Metropolitan Notes: Capitals Defensemen, Martin, Ciernik
The Capitals lost another defenseman yesterday when Trevor van Riemsdyk sustained an upper-body injury. Head coach Spencer Carbery told reporters including Sammi Silber of The Hockey News that the veteran won’t be available for a must-win Game Four with Washington now on the brink of elimination. While Vincent Iorio skated today, he was in a non-contact jersey and won’t be available tomorrow either. However, Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen both took part in practice and haven’t been ruled out yet for Sunday’s contest. If one of them can’t play, Hardy Haman Aktell will make his NHL playoff debut. Carbery indicated that, for now, the team isn’t planning to recall Chase Priskie, the only defenseman left on an NHL contract, from AHL Hershey.
More from the Metropolitan:
- The Islanders will be making a lineup change today up front as they look to stay alive versus Carolina. The team announced (Twitter link) that winger Matt Martin is unavailable due to a lower-body injury so winger Ruslan Iskhakov will make his NHL playoff debut. Martin has been a long-time mainstay on New York’s fourth line but saw his production wane this season as he was limited to just eight points in 57 games. Iskhakov, meanwhile, was a quality producer in the minors for the second straight year, notching 50 points in 69 games while recording an assist in his NHL debut earlier this month. While the team will be missing some physicality with Martin out, Iskhakov might give them a better shot at scoring, an area of concern as they’re averaging just two goals per game through the first three games of the series.
- Flyers prospect Alex Ciernik has inked a one-year deal with Nybro of Sweden’s Allsvenskan, per a team release. The 19-year-old was a fourth-round pick by Philadelphia last June, going 120th overall. Ciernik had a decent showing this season in his first full professional campaign, notching 14 points in 26 games with Vasterviks along with three assists in six contests in a relegation series. The Flyers hold Ciernik’s rights through June 1st, 2027 so they have plenty of time still before they need to sign him.
Jets Recall Axel Jonsson-Fjallby
Following a third-period collapse in Friday’s loss to Colorado which saw the Jets allow five unanswered goals, they’ve opted to make a roster move. The team announced today (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled winger Axel Jonsson-Fjallby from AHL Manitoba.
The 26-year-old split the regular season between the Jets and Moose. Jonsson-Fjallby started the season in the minors after clearing waivers in training camp but after coming up on emergency recall in mid-November, he wound up sticking around for nearly three months. He played in 26 games along the way, picking up two goals and three assists plus 30 hits while averaging a little over eight minutes a night.
While he wasn’t much of an offensive threat in Winnipeg, Jonsson-Fjallby was one at the AHL level, tallying a dozen goals and 18 assists in 41 regular season contests. He also played in both playoff contests but Manitoba was eliminated by Texas in the opening round. Accordingly, Jonsson-Fjallby might not be the only player coming up to the big club in the coming days as the Jets will likely put together a ‘Black Aces’ squad to keep skating through the playoffs.
Examining The 2024 International Free Agent Market
With the college free agent market pretty much wrapped up, it’s time to take a look at the international market. Unlike college free agency, most of these players are older and have multiple professional campaigns overseas under their belts, allowing for the possibility that they’ll be able to have a bigger impact with their new teams next season. Several players have already found an NHL organization to join; here’s a rundown of some of the remaining names of note that could garner NHL interest in the days and weeks ahead.
Chivilyov joined powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL midseason so his minutes were limited after that and his offensive numbers were relatively low as a result. However, he’s a year removed from a 28-point campaign and brings a strong defensive game to the table. His ceiling is probably a little lower than some others on this list but the 24-year-old profiles as a depth center which could be appealing to teams looking to add options down the middle.
Smaller goaltenders tend to get looked over and at 6’0, that’s a concern for the 27-year-old. However, he was one of the top goalies in Finland this season and statistically, was the top netminder in the playoffs in the Liiga. Considering there are some teams who will be looking for cheap goaltender depth, this is the type of player that’s worth a one-year flyer. He’ll be capped at a one-year contract as he remains eligible for an entry-level deal.
