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Henrik Borgstrom Linked To Jokerit Of The KHL

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Henrik Borgstrom’s stock has certainly fallen over the last couple of years.  When he left the University of Denver in 2018 after a stellar sophomore season, he looked like a can’t-miss prospect that was ready to step in and play a regular role for the Panthers in the immediate future.  Fast forward to today and he has yet to lock down a full-time spot.  His next move may be heading overseas as a report from Jatkoaika’s Antti Parnanen notes that Borgstrom is in talks with Jokerit of the KHL for a contract for next season.

The 22-year-old played in 50 games with Florida in 2018-19 but saw that number dip to just four this season.  Instead, he spent most of the year with AHL Springfield and his numbers there didn’t exactly jump off the charts with 23 points in 49 games.  For context, he had 22 points in just 24 AHL contests a year ago.  Accordingly, it’s fair to suggest that he has dropped a little bit on Florida’s depth chart along the way.

Borgstrom will be eligible for waivers starting next season and given his upside, it’s a fairly safe bet that he wouldn’t be back in the AHL next season as someone would undoubtedly take a chance on him if Florida was to put him on the wire.  However, while he could hold his own as a 12th or 13th forward on a roster, that may not be the best for him from a long-term perspective.

A season overseas back home with Jokerit – the program he developed in before coming to North America – could certainly help get him back on track.  There, he’d have an opportunity to play in an offensive role and boost his stock.  It would be a similar approach to what Edmonton winger Jesse Puljujarvi did this season where he went back home and was among the top scorers in the SM-liiga.

Of course, the ongoing pandemic could certainly play a role here as well.  At this stage, it certainly seems possible that the2020-21 campaign is unlikely to start as scheduled whereas the KHL is currently planning to start around their usual time in September.  Going there would ensure that he’s playing next season and still open up the possibility to come back to North America partway through the next NHL campaign.  Parnanen adds that if Borgstrom and Jokerit do indeed reach an agreement, it likely wouldn’t be signed until the fate of the current NHL season is determined.

If Borgstrom does go overseas, the Panthers would be able to retain his rights as a restricted free agent by tendering him a qualifying offer this offseason.  He’s not eligible for salary arbitration and wouldn’t be after a season in the KHL either but a strong season with them could certainly bolster his negotiating position, one that will be rather low after the year he just had.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Edmonton’s Markus Granlund Expected To Sign In KHL

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After spending a significant amount of time with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL this past season, many people in Edmonton knew that Markus Granlund’s time with the team was short. Now a Russian website, al.hockey.ru reports (translation required) that Granlund has reached an agreement to head overseas and sign with Ufa Salavat Yuleaev of the KHL. No terms have been reported.

Granlund signed a one-year deal on July 1 last season for $1.3MM. The Oilers, desperately in need of inexpensive depth due to their salary cap, signed a number of NHL veteran forwards to low-cost deals, including Josh Archibald, Riley Sheahan, Gaetan Haas, Joakim Nygard, Tomas Jurco and Granlund. While some of those players were successes last season, Granlund was not. Archibald, Sheahan and Nygard won permanent jobs, while Granlund was eventually sent to Bakersfield, the first time he’s played in the AHL since the 2015-16 season.

The 27-year-old appeared in just 34 games for the Oilers, posting three goals and four points while averaging a career-low 10:50 of ATOI. He rarely played on the penalty kill and was eventually made expendable. He played 20 games for the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL, scoring six goals and 15 points in that time.

Granlund will likely will take a much bigger role on his KHL team and might be able to take his game to a new level there and earn a chance to return to an NHL team. He has appeared in 335 NHL games with the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks and the Oilers.

KHL Notes: Yakupov, Tolchinsky, Tryamkin

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While the NHL sits in a holding pattern while they decide what to do with the rest of the season, the draft and the playoffs, the KHL is moving along with their offseason. May is the major signing period for the Russian league and several interesting players have already moved around.

Today, a name very familiar to NHL fans was on the move. Nail Yakupov was traded away by SKA St. Petersburg in exchange for Pavel Koltygin, a sixth-round pick of the Nashville Predators, and the rights for Philadelphia Flyers prospect German Rubtsov. Yakupov scored ten goals and 20 points in 46 games for SKA this season.

