Frederik Dichow Coming To North America
After a year playing in Sweden for the Malmo Redhawks organization, Montreal Canadiens draft pick Frederik Dichow will test his game on North American soil. The Danish goaltender has committed to the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL for the 2020-21 season. Sudbury owned his CHL rights after selecting him 41st overall in the 2019 Import Draft.
Notably, Dichow says he spoke with Buffalo Sabres prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen about the Sudbury organization:
I am super excited and can’t wait to get to Sudbury. After the draft last year, Ukko-Pekka reached out to me and let me know it is a great place to play and develop. I look forward to meeting the coaches and all my new teammates. I hear the fans and support are awesome in Sudbury and I want to help the Wolves win.
Luukkonen spent the 2018-19 season with Sudbury for his first taste of North American hockey and ended up being named the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player after posting a .920 save percentage in 53 games. Though the 19-year old Dichow isn’t quite as well-regarded as a prospect, he will try to follow in Luukkonen’s footsteps as a dominant presence between the pipes.
The Canadiens spent the 138th overall pick on Dichow in 2019, the 12th goaltender off the board. His huge 6’5″ frame is imposing in the net, though he still has plenty to work on moving forward. Montreal has not yet signed the young goaltender to an entry-level contract, but still have time to wait and assess his development next season.
Stretch Run Storylines: Montreal Canadiens
As things stand, the NHL is planning to have games resume at some point over the coming weeks. Assuming the regular season continues, there will be plenty of things to watch for over the stretch run. Over the coming weeks, PHR will examine the top stretch run storylines for each team. We continue our look at the Atlantic Division with Montreal.
After narrowly missing out of the playoffs a year ago, the Canadiens chose to bring back virtually the same roster in 2019-20 and the results haven’t been as good. As this point, their only playoff chances are if the NHL opts to go with an expanded field over resuming the regular season. Nevertheless, there are a few players in particular to watch for if games resumed and they headline Montreal’s stretch run storylines.
Lindgren’s Time?
The Canadiens have been seeking a legitimate backup goaltender behind Carey Price for a long time now. In recent years, they’ve used Al Montoya, Antti Niemi, and Keith Kinkaid with the results largely being underwhelming. Throughout that time, they’ve had Charlie Lindgren in the fold but other than as an injury recall, he has rarely had the opportunity to establish himself as someone that could legitimately serve as the number two option over a full season.
Just prior to the shutdown, Lindgren had played in a couple of games and it looked as if he was going to have a chance at regular playing time over the final month of the season. If play resumes, he should get that opportunity.
From his perspective, at 26, he’s nearing the point of being labelled a career third stringer if he doesn’t prove himself in the NHL soon. From Montreal’s point of view, they need to see if he can be counted on for next season. If not, they’ll be among the teams going after someone in free agency and with Seattle’s expansion draft on the horizon, they may have to commit a two-year deal to whoever they get which would be a big blow to Lindgren’s NHL aspirations. If the NHL returns to regular season play, how he fares in his remaining games (as limited a sample as it may be) could very well determine his future with the team and potentially around the league.
Domi’s Next Deal
Max Domi’s first year with the Canadiens was impressive. He blew past his career highs with 28 goals and 44 assists while adapting to play center on a full-time basis. Heading into 2019-20, both Domi and Montreal were hoping for a repeat performance, one that would have solidified a long-term contract as a restricted free agent in the summer.
But that hasn’t happened. Instead, it has been a roller coaster year and the numbers haven’t been anywhere near as good. He set a franchise record with a six-game road goal streak but he only has 11 other goals outside of that stretch. His assist total (27) is comparable to that of his time with the Coyotes which, while not terrible, is not long-term contract material either. The team has experimented with moving him back to the wing to try to get him going and when that didn’t work, they moved him back down the middle but dropped him to the third line.
That’s not the type of platform year he was hoping for. All of a sudden, a shorter-term deal is looking more realistic but a strong stretch run could certainly bolster his leverage as Domi is eligible for arbitration. It was only a year ago that Domi looked like a core player in Montreal but that could be changing.
Which Version Of Drouin?
One of GM Marc Bergevin’s reasons for keeping the team largely intact from last year was the hopes that some of his younger players would show signs of improvement. Number one on that list was Jonathan Drouin. While he’s in his sixth year in the league, he only turned 25 last week and after a disappointing season, it was understandable to think he might yet have another gear.
