Calgary Flames Loan Dmitry Zavgorodniy To SKA St. Petersburg
The Calgary Flames have played a trick on hockey writers everywhere, loaning Dmitry Zavgorodniy to SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL. The announcement does not indicate whether the young forward will be returning to North America when camp opens, but Ryan Pike of FlamesNation notes that the team will be able to recall him at that time.
Zavgorodniy, 20, is coming off three seasons with the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL, including an outstanding 2019-20 that saw him register 29 goals and 67 points in just 40 games. A seventh-round pick in 2018, he stands just 5’9″ but has shown enough to earn the entry-level contract he signed in 2019.
Like so many other teams around the league, the Flames will use overseas loans as a way to keep their prospects playing and developing while the AHL figures out how and when to stage a 2020-21 season. Zavgorodniy is joining a strong team in SKA, one that he’ll have to battle for playing time on.
Senators Loan Filip Gustavsson To Sodertalje
The Senators have found a place for another one of their prospects to play while they wait for the 2020-21 season to begin. The team announced (Twitter link) that they have loaned goaltender Filip Gustafsson to Sodertalje of HockeyAllsvenskan in Sweden. In a separate tweet, GM Pierre Dorion released the following statement:
We commend Filip for joining our growing list of prospects making the decision to pursue opportunities to play games in Europe this fall. This is another good development opportunity and we look forward to tracking Filip’s progress.
The 22-year-old played in 24 games last season with AHL Belleville, recording a 3.23 GAA along with a .889 SV%. Gustavsson was also recalled to Ottawa twice this season but didn’t get into any game action. He was originally drafted in the second round by Pittsburgh (55th overall in 2016) and was part of the three-way trade with Vegas and Pittsburgh near the 2018 trade deadline that saw Ryan Reaves go to the Golden Knights and Derick Brassard to the Penguins.
The move will at least allow Gustavsson to get some playing time while waiting for the AHL season to get underway which won’t come until December at the earliest. As part of the agreement, he will return to Ottawa when training camps get underway.
Joona Luoto Loaned To HIFK
At some point European leagues will run out of spots for NHL prospects, but not today. The Winnipeg Jets have loaned Joona Luoto to HIFK in Finland, though immediately announced that he will be back when the 2020-21 season starts in North America.
Luoto, 22, found himself in the Jets lineup for 16 games this season during his first year in North America but failed to register a single point. The 6’3″ winger came over from Finland as an undrafted free agent and ended up splitting the year between the AHL and NHL.
While offense was clearly not his strong suit this year, Luoto has been playing at the professional level since he was a teenager and should be a fine bottom-six depth option for the Jets next season. He’ll turn 23 tomorrow but still has two years remaining on his entry-level contract.
Overseas Notes: Lagesson, Sproul, Martinsen, Koppanen
Edmonton restricted free agent defenseman William Lagesson has signed a contract, but not with the Oilers. Lagesson has inked a one-year contract with HC Vita Hasten of the Allsvenskan, the Swedish second tier league. The team announced the contract and emphasized that the deal covered the entire 2020-21 season, but don’t expect the promising young defender to follow through on that commitment. PuckPedia reports that the contract contains an NHL Out Clause, allowing Lagesson to leave Vita Hasten once the NHL season begins, assuming he has a contract. By all accounts, the Oilers are planning to re-sign the 24-year-old RFA, who played in eight games in Edmonton last season. A standout in the Swedish junior ranks and at the University of Massachusetts, Lagesson doesn’t project as a top-four defenseman for the Oilers, but is a valuable, two-way depth option. Expect Lagesson’s contract with Vita Hasten to essentially act as a loan, with the defenseman in Edmonton camp as soon as it opens.
- Long-time Detroit Red Wings prospect Ryan Sproul left North America last off-season to sign with the KHL’s Chinese contingent, the Kunlun Red Star. The puck-moving defenseman had a strong season and was seeking a contract back home this summer, but has now opted to return to Kunlun. The Red Star announced a new one-year deal with Sproul, retaining yet another of their numerous former NHLers. Playing on a roster that is chock full of fellow North Americans, Sproul will continue to play a familiar style alongside his peers, all in the hopes that another good year can earn him more attention among NHL clubs the next time around.
