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NCAA Notes: Mittelstadt, Belpedio, Hillman

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After an impressive rookie season in the collegiate ranks, and an MVP performance at the World Junior Championships, Casey Mittelstadt has staked a claim as one of the best prospects in hockey. His latest accomplishment is being named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, and will soon have to decide whether or not to become a professional or return to the University of Minnesota for his sophomore season.

Though he gives no pretense of inside knowledge, Mike Morreale of NHL.com believes there is a “good chance” that Mittelstadt turns pro next season, something that will come as music to the ears of Buffalo Sabres fans. Buffalo has struggled through another terrible season, and will have a good shot at drafting Rasmus Dahlin or one of the other top names this June. Mittelstadt’s appearance on the NHL squad would give them another piece to build around, and someone to support Jack Eichel and company in their quest for the playoffs.

  • Louis Belpedio doesn’t have a decision to make over whether or not to turn pro this summer, but instead how long he’ll wait before doing it. After completing his senior season at Miami University (Ohio), the Minnesota Wild draft pick could delay signing until August when he would become an unrestricted free agent. Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that scenario seems unlikely at this point, as the two sides are moving towards a two-year entry-level contract. Belpedio scored 30 points in 37 games during his senior season, and could be a useful piece of the Minnesota defense in the coming years.
  • Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) also gives us a long in-depth profile on Blake Hillman, a Chicago Blackhawks prospect who looks ready to turn pro in the coming weeks. Powers believes Hillman will “likely sign after this season” and even his head coach at the University of Denver Jim Montgomery seems to agree. Montgomery called Hillman “extremely close to being ready” for his pro transition, meaning Blackhawks fans could see another legitimate NHL prospect enter the system before long.

Lightning’s Cole Guttman Commits To University Of Denver

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Cole Guttman might not be a major name among hockey fans just yet, but one of the top programs in college hockey has at least taken notice. Guttman, who was drafted in the sixth round by the Tampa Bay Lightning this past June, has committed to the University of Denver, the reigning NCAA Champions.

Guttman is currently in his second season with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints and has four goals and four assists through eleven games. In 2016-17, Guttman was one of only 13 forwards in the league with a scoring rate of more than a point per game. Among that group were 2017 first rounders Casey Mittelstadt, Josh Norris, and Eeli Tolvanen and potential 2018 first overall pick Andrei Svechnikov. The league’s 7th-best goal scorer, Guttman was a major piece to Dubuque’s run to the USHL semifinals along with fellow NCAA commits Zach Solow (Northeastern) and Colin Theisen (Notre Dame).

With Denver, Guttman will re-unite with former Fighting Saints coach Jim Montgomery and a program loaded with talent. While any or all of the Pioneers’ big names – Henrik Borgstrom, Troy Terry, and Dylan Gambrell could be gone by next season, some may remain to join Guttman, 2017 second-round defender Ian Mitchell, Eero Teravainen, brother of Carolina Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen, and a flurry of other incoming, 2018 draft eligible talents like Mathias Pettersen, Will MacKinnon, Erik Middendorf. It looks as if the good times for Denver won’t be ending any time soon.

 

Jim Montgomery Staying At University Of Denver

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After being courted by the Florida Panthers recently, Jim Montgomery has decided to stay in the NCAA coaching ranks according to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post. The former NHL forward has coached at the University of Denver for the past four seasons, winning a National Championship last season by beating the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs 3-2 in the final game of the Frozen Four. As referenced in our live chat yesterday, Florida had moved on to other candidates and will continue to wait on Phil Housley to finish his Stanley Cup run with the Nashville Predators.

Montgomery is considered one of the top coaching prospects outside of professional hockey, and according to Chambers received two interviews with Florida and was also in contact with the Los Angeles Kings before they decided to go with John Stevens. Fans of the DU program will now be able to rest easy, expecting players like Henrik Borgstrom—Florida’s first-overall pick in 2016—to honor their commitments to the school and return for the 2017-18 season.

