Minor Transactions: 04/15/21
The NHL Trade Deadline may be over, but noteworthy player movement continues. With NCAA and Europeans ending, there are players becoming available with NHL appeal for next season and beyond. Track their movement right here:
- One of the heroes of the NCAA Champion Massachusetts Minutemen has found his first pro contract. UMass leading goal scorer Carson Gicewicz has signed a two-year AHL contract with the Rockford Ice Hogs that begins next season, hypothetically keeping him with the club through the 2022-23 season. However, if Gicewicz continues to find the back of the net in the pros as he did in his final collegiate season, the Chicago Blackhawks may be forced to make him an entry-level offer before then or else risk losing him to another NHL team. Gicewicz was one of the best goal scorers in the NCAA this season, recording 17 tallies in 28 games. He finished fourth overall, behind such top NHL prospects like Montreal’s Cole Caufield and Colorado’s Sampo Ranta. While Gicewicz was a grad transfer at UMass, following four years at St. Lawrence, making him an older prospect at 24, he still brings plenty of potential to the pros. However, the first step will be to show that this season wasn’t a fluke after his first four collegiate season left a lot to be desired. If Gicewicz keeps it up though, his time on an AHL deal could be short.
- Vadim Shipachyov has long been an intriguing name to NHL fans. The KHL superstar has been scoring at elite levels for a decade, begging the question of what he could bring to North America. With 637 points in 646 KHL games, Shipachyov has long has the label of one of the best players outside of the NHL. Even after a failed attempt at making the jump with the Vegas Golden Knights in their inaugural 2017-18 season, Shipachyov has continued to score at a torrid, league-leading rate in Russia and many still wondered if he could try again in the NHL and find success with another club. Well today that question has been answered, likely for the final time. Shipachyov, now 34 years old, has signed a three-year extension with KHL powerhouse Dynamo Moscow, likely putting to rest any thoughts of an NHL comeback. A two-time Gagarin Cup champion, three-time KHL points leader, and six-time KHL All-Star, Shipachyov will just have to settle for his accolades in Russia having never really given North America a fair shake.
- The SHL’s Malmo Redhawks have worked quickly to clarify their plans for the off-season following an early playoff elimination. The team has announced that nine of their players on expiring contracts will not return to the team. Among that list is Detroit Red Wings prospect Joe Veleno, who obviously will not be back after spending the season on loan with the QMJHL out of action. However, a surprise separation came in the form of Oskar Magnusson, a 19-year-old prospect of the Washington Capitals. The 2020 seventh-round pick has been developing in the Malmo system for many years, but has failed to make much of an impact in his recalls to the top club, so they have cut ties. Magnusson will have to find a new team with which to continue his development, likely still in Sweden but leaving open the option to jump to North America if the Capitals feel that is the best step. One final familiar name leaving Malmo is veteran forward Matt Puempel. Unable to find an NHL contract this off-season, Puempel joined the Redhawks in January. However, he only played in 15 games with the team, recording five points. Without much luck in his first foray into Europe, Puempel could look to return to North America this off-season. With 87 career NHL games and a long history of AHL scoring success, there should be a job for him at some level.
Prospect Notes: Holtz, Podkolzin, NCAA Transfers
While the New Jersey Devils showed signs of life earlier this season, it’s another subpar season for the club and they continued their rebuild at the trade deadline by moving three veterans for picks and prospects. However, help is on the way in the form of an elite prospect. Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald confirmed to the media, including The Athletic’s Corey Masisak, that he is actively working on a contract with 2020 first-round pick Alexander Holtz. Fitzgerald did not provide a timeline and stated that the details of the deal and the immigration issues are still being hammered out, so at this point in the season it’s possible that Holtz may not actually suit up with the Devils until next season. Whenever he does arrive though, the reigning No. 7 overall pick should make an immediate impact. The 19-year-old just wrapped up his second full season in the SHL, the top pro level in Sweden, and recorded 18 points in 40 games. Holtz is a prolific goal scorer whose junior and WJC performances have pointed toward a potential future 30-goal scorer or better. Playing with New Jersey’s young forward corps filled with upside, Holtz could make an immediate impact next year as the Devils finally look to take the next step.
