Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Declan Carlile
The Tampa Bay Lightning have brought in another undrafted talent, this time on defense. PuckPedia reports that Declan Carlile has signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, one that will kick in for the 2022-23 season. The contract carries a cap hit of $855K, and ends Carlile’s collegiate career after three seasons at Merrimack. Carlile will report to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL on an amateur tryout for the rest of this season.
Carlile, 21, had an interesting junior career before heading to college, one that took him through the OJHL and USHL, playing for various teams. The 6’2″ defenseman turned in an impressive freshman campaign with Merrimack in 2019-20 but like many others, had a year to forget with the COVID-restricted 2020-21 season. He was back to full strength this year and scored seven goals and 24 points in 35 games, earning a Second All-Star Team bid in Hockey East.
Though he would eventually go undrafted, it’s not like Carlile was a completely under-the-radar prospect. He ranked 176th among North American skaters in 2018 and did get drafted into the OHL by the Oshawa Generals, though decided on the NCAA route instead. Now an effective player at both ends of the rink, he’ll jump into a Lightning organization that is known for polishing the rough edges of a prospect and squeezing NHL minutes out of unexpected places. With a contract in hand, he’ll be the next project for the Tampa Bay development staff.
Chicago Blackhawks Sign Alex Vlasic To Entry-Level Deal
Adding to today’s growing list of NCAA players signing their entry-level contracts, Alex Vlasic has signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Chicago Blackhawks. Per the team, the deal will carry an $824,167 cap hit. Vlasic was drafted by the Blackhawks 43rd overall in the 2019 draft, only just before another of today’s signings, Drew Helleson.
Vlasic, 20, is perhaps best known for being among the biggest players in his draft class. Standing at six-foot-six, Vlasic’s size has made him an intriguing prospect as he’s developed in the NCAA. There’s not a lot of offense to his game, as he has only 20 points in his 82-game career at Boston University, but his aforementioned size, which is highly coveted and difficult for teams to find, has made it so that lack of offense hasn’t tarnished much of his shine as a top prospect. Just by being as big as he is, Vlasic offers high defensive upside thanks to his reach and potential to be a menace along the boards. He’s the cousin of Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and while that has little bearing on his actual play on the ice it should excite fans who know the connection and remember Vlasic in his prime when he was among the NHL’s most fearsome defensive defenders. Even if Vlasic’s offensive game never comes along, he should be able to carve out an NHL career as a defensive specialist.
Speaking of his potential ability to carve out an NHL career, his doing so could be closer than many would think. Vlasic is heading straight to Chicago to be with the Blackhawks team, according to Bartlett Hockey, Vlasic’s representation. While it is not confirmed if Vlasic will make his NHL debut this soon after signing, the Blackhawks getting him into Chicago and with the team this quickly should signal their excitement over his upside and their confidence that he is ready for the rigors of NHL hockey. Given the uncertainty NHL fanbases often wrestle with when it comes to NCAA prospects and their signability, seeing Vlasic fast-tracked to the NHL like this should relieve and excite a Blackhawks fanbase that looks headed into uncharted waters under new GM Kyle Davidson.
Anaheim Ducks Sign Drew Helleson To Entry-Level Deal
After acquiring him from the Colorado Avalanche yesterday as part of the Josh Manson trade, the Anaheim Ducks have announced that they have signed defender Drew Helleson to a three-year entry-level contract. Helleson was drafted 47th overall in the 2019 draft by the Avalanche, and he was packaged alongside a 2023 2nd round pick in exchange for Manson, a quality top-four defenseman. His inclusion in such a high-profile trade combined with the team signing him this quickly after acquiring him indicates that Helleson is likely viewed quite highly by the Ducks’ front office.
Helleson’s deal carries a $925,000 average annual value, per CapFriendly. He is paid $832,500 in base salary every season, with a $92,500 signing bonus. His AHL salary is $70,000.
