Snapshots: Three Stars, Wallstedt, PWHPA
The NHL has released its Three Stars for last week, with Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs taking home top spot. Matthews scored seven more goals in his four games to extend his lead in the Rocket Richard race, and set the Maple Leafs’ single-season franchise record. With 58 goals on the season, Matthews is incredibly already up to 257 in his career, putting him into the top-10 for the Maple Leafs organization–just three behind franchise icon Wendel Clark.
Second and third went to John Carlson and Jonathan Huberdeau respectively, who continue to rack up points of their own. Carlson, somewhat quietly in a year that has had so many other strong offensive performances from defensemen, is up to 63 points after his eight-point week. It’s the fourth time in five seasons that the Washington Capitals defenseman has recorded 60+ and has him closing in on 600 in his career. Huberdeau meanwhile broke the 100-point mark for the first time in his career and now leads the league with 77 assists as he makes a run at both the Art Ross and Hart trophies.
- The Minnesota Wild are hoping to sign top goaltending prospect Jesper Wallstedt soon, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic, in order to have him play in North America next season. The 19-year-old was picked 20th overall in 2021 and posted a .917 save percentage in 22 appearances for Lulea HF in Sweden this season. The team is into the semi-finals meaning a contract will have to wait at least a little while, though veteran netminder Joel Lassinantti has started all five playoff games to this point.
- The PWHPA’s board has voted unanimously to end any discussion of collaborating with the PHF, according to Hailey Salvian of The Athletic. The two factions of women’s professional hockey have never seen eye-to-eye but had met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently to try to come to some sort of coalition. It appears that is impossible, at least for the time being, with the two sides ceasing further communication.
San Jose Sharks Sign Nick Cicek
The San Jose Sharks may still be working with an interim general manager but that won’t stop them from signing contracts for next season. The team has signed minor league defenseman Nick Cicek to a two-year entry-level contract. PuckPedia reports that the deal will begin in 2022-23, and carries an NHL cap hit of $837.5K.
Joe Will, interim GM, released the following statement:
Nick has a strong track record of leadership in his career, having been the captain of the Portland Winterhawks last season, and he has even been an alternate captain for the Barracuda this year in select games. Among AHL rookie defensemen, he’s top 10 in scoring and top 15 in goals. Nick has a bright future and we’re excited to add him to our NHL defensive depth.
Cicek, who will turn 22 next month, joined the San Jose Barracuda this season after going undrafted out of junior and has been outstanding from the drop of the puck. With 23 points he sits ninth among all AHL rookie defensemen in scoring, just one point behind Artemi Kniazev for the team lead despite playing in seven fewer games than the second-round pick. The 6’3″ Cicek has also racked up 60 penalty minutes, including a pair of fights. One of those came after Andreas Englund hit San Jose forward Jeffrey Viel, earning Cicek a misconduct for instigating.
That mix of skill and toughness is obviously an attractive package, especially when it comes in someone that is so lauded for his leadership as Will points out. Whether Cicek can continue his development and become an NHL player remains to be seen, but the Sharks obviously like what he has done this year enough that they’ve rewarded him with a contract that makes it possible.
Arizona Coyotes Sign Nathan Smith
April 11: The Coyotes have officially announced the contract, with general manager Bill Armstrong releasing the following statement:
We are very pleased to sign Nate to a two-year contract. Nate was one of the best forwards in the NCAA this season and helped lead Minnesota State to the Frozen Four championship game. We are very excited to have him join our organization.
