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An Early Look At The 2018 Draft Class

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Many hockey fans have had limited exposure to the 2018 draft class, outside some highlights of the Summer Showcase. The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy breaks down his early projections for the top prospects who will be eligible next summer. His top five shouldn’t surprise any who have been paying attention, but it’s a nice early introduction to the best of the best.

Rasmus Dahlin – D – Frolunda (SHL J20)

As of now, Dahlin is the man to beat for #1. Dahlin is drawing Erik Karlsson comparisons already, which is a tough benchmark for any 17 year old. Coming through the neutral zone, he weaves himself past traffic when there simply doesn’t appear to be a lane. His passes are crisp and accurate, and he isn’t afraid to go to high-scoring areas of the ice. His size at 6’2 makes him even more appealing, as he is not an easy horse to down once he’s achieved full gallop. Dahlin will need to continue to display flashes of offensive brilliance while rounding out his defensive game, but he’s essentially a lock to go top-three.

Andrei Svechnikov – RW – Barrie (OHL)

Svechnikov’s hands can make your jaw drop. Following in a long line of talented Russian scorers, his finesse sets him apart from the rest of his age group. He has a decent element of speed to his game and always finds himself open in high-scoring areas. In Barrie, he’ll need to round out his two-way ability, but barring major setbacks he should produce. Comparisons to other Russian picks will be inevitable (Nail Yakupov) but he seems to think the game at an elite level already. He also doesn’t shy away from cycling when necessary, and has more tricks up his sleeve than a simple rush-and-shoot mentality.

Joe Veleno – C – St John (QJMHL)

Veleno exudes passion, as anyone who witnessed the Ivan Hlinka tournament can attest. He captained the Canadian team to gold in that tourney, and looked like quite the leader in the process. His passes are already NHL level, and he has a sneaky accurate shot. He sees the ice well and coordinates plays well in any situation. His footwork is powerful and is also sure to impress. Veleno was even granted “exceptional status” by Team Canada and his body of work so far suggests it was not undeserved.

Adam Boqvist – D – Brynas (SHL J20)

For a defender, Boqvist can really fire the puck. His wrister is accurate and deadly if not respected. He skates with impressive speed and his edgework is clean and powerful. You can absolutely envision Boqvist quarterbacking an NHL powerplay in a few years’ time. He’s not the flashiest player on the list, to be sure, but he is effective in his straight-ahead style. His passing is impressive, but he might need to pick his spots on the attack a little better. Another player in the Karlsson mold, he should stand out enough to overcome his 5’11 stature.

Brady Tkachuk – LW – Boston U. (NCAA)

This player is a bit of a throwback to days when power forwards actually challenged for NHL roster spots regularly. Like his older brother, Calgary’s Matt Tkachuk, Brady is no pushover. At 6’2 he can hold off opponents while driving his way to the front of the net. His shot isn’t overly remarkable, but he always finds a way to hit twine. His deking ability is enough to drop defenders to their knees, and he has the vision to make special things happen. Tkachuk has committed to B.U. and it will be interesting to see how the rest of his game rounds out in the NCAA.

Morning Notes: Eichel, Hyman, De Haas

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The recent signing of Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year, $68MM contract has put the spotlight on some other players around the league, perhaps most notably Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres. Eichel is currently in contract negotiations with the Buffalo Sabres on what would likely be an eight-year extension, even though he’s not a restricted free agent until next summer. Darren Dreger of TSN joined WGR 550 in Buffalo today to talk about the potential contract, and he suggested something that few Buffalo fans wanted to hear.

Dreger believes the comparable for Eichel is still Connor McDavid, who signed an eight-year $100MM extension earlier this summer, and thinks the Buffalo center could get as much as $9.5MM on his new deal. That’s a huge number for a player who was limited by injury last season, and would put him among the top-10 players in the league. It seems like a ridiculous amount, but Eichel does have a higher points-per-game rate than Draisaitl and is already a full-time center. The face of the Sabres’ franchise should have a deal done within the next few weeks, as both sides want to get it done before training camp.

