Flames To Sign Spencer Foo
One of the biggest college free agent prizes has decided on his NHL destination, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie. Union forward Spencer Foo will sign with the Calgary Flames. The 6’0″, 180 pound right winger scored 26 goals and added 36 assists in his Junior season with the Union Dutchmen. He was known in NCAA circles for being the motor behind the highest scoring line in college hockey, alongside Mike Vecchione, who ended up in Philadelphia.
Foo was previously linked to other teams, most seriously those same Flyers. However, Foo decided to change course, as he and his agent were pursued by other teams with more glaring holes at the winger position. Although details are scarce as to the rationale, one has to imagine that he was looking to have a serious opportunity on the right side. Calgary is weak on the right side, and only two players are under contract that naturally slot there: Troy Brouwer and Michael Frolik. The Flyers, by comparison, have multiple flexible core players who can slot on that side, including mainstays Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, and Jakub Voracek, with Matt Read and Dale Weise also getting looks. In Calgary, he is almost certain to have a crack at the top-9 on the roster, with the ability to play with creative talents Johnny Gaudreau and Sam Bennett.
Foo is tough for his size and has good skating ability. He has been lauded for his exceptional work ethic and conditioning, which at 23 will provide a decent opportunity to smoothly transition. The odds are against him to make an immediate offensive impact, as many college signings still take time to develop. For the re-building Flames, however, the signing is a perfect fit. Foo will be allowed to blossom alongside the young core that is already present, without worrying too heavily about internal competition for ice time on the wing.
Terms will not be revealed until that July 1st date, when the Unrestricted Free Agency signing period starts. Flames Nation’s Ryan Pike expects the deal to be a two-year entry level contract, at somewhere near the maximum $925,000 per year.
Free Agent Focus: Detroit Red Wings
The free agent period is now less than one week away from opening up and there are several prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign. Here is a breakdown of Detroit’s free agent situation.
Key Restricted Free Agents: Winger Tomas Tatar has been the Red Wings most consistent scorer over the past couple seasons and is due for a large raise as a result. Though he played with a shoulder injury for much of the season, Tatar still managed to pot 25 goals. The wrinkle with Tatar is that he could still be used as a trade chip should Detroit general manager Ken Holland seek a defensive upgrade. But this seems unlikely. Holland rarely pulls the trigger on deals, despite being known to say that he’s “working the phones.” Expect Tatar to re-sign for somewhere around the money Gustav Nyquist received, possibly getting more.
C Andreas Athanasiou: Another player rumored to be used as a trade chip, Athanasiou is a dynamic, game breaking forward who uses his speed and hands to generate scoring chances while creating highlight reel goals. Despite this, the Red Wings brass and coaching staff have chided Athanasiou for his lack of defensive play and this could pull back some of the dollars he could see. The Red Wings are in somewhat of a strange flux with their roster, and Athanasiou is one of the bright spots on the roster. He’ll see a bump from his entry-level deal, especially since Detroit will need to be more reliant upon him this year.
Other RFA’s: Xavier Ouellet, Robbie Russo, Martin Frk, Jake Paterson, Brian Lashoff
Key Unrestricted free agents: LW Drew Miller – Miller isn’t so much a “key” UFA player as he is an indication of what the Red Wings brass truly values. Miller, at best, is a fringe fourth liner in the NHL. Though a “penalty kill specialist,” numbers revealed that the Red Wings penalty kill hardly missed Miller when he was sent down to AHL affiliate Grand Rapids last season. The point? The Red Wings must hand off ice time to younger, faster, more skilled players. Re-signing Miller reveals that the Red Wings still don’t trust their young players and worse, will yield very little in the way of production from Miller.
