NHL Announces 2022 Global Series
The NHL is going overseas again. The league announced the 2022 NHL Global Series games, which will feature the Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, and Columbus Blue Jackets playing in European cities during the regular season.
Two of those games will open the NHL season. The Sharks and Predators will do battle in a pair of games in Prague, Czechia at O2 Arena on October 7 and 8. Those games follow exhibition matches for both clubs, with the Sharks taking on Eisbaren Berlin in Germany on October 4 and the Predators battling SC Bern in Switzerland on October 3.
Then, a month later, the Avalanche and Blue Jackets will meet in Tampere, Finland for a pair of games on November 4 and 5.
Columbus and Colorado are obvious candidates for games in Finland, since they have some of the biggest current stars the country has produced. Patrik Laine and Mikko Rantanen will be the headliners, though others like Artturi Lehkonen and even general manager Jarmo Kekalainen will certainly draw some attention as well. Laine and Kekalainen are even from Tampere specifically, meaning this is a homecoming of sorts for the Blue Jackets.
It’s no different for the Czech games, where Tomas Hertl of the Sharks will be the big draw. Hertl just signed a massive extension with the Sharks that makes him the team’s highest-paid forward and will lead his club into his hometown a decade after he left for the NHL. Teammate Radim Simek is also from the Czech Republic, as is Nashville goaltender David Rittich, though the latter is not yet signed for next season.
OHL Draft First Round Order Of Selection Set
The 2022 OHL Priority Selection Draft Lottery concluded today, awarding the Saginaw Spirit the first overall pick for the first time since 2003. The OHL’s lottery system, which determines the top four draft spots completely at random among the four non-playoff teams in the league, awarded the Erie Otters second overall, the Sudbury Wolves third overall, and the league-worst Niagara IceDogs fell to fourth.
It was a rough season for Saginaw, who finished just one point ahead of last place Niagara and allowed 305 goals in 68 games, finishing with a 24-43-1 record. There were some standouts, though, especially 2022 NHL Draft-eligible defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, who looks like a sure-fire first-round talent after leading the team with 62 points in 67 games. A surprise pick last season, Buffalo Sabres third-rounder Josh Bloom led the team’s forwards in points, while New York Islanders netminder prospect Tristan Lennox led Saginaw goalies with a .888 save percentage.
Saginaw will likely be choosing between a pair of forwards from the GTHL’s Mississauga Senators with the first-overall selection. There’s Michael Misa, who was just granted exceptional status in the OHL after the 15-year-old netted 20 points in just seven games at this year’s OHL Cup. While his upside makes him the more likely pick, there’s also the older Malcolm Spence, who also had a very solid run with 13 points in seven games at the same tournament.
Snapshots: Mittelstadt, Kadri, Hogberg
Buffalo Sabres youngster Casey Mittelstadt looked like he may be taking a long-awaited step forward last season with his biggest role and best offensive production yet, but an injury-riddled season has seen Mittelstadt take a step back in his development, a concerning look for the eighth-overall pick considering he’s already 23. But after sitting down with Buffalo Hockey Beat’s Bill Hoppe, Mittelstadt detailed his extensive struggle with a recurring upper-body injury this year, one that’s kept him out of the lineup at length and has caused him to be shuffled around constantly when healthy, not finding any chemistry with consistent linemates. Sabres fans will remember that Mittelstadt sustained an injury in the first period of the season, causing him to subsequently miss more than 20 games and then re-aggravate the injury soon after returning. It’s been a lengthy, trying season for the young American, but he feels as though he’s settling back into his game ahead of next season.
More from around the NHL on this Wednesday night:
- Via a cryptic tweet, it appears as though Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri is making his return to the lineup tonight after missing the entirety of April with an upper-body injury. The original hope was that Kadri would be able to recover from the injury, suffered on March 31st against the San Jose Sharks, in time for the playoffs. That goal appears to have been exceeded here, and Kadri will get the chance to add to his career-high 83 points with six games left to go in the season. The team still managed to go 7-1-0 in his absence.
