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College Notes: Hayden, Doherty, Kelleher

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Fresh off inking his entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, former Yale center John Hayden will make his NHL debut tonight when the ’Hawks take on the Ottawa Senators. Hayden, Chicago’s third-round pick in 2013, recorded 21 goals and 13 assists in his 2016-17 senior season. The Blackhawks clearly believe that he is ready to continue scoring, as they’ll throw him into the fire of NHL action less than a week removed from NCAA game play. Regardless of Hayden’s participation level for Chicago down the stretch and in the postseason, playing in just this one game tonight will effectively use up the first of his two-year deal, so the ’Hawks certainly hope that his play will justify their decision.

  • Hayden’s Yale teammate, winger Mike Doherty, has also joined the pro ranks, but not the NHL just yet. Doherty has reportedly agreed to a deal with the AHL’s Providence Bruins. For the Reading, Mass. native, the move gives him the chance to show his ability at the next level for the remainder of this season in hopes of earning a contract with his hometown Boston Bruins as a result. A four-year starter at Yale, Doherty is a two-way forward, capable of contributing modest offense, but in need of further development if he hopes to make it to the NHL one day. He’ll get the chance to continue that growing process in Providence, where Boston youngsters Frank Vatrano, Austin Czarnik, Peter Cehlarik, and more recently found their way.
  • Another New England collegiate prospect is soon to be on his way to the big leagues as well. University of New Hampshire speedster Tyler Kelleher is expected to sign with the New Jersey Devils, who have long been rumored to be the leading suitor for his services. Prior to the 2016-17 season, Kelleher was not on many NHL radars, as his size – just 5’6″, 161 lbs. – limited his potential. However, after scoring 63 points in 40 games this year, his explosive offense is now overshadowing his miniature stature. If the Devils can find a way to work Kelleher into their lineup without his size becoming a liability, they could be the beneficiaries of one of the best offensive skill sets in all of college hockey.

Jake Walman Expected To Turn Pro After Season Ends

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The St. Louis Blues had several key prospects in the college ranks this year, headlined by the recently signed Tage Thompson out of Connecticut. When Thompson signed a three-year entry-level deal earlier this month, it started what may be several players that will make the jump this spring. Andy Strickland of FOX Sports is reporting that Jake Walman will likely be the next NCAA player to turn pro, and is expected to sign when his season ends. Providence College, where Walman plays, was knocked out of the Hockey East tournament this week by Notre Dame, but will still take part in the NCAA tournament and compete for another national championship. Jake Walman

Walman was a third-round pick of the Blues back in 2014, and has continued his strong play for one of the nation’s best hockey programs. In his three years with the school, the defenseman has 69 points in 106 games and has been an alternate captain all season. Though he is eligible to return for his senior year, he will likely make the jump and suit up for the AHL’s Chicago Wolves next season.

Though this season hasn’t been as outstanding as his sophomore 2015-16, he is still one of the best skaters in the NCAA and almost impossible to stop when he carries it through the neutral zone. This season he’s tried to concentrate on his defensive game, but those puck-rushing skills remain, and they should make him an excellent professional player eventually. Even if he’s never becomes physical enough to log huge minutes against top competition, it would be surprising to not see him on an NHL powerplay one day.

The Blues could theoretically bring him into their playoff run once his season is over, but he’ll more likely head to the AHL and help the Wolves chase down the Calder Cup. With Thompson already there, the two former college rivals could provide an elite boost for the Wolves heading into the postseason.

Minor Moves: Gillies, Froese, Bayreuther

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Brian Elliott is sick. Expected to start tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins and continue his recent hot streak, the netminder will be held off the ice entirely tonight. Chad Johnson will go in his stead, and Jon Gillies has been recalled to serve as the backup goaltender. This will serve as the prospect’s first taste of NHL action, despite him likely not getting onto the ice. According to Kristin Hallett of Flames TV, Gillies will be cutting it close for game time tonight as he caught a plane today to get to Calgary.

Wes Gilbertson of Postmedia reports that the Stockton Heat, where Gillies was set to play will be looking for an emergency backup of their own around San Diego. Emergency goalies are one of the best stories in hockey, ranging from video producers to bankers by day to professional hockey players by night. Someone in San Diego will likely be added to the trope tonight when the Heat take on the San Diego Gulls.

  • Byron Froese has been sent back down by the Tampa Bay Lightning after just a couple of days. The minor league forward played in one game while the Lightning continues to nurse Tyler Johnson and Vladislav Namestnikov back to health. Namestnikov played in Monday’s game as well, but aggravated the injury and is still questionable for tomorrow night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The re-assignment of Froese however does signal good news on one of the centers (no, it’s likely not Steven Stamkos).
  • After announcing his signing late last night, the Dallas Stars—or, more accurately the Texas Stars—have signed Gavin Bayreuther to an amateur tryout and will see him join the AHL squad right away. The NCAA standout should help them right away, though they don’t have any playoff aspirations any longer. Bayreuther will get some professional experience before trying to crack the Dallas team next fall.

