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James Wisniewski Leaves KHL Club

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James Wisniewski is on the move again. After failing to find an NHL contract this off-season, likely due to missing nearly all of 2015-16 with the Carolina Hurricanes with an injury, Wisniewski settled for a professional tryout with the Tampa Bay Lightning during preseason. Wisniewski was unable to make the most of his PTO and was cut by the team before the regular season began. He then joined the KHL’s Admiral Vladivostok, where he has played for the past two months. However, Wisniewski himself announced his departure from the team this week.

Wisniewski now plans to head to Switzerland where he will join Team Lugano for the upcoming Spengler Cup. The Spengler Cup is an international invitational tournament hosted each year by Swiss NLA club HC Davos every holiday season. The tournament includes mostly European pro teams, usually from the NLA and KHL, as well as a non-NHL/AHL team from Canada. HC Lugano is a fellow NLA team taking part in the tournament this year. Wisniewski will now join the squad, which already employs former NHLers Maxim Lapierre, Damien Brunner, and Ryan Wilson. While it has not been officially announced whether or not Wisniewski will continue to play for Lugano in the NLA season following the Spengler Cup, it is a safe assumption.

So far in 2016-17, Wisniewski had a goal and three assists in 16 games with Admiral Vladivostok, usually skating alongside former NHL defenseman Anton Volchenkov. The KHL team was a ways out from contention though, 23 points behind in their division. Wisniewski now joins a more talented team in Lugano, who is primed to fight for a playoff spot this season. Wisniewski brings 552 games of NHL experience, as well as 274 career points worth of skill to his new team.

Weekend Milestones: Meier, Zaitsev, Lundqvist

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It’s finally #TimoTime. After fans have been calling for him since the start of the season, the San Jose Sharks finally brought up prized prospect Timo Meier to the NHL after Logan Couture suffered an injury. The former top-ten pick showed his physical play early on, scoring a goal on his first NHL shot, a loose puck in front of Carey Price midway through the first period. Meier basically caught a shot from David Schlemko with his stick inches from the blue paint, then tucked it around the Montreal netminder on his backhand.

Though the 20-year old winger played just 10 minutes, he recorded three shots and two hits and flew around the ice.  His power-forward style is a perfect fit for a Sharks team that loves to forecheck and possess the puck as much as possible down low. If Meier can continue to put up points in limited minutes, perhaps he’ll move up the lineup as the season progresses. For now, he’ll just soak in every second of being in the NHL – even if it is coming easy to him thus far.

  • In Toronto on Saturday night, another player recorded his first NHL goal, though it is by no means his first professional one. Nikita Zaitsev, a Maple Leafs rookie who has played seven seasons in the KHL, notched his first in a 2-1 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Zaitsev only turned 25 a month ago, having played in the Russian professional league since he was 17. Skating alongside Morgan Rielly for the majority of his icetime, Zaitsev has 11 points in 30 games and has garnered high praise from head coach Mike Babcock. His best season in Russia was in 2014-15 when the Moscow native scored 32 points in 57 games for his hometown team. Logging 22 minutes a night, he’ll look to provide that kind of impact for the Maple Leafs this season. He’s a restricted free agent at the end of the year.
  • For one of the most well-respected goaltenders in the history of the game, Saturday night was just another win. In reality it put Henrik Lundqvist needs just one win away from tying Dominik Hasek as the leader all-time among European-born goaltenders. As Dan Rosen reports, Lundvist now has 388 wins in 708 games, while it took Hasek 735 to amass his 389. Passsing Hasek would put Lundqvist 12th all-time, and within striking distance of the top 10. The play of Antti Raanta may have caused some to question who the best goaltender in New York is currently, but if you ask people about the best in Rangers history, you’ll be sure to get a lot of ’King Henrik’ answers.
  • One of the most polarizing figures in hockey for his entire career has been John Tortorella. Always in the headlines for something he’s said or a new coaching method, he often wears out his welcome in cities sooner than later.  You can’t exactly argue with his resume though, with a Stanley Cup victory and Jack Adams award with his name on it. Not only does he have the upstart Columbus Blue Jackets in a playoff spot currently (and way ahead of their pace from last year) he’ll go for his 500th career win Sunday against Vancouver, the team that fired him in 2014 after just a single (disastrous) season. Only 23 other coaches have ever reached the mark, and at 58 he still has many years left. While he’ll never reach the all-time mark set by Scotty Bowman (1244 wins is still more than 400 more than second place, Joel Quenneville), he’ll likely end up somewhere in the top-20. If Columbus continues their current pace and development of young players, maybe he’ll go down as the first coach to take the franchise past the first round.

