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Arizona Coyotes Sign Lukas Klok

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You’ve heard of Ronald Knot, get ready for Lukas Klok. The Arizona Coyotes have picked up their second 27-year-old Czech defenseman of the offseason, bringing in Klok from Nizhnekamsk in the KHL on a one-year, two-way entry-level deal, per CapFriendly. It has a cap hit of $845K, which includes an NHL salary of $750K, $105K in performance bonuses, $95K in signing bonuses, and a minors salary of $82.5K.

Klok is actually a solid under-the-radar candidate to make the Coyotes this fall. He had a strong season in the KHL, notching 31 points in 44 games. He also had three points in four games for Czechia at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Both Klok and Knot, a previous Arizona signing this offseason, played for the same team in Russia and were both on the Czech Olympic squad.

Klok was never drafted, but he does have 29 games of experience in North America. He played 29 games with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms back in 2013-14, registering three points.

East Notes: Quinn, Devils Front Office, Sabres

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Eyebrows raised leaguewide when the Boston Bruins fired Bruce Cassidy, letting him walk to the Vegas Golden Knights in coaching free agency. Now, they seem to have zeroed in on a replacement. Although he’s been interviewed and/or linked to multiple teams so far, The Fourth Period’s Shawn Hutcheon reports that the Bruins have made former New York Rangers head coach David Quinn their leading candidate for the role. While other names like former Providence head coach Jay Leach had been rumored, they seem to have opted for another “hometown” coach.

While a Rhode Island native, Quinn has extensive experience in the Boston area, spending multiple years as an associate coach and head coach with Boston University. Quinn did not coach this past season after the Rangers replaced him with Gerard Gallant this past offseason, aside from serving as the head coach for the United States at the Olympics and World Championships.

  • The New Jersey Devils seem to have quietly cleaned out some front office names, removing the roles of Patrick Rissmiller (player development coach), Pierre Mondou (amateur scout), and Andrey Plekhanov (European scout) from their website. Rissmiller will leave the only front office job he’s ever known, holding the role with New Jersey since he retired as a player in 2015. Mondou, 66, was let go after nearly 20 years of scouting for New Jersey. Plekhanov had been with the team for four seasons.
  • As the Buffalo Sabres look to finally take that next step forward in 2022-23, the team has announced the dates for their development camp. The session for fringe prospects and rookies will be held July 13-15, with a three-on-three tournament to be held on the 16th.

USA Hockey Names National Junior Evaluation Camp Roster

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With the significantly delayed 2022 World Junior Championship just around the corner, national organizations are beginning to announce their preparatory rosters for the tournament. Sweden did so earlier today, and now it’s the United States’ turn.

The eligibility rules for this postponed event are the same, but with the tournament taking place during the offseason, expect a higher-than-normal level of talent released to national teams for the occasion. The full U.S. roster (link here) will have that same luxury.

Highlighting the team’s forward core are San Jose Sharks prospect Thomas Bordeleau, Calgary Flames prospect Matt Coronato, and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Matt Knies. Knies had the luxury of going to the 2022 Winter Olympics, playing at the most prestigious level of international hockey for the United States. On defense, New Jersey Devils prospect Luke Hughes and Los Angeles Kings prospect Brock Faber will take hold.

The most noteworthy part, though, like Sweden’s, is the amount of 2022-eligible choices who will now be under consideration for the final roster. There’s a strong group of forwards in that regard in addition to Logan Cooley, who made the team the first time around. Also under consideration are forwards Cutter Gauthier, Isaac Howard, Jack Hughes, Cam Lund, Rutger McGroarty, Frank Nazar III, and Jimmy Snuggerud. On defense, there’s Seamus Casey, Ryan Chesley, and Lane Hutson headlining the potential 2022 class.

There’s a very solid mix of youth, high-end skill, and veteran leadership on this United States team, who remain one of the favorites to capture a medal.

Philadelphia Flyers Working On Contract With Ivan Fedotov

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One of the more interesting notes from Chuck Fletcher’s media availability this morning (apart from the confirmation that Mike Yeo will not return as head coach) is that the Philadelphia Flyers are working on a contract with Ivan Fedotov and expect to agree to terms in the near future. The general manager explained that it is complicated because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but is confident they will ultimately be able to work out a contract and bring him to North America for next season.

Fedotov, 25, was a seventh-round pick of the Flyers way back in 2015 and has been slowly developing into one of the best netminders in Russia ever since. This season he was the starter at the Olympics, posting a .943 save percentage in six games and winning a silver medal, and then returned to CSKA Moscow to take his club all the way to a Gagarin Cup championship. Fedotov had an eye-popping .937 save percentage in 22 playoff appearances, allowing a goals-against-average of just 1.85.

It was at the Olympics when Fedotov suggested to reporters that he was planning on coming to North America next season, and it appears as though there could be an NHL spot waiting for him when he arrives. Fletcher indicated that the big netminder will compete for the backup NHL role, should he be signed.

