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Prospects Tournament Update: DeBrincat, Hronek, Kostin

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The Athletic’s Scott Powers reports that Chicago Blackhawks prospect Alex DeBrincat believes he can “play better” despite potting two goals in as many games during the tournament so far. All eyes are on the scoring dynamo, who was a major contributor for the Erie Otters last year in the OHL. Some have projected the 19-year-old to make the Hawks roster while others believe it may take some seasoning in Rockford before the youngster is ready. The Chicago Sun-Times Mark Lazerus wrote yesterday that it will ultimately boil down to how the shorter teenage phenom will compete when he’s fighting bigger, stronger, NHL players for not only space on the ice, but also puck battles. There’s no doubt that the talent is there: it’s more about how the rookie responds when he’s put on the ice against elite talent.

  • Powers’ colleague Craig Custance weighs in on the Red Wings’ young talent and who tops the list in terms of having the best chance of playing in Detroit. Defenseman Filip Hronek leads the pack, and though he’s shown growing pains, appears to be on the same course as forward Evgeny Svechnikov, who didn’t make his first appearance in Detroit until April. More than anything, it was to ensure the young forward wasn’t rushed and the Red Wings look to take the same approach with Hronek.
  • The championship game seems all but set as the Blackhawks pasted Carolina 9-2 this evening. The Red Wings beat the Rangers 4-1,  creating a championship contest between Chicago and Columbus. St. Louis’ Tage Thompson leads all players with six points in the tournament (2-4) while DeBrincat leads all scorers with three goals.
  • Thompson’s teammate, Klim Kostin, has turned a lot of heads during the camp, and has shown that the shoulder injury that caused him to drop a bit in the draft has done nothing to limit his dangerous scoring ability. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas writes that Blues GM Doug Armstrong cautions patience, but even he seems ready to see what Kostin can do during training camp with the big club.

Snapshots: Therrien, Blues PTO, Sergachev

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Michel Therrien is back in hockey, and you won’t believe where. The former Montreal Canadiens head coach that was fired mid-season when Claude Julien became available will serve as a scout for those same Canadiens this season, according to TSN.

Therrien was unceremoniously removed from the head coaching position in February just days after Julien lost his job in Boston, ending his second stint behind the bench with the club. The 53-year old Therrien has a 406-303-23-82 record in the NHL, and ranks 37th all-time in games coached.

  • The St. Louis Blues released their entire training camp roster today, and it includes two players on professional tryouts. Ty Loney and Michael McKee have been signed to PTOs and will be in camp, though not much should be expected of either. Loney has spent the last few years bouncing between the AHL and ECHL after graduating from the University of Denver, while McKee is a former fifth-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings who just finished his fourth season at Western Michigan University. He became a free agent when the Red Wings failed to sign him this summer.
  • Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times caught up with prospect Mikhail Sergachev, and the young defender was clear that he intends on making the Lightning out of training camp. “For me, going back to junior is not an option,” said Sergachev, who was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Jonathan Drouin earlier this summer. Sergachev has dominated the OHL in his first two seasons in North America, and even suited up for four games at the beginning of last season with the Canadiens. While the Tampa Bay defense is quite crowded, he clearly has the talent to break through and establish himself as an NHL force.

Morning Notes: Lindros, Sabres, McCool

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The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they will raise Eric Lindros’ #88 sweater to the rafters in January of next year, retiring it from circulation among their players. No one has worn the number since Lindros’ departure, but his sweater will now officially join the likes of Bernie Parent (#1), Mark Howe (#2), Barry Ashbee (#4), Bill Barber (#7) and Bobby Clarke (#16) in retirement.

Lindros was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, and as Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post points out on Twitter, Mark Recchi’s #8 could join the retired list next season. Recchi is among the 2017 Hall of Fame inductees, and spent parts of ten seasons with the Flyers. Lindros’ ceremony will be held on January 18th, before the Flyers take on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

  • The Buffalo Sabres announced a huge list of number changes for the upcoming season, including Jason Pominville re-acquiring his #29 from Jake McCabe. Pominville has worn the number for his entire career, including the nine previous seasons he spent in Buffalo. McCabe will wear #19 this season. To keep up with all player numbers and depth charts, make sure to head over to Roster Resource where things are constantly updated with the latest information.
  • According to Andy Strickland of Fox Sports, Hayden McCool will be in rookie camp for the St. Louis Blues, fresh off a Memorial Cup win in Windsor. McCool is a big forward who was deployed in a purely checking role for the Spitfires of the OHL. Undrafted, he’ll attend camp hoping to earn an AHL spot somewhere, though the Blues don’t have a single affiliate this season. McCool will more than likely only make an impact at the minor league level, but his work ethic and physical game is one that could translate to a fourth-line at some point.

