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Overseas Notes: Pirri, Brule, Villacher

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Despite some early reports, it remains unclear whether free agent forward Brandon Pirri is leaving the NHL or not. News out of local sources in Switzerland made it sound as if the young scorer had already come to an agreement with the ZSC Lions of the NLA. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, one of hockey’s top news-breakers, did some digging today and has doubts about the deal. Friedman believes that Pirri still plans on staying in North America, despite what is likely ample interest from European clubs. Pirri, still just 26 years old, has not been tendered a qualifying offer in back-to-back years, despite racking up 47 points in 121 games with the New York Rangers, Anaheim Ducks, and Florida Panthers over the past two seasons. Before that, Pirri notched a 22-goal season for the Panthers in 2014-15. Yet, often described as a one-dimensional player, Pirri has been unable to find a long-term NHL home. Will he wait out the market or take a minor league deal, as Friedman suggests, or will eventually succumb to the pressure of overseas offers, like that of ZSC, and leave North America?

  • One former NHLer who first turned to the ZSC Lions when he could not find a new NHL team was Gilbert Brule. The sixth overall pick of the 2005 NHL Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, Brule left for Swtizerland in 2012 after his once-promising career had produced only 95 points in 296 NHL games over seven pro seasons. Brule attempted a comeback the following year, but found a similar lack of success and moved on to the KHL, where he has played ever since. According to a press release from Russian club Traktor Chelyabinsk, Brule is on the move again, but still within the KHL. Traktor has acquired the now 30-year-old forward for cash compensation from Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Brule is coming off his best pro season in 2016-17, after posting 42 points in 52 games between Neftekhimik and Medvescak Zagreb. Brule will look to stay hot in the final season of his contract after finishing in the top 25 in points per game last season in the KHL.
  • Brule’s former team, Medvescak Zagreb, has now left the KHL and has re-joined the EBEL, a league based mostly out of Austria, but that includes other European clubs like Zagreb, a Croatian team, and others from the Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary, and Slovenia. While league re-alignment has been a major story for the EBEL, another has been the active off-season for Villacher SV, the lowest-placing Austrian team in 2016-17. In the past two days, Villacher has added arguably the two biggest names of any EBEL signings this summer in Rob Flick and Ben Walter. Flick, a fourth-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010 and a well-regarded enforcer, had been unable to crack an NHL lineup despite solid defensive play and moderate offense in the AHL and ECHL. The 26-year-old finally found his scoring touch with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays last season, notching 63 points in 60 games and will now look to keep that going with Villacher. Walter, a veteran of lower-level European hockey, was one of the top scorers in the EBEL in 2014-15 with 43 points in 50 games. Walter was a fifth-round selection of the Boston Bruins in 2004, and unlike Flick, saw 24 games of NHL action with the Bruins, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils. While Flick and Walter may not be massive names by any means to most North American fans, their relative talent level make them huge acquisitions for Villacher.

Morning Notes: Roy, Frattin

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After spending the last two years in the KHL and Swiss NLA, Derek Roy will try his hand in another European professional league this season. The former NHL forward has signed on with Linkoping of the Swedish Hockey League for the next two seasons, which should effectively end any thoughts of a comeback. He’ll be 36 at the end of the contract, and four years removed from NHL play.

In 738 NHL contests, Roy registered 524 points including a career-high of 81 in 2007-08. Though he received Selke votes on multiple occasions, Roy was never afforded many individual accolades but still carved out quite a successful career in the NHL. His effect was felt most early in his career where he helped lead the Buffalo Sabres to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, eventually falling to the Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes.

  • Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matt Frattin will follow Roy’s lead and head overseas, signing with the Kunlun KHL team for next season. Frattin has never been able to fulfill his potential as a shoot-first power forward in the NHL, though he’s been a long-time contributor at the AHL level. At just 29 there is a chance of a return, but the success he’ll likely find in the KHL may outweigh any opportunity in North America.

