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Kings Sign Carter George To Entry-Level Contract

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The Kings have officially signed Carter George, announcing in a press release that the 18-year-old netminder has inked a three-year, entry-level contract with a cap hit of $875K.

The 57th overall pick of last month’s draft, George took the Ontario Hockey League by storm last season, taking home All-Rookie Team honors and winning the Bobby Smith Trophy for Scholastic Player of the Year. Suiting up as the starter for the Owen Sound Attack, George excelled in heavy workload, posting a .907 SV%, 3.30 GAA, four shutouts and a 23-21-6 record. His 56 appearances ranked third in the league and led all first-time draft-eligible OHL goalies.

George was the second-ranked North American goalie in the 2024 class by NHL Central Scouting, trailing Mikhail Yegorov of the United States Hockey League’s Omaha Lancers. Yegorov went to the Devils nine picks before George came off the board. Neither was the top goalie selected, though. That was overage Russia Ilya Nabokov, who went to the Avalanche at 38th overall after he guided the Kontinental Hockey League’s Metallurg Magnitogorsk to a league championship and won KHL Rookie of the Year honors.

George, a native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, is still a few years away from being NHL-ready. He’ll likely return to Owen Sound on loan from the Kings next season, sliding the beginning of his ELC to 2025-26. Since he’s signing his rookie deal at age 18, the Kings can do this for two years in a row, meaning his deal could take effect as late as 2026-27 and expire as late as 2028-29.

For now, though, George is just the fourth goalie under contract for the Kings next season, joining veterans Pheonix Copley, Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich. The Kings still need to figure out their netminding situation for AHL Ontario, which will be resolved when they come to terms with RFA Erik Portillo. At 18, George must be returned to his junior team and can’t suit up in the AHL on a full-time basis this season.

International Notes: Butcher, Currie, Trivigno, Bednard

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After spending the last two years buried in the minors, a veteran NHL free agent is heading overseas for the first time in his career. Defenseman Will Butcher, who made the NHL All-Rookie Team and finished ninth in Calder Trophy voting in 2017-18, has signed a one-year contract with Kazakhstan’s Barys Astana of the KHL, per a team announcement.

Butcher began 2023-24 on a two-way contract with the Penguins, posting seven points in 14 games for AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before being traded to the Wild in January. He didn’t receive a call-up to Minnesota after the move, instead finishing the season with nine points in 24 games on the farm with AHL Iowa. The 29-year-old reached the UFA market on July 1.

The 2013 fifth-round pick of the Avalanche last suited up in the NHL for the Sabres in 2021-22, where he posted eight points and a -10 rating in 37 games in a bottom-pairing role. Despite attending the University of Denver, Butcher opted not to sign in Colorado after graduating in 2017 and instead landed with the Devils as a free agent.

Viewed as one of the top college FAs in quite some time after captaining the Pioneers to a national championship, Butcher was a power-play force in his rookie campaign in New Jersey with 44 points in 81 games, but he was never able to rediscover that kind of offense. He carried decent possession metrics at even strength even when his point totals dipped, but NHL teams quickly soured on his undersized 5’10”, 190-lb frame.

Other recent international signings of note:

  • Former Oilers forward Josh Currie, who spent last season in the AHL with the Belleville Senators on a two-way deal with Ottawa, has signed with German club Kölner Haie, per a press release from the team. It’s the Canadian’s second stint overseas after suiting up with the KHL’s Metallurg Magnitogorsk in 2021-22 and 2022-23. Currie last suited up in the NHL with the Penguins for one game in 2020-21 and had five points (two goals, three assists) in 21 games worth of call-up action with Edmonton in 2018-19. The 31-year-old has been productive in the AHL, racking up 240 points in 383 games in parts of seven seasons.
  • Left winger Bobby Trivigno has found a home overseas after being non-tendered by the Rangers last month, landing a two-year deal with Brynäs IF of the Swedish Hockey League. New York signed the 25-year-old as a free agent out of UMass in 2022, but he didn’t see an NHL call-up over the course of his entry-level contract. The diminutive but energetic winger produced 12 goals and 45 points in 117 games with AHL Hartford.
  • Former Panthers goalie prospect Ryan Bednard is heading to England with the EIHL’s Nottingham Panthers, per a team announcement. Bednard, 27, was a fifth-round pick of the Cats in 2015 and signed his entry-level deal after a successful three-year stint at Bowling Green but never got a chance in the NHL. He was non-tendered in 2021 and has bounced around on AHL and ECHL contracts since. The Michigan native spent most of last season with the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits, with a .911 SV% and a 20-12-0 record in 33 games.

