Latest On Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale
Elliotte Friedman reported today on his 32 Thoughts podcast that the Anaheim Ducks and Trevor Zegras have made some small progress on a new contract between the two sides. He goes on to say that he doesn’t believe a contract is nearing completion, but he has the impression that they are taking steps in the right direction.
Zegras, a native of Bedford, New York, is coming off a season in which he posted 23 goals and 42 assists in 81 games and has posted back-to-back seasons of more than 60 points. Last year, however, his ability to drive play took a step back, and the defensive side of his game continued to leave a lot to be desired.
It appears the Ducks want to see more from the 22-year-old before offering a long-term deal, as they have agreed with Zegras on a three-year term, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun on Insider Trading. What that cap hit will look like remains to be seen, but there does appear to be progress based on Friedman’s reporting.
Friedman also dispelled a rumor that the Ducks were under investigation by the NHL for the handling of defenseman Jamie Drysdale’s shoulder injury last season that caused him to fall two games short of accruing a season of eligibility toward arbitration rights. Friedman poured cold water on that rumor saying that he investigated it, and it was untrue. He did, however, add that there were some questions about whether Drysdale could have been healthy enough to play those two games to get his service year, but Friedman believes that there is no ongoing investigation into the matter. Furthermore, Friedman says that he doesn’t feel as though anyone is accusing the Ducks of doing anything underhanded, but the question is about whether Drysdale could have played the two games he needed.
Friedman then said that because Drysdale is two years away from being arbitration-eligible, the Ducks hold the leverage in this contract negotiation, and they are using it. Drysdale has very few rights other than to hold out for a new contract, and the Ducks have been using every tool available to them to make the most team-friendly deal that they can.
The 20-year-old Drysdale was held pointless last season, dressing in just eight games for the team. The season prior, when he was healthy, Drysdale had a breakout campaign with four goals and 28 assists in 81 games.
Summer Synopsis: Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering a new era in the team’s history, replacing Kyle Dubas with Brad Treliving as the team’s general manager, and appointing Shane Doan to Jason Spezza’s special assistant role. These changes bring a culture shift and a new face in negotiations – something that’s already proving beneficial, with Auston Matthews signing a contract extension and William Nylander working towards a new deal. It’s also helped Toronto in the free-agent market, with big names coming in to fill the holes left by key departures. The Leafs enter the season with a strong roster, on paper, but they’ll need multiple players to embrace their newfound opportunity if they want to maintain the success they found last season.
Draft
1-28: F Easton Cowan, London (OHL)
5-153: F Hudson Malinoski, Brooks (AJHL)
6-185: D Noah Chadwick, Lethbridge (WHL)
The draft didn’t represent much of a test for Brad Treliving, who only had one pick in the top 150 of the draft. But even with one pick, Treliving found a way to make noise – drafting a player that many public scouting services viewed as a high-mid round pick in the First Round. And while the pick remains hotly debated, Cowan may have earned the title of ‘biggest eye-opener’ out of the team’s training camp. He’s recorded one goal and two assists in two preseason games and looked solid throughout team skates, bringing credence to Toronto’s faith in him. He’ll return to the London Knights this season, looking to add next-level talent to a skillset that already looks natural in professional systems.
Toronto also brought in Malinoski, a re-entry forward who appeared on the Brooks Bandits second-line last season – his first year of juniors hockey – as well as Noah Chadwick, who played his first full season in the WHL last year. Interestingly, both players spent their 2021-22 playing in 18U hockey in Saskatoon, Malinoski with the Blazers, and Chadwick with the Contacts. The duo adds depth to Toronto’s center and left defense depth charts, both areas of need for the NHL club.
UFA Signings
D John Klingberg (one year, $4.2MM)
D Marshall Rifai (two years, $1.6MM)*
D Maxime Lajoie (one year, $775K)*
D William Lagesson (one year, $775K)*
F Ryan Reaves (three years, $4MM)
F Max Domi (one year, $3MM)
F Tyler Bertuzzi (one year, $5.5MM)
F Dylan Gambrell (one year, $775K)
D Simon Benoit (one year, $775K)
G Martin Jones (one year, $875K)
* indicates a two-way contract
The Leafs spent a combined $12.7MM on one year of John Klingberg, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Max Domi this off-season, spending big to patch holes at the top of their lineup. And while certainly on rich deals, all three players have the opportunity to be difference-makers quickly. Domi and Bertuzzi should get a full run at top-six minutes with the team’s forward group, while Klingberg’s upside could be as high as
playing on the top defensive pair.
Klingberg’s addition offers the Leafs one of the more solid blue lines they’ve iced in recent years. The 30-year-old defender has taken a step back in the latter half of his career, largely a result of a reoccurring bout with injuries. Klingberg hasn’t played in 75-or-more games since 2017-18, getting moved to injured reserve in each of the three subsequent seasons. But he does offer high-scoring upside, averaging 54 points-per-season over the course of his nine-year NHL career. He did miss parts of training camp with injury, fueling skeptics – although reports shared that his absence was largely precautionary. But if Klingberg can return to the dangerous form he possessed early in his career, he could be an X-factor for this Toronto lineup.
Domi and Bertuzzi bring similar impacts to the lineup: both gritty and physical forwards with solid scoring upside but concerns around injury history and discipline. Domi’s the volume shooter of the two, recording 179 shots last season. And while Domi hasn’t found consistent scoring in recent years, he did net 28 goals and 72 points in the 2018-19 season. That gives Toronto a fine-enough replacement for Michael Bunting in the team’s high-volume top-six. Bertuzzi brings more balance to the forward group, recording an impressive 30 goals and 62 points in just 68 games during the 2021-22 season. He lost that edge a bit last year but still flexes great upside. Toronto is needing to get creative with their top-six to fit in both Bertuzzi and Domi – doing things like moving Nylander to center – but if they can find a way to bring both players back to their former glory, it could give the team a scary forward group.
And while potentially impactful, these three signings didn’t raise eyes like the Leafs’ signing of 36-year-old Ryan Reaves did. In an effort to add the team’s obligatory enforcer, Treliving signed Reaves to a one-way deal that carries Reaves through his age-38 season, with a $1.35MM cap hit. This contract isn’t outrageous but it’s an interesting allocation of cap for a team already carrying Kyle Clifford. How Reaves slots into the day-to-day lineup will be interesting to follow, with the similarly-deployed Wayne Simmonds only appearing in 18 games last season.
The team rounded out free agency with a slew of attractive depth pieces, bringing in consistent bottom-six help in Gambrell and giving a second chance to players like Lagesson and Lajoie. It’s not certain whether any of these depth signings will impact the NHL roster but their additions provide comfortability behind the team’s main guys.
Key RFA Re-Signings
F Pontus Holmberg (two years, $1.6MM)
F Nick Abruzzese (two years, $775K)*
G Ilya Samsonov (one year, $3.6MM)
The Leafs RFA signings fail to jump off of the page. Ilya Samsonov is undoubtedly the most notable re-signing, giving the Leafs their starting goalie for at least the next season. Samsonov needed to file for salary arbitration to get a deal done, despite a clear path to the starter’s net, which could make for an interesting negotiations come next summer. Toronto also locked in low-cost, high-upside wingers in Holmberg and Abruzzese, likely to give both players a chance to earn a bigger contract in their next round of negotiations.
Key Departures
D Filip Kral (Lahti, Liiga)
D Mac Hollowell (New York Rangers, one year, $775K)*
D Victor Mete (Philadelphia, one year, $775K)*
F Alexander Kerfoot (Arizona, two years, $7MM)
D Carl Dahlstrom (Färjestad, SHL)
D Erik Gustafsson (New York Rangers, one year, $825K)
G Erik Kallgren (New Jersey, one year, $775K)*
D Jordie Benn (unsigned UFA)
D Justin Holl (Detroit, three years, $10.2MM)
D Luke Schenn (Nashville, three years, $8.25MM)
F Michael Bunting (Carolina, three years, $13.5MM)
F Noel Acciari (Pittsburgh, three years, $6MM)
F Radim Zohorna (Pittsburgh, one year, $775K)*
F Ryan O’Reilly (Nashville, four years, $18MM)
F Wayne Simmonds (unsigned UFA)
F Zach Aston-Reese (unsigned UFA)
F Semyon Der-Arguchintsev (Traktor, KHL)
* indicates a two-way contract
It’s impressive to see how strong of a lineup the Leafs are entering the season with, given the fact that they lost nearly a full lineup in NHL talent over the summer. Ryan O’Reilly and Michael Bunting headline the group – two top-of-the-lineup forwards, one boasting great goal-scoring upside and the other being a consistent standout for the Selke Trophy. They’re joined by middle-of-the-lineup pieces in Alexander Kerfoot, Luke Schenn, Noel Acciari, and Justin Holl – all getting modest deals in new locations fairly quickly. Interestingly, it was Kyle Dubas that signed Acciari and Radim Zohorna in Pittsburgh, bringing both forwards with him as he left Toronto.
Losing this much solid lineup talent could be enough to send a team into a panic. But Toronto’s lucrative signings of Bertuzzi, Domi, and Klingberg help patch holes in the top-end, while young depth pieces like Abruzzesse finally vie for a roster spot in the wake of changes to the bottom-six. The ability to handle such great turnover speaks to Toronto’s impressive depth and Treliving’s ability to bring in top free agents, and the team will remain competitive this year as a result.
These departures don’t represent a blow to the Toronto lineup as much as they represent boosts to the Leafs’ competition. Bunting brings even more volume and scoring to an already-strong Carolina Hurricanes lineup and O’Reilly could be the solidifying piece that the Nashville Predators needed. If, and how, these signings could impact Toronto’s push for the playoffs and Stanley Cup will be notable, even with the team’s ability to fill their holes.
Salary Cap Outlook
Toronto is, once again, pushing the boundaries of the NHL’s cap ceiling. The team will have just enough money to enter the season, after moving Jake Muzzin and Matt Murray to long-term injured reserve, but they’ll likely still need to move on from one or two players to make enough breathing room for the rest of the year. But if there’s any team that can handle a tight bind with the cap, it’s Toronto.
