Blue Jackets Would Like To Re-Sign Ian Cole
The Blue Jackets would like to keep defenseman Ian Cole in the fold, notes Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required). The pending unrestricted free agent was acquired from Ottawa (who had previously added him from Pittsburgh) at the trade deadline and he played an important role, logging over 18 minutes a night in 20 regular season games and better than 19 minutes per game in the playoffs. Cole is set to earn a considerable raise from the $2.1MM cap hit on his current deal; Portzline surveyed some NHL agents and their expectation for his next contract checks in around $4.5MM per year.
Coaching Notes: Gulutzan, Clark, Smith
In Elliotte Friedman’s latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, he breaks down the situations of several coaches—both employed and unemployed—around the league. One of those he touches on is Glen Gulutzan, who Friedman says received offers to become an assistant coach in both Edmonton and Buffalo.
There’s no indication that Gulutzan has made a decision yet, but with teams offering him roles as an assistant or head coach in the AHL, it seems unlikely that he’ll remain unemployed very long. The former Calgary Flames head coach was fired after a disappointing season, in which the club missed the playoffs entirely.
- Ian Clark, the goaltending coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets, will leave the team at the end of June. His contract is expiring and will move on to new challenges, leaving Sergei Bobrovsky and Joonas Korpisalo without their coach next season. No word on who will be replacing him, though Clark believes that “sooner or later, teams will have a director of player personnel and a director of goaltending.”
- One interesting connection that Friedman makes regarding the New York Rangers’ vacancy, is that of D.J. Smith. The Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach has a history with Rangers’ Special Assistant Adam Graves, and has been considered for various jobs in the past. Interestingly, the Maple Leafs have recently promoted Kyle Dubas to GM, where he could have an impact on coaching hires over the next few months.
At Least Two More Blue Jackets May Need Surgery
- Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski underwent shoulder surgery yesterday and he may not be the only one going under the knife. GM Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required) that at least two others could be facing surgeries in the weeks to come although he wouldn’t specify which players are in that situation. In the meantime, they’re resting in the hopes that doing so will be enough to avoid going the surgical route. If that doesn’t work, Werenski may not be the only player whose status heading into the start of next season could be in question.
Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Jonathan Davidsson To Three-Year Deal
Another young European forward has signed his entry-level contract. The Columbus Blue Jackets have inked prospect Jonathan Davidsson to a three-year deal, after a solid season in the SHL. GM Jarmo Kekalainen praised the newest member of the Blue Jackets organization in a press release:
Jonathan is a fast, skilled player who put up good numbers in the Swedish Hockey League this season. He is a smart player and mature young man and we believe he has a very bright future with our organization.
Davidsson was selected in the sixth-round last year, his third year of draft eligibility. Originally ranked 64th among European skaters in 2015, he has continued to develop in the SHL and broke out this season with 31 points in 52 games, adding 8 more in 11 playoff contests. His best attribute is a patient playmaking approach, waiting just long enough for lanes to open up which would be otherwise missed.
His younger brother Marcus Davidsson was selected in the second round last year by the Buffalo Sabres, but is still a long way off from the NHL. Jonathan, now 21, could make it there first if the development he showed this season continues. If he comes over to North America in 2018-19, he’ll play for a Cleveland Monsters team that struggled this season and lacked dynamic young talent. Players like Sonny Milano and Oliver Bjorkstrand have graduated from the program, leaving room for someone like Davidsson to try and pick up the offensive slack.
Zach Werenski Undergoes Shoulder Surgery, Out 5-6 Months
According to Brian Hedger of NHL.com, Columbus Blue Jackets star defenseman Zach Werenski underwent shoulder surgery this morning and will be out for five to six months. The issue apparently had bothered Werenski since October 30th, when he first suffered the injury. In a statement, Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen explained the decision to undergo surgery:
Zach has been dealing with this injury since early in the season and while he was able to play through it, our medical team determined that surgery was the best option at this time. The surgery went very well and the expectation is Zach will be ready to play by the start of the season or shortly thereafter
Five months would allow Werenski to start the season on time with the Blue Jackets, but it means he will at least miss all of training camp. Columbus is dealing with another early exit from the playoffs, and will be trying to overcome the other top teams in the Metropolitan. Losing one of their top pairing defensemen for any length of time is disruptive to that goal, and if he misses the first whole month of the season they could find themselves in an early hole.
