Minnesota Wild Sign Carson Lambos
The Minnesota Wild have inked Carson Lambos to a three-year entry-level contract, after selecting him with their second first-round pick in this year’s draft. Lambos split last season between JYP in Finland and the Winnipeg Ice, but was shut down early because of a leg injury.
The 26th-overall pick this season, Lambos will almost certainly be heading back to the WHL for the upcoming season. He played just two games with Winnipeg in 2020-21, failing to record a point before injury wrecked his season. That actually may have caused a bit of a slip on draft day, as Lambos was ranked 11th by NHL Central Scouting among North American skaters and ended higher than 26 on most other public rankings. The Wild obviously believe he will recover fully and continue on his development path as a strong two-way defender, one who has a little (very little) bit of experience playing against professionals.
Should Lambos return to the WHL as expected, his contract will not kick in for the 2021-22 season. Instead, it will slide forward, meaning the Wild would have him signed through at least 2024-25. There’s no rush for the 6’1″ defenseman, who led all WHL rookie defensemen in scoring in 2019-20 with 32 points in 57 games.
Tuukka Rask Will Be “Cheap Goalie” For Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins spent a good chunk of cap space on a relatively unproven goaltender in Linus Ullmark this offseason, marking a drastic change from the experienced tandem they’ve had in recent years. Ullmark has just 117 NHL games under his belt, but signed a four-year, $20MM contract to be the team’s starter after both Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak hit the free agent market. While Halak signed a short-term deal with the Vancouver Canucks, Rask is dealing with the rehab for hip surgery and hasn’t signed anywhere at this point–well, not officially anyway.
Rask went on WEEI 93.7 today and explained that he has basically agreed to a deal with the Bruins to return as a veteran option partway through the season.
I have no reason to chase the money anymore and go somewhere else. It’s going to be one of those things where the Bruins are my home, Boston is my home. I’ve always wanted to play here, wanted to stay here. So the money won’t be an issue. We had a conversation with [Bruins GM Don Sweeney] and I will be a cheap goalie for them.
Now 34, Rask played in just 24 games this season for the Bruins, posting a .913 save percentage that was actually far below his career number. He was still 15-5-2 in the regular season, helped by the team’s strong defensive identity, but there were some obvious signs of fall-off as he dealt with injury. In the playoffs, he was back up to a .919 in 11 appearances, but still well below his career norms.
With Ullmark in town and 22-year-old Jeremy Swayman pushing for playing time, the Bruins won’t need Rask forever. But if he’s healthy enough to return in January as he indicated today, there’s no doubt Boston could use him down the stretch. The fact is, for all the detractors he has had throughout his career, Rask is one of the best goaltenders of his generation, if not all-time. His .921 career save percentage sits among the best in NHL history, percentage points behind the likes of Dominik Hasek and Ken Dryden, while his 306 wins put him 32nd all-time.
For those who have questioned his commitment in the past, Rask couldn’t have said anything better today when he proclaimed himself a Bruin for life and willing to take a big discount to finish his career in Boston. Now the question is just how effective he will be coming off major hip surgery.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Minor Transactions: 08/25/21
Things are slow in the NHL offseason, but that doesn’t mean the hockey world has to come to a stop. European, junior and minor leagues continue to finesse their rosters in preparation for the season. Like always, we’ll keep track of all the notable minor moves right here.
- It appears as though Mitchell Miller will be getting a chance to continue his hockey career. Jeff Marek of Sportsnet tweets that Miller is expected to re-join the Tri-City Storm of the USHL for this season. The Arizona Coyotes renounced Miller’s draft rights after his past assault charges came to national attention, and the young defenseman was also cut loose by the University of North Dakota. In 2019-20, he recorded 33 points in 44 games with Tri-City.
- Colton Beck, who spent last season with the Stockton Heat, has signed with Dornbirner EC of the ICEHL. The 31-year-old forward has a long history in the AHL, mostly with the Iowa Wild, but has never suited up for an NHL game. Beck had just six points in 21 games for the Heat last season, scoring just a single goal.
- The Seattle Kraken have invited Thomas Milic to both rookie and NHL training camp, bringing in the undrafted goaltender as a local option. Milic is from Coquitlam, British Columbia, but plays for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. He’ll arrive under an amateur tryout but could potentially earn himself an entry-level contract, the same battle many undrafted players are facing this fall.
