Blackhawks Sign Lukas Reichel
June 9: Now that the tournament is over, the Blackhawks have officially signed Reichel to his three-year entry-level contract. The deal comes with a cap hit of $925K. Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman released a statement on his newest forward:
Lukas made tremendous strides in his second year as a professional. The game appeared to slow down for him this past season, which allowed his play-making skills to be on full display. Bringing him over to North America is the logical next step for his continued development and we’re excited to be able to add such a young, dynamic player to our forward group.
May 22: After being drafted last fall, Blackhawks prospect Lukas Reichel estimated that he was a couple of years away from being ready for the NHL. However, after a strong season with Eisbaren Berlin in Germany where he worked his way up the lineup down the stretch while transitioning from the wing to center, that timeline could be accelerated. To that end, Reichel’s agent Allain Roy told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that the expectation is that the youngster will sign his entry-level deal at the conclusion of the World Championships.
The 19-year-old was a late riser in the 2020 draft and went from being ranked as a second-round pick by some agencies to the 17th pick by Chicago after a good first season with Berlin. He followed that up by finishing fifth in scoring with Berlin this season on a veteran-laden team with 10 goals and 17 assists in 38 games while chipping in with five more points in nine playoff contests. That helped him earn an invite to the Worlds where he is tied for the tournament lead in scoring through the first few days with two goals and three helpers in just two games. His presence at that tournament prevents him from being signed right away which is why they’ll have to wait a couple of weeks.
Chicago doesn’t have to have Reichel in the NHL right away, however. Though he’s still junior-aged, he is eligible to play with AHL Rockford since he wasn’t drafted out of the CHL and that might not be a bad idea for his development to ease his transition to the smaller North American ice surface. In that event, his deal would be eligible to slide a year if he plays in nine or fewer NHL games next season. Either way, Reichel should be playing under the watchful eye of the organization in 2021-22.
Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Samuel Knazko
The Columbus Blue Jackets have locked up one of their 2020 draft picks, signing Samuel Knazko to a three-year entry-level contract. The Slovakian defenseman spent last season in the Finnish junior league and is expected to play for Liiga’s TPS in 2021-22.
You may have noticed Knazko at the recent World Championship, where he suited up eight times for Slovakia but failed to record a point. The 18-year-old also captained his country’s World Junior team this year, his second time at the tournament despite his young age. Selected 78th overall (with the pick Columbus received in the Max Domi–Josh Anderson swap), Knazko is a born playmaker that has racked up assists at the junior level, including scoring 15 points in 23 games for the TPS U20 team this season.
Though he likely won’t be joining the Blue Jackets organization right away, there are high hopes for the 6’0″ defenseman. If he does end up with the Liiga side, he’ll be tested at the professional level against opponents sometimes more than a decade his senior. The World Championship was a taste of that and would have shown Knazko exactly what kind of talent awaits him in the NHL. Should he spend 2021-22 anywhere outside of the NHL, the first year of his entry-level deal will not be burned.
Minnesota Wild Hire Ray Shero
The Minnesota Wild have named Ray Shero Senior Advisor to the General Manager, reuniting him with GM Bill Guerin. The two men have a long history together, with Shero acquiring Guerin at the end of his playing career to win a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins and then hiring him as a development coach after his retirement.
In fact, it was Shero’s departure from the Penguins in 2014 that moved everyone up a rung in the Penguins organization, with Guerin taking over as an assistant GM alongside Jim Rutherford. The 58-year-old Shero went to the New Jersey Devils next and served parts of five seasons there before being relieved of his duties in January 2020. He’ll be back in a front office for the 2021-22 season, though obviously not running the show as he is used to.
Shero is replacing the outgoing Jack Ferreira according to Michael Russo of The Athletic, and brings several decades of front office experience. He first joined the Ottawa Senators in 1993 as an assistant GM and served in the same capacity with the Nashville Predators. He will have the same title as Randy Sexton, who was hired earlier this year.
Dustin Wolf Wins WHL Goalie Of The Year (Again)
Dustin Wolf refuses to go along with the scouting norms. The Calgary Flames prospect just keeps winning, collecting the WHL Goaltender of the Year award for the second year in a row. Wolf had another incredible season, posting a .940 save percentage in 22 appearances with the Everett Silvertips, going 18-3 in the process with four shutouts. He added a gold medal with the U.S. World Junior squad as well, while also making his professional debut with the Stockton Heat of the AHL.
Not bad for the 214th overall pick in 2019.
There has been no stopping (or perhaps plenty of it?) Wolf at the junior level, where he has won almost every trophy imaginable during his time with the Silvertips. He will leave the WHL with a career record of 106-34-6, 24 shutouts and a .935 save percentage. He becomes only the fourth goaltender since 2001 to win the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy multiple times, joining Cam Ward, Chet Pickard, and fellow Silvertips alumni Carter Hart.
