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Minors Notes: Heartlanders, McKinnon, Senn

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One of the ECHL’s 2021-22 expansion teams is now official. The team slated to play in Coralville, Iowa beginning next season will officially be called the Iowa Heartlanders, the league announced today. The team debuted a buck logo that also implies a gold, black, and gray color scheme. The Heartlanders, on obvious nod to their Iowa locale, will also use the local wild prairie rose as a secondary logo. While Iowa finally has a name and logo, their yet-to-be-named expansion companions in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec have the all-important NHL affiliation, having linked up with the Montreal Canadiens. Iowa has yet to strike a deal of their own, however the obvious link would be to the Minnesota Wild, whose AHL affiliate also plays in the state. The Wild were affiliated with the Allen Americans this past season, but there has been no word on whether that relationship will continue or if Minnesota will instead recruit the newfound Heartlanders.

  • Ian McKinnon made quite a name for himself in just a short time in the AHL this season and has now been rewarded. On loan from the Jacksonville Ice Men to the Providence Bruins for ten games this year, McKinnon racked up a whopping 81 penalty minutes. It was enough to finish third in the league in total PIM while obviously taking the PIM per game crown. McKinnon was a physical force and unafraid to drop the gloves, but also contributed three points in those ten games as well, including his first AHL goal in the Bruins’ division title-clinching season finale win. It was enough to earn him an AHL deal for next year, as the Providence Bruins have announced a one-year pact. The junior-level journeyman has finally found his stride in the pros and the Bruins are looking forward to seeing what he can do moving forward with some experience now under his belt.
  • One player who may not be as thrilled about playing in the minors is New Jersey Devils goaltender Gilles Senn. A restricted free agent this summer, the 25-year-old played exclusively with AHL Binghamton this season – and poorly at that – after seeing NHL action last year and doesn’t seem to be happy with that career progression. Word out of Senn’s native Switzerland is that the netminder is “on the market.” The GM of National League squad HC Davos, Marc Gianola, claims that his off-season plans to make a change in goal shifted when he heard that Senn could be available. Senn played six seasons with Davos prior to making the jump to North America and could be eyeing a return, especially with the GM publicly acknowledging his interest. However, if Senn does choose to return to Switzerland, there will be no shortage of interest. Is that enough to convince him to abandon his NHL pursuits? A decision will be made one way or another shortly with the off-season coming up quickly.

Calvin Thurkauf Signs Multi-Year Deal In Switzerland

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If it was unclear about where Calvin Thurkauf stood in terms of his future with the Columbus Blue Jackets, it isn’t anymore. After spending the 2020-21 season on loan with his hometown club EV Zug, Thurkauf has opted to stay in his native Switzerland for the long haul. Fellow National League club HC Lugano has announced a three-year deal with the young forward, ensuring that he won’t be returning to Columbus any time soon, if at all.

Thurkauf, 23, was initially expected to return to the NHL once the season began earlier this season. The restricted free agent had signed with Zug in August, but upon agreeing to a new deal with the Blue Jackets in October, that became a loan with a recall option for Columbus. When they never exercised that option, many were skeptical about the young power forward’s place in the organization. There is no way of knowing whether the Blue Jackets were the ones who told Thurkauf to stay put or if he asked to be left in Switzerland, nor is it clear if Columbus was aware that Thurkauf had long-term interests in the National League or if this deal came as a surprise. What is clear is that the player-club relationship is on a multi-year pause, if not canceled for good. Thurkauf will be a restricted free agent again this summer and the Blue Jackets could opt to make him a qualifying offer in order to retain his rights. It could be that by the time the 2024 off-season rolls around, the then-27-year-old could have taken major steps in his development and become a player that Columbus would want to bring back. However, the team may also decide that Thurkauf is simply not focused on an NHL career and could cut ties this summer by declining to extend a QO.

