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Snapshots: Next Season, Overseas Prospects, Hajek

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Yesterday’s call with the NHL board of governors didn’t result in any sweeping announcements about next season, but insiders around the game have gleaned a bit of information about what was discussed and what is still on the table. Frank Seravalli puts many of those information nuggets into his latest piece for TSN, including the fact that preference now seems to be moving away from hybrid bubbles or “hubs” as commissioner Gary Bettman recently called them, and towards teams playing in their home arenas. Seravalli suggests that regional realignment would be required, but that teams would play a baseball-like series of two or three games to reduce travel.

He also reports that there is “no concept on the table that includes a full-length regular season.” That seemed clear when Bettman publicly spoke about a reduced schedule, something the league was obviously hoping to avoid but is now inevitable. There are no formal proposals on the table yet, but with the January 1 target date getting closer every day, there will need to be a decision at some point in the near future—even if it is just another delay.

  • With the hockey offseason moving at a snail’s pace in November, fans have started to scour overseas boxscores to see how their favorite prospects are doing. Mike Shulman of Sportsnet published a piece today going over many of the most interesting names, including several 2021 draft prospects that are still trying to raise their stock. Among the group of already drafted players is Yaroslav Askarov once again, who continues to turn heads every time he hits the ice. Even Shulman sold him a bit short, without updated statistics from the KHL. Askarov returned to the SKA St. Petersburg crease yesterday after dominating at the Kajala Cup and put on another show, stopping 24 of 25 shots in a huge victory over HC Vityaz. Askarov is now toting a .960 save percentage in five KHL games, allowing only five goals on 125 shots.
  • Speaking of overseas prospects, the New York Rangers will have another one to keep an eye on as Libor Hajek joins HC Kometa Brno on loan for the time being. Hajek was loaned to Brno originally, then switched to Olomouc, but is now apparently heading back to where he started. The 22-year-old has struggled during his time in the NHL over the last two seasons and will need to take another step in his development before the Rangers can really rely on him as a full-time option.

Snapshots: Ryan, McConnell, O’Connor

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In a candid interview with Craig Custance of The Athletic, new Detroit Red Wings forward Bobby Ryan spoke about the buyout that ended his time in Ottawa and the free agent process this fall. In one particularly revealing moment, Ryan explains that there was a genuine interest in signing him from around the league, including from some Canadian teams, but that he and his wife decided that because he is getting closer to retirement they wanted to stay south of the border and start setting up their long-term family situation.

Ryan still believes that he has some high-level hockey left to play and told Custance that the opportunity in Detroit was what interested him so much. The Red Wings have plenty of openings in the top-six as they continue their rebuild, giving Ryan a chance to play the scoring role he has always held. The 33-year-old forward has scored 254 goals in his 833-game career, including cracking the 30-goal threshold in four consecutive seasons early in his career.

  • The Arizona Coyotes have named Devan McConnell as the team’s high performance director, hiring him to “maximize performance, minimize injury risk, optimize fitness and nutrition levels and execute comprehensive training regiments for all Coyotes and Roadrunners players and club prospects.”  McConnell served in a similar role with the New Jersey Devils for part of last season and spent several years with UMass-Lowell.
  • Drew O’Connor, who signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins back in March after his college season ended, was actually loaned to Manglerud in Norway on October 26. He has yet to play, serving out a quarantine first, and will be returned to North America for NHL training camp later this winter. O’Connor will be joined by Blake Christensen, who signed an AHL deal with the Bakersfield Condors for 2020-21 but has also been loaned overseas for now.

Ty Dellandrea Loaned To JYP

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Talk about culture shock. Ty Dellandrea has been loaned to JYP Jyväskylä of Finland’s top league until further notice, with the young forward expected to return to Dallas Stars training camp when it gets underway. Dellandrea, 20, has spent the last four seasons playing for the Flint Firebirds of the OHL, serving as captain since 2018.

