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Morning Notes: QMJHL Awards, Bartkowski, Doan

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The Golden Puck awards were last night in the QMJHL, and some big prospect names were read out. Nico Hischier, expected to go in the top two selections in this summer’s entry draft, was awarded Rookie of the Year after his 86 point season. As expected, Hischier also received the Best Professional Prospect award. Vitaly Abramov was named the Most Valuable Player, which will be music to Columbus Blue Jackets’ fans ears after selecting him 65th overall in the summer. Abramov’s 104 points were actually only 11 more than last season, as he has shown dominance since the moment he stepped into the Q.

Another big winner was Ottawa Senators prospect Thomas Chabot, who took home Defenseman of the Year and Personality of the Year. The 20-year old had an outstanding year both for Saint John and Team Canada at the World Juniors, but it is the Paul-Dumont Trophy for personality that will really excite his franchise. “Chabot demonstrated exemplary behaviour during the season,” reads the award announcement that has an exceptional history of talented players. Sidney Crosby, Nikolaj Ehlers, Jonathan Drouin, Jonathan Huberdeau, Kris Letang, Simon Gagne and Brad Richards are just some of the names that have taken home the award.

  • The NHL decided yesterday to rescind the instigator penalty given to Matt Bartkowski and fine imposed on coach Glen Gulutzan on Tuesday night, according to John Shannon of Sportsnet. The penalty comes with an automatic one-game suspension, but is always reviewed by the league. Bartkowski earned the penalty after Korbinian Holzer took a run at Matthew Tkachuk in the open ice, as the game had started to get out of hand after Mark Giordano’s hit on Cam Fowler. No suspensions will come out of the game.
  • Shane Doan has trouble balancing the thirst for a Stanley Cup victory with the desire to play for only one franchise his whole career. He tells Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press that “the honor of being able to play with the same organization my whole career is something that I don’t take lightly.” Whyno goes on to write though, that winning a Stanley Cup isn’t something Doan can do in Arizona, and that he is currently considering retirement. While some Coyotes fans may think he should have been traded at the deadline for an asset, it is refreshing to see a player with such dedication to his organization.

Clarke MacArthur Will Return To NHL Action

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After missing nearly two full seasons with concussion problems, Clarke MacArthur will return to the lineup tonight for the Ottawa Senators. MacArthur last played a regular season game in the NHL on October 14th, 2015. Senators GM Pierre Dorion says that multiple doctors cleared him over a week ago, and that the team wanted his first game to be at home. Even his teammates were surprised to see his name in the lineup, as he was still expected to miss the entire season. "<strong

MacArthur suffered his fourth concussion in an 18-month period when he was hit in training camp by prospect Patrick Sieloff, a collision that sparked a brawl between teammates. MacArthur was then shut down in January when it was deemed that it was too dangerous to return to hockey this season. Many people believed that his career was over, though MacArthur would never admit that and always maintained that he would return this year. With the Senators barely holding on to a playoff spot and the Tampa Bay Lightning breathing down their necks, MacArthur’s return could pay off if he can return to his previous form.

A three-time 20-goal scorer, MacArthur was an extremely effective possession winger who could fit in alongside almost any type of play style and find success. Moving up and down the lineup, he’s been considered a solid two-way player mainly because of how easily he could retrieve and move the puck. He’s also an effective powerplay player, which he will be put on right away tonight. 34 of his 133 career goals have come on the powerplay, something the Senators have had trouble with this season—they rank 23rd in the league in PP%.

While his return is a heartwarming story, it will bring the brain injury discussion to the forefront once again as a player returns earlier than expected. Despite installing their concussion protocol and spotters in every rink, the NHL is embroiled in a legal battle about brain injuries and the possible development of CTE. While they fight that battle in the courtrooms, every hit MacArthur takes will make fans and league officials alike wince and hope for no further injury. With Aaron Ekblad recently returning “too soon”, it would be a blow to the NHL should MacArthur suffer a setback now.

Evening Snapshots: Avalanche, Karlsson, Nylander

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Colorado Avalanche called up two players this afternoon: forward Rocco Grimaldi and defenseman Duncan Siemens. Grimaldi is having a great year in the AHL, scoring 29G and 22A in 51 games for the San Antonio Rampage. He’s on the final year of his ELC, and this opportunity should dictate the terms of his next contract. Defenseman Duncan Siemens—a former 2011 first round draft pick—will play just his second career NHL game. He has 2G and 4A in 68 games in the AHL this season. As AJ Haefele of BSN notes, the callups give the Avalanche a look at how its prospects fit in with the organization.
  • The Ottawa Senators announced that defenseman Erik Karlsson will return tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. Karlsson suffered a foot injury after blocking a shot Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers. He missed the Senators’ next two games, and was in danger of missing a third before his surprise return. The Senators need all the firepower they can muster as they jockey for position in the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spots.
  • Buffalo Sabres forward Alexander Nylander makes his NHL debut tonight against his brother’s Toronto Maple Leafs, reports TSN’s Mark Masters. 2016’s 8th overall draft pick has played in the AHL all season, amassing 9G and 18A in 62 games for the Rochester Americans. In seven World Junior Championship games Nylander scored 5G and 7A. His much anticipated debut is heightened by the fact that it’s against his older brother William Nylander. The older Nylander has 22G and 37A this season, and the Sabres hope that their Nylander follows in his brother’s footsteps.

