Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

NCAA

Rangers Expected To Sign Patrick Newell

at CDT | by 1 Comment

With St. Cloud State getting upset by American International on Friday night, quite a few undrafted free agents of note are expected to make decisions on where they’re going to sign in the coming days.  It appears that one has already made that choice as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that forward Patrick Newell will be signing an entry-level contract with the Rangers.

The 23-year-old had a dominant senior season, scoring more goals (21) than his first three years combined while also setting a career-best in assists with 26.  That helped him earn a spot as one of the ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Award for the top NCAA player.

The Rangers have had some success in the college free agent market in recent years with defenseman Neal Pionk, winger Jimmy Vesey (after being unable to agree to terms with Nashville and Buffalo), and center Vinni Lettieri being among their recent additions that have already made their mark at the NHL level.  Seeing other college free agents get a chance to play quickly certainly bolsters New York’s bargaining power and it appears it has helped them land another notable one in Newell.

In the meantime, decisions will be pending for undrafted free agents Jimmy Schuldt (defenseman, senior), Robby Jackson (winger, senior), and potentially Blake Lizotte (winger, sophomore).  The Canadiens are also expected to try to convince center prospect Ryan Poehling (junior) to turn pro instead of returning for his final season.  As a result, there should be plenty more news coming out of St. Cloud State in the near future.

Snapshots: Svechnikov, Maatta, Fox

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Detroit Red Wings have found some success with several young forwards this year as they try to move on from the Henrik Zetterberg era and embrace a youth movement, but one that was expected to play a big part was nowhere to be found. Evgeny Svechnikov, selected 19th overall in 2015, was forced to undergo knee surgery to reconstruct his ACL in October. He was expected to return to action near the end of the season, but Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press is now reporting that he will not play at all in 2018-19.

Interestingly, as St. James notes, that may actually be a blessing in disguise for the Red Wings. The young forward will now not be waiver eligible in the 2019-20 season as he was scheduled to be, meaning the team can start him in the AHL right out of training camp if he’s not ready to help the NHL lineup. Svechnikov wouldn’t have maintained his waiver-exempt status if he’d played in even a single professional game—NHL or AHL—this season.

  • Olli Maatta has been activated from injured reserve by the Pittsburgh Penguins and will return after missing 21 games with a lower-body injury. The 24-year old is coming back with just enough time to get his legs under him before the playoffs begin, a huge boost for a Penguins team that has suffered from several injuries on the back end this season. It’s tough to know exactly how much the team will push Maatta over the last few games of the regular season, but he lengthens out the team’s defense group by a considerable amount. Brian Dumoulin switched over to the right side in practice recently to accommodate Maatta’s return, though it’s not clear if that pair will stay together.
  • With Adam Fox and Harvard losing today in the NCAA tournament, we will soon find out what his official decision is regarding signing or returning to school next season. Fox has repeatedly said that his mind is not yet made up, something that Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) also reported earlier today. Though there is obviously a draw to turning pro and getting into the Carolina Hurricanes organization right away, Fox could potentially graduate next year with a Harvard degree and the chance to become an unrestricted free agent in August 2020. LeBrun also explores the idea of Carolina trading Fox’s rights this season instead of waiting for the summer, in order to get full value if they do not believe he will sign with them down the road. If Fox signs this season he would burn the first year of his entry-level deal, and would be eligible for the expansion draft if he played just a single game.

Shane Bowers Signs With Colorado Avalanche

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Friday: The Avalanche have officially announced the contract that will begin next season. That allows Bowers to sign an amateur tryout with the Colorado Eagles for the rest of this year to get into some game action.

Thursday: As if Boston University hadn’t seen enough of their top players sign this week, Shane Bowers has now added his name to that group. Despite a somewhat disappointing sophomore season, Bowers is now expected to sign his three-year entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche according to Jeff Cox of the New England Hockey Journal and Bob McKenzie of TSN. The deal can begin this season, but the first year will not be burned given the Avalanche have only five games remaining.