If the name sounds familiar, Larsson was a Detroit prospect until 2022 when he was non-tendered. He spent most of his entry-level deal on loans overseas and simply didn’t play well. However, the 25-year-old moved up to the SHL level this season and posted a 1.93 GAA and a .920 SV% in 28 games, good for a tie for second league-wide in save percentage. Larsson has another year on his deal so it’s possible he stays in Sweden but if an NHL team comes calling, he could opt to give playing in North America a second look.
File this one under the late-bloomer category. Leppanen played in Finland’s second-tier Mestis level until this season, when he made the jump to Liiga with Sport after lighting it up the year before. The 25-year-old was pretty productive in his first taste at the top level, finishing 11th in league scoring by defensemen with a dozen goals and 16 assists in 55 games, earning him some EHT appearances for the first time. That should get him on the NHL radar this time around.
The 21-year-old was tied for 11th in Liiga scoring this season with 12 goals and 37 assists and tied for the lead in playoff points with two goals and 12 helpers in just 13 games. That type of production stands out. However, so too does a 5’7 frame which is what likely had him go undrafted. Will that continue to scare teams away or will a team take a chance on his playmaking abilities?
Another strong playmaker, Najman was tied for 11th in Extraliga scoring this season with a dozen goals and 33 assists in 49 games, a small improvement on the 38 points he put up a year ago. The 23-year-old isn’t the biggest (6’0) but plays bigger than his size and is willing to get to the dirty areas which should appeal to scouts. There’s a question as to if his playmaking is NHL-caliber or more AHL-caliber but either way, he should be worthy of a look. However, he recently signed in Finland so that look could wind up waiting until next year.
Until this season, Rychlovsky had been more of a depth scorer but the 22-year-old broke out this year, notching 26 goals and 20 assists in 51 games in the Extraliga. For context, he had 34 points in 138 games over parts of five seasons heading into this one. A strong shooter, there should be teams willing to take a flyer on him and get Rychlovsky into their farm system to see if the improvement was a one-off or a sign of things to come. He’s not a true free agent – he’s signed overseas through 2025-26 – but the transfer agreement will allow an NHL team to sign him now.
The former Florida prospect hadn’t been much of an impactful offensive player in his first few years in the DEL; his career-high in goals was 11 coming into this season. However, a move to Kolner Haie jumpstarted that offensive game as he collected 27 goals and 16 assists in 52 games. Schutz turns 24 in June but with the Panthers previously feeling he was worth being drafted, the offensive breakout alone might help him get a second opportunity.
Last season, Sylvegard had a breakout year and this season, he showed that it wasn’t a fluke. The 24-year-old winger recorded 41 points for the second straight time while surpassing the 20-goal mark for the first time. That said, he’s likely to be more of an energy player in North America but has enough of a scoring touch that makes him one of the better players on this list. Florida, Colorado, and Calgary were among the teams known to be interested in signing him as of last month.
We end with the most notable name in this year’s class. The 25-year-old had a breakout campaign with KHL Spartak, notching 31 goals in 65 games this season. He also plays a physical style, one that should lend itself well to the smaller North American ice surfaces. It’s unlikely that he will have the same time of impact Andrei Kuzmenko did when he signed with Vancouver but with a high number of teams interested in signing him, Tsyplakov should be in an NHL lineup when the puck drops on the 2024-25 campaign in the fall.
Central Notes: Yurov, Stastney, Hayes
Wild prospect Danila Yurov won’t be making the jump to North America next season after all, at least at the start. Championnat’s Pavel Novikov reports that the 20-year-old has inked a one-year extension with Magnitogorsk Metallurg of the KHL, keeping him signed through next season. Yurov was the 24th overall selection back in 2022 and had a particularly impressive showing this year, notching 21 goals and 28 assists in 62 games, good for the team lead in scoring while finishing 17th in points league-wide. Countryman Marat Khusnutdinov went to the NHL after his KHL campaign ended back in February and since Minnesota hasn’t signed Yurov to an entry-level deal yet, it’s possible that he follows that path next season.