- Defenseman Linus Hogberg is expected to make his NHL debut tomorrow for the Philadelphia Flyers, making him the tenth(!) player to make his NHL debut for the team this season. Hogberg is in the midst of his first full season in North America, making his AHL debut with Lehigh Valley after being recalled from a loan that had him playing in his native Sweden. The two-way defenseman actually put up more points last season there in 26 games (eight) than he has this year in 57 (seven), but the team seems to want to give their 139th overall selection back in 2016 a brief crack at the NHL.
Gannon Laroque Signs AHL ATO
The San Jose Sharks officially assigned Daniil Gushchin to the AHL today, but he won’t be heading there alone. The team has signed another CHL draft pick, inking Gannon Laroque to an amateur tryout contract.
Laroque, 18, was one of the most improved players in the WHL this season, going from depth defenseman to star puck-mover seemingly overnight. The 2021 fourth-round pick ended up with 52 points in 63 games, after previously recording just seven points at the WHL level. Now, with the Victoria Royals finishing outside the playoff picture, the 6’2″ defenseman will get a chance to test himself at the professional level.
Notably, Laroque was among the youngest players available last draft, as he won’t turn 19 until August. That means he’s not eligible to play in the AHL next year, and he’ll have to go back to the WHL to continue his development. After finishing this season tenth among all WHL defensemen in scoring, he’ll be an incredibly interesting prospect to watch next season, especially if he is moved to a better team or Victoria takes a step forward.
On that note, there’s a chance the Royals fortunes could change dramatically in the next few days. On Thursday, the WHL draft lottery will be held, where Victoria has four of 21 balls which would move them up to first overall. Teams can only move up a maximum of two spots, meaning they will be picking high either way after finishing third-worst this season.
For now, Laroque will get a chance to join the Barracuda, but unfortunately, it won’t be a very long stay. The team has just three games left (including tonight) and will not be qualifying for the postseason.
Scott Smith To Become Hockey Canada CEO
Tom Renney has officially announced his upcoming retirement from Hockey Canada, stepping down from his position as CEO on July 1. Renney, who has been in the position for the past eight years, released a lengthy statement that read, in part:
This is a decision I have been preparing for over the past year and while it is never easy, I know the time is right and I am grateful for the past eight years. I am appreciative of the opportunity that was afforded to me by past board chair, Jim Hornell, to lead this organization as its president and CEO. To our Hockey Canada directors past and present, chair Michael Brind’Amour, the volunteers and our incredible staff, I thank you for your dedication, commitment and support of our great game. I thank the people I have met through this game who have all made a positive and lasting impact in my life.
Renney, 67, will be replaced by Scott Smith, who had already taken over as president of the organization in 2017 when Renney stepped down from that role. Though he had been CEO for eight years, it was much longer than that as part of Hockey Canada for Renney, who was the head coach of the 1994 Olympic team which won a silver medal. Head coach of the Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, and Edmonton Oilers for various periods, he also helped lead Canada to multiple World Championship, World Junior, and Spengler Cup medals.
Smith, meanwhile, will add CEO to his title of president and become the leader of the entire organization. He has been with Hockey Canada since 1995 and was named COO in 2007. Michael Brind’Amour, chair of the board of directors, released the following statement:
There is no question Scott is ready to embrace this change, with his expertise and experience working alongside Tom ensuring a smooth transition into his role as CEO. For the past two decades, his understanding of the game and its importance will be invaluable as we work to best to serve our Members from the grassroots to the national level.
Hockey Canada recently announced the dates and venues for two international tournaments. The 2022 World Juniors will be held in Edmonton, while the 2022 Hlinka-Gretzky will be held in Red Deer.
Snapshots: Ellis, PHF, Kane
It’s been a trying year for Ryan Ellis, who played just four games for the Philadelphia Flyers after a trade from the only organization he had ever known previously. Injured, recovered, and injured again, the 31-year-old has basically lost an entire season, while watching his new team go down in flames. Now, the speculation over his future in Philadelphia is starting to ramp up, with a report today from Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period, who writes that some within the Flyers “wonder if Ellis even wants to be part of the organization.”
