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CHL

Young Faces Hold The Key To Sabres’ Future Success

March 31, 2024 at 10:50 am CDT | by Gabriel Foley 9 Comments

The Buffalo Sabres face their final seven games of the season well outside of the playoff conversation. It’s been a disappointing year for one of the league’s hottest teams at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. Nobody has stepped up, with Tage Thompson not yet at 50 points after scoring 94 last year; Devon Levi struggling to hold onto the starter’s net amid less-than-flattering competition; and the defense continuing to falter when faced with too much pressure.

The down-year has forced general manager Kevyn Adams to part with important morale pieces, sending team captain Kyle Okposo to the Florida Panthers and former Colorado Avalanche assistant captain Erik Johnson to the Philadelphia Flyers. And the Sabres might’ve moved even more veterans, with Zemgus Girgensons and Victor Olofsson reportedly on the trade block as well. Even if it wasn’t their intention at the beginning of the year, the Sabres now sit with a clear mindset – get younger, and then we’ll get better. That’s not a new perspective in the NHL, but it is a risky path forward. Few teams have the depth to refresh lineup roles solely from within. But after years of strong, and lucky, drafting, the Sabres could be one of the rare few to pull it off.

The Buffalo Sabres Future Playoff Hopes Lie With Their Prospects

Buffalo’s prospect pool is led by centerman Jiri Kulich, who has served as one of the top forwards for the AHL’s Rochester Americans. He’s scored 21 goals and 38 points through 49 games this season, improving on his scoring pace after 24 goals and 46 points in 62 games last year. Kulich has added the boost in scoring while also taking on more and more responsibility, becoming a centerman capable of staying diligent in all three zones. He’s been a favorite of Rochester head coach Seth Appert, spending the last two seasons working with Rochester’s development team to find what specific program will best support the Czechian power forward – knowing that Kulich won’t shy away from hard work. The Sabres will hope that next season bears the fruits of Appert’s labor, with the departure of Casey Mittelstadt opening up opportunity down the middle. Kulich looked undoubtedly overeager in his NHL debut earlier this season, showing a clear need for added poise and experience. He’s gathered plenty now on a Rochester team bound for the AHL playoffs, though if it will be enough to seamlessly transition into the NHL is yet to be seen. As are the consequences if Kulich isn’t ready.

But Kulich won’t be able to escape the competition with fellow AHL sophomore Isak Rosen by moving to the NHL. Rosen has looked just as capable in his pro appearances, even earning seven NHL games to Kulich’s one this season. The 21-year-old winger has 16 goals and 40 points in 59 AHL games this year, topping his 37 points in 66 games last year. And he’s managed it on the back of growing confidence with the puck on his stick. Rosen has always made himself a focal piece of the offense, but he found a new layer of poise this season, doing much better at slowing play down and creating space when opportunity isn’t present, instead of forcing through a failed entry. But while his AHL play has improved thanks to better independence, Rosen’s NHL game suffered from a severe lack of involvement. He’s yet to score his first NHL point and did little to look convincing in his outings. There’s definite room for confidence – with Rosen never looking downright bad or out of place at the top level – but he’ll need to find his drive amidst the best in the world if he wants to succeed. Rosen took a couple of years to find his footing in the minors and could need the same slow transition into the NHL. That means the Sabres will have to be patient, as Rosen likely starts in a smaller role and works his way up next season. Already struggling for wins, it will be interesting to see if Buffalo has the time to spend.

Kulich and Rosen are joined at the top of the depth chart by Matthew Savoie, who returned to the WHL after one NHL game and six AHL games. He scored five points in the latter matchups, and carried the strong scoring back into juniors, where his 30 goals and 71 points in 34 games (2.09 points-per-game) marked the highest rate any WHL player has scored at since Connor Bedard last season, and Mike Comrie in 2001 before him. To join such an exclusive list is always exciting, and Savoie is certainly deserving, proving this year that his high-tempo playmaking is simply too good for the CHL. It seems opportunity is the last remaining piece of Savoie’s puzzle, especially considering his AHL success earlier this season. But pre-season injury marred Buffalo’s ability to really test him at the top level. They’ll have to go through the feeling-out process at the start of next year, while also hoping Savoie can quickly turn the tides on the scoresheet. His tempo and skill were dominant in juniors and could certainly bring the game-changing offense that Buffalo is in dire need of. A bill of good health this summer and confidence this fall could set up Savoie for a prime role as soon as next year kicks off.

