Los Angeles Kings Sign Nikolai Prokhorkin
Though it has been expected for quite some time, the Los Angeles Kings officially announced the signing of Nikolai Prokhorkin today. The deal is a one-year entry-level contract that will bring Prokhorkin over to North America for the 2019-20 season.
Prokhorkin, 25, will make the jump from the KHL after registering the most productive season of his career. The 6’1″ forward recorded 20 goals and 41 points in 41 games, taking over some of the offensive responsibility from Ilya Kovalchuk after the latter returned to the NHL. They’ll join forces once again in Los Angeles, where Prokhorkin tried to play several years ago as well. The young Russian actually signed a contract with the team in 2012 but it was ruled invalid after he suited up eight times with the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. He had already signed on in the KHL and was forced to return there, where he played the next seven seasons.
Now his return comes at a time when the Kings are searching for answers in their rebuild. The team has committed quite a bit of money to aging stars—including Kovalchuk who has two years left on his $18.75MM deal—but ended this season in 30th place with a 31-42-9 record and just 199 goals scored. With the trades of Jake Muzzin, Tanner Pearson and Oscar Fantenberg the team has started to reshape their group, but could use some offense if they’re going to contend for a playoff spot.
Prokhorkin can certainly bring that in the KHL, but the question will be whether he can produce in the NHL going forward. His one-year contract will keep him a restricted free agent in the summer of 2020, meaning he’ll have an opportunity to show he is worthy of a multi-year deal. It will be interesting to see how new head coach Todd McLellan deploys his Russian wingers, and whether or not GM Rob Blake makes any other big changes this offseason.
Draft Notes: Turcotte, Podkolzin, Broberg
With the 2019 NHL Entry Draft now less than six weeks away, a more clear picture is starting to form at the top of the first round. It’s long been assumed that American center Jack Hughes and Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko would be the 1-2 punch to open the draft, but what about after that? Over the course of the season, another pivot from the U.S. National Team Development Program has moved up the board and is beginning to get close to the consensus pick at third overall. Alex Turcotte has been a hard player for many to peg this year as injuries have kept him out for large periods of time, but now that scouts have begun to look at his season in totality, they are impressed. In his latest “31 Thoughts” column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman relays an opinion formed from speaking with several teams that Turcotte and OHL defenseman Bowen Byram have separated themselves from the rest of the pack behind Hughes and Kakko. This would also seem to align with recent draft rankings from Friedman’s colleague Sam Consentino, who listed Byram third and Turcotte fourth, and The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, who ranks Turcotte third and calls him “arguably the most complete player in the draft.” Turcotte brings a balanced offensive game and an aggressive two-way style that all teams covet in a future franchise player.
So will Turcotte be the pick for the Chicago Blackhawks at No. 3? There are factors working in his favor, the greatest of which might be that Turcotte is a Chicago-area native. Born and raised in Illinois, Turcotte would be an easy player to market to the fan base as the heir apparent to Jonathan Toews, especially with the stylistic similarities between the two. The other major influence, as noted by Friedman, is that the Blackhawks have used three first-round picks and a second-round pick on defensemen in the last two years alone. Unless they are infatuated with Byram, Chicago will go with a forward at third overall. If it is indeed Turcotte, playing for his hometown team right out of the gate may be enough to make him walk back his commitment to the University of Wisconsin, that is if the Blackhawks think he is ready for the NHL right away.
- Friedman opines that this year’s draft will really begin when someone selects Russian winger Vasili Podkolzin. One of the more polarizing players in this draft class, Podkolzin’s draft stock depends not only on how teams view his ability, but also on how soon they expect him to contribute. Friedman reports that Podkolzin is locked into two more years on his current KHL contract, meaning anyone using a top pick on him will have to wait until at least 2021-22 to see any return. That guaranteed absence only boosts the “Russian factor” fear, that Podkolzin will take his time or potentially may never make the jump to the NHL. On ability alone, Podkolzin is easily a top-ten talent this year, but scouts differ on where in that range he should land. Add in the number of teams drafting in the top ten who want to improve immediately and Podkolzin’s draft slot becomes a complete mystery. Although this deep and talented class provides little consensus, even on early picks, Friedman’s take that the Podkolzin pick will truly shift the draft board is more than fair.
