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Overseas Notes: Olympics, Rattie, Brickley

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As collective bargaining continues to progress between the NHL and NHLPA, one of the major issues still in discussions is the league’s participation in the Olympics. The NHL notably sat out the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, as the owners’ complaints included the extended break in the league season, the injury risk to star players, and the lack of value in the locale. With the first two arguments unchanging and the next two Games being held in Beijing, China and Milan, Italy, it is unlikely that the NHL Board has changed their stance on Olympic participation. However, there is a reason why “bargaining” is a key word in the CBA. If Olympic participation is a sticking point for the players, the NHL could use it as leverage in another area of negotiations. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr, and IIHF President Rene Fasel plan to meet in Sweden in two weeks during the NHL Global Series between the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning in Stockholm. The trio of leaders will discuss the issues and options regarding the league’s Olympic participation, but there is unlikely to be a resolution from just the one meeting. Johnston calls the Olympic issue a “major hurdle” in CBA talks, so it could be that the upcoming summit is just the beginning of working toward an answer.

  • One of the more notable NHL players to sign in Europe this off-season is already out of a job. The KHL announced that Lokomotiv Yaroslavl has terminated the contract of forward Ty Rattie. It’s unclear if this was a mutual termination or if Rattie was cut from the team, but either way the 26-year-old winger will be looking for a new place to play. The news comes as a surprise, as Rattie has recorded nine points in 16 games for Lokomotiv and was part of a strong core group of former NHLers alongside Stephane Da Costa, Anton Lander, and Jakub Nakladal. The KHL is no stranger to payroll problems, which may have led to Rattie’s release, but one would think that the team could have traded him instead. Thus, it is more likely that Rattie requested his contract be terminated to go play elsewhere. After a career-high 50 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers last season, it very well could be that Rattie feels he belongs in North America and has been waiting for an opportunity. Stay tuned to this story to see what comes next for the former second-round pick.
  • Going the other way is big, two-way forward Connor Brickley. Brickley had a difficult summer, failing to find an NHL contract despite a full season with the Florida Panthers in 2017-18 and a nice stretch run with the New York Rangers last year. On top of that, he failed to turn PTO’s with both the Rangers and their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, into a contract. As a result, Brickley has decided to take his talents to Germany. EC Salzburg of the Austrian-based EBEL has announced a one-year contract with Brickley. A high-scoring AHLer and a veteran of 81 NHL games, Brickley immediately becomes the most decorated player on the Red Bulls’ roster and should provide a major boost to the team this year. Brickley likely hopes that a dominant performance in the EBEL will be enough to garner more attention in North America next off-season.

Evgeny Kuznetsov Receives IIHF Suspension

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Washington Capitals forward has received a four-year suspension from the IIHF, banning him from all international hockey competitions due to a positive test for cocaine at the recent World Championships. Earlier this summer, a separate video was circulated which showed Kuznetsov in a hotel room beside an unidentified white powdered substance, but after denying he ever took illegal drugs and stating that the video was from 2018, he was cleared by the NHL. In light of this news, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has released this statement:

We have been fully briefed by the IIHF with respect to the positive test result and related international sanction that has been imposed on Washington Capitals’ Player Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Unlike the IIHF, cocaine is not considered a performance enhancing drug and is therefore not a Prohibited Substance under the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.  Instead, it is considered a drug of abuse that is tested for and for which intervention, evaluation and mandatory treatment can occur in appropriate cases.

Here, we understand that Mr. Kuznetsov has voluntarily sought help through the education and counseling program provided for in the NHL and NHLPA collective bargaining agreement and has agreed to a regular testing protocol relating to his involvement with that program.

Mr. Kuznetsov has also agreed to an in-person meeting with Commissioner Gary Bettman to discuss his situation and review his conduct prior to the start of Training Camp preceding the 2019-20 season. We intend to reserve further comment on any additional actions that may or may not be taken with respect to today’s announcement (disciplinary or otherwise) pending the completion of the Commissioner’s meeting with Mr. Kuznetsov.

Kuznetsov has not been suspended by the NHL and as of this moment is currently still able to take part in training camp next month. The team released a statement on this issue:

We are aware of the positive test result and related international sanction that has been imposed on Evgeny Kuznetsov. We are disappointed with this development and take this occurrence seriously. We understand that Evgeny has voluntarily sought help through the education and counseling program provided for in the NHL/NHLPA collective bargaining agreement and has agreed to a regular testing protocol relating to his involvement with that program. In addition, we are committed to ensuring he has the necessary support required to work through this situation. We will remain in contact with the NHL as they determine the next steps. Because of the sensitive nature surrounding this matter, there will be no further comment from us at this time.

