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Atlantic Notes: Red Wings, Stamkos, Romanov

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With plenty of cap room and a major need in the net, many feel that the Detroit Red Wings and general manager Steve Yzerman might make a splash into the free-agent market this offseason. Longtime goaltender Jimmy Howard is 36 years old, coming off his worst season and is an unrestricted free agent, meaning that a return is extremely unlikely. Throw in the fact that there are several big names that could become available at the time, including Braden Holtby and Robin Lehner, and it’s very likely the Red Wings will be exploring that market.

However, the Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James writes neither Holtby or Lehner are likely candidates to come to Detroit next season. Holtby might not be too interested in joining a rebuilding team and the scribe believes that both players’ price tags are likely to be too rich for what the Red Wings are going to be interested to pay. Holtby is currently making $6.1MM per season, while Lehner is currently on a one-year deal at $5MM. Neither is likely to be willing to take much of a pay cut.

James suggests the team is likely going to look for a player to join Jonathan Bernier in more of a tandem role on a short-term deal, including players like Cam Talbot, Anton Khudobin and Jaroslav Halak.

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning suffered a major loss back in early March when it was announced that captain Steven Stamkos would miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a core muscle injury. The recovery time would likely have forced him to miss at least the first-round of the playoffs. However, the suspension of play due to COVID-19 has allowed Stamkos the time he needed to get healthy and recently told Joe Smith of The Athletic (subscription required), that he’ll be ready to go when play resumes. “With the timing of all this, it was devastating at the beginning because I thought I would possibly be missing some playoff games,” Stamkos said. “And the stoppage happened, and we didn’t know how long it was gonna be. So the silver lining in that was I’ll be ready when we resume. So I’ve been able to still use this time to rehab. I’ve been going to the rink … about three times a week to skate and just start feeling normal again.”
  • Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports that while Montreal Canadiens fans are waiting for top prospect Alex Romanov to sign on the dotted line in the next few days, that might have to wait. Despite that fact that his KHL contract will expire on April 30, Romanov doesn’t intend to sign a contract until he knows what is happening in regards to the NHL’s 2019-20 season. He does intend to sign once play is expected to resume, but the 20-year-old wants to make sure he doesn’t sit for a lengthy amount of time. The defenseman has already played two full seasons in the KHL and many hope that Romanov is ready to step into Montreal’s lineup as soon as next season.

Montreal Canadiens Sign Vasili Demchenko

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The Montreal Canadiens have added some more goaltending depth to the organization, agreeing to terms with KHL netminder Vasili Demchenko on a one-year entry-level contract. The deal is for 2020-21. Demchenko recently finished his sixth season in the KHL.

The 26-year old goaltender has a .925 career save percentage through 212 regular season KHL contests, but posted his worst number at .907 in this most recent campaign.

Eric Engels of Sportsnet believes that the team is bringing in Demchenko to give top prospect Cayden Primeau some more time at the AHL level, and expects the team to bring in another NHL veteran as well to compete for time behind Carey Price. Currently, the team is looking at a Price-Charlie Lindgren tandem for next season, but given that Keith Kinkaid will be an unrestricted free agent there wouldn’t be much NHL experience in the system.

Demchenko is certainly experienced, even if it isn’t at the NHL level, but it is also unclear how much real upside he possesses at this point. The 6’1″ goaltender has never really been the best in the KHL and saw all of his numbers really take a hit this season. Perhaps he can take another step in the Canadiens’ system, but given that he does not have a European Assignment Clause in his contract it seems likely he’ll end up filling out the depth chart in the minor leagues.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Mikhail Grigorenko

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UPDATE 11:00pm: The NHL has rejected the Grigorenko contract because the filing window for deals starting next season has not opened yet. Though teams are allowed to sign previously drafted prospects or undrafted players that have never played in the NHL, they are not allowed to sign a player like Grigorenko until the normal free agent period opens.

The Blue Jackets have issued a statement:

Earlier today, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced the signing of forward Mikhail Grigorenko to a one-year contract for the 2020-21 National Hockey League season. The contract subsequently has been rejected by the NHL Central Registry due to a misunderstanding with regards to the filing window. We have been in contact with the league and Dan Milstein, Grigorenko’s agent, and the contract will be filed on July 1.

9:54am: The NHL is nothing if not a second-chance league. Mikhail Grigorenko will get another opportunity to show what he can do in North America after signing a one-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2020-21 season. Grigorenko has played the last three seasons in the KHL with CSKA Moscow. The contract carries a salary of $1.2MM according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, who also reports that the young forward was offered twice as much to remain in Russia but turned it down.

Grigorenko, 25, last played in the NHL during the 2016-17 season with the Colorado Avalanche, scoring 10 goals and 23 points. Though that double-digit goal total was the best output of his career, it still wasn’t anywhere near what was expected of him when he was selected 12th overall in 2012. That pick was made by the Buffalo Sabres, who had seen a dominant forward put up 40 goals and 85 points as a rookie for the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL. Though his first crack at the NHL didn’t go according to plan, Grigorenko has developed even further in Russia and has been one of the league’s most dangerous offensive players in the last two seasons. He also represented Russia and won a gold medal at the 2018 Olympics and took home a Gagarin Cup in 2019 while leading all players in KHL playoff scoring.

