NCAA Notes: Kuznetsov, Hayhurst, MacKay
The University of Connecticut landed a big fish this week in 17-year-old Russian defenseman Yan Kuznetsov. The big, two-way defender has committed to join the Huskies as early as next season, NHL.com’s Mike Morreale reports. Kuznetsov, who is in fact not related to Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, is looking to make his name known for more than just its similarity to an existing NHL star. A 2020 NHL Draft prospect, Kuznetsov is a dominant defensive blue liner who stands 6’3″ and over 200 lbs. with room left to grow. Both with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede and on the international stage with Russia, Kuznetsov has shown high-end defensive positioning and instincts and is a strong skater, especially for size. The offense has yet to come, but it will follow as Kuzanetsov’s ability to move the puck continues to improve. Earlier this season, TSN’s Craig Button ranked the soon-to-be Huskie as the 13th-best player in the 2020 class and that projection could even improve if he makes the immediate jump to the college ranks next season and adapts well. It is very likely that Kuznetsov will become UConn’s highest-drafted player once 2020 rolls around. The Huskies, the newest addition to the Hockey East Conference, have done a good job of improving their program, especially in overseas recruiting, over the last few years and Kuznetsov is another major step. Recent draft selections like forwards Ruslan Iskhakov (NYI – 2nd, 2018) and Jachym Kondelik (NSH – 4th, 2018), and goalie Tomas Vomacka (NSH – 5th, 2017) played key roles this season, while 2019 draft-eligible winger Vladislav Firstov is expected by many to be a second-round pick this June before joining UConn in the fall. The future is bright for the program.
- It wasn’t enough for the University of Michigan to just add one of the top freshman classes in the NCAA to their program next year, including potential 2019 first-round picks out of the U.S. National Team Development program in Cam York and John Beecher. No, the Wolverines scoured the transfer market and are now adding one the top available graduate players as well. College hockey insider Jeff Cox reports that Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute standout Jacob Hayhurst will transfer to Michigan next year for his fourth and final collegiate season. Hayhurst, 22, enjoyed an impressive stretch at RPI. As a freshman, the talented forward was third on the team in scoring and in each of the past two seasons, he has been even better, leading the Engineers in points. Meanwhile, Hayhurst somehow managed to graduate from RPI in just three years as well and can thus move on to a new program without having to sit for a transfer year. In Hayhurst, the Wolverines are adding an intelligent and skilled forward, who makes up for his lack of size with vision and quickness. After losing Quinn Hughes to the pros, the addition of Hayhurst (and York) should help to keep Michigan’s power play lethal next season.
- One of the leaders of the two-time defending champion University of Minnesota – Duluth Bulldogs has found a home in the pros. The AHL’s Texas Stars announced today that hard-working forward Parker MacKay has signed a one-year deal with team. MacKay, who steadily improved over his four years at UMD, topped out at 16 goals and 33 points as a senior, which both led the team. MacKay, 24, is a tough, talented forward who wins puck battles and creates offense with his effort. He did just that in the National Championship game this year, recording a goal and assist to earn Frozen Four MVP honors. While a relatively late college free agent signing, MacKay is sure to make an immediate impact for Texas next season and could have NHL upside if he continue to be a force at the pro level.
Dallas Stars Sign Emil Djuse
The Dallas Stars have inked an international free agent, signing Swedish defenseman Emil Djuse to a one-year entry-level contract. The 25-year old will still be a restricted free agent when the deal ends next summer.
Undrafted, Djuse has spent the last five seasons in the SHL playing for various clubs. The mobile defenseman had 22 points in 49 games this season for AIK, but will now compete for a spot on what has become a relatively crowded blue line in Dallas. Even if the team watches Ben Lovejoy and Roman Polak leave in unrestricted free agency this summer, there will be plenty of competition between players like Gavin Bayreuther, Dillon Heatherington, Ben Gleason and Julius Honka for the last few spots. Djuse will have to work his way into that group and show off the experience he’s gained playing overseas.