Helleson, who is set to turn 21 later this month, has blossomed this season at Boston College. While he may have been previously characterized as a somewhat one-dimensional, “all-defense” prospect in his draft season, applying that notion to Helleson’s game today would be a mistake. In his second season as an Eagle, Helleson improved his offense significantly, going from six points in 28 games to 15 in 22. This season, Helleson’s offense jumped again, and he posted 25 points in 32 games. While some scouts might still be bearish on the odds of that offense translating to the NHL level, it is clear that Helleson’s game has an added offensive dimension to it that was not apparent when he was drafted.
For the Ducks, signing Helleson may add an immediate boost to their defense as they reel from the departure of Manson, a staple on their blue line since he established himself as an NHL regular in the 2015-16 season. While Helleson may start his professional career with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, an NHL debut should not be too far away. Helleson was selected by Team USA to play in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where he had one assist in three games, indicating that his game is polished enough to compete with some of the world’s best talent outside of the NHL. For a Ducks blueline that already features high-end young talent such as Jamie Drysdale and may yet lose more established NHL-ers as the deadline nears, (such as Hampus Lindholm) signing Helleson to his entry-level deal is a move that could bear fruit sooner rather than later.
Boston Bruins Sign Marc McLaughlin
The Boston Bruins have signed Boston College Eagles captain Marc McLaughlin to a two-year entry-level contract. The contract carries an $883,750 per year cap hit. McLaughlin, 22, is an undrafted player who has grown from being a light-scoring bottom-sixer at Boston College to among their best players. He is from North Billerica, Massachusetts, and now he gets to continue his hockey career in his home state as a Bruin.
On the ice, McLaughlin is a six-foot, 210-pound center. As previously mentioned, McLaughlin has grown in role for Boston College. He had 20 points over 73 games in his first two seasons as an Eagle, playing in a lesser offensive role than he was perhaps used to. At the USHL level, he captained the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders as a point-per-game player before arriving at Boston College. In his third year in the NCAA McLaughlin settled into a larger role and posted 24 points in 24 games, while also becoming the team’s captain. This season he had 21 goals and 32 points in 33 games and also appeared in two games at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, representing Team USA.
For the Bruins, McLaughlin is an interesting prospect and a signing that should be celebrated by their fans. He’s grown into an impact player at Boston College, a program that faces stiff competition as a member of the Hockey East conference. McLaughlin has a leadership element to his game, as evidenced by the “C” he’s had sewn to his sweater for the Eagles and the RoughRiders. And in a fact that should excite the ever-rivalrous Bruins faithful, Boston’s offer won out over “20-plus” competing offers from other NHL clubs, according to Mark Divver of New England Hockey Journal. As an undrafted player whose only cost to the team is taking up one of their maximum of fifty contract slots, (alongside his minimal cap hit) he’s essentially found money for an organization that routinely extracts top talent from college free agency.
Lindenwood University To Add Division I NCAA Hockey
UPDATE: More than a year after the initial announcement and having withstood considerable skepticism due in no small part to the pandemic, Lindenwood University is set to confirm that they will in fact sponsor Division I hockey next season. Bally Sports’ Andy Strickland reports that an official announcement is expected soon. Lindenwood Athletic Director Brad Wachler reportedly informed the Lions’ coaches and players on Friday that they would be joining the top ranks of the NCAA in 2022-23, putting to rest any rumors to the contrary. College hockey will be arriving in St. Louis this fall.
February 4, 2021: The newest addition to the Division I ranks of NCAA hockey is a school that most college sports fans likely know little about. Jeff Cox of the New England Hockey Journal reports that Lindenwood University of St. Charles, Missouri, is set to add Division I men’s hockey in 2022-23, joining it’s Division I women’s program. Unlike college hockey’s most recent addition, Long Island University, Lindenwood is primarily a Division II athletic department and located in an untraditional area of the U.S. for college hockey. Yet, the school is reportedly ready to go ahead with the major step of adding a top-level program in one of the NCAA’s most popular sports.