There has to be some consideration that money was involved in Thurkauf’s decision as well. While financial terms were not disclosed, Lugano’s offer was enough to convince Thurkauf to leave Zug – his hometown team, his developmental program, and the recently-crowned National League champions. Perhaps it was also more enticing than a minimum NHL contract. Thurkauf also projects to join fellow former NHLers Mark Arcobello and Mikkel Boedker as the core of Lugano, whereas he would again be battling for a roster spot in Columbus. After three years in the pros, Thurkauf finally earned his NHL debut last season, but was held scoreless in a sheltered role in just three games. While the talented forward showed promise in the WHL and AHL, the club or the player – or both – may have doubted his NHL chops at this point his career, leading to the move overseas. Only time will tell whether the relationship, however fragmented, continues between the two side and if Thurkauf’s decision eventually leads to him becoming a more polished and well-rounded pro, capable of tackling a second chance in the NHL.

Snapshots: Kane, Morrow, Tangradi

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Evander Kane has had a tremendous season for the San Jose Sharks, recording a team-best 45 points in 52 games. The achievement is all the more impressive given the safe assumption that Kane’s focus has not solely been on hockey this year. The star forward has been mired in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding all season, filing in January and then in March motioning for an extension on the decision until June on the grounds that his contract with the Sharks could be terminated following the end of the season. While it remains to be seen whether this in fact occurs or not, the latest development in the case has the bankruptcy court deciding that Kane’s case will remain in Chapter 7 as opposed to Chapter 11. A lender had filed a motion for Kane to be treated as a business under Chapter 11 due to his debt mostly coming from gambling losses. Such a decision would have opened up Kane’s future income to his lenders in the bankruptcy decision, but such an outcome was avoided.

At least one lender has decided that if they can’t get to Kane’s future earnings via bankruptcy decision, they’ll go after a greater return on their defaulted loan another way. Per The Athletic’s Daniel Kaplan, Professional Bank has sued Kane for $15MM, alleging fraud on the basis of misrepresenting the Sharks’ role in his repayment plans. This amounts to ten times their initial loan due, justified as “punitive damages.” This is highly irregular in a case such as this, as punitive damages are not substantiated by a claim but rather are meant as punishment. Punitive damages to this massive extent are very unlikely to be awarded, especially with Kane’s bankruptcy proceeding still ongoing, but Professional Bank will try their best.

  • Winning a national championships comes with some added perks, the least of which is increased recruiting power. Defending champs UMass flexed their newfound market power today, convincing potential 2021 first-round pick Scott Morrow to flip on his commitment to North Dakota and got to Amherst. Multiple sources have confirmed the move, with the talented right-handed defenseman moving from one powerhouse to another. Morrow was expected to join a deep group of NHL-caliber defensemen at UND this year, but will have more of an opportunity to shine as a top blue line option at UMass. It has worked out nicely for Cale Makar, Mario Ferraro, Zac Jones, and several other NHL prospects over just the last few years.
  • Eric Tangradi, Real Estate Agent? In a unique twist, former NHL winger Tangradi announced his retirement by transitioning it into the reveal of his new career. A big, powerful winger who appeared to have NHL chops early in his career, Tangradi never could quite translate his AHL production to the next level. He still managed to play in 150 NHL games with the Penguins, Jets, Canadiens, Devils, and Red Wings, but recorded just 16 career points. Tangradi will likely be remembered more for his many years of dominance in the minors, recording over 350 points in 488 career NHL games.