Dallas reshaped their team into a stingy defensive club this year, allowing the second fewest goals in the entire league and riding that tight system all the way to a second-round playoff berth. It will be interesting to see if Djuse has a European Assignment Clause built into his contract that would allow him to return to the SHL if he can’t crack the roster out of camp, or if he is willing to join the organization in whatever role they choose for him.
Central Notes: Berube, Modano, Trouba
Just a little more than 24 hours ago, St. Louis Blues coach Craig Berube was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award along with Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper and the New York Islanders’ Barry Trotz, an honor which goes to the best NHL coach. Strangely enough though, Berube isn’t the team’s permanent coach. Berube was brought in to replace the fired Mike Yeo on Nov. 20, but was handed the interim tag, a role he still has despite leading the franchise to an impressive run that got them into the postseason and through the first round of the playoffs.
Tom Timmermann and Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wonder why the franchise hasn’t removed Berube’s interim tag and named him the team’s permanent coach. He’s definitely earned that. Regardless, Berube isn’t too worried about it:
Honestly, I’m not even focused on that. I’m focused on the playoffs. That’s the honest truth. I have nothing to say about it. It’s a great honor for sure to be in the conversation with those other coaches. I’ve said that all along, it’s an organizational thing. Doug (Armstrong)’s done a great job of putting the players together and my coaching staff – obviously a great coaching staff – they’ve done a great job with these guys and the players.
- Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that the Minnesota Wild are close to bringing former local star Mike Modano to the organization in a front-office role. The Hall of Famer and franchise face played his first five seasons with the Minnesota North Stars before moving with the franchise to Dallas, where he played the next 16 seasons, but is now ready to move his family back to Minnesota where he will likely start on the business side in an ambassador-type of position. However, Russo adds that he will also likely have more of a hockey ops role down the road as well.
- Mike McIntyre of The Winnipeg Free Press suggests that the Winnipeg Jets need to act quickly and trade off defenseman Jacob Trouba before the team loses him in a year for nothing. Trouba, who has shown a reluctance to sign a long-term extension, will be a restricted free agent for the final time this off-season. If he opts to sign a one-year deal, he could be an unrestricted free agent after the 2019-20 season. McIntyre suggests the team needs to swap Trouba for a young, inexpensive defender, suggesting several teams, including the Philadelphia Flyers, as a trade partner. If they can make that trade quickly enough, it could give the Jets the opportunity to bring back Tyler Myers, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, with the money they saved from moving Trouba.
2019 Calder Memorial Trophy Finalists Announced
The finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy, given each year to the most proficient first-year player in the NHL, have been announced. The three rookies are Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson, St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington, and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, according to Sportsnet’s John Shannon. New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal was the 2018 winner of the award.
While it seemed like a forgone conclusion that the Canucks’ Pettersson would walk away with the award early in the season, the young Swede has gotten some good competition from Binnington as well as fellow Swede Dahlin. However, Pettersson remains the front runner. The 20-year-old came over from Sweden this year and immediately posted 28 goals and 38 assists for 66 points, making the loss of both Henrik and Daniel Sedin, who retired a season ago, less noticeable. What’s interesting is that Pettersson was initially pegged to play the wing for a season as he transitioned to North American hockey. Instead, within a week or two of training camp the team announced he would play center immediately and fared extremely well at that. Despite the impressive numbers, the other two candidates have a legitimate chance at the award, as much of Pettersson’s production was concentrated in the first half of the season. He tallied 23 goals and 45 points in the first 40 games of the season, but struggled more in the second half, totaling just five goals and 21 points in his final 31 games.
Binnington didn’t make his first start this year until Jan. 7, but he made it count, posting a shutout against the Philadelphia Flyers and leading a struggling Blues team to the playoffs with a 24-5-1 record with a 1.89 GAA and a .927 save percentage. The 25-year-old netminder was not even considered the team’s top goalie prospect at the start of the season, as he was behind Ville Husso in San Antonio of the AHL, but a strong start to the season with the Rampage and his immediate success with St. Louis give the goaltender a good chance at challenging for the Calder.
Dahlin comes from a much more conventional place, as he was the 2018 No. 1 overall pick and immediately steadied a struggling Buffalo defense this season. He had one of the best seasons for an 18-year-old defensemen ever, as he posted nine goals and 44 points, second most in the NHL history for his age and position. Only his former coach, Phil Housley, did better as an 18-year-old defender, as Housley put up 57 points back in the 1982-83 season. Dahlin also played the second-most minutes among NHL rookies, averaging 21:09, behind Dallas Stars’ defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who many felt deserved to be among the top three in this race. Dahlin is the first Buffalo Sabres player to be a finalist for the award since Tyler Myers was nominated in 2009-10.
NHL Announces Second Round Playoff Schedule
The NHL was ready for either outcome last night in Game Seven between the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals, although they waited alongside the rest of us as the game went to double overtime. The Hurricanes emerged victorious, knocking out the defending champions, as well as the fourth and final division leader. The stage is now set for the next round of playoff action, as this unpredictable postseason rolls on. Per the league release, here is the lineup for the remaining eight teams over the next few weeks:
Eastern Conference
A2 Boston Bruins vs. WC2 Columbus Blue Jackets
Thursday, April 25th @ 7pm ET
Saturday, April 27th @ 8pm ET
Tuesday, April 30th @ 7pm ET
Thursday, May 2nd @ 7:30pm ET
Saturday, May 4th (if necessary)
Monday, May 6th (if necessary)
Wednesday, May 8th (if necessary)
M2 New York Islanders vs. WC1 Carolina Hurricanes
Friday, April 26th @ 7pm ET
Sunday, April 28th @ 3pm ET
Wednesday, May 1st @ 7pm ET
Friday, May 3rd @ 7pm ET
Sunday, May 5th (if necessary)
Tuesday, May 7th (if necessary)
Wednesday, May 8th (if necessary)
Western Conference
P2 San Jose Sharks vs. WC2 Colorado Avalanche
Friday, April 26th @ 10pm ET
Sunday, April 28th @ 7:30pm ET
Tuesday, April 30th @ 10pm ET
Thursday, May 2nd @ 10pm ET
Saturday, May 4th (if necessary)
Monday, May 6th (if necessary)
Wednesday, May 8th (if necessary)
C3 St. Louis Blues vs. WC1 Dallas Stars
Thursday, April 25th @ 9:30pm ET
Saturday, April 27th @ 3pm ET
Monday, April 29th @ 8pm ET
Wednesday, May 1st @ 9:30pm ET
Friday, May 3rd (if necessary)
Sunday, May 5th (if necessary)
Tuesday, May 7th (if necessary)
The Dallas Stars’ Mats Zuccarello Dilemma
Mats Zuccarello‘s start with the Dallas Stars could not have gone worse. He was injured in his first game with the team after being acquired at the trade deadline and missed all but one of the remaining regular season games. One of two conditional picks that went back to the New York Rangers had the possibility of being upgraded if Zuccarello worked out well enough in Dallas to earn a contract extension. Yet, heading into the playoffs, few were likely looking at Zuccarello as a long-term piece in Dallas following that unfortunate start.
That all changed in the first round, as Zuccarello came up big with three clutch goals and looked like a natural fit with the Stars. His efforts helped to lead Dallas to an upset of the Nashville Predators and on to the second round. All of a sudden, Zuccarello has the support of his teammates and the fan base and indeed looks like he may be more than just a rental. But, as the New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes, Dallas’ leadership faces a tough decision in that regard. Brooks issues a reminder that if the Stars re-sign Zuccarello, they will give up a first-round pick to the New York Rangers in 2020 instead of the third-rounder initially transferred in the deal. The Stars are already at risk of losing their 2019 first-rounder, which goes to New York in place of their second-rounder if the team reaches the Western Conference Final with Zuccarello playing in at least half of those games. If Dallas defeats the St. Louis Blues, with Zuccarello continuing to be an impact player, would they really surrender two straight top picks to keep the veteran winger in town?
Zuccarello is set to turn 32 prior to next season and his point totals have dropped in each of the past three seasons. Dallas stands little chance of getting great value on a new contract for the veteran forward. Yet, even on a downward trajectory, Zuccarello is still a top-ten free agent winger. The Stars already have him in the building and he is building chemistry and familiarity with their core. It could be a mutually beneficial scenario for both sides and the Norwegian scorer could be amenable to staying with the Stars at a reasonable term and rate. If Dallas opts to let him walk instead, they stand a decent chance of missing out on any of the better targets. Is that a gamble worth keeping a first-round pick? There are far more factors yet to be determined, but the Zuccarello situation will continue to be a lingering topic during Dallas’ current postseason run.
2019 Vezina Trophy Finalists Announced
The NHL has announced the finalists for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the best goaltender in the league as voted on by all 31 general managers. The finalists are Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Robin Lehner of the New York Islanders and Ben Bishop of the Dallas Stars.
This is second year in a row that the 24-year old Vasilevskiy has been among the finalists for the award, after once again leading the league in wins. Though he started just 53 games on the season due to injury, a .925 save percentage helped him compile a 39-10-4 record that included six shutouts. Vasilevskiy is arguably the most athletic young goaltender the league has seen in some time, but unfortunately wasn’t good enough to help the Lightning past the first round of the playoffs. The voting only takes regular season performance into account however, meaning he is certainly a strong candidate to take home the trophy for the first time in his career.
It’s hard to write a better comeback story than the one Lehner has penned (literally, at times) this season. The 27-year old goaltender did not receive a qualifying offer from the Buffalo Sabres last summer as the team decided to go in a different direction, meaning Lehner was left to sign a one-year, $1.5MM deal with the Islanders just for a chance at redemption. It wasn’t clear if he would even get a chance to start in New York given the fact that Thomas Greiss was still under contract. If Barry Trotz’ system was the biggest reason that the Islanders turned around their defensive woes, Lehner might have been next in line as he posted an incredible .930 save percentage in 46 games including six shutouts. He and Greiss—who had a .927 in 43 games and likely deserved some votes of his own—took home the Jennings Trophy as the goaltenders for the team with the lowest goals against average. It is the first time Lehner has ever received Vezina votes, let alone be named a finalist.
Speaking of comebacks, how about the 32-year old Bishop who was ushered out of Tampa Bay two years ago to make room for Vasilevskiy in the first place. The two-time Vezina finalist posted the best save percentage of his career this season, leading the entire league with a .934 mark. The 6’7″ netminder has battled through injuries the last few years including this one, but was outstanding for the Stars as they punched their ticket to the playoffs. With four more years on his contract the Stars would have been happy with more of the level he played at last season, but Bishop has always had more in the tank.
Several Liiga Champions Looking To Make NHL Jump
Finland’s Liiga had their own version of the Tampa Bay Lightning this season, only one that has gotten the job done in the playoffs thus far. Karpat, the reigning Liiga champion, has been unstoppable all season long in pursuit of a title defense. Building off the success of their 2017-18 campaign, the team was the regular season champion by 29 points over the next-best competitor and finished with a +106 goal differential while just one other team in the league topped +27. Through the first two rounds of the postseason, Karpat has needed just ten games to dispatch their opponents, all while allowing just 13 goals against. The Liiga Final begins today, as Karpat takes on the No. 5-seeded HPK, a team that they are not expected to have much trouble with.
Given their dominant regular season and early playoff success, it is hard to make a case that Karpat is not undoubtedly the Liiga’s best team this season, regardless of how the final turns out. As usual, the best players on the best team in a major European league are garnering a fair amount of attention. Finnish news source Ilta Sanomat reports that upwards of seven of Karpat’s veteran core players could leave the team for greener pastures. Of that group, the reporter indicates that leading scorer Ville Leskinen and top defensive pair Teemu Kivihalme and Jani Hakanpaa are almost certainly headed to the NHL. The terrific goalie tandem of Veini Vehvilainen and NHL veteran Jussi Rynnas could also be headed to North America. Not mentioned are top NHL prospects Aleksi Heponiemi and Rasmus Kupari, who are both considered likely to join their drafted clubs.
Leskinen, 25, is the big name included on this list as a highly-sought after free agent scorer. An undrafted product who has played in the Karpat system for his entire life, Leskinen’s production has increased exponentially over each of the past few seasons. This year, he tied for the Liiga scoring title and was one of just three qualifying players to finish in the point-per-game range with 57 points in 58 games. He also finished second overall in the league with 29 goals and a +31 rating. He has since added a league-leading five goals in the playoffs to go along with six assists through just ten games. A right-shot winger with decent size and great hands, Leskinen has proven that he can be a star in the Liiga, but is out to show that he can also make an impact in the NHL. Expect many teams to be willing to give him that chance. At 25 years old, Leskinen is still within the laws of the entry-level system, meaning teams will have to find ways other than salary to convince the talented Finn to join them.
Both Kivihalme and Hakanpaa are former NHL prospects who never signed with their teams, but are reportedly going to be in the league after all with deals “in the final stages”. Kivihalme, 23, was curious case due to his commitment to North American hockey. The puck-moving defender spent much of his childhood in Minnesota and even has American citizenship. After a strong high school career, Kivihalme was drafted by the Nashville Predators in 2013 and eventually went on to play for Colorado College. However, he did not complete his NCAA eligibility, opting instead to turn pro in Finland after three years. The Predators let his draft rights expire, so Kivihalme is now very much a free agent who should draw considerable interest as Karpat’s top defenseman. Hakanpaa has a very different game and very different story from his pair mate. The 6’5″, 207 lb. 27-year-old was a fourth-round pick of the St. Louis Blues out of the Finnish junior ranks all the way back in 2010. While he never earned a contract from the team, he appeared at several camps, played in the preseason, and spent parts of three seasons with their AHL affiliates. At the end of the day, the opportunity wasn’t there and Hakanpaa returned to Finland. The solid defensive blue liner has had an awakening offensively over the past two seasons and will be returning to North America as a far more well-rounded product.
Of everyone listed in the report, it is fair to be skeptical of the thought of Rynnas returning to the NHL. Despite incredible numbers in the Liiga this season, they were second only to Vehvilainen, who got the bulk of the starts. It may be a hard sell for the 31-year-old, who has already spent four seasons in North America with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ and Dallas Stars’ organizations, to say that he is ready to try again after being a backup in Europe. Perhaps there is an opportunity – Rynnas did have some good AHL seasons – but more likely than not, he will wait to see what happens with Vehvilainen and may prefer to stay with Karpat as the replacement starter.
As for their other top teammates, their immediate NHL futures are largely predetermined. As most know, Kupari and Heponiemi are recent high draft picks and considered top prospects by their organizations. Kupari was the first-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings last year and played on loan with Karpat this year after signing with L.A. The Kings could desperately use an injection of youthful talent, which gives Kupari strong odds of cracking the roster out of camp. Heponiemi was a second-round selection of the Florida Panthers in 2017 who returned to his native Finland this year after two strong seasons with the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos. One of the best players at the World Juniors this winter, Heponiemi is definitely ready for the NHL and the Panthers could use the affordable production as they project to be low on cap space after a busy summer. What some might not realize is that starting goalie Vehvilainen is also NHL property. Vehvilainen, 22, was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets just last year as an overage prospect. Yet, the sixth-rounder has already proven to have been a smart gamble by the team. Vehvilainen led the Liiga with a .933 save percentage and 1.58 GAA this year, his second straight season of finishing in the top three in both categories. He has also played better in the postseason both years, which is always a plus for a goaltender. The Ilta Sanomat report claims that Vehvilainen will join Columbus if he is at least guaranteed a top-three spot on the depth chart next season. With Sergei Bobrovsky likely to leave, Vehvilainen could join existing keepers Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins as an inexperienced, but high-upside unit next season.
