Morning Notes: Buffalo, Prospects, Offside
After another disappointing loss at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets last night, the Buffalo Sabres were back on the ice today trying to right the ship. Unfortunately, things didn’t go so smoothly. According to Amy Moritz of the Buffalo News, Zach Bogosian was helped off the ice unable to put weight on his left leg.
Not only that, but tempers appear to be flaring as according to Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat, Evander Kane and Justin Falk got into a shoving match with the latter calling the former “selfish.” Things haven’t gone according to plan for the Sabres this year, who are now in the midst of a five-game losing streak and just three points ahead of the Arizona Coyotes for last place in the NHL.
- ISS Hockey and Jeff Marek of Sportsnet each released their new draft rankings today, with both agreeing that Rasmus Dahlin has solidified his position as the no-doubt first-overall pick in June’s draft. After that though, the lists diverge with Marek leaving Andrei Svechnikov in the second spot while ISS has moved Brady Tkachuk into that position. The remaining top 10 is a mixed bag, and should make for an incredibly interesting draft day with teams having very different boards.
- While the entire league is wondering whether the current offside review process will stay the same after another “skate blade incident” for the Edmonton Oilers last night, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that NHL Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell will bring up the issue once again at the GM meetings in March. There is a growing belief that the rule should be changed to that of a endzone-type plane that extends straight up, so that a player’s skate doesn’t necessarily need to be touching the ice to be onside.
Poll: Who Will Win Gold At The World Juniors?
With the NHL about to head into its Christmas shutdown—no games are scheduled from December 24-26th—die hard hockey fans will need to look elsewhere for their frozen fix. The answer to that, unless you are a big Spengler Cup fan, is obvious. The World Junior Championship begins preliminary round play on December 26th with a matchup between Russia and the Czech Republic at 11:00am central. That’s followed by four more games that day and the rest of the tournament that stretches until January 5th.
It’s easy to see why our readers are overwhelmingly more interested in the junior tournament than the upcoming Olympics, after the NHL pulled out of competition. The interesting part is how popular the U20 competition has become regardless of other international events. For prospect junkies, and patriotic puck lovers there’s just nothing better than seeing (mostly) amateur athletes compete for their country and show why they’ll be the next star of the NHL. The tournament can be used as a coming out party where potential flourishes, or a harsh spotlight that uncovers flaws previously unnoticed.
The United States, reigning champions of the tournament, are bringing back an exceptionally talented squad and should be in the running for the medal round once again. Returnees like Kieffer Bellows and Adam Fox are expected to be among the tournament leaders for their respective positions, and there are exciting young prospects making their first appearance.
Canada, as always, can never be overlooked. After losing to the USA in the gold medal game a year ago, the team has gone with almost an entire team of 19-year old players, cutting some surprising names in the process. While there is a distinct lack of name recognition on the usually star-studded Canadian squad, it is a chance for some less heralded prospects to show that they deserve to be household names.
Sweden is as usual strong defensively, boasting some of the strongest skaters in the tournament on their blueline. Timothy Liljegren will certainly garner a lot of attention, as will potential 2018 first-overall pick Rasmus Dahlin. They’re not to be overlooked up front though, as current SHL scoring leader Elias Pettersson will show exactly why he went fifth-overall to Vancouver last June.
Finland will look to bounce back after an incredibly poor performance last season that saw the coaching staff fired mid-tournament. After taking home gold in 2016, there is a lot to like about the 2018 squad. Eeli Tolvanen, one of the biggest stories of the KHL season, is a favorite to lead the tournament in scoring, while their defense corps led by players like Miro Heiskanen and Olli Juolevi can stand with anyone.
Russia, of course, can never be completely taken out of the running, but haven’t won a gold medal since 2011. Their team has a ton of relative unknowns to North American viewers, but will have one name everyone will be especially intrigued by. Andrei Svechnikov, another potential first-overall selection in 2018, is considered by many already ready to make the jump to professional hockey. While this tournament isn’t the pros, it certainly is the highest level he’ll have ever played.
So who do you think will take home gold? Will it be one of the favorites, or will one of the lesser-known teams find lightning in a bottle and ride it all the way? Who will be the tournament MVP? Discuss all that and more after voting below.
Who will win gold at the World Juniors?
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USA 32% (195)
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Canada 32% (191)
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Sweden 31% (186)
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Finland 4% (22)
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Russia 1% (6)
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Other (specify below) 1% (4)
Total votes: 604
[Mobile users click here to vote!]