This page will be updated throughout the day
New York Rangers To Hire Ryan Martin
Aug 25: The Rangers have officially announced the hiring of Martin, naming him to the roles previously reported.
Aug 13: The New York Rangers have added to the front office, hiring Ryan Martin as assistant general manager according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post. Martin will also serve as general manager of the Hartford Wolf Pack, the role previously held by Chris Drury before he was promoted in the Rangers organization.
It’s a big change for Martin, who has worked in the Detroit Red Wings front office for more than 15 years, including more than a decade as the team’s assistant GM. He also served as the GM of the Grand Rapids Griffins since 2013, winning the Calder Cup in 2017. Martin is also part of the staff for the U.S. World Junior program, which resulted in a gold medal at this year’s tournament.
The Rangers front office group is finally starting to take shape under Drury, who also hired John Lilley away from the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this month as director of player personnel and amateur scouting. The team underwent a drastic management dismissal earlier this year after some embarrassing losses, and has made it very clear that the team will undergo stylistic changes for the 2021-22 season. Players like Barclay Goodrow, Ryan Reaves, Patrik Nemeth, Jarred Tinordi and Sammy Blais have been brought in to give the team some significant size and physicality.
Martin’s history with contract negotiation and salary cap management will be key for the Rangers over the next few years, as they enter contract talks with some of their key players. Norris winner Adam Fox has just one year left on his entry-level deal, while top center Mika Zibanejad is scheduled for unrestricted free agency next summer. With those and many other contract talks coming up, cap concerns could become very pressing for the Rangers in short order.
San Jose Sharks Sign Jasper Weatherby
The San Jose Sharks have signed Jasper Weatherby to a two-year entry-level contract. Weatherby has spent the last three seasons at the University of North Dakota but will forego his senior season and turn pro. PuckPedia reports that the terms of $842,500 AAV deal are as follows:
Both seasons: $750,000 NHL salary, $92,500 signing bonus, $82,500 games played bonus, $70,000 minors salary
That’s actually not what was expected, as Weatherby told his coaching staff earlier this year that he would be returning for his senior season. Instead, he’ll take a chance to compete for an NHL spot on a Sharks roster that is desperately looking for inexpensive contributions. In fact, there may well be a chance for the 6’4″ Weatherby to step right into the NHL as a bottom-six option in San Jose after his strong 2020-21 season. He recorded 14 goals and 24 points in 29 games for North Dakota, while also winning nearly 60% of his faceoffs.
Sharks GM Doug Wilson released a statement on the signing:
Jasper’s performance at our development camp showcased his offensive skill, as well as his ability to utilize his size and strength to consistently win faceoffs. He was a top collegiate player last season and served in a leadership role for North Dakota on and off the ice. The ingredients he brings meshes well with the top young players who are emerging in our system. We would like to thank the North Dakota hockey program for all of their hard work in helping Jasper reach this stage of his career.
Even if he doesn’t land a spot right away, the fourth-round pick is obviously physically mature enough to compete at the AHL level and continue his development on the pro circuit. Now 23, he was limited to a two-year entry-level deal and will be an RFA at its expiry.
The Sharks have a number of players competing for those bottom-six minutes, including a veteran addition in Andrew Cogliano. With so much money tied up in a handful of players, the fringe of the roster is always going to have to be made up of players on their entry-level deals or who have accepted low-cost contracts. One thing that won’t help in his pursuit of a spot is that Weatherby will be waiver-exempt this season.
Kevin Kurz of The Athletic first reported the deal.
OHL Will See Influx Of 2021 NHL Draft Selections For 2021-22
After a year that saw a straight-up canceled season, one of the most prestigious junior programs in the world will see an influx of talent for the 2021-22 campaign. The Canadian Hockey League as a whole has received some welcome news over the past few days, as high-end prospects from the 2021 NHL Draft have signed on to play with various teams in the CHL next season. Today, Stanislav Svozil, a third-round pick of Columbus, added himself to that list. We’ll dive into a list of notable first-rounders from the 2021 Draft who are expected to be returning to the OHL or coming there for the first time after stints elsewhere last season.