Key Questions
Can The New Additions Fit In? If the Leafs end up making a run for the Cup, it’ll likely be largely thanks to their free agent signings. Bertuzzi, Domi, and Klingberg all represent really exciting upside, and seem to be passionate about getting a chance to play for Toronto. How each of them can embrace the new setting, cushier roles, and increased attention will be one of the biggest storylines of the year. This season could represent an explosive return to form, marked by impressive scoring totals, or another slide in already-slipping careers.
Who Will Be Starting By The End Of The Year? Ilya Samsonov has a clear hold over the starter’s net entering the season. But if he can
maintain that grip is yet to be seen. Not only does backup Joseph Woll offer competition – posting a .932 save percentage through seven NHL games last season – but the health of all Toronto goaltenders has warranted questioning in recent years. Samsonov himself battled plenty of injuries throughout last year, even missing time in the postseason with an upper-body injury. Reports out of training camp share that he’s back up to speed but with little goalie depth behind him and Woll, Toronto could be at risk of another stressful year between the pipes.
What Impact Will Matthew Knies and Nicholas Robertson Make? The Leafs should be adding two potential heavyweights to their roster full-time this season, in Matthew Knies and Nicholas Robertson. Both players have some form of NHL experience, with Knies playing 10 games between the regular season and playoffs last year and recording five points; while Robertson has recorded 31 career NHL games and seven career points. In a lineup flanked by free agent additions and open roster spots, Knies and Robertson should have every opportunity to show their worth. If they live up to the hype, they could be pivotal pieces of the Leafs roster for years to come.
Snapshots: Mikheyev, Hartman, Tampa Bay Goalies
Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet shared that Ilya Mikheyev would not be playing in any of the team’s remaining two preseason games. The forward is continuing to rehab a torn ACL suffered earlier in the year. Tocchet made it sound like Vancouver was pleased with the direction of Mikheyev’s recovery, although doctors have urged the 28-year-old to not commit to being available for opening night. Mikheyev is still readjusting to facing contact and will be at the team’s final camp practices.
Mikheyev has been partially absent from training camp, missing time both because of his injury and for personal reasons. He played in just 46 games with Vancouver last season, his first with the club, recording 13 goals and 28 assists. It was his fourth NHL season and the fourth straight year of Mikheyev playing in 55 or fewer NHL games. In the 2021-22 campaign, his final year with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mikheyev tallied 21 goals and 32 points in 53 games. He’s now under contract with Vancouver for the next three seasons, with a $4.75MM cap hit in all three seasons, so getting Mikheyev to a healthy and durable state will be important for the club.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Athletic’s Michael Russo shared that, with Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Foligno extended, the Minnesota Wild are now turning their attention towards locking in Ryan Hartman. Russo notes that Hartman is likely looking for a salary north of $4MM but the team will want to keep him under that mark.
- Sportsnet’s Luke Fox is expecting the Tampa Bay Lightning will turn their attention towards the waiver wire to try and find a replacement for the injured Andrei Vasilevskiy. The team is currently rostering Jonas Johansson and Matt Tomkins and is in a tough spot to sign or trade for anyone with their tight cap situation.
Evening Notes: Savoie, Holland, Pinto
Scott Powers of The Athletic tweeted tonight that Chicago Blackhawks forward Samuel Savoie had successful surgery today on his right femur and is expected to fully recover. The 19-year-old prospect was injured yesterday after colliding with defenseman Alex Goligoski in a game against the Minnesota Wild and had to be stretchered off the ice. He was unable to travel with the Blackhawks and reportedly had surgery in Minnesota this morning.
Savoie has been ruled out of action indefinitely and appears to have a long recovery ahead of him after suffering a very scary injury. The 2022 third-round pick was expected to return to the QMJHL to be a big piece of the Gatineau Olympiques this season, but his season might have ended before it even began. Savoie had 26 goals and 33 assists in 60 games last year for the Olympiques and was expected to take a big step forward offensively this season.
In other evening notes:
- Peter Baugh of The Athletic tweeted that forward Peter Holland has elected to continue his PTO with the Colorado Avalanche and report to their AHL affiliate the Colorado Eagles. Holland will join the AHL camp as he continues his quest to get back to the NHL for the first time since 2017-18 when he dressed in 23 games for the New York Rangers. Holland was always a long shot to make the Avalanche as he did not play professional hockey last season. Despite the setback, one must admire his determination to make it back to the NHL.
- Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia writes about the latest in the Ottawa Senators negotiations with restricted free agent center Shane Pinto. Garrioch believes that the two sides will need to find common ground as Pinto is looking for $2.5MM per year on a two-year bridge contract, while the Senators are looking for a Morgan Frost type contract at $2.1MM per season. Garrioch adds that his belief is that Pinto wants to remain a member of the Senators and that the team wants to keep him long-term. Pinto had 20 goals and 15 assists last season in 82 games and is seen by many as the long-term solution for the Senators in the third-line center role. His presence will be key for the Senators as their bottom-six forward group is very underwhelming without Pinto centering the third line.
