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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.

Prospect Notes: Kahun, Tomek, Scarfo

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Not long after the initial report that German Olympic hero Dominik Kahun was drawing NHL interest, there is now a more concrete picture of what the market looks like for the young scoring forward. German new site TZ reports that Kahun’s jump overseas is a sure thing, as ten NHL teams have legitimate interest in signing him. They go one step further, adding that the Chicago Blackhawks are at the top of the list and have offered Kahun a two-year contract worth around $940K per year. While it may not seem like that much, the article indicates that the contract would be worth more than three times Kahun’s current pact with EHC Munich. It’s also a fair value for an unproven import. The 22-year-old certainly shows some promise though, with nearly a point per game pace in the German DEL and at the Winter Games in 2017-18. The Blackhawks, or whoever else ends up winning the bidding war, will land an exciting prospect in Kahun.

  • An intriguing career path continues for young Slovakian goalie Matej Tomek. A third-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers back in 2015, Tomek originally enrolled at the University of North Dakota in 2015-16 and expected to take over for departed starter, and Hobey Baker finalist, Zane McIntyre. Instead, he lost out to Cam Johnson, who remains the North Dakota starter to this day, and made just two appearances in two seasons, struggling mightily. Tomek left school, joining the USHL’s Waterloo Blackhawks for the 2017-18 season, and saw improved performance at the junior level. Now, Tomek has announced that he’s heading back to the NCAA, committing to the University of Nebraska-Omaha for next season. Tomek still has two years of eligibility remaining, but may only need one to re-establish his pro potential. All three Omaha keepers have struggled this year and Tomek may have an easy path to take over next season. Even if starter Evan Weninger holds on to the job or at least forces a split in net, Tomek can always stick around for the 2019-20 campaign when he would surely be the starter. Either way, Flyers fans should be happy to see another of their many promising goalie prospects working to get back on track.
  • A top senior scorer and college free agent is off the market, but he’s not headed to an NHL team just yet. Ryan Scarfo, the leading scorer for Union College, has signed with the AHL’s Belleville Senators, the team announced. Scarfo will skate with the team on a tryout deal for the remainder of this season, but already inked a full AHL contract for the 2018-19 season. Scarfo, 24, saw a major boost in production in his fourth and final year as a starter for Union. The alternate captain led all Dutchmen in goals and points and his rugged, two-way play also placed him in the top five on the team in plus/minus and penalty minutes. His 20 goals additionally ranked 13th in the entire NCAA. Scarfo has likely reached the extent of his skill development, but with some time in the minors, can further polish his hockey sense. He has some upside to be a bottom-six forward given his ability to be physical and find the back of the net. A strong performance in his first pro season in 2018-19 could earn Scarfo a big-league deal with the Ottawa Senators or another NHL squad sooner rather than later.

2018 College Free Agent Market: Goalies

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With the college playoffs underway, we’re starting to see a few free agents that were eliminated early sign with NHL teams.  Many more players will become available in the coming weeks and quite a few will sign shortly thereafter.

With that in mind, here is a closer look at some of the goaltenders that could be of interest to teams in the coming weeks.  All of these players are undrafted (and are too old to be drafted this year making them eligible for free agency) and unless they’re in their senior season, they could opt to return to their schools for the 2018-19 campaign.

Tanner Jaillet (Denver)

The 24-year-old has had two straight stellar seasons to wrap up his college career and ranked sixth overall in goals against average (1.90) this year.  However, at a time where teams are coveting bigger goalies more and more often, Jaillet’s smaller stature will work against him.  His performance is certainly more than worthy enough of an entry-level deal but how many teams will be willing to take a chance on a sub-six foot goalie?

Jake Kielly (Clarkson)

Last season wasn’t a great one for Kielly but he managed to lock down the starting job as a freshman which is noteworthy in itself.  This year was a much better one as he ranked fourth in GAA on a much-improved Clarkson squad.  He’s one of the younger goalies on this list (21) and unlike Jaillet, has the size that teams will covet.  As one of the top netminders in the NCAA this season, there’s a case to be made that there wouldn’t be much benefit to him returning for his junior campaign.

