Michael Misa Granted Exceptional Status Into OHL
April 14: The OHL has officially announced the status, releasing the following statement:
Having administered this process since 2005 with John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid, Sean Day and Shane Wright, I am continuously amazed by the well-rounded nature of those granted exceptional status. His constant success both in the classroom and on the ice has demonstrated that Michael Misa is well deserving to be among those who have been granted status in the past.
April 13: There will be an eighth player granted exceptional status into the Canadian Hockey League, reports Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek. 15-year-old Michael Misa will reportedly be granted the esteemed status, making him eligible for the 2022 OHL Draft.
The announcement comes after Misa registered 10 goals and 20 points in just seven games with the Mississauga Senators at the OHL Cup, tying Corey Perry for the all-time points record in a single tournament (but doing so in one less game). Misa is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft, with an early 2007 birthday.
Misa joins Joe Veleno, Sean Day, Connor McDavid, John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Shane Wright, and Connor Bedard as players granted exceptional status in the top Canadian junior league. OHL teams near the bottom of the league like the Niagara IceDogs, Saginaw Spirit, Sudbury Wolves, Erie Otters, and Sarnia Sting will have the best chance at landing Misa at the upcoming OHL Draft.
Los Angeles Kings Sign Francesco Pinelli
The Los Angeles Kings have signed another prospect, adding to an already impressive pipeline. Francesco Pinelli has inked his three-year, entry-level contract, which will start in the 2022-23 season. The deal carries an NHL cap hit of $867.5K. Pinelli currently plays for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, where he will stay through the end of the season.
Selected 42nd overall in 2021, the 19-year-old Pinelli wears the captain’s “C” for the Rangers and has 58 points in 53 games. Notably, that production has been held back by a Kitchener roster that is much weaker than usual and finds itself seventh in the OHL’s Western Conference with a 29-30-5 record. While he sits third on the team in scoring, Pinelli would likely still be considered the best overall forward in the group (though 17-year-old Carson Rehkopf is certainly coming for that spot) and a good bet to eventually reach the NHL in some capacity.
Still, that is no guarantee, especially in a system that is bursting with talented prospects like the one in Los Angeles. It’s hard to find a deeper group, which already has a dozen young talents signed and even more coming. The good thing is that there’s no rush for Pinelli, who will be returning to the OHL for next season unless he somehow makes the Kings out of camp. The young forward will not be eligible for the AHL in 2022-23, given he only turned 19 today.
Because of that youth, Pinelli’s contract is also eligible to slide for next season should he go back to junior, meaning he’s really signed through 2025-26 already.
Prospect Notes: Misa, Savoie, Struble, Busdeker
Is another “exceptional” player arriving early to the OHL? Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports that Hockey Canada and the Ontario Hockey Federation are currently considering an application for Exceptional Player Status for 15-year-old forward Michael Misa. Those players granted Exceptional Status are allowed to join a CHL league a year early due to their generational talent. Previous OHL exceptions include John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid, Sean Day, and presumptive 2022 first overall pick Shane Wright. While Exceptional Status was clearly the proper decision in most of these cases, Day was a considerable error and has caused decision makers to tread more carefully in recent years. As a result. Marek notes that the applications for Misa and two others were expected to be declined. However, Misa’s recent efforts at the OHL Cup for his Mississauga Senators U-16 team have pushed the envelope. Misa recorded 10 goals and 20 points in seven games during the tournament en route to a championship and MVP honors, looking like a player ready to take his talents to the top junior level. A decision from Hockey Canada and the Ontario Hockey Federation is expected soon, with the OHL Draft coming up on April 29. If granted Exceptional Status, Misa would be the favorite to go first overall in the draft. If he is denied, Misa is expected to play in the USHL next season. Either way, the promising prospect is already a name to keep an eye on for the 2025 NHL Draft.
- Marek also reports that newly-anointed NCAA champ Carter Savoie is also eager to move to the next level. Although only a sophomore with two years of NCAA eligibility remaining, Savoie is expected to turn pro and sign with the Edmonton Oilers. A fourth-round pick in 2020, Savoie performed well with Denver last year but took his game to new heights this season, jumping out to an early scoring lead in the NCAA and ending the season with 23 goals and 45 points in 39 games. A key cog for the National Champion Pioneers, Savoie will hope to play a similar role in Edmonton before too long. The Oilers are always in need of affordable scoring and Savoie could play that part perfectly on his entry-level contract if he can make a quick transition to the pro game.
