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NHLPA Files Suspension Appeal On Behalf Of Slava Voynov

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As expected, the NHL Players’ Association will appeal the suspension of defenseman Slava Voynov that was handed down by the NHL on Tuesday. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun was the first to report than an appeal has been filed and the case will be heard by a neutral arbitrator. A date for the hearing has not yet been announced.

Voynov, 29, was suspended for the entire 2019-20 season and 2020 postseason by the league yesterday for “unacceptable off-ice conduct”, with a conditional date of reinstatement set for July 1st, 2020. Voynov received a lifetime ban from the NHL in 2014 following an incidence of domestic violence and subsequent arrest and conviction, shortly after which he fled to his native Russia. However, the league’s recent decision at least opens the door to a return for the talented blue liner, who spent three years playing abroad in the KHL and sat out the 2018-19 season while awaiting a decision on his NHL reinstatement.

Yet, the league’s leniency was not enough in the eyes of Voynov and the NHLPA. It took only 24 hours for this appeal to be filed as the player’s side tries to shorten the suspension. The NHLPA has had great luck of late in front of an arbitrator; both Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson and Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson had highly-publicized long-term suspensions reduced by arbitrator Shyam Das this season. If Das is to again be the one to hear the case, the odds of a reduction are in Voynov’s favor. While the NHLPA does not necessarily condone the actions of Voynov or any other disciplined players, they have a duty to fight for the players’ rights.

The appeal was also likely supported by the Los Angeles Kings, who still own Voynov’s NHL rights. Whether or not the Western Conference’s last-place teams wants to bring the veteran defender back or instead trade him away, a quicker reinstatement is of value to the Kings. The team has still declined to comment publicly on Voynov’s reinstatement, but have no doubt talked with the player, league, and players’ association throughout this process.

Calgary Flames Sign Artyom Zagidulin

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Though it took longer than expected, the Calgary Flames have officially announced a one-year entry-level contract with Artyom Zagidulin. The two sides actually signed the deal on March 30th, but since Zagidulin’s KHL contract doesn’t expire until the end of April they likely had to wait for his team to terminate the deal.

Zagidulin, 23, recorded a .924 save percentage and 1.96 goals against average for Magnitogorsk this season, the first time he was given a hefty load. Those numbers actually improved in his four playoff games where he had a .928, and should bode well for his future in North America.

With the Flames still struggling to find answers in net and approaching an offseason where both Mike Smith (UFA) and David Rittich (RFA) are free agents, Zagidulin is joining the organization at the perfect time. While he likely won’t give them an NHL contribution right away, adding a young goaltender with upside is never a bad thing. He’ll battle with other netminders like Tyler Parsons, Nick Schnieder and Mason McDonald for playing time unless he can impress Bill Peters’ staff enough to break camp with the NHL club next fall.

Los Angeles Kings To Offer Nikolai Prokhorkin One-Year Contract

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The Gagarin Cup Western Conference finals came to an end today when CSKA Moscow defeated SKA St. Petersburg. With that news comes plenty of speculation surrounding the players on SKA whose draft rights belong to NHL teams, including star forward Nikita Gusev. While Gusev may get many of the headlines over the coming days, another forward will be offered an NHL contract soon enough as Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake confirmed to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider. The Kings will offer Nikolai Prokhorkin a one-year, entry-level contract to try and get him to join their organization.

Prokhorkin, 25, won’t see his current contract with SKA expire until April 30, but could find a place in the Kings organization next season. He does have a familiar face to help his transition to North America as former teammate on SKA and the Russian Olympic team Ilya Kovalchuk is already in Los Angeles. With Kovalchuk gone Prokhorkin actually took up a bigger scoring role on the team this season, recording 41 points in 41 games.

Originally drafted by the Kings in the fourth round in 2012, Prokhorkin actually signed with the team and played eight games with the Manchester Monarchs in 2012. The Kings alleged that the young Russian forward’s contract in the KHL was invalid, but the NHL ruled against them and voided his entry-level deal. He hasn’t returned since, but could get an opportunity for a fresh start with the new management group in Los Angeles.