F Mason McTavish (Anaheim Ducks, 3rd overall) – A somewhat surprising selection, the 6′ 2″, 207-pound power forward will be among the OHL’s biggest stars when the league resumes play after a lost 2020-21 season. McTavish played last season on loan with EHC Olten in the second-tier Swiss League, and impressed with 11 points in 13 regular-season games and seven points in just four playoff games. With an impressive 11 points in seven games for Canada’s U18 squad, serving as their captain during the U18 World Championships, McTavish comes back to his Peterborough Petes as the team’s best and most dynamic forward. He’ll look to improve on his rookie season with the team in 2019-20, in which he scored 29 goals and 42 points in 57 games.
D Brandt Clarke (Los Angeles Kings, 8th overall) – One of the most dynamic defensemen in the draft, Clarke fell all the way to Los Angeles at eighth overall, a lucky break for an already stacked prospect pool. Clarke, property of the OHL’s Barrie Colts, spent the 2020-21 campaign on loan with HC Nove Zamky in Slovakia’s Tipos Extraliga. Posting 15 points in 26 games, the two-way defender flaunted his skating ability on a professional stage. The immense growth in his game overseas will surely be on full display this year in Barrie.
F Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers, 16th overall) – A teammate of McTavish’s with EHC Olten in 2020-21, Othmann looks to bring his elite shot back to the OHL for 2021-22 with the Flint Firebirds. Othmann was able to score some decent playing time in Switzerland, posting 16 points in 34 regular-season games. Those numbers in a professional setting lead many to believe that Othmann will improve on his 17 goals and 33 points that Othmann put up in 55 games with Flint in 2019-20.
F Oskar Olausson (Colorado Avalanche, 28th overall) – Joining Clarke with the Barrie Colts, Olausson is somewhat of a surprise addition to this list. The newly-minted Avalanche prospect has spent the entirety of his career in his native Sweden, yet his decision to move to North America signals a desire to join the Avalanche organization professionally as soon as possible. Picked up by Barrie in the OHL’s Import Draft, Olausson will find more opportunity there than he would have overseas, especially after his HV71 team was relegated to the second-tier Allsvenskan for the upcoming season. His offense should help create an extremely strong attack in Barrie, who’ll have one of the deeper teams in the league next season.
Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Stanislav Svozil
Aug 24: Fans in North America won’t have to wait to see Svozil in action. The young defenseman has signed with the Regina Pats, who held his CHL rights after selecting him 15th overall in the 2020 Import Draft. The first year of his entry-level deal will not be burned by playing in the WHL.
Aug 13: The Columbus Blue Jackets have inked one of their 2021 draft picks, signing Stanislav Svozil to a three-year entry-level contract. The young defenseman was selected 69th overall last month.
Svozil, 18, already has two full seasons under his belt at the highest level in the Czech Republic, playing 71 games for HC Kometa Brno since 2019. At the same time that he was learning how to defend against professional players, he was suiting up for his country at U17, U18, and U20 international tournaments. He took home the Extraliga rookie of the year award in 2020 and is expected to return to his club team overseas in 2021-22.
The biggest question about Svozil is whether his size will limit him at the next level given how little he provides offensively. His game is all about defending, and at just 6’0″ that may be a difficult sell for the NHL. Still, playing pro at 16 is no small task, and Svozil has plenty of time to round out the offensive side of his game and develop into a two-way option for the Blue Jackets. Signing his entry-level deal was just the first step.
Snapshots: Power, Belanger, Lipon
When the Buffalo Sabres secured the first-overall pick in this year’s draft, they had a decision to make. Usually, the top pick in a draft steps directly into the NHL and is given a full-time role on his team. This year, things were different with Owen Power, the consensus top prospect. The big defenseman had already hinted publicly that he was leaning toward a return to the University of Michigan, meaning he wouldn’t be able to help the Sabres during the early part of the season. As revealed today in a behind the scenes video from their pre-draft interview, Power didn’t just hint, he made it quite clear that he wanted to go back to school.
