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Prospect Notes: Draft Rankings, Foote, Brodeur

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The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler has released his midseason draft prospect ranking (subscription required), where he takes a detailed look at the top 31 prospects while also ranking the second round. It won’t surprise you that Alexis Lafreniere is at the top, though the rest of his first round comes with some surprises.

One of those may be Jake Sanderson, who is the lone American-born player in the top-31. Sanderson sits at No. 25, making it quite a weak draft for the United States (especially compared to last year’s loaded class). The piece has enough information for you to spend an afternoon picking apart, especially as draft picks are swapped over the next several days.

  • The Kelowna Rockets of the WHL have made a change behind the bench, releasing former NHL defenseman Adam Foote from his duties as head coach. This is almost unheard of for a team to do just before they host the Memorial Cup, but with Kelowna sitting with a losing record obviously they felt a change should be made. Foote’s son, Nolan Foote, just had a big change in his career path as well after being traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the New Jersey Devils. He’ll have to chase that Memorial Cup without his dad looking over his shoulder.
  • Another famous hockey name is in the news today, as Jeremy Brodeur has signed with the Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL. Son of legendary NHL goaltender Martin Brodeur, the 23-year old netminder went undrafted and played last season in the ECHL.

Henrik Samuelsson Signs In EIHL

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Hockey is growing around the world, and perhaps no faster than in the United Kingdom where the EIHL is drawing more fans and better talent daily. Today, the Manchester Storm have added a player that plenty of NHL fans will be familiar with, if only because of the surname. Henrik Samuelsson, 2012 first-round pick and son of long-time NHL defenseman Ulf Samuelsson, has signed with the Storm and will soon make his EIHL debut.

Now 25, the 6’3″ forward was selected 27th overall by the Phoenix Coyotes back in 2012 after making quite an impression in a half season for the Edmonton Oil Kings. He would go on to find great success at the junior level before turning pro and continuing his dominance in the minor leagues. In 2014-15 he recorded 18 goals and 40 points as an AHL rookie and even earned himself three games in the NHL with the Coyotes.

Unfortunately that season was the very peak of his career so far and Samuelsson has bounced around the minors ever since. Suiting up for the Springfield Falcons, Tucson Roadrunners, Bakersfield Condors, Rockford IceHogs, Idaho Steelheads and most recently the Worcester Railers, he was never able to get his NHL future back on track.

The Storm are in last place in the 10-team league, and could use Samuelsson’s help in the offensive end.

Philadelphia Flyers Sign Chris Stewart

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After spending last season playing in the EIHL, Chris Stewart has made it back to the best league in the world. The Philadelphia Flyers have signed Stewart to a one-year, one-way contract and are expected to have him in the lineup tonight when they take on the Calgary Flames. Stewart’s deal carries an average annual value of $750K though the actual year-long cap hit will be slightly higher given he signed it in-season.

Stewart, 31, played most of last season for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League in the United Kingdom, scoring 13 points in 23 games. It may be hard to remember after his last few NHL seasons that were spent bouncing around the league, but Stewart was once one of the most feared power forwards in the game. Scoring 28 goals in consecutive seasons during the early part of his career, he was an absolute force in front of the net and could protect the puck extremely well with his huge frame. His touch around the net has never really left—Stewart still carries a career 82-game average of more than 20 goals—but it’s hard to expect much of anything else at this point in his career.

For the Flyers, squeezing some bottom-six time and perhaps a few goals out of Stewart is all they will need for such a small investment. Bringing him in on a professional tryout and now signing him to a near-minimum deal means that anything he contributes is a bonus.

The team is currently 2-0-1 on the year and has young players brimming with potential waiting for their chance, but will use a veteran like Stewart to first give them some more depth in the NHL and keep those youngsters ripe in the minor leagues.

