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Brady Tkachuk

2018-19 NCAA Players To Watch

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Just like their professional and junior counterparts, the college hockey season is underway. With each passing year, the NCAA’s influence on the world of hockey grows. The NHL boasts more than a few top rookies fresh out of the college ranks this season and those still in school in 2018-19 will soon join them. This year’s crop of talent is sticking with the trend, with several players in need of watching:

The Recent Draft Picks

D Quinn Hughes, Michigan (VAN): Hughes very nearly signed his first pro contract with the Vancouver Canucks this summer before deciding to return to Michigan. The seventh overall pick back in June, Hughes was the second defenseman off the board behind top pick Rasmus Dahlin, and many even saw No. 7 as being a steal for Vancouver. An electric skater who can’t help but draw the eyes of spectators as he moves effortlessly around the ice, Hughes pairs his skating ability with the vision and positioning that makes him a threat in all three zones. Hughes also has an NCAA season under his belt already and should be even more prepared to dominate opponents this season. Hughes is a complete two-way defenseman and the centerpiece of a Wolverines team that was a Frozen Four finalist last year. Hughes himself could be eyeing the Hobey Baker Award this season. Michigan almost had Hughes’ younger brother and presumptive top 2019 pick Jack Hughes joining them this season, before he decided to stick with the U.S. National Development Program for another year before almost certainly turning pro.

F Oliver Wahlstrom, Boston College (NYI): Perhaps the most gifted goal scorer of the 2018 draft class, Wahlstrom was a late addition to BC’s freshman class, changing his commitment from Harvard, and the Eagles could not be happier. Wahlstrom is a rare combination of both high-end skill and hard-nosed play who dominated with the U.S. National Development Program last year. The right winger has had the attention of scouts for his puck-handling ability since he was nine years old, but as he’s grown up he has also filled out his frame and added a menacing physical element to his game. Wahlstrom can skate and possess the puck as well as anyone, but is even more of a threat as the go-to shooter, which he will be skating with a roster of play-makers up front for BC. Wahlstrom could be the next big NHL power forward and may very well be one-and-done in the NCAA if he continues to score at a torrid pace this year and force the hand of the rebuilding New York Islanders, who selected him with the eleventh pick this past year.

F Joel Farabee, Boston Univ. (PHI): Wahlstrom’s teammate with the U.S. National Development program last season, Farabee was the one feeding Wahlstrom most of the time with 43 assists to his linemate’s 48 goals. Farabee is now a cross-town rival of Wahlstrom’s as he joins the uber-talented BU Terriers. Farabee is a threatening presence in the offensive zone, but is even more dangerous due to his two-way ability. An extremely intelligent winger who is beyond his years in terms of decision-making and positioning, Farabee is as responsible a freshman forward as you can find in the NCAA. He may not light up the score sheet right away this year, but will no doubt make a difference for the title-chasing Terriers. Farabee’s style bodes well for an NHL career in Philadelphia, after the Flyers used the No. 14 pick on him in June.

F Jay O’Brien, Providence (PHI): Some considered it a reach when the Flyers used their second first-round pick on O’Brien, another college-bound forward and one who was coming from the prep school ranks with Thayer Academy. However, the 19th overall pick more than earned his draft slot after scoring 80 points in 30 games while also displaying an impressive two-way game. O’Brien now bring his talents to Providence, a program that lost their top two scorers from last season and are looking for their next star forward. O’Brien could emerge as both the top scoring threat and dependable defensive forward for the Friars in his first collegiate season. O’Brien is also ready to take on Hockey East competition with a gritty games that all Philly and Providence fans will appreciate.

The Soon-To-Be NHLers

D Cale Makar, UMass (COL): Few will argue that Makar isn’t the best prospect in the NCAA, if not the best drafted player not playing in the NHL. The smooth-skating defenseman was the fourth overall pick in 2017 by the Colorado and would be skating on the Avs’ top pair right now if he had not committed himself to Amherst and to entering the pros as well-rounded as possible. Makar possesses elite puck-handling skills and vision and can out-skate almost anyone in the college ranks. Makar should improve upon his 21 points in an up-and-down freshman campaign and could flirt with point-per-game production from the blue line. The newly-named UMass captain, along with talented fellow defenseman Mario Ferraro (SJS) and top forward John Leonard (SJ) have the Minutemen thinking NCAA Tournament for the first time in years, while Makar could easily be a Hobey Baker candidate.

