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Kings Rumors

Ilya Kovalchuk Agrees To Terms With Los Angeles Kings

July 1, 2018 at 1:22 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 15 Comments

July 1: The Kings have officially announced the three-year, $18.75MM contract for Kovalchuk.

June 23: The Ilya Kovalchuk saga is finally over, and the Russian sniper has decided to move to Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms with Kovalchuk on a three-year contract, and will officially sign him on July 1. The contract will carry a $6.25MM cap hit.

Kovalchuk is returning from the KHL after five years away, but had several teams pursuing him right down to the wire. The deciding factor seems to have been the third season, which was the exact same thing that convinced fellow J.P. Barry client Patrick Marleau to go to Toronto at an advanced age. Kovalchuk’s deal is a 35+ contract, meaning that cap hit will be applied to Los Angeles regardless of whether the player retires or returns to Russia.

Marleau’s contract is a direct comparison as it came in at the same money value as well, and could be a blueprint for the bonus structure. Kovalchuk won’t be eligible for performance bonuses, as they can only be applied to one-year deals.

The Kings have struggled for several seasons in the offensive zone, and were after nearly every scoring winger on the market. Kovalchuk may be the best of the bunch of them, and it cost them only money to sign him out of free agency. He does come with obvious risk, but after leading the KHL in scoring and winning an Olympic MVP en route to a gold medal, there apparently was just too much reward available. Kovalchuk can immediately bring goal scoring ability and help the Kings powerplay, something that desperately needed another option for 2018-19.

Los Angeles is obviously trying to compete for the Stanley Cup right now, but there is plenty to be wary of as they move forward. The core of their team is made up of players in their thirties or close to it, and many of them are signed long-term. The only one that’s not is Drew Doughty, who could sign an extension as soon as July 1st. While that group could certainly find some success this season, it’s a precarious position the organization finds themselves in while their prospects continue to develop.

Kovalchuk left the NHL with 816 points in 816 games and could easily join the 500 goal club on this contract. With 417 through the first part of his career he was one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league every year. If any of that skill is still around, the Kings will be more than happy to pay him a contract of this amount.

Los Angeles Kings| Newsstand Ilya Kovalchuk

15 comments

Edmonton Oilers To Sign Tobias Rieder

July 1, 2018 at 1:18 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Darren Dreger of TSN is reporting that the Edmonton Oilers have decided the price is no longer too high on Tobias Rieder, and will sign the free agent forward to a one-year contract worth $2MM. Rieder did not receive a qualifying offer from the Los Angeles Kings and became an unrestricted free agent.

The deal is the optimal “prove it” contract as the Oilers aren’t risking more that $2MM to see if they can get him to have a breakout season and if it fails, they can move on with no repercussions. With Rieder’s speed, he might be a solid fit next to Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl on one of the top two lines. If he is a success, then Edmonton still gets his restricted free agent rights next season, so they can keep him in the fold. And at age 25, he’s still has potential to improve his game and fit in well with the younger core of Oilers. He also has some penalty killing experience, which can’t hurt an Edmonton team that struggled with special teams last season.

The speedy winger has always had a tremendous amount of potential and looked to be well on his way after his first three years in Arizona in which he tallied 13, 14 and 16 goals. However, he fell out of favor with Rick Tocchet and the team opted instead to send him and goaltender Scott Wedgewood to Los Angeles for backup goalie Darcy Kuemper. Rieder posted four goals and six points in 20 games after the trade, but it wasn’t enough for the Kings to give him an qualifying offer.

Edmonton Oilers| Los Angeles Kings| Rick Tocchet Connor McDavid| Darcy Kuemper| Leon Draisaitl| Scott Wedgewood| Tobias Rieder

0 comments

Oilers Ink Defenseman Kevin Gravel

July 1, 2018 at 11:22 am CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

The Edmonton Oilers add some size and strength on the back end today with the addition of former Los Angeles Kings defenseman Kevin Gravel. Edmonton Sun’s David Staples writes the contract will be a one-year, two-way deal for $700K.

Gravel, who has played the past three season for the Los Angeles Kings and their AHL affiliate, has played in 70 NHL games, but played in just 16 games last year, putting up three assists. He played 25 games for the AHL’s Ontario Reign and tallied three goals and 11 points.

The 26-year-old is likely being brought about to compete for the seventh and final defensive spot on the team and will likely compete with Keegan Lowe and Ryan Stanton, but he may also be a valuable depth commodity if veteran Andrej Sekera isn’t able to return to form this season. He can also supply Edmonton with much-needed physicality as the blueliner stands at 6-foot-4, 212 pounds.