Kuznetsov himself also released a statement through the team, explaining that he will accept the four-year suspension.

Recently, the IIHF notified me that, due to a positive test for a banned substance, I would be suspended from international competition for four years. I have made the decision to accept this penalty. Representing my country has always been so close to my heart and something I take so much pride in. Not being able to put that sweater on for four years is very hard to take. I have disappointed so many people that are important to me, including my family, teammates and friends. From the first day I took the ice in D.C., the Washington Capitals organization and our fans have been nothing but great to me and my family. I feel absolutely terrible for letting you down. I realize that the only way I can win you back is to take ownership of my situation and my actions from this point forward.

World Junior Summer Showcase Schedule

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While the hockey world waits for NHL training camps in a few months, draft gurus and prospect evaluators everywhere are getting ready to tune in to the World Junior Summer Showcase that starts this evening in Plymouth, Michigan. The two Team USA squads will take on each other and teams from Sweden and Finland before joining forces and taking on the rival Canadians. The full schedule is as follows:

All times central

July 26:

USA Blue vs USA White – 4:30pm

July 27:

USA White vs Finland – 12:00pm
USA Blue vs Sweden – 3:00pm

July 28:

USA Blue vs Finland – 12:00pm
USA White vs Sweden – 3:00pm

July 30:

Canada vs USA – 3:00pm

July 31:

Canada vs Finland – 12:00pm
USA vs Sweden – 3:00pm

August 2:

Sweden vs Canada – 12:00pm
Finland vs USA – 3:00pm

August 3:

Sweden vs Finland – 12:00pm
USA vs Canada – 3:00pm

This tournament will help the respective programs prepare for the next IIHF World Junior Championship which will be held in the Czech Republic starting on December 26th. It is also a great chance for players who were just drafted or aren’t eligible until next year to show off their skills to NHL fans that might have missed them so far. Several first round selections like Cole Caufield, John Beecher, Alex Turcotte and Cam York will be suiting up for the Blue squad, while the White team has Matthew Boldy, Trevor Zegras and returning players like Oliver Wahlstrom and K’Andre Miller.

There will also be plenty of attention placed on Canada’s roster, as potential 2020 first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere is set to suit up. The 17-year old had 105 points for the Rimouski Oceanic in the QMJHL last season and is one of the players that you never want to take your eyes off of. If you want to know more about the future of Swedish hockey pay close attention to Lucas Raymond, who played ten games in the SHL last season despite only turning 17 in March. Raymond and teammate Alexander Holtz are both in early contention for the second overall pick, though there is still a long way to go before any decisions are made.

Kristers Gudlevskis Re-Signs In KHL

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After another solid performance at the IIHF World Championship, Kristers Gudlevskis is staying at home. The Latvian netminder has re-signed with Dinamo Riga of the KHL, ending any speculation that he may revisit an NHL career this season. Gudlevskis became a Group VI unrestricted free agent when his last contract expired in 2018 with the New York Islanders, and decided to return to Latvia after struggling to find much NHL opportunity.

The 26-year old goaltender was originally selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning back in 2013, and actually made his NHL debut the following season. Despite that quick entrance into the North American landscape, Gudlevskis battled through five seasons in the AHL and only received two other NHL appearances. Last season he returned to the KHL where he posted a .910 save percentage even on a poor Riga team, before suiting up for the national team in his fourth World Championship.

It didn’t seem likely that there was much of an NHL opportunity for Gudlevskis this offseason, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be down the road. We have recently seen Mikko Koskinen return after several years abroad to land a multi-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers despite little NHL experience. Perhaps Gudlevskis can pull of the same feat, though he’ll need to find even more success in the KHL.

Dominik Kubalik Signs With Chicago Blackhawks

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As expected, the Chicago Blackhawks have signed Czech forward Dominik Kubalik to a one-year entry-level contract. Kubalik most recently suited up for the Czech Republic at the IIHF World Championship where he recorded 12 points in 10 games.

