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Snapshots: China, Kitchener, Fazio

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After it was announced earlier this month that the NHL would be holding two preseason games in China next season, many linked that to the upcoming Beijing Olympics in 2022. Growing the game prior to sending NHL players to one of the biggest sporting events in the world seemed prudent. In his latest column, John Shannon of Sportsnet walks us through why growing the game in China doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the Olympics and instead is more because of the “virgin market” the country presents.

What’s different and noteworthy about this venture in China is that the Chinese want the NHL there, and not just because the 2022 Olympics will be in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping has apparently developed a passion for hockey and as a result, 3,000 hockey arenas are to be built in the country.

Shannon goes on to note that several teams in the league already have agreements with companies and leagues in China, including Toronto who apparently have 6000 kids playing Maple Leafs-branded hockey each week. Though it’s just preseason next year, perhaps China will be the next destination for the SAP NHL Global Series. In 2017, the NHL will be headed to Stockholm for two games between the Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators.

  • The Kitchener Rangers of the OHL have a new boss, and it’s a name familiar to hockey fans across North America. Mike McKenzie will take over as GM of the junior franchise after Murray Hiebert has transitioned into the Director of Hockey Operations role. McKenzie is the son of TSN Insider Bob McKenzie, a long-time face of hockey in print and television in Canada and the United States. The Rangers are currently down 3-1 in their OHL playoff series against the Owen Sound Attack.
  • The Charlotte Checkers (affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes) have signed Justin Fazio to an amateur tryout now that his Sarnia Sting have been eliminated from the OHL playoffs. The Sting were swept out of the first round by the powerhouse Erie Otters. The undrafted goaltender will turn 20 in just over a month, and will replace Tom McCollum on the roster as he deals with personal issues. The Checkers have been down their starter Alex Nedeljkovic while he backs up Cam Ward in Carolina after Eddie Lack’s recent injury. Fazio had an .896 save percentage for the Sting this season.

Ottawa Senators Sign Marcus Hogberg To Two-Year Deal

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The Ottawa Senators have inked one of the best goaltenders in Sweden, signing Marcus Hogberg to a two-year entry-level contract. Hogberg was a third-round selection of the Senators in 2013 and will begin his ELC in 2017-18. He’ll now be joining the Binghamton Senators on a professional tryout for the remainder of the season.

Hogberg played extremely well in the Swedish Hockey League this year, ranking fourth among all goaltenders with a .932 save percentage. The 22-year old netminder actually played with Gabriel Carlsson, who was assigned to the AHL by the Columbus Blue Jackets just today. Though Hogberg had been successful in previous professional seasons in Sweden, this year saw his game take a big step forward and become a legitimate NHL goaltending prospect. His size—6’5″ 209-lbs—and athleticism are both prototypical for a future starting goaltender, though he’ll still have work to do refining his game in North America.

Since Andrew Hammond underwent hip surgery last month the B-Sens currently have Chris Driedger and Matt O’Connor in net for them, neither of whom are having much success. Hogberg would easily become the top goaltending prospect out of the three, and should get a legitimate look to be the starter next year in the AHL. While Dreidger will certainly remain with the organization next season, Hammond will be on the final year of his contract and O’Connor is a restricted free agent this summer. It’s not certain that the team will qualify him after his second straight relatively unsuccessful season since signing out of Boston University in 2015.

The Senators future in goal isn’t certain at the NHL level either, with the team still considering a long-term deal for Mike Condon. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, as will Craig Anderson after next year. Should Hogberg make enough of an impact at the AHL level next season, you may even see him on the NHL roster in 2018-19.

Snapshots: Raiders, MacArthur, Roy

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The NFL approved the Oakland Raiders bid to move to Las Vegas today, which led to a lot of different opinions on the future of the Vegas Golden Knights as the prime sports franchise in the city. Though the Raiders aren’t expected to move to the city until the 2019 season, PFR’s Zach Links writes that they may not wait that long if the fan pressure gets to them next season.

The Golden Knights released a statement on the move, indicating that they’re happy to welcome the Raiders into their community. It would seem though, that even if the Raiders do improve Vegas’ viability as a major sports market they will definitely eat at some of the corporate sales and sponsorships available for the NHL franchise. This is exactly why the NHL wanted to get into the market first, in order to try and build a fan base before one of the other leagues forced their way in.