It’s all of those exceptional performances that have earned him another chance in the NHL, and he’ll head to a Blue Jackets team that will likely look different again next season. Columbus already traded away Sonny Milano at the deadline, and now has a tough decision to make on Josh Anderson in the offseason. Grigorenko gives them a cheap option that can potentially play in the top-six, though he’ll have to prove his production will carry across the ocean.

Even though he is only currently 25, Grigorenko will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the deal.

Florida Panthers Expected To Sign KHL’s Artyom Sergeyev

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The Florida Panthers might get a chance to boost their play on the blueline as Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reports that KHL defenseman Artyom Sergeyev has informed his team, Salavat Yulaev Ufa, that he intends to sign with the Panthers when his KHL contract expires on May 1.

The 27-year-old defensive defenseman has played in the KHL for the past five years. He has played the last two years for Salaat Yulaev Ufa, where he has scored eight goals and 21 points in 110 games. He’s also no stranger to North America as he played three years in the QMJHL with the Val-d’Or Foreurs and then played two seasons with the Syracuse Crunch in the Tampa Bay Lightning system from 2013-15. Unfortunately, Sergeyev never got a chance at the NHL while there and was even sent to the Florida Everblades of the ECHL at one point in 2015, before opting to return to Russia.

The Panthers struggled defensively last season as they were tied for third in the league with the most goals allowed per game, 3.25, while allowing the 10th most shots in the league at 32.3. That didn’t help newly signed goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who struggled in his first season after signing a seven-year, $70MM contract. He finished the season with a career worst 3.23 GAA and a .900 save percentage. The hope is that Sergeyev can take some of the pressure off Bobrovsky.

Andrei Markov Announces Retirement

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Andrei Markov never will get the chance to reach 1,000 games played in the NHL. The 41-year old defenseman has announced his retirement today, his agent reaching out to various reporters including Richard Labbe of La Presse. Markov hasn’t played in the NHL since 2017 when he left for the KHL, but had been reportedly interested in a return to North America and the Montreal Canadiens as recently as last summer.

It’s hard to climb up the mountain of elite NHL players that have come through Montreal in the history of the Canadiens, but Markov certainly tried. The sixth-round pick from 1998 played his entire career with the organization, racking up 990 games played–second to only Larry Robinson among Montreal defensemen. His 572 career points for Montreal ties him with Guy Lapointe for second (also behind Robinson) and his 119 goals come in third.

Sure, Markov didn’t have anywhere near the postseason success of those two—Lapointe and Robinson each raised the Stanley Cup six times as Canadiens—but he’ll still be remembered as one of the most impactful blueliners the franchise has ever had.

His exploits extended further than the NHL however. Markov suited up at three different Olympics, five World Championships and two World Cups for Russia over his long career. He also won the Russian league title three times, including the KHL’s Gagarin Cup in 2018, the first year back following his return from the NHL.

A savvy, cerebral player that could set up a teammate in the blink of an eye, he received Norris Trophy votes on six different occasions.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Bill Peters Hired In KHL

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After Bill Peters’ resignation was accepted by the Calgary Flames, following their investigation into racial slurs he used in the past against former player Akim Aliu, it was hard to see a way for him to return to coaching in the NHL. That doesn’t mean Peters’ career behind the bench is over however, as he has been hired by Avtomobilist in the KHL.

The team announced a two-year deal for the former head coach of the Flames and Carolina Hurricanes, who has also led Team Canada at the World Championship. The incident with Aliu took place when Peters was head coach of the Rockford IceHogs in the 2009-10 season.

In six seasons as an NHL head coach, Peters had a 199-175-64 record and made the playoffs only once.

Konstantin Okulov Re-Signs In KHL

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It wasn’t so long ago that news about a 25-year old KHL forward re-signing in Russia would be easily swept aside by daily NHL updates, but such as it is, Konstantin Okulov’s new contract is one of the top stories of the day. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reported earlier today that the free agent had re-signed with CSKA Moscow for another year, ending (for now at least) any interest from NHL clubs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens had been the leading pursuers earlier this year and were considered aggressive enough at the time that other teams had hesitated to invest any time in the recruitment of Okulov. The undrafted forward recorded 17 goals and 38 points this season for CSKA, putting him fifth on the team in scoring behind familiar names Kirill Kaprizov, Linden Vey, Anton Slepyshev and Mikhail Grigorenko. It was the third season in four years that he has scored at least 17 goals, actually a relatively impressive accomplishment in the shorter-seasoned KHL.

Perhaps the Maple Leafs’ recent acquisition of Alexander Barabanov spoiled their interest in Okulov, or perhaps he just decided to remain in Russia for another year. His name will surely come up again next spring when he is a free agent once again, though it’s not clear which NHL teams—if any—would be interested at that point.

