder surgery. There’s no clear timetable on when he’ll return, other than the original estimate of five to six months (which puts him somewhere in February or March), but getting back on the ice is a good sign. The young forward, acquired as part of the Kevin Shattenkirk deal last season, comes with excellent potential as a power forward that could fit into the Blues’ top-nine at some point down the road.
Morning Notes: Vilardi, Montoya, Wisniewski
The OHL trade of Los Angeles Kings’ prospect Gabe Vilardi is now official, and also includes New York Rangers draft pick Sean Day. The pair will head from the Windsor Spitfires to the Kingston Frontenacs in exchange for 16-year old Cody Morgan and eight draft picks that stretch all the way to 2028. Windsor is tearing apart the program a year after hosting and winning the Memorial Cup, a common practice in the CHL.
Vilardi, the 11th-overall pick in 2017 has recently been cleared to return to game action after a back injury kept him out for the first half of the season. He’ll bring an intense offensive presence to the Frontenacs, while Day gives them a veteran defenseman with good two-way upside. Day was allowed into the OHL at just 15 years old, but hasn’t found quite the same heights as his fellow “exceptional talents” like John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad and Connor McDavid. The pair should make Kingston a tough team to face as the league heads towards the playoff push.
- Al Montoya was back at Montreal Canadiens practice today for the first time since being ruled out with a concussion on November 9th. As Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports, the injury had occurred several days earlier, but symptoms developed slowly. The Canadiens currently employ Antti Niemi as their backup to Carey Price, but could potentially waive the netminder once again when Montoya is ready to return. Niemi has played for three teams already this season, and could find himself on the move again.
- The official roster for Team USA at the Pyeongchang Olympics will be announced today during the Winter Classic in New York, but apparently former NHL defenseman James Wisniewski has made it. That’s according to former teammate R.J. Umberger and TSN’s Darren Dreger, who both tweeted congratulations to the 33-year old. Wisniewski spent last season split between the AHL and KHL after attempting a comeback, and skated in the DEL’s second tier this year in his attempt to make the Olympic squad. A former 51-point defenseman for Columbus, Wisniewski was once a deadly powerplay quarterback and could assume that role again in the February Games.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Cameron Hebig To ELC
Another 20-year old undrafted CHL forward has signed an entry-level contract, this time with the Edmonton Oilers. Cameron Hebig, the leading scorer for the Saskatoon Blades has signed his three-year deal, joining the Oilers organization after an impressive first half of his WHL season.
Hebig is an excellent skater, who despite his size has always found offensive success in junior. While he’s not an elite NHL prospect by any means, taking a chance on him to see if he can bring his scoring touch to the next level is a worthwhile risk for Edmonton as they look to build back their prospect ranks.
It does take the Oilers to 48 contracts, meaning they have just two spots remaining if they are looking to add players for a potential playoff run. That could change negotiations as we get near the trade deadline, as the team wouldn’t want to push themselves right up against the limit. Hebig will continue to try and win a WHL Championship with the Blades, who are currently in first place in their division.
College Notes: Phillips, Knoepke, Campoli
The University of Minnesota is set to bring in a rare mid-season recruit, as the College Hockey News reports that defenseman Clayton Phillips has committed to join the Golden Gophers. Phillips, 18, was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third round this past June and has 12 points in 16 USHL games this season. The undersized blue liner makes up for his lack of a physical game with outstanding skating and good offensive instincts. Phillips will bolster the defensive depth of a Minnesota team that already features a starting six that has all been drafted into the NHL, led by Boston Bruins prospect Ryan Lindgren.
- However, Minnesota will be without freshman defenseman Nate Knoepke for the remainder of the season and potentially longer. The 2018 draft-eligible prospect has left school and returned to the USHL, citing a lack of playing time with the Gophers as the reason for his departure. As previously stated, Minnesota has a solid starting six and while a previously-drafted player like Phillips may not mind battling for play time, Knoepke felt he needed more exposure ahead of the 2018 NHL Draft. Because he is staying in the USHL, joining the Sioux City Musketeers, instead of going the major junior route, Knoepke will not lose his NCAA eligibility and could still return to Minnesota or another institution next season.