Overseas Notes: Skelleftea, Khokhlachev, Langhamer

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After falling in the SHL semifinals, Swedish powerhouse Skelleftea AIK is already moving forward with their plans for next season. The team has announced a list of players who will not be returning in 2021-22 and it includes some notable NHL names. Edmonton Oilers’ defenseman Philip Broberg, Detroit Red Wings’ forward Jonatan Berggren, and Carolina Hurricanes’ defenseman Roland McKeown are all among those who will not return to Skelleftea next year and all are expected to instead be in the NHL. Broberg, 19, has in fact already made the jump, as he was recalled by the Oilers earlier this week. The 2019 No. 8 overall pick has been in Skelleftea on loan for two years since being drafted, but the big two-way defenseman is ready for the next step in his career. Berggren appears to be prepared to make that leap as well. Detroit’s 2018 second-round pick was Skelleftea’s leading scorer this season, recording 45 points in 49 games. The 20-year-old skilled play-maker is one of a number of promising Red Wings prospects, but Berggren’s dominance at the pro level this year should give him a leg up in training camp battles. McKeown is the outlier of the group; the 25-year-old blue liner made his European debut this season on loan from the Hurricanes. The former top prospect out of the OHL had faded from relevance among the Hurricanes’ deep defensive group and wished to stay in Sweden this year rather than play yet again in the AHL. While McKeown may join Carolina as a depth option in the playoffs now that his SHL season is over, his days with the organization are numbered. Slated for Group 6 unrestricted free agency this summer, McKeown may not be back with Skelleftea but he certainly won’t be staying in Raleigh either. He will have other options on the open market to find a more clear path to NHL opportunity.

  • Another prominent name in Europe who won’t be returning to his current team is Boston Bruins center Alexander Khokhlachev. The 27-year-old center was a key cog for Gagarin Cup champions Avangard Omsk this season, recording 34 points in 59 games as a top-six forward, but the team has nonetheless announced that Khokhlachev has decided to leave the club. This could very well mean that Khokhlachev is finally eyeing a return to North America after five years away, and the timing of the move is key. The Bruins’ rights to Khokhlachev finally expire on June 30th. While it’s not impossible that Khokhlachev could give the Bruins another shot under his old AHL head coach Bruce Cassidy, there are certainly better opportunities for an NHL role elsewhere if he instead waits to become a free agent this summer.
  • One player who isn’t rushing back to his NHL rights holder is goaltender Marek Langhamer. Despite the possibility that the Arizona Coyotes could have some more opportunity in net next season with Antti Raanta headed for free agency, Adin Hill expected to be exposed in the Expansion Draft, and Darcy Kuemper still a hot name on the rumor mill, Langhamer won’t be involved. Even after two strong seasons in the KHL, Langhamer has decided to stay in Europe, signing a one-year-deal with the Liiga’s Illves. It’s unclear if Langhamer is averse to re-joining the ’Yotes or just the NHL overall, but regardless he will see his rights expire on June 30th of next season and can then return to North America as a free agent if he chooses.

Hurricanes’ Egor Korshkov Signs In The KHL

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When the Carolina Hurricanes acquired young forward Egor Korshkov earlier this season, many were surprised that the Toronto Maple Leafs had surrendered the skilled prospect in exchange for a recently-waived rental in Alex Galchenyuk. Well, perhaps the Leafs had some doubts about Korhskov’s commitment to the NHL and were thus willing to move on from the multi-talented forward despite his potential. Despite his entry-level contract contract coming to an end and seemingly having the opportunity to join a new NHL club on a fresh deal this summer, Korshkov will go in a different direction. The KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl has announced a one-year contract extension with Korshkov, who played on loan with the team in 2020-21.

Korshkov, 24, was a second-round pick by the Maple Leafs in 2016 and made the jump to North America just two years later. In his first full season away from Russia, Korshkov did not look out of place, recording 16 goals and 25 points in 44 AHL games and even earning his NHL debut and scoring his first goal in that lone game. Korshkov even earned a role on Toronto’s playoff bubble roster last year, though he did not make an appearance. Yet, the minute that Korskov could make an excuse to return overseas, citing a need for play time due to a premature end to his AHL season due to COVID-19 and no NHL playoff action, he secured a loan to Yaroslavl, where he had played for seven years before joining the Leafs. With his loan coming to an end, one would have assumed that perhaps Korshkov would return to North America and try to get some experience with his new club, the Hurricanes. Instead, the restricted free agent will not only remain in Russia this spring, but for another whole season.