- Another top draft prospect seemingly not expecting to rush across the Atlantic is defenseman Philip Broberg. Once considered the surefire second-best defender in the draft class, Broberg’s stock has fallen somewhat this season as scouts have begun to realize that his size, strength, and skating mask some holes to his game in the skill and IQ departments. Broberg very well may still be second defenseman off the board and is a lock as a first-round pick, but he no longer has the top-five or even top-ten guarantee he may have anticipated at this time last year. As such, Broberg is clearly expecting a longer stay in his native Sweden rather than an immediate jump to the NHL. Swedish news source Norran reports that Broberg is expected to sign a contract with the Swedish Hockey League’s Skelleftea AIK. Broberg joined the AIK organization midway through last season, but had not seen any action at the highest level. That will change next season, as Broberg will stay in Sweden but venture into the top pro ranks rather than play at the junior level or in the AHL instead. The transfer agreement between the NHL and SHL means that Broberg will not be locked in to his contract the same way Podkolzin is, but it also makes it unlikely that he’ll be seen in North America next year.
Snapshots: Draft Rankings, Kovalchuk, NWHL
The 2019 NHL Entry Draft is just over a month away, but the next few weeks could still determine the top few selections. Kaapo Kakko and Jack Hughes are set to battle head to head at the upcoming IIHF World Championship while playing with other NHL stars and their individual performances could determine the final outcome of June’s draft. It’s unsurprising then that Hughes and Kakko continue to lead Sam Cosentino of Sportsnet’s draft rankings, but it’s not like they’re the only ones still playing important hockey.
Bowen Byram, ranked third on Cosentino’s list, is currently leading the WHL playoffs with 23 points in 18 games and has a chance to even the championship series against Prince Albert tonight. Byram recorded 71 points in 67 games this season, and is the top defenseman available in this year’s draft. His placement at third is an interesting one though, as the Chicago Blackhawks who own the selection have drafted defensemen with their first two picks in each of the past two years—Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin in 2018, and Henri Jokiharju and Ian Mitchell in 2017. If the Blackhawks decide not to pick another blue liner they’ll have a few names to choose from, as prospects 4-10 on the list all skate up front.
- Speaking with reporters including Igor Eronko of Sport-Express while working with the Russian national team, Ilya Kovalchuk explained that he is still motivated to play for the Los Angeles Kings and has reached out to some former players who spent time under head coach Todd McLellan. Kovalchuk clearly did not find the good graces of Willie Desjardins last season and ended the year with just 34 points while seeing fewer than 16 minutes of ice time in nearly half of his 64 games. The 36-year old winger has two years remaining on his $18.75MM deal signed last summer.
- The NWHL is desperately trying to stay afloat after more than 200 of the best women hockey players in the world announced a boycott last week, but they’ll have to do it without the help of Kim Pegula, co-owner of the Buffalo Sabres. The Buffalo Beauts were the only team in the NWHL that shared ownership with an NHL franchise, but will now be operated by the league after Pegula announced that the relationship will be severed. As Hailey Salvian and Katie Strang of The Athletic (subscription required) write, the Beauts were the “gold standard” of the NWHL, mostly because of their relationship with the Sabres and access to resources other teams did not have.
Western Notes: Fedun, Oilers’ Front Office, Holden, Kubalik
With lots of questions surrounding the last spot on the Dallas Stars’ defense, SportsDay’s Matthew DeFranks reports that Taylor Fedun is expected to play after participating in warm-ups before Game 6 of their second round series against the St. Louis Blues. The veteran defenseman was questionable to play, but he successfully warmed up with no issues.
The team has been hampered by injuries at the third pairing spot alongside Ben Lovejoy, as both Jamie Oleksiak and Joel Hanley are out with injuries, while Fedun has also struggled to get on the ice. The team had a number of options if Fedun could not go, including Dillon Heatherington and Gavin Bayreuther.
- While nothing has been signed, the Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins suggests that if/when Detroit Red Wings Senior Vice President Ken Holland takes over as General Manager in Edmonton, he’s likely to bring front office personnel with him. He writes that Detroit’s Director of Amateur Scouting Tyler Wright is a likely candidate to follow Holland, as well as Ryan Martin, the Red Wings Assistant General Manager, who is the team’s salary cap guru. He adds that rumors that Dave Tippett could end up as the team’s head coach would be a good move considering the relative success he had in Arizona when the team had little to work with.
- After being relegated to the press box for all but one game in the playoffs, Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nick Holden is motivated to come back and reclaim a spot on Vegas’ blue line, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Ben Gotz. The 31-year-old played in his least amount of regular season games since the 2013-14 season after he was passed on the depth chart by Jonathon Merrill. With one more year on his contract at $2.2MM, Holden must prove he is capable of being a regular. “Whenever you’re sitting out, it’s added motivation to try to bring your level up,” Holden said. “It’s good for a team to have that healthy competition, because that pushes all of us to be better.”
- The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required) writes that while the Chicago Blackhawks are finalists in the sweepstakes to sign Swedish forward Anton Wedin, the team is also expected to sign NLA forward Dominik Kubalik after the World Championships. Kubalik, whose rights were acquired from the Los Angeles Kings on January 24th of this year, is coming off a 25-goal, 57-point season in the Swiss League. The 23-year-old is expected to challenge for a bottom-six spot in the Blackhawks’ lineup immediately.