Other UFA’s: Joe Vitale, Ben Street, Dylan McIlrath, Mitch Callahan, Edward Pasquale
Projected Cap Space: Via CapFriendly, the Red Wings have close to $8MM ($7,902,955 to be exact). This money will be used to essentially re-sign everyone within the organization and leave maybe $2-$3MM for an unrestricted free agent. Though Dan Girardi is out there, it makes little sense for Detroit to throw large sums of money on a defenseman who is clearly declining. Saving the money and possibly trying to upgrade via trade would be Detroit’s best option.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
2017 NHL Draft Results
Pro Hockey Rumors will be following and updating every selection of the 2017 NHL Draft. Stay here for every pick made in the draft this weekend:
Round One
- New Jersey Devils: Nico Hischier (C) – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
- Philadelphia Flyers: Nolan Patrick (C) – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
- Dallas Stars: Miro Heiskanen (D) – HIFK (Finland)
- Colorado Avalanche: Cale Makar (D) – Brooks Bandits (AJHL)
- Vancouver Canucks: Elias Pettersson (C) – Timra (Sweden)
- Vegas Golden Knights: Cody Glass (C) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
- New York Rangers (from AZ): Lias Andersson (C) – HV71 (Sweden)
- Buffalo Sabres: Casey Mittelstadt (C) – Eden Prairie High School
- Detroit Red Wings: Michael Rasmussen (C) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
- Florida Panthers: Owen Tippett (RW) – Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
- Los Angeles Kings: Gabe Vilardi (C) – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
- Carolina Hurricanes: Martin Necas (C) – Brno (Czech)
- Vegas Golden Knights (from WPG): Nick Suzuki (C/RW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
- Tampa Bay Lightning: Cal Foote (D) – Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
- Vegas Golden Knights (from NYI): Erik Brannstrom (D) – HV71 (Sweden)
- Calgary Flames: Juuso Valimaki (D) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Timothy Liljegren (D) – Rogle (Sweden)
- Boston Bruins: Urho Vaakanainen (D) – JYP (Finland)
- San Jose Sharks: Josh Norris (C) – USA U-18 National Development Program
- St. Louis Blues: Robert Thomas (C/RW) – London Knights (OHL)
- New York Rangers: Filip Chytil (C/LW) – Zlin (Czech)
- Edmonton Oilers: Kailer Yamamoto (RW) – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
- Arizona Coyotes (from MIN): Pierre-Olivier Joseph (D) – Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)
- Winnipeg Jets (from CLB via VGK): Kristian Vesalainen (LW) – Frolunda (Sweden)
- Montreal Canadiens: Ryan Poehling (C) – St. Cloud State (NCAA)
- Dallas Stars (from CHI): Jake Oettinger (G) – Boston University (NCAA)
- Philadelphia Flyers (from STL): Morgan Frost (C) – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
- Ottawa Senators: Shane Bowers (C) – Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
- Chicago Blackhawks (from DAL via ANA): Henri Jokiharju (D) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
- Nashville Predators: Eeli Tolvanen (LW/RW) – Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
- St. Louis (from PIT): Klim Kostin (LW/RW) – Dynamo Moscow (KHL)
Round 2
32. Colorado Avalanche: Conor Timmins (D) – Saulte Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
33. Vancouver Canucks: Kole Lind (RW) – Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
34. Vegas Golden Knights: Nicolas Hague (D) – Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
35. Philadelphia Flyers (from AZ): Isaac Ratcliffe (LW) – Guelph Storm (OHL)
36. New Jersey Devils: Jesper Boqvist (C) – Brynas (Sweden)
37. Buffalo Sabres: Marcus Davidsson (C) – Djurgardens (Sweden)
38. Detroit Red Wings: Gustav Lindstrom (D) – Altuma (Sweden)
39. Dallas Stars: Jason Robertson (LW/RW) – Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
40. Florida Panthers: Aleksi Heponiemi (C) – Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
41. Los Angeles Kings: Jaret Anderson-Dolan (C) – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
42. Carolina Hurricanes: Eetu Luostarinen (C) – KalPa (Finland)
43. Winnipeg Jets: Dylan Samberg (D) – Team North (USHS)
44. Arizona Coyotes (from PHI): Filip Westerlund (D) – Frolunda (Sweden)
45. Columbus Blue Jackets (from TB via VGK): Alexandre Texier (C) – Grenoble (France)
46. New York Islanders: Robin Salo (D) – Sport (Finland)
47. Ottawa Senators (from CGY): Alex Formenton (LW) – London Knights (OHL)
48. Tampa Bay Lightning (from TOR): Alexander Volkov (LW) – SKA St. Petersburg (Russia)
49. San Jose Sharks (from BOS via NJD): Mario Ferraro (D) – Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
50. Anaheim Ducks (from SJS via TOR): Maxime Comtois (LW) – Victoriaville Tigres (QMHL)
51. Pittsburgh Penguins (from STL): Zachary Lauzon (D) – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
52. Carolina Hurricanes (from NYR): Luke Martin (D) – Michigan (NCAA)
53. Boston Bruins (from EDM): Jack Studnicka (C) – Oshawa Generals (OHL)
54. Buffalo Sabres (from MIN): Ukko-Pekka Luukonen (G) – HPK (Finland)
55. Vancouver Canucks (from CLB): Jonah Gadjovich (LW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
56. Montreal Canadiens: Josh Brook (D) – Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
57. Chicago Blackhawks: Ian Mitchell (D) – Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)
58. Montreal Canadiens (from WAS): Joni Ikonen (C) – Frolunda (Sweden)
59. Toronto Maple Leafs (from OTT): Eemeli Rasanen (D) – Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
60. Anaheim Ducks: Antoine Morand (C) – Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
61. Nashville Predators: Grant Mismash (C) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
62. Vegas Golden Knights (from PIT via CAR): Jake Leschyshyn – Regina Pats (WHL)
Round 3
63. New Jersey Devils (from COL): Fabian Zetterlund (RW) – Farjestad (Sweden)
64. Vancouver Canucks: Michael DiPietro (G) – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
65. Vegas Golden Knights: Jonas Rondbjerg (RW) – Vaxjo (Sweden)
66. Florida Panthers (from AZ): Max Gildon (D) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
67. Carolina Hurricanes (from NJD): Morgan Geekie (C/RW) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
68. Montreal Canadiens (from BUF): Scott Walford (D) – Victoria Royals (WHL)
69. Arizona Coyotes (from DET via SJS): MacKenzie Entwistle (RW) – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
70. Chicago Blackhawks (from DAL): Andrei Altybarmakyan (C) – SKA St. Petersburg (Russia)
71. Detroit Red Wings (from FLA): Kasper Kotkansalo (D) – Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
72. Los Angeles Kings: Matt Villalta (G) – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
73. Carolina Hurricanes: Stelio Mattheos (RW/C) – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
74. Winnipeg Jets: Johnny Kovacevic (D) – Merrimack (NCAA)
75. Arizona Coyotes: Nate Schnarr (C) – Guelph Storm (OHL)
76. Tampa Bay Lightning: Alexei Lipanov (C) – Dynamo Balashik (Russia)
77. New York Islanders: Ben Mirageas (D) – Chicago Steel (USHL)
78. Edmonton Oilers (from CGY via AZ): Stuart Skinner (G) – Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
79. Detroit Red Wings (from TOR): Lane Zablocki (C) – Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
80. Philadelphia Flyers (from BOS): Kirill Ustimenko (G) – MHK Dynamo (Russia)
81. New Jersey (from SJS): Reilly Walsh (D) – Chicago Steel (USHL)