More NHL Prospects Named To Russian World Junior Roster
Team Russia had already announced much of their preliminary roster for the World Junior Championships later this month, but had avoided any players currently in North America. Today they added ten names from various North American leagues to the roster, including several already drafted by NHL organizations. According to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express, the following ten are part of the preliminary roster, which will be whittled down before the tournament starts on December 26th.
F Klim Kostin (STL)
F Andrei Svechnikov (2018 eligible)
F German Rubtsov (PHI)
F Vitaly Abramov (CBJ)
F Dmitry Sokolov (MIN)
F Alexei Lipanov (TBL)
D Alexander Alexeyev (2018 eligible)
D Artyom Minulin (undrafted in 2017)
D Dmitri Samorukov (EDM)
G Mikhail Berdin (WPG)
While basically all of these names are very intriguing prospects for their respective clubs, Minulin might be one to watch for the entire league. Expected to go somewhere in the middle rounds in the 2017 draft, his name wasn’t called by any NHL team. The 6’2″ risk-taking defenseman put up 50 points in 70 games last year for the Swift Current Broncos, and returned to the team this season for the third time. It’s not clear why he wasn’t drafted, as he was actually ranked 58th by the NHL’s Central Scouting among North American skaters.
Svechnikov of course will also have all eyes on him at the tournament, as he’ll go head-to-head with the other potential first-overall picks. Rasmus Dahlin—the prospective favorite at the top of draft boards—will be representing Sweden and likely logging big minutes, making a matchup between the two clubs all the more interesting.
Snapshots: Hakstol, Svechnikov, Backup Goaltenders
The Philadelphia Flyers have now lost 10 games in a row, and find themselves at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. With just eight wins and 23 points on the year, they sit only ahead of Buffalo and Arizona in the overall standings and are nearly at a breaking point in terms of playoff contention. Despite all that the team is not considering a coaching change, as Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. GM Ron Hextall told Carchidi that Dave Hakstol would be coaching for the rest of the season “and beyond,” ending any speculation that he may be on the chopping block.
This is Hakstol’s third season as head coach of the Flyers, and after getting knocked out in the first round in 2015-16 the team missed the playoffs entirely last year. They were lucky enough to move up in the draft lottery and get the chance to draft Nolan Patrick, but have once again been a disappointing team this year. Brian Elliott, brought in to try and stabilize the goaltending situation has been less than what was hoped for and the team has scored just 70 goals all season. Whatever Hextall says, heat from the Philadelphia fan base will continue if they can’t turn their streak around soon.
- As the World Junior tournament approaches—Canada and the USA will release their potential rosters over the next couple of days—Andrei Svechnikov is about to get back onto the ice. A potential first-overall pick in 2018, Svechnikov has missed the last six weeks with a hand injury. Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that he’s expected back in the Barrie Colts lineup on Friday, and will almost certainly be named to the Russian roster soon after that. Team Russia released a list of players that will compete for the final roster, but only included those playing in Russia at the moment. Those skating in North America will still be added over the next week.
- The Edmonton Oilers are actively looking for a backup goaltender according to Frank Seravalli of TSN, and the scribe details potential options around the league. With Cam Talbot on the shelf for at least two more weeks and Laurent Brossoit struggling in the starting role, the Oilers could be forced to make a move or watch their playoff chances slip away. Chad Johnson, a player who the Buffalo Sabres have already received interest in, tops the list and could be an option for the Oilers over the next few days. There’s no guarantee he’d be an upgrade though, as Johnson has struggled this season in his return to Buffalo.
Snapshots: OHL, Sedlak, Gudbranson, Gaborik
The Ontario Hockey League has always been one of the premiere talent factories for the NHL, churning out elite prospects every season. Like every year, the talented folks over at OHL Prospects have put together a consensus ranking of the 2018 draft eligible players, with contributions from various scouting gurus like Mike Morreale (NHL.com), Scott Wheeler (The Athletic) and Dan Stewart (Future Considerations).
In this ranking of OHL prospects—like any other you’ll find—Andrei Svechnikov tops the list. He was first on all 22 contributing scouts’ lists, with several implying that he could jump right to the NHL already. Svechnikov had 14 points in 10 games for the Barrie Colts before injuring his hand, should return to the lineup at some point in mid-to-late December. He’s a near lock to go in the top three selections next June.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated Lukas Sedlak from injured reserve, giving them some more depth at center. The Blue Jackets have used Nick Foligno in the middle for much of this season, but could move him back to the wing where he is much more experienced now that they have another healthy body. The team could still obviously use another center, but have several options with how to deploy their lineup.