Lindenwood, a university of less than 7,500 students located in a suburb of St. Louis, may seem like a strange option for Division I hockey. Not only has the school never sponsored men’s hockey in the NCAA, but their ACHA club program only started in 2003. Geographically, they are also an oddity as they will be one of just three programs considered to be south of the Mason-Dixon Line and are located 400 miles or more from the nearest Division I competitors like Notre Dame, Miami (OH), Nebraska-Omaha, or Alabama-Huntsville.
Yet, Lindenwood is actually not as surprising a Division I addition as it may seem. Since 2009, the Lions’ ACHA team has won three titles and finished runner-up three times at the league’s highest level and has a runner-up finish in the second division as well. It is no surprise that their rise as an ACHA powerhouse has corresponded with the growth of grassroots hockey in the St. Louis area. The school undoubtedly will hope to capitalize on that local talent, as well as becoming another close-to-home option for young players from the South or Midwest. The department is also equipped to handle the many additional requirements of sponsoring a Division I sport, not only due to their women’s team, but also as a former full Division I member from 2012 to 2019, during which time they added several new programs.
With participation in the NCAA among NHL draft picks continuing to grow with each year, and the collegiate game overall growing with it, new programs may continue to pop up in the coming years. As an institution located near a historic NHL city who has experienced great success in hockey in recent years, Lindenwood will be a welcome addition to the Division I ranks and could find quick success along the lines of Arizona State University if they can make the most of their unique location and recruiting base.
Snapshots: Paul, Hughes, PWHPA
Nick Paul has a decision to make and is running out of time to do so. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that progress on a new contract for the impending UFA is still lacking and that Paul appears to be the one dragging his feet. Both Paul and the Ottawa Senators have publicly stated interest in an extension, but with just eight days until the NHL Trade Deadline there has been nothing new on that front. A hard-working, two-way forward, Paul has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches as well as the fans in Ottawa. As the Senators look to take a step forward as a club, they do not want to allow homegrown talent to walk away. However, if Paul cannot give them any assurance by the deadline, GM Pierre Dorion and company will have little choice but to make a trade. Paul is drawing considerable interest and the rebuilding Senators would gain valuable capital in a move. They would prefer to keep him, but that decision remains out of their hands so long as Paul cannot make a commitment to a new contract.
- Another impressive Hughes is heading to Michigan; however, this one has no relation to Quinn or Luke. The Wolverines have received a commitment from record-breaking AJHL scorer T.J. Hughes, as announced by his current team, the Brooks Bandits. At 20 years old, Hughes is an older prospect and college commit, but has earned his spot with an elite program like Michigan this season. Hughes just completed a 66-goal, 127-points season in just 60 games – an incredible 2.12 points per game. It was the most goals in a single season in Brooks history, as well as a top-ten historical mark in the AJHL and the first 60+ goal season in the league since before the turn of the century. As the star-studded Wolverines continue to chase an NCAA title this season, their incoming classes also continue to grow more and more impressive. Meanwhile, the Bandits are a juggernaut in the AJHL as the playoffs begin. The team holds the top seed in the postseason and each of the top four scorers in the league. They will look to make the most of Hughes’ efforts before he departs for Ann Arbor.
- The Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association is closing in on the formation of a fully-funded league. Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports that the PWHPA is nearing an announcement of a women’s league that would be the first of its kind in terms of financial backing and sponsor support. The PWHPA represents players that broke off from the PHF (and its previous iterations) and has only been operating as showcases to this point, but a change seems to be on the horizon. Of note, Marek does not believe that this newly-constructed league has any association with the PHF and the two will likely exist separately as competing leagues. Additionally, there is no evidence as of yet to suggest that the NHL is tied in to this new league either.