  • Zach Hyman knows that he could be pushed down the lineup in Toronto after the Maple Leafs signed Patrick Marleau, but he’s okay with that. Speaking with Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, Hyman made it clear that he’s just dedicated to winning and is happy to have even more depth on the wing. After a season in which he faced plenty of crisiticm for his perceived lack of “finish”—Hyman scored just 10 goals and 28 points despite playing with Auston Matthews for every game—he was signed to a four-year contract this summer. A clear favorite of Mike Babcock, Hyman sounded like a future coach when he told Hornby that “it’s good to have this problem.” The 25-year old will likely spend more time in a bottom-six role this year, where he could thrive chasing down weaker defenders in the offensive zone.
  • The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have signed James De Haas to an AHL contract. The 23-year old defenseman was a Detroit Red Wings draft pick, but became a free agent on Wednesday after finishing his four years at Clarkson University. He’s an interesting prospect that found a lot of success in the NCAA but doesn’t have a standout tool. Still, his size, skating and defensive ability could lead him to fill a depth role on the Philadelphia roster eventually. After logging huge minutes at Clarkson, he could step right into a big role for the Phantoms, who rely on more offensive-minded options like T.J. Brennan and Will O’Neill at present.

Blackhawks, Red Wings Not Pursuing Will Butcher

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Craig Custance of The Athletic filled us in on some of the teams that haven’t called on NCAA free agent and reigning Hobey Baker award winner Will Butcher, saying that Detroit, Chicago, Toronto and San Jose all haven’t contacted him. Custance adds Columbus to the list of teams who have reached out, which also includes Buffalo, New Jersey and Vegas. Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post adds that the Flyers also are not pursuing him.

Butcher is expected to start visiting clubs that have reached out in the next few days, and should make a decision before the end of the month. The University of Denver defenseman is coming off a season in which he scored 37 points but still comes with plenty of concerns over his size and ability to transition to the NHL level.

With several teams inching closer to the contract cap, handing out an entry-level contract for a 22-year old fifth-round pick isn’t possible for everyone. That said, his high hockey IQ and growth in the college ranks has enticed at least a few teams that have little to lose. Columbus is an interesting addition, as the Blue Jackets already have a huge pipeline of young defenders. There doesn’t seem to be a clear path to the NHL for Butcher there, though perhaps their evaluation process has led them to believe he can make an immediate impact.

Unlike Jimmy Vesey last year, who nearly the entire league was in agreement with regards to his ability to play at the NHL level (if in a slightly reduced role from the one he was used to at Harvard), there is no guarantee that Butcher ever makes it. While he’s been clear that he is willing to start his professional career in the AHL, it would be foolish to sign with a team without a clear NHL role in the future. Even if his career doesn’t pan out, the opportunity he’s been given right now as one of the top college free agents is one he’ll take his time with and make the best decision for his future.

Minor Transactions: 8/16/17

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Between a long-term extension for Leon Draisaitl in Edmonton, a return to Minnesota for Matt Cullen, and a couple of contracts for first day-eligible college free agents Dominic Toninato and Connor Clifton, it’s been a relatively busy August day for NHL transactions. Yet, here is some more news from across the hockey world:

