Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

NCAA

Scott Perunovich Agrees To Terms With St. Louis Blues

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The St. Louis Blues have convinced one of their top college prospects to turn pro, agreeing to terms with Scott Perunovich. Interestingly though, this deal comes with a twist according to Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic. Perunovich has agreed to two different versions of his entry-level contract. One would start in the 2019-20 season if it resumes at some point, and the other would be starting in 2020-21. The deal is for two seasons either way, though obviously would expire at different times.

Perunovich, 21, was the 45th selection in the 2018 draft and has continued to dominate at the college level. As a junior this year for the University of Minnesota-Duluth, he recorded 40 points in 34 games—as a defenseman mind you—and was named a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the country’s top college player.

Should the season resume at some point, Perunovich would actually be eligible to play for the Blues right away. Just as other college prospects have in recent years like Charlie McAvoy, Brock Boeser and Cale Makar, the young defenseman could be an impact player right away at the NHL level.

The 5’10” 175-lbs defenseman has won almost countless awards during his time at UMD, including the Tim Taylor Award as the NCAA’s best rookie in 2018. Add in two national titles with the Bulldogs, a World Junior bronze medal with Team USA and a potential Hobey Baker and you have a player that’s ready for the next level.

Jack Ahcan To Sign With Boston Bruins

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Under both Claude Julien and now Bruce Cassidy, the Boston Bruins have largely stressed the importance of a lefty-righty balance on the blue line. However, when it comes to loading up the pipeline, that principle doesn’t seem to carry the same weight. The Bruins will continue to add talent to the left side of their defensive ranks, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the team is set to sign St. Cloud State standout Jack Ahcan.

Ahcan, 22, just wrapped up his senior year with the Huskies and finished his collegiate career with 103 points in 144 games, two NCHC regular season titles, and the “C” on his sweater this final season as well. Ahcan, whose younger brother Roman plays for Wisconsin while youngest brother Grant is committed to St. Cloud State, emerged as an elite talent seemingly out of nowhere as a freshman. The USHL product played his way onto the U.S. World Junior Championship squad, which won gold that year, and finished the NCAA season with 21 points in 32 games. In 2018-19, Ahcan was one of the top blue liners in all of college hockey, finishing in the top ten among NCAA defensive scoring and fifth overall in plus/minus.

Ahcan draws a remarkably close comparison to many of Boston’s existing defensive assets: Torey Krug, Matt Grzelcyk, and even AHL project Cooper Zech. At 5’8” and 185 lbs., Ahcan is a small left-handed defenseman who excels in puck movement, vision, and offensive awareness – a description that fits the whole group. Ahcan quarterbacked the power play at St. Cloud State, much as Krug does in Boston, but also like Krug he is not afraid to throw a big hit and get involved in puck battles. In fact, Ahcan’s skating ability allows him to hunt the puck and create turnovers and offensive chances. Boston has found a way to get the most out of undersized, offensive-minded defenseman and under the tutelage of Krug, Ahcan has a chance to become a special player.

Of course, Krug is set to be an unrestricted free agent, while Grzelcyk will be a restricted free agent this summer. Both are expected to be back next season, but perhaps not for the long haul. A popular projection is for Grzelcyk to be lost to Seattle in the impending 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Boston is too deep up front to protect four defenseman and the likely group of Krug, Charlie McAvoy, and Brandon Carlo would leave Grzelcyk up for grabs. Ahcan could be groomed to be a replacement option in that case.

He will have plenty of competition though. There is no shortage of talent on left side of the blue line in Boston’s organizational depth chart. Although future Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara may not be around much longer and Krug is not yet extended long-term, the Bruins have Grzelcyk (for now), veteran John Moore, and rookie Jeremy Lauzon at the NHL level as well. In the AHL, recent first-round picks Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril will also push for promotion, with the aforementioned Zech in the mix as well. Down the road, 2019 selection Roman Bychkov could also figure into the competition. On top of all of that, the Bruins also signed Nick Wolff from the college ranks just last week. The Minnesota-Duluth defender is an entirely different style of player from Ahcan, but another name eager to show his pro chops. Consider that the right side is well-off at the top level as well with McAvoy, Carlo, Connor Clifton, and Steven Kampfer, and there are far more bodies than opportunities on the Boston blue line. Ahcan is a talented prospect and can learn from some of the best at his particular style with the Bruins, but he has his work cut out for him to be an NHL regular any time soon. If he rises to the task, Boston could look back on this signing as a game-changer.