Corey Andonovski Signs With Pittsburgh Penguins
March 10: Dreger reports that Andonovski has chosen the Pittsburgh Penguins for his NHL home. The Penguins are notorious for bringing players out of the college ranks and giving them a real opportunity at the NHL level. The team has officially announced the two-year contract, noting that it will begin in the 2022-23 season. He’ll join the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on an amateur tryout for the time being.
March 7: As the NCAA season comes to a close for many programs, NHL teams will be desperately trying to sell their organization as the best place for an undrafted talent to take the next step. That’s what is happening in the case of Corey Andonovski, who according to Darren Dreger of TSN “continues to mull over multiple NHL offers” and could make a decision this week.
Andonovski, 22, just finished his third season (and fourth year) at Princeton, scoring 22 points in 31 games. Technically he could go back as he had an extra year of eligibility due to the lost 2020-21 season–when Ivy League schools did not participate in hockey due to COVID restrictions–but that appears not to be the case. Princeton was ousted from the ECAC first round by Union over the weekend, with Andonovski scoring the lone goal for the Tigers in the deciding game.
Since the beginning of this month, NHL teams have been able to sign undrafted prospects to entry-level contracts that start in 2022-23, though that may not necessarily be the case here. Andonovski would be signing a two-year deal either way, meaning if a team really wants to win the battle for his services, they could offer him a contract that starts in 2021-22 instead, get him directly into professional hockey and closer to restricted free agency.
Signing his first NHL contract will be a big step for the former BCHL forward, but there’s potentially another big moment coming up soon as well. On March 16, the Hobey Baker Top-Ten Finalists will be announced, and Andonovski was one of the original nominees. His is a long shot, given how many other outstanding college players there are around the country, but even being nominated is obviously a nice honor in his final season with Princeton.
College Hockey Round-Up: 03/09/22
Tournament time has arrived! Saturday marked the end of the regular season slate for Hockey East and the NCHC, while the other conferences are already underway on their individual postseasons. All six conference tournaments have different formats and will move at their own pace, but it all leads up to the NCAA Tournament selection show on March 20, Regionals on March 24-27, and the Frozen Four in Boston from April 7-9.
Recent Results
Typically, the early match-ups in conference tournaments don’t yield major impacts to the NCAA rankings or potential National Tournament field. No. 15 Ohio State wishes that had been the case again this year. The Buckeyes were ousted from the Big Ten tournament via upset by Penn State and now face a long and possibly fruitless wait for the selection show in two weeks. Ranked No. 12 before the first round knockout, Ohio State is now soundly in bubble territory and can do nothing to change their position.
While No. 2 Minnesota had a bye, other Big Ten contenders in No. 4 Michigan and No. 8 Notre Dame advanced alongside Penn State, although Wisconsin gave the Fighting Irish a run for their money. Michigan and Notre Dame are set to square off in the semifinals this weekend.
Elsewhere in conference tournament play, No. 1 Minnesota State and No. 13 Michigan Tech moved on in the CCHA Tournament (though not as easily as expected); meanwhile, No. 6 Quinnipiac, No. 17 Clarkson, and No. 18 Cornell received byes in the first round of the ECAC Tournament, as did Atlantic favorite American International in that tournament.
Hockey East ended the regular season in style with a series of results that vaulted No. 11 Northeastern into the top seed in the conference and to the top national rank in the conference as well. Much of the disarray was due to a stunning sweep by unranked Boston College over No. 12 UMass, who surrendered a regular season Hockey East title that looked to be a lock. No. 14 UMass Lowell also briefly looked to have a shot at a share of the top spot this past weekend as well, after sweeping New Hampshire, but Northeastern managed to sweep Merrimack as well to seal sole possession of the top spot. All three teams have a bye in the first round of the Hockey East Tournament, underway on Wednesday, but each knows that an early loss will all but cost them their NCAA bid. No. 16 Boston University suffered a surprise loss to Maine that bumped them down the national rankings and to the five seed in the conference, while No. 20 Providence somehow finishes seventh and is active in the first round. Both BU and PC know they likely need to win the conference tournament to get in.