  • The AHL’s Providence Bruins already made a splash today, signing the aforementioned Clifton, a standout right-handed defenseman from nearby Quinnipiac University, but another notable name has also joined the fold in Providence. The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver, who also broke the Clifton news, revealed that NHL veteran Josh Hennessy has agreed to return to Providence on a PTO to begin the season.  Hennessy has been playing for the Vaxjo Lakers in Sweden for much of the past three years and bounced around the KHL prior to that, but the 32-year-old was last in North America with the Boston Bruins and their affiliate in 2011-12. A 2003 second-round pick of the San Jose Sharks who has skated in 23 NHL games with the Bruins and Ottawa Senators, Hennessy clearly did not reach the expectations of his draft slot, but does have a history of high-scoring AHL campaigns. The P-Bruins had success with the PTO route last season, winding up with reliable veterans Peter Mueller and Matt Bartkowski, and hope that the local Massachusetts native can play well enough to crack a lineup that is chock full of talented Bruins prospects.
  • Divver also made note of another move affecting Providence hockey, but the NCAA’s Providence College Friars rather than the AHL’s Bruins. The OHL’s Guelph Storm announced today that they have signed forward Cam Hillis, the team’s second-round pick in the 2016 OHL Draft. However, to join the Storm, Hillis had to break his commitment to play college hockey at PC. As Divver points out, Hillis is now the third Friars recruit this summer to instead choose the major junior route, joining Merrick Rippon (Mississagua Steelheads) and Sam Rhodes (Barrie Colts).
  • Another player spurning the college game, but in Canada instead of the U.S., is former Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds forward Bobby MacIntyre. The undrafted overager registered 80 points in 63 games in his final OHL season and was one of the top targets of many Canadian universities. However, he will bypass the university path and go straight to the pros after an impressive campaign. Victor Findlay of the Canadian University Sports Network reports that MacIntyre has agreed to terms with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, the minor league affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets, on his first pro contract. MacIntyre could be an AHL rookie to watch for next season.
  • Another AHL deal of note was that of Jake Marchment joining the San Antonio Rampage. The Colorado Avalanche affiliate announced the signing today, as well as an extension for Shawn St. Amant. Marchment comes over from the San Jose Sharks organization, where he was a sixth-round pick in 2014. The big two-way center saw only four games of AHL action last year with the San Jose Barracuda, instead mostly skating in the ECHL. He’ll look for a greater opportunity in San Antonio in 2017-18. Many will remember Marchment as a member of the talented 2014-15 and 2015-16 Erie Otters teams, who made it to the OHL Championship and Conference Finals respectively. Marchment was acquired from the Belleville Bulls in 2015 in part to help the team on their playoff run and also to make up for the impending loss of superstar Connor McDavid.

Dominic Toninato Signs With Colorado Avalanche

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As we expected, Dominic Toninato is the first NCAA free agent off the board. The young forward has signed with the Colorado Avalanche. It was clear for a while that Toninato was not going to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the team had given him permission to talk to other teams even before hitting the open market today. The 23-year old will be signing a two-year entry-level contract.

Drafted in the fifth-round by Toronto five years ago, Toninato has grown into a top two-way forward that could step right into Colorado’s lineup in 2017-18. He was named the NCHC top defensive forward and had 29 points in his senior season, captaining the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs to the National Championship game.

He joins several Bulldogs in making the jump to professional hockey this summer, including Neal Pionk (Rangers), Brenden Kotyk (Rangers) Alex Iafallo (Kings) and Adam Johnson (Penguins).

Blaine Byron Pursued By At Least Four Teams

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While Will Butcher and Alex Kerfoot get all the headlines, another NCAA free agent is getting some attention from around the league. Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News reports that the “lead suitors” for Blaine Byron are New Jersey, Ottawa, Buffalo and Vegas. Byron became a free agent today after not signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins, despite his 41 points as a senior for the University of Maine.

It’s interesting that there wasn’t a deal to be made between Byron and Pittsburgh, as the team has a distinct lack of center depth in the minor leagues even with the addition of Zach Aston-Reese this spring. Perhaps it was obvious that there wasn’t much of an NHL future so Byron is trying to find somewhere else to ply his trade. Among the suitors are several teams that seem to be linked to every NCAA free agent today, as New Jersey and Buffalo attempt to add immediate talent while Vegas looks to add assets wherever it can.