Prospect Notes: Lafreniere, Gildon, Whelan, Richter Award

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The announcement this afternoon that the NHL would be postponing the 2020 NHL Draft means that top prospect Alexis Lafreniere will have to wait a while longer to presumably be selected first overall. Yet, with his QMJHL season already canceled, the young forward has little else to focus on. The same can be said for a number of NHL teams who already know that they won’t be making the postseason regardless of the format the league chooses if and when they return to action. No team has more to gain from the coming draft than the Ottawa Senators. If the NHL Draft Lottery were to be held without any further changes to the regular season standings, the Detroit Red Wings would have the best singular odds of winning, 18.5%, but the Senators in both second and third, given their ownership of the San Jose Sharks’ pick, would actually have much better odds at a combined 25%. Naturally, the question was asked by TSN today of the Quebec native Lafreniere how he would feel about playing in Canada’s capital. “It would be fun. It would be special,” Lafreniere said, “It’s a great place to play and it would be an honor [to be selected.]” While the Senators have not exactly been a top free agent destination in recent years, the club is building up quite a talented group of prospects and Lafreniere would be a great fit to lead the team into the future, especially alongside whoever else the team selects early in the first round.

  • One existing NHL prospect who may soon be joining his pro home is Florida Panthers pick Max Gildon. Gildon, who just wrapped up his junior season at the University of New Hampshire, is close to signing an entry-level deal reports New England hockey insider Mark Divver. Divver expects the two sides to come to terms on a deal within a week. Gildon was a 2017 third-round pick out of the U.S. National Team Development Program, but has outplayed his draft slot over three productive years on the UNH blue line. He also pairs a big frame, physical play, and ability to play in all situations with his considerable skill and vision. Joining a Florida team with a pretty thin pipeline of defensive talent, Gildon could be in the NHL sooner rather than later.
  • Quinnipiac University forward Alex Whelan has found his first pro destination, as the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack announced a contract with the nearby product or the 2020-21 season. Whelan, who just finished his fourth and final year with Quinnipiac, was nothing if not consistent in his NCAA career. However, his 24 points this season came in just 29 games as opposed to 25 in 38 last year. On a per-game basis, he was the Bobcats’ second-best scorer on a team that was within reach of an NCAA Tournament berth. A power forward who looks prepared for the pro game, Whelan is a nice pickup for Hartford and will likely bring some Quinnipiac fans along with him.
  • The NCAA announced the ten semifinalists for the Mike Richter Award for top goaltender on Tuesday, with several NHL prospects on the list. Maine’s Jeremy Swayman, who recently signed his entry-level deal with the Boston Bruins, heads up a list that also includes 2019 top goalie draft pick Spencer Knight of Boston College and the Florida Panthers, as well as UMass Lowell’s Tyler Wall, whose rights are owned by the New York Rangers but could be headed for unrestricted free agency. However, the favorite for the award is likely an undrafted product, Minnesota State’s Dryden McKay, who led the nation in wins, save percentage, and GAA. McKay and Swayman are the only Richter semifinalists who are also Hobey Baker finalists. Other standouts include Cornell’s Matthew Galajda, Michigan’s Strauss Mann, and Bemidji State’s Zach Driscoll. The three finalists will be announced at a later date.

Minnesota Wild Sign Mitchell Chaffee

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After just three seasons at UMass-Amherst, Mitchell Chaffee has decided to turn pro. The undrafted free agent forward has signed with the Minnesota Wild, receiving a two-year entry-level contract that will begin next season.

The 22-year old Chaffee was pursued by several teams this offseason as one of the top college free agents. In three NCAA seasons he posted 95 points in 109 games and was named captain as a junior. Chaffee led all Hockey East players in scoring during the 2018-19 campaign, posting an incredible 42 points in 40 games. Though those numbers dropped a tiny bit this year, there’s still plenty of upside in the former USHL forward.

In fact, there’s a good case to be made that Chaffee could compete for a roster spot as soon as next season. The Wild could see some substantial change at forward if both Mikko Koivu and Alex Galchenyuk are allowed to test unrestricted free agency (or retirement, in the case of the former), and a Zach Parise trade is revisited in the offseason. That would open up spots for some younger options, including perhaps a 22-year old Chaffee who has shown a well-rounded game at the college level.