Kubalik, 23, was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings back in 2013 but saw his rights traded to the Blackhawks in January. Perhaps the Kings knew they wouldn’t be able to sign him, but it is still surprising that they would give up on a player performing as well as he was overseas. Kubalik destroyed the competition in Switzerland this season, recording 57 points in 50 games for Ambri-Piotta to lead the NLA in scoring and was named both the league’s best forward and most valuable player.

It’s not the first time that Kubalik had found success in a European league, as he had previously dominated in the Czech Republic recording seasons of 25 and 29 goals despite playing only 48 and 51 games in those respective seasons. His performance at the World Championship shouldn’t shock anyone, as he performed well there and at the Olympics last year as well.

The 6’2″ winger will immediately compete for a spot on the Blackhawks next season, but it won’t be the first time he’s suiting up in North America. Kubalik played parts of two seasons in the OHL after being selected 27th overall in the 2012 CHL Import Draft, but didn’t find enough success to really cement himself as a potential NHL prospect.

Kubalik will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2019-20 season.

San Jose Sharks Sign Lean Bergmann

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The San Jose Sharks were apparently impressed enough with Lean Bergmann’s play at the IIHF World Championship to offer him a contract. The team announced today that Bergmann has signed a three-year entry-level contract. GM Doug Wilson released a statement on his new prospect:

Lean has consistently evolved and improved his speed and offensive capabilities, to go along with his power-forward style play, during his time in Swedish juniors, the USHL, and most recently the DEL in Germany, where he was the youngest player to score 20 or more goals this season. We like his compete level and work ethic and the physical nature of his game should translate well to how we like to play. We’re excited to add him to our organization.

Bergmann, 20, was never drafted, but ended up playing on the German national team at the recent tournament because of how well he debuted in the DEL. As Wilson notes, his 20 goals were quite the feat for such a young player and actually tied him for tenth in the entire league in scoring. While he didn’t record a point in his five games at the Worlds, he’s obviously a worthwhile prospect to add for the small risk of an entry-level contract.

Interestingly, just a few months ago Adler Mannheim announced they had signed Bergmann to a two-year deal starting in 2019-20. It’s unclear if that means that the Sharks will allow him to continue to develop in Germany next season, or if he will be joining one of their minor league affiliates instead. The 6’2″ winger has played in North America before, recording 53 points in 130 games during parts of three seasons in the USHL.

Snapshots: NHL Olympic Participation, Pesce, Fleury, Brossoit

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The IIHF held its annual press conference shortly before the semifinals of the 2019 World Championships and the most interesting question asked of IIHF President Rene Fasel was about NHL participation at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Fasel said that much of that will depend on the NHL’s upcoming CBA negotiations, which is expected to expire in 2021-22 season, although either the NHL or the NHLPA can choose to opt out in September of this year.

“I had a short discussion with [NHLPA Executive Director] Don Fehr yesterday,” said Fasel. “It is important for the game of ice hockey, 100 per cent. We should show our product at the highest level. I’m happy that 119 NHL players are here (at the World Championships). And they don’t come for the money, they come to represent their countries and end the season in a good atmosphere.”

Fasel said that he would like to get confirmation of NHL participation as soon as possible, but has not set a deadline.

  • Now that the Carolina Hurricanes season is over, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on his 31 Thoughts column reports that one player who was unhappy and wanted a trade was defenseman Brett Pesce. The 24-year-old blueliner was unhappy earlier in the season when he was seventh on the team in ice-time, playing 1:31 minutes less than his 2017-18 totals. However, his ice time increased after New Year’s Day as he averaged 21:20, which was third on the team only behind Jaccob Slavin and Justin Faulk. His playoff numbers were even higher, which has appeased Pesce and should end any trade talk. Friedman adds that the team will most likely trade defenseman Haydn Fleury instead this summer as he is no longer waiver-eligible and the team would almost guaranteed lose him if he couldn’t win a roster spot.
  • The Winnipeg Jets locked up their backup goaltender, restricted free agent Laurent Brossoit, to a one-year, $1.225MM contract earlier today. After struggling in an earlier stint in his career in Edmonton, the goaltender said that signing with the Jets was a priority due to his friendship with fellow goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. “There’s only one other guy that you can relate to on a full level,” Brossoit said (via Jets’ TV host Jamie Thomas). “For it to be with a friend, same age, similar interests and we get along very well. Just makes a season that much more enjoyable.”

Poll: Who Will Win The IIHF World Championship?