Buffalo has plenty of other forward prospects that could push the envelope soon. Viktor Neuchev carried a steady AHL role all season long, despite being in his first season of North American pros. He, as well as Swedish duo Anton Wahlberg and Noah Östlund, will all continue to get comfortable through minor league roles next season. It’s instead defenseman Ryan Johnson that rivals one of Buffalo’s remaining NHL slots. Johnson is playing through his first professional season this year, with seven assists in 41 NHL games and eight assists in 19 AHL games – though he’s still searching for his first pro goal. And while he’s adjusted well, there’s been plenty left to desire from the 22-year-old defenseman. He’s simply yet to find where his impact comes in – showing strength in a long list of roles but yet to stamp one as his calling card. It was his ability to control the offensive zone, and control possession, that propelled Johnson through college. He’s shown flashes of that ability in the NHL as well, though they’ve been coupled by a clear need for quicker decision making and sharper plays. The Sabres will hope he can find his offensive niche in the NHL quickly, with Johnson leading a very depleted defensive depth chart. If he can’t solidify an NHL role next year, the team might be forced to turn towards the draft to try and mend a blue-line that’s looked unconfident for years.

Zach Benson lit the Sabres on fire this year. While he’s only managed 23 points on the season, he’s shown a determination and work ethic that’s hard to find, especially in 18-year-olds straight out of juniors. Buffalo needs more of that prospect luck next season, if they want to reignite the fire under their playoff hopes. Savoie represents plenty of upside, while Kulich and Rosen could each carve out strong roles of their own, but all three players face questions. How they can overcome that uncertainty, as well as how quickly Buffalo’s able to add in impactful defensive depth, will be the defining questions as the Sabres look to build a winning team from within.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Network.

AHL| Buffalo Sabres| CHL| NHL| Players| Prospects| WHL Anton Wahlberg| Isak Rosen| Jiri Kulich| Matthew Savoie| Ryan Johnson

9 comments

NHL, CHL Facing Class-Action Lawsuit Over Antitrust Law

February 14, 2024 at 5:35 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley

A class-action lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan, New York argues that the NHL and CHL violate antitrust law. The suit – filed in part by the North American Division of the World Association of Icehockey Players Union (WAIPU) – argues that teenagers are, “involuntarily drafted, poorly compensated, and completely controlled” by CHL teams, crediting the exclusivity between the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL and full-time schedules for players as ways players are exploited. It further adds that the NHL supports these challenges through its annual payments to the leagues and specific parts of the NHL-CHL Transfer agreement.

The CHL told the Associated Press, “We have just been made aware of the complaint, filed by WAIPU, an organization that has not been certified to represent any CHL players… Until we can thoroughly review the document, we are unable to provide comment as to the legitimacy of its contents.” The NHL has so far declined to comment.

There is currently no collective bargaining agreement between CHL teams and players – something that the NHL, AHL, and ECHL all have. The nature of the suit draws comparison to recent movements from minor league baseball players and NCAA athletes, who have pushed for expanded supports and compensation. The NHL and CHL did not receive advanced notice of the suit before it was filed on Wednesday morning. University of Illinois labor law professor Michael LeRoy commented on the international status of the suit – which targets juniors teams in Canada and the U.S. – saying, “They’re doing business in the United States, and the end users of the most successful products are going to be, presumably, NHL hockey players both in the U.S. and Canada, I don’t think that’s a problem.”

CHL| NHL| NHLPA

10 comments

Snapshots: Calder Trophy, Ullmark, Fritz

September 5, 2023 at 9:23 am CDT | by Josh Erickson 2 Comments

The 2023-24 Calder Trophy race should be one of the most exciting in recent memory. While Connor Bedard is undeniably the runaway favorite, there is a suite of other talented rookies that could challenge Bedard’s title. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler and Harman Dayal recently ranked their top-20 Calder candidates. Bedard unsurprisingly took the top spot, with Arizona Coyotes center Logan Cooley, Buffalo Sabres goalie Devon Levi, and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli making up the rest of the top four. The list also included names like Luke Hughes, Matthew Knies, and Joel Hofer.

The list featured more Anaheim Ducks prospects than any other team, with Leo Carlsson (#7) and Olen Zellweger (#9) ranked in the Top 10, while Lukas Dostal, Jackson LaCombe, and Pavel Mintyukov were all listed as honorable mentions. The Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, and Chicago Blackhawks were among other teams with multiple prospects featured.

