Florida Panthers, Florida Everblades Sign Affiliation Agreement
A partnership that always seemed to make sense has finally returned, as the Florida Panthers and Florida Everblades of the ECHL have signed a multi-year affiliation agreement. The deal brings the clubs back together for the first time since 2010 and comes on the heels of a Kelly Cup championship from the minor league club.
Brett Peterson, assistant general manager of the Panthers, released a statement:
We are pleased to announce a new affiliation with the Florida Everblades. We want to thank the Swamp Rabbits for two great seasons and look forward to beginning a new partnership just down the road in Estero, Fla. We look forward to the development of our young players in Florida and many opportunities together with this new pipeline plan.
As Peterson references, this will be the end of the Panthers’ agreement with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, who will now have to find a new NHL partner. Perhaps that could be the Nashville Predators, who were previously affiliated with the Everblades before this change.
The ECHL club took home the league championship this season, winning the Kelly Cup for the second time. An exceptionally consistent organization, they have made the postseason in 23 of 24 years, and gone to the finals five different times.
Ryan Kuffner Signs In Germany
Sometimes a college free agent signing turns out well but very often, it doesn’t. When the Detroit Red Wings inked Ryan Kuffner out of Princeton University in 2019, it appeared as though they had added a talented offensive piece to the depth chart for little more than a contract slot and some bonus money.
After all, he had put up 152 points in four NCAA seasons, scoring at a 1.15 point-per-game rate. Kuffner quickly entered the Red Wings lineup, playing in ten games down the stretch. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to record a point in those games–a sign of what would come at the professional level. Kuffner struggled the next season in the AHL, recording just six goals and nine points in 32 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins, before ending up with the Edmonton Oilers organization as part of the Sam Gagner–Andreas Athanasiou deal.
The Oilers decided not to qualify him at the end of the year (the same decision they made with Athanasiou, leaving them completely empty-handed from that transaction), making him a free agent. After a year in Germany during the 2020-21 season, Kuffner played this year in the ECHL, putting up huge numbers for the Iowa Heartlanders. He’s parlayed that into another opportunity in Germany, this time with Augsburger of the DEL.
Now 26, any dream of returning to the NHL is likely over for Kuffner, who leaves North America with just 11 points in 41 AHL games. The ECHL meanwhile is losing a star, a player who was right near the top of the leaderboard with 1.56 points per game this season.
Columbus Blue Jackets Extend ECHL Affiliate
The Kalamazoo Wings will continue to be the Columbus Blue Jackets’ ECHL affiliate for next season, after signing an extension today. Blue Jackets director of player personnel Chris Clark released a statement explaining the new agreement:
We enjoyed working with Head Coach Nick Bootland and the K-Wings organization last season as they offered a great place for some of our prospects to play and develop. The Blue Jackets and Monsters are pleased to continue that relationship as Kalamazoo will once again be our ECHL affiliate for the 2022-23 campaign.
As part of a three-tiered development system, the ECHL is important for maintaining the depth and success of an AHL program, while also providing playing time to raw prospects. In this case, Kalamazoo saw Jet Greaves for 15 games, an undrafted netminder that ended up signing an NHL contract partway through the season.
Greaves, 21, could be back in the ECHL at some point during next season, given the goaltending depth that the Blue Jackets have built by re-signing Joonas Korpisalo and extending Daniil Tarasov. The low minors give an organization more playing time for netminders, given the relative lack of opportunities at the position.
The Wings had previously been affiliated with the Blue Jackets between 2014-16, and have been in operation since 1974 (though not always in the ECHL). The team went 36-35-1 last season and did not qualify for the postseason.
Minor Notes: Warsofsky, Comets, Wilkins
The AHL Calder Cup Playoffs are an important scouting event for clubs all across the league, who want to see how their young players respond in high-pressure situations. But it can also be a proving ground for someone else: coaches. Ryan Warsofsky, for one of the youngest coaches in the league, it’s been exactly that. Patrick Williams of NHL.com writes that Warsofsky, who has led the Chicago Wolves to the finals, could soon start to receive interest from higher up after experiencing so much success.
Under Warsofsky, who took control of the Wolves when the Carolina Hurricanes switched their affiliate in 2020, Chicago has won 71 of their 109 games, posting an overall record of 71-25-13. Given his previous success in the ECHL, where he led the South Carolina Stingrays to the Kelly Cup Finals in his first year and then posted a .722 winning percentage in year two, it seems Warsofsky is on the fast track to becoming a staple in the NHL coaching community. The Wolves will continue their quest for the Calder Cup tomorrow night.
- The Utica Comets have announced several AHL contracts today, retaining captain Ryan Schmelzer along with two others. Samuel Laberge and Mareks Mitens have both agreed to terms in order to return, while Schmelzer has locked in for two seasons. Utica was one of the best teams in the league this season, posting a 43-20-9 record but were eliminated in the North Division Semifinals by the upstart Rochester Americans.
