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Prospects In The OHL Playoffs: Vilardi, Pu, Brown

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The NHL playoffs aren’t the only teams vying for postseason supremacy. The OHL playoffs are finishing up the second round, with two teams close to moving on. Here’s a look at some of the prospects who may be on the NHL ice sooner rather than later. 

The Kingston Frontenacs were busy at the OHL trade deadline and added fire power in the way of Gabe Vilardi (Los Angeles), and Cliff Pu (Buffalo), who certainly delivered as expected through two rounds of the playoffs. Not only has Kingston secured a spot in the next round after dispatching Barrie in six games, Vilardi and Pu are first and fourth in points respectively, with teammate Linus Nyman tied at 16 points. Pu was impressive with London, so much so that Kingston went out and snagged him to guarantee scoring depth and a chance at its first Robertson Cup. Back in January, the Global News’ Doug Jeffries wrote about how Pu brought experience from the Knights’ Memorial Cup win in 2016. It surely has paid off for both the Frontenacs and Pu, who was a third round pick for the Sabres and whose value continues to rise.

Vilardi nursed an injury for the first half of the OHL season, but the former Windsor Spitfire played as strong as expected when on the ice, notching 58 points (22-36) in 32 games.  Vilardi has been just as dominant in the playoffs, leading the league in points (20) and goals (11). After signing an entry level deal back in March, barring injury there might be a strong case to be made for Vilardi suiting up in Los Angeles next season. The 11th overall pick of the 2017 NHL draft also won a Memorial Cup that same year.

One non-Frontenac making some noise is Kitchener’s Logan Brown (Ottawa), who was the 11th overall pick for the Sens back in 2016. Like Vilardi, Brown was also traded by Windsor in January and picked up where he left off, averaging over a point-per-game with his new club. The playoffs have seen Brown notch 19 points in 11 games as the Rangers currently hold a 3-2 advantage in the second round. Though only two of those 19 points have been goals, the Senators have to be pleased that Brown continues to produce. The Sens skated him in four games this past fall before sending him back to the Spitfires. Add in an impressive performance during the the World Juniors as well, Brown may find himself with the big club for a longer stay, especially since the team will most likely be retooling with youth in the 2018-19 season.

2019 Memorial Cup To Be Held In Halifax

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The CHL Memorial Cup is one of the biggest tournaments in the world for junior-aged players, and attracts scouts from every organization in the NHL on a yearly basis. A good showing there can change a young player’s draft stock, and a poor one can cast doubt on your professional future (shortsighted as that may seem).

While the city of Regina, Saskatchewan prepares to host the 2018 event, the CHL has announced that Halifax, Nova Scotia will welcome in the hockey world in 2019. As a reward for hosting, the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL will get automatic entry to the tournament, where they will face off against the WHL, OHL and QMJHL champions (or runners-up should they take home the league crown).

Halifax is a very interesting choice, as they should be a powerhouse once again next season and could very well win both the QMJHL title and Memorial Cup. This year the team is already quite strong, and could send four players to the podium in the first round of the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.

Filip Zadina is the obvious example, as the Czech sniper is expected to go somewhere in the top three or four picks in June. Beyond him though, Benoit-Olivier Groulx and Jared McIsaac both have made great cases to go in the top-31. The fourth member of a potential first-round group is Alexis Gravel, the top ranked draft eligible North American goaltending prospect, though his market is much harder to read. Though many scouts believe Gravel will eventually become a top-tier netminder, he hasn’t shown that elite ability on a consistent basis—though, his start to the playoffs has been exquisite.

Even if Zadina graduates to the NHL right away (which is far from certain), the Mooseheads will be a contender next season with the talent already on the roster. Given the way CHL teams can also accumulate talent in-season with trades from rebuilding squads, you can bet the Mooseheads will be far from an underdog when the Memorial Cup comes to town.

