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Draft Notes: Perfetti, Sanderson, Rossi

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Several of the top-rated prospects for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, coming up on October 6-7, spoke to the media today and there was no shortage of interesting quotes, courtesy of OHL insider Mark Scheig. Saginaw forward Cole Perfetti was certainly confident and didn’t mince his words when discussing his ideal NHL landing spot. “If I was under a head coach where I had to dump the puck in every time I go out over the red line and get on the forecheck, it would be frustrating and I wouldn’t be able to express how I really am as a player,” Perfetti stated. While many NHL teams have abandoned the dump-and-chase offense, it might not have been the best idea for the young forward to state so emphatically that he could have issues in a system different from the one he is used to. NHL GM’s probably would have preferred to hear him say that he is willing to work at fitting in to any offensive structure and that his ability can adapt to new systems. Although Perfetti’s talent will be the final determinant of his draft slot, he may have rubbed some interested executives the wrong way with his bold statement. We will find out for sure come draft day if the potential top-five pick falls down the draft board.

  • Defenseman Jake Sanderson has flown up draft boards since the start of this season to the point that he is now considered a consensus top-10 or at least top-15 pick. That of course means that the U.S. National Team Development Program product has slipped past the realm of possibility for the Columbus Blue Jackets at No. 21 overall. Jake’s father, Geoff Sanderson, was an inaugural member of the Blue Jackets and played four seasons with the team, during which time Jake was born. Sanderson told the media today that he has indeed met with  Columbus and there is a lot of familiarity still with the organization and the city. To make this pairing a reality, the Blue Jackets would absolutely need to trade up in the first round. However, they will likely wait until the draft has begun to see if such a move is even worth it. Sanderson revealed that he has also met with the New Jersey Devils twice and the cost for Columbus to move ahead of them at No. 7 is likely too high. If he does slip by the Devils, the race could be on for Columbus to move up the draft board.
  • Have the Detroit Red Wings tipped their hand as to their selection at No. 4 overall? With Alexis Lafreniere locked in as the No. 1 pick to the New York Rangers and Quinton Byfield and Tim Stutzle going in some order at No. 2 and No. 3, the first real draft order question comes with Detroit’s pick. However, it seems like the mystery may have already been solved. Amidst existing rumors that the Red Wings had keyed in on OHL forward Marco Rossi as their selection, the Red Wings loaned one of their top prospects, Michael Rasmussen, to the Graz 99ers, the same team that Rossi is currently training with. Then today, Rossi reported that he has talked with the Red Wings not once or twice but three times. And while other prospects have noted that Detroit GM Steve Yzerman has merely been listening in on video calls with his computer screen off, Rossi stated that he has had several “good” chats directly with Yzerman. This is far from an absolute confirmation that the Red Wings will go Rossi at fourth overall, there is certainly enough evidence to make a strong case.

ECHL, OHL, WHL Announce Revised Start Dates

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Thursday: The WHL has announced its own adjusted start date, going with December 4 as well. They will also attempt a full 68-game schedule, even going as far as saying “regardless of our start date, the WHL is committed to playing a full regular season and playoffs in 2020-21.”

Wednesday: Two other leagues have announced their plans for a return to play, as the ECHL and OHL released revised start dates for the 2020-21 season.

The ECHL, a professional league used as the low-minors for the NHL, has approved a revised schedule for the upcoming season that will begin on December 4, 2020. The league anticipates holding a full 72-game season, though further adjustments to the schedule will be announced as we get closer to the start. The ECHL was originally scheduled to start their season at the beginning of October.

The OHL meanwhile, one of the three leagues that make up the CHL, announced that it is planning on starting their season December 1, 2020. The 2020-21 season will be a 64-game schedule for the OHL and include a 16-team playoff format.

The Memorial Cup, which will be hosted by either the Oshawa Generals or Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds will be held between June 17-27, 2021.

Like anything else in today’s world, these decisions are subject to change should health recommendations shift over the next few months.

Florida Panthers To Loan Vladislav Kolyachonok To KHL

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Florida Panthers defensive prospect Vladislav Kolyachonok is headed home to Belarus, at least for the time being. Dinamo Minsk of the KHL has announced that they have come to terms on a contract with Kolyachonok for the the 2020-21 season. This would indicate that the Panthers have agreed to loan the young defenseman overseas, as Kolyachonok signed his entry-level contract with the club earlier this season.

Kolyachonok, 19, is the best prospect out of Belarus in some time. A second-round pick of the Panthers in 2019, Kolyachonok was the highest-selected Belarussian since 2003 and the first player from his country to be selected earlier than the fourth round in that time as well. An aggressive two-way defenseman who is known for his fast tempo and intensity, Kolyachonok made great strides in his game this season, both improving his offensive ability and solidifying his defensive game while starring for the OHL’s Flint Firebirds. While the teen blue liner could return to the junior ranks this season, it could be that Florida saw so much growth this season that they think continuing to challenge Kolyachonok by letting him face pro competition could be the better route.

Having played in the developmental ranks for Dinamo before jumping to North America, Kolachonok’s return to Minsk is a homecoming in more than one way. The team is desperately in need of a boost as well after finishing dead last in the KHL this season with just 14 wins in 62 games and a -97 goal differential. Kolyachonok will have his work cut out for him on a roster largely devoid of top talent and that has also lost three of their top four scorers in Ryan Spooner, Andrei Kostitsyn, and Teemu Pulkkinen, as well as leading defensive scorer Marc-Andre Gragnani. Fortunately, Kolyachonok won’t be alone; fellow NHL prospects Maxim Sushko of the Philadelphia Flyers and Yegor Sharangovich of the New Jersey Devils have also been loaned to Minsk for the 2020-21 season.
Should Kolyachonok continue in his upward developmental trend through his first pro season, one would think that he would have a strong case to follow it up with an NHL roster spot in 2021-22. Defensive depth and talent are not strong suits of the Panthers, in the NHL or in the pipeline, and they are in need of an upgrade. Kolyachonok is their top prospect defender and if he can prove himself in the KHL, considered by many to be the best league outside of the NHL, and especially on a poor roster, Florida would have little reason not to test him out at the highest level and hope that they have found a new, young cornerstone for their defense.

Danil Gushchin, Albin Grewe Sign In OHL

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Two notable NHL prospects and recent CHL Import Draft selections have joined the ranks of the OHL. 2020 draft eligible forward Danil Gushchin, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 Import Draft, has signed with the Niagara Ice Dogs, while forward Albin Grewe, a 2019 third-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, has signed with the Saginaw Spirit.

Gushchin’s move signals a shift in his developmental path. A consensus second-round pick in the coming NHL Entry Draft, Gushchin is a very talented forward with great speed and stick skills. The one glaring concern about his game is his size: Gushchin stands just 5’8” and weighs in at around 160 lbs. For this reason, it seemed the Russian winger was favoring the collegiate development path, which can often be better for undersized players. The No. 7 overall pick in the CHL Import Draft last year, Gushchin instead opted to play another season in the USHL with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, preserving his NCAA eligibility. However, with questions about the likelihood of a college hockey season, Gushchin may have decided that the best choice for his development was to improve his level of play next season and the OHL was his safest bet. The question now, and one that NHL scouting staffs will have to decide, is whether the size and skill that made him a point-per-game player in the USHL will translate to the OHL and eventually to the pros.

