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Kings Sign David Hrenak And Andre Lee

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The Kings have signed one of their college prospects as PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that they’ve signed goaltender David Hrenak to a one-year, entry-level deal.  The contract will be for the 2022-23 season and will carry an AAV of $925K.  Later in the evening, the team confirmed Hrenak’s deal while also announcing a two-year, entry-level pact for Andre Lee.

Hrenak, 23, was a fifth-round pick of Los Angeles back in 2018 (144th overall) and recently wrapped up his college career at St. Cloud State.  This season, Hrenak played in 31 games for the Huskies, posting a 2.26 GAA with a .914 SV% (both career bests) along with a shutout.  Unfortunately, his season came to a disappointing end as he had been hospitalized with pneumonia and was only cleared to dress in case of emergency for their first-round appearance in the Frozen Four tournament, one that they eventually lost to Quinnipiac.

Hrenak will join AHL Ontario on an amateur tryout agreement for the remainder of this season, allowing him to get his feet wet in the pros.  Los Angeles has a pair of AHL netminders on expiring contracts in Garret Sparks (pending UFA) and Matt Villalta (pending RFA) so while the crease may be crowded for the Reign down the stretch, that won’t likely be the case for 2022-23 as at first glance, Hrenak could be taking Sparks’ place on that roster.

As for Lee, he was a seventh-round selection of the Kings in 2019 (188th overall).  He just finished up his junior year at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell where he put up career highs in goals (16) and points (28) while tying his career best in assists with 12 in 28 games.  A 6’5 center, Lee will also be joining Ontario on an ATO agreement for the rest of the season before his contract begins in 2022-23.

Los Angeles also announced that they have re-assigned forward Samuel Helenius to Ontario from JYP of the SM-liiga while they’ve inked defenseman Kim Nousiainen to an ATO agreement.  Helenius, a second-round pick in 2021, had three goals and six assists in 49 games in Finland’s top league while Nousianen, an unsigned 2019 fourth-rounder, had 14 points in 35 games with KalPa in Finland.

Oilers Sign Ryan Fanti

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The Oilers have dipped into the college free agent market, announcing the signing of goaltender Ryan Fanti to a two-year, entry-level contract.  Financial terms of the deal which begins next season were not disclosed but PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that the contract will carry an AAV of $925K.

The 23-year-old recently wrapped up his second season at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.  Fanti took over the starting job this year and certainly made the most of it, posting a 1.83 GAA along with a .929 SV% in 37 games along with seven shutouts.  That resulted in him being named to the All-NCHC First Team earlier this month.  The Bulldogs made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament after Fanti posted a shutout against Western Michigan but they fell 2-1 to Denver over the weekend, ending Minnesota-Duluth’s season in the process.

While this signing won’t directly affect Edmonton’s playoff hopes this season, it’s worth noting that Fanti has signed an ATO agreement with their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield for the rest of the season.  That could permit Stuart Skinner to be recalled to the Oilers, giving them another option with both Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen coming off tough outings recently.  In the meantime, Edmonton has added a promising goalie prospect to the fold in Fanti but he’ll be a few years away from realistically being ready to push for NHL playing time.

Brian Halonen Signs With New Jersey Devils

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March 28: The Devils have officially announced the Halonen contract, noting that he will also join the Comets this week on an amateur tryout.

March 27: One of the top undrafted free agents out of the NCAA is already off the board. Michigan Tech’s Brian Halonen has signed a two-year, two-way entry-level deal with the New Jersey Devils starting in 2022-23, per CapFriendly. It’s a $925,000 cap hit, with Halonen earning $832,500 in base salary and $92,500 in signing bonuses each year.

Halonen, a 23-year-old, finished the 2021-22 campaign at Michigan Tech with 44 points (21 goals, 23 assists) in just 37 games. It was a breakout year for the Delano, Minnesota native, who had yet to eclipse 25 points in his college career.

A natural left winger, Halonen weighs in at 6’0″ and 207 pounds. He was a Hobey Baker Award finalist this season for the best player in college hockey.

Given the one-season jump for Halonen in his senior year, it’s a long shot for him to crack the NHL lineup during Devils training camp this summer. However, he should get a prominent role with the AHL’s Utica Comets as he joins a deep New Jersey developmental system.

Anaheim Ducks Sign Josh Lopina

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After his University of Massachusetts was eliminated from the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament on Friday, 2021 draft pick Josh Lopina signed his entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks today, per the team. Lopina will sign an amateur try-out contract (ATO) with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls for the remainder of the season, getting a sneak peek of hockey life within the Ducks organization. The terms of his NHL deal are not yet available.

Lopina was a bit of a surprise pick last year in the fourth round, but the double-overager came into the draft with a strong freshman season at UMass under his belt (23 points in 29 games) and an NCAA championship. He’s improved on those numbers this season, scoring 12 goals and 27 points in 27 games, the first time at any recorded level that Lopina has had a point-per-game season.