- Jason Brough of TSN has heard that the Florida Panthers have at least some interest still in Erik Gudbranson, even though we had previously heard otherwise. Brough also reports that “a few other teams” have interest in the Vancouver Canucks’ defenseman which would mesh with the report that the Toronto Maple Leafs have poked around. Gudbranson will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
- Marian Gaborik is nearing a return for the Los Angeles Kings, and head coach John Stevens spoke with Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider on the progression of the 35-year old sniper. The Kings continue to lead the Pacific Division, and it will be interesting to see if Gaborik can find a role on the team after several years of sub-par performance.
Snapshots: Wiercioch, Avalanche, Svechnikov, Schneider
The Vancouver Canucks have recalled Patrick Wiercioch from the AHL, likely to help replace Erik Gudbranson who is now serving a one-game suspension. While there is no guarantee Wiercioch gets into the lineup—Alex Biega was already up as the team’s extra defenseman—he’ll provide some more depth as the team continues their east coast road trip. Vancouver is in Buffalo today and Wiercioch is already with the team, thanks to the team affiliate Utica’s close proximity.
Wiercioch signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Canucks this summer after playing last year with the Colorado Avalanche, but was cut at the end of training camp. In two games with Utica, the 27-year old has one goal and no assists. An NHL veteran, Wiercioch has 268 games under his belt at the highest level and actually hadn’t seen the minor leagues in some time. Should he show that he’s ready to continue in the NHL, the Canucks could potentially keep him around even after Gudbranson returns.
- The Colorado Avalanche got some bad news, as both J.T. Compher and Tyson Jost will be out for a while following injuries on Thursday night. Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reports that Jost will miss two to three weeks while Compher is out indefinitely with a broken thumb. It’s a tough blow for a team that was experiencing a good start to the season, and injury to insult after the league admitted they were wrong on the offside challenge last night.
- Potential first-overall draft pick Andrei Svechnikov was lighting it up in the OHL this year, but will have to put his exploits on hold for the next two months. As Bob McKenzie of TSN reports, the young forward broke his hand while playing for Barrie and will need surgery. He’s expected to be out eight weeks. While the injury certainly puts a damper on his draft year, there is little chance of him dropping out of the first few spots unless the hand injury proves to limit his play after recovery. Svechnikov had ten goals and 14 points in his first ten games, and was already proving to be one of the most dynamic players in junior hockey at the age of 17. His size, speed and skill give him franchise-altering potential, and he’ll likely still be on display at the World Junior Championships at the end of December and early January.
- The New Jersey Devils have placed Cory Schneider on injured reserve retroactive to October 19th, and recalled Scott Wedgewood. While normally this would be devastating for the Devils, after tonight they don’t play again until next Friday. Schneider is expected to be activated in time for that game. For now, Wedgewood will back up Keith Kinkaid in the Devils’ matchup tonight against the San Jose Sharks.
Ryan Merkley Pushing For Top Draft Spot
We’ve discussed the draft profiles of Andrei Svechnikov and Rasmus Dahlin in the past, the two favorites to be the first-overall pick next summer in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Both have a real shot at going at the top, thanks to dynamic offensive abilities from their respective positions.
Svechnikov is lighting up the OHL with his power-speed combination, scoring eight goals through his first eight games. Dahlin on the other hand is starring in the Swedish professional ranks, and even scored his first Champions League goal yesterday. Improbably, his defensive game looks nearly as developed as his offense, and at this point looks like a lock to play in the NHL for a long time.
While those two dominate many of the headlines early on, there are several other candidates to push for the top spot. One of them, Ryan Merkley, was profiled by Aaron Vickers of NHL.com who spoke to several scouts and teammates. The undersized defenseman has wowed spectators and coaches for years in southern Ontario, and is already showing he might be among the best players in the OHL—at 17. It won’t be surprising if Merkley leads all OHL defensemen in points this year, and he could be in for a race to the top defensive spot with Dahlin by the end of the year. Sometimes, even in the world of instant worldwide communication, the player closer to home is given a bit of a boost on draft boards. While every team will certainly have scouts attending Dahlin’s games, many front offices can attend Merkley’s games in person on a regular basis if they choose.
