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IIHF Notes: Olympics, Russia, World Juniors

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Speaking on the final day of the 2020 World Junior Championship tournament earlier today, IIHF President Rene Fasel revealed updates on several issues of note. When it comes to the NHL, the major issue continues to be Olympic participation, and Fasel was clear that the clock is ticking on a decision for the Beijing Winter Games in 2022. The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy relays that Fasel would like a definitive answer prior to the final qualification games for the next Olympic tournament, which will take place in September. He has requested an answer by the end of August. While Olympic participation has been a major talking point in collective bargaining discussions between the NHL and NHLPA, those talks have cooled since both sides opted to extend the current agreement. It remains to be seen if and when the issue will be debated again in the next nine months. The NHL sat out the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, citing the disruption of the league season  – both in scheduling and potential player injuries – and the lack of financial benefit to the NHL. While neither of those issues are going away, one has to think that locale has amplified these negative effects of participation, as the NHL clearly didn’t see much value in Pyeongchang, South Korea and quite possibly might feel the same about Beijing, China in 2022 and Milan and Cortina, Italy in 2026. Yet, Fasel still feels optimistic about the NHL’s return to the Olympics, stating that if Commissioner Gary Bettman is smart, “They will come in the end, I hope so.”

  • As for another important international tournament in hockey, Fasel confirmed that the World Junior Championships will not be impacted by the recent four-year ban on international participation placed on Russia by the World Anti-Doping Agency. WADA placed the ban on Russia, which was similarly prohibited from participation at the last Winter Olympics, after evidence emerged that the country tampered with hundreds of samples and also engaged in improper behavior toward whistle-blowers. The ban prevents any Russian athlete implicated in a positive doping test from participation in major international events, requires all others to compete as “Authorized Neutral Athletes”, and bans Russia from hosting any international events. However, these sanctions will by and large not impact the WJC. Not only did Russia participate in this year’s tournament under their own flag, but they will play for a gold medal today against Canada. The country will continue to participate as such and Fasel also added that they will still be able to host the event in Novosibirsk and Omsk in 2023. Of course, any players found to be doping will still be prohibited from participating, but otherwise the Russian entry into the top junior tournament will be safe.
  • As for this year’s tournament, while the results of the bronze medal and gold medal games are still yet to be decided today, this morning’s contest had the more important result as it pertains to planning for next year. Germany and Kazakhstan played a winner-take-all relegation match earlier, after Kazakhstan stunned Germany in Game Two of the series on Saturday with their first non-regulation loss result of the entire tournament. However, Germany shook off that loss with a convincing 6-0 win on Sunday morning to avoid relegation. As quickly as they re-entered the top level of World Junior participation this year, Kazakhstan will head back down next year. They will be replaced by Austria in 2021, the surprise victor of the “A” class tournament back in December.

Overseas Notes: Olympics, Lindberg, Ozhiganov, Tikhonov

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As expected, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman met with NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr and IIHF President Rene Fasel this week in Stockholm, Sweden, the site of the NHL Global Series, to discuss another international hockey event: the Olympics. Although the next Winter Olympic Games are not until 2022, there needs to be a decision on participation in Beijing, China sooner rather than later, especially as that decision is tied into collective bargaining between the league and players’ association. However, Sportsnet’s Emily Sadler relays that Bettman told the collected media yesterday in Stockholm that he had “no news to report” on an Olympic resolution, and the NHL’s stance on participation remains pessimistic:

We had another meeting. We’ve had many, many meetings, and there is no news to report… I don’t want to sound like a broken record on the subject, but I think going to the Olympics is a challenge for us. I know the players love representing their countries, I know that the players like going, I know that the players that don’t go like having a break in the middle of the season. But from our standpoint, we have found going to the Olympics to be incredibly disruptive… I think it has some pretty material downsides in terms of what happens to our season.

