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Henrik Borgstrom Signs Entry-Level Contract With Florida Panthers

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Another University of Denver forward has decided to turn pro, as Henrik Borgstrom has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers. DU was eliminated from the NCAA tournament this weekend, meaning Borgstrom is free to start his professional career.

Borgstrom, 20, was selected 23rd-overall by the Panthers in 2016 after starring in the Finnish junior leagues, and immediately became a dominant presence in the collegiate ranks. Able to stickhandle his way out of trouble, Borgstrom is an elite offensive talent that can protect the puck and find his way through traffic to generate scoring opportunities. He’d be successful even as an undersized player, but stands 6’3″ 195-lbs and has improved his physicality over the last year. He’ll likely be a full-time player for the Panthers in short order, but could really become a key member of their forward group if he continues to round out his game and compete in the defensive end.

After just two seasons in the NCAA, Borgstrom was named NCHC Player of the Year and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker award. He was also one of the most asked about prospects at the trade deadline, as GM Dale Tallon explained earlier this month. In the release announcing the signing Tallon spoke again about his prize prospect:

Henrik is a highly-talented, exciting and dynamic young forward who has been a dominant player over his last two seasons in Denver. In a short time he has put together an accomplished career in the college game, including a national championship. We are thrilled to have him take the next step in his development with the Panthers. Henrik’s addition to our skilled, young core of players further strengthens our foundation for success for years to come.

The young core that Tallon mentions is getting more impressive every day. Led by 22-year old Aleksander Barkov, who has morphed into a legitimate MVP candidate, and supported by others like Jonathan Huberdeau and Vincent Trocheck, the Panthers have a group that seems destined for some playoff appearances even if they miss out again this season. With Borgstrom, Owen Tippett and Aleksi Heponiemi ready to make an impact before long, that group could be one of the most dangerous in the NHL in the offensive zone.

Dylan Gambrell Signs Entry-Level Deal With San Jose Sharks

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The NCAA signing madness continues, with Dylan Gambrell officially inking his entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks. Gambrell was expected to turn pro after his junior season at the University of Denver, and will sign the maximum two-year entry-level deal. It’s not clear if the contract will start this season or next, which will determine whether or not he suits up for the Sharks or San Jose Barracuda down the stretch.

Gambrell, 21, was selected in the second round in his final year of eligibility in 2016 and is a dynamic offensive player. Recording at least 40 points in each of his three seasons at DU, and was a nominee for the 2018 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as one of the best players in the country. Part of a trio of talented DU forwards heading for the NHL (Troy Terry, Henrik Borgstrom), Gambrell is sometimes considered a byproduct of the solid Denver program and doubted for his ability to continue producing at the next level.

Still, there is something to be said about the ability to perform alongside talented players and Gambrell has basically never disappointed in that role. He’ll likely need to be featured on a scoring line to really reach his NHL ceiling, but his versatility and work ethic could allow him to fit into a role in the bottom six. His vision and ability to get the puck to teammates in space is excellent, and though there are few standout physical skills that would separate him from the pack in the professional ranks—except perhaps his first few strides, which are quick and powerful—he always seems to drive play in the offensive zone.

Eric Robinson Signs With Columbus Blue Jackets

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have wasted no time jumping into the college free agent market, signing Princeton University captain Eric Robinson to a two-year entry-level contract. Princeton was eliminated from the NCAA tournament this weekend, meaning the senior captain could turn pro. Robinson will join the Blue Jackets right away, meeting them in Edmonton on Tuesday. The deal is worth an average annual value of $925K, with maximum bonuses according to Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press.

Robinson, 22, couldn’t get his club past Ohio State on Saturday, but completed his senior season with a solid 31 points in 36 games. Though he wasn’t used as the primary offensive weapon on his club, there are some who believe that he can grow into a bigger scoring role in the future. Instead, Robinson was tasked with a two-way role that has prepared him for life at the professional level. His heavy game fits nicely with what the Blue Jackets have built over the last few years, and he could get right into the lineup for them now that Nick Foligno is out for the next few weeks.

Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen had this to say about the young forward:

Eric is a power forward with excellent speed who plays a very reliable two-way game and brings the type of character and leadership we value as an organization. He will join our team for the rest of the regular season and we are excited about his future with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Blue Jackets are likely heading to the playoffs again this season, and Robinson could give them some extra depth during a run towards what will be a brutal Eastern Conference bracket. Right now, the team is scheduled to face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round though that could easily change in the next few days.