The 19-year old Bowers was originally a first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators, but arrived in the Colorado organization as part of the Matt Duchene trade last season. The two-way center got off to a great start at BU in 2017-18 with 17 goals and 32 points in 40 games, but took something of a step back this year. With just 11 goals and 21 points, the teenage center may have muted expectations somewhat but is still a solid prospect to add to the Avalanche development system.

In fact, there’s reason to believe that Bowers can develop into a real key contributor for the Avalanche down the road. The team already has their elite scoring center locked up in Nathan MacKinnon, but likely won’t see many more years of prominence from Carl Soderberg even as the 33-year old experienced something of a renaissance this season. Soderberg has just one year remaining on his current deal and will be 34 at the beginning of next season.

Behind those two the center depth on the Avalanche isn’t quite as clear. Alexander Kerfoot hasn’t progressed much from where he was last season, and it’s not a sure thing that any of Tyson Jost, J.T. Compher or Vladislav Kamenev will be able to step into a full-time top-six role in the middle of the ice. Bowers offers another lottery ticket for the Avalanche to try and develop at the position, not to mention whoever they pick in this year’s draft. The fact that he has been touted for his defense and penalty killing ability could lead Bowers to fill a much needed role for the team down the road.

AHL Signings: Vela, Spinner, Bradley

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Forward Marcus Vela has signed on with San Jose, but not the NHL team that drafted him, instead their AHL affiliate. The San Jose Barracuda announced a deal with the University of New Hampshire standout today, who has seemingly passed up the opportunity to become a free agent later this summer in favor of a minor league contract within his drafted organization. Vela was a seventh-round draft pick of the Sharks back in 2015 out of the BCHL and went on to play four seasons with the UNH Wildcats. While he improved in each collegiate season and eventually became the team captain, he maxed out at 18 points in his best season and never really showed next-level offensive ability. The 6’2″ center is still a strong, smart, two-way player, but it seems that both he and the Sharks were unsure if he was ready for an NHL contract. Rather than wait for his rights to expire in August and hope for an NHL contract elsewhere, Vela seems content to prove himself in the AHL and potentially earn his entry-level deal later on.

  • Another drafted forward joining his organization’s farm team is Steven Spinner. Spinner, drafted all the way back in 2014 by the Washington Capitals, signed an amateur tryout offer with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, the team announced. Spinner, 23, just wrapped up a four-year career at the University of Nebraska-Omaha that likely fell short of the Capitals’ expectations for the sixth-round pick. The right winger accumulated only 56 points in 136 NCAA games, capped off by a mere four-point senior campaign. Such production doesn’t really warrant an NHL contract, but Spinner will get a shot to show he can do better at the pro level down the stretch and may yet earn a shot in Washington. It seems more likely that this is a precursor to an AHL contract next season, though.
  • Colorado College’s leading scorer this season, Trey Bradley, is one of the few notable hockey players who hails from Tampa, Florida, so naturally the undrafted free agent has signed with… the Toronto Marlies? Bradley won’t be joining the pipeline of his hometown team, but instead that of one of their divisional rivals. The Marlies announced that Bradley has joined the team on an ATO for the remainder of this season, but has signed on for the 2019-20 campaign as well. Bradley is fresh off of a season in which he scored 34 points in 41 games, his second straight season with 30+ points for Colorado College. He should be able to translate his success in the NCHC to the AHL relatively well.

Prospect Notes: Jenik, Sadek, Hughes

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Though the team hasn’t announced the deal yet, Jan Jenik has announced that he has signed an entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes (h/t Craig Morgan from The Athletic). Jenik is currently dealing with an injury but his junior team the Hamilton Bulldogs were recently eliminated from the OHL playoffs meaning he could jump to the AHL to get a look at the professional level.

Jenik, 18, was selected 65th overall in 2018 and split this season between the Czech Republic and OHL. In 27 games for the Bulldogs he recorded 30 points, but could potentially go back to the junior ranks next season to continue his development. Another lottery ticket for the Coyotes, we’ll have to wait to see when they actually announced the contract.

