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College Hockey Round-Up: 01/15/20

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With college students around the country returning to campus, NCAA hockey is back in the spotlight. While games continued here and there through December, many programs returned to action the first weekend of January. The second half of the season will be more conference-centric, with teams focused on positioning themselves as best they can before conference tournaments begin in mid-March. That will all lead up to the six conference champions and ten at-large selections squaring off in the NCAA tournament. Right now, No. 2 North Dakota and No. 3 Minnesota State are the only top five teams who also lead their respective conferences, which should make for an exciting and unpredictable second half.

The Current Landscape

The biggest question entering the second half of the college season may just be whether anyone can stop No. 1 Cornell? The nation’s top team still has just one regulation loss on the year and ranks sixth in goals per game and second in goals against per game. The Big Red are also not an easy team to game plan against. While goaltender Matthew Galajda has been phenomenal while appearing in all 15 of Cornell’s games and Morgan Barron (NYR) is the undisputed star, the team gets a balanced effort from the entire lineup. With that said, the Big Red have shown some cracks in the New Year, going 2-0-2 thus far with ties against Union and No. 11 Providence.

Speaking of the Friars, Jack Dugan (VGK) continues to lead the chase for the Hobey Baker Award with the NCAA’s best total and per-game scoring numbers. He performed especially well in front of his potential future home crowd in the Ice Vegas Invitational. Line mate Tyce Thompson (NJD) remains in the scoring hunt as well, thanks in part to an NCAA-best 17 goals. Providence is currently the leader of Hockey East, but they have their work cut out for them against stiff competition, including No. 5 Boston College and No. 13 UMass Lowell, both of whom have games in hand on PC. With No. 10 UMass and No. 12 Northeastern in the mix as well, Hockey East will be a cutthroat battle the rest of the way, leading up to conference tournament that will shift the national scale.

The NCHC is no slouch either, featuring two top-five teams in No. 2 North Dakota and No. 4 Denver, not to mention two-time defending champs No. 8 Minnesota Duluth. The three teams are all set to be tested by one another in the coming weeks: the Bulldogs host the Fighting Hawks next weekend before traveling to face the Pioneers the following weekend, who themselves will visit the Hawks the weekend after that. The NCHC standings may be in for a shake-up, but none of those three teams look likely to lose their top-ten billing any time soon.

New year, same dominant lone wolf near the top of the national rankings. No. 3 Minnesota State continues to suffocate their opponents behind the stellar play of Hobey Baker hopeful Dryden McKay in net. The team is allowing an NCAA-best 1.33 goals against per game and have outscored opponents 17-2 in a perfect 4-0 start after New Year’s. With wins over UND and Duluth (twice) this season, their record is no fluke, even if they do routinely dominate their WCHA competition. Will Mankato be the team to beat come tournament time?

Kuznetsov’s Stock On The Rise

When NHL Central Scouting released their midyear rankings for the 2020 NHL Draft, it was easy to notice Wisconsin forward Dylan Holloway sitting in 10th among North American skaters. However, you may have missed UConn defenseman Yan Kuznetsov, who was 28th in the same group and has very much entered the conversation as a potential first-round pick this spring. Kuznetsov may not light up the score board, but then again no Huskies have this season. The Russian blue liner’s nine points are in fact tied for eight on the team and second among defensemen. However, the hallmarks of Kuznetsov’s game are his size and composure, especially for a 17-year-old freshman. Kuznetsov projects to be a shutdown defenseman with a high ceiling, as he is already playing at an elite level in the NCAA at a young age. UConn has slim odds of an extended postseason run this season, so scouts will be focused on the team’s remaining regular season schedule as they get a final read on Kuznetsov before he’s available for selection in June.

Pinto Receives A Suspension

Shane Pinto (OTT) has made headlines for a few different reasons lately. The North Dakota center was one of the standout performers on an otherwise disappointing Team USA entry at the recent World Junior Championship, recording seven points in five games and flashing the high-level skill that the Fighting Hawks faithful have come to love this season. The freshman then stayed loyal to his college teammates, allegedly rebuffing attempts by his NHL rights holder, the Ottawa Senators, to convince him to join the nearby Ottawa 67’s of the OHL for the remainder of the season. Pinto’s latest headline is not as positive though. The freshman forward has been handed a one-game suspension from the NCHC for an illegal check against Nebraska-Omaha last weekend, an incident that earned him a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct as well. Pinto, who has 16 points in 20 games for North Dakota this year, will sit for the team first game against Miami on Friday, but will be eligible to return for game two of the series on Saturday.

