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Islanders Sign Kieffer Bellows To Entry-Level Deal

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Kieffer Bellows would have liked to have come out of camp with the New York Islanders with an NHL job, but as he heads to his junior team he’ll take the next best thing: his first NHL contract. The Islanders cut Bellows from camp earlier today, but have announced a few hours later that he signed his entry-level deal before leaving. The contract is the entry level maximum: three years, $925K per year.

The Islanders’ 2016 first-round pick, Bellows has already been an intriguing character for fans to follow. The son of former NHLer Brian Bellows, Kieffer was a standout on the 2015-16 U.S. National Development Team, registering 81 points in 62 games. After being drafted by the Isles, Bellows moved on to Boston University last fall, where he had long since been committed to play college hockey. Yet, in May it was revealed that Bellows would not return to the Terriers this season, instead changing development tracks and moving to Canadian juniors, where the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks held his rights. While many speculated that Bellows move may have to do with the loss of talent at BU – the powerhouse program watched Charlie McAvoy, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, and Clayton Keller leave early – but the counter is that more talented NHL prospects remained than left and the team had reinforcements of several 2017 draft picks and 2018 hopefuls coming in. In the end, it seems that college hockey might have just been a poor fit for Bellows and he felt that he could develop better in the WHL.

All eyes will be on the 19-year-old power forward this season as he adjusts to the major junior game. With his contract signed, it is possible he could see some time with the Islanders in 2017-18, but seeing as they already have several young forwards still being worked into the lineup, it seems more likely that Bellows will use this WHL season as a tryout for next year’s squad.

Arena Notes: Calgary, Arizona, Detroit

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The ongoing issues with the Flames and the city of Calgary has been well-publicized. The two sides are at odds in regards to the construction of a new arena and who should shoulder the greatest burden of the cost. The Flames have made it known that they have made offers to the city, offers they believe to be fair, and that the city has been the side unwilling to work toward a resolution. However, as The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell points out, the public relations battle that the team is waging may be all for not. Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, according to Campbell, is not only well-liked, but also a tough negotiator. Campbell believes that Nenshi is not like many politicians, who often cave when it comes to dealing with local sports teams. It seem that Nenshi is willing to make a stand and work toward an agreement that is more balanced for the taxpayers of Calgary. Some may see risk in Nenshi calling Flames billionaire owner Murray Edwards’ bluff, but Campbell believes that there is no way the Flames leave the city under any circumstances. The people of Calgary will inevitably end up partially funding a new arena, but with Nenshi as their negotiator, it should be on far better terms than the Flames’ current offer.

  • The Arizona Coyotes issued a statement last night, updating fans on the status of the ice at Gila River Arena. The Coyotes were forced to cancel their first home preseason game on Monday night due to poor ice conditions. With only a fixed amount of time for preseason hockey, Arizona did not even have the ability to postpone their contest with the Los Angeles Kings. In an effort to make sure they didn’t miss anymore opportunities to take a look at their young and very different roster, the Coyotes worked quickly to install a new sheet of ice and have their arena back up to suitable standards. The improvement is just in time, as the San Jose Sharks come to town tomorrow.
  • The Detroit Red Wings took the ice at the brand new Little Caesars Arena for the first time today, as noted by beat writer Helene St. James. The Wings played their final game at Joe Louis Arena, the historic building at 19 Steve Yzerman drive, in April after being one of the most dominant teams in all of sports during their residency from 1979 to 2017. Veterans like Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall, who more or less grew up in “The Joe” will now have to get a feel for their new home, the massive 20,000 seat Little Caesars Arena, and it all starts with the team’s first game there, hosting the Boston Bruins tomorrow night.

Montreal Places Zach Redmond On Waivers

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The Montreal Canadiens came into camp with quite a few players battling for spots on the blue line after adding Karl Alzner, David Schlemko, and Mark Streit this summer as well as Jordie Benn and Brandon Davidson late last season. With mainstays Shea Weber and Jeff Petry having spots locked in as well, the influx of talent was always going to push someone out. The process of picking their final seven is not yet over, but they have taken the first step, announcing the placement of Zach Redmond on waivers today for the purposes of reassigning him to their new AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.