Undoubtedly a late bloomer, Lopina will get a chance to continue his upward rise in the Ducks organization. Likely destined for a full-time AHL role next season, he’ll get a chance to grow there alongside other Ducks youngsters like Jacob Perreault and the newly-acquired Drew Helleson.

Philadelphia Flyers Sign Noah Cates

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The Philadelphia Flyers have signed forward prospect Noah Cates to his entry-level contract, per the team. It’s a two-year contract that begins this season and will take him through to the summer of 2023.

Noah is the younger brother of Jackson Cates, also in the Philadelphia system, playing mostly with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season. Both brothers attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth. They were eliminated from the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament yesterday, paving the way for the younger Cates to join the Flyers.

Drafted 137th overall in 2017, the 23-year-old native of Stillwater, Minnesota joins Philadelphia after serving as Duluth’s captain for back-to-back seasons and scoring a goal in four games for the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics. In his final season at Duluth, Cates tallied 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points in 37 games, nine points short of his career-high (33) that he set in 2019-20.

Cates can join the Flyers immediately, and could potentially play his first NHL game as soon as Tuesday, which is ironically in Minnesota against the Wild.

Morning Notes: Scotiabank Arena, Sanderson, Malkin

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It was a concerning scene last night, as a speaker near the ceiling of Scotiabank Arena caught fire, forcing the evacuation of the arena and the suspension of the Toronto Raptors vs. Indiana Pacers NBA game. Although the fire appeared small and contained, there were fears that the speaker could fall to the seats below and firefighters needed room to work. After the situation was under control, players and staff were permitted to return to the court and the game resumed without any fans in the arena.

An added concern now are continued events at Scotiabank Arena, including tonight’s Toronto Maple Leafs game against the Florida Panthers. However, as the Toronto Sun’s Lance Hornby Tweets, all necessary repairs to the arena are expected to be made in time for tonight’s game. It’s not immediately clear what, if any, effect this will have on the game or fans ability to attend, however it’s a positive sign for a team that has already had to reschedule many of its games this season.

  • After his NCAA season came to an end, University of North Dakota defenseman and Ottawa Senators prospect Jake Sanderson is expected to sign his first professional contract, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. Garrioch adds that despite potentially burning a year of his entry-level contract, the Senators still prefer to bring the defenseman in now. It’s also worth noting that Sanderson had hand surgery after a March 5th injury, but Ottawa is confident he will be able to debut before their last game on April 29th. Even still, Garrioch adds, the team wants to have Sanderson around to get accustomed to the team and NHL life, and to work with the team’s medical and training staff. The fifth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Sanderson put up 10 goals and 31 assists in 45 games on UND’s blueline.
  • According to Pittsburgh Penguins’ Head Coach Mike Sullivan, Penguins’ forward Evgeni Malkin is expected to be a game-time decision for tonight’s game against the Detroit Red Wings (link). Malkin missed Friday night’s game against the New York Rangers, a 5-1 loss for Pittsburgh, with a non-COVID illness and has been away from the team since. The star forward has played a key role for the Penguins this season after missing the first three months with an injury, recording 28 points in 29 games since returning.

Canada Notes: World Juniors, Coronato, Knies, Senators

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After the 2022 Men’s U20 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship (WJC) was cancelled amid an outbreak of COVID-19 in late December, the IIHF announced that it would hold the tournament in August, 2022 in Alberta, Canada. While this was certainly great news for Hockey Canada and the country itself, Hockey Canada may stay busy. In the wake of the IIHF pulling the 2023 WJC out of Russia, the organization has asked Hockey Canada if it would be able to host the 2023 tournament, reports Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek on Saturday night’s Hockey Night in Canada.

Currently, the IIHF is awaiting a response from Hockey Canada, but Marek adds that the belief is the tournament could be hosted in Ontario or to the east, perhaps somewhere in the Maritimes. Ontario has seen a World Juniors as recently as 2017, when the tournament was split between Toronto and Montreal (and consequently, Ontario and Quebec), but the tournament has not been held to the east since 2003, when it was held in Nova Scotia, split between Halifax and Sydney.

  • With Harvard University’s season coming to an end after a 4-3 loss to Minnesota State on Thursday, attention turned to Harvard forward and Calgary Flames prospect Matthew Coronato, to see if he may turn professional and sign with Calgary. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Flames are going to talk to the forward, but the belief is that he will ultimately return to Harvard for another season. Friedman mentions the concern Flames fans may have with talented Harvard prospects after their experience with Adam Fox, but cautions that Coronato shouldn’t be an issue for Calgary. Coronato, the 13th overall selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, had 18 goals and 18 assists in 34 games this season for Harvard.
  • Friedman also touched on another big-time NCAA prospect while speaking on Hockey Night in Canada: Matthew Knies. Knies has been the focus of recent discussion after being named in alleged trade discussions between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Chicago Blackhawks. When asked about Knies, Friedman made it abundantly clear that there was an important distinction in these discussions, which is that Toronto was not shopping Knies, but instead that he was simply a demand of the Blackhawks in those discussions. After the discussions involving Knies and then-Blackhawks goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury were made public, attention was brought on the top prospect, drawing the ire of Toronto GM Kyle Dubas.
  • The Ottawa Senators will not face any subsequent fines or discipline for any role they may have played with the issues surrounding Evgenii Dadonov’s no-trade clause, reports Friedman, appearing to finally close the book on the non-trade. There had been speculation that the Ottawa Senators could be fined for the role they played in the matter, dating back to their trade of Dadonov to Vegas this offseason.