Standing 6’8″, you likely aren’t going to find a goaltender that fills the net as much as Fedotov, but it’s not just his frame that has allowed him to reach a high level. His overall play has steadily improved over the last several years, as he was brought along through the junior and minor leagues. Now a real option for an NHL team, the Flyers could be getting a ton of value out of a late-round pick that happened well before this management regime was installed.

Markus Granlund, Lukas Wallmark Linked To ZSC Lions

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After terminating his contract in the KHL because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Lucas Wallmark appears to be headed to Switzerland. Reports have surfaced that both Wallmark and Markus Granlund will sign with the ZSC Lions of the Swiss NL, after spending this season in the KHL.

Wallmark, 26, once recorded ten goals and 28 points in a season for the Carolina Hurricanes and appeared to be on his way to relevance in the NHL. That quickly dissipated though, and after several trades (he was sent to the Florida Panthers two years in a row), he took his talents to CSKA Moscow where he had 19 points in 31 games. This season also included a stint with the Swedish Olympic squad, where Wallmark actually scored five goals in an impressive six-game performance, earning a place on the tournament All-Star team.

Given his relative youth, a contract in Switzerland doesn’t necessarily end any chance of Wallmark returning to North America at some point, but it certainly will delay it. Zurich is one of the most well-run organizations in all of Europe and routinely grabs top imports from around the globe. Despite not finding much success in his last few NHL stops, Wallmark should have no problem in the NL.

Granlund meanwhile is another year removed from the NHL, last playing for the Edmonton Oilers in the 2019-20 season. He’s spent the last two seasons in the KHL with Salavat Yulaev Ufa, where he has been one of the league’s most consistent offensive players. In 91 KHL regular season games over two seasons, Granlund scored 31 goals and 91 points, numbers that should follow him to Switzerland if he does in fact sign. Another participant in the Olympics, he managed to record just one point in the tournament, but still take home a gold medal with the Finns.

Now 29, a return to North America is still possible down the road, and Granlund did score 19 goals for the Vancouver Canucks in 2016-17. That kind of scoring touch has been inconsistent for him at the NHL level though, meaning he might be another European star that prefers to stay overseas than risk demotion to the AHL by coming to this side of the pond.

San Jose Sharks Sign Strauss Mann

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The San Jose Sharks have landed a very interesting goaltender, inking Strauss Mann to a one-year contract. Mann recently became an unrestricted free agent when he left Skelleftea AIK of the SHL. No details on the contract were released. Shin Larsson, Sharks’ supervisor of European scouting, released a statement on his newest find:

Strauss is a quick athletic goalie with history of leadership and success exemplified by being named the first goalie Captain at University of Michigan in 78 years. He followed his successful collegiate career with a strong season for Skelleftea in the SHL and represented Team USA at the most recent Olympics. We look forward to adding a quality goaltender and person to our organization.

Mann, 23, posted a .914 save percentage in the SHL this season, appearing in 22 games for Skelleftea after leaving Michigan. He also managed to suit up for the U.S. at the Olympics, and now enters the North American professional ranks as a legitimate NHL prospect. Undrafted out of the USHL, Mann developed into a dominating presence for the Wolverines, posting a .926 save percentage over 77 starts and earning the captain’s “C” in his junior year.

While he doesn’t fit the prototypical NHL goaltending frame, standing just 6’0″, Mann’s excellent quickness and ability to read the play have resulted in strong results everywhere he has been so far. In fact, before signing in the SHL, he was ranked third by Corey Pronman of The Athletic among undrafted free agent players from college and Europe, with the scribe noting he projects as a No. 2 or 3 option for an NHL club. If that’s what the Sharks have landed with nothing more than an entry-level contract, it will be a big win for the organization.

Of course, in San Jose there is certainly no shortage of NHL options for next season. James Reimer and Adin Hill are both under contract through 2021-22 at more than $2.1MM each, and Kaapo Kahkonen was acquired at the trade deadline as a potential future starter. The hope, it seems, is that Mann will be able to fill one of those higher roles when Reimer and Hill both become unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2023–when the former will be 35 years old.

Strauss Mann Leaving Skelleftea, Becomes Free Agent

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When the U.S. Olympic hockey roster was revealed, a few eyebrows were raised at the goaltending position. Drew Commesso, a top prospect for the Chicago Blackhawks and recent starter at the World Juniors was included, alongside veteran minor leaguer Pat Nagle. The prospective Olympic starter, though, was Strauss Mann, a name that wasn’t so familiar to NHL or even AHL fans.

Mann, 23, had been a star at the University of Michigan previously, even captaining the squad in the shortened 2020-21 season. But he was undrafted and had left North America to play in Sweden, where he was part of Skelleftea AIK. The young netminder ended up splitting time at the Olympics with Commesso, putting up a .945 save percentage in his Team USA debut, and finished the year in the SHL with a .914 save percentage in 22 appearances.