There is much more security in the NCHC, home to five top-ten teams. Even after No. 10 Minnesota-Duluth was swept No. 9 St. Cloud State and No. 5 North Dakota managed only an overtime win and a regulation loss against No. 19 Omaha, they both remain locks for the NCAA Tournament. The NCHC Tournament will hit the ground running this weekend with a Huskies-Bulldogs rematch, as well as Omaha and No. 7 Western Michigan, while North Dakota and No. 3 Denver should have easier match-ups with Colorado College and Miami, respectively.
Bracketology
Before the conference tournaments mess with the national landscape further as they did with Ohio State, what doe a potential NCAA Tournament Field look like right now? Minnesota State, Denver, Michigan, and Minnesota look to safely have top regional seeds locked up, following recent slides by North Dakota and Quinnipiac. With that being said, the Fighting Hawks and Bobcats are also locks, as are WMU, Notre Dame, St. Cloud State, Minnesota-Duluth, and Michigan Tech. The bubble is currently very Hockey East heavy and at least two but upwards of four of the remaining slots could come from that conference. Ohio State is stuck with their current resume, while Clarkson and Cornell will also garner some consideration with a deep ECAC run. Of course, a surprise conference tournament winner on top of the automatic qualifier from the Atlantic would also shake up the field.
If the selection show occurred right now, here is how it could all shake out:
Albany, NY
Minnesota State
St. Cloud
Notre Dame
AIC
Allentown, PA
Minnesota
Quinnipiac
Minnesota Duluth
UMass Lowell
Loveland, CO
Denver
North Dakota
Michigan Tech
Ohio State
Worcester, MA
Michigan
WMU
Northeastern
UMass
Is The Hobey Baker Race Already Over?
The top ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, honoring the most outstanding player in NCAA men’s hockey, will be announced next Thursday, March 17. However, after a wide open race earlier this season it fair to wonder whether the title has already been clinched. Denver forward Bobby Brink (PHI) is the best scorer in college hockey right now – and it isn’t particularly close. Brink leads the NCAA in points by seven, assists by six, and points per game by 0.12. There isn’t much hope for anyone to catch him statistically, so how can they catch him for the Hobey Baker?
While there is a case to be made that teammate Carter Savoie (EDM) hurts Brinks chances, it may not be a strong enough argument. Savoie ranks tenth in points and sixth in points per game, as well as tied for sixth in goals, but Brink has far surpassed Savoie’s totals and has been the mastermind play-maker behind many of Savoie’s goals for the Pioneers.
The elite teammate case does hurt a few other contenders though. Minnesota State’s Nathan Smith (WPG) is second in points, total and per-game, and that is despite the Olympic break. He likely has the best chance of anyone to overtake Brink. However, when teammate Julian Napravnik (who was not even a Hobey Baker nominee) is right behind him in third-place in total points as well as third in plus/minus, it doesn’t help Smith’s case. And while the Mavericks are the No. 1 team in the country, their CCHA strength of schedule hurts Smith’s case as well.
Likewise, Western Michigan standout Ethen Frank is the NCAA’s leading goal scorer and among the top 25 in points, but when teammate Drew Worrad (also not nominated) is second in assists and tenth in points, it’s hard to call Frank individually the most outstanding player. While reigning second overall pick Matty Beniers (SEA) has been phenomenal for Michigan – the only player in the NCAA in the top 15 in goals, points, points per game, and plus/minus – the rest of the talent on the star-studded Wolverines lineup will make it hard for him to separate himself.
UMass forward Bobby Trivigno, coming off a National Championship, and Michigan Tech’s Brian Halonen, the leader of the season’s most surprising team, both have had excellent individual efforts this season. Trivigno is eighth in points and sixth in points per game, while Halonen is the only name to grace the top five in both goals and points. However, neither of their teams is trending toward a top-ten finish without a conference tournament win, which works against their chances.