82. Arizona Coyotes (from STL via EDM): Cameron Crotty (D) – Brockville Braves (CCHL)
83. Detroit Red Wings (from NYR): Zach Gallant (C) – Peterborough Petes (OHL)
84. Edmonton Oilers: Dmitri Samorukov (D) – Guelph Storm (OHL)
85. Minnesota Wild: Ivan Lodnia (RW) – Erie Otters (OHL)
86. Columbus Blue Jackets: Daniil Tarasov (G) – Russia
87. Montreal Canadiens: Cale Fleury (D) – Kootenay Ice (WHL)
88. Detroit Red Wings (from CHI via CAR): Keith Petruzelli (G) – Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
89. Buffalo Sabres (from WAS): Oskari Laaksonen (D) – Ilves (Sweden)
90. Chicago Blackhawks (from OTT via CAR): Evan Baratt (C) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
91. Anaheim Ducks: Jack Badini (LW) – Chicago Steel (USHL)
92. Nashville Predators: David Farrance (D) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
93. Pittsburgh Penguins: Clayton Phillips (D) – Fargo Force (USHL)
Round 4
94. Colorado Avalanche: Nicholas Henry (RW) – Regina Pats (WHL)
95. Vancouver Canucks: Jack Rathbone (D) – Dexter (USHS)
96. Vegas Golden Knights: Maxim Zhukov (G) – Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
97. Minnesota Wild (from AZ): Mason Shaw (C) – Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
98. New Jersey Devils: Nikita Popugaev (RW) – Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
99. Buffalo Sabres: Jacob Bryson (D) – Providence (NCAA)
100. Detroit Red Wings: Malte Setkov (D) – Malmo (Sweden)
101. Dallas Stars: Liam Hawel (C) – Guelph Storm (OHL)
102. San Jose Sharks (from FLA via NYR): Scott Reedy (RW/C) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
103. Los Angeles Kings: Mikey Anderson (D) – Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
104. Carolina Hurricanes: Eetu Makiniemi (G) – Jokerit (Finland)
105. Winnipeg Jets: Santeri Virtanen (C) – TPS (Finland)
106. Philadelphia Flyers: Matthew Strome (LW) – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
107. Philadelphia Flyers (from TB): Maxim Shushko (RW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
108. Arizona Coyotes (from NYI via PHI): Noel Hoefenmayer (D) – Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
109. Calgary Flames: Adam Ruzicka (C) – Sarnia Sting (OHL)
110. Toronto Maple Leafs: Ian Scott (G) – Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
111. Boston Bruins: Jeremy Swayman (G) – Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
112. Chicago Blackhawks (from SJS via VAN): Tim Soderlund (LW/C) – Skelleftea (Sweden)
113. St. Louis Blues: Alexei Toropchenko (LW): HK MVD (Russia)
114. Colorado Avalanche (from NYR): Petr Kvaca (G) – HC Ceske (Czech Rep.)
115. Edmonton Oilers: Ostap Safin (RW) – HC Sparta (Czech Rep.)
116. Minnesota Wild: Bryce Misley (C) – Oakville Blades (OJHL)
117. Columbus Blue Jackets: Emil Bemstrom (C/RW) – Leksands (Sweden)
118. Los Angeles Kings (from MTL via DAL): Markus Phillips (D) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
119. Chicago Blackhawks: Roope Laavainen (D) – Jokerit (Finland)
120. Washington Capitals: Tobias Geisser (D) – EVZ Academy (Switzerland)
121. Ottawa Senators: Drake Batherson (C) – Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
122. Anaheim Ducks: Kyle Olsen (C/RW) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
123. New York Rangers (from NSH via NJD & SJS): Brandon Crawley (D) – London Knights (OHL)
124. Toronto Maple Leafs (from PIT): Vladislav Cara (C) – Irbis Kazan (Russia)
Round 5
125. Colorado Avalanche: Igor Shvyryov (C) – Stalnye (Russia)
126. Arizona Coyotes (from VAN via EDM): Michael Karow (D) – Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
127. Vegas Golden Knights: Lucas Elvenes (RW) – Rogle (Sweden)
128. Arizona Coyotes: Tyler Steenbergen (C) – Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
129. New Jersey Devils: Gilles Senn (G) – Davos (Switzerland)
130. St. Louis Blues (from BUF): David Noel (D) – Val-d’Or Foreur (QMJHL)
131. Detroit Red Wings: Cole Fraser (D) – Peterborough Petes (OHL)
132. Dallas Stars: Jacob Peterson (C) – Sweden
133. Florida Panthers: Tyler Inamoto (D) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
134. Los Angeles Kings: Cole Hults (D) – Madison Capitol (USHL)
135. Vancouver Canucks (from CAR via CHI): Kristoffer Gunnarsson (D) – Ik Oskarshamn (Sweden)
136. Winnipeg Jets: Leon Gawanke (D) – Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
