Central Notes: Leddy, Wild, Meyers
There was good news and bad news today for the St. Louis Blues. The good news was the team clinched a playoff spot with a 6-5 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild. The bad news was defenseman Nick Leddy taking a high stick near his eye, causing him to leave the game. The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford spoke to Blues’ Head Coach Craig Berube, who said that the incident had blurred Leddy’s vision and he is not expected to play tomorrow against the Nashville Predators.
With the Blues clinching today, the need to have Leddy in the lineup is not so pressing, however the team paid a hefty price to acquire the defenseman, who is rich with playoff experience, to use down the stretch and in the playoffs. Berube did not appear to be overly concerned about this injury, however any time an injury involving a player’s vision comes into question, it can be scary, not only for their playing career, but their life away from the rink too.
- The Athletic’s Michael Russo provided several updates on the Minnesota Wild, per Head Coach Dean Evason. Most notably, Tyson Jost, who took a big hit from Pavel Buchnevich earlier today, will not play tomorrow against the San Jose Sharks for precautionary reasons. Evason also notes that defenseman Jon Merrill is still out of the lineup going forward, having not played since March 31st with an upper-body injury. In more positive news for the Wild, Evason says that forward Jordan Greenway has started skating and star defenseman Mathew Dumba is getting closer to return as well.
- The Colorado Avalanche announced that forward Ben Meyers will make his NHL debut tonight as the Avalanche take on the Carolina Hurricanes at home. Colorado signed the undrafted college free agent earlier this week after his season at the University of Minnesota had come to an end at the hands of Minnesota State. A finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, Meyers figures to provide solid scoring depth for a deep, talented Avalanche team as they head into the playoffs. Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar said he plans to have Meyers center Andrew Cogliano and Logan O’Connor in tonight’s game.
Colorado Avalanche Sign Ben Meyers
Arguably the top college free agent from this year’s crop was Minnesota captain Ben Meyers, and he has decided on where he’ll start his professional career. The Hobey Baker finalist has signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche which begins immediately, meaning he is eligible to play down the stretch but not in this year’s playoffs. The deal has a cap hit of $912,500, and the breakdown, per CapFriendly, is as follows:
2021-22: $807,500 base, $92,500 SB, $25,000 GP bonus
2022-23: $832,5000 base, $92,5000 SB, $212,500 Schedule ‘A’ bonus
Burning the first year of the contract is an obvious selling point for the 23-year-old Meyers, who will become a restricted free agent following the 2022-23 season. Undrafted, he spent three years with the Golden Gophers, becoming one of the most reliable offensive players in the country. In 34 games this season he racked up 17 goals and 41 points, while also being selected to participate in the Olympics for Team USA. On the international stage he was a clear standout, scoring two goals and four points in four games.
Along with Wyatt Aamodt, who signed with the Avalanche earlier this week, Colorado has now brought in two of the captains from this year’s Frozen Four. While Aamodt is more of a depth play, Meyers is a legitimate NHL option right away and was being courted by nearly the entire league. In fact, he could actually see action in the next few weeks despite not being eligible for the playoffs. Colorado has ten games left in the regular season and could slot Meyers into the lineup to help them chase down the Presidents’ Trophy, which brings guaranteed home ice throughout the postseason.
While he wouldn’t be considered a power forward exactly, standing 5’11” and weighing 194-lbs, Meyers is certainly not a perimeter player. Willing to fight through traffic, play in front of the net, and battle in the corners, he’s exactly the kind of player that quickly becomes a fan favorite. That’s exactly what happened in Minnesota, where the Delano native became an alternate captain as a sophomore and one of the most beloved players at the top program by his junior year.
A top-three finish for the Hobey Baker this season capped off an incredible year, though the Gophers would eventually fall to Aamodt and the Minnesota State Mavericks before reaching the NCAA Championship game. With NHL interest likely at an all-time high, it makes sense for him to capitalize on the market and sign with a top NHL team. The Avalanche, of course, have a whole litany of pending unrestricted free agents upfront and could have a number of spots open next season. Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky, Valeri Nichushkin, Darren Helm, Nico Sturm, and Andrew Cogliano are all set to hit the open market this summer, leaving an opportunity for a player like Meyers to grab a full-time spot.
