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Florida Panthers Acquire Aleksi Saarela

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Make that three trades in Aleksi Saarela’s young career. The Chicago Blackhawks minor league forward has been swapped again, this time headed to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Ian McCoshen. Saarela was only acquired by the Blackhawks in June as part of the Calvin de Haan trade, but had registered just one point in five games with the Rockford IceHogs.

That is a substantial step back for the 22-year old, who scored 30 goals and 54 points in 69 regular season games with the 2019 Calder Cup champion Charlotte Checkers. Saarela was a force for the Checkers in the regular season and playoffs, showing that he might have an NHL future after all.

Originally selected in the third round of the 2015 draft by the New York Rangers, Saarela’s rights were sent to Carolina as part of the 2016 Eric Staal trade. He’ll now try to impress a third organization.

McCoshen meanwhile found himself too far down the depth chart to be of much value to the Panthers at this point. The 24-year old defenseman was supposed to be NHL-ready when he came out of Boston College in 2015-16, but it turned out that readiness wasn’t the same as effectiveness. McCoshen has played 60 games with Florida over the last three seasons, but never found his groove as an everyday option.

Selected 31st overall in 2013, McCoshen is now on his second contract and waiver eligible, though he cleared it at the end of September and can be moved up and down by the Blackhawks for the time being. He’ll serve as some depth for the team as they deal with another injury to Connor Murphy.

Five Key Stories: 10/14/19 – 10/20/19

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While there was a consistent flow of trade rumors this week, no team pulled the trigger on a big move. That’s not to say there weren’t several additions, as well as subtractions, this week, as a big extension, a free agent signing, a suspension, an injury, and a coaching staff change are the stories of the week:

Hischier Extended Seven Years: The New Jersey Devils may be off to a surprisingly rough start to the season, but young centerpiece Nico Hischier remains a bright spot for the team. A timely source of good news for a disappointed fan base, the Devils announced a seven-year, $50.75MM extension. The new $7.25MM cap hit for the 2017 first overall pick is hardly an overpay so long as the talented center continues to develop. Especially in light of a increasingly higher salary cap ceiling, the new deal could be a bargain for New Jersey, particularly toward the end of the contract.

Panthers Add Boyle: Respected veteran forward Brian Boyle was a surprise omission from this summer’s list of free agent signings, but the Florida Panthers recognized a need in their bottom six and addressed it with a one-year deal for the two-way ace. Boyle actually enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career last year and has been a highly valuable hired gun late in his career. An affordable addition of experience and ability, Boyle could prove to be a key signing by Florida. The Philadelphia Flyers made a similar addition, signing Chris Stewart to a one-year deal.

Zykov Suspended 20 Games: Young Vegas Golden Knights forward Valentin Zykov will be out of the lineup for some time, as the NHL announced a 20-game suspension as a result of a failed drug test. Zykov reportedly violated the joint Performance Enhancing Substances Program and as a result will sit until late November. While the Golden Knights claim Zykov admitted to taking an illegal substance, the player continues to state that he is unaware of how he failed the drug test.

Hjarlmarsson Out Three Months: Niklas Hjalmarsson’s penchant for shot blocking has cost him, as the Arizona Coyotes defenseman will miss an anticipated three months with a cracked fibula in his left leg. One of the more dependable defensive blue liners in the NHL, Hjalmarsson’s loss is a major blow for the ‘Yotes. The injury has sparked trade rumors in the desert, as Arizona was already off to a shaky start before losing one of their top players. Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares was another big-name injury this week, out two weeks with a broken finger.

Fitzgerald Joins Devils’ Bench: Considered by many to be the most improved team in the league heading into this season, the New Jersey Devils have not gotten off to the start than most expected. Head coach John Hynes is on the hot seat and the organization wants a closer look at the situation in the locker room. Assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald will add assistant coach to his list of responsibilities for the time being, joining Hynes’ staff. It could be a sign of things to come for New Jersey if they don’t turn things around soon.