 

Edmonton Oilers| Los Angeles Kings Andrej Sekera| Kevin Gravel| Ryan Stanton

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Free Agent Rumor Round-Up: Roussel, Calvert, Hickey, Rieder, Perron, And More

June 29, 2018 at 8:22 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 4 Comments

The Vancouver Canucks are closing in on an agreement with one of their top free agent targets. After Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Canucks were talking to two-way winger Antoine Roussel, colleague Rick Dhaliwal did some digging and discovered that the two sides were close on a long-term deal. Dhaliwal expects Roussel to sign a four-year deal worth more than $3MM per year with Vancouver. The former Dallas Stars brings grit and energy to the Canucks and has previously teased 30+ point potential. If the 28-year-old Frenchman can reach those levels of production while maintaining his notorious physical game, this could be a great signing by GM Jim Benning. However, it is well above what many would have expected Roussel to sign in both term and salary and could just as well be a disaster for Vancouver. Roussel is ranked 38th on PHR’s Top 50 Free Agents list with an estimated contract of two years and just over $2MM AAV.

[RELATED: PHR’s 2018 Top 50 NHL Unrestricted Free Agents]

  • Friedman has also linked the Colorado Avalanche and forward Matt Calvert. TSN’s Darren Dreger is among a few sources who have also heard about that pairing. Calvert, 28, has played his entire career for the Columbus Blue Jackets, but Dreger seems convinced that he is definitely on the move. The versatile, two-way winger would be a nice fit as a bottom-six regular who can fill gaps in the top-six, much like the role that Blake Comeau played for the team.
  • Dreger also reports that interest is high in defenseman Thomas Hickey. A shallow defense market is likely boosting the value of the serviceable defenseman, who is a tough defensive match-up and a dangerous off-the-puck play-maker, but prone to mistake when moving play. Many speculated that the Islanders would turn their attention to re-signing Hickey once the John Tavares situation had sorted itself out, but with Tavares dragging his feet and Hickey in talks with numerous teams, New York may not get that chance. We predicted that Hickey would land with the Montreal Canadiens on a multi-year deal in PHR’s Top 50 Free Agents list.
  • Another player getting a lot of attention is winger Tobias Rieder and the status of his suitors is changing quickly as the price rises. Just earlier today, the Vancouver Canucks were the first team confirmed to be in on Rieder and by now that list has increased dramatically. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports that the Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, and Ottawa Senators are also in the running and that the price has gotten so high as to drive the Edmonton Oilers out of the bidding. The Athletic’s Craig Custance confirms the interest from the Canucks, Flames, and Habs and adds the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers to the list of interested parties. All this for a player that the Los Angeles Kings deemed unworthy of a qualifying offer.
  • As expected, David Perron is also one of the hottest names on the free agent market and his former team, the Vegas Golden Knights, are seemingly out of the running. Friedman calls it “very unlikely” that Perron returns to Las Vegas, where he set a career high with 66 points this season. For an idea on the price for Perron, he landed at #5 on the PHR Top 50 Free Agents list with a projected six-year, $32MM contract, which could be a conservative guess.
  • One team that is somewhat surprisingly in talks with Perron is Arizona. Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports details the off-season so far from the Coyotes and lists Perron, James van Riemsdyk, and Michael Grabner as Arizona’s top targets. Morgan also says that the team has not ruled out bringing back veteran forward Brad Richardson as well.
  • The Boston Bruins are moving on from Anton Khudobin and reportedly working fast to find his replacement. Beat writer Matt Kalman and The Boston Globe’s Kevin-Paul Dupont both hear that the team is very interested in Kari Lehtonen as the new backup to Tuukka Rask. With many talented goalies on the market, Lehtonen has flown under the radar somewhat despite incredibly comparable numbers to Khudobin in more starts and superior numbers to the likes of Jonathan Bernier, Cam Ward, Robin Lehner and others. Lehtonen also had the highest Quality Start rate of any of that group in 2017-18. Even here at PHR we may have underestimated Lehtonen, making him our sixth-best goalie among the Top 50 free agents.
  • Unsurprisingly, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun notes that the Washington Capitals have checked in with defenseman Brooks Orpik. A veteran leader and key contributor to their Stanley Cup run, the Capitals faced little choice but to trade Orpik away earlier this off-season in order to clear cap space to maintain their championship roster. Now that he has subsequently been bought out by the Colorado Avalanche, Orpik is fair game and could return to D.C. at a much more affordable rate. However, LeBrun warns that other teams are also in the running and Orpik may not take a discount rate in Washington over more legitimate offers.

 

Boston Bruins| Calgary Flames| Colorado Avalanche| Columbus Blue Jackets| Dallas Stars| Edmonton Oilers| Florida Panthers| Jim Benning| Los Angeles Kings| Montreal Canadiens| New York Islanders| New York Rangers| Ottawa Senators| Utah Mammoth| Vancouver Canucks| Vegas Golden Knights| Washington Capitals Antoine Roussel| Anton Khudobin| Blake Comeau| Brad Richards| Brad Richardson| Brooks Orpik| Cam Ward| David Perron| Elliotte Friedman| James van Riemsdyk| John Tavares| Jonathan Bernier| Kari Lehtonen| Las Vegas| Matt Calvert| Michael Grabner| Robin Lehner| Thomas Hickey| Tobias Rieder| Tuukka Rask

4 comments

Islanders Extend Goaltender Christopher Gibson

June 29, 2018 at 6:30 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

The New York Islanders are hoping for good news on a much larger extension in the next 24 hours, but in the meantime they have come to terms on a new contract with minor league goaltender Christopher Gibson. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that it is a two-year, two-way extension for Gibson. The contract will pay him $650K at the NHL level and $225K at the AHL level in the coming season and $700K in the NHL and $250K in the AHL in 2019-20.

