Latest On Philadelphia Coaching Search
The Philadelphia Flyers are on the lookout for a coach and have already been linked to some big names. Barry Trotz and John Tortorella have reportedly already had their interviews with the club, though it does not appear as though the team is in any rush to make a final decision. Today, on the 32 Thoughts podcast, hosts Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman linked another few names to the Flyers, including recently eliminated Calgary Flames associate coach Kirk Muller, and Pittsburgh Penguins assistant Mike Vellucci.
Muller, according to Friedman, will also draw interest from the Winnipeg Jets now that the Flames are out of the playoffs. The 56-year-old last served as a head coach with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2014 and has been an associate in both Montreal and Calgary. Muller obviously also brings a long successful history as a player, including a Stanley Cup championship in 1993.
Vellucci meanwhile is an interesting name, given he actually doesn’t have much experience at the NHL level but has been around the hockey world for decades. The 55-year-old coach (who played two games in the NHL with the Hartford Whalers) won a Calder Cup as head coach of the Charlotte Checkers in 2019 after a long stint as general manager and head coach of the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL. Friedman expects Vellucci to draw interest from more than just Philadelphia, though has already interviewed with the Flyers.
The other name brought up by Marek was St. Louis Blues assistant Jim Montgomery, who Friedman confirmed would be of interest, but noted is still working. Montgomery, who last served as a head coach with the Dallas Stars, was fired in 2020 for unprofessional conduct–a decision he admitted was the “appropriate call” at the time while revealing his battle with alcoholism. After getting help, Montgomery was back behind an NHL bench with the Blues in 2020-21 and is currently helping them try to come back against the Colorado Avalanche in the second round.
Damir Zhafyarov Re-Signs In KHL
If you ever looked at the KHL leaderboards and wondered whether Damir Zhafyarov would try his hand in North America, think again. The Russian forward has signed a new two-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg, one that keeps him under contract through April 30, 2024.
Zhafyarov, 28, has been one of the league’s most consistent offensive producers over the past few seasons, including a 61-point campaign in 2020-21 that put him third in the entire KHL. He followed it up with a 45-point 2021-22, good for fourth in the league, and will now join an SKA program known to be competitive every season.
His move from Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, where he had played the last four years, could actually be in response to a different move. SKA is set to lose top forward Andrei Kuzmenko–one of the three players who outscored Zhafyarov this season–to the NHL, as he is expected to sign a contract in the coming weeks. Kuzmenko, who scored 53 points this year, actually has worse overall numbers than Zhafyarov, and had never previously come close to a point-per-game season. He did however lead the St. Petersburg squad this year, meaning they needed to find a high-end replacement for him.
They’ve done so in Zhafyarov, though it remains a mystery whether he ever would have been able to put up strong numbers in North America. Notably, he stands just 5’9″ and is not a physical player, meaning the NHL may have proven too difficult. Either way, he’s now signed to a deal that will take him through his 30th birthday, suggesting a North American career is probably out of the question.
Chris Tanev Expected To Undergo Surgery
It was obvious that Chris Tanev wasn’t at full strength as he tried to gut out the end of the Calgary Flames’ second-round series. The veteran defenseman was dealing with multiple injuries, according to Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV, who tweets that Tanev had a torn labrum, a separated shoulder, and a sprained neck. He’ll go in for surgery next week, according to Dhaliwal.
Tanev, 32, was a horse for the Flames during the regular season, playing in all 82 games, setting a new career high with 28 points, and blocking 158 shots. He unfortunately was injured in game six of the first round against the Dallas Stars, and was limited to just two matches against the Oilers. Incredibly, he was still a +3 in those games, as the Flames outscored the Oilers 6-3 with him on the ice at even strength.
Among the very best shutdown defensemen in the entire league, Tanev does have a long history of serious injuries. In fact, this was the first time he had ever played more than 70 games in a single season, missing huge chunks nearly every year while with the Vancouver Canucks. After suiting up in every regular season game the Flames have played for two years, his luck finally ran out, and he’ll have to undergo a long rehab period once again.
