Montreal Canadiens Sign Otto Leskinen
The Montreal Canadiens have agreed to terms with Otto Leskinen on a two-year entry-level contract. The undrafted defenseman has spent the last several years playing in Finland’s Liiga, but did attend development camp with the Canadiens in 2018.
Leskinen, 22, broke out this season with 31 points in 57 games, more than he had scored in his previous 141 contests at the highest level in Finland. That was obviously enough to convince the Canadiens that he has NHL potential, something they’re still desperate to find on the back end. The Canadiens have done well to create a stable blue line with some relatively unheralded names like Jeff Petry, Brett Kulak and Mike Reilly, but still need to add depth to the position as they try to climb back into the playoffs. Given the restricted free agent status of several players, Montreal actually only has four defensemen under contract with legitimate NHL experience (not counting Karl Alzner, who was banished to the minor leagues this season).
Another left-handed option that can move the puck effectively, Leskinen will likely compete for an NHL spot right away come training camp. That spot is obviously not guaranteed, but with his experience at the professional level in Finland there’s reason to believe he could be at least a part-time contributor right away. It’s not clear if his contract includes a European Assignment Clause that would stop the team from sending him to the minor leagues.
Snapshots: WHL, Drouin, KHL
The WHL handed out their awards today, and several NHL prospects took home some hardware. Ian Scott of the Toronto Maple Leafs took home the Goaltender of the Year award, Ty Smith of the New Jersey Devils was named Defenseman of the Year, and Joachim Blichfeld of the San Jose Sharks was awarded the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as Player of the Year.
All three players exceeded expectations this season, but the most interesting may just be Blichfeld who was a seventh-round pick of the Sharks back in 2016. While he will turn 21 this summer and was older than much of his competition, the simple fact that he’s developed so well from his draft day is a huge win for San Jose. The team already signed him to an NHL contract back in late 2017. The Sharks have done extremely well pulling value from the late rounds, as Kevin Labanc (171st overall in 2014) and Joakim Ryan (198th in 2012) are already paying off for them in this year’s playoffs.
- The Montreal Canadiens announced today that Jonathan Drouin underwent minor surgery yesterday to correct a fractured nose. The 24-year old forward had mentioned an injury that would keep him from playing in the IIHF World Championship, but it wasn’t clear exactly what that was. The release notes that Drouin is expected to resume his training in two to three weeks, meaning he’ll be ready in plenty of time for training camp in a few months.
- KHL free agency opened today and some familiar names have already re-signed, meaning there won’t be any NHL returns for them this season. Brandon Kozun, Paul Postma, Eric O’Dell, Anton Lander and Stephane Da Costa, have all signed new deals. The previously reported trade of Jiri Sekac to CSKA Moscow in exchange for the rights to Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Igor Ozhiganov was also officially filed today.
Montreal Canadiens Extend Jordan Weal
Jordan Weal said that he was interested in staying in Montreal, and that’s just what will happen. The Canadiens have signed the pending free agent forward to a two-year extension that carries an average annual value of $1.4MM. That makes three trade deadline acquisitions that Montreal has extended, along with Nate Thompson and Christian Folin.
Weal, 27, is actually taking a pay cut to stay in Montreal after earning an average of $1.75MM the last two years. That deal came after a late-season goal scoring run with the Philadelphia Flyers and his impending Group VI status, putting pressure on the front office to get a relatively young player under contract before another team snatched him up. After all, Weal had long been an excellent offensive contributor at the minor league level and the Flyers couldn’t let talent slip through their fingers. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make good on that contract in Philadelphia and recorded just 30 points in 97 games before being shipped out to Arizona. The Coyotes didn’t have much use for him either and sent him to Montreal just over a month later in exchange for Michael Chaput.
With the Canadiens though, Weal showed once again that he can perform if put in the right situation. The forward saw an increase in ice time and responsibility in Montreal and responded with ten points in 16 games, including a good showing on the Canadiens powerplay. That will likely be a big part of his role next season, one that could make this contract look like quite the bargain.
The Canadiens still have several restricted free agents to get under contract including Joel Armia, Artturi Lehkonen and Brett Kulak, but have plenty of cap space to get it done and go shopping on the open market in June. Jonathan Drouin remains their most expensive forward at only $5.5MM, with others like Brendan Gallagher and Paul Byron remaining some of the biggest bargains in the league. GM Marc Bergevin had a surprising club that just missed out on the playoffs this season, and if he continues to make shrewd acquisitions like Weal—provided his offense doesn’t disappear again—it’s a good bet he’ll get the Canadiens back to the postseason tournament before long.