Minor Transactions: 08/05/19

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As August begins and we get closer to the end of arbitration and contract holdouts, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:

  • Pro enforcer Bobby Farnham has decided to take his talents to the EIHL, signing a one-year deal with the Belfast Giants. Farnham has bounced up and down between the AHL and NHL for years, mostly as an imposing physical presence. Despite being just 5’10” the 30-year old Farnham has always been willing to drop the gloves or go after a player in the corner. In 67 NHL games he has 138 penalty minutes a total dwarfed by the 1,044 he has received through 404 AHL games.
  • Farnham will be joined in Belfast by former NHL player Liam Reddox who has spent the last eight seasons with the Vaxjo Lakers. Reddox actually served as captain of the Swedish team for the last four years, but will be looking for a new challenge in 2019-20. Once the 112th pick of the 2004 draft, Reddox played 100 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers before leaving for the SHL in 2011.
  • There was a trade in the ECHL this morning, with the Maine Mariners acquiring the rights of Jordan Klimek in exchange for Derek Pratt and Garrett Cecere. All three are former NCAA players looking to make their way in professional hockey.

Minor Transactions: 08/02/19

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As August begins and we get closer to the end of arbitration hearings and contract holdouts, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:

  • Zack Stortini has decided to retire after a 14-year playing career, instead joining the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL as an assistant coach. Stortini was part of of the Charlotte Checkers last season that won a Calder Cup, though he only played in 24 games and didn’t suit up in the playoffs. The veteran forward played in 257 NHL games over his career, racking up 725 penalty minutes. A captain of the Wolves for three years during his junior career, he’ll start the next chapter of his hockey story in a familiar place.
  • The Milwaukee Admirals have signed Josh Healey to a one-year AHL contract, bringing in the 25-year old defenseman after he was left unqualified by the Calgary Flames. Healey was a top NCAA free agent in 2017 after four years at Ohio State where he was an offensive threat and a huge open-ice hitter, but failed to transition very well to the professional ranks. In 107 AHL games with the Stockton Heat he had just 15 points and 88 penalty minutes.
  • Two-time Kelly Cup champion Sam Jardine has decided to take his talents overseas, signing with the Cardiff Devils of the EIHL. Jardine split time between the Toronto Marlies and Newfoundland Growlers last season before ultimately ending up with the latter for an ECHL playoff run. A sixth-round pick from 2011, the 25-year old defenseman is a pretty good attraction for the Devils this season.

Philadelphia Flyers Sign Chris Stewart To PTO

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The Philadelphia Flyers have invited former NHL forward Chris Stewart to their training camp on a professional tryout. Stewart last played in the NHL during the 2017-18 season and spent the majority of last year in the EIHL with the Nottingham Panthers.

Stewart, 31, has a familiarity with Flyers’ GM Chuck Fletcher from their days together with the Minnesota Wild, where the power forward played for parts of three seasons. Still it is surprising to see his name pop up after a year where is looked like Stewart was on the last legs of his professional career. He scored just 13 points in 23 regular season games for Nottingham in a league that is usually dominated by former AHL or ECHL players.

Perhaps he has rededicated himself to getting back to the NHL, or perhaps this is just a favor between friends, but it seems unlikely that Stewart will crack the Philadelphia roster and earn himself a contract at the end of camp. He could however be auditioning for a minor league role back in North America, or another trip overseas to play in another top league. In the preseason we’ll likely see him in the seventh NHL sweater of his career, after playing a total of 652 games for the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, Anaheim Ducks, Flames and Wild.

Snapshots: Murray, Boudreau, Stone, Stewart

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There was more than a bit of scrutiny and criticism when Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray named himself interim head coach despite not having any coaching experience. Yet, Murray’s first game behind the bench last night was the Ducks’ first win in weeks. A shutout performance by Kevin Boyle played a major role, but USA Today’s Mike Brehm writes that Murray’s presence made an obvious impact. Anaheim came out hot, scored early, and played with energy and aggression that they haven’t displayed during this disappointing stretch. Brehm advocates that all NHL GM’s consider spending time as a coach following a coaching change, as he feels the pressure and seriousness that Murray brought to the Ducks’ locker room was the reason for their sudden change of spirit. The next question, of course, is how long Murray’s role as coach can maintain this level of play.

