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Danis Zaripov Has Two NHL Offers

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We heard yesterday that Danis Zaripov—the 36-year old Russian winger under a two-year KHL suspension for doping—had interest in the Tampa Bay Lightning, and now Darren Dreger of TSN gives us even more information. Zaripov is believed to have two NHL offers in hand already, and is waiting for two more before deciding where he’ll make his North American professional debut. Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times confirms that the Lightning are not one of those offers, even though they are one of a few “preferred landing spots” for Zaripov.

Zaripov represents a late-summer wildcard, as an unexpected free agent entering the market. His upside is that of a proven playoff performer who can chip in offense at a pretty consistent rate, but it is curious that he could sign before proven NHL scorers like Thomas Vanek and Jaromir Jagr. Zaripov spent one season in North America back in 1998 when he played for the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL, but was before his time as a slightly undersized forward.

That type of player is much more welcome in today’s NHL, and there is definitely interest in bringing him aboard. Outside of the Lightning, the Rangers have been tenuously linked and Evgeni Malkin has thrown his support behind bringing him into the Penguins’ locker room. He’ll likely be brought in on a one-year deal in order to use performance bonuses to mitigate risk.

Latest On Danis Zaripov’s NHL Search

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Legendary KHL winger Danis Zaripov was cleared to sign with an NHL club this week despite his ongoing two-year suspension from the Russian league, and yesterday we learned that the Tampa Bay Lightning had made contact. Today, that connection becomes even more apparent as Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Lightning are a “preferred landing spot” for Zaripov’s camp.

The 36-year old shares an agent—Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey—with both Nikita Kucherov and Vladislav Namestnikov, and Tampa Bay has a long history with giving opportunities to Russian players. Zaripov, who is one of the greatest playoff performer in KHL history, could find a nice temporary home with the Lightning as he appeals his suspension.

The two-year ban was handed out earlier this year, but the NHL ruled that Zaripov wouldn’t have been suspended under their internal doping policy. He’s clear to sign a contract with anyone, and since he’s over the age of 35 it could include performance bonuses (should it be just one year in length). The Lightning have just over $3.25MM in projected cap room for the season.

Agent: Athanasiou’s KHL And NHL Offers Very Different

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Ansar Khan of Mlive reports that still-unsigned RFA Andreas Athanasiou’s agent told Mlive that there is a “considerable difference in the amount of money” between offers from the Detroit Red Wings and KHL clubs. Athanasiou is coming off his ELC and looking for a significant raise.

Last season Athanasiou scored 18G and 11A in 64 games in just his second NHL season. The year before he potted 8G and 5A in 37 games, while splitting time with Detroit and its AHL affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins.

Previous reports indicate that Athanasiou is considering signing in the KHL if he cannot obtain a satisfactory contract in the NHL, but some think the KHL threats are mere posturing. Red Wings GM Ken Holland said that the team has made multiple offers based on who the organization felt were comparable player contracts. Detroit also faces a cap crunch that makes things even more difficult. Right now the Red Wings exceed the salary cap by approximately $3MM, though will gain around $3.9MM once the season starts and the team places injured Johan Franzen on LTIR.

Morning Notes: Zaripov, Campoli, Byron

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Danis Zaripov has entered the NHL free agent market after being cleared to sign despite a two-year ban in the KHL, and he is one of the most interesting wildcards this late in the summer. Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Lightning have checked in on him, but there has been no contract talks between the two sides.

More interestingly, Igor Eronko of Sport-Express quotes Evgeni Malkin saying that he would “like to see Danis Zaripov in Penguins. I’d enjoy plaing with him on one line.” Zaripov isn’t the answer the Penguins need at center, but would be an interesting addition to their wing depth.

  • Jeff Cox reports that Vegas Golden Knights draft pick Nick Campoli will not be attending Clarkson University as originally planned, and instead will play for the Sioux City Musketeers this season. Campoli was a sixth-round pick this summer, and had played in the OJHL to maintain his college eligibility. Cox reports that he will attempt to take enough courses to regain eligibility and join Clarkson in 2018-19.
  • Blaine Byron explains to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet why he made the decision to pass up an entry-level contract to sign an AHL deal with the Florida Panthers. Byron considers Florida his best shot at making the NHL, and could see a clear path there for him. The huge number of University of Maine alumni in the management and coaching staff probably helped him feel that way, but there is also a clear need for NHL-level forwards in the Florida system. Byron could make the jump sooner than later, meaning an entry-level deal could be signed before long anyway.

David Booth Expected To Sign PTO With Detroit Red Wings

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In a day filled with professional tryout signings, Craig Custance of The Athletic reports that another one is close at hand. David Booth is expected to sign a PTO with the Detroit Red Wings, marking a possible return after two years in the KHL.

Booth last played in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014-15, scoring 13 points in 59 games. That was a far cry from his career-high of 31 goals and 60 points, marks he registered in a dream 2008-09 season with the Florida Panthers. Two other seasons he recorded 40+ points, but those years seem like ages ago for the 32-year old. Last year he scored just ten points in 31 games for Omsk including their playoff run, and he’ll have to show that he’s both healthy and contributing in order to get a contract from the Red Wings.

Custance also notes that Danis Zaripov, the suspended KHL winger looking for work in the NHL has been connected to the Red Wings, and that his vacancy from Ak Bars may have caused them to reach out and offer Andreas Athanasiou a contract. Zaripov was cleared to sign with an NHL team yesterday, but finds himself looking for a guarantee after teams have already built their rosters.

Prospect Notes: Khovanov, Jokiharju, Rookie Camps

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It’s been an up-and-down summer for Alexander Khovanov. Expected to be a top pick in the 2018 draft, Khovanov was planning on coming to Canada to join the junior ranks and compete right in front of the eyes of NHL scouts. Because of his public commitment, he went second-overall to the Moncton Wildcats in the CHL Import Draft, but eventually re-signed with Ak Bars in the KHL for three years.

Now, according to the Moncton Times & Transcript, Khovanov will miss at least six months of development due to contracting hepatitis A. He’s battling the illness in Russia. It’s a tough break for a player who was expected to go somewhere in the first round, as his draft year is compromised almost entirely. Hockey fans will hope for a quick recovery from the young forward.

  • Scott Powers of The Athletic catches us up on several of the Chicago Blackhawks’ prospects, including Henri Jokiharju who is now considered likely to start training camp with the club. Last we heard it was in doubt after he suffered a knee injury in July. Jokiharju was the Blackhawks’ first-round selection this year, and will likely return to the Portland Winterhawks where he was outstanding as a 17-year old rookie. Scoring 48 points in 78 games, he was one of the most impressive puck-rushing defensemen in the entire WHL, and should only develop further this year.
  • Our friends over at Roster Resource have added the rookie camp rosters for all the teams who have announced them thus far, giving you a quick look at who will be competing over the next few weeks. The site has also added depth charts all the way down through the ECHL, giving unprecedented information all in one place for your favorite team. Make sure to keep their page bookmarked all season for an easy check of where players are stationed throughout the year.

Danis Zaripov Cleared To Sign In NHL

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As we discussed this weekend, banned KHL player Danis Zaripov had started the process to become eligible for a contract in the NHL. Today, his agent Dan Milstein released a statement from the Russian forward thanking the NHL for allowing him to pursue contracts here in North America. Zaripov had been given a two-year doping ban from the KHL for testing positive both for a prohibited substance and masking agent. He is appealing the decision, but will likely sign in the NHL in the interim.

The NHL issued a press release on Zaripov, which among other things indicated that his test results would not have triggered a suspension under the NHL’s own prohibited substance list. The NHL operates separately from the World Anti-Doping Agency and the IIHF governing body, issuing its own drug tests and policies.

Zaripov is a legendary KHL player who has won the Gagarin Cup four times, holds five World Championship medals and competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Though he’s on the back-half of his career, he still registered 45 points for Magnitogorsk in just 56 games and added 22 more (including 15 goals) in 18 playoff games. He’s been one of the most impressive playoff performers in the KHL and Russian leagues for his entire career, and could add a different wrinkle to a team in the NHL.

An even more interesting factor for Zaripov is his age. While he’ll face no entry-level restrictions upon coming to the NHL, any contract he does sign will be held to the 35+ restrictions and allowances. That means that he presents some risk on a long-term deal, but could also be signed to an incentive-laden one-year deal which is what he’ll likely end up with. Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press tweets that Milstein expects a one-year pact, which would allow him to reevaluate next summer.

Nikita Zaitsev Helping Maple Leafs’ Russian Recruitment

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Mike Babcock and Lou Lamoriello of the Toronto Maple Leafs spent some time in Russia recently, where they met personally for dinner with Igor Ozhiganov in an early attempt at recruiting the KHL defenseman. The pair had completed a similar visit a year prior to bringing Nikita Zaitsev over, and many believed they were attempting to do the same thing. Now Zaitsev himself has admitted to helping the Maple Leafs recruitment efforts, telling Sovsport (via Andrey Osadchenko) that he was even present at the dinner:

Igor asked my opinion. I told him he should sign with the Leafs. Actually, I was with him at one of the dinners he had with the Leafs representatives. I was even his interpreter. That’s just being a part of the Leafs organization. Not only do you play in the NHL and build your career, but you also help others.

Ozhiganov remains under contract for one more season with CSKA Moscow, but it would be hard for the 24-year old to ignore the advice of a former teammate. Zaitsev was signed to a seven-year, $31.5MM extension after just one season in Toronto, giving him some financial and personal stability as he continues his hockey career. Both players were undrafted because of the relative obscurity they played their youth hockey in, but have turned into capable professional defensemen in recent years.

The NHL and KHL don’t actually have a transfer agreement, but normally respect each other’s contracts. The Maple Leafs are being quite bold by meeting a player under contract still, but will wait to see if Ozhiganov comes over next season to give them another almost free asset. Like Zaitsev, he’d be signing just a one-year entry-level contract if he does and be able to cash in on a good performance right away.

Dan Sexton: A Top U.S. Olympic Option?

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With an NHL-free Olympics all but certain at this point, every country will need to take a different path toward filling out their rosters for the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The field promises to be much more wide open than what the world has traditionally seen in the past 20-odd years. European squads have the benefit of entire leagues worth of talent to call upon, while Canada and the U.S. will be short-handed by not being able to use those in the NHL or even in the AHL on two-way contracts.

Thus far, many have assumed that the North American power houses will draw primarily from AHL contracts, while potentially scooping up those playing in Europe or even some NCAA players as well. For the United States, USA Today estimates that there are 200 Americans playing abroad this season, yet they mention only a few names, such as Mark Arcobello, Drew Shore, and Andy Miele, as foreign options before again turning their attention toward the minors and collegiate game.

However, one name that has seemingly slipped through the cracks in early Olympic consideration is KHL forward Dan Sexton. Far from a household name, the 30-year-old Sexton played college hockey at Bowling Green University before signing with the Anaheim Ducks in 2009. Sexton skated in 88 games with the Ducks between the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons, recording 32 points in a bottom-six role. Sexton routinely watched from the press box as well, and after four years with Anaheim spent largely in the AHL and as the team’s extra forward, he decided to move on with his hockey career. After a breakout campaign of nearly point-per-game scoring with TPS of the Finnish Liiga in 2013-14, the Minnesota-native signed on with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the KHL and hasn’t looked back. In 2014-15, he kept his torrid pace up, scoring 47 points in 49 games in what many consider to be the best hockey league in the world behind the NHL. After an injury-riddled, albeit still productive, 2015-16 season, Sexton was back at it last year. With 50 points in 51 games, Sexton finished in the top 15 in KHL scoring and was tenth overall in points per game. He was the top-scoring right wing in the entire league. Sexton is far and away the best American in the league, especially with Brandon Bochenski now retired, and will look to hold on to that title through Olympic selection process. Thus far in the early KHL season, Sexton is tied for the league lead in scoring with none other than Pavel Datsyuk with five points in three contests.

With many Olympic candidates lacking the name recognition and pedigree that NHLers would normally bring, the most important qualifier for selection to Team USA will likely simply be “what have you done for me lately?”. The hottest players in the top non-NHL league will most likely get the call. Even though the United States boasts a talented group of young options in the AHL and NCAA, it will be hard to ignore the veteran Sexton if he continues to produce at high level in Europe’s top hockey league. A small, but speedy play-maker who has clearly adjusted well to the international game, Sexton could very well be one of the highlights of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games for American fans.

KHL’s Danis Zaripov Considering Coming To U.S.

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman writes that there may be another NHL free agent entering the market soon. KHL’s Danis Zaripov, a 36-year-old winger, who was suspended in July for two years by the International Ice Hockey Federation, is considering leaving Russia and coming to the United States to finish out his career.

According to Friedman, a KHL media release stated that Zaripov samples “contained banned stimulants plus substances prohibited as diuretics and masking agents.”

While Zaripov stated he’d appeal, he also started the process to become eligibile to play in the U.S. and according to Friedman, that process might come to a conclusion next week. His former team already voided his contract, so he has no contractual commitment. There has already been some interest from a couple of teams, including the New York Rangers and the Vegas Golden Knights.

Zaripov, who has played his entire career in Russia, put up 16 goals and 29 assists last season with Magnitogorsk Metallurg. However, it was his playoff run last year that turned some heads. He scored 15 goals and added seven assists in 18 playoff games to reach the championship finals.

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