Minor Transactions: 09/04/20
As if two NHL Game Seven’s weren’t enough today, there have also been several intriguing moves across the hockey world. With some leagues getting ready to start their seasons while the NHL off-season is beginning to draw near, it is an interesting time for roster transactions, both in North America and abroad:
- The AHL’s Cleveland Monsters have signed University of Nebraska-Omaha standout Zach Jordan to a one-year contract, the team announced Friday. While Jordan’s production slipped in his senior season, he posted back-to-back seasons of 25+ points as a sophomore and junior, leading the Mavericks in scoring across those two campaigns. At 6’3″ and 216 lbs., Jordan is a hulking presence on the ice and projects as a physical, two-way winger at the pro level. The Columbus Blue Jackets’ affiliate has done well with developing these types of players in recent years, so Jordan may still be a name that could draw NHL consideration down the road.
- As has proven to be a yearly tradition for the Los Angeles Kings, the club has loaned defensive prospect Jacob Moverare to Europe. A 2016 fourth-round pick who signed his entry-level contract in 2018, Moverare has been loaned to Sweden for each of the past two seasons. Things are a bit different this time around though; Moverare has not been loaned back to Frolunda HC, but to SaiPa in the Finnish Liiga. The team also notes that the Kings have the right to recall Moverare from the loan for NHL training camp, an option that they seem likely to exercise. While Moverare is still a bit raw, he is a big, effective stay-at-home blue liner who hit his stride last season in the SHL. Another full season in Europe is unlikely to help his development at this point.
- AHL veteran Colin Campbell is making his first foray into Europe next season. After seven pro seasons and over 350 games – all in the AHL – Campbell has signed with the Vienna Capitals of the newly re-named IceHL, the team announced. A hard-working forward who got his start at Lake Superior State University, Campbell signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings out of college and ended up playing six seasons with their affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. He moved on to the Colorado Eagles this past season and recorded the best per-game scoring numbers of his career, notching ten goals and 26 points in just 48 games. As he heads to Austria, Campbell will undoubtedly be looked upon as the leader of the Capitals and hopes to continue his strong performance. At 29, his NHL hopes remain alive and well.
Carl Grundstrom Signs With Los Angeles Kings
After inking Austin Wagner to an extension earlier today, the Los Angeles Kings have reached an agreement with another one of their pending restricted free agents. Carl Grundstrom has a new two-year contract that carries a $725K cap hit. The contract is two-way next season and one-way in 2021-22.
Grundstrom, 22, is on the cusp of becoming a full-time member of the Kings, after arriving in Los Angeles by trade in 2019. A second-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was a key part of the return for Jake Muzzin and has played 28 games over the last two seasons with the Kings. In that time he’s scored ten points, mixing in a penchant for goal scoring with a strong physical presence.
With a new two-year, minimum-salary contract, Grundstrom becomes an attractive option for the Kings should they decide to spend cap space elsewhere. He could be a fourth-line player for the team as soon as the 2020-21 season, or serve as important depth as an extra forward.
It will be interesting to see if the team decides to try and sneak him through waivers, as Grundstrom will be eligible for the first time in 2020-21. That could secure him an NHL roster spot immediately, especially with this inexpensive contract.
Los Angeles Kings Extend Austin Wagner
The Los Angeles Kings have obviously been impressed with Austin Wagner over the last two years and have decided to reward him. The team has announced a three-year contract extension for the 23-year old which will carry an average annual value of $1.133MM. Wagner was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this offseason when his entry-level contract expired.
While the deal provides Wagner with some stability, it also represents a chance for huge excess value in the Kings eyes. Wagner has only registered 32 points in 127 NHL games but possesses blazing speed that represents a tantalizing weapon for Los Angeles.