It’s been a big week for GM Bill Guerin and the Wild, who also signed Damien Giroux and Adam Beckman yesterday. The club is obviously trying to restock the cupboards and provide a little more depth at the forward position.

Brinson Pasichnuk Choosing Between Two Teams To Sign With

at CDT | by 2 Comments

With Connor Mackey off the board after signing with Calgary on Friday, Arizona State’s Brinson Pasichnuk is arguably the best blueliner left on the market.  After drawing interest from roughly 20 teams, TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports in a recent Insider Trading segment that his list has been narrowed down to two.  However, Pasichnuk appears to be in no rush to sign as Seravalli notes that the defenseman appears to be holding out hope that the NHL will resume its regular season and therefore be able to burn the first year of his entry-level deal right away.

Teams typically have used a willingness to have a player play his first year down the stretch to help secure them but with the uncertainty surrounding the remainder of the season, the league has stepped in and said it won’t accept contracts that begin this season.  That has certainly levelled the playing field but there isn’t much risk on Pasichnuk’s part to wait this out.  As long as his two finalists don’t decide to withdraw, the opportunity to sign with either of them would still be there if the NHL winds up cancelling the rest of the season.

The 22-year-old recently wrapped up his senior year with the Sun Devils and saved his best offensive performance for last, recording 37 points (11-26-37) in 36 games; his assist and point totals were career bests.  He improved his point production each year and while he isn’t the biggest blueliner, he could be an intriguing addition to a team looking for some offense and mobility from the back end.  If Pasichnuk has his way, he’ll be suiting up for that team before the 2019-20 campaign comes to an end, even if he has to wait to do so.

College Notes: Dugan, Zegras, York, Beecher, Ahcan, Chaffee, Richards

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

So far when it comes to the college market, the Vegas Golden Knights have been quiet. However, rumors suggested that the Vegas franchise intended to bring aboard Hobey Baker Award finalist Jack Dugan, who wrapped up his sophomore season at Providence College. General manager Kelly McCrimmon confirmed that they will begin negotiations soon with Dugan, who led the NCAA in points this season, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen.

“We’ll have discussions with his representatives here at an appropriate point,” said McCrimmon. “It hasn’t been pressing because there’s no hockey being played. But those are conversations we’ll have here as we move along.”

Dugan, the team’s fifth-round pick in 2017, has driven up his stock in two years at Providence. He had an impressive rookie season where he posted 10 goals and 39 points in 41 games and followed that up with a much more dominant sophomore campaign, scoring 10 goals and 52 points in just 34 games. The 6-foot-2 winger would likely challenge for a role with the Golden Knights if he signs, although the team could send him to the AHL to further develop his skills.

  • In a Q&A, The Athletic’s Eric Stephens (subscription required) writes that from everyone he’s talked to, it’s expected that top prospect Trevor Zegras will leave Boston University and sign with Anaheim at some point during the offseason. Zegras, the ninth-overall pick in the 2019 draft, dominated at the World Junior Championships in December, leading the United States with nine assists in five games. He had 11 goals and 36 points in 33 games. Considered to be one of the top prospects in hockey, Zegras could conceivably make the Ducks squad next year and challenge for the Calder Trophy.
  • Michigan Daily’s Bailey Johnson reports that University of Michigan head coach Mel Pearson said that while he hasn’t had exit meetings with two of his top players, defenseman Cam York and center John Beecher, he expects both players to return to the Wolverines next season. York, the Philadelphia Flyers first-round pick (14th overall) in 2019, had five goals and 16 points in 30 games for Michigan. Beecher, the Boston Bruins first-round pick (30th overall) had nine goals and 16 points in 31 contests for the Wolverines. Pearson said both players are home and he’s giving them time before discussing the subject with them, but he believes both intend to stay in school.
  • AHL reporter Mark Divver reports that the Boston Bruins are expected to be in the mix for two of the remaining top NCAA free agents in St. Cloud State’s Jack Ahcan and University of Massachusetts-Amherst’s Mitchell Chaffee. Ahcan, a 22-year-old defenseman, wrapped up his senior campaign with seven goals and 25 points. Chaffee, who also is 22, scored 16 goals and 29 points in 30 games last season, his junior year, and is rumored to be courted by the Golden Knights as well. Divver adds that University of Minnesota-Duluth center Justin Richards is also on Boston’s radar.

