Justin Kloos Signs Two-Year Contract With Minnesota Wild
After reporting that it was down to just a few teams for University of Minnesota forward Justin Kloos, Michael Russo now reports that the Wild have come to an agreement with him on a two-year contract. Kloos will also sign an amateur tryout to play for the Iowa Wild for the remainder of this season. 
Kloos is a hometown boy for the Wild, growing up in Lakeville, Minnesota and won the state Mr. Hockey award before heading to college. During his stint in the NCAA, the 5’9 178-lbs center showed his drive and worth ethic every game, never slowing down or taking a shift off. His speed is his calling card and though he has some excellent playmaking skill, it’s the ability to consistently beat defenders to loose pucks in the offensive zone that really intrigues.
Scoring at least 32 points in all four years, Kloos scored 43 in 38 games this season and captained the team the last two years. While he doesn’t have the traditional size of an NHL center, he’ll look to players like Tyler Johnson to try and emulate success in the top league. The ability to create both off the rush and below the goal line will benefit him as he joins the professional ranks.
It’s not clear if the Wild will keep Kloos in the middle, but the team has often moved players in and out of the center position in order to build the best roster. Charlie Coyle and Mikael Granlund have both spent most of the season on the wing despite coming up as centers, and with Mikko Koivu and Eric Staal on the books for next season, it would be hard for Kloos to crack that group. He’ll try to make his mark at the AHL level for the time being and prove he can compete with the bigger, faster players.
UMN has now lost several key players from their roster, with Kloos joining Vinni Lettieri and Jake Bischoff in the professional ranks. One to watch on the Golden Gophers next year will be Brent Gates if he decides to go back to school. The Anaheim Ducks third-round pick will be given more responsibility and should thrive after a solid sophomore season.
Kloos Chased By Flames And Wild
Michael Russo of the Star-Tribune reported today that both the Calgary Flames and the Minnesota Wild are trying to sign University of Minnesota Gophers captain Justin Kloos. The Gophers failed to make the NCAA Frozen Four after losing to Notre Dame in the NCAA Regional tournament, ending Kloos’s four year run with the school.
Kloos is an intriguing college free agent. He had 18G and 25A in 38 games for the Gophers this season, equaling his point total from last season. The diminutive center—he’s only 5’9 and 179lbs—was second in team scoring, but ahead of recent New York Rangers signing Vinni Lettieri.
According to Michael Russo, the Wild offered Kloos a pro deal next season coupled with an amateur try-out with the AHL Iowa Wild this season. It is unclear at the moment what the Flames offered Kloos. If Kloos chose the Wild, however, he’d be playing in front of a home town crowd. Kloos grew up in Lakeville, MN—half an hour outside of Minneapolis—and was crowned Minnesota Mr. Hockey in 2012.
Jake Walman Signs Three-Year Contract With St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues have locked up an important prospect, as the team inked Jake Walman to a three-year, entry-level contract Tuesday evening. Walman had been expected to turn pro for some time, but had to wait until Providence College was eliminated from the NCAA tournament. He will head to the Chicago Wolves on an amateur tryout for the remainder of the season. 
An incredible skater, Walman is difficult to stop when he he carries the puck through the neutral zone. A natural puck-rushing defender, he’s taken steps to become a better defender this season and will continue to do so at the professional level. His offensive upside is tremendous, but he won’t be able to use that ability at even strength enough without some good work at the AHL level to tighten up his gaps and stop relying on his speed to make up for any mistakes. At just 21, he’s ahead of the curve developmentally for a third-round pick, and should be pushing for an NHL job before he’s 23.
St. Louis has done well this spring to bring in their top NCAA prospects, getting Walman and Tage Thompson to both leave school early and join the professional ranks. Both players showed immense potential at the college level, and represent part of the next wave of players for the Blues. After a struggle in the first part of the season, the team has turned its NHL product into a contender again, while restocking the system with college players and a strong return for Kevin Shattenkirk. For anyone who thought the Blues might be headed in the wrong direction at the end of 2016, they look far from it now.
College Notes: Jost, Foo, Vecchione
In the latest ’30 Thoughts’ column from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet there are several interesting tidbits about some college players that have been eliminated from the NCAA tournament in the past few days. One of the most notable is Tyson Jost, the Colorado Avalanche prospect and 10th-overall pick from last summer. Friedman says that it’s tough to read the situation on Jost after his freshman season at North Dakota, and mentions there is still the possibility of him returning for a second year.