Now, the question will be whether his size holds him back at the next level. Wolf measures in at a generous 6’0″ and weighs just 168 lbs, which would make him one of the smallest goaltenders in the NHL. That’s exactly why he slipped to the seventh round, but it is impossible to ignore what he has done since the Flames took a chance on him two years ago.
Recently, there has been something of a resurgence of small goaltenders. Alex Nedeljkovic, a finalist for the Calder Trophy this season, faced a similar uphill battle because of his six-foot stature, but took advantage of an opportunity in Carolina and posted outstanding numbers for the Hurricanes this season. Juuse Saros, who many believe should have been a finalist for the Vezina this year is officially listed at 5’11”. Anton Khudobin is also listed at 5’11” and carried the Dallas Stars to the Stanley Cup Final last year. Jonathan Bernier (6’0″), Antti Raanta (6’0″), and Jaroslav Halak (5’11”) are other goaltenders who have found plenty of success in the NHL despite not being quite as lengthy as their contemporaries.
There’s no guarantee that Wolf makes it, but at this point, it doesn’t make much sense to bet against him. He’ll get a chance to show what he can do at the pro level next season, which will end up being the first season of his three-year entry-level deal (the contract was signed in 2020, but will slide forward this year after he spent the season in junior).
Simon Despres, Thomas Di Pauli Sign In Germany
It’s been nearly five years since Simon Despres last played in an NHL game and almost exactly four since his contract was bought out by the Anaheim Ducks, but he still won’t turn 30 until later this summer. The 29-year-old defenseman has re-signed with Eisbaren Berlin of the German DEL for another year, continuing his career overseas.
Despres was once an up-and-coming two-way defenseman in the NHL, armed with good size and skating ability. He scored 43 points in 193 regular season games and even went on a long playoff run with the Ducks before concussion issues forced him off the ice. His five-year, $18.5MM contract with Anaheim was bought out after just one season, meaning the team will still pay him $662,500 for each of the next three seasons. His playing career meanwhile has now taken him to the KHL, the SHL and the DEL as he tries to continue playing professionally. Last season with Berlin, he recorded 10 points in 19 games and added five more in a playoff run that resulted in the DEL Championship.
He’s not the only former NHL player that signed in Germany today, as Thomas Di Pauli has inked a deal with the Krefeld Pinguine. The 27-year-old forward sat out all of 2020-21 but suited up twice for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019-20. A fourth-round pick by the Washington Capitals, those were Di Pauli’s only games at the NHL level, instead spending most of his time in the minor leagues with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He’ll now head to Germany to try and keep his playing career on track.
2021 Norris Trophy Finalists Announced
The NHL continues to release their award finalists, this time announcing the three nominees for the Norris Trophy. The award is given out to the top defenseman “who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.” Last year’s winner was Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators.
This year’s finalists are Adam Fox of the New York Rangers, Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, and Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Get used to seeing Fox’s name here, as the 23-year-old defenseman has turned into one of the most dynamic two-way players in the entire league. A third-round pick by the Calgary Flames, Fox was originally traded to the Carolina Hurricanes and then to the Rangers when there were doubts he would sign out of college. New York is thanking their lucky stars for that decision after letting him loose and watching Fox score 47 points in 55 games while logging nearly 25 minutes a night. Perhaps the most impressive part is the improvement defensively he showed this season, routinely breaking up a cycle and quickly getting the puck out of his zone. Fox now has 89 points in 125 NHL games and seems like he’ll be at the top of the Rangers depth chart for a decade.
You can’t talk about young defensive phenoms without mentioning Makar though, who has been even better through his first two seasons. The 22-year-old has 94 points in 101 games and is coming off a Calder Trophy campaign. Though his point total was slightly lower than Fox, that was only really because Makar missed time with an injury. His 44 points in 44 games made him the only qualified defenseman with a point-per-game ratio this season (apologies, Brogan Rafferty). From the moment Makar stepped on the ice for the Colorado Avalanche in the 2019 playoffs he has been a difference-maker—he even scored the game-winning goal in that first match—and a Norris is bound to come before long.
It might not come this season though, as there is an old hand standing in the way of the two young guns. Hedman has been a finalist for five straight years now, winning the award in 2018 as the league’s best. He took home the Conn Smythe last year when the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup and is generally regarded as the best defenseman in the league. Sure, that may be changing with these young players improving every day and Hedman’s defensive game showing a little inconsistency, but the 30-year-old is still a force every time he touches the ice. In a season where he also dealt with injuries, Hedman totaled 45 points in 54 games and averaged the seventh-most ice time in the league at 25:03.