The 13th overall pick in 2018, there’s a lot to like about the game Dellandrea brings to the ice. Not only is he talented enough to score in bunches, but his character, leadership, and work ethic are all exceptional. While those things can be said about many players and it’s hard to quantify exactly what they mean on the ice, Dellandrea has continually seen his stock rise directly because of the impact he makes off the ice as well.

At last year’s World Junior tournament he was named an alternate captain for Team Canada and held his own offensively, scoring three goals and five points in seven games. He also managed to get into 11 AHL games at the end of the 2018-19 season, where he scored his first few professional points.

Now old enough to head to the AHL full-time, Dellandrea will first get a taste of international hockey in Finland. At this point, success won’t be a surprise for the young forward, but development is still the goal.

Minor Transactions: 11/11/20

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As we wait for tomorrow’s announcement about the upcoming NHL season, minor league and European teams continue to fill out their depth charts. With a few months of offseason still to come, signings and loans will slowly drip out and we’ll try to cover all the important ones. Make sure to refresh this page throughout the day as we keep track of today’s minor moves:

  • Graham Knott has signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL after he was left unqualified by the Pittsburgh Penguins this offseason. A second-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015, Knott’s career hasn’t gone as planned. The 23-year-old 6’4″ forward spent most of the 2019-20 season in the ECHL, playing just 11 games at the AHL level with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Once considered a promising prospect that won gold at the Hlinka-Gretzky and took home a Memorial Cup, the chances of him ever reaching the NHL are dwindling.
  • While Manuel Wiederer was not given a qualifying offer by the San Jose Sharks, the organization did sign him to an AHL contract for the upcoming season. While he waits for that season to start, he has been loaned back to his hometown team in Deggendorf, Germany where he’ll play in the third-tier until the AHL resumes. Wiederer, 23, scored just 12 points in 35 games for the San Jose Barracuda last season.
  • Andrew O’Brien, a fourth-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2012, has mutually-terminated his contract with Dinamo Riga of the KHL after just seven games. The 27-year-old dominated the Norwegian league last season, scoring 45 points in 51 games (and recording an incredible 309 penalty minutes) in his first year overseas after several in the AHL.

Minor Transactions: 11/07/20

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There have only been four unrestricted free agent signings so far in the month of November, as the NHL market has been stagnant in light of the flat salary cap despite considerable talent still available. However, the impact of delayed season starts continues to result in a number of loans, both at the pro level in Europe and the junior levels in North America. Loans have also begun to displace other players, as a number of notable names are on the move. With some minor moves carrying over from Friday and more expected today, keep track of all of these transactions here:

  • 2020 Tampa Bay Lightning second-rounder Jack Finley will get his season started outside of the WHL, but close to home. The Kelowna, BC native has been loaned by his club, the Spokane Chiefs, to the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors, the league announced. Finley is one of a large number of western junior players who will get some time in down a level before the WHL opens up next month. A hulking, 6’5″ center, Finley will be a lot to handle for BCHL competition over the next few weeks.
  • Goalie Jan Bednar, a recent fourth-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, was expected to open up this season with his North American debut with the QMJHL’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Instead, he has been loaned back to his pro club in the Czech Republic, HC Energie Karlovy Vary, for the time being, the team announced. While the Titan have not been one of the Quebec clubs who have lost games due to COVID-19, Bednar still has not joined the team yet this season. After spending the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 CHL Import Draft on the netminder, Acadie-Bathurst hopes to have Bednar soon and Vary’s announcement implies that he will only play for the team until that point that he decides to finally head overseas.
  • Seeking more ice time in the SHL, Carolina Hurricanes’ 2020 second-round selection Noel Gunler has been loaned out for the remainder of the season. Lulea HF announced that Gunler has been loaned to Brynas IF after requesting a move. The team hoped to keep Gunler on the roster, but understood his desire for a greater opportunity. Considered by many to have fallen in the draft, making him a potential steal for the Hurricanes, Gunler is an exciting player to watch who may finally produce at a high level in Sweden now that he has a greater role.
  • Also on the move in Europe, although unknown where they will end up at this point, are former NHL defensemen Julian Melchiori and Raman Hrabarenka. The KHL’s Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk has terminated the contracts of both players, the league announced. Hrabarenka had two points in nine games to open up the season, whereas Melchiori had not yet played. With rumors surrounding Neftekhimik and former non-qualified Washington Capitals free agent defenseman Colby Williams, it could be that these departures were made in anticipation of another addition by the team.

