Morning Notes: Byron, Eichel, Kozun
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
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. 
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
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
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
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
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.
College Notes: Hayden, Aston-Reese, Stevens
The Blackhawks announced that have signed center John Hayden to a two year, entry level contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Hayden was Chicago’s third round pick (74th overall) back in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
The 22 year old posted career highs across the board offensively this year at Yale in his senior season. In 33 games with the Bulldogs, he had 21 goals and 13 assists.
Scott Powers of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that Hayden is expected to report to the Blackhawks right away and will burn the first of the two years this season. That will allow him to get out of the entry level system and into restricted free agency in the 2018 offseason. Had Hayden waited until August to sign, he could have opted for unrestricted free agency and it’s likely that he was able to use that as leverage to play the first year of the deal now. As Hayden was a draft pick and not a free agent signing, he is eligible to participate in the postseason, adds Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times via Twitter.
Other news from around the college market:
- With Northeastern Universty being eliminated by Boston University yesterday in the college playoffs, the focus will quickly shift to undrafted forward Zach Aston-Reese. The 22 year old is widely perceived as the top college free agent available this year and it was reported earlier this week that as many as 15 teams are expected to be interested in his services. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the Senators, Oilers, Canucks, and Penguins are among the teams that are expected to go after the forward. It’s worth noting that Aston-Reese attended Edmonton’s summer development camp while he was teammates with defenseman Matt Benning, who the Oilers signed in the offseason. Given all of the expected interest, Aston-Reese should be able to land a contract that will allow him to play between now and the end of the season like Hayden did.
- Friedman adds via Twitter that Northeastern center John Stevens is expected to draw some interest on the open market as well. The senior played in just 25 games this season and passed the point per game mark for the first time with five goals and 23 assists. Stevens is the son of Kings’ associate coach John Stevens.
2017 College Free Agent Market: Goaltenders
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 goaltenders that could be of interest to teams in the coming weeks. All of these players are undrafted and unless they’re in their senior season, they could opt to return to their schools for the 2017-18 season.
Parker Gahagen (Army)
The senior is set to benefit from a recent change in US Department of Defense policy that will allow him to pursue a pro career before fulfilling his military service. Last year, he posted an impressive 2.01 GAA and has improved on that mark this year, coming in at 1.96 while still posting a save percentage in the .930’s. The fact that he can’t come back for another season should mean that he’ll come off the board quickly once his team is eliminated.
Cam Johnson (North Dakota)
Johnson hasn’t matched the production from his sophomore season (one where he won the national championship) but that would have been a very lofty goal to attain. His numbers, though quite a bit lower than last year, are still strong but he isn’t among the top goalies in college hockey this season. That might hurt his stock on the open market which could result in him coming back for his senior year.
Peyton Jones (Penn State)
There was some talk that Jones would be drafted last year after a strong final USHL season with Lincoln but he passed through without being selected. The NCAA freshman quickly assumed the starting role and has the size that many teams covet at 6’4. He’s more of a longer-term project at this stage but that shouldn’t stop teams from showing interest in him.
Hayden Lavigne (Michigan)
Last month, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman mentioned the freshman as someone who could draw some interest but the fact he has played just 13 games so far this season as a result of a three-way timeshare which could make him someone who waits another year or two before really testing the market. Lavigne put himself on the radar back in 2015-16 with a strong season with Bloomington of the USHL where he finished fourth in GAA at 2.24.
Brett Magnus (Sacred Heart)
Size is a big factor between the pipes and at 6’4, Magnus will have some teams intrigued. However, his numbers have taken a bit of a step back in his sophomore year which may make him more likely to return for his junior campaign. Worth noting, the 23 year old would be eligible for a two year entry level contract if he signs now but if he returns to school next season, his ELC would only be for one season.
Chris Nell (Bowling Green)
Nell was one of the top goalies in college hockey in 2015-16 and hasn’t been quite as successful this season (though he has still played quite well). Like Johnson, that could make him lean towards staying for next year (which would be his final season of eligibility) but he should still draw some interest in the weeks ahead. What will hurt Nell a bit is that he’s just 6’1, especially as the league trends towards taller goalie prospects.
Fifteen Teams Interested In Zach Aston-Reese
The season of college free agents is upon us, as we’ve seen several names already go to teams around the league. When the Washington Capitals signed Kristofers Bindulis and Hampus Gustafsson, the frenzy was on. Today, Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News reports that as many as 15 teams have shown interest in Northeastern’s Zach Aston-Reese.