As for Grewe, the move to the OHL is not unexpected following a disappointing 2019-20 campaign. A skilled and pesky two-way winger out of Sweden, Grewe was considered a great value for the Red Wings at No. 66 overall last year. He was expected to play a larger role with the SHL’s Djurgardens IF this year after getting into 15 games last season but failing to record a point. Instead, he was limited to just 19 games and managed just one point, while his production fell off considerably in the junior SuperElit as well. In fact, the only real statistical growth this year for Grewe was in penalty minutes. Grewe needs to work more on his offensive game and skill development and has a better chance of doing that playing meaningful minutes against his peers at the junior level rather than bouncing back and forth from a pro team where he was clearly not ready to compete. Although Saginaw waited to select Grewe until the second round of the Import Draft, both sides were happy to sign on for next year. Now Detroit fans just have to hope that the talented forward can get back on track with his new team and league.

Shane Wright Wins OHL, CHL Rookie Of The Year

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June 5: Wright has also won the CHL Rookie of the Year, becoming the first Kingston player to ever earn the award.

May 14: He won’t be eligible for the NHL draft until 2022, but that doesn’t mean hockey fans should overlook Shane Wright. The Kingston Frontenacs forward has just been named the OHL Rookie of the Year after an outstanding start to his CHL career. That start of course came a year earlier than most players, after Wright was given exceptional status to enter the OHL.

Not only did Wright score 39 goals and 66 points for the Frontenacs to lead the team in both categories, but he was also named an alternate captain just after Christmas. Having a letter sewn onto your jersey may not be notable for most top NHL prospects, but it happened to Wright when he was still just 15 years old, making him the youngest alternate in CHL history.

Following in the footsteps of other exceptional players like John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad and Connor McDavid, Wright is already dominating the competition in the CHL and looks like he will have a good shot at being selected first overall in 2022.

The list of winners for OHL Rookie of the Year is a who’s who of NHL talent. Andrei Svechnikov, Alex DeBrincat, Travis Konecny, McDavid, Ekblad, Taylor Hall, Patrick Kane and Tavares have all taken home the award over the last fifteen years.

New York Rangers Place Sean Day On Unconditional Waivers

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Sunday: Friedman reports that Day has cleared waivers and now will see his contract terminated.

Saturday: The New York Rangers have placed once-heralded top prospect Sean Day on unconditional waivers with the purposes of terminating his contract, according to CapFriendly. Day, who was given exceptional status to play in the OHL a year early in 2013-14, never was able to capitalize on his talent. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman confirmed the move.

Day’s name will always be synonymous for being granted exceptional status of an under age player, an honor that has only been awarded to six players in the CHL, including John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid, Joe Veleno, Shane Wright and Day. Most of those players went on to be NHL stars with Veleno having finished a solid rookie season in the AHL, while Wright is considered to be a top candidate to be the top-overall pick in the 2022 draft. Day, however, has been the one player which looks like a mistake and this move only further emphasizes that.

Day, who was considered to be an elite skater, didn’t dominate in the OHL like many expected, although he was still good enough for the Rangers to select the blueliner in the third round back in 2016. However, after two pro seasons in the AHL and ECHL, Day wasn’t close to getting an opportunity with the NHL squad. In fact, the 22-year-old’s play decreased. He played 46 games with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack and 19 games with the ECHL’s Maine Mariners in 2018-19, but ended up playing more in Maine this past season (36 games), compared to Hartford, where he appeared in just 16 games with a goal and four points.

Playoff Notes: Drouin, Domi, Robertson

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Not only did the Montreal Canadiens luck out by even making the NHL’s expanded playoff field, but they already may be winning the injury battle with their play-in opponent, the Pittsburgh Penguins. While the Penguins announced today that forward Nick Bjugstad suffered a setback in his recovery from a herniated disc and required season-ending surgery, the Habs got the opposite news. GM Marc Bergevin revealed today that core forward Jonathan Drouin will be healthy and active for the team’s playoff series. Drouin only saw 27 games this season due to a litany of injuries, so the team will receive a major boost that they did not enjoy for most of the year. In a healthy 2018-19 season with Montreal, Drouin recorded 53 points and in his last playoff experience with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he was a force with 14 points in 17 games. The Canadiens need Drouin to be at his best if they hope to beat the Penguins, but have to be excited at the mere idea that he could be 100% and ready to contribute to their unlikely postseason run.