Andreas Englund Clears Waivers

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Tuesday: Englund has cleared waivers and will be assigned to the Belleville Senators of the AHL.

Monday: The Ottawa Senators have placed defenseman Andreas Englund on waivers according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. This comes as the Senators are set to welcome Nikita Zaitsev and Mark Borowiecki back from injury.

Englund, 23, hasn’t quite established himself as the lockdown defender the Senators hoped for when they made him the 40th overall pick in 2014. Through four professional seasons in North America he has spent far more time in the minor leagues than the NHL, suiting up just 21 times with Ottawa and recording just two points. The 6’4″ Englund has 12 of those games this season, but will have to wait for his next opportunity.

That is of course unless he’s picked up off waivers tomorrow. Signed to a one-year, two-way $700K contract there may be some teams willing to take a chance on the big defenseman. He will be a restricted free agent again this summer.

Craig Anderson’s Trade Stock Plummeting

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Both the Ottawa Senators and goaltender Craig Anderson have an interest in the veteran’s trade value with the NHL Trade Deadline approaching next month. The Senators are again outside of the playoff picture and looking to deal any impending free agents for futures. Anderson meanwhile is 38 years old and has never come close to winning a Stanley Cup, reaching the postseason five times in his 17-year career and only twice advancing past the first round. Both sides would seemingly like to see a deal made.

Yet, as The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes, Anderson’s play of late may be ruining that chance for both he and his team. Anderson has allowed four or more goals in each of his last four games, all of which have ended in Senators’ losses. His save percentage has dropped below .900, while his goals against average has jumped to 3.27. Entering this season after back-to-back difficult campaigns, Anderson needed consistently strong play to redeem his value. Instead, the long-time Ottawa keeper looks like a player whose days as a reliable contributor are over.

However, Anderson remains “open-minded” to the idea of a trade and the Senators certainly would like to get anything out of him on the market, if at all possible. However, if Anderson’s value is to improve at all over the next six weeks leading up to the deadline, Ottawa must be wiling to but the veteran in net. Anders Nilsson received the lion’s share of starts early in the season, so much so that he has one fewer appearance than Anderson despite being out with an injury since mid-December. Even with Nilsson sidelined, Anderson has been sharing the net, now with young Marcus Hogberg. Hogberg has played in nine games this season, seven since Nilsson’s injury, and of late has been at the opposite end of the spectrum of Anderson, allowing two goals or fewer in each of his last three appearances. Despite these efforts, if the Sens want to move Anderson they must put him in the lineup, even once Nilsson returns to action.

If Ottawa isn’t willing to give Anderson the chance to improve his trade stock, they likely will struggle to get anything back for him. The rental goalie market is far from vacant; there are upwards of a half-dozen goalies who could easily be on the move by the end of February. The Chicago Blackhawks have at least one keeper that they could move, San Jose’s Aaron Dell and Montreal’s Keith Kinkaid are established backups who will be made available, and Anderson is not even the only gray-haired veteran on the block, with the Ducks’ Ryan Miller and Red Wings’ Jimmy Howard potentially available. There are more goalies for sale than there are backup buyers and not all of these names will move. If the Senators and Anderson hope that he is one of the few to go, things need to change – and soon.

Nikita Zaitsev To Resume Skating This Week

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It has been a strange last few weeks for Senators defenseman Nikita Zaitsev.  Originally expected to return shortly after the holiday break from his deep bone bruise, that plan has been pushed back a few times.  However, it appears that the wait may be coming to an end.  Head coach D.J. Smith told Postmedia’s Ken Warren that the hope is that the blueliner will be able to return to practice at some point this week and that they haven’t ruled out him returning before their bye week.  Zaitsev has been out since December 16th with the issue but still ranks second on the team in blocked shots with 74 in just 32 games while ranking second in ice time per game behind only Thomas Chabot.

Snapshots: Pinto, Zucker, Palat, Lagesson

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After an impressive performance at the World Junior Championships earlier this month, the Ottawa Senators were hoping to convince forward Shane Pinto to sign with them at the end of this collegiate season. In fact, leDroit’s Jean-Francois Plante (translation required) writes that Senators general manager Pierre Dorion visited Pinto Thursday in hopes of convincing him to sign with Ottawa after his season, but he was turned away.

