Poll: Who Should Montreal Draft At No. 1?
For quite a while, Shane Wright was held up as the undisputed first-overall pick for 2022. From the moment he received his exceptional status in the OHL in the spring of 2019, through his rookie season in the OHL, there was really no one considered his rival. The young center had dominated minor hockey, scoring hundreds of points in his final U16 season (playing above his age group), and immediately burst onto the major junior scene with 39 goals in 58 games for the Kingston Frontenacs.
Wright was made the youngest alternate captain in team history, and finished with an impressive 66 points in 58 games, despite starting the season as a 15-year-old. Unfortunately, he was not only robbed of the last few games of the OHL regular season by a worldwide pandemic, he also ended up missing an entire year of development in 2020-21, waiting for a league that never resumed play.
When the league came back in 2021-22, there still weren’t really any whispers about another player taking over the top spot. In September 2021, Bob McKenzie of TSN published his preseason rankings, writing that “it’s not even close” and all ten of the polled scouts had Wright at No. 1. In fact, McKenzie suggested that Wright was so far ahead of the field, he likely would have gone first overall in the 2021 draft, ahead of Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power.
But then the season began, and right away Wright’s lead started to shrink. After missing an entire year of hockey he–understandably–started rather slow, scoring just seven goals in his first 17 games, while registering just 19 points in the same stretch. That wasn’t the dominating two-way center that everyone had expected, it was arguably not even the best player on his own team.
Suddenly, it became a race. Players like Logan Cooley, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Matthew Savoie started to get more press as rising options, though they still weren’t expected to really challenge for the top spot. It was actually Ivan Miroshnichenko that grabbed one of the ten spots in McKenzie’s mid-season scouts poll. That scout specifically pointed at Wright’s “lack of dominance” and suggested the Russian forward had a “higher ceiling.”
Though Miroshnichenko has fallen out of the race–through no fault of his own–the same arguments are being made for Slafkovsky and Cooley, as potentially having a higher ceiling than Wright. The question is whether that is more a case of overexposure to an exceptional status player like Wright, who has been in the public eye for so long, or if his season really did bring up reason for concern.
In terms of not being “dominant,” some may argue that Wright found his game and became exactly the player that many expected, once he shook off the rust. After scoring 19 points in his first 17 regular season games, he would record 75 in his final 46, finishing the year eighth in league scoring. Every player ahead of him is either already drafted or substantially older than Wright. His goal scoring did decrease, as he wasn’t even able to match the 39 he scored as a rookie, but Kingston was also a much more well-rounded team this time around, with plenty of options to put the puck in the net.
Still, his main competition had great performances of their own. Slafkovsky especially has been suggested as the better pick, including by Corey Pronman of The Athletic, who recently listed him ahead of Wright as the best player available. The Slovakian winger has performed brilliantly at every challenge, including taking home MVP honors at the Olympics.
So who should Montreal select at the very top? Do they go with the player who everyone believed would be No. 1, or go with the late riser who has shown a consistent ability against higher level competition? What about the American center, who will be entering the college system that general manager Kent Hughes is so familiar with? Is there a chance they go with someone else entirely, believing that there is a higher upside on defense perhaps?
The Canadiens met with several of the top names at this week’s scouting combine, doing their due diligence when they can. Cast your vote below on who you think they should pick later this summer, and make sure to leave a comment to explain why!
Who will be the first-overall pick?
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Shane Wright 72% (706)
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Juraj Slafkovsky 17% (163)
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Logan Cooley 8% (76)
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Other 4% (35)
Total votes: 980
Coaching Notes: Newcomers, Aubin, Trotz
There are a ton of veteran head coaches on the market this summer but for some teams, hiring a new face might be more appealing. Not only does it usually come at a much lower cost, but some of the up-and-coming options may also look even more attractive after their recent success in the minor leagues, junior ranks, or as assistants.
Today, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic examined some of the younger or more inexperienced options that could be available this summer, including names like Derek Lalonde, Jeff Halpern, and Spencer Carbery, all currently serving as NHL assistants. It’s quite an extensive list and includes some outside-the-box suggestions, including someone like Jukka Jalonen, head coach of the Finnish national team. Jalonen recently took Finland to gold at both the Olympics and World Championship and has a long history of success on the international stage.