Morning Notes: Cowan, Simon, Fletcher

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In an interview with NHL independent correspondent Dave McCarthy, Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan is confident he will make the opening night roster out of training camp. After an impressive season with the OHL’s London Knights, it is hard to argue against Cowan making the Maple Leafs’ lineup next season.

Cowan originally came to the Maple Leafs organization as the 28th overall selection of the 2023 NHL Draft. The young forward was coming off a season in which he scored 20 goals and 53 points in 68 games, including another 21 points in 20 playoff contests, but was not projected to be a first-round talent in many 2023 mock drafts.

Nobody is denouncing the pick by Toronto any longer, as Cowan exploded for 34 goals and 96 points in 54 games this past season while collecting 10 goals and 34 points in 18 postseason contests, along with OHL Playoff MVP honors. The quick and highly intelligent forward would be a cheap top-six option for the Maple Leafs next season, who may benefit greatly from putting him alongside Auston Matthews.

Other snapshots:

  • Former NHL depth forward Dominik Simon will stay in his native Czechia as HC Plzeň announced they will be bringing him in for next season. Simon is a veteran of 256 games at the NHL level, where he scored 22 goals and 77 points over seven years in the league. He spent most of his time with the Penguins organization and briefly played for the Flames and Ducks. Simon is coming off a season in which he scored five goals and 17 points in 39 games for Motor České Budějovice.
  • Moving back to Toronto, Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun reports Cliff Fletcher will return to the Maple Leafs organization as a senior advisor. Fletcher may have the lengthiest résumé in the NHL at this point after beginning work as a scout for the Canadiens before the start of the 1956-57 season. The veteran front office member spent a decent chunk of time as general manager for the Atlanta/Calgary Flames in the 70’s and 80’s before serving in the same role for the Maple Leafs. Additionally, Fletcher served as general manager of the Phoenix Coyotes before returning to Toronto and has been serving as a senior advisor since the 2009-10 NHL season.

Latest On Kirill Marchenko’s Contract Situation

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Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell believes that a one or two-year contract will make the most sense for restricted free agent forward Kirill Marchenko (as per Jason Newland of The Hockey News). Waddell had some comments today regarding the contract status of the 24-year-old saying that they’d do a longer-term deal if they could, but the concern is that one of the two sides could be burned by a long-term deal if Marchenko fails to produce, or if he has a breakout next season.

Waddell added that if Marchenko develops into the player that he feels he will become, then he will get paid down the road and the Blue Jackets would have no issues with handing out a lucrative contract in that case. Waddell is new to the Blue Jackets and given his comments, it appears that he would like to see Marchenko prove his worth before handing out a long-term deal.

One look at Marchenko’s numbers and it is easy to see why it would be a difficult contract to negotiate from either side. On one hand, the former second-round pick has topped 20 goals in both of his first two seasons in the NHL and boasts a large frame, solid puck skills and good skating. On the other hand, he struggles against tougher competition and has shot the lights out thus far in his career. Add to that the fact that he was a healthy scratch in March, and you have a very complicated contract negotiation.

Marchenko has spoken publicly about his frustration with the process, stating that he has yet to receive an offer that he deems worthy. He has also stated that he isn’t keen on going to arbitration with the Blue Jackets, something that is slated to happen one week from today in Toronto.

Islanders Sign Dennis Cholowski To Two-Year Deal

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The New York Islanders have re-signed restricted free-agent defenseman Dennis Cholowski to a one-year, two-way contract extension that guarantees the 26-year-old $300K next season (as per PuckPedia). The former first-round pick (20th overall) in 2016 will receive a $775K salary at the NHL level and a $250K salary if he plays in the AHL.

Cholowski hasn’t dressed for an NHL game since January 19th, 2023, and spent all of last season in the AHL with the Islanders affiliate in Bridgeport. He has played just two NHL games during his time with New York but played in 68 AHL games last season, posting seven goals and 24 assists.