Hayden Lavigne (Michigan)

Lavigne is the lone holdover from our list last year.  At that time, he was just a freshman but was already garnering NHL interest despite being in a three-player timesharing situation.  He’s now the undisputed starter but his first year in that role didn’t go great with a 2.79 GAA and a .910 SV%.  The fact he had interest last season gets him on this list but it seems likely that he will stick around for another year with Michigan.

Cale Morris (Notre Dame)

Morris is the top prize among goaltenders in this free agent class.  He posted spectacular numbers this season (1.93 GAA, .946 SV% in 32 games) on one of the top collegiate squads.  What is particularly impressive is that he accomplished this after playing just one period of one game last season in his freshman year.  Despite the limited body of work over his two collegiate campaigns, the 21-year-old should have no shortage of offers if he decides to turn pro now.

Sean Romeo (Ohio State)

Romeo has taken a bit of a unique path to get where he is today.  He lost the starting job at the University of Maine in his sophomore season in 2015-16 and dropped down to third on the depth chart.  He decided to redshirt and transfer to Ohio State, a decision that has paid dividends as not only did he lock down the starting spot, he thrived.  It will be interesting to see if that results in some NHL attention or if teams will want to see if he can repeat that success in his senior year instead.

Hunter Shepard (Minnesota-Duluth)

Shepard just completed his first year as a starter (after seeing only 93 minutes of action in his rookie season) and turned some heads along the way, posting a strong 1.92 GAA with a .927 SV%, numbers that are quite similar to Jaillet’s.  He also picked up eight shutouts which ranked tied for second overall.  He still has two years of eligibility remaining so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him return for his junior year but it wouldn’t be surprising if a couple of NHL teams at least kicked the tires on getting him to turn pro.

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Defensemen

Top-10 Finalists Announced For 2018 Hobey Baker

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The Hobey Baker Memorial Award is given to the most outstanding player in collegiate hockey, and has a long list of excellent NHL players among previous winners. Will Butcher, Jimmy Vesey, Jack Eichel and Johnny Gaudreau are the latest to take home the award, while others like Brendan Morrison, Paul Kariya and Chris Drury have been honored in the past.

Earlier this year, 67 players from the NCAA ranks were nominated for the award, and today that number has been reduced to just ten. These ten players will be narrowed to just three, a process that anyone can be a part of by participating in the fan vote. Votes will be added to the decision from a selection committee to produce three finalists, from which a winner will be crowned.

The top-10 finalists are as follows, with the NHL organization who owns their draft rights in parenthesis:

Henrik Borgstrom, University of Denver (Florida Panthers)

Ryan Donato, Harvard University (Boston Bruins)

Matthew Galajda, Cornell University

Adam Gaudette, Northeastern University (Vancouver Canucks)

Dylan McLaughlin, Canisius College

Cale Morris, University of Notre Dame

Colton Point, Colgate University (Dallas Stars)

Jimmy Schuldt, St. Cloud State University

Dylan Sikura, Northeastern University (Chicago Blackhawks)

C.J. Suess, Minnesota State University-Mankato (Winnipeg Jets)

NCAA Notes: Mittelstadt, Belpedio, Hillman

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After an impressive rookie season in the collegiate ranks, and an MVP performance at the World Junior Championships, Casey Mittelstadt has staked a claim as one of the best prospects in hockey. His latest accomplishment is being named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, and will soon have to decide whether or not to become a professional or return to the University of Minnesota for his sophomore season.

Though he gives no pretense of inside knowledge, Mike Morreale of NHL.com believes there is a “good chance” that Mittelstadt turns pro next season, something that will come as music to the ears of Buffalo Sabres fans. Buffalo has struggled through another terrible season, and will have a good shot at drafting Rasmus Dahlin or one of the other top names this June. Mittelstadt’s appearance on the NHL squad would give them another piece to build around, and someone to support Jack Eichel and company in their quest for the playoffs.