Tanev has two years left on the contract he signed in 2020, which carries an average annual value of $4.5MM.
Finland, Latvia Awarded 2023 World Championship
May 27: The Worlds have officially been awarded to Finland and Latvia for 2023, while Switzerland has landed the 2026 event. Several other events have also been decided.
May 24: It appears as though the IIHF World Championship may not be leaving Finland at the end of the month. The country, along with Latvia, has submitted a new bid for the 2023 event, which had previously been stripped from Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine. There had been a joint application submitted by Hungary and Slovenia but it has now been withdrawn.
That means this new bid from Finland and Latvia–Tampere and Riga specifically–is currently the only application for the event, set for May 2023. The IIHF explains that Nokia Arena in Tampere, which is currently holding the 2022 event, would again serve as the main facility for the tournament. Arena Riga, unfortunately, was held mostly empty at the 2021 event due to COVID-19 restrictions, something that hopefully wouldn’t be necessary this time around.
The IIHF also explained that the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation could not receive the governmental guarantees that were required to potentially host the event at the MVM Dome in Budapest, forcing the application to be withdrawn.
The decision is expected on Friday, when the IIHF council will also award the 2026 event–likely Switzerland, who is currently the only applicant. The 2024 event is set for Czechia, and in 2025 it will head to Sweden and Denmark.
Quarter-final matches for this year’s event will start on Thursday.
Kings’ Sean Durzi Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
Following a breakout rookie campaign, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Sean Durzi went under the knife today. The team reports that Durzi required shoulder surgery following the Kings’ playoff exit. Despite the delayed start to his offseason, Durzi is expected to be fully recovered in time for the start of the 2022-23 season.
Durzi, 23, led all of L.A.’s numerous rookies in scoring this season with 27 points in 64 games. Most of that scoring came via assists, but half of Durzi’s 24 helpers were primary assists, which was second-best among Kings’ defensemen and sixth on the team. Durzi didn’t forget about defense either; he led the team in blocked shots and led all defensemen in takeaways – and that was despite playing in only 64 games. Durzi’s stellar two-way play led to a gradual increase in responsibility that resulted in near 20 minutes of average ice time per night. Though he may not have received the same accolades as rookies across the league or even as some of the other young players in L.A., Durzi is coming off a terrific season.
The key now is making sure that he rehabs and heals correctly and is at full strength for a follow-up performance next season. Durzi joins Drew Doughty and Sean Walker as Kings defenders returning from injury and there will definitely be a power grab on the Kings’ blue line. Doughty, Walker, and Matt Roy will be returning veterans, while Durzi and Michael Anderson will be the standout youngsters and will also bring new contracts as restricted free agents this summer. Tobias Bjornfot, Jordan Spence, and Jacob Moverare will be budding young pros in the mix in L.A. as well. However, a healthy Durzi replicating his success from this season is a shoo-in for a top-four role despite the competition.
Draft Notes: Savoie, Morrison, Fisher, MacDonald
The next time you see Matthew Savoie could be as walks on stage in Montreal at the 2022 NHL Draft. One of the top prospects in this years class, Savoie’s Winnipeg Ice are still alive in the WHL playoffs, but the skilled center has not been playing with them. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman reports that Savoie injury he suffered earlier in the series and is now considered unlikely to return this postseason. Pronman notes that the injury is not long-term and Savoie could hypothetically be back for the Memorial Cup next month, but down 3-1 to the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL semifinals, the Ice likely aren’t making it that far. Fortunately, Savoie has done more than enough to cement his spot as a top-ten prospect this year. Long considered one of top talents of the 2022 class, Savoie recorded 35 goals and 90 points in 65 games with Winnipeg this year and tacked on a dozen more points in ten playoff games to silence any doubters. He will hear his name called very early on July 7, whether he plays again before then or not.