There has certainly been some confusion around where the veteran defenseman stands in his current recovery, as in late March, more than four months after he last appeared in a game, general manager Chuck Fletcher told reporters that they were still making a decision on whether Ellis needed surgery. Of course, with five years remaining on his contract and carrying a $6.25MM cap hit, Ellis is one of the most important players the Flyers have and one that is integral to any thoughts of competing for the playoffs next season.
- The PHF has announced that free agency will open May 1 and this year will not include an entry draft. Instead, all amateur athletes graduating from NCAA and USports programs will immediately qualify for unrestricted free agency. The salary cap has also been confirmed to be set at $750K for this season, with a floor of $562.5K, and players are now eligible to sign two-year contracts which can include signing bonuses up to 10 percent of the total value. These increases all come following a massive private investment earlier in the year, which has also allowed the league to provide comprehensive benefit plans.
- Evander Kane‘s grievance hearing was started yesterday but will require a second day, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Unfortunately, that doesn’t come right away, and the second day is still to be determined. As suggested yesterday, the outcome of this grievance is still not expected for some time and should not have any effect on Kane’s current contractual status with the Edmonton Oilers.
Three Washington Capitals Picks Sign AHL ATOs
Three more Washington Capitals draft picks have decided to try their hand in the AHL, signing amateur tryout agreements today. Dru Krebs, Benton Maass, and Garin Bjorklund will all join the Hershey Bears for the rest of the season.
For Maass, it means leaving his college career behind after going all the way to the national championship with Minnesota State-Mankato. That was his first season with the Mavericks after transferring from the University of New Hampshire, where he played four other seasons. The sixth-round pick had 14 points in 42 games for Minnesota State, and will turn 24 in November. Whether he earns an entry-level contract still remains to be seen, but he would not have been eligible to play in the AHL had he signed one for this season.
Meanwhile, Krebs and Bjorklund are coming over from the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL after the team finished dead last in the league. With just 11 wins in 68 games, it’s hard to evaluate any of the Tigers’ players as potential NHL prospects as the group as a whole was overmatched nearly every night.
In Krebs case, the 19-year-old defenseman managed just 19 points in 66 games while racking up a whopping -58 rating, trying to play big minutes on a bad team. The younger brother of Buffalo Sabres forward Peyton Krebs, Dru was selected in the sixth round in 2021 and, despite his struggles, is an excellent skater with some obvious puck-moving upside.
Bjorkland, 19, was the goaltender left out to dry on most nights for Medicine Hat, posting an .877 save percentage in 48 appearances. Again, it’s difficult to really evaluate the young netminder’s upside at this point because of the team he played for, but Bjorklund did show well in the shortened 2020-21 season and could get a chance to show what he can do next season in the low minors. He’ll turn 20 next month, making him eligible for the AHL and ECHL, should the team decide to go that route with the 2020 sixth-round pick.
NHL Draft Lottery Set For May 10
For teams already eliminated from playoff contention, the next biggest date on the schedule is the NHL Draft Lottery. The event, which determines the order of selection in the upcoming NHL Draft, can drastically change the direction of a franchise or prolong a rebuild by forcing them to miss out on top talent. This year’s event will be held remotely on May 10, according to Chris Johnston of TSN.
Currently, the Arizona Coyotes have the best chance at the top pick, though that could change in the coming weeks. The Montreal Canadiens are just two points ahead of them and actually have two fewer regulation wins, the first tiebreaker should it come to that. The Philadelphia Flyers are also doing their best to secure a top spot, losing six in a row to drop them down below the Seattle Kraken in terms of points percentage.
The draft, set to begin July 7 in Montreal, still has a likely first-overall pick in Shane Wright, though that is no longer a consensus. Players like Juraj Slafkovsky and Logan Cooley have pushed themselves up draft boards with strong play, while another potential top selection–Ivan Miroschnichenko–was unfortunately diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
With a few games left to jostle position, the race is on toward May 10 and the lottery.