  • Despite a history of concussions throughout his career, Clarke MacArthur is trying to return to professional hockey—this season. In January, the team had announced that he wouldn’t play again this season, but according to Ian Mendes of TSN MacArthur has never given up hope. Head coach Guy Boucher is operating as though he’s shut down, but apparently there has been some talk about having him retry the baseline testing that had him shutdown earlier this year. It still seems extremely dangerous for MacArthur, but if he could return as an effective winger the Senators would be that much more dangerous in the playoffs.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have signed Matt Roy to a two-year entry-level deal, now that Michigan Tech’s season is over. The team lost at the hands of the University of Denver on Saturday, ending their run for the Frozen Four before it had even really begun. Roy  was a seventh-round pick of the Kings in 2015, and has posted two straight seasons of excellence on the Michigan Tech blueline. He’s turning pro a year early, and has the makings of a solid two-way defender for the AHL with a chance to grow into something even better.

Prospect Notes: White, Stevens, Keller

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Even though Colin White signed an amateur tryout yesterday with the Ottawa Senators, it doesn’t necessarily preclude him from signing his entry-level deal this year and playing for the team down the stretch. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia is reporting that the front office will watch him play for Binghamton this week and continue negotiations.

For what it’s worth, Garrioch guesses that White will sign an ELC once the Senators have a playoff spot locked up. With the team currently eight points up on the ninth place team, it won’t take long. Should White sign his ELC for this year, he will burn a year regardless of how many games he plays.

  • The New York Islanders have signed John Stevens from Northeastern, inking the captain to a two-year entry-level deal. The son of the Los Angeles Kings’ associate head coach, Stevens scored 28 points in 25 games in his final year. A big defensive centerman, Stevens is a possible option for a bottom-six in the NHL down the road. While he doesn’t have the high-end offensive ceiling that some of his teammates have, his game will likely translate nicely to the professional ranks.
  • CapFriendly notes that newly signed Clayton Keller will earn a $25K bonus should he play five of the last seven games for the Arizona Coyotes. Despite not actually paying a ton of salary this season, the Coyotes are actually over the salary cap and are using long-term injured reserve space. This means Keller’s bonus would appear as a penalty for next season.

Senators Sign Colin White To Amateur Tryout Agreement

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The Ottawa Senators have inked center Colin White to an amateur contract agreement (ATO) for the remainder of the season, reports Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press (Twitter link).  He will immediately report to their AHL affiliate in Binghamton.

White was the first round pick (21st overall) of the Sens back in 2015 and just finished his second season at the collegiate level with Boston College.  In 35 games this season, he had 16 goals and 17 assists to sit third in team scoring.  He also played a key role for the USA at the World Juniors, scoring seven goals in as many games to help lead them to the gold medal.

The Senators had been hoping White would turn pro for a while now but part of the holdup stemmed from discussion over whether or not he would burn the first year of his entry level contract this season or have the deal start in 2017-18.  Although there’s an agreement in place to join Binghamton now, it doesn’t preclude White signing and starting this season as this is only an AHL contract.  As a result, those talks will likely continue but at the very least, this will allow White to begin his professional career as early as Wednesday when they host Syracuse, the AHL affiliate of Tampa Bay.

College Notes: White, Vecchione, Foo, DeSimone

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The Senators are making progress in contract discussions with college center Colin White, his agent, Kent Hughes, told Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link).  The 20 year old was Ottawa’s first round pick (21st overall) back in 2015 and recently finished his second season at Boston College.  It has been reported for a while that they would like White to turn pro although the disagreement stems from when the contract should start.

If White signs starting next season, he would only be eligible to play at the minor league level on an amateur tryout deal but the Sens would get the three full years on his entry level contract.  However, if they were to sign him to a deal that started right away, he’d be eligible to play down the stretch and in the postseason.  However, White would reach restricted free agency (and a bigger pay day) one year sooner, something the team didn’t seem to be too interested in as of a few days ago.

Other notes from the NCAA:

  • With Union College being eliminated from the NCAA tournament, center Mike Vecchione is expected to draw plenty of interest. Among the teams that are high on signing him are the Flyers who are among the contenders to land him, reports Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  The 24 year old senior tied for the lead in NCAA scoring, recording 63 points (29-34-63) in just 38 games.  Vecchione has taken part in four different development camps over his career including ones with the Flyers and his hometown Bruins.  Carchidi notes that the forward is close to signing and that his goal is to play in the NHL this season, meaning that whoever signs him would have to burn the first year of his entry level deal right away.
  • Vecchione isn’t the only Union free agent that’s expected to generate interest. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that right winger Spencer Foo and defenseman Nick DeSimone will receive interest, including from several Canadian teams.  Foo finished just one point behind Vecchione while DeSimone set new career bests in goals (nine) and points (19).  Both players still have one year of college eligibility remaining so it’s not a guarantee that either will opt to turn pro.

