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International Notes: Dyblenko, Granberg, Bengtsson

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After the New Jersey Devils placed Yaroslav Dyblenko on unconditional waivers earlier this month, the expectation was that he would return to the KHL. That expectation is now reality, as his agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey tweets out a congratulations on signing with SKA St. Petersburg. If nothing else, his foray into the North American circuit for a year improved his stock in Russia, as Dyblenko will now play for one of the league’s powerhouses.

Dyblenko never worked out in New Jersey, and ended up playing 54 games for the AHL Binghamton Devils instead. The 24-year old defenseman will be an unrestricted free agent again after his deal with SKA runs out, meaning we could see him back in North America at some point. That likely will only happen if a team can guarantee him an NHL job, something he’ll need to earn playing with his new club.

  • Petter Granberg is heading back to Sweden, signing a three-year deal with Skelleftea of the SHL. The former Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators defenseman was scheduled to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer after spending the entire year in the minor leagues. Granberg, selected in the fourth round back in 2010, looked like he was developing into a solid third pairing player at one point. That still might come, but we won’t be seeing him back in the NHL for the next few seasons.
  • Another Swedish defenseman is heading home, as Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Lukas Bengtsson has signed a three-year contract with Linkoping. Bengtsson was scheduled to be a restricted free agent this summer, and still hadn’t cracked the NHL lineup. Signing as an undrafted free agent with Pittsburgh in 2016, the 24-year old undersized defenseman recorded 15 points in 37 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season, but didn’t look to be in the long-term plans at any point.

Morning Notes: Backstrom, Mironov, Comets

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Nicklas Backstrom was present at the Washington Capitals morning skate today, but rotated in and out of the regular lineup. Head coach Barry Trotz wouldn’t give any indication whether the star playmaker would return tonight, calling him a game-time decision once again. Interestingly though as Tom Gulitti of NHL.com points out, Trotz revealed that Backstrom has not been medically cleared, something that was not previously known.

The Capitals are in good shape against the Tampa Bay Lightning as they head into game four up 2-1 in the series. Though the Lightning were able to avoid falling down 3-0 by winning game three, they have a lot of work to do to topple the Capitals. Backstrom’s return would make that even more difficult, especially if he can jump start the Washington powerplay once again.

  • Andrei Mironov has signed a three-year deal back in the KHL after being released by the Colorado Avalanche in March. The 23-year old defenseman never did fit into the Avalanche organization, playing just 10 games for the NHL squad this season. Mironov is technically an unrestricted free agent now that he agreed to a mutual termination with Colorado, meaning we may see him back in the NHL one day. That day will have to wait for now, as he returns to the KHL for Dynamo Moscow.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have signed Tanner MacMaster and Jagger Dirk to one-year AHL contracts, bringing them in after amateur tryouts coming out of college. MacMaster played 18 games for the Utica Comets including five postseason contests, scoring 11 points in the process. The 22-year old forward was a dominant player at Quinnipiac University this season, and will try to prove he can keep up the early performance in his first full season of professional hockey.

David Desharnais Signs With Yaroslavl Lokomotiv

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Though we’ve known for a while that David Desharnais would be heading to the KHL, we now know where he’ll play in 2018-19. Louis Jean of TVA Sports reports that Desharnais has signed with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, joining former NHL players like Maxime Talbot, Staffan Kronwall, and Brandon Kozun.

It’s surprising that Desharnais would make this decision so quickly, as even though there wasn’t likely a huge market for him this summer, he’s still a useful depth player. The 31-year old center had 28 points for the New York Rangers this season, and was once again a positive in the faceoff dot. Desharnais is obviously not the 60-point player of his youth, but there are plenty of teams that need fourth-line centers that can move up the lineup if needed.

Instead, he’ll avoid the perils of unrestricted free agency and go play in the KHL for the first time. The undrafted Desharnais spent some time in the NLA during the most recent lockout, but will have a new set of experiences playing in Russia. There is a good chance that he finds a lot of success for Lokomotiv, as he’s always been an effective offensive player when given the chance. It’s unclear how long he has signed for, but it’s likely that we’ll see Desharnais back in North America at some point.

Justin Azevedo Re-Signs In KHL

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As the NHL and professional hockey in general start to see more and more undersized players making an impact, many previously overlooked forwards are now being valued for their speed and skill. One of those, Justin Azevedo, is a perfect example. The 5’7″ forward found tremendous success in junior hockey before being selected in the sixth round by the Los Angeles Kings in 2008. After four successful years in the AHL without a single game at the NHL, he left for the international circuit, first heading to Finland before finding a home in the KHL.

The 30-year old Azevedo was recently named Gagarin Cup MVP after scoring 24 points in 19 games for the champion Ak Bars Kazan, and has been given a reward for that success. The team has re-signed the diminutive forward to a two-year contract, ending any speculation that he could consider a return to North America.

Playoff success is no new thing to Azevedo, who has led league postseason scoring in the OHL, Liiga and KHL in various years. Seemingly always showing up at the most important time, he even recorded 21 points in 27 AHL playoff games before heading overseas. It may be too late for him to ever make an impact in the NHL, and no guarantee that he’d even find success if someone were to give him a chance. For now, any fans will have to tune into his KHL matchups to see what he has on tap for an encore performance next season.

Latest On Ilya Kovalchuk

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One name that will grace the free agent market this summer and could be seen as a game-changer for some teams is Ilya Kovalchuk, as he returns from the KHL. Though now 35, some believe he still has what it takes to be an impact player in the NHL and could be one of the top free agents left come July 1st. It has been reported that Kovalchuk would prefer to play on the east coast in a place like New York or Florida, but there are no shortage of teams all over the league who could use a goal-scoring winger. One of those is the Edmonton Oilers, who have struggled to find enough talent to surround Connor McDavid.

That’s why it’s interesting that Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet notes in his latest column that the Oilers checked in on Kovalchuk. Friedman notes that “it won’t happen” and Bob Stauffer of 630 CHED adds that he believes the Oilers never even pursued the Russian winger. Edmonton will need to look elsewhere for their offensive upgrade, though it’s not clear where exactly it will come from.

For Kovalchuk, it’s unclear what his market will really be. Though it’s true that teams do need scoring wingers, he comes with more baggage than the average free agent. Not only does his history—”retiring” from the New Jersey Devils in the midst of a long-term contract to return to the KHL—stand against him with some front offices, but he also qualifies as a 35+ player this offseason. That means that a team would be held culpable for his cap hit regardless of any similar retirement decisions in the future, a risky prospect in the tight salary structures of many contenders. The Rangers, assumed the most appealing destination to Kovalchuk, are entering a mini-rebuild and may not want to spend money on an aging star. They have admitted their focus is on young players, and signing Kovalchuk for anything but big minutes and powerplay time is unlikely.

So, we’ll have to wait and see what kind of market emerges for the Russian sniper. It will likely be easier to count the teams interested than those who are not, though you can now place the Oilers firmly in the latter category.

Eeli Tolvanen Headed To World Championships For Finland

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Eeli Tolvanen must like flying. The 19-year old sniper has been added to the roster for Team Finland at the ongoing IIHF World Championships, just the latest chapter in an incredible season. Tolvanen played a full season in the KHL before signing and making his NHL debut with the Nashville Predators. Meanwhile, he also suited up for Finland at the World Juniors and Olympic Games.

Selected 30th-overall last June, Tolvanen has had quite the year. He broke several recorded for scoring in the KHL, and performed well at both previous international tournaments. Though he wasn’t able to make an impact in Nashville during their playoff run, he should carve out a full-time role there next year. Joining Finland at the World Championships, he has another chance to win an international medal before finishing his year.

The Predators will not be heading to the Western Conference finals this season after being knocked out by the Winnipeg Jets, but should contend for the Stanley Cup again next season. With players like Tolvanen and Dante Fabbro set to make an impact at the NHL level in the coming years, there doesn’t appear to be a lull coming in Nashville anytime soon.

Latest On Toronto Maple Leafs’ Pursuit Of Igor Ozhiganov

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For several months, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been the expected landing spot of KHL defenseman Igor Ozhiganov. That feeling has stemmed from the visit that Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock took in August of 2017, to meet with Ozhiganov and attempt to recruit him to Toronto. It’s the same playbook they used to land Nikita Zaitsev in the summer of 2016, a player they quickly extended after a solid first season.

Ozhiganov’s agent Dan Milstein had recently said that no decision has been made on where the defenseman will play next season, and now he’s clarified things even further. Darren Dreger of TSN passes along that it is either the Maple Leafs or KHL for Ozhiganov in 2018-19, with no other NHL teams being options for the 25-year old.

If Toronto does sign him, it may complicate things somewhat for their roster next season. Currently the team has only Zaitsev under contract as a right-handed defenseman, while Connor Carrick (RFA) and Roman Polak (UFA) head to free agency. Toronto used Ron Hainsey almost exclusively on the right side this season, but need to upgrade the position if they’re to take another step forward next year. While it’s hard to imagine Ozhiganov being given the same opportunity that Zaitsev was when he first came to Toronto, it seems unlikely that he’d be leaving Russia to play in the AHL. That means he’d have to take up the third spot on the right side, which is a risky proposition for a team looking to contend for the Stanley Cup.

Still, there is a long way to go before the ice is set for the 2018-19 season, and getting Ozhiganov under contract gives you another talented defenseman to work with. Whether through trade, free agency or something else, the Maple Leafs need to strengthen their defense corps and solidify their biggest weakness.

One has to wonder if part of the hold up for Ozhiganov is the potential departure of Lamoriello, who was moved out of the GM spot recently and has rumors circling around him. If Lamoriello was who sold the Maple Leafs organization to Ozhiganov in the first place, perhaps his absence would push the young defenseman back to the KHL.

KHL Notes: Ozhiganov, Valiev, Soshnikov

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Dan Milstein, the agent for many of the league’s top Russian players including Nikita Kucherov and Artemi Panarin, spoke about some of his lesser known clients recently with Championat, a Russian publication. In the interview, he would not confirm that Igor Ozhiganov will sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs, only that the defenseman will make a decision in the coming days.

Ozhiganov, 25, was visited by Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock earlier this season, in much the same process as Nikita Zaitsev the year prior. Many have believed for some time that he is destined to sign with the Maple Leafs, though nothing is certain yet.

  • Rinat Valiev, who was reported to be going to the KHL recently, has apparently not made that decision yet. Valiev will listen to offers from the Montreal Canadiens, as Milstein explained he was pleased when he got a chance at the NHL level. The former Maple Leafs prospect played in two games with the Canadiens after being traded midseason, and is a restricted free agent this summer.
  • Nikita Soshnikov, another former Maple Leafs player traded this time to the St. Louis Blues in early 2018, is also not committed to heading to Russia just yet. Milstein explained that St. Louis has already offered him a new one-way contract, but Soshnikov is considering heading back. Also a restricted free agent this summer, his rights are owned by SKA St. Petersburg, one of the most powerful teams in the KHL.

Snapshots: KHL, Oilers, Tkachuk

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Recently, Sport.Buisness-gazeta out of Russia published a list of players that were expected to leave the NHL this summer and return to the KHL. The list was made up of Nikolai Kulemin, Victor Antipin, Nikita Soshnikov, Rinat Valiev, Sergey Tolchinsky, Radel Fazleev, Andrey Pedan, Yaroslav Dyblenko, Sergei Boykov, Yakov Trenin and Anton Slepyshev. With the news this morning of Dyblenko’s pending contract termination, another one of the players have been confirmed to be returning. When added to the already confirmed exits of Tolchinsky, Valiev and others, it lends credibility to the entire list, meaning several others will likely be announced in the coming days.

Players like Soshnikov and Antipin were expected to be contributors to their NHL squads in 2018-19, but are both pending restricted free agents meaning they can easily go home if they so choose. For the NHL club, extending a qualifying offer will retain the exclusive negotiating rights with the player going forward, rights that won’t expire because of the lack of a transfer agreement between the two leagues.

  • The Edmonton Oilers are set to select 10th in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, but as Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal writes, GM Peter Chiarelli has made it clear they will explore trading the pick. Connor McDavid is already one of the best players in the league, and the Oilers need to take advantage of these prime years while they have them. Their defense corps just wasn’t good enough this season, and whoever they would take this season likely wouldn’t be ready to contribute until 2019-20 at the earliest. The Oilers have plenty of other tough decisions to make this summer, as they face contract negotiations with Darnell Nurse and Ryan Strome, and the daunting task of providing some support for McDavid up front. The team has already brought in some competition for Cam Talbot in the form of Mikko Koskinen, who cost the team a one-year $2.5MM contract.
  • Speaking of draft picks who won’t make an impact next season, Mike McMahon of College Hockey News is reporting that the plan right now is for Brady Tkachuk to return to Boston University for his sophomore season. Tkachuk is expected to be a top-5 pick in the upcoming entry draft, and could still obviously be convinced by an NHL team to leave school early. That may change the draft board for some of the top teams who want to compete in 2018-19 and are hoping for a player who can step right into the league in October.

Overseas Notes: Cameron, Lewis, Huska

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Dave Cameron did not stay unemployed for very long, though his new position is far from where he has made his living for the last thirty-odd years. The Erste Bank Liga (EBEL), a lower-tier European league based mostly in Austria, has announced that Cameron has been named the new head coach of the Vienna Capitals, the league’s reigning regular season champions. Cameron had been working as an assistant coach for the Calgary Flames for the past two seasons, but was relieved last month alongside head coach Glen Gulutzan. Prior to that position, he has served as the head coach for the Ottawa Senators after working his way up from long-time assistant. Even before that, Cameron was showing the breadth of his hockey mind as both the head coach and GM of several OHL franchises. Yet, this new job is his first outside of North America and brings with it the challenges of a brand new market and caliber of player. However, Cameron is an experienced coach and should find his way in no time at all in Vienna.

  • Another coach has not been so lucky. Dave Lewis, most well known for a long stint as assistant and head coach of the Detroit Red Wings from the late 80’s through the mid-2000’s, has lost his job with the Belarus national program, per insider Igor Eronko. Lewis, who also had a short-lived stint as Boston Bruins head coach and brief stops as an assistant with the Los Angeles Kings and Carolina Hurricanes, has been working for Belarus in various roles since 2014. He had guided four IIHF World Championship teams, an Olympic qualifying bid, and the team’s World Juniors appearance this season. However, just three games into the ongoing Worlds, national officials have clearly decided that they have had enough with the lack of success out of their long-time coach. Lewis has struggled to find results as a head coach over the years and the next step for the 64-year-old is a mystery.
  • Although Adam Huska likely has two years left at the University of Connecticut, HK Sochi of the KHL may have made a shrewd move in acquiring the KHL rights to the Slovak goaltender today. The team reported this morning that Huska’s rights had been transferred to Sochi from Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in exchange for forward Dmitri Lugin. Huska was a seventh-round pick of the New York Rangers in 2015, but given the team’s depth in goalie prospects – Alexandar Georgiev, Brandon Halverson, and mostly Igor Shestyorkin – it’s quite possible that Huska could choose to return home to Europe, in which case Sochi will gain a talented, young netminder. Huska posted a .912 save percentage and 2.59 GAA in 27 starts last year and should only continue to thrive in net for UConn before he makes his decision on turning pro.

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