Gibson, 25, was set to be an unrestricted free agent this off-season, but the Finnish keeper was unlikely to draw much attention. The 2011 second-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings was once a highly-touted prospect. However, after a strong start to his junior career with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the QMJHL that boosted his draft stock, Gibson stalled in his development over the next two seasons. The Kings chose not to sign him and he became a free agent acquisition of the Toronto Maple Leafs. After finding some success in the AHL with Toronto, Gibson was dealt along with four other prospects to the Islanders in a 2015 trade for Michael Grabner. Since arriving in New York, Gibson has been unable to get back to that same level in the AHL and has struggled greatly in his few call-ups. In twelve NHL appearances, Gibson has three wins, a .902 save percentage, and a 3.58 goals against average.

As it stands, Gibson is second on the depth chart for the Islanders behind Thomas Greiss. However, it is extremely unlikely that Lou Lamoriello and company wish to head into the regular season with either of those goaltenders in their current spots. Gibson has not yet proved that he is anything other than an average AHL goalie and until he does, he is likely to remain just an emergency option in Bridgeport. The two-way nature and minimum salary of his contract reflect this role. Yet, it alleviates any concerns that New York may have had about having to add multiple new goalies on the free agent market this off-season.

AHL| Los Angeles Kings| Lou Lamoriello| New York Islanders| Prospects| Toronto Maple Leafs Christopher Gibson| Michael Grabner| Thomas Greiss

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Hurricanes Notes: Free Agents, Darling, Skinner, Tavares

June 28, 2018 at 7:15 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

The Carolina Hurricanes have already made some noise this off-season, acquiring Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland, and Adam Fox from the Calgary Flames for Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm, but what else the team plans to do this summer remains a mystery. In speaking with Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer, GM Don Waddell indicates that they may simply stick with the status quo for now. Waddell confirmed that the team is not pursuing contracts with pending unrestricted free agents Cam Ward, Derek Ryan, and Lee Stempniak and expect all three to hit the open market on July 1st. Ward, the Hurricane’s long-time goalie, is rumored to be headed to the Chicago Blackhawks, while Ryan is expected to re-join former Carolina coach Bill Peters and his recently-traded teammates in Calgary. Stempniak’s name has not drawn much attention so far this off-season, as the veteran struggled in 2017-18 with nine points in 37 games. Waddell did not discuss recently non-qualified free agent forward Joakim Nordstrom, likely implying that they are moving on from him as well. Waddell also did not offer any updates on negotiations with restricted free agents Trevor van Riemsdyk, Lucas Wallmark, and Valentin Zykov.

  • Waddell did state that the team has no plans to move goalie Scott Darling and are committed to having him on the roster moving forward. The 29-year-old struggled in his first year with Carolina after signing a long-term contract last summer, but the team hopes that his second season as a starter will go smoother. However, Carolina is looking to add a goalie in free agency and have spoken to upwards of six candidates already. The question remains what type of goalie they are looking to bring in. A starter to compete with Darling could look like Robin Lehner, Kari Lehtonen, or Jaroslav Halak, while a steady backup could be Ondrej Pavelec, Chad Johnson, or a reunion with Anton Khudobin.
  • As of now, there is no imminent trade involving forward Jeff Skinner. Skinner’s name has been one of the hottest on the rumor mill and many speculated that the Los Angeles Kings signing Ilya Kovalchuk could be the domino that would lead Skinner to being dealt to a team that missed out on the sharp-shooting veteran. Instead, Waddell says that talks with other teams have been ongoing and they have seen some good offers, but haven’t been “comfortable” with accepting any of them. One has to wonder that if they could pull off a trade as big as the one during draft weekend but aren’t comfortable with “good” offers for Skinner, if they are even looking to trade the talented winger at all.
  • For any ’Canes fans out there still holding out hope that Carolina was a secret seventh team in on the John Tavares sweepstakes, Waddell confirmed that he has had no contact whatsoever with Tavares’ camp. The Hurricanes do have more than enough cap space to add a Tavares though, so perhaps Waddell will be active in free agency after all, but focused on other big names.