Injury Notes: Barkov, Little, Johnsson, Ladd, Simek, Paquette

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Florida Panthers fans were quite worried Saturday when star player Aleksander Barkov skated off the ice during his second shift and did not return for the rest of the game. The Panthers deemed the injury as an upper-body injury and head coach Joel Quenneville refused to comment on it. However, The Athletic’s George Richards (subscription required) reports that general manager Dale Tallon referred to the injury as “minor.”

How Barkov was injured is a different story, as it doesn’t look as if Barkov took a hit, but the 24-year-old was seen clutching his side after an icing call on his second shift. He still lined up for the face-off, but looked to be in obvious pain. The team flew back to home last night and have Sunday off, with a home match against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.

  • The Winnipeg Jets are looking for some added punch to their lineup as TSN’s Brian Munz reports that center Bryan Little, who has been sidelined all season with a concussion, is expected to play Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers. The 31-year-old has served as the team’s second line center for quite some time. He scored 15 goals and 41 points last season.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs forward Andreas Johnsson was not at practice Sunday after blocking a Brandon Carlo shot Saturday and being forced out of the game and missing the third period, according to TSN’s Kristen Shilton. X-rays on Johnsson’s leg came back negative, suggesting the injury isn’t too serious and the forward isn’t expected to be out for long. The 24-year-old winger has two goals and five points in nine games with the Leafs so far.
  • The return of Andrew Ladd could be coming soon as Newsday’s Andrew Gross reports that the 33-year-old winger was skating in a regular practice jersey Sunday, after several practices in an orange non-contact jersey. Ladd is coming off a torn ACL and was limited to just 26 games last season. If healthy, Ladd could make some key contributions on the team’s bottom-six. He scored three goals and 11 points in those 26 appearances last year. Gross in a separate tweet, reports that both Jordan Eberle and Casey Cizikas, each on injured reserve with lower-body injuries, skated today, but separately from the rest of the team.
  • The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that defenseman Radim Simek is expected to join the San Jose Sharks on their five-game road trip, but the blueliner said that he likely won’t play in any of those games due to his leg injury. He has been practicing so a return could come in the next few weeks, but his return to health has taken longer than the team expected.
  • NHL.com’s Bryan Burns reports that Tampa Bay Lighting forward Cedric Paquette is now considered to be day-to-day. The 26-year-old forward, out with an arm injury, hasn’t played a game this season yet, but could be close. Paquette scored a career-high 13 goals last season.

 

Brian Boyle Signs One-Year Deal With Florida Panthers

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The Florida Panthers added some key veteran depth to their team Sunday when they announced they have signed unrestricted veteran free agent Brian Boyle to a one-year deal, one-way contract. TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports the deal is worth $940K. The 34-year-old Boyle is expected to join the team in Coral Springs for practice on Monday.

“With over 700 games played in the NHL and over 100 more in the playoffs, Brian brings a wealth of experience to our club,” said general manager Dale Tallon. “He adds versatility and character to our lineup.”

Boyle, who will be now playing for his seventh NHL team and fifth team in the last three years, is coming off an 13-goal performance with the New Jersey Devils last year. However, with their season lost, the Devils traded Boyle to the Predators for a 2019 second-round pick. Boyle netted five goals in 26 games for the Predators. He scored 13 goals in 2017-18 for the Devils, and 13 goals in 2015-16 and 2016-17 for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Boyle received the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2017-18 for perseverence, sportsmanship and dedication for returning to hockey after being diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia.

The veteran is expected to immediately join their bottom-six, likely centering the fourth line. Head coach Joel Quenneville has spoken often about the importance of puck possession, which Boyle should help with. Throw in his 6-foot-6 frame and physical play and Boyle should add much needed grit to the Panthers this year. The team has already assigned youngster Henrik Borgstrom to the AHL to get more playing time, which should open up a spot on the team’s roster.

McKenzie was the first to report on the signing.

Minor Transactions: 10/20/19

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After a full slate of games Saturday, the NHL docket has just five matchups today. However, with injuries growing, several teams will be making roster moves today:

  • After being a healthy scratch for the past couple of games, the Florida Panthers announced they have loaned forward Henrik Borgstrom to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL. The Panthers’ first-round pick in 2016 has struggled in Florida’s lineup through four games. He failed to score any points in that time and was averaging just 12:23 when on the ice. Borgstrom, who many felt would be a key prospect for the Panthers, played 50 games for Florida last year, scoring eight goals and 18 points. The hope is that a bigger role in Springfield can allow the 22-year-old to find his game in the minors.
  • The Buffalo Sabres announced they have sent goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to the Rochester Americans of the AHL as he is ready to start his professional career after undergoing offseason hip surgery. The 20-year-old netminder was dominant in his one junior season last year after being taken in the second round in the 2017 draft. He won the OHL’s Most Valuable Player award and was just the sixth goalie to win the award. He finished with 38 wins, a 2.50 GAA and a .920 save percentage for the Sudbury Wolves.
  • After making his NHL debut for the Nashville Predators Saturday, the team announced today that they are assigning forward Yakov Trenin to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL. The 22-year-old forward, who was dominating early in Milwaukee’s season with four goals in three games, played 12:35 in his debut on Nashville’s third line. He will likely continue to develop his skills in the AHL until the team needs his services again.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets announced they have assigned forward Markus Hannikainen to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. The forward was recalled nine days previously, but served as an emergency forward and never appeared in a game. The 26-year-old will return to Cleveland where he has a goal in two games. Hannikainen played in 44 games for the Blue Jackets last year.
  • The Ottawa Senators announced they have assigned forward Jordan Szwarz to the Belleville Senators of the AHL. The 28-year-old was recalled almost a week ago and saw action in three games, although when he did play, he saw little time on the ice, averaging 4:55 per game. The minor-league veteran will return to Belleville. He scored 23 goals for the Providence Bruins last season.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights added some depth to their team as the team announced they have recalled forward Nicolas Roy from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL, giving the team the maximum 23 players now and 13 forwards. Roy has yet to appear in an NHL game despite already spending some time on Vegas’ roster. The 6-foot-4 forward could be a valuable asset on the teams’ fourth line. He was acquired during the offseason as part of the trade that sent Erik Haula to Carolina. Roy has been scoreless in three appearances with the Wolves.
  • The Calgary Sun’s Kristen Anderson reports that the Calgary Flames have recalled forward Alan Quine from the Stockton Heat of the AHL. The 26-year-old forward has fared well in limited action with Stockton, posting a goal and five points in four games this year. He played 13 games with the Flames, scoring three goals and five points. Anderson writes that head coach Bill Peters suggested there was an injury on the Flames’ roster, but didn’t divulge that information. Fan 960 Radio Host Pat Steinberg reports the Flames consequently assigned defenseman Oliver Kylington to Stockton.

Eastern Notes: Eberle, Ho-Sang, Jokiharju, Malgin

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The New York Islanders are still awaiting the status of first-line winger Jordan Eberle, who appeared to injure his right leg in the third period of their game Saturday against the Florida Panthers. Eberle took a late-game check from Florida’s Mike Matheson that forced him out of the game as he was in obvious pain. However, Eberle did stay on the bench for the remainder of the game, but Newsday’s Andrew Gross wonders whether Eberle could miss some time.

“I couldn’t give a time frame,” coach Barry Trotz said after the game. “He got hit in a strange spot. We’ll evaluate it.”

Eberle, who signed a five-year, $27.5MM contract during the offseason, had three assists in his first five games. However, the team would lose an impact top-six player from their lineup. One possibility would be for the Islanders to recall top prospect Oliver Wahlstrom, who has a goal and three points in four games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL.

