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Central Notes: Bjugstad, Olausson, Beagle

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There’s bad news coming on the injury front for the Minnesota Wild. Head coach Dean Evason said today that forward Nick Bjugstad will be out “for a while” with an upper-body injury. Things certainly haven’t gone smoothly for Bjugstad in his second season with the Wild. In 28 games, he has just five points, and his defensive game has slipped from last year as well. Bjugstad’s entire career has been marred by injuries, and it’s always tough to see when the Minnesota native experiences another setback. Hopefully, he can recover by the end of the season to help out the Wild on a playoff push.

More notes from the Central Division today:

  • There’s movement on the prospect front for the Colorado Avalanche, as 2021 first-round pick Oskar Olausson was moved in the OHL today, traded to the Oshawa Generals from the Barrie Colts. Olausson joins Bruins prospect Brett Harrison and Oilers prospect Ty Tullio in Oshawa, where they hope Olausson’s talent can add a punch to their team. Olausson had 25 points in 22 games with Barrie.
  • Arizona Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong said today that forward Jay Beagle had lower-body surgery and could miss anywhere between eight weeks and the rest of the season. While a defensive center first and foremost, Beagle had just one point in 21 games with Arizona. He’s in the final year of his contract with a $3MM cap hit.

OHL To Reinstate Logan Mailloux

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The OHL has announced that Logan Mailloux, a member of the London Knights and first-round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens, will be reinstated from his indefinite suspension effective January 1, 2022. In the press release, they explained the decision:

Since the time of suspension, with the support of the London Knights, Logan Mailloux has participated in therapy and counselling with Dr. Lindsey Forbes, and a personal development plan under the leadership of Wendy Glover. Ms. Glover is a London-based, experienced holistic athlete development practitioner, academic and personal development advisor, teacher and member of the Ontario School Counsellors Association.

The player’s Personal Development Plan has included weekly meetings, ongoing completion of certifications, and reflections of concepts explored. Some of the certifications and programs available to athletes that he completed were Respect in Sport, Mental Health in Sport, Sport Media, Ethics in Sport, Diversity and Inclusion, Sport Psychology, and Cultural Awareness.

After reviewing the program, speaking with the player and Ms. Glover, and receiving a commitment from the player to continue with his personal development program, the League is satisfied that Logan Mailloux has undertaken the necessary steps and will reinstate him, effective January 1, 2022.

Mailloux was suspended in September after news spread of an incident that took place in Sweden where he was playing during the 2020-21 season. Mailloux was charged with taking and distributing an offensive photo without consent, of which he was convicted in December 2020. Now 18, he tried to renounce himself from the NHL draft, asking teams not to draft him and saying at the time:

…I renounce myself from the 2021 NHL Draft and ask that no one select me this upcoming weekend. I feel that this would allow me the opportunity to demonstrate an adequate level of maturity and character next season with the London Knights in the OHL and provide all the NHL teams the opportunity to reassess my character towards the 2022 NHL Draft.

The Canadiens selected him 31st overall and explained that they would make a “commitment to accompany Logan on his journey,” providing him with support to guide him in his development. The OHL then suspended him for violating the league’s “expectation of appropriate conduct.”

Russia, Finland, Czechia, Slovakia, Germany Name 2022 WJC Captains

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While there may not be any NHL hockey left to look forward to for the next few days, the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships are just around the corner. Pre-tournament play is imminent, while the round-robin slate of games begins on December 26. With the tournament approaching, the Russian, Finnish, Czech, Slovak, and German contingents have all named their captains for their teams, supplementing the announcements for Canada (Kaiden Guhle) and the United States (Jake Sanderson). Their captains are as follows:

Russia: Marat Khusnutdinov (MIN)
Finland: Roni Hirvonen (TOR)
Czechia: Jan Mysak (MTL)
Slovakia: Samuel Knazko (CBJ)
Germany: Florian Elias (2022-eligible overage player)

This is Khusnutdinov’s second World Juniors appearance for Russia. Drafted in the second round by Minnesota in 2020, he impressed last year with five points in seven games. Now, in his last year of eligibility, Khusnutdinov is tasked with leading the team in hopes of a medal. The skilled two-way center has four goals and seven assists in 29 KHL games this season with SKA St. Petersburg, impressive numbers for a young player on such a deep team. He’s medalled once before internationally for Russia, winning a silver medal at the 2019 U-18 World Juniors.

Another good defensive center finds his way onto this list with Hirvonen. Also a product of the 2020 Draft’s second round, it’s also Hirvonen’s second and final chance at a World Juniors medal. He had six points in seven games last year as Finland took home the bronze medal. He’s also performing well in his home country’s top league this season, posting six goals and 10 assists in 28 games with HIFK in the Liiga.

Mysak, playing with the Hamilton Bulldogs in the OHL, is the third second-round draft pick in 2020 on this list. Unlike Khusnutdinov and Hirvonen, though, he made the U-20 team as a 17-year-old, meaning this is his third chance at a medal. It’s his second straight year serving as the captain, with three goals and two assists in 10 games combined. He has 17 goals and 14 assists through 25 OHL games this year.

Knazko breaks the chain, as Columbus drafted him in the third round in 2020. Like Mysak, though, it’s Knazko’s third WJC and his second as the captain. The mobile two-way defenseman has two assists in nine games at the tournament. Now with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, he has a goal and two assists through five games.

Playing with Adler Mannheim in the DEL, Elias was passed over in last year’s draft. Playing with Ottawa’s Tim Stützle at last year’s World Juniors, though, he exploded for four goals and five assists through five games. He’s got four points through 21 games in the DEL this year, and now it’s his turn to lead the German squad.

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Ty Voit To Entry-Level Contract

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have come to terms on an entry-level deal with one of their most recent draft picks. The team has announced a three-year entry-level contract with forward Ty Voit, a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. PuckPedia reports that the deal carries an $835K AAV.

Voit, 18, is an example of a player whose draft stock likely fell too far as a result of a missed 2020-21 season. An OHL product who did not play last year due to the league’s COVID-19 shutdown, opinions varied greatly on Voit ahead of the draft, with some believing he could go as high as the second round and other believing a third or fourth round grade was more likely, but falling to Toronto in the fifth round was a surprise.

A puck possession specialist with strong skating and stick skills, Voit recorded 28 points in 49 games in his first OHL season and it should have been expected that this production would improve once Voit had the chance to take on a top-six role with the Sarnia Sting. That is exactly what has happened this year, as Voit has already surpassed his first season with 29 points in 24 games. The Maple Leafs see the upside in the young forward and have moved forward with getting him under contract.

Minor Transactions: 12/07/21

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It’s a busy Tuesday night on the NHL slate. The status quo continues with a variety of injuries and illnesses, so movement stays a constant across the hockey world. Here’s a list of today’s minor transactions:

  • There’s some junior trade action today in the OHL. 18-year-old Jacob Maillet was traded by the Guelph Storm to the Windsor Spitfires today in exchange for a 2022 fifth-round pick and a conditional 2024 12th-round pick. Maillet, a natural center, has a big 6′ 1″ frame but hasn’t been able to find his offensive touch so far in his junior career. After three goals and 12 points through 74 OHL games, he’ll look for a new start in Windsor.

This list will be updated throughout the day

San Jose Sharks Sign Brandon Coe

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The San Jose Sharks have signed prospect Brandon Coe to an entry-level contract. Coe currently plays for the North Bay Battalion of the OHL, where he will remain through the end of this season. Sharks director of scouting Doug Wilson Jr. released the following statement about the team’s newest forward:

Brandon is a developing power forward with great skating ability. Last year he gained valuable experience playing in the AHL and we’re proud of how he has taken his offense to the next level this season. He’s leading the OHL in scoring and is a key player on a first place North Bay team.

Coe, 20, was a fourth-round pick by the Sharks in 2020, selected 98th overall after a strong performance in the OHL. He ended up playing in 17 games with the San Jose Barracuda last season on an amateur tryout while the junior league wasn’t in action, but returned to North Bay this season to be part of a dominant group.

In 24 games, he’s shown exactly why his return was such a huge boost to the Battalion’s OHL championship hopes. The 6’5″ forward has 46 points in those two dozen games, good enough to lead the entire league.

His year has only continued to get better with this entry-level contract, which will actually kick in for this season despite his assignment to junior. Once the OHL season ends, he’ll likely join the Barracuda once again to start his professional career.

Snapshots: Doughty, Brind’Amour, Clarke

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Ahead of Tuesday night’s rivalry game against the Anaheim Ducks, the Los Angeles Kings activated defenseman Drew Doughty from injured reserve today, per a team tweet. Doughty is expected to draw back into his usual top-pairing role alongside Michael Anderson. He’s missed the last 16 games after a knee-on-knee collision with Dallas’ Jani Hakanpaa that the NHL Department of Player Safety deemed accidental. Prior to his injury, Doughty was off to a raucous start with seven points in just four games. Despite having three points in his first two NHL games, it appears as though Sean Durzi will come back out of the lineup to make room for Doughty. With Doughty back in the fold, the Kings will look to improve on their 9-8-3 record and make noise in what could be a very tight Wild Card battle in the Western Conference.

Some other news and notes from around the hockey world today:

  • According to a press release, the NHL fined Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour $25,000 today for inappropriate conduct during the team’s Sunday game against Washington. With 4:30 remaining in the third period, Brind’Amour could be seen pacing back and forth around the bench and yelling at the officials, although nothing’s known about what Brind’Amour actually said. He’s racking up a penchant for these fines, as a $25,000 punishment is becoming seemingly a yearly occurrence. The money from the fine will be donated to the NHL Foundation.
  • In a shocking move, Los Angeles Kings defense prospect Brandt Clarke, whom they drafted eighth overall in 2021, won’t be invited to Team Canada’s selection camp for the upcoming World Junior Championship as originally reported by Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek. Clarke, who was named captain of the OHL’s Barrie Colts prior to the start of this season, is off to a torrid start with 23 points in just 17 games. Widely regarded as a top-five pick and one of the best defenders available, there was some surprise in the scouting community when Clarke fell to the Kings at eighth overall. The omittance of Clarke from the selection roster is even more shocking when considering his performance at other international tournaments for Canada, including a point-per-game effort last season at the under-18 World Juniors.

Flyers Assign Zayde Wisdom To OHL

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One of the Flyers’ top prospects, center Zayde Wisdom, is headed back to the OHL. His junior team, the Kingston Frontenacs announced (Twitter link) that he returned to practice with them today, signalling that the Flyers have indeed loaned him back for the remainder of their season.

Wisdom has yet to play this year due to offseason shoulder surgery.  In 2020-21, he played 28 games in the AHL with the Phantoms, registering seven goals and 11 assists, decent production for an 18-year-old playing as an underager. He was eligible to play as a junior-aged player because the OHL didn’t play last season due to the pandemic.  Since he played in more than 20 games, he was eligible to remain with Lehigh Valley this season if the Flyers wanted to keep him there.  The 2020 fourth-round pick is likely to be on Team Canada’s radar for the upcoming World Junior Championship if he produces upon his return.

This will mark Wisdom’s third season in the OHL. His best came in 2019-20 when he put up 59 points in 62 games. At the end of his junior campaign, he will be eligible to return to the AHL so he may be able to see game action with the Phantoms before the season comes to an end.

Ducks Return Mason McTavish To Junior

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Mason McTavish’s time with the Ducks this season has come to an end as the team announced that they have assigned the center back to Peterborough of the OHL.  Interim GM Jeff Solomon provided the reasoning for the decision:

While we are happy with Mason’s development to date, we believe it is in his best long-term interests to continue his development playing in the OHL for the remainder of this season and, hopefully for Team Canada in the upcoming World Junior Championships. Among other things, this move should afford Mason the opportunity to gain additional experience playing his natural center position, which we believe will be beneficial to Mason and the Ducks in the long run.

The 18-year-old, who was the third-overall pick in this year’s draft, made the team out of training camp but dealt with a lower-body injury early in the year which stopped his games played clock and actually created a window for him to be sent to AHL San Diego on a conditioning stint, something that can’t be done on a regular assignment as he’s too young to be sent down as part of the CHL-NHL agreement.  That allowed Anaheim to delay a decision on what to do with McTavish until now.

McTavish posted decent numbers offensively with two goals and an assist in his nine games but struggled on the possession side of things.  What certainly would have complicated the decision for Anaheim is that they’re banged up at the moment with wingers Max Comtois, Max Jones, and Rickard Rakell all out with injuries which has thinned their forward depth as a result but they’ve opted for the longer-term play here.

With this move, Anaheim will not activate the first season of his entry-level deal meaning that McTavish will still have three years remaining on his three-year contract after this season while the Ducks will still have seven seasons of club control.  Meanwhile, McTavish will go back to Peterborough, a team he hasn’t spent a lot of time with since that league didn’t play at all last season; he last suited up for the Petes more than 18 months ago.

Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek was the first to report McTavish’s assignment.

Minor Transactions: 11/12/21

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Early November is not exactly a prime time for transactions – trades, signings, and loans alike – but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any at all. In fact, a few notable players are on the move, all from different levels and for different reasons.

  • Cody Goloubef and the Ottawa Senators can’t seem to stay away from one another. The veteran defenseman, an Ontario native, was first acquired by the Senators in a trade with the Boston Bruins in 2018-19. He re-signed with the club for the the 2019-20 season, though he was dealt away to Detroit late in the year. Goloubef then turned around and signed another one-year deal with Ottawa and served as a veteran leader for AHL Belleville last season. After 29 NHL games and 61 AHL games with the organization over the past three years, Goloubef did not re-sign with the team this summer and seemed that he could either be heading elsewhere or perhaps retiring. As it turns out, the answer was neither. Goloubef has signed a PTO with Belleville, the club announced, and that may just be the beginning. Given the ongoing depth issues that the Senators entire system is facing on the blue line, Goloubef could just be getting his legs under him in the AHL before signing with Ottawa. Either way, this tryout seems to be a precursor to yet another contract with the Senators. Goloubef, 31, has a decade of pro experience, including 160 NHL games, not to mention Olympic experience, so the club could do far worse with an in-season signing.
  • By all accounts, Daniel D’Amato is not officially a Vegas Golden Knights prospect, but the team is treating him like one. D’Amato was a training camp standout for the Knights this fall, but left both Vegas and Henderson camps without a contract, returning to the OHL’s Erie Otters. Yet, after a strong start to his junior season with seven points in 11 games, D’Amato was suddenly making his pro debut last knight for the AHL’s Silver Knights. With some reports calling this a call-up but no record of a contract, it remains unclear under what conditions D’Amato has joined the Knights organization. What is certain is that the club likes the two-way winger and he could be in play for an entry-level contract before too long.
  • Nico Gross was once considered an up-and-coming NHL prospect. The Swiss defenseman was a standout on the international stage and impressed by making the jump from the Swiss juniors to the OHL and producing right away. The New York Rangers used a fourth-round pick on the talented blue liner in 2018 and at the time it was regarded as a high-ceiling selection. However, by 2020 Gross had flatlined in his development and the Rangers opted not to extend him an entry-level contract. Despite some speculation that perhaps another team might sign him, Gross returned to Switzerland and signed a two-year deal with powerhouse NLA club EV Zug in 2020. This was considered a safe play with the 2020-21 AHL season in doubt and Gross needing consistent ice time at 21. Again though, the young defenseman has failed to improve. Rather than using two years in Europe to prepare for another run at the NHL, Gross has done little through 64 games and was even demoted for nine games last season. The team clearly still believes in his potential, as Gross has signed a two-year extension, the team announced. What the move really says though is that Gross does not believe he can land a deal in North America and it’s starting to seem like maybe he never will.

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