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Prospect Notes: Gawdin, Plant, Rising Stars

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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.

Hockey Canada Releases U17 World Challenge Roster

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While the World Junior Championships are the best place to get a good look at upcoming and recent draftees (in the U18 and U20 tournaments respectively), NHL scouts are searching far and wide much earlier than that. Today, Hockey Canada released their roster for the upcoming World U17 Hockey Challenge tournament that will be held from November 5-11 in British Columbia. At the event, Canada will ice three teams while the United States, Russia, Czech Republic, Finland and Sweden will each also be represented.

Canada’s roster is made up almost entirely of players recently drafted and playing in the CHL, though there are a few from other leagues like the USHL or BCHL—often to maintain college eligibility. There are several notable last names that will stand out to hockey fans, as players like Tag Bertuzzi (son of former NHLer Todd Bertuzzi) and Ryan Suzuki (brother of Vegas’ prospect Nick Suzuki) will play big roles on the squad.

Suzuki and Bertuzzi were selected first and second overall in the most recent OHL bantam draft, to Barrie and Guelph respectively, and each have huge upside as offensive players. Obviously, there is so much hockey left to play before any of these 2001 birthdays are eligible for NHL draft selection—even the oldest among them can’t be taken until the 2019 draft—but don’t doubt the impact tournaments like this have on early scouting reports.

One player to watch out for is Alexis Lafreniere, an early favorite to go first overall in the 2020 draft. Lafreniere turned 16 just last week, but has already put up 11 points in nine games for the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL. Amazingly, he leads the team in scoring despite playing against players that are sometimes almost five years older than him. His talent is obvious to anyone that watches, and he’s already 6’0″ and still growing. Over the next few years, you’re sure to hear the name a few more times.

Here is a link to the full 66-man roster that will make up the three Canadian teams.

Prospect Notes: Tippett, Necas, Sandin

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The wait is over for Owen Tippett, who will make his NHL debut with the Florida Panthers tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. Tippett had been watching from the press box through the Panthers’ first four games, but will now get a chance to show off why they selected him 10th-overall in the most recent draft.

Tippett can play up to nine games in the NHL without burning a year of his entry-level contract, but some believe he can stick in the league right from the start. Armed with a wrist shot that can score from anywhere in the offensive zone, and a big enough frame for the NHL, Tippett blends a power and finesse game to create dangerous opportunities. His 44 goals last year for Mississauga of the OHL were no fluke, as he repeatedly dominated opponents with a pro-style game.

  • Also set to make his NHL debut is the player taken just two spots after Tippett, as Martin Necas has been penciled into the Carolina lineup tonight. Necas will center a line of youngsters, with 20-year old Sebastian Aho on his left side, and 22-year old Elias Lindholm on his right. That “Kid Line” will try to create some offense for the Hurricanes, who have scored just two goals in their past two contests and six on the season (not counting the shootout winner in the first game).
  • In an interesting story, 2018 draft prospect Rasmus Sandin has left Sweden and will report to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhouds of the OHL. Sandin had been playing in the SHL early on, but will instead come to North America to play for the team who took him 52nd-overall in the CHL import draft. Sandin is another smooth skating Swedish defender who had an outside chance of climbing into the first round. Now, in front of even more scouts in Canada he’ll have a chance to improve on that draft stock playing against much younger players.

Keeping An Eye On Entry-Level Slides

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In the NHL, players on entry-level contracts who are 18 or 19 years old do not burn a contract year until they play in their 10th league game. Otherwise, their contract “slides” and extends by one year. You often see this happen with players in their draft year, sent back to their respective junior or European clubs. Miro Heiskanen for example, the third-overall pick by the Dallas Stars, will see his contract extended after he returned to Finland this year*.