Cholowski will enter his seventh season of professional hockey and remains a project as he has yet to establish himself as an NHL regular. He has developed into a terrific skater who can get involved in the play offensively, however, his defensive play leaves a lot to be desired and he needs to play a bigger game if he wants to become an everyday NHLer. Cholowski’s mobility remains one of his biggest assets, but he hasn’t utilized it to improve his play in his own zone.

Given his play in recent seasons, it seems likely that Cholowski will find himself in Bridgeport once again next season. He could receive a call-up to the NHL if the Islanders run into injury issues, as he is arguably the eighth defenseman on their depth chart.

San Jose Sharks Sign Henry Thrun

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The San Jose Sharks have shored up the left side of their defense as the team announced they have signed defenseman Henry Thrun to a two-year, $2MM contract. The deal will keep the young defenseman in San Jose for the next two years after the team acquired him towards the end of the 2022-23 NHL season.

General manager of the Sharks, Mike Grier, sang high praises for Thrun by saying, “Henry has been a reliable addition to our defense corps since he joined the organization. We are encouraged by his development since he came to San Jose and look forward to seeing him continue to grow his game with our club“.

San Jose acquired Thrun in February of 2023 from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a third-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft. Thrun was selected with the 101st overall pick by the Ducks organization in the 2019 NHL Draft but may have indicated he was unwilling to sign with Anaheim.

The Southborough, MA native spent three years with Harvard University in the NCAA and was named team captain ahead of the 2022-23 season. In his last two years with the Crimson, Thrun scored 14 goals and 63 points in 68 games before eventually signing his entry-level deal with the Sharks after his junior campaign.

In his first full season in San Jose, Thrun scored three goals and 11 points in 51 games while posting a -22 rating. He held an expected +/- of -16 according to HockeyReference which indicates he was disadvantaged by playing in a poor Sharks defense. The young defenseman finished tied for eighth on the team in blocked shots in limited action with 71.

Now that San Jose has decided to keep defenseman Mario Ferraro after some trade chatter and has added to the left side of their defense with the offseason acquisition of Jake Walman, Thrun should slot in on the team’s bottom pairing. Being one of the better puck movers on the team’s blue line, Thrun should also slot in one of the team’s two powerplay units.

Sabres Sign Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen To Five-Year Contract

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The Buffalo Sabres have solidified their goaltending situation for the next half decade as the team announced they signed Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a five-year, $23.75MM contract. The deal will pay Luukkonen an AAV of $4.75MM each year of the contract and keep the young netminder in Buffalo until the 2028-29 NHL season.

The deal comes just under the current contract of Vancouver Canucks’ netminder Thatcher Demko who secured a five-year, $25MM contract back in 2021. Luukkonen is arguably coming off a better season than when Demko signed his extension in 2021 which may indicate this deal is somewhat of a bargain for the Sabres.

If any positives came from Buffalo during the 2023-24 season, they largely centered around Luukkonen. The start of the year was disappointing as he produced a 6-8-2 record in his first 17 games with a .893 save percentage. At the turn of the calendar, however, Luukkonen went on an impressive stretch to end the season.

Since his first game at the start of the calendar year, Luukkonen concluded the season with a 20-14-2 record in 36 games while maintaining a .919 SV%. Luukkonen finished the season with a 27-22-4 record in 51 starts while earning a .910 SV% and 2.57 goals against average.

Aside from becoming the undisputed starter for the Sabres, the young Finnish netminder recorded five shutouts, 10.1 goals saved above average, and 2.65 adjusted goals against average according to HockeyReference. All of these served as career highs for Luukkonen after coming off a disappointing season the year prior.

This will be the major question surrounding this contract in Buffalo as Luukkonen has only produced one good season in the NHL. This is not to take away from his dominance last year but he has failed to produce back-to-back quality seasons in the best league in the sport.

Luckily, the Sabres do have a fallback option if this contract doesn’t pan out as expected with Devon Levi ready for full-time NHL responsibilities. The young netminder split time between Buffalo and the team’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans and he produced a 16-6-4 record in the AHL with a .927 SV% and 2.42 GAA.

General manager of the Sabres, Kevyn Adams, acknowledged this in the announcement when he said, “We really like the position we’re in with having UPL and Devon Levi as still young, developing goaltenders, guys we think are going to continue to grow and get better, that are extremely talented, hard-working, and character people“.