Snapshots: Crosby, World Championships, Oilers

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It was a controversial week for Sidney Crosby.

He appeared to slash Sabres forward Ryan O’Reilly in a sensitive area, then broke Senators defenseman Marc Methot’s finger in half with another whack. The latter incident resulted in a pretty ugly injury (NSFW) and some angry comments from Senators owner Eugene Melnyk.

Melnyk told TSN 1200 that the league needs to “hammer these [players who slash]… you say you know what? You are done for 10 games.  We all know who [Crosby] is. The guy is a whiner beyond belief. You do this kind of stuff—I don’t care who you are in the league, I don’t care if you’re the number one player in the league—you should sit out a long time for this kind of crap.”

The comments were criticized by fans and media; Mike Johnson called the comments “off base” and tweeted a video of Senators players slashing opponents. Senators captain Erik Karlsson defended Crosby by saying plays like that “happen all the time.”

Ahead of Sunday’s game versus Philadelphia, Crosby responded to Melnyk’s comments. After declining to comment, Crosby said “he likes to hear himself talk, so let’s leave it.”

Superstars like Crosby are often the target of those little “whacks”; small slashes that go uncalled. Earlier this season, Johnny Gaudreau missed 10 games after being whacked at least 20 times by different Wild players in the same game.

“I’d love to see them crack down on it,” said Crosby. “It’s something that happens a lot… Obviously [Methot is] an example where if you get it in the wrong spot, it can hurt. Hopefully he’s back out there soon.”

  • The USA Women’s National Team is boycotting the upcoming Women’s World Championships over a dispute with USA Hockey. The players are currently paid just $6K for the six months leading up to the Olympics, and nothing else. The players want fair wages and for USA Hockey to put more money into the program to grow the women’s game. USA Hockey has been asking (and being declined by) high school players to play in their stead. Now the Men’s Program may be getting involved. Player Agent Allan Walsh reported that American NHL players may refuse to play in this spring’s World Championships in solidarity; the NHLPA has already come out in support of the women. Last year, the American side finished fourth in the tournament, the rosters for which are populated by NHLers who are no longer in Cup contention and the occasional draft-eligible player.
  • After Leon Draisaitl cracked the 70-point barrier on Saturday night, the Edmonton Oilers will have two 70-point scorers (the other being Connor McDavid with 88 points) for the first time in 11 years. The last time they did, it was Ales Hemsky and Shawn Horcoff with 77 and 73 points respectively in 2005-06. Incidentally, that’s the last time they made the playoffs. The Oilers have also surpassed 90 points for the first time since 05-06, and if they manage to finish first in their division (currently tied with San Jose and Anaheim for first), then it will mark the first division win since 1986-87.

Binghamton Senators Sign Jordan Boucher

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The Ottawa Senators’ AHL affiliate has brought in a fresh face today, announcing that they have signed college forward Jordan Boucher to an amateur tryout. Boucher is the latest in the recent rush of NCAA athletes whose seasons have ended and now turn into a new pro experience. Boucher just wrapped up his fourth season at Clarkson University and will stay in-state to start his professional career.

Boucher, 23, may not be the most attractive prospect to Ottawa, but plays a seasoned game that could help Binghamton right away. The Quebec native is a two-way left winger who plays a responsible game in all three zones. Though not the most exciting offensive player, Boucher is tough and can win battles along the boards and score scrappy, hard-nosed goals. He has also shown growth in each of his four seasons at Clarkson, scoring 26 of his 68 collegiate career points this past season, including highs in goals (10) and assists (16) in 30 games.

If Boucher can play at the AHL level, it will be apparent right away. Boucher moves from a middle-of-the-pack ECAC team in Clarkson to a Binghamton Senators team that has been one of the worst in the AHL all season long. Boucher’s mature game could immediately boost him toward the top of the Binghamton depth chart if it translates and could even catch the eye of the Ottawa brass, in which case Boucher could go from worst to first next year for a Senators squad that is challenging for the Atlantic Conference title.