Minor Transactions: 02/17/18

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Though teams made several transactions yesterday to make their younger players eligible for the AHL playoffs, the rest of the season will still be filled with call-ups to help out the NHL team. Remember, after the trade deadline that though rosters have no limits in terms of total players, teams are allowed only four non-emergency recalls.

  • The Washington Capitals have recalled Travis Boyd, who had been playing with the Hershey Bears of the AHL. For the third consecutive season, Boyd is among the scoring leaders for Hershey with 44 points in 56 games. While it’s unclear if he’s scheduled to enter the Capitals lineup right away, he can definitely give them some offensive punch if inserted down the stretch.
  • Cory Schneider was assigned to the Binghamton Devils on a conditioning stint today, but is expected to be brought back on Wednesday to rejoin New Jersey on their current road trip. While that doesn’t guarantee he’ll be back in the crease right away, it is a good sign that he’s approaching his return to the lineup.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Tristan Jarry on an emergency loan after announcing that Matt Murray has been diagnosed with a concussion. Jarry had been sent down to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but will now have to help Casey DeSmith with the NHL duties. DeSmith is expected to start tonight for the Penguins, but Jarry has more experience in the starting role and could be asked to take over while Murray is out.
  • The Calgary Flames announced that they have sent Andrew Mangiapane to the AHL, but the move was actually completed yesterday to make sure he was eligible for the minor league playoffs. With the addition of Chris Stewart off waivers, Mangiapane was likely looking at some healthy scratches and now can help the Stockton Heat instead.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Seth Griffith from the AHL, spending one of their recalls to bring up the 25-year old forward. Griffith has played 76 NHL games over his career and is a point-per-game player at the minor league level. The undersized forward has excellent creativity and playmaking ability, but hasn’t ever been given an extended chance in a team’s top-6.
  • As expected, the Minnesota Wild have brought Luke Kunin back up from the minor leagues. The Wild are extremely close to the cap, and needed to move out some salary at the deadline in order to bring Kunin up for the stretch run while keeping enough room to sign Jordan Greenway. Kunin has just 19 points for the Iowa Wild this season, but is a hard working two-way center that could jump right into the lineup for the Wild.
  • Ethan Bear will be one of the Edmonton Oilers’ four call-ups for the remainder of the season, and will get a chance to show what he can do after an outstanding junior career. Bear was a 70-point defenseman in his final season with the Seattle Thunderbirds, and was a huge part of their qualifying for the Memorial Cup in 2017. The undersized but super-skilled Bear has 16 points in his first professional season for the Bakersfield Condors.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have returned winger Kalle Kossila and goalie Reto Berra to San Diego of the AHL, notes Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register.  Berra’s demotion was expected with John Gibson likely to return to the lineup on Friday. As for Kossila, he didn’t get into any games after being recalled back on the 24th; he has a goal and an assist in ten contests with Anaheim from earlier this season.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Dahlin, Hajek

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The NHL has released their three stars of last week, with Patrice Bergeron leading the way after his four-goal game against Carolina. Bergeron may not be as flashy as some of his contemporaries, but is undoubtedly still one of the very best players in the NHL. Brad Marchand, who played a big part in his linemate’s impressive performance, wasn’t surprised, telling Tim Rosenthal of Boston.com:

It’s pretty impressive.

I think winning the Olympics, winning the Cup, and him being Patrice Bergeron is above that.

Jonathan Bernier of the Colorado Avalanche and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins took home second and third respectively, after their own impressive weeks. With Semyon Varlamov battling injury, Bernier has stepped in marvelously for the Avalanche, who continue to fight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, Crosby was up to his old tricks with eight points in four games.

  • Craig Button of TSN has released his post-World Junior draft rankings, and he won’t be moving Rasmus Dahlin out of the top spot anytime soon. Button calls the 17-year old defenseman “franchise-defining,” and isn’t the only one. Corey Pronman of The Athletic wrote earlier today that Dahlin is “one of the all-time best defense prospects.” While Arizona remains in last place and has the best shot at the first-overall pick, the Buffalo Sabres aren’t far off from taking that title themselves. Remember though, that even the worst team in the league is actually more likely to lose the lottery and move down at least one spot.
  • Speaking of impressive defense prospects, Libor Hajek has been traded in the WHL, heading from the Saskatoon Blades to the Regina Pats in exchange for a package of players and draft picks. Regina is hosting the Memorial Cup this season, and is loading up for the tournament. Hajek, a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, was impressive at the World Juniors for the Czech Republic and will now join others like Josh Mahura (an Anaheim prospect who barely missed out on representing Canada) and Cale Fleury (a Montreal prospect who was acquired from Kootenay earlier this season) on an imposing blueline.

Morning Notes: Vilardi, Montoya, Wisniewski

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The OHL trade of Los Angeles Kings’ prospect Gabe Vilardi is now official, and also includes New York Rangers draft pick Sean Day. The pair will head from the Windsor Spitfires to the Kingston Frontenacs in exchange for 16-year old Cody Morgan and eight draft picks that stretch all the way to 2028. Windsor is tearing apart the program a year after hosting and winning the Memorial Cup, a common practice in the CHL.

Vilardi, the 11th-overall pick in 2017 has recently been cleared to return to game action after a back injury kept him out for the first half of the season. He’ll bring an intense offensive presence to the Frontenacs, while Day gives them a veteran defenseman with good two-way upside. Day was allowed into the OHL at just 15 years old, but hasn’t found quite the same heights as his fellow “exceptional talents” like John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad and Connor McDavid. The pair should make Kingston a tough team to face as the league heads towards the playoff push.

  • Al Montoya was back at Montreal Canadiens practice today for the first time since being ruled out with a concussion on November 9th. As Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports, the injury had occurred several days earlier, but symptoms developed slowly. The Canadiens currently employ Antti Niemi as their backup to Carey Price, but could potentially waive the netminder once again when Montoya is ready to return. Niemi has played for three teams already this season, and could find himself on the move again.
  • The official roster for Team USA at the Pyeongchang Olympics will be announced today during the Winter Classic in New York, but apparently former NHL defenseman James Wisniewski has made it. That’s according to former teammate R.J. Umberger and TSN’s Darren Dreger, who both tweeted congratulations to the 33-year old. Wisniewski spent last season split between the AHL and KHL after attempting a comeback, and skated in the DEL’s second tier this year in his attempt to make the Olympic squad. A former 51-point defenseman for Columbus, Wisniewski was once a deadly powerplay quarterback and could assume that role again in the February Games.

Morning Notes: Lindros, Sabres, McCool

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The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they will raise Eric Lindros’ #88 sweater to the rafters in January of next year, retiring it from circulation among their players. No one has worn the number since Lindros’ departure, but his sweater will now officially join the likes of Bernie Parent (#1), Mark Howe (#2), Barry Ashbee (#4), Bill Barber (#7) and Bobby Clarke (#16) in retirement.

Lindros was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, and as Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post points out on Twitter, Mark Recchi’s #8 could join the retired list next season. Recchi is among the 2017 Hall of Fame inductees, and spent parts of ten seasons with the Flyers. Lindros’ ceremony will be held on January 18th, before the Flyers take on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

  • The Buffalo Sabres announced a huge list of number changes for the upcoming season, including Jason Pominville re-acquiring his #29 from Jake McCabe. Pominville has worn the number for his entire career, including the nine previous seasons he spent in Buffalo. McCabe will wear #19 this season. To keep up with all player numbers and depth charts, make sure to head over to Roster Resource where things are constantly updated with the latest information.
  • According to Andy Strickland of Fox Sports, Hayden McCool will be in rookie camp for the St. Louis Blues, fresh off a Memorial Cup win in Windsor. McCool is a big forward who was deployed in a purely checking role for the Spitfires of the OHL. Undrafted, he’ll attend camp hoping to earn an AHL spot somewhere, though the Blues don’t have a single affiliate this season. McCool will more than likely only make an impact at the minor league level, but his work ethic and physical game is one that could translate to a fourth-line at some point.