Snapshots: Meyers, Penguins, Fehr
College free agent center Ben Meyers is expected to begin interviewing with NHL teams on Sunday, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription link). The 23-year-old is widely viewed as the top player in this year’s NCAA free agent class and to that end, Russo notes more than two dozen teams are interested in signing Meyers with his hometown team in Minnesota certainly among them. Meyers, who was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, had 17 goals and 24 assists in 34 games for the Golden Gophers this season plus four points in four contests in the Olympics. He’s expected to sign a two-year, entry-level deal that will begin this season although he will not be eligible to play in the playoffs if he signs with a team that’s heading for the postseason.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- The Penguins may opt to keep their better prospects in the minors instead of using them to replace injured players over the final few weeks of the season, suggests Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL finds themselves in a close battle for a playoff spot (or play-in position, potentially) and the developmental value of having those prospects in a close race could be more beneficial than sprinkling them into the NHL lineup on a Pittsburgh team that is comfortably in a playoff spot and is simply playing for positioning.
- Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli examines the future of NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr. He has officially been at the head of the association since December of 2010 and isn’t on a fixed-term contract; the post is his until he chooses to leave or is asked to. Fehr himself indicated that a plan to transition to his successor “won’t be soon” but Seravalli suggests there is a level of discontentment that could necessitate a change before Fehr wants to step aside.
Snapshots: Michigan, Meyers, Penguins, McCarron
7:14 pm: Denver University forward, and Edmonton Oilers draft choice, Carter Savoie, came up big, scoring the overtime winner for Denver to defeat Michigan and send Denver to the men’s college hockey championship on Saturday, with Minnesota State and the University of Minnesota playing tonight for the other spot in the final. With the conclusion of Michigan’s season, attention will now turn to Michigan’s core of future NHL talent to see if and when they sign their first professional contracts.
6:55 pm: According to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, seven or eight Michigan University players are expected to turn pro after their NCAA season comes to an end (link). Most notable among them are Sabres’ number one overall draft choice in 2021, Owen Power; the second overall selection in 2021 and the first draft pick in Seattle Kraken history, Matty Beniers; and the fifth overall choice in 2021 by the Columbus Blue Jackets, Kent Johnson. Another premier name on the highly-talented Michigan team, Luke Hughes, who was selected fourth overall in 2021 by the New Jersey Devils, is not expected to turn pro and will return to Michigan next year. The NCAA men’s hockey championship game is scheduled for Saturday night at 8:00 pm ET.
- Another player expected to turn pro is forward Ben Meyers, says Kaplan. The 23-year-old Meyers, who went undrafted, has been a standout for Minnesota, scoring 39 goals to go with 56 assists in 101 games with Minnesota over three seasons. Prior to Minnesota, Meyers spent parts of three seasons with the Fargo Force of the USHL.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins are dealing with an array of non-COVID illnesses and will miss several pieces tonight, including captain Sidney Crosby, in their game against the New York Rangers. The Penguins announced they will be missing Crosby, John Marino, and Radim Zohorna for the game. The team has not confirmed if any of the players are expected to be out beyond tonight’s game. The Penguins next play Saturday afternoon at home against the Washington Capitals.
- Michael McCarron will be out of the lineup for at least a couple of weeks, as the Nashville Predators announced the forward is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. The 27-year-old has split time between the NHL and AHL this season for Nashville, providing seven goals and seven assists in 46 games at the NHL level, using his 6’6″ frame to provide a physical presence for Nashville. There is no firm time-table yet for McCarron’s return, but the Predators will hope to get him back in time for the playoffs, if the Predators qualify, where his play style will be quite helpful in winning tough playoff-style games.
2022 NCAA Frozen Four Preview
The culmination of the college hockey season has arrived. The “Frozen Four” is set to take place in Boston this weekend with the semifinal match-ups taking place tomorrow and the National Championship game on Saturday. While there are those who are understandably upset that there are somehow no New England teams to play in Boston, it truly is the best of the best at the end this year. Three No. 1 seeds advanced from their regional and the one outlier – Minnesota – was a No. 2 seed who had been a top-four ranked team for much of the second half of the season and arguably should have been a No. 1 seed. The four teams remaining were also the top four scoring offenses in college hockey this season. On top of that, all three Hobey Baker Award Hat Trick Finalists are also still alive. Anyone could seize the title in what should be a great finale to the NCAA season.