- Another option from overseas not on LeBrun’s list is Serge Aubin, who got a shoutout in Elliotte Friedman’s latest for Sportsnet. The former NHL forward has been coaching in Germany for the past three seasons, and before that was leading benches in Switzerland and Austria. Friedman writes that Aubin could be getting attention for an AHL coaching role at the moment.
- Like every coaching discussion right now, things always work their way back to Barry Trotz and his impending decision on where to go next. Friedman suggests that the whole carousel might be being held up by the veteran coach but also notes that the Winnipeg Jets are “very very serious” about Trotz and may not have even done any detailed interviews with other candidates to this point. The Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, and Vegas Golden Knights are the other teams currently linked to Trotz, as the hockey world waits on his decision.
Zack Kassian Earns Fine For Unsportsmanlike Conduct
The Department of Player Safety has handed out a $2,500 fine to Edmonton Oilers forward Zack Kassian for unsportsmanlike conduct, following his actions in last night’s game. Notably, this is not the “maximum allowable under the CBA,” words hockey fans have come to know (and hate) in recent years.
With the Oilers down 3-0 in game two of their third-round series, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram took a hit and ended up partially on his opponent’s bench. Kassian, on the bench, decided to not let Byram leave intact and pulled the helmet off the Colorado defender. When Byram retaliated by shoving the Oilers forward, they both ended up with minor penalties.
Kassian will earn a little bit more on review, as the league hands him a fine today. The Oilers are down 2-0 in the series as they head back to Edmonton, and this incident will cause the league to keep a bit of a closer watch over Kassian the rest of the way. While it isn’t a suspension, the fine can be taken into account in any future disciplinary decisions.
In fact, it’s already the second fine that Kassian has received in these playoffs, following the cross-check he delivered to Sean Durzi earlier on. It’s not exactly a “three strikes” rule in the NHL but the league likely will escalate the penalties at some point if the Oilers forward continues to be involved in supplementary discipline decisions.
James Neal Hopes To Play Next Season
Because of his performances the last few seasons, it’s easy to forget that at one point, James Neal was among the most consistent offensive players in the league. For ten straight seasons, starting when he entered the league in 2008, Neal recorded at least 21 goals. He has 296 all-time, over a near 900-game NHL career. For a player with so much success at the highest level, a demotion to the minor leagues might mean it was time to call it quits. Not so for Neal, who has rediscovered his passion for the game while helping the Springfield Thunderbirds chase a Calder Cup.
In Elliotte Friedman’s latest column for Sportsnet, Neal explains that it’s not just this year that he is playing out, but hopes to keep going in 2022-23. The veteran winger will be 35 by the time next season begins and is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency when his one-year, $750K contract expires this summer. Whether he’ll be able to land another NHL deal remains to be seen but he might not even need it, given how he has embraced the Thunderbirds, scoring 26 points in 28 regular season games and five more in five postseason matches so far.
It’s uncommon, but not entirely unprecedented for a successful NHL player to end up signing an AHL contract at the end of his career. Matt Moulson, for instance, has been playing on minor league contracts for three seasons, despite his history as a three-time 30-goal scorer in the NHL. While he didn’t have quite the same consistency as Neal, Moulson similarly embraced his transition to the AHL.
That’s not to say there won’t be a market for Neal this summer, especially if he’s willing to stay stashed in the minor leagues. A contender may want to keep him on an NHL contract in case they need a call-up, perhaps one that can play the net front on the powerplay or add some scoring punch in a limited role.
If not, and Neal doesn’t score another goal at the NHL level, it’s still been quite a career. His 296 goals put him just outside the top-200 all-time and his 33 postseason tallies have him quite a bit higher than that.
Springfield, meanwhile, will kick off the AHL’s Eastern Conference Finals against the Laval Rocket tomorrow night.
