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Youth Added To Team USA For IIHF World Championship

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USA Hockey has announced a trio of new additions to their IIHF World Championship roster, and all three represent the next wave of NHL talent. Not only will the team bring in potential first-overall pick Jack Hughes, but newly acquired New York Rangers prospect Adam Fox is heading to Slovakia along with Ottawa Senators defenseman Christian Wolanin.

Hughes is obviously a huge addition after lighting up the U18 tournament last month, but Fox represents a very interesting situation. The 21-year old defenseman was traded from the Carolina Hurricanes to the Rangers just yesterday, but hasn’t officially signed his entry-level contract. While it is obviously expected to happen before the season begins, technically he still could return to Harvard for his senior season in 2019-20. Fox will be joining Brady Skjei on the Team USA roster, a potential defensive partner next season with the Rangers.

Wolanin meanwhile is a little bit older than the other two, after turning 24 in March, but also brings a little bit of NHL experience. The Senators defenseman has 40 games under his belt at the highest level, but still spent most of this season in the minor leagues with the Belleville Senators. The former University of North Dakota standout has 15 points in those first 40 NHL contests, and is expected to take on a bigger role with Ottawa next season.

The full roster is now as follows:

G Thatcher Demko
G Cayden Primeau
G Cory Schneider

D Quinn Hughes
D Alec Martinez
D Brady Skjei
D Ryan Suter
D Noah Hanifin
D Adam Fox
D Christian Wolanin

F Alex DeBrincat
F Jack Eichel
F Luke Glendening
F Patrick Kane
F Clayton Keller
F Chris Kreider
F Dylan Larkin
F James van Riemsdyk
F Frank Vatrano
F Colin White
F Johnny Gaudreau
F Derek Ryan
F Jack Hughes

Hughes, at just 17 years old will become the youngest player ever to suit up for Team USA at the World Championships.

Carolina Hurricanes Trade Adam Fox

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After finding out that they weren’t going to be able to sign top prospect Adam Fox, the Carolina Hurricanes have traded his rights to the New York Rangers. In return, the Hurricanes will receive the Rangers’ 2019 second-round pick and a conditional 2020 third. That third-round selection will bump up a round if Fox plays 30 games next season.

The Rangers were always the expected destination for a trade, given the belief that he would leave college early and sign with them. Fox has completed three seasons at Harvard and could become an unrestricted free agent next summer, but instead is expected to start his professional career in 2019-20.

This was the exact scenario that the Calgary Flames did not want to take part in when they decided to include Fox in last summer’s blockbuster trade with the Hurricanes. It was clear to them that he had no intention on signing in Calgary, but the Hurricanes did believe that they could get him under contract. For whatever reason, that wasn’t to be and the Rangers seemed like the eventual destination. The Hurricanes front office made it clear that they would seek out a trade this summer, and they did well to secure at least some sort of return for the college star.

Fox, originally selected in the third round back in 2016, developed into one of the best defensemen in college hockey and put up 116 points in 97 regular season games for Harvard over his three years. A natural powerplay quarterback, he routinely carried the puck up the ice and gained the zone himself before setting up teammates for high danger chances. While not a physical presence, his defensive ability also improved to the point where many expect him to step right into the NHL next season. Right-handed offensive options are difficult to find, and the Rangers have now secured one with a ton of potential.

For the Hurricanes, this trade will certainly bring back some interesting franchise memories. In September 2006, the Hurricanes traded third-overall pick Jack Johnson to the Los Angeles Kings after he turned down their offers to sign out of college. That was just a few months after Carolina had secured their first Stanley Cup, something the current team is trying to replicate this spring. If they are somehow able to, it would be an odd quirk of history to have failed to sign another top college defenseman in the same year.

Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer was first to report that Fox has been traded, while Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet confirmed it was to the Rangers.

The Dallas Stars’ Mats Zuccarello Dilemma

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Mats Zuccarello’s start with the Dallas Stars could not have gone worse. He was injured in his first game with the team after being acquired at the trade deadline and missed all but one of the remaining regular season games. One of two conditional picks that went back to the New York Rangers had the possibility of being upgraded if Zuccarello worked out well enough in Dallas to earn a contract extension. Yet, heading into the playoffs, few were likely looking at Zuccarello as a long-term piece in Dallas following that unfortunate start.

That all changed in the first round, as Zuccarello came up big with three clutch goals and looked like a natural fit with the Stars. His efforts helped to lead Dallas to an upset of the Nashville Predators and on to the second round. All of a sudden, Zuccarello has the support of his teammates and the fan base and indeed looks like he may be more than just a rental. But, as the New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes, Dallas’ leadership faces a tough decision in that regard. Brooks issues a reminder that if the Stars re-sign Zuccarello, they will give up a first-round pick to the New York Rangers in 2020 instead of the third-rounder initially transferred in the deal. The Stars are already at risk of losing their 2019 first-rounder, which goes to New York in place of their second-rounder if the team reaches the Western Conference Final with Zuccarello playing in at least half of those games. If Dallas defeats the St. Louis Blues, with Zuccarello continuing to be an impact player, would they really surrender two straight top picks to keep the veteran winger in town?

Zuccarello is set to turn 32 prior to next season and his point totals have dropped in each of the past three seasons. Dallas stands little chance of getting great value on a new contract for the veteran forward. Yet, even on a downward trajectory, Zuccarello is still a top-ten free agent winger. The Stars already have him in the building and he is building chemistry and familiarity with their core. It could be a mutually beneficial scenario for both sides and the Norwegian scorer could be amenable to staying with the Stars at a reasonable term and rate. If Dallas opts to let him walk instead, they stand a decent chance of missing out on any of the better targets. Is that a gamble worth keeping a first-round pick? There are far more factors yet to be determined, but the Zuccarello situation will continue to be a lingering topic during Dallas’ current postseason run.

Adam McQuaid, Ryan Murray Remain Out For Blue Jackets

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For anyone hoping to see Adam McQuaid face off against his former team this postseason, you’ll have to wait a while longer. As the Columbus Blue Jackets departed for Boston today to face the Bruins in their second-round series, Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch reports that neither McQuaid nor fellow defenseman Ryan Murray made the trip. There is no clear timeline for either’s return, but they will at least miss the first two games in Boston.

McQuaid, 32, has yet to play this postseason after suffering a concussion late in the regular season. The veteran defender was acquired by the Blue Jackets from the New York Rangers at the trade deadline, but many still remember him most from his time with the Bruins. McQuaid, ironically a Columbus draft pick, spent the first nine years of his career in Boston before he was traded this past off-season. At the time, Boston was dealing from a position of strength, but ended up struggling with injuries on the back end all season and could have used McQuaid. Now, they could face the physical stay-at-home defender in the playoffs, that is if he can get healthy. Not only would McQuaid sure up the Blue Jackets’ bottom pair and provide insight into the Bruins’ inner workings, he would also provide the playoff experience sorely lacking from the roster. McQuaid has appeared in 68 playoff games and two Stanley Cup Finals, including winning it all with the Bruins back in 2011.

Murray, like McQuaid, is no stranger to being injured. The 2012 No. 2 overall pick has only played in more than 66 games in a season once in his six-year NHL career and finds himself on the sidelines again this postseason with a back injury. Murray has actually had a career campaign, recording 29 points in just 56 games and +20 rating that led all Columbus defensemen. Yet, Murray has been out since early February and it grows harder to imagine a comeback with each missed game. If Murray is able to return versus Boston or perhaps later in the playoffs, it would give the Blue Jackets a major boost and make them an even more dangerous puck-moving team.

Fortunately, Hedger notes that Markus Nutivaara did make the trip and is not expected to miss any further time with the upper-body injury that cost him the final two games of the first round sweep. He joins Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, and David Savard as a very capable top-four unit for Columbus. However, with McQuaid and Murray still out, the Blue Jackets could struggle matching up their bottom pair against the Bruins. Scott Harrington played very well against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but will have to keep up with that level of play if he and Dean Kukan (or Adam Clendening or Vladislav Gavrikov) want to defend against a deep Boston team.

2018-19 King Clancy Finalists Announced

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The NHL has released the finalists for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The award is given to “the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.” Last season was the first time it was awarded to a pair of players, as the Vancouver Canucks’ Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin took home the trophy for their long history of helping the Vancouver community.

Each team nominated one player for the award. The finalists are:

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes

Jason Zucker, Minnesota Wild

Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

Rangers Prospect Jacob Ragnarsson Signs Two-Year Deal In SHL

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  • Rangers prospect Jacob Ragnarsson has signed a two-year contract with Rogle, the SHL team announced. The defenseman was the 70th overall pick back in June and spent the 2018-19 in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second division.  As he wasn’t drafted out of the CHL, New York has four years to sign Ragnarsson so this contract shouldn’t have any bearing on them trying to sign the 19-year-old down the road.

Rangers Agree To Terms With Vitali Kravtsov And Igor Shestyorkin

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The Rangers are in agreement on contracts with top prospects Vitali Kravtsov and Igor Shestyorkin on entry-level contracts, reports Rick Carpinello of The Athletic (subscription required).  The deals will not be officially registered until their KHL contracts officially expire at the end of the month.

Kravtsov was New York’s first-round pick (ninth overall) back in June and played a regular role with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL this season, collecting 21 points in 50 regular season games plus a pair of helpers in four postseason contests.  The Rangers wanted to sign him back in March once his KHL playoffs came to an end but his team was not willing to release him from his contract early.

It’s believed that Kravtsov is close to being ready to step into the NHL lineup and could eventually provide their top six group with some size and scoring punch.  However, if the Rangers opt to aggressively add in free agency, it’s certainly possible that they could decide he’s better served to start in the minors.  His entry-level deal will be a three-year pact.

As for Shestyorkin, he’s someone that New York has been waiting on for a while.  He was a fourth-round pick (118th overall) but has emerged as one of the top goalies outside of the NHL since then.  This season, he posted a 1.11 GAA and a .953 SV% in 28 games with SKA St. Petersburg, the top numbers in the league in both categories.

The 23-year-old shouldn’t need too much seasoning in the AHL short of adapting to the shorter ice surface so the Rangers will soon be facing a good question of what to do with their goalie depth.  Henrik Lundqvist has two years left on his deal with a no-move clause that he hasn’t been willing to waive while Alexandar Georgiev had a strong sophomore season in North America and has likely boosted his trade value in the process.  It’s certainly possible that Shestyorkin’s agreement on a contract (which will be two years in length) will force the team to move on from Georgiev before too long but having quality young goaltending depth is something that GM Jeff Gorton certainly won’t be complaining about.

AHL Announces 2018-2019 First, Second All-Star Teams

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After announcing their All-Rookie team earlier this week, the AHL have now given us their choices for the first and second All-Star Teams for 2018-19. These players were voted in by coaches, players and media all across the league. This is not the same as the rosters for the All-Star Game, instead these are the top players at each position for the entire season.

First All-Star Team:

Goaltender: Alex Nedeljkovic, Charlotte Checkers (Carolina Hurricanes)

Defenseman: John Gilmour, Hartford Wolf Pack (New York Rangers)

Defenseman: Zach Redmond, Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres)

Left Wing: Daniel Carr, Chicago Wolves (Vegas Golden Knights)

Center: Carter Verhaeghe, Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Right Wing: Jeremy Bracco, Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Second All-Star Team:

Goaltender: Shane Starrett, Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers)*

Defenseman: Aaron Ness, Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)

Defenseman: Ethan Prow, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Left Wing: Tyler Benson, Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers)*

Center: Chris Mueller, Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Right Wing: Andrew Poturalski, Charlotte Checkers (Carolina Hurricanes)

*Also named to All-Rookie Team

Just like last season when Sami Niku and Mason Appleton made both the All-Rookie and All-Star rosters, Starrett and Benson will draw quite a bit of praise for their outstanding years. The fact that Starrett is having this much success even as an undrafted goaltender is all the more impressive, while Benson certainly delivered on his 32nd-overall selection in his first year of professional hockey.

Talented minor league wingers seem to grow on trees in Toronto, as the team once again has a player with several league accolades. Bracco is currently leading the AHL in scoring with 78 points heading into the last few games of the season, and is a good bet to challenge for a roster spot with the Maple Leafs in the future. So too will Nedeljkovic, who will likely be pushing for a full-time role with the Hurricanes pretty soon.

Russia Announces Several Players For IIHF World Championship

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The Russian National Team has announced several players who will begin preparation next week for the upcoming IIHF World Championship, and there are interesting notes to be gleaned from the list. The group is not exhaustive, meaning that several other players will join the team after being eliminated from their respective KHL or NHL playoffs, while not every player listed may end up suiting up at the tournament in May. The announced names:

Goaltender:

Alexandar Georgiev, New York Rangers

Defensemen:

Artem Zub, SKA St. Petersburg
Dinar Khafizullin, SKA St. Petersburg
Vladislav Gavrikov, SKA St. Petersburg
Artem Sergeev, Salavat Yulaev
Ilya Lyubushkin, Lokomotiv
Egor Yakovlev, New Jersey Devils
Ivan Provorov, Philadelphia Flyers

Forwards:

Ilya Kovalchuk, Los Angeles Kings
Vladislav Namestnikov, New York Rangers
Artem Anisimov, Chicago Blackhawks
Evgenii Dadonov, Florida Panthers
Alexander Burmistrov, Salavat Yulaev
Vladimir Tkachyov, Salavat Yulaev
Nikita Gusev, SKA St. Petersburg
Sergei Plotnikov, SKA St. Petersburg
Nail Yakupov, SKA St. Petersburg
Alexander Barabanov, SKA St. Petersburg

First and foremost, the eye will immediately be drawn to Gusev’s name after reports this morning indicated that he may be on his way to the Vegas Golden Knights instead. While Darren Dreger of TSN reports that Gusev’s representation is working to get him out of the last few weeks of his contract with SKA, the Golden Knights themselves have refused to comment on the situation. It’s not clear at this point if he will be allowed to join Vegas for an NHL playoff run, or if Gusev is instead going to join the national team and participate in the upcoming tournament.

Next is Provorov, who is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. Players often avoid going to the tournament if they don’t have a contract for next season due to the injury risk, but perhaps the Flyers have already done work to remedy that situation. In fact, the Russian press release indicates that Provorov will “join the team after he signs a new contract” indicating that they might not be waiting very long. The tournament starts on May 10th, well before Provorov would actually become an RFA.

Dadonov and Anisimov will also not be joining the Russian team right away. The former is dealing with a minor injury and will have to be cleared by the Panthers before reporting, while the latter is said to be joining the group on April 26th.

2019 NHL Draft Lottery Results

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The ping pong balls have been drawn and the first 15 picks of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft are set. The league conducted its annual Draft Lottery tonight and the big winners were the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, and Chicago Blackhawks. The Devils, with an 11.5% chance of winning the No. 1 overall selection, did just that and astoundingly will have their pick of the class for the second time in three years. New Jersey won the draft lottery in 2017 and selected Nico Hischier and will have the chance to add another elite talent this year. This continues the almost comical lottery luck that has followed Taylor Hall in his career, moving from Edmonton to New Jersey. The Rangers held a 7.8% chance of moving up to the second overall pick and in this specific draft class were very lucky as well, as their consolation prize will be the second of two elite players at the top of the draft board. This will also be the first time in the modern draft era that New York selects within the first three picks. The Blackhawks may have a more difficult choice facing them at No. 3, but aren’t complaining after jumping from No. 12 into the top three, a move that had just a 3% chance of happening. Chicago has been a dynastic franchise this decade and will look to return to greatness by adding one of the draft’s top talents. Altogether, these three teams all moving up in this order was a result that had just a 0.027% chance of occurring.

Following the lottery results, the odds for which were set by the final league standings for non-playoff teams, the first half of the first round will play out as follows:

  1. New Jersey Devils
  2. New York Rangers
  3. Chicago Blackhawks
  4. Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa Senators)
  5. Los Angeles Kings
  6. Detroit Red Wings
  7. Buffalo Sabres
  8. Edmonton Oilers
  9. Anaheim Ducks
  10. Vancouver Canucks
  11. Philadelphia Flyers
  12. Minnesota Wild
  13. Florida Panthers
  14. Arizona Coyotes
  15. Montreal Canadiens

The biggest loser of the night has to be the Colorado Avalanche, who fall out of the top three spots despite having a 49.4% chance of winning at least one of the those picks. This is the second time in just three years that Colorado has entered the lottery with the best odds at No. 1, only see three teams win the lottery and pass them up. In 2017, it was again the Devils who stole their top pick. After swindling the Ottawa Senators, it seemed the Avs were destined to cash in, but instead end up with the worst-case scenario. The Los Angeles Kings also have to be unhappy with the results, as the team slides from their second-to-last finish to the fifth overall pick. The Kings desperately could have used an injection of elite young talent next season and may not end up with an immediate contributor at No. 5. While they didn’t have the best of odds, the Vancouver Canucks are undoubtedly still disappointed in missing out on an opportunity to pair Jack Hughes with older brother Quinn Hughes, the team’s first-round pick in 2018 who already made a splash in his first few pro games down the stretch, or to at least make a top-three selection in front of the home crowd.

The younger Hughes, who was actually in attendance at tonight’s lottery event, has of course long been considered the likely top pick this spring and should start getting used to the idea of playing in New Jersey. The U.S. National Team center is considered a high-end play-maker already and turned down a scholarship to the University of Michigan earlier this season, knowing that he could be an impact player immediately in the NHL. As for the fit with the Devils, Hischier has already climbed atop the depth chart at center, but New Jersey will soon be able to boast amazing youth and depth down the middle with the addition of Hughes. Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko has pressured Hughes to be the top pick this year, but many still see him as a close second. The Rangers won’t mind, as Kakko is an extraordinary offensive talent who will score goals and throw his body around right away in the NHL. Kakko could become a major star in the New York market with his flashy goal-scoring ability and will certainly have the opportunity to play a major role right away. At third overall, there are many options for the Blackhawks, but the early expectation based on organizational depth would be a skilled forward like Vasili Podkolzin or Alex Turcotte. Chicago already has several promising young defensemen in the pipeline and can now add an elite forward to their growing young core of Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, and Brendan Perlini. Now relegated to the No. 4 pick, the Avalanche will still undoubtedly get a strong player, just as they did two years ago with Cale Makar, if not an immediate contributor in the top remaining prospect on their board. A player like big Canadian center Dylan Cozens would fit in nicely with what Colorado is building.

Now that the order is set, the next step is the draft itself. Everyone may have their projections, but only the day of will reveal the actual futures of these teams and players. This year’s draft is set to take place in Vancouver beginning on June 21st, a day that New Jersey, New York, and Chicago are now much more excited for. Stay tuned.

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