- Boston College sophomore rearguard Michael Campoli is also giving up on the college game for now. The BCHL’s Penticton Vees announced that Campoli has left school and signed with the team for the 2018 segment of the team’s season. Campoli, 19, played in only 12 games for the Eagles last season and has yet to see any action so far in the 2017-18 campaign. However, with a 6’3″, nearly 200-lb. frame, Campoli has the size to make a difference on the back end. Like Knoepke, by joining the Junior-A BCHL, Campoli too can return to the NCAA later on if the right opportunity presents itself.
Snapshots: Mrazek, Mete, Nylander
Petr Mrazek has been in the news recently since we found out that the Edmonton Oilers had a passing interest in the Detroit Red Wings goaltender, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet now says it may have been more than just that. Friedman joined Sportsnet 960 radio out of Calgary this morning, and explained that one source told him it was even closer than he had originally thought.
I heard they were looking at Mrazek last week, and somebody told me after we mentioned it that it was a lot closer than I had kinda thought. I think they’d worked out that Detroit was going to keep about half the money, and they were trying to figure out the draft pick.
That would mesh with what we learned from Craig Custance of The Athletic recently, that a proposed asking price for Mrazek would be a second or third-round pick depending on whether Detroit was retaining salary. It might not matter anymore, as Edmonton seems to have cooled on Mrazek after watching him more closely and the team has just welcomed Cam Talbot back off injured reserve.
- Victor Mete is busy trying to make the Canadian World Junior team after spending the early portion of the season with the Montreal Canadiens, but may have an even bigger international tournament in his future. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that Mete is very much on the radar of the Canadian Olympic team, but still has some hurdles if he ever were to be invited. The Canadiens could bring Mete back to the NHL squad after the World Junior tournament, and the CHL still doesn’t have an agreement with Hockey Canada on if it will lend players to the Olympic squad. Those decisions won’t be made until after the World Juniors are over, which end on January 5th.
- Speaking of World Junior decisions, the Buffalo Sabres still haven’t made a choice on Alexander Nylander according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News. Sabres GM Jason Botterill wants to see Nylander play more at the AHL level before making that decision, after an injury has taken away much of the young forward’s season so far. Nylander has been disappointing so far in his professional career, scoring just 32 points in 77 AHL games. The eighth-overall pick in 2016 has huge upside, but needs to get back on track this season.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Team Canada, Junior Snubs
The NHL released its three stars of the week today, with Brayden Schenn leading the group. Schenn has found brilliant success since being traded to St. Louis, already with 37 points in 31 games. Always possessing elite talent, some believed Schenn would never become the dominant presence he was projected to be when the Los Angeles Kings took him fifth-overall. He’s already been traded twice in his career, but looks ready to obliterate his previous career-high of 59 points and become an integral part of any St. Louis success.
Jake Allen and Brian Elliott round out the stars of the week, both posting perfect records and incredible save percentages. Allen and Elliott were teammates just two seasons ago, when the Blues went to just their second Conference Finals in nearly 30 years. With zero Stanley Cup victories in their history, Allen and Schenn will look to change the franchise fortunes this year.
- Team Canada has made two roster changes for the upcoming Channel One Cup, which beings on Wednesday morning in Russia. Marc-Andre Gragnani and Quinton Howden will replace Gilbert Brule and Karl Stollery for the Olympic tune-up, both coming from Minsk of the KHL. Howden, the older brother of Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Brett Howden, is still just 25-years old and was a first-round pick in 2010. While he’s finding much more success in the KHL than he ever did in NHL, one has to wonder whether an impressive showing at the Olympics would open up some eyes in North America. His Russian deal only runs through the end of April 2018, after which he could potentially sign with any team.
- Corey Pronman of The Athletic examined all the so-called “snubs” from World Junior selection camps, including top-10 picks in Michael Rasmussen and Owen Tippett. Alex DeBrincat, who was cut from last year’s Team USA despite being arguably the best offensive player in the entire CHL and is now enjoying a successful NHL campaign at age-19, had some words of encouragement (via Scott Powers of The Athletic) for Chad Krys, one of the listed snubs. Krys attended the tournament as a 17-year old, but hasn’t been asked back since, and is now starring at Boston University.
