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Detroit Red Wings Complete Loans, Sign Free Agents

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The Detroit Red Wings have been checking several boxes on their offseason to-do list today. First, the team has officially assigned Joe Veleno to Malmo of the SHL and have changed Moritz Seider’s loan from Mannheim of the DEL to Rogle of the SHL. These changes are important, as they signify full-season loans of two of the team’s top prospects. Veleno and Seider are expected to spend the entire 2020-21 season overseas, though the SHL season does usually end in March.

In a rebuilding year for the Red Wings, getting Veleno and Seider playing right away should be considered a benefit for their development. There is no clear schedule for the AHL at this point, and given that the NHL is targeting a January start date that should be considered the very earliest a minor league season could be held. The two first-round picks will instead get to play immediately and will have a full season in one of the best leagues in the world.

The team has also reached agreements with two of their restricted free agents, signing Adam Erne and Taro Hirose to one-year contracts. Both players were not included in yesterday’s qualifying offers, and now we know why. Erne and Hirose will both be back in the organization for at least one more year.

Hirose, 24, was signed out of Michigan State University in 2019 and made an impact down the stretch for the Red Wings, scoring seven points in 10 games. That level of production wasn’t carried into this year, but the entire Red Wings team was brutal and Hirose still did register plenty of offense at the minor league level. With an improved club and higher level of play, perhaps Hirose can still become an impact player for the team.

Erne on the other hand will likely never provide much offense at the NHL level, but can still serve a role as a depth option for the Red Wings this season. In 170 career games he has just 32 points, most coming with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018-19. Detroit GM Steve Yzerman knows Erne well from their time together with the Lightning and obviously feels he can still play a role in the organization.

Denis Malgin Loaned To Lausanne HC

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have loaned Denis Malgin overseas, sending him to Lausanne HC of the Swiss NLA. Malgin signed a new one-year contract with the Maple Leafs last week and had already been training back home in Switzerland.

While he certainly doesn’t draw many headlines, the 23-year-old forward has actually quietly racked up 192 games played over the last four seasons and hasn’t suited up in the minor leagues since 2017. The Maple Leafs acquired him in exchange for Mason Marchment last season and put him in the lineup for eight games down the stretch. Undersized, Malgin is a bottom-six option for the cap-strapped Maple Leafs next season.

Malgin will be expected to return in time for NHL training camp, like some of the other Maple Leafs players currently suiting up overseas. Mikko Lehtonen, one of their prized free agent signings, is currently lighting it up in the KHL once again. When considering how the Maple Leafs will fill out their roster come next season, these inexpensive names currently playing overseas are important to remember.

Overseas Notes: Texier, Sandstrom, Brannstrom

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have transferred the loan of Alexandre Texier from KalPa in Finland’s Liiga to Grenoble in the French professional league, where the young forward will continue playing for the time being. As Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch reports, Texier will remain in France with his family as someone close to him is dealing with an undisclosed illness.

Texier, 21, actually spent one season with Grenoble in 2016-17 before heading to Finland to continue his development. The young forward took quite an interesting path to the NHL, where he spent all of this season. Texier is still expected back in North America when the 2020-21 season begins.

  • The Philadelphia Flyers have loaned Felix Sandstrom to Vasterviks IK of the Swedish second league, where he will presumably play until things start again in North America. Sandstrom, 23, is another top goaltending prospect in the Flyers system that was the 70th overall pick in 2015. In 2019-20 he posted just an .885 save percentage in the ECHL, but there is still lots of upside in the 6’2″ netminder. Perhaps he can get things back on track in his native Sweden, where he already found success at the highest level before coming to North America in 2019.
  • Though the official announcement still hasn’t come out, Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion confirmed to reporters including Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia that Erik Brannstrom will be loaned to Switzerland until the next NHL season begins. Brannstrom is expected to play for the SCL Tigers in the Swiss NLA. Though he split time this season, the 21-year-old defenseman is expected to receive a full-time NHL role in 2020-21.

Maple Leafs Loan Kristians Rubins To Danish League

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While there has been a significant exodus of NHL prospects overseas in recent weeks, there are still some spots available in various leagues.  One of those has been filled by Maple Leafs prospect Kristians Rubins as Frederikshavn of the Metal Ligaen in Denmark announced that they’ve added the blueliner on loan until NHL training camps get underway.

The 22-year-old spent all of last season with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL and collected two goals and 12 assists in 47 games.  It was step up for Rubins after he spent most of his rookie season at the ECHL level with St. John’s.

Next season will be the final year of his entry-level contract and while a good showing with Frederikshavn won’t be enough to get him in the mix for a spot with Toronto, it might aid in his attempt to secure a qualifying offer and a second contract next offseason.  He’s expected to make his Danish League debut on Tuesday.

Devils Loan Jesper Boqvist To Timra

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While most European leagues are already underway, player loans from NHL teams continue.  This tie, it’s the Devils getting involved as they announced that they’ve loaned winger Jesper Boqvist to Timra of HockeyAllsvenskan, the second division in Sweden.  He will be recalled when NHL training camp begins.

The 21-year-old made his NHL debut this season with New Jersey, getting into 35 games.  He played a very limited role during that stint with the majority of his ice time coming on the fourth line and he was limited to just four points (all goals) as a result.  Boqvist was more productive with AHL Binghamton, however, as he chipped in with eight goals and three assists in just 19 contests there.