The Senators are the most interesting as Byron is originally from Manotick, an Ottawa suburb. He played his midget hockey in Ottawa before heading to Junior A in order to preserve his college eligibility, even though he was selected by the Niagara IceDogs in the OHL draft. After four years with Maine, he leaves with 108 points in 141 games and will try to bring his excellent offensive creativity to the professional ranks.

Morning Notes: Matthews, Boqvist, Vancouver

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While the Edmonton Oilers lock up Connor McDavid and the Buffalo Sabres prepare an extension for Jack Eichel, the Toronto Maple Leafs have their own young phenom to start worrying about. Auston Matthews will be eligible for an extension on July 1st 2018, and James Mirtle of The Athletic was on TSN Radio this morning to discuss the general parameters.

Mirtle disagreed with the idea that players are upset at McDavid for taking less than the maximum, but did admit that it will set a sort of ceiling on any contract coming out of an entry-level deal. He suspects Matthews will earn around $11MM per season on his eventual deal. While the Maple Leafs are currently playing games with long-term injured reserve just to stay under the cap, they’ll have plenty of room by 2019 when Matthews (and Mitch Marner) are due for huge raises. The team has just six active skaters signed for that year, and could easily have some prospects still working through their ELC to help balance the check book.

  • Grant McCagg of Recrutes.ca released his latest “Grant’s Slant” piece today, discussing the emerging draft stock of Adam Boqvist and how he could challenge Rasmus Dahlin as the top option out of Sweden next year. Boqvist played extremely well at the Ivan Hlinka tournament and McCagg points at recent examples—Oliver Kylington and Timothy Liljegren in particular—of Swedish defenders falling rapidly in their draft year. It doesn’t look like Dahlin will give up his spot at the top of most draft boards next spring, but it would be silly to sleep on Boqvist who will be a top prospect in his own right.
  • Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 in Vancouver has been all over the Alex Kerfoot situation, and now reports that the NCAA free agent will visit the Canucks today. That will be his first visit, but it won’t be his only one as “several teams” have been in contact with his camp. The former Harvard captain did not sign with the New Jersey Devils before the deadline, and has been linked to his hometown Canucks for some time. The undersized forward has a nice skill set but like many other college free agents could have limited upside in the long-term.

NCAA Notes: Butcher, Toninato, Clifton

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Today is finally the day that graduating NCAA draft picks shed their former teams and become unrestricted free agents, and Will Butcher has already been linked to a half dozen teams. One team he won’t be talking to? Tampa Bay, who according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times are “not among the early suitors” for the reigning Hobey Baker award winner.

Butcher is expected to sign within the next week, and all along has said he’s open to starting the year in the AHL if it meant coming aboard with a franchise with recent success or at least trending towards a championship. Whether that holds true in the face of an opening day NHL role in places like New Jersey and Buffalo is still to be seen.

  • Dominic Toninato is another name to keep an eye on, after he went unsigned by the Toronto Maple Leafs because of their contract squeeze. Matt Wellens of the Duluth News Tribune reports that the Maple Leafs did in fact offer Toninato an entry-level contract last spring after his junior season, but found themselves without any room this summer. Toninato could be one of the first names off the board, since he was given permission to speak with other teams early. The 6’2″ forward isn’t the usual undersized offering from the college ranks, and has considerable potential in a bottom-six role.
  • Among other names to watch from the college ranks is Connor Clifton, who didn’t sign with the Arizona Coyotes after four years at Quinnipiac. The in-your-face defender took a slight step backwards this year on a worse team, but could still provide some depth on the blueline for a club around the league. He’s still just 22, relatively young for a college free agent, and plays about as physical as you can for a 5’11” 175-lbs player.

