Morning Notes: Ekman-Larsson, Czechs, Sikura
Oliver Ekman-Larsson is one of the most interesting names on the rumor mill lately, with the Arizona Coyotes destined for a finish near the bottom of the league once again. The 26-year old defenseman will be a free agent in the summer of 2019, but Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes that the team will have to make a decision before that.
Garrioch reports that the asking price for Ekman-Larsson right now is two high-end roster players and a first-round pick, a prohibitive package for any team really trying to compete this year. Still, the Maple Leafs, Devils and Flyers have all apparently shown interest in the defender in the past, and several other teams would surely jump in if the price dropped closer to the deadline.
- The Czech Republic released their Olympic team for the upcoming Games, including familiar NHL names like Martin Erat, Roman Cervenka and Jiri Sekac. Like the other countries, the Czech team is made up of professionals scattered across various European leagues and the KHL.
- Dylan Sikura continues to impress at Northeastern with 30 points in his first 19 games, and as Scott Powers of The Athletic writes, the Chicago Blackhawks have more than just an eye on him for the end of the season. The Blackhawks fully intend to sign Sikura and add him to the NHL roster after his NCAA career comes to an end, though depending on how far his school goes in the final tournament if could throw a wrench into those plans. Powers excellently details all the possibilities for Sikura, including waiting until August 15th to become an unrestricted free agent. Though that technically could happen still, it seems extremely unlikely that he’d do anything but sign with the Blackhawks at this point.
Snapshots: USA Hockey, Florida-Boston, Hyka
Recently young Colorado prospect Cale Makar turned down the opportunity to head to Pyeongchang with the Canadian Olympic squad, but as Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reports, Troy Terry didn’t hesitate. Terry will be part of Team USA at the Games in the middle of another exceptional season at the University of Denver.
Interestingly, Chambers notes that USA Hockey was hesitant to select two players from the same college program meaning Dylan Gambrell—also having an excellent season with DU, scoring 27 points in 22 games—won’t be heading overseas. Gambrell, a second-round pick of the San Jose Sharks has scored at better than a point-per-game pace since he entered the NCAA.
- The Florida Panthers-Boston Bruins game that was cancelled due to inclement weather recently has been rescheduled for April 8th, extending the NHL season by one day. The original schedule had all teams finishing by April 7th, while the playoffs are set to begin on April 11th.
- Tomas Hyka has been added to the AHL All-Star roster in place of Brandon Pirri, an impressive accomplishment for the first-year player. Hyka was signed out of the Czech professional league in the offseason, and has 23 points in 26 AHL contests. He earned an NHL call-up in December, but didn’t get into a game for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Cale Makar Turns Down Olympic Offer
Since his explosive performance at the World Junior Championships as a powerplay quarterback and dynamic offensive presence, Colorado Avalanche prospect Cale Makar‘s name has been thrown around as a potential option for the Canadian Olympic team. According to Darren Dreger of TSN, Makar did in fact get an invitation to the team but has “respectfully declined.”
This option has also been mentioned recently, as Makar already took time off from his freshman year at UMass-Amherst and wanted to get back to his development path for the NHL. The fourth-overall selection in last year’s draft, Makar had already said he was unlikely to stay in the NCAA for more than “one or two years” meaning the next few months could be his only time spent outside the professional ranks. With his performance so far this year the Avalanche must already be counting the days until he gets into their system, and he could even play a role for them down the stretch this season.
None of that is to say that the Olympics would prevent him from turning pro this season. But if Makar believes his long-term future would be adversely affected by another stint away from his college team (and studies, for that matter) this decision is understandable, if a little surprising. He’ll almost undoubtedly play more important minutes with his college team than what he would be asked to do for Team Canada.
The Canadian squad will have to go without his dynamic playmaking, and according to Dreger likely won’t have the speed of Jordan Kyrou either. Dreger reports that no CHL players are expected to be named as of right now. Victor Mete, another potential option, is still with Montreal following his World Junior stint and could be in the NHL the remainder of the season.