Victor Mete Sent To World Junior Selection Camp
With Victor Mete not playing regularly for the Montreal Canadiens, the team has decided to allow him to attend Team Canada’s World Junior selection camp. Mete has played 27 games for the Canadiens this season, but has recently been a healthy scratch and hasn’t seen the ice time he had earlier in the year.
Though nothing is guaranteed just yet, it would be surprising to see the team not take Mete with them to Buffalo and the tournament. His versatility and experience in the NHL makes him a perfect compliment to an already healthy blue line group, and he should play a big role in the tournament. The Canadiens will have another decision afterwards, as Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports they still don’t know what they’ll do with Mete for the rest of the season.
They could bring him back to the NHL or send him to the junior ranks, where the young defender would rejoin the London Knights in their pursuit of a Memorial Cup. Mete has burned the first year of his entry-level contract already, but is no closer to unrestricted free agency. He’d need to remain on the active roster for an additional nine games for this season to count towards his UFA status, something that the Canadiens will have to factor into their decision post-tournament.
As for Tyson Jost, who was expected to be sent to Team Canada last week, Michael Traikos of Postmedia has bleaker news. Traikos reports that Jost, Samuel Girard and Nolan Patrick are all likely off the table for Canada, though there is always an outside shot until the roster is actually named.
Tyson Jost Could Join Canada’s World Junior Team
Hockey Canada released a list of 32 players invited to the World Junior selection camp this month, as they prepare for the tournament in Buffalo. As we wrote when the list was released, it is possible for several other NHL players could be allowed to join the tournament as well should their clubs release them. Alexander Nylander, for instance, still doesn’t have an answer from the Buffalo Sabres on whether he’d be allowed to leave the Rochester Americans to play for Sweden.
Tyson Jost of the Colorado Avalanche is that player for Canada, and as Adrian Dater of BSN Denver reports it’s likely that he’ll be allowed to leave the team to play in the tournament. Jost’s development has been handled very carefully this season, with him spending time in the AHL to receive more minutes and work on his two-way game.
How can he play in the AHL and still be eligible for the World Juniors you ask?
Jost played in the BCHL before being drafted and heading to the University of North Dakota, meaning he’s not held to the same restrictions as CHL players. Remember, those drafted out of the CHL cannot play in the AHL until they turn 20. Jost is just 19 still, and would be a huge help to the Canadian team.
The 10th-overall pick in 2016, Jost has top-line upside as an all-around center and was part of the 2017 Canadian team that took home the silver medal. Even though the team already has plenty of talent to pick from, getting another returnee—especially one that has captained Canada on the international stage in the past—would increase their chances even more.
Prospect Notes: Gawdin, Plant, Rising Stars
The Calgary Flames have inked another young CHL player to an entry-level deal, signing Glenn Gawdin to a three-year contract. Gawdin was originally a fourth-round draft pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2015 but never signed, becoming a free agent. He’s currently playing as a 20-year old in the WHL for the Swift Current Broncos.
Though Gawdin has been an effective player throughout his junior career, this season has been spectacular as he plays against younger competition. With 40 points in 18 games, he ranks third in the WHL in scoring and only trails two of his own teammates. He’ll be heading to the AHL next year in all likelihood, but with experience at center ice could be on a fast track to Calgary.
- Mike Chambers of the Denver Post gives us an early snippet of NCAA free agent interest, reporting that Colorado Avalanche assistant GM Chris MacFarland has been scouting the University of Denver’s home games with an eye on defenseman Adam Plant. Plant is a small, mobile defenseman who serves as an alternate captain for DU and would be the latest in something that has become somewhat of a trend in Colorado. Over the last six months they’ve acquired both Cale Makar and Samuel Girard, both smaller, mobile defenders themselves.
- NHL.com’s resident prospect guru Mike Morreale profiles seven 2018-eligible prospects that have raised their stock so far this season, and includes Bode Wilde from the US National Team Development Program. It’s not the last time you’ll hear Wilde’s name, as he appears near the top of most prospect lists so far. TSN’s Craig Button even has him ranked sixth overall on his list, noting that he commands every game he plays in. Wilde is the latest big, strong two-way defenseman developed in the NTDP, and could hear his name called in the top third of the first-round next June. He’s committed to the University of Michigan for 2018-19.