Pacific Notes: Pavelski, Donskoi, Quick, DiPietro
The San Jose Sharks are expected to get back a key forward for Game 5 on Saturday, but it won’t be captain Joe Pavelski. The veteran forward, who has been out after hitting his head on the ice in Game 7 of the first-round of the playoffs after taking a hit from Vegas’ Cody Eakin, has been skating more often this week, but is still not ready to return, according to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. “Getting better. Starting to skate regular,” head coach Peter DeBoer said of Pavelski, but added “Not in tonight.”
However, the Sharks are expected to be getting back Joonas Donskoi, who has missed the last five games with an undisclosed injury after taking a hit from Vegas’ Brayden McNabb in Game 6 in the first round. The winger said he’s available to play, although DeBoer said that Donskoi will be a game-time decision. The 27-year-old has appeared in just three playoff games this season with no points. Donskoi was a healthy scratch for the first three games of their first-round series to allow Micheal Haley to play. If Donskoi does go in, he would likely replace Lukas Radil and join the team’s third line along with Tomas Hertl and Evander Kane. Haley is expected to play on the fourth line regardless.
- The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman (subscription required), in a mailbag column, suggests that the Los Angeles Kings would be better off holding on to veteran goaltender Jonathan Quick. With the team moving towards a rebuilding project, many feel that trading Quick makes the most sense, especially considering the success that Jack Campbell and Calvin Petersen had this season. However, Dillman writes that with four years remaining on his contract at $5.8MM AAV, there will likely be few takers for Quick considering his poor numbers last year (3.38 GAA, .888 save percentage). She writes that it would be better for the Kings to hold onto him and hope he can bounce back and increase his value ahead of the trade deadline or next off-season.
- Vancouver Canucks prospect goaltender Michael DiPietro got injured Saturday in the OHL playoffs, according to Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal, who adds that he hears it is a high-ankle sprain, which could end his season early. The 19-year-old star goalie prospect, who is expected to join the Utica Comets next season in the AHL, is 13-0 in the playoffs with a 2.24 GAA and a .917 save percentage. The injury should not affect his availability to begin next season.
Markus Phillips Signs Entry-Level Contract
The Los Angeles Kings have signed Markus Phillips to a three-year entry-level contract, a nice reward for a player who has helped the Guelph Storm reach the OHL Final. Phillips is set to take on the Ottawa 67’s starting Thursday evening for a chance to attend the 2019 Memorial Cup.
Phillips, 20, has been an excellent contributor to the Storm after a midseason trade from the Owen Sound Attack, and could potentially jump to the professional ranks next season. While still eligible for another year in the OHL, his development may warrant a place on the Ontario Reign of the AHL instead.
Selected in the fourth round in 2017, Phillips has routinely outperformed some of the players drafted ahead of him and even forced himself onto Team Canada at the recent World Juniors. A solid puck-mover, he actually seemed to give up some of that offensive ability for a more well-rounded approach this season, something that will carry over well to the next step of his career. He may still be a few years from contributing at the NHL level, but Kings fans should be excited about getting anything from a player drafted in the middle rounds. That’s the exact type of player they’ll need as they attempt a rebuild.
CapFriendly reports that the breakdown of the deal is as follows:
2018-19: $700k base salary, $77.5K signing bonus
2019-20: $700k base salary, $77.5K signing bonus
2020-21: $750k base salary, $85K signing bonus, $15K in performance bonuses
KHL Notes: Goldobin, Prokhorkin, Langhamer
There were rumors last week that Nikolay Goldobin was being pursued by the KHL, but even with his recent agent change that doesn’t seem imminent. Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet spoke with Goldobin’s new agent Sergei Isakov, who explained that the young forward would be returning to the Canucks next season.
Obviously nothing is guaranteed given that Goldobin is still a restricted free agent that needs a new contract, but his return to Vancouver at least indicates that the two sides are still willing to try and make their relationship work. Goldobin recorded 27 points in 63 games for the Canucks this season but hasn’t been able to fully tap into the huge potential that made him the 27th overall pick in 2014. The 23-year old forward has put up excellent offensive seasons in the minor leagues, but has just 46 points in 124 games in the NHL.
- Earlier this month Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake confirmed that they would offer Nikolai Prokhorkin a contract, and it seems as though the talented Russian forward is going to accept. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express tweets that Prokhorkin himself confirmed he is going to sign with the Kings, giving the organization another offensive option for next season. The 25-year old forward put up 20 goals and 41 points in 41 games for SKA St. Petersburg this season, his sixth full year since returning the the KHL after his contract signed in 2012 with the Kings was voided.