None of this is to say that Merkley is a lock for the top spot, or even the first few. While his ability to skate the puck out of trouble and distribute scoring chances for his teammates is incredible, he’s still listed at just 5’11” 170-lbs (which seems generous) and will always have his size working against him. While the league is slowly moving away from lumbering giants and embracing smaller skilled players, there are still some teams who would rather take the risk on a 6’1″ Jared McIsaac or 6’2″ Bode Wilde to plug into their blueline. Both are wonderful prospects in their own right, and have distinct size advantages over Merkley.
The biggest thing to take from Vickers’ profile, is how strong the 2018 draft is shaping up to be. There is a real chance a prospect like Merkley could fall to the middle of the first round, given the immense group of high-impact names that will be available. While last year had a deeper talent pool than some realize, 2018 is shaping up to be one of the best draft classes in several years, with at least a handful of players that have franchise-altering potential. Obviously many of them won’t reach that potential, but their ceilings will make for an interesting draft floor—expect teams to be very active trying to get their favorite new toy.
Snapshots: Gaborik, Olsen, Top Prospects
The Los Angeles Kings will be heading to China to play two preseason games in just over a week, but Marian Gaborik won’t be going with them. Head coach John Stevens confirmed as much to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider, saying that Gaborik would remain in Los Angeles to continue working on his knee rehab. Gaborik underwent a “non-surgical” procedure on his knee in August, and will try to return at some point in camp.
Stevens did say that Gaborik had been skating already, and that he’s working extremely hard to get back to the point where he can return to practice. The 35-year old has put up just 43 points over the last two seasons combined, but some of that could have to do with the chronic knee injury. If it’s fixed, perhaps some of his noticable decline in speed will be mitigated and he can reclaim some of his goal-scoring prowess. If not, it could be a long four years—the time left on his current contract—for the Kings.
- Darren Dreger of TSN is reporting that the Calgary Flames have invited Dylan Olsen to training camp on a professional tryout, bringing him back to the NHL for at least a short while. After being selected in the first round and playing 124 NHL contests, Olsen spent last year in a Senior A circuit away from professional hockey. The left-handed defenseman is now 26, and could potentially earn a minor league deal if shows any semblance of his former self. It’s hard to imagine he’ll ever see the NHL, but stranger things have happened in the past.
- Bob McKenzie of TSN released his annual preseason draft prospect rankings, and like most lists Rasmus Dahlin is at the very top. The Swedish defender has a game that brings both incredible offensive upside and enough strength and size to make him a potential franchise player. Though he’ll have top forwards like Andrei Svechnikov and Brady Tkachuk to fend off—McKenzie’s number two and three prospects—Dahlin could become the first Swedish-born player to go first overall since Mats Sundin in 1989. He’ll play for Frolunda this year in the SHL.
An Early Look At The 2018 Draft Class
Many hockey fans have had limited exposure to the 2018 draft class, outside some highlights of the Summer Showcase. The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy breaks down his early projections for the top prospects who will be eligible next summer. His top five shouldn’t surprise any who have been paying attention, but it’s a nice early introduction to the best of the best.
Rasmus Dahlin – D – Frolunda (SHL J20)
As of now, Dahlin is the man to beat for #1. Dahlin is drawing Erik Karlsson comparisons already, which is a tough benchmark for any 17 year old. Coming through the neutral zone, he weaves himself past traffic when there simply doesn’t appear to be a lane. His passes are crisp and accurate, and he isn’t afraid to go to high-scoring areas of the ice. His size at 6’2 makes him even more appealing, as he is not an easy horse to down once he’s achieved full gallop. Dahlin will need to continue to display flashes of offensive brilliance while rounding out his defensive game, but he’s essentially a lock to go top-three.
Andrei Svechnikov – RW – Barrie (OHL)
Svechnikov’s hands can make your jaw drop. Following in a long line of talented Russian scorers, his finesse sets him apart from the rest of his age group. He has a decent element of speed to his game and always finds himself open in high-scoring areas. In Barrie, he’ll need to round out his two-way ability, but barring major setbacks he should produce. Comparisons to other Russian picks will be inevitable (Nail Yakupov) but he seems to think the game at an elite level already. He also doesn’t shy away from cycling when necessary, and has more tricks up his sleeve than a simple rush-and-shoot mentality.
Joe Veleno – C – St John (QJMHL)
Veleno exudes passion, as anyone who witnessed the Ivan Hlinka tournament can attest. He captained the Canadian team to gold in that tourney, and looked like quite the leader in the process. His passes are already NHL level, and he has a sneaky accurate shot. He sees the ice well and coordinates plays well in any situation. His footwork is powerful and is also sure to impress. Veleno was even granted “exceptional status” by Team Canada and his body of work so far suggests it was not undeserved.