Examining The Pittsburgh Penguins Bottom Six Options
The Pittsburgh Penguins saw more turnover this offseason than any other organization in the NHL. From the hiring of President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas to the signing of a multitude of fourth liners, the Pittsburgh Penguins look wildly different than they did six months ago. It’s certainly a welcome change in the Steel City after the Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
In a recent season preview that was completed by Sean Gentille, Shayna Goldman, and Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic, the trio pointed out that one of the biggest issues with the Penguins last season was the lack of support from the bottom six forward group. The group was so bad that nearly half of it was put on waivers before the trade deadline. Kasperi Kapanen was claimed, Brock McGinn was traded, and many others departed in free agency or were traded away.
Kyle Dubas completely overhauled the bottom six almost exclusively through free agency. In the early days of free agency, the Penguins signed Noel Acciari, Lars Eller, Vinnie Hinostroza, Andreas Johnsson, Joona Koppanen, Matt Nieto, and Radim Zohorna. Dubas also traded for Rem Pitlick who was a throw-in as part of the Erik Karlsson trade. These eight players now find themselves competing with the remaining Penguins’ bottom six options Jeff Carter, Alexander Nylander and Drew O’Connor, as well as Colin White who is in camp on a PTO. The group of 12 will be competing for six or seven NHL spots in the Penguins forward group.
Competition is almost always a good thing in the NHL and the Penguins training camp has seen a lot of it. Very little is set in their bottom six, except that it will likely be again void of offence. While the group doesn’t have a ton of offensive firepower, they clearly have an identity, which is something that didn’t exist in previous seasons in Pittsburgh. Dubas has targeted players who are capable defensively, can skate with pace, and won’t hand the game away by giving up backbreaking goals. The same can’t be said for the Penguins’ bottom six last season.
With all this, one must wonder which players will have the inside track to start opening night on the Penguins’ third and fourth line. Let’s look at the way Head Coach Mike Sullivan and the Penguins might utilize their options.
In a perfect world, Eller would be a perfect fourth-line center, but in Pittsburgh, he will likely see duty as a third-line pivot. At 34 years old, Eller’s best days are behind him, but he is still a very capable penalty killer and is defensively sound. Eller doesn’t offer the offensive pop he did in his last 20s, but he is just a year removed from a 31-point season.
Flanking Eller on the left side will likely be O’Connor, the Penguins love his size and speed and are hoping he can piece it all together. It goes to show how top-heavy the Penguins are when they are counting on a player who has eight goals and nine assists in 78 career games to be a key component of their third line.
When healthy, it seems very possible that the Penguins will deploy Nylander. The former eighth-overall pick has the pedigree to be a scorer in the NHL, but he has never been able to produce enough offense to stick with an NHL club. Nylander will start the season on the Penguins second line in the absence of Jake Guentzel, and depending on his production he could find himself flanking the right side of the third line, or exposed to waivers.
The Penguins’ fourth line is where it gets interesting. Nieto and Acciari were targeted by Dubas on July 1st and fit the identity that Dubas and Sullivan are building for that group. Nieto is a terrific penalty killer and will be utilized in that role a lot, while Acciari adds a physical element and is good defensively. Both players can add a bit of offense as well, Nieto is coming off a season in which he posted 12 goals and 12 assists in 81 games, while Acciari had 14 goals and 9 assists last season in 77 games.
Finally, last season’s lightning rod Carter remains under contract for one more season and is still a favorite of Coach Sullivan. Carter was never removed from the Penguins lineup last year, despite having the worst season of his professional career. Carter looked run down at times and was consistently a step behind when it came to both offense and defense. However, he was utilized in a third-line center role and probably shouldn’t have been. Carter could perform better when being deployed less often and in a more sheltered role. Given Sullivan’s affinity for Carter, it would take a lot to remove the 38-year-old from Pittsburgh’s lineup.
How the Penguins bottom six will look on opening night remains a mystery. But it should be one of the more exciting roster battles to see in the final week of training camp. The Penguins will have to expose a lot of players to waivers to trim down their roster and could lose some bodies to other teams depending on how things shake out.
Brandon Sutter Announces Retirement
The Edmonton Oilers have announced that veteran forward Brandon Sutter has been released from the PTO he signed with the club, and has decided to retire from professional hockey. He provided a statement, which reads:
I’m grateful for the opportunity that Ken, Jay and the Oilers organization have provided to me the past few weeks. You need to be 100 percent healthy to compete in the NHL, and although my health continues to improve, in consideration of my health and family, I am officially retiring from hockey.
Thank you to the Oilers, Canucks, Penguins and Hurricanes, as well as all my past coaches, trainers and teammates for the incredible experiences throughout my 13 seasons in the NHL.
Sutter, 34, had not played since 2020-21, but was hopeful that he could earn a depth role in Edmonton. But the time away from the game appears to have been to big a barrier to overcome, so as a result, he has elected retirement.
Although injuries dulled his effectiveness in the later years of his career, Sutter had long been valued as a two-way center who brought defensive ability, sneaky goal-scoring touch, and the kind of leadership qualities that make a lasting impact on a locker room.
During his time with the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Carolina Hurricanes, Sutter made a few deep playoff runs and scored 15 or more goals three times.
Part of the famed Sutter family, he ends his career with a few honors, including wearing a letter as part of the leadership group for three different franchises and a IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal.
While it certainly will end up a disappointment to Sutter and Oilers fans that he won’t be able to suit up for more NHL games, one can certainly respect the health considerations that went into Sutter’s decision. He leaves behind a playing career to be proud of, and we at PHR would like to extend our best wishes to Sutter for whatever he chooses to do now that his days on an NHL roster have ended.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Big Hype Prospects: Edstrom, Cuylle, Silayev, Konyushkov, Dvorský
Welcome to PHR’s Big Hype Prospects series. Like the MLB Trade Rumors series of the same name, we’re taking a look at the performances of top prospects from across the hockey world. We’ll look at drafted prospects who are rising, others who are struggling, and prospects for the upcoming draft who are notable.
Five Big Hype Prospects
David Edstrom, C, Vegas Golden Knights (Frölunda HC, SHL)
7GP 2G 4A 6pts 13:13 ATOI
Drafted with the final pick of the 2023 first round, Edstrom was chosen on the back of a strong season at the J20 Nationell level in Sweden that included 11 games in the SHL with Frölunda’s senior team. A professional two-way center with a well-rounded game, there was a general belief that both Edstrom’s tools and overall style would translate seamlessly to the pro game, which is far more physically and mentally demanding than playing junior hockey against peers.
This season, Edstrom has so far passed all tests with flying colors. The rangy six-foot-two pivot has flown out the gates for Frölunda, tied for the team lead in scoring with six points in seven games. He’s flashed some serious skill along the way, and if he can keep up this kind of offensive production the public scouting sphere, which widely ranked Edstrom within the first-round/second-round bubble, may need to re-think what his true offensive upside looks like at the highest level.
That being said, it’s far from a guarantee that Edstrom will be able to maintain his spot atop his team’s scoring leaderboard. He’s still playing in a somewhat limited role with just over 13 minutes of ice time per game. That could very well be because Frölunda doesn’t want to overwhelm him and give him too much responsibility too soon, or it could also be an indication of how they plan to use him for the rest of the season. Either way, both management at Frölunda and in Vegas could not have envisioned a better start to the season for the 32nd overall pick.
Will Cuylle, LW, New York Rangers (Hartford Wolf Pack, AHL)
69GP 25G 20A 45pts (2022-23)
Unlike most prospects featured in this series, Cuylle has actually already made his NHL debut. The 21-year-old former captain of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires received two NHL call-ups in early 2023, skating in four total games for the Rangers. He didn’t play much (the most ice time he received in any game was 7:46) but made his mark with a total of 10 penalty minutes.
Entering training camp, Cuylle was believed to be most likely heading back for a second season with the Wolf Pack, a team he led in goals last season with 25.
But as the New York Post’s Mollie Walker reports, Cuylle is under serious consideration for a role on Peter Laviolette’s opening-night roster on Broadway. Cuylle beat out veteran signing Alex Belzile to remain on the Rangers’ roster, and could very well end up factoring into the Rangers’ bottom-six mix sooner than expected
A six-foot-three power forward, Cuylle’s game has drawn stylistic comparisons to a player Laviolette coached for the last two seasons: Washington Capital Tom Wilson.
If Cuylle can even remotely resemble Wilson, who is making $6.5MM against the cap through the end of the decade, he could provide the Rangers with some serious value in their bottom-six.
Anton Silayev, RHD, 2024 draft prospect (Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo, KHL)
12GP 1G 5A 6pts 17:33 ATOI
Most North American hockey fans aren’t familiar with Silayev, which makes sense. He’s still just 17 years old, plays all the way in Russia, and has virtually no footprint on this side of the Atlantic. But soon enough, hockey fans this side of the Atlantic will come to know the name of Torpedo’s star rookie.
Silayev has been a revelation this season. In a league that is notoriously difficult for young players to succeed in, Silayev has managed six points in 12 games, averaging a healthy 17:33 time on ice per game. That’s earned him the KHL’s Rookie of the Month honors, and shot him up public NHL draft projections. TSN’s Bob McKenzie ranked Silayev ninth overall in his pre-season 2024 NHL Draft rankings, while The Hockey News had him all the way at the number-five slot.
So why is Silayev getting top-five buzz when just a month or two ago he wasn’t even in the conversation? First and foremost, it’s due to his tools. Silayev is a right-shot blueliner, something that is already coveted in the NHL, and he’s also six-foot-seven, 207 pounds. Right-shot blueliners at that size are exceedingly rare, so from a measurable perspective alone Silayev has enough to draw interest.
But that’s not the only aspect of Silayev that’s rare. Not only is a freakish athletic talent, he’s also the rare draft-year KHL defenseman playing regular minutes in Russia’s top league, and putting up points while doing so.
It doesn’t even end there. Silayev is also regarded as a strong skater overall, which is an exceptionally rare trait for someone that big and that heavy. His size and mobility combo makes him something of a “unicorn” prospect, and makes him arguably the most intriguing player to track in advance of the 2024 draft.