Overseas Notes: Reunanen, Tuulola, Wiley

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Tarmo Reunanen, who had been previously loaned to TUTO of the Finnish second league, will jump up a tier and join HPK until further notice. The New York Rangers prospect is under contract in North America but hasn’t actually come over yet. Selected 98th overall in 2016, Reunanen has played the last two seasons with Lukko and recorded 19 points in 51 games in 2019-20. In the release, it states that though Reunanen will return for NHL training camp, if he can’t find a spot with the organization he will be returned to Finland to continue his development.

More notes on prospects playing overseas:

  • Eetu Tuulola has parted ways with Vasterviks IK in the Swedish second league after the player he had replaced due to injury is set to return. Tuulola, a Calgary Flames prospect, will have to be found another spot to play by the Flames if they want to keep him on the ice. The 22-year-old forward spent last season with the Stockton Heat, scoring 23 points in 50 games.
  • Adam Helewka, who signed an AHL contract with the Cleveland Monsters earlier this offseason, will play in Slovakia until the minor league season begins. The 25-year-old forward has had quite the journey already in his hockey career, traded three times in the NHL, playing for four different minor league teams, and spending time in the KHL and SHL. He’ll play for HKM Zvolen for now, as he waits for his next chance in North America.
  • Wiley Sherman wasn’t given a qualifying offer by the Boston Bruins last month, meaning he became an unrestricted free agent able to sign anywhere in the world. That job search has taken him to Denmark, where he’ll join Esbjerg Energy this season. The 25-year-old defenseman played just 20 games for the Providence Bruins in 2019-20, recording six points.

Predators Loan Connor Ingram To Allsvenskan

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Nashville has found a place for goaltending prospect Connor Ingram to play while waiting for training camps in North America to begin.  IK Bjorkloven of the Allsvenskan in Sweden announced that they’ve reached a loan agreement with the Predators that is valid for the entire 2020-21 season but that the Preds have the right to recall him at any time.

The 23-year-old was originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the third round back in 2016 but was dealt to the Predators back in 2019 for a 2021 seventh-round pick to give him a change of scenery.  It certainly made a difference.  Last season, Ingram played in 33 games with AHL Milwaukee, posting a .933 SV% along with a 1.93 GAA, numbers that were the third-best in the league among qualifying goalies.

That was enough for Nashville to hand Ingram a three-year extension back in March, one that converts to a one-way deal in its final season.  It’s possible that he’s up with them before then, however, as both Pekka Rinne (UFA) and Juuse Saros (RFA) are in the final year of their respective deals.  With that in mind, Ingram is almost certain to start next season back with the Admirals but he’ll be first in line to be recalled if injuries strike regardless of how he performs on this loan agreement.

Josh Brook Loaned To Krefeld Pinguine

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The Montreal Canadiens have loaned Josh Brook to the Krefeld Pinguine in the DEL for the next few months in order to get him playing again. The team expects to recall Brook in time for NHL training camp later this winter.

The 56th overall pick in 2017, Brook has just finished his first full season in professional hockey, scoring 13 points in 60 games with the Laval Rocket of the AHL. The former WHL star is one of a handful of young defensemen in the Canadiens’ system that could be battling for NHL roster spots, if ever any open up for them.

