AHL Notes: Penguins, Kurashev, Kings, Rangers, Motte
The Pittsburgh Penguins have tapped the pipeline from Northeastern University yet again, as the organization as brought in the Huskies’ top-scoring forward from this season on an AHL contract. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have announced that Brandon Hawkins has signed a contract for the 2019-20 season and the slick right winger will join the team on an amateur tryout for the rest of this season. Hawkins, 24, took an interesting path through his collegiate career, but it all worked out. Hawkins played two seasons at Bowling Green State University before opting to transfer to Northeastern, but was forced to sit a year due to NCAA transfer rules before playing two more years. Yet, in his fifth and final college season, Hawkins put together 21 assists and 33 points to lead all Huskies forwards. Hawkins will be an asset at the minor league level for the Penguins and could push for an NHL deal with a strong season. The intriguing forward is yet another Northeastern standout to turn pro lately; star goaltender Cayden Primeau (MTL) and dynamic defenseman Jeremy Davies (NJ) both signed entry-level contracts, while Liam Pecararo has joined the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds on an ATO. The Huskies are holding out hope that Tyler Madden (VAN) doesn’t unexpectedly join the pro ranks as well.
The WBS Penguins also added Jan Drozg to their roster on a tryout basis to close out the year. Drozg, 20, is a 2017 fifth-round pick of Pittsburgh’s who signed his entry-level contract last month. After another dominating offensive season for the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes – 62 points in 60 games and another six points in six playoff games – Drozg is eyeing the pro level. This brief stint in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is just a precursor to what should be a full-time role next season, potentially with a chance to see some games in Pittsburgh if things go well.
- Another promising prospect joining his drafted organization on an ATO is Chicago Blackhawks’ breakout star Philipp Kurashev. Kurashev was a fourth-round pick out of the QMJHL just last year, but has drastically improved his stock this season with 65 points in 59 games for the Quebec Remparts, as well as another five points in the team’s first round playoff series, on top of a point-per-game performance for Team Switzerland at the World Juniors. The 19-year-old will look to make it a trifecta of strong showings in his time with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. Kurashev is a long shot to make the Blackhawks out of camp next year, but it never hurts to get a look at a prospect against pro competition.
- Two other teams adding interesting prospects to their affiliates’ rosters are the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. The Kings have brought in two 2018 draft picks on ATO’s in fourth-round forward Aidan Dudas and sixth-round goaltender Jacob Ingham. The pair of OHLers each made strides this season and L.A. can now see how they do with the Ontario Reign when the competition is raised. The Rangers have also added a junior player, but alongside two college free agents. Jake Elmer, an undrafted forward who enjoyed a breakout season with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, signed an ELC with New York in March and will get his first taste of the AHL down the stretch before turning pro full-time in the fall. Joining him for now and hoping to land AHL contracts are Harvard University captain Lewis Zerter-Gossage and American International College captain Shawn McBride. The pair of experienced locker room leaders will look to make a good impression on the Hartford Wolf Pack.
- While some junior and college players are just now embarking on their first pro experience, some in the AHL are already looking ahead to their next pro gig. Iowa Wild goalie C.J. Motte, who played largely in the ECHL this season but performed well in a handful of AHL games, has reportedly already signed his next contract and it isn’t with Iowa. Instead, Motte is heading to Austria to join the EBEL’s HC Innsbruck, the team announced. With the NHL off-season coming significantly later than many of the European markets, this kind of overlap isn’t uncommon. However, it is strange for Motte to still be playing with one team having already committed to another as soon as the season ends.
Jimmy Schuldt Narrowing List Of Potential Destinations
Tuesday: Along with the Wild and Golden Knights are the St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders according to Russo’s new article on The Athletic (subscription required). Colleague Marc Antoine Godin tweets that Montreal is not among the finalists, despite Poehling’s attempts to convince Schuldt to join the Canadiens.
Monday: One of the biggest college free agents decided to head to the Minnesota Wild today when Nico Sturm signed his entry-level deal, and he may not be the only top name headed to the Wild. Jimmy Schuldt has narrowed his list of teams from more than twenty to just five according to Bob McKenzie of TSN, who lists Minnesota and the Vegas Golden Knights as part of that final group. Michael Russo of The Athletic has heard the same, and expected the list to be reduced even further at some point today.