In the early going of 2019-20, he looked like he was indeed taking that next step as he collected 15 points in the first 17 games of the season. But things went downhill from there. He was injured about a week after that hot stretch and the ensuing wrist surgery kept him out for the better part of three months. After returning to action, a lingering ankle issue hampered him considerably and he was held off the scoresheet before being taken out of the lineup in late February.
The first version of Drouin from this season was a core player while the other version is a player that a team would have to provide extra incentive to take on. Now that the ankle issue has healed, the Canadiens would certainly like to see if Drouin can get back to his early season form if games resume. If things don’t go well, it’s a hole in their lineup that they may have to add to their offseason shopping list to try to improve upon.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Montreal Canadiens Extend Laurent Dauphin
The Montreal Canadiens will be bringing back another one of their minor league forwards, agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract extension with Laurent Dauphin. The deal will carry a salary of $700K in the NHL, $175K in the AHL and a $200K guarantee. Dauphin was scheduled to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent at the end of the season after playing in just 35 NHL games through his first several professional seasons.
Dauphin, 25, was originally selected in the second round of the 2013 draft, but never did really become the offensive weapon in the pros that he was at the junior level. After a number of years in the Arizona Coyotes minor league system, peppered with 35 NHL games across four different seasons and a trade to the Chicago Blackhawks that lasted just six months before he was returned, Dauphin found himself on the move last February to the Nashville Predators organization.
Even with his new home, there wasn’t much of an NHL opportunity, so Dauphin found himself on the move again a few months ago. He arrived in his native Quebec and ended up suiting up for 25 games with the Laval Rocket, scoring 15 points. He apparently has done enough to prove he deserves another shot next season, though it’s still unlikely he ever becomes an impact player in the NHL.
Snapshots: League Timeline, 2021 Draft, Bouwmeester
UPDATE 4:45pm: The Toronto mayor’s office clarified the ban to TSN radio, indicating that it does not include sporting events, only “city events and event permits.”
4:00pm: As mentioned in the earlier story about the NHL extending their period of self-isolation for players and team staff, even April 15th—the new end date the league announced—seems very aggressive given the much longer bans that states, provinces, and cities have already instituted. This afternoon Toronto, one of the league’s biggest markets, announced a ban on all public events through June 30th. That would seemingly include playoff hockey games, making it quite difficult to resume any action that includes the Maple Leafs in the next three months.
While there could be ways around a ban like this for regular season games—neutral venue sites could potentially be used—it’s hard to see a world where the Maple Leafs would be forced to play playoff contests somewhere else. Revenue from the playoffs in the league’s big markets is crucial, especially so in a season cut short. At this point, fans can only wait and see what happens, but the NHL season is just getting further and further away.
- Another major market that has already lost an NHL event is Montreal, where the Canadiens were stripped of the 2020 Entry Draft—or at least the full scale of it. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that Montreal can expect to have a full draft either in 2021 or 2022, though there is another interesting option for next year. LeBrun tweets that the new Seattle franchise has shown interest in trying to bring the entry draft in next season to pair with the expansion draft, though it isn’t clear if it will be feasible at this point.
- Among all the disruptions and distractions, it’s sometimes hard to find any good news these days. Alex Pietrangelo of the St. Louis Blues gave us some of that today, when he told reporters including Dan Rosen of NHL.com that teammate Jay Bouwmeester is doing well in his recovery from a cardiac episode he suffered in February. The Blues captain noted that teammates have checked in on Bouwmeester and that he has seen him walking about their shared neighborhood recently.
Prospect Notes: Rasanen, Niemelainen, Berglund, Farrance, Harris
There have been many international prospects over the years that have turned to the NCAA to try to help get ready for the NHL or bolster their chances of getting drafted. There aren’t as many that have gone the other way but it appears that’s the case with Oilers prospect Aapeli Rasanen. The 21-year-old recently wrapped up his junior year at Boston College but Jeff Cox of the New England Hockey Journal reports (Twitter link) that the forward has informed the team that he’s leaving and is returning to Finland to play professionally. Rasanen grew up playing in the Tappara so it’s likely that he would rejoin that program.