  • Another coach is trying to motivate his team a different way, one that required some boldness. Appearing on KFAN radio in Minnesota today, Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau guaranteed his team to make the playoffs. Yes, you read that correctly. It’s not often that anyone on a team offers up such a prediction, never mind the head coach, but the veteran Boudreau apparently feels confident and surely wanted to energize his players. “I can tell you right now”, Boudreau proclaimed, “we’re going to make the playoffs. And we’re going to be somebody hard to deal with.” It’s big talk from the Minnesota bench boss, but can he back it up? The Wild are currently clinging to the final wild card spot in the Western Conference, having picked up just one win in the past seven games, but still hold a two point lead over the Vancouver Canucks with a game in hand, with several more teams right behind. Minnesota also stands little chance of climbing further up the standings, as the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues have played their way to solid leads over the Wild. Boudreau has consistently qualified for the postseason during his long career as a head coach, but with one seed up for grabs and arguably seven teams within striking distance, it could be a tall task for the Mikko Koivu-less Wild to hold on.
  • BSN Denver’s A.J. Haefele reports that the Colorado Avalanche have had discussions with the Ottawa Senators about impending UFA trade target Mark Stone. It’s unclear how far back these talks were, but it seems very unlikely that the two sides are still talking given that GM Joe Sakic has made it clear that his first-round picks and top prospects are off the table at the deadline. Haefele himself even doubts that a deal is made. However, if Stone doesn’t end up re-signing in Ottawa, the Avs could circle back on their interest this summer when the world-class winger likely hits free agency. With Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog signed long-term to below-market deals, Colorado could more than afford to bring in Stone while also extending Mikko Rantanen. Stone may be eager to join the Avs, who have top young offensive talent and a treasure trove of promising prospects still to come. It’s an interesting possibility to consider in a few months time.
  • A journeyman forward who has suited up for the Ducks, Wild, Avalanche, and several other NHL teams in his career is hoping to make a comeback. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman hears from brother Anthony that Chris Stewart is gearing up for another try at an NHL contract this off-season. A veteran of 652 NHL games, Stewart played for the Wild and Calgary Flames last year, recording 16 points in 54 games. The physical winger has tallied 321 points to go with 729 penalty minutes in the NHL, but is looking to add more. Although he had PTO offers from the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs this off-season, per Friedman, Stewart instead chose to spend the year training in England and has played a handful of games with the Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL. Stewart, still just 31, could have a chance to land a contract, or at least a PTO, next season due to his reputation for physicality, his work ethic, and his ability to be a difference maker along the boards.

Tom Barrasso Hired As Sheffield Steelers Head Coach

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Hockey in the United Kingdom, like many other places around the world, is improving every year. Players from North American professional leagues are joining the EIHL more than ever, and just this year we saw the first English born and trained player ever drafted into the NHL in Liam Kirk. The Arizona Coyotes prospect had played for the Sheffield Steelers the past few seasons, who will now have another strong tie to the NHL. Tom Barrasso, former goaltender and Stanley Cup champion, has been hired as the Steelers new head coach.

Barrasso, 53, twice took home the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins and was a Vezina Trophy winner as a rookie with the Buffalo Sabres. The 19-year NHL veteran moved into coaching a decade ago and has had a varied an interesting career. Working as a goaltending and assistant coach with the Carolina Hurricanes until 2012, he then took his talents overseas and has worked in Russia, the Czech Republic and Italy. Now he’ll try to establish himself in the EIHL, and he has some big shoes to fill.

Those shoes belonged to Paul Thompson, who left the team recently for personal reasons but is arguably the greatest coach in EIHL history. Though he’d worked for the Steelers—as coach and GM—for just three and a half seasons, Thompson has nine Coach of the Year trophies in his career and was the head of the international program for several years. It’s hard to find many coaching records in the EIHL that don’t have Thompson’s name beside them, meaning there will be quite a few expectations that Barrasso will have to deal with going forward.

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