Fortunately for the Blue Jackets, they also have Seth Jones and the rest of an impressive defense corps that can come to the rescue. Just like the Anaheim Ducks signed Francois Beauchemin to help deal with injuries to Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm to begin the year, you can bet that Columbus will ensure their depth is fortified this summer.
The fact that he was dealing with a shoulder injury all season could explain why his point totals dropped from 47 to 37 this season, but certainly should make Columbus fans excited for what comes next. If this season’s 20-year old Werenski—nearly 23 minutes a night and excellent even-strength production—was him at less than 100%, one can only dream about what he’ll be in a few years. Werenski is eligible for an extension on July 1st, and could be locked up long-term this summer.
Front Office Updates: O’Hearn, Minnesota GM Search, Nill
The Arizona Coyotes are moving on from a top executive. The team announced today that they would not renew the contract for Assistant GM Chris O’Hearn. O’Hearn had been with the Coyotes for eleven years and was in his third year as AGM. O’Hearn handled much of the legal and administrative operations for Arizona, such as contract negotiations, salary arbitration, and cap management. GM John Chayka will now have to find a replacement or delegate those duties to others in the front office.
- Perhaps O’Hearn can throw his hat in the ring for the Minnesota Wild GM job. Owner Craig Leipold is certainly expanding his search, adding two new names to the mix alongside Nashville Predators’ AGM Paul Fenton and Columbus Blue Jackets’ AGM Bill Zito. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that Boston Bruins’ AGM John Ferguson Jr. interviewed for the position today, while New Jersey Devils’ AGM Tom Fitzgerald will make his case tomorrow. Ferguson Jr. was previously the GM and Vice President of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the mid-2000’s and has entered the potential-GM market in a big way this week, now connected with both Minnesota and the Carolina Hurricanes’ vacancy. Fitzgerald had already dropped out of the Hurricanes’ hunt, citing “bad timing”, but the timing appears to be right for a potential move to Minneapolis. The Wild now have four legitimate candidates for Leipold to choose from and he may not be done yet.
- Another job search is ongoing in Dallas, as GM Jim Nill has his hands full finding a new head coach. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that Nill is considering at least ten different candidates to take over for Ken Hitchcock as the Stars’ new bench boss. That was in response to TSN’s Frank Servalli’s note that University of Denver head coach Jim Montgomery is the newest addition to the list. Montgomery has been dominating college hockey over the last five years, leading the Pioneers to a NCAA Tournament berth each year and winning the National Championship last season. Montgomery has been a popular candidate the last couple of years and would be an excellent choice for Dallas.
Young Talent Fills Finland’s World Championship Roster
Finland has announced their final roster for the upcoming World Championship, and it is filled with young NHL talent. The Dallas Stars will be quite pleased with the results, as both Miro Heiskanen and Julius Honka will be present on defense. The entire group is as follows:
Affiliated NHL organization in parenthesis
Goaltenders:
Ville Husso (St. Louis Blues)
Eero Kilpelainen
Harri Sateri (Florida Panthers)
Defensemen:
Miro Heiskanen (Dallas Stars)
Julius Honka (Dallas Stars)
Niko Mikkola (St. Louis Blues)
Markus Nutivaara (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Tommi Kivisto
Miika Koivisto
Ville Pokka (Ottawa Senators)
Juuso Riikola
Forwards:
Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes)
Marko Anttila
Mikael Granlund (Minnesota Wild)
Pekka Jormakka
Kasperi Kapanen (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Sakari Manninen
Saku Maenalanen
Mika Niemi
Olli Palola
Janne Pesonen
Mikko Rantanen (Colorado Avalanche)
Veli-Matti Savinainen
Antti Suomela
Teuvo Teravainen (Carolina Hurricanes)
Heiskanen’s presence on the team is especially noteworthy given that he is only 18 years old still, and made it over other top young players like Olli Juolevi. The third pick in the 2017 draft, Heiskanen is an incredibly mobile two-way defender that should be an impact player in the NHL before long. The Stars will watch to see if he and Honka get any time together and can start to build chemistry, as the pair could be used together for years to come.