  • Tobias Lindberg is ready to get his 2019-20 season started. After seemingly holding out hope for a contract in North America, Lindberg has finally opted to return home to Sweden. Timra IK of the SHL has announced a one-year deal with Lindberg, who adds another stop to a lengthy list of teams he has played for in his young career. The 24-year-old forward is most well-known by NHL fans not for his short stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but for his tendency to be traded. A fourth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2014, Lindberg was dealt to Toronto in the Dion Phaneuf deadline deal of 2016. He spent a season with the Leafs organization before being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights early in 2017-18, who flipped him to the Pittsburgh Penguins later that season. The Penguins sent him back to Ottawa in December of last year, who in turn gave him back to Vegas at the deadline. In total, the capable AHLer has been involved in five NHL trades compared to just six NHL games and it could be good for his development to find some stability in Timra, at least for one year.
  • A blockbuster trade in the KHL this week featured two former NHLers. Defenseman Igor Ozhiganov, who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs just last year, was dealt by Ak Bars Kazan to SKA St. Petersburg in exchange for forward Viktor Tikhonov, who has spent multiple seasons in North America with the Arizona Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks. Defenseman Roman Rukavishnikov will also move to Kazan. Both teams currently lead their respective divisions with Ak Bars sharing the top record in the KHL, making this a rare swap between top contenders. Tikhonov had been buried under the tremendous forward depth of SKA and should be able to play a larger role with his new club. Tikhonov, who recorded six points in 50 games between the ‘Hawks and ‘Yotes in 2015-16, is no longer a dynamic offensive talent, but plays a well-rounded game and can provide leadership and experience to a Kazan club that hopes to make a deep playoff run this year. Rukavishnikov, a physical stay-at-home defender, will also help to make up for the loss of Ozhiganov. Meanwhile, SKA lands one of the top blue liners in the KHL. Ozhiganov had eight points through 19 gamed with Ak Bars, which would put him on pace for a career high in scoring, especially with the firepower of St. Petersburg at his disposal now. Ozhiganov recorded seven points in 53 games with Toronto last season and looked like a player who could have found employment in the NHL again this summer had he wanted to stay.

Overseas Notes: Olympics, Rattie, Brickley

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As collective bargaining continues to progress between the NHL and NHLPA, one of the major issues still in discussions is the league’s participation in the Olympics. The NHL notably sat out the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, as the owners’ complaints included the extended break in the league season, the injury risk to star players, and the lack of value in the locale. With the first two arguments unchanging and the next two Games being held in Beijing, China and Milan, Italy, it is unlikely that the NHL Board has changed their stance on Olympic participation. However, there is a reason why “bargaining” is a key word in the CBA. If Olympic participation is a sticking point for the players, the NHL could use it as leverage in another area of negotiations. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr, and IIHF President Rene Fasel plan to meet in Sweden in two weeks during the NHL Global Series between the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning in Stockholm. The trio of leaders will discuss the issues and options regarding the league’s Olympic participation, but there is unlikely to be a resolution from just the one meeting. Johnston calls the Olympic issue a “major hurdle” in CBA talks, so it could be that the upcoming summit is just the beginning of working toward an answer.

  • One of the more notable NHL players to sign in Europe this off-season is already out of a job. The KHL announced that Lokomotiv Yaroslavl has terminated the contract of forward Ty Rattie. It’s unclear if this was a mutual termination or if Rattie was cut from the team, but either way the 26-year-old winger will be looking for a new place to play. The news comes as a surprise, as Rattie has recorded nine points in 16 games for Lokomotiv and was part of a strong core group of former NHLers alongside Stephane Da Costa, Anton Lander, and Jakub Nakladal. The KHL is no stranger to payroll problems, which may have led to Rattie’s release, but one would think that the team could have traded him instead. Thus, it is more likely that Rattie requested his contract be terminated to go play elsewhere. After a career-high 50 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers last season, it very well could be that Rattie feels he belongs in North America and has been waiting for an opportunity. Stay tuned to this story to see what comes next for the former second-round pick.
  • Going the other way is big, two-way forward Connor Brickley. Brickley had a difficult summer, failing to find an NHL contract despite a full season with the Florida Panthers in 2017-18 and a nice stretch run with the New York Rangers last year. On top of that, he failed to turn PTO’s with both the Rangers and their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, into a contract. As a result, Brickley has decided to take his talents to Germany. EC Salzburg of the Austrian-based EBEL has announced a one-year contract with Brickley. A high-scoring AHLer and a veteran of 81 NHL games, Brickley immediately becomes the most decorated player on the Red Bulls’ roster and should provide a major boost to the team this year. Brickley likely hopes that a dominant performance in the EBEL will be enough to garner more attention in North America next off-season.

Minor Transactions: 08/06/19

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As August begins and we get closer to the end of arbitration and contract holdouts, teams continue to fill our their organizational depth charts. Here are some minor moves from around the league. We’ll keep updating as more come in:

  • Former NHL forward Quinton Howden was traded in the KHL and will now play for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in 2019-20. The 25th overall pick from 2010 ended up in the KHL starting in 2017 after several seasons bouncing between North American leagues. Howden played a total of 97 games in the NHL and scored 17 points, but got to suit up for Canada at the Olympics last year after leaving the league behind. Younger brother Brett Howden is just beginning his own pro career, playing in his rookie campaign with the New York Rangers this past season.
  • Former Edmonton Oilers prospect Greg Chase has signed with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, the team announced. Chase was a seventh-round pick of the Oilers back in 2013 and enjoyed a strong junior career in the WHL. However, after turning pro in 2015, Chase largely spent his first three seasons on his entry-level contract in the ECHL, struggling to make a difference in the AHL and getting nowhere close to the NHL. He was not re-signed by the Oilers last summer and spent most of the season with the ECHL’s Maine Mariners. A point-per-game player for the Mariners, Chase earned a brief loan to the Wolf Pack and clearly did enough to earn a contract. The Chase family has some history in Hartford, as uncle Kelly Chase played several seasons with the Hartford Whalers, as well as the St. Louis Blues.
  • After leaving Colorado College mid-way through the 2018-19 season, forward Ty Pochipinski has selected a new college program. The Air Force Academy has announced that Pochipinski has committed to their team and is set to enroll this fall. Pochipinski recorded one point in four games with Colorado College last season before leaving to join the BCHL’s Penticton Vees. He’s likely seeking more opportunity by jumping to the Air Force Falcons. Father Trevor Pochipinski was a four-year starter for the Colorado College Tigers and was actually drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the seventh round of the 1986 NHL Draft, although he never played for the team.

Spencer Foo Heading To KHL

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One of the prizes of college free agency in 2017 was Spencer Foo, who had just finished putting up 62 points in 38 games for Union College as a junior and appeared ready to take his talents to the NHL. The Calgary Flames eventually landed Foo, who inked a two-year entry-level deal and jumped right into professional hockey with plenty of success. The Edmonton native has played 129 regular season games for the AHL Stockton Heat over the past two seasons, recording 37 goals and 77 points during that time. He’s also chipped in two goals in four NHL appearances with the Flames, but it doesn’t look like he’ll get another chance anytime soon.

Foo has agreed to a contract with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, who notes that it would give the young forward a chance to play for China at the 2022 Olympics where they will be part of the tournament as host nation. The 25-year old was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer, and while the Flames can retain his negotiating rights temporarily with a qualifying offer, they would expire before his KHL contract does.

Overseas Notes: Olympics, Jokerit, Nygard

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The qualification rules for the 2022 Olympic hockey tournament have been set, with the top eight ranked countries in the world from 2019 will automatically qualify. Those countries are Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, USA, Germany and Switzerland, meaning others like Slovakia, Denmark and Latvia will have to battle to earn a spot.

Interestingly though, host China will also be given a spot in the tournament without further qualification. The Chinese team is currently ranked 33rd (right between Iceland and Israel) in the world will be the lowest ranked team to ever compete in an Olympic hockey tournament. Still, the NHL is trying desperately to expand their footprint in China and if they end up sending players to the tournament it can only help to have them share the ice with the country’s best players.

  • Jokerit Helsinki will now be fully owned and operated by Finnish nationals, as legendary forward Jari Kurri has taken over as majority owner and Chairman of the Board. Jokerit joined the KHL in 2014 after decades in Finland’s Liiga, and have found great success even in the higher league. The team finished second to CSKA in the Bobrov division this season with a record of 32-19-6. Kurri, a Hall of Fame player from his days skating beside Wayne Gretzky in Edmonton, has served as general manager of Jokerit in the past and is still extremely involved with hockey in Finland.
  • Swedish reports had surfaced that free agent forward Joakim Nygard had picked the Edmonton Oilers as his NHL destination, and Ryan Rishaug of TSN has heard the same. While the team has still not announced a contract, Rishaug notes that the deal will be a one-year entry-level contract and Nygard will be a UFA again after the 2019-20 season. The speedy winger can hopefully step straight into the Oilers lineup and provide some much needed scoring depth on the wing.

L.A. Kings, Chicago Blackhawks Make Minor Trade

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In a rare exchange of intangible assets, the Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to swap an unsigned prospect for a draft pick. The Kings have announced that the rights to European pro forward Dominik Kubalik have been assigned to the Blackhawks in exchange for a 2019 fifth-round pick. Kubalik will be placed on Chicago’s reserve list indefinitely.

Kubalik, 23, was a Kings’ seventh-round pick back in 2013 from the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves. However, he returned to his native Czech Republic after one more junior season and has not played in North America since. The 6’2″ two-way winger spent several years in the Czech pro leagues, but has enjoyed back-to-back strong campaigns now with HC Ambri-Piotta of the Swiss NLA. Kubalik registered 27 points in 25 games last year, only to top that with a team-best 43 points in 36 games thus far. Kubalik was also a contributor for the Czech entries at the Winter Olympics and World Championships last year. The late-round waiver seems to be developing into a capable pro.

While it’s unclear whether Kubalik has any intentions of signing in the NHL and, if so, if his ability will translate, this seems like a worthwhile gamble for the Blackhawks. Chicago also had two fifth-round picks already, belonging to the Arizona Coyotes and Tampa Bay Lightning. The pick sent to the Kings belongs to the Coyotes and will thus be earlier in the round. Los Angeles clearly is not convinced that Kubalik would ever be a major piece of their team are likely happy to recoup another draft pick, as the rebuilding team had just their seven original picks prior to this deal.

Prospect Notes: Demko, Makar, Laaksonen

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After the Vancouver Canucks used a second-round draft pick on Thatcher Demko in 2014, following a breakout freshman campaign at Boston College, and he proceeded to improve over his next two seasons with the Eagles, many expected that it wouldn’t take long for him to take over as the starter for Vancouver. Now in his third pro season, Demko has suited up for only one game with the Canucks and continues to sit behind the likes of Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson, who have been far from spectacular in that time. With the Vancouver duo currently combining for a save percentage below .900 and a goals against average over 3.00, this season would seem to be a prime opportunity for Demko to finally break through as an option at the NHL level. However, a concussion in training camp derailed the beginning of the season for the young keeper and he has only recently returned to the net for the AHL’s Utica Comets. The Athletic’s Jason Brough recently caught up with Demko to get an update on how his return from the “scary” injury has gone so far. Demko stated that he really wanted to take his time and ensure he was 100% before returning from the concussion, but feels good now. Demko continued that he has been working closely with the Canucks’ new goalie coach, Ian Clark, and is anxious to get his chance in Vancouver this season. Six games into his season in the AHL, Demko’s numbers aren’t as stellar as they were last season, but as he grows healthier and more comfortable in net, he’s likely to return to that high-level performance. Assuming he does, Demko should have far more than one NHL start on his resume by the end of this season.

  • Colorado Avalanche top prospect and college hockey superstar Cale Makar was invited to play for Team Canada at the Olympics last year, but declined the opportunity. History has repeated itself this year, as The Athletic’s Julie Robenhymer reports that Makar was offered a spot on Canada’s entry into the Spengler Cup tournament in Switzerland later this month, but has again passed up the international experience. Robenhymer writes that Makar has opted to work on getting back to full health before the second half of the NCAA season begins in January. With UMass ranked as the top team in the country, they need their top defenseman ready to go as they chase a national championship this season. While the Avs may have liked to have seen Makar in a different context at the Spengler Cup, they won’t hesitate to sign him as soon as his college season is over regardless.
  • One defenseman who may not be so eager to make the jump to the NHL is Buffalo Sabres prospect Oskari Laaksonen. Laaksonen, 19, was a third-round selection by the Sabres in 2017 and is a well-regarded young puck-mover. However, Laaksonen is comfortable staying in his native Finland for the time being, as Ilves has announced a two-year extension with their young stalwart. While the press release included a quote from Laaksonen that he is happy to stay with the team until something happens in the NHL, Buffalo certainly wouldn’t mind if he wanted to log some time in the AHL beforehand and it would help Laaksonen reach to top level much sooner. With Rasmus Dahlin, Lawrence Pilut, and Rasmus Ristolainen all relatively young and seemingly locked in to long-term starting roles, Laaksonen likely sees a lack of opportunity right now in Buffalo. However, he does seem willing to make the move once the blue line opens up somewhat with the Sabres.

Reaction to Los Angeles Kings’ Coaching Changes

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The Los Angeles Kings fired head coach John Stevens and assistant coach Don Nachbaur Sunday and brought in two national team coaches in Willie Desjardins (Canada) and Marco Sturm (Germany). The Kings hope that the pair will be able to try and fix the mess surrounding the 4-8-1 franchise that had high expectations going into the season. Here are some reactions from the Kings as well as the journalists around the situation:

  • TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the Kings had already made their decision to fire Stevens after their 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, as many wondered why the team opted to relieve the coach of his duties after the team picked up a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets Saturday.
  • McKenzie adds that the interim tag suggests that if Desjardins and Sturm fare well behind the bench this year, the interim tag could be removed. However, if the team cannot turn the team completely around, the Kings will conduct a formal and extensive search for a new head coach after this season.
  • TSN’s Darren Dreger writes that Sturm would be a prime candidate for the Kings’ coaching job next year after years of solid coaching on the international level.
  • Los Angeles Times’ Helene Elliott reports that Stevens was well aware that his job security was in jeopardy and was always both classy and accommodating. He admitted last week that being on the hot seat was part of his job.
  • Sportsnet’s John Shannon writes that one of the biggest problems for Kings management was a real belief that the team had lost its passion. The team believes that Desjardins, Sturm and Dave Lowry who remains from the old regime can bring that passion back to the team. “We’re going to create a desire for these players to play well here,” general manager Rob Blake said (via Los Angeles Times’ Curtis Zupke).
  • Fox Sports Patrick O’Neal writes that Blake said a “complete level” of Kings needs to improve, suggesting that the GM isn’t happy with any player or any member within the organization at the moment.
  • For those looking for more information on Desjardins, The Athletic’s Eric Duhatschek (subscription required) wrote a in-depth piece on the coach before the Olympics in February when he was head coach of Team Canada, including how he got the job there in the first place. “I saw Willie’s teams play a lot last year scouting for Montreal,” said Sean Burke the general manager of the men’s Olympic team. “I was always impressed with how much he got out of his players. I looked at the group we were putting together and thought, ‘well that’s what we’re going to need here.’ We’re going to have a group, where the coach needs to get the most out of the guys – and there’s even more of that element to that in an Olympic event than there would be in an 82-game NHL season. If he can get it out of the NHL guys for 82 games, he can sure get it out of the guys during the Olympics.”
  • The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro (subscription required) notes that Desjardins was a top candidate to take the Dallas Stars job in April which eventually went to Jim Montgomery. However, Shapiro also profiled the coach before Dallas had made its final decision. The profile includes his resume as well as a breakdown of his coaching style.
  • The Associated Press’ Steven Whyno reminds fans that Sturm coached the German National team to the silver medal at the Olympics, a team that surprised many and almost slipped past Team Russia for the gold.
  • FlamesNation reporter Ryan Pike reports that Nachbaur is considered to be a very respected coach with extensive WHL experience, but he hasn’t been able to translate those coaching talents to the NHL.
  • Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen writes that Desjardins had a tough assignment as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks which started in the 2014-15 season. The scribe writes that Vancouver didn’t have enough talent to be successful, but his coaching style at Medicine Hat in the WHL showed that he likes up-tempo teams that push play up the ice.
  • Sirius XM’s Nick Alberga writes that if Desjardins and Sturm don’t make a significant impact on the team, the next domino would likely be the team making trades to break up the team.

 

Poll: Who Will Win The Calder Trophy In 2018-19?

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The Athletic’s NHL Draft and prospects guru Scott Wheeler has released the first definitive list of candidates for the Calder Trophy in 2018-19, and the order may surprise some people. Admittedly, the list is in the context of fantasy hockey, but Wheeler’s rankings are true to how he thinks Calder voting will unfold if each rookie hits their stat projections. As such, it’s not this year’s first overall pick, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, at the top of the list, but presumptive top-six center for the Vancouver Canucks, Elias Pettersson. Pettersson will be put in a much better position to rack up points than will Dahlin, the next-best candidate, as potentially one of the three best scoring forwards for the Canucks and traditionally productive forwards have a better shot at the Calder than (relatively) equally productive defensemen.

Coming in at number three is Boston Bruins forward Ryan Donato, who led both the NCAA and Olympics in goals last season and will look to win a top-six role for Boston and continue to find the back of the net at an alarming rate. Playing alongside either Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk is an easy way for Donato to quickly become an elite scorer at the NHL level. The fourth-ranked candidate is second overall pick Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes, who – like Pettersson – will be given an immense amount of responsibility right away as a top-six winger who is arguably already one of the three most skilled forwards on the team. However, Svechnikov is one of three Hurricanes rookies on Wheeler’s list, which could take away from his case. Rounding out the top five is Dahlin’s fellow rookie in Buffalo, center Casey Mittelstadt, who scored at nearly a point-per-game pace in the college ranks and in a brief stint with the Sabres to end the year. Mittelstadt should face favorable match-ups this season with the lines anchored by Jack Eichel and Patrik Berglund drawing considerable attention from the opposition.

Wheeler’s top twenty Calder Trophy candidates are as follows:

  1. C Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
  2. D Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
  3. RW Ryan Donato, Boston Bruins
  4. RW Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes
  5. C Casey Mittelstadt, Buffalo Sabres
  6. RW Filip Zadina, Detroit Red Wings
  7. C Dylan Strome, Arizona Coyotes
  8. C Henrik Borgstrom, Florida Panthers
  9. C Martin Necas, Carolina Hurricanes
  10. D Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
  11. RW Dylan Sikura, Chicago Blackhawks
  12. RW Eeli Tolvanen, Nashville Predators
  13. C Filip Chytil, New York Rangers
  14. LW Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
  15. LW Valentin Zykov, Carolina Hurricanes
  16. RW Kailer Yamamoto, Edmonton Oilers
  17. C Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning
  18. LW Kristian Vesalainen, Winnipeg Jets
  19. C Sam Steel, Anaheim Ducks
  20. RW Vitaly Abramov, Columbus Blue Jackets

Honorable Mentions: C Vladislav Kamenev, Colorado Avalanche; LW Jordan Greenway, Minnesota Wild; C Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues; LW Andreas Johnsson, Toronto Maple Leafs; C Michael Rasmussen, Detroit Red Wings; C Lias Andersson, New York Rangers; D Sami Niku, Winnipeg Jets; D Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers; RW Daniel Sprong, Pittsburgh Penguins

What do you think? Who will be the NHL’s Rookie of the Year and take home the Calder Trophy at the end of the season? The favorite? The first overall pick? Another top candidate? Or a name not even mentioned here?

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