137. Philadelphia Flyers: Noah Cates (LW) – Stillwater (USHS)
138. Los Angeles Kings (from TB): Drake Rymsha (C) – Sarnia Sting (OHL)
139. New York Islanders: Sebastian Aho (D) – Skelleftea (Sweden)
140. Calgary Flames: Zach Fischer (RW) – Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
141. Toronto Maple Leafs: Fedor Gordeev (D) – Flint Firebirds (OHL)
142. Vegas Golden Knights (from BOS via CAR): Jonathan Dugan (C) – Northwood (USHS)
143. New Jersey Devils (from SJS): Marian Studenic (RW) – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
144. Chicago Blackhawks (from STL): Parker Foo (C) – Brooks Bandits (AJHL)
145. New York Rangers: Calle Sjalin (D) – Ostersunds (Sweden)
146. Edmonton Oilers: Kirill Maximov (LW) – Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
147. Minnesota Wild: Jacob Golden (D) – London Knights (OHL)
148. Columbus Blue Jackets: Kale Howarth (C) – Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL)
149. Montreal Canadiens: Jarret Tyszka (D) – Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
150. Chicago Blackhawks: Jacob Galvas (D) – HC Olomouc (Czech Rep.)
151. Washington Capitals: Sebastian Walfridsson (D) – MODO (Sweden)
152. Pittsburgh Penguins (from OTT): Jan Drozg (RW/LW) – Leksands (Sweden)
153. Anaheim Ducks: Olle Eriksson Ek (G) – Farjestad (Sweden)
154. Nashville Predators: Tomas Vomacka (G) – Corpus Christi (NAHL)
155. Pittsburgh Penguins: Linus Ohlund (C) – Byrnas (Sweden)
Round 6
156. Colorado Avalanche: Denis Smirnov (LW) – Penn State (NCAA)
157. New York Rangers (from VAN): Dominick Lakatos (C/LW) – Billi Tygri (Czech Rep.)
158. Vegas Golden Knights: Nicholas Campoli (C) – North York Rangers (OJHL)
159. San Jose Sharks (from AZ): Jacob McGrew (RW) – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
160. New Jersey Devils: Aarne Talvitie (C) – Espoo (Finland)
161. Vegas Golden Knights (from BUF): Jiri Patera (G) – Ceske (Czech Rep.)
162. Detroit Red Wings: Jack Adams (RW) – Fargo Force (USHL)
163. Dallas Stars: Brett Davis (C) – Kootenay Ice (WHL)
164. Detroit Red Wings (from FLA): Reilly Webb (D) – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
165. New York Islanders (from LA): Arnaud Durandeau (LW) – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
166. Carolina Hurricanes: Brandon De Jong (D) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
167. Winnipeg Jets: Arvid Holm (G) – Karlskrona (Sweden)
168. Philadlephia Flyers: Olle Lycksell (C) – Linkoping (Sweden)
169. Tampa Bay Lightning: Nick Perbix (D) – Elk River (USHS)
170. Columbus Blue Jackets (from NYI via CHI): Jonathan Davidsson (RW) – Djurgardens (Sweden)
171. Calgary Flames: D’Artagnan Joly (RW) – Baie-Comeau Drakkar
172. Toronto Maple Leafs: Ryan McGregor (C/LW) – Sarnia Sting (OHL)
173. Boston Bruins: Cedric Pare (LW) – Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
174. New York Rangers (from SJS): Morgan Barron (C) – St. Andrew’s (CISAA)
175. St. Louis Blues: Trenton Bourque (D) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
176. Nashville Predators (from NYR): Pavel Kolygin (LW/C) – Drummondville Voltiguers (QMJHL)
177. Edmonton Oilers: Skyler Brind’Amour (C) – Selects (USPHL)
178. Minnesota Wild: Andrei Svetlakov (C) – CSKA Moscow (Russia)
179. Columbus Blue Jackets: Carson Meyer (RW) – Miami (OH) (NCAA)
180. Tampa Bay Lightning (from MTL): Cole Guttman (C) – Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
181. Vancouver Canucks (from CHI via CLB): Petrus Palmu (RW/LW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
182. Washington Capitals: Benton Maass (D) – Elk River (USHS)
183. Ottawa Senators: Jordan Hollett (G) – Regina Pats (WHL)
184. Florida Panthers (from ANA): Sebastian Repo (RW) – Tappara (Finland)
185. San Jose Sharks (from NSH via NJ): Alexander Chmelevski (C) – Ottawa 67’s
186. Pittsburgh Penguins: Antti Palojarvi (D) – Lukko (Finland)
Round 7
187. Colorado Avalanche: Nick Leivermann (D) – Eden Prairie (USHS)
188. Vancouver Canucks: Matthew Brassard (D) – Oshawa Generals (OHL)
189. Vegas Golden Knights: Ben Jones (C) – Niagara Ice Dogs (OHL)
190. Arizona Coyotes: Erik Walli Walterholm(RW) – Djurgardens (Sweden)
191. New Jersey Devils: Jocktan Chainey (D) – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