Around the league, there are twelve players currently on active rosters who could potentially have their contract slide by a year should they be returned to junior before playing in their 10th game. Teams will have to decide whether it is worth burning a year of their ELC to keep them around, as once returned to junior they cannot be recalled during the season except in emergency circumstances. The list is as follows:

Four Games Played

Alex DeBrincat (CHI)
Victor Mete (MTL)
Nolan Patrick (PHI)

Nolan PatrickIt seems like DeBrincat and Patrick have their spots locked up after quick starts to the season, and should be kept with the team for the entire year. The interesting one in this group is Mete, who has played exceptionally for the Canadiens but could still be sent back anyway.

Montreal is in a crunch on defense as David Schlemko nears a return, and if they can’t find a trade partner for Mark Streit, will need to waive one of their defensemen to protect Mete. That crunch could result in them sending him back to the London Knights for a year, if the team believes they can succeed without him. That’s a big assumption though, as Mete has easily looked like the best puck-moving defenseman on the roster.

Three Games Played

Jesper Bratt (NJD)
Nico Hischier (NJD)
Pierre-Luc Dubois (CBJ)
Mikhail Sergachev (TBL)

The pair of New Jersey rookies will certainly be staying after their early explosion this season. Bratt has six points in three games and an early lead in the Calder Trophy battle, while Hischier has been a key part of the Devils’ new speed attack. Sending either away at this point would be a huge surprise.

Dubois made the team after an exceptional camp, but saw his ice time reduced to just 11:37 in their most recent game. Josh Anderson re-joined the squad for that contest, and it’s not clear what Dubois’ role will be going forward. If he’s ticketed for fourth-line minutes on a regular basis, it might be worth sending him back to the QMJHL for another season to dominate and potentially even play at both the World Juniors and Olympics.

Sergachev on the other hand has several things working against him. While the young defenseman has shown that he can be an NHL contributor, there are several other options for the Lightning. In addition, conditions on the trade from Montreal would give Tampa Bay an additional second-round pick if Sergachev plays fewer than 40 games this season. While obviously the Lightning are going for a Stanley Cup and will take the best team, picks like that—even if it is likely a late second rounder—don’t come around every day.

Two Games Played

Janne Kuokkanen (CAR)
Kailer Yamamoto (EDM)

Kailer YamamotoKuokkanen is in a different situation than most, as he was drafted out of the Europe in 2016. Even though he played for London last season, he’s not held to the same CHL-NHL agreement as players drafted out of the league, meaning he could play in the AHL this season if the Hurricanes so choose. That could keep him close, and let the team make a decision to burn a year only if they are in desperate need. While Kuokkanen is talented, he’s played sparingly through the Hurricanes’ first two games.

Yamamoto blew everyone away in his first training camp, and made the club over fellow first-round pick Jesse Puljujarvi. That doesn’t seem destined to last though, as Yamamoto was a scratch in the team’s second game and was given fewer than 12 minutes in their third. The diminutive forward is hard to bet against, but it seems poor management to keep him around just to play him every other game.

One Game Played

Logan Brown (OTT)
Alex Formenton (OTT)
Samuel Girard (NSH)

Neither Brown nor Formenton were expected to make the Senators’ roster out of camp, and yet due to injury and their own impressive play both did. Now, it’s extremely unlikely the team keeps both around but as of yesterday they weren’t willing to make a decision. Pierre Dorion admitted that since Brown had already dominated the junior circuit, spending time around the NHL club—even if it isn’t in games—isn’t a bad thing. It does seem like both will eventually be sent back at this point.

Girard got into his first NHL game last night due to an injury to Roman Josi, and didn’t look out of place. He recorded his first NHL point on a Filip Forsberg goal, and skated almost 19 minutes. He’s done everything he can to prove he should be a full-time option for the Predators, and with Ryan Ellis out long-term with injury perhaps they keep him around. He’s certainly ready to be a contributor, even if he does need to be sheltered somewhat.