- Similarly, the Vancouver Canucks are in a holding pattern this season with top prospect Vasili Podkolzin. Although GM Jim Benning had stated earlier this season that his intention was to have the 2019 tenth overall pick make his NHL debut this season, he seemed less optimistic about the possibility speaking with the media, including The Athletic’s Thomas Drance. Podkolzin’s KHL season is now over, his SKA St. Petersburg club losing in the semifinals of the Gagarin Cup, so contract talks have officially begun. However, it is more likely that Podkolzin’s deal will not begin until next season with limited time left in this season and contractual and immigration hurtles to jump through. When Podkolzin does debut in Vancouver, he will be hard to miss. The big, strong winger plays an explosive offensive game and is always making his presence felt around the net. Although he recorded only 11 points in 35 KHL games this year, that’s quite an accomplishment for a 19-year-old playing a bottom-six role on a top contender. Canucks fans should be excited for the arrival of Podkolzin, whenever that will be.
- The NCAA’s extension of eligibility has prolonged a number of NHL prospects’ collegiate careers and the transfer market has been buzzing, with a number of names heading to new places. The biggest move of late has been former Bemidji State goaltender Zach Driscoll transferring to North Dakota. Driscoll has been one of the best goaltenders in the NCAA over the past few years, posting three straight seasons with a GAA of 2.32 or lower, including a 1.63 GAA and .937 save percentage last year. He now moves to the program that finished No. 1 in the nation in the regular season and will take over the starter job for the departed Adam Scheel, who signed with the Dallas Stars, hoping that he too will earn an NHL contract this time next year. In fact, upon Driscoll’s arrival, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Peter Thome announced that he was leaving for the newest Division I program, St. Thomas. Thome, a 2016 sixth-round pick, had sat behind Scheel and Cam Johnson for four years as a stellar backup, but was finally eyeing the Fighting Hawks starting job. Instead, he’ll man the net for St. Thomas in their inaugural season before turning pro.
- Elsewhere in the transfer market, defenseman Will Cullen, who was expected to have pro interest following a dominant season at Bowling Green, has graduated in three years and has opted to become a grad transfer to Miami (Ohio). Cullen, 24, is a mobile, right-shot defensemen who recorded 25 points in 28 games for the Falcons this season as one of the top scoring defensemen in the NCAA. His decision not to turn pro is a surprise, but the interest should still be there next season.
Calgary Flames Sign Walker Duehr To Entry-Level Contract
The NCAA Tournament, and with it the college hockey season, came to an end last night as the Massachusetts Minutemen won their first ever title. Less than 24 hours later, a Frozen Four competitor is already signing an NHL contract. The Calgary Flames have announced that they have signed forward Walker Duehr to a two-year entry-level contract, beginning in 2021-22. The 23-year-old winger just completed his senior year at Minnesota State – Mankato, who lost in the semifinals to St. Cloud State on Thursday.
The 6’3″, 211-pound winger had his best season to date this year, scoring 10 goals and 17 points in 28 games. He has potted 25 goals over his four-year college career to go along with 51 points. The natural right wing should fill a need in Calgary’s system, which is short on right-shot forwards. A prospect who thrives in front of the net and plays with an edge, Duehr could learn a thing or two from the Flames’ Milan Lucic as he progresses through the system.
While Duehr is not the only Minnesota State player receiving NHL interest, the concern with any Mavericks prospect is the transition to playing against pro competition. Mankato enjoys a relatively cushy schedule in the WCHA, so while they have been among the top teams in the NCAA over the past several years, they tend to be far less battle-tested than their top-ranked counterparts in other conferences. Statistically, the lack of top competition and the teams conservative style tend to exaggerate their defensive ability as well. This is not to say that Duehr or any other Minnesota State product is bound to struggle, but the Flames will likely give him time in the minors to adjust to a new level of competition. Duehr is unlikely to be a factor in Calgary quickly.
Islanders Expected To Sign Collin Adams
Islanders prospect Collin Adams is expected to forego a shot at free agency and will instead sign with New York, reports Arthur Staple of The Athletic (Twitter link). Having wrapped up his college career, he could have hit the open market on August 16th.
The 22-year-old was a sixth-round pick of the Isles (170th overall) back in 2016 and has certainly seen his stock improve considerably over the last two years. After managing just 15 points over his first two seasons combined at the University of North Dakota, Adams saw his output jump to 28 points in his junior year. Despite a season that was shortened a bit further this year, he was even better, notching 14 goals and 20 assists in just 29 games to finish second on the Fighting Hawks in scoring.
With Adams expected to sign, it will be interesting to see if GM Lou Lamoriello agrees to burn the first year of his entry-level deal this season, a move that many NHL teams have done with their college signings in recent weeks. That would allow him to reach restricted free agency in the summer of 2022 as he is limited to signing a two-year entry-level deal regardless of when it begins.