  • The Iowa Wild have signed Jack Sadek to an amateur tryout, allowing the 21-year old defenseman to get his feet wet at the professional level after a season in the NCAA. The seventh-round pick finished his career at the University of Minnesota with an 18-point season, but will have to prove he deserves an NHL contract in Minnesota. Sadek technically will become an unrestricted free agent in August if he waits that long, but a minor league pact could keep him in the Wild organization.
  • The time has come for Vancouver Canucks prospect Quinn Hughes, who will make his NHL debut tonight after nursing a foot injury. Hughes signed his first NHL contract after deciding to leave the University of Michigan, and will be must-see action for prospect watchers all around the league. The talented defenseman is a dynamic skater and brings some incredible offensive upside to the table. With five games left in the season for the Canucks, Hughes could actually earn himself a $25,000 bonus if he suits up in all of them according to CapFriendly.

Dudek, Carpenter Sign Amateur Tryouts

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Another pair of NCAA players have inked amateur tryouts in the AHL, as J.D. Dudek and Bobo Carpenter have signed with the Binghamton Devils and Bridgeport Sound Tigers respectively. Carpenter signed his entry-level contract with the Islanders earlier this week but won’t see it kick in until next season.

Dudek meanwhile will be rejoining an organization he was previously associated with. Originally selected by the New Jersey Devils in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, Dudek’s rights were traded to the Edmonton Oilers last season as part of the package for Patrick Maroon. It’s interesting then that he’ll be playing with Binghamton, and may suggest that he is going to wait until August and become an unrestricted free agent. In his four-year career at Boston College, Dudek recorded 56 points in 149 games.

In related moves, Binghamton have released both Nick Sorkin and Desmond Bergin from their professional tryouts. Bergin has played for three different AHL teams this season, but both players spend most of their time in the ECHL.

Pacific Notes: Kings, Karlsson, Pavelski, Marino

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Kings have head coach Todd McLellan at the top of their wish list for next season, reports Sportsnet’s Mark Spector.  Interim bench boss Willie Desjardins is not likely to return for the 2019-20 campaign.  McLellan was let go by Edmonton earlier this season following a 9-10-1 start to their season but had plenty of success in his first stint back in San Jose.  There will likely be other teams on the lookout for a new head coach in the coming weeks so expect the 51-year-old to garner some interest from elsewhere as well next month.

More notes from the Pacific Division:

  • Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson has had his skating schedule scaled back as he continues to work his way back from a groin injury, notes Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News. Instead of skating daily, he’s now hitting the ice every second day which suggests his return is further away than expected.  San Jose has already clinched a playoff spot and appears to be locked into a matchup with Vegas so they can afford to be cautious but they also would undoubtedly feel better if he had some game action before the postseason gets underway.  Meanwhile, Pashelka adds that center Joe Pavelski, who has missed four straight games due to a lower-body injury, is progressing in his recovery and could be available for their game on Thursday against Chicago.
  • The Oilers are in discussions with prospect John Marino, reports Postmedia’s Jim Matheson. The defenseman was a sixth-round pick (154th overall) back in 2015 and is just finishing up his junior year at Harvard, a team that is participating in the upcoming NCAA tournament.  Although he still has a year of college eligibility remaining, he’s also eligible for August 15th free agency as it has been four years since he has been drafted.

Kings Interested In A Pair Of College Free Agents

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Kings have been a team that has been active in college free agency in recent years inking players like wingers Sheldon Rempal and Alex Iafallo, defensemen Oscar Fantenberg and Daniel Brickley, as well as goalie Cal Petersen (after he declined to sign with Buffalo).  It appears that they have their eyes set on adding to that list as Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider reports that Los Angeles is interested in Clarkson center Nico Sturm as well as Bowling Green winger Lukas Craggs.

Sturm is widely considered to be one of the top players on the college free agent market following a strong junior season.  The 23-year-old put up 45 points in 38 games this season and is viewed as someone that could step in and play a lower line role as early as next year.  His team is set to play Notre Dame on Friday as the NCAA tournament gets underway.