More from the Central:
- The Predators lost Friday’s third game against Vancouver and also lost a blueliner in the process with the team announcing (Twitter link) that Spencer Stastney suffered an upper-body injury. The injury occurred early in the first period on a hit from Dakota Joshua; a major penalty for boarding was initially assessed before being dropped to a minor. Postgame, head coach Andrew Brunette didn’t have an update on Stastney’s condition. The 24-year-old only played in 20 games during the regular season but has suited up in all three postseason games so far.
- The Blackhawks have re-assigned prospect Gavin Hayes to the minors, per an announcement from their AHL affiliate in Rockford. The winger was a third-round pick in 2022 (66th overall) and split the season between OHL Flint and Soo, combining for 37 goals and 39 assists in 55 games along with 16 points in 11 postseason contests for the Greyhounds. Hayes has already signed his entry-level deal and will now get a taste of professional hockey before playing there full-time next season.
Injury Updates: Demko, van Riemsdyk, Girard
To say there has been a lot of speculation about Thatcher Demko’s injury would be a considerable understatement. After playing the series opener against Nashville, Demko was ruled as out day-to-day and then week-to-week soon after, fueling plenty of theories about the nature of the injury. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the best way to qualify this injury is that it’s a unique one. The Canucks are hopeful that it’s not as bad as they initially feared and it might not be something that surgery can ultimately fix. Accordingly, they don’t have an idea of the true timeframe for a return other than he’s not going to be back within the next week or two.
Other injury news from around the postseason:
- It has been a rough playoff on the injury front for Washington’s back end. Already missing Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen to injury, Ethan Bear (Player Assistance Program), and injury recall Vincent Iorio, the team announced (Twitter link) that rearguard Trevor van Riemsdyk sustained an upper-body injury in the first period and did not return. He was injured on a hit from Matt Rempe who received a minor penalty for interference on the play. Now down 3-0 in the series, the Capitals will have to turn to Hardy Haman Aktell if none of Sandin, Jensen, Iorio, or van Riemsdyk can return for Sunday’s fourth game.
- The Avalanche welcomed back defenseman Samuel Girard tonight against Winnipeg as NHL.com’s Tracey Myers relayed (Twitter link). The 25-year-old suffered a concussion late in the regular season against the Jets and hadn’t played since then. Girard had a bit of a down year for Colorado as he was limited to 18 points in 59 games, the lowest output of his career while his ATOI dipped to 19:23, the lowest since his rookie season. Still, as a top-four blueliner, his return was certainly a welcome one.
Atlantic Notes: Sabres, True, Forbort, Brazeau
The Sabres dealt from their center depth at the trade deadline, moving Casey Mittelstadt to Colorado for Bowen Byram. Now it appears that they’ll be on the hunt for more help down the middle as David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period relays that Buffalo will be looking for a reliable two-way third-line center next season. Internally, they were hoping that Peyton Krebs would have some success in that role but he struggled this season, notching just 17 points in 80 games. Zemgus Girgensons has played down the middle regularly in the past but is a pending UFA and better suited for a spot on the fourth line so it makes sense that GM Kevyn Adams will be looking outside the organization to try to fill that spot.
More from the Atlantic:
- Panthers minor leaguer Alexander True is expected to sign with Modo of the SHL next season, report SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson and Adam Johansson. The 26-year-old was once viewed as a possible part of San Jose’s plans but moved on after four years with the organization and hasn’t seen NHL action since 2021-22. True, who has five assists in 27 career NHL appearances, has spent the full season with AHL Charlotte, notching 19 points in 55 regular season games. A pending restricted free agent, it looks like he has decided to try his hand elsewhere instead of sticking around for another year in the minors.
- Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort and winger Justin Brazeau both skated with the team today as they work their way back from their respective injuries but aren’t expected to play on Saturday, notes Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald. Forbort is believed to be a little ahead of Brazeau in terms of their potential game readiness so it’s possible that Boston could have another option available to them on their back end at some point this round. Forbort was limited to just 35 games this season where he had four assists while Brazeau picked up five goals and two helpers in just 19 appearances after having his contract converted to an NHL deal back in February.
Kraken Re-Assign Eduard Sale To AHL
In recent days, Seattle has been signing some of their junior prospects and then assigning them to the AHL to keep their seasons going. When it comes to Eduard Sale, he was already under contract but he will also continue his 2023-24 campaign as the Kraken have re-assigned him to AHL Coachella Valley, per the AHL’s transactions log.
The 19-year-old was a first-round pick by the Kraken last year, going 20th overall. He was rated considerably higher than that heading into the season but a quiet season with HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga hurt his stock despite good showings playing against his own age group in the World Juniors and World Under-18s.
This season, Sale decided to try his hand in North America, coming to the OHL where Barrie held his rights. He was a bit quieter than expected offensively, collecting 20 points in 25 games with them before being moved to Kitchener at the trade deadline where his output dipped a bit more to 18 points in 24 contests. In between, he did well again at the World Juniors, averaging a point per game. Sale finished up his junior campaign on a high note, notching 12 points in 10 games before Kitchener was swept in the second round.
Now, Sale will join the Firebirds for his first taste of North American professional hockey. Having been drafted out of his native Czechia, he’s not subject to the usual NHL/CHL transfer restrictions. Accordingly, Sale will be eligible to play in the minors full-time next season if Seattle decides they want to test him at a higher level so a good showing in the coming weeks could certainly make a difference in their plans for him.
Stars Recall Mavrik Bourque
The Stars recalled forward Mavrik Bourque from AHL Texas, per a team announcement. After being named the AHL’s MVP for 2023-24 yesterday, he’s now eligible to dress in tomorrow’s Game 3 of their first-round series against the Golden Knights.
Bourque, 22, made his lone regular-season appearance on April 6 against the Blackhawks. The 5’10” pivot is in his second professional season after turning pro out of the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes, whom he captained in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Dallas acquired his signing rights by making him the 30th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, signing him to his entry-level contract the following March.
The right-shot center has quickly cemented himself as one of the best in a deep Stars prospect pool. He played all but one of Texas’ 72 regular-season games, leading the AHL in points with 77 (29 goals, 51 assists). He has two goals and two assists in two games thus far in the Calder Cup Playoffs as Texas swept its best-of-three First Round series against Manitoba. As they don’t begin their Central Division Semifinal clash against Milwaukee until next Thursday, recalling Bourque doesn’t harm the Stars’ minor-league club.
Bourque, along with Ty Dellandrea and Craig Smith (both healthy scratches in Games 1 and 2), could enter the series if Radek Faksa and/or Mason Marchment are unable to play as action shifts to Las Vegas. Both are day-to-day due to undisclosed injuries sustained in Game 2 on Wednesday. The Western Conference regular-season winners dropped both games at home and are down 2-0 against the defending Stanley Cup champs.
Bourque has one season left on his ELC and will challenge for a roster spot out of camp next fall. He won’t require waivers for reassignment until he plays two more professional seasons or 159 NHL games, whichever comes first.
Snapshots: Draft Lottery, Petry, Blues
The NHL announced today the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery will be held on Tuesday, May 7, to determine the order of selection for the first 16 picks of the first round. It’s widely regarded as a deep class at the top with not much separation throughout the top 10 prospects, but there is a clear-cut choice at first overall.
That’s Boston University center Macklin Celebrini, who’s coming off one of the most memorable freshman seasons in NCAA history. He did everything short of winning the national championship, winning the Hobey Baker Award for the top collegiate player after leading the Terriers in scoring with 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games. He’s also the youngest player in NCAA history, playing his entire freshman year at age 17. He doesn’t turn 18 until June 13.