Bogdan Konyushkov, RHD, Montreal Canadiens (Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo, KHL)
12GP 1G 6A 7pts 24:18 ATOI
Even with all the buzz surrounding Silayev and his potential for the 2024 draft, one could make the argument that it’s Silayev’s teammate, Konyushkov, 20, who has actually had the most impressive start to the KHL season for Torpedo.
Konyushkov went undrafted in consecutive NHL drafts before he was selected 110th overall by the Canadiens in 2023. The Canadiens took a bit of a risk selecting a twice-undrafted player in the fourth round, but Konyushkov’s 2022-23 campaign where he scored 25 points in a regular role on a KHL playoff team likely gave them confidence. Konyushkov has more than validated that faith this season.
So far, the right-shot defenseman has scored seven points in 12 games and is currently leading all KHL defensemen in time-on-ice per game. He’s breaking out as a legitimate minutes-eating, all-situations number-one defenseman in the KHL, an extremely impressive feat for such a young player. While he doesn’t possess the measurables Silayev can boast, his KHL performance so far is extremely encouraging.
Konyushkov is under contract through 2025-26, so the Canadiens have a bit of a wait in store before they can bring Konyushkov to North America. But if he’s already leading KHLers in average ice time, there’s a legitimate possibility that Konyushkov will be able to step right into the NHL once he’s signed to an entry-level deal.
In any case, his success early this season gives the Canadiens an intriguing trio of right-shot defensive prospects who have excelled in top European leagues. (Konyushov, Adam Engström, David Reinbacher)
Dalibor Dvorský, C, St. Louis Blues (IK Oskarshamn, SHL)
6GP 0G 0A 0pts 12:15 ATOI
The St. Louis Blues don’t make top-ten picks very often, so when they spent their rare top selection on Dvorsky, it was something of a home run swing. Dvorský had performed exceptionally against his peers, scoring 13 points in just seven games at the IIHF Under-18 World Championships and a whopping 21 points in just 10 games in the J20 Nationell.
But against men in a professional setting, Dvorský couldn’t dominate in the same way. Pro players proved more resistant to Dvorský’s impressive physical tools, and the increased pace of the pro game made his lackluster skating more of an issue. He ended up scoring just 14 points in 38 games in the HockeyAllsvenskan with AIK.
This season, there was hope that more experience and physical maturity would allow Dvorský to succeed in the SHL, a full division higher than the league he played in with AIK last season. So far, that hasn’t happened. Dvorský is currently scoreless through six games with IK Oskarshamn, receiving just over 12 minutes of ice time per night on a team that currently ranks as the worst in the SHL.
There’s still more than enough time for Dvorský to push forward his production, but this early sample size of games does raise questions as to whether Dvorský is truly ready to be a top player in one of the world’s best pro leagues, especially seeing as he wasn’t a difference-maker in Sweden’s second division. He’s still just 18 years old and has all the upside in the world, but these first few games have led some to wonder if Dvorský’s development is best served in the SHL.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Anaheim Ducks Claim Lassi Thomson From Ottawa Senators
The Anaheim Ducks have claimed defenseman Lassi Thomson off of waivers from the Ottawa Senators, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Through this claim, the Ducks are rolling the dice the 19th overall pick from the 2019 draft. Drafted out of the Kelowna Rockets, a well-respected producer of NHL defenseman, Thomson spent a season playing pro hockey in Liiga with Ilves Tampere, before splitting 2020-21 between Ilves and the AHL’s Belleville Senators.
Thomson scored 26 points in 44 AHL games in 2021-22 and got 16 NHL games under his belt, scoring five points.
Thomson had a solid AHL season last year with 33 points in 56 games, but didn’t get quite as extensive of a look in Ottawa as the team turned to other defensive prospects such as Tyler Kleven and Jacob Bernard-Docker. A solid skater, Thomson has proven to be an impactful AHL defenseman who hasn’t quite made his mark in the NHL.
With this claim, Thomson will presumably get a chance in the NHL with the Ducks and first-year head coach Greg Cronin. Based on how Cronin has talked about defensemen in the past, this waiver claim is actually entirely unsurprising.
Cronin has said he is “really focused on” defensemen who can use their mobility as their main defensive tool, rather than say physicality. He has spoken about prioritizing athleticism, speed, and even aggressiveness with his blueliners, something he put into practice as head coach with the Colorado Eagles.
Thomson fits that ideal mold, as he’s an athletic blueliner whose skating is widely regarded as his best tool. While that’s no guarantee of an NHL breakout, it does explain why the Ducks felt comfortable using their front-of-the-line waiver claim on Thomson.
He does have some competition on the right side of Anaheim’s defense to compete with, especially long-term due to the presence of top prospects like Tristan Luneau. But by claiming him the Ducks have said they believe Thomson has something to offer at the NHL level, and now it’s up to Thomson to prove them right.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Waivers: 10/01/23
With the start of the NHL season now just nine days away, daily waiver activity will be continuing league-wide. Those waiver placements will be tracked here. Waiver list courtesy of CapFriendly.
Anaheim Ducks
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
D Jeremy Davies
D Joseph Cecconi
Chicago Blackhawks
F Dave Gust
F Mike Hardman
F Brett Seney
Los Angeles Kings
D Kevin Connauton
F Samuel Fagemo
D Joe Hicketts
F Hayden Hodgson
F Mikhail Maltsev
D Jacob Moverare
D Steven Santini
F Akil Thomas
F T.J. Tynan
Minnesota Wild
F Steven Fogarty
F Jake Lucchini
F Nick Swaney
G Zane McIntyre
Montreal Canadiens
F Lias Andersson
F Philippe Maillet
New York Rangers
G Louis Domingue
D Mac Hollowell
St. Louis Blues
F Will Bitten
D Wyatt Kalynuk
F Hugh McGing
F Matthew Peca
Tampa Bay Lightning
F Mitchell Chaffee
D Sean Day
D Philippe Myers
Vancouver Canucks
F Sheldon Dries
D Jett Woo
D Jack Rathbone
D Matt Irwin
G Zachary Sawchenko
Winnipeg Jets
F Jansen Harkins
F Jeff Malott
F Kristian Reichel
F Dominic Toninato
D Ashton Sautner
Washington Capitals
F Riley Sutter
D Chase Priskie
Two names of consequence for Winnipeg are Harkins and Toninato. Harkins is a 2015 second-round pick who has been an AHL All-Star and scored 25 goals and 50 points in just 44 games for the Manitoba Moose last season.
He was in contention for a depth role in Winnipeg, but will now head to the Moose to likely be a top scorer there. As for Toninato, he’s a 29-year-old veteran who was in a battle for a fourth-line or spare center role with the Jets. There was some belief that Toninato could be preferred by head coach Rick Bowness over more inexperienced options such as David Gustafsson or Rasmus Kupari, but it seems now that Kupari’s spot on the roster is all but assured, while Gustafsson stands a solid chance of making the opening-night roster as well.
In Vancouver, there are some intriguing players here. Rathbone was once a star defenseman at Harvard University and has impressed at the AHL level, scoring 40 points in 39 games in 2021-22 with an AHL All-Rookie team selection. Injuries and underperformance in the NHL have cost him his prime spot in Vancouver’s future plans, though. Perhaps some team believes it can unlock the upside he has flashed by giving him a fresh start.
Alongside Rathbone is Dries, who saw extended action as Vancouver’s third-line center last season. He was overmatched in that role, but there could a be a team optimistic that he can hold down a fourth-line or spare center job.
Some other intriguing names are Domingue, a quality third goalie with some NHL experience that could interest goalie-needy teams, two-time AHL MVP Tynan, and Fagemo, who scored 23 goals in the AHL last season and was the 50th overall pick at the 2019 draft.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Training Camp Cuts: 10/01/23
As the calendar turns to October, more cuts to NHL training camp rosters are expected. As always, we’ll keep track of any of those moves here.
Boston Bruins (via team release)
F Alex Chiasson (released from PTO)
D Frederic Brunet (to Providence, AHL)
F Brett Harrison (to Providence, AHL)
Chicago Blackhawks (via NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis, The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus)
G Mitchell Weeks (to Rockford, AHL)
F Antti Saarela (to Rockford, AHL)
F Michal Teplý (to Rockford, AHL)
F Marcel Marcel (to Rockford, AHL)
D Nolan Allan (to Rockford, AHL)
Florida Panthers (via team release)
F Skyler Brind’Amour (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Kai Schwindt (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Wilmer Skoog (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Patrick Giles (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Evan Cormier (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Mack Guzda (to Charlotte, AHL)
Los Angeles Kings (via team release)
F Koehn Ziemmer (to Prince George, WHL)
D Angus Booth (to Shawinigan, QMJHL)
F Martin Chromiak (to Ontario, AHL)
F Samuel Helenius (to Ontario, AHL)
D Cole Krygier (to Ontario, AHL)
D Kim Nousiainen (to Ontario, AHL)
F Francesco Pinelli (to Ontario, AHL)
G Erik Portillo (to Ontario, AHL)
F Taylor Ward (to Ontario, AHL)
G Ryan Bednard (to Ontario, AHL)
G J.F. Berube (to Ontario, AHL)
F Jacob Doty (to Ontario, AHL)
F Ryan Francis (to Ontario, AHL)
F Charles Hudon (to Ontario, AHL)
D Tyler Inamoto (to Ontario, AHL)
G Jacob Ingham (to Ontario, AHL)
F Isaac Johnson (to Ontario, AHL)
D Jacob Modry (to Ontario, AHL)
C Nikita Pavlychev (to Ontario, AHL)
D Wyatte Wylie (to Ontario, AHL)
Minnesota Wild (via team release)
F Adam Beckman (to Iowa, AHL)
F Joël Teasdale (released from PTO and assigned to Iowa, AHL)
F Mike O’Leary (released from PTO and assigned to Iowa, AHL)
D Carson Lambos (to Iowa, AHL)
D Ryan O’Rourke (to Iowa, AHL)
Montreal Canadiens (via team release)
F Riley Kidney (to Laval, AHL)
F Sean Farrell (to Laval, AHL)
D William Trudeau (to Laval, AHL)
D David Reinbacher (to Kloten, NL)
G Jakub Dobes (to Laval, AHL)
Nashville Predators (via team release)
F Egor Afanasyev (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Anthony Angello (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Tye Felhaber (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Carson Gicewicz (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Joakim Kemell (to Milwaukee, AHL)