This of course raises doubts over whether Korshkov will ever become a realistic NHL option for the Hurricanes. Carolina will retain his RFA rights by making him a qualifying offer this summer, but if the young forward was not even willing to try to spend some time with the team this season and was quick to re-sign in the KHL, does he have much interest in an NHL career? Korshkov’s ability will certainly keep the ’Canes intrigued; the 6’4″ power forward recorded 17 goals and 34 points in 56 KHL games this season and has shown a knack for both physicality and production early in his career. However, Korshkov may only be just that – a KHL forward and an NHL “could have been”. Hopefully the young forward re-evaluates his career path next season and gives North America another chance.

Minor Transactions: 04/19/21

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Even this late in the hockey season, notable roster moves are still being made. At this point, many are teams looking ahead to next year, especially with collegiate and European players available and looking to make future plans. So while these moves may not immediately impact any NHL rosters, they are worth keeping track of – and we’ve done so right here:

  • When the Vegas Golden Knights signed Maxim Marushev earlier this month to a contract that didn’t begin until next season, it was unclear whether the Russian prospect would play again this season. Well, the organization has sorted that out now, as the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights have announced that Marushev has joined the team, and not just on a tryout basis but on a contract for the remainder of the season. Marushev, 22, was on overage selection in the seventh round of last year’s draft, but has seemingly already proved his value as an NHL prospect to the Knights, despite a drop-off in production this season.
  • The captain of the newly-minted NCAA Champions has found his first NHL contract. UMass standout center Jake Gaudet has signed an AHL contract with the Cleveland Monsters for the 2021-22 season and will join the team on a PTO for the remainder of the year. Gaudet just completed his senior year in Amherst, recording 13 points in 28 games. While Gaudet has never been much of a scorer, he works hard and excels at the defensive aspects of the game which allowed him to be a regular fixture in the Minutemen lineup for four years and to gain a leadership role in the locker room. The Columbus Blue Jackets likely see some fourth-line upside in the 24-year-old, but will look for Gaudet to prove himself in the minors first.
  • In somewhat of a redemption story, defenseman Vincent Desharnais has signed a new two-year contract with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. The Providence College product initially signed his first pro deal with Bakersfield last year. However, the team declined to extend him this off-season after an underwhelming campaign and he inked a deal with their ECHL affiliate, the Witchita Thunder. Yet, Bakersfield has required Desharnais’ services on loan for much of the season and this time around have been impressed by his play, resulting in a new contract to officially make him a Condor for two more years.

Minor Transactions: 04/15/21

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The NHL Trade Deadline may be over, but noteworthy player movement continues. With NCAA and Europeans ending, there are players becoming available with NHL appeal for next season and beyond. Track their movement right here:

