Snapshots: Laviolette, Darling, AHL Signings
It’s been quite a while since former Nashville Predators head coach Peter Laviolette has coached a game. The 55-year-old coach was fired by Nashville on Jan. 6 and was later hired to coach the U.S. at the World Championships which was cancelled on Mar. 21. However, the head coach has made it clear that he wants to return to the NHL coaching ranks as soon as possible, according to Adam Kimmelman of NHL.com.
The coach has gone back and looked at his successes behind the bench in hopes of improving as a coach.
“Right now, I think I’m just focused on going back to what I found has worked for me as a coach and go back to that,” Laviolette said. “I don’t have a team, I don’t have any players, but what I can focus on is what happens when I can go to a team and I can start to get involved with the players and the identity of the team and building that team, building the organization.”
- Former NHL goaltender Scott Darling spent the 2019-20 season in Austria, quite a step down from the NHL after he was bought out by the Florida Panthers at the start of the season. While his team Innsbruck struggled last season, his numbers didn’t project those of a former NHL player as he finished with a 3.34 GAA and a .898 save percentage in 33 games. However, the 31-year-old, who played with the Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes, made it clear that his primary goal is to return to North America and resume his career there, even if that means signing an AHL deal and working his way up from there, according to John Dietz of the Daily Herald. “This pandemic has kind of sidetracked everything,” Darling said. “I was talking to some teams here. Ideally I’m going to try and play here next year, whether it be starting in the (AHL) or whatever.”
- Two junior players signed their first professional contracts as the Toronto Marlies announced they have signed defenseman Noel Hoefenmayer and forward Jeremy McKenna to two-year AHL contracts. the 21-year-old Hoefenmayer was the biggest prize after leading all OHL defensemen in scoring last season with 26 goals and 82 points last season for the Ottawa 67s. Hoefenmayer was originally a fourth-round pick in 2017 by the Arizona Coyotes, but was never offered a contract by the Coyotes. McKenna scored 40 goals and 82 points with the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL this season. Both will join the Marlies next season, a team well-known for developing their minor league players.
Evening Notes: Rossi, Flyers, Tryamkin, Oilers
Marco Rossi won’t have to wait very long to hear his name called once things get underway at the 2020 NHL Draft. The center led the OHL in scoring this season with 120 points in 56 games which is quite impressive for anyone, let alone a draft-eligible player. If he doesn’t stick with whichever NHL team drafts him though, don’t expect him to return to junior hockey. He told Jean-Francois Plante of Le Droit that if he isn’t in the NHL, his plan is to go back overseas and play in a professional league instead; 67’s head coach Andre Tourigny told Plante that the team wouldn’t block him from trying to do so. The Austrian came up through the ranks in Switzerland before joining OHL Ottawa and could opt to play there once again.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- While some teams are using this layoff to get a head start on contract discussions, that doesn’t appear to be the case in Philadelphia. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher told Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia that he hasn’t started any talks about a new deal with any of their pending free agents. Among the notable unrestricted free agents on their roster are goalie Brian Elliott, defenseman Justin Braun, and center Derek Grant while forwards Oskar Lindblom and Nolan Patrick, who have had their seasons cut short to respective health concerns, headline their list of restricted free agents.
- With the KHL season now over, talks between the Canucks and defenseman Nikita Tryamkin have picked up, reports Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma. The 25-year-old spent parts of two seasons in Vancouver before returning to Russia for the last three seasons. However, Tryamkin is looking to return to Vancouver for the 2020-21 campaign but his agent Todd Diamond acknowledged that the uncertainty surrounding next year’s salary cap is also likely to play a role in any contract talks.
- If play resumes, the Oilers should have a pair of players back in their lineup. Head coach Dave Tippett told reporters, including Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (Twitter link) that defenseman Mike Green (knee) and winger Joakim Nygard (upper body) have both recovered from their respective injuries and will be ready to go whenever the puck drops. Green was one of Edmonton’s trade deadline additions but played in just two games before getting hurt while the speedy Nygard has nine points in 33 games in his rookie campaign.
Minnesota Wild Sign Hunter Jones
The Minnesota Wild are still hard at work improving their organizational depth, this time signing prospect goaltender Hunter Jones to a three-year entry-level contract. Jones’ season with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL was recently cut short, but he’ll instead get to enjoy the feeling of signing his first professional contract.