Snapshots: Oshie, Richardson, University of Denver

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Washington Capitals’ forward T.J. Oshie will return to the lineup tonight after missing the previous four games due to injury. Oshie’s return is a welcomed sight for the Capitals, who sit comfortably in the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with 82 points, 14 ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, but are fighting for every inch of playoff seeding in the East.

Oshie has struggled with injuries, playing in just 28 of the Capitals’ 66 games this season. Still, the 35-year-old is a vital piece of Washington’s core as a key contributor with 20 points in those 28 games, including three goals and four assists on the Capitals’ powerplay.

  • The Montreal Canadiens announced that Assistant Coach Luke Richardson was placed in COVID protocol and will miss tonight’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Richardson, who turned 53 today, is in his fourth season behind the bench for Montreal, but is likely to miss at least a few games as he is in protocol.
  • Earlier today, University of Denver’s men’s hockey team secured their spot in the NCAA’s Frozen Four with a 2-1 win over Minnesota-Duluth. The game-winning goal for Denver was scored by 2020 Edmonton Oilers’ fourth-round pick Carter Savoie, who has 44 points in 37 games this season for Denver. Philadelphia Flyers’ prospect Bobby Brink, who has also starred for Denver, has been speculated to join the Flyers after his NCAA season ended, but will have to wait a little longer on his NHL debut.

Montreal Canadiens Sign Jordan Harris

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The Montreal Canadiens announced that they have signed defenseman Jordan Harris to a two-year, entry-level contract that will begin this season. Harris, 21, was the Canadiens’ third-round pick in 2018, 71st overall, and had spent the last four years in the NCAA at Northeastern University.

Harris’ contract is for two seasons, including this one. The deal will pay Harris $750,000 per season at the NHL level, includes numerous bonuses along the way, and carries an $842.5K cap hit (link). The young defenseman had been rumored to make the jump to the NHL after he finished his fourth NCAA season recently. With Montreal”s struggles this season, and their trades of Ben Chiarot and Brett Kulak, the team has room to get a real look at Harris down the stretch. Harris is considered to be a good puck-mover, a proficient skater who can excel on both sides of the puck, and will have the ability to exceed at the NHL level.

Although Harris’ NCAA numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page, he did help lead the team to strong performances all four years, and Captained this year’s Huskies to a spot in this season’s NCAA men’s hockey playoff. Over four years, Harris tallied 73 points in 129 games for Northeastern, including five goals and 15 assists in 39 games this season. It’s unclear when Harris will debut for Montreal, however he figures to join the team in the coming days.

West Notes: Getzlaf, Dubois, Coronato, Wild

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Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf plans to discuss his future with the team soon, notes Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register.  At this point, no decision has been made as to whether or not the 36-year-old intends to return for an 18th NHL season with GM Pat Verbeek recently indicating that Getzlaf will “remain a Duck for whenever he decides not to play anymore”.  After scoring just five goals last season, Getzlaf only has three this year but he sits second to only Trevor Zegras on the team in assists.  He has a base salary of $3MM this season with another $1.5MM in incentives and his next contract – should he choose to sign one – should check in a bit lower in terms of total cost.

More from out West:

  • Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois will wait until the offseason to begin negotiations on his next contract, notes NHL.com’s Tim Campbell. The 23-year-old has had a nice bounce-back year in his first full season in Winnipeg, notching 50 points in 65 games, giving him a shot at surpassing his career high of 61 set in his sophomore year.  Dubois is owed a $6MM qualifying offer with arbitration rights and is two years away from UFA eligibility which makes it likely that Winnipeg will seek a long-term deal this summer.
  • Although Flames prospect Matthew Coronato had a strong freshman year with Harvard, Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson mentions that the 19-year-old is expected to return for his sophomore campaign. The winger is eligible to play in the AHL if Calgary wanted while he would also still have eligibility for major junior but after leading the Crimson in scoring this season with 36 points in 34 games, staying at the college level certainly isn’t a bad idea for the 13th pick in 2021.
  • Wild prospect center Nikita Nesterenko and defenseman Marshall Warren are likely to remain in college next season, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). Nesterenko had 24 points in 37 games in his sophomore year at Boston College while Warren had 21 points in 37 contests in his junior year with the Eagles.  Meanwhile, Russo adds that Minnesota will likely try to sign forward Sam Hentges to an entry-level deal beginning next season and an ATO pact for this year for him to play with AHL Iowa.  Hentges had 22 points in 20 games in his final season at St. Cloud State while scoring once in two games at the Olympics last month.

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