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The IIHF World Championship held their quarter-final games today and they didn’t disappoint for the fans in attendance. Three of the four contests ended up as one-goal games, with fireworks in the last few seconds of the Canada-Switzerland game taking the highlight of the night. New Jersey Devils defenseman Damon Severson scored with just 0.4 seconds left on the clock in regulation to tie the game, before Mark Stone put Canada through to the semi-final in overtime.

Finland shocked the tournament by knocking off the Swedes in a back and forth game, which needed a tying goal from their captain with the goaltender out of the net. Finland would complete the comeback in overtime, sending Sweden—who many considered a favorite given their star-studded lineup—home without a medal of any color.

Team USA will suffer the same fate, as they were knocked out by the powerhouse Russian squad in a matchup they would’ve avoided if possible. The American squad finished in fourth in Group A during the preliminary round thanks to an unfortunate loss to Slovakia in their first game. Potential first-overall pick Jack Hughes ends his tournament with two assists today (three total) and was named the best player of the game for the USA.

Canada will move on to take on a Czech squad who easily dispatched Germany in the fourth quarter-final game, thanks to a three-point effort from Jan Kovar. While Canada is always a dangerous country in international hockey, their team this year didn’t look dominant on paper. That was shown by them barely squeaking through against Switzerland, meaning the Czech should feel just fine about their chances at this point.

There is no shortage of talent on the Russian squad, including Mikhail Sergachev and Nikita Gusev who both had three points in the game today.  That’s not what people were saying about Finland before the tournament started, who have only a handful of players with any NHL experience at all. Still, the Finns are extremely well coached and have a 18-year old star in the making in top draft prospect Kaapo Kakko that can create offense at any moment.

This is the last high level hockey for NHL stars out of the playoffs, meaning they can give their all before having a summer of recovery. Sunday will bring with it the gold and bronze medal games, so get your vote in now for who you think will win!

Who will win the 2019 IIHF World Championship?
Russia 46.26% (433 votes)
Canada 34.94% (327 votes)
Finland 13.68% (128 votes)
Czech Republic 5.13% (48 votes)
Total Votes: 936

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Anthony Mantha Suspended At World Championship

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The IIHF Disciplinary Panel has decided that Team Canada forward Anthony Mantha will miss the upcoming quarter-final game at the World Championship. Mantha has been suspended for one game thanks to a check to the head of Colin White in yesterday’s Canada-USA game. Mantha was given a two-minute minor and ten minute misconduct for the incident during the game.

Mantha has been a revelation for Canada head coach Alain Vigneault, and is currently tied for the tournament lead in goals with seven. The Detroit Red Wings forward easily leads Canada with 12 points through seven games, making his absence from a do-or-die game all that more important. The Swiss team went 4-3 through the preliminary round, but have more than enough firepower to upset a team like Canada.

While obviously this is a setback for Mantha, the Red Wings coaching staff has to be pleased with his tournament so far. The big winger has shown he can continue to produce with top players while also setting the tone physically. Mantha is expected to be a mainstay on Detroit’s top line again next season, and provides a perfect physical complement to Dylan Larkin’s speed.

Snapshots: Boston Black Aces, Bellemare, Luostarinen

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With a long layoff coming until their next matchup, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney revealed the team’s Black Aces during a press conference earlier today, according to Boston Globe’s Matt Porter. The 12 players are expected to help the NHL team practice and likely to get some practice games in before the Stanley Cup begins on May 27.

The Black Aces will include forwards Anton Blidh, Paul Carey, Peter Cehlarik, Trent Frederic, Zachary Senyshyn, Jack Studnicka and Jordan Szwarz; defensemen Jeremy Lauzon, Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril; and goaltenders Kyle Keyser and Zane McIntyre.

  • Golden Knights center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare will be seeking a multi-year contract on the open market, reports David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The 34-year-old was an important part of the bottom six group in Vegas over the past two seasons; his faceoff prowess and ability to kill penalties should help him garner some interest for teams looking to upgrade their fourth line.  However, with several pricey extensions kicking in for next season, it’s unlikely that Vegas will be able to afford to retain him unless he’s willing to take a pay cut on the $1.45MM he received in each of the last two seasons.
  • Hurricanes prospect Eetu Luostarinen will miss the remainder of the World Championships due to a knee injury, the IIHF announced. The 20-year-old was held off the scoresheet in four appearances.  Luostarinen has one more left on his current contract with KalPa Kuopio of the Finnish SM-liiga and will likely make the jump to North America following the 2019-20 season.

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