Morning Notes: Crosby, Patrick, Cangelosi

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Last night, during the Pittsburgh Penguins-Ottawa Senators game, Sidney Crosby delivered a hard slash across the hands of Marc Methot resulting in one of the nastiest injuries this season in the NHL (*WARNING: GRAPHIC*). Senators’ head coach Guy Boucher said after the game that Methot would be out “weeks” with a “destroyed” and “shattered” finger, and owner Eugene Melnyk was upset about it this morning on TSN 1200 (via Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia and Frank Seravalli of TSN):

You hammer these [players who slash], you take away their money, and you say you know what? You are done for 10 games.  We all know who [Crosby] is. The guy is a whiner beyond belief. You do this kind of stuff—I don’t care who you are in the league, I don’t care if you’re the number one player in the league—you should sit out a long time for this kind of crap.

Melnyk said that he was sure the league would be looking at it, but Pierre LeBrun of ESPN reports Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly will not be evaluating it further. Crosby will receive no discipline for this incident, just as he faced no penalty for his spear in an unfortunate area of Ryan O’Reilly’s lower body.

  • For anyone hoping to catch Nolan Patrick in the first round of the WHL playoffs, you might have to wait a few days. Mike Morreale of NHL.com reports that the projected top pick in the upcoming entry draft won’t play in game one due to a lower-body injury. The Brandon Wheat Kings take on the Medicine Hat Tigers in the first round of the WHL playoffs.
  • The Calgary Flames have sent Garnet Hathaway back down to the Stockton Heat. The 25-year old forward didn’t play in his most recent call up, after Micheal Ferland returned earlier from his mumps quarantine. With Matthew Tkachuk now eligible to play after serving his two-game suspension, the need for Hathaway has lifted. Playing in 26 games for Calgary this season, Hathaway registered five points in under 10 minutes a night.
  • Similarly, the Minnesota Wild have sent Gustav Olofsson down to the minors, liking meaning Christian Folin is ready to return to game action. Olofsson has played in 13 games for the Wild this season, but will have to wait until next year to really make his mark at the NHL level. The 22-year old will try to help the Iowa Wild make the postseason for the first time in their short history.
  • Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports that the Albany Devils have signed Austin Cangelosi to a two-year AHL contract. The 22-year old forward just graduated from Boston College where he had back-to-back 20-goal seasons the past two years. The 5’7″ forward will try to prove that his size won’t stop his skill from shining through at the professional level, as he moves up to the next challenge in his hockey career.

NHL Announces Regular Season Games To Be Held In Sweden

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The NHL is headed to Europe once again. The league announced early Friday morning that the Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche will play two regular season games next season in Stockholm, Sweden on November 10th and 11th. The games are the first announced matches in the new 2017 SAP NHL Global Series, which will include preseason games in China according to John Shannon of Sportsnet. Those games will be announced on March 30th at an event in Beijing.

This isn’t the first time the NHL has played regular season games in Sweden, but it has been many years. 2011 was the final year of the NHL Premiere Series, a tradition of starting the regular season with games across Europe. In that last example the New York Rangers took on the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks in back to back games in Stockholm, led of course by the Swedish netminding of Henrik Lundqvist. Gabriel Landeskog

This time, the two teams heading to Europe are both captained by Swedish-born NHLers. Erik Karlsson and Gabriel Landeskog told NHL.com it is quite a rare experience and they’re both looking forward to it. From Karlsson:

Who thought they would have been able to play NHL games in your hometown. It’ll be surreal to do that. Stockholm is such a great hockey town and a great city overall. I’ll be really excited to show the boys around and show the team staff around the city.

In Colorado, the announcement of these games does come at an awkward time. With GM Joe Sakic publicly shopping captain Gabriel Landeskog at the trade deadline, and likely looking to move him this summer to start his rebuild, there is now likely pressure to wait at least through November. Landeskog was born and raised in Stockholm, and was surely the reason for the NHL choosing Colorado to participate, just as Karlsson was for Ottawa.

The announcement comes as the league continues its battle over whether to allow players to play in the upcoming Olympic Games in South Korea. As they try to grow their brand globally, the league seems to want to control the circumstances in which it sends its players, instead of participating in a tournament completely out of their control. Commissioner Gary Bettman has been as clear as ever recently, saying “assume we’re not going” when asked about the Olympic negotiations.

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