- No CHL team – or perhaps any team on the planet – is as hot as the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs right now. The top-seeded team is undefeated in the postseason, sweeping each of their first two series and picking up a win last night to go up 3-0 in their semifinal series. It seems a virtual lock that Hamilton will be OHL champs this year and the team to beat at the Memorial Cup. No one is happier about that than Logan Morrison. Passed over in the 2020 NHL Draft and ignored in the 2021 Draft after missing last season due to the OHL’s COVID shutdown, Morrison is making it impossible for teams to overlook him in his third and final draft go-round. The two-way center recorded 34 goals and 66 assists for 100 points in just 60 games this season with Hamilton, finishing sixth in the league in scoring and second in plus/minus at a whopping +44. The longer that Morrison and the Bulldogs play, the more eyes will be on the 19-year-old – and he is giving them something to watch. Morrison has a league-high 13 goals to go with 24 points and a +15 rating in only 11 postseason games thus far. He hope to take that hot streak right to draft day and be one of the rare third-year players to garner a high pick. TSN’s Craig Button recently ranked Morrison as the No. 86 prospect in the draft class, but at this rate the late third round could only be the floor for Morrison.
- Almost every player selected in the NHL Draft comes from either a junior or professional league. However, there are always a sizeable selection of high school players taken and that trend has grown of late. Specifically, in recent years there have been more prep school players going straight to the NCAA the next season garnering looks in the early rounds. The New England Hockey Journal’s Mark Divver notes that a couple more could be coming this year out of Massachusetts. Defenseman Michael Fisher and forward Ben MacDonald have each been invited to the NHL Draft Combine next week, Divver reports. The two have no junior experience, yet have been identified as among the top 96 players worth inviting to the combine. Fisher, who played at St. Mark’s and recorded 50 points in 28 games this year, brings the sought-after combination of size and skill and is headed to Northeastern University next year to keep developing. MacDonald, who played at Noble & Greenough and notched 29 points in 22 games this season, will eventually join Harvard University, but is set to suit up with the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors next year. Both will be eager to take advantage of the increased exposure at the Combine and could earn an early selection in this year’s draft.
Minor Transactions 5/26/22
With the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs now in full gear and one team already through to the Conference Finals, most AHL teams’ seasons are over and some have already begun chipping away at their offseason work. We’ll keep track of that AHL news here.
- The Grand Rapids Griffins, the affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, announced today that they re-signed forward Dominik Shine to a two-year AHL contract. Shine, an undrafted player and Detroit native, has played in six seasons for the Griffins. After a successful career at Northern Michigan University, Shine turned pro and got into eight regular-season games for the Griffins in 2017-18, the year the team went on to win the Calder Cup. From that point, Shine became a regular in Grand Rapids and produced modestly. This past season Shine had his best offensive output, posting 17 goals and 32 points in 71 games, to go along with a career-high 141 penalty minutes.
- The Hershey Bears announced two signings today, the first being of forward Bear Hughes on an AHL deal for the 2022-23 season. Hughes, 20, was the Capitals’ fifth-round choice at the 2020 draft. Hughes is coming off a productive season for the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL, where he posted 67 points in 64 games, which led his team. The Post Falls, Idaho native will continue his development in Hershey hoping that his WHL production will translate to professional success and eventually an NHL contract.
- The other signing the Bears announced today was of defenseman Benton Maass, also to an AHL deal covering 2022-23. Maass, 23, was a Washington Capitals sixth-rounder at the 2017 draft and has spent the past five seasons in the NCAA. He spent four years manning the blueline of the University of New Hampshire before spending a final season at Minnesota State University, where he played with Hobey Baker winner Dryden McKay and forward Nathan Smith, who now plays for the Arizona Coyotes.
Sami Vatanen, Valtteri Filppula Re-Sign In Switzerland
One of the more surprising departures to Europe last offseason was that of Sami Vatanen, the long-time NHL defenseman who left for Switzerland. Vatanen had played nearly 500 NHL games, had been a top-four option for years, and had only just turned 30 years old. Now, after a year with Geneve-Servette HC, he’s decided the non-NHL life suits him just fine. Vatanen has signed a two-year extension with the club, through the 2023-24 season.