April 10: Back at the trade deadline, the Coyotes received a promising prospect in exchange for taking on the remainder of Bryan Little‘s contract. That prospect was center Nathan Smith and CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that Smith has decided to turn pro and has signed a two-year, entry-level deal that will begin this season. The deal carries an AAV of $1.35MM with bonuses and breaks down as follows:
- 2021-22: $750K salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $82.5K games played bonus
- 2022-23: $832.5K salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $850K Class ‘A’ bonuses
The 23-year-old was a third-round pick of Winnipeg back in 2018 (91st overall) but had recently informed the Jets that he didn’t want to sign him which is why he was moved at the deadline. Smith had quite an impressive season with Minnesota State, leading the Mavericks in scoring with 19 goals and 31 assists in 50 games. He would have had a chance at the NCAA scoring title had it not been for the Olympics as he suited up for the United States in that event, recording a goal and an assist in four games.
Smith was actually eligible to opt for free agency this summer even though he had only completed his junior year of college as he stayed in the USHL in his post-draft season, meaning four years had elapsed since he was picked. That gave him enough leverage to get the Coyotes to burn the first year of his deal now so he will have an opportunity to get his feet wet at the NHL level and make a push for a full-time spot with Arizona for next season.
Ondrej Kase Diagnosed With Concussion
It’s been several weeks since Ondrej Kase was in the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup, and today, finally, head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed to reporters including Mark Masters of TSN that the forward is dealing with a concussion. Kase left a game on March 19 against the Nashville Predators after colliding with Matt Duchene at center ice, needing help to get to the room.
While it certainly isn’t surprising, given the way he reacted to the contact, it is concerning for the 26-year-old forward. Kase has dealt with multiple head injuries throughout his career, a journey detailed by James Mirtle of The Athletic last month, just a few weeks before he suffered this latest concussion. The first incident was in the minors, as a 19-year-old in his third game in North America, the latest–which Mirtle speculates could be a number into the double digits–coming in his 257th NHL regular season game.
With no timeline for his return, it appears as though this comeback season for Kase might end in the same way so many of his others have. When healthy, he had been so excellent for the Maple Leafs, providing energy and scoring depth for a low cost. In 50 games, he has 14 goals and 27 points, while averaging 14 minutes a night.
Now, it’s completely unclear what lies ahead. The Maple Leafs can retain Kase’s rights as a restricted free agent with a $1.25MM qualifying offer, though that would open up the possibility of arbitration. With a relatively flat salary cap, young players pushing for promotions in the organization, and now another head injury, it’s hard to see Toronto–or anyone else really–committing to more than just a one-year deal for the Czech forward.
That’s another disappointing result, given how incredible it is that Kase has even made it this far. Selected 205th overall in 2014, he was in the NHL just two years later with the Anaheim Ducks and actually sits 27th in scoring for his entire draft class. That’s well ahead of players selected in the first round, including a pair of top-ten picks. Hopefully, after some time, he’ll be symptom-free from this latest concussion, whether that results in a return to the ice or not.
Winnipeg Jets Sign Henri Nikkanen, Daniel Torgersson
April 11: The Jets have made it official, announcing the contracts for both players. They have also signed professional tryouts with the Manitoba Moose for the rest of 2021-22, meaning they can get their feet wet in the AHL.
April 9: According to CapFriendly, the Winnipeg Jets have signed forwards Henri Nikkanen (link) and Daniel Torgersson (link) to three-year, entry-level contracts. Both contracts will begin starting in the 2022-23 season. Because their contracts begin next year, neither player is eligible to play for Winnipeg this season.
Per CapFriendly, Nikkanen’s contract carries a cap hit of $860K, an average annual value of $925K, and is worth $70K at the minor-league level. Nikkanen is an imposing figure on the ice, listed at 6’4″ and 209 pounds, he should be able to use his size up front to make plays for his team. A fourth-round draft pick in 2019 by the Jets, Nikkanen has spent the last four seasons in Finland’s Liiga, playing parts of three seasons with Mikkeli Jukurit and this season with the Lahti Pelicans.
Torgersson’s contract will carry a cap hit of $867.5K and an average annual value of $925K, while paying him $80K per season in the minor leagues. The 20-year-old forward was Winnipeg’s second-round draft pick in 2020, 40th overall, and has spent his entire professional career in Sweden, playing parts of four seasons with Frolunda and Frolunda’s junior team. This season, Torgersson played just one game with Frolunda before being loaned to AIK, where he had 17 points in 40 games.