Vancouver Canucks Not Worried About Signing Adam Gaudette
In the next few months, we’ll start to hear more and more about the impressive prospects playing at the NCAA level and whether they’ll be turning to the professional ranks. The National Championship game will be held on April 7th, marking the last game many draft picks will play in college.
The Vancouver Canucks are keeping a close eye on one collegiate player in particular, and their director of amateur scouting Judd Brackett joined Sportsnet radio earlier today to speak about Adam Gaudette. Gaudette, 21, has been tearing up the NCAA since he debuted for Northeastern University in 2015, and has 30 points in just 20 games this season. This is his third year in school, and he’ll have a chance to sign with the Canucks or go back to finish his NCAA career in 2018-19. When asked about the chances the Canucks sign him this spring, Brackett seemed very positive:
[Gaudette’s] very excited about beginning a pro career. I think that’s a safe bet, but you know, other things have happened before. I think Adam is excited to become a Canuck.
Drafted in the fifth round in 2015, Gaudette transitioned beautifully from the USHL to college, scoring 30 points as a freshman and showing that his all-around game could hold up against players several years older than him. Now an alternate captain for Northeastern, the forward can make creative plays in the offensive zone and is responsible in his own end.
Vancouver knows first hand what kind of talent the NCAA has, as they watched Brock Boeser jump from the University of North Dakota to scoring his first NHL goal in less than 24 hours last spring. Though Gaudette isn’t expected to make the same kind of impact at the professional level, he’s certainly done everything right in his development to this point. An entry-level contract is likely waiting for him when his season is over.
Morning Notes: World Juniors, Thomas, Savard
The World Juniors have come and gone, and once again scouts all across the league have started to adjust their rankings and projections. One such prognosticator, Corey Pronman of The Athletic, goes in depth on what he saw at the tournament and his main takeaways.
Pronman agrees with the rest of the writers who voted Casey Mittelstadt as tournament MVP, after the Buffalo Sabres prospect looked dangerous on every shift. Even with Buffalo struggling once again this season, there may be a light on the horizon in Mittelstadt. The eight-overall pick from 2017 has found immediate success at the University of Minnesota, and looks ready to turn pro after just one season in the NCAA. While he’s made no indication on whether he’ll be a one-and-done, the Sabres will undoubtedly make a pitch in the spring to bring him aboard.
- Speaking of World Junior prospects, the London Knights of the OHL have traded St. Louis Blues’ prospect Robert Thomas to the Hamilton Bulldogs for a package that includes five draft picks, stretching all the way to 2026. Thomas, selected 20th-overall in 2017, didn’t have an outstanding tournament for Team Canada but is still an intriguing prospect for the Blues. His defensive ability and versatility all while being an outstanding offensive producer makes it easy to envision him transitioning to the professional ranks with success. If he doesn’t crack the Blues out of camp next season he can still return to the junior ranks, and could be a returnee at the World Juniors next year as one of Canada’s top options up front.
- David Savard‘s wallet is a little lighter this morning, after being fined $5,000 for slashing Vincent Trocheck last night. Savard wasn’t given a penalty on the play, but didn’t avoid the gaze of the Department of Player Safety. While this obviously isn’t a suspension, it will be taken into account on any further disciplinary action from the league.
Morning Notes: Walsh, Juniors, KHL
USA Hockey has made another cut from their World Junior squad, sending defenseman Reilly Walsh back to Harvard. Walsh is a third-round pick of the New Jersey Devils, but was one of the younger players in development camp and will have a shot at the team again next year (provided he isn’t in the NHL).
The team is down to 26 players, with the final cuts expected after tomorrow’s final pre-tournament tune up game against Sweden. Walsh, 18, will return to his freshman year at Harvard where he has eight points in his first ten games. The undersized, but elite-skating son of former NHL player Mike Walsh, he’ll be one to watch as his NCAA career progresses.