Some other notes from around the NHL:

  • Ty Anderson, a reporter for Boston radio show 98.5 The Sports Hub, shared that one team approached the Bruins with a, “fair, market value return” for reigning Vezina Trophy-winner Linus Ullmark. Ullmark posted a league-best save percentage (.938) and goals-against-average (1.89) last season. He followed it up with a .896 save percentage and 3.33 goals-against-average while appearing in six of Boston’s seven postseason games. And while he didn’t walk out of the postseason with any hardware, he confidently won the Vezina, receiving 22 votes to win it where no one else received more than three. Ullmark is signed to a $5MM cap hit through the next two seasons.
  • The Bridgeport Islanders have signed 32-year-old forward Tanner Fritz. Fritz has been a minor league player since 2015-16 when he split time between the ECHL’s Missouri Mavericks and the Islanders AHL affiliate. His performances that season – notably his 12 points in 19 AHL games – were enough to earn him a consistent AHL role. The Grand Prairie, Alberta native got a taste of NHL experience in 2017-18, appearing in 34 games with the Islanders. He tacked on an additional eight NHL games in the following year but has been in the AHL ever since. With this deal, Fritz will remain a core piece of the Islanders depth chart, after recording 10 points in nine AHL playoff games last season.

AHL| Boston Bruins| CHL| ECHL| NHL| New York Islanders| Prospects| Rookies| Snapshots Adam Fantilli| Connor Bedard| Devon Levi| Leo Carlsson| Linus Ullmark| Logan Cooley| Tanner Fritz

2 comments

Minor Transactions: 7/20/23

July 20, 2023 at 12:19 pm CDT | by Josh Cybulski Leave a Comment

We are well into the dog days of summer as many NHL management groups and broadcasters are turning their attention to arbitration cases and summer holidays. While things are typically slow this time of year there have been several signings today from around the hockey world:

  • Former Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Dmitri Korobov has signed a contract with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL. No terms of the contract have been released. Korobov has spent the last two years with Dinamo and posted three goals and four assists in 49 games this past season. His NHL career was a short one as he dressed in just three games and posted a single assist with the Lightning in a short call-up during the 2013-14 season. The 34-year-old spent two seasons in the AHL with Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate the Syracuse Crunch, dressing in 136 games and scoring six goals and 42 assists.
  • The Utica Comets have announced that they’ve signed defenseman Will MacKinnon to a two-way AHL contract for the 2023-24 season. The 23-year-old Plymouth, Michigan native will be getting his first opportunity in the AHL as he spent the past two seasons playing in the ECHL with the Reading Royals where he posted seven goals and 20 assists in 88 games. MacKinnon has never posted much in the way of offense dating all the way back to his NCAA days but did put up 26 points last season in 71 ECHL games which has earned him a look in the AHL for the upcoming year.
  • Colorado Avalanche AHL affiliate the Colorado Eagles have signed defenseman Michael Underwood to a one-year AHL extension. Underwood signed a PTO with the Eagles back in March of this year and dressed in three AHL games with the franchise where he was held scoreless. The 25-year-old has been a defensive defenseman throughout his professional and college career never topping seven points in any one season. In five NCAA seasons with Clarkson University and Michigan State University, Underwood had a total of six goals and 17 assists in 167 games.
  • Nolan Moyle, the captain of the Michigan Wolverines last season, has found where he’ll be beginning his professional career: China. Moyle has signed with the KHL’s Kunlun Red Star, landing there after playing five seasons at Michigan. A defense-first right winger, Moyle didn’t score much as a Wolverine (just 46 points in 164 career games) but now has a chance to hold down a defensive role in one of the world’s more competitive professional leagues.
  • The ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears have made a significant addition, signing 26-year-old Aaron Luchuk on a one-year contract. Luchuk had been with the Solar Bears for two seasons before this past season trying his luck in Europe. Luchuck played for three teams across two leagues and couldn’t quite find his footing in 2022-23, so now he returns to the league he led in scoring in 2020-21. Luchuk has 187 points in 181 career ECHL games and is likely to be a major help to the franchise as they look to return to the Kelly Cup playoffs.
  •  Another college hockey captain has selected where he’ll be starting his pro career. Notre Dame captain Nick Leivermann has signed a contract with the Hershey Bears, the defending Calder Cup champions. The 24-year-old Minnesota native played five seasons with Notre Dame and has had two consecutive productive campaigns. He scored 20 points in 29 games last season and had 27 points in 32 games this season. While the Bears are likely to have a competitive blueline as they defend their Calder Cup title, Leivermann’s success in his collegiate career suggests he could end up a factor in the AHL sooner rather than later.