  • In the same article, Gross notes that Islanders prospect Joshua Ho-Sang who has requested a trade after not making the Islanders’ opening day lineup, still hasn’t reported to the Sound Tigers in the AHL per instructions from president and general manager Lou Lamoriello. He was requested to stay away from the team while the Islanders looked for trade partners, but no trade has been made and the 23-year-old has been sitting for two weeks so far. Lamoriello said on Friday that there was still no update. Ho-Sang has languished in the AHL for three years, but because of a questionable reputation, was not claimed when New York passed him through waivers.
  • The Buffalo Sabres could have a logjam at defense once they get back some of their injured players, including Brandon Montour, Zach Bogosian and Lawrence Pilut. While they aren’t yet ready to return, the team is already loaded with depth at that position. The Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski, in his mailbag column, writes that the easy answer would have been for the team to send Henri Jokiharju down to the AHL after Montour is ready to return from his hand injury. However, Lysowski reports that Jokiharju has been told be management to find a place to live in Buffalo as it looks like he’s expected to stay with the Sabres long-term.
  • Florida Panthers head coach Joel Quenneville has been mixing up his line combinations after the team struggled out of the gate, especially on offense, according to George Richards of The Athletic (subscription required). One find for the head coach has been winger Denis Malgin, who jumped into the lineup on Friday, replacing 22-year-old Henrik Borgstrom on the third line. The coach was impressed enough that Borgstrom was back in the press box a second night on Saturday as Queeneville moved Malgin to the second line where he immediately scored a goal.

Trade Rumors: Pysyk, Goligoski, Flames

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The Florida Panthers did not enter this past off-season with all that much space under the salary cap ceiling, yet still went and handed out over $20MM in AAV to Sergei Bobrovsky, Anton Stralman, Brett Connolly, and Noel Acciari. As a result, the team has just $788K in cap leeway and no way to alleviate that pressure without making a move. Seeing as defenseman Mark Pysyk heard his name on the rumor mill last season, when the Panthers had ample cap space, the pressure on him has increased tenfold to prove that he is a valuable contributor to the team and not just $2.73MM in wasted space. Pysyk, an impending unrestricted free agent at year’s end, likes Florida and would like to stay with the team. However, he’ll find it hard to make his case that he should stick around when he is not on the ice. As The Athletic’s George Richards writes, Pysyk has found himself in a unfamiliar spot through the team’s first two games as a healthy scratch. New head coach Joel Quenneville opted to go with MacKenzie Weegar and Josh Brown as his bottom pair to begin the year, leaving Pysyk in the press box. Fortunately for Pysyk, he’s expected back in the lineup on Tuesday according to Quenneville. “He was always in consideration. He has some experience, gives us some versatility on the back end and can play both sides,” the veteran coach remarked. Yet, the trick is that even if Pysyk plays well in his return to the lineup, it doesn’t guarantee his safety from a trade. With his contract expiring, the 27-year-old is an expendable asset, especially for a team that hopes to contend for a playoff spot and could be eyeing cap space to make a trade addition of their own on the blue line later this season. If Pysyk is playing well and drawing attention from other teams, he could very well be on his way out of town. The two-way defender has heard those rumors before though, and all he can do is continue to focus on brining his best to the Panthers’ lineup whenever he’s active in hopes of proving he’s worth more as a long-term fit than as a cap dump.

  • Optimism was high to begin the season in Arizona and Coyotes GM John Chayka isn’t about to overreact to an 0-2 start to the year. However, The Athletic’s Craig Morgan admits that one valuable member of the team could become expendable if the team’s struggled do continue. The status quo has changed for Alex Goligoski, as the veteran defenseman’s No-Movement Clause expired last season and has been replaced with a Modified No-Trade Clause of a mere eight-team no-trade list. Morgan is adamant that the team has shown no desire to move Goligoski to this point, but at 34 years old and with only one year remaining on his contract beyond this season, Goligoski could be more valuable to a contender than to Arizona, especially if this season proves to be yet another step in the rebuilding process rather than the much-awaited jump to contender status. With a field of 22 possible suitors, there would surely be interest in the reliable puck-moving defender, even with his $5.475MM cap hit. The Coyotes hope it doesn’t come to that, but Goligoski will be a name to keep an eye on later this year if Arizona’s season begins to slip away.
  • It’s not strange for a team to be painfully close to the salary cap this season, and the Calgary Flames are just one of many teams who will have to manipulate the cap constantly this season to maintain what little flexibility they have. However, an easier solution would be to trade a high-salary player and Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg writes for SB Nation that the team is actively looking to make a “financially-motivated trade”. The name that has come up in trade conversation for more than a year now is back in the rumor mill already: Michael Frolik. Steinberg notes that Frolik has not looked great through the team’s first two games and his $4.3MM cap hit isn’t earning him the benefit of the doubt. Steinberg believes that the Flames should not hesitate to move Frolik if the opportunity arises, as he feels the likes of Andrew Mangiapane, Tobias Rieder, Austin Czarnik, and Alan Quine could easily make up for Frolik’s absence. If there isn’t a market for Frolik, Steinberg adds that the team could consider moving Mark Jankowski as well. The 25-year-old center is not as much of a salary cap stinger, but Steinberg writes that the drop-off in salary between he and Quine is a larger gap than the drop-off in talent, believing the AHL veteran to be more than capable of taking over for Jankowski. With solid depth to make up for potential trade casualties, the Flames could make a move sooner rather than later and work on banking cap space for later in the year, as the team was criticized for not adding more at the deadline last year ahead of their short-lived playoff run.