Jake Evans Out Indefinitely With Concussion
June 9: Ducharme announced today that Evans has resumed off-ice training, though there is still no timeline for his return to the Montreal lineup.
June 3: After being stretchered off the ice last night following a hit from Mark Scheifele, Jake Evans will be out indefinitely with a concussion. The Montreal Canadiens forward was knocked out as he scored the game-clinching empty-net goal, and laid on the ice as a scrum ensued around him. Scheifele has a hearing today with the Department of Player Safety, while Evans is now out dealing with a head injury.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Evans has laid on the ice unconscious. In 2018 at the Canadiens prospect tournament, Evans was upended by Ottawa Senators defenseman Jonathan Aspirot and as he fell, hit his head hard on the ice. He was stretchered off in that incident as well, going to the hospital before being placed in the concussion protocol.
Speaking with the media today, head coach Dominique Ducharme explained that Evans is doing better and did not need to go to the hospital last night following an evaluation from team doctors. He did suffer a concussion though and will be out indefinitely.
Poll: How Should The Seattle Kraken Approach The No. 2 Overall Pick?
The Seattle Kraken will be much more than just an idea with one undrafted junior player on their roster by the time the 2021 NHL Entry Draft rolls around. The club will have added at least 30 players to their arsenal by way of the Expansion Draft several days earlier. Seattle is not expected to have the same advantage in making side deals like the Vegas Golden Knights did in 2017, as the other 30 teams have learned their lesson. However, one major advantage they will have compared to Vegas is in the Entry Draft. Picking No. 2 overall after moving up in the draft lottery, the Kraken will pick four spots higher than the Knights, who slid to No. 6 overall in their lottery. While Vegas’ first ever draft pick, Cody Glass, is still fighting for regular play time on the NHL roster four years later, Seattle has a chance to add a player who can contribute right away in their inaugural season – one way or another.
The results of the Expansion Draft are unlikely to change the Kraken’s draft plans. They will have several days between the submission of Expansion Draft protection lists and the draft itself and to map out their plan of attack and to talk trade with the rest of the league. Sure, they could find that there are some unexpected trade options that could allow them to add other picks and prospects ahead of the draft, but unlikely anything that will change their opinion on how best to use the No. 2 pick. Only the Buffalo Sabres at first overall could potentially throw Seattle a curveball. Otherwise, their plan should be set well ahead of July 23.
So what should Seattle do with the second overall pick? It is a critical pick that will undoubtedly impact the new franchise for years to come. What is the best approach?
Take The Best Available Player – Pretty straightforward, right? The Kraken should take the best player remaining on their board after Buffalo makes their selection. Regardless of the positional value or any perceived positional needs following the Expansion Draft, Seattle should simply take the prospect that they feel has the highest ceiling and most realistic pro ambitions. While there is no consensus top prospect in this draft, many feel that University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power is that top prospect. If the Kraken agree and Buffalo goes elsewhere at No. 1, they pull the trigger.
Take The Best Available Center – Center is the position that many point to as the most important in the NHL and feel that a true No. 1 center is the hardest player to find. At No. 2 overall and Power potentially going first to Buffalo, Seattle could conceivably have their pick of every forward in the draft class to find that future top center. That could very well be Power’s Wolverines teammate Matthew Beniers. Even if Beniers or another center isn’t the best player on their board, Seattle shouldn’t pass up on the opportunity to add an elite prospect down the middle.
Take The Best Available Defenseman – Some live by the team-building mantra of building from the net out. While goalie Jesper Wallstedt is an elite prospect, he isn’t going No. 2 overall. However, the Kraken could instead choose to bolster their blue line with an elite prospect. Even if Power is off the board and there are forwards ranked higher on their draft board, Seattle needs to target one of the small group of blue chip defenders in the draft class, such as Brandt Clarke or Luke Hughes.
Trade Back And Add Picks – Starting a pipeline from scratch is about quantity over quality, right? The No. 2 overall pick is nice, but if Seattle isn’t able to acquire any other top picks in Expansion Draft deals, they would be better off trading back and adding picks. The New Jersey Devils at No. 4 and Columbus Blue Jackets at No. 5, both with extra first-rounders, seem like enticing trade partners. All three of Clarke, Hughes, or Wallstedt could still be available at either of those picks.
Trade For Established Star – Seattle doesn’t want a slow build-up. They want to compete right away like Vegas, but they won’t be able to so easily dupe the rest of the league in the Expansion Draft. Perhaps they should use the No. 2 overall pick as part of a deal to pry a star from a rebuilding team. Jack Eichel? Dylan Larkin? Logan Couture? Patrik Laine or Seth Jones?