Snapshots: Andersson, Chytil, Gaudette, Sikura

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The New York Rangers rebuild might continue at a new level next week as NHL.com’s Dan Rosen writes that Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault, general manager Jeff Gorton and assistant general manager Chris Drury will talk later today about promoting 2017 first-round centers Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil.

Both first-round picks have fared well this season. Andersson, the seventh overall pick last year, started the season in the SHL, where he put up seven goals and seven assists in 22 games. He played in the World Junior Tournament and helped Sweden to a silver medal and then came to the U.S. and joined the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. There he’s put up five goals and 14 points in 23 games. Chytil, on the other hand, started the season in New York and played two games before the team decided to assign him to Hartford. There in 44 games, Chytil, the No. 21 pick last year, has put up 11 goals and 20 assists.

Rosen said if the Vigneault, Gorton and Drury agree, the two prospects could be inserted into the Rangers’ lineup as soon as Monday.

  • With the elimination of Northeastern University from the NCAA tournament, that could be good news for the Vancouver Canucks who will try to pry prized prospect Adam Gaudette from his collegiate team now that his season is over. In fact, Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal tweets that he’s heard from a source that says contract negotiations are expected to heat up tomorrow. The college junior was the Canucks fifth-round pick in 2015 and has put up 56 goals and 56 assists in his last two seasons with Northeastern. TSN’s Bob McKenzie also adds that the Canucks are expected to make a strong pitch to the 21-year-old center who is a top Hobey Baker Award candidate this year. Gaudette is expected to meet with his family/advisor soon.
  • Also, as reported earlier today, Northeastern’s elimination also fuels the report that the Chicago Blackhawks and Dylan Sikura will be coming to an agreement soon. Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times has a new update in which a league source has confirmed that Sikura will be in a Blackhawks uniform on Thursday.

Western Notes: Oilers’ Offseason, Kane, Denver Players, Sikura

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The Edmonton Oilers are not heading to the playoffs and are currently looking at all their in-house options before the season ends. Then the team will embark on the next bunch of steps to fix the team that one year ago was the talk of the league. The Athletic’s Jonathan Willis (subscription required) comes up with an eight-point plan on how to fix the team this offseason, primary of which is to watch its spending, both on free agents as well as the possibility to send off some of their own contracts as well.

One of the first suggestions is that Edmonton should not overreact when it comes to some of their underperforming players. While several of their defensemen had tough seasons this year including Oscar Klefbom, Andrej Sekera and Adam Larsson, Willis believes that it’s unlikely that they will struggle again and the team must preach patience. However, the team needs to unload expensive contracts of bottom-tier players, suggesting the team might want to see if they can trade off defenseman Kris Russell and forward Zach Kassian to free up some of their money.

As for free agency, the team should avoid big-name free agents and look to sign some of the more modestly-priced players that will be on the market even suggesting that they could consider bringing back Patrick Maroon if he will agree on a short-term deal.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks great Patrick Kane said he hasn’t decided yet whether he will play at the World Championships in Copenhagen in May, according to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. He said he’ll consider it after his season ends, but it’s “definitely an option. After I didn’t go last year, I was thinking that maybe I should have went.”
  • Although this note is about a Western collegiate team, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman (subscription required) had an interesting nugget in his prospect mailbag. Pronman was asked of the potential signings of the University of Denver’s three forward prospects in Henrik Borgstrom, Troy Terry and Dylan Gambrell, three of the team’s top players. Pronman’s response is that he believes all three will be signing with their respective teams the moment their college season is over. Denver is currently playing in the NCAA tournament. Borgstrom, the Florida Panthers’ 2016 first-rounder scored 22 goals in his sophomore season. Terry, the Anaheim Ducks’ 2015 fifth-rounder picked up 13 goals and 44 points in his junior campaign, while Gambrell, San Jose Sharks’ second-round pick in 2015, finished his junior year with 13 goals and 42 points. All three could be major contributors to their teams as soon as next season.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks also could benefit greatly soon as well as Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that if Northeastern University loses today or Sunday, expect prospect Dylan Sikura to be signed and in the Blackhawks lineup by Thursday. The Northeastern senior, who was the sixth-round pick in 2014, has had dominant season the past two years, combining for 42 goals and 110 points in two seasons. Northeastern is playing Michigan today.