Ilya Sorokin Declines KHL Extension Offer

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The Islanders have been waiting for Ilya Sorokin to come to North America for several years now.  It appears as if the wait may soon be over.  Sport-Express’ Igor Eronko reports (Twitter link) that Sorokin has turned down an extension offer from CSKA Moscow of the KHL, paving the way for him to sign with New York at the expiration of his current deal at the end of the month.

Sorokin was a third-round pick (78th overall) back in 2014 and has quickly outperformed that slot as he has become of the top goaltenders outside of North America.  This season, he posted a .935 SV% with a GAA of 1.50 and if you think those are impressive, they’re actually both worse than 2018-19 (.940 SV% and 1.16 GAA).  He was off to a stellar start in the playoffs as well with a .966 SV% and a 0.73 GAA before the postseason was eventually called.  While the KHL is a lower-scoring league, those are still appealing results and it’s no surprise that CSKA tried to get Sorokin to sign an extension.

Instead, it appears that the 24-year-old now has his sights set on the NHL where he should make his mark right away with the Islanders.  Assuming a deal gets done, it’s safe to pencil him in alongside Semyon Varlamov as New York’s tandem for next season.  That makes it seem unlikely on the surface that Thomas Greiss, a pending unrestricted free agent, will be back in the fold.

On the surface, it might seem like Sorokin would be leaving some money on the table in the short term as he’ll be restricted to a one-year, entry-level deal.  However, this stoppage could potentially present an opportunity for Sorokin to burn that year quickly.  As he was on the Islanders’ reserve list at the trade deadline, he’d be eligible to play if play resumes.  Accordingly, they could burn that year right away and get him out of the entry-level system quickly which is what Columbus did with Elvis Merzlikins just last season.

Accordingly, it may take a bit of time yet for an NHL deal to be announced as Sorokin’s side would undoubtedly want to wait to see what happens with the rest of this season and playoffs before putting pen to paper on a contract.  However, it appears that the wait to bring him to North America is about to come to an end.

Snapshots: Bilyalov, Jaskin, Combs

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While the NHL has assured fans that the 2020-21 season will not be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and a number of international players and college prospects have signed contracts for next season based on that premise, KHL goaltender Timur Bilyalov is not feeling as comfortable with the league’s unknown future. Despite garnering interest from NHL teams, Bilyalov has opted to re-sign with Ak Bars Kazan on a one-year deal, citing doubts as to when the new NHL league year will begin. However, the 25-year-old specifically noted that he has not ruled out pursuing an NHL career in the future. Bilyalov was one the best goalies in the KHL this season, recording a .943 save percentage and 1.45 goals-against average in the regular season and even better numbers in an undefeated playoff run prior to the KHL’s cancellation of the season. Interest will undoubtedly renew this time next year if his top performance continues.

  • Former NHLer Dmitrij Jaskin also appears poised to re-sign in the KHL. RIA News in Moscow reports that Dynamo Moscow has come to terms on an extension for their star forward. Jaskin recorded 31 goals and 63 points in a dominant first season in the KHL. The power forward made the jump last off-season after failing to find a job in the NHL. He had played the previous six seasons with the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals, totaling 27 goals and 69 points in 303 games, a mark he nearly topped in just one season back in Russia. Despite his impressive production this combined with previous experience in the league, Jaskin appears content to continue starring for Dynamo rather than seeking out another NHL opportunity.
  • The college transfer market is mostly used to make depth additions, but occasionally a program can find a diamond in the rough. Michigan State may have a good one on their hands in forward Charlie Combs. Combs announced that he will leave Bemidji State and join the Spartans for his senior season. The former BCHL standout had a slightly down 2019-20 campaign, but was one of the Beavers’ best players a season ago. He has compiled 60 points in three collegiate seasons and was on his way to an NCAA Tournament appearance this season with Bemidji State prior to the cancellation of the postseason. He will look to make the most of his final college season with a Michigan State team that was competitive in the Big Ten Conference this year.

Anton Slepyshev Re-Signs In KHL

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The Edmonton Oilers had been trying to bring back a familiar face, sending a contract offer to KHL forward Anton Slepyshev in recent days. It looks like it wasn’t enough, as Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reports that Slepyshev has signed a two-year extension with CSKA Moscow to remain overseas.

It’s not hard to understand why Slepyshev would want to stay in the KHL. The 25-year old forward recorded just 23 points in 102 NHL games over parts of three seasons while with the Oilers but scored 18 goals and 45 points just this year for CSKA. A third-round pick by Edmonton in 2013 he has finally reached the offensive potential he always flashed, but there’s no guarantee that kind of success would follow him back to North America.

Of course, this two-year deal also has further consequences. Since Slepyshev did sign and play with the Oilers at one point, his exclusive NHL negotiating rights will expire on his 27th birthday. He’ll be turning 26 next month, meaning Edmonton will lose his rights before this new extension is complete. With that in mind, remember Slepyshev’s name in the spring of 2022 when he could be a potential free agent signing for the entire league, should he entertain the idea of coming back to the NHL.

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