Alex Newhook Expected To Return To Boston College For Sophomore Year

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

In recent years, there have been some ‘one and done’ college players; Kings prospect Alex Turcotte recently went that route after turning pro earlier this month.  However, it doesn’t appear as if Avalanche prospect Alex Newhook is going to be going that route.  The center told Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic (subscription required) that he expects to remain at Boston College to play in his sophomore year next season.

The 16th overall pick back in June had quite the freshman year, collecting 19 goals and 23 assists in 34 games to sit tied for seventh in NCAA scoring.  Among first-year players, he was second overall.  Not surprisingly, he was recently named the Hockey East Rookie of the Year for his efforts.

That’s a very strong start to his college career which had some wondering if it might be time for him to turn pro.  However, Colorado already has strong depth down the middle which wouldn’t bode well from a potential playing time perspective.  While Newhook would be eligible to play in the AHL even though he’s only 19, staying in school for one more year is probably the better route from a development perspective.  Doing so would give him the opportunity to compete for the NCAA title next season, something the Eagles may have had a shot of contending for after being ranked in the top five before the playoffs were cancelled.

Extension Notes: Donovan, Svedberg, Leksands

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

While Matt Donovan would undoubtedly rather remain under contract with the Nashville Predators, he will settle for staying in familiar territory and continuing his relationship with the organization. The Predators’ AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, announced today that they had signed Donovan to a two-year AHL contract, an extension of sorts for the veteran defenseman. While Donovan only played in two games with Nashville last season and zero this season, he has been crucial piece for Milwaukee in both campaigns. An experienced two-way defenseman who has spent time in the New York Islanders organization as well as in Sweden and in the NCAA with the University of Denver, Donovan is known as a possession defenseman who can jump up into the play but can also be relied upon for physicality and defensive awareness. A top-pair defenseman for the Admirals, Donovan will continue to play a major role for the team while he sets his personal sights on playing his way back onto an NHL contract.

  • A move that flew under the radar recently – as fans hold out hope for a continued NHL season and are not thinking ahead to free agency just yet – is goaltender Niklas Svedberg resigning in Sweden. The 30-year-old netminder, and former member of the Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild, was one of the best goalies in the SHL this season. Yet, despite what could be a weak goalie market this summer, Svedberg has opted to re-up with Djurgardens IF rather than test the NHL waters again. The team announced a new two-year deal with Svedberg, retaining one of their most valuable assets for a while longer. Svedberg would be 33 before he could have the chance to suit up once again in North America, which could mean that his NHL days are over. The talented keeper never quite found the right time to break into a consistent NHL role, despite strong numbers at both the NHL and AHL level – including an AHL All-Star nod in 2012-13 – as well as some stellar seasons in the KHL and SHL. It seems the veteran goalie is simply content to stay in his native country and continue to be one of Sweden’s best at his position.
  • Staying in Sweden, Leksands IF has a lot to look forward to as they have retained two young standouts in Alexander Lundqvist and Nils Aman. The team announced two-year contract extensions with both exciting young pieces, who each made their SHL debut this season. Lundqvist, 19, is the nephew of Hall of Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom and a budding puck-moving defenseman in his own right. Undrafted in 2019, Lundqvist will be up for grabs again this year and should draw more attention following a 24-point campaign in the SuperElit and an eight-game stint in the SHL. At 6’2”, 183 lbs. and lauded skating ability, Lundqvist projects as a solid two-way defenseman and should step into a regular SHL role next year. Aman, 20, has a similar stature to Lundqvist but plays up front and has the numbers to prove it. Aman posted 47 points in 30 games in the SuperElit and made the most of his own eight-game stint in the SHL with three points. Aman looks ready for the top level and should slot into a consistent role next year as well. A youth movement could be coming to Leksands, who need all the help they can get after only missing the relegation game due to the league’s recent cancellation.

College Notes: Dhooghe, Rathbone, Flames, UFA’s

at CDT | by 5 Comments

When college hockey returns next season, standout defenseman Sean Dhooghe will be donning a different jersey. Dhooghe, 21, announced on his personal Twitter account this afternoon that he will be leaving the University of Wisconsin to play his fourth and final NCAA season with Arizona State University. While this may seem like a downgrade at first glance, Wisconsin was more bark than bite this season, falling incredibly short of their preseason title as national championship contenders. Additionally, the program has lost two of its best players to the NHL in recent weeks in the L.A. Kings’ Alex Turcotte and the New York Rangers’ K’Andre Miller. Meanwile, Arizona State again exceeded expectations this season and was likely to qualify for the NCAA tournament for a second year in a row, despite being the most recent addition to Division I college hockey. Dhooghe will have a better chance to stand out and to shake off a down year by his standards by joining an ASU roster that is not as deep as Wisconsin on paper, but he also may have better odds at NCAA postseason glory as well.