Jones was selected 59th overall in the 2019 draft, the fourth goaltender off the board. The 6’4″ netminder from Brantford, Ontario was having an excellent season for the Petes, recording a 31-14-3 record with a .913 save percentage. Jones will be eligible for the AHL next season given his 20th birthday comes before the season begins, but he could also return to the OHL to develop further against players his own age.
The Wild do already have some other options for their AHL net, and it is hard to see how another year in Peterborough would hurt Jones’ long-term outlook. Regardless of where he ends up, the future looks bright for the big goaltender.
Adam Fantilli Commits To USHL’s Chicago Steel
In a move that may have NHL ramifications down the line, Adam Fantilli has signed with the USHL’s Chicago Steel for the 2020-21 season. The 15-year old forward was expected to be the first-overall selection in the OHL draft had he decided to stay in Canada and play in the CHL. His brother Luca Fantilli will be joining him, after the Steel picked him in the USHL Phase II Draft.
Already standing 6’2″ 181-lbs, Adam Fantilli is a blue-chip prospect for the 2023 NHL entry draft. Though there is obviously plenty of time for things to change between now and then, choosing to head the USHL route also may impact his draft and professional path.
Remember, players selected out of the CHL cannot play in the AHL until their age-20 season, something that already frustrates clubs with outstanding youngsters. There is also the fact that Luca Fantilli is committed to the University of Michigan to consider, given the propensity for USHL players to follow the college route.
Obviously he will be a player to watch moving forward, but the North Bay Battalion will have to move in a different direction. That’s who owns the first-overall pick in next month’s draft, scheduled to be held on April 4th.
WHL Designates Connor Bedard With First Ever Exceptional Player Status
Exceptional player status in the CHL is only declared for those elite 15-year-olds deemed worthy of joining the major junior ranks a year early. Exceptional player status has been granted five times in the OHL – John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid, Sean Day, and Shane Wright – and just once in the QMJHL – Joe Veleno – but never before in the WHL. That is, until today. Just one day after the WHL was forced to make the disappointing announcement that the remainder of their season had been canceled, tonight they made the exciting revelation that for the first time exceptional player status has been awarded.
The lucky 15-year-old-to-be is Connor Bedard of North Vancouver, British Columbia. Bedard played this season with the U-18 team of West Vancouver Academy in the Canadian Sports School Hockey League. In 36 games, Bedard recorded a whopping 43 goals and 84 points. He led the league in both categories by a significant margin and contributed on nearly 50% of his teams total goals on the year. While Bedard is still undersized at 5’8” and 165 lbs., he is still four years away from his draft year and will spend all of that time in the WHL growing his already-impressive skills in addition to growing physically.
The WHL Bantam Draft is set for April 22, 2020 and Bedard is now expected to be the prize at No. 1 overall. The 2020 WHL Bantam Draft Lottery is scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday March 25 and will determine the order of the first six selections of the draft. In the running for the top spot are the the Swift Current Broncos, Moose Jaw Warriors, Tri-City Americans, Prince George Cougars, Regina Pats, and Red Deer Rebels. Just one will end up fortunate enough to land the first ever “exceptional” player in league history.
OHL, WHL, USHL Announce Cancelations
After the QMJHL canceled the remainder of their regular season yesterday, it was expected that the other two member leagues of the CHL would do the same. Today, both the WHL and OHL have announced that they will cancel their remaining games. Interestingly, they have used different tactics to determine the final standings. While the WHL used points percentage, it seems as though the OHL instead has taken the standings through the first 61 games of the season.
It’s not just the CHL that have decided to move on from the regular season either. The USHL has also canceled the rest of the 2019-20 season and playoffs, while the NAHL took that step yesterday.
Though the CHL has left some hope to resume for the playoffs at some point, it does seem unlikely at this point. The Memorial Cup, which was set to be held in May, is also in danger thanks to a provincial recommendation to cancel all sporting events involving more than 50 people until June.
The end of the junior season means draft eligible players have even less time to impress potential NHL organizations, or continue to develop their skills for the future.
Snapshots: Timelines, Juniors, College Signings
It sounds like many NHL players are as restless as the average hockey fan while waiting for the season to resume. The panel on TSN’s Insider Trading outlined a return to action timeline that a group of players has been developing and will submit to the NHLPA, which includes playing the rest of the regular season games in late July.
A plan like this would obviously be exciting for fans as hockey would be played throughout the summer, but there would be an incredible amount of logistics to be worked out. Part of the reasoning behind the plan may also be financial in nature, as players want the league to recoup all of their potential gate revenue in order to not get dinged with even higher escrow numbers than expected. None of the timelines being discussed have any legs at this point, given how there is so much uncertainty there still is on when the season could be allowed to resume. Remember however, that deputy commissioner Bill Daly was clear when speaking with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic recently that the league does not intend on shortening the 2020-21 season if they can help it, at least in terms of games played.