Rangers Notes: Free Agency, Kravtsov, Fast, Lundqvist, Kreider

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The New York Rangers wrapped up their regular season Saturday and began cleaning out their lockers, but after a season in which the team finished in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division with a 32-36-14 season, general manager Jeff Gorton admitted that while he likes what he sees in terms of the team developing under head coach David Quinn, he expects to see changes.

NHL.com’s Dan Rosen reports that Gorton said the Rangers will likely look to add through free agency this summer to speed up their rebuilding project that the team started last season in February when they decided to make changes to the team.

“There’s a lot of things that can happen this summer to speed that up,” Gorton said. “I think we will try to do everything we can to advance it.”

One obvious possibility would be for the Rangers to try to persuade free agent Artemi Panarin to come to New York. The star winger has been rumored to be interested in signing a free-agent contract with either the Rangers or Florida Panthers, although the Panthers likelihood of bringing Panarin to Florida may have improved if they can sign his former head coach Joel Quenneville to a contract. Regardless, the Rangers could be in play for a number of intriguing free agents, including center Matt Duchene.

  • In the same press conference, Gorton added that the Rangers are doing everything possible to get their two top prospects signed, including 2018 first-rounder Vitali Kravtsov and goaltender Igor Shestyorkin. Kravtsov played 50 games in the KHL, posting eight goals as an 18-year-old, but the team must wait until his contract expires at the end of the month. Shestorkin has dominated the KHL for a number of years now, putting up an unreal 1.11 GAA and a .953 save percentage.
  • The Rangers also announced that forward Jesper Fast undewent thumb surgery and is expected to be ready to train in six weeks. Fast had surgery last Monday to repair torn ligaments and a fracture in his left thumb. The injury, which Fast sustained near the all-star break, didn’t heal properly, which then required surgery. The 27-year-old had eight goals and 20 points in 66 games.
  • Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist also spoke about his disappointing season, according to Rosen. The veteran goaltender had a strong first half, but struggled mightily after that. He played in 35 games before the all-star break, winning 15 games, a 3.o1 GAA and a .908 save percentage, but that number dropped to just 17 appearances after the all-star break where he had just three victories with a 3.18 GAA and a .904 save percentage. Lundqvist said he felt really good when he was hoping the Rangers would surprise people, but admitted it was tougher when he knew they weren’t.
  • The Rangers announced that forward Chris Kreider will play for Team USA at the World Championships this summer. Rosen reports that Kreider hopes that he and the Rangers can iron out a long-term extension this summer as he is eligible to sign an extension on July 1 as he will be in the last year of his contract. Gorton also had a comment on the situation, “Chris is a goal scorer and they’re hard to find. We’ll figure out what’s the appropriate way to go here in the coming weeks.”

Calgary Flames Expected To Sign Artyom Zagidulin

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According to Darren Dreger of TSN, the Calgary Flames are closing in on a deal with KHL goaltender Artyom Zagidulin. The 23-year old played this season with Magnitogorsk, but was eliminated from the Gagarin Cup playoffs early on. Zagidulin’s contract technically doesn’t expire until the end of April, but he must have come to an agreement with the team in order to let him negotiate with Calgary. His NHL contract would have to be a one-year entry-level deal, which would kick in next season.

Zagidulin, 23, recorded a .924 save percentage and 1.96 goals against average for Magnitogorsk this season, the first time he was given a hefty load. Those numbers actually improved in his four playoff games where he had a .928, and should bode well for his future in North America.

Calgary has obviously been looking for an opportunity to improve their goaltending depth after both David Rittich and Mike Smith have struggled at times this season, and signing Zagidulin will cost them nothing but money. The team does have some young goaltenders in the system including Tyler Parsons, but only Jon Gillies has really shown that he could contribute at the NHL level in the short term. Rittich and Smith meanwhile are both free agents this summer, though the former is still under control as an RFA.