Pinto, the team’s 2019 second-round pick (32nd overall), has been a revelation. Considered a bit of a reach by Ottawa immediately after the draft, Pinto has taken off, posting nine goals and 15 points in 19 games for the University of North Dakota. He joined the United States team at the WJC and was one of the team’s leaders, scoring four goals and seven points in five games. However, Plante reports that Pinto’s agent would like Pinto to continue his development at North Dakota for at least one more year before likely joining the AHL team when he’s more ready physically to compete.

  • The Minnesota Wild could be getting back some offensive firepower as forward Jason Zucker practiced with the team Saturday and is a game-time decision for their game Sunday against Vancouver, according to NHL.com’s Dan Myers. Zucker suffered a fractured right fibula after getting hit with a slapshot dump-in by Chicago’s Brent Seabrook on Dec. 15. The forward had surgery and was given a 4-6 week timetable, but looks to be ready early. The 27-year-old has 12 goals and 24 points in 34 games so far this season and could provide the Wild with a much needed offensive boost.
  • While Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ondrej Palat missed his first game of the season Saturday with a lower-body injury, NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman reports that Palat is still a possibility to play on Sunday against the New Jersey Devils. Palat has struggled with minor injuries throughout his career, but has produced a solid 12 goals and 26 points in 43 games so far this season.
  • The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell (subscription required) breaks down the play of Edmonton Oilers defensive prospect William Lagesson and his potential future with the team. The 23-year-old, currently on the Oilers’ NHL roster, might have trouble cracking the team down the road due to the team’s depth in defensive players and upcoming prospects, which could leave Lagesson on the outside looking in.

Nick Paul "Done For The Foreseeable Future"

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  • After bouncing between Ottawa and their AHL affiliates over the past few years, Senators winger Nick Paul has been establishing himself as a regular player this season. However, that progress has now been derailed as head coach D.J. Smith told Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch that Paul is “done for the foreseeable future”  due a lower-body injury sustained on Tuesday.  He has already been ruled out for the next two weeks but it seems like it will be even longer now.

Ottawa Senators Hire Jim Little As CEO

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The Ottawa Senators have been without a CEO to run the business side of the operation since Tom Anselmi walked away from the organization in 2018, but today have hired a new leader. Jim Little, most recently an executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Shaw Communications, has been hired as CEO of Senators Sports and Entertainment. Owner Eugene Melnyk released a statement on the hiring:

We are pleased to have Jim joining our executive team during this exciting period of growth for Senators Sports and Entertainment. As part of our long-term strategy to redevelop and rebuild the Ottawa Senators hockey club, an extensive search was conducted to find the right leader to guide the organization into the next decade. Jim’s appointment is an important step towards achieving our goals and building on the positive impact the hockey club has on the community. As our planned rebuild of the Senators continues to develop on the ice, Jim’s wealth of experience and fresh perspective will strengthen the company’s off-ice success, ushering in a new era for our club and fans.

As Melnyk notes, the Senators’ rebuild is continuing on the ice after a few years of absolute chaos in the organization. Star players were traded away, front office members appeared in court, public social media wars were waged between teammates and their families, all while the team struggled to string together even the smallest winning streak on the ice. While Little will obviously not be able to control all of that, his hiring is another step in the right direction to getting the Senators back to stability.

The team sits 16-22-5 through the first half of the season, but have lost five consecutive games.

Minor Transactions: 01/09/20

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It’s another busy day in the NHL with 11 games set for this evening, including cross-conference battles. Four different teams from the Atlantic Division are taking on Western Conference opponents, with the most interesting being a matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Arizona Coyotes. Both teams are on fire at the moment, with the Lightning having won eight in a row and the Coyotes now sitting at the top of the Pacific Division. As they and the rest of the league prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves:

  • After only being sent down yesterday, Steven Kampfer has been recalled again by the Boston Bruins. Kampfer was skating on the right side with Matt Grzelcyk at the morning skate, with Torey Krug absent. Boston will be taking on the Winnipeg Jets tonight as a quick one-game home stand before hitting the road again for three matchups against the Metro.
  • Sebastian Aho—the defenseman—has been returned to the AHL by the New York Islanders. Aho had been recalled when Adam Pelech was ruled out with injury, but never actually did play. New York doesn’t play again until Saturday, meaning Aho can get into some minor league action for the time being.
  • Christian Jaros has been sent back to the minor leagues by the Ottawa Senators, who are slowly getting some healthy bodies back on the blueline. In his place, Filip Chlapik is back up with the NHL club.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Eastern Notes: Gostisbehere, Johnsson, Moore, Wolanin

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The Philadelphia Flyers have a lot to like as they sit in a playoff spot at the midway point of the season. While injuries have ruled the team’s first half, the team also has a lot of impressive play from members of the team. One member of the team who didn’t get much of a rating from The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor (subscription required) — Shayne Gostisbehere.