Atlantic Notes: Kapanen, Hoffman, Nordstrom

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With the offense running on high already this season and possibly even looking more dangerous than it was last season, the team does have some problems ahead. What is the team going to do when Zach Hyman returns to the lineup? It’s a good problem to have, but with the lines already clicking, it could spell bad news for winger Kasperi Kapanen.

James Mirtle of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that Hyman is very likely to move back to the John Tavares line when he returns from injured reserve, as Kapanen hasn’t been a good fit there. However, while it would then just make sense to move Kapanen back to the third line, that may not happen after an impressive start by Ilya Mikheyev–Alexander Kerfoot–Trevor Moore line, which seems to be improving their chemistry and has proven to be a hard-working line.

The scribe writes that could mean that Kapanen could find himself on the fourth line soon.

  • The Athletic’s George Richards (subscription required) writes that the Florida Panthers will likely have to choose between two of their own during the offseason when forwards Evgenii Dadonov and Mike Hoffman both become unrestricted free agents. So far, Hoffman may be earning himself an even bigger paycheck next season, as his hat trick on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning now give him four goals on the season. Dadanov has no points in two games. The 29-year-old Hoffman wouldn’t mind staying with the Panthers next season. “It has been great ever since I got here. I have loved every second of it,” Hoffman said Saturday. “The guys here are great, ownership is great. It is definitely a fun place to play and we were able to pick up some key acquisitions over the summer. That’s a positive thing and I’m looking forward to the future. I am going to do the best I can for this hockey club this year and I will let everything else kind of sort itself out.”
  • The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa (subscription required) writes that forward Joakim Nordstrom is expected to play sometime before their road trip ends. The team still has two games on their road trip, including games Tuesday at Vegas and Thursday at Colorado. Nordstrom, out with an undisclosed injury, is traveling with the team, but head coach Bruce Cassidy feels that the 27-year-old is close to returning to the lineup.

2019-20 NCAA Players To Watch

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Following their professional and junior counterparts, the college hockey season is about to get underway this weekend. With each passing year, the NCAA’s influence on the world of hockey grows. The NHL boasts more than a few top rookies fresh out of the college ranks this season and many elite prospects still in school in 2018-19 will soon join them. This year’s crop of talent is sticking with the trend, with several players in need of watching:

The Recent Draft Picks

G Spencer Knight, Boston College (FLA): When Knight was selected by the Panthers 13th overall in June, he became the highest selected goaltender this decade after Jack Campbell went No. 11 overall  in 2010. Considered the best prospect goalie in an NHL pipeline – at least until Yaroslav Askarov hears his name called next year – Knight is a special prospect and easily a top name to watch in the NCAA. It’s hard to know just how well the USNTDP product will perform right out of the gate for a strong BC squad, and on top of that how long it may take for him to be pro-ready. However, if he can translate his junior game to the college level, Florida will want to test that same progression in the pros sooner rather than later.