Redmond, 29, is the first notable player to hit the waiver wire this fall. With 130 NHL games under his belt, including a 59-game, 20-point effort as a top-four regular with the Colorado Avalanche in 2014-15, Redmond has proved himself to be a reliable AHL depth option over the past five seasons. Last season in Montreal, Redmond recorded five assists over 16 games and added another 18 points in 26 AHL games. Redmond largely played the seventh-man role in Montreal, spending the majority of the season with the Canadiens, but watching from the press box. However, his early release from camp likely means that isn’t the plan for 2017-18. If Redmond clear waivers, he could spend much of the season in Laval until injury or poor play strikes the Habs’ defensive corps. If Redmond doesn’t clear waivers (not an overwhelming likelihood but a definite possibility), it will be due to his ability to step in and play competent defense as that valuable dependable extra man.

Redmond is far from alone on waivers today; joining him are several Ottawa Senators – Patrick Sieloff, Erik Burgdoerfer, Chris DiDomenico, Daniel Taylor, and Ben Sexton, several Philadelphia Flyers – Corban Knight, Greg Carey, Phil Varone, Will O’Neill, T.J. Brennan, and Mark Alt, as well as Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Chris Casto, Minnesota Wild rearguard Zach Palmquist, New York Rangers forward Adam Chapie, and Chicago Blackhawks Jeff Glass and Kyle Baun.  

2017-18 Primer: Nashville Predators

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With the NHL season now just a few weeks away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come.  Today, we focus on the Nashville Predators.

Last Season: 41-29-12 record (94 points), fourth in Central Division (lost to Pittsburgh in Stanley Cup Finals)

Remaining Cap Space: $6.09MM per CapFriendly

Key Newcomers: F Nick Bonino (free agency, Pittsburgh), F Scott Hartnell (free agency, Columbus), D Alexei Emelin (trade, Vegas)

Key Departures: F Colin Wilson (trade, Colorado), F Mike Fisher (retirement), F James Neal (expansion, Vegas)

[Related: Nashville Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Kevin FialaPlayer To Watch: F Kevin Fiala – The Nashville Predators had some of the worst injury luck (outside of perhaps Pittsburgh, their opponents) in the playoffs, seeing star center Ryan Johansen need emergency surgery on his thigh late in their Stanley Cup Run. They also witnessed a terrible injury to Fiala, who shattered his femur in a horrifying board collision with Robert Bortuzzo. Amazingly, Fiala would recover quickly from surgery to repair his left leg, and is apparently already completely unhindered at training camp.

If that’s true, then he’s easily one of the most interesting players to watch on the Predators this season. When he went down, Fiala was starting to show just why the Predators selected him 11th-overall in the 2014 draft. His speed, tenacity and offensive skill were all shining in the playoffs after a pretty ho-hum regular season, but at 21 he’s ready to take the next step.

Scoring 11 goals in 54 games last season, there is now an opportunity left in the wake of Neal and Wilson for Fiala to play higher in the lineup. The Predators usually run the trio of Johansen, Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson together, but as recently as yesterday Fiala was also getting some time with the former two. Whether or not that shows up in the regular season, it’s clear what the team thinks about him going into the year. He’ll be a big part of their offensive identity, and will look to prove that the leg injury is completely behind him.

Key Storyline: After the team’s surprise Cinderella story this spring, in which they went from barely making the playoffs to pushing the Penguins to six games in the finals, many people are expecting the Predators to cruise to a playoff spot this year. Their team’s trademark, defense, will still be its strength this season but was dealt an early blow with the news that Ryan Ellis will be out until January. The newly crowned “associate captain” is working his way from knee surgery and will leave a sizable gap in the defense.

While the team acquired Emelin after the expansion draft, he’s nowhere near the type of player that Ellis is for the club, and offers more as a rough-and-tumble stay at home defenseman than elite special teams and possession monster. More than that, Ellis is one of only two top right-handed options for the Predators, likely meaning someone will have to play their off-side for the beginning of the year.

There is no guarantee that the Predators are a Cup contender this season, as the Central still boasts several powerhouse clubs. St. Louis has been struck by early injury but remain as deep as any team in the league, Minnesota will continue to play their familiar defensive style, and Chicago still has a Hall of Fame trio to keep them afloat. That’s to mention nothing of the Jets and Stars, both of whom should be pushing hard for a playoff spot this year.

The Predators have youth and depth on their side, but it won’t be an easy journey. If some of their young players step up and become what they showed in the playoffs, this could be a legitimate powerhouse. If they deal with injury and inconsistency, it could be a tough year. One thing is to be sure though, that “Smashville” will be rocking every night, with high hopes for one of the NHL’s newest “it” teams.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Training Camp Cuts: 09/22/17

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The cuts keep coming from training camps around the league as the season draws near, with less than two weeks from opening night. Teams are starting to whittle down the players they’ll take in the regular season. Like every day, we’ll keep track of all the cuts right here:

Anaheim Ducks

F Antoine Morand – Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)

Colorado Avalanche

F Travis Barron – Ottawa (OHL)
F J.C. Beaudin – San Antonio (AHL)
F Julien Nantel – San Antonio (AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets

F Hayden Hodgson –  released from PTO

Dallas Stars

F Nick Caamano – Flint (OHL)

Los Angeles Kings

F Shane Walsh – released from PTO
F Evan Weinger – released from PTO
D Clayton Kirichenko – released from PTO

Minnesota Wild

D Gustav Bouramman – Iowa (AHL)
D Dylan Labbe – Iowa (AHL)
D Hunter Warner – Iowa (AHL)
F Adam Gilmour – Iowa (AHL)
F Pavel Jenys – Iowa (AHL)
F Chase Lang – Iowa (AHL)
F Mario Lucia – Iowa (AHL)
F Gerald Mayhew  – Iowa (AHL)
F Dante Salituro – Iowa (AHL)
G Adam Vay – Iowa (AHL)

Montreal Canadiens

F Niki Petti – Laval (AHL)
F Yannick Veilleux – Laval (AHL)
F Thomas Ebbing – Laval (AHL)
F Antoine Waked – Laval (AHL)
D Stefan Leblanc – Laval (AHL)
D Simon Bourque – Laval (AHL)
D Tom Parisi – Laval (AHL)
F Markus Eisenschmid – Laval (AHL)
G Michael McNiven – Laval (AHL)

New York Islanders

F Kieffer Bellows – Portland (WHL)
F Arnaud Durandeau – Halifax (QMJHL)
D David Quenneville – Medicine Hat (WHL)

New York Rangers

D Sean Day – Hartford (AHL)
D Sergey Zborovskiy – Hartford (AHL)
F Dawson Leedahl – Hartford (AHL)

Vancouver Canucks

F Carter Bancks – Utica (AHL)
F Wacey Hamilton – Utica (AHL)
D Jaime Sifers– Utica (AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights

D Dylan Coghlan – Tri-City (WHL)
F Bryce Gervais – Chicago (AHL)
F Cody Glass – Portland (WHL)
D Nicolas Hague – Mississauga (OHL)
F Stephen MacAulay – Chicago (AHL)
D Kenney Morrison – Chicago (AHL)
D Dmitry Osipov – Chicago (AHL)
F Nick Suzuki – Owen Sound (OHL)

Winnipeg Jets

F Patrice Cormier – Manitoba (AHL)
F Francis Beauvillier – Manitoba (AHL)
F Brody Sutter – Manitoba (AHL)
D Kirill Gotovets – Manitoba (AHL)
D Peter Stoykewych – Manitoba (AHL)
G Eric Comrie – Manitoba (AHL)

Early Extension Talks Between Maroon, Oilers

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The Edmonton Oilers locked up restricted free agent Leon Draisaitl, and inked an eight-year extension with Connor McDavid, but still have more work to do to keep this team together. One of the players they’d like to keep is big winger Patrick Maroon, and as Ryan Rishaug of TSN reports, the two sides have had early conversations on a potential extension.

Maroon broke out playing alongside McDavid last year, scoring 27 goals and registering 45 points. While those totals look minuscule next to McDavid’s 100-point season, they’re easily career-highs for the 29-year old power forward.

In training camp it looks like Maroon will get another crack at the shotgun seat on McDavid’s line, which will likely result in another strong season. What that means in terms of an extension is tricky though. Could anyone post those numbers with one of the best players in the world? Does Maroon compliment McDavid’s speed and finesse game especially well? Would his production fall off a cliff if put lower in the lineup? These are all questions the Oilers will have to answer before handing out any long-term money.

The team must also be mindful of their salary cap structure going forward. Next year, when McDavid’s $100MM extension kicks in, the team will have four forwards making $33MM each season. That’s nearly half of the salary cap already, without including the hefty contracts they’ve given out on defense and some new deals that are required for restricted free agents.

If Maroon is negotiating like a true 27-goal man, the Oilers may not be able to fit him in. If it’s more a good-faith, perfect-fit conversation, perhaps they can come to an agreement that keeps the “Big Rig” in Edmonton long-term.

Minor Transactions: 9/21/17

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While the big transaction news of the past week and surely the next week or so as well is training camp cuts, signings are still ongoing, with a few notable moves today:

  • Back in August, AHL veteran Graham Black surprised many by giving up his pro hockey pursuits to return to school, committing to the University of Calgary. Fast forward not even a month and an even bigger name made the same rare decision today. CUSN’s Victor Findlay reports that York University announced the commitment of former Carolina Hurricanes prospect Daniel Altshuller. Altshuller, 23, was not qualified by the ’Canes this off-season and became an unrestricted free agent. He clearly struggled to find employment elsewhere and has decided to instead return to school. However, unlike Black, a fifth-round pick who bounced around the AHL, Altschuller was a 2012 third-round pick by Carolina who was for a time seen as their goalie of the future. Although he didn’t see any action, Altshuller even earned an NHL call-up, the first (and only) of his career, in 2016-17. Yet, Altshuller could never find consistency at the AHL level. A more than capable ECHL-caliber goalie, the next level up proved to be too much and after back-to-back seasons with a 2.80+ GAA and sub-.910 save percentage, he likely realized that his NHL aspirations were unattainable. Altshuller will sit out the 2017-18 season, but will be back on the ice for Lions in 2018-19 as he continues to play hockey and now focuses on earning a degree.
  •  Another AHLer leaving the North American pro game is veteran Peter Mueller. Mueller is still playing hockey, but he’ll head back to Europe for the 2017-18 season. EC Salzburg of the Austrian-based EBEL announced their excitement to be signing the former NHL forward. Mueller, 29, had spent three years in Europe before returning across the Atlantic and signing with the AHL’s Providence Bruins last year following a PTO with Boston. Mueller scored 25 points in 56 games and played a leadership role on a young, talented P-Bruins squad. The former Phoenix Coyote scorer will immediately become the best and most experience player for Salzburg, bringing with him six seasons and 160 points worth of NHL pedigree.
  • Mueller isn’t alone in heading to the EBEL. Former NHL goaltender Drew MacIntyre will also resume his overseas career this season, as he has re-signed with Medvescak Zagreb, formerly of the KHL and now a favorite to win the EBEL in their inaugural season. MacIntyre played in 21 games for the teams last season, posting a 2.26 GAA and .925 save percentage. Against weaker competition in the EBEL, MacIntyre has the potential to best those impressive numbers in 2017-18. A veteran of over 300 AHL games, and six NHL contests as well, the 34-year-old journeyman may just be primed for the best season of his career.

 

NHL Orders Independent Evaluation Of Joffrey Lupul

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Joffrey Lupul may not want a second opinion, but the NHL does. Sportsnet’s John Shannon was the first to relay the news from a league source that the NHL plans to have the veteran forward evaluated by an independent doctor. It’s not surprising giving the recent allegations made against his “current” team. No specific time frame has been given, but one would expect the league to have interest in putting an end to this saga sooner rather than later.