This page may be updated throughout the day.

AHL| CHL| NCAA| NHL

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Minor Transactions: 6/20/23

June 20, 2023 at 2:13 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 1 Comment

Buyouts are the transaction du jour in the NHL, with the first window about a third of the way through completion. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Patrik Nemeth, and Zack Kassian are three players who will now unexpectedly need to look for new homes next season, while others are settling on their short-term futures in other leagues. As always, we’re keeping an eye out for any of today’s notable moves outside of the NHL:

  • ECHL standout and 2017 Hockey East champion Ryan Dmowski has signed a one-year deal with HK Poproad in the Slovak Extraliga, the team announced. The 26-year-old forward helped his Idaho Steelheads finish first in the ECHL during the regular season and reach the Kelly Cup Final, leading the team by a decent margin with 41 goals and 85 points in 91 combined regular-season and playoff games. Dmowski’s strong performances in the ECHL over the past few seasons haven’t translated to any sustained AHL production, though, and he’ll choose to play high-level professional hockey in Europe without a realistic NHL opportunity in the cards.
  • Undrafted CHL free agent Landon Kosior will begin his professional career with the AHL’s Iowa Wild, as the Minnesota Wild affiliate announced they’ve signed him to a one-year, two-way AHL deal. Passed over in the 2020 NHL Draft, Kosior’s since exploded on the blue line for the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders and notched over a point per game there in his final season. Set to turn 21 in August, Kosior will now look to stick in second-tier pro hockey and catch the eye of the Wild’s NHL brass.
  • A former top undrafted free agent prospect is getting another chance in the AHL as the Milwaukee Admirals have brought in Tye Felhaber on a one-year AHL deal. Once a promising signing by the Dallas Stars in 2019 after he recorded 109 points in 68 games with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, Felhaber’s AHL production never came close to translating to pro hockey. He had to settle for an ECHL contract for 2022-23, which paid massive dividends – he exploded for 63 points in 51 games with the Fort Wayne Komets and even recorded a respectable 13 points in 21 games on loan to Milwaukee. He’ll get a full-time chance there now as the 24-year-old looks to revive his career.

This post will be updated throughout the day.

AHL| CHL| ECHL| Transactions| WHL

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Snapshots: Winnipeg, Hayes, Sharangovich

June 16, 2023 at 12:28 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

The WHL’s Winnipeg Ice are on the move again after spending just four years in the city, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports Friday. After moving from Cranbrook in the Kootenay region of British Columbia in 2019, a condition of the sale to new owners in Winnipeg was a new facility for the team. The condition was never met, and now the team has been sold to former 2017 BCHL executive of the year David White, who will move them to Wenatchee, Washington, a town with a population of about 35,000 people in the center of the state. For now, it seems the new Wenatchee WHL squad will share the ice with White’s BCHL team, the Wenatchee Wild, at the Town Toyota Center with a capacity of 4,300 people.

Winnipeg lost in this year’s WHL championship series and boasts an eye-popping record of 110-20-6 over the past two seasons combined. The franchise’s debut season in Wenatchee could include Buffalo Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie and Arizona Coyotes prospect Conor Geekie, both first-round picks in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Other notes from around the hockey world today:

  • On today’s episode of Sportsnet’s 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman dumped some cold water on the rumors of a Kevin Hayes trade between the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets. After the two teams were involved in a three-way deal that saw Ivan Provorov head from the Flyers to the Jackets, reports said the move didn’t eliminate the possibility of the long-rumored Hayes deal coming to fruition. However, the Blue Jackets now have under $6MM in projected cap space for 2023-24 (CapFriendly) after getting defender Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils in a sign-and-trade, which would force the Flyers to retain a high amount of Hayes’ $7.14MM cap hit through 2025-26. While Columbus remains in desperate need of centers, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen now has seven defensemen on the roster that cost more than $2MM against the cap, including a combined $6.75MM wrapped up in Erik Gudbranson and Andrew Peeke, who both had very disappointing campaigns last season.
  • Another name mentioned by Friedman was that of New Jersey Devils forward Yegor Sharangovich, who Friedman believes could hit the trade market this offseason. The 25-year-old Belarusian is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights after completing a two-year, $4MM contract signed in August of 2021 and has registered at least 30 points in all three of his NHL campaigns. He is a decent depth scorer, but he’s not of much value defensively and posted the lowest point-per-game output of his NHL career (0.40) last season. He was a healthy scratch for most of New Jersey’s playoff run, appearing in three out of 12 games.