F Matthew Boldy, Boston College (MIN): Speaking of the Eagles, they nabbed another top pick in this year’s recruiting class in the dynamic winger Boldy. A rare combination of skill and finesse with size and strength, the Wild landed a gem at No. 12. A teammate of Knights with the USNTDP and now at BC, Boldy stands a better chance of making an immediate impact at the college level. The pairing of his stature and his talent – both above average – should give him a leg up against some older, more experienced NCAA competition. Expect he and fellow first-rounder Alex Newhook (COL) to get off to a hot start.

F Trevor Zegras, Boston University (ANA): Across town, Zegras and six other 2019 NHL Draft selections are set to take the ice for the rival Terriers. Zegras is a dynamic play-maker who few expected to fall to the Ducks at No. 9. Zegras brings a high-energy game in all three zones that his bound to create chances for he and his BU teammates. After losing much of last year’s talent to the pros, the Terriers need Zegras to step into a lead scoring role right away and he is likely up for the task. The USNTDP standout has already showed that he can put up big numbers against tough competition.

D Cam York, University of Michigan (PHI): Rounding out the top four recent draft picks to watch in the NCAA this year is yet another USNTDP product, but the first defenseman on the list. York is a skilled blue liner who sees the ice extremely well for a player his age. His skating allows him to be omnipresent on the ice and an asset in all three zones. Highly-drafted defensemen have excelled at the college level of late, namely Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes. The Wolverines hope lightning strikes twice by replacing Hughes with York. Fellow first-round pick John Beecher (BOS) will also be around to help out in Michigan this season.

The Soon-To-Be Draft Picks

F Dylan Holloway, University of Wisconsin: A string of years with at least one top draft prospect coming out of the NCAA came to a screeching halt last year, with the college level having nearly no current players of note in the early rounds. That will change this year, as Holloway begins the season as a consensus top-ten pick in 2020. The polished winger dominated the Alberta Junior Hockey League last year, posting 88 points in just 53 games. He brings a complete arsenal of skill, speed, and aggression, but will need to use his college campaign to work on increasing his positional awareness. If he can replicate his scoring success and improve his hockey IQ, Holloway could enter top five territory next summer.

D Yan Kuznetsov, University of Connecticut: Kuznetsov is not the same caliber player as Holloway, but an exciting talent nonetheless for the Huskies. The Russian defenseman came over to North America last season and made a strong first impression in the USHL. Not one to put up lots of points, Kuznetsov is instead a solid shutdown defender who also moves the puck well. At 6’3”, 200 lbs., Kuznetsov has menacing size for a 17-year-old and isn’t afraid to play a tough game, but is also a smooth skater and an asset in puck possession. While not a flashy prospect, Kuznetsov could surprise with his confidence as a freshman in the NCAA and move up draft boards.

The Soon-To-Be NHLers

F Evan Barratt, Penn State University (CHI): One of the best players at the college level last season, Barratt took a major leap forward in his development. The third-round prospect had a quiet freshman year but exploded for 43 points in just 32 games as a sophomore, among the top five per-game scorers in the NCAA. Barratt’s ability to think the game is matched only by his ability to act on those thoughts. A great play-maker with an eye for creating scoring opportunities, Barratt doesn’t need to be the fastest or strongest player on the ice to make a difference. He seems ready to test his hockey sense at the pro level already and almost certainly will be signing with the Blackhawks after this season. Penn State can enjoy one last season with their star center.

D Ian Mitchell, University of Denver (CHI): Chicago nearly convinced Mitchell to leave school early this summer, but he’ll return to the Pioneers for one last season. A smart, two-way defenseman, Mitchell plays a largely mistake-free game. He contributes on offense, but rarely at the cost of defensive liability and uses his skating to get up and down the ice with ease. He pairs a good shot with a strong outlet pass to both start and finish offensively. A modern-day NHL defenseman in many ways, Mitchell truly plays the position well and will be a regular at the top level in no time.

D Scott Perunovich, University of Minnesota-Duluth (STL): A two-time NCAA champion has to be doing something right. While plenty of talented players have moved on from Duluth over the past two years, Perunovich is still there and still making an impact. A dynamic offensive defenseman, Perunovich is a power play magician and a creative play-maker at even strength as well. A talented puck-mover who doesn’t let his size deter him from jumping into a play and taking battles in tough areas, Perunovich is undoubtedly a fun player to watch. An added benefit of catching some Bulldogs action is fellow blue line prospect Dylan Samberg (WPG), who brings the smash to Perunovich’s dash as an elite NCAA pairing.