College Notes: Team USA, Hellickson, Ford, Peart
Though it should come as no surprise, USA Hockey has officially tabbed Providence College head coach Nate Leaman to lead the American entry into the 2022 World Junior Championship. Leaman coached Team USA to a gold medal this year and more than earned another go-round as head coach. “It’s always an honor to be asked to coach for my country and I’m grateful to be back behind the bench,” Leaman stated. “I’m excited to see some familiar faces, and coach some of America’s best young talent, as we look to build another championship roster.” The Friars’ bench boss, who has also been linked to NHL openings in the past, has nearly two decades of experience as a head coach at the college level, not only finding consistent success in the standings, but also in developing NHLers. Leaman will also be making his fourth appearance at the WJC for the U.S., but only his second as head coach. The Americans have medaled in six of the past seven tournaments, including two gold medals, so the bar has been raised for their performance. Fortunately, with Leaman at the helm they are in good hands in 2022.
- Notre Dame defenseman Matt Hellickson has signed with the Devils, but not the ones who drafted him – at least not yet. Hellickson, a seventh-round selection of New Jersey back in 2017, has signed a contract with the AHL’s Binghamton Devils for the remainder of the season, the team announced. The organization going in this direction with the prospect defender as opposed to signing an entry-level contract that begins next season and merely finishing the year in Binghampton on an amateur tryout raises questions about his future. It seems possible that the Devils are still hoping to see more development from the four-year Fighting Irish starter before handing him an NHL contract. Hellickson, 23, was not as productive in the NCAA as he had been in the USHL before he was drafted, but was still a reliable presence on the back end for Notre Dame. Perhaps the concern from New Jersey is not that Hellickson is not pro ready, but simply lacks NHL upside. He will look to prove otherwise over the rest of the season.
- As the NCAA transfer market continues to operate like NHL free agency this off-season, another notable name is moving on. Bowling Green captain Connor Ford has announced that he will spend his graduate season at North Dakota. Ford, 23, has been one of Bowling Green’s best players in each of his four seasons and has certainly drawn some attention from the pro ranks. However, this move likely indicates that his current offers were of the AHL variety instead of NHL entry-level proposals, so he will take his chances with a fifth year in college. If Ford is able to maintain his top scorer status with a power house like North Dakota, those NHL offers should roll in next year for the impressive forward.
- As if St. Cloud State University needed anything else to be excited about, the NCAA Tournament finalist can now claim to be the future home of the best high school player in the state. Defenseman Jack Peart has been named the 2021 recipient of the Mr. Hockey Award as Minnesota high school hockey’s top athlete. The dynamic defender recorded a stunning 11 goals and 35 points in just 18 games for Grand Rapids High this year, earning him the honors. He added 11 goals in 18 games for the USHL’s Fargo Force as well. The offensive blue liner is a game-changer on the back end, which will likely lead to his selection in the second or third round of the upcoming NHL Draft. He will then head to St. Cloud where he will be expected to take on a big role right away. There is a strong correlation between winning the Mr. Hockey Award and finding NCAA success and playing in the NHL, with past winners including Ryan McDonagh, Nick Leddy, Nick Bjugstad, and Casey Mittelstadt. Peart is a name to keep an eye on.
Snapshots: Johnson, Winnik, NCAA Transfers
After Adam Johnson‘s sudden and unexpected departure from the SHL’s Malmo Redhawks, the forward has landed back in North America. Johnson has signed a contract with the AHL’s Ontario Reign for the remainder of the year, the team announced. This isn’t quite the NHL contract that was expected when Johnson returned home from Sweden, but is still a good opportunity for the 26-year-old to show off for the L.A. Kings and other NHL teams before the off-season. Johnson played in 13 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins over the past two years, recording four points, and has put up good numbers in the AHL previously. The University of Minnesota-Duluth product is hoping that another strong showing in the minors will prove that he is worthy of another NHL deal.
- Veteran forward Daniel Winnik will not be returning home, though. Winnik, 36, will continue his playing career for at least another season by signing a one-year extension with Geneve-Servette of the Swiss National League. The contract also includes an additional option year, if the experienced pro actually has two years left in him. Winnik played in nearly 800 career NHL games before departing for Switzerland in 2018, suiting up for eight different teams along the way. He has found more consistency in the second stage of his career, having already played three seasons with Geneve-Servette and now gaining one or two more to come. Winnik has excelled overseas even in his late thirties, playing at a near point-per-game pace.