Eliminated from the playoffs rather quickly, Skelleftea has now announced that Mann–along with several others, including the recently-signed Adam Wilsby and former NHL forward Jayce Hawryluk–will not be returning for 2022-23, making him an unrestricted free agent once again. Mann can now sign an entry-level contract with an NHL team, should there be interest in his services, or try his hand at the minor league level.

If he does end up landing an NHL contract for 2022-23, it would be a one-year deal, as Mann will turn 24 in August. While he doesn’t have the prototypical NHL frame, standing just 6’0″, there has been a shift toward accepting undersized (or at least non-gigantic) goaltenders of late. Mann’s success overseas and at the Olympics certainly has put him on the radar of some professional organizations in North America, so it will be interesting to see where he lands next.

Brock Faber Returning For Junior Season

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There is some unfinished business for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, who were ousted from the Frozen Four by the Minnesota State Mavericks, missing a chance at a National Championship game. While freshman Matthew Knies is meeting with the Toronto Maple Leafs this week to discuss his future (and according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, leaning toward a return), Brock Faber has already made his decision. The Los Angeles Kings prospect will return for his junior season, the team confirmed today.

Faber, 19, was the 45th overall pick in 2020 and just finished a season that saw him wear an “A” as alternate captain of Team USA at the eventually-canceled World Juniors, suit up for the U.S. at the Olympics, and win the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award, while also being named to the conference First All-Star Team. You could call it a pretty successful sophomore year.

The Kings actually traded up to land Faber in 2020, sending picks 51 and 97 to the Detroit Red Wings in order to draft the USNTDP standout. The right-shot defenseman has always had an innate ability to close gaps on the rush and break cycles in his own end, and is still developing an improving offensive game to go with it. If you trace that draft pick back even further, it actually originally belonged to the Edmonton Oilers, and was one of the two second-round selections sent to Detroit at the 2020 deadline for Andreas Athanasiou.

Now it’s the Kings’ bounty, though they’ll still need to sign Faber at some point in the future. His draft rights belong to them through August of 2024, meaning next spring there will likely be another push to get him under contract.

Still, there’s good reason to believe that another year of college will actually help his development, especially if some of the other talented defensemen on Minnesota decide to turn pro. If Faber is given more offensive responsibility, there’s even a chance he could be ready to step directly into the NHL in an impact role following his junior season.

Anton Lander Signs In SHL

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It’s finally time for Anton Lander to go home. The Swedish Olympic captain has signed a three-year contract with Timra IK of the SHL, one that likely ends any chance of him returning to the NHL given his age.

Lander, 30, has had an incredibly varied and interesting career in professional hockey, debuting as a teenager in 2007-08 with Timra. Selected 40th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2009, he came to the NHL in 2011 and almost immediately stepped into a regular role. Over parts of six seasons, he would play 215 games with the Oilers, setting a career-high of 20 points in just 38 games during the 2014-15 campaign.

His contributions to that organization were felt mostly at the AHL level though, where he wore the “C” for two seasons with the Oklahoma City Barons and an “A” in his final year with the Bakersfield Condors. Scoring at nearly a point-per-game pace in the AHL, it was easy to expect success once he decided to go overseas in 2017. In his first season in the KHL he won the Gagarin Cup with Ak Bars Kazan, and represented Sweden at the 2018 Olympics. Three more successful years in Russia followed, before Lander joined EV Zug in Switzerland for the 2021-22 campaign.

He had the honor of wearing that captain’s “C” again at this year’s Games, though Sweden was unable to medal once again. Now, more than a decade after he left, he returns to the Swedish club that developed him. By the end of a three-year deal, Lander will be 33 and eight seasons removed from hockey in North America.

Anton Slepyshev Re-Signs In KHL

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If you wondered whether Anton Slepyshev would attempt an NHL comeback after his strong performance in the KHL and at the Olympics this year, think again. The 27-year-old forward has signed a new contract with CSKA Moscow that will keep him in Russia through the 2024-25 season.

Slepyshev was originally selected 88th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2013, and eventually made it over to North America for the 2015-16 season. After making his NHL debut that season, he was a regular in the Oilers lineup for the next two years, including during the team’s 2017 playoff run, the last time they have made it out of the first round.

After the 2017-18 season and his entry-level contract came to an end, though, he ended up returning to Russia to join the powerhouse CSKA program, and has not returned. His NHL rights, which were temporarily held by the Oilers, expired last year and he could have returned to sign with any North American organization had he wanted to. Instead, his prime years will all be spent in Russia, suggesting that his NHL career could come to an end with just over 100 games played. This season for CSKA, he registered ten goals and 25 points in 35 games, and helped his country take home the silver medal at the Olympics with a strong performance.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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