Schedule
Thursday
Michigan vs. Denver, 5:00pm ET
Minnesota State vs. Minnesota, 8:30pm ET
Saturday
National Championship Game, 8:00pm ET
No. 1 Minnesota State
Record: 35-5-0
Accomplishments: NCAA Regular Season Champs, CCHA Tournament Champs, CCHA Regular Season Champs
NHL Prospects: F Nathan Smith (ARI), D Benton Maass (WSH)
Notable Undrafted Free Agents: G Dryden McKay, F Julian Napravnik, D Akito Hirose
The Mavericks have basically been the wire-to-wire top team in the nation this season. Under head coach Mike Hastings, Minnesota State has made it to six of the past eight NCAA Tournaments but had struggled to advance past the first round, with many citing their strength of schedule as inflating their national ranking. That changed last season when the Mavericks made a run to the Frozen Four. This season, armed with a stronger non-conference schedule, Mankato was still No. 1 for the vast majority of the season and could finally be ready to take the title. While they aren’t as flashy on paper as the other remaining competitors and their prospect-laden lineups, Minnesota State had the best goal differential in the league this season, was second in defense, and tied with Michigan for second in power play efficiency. Veteran goaltender McKay was top five in the country in save percentage and goals against average and forwards Smith and Napravnik were both top five in points per game. Don’t underestimate the Mavericks.
No. 2 Michigan
Record: 29-9-1
Accomplishments: Big Ten Tournament Champs
NHL Prospects: D Owen Power (BUF), F Matty Beniers (SEA), D Luke Hughes (NJD), F Kent Johnson (CLB), F Mackie Samoskevich (FLA), F Brendan Brisson (VGK), F Johnny Beecher (BOS), F Thomas Bordeleau (SJS), G Erik Portillo (BUF), D Ethan Edwards (NJD), F Dylan Duke (TBL), D Jacob Truscott (VAN), F Eric Ciccolini (NYR)
Notable Undrafted Free Agents: D Nick Blankenburg
The Wolverines entered this season as the championship favorites and have retained that title throughout, now heading into the Frozen Four. It is difficult to recall a more star-studded NCAA squad than the current Michigan roster, which includes a whopping seven first-round picks. Beniers has enjoyed one of the best all-around seasons of anyone in college hockey this season, while Johnson and Power both rank in the top five in assists per game. Yet, those three 2020-21 holdover who received so much draft hype last year are only the tip of the iceberg. Michigan can score with nearly anyone on the ice and Portillo can hold his own in net. They will be difficult to beat.
No. 3 Denver
Record: 27-9-1
Accomplishments: NCHC Regular Season Champs
NHL Prospects: F Bobby Brink (PHI), D Antti Tuomisto (DET), D Shai Buium (DET), D Sean Behrens (COL), F Carter Mazur (DET), D Michael Benning (FLA), F Carter Savoie (EDM), G Magnus Chrona (SJS), F Cole Guttman (TBL), F Brett Stapley (MTL), F McKade Webster (TBL), F Massimo Rizzo (CAR)
Notable 2022 NHL Draft Prospect: F Jack Devine
There is no question that the Pioneers are on the brink of greatness. Hobey Baker favorite Brink has been the most dynamic scorer in the nation this season, ranked first in points and assists per game by a significant margin. That’s not all that Denver has to offer though. Savoie is one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the NCAA, especially on the power play. Guttman is masterful at the face-off dot and a well-rounded weapon. The blue line is deep in NHL prospect talent. If the Pioneers have one weakness at this stage of the tournament, it could be starting goaltender Chrona, who simply hasn’t performed to the same level as his remaining counterparts. Yet, if any team can win in a high-scoring shootout with Michigan, it would be Denver.
No. 5 Minnesota
Record: 24-12-0
Accomplishments: Big Ten Regular Season Champs
NHL Prospects: F Chaz Lucius (WPG), D Ryan Johnson (BUF), D Jackson LaCombe (ANA), D Brock Faber (LAK), F Matthew Knies (TOR), F Tristan Broz (PIT), F Blake McLaughlin (ANA), F Aaron Huglen (BUF), D Jack Perbix (ANA), F Rhett Pitlick (MTL), D Mike Koster (TOR), D Ben Brinkman (DAL), F Bryce Brodzinski (PHI), F Sammy Walker (TBL)
Notable Undrafted Free Agents: F Ben Meyers
Led by top free agent and Hobey Baker finalist Meyers, the Gophers actually have more NHL Draft prospects than Michigan or Denver. Meyers is sixth in the NCAA in points per game as he leads a Minnesota team that has found ways to win at every turn this season, including splitting the regular season series with Michigan. McLaughlin, Knies, and LaCombe have all had terrific seasons as well, and when healthy Lucius has been dangerous. Goaltender Justen Close has performed admirably since taking over for Jack LaFontaine (CAR) mid-season and is not the weakness that many expected him to be. The Gophers are a real threat to knock off Minnesota State on Thursday.
2022 Hobey Baker Hat Trick Finalists Announced
With the collegiate hockey season coming to a close, the three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award have been announced. The trophy is given to the top NCAA player in the country and has an impressive line of winners over the past few years. In 2014, Johnny Gaudreau took home the award as a junior for Boston College, followed by Jack Eichel in his only year for Boston University in 2015. Jimmy Vesey, Will Butcher, and Adam Gaudette don’t bring quite the same impact but still became NHL regulars after winning from 2016-18.
2019’s winner was University of Massachusetts defenseman Cale Makar, who has gone on to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie and is now dominating the league with the Colorado Avalanche. In 2020 the award was given to Scott Perunovich, who is dealing with some unfortunate injury issues to start his career but still looks like a future contributor to the St. Louis Blues blueline.
In 2021, Cole Caufield took home the award after leading the nation in scoring at the University of Wisconsin. Caufield made an immediate impact by helping the Montreal Canadiens reach the Stanley Cup Final a few months later and, while struggling early this season, is now back to his scoring ways under new coaching.
The award also has several top NHL alumni in its small fraternity, including Neal Broten, Tom Kurvers, Paul Kariya, Chris Drury, Ryan Miller, and Brendan Morrison. With that group behind them, this year’s winner is certainly not someone to take lightly.
Earlier this year, 77 players from the NCAA ranks were nominated for the award, and ten finalists were announced earlier this month. Those ten players have been narrowed to just three, your Hat Trick Finalists.
Bobby Brink – University of Denver (Philadelphia Flyers)
The 34th overall selection in 2019, Brink has shown once again that if you give him a chance to get acclimated to a new league, he’ll dominate it. The DU junior had 14 goals and 56 points in just 39 games, blowing by his total from the first two years of his college career. Listed at just 5’9″ 166-lbs, he led the entire nation in scoring on both a total and per-game basis, and now has Denver into the Frozen Four. They’ll take on Michigan on April 7, a game that will have general managers all across the NHL waiting by their phones to call up whichever prospects are eliminated.
Dryden McKay – Minnesota State University-Mankato (undrafted)
McKay is a Hat Trick Finalist for the second year in a row, after losing the award to Caufield in 2021. His placement this year will certainly come with some raised eyebrows because of the performance that Devon Levi had, but there’s no doubt that McKay was once again one of the most valuable players in the country. Undrafted, the 24-year-old netminder put up a .934 save percentage in 41 games, winning 37 of them. If he can win a national championship, his college career will go down as one of the best of all time. McKay has gone 112-19-4 with a .932 save percentage over his four seasons and will have plenty of interest from clubs when he’s eliminated, even if he isn’t quite the prototypical NHL goaltender build.
Ben Meyers – University of Minnesota (undrafted)
Captain of the Golden Gophers, Olympian, and sixth-leading scorer in the nation, Meyers has come a long way since the undersized forward that barely got drafted into the USHL. Despite doubters at every level, he continues to improve and will now be a huge focus for NHL teams next month. In 33 games this season he had 17 goals and 41 points, while adding another four points in four Olympic games with Team USA. While he technically could return for a senior season, it’s going to be difficult to turn down the offers that come his way in a few weeks–especially if a good number of other Minnesota players decide to turn pro.