Minor Transactions: 8/26/17

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Just as NHL teams have begun to fill out rosters with affordable deals and tryout offers, such as those yesterday for Drew Stafford (New Jersey) and Jay McClement (Pittsburgh), minor league squads are also trying to get their teams in order with the season set to start in just a little over a month. Here are some recent minor moves:

  • The pro game has not been kind to the Rupert twins, but all hope is not lost. Ryan Rupert, a 2012 sixth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs and one of the smaller pieces sent to Ottawa alongside Dion Phaneuf in that massive 2016 exchange, was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Senators this off-season and became an unrestricted free agent. After splitting each of his first three pro seasons between the AHL and ECHL, it was unlikely that he would find an NHL contract. However, it was somewhat of a surprise when he and brother Matt Rupert signed ECHL deals with the Indy Fuel back in July. The Rupert twins were both very successful junior players with the OHL’s London Knights, with each wearing the alternate captain “A” for a season and combining for over 400 points during their tenure. After a brief reunion with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies in 2014-15, Ryan has amassed 58 points in 149 AHL games and 40 points in 53 ECHL games, while the undrafted Matt has 56 points in 125 ECHL games, as well as a couple AHL games on his resume. The duo seem to at least be worthy of an AHL contract, even if they do spend much of the season in the ECHL. It seems that one team agrees, as the Rockford Ice Hogs have invited the twins to camp on a tryout basis, according to The Sporting News’ Murray Pam. The Chicago Blackhawks’ affiliate is set to have some exciting, young players on the roster this season, but could use a couple hard-working minor league veterans like the Ruperts as well. If the tryout doesn’t pan out, the pair will likely return to Indy for the coming season and try to boost their in-season loan value and free agent stock for next summer.
  • The San Diego Gulls, the Anaheim Ducks’ AHL affiliate, announced that they have re-signed defenseman Brian Cooper to a one-year contract. Cooper, 23, was a fifth-round pick of the Ducks in 2012, but signed a minor league deal with their affiliate last season after not being offered a pro contract by the team. Cooper played four years at the University of Nebraska-Omaha after being drafted, delivering modest offense and a solid defensive game, especially given his 5’10”, 196-lb. stature. The Alaska-native brought the same skill set to the AHL in 2016-17, recording 10 points in 37 regular season games for the Gulls and another pair of clutch points in the postseason, all while playing mistake-free in his own end. Cooper is expected to play a larger role for San Diego next season, as he works towards showing Anaheim that he can indeed be an NHL-caliber player one day.

More to come…

Cleveland Signs Pair Of Undrafted Free Agents

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The Cleveland Monsters signed a pair of undrafted junior players today to AHL contracts, inking Ivan Kulbakov and Bobby MacIntyre to one-year deals. Both players are now 20 years old and will be leaving their respective junior leagues for 2017-18.

Kulbakov is coming out of the USHL after an impressive rookie season with the Youngstown Phantoms, where he went 30-16-1 and recorded a .919 save percentage. The Belarussian goaltender went undrafted even after a relatively impressive showing at the 2015 World Juniors, where he had a standout performance against the Czech Republic, stopping 44 of 48 shots to keep the game close. His height likely held him back as a goaltending prospect, as he stands just 6’0″ tall, well under the average NHL goaltender.

MacIntyre on the other hand is a forward who’s coming off a huge season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL. Registering 80 points in 63 games, MacIntyre easily paced his club and ranked 15th in the league. Size is the culprit once again, as MacIntyre stands just 5’9″ and would have trouble adapting to the more physical NHL game. That said, he does possess some solid offensive upside and the move to Sault Ste. Marie in 2015 seemed to spark something in him. While there is still a long way to go to crack the Columbus Blue Jackets’ roster, there is definitely a place for him on the AHL squad as a tenacious offensive player.

Minor Notes: Tolvanen, Legwand, Hughes

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Nashville Predators’ fans, prepared to get excited. Eeli Tolvanen, the 30th-overall pick in this year’s draft made his KHL debut today playing for Jokerit and what a debut it was. The 18-year old forward scored a hat trick and added an assist in just over 13 and a half minutes of ice time as they took down Dinamo Minsk 6-1 in their first game. While obviously it will be impossible for Tolvanen to continue this pace, he becomes the youngest player in KHL history to record a hat trick.

After being denied admission to Boston College for failing to meet the school’s academic requirements, Tolvanen almost tumbled out of the first round before signing a one-year deal (plus a 2018-19 option) with Jokerit. The 5’10” 170-lbs forward lit up the USHL in his draft year and possesses one of the quickest releases of any prospect in his draft class. It will be interesting to see where he spends next season, after a campaign that’s off to an incredible start.