In net, there have been some truly outstanding performances this season across the NCAA. However, it could just make for a tight Mike Richter Award race, as there has been little chatter about a goaltender battling for the Hobey Baker this season. Senior keeper Dryden McKay has yet again been the fuel to Minnesota State’s success, leading college hockey in games played and wins (by a whopping six) while currently in third in goals against average and among the top ten in save percentage. However, McKay has been excellent for year and never received much Hobey hype, certainly due in part to the Mavericks’ poor strength of schedule. Quinnipiac’s Yaniv Perets is statistically the best keeper in the NCAA with a league-leading .955 save percentage and 0.82 GAA , both of which are truly stunning marks. Yet, Perets shares the net with veteran Dylan St. Cyr, who has also found great success, making it seems as though the Bobcat’s system and a down year for the ECAC may have a lot to do with it. Northeastern’s Devon Levi has been excellent, especially during the Huskies’ late run, and is second is save percentage and fourth in GAA. Is it enough?
Brink seems to have a very strong case to take home top honors this season, but there is a lot of hockey left to play.
Clay Stevenson Drawing NHL Interest
At the collegiate level, there are times when a player bursts onto the scene without a ton of prior hype. Sometimes it can even lead to the attention of NHL scouts or even an NHL entry-level contract. It appears that’s the case with Clay Stevenson, a goaltender from Dartmouth College who may end up earning a deal in the coming weeks.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes that NHL teams are already making pitches to the undrafted free agent, whose final regular season game is this weekend. Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV goes a step further, reporting that the Vancouver Canucks have an interest in the Chilliwack, British Columbia native.
Perhaps burst onto the scene is a bit hyperbolic in Stevenson’s case, given how well he played in the BCHL before leaving for college. For the Coquitlam Express in 2019-20, the big goaltender posted a 30-2-2 record with a .936 save percentage, taking home the BCHL Top Goaltender award but missing a chance to win the Fred Page Cup after the league was shut down because of COVID-19 concerns. It was COVID issues that stole what would have been Stevenson’s regular freshman season in 2020-21 as well when Dartmouth and the other Ivy League hockey programs decided not to play.
The NCAA ruled that he would not lose a season of eligibility though, so this year is technically an impressive freshman campaign for the 22-year-old, even on a team without much success. His record is just 5-10-2 on the year, but Stevenson has produced a .925 save percentage as the primary starter. He’s even posted a pair of shutouts, two of the program’s six total wins. One of those came just a few days ago against Princeton, likely piquing the interest of scouts even further as the Dartmouth season comes to an end.
On March 1, teams will be eligible to sign entry-level contracts that begin in the 2022-23 season. It will be interesting to see whether or not Stevenson goes that route and then inks an amateur tryout to join a minor league club for the stretch run, as he’ll be limited to a two-year entry-level contract either way because of his age. A bargaining chip some teams may use to try and secure his services is having an ELC start for 2021-22, allowing him to enter the professional ranks right away and reach restricted free agency a little earlier.
Bruins Acquire Rights To Michael Callahan
The Bruins have added some prospect depth, acquiring the rights to blueliner Michael Callahan from Arizona in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2024. Both teams have announced the trade.
The 22-year-old was a fifth-round pick of the Coyotes (142nd overall) back in 2018 and is in his fourth and final season with Providence of the NCAA. Callahan is in his third season as captain of the Friars but is having a quieter season offensively with three goals and 11 assists in 34 games. By comparison, he had 28 points in 34 contests two years ago. Over his four years with Providence, he has 13 goals and 53 helpers in 134 games.
This move suggests that Arizona either didn’t want to sign Callahan by the August 15th deadline or the blueliner had indicated he didn’t want to sign with them. By doing this, GM Bill Armstrong recoups a draft pick, albeit one that’s two rounds lower than the one that he was drafted in. Meanwhile, Boston believes they can sign the Massachusetts native and if they can, that’s a low price to pay for a prospect defender.