While Boqvist played in the SHL with Brynas as recently as the 2018-19 campaign, that league isn’t taking partial-season loans of players so he had to dip down to the lower level to have a chance to play at home.  The opportunity to play what should be a sizable role should be a positive for his development and could give him the upper hand at a regular spot with the Devils once next season gets underway.

Goalie Notes: Sharks, Ustimenko, Bachman

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The San Jose Sharks have been linked strongly to Devan Dubnyk in recent days, meaning Pierre LeBrun’s latest report for The Athletic should come as little surprise. LeBrun writes that the Sharks are on the lookout for a “1B” to install behind Martin Jones, with Dubnyk, Braden Holtby and James Reimer all candidates.

Short-term is the key part of the Sharks search, leaving Holtby as an interesting inclusion. The former Washington Capitals starter is about to hit free agency after his worst season in the NHL and perhaps could be looking at a shorter deal to rebuild his value. Still, signing to serve as the backup, even if it is in a tandem role, may not be the best way to accomplish that.

  • Sometimes when a team has a young goaltender starring in the NHL, it’s easy to forget about their other prospects. That’s the case in Philadelphia where Carter Hart steals all the headlines, but the pipeline is filled with other interesting names. One of those, Kirill Ustimenko, is headed overseas for the time being, loaned to HC Gomel of the Belarusian Extraliga. That’s Ustimenko’s hometown team, where he can continue to develop his game before eventually returning to North America. The 21-year-old was a third-round pick in 2017 and posted a .919 save percentage in 31 starts at the ECHL level in 2019-20.
  • Former NHL goaltender Richard Bachman’s playing days are over, as the Iowa Wild of the AHL has announced his hiring as goaltending coach. Bachman, who suited up in the AHL and SHL just this season, played in 49 NHL games over a long professional career.

Adam Cracknell Loaned To Esbjerg Energy

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The Edmonton Oilers signed Adam Cracknell this summer to bring him back from overseas, but they’ll let him stick around in Europe for a little while longer. The veteran forward has been loaned to Esbjerg Energy of Denmark’s Metal Ligaen for the beginning of the 2020-21 season.

Cracknell, 35, spent the 2019-20 season playing for Kunlun Red Star in the KHL, scoring 24 points in 52 games. He signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Oilers last month, re-joining one of the many NHL organizations he has suited up for in the past. Cracknell has played for the Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, Dallas Stars, New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks over a 210-game NHL career, spending the rest of his time in the minor leagues starring with the various AHL affiliates.

The Oilers have sent a number of prospects overseas to continue their development, but are also loaning out more veteran players that have experience in other leagues. Perhaps they believe that time on the ice in professional situations will bring them even more ready to compete when the NHL season finally gets underway.

Sharks Loan Alexei Melnichuk To The KHL

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While Sharks prospect Alexei Melnichuk opted to pursue a career in North America and left the KHL back in May, his playing days at home aren’t quite done yet.  Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL announced (Twitter link) that they’ve added the goaltender on a loan agreement from San Jose.  This comes on the heels of Torpedo acquiring his KHL rights in exchange for the rights to Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi.

Melnichuk had several teams pursuing him back in the spring following a dazzling season with SKA St. Petersburg that saw him post a 1.68 GAA and a .930 SV% in 16 KHL contests.  He was almost as good while playing a level lower in the VHL with a 1.95 GAA and a .925 SV% in eight contests down there.

The move will give him an opportunity to stay in playing shape and should help give him an edge as he tries to make a push to earn a spot with the Sharks for next season.  With Aaron Dell set to become an unrestricted free agent next week, there is a vacancy between the pipes for San Jose and if they don’t fill it with a veteran, Melnichuk could have a strong opportunity to see NHL action next season.

Washington Capitals Loan Bobby Nardella To Djurgardens IF

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The Swedish Hockey League recently instituted a rule prohibiting any more short-term loans from the NHL, which is why over the last few weeks there have been so many prospects ending up in the Allsvenskan, the county’s second league. That’s why when the Washington Capitals loaned Bobby Nardella to Djurgardens IF today, it raised some eyebrows. The announcement states that Nardella has been loaned for the 2020-21 season, likely for the whole thing if the recent guidelines stay intact.

A move like this is even more interesting because Nardella is heading into the final season of his two-year entry-level contract, signed last spring after he finished an excellent career at Notre Dame. Nardella, 24, was an undrafted free agent signing and ended up playing in 41 games for the Hershey Bears this season, scoring 31 points.

The undersized defenseman has always been an outstanding offensive producer, totaling 103 points in 147 college games. In the structured SHL he’ll be tasked with doing more than offense, but his development will certainly continue.

The Capitals will retain his rights as a restricted free agent after the season and could potentially sign an extension at any point during the year.

Chicago Blackhawks Loan Brandon Hagel To Switzerland

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Chicago Blackhawks forward Brandon Hagel is headed to Switzerland to get his season started. The team announced that they have loaned the young winger to HC Thurgau of the Swiss NLB, the country’s second-tier league. Hagel will be recalled for NHL training camp, where he will look to earn a spot with Chicago.

Hagel, 22, made his Blackhawks debut this season as a first-year pro. However, he appeared in just the one game versus 59 games with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. Yet, Hagel’s decent production in the minors last year combined with his 100+ point season in the WHL the year before makes him an exciting possibility to crack the NHL roster. Getting a head start in Switzerland will only help his odds of making the opening night roster.

In Thurgau, Hagel will be one of just six players without Swiss citizenship and the only one with NHL experience. He should play a major role for the team and against NLB competition he could produce at a high rate. Regardless of the quality of play, Hagel will simply benefit from playing big minutes in a key offensive role.

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