The Sharks have the best odds to land him after finishing last in the league with 47 points. They have an 18.5% chance of winning the first lottery draw and a 25.5% chance of exiting the night with the first-overall pick. A rule change that took effect in 2022 ensures only the top 11 teams in the standard draft order have a shot at moving up to first overall, as each team in the drawing can only move up a maximum of 10 spots. The other 10 clubs with a shot at landing Celebrini are the Blackhawks (13.5%), Ducks (11.5%), Blue Jackets (9.5%), Canadiens (8.5%), the yet-to-be-named Utah franchise (7.5%), Senators (6.5%), Kraken (6%), Flames (5%), Devils (3.5%) and Sabres (3%).
Other tidbits from around the league:
- Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry has been added to USA Hockey’s roster for the 2024 IIHF World Championship, reports NHL Network’s Jon Morosi. The initial roster of 15 skaters, announced earlier this week, includes Red Wings teammates Dylan Larkin at center and Alex Lyon in goal. Petry, a right-shot, projects to serve third-pairing duties for now behind Seth Jones and Zach Werenski. He’s a candidate to be moved down the depth chart as the tournament progresses as players on teams eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs join their national teams partway through. The 36-year-old had a rough first season with his hometown team, posting three goals, 24 points and a -7 rating in 73 contests while averaging 18:47 per game. It was his worst offensive output since the 2015-16 season. He’s suited up for the U.S. at three prior World Championships, all as a member of the Oilers organization in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
- The Blues are one of many teams looking to fill a head coaching vacancy after rolling with an interim down the stretch or making a change over the offseason. Drew Bannister is still a strong candidate to land the job after leading the club to a much-improved 30-19-5 record after taking over for Craig Berube in December, but the organization is still conducting an external search before removing his interim tag. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Matthew DeFranks examined who those external options could be in an article Friday (subscription required), namely University of Denver head coach David Carle, fresh off his second national title in three years. The 34-year-old will likely receive calls from all teams still with a hole, including the Senators and Sharks, so the Blues won’t be alone in their potential pursuit. Carle also added to his trophy case this season by leading the U.S. contingent to a gold medal at the 2024 World Juniors. A trio of coaches fired mid-season also made DeFranks’ list, including ex-Oilers bench boss Jay Woodcroft and former Kings coach Todd McLellan. Former Wild coach Dean Evason could also be an option, although he’s already been linked to Ottawa’s coaching vacancy.
Hurricanes Recall Ryan Suzuki
The Hurricanes recalled center Ryan Suzuki from AHL Springfield on Friday, per a team release. He joins defenseman Ronan Seeley, who was recalled from the minors yesterday, as a player on Carolina’s expanded playoff roster without any NHL experience.
Suzuki, 22, managed to tread water in his development this season while other Hurricanes prospects struggled without a stable minor-league affiliate. Carolina loaned the 2019 first-round pick out to Springfield, the Blues’ top-level affiliate, for the entire season after they couldn’t reach a deal to extend their affiliation agreement with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. He made a career-high 51 appearances, managing 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points with a -9 rating.
He hasn’t yet managed to be a true impact player at the minor-league level, though, and he’s still searching for his first regular-season NHL recall. The younger brother of Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki was drafted as an expert playmaker out of the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts, and he made the jump to the pro ranks with AHL Chicago a year early when the OHL canceled the 2020-21 season entirely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s managed 39 goals, 47 assists and 86 points in 153 AHL games since turning pro.
They aren’t bad numbers, but they’re still disappointing for a first-round pick and not strong enough to force Carolina to disrupt one of the deepest offenses in the league. Since Carolina has options with more NHL experience (Max Comtois, Brendan Lemieux) and higher ceilings (Jackson Blake, Bradly Nadeau) ready to go if injuries strike, the chances of Suzuki making his NHL debut this postseason are slim to none.
The London, Ontario, native is in the final season of his entry-level contract. The Hurricanes owe him a $874,125 qualifying offer to retain his rights as a restricted free agent this summer. He’s not yet eligible for salary arbitration, although he would be in 2025 if he signed a one-year deal.