Jost had an incredible year, scoring 38 points in 35 games for UND while also starring for Team Canada at the World Juniors. The former BCHL superstar turned 19 less than two weeks ago, and would benefit from another year in the NCAA and a run at the Hobey Baker trophy. There is no rush for Colorado, who won’t be competing next season but consider Jost one of their untouchables going forward.
- Friedman also touches on Mike Vecchione, the Union College star who is a free agent and can sign anywhere. Reports indicate that he’ll make a decision within the next 24 hours. On Monday it came out that Philadelphia was pushing hard for the 24-year old, though it’s not clear if they are still in the running today. The offensive dynamo tied for the leading point-scorer in the nation, and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker this season.
- Spencer Foo, a teammate of Vecchione at Union, has told teams he won’t play pro hockey this season. That doesn’t mean that he’s definitely going back to school though, and LA Kings Insider Dan Rosen has heard that basically the entire league is interested in him. As Rosen notes at the end of his piece, Foo was an Edmonton Oilers fan growing up and Friedman notes that there is a lot of interest from the Canadian NHL clubs. The winger scored 62 points in 38 games this season and is another Hobey Baker finalist.
- Rosen goes on to report that Steven Johnson, a Los Angeles Kings draft pick from 2014 will head back to school at the University of Minnesota for his senior year. The Kings will have just a few months to sign him after next season if they so choose, but he’ll have to take another step forward to earn an entry-level contract after graduation. Right now his entire game still needs polish and he’ll hopefully have the chance to step into a bigger role now that Jake Bischoff is off to the professional ranks.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Joseph Gambardella To Two-Year Contract
The Edmonton Oilers have jumped into the NCAA free agent waters, signing Joseph Gambardella to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal will start in 2017-18, a season in which Gambardella will turn 24. The undrafted forward has just finished his senior year at University of Massachusetts-Lowell and was a free agent.
While he was already 23 for much of the season, Gambardella really excelled in his final year, scoring 52 points in 41 games and led the River Hawks in scoring for the first time in his college career. The somewhat undersized forward has a relentless drive for the net and played most of the season alongside C.J. Smith, another undrafted scoring threat that might sign after next season. Gambardella is fearless in front of the net, battling for position against bigger players and often coming up with the puck.
Most of his scoring has come from within five feet of the net, winning rebounds and finding a way to bury the puck from incredibly difficult angles. Because he doesn’t have elite skill with the puck, he’ll need to continue to be that feisty net-front presence at the next level to find success. Because of that style, and his level of strength and balance, he could likely contribute to an NHL roster’s bottom-six within the next year. As long as he accepts a different role than the top scoring threat at even strength and on the powerplay, he could become a very productive professional.
Minor Moves: Fucale, Renouf, Pedrie
The Montreal Canadiens won the most important game of the season on Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators, putting them up by three points in the Atlantic Division. That had them flying high until this morning when the team announced that Al Montoya has suffered a lower-body injury and will be unavailable for the game tonight against the Dallas Stars. Instead, the Canadiens have recalled Zach Fucale from the ECHL Brampton Beast to back up Carey Price tonight.
Fucale was drafted in the second round in 2013, and Montreal still has high hopes for the 21-year old. The young netminder has struggled since his draft year at different levels, but still has the raw talent to put it all together as his body matures. Goaltenders often put it together much later than skaters, meaning Fucale could still improve drastically. For now, he’ll get a taste of the NHL from the bench.
- The Detroit Red Wings have re-assigned Dan Renouf to the AHL after making his NHL debut just last night. He was called up on an emergency basis, and will now return to Grand Rapids for the time being. The 22-year old was an NCAA free agent last spring, and has had a solid professional debut this season. With 15 points in 58 games, he has provided a little offense for the Griffins in addition to his normal physical brand of defense. Renouf’s departure likely means the return of Niklas Kronwall to the Detroit lineup for the game against Carolina tonight.
- As expected, the Rangers have signed Vince Pedrie to an entry-level contract. The Penn State defenseman broke the news himself last night on Instagram, before deleting it and waiting for the team’s announcement. 23-years old and just finished his sophomore year, Pedrie will instead turn to the professional ranks for the next chapter in his hockey career. The puck-moving defenseman is a nice addition to a Rangers prospect system that has been stripped bare in recent years.