- Still with the Oilers, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector notes that Edmonton is hoping to sign defensemen Markus Niemelainen and Filip Berglund. Both players were draft picks in 2016 and have until June 1st to sign their entry-level deals. Niemelainen played in 55 games with Assat Pori of the Finnish SM-liiga this season while Berglund suited up in 52 contests with SHL Skelleftea, his fourth straight year of being a regular in that league. They’re also both under contract for next season already (Berglund for two more years) but both countries have a transfer agreement with the NHL so those deals shouldn’t get in the way.
- Predators prospect David Farrance is coming off a very strong junior year with Boston University that saw him collect 14 goals and 29 assists in just 34 games. While it certainly seems as if he’s ready to turn pro, AHL reporter Mark Divver mentions (Twitter link) that the 20-year-old hasn’t yet decided whether or not to return for his senior season. With Nashville’s back end being filled with low salary players, it’s quite possible that Farrance could immediately make the jump to the NHL like Dante Fabbro (a Boston University alum) recently did.
- Canadiens prospect Jordan Harris has given a verbal commitment to return to Northeastern for his junior year, reports Sportsnet’s Eric Engels (Twitter link). Last month, GM Marc Bergevin mentioned the possibility that Harris could forego the rest of his college eligibility and turn pro but that doesn’t appear to be the plan. Harris had 21 points in 33 games this season while chipping in with a goal in five games for Team USA at the World Juniors.
Montreal Canadiens Agree To Terms With Jesse Ylonen
The Montreal Canadiens have inked one of their most interesting prospects, agreeing to terms with Jesse Ylonen on a three-year entry-level contract. Ylonen had previously been loaned to the Laval Rocket but failed to play in a single AHL game before the season was suspended. He spent the earlier portion of the season with the Lahti Pelicans of Finland’s top league.
Ylonen, 20, actually could have an outside shot at making the Canadiens next season if he proves his overseas experience has prepared him for the North American professional ranks. Selected 35th overall in 2018, he’s quickly shot up prospect rankings with his strong play in Finland and at the World Juniors in 2019 where he helped bring home the gold medal.
With Cole Caufield returning to college for another year, Ylonen should receive every opportunity to star as a key prospect for the Canadiens, even if it is at the AHL level to start. Nick Suzuki successfully made the jump to the NHL last season, but it’s not always so easy—just ask Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who was sent back to the AHL to continue his development.
Speaking of Kotkaniemi, he did play on some of the same tournament teams as Ylonen in the past and it will be interesting to see if the two ever get a chance to play together for the Canadiens.
Montreal Canadiens Agree To Terms With Gustav Olofsson
The Montreal Canadiens are busy looking ahead to next season, announcing today that they have agreed to terms with defenseman Gustav Olofsson on a one-year two-way contract extension. The deal carries a $750K salary in the NHL, $250K salary in the AHL and a $350K guarantee for the 2020-21 season.
Olofsson, 25, was acquired in 2018 from the Minnesota Wild but missed nearly the entire 2018-19 season after suffering a shoulder injury in the minor leagues. That ended any chance of him helping the Canadiens last year when they could have really used him, and left him in a minor league role again this season. In 57 games for the Laval Rocket he has recorded 16 points, but only received three games in the NHL with Montreal. That takes him to 59 for his career, meaning he would have qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agency at the end of the season.
In that sense, Montreal is buying out a UFA year for just over the minimum NHL salary with a player that has shown the ability to contribute at the highest level in the past. Whether or not he will see any time with the Canadiens depends on the other moves they make in the offseason, but he can at least serve as experienced depth and a leader on the Rocket blueline.
Alex Belzile Agrees To Terms With Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have decided to reward minor league forward Alex Belzile with a one-year contract extension, agreeing to terms on a two-way deal for the 2020-21 season. Belzile will earn $700K at the NHL level and $225K in the minor leagues, with a $250K guarantee. That’s an impressive accomplishment for a player who went undrafted and toiled in the ECHL for years before developing into an AHL regular.
Belzile, 28, has still never seen a game in the NHL but you can bet that he’s still working towards that goal. The Canadiens clearly think he can contribute to the organization, as GM Marc Bergevin explained:
Since joining our organization, Alex has continued to impress us with his determination and work ethic. He’s a role model for the younger players we have developing in Laval. His on-ice skillset combined with his leadership qualities will help him battle for a roster spot at training camp next season.
After earning his first NHL contract just over a year ago, Belzile has unfortunately dealt with injury and was limited to just 20 games for the Laval Rocket this season. He did record 14 points in that time, but will hope to be fully healthy and contributing a full season whenever hockey resumes.
