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Snapshots: Eaves, Francouz, Kravtsov

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According to Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register, the Anaheim Ducks confirmed today that Patrick Eaves would not return at any point this season or playoffs. Any potential return for Eaves would be at training camp for next season, but even that seems up in the air at this point.

Back in October, after playing just two games on his new three-year contract, Eaves was taken to hospital and diagnosed with Guillan-Barre Syndrome. A disorder that affects the nervous system and can cause paralysis if left unchecked, was caught early enough that Eaves was stabilized quickly. There hasn’t been many updates along the way, and now we’ll have to wait to see if he’ll return to the team next season.

  • Another name we might see in the NHL next season is Pavel Francouz, a 27-year old goaltender who has put together quite the year. Though his KHL team was just eliminated from the Gagarin Cup playoffs, Francouz posted a .949 save percentage in 12 games along the way. Add that to his .946 in the regular season and an impressive showing for the Czech Republic at the Olympics, and Francouz is more than just on the radar of NHL teams. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reports that he will indeed look for an NHL contract this summer, after his current deal in the KHL expires at the end of this month.
  • Vitaly Kravtsov, who also plays for Traktor in the KHL, was asked about his future after they were eliminated. In a report from RIA Novosti (a Russian news agency), Kravtsov said he had no plans on coming to North America and would play in the KHL again next season. The 18-year old is eligible for the upcoming NHL Draft, and is ranked 10th among all European skaters. Like other Russian stars, his draft position will be wholly decided by whether teams believe he will ever come over, though spending one more season in the KHL isn’t usually a problem. Kravtsov is currently under contract until April 2019.

San Jose Sharks Sign Lukas Radil To One-Year Contract

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The San Jose Sharks have dipped their toes into European free agency a bit early, signing Lukas Radil to a one-year deal that starts next season. The 27-year old forward recently suited up for the Czech Republic at the Olympics, and has been playing in the KHL for three seasons. Even if the contract began this season, Radil would not be playoff eligible for the Sharks.

Sharks GM Doug Wilson spoke about Radil in the press release:

Lukas is a big-bodied, puck possession forward who has been playing professional hockey at a high level for seven-plus seasons. He is coming off his most successful year yet, and has represented his country on the world’s biggest stages. We feel his game will translate well to the way we play and we’re excited to welcome him to San Jose next season.

That successful year that Wilson mentions was a big one, as Radil registered 38 points in 53 games for Moscow Spartak. That trailed only former AHL dynamo and Boston Bruins second-round pick Alexander Khokhlachev for the team lead.

Radil is a big-bodied forward who was a solid contributor at both even strength and on the powerplay, and could step right into a bottom-six role for the Sharks next season. There is no reason to think that he will turn into a real impact forward right away, but adding NHL-caliber players on reasonable deals adds depth to any team. Radil will turn 28 in August, meaning he won’t be restricted by the entry-level contract system. No word has been released on the financial details of the contract.

Snapshots: Panthers, DeBrusk, Trouba, Tolvanen

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Despite an impressive second-half run – 19-7-2 since February 1st – the Florida Panthers are still fighting for their playoff lives in each and every game. They face a major test this afternoon against the Boston Bruins and will do so without two offensive weapons. According to Panthers play-by-play man Steve Goldstein, both Denis Malgin and trade deadline acquisition and former Bruin Frank Vatrano are too “banged up” to go today. Vatrano has four points in eleven games since joining Florida, while Malgin has 11 goals and 20 points in 49 games for the Cats thus far. Their replacements, unproven Maxim Mamin and grinder Micheal Haley, have been far less productive in 2017-18. Given the importance of the match-up and the fact that Boston is getting Jake DeBrusk back in the lineup makes the absences of Malgin and Vatrano a stroke of bad luck for the playoff-hungry Panthers.

  • A postseason-bound club getting healthier is the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets will welcome defenseman Jacob Trouba back into the lineup tonight, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. Trouba has missed the past two weeks while battling concussions symptoms. He suffered that head injury in just his second game back after missing 20 games due to a lower-body injury. If Trouba is really back at 100% and ready to return to his major role on the Winnipeg blue line, it will be a major boost for the Jets.
  • Making his long-awaited debut for the Nashville Predators today is 2017 first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen. Tolvanen finished up his KHL season last week and joined the Preds on Wednesday, but head coach Peter Laviolette confirmed that he will be in the lineup today against the Buffalo Sabres. While Tolvanen found instant success in Europe and looks poised to be a big-time player for a long time in Nashville, it’s no surprise that he makes his debut in a relatively meaningless game against the lowly Sabres. Tolvanen may need an adjustment period to get used to the North American game and it remains to be seen how he will be used down the stretch and in the postseason.