That’s not all, as Geneve-Servette announced a couple of other high-profile deals. Valtteri Filppula, who also left behind an NHL career last offseason, has re-upped to play with Vatanen for another year. Filppula, 38, was dominant for the club this season, scoring 19 goals and 47 points in 48 games. He also served as captain for Finland at the Olympics and World Championships, two tournaments that Vatanen was also part of.
Linus Omark will join them as another name familiar to many NHL fans, though he has been gone for quite a while longer. The shootout magician spent last season in the SHL, but did play 2020-21 with Geneve-Servette, and should have no problem bringing his elite offensive ability back to the National League. The 35-year-old Omark played just 79 games in the NHL, before leaving for Europe in 2014.
Vatanen will still be the headline though, since he remains squarely in his productive years and was still a quality NHL player when he departed–even if injuries had kept him off the ice for the better part of a year. He showed just how productive he could be last season when he scored at a better than point-per-game rate as a defenseman in the NL. A two-year deal likely means any chance of his return to North America is gone, though that already may have been the case.
Torey Krug Still Not An Option For St. Louis
The St. Louis Blues have staved off elimination for at least another few days, coming back to beat the Colorado Avalanche in overtime last night on a slapshot from Tyler Bozak. One of the more amazing statistics from that game is how heavily the Blues have leaned on just three defensemen, using Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko, and Nick Leddy in all situations. Marco Scandella and Robert Bortuzzo, two of the team’s more veteran options, played just 12:22 and 11:09 last night, while Niko Mikkola saw just over 16 minutes.
Part of that discrepancy between the top and bottom of the defense corps is because of Torey Krug‘s absence, a player that would normally slide in with that top group and take on huge minutes. Krug hasn’t played since game three of the first round though, leaving the match against the Minnesota Wild with a lower-body injury after just six shifts.
Despite being back on the ice again today, Krug won’t be an option for the Blues tomorrow or in a potential game seven, according to Lou Korac of NHL.com. There is a chance he could return next series, though thinking that far ahead certainly isn’t really productive for St. Louis at this point. The team has a lot of work to do if they want to come back and take the series from Colorado, meaning Faulk, Parayko, and Leddy will need to carry the load a little longer.
There will be an eye on who actually enters the lineup behind them though. The team had been using seven defensemen and dressing both Calle Rosen and Scott Perunovich earlier in the series, the latter mostly for powerplay duty. With another do-or-die situation tomorrow night, head coach Craig Berube will have to decide which mix to use for the handful of minutes those depth spots are receiving.
Vancouver Canucks Sign Linus Karlsson
The Vancouver Canucks have added another Swedish forward, announcing a two-year contract for Linus Karlsson. The 22-year-old Karlsson is signing his entry-level deal after exploding onto the SHL scene this season. General manager Patrik Allvin released a statement on the deal:
We are excited to officially welcome Linus to Vancouver. He is a good goal scorer who plays a solid two-way game, and he is coming off an impressive rookie season in Sweden. We look forward to seeing him develop his game in North America.
Named rookie of the year, Karlsson scored 26 goals and 46 points in 52 games for Skelleftea AIK. That tied him for second in the entire league in goals, just a year removed from putting up similar totals at the Allsvenskan level, Sweden’s second tier. The young forward, originally selected by the San Jose Sharks, was acquired by the Canucks in a 2019 trade for Jonathan Dahlen.
Notably, Karlsson would be one of the players affected by the new transfer agreement with Sweden. Previously, because he is over the age of 21, he would have been able to sign his entry-level deal and be assigned to the minor leagues. Now, with that age limit raised to 24, he’ll have to be offered back to Skelleftea if he fails to make the Canucks roster, as he is still under contract in the SHL through 2022-23. Despite that, Allvin’s statement suggests that he might be playing in North America next year, meaning Vancouver may have worked out an agreement with his Swedish club.
Either way, getting him signed now was a necessary move for the Canucks, as Karlsson’s exclusive draft rights would have expired in just a few days. If not signed by June 1, he would have become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign a similar entry-level contract with any team in the league. Even if he does spend next season overseas–something which is clearly not a sure thing yet–getting him under contract will keep him under the Canucks’ control for years to come.
Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV reported this morning that a deal was imminent.