In 74 games with the Rocket in 2018-29, the Saint-Eloi, Quebec native was the team’s most consistent offensive threat, leading the club with 19 goals and 54 points.
Cole Caufield To Return For Sophomore Season
7:33 PM: The Canadiens have confirmed that Caufield will remain at Wisconsin. GM Marc Bergevin released the following statement:
This additional year in the NCAA will benefit Cole and will allow him to continue developing his skills within the Badgers’ environment. Cole is an important part of the Montreal Canadiens’ future and we will continue to follow his development with interest.
4:12 PM: Fans of the Montreal Canadiens haven’t had much to be happy about recently, but were holding out hope that perhaps top prospect Cole Caufield would soon sign his entry-level contract. Not so fast, according to Todd D. Milewski of the Wisconsin State Journal, who reports that Caufield has told Badgers head coach Tony Granato that he is planning on returning for his sophomore season.
The 19-year old forward has watched teammates K’Andre Miller and Alex Turcotte sign their entry-level deals and turn pro in recent days, but will instead return for another chance at developing his game at the collegiate level.
Caufield, the 15th overall pick in 2019, is an incredibly gifted scorer that can put the puck in from anywhere in the offensive zone. His ability to find open space when his teammates have the puck or create it for himself with his strong acceleration and balance is almost unmatched among his age group, as seen by the record-breaking numbers he put up for the U.S. National Team Development Program.
At Wisconsin, even as a freshman he found quite a bit of success. He led the Badgers with 19 goals and 36 points in 36 games, both numbers that will be expected to climb even further next season. Even though he likely won’t be contributing to the Canadiens in 2020 (unless something changes his mind through the summer), there is still plenty to be excited about down the road.
East Notes: Chara, Devils GM Position, Kotkaniemi, Meyer
Almost a year ago, Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara signed a one-year extension (on Mar. 23) as he made it quite clear he wanted to return for another season in Boston. While the league remains suspended, it should be noted that the 43-year-old has not shown the same enthusiasm of signing a contract. Could that signal the end of his career is coming?
When interviewed recently, Chara’s agent Matt Keator, was quite vague about negotiations on a new contract.
“Not thinking about it right now,” said Keator. “Something we’ll all sit down with at the end of the year — Z, me, [Bruins GM] Don Sweeney — and figure out what’s next.”
The Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont writes that if the season doesn’t resume, there is a good chance that Chara may have played his last game as a Boston Bruin. While there remains a good chance that the league resumes eventually, which would allow Boston to fight for a Stanley Cup, including Chara, there is a chance that the season gets cancelled and Chara chooses to retire.
Chara still is a solid top pairing defenseman for the Bruins. He averages 21:01 of ATOI, while putting up five goals, 14 points, 60 penalty minutes, 101 hits and has blocked 78 shots in 68 games.
- The New Jersey Devils might find themselves in bind when it comes to interviewing candidates for their open general manager and coaching positions, according to The Athletic’s Corey Masisak (subscription required). While the team did already interview former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis two weeks ago, the Devils were hoping to wait until the season was over to interview candidates that are currently employed. With a delay until the season ends, New Jersey could find itself without a permanent GM in place for quite a while, something the team wanted to avoid. Interim general manager Tom Fitzgerald remains a candidate, which could increase the chances of him getting the permanent job. Another option, according to Masisak would be if the NHL allowed teams to interview candidates during the break.
- The Athletic’s Arpon Basu (subscription required) breaks down the stock of Montreal Canadiens 2018 first-round pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who was lost for the season last week with an injured spleen with little fanfare for a top prospect. The scribe looks at what has happened to the team’s view on the highly regarded rookie last season and how the 19-year-old had lost his confidence during that season and how it hadn’t returned this season, which includes how the centerman was sent to Laval after struggling in his sophomore campaign with just six goals and eight points in 36 games.
- The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports that Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Carson Meyer, who completed his senior year at Ohio State University, has signed with an agent, Jeff Boston of Roy Sports Group. Unfortunately, his next step is unclear with the suspension of play at both the NHL or AHL level. Meyer wrapped up his senior year with a career-high 17 goals and although he could wait until August to become an unrestricted free agent, he is an Ohio native, suggesting he might prefer to sign with the team that drafted him.