*For more information about entry-level slides, check out CapFriendly’s tracker.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 10/6/17

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The NHL season is underway. NHL (and AHL) camps have shaken out and the final AHL signings of the off-season are filing in, as well as early season NHL adjustments. Here are some minor transactions from across the minors today:

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled defenseman Ben Harpur from their newly relocated affiliate, the Belleville Senators, the team announced. Harpur played in six regular season games for the Sens last season, but suited up for an additional nine playoff games and was given substantial ice time. However, with the off-season addition of Johnny Oduya, Harpur was pushed from the top seven on the organizational depth chart. In fact, many would say that Harpur is actually the second-to-next-man-up, behind star prospect Thomas Chabot, but in their first promotion of the season –  with Oduya dealing with a lower-body injury and captain Erik Karlsson still sidelined – Ottawa chose Harpur instead.
  • Back in Binghamton, the former home of the AHL Senators, new tenants the Devils, New Jersey’s former Albany affiliate, has made a couple notable moves of their own. The team announced today that they have brought in a pair of NHL veterans, inking forward Tim Kennedy to a one-year deal and signing defenseman Tim Erixon to a PTO. Kennedy, a 31-year-old journeyman forward who last played in the NHL in 2013-14, scored 29 points in 37 games for the divisional rival Rochester Americans in 2016-17. Erixon, a 2009 first-round pick, was one of many AHL veterans to man the blue line for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ affiliate in Wilke-Barre/Scranton last season. The 26-year-old is solid, if not unspectacular, but stands a good chance of earning a contract for the Devils, who lack minor league depth on the blue line.
  • The Stockton Heat, affiliate to the Calgary Flames, have added a pair of experienced defenseman to their own blue line, announcing the signings of Cody Goloubef and Colby Robak. Goloubef is particularly interesting as he played 33 games for the Colorado Avalanche last season and was a late camp cut by the Buffalo Sabres, performing well on a PTO. Goloubef is a major boost for Stockton, but he will certainly keep an eye out for NHL opportunities as the 2017-18 season progresses. Meanwhile, Robak has not played in the NHL since 2014-15 and hasn’t played a meaningful big league role since early in 2013-14 with the Florida Panthers. Yet, Robak continues plugging along and had a strong AHL season in 2016-17, one spent mostly with the Utica Comets but which began with the Stockton Heat. The team seemingly saw enough to bring him back.
  • The Hershey Bears signed forward Jeremy Langlois to a one-year AHL deal today, as reported by the ever-popular Washington Capitals affiliate. The hard-working forward from Tempe, Arizona is trying to get back to the NHL after a one-year deal with the San Jose Sharks in 2015-16 was spent entirely in the AHL. The Quinnipiac alum was an undrafted free agent that first impressed with big numbers in the ECHL and then the AHL, with the Sharks then-affiliate in Worcester, earning him an entry-level deal and a major role on the re-located Barracuda squad two years ago. However, he was unqualified and signed with the Rockford Ice Hogs in 2016-17, where his offense steeply declined. Langlois will look for a fresh start in Hershey this season.

Minor Transactions: 09/12/17

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With rookie tournaments coming to an end for some teams, and training camp set to open in just a few days several transactions have already been made.

Snapshots: Therrien, Blues PTO, Sergachev

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Michel Therrien is back in hockey, and you won’t believe where. The former Montreal Canadiens head coach that was fired mid-season when Claude Julien became available will serve as a scout for those same Canadiens this season, according to TSN.

Therrien was unceremoniously removed from the head coaching position in February just days after Julien lost his job in Boston, ending his second stint behind the bench with the club. The 53-year old Therrien has a 406-303-23-82 record in the NHL, and ranks 37th all-time in games coached.

  • The St. Louis Blues released their entire training camp roster today, and it includes two players on professional tryouts. Ty Loney and Michael McKee have been signed to PTOs and will be in camp, though not much should be expected of either. Loney has spent the last few years bouncing between the AHL and ECHL after graduating from the University of Denver, while McKee is a former fifth-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings who just finished his fourth season at Western Michigan University. He became a free agent when the Red Wings failed to sign him this summer.
  • Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times caught up with prospect Mikhail Sergachev, and the young defender was clear that he intends on making the Lightning out of training camp. “For me, going back to junior is not an option,” said Sergachev, who was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Jonathan Drouin earlier this summer. Sergachev has dominated the OHL in his first two seasons in North America, and even suited up for four games at the beginning of last season with the Canadiens. While the Tampa Bay defense is quite crowded, he clearly has the talent to break through and establish himself as an NHL force.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Dmitri Samorukov To ELC

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The Edmonton Oilers have signed another 2017 draft pick, after inking first-round pick Kailer Yamamoto earlier this summer. Dmitri Samorukov, the team’s third-round pick has signed his three-year entry-level contract. That brings Edmonton to 49 of their allotted 50 contracts, though several of those will fall off when sent back to junior. 18 and 19 year olds playing in junior or European leagues don’t count towards their team’s total.

