Snapshots: Zub, Suspensions, U17
With the KHL season and playoffs now over, the pursuit of the best players in the league will begin in earnest for NHL clubs trying to add free agent talent. One of the players drawing the most interest is Artyom Zub, who Darren Dreger of TSN reports has narrowed his options to just two teams. The Ottawa Senators, one of the teams chasing Zub the longest, is one of them.
The 24-year old defenseman has played the last four seasons with SKA St. Petersburg, one of the KHL’s powerhouse organizations. He broke out offensively this season with 13 goals and 22 points, though Igor Eronko of Sport-Express points out that he doesn’t see the powerplay and is normally more of a defensive option. For a more thorough scouting report, Scott Wheeler and Hailey Salvian of The Athletic (subscription required) recently broke down some of Zub’s tape.
- Zub’s not the only KHL player with his name in the news today, as Kirill Dyakov was one of three to receive a suspension from the IIHF. Dyakov currently plays for Admiral Vladivostok but will receive a 15-month suspension from IIHF competition after testing positive for cocaine. Michael Budd and Vladislav Nikiforov also received 24- and 15-month suspensions respectively.
- USA Hockey has announced its U17 roster for the 2020-21 season, a group that is expected to have a strong NHL draft presence down the road. There are some familiar hockey names among them, including Marek Hejduk—son of Colorado Avalanche legend Milan Hejduk.
KHL Cancels 2019-20 Gagarin Cup Playoffs
After initially holding out as one of the last few operating sports organizations worldwide, the KHL has now accepted fate. In a statement today, KHL president Alexey Morozov announced that they will cancel the rest of the 2019-20 playoffs and not award the Gagarin Cup. Morozov explained that he understands the frustration of fans, but needed to make a move to protect public health:
It’s unfortunate that we have to finish the season early, and it wasn’t an easy decision. I’m sure that every fan, along with us, wanted to see the conclusion of the competition. However, the health of players and their loved ones, club employees, employees of sports facilities, and, of course, the fans, is much more important.
The KHL is doing everything possible to not delay the start of the 2020-21 season, obviously a different tack than the NHL. Reports and speculation have swirled about the NHL playoffs taking part in the summer, which could push the start of next season back—though, a full 82-game schedule is still the league’s priority.
With the end of the KHL season, several players will start negotiating with NHL organizations, though their contracts do not officially expire until the end of April. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic spoke with the agent for Montreal Canadiens draft pick Alexander Romanov, who wouldn’t commit his client one way or the other at this point.
KHL Suspends Playoffs Until April
Less than 24 hours after announcing it would shut down the playoffs for just one week, the KHL has been forced to take more drastic measures. In accordance with the recommendations of the Russian Minister of Sport, the KHL—along with the Russian Premier Football League and the VTB United Basketball League—has been suspended until April 10. That puts a hold on the league playoffs, which had already seen two teams drop out due to coronavirus directives from their respective countries.
The KHL had been the last professional hockey league to continue operating, but now has an uncertain future. In the press release, the league includes the possibility that the suspension will not be lifted as planned should Russia remain in a state of high alert.
Overseas Notes: Canucks Prospects, Suomi, KHL Playoffs
With the NHL season on pause and almost every other professional league shutting down around the globe, front offices and agents can potentially get ahead on contracts for next season. Rick Dhaliwal of TSN checked in with the agents of some overseas prospects, including Marcus Isaksson who represents Vancouver Canucks prospect Linus Karlsson. The 20-year old forward was acquired last year from the San Jose Sharks, but may not be coming over just yet. Isaksson told Dhaliwal that they will talk to the Canucks but believes it may be better for Karlsson to spend one more year in Sweden.
Nils Hoglander, another Swedish prospect that has wowed overseas will also be talking with the Canucks at some point, though is in no rush with all that is going on. Hoglander, a second-round pick in 2019, took home bronze at the World Junior Championship and held his own at the SHL level despite only turning 19 a few months ago.
- Eemeli Suomi reached the point-per-game threshold for the first time in Finland’s Liiga this season, coming second in league scoring with 57 points in 57 games. That kind of performance by a 24-year old will always turn some NHL heads, and a report today surfaced linking Suomi to the Buffalo Sabres. While he is currently under contract through 2021, there are ways for Suomi to come to North America if he feels ready to make the jump.
- After Jokerit voluntarily withdrew from the KHL playoffs over the weekend, another team has decided to end their season before the league does. Barys Nur-Sultan, a team based in Kazakhstan, has pulled out of the Gagarin Cup playoffs as well after government rulings. In response, the KHL has paused their season for one week in order to create a schedule for the remaining teams.
Edmonton Oilers Express Interest In Bringing Back Anton Slepyshev
Two years ago, the Edmonton Oilers allowed rugged winger Anton Slepyshev to return to Russia rather than bring him back. The 6-foot-2, 221-pound forward played three seasons for the Oilers, but struggled with injuries and inconsistency throughout that time. The team was eager to move him at the trade deadline in 2018, but was unable to do so. Instead, they let the 25-year-old (23 at the time) to sign a two-year pact with CSKA Moscow in the KHL and made sure to give him a qualifying offer in order to retain his rights.
Fast forward two years and Slepyshev is coming off a breakout year in the KHL with 18 goals and 45 points in 54 games. Now, with his rights still owned by the Oilers, the Edmonton Journal’s Bruce McCurdy writes that sources suggest there is a greater than 50 percent chance that the Oilers will bring back Slepyshev for next season in hopes of finding a better fit with the franchise.
While there was a point where Edmonton had lost interest in the forward, much has changed, according to McCurdy, who notes that management and the coaching staff have both changed. Throw in the fact that Slepyshev has taken that next step and become a key scorer for CSKA Moscow (he has scored in 23 of his last 24 KHL games), the Oilers might also be able to offer more to Slepyshev than the usual fourth-line role that he held for his first three seasons in the league. With the team constantly looking for top-six wingers, this could be a convenient addition.
The forward spent most of his time on the checking line, playing next to players like Drake Caggiula, Milan Lucic and Mark Letestu in his time. In 102 games, Slepyshev scored 10 goals and 23 points. The Oilers have Slepyshev’s rights until he turns 27 years old, which will be on May 25, 2021.
Jokerit Withdraws From KHL Playoffs
While the KHL is hoping to continue on with their postseason as one of the last leagues standing, even that could possibly be in jeopardy. Today, one of the eight teams still alive in the playoff picture, Jokerit Helsinki, announced that they were withdrawing from the postseason due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the recent recommendations from Finnish government officials. Team chairman, NHL Hall of Famer Jari Kurri, released the following statement:
These are exceptional times and they call for exceptional measures. The well-being and health of the people and our society is paramount and Jokerit wants to shoulder its responsibility in the matter. We have held thorough discussions with our team doctors and players and together come to this conclusion. It is a very difficult but necessary decision.
Their series against SKA St. Petersburg was scheduled to begin on Tuesday and while Finland has a ban on large gatherings, it was being considered that Jokerit would play their home games without fans in attendance. Clearly, they’ve now opted not to do so.
It will be worth monitoring over the coming days to see if any of the other seven squads decide to follow suit. If that happens, the KHL may have no other choice but to suspend or cancel the rest of the Gagarin Cup playoffs.
More International Tournaments, Leagues Canceled
The sport event cancelations continue to pour in from around the globe. Today Finland’s Liiga decided to shut down for the rest of the season, announcing that there will be no champion this year. The United Kingdom’s EIHL has done the same. The IIHF has also officially canceled the Men’s Division II and III World Championships, after previously shutting down the U18 event that was scheduled for later this month.
The last standing event is still the Division I World Championship, which is normally attended by NHL players eliminated from postseason contention. Though it has not been formally canceled, the expectation is that it will be in the coming days.
For Liiga, it means that their Champions League and Spengler Cup seeding will come from the current regular season standings. It also means that Jokerit is the last professional club operating in Finland, as they are part of the KHL which has not yet suspended their playoffs.
These announcements should come as no surprise at this point.
Nikita Nesterov Expected To Re-Sign In KHL
Even as the NHL season takes a pause to try and prevent the spread of coronavirus, front offices will still be active looking for the best way to help their teams. One way to do that is review their reports on players from different leagues around the globe and decide whether they want to pursue them. Nikita Nesterov is one of those players who was drawing interest after another strong season with CSKA Moscow in the KHL. The former NHL defenseman has been gone for three seasons now, but is still just 26-years old.
Today, Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reports that though the Los Angeles Kings had actually offered Nesterov a two-year deal worth $6MM to return, he’ll instead be staying in Russia. Nesterov reportedly has an agreement with CSKA on a five-year extension, one that effectively ends any NHL pursuit for the time being.
During his time in the NHL Nesterov was a frustrating player to watch, as his obvious talent rarely produced positive results. There was always an impact player there, but too rarely did he actually show it on the ice. In 132 regular season games he had 33 points, but even in such a short time he also added 28 postseason contests (scoring seven points). No doubt the Kings were not the only team with renewed interest in Nesterov this spring, but that will no longer matter when he signs his new extension.
Instead, the focus will shift to some of his Moscow teammates. Kirill Kaprizov is obviously the most intriguing name, a Minnesota Wild prospect that seems destined to finally come to North America. But other former NHL players like Anton Slepyshev, Mikhail Grigorenko and Alexey Marchenko have also drawn some interest and could potentially sign new deals in the coming weeks. Each of them will become unrestricted free agents when their KHL contracts expire at the end of April.