Ethen Frank Signs AHL Contract
The most prolific goal scorer in all of college hockey has found a home to ply his trade next season, signing an AHL contract with the Hershey Bears. Ethen Frank will join the Bears on an amateur tryout for the rest of this season as well, after finishing his final season of eligibility with Western Michigan University.
Frank, 24, tickled the twine 26 times this season for the Broncos, edging past Northeastern’s Aidan McDonough for tops in the country. The undrafted forward leaves college with 70 goals over his 158-game career, an impressive accomplishment regardless of competition. He’ll now try to take that production to the professional level, joining one of the strongest programs in the entire AHL. The Bears, though not in a dominant position this season, are one of the most stable development outfits in the minor leagues and should give him a good opportunity to try and prove his worth.
It’s not an entry-level contract, but Frank will at least be in front of Washington Capitals evaluators on a regular basis. Perhaps he can parlay this AHL contract into an NHL deal down the road, with the Capitals or someone else. For now, the focus will have to be on finding the back of the net at the next level.
Evgeni Malkin To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety
The Pittsburgh Penguins could be without one of their stars for the next little while, as Evgeni Malkin will have a hearing with the league’s Department of Player Safety regarding his cross-check of Nashville Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki last night.
At the end of the second period, Malkin and Borowiecki came together for the incident in question. Malkin first delivered a hard slash to Borowiecki’s side, before hitting him in the face with his stick. The Penguins forward received a four-minute double-minor penalty (Borowiecki was given a two-minute penalty for his own slash), as it drew blood.
This is certainly not the first time that Malkin has been involved in supplementary discipline decisions. The veteran has received several fines in the past and was given a one-game suspension in 2019 for high-sticking.
The Penguins start a home-and-home with the New York Islanders tomorrow, before doing the same with the Boston Bruins in the following two games.
AHL Shuffle: 04/11/22
It’s a new week in the NHL, but an off-day for most teams. The league is almost entirely quiet tonight, with only a game between the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens on the docket. Despite that, some teams may be making some changes to the roster, given the condensed schedule over the final few weeks. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling right here.
Atlantic Division
Metropolitan Division
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have assigned Anthony Angello and Radim Zohorna to the AHL, which certainly could suggest that Brock McGinn is close to a return from long-term injured reserve. Despite having no roster size limits, the team still does need to be cap compliant, something that would now be possible even if they activate McGinn.
Central Divison
- The Jets have recalled Mikey Eyssimont from the AHL, following the injury to Mark Scheifele last night. The star forward will not play this evening, though a more detailed timeline has not yet been released. Eyssimont, 25, has not yet made an appearance at the NHL level, but has 15 goals and 35 points in 53 games with the Manitoba Moose.
- The Nashville Predators have returned Connor Ingram to the AHL, after he served as the backup yesterday. Juuse Saros, who he replaced, missed the game with a non-COVID illness. Ingram, 25, made his NHL debut this season and posted a .906 save percentage in two appearances.
- The Arizona Coyotes have assigned Jan Jenik to the AHL, after he played in another handful of games recently. The 21-year-old forward has two goals in ten appearances this season.
Pacific Division
This page is updated throughout the day
Five Key Stories: 4/4/22 – 4/10/22
The calendar has turned to April but with three weeks left in the regular season, some of the expected mid-April offseason decisions will likely trickle over into May. However, there was still some notable news over the past seven days which are recapped in our top stories of the week.
Michigan Exodus: Once Michigan was eliminated from the NCAA tournament, it was expected that the Wolverines would be losing several players in a hurry. That’s exactly what happened. Buffalo signed the top pick from 2021, inking Owen Power to an entry-level contract. The AAV is $1.85MM which is low for a number one pick but he was ineligible for ‘A’ bonuses this season having signed so late and since there are limits on how quickly the bonuses can increase on a year-to-year basis, the 19-year-old wasn’t able to max out his bonus potential.