Filip Zadina Will Play For Halifax In 2017-18

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Though it’s been expected since being selected 11th-overall in the CHL import draft, the Halifax Mooseheads confirmed today that Filip Zadina would be coming to North America to suit up for the junior club this season. Zadina is primed to be a top-10 selection in the 2018 draft, and will help replace the hole left on Halifax if Nico Hischier does indeed jump right to the NHL.

Halifax is attempting to secure the 2019 Memorial Cup, and Zadina would help them immensely in the tournament should he stay for a second season. Despite pedestrian totals playing in the Czech leagues last season, the 17-year old is an incredible offensive player that is dangerous from anywhere in the offensive zone. His shot is advanced for his age and he has top-level creativity on both the rush and cycle.

At his international tournaments he’s already played extremely well for the Czech Republic and will be in the U20 World Junior tournament this season. With a big year for Halifax in the QMJHL, Zadina could climb up into the top-5 in the draft and be considered among the best prospects available. In what should be a solid draft class, he’s one of the more interesting prospects to keep an eye on. Halifax is full of 2018 draft-eligible players and could easily improve from their relatively poor 2016-17 season.

OHL Trade Notes: Rippon, Stanley, Lodnia

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Every summer top prospects in the CHL are moved around to various teams as the franchises work in a dance of preparing for Memorial Cup hosting opportunities while trying to maintain relevancy in the interim. Timing your team to be a powerhouse when the tournament is coming to your city is a big part of junior hockey, and can help build your fan base. Since the home team gets automatic admission to the tournament regardless of their season record, fans don’t want to see their home squad get pummeled by the other powerhouses of the leagues.

This year, Windsor loaded up for the tournament and despite not doing well in the OHL playoffs, won the Memorial Cup with a rested and exciting squad. They took down an Erie Otters team that was widely considered the favorite, boasting a top line of Taylor Raddysh, Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat. Now, as Jeff Marek of Sportsnet reports several moves are being made to prepare teams for the upcoming season and beyond.

  • The Kitchener Rangers have traded Merrick Rippon to the Mississauga Steelheads for two seconds (2018, 2021) and one conditional third-round pick (2023) in the bantam draft. Rippon has already committed to Providence College for 2018-19, so it’s unclear if he’ll now suit up for the Steelheads instead. The NCAA considers the CHL a “pro” league because some of its players have already signed NHL contracts, meaning if Rippon suited up for even a single game he would lose college eligibility. The smooth skating defenseman is eligible for the 2018 NHL draft.
  • The Windsor Spitfires are likely moving top Winnipeg Jets prospect Logan Stanley after he returned just in time from injury to help the team win the Memorial Cup. Stanley was selected 18th-overall by the Jets in 2016, but missed most of the season to a knee injury and will return to junior hockey to continue to develop his 6’7″ frame. Marek believes Stanley is heading to Kitchener, a place where he could immediately be inserted on the top pairing.
  • Ivan Lodnia may be on the move from Erie, where he had been stuck in a shutdown role behind the older offensive weapons. Lodnia dropped to the Minnesota Wild in the fourth round this draft after disappearing in the OHL playoffs and Memorial Cup, but still has tremendous talent and could break out this season if given a larger role.
  • The Sudbury Wolves are expected to trade Owen Lalonde, a 17-year old defenseman who already has a chance to go in the late first/early second round at next year’s draft. Lalonde was picked second-overall in the 2016 bantam draft, but was a little over-matched in his first season in the league. That should change this year as his body grows and he’s given a bigger opportunity, as he possesses some incredible offensive instincts and could be a powerplay quarterback as soon as this year.

Vegas Expected To Hire Rocky Thompson As AHL Coach

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Just after Kris Knoblauch was hired by the Philadelphia Flyers, another OHL head coach is heading to the professional ranks. The Vegas Golden Knights have hired Rocky Thompson to coach their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. Thompson is fresh off a Memorial Cup victory with the Windsor Spitfires, and has history in the AHL as an assistant head coach.

A Calgary, Alberta native Thompson was drafted by the Flames in the third round in 1995, but really only ever made an impact with his fists in the professional ranks. Scoring just 69 points in the AHL and being held scoreless in 25 NHL contests, Thompson nevertheless recorded over 2,000 penalty minutes in the two leagues combined and played for more than ten seasons. His head coaching tenure has been a bit more successful, winning 40+ games with the Spitfires in back to back seasons and this year winning the Memorial Cup on home ice.

Thompson took over from San Jose assistant Bob Boughner who has recently been linked to the vacant head coaching jobs in Florida and Buffalo. At just 39-years old, Thompson is on a similar path to helm an NHL bench one day but with a different style that gave him a playing career. Just last week, he spoke with Eric Francis of the Calgary Herald for a story:

You’ve got to understand — I don’t coach this way. That way of playing is gone. My team had the fewest fights in the OHL, and believe it or not, if you ask anybody who knows me, I’ve never been in a fight off the ice.

Indeed his team was filled with skilled players instead of enforcers, littered with first round picks like Mikhail Sergachev and Logan Stanley, and led by a potential top-5 pick in the upcoming draft Gabe Vilardi. In moving to the Chicago Wolves, Vegas has hired a coach that can grow and develop with the franchise. He’ll have to work with Gerard Gallant on instituting organizational systems, but should be somewhat familiar with him. Thompson spent part of the 1999-00 season with the Louisville Panthers of the AHL, of which Gallant was an assistant coach at the time.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was first to report the hiring.

Notable Prospects Playing In The Memorial Cup

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The Memorial Cup is considered one of the hardest trophies to win.

First, a team has to make the playoffs and win four rounds to win their league (WHL, OHL, or QMJHL). Then, they have to win a week-long tournament featuring the other winners and a host team, selected because of expected success. This season, the Seattle Thunderbirds, Erie Otters, Windsor Spitfires, and Saint John Sea Dogs are the competitors in Windsor. Seattle has been knocked out of the tournament, and Saint John and Erie will play on Friday to face off against Windsor in the final.

Here’s a look at some of the notable names taking part:

Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL champions, now eliminated):
C Mathew Barzal (NYI) – Projected as a top-ten pick in 2015, the Islanders were lucky to snag Barzal at 16th overall. He missed part of this season with an injury, but still scored 79 points in 41 games. Barzal could be in the NHL next season if he physically develops this summer.
D Ethan Bear (EDM) – The WHL’s defenseman of the year, Bear scored 28 goals and 70 points in 67 games this season. The Oilers’ fifth-round pick in 2015 will turn pro in 2017-18 with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL.
L Ryan Gropp (NYR) – Since being drafted 41st overall in 2015, Gropp has scored 154 points in 122 games with the Thunderbirds. He’ll start his pro career with the Hartford Wolfpack in the AHL.

Erie Otters (OHL champions):
C Dylan Strome (ARI) – The third-overall pick in 2015 spent seven games in the NHL to start the year, but was sent back to Erie after he only put up two assists. He captained Team Canada at the World Juniors and posted 75 points in 35 games in the OHL. The middle Strome brother will very likely be in the NHL next season.
R Alex DeBrincat (CHI) – A possible steal at 39 overall in 2016, the dimunitive DeBrincat scored 65 goals and 127 points in 63 games in the OHL. Whether or not he can continue scoring in the professional game is yet to be determined, but he’s clearly demonstrated a high skill level.
R Taylor Raddyish (TBL) – Another second-round pick from 2016, the big winger scored 42 goals and 109 points in 58 games. He also scored five goals in seven games for Canada at the World Juniors.
C Anthony Cirelli (TBL) – A third-round pick of the Lightning in 2015, Cirelli was traded to Erie at the OHL trade deadline shortly after he scored seven points in seven games for Canada at the World Juniors. He’s already won a Memorial Cup with Oshawa in 2015, where he scored the OT winner in the final vs Kelowna.
C Ivan Lodnia (2017 eligible) – Playing on a shutdown line at age 17, the draft eligible Lodnia has shown good two-way instincts. He also scored 57 points in 66 games this season. He’s expected to be a late first round pick this coming draft. The Hockey News compared him to Mikael Boedker.
D Jordan Sambrook (DET) – The Red Wings picked the 6’2 right-handed defenseman 157th overall last summer, and have to be excited about his potential. The two-way defender scored 40 points in 61 games this season, and will look to improve in his final year of junior next

Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL champions):
C Joe Veleno (2018 eligible) – Veleno is the fifth player that Hockey Canada has granted Exceptional Status to. He’s scored 83 points in 107 junior games over the last two years. He should be a dynamic junior star next season as he physically matures.
R Julien Gauthier (CAR) – The 6’4, 225 lbs power forward has been compared to Rick Nash. Carolina’s 21st overall pick in 2016 will turn pro this coming season after an injury-shortened season. He did score five goals in seven games for Canada at the World Juniors.
R Mathieu Joseph (TBL) – The 2015 fourth-round pick has really picked up his offensive game as his junior career ends. He’s followed up an 80-point season with 32 points in 18 playoff games.
D Thomas Chabot (OTT) – One of the best prospects in the game, Chabot dominated for Canada at the World Juniors with 10 points in seven games. He’ll be starring alongside Erik Karlsson in Ottawa in the next two or three years.
D Jakub Zboril (BOS) – The first of Boston’s three consecutive first rounders in 2015, Zboril plays a tough game. While he’ll never be a big point-producer, he ought to be a dependable second pairing option in the future.
G Callum Booth (CAR) – Carolina’s fourth-round pick in 2015 was traded mid-season and only posted a 0.903 SV% in 26 games in Saint John. Drafting and developing goalies is voodoo, so it’s too early to make a call on Booth.

Windsor Spitfires (host, lost in OHL’s first round to the London Knights):
C Gabriel Vilardi (2017 eligible) – A top-five projected pick in this upcoming draft, Vilardi is a big, skilled center that The Hockey News compared to Jason Allison.
C Logan Brown (OTT) – Ottawa traded up from 12th to 11th to ensure they got Brown, who is a big powerful center with a good shot. He scored 40 points in 35 games this season.
C Julius Nattinen (ANA) – Anaheim’s second-round pick in 2015 didn’t put up big numbers this season after a big offensive year last year in Barrie. He’ll turn pro next season.
R Jeremy Bracco (TOR) – Bracco scored 83 points in 57 games split between Kitchener and Windsor this season, but will have his work cut out for him next year when he turns pro; Toronto has a large number of wingers in the system, so he’ll have to stand out.
D Logan Stanley (WPG) – The giant defensive defenseman was perhaps a reach at 18th overall this last summer, but will get his chances as a left-handed defenseman on the right-dominated Jets roster.
D Mikhail Sergachev (MTL) – The dominant two-way defenseman got a taste of the NHL last fall, and will likely find himself in Montreal’s top four before long.
D Sean Day (NYR) – The fourth player to be granted Exception Status by Hockey Canada back in 2013, he’s something of a cautionary tale for projected 14-year-olds. His size allowed him to dominate minor hockey, but he has yet to put it all together consistently in the OHL. He was the Rangers’ third-round pick in 2016.
G Mike DiPietro (2017 eligible) – One of the top-ranked goaltenders for the upcoming draft, DiPietro is a very athletic goaltender. He’s been strong all season and at the Memorial Cup, but as mentioned above, projecting goaltenders is voodoo. He’ll be a late first or early second-round pick and one of the first goaltenders off the board.

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