F Mitchell Chaffee, University of Massachusetts: At the top of the list among potential NCAA free agents is the sharp-shooting Chaffee. A member of the UMass team that made a run to the NCAA Finals last year, Chaffee was better than a point per game scorer, finishing in the top-20 in goals and points and amassing a top-ten plus/minus rating. Chaffee plays a mature, intelligent game but not without some grit and energy as well. He does whatever it takes to put himself in scoring position. With the Minutemen losing several core players to the pros, look for Chaffee to take on an even bigger role as he tries to establish himself as an NHL-caliber prospect. Bowling Green ace center Max Johnson and veteran North Dakota defenseman Colton Poolman are other potential premier college free agents to watch for.

The University of Wisconsin

Every year there is one team whose NHL pedigree jumps off the page. Sometimes those teams don’t necessary put it all together, but they’re still fun to watch. Wisconsin is that team this year, and frankly it’s not that close even with the influx of talent to the likes of BC, BU, and others. You already heard about Holloway, but take a look at who else is suiting up for the Badgers this year:

F Alex Turcotte (LAK): The highest-drafted player in the NCAA, Turcotte was the No. 5 overall pick by the Kings in June and considered by some to be the most complete player in the draft class. Injuries slowed down his season with the USNTDP last year, but he still accounted for 62 points in just 37 games. A two-way skill set and intelligence, play-making ability and elite offensive instincts, and a competitive, hard-nosed style are just some of the elements to Turcotte’s game that should make him the most talented player in college hockey this season.

F Cole Caufield (MTL): Caufield is coming off a record-setting campaign with the USNTDP. While he spent most of his time skating alongside Jack Hughes, he is more than familiar with Turcotte which should make his adjustment to the NCAA smoother. Caufield’s size can be a liability, but it’s a risk that Wisconsin will gladly take in exchange for his natural goal-scoring ability. Caufield potted 72 goals as part of a 100-point campaign last year that established him as one of the most dangerous shooters in hockey – yes, all of hockey. Caufield works hard, skates fast, and puts himself in a situation to score with great frequency. An electrifying talent, Caufield will almost certainly follow Turcotte to the NHL next season (the Canadiens can hardly wait) but until then the duo should do some damage in the NCAA this year. Unbelievably, fellow USNTDP teammates Owen Lindmark (FLA) and Ryder Donovan (VGK) also join Turcotte and Caufield with the Badgers this year.

D K’Andre Miller (NYR): It doesn’t stop there, either. Wisconsin has top NHL talent on the blue line as well, primarily in first-round defender Miller. A big, strong defender who also has the tools to contribute on offense, Miller is a special player. Considered a raw talent when drafter, Miller immediately showed last year that there was more to his game than just athleticism. Miller plays an instinctual style of hockey, which allows him to excel with defensive positioning as well as awareness of when to jump in on offense. He truly has a presence on the ice and there is still room to improve into an elite prospect, especially with so much ability surrounding him this season. He could very well join the Rangers right away next season if he continues to progress. Look for pair-mate Ty Emberson (ARI) to take a step forward in his own development this year as well.

Gustav Bouramman Placed On Unconditional Waivers

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After just acquiring him last month, the Florida Panthers have placed Gustav Bouramman on unconditional waivers according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. This will likely precede a contract termination, allowing Bouramman to pursue another opportunity elsewhere. The minor league defenseman was sent to Florida by the Minnesota Wild in exchange for future considerations in August.

Bouramman, 22, was a seventh-round pick from the 2015 draft but after another pair of successful seasons in the OHL his professional career hasn’t gone quite so smoothly. Playing most of the 2017-18 campaign in the ECHL, he suited up just 23 times in 2018-19 for the Iowa Wild of the AHL and recorded just two points. Stuck behind a huge number of more experienced defensemen in Florida, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him take his talents back to Sweden for the time being.

A mutual contract termination would make Bouramman an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team.

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