Schuldt, 23, finished his four year career at St. Cloud State recently with another outstanding season and is a Hobey Baker finalist. The undrafted free agent defenseman recorded 35 points in 39 games while serving as captain for the third consecutive season. He has previously had ties with various NHL clubs including attending development camp with the Montreal Canadiens, who recently signed teammate Ryan Poehling.
There is obviously a strong connection between Schuldt and the Wild, but almost every team in the league has expressed interest in him at some point. He’ll almost certainly be able to leverage that widespread interest into a contract that starts this season, burning his entry-level deal right away and allowing him to become a restricted free agent this summer.
Nico Sturm Signs With Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild have inked a top college free agent, signing Nico Sturm to a one-year entry-level contract. The deal will kick in this season meaning Sturm is scheduled for restricted free agency this summer, but the Wild will happily welcome him into the organization. Sturm recently finished his junior season at Clarkson, where he served as captain.
Sturm, 23, was one of the most sought after names in college free agency this season after a particular effective campaign. With 45 points in 39 games he was named a Hobey Baker finalist and took home several conference honors including Best Defensive Forward. The two-way center brings size and an impeccable work ethic that should help him transition quickly to the professional ranks. In fact, Sturm may get into a game this season for the Wild despite his inexperience.
It’s important to note that if Sturm does play in a game he would no longer be exempt from the expansion draft in 2021. While that is obviously a concern for the Wild, the chance to jump right into NHL action very well could have been the deciding factor in his negotiation. Even if he does need protection a few years from now, Minnesota has added a legitimate NHL prospect for nothing more than a contract slot.
Minnesota has dramatically revamped their forward position this season by trading away core pieces like Nino Niederreiter, Charlie Coyle and Mikael Granlund, and will now add another young name to the group for next season. Sturm should compete with players like Joel Eriksson Ek and Victor Rask for playing time down the middle, though there is certainly no guarantee he’ll be able to bring the same level of offense.
Minor Transactions: 04/01/19
Welcome to April and the end of the NHL regular season. There are just a handful of games remaining before the 2018-19 playoffs begin and teams have started locking up their first round opponents. Still, for teams battling on the edge of postseason contention the next week may be just as important as any other. Today eyes will be drawn to the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues’ game, which very well could decide the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. The Avalanche currently hold the spot with a one-point lead over Arizona, but have this game in hand on them. As teams prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.
- The Carolina Hurricanes are just one point ahead of the Montreal Canadiens in the East and have recalled Haydn Fleury under emergency conditions to help them stay there. The team was defeated last night and need to get back on track tomorrow night when they travel to Toronto, but will be without Calvin de Haan who is heading back to Carolina after suffering an upper-body injury.
- With Louis Domingue banged up the Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Eddie Pasquale from the minor leagues. The team obviously wants their backup goaltender healthy, but all eyes are on Victor Hedman as he deals with an upper-body injury. Pasquale has played in one game for the Lightning this year but has a solid .916 save percentage through 43 appearances for the Syracuse Crunch.
- The Calgary Flames are set to rest several regulars after clinching a playoff spot, and Juuso Valimaki has been recalled to take their place. Mikael Backlund, Matthew Tkachuk, Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie, Travis Hamonic and Noah Hanifin will all be out of the lineup.
- The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Joe Hicketts from the minor league under emergency conditions, and CapFriendly believes they have moved Mike Green to long-term injured reserve in order to fit him in. Hicketts’ recall follows an injury to Danny DeKeyser, who looks like he may miss the last few games of the season.
- The Nashville Predators have recalled forward Miikka Salomaki from the minor leagues, bringing him back from a conditioning stint. Salomaki hasn’t played an NHL game since early January but could be an option for the team down the stretch and into the playoffs.
- With Nico Sturm set to join the Minnesota Wild immediately, Matt Read has been sent back down to the AHL. The team is expected to put Sturm into the lineup as soon as possible, though since he hasn’t yet practiced with the team it is not clear when exactly that will be. Read meanwhile will be on call for the next opportunity as he has been all season.
- The Anaheim Ducks have returned Sam Carrick back to San Diego of the AHL. He had been recalled on Saturday and suited up that night, logging just over 12 minutes against Edmonton while picking up an assist.