Dhooghe, who jumped straight from the U.S. National Team Development Program to the college ranks, is a skilled forward who has been a fixture for the U.S. at international camps and events over the years. He plays a smart game with great vision and skating and excels in space. Why then might you not have heard of him? Dhooghe makes “undersized” look like an understatement, standing at 5’3” and 150 lbs. His size wasn’t a factor in junior and he hasn’t let it affect his game at the college level too much, but it is fair to have serious doubts about his pro potential. He hopes to silence his critics with a big first – and last – season at Arizona State next year, which he hopes is followed up by a pro contract.

  • Harvard University is still waiting to see if they will have a top defenseman back next season, while on the other side the Vancouver Canucks are waiting to see if they could have yet another elite rookie on the back end next season. Blue liner Jack Rathbone, a 2017 fourth-round selection, told TSN 1040 radio in Vancouver today that with everything going on right now, he and his family will continue to take some time to make a decision. There is no hurry for the talented defender to make a call and he wants to be sure to make the right one. A superstar at the prep school level with Dexter, Rathbone still was not expected to take the giant steps that he has at Harvard in just two seasons, developing into one of the stronger all-around defenseman in all of college hockey. However, he still has another two years left of NCAA eligibility and may want to wait for a more secure role in the NHL with Vancouver. With plenty of other talented prospects on the roster, Harvard hopes that Rathbone returns to lead the team to the NCAA Tournament next year.
  • The Calgary Flames are using their time off wisely, making a major splash today by signing arguably the top two UFA college defenders on the market: Minnesota State’s Connor Mackey and North Dakota’s Colton Poolman. Yet, they still aren’t done. Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg reports that the team is still “working hard” on college free agent forward. While Calgary is not exactly weak in the pipeline, they somehow have become a top landing spot for NCAA talent this spring.
  • If the Flames really want to cash in on college free agency, that unnamed forward prospect that they are negotiating with would be Jordan Kawaguchi, North Dakota teammate of Poolman and a top candidate for the Hobey Baker Award. Kawaguchi, while only a junior, is expected by many to forego his senior season and sign in the NHL. After posting 45 points in 33 games to finish second in the NCAA scoring race and lead one of the best team’s in the nation, Kawaguchi doesn’t have much left to prove at the college level. While somewhat small, the cousin of Devin Setoguchi plays a similarly skilled and instinctual offensive game. Whether it be Calgary of another team, whoever lands Kawaguchi will land an intriguing prospect with a high ceiling. Joining Kawaguchi on the list of undrafted underclassmen worth watching on the open market are Minnesota State goalie Dryden McKay, the NCAA’s top keeper this season, and UMass forward Mitchell Chaffee, who is coming off another point-per-game season and has all the making of an effective pro.

Patrick Harper Signs With Nashville Predators

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Nashville Predators have jumped into the fray of college signings, inking Patrick Harper to a two-year entry-level contract. The young forward recently completed his senior season at Boston University and could have become an unrestricted free agent this summer, had he waited until August. Predators director of player development Scott Nichol had this to say about his newest prospect:

Patrick is a dynamic player and with his size excels in the way today’s game is played. He’s a fun player to watch – he likes having the puck on his stick, he likes to make plays and wants to score goals every game. He fits in well on the power play and uses his biggest on-ice attribute – his hockey sense – to his advantage.

That size Nichol mentions is perhaps one of the reasons that Harper wasn’t selected higher than 138th in 2016, given he stands at just 5’7″ 150-lbs.  Size wasn’t the only obstacle that the 21-year old has faced to this point however. In 2018, just after helping Team USA to a bronze medal at the World Juniors (his second appearance at the tournament, after winning gold a year prior), Harper was sidelined due to illness and missed the second half of his sophomore season with BU.

Nothing seems able to hold him back however, as the diminutive forward climbed his way back into elite company in the NCAA and was even nominated for the 2020 Hobey Baker. His 37 points in 32 games put him 14th in the country in per-game production, something he’ll try to carry over to the Predators minor league system whenever hockey resumes.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top