Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Jeremy Bracco To ELC
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed a former draft pick of their own, inking Jeremy Bracco to an entry-level contract. Because the Maple Leafs are currently at the 50 contract maximum, we can assume it doesn’t kick in until the 2017-18 season. The former 67th-overall pick is playing for the Windsor Spitfires, who are hosting the Memorial Cup this spring.
2016-17 has been an outstanding year for Bracco, registering 83 points in 57 games split between Kitchener and Windsor. Though the Rangers are headed to the OHL playoffs as well, the Spitfires have a guaranteed entry into the Memorial Cup, something that won’t intimidate Bracco in the least. He was a big part of the Team USA team at the World Juniors that captured gold, scoring five points in seven games in the tournament.
Bracco has had an interesting path so far in his hockey career, leaving Boston College after just five games in his freshman season to head to Kitchener and compete in the OHL. He told Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News at the time, that he just “wanted to really zero in on hockey” and thought the OHL schedule was more conducive to that. It has worked so far, as he scored 64 points in his rookie season last year, only to easily eclipse that this year. While he’s always been slightly undersized, he possesses excellent skill with the puck and playmaking ability.
The Maple Leafs will continue to stockpile their offensively gifted wingers, with Bracco joining Kasperi Kapanen, Dmytro Timashov and Andreas Johnson as the next wave of prospects coming through the system. While Bracco doesn’t represent a lock for the NHL, he does have huge upside and an accelerated timeline after his big step this year. He’ll likely join the Toronto Marlies next season to test those offensive skills against professionals.
CapFriendly.com tweeted out details of the contract, confirming that it won’t start until the 2017-18 season. Bracco is set to make a bit more than $842K annually during the three-year contract, and there’s another $82.5K worth of incentives each season.
Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Sedlak, Hannikainen, Harrington To Two-Year Deals
The Columbus Blue Jackets have locked up three pending restricted free agents today, signing Lukas Sedlak, Markus Hannikainen and Scott Harrington to one-way, two-year contract extensions. Sedlak and Harrington will carry a $825K cap hit ($800K in 2017-18 and $850K in 2018-19) while Hannikainen will have a $675K cap charge ($650K next season and $700K in 2018-19).
Sedlak, 24, is the only one of the three who would qualify to fill the expansion draft’s 70/40 requirement with his 56 games played this season. The rookie has scored 13 points during those games, mostly centering the fourth line and contributing on the penalty kill. Selected in the sixth round of the 2011 draft, the Czech forward spent three seasons developing his defensive game in the AHL before earning a roster spot this year. That included a Calder Cup win last season, as he led the Lake Erie Monsters with 16 playoff points (tied with Oliver Bjorkstrand).
Hannikainen, 23, started his North American career last season after exploding onto the scene in Finland in 2014-15. After going undrafted in the NHL, Hannikainen suddenly put up 46 points in 60 games for Jyvaskyla and was signed soon after the season by the Blue Jackets. Though he didn’t have quite the same impact last year in the AHL, he has had a solid year for the Monsters this season with 24 points in 43 games. In ten games with the Blue Jackets this year, he’s recorded two points.
Since being picked by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the 2011 draft, Harrington has had his name in the news quite a bit. He was part of the trade that saw Phil Kessel leave Toronto for the Penguins, before ultimately being traded for Kerby Rychel last summer. With only 41 NHL contests under his belt, it’s surprising he received a one-way deal especially with the strength of the Blue Jackets on defense. He’ll have to prove that at 24 he still has some upside as an NHL player, and try to lock down a spot on the roster for next season.
Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch was first to report the signings on Twitter and the first to give us the details of each contract.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Libor Hajek Signs Three-Year Contract With Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning have inked one of their top draft selections, signing Libor Hajek to a three-year, entry-level contract today. The 19-year old Hajek was Tampa’s second pick in 2016, taken with the selection they received from Arizona in exchange for Anthony DeAngelo. Selected 37th overall, Hajek was born in the Czech Republic and made his professional debut there at the age of 16, but has been playing in the WHL with the Saskatoon Blades for the past two seasons.