Wild Notes: Parise, Sturm, Schuldt
As we speak, the Minnesota Wild are playing what amounts to a must-win game against the Arizona Coyotes. Neither team is in a playoff position as of now, but it still represents a potential four-point shift in the Western Conference wild card race. The Coyotes currently sit in ninth place, three points back of the Colorado Avalanche for the final postseason berth. The Wild are in tenth place, just one point behind the ‘Yotes. A Minnesota regulation win would see them leapfrog Arizona to pull within two points of Colorado, but an Arizona regulation win would put Minnesota three points back of the nine seed and still four points back of the eight seed, which might be insurmountable with only three games remaining after today.
Hurting the chances of a much-needed Wild win today is the continued absence of star forward Zach Parise. Unfortunately, he may not be returning at all this season. Just prior to puck drop, beat writer Sarah McLellan reported that Parise would not be active for the game, which was not a great surprise, but added that head coach Bruce Boudreau has qualified Parise’s lower-body ailment as “significant”. While she writes that the team “hopes” he might play again this season, it seems far from certain. Parise has now missed four games in a row and with three games left his chances to return are running out. A loss today would substantially lower the odds of Parise being rushed back to action as well. The 34-year-old has enjoyed a resurgence this season, leading the team with 26 goals and 59 points, but this is a disappointing end to an otherwise encouraging season for the veteran.
- The Athletic’s Michael Russo believes that the Wild are “pushing hard” for college free agent forward Nico Sturm. The Clarkson University captain is considered the top defensive forward in the NCAA and has improved offensively in each of his four collegiate seasons as well. The concern with Sturm is that the 23-year-old may have already peaked in his development and could project as nothing more than a fourth-liner at the NHL level. However, with good size and a mature game, Sturm does have the added benefit of being able to contribute right away, even if not on the score sheet. In fact, Russo writes that if Sturm lands in Minnesota, he is likely to join the Wild right away and burn a year off his entry-level contract.
- There has been plenty of speculation as to where St. Cloud State University defenseman Jimmy Schuldt might end up and the rumor mill has only heated up since the Huskies were unceremoniously upset for the second straight year in their first game of the NCAA Tournament. At one point, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Schuldt would follow teammate Ryan Poehling to the Montreal Canadiens, but those whispers have subsided and many other contenders have entered the fray. Count the Wild as one such interested club. The Athletic’s Jake Jensen writes that Minnesota is at least “in the race” for Schuldt, alongside the L.A. Kings and Vegas Golden Knights. Potentially the best undrafted defender in college hockey this season, Schuldt will be a nice prize for whichever team he decides to join.
Central Notes: DeBrincat, Strome, Hamhuis, Bishop, Schuldt
With the signing earlier today of former Chicago Blackhawks forward Nick Schmaltz to a seven-year, $40.95MM contract extension, The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required) wonders what kind of extensions might forwards Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome earn, as both will be eligible to sign new deals on July 1.
DeBrincat, who is in the second year of his three-year, entry-level contract, has already tallied 68 goals in two years, including a 40-goal campaign this season. With those numbers, Powers writes that the Blackhawks are most likely going to get DeBrincat to eventually sign a six-year deal, likely heading into the $8MM AAV-range, pointing out that a seven or eight-year deal is unlikely since a six-year deal will leave him looking for a third contract at age 27, the perfect age for a long-term extension. If he can continue posting 30-to-40 goal seasons, DeBrincat could be in line for double digit cap hits in the future.
As for Strome, the team may be better off waiting for another year to lock up the young forward. Strome has played well in Chicago with 14 goals and 45 points in 53 games, but both sides would be better off to wait another year for more proof that he deserves a big contract extension. Plus, it would be wise if Chicago doesn’t have two big contracts handed out in the same year, which could get expensive, possibly between $13-15MM combined.
- The Athletic’s Adam Vingan reports that the Nashville Predators have activated defenseman Dan Hamhuis from injured reserve. The veteran blue liner has been out with a leg injury since February 23rd, but it finally ready to return. The team’s third-pair defender has played 53 games this season for the Predators and will now partner up with rookie Dante Fabbro, who is expected to make his debut Saturday against Columbus. The Predators also announced they have assigned Troy Grosenick to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL.