192. Buffalo Sabres: Linus Weissbach (LW/RW) – Tri-City Storm (USHL)
193. Detroit Red Wings: Brady Gilmour (C) – Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
194. Dallas Star: Dylan Ferguson (G) – Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
195. Boston Bruins (from FLA): Victor Berglund (D) – MODO (Sweden)
196. Philadelphia Flyers (from LA via TB): Wyatt Kalynuk (D) – Bloomington Thunder (USHL)
197. Carolina Hurricanes: Ville Rasanen (D) -Jokipojat (Finland)
198. Winnipeg Jets: Skyler McKenzie (C) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
199. Montreal Canadiens (from PHI): Cayden Primeau (G) – Lincoln Stars (USHL)
200. Tampa Bay Lightning: Samuel Walker (C) – Edina (USHS)
201. New York Islanders: Logan Cockerill (RW) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
202. Calgary Flames: Filip Sveningsson (LW) – HV71 (Sweden)
203. Toronto Maple Leafs: Ryan O’Connell (D) – St. Andrew’s (CISAA)
204. Boston Bruins: Daniel Bukac (D) – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
205. New Jersey Devils (from SJS): Yegor Zaitsev (D) – Dynamo Moskva (Russia)
206. St. Louis Blues: Anton Andersson (D) – Lulea (Sweden)
207. New York Rangers: Patrik Virta (C/RW) – TPS (Finland)
208. Edmonton Oilers: Phillip Kemp (D) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
209. Minnesota Wild: Nick Swaney (C) – Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
210. Columbus Blue Jackets: Robbie Stucker (D) – St. Thomas (USHS)
211. Winnipeg Jets (from MTL): Croix Evingson (D) – Shreveport Mudbugs (NAHL)
212. San Jose Sharks (from CHI): Ivan Chekhovich (LW) – Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
213. Washington Capitals: Kristian Roykas Marthinsen (LW) – Almtuna (Sweden)
214. New Jersey Devils (from OTT via SJS): Matthew Hellickson (D) – Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
215. Chicago Blackhawks (from ANA): Josh Ess (D) – Lakeville (USHS)
216. Nashville Predators: Jacob Paquette (D) – Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
217. Pittsburgh Penguins: Will Reilly (D) – RPI (NCAA)
Zach Leach contributed to this post (Day Two)
2017 NHL Draft Trade Tracker
Along with the draft selections, NHL Draft weekend always features plenty of trades as well. Keep track of all the action right here, as we’ll update any and all deals concerning draft picks over the course of the Draft:
Round One:
Chicago Blackhawks trade a first-round pick (#26) to the Dallas Stars for a first-round pick (#29) and third-round pick (#70)
St. Louis Blues trade a first-round pick (#27), a conditional 2018 first-round pick, and center Jori Lehtera to the Philadelphia Flyers for center Brayden Schenn
Pittsburgh Penguins trade a first-round pick (#31) and center Oskar Sundqvist to the St. Louis Blues for a third-round pick (#51) and right wing Ryan Reaves
Round Two:
Arizona Coyotes trade a second-round pick (#35) to the Philadelphia Flyers for a second-round pick (#44), third-round pick (#75), and fourth-round pick (#108)
Vegas Golden Knights trade a second-round pick (#45) to the Columbus Blue Jackets for right wing Keegan Kolesar
Round Three:
Arizona Coyotes trade a third-round pick (#78) to the Edmonton Oilers for a third-round pick (#82) and a fifth-round pick (#126)
Round Four:
New York Rangers trade a fourth-round pick (#102) to the San Jose Sharks for a fourth-round pick (#123) and a sixth-round pick (#174)
Round Seven:
Montreal Canadiens trade a 2018 seventh-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for a seventh-round pick (#199)
Zach Leach contributed to this post (Day Two)
New Jersey Selects Nico Hischier With 1st Overall Pick
The New Jersey Devils took center Nico Hischier with the first overall pick in the draft.
New Jersey took Hischier over Brandon Wheat Kings captain Nolan Patrick, which isn’t surprising as many had the 18-year-old center eclipsing Patrick. Hischier was rumored for months to have overtaken Patrick in the draft thanks to a strong showing at the world juniors and throughout the season with Halifax. It also marks the first Swiss player to be chosen #1 overall in the NHL Draft. Hischier’s stock had been rising throughout the season, and his pairing with Taylor Hall could produce one of the more lethal scoring threats in the league as he develops.
With the Moosehead, Hischier put up 86 points (38-48) in 57 games.