  • Of course, the Habs also have a serious question to face in the availability of Max Domi. Bergevin spoke to media and noted that the team will put health above all else. What that means is that Domi, a diabetic, may not be able to play if team doctors determine it is unsafe for him to do so. Coronavirus in those with diabetes can cause complications, with WebMD estimating that diabetics are 25% more likely to require hospitalization. Domi has had no prior issues with his Type 1 diabetes during his NHL career, but Montreal will not risk his health regardless. They will need their medical staff to ensure that all necessary measures are being met to make to keep Domi and his teammates safe from infection.
  • An Atlantic Division rival of the Canadiens is anticipating an exciting addition to their lineup. Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas announced today that 2019 top pick Nick Robertson will join the team for their playoff run. Dubas had previously stated that he was excited for Robertson to fight for a spot next season, but that timeline has moved up with the talented prospect earning his way onto the team’s expanded postseason roster. Robertson, 18, is coming off a season in which he recorded 86 points in 46 games for the OHL’s Peterborough Petes and also starred for Team USA at the World Juniors. Whether or not Robertson actually plays for Toronto in the playoffs, his inclusion on the roster will be an interesting glimpse into the future for the Leafs.

Snapshots: Ozhiganov, Veilleux, Saganiuk

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Standout KHL defenseman Igor Ozhiganov has secured some consistency in his career, at least for a little while. Ozhiganov initially left the KHL and CSKA Moscow after eight years following the 2017-18 season to sign in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs. After a good but not great debut season with Toronto, Ozhiganov opted to return home to Russia, signing with Ak Bars Kazan. However, Kazan traded the top defender for fellow NHL vet Viktor Tikhonov early in the season. Ozhiganov headed to SKA St. Petersburg, where he enjoyed one of the best stretches of his KHL career with 12 points in 35 games. Elite blue liners are often hard to come by in the KHL and SKA has decided not to let Ozhiganov go. The club has announced a new two-year extension that will keep Ozhiganov in St. Petersburg until the 2022 off-season. At that time, Ozhiganov will still be just 29 years old, but an NHL comeback seems unlikely. However, if he continues to perform at a high level with one of the top clubs in the KHL, that could certainly change.

  • The AHL’s Laval Rocket got lucky this season when a midseason tryout turned into one of their more productive players. Quebec native Yannick Veilleux, who had previously played with Laval in 2017-18, re-joined the club mid-year after playing in the ECHL and proceeded to record 12 goals and 20 points in 26 games. It was the 27-year-old forward’s best AHL season by far and has now earned him a second chance. The Rocket have announced a one-year, one-way extension for Veilleux, who finished second only to Riley Barber in per-game scoring for Laval this season. The team hopes he can replicate that success next year, while Veilluex himself hopes another strong season could lead to an NHL contract.
  • The next stage of 17-year-old USNTDP forward Colby Saganiuk’s developmental path will still take place in Pennsylvania, but now with a different team. Saganiuk, who calls Pittsburgh home, was drafted by the nearby Erie Otters last year but was also being pursued by Penn State University as well. Earlier this season, Saganiuk made the decision to join the NCAA rather than the OHL when he committed to Penn State. However, he has now reversed that decision. The Otters have announced that Saganiuk has signed his OHL contract and will join the club next season. While it is possible for a college player to leave for the Canadian juniors, the opposite is not allowed, meaning Saganiuk has given up the option of the NCAA route. This change of decision is likely tied to Saganiuk’s poor 2019-20 season. Considered one of the top players on the USNTDP U-17 squad, Saganiuk instead saw limited action and struggled to produce. Rather than stick with the developmental program for another year before joining the Nittany Lions, it seems Saganiuk has opted for a change of scenery sooner rather than later by committing to Erie. Whether he is able to bounce back next season and revive his draft stock remains to be seen, but Saganiuk will be an interesting player to watch in the junior ranks next season.

OHL, WHL, QMJHL Announce Most Outstanding Players

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The three leagues that make up the CHL have each announced the winner of their respective Most Outstanding/Valuable Player award, with Alexis Lafreniere grabbing the headlines once again. The expected first-overall pick has taken home the award for the second straight season in the QMJHL, joining only Sidney Crosby and Mathieu Chouinard as the only repeat winners.

Obviously Lafreniere is hoping for a hockey career that comes a little closer to the former than the latter, given that Chouinard played exactly one NHL game and was out of professional hockey after just six years. After scoring 297 points in 173 career games for the Rimouski Oceanic, Lafreniere is a near-lock as the first-overall pick whenever the 2020 NHL draft takes place.

In the WHL, it is Adam Beckman that takes home the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy after scoring a whopping 107 points in 63 games for the Spokane Chiefs. Beckman was picked in the third round by the Minnesota Wild and still has another year of junior hockey before he’s eligible for the AHL. It’s hard to top a year where you lead the league in goals, points and win the top award, but he’ll certainly be trying.

Given that Lafreniere is locked into a top spot for the draft, the most interesting award today may be the one given to Marco Rossi of the Ottawa 67’s. The Austrian-born forward spent his minor hockey years in Switzerland but absolutely dominated the OHL this season, scoring 120 points in 56 games. Rossi is eligible for the 2020 draft and was ranked sixth among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.

Prospect Notes: Kaprizov, CHL Defensemen, Draft

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The Minnesota Wild and their fans are still waiting to see Kirill Kaprizov hit the ice with the team five years after they drafted him. The 23-year old forward is widely regarded as one of the best players outside the NHL, but for years there was little indication he wanted to come to North America. Now that there is—Kaprizov has made it clear that he is ready to sign with the Wild—the current league pause is getting in the way.

Despite being on the reserve list of the Wild, Kaprizov (and other players like him in similar situations around the league) isn’t being allowed to sign with the team for the 2019-20 season because of the current pause. Minnesota GM Bill Guerin is still holding out hope that the league will change their mind, telling Dan Myers of NHL.com that both sides are just taking it “day-by-day” and not jumping into an agreement for 2020-21 until it is necessary. As Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required) has explained several times, a delayed start to 2020-21 could pose a threat for the Wild should Kaprizov decide he doesn’t want to wait around for the season to begin, but it does seem like finally, both sides are on the same page.

  • Each of the three leagues that make up the CHL have announced their Defenseman of the Year awards. Ty Smith repeats for the WHL, taking home the award for the second consecutive season and joining Kris Russell, Dion Phaneuf and Nolan Baumgartner as the only back-to-back winners. The New Jersey Devils prospect recorded 59 points in 46 games for the Spokane Chiefs and looks ready to make the jump to the NHL in short order. Noel Hoefenmayer doesn’t have quite the same name recognition as Smith, given that he was a fourth-round pick in 2017 and failed to sign with the Arizona Coyotes, but he was just as impressive this year in the OHL. Hoefenmayer recorded 82 points in 58 games for the Ottawa 67’s, an incredible total even if he was playing his over-age season. Hoefenmayer recently signed an AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies, his hometown minor league team. Jordan Spence takes home the award for the QMJHL, more exciting news for the Los Angeles Kings whose prospect pool is bursting at the seams with talent. As Scott Wheeler of The Athletic points out on Twitter, Spence now has a QMJHL Rookie of the Year and Defenseman of the Year award in his cabinet, but still isn’t even one of the very best prospects in the Kings’ system.
  • Everyone is waiting to see when the draft will be for this season, but the push to have it take place in June before finishing the season has seemingly come to an end. In fact, Bob McKenzie of TSN asked some general manager around the league yesterday, who told him they have “no clue” on when it will be. McKenzie reports that the entire focus is on returning to play right now and that the decision on when to hold the draft “won’t be made anytime soon.”

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