- SportsDay’s Matthew DeFranks reports that the Dallas Stars will be without goaltender Ben Bishop on Saturday and likely longer, as he is considered to be day-to-day. The 32-year-old Bishop has been a key reason why Dallas has been playing so well as they fight to hold onto their wildcard spot. Bishop has a 2.03 GAA and a .933 save percentage so far this year and may even be a Vezina Trophy finalist at this rate. NHL.com’s Mike Heika writes that he suffered a lower-body injury while going down into the butterfly in the Stars’ last game. DeFranks also adds that Mats Zuccarello and Justin Dowling are about three days away from returning to the lineup.
- The Athletic’s Michael Russo (subscription required) writes that the Minnesota Wild are expected to be one of the most active teams in trying to sign St. Cloud State defenseman Jimmy Schuldt in the next few days. Schuldt finished his four-year college career Friday night, posting 38 career goals. Russo reports that the Wild hope to sign the four-year blue liner by burning the first year of his deal this season and allowing him to play in the NHL for the team’s final few games.
Matt Read Placed On Waivers
Friday: Read has cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the AHL. 2
Thursday: According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, the Minnesota Wild have placed Matt Read on waivers, as he had finally worn out his exempt status by playing in ten games. Read cleared waivers before the season began and had been used as an insurance policy for the Wild, bouncing up and down between the AHL and NHL all season. Zach Parise is back at practice today for the Wild, meaning Read could be on his way back to the AHL should he clear waivers tomorrow.
It seems unlikely that anyone would claim Read at this point, given that he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. The 32-year old forward was once a pretty effective member of the Philadelphia Flyers offensive attack, but will likely be limited to spot duty and minor league action for the rest of his playing career. In the AHL this season he has 34 points in 55 games, but that has only translated to a single goal during his ten games for Minnesota.
Read is AHL playoff eligible though, and with the Wild heading to the Calder Cup playoffs in a few weeks his presence will be greatly appreciated. Since moving to Iowa for the 2013-14 season and re-branding as the Wild, the team has not made a single appearance in the AHL playoffs. That’s all set to change this season under head coach Tim Army, who has led the group to a 34-22-12 record through their first 68 games. Iowa has a seven point cushion in the Central Division, but could still potentially catch the Grand Rapids Griffins or Chicago Wolves for an even better seed.
Prospect Notes: Jenik, Sadek, Hughes
Though the team hasn’t announced the deal yet, Jan Jenik has announced that he has signed an entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes (h/t Craig Morgan from The Athletic). Jenik is currently dealing with an injury but his junior team the Hamilton Bulldogs were recently eliminated from the OHL playoffs meaning he could jump to the AHL to get a look at the professional level.
Jenik, 18, was selected 65th overall in 2018 and split this season between the Czech Republic and OHL. In 27 games for the Bulldogs he recorded 30 points, but could potentially go back to the junior ranks next season to continue his development. Another lottery ticket for the Coyotes, we’ll have to wait to see when they actually announced the contract.
- The Iowa Wild have signed Jack Sadek to an amateur tryout, allowing the 21-year old defenseman to get his feet wet at the professional level after a season in the NCAA. The seventh-round pick finished his career at the University of Minnesota with an 18-point season, but will have to prove he deserves an NHL contract in Minnesota. Sadek technically will become an unrestricted free agent in August if he waits that long, but a minor league pact could keep him in the Wild organization.
- The time has come for Vancouver Canucks prospect Quinn Hughes, who will make his NHL debut tonight after nursing a foot injury. Hughes signed his first NHL contract after deciding to leave the University of Michigan, and will be must-see action for prospect watchers all around the league. The talented defenseman is a dynamic skater and brings some incredible offensive upside to the table. With five games left in the season for the Canucks, Hughes could actually earn himself a $25,000 bonus if he suits up in all of them according to CapFriendly.
Central Notes: Zuccarello, Parise, Byfuglien, Rantanen, Landeskog
The Dallas Stars continue to hang onto the top wildcard playoff spot and continue to attempt to fend off several teams trying to steal away their spot. The Stars may get a much-needed boost soon as veteran Mats Zuccarello, who appeared in just one game with Dallas after they acquired him from the New York Rangers at the trade deadline, is making progress and could return to the team soon.