  • Louis Belpedio doesn’t have a decision to make over whether or not to turn pro this summer, but instead how long he’ll wait before doing it. After completing his senior season at Miami University (Ohio), the Minnesota Wild draft pick could delay signing until August when he would become an unrestricted free agent. Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that scenario seems unlikely at this point, as the two sides are moving towards a two-year entry-level contract. Belpedio scored 30 points in 37 games during his senior season, and could be a useful piece of the Minnesota defense in the coming years.
  • Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) also gives us a long in-depth profile on Blake Hillman, a Chicago Blackhawks prospect who looks ready to turn pro in the coming weeks. Powers believes Hillman will “likely sign after this season” and even his head coach at the University of Denver Jim Montgomery seems to agree. Montgomery called Hillman “extremely close to being ready” for his pro transition, meaning Blackhawks fans could see another legitimate NHL prospect enter the system before long.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Mangiapane, NCAA

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The NHL released their three stars from last week, and young Patrik Laine leads the way. The Winnipeg Jets sniper still hasn’t turned 20, but is now tied with Alex Ovechkin for the league lead in goals with 40 and is in the midst of an 11-game point streak.

Brad Marchand and Evgeni Malkin fill the other two spots, as both try to hunt down a nomination for the Hart Trophy. Malkin sits just a single point behind Nikita Kucherov for the league lead in scoring with 87, while Marchand now has 69 points in just 53 games. Though sometimes overshadowed by other superstars on their respective teams (Patrice Bergeron and Sidney Crosby usually), both Marchand and Malkin are having outstanding seasons and could meet late in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

2018 College Free Agent Market: Forwards

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With the college playoffs starting to get underway, we’re starting to see a few free agents that were eliminated early sign with NHL teams.  Many more players will become available in the coming weeks and quite a few will sign shortly thereafter.

With that in mind, here is a closer look at some of the forwards that could be of interest to teams in the coming weeks.  All of these players are undrafted (and are too old to be drafted this year making them eligible for free agency) and unless they’re in their senior season, they could opt to return to their schools for the 2018-19 campaign.

Brady Ferguson (Robert Morris)

Ferguson opted to return for his senior season after finishing fifth in NCAA scoring last season with 58 points in 38 games.  The decision may not have been the best one as his final college campaign wasn’t quite as productive with just 43 points in 38 contests.  That may lessen his market a little bit but he should still have several suitors in the coming weeks.

Robby Jackson (St. Cloud)

Jackson has gone from being a supporting cast player to a top threat on the Huskies this season.  His point production nearly doubled from his sophomore campaign and at only 20 years of age, he is also one of the younger free agents and will be eligible for a three-year entry-level deal (most players on this list are only able to sign two-year pacts).  However, some teams may be scared away due to his smallish stature as he stands just 5’9.

Mason Jobst (Ohio State)

Like Ferguson, Jobst was among the top NCAA scorers last year (seventh) as a sophomore but opted to return instead of turning pro.  While he still put up more than a point-per-game this season (41 points in 36 games), he still came up well shy of the 55 he put up last year.  At 5’8, his size will be a concern to some teams as well.  However, while it may seem like a good idea to go back for a senior campaign and boost his stock, Jobst is already 24; accordingly, going back to school and dominating players several years younger than him likely won’t draw much more attention to him than there already is.

Ryan Kuffner (Princeton)

Kuffner has been one of the top goal scorers in all of college hockey this season and had been hovering near the goal-per-game mark.  The junior forward is willing to battle around the net as well which should also help endear him to scouts.  He certainly benefits from having one of the top playmakers in the NCAA on his line (more on that player shortly) but Kuffner should still draw plenty of interest in the near future.

Sheldon Rempal (Clarkson)

The sophomore winger became a go-to scorer this season, boosting his goal total from 11 to 21 despite playing in four fewer games.  While he has shown a knack for scoring in tight at the college level, there will justifiably be some questions as to whether or not he can play that style in the pros as he, like several others on this list, is undersized.  Rempal could stand to fill out his frame a bit more and that’s easier to do at the college level than in the minor leagues so he could stick around for another year.

Max Veronneau (Princeton)

The junior playmaking winger ranked second in the NCAA in regular season scoring with 52 points in 36 games and is believed to be drawing plenty of interest already; Chris Peters of ESPN reports (Insider required) that he is the most sought-after forward in college free agency.  However, he adds that he appears to be leaning towards returning for his senior season.