Jordan Weal Interested In Staying With Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have already re-signed two of their trade deadline additions, inking short extensions with both Nate Thompson and Christian Folin in recent days. At least one more of their expiring contracts could stay, as Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that there have been preliminary discussions between the Canadiens and the representatives for Jordan Weal. LeBrun adds that Weal has interest in staying with the Canadiens.
Weal, 27, was acquired on deadline day in exchange for Michael Chaput and quickly found a fit with Montreal. He recorded 10 points in 16 games with the team and was given more responsibility and ice time than ever before in his career. The talented forward is actually approaching unrestricted free agency for the second time despite being relatively young, as he was heading for Group VI status in the summer of 2017 before inking a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers in late June. That deal was predicated on a hot streak over the last few weeks of the 2016-17 season, not unlike the stretch that Weal just went through with Montreal.
Even with his relatively small NHL resume—Weal has only suited up 169 times and never played more than 69 games in a single season—there seemed to be a great fit in Montreal for the third round pick. There’s a good chance he could find a full-time role next to some of the team’s other talented young forwards, giving him a chance to really show what he can do at the highest level. The Canadiens have plenty of cap space, but still need to make smart decisions with it and not fill their roster with overpriced talent. There’s little chance that Weal can command huge numbers, making him a potential low-risk, high-reward play for the team.
Montreal Canadiens Re-Sign Nate Thompson
The Montreal Canadiens acquired veteran forward Nate Thompson ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline this season to add bottom-six depth for a playoff run that never materialized. They gave up little to acquire him, swapping a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft for Thompson and a fifth-rounder from the Los Angeles Kings. Yet, the Habs have decided to make the most of that minor investment. The team has announced a one-year contract extension with Thompson. It is a one-way deal worth $1MM.
The extension represents a small pay cut for Thompson, who had a $1.65MM AAV on his previous two-year deal, one that was originally signed with the Ottawa Senators but was served with three different teams. Yet, it is a fair downgrade for the 34-year-old forward. While still a dependable two-way player and an asset at the face-off dot, Thompson point totals fell last year and he hasn’t cracked 20 points since 2010-11. Yet, in just 25 games with Montreal, Thompson scored more points than he accumulated with the Kings in more than twice the games earlier in the season. If that level of production continues – a 23-point pace – this deal will be a great bargain for the Canadiens.
With Thompson signed and the Habs already confirming that backup goaltender Antti Niemi won’t be returning, the team has very few unrestricted free agents to worry about. Only forward Jordan Weal, a fellow deadline addition, and defenseman Jordie Benn are set to hit the open market. Like Thompson, Weal played far better in Montreal than in his previous locales during the season, while Benn had a career year in 2018-19. Both are strong candidates to return to the team.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi Undergoes Arthroscopic Knee Surgery
The Montreal Canadiens have announced that rookie center Jesperi Kotkaniemi underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee today. GM Marc Bergevin released a short statement following the procedure:
With regards to Jesperi, it was a chronic, minor injury that did not stop him from playing this past season. Jesperi will remain in Montreal for the coming weeks to complete his rehabilitation program with our team’s medical staff. We have been told by our medical group that there should be no delay in starting his offseason training.
While it is good news that Kotkaniemi won’t miss any training time, this is something to watch moving forward. After a brilliant start to the season there was obviously something slowing the 18-year old down in the second half of the season, and the team drastically reduced his minutes. In fact, on three occasions during the Canadiens playoff hunt head coach Claude Julien deployed his young center for fewer than 10 minutes in a game, something seemingly unthinkable at the start of the year when he made such an impact.
Hopefully this procedure will let him get back to full strength for the 2019-20 season when the Canadiens will once again try to climb their way into the postseason. The team surprised many by taking it right down to the wire this year, and should be improved next season with players like Kotkaniemi taking a step forward in their development. With just 11 goals and 34 points on the year, he’ll be asked to provide a little more offense while still offering solid two-way play down the middle.
Christian Folin Signs One-Year Extension With Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have decided to bring back Christian Folin for another year, signing him to a one-year, one-way contract worth $800K. Folin was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Folin, 28, arrived in Montreal through the trade that brought Dale Weise back to town, and he ended up playing in 19 games down the stretch. Though he and the rest of the Canadiens ended up not being able to eventually make the playoffs, he did fit in rather nicely in a depth role and added four assists in his short time with the team. Folin has bounced around the league the last few seasons because he offers a big-bodied right-handed shot, but hasn’t seemed to find a perfect situation where he can be a full-time contributor.