Karpat was an extremely talented team this season and last with several great core players. It will certainly be worth watching how those former teammates perform in the NHL in the future.
Dallas Stars Sign Riley Tufte
Another top NCAA forward will be leaving the college ranks, as Riley Tufte has decided to leave the University of Minnesota-Duluth and sign with the Dallas Stars. The big winger recently recorded an assist in the NCAA championship game as UMD downed UMass 3-0 to win their second consecutive title. He’ll give up his senior season to start his professional career, signing a three-year entry-level contract.
Tufte, 21, is a player who has been on the radar of NHL teams for quite some time, going back to his days as a dominant high school player in Minnesota. The 6’6″ winger was named Minnesota Mr. Hockey in 2016 after scoring 78 points in 25 games as the captain of Blaine High, and took that success to the college level by joining one of the best programs in the country at UMD. Though his offense would waver at times during his collegiate career, Tufte still leaves with 64 points in 121 games and a whole bunch of wins under his belt. During his time there he also took home a World Juniors bronze medal.
It’s hard to know if his offensive game will ever really be good enough to justify the 25th-overall selection that Dallas used on Tufte in 2016, but there are certainly other attributes he brings to the table that could get him into the NHL. In fact, professional hockey may actually suit his game well as his size, reach and skating ability are all good enough to survive in the tighter checking atmosphere.
He may take some time in the minor leagues to develop, but the Stars hope they have another signature big two-way player to add to their group. GM Jim Nill seems to be building a brand of hockey that Tufte fits right into, but he’ll need to find a way to put the puck in the net to really thrive at the next level.
Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars Recall “Black Aces”
In sports, there is a nickname for everything. Today one of those names is being used in both Dallas and Winnipeg, as the Stars and Jets have recalled their “Black Aces.” This is a group of players from the minor and junior leagues that will come up to practice during and experience the NHL playoffs, without much of a chance to actually get into game action. It gives them a perspective on life at the highest level, while also allowing for time with NHL skills coaches. This time is often be called invaluable for young players, who get a taste of what it will take to get to and succeed at the NHL level.
Since the Texas Stars and Manitoba Moose both failed to qualify for the AHL playoffs, Dallas and Winnipeg have called up a large group of players. For Dallas, that group is as follows:
F Denis Gurianov
F Joel L’Esperance
F Nick Caamano
F Adam Mascherin
D Gavin Bayreuther
D Dillon Heatherington
D Joel Hanley
Among the group are several familiar names that have spent time at the NHL level, but Mascherin may be the most interesting member. Originally selected by the Florida Panthers in the second round (38th overall) of the 2016 draft, the scoring winger decided not to sign. He was subsequently drafted by the Stars in the fourth round (100th) last June, and started his professional career this season. It went pretty well, as Mascherin recorded 18 goals and 44 points in 75 games for Texas and actually tied for the team lead in +/- with a +10 rating.
For the Jets, the group will be made up of:
F Kristian Vesalainen
F Logan Shaw
F Marko Dano
F Mason Appleton
D Cameron Schilling
D Logan Stanley
Again there are several names that have already made their NHL debuts, including Vesalainen who notably forced a short recall before exercising his European Assignment Clause to play in the KHL this season. The 19-year old is a big part of the future for the Jets but will need to find some stability in his development moving forward.
There is always a chance that a few of these players could be forced into action due to injury or poor play from someone on the NHL roster, but more likely they’ll spend the next few weeks soaking in a playoff run from the outside.