- Josh Wilkins, who left the AHL after the 2020-21 season to pursue a contract in Sweden is coming back to North America, agreeing to terms with South Carolina in the ECHL. The 25-year-old Providence College star actually signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators when he turned pro but wasn’t issued a qualifying offer in 2021 when it expired and is now an unrestricted free agent.
Minor Transactions: 6/18/22
We’re just a couple hours away from the start of Game Two of the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals, the eyes of the hockey world shifting to Denver, Colorado to watch the Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Colorado Avalanche, Colorado up 1-0 in the series. Amidst the excitement the NHL’s biggest stage, followed by some early offseason rumblings around the league, there is still plenty of action going on around the hockey world, including in the AHL. We’ll keep track of that action here throughout the day.
- The Toronto Marlies announced the signings of three forwards to one-year, AHL contracts today: Orrin Centazzo, Marc Johnstone, and Keenan Suthers. Centazzo, 22, just completed his rookie season in the ECHL with the Newfoundland Growlers who, like the Marlies, are an affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs. As a rookie, Centazzo recorded 51 points in 51 regular season games, followed up by another 15 points in 18 playoff games. Johnstone, 25, also spent a majority of last season with Newfoundland, putting up 21 points in 58 games. The Sacred Heart University alumni also appeared in four AHL games with the Marlies, but failed to record a point. The 6’8″, 245-pound Suthers just wrapped up a four-year NCAA career, split between St. Lawrence University and the University of Maine, tallying 13 points in 30 games in 2021-22, his lone season at Maine.
Minor Transactions: 06/16/22
As the Stanley Cup Final is officially underway, all but two NHL organizations are fully focused on preparing their teams for next season. Oftentimes, that includes their AHL affiliates fortifying their depth with veterans and younger players not quite ready for NHL deals. We’ll keep track of those signings and transactions today right here.
- After a rough season for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies that saw them miss the league’s expanded 23-team playoffs, they’re keeping a pair of defensemen around through next year. The Maple Leafs’ affiliate announced today that they’ve re-signed Noel Hoefenmayer and Matteo Pietroniro to one-year AHL contracts. Hoefenmayer excelled with the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers this season, finishing 12th in scoring among defensemen with 40 points in just 46 games. He was third in playoff scoring for defensemen, contributing 16 points in 19 games to help the Growlers on a long playoff run. The offensively-gifted defenseman and former Arizona Coyotes prospect will likely see more AHL time next season in hopes of earning an NHL contract with the Maple Leafs in the future. Pietroniro, undrafted, had 27 points in 59 games with Newfoundland last year.
- A Detroit Red Wings prospect remains in the organization, albeit without an NHL contract. Their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, announced today the re-signing of forward Kirill Tyutyayev to a one-year AHL contract. Selected in the seventh round (190th overall) in 2019, the 21-year-old Tyutyayev played just nine games last season in Grand Rapids due to injury, registering just three assists. It was his first campaign in North America. After having not played since early November 2021, Tyutyayev will look for a much smoother sophomore campaign.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
West Notes: Woodcroft, Nill, Preseason
A few months ago, many would have identified the Edmonton Oilers as a team with coaching uncertainty heading into the offseason after they fired Dave Tippett mid-season. However, after their run to the Western Conference Final this year, Jay Woodcroft would appear to have earned the confidence of the team and fanbase to continue in his role. TSN’s Darren Dreger is reporting today that Woodcroft and the Oilers continue to have ongoing discussions about a new contract this week, although there’s still more to be done.
With the Oilers yet to be linked publicly to any other coaching free agents, it’s becoming clear that the team prefers to retain Woodcroft as their head coach. It’s important to note that Woodcroft was fully named the head coach when he took over for Tippett; he was not given the interim title. Woodcroft led the Oilers on a 26-9-3 run to end the regular season in addition to their playoff run.
- One team that isn’t having such a smooth time with their coaching hiring process is the Dallas Stars. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun is reporting that potential candidates are hesitant to commit to the Stars given the fact that general manager Jim Nill only has one year left on his deal. It’s understandable that when a coach commits long-term, they’d like to have a solid idea of the team’s vision for the future. With Nill’s future uncertain, Dallas’ new coach won’t have that guarantee.
- The Stars will be playing in two neutral-site preseason games come September and October. On October 1, they’ll be facing off against the St. Louis Blues at Cable Dahmer Arena in Kansas City, home of the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks. Before that, though, they’ll be playing the Arizona Coyotes in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on September 27, as previously announced. It marks a return to normalcy for the NHL’s regular-season preparations.
Snapshots: Colorado Injuries, Florida Coaches, Kelly Cup, Toporowski
As Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reports, Colorado Avalanches forwards Nazem Kadri and Andrew Cogliano both skated this morning, while Andre Burakovsky simply had a maintenance day (link). Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar also spoke with the media today, including Chambers, telling them that both Kadri and Cogliano were not yet ruled out for Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals, which is set to get underway Wednesday night in Denver (link).