Prior to last summer’s draft, Eric Engels and other Sportsnet scouts wrote about Hajek. Modelling his game after Drew Doughty, Hajek has elite skating ability for a defender and uses it to move the puck out of his zone quickly and effectively. His shot impresses, as does his calm demeanor when under pressure. Drafted second overall in the CHL import draft in 2015, Hajek has become one of the most interesting defenders in the league this season.
The 2016 draft is looking excellent for the Lightning, with Hajek joining Brett Howden, Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh and Connor Ingram in the first three rounds. All five are having outstanding seasons in one way or another, with Raddysh even part of arguably the best line in junior hockey with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome. While Tampa Bay might have to move out some of its NHL talent in the next few months due to expansion draft and cap concerns, they have done well to fill the pipeline back up with young talent that isn’t so far away from the professional ranks.
Calgary Flames Sign Tyler Parsons and Ryan Lomberg
The Calgary Flames signed a three-year, entry-level deal with drafted goaltender Tyler Parsons today. The Flames drafted Parsons 54th overall (2nd round) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Parson currently plays for the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League.
The signing caps a successful year for Parsons. The American goaltender led Team USA to a gold medal at the World Junior Championships this winter—stopping 46 shots in the gold medal game. Parsons currently sports a 2.18 GAA and a .917 SV% with the London Knights, and backstopped them to a Memorial Cup last season. Parsons started the season at the Flames training camp, and even played a period against the Vancouver Canucks.
The signing precedes a summer where the Flames need to decide who plays between the pipes. Both Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson are free agents at the end of the year, and it is unclear whether Calgary re-signs either. Elliott’s play has improved as of late, but his early troubles will not shake his reputation as a streaky goaltender.
The Flames also signed forward Ryan Lomberg to a two-year, two-way deal starting next season. Lomberg currently plays for the AHL Stockton Heat where he has 8G and 11A in 57 games. The 22 year-old Ontario native went undrafted before signing an AHL deal in 2015.
Tyler Kelleher Signs With Milwaukee Admirals
Despite being tied to the New Jersey Devils in recent days, Tyler Kelleher of the University of New Hampshire has signed an AHL contract with the Milwaukee Admirals—Nashville’s AHL affiliate—for the remainder of the season and all of 2017-18. The Predators seem to have swooped in and stolen the 22-year old forward right out from under the rest of the league’s noses. 
A finalist for the Hobey Baker award for the nation’s top player, Kelleher scored 63 points in 40 games for New Hampshire this season. The extremely small winger has been more than a point-per-game player during his college career, and will go down as one of the all-time great offensive weapons to come out of the school.
It is that size though, that will be his biggest obstacle at the professional level. Listed at just 5’6″ 160-lbs, Kelleher has always been one of the smallest players at whatever level he’s played. It’s likely why he wasn’t drafted despite a successful stint on the US Development Team, and likely why he couldn’t lock down an entry-level contract this spring.
This doesn’t mean that the Predators are the only destination for the young sniper, but it will give them a leg up if he proves that he deserves an NHL deal eventually. If he can bring that dynamic offensive game to the next level, they could easily have found another exceptional talent that was overlooked because of his height.
2018 Winter Classic Likely To Be Held At Citi Field
According to Arthur Staple of Newsday, the Winter Classic will finally be coming to New York City. The report suggests the agreement is being finalized to have the New York Rangers face the Buffalo Sabres at Citi Field in Queens. The stadium is the home of the New York Mets, and would be the second New York state location to hold an outdoor game in a matter of days. Buffalo will be home to next winter’s World Junior Championships, where teams USA and Canada will meet for an outdoor contest on December 29th at New Era Stadium (home of the Buffalo Bills).