He’ll try to be that in Montreal next season, but a contract of this length and value certainly doesn’t guarantee him a job. The team already has two veterans locked into the right side in Shea Weber and Jeff Petry, while Noah Juulsen is working his way back from an eye injury that ruined his season and could be ready for the start of the year. Add that to several other young defensemen that will be pushing for spots, and an $800K Folin might find himself as the seventh defender more often than not.
Still, it’s always good to have veteran help on the back end and after an inspiring season the Canadiens will be looking to compete once again in 2019-20. At the very least he provides an experienced option to plug in due to injury, or an inexpensive trade chip to move at some point.
Canadiens Notes: Drouin, Okulov, Free Agency
One of the underlying reasons why the Montreal Canadiens were unable to hold on to a wild card spot down the stretch was the poor play of one of their best players, Jonathan Drouin. Speaking with Alexis Belanger-Champagne of La Presse, Drouin acknowledged that his play suffered when it matter most in the final games of the season. He even owned his decreased ice time, understanding that head coach Claude Julien needed productive, confident players on the ice and he was playing frustrated and failing to find results. Drouin finished the season with 53 points in 81 games, but only contributed one goal and two assists in Montreal’s final 18 games. Yet, for all of his late-season struggles, Drouin does not expect to be shopped this off-season. The 24-year-old forward did match a career-high in points this year and early in the season was on pace to shatter all previous personal marks. Drouin knows that he dropped the ball, but tells Belanger-Champagne that he is happy with the Canadiens and knows he can be a difference-maker once again next season and beyond. GM Marc Bergevin seems to agree. Bergevin told La Presse that Drouin showed maturity with how he handled his poor play and that he understands his role on the team. Bergevin expects the young scorer to “take another step forward next year.” At $5.5MM for four more years, Drouin can still be a bargain for the Habs and certainly a dependable top-six forward. Bergevin is not one to overreact, so expect Drouin to be back in the bleu, blanc, et rougue next year.
- Drouin’s return doesn’t mean that the Canadiens won’t try to address their offense this summer. In fact, the team already has their sights set on an import out of Russia. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Montreal is “high” on KHL forward Konstantin Okulov. Okulov, 24, is currently playing in the Gagarin Cup Final with CSKA Moscow and his breakout regular season has extended into the postseason. The skilled forward has 12 points in 15 playoff games following a career-high 20 goals and 31 points in 48 regular season games. The Habs would like to see if his high-powered game can translate to the NHL. Unfortunately, Friedman also notes that Okulov is under contract for one more year with CSKA and may not be available to Montreal this off-season. Unless he both wants and is granted a release from his contract, the Canadiens may need to keep scouting for another year.
- As for attracting free agents already in the NHL, The Montreal Gazette’s Pat Hickey opines that the Canadiens may have a tough time luring top names to Montreal this summer despite ample cap space. It doesn’t have anything to do with team personnel, either. Hickey notes that taxes and cost of living are among the negatives of making the move to Montreal and claims that has deterred free agents in recent years. However, Hickey adds that this might not be a bad things, as Bergevin’s track record of late has been better with trades than it has been with signings. The Habs will undoubtedly still add a few free agents, but in need of a veteran backup goalie, a top-four defenseman, and a top-six forward, the team will likely have to tackle the trade market to address at least one of those holes.
2019 NHL Draft Lottery Results
The ping pong balls have been drawn and the first 15 picks of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft are set. The league conducted its annual Draft Lottery tonight and the big winners were the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, and Chicago Blackhawks. The Devils, with an 11.5% chance of winning the No. 1 overall selection, did just that and astoundingly will have their pick of the class for the second time in three years. New Jersey won the draft lottery in 2017 and selected Nico Hischier and will have the chance to add another elite talent this year. This continues the almost comical lottery luck that has followed Taylor Hall in his career, moving from Edmonton to New Jersey. The Rangers held a 7.8% chance of moving up to the second overall pick and in this specific draft class were very lucky as well, as their consolation prize will be the second of two elite players at the top of the draft board. This will also be the first time in the modern draft era that New York selects within the first three picks. The Blackhawks may have a more difficult choice facing them at No. 3, but aren’t complaining after jumping from No. 12 into the top three, a move that had just a 3% chance of happening. Chicago has been a dynastic franchise this decade and will look to return to greatness by adding one of the draft’s top talents. Altogether, these three teams all moving up in this order was a result that had just a 0.027% chance of occurring.