Snapshots: Coach’s Challenge Penalty, Russell
The NHL is looking at a rule change that would certainly add a new wrinkle to things. TSN’s Elliotte Friedman tweets that the NHL is kicking around the idea to assess two minute minor penalties to coaches who lose a challenge. Colleague Frank Saravelli tweets that it would be for challenges on offside calls, replace the loss of a timeout, and according to Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell, makes coaches “careful” about when they challenge. The Scores’s Josh Wegman writes that the league is looking for a way to cut down on the number of challenges, as it would make coaches more timid in using that challenge. However, before any rules are changed, both the board of governors and competition committee would have to agree.
- TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that a deal between defenseman Kris Russell and the Edmonton Oilers could be finalized as soon as tomorrow. He adds that Russell could get close to $4MM AAV for four years. This confirms what was reported earlier in the day, but now includes a duration and dollar amount. Russell played in 68 games for Edmonton and notched a goal and 13 points for them. The 30-year-old defenseman is known less for his statistical contribution and more for his shot blocking abilities.
Draft Notes: Suzuki, Makar, Hischier, Patrick
The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy believes that Owen Sound’s Nick Suzuki could very well be the steal of the draft. Suzuki, who has seen explosive growth in his draft stock, scored 96 points (45-51) in 65 games. Suzuki passes the standard and advanced stats test for many. Kennedy writes:
Scouts love his skill and his compete level. What’s even more intriguing is that, by advanced stats that I have seen, Suzuki was the best possession forward in the entire draft class – better than Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier by a mile.
NHL.com’s Mike Morreale writes that NHL Central Scouting tagged Suzuki as the tenth best prospect in North America, while scout Matt Ryan regards Suzuki as a “consistent prospect” who continuously improved as the season went on. Ryan also notes that had one of the “toughest schedule against the toughest competition,” and still managed to produce eye popping numbers and performances. While there are a glut of centers primed to be taken in the top ten, it would not be shocking to see Suzuki crack the top ten.
- Could Cale Makar be the first overall pick? The Calgary Herald’s Wes Gilbertson reports that one scout who spoke to TSN’s Bob McKenzie said he would take Makar first overall if he had that pick. Gilbertson writes that the “smooth skating” defenseman won’t be waiting long in Chicago for his name to be called, and that 27 teams were interested in talking to him at the NHL scouting combine. Picks in the top ten will be heavy with defensemen and centers, and Makar appears to be one who could have his name called as early as the top three. Some scouts have even compared him to Erik Karlsson, who was the fifteenth pick overall in the 2008 NHL draft. Adding more to this theory, ESPN Insider Corey Pronman predicts that Makar will be selected by New Jersey at number one instead of Hischier or Patrick.
- On the topic of Hischier and Patrick, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sam Carchidi adds to the speculation that the Devils could very well take a defenseman at #1, which would give the Flyers the first crack at the two centers. Carchidi writes, however, that neither center cares who goes first. Both players had dinner with Flyers GM Ron Hextall in separate gatherings, and Patrick believes he is fully recovered from the injuries he fought through during the 2016-17 season. Regardless of who they pick, the Flyers will sit pretty should the Devils take a defenseman and leave two prized centermen for Philadelphia.
Kris Russell Expected To Re-Sign In Edmonton
After the Edmonton Oilers cleared some cap space earlier today by moving Jordan Eberle for Ryan Strome, the team is close to bringing back one of their pending free agents. E.J. Hradek of NHL Network is hearing that Kris Russell will re-sign with the team.
Russell was one of the more interesting cases in free agency last summer, expected to lock down a long-term deal but eventually having to settle for just a one-year pact. Edmonton ended up giving him $3.1MM for last season, something that he’s sure to improve upon this time around. The 30-year old played over 21 minutes a night for the Oilers, registering 13 points in 68 games while blocking his regular 200+ shots.
One of the battlegrounds between “old” and “new school” player evaluation, Russell seems to be an effective defender but records extremely poor possession statistics. Despite that, coaches seem to rely heavily on him in many different situations and have put him on the ice more than 21 minutes a night for four straight seasons. Especially with the loss of Andrej Sekera to injury for the first part of the season, the Oilers needed to bring in a left-handed shot at some point this summer.