Latest On Jack Campbell
The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t currently have a starting goalie for next season. Petr Mrazek is signed but has already worn out his welcome with fans after struggling through injuries and poor play in his first go-round with the team. Handing him the majority of the starts would be flirting with disaster after his .888 save percentage in 2021-22. Erik Kallgren and Joseph Woll are both on two-way deals for next year and have shown at least some ability to contribute at the NHL level, but again aren’t really options to start.
That situation has always suggested that the team would bring back Jack Campbell, an unrestricted free agent this summer after finding his game in Toronto. Perhaps that shouldn’t be assumed, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes in his latest 32 Thoughts column that the two sides were far apart the last time they talked, and Campbell’s agent tells him there has been “no material contract conversation” since the end of the season.
While that certainly doesn’t guarantee a split between Campbell and the Maple Leafs, it would be easy to understand why, if it did happen. Even with Mark Giordano giving the team a substantial discount on his new deal, Toronto is still in a very tight cap situation for next season, partially because of the $3.8MM that Mrazek carries. If the team can’t get rid of that number somehow, it stands to reason that they will be forced to rely on him as at least a tandem option.
There are still several weeks before free agency opens, and things like contract negotiations can change dramatically with one phone call, but the Maple Leafs goaltending situation is an interesting one to watch. With the market looking rather scarce on starting options, it’s hard to know what direction the team will take if they can’t get a contract worked out.
For Campbell himself, this is likely the best chance he’ll ever have at a substantial payday in the NHL. The 30-year-old goaltender has posted a .916 save percentage in 77 appearances with Toronto, including a career-high 49 this season. While there have certainly been rocky periods, he has also shown brilliance for stretches and confirmed that he can at least be an above-average option at the NHL level. A multi-year contract with a significant raise on the $1.8MM he made this season seems likely. Whether it will be in Toronto remains to be seen.
Arizona Coyotes Moving Forward With Tempe Arena Plan
The Tempe City Council has voted to move forward with the Arizona Coyotes and continue negotiations over the development of the proposed arena and entertainment district. While this does not mean an arena deal is agreed to, it is obviously a positive step forward for the Coyotes as they look to find a more permanent home.
The team released the following statement on last night’s decision:
We are extremely pleased that the Tempe City Council has voted to proceed with negotiations on development of the Tempe Entertainment District. Having heard all the facts, they have recognized the incredible opportunity that this project presents — not only for the Coyotes but also for the city of Tempe. We look forward to taking the next steps to turn this exciting vision into a reality.
One note from the meeting that stood out, as Katie Strang and Sean Shapiro of The Athletic write, is that while addressing the team’s long-term vision, Coyotes president Xavier Gutierrez suggested ownership is looking at “additional teams to own” in the area. The session–which lasted more than eight hours–also included several financial pledges from Coyotes ownership, messages from Shane Doan and Clayton Keller, and Gary Bettman indicating that if the proposal went forward, the team would sign a 30-year non-relocation document.
The Coyotes are set to play the next three seasons at Arizona State University, in a 5,000-seat facility that has drawn the ire and ridicule of many hockey fans across the country. If this plan moves forward with Tempe, the team would be looking forward to a much more realistic long-term home.
East Notes: DeAngelo, Helm, Othmann
With the departure of Dougie Hamilton in the offseason, many questioned how the Carolina Hurricanes would rebuild their defense. Controversially, they signed Tony DeAngelo to a one-year deal after he was bought out by the New York Rangers. The signing hit about as well as the team could’ve hoped, with off-ice distractions mostly limited. Now a restricted free agent, the team has exclusive rights to keep him around.
Both the team and player want to keep the relationship going, though. DeAngelo notes a feeling of acceptance from the team. It will undoubtedly be a large increase over his $1MM cap hit, however, but that’s something they can try and work out with almost $20MM in cap space. The team has a lot of free agents, though, and they’ll need to be picky about how they allocate their money. He performed with 51 points in 64 games.
- The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel took a look at potential cheap, veteran replacements to fill the hole Jason Spezza left on the ice with his retirement. First on his list is pending UFA forward Darren Helm, who most notably recently knocked the St. Louis Blues out of the playoffs with just seconds left in regulation. As Helm, a member of the Colorado Avalanche, could be phased out of the organization this offseason with younger players fighting for roles, the Leafs could provide a home for him on the open market. The Stanley Cup-winning veteran had 15 points in 68 games this season.