Florida meanwhile will move on to other candidates including Housley. They’ve also been linked in the past to Bob Boughner, Michel Therrien and Todd Reirden, and could branch out the coaching search even further. For several of their candidates they’ll have to fight off the Buffalo Sabres who are also in the midst of a coaching search.

Snapshots: Gavrikov, Montgomery, Brodeur

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In the continuing saga of Vladislav Gavrikov, Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reports that rumors of his signing in the KHL already are completely false. Dan Milstein of Gold Star who represents Gavrikov reiterated that no decision will be made on his future until after the World Championships are over.

Gavrikov is still just 21, and despite being drafted in the sixth round has developed into a legitimate NHL prospect. The young defender apparently has two KHL teams chasing him after his solid season for Yaroslavl. After already convincing Gabriel Carlsson to come over earlier this spring, the Blue Jackets could make another important addition to their defense pipeline with Gavrikov. While Team Russia spreads their ice time out fairly evenly, Gavrikov is used in tough defensive matchups and has been effective in the tournament. His future lies as a shutdown third-pairing player, though he still has time to develop even further.

  • The Florida Panthers have met with Jim Montgomery from the University of Denver twice now, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald, and have booked a second interview with Michel Therrien as well. The club is still searching for their next head coach, and many believe that Nashville Predators assistant Phil Housley will be given a chance to interview before they make a decision. Housley of course is still working in the playoffs as Nashville is off to the Western Conference Finals for the first time. Montgomery and Therrien represent two very different directions for the club, showing that they’re looking in every direction for their next bench boss. Therrien has 814 games of head coaching experience in the NHL, while Montgomery—and in the same vein Housley—has none.
  • Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Martin Brodeur will not continue as goalie coach for the Blues next season, instead returning to his post as assistant general manager. The team will hire a new coach who will hopefully be able to continue the work Brodeur did with Jake Allen in the second half. When the Blues fired Jim Corsi—the man the divisive Corsi stat was named after—along with Ken Hitchcock on February 1st, Allen held a .895 save percentage and was the focus of much hand-wringing among those watching the team. Following Brodeur and Ty Conklin taking over coaching duties, Allen posted a .928 save percentage (including playoffs) and was key in the Blues turnaround. Conklin, previously the goaltender development coach, will surely be in the running to take over the job full-time.

Jim Montgomery To Interview A Second Time With Florida Panthers

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According to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post, Jim Montgomery will interview a second time with the Florida Panthers for their head coaching vacancy. Montgomery has four years left on his contract at the University of Denver, and according to Chambers the school is doing everything it can to attempt to retain him.

After firing Tom Rowe at the end of the season, GM Dale Tallon and the Panthers’ front office have been looking at several different names to possibly fill the position. San Jose Sharks assistant Bob Boughner has been linked, as has veteran coach Michel Therrien. Pierre LeBrun of TSN recently reported that the team is also waiting for some of the assistant coaches still working in the playoffs to finish their seasons. Those could include people like Nashville assistant Phil Housley, Ottawa assistant Marc Crawford or Pittsburgh assistant Rick Tocchet.

Instead though, Montgomery will apparently come in for a second visit after initially meeting with the team on April 26th. Fresh off an NCAA National Championship with DU, Montgomery is among the hottest coaching prospects in the country at the moment. Interestingly, Chambers notes that several players including Henrik Borgstrom, Florida’s first-round pick from last summer, would consider turning pro if Montgomery were to leave. Will Butcher, the reigning Hobey Baker award winner was originally recruited by Montgomery and has spent his entire career under the coach. Butcher will become a free agent in August of this year should he not reach an agreement with the Colorado Avalanche.

For several reasons, Montgomery might be an excellent coach for the Panthers going forward but he doesn’t come without his warts. Despite playing 122 games in the NHL, he’s never worked as a coach in the league at any level, as he headed into the college ranks as soon as his playing career had ended. While he coached the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints for three years—winning two championships thanks in part to a young Johnny Gaudreau—he’s never coached in a professional league.