G Jake Oettinger, Boston Univ. (DAL): Oettinger nearly turned pro this off-season, but returns to BU with his sights set on backstopping the team to a national championship. A first-round pick at No. 26 in 2017, Oettinger was selected by the Dallas Stars with the expectations that he would be the heir apparent in net. Even with the emergence of Colton Point, the Dallas job is still there for the taking. The team’s veteran duo of Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin won’t be around forever and Oettinger could conceivably compete for starts as early as 2020. Expect the big goaltender to put up stellar numbers behind a deep Terrier defense this season before joining the pro ranks next year.

F Ryan Poehling, St. Cloud (MTL): Poehling was drafted for his intelligent, professional, two-way style and Montreal hoped he would develop into a capable bottom-six center. However, they have to be pleased with the improvement in his offense, after he registered 31 points in 36 games for a St. Cloud team that was top seed in the NCAA Tournament. Poehling lacks the high-end skill of other first-round prospects, but the 2017 No. 25 pick makes up for his skating and hands with positioning and composure. Poehling should again improve this season while maintaining his elite defensive play and could be in the running for the Hobey Baker Award, especially if the Huskies are dominant yet again. The Canadiens prospect should then compete for a roster spot right away next season.

The Trade Return

F Josh Norris, Michigan (OTT): The recent centerpiece prospect of the Erik Karlsson trade, a lot of eyes in Ottawa will be on the performance of Norris this season. The entire top line of the Michigan Wolverines’ Final Four roster has moved on to the pros, leaving Norris as the team’s top center. The No. 19 pick in 2017 by the San Jose Sharks, Norris is a freak athlete who can hold his own against anyone in the NCAA. The Senators’ new addition also has a deceptively quick release on his shot and is deadly accurate with both passing and shooting. Norris simply needs to embrace his role for Michigan, both carrying the puck and shooting more often. Some more experience, specifically as the team’s top scoring option, should go a long way for the promising center’s development.

F Shane Bowers, Boston Univ. (COL): Of course, who can forget the top center prospect that Ottawa recently traded away themselves. Bowers, part of the regrettable package that the Senators sent to the Colorado Avalanche for Matt Duchene, is set to be the go-to guy up front for BU this season. Bowers’ 32 points in 40 games last season ranked third last season for the Terriers, but with Jordan Greenway and Brady Tkachuk now gone, Bowers should be the top option and could be a dark horse Hobey Baker candidate on a talented BU team that should provide plenty of scoring chances. Bowers is quick-thinking and quick-skating offensive presence who is especially dangerous on the power play and works the puck down low perhaps better than anyone in the college ranks. A breakout campaign for Bowers should give the 2017 No. 28 pick an opportunity to compete for a spot among the Avs’ young forward corps next year.

D Adam Fox, Harvard (CAR): Fox, entering his junior year with the Harvard Crimson, has already seen his NHL rights traded. Fox had allegedly expressed a resistance to signing with the Calgary Flames, but so far no such sentiment has been associated with his new team, the Carolina Hurricanes. Fox is a mature, intelligent defender who has been a point-per-game player in college and especially excels as a power play quarterback. However, Fox is more than capable on the back end as well. Assuming he is yet again producing a Hobey Baker campaign for Harvard this year, Fox seems like a prime candidate for a late-season contract and brief tryout with the Hurricanes. Carolina’s depth on defense may block him from being a full time NHLer for a few years, but when Fox finally does land that job, he has the complete game to be a dangerous presence on any blue line.

The Top Prospect

D Ben Brinkman, Minnesota: If there is one thing that the 2018-19 NCAA class lacks, it is many standout draft-eligible prospects. Brinkman alone is a candidate for early selection next June, but the Minnesota native is a surefire first-rounder. The Gophers have rarely given a true freshman defenseman the role and minutes expected of Brinkman this season, but the teen blue liner is a special talent. A smooth skater who excels with the puck on his stick, it will be no surprise to see Brinkman frequently carry the puck up and start the rush for Minnesota and he should see ample power play time as well. Brinkman is no slouch in his own zone either, as he plays a competent game that allowed him to shut down high school competition. The adjustment to the college level will come with some lumps for the young defenseman, but Brinkman should emerge from this season as a bona fide NHL prospect.

Eastern Notes: Tkachuk, Formenton, Nylander, Carrick, Bobrovsky, Knight

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The Ottawa Senators were always planning on bringing in a group of young talent to join their NHL team this year and when Senators’ head coach Guy Boucher said that his forwards were set to start the year, Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas tweets that means that forwards Brady Tkachuk and Alex Formenton made the team.

While neither player’s appearance on the roster is much of a surprise, the team has been impressed with Tkachuk’s offensive and physical play as well as the impressive speed that Formenton adds. Tkachuk, the team’s fourth-overall pick in the 2018 draft, and Formenton, a second-round pick in the 2017 draft, both are expected to take on significant roles for a team that many feel could finish at the bottom of the league this season. Formenton made the team out of training camp last year, but appeared in just one game before being returned to his junior team.