  • One of the heroes of the NCAA Champion Massachusetts Minutemen has found his first pro contract. UMass leading goal scorer Carson Gicewicz has signed a two-year AHL contract with the Rockford Ice Hogs that begins next season, hypothetically keeping him with the club through the 2022-23 season. However, if Gicewicz continues to find the back of the net in the pros as he did in his final collegiate season, the Chicago Blackhawks may be forced to make him an entry-level offer before then or else risk losing him to another NHL team. Gicewicz was one of the best goal scorers in the NCAA this season, recording 17 tallies in 28 games. He finished fourth overall, behind such top NHL prospects like Montreal’s Cole Caufield and Colorado’s Sampo Ranta. While Gicewicz was a grad transfer at UMass, following four years at St. Lawrence, making him an older prospect at 24, he still brings plenty of potential to the pros. However, the first step will be to show that this season wasn’t a fluke after his first four collegiate season left a lot to be desired. If Gicewicz keeps it up though, his time on an AHL deal could be short.
  • Vadim Shipachyov has long been an intriguing name to NHL fans. The KHL superstar has been scoring at elite levels for a decade, begging the question of what he could bring to North America. With 637 points in 646 KHL games, Shipachyov has long has the label of one of the best players outside of the NHL. Even after a failed attempt at making the jump with the Vegas Golden Knights in their inaugural 2017-18 season, Shipachyov has continued to score at a torrid, league-leading rate in Russia and many still wondered if he could try again in the NHL and find success with another club. Well today that question has been answered, likely for the final time. Shipachyov, now 34 years old, has signed a three-year extension with KHL powerhouse Dynamo Moscow, likely putting to rest any thoughts of an NHL comeback. A two-time Gagarin Cup champion, three-time KHL points leader, and six-time KHL All-Star, Shipachyov will just have to settle for his accolades in Russia having never really given North America a fair shake.
  • The SHL’s Malmo Redhawks have worked quickly to clarify their plans for the off-season following an early playoff elimination. The team has announced that nine of their players on expiring contracts will not return to the team. Among that list is Detroit Red Wings prospect Joe Veleno, who obviously will not be back after spending the season on loan with the QMJHL out of action. However, a surprise separation came in the form of Oskar Magnusson, a 19-year-old prospect of the Washington Capitals. The 2020 seventh-round pick has been developing in the Malmo system for many years, but has failed to make much of an impact in his recalls to the top club, so they have cut ties. Magnusson will have to find a new team with which to continue his development, likely still in Sweden but leaving open the option to jump to North America if the Capitals feel that is the best step. One final familiar name leaving Malmo is veteran forward Matt Puempel. Unable to find an NHL contract this off-season, Puempel joined the Redhawks in January. However, he only played in 15 games with the team, recording five points. Without much luck in his first foray into Europe, Puempel could look to return to North America this off-season. With 87 career NHL games and a long history of AHL scoring success, there should be a job for him at some level.

Prospect Notes: OHL, U18, Kostin

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The Ontario Hockey League hasn’t played a game in over a year. The junior league is the last member of the CHL still not playing, but there was hope that that could change in the next few weeks and allow young players to get back on the ice. That looks unlikely now, as David Hains of Queen’s Park Briefing reports that due to the changing health situation the OHL season has been “benched until further notice.” Ontario’s Minister of Sport Lisa MacLeod told Hains that it would be “irresponsible” to send the young players back into action right now.

It seemed in March as though things were moving towards a shortened season, with MacLeod even confirming that the OHL and the province had reached an agreement on the return to play that has since been thrown out. Though the door hasn’t been completely closed, it is looking less and less likely that there will be any meaningful OHL season.

  • The 2021 U.S. U18 roster has been announced for the upcoming World Championship, scheduled to take place in Frisco and Plano, Texas starting later this month. The group includes Jack Hughes–no not that Jack Hughes (or even that Jack Hughes)–who is one of the top prospects for the 2022 draft. Hughes, 17, is committed to Northeastern for the 2022-23 season. The rest of the roster includes many other top prospects and should be an impressive group for the upcoming tournament.
  • Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic pointed out on Twitter that Klim Kostin is currently playing game seven in the KHL conference finals, and could be headed to North America should his club fail to advance. The 21-year-old Kostin signed his entry-level contract with the St. Louis Blues way back in 2017 but went to the KHL on loan this year when there was still uncertainty surrounding the NHL and AHL seasons. In four games with the Blues last season, he scored a goal and could be an option down the stretch for them once he sorted out visa and quarantine issues. (As of this writing, Kostin’s team is up 2-1 and he has an assist.)

Anton Forsberg Assigned To AHL On Conditioning Stint

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It’s been more than a year since Anton Forsberg suited up in an NHL game, so if he’s to carry some of the load for the Ottawa Senators while they deal with injury, he’ll need some conditioning. That’s exactly why the Senators sent Forsberg to the AHL today on a conditioning loan, where he is expected to start for the Belleville Senators this afternoon.

Forsberg, 28, is on his fourth team of the season already but hasn’t played a single game. Originally signing a one-year, one-way, $700K contract with the Edmonton Oilers, he was first claimed by the Carolina Hurricanes, then the Winnipeg Jets, and then the Senators, each time he hit waivers. Not only has that kept him traveling the continent and adhering to various quarantine protocols, but the fact that he hasn’t been able to clear waivers has kept him out of the AHL as well. The veteran goaltender hasn’t been able to get any game action, just seeing practice shots as the third goaltender in most stops.