There have been two Stadium Series games played in NYC, both at Yankee Stadium and both in January of 2014. The Rangers took on the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders in those two, and also appeared in a Winter Classic in Philadelphia back in 2012. Buffalo on the other hand appeared in the first Winter Classic in 2008, but has been held out of outdoor games since.
While some may lament two teams facing off that have already participated in Winter Classics, it will still be a incredible financial opportunity for the league and give a showcase to one of the league’s forgotten young talents in Jack Eichel. Between his injuries and lack of national spotlight put on the Sabres, Eichel has lagged behind the Connor McDavid–Auston Matthews hype despite putting up incredible numbers of his own when healthy.
Though this had been rumored as the matchup for a while, Staple notes that there had been talks of holding the game at Westpoint instead, though apparently that will not happen in 2017-18. Perhaps down the road another game will appear there. For now, the league continues to use the “traditional” hockey markets as venues for the Winter Classic, as the series has only included 11 teams to this point. The Chicago Blackhawks, participants (and losers) of three different games have drawn ire from fans that wish to see other teams given a chance at the game. Obviously difficult to accomplish in warmer climates, the game could still feature a more southern team as the opponent.
Artem Anisimov Out Three To Four Weeks
The Chicago Blackhawks will be without a key piece for the next month, as Artem Anisimov has been ruled out for three to four weeks with a lower body injury. Anisimov suffered the injury when colliding with Alexander Radulov last night in Montreal, in the Hawks’ 4-2 victory over the Canadiens.
Three weeks would bring Anisimov back for the final two regular season games, while a month would keep him out for the remainder of the regular season. Either way, it’s likely he’ll be back in time to participate in at least part of the first round. The Hawks just took over first place in the Central Division, and would currently draw the St. Louis Blues in the playoffs.
Though losing Anisimov hurts—the second line center is having another excellent season skating alongside Patrick Kane, scoring 22 goals and 44 points—the Blackhawks are prepared to give younger players increased responsibility. Nick Schmaltz will move into the second line center role full time, while the recently signed John Hayden will slide in next to Jonathan Toews on the top line. Speaking with Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times, Hayden seemed excited to get started with the club:
To be honest, playing with anyone would be great. The whole locker room is filled with household names.
In the past, the Blackhawks have moved lesser-known players in and out of their top-six to great results. It seems as though anyone who plays with Toews and Kane (not to mention Artemi Panarin and Marian Hossa) can find success, with Schmaltz being the latest example. Anisimov will be given the time to heal properly, and get back to firing on all cylinders for what looks like another deep playoff run.
Chicago Blackhawks Sign Luc Snuggerud To Three-Year Contract
The Chicago Blackhawks have signed another one of their draft picks out of the college ranks, agreeing to a three-year entry-level contract with Luc Snuggerud. The deal will kick in for the 2017-18 season, and Snuggerud will report to the Rockford IceHogs for the remainder of this year. Unlike John Hayden, who will likely play for the Hawks this season, Snuggerud will be looking into the future to try and make an impact on this team.
The nephew of former NHL winger Dave Snuggerud, the University of Nebraska product set a career high with 11 goals and 31 points this season. A former fifth-round pick of the Blackhawks, the younger Snuggerud is a left-handed defenseman capable of joining the rush and adding some offensive flair to a blueline. He’ll likely get some good minutes at Rockford down the stretch, as the AHL squad is firmly at the bottom of the standings.
The Blackhawks have now added Snuggerud, Hayden and Anthony Louis from the college ranks to go along with Matthew Highmore from the CHL. They are doing their best to restock a system that is seemingly drained of prospects every year. Still with Alex DeBrincat destroying the OHL, Chad Krys debuting well for Boston University, and the easy transitions for Nick Schmaltz and Ryan Hartman in the NHL, Chicago doesn’t look like it’s too worried about their pipeline drying up anytime soon.
Dallas Stars Sign Gavin Bayreuther
Late last night, the Dallas Stars announced that they had won out in their battle with the Buffalo Sabres for the right to sign Gavin Bayreuther. The St. Lawrence University defenseman was a free agent and was considering the two teams up until yesterday. The two sides have come to an agreement and will release details today.