Snapshots: Kucherov, Montgomery, Drug Testing

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Nikita Kucherov took another step forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning this season after being given a three-year deal, but he can’t say the same for some of his teammates. In a translated interview with Pavel Lysenkov of Sovietsky Sport (h/t Sergey Demidov of NHL.com) Kucherov made it clear that not all his teammates were working hard enough this year.

…some guys overstayed in team. They’ve got their money and stopped working. They knew there’s no competition for their positions and organization is not going to take someone else. They played not really well this year—you can see it in their stats and way of play.

Kucherov’s agent Dan Milstein got in contact with Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times to explain the comments, saying that the translation is accurate and that he doesn’t feel like every player is “on board to win.” His agent also told Smith that Kucherov hopes to play his entire career for Tampa Bay “like his GM”—Steve Yzerman famously spent his entire career with the Detroit Red Wings before moving into management.

  • Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet confirmed that Jim Montgomery interviewed in Florida for the vacant Panthers head coach position, but that the team will continue to look at all options before making a decision. Montgomery is coming off a national championship with the University of Denver, and has been rumored for all of the openings around the league this spring. The former NHL journeyman is a lock for a professional head coaching job eventually, and at just 47 years old has a long career still ahead of him in the industry.
  • In the newest article from Rick Westhead of TSN, he reports that the league increased their screening for both marijuana and cocaine this year, testing all 2,300 samples for recreational drugs. The NHL doesn’t suspend players who test positive for recreational drugs, but does monitor it and enroll players in substance abuse programs if deemed necessary. While the increase in screening—up from just 800 of the samples in 2015—shows the leagues increasing awareness of a rising problem among NHL players. Westhead cites two different criminal offenses from the past that involved cocaine, and rumors have persisted for years about the drug being used throughout the league. The testing will likely continue next season, with perhaps even more steps being taken to squash the problem if it indeed continued this season.

Central Notes: Nashville’s “Red Rover” Trap, Sakic, Stastny

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As the Chicago Blackhawks cleaned out their lockers, a number of quotes were mined from various reporters. One of the more interesting ones, reported by several outlets, was one from Patrick Kane regarding the key to Nashville’s dominance during the four game sweep. From the Chicago Sun-Times’ Mark Lazerus, we all learn that Chicago bench boss Joel Quenneville nicknamed the Nashville trap “Red Rover” and Patrick Kane doesn’t think it’s the greatest thing for hockey fans:

“A team like that, you kind of hope they don’t win, because I don’t know if that’s necessarily the best way to watch hockey games, and to actually have that excitement level,” Kane said. “But on the other [hand], they played good going the other way, too. They kind of sat back, but their transition game is fast, and they played with a lot of speed the other way. That gave us problems.”

Though the first part of the quote might sound like sour grapes, Kane was quick to give credit to a team that stifled Chicago’s scoring opportunities, limiting them to just three goals in four games. Winger Marian Hossa attributed the dump and chase game Chicago was forced to play as a major reason they lost–they never got comfortable.

  • The Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla thinks Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic would be foolish for not chasing after University of Denver coach Jim Montgomery. Kiszla writes that Montgomery has built Denver into a powerhouse and would be the perfect addition to a team with young players and in the midst of a massive rebuilding project. Since Florida has Montgomery lined up for an interview, Kiszla wonders if it would behoove Sakic to do whatever it takes to keep the national championship winning coach in the state. Current coach Jared Bednar, he writes, shouldn’t be retained only out of pity. Montgomery is the “real deal” according to Kiszla and should be strongly considered if the Avs are truly looking to improve their fortunes.
  • The Blues got a huge addition before their game with Minnesota when Paul Stastny returned to action for a crucial game five tilt writes Sportsnet’s Josh Gold-Smith. The Blues have a chance to take out the Wild in five games and rest for the next round.  Stastny was slotted in with Vladimir Tarasenko and Jayden Schwartz. As of the writing, Stastny was on the ice for Tarasenko’s opening goal.