Kevin Klein Signs One-Year Deal In Switzerland

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After announcing his retirement from the NHL last week, Kevin Klein has signed a one-year contract to play for the Zurich Lions of the Swiss NLA next season. Klein had one year remaining on his contract with the New York Rangers, but opted to retire and give up the $2.75MM instead of trying to work through his chronic injuries in the NHL.

He’ll do that instead in Switzerland, where he’ll join one of the top teams in the NLA for a year. Back in June, when it was first reported by Larry Brooks of the New York Post that Klein was considering retirement, continuing his career in Europe was mentioned. That didn’t seem like the plan last week when he announced his retirement, but at just 32 he likely has at least something left to give. The Lions are perhaps best known for their one-year housing of Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews while Marc Crawford was the head coach. While both of those men have moved on, the team remains a powerhouse in the league featuring former NHL players like David Rundblad and Robert Nilsson.

It’s interesting to see a player give up guaranteed money and a role in the NHL for the NLA, especially one like Klein who isn’t a fringe player. Playing 627 games in his career he has been a big part of the Rangers’ defensive group for several years, and before that a key cog for Nashville. The Rangers have made it clear they wanted to get younger this season, and perhaps they told Klein his role would be greatly diminished (or even buried in the minors) or maybe he just prefers the vistas of Europe over the metropolis of New York. He’s never been shy about his post-hockey plans—which include wood-working on his porch and opening a bed and breakfast with his wife—and this seems like just another outlet for those passions.

Viktor Stalberg Signs With Swiss Club EV Zug

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Over the past few years, many NHL veterans have turned to the Swiss National League A when they could not find a home in the NHL. Mark Arcobello, Roman Cervenka, Drew Shore, and Dustin Jeffrey made up some of the NLA’s top players in 2016-17. Yet, thus far it has been a quiet off-season for the growing Swiss league. Only lesser-known North American pros such as Mason Raymond and Joel Vermin have made the jump overseas, instead of the regular influx of NHL veterans like in recent years.

That is, until now. EV Zug, fresh off an appearance in the NLA championship, announced this morning that they have signed NHL veteran Viktor Stalberg to a two-year deal. It has been rumored for some time that Stalberg, ranked 45th in PHR’s Top 50 Free Agents, was looking into NLA offers, but after playing well for the Ottawa Senators down the stretch and during their surprising playoff run this season, many thought he would eventually receive a suitable NHL offer instead. Perhaps that wasn’t the case, as the Swedish winger has signed on for two years in the NLA, signalling that he is taking a break from the NHL, at least for a while.

Stalberg, 31, has been committed to North American hockey for some time now and it is a bit strange to see him leave after his stock rose at the end of the 2016-17 season. Stalberg originally left home to play at the University of Vermont in 2006, the same year he had been drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Stalberg went on to be a key forward for the Chicago Blackhawks for a few years, posting a 20-goal season and career-high 43 points with the team in 2011-12 and helping out the Stanley Cup-winning squad in 2012-13. Since leaving Chicago, Stalberg has become more of a journeyman mercenary; a role player for teams for short periods of time. In the past three years, he has played for the Nashville Predators and their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, the New York Rangers, the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Senators. In those three seasons, Stalberg registered only 46 points combined, which may have lent itself to the seemingly low level of interest from other teams. Stalberg may have lost his NHL scoring touch, but he’s likely to rediscover it in the NLA. Stalberg is a great veteran addition for HV Zug, and with more than a few years of hockey left in him, Stalberg’s NHL days may not be completely over yet either.

 

Free Agent Profile: Jaromir Jagr

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Not many believed that Jagr would be left without a contract over a full week into July. While many Florida fans believed GM Dale Tallon was looking to impress his vision on the franchise in an aggressive way, a return at a reduced cost seemed possible. Barring that, Jagr was sure to draw interest from offense-starved squads. He was listed as our 13th best available UFA for a reason, and yet, there’s been little to no chatter on the Czech star.

Jagr has seen a dip in his value, undeniably. He scored 11 less goals than the previous season; that said, he’s still a lock for 40 points. He’s slowed down quite noticeably, and one can only imagine that is the crux of his issue in attracting suitors. His vision and hands are still world-class, but his speed is an encumbrance to whichever line he’s on. That said, he’s a positive impact player in terms of analytics and fancy possession stats. If you look at his HERO chart (a handy bar-graph representation of advanced stats such as shots suppressed and generated), he performs well above the “prototypical” second-liner. No one in the analytics community seems to understand how such a consistent performer can be left unclaimed at this date. People constantly criticize players like Jagr for poor defensive qualities. There is an element of truth to these claims, as he is certainly hustling harder going north than south. But results, and actual goals against for his lines over the years, show that perhaps he knows something we don’t.

The game is changing, and with faster teams heading deeper into the playoffs, Jagr’s ability to fend off attackers and maintain a cycle is less valuable than it was previously. More rush play, more dump and chase, and less east-west movement through the neutral zone is the way many teams are hoping to push the pac and tilt the ice in their favor. Signing Jagr doesn’t fit that trendy ideology, and that’s the main holdup at this juncture. The amount of teams who are willing to slow the game down, even just on special teams, are becoming fewer and fewer. Ultimately, he will find a home, but it could be a drastic reduction in pay and icetime. Jagr was already getting acclimated to a sheltered role with short shifts, but he may be even more of a utility skater in his new home.

If for nothing else, Jagr is a magician on the powerplay and can pass the puck with ease. He would be a wonderful asset merely as a leader, whose experience and off-ice attributes would benefit the growth of younger players.

Potential Suitors

We originally projected that Jagr would return to the Florida Panthers, as we also believed would be the case for Thomas Vanek. We were wrong on both fronts, as Dale Tallon has opted instead for a massive roster shakeup. Jagr quipped on Twitter that he had no calls this July 1st, although that claim may merely be an attempt to garner greater interest.

A New Jersey reunion might be in the cards. They finished 29th in goals for and Jagr could be relegated to 3rd-line duty with a healthy roster after all of GM Ray Shero’s shuffling. He’s certainly not going to lead the team in scoring, but in the tough Metro division it’s difficult to see them making the playoffs anyway. In what should be a year to build upon, and with multiple youngsters (Nico Hischier, Pavel Zacha) looking to cement themselves in the league, what better role model than Jagr to provide leadership and calm? The team could also do to add NHL proven forwards – they have the second fewest organizational contracts at 33, and many are not ready for prime-time.

Although they’re not the ideal landing spot, the New York Islanders seemingly always need a little extra fire power. They too have the disadvantage of trying to survive in the high-flying Metro, and Tavares could use another piece on the powerplay to bring it back to respectability (they finished with a 15% conversion rate in 2016-17). Again, his leadership abilities on a relatively young squad would provide a good example. He can also still manufacture chances on his own, and outside of Tavares, the team still struggles with that for long stretches. Pair him with one of their many two-way forwards, such as Josh Bailey, and his minimal defensive shortcomings won’t be as impactful. Cap room on an internal basis is an issue, but Jagr is getting cheaper by the day.

Many teams could take a flier on a one year deal. At 45 years-old, it would be highly unlikely to make a significant commitment to him. Arizona and Colorado could both certainly use the offensive help, but they both moved on from their own free agent old-timers in Shane Doan in Jarome Iginla, so both seem unlikely. Carolina already added a greybeard in Justin Williams, but scoring depth couldn’t hurt there. Vancouver is already incredibly old, so why not double down at this point and help out your special teams? And there’s always the possibility that Jagr finally decides to take a paycut to chase after a final championship. It has been since 1992 for him.

Expected Contract

Jagr will continue to wait away in free agency limbo for some time. This may be his final contract, but it’s difficult to determine how important competitiveness of the team will be to him. I think he stays in the East, namely New Jersey, for one year at a measly $1.75 MM. It won’t delay the rebuild, which is necessary in Newark, but it will keep the team just above water in the division. I’m not certain Shero wants to gamble on a total tank, as we saw how well that worked for Colorado in the recent draft. They ultimately need proven forwards to round out the roster, and the price is right to buy low.