Bayreuther was considered one of the top free agents available from the college ranks this year, and for good reason. The 22-year old defenseman has put up 29 points in two straight seasons and generally been a dominant presence on the St. Lawrence blue line for all four years. He’ll go down as the second highest scoring defenseman in school history, behind only Daniel Laperriere, a former St. Louis Blues draft pick and NHL player.
The 6’1″, 195-lbs Bayreuther has much of what any NHL team would be looking for in a defensive prospect; great first pass, solid decision making, hard shot from the point. It’s mostly his positioning and one-on-one battles that need work, and will be challenged at the next level. With some solid professional coaching, he could turn into a nice all-around defenseman.
For the Stars, adding another prospect to their defensive pool can’t hurt as they look to rebuild what has been a shattered blue line. The team has watched Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers, Kris Russell, Johnny Oduya, Jordie Benn, Jyrki Jokipakka and Trevor Daley all leave one way or another over the past couple of years, leaving them with a makeshift lineup behind the stalwart John Klingberg. Now with the youth of Bayreuther, Stephen Johns, Esa Lindell, Julius Honka, Patrik Nemeth and Dillon Heatherington they’ll be able to fill that pipeline once again.
While this signing doesn’t fix everything there is wrong with the Stars—as no one signing would—it does take another step in the right direction for a team that was in first place as recently as last year. We’ll now see how active they are heading into the expansion draft, where they will have several key decisions to make.
Drew Shore Returns From Europe, Signs With Canucks
Monday: According to CapFriendly, Shore has cleared waivers and is now eligible to play though it’s not yet clear when he would debut.
Sunday: Former-NHLer Drew Shore is a current-NHLer once again. Shore is on entry waivers today and has signed with the Vancouver Canucks for the remainder of the season, per a team announcement. Shore makes his way back from Europe after playing this season with EHC Kloten of the Swiss National League A (NLA). It is because he played overseas this year while not being on Vancouver’s reserve list that he has to clear waivers before he can join the team.
Rarely does leaving the NHL work out as well for one’s hockey career as it has thus far for Shore. A second-round pick of the Florida Panthers back in 2009 and the brother of the L.A. Kings’ Nick Shore, Kings’ minor-leaguer Quentin Shore, and 2017 draft-eligible Baker Shore, a lot was expected of the eldest of a talented hockey family out of Denver, Colorado. However, Shore struggled to find his footing in the NHL early on, scoring just 20 points in 67 games with the Panthers over the course of his first two pro seasons. In 2014-15, Shore had not played a single NHL game by mid-January, when he was dealt to the Calgary Flames. The trade made matters worse, as Shore was only given 13 games with Flames in a season and a half with the organization and scored only four points in that time. Tired of the minors and his lack of production at the highest level in North America, the 26-year-old center signed with Kloten in Switzerland this summer. In the NLA, Shore seemed to finally find his game, recording 24 goals and 24 assists in 50 games. His 24 goals ranked third in the league, while his 48 total points finished sixth. Shore achieved these numbers on a team that was significantly less talented than most of its competition and featured only one other former NHL forward, James Sheppard. Shore carried the squad and helped them to avoid relegation.
Now that Shore has re-established his game, at least in what many consider the second-best hockey league in Europe, he is going to try his hand at the NHL once more. His signing with Vancouver is yet another shrewd move to add to the recent streak of GM Jim Benning. Shore is still young and spent the last year dominating talented competition and developing the open, offensive European game that the Canucks try to implement. The team is out of playoff contention – though Shore would not have been eligible to compete anyway – but can still take the rest of the season to assess their new asset for his future fit. Gambling on Shore is a low-risk, high-reward investment for Benning as well as something for disheartened Vancouver fans to follow for the remainder of the season. Little downside for the team, fans, or player in this scenario.