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Snapshots: Memorial Cup, Spengler Cup, Hanus

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The CHL has officially announced the four clubs that have submitted applications to host the 2024 Memorial Cup. The Kingston Frontenacs, Niagara IceDogs, Saginaw Spirit, and Soo Greyhounds will send in bids before the deadline in January, with the winning club announced in March.

The tournament is moved through the leagues each year, meaning it was only open to OHL bids for 2024. The 2023 tournament will be held in Kamloops, British Columbia.

  • Team Canada has its leadership for the Spengler Cup decided, with Shane Doan managing the roster and Travis Green taking head coaching duties, according to Darren Dreger of TSN. Green is still under contract with the Vancouver Canucks, though he hasn’t coached since being fired in the middle of 2021-22.
  • The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have parted ways with Clay Hanus, as the undrafted defenseman has decided to leave pro hockey and accept the education package given by his former junior club. Hanus had only played two games – both at the ECHL level – since signing an AHL deal in the summer.

Nashville Predators Send Luke Prokop To WHL

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After eight games in the ECHL, it has been determined that Luke Prokop might not be quite ready for professional hockey. The Nashville Predators have sent the defensive prospect back to the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL after his rights were traded a few weeks ago. The Edmonton Oil Kings, who had traded for Prokop last season, sent his rights to Seattle in exchange for a first and two third-round picks in the WHL draft.

All three picks were conditional on him being loaned back, which suggested that this was the plan for a while. The 2020 third-round pick still has this year left in his junior eligibility and can try to help Seattle win a league championship.

Selected 73rd overall in 2020, the 6’6″ Prokop was a force for Edmonton last season, scoring 33 points in 55 games during the regular season and only increasing that production in the playoffs. That helped take the Oil Kings to a title, though they would eventually fall in the Memorial Cup. It was the Thunderbirds that the Oil Kings defeated in the WHL final, and Seattle is poised to get back to the dance this year.

It will be interesting to see if the massive Prokop pairs with someone like Kevin Korchinski, Seattle’s star defenseman and a Chicago Blackhawks top prospect, or if he’s played on a different pairing to balance out the defense.

Despite going back to junior, his entry-level contract will kick in this season as he is now 20. That means Prokop will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2025.

Wyatt Johnston Will Stay In NHL

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As we approach the ten-game mark for many teams, decisions will have to be made on young players who are still slide-eligible. That designation means that if they spend the year outside of the NHL, they will not burn a season off their entry-level contract, effectively extending their time as an inexpensive option. For Wyatt Johnston, a return to junior isn’t in the cards. The young forward has done enough to convince Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill to keep him around, confirming yesterday’s report from Jeff Marek of Sportsnet. Notably, Nill did explain that they could return Johnston later in the year if necessary.

For some front offices, the 40-game mark is actually more important for a young player. It is at that point that the season is considered a full year of service time in regard to unrestricted free agent status. That is to say, if Johnston plays more than 40 games this year, he’ll be one year closer to hitting the open market.

Still, with how well he has played so far, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. After completely dominating the OHL last season, winning the league’s Most Outstanding Player trophy, the Most Sportsmanlike trophy, the scoring race, and the playoff scoring race, it was clear that he was ready for professional hockey. Because of the CHL-NHL agreement, that couldn’t be in the AHL, as Johnston is still only 19. So when the decision is between sending him back to a league where he scored 165 points in 93 games, or keeping him in the NHL, the team would be looking for a reason to keep him at the highest level.

Johnston has provided that reason, scoring three goals and four points in nine games while averaging just over 14 minutes a night. He’s overmatched in the faceoff circle as many young forwards are, and there are some rough edges that still need to be polished on his overall game. But there is oodles of talent in the 2021 first-round pick (23rd overall), and enough maturity to stick around.

Notably, he has averaged more even-strength ice time than players like Roope Hintz, Denis Gurianov, and Jamie Benn, showing just how much confidence head coach Peter DeBoer has in the young forward. The Stars are transitioning to a new wave of talent and now sit first in the Central Division – though that could change over the next little while with Jake Oettinger’s injury. It appears as though they’re willing to let Johnston learn on the job, and make his junior days a thing of the past.

Matt Kiersted, Seth Barton Activated From Season-Opening Injured Reserve

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A pair of defensemen have been activated from season-opening injured reserve (SOIR) and are headed to their respective teams’ AHL affiliates. The Florida Panthers have assigned Matt Kiersted to the Charlotte Checkers, per CapFriendly, and the Detroit Red Wings have assigned Seth Barton to the Grand Rapids Griffins, per the team.

Season-opening injured reserve is generally used for players who did not make the team out of training camp, but can’t be involved in any NHL to AHL transactions due to their injured status.

Kiersted, 24, is a candidate to find himself back in the NHL sooner rather than later given the organization’s weak defensive depth. An undrafted free agent signing out of the University of North Dakota in 2021, Kiersted’s appeared in 17 NHL games over the past two seasons, registering a goal and an assist and averaging 14:31 per night. He had 20 points in 63 games with the Checkers last season in his first professional campaign, and he’s destined to play a top-four role again there when not on the NHL roster.

Barton was a third-round selection by the Red Wings in 2018. He’s entering his second full professional campaign after spending three seasons at UMass-Lowell from 2018 to 2021 and recorded six points in 20 AHL games during his rookie campaign with the Griffins in 2021-22. It’ll be a struggle for playing time in Grand Rapids, which now boasts some of the team’s top defense prospects such as Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson, and Eemil Viro. A return to the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, where Barton played five games last season, could be in the cards.

Morning Notes: Robertson, Petry, CHL

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Preseason is already well underway and there continues to be no real update in talks between Jason Robertson and the Dallas Stars, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. The insider explains that the only thing coming out of either side is that daily discussions are being held.

Robertson, 23, is one of four remaining restricted free agents that needs a contract for this season, and by far the most important of the group. The young forward scored 41 goals and 79 points in 74 games last season. The Stars kick off their season on October 13 against the Nashville Predators.

  • Jeff Petry has received a $5,000 fine for roughing in last night’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings. The Pittsburgh newcomer played more than every Penguin except Kris Letang, including nearly seven minutes on the powerplay. Despite the nine man-advantage opportunities, the Penguins lost 6-2, with Petry taking a frustration penalty when he punched the back of Jonatan Berggren’s head.
  • The CHL is already off and running, with players all heading back from their NHL camps to compete at the junior level once again. To kick things off, Scott Wheeler of The Athletic has released full previews of each league, with prospects to look out for and rookies that will be building their stock. His pick for Rookie of the Year? Michael Misa, the Saginaw Spirit forward who was granted exceptional status. Misa is eligible for the 2025 NHL draft.

Pavel Mintyukov Sent To OHL

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There won’t be a surprise NHL appearance by the tenth overall pick this year, as the Anaheim Ducks have sent Pavel Mintyukov back to the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. His entry-level contract will slide forward, meaning he is now signed through 2025-26 at a minimum.

Mintyukov, 18, actually should be entering his third season with the Spirit, after agreeing to come to North America in 2020. Unfortunately, the year that would have been his rookie season in the OHL was canceled, due to the league’s COVID restrictions. That lost development certainly didn’t slow the Russian defenseman down. Mintykov exploded onto the junior scene with 17 goals and 62 points in 67 games, flying up draft boards and finding himself creeping into the top ten.

While there has been concern about selecting Russian players because of the country’s invasion of Ukraine, Mintyukov has shown a clear desire to play in North America. Not only had he come over to play in the OHL but he signed his entry-level contract with the Ducks just a few days after being selected. Returning to the Spirit for another season should allow the team to have at least a bit of oversight on his development, even though they won’t be directly coaching him.

With how well he did last season, there is a good chance that Mintyukov dominates the league this year and sets himself up to compete for a spot with the Ducks a year from now. At that point, he also may be eligible for AHL action, depending on how his OHL status was determined. As an import player, if the NHL lists him as “on loan” to the CHL during his draft year, he will qualify for the AHL even before the age of 20, as others such as Filip Zadina and Rasmus Sandin have in the past. One factor likely not in his favor is that he did not play professional games before joining the Spirit, only suiting up in the Russian MHL (junior equivalent).

Evening Notes: PWHPA, Hischier, Hodgson

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There’s some exciting news coming on the women’s hockey front. In an interview with The Hockey News’ Ian Kennedy, Canadian National Team captain Marie Philip-Poulin confirmed that the current touring structure for PWHPA games will turn into a league for the 2023-24 season, bringing two professional women’s leagues back into the fold for the first time since the CWHL and NWHL were both active.

The PWHPA Dream Gap Tour is the main pool of talent that Canada and the United States select for their national teams. They’ve effectively been limited to playing exhibition games without a league structure governing competition, although that shouldn’t diminish the level of talent and competition on display. A league structure should bring more financial stability and a better plan for growing the women’s game in North America.

  • New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier left the team’s in-progress preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens at the first intermission. The team reports that Hischier’s absence is simply due to cramping and that he won’t return to the game for precautionary reasons. Hischier registered a shot on goal and played 6:24 in the first period, his preseason debut.
  • Philadelphia Hockey Now’s Sam Carchidi tabs winger Hayden Hodgson as a candidate to crack the Flyers’ roster out of camp this year. Hodgson made waves in the Flyers organization this season after a breakout year in AHL Lehigh Valley, earning an NHL contract near the end of the season and a six-game call-up, where he registered three points. Hodgson hadn’t even played in the AHL since 2017-18, spending every season since then entirely in the ECHL (and partly in Slovakia).

Tye Felhaber Signs In ECHL

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In the spring of 2019, as Tye Felhaber was wrapping up an incredible final season with the Ottawa 67s, that saw him score 76 goals in 86 games between the regular season and playoffs, the Dallas Stars signed the undrafted forward to a three-year entry-level contract. It was a lottery ticket that cost nothing more than a contract slot, and gave another outstanding young hockey player a chance to test himself at the professional level.