- Former NHL grinder Andreas Martinsen is headed home. The big forward has signed a one-year deal back in his native Norway with Lillehammer, the team with which he has played the most games in his pro career. Lillehammer was excited to announce the homecoming of the iconic Norweigian forward, who is one of just five from his country to play in 100+ NHL games. Martinsen, who last played in the NHL in 2018-19, spent the first half of this past season in the AHL before departing for the Swiss NLA. At 30, it is unclear if Martinsen’s return to Norway could mark a retirement phase of his career or if he is simply most comfortable back home given the many repercussions of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
- The Boston Bruins have loaned prospect forward Joona Koppanen to KOOVEE of the Finnish minor league Metsis, the team announced. As the press release details, Koppanen’s opportunity has been limited in North America, which begs the question whether this loan could extend beyond NHL training camp unlike most others. Koppanen, a 6’5″, 200-lb. forward who plays center and wing, showed improvement in his second full season in North America in 2019-20, recording 18 points in 43 games with AHL Providence. Yet, he was not a full-time player and saw time in the ECHL for the second straight season. With the 2016 fifth-rounder’s entry-level contract expiring after the coming season, the Bruins may prefer to see how Koppanen performs as a top-line forward in the Metsis rather than a part-time bottom-six forward in the AHL.
Red Wings Loan Michael Rasmussen To Austria
hael rasmussenDetroit Red Wings prospect forward Michael Rasmussen will join the numerous other NHL players and prospects getting an early start to the 2020-21 season. The Red Wings announced that the young center has been loaned to the Graz 99ers, an Austrian club in the recently re-named IceHL. No further details about the loan have been disclosed, but it is expected to come to an end when NHL training camps open up later this year.
Rasmussen, 21, needs the seasoning more than most. Drafted ninth overall in 2017, Rasmussen’s greatest assets were his pro size and strength. At 6’6″ and 220 lbs., the Red Wings didn’t hesitate to put Rasmussen directly into NHL competition in his rookie season in 2018-19. However, he struggled to adjust to the speed and skill of the top level. Rasmussen still managed to record 18 points in 62 games with Detroit, but the team was not content with his development and sent him to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins to begin this past season. Due to an injury that cost him more than two months, Rasmussen was never recalled from the minors, logging just 35 AHL games for the year.
As he awaits the start of the 2020-21 NHL campaign, Rasmussen knows that he has work to do to prove that he is worthy of winning back a regular role for the Red Wings. Both team and player hope that this assignment to Graz will help him get off to a much-needed hot start. Rasmussen should undoubtedly be the best player in the 99ers’ lineup and should be able to focus on working on the shortcomings of his game while still contributing to club’s games. A strong stint in Austria could not only help with Rasmussen’s skill and hockey sense, but could provide a confidence boost that follows him into traiing camp
Patrick Russell Loaned To Rungsted Seier Capital
The Edmonton Oilers have loaned several prospects overseas, but they won’t stop there. Now Patrick Russell has also been sent to Europe, loaned to Rungsted Seier Capital in Denmark’s professional league. Russell, one of the few Danish players in the NHL, hasn’t played for a club team in his home country since 2009.
The 27-year-old forward was re-signed to a new one-year $700K contract just last month, but will spend at least the first few months of it playing for a different club. Russell will be expected to return to North America in time for NHL training camps, though it is not clear exactly when those will be held at this point.
Though he has failed to score a single goal in 51 NHL matches, Russell still represents a depth option for the Oilers to plug in at the bottom of their lineup next season. His contract carries just a $700K cap hit, but he has shown an ability to score goals at both the NCAA and minor league levels. If that ability surfaces at the NHL level, he’d be quite the bargain in 2020-21.
Raphael Lavoie Headed To Sweden
Sep 22: Lavoie ended up leaving Rogle before playing a single game, but will still be heading to Sweden for the 2020-21 season. The Oilers have announced that the young forward has now been loaned to Vasby IK in the Swedish second league. Like before, the release indicates that Lavoie is going for the whole season, though obviously, that could still change depending on the situation.
Aug 20: The Edmonton Oilers continue to be flexible with their prospects, sending them overseas amid the uncertainty surrounding an AHL season. The minor leagues are still hoping to have full seasons, but since nothing is set in stone at this point, organizations are finding playing time for their youngsters all over the world. According to Dave Ainsley of Le Quotidien and a report out of Sweden, Oilers prospect Raphael Lavoie will play the 2020-21 season with Rogle of the SHL.
Interestingly, Lavoie is expected to play the entire season instead of returning for NHL training camp and an AHL campaign like so many other prospects. The second-round pick from 2019 spent last season in the QMJHL, split between the Halifax Mooseheads and Chicoutimi Sagueneens scoring 38 goals and 82 points in just 55 games. He also was a member of the gold medal-winning Canadian World Junior club, though he failed to score a goal in the tournament.
Lavoie only signed his entry-level contract a few months ago, officially joining the Oilers organization. Interestingly though, that means his contract will actually not slide forward like many of the 2019 draft picks even if he spends the year outside of the NHL. Since he’ll turn 20 in late-September, 2020-21 will be the first year of his deal even if it’s spent on loan in the SHL.
Mikhail Berdin To Sign With SKA St. Petersburg
Sep 22: The Jets have officially announced that Berdin will play for SKA, but confirmed that he will return to North America when the 2020-21 season begins.