Eeli Tolvanen Joins Nashville Predators, Signs Entry-Level Deal

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Eeli Tolvanen was on the ice for the Nashville Predators’ morning skate, and has signed his three-year entry-level contract. Tolvanen was allowed out of his KHL contract at the end of their season with the intent on joining the Predators, but it wasn’t clear when exactly he would be ready to jump into the lineup.

According to Bob McKenzie of TSN, Tolvanen’s entry-level deal comes with the maximum bonuses available, something usually reserved for only the very top draft picks like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews (though also used in other rare circumstances).

The 18-year old phenom fell all the way to 30th in the 2017 draft, but has made quite the impression on the hockey community in less than a year since. By playing in the KHL, World Juniors and Olympics, he’s stacked up well against players from all sorts of levels. Now, entering the NHL just in time for what should be a long playoff run, he gives the Predators another offensive weapon to utilize. His shot is already extremely dangerous, and though he can sometimes wait for others to create chances for him, his natural elusiveness can be hard to combat when the puck is on his stick.

Predators Director of Player Personnell Jeff Kealty had this to say in the press release:

The thing that’s allowed him to translate and succeed at the men’s level as well as he has is that he thinks and executes at a very mature level for his age. It’s not just the goals, the assists and his shot, but the little things that he does, like the way he handles the puck and makes the right decisions in all areas of the ice. You always feel like the puck is in good hands when it’s on his stick and he’s going to make the right play when he has the opportunity.

Nashville is already loaded with offensive players, but Tolvanen could debut this weekend and give them another powerplay option. Though they’re certainly no slouches with the man advantage, Nashville’s point-shot strategy can be shut down at times and introducing a new weapon like Tolvanen could do damage in the postseason. We’ll have wait to see if he can make an impact in the NHL like he has in the KHL.

Adam Vingan of the Tennessean reported that Tolvanen was on the ice this morning, before anyone had announced a contract.

Early Notes: KHL, Carlson, Foley

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The KHL has contracted by two teams again for the 2018-19 season, with Ugra Khanty-Mansiysk and Lada Togliatti both exiting the league. Those two combined for just 33 wins this season, bringing up the bottom of the Kharlamov Division.

That’s the second straight season the KHL has contracted, after previous expansion. The league has dealt with financial disparity since its inception, but will open the doors on September 1st and start their 11th season with 25 teams.

  • After initially proposing the idea that John Tavares could be a sign-and-trade candidate for the New York Islanders, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) has expanded that notion to John Carlson of the Washington Capitals. Carlson is in line for a huge payday this summer as the best defenseman on the market, but will be a tough contract to fit into the Washington salary structure. The only real benefit a sign-and-trade has in the NHL is the ability to get an eighth year under contract, which makes it a tough thing to sell to a player before he’s able to talk to all the team that may be interested in his services. LeBrun examines exactly what would have to happen in Carlson’s case.
  • Mark Divver of the Providence Journal is extremely plugged into the college hockey circles in the northeast, and he reports that Erik Foley is expected to sign with the St. Louis Blues after his junior season. The Providence College forward led his team in scoring with 35 points this year, and could make an impact quickly in the NHL. Foley was a third-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets, but was included as part of the deal for Paul Stastny last month.

Eeli Tolvanen Free To Sign With Predators

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Monday: Jokerit and Tolvanen have officially terminated his contract, making the young sniper free to sign with the Predators. According to Pekka Jalonen of Iltalehti in Finland, Tolvanen will meet the team in Nashville on Wednesday.

Saturday: The Nashville Predators got some good news today on the status of 2017 first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen, who has been playing for Jokerit of the KHL. The Predators’ plan, which is to bring the 18-year-old to the NHL and have him join the team for their Stanley Cup run this season, is that much closer today after Jokerit was eliminated from the playoffs Saturday and the Tennessean’s Adam Vingan tweets that Tolvanen is now free to sign with Nashville at any time.

Tolvanen scored a goal Saturday in Jokerit’s 4-3 loss to CSKA in Game 6 of their playoff series. The 30th pick in the 2017 draft has had a breakout year with Jokerit as he scored 21 goals and added 17 assists as a rookie.