Bill Peters| Calgary Flames| Carolina Hurricanes| Chicago Blackhawks| Free Agency| Los Angeles Kings Anton Khudobin| Cam Ward| Chad Johnson| Derek Ryan| Dougie Hamilton| Elias Lindholm| Ilya Kovalchuk| Jaroslav Halak| Jeff Skinner| John Tavares| Kari Lehtonen| Lee Stempniak| Lucas Wallmark| Micheal Ferland| Noah Hanifin| Ondrej Pavelec| Robin Lehner| Scott Darling| Trevor Van Riemsdyk| Valentin Zykov

0 comments

Poll: Biggest Surprise Among Non-Qualified Free Agents?

June 28, 2018 at 6:34 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 10 Comments

When the deadline to issue qualifying offers to restricted free agents comes and goes each year, there are always a few surprises on the list of those who did not receive an offer. For both those players and teams across the league, it can often be a shock that those players are suddenly unrestricted free agents able to sign with whoever they like. Oftentimes, not receiving a qualifying offer does not automatically mean that the player and his team are through. Already this year, defensemen Derrick Pouliot, Ryan Murphy, and Joe Morrow and forwards Riley Sheahan and Phil Di Giuseppe were not tendered an offer, but soon after signed with their respective squads. Yet, this year has also left more notable names than usual to be scooped up by another team come July 1st.

Robin Lehner, the 26-year-old starting goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres, was one of the earliest known players to not be qualified. Whenever a starter hits the open market it can draw attention, but it’s much more surprising when that starter is both young and experienced. Lehner has seen regular NHL action for the past five years, some as a backup or “1B” with the Ottawa Senators and others as the “1A” for Buffalo. Granted, Lehner has had his fair share of difficulties, both staying healthy and performing when he is on the ice, but it came as surprise that the rebuilding Sabres were so willing to move on from their young keeper. In each of his first two seasons in Buffalo, Lehner posted a save percentage of .920 or better and a majority of his appearances were quality starts. Only this season did those numbers drop off, but apparently that was enough for Buffalo to cut him loose. With Chad Johnson also a free agent, the Sabres head into the off-season lacking any true NHL-caliber goalies on the roster.

Anthony Duclair, just 22 and a former 20-goal scorer, was another surprise that many did not see coming. In his sophomore season in the NHL in 2015-16, the 20-year-old Duclair played in 81 games for the Arizona Coyotes and registered 44 points, good enough for fourth on the team. The young winger even garnered Calder Trophy votes. However, last season his play fell off substantially and this year was only marginally better, prompting a mid-season trade to the Chicago Blackhawks. Many opined that a change of scenery would be good for Duclair, who has shown great talent but needs to put it all together on a more consistent basis. Yet, Chicago gave the experiment 23 games before deciding to move on. A team with major cap problems who is always in need of affordable scoring let a young goal-scorer with years left of team control remaining walk in free agency after less than half a season.

Tobias Rieder, a 25-year-old two-way forward, found himself in a similar situation. Rieder was traded to the Los Angeles Kings ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline and played well in his limited role down the stretch for the Kings. However, it wasn’t enough as Rieder was curiously non-qualified after just 20 regular season games in L.A. Before that, the well-rounded forward had played a major role in the forward corps of the Arizona Coyotes. Rieder has recorded more than 20 points in each of his four NHL seasons and has been a double-digit scorer in each year as well. The young German winger plays a smart, physical style and has an innate ability to crash the net and light the lamp. At 25, he still has room to grow and has 20-goal potential in the right situation. The Kings passed up a chance to take a longer look at what Rieder can do and, of course, have scoring winger as their biggest need this summer.

Dylan DeMelo, the 25-year-old defenseman most recently of the San Jose Sharks, is a hard one to understand as well. DeMelo seemingly did everything he was asked of in San Jose, but found himself a free agent anyway. DeMelo had worked to carve out a role for himself with the Sharks in his first two seasons with the team, but in 2017-18 seemed to have found his place. The young defender skated in 63 games and set a new career high in points by a wide margin with 20. While DeMelo is not an offensive juggernaut by any means, he is solid defensively and was a nice complement on the blue line to the many other talented defenders in San Jose. Even if the Sharks were worried about committing too much money to defense or wanted to give some more time to other even younger options, it is hard to imagine that they couldn’t have found a taker for DeMelo on the trade market.

What do you think? Who is the biggest surprise among the RFA’s that did not receive qualifying offers this year and now find themselves looking for a new team this summer as a UFA?

Biggest Surprise Non-Qualified Free Agent?
Anthony Duclair 44.12% (540 votes)
Robin Lehner 21.57% (264 votes)
Dylan DeMelo 12.91% (158 votes)
Tobias Rieder 12.58% (154 votes)
Other - Shore, Nordstrom, Yakupov, Carr, Davidson, Claesson, Mrazek, Kuhnhackl (comment below) 8.82% (108 votes)
Total Votes: 1,224

Mobile users, click here to vote.