Sebastian Vidmar (Union)

The Swedish winger also saw his production dip from his sophomore campaign (understandable considering the team lost both Mike Vecchione and Spencer Foo, two of the top four scorers in the NCAA last year) although he still managed to post 30 points (10-20-30) in 36 contests to sit third in team scoring.  He’s more of a playmaker than some of the others on this list but also has pro size.  Vidmar turns 24 on Tuesday so it may not make much sense for him to return for his senior year so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him opt to turn pro.

Pacific Notes: Arizona Ownership, Klefbom, Pettersson, Gaudette, Hague

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With the state of the franchise constantly in question, Arizona Coyotes chairman and governor Andrew Barroway is looking for potential partnerships for his ownership of the franchise and has spoken to several interested investors, according to Arizona Sports Craig Morgan.

While it’s too early to know what role or control the other investors would have over the Coyotes, Morgan writes that there is no timetable on when or if there will be a new ownership structure in Arizona. The idea of adding investors to its ownership group would be able to infuse the struggling franchise with more money, but it could also help the team to tackle bigger needs, such as building a new arena or even a new practice facility.

Ironically, Barroway has only been the team’s sole owner for less than a year. He bought out the previous ownership group, IceArizona, that bought the team back in 2013. He did say when he completed the buyout that he’d be open to adding investors.

  • The Edmonton Oilers could find themselves looking hard to find a puck-moving defenseman this offseason in hopes of replacing Oscar Klefbom, who has been struggling after being their No. 1 guy a year ago during their playoff run. The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell (subscription required) writes that the Oilers must decide whether injuries have slowed Klefbom’s success or whether he isn’t the player they thought he was. The 24-year-old put up 12 goals and 36 points last year, but his numbers have dropped to just four goals and 19 points this season. Mitchell writes the team will look at several options to add to their defense, including potentially trading for Carolina’s Justin Faulk, Colorado’s Tyson Barrie and Boston’s Torey Krug. If Klefbom can regain his form from the 2016-17 season, he does have a affordable contract which will count $4.17MM per year until the 2022-23 season. However, if he continues to play like he did this season, Klefbom’s contract doesn’t look nearly as good.
  • Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal spoke to Vancouver Canucks scout Lars Lindgren about the impressive play of the team’s 2017 first-round pick Elias Pettersson, who won the SHL scoring title Saturday. A rookie in the SHL, the 19-year-old put up 24 goals and 56 points this season, but the question is when will he be ready to join Vancouver? “Tough question, impossible to say,” Lindgren said. “When you look at him he still needs to build power but he is such a smart, smart player. Hopefully he becomes a franchise player. He does not collect all his points on the power play and his plus minus is great and that is a very good sign for me. He has a little Nicklas Backstrom in him and I like that. It is a big summer for him to get to the next level.”
  • Another top Canucks prospect, center Adam Gaudette, broke the 30-goal barrier this year with Northeastern University, according to Dhaliwal. He is just the seventh player in the NCAA to reach the 30-goal plateau since 2012-13. Vancouver hopes to convince the college junior to sign with the team after his season is over. The former fifth-round pick in 2015 has put up 68 goals in three seasons with the Huskies.
  • Vegas Golden Knights defensive prospect Nicholas Hague has been making a name for himself, according to David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The 2017 second-round pick broke the 30-goal mark last month with his OHL team, the Mississauga Steelheads, and became the first OHL defenseman since 2000 to reach that plateau. Already signed to an entry-level deal back in September, the 6-foot-6, 215 pound defender is another significant asset for the Golden Knights.

2018 College Free Agent Market: Defensemen

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With the college playoffs starting to get underway, we’re starting to see a few free agents that were eliminated early sign with NHL teams.  Many more players will become available in the coming weeks and quite a few will sign shortly thereafter.

With that in mind, here is a closer look at some of the defensemen that could be of interest to teams in the coming weeks.  Zach Whitecloud would have been a prominent name on this list but he has already signed with Vegas.  All of these players are undrafted (and are too old to be drafted this year making them eligible for free agency) and unless they’re in their senior season, they could opt to return to their schools for the 2018-19 campaign.