CHL| Columbus Blue Jackets| New Jersey Devils| Philadelphia Flyers| Snapshots| WHL Conor Geekie| Kevin Hayes| Matthew Savoie| Yegor Sharangovich

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Examining Some Remaining CHL Free Agent Options

May 20, 2023 at 4:00 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

College free agency has come and gone and the focus has since shifted to CHL free agency.   Across the three Canadian leagues, there are quite a few players looking to turn a strong season into a professional contract that are no longer eligible to be drafted.  Some have already signed but here is a look at some that are still looking to land deals that could garner some interest in the weeks ahead.

G Brett Brochu, London (OHL): He’s the only player on this list with AHL experience as the 20-year-old got into a game on a tryout with Pittsburgh’s AHL team in 2020-21.  Brochu has been a three-year starter with the Knights, typically one of the strongest major junior programs while he made Canada’s World Junior roster for the summer tournament last year.  Teams looking to add pro-ready depth could look his way.

D Aidan De La Gorgendiere, Saskatoon (WHL): Across his first three major junior seasons, the 21-year-old wasn’t much of an offensive producer, collecting 45 points total.  He matched that total in 2021-22 and then this season, found another gear entirely, notching 65 points in as many games, good for a tie for seventh league-wide amongst defensemen which should get him on the radar.

D Logan Dowhaniuk, Moose Jaw (WHL): Mobility matters in the pros and while skating is an issue for some of the players on this list, it isn’t for Dowhaniuk.  The 20-year-old doesn’t have high-end offensive stats but is a steady two-way defender and fared relatively well in the playoffs for the second straight year which should boost his profile.

F James Hardie, Mississauga (OHL): The 21-year-old has played in three seasons, averaging more than a point per game in each of them and had an impressive showing in the playoffs this year.  He has a strong offensive skill set but he’s a bit on the smaller side at 5’11.  It’s possible that he gets an entry-level deal but teams will also be offering up AHL contracts to Hardie as well.  He signed a tryout agreement in the ECHL with Buffalo’s affiliate but remains a free agent.

F Ivan Ivan (Cape Breton, QMJHL): Ivan didn’t have a great start to his year with an underwhelming summer World Junior performance but the 20-year-old took a big step forward offensively this season, finishing tenth in the league in scoring.  A capable defensive forward, the offensive improvement should help him generate some NHL interest.

F Connor McClennon, Winnipeg (WHL): A former Flyers prospect, the 20-year-old had his second straight 40-plus-goal season in the Western league, an impressive accomplishment.  It was also his fourth straight season of over a point per game while he plays with a bit of an edge.  The catch?  He stands 5’8 which will scare some teams off but it’s hard to argue with that type of consistent production.

F Owen Pederson, Winnipeg (WHL): Last year, Pederson had a standout playoff performance and he was able to carry that over into a strong overage season that saw him reach the 30-goal mark for the first time.  At 6’3, he has pro size and has shown an ability to score around the net.  That type of profile tends to draw interest from teams and that should be the case here as well.

D Ben Zloty, Winnipeg (WHL): Last season, Zloty was tied for fifth in scoring among WHL blueliners, averaging just over a point per game.  This year, the 21-year-old found new gears, eventually leading all rearguards in scoring with 81 points in 64 contests.  He’s a bit on the smaller side for a defender at 6’0 but that type of production from the back end should have some teams inquiring about an AHL deal at a minimum.

There will also be more players entering free agency on June 1st as CHL-drafted players from 2021 that don’t sign with the team that picked them and are too old to re-enter the draft will also hit the open market at that time.  We’ll find out in less than two weeks who those players will be.

CHL

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Buffalo Sabres Assign Olivier Nadeau To AHL

May 8, 2023 at 8:32 am CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

The Buffalo Sabres reassigned forward prospect Olivier Nadeau to the AHL’s Rochester Americans Monday, the team said in a tweet. Buffalo selected Nadeau, 20, in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft.