West Notes: Rockford, Pryor, Connelly

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The Rockford IceHogs made a handful of signings today as the team announced four separate one-year AHL contracts for Kevin Lombardi, Lucas Brenton, Colin Felix, and Adam McCormick. None of the four are a needle mover at the AHL level but it does improve the team’s overall depth — especially on the blue line.

As the only forward of the group, Lombardi recently ended his five-year NCAA career at Sacred Heart University. Lombardi showed some offensive growth during his last two years at school as he scored 23 goals and 26 assists in 72 games. He has good size for a forward and almost became a member of the IceHogs last season before deciding to return to school for his last season of eligibility.

Felix and Brenton are both physical defensemen who have had success in recent years. The former put up four goals and 32 points in 140 games at the University of Massachusetts from 2018-2022 while helping the program win its first National Championship in 2021. Brenton, on the other hand, spent the last four years with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors and earned a berth in the 2024 Memorial Cup tournament after sweeping Portland in the WHL Championship series.

If any defensemen of the trio projects to make an impact on the score sheet it would be McCormick. He recently wrapped up a three-year run at the University of New Brunswick in the USports league in Canada. In his junior campaign, McCormick scored eight goals and 41 points in 28 games which was good for fourth on the team in scoring.

Other West notes:

  • The Colorado Avalanche are reportedly set to hire a new man to lead their Amateur Scouting Department as Penguins beat writer Josh Yohe reports Nick Pryor will be leaving the Penguins organization to take on a new role in Denver. It will be a major change for Pryor as the new vice president of player personnel in Pittsburgh, Wes Clark, looks to reshape the Penguins scouting departments. Pryor previously served as an amateur scout for the Philadelphia Flyers from 2013-2021 before spending the last three years as director of amateur scouting for the Penguins.
  • According to Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal, there are no long-term concerns for the recent 19th overall pick of the Vegas Golden Knights, Trevor Connelly. The young forward prospect will not participate in the World Junior Summer Showcase and was limited to one scrimmage the the Golden Knights’ development camp due to a knee injury. Connelly is committed to Providence College for the 2024-25 NCAA season and is still expected to start the season on time.

NBA Owner Mat Ishbia Expresses Interest In Bringing NHL Back To Phoenix

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With former Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo out of the picture, most have turned their focus to NBA Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia as the likeliest option to bring an NHL franchise back to the Phoenix area. Speaking with Sportico’s Barry M. Bloom, Ishbia confirmed acquiring an expansion franchise for Phoenix is something he’s “interested in.”

Doing so would require a new home. After all, the Coyotes’ inability to land a suitable permanent arena within the Phoenix metro area was what ultimately led to their hockey operations being sold to Salt Lake City’s Smith Entertainment Group, taking on new life as the Utah Hockey Club.

Ishbia realizes this and is keen on addressing it, even selfishly for his Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, which he also owns. He told Bloom that “a new downtown Phoenix edifice is part of the long-term plan,” regardless of whether NHL expansion to Phoenix occurs or not.

Asked about what transpired with the Coyotes under the Meruelo regime, Ishbia told Bloom that he was “disappointed we don’t have a hockey team here.” “Phoenix is a four-sport town… and I hope that one day we’ll be able to get hockey back,” he added.

But the NHL returning to Phoenix after the disbanding of the Coyotes in short order was already part of the plan. The original deal struck with Meruelo upon the sale of the Yotes’ assets to Utah in April assured him an exclusive five-year window to reactivate the Coyotes and trigger an expansion draft should he get a suitable arena built to replace the 4,600-seat Mullett Arena that hosted them for the last two seasons. But Meruelo’s plan to develop a lot in north Phoenix fell through after a city auction to purchase the land was canceled due to Meruelo’s group failing to obtain the proper zoning permits beforehand.

Ishbia “wouldn’t say if he’s already talking to the NHL, and the league didn’t respond when asked to comment,” Bloom wrote. But if discussions advance in the next few years alongside plans for a new arena, it wouldn’t surprise many to see the Phoenix market re-added to the league within the next ten years. The league retained the branding rights to the Coyotes when Meruelo conceded his rights to the franchise earlier this month, which could be sold to Ishbia as part of an expansion deal.

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