Sep 15: With the start of the AHL season still completely up in the air many teams have loaned out prospects around the world to keep them playing and developing. Most of those loans have a clock on them though as the prospects are expected back in North America to compete for jobs whenever training camp finally happens.
That might not be the case with Winnipeg Jets goaltending prospect Mikhail Berdin, whose KHL rights were traded today from Sochi to SKA St. Petersburg. The latter team announced that Berdin will soon sign a contract for the entire 2020-21 season, which would suggest that he isn’t returning to North America anytime soon.
While that may be a fine development for some who want playing time and consistency this season, but in Berdin’s case it brings up another issue. The 22-year-old goaltender is heading into his final season under contract with the Jets, meaning as a restricted free agent next offseason he could potentially remain in the KHL.
Though the Jets have their starting NHL goaltender locked up for the next several seasons, Berdin represents a potential future option should his strong play continue. The sixth-round pick put up a .910 save percentage in 42 games for the Manitoba Moose this season after an excellent rookie year in 2018-19. If he decided to stay in Russia past the upcoming season the Jets could still retain his NHL rights by issuing him a qualifying offer, but it’s hard to think they wouldn’t rather have him playing for their organization instead.
Los Angeles Kings Reach Loan Agreement With Eisbaren Berlin
Sometimes it pays to have rich parents. The Los Angeles Kings have reached an agreement with Eisbaren Berlin of the DEL to have a group of five young players loaned overseas for the next while. The two hockey teams are owned by the same parent company, Anschutz Entertainment Group. Alex Turcotte, Tyler Madden, Akil Thomas, Aidan Dudas, and Jacob Ingham will join the DEL as they prepare for their upcoming season, though will all be back when NHL training camps get underway.
Not only will these players get a chance to stay on the ice training with a professional environment, but it can also serve as a relationship and chemistry building experience for a group that will be integral to the Kings success down the line.
Turcotte, the headliner here and one of the top prospects in the NHL, was the fifth-overall pick in 2019. After a strong rookie season at the University of Wisconsin, Turcotte signed his entry-level contract and could be competing for an NHL roster spot as soon as the 2020-21 season gets underway. The 19-year-old center scored 26 points in 29 games for Wisconsin but is also known for his strong defensive game.
Madden meanwhile came to the Kings organization in the Tyler Toffoli trade with Vancouver and also decided to sign his entry-level contract this spring. Two outstanding years at Northeastern University turned Madden from a third-round lottery ticket into a top prospect and he’ll now be a name to watch in the coming years.
Thomas, Dudas, and Ingham were all selected by the Kings in 2018 and are each coming off excellent performances in the OHL.
Thomas started the year on the struggling Niagara IceDogs but ended up with the Peterborough Petes, a club that had their eye on the Memorial Cup before things were shutdown for the year. The 20-year-old forward had 84 points in just 49 games and continued to show why he should have been picked above 51.
Dudas was a fourth-round selection but actually managed to make his AHL debut in the spring of 2019, scoring two points in six games with the Ontario Reign. While he’s undersized, the 20-year-old center continues to shatter expectations and even made it onto the 2020 Canadian World Juniors team.
Ingham, the lone goaltender of the bunch, was just a sixth-round pick of the Kings a couple of years ago but had the best season of his life this year with Kitchener. With a 33-8-5 record and .917 save percentage he was one of the best goalies in the league, while also taking home the OHL Humanitarian Award for his work with Hockey Gives Blood, an organization that helps raise awareness about the importance of donating blood.
Otto Somppi, Oskari Laaksonen Loaned To Lahti
Two more young players will spend the next several months playing overseas, as Otto Somppi of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Oskari Laaksonen of the Buffalo Sabres have been loaned to the Lahti Pelicans in Finland. Both players can be recalled when NHL training camps open.
Somppi, 22, is another one of Tampa Bay’s late-round draft picks that the organization has committed to developing. The 206th overall pick in 2016, Somppi has now been in their minor league system for two seasons, scoring 18 points in 45 games for the Syracuse Crunch this year. A 6’2″ center that exploded with 83 points in his final year of junior for the Halifax Mooseheads, he’ll be a restricted free agent after the 2020-21 season when his entry-level deal expires.
Laaksonen meanwhile has no experience on North American ice, having played the last three seasons with Ilves in Finland after his 2017 selection by Buffalo. The 21-year-old defenseman was a third-round pick and competed for Finland at the 2019 World Juniors, winning a gold medal alongside other talented defenders like Henri Jokiharju, Urho Vaakanainen and Ville Heinola.
Unlike Somppi, Laaksonen still has plenty of time under contract with the Sabres after only inking his entry-level deal a few months ago. It would be a lot less surprising to see him spend the entire 2020-21 season overseas, though at some point the Buffalo organization would likely want to see him compete in the AHL. That was likely the plan for this season, though Laaksonen was actually signed to his entry-level deal just a day before the team fired GM Jason Botterill.