Meanwhile, Columbus got into the mix as well. As expected, they signed Kent Johnson to his entry-level deal with the 2021 fifth-overall pick landing nearly the identical contract as Power did. They also landed undrafted defenseman Nick Blankenburg on a one-year, entry-level deal. Both his deal and Johnson’s begin this season so Blankenburg will hit restricted free agency this summer. Seattle then signed Matty Beniers on Sunday as expected with the same terms as Power and Johnson. The second pick from 2021, he led the Wolverines in scoring with 43 points in 37 games while also playing at the Olympics.
Done For The Year: The Devils are playing out the stretch as they sit at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division and now they’ll be without a trio of important players. Top center Jack Hughes is out for the season with a sprained MCL, a tough end to what has been a very strong year as he had 56 points in just 49 games, providing the production that was expected with his top draft slot in 2019. Meanwhile, New Jersey also opted to shut down winger Miles Wood after just three games for precautionary reasons after he missed most of the year following early-season hip surgery while defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler is also out due to a broken hand.
Calling It A Career: Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf acknowledged last month that he had yet to decide his plans for next year. That decision has now been made as the veteran has decided that this season will be his last. The 36-year-old was the 19th pick back in 2003 and has spent his entire 17-year career in Anaheim. In his prime, Getzlaf was a feared number one center who could play in all situations and he recently surpassed 1,000 career points, becoming just the 93rd player in NHL history to reach that particular milestone. This season, Getzlaf has been limited to just 49 games but still sits third on the Ducks in assists, showing that even as he’s about to hang up his skates, he’s still a pretty strong playmaker.
Wilson Resigns: After missing the majority of the season while being on medical leave, long-time Sharks general manager Doug Wilson has tendered his resignation to focus on his health and recovery. Wilson had been at the helm in San Jose since 2003 with the team making 14 playoff appearances during that time. In the meantime, interim GM Joe Will will continue in that role until a permanent GM is hired. The organization has committed to waiting for all prospective candidates to be available to be interviewed which suggests that Wilson’s replacement won’t be hired in the near future.
NCAA Champions: The University of Denver is the 2022 NCAA National Champions after beating Minnesota St. on Saturday night in the final game of the Frozen Four tournament. It’s their ninth-ever title, tying them with Michigan for the most ever. Flyers prospect Bobby Brink led the Pioneers in scoring this season with 57 points in 41 games which also made him the NCAA’s scoring leader. He was rewarded for his efforts with a three-year, entry-level deal that begins this season, meaning that the 34th pick in 2019 should be making his NHL debut in the coming days.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Coyotes Linked To Milos Kelemen
It appears as if the Coyotes will be soon adding to their prospect pool as Jakub Hromada of iDNES in Czechia reports that Arizona has agreed to terms with winger Milos Kelemen on a two-year, entry-level contract. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The 22-year-old transferred to the Czech Extraliga this season and fared relatively well, notching five goals and 13 assists in 44 regular season games with BK Mlada Boleslav. However, he was much more productive in the playoffs, picking up nine goals and three assists in just 14 contests which certainly helped his case for an NHL deal.
Kelemen has also received some exposure on the international stage. Two years ago, he represented Slovakia at the World Juniors before suiting up for them at the World Championships last spring. Back in February, he played for them in the Olympics where he had an assist in seven games while averaging 10:39 per contest with the Slovaks picking up the bronze in the tournament. It’s likely he’ll represent his country again at the Worlds next month.
It seems unlikely that Kelemen will push for a spot in Arizona’s lineup next season and that he’ll likely be heading for AHL Tucson in the fall if a deal does indeed get finalized. But with some international seasons under his belt and an NHL-ready frame at 6’2 and 212 lbs, he could get an opportunity in a fourth line role at some point during this contract.