Felhaber ended up playing 41 games for the Texas Stars the following season but was held to just two goals, as his offensive touch didn’t follow him to the AHL. Earlier this year, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning who have a history of working with talented junior scorers, but even they couldn’t turn things around. By the summer, Felhaber was left unqualified by the Lightning, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Now, he’ll try to work his way back up the ladder by first signing with the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL. He (along with Logan Barlage and Scott Allan) was introduced by the team today as new bodies for the minor league club.

Given that he is 24, it is likely too late for Felhaber to make it as an impact NHL player. But given his early ECHL performance – 12 goals in 20 games – the Komets may have a star on their hands. Felbhaber’s rights are no longer owned by the Lightning.

London Knights Acquire Sam Dickinson

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After Sam Dickinson made it clear that he wouldn’t be showing up to training camp for the Niagara IceDogs, there seemed to be two paths in front of him. The Chicago Steel, who had picked him late in the USHL draft, or the London Knights, who were rumored to be close to acquiring his rights.

It appears as though the latter is the path that Dickinson will choose, as the Knights have sent Niagara a package of seven draft picks for the young defenseman, who was the fourth-overall selection in this year’s OHL draft.

The IceDogs will receive:

  • 2023 3rd (NBB)
  • 2023 5th
  • 2024 2nd
  • 2025 2nd
  • 2025 3rd
  • 2026 2nd
  • 2026 3rd

Mark Hunter, general manager of the Knights, released the following:

We are extremely excited to trade for player of Sam’s caliber. He has a complete 200-foot game and is a top end talent of size, skill, and grit. He’s the type of player you win with.

Having only turned 16 in June, Dickinson already stands 6’2″ 194 lbs and was the first defenseman selected in the OHL draft this year. Joining London will likely help his stock rise even more, as the program is well-known for being an NHL training ground, because of its financial dominance in the CHL and first-class facilities.

Whether that turns into a pick near the top of the 2024 NHL draft remains to be seen but Dickinson appears to have made his way to the program he wanted.

Minor Transactions: 08/30/22

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As far as late August goes, we’ve had a pretty busy 24 hours in the NHL, with the trade of Adin Hill to the Vegas Golden Knights last night, followed by a massive extension for Tage Thompson to stick with the Buffalo Sabres for seven more years. Not to be forgotten, the Minnesota Wild also added that forward they were rumored to be looking for, inking former Anaheim Ducks prospect Sam Steel to a one-year deal. Busy as the last day was in the NHL, there’s still action going on around the hockey world, and we’ll keep track of some of those other transactions here:

  • A big trade went down in the WHL this afternoon, the Saskatoon Blades announcing they’ve acquired forward Conner Roulette and a third-round pick in the 2026 WHL prospects draft from the Seattle Thunderbirds in exchange for overage forward Kyle Crnkovic (link). The 20-year-old Crnkovic spent the previous five seasons with the Blades organization. Always a solid contributor, he broke out in 2021-22, tallying 39 goals and 55 assists in 68 games for Saskatoon. Roulette, 19, was a fourth-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2021 and has spent the previous four years with the Thunderbirds, having his own breakout this past season with 24 goals and 42 assists in 65 contests.
  • Former Nashville Predators draft pick Wade Murphy is headed back to North America, signing with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL, after spending last season in Austria (link). A seventh-round pick by Nashville in 2013, the forward has spent the bulk of his professional career in the ECHL after a three year college career. The stint in Austria was a successful one for Murphy, who had 23 points in 38 games for Ljubljana Olimpija, the most he’s had in a professional season to date.
  • The Laval Rocket, the AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, have signed forward Brett Stapley to a one-year AHL contract for the 2022-23 season, the team announced (link). Stapley, 23, was a seventh-round pick by Montreal back in 2018 and recently finished up his fourth season at the University of Denver. The North Vancouver, BC native had a solid college career, capped off by a breakout 2021-22 with 18 goals and 25 assists in 41 games. With the Canadians in a full rebuild, if Stapley can have a strong transition from college to the professional ranks, he may still have a chance to break into the NHL.
  • The Jacksonville Icemen announced they have signed Jake Witkowski to a one-year contract (link). The forward recently finished his college career, playing four years at Boston University prior to a season at Canisius College in 2021-22, where he had 11 points in 32 games. Interestingly, Witkowski is older than the typical college free agent, having turned 26 a few days ago.
  • Toronto Marlies defenseman Joseph Duszak won’t be returning for the 2022-23 season, instead heading to Dinamo Minsk of the KHL (link). Duszak, 25, spent three years at Mercyhurst College, joining the Marlies after an impressive 47 points in 37 college games in 2018-19. The Long Island native would split the 2019-20 season between the Marlies and the Newfoundland Growlers (the Marlies’ and Toronto Maple Leafs’ ECHL affiliate), joining the team full-time thereafter. Like in college, Duszak broke out in his third full professional season, recording seven goals and 45 assists in 61 games on the Marlies blueline this year.

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