Buffalo Sabres| Chicago Blackhawks| Free Agency| Los Angeles Kings| Ottawa Senators| RFA| San Jose Sharks| Utah Mammoth Anthony Duclair| Chad Johnson| Derrick Pouliot| Dylan DeMelo

10 comments

Free Agent Rumor Round-Up: Maroon, Grabner, De Haan, Rieder

June 26, 2018 at 5:47 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

Teams are free to speak with impending free agents prior to the official opening of free agency on Sunday, July 1st. As usual, that has produced a flurry of rumors regarding which teams and how many teams are talking to each of the biggest names. Here is an update on some of those rumors:

  • Unsurprisingly, winger Patrick Maroon has been linked to his hometown St. Louis Blues. Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reports and Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch confirms that the Blues have reached out to Maroon’s camp in hopes of bringing him back to where his hockey aspirations first began. Maroon is coming off a career-high 43-point season and especially looked strong after a Trade Deadline deal from the Edmonton Oilers to the New Jersey Devils. Blues beat reporter Andy Strickland adds that Maroon has not closed the door on a return to either Edmonton or New Jersey, but that the Blues are one of at least six other teams who are pursuing the power forward.
  • The Boston Bruins were busy making their pitch to John Tavares today, but that doesn’t mean that they weren’t also thinking a few steps ahead. Mark Divver of the Providence Journal says that the Bruins have “checked in” on two-way speedster Michael Grabner, another Devils deadline acquisition. Not only do the Bruins need another veteran right-shot forward and want to continue to add quickness to the roster, but it also might not be a coincidence that Grabner spent years playing alongside Tavares with the New York Islanders.
  • In a shallow class of top-four defenseman, Calvin de Haan is drawing a lot of interest despite missing most of the season with the New York Islanders due to injury. The 27-year-old former first-round pick is one of the more reliable and younger options among defenders on the market and is set to cash in as a result. Kings beat writer Dennis Bernstein reports that Los Angeles is the latest team to show interest in de Haan, bringing the speculated total number of teams interested in the blue liner into the double-digits.
  • When the Kings declined to offer Tobias Rieder a qualifying offer yesterday, it was only a matter of time before teams came calling on the new UFA. Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal states that the Vancouver Canucks are one of those interested teams, but that four or five other suitors have already emerged. The two-way winger is one of the youngest and most versatile options available on the market.

Boston Bruins| Edmonton Oilers| Free Agency| Injury| Los Angeles Kings| New Jersey Devils| New York Islanders| St. Louis Blues| Vancouver Canucks Calvin de Haan| John Tavares| Michael Grabner| Patrick Maroon

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Atlantic Notes: Pacioretty, O’Reilly, Nash, Reinhart, Tkachuk

June 23, 2018 at 7:04 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

Montreal Canadiens Max Pacioretty was the most talked about player throughout this weekend’s NHL Entry Draft, but the skilled forward remains with the Canadiens and a trade will have to wait, according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun (subscription required). Evidently general manager Marc Bergevin had many conversations about the 29-year-old, but wasn’t able to get a deal done. The rumor that Montreal and San Jose had struck a trade was false as the two teams had never spoken about him.

LeBrun also writes the closest team to pulling off a trade was the Los Angeles Kings earlier this week as he surmises that both teams were ready to pull the trigger on a trade, but the Kings failed to reach a contract extension with Pacioretty and the deal fell through. However, whether the pieces of a trade were actually in place at the time seemed unlikely, according to LeBrun. The Kings came out OK, however, as they won the Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes. Another wrinkle in trade talks is that Pacioretty also switched agents today as he left Pat Brisson and joined Allan Walsh of Octagon. Pacioretty, who is in the final year of a six-year, $27MM deal ($4.5 AAV), is looking to get paid after putting up big numbers as an underpaid player, suggesting he wants to cash in on that.

  • One other trade topic that didn’t get as much attention this weekend was the potential trade of Buffalo Sabres center Ryan O’Reilly. Mike Harrinton of the Buffalo News writes that Buffalo had extensive talks with the Montreal Canadiens as well as the St. Louis Blues about O’Reilly, but weren’t able to strike a deal. “We just didn’t feel comfortable what was presented the last couple of days,” Botterill said in American Airlines Center. “We’ll see how things progress over the next week or two. Our main focus was the draft and we’re very excited where we’re at the last three days.” O’Reilly is expected to receive a roster bonus of $7.5MM on July 1. If the Sabres intend to trade him, they are more likely to do that before that date, otherwise, expect him to stay in Buffalo.
  • Dan Rosen of NHL.com writes that after losing out on Kovalchuk earlier today, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said he is interested in bringing back unrestricted free agent Rick Nash. Boston acquired the veteran forward at the trade deadline and fared well in the Bruins’ lineup, posting six points in 11 games to finish out the season and then added three goals and two assists in 12 playoff games. Sweeney said they have been in contact with Nash. “He’s strongly indicated that Boston is a place he would consider, as would we,” Sweeney said.
  • Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill said he isn’t worried about contract negotiations with restricted free agent Sam Reinhart, according to The Athletic’s John Vogl. “Our discussions with Craig Oster have been positive,” Botterill said. “I don’t view it as a difficult situation at all. Hopefully, we’ll look at some different structures in the upcoming weeks and get something done.” The 22-year-old put up a career-high 25 goals last season.
  • One key decision that the Ottawa Senators hope to work in their favor will be what avenue 2018 first-round pick Brady Tkachuk will take next season. The Boston University winger was taken fourth overall by the Senators and had previously indicated that he wanted to return to the school. However, after the draft, Tkachuk told reporters he intended to sit down with his father, Keith Tkachuk, to discuss it, according to Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch. While a another year of development at BU wouldn’t be a bad idea, the Senators might want prefer him to be on the ice with them next season.