However, TSN’s Bob McKenzie writes not to expect Tolvanen to hop on a plane and fly to Nashville tonight or even in the next day or two. McKenzie says that it may take some time for things to process, from a getting a release from Jokerit, to a contract, to dealing with immigration. Sportsnet’s John Shannon tweets the Predators will know more about Tolvanen’s status by Tuesday.

The other question that factors into the move will be whether or not the team chooses to burn Tolvanen’s first year of his entry-level deal. If he plays more than nine games between the regular season and the playoffs, he would burn that first-year of his ELC. However, while the team might be open to doing that to add another elite scorer for their playoff run, Vingan points out another factor the team will be considering as well. If there is an expansion draft for the Seattle franchise in 2020 (like many expect), Tolvanen would only be exempt from the draft if he does not play more than nine games this season. Assuming the franchise continues to be as deep as they are for the next few years, the Predators might rather have him exempt.

Ilya Kovalchuk Can Begin Talking To NHL Teams On April 15

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While many people are looking forward to free agency this summer, which includes a number of interesting players like John Tavares, James van Riemsdyk, John Carlson and Evander Kane, the NHL is also expected to get back Russia’s Ilya Kovalchuk this summer, who has made it clear he wants to return to the NHL.

What people may have forgotten, according to the New York Post’s Larry Brooks, is that Kovalchuk also finds himself in an exclusive category as he will become a unrestricted free agent on his 35th birthday, which will be on April 15, and the veteran can begin talking to teams then. While he cannot sign an actual contract for the 2018-19 season until July 1st, he can negotiate with teams and agree to a contract in principle after his birthday. That could prove to be a big advantage to other players who will have to wait for the pre-July 1st interview period to negotiate with teams.

Besides leading Russia to a gold medal at this year’s Olympic Games, Kovalchuk has produced big numbers in the KHL. Despite being in his mid-thirties, he has put up great numbers over the past two years. He has scored 32 goals in each of those seasons and combined for 143 points. While last year, he made it clear he wanted to play in New York or in Florida, Kovalchuk has stated he wants to win a Stanley Cup before he finishes his playing career, which could rule out most of those options from a year ago.

Kovalchuk’s SKA St. Petersburg team is currently in the second round of the KHL playoffs with his team leading 3-1 over Lokotomotiv.

Snapshots: Tavares & Barzal, Berube, Gustavsson, Tolvanen, McLain

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Having lost 10 out of their last 11 games this season, the New York Islanders look ready to make a major change as head coach Doug Weight plans to not only shake up their lines, but also put their two best players on the same lines for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers. The move, which was actually started Friday during the second period would force John Tavares to the wing position with rookie Mathew Barzal moving next to him at the center position, according to Andrew Gross of Newsday. Jordan Eberle will take over at right wing.

“It doesn’t mean he’s going to play wing and it doesn’t mean he’s not a centerman,” Weight said of Tavares. “It’s an experiment. Moving forward it gives them some experience together. I’m excited to see it.”

One has to wonder whether the move is made to see whether Barzal and Tavares might make a good fit, which could be another incentive, if it works, to convince Tavares to stay and re-sign with the franchise at the end of the season. The team has struggled offensively recently and neither player has stood out recently. Tavares has just two goals in the team’s last 10 games, while Barzal has just three in that same span.

  • While Corey Crawford is unlikely to return this year in goal for the Chicago Blackhawks, the real test for the remainder of the year will be to determine who will end up being his backup next year. The team has both current goaltenders, Jean-Francois Berube and Anton Forsberg, under contract for one more season. According to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times, the better of the two will likely assume the backup spot next year. Both are very similar as they both make the almost the same amount of money and are almost the same age. Lazerus believes that while neither goalie is perfect, Berube has been slightly more consistent than Lindholm, who has put up one of the worst save percentages in the league since Feb. 1 (.889) and has already been pulled six times this season.
  • The Ottawa Senators got some good news as 19-year-old prospect goaltender Filip Gustavsson is heading for the AHL. According to the Ottawaw Citizen’s Ken Warren, Gustavsson, who the Senators acquired in the Derick Brassard trade from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline, is expected to report to the Belleville Senators as his Lulea team in the Swedish Elite League was eliminated from the playoffs. He played 22 games in the SHL with a 2.07 GAA and a .918 save percentage.
  • On the other hand, the Nashville Predators are still keeping a close eye on the KHL playoffs as they watch the play of Eeli Tolvanen of Jokerit. The 2017 first-rounder saw his team drop their second straight playoff game to CSKA and if they get swept, Tolvanen could be free to sign with the Predators for their playoff run as early as Tuesday.
  • On a minor league note, the Iowa Wild of the AHL announced they signed Bowling Green forward Mitch McLain to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. The former captain was an nominee for the Hobey Baker Award and scored 53 goals for Bowling Green over the course of four seasons.