  • Four NHL games may be all that ever happen for former Carolina Hurricanes forward Sergey Tolchinsky. The 25-year old has signed a new two-year deal with Avangard, leaving CSKA Moscow after two seasons. The undersized forward was a strong offensive player in both the OHL and AHL, but failed to make an impact in his short time in Carolina.
  • That may not be the case for Nikita Tryamkin, who could be returning to the Vancouver Canucks next season. There is a delay in any contract announcement however because of the current league situation and Rick Dhaliwal of TSN reports that the uncertain salary cap situation could complicate things for the Canucks. Dhaliwal suggests that this waiting game could test Tryamkin’s patience, given that KHL training camps are scheduled to open in July. The giant defender played 79 games with the Canucks between 2015-2017 before returning to Russia for the last three seasons.

Snapshots: Antipin, KHL Rumors, Bakersfield, Tugnutt

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Just one day after his KHL contract was terminated, former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Victor Antipin has quickly found a new team. KHL powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg has announced that they have signed Antipin to a two-year contract. The 27-year-old is joining just his second KHL club and third pro club ever, as Antipin grew up in the development system of Metallurg Magnitogorsk and played for their KHL team on either side of his 2017-18 season with the Sabres. Antipin heads to SKA with 144 points in 381 career KHL games, not to mention ten points in 47 NHL games. The puck-moving defenseman will still be on the right side of 30 when his new contract expires, so a return to North America in the future cannot be ruled out.

  • Two other notable names are expected be on the move in Europe. Johan Svensson of the Kvalls Posten reports that Swedish winger Pontus Aberg is headed back overseas for the first time since 2013-14. The 26-year-old forward spent this season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, his fifth NHL franchise in six years, but played in only five games at the top level. Aberg has had a difficult time carving out a full-time role in any of his NHL stops, so he is expected to move on. Svensson reports that Aberg is currently negotiating with the KHL’s Traktor Chelyabinsk and is likely to end up in the KHL one way or another. Meanwhile, fellow Swede Oscar Lindberg is nearing an agreement with the KHL’s Dynamo Moscow, reports Russian source Championat. Lindberg surprisingly was unable to find an NHL home this past off-season and signed with EV Zug of the Swiss NLA. The 28-year-old had a strong season is Switzerland and is now upgrading to Europe’s top league. Lindberg, who has five full NHL seasons to his credit, has been a useful player throughout his pro career and it is no wonder that he is in demand for one of the KHL’s top teams.
  • The AHL’s Bakersfield Condors have made an intriguing signing, adding collegiate defenseman Yanni Kaldis on a two-year deal. Kaldis, 24, was the captain of the Cornell Big Red this season, one of the top teams in the NCAA. A productive two-way defenseman in college, Kaldis has proven that he has pro chops and could play a major role for the Condors. Bakersfield also extended forward Jakob Stukel, a former Vancouver Canucks prospect who suited up for 36 games with the team this season.
  • Matt Tugnutt, son of former NHL goaltender Ron Tugnutt, is transferring schools. The talented forward may not be going far geographically, but he is making a major move in terms of competition level and ability to compete for a national title. Tugnutt, 23, will play his senior season at Providence College after spending his first three years at Sacred Heart, he announced on his personal Twitter. A near point-per-game player and a +21 for a very good Sacred Heart team this year, Tugnutt is a big addition for the Friars. However, he will have to adjust quickly to the difference between Atlantic and Hockey East competition if he hopes to make a similar impact.

KHL Determines Final Standings

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The KHL has arrived at an interesting way of determining their final standings for the 2019-20 season. After canceling the playoffs in late-March and announcing that they would not award the Gagarin Cup this season, the league has progressed normally into their free agent period this month. Today, they have released the final standings with a unique twist.

The eight teams that had clinched the second round of the playoffs before the cancelation have all been awarded an equal “1-8 place” at the top of the standings. The other 16 teams fall into place behind them.