Nadeau’s junior hockey season ended last week when the Québec Remparts swept his Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL in the third round. The 6-foot-2 forward, who spent three seasons with the Shawinigan Cataractes before a trade to Gatineau last July, had a monster year for the Olympiques with 46 points in 34 games and a staggering +41 rating.

The Americans are still alive in the Calder Cup Playoffs, with defender Lawrence Pilut’s overtime heroics on Saturday sending them to a North Division Final matchup against the Toronto Marlies, which begins Thursday. Nadeau could sneak into the Rochester lineup for that series ahead of players like Josh Passolt, who’s played all five playoff games for the Americans after spending nearly all of the regular season in the ECHL.

With Nadeau hitting the 20-year age mark and completing four seasons of junior hockey, this transaction also ends his career in the QMJHL. Under contract with Buffalo, Nadeau is eligible to play for Rochester full-time in 2023-24.

Nadeau sets himself apart with his hockey sense. He’s among the smartest (if not the smartest) players in the Buffalo system and translates that intelligence into skilled plays. His goal-scoring ability has also improved since his draft year, evidenced by a 35-goal campaign for Shawinigan in 2021-22.

AHL| Buffalo Sabres| CHL| QMJHL Olivier Nadeau

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Chaz Lucius Undergoes Surgery; Will Miss Rest Of Season

February 6, 2023 at 3:19 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

The Winnipeg Jets have announced disappointing prospect news, tweeting that Chaz Lucius underwent shoulder surgery today and will miss the rest of the season. The young forward had been playing with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL after being loaned back to junior last month.

Lucius, 19, was the 18th overall pick in 2021 and has taken an odd development path in the time since. He first went to the University of Minnesota for just one year, before turning pro and joining the Manitoba Moose at the beginning of this season. After just 12 games there (and a shoulder injury that kept him out for a while), he was headed to the CHL.

The NCAA-AHL-CHL route isn’t often taken, but it appeared to be paying off for Lucius, who had five goals and 15 points in his first six games for Portland. He dominated the younger, more inexperienced competition and built plenty of confidence along the way.

Now with this injury, he’ll have an odd little six-game footnote on his career. Given that he will turn 20 in May, Lucius will almost certainly return to the AHL next year instead of going to junior as an overage player, meaning his time in the WHL is over. His contract, meanwhile, will slide forward, meaning he will now reach restricted free agency in the summer of 2026.

CHL| Injury| WHL| Winnipeg Jets

2 comments

All-Star Notes: Women’s Hockey, New Events, Luongo

January 24, 2023 at 7:00 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 2 Comments

The NHL will once again use its All-Star weekend to showcase some of the best and brightest in women’s hockey. This year will see five international women’s hockey stars join the Skills Competition: United States forwards Alex Carpenter and Hilary Knight and Canadian forwards Sarah Nurse, Rebecca Johnston, and Emily Clark.

A trend began by Kendall Coyne Schofield’s participation in the Fastest Skater competition at the 2019 All-Star game, women’s hockey participation in men’s professional All-Star events has steadily increased since, mainly at the NHL and ECHL levels. The Athletic’s Hailey Salvian doesn’t believe this is confirmation that the five players will actually participate in the skills events, however, they will be involved somehow in the weekend’s events.

  • Florida Panthers hometown fans at the All-Star game will see a familiar face: Hall-of-Fame netminder and Panthers legend Roberto Luongo. The only retired number in Panthers history, Luongo will suit up as the league’s “celebrity netminder” in the Breakaway Challenge. At last year’s All-Star Game in Las Vegas, the first Breakaway Challenge since 2016, women’s hockey legend Manon Rheaume and actor Wyatt Russell made appearances in the event.
  • Lastly, the 2023 South Florida edition of the weekend will see three new events for the skills portion: the Enterprise NHL Splash Shot, Chipotle NHL Pitch ‘n Puck, and Discover NHL Tendy Tandem. The Splash Shot competition is a dunk-tank style target-based event with a twist: it takes place on the beach in Fort Lauderdale. The Pitch ’n Puck event is a hockey/golf combination, where players will compete using both hockey and golf shots to sink the puck (or ball) into a par-four hole. The Tendy Tandem event is all-goalie, with a tandem from each division competing as shooters and as netminders.

CHL| Dallas Stars| ECHL| Florida Panthers| NHL| Players Las Vegas

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