Snapshots: Franson, Bean, Senators

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Cody Franson hasn’t had a very successful Buffalo Sabres career. In two seasons marred by injury, the right-handed defender has failed to reach the 30 point mark that he had broken the past two seasons and will miss the playoffs once again. Today, when he was back in Toronto to face the Maple Leafs he was asked about a possible return to his former team in the offseason. Franson is a pending unrestricted free agent, and will have to make a decision on where he wants to try and rebuild his value.

To several reporters including Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, Franson made it very clear that he would be open to a return. “Oh yeah, for sure” he told Johnston, before explaining that playing in Toronto was a “dream come true” for him and his family. Despite having poor point totals and injury concerns, Franson actually still has solid possession numbers and is a candidate for a nice value contract on the open market. He’s clearly not a lock-down defender and never will be, but since he moves the puck so efficiently he doesn’t spend as much time in his own zone. For Toronto fans screaming for the heads of Roman Polak and Matt Hunwick, Franson would likely be welcomed back with open arms.

  • Jake Bean is headed to the Charlotte Checkers to get a taste of professional hockey now that his Calgary Hitmen have been eliminated from the WHL playoffs. The first-round pick (13th overall) of the Carolina Hurricanes last summer, Bean is about as good of a defensive prospect as you’ll find around the league. His 45 points in 43 games this season in junior showed once again that his offensive game is ready for the next level, and he is starting to fill out physically. The 18-year old will have to make the NHL team out of camp next season or return to the Hitmen for a fourth year and anchor a Team Canada blueline at the World Juniors.
  • The Ottawa Senators are in a fight with the Maple Leafs for second place in the Atlantic Division, and they keep getting hit with injuries. According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, Cody Ceci, Marc Methot and Zack Smith will all not return before the end of the regular season, while Erik Karlsson again missed practice today and is out for tonight’s game. The team will have one reinforcement though, as Colin White will make his NHL debut on the fourth line alongside Tommy Wingels and Chris Kelly. Ryan Dzingel will be scratched in favor of the top prospect, who signed his entry-level contract just yesterday.

Snapshots: Neuvirth, Gudas, Jerabek, Karlsson, Harpur

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The Flyers received some good news regarding goaltender Michal Neuvirth today as he was discharged from the hospital, less than 24 hours after collapsing on the ice in the first period against the Devils on Saturday.  GM Ron Hextall told reporters, including CSN Philly’s Tim Panaccio, that all tests came back normal.  Neuvirth has been battling a respiratory infection for more than a week and it’s believed that his collapse was largely attributable to that.

Hextall noted that the netminder will be re-evaluated by team doctors during their off day on Monday before making any further determination on his status.

Still with the Flyers, they will be without defenceman Radko Gudas tonight against the Rangers, the team announced via Twitter.  He’s listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury that was also sustained last night against New Jersey.

Other news from around the hockey world:

  • Czech defenseman Jakub Jerabek is mulling over multiple NHL offers and will make a decision on where to sign over the next week, agent Allan Walsh reports (Twitter link). The 25 year old recently wrapped his first season in the KHL with Vityaz Podolsk where he led the team in points by a blueliner with 34 (5-29-34) in 59 games.  Jerabek suited up for the Czechs in the 2016 World Championships and should be a strong candidate to play again in the 2017 edition which kicks off next month.
  • Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson is highly doubtful to play in tomorrow’s game against Detroit, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link). While it has been believed that Karlsson’s lower body issue isn’t too serious, the fact that he appears set to miss his third straight game starts to call that diagnosis into question.  Earlier today, Ottawa was pushed into a Wild Card spot for the time being as a result of Boston’s victory over Chicago.  Between his issue and the injury to Cody Ceci last night, the Sens announced via Twitter that they have recalled blueliner Ben Harpur from AHL Binghamton.  The rearguard has 28 points in 63 minor league games this season while being held off the scoresheet in his lone NHL contest in 2016-17.

Senators Sign Colin White To Entry-Level Deal

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After offering an amateur tryout to Colin White, the Ottawa Senators have now inked the forward to a three-year, entry-level deal according to a tweet from the team.

White, who played for Boston College, was drafted by the Sens in 2015 with their 21st overall pick. The Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch writes that White will join the team and play against Detroit on Monday.

With Binghamton, White had a goal and two assists.

 

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.

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