New Jersey Signs Cam Johnson To 1-Year Entry-Level Deal

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The New Jersey Devils announced they have signed North Dakota senior free-agent goaltender Cameron Johnson to a one-year, entry-level contract, which will start during the 2018-19 season. In the meantime, Johnson will join the AHL’s Binghampton Devils and sign an Amateur Tryout (ATO) on Tuesday to finish out the 2017-18 season. The collegiate star finished up his senior year at North Dakota, a team that didn’t qualify for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002.

Johnson, however, fared well for his team as the 23-year-old goalie finished the season with a 2.14 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 29 games. He did miss a month early in the season with an undisclosed injury, but came back strong. His best collegiate season came during his sophomore year when he put up a 1.66 GAA and a .935 save percentage, leading North Dakota to the NCAA National Championship in 2016. For his career, Johnson finished with a 56-26-10 record.

Johnson has broken several records for North Dakota, including having the school’s all-time record for career goals against with a 2.10. He ranks second in school history in shutouts with 12 and fourth in wins.

Ottawa Senators Sign Christian Wolanin To Entry-Level Contract

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The Ottawa Senators have inked another draft pick, signing Christian Wolanin to a two-year-entry-level contract. Wolanin’s junior season came to an end when the University of North Dakota failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. The 23-year old defenseman led UND in scoring, but will now turn pro and join the Senators for the rest of the season.

Originally selected in the fourth round, Wolanin would find success right away in the college ranks by winning the National Championship with UND in 2016. It’s easy to see where he gets his talent from, as he is the son of former NHL Stanley Cup Champion Craig Wolanin, who played 695 games in the league after being selected third overall in 1985. Though Christian Wolanin comes with a lower draft pedigree than his father, he also comes with a lot more offensive spark. A talented puck-mover, Senators GM Pierre Dorion had this to say in the press release:

Christian is talented player that has displayed high-end offensive skill from the blueline during his career at the University of North Dakota. He made the decision to turn professional and we are happy to have him under contract. Christian will join our team in Ottawa for the remainder of the season, which will present a tremendous opportunity for him to learn and develop.

Though there is little evidence that he will be able to step in and be an impact player at the NHL level, adding a player like Wolanin only strengthens the organization’s blue line depth. There should be some opportunity in Ottawa for a player like him, after Dion Phaneuf was traded and Chris Wideman becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. Puck-moving is always at a premium in the NHL, and Ottawa will need mobile defenders who can take some of the load off Erik Karlsson as they look to extend their franchise player.

NCAA Notes: Lucia, Canucks, Lindgren

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It’s the end of an era for the University of Minnesota, as head coach Don Lucia has stepped down after 19 years with the program. Those years included back-to-back National Championships in 2002 and 2003, and guiding a long pipeline of talent to professional hockey. Superstar talents like Blake Wheeler and Phil Kessel played under Lucia during their time at Minnesota, and most recently top prospect Casey Mittelstadt has taken huge strides under his guidance.

Though obviously the program will continue without Lucia, it is interesting to watch what Mittelstadt does this summer. The Buffalo Sabres have already reached out about potentially signing the 19-year old phenom, and the departure of the legendary coach could impact his decision.  If Mittelstadt feels ready for professional hockey, perhaps this is the last straw that pushes him to sign his entry-level deal and join Jack Eichel in Buffalo next season. Either way, this will be a huge change for the Golden Gophers, who were the highest ranked team not to make it into the NCAA tournament this season.

  • Another one of those changes could be in the form of Ryan Lindgren, who according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post is considering turning pro now that the Minnesota season is over. Lindgren was acquired by the New York Rangers as part of the Rick Nash trade earlier this year, but was always expected to return to Minnesota for another year. Perhaps the depature of Lucia has affected those plans, though Brooks is clear to point out that the defenseman is just weighing his options at this point. If the Rangers can coax Lindgren out of college, he would be another solid addition to a young prospect group that is quickly positioning New York for future success.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have been mining the NCAA ranks for talent recently, and Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 reports they have their eyes on two more players. Brady Keeper from the University of Maine and Colton Poolman from the University of North Dakota are both expected to take part in Vancouver’s development camp this summer according to Dhaliwal. The defensemen are both undrafted and can still return to school if they can’t find a professional contract this offseason. The college ranks are giving more and more talent to the NHL every season, and players like Keeper and Poolman could be diamonds in the rough.