Vancouver Canucks To Sign NCAA Free Agent Griffen Molino
After reporting that Matt Iacopelli would sign with the Chicago Blackhawks, John Buccigross of ESPN also tweets that teammate Griffen Molino will be headed to the Vancouver Canucks. The undrafted Western Michigan forward will apparently turn pro after just his sophomore year at the university.
The 23-year old Molino was the second-highest scorer on WMU this season (behind Iacopelli) after leading the team in his freshman year. With good speed and solid playmaking ability, Molino is a dangerous distributor on the Broncos’ powerplay. Often playing the point, he can find players all over the ice when it looks like nothing is there.
At the next level though, those cross-seam passes will be harder to complete and Molino will have to adjust his game accordingly. Stronger on the puck than his 5’11” 171-lbs frame would suggest, he does seem ready to play against bigger competition. It will be interesting to see if the hockey sense and passing ability will carry over to the faster AHL game.
Matt Iacopelli To Sign With Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks may have missed out on Vinni Lettieri earlier today, but they are close to locking up another one of their own prospects. According to John Buccigross of ESPN Matt Iacopelli will sign with the ‘Hawks now that Western Michigan has been eliminated from the NCAA tournament.
A former dominant scoring threat in the USHL, Iacopelli was drafted in the third round by the ‘Hawks in 2014. This season saw him breakout at the college level with 20 goals and 36 points, leading the Broncos in scoring. Though he was only in his second year of college, Iacopelli will turn 23 in May and is likely closer to his peak than many other prospects.
With an NHL-ready shot, Iacopelli can score from just about anywhere in the offensive zone if given the time and space. It’s creating that space that will give him trouble at the next level, as though he’s big enough and has been billed as a power forward since his draft year, he sometimes lacks the ability to grind below the goal line and force opponents into mistakes.
He’s entering an organization who has continued to excel at turning NCAA prospects into high-caliber NHL players, as most recently evidenced with John Hayden‘s transition to the league. If Iacopelli commits to learning their systems and playing whichever role they lay out for him, it’s not unthinkable that he’ll find success at the higher levels.
Jeff Taylor Signs Two-Year Deal With Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins have come to terms with a 2014 draft pick, inking Union College standout Jeff Taylor to a two-year, entry-level contract that will begin next season. For now, Taylor will report to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL on an amateur tryout contract.
Taylor was selected in the seventh round of the 2014 draft after winning the NCAA championship in his freshman year at Union, and recently finished his four years by putting up 33 points in 38 games while serving as alternate captain this season. The defender was once known for an extremely risky play style, disregarding his position and carrying the puck through traffic. He has since developed a more two-way game, though his defensive ability still lags a bit.
If the Penguins can get him into their system that allows offensive defensemen to play to their strengths while continuing to develop the defensive side, he could thrive. A bit undersized, he’ll have to rely on his instincts and positioning more than physicality at the professional level.
College Notes: White, Vecchione, Foo, DeSimone
The Senators are making progress in contract discussions with college center Colin White, his agent, Kent Hughes, told Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link). The 20 year old was Ottawa’s first round pick (21st overall) back in 2015 and recently finished his second season at Boston College. It has been reported for a while that they would like White to turn pro although the disagreement stems from when the contract should start.
If White signs starting next season, he would only be eligible to play at the minor league level on an amateur tryout deal but the Sens would get the three full years on his entry level contract. However, if they were to sign him to a deal that started right away, he’d be eligible to play down the stretch and in the postseason. However, White would reach restricted free agency (and a bigger pay day) one year sooner, something the team didn’t seem to be too interested in as of a few days ago.
Other notes from the NCAA:
- With Union College being eliminated from the NCAA tournament, center Mike Vecchione is expected to draw plenty of interest. Among the teams that are high on signing him are the Flyers who are among the contenders to land him, reports Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The 24 year old senior tied for the lead in NCAA scoring, recording 63 points (29-34-63) in just 38 games. Vecchione has taken part in four different development camps over his career including ones with the Flyers and his hometown Bruins. Carchidi notes that the forward is close to signing and that his goal is to play in the NHL this season, meaning that whoever signs him would have to burn the first year of his entry level deal right away.
- Vecchione isn’t the only Union free agent that’s expected to generate interest. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that right winger Spencer Foo and defenseman Nick DeSimone will receive interest, including from several Canadian teams. Foo finished just one point behind Vecchione while DeSimone set new career bests in goals (nine) and points (19). Both players still have one year of college eligibility remaining so it’s not a guarantee that either will opt to turn pro.