Boston Bruins| Buffalo Sabres| Los Angeles Kings| Marc Bergevin| Montreal Canadiens| Ottawa Senators| St. Louis Blues Brady Tkachuk| Ilya Kovalchuk| Max Pacioretty| NHL Entry Draft| Rick Nash| Sam Reinhart

1 comment

2018 Draft Results By Team

June 23, 2018 at 6:10 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 4 Comments

The 2018 NHL Entry Draft is now complete. Check out how each team did with accruing talent and filling needs with each of their selections this weekend:

Anaheim Ducks

1-23.  F Isac Lundestrom, Lulea (SHL)
2-54. F Benoit-Olivier Groulx, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
3-79. F Blake McLaughlin, Chicago Steel (USHL)
3-84. G Lukas Dostal, HC Kometa Brno (Czech Republic-Jr.)
4-116. F Jack Perbix, Elk River HS (USHS)
5-147. G Roman Durny, Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
6-178. D Hunter Drew, Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)

Arizona Coyotes

1-5. F Barrett Hayton, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
2-55. D Kevin Bahl, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
3-65. F Jan Jenik, HC Benatky nad Jizerou (Czech Republic-2)
3-73. D Ty Emberson, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
4-114. G Ivan Prosvetov, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
5-142. D Mitchell Callahan, Central Illinois Flying Aces (USHL)
5-145. D Dennis Busby, Flint Firebirds (OHL)
6-158. G David Tendeck, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
7-189. F Liam Kirk, Sheffield Steelers (England)

Boston Bruins

2-57. D Axel Andersson, Djurgardens IF (SuperElit)
3-77.  F Jakub Lauko, Pirati Chomutov (Czech Republic)
4-119. F Curtis Hall, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
6-181.  D Dustyn McFaul, Pickering Panthers (OJHL)
7-212. F Pavel Shen, Mamonty Yugry (MHL)

Buffalo Sabres

1-1. D Rasmus Dahlin, Frolunda HC (SHL)
2-32. D Mattias Samuelsson, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
4-94. F Matej Pekar, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
4-117. D Linus Lindstrand Kronholm, Malmo Redhawks (SuperElit)
5-125. D Miska Kuukonen, Ilves (Jr.-Liiga)
7-187. D William Worge Kreu, Linkoping (SuperElit)

Calgary Flames

3-105. F Martin Pospisil, Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
3-108. F Demetrios Koumontzis, Edina HS (USHS)
4-122. F Milos Roman, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
6-167. F Mathias Emilio Pettersen, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
7-198. F Dmitri Zavgorodny, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)

Carolina Hurricanes

1-2. F Andrei Svechnikov, Barrie Colts (OHL)
2-42. F Jack Drury, Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
4-96. F Luke Henman, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
4-104. F Lenni Killinen, Espoo Blues (Jr.-Liiga)
6-166. D Jesper Sellgren, MODO (Allsveskan)
7-197. G Jake Kucharski, Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)

Chicago Blackhawks

1-8. D Adam Boqvist, Brynas IF Gavle (SHL)
1-27. D Nicolas Beaudin, Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
3-69. F Jake Wise, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
3-74. F Niklas Nordgren, HIFK Helsinki (Jr.-Liiga)
4-120. F Philipp Kurashev, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
5-139. F Mikael Hakkarainen, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
6-162. G Alexis Gravel, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
7-193. F Josiah Slavin, Lincoln Stars (USHL)

Colorado Avalanche

1-16. F Martin Kaut, Dynamo Pardubice (Czech Republic)
3-64. G Justus Annunen, Karpat (Jr.-Liiga)
3-78. F Sampo Ranta, Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
4-109. F Tyler Weiss, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
5-140. F Brandon Saigeon, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
5-146. D Danila Zhuravlyov, Irbis Kazan (MHL)
6-171. F Nikolai Kovalenko, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (MHL)
7-202. G Shamil Shmakov, Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk (MHL)Read more

Columbus Blue Jackets

1-18. F Liam Foudy, London Knights (OHL)
2-49. F Kirill Marchenko, Mamonty Yugry (MHL)
3-80. F Marcus Karlberg, Leksands IF (SuperElit)
6-159. D Tim Berni, Kusnacht (NLB)
6-173. G Veini Vehviläinen, Karpat (Liiga)
7-204. F Trey Fix-Wolansky, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