Zuccarello, who scored a goal an assist in his first game in Dallas before breaking his arm while blocking a shot on Feb. 24, participated in Dallas’ pre-game skate, according to NHL.com’s Mark Stepneski. His four-week recovery estimate is almost up and the team hopes that he could be ready soon.
“It increases every day,” Zuccarello said of the stickhandling. “Maybe a week, just started light and now I can shoot a little bit more, but it still hurts a little bit.”
The 31-year-old Zuccarello has 12 goals and 39 points so far this year, but the Stars need his experience on their struggling second line, especially if they want to remain in the playoff position they are currently in.
- The Minnesota Wild announced that the team will be without forward Zach Parise Saturday, who suffered an undisclosed injury Friday after colliding with Washington Capitals’ forward Tom Wilson. Parise, however, remained in the game and assisted on the team’s game-winning goal. The 34-year-old Parise is having a big season with 26 goals and 59 points in 73 games and has only missed two games this year up until now. It’s Parise’s biggest season since 2014-15. The team will replace Parise in the lineup with Pontus Aberg.
- The Winnipeg Jets are close to getting back a pair of key defensemen as both Dustin Byfuglien and Josh Morrissey each skated prior to the team’s morning skate Saturday, suggesting they could return soon, according to Mitchell Clinton of NHL.com. Byfuglien, who has been out since Feb. 14 with a lower-body injury, while Morrissey has been out since Feb. 24 with an upper-body injury. Head coach Paul Maurice said that Byfuglien has actually been skating on his own since Wednesday. “The way this works now is he skates, if he feels good the next day, he’ll start thinking about morning skates going forward,” said Maurice. “Then start building toward contact.”
- The Denver Post’s Mike Chambers reports that the team will be without star forward Mikko Rantanen again on Sunday at Chicago after missing his first game of the season against the Blackhawks at home on Saturday with a midsection injury. The 22-year-old was hurt in Thursday’s game against Dallas when he was checked into the boards along the team benches. He remains day-to-day.
- One a more positive note, BSN’s Adrian Dater reports there’s a chance, albeit a small chance, that injured forward Gabriel Landeskog, who was listed as being out four to six weeks with an upper-body injury back on Mar. 8, could return a bit early. That would be welcome news for a Colorado team that looked to be sliding out of the playoffs, but have had a recent resurgence that has brought them back into the playoff race. Landeskog is having a breakout year with 33 goals and 69 points.
Snapshots: Hughes, Stepan, AHL Deals
The news is positive for Quinn Hughes, as his recent testing came back negative for a broken bone in his foot. The top prospect is expected to start skating soon and still make his debut before the end of the regular season. Hughes, who injured his foot blocking a shot at the very end of his collegiate season, cannot burn a year of his entry-level deal or become eligible for the 2021 expansion draft now that the Canucks have just eight games remaining in the regular season.
The dynamic defenseman finished with 33 points in 32 games for the University of Michigan and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker award. The seventh-overall pick from 2018 is expected to be a game-changing talent for the Canucks on the back end, and will give their defense corps a completely new look next season.
- Who needs recovery timelines anyway? Derek Stepan, a notoriously quick healer, is once again about to return before originally expected. Craig Morgan of The Athletic reports that the Arizona Coyotes forward is a game-time decision for tomorrow night’s game against the New Jersey Devils, just over three weeks after he was given a four to six week timetable for his lower-body injury. Stepan had been carrying a huge amount of responsibility for the Coyotes when he went down, and his return will only help them on their quest for the playoffs. Arizona currently sits tied with the Colorado Avalanche for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference with eight games to go.
- The Toronto Marlies have signed Colton Conrad to a two-year AHL contract which will start next season. Conrad will join the Marlies on an amateur tryout for the rest of this year. The 21-year old forward played four years at Western Michigan University and scored 38 points this season. Not to be outdone, the Iowa Wild have signed University of Minnesota captain Tyler Sheehy to an amateur tryout, bringing the homegrown talent into the organization after his college career came to an end. Sheehy is from Burnsville and had an outstanding career at Minnesota, recording 149 points in 149 games over four years.