- Larry Brooks of The New York Post reports that, even if his OHL Flint Firebirds are eliminated tonight, top New York Rangers prospect Brennan Othmann won’t sign his entry-level contract and join the Rangers for the remainder of their playoff run. Othmann, who the Rangers selected 16th overall in 2021, had a fantastic year with 50 goals and 97 points in 66 OHL games this season. He’s added 24 points in 19 playoff games as well. However, it seems as though the team is content to either leave him in juniors for another season or wait to sign him until the offseason.
Darryl Sutter Wins 2022 Jack Adams Award
Calgary Flames coach Darryl Sutter has won the 2022 Jack Adams Award, given to the coach of the year. It’s the first time in his illustrious career that he’s won the award.
Beating out finalists Andrew Brunette (Florida Panthers) and Gerard Gallant (New York Rangers), Sutter is in the second year of his second stint as head coach of the Flames. In 112 games since stepping back behind the Flames bench, Sutter’s now guided the team to a 65-36-11 record, including a Pacific Division title this year. This year’s 50-win campaign was the first such season for Calgary since 2018-19, when the team lost in the First Round. The team’s .677 points percentage this season, though, is the best since the team won the Stanley Cup in 1988-89. Despite bowing out in the Second Round to the Edmonton Oilers, Sutter created a deep, hard-working team out of players who largely underperformed last season in the COVID-shortened year.
Per The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, Sutter had 54 first-place votes for the award. Brunette had 31, while Gallant had 12. Other coaches receiving first-place votes were Minnesota’s Dean Evason (seven), Colorado’s Jared Bednar (six), Los Angeles’ Todd McLellan (five), Carolina’s 2021 winner Rod Brind’Amour (two), Pittsburgh’s Mike Sullivan (two), Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper (one), and Nashville’s John Hynes (one).
Niclas Almari Signs In Finland
Pittsburgh Penguins defensive prospect Niclas Almari has headed overseas. The 24-year-old defenseman signed a two-year contract with Lukko in Finland, sending him back to his native country for the time being.
Almari just completed the final year of his three-year entry-level contract. If the Penguins issue him a qualifying offer, they will retain his rights and he will remain a restricted free agent on their reserve list. He could theoretically return to the organization when his contract in Finland is done.
The Penguins actually had sent Almari to Lukko on loan for most of last season. Almari spent 13 games with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, tallying just two points, and he also had four assists in six games with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers. He then spent 15 games back with Lukko, recording two assists. He went pointless in seven playoff games there.
A fifth-round pick in 2016, Almari has yet to solidify any role within the Penguins organization. Barring a gigantic jump in his development overseas, it’s likely the end of Almari’s North American career.
Antti Raanta Dealing With MCL Sprain
Both of the goaltenders for the Carolina Hurricanes are now dealing with MCL injuries. Speaking to reporters today in his end-of-season press availability, Antti Raanta explained that it was an MCL sprain that he suffered in game seven against the New York Rangers, forcing him out of the net. He’s been given a six to eight-week recovery timeline, though that obviously leaves him with plenty of room before the start of training camp.
He joins Frederik Andersen on the shelf, who revealed that he tore his MCL late in the season. Andersen appeared to be close to a return by the time the Hurricanes were eliminated but will now have all offseason to rehab the injury more slowly.
Injuries have always been the risk with Raanta and to a lesser (but still serious) extent Andersen. It is why so many were cautious with their optimistic views about the Hurricanes overall, despite the strong performances that both netminders were giving them all season. The pair split the Jennings Trophy as the primary goaltenders for the club with the lowest goals-against average of the year.
Still, the Hurricanes needed to turn to Pyotr Kochetkov with their season on the line, a disappointing feeling after such a successful campaign to that point. Andersen and Raanta are both signed through next season–but only next season–meaning there also might have to be a succession plan in place for someone like Kochetkov to take over.
Until they make a change, it’ll be two goaltenders coming off knee injuries in the crease for them in 2022-23.