- Former Arizona Coyotes prospect Marek Langhamer isn’t coming back to North America any time soon, as the 24-year old goaltender signed a two-year extension with Amur in the KHL. Langhamer actually played in two NHL games for the Coyotes but was loaned back to the Czech Republic in 2017-18 and hasn’t returned. His rights still belong to the Coyotes, but after finding such success in the KHL this season—the young goaltender posted a .929 save percentage in 19 appearances—there will obviously be an appetite to stay overseas.
Montreal Canadiens Re-Sign Nate Thompson
The Montreal Canadiens acquired veteran forward Nate Thompson ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline this season to add bottom-six depth for a playoff run that never materialized. They gave up little to acquire him, swapping a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft for Thompson and a fifth-rounder from the Los Angeles Kings. Yet, the Habs have decided to make the most of that minor investment. The team has announced a one-year contract extension with Thompson. It is a one-way deal worth $1MM.
The extension represents a small pay cut for Thompson, who had a $1.65MM AAV on his previous two-year deal, one that was originally signed with the Ottawa Senators but was served with three different teams. Yet, it is a fair downgrade for the 34-year-old forward. While still a dependable two-way player and an asset at the face-off dot, Thompson point totals fell last year and he hasn’t cracked 20 points since 2010-11. Yet, in just 25 games with Montreal, Thompson scored more points than he accumulated with the Kings in more than twice the games earlier in the season. If that level of production continues – a 23-point pace – this deal will be a great bargain for the Canadiens.
With Thompson signed and the Habs already confirming that backup goaltender Antti Niemi won’t be returning, the team has very few unrestricted free agents to worry about. Only forward Jordan Weal, a fellow deadline addition, and defenseman Jordie Benn are set to hit the open market. Like Thompson, Weal played far better in Montreal than in his previous locales during the season, while Benn had a career year in 2018-19. Both are strong candidates to return to the team.
Mikey Anderson Signs Entry-Level Contract
The Los Angeles Kings have signed Mikey Anderson to a three-year, entry-level contract, ending his college career. Anderson recently won the NCAA Championship with the University of Minnesota-Duluth, but will start his professional career in 2019-20.
Anderson, 19, knows winning and little else at the collegiate level after taking home the title two years in a row. Originally selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft, he has quickly become a top prospect in the Kings system and one of the most effective defensemen in the country at his level. Not only did he put up 27 points in 40 games for the Bulldogs, but Anderson also captained Team USA at the most recent World Juniors where he recorded five points in seven games en route to a silver medal.
There’s still plenty for the 6’0″ 196-lbs defenseman to work on before suiting up in the NHL, but the fact that both sides think he’s ready for professional hockey is a testament to how hard he has worked to develop over the last two seasons. The Kings are beginning a rebuild that may take a while, but Anderson should feature prominently in it over the next few years.
Snapshots: Kings, Checkers, Hornqvist
In 2017-18, the Los Angeles Kings finished with 98 points, were a playoff team and had both a Norris Trophy and Hart Trophy finalist (and Selke winner) on their roster. Dustin Brown had found his edge again and recorded a 60-point season, while Jonathan Quick took home the Jennings Trophy as the goaltender for the team with the lowest goals against average in the NHL. Then, it all came crashing down. The club finished 30th in the NHL in 2018-19, fired their coach and traded away several assets. Things looked grim.
As Todd McLellan comes in to try and turn the team around, he spoke with Mark Spector of Sportsnet and was clear that it won’t be a quick process. The Kings aren’t expecting to be back competing for the Stanley Cup next season, and are just “at the beginning of the process.” The question now becomes what happens with the other veteran assets on Los Angeles, as names like Brown, Quick, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Jeff Carter aren’t getting any younger. If “it’s not going to be an overnight thing” as McLellan says, where does that leave the aging stars?
- The Charlotte Checkers will be without two key defenders for their next game, as both Trevor Carrick and Bobby Sanguinetti have been given suspensions. While Sanguinetti will serve just a single game for a check to the head, Carrick is out for three games after leaving the bench to join an on-ice altercation. The Checkers are tied 1-1 in their first-round series against the Providence Bruins, and will need to find a way to win without two of their veteran blue liners.
- Patric Hornqvist will suit up for Sweden at the upcoming IIHF World Championship, continuing his season after a disappointing exit with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hornqvist joins a squad that needed some help up front, and could very well find himself skating beside rookie sensation Elias Pettersson. The 32-year old winger won a gold medal with Sweden last year, scoring two goals in five games. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that teammate Marcus Pettersson will be an alternate for the Swedish squad.