- One player who will not be leaving school early is Northeastern defenseman and Montreal Canadiens prospect Jayden Struble. When the Habs selected Struble in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft directly out of the prep school level, he was expected to be more of a long-term project. Instead, Struble went directly to Northeastern the following year and developed into a capable two-way defenseman. However, it seems that the two sides disagree one whether he is pro ready just yet. Sportsnet’s Elliott Friedman reports that Struble is expected to return to the Huskies next season for his senior year rather than turn pro. It does not seem as though this is related to Struble not wanting to play for the Canadiens, though he will be able to elect free agency after next season if he so chooses.
- Rockford IceHogs forward D.J. Busdeker has signed a one-year extension, the AHL club announced. It’s a nice move for the team, as Busdeker has been a reliable presence this season in just his second pro campaign. Busdeker leads the IceHogs in games played and is among the top scorers in points and assists. However, it begs the question of when or if Busdeker might earn an NHL contract from the Chicago Blackhawks. Just 22 and translating his ability well from the OHL, where he was also a consistent scoring threat for the Saginaw Spirit.
OHL Announces Fine, Indefinite Suspension For Niagara Management
The OHL has announced a $150,000 fine and two indefinite suspensions for Niagara Ice Dogs general manager Joey Burke and head coach Billy Burke following an investigation into “overall conduct.” Both men are also minority owners of the team. The league announced that the investigation revealed conduct that is “prejudicial to the welfare of the OHL” and “runs counter to the OHL’s Onside program, which emphasizes the importance of demonstrating respect for women through actions and words.”
Joey and Billy Burke will be eligible to apply for reinstatement on June 1, 2024. At that time, OHL commissioner David Branch will assess whether they have successfully completed necessary counseling and education. The investigation began after the league received transcripts of a March 6, 2022 WhatsApp conversation.
The Ice Dogs are currently in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 22-38-4 record. The team has not yet released a statement on the suspension or announced who will be taking over either position.
League Notes: World Cup, Combine, Trade Lists
Although the trade deadline has passed and the draft and free agency are still months away, it hasn’t stopped TSN’s best from breaking significant news. In the latest “Insider Trading” segment, the group had plenty to say about upcoming events and changes for the NHL. Though down the road quite a ways, Darren Dreger reports that there could soon be a more concrete plan for the proposed 2024 and 2028 World Cups of Hockey. The NHL, NHLPA, IIHF, and individual national federations are meeting in Paris this week to discuss how the NHL-operated international tournament could look. One major issue at hand is the possibility of a play-in tournament to determine the eight participants in each World Cup. There are many questions as to who might automatically qualify for the World Cup versus who might take part in the play-in, but Dreger at least notes that the play-ins would be held during the summer prior to the tournament, which could mean August 2023 would mark the start of the selection process.
Dreger does not believe that Canada and the United States would be taking part in play-ins (and does not make mention of Team North America, a novel and entertaining concept from the 2016 World Cup but one that appears to be dead all the same). Whether all European nations or just those lower on the IIHF rankings would participate in play-ins remains to be seen, as does the viability of a Russian entry given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and resulting IIHF sanctions. The most recent IIHF rankings have Finland and Russia among the top four hockey countries in the world with Canada and the U.S., with Germany, Czechia, Sweden, and Switzerland rounding out the top eight. The question becomes how many of these nations should earn automatic bids to the World Cup and how many spots should otherwise stay open for play-in winners. Slovakia, Latvia, Norway, and Denmark would certainly like a fair shot at qualification, especially given that each has NHL representation, while it might also be entertaining to see an expanded play-in field featuring some less established hockey countries like France and Great Britain, both of whom are currently within the top 16 globally. Dreger does not note the possibility of a return of Team Europe, encompassing players from non-qualifying nations, but that concept is likely to go the way of Team North America. There is still plenty to figure out, but this week’s meetings in Paris could be a very productive step toward clarifying the return of the World Cup.
- Dreger adds that another NHL-sponsored event making its return is the NHL Draft Combine. After being cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the league will again host the pre-draft evaluation event this year, returning to Buffalo. The combine will be held from May 29 to June 4, giving teams plenty of time to assess results before the 2022 NHL Draft on July 7-8. As usual, the NHL playoffs will still be ongoing during the combine, but active teams can manage. More concerning though is that the CHL playoffs will also still be underway, which has not typically been the case. Due to COVID delays to the regular season schedule, the OHL and WHL will not kick off their postseasons until late April while the QMJHL will not get started until early May, making crossover with the combine a month later impossible to avoid. Dreger notes that the NHL wanted to hold an in-person combine at all costs in an effort to get the draft process back to normal, even if that meant some prospects could not participate. The CHL leagues will have to determine for themselves whether they will allow players to leave their teams or potentially pause postseason action during the combine. Scheduling flexibility is limited with the Memorial Cup dates already set for June 20-29. However, the junior leagues and teams have stock in the draft success of their players and know that those top prospects still playing and unable to attend the combine could be put them at a disadvantage.
- As the ripples of the Evgenii Dadonov saga continue to be felt far beyond Las Vegas and Anaheim, Pierre LeBrun reports that changes to how trade lists are documented appear likely. As the NHL GM’s prepare to meet this week, with the Dadonov fiasco still fresh in their minds, it is not only LTIR management that they will discuss. LeBrun notes that they will also recommend that the complete terms of trade protection be shared with the NHL Central Registry and the NHLPA. Currently, only teams and player agents know the full contents of trade and no-trade lists and are the only ones monitoring when and if those lists are submitted. Seeing how well that worked out in Dadonov’s case, having extra eyes on that process from both the team and player side only serves to benefit the entire process. Though there is concern about a higher likelihood of these lists becoming public, this is outweighed by the procedural positives of trade protection.
Ryan Fitzgerald Clears Waivers; Tyson Foerster Loaned To OHL
Saturday: Fitzgerald has cleared waivers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports.
Friday: The Philadelphia Flyers have placed Ryan Fitzgerald on waivers, suggesting he is ready to return to action after spending the entire year to this point on season-opening injured reserve. In addition, the team has made another interesting transaction, loaning Tyson Foerster back to the Barrie Colts of the OHL.
Foerster, 20, was one of the handful of young players allowed to spend this season in the AHL even when he would have normally been ineligible, because of the number of minor league games he played in 2020-21. Unfortunately, just a few weeks into the season he suffered a shoulder injury that has limited him to just nine games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. His loan back to Barrie is a good sign that he’s ready to return and try to help the Colts chase down a playoff spot over the next few weeks.
Fitzgerald meanwhile is a player who would have normally been waived prior to the season, as his one-year, two-way contract was never supposed to make him a regular on the Flyers roster. In fact, the 27-year-old forward is still waiting for his first taste of NHL action, now five years into his professional career. Originally selected 120th overall by the Boston Bruins in 2013, Fitzgerald had 21 points in 28 games for the Phantoms last season and should provide a nice veteran boost to the group once he’s back up to speed. Given his injury history and inexperience, it is unlikely that Fitzgerald is claimed.
Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Jordan Frasca, Taylor Gauthier
3:15pm: Not only have the Penguins officially announced the contract for Frasca, but they have also signed Taylor Gauthier to a three-year entry-level deal. Both will start in 2022-23 and give Pittsburgh some extra prospect depth. Gauthier, 21, has been arguably the best goaltender in the WHL this season, posting a .932 save percentage through 28 games, winning 20 of those appearances. Since joining the Portland Winterhawks partway through the year, those numbers have actually only continued to rise, with a 13-1 record and .943 save percentage following the midseason trade. ‘
While Frasca will likely end up starting with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, there’s a chance that Gauthier heads to the ECHL next season where NHL teams often send their raw goaltending prospects. Either way, Pittsburgh has nabbed another interesting name to keep an eye on.
11:15am: Teams are now allowed to ink prospects to entry-level contracts that start in 2022-23, meaning a rush of signings is likely to happen in the next few days. One of those is expected to be Jordan Frasca, who will sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins according to Darren Dreger of TSN.
Frasca, 20, went undrafted but is having an outstanding season for the Kingston Frontenacs, scoring 32 goals and 65 points in 44 games. His performance in fact has been part of the reason why some people have considered Shane Wright‘s season disappointing. The potential first-overall pick in this year’s draft sits behind Frasca in the Frontenacs scoring race (while both sit well behind 21-year-old Lucas Edmonds, another undrafted forward that returned to Canada after several years in Sweden).
Set to turn 21 in July, Frasca will still be signing a three-year entry-level contract. It’s an impressive run for a player who wasn’t even drafted into the OHL until the seventh round of the 2017 Priority Selection, and had just 23 points in his first full season–then with the Windsor Spitfires. He’s now set to join an NHL organization, though it won’t be the first time he’s around professionals. Last summer, Frasca attended development camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs, something that likely helped fuel his dominance this season.
Dallas Stars Sign Antonio Stranges
The Dallas Stars have gotten in on the entry-level signing parade, this time with an interesting prospect from the London Knights. Antonio Stranges has inked his three-year, entry-level contract that will begin in the 2022-23 season.
Stranges, 20, was picked 123rd overall in 2020, but quickly showed he was more than just a regular fourth-round pick. In 2020-21 when the OHL season was canceled due to COVID restrictions, he ended up signing an amateur tryout with the Texas Stars, where he played in nine games. Already it looked like Stranges might be able to handle himself at the minor league level, so when he went back to London this season it wasn’t much of a surprise to see him immediately dominate the competition.
In 39 games, the winger has 18 goals and 51 points, routinely setting up OHL goal leader (and Nashville Predators prospect) Luke Evangelista. Stranges is second in points on a team loaded with talent that has gone 30-13-2 on the year, and now joins an organization where there should be some opportunity in the next few years. While he’ll stay in London for the rest of this season and chase down an OHL championship, Stranges will likely join Texas for the 2022-23 season and begin his professional climb.
Calgary Flames Sign Rory Kerins
The Calgary Flames are finalizing an entry-level contract with late-round prospect Rory Kerins, according to Darren Dreger of TSN. The news comes on the first day teams are eligible to sign prospects to contracts that begin in 2022-23, likely the plan for the young forward. Unlike some of the others that have inked deals today, Kerins is not undrafted and was still on the Flames reserve list after they picked him 174th overall in 2020. The team officially announced the deal not long after the report surfaced, and PuckPedia relayed that it will carry an average annual value of $847K at the NHL level.
It also won’t be the first time he signs a contract with the organization. Kerins inked an amateur tryout last year in order to play four AHL games with the Stockton Heat while the OHL season was canceled due to COVID restrictions. That taste of professional hockey certainly seems to have ignited something in the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds forward, as Kerins has 33 goals and 84 points in just 50 games.
That’s good enough for second in the entire OHL, only behind Windsor Spitfires star and Dallas Stars first-round pick Wyatt Johnston who has 85 in 46 games. Kerins’ 33 goals are good for third in the OHL behind two other high picks, Brennan Othmann and Luke Evangelista. All of that turns into a pretty good season for the young forward, who will now be secured a professional future starting next season. Given that he’ll turn 20 at the start of April, Kerins will likely play with Stockton in 2022-23 as he continues his climb toward the NHL. For now, he’ll stay with the Greyhounds and chase an OHL championship, or even a Memorial Cup.
Seattle Kraken Sign Tye Kartye
The entry-level contracts continue, with an expansion team this time getting into the mix. The Seattle Kraken have signed Tye Kartye to an entry-level contract according to general manager Ron Francis, who spoke with Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic. Kartye, 20, is an undrafted forward currently playing for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL. Today was the first day teams are eligible to sign players to entry-level contracts for the 2022-23 season; Kartye’s age means he’ll be signing a three-year deal.
Kartye should already be very familiar with the Kraken, as he took part in their first development camp last summer. Like many Greyhounds in the past, he was also part of a Toronto Maple Leafs development camp, this time in 2019. The Kingston-born winger went undrafted, but has taken his game to an entirely new level this season, scoring 33 goals and 58 points in 45 games.
The fact that Francis is a legendary Greyhounds alumni likely didn’t hurt negotiations, but there is also an immediate attraction for free agent prospects when it comes to expansion teams. The Kraken will need all the young players they can get in the coming years as they try to build the program from the ground up, and Kartye will likely be one of the first members of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the AHL team set to begin play next season. Originally selected 158th overall in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection, all of Kartye’s hard work has paid off. He scored just four goals in his first OHL season, missed all of 2020-21 because of COVID restrictions, and now has an NHL contract with his name on it.