The Sabres, even then, were on board with the idea. GM Kevyn Adams told Power that he loved what he had said about returning to school to chase a national championship and dominate the college scene with no rush to get to the NHL. Michigan should be a powerhouse this season with not only Power returning, but also second-overall pick Matty Beniers and fifth-overall Kent Johnson also returning to the program. Add in fourth-overall Luke Hughes, who will be a freshman with the Wolverines, and it’s easy to see why Power would want to take at least one last crack at an NCAA title before turning pro.
- The Montreal Canadiens have appointed France Margaret Belanger to the position of President, Sports and Entertainment of Groupe CH. Belanger has been with the organization since 2013 and already served as an alternate governor of the club. As Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports tweets, Geoff Molson remains the team’s owner and president, but it is Belanger who will be in charge of the day to day operations now. She is the first woman to serve on the Canadiens’ executive in its 104-year history, according to a press release.
- J.C. Lipon went to the KHL last season and it appears as though he’s going to stay for another year. The former NHL forward has signed a one-year deal with Sochi for the 2021-22 season, after scoring 20 points in 37 games for Dinamo Riga this year. Originally selected 91st overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 2013, Lipon played nine games 2015-16 but has mostly been in the minor leagues. In 2019-20 he scored 13 goals and 31 points with the Manitoba Moose, racking up 100 penalty minutes (his sixth AHL season with at least that many).
Valtteri Filppula Signs In Switzerland
It appears to be the end of the NHL journey for veteran forward Valtteri Filppula. The 37-year-old became a free agent when his two-year, $6MM contract expired this offseason and now he’s heading overseas to finish his career. Filppula has signed with Geneve-Servette HC of the Swiss National League, becoming the team’s fourth import player.
Filppula played in 38 games for the Detroit Red Wings last season, scoring six goals and 15 points. If that is indeed the final season of his NHL career, it has been a very impressive one. The Finnish center played 1,056 regular season games and another 166 in the postseason, going deep into the postseason several times. He reached the Stanley Cup Finals three times, winning it in 2008 with the Red Wings. He currently sits at 197 goals and 530 points, quite the legacy for the 95th overall pick in 2002.
He also made quite a bit of money in his career, with CapFriendly estimating his contract earnings at just under $50MM. Filppula’s return to Detroit in 2019 may not have gone exactly to plan, but he still did contribute 36 points in 108 games while the team went through a rebuild. His departure is one of many that will open roster spots for some of the Red Wings’ younger players as they try to turn the corner and start the long road toward contention.
In Switzerland, he’ll join Daniel Winnik, Marc Pouliot and Henrik Tommernes as the foreign contingent for Geneve-Servette.
Morning Notes: Laberge, Savard, Michkov
The Maine Mariners have signed Pascal Laberge to a minor league deal, after the Philadelphia Flyers failed to extend him a qualifying offer this summer. The 23-year-old forward was selected 36th overall in 2016 but has yet to really establish himself in professional hockey. In 14 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season, Laberge recorded just three goals and four points.
It’s not too late for Laberge to develop into a strong AHL player, but the idea that he will ever be an NHL option is quickly disappearing. Given the fact that German Rubtsov, he of four career NHL games, was the team’s first-round pick that season you might think the 2016 class is a write-off for Philadelphia. Not so, as the four picks after Laberge have all played in the NHL, including a goaltender by the name of Carter Hart, selected 48th overall.
- One of junior hockey’s biggest programs is getting a high-profile coach, as Marc Savard has been hired by the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL as head coach. Savard had 706 points in 807 NHL games, including a pair of 95+ point seasons before his career was cut short by concussion issues. He served as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues in 2019-20, but this will be his first chance to run a high-level program. The Spitfires have won the Memorial Cup three times, most recently in 2017 when they had players like Mikhail Sergachev and Gabriel Vilardi leading the way. Savard has his own history of success in the OHL, twice leading the league in scoring (with 139 and 130 points) for the Oshawa Generals.
- Matvei Michkov, a name you will hear more and more in the coming years, is making his debut for the senior SKA St. Petersburg squad today. Why is that impressive? Well, Michkov is just 16 years old and not eligible for the NHL Draft until 2023. The dynamic winger has carved through the Russian junior system scoring at will and was a big reason why his team won gold at the recent Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. While there are several incredible prospects set to be eligible in that 2023 draft, Michkov has a real shot to compete for the top spot.