A little over a year ago, Wagner expressed his desire and belief that he can become a perennial 20+ goal scorer for the Kings if he keeps working hard with the development staff. Those comments were followed by just a six-goal campaign (in 65 games) but were actually some marked signs of improvement. Wagner generated nearly twice as many shots on goal as the year prior while increasing his average ice time to nearly 12 minutes.
The Kings obviously still believe in the young forward, who only turned 23 in June and can provide some value on the defensive end even when he isn’t scoring.
Kings Loan Samuel Fagemo To Sodertalje In Sweden
It turns out that Samuel Fagemo’s time in Sweden hasn’t come to an end yet. Sodertalje of the Allsvenskan announced that they’ve reached an agreement with the Kings to have the winger join them to start the season on a loan agreement.
The 20-year-old was passed up in his first trip through the NHL draft but a strong season with Frolunda of the SHL in 2018-19 was enough to convince Los Angeles to draft him in the second round (50th overall) in 2019 and signed his entry-level contract just two weeks later. He followed that up with another good showing with Frolunda this season, picking up 13 goals and nine assists in 42 games. Fagemo also was dominant for Sweden at the 2020 World Juniors, leading the tournament in scoring with eight goals and five assists in just seven games, showing that he’s more than capable of producing against others in his age group.
While simply staying there would have made the most sense, the SHL is not accepting players on short-term loan agreements as this one is as Fagemo will return to the Kings for training camp. As a result, he will have to play down a level to stay in game shape for next season although he should benefit from a more offensive-oriented role while he’s there. It won’t be long before he gets into game action as he’s expected to suit up for Sodertalje this coming Saturday.
Snapshots: Overages, Bowness, Sodergran
The suspension of the last part of the 2019-20 season will cause financial ramifications for years to come, most notably the flat salary cap ceiling. Several teams dealing with that cap crunch will also have to deal with some bonus overages, as Frank Seravalli of TSN outlines in his latest piece. These are performance bonuses that have been awarded, but that would push teams over the salary cap ceiling. Normally these are put against the next season’s cap, but in this unique season they can now be split over the next two years.
The team with the biggest overage is the Dallas Stars, who have already racked up a $2.95MM penalty. That number could increase considerably—by another $1.65MM—should Miro Heiskanen earn the Conn Smythe trophy this season.
- Speaking of the Stars, head coach Rick Bowness spoke today about his future with the organization. Dan Rosen of NHL.com reports that Bowness has agreed to wait until after the playoffs to speak with GM Jim Nill about a contract extension, however long that may take for the surging Stars. Bowness is still working under an interim tag after taking over from Jim Montgomery midseason.
- The Los Angeles Kings have loaned Johan Sodergran to Almtuna in Sweden’s second league for the next few months, with an expectation that he will return in time for the 2020-21 season. Sodergran, a sixth-round pick in 2018, recorded seven points in 48 games for the Ontario Reign.
John Wroblewski Named Head Coach Of AHL’s Ontario Reign
Monday: The Kings have officially announced Wroblewski has agreed to become the next coach of the Reign. Los Angeles GM Rob Blake released a short statement on his new coach:
John has a proven background in working with young players and helping them develop their game. He’s a strong leader who communicates well and he’ll play an important role for our organization. We welcome John and his family to southern California and look forward to having him coach the Reign.
Saturday: After the news on Friday that Seth Appert is expected to join the AHL’s Rochester Americans, affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres, as head coach, the U.S. National Team Development Program has been dealt yet another blow. Appert’s fellow head coach with the USNTDP, John Wroblewski, is also expected to depart for the AHL. The New England Hockey Journal’s Jeff Cox reports that Wroblewski is expected to be named the head coach of the Ontario Reign, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.
Wroblewski, just 39 years old, nevertheless has a lengthy coaching resume at both the professional and amateur level including a pair of seasons in the AHL as an assistant with none other than the Rochester Americans. Wroblewski initially began his coaching career with USA Hockey before spending time as an assistant and head coach in the ECHL and USHL. He returned to the USNTDP in 2016 and has served as a head coach in the program for the past four years.
Wroblewski has had the privilege of coaching some elite NHL prospects in recent years with the USNTDP. As the head coach of the U-17 team in 2017-18 and U-18 team in 2018-19, he spent two seasons with the historic 2019 NHL Draft class, which included first-round picks Jack Hughes (NJD), Alex Turcotte (LAK), Trevor Zegras (ANA), Matthew Boldy (MIN), Spencer Knight (FLA), Cam York (PHI), Cole Caufield (MTL), and John Beecher (BOS). As the U-17 head coach this year, Wroblewski again worked with some promising American youngster in presumptive 2021 top picks Luke Hughes and Matthew Beniers. The Kings hope that this experience will allow Wroblewski to be an effective leader for their prospects, which includes former player Turcotte who is one of a number of talented young players in the L.A. pipeline.
For as much as Wroblewski has played a positive role for the USNTDP over the past four years, his departure along with Appert’s has left the program reeling. With the USHL still targeting a normal fall start to the 2020-21 season, USA Hockey may have less than a month to replace both of the head coaches in the program. Expect some dominoes in the coaching ranks to continue falling as a result of these moves.
Kings’ Samuel Fagemo Expected To Be Loaned To Allsvenskan
The Los Angeles Kings look to have found a place for one of their young prospects to develop before NHL training camp gets underway as Henrik Sjoborg of Hockey News SE (translation required) writes that forward Samuel Fagemo is expected to play for Sodertalje in the Allsvenskan in Sweden next season. The 20-year-old, a 2019 second-round pick, would be expected to report to Kings’ training camp and stay in L.A. if he makes the team.
Fagemo signed his entry-level deal in July of 2019 and was loaned to Frolunda, his SHL team last season. He tallied 13 goals and 22 points last season and was likely headed to the AHL this season. However, with the delay in the NHL and AHL seasons for 2020-21, Fagemo could find himself playing in the Allsvenskan instead. He actually played three games with Sodertalje back in 2017/18 when he was loaned from Frolunda before being drafted.
The report also notes that Sodertalje is negotiating with Anaheim Ducks prospect Axel Andersson to also sign with them for the upcoming season. The 20-year-old was a second-round pick of the Boston Bruins in 2018, but was traded to the Ducks in February as part of the Ondrej Kase deal. Andersson played his 18-year-old season with Sodertalje in 2018-19 and then spent one season in the QMJHL with the Moncton Wildcats, posting three goals and 24 points in 43 games.
West Notes: Kings, DeMelo, Pospisil
The New York Rangers were the big winners at the NHL Draft Lottery, meaning the Westen Conference won’t have to deal with Alexis Lafreniere on a regular basis, right? Well, as Lisa Dillman examined for The Athletic, if the Los Angeles Kings or another team with a high pick came calling the Rangers would have to listen. The Kings have arguably the best prospect group in the entire NHL already and could potentially create quite a package of assets for the first overall selection.
While the Kings have that impressive prospect base and several high picks, the Ottawa Senators are primed to make a huge splash at this year’s draft as well. Not only do they hold the third and fifth overall selections, but they also have an incredible seven picks in the first two rounds of this year’s draft. Nine if you extend that to the third round, and 13 in total for 2020.
- Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff liked the fit for trade deadline acquisition Dylan DeMelo, but hasn’t started negotiations yet for a new contract according to Murat Ates of The Athletic. The team will “definitely take a look” at a new deal with the pending free agent, who ended up playing just 14 total games for the Jets after arriving from Ottawa partway through the season. The 27-year old DeMelo recorded just ten points in 59 games this season and is coming off a two-year deal that carried a $900K cap hit.
- Martin Pospisil, who signed his three-year entry-level contract in 2019, will be playing in Slovakia for the time being. The Calgary Flames prospect has been loaned to HC Kosice for the next few months but is expected back for NHL training camp. Pospisil played 26 games for the Stockton Heat of the AHL this season, recording ten points.