Minor Transactions: Canucks, Predators, Leafs, Bruins

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Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning announced today that a trio of players has been sent down to the Utica Comets of the AHL. Center Joseph Labate and defenseman Andrey Pedan, both recent promotions, will head back to upstate New York. For Labate, it was the first NHL call-up of his career. In three games, Labate failed to register a point, but was an effective physical presence on the ice. A 2011 fourth-round pick, Labate had a successful four-year career at the University of Wisconsin before joining Utica last year for his first full pro season. Pedan, a native of Lithuania, played in 13 games with the Canucks in 2015-16, but was held scoreless and fell victim to some noticeable defensive mistakes. He did not get into a game on this most recent call-up. The hulking blue liner had his best pro season with Utica last year, but still has yet to hit his stride at the pro level. His physical dominance with the OHL’s Guelph Storm led to him being selected by the New York Islanders in the third round in 2011, but has not been as noticeable at the next level.

Meanwhile, the third demotion is Anton Rodin, who heads to Utica for a conditioning stint. The reigning MVP of the Swedish Elite League, Rodin is still making his way back from the injury that shortened his season in Sweden last year. In a strange change of direction, Rodin, who looked healthy (and promising) in the preseason, was suddenly unable to play and placed on IR to start the regular season. The shifty, skilled winger now hopes to make his NHL debut soon, as the conditioning stint is the last stop on his road to recovery. It has been a long time coming for a player that Vancouver drafted in 2009. In need of a boost, the Canucks can only hope that Rodin immediately fits in at the NHL level, much like when Carl Soderberg finally made the trip across the Atlantic to join the Boston Bruins in 2013.

In other minor moves:

  • In an identical series of moves, the Nashville Predators assigned two players to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals today and sent a third along as well on a conditioning stint. Forward Frederick Gaudreau, recently-signed defenseman Adam Pardy, and recently-claimed forward Reid Boucher are headed north to join the Admirals. The 23-year-old rookie Gaudreau (no relation) was recalled two weeks ago, but in eight games since he has just one point. In need of further seasoning, the Predators have sent down the former minor league free agent. Not quite a rookie, the 32-year-old Pardy was signed last month to provide some veteran depth on the blue line for a Nashville squad that prides themselves off of solid defensive play. Pardy has skated in just one NHL game thus far in 2016-17, but will continue to be the next man up for the Predators. In a much-maligned move, the New Jersey Devils placed Boucher on waiver on December 3rd, and Nashville GM David Poile was happy to scoop him up. In and out of the Devils lineup for years, the team decided to move on from the 23-year-old despite the fact that 2015-16 was his first real NHL chance and he scored 19 points in 39 games. Boucher has played in just one game for Nashville so far as he deals with lingering injury concerns, but expect him back with the squad shortly.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Vladimir Bobylyov has left the KHL and returned to the WHL, his junior team revealed. The 19-year-old winger, a fifth-round pick by the Leafs this past June, had originally decided to leave the Victoria Royals and return home to Russia to play pro. However, after little production with the KHL’s Spartak Moskva and even a demotion to their minor league affiliate, Bobylyov decided that he preferred Canadian juniors. He now heads back to Victoria, where he scored 67 points in 72 games and was an astounding +45 last season. Showing a commitment to North American hockey is never a bad idea for a young Russian player like Bobylyov, and the move is likely preferable for Toronto. The Royals are surely happy to have him back too.
  • The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver reports that the time limit on the tryout agreements for Matt Bartkowski and Peter Mueller has run out, but that the Providence Bruins have extended contract offers to both and they are expected to accept. Mueller has been a top six forward for the AHL team, with 14 points in 19 games while playing key roles on both the power play and penalty kill. His presence has also helped with the development of youngsters Jake DeBrusk, Peter Cehlarik, and Danton Heinen. Bartkowski has been less impressive, with seven points, a -2 rating, and 23 penalty minutes. He has been outplayed by another veteran looking to stay relevant in Alex Grant, as well as rookie Matt Grzelcyk. The Providence Bruins are currently on a league-best 12-game point streak.

Raman Hrabarenka Signs In KHL

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Former New Jersey Devils prospect Raman Hrabarenka has become the latest player to put his NHL dreams on hold and head overseas. The 24-year-old defenseman signed on with Dynamo Minsk of the KHL today, affording him the opportunity to play in the capital city of his home country of Belarus.

An undrafted free agent in 2012, Hrabarenka went unnoticed by NHL teams looking for defensive depth and ended up signing a minor league deal with the AHL’s Albany Devils. His apparent transparency was not unfounded; Hrabarenka played just two seasons of major junior hockey and didn’t begin to pick up his play until the second half of year two. Hrabarenka joined the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles for the 2010-11 season, but by the midway point of the 2011-12 league year, he had contributed just 15 points in 80 games. At about 6’3″, 220 lbs., Hrabarenka is more of a physical, stay-at-home defenseman, but in a league fueled by offense like the QMJHL, players with little offensive upside don’t last long. The Eagles traded Hrabarenka to the Drummondville Voltigeurs, only to watch him hit his stride after a change of scenery. Hrabarenka recorded 14 points, and also played the best defensive hockey of his junior career, in 27 games with Drummondville. The Albany Devils must have noticed the improvement, as they were able to snag the big man in free agency that spring.

Able to settle into a more comfortable role as a shutdown defender in the AHL, Hrabarenka impressed many in his first pro season. Although he had just five points, he was a plus player that occasionally showed flashes of puck-moving ability. Not wanting another team to steal him away from their affiliate, the New Jersey Devils signed Hrabarenka to his first NHL deal in the summer of 2013, a three-year two-way deal worth $2.78MM. Hrabarenka looked like a strong investment over the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, with his points jumping up to 21 and 27 respectively and his defensive reliability remaining consistent. He even made his NHL debut in a late-season game in 2015. However, Hrabarenka was unable to win a spot in camp last season and over the course of the AHL season regressed back into a one-dimensional checking defenseman. Unable to find a guaranteed contract this summer, Hrabarenka joined the Toronto Maple Leafs on a professional tryout agreement, but was one of the final cuts from camp just days before the start of the new season.

Disappointed with the lack of interest in North America, Hrabarenka is now headed home to Belarus. Much like the QMJHL, the KHL is an offense-driven league that is often hard on defensive defenseman. If Hrabarenka is able to maintain his physical dominance and defensive instincts against the speed and skill in that league, especially the division rival SKA St. Petersberg squad, he’ll be on NHL radars next summer and may get the opportunity to pursue the dream yet again.

Akim Aliu Signs In ECHL (Update: AHL PTO)

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Update (2/12/2017): Everyone’s favorite Nigerian-Ukrainian hockey player is getting closer to a return to the NHL. Columbus Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline reports that Aliu has signed a professional tryout offer with the Jackets’ AHL affiliate, the defending Calder Cup champion Cleveland Monsters. While an AHL tryout is still very far away from an NHL call-up, it’s certainly a step closer than an ECHL deal. If he performs well in Cleveland and earns a contract, he could be playing with friend, junior teammate, and Columbus captain Nick Foligno by next season. Aliu has 12 points in 13 ECHL games so far this season and, unbelievably, 61 penalty minutes as well.

12/6/2016: One of the more interesting prospects of the last decade is back in North America. Akim Aliu, a second-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks back in 2007, has signed with the Florida Everblades, the ECHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes. Aliu returns to the United States after playing with Amur Khabarovsk of the KHL last season.

A native of Okene, Nigeria, Aliu is one of three native Africans to ever play in the NHL, and the only one to line up at forward. Much like fellow countryman Rumun Ndur and the legendary Olaf Kolzig, Aliu left Africa at a young age, spending much of his young life living in Ukraine. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, Aliu’s family moved to Canada, where he discovered hockey. Despite having never played the game before, Aliu was such a natural talent that he was drafted into the Ontario Hockey League after just a few years on the ice.

In his first junior season with the Windsor Spitfires, Aliu was involved in a highly publicized incident with teammate Steve Downie, after Aliu refused to take part as the victim of a hazing ritual. This led to Downie attacking Aliu in practice which then led to a fight. Both players were suspended and demanded trades out of Windsor.

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NHL Eyeing Exhibition Game In China; Continues History Of International Play

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According to TSN’s NHL Insider Darren Dreger, the NHL is expected to play an exhibition game in China next season. While the NHL is easily the most nationally diverse of the “Big Four” North American sports leagues and has a history of playing international games, this would be their first foray into the world’s most populous country. Whether it be just one or a series of exhibition games next season, the league building a relationship with China will result in much fanfare and a great opportunity for the growth of the game.

International play is no stranger to the NHL. As far back as 1938, the league has played games overseas. That year, the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens played a nine-game Spring series in England and France. Twenty years later, the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers did the same thing, committing to a 23-game European tour in late April and all of May. The teams visited England, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, and West Germany. In 1976, the Washington Capitals and Kansas City Scouts played four games in Japan, the NHL’s first international event in Asia. The Capitals have been busy on the international stage ever since, playing five games against the Minnesota North Stars in Stockholm, Sweden in 1980 and competing against the New York Rangers and several Swedish and Finnish pro teams in a tournament hosted by the two countries in 1981. The team from the United States capital was back at it in 1989, joined by the Calgary Flames in a series of games against European teams that took place throughout Sweden and what used to be Czechoslovakia and the USSR. The NHL returned to Sweden and the USSR the following year with an exhibition tournament including the Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota North Stars, while a similar tournament took place at the same time in West Germany and Austria featuring the St. Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers.

While international play has not been eliminated since then, it has been dialed back significantly. Gone are the days when the NHL would send it’s teams to Europe for weeks at a time. Instead, small two or three game series took place throughout the 1990’s and early 2000’s, with teams frequently playing in London, Tokyo, Helsinki and Stockholm over the years, as well as more obscure places like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres taking on Austrian pro teams in 1998 or the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers squaring off in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2006. From 2009 to 2011, the league would send a handful of teams over to Europe during preseason to each play exhibition games against local teams or NHL foes. While many of the games took place in the usual countries, some highlights included the Chicago Blackhawks in Zurich, Switzerland in 2009, the Boston Bruins visiting Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2010, and the first visits to former Soviet nations like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Latvia in 2010 and 2011.

However, if an exhibition game in China does come to be in 2017-18, it will be new territory for the NHL. Other than games in Japan, Asia is largely untouched by the world’s best hockey league. However, that doesn’t mean that the game has not grown regardless. The popularity of hockey in China has been on the rise for years now. The KHL was the first league to notice the trend, playing exhibition games in the country before finally establishing an expansion team there, the Kunlun Red Star, who are currently playing in their inaugural season. That’s not to say that the NHL has been slow on the uptake though. Last year, the Boston Bruins became the first team to strike a sponsorship deal with a Chinese company, O.R.G. Packaging, and sent players and personnel over this summer to conduct hockey clinics and share the brand around the country. Winger Matt Beleskey even documented the trip for the Players’ Tribune. With the NHL formalizing it’s interest in the country, expect more teams to follow suit, building relationships in one of the world’s most influential countries. Although the Bruins may have already built a local fan base and the Capitals were the NHL’s ambassadors throughout the 70’s and 80’s, it appears that the league is intent on sending west coast teams across the Pacific for the game. Though nothing is finalized, Dreger reports that early indications are that if one game is to be played it will be between the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks.

With the next two Winter Olympic Games slated for Pyeongchang, South Korea and Beijing, China, hockey culture in Asia is more important now than it has ever been. Grassroots hockey has grown throughout the continent and we are seeing the best skill to ever come out of Asia. Japan and South Korea are both ranked in the top 25 by the IIHF, and their rankings have been improving each year. There is no doubt that the game has taken hold of the Far East. Hockey is a global game and the NHL is the undisputed face of the sport. A growing relationship between the league and a country with a population nearing 1.4 billion can only be good for the game. Hockey in China has a bright future and the NHL deserves credit for fostering its growth with plans for exhibition events.

Jakub Nakladal Signs In KHL

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One of this off-season’s more intriguing stories has finally come to an end, as Jakub Nakladal has opted to sign overseas, giving up his dream of finding an NHL team… at least for now. The 28-year-old defenseman has joined Lokomotiv Yaroslavl on a one-year contract, as confirmed by KHL insider Aivis Kalnins. Nakladal will immediately become one of the most talented defenseman in the Kontinental League.

After a long, successful career in Europe, including multiple seasons in the KHL, Nakladal made the trip across the Atlantic prior to last season after signing a one-year, $925K deal with the Calgary Flames. Though he appeared in only 27 games with the team and posted just five points, the Flames’ fan base was highly supportive of bringing the Czech native back for another year. Nakladal had been very impressive in 35 games with Calgary’s AHL affiliate, the Stockton Heat, and had done enough in his limited NHL minutes to impress many fans. A stay-at-home defenseman who is very sound in his own end but also has strong possession numbers, implying an ability to move the puck as well. Many felt that, given the opportunity to play more and show his ability, Nakladal could turn out to be top-six defenseman. Although he is not much of a scorer or play-maker, Nakladal is a responsible blue liner who could have helped a young, offensively-minded Flames squad.

Instead, the summer dragged on and no contract offer came from Calgary. As July turned to August, and the free agent market for defenseman dried up, Nakladal was left as one of the few viable options available. Despite rumors, no firm offer ever presented itself. Even after Nakladal impressed many on the global stage with a strong performance with the Czech Republic team that surprised many at the World Cup of Hockey, nothing came immediately following. Finally, on October 9th, Nakladal signed a one-year, $600K pact with the Carolina Hurricanes. However, it seemed that as soon as he got there he was gone. After playing in just three games and posting a -4, the Hurricanes terminated Nakladal’s contract just two weeks ago after he cleared waivers. Nakladal was a free agent once more and it was clear that there was no market for his services in the NHL this season.

Now, Nakladal heads back home to Europe, where he has spent the majority of his career, and is set to join Lokomotiv. Currently third in the Tarasov Division of the KHL’s Western Conference, Lokomotiv is one of the better defensive teams in the league and is about to get even better. Joining former NHLers like Max Talbot, Brandon Kozun, and Stanislav Chistov, Nakladal hopes to shine for Lokomotiv this season and lead the team to success in an effort to again try to earn the attention of NHL decision makers. Expect the defensive defenseman to try his luck at an NHL deal again next summer, as time is running out as he approaches 30 years old.

 

Across The Pond: KHL

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Roughly halfway through the Kontinental Hockey League season, things are looking good… for prospective NHL off-season buyers. The majority of the “second best” league’s top scorers thus far are impending free agents and a majority of that subset play for the best team in the league and may be in search of a new challenge should they take home the league championship without much of a struggle.

When SKA Saint Petersberg added Pavel Datsyuk, Viktor Tikhonov, Sergei Plotnikov, and Alexander Khokhlachev this summer, it was assumed that they would be the team to beat in 2016-17. However, no one could have expected that 35 games in they would be 29-2-4 with a goal differential of 99 and a 30-point lead in their division. SKA appears poised to breeze to a league championship this season. Then what? Leading scorer, and a name known to NHL fans, Ilya Kovalchuk has made it known that he would consider returning to the NHL. Kovalchuk is currently second in the KHL in points (to veteran winger Sergei Mozyakin of Mettalurg Magnitogorsk) with 49. The former #1 overall pick is still only 33 years old, and could use Jaromir Jagr as a model of how a few years out of the NHL early in your career can extend your career in North America. For Kovalchuk to rejoin to the New Jersey Devils, the rest of the teams in the league would have to approve of his return from NHL retirement. While they may not want to make a competitor stronger, the decision could also open doors for Kovalchuk’s teammates to follow suit.

Kovalchuk’s linemate, and the fifth leading scorer in the KHL, is Vadim Shipachyov. The 29-year-old skilled center has been on the radar of NHL teams for years, especially after back-to-back seasons of over a point-per-game production and elite postseason performances with SKA. He’s putting on a repeat performance in 2016-17, with a league-leading 30 assists and nine goals in 28 games. Shipachyov could finally make the jump to North America if he follows friend and role model Kovalchuk. Likewise, SKA’s Evgeni Dadonov could join his teammates overseas. The 2007 third-round pick of the Florida Panthers couldn’t stick in the NHL in his first go-round, despite scoring 20 points in 55 games in parts of three seasons, but has dominated the KHL since his return to Russia. The 27-year-old winger is on pace for his best season yet, and could draw the attention of a Florida team that has had more than it’s fair share of struggles so far this season. A small, fast forward, Dadonov has the tools to excel in today’s NHL. Another player in Saint Petersberg having an unbelievable year is Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Nikita Gusev. The KHL’s third ranked scorer with 44 point in 33 games, the 24-year-old was a steal by the Bolts in the seventh round of the 2012 draft. While he’s still signed on in Russia for a couple more years, don’t be surprised to see the talented scorer join Tampa sooner rather than later and make a contender that much more dangerous.

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Metro Division Snapshots: Islanders, Hall, Stolarz

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The use of advanced statistics and analytics is becoming more prevalent in the NHL with each passing year. Along with that, advances in technology have improved both the quantity and the quality the information available to teams. Companies who develop analytics platforms utilizing new technology continue to pop up and one, a startup based in Russia and called Iceberg, is now being employed by the NHL’s New York Islanders, according to this article on Bloomberg.com.

As Bloomberg goes on to report, Iceberg is already working with professional teams in the KHL, Sweden and Austria and now has its first NHL client. The platform includes several cameras small enough to fit into a suit case and easy enough to set up at any venue within minutes. The software is able to identify and track any player on the ice surface and its algorithms gauge up to 500 metrics while also suggesting which players to put on the ice in any situation.

It remains to be seen how effective the new platform will be for the teams employing it. As Henrik Evertsson, GM of the Vaxjo Lakers of the Swedish League, indicates, the system is just one of many tools decision-makers will use:

“We hadn’t jumped on this wagon if we didn’t believe in the system. It will be one tool of many in our toolbox.”

While advanced analytics will never fully replace traditional scouting, it can greatly augment the “eyeball test,” and serve as an important element of evaluation and decision-making in the game.

Elsewhere in the Metro Division:

  • Taylor Hall underwent knee surgery to repair meniscus damage nine days ago. The injury was expected to keep the goal-scoring winger out of action for three-to-four weeks but Devils head coach John Hynes tells NJ.com’s Chris Ryan that Hall is “a little bit ahead of schedule,” in his rehab. Hall has already missed six games – tonight makes it seven – during which the Devils have gone 2 – 4 – 0 while scoring 14 goals. Hall, who is tied for the team lead in goals with three others, is the Devils most potent offensive weapon. His return, particularly if it comes earlier than expected, will provide the Devils a much-needed spark as they attempt to remain in the playoff hunt as long as possible.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have struggled in the goal-prevention department, ranking dead last in goals allowed this season. Much of the blame can be placed on the team’s goaltending duo, Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth, who have combined for a Save % of 0.879. With Neuvirth out of the lineup for up to a month, the Flyers recalled goaltending prospect Anthony Stolarz, and the 22-year-old net minder will make history tomorrow night by becoming the first New Jersey-born goalie to play in the NHL, as Tim Panaccio of CSN Philly reports.

 

Looking Back At A Complicated Draft-Day Trade

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On Saturday night, Oilers winger Anton Slepyshev notched two assists as the Oilers beat the Stars 5-2.

The Russian winger has looked very good so far this season. While he has just three points in nine games, he’s also been playing just 11 minutes per night. Slepyshev has cracked the NHL lineup out of training camp both years he’s been in North America. He was sent down after 11 games last season, and struggled a bit in the AHL. However, he appears to be one of those players who plays well against better competition and doesn’t bring his best against lower tiers of competition. Because coach Todd McLellan clearly likes his game, Slepyshev appears poised to be a future tough and versatile middle-six forward.

It’s fascinating to look back at the series of trades that lead to Slepyshev being drafted by Edmonton.

It was the second round of the 2013 NHL Draft. The Edmonton Oilers were set to pick 37th overall, and had their eye on prospect goalie Zachary Fucale. Unfortunately for new GM Craig MacTavish, the Montreal Canadiens selected Fucale one pick before.

Their player gone, the Oilers then made a series of trades to move down in the draft, and turned that one second round pick into a two third round picks and three fourth round picks.

They traded pick 37 to Los Angeles for picks 57, 88, and 96. MacTavish turned around and traded pick 57 to St. Louis for picks 83, 94, and 113.

With those five picks acquired from trading down, the Oilers ended up with Bogdan Yakimov, Slepyshev, Jackson Houck, Kyle Platzer, and Aidan Muir.

Slepyshev was in his second year of eligibility, but was ranked 17th in his draft year and 45th in his second go-round by Corey Pronman. Pronman described him this way:

He is an above-average skater, with agility and free movement, as his shiftiness makes him hard to check. He has a plus shot and he knows it, as his mentality is often shoot-first, even from distance. He can still make plays, and he does not have tunnel vision, but his playmaking skills are not his best element. His physical game has progressed, and he has added strength since last season. He can protect pucks moderately well. He will display physical effort, although it could be better at times. He also needs to work on his defensive game.

It’s likely the “Russian Factor” lead to Slepyshev being passed over, in addition to the fact he had only scored 24 points in 101 KHL games before being drafted. He broke out the next year, however. He scored 25 points in 58 games and signed an entry-level contract with the Oilers shortly after Peter Chiarelli took over. TSN analyst and former NHLer Ray Ferraro called Slepyshev “a player… He’s not a 3 years in the AHL project.”

Yakimov is a 6’5 center who showed promise but also some inconsistency. He’s in the final year of his entry-level contract and currently on loan to the KHL. It seems unlikely he will return to North America; he returned to the KHL despite having a big chance to make the Oilers with their top three centers at the World Cup. Instead, rookie Drake Caggiula made the team and is playing out of position at center.

Platzer was drafted out of the London Knights, and was pigeon-holed as a checking center there. He was traded to Owen Sound for his last year-and-a-half of his OHL career, and exploded for 100 points in his 95 games with the Attack. He’s slowly gaining a foothold in the AHL and looks like he could turn out to be a solid bottom-six penalty killer and two-way forward.

As far as the other two players acquired: Houck never cracked the point-per-game level in junior, went unsigned by the Oilers, and is currently playing in the ECHL; Muir is playing Div. 1 college hockey. Neither man appears likely to make the NHL in any meaningful capacity.

The player Edmonton originally wanted, Fucale, has struggled mightily post-draft, and is looking more and more like a bust. Los Angeles selected Valentin Zykov at 37, and the Blues picked William Carrier at 57. The Blues traded Carrier at the 2014 trade deadline to Buffalo as part of a package for Ryan Miller, while Zykov was traded at the 2016 deadline with a 5th round pick for Kris Versteeg. Zykov has 23 points in 59 AHL games, and needs to have a bounce-back season this year to continue to be considered a legit NHL prospect. Carrier has 55 points over 126 AHL games and made his NHL debut this season.

MacTavish was widely panned for a variety of unsuccessful roster moves and poor asset management, but this trade, his first, can likely be considered a success.

Three-plus years after the trade, it’s interesting to look back at these kinds of trades and see how things work out. Most insiders agree that the NHL Draft is something of a crapshoot; just look at Pro Hockey Rumors’ re-draft of the 2005 NHL Draft where there are some tremendous players picked long after after some serious busts.

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