Daniel Brickley (Minnesota State)

The 22-year-old eschewed NHL interest last year and he should have plenty of suitors once again.  Brickley has been flirting with the point-per-game mark for the second straight year and at 6’3, has the size that many teams will covet.  He lacks the top-end mobility that is becoming more and more coveted around the league but that won’t scare away any suitors.  On top of that, he is the reigning WCHA defensive player of the year.  Not surprisingly, he is viewed by many as the top NCAA free agent available this year and 30 teams have already been in contact with his advisor.

Jordan Gross (Notre Dame)

Last year, we speculated that he could be a candidate to return for his senior year given that an immediate NHL spot wasn’t on the horizon.  That is indeed the route that the undersized Gross took and his final college campaign hasn’t been as strong as his junior year.  However, his skating skills are still quite strong which should get him a look.  He won’t be someone that teams will look to burn the first year of his entry-level deal this season, however.

Tariq Hammond (Denver)

A lot of players on this list are known for their offensive abilities but Hammond is not one of those.  He is more of a pure stay-at-home defender but has the mobility to skate his way out of trouble, even after undergoing multiple ankle surgeries over the offseason which cost him playing time out of the gate this year.  He may not sign in the weeks to come but should land an entry-level deal before next season.

Grant Hutton (Miami (Ohio))

Hutton has really taken a big step forward this season and has become a real threat from the point with a career-best ten goals.  The right-shot defender has also logged tough minutes defensively and has a decent all-around game.  He is eligible to return for one more year but he should receive enough pro interest that allows him to find a fit he likes to forego his senior season.

Brogan Rafferty (Quinnipiac)

Rafferty actually drew NHL interest after his freshman campaign but chose to stick around.  He has improved in his sophomore campaign so it’s likely that he will draw some attention again this time around.  However, his overall game isn’t as refined as some of the other players on this list so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him remain at the NCAA level for another year.

Alec Rauhauser (Bowling Green State)

The sophomore has burst onto the scene with a very strong offensive repertoire that has allowed him to however around the point-per-game mark this season.  That alone will get the attention of some teams although it’s worth noting that his play in his own end needs some work.  It may be better for him to stick around for another year and become more of a two-way option as a result.

Jimmy Schuldt (St. Cloud)

Schuldt received a lot of NHL interest last year but chose to stick around for his junior campaign.  Suffice to say, that was a smart decision.  He has blossomed offensively into one of the better point producers on the back end at the college level and could be in line for a Hobey Baker nomination.  He is someone that teams may be willing to burn the first year of his entry-level deal now but the Huskies appear to be headed for a lengthy postseason run.

Snapshots: NCAA, Fines, Tolvanen

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The NCAA is a breeding ground for NHL talent these days, and over the next few weeks the top free agents will be snapped up by clubs all across the league. Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that two names in particular are getting a ton of interest.

Daniel Brickley of Minnesota State has apparently been contacted by 30 teams, while Jimmy Schuldt from St. Cloud State has spoken to 22. Both players went undrafted and can sign with a team as soon as their collegiate season ends, though both are juniors and could potentially return to college for another year. Both are left-handed defensemen who could step into an NHL lineup with little development, and they both will turn 23 before the end of the regular season.

  • The NHL handed out embellishment fines to both Nick Cousins and Brad Marchand, for their second incidents of the season. The first time a player is caught embellishing by the league, he is given a warning. Now, Cousins and Marchand will have to pay $2,000 and could face stiffer penalties if it continues. On the fifth such incident, the player’s coach starts to be fined as well.
  • Eeli Tolvanen continued his dominance of the KHL today, scoring two goals to send Jokerit to the next round. That will unfortunately delay his appearance in the NHL even further. Adam Vingan of the Tennessean reports the earliest Tolvanen’s season could now end is March 20th, but could play even later than that if Jokerit keeps winning. The outstanding young sniper has seven goals in six playoff games after finishing the regular season with 36 points in 49 games.

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