  • The Hurricanes were among the teams to inquire regarding the availability of Maple Leafs winger William Nylander, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported in an appearance on TSN 1050 (audio link).  However, Toronto GM Kyle Dubas informed them (and other seekers) that they have no intention of dealing the restricted free agent.  LeBrun also suggested that an offer sheet for the 22-year-old is quite unlikely given Toronto’s cap space for 2018-19 and the fact that a lot of the teams that could afford him and have the requisite picks to surrender are far from postseason locks; they probably won’t want to risk potentially losing a lottery pick.
  • The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel reports that Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said that he will know his roster by tonight, with final cuts coming tomorrow. One person who has an uncertain future with Toronto is defenseman Connor Carrick, who according to TSN’s Kristen Shilton, is facing an uphill battle to making the team. When asked if he’s spoken to Babcock, Carrick’s responded: “We haven’t talked much. I’m not sure there’s a ton to talk about.”
  • Brian Hedger of NHL.com asked Columbus Blue Jackets’ goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who could be a potential unrestricted free agent next season, whether it is easy to keep the business and hockey sides separate. His answer: “Yeah, well, we’ll see. I’m a human too. I’ve developed some skills, some mental skills, some technical skills, so I’m a human … it is what it is.” The 29-year-old Bobrovsky is believed to be asking for a contract equal or surpassing the eight-year, $84MM deal that Montreal handed to Carey Price last offseason. Negotiations haven’t gotten very far.
  • Despite an impressive preseason, veteran AHL’er Corban Knight will not make the Philadelphia Flyers’ opening day roster after all after the team announced that Knight will miss the next three weeks with an upper-body injury. The 28-year-old forward has played in 291 AHL contests over his career, compared to just 29 NHL games and was one of the last players fighting for a roster spot before being injured.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi Will Start Season With Montreal Canadiens

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While surprise probably isn’t the correct word, the Montreal Canadiens announced that head coach Claude Julien confirmed that 18-year-old prospect Jesperi Kotkaniemi will start the season in Montreal. No word on where he might play or even what position he might play out of the gate.

“We decided that he’ll start the season here in Montreal. It’s good news for him, and it’s good news for us,” said Julien.

The 2018 third-overall pick has been debated for weeks now about whether or not he should remain with the team. While the team is desperate for help down the middle, Kotkaniemi has not played center on a regular basis in over a year as he played left wing this past season with Liiga’s Assat Pori team as a 17-year-old. With the team already having abandoned the Jonathan Drouin experiment at center and only getting a minimal look at Max Domi as their No. 1 center before being suspended for the remainder of the preseason, the team may be hoping that Kotkaniemi can work his way into the role at some point during the season.

Kotkaniemi was already somewhat of a mild surprise when the Canadiens took him with the third overall pick when there were better-known wingers ahead of him, including Brady Tkachuk and Filip Zadina, but it is believed that the Canadiens fell in love with Kotkaniemi’s potential as a future No. 1 center, which now looks to be immediate. The team is allowed to play him for nine games before they burn the first year of his entry-level contract. The team may want to see how he responds to playing in the regular season before making a final decision on whether to keep him, send him to the AHL’s Laval Rocket or return him to Finland.

One other interesting point made by The Athletic’s Arpon Basu (subscription required) is that the salary cap specifics could fit perfectly if the team keeps Kotkaniemi this season. He points out that if Kotkaniemi does play more than 10 games this season, then he will sign his second NHL contract in 2021-22 when the Canadiens have freed themselves of some significant cap room, including the contracts of Tomas Tatar, Brendan Gallagher, Jeff Petry and Phillip Danault (assuming none of them get extended). It’s also significant, because the team has quite a few other prospects that are a year behind Kotkaniemi such as Nick Suzuki, Ryan Poehling as well as a potential high pick in the 2019 NHL draft who could hit a big payday in 2022-23 and might have Montreal thinking ahead to avoid having all three get paid in the same year.

 

Prospect Notes: 2019 Draft, Tkachuk, Formenton

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The 2019 NHL Draft Lottery is already shaping up to be a franchise-changing event, given the consensus building over Jack Hughes as the best overall player available. Bob McKenzie of TSN released his Pre-Season Draft Rankings, and noted that ten out of ten scouts he polled have Hughes in the top spot. That’s a kind of dominance reserved the last few seasons for players like Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Rasmus Dahlin, and should indicate a tremendous future for the young center.

Hughes is an outstanding talent, but remember that all fifteen teams that miss the playoffs will have a chance to win the lottery and select first overall. While those teams who finish at the bottom—or those who own another team’s pick—have the best chance, Hughes could find himