Metropolitan Notes: Pitlick, Petan, Flyers, Lalonde
It appears a pair of pending unrestricted free agents from the Rangers have their eyes set on playing overseas. Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports that wingers Tyler Pitlick and Nic Petan may be heading to play in Europe next season. Pitlick has bounced around lately, playing for seven different teams in the past six years but cleared waivers midseason, resulting in his first AHL action since 2015-16. Knowing that a two-way offer is likely his best bet this summer, the time might be right to try playing overseas. Petan, meanwhile, has seen NHL action in nine straight years but has become more of a full-time AHLer in recent seasons. If he stays in North America, it’s likely that will continue to be the case so if he wants to change that up, going across the pond would make a lot of sense for him.
More from the Metropolitan:
- Flyers GM Daniel Briere told Philly Hockey Now’s Jonathan Bailey that he’s not planning to select a goalie early in next week’s draft. Philadelphia picked two goalies with their first three picks last year, adding Carson Bjarnason and Yegor Zavragin within the first three rounds and while there’s no deadline to sign Zavragin, it makes sense that they wouldn’t want to use another early pick on a netminder. Briere wouldn’t rule out selecting another goalie later in the draft, however.
- Blue Jackets goalie prospect Nolan Lalonde is on the move at the OHL level. Kingston announced that they’ve acquired the 20-year-old from Saginaw for a conditional draft pick. Columbus signed Lalonde as an undrafted free agent back in 2022 and he posted a 3.16 GAA with an .874 SV% in 32 games with the Spirit. Lalonde is eligible to play in the pros full-time next season but could also return for his overage year which will now be played with his hometown Frontenacs if he is indeed sent back.
Minor Transactions: 6/5/24
While the bulk of signings in the NHL is still at least a month away, activity around the hockey world has picked up in recent weeks. Here’s a rundown of recent moves with an NHL association.
- After having his contract terminated by Minnesota last month, winger Vladislav Firstov has returned to the KHL as Torpedo announced they’ve signed him to a one-year deal. The 22-year-old spent most of this season in Russia on loan but once that campaign ended, he suited up in ten games with AHL Iowa, picking up two goals and two assists. However, he clearly wanted to stay at home for next season, leading to his release by the Wild.
- The Canadiens’ AHL affiliate in Laval announced they’ve signed forward Israel Mianscum to a two-year contract. The 21-year-old spent his five-year junior career with QMJHL Sherbrooke and was quite productive in his overage year, tallying 35 goals and 52 assists in 61 games, both career bests. Overall, he had 215 points in 264 major junior contests.
- The Jets have invited Cornell forward Kyle Penney to their upcoming development camp, reports Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal (Twitter link). The 23-year-old is coming off a strong year with the Big Red, one that saw him collect 10 goals and 18 assists along with a plus-30 rating in 35 games. Penney has one season of college eligibility remaining.
- The Panthers’ AHL team in Charlotte announced they’ve re-signed defenseman Mitchell Vande Sompel to a two-year deal. The Checkers acquired the 27-year-old at the AHL trade deadline and he was a regular for them down the stretch where he had five points in 16 games. Vande Sompel was originally a draft pick of the Islanders, spending five years in their system before moving on in 2022.
- Kings prospect Matthew Mania is on the move in the OHL as Flint announced that they’ve acquired the defenseman as part of a six-player, nine-pick trade. The 19-year-old was a fifth-round pick last year, going 150th overall and is coming off an injury-riddled season that limited him to just 45 games where he had four goals and 19 assists. Los Angeles has until June 1, 2025 to sign Mania to an entry-level deal or lose his rights.
Afternoon Notes: Jeannot, Parekh, Bourque
Winger Tanner Jeannot is once again facing trade rumors, as the Tampa Bay Lightning look to clear enough cap space for a serviceable off-season. The team is facing the loss of their franchise player Steven Stamkos with just $5MM in cap space – not nearly enough to afford the services of the future Hall-of-Famer. That could push them to try and move Jeannot’s $2.665MM cap hit, though Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times shares that there’s been no legitimate discussions of a move just yet. Though Encina did speak to the idea being a tantalizing one for the Lightning, with many teams around the league still interested in acquiring Jeannot.
The Lightning acquired Jeannot from the Nashville Predators ahead of the 2023 Trade Deadline, sending the Music City defenseman Callan Foote, the picks that turned into Dylan MacKinnon (2023 third-round, 83rd-overall), Jayson Shaugabay (2023 fourth-round, 115th-overall), and Kevin Bicker (2023 fifth-round, 147th-overall), as well as a second-round pick in 2024 and a first-round pick in 2025 in return. Nashville traded the Shaugabay pick back to Tampa four months later, in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick, and moved the Bicker pick to the Detroit Red Wings to move up in the 2023 second-round.
Jeannot scored just four points in his 20 games with Tampa after the trade, though that didn’t dissuade their faith in him, with the Lightning signing Jenanot to a two-year, $5.3MM contract last summer – a deal that avoided the arbitration hearing Jeannot filed for. The rough-and-tumble winger wasn’t able to rekindle his spark on the new deal, though, scoring just 14 points in 55 games this season. He added 75 penalty minutes and a -10 – and tallied just one assist in four postseason games.
There’s still reported interest in Jeannot around the league despite his lacking scoring. Teams like the Calgary Flames have been looped into trade rumors, though Encina emphasized that a trade isn’t likely Plan A. Tampa will need to get a hefty return in any Jeannot trade, if only to hedge their losses from a costly 2023 move.
Other notes from around the league:
- Saginaw Spirit defenseman Zayne Parekh has won the CHL’s Defenseman of the Year Award, beating out Memorial Cup Finals competition Sam Dickinson. Parekh was dazzling this season, posting a position-leading 33 goals and 96 points in just 66 games this season. He’s just the second OHL defenseman to top 95 points since 2000, joining Ryan Ellis’ 100-point season in 2010-11. But while Ellis was already an NHL draftee, Parekh is headed into his first year of eligibility in the 2024 NHL Draft. He’s seen as one of the top defensemen in the class and should rival a top 10 selection.
- The Dallas Stars are swapping talented young forwards, with Ty Dellandrea stepping out of the Game 6 lineup in favor of Mavrik Bourque, shares Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link). Bourque won the AHL’s ‘Les Cunningham’ MVP Award this season after posting 26 goals and 77 points in 71 games this season. Bourque formed a dynamic duo with Stars standout Logan Stankoven in the first half of the season. Dallas will look to use that pairing as their X-factor, as they face elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.
Capitals, Sharks Extend Bona Fide Offers To Five Prospects
The Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks have taken the steps needed to retain their negotiating rights over five players, with the Capitals extending a bona fide offer to forwards Patrick Thomas and Brett Hyland, as well as defenseman Cameron Allen (Twitter link), while the Sharks have extended offers to forwards Brandon Svoboda and David Klee. A bona fide offer is the offer of a standard player contract that meets the requirements of an entry-level contract, including meeting the minimum salary and length requirements of an ELC. Offers stay open for 30 days after they’re extended, meaning the quintet of players will have throughout June to accept their offers. Accepting a bona fide offer waves a player’s rights to salary arbitration after the contract ends.
Washington’s list of now extended prospect rights is headlined by 2023 fifth-round pick Cam Allen, who’s seen his point totals decrease in each season since he joined the OHL in 2021-22. Allen posted 37 points in 65 games as a rookie, but followed it up with 25 points in 62 games last year and just nine in 25 games this year. He’s fallen a long way after being previously acclaimed as one of the top Canadian defenders in his age group. That merit was flaunted when Allen captained Team Canada at the 2023 World U18 Championship, recording four points in seven games as Canada raced to a Bronze Medal. Allen also served as an assistant captain for the Guelph Storm this season; a role he’ll likely maintain when he returns to Guelph for his final year of OHL eligibility next season.
Allen is flanked by forwards Patrick Thomas and Brett Hyland – Washington’s selections in the fourth and seventh rounds of the 2023 draft respectively. Thomas has one more year of OHL eligibility ahead of him, after posting a career-high 21 goals and 66 points in just 57 games with the Brantford Bulldogs this season. He’s a well-rounded, ‘jack of all trades’ forward whose physicality in the defensive end and heads-up positioning on offense have helped him contribute in all three zones. That two-way reliability has been a nice match for the much more aggressive Florian Xhekaj, though Thomas could certainly improve his own play-driving. At just 19, he’ll have plenty of time to continue adding those traits, should he return to the OHL next year. That question doesn’t extend to Hyland, who completed his fourth complete WHL season with the Brandon Wheat Kings this year, posting a career-high 32 goals and 59 points in 66 games. He’s seen his scoring grow in each year of his juniors career, ultimately totaling 145 points across 195 games in the WHL. Hyland should turn pro following his bona fide offer from Washington, though whether that means placement in the AHL or ECHL will likely be decided during training camp.
Meanwhile, the Sharks have extended offers to a pair of USHL forwards – including Brandon Svoboda, who’s won the league’s Clark Cup Championship in each of the last two seasons. He provided strong lineup flexibility to the 2023-winning Youngstown Phantoms, capable of playing either center or winger and being moved around the lineup plenty as a result. Svoboda posted 16 goals and 26 points in 59 games with Youngstown last season, adding one goal in nine playoff games. He began this season in Youngstown as well, recording 11 points in 25 games before being traded to the Fargo Force. Svoboda’s aware playmaking and nifty passing seemed much better placed in Fargo, where he tallied a combined 13 points across 24 games in the regular season and playoffs. He’s currently slated to move to Boston University next season. The lean, slick frame of Svoboda is juxtaposed by the burly Klee, who posted 15 goals and 40 points in 62 USHL games of his own this season. It was a major improvement from his 13 points in 57 games last season and helped Klee claw his way into a top-six role with the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Klee is currently committed to the University of North Dakota for next season. His strong, gritty style should continue to put him in a position to succeed in college, though he’ll need to find another layer if he wants to push towards a spot on what will soon be a very young Sharks lineup.
With this announcement, San Jose has also shared that goaltender prospect Mason Beaupit is set to re-enter the draft. Beaupit will join Minnesota Wild draftee Servác Petrovský as players with expiring rights who have re-declared for the draft. Beaupit moved to the BCHL this season, after four seasons in the WHL, posting nine wins and a .904 save percentage in 28 games with the Langley Rivermen. He’ll hope to find a better match in the 2024 Draft, and is likely to decide where he’ll spend next season after then.
Afternoon Notes: Lisowsky, Islanders, Carle
The Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t expected to sign 2022 seventh-round pick Brandon Lisowsky to his entry-level contract, shares Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun (Twitter link). Lisowsky is one of 47 prospects with rights set to expire this Saturday unless their NHL club signs them to an entry-level deal.
Lisowsky recently ended his OHL career, after spending the last four seasons with the Saskatoon Blades. He recorded 226 points across his 227 games with the club, ranking him sixth in team scoring since 2000. That includes the career-high 42 goals and 80 points he managed in 68 games this season. He was helped along a tremendous Saskatoon offense that also led undrafted free agent Trevor Wong to a 101-point season and Anaheim Ducks prospect Yegor Sidorov to an 88-point year in as many games. Lisowsky was also joined by fellow Maple Leafs prospect Fraser Minten, who managed 38 points in 36 games of his own.
Lisowsky joined Wong as the ace up Saskatoon’s sleeve all season long. Both players have blazing speed and an ability to make slick puck moves at top seed. But they each struggled with physicality throughout their juniors career, each standing at a lean 5-foot-9. That kept many scouts skeptical, even despite their highly creative and productive offense. The pair will now enter free agency together, looking to market teams on their ability to outpace competition.
Other notes from around the league:
- The New York Islanders have hired Sergei Naumovs as the goalie coach for the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. Previous Bridgeport goalie coach Chris Terreri has joined the NHL staff as ‘Director of Goaltending Development and Scouting’, while Piero Greco will remain the NHL goalie coach, shares Andrew Gross of The Athletic (Twitter link). This shakeup in the Islanders goaltending room follows Mitch Korn’s – the team’s previous ‘Director of Goaltending’ – departure for the Nashville Predators. Naumovs has served as the goalie coach of the KHL’s CSKA Moscow since 2018, coaching Ilya Sorokin before his move to the NHL. He most recently coached Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ivan Fedotov, who posted a .914 save percentage in 44 KHL games last season. He’ll rejoin his previous star goalie in the Islanders organization – likely overseeing Henrik Tikkanen as Bridgeport’s starter next season.
- Acclaimed Denver University head coach David Carle shared with Meghan Angley of The DNVR that he did formally talk to one NHL team about a coaching role, though it wasn’t the New Jersey Devils (Twitter link). Carle took over Denver’s head coaching role in 2018 and has since crafted a collegiate legend, winning the league championship in two of the last three seasons, while posting a combined 94-28-4 record over that span. Carle most notably crafted a dominant defense, featuring Colorado Avalanche prospect Sean Behrens, Detroit Red Wings prospect Shai Buium, and top 2024 NHL Draft defender Zeev Buium. He’s been speculated for many NHL coaching roles, including interest from the Devils. But Carle is set on returning to Denver next season, where he’ll look to make another strong push, following multiple notable transfers this off-season.
Ducks Sign Rodwin Dionicio To Entry-Level Contract
The Anaheim Ducks have signed defense prospect Rodwin Dionicio to a three-year entry-level contract set to begin next season. Dionicio previously signed a three-year contract with Biel-Bienne of Switzerland’s National League, though he’ll now stay in North America, having earned the first NHL contract of his career.
Dionicio recently wrapped up his third season in the OHL, where he ranked third among all defenders with 73 points in 60 games. It was an electric season, largely thanks to Dionicio being dealt to the Saginaw Spirit at the OHL Trade Deadline. He formed a formidable duo with OHL ‘Defenseman of the Year’ Zayne Parekh – a top 2024 Draft prospect who led defensemen scoring with 96 points in 66 games. Saginaw is now one of the four teams competing in the upcoming 2024 Memorial Cup and could earn an edge over their championship-winning competition thanks to the offensive upside of their defensemen.
Dionicio totaled 154 points through 167 games in the OHL, the 16th-highest point-per-game pace of any OHL defender since 2010. But his strong scoring hasn’t kept Dionicio from criticism. He’s been highly scrutinized throughout his OHL career, with many pointing out concerns about his skating mechanics, defensive positioning, and ability to create outside of his teammates. Dionicio went undrafted in the 2022 Draft in part because of those critiques, though a strong 2022-23 season and 2023 World Juniors performance were enough for Anaheim to draft him in the fifth round of the 2023 Draft.
The critiques have made it hard to gauge just how high Dionicio’s upside could be, though his 17 points in 17 playoff games this season speak to his ability to perform in the clutch. An NHL contract will offer Dionicio with the perfect opportunity to show just how strong of a player he can be. He’ll likely move to the AHL next season, where he’ll join a list of strong Ducks prospects, including defenders Tristan Luneau, Noah Warren, and Tyson Hinds.
NHL-Affiliated Prospects Playing In 2024 Memorial Cup
The field for the 2024 Memorial Cup, the top club tournament in junior hockey, is set. The QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs, the OHL’s London Knights and the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors all swept their respective league championship series within the last two days to advance to the CHL championship tournament, joining the host Saginaw Spirit of the OHL.
This year marks the first Memorial Cup held in the United States since 1998, which was hosted by the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. The Spirit will attempt to become the first U.S.-based team to win since the Chiefs in 2008, and they have a strong chance. They’re stronger than a typical host team, finishing second in the league in the regular season with a 50-16-2 record and trailing London by just two points. They were eliminated by London in six games in the Western Conference Final.
The Knights lead the way with 10 NHL-affiliated prospects on their roster, including two first-round picks in Flyers defenseman Oliver Bonk and Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan. The latter was named the OHL playoffs MVP after leading the Knights in scoring with 10 goals, 24 assists and 34 points in just 18 games. He had 15 points in four games in their championship sweep over the Oshawa Generals.
If you’re looking for some non-Stanley Cup Playoff hockey to watch, check to see if your favorite NHL team has prospects suiting up in the tournament, which begins May 24:
Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL champion)
D Mikaël Diotte (Devils, free agent signing)
RW Ethan Gauthier (Lightning, 2023, 37th overall)
RW Alexis Gendron (Flyers, 2022, 220th overall)
D Vsevolod Komarov (Sabres, 2022, 134th overall)
NHL Utah 2022 first-round pick D Maveric Lamoureux is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in March.
London Knights (OHL champion)
C Denver Barkey (Flyers, 2023, 95th overall)
D Oliver Bonk (Flyers, 2023, 22nd overall)
C Easton Cowan (Maple Leafs, 2023, 28th overall)
D Jackson Edward (Bruins, 2022, 200th overall)
D Isaiah George (Islanders, 2022, 98th overall)
RW Kasper Halttunen (Sharks, 2023, 36th overall)
C Jacob Julien (Jets, 2023, 146th overall)
C Kaleb Lawrence (Kings, 2022, 215th overall)
C Max McCue (Blue Jackets, free agent signing)
C Landon Sim (Blues, 2022, 184th overall)
Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL champion)
RW Jagger Firkus (Kraken, 2022, 35th overall)
D Denton Mateychuk (Blue Jackets, 2022, 12th overall)
D Kalem Parker (Wild, 2023, 181st overall)
D Vojtech Port (Ducks, 2023, 161st overall)
LW Martin Rysavy (Blue Jackets, 2021, 197th overall)
C Matthew Savoie (Sabres, 2022, 9th overall)
C Brayden Yager (Penguins, 2023, 14th overall)
Saginaw Spirit (host)
C Owen Beck (Canadiens, 2022, 33rd overall)
LW Josh Bloom (Canucks, acquired from Sabres in 2023 trade for Riley Stillman)
D Rodwin Dionicio (Ducks, 2023, 129th overall)
D Jorian Donovan (Senators, 2022, 136th overall)
C Hunter Haight (Wild, 2022, 47th overall)
C Ethan Hay (Lightning, 2023, 211th overall)
G Nolan Lalonde (Blue Jackets, free agent signing)
C Matyas Sapovaliv (Golden Knights, 2022, 48th overall)
C Joseph Willis (Predators, 2023, 111th overall)
Kraken Sign Carson Rehkopf, Assign David Goyette To AHL
While Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf is certainly disappointed that his OHL playoffs came to an end, there was some good news for him. The Kraken announced today (Twitter link) that they’ve signed the forward to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will carry an AAV of $950K; CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that the deal breaks down as follows:
2024-25: $775K salary, $95K signing bonus, $80K ‘B’ performance bonuses
2025-26: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus
2026-27: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus
The 19-year-old was a second-round pick by Seattle back in 2023, going 50th overall. Early indications are that the Kraken got good value with that selection. Rehkopf finished second in the OHL in goals this season, posting 52 in just 60 games with Kitchener while chipping in with 43 assists. He also was productive in the playoffs, notching six goals and five helpers in 10 contests before being swept in the second round by London.
As a result of his elimination in junior, the Kraken can assign Rehkopf to AHL Coachella Valley if they so desire to keep him skating during the Firebirds’ postseason. However, that will not be an option for him for the start of the 2024-25 campaign; he’ll either have to stick with Seattle or return to junior. If the latter happens and he plays in fewer than 10 NHL games, his contract will slide and not start until 2025-26.
While they finalize their plans for Rehkopf, they have elected to send another OHL prospect to the Firebirds. CapFriendly reported on Saturday (Twitter link) that the Kraken re-assigned forward David Goyette to Coachella Valley. The 20-year-old center led the OHL in points this season, tallying 40 goals and 77 assists with Sudbury before adding five goals and five assists in ten playoff contests prior to their elimination at the hands of North Bay in the second round. It’s the second straight year that Goyette has been loaned after the OHL postseason so he’ll get a chance to get some more experience before playing at that level full-time next season.
Blackhawks Recall Ethan Del Mastro
The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled defense prospect Ethan Del Mastro from the minor leagues (Twitter link). This is the first call-up of Del Mastro’s career, after playing through his rookie AHL season this year. He’s recorded seven goals and 37 points in 66 games with the Rockford IceHogs, leading the team’s defensemen in scoring.
The Hawks selected Del Mastro in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft, selecting him with a pick acquired when Chicago sent Madison Bowey and a 2021 fifth-round pick to the Vancouver Canucks. Del Mastro returned to the OHL for each of the last two seasons, recording 100 points across 120 games. Scoring was never his forte – with Del Mastro’s draft-year hype instead coming from his stout defense – though his 59 points in 52 OHL games last season and his strong minor league scoring this year are certainly starting to flip that narrative.
Del Mastro, 21, will join a very talented, and very young, Chicago blue-line that has also featured Alex Vlasic, Kevin Korchinski, Isaak Phillips, Louis Crevier, and Wyatt Kaiser – all U22 defensemen. The latter three names are currently on the Rockford roster, and the former two likely won’t face competition from Del Mastro. He’ll instead challenge veteran fill-ins like Jarred Tinordi or Jaycob Megna. Neither veteran has recorded a goal this season – instead boasting nine assists and two assists respectively.
Stars Sign Justin Ertel To Entry-Level Contract
The Dallas Stars have signed right-winger Justin Ertel to an entry-level contract. The three-year deal will begin next season and carries a $925,000 cap hit, per CapFriendly. Ertel is currently in his second season in the OHL, scoring 25 goals and 66 points in 61 games with the North Bay Battalion. It’s a step up in scoring from his rookie year when he managed 36 points in 46 games.
The Stars drafted Ertel well before his OHL career began, though, selecting him in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft out of the Maritime Hockey League’s Summerside Western Capitals. Ertel, who was originally drafted by the Battalion in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection Draft, was spending the year in the MHL after the OHL canceled their season. And while the OHL returned for the 2021-22 season, Ertel instead opted to attend Cornell University in the United States, scoring one goal and nine points in 23 games. He’s likely now set to return to the States next season, after signing his first professional contract.
Ertel’s move to the pros should be interesting, with the 20-year-old winger boasting smooth skating, a strong understanding of how to get to open ice, and good grit along the boards – but showing room for improvement with the puck on his stick. He’s a hard-nosed forward who could fit well into professional systems. Dallas will hope that’s the case, as they look to continue profiting off their strong drafting as of late.