- In terms of other World Junior players to watch, Mike Morreale of NHL.com gives us a breakdown of the names eligible for the 2018 draft. Rasmus Dahlin and Andrei Svechnikov obviously lead that group, but there are quite a few other top prospects set to play in the tournament. One to especially keep an eye on is Rasmus Kupari, the 17-year old Finnish forward who is already playing regularly for Karpat. He has his blemishes, but owns one of the highest offensive ceilings in the draft if everything clicks and could go in the top-10.
- Speaking of offensive upside, KHL insider Aivis Kalnins reports that Admiral Vladivostok has released bought out three key players, Vladimir Tkachev, Ivan Nalimov and Oskars Bartulis. Vladivostok is one of the teams that has had trouble paying its player salaries in the past. Tkachyev, 22, is an extremely undersized forward that has huge offensive skill, and was once heavily courted by the Edmonton Oilers. Kalnins believes that Tkachev has another deal in the KHL already, but Nalimov, a Chicago Blackhawks goaltending prospect, could come overseas. Many will also remember Bartulis from his short stint with the Philadelphia Flyers, after being selected in the third round of the 2005 draft.
College Notes: Phillips, Knoepke, Campoli
The University of Minnesota is set to bring in a rare mid-season recruit, as the College Hockey News reports that defenseman Clayton Phillips has committed to join the Golden Gophers. Phillips, 18, was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third round this past June and has 12 points in 16 USHL games this season. The undersized blue liner makes up for his lack of a physical game with outstanding skating and good offensive instincts. Phillips will bolster the defensive depth of a Minnesota team that already features a starting six that has all been drafted into the NHL, led by Boston Bruins prospect Ryan Lindgren.
- However, Minnesota will be without freshman defenseman Nate Knoepke for the remainder of the season and potentially longer. The 2018 draft-eligible prospect has left school and returned to the USHL, citing a lack of playing time with the Gophers as the reason for his departure. As previously stated, Minnesota has a solid starting six and while a previously-drafted player like Phillips may not mind battling for play time, Knoepke felt he needed more exposure ahead of the 2018 NHL Draft. Because he is staying in the USHL, joining the Sioux City Musketeers, instead of going the major junior route, Knoepke will not lose his NCAA eligibility and could still return to Minnesota or another institution next season.
- Boston College sophomore rearguard Michael Campoli is also giving up on the college game for now. The BCHL’s Penticton Vees announced that Campoli has left school and signed with the team for the 2018 segment of the team’s season. Campoli, 19, played in only 12 games for the Eagles last season and has yet to see any action so far in the 2017-18 campaign. However, with a 6’3″, nearly 200-lb. frame, Campoli has the size to make a difference on the back end. Like Knoepke, by joining the Junior-A BCHL, Campoli too can return to the NCAA later on if the right opportunity presents itself.
Cole Caufield Commits To The University of Wisconsin
The 2019 NHL Draft may seem like a long way away, as does the 2019-20 season, but the excitement is real and right now in Madison, Wisconsin. The Badgers today announced the commitment of five star prospect Cole Caufield to play hockey at the University of Wisconsin, beginning in 2019. Caufield is considered a potential top-ten pick in two years.
Caufield, 16, is a current member of the U.S. National Development U-17 Team. He and his brother, Brock Caufield, had both previously committed to Big Ten rival Ohio State University, but decommitted earlier this year. Brock, 18, announced his commitment to Wisconsin last week and will join little brother Cole in 2019. However, only the younger brother has drawn draft interest, and in a big way. A recent ranking of 2019 prospects by TSN’s Craig Button had Caufield as the eighth-best prospect. While the scoring winger lacks size in a major way – he currently stands at 5’6″, 146 lbs. – he has years left of growth and development remaining and Button believes that his offense speaks for itself regardless of his stature. Besides, the NHL is growing more and more comfortable with smaller, speedier players, as evidenced by 5’8″, 154-lb. Kailer Yamamoto‘s selection by the Edmonton Oilers at #22 this past June. Like Yamamoto, what really counts is the production and Caufield has scored at nearly two points per game so far with the USNTDP. By 2019, a slightly larger Caufield could easily fulfill his draft projection.