Notably, the “1-8” group includes Jokerit even though the Finnish squad actually pulled out of the playoffs before a decision was made by the league.

The NHL is surely watching how other leagues determine their standings, as they would have to make a similar decision should the resumption of play never actually take place. This kind of a playoff group at the top may not seem prudent for a league that relies so heavily on draft ranking, though given that the draft seems destined to happen next month regardless of whether the season is canceled or not, perhaps that wouldn’t be an issue.

Alexey Marchenko, Others Re-Sign In KHL

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Just a few months ago it appeared as though Alexey Marchenko was considering a return to the NHL. The Montreal Canadiens were suggested as a landing spot, given his familiarity with top prospect Alexander Romanov, who is expected to make the leap to the NHL next season.

Marchenko won’t be coming to Montreal or anywhere else in North America however, as he has signed a new two-year contract with Lokomotiv in the KHL.

The 28-year old defenseman played in 121 NHL contests, mostly with the Detroit Red Wings, before returning to the KHL in 2017. Though he never found much success in North America, he has been a key contributor in Russia, taking home an All-Star nod and Gagarin Cup championship in 2019 with CSKA Moscow. He also won Olympic gold with Russia in 2018.

Marchenko isn’t the only familiar name hitting the transaction page in the KHL today. Stephane Da Costa and Alexander Burmistrov have new one-year deals with Ak Bars, Andrei Kostitsyn has a new one-year deal with Neftekhimik and, interestingly, Victor Antipin saw his deal with Mettalurg terminated.

Antipin played in 47 games for the Buffalo Sabres in 2017-18 before returning to Russia. It is not clear where his next step lies.

Pontus Aberg Linked To KHL

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After a year spent almost entirely in the minor leagues, Pontus Aberg could be headed overseas. The Toronto Maple Leafs forward has been offered a contract in the KHL according to a report out of Sweden, though with the uncertainty of the NHL season he may not be able to sign it at this point. Aberg of course is still part of an organization that has their sights set on a playoff run this summer (fall?).

The 26-year old Aberg was one of several NHL veterans that signed short-term deals with the Maple Leafs last summer without any guarantee of NHL playing time. He ended up on waivers at the end of training camp and then played most of the season with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. In 55 minor league contests he showed just how dominant he could be at that level, scoring 20 goals and 44 points.

Aberg did get a cup of coffee with the Maple Leafs, playing in five games when the team was dealing with injury. He recorded a single assist during that time, despite even getting a (very) short look beside star center Auston Matthews. For his career, Aberg has recorded 44 points in 132 NHL games.

Selected 37th overall by the Nashville Predators in 2012, there have been flashes of skill from the Swedish forward including a strong performance for the club in the 2017 playoffs. Unfortunately he just hasn’t been able to turn that skill into any consistency at the NHL level and could be trying to get his career back on track overseas. Again, any new deal will likely have to wait on the NHL season being completed or canceled–even though the KHL doesn’t technically have a transfer agreement.

Grigori Denisenko Signs Entry-Level Contract

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The Florida Panthers will be bringing over one of their top prospects, agreeing to terms with Grigori Denisenko on a three-year entry-level contract. The young forward spent the last two seasons in the KHL, playing for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv. Panthers GM Dale Tallon released a short statement on the agreement:

Grigori is an exciting, dynamic and highly skilled young forward who has been a top player on the international stage and served as captain of Team Russia at the World Juniors. We are thrilled for his bright future with the Panthers for years to come.

There are few prospects with more upside than the 19-year old Denisenko, who recorded 12 points in 38 games this season in the KHL. The teenage forward led Russia in scoring at the World Juniors for the second consecutive year, captaining them to a silver medal in the process (they won bronze in his first go-round).

Along with his immense skill, is his willingness to engage physically when necessary, making him a well-rounded fit for several different roles at the next level. He’s not a power forward by any means—Denisenko stands just 5’11” 180-lbs—but he also isn’t just a perimeter player.

Selected 15th overall in 2018, you can bet the Panthers front office and coaching staff are excited to finally get their hands on Denisenko in order to start him on their own development program. He joins quite a talented group of prospect forwards, including other high-end talents like Owen Tippett and Henrik Borgstrom.