Snapshots: USA Hockey, Vecchione, DeMelo

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After several members of the US Women’s National Team extended a message to USA Hockey about their boycotting the upcoming World Championships, the national program released its own statement on the subject. Understanding the frustration of the women who are reportedly given just $6000 each for their Olympic training and participation, USA Hockey stated that they have long supported their female athletes.

The support USA Hockey is implementing in order to prepare the Women’s National Team for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games includes a six-month training camp, additional support stipends and incentives for medals that could result in each player receiving nearly $85,000 in cash over the Olympic training and performance period. The sum is in addition to a housing allowance, travel allowances, meal expenses, medical and disability insurance and the infrastructure that includes elite-level support staff to train and prepare the players.

The statement goes on to explain that the organization was “disappointed” in the player’s demands and will continue to keep dialogue open in hopes they’ll play in April. The players shot back at the release, with captain Meghan Duggan telling Bob McKenzie of TSN it was “incredibly dishonest and misleading”. As McKenzie notes, the two sides seem ready for a battle over their compensation leading up to next year’s Olympics.

  • After the Pittsburgh Penguins added Zach Aston-Reese yesterday, the Philadelphia Flyers are hoping for some help from the college ranks of their own. Sam Carchidi of The Inquirer opines that the team may have interest in both Spencer Foo and Mike Vecchione of Union College. The team is familiar with the school from the years Shayne Gostisbehere spent there, including one season with Vecchione in 2013-14. The pair of undrafted forwards are among the highest scoring in the NCAA, with 59 and 62 points respectively. If the Flyers want to keep pace with what has been a busy Metropolitan Division—the Capitals also inked a couple of forwards earlier this month—they would do well with Vecchione. The 24-year old senior is considered by some even better than Aston-Reese, and ready to step into the NHL right away. Anyone will have to wait for Union’s season to be over though, as they’re still alive in the ECAC playoffs.
  • Kevin Kurz of CSN reports that David Schlemko rejoined his teammates in practice today for the first time in nearly two weeks. The defenseman is getting close to a return, but Dylan DeMelo has used the opportunity to show that he’s ready for an NHL role. DeMelo tells Kurz that getting back into the lineup is “definitely a lot better playing than sitting out for seven weeks. I’m just happy to be back in the lineup and [helping] the team win.” DeMelo had surgery to repair a broken wrist in January and only returned to the lineup on March 5th.

Morning Notes: Byron, Eichel, Kozun

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The rich got richer yesterday, as the Pittsburgh Penguins signed Zach Aston-Reese, arguably the top college free agent in this year’s class. The Northeastern forward led the nation in scoring, and should follow nicely in the footsteps of other NCAA free agents to find success in Pittsburgh. That doesn’t sound like it will be the case for Blaine Byron though, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports the University of Maine star will likely wait to become a free agent in August.

Byron was a sixth-round pick of the Penguins in 2013, and broke out this season as a senior for Maine. With 41 points in 36 games, the small center easily paced his team for the second straight year. Incredible vision off the rush is Byron’s calling card, though he will need to add strength to compete at the next level. He’ll likely have several teams after him in the summer, though it shouldn’t be as insane as last year’s Jimmy Vesey sweepstakes.

  • As CapFriendly reports, Jack Eichel triggered a bonus last night when he scored his 20th goal. The Buffalo Sabres forward could receive a $2MM escalator should he finish the season in the top-10 of points per game. He currently sits ninth in the league, meaning the Sabres may face a overage penalty next season. They currently have just under $1.4MM in cap space remaining, meaning the other $600K would be applied as a penalty to next season. While that’s not crippling for a team, it is important to note as the Sabres go into this summer looking to compete next season.
  • Brandon Kozun, a former Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect, has re-signed with his KHL team according to Andrew Walker of Sportsnet. The diminutive forward has found immense success in Russia, scoring 56 points in 59 games this season for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv. A team featuring several former NHL players and prospects, Kozun easily led the squad this year.
  • The United States Women’s National Hockey Team will boycott the upcoming World Championships, as they fight for equitable support. The team released a statement today through several players, including Megan Bozek, the NWHL’s reigning winner of Best Defender. The team simply wants better financial support for their players who dedicate years of training to the international competitions. According to ESPN, the women are given $1,000 for each of the six months of Olympic residency, and nothing during the remainder of the four years of training. If the US team were to not compete in the tournament, it would be a huge blow. The matchups between Canada and the United States are the big draw for the tournament, and without one of the two powerhouses it will likely be a romp for the Canadians through to the gold medal.

Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Zach Aston-Reese

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have landed arguably the top NCAA free agent, inking Zach Aston-Reese to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal will kick in for the 2017-18 season, and Aston-Reese will report to Wilkes-Barre Scranton for the remainder of this season on an amateur contract. Zach Aston-Reese

Aston-Reese just finished up his final season at Northeastern University, where he led the nation in goals with 31 and points with 63. Those totals, amassed in just 38 games were a big improvement over previous seasons and showed just how physically dominant he was this season. His net-front presence was almost unstoppable as he scored from in tight seemingly at will. While not an imposing frame at just 6’0 180-lbs, Aston-Reese plays bigger than he is and competes for every inch in the offensive zone.

Though he is tough to control in front of the net and in the corners, his skating ability is still questioned and it will lead to some struggles as he tries to adapt to the professional game. The forecheck will be harder to get in on at the next level, with defensemen that can make quicker decisions and move the puck more adeptly. That’s not to say he can’t improve, as at 22 he is far from a finished product. The Pittsburgh development teams and coaching staffs are likely excited to work with him, as he’s shown nothing but work ethic and improvement during his amateur career.

There is a chance Pittsburgh will use him on the NHL roster as soon as next season as they may say goodbye to at least three key members of their recent squad. Matt Cullen, Chris Kunitz and Nick Bonino are all unrestricted free agents this summer, and the Penguins will likely wave goodbye to all three in order to re-sign their restricted free agents (like Justin Schultz, who will be in line for a big raise).

Aston-Reese will have an interesting opportunity in Pittsburgh, as his ability to bury rebounds and screen goaltenders could come in handy on a team that contains so many skilled players. If that scoring touch follows him to the professional ranks, it’s not out of the question that he could be a very useful player for an organization that spreads around the offense. Either way, we’ll keep an eye on the NCAA standout and see what he can do as the baby-Penguins hit the playoffs. WBS is in first place in the entire AHL, and has just seven games remaining before they try for the Calder Cup.

Snapshots: College FA, Fasching, Hamilton

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After releasing our (partial) list of prominent NCAA free agents yesterday, Bob McKenzie of TSN has released his own today. While we looked at just the defensemen, McKenzie covers all the top prizes including Zach Aston-Reese and Gavin Bayreuther, both of whom are expected to sign within the next 48 hours. McKenzie lists Pittsburgh, Edmonton, Vancouver, San Jose, Los Angeles and Detroit among the suitors for Aston-Reese, who we learned was being pursued by as many as fifteen teams last week. McKenzie connects Buffalo, Dallas, New Jersey and Colorado to Bayreuther, a offensive defenseman who still lacks consistency in his own end.

McKenzie told us earlier today that Daniel Brickley would be heading back to Minnesota State next season, meaning that Bayreuther and the other top defensemen might be in even more demand. The insider has a ton of great information on the immediate future for several drafted prospects playing in college, like Adam Gaudette (Vancouver) and Luke Kunin (Minnesota). As teams continue to get eliminated from tournament contention, decisions will come quickly on their players. NHL clubs want to get them into their systems as soon as possible to help at the professional level.

  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Hudson Fasching from the AHL for the latest chapter in a very tumultuous season thus far. Fasching, a NCAA standout of his own last season, has played just six games with the Sabres this season. Still looking for his first point of the year in the NHL, Fasching has battled a groin injury all season. It has kept him out for months at a time, as he has just 31 combined games under his belt this season. The powerful winger out of the University of Minnesota made his NHL debut last spring after signing, and was expected to contribute more this year to a young Sabres squad. Hopefully now he’ll get into the swing of the NHL, and after another lost season from the Sabres lock down a role next fall.
  • It was a crazy first half of the season for Dougie Hamilton, as trade rumors swirled despite being repeatedly shot down by the Calgary Flames front office. As Eric Francis of Sportsnet writes, with that behind him Hamilton has turned into the elite defenseman the Flames had hoped for when they acquired him from the Bruins. The Flames have won nine straight games, and a big part of that should be placed at the feet of the 6’6″ defender. Still just 23-years old, Hamilton set a new career high this weekend in points and looks like he could challenge one day for a Norris trophy. Calgary has their sights set on the Anaheim and second place in the Pacific Division, as with a win tonight against Pittsburgh they could overtake the Ducks with just 13 games to go.

Daniel Brickley To Return To Minnesota State For Another Year

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According to Bob McKenzie of TSN, Daniel Brickley—who we listed just yesterday among our top college free agent targets—will return to Minnesota State for his junior season. The Mavericks were ousted from the WCHA playoffs by Michigan Tech yesterday, meaning Brickley could have signed anywhere in the NHL.

As with many collegiate athletes, a disappointing finish to a strong season often leads to unfinished feelings at the school and the appetite to head back for one more season. Brickley likely would have had at least a dozen suitors around the league but instead will hit the market next year (or the year after). The big defenseman broke out this year with 31 points in 31 games, turning heads around the NHL.