  • David Legwand will step behind the bench of the Sarnia Sting, an OHL franchise he is part owner of. The long time Nashville Predators’ forward will take an Associate Coach position with the team just over a year removed from his playing career. Legwand was an excellent player in his day, recording 618 points in 1,136 games over a 17-year NHL career. He’ll now join head coach Derian Hatcher in trying to turn the Sting around after a disappointing 2016-17 season. He’ll have to hope that Jordan Kyrou doesn’t make the St. Louis Blues out of camp, as he looked ready to take the next step towards professional hockey in the World Junior Summer Showcase. If Kyrou returns to the Sting, he could be in contention to lead the league in points after coming in sixth last year.
  • The Hershey Bears have signed Tommy Hughes to an AHL contract, bringing in the former Hartford Wolf Pack defender for one season. Hughes was signed by the New York Rangers organization as a CHL free agent in 2013, but never saw action in the NHL. The 25-year old is about as stay-at-home as you can get in a defenseman, recording just 30 points over his four-year AHL career.
  • Chris Terreri has joined the New York Islanders organization as a Goaltending Development Coach, and will also serve as Goalie Coach for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL. Terreri had previously been with the New Jersey Devils for sixteen years. While the Islanders have struggled to find consistency in their NHL netminders the past few seasons, they do have some of the most interesting prospects in the league in Ilya Sorokin and Linus Soderstrom. If either come over to North America in the next few seasons, Terreri will be tasked with unlocking their full potential.

An Early Look At The 2018 Draft Class

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Many hockey fans have had limited exposure to the 2018 draft class, outside some highlights of the Summer Showcase. The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy breaks down his early projections for the top prospects who will be eligible next summer. His top five shouldn’t surprise any who have been paying attention, but it’s a nice early introduction to the best of the best.

Rasmus Dahlin – D – Frolunda (SHL J20)

As of now, Dahlin is the man to beat for #1. Dahlin is drawing Erik Karlsson comparisons already, which is a tough benchmark for any 17 year old. Coming through the neutral zone, he weaves himself past traffic when there simply doesn’t appear to be a lane. His passes are crisp and accurate, and he isn’t afraid to go to high-scoring areas of the ice. His size at 6’2 makes him even more appealing, as he is not an easy horse to down once he’s achieved full gallop. Dahlin will need to continue to display flashes of offensive brilliance while rounding out his defensive game, but he’s essentially a lock to go top-three.

Andrei Svechnikov – RW – Barrie (OHL)

Svechnikov’s hands can make your jaw drop. Following in a long line of talented Russian scorers, his finesse sets him apart from the rest of his age group. He has a decent element of speed to his game and always finds himself open in high-scoring areas. In Barrie, he’ll need to round out his two-way ability, but barring major setbacks he should produce. Comparisons to other Russian picks will be inevitable (Nail Yakupov) but he seems to think the game at an elite level already. He also doesn’t shy away from cycling when necessary, and has more tricks up his sleeve than a simple rush-and-shoot mentality.

Joe Veleno – C – St John (QJMHL)

Veleno exudes passion, as anyone who witnessed the Ivan Hlinka tournament can attest. He captained the Canadian team to gold in that tourney, and looked like quite the leader in the process. His passes are already NHL level, and he has a sneaky accurate shot. He sees the ice well and coordinates plays well in any situation. His footwork is powerful and is also sure to impress. Veleno was even granted “exceptional status” by Team Canada and his body of work so far suggests it was not undeserved.

Adam Boqvist – D – Brynas (SHL J20)

For a defender, Boqvist can really fire the puck. His wrister is accurate and deadly if not respected. He skates with impressive speed and his edgework is clean and powerful. You can absolutely envision Boqvist quarterbacking an NHL powerplay in a few years’ time. He’s not the flashiest player on the list, to be sure, but he is effective in his straight-ahead style. His passing is impressive, but he might need to pick his spots on the attack a little better. Another player in the Karlsson mold, he should stand out enough to overcome his 5’11 stature.

Brady Tkachuk – LW – Boston U. (NCAA)

This player is a bit of a throwback to days when power forwards actually challenged for NHL roster spots regularly. Like his older brother, Calgary’s Matt Tkachuk, Brady is no pushover. At 6’2 he can hold off opponents while driving his way to the front of the net. His shot isn’t overly remarkable, but he always finds a way to hit twine. His deking ability is enough to drop defenders to their knees, and he has the vision to make special things happen. Tkachuk has committed to B.U. and it will be interesting to see how the rest of his game rounds out in the NCAA.

St. Louis Blues Prospect Undergoes Surgery, Out Until December

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The St. Louis Blues announced today that prospect goaltender Luke Opilka underwent successful surgery to repair a torn left hip labrum. Opilka had been dealing with the injury throughout last season with the OHL Kitchener Rangers. The Blues expect Opilka to be out until December 2017.

This is the second hip surgery for Opilka. He underwent hip surgery last offseason in an attempt to help him in the long term. Opilka came back and put up a 3.51 SV% and a .889 GAA in 31 games for Kitchener.