For Rantanen, a good performance at the Worlds would be just another feather in his cap for the 2017-18 season. After scoring 20 goals last season on a dreadful Colorado team, he and Nathan MacKinnon formed one of the league’s most dangerous duos this season and racked up the accolades. Rantanen finished with 84 points, a huge total for a 21-year old winger still learning how to best use his big frame in the NHL.
Snapshots: Johnson, Dubinsky, Blackhawks, Pettersson, Mittelstadt
Two long-time veterans seem to be on the outside looking in this offseason as the Columbus Blue Jackets as both defenseman Jack Johnson and center Brandon Dubinsky struggled last season and saw little to no playing time in the playoff. Johnson didn’t play in any of the Blue Jackets playoff games against Washington, even though they lost four in a row. Dubinsky ranked 10th among forwards in average ice time and only played 4:09 in the final playoff game.
While the team is highly unlikely to bring back Johnson as he is an unrestricted free agent and Columbus is overloaded in solid blueliners, Dubinsky is another situation, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required). The 32-year-old still has three years remaining on the six-year deal he signed in 2014 at $5.85MM AAV. He is the third-highest paid player on the team behind goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and winger Artemi Panerin. Portzline writes that with his drop in production this year (16 points compared to 41 in 2016-17), the veteran has no trade value and a buyout at this stage isn’t worth it. That means the team is stuck with him and only a renewed effort by Dubinsky could regain him his old role.
- The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required) writes the Chicago Blackhawks, who will pick eighth overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, the highest they’ve drafted since they chose Patrick Kane with the first overall pick in 2007, might be looking for the most NHL ready player when they pick. “You never know,” head coach Joel Quenneville said after the season ended. “You can’t discount that. They say that there’s a lot of good players in this year’s draft. Getting a player at the number is going to be a good opportunity for our scouts, there’s some excitement in that area.”
- Previously rumored, but Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that Vancouver Canucks prospect Elias Pettersson and backup goaltender Anders Nilsson have each made the preliminary roster for Sweden for the World Championships this summer in Denmark. Pettersson, the team’s first-round pick in 2017, who had the best season ever for a 18-year-old rookie in the SHL, is expected to compete for a roster spot with the Canucks in training camp.
- There were a few surprises Saturday when the U.S. released their preliminary roster for the World Championships this summer when Buffalo Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt wasn’t on the roster. The Buffalo News’ John Vogl reports that Mittelstadt didn’t make the roster due to the fact that he’s battling a groin injury, although general manager Jason Botterill said it wasn’t serious. “It’s a groin, but it shouldn’t be anything more than a couple weeks,” Botterill said. “But obviously with the tournament starting next week, it just didn’t make any sense for him to go over there.”
Draft Notes: Mock Draft, Rangers, Canadiens, Sabres
Now that the lottery portion of the 2018 NHL draft has clarified, TSN’s Craig Button has already released his first mock draft. No surprise, the Buffalo Sabres are projected to take defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. The Carolina Hurricanes are projected to take winger Andrei Svechnikov at No. 2, who Button compares to Marian Hossa and who could walk in and join Carolina immediately next season, aiding their struggling offense.
Wingers Filip Zadina and Brady Tkachuk are targeted to be taken at No. 3 and No. 4 by the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators, respectively, while the Arizona Coyotes are projected to select defenseman Quinn Hughes with the fifth pick, rounding out the top five.