KHL Notes: Off-Season, Gilroy, Roy, Zadorov

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Given the relatively weak NHL free agent market and the financial instability of the KHL, it would not have been a surprise to see an influx of talent come overseas this off-season. When Vadim Shipachyov signed with the Vegas Golden Knights in June, it seemed that floodgates were about to open. Yet, one month later, it’s been quite the opposite. Other than Shipachyov’s SKA St. Petersburg teammate Evgeni Dadonov signing with the Florida Panthers, most big names in the KHL have re-signed, while others in North America have crossed over. Already, Mikhail Grigorenko and Nikita Nesterov have left the NHL for a return to Russia, as have Sergey Kalinin and Roman Lyubimov; prospects Nikita Gusev, Kirill Kaprizov, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Ilya Sorokin have decided to stay put, and so too have former NHLers playing overseas like Ben Scrivens, Paul Szczechura, and of course Ilya Kovalchuk; and even Nashville Predator’s first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen, spurned by Boston College, has signed in the KHL.

  • Joining the trend of former NHLers staying in the KHL and joining Tolvanen with Helsinki, Finland-based club Jokerit is defenseman Matt Gilroy. The team announced the signing this morning, inking one of the KHL’s top-scoring blue liners to a one-year deal. Gilroy, 32, is a former Boston University standout who played in 225 NHL games over six seasons with the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers. Unable to ever find a long-term home or lock down a regular role, Gilroy crossed the Atlantic in 2014 and has never looked back. Gilroy had the best season of his professional career in 2016-17, but nonetheless decided to stick it out overseas.
  • NHL veteran and four-time 20-goal scorer Derek Roy has bucked the trend of staying in the KHL, but he’s also not heading back to the NHL next season either. Roy continues his tour around Europe, as he has left Russia to sign in Sweden. Roy originally left the NHL to sign in Switzerland with the NLA’s SC Bern in 2015, and after a strong campaign, took a step up to the KHL. Roy played 21 games with Avangard Omsk last year before a mid-season trade sent him to Traktor Chelyabinsk for 34 games and the postseason. Altogether, Roy posted just 11 goals and 11 assists in the KHL last year, a drop off from his production in the NLA and from his NHL days as well. Roy will try his hand at the SHL this season, after signing with Linkoping HC, and will try to boost his offense back toward the 30+ point mark that he hit in the NLA and annually reached in the NHL, even at the end. At 34 years old, Roy is still trying to make the most of his ability overseas, but the door is not closed for a member of the NHL’s 500-point club to eventually try to make his North American comeback
  • CSKA fans shouldn’t get their hopes up, but KHL insider Aivis Kalnins is reporting that the club has a deal in place with young Colorado Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov if the restricted free agent cannot come to terms on a new NHL deal. The news has gained traction today, but seems unlikely to be anything more than jsut a negotiation tactic. The 22-year-old blue liner is from Moscow, where CSKA plays, but played his junior hockey with the London Knights of the OHL before being drafted 16th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2013. Zadorov may have connections to his hometown team, but has always shown a commitment to North American hockey. The 6’5″, 230-lb. defender logged almost 20 minutes of ice time per game last year for Colorado, and even though they were historically bad, it seems extremely unlikely that they would let their best young defenseman go unsigned. The Avs have plenty of cap room and will budge on term if need be. Even if they couldn’t come to terms, the rebuilding Avs could get plenty in return for dealing Zadorov. Don’t expect him to use the CSKA safety blanket this off-season or any time soon. Grigorenko will be the only 2016-17 Avs member headed to Russia next season.

Reto Berra Exercises NHL Option, Signs With Anaheim Ducks

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Though he signed a three-year contract with Friborg-Gottéron of the NLA earlier this spring, Reto Berra has exercised an NHL option he had to leave the team and sign with the Anaheim Ducks for the 2017-18 season. The final two years of his contract will still be in effect in Switzerland, though it’s unclear whether another deal would void those as well.