- The QMJHL has canceled the remainder of their regular season, meaning playoff seeding will be based on points percentage should it resume at some point. That same move is expected by the WHL according to Bob McKenzie of TSN, with the OHL also discussing their future tomorrow on a conference call. McKenzie suggests that the CHL playoffs at this point are a “long shot” and also notes that the Memorial Cup, which was originally set to start on May 22nd, is scheduled in a province that recently mandated no sporting events with more than 50 people could take place before June.
- While college free agents continue to sign with NHL organizations, there is some concern rising around the league that some teams are gaining an unfair advantage in negotiations according to Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest. Strickland suggests that some teams may find it more difficult to pay out bonus money to college and European signings while in a suspended league state, noting the difference in cash flow between organizations like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. It’s not clear however what would be done to stop teams from negotiating, especially when any contract signed would likely be ticketed to start with the 2020-21 season.
AHL, CHL Temporarily Suspend 2019-20 Seasons
March 16: The AHL has advised its clubs that the league will not resume before May. Like the NHL, they have now recommended that players return to their primary residences.
March 12: As expected, and like the NBA G-League did last night following the NBA’s decision, the American Hockey League will also temporarily suspend their 2019-20 season. The AHL will follow the lead of the NHL who paused their season earlier today, with hopes of resuming at some point down the road.
The CHL will also temporarily suspend their season, after a meeting between leadership of the OHL, WHL and QMJHL according to Bob McKenzie of TSN. The USHL and NAHL suspended their seasons earlier today.
It is not clear if the leagues will return at the same time as the NHL, but for now there will be no high level professional hockey nor any major junior hockey played in North America.
Seth Jones Out Indefinitely, Liam Foudy Recalled
Tuesday: Jones underwent surgery today to repair a sprain and hairline fracture in his ankle. He is expected to miss the next eight to ten weeks.
Monday: As the Columbus Blue Jackets fought through injury after injury this season, one player they could rely on to hold them up and help them compete in the Metropolitan Division was Seth Jones. The incredible defenseman was having another outstanding season, but just like many of his teammates he’ll now have to watch from the infirmary. Jones has been ruled out “indefinitely” after suffering an ankle injury on Saturday and will be moved to injured reserve. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that Jones’ ankle is in fact broken, but is going for more testing before surgery is scheduled.
The Blue Jackets have recalled Gabriel Carlsson from the minor leagues, and Liam Foudy under emergency conditions from the OHL’s London Knights. Cam Atkinson will also not play for the Blue Jackets tonight.
Jones, 25, has received Norris Trophy votes as one of the league’s best defensemen in each of the last three years and would surely garner some more if the vote were held today. With 30 points in 56 games for Columbus, he has been a huge reason why the team has been so stingy in their own end and are in a playoff spot even after the offseason departures. His absence will truly test a group that has fought through plenty of adversity this season.
Foudy’s recall is the first of his career, and will result in his NHL debut later tonight. The 18th overall pick from 2018, he has starred for the Knights and was a big part of the gold medal-winning Team Canada at the World Juniors. After turning 20 just a few days ago, he’ll try to use his elite skating ability to find success in the NHL.
Since he was already returned to the CHL earlier this season however, Foudy cannot stay in the NHL for long. To even recall him in the first place the team needed to be on their third emergency recall—which was no problem thanks to the litany of injuries they’ve dealt with—but CapFriendly explains that he can only miss a single CHL game. The Knights play tomorrow evening.
Bode Wilde Returned To OHL
The New York Islanders have decided that the AHL is no longer the best place for Bode Wilde to continue his development. The team has returned Wilde to the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL for the remainder of the season.
Selected 41st overall in 2018, Wilde started this season with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers despite being just 19 years old. That’s normally too young for a CHL player, but since he was actually selected out of the USNTDP there was no issue. In 20 AHL contests however, Wilde had recorded just two points and routinely looked out of place against the more experienced competition.
Wilde may still be out of place in the OHL, but only because he can dominate the competition. As a rookie last season for Saginaw, the smooth-skating defenseman recorded 70 points in 62 games, only trailing Cole Perfetti for the team lead. His 19 goals were incredibly impressive from the back end and he will only improve what is already a strong team this season.