Will Lockwood To Stay In College For Another Year

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The Vancouver Canucks were hoping to get a big boost out of the college ranks for next season, with players like Adam Gaudette and Will Lockwood looking ready to take the next step in their hockey careers. While they’ll have to wait on a final answer from Gaudette on whether he’ll turn pro after his NCAA tournament ends, Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 reports that Lockwood has already informed the team that he’s heading back to Michigan for another season.

Lockwood is still currently injured, and could feel like there is unfinished business in his collegiate career after playing in just 16 games this season. He injured his shoulder in the World Junior tournament and had to undergo surgery that essentially ended his season. Originally selected in the third round in 2016, Lockwood put up 20 points in 30 games as an 18-year old freshman last season and opened up some eyes on his long-term potential. Still undersized, he nevertheless plays with an aggressive and tenacious style in the offensive zone that can create offensive chances out of pure hard work.

The Canucks aren’t likely to compete for the Stanley Cup next season, as they enter a rebuild in the post-Sedin era (even if they do re-sign for another year, their impact has been greatly reduced). Leaving Lockwood in college another season won’t hurt his development, and he’ll still be just 20 years old when he finishes his junior season. While their focus is clearly on the Hobey Baker finalist in Gaudette, Lockwood won’t be far from their mind next season as he looks to rebound after the disappointing year.

NCAA Tournament Field Announced

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It’s Selection Sunday for the NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Tournament, following last night’s conference championship games. The top 20 or so teams waited anxiously to hear their names called and to see where they had been seeded ahead of next weekend’s Regional round. 16 teams are selected to the tournament: the six conference champions – Boston University of Hockey East, Notre Dame of the Big Ten, defending champ Denver of the NCHC, red-hot Princeton of the ECAC, Michigan Tech of the WCHA, and Air Force of Atlantic Hockey – and ten at-large bids. Four each, seeded 1 through 4 in each region, will play a single-elimination tournament (#1 vs. #4 and #2 vs. #3) on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The hosts of the Regionals this year are Holy Cross (Worcester, MA) for the Northeast Region, Fairfield (Bridgeport, CT) for the East Region, Penn State (Allentown, PA) for the Midwest Region, and 2016 title-holders North Dakota (Sioux Falls, SD) for the West Region. Of the four host schools, only Penn State qualified for the tournament. Below is how the selections and seedings shook out when the entire 2017-18 season was taken into account by the NCAA Selection Committee:

Northeast

  1. Cornell (ECAC)
  2. Michigan (Big 10)
  3. Northeastern (HE)
  4. Boston University (HE)

East

  1. Notre Dame (Big 10)
  2. Providence (HE)
  3. Clarkson (ECAC)
  4. Michigan Tech (WCHA)

Midwest

  1. Ohio State (Big 10)
  2. Denver (NCHC)
  3. Penn State (Big 10)
  4. Princeton (ECAC)

West

  1. St. Cloud State (NCHC)
  2. Minnesota State (WHCA)
  3. Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC)
  4. Air Force (Atlantic)

While all four regions have more than their fair share of talent, the location to watch is the Northeast, where top-seed Cornell is rewarded with a match-up against BU, the team with perhaps the most NHL talent on their roster. The winner faces the survivor of Michigan-Northeastern, quite the showdown in it’s own right. The easiest path to the Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minnesota belongs to St. Cloud State, the #1 overall seed in the tournament. Air Force poses little threat to the Huskies, while they went 4-2 against Minnesota State and Minnesota-Duluth combined this season.

The biggest surprises of the selections? With the Big Ten leading the way with four teams earning a spot, some notable teams were left out. No absence jumps out as much as North Dakota, who hasn’t missed the NCAA tournament since 2002. North Dakota has been extremely successful in recent years and even this year was ranked #14 in the final Pairwise rankings. However, it just wasn’t enough and neither was #13, as the Minnesota Golden Gophers were the highest-ranked team to not qualify for the tournament. Perennial contender Boston College was also left out of the action. It is the first time since 1977 that all three of BC, Minnesota, and North Dakota are absent for the National Tournament, perhaps exemplifying the growth of the college game in recent years. Other teams that some may be disappointed to see snubbed are Harvard, and Olympic star Ryan Donato, and an upstart Bowling Green squad that fell just short of a surprise appearance.

Regardless of the teams not selected, those who did qualify present a fantastic group of talent. The 2018 NCAA Hockey Tournament is one worth watching and the last few years have shown that this tournament is never short on drama and excitement. Enjoy the best of the best in college hockey over the next few weeks.

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