Latest On Ilya Kovalchuk’s Return

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Last offseason was hijacked at some points by Ilya Kovalchuk and his desire to return to the NHL. It seemed as though every day Kovalchuk would waver between returning and staying in the KHL, and eventually it became clear that he would not be able to find a deal that was acceptable for the New Jersey Devils. The Devils owned his exclusive rights, and would have needed to complete a sign-and-trade for Kovalchuk to play in the NHL during the 2017-18 season.

This year, the Devils aren’t part of the equation as Kovalchuk will be an unrestricted free agent, and it looks like we’re in for another sweepstakes (if you can call it that). Kovalchuk today was on Russian TV, and said that he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he didn’t try to win the Stanley Cup again. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express even tweets that Kovalchuk wants to play “several years” back in the NHL.

The first-overall pick in 2001, Kovalchuk will be 35 this summer when looking for a deal, which actually comes with both restrictions and opportunities. First of all, any contract he signs in the NHL now will cause a cap hit for the full duration regardless of what he chooses to do. If he retires, either legitimately or once again back to Russia, the full cap hit will be carried by whoever signed him (unless they trade his rights). Interestingly though it also brings the option for performance bonuses to be added to a deal, as long as it is for only one season.

Performance bonuses could be perfect for Kovalchuk, who obviously believes in his own ability but has been away from the NHL for several years. His last full season in North America was in 2011-12, and there’s no telling if he’ll be able to bring his former production this time around. Though he has remained one of the most productive players in the KHL this season, he’s part of a powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg squad who routinely rolls over opponents. Even if he signs with the Stanley Cup favorite (whoever that may be), the gap in talent between the best and worst teams in the NHL is much smaller than in the KHL. Kovalchuk will have to fight for every second of ice time in 2018-19.

The fact that he wants to win a Stanley Cup is interesting, given that several of the teams he previously mentioned as possibilities are entering a rebuild. Kovalchuk at one point said he wanted to play in either New York or Florida, but the Rangers are tearing it down and trying to get younger. The Islanders, though wanting to compete for the Cup, could be facing the loss of John Tavares in a few months, and have struggled down the stretch.

If Kovalchuk does come back to the NHL, which seems likely at this point, he’ll try to hit several milestones over the next few years. When he first left, the sniper had recorded 816 points in 816 career regular season games, including 417 goals and 399 assists. Even with his lost years to the KHL, if he played another few seasons there is a real possibility of him reaching 500 goals and 1,000 points.

Snapshots: NCAA, Fines, Tolvanen

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The NCAA is a breeding ground for NHL talent these days, and over the next few weeks the top free agents will be snapped up by clubs all across the league. Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that two names in particular are getting a ton of interest.

Daniel Brickley of Minnesota State has apparently been contacted by 30 teams, while Jimmy Schuldt from St. Cloud State has spoken to 22. Both players went undrafted and can sign with a team as soon as their collegiate season ends, though both are juniors and could potentially return to college for another year. Both are left-handed defensemen who could step into an NHL lineup with little development, and they both will turn 23 before the end of the regular season.

  • The NHL handed out embellishment fines to both Nick Cousins and Brad Marchand, for their second incidents of the season. The first time a player is caught embellishing by the league, he is given a warning. Now, Cousins and Marchand will have to pay $2,000 and could face stiffer penalties if it continues. On the fifth such incident, the player’s coach starts to be fined as well.
  • Eeli Tolvanen continued his dominance of the KHL today, scoring two goals to send Jokerit to the next round. That will unfortunately delay his appearance in the NHL even further. Adam Vingan of the Tennessean reports the earliest Tolvanen’s season could now end is March 20th, but could play even later than that if Jokerit keeps winning. The outstanding young sniper has seven goals in six playoff games after finishing the regular season with 36 points in 49 games.

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