Renewed NHL Interest In Mathias Brome
Around this time last year, there were more than just whispers that Swedish standout Mathias Brome would be making the leap to the NHL. He had just finished up a strong season in the SHL, despite playing for a poor team that ended up relegated, and was a free agent with his sights set on new surroundings. A number of NHL teams were involved, including the Vegas Golden Knights, but there was also an incredibly strong market in Europe. Brome eventually re-signed in the SHL, joining Orebro HK on a one-year deal.
Fast-forward one year and the move looks like the right one for Brome. The 25-year-old winger has had a career year in the SHL, recording 17 goals and 43 points in 52 games to finish among the top ten in the league in both categories. A speedy and skilled forward who is also known for his strong work ethic, Brome again impressed the onlookers and now he has solidified his status as a top free agent option. In fact, the Swedish Hockey News reports that he has already turned down “millions” from offers in the SHL and KHL to pursue a deal in the NHL.
Leading the charge for Brome appear to be the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings, two teams familiar with importing Swedish talent. However, the pair are in very different situations when it comes to recruitment this off-season. Vancouver is contending for a playoff spot this year and look to have a bright future behind a young core. However, the team is strapped for cap space and would target Brome as an affordable depth addition. Detroit is the NHL’s worst team this season (and one of the worst all-time) and needs to make impact addition this summer to turn things around. Last year, Brome would have been limited to a one-year entry-level contract to begin his NHL career but now Brome will be able to negotiate his first deal. He could opt for less money but perhaps a better opportunity to win and gain even more attention with the Canucks or he could try to both make more money and land a greater role by joining the Red Wings. Brome reportedly will not make his decision until after the SHL postseason is completed, by which time other NHL teams may have also entered the chase. However, one way or another, it seems Brome is finally set to make the leap this off-season.
West Notes: Kaprizov, Nalimov, Ferraro, Dugan
In his most recent mailbag series, The Athletic’s Micheal Russo (subscription required) writes even though prized prospect Kirill Kaprizov could finish his KHL season early, don’t expect him to be in a Minnesota Wild uniform before the season ends. The scribe writes that Kaprizov’s contract with CSKA Moscow doesn’t expire until Apr. 30, which means the soonest that Minnesota could sign the 22-year-old will be on May 1 to a two-year deal. While nothing is set in stone, it is believed that Kaprizov, who will be a free agent, will sign with the Wild this summer.
Minnesota also expects Kaprizov to play for Russia at the World Championships this summer (assuming it isn’t cancelled due to the coronavirus), before reporting the Minnesota this summer, according to Russo, who spoke to general manager Bill Guerin. It’s expected that he will attend development camp between June 28 to July 3 and would be expected to play in one of the rookie games in September.
Kaprizov is wrapping up his best season yet in the KHL as he has tallied 33 goals and 62 points in 57 games and should be one of the top rookies in the NHL next season.
- The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required) writes that Chicago Blackhawks goaltending prospect Ivan Nalimov is expected to sign a professional tryout agreement with their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs in the next few days. After playing with Sochi this season in the KHL, Nalimov has become a free-agent and is allowed to negotiate with the Blackhawks. Nalimov’s play over the years has been inconsistent, so the idea of signing him to an AHL PTO is a low-risk maneuver and will allow the team a chance to evaluate him up close before deciding whether to sign him to a NHL contract. The 25-year-old finished his season with Sochi with a 7-14-1 record in 24 appearances with a 2.50 GAA and a .911 save percentage. The Blackhawks have a number of decisions to make in net throughout the organization with just Collin Delia and Matt Tompkins signed. The team will have to make decisions on Corey Crawford, Malcolm Subban, Kevin Lankinen and now Nalimov this summer.
- The San Jose Sharks will be without defenseman Mario Ferraro all weekend. The rookie defenseman has been trying to play through a lower-body injury for a week and a half, but finally requires a break as he will sit out Saturday’s game against Ottawa and against Colorado on Sunday, according to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz. Head coach Bob Boughner hopes Ferraro will be available by Wednesday, the start of the team’s four-game road trip. Ferraro, the college defensive partner of Colorado’s Cale Makar, has two goals and 11 points in 61 games in his first season with the Sharks.
- David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes that the Vegas Golden Knights might get a depth addition as soon as next weekend (assuming they don’t get into the NCAA tournament) as Jack Dugan, who currently leads college hockey with 52 points, could sign with Vegas. Dugan, the Golden Knights’ fifth-round pick in 2017, has dominated in college and could add provide some depth, especially after the team learned that Cody Glass will miss the rest of the season.