Meanwhile, Craggs is a player that hasn’t generated as much attention.  The junior had 24 points in 34 games this season and surpassed the 100 penalty minute mark for the second straight year.  Not surprisingly, he profiles as a bottom-six physical player.  Bowling Green is seeded 15th in the tournament and could be eliminated as early as Friday so a decision on whether or not to try to sign him may come quickly.

Los Angeles hasn’t hesitated to burn the first year of an entry-level deal early by giving the player some game action at the end of the season.  With the Kings squarely out of the playoff picture and having seven open contract slots at the moment, expect that trend to continue with these free agents and any others they may try to pursue in the coming days.

Casey Fitzgerald Signs With Buffalo Sabres

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Buffalo Sabres have inked one of their more experienced prospects to his first pro contract. The team has announced that 2016 third-round pick Casey Fitzgerald has signed an entry-level deal. It is a two-year pact that begins in the 2019-20 season. The 22-year-old defenseman has additionally signed an ATO with the Rochester Americans and will close out the year with the Sabres’ affiliate.

Fitzgerald wrapped up a four-year career at Boston College this past weekend, as the Eagles came within one win of an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament but fell short. Fitzgerald was initially drafted by Buffalo after his freshman year at BC, which also ended up being his most productive with 27 points in 39 games to go with a whopping +27 rating. He had also spent time with the U.S. National Team Development Program and played for several World Juniors entries. The captain of the Eagles for the past two years, Fitzgerald’s offense may not have continued climbing, but he developed into an intelligent, two-way defenseman and a locker room leader.

Those are traits that run in the family, of course. Fitzgerald’s father, Tom, enjoyed a 16-year NHL career and is currently the Assistant GM of the New Jersey Devils, while his older brother, Ryan, is currently in the Boston Bruins system. The extended family also includes Jimmy and Kevin Hayes and Keith Tkachuk and sons Matthew and Brady. Casey is the latest addition to a Boston area family with deep connections to the NHL and hopes to make a name for himself like so many of them have.

Snapshots: Fox, Raanta, Tippett

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Carolina Hurricanes and their fans have been waiting patiently for the Harvard hockey season to come to an end so they can get a chance to sign top prospect Adam Fox, but the team is still alive in the NCAA tournament. Fox’s rights were acquired from the Calgary Flames as part of the Dougie Hamilton–Elias Lindholm trade from last summer, and the front office has been open with their belief that they could sign the young defenseman after he finished his college career. Today, Jeff Cox of the New England Hockey Journal tweeted that Fox will be returning to Harvard next season for his senior year and that he “favors” the idea of becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2020 when his draft rights would expire.

In response however, Carolina GM Don Waddell told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that he believes Fox has not yet made his decision with regards to signing with the Hurricanes, and Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer tweeted it is “still a bit premature to jump to conclusions.” If the 21-year old returns to Harvard next season and then waits until August 2020, he will get his chance to sign with any team he wants. There certainly wouldn’t be any shortage of interest, as the third-round pick is among the best college players in the entire country and is a right-handed defenseman to boot.

  • The Arizona Coyotes have Darcy Kuemper to thank for their impressive playoff push, but he might be getting some help in the near future. Craig Morgan of the Athletic tweeted today that Antti Raanta is expected to start practicing with the Coyotes this week. Raanta hasn’t played a game since late November but has shown his ability as a top tier goaltender whenever he is at full strength. If Raanta can return in time for the playoffs (provided Arizona makes the postseason at all), it would be interesting to see how the Coyotes would play it. Kuemper has been among the best goaltenders in the league since Raanta’s injury, and would be a huge reason why they made the playoffs.
  • While many have assumed that Dave Tippett would stay with the Seattle expansion franchise after his comments about his role in the new team, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes in his latest edition of 31 Thoughts that he’s heard “the coaching bug has bit [Tippett] again” and that one team has already reached out. Tippett was hired as a senior advisor for the Seattle group and was expected to join the front office in some capacity. He last coached in the NHL during the 2016-17 season.

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

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top