Now, after Matt Murray suffered an injury in warm-up and replacement Joey Daccord’s season is likely over with a high-ankle sprain, Forsberg will likely have to start several games down the stretch for the Senators. Ottawa is gratefully off until Monday, but currently have only three healthy goaltenders in the organization. Filip Gustavsson, who has played exactly one period at the NHL level, Kevin Mandolese, who has only two games at the AHL level, and Forsberg, whose 48 games of NHL experience make him feel like a grizzled vet at this point.

The fact that Murray has been downgraded to “week-to-week” and Marcus Hogberg, the regular backup isn’t expected back until later this month, means it could be Forsberg’s crease for the time being. Despite the Senators not playing very tight defense in front of their goaltenders this season, this is actually a huge opportunity for the veteran, who will be showcasing his skills in advance of another unrestricted free agent period.

Minor Transactions: 03/19/21

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While the NHL trade market is swirling with rumors and the college free agent market has begun to heat up, there has been far more anticipation than actual transactions of late. Yet, in Europe there are teams already looking ahead to next season and players whose current campaigns are coming to an end. The KHL is already through the first round of the Gagarin Cup playoffs, while the SHL, Liiga, NLA, and others are in the stretch run. Keep up with these notable moves and more with today’s minor transactions:

  • After a surprising first-round sweep at the hands of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, the off-season has arrived earlier than hoped for perennial KHL contender Jokerit. The Finnish club hasn’t wasted any time with making their intentions for next season known either, quickly re-signing many of their core players who had been on expiring contracts – a group familiar to NHL fans. Jokerit has announced new contracts for four key players: two-year extensions for forward Markus Hannikainen, defenseman Alex Grant, and goaltender Anders Lindback and a one-year deal for forward Henri Ikonen. Hanikainen, 27, just completed his first season in the KHL after spending the past five years with the Columbus Blue Jackets (and briefly the Arizona Coyotes). Lindback, perhaps the most recognizable name, has been in Europe for three years now, but spent eight seasons in North America, totaling 130 NHL games with five different teams. Grant, known more for his status as top defender in the AHL in nearly 500 career games, has spent the past three years with Jokerit since leaving North America. Ikonen, 26, is a former Tampa Bay Lightning prospect who has played in the KHL for the past four years since his entry-level contract expired. With many of Jokerit’s other top players also signed beyond this season, including several more former NHLers, the team will return the bulk of a roster than finished fifth in the KHL’s Western Conference this year and hope that they can take another step forward in 2021-22.
  • The season has also ended abruptly for the KHL’s Torpedo Nizhny Novogord, although not entirely unexpectedly as they were swept in the first round by the powerhouse Ak Bars Kazan, the Eastern Conference regular season champions. With his Russian campaign now over, the Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled young forward Semyon Der-Arguchintsev from his loan, writes Mike Davies of the Peterborough Examiner. Rather than rush SDA back from Russia to play in the AHL right away, the Leafs allowed him to complete his KHL season. The 20-year-old forward recorded six points in 17 games for Torpedo as a part-time player, and did play in all four playoff games but was held off the score sheet. He is now ready to return to more consistent, valued role with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, making his North American pro debut. A former standout with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes, SDA is an impressive offensive talent who should be able to make an impact in the minors.
  • Longtime Montreal Canadien David Desharnais is wrapping up his second season with HC Fribourg-Gotteron of the Swiss National League, his third season abroad since leaving the NHL. It’s been his best season in Europe by a wide margin, as Desharnais has recorded 36 points in 39 games and has established himself as a veteran leader for Fribourg-Gotteron, who currently sit in second place in the NLA standings with the postseason approaching. Despite this success and many years of NHL experience, the 34-year-old center does not seem too focused on attempting a return to North America. Instead, he has signed a one-year extension to stay in Switzerland, the club announced. Barring another point-per-game Swiss season next year (and even if then), this likely puts an official end to Desharnais’ NHL career.

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