Snapshots: Polak, Khokhlachev, Shirokov, Amonte

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At 34 years old, defenseman Roman Polak played in just 41 games this season with the Dallas Stars, his fewest appearances since he was a young prospect back in 2007-08. He also recorded just four points, his fewest since becoming a full-time NHLer. All signs point toward the veteran defender’s time at the top level coming to a close, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he is ready to retire. Instead, Czech source Hokej believes that Polak could return home to continue his career. It is believed that the HC Vitkovice Steel of the Czech Extraliga, with whom Polak played before moving to North America and again during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, could be the most likely landing spot for Polak. The physical stay-at-home defender would still be a major boost for the roster, not to mention a fan favorite as a local product returning from a long NHL career. Vitkovice head coach Mojmír Trličík confirms that he has already been in contact with Polak, whose NHL contract has not yet officially expired, and is excited about the prospect of adding the established vet. He does note that Polak could be of interest elsewhere in Europe, but the door will always remain open for a return to the Steel.

  • There was a trade of note in the KHL on Sunday as Alexander Khokhlachev and Sergei Shirokov were swapped one-for-one by their respective teams. Avangard Omsk receives Khokhlachev, 26, a center whose rights are owned by the Boston Bruins. Going the other way to Spartak Moscow is Shirokov, 34, a former Vancouver Canuck and a long-time KHL standout. While Shirokov is in the twilight of his career, he can still be a useful two-way forward for Moscow and just recently signed a two-year contract extension. Meanwhile, Khokhlachev may be the better player right now but is entering the final year of his KHL contract and may be eyeing an NHL return. Moving to a new team for next season may only increase his likelihood of departing. The Bruins retain Khokhlachev’s rights through June 30, 2021, after which he enters his age 27 league year and his RFA rights expire. Boston has openly discussed in the past that they have maintained contact with “Koko” and would be open to bringing him back. The team could also trade away his rights, which would gain more value should he openly admit his plans to return to the league. Khokhlachev could also wait out the expiration of his rights and sign with any team he likes next summer. There are multiple avenues for his return and this trade could be a sign that he is likely to take one.
  • Tristan Amonte will follow in the footsteps famous father Tony, brother Ty, and NHL cousin Charlie Coyle and attend Boston University. The BCHL’s Penticton Vees, who Amonte will again play for next season, announced that their standout forward will join the Terriers in 2021-22. Amonte, who played for his dad and alongside his brother at Thayer Academy before joining Penticton, continues a strong family legacy that he hopes leads to his long-term success in hockey. An intriguing possibility could be that he can once again play with his brother as well. Ty, who also played for Penticton but for just one season, completed his junior season this year but did not play a single game due to injury. Ty thus has two years of NCAA eligibility remaining, which he could use to play a fifth year at BU during Tristan’s freshman campaign. It remains to be seen whether an Amonte reunion will occur for the Terriers, but it remains an exciting family development nevertheless. Neither Amonte brother was drafted, but both will still inevitably draw some pro interest when they leave the college ranks.

San Jose Sharks Sign Alexei Melnichuk

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The San Jose Sharks have won the race for KHL goaltender Alexei Melnichuk, signing him to an entry-level contract according to his agent Dan Milstein. San Jose had been one of several teams pursuing the young goaltender, who is coming off an excellent debut in the KHL.

In 16 appearances this season, Melnichuk recorded a 1.68 goals-against average and .930 save percentage. Though KHL save numbers are often higher than those in the NHL, the 21-year old still more than held his ground as a rookie for St. Petersburg and obviously has a bright future.

Because Melnichuk turns 22 this summer the deal will be a two-year entry-level contract. The Sharks already do have a few goaltending prospects in their system, but because of his pro experience in Russia Melnichuk may actually jump to the top of the line.

It’s important to remember with this signing that Aaron Dell, who has served as an NHL backup for the last several seasons, is scheduled for unrestricted free agency. There will likely be an opportunity with the team in the short term, perhaps one that the young Russian will get a crack at.

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