Montreal went out and added Joel Edmundson this offseason, re-signed Jeff Petry long-term, and are expected to have Alexander Romanov as a regular this season. With Shea Weber, Ben Chiarot, Brett Kulak, and Victor Mete also around, that doesn’t leave a lot of opportunity for players like Brook, Cale Fleury, or Noah Juulsen to make an impact.

Still, getting his feet under him overseas can only help Brook as he prepares for the season. Waiver-exempt with two years left on his entry-level contract, he’ll be headed to Laval upon his return in all likelihood.

Florida Panthers Loan Alec Rauhauser To Slovakia

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Former Bowling Green State University standout Alec Rauhauser will not be making his pro debut in the NHL or AHL, but in the Slovakian Extraliga. The Florida Panthers have loaned their recent NCAA signing to DVTK Jegesmedvek, the Hungarian club announced. Like most players on loan, Rauhauser will only stay with the Polar Bears until NHL training camps open.

While Hungary may seem like an odd location, Rauhauser has connections to the club. His former junior head coach with the USHL’s De Moines Buccaneers, Dave Allison, is now the head coach at DVTK, and his former Bucs teammate, Nick Wolff of the Boston Bruins, is also on loan to the club. Rauhauser stated in the press release that it was Wolff who recruited him to the team.

While Rauhauser and Wolff are both big defensemen who found immense success in the NCAA, the two play very different styles. Rauhauser will be a nice complement to Wolff, a stay at home defender, with his offense and mobility. Rauhauser recorded 29 goals and 122 points in 159 games over four seasons at Bowling Green and was perennially one of their top scoring players. With the Polar Bears, Rauhauser will get a chance to play a major offensive role from the blue line and can prepare to battle in camp for the Panthers as a potential dark horse option to see NHL action this season.

Sharks’ Lean Bergmann, Canucks’ Marc Michaelis Loaned To Adler Mannheim

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Germany’s DEL is becoming a hot spot for NHL players and prospects on loan. The latest additions belong to Adler Mannheim. The club has announced that they negotiated loans with two different NHL teams in order to upgrade their forward corps. The San Jose Sharks’ Lean Bergmann and the Vancouver Canucks’ Marc Michaelis have joined the team and will take part in the upcoming MagentaSport Cup, as well as the beginning of the DEL season until such time that the NHL opens training camps.

Bergmann, 22, is actually following through on a previous commitment to Mannheim, at least to some extent, by playing with the club on loan. The German forward, who played his developmental hockey in Sweden and the U.S., returned home in 2018-19 and had a strong first season in the DEL with the Iserlohn Roosters. Mannheim took notice and signed Bermann to a two-year deal in the off-season. However, they weren’t the only team recruiting the talented young forward. Bergmann wound up signing an entry-level contract with San Jose just months after signing with Mannheim and moved to the NHL immediately, having played just a pair of Champions League games with the team. He played in 12 games with the Sharks his season and impressed in 31 games with the AHL Barracuda. Now, Mannheim will finally get to see what he can do in their uniform one year later.

Michaelis, 25, expected to make his pro debut with Vancouver or more likely with the AHL’s Utica Comets, but instead will do so with his hometown team. The Mannheim native, who played much of his developmental hockey in Germany, was a highly sought-after college free agent out of Minnesota State University following four years scoring at better than a point-per-game pace on one of the NCAA’s top teams. He inked a one-year entry-level deal back in March, expecting to get some pro action well before now, but will finally take the ice back home.

Mannheim is one of the top teams in the DEL, but Bergmann and Michaelis will undoubtedly be two of their best players while the pair remain on loan. One exciting prospect is that the duo could form a top line with recent No. 3 overall pick Tim Stuetzle of the Ottawa Senators. Stuetzle suffered an injury while training with the team last month and is likely sidelined through the MagentaSport Cup, but could return in time to suit up alongside Bergmann and Michaelis in the regular season. All three players can play center or wing, providing the versatility to all play together in Mannheim opts to stack their top line.

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