Amanda Kessel Joins Penguins Executive Management Program
The Pittsburgh Penguins have established a new Executive Management Program, designed to help candidates develop and work alongside the partnership, marketing, communication, broadcast, and hockey operations departments. The first participant will be three-time Olympic medalist and member of the U.S. women’s national team Amanda Kessel. She released the following statement:
I am excited to learn from one of the best franchises in professional sports. The Penguins presented me with the opportunity to use my experience and love for hockey in a whole new capacity and I look forward to making the most of this program.
Kessel, 30, is not completely closing the book on her playing career, telling Emily Kaplan of ESPN that she is just excited to begin taking the next steps in her hockey journey. She recently competed for the U.S. at the 2022 Olympics, scoring eight points in seven games to take home the silver medal. An incredible offensive talent, Kessel once racked up 101 points in 46 games for the University of Minnesota, winning the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top collegiate player in the country. She is currently a member of the PWHPA.
Obviously, she also already has ties to the Penguins organization or at least a shared history with some of their recent alumni. Phil Kessel, her brother, won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the organization just a few years ago. She also played at the famed Shattuck St. Mary’s prep academy just a few years after Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby.
The new program for the Penguins will focus on women and minority athletes, and provide a one-year opportunity to work alongside all of the different departments in order to expose them to the entire sports business. That includes graduate school and community service components. In a statement, Penguins CEO David Morehouse also explained that it gives “unprecedented access” to attain permanent front office positions.
AHL Shuffle: 04/20/22
Just four games on the schedule this evening, but it’s all eyes on Vegas and the Golden Knights, who are in essentially a must-win situation to save their season. Unfortunately, they’ll be up against a team that has some experience ending their seasons in the Washington Capitals–the club that defeated Vegas in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final. The Golden Knights are now tied with the Vancouver Canucks and four points back of the Dallas Stars for the final wild card position with just five games to play. As they and others prepare for tonight’s action, we’ll keep track of all the minor shuffling:
Atlantic Division
- Rafael Harvey-Pinard has been recalled from the AHL by the Montreal Canadiens, giving the young forward another chance to show what he can do at the NHL level. In 64 games with the Laval Rocket, Harvey-Pinard has scored 19 goals and 51 points, showing once again that his size will not hold him back at the professional level. Later in the day, the team announced that Corey Schueneman has been returned to Laval.
- The Detroit Red Wings have assigned Riley Barber to the AHL, sending him back to the Grand Rapids Griffins for the time being. Barber, 28, has played in just three NHL games this season, spending most of his time lighting up the score sheet in the minor leagues. Through 44 games with Grand Rapids, he has 42 points.
- The Boston Bruins have returned Jack Ahcan to the AHL, as they travel back east. The Bruins will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night before an afternoon home game on Saturday against another potential playoff opponent. Ahcan, 24, has one goal in five NHL games this season.
- After making his Ottawa Senators debut on Monday and playing just over four minutes in his second game yesterday, Zachary Senyshyn has been sent back to the AHL. The 25-year-old forward does not appear like he’s going to break through in Ottawa down the stretch, meaning it’s likely Group VI unrestricted free agency for him this summer.
Metropolitan Division
- The New Jersey Devils have recalled Nikita Okhotiuk from the AHL, the first time he has been on the active NHL roster. The 21-year-old defenseman has 12 points in 63 games for the Utica Comets this season but plays a physical game, racking up 68 penalty minutes in the process. In return, the team has sent Nico Daws back to the AHL.
- Linus Hogberg has been recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers, after 57 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season. The 23-year-old defenseman has yet to make his NHL debut but will be available for tonight’s game against the Canadiens.
Central Division
Pacific Division
- After recalling him just yesterday, the Vancouver Canucks have returned Spencer Martin to the AHL. The depth goaltender, who signed a one-way contract extension earlier this month, has been excellent whenever called upon this season. In three appearances with Vancouver, Martin has posted a .958 save percentage.
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