- There will be a number of familiar faces in new places across the NCAA next season. It has already been an unprecedented off-season for notable transfers, even with the Frozen Four still yet to be played. More than a dozen players have already switched schools, including some NHL prospects. Two of the more recent names to make a change include Vegas Golden Knights’ forward prospect Brandon Kruse and Winnipeg Jets’ goalie prospect Jared Moe. Kruse, 22, has already played four full seasons at Bowling Green, but will take advantage of his fifth year of eligibility due to COVID to become a graduate transfer to Boston College, the program confirmed. The 2018 fifth-round pick has been one of the Falcons’ best forwards and is a nice pickup for the Eagles, who are still believed to be in the running for several other noteworthy transfers as well. Moe, 21, is moving on from Minnesota after sitting behind Carolina Hurricanes’ prospect Jack LaFontaine this season (and LaFontaine has committed to another year with the Gophers as well). Moe has reported on his own that he will flip to Big Ten rival Wisconsin next season, where the starting job is at least open to competition. Moe may not be the only Winnipeg keeper to transfer this off-season too; UMass Lowell goaltender Logan Neaton is also in the NCAA Transfer Portal after he too was used sparingly this season.
College Notes: Galajda, Pelton-Byce, Becker
When the Ivy League announced that they would not allow winter sports competition this year, college hockey lost out on one its best goaltenders and Matthew Galajda lost out on his fourth and final season at Cornell University. As Ivy League schools do not permit graduate student-athletes, the senior netminder knew he would have to depart Cornell to continue his NCAA career. This worked out to the benefit of Notre Dame University though, who announced today that Galajda has decided to join the Fighting Irish next season. While a year away from the game has quieted the buzz around Galajda’s game, there is no arguing that he has been one of the NCAA’s very best goaltenders in recent years. In three seasons at Cornell, Galadja was consistently outstanding. The 23-year-old has a stunning .930 save percentage and 1.60 GAA in his NCAA career to go along with a 60-15-9 record. With those numbers, Galajda will likely take on a workhorse role for Notre Dame and should be an upgrade to the departing Dylan St. Cyr. If the 2019-20 Mike Richter Award finalist can return to that same level of play after a year off and facing a more difficult Big Ten schedule, he will have plenty of NHL suitors this time next year.
- Ty Pelton-Byce of the University of Wisconsin was expected to be one of the top college free agents available to NHL teams this spring, but the Winnipeg Jets have been able to secure the talented forward on a minor league deal. The Jets’ affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, have announced that Pelton-Byce has signed an AHL contract for the 2021-22 season and will join the club on an amateur tryout agreement for the remainder of the year. The 23-year-old forward, who split his college career between the Badgers and the Harvard Crimson, is coming off a career year in which he recorded 31 points in 24 games. He helped to lead Wisconsin to the Big Ten regular season title and to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament this year. With good size and a well-developed game, Pelton-Byce should adjust well to the pro game and could be pushing for an NHL deal in no time.
- It was expected that Boston Bruins prospect Jack Becker would return to school for a somewhat unprecedented fifth season of college hockey and now the move is official. Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider reports that Becker has committed as a graduate transfer to Arizona State University. The Sun Devils add an experienced two-way forward who captained the University of Michigan this season and has 124 NCAA games under his belt. Whether Becker will try to turn pro – and whether the Bruins will still want him – after a fifth college season remains to be seen. The 2015 draft pick will turn 25 years old before the 2022-23 season begins.
College Notes: LaFontaine, Weatherby, Kapcheck, Wise
Goaltender Jack LaFontaine has decided that he’s not ready to turn pro yet after all. Instead, his college team in Minnesota announced that the netminder will return for his fifth and final NCAA season. The 23-year-old had stellar numbers with the Golden Gophers this season, posting a 1.79 GAA with a .934 SV% in 29 games which has him as a finalist for Goaltender of the Year while he was among the ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Award though he didn’t make the cut for the final three. LaFontaine started his college career with two seasons in Michigan before transferring to Minnesota, a move that has proven to be a wise one so far. He’ll now try to win an NCAA title next season before beginning his pro career with Carolina.
More news from the college ranks:
- Sharks prospect Jasper Weatherby has notified the team that he will remain at North Dakota for his senior year, notes Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. The 23-year-old was a fourth-round pick of San Jose back in 2018 and had a strong junior season with 14 goals, most of which came in the second half. That was enough for the Sharks to offer him a chance to turn pro but Weatherby stated that he wants to take one more shot at winning a college title.