With the size and skill to fit into an NHL defense corps one day, Brickley will likely take on an even bigger role for Minnesota State next season as they look to post a strong season again. It wouldn’t be surprising to see an “A” sewn onto his sweater, especially if current captain C.J. Franklin leaves early to sign with the Jets.

Coyotes Hope To Sign Clayton Keller Soon

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The Arizona Coyotes plan to sign highly-touted prospect Clayton Keller as soon as the NCAA season ends, reports the USAToday’s Kevin Allen. The Coyotes drafted Keller seventh overall in the 2016 Entry Draft but have not yet inked him to a contract. Keller currently plays for Boston University in NCAA Division I hockey.

Keller is having a stellar year so far. The 18 year-old has 19G and 21A in 28 games for Boston University as a rookie. More importantly career-wise, however, was Keller’s performance at the World Junior Championships for Team USA. He scored 3G and 8A in seven games on his way to a gold medal and being named a tournament all-star. His success against his peers bodes well for his future in the NHL

Keller’s stock rose dramatically since draft day, and that gives the young American prospect additional leverage to negotiate for bonuses in his ELC. Coyotes GM John Chayka told USAToday that Keller would’ve played in the AHL and given NHL stints as roster spots opened up. That may not sounds like much, but only six players from the 2016 NHL draft have played in the NHL this year, and only four have played for most of the season.

The Coyotes may be anxious to sign Keller after seeing how the Nashville Predators lost Jimmy Vesey through college free agency. Vesey, a 2nd round pick for Nashville, played in the NCAA for four years after being drafted, and chose to pursue free agency instead of sign with the Predators. Nashville’s rights to Vesey—traded to the Buffalo Sabres in the summer—expired on August 15th, and Vesey signed with the New York Rangers.

2017 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 fairly quickly.

Here is a closer look at some of the defensemen 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 2017-18 season.

Gavin Bayreuther (St. Lawrence)

Offense isn’t a concern for the 22 year old senior, who checks in with a point per game average just shy of 0.8 in his four collegiate seasons.  He has the tools to be a threat with the man advantage but it’s his play in his own end that caused him to be passed up in the draft despite a 36 point freshman campaign.  He had some NHL interest last year and should receive some offers again this time around.

Daniel Brickley (Minnesota State)

Brickley still has two years of eligibility left but it’s expected that he’ll be one of the more sought after defensemen in what isn’t a particularly deep class.  He came in at just over a point per game on the season (with half of those coming with the man advantage) while also missing some time due to a wrist injury.  At 6’3, he has the size that all teams covet while having the mobility and passing skills that is becoming more and more important each season.  Buffalo had him at their rookie camp and will likely be among the interested teams.

Jordan Gross (Notre Dame)

Teams have been less hesitant in recent years to hand out entry-level deals to undersized defensemen if they’re strong skaters which should bode well for Gross, who stands just 5’10.  He has a well-rounded offensive game which has made him a consistent scoring threat at the college level.  Gross has one year of eligibility left and could be a candidate to return for his senior season as it’s unlikely that teams will be looking at him to make an NHL impact right away.

Josh Healey (Ohio State)

TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported last month that the 22 year old has received interest from almost every NHL team.  The senior set a career high in points with 24 but isn’t expected to be much of a point producer at the professional level.  Instead, Healey embraces the physical side of things and is one of the most dominant players in that element at the college level.  Last month, McKenzie suggested that Calgary, Edmonton, and Nashville will be among his suitors after Healey attended their rookie camps over the past two years.

Michael Kapla (UMass-Lowell)

Like Gross, Kapla is a bit on the smaller side (listed at 6’0) but his mobility and puck moving skills will help him garner NHL interest.  He wasn’t much of a scorer this season (just two goals) but has been a strong playmaker, picking up a career best 24 assists.  Kapla isn’t someone who teams will be looking to sign to play right away (and burn the first year of his contract) but he should still have several suitors and will turn pro as this was his senior season.

Neal Pionk (Minnesota-Duluth)

Pionk is also undersized at just 5’11 but boasts a powerful shot that makes him stand out amongst the rest and could make him a power play threat in the pros.  His two-way game has improved considerably this season as well while he’s also a strong skater.  As a sophomore, he has two years of eligibility left but it may be hard for him to resist the temptation to turn pro as he should have no shortage of contract offers.

Jimmy Schuldt (St. Cloud State)

The 21 year old received a lot of attention after his freshman season, receiving invites to at least eight different development camps (he went to the ones for the Blackhawks and Islanders).  He took over as the captain at St. Cloud this season and frequently played on their top defensive pairing.  Schuldt’s production dipped a little bit (from 26 to 19 points although he played six fewer games) so he’s a candidate to return for his junior year.

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