It’s unlikely that Zagidulin will give the Flames an NHL answer right away, but adding another legitimate prospect in goal was an obvious need this summer. The team looks like they’ll just get it done a little bit early, stealing a top option from overseas.

Snapshots: Pekar, Miami, Yakupov

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After his season came to an end in the OHL, Matej Pekar is headed to join the Rochester Americans for the rest of the season. The 19-year old forward is currently injured and it is unclear if he’ll get into any actual games, but he can at least become familiar with the team and their facilities. Pekar was just a fourth-round pick last June, but has already become one of the more intriguing prospects for the Sabres after a solid season with the Barrie Colts.

Pekar recorded 36 points in 33 games and attended the World Juniors with the Czech Republic. The left-shot forward will see his entry-level deal slide to next season, and won’t start burning years even if he does get into some AHL action over the next few weeks.

  • It wasn’t a very successful season for Miami University (Ohio), and head coach Enrico Blasi has been fired because of it. Athletic Director David Sayler announced the decision today, explaining that he needs to see more competitive play out of his school as they try to battle in the NCHC—arguably the toughest conference in college hockey. Miami went just 5-17-2 this year and 45-84-15 under Blasi over the six seasons as part of the NCHC. Blasi had been head coach of the program for nearly two decades overall.
  • While reports surfaced this morning out of Russia that the Arizona Coyotes were one of a few teams interested in bringing Nail Yakupov back to the NHL, Craig Morgan of The Athletic threw cold water on the idea. Morgan tweeted that a league source called the report “completely inaccurate.” Yakupov found great success after heading back to the KHL this season, recording 23 goals in 47 games and being a big part of a St. Petersburg SKA team that looks poised to return to the Gagarin Cup finals. It’s unclear if there are other teams circling Yakupov to see if he’s willing to come back.

Kristian Vesalainen Returning From KHL

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The Winnipeg Jets announced today that Kristian Vesalainen has been reassigned to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, now that his KHL season has come to an end. Vesalainen was loaned to Jokerit earlier this season after failing to catch on as a full-time member of the Jets. Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun notes that Vesalainen is not expected to play tonight for the Moose as he is still travelling back from Finland.

Vesalainen, 19, ended up with 17 points in 31 games for Jokerit, solid production for a player his age. That came after starting the year with eight points in eight games for the Moose, and notching his first NHL point with the Jets in a short five-game stint. The 24th overall pick from 2017 figures to be a big part of the Jets down the road, but will first try to help the Moose land a playoff spot.

Part of the reason the Jets have been able to afford selling their first round selections the last two seasons is because of players like Vesalainen. As the team decides how to pay all of their young stars, the next wave of talent will have to fill the gaps on inexpensive entry-level deals. That could provide an opportunity as soon as next season for Vesalainen, whose contract is going to slide forward this season if he doesn’t suit up five more times for the Jets down the stretch. That would mean he won’t become a restricted free agent until the summer of 2022.

Rangers May Have To Wait To Sign Vitali Kravtsov

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Tuesday: Igor Eronko of Sport-Express tweets today that Traktor GM Evgeny Gubarev told him the team won’t be terminating Kravtsov’s contract. That would mean the young forward is not able to sign a contract this season, or play in any games for the Rangers.

Sunday: The New York Rangers continue to negotiate with KHL team Traktor Chelyabinsk to get their top prospect and 2018 first-round pick, Vitali Kravtsov to come to New York, but there is no guarantee that the Rangers will be able to get a deal done, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.

Kravtsov, the ninth-overall pick, stayed in Russia this season and put up solid numbers as a 19-year-old in the KHL, including eight goals and 21 points in 50 games. However, despite Traktor Chelyabinsk eliminated from the KHL playoffs last Monday, Kravtsov’s contract still runs through April 30th, which means the Rangers must work out a deal to release him from his deal even if he has no games let to play. The team would like to bring him to North America, so the 19-year-old can get acclimated to the U.S. as quickly as possible.