- While there is no shot at getting Dahlin, the New York Rangers have made it clear they want to move up in this year’s draft. With the eighth-worst record in the NHL this past season, the team moved back a spot in Saturday’s draft lottery. The Rangers have the ninth-overall pick in the 2018 NHL draft, but have after tearing down their team at the trade deadline, the team has quite a few assets to offer a team willing to trade down. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes the team is focusing on two teams, including the Ottawa Senators and Arizona Coyotes, two former trade partners, as potential landing spots at No. 4 and No. 5. While it’s considered to be a deep draft and the Rangers would get a quality player at No. 9, there is said to be a drop off around No. 4 or No. 5. The Rangers not only have the ninth-overall pick, but also have two other first-round picks, including the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Boston Bruins’ first-rounders, which could fall anywhere between 24 and 31. They also have two second and two third-round picks.
- The Montreal Canadiens might also be a trade possibility for teams looking to move up. While the team had a couple of extra hours to imagine winning the lottery when they were among the top three first announced Saturday, the team ended up at No. 3. While there are plenty of high-quality wingers that would be available to the team, it doesn’t really help with the team’s top need, which is a big center, writes Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette. One interesting option would be if the Canadiens trade down or just reach for center Joe Veleno from the Drummondville Voltiguers of the QMJHL and was coached by Dominique Ducharme, who was just hired by Canadiens as an assistant coach. Cowan compares this situation to the 2016 draft when the Columbus Blue Jackets shocked everyone when they took Pierre-Luc Dubois with the third-overall pick, although no one is complaining now.
- An interesting note from the Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington, the Buffalo Sabres won the lottery twice Saturday. They initially won the No. 1 pick and then again won the No. 3 pick. The No. 3 pick was then was redrawn, which allowed the Montreal Canadiens to move up.
Snapshots: Chayka, Zito, Aucoin
Despite another disappointing season for the Arizona Coyotes, GM John Chayka still has his job. However, he knows that the stakes have been raised and the upcoming NHL Draft will be an another important step toward making something of this long-term rebuild in Arizona. With the NHL Draft Lottery fast approaching, Chayka spoke with AZ Central’s Richard Morin about his options at the top of the draft. The ‘Yotes will pick somewhere in the top six selections on June 22, but like any GM, Chayka has an eye on that top pick. Chayka believes, as most do, that Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin will be the first player selected and, if it’s Arizona making the pick, believe he would make the roster out of camp and contribute immediately. As for the other top-six players, Chayka sounds prepared to take the top player on their draft board, regardless of position. However, if the Coyotes don’t land the top pick, Chayka admits that he will consider offers for the team’s top pick. Arizona traded their #7 overall pick last year, so a repeat would be surprising, but Chayka says that they will be “as prepared as possible” for potential offers.
- The Minnesota Wild need to make a decision on a GM before they make any decisions at the draft. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Wild brought in another candidate to fill that vacancy on Thursday, speaking with Columbus Blue Jackets Assistant GM Bill Zito. Zito was a finalist for the Buffalo Sabres’ GM job last summer and is currently putting together the Team USA squad for the upcoming World Championships. Many people consider Zito to be one of the top GM candidates in hockey right now. However, the Wild already interviewed Nashville Predators AGM Paul Fenton, who is considered the favorite for the position.
- At 39 years old, Keith Aucoin is closer in age to some GM’s than some fellow players, but has continued to be a game-changing force while playing for EHC Munchen in Germany, the champions of the DEL. Aucoin has decided to go out on top, as the team announced that he has retired from pro hockey (link in German). North American fans will remember Aucoin as one of the most accomplished AHL players of all time, whose career featured nine seasons of NHL action with five teams, but more notably seven AHL All-Star appearances, and AHL MVP Award, and two Calder Cups. Aucoin is not only one of the most recognizable minor leagues of this century, he also is easily the best pro player to ever come out of Division III college hockey as an alumnus of Norwich University. EHC Munchen adds that Aucoin is headed back to the United States and don’t be surprised to see the accomplished veteran in the coaching ranks sooner rather than later.