Whether Russell should be that defenseman is up for debate, as Edmonton fans are just as split as anyone when it comes to his performance. Though he once put up 34 points in a season for Calgary, he’s far from an offensive contributor and shouldn’t be expected to get back to that total going forward. The reason for moving Eberle, cap space, is also at risk should the Oilers decide to lock him up long-term. With Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid needing new contracts, locking in close to $4MM per season for a past-30 Russell is a risky proposition.
NHL Awards Preview
Caught up in the excitement of the Expansion Draft, it’s easy to forget that there is also an awards show tonight. Yes, the best trophy in all of sports, the Stanley Cup, has already been presented to the Pittsburgh Penguins, as has the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP to their captain, Sidney Crosby. Crosby also already locked up the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for the most regular season goals. Edmonton Oilers wunderkind Connor McDavid captured the Art Ross Trophy for the most regular season points as well. Braden Holtby locked up the William M. Jennings Trophy already too, as the Washington Capitals allowed the least amount of goals against in the regular season. Yet, all three of these players and many more still have a lot on the line tonight. Here are the nominees for tonight’s NHL Awards:
Hart Trophy – Most Valuable Player
Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets
- Star goalie helped to lead the Blue Jackets to their best record in franchise history, all while topping the league in save percentage (.931) and goals against average (2.06)
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
- The NHL’s leading goal-scorer and back-to-back winner of the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
- 20-year-old phenom led the league in points and assists and took his team from the draft lottery to the second round of the playoffs
Norris Trophy – Best Defenseman
Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks
- Not only led all defenseman in scoring with 76 points, but finished ninth overall among some of the league’s most dynamic forwards. Can check with the best of them as well.
Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
- A down year for the Bolts was a career year for Hedman, who finished just four points behind Burns with 72, and led all blue liners with 56 assists
Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
- If this award had been voted on after the playoffs, it might have been a different result. The NHL’s best puck-mover may still pull it off behind a 71-point campaign and an improved defensive game
Rumored Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Selections
The Vegas Golden Knights will reveal their expansion selections at tonight’s NHL Awards show, but details have started to come in on who each team will lose. There are many rumors floating around, but these are the most reputable. As with anything, nothing is final until the actual selections are announced tonight. This page will be updated with new information as it comes in.
Here are the latest rumored selections along with their source:
Anaheim Ducks: Clayton Stoner — Bob McKenzie of TSN
Arizona Coyotes:
Boston Bruins: Colin Miller — Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet
Buffalo Sabres: William Carrier — Frank Seravalli of TSN
Calgary Flames: Deryk Engelland — John Shannon of Sportsnet
Carolina Hurricanes:
Chicago Blackhawks: Trevor van Riemsdyk — Frank Seravalli of TSN
Colorado Avalanche:
Columbus Blue Jackets: William Karlsson — Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch
Dallas Stars: Cody Eakin — Jim Toth of TSN
Detroit Red Wings: Tomas Nosek — Craig Custance of The Athletic.
Edmonton Oilers: Griffin Reinhart — John Shannon of Sportsnet
Florida Panthers: Jon Marchessault — Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet
Los Angeles Kings: Brayden McNabb — John Shannon of Sportsnet
Minnesota Wild: Erik Haula — Michael Russo of the Star Tribune
Montreal Canadiens: Alexei Emelin — Eric Engels of Sportsnet
Nashville Predators: James Neal — Bob McKenzie of TSN
New Jersey Devils: Jon Merrill — Frank Seravalli of TSN
New York Islanders: Jean-Francois Berube — Bob McKenzie of TSN
New York Rangers: Oscar Lindberg — Larry Brooks of the New York Post and Frank Seravalli of TSN.
Ottawa Senators: Marc Methot — Pierre LeBrun of TSN
Philadelphia Flyers: Pierre-Edouard Bellemare — Craig Custance of The Athletic
Pittsburgh Penguins: Marc-Andre Fleury – Bob McKenzie of TSN
San Jose Sharks: David Schlemko — Pierre LeBrun of TSN
St. Louis Blues: David Perron — James Mirtle of The Athletic
Tampa Bay Lightning:
Toronto Maple Leafs: Brendan Leipsic — Darren Dreger of TSN
Vancouver Canucks:
Washington Capitals: Nate Schmidt — Pierre LeBrun of TSN
Winnipeg Jets: