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Minor Transactions: 05/14/19

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The middle of May doesn’t always bring with it a number of small transactions, but today happens to be a different story. Here are some minor moves from around the league:

  • The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Patrick Brown once again, the latest transaction in a playoff-long shuffle between the AHL and NHL. Brown is up under emergency conditions meaning he will have to be sent back down if all of the Hurricanes are healthy enough to play in tonight’s game. He’ll start his own playoff series later this week when the Charlotte Checkers take on the Toronto Marlies in the AHL Eastern Conference Final.
  • The Rockford IceHogs have signed Liam Coughlin and Jack Ramsey to one-year AHL contracts, meaning they will stay with the Chicago Blackhawks organization for at least another year. The pair of draft picks both would have seen their exclusive negotiating rights expire later this summer after four year careers in the NCAA.
  • The Binghamton Devils have done the same, signing Ludvig Larsson to an AHL deal for 2019-20. Larsson played three years at Merrimack College before suiting up this season for Pennsylvania State University. Undrafted, he then spent seven games with the AHL Devils at the end of the year, enough to convince him to return to the organization for another season.
  • 37-year old former NHL defenseman Anton Volchenkov has re-signed with his KHL club for one more year, giving him another chance to continue a long and successful playing career. Originally selected by the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the 2000 entry draft, Volchenkov played nearly 800 games in the NHL before returning to Russia, including 86 playoff contests.

Fabian Zetterlund, Mikhail Maltsev Sign With New Jersey Devils

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The New Jersey Devils have signed prospects Fabian Zetterlund and Mikhail Maltsev to three-year entry-level contracts. Both deals will kick in next season.

Zetterlund, 19, was selected 63rd overall by the Devils in 2017 and has long been on the radar of NHL teams. The Swedish forward has an unstoppable work ethic that can track down defenders and create turnovers, while preventing much from happening in his own end. The offensive skills he showed in the lower leagues didn’t come to the surface in the SHL, but Zetterlund still has a bright future in professional hockey. Twice he has represented Sweden at the World Juniors, winning the silver medal in 2018. Unfortunately this year was cut short when he suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Maltsev meanwhile is a bit more of a wild card. The 21-year old forward spent this season playing for both the KHL and VHL St. Petersburgh teams, but ended up as a full-time member for the top club in the playoffs. The 6’3″ winger had just three points in 17 postseason games for SKA, but has shown more offensive upside in the past. Still, the fourth-round pick from 2016 will have to adapt to a different style of play in the AHL next season if he wants to continue on his current development path.

Poll: Has Kaapo Kakko Surpassed Jack Hughes For The No. 1 Pick?

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Just a few weeks ago, it seemed all but settled that the New Jersey Devils intended to take Jack Hughes with the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming 2019 NHL Entry Draft as the team pictured a combination of Hughes and Nico Hischier each centering their first and second lines.

However, after an impressive performance in his first two games for Finland, Kaapo Kakko, the consensus second-overall pick, looks to be pushing for the chance to be the first-overall pick instead. The 18-year-old Kakko scored two goals Friday against Canada to garner quite a bit of attention and then added a hat trick Saturday against Slovakia to post five goals so far. And the tournament has just started. All this is after Kakko posted 22 goals in the Liiga as a 17-year-old for most of the season. The possibility of a first line of Hischier, Taylor Hall and Kakko could develop into one of the best in the NHL down the road.

Hughes, on the other hand has been solid. He is also playing at the World Championships for the United States, but hasn’t established himself in the same way that Kakko has. Regardless, most draft experts still have Hughes, the playmaking center, at the top of draft boards and most people still have Hughes going to New Jersey with the Rangers happily taking whichever player is remaining.

However, Saturday’s performance has received quite a bit of attention, with many suddenly suggesting that Kakko should be the first pick in the NHL Draft. However, should New Jersey take Kakko at No. 1?

Should Kappo Kakko be the first pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft?
No, New Jersey should take Jack Hughes 60.73% (1,483 votes)
Yes, New Jersey should take Kaapo Kakko 39.27% (959 votes)
Total Votes: 2,442

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Overseas Notes: Holm, Ramage, Lindgren

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Just as NHL teams have started to snap up European free agents to join them for next season, some North American players will also start heading overseas despite not technically being free agents yet. Many fringe players who are heading towards free agency will have spoken to their team and know whether or not they have a chance to re-sign, giving them some advance notice in order to find a job for 2019-20. There’s also the case of NHL prospects re-upping with their international clubs, instead of coming to North America just yet. Here are some notes from overseas:

  • John Ramage is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this season after spending 2018-19 with the Binghamton Devils, but instead of re-signing with the New Jersey organization he’s headed to Germany to play in the DEL. Ramage signed a two-year deal with Berlin, ending his run in North America for the time being. The 28-year old defenseman has won at nearly every level, taking home gold medals at the U18 and U20 World Juniors and championships in both the ECHL and AHL levels.
  • Arvid Holm was selected in the sixth round by the Winnipeg Jets in 2017, but isn’t yet ready to make the trip overseas. Holm has signed a one-year deal with Farjestad in the SHL in order to continue his development in Sweden. The 6’4″ goaltender put up a .907 save percentage in the Swedish second league last season, but may get a chance at the highest level in 2019-20.
  • Jesper Lindgren has done the opposite, coming to North America now that his season has ended in Finland. The Toronto Maple Leafs have assigned Lindgren to the AHL after he took home the Liiga championship with HPK. The right-handed defenseman is just 21, but already signed his entry-level contract last spring. The right-handed defenseman is another prospect they hope can develop and help out the NHL defense down the road, but he needs some more development time in the minor leagues.

Snapshots: WHL, Drouin, KHL

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The WHL handed out their awards today, and several NHL prospects took home some hardware. Ian Scott of the Toronto Maple Leafs took home the Goaltender of the Year award, Ty Smith of the New Jersey Devils was named Defenseman of the Year, and Joachim Blichfeld of the San Jose Sharks was awarded the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as Player of the Year.

All three players exceeded expectations this season, but the most interesting may just be Blichfeld who was a seventh-round pick of the Sharks back in 2016. While he will turn 21 this summer and was older than much of his competition, the simple fact that he’s developed so well from his draft day is a huge win for San Jose. The team already signed him to an NHL contract back in late 2017. The Sharks have done extremely well pulling value from the late rounds, as Kevin Labanc (171st overall in 2014) and Joakim Ryan (198th in 2012) are already paying off for them in this year’s playoffs.

  • The Montreal Canadiens announced today that Jonathan Drouin underwent minor surgery yesterday to correct a fractured nose. The 24-year old forward had mentioned an injury that would keep him from playing in the IIHF World Championship, but it wasn’t clear exactly what that was. The release notes that Drouin is expected to resume his training in two to three weeks, meaning he’ll be ready in plenty of time for training camp in a few months.
  • KHL free agency opened today and some familiar names have already re-signed, meaning there won’t be any NHL returns for them this season. Brandon Kozun, Paul Postma, Eric O’Dell, Anton Lander and Stephane Da Costa, have all signed new deals. The previously reported trade of Jiri Sekac to CSKA Moscow in exchange for the rights to Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Igor Ozhiganov was also officially filed today.

Metropolitan Notes: Devils Defense, Santini, Svechnikov

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The New Jersey Devils outlook for their future shot upwards a few weeks ago during the draft lottery after they won for the second time in three years, and now have the opportunity to add top prospects Jack Hughes or Kappo Kakko. However, one thing that is missing from a potential playoff roster in the future is a dominant defenseman.

The Athletic’s Corey Masisak (subscription required) divides up the current roster, but makes it clear on many occasions that what the team truly needs is a dominant defenseman who can run the defense. Even with 2018 first-rounder Ty Smith likely to join the team next season, the team could very well be on the lookout for a dominant blueliner via trade (if one can be found), suggesting the team may have to move one of their current top three to make a deal like that work in either Damon Severson, Will Butcher or Sami Vatanen.

Both Severson and Butcher are listed as unlikely to be traded unless a blockbuster deal can be found are both considered to be top-four defenseman along with Vatanen, but both blueliners would have significant value in return for an elite defenseman. Vatanen would unlikely have much trade value due to his age, but more importantly due to his injury history.

  • Sticking with the Devils defense, the team hopes they have found a regular to their defensive core as defenseman Steven Santini seemed to have found his niche in the final six weeks of the season. The 24-year-old had dealt with injuries and time in the minors, but looks to have a good chance to establish himself as an everyday defenseman next season for New Jersey, according to NJ.com’s Chris Ryan. After missing a large chunk of the season after breaking his jaw on the first game of the season last year, Santini came back in December, but needed time to find his game. His opportunity came at the trade deadline when the team traded Ben Lovejoy to Dallas, giving Santini a shot at Lovejoy’s minutes. He took advantage of them. “He’s got to be difficult to play against. Tight gaps on line-rush defense. He needs to be hard at the net front. He needs to be able to end plays defensively down low,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “We’d like to see him take a step on a penalty kill, missing a guy like Ben Lovejoy where he could fill into that type of role. And understanding that his puck skills need to improve.”
  • With Game 2 lineups out, the Carolina Hurricanes still don’t have injured forward Andrei Svechnikov back in the lineup. The 2018 second-overall pick has been in concussion protocol after suffering a head injury in a fight with fellow-Russian Alex Ovechkin in the first round of the playoffs. News & Observer’s Chip Alexander reports that a Game 3 return would be perfect timing for the Hurricanes and would get the home crowd even more hyped up, regardless of Carolina’s Game 2 performance.

Jack Hughes Sets U-18 Worlds Scoring Record

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Presumptive No. 1 overall pick and future New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes is only adding to his legacy as the 2019 NHL Entry Draft draws closer. With three points in today’s bronze medal win over Team Canada, the American phenom reached a record 32 points over his career at the IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship. This breaks the previous mark of 31 total points, scored by future Hall of Famer Alex Ovechkin from 2002 and 2003.

Hughes, who turns 18 next month, made his U-18 WJC debut last year for Team USA. Then just 16, Hughes nevertheless put his effortless play-making ability to work and recorded 12 points in seven games en route to a silver medal. The talented pivot has been even more impressive a year later, totaling 20 points in seven games. Hughes’ name will no go down in the record books as the best ever to play in this particular tournament and it could be a tough mark to break, as it will take another talent capable of playing in two tournaments, which is uncommon. This tournament caps off an incredible season for Hughes, as he totaled 111 points in 49 games this season between the U.S. National Team Development Program and the U-20 and U-18 World Juniors for a whopping 2.27 points per game.

Hughes’ efforts continue a string of records set by the Americans, as teammate Cole Caufield tied the U-18 single-tournament goal record of 14, also set by Ovechkin. This USNTDP roster could be remembered as one of the best of all-time, with Hughes and Caufield as two of at least seven players expected to be selected in the first round of the draft in June and upwards of 25 who could be taken at some point. A bronze medal thus comes as a disappointment for the team at the U-18’s, but it won’t be long before many of them have a new challenge at the pro or collegiate level next season.

Offseason Keys: New Jersey Devils

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While the playoffs are now underway, many teams have already started their offseason planning.  What storylines lie ahead around the league in what is shaping up to be a likely busy NHL offseason?  Next up in our Offseason Keys series is a look at the New Jersey Devils.

After a surprising run to the playoffs last year, expectations were elevated in New Jersey for 2018-19.  However, injuries to key players and ineffectiveness between the pipes had them in the basement early on and they never really recovered.  They received one piece of good news last week as they were victorious in the Draft Lottery, moving up two spots to land the number one selection.  Who they take with that pick is one big decision they’ll have to make; here’s what else to watch for in New Jersey.

Add Defensive Help

This was on the list of keys last year as well but the Devils didn’t make any defensive additions beyond Egor Yakovlev who was a player on the fringes of the roster and didn’t make much of an impact.  Not surprisingly, their group struggled this season and multiple additions need to be made.

There are some decent young players in the system.  Damon Severson has established himself as a top-four option while Will Butcher has shown some offensive skills.  2018 top pick Ty Smith could push for a roster spot as soon as next season and will certainly be a part of their long-term core.  Beyond those three, there are some question marks.

To make matters worse, both Sami Vatanen and Andy Greene sit a year away from unrestricted free agency.  It’s plausible that if extension talks don’t go anywhere with Vatanen that he could be on the move some point next season.  Greene has only ever played in New Jersey and he could certainly sign to stick around for another year or so but he’ll be 37 at the end of October so he’s not a long-term option.

There has been a need to add a top-four blueliner for a while.  If they want to get back to contending for a playoff spot, they’ll at least need to add one this summer and could certainly stand to add a second one.  If not, shoring up their depth and bolstering their third pairing will be necessary.  The 2018 offseason was quiet in terms of adding defensemen.  The 2019 summer can’t be.

Extension Talks

Although he won’t be repeating as the Hart Trophy winner in 2019, a long-term contract extension for winger Taylor Hall is undoubtedly at the top of the priority list for the Devils this summer.  While he wound up missing the final 47 games of the season due to a knee injury, he was averaging his second-best point per game average of his career at the time (1.12, only trailing the 1.22 he had the year before).

Needless to say, the 27-year-old will be in line for a significant raise on his current $6MM AAV.  While a deal officially can’t be signed until July 1st, expect the two sides to have had significant discussions before then.  If it appears that a deal can’t be reached or Hall suggests he’d like to test free agency in 2020, the Devils will likely be forced to turn around and trade him.  If that was to be the case and the right package was to present itself around the draft, Hall would at least be a player to watch for.

2017 top pick Nico Hischier is also eligible for a contract extension in July.  He has had a decent showing through his first two NHL seasons although not quite at the level that some of his counterparts from previous drafts have had.  Accordingly, his contract isn’t going to be near the level of extensions that players like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, the two prior number one picks, had.  However, given the expectation that the post-ELC marketplace is going to change considerably this summer with so many top players in need of new deals, GM Ray Shero may want to try to get a deal with Hischier done first before the salaries really start to escalate.

Determine Zacha’s Future

This was also on the list of keys last year as well and not a whole lot has changed since then when it comes to Pavel Zacha.  A hot finish to the season when the team was well out of contention allowed him to equal his career high in points.  However, that only meant that he hit the 25-point mark.  For a center picked sixth overall back in 2015, that’s not very good.

Hischier has staked a claim to the top center spot.  Projected number one pick Jack Hughes will likely one day ascend to that spot and should move past Zacha on the depth chart in no time.  Travis Zajac still has two years left on his deal and he isn’t likely going anywhere.  John Quenneville could push for a full-time roster spot next season and Michael McLeod, another former first-rounder, is in the mix as well.  Long story short, there isn’t a place in the lineup for Zacha at his natural position.

While it’s possible that he could move to the wing, doing so could potentially further devalue him around the league, especially if he isn’t productive.  Having said that, they clearly believed in his offensive upside when they drafted him so they could believe there’s another level or two to his game.

Zacha will no longer be waiver-exempt next season so if he’s a bubble player in training camp, this could become a storyline pretty quickly.  If Shero expects to make a few additions up front this summer, Zacha’s spot could be in jeopardy pretty quickly.  Is he still a core part of their future?  If the answer is no, they may be best served to try to trade him this summer rather than potentially being forced into that situation in September or October.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Svechnikov, Hischier, Lack

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It appears as though the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t going to rush back one of their young stars, as head coach Rod Brind’Amour told reporters, including Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer. that Andrei Svechnikov is “doubtful” for tomorrow’s game. The Hurricanes are on the brink of elimination, but with Svechnikov such an integral part of their future and dealing with such a serious injury, the team simply can’t push him back too fast. With the Washington Capitals losing T.J. Oshie for the rest of the series (if not the playoffs), both teams will be short-handed in game six.

  • While Switzerland isn’t a traditional hockey powerhouse, they have performed as well as anyone at recent international events. The Swiss are coming off a silver medal finish at last season’s IIHF World Championship, and will add a top name to the squad for this season. The New Jersey Devils today announced that Nico Hischier will be suiting up for his country in next month’s tournament, adding a dangerous offensive player to a group that is always extremely disciplined in their own end.
  • One of Hischier’s former Devils teammates may be leaving the NHL. Swedish news source Hockeypuls reports that veteran goaltender Eddie Lack is in talks to return to his native Sweden to play for Leksands IF of the SHL. The 31-year-old is an impending free agent who did not make an NHL appearance this season and was limited by injuries to just six AHL starts with pedestrian results. While Lack has played in close to 150 NHL games, he has not been a regular contributor for two years and has not put up standout numbers for another two years before that. It’s time for Lack to move on with his career, and Leksands is reportedly excited to bring him in. The team was just promoted back to the SHL and acquiring an experience netminder could help them avoid being relegated right back to the Allsvenskan. Lack played for the organization for three years prior to jumping to North America and would be welcomed back with open arms.

New Jersey Devils Sign Gilles Senn

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The New Jersey Devils have added some more goaltending depth, signing Swiss netminder Gilles Senn. The team signed the 23-year old to a two-year entry-level contract that begins in 2019-20 and likely means Senn is ready to come over to North America after a successful European career.

Senn is a fifth-round pick of the Devils from 2017, and has spent his entire career to this point in Switzerland playing for Davoc HC. He recorded just a .901 save percentage there this season but that was at least partially due to the team’s overall struggles. The 6’5″ goaltender has shown plenty of promise, even performing extremely well in his two appearances at the most recent Spengler Cup.

There’s no doubt that this is a project for the Devils and not a goaltender that can step into an NHL role anytime soon, but it will give them another minor league option should MacKenzie Blackwood graduate to New Jersey. The team also has a strong Swiss presence already with Nico Hischier and Mirco Mueller, giving Senn some people to reach out to as he transitions to life in North America.

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