To make matters even more complex, there is a question of whether the team wants to sign him right away to an entry-level deal this year. With 14 games remaining in New York’s season, the team would probably like to avoid burning the first-year of his deal, which would force the Rangers to have to protect him in the eventual expansion draft for the Seattle franchise. If he doesn’t begin that entry-level deal until next year, Kravtsov would be exempt from the expansion draft which would allow the Rangers to protect one extra player in 2021.

Unfortunately for New York, Brooks also adds that an Amateur Try Out (ATO), which would allow Kravtsov to play with the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack, is also highly unlikely. That would suggest that the team may not bring him over until this summer, and because he’s a candidate to play for Russia at the World Championships this summer, he may not arrive until late summer.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Rasanen, Free Agents

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The NHL has released their three stars for last week and a few new faces have finally received some recognition. Jonathan Huberdeau is the league’s top performer after putting up nine points in just four games. Though it may not be enough to push the Florida Panthers to the postseason this year, Huberdeau is having an outstanding season and has already recorded a career high 74 points in 69 games. That’s the kind of performance the Panthers were hoping for when they selected him third overall in 2011.

Second place last week went to Ben Bishop, who didn’t allow a single goal in his two appearances. Bishop has had an outstanding season and is actually carrying the best save percentage of his career at .930. The big goaltender also leads the league in goals against average, and has helped push the Dallas Stars into a playoff position. While Bishop has had plenty of recognition over his career, the third place spot went to a fresh face in Troy Terry. The young Anaheim Ducks forward put up seven points in four games and now has ten in 23 games on the season. Terry, 21, will be a huge part of any rebuild in Anaheim.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs were already expected to soon sign forward Yegor Korshkov to an entry-level contract, and now may be bringing another prospect over from the KHL. A report out of Finland notes that Eemeli Rasanen has terminated the remainder of his contract with Jokerit—which only ran until the end of April—in order to sign an entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs. Rasanen was a second-round pick two years ago but returned to the OHL in 2017-18 before jumping to the KHL this season.
  • Speaking of unsigned prospects, Corey Pronman of The Athletic (subscription required) ranked the top free agents from various leagues around the world including those undrafted young players from the CHL and college ranks. Nico Sturm from Clarkson University comes in as the top unsigned option after putting up 41 points in 34 games this season. Sturm, a 6’3″ center, likely has a bottom-six ceiling in the NHL but is considered relatively pro ready.

Yegor Korshkov Ready To Sign With Toronto Maple Leafs

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The Toronto Maple Leafs may be close to bringing in one of their prospects as NHL.com’s Igor Eronko reports that Yegor Korshkov is set to sign in Toronto. Korshkov, the Maple Leafs’ second-round pick from 2016, has been playing in the KHL for the last five years with many wondering if he’d ever come over.

Of course, Korshkov who is currently playing with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv in the second round of the Gargarin Cup playoffs isn’t eligible to sign a contract until the team is eliminated. They are current underdogs in this round to SKA St. Petersburg, but it may still be a few weeks before the Maple Leafs can begin negotiations to bring Korshkov aboard.

The 22-year-old prospect has not put up dominant numbers in his time in the KHL, however, with many people suggesting that the 6-foot-4, 180-pound winger may not live up to having been the first pick in the second round that year. Toronto did pass over several big names that were still on the board at No. 31, including Alex DeBrincat, Carter Hart, Samuel Girard and Jordan Kyrou to name a few.

Korshkov, who has progressed in every year he’s been in the KHL, opted to stay one more season with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv. However, the forward was injured on the second game of the season and missed several months, therefore only playing in only 19 games this season, having scored three goals and five points in that span.

While injuries have been a problem throughout Korshkov’s career, the Maple Leafs have high hopes that his size will translate well to the smaller North American rinks. On top of that, he’s been used as a depth forward in the KHL and has never been developed to become a top-six forward, where he could be used in that role if he plays for the Toronto Marlies in the AHL. Both possibilities could suggest that Korshkov could still develop into a solid scorer, other than the fact that he’ll be 23 when next season starts and with the need for at least one full year in the AHL, he likely wouldn’t arrive to the Maple Leafs until he is 24, a little old for a bona-fide prospect.

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