Samorukov played last season for the Guelph Storm of the OHL, scoring 20 points in 67 games after coming over from Russia. He’s expected to play there again after attending the Oilers’ rookie camp. The 6’2″ defenseman has twice played for the Russian U18 World Junior team, and is a possibility to suit up for the U20 team this year. He won’t turn 19 until June of next year, but with his advanced size and play he could play the tournament at a young age.

Edmonton is desperately trying to develop defensemen in order to supply a Connor McDavid-led team with some depth on the back end, and Samorukov is one to watch this season. A former second-overall pick in the CHL import draft, his play at the end of last season showed there could be big upside hidden beneath a fairly raw product.

CHL Minimum Wage Litigation Receives Boost

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The class action lawsuit by former and current Canadian Hockey League players against the CHL for failing to pay players minimum wage received a boost this week. TSN’s Rick Westhead reports that the lawyers for the players obtained the standard player contract for the QMJHL prior to 2013 that supports the contention that players were employees rather than amateurs.

The language used in the QMJHL SPC refers to “employment” and “supervision and control of the club,” which usually indicates employment rather than amateurism. The contract also states that players receive weekly salaries, and that certain clauses detail how a player may lose salary due to a suspension. The argument is that this language is more indicative of an employee-employer relationship than an amateur relationship.

The basic premise of the lawsuit is that players should have been paid at least minimum wage while playing for the junior clubs. The clubs’ counterargument is that players were merely amateur students and not employees. The crux of the issue will be whether the players were treated like employees, regardless of what titles they were given.

 

Prospect Notes: Steel, Kerfoot, Amerks

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For all the Anaheim Ducks fans hoping that top prospect Sam Steel impresses enough in training camp to move right into the team’s lineup, you may have to wait another year. Steel was named captain of his WHL Regina Pats today, and while that’s not by any means a guarantee that he’ll head back to junior, his team sure believes so.

Steel was selected 30th overall in the 2016 draft and put up a massive, 131-point season last year for the Pats. The question of his ability to jump right to the NHL has been brought up in nearly every one of our live chats, as Ducks fans hope to have an injection of youth in the forward group sooner than later. If he does return to the WHL, he’ll likely remain the odds-on favorite to lead the league in scoring despite losing teammate (and often linemate) Adam Brooks to the Toronto Marlies.

  • Alex Kerfoot was on Altitude 950 radio today and reiterated his goal of playing in the NHL right away. Noting his competitiveness and hockey sense, the young Harvard grad is ready to take the next step and help the Avalanche turn things around. It’s great to have confidence in yourself, but Colorado fans shouldn’t get ahead of themselves while projecting Kerfoot. While the undersized forward definitely comes with some offensive upside, it’s unlikely he sets the world on fire right away. Though he’s already 23, he could take some time to become accustomed to the speed and physicality of the NHL.
  • The Rochester Americans have signed Conor Allen and Sahir Gill to one-year AHL contracts. Allen is a stay at home defenseman who made his NHL debut several seasons ago with the New York Rangers, but has generally been an effective player in the AHL. While he won’t provide a ton of offense, he’ll be a strong addition to a minor league program that is receiving more attention from the Sabres front office. Gill is very familiar with that front office, as he’s coming over from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins that were previously under the purview of Jason Botterill in Pittsburgh. Gill has bounced between the ECHL and AHL in previous years, but last season started to establish himself as a solid two-way forward. Previously his game predicated on his offensive talent, but with maturity has come a more stable, reliable game.

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