Snapshots: Sabres, Montgomery, Gillies, Henderson

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When the Buffalo Sabres fired both head coach Dan Bylsma and GM Tim Murray this morning, they effectively cleaned house and set themselves up to start all over again from the top down. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet now reports that it wasn’t just those two that were shown the door, but also Director of Pro Scouting Rob Murphy and Director of Amateur Scouting Greg Royce. It’s very surprising that these two would be let go so close to both the entry and expansion drafts, as whoever comes in will have to rely entirely on the scouts themselves to work through the process.

Perhaps Buffalo has a plan in place already, as both Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News and Chuck Gormley each have heard the name Norm MacIver in consideration for the position. Don’t count the Blackhawks’ assistant GM as hired yet, but he has long been thought of as a future GM in the league and would be a solid hire for the Sabres. For now, Sabres’ owner Terry Pegula will address the media tomorrow to explain all of the decisions, and likely give some insight as to where the team goes from here.

  • Jim Montgomery will interview for the vacant Florida Panthers position according to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post. The college coach who led the University of Denver to victory over UMD in the NCAA Championship game, will meet with the Panthers in the next 7-10 days to see if there is a fit. Chambers says that Montgomery leaving could prompt several players to leave the school early and turn pro, as they committed to working with him and not whoever would follow in the position. Earlier this month it was reported that Henrik Borgstrom will return for his sophomore season, but he could easily follow Montgomery to Florida should he choose. The 19-year old was a first round pick of the Panthers last summer.
  • The Calgary Flames have sent Jon Gillies back to the Stockton Heat for their playoff series after he watched the Anaheim Ducks defeat his NHL club. Gillies was serving as the emergency goaltender in Calgary and will now return to Stockton where he played the majority of the year. The Heat also signed Tyler Parsons to an amateur tryout today, meaning the goaltending situation in Stockton is quite full. Gillies will likely get the lion’s share of the starts in the postseason.
  • In a story that just won’t go away, Don Henderson—the linesman injured by a blindside Dennis Wideman hit last season—has filed a $10.25MM lawsuit against Wideman and the Flames organization, according to Rick Westhead of TSN. Henderson has never returned to the league, and according to Westhead is now claiming he “has suffered a limitation of activities and loss of enjoyment of life” and a long list of medical symptoms from this incident.

Snapshots: Waivers, Panthers Coaching Candidates, Budaj

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It’s not a regular occurrence to see someone on waivers at this time of the season but that’s the case with Tampa Bay center Gabriel Dumont who hit the wire today, reports TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie (Twitter link).  The move is required as the 26 year old has been up with the team for more than a month since last clearing waivers on trade deadline day.

Assuming he clears again this time around, Dumont will be eligible to participate for their farm team, the Syracuse Crunch, in the upcoming AHL playoffs.  He’s only the second player to go on waivers since the trade deadline, the other being Vancouver’s Drew Shore, who needed waivers in order to join the team last month.

This season, Dumont played in a career high 38 games with the Lightning, collecting two goals and two assists along with 29 penalty minutes while averaging 9:35 of ice time per contest.  He has been a more productive player at the minor league level, picking up five goals and five helpers in just 19 games.  He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • The Panthers are likely to interview University of Denver head coach Jim Montgomery and San Diego (AHL) bench boss Dallas Eakins for their soon-to-be-vacated coaching job, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (video link). Montgomery led the Pioneers to the NCAA title last night and has a 102-47-18 record over four years at the school and was named Coach of the Year this season.  However, he has never coached at the professional level.  As for Eakins, he coached parts of two seasons with the Oilers where his teams struggled to a 36-63-14 mark.  He has had more success in the AHL though, posting a .589 points percentage over six seasons.
  • Although goaltender Peter Budaj didn’t see much action after being acquired by Tampa Bay as part of the Ben Bishop trade leading up to the trade deadline, he noted to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times that he would be interested in signing a new deal with the team this offseason. Budaj played in only seven games after the trade but was instrumental in keeping the Kings afloat when Jonathan Quick went down early in the season.  On the year, he has played in a career high 60 games, posting a strong 2.18 GAA with a .915 SV% and  should be able to land a guaranteed NHL spot for next season in free agency this summer after opening 2016-17 as a third stringer.

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