The juggernaut of a winger has been dominating the college scene all year, scoring 30 goals and 62 points through 36 games in his senior season. Already 22, Aston-Reese uses his physicality and strength to create room for himself and teammates, scoring goals mostly from the front of the net on rebounds and tips. His game is almost pro-ready as he likely won’t ever move past a team’s bottom-six at the next level.
Like with any other college free agent, he does come with his share of weaknesses. His foot speed has long been an issue, and may be exposed at the professional level against other players who are just as strong as him. He lacks the high-level creativity that scouts look for, but makes up for it with work ethic and body positioning. In a stationary battle he’s as good as anyone in the college ranks right now, but that won’t be true when he suddenly has to take on fully-grown men.
There is upside however, as with an NHL skating coach he could get that extra jump to help him keep up and his shot release is already fairly quick. Likely he’ll be looked at to add immediate depth to an AHL squad and NHL bottom-six, with the opportunity at some point to see some powerplay time if his net-front play continues.
He does play with several prospects from around the league, even skating full-time with Blues’ prospect Nolan Stevens (when he has been healthy). Adam Gaudette and Dylan Sikura—of Vancouver and Chicago respectively—also spend time with Aston-Reese, and are each better than point-per-game players for Northeastern. It will be interesting to see if one of these teams brings on the big winger, as they would be very familiar with him.
Deadline Primer: Minnesota Wild
With the trade deadline now just a week away, we continue to take a closer look at each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?
After slipping into the playoffs last year with less than 90 points and the final wildcard position, only to get punched in the mouth by the Dallas Stars and go home early, the Minnesota Wild needed a change. They’d fired their coach halfway through the season, and were relying on an aging (but excellent) core of Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter too much to succeed.
Enter Bruce Boudreau and the kids. After good solid seasons from the young guns a year ago, many of them have exploded to the forefront of the team this season, with Mikael Granlund, Nino Niederreiter, Charlie Coyle, and Jason Zucker all already setting career-highs in points through 59 games. They’re leading the Western Conference by five points and look poised for a deep playoff run.
Record
39-14-6, 1st in Central Division
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$5.20MM – full-season cap hit, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly.
Draft Picks
2017: MIN 1st, MIN 3rd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th
2018: MIN 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 3rd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th
Trade Chips
Minnesota will almost surely avoid trading anything off the roster that has put them in prime position for a Stanley Cup run, meaning they’ll have to use draft picks and prospects as bait if they want to add anything next week. It’s a shame they don’t have their second-round pick from this season—which they traded to Buffalo for Chris Stewart back in 2015—since they are used so often in rental deals. 
The Wild do however have a fairly stocked cupboard of prospects that could be waived in front of a team looking to get younger. Their drafting the last decade (or longer) though not perfect in the first round has unearthed plenty of talent in later selections. They’ve picked players like Cal Clutterbuck (3rd), Justin Falk (4th), Marco Scandella (2nd), Erik Haula (7th), Darcy Kuemper (6th), Zucker (2nd) and Johan Larsson (2nd) all outside of the first round and found excellent value in each.
If a team really wants to go after youth, they could ask for prospects like Jordan Greenway, who showed off his skills at the most recent World Juniors. Kirill Kaprisov is tearing up the KHL as a 19-year old, and it was recently reported that he’ll play for CSKA next season. Alex Tuch is showing his ability at the AHL level after a dominating NCAA career, and Luke Kunin continues to captain the University of Wisconsin up the college hockey rankings. It would be crazy to trade any of these names for a rental, but if the Wild want to enter the ring of possible long-term upgrades, they have the pieces to do it.
One Player To Watch: F Jason Pominville, who has a big cap-hit and is playing much less due to the emergence of the young guns is a contract that the Wild may look to move out if they’re to make any improvements.
Team Needs
1) Wing Depth – The Wild would like to move Coyle back to center ice if possible, but they’d need a winger who can jump into their top-six to do it. Jannik Hansen has been rumored to be on their radar, but a player like Patrick Eaves seems a better fit. It’s not guaranteed that they’ll do anything, though GM Chuck Fletcher has said that they have some “unproven depth” at forward.
2) Center – The nice thing about having Coyle is that if you can’t find the upgrade at the wing you could always acquire a center instead and leave him out there. Arizona’s Martin Hanzal was quoted today by Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune as saying he wants to stay in the middle even if traded, which would still be possible for the Wild.