Dallas Stars

1-13. F Ty Dellandrea, Flint Firebirds (OHL)
2-44. F Albin Eriksson, Skelleftea AIK (SuperElit)
3-75. F Oscar Back, Farjestad BK (SuperElit)
4-100. F Adam Mascherin, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
4-106. F Curtis Douglas, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
5-137. F Riley Damiani, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
6-168. D Dawson Barteaux, Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
7-199. F Jermaine Loewen, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

Detroit Red Wings

1-6. F Filip Zadina, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
1-30. F Joe Veleno, Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
2-33. F Jonatan Berggren, Skelleftea AIK (SuperElit)
2-36. D Jared McIsaac, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
3-67. D Alec Regula, London Knights (OHL)
3-81. D Seth Barton, Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL)
3-84. G Jesper Eliasson, IF Troja-Ljungby (Sweden)
4-98. F Ryan O’Reilly, Madison Capitols (USHL)
6-160. G Victor Brattstrom, Timra IK (SHL)
7-191. F Otto Kivenmäki, Assat (Jr.-Liiga)

Edmonton Oilers

1-10. D Evan Bouchard, London Knights (OHL)
2-40. F Ryan McLeod, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
2-62. G Olivier Rodrigue, Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
6-164. D Michael Kesselring, New Hampton School (USHS)
7-195. F Patrik Siikanen, Espoo Blues (Jr.-Liiga)

Florida Panthers

1-15. F Grigori Denisenko, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (MHL)
2-34. F Serron Noel, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
3-89. F Logan Hutsko, Boston College (NCAA)
6-170. F Justin Schutz, RB Akademie (Czech Republic-Jr.)
7-201. D Cole Krygier, Lincoln Stars (USHL)
7-207. D Santtu Kinnunen, Pelicans (Jr.-Liiga)

Los Angeles Kings

1-20. F Rasmus Kupari, Karpat (Liiga)
2-51. F Akil Thomas, Niagara Ice Dogs (OHL)
3-82. F Bulat Shafigullin, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (KHL)
4-113. F Aidan Dudas, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
5-144. G David Hrenak, St. Cloud State Univ. (NCAA)
6-165. F Johan Sodergran, Linkoping HC (SuperElit)
6-175. G Jacob Ingham, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)

Minnesota Wild

1-24. D Filip Johansson, Leksands IF (SuperElit)
3-63. F Jack McBain, Toronto Jr. Canadiens (OJHL)
3-86. F Alexander Khovanov, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
3-92. F Connor Dewar, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
5-148. D Simon Johansson, Djurgardens IF (SuperElit)
5-155. F Damien Giroux, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
6-179. F Shawn Boudrias, Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
7-210. F Sam Hentges, Tri-City Storm (USHL)

Montreal Canadiens

1-3. F Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Assat (Liiga)
2-35. F Jesse Ylonen, Espoo United (Liiga)
2-38. D Alexander Romanov, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)
2-56. F Jacob Olofsson, Timra IK (SHL)
3-66. F Cam Hillis, Guelph Storm (OHL)
3-71. D Jordan Harris, Kimball Union (USHS)
4-97. F Allan McShane, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
4-123. F Jack Gorniak, West Salem HS (USHS)
5-128. F Cole Fonstad, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
5-133. F Samuel Houde, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
7-190. F Brett Stapley, Vernon Vipers (BCHL)

Nashville Predators

4-111. F Jachym Kondelík, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
5-131. D Spencer Stastney, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
5-151. D Vladislav Yeryomenko, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
7-213. G Milan Kloucek, HC Dynamo Pardubice (Czech Republic)

New Jersey Devils

1-17. D Ty Smith, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
4-110. D Xavier Bernard, Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
5-136. G Akira Schmid, Langnau (Swiss Jr.)
5-141. F Yegor Sharangovich, Dinamo Minsk (KHL)
6-172. F Mitchell Hoelscher, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
7-203. F Eetu Päkkilä, Karpat (Jr.-Liiga)

New York Islanders

1-11. F Oliver Wahlstrom, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
1-12. D Noah Dobson, Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
2-41. D Bode Wilde, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
2-43. F Ruslan Iskhakov, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)
3-72. G Jakub Skarek, HC Dukla Jihlava (Czech Republic-2)
4-103. F Jacob Pivonka, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
5-134. F Blade Jenkins, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
7-196. D Christian Krygier, Lincoln Stars (USHL)

New York Rangers

1-9. F Vitaly Kravtsov, Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL)
1-22. D K’Andre Miller, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
1-28. D Nils Lundkvist, Lulea (SHL)
2-39. G Olof Lindbom, Djurgardens IF (SuperElit)
3-70. D Jacob Ragnarsson, Altuma IS (Allsvenskan)
3-88. D Joey Keane, Barrie Colts (OHL)
4-101. D Nico Gross, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
5-132. F Lauri Pajuniemi, TPS (Liiga)
6-163. D Simon Kjellberg, Rogle BK (SuperElit)
7-216. F Riley Hughes, St. Sebastian’s School (USHS)

Ottawa Senators

1-4. F Brady Tkachuk, Boston University (NCAA)
1-26. D Jacob Bernard-Docker, Okotoks Oilers  (AJHL)
2-48. D Jonny Tychonick, Pentiction Vees (BCHL)
4-95. F Johnny Gruden, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
5-126. F Angus Crookshank, Langley Rivermen (BCHL)
6-157. G Kevin Mandolese, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
7-188. F Jakov Novak, Janesville Jets (NAHL)
7-194. F Luke Loheit, Minnetonka HS (USHS)

Philadelphia Flyers

1-14. F Joel Farabee, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
1-19. F Jay O’Brien, Thayer Academy (USHS)
2-50. D Adam Ginning, Linkoping HC (SHL)
4-112. D Jack St. Ivany, Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
5-127. D Wyatte Wylie, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
5-143. G Samuel Ersson, Brynas IF (SuperElit)
6-174. F Gavin Hain, U.S. National Development Program (USHL)
7-205. F Marcus Westfalt, Brynas IF (SuperElit)

Pittsburgh Penguins

2-53. D Calen Addison, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
2-58. F Filip Hallander, Timra IK (SHL)
5-129. F Justin Almeida, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
6-177. F Liam Gorman, St. Sebastian’s School (USHS)

San Jose Sharks

1-21. D Ryan Merkley, Guelph Storm (OHL)
3-87. F Linus Karlsson, Karlskrona HK (SuperElit)
4-102. F Jasper Weatherby, Wenatchee Wild (BCHL)
6-176. G Zacharie Edmond, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
6-182. F John Leonard, Univ. of Massachusetts (NCAA)

St. Louis Blues

1-25. F Dominik Bokk, Vaxjo Lakers (SuperElit)
2-45. D Scott Perunovich, Univ. of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)
4-107. G Joel Hofer, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
5-138. F Hugh McGing, Western Michigan Univ. (NCAA)
6-169. F Mathias Laferrière, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
7-200. D Tyler Tucker, Barrie Colts (OHL)

Tampa Bay Lightning

2-49. F Gabriel Fortier, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
3-90. D Dmitry Smykin, Kapitan Stupino (MHL)
4-121. D Alex Green, Cornell Univ. (NCAA)
5-152. G Magnus Chrona, Nacka (Sweden-Jr.)
6-183. F Cole Coskey, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
7-206. D Radim Salda, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
7-214. G Ty Taylor, Vernon Vipers (BCHL)

Toronto Maple Leafs

1-29. D Rasmus Sandin, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
2-52. D Sean Durzi, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
3-76. F Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
3-83. F Riley Stotts, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
4-118. D Mac Hollowell, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
5-149. D Filip Kral, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
6-156. F Pontus Holmberg, Vasteras HK (Sweden-Jr.)
7-209. G Zachary Bouthillier, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
7-211. F Semyon Kizimov, Ladia Togliatti (MHL)

Vancouver Canucks

1-7. D Quinn Hughes, University of Michigan (NCAA)
2-37. D Jett Woo, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
3-68. F Tyler Madden, Tri-City Storm (USHL)
5-130. D Toni Utunen, LeKi (Mestis)
6-186. F Artyom Manukyan, Avangard Omsk (KHL)
7-192. G Matthew Thiessen, Steinbach Pistons (MJHL)

Vegas Golden Knights

2-61. F Ivan Morozov, Mamonty Yugry (MHL)
4-99. D Slava Demin, Wenatchee Wild (BCHL)
4-115. F Paul Cotter, Lincoln Stars (USHL)
5-135. F Brandon Kruse, Bowling Green State Univ. (NCAA)
5-154. D Connor Corcoran, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
6-180. D Peter Diliberatore, Salisbury School (USHS)
6-185. D Xavier Bouchard, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
7-208. G Jordan Kooy, London Knights (OHL)

Washington Capitals

1-31. D Alexander Alexeyev, Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
2-46. D Martin Fegervary, IK Oskarshamn (SuperElit)
2-47. F Kody Clark, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
3-93. F Riley Sutter, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
4-124. G Mitchell Gibson, Lone Star Brahmas (NAHL)
6-161. D Alex Kannock-Leipert, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
7-217. F Eric Florchuk, Victoria Royals (WHL)

Winnipeg Jets

2-60. F David Gustavsson, HV71 (SHL)
3-91. F Nathan Smith, Cedar Rapids Rough Riders (USHL)
5-150. D Declan Chisholm, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
5-153. D Giovanni Vallati, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
6-184. F Cole Koepke, Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
7-215. F Austin Wong, Okotoks Oilers (AJHL)

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