Following the lottery results, the odds for which were set by the final league standings for non-playoff teams, the first half of the first round will play out as follows:
- New Jersey Devils
- New York Rangers
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa Senators)
- Los Angeles Kings
- Detroit Red Wings
- Buffalo Sabres
- Edmonton Oilers
- Anaheim Ducks
- Vancouver Canucks
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Minnesota Wild
- Florida Panthers
- Arizona Coyotes
- Montreal Canadiens
The biggest loser of the night has to be the Colorado Avalanche, who fall out of the top three spots despite having a 49.4% chance of winning at least one of the those picks. This is the second time in just three years that Colorado has entered the lottery with the best odds at No. 1, only see three teams win the lottery and pass them up. In 2017, it was again the Devils who stole their top pick. After swindling the Ottawa Senators, it seemed the Avs were destined to cash in, but instead end up with the worst-case scenario. The Los Angeles Kings also have to be unhappy with the results, as the team slides from their second-to-last finish to the fifth overall pick. The Kings desperately could have used an injection of elite young talent next season and may not end up with an immediate contributor at No. 5. While they didn’t have the best of odds, the Vancouver Canucks are undoubtedly still disappointed in missing out on an opportunity to pair Jack Hughes with older brother Quinn Hughes, the team’s first-round pick in 2018 who already made a splash in his first few pro games down the stretch, or to at least make a top-three selection in front of the home crowd.
The younger Hughes, who was actually in attendance at tonight’s lottery event, has of course long been considered the likely top pick this spring and should start getting used to the idea of playing in New Jersey. The U.S. National Team center is considered a high-end play-maker already and turned down a scholarship to the University of Michigan earlier this season, knowing that he could be an impact player immediately in the NHL. As for the fit with the Devils, Hischier has already climbed atop the depth chart at center, but New Jersey will soon be able to boast amazing youth and depth down the middle with the addition of Hughes. Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko has pressured Hughes to be the top pick this year, but many still see him as a close second. The Rangers won’t mind, as Kakko is an extraordinary offensive talent who will score goals and throw his body around right away in the NHL. Kakko could become a major star in the New York market with his flashy goal-scoring ability and will certainly have the opportunity to play a major role right away. At third overall, there are many options for the Blackhawks, but the early expectation based on organizational depth would be a skilled forward like Vasili Podkolzin or Alex Turcotte. Chicago already has several promising young defensemen in the pipeline and can now add an elite forward to their growing young core of Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, and Brendan Perlini. Now relegated to the No. 4 pick, the Avalanche will still undoubtedly get a strong player, just as they did two years ago with Cale Makar, if not an immediate contributor in the top remaining prospect on their board. A player like big Canadian center Dylan Cozens would fit in nicely with what Colorado is building.
Now that the order is set, the next step is the draft itself. Everyone may have their projections, but only the day of will reveal the actual futures of these teams and players. This year’s draft is set to take place in Vancouver beginning on June 21st, a day that New Jersey, New York, and Chicago are now much more excited for. Stay tuned.
Antti Niemi Will Not Return To Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens will have a new backup goaltender next season, as GM Marc Bergevin told Antti Niemi he won’t be back with the team. The veteran goaltender’s contract is coming to an end and he will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
It’s hard to argue with the decision to let Niemi go after the struggles he experienced this season. The 35-year old goaltender saw his numbers decline across the board and finished with an 8-6-2 record and .887 save percentage. That’s where things appeared to be headed when Niemi was bought out by the Dallas Stars in 2017, but he found incredible success with Montreal in the second half of the 2017-18 season.
The Canadiens though have a backup ready and waiting for an opportunity in Charlie Lindgren and a young goaltender in Cayden Primeau that will need playing time in the minor leagues. Lindgren was given the final game of the regular season once the Canadiens had been eliminated from playoff contention, and figures to at least compete for the backup role next season—though he experienced his own struggles this season in the AHL and could potentially be replaced by a more veteran option if Montreal finds one to their liking.
For Niemi, if this is the end it was quite a ride. Undrafted, the Finnish goaltender signed with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2008 and found himself starting in the playoffs by spring of 2010. As a rookie Niemi led the Blackhawks all the way to a Stanley Cup championship on the back of his .910 save percentage through 22 postseason starts. He would start another 43 games in the playoffs for San Jose and Dallas, but failed to capture another title. If he believes he can still compete at the highest level there will surely be people willing to give him a chance, but a guaranteed backup role seems like a stretch for the veteran netminder at this point in his career.