- The Maple Leafs have added some defensive depth from the college ranks as the AHL Marlies announced the signing of Brennan Kapcheck to a two-year deal that begins next season; he will also play the rest of this year on an amateur tryout agreement. The 24-year-old recently wrapped up his NCAA career with American International College, posting an impressive 18 assists in just 19 games for the Yellow Jackets this season.
- Blackhawks prospect Jake Wise has decided to leave Boston University and transfer to Ohio State, reports Scott Powers of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 21-year-old center was a third-round pick of Chicago back in 2018 but had just three goals in 50 games over three years with the Terriers. Wise will still have two years of NCAA eligibility remaining.
2021 Hobey Baker Hat Trick Finalists Announced
The college hockey season may have looked a little different this year, but award voting went on anyway. Today, the Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalists were announced. The trophy is given to the top NCAA player in the country and has an impressive line of winners over the past few years. In 2014, Johnny Gaudreau took home the award as a junior for Boston College, followed by Jack Eichel in his only year for Boston University in 2015. Jimmy Vesey, Will Butcher, and Adam Gaudette don’t bring quite the same impact but are still NHL regulars after winning from 2016-18.
2019’s winner was University of Massachusetts defenseman Cale Makar, who has gone on to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie and is now dominating the league with the Colorado Avalanche. Last year the award was given to Scott Perunovich, but his NHL debut has been postponed thanks to a major shoulder injury.
The award also has several top NHL alumni in its small fraternity, including Neal Broten, Tom Kurvers, Paul Kariya, Chris Drury, Ryan Miller, and Brendan Morrison. With that group behind them, this year’s winner is certainly not someone to take lightly.
Earlier this year, more than 50 players from the NCAA ranks were nominated for the award, and ten finalists were announced last month. Those ten players have been narrowed to just three, your Hat Trick finalists:
Cole Caufield – University of Wisconsin (Montreal Canadiens)
Already signed to his entry-level contract with the Canadiens, Caufield is the overwhelming favorite to win the award. The 15th overall pick in 2019, he led the nation in goals (30) and points (51) and routinely showed he was on a different level skill-wise. The diminutive winger also took home the gold medal with Team USA at the World Juniors and has simply dominated at every level throughout his hockey career. His tenure at Wisconsin is over no matter what happens with the Hobey Baker, as he’ll start his pro career in the coming days.
Shane Pinto – University of North Dakota (Ottawa Senators)
Caufield wasn’t the only impressive forward in the country though and Pinto’s place in the final three is well deserved after another strong season. The 20-year-old center scored 32 points in 28 games for UND while routinely being asked to check the opponent’s best. Though he had more offensive players on his team, there might have been no one as valuable given how many important situations Pinto was deployed in. An elite faceoff man, dogged back checker, and strong offensive facilitator, his game should translate quickly to the pro level.
Dryden McKay – Minnesota State University-Mankato (undrafted)
Not to be forgotten is McKay, the small undrafted goaltender who just keeps stopping the puck. From the moment he stepped foot on the ice for the Mavericks he has been among the best in the country, posting a .934 save percentage in 96 games. His record of 75-14-4 speaks for how strong the team around him has been during that stretch as well, but there’s no reason to doubt McKay’s contributions. For the second straight season he posted 10 shutouts, this time in just 25 games. Though his size may keep him from being an NHL starter in the long run, his college career has been almost completely unblemished to this point.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Florida Panthers Sign Matt Kiersted
The Florida Panthers have inked one of the top undrafted college free agents, signing Matt Kiersted to a two-year entry-level contract. Kiersted has spent the last four years at the University of North Dakota, becoming one of the most effective two-way defensemen in the country. Panthers GM Bill Zito released this statement on his newest player:
Matt is an exciting defenseman who plays the game with great speed and vision. His steady progression and development from an undrafted player to one of the NCAA’s top defensemen is a display of his resiliency and motivation to succeed. We are pleased to have agreed to a contract with Matt and look forward to his future with our organization.
Still just 22, Kiersted is joining the Panthers organization after recording 22 points in 29 games as a senior for UND. He wore an “A” as an alternate captain and was named to the NCHC First All-Star Team at the end of the year. Corey Pronman of The Athletic ranked Kiersted as the best undrafted free agent available from the college ranks, noting his very high hockey IQ and projecting him as a third-pairing defenseman in the NHL.
Like with any college free agent, there are warts in Kiersted’s game, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be a valuable addition to the Panthers. Bringing in an NHL-ready defenseman for nothing more than an entry-level contract is always a win. Now it’s up to the young defenseman to prove he’s more than just that depth option and continue his development in an organization where everything is suddenly going right.