Meanwhile, the Badgers are quickly becoming known for their ability to recruit high-end talent. The 2017-18 roster contains nine NHL drafted players, including a pair of promising Boston Bruins prospects in 2016 first-rounder Trent Frederic and 2015 sixth-round steal Cameron Hughes, and just graduated another 2016 top pick, Minnesota Wild rookie Luke Kunin, this past year. And that’s just the beginning; Wisconsin has ten 2018 draft eligible (and likely to be drafted) players coming to Madison next year, including potential first-round defenseman K’Andre Miller, and another peer of Caufield’s, a likely 2019 first-rounder, in Alex Turcotte coming the year after. These are exciting times for Wisconsin hockey.
Lightning’s Cole Guttman Commits To University Of Denver
Cole Guttman might not be a major name among hockey fans just yet, but one of the top programs in college hockey has at least taken notice. Guttman, who was drafted in the sixth round by the Tampa Bay Lightning this past June, has committed to the University of Denver, the reigning NCAA Champions.
Guttman is currently in his second season with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints and has four goals and four assists through eleven games. In 2016-17, Guttman was one of only 13 forwards in the league with a scoring rate of more than a point per game. Among that group were 2017 first rounders Casey Mittelstadt, Josh Norris, and Eeli Tolvanen and potential 2018 first overall pick Andrei Svechnikov. The league’s 7th-best goal scorer, Guttman was a major piece to Dubuque’s run to the USHL semifinals along with fellow NCAA commits Zach Solow (Northeastern) and Colin Theisen (Notre Dame).
With Denver, Guttman will re-unite with former Fighting Saints coach Jim Montgomery and a program loaded with talent. While any or all of the Pioneers’ big names – Henrik Borgstrom, Troy Terry, and Dylan Gambrell could be gone by next season, some may remain to join Guttman, 2017 second-round defender Ian Mitchell, Eero Teravainen, brother of Carolina Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen, and a flurry of other incoming, 2018 draft eligible talents like Mathias Pettersen, Will MacKinnon, Erik Middendorf. It looks as if the good times for Denver won’t be ending any time soon.
Prospect Notes: Gawdin, Plant, Rising Stars
The Calgary Flames have inked another young CHL player to an entry-level deal, signing Glenn Gawdin to a three-year contract. Gawdin was originally a fourth-round draft pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2015 but never signed, becoming a free agent. He’s currently playing as a 20-year old in the WHL for the Swift Current Broncos.
Though Gawdin has been an effective player throughout his junior career, this season has been spectacular as he plays against younger competition. With 40 points in 18 games, he ranks third in the WHL in scoring and only trails two of his own teammates. He’ll be heading to the AHL next year in all likelihood, but with experience at center ice could be on a fast track to Calgary.
- Mike Chambers of the Denver Post gives us an early snippet of NCAA free agent interest, reporting that Colorado Avalanche assistant GM Chris MacFarland has been scouting the University of Denver’s home games with an eye on defenseman Adam Plant. Plant is a small, mobile defenseman who serves as an alternate captain for DU and would be the latest in something that has become somewhat of a trend in Colorado. Over the last six months they’ve acquired both Cale Makar and Samuel Girard, both smaller, mobile defenders themselves.
- NHL.com’s resident prospect guru Mike Morreale profiles seven 2018-eligible prospects that have raised their stock so far this season, and includes Bode Wilde from the US National Team Development Program. It’s not the last time you’ll hear Wilde’s name, as he appears near the top of most prospect lists so far. TSN’s Craig Button even has him ranked sixth overall on his list, noting that he commands every game he plays in. Wilde is the latest big, strong two-way defenseman developed in the NTDP, and could hear his name called in the top third of the first-round next June. He’s committed to the University of Michigan for 2018-19.