It was only three days ago that Lupul turned heads around the hockey world when he publicly accused the Toronto Maple Leafs of “cheating” by keeping him on the Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) when he is healthy enought to continue playing. Lupul, who turns 34 this Saturday, has not played in a game since February 6, 2016, having been kept on LTIR for the entirety of the 2016-17 season. When he went in for his yearly physical with the Leafs’ medical staff last week, he was once again told that he would remain on LTIR. Frustrated and wanting to play again, Lupul lashed out on Instagram and accused the team of mismanaging not only his injury status, but several past and “current” teammates’ injuries. Yet, given a week to seek a second opinion, Lupul announced last night that he would not. Many have taken that to be backtracking on Lupul’s part and perhaps an end to this issue.

Well, the league would rather get a clear answer than continue watching Lupul’s animosity boil over while he sits on LTIR, maybe injured or maybe not. An independent evaluation will set things straight, once and for all, whether Lupul is healthy and able to return to his playing career, signaling that Toronto may have in fact been “cheating”, or whether he simply wishes and believes he can play contrary to medical sensibilities. The saga continues, but at least there now appears to be a definitive end in sight once the league schedules the exam. Of course, a decision in Lupul’s favor would open a new can of worms, one of the cap circumvention variety…

2017-18 Primer: New Jersey Devils

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With the NHL season now just a few weeks away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come.  Today, we focus on the New Jersey Devils.

Last Season: 28-40-14 record (70 points), eighth in Metropolitan Division (missed playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $10.37MM per CapFriendly

Key Newcomers: F Marcus Johansson (trade, Washington), F Brian Boyle (free agency, Toront0), F Drew Stafford (free agency, Boston), D Mirco Mueller (trade, San Jose), D Will Butcher (free agency, Colorado)

Key Departures: F Beau Bennett (free agency, St. Louis), F Mike Cammalleri (buyout), F P.A. Parenteau (PTO, Detroit), F Jacob Josefson (free agency, Buffalo), F Devante Smith-Pelly (buyout)

[Related: New Jersey Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Nico HischierPlayer To Watch: F Nico Hischier – There is no one else more exciting than the number one overall pick. The Devils won a lottery to move up in the draft, and it will pay off immediately as Hischier looks ready to impress right out of the gate. The 18-year old Swiss-born center scored in his first preseason game after stripping a Washington Capitals’ player, something Devils fans will hope to see more of this year.

Though some still see Nolan Patrick as the player most likely to make an immediate impact out of this year’s draft class, Hischier is ready for the big time. His ability to be forgotten in the neutral zone and cause turnovers is uncanny, and he has all the offensive finish to rack up points in his first season. It’s unclear who he’ll play with at this point, but with some of the talented wingers that New Jersey has it could be an impressive group.

Hischier is only 18 though, and despite his high draft stock isn’t as much of a lock as some former top picks. He’s still small enough to worry about him breaking down in a season—though much like Mitch Marner or Johnny Gaudreau he rarely gets hit—and is by no means a lock down defender yet. While there is clearly potential for him to grow into one, he’ll have to be sheltered somewhat this season.

Key Storyline: Even though the Devils haven’t been competitive since going to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011-12, doesn’t mean they’re exactly in a rebuild. The core of their team remains in the middle to latter part of their careers, and they need success quickly or else risk wasting the entire prime of Cory Schneider. Now 31, Schneider has yet to experience the postseason with the Devils despite putting up incredible numbers in his first three years.

Last year was a different story, as Schneider struggled mightily at times and ended the season with a .908 save percentage, easily the worst of his career. There were times that Keith Kinkaid looked like he might wrestle away at least part of the starting gig, but the Devils will need their starter to return to form this year.

There is a lot to like going forward for the Devils, with Hischier, Pavel Zacha, Micheal McLeod, John Quenneville and Damon Severson making up the next core of the team, but there is will also be a need to win now or start selling off assets. Adam Henrique and Taylor Hall are two and three years away from free agency respectively, and right in their prime. If it doesn’t work now, the team should start thinking about moving them to bring back as much value as possible, before potentially seeing them walk away on the open market.

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