L.A. Kings Loan Tobias Bjornfot To SHL’s Djurgardens
Yet another NHL prospect has been loaned overseas to begin the 2020-21 season and this time it is a relatively big name in Los Angeles Kings defenseman Tobias Bjornfot. Bjornfot, 19, was a first-round pick in 2019 and jumped immediately to the pro ranks for L.A., spending the whole season in North America. However, he will at least begin next year back home in Sweden. The Kings have announced that Bjornfot has been loaned to Djurgardens IF of the SHL to begin the season. He is expected to rejoin L.A. at some point during the season.
Bjornfot was selected No. 22 overall last year and made the unlikely jump directly to the NHL. He played in three games with the Kings and 44 more with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, where he recorded 19 points and a +13 rating. Bjornfot did not look out of place and will likely be given every chance to break camp with the Kings next year, especially if he excels in the SHL.
Bjornfot should feel right at home with Djurgardens, as he developed in their system for three years before he was drafted and departed to North America. He even played in seven SHL games in 2018-19. Djurgardens is routinely a contender in the SHL, but their roster looks uncharacteristically thin for next season. As a result, Bjornfot should be given every opportunity to play a major role and spend the time that he otherwise would have spent waiting for the NHL season to start instead preparing himself for what he hopes is an impact rookie season.
Minor Transactions: 08/05/20
With six NHL playoff games a day suddenly on the docket, summer days are now filled with hockey. Yet, the qualifying round and round robin games are not the only news-makers in the hockey world. Here are some minor moves from across several levels, including an NHL loan, a pair of AHL extensions, and some NCAA commitments:
- With the delayed start to the season among North American leagues, there has been a rash of overseas loans among NHL prospects in recent weeks. Florida Panthers prospect Rodrigo Abols has now also joined that list. Abols, a late 2016 pick out of Latvia, is set to return to the SHL’s Orebro HK to begin next season, the team announced. Abols played in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds this season, but previously played with Orebro for the two seasons prior. He will return to Sweden on a short-term loan for now that expires in mid-November, allowing for the young forward to compete in training camp and in the AHL if the Panthers so desire, but it would also not be a surprise to see the project player stay in the SHL for the year.
- The Ontario Reign, AHL affiliate of the L.A. Kings, have announced one-year extensions for forwards Blaine Byron and Jacob Doty. Byron, a former Pittsburgh Penguins prospect and a University of Maine standout, has been a force in the AHL through three pro seasons. Byron has recorded 72 points in 136 games, including a career-high 34 in 53 games this season. Acquired by Ontario from Springfield mid-season, Byron was one of the Reign’s best players down the stretch and could be in for a big 2020-21 season. Doty, a 27-year-old journeyman, made his return to the AHL this season but recorded just one point in 18 games for Ontario. However, he provides experience and work ethic for the young farm team.
- Harvard University has made headlines lately for losing players, both current and committed, due to the Ivy League’s ban on fall sports this year. However, they got some good news today in the form of a commitment from twin brothers with a well-known last name. Marek and Daniel Hejduk, the sons of career Colorado Avalanche star and Stanley Cup champ Milan Hejduk, each announced on Twitter today that they have committed to play at Harvard. While the 16-year-olds are still at least two seasons away from joining the Crimson, Marek is already slated to join the U.S. National Team Development Program next year and Daniel could follow. The pair seem likely to have some NHL Draft prospects by the time they are ready to move to the NCAA.
- As for another brother duo headed to the college ranks, 16-year-old defenseman Seamus Powell announced on Instagram that he will follow his brother Eamon Powell to Boston College. Eamon, a USNTDP graduate who is set to join the Eagles this coming season, is a 2020 NHL Draft prospect expected to be selected in the second or third round in November. Seamus, a comparable small, offensive defenseman, will join the USNTDP this coming season and will be draft eligible in 2022, when he is also expected to enroll at BC.