What do you think? Which direction should GM Ron Francis and company go with the franchise’s first pick and the second pick of the 2021 NHL Draft?
How Should The Seattle Kraken Approach The No. 2 Overall Pick?
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Take Best Available Player 52% (898)
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Trade For Star 20% (337)
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Trade Back 18% (304)
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Take Best Available Center 7% (125)
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Take Best Available Defenseman 3% (58)
Total votes: 1,722
Minor Transactions: 06/08/21
Is this the calm before the storm? It’s been eerily quiet of late in terms of off-season moves, but with the entry draft order all but set following the lottery and soon just four teams left alive in the playoffs, not to mention the NHL Expansion Draft just six weeks away, the trade market seems primed to explode. While we wait, here are some of the notable minor moves being made:
- Veteran net minder Viktor Fasth has announced his retirement. The 38-year-old Swede has been playing at home in the SHL for the past four years and was in the KHL before that ever since departing the NHL in 2015. The former Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers goalie burned bright, but burned up fast in North America. He was a breakout star in 2012-13 and continued his strong play into the next season despite a mid-year trade. Yet, his play fell off immensely in his first (and only) full season with Edmonton in 2014-15 and he left the league for good. Burnout hasn’t been a problem for Fasth since then. Even at his advanced age, he has continued to put up elite numbers in Europe, including a .934 save percentage and 1.79 GAA for the Vaxjo Lakers this season in 31 games, arguably the best season of his career. Fasth has decided to go out on top rather than try his luck heading into his forties next year.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins are happy with the play of first year pro Felix Robert in the minors this season and have signed him to a one-year AHL contract extension. Robert, a QMJHL scoring phenom in 2019-20, adjusted well to the pro level despite his small stature. He recorded 13 points in 27 games with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and added six points in ten ECHL games as well.
- Former Arizona Coyotes prospect Erik Walli Waterholm will be staying in Sweden a while longer. Walli Waterholm opted not to sign with the ‘Yotes earlier this month, letting his NHL Draft rights expire. The forward has not developed as expected since he was selected in 2017, but this was his best pro season in 2020-21 as he recorded 14 points in 44 games. Timra IK certainly believes he has room to improve as well, announcing that they have signed Walli Waterholm to a two-year extension. If he continues to grow, the 22-year-old could still one day be on an NHL radar.
- With his third and final go-round in the NHL Draft around the corner, goaltender Samuel Hlavaj has taken the next step in his career and is hoping that maybe it will change his draft fortunes. Hlavaj is taking his talents to Slovakia, but isn’t just joining any team. Instead, he has signed with the league’s top club, HC Slovan Bratislava, where he will learn behind former NHL keeper Kristers Gudlevskis. The No. 5-ranked goalie in Europe according to NHL Central Scouting in his first draft year in 2019, Hlavaj was widely expected to be drafted, but wasn’t. He was however taken in the first round of the CHL Import Draft by the Sherbrooke Phoenix and was stellar in his first season with the club last year. Again, he was passed over in the draft. The third time is usually not the charm for most draft prospects, but perhaps Hlavaj’s status on a top European team behind a former NHL commodity will change some minds. A goalie with size and the stats to back him up, Hlavaj is just looking for a chance to show he has pro potential.
Felix Sandstrom Signs In Finland, NHL
June 8: Not only will the Flyers retain Sandstrom’s rights, the team has actually re-signed him to a one-year, two-way contract. Interestingly enough, Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic tweets that the goaltender will be staying with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms next season, not heading overseas. Either way, this $750K deal keeps him linked to the Philadelphia organization and, importantly, continues to fill the Flyers exposure requirements for the upcoming expansion draft.
June 7: The Philadelphia Flyers will have to add a few more names to the goaltending depth chart this summer with Brian Elliott and Alex Lyon both scheduled for unrestricted free agency. Felix Sandstrom, who could have potentially been a candidate to move up in some capacity, won’t be an option after signing a one-year contract with TPS in Finland. Sandstrom is a pending RFA, meaning the Flyers can retain his rights by extending a qualifying offer.
The 24-year-old netminder was selected 70th overall by the Flyers in 2015 and despite strong numbers overseas, has never really found his game on North American ice. In 11 appearances for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season he posted a 5-3-4 record, .903 save percentage, and 3.19 goals-against average. In 2019-20 he spent almost the entire season in the ECHL, registering even more pedestrian numbers.
Philadelphia did recently sign 21-year-old Samuel Ersson to his entry-level contract, but otherwise have only Kirill Ustimenko—who spent the entire season on the shelf following hip surgery—signed for next season. Carter Hart, the team’s presumed 2021-22 starter, is also set to become a restricted free agent and will need a new deal.