Berra played last season with the Florida Panthers and their AHL affiliate, and has some NHL experience going back to 2013. The 30-year old goaltender was a fourth-round selection by the Blues in 2006 and has gotten into 71 games in his career.

The Ducks, having lost both Jhonas Enroth and Matt Hackett to free agency, needed some help at the AHL level. They do still have Dustin Tokarski there, and Ryan Miller was brought in to backup John Gibson at the NHL level, but extra depth in net is never a bad thing.

Kings Looking To Shift Course

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After missing the playoffs two seasons in a row, the L.A. Kings have fallen pretty hard from grace. After winning the cup twice in three years, it’s been one bad story after another for the team from Hollywood. Dustin Brown was stripped of the captaincy and relegated to bottom-six duties, not long after former key contributor Mike Richards found himself terminated due to a combination of on-ice, off-ice, and salary issues. Matt Greene had to be bought out entirely. Marian Gaborik is 35, signed for four more seasons, and just put together two underwhelming performances back-t0-back. The defense has gotten more top-heavy, and after losing Brayden McNabb to Vegas in the expansion draft, is set to lose another valuable piece. The head coach who earned the franchise its two rings was fired and a re-tread coach from Philadelphia will get his opportunity in 2017-18.

In an article with the L.A. Times written by Helene Elliotts, GM Rob Blake details the change in philosophy the Kings will need to adopt if they are going to find success in the near future. Ultimately, he wants to predicate the team’s identity more on speed, while staying true to their defensive style. Los Angeles has played a heavy, physical, stifling game to get their championships, and it appears that Blake is shifting away from that mantra next season. He isolated the “core” of the team as Anze Kopitar, Tanner Pearson, Jeff Carter, Tyler Toffoli, Drew Doughty, Jake Muzzin, and Jonathan Quick. It might be drawn from his sentiment thatt other, more expendable pieces that may be available if the Kings continue to merely tread water.

Los Angeles did make a decent bargain-bin signing in Mike Cammalleri, who was sunk by a capsized New Jersey Devils squad last season. The potential for him to rebound and be productive is quite high, but it may not be nearly enough. The Kings beat out only Philadelphia, Colorado, New Jersey and Vancouver in terms of fewest goals scored. Carter and Pearson were the only twenty-goal scorers on the team. Guaranteed offense is an absolute need, and although former coach Darryl Sutter’s systems were a component of the struggles, the team needs more reliable production. Their defense is still the team’s greatest organizational strength, but it does strike some as odd that a player like McNabb wasn’t shuffled elsewhere for scoring help rather than being sacrificed for nothing to expansion.

If the Kings decide at this late stage to go the free agency route, their options are solid if a bit older. If speed is the determinant factor, that may seem to rule out the likes of Jaromir Jagr and Jarome Iginla, while leaving the possibility of a Thomas Vanek signing open. More likely, however, the Blake and the Kings will need to probe the trade market. From there, the team will likely need to surrender future assets if they hope to receive solid scoring in a returning package. The team could take a lot of offensive pressure off of Kopitar (who himself is more of a two-way player) if they could swing a trade for a solid center. Matt Duchene is likely out of their price range, and Alex Galchenyuk’s value just skyrocketed. The bottom-six wingers are dreadfully lacking in experience, so an upgrade to the third line couldn’t hurt. Cap space is tight, however, as the team will only have over $5.5 MM after re-signing RFAs Nick Shore and Kevin Gravel. It may take outside-the-box thinking to bring the Kings back into contender status, but Blake seems primed to make moves, albeit on his own timeline.

Morning Notes: Lefebvre, Stalberg, Toronto

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The Montreal Canadiens have hired Sylvain Lefebvre as the first coach of the Laval Rocket, their new AHL affiliate. It’s not much of a change, as Lefebvre has been the coach of Montreal’s affiliate for the past five years, in both Hamilton and St. John’s. He took the IceCaps to the playoffs last season for the first time in his coaching career, but was knocked out in the first round.

Lefebvre had a long NHL career with several clubs, suiting up for 945 games and scoring 184 points. He once hoisted the Stanley Cup as a member of the Colorado Avalanche, and recorded 18 points in 129 career playoff games. The Canadiens also named Larry Carriere as General Manager of the club, in addition to his responsibilities as assistant GM of Montreal.

  • Swiss Hockey News is reporting that there is NLA interest in Ottawa Senators free agent Viktor Stalberg, though it’s not clear if it is mutual. Stalberg has spent time in the SHL and KHL, and likely has interest from around the NHL as a depth option. We ranked Stalberg #45 on our list of the Top 50 Free Agents, expecting him to sign a one-year deal worth $900K. If the Swiss league is offering more than that, perhaps he will bolt for greener pastures.
  • David Alter of The Athletic examines the RFA cases of Maple Leafs forwards Connor Brown and Zach Hyman, explaining that both get high marks from Toronto management. With contract extensions due in the next year for William Nylander, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, the Maple Leafs have to be very careful with how they spend their money, especially on their fringe depth. While Hyman and Brown look to be excellent pieces for Toronto, they may be similar to the players Pittsburgh and Chicago have had to watch move on over the years after handing out multiple top contracts.

2017 NHL Draft Results

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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

  1. New Jersey Devils: Nico Hischier (C) – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
  2. Philadelphia Flyers: Nolan Patrick (C) – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
  3.  Dallas Stars: Miro Heiskanen (D) – HIFK (Finland)
  4. Colorado Avalanche: Cale Makar (D) – Brooks Bandits (AJHL)
  5. Vancouver Canucks: Elias Pettersson (C) – Timra (Sweden)
  6. Vegas Golden Knights: Cody Glass (C) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
  7. New York Rangers (from AZ): Lias Andersson (C) – HV71 (Sweden)
  8. Buffalo Sabres: Casey Mittelstadt (C) – Eden Prairie High School
  9. Detroit Red Wings: Michael Rasmussen (C) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
  10. Florida Panthers: Owen Tippett (RW) – Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
  11. Los Angeles Kings: Gabe Vilardi (C) – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
  12. Carolina Hurricanes: Martin Necas (C) – Brno (Czech)
  13. Vegas Golden Knights (from WPG): Nick Suzuki (C/RW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
  14. Tampa Bay Lightning: Cal Foote (D) – Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
  15. Vegas Golden Knights (from NYI): Erik Brannstrom (D) – HV71 (Sweden)
  16. Calgary Flames: Juuso Valimaki (D) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
  17. Toronto Maple Leafs: Timothy Liljegren (D) – Rogle (Sweden)
  18. Boston Bruins: Urho Vaakanainen (D) – JYP (Finland)
  19. San Jose Sharks: Josh Norris (C) – USA U-18 National Development Program
  20. St. Louis Blues: Robert Thomas (C/RW) – London Knights (OHL)
  21. New York Rangers: Filip Chytil (C/LW) – Zlin (Czech)
  22. Edmonton Oilers: Kailer Yamamoto (RW) – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
  23. Arizona Coyotes (from MIN): Pierre-Olivier Joseph (D) – Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)
  24. Winnipeg Jets (from CLB via VGK): Kristian Vesalainen (LW) – Frolunda (Sweden)
  25. Montreal Canadiens: Ryan Poehling (C) – St. Cloud State (NCAA)
  26. Dallas Stars (from CHI): Jake Oettinger (G) – Boston University (NCAA)
  27. Philadelphia Flyers (from STL): Morgan Frost (C) – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
  28. Ottawa Senators: Shane Bowers (C) – Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
  29. Chicago Blackhawks (from DAL via ANA): Henri Jokiharju (D) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
  30. Nashville Predators: Eeli Tolvanen (LW/RW) – Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
  31. 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)

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