Alexey Marchenko Heads To KHL, Wants NHL Return Eventually

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Yesterday Alexey Marchenko was placed on unconditional waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of a mutual contract termination, with many suspecting he’d return to the KHL for the upcoming season. That has been confirmed by his agent Dan Milstein, who also reports that Marchenko would like to return to the NHL at some point in the future. Milstein didn’t confirm which team Marchenko would play for, though it’s widely believed that CSKA Moscow will be his destination. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reports that it will be a three-year deal. The Maple Leafs will gain a contract slot and $1.45MM in cap space for this season, the same amount Marchenko was due in the final year of his contract.

Both the cap space and contract slot are huge assets for the Maple Leafs, who remain over the $75MM salary cap and now have 48/50 players under contract. That’s not including Connor Brown, who is a restricted free agent but expected to sign before the start of training camp. Brown and Maple Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello have expressed no concern over negotiations, and likely wer waiting for transactions like this in order to free up some room.

The Maple Leafs could also now be players in NCAA free agency tomorrow, when Will Butcher and Alex Kerfoot will headline a group of players that also includes former Toronto draft pick Dominic Toninato. Toninato has said that there wasn’t room for him in Toronto in the past, which could have just changed with the termination of Marchenko. Still, Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News listed the Maple Leafs as a possible destination for Butcher, though another left-handed defenseman seems unlikely for a team already loaded with them.

A final possibility is now free agency for the Maple Leafs, as they previously couldn’t have added another player without risking their not being room for Brown to sign. With several useful names still out there, the upstart Toronto team could add some more veteran presence to one of the youngest squads in the league.

NCAA Free Agent Rules

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Some of the most intricate rules in the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement have to do with player draft rights. Depending both on where the player was when drafted, and the path he takes after being selected exclusive negotiating rights can be held for anywhere between two years and indefinitely. When it comes to players joining the NCAA ranks, it gets even trickier.

We saw one of the less often used tactics earlier this summer, when Cal Petersen declared he would not return to Notre Dame for his senior season. Since Petersen had been drafted four years ago, the Buffalo Sabres were given 30 days in which to sign him or lose his exclusive negotiating rights. The Sabres couldn’t get him under contract, and a month later the Los Angeles Kings scooped him up. Petersen could use this tactic because of the year he spent in the USHL after his draft, pushing his scheduled graduation to five years out from his draft year.

But this isn’t the method you want to hear about today. Will Butcher and Alex Kerfoot lead a group of players who will see their draft rights expire today after completing their senior seasons, and will be allowed to sign with any team in the NHL tomorrow, August 16th. Though their free agency is being widely reported as starting today, teams actually retain their negotiating rights through the end of day.  From Section 8.6(c)(i) of the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement:

If a Player drafted at age 18 or 19 is a bona fide college student at the time of his selection in the Entry Draft, or becomes a bona fide college student prior to the first June 1 following his selection in the Entry Draft, and remains a bona fide college student through the graduation of his college class, his drafting Club shall retain the exclusive right of negotiation for his services through and including the August 15 following the graduation of his college class. The Club need not make a Bona Fide Offer to such Player to retain such rights.

Though it’s quite possible that teams are already talking to the upcoming free agents—probable even, despite not technically being allowed to do so—they won’t be signing with anyone until tomorrow. Since this version of the CBA was introduced only Robbie Russo signed right away, inking with the Detroit Red Wings on August 16th nearly immediately after becoming a free agent. Last year we saw John Gilmour lead the pack by signing with the New York Rangers on August 18th, before Thomas DiPauli and Jimmy Vesey followed on the 19th to Pittsburgh and New York respectively.

While Butcher and Kerfoot are exciting players, and should sign within a few days of becoming free agents we will have to wait for one more day before anything can be officially announced. For now, they’re still tied to the Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils.

*Note: Kerfoot actually could have used the method described in Petersen’s case to become a free agent last summer, since he played an additional season in the BCHL after being selected by the Devils in 2012. For ease of reading we did not include all of the CBA provisions, but if you’d like to read more about why his rights are held through and including August 15th, check out Section 8.6(c)(iii). 

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