FJachym Kondelik (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Zachary L’Heureux (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Navrin Mutter (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Cal O’Reilly (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Reid Schaefer (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Fedor Svechkov (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Kevin Wall (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Jasper Weatherby (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Kevin Gravel (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jordan Gross (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jake Livingstone(to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Griffin Luce (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jack Matier (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Roland McKeown (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Luke Prokop (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Spencer Stastney (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Keaton Thompson (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Adam Wilsby (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Yaroslav Askarov (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Gustavs Grigals (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Troy Grosenick (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Dylan Wells (to Milwaukee, AHL)
New York Rangers (via team release)
F Brett Berard (to Hartford, AHL)
G Dylan Garand (to Hartford, AHL)
F Adam Edstrom (to Hartford, AHL)
F Matt Rempe (to Hartford, AHL)
D Matthew Robertson (to Hartford, AHL)
D Brandon Scanlin (to Hartford, AHL)
St. Louis Blues (via team release)
F Sam Bitten (to Springfield, AHL)
F Keean Washkurak (to Springfield, AHL)
D Leo Lööf (to Springfield, AHL)
G Colten Ellis (to Springfield, AHL)
Vancouver Canucks (via team release)
F Danila Klimovich (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Aatu Räty (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Vasily Podkolzin (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Max Sasson (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Linus Karlsson (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Arshdeep Bains (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Tristen Nielsen (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Josh Bloom (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Aiden McDonough (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Chase Wouters (released from PTO, will report to Abbotsford, AHL)
F John Stevens (released from PTO, will report to Abbotsford, AHL)
D Akito Hirose (to Abbotsford, AHL)
D Filip Johansson (to Abbotsford, AHL)
D Quinn Schmeimann (released from PTO, will report to Abbotsford, AHL)
G Nikita Tolopilo (to Abbotsford, AHL)
G Arturs Silovs (to Abbotsford, AHL)
Washington Capitals
F Pierrick Dubé (to Hershey, AHL)
F Ethen Frank (to Hershey, AHL)
F Ryan Hofer (to Hershey, AHL)
F Henrik Rybinski (to Hershey, AHL)
F Alexander Suzdalev (to Hershey, AHL)
F Bogdan Trineyev (to Hershey, AHL)
D Logan Day (to Hershey, AHL)
D Nick Leivermann (to Hershey, AHL)
D Jake Massie (to Hershey, AHL)
D Jon McDonald (to Hershey, AHL)
D Aaron Ness (to Hershey, AHL)
G Garin Bjorklund (to Hershey, AHL)
G Mitchell Gibson (to Hershey, AHL)
The biggest-name cut here comes from the Montreal Canadiens, who have sent 2023 fifth-overall pick Reinbacher back to his club in the Swiss league, EHC Kloten. It’s not exactly a surprising decision, as the Canadiens had before commented on Kloten being the best place for Reinbacher’s development in 2023-24, though there was belief by some that he may have received a nine-game trial in the NHL. He impressed with his poise and calmness in the preseason and training camp, and even managed to earn his first point in North America with an assist on a Josh Anderson goal.
But with the Canadiens’ blueline already well-stocked with talent meriting placement on the NHL roster, it seems that simply letting Reinbacher get back to Kloten where he’ll resume the minutes-eating all-situations role he played last year was the decision Montreal felt was most appropriate.
Beyond Reinbacher, Trudeau had also impressed at training camp, but fell victim to the same defensive roster crunch that likely cost Reinbacher a shot at a nine-game trial. Since he’s still exempt from waivers, the Canadiens have opted to let Trudeau get a head start in Laval, where he’ll potentially be the team’s number-one defenseman.
In years past, when the talent in the Canadiens’ pipeline of young blueliners was less abundant, a player like Trudeau may have been able to parlay his exceptional training camp and preseason performance into an immediate NHL opportunity.
A big wave of cuts hits the Canucks as they inch closer to the roster they’ll bring into their opening-night contest. Some big names were sent to Abbotsford, including 2019 10th overall pick Podkolzin. The hope was that Podkolzin would seize a regular NHL role and begin to deliver on the promise that got him drafted so high, but it wasn’t to be. He’ll instead start the year in the AHL, where he scored 18 points in 28 games last season.
Alongside Podkolzin is Hirose, who impressed in a short cameo with the Canucks late last season. The 24-year-old Minnesota State-Mankato product registered three assists and figures to be a top callup option should injuries strike the right side of Vancouver’s defense.
One other storyline to monitor regarding the Canucks is the fact that former Michigan Wolverine Cole McWard has survived this round of major cuts. He has spent training camp stapled alongside franchise defenseman Quinn Hughes, and the undrafted 22-year-old could now be under serious consideration to remain in that role for the start of the regular season.
This page may be updated throughout the day.