Cogliano was able to play in all four games of the Western Conference Finals against the Edmonton Oilers, and even played 11:54 in Game Four, his highest mark of these playoffs. Though not one of Colorado’s star players, Cogliano brings with him leadership and plenty of playoff success, a key asset to have in a Stanley Cup Final with many players who have never been in this position before. Kadri, on the other hand, is a key 200-foot player for the Avalanche who was lost just 37 seconds into Game Three of the conference finals where he was boarded, and injured, by Edmonton’s Evander Kane. On Monday, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that Kadri had surgery to repair his thumb which was injured during the Kane hit and was unlikely to return in the playoffs. Kadri’s status still has not changed, but today’s comments from Bednar do provide some hope that perhaps the star center will return to the lineup during the series.
- Earlier today, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes tweeted out a video, reporting that the Florida Panthers had relieved assistant coaches Derek MacKenzie and Ulf Samuelsson of their duties. Weekes adds that assistant coach Tuomo Ruutu is still with the club, as is goaltending coach Robb Tallas. Additionally, Weekes says that there have been no contract talks or additional updates on Tallas or head coach and Jack Adams Award finalist Andrew Brunette. Weekes has reported several breaking stories this season, however it is important to note that the moves have not been confirmed yet by the Panthers, who still include MacKenzie and Samuelsson as coaches on their site.
- While the NHL and AHL continue to battle for a league champion, the ECHL has crowned their own, with the Florida Everblades winning the 2022 Kelly Cup last night. The Eastern Conference Champion Everblades defeated the Western Conference Champions, the Toledo Walleye, in the finals to secure the title. The Playoffs MVP was awarded to former University of North Dakota star goaltender Cam Johnson. Johnson has played parts of four seasons with the Everblades, as well as parts of three AHL seasons, including time with the Binghamton Devils and the Cleveland Monsters.
- The Providence Bruins, the AHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins, have made an early offseason signing, bringing in forward Luke Toporowski on a two-year AHL contract, reports NHL.com’s Mark Divver. The 21-year-old Toporowski is a skilled forward who has produced offense every step of the way. Toporowski began his junior career in 2017-18 with the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL, where he would spend three seasons before moving to the USHL, playing with the Sioux Falls Stampede for a majority of the 2020-21 campaign before heading back to the WHL. In 2021-22, the forward had 63 points in just 49 games spread between the Spokane Chiefs and the Kamloops Blazers. Divver adds that Toporowski is likely to join the Boston Bruins in development camp this summer too.
Luke Cavallin Signs AHL Contract
The Toronto Maple Leafs have obviously decided on a very specific development path for goaltenders. Like Keith Petruzzelli and Dryden McKay before him, Luke Cavallin has signed a two-year AHL contract with the organization, following his outstanding season for the Flint Firebirds.
Cavallin, 21, was an undrafted overage prospect playing in the OHL this season, where he posted a 36-14-4 record and a .910 save percentage. A few days ago, he was ousted from the third round of the playoffs in heartbreaking fashion, his team failing to score a goal in the deciding game seven after losing game six in overtime. In 19 playoff appearances, Cavallin registered a .929 save percentage.
If he is a late bloomer, he’ll now have the time and resources to continue his path through professional hockey with this two-year minor league contract. The young netminder will likely start in the ECHL given how many goaltenders are now in the Maple Leafs system, giving him the chance to play for the Newfoundland Growlers in 2022-23.
For Toronto, finding a long-term solution in net has been extremely difficult. Jack Campbell, the team’s starter this year, is a pending free agent and could be headed to the open market next month. Taking swings with these young netminders could potentially pay off, but there is still lots for Cavallin to improve on before he makes a mark in the NHL.
Chicago Blackhawks Will Not Sign Niklas Nordgren, Chad Yetman
While most of the draft picks that will see their exclusive rights expire in a few hours were selected near the very end of the draft, some are actually relatively high picks. Filip Johansson is the highest among any of them as a first-round selection, but other second and third-rounders are also set to hit unrestricted free agency. One of those is Niklas Nordgren, picked 74th overall in 2018 by the Chicago Blackhawks. Scott Powers of The Athletic reports that Nordgren–nor Chad Yetman, a 2020 sixth-rounder–will not sign by the deadline.
It worked pretty well when the Blackhawks used a high pick on an undersized forward in 2016 but the same can’t be said about Nordgren, who never did develop the ability to bring his offense to the highest professional level. The 22-year-old winger spent this past season mostly in the Finnish second-tier, where he had three goals and 22 points in 26 games. Over 66 games in Liiga (Finland’s highest level) spread over parts of five seasons, Nordgren has just six goals and 17 points.
There may still be time for the 5’9″ forward to develop into a strong offensive piece but at this point, it would be hard to justify an NHL contract.
The same could be said about Yetman, who actually received an opportunity in the Blackhawks system, albeit at the lower levels. The 22-year-old winger was an overage selection in 2020, picked 172nd overall after his junior career with the Erie Otters came to an end. He has spent the last two seasons splitting time between the Rockford IceHogs and Indy Fuel on AHL contracts but has certainly not done enough to earn an entry-level deal.
In 18 games with Rockford this season, he had just one goal and four points. While the production is better at the ECHL level, it’s not even clear yet if he’ll eventually settle into an AHL role. Hitting free agency should come as little surprise.