Adam Boqvist – D – Brynas (SHL J20)
For a defender, Boqvist can really fire the puck. His wrister is accurate and deadly if not respected. He skates with impressive speed and his edgework is clean and powerful. You can absolutely envision Boqvist quarterbacking an NHL powerplay in a few years’ time. He’s not the flashiest player on the list, to be sure, but he is effective in his straight-ahead style. His passing is impressive, but he might need to pick his spots on the attack a little better. Another player in the Karlsson mold, he should stand out enough to overcome his 5’11 stature.
Brady Tkachuk – LW – Boston U. (NCAA)
This player is a bit of a throwback to days when power forwards actually challenged for NHL roster spots regularly. Like his older brother, Calgary’s Matt Tkachuk, Brady is no pushover. At 6’2 he can hold off opponents while driving his way to the front of the net. His shot isn’t overly remarkable, but he always finds a way to hit twine. His deking ability is enough to drop defenders to their knees, and he has the vision to make special things happen. Tkachuk has committed to B.U. and it will be interesting to see how the rest of his game rounds out in the NCAA.
Poll: Who Will Have The Best Chance At The 2018 #1 Pick?
The Edmonton Oilers have an interesting relationship with the first-overall pick. In 2016 they traded away two former top selections in Taylor Hall and Nail Yakupov, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins remains in trade speculation as the team looks towards a troubling future salary structure. None of those three became the franchise-leading players they had hoped for, with Yakupov not even turning into a reliable regular. Still, Connor McDavid came through a few years later and almost immediately rejuvenated a franchise and brought them back from being one of the laughing stocks of the league. The first-overall pick is no guarantee, but it can surely change an organization if you pick the right one.
Toronto and Pittsburgh can relate. The latter was near-bankrupt before Marc-Andre Fleury and Sidney Crosby came along in the span of a couple of years (with a #2 Evgeni Malkin jammed in between) and have risen to the level of the NHL’s elite, while the former was the butt of almost every joke going back almost 50 years. Auston Matthews changed that for the Maple Leafs, though he and his other young stars have still yet to even win a single playoff series.
New Jersey hopes that Nico Hischier more like Matthews and less like Yakupov, though there’s no guarantee on his performance at the next level. The young Swiss forward has all the potential in the world, but will have to prove that he can keep taking steps forward in his development. If he makes the Devils out of camp perhaps Hall can help him deal with the pressures a #1 pick faces each and every night.
That brings us to this year, where some teams will fight for a Stanley Cup and others will pray for a few lottery balls. Teams that miss the playoffs all have a chance at selecting first, like the Devils, Flyers and Stars did this year. The Devils had the best chance of the three, but weren’t even in the top 3 league wide. 15 teams will miss this season after the addition of the Vegas Golden Knights, and one team will be given the greatest chance to have their choice of Andrei Svechnikov, Rasmus Dahlin or whoever else pushes their way into the first-overall conversation.
We ask you, who will finish last in the league this season and have the best shot at the #1 pick?
Who will have the best chance of drafting first overall in 2018?
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Colorado Avalanche 28% (343)
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Vegas Golden Knights 25% (309)
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Vancouver Canucks 12% (142)
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Detroit Red Wings 9% (111)
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Arizona Coyotes 5% (64)
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New Jersey Devils 5% (61)
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Buffalo Sabres 3% (34)
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Philadelphia Flyers 2% (22)
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Boston Bruins 1% (15)
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New York Islanders 1% (14)
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Chicago Blackhawks 1% (13)
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Winnipeg Jets 1% (12)
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Florida Panthers 1% (10)
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Los Angeles Kings 1% (9)
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Carolina Hurricanes 1% (8)
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Pittsburgh Penguins 1% (8)
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Edmonton Oilers 0% (5)
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Montreal Canadiens 0% (5)
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Toronto Maple Leafs 0% (5)
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Minnesota Wild 0% (4)
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Nashville Predators 0% (4)
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Calgary Flames 0% (3)
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Columbus Blue Jackets 0% (3)
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Dallas Stars 0% (3)
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New York Rangers 0% (3)
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San Jose Sharks 0% (3)
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St. Louis Blues 0% (3)
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Washington Capitals 0% (3)
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Anaheim Ducks 0% (2)
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Tampa Bay Lightning 0% (2)
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Ottawa Senators 0% (1)
Total votes: 1,224
[Mobile users click here to vote!]