While teammate Ivan Provorov has had quite the impact season, getting A’s across the board, Gostisbehere’s final grade was a C-. For a second straight season, the 26-year-old’s offense has disappeared as he is on pace for a 23-point season. What the big problem is, however, Gostisbehere’s defense has also disappeared and his usage is starting to drop. He has averaged just 18:24, more than three minutes below his career high of two years ago. The scribe writes that there is no positive spin on the blueliner and he must find his game quickly for the Flyers’ sake.

  • TSN’s Kristen Shilton reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs may be close to getting back a pair of forwards. Andreas Johnsson and Trevor Moore were both seen at Toronto’s morning optional skate. Johnsson, who has been out with a leg injury since Dec. 4, wore a non-contact jersey, while Moore, who has been out with a concussion since Dec. 23 was in a regular jersey, but hasn’t been cleared yet. “Very encouraging,” said Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe. “They were skating a little bit while we were away, so today was a positive step. Both are still in non-contact situations but just to see them around the building and around the group is a good sign.”
  • The Athletic’s Graeme Nichols (subscription required) writes that the Ottawa Senators finally got an update on injured defenseman as general manager Pierre Dorion stated that Christian Wolanin, who has been out all season with a torn labrum, is targeting a return in mid to late February. Wolanin, who had surgery back on Sept. 21 and given a four-month timetable, is expected to immediately report to the Belleville Senators with the AHL once he’s been cleared to play. The 24-year-old could be with Ottawa in March if everything pans out.

Senators Recall Drake Batherson From Belleville

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As is usually the case, Saturday is a busy day in the NHL with a dozen games on the calendar which means there should be plenty of roster movement throughout the day.  We’ll keep track of those moves here.

  • The Maple Leafs announced (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned defenseman Teemu Kivihalme to AHL Toronto. The 24-year-old had spent the last few days as injury insurance but will return to the minors to get some playing time.  He has seven points in 28 AHL games so far this season.
  • The Wild have recalled defenseman Louis Belpedio per a team release. Belpedio has played in 35 games with AHL Iowa this season, recording 13 points.  With Nick Seeler going on a conditioning stint yesterday, Belpedio will likely serve as the seventh defenseman with Minnesota until he returns.
  • The Devils announced (via Twitter) that they’ve recalled center Ben Street from AHL Binghamton. His presence is needed with winger Jesper Bratt and center Jack Hughes both out for today’s game against Colorado.  Street has been productive in the minors this season with 33 points in as many games.
  • The Penguins announced that they’ve recalled goalie Emil Larmi from Wheeling of the ECHL. Casey DeSmith was originally supposed to serve as the backup in Montreal tonight but was unable to locate his passport so they had to change their plans.  Thomas DiPauli has also been recalled for the third time in two weeks and he’ll once again serve as injury insurance.
  • Joel Kiviranta is back on his way to the minors as the Stars announced (Twitter link) that he has been loaned back to AHL Texas.  Dallas is off until Wednesday so this will be an opportunity for him to get in some game action.
  • The Blackhawks announced (via Twitter) that they’ve recalled goaltender Kevin Lankinen on an emergency basis from AHL Rockford.  He’s taking the place of Robin Lehner who is dealing with a right knee injury.  Corey Crawford will take over as the starter in Lehner’s absence.
  • With Anthony Duclair’s availability for tonight in question, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch notes (Twitter link) that winger Drake Batherson has been recalled from AHL Belleville.  Batherson leads the AHL in scoring so far this season with 41 points in 33 games.
  • The Ducks appear to have made a pair of recalls as Eric Stephens of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that wingers Daniel Sprong and Kiefer Sherwood are at practice.  Ondrej Kase and Korbinian Holzer are not participating in the skate.

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