The Blues drafted Opilka 146th overall in the 2015 NHL draft. It was unclear whether Opilka would remain in the OHL as an over-ager, or make the transition to the AHL. Unfortunately, the Blues do not have a full-time AHL affiliate until 2018-19. The Blues did call call Opilka up from the OHL during the Blues’ playoffs last season, but the young goaltender did not dress for any games. His presence was more for practice fodder and to give the NHL goaltenders a rest.

Minor Transactions: 08/18/17

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The Ontario Reign signed a pair of AHL veterans today, signing Jamie Devane and Matt Schmalz. The forwards will add a physical presence to the team as they measure in at 6’5″ and 6’6″ respectively. Devane, 26, was a third-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs but only made it to the NHL for a pair of games a few seasons ago, and had 13 points for the Stockton Heat last season.

Schmalz on the other hand spent 2016-17 in the OHL as a 20-year old, even after making his professional debut in the spring of 2016. He played three games for the Reign that year, registering two points, but he wasn’t signed and actually had his rights expire on June 1st. He’s coming off a season in which he scored just 31 points in 63 games and was limited to a bottom-six role on the Owen Sound Attack. Though he’s still just 21 he has a long road in front of him if he’s to ever make an NHL roster.

  • The OHL’s Windsor Spitfires have acquired Hunter Carrick, who had been drafted by the Ottawa 67s but never played for them. Carrick, the younger brother of Maple Leafs defenseman Connor Carrick, had been playing for the Oakland Junior Grizzlies. The 17-year old defenseman is eligible for 2018 draft, and will look to try and make an impact for the Spitfires as they come off their Memorial Cup-winning season.

Minor Transactions: 8/16/17

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Between a long-term extension for Leon Draisaitl in Edmonton, a return to Minnesota for Matt Cullen, and a couple of contracts for first day-eligible college free agents Dominic Toninato and Connor Clifton, it’s been a relatively busy August day for NHL transactions. Yet, here is some more news from across the hockey world:

  • The AHL’s Providence Bruins already made a splash today, signing the aforementioned Clifton, a standout right-handed defenseman from nearby Quinnipiac University, but another notable name has also joined the fold in Providence. The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver, who also broke the Clifton news, revealed that NHL veteran Josh Hennessy has agreed to return to Providence on a PTO to begin the season.  Hennessy has been playing for the Vaxjo Lakers in Sweden for much of the past three years and bounced around the KHL prior to that, but the 32-year-old was last in North America with the Boston Bruins and their affiliate in 2011-12. A 2003 second-round pick of the San Jose Sharks who has skated in 23 NHL games with the Bruins and Ottawa Senators, Hennessy clearly did not reach the expectations of his draft slot, but does have a history of high-scoring AHL campaigns. The P-Bruins had success with the PTO route last season, winding up with reliable veterans Peter Mueller and Matt Bartkowski, and hope that the local Massachusetts native can play well enough to crack a lineup that is chock full of talented Bruins prospects.
  • Divver also made note of another move affecting Providence hockey, but the NCAA’s Providence College Friars rather than the AHL’s Bruins. The OHL’s Guelph Storm announced today that they have signed forward Cam Hillis, the team’s second-round pick in the 2016 OHL Draft. However, to join the Storm, Hillis had to break his commitment to play college hockey at PC. As Divver points out, Hillis is now the third Friars recruit this summer to instead choose the major junior route, joining Merrick Rippon (Mississagua Steelheads) and Sam Rhodes (Barrie Colts).
  • Another player spurning the college game, but in Canada instead of the U.S., is former Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds forward Bobby MacIntyre. The undrafted overager registered 80 points in 63 games in his final OHL season and was one of the top targets of many Canadian universities. However, he will bypass the university path and go straight to the pros after an impressive campaign. Victor Findlay of the Canadian University Sports Network reports that MacIntyre has agreed to terms with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, the minor league affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets, on his first pro contract. MacIntyre could be an AHL rookie to watch for next season.
  • Another AHL deal of note was that of Jake Marchment joining the San Antonio Rampage. The Colorado Avalanche affiliate announced the signing today, as well as an extension for Shawn St. Amant. Marchment comes over from the San Jose Sharks organization, where he was a sixth-round pick in 2014. The big two-way center saw only four games of AHL action last year with the San Jose Barracuda, instead mostly skating in the ECHL. He’ll look for a greater opportunity in San Antonio in 2017-18. Many will remember Marchment as a member of the talented 2014-15 and 2015-16 Erie Otters teams, who made it to the OHL Championship and Conference Finals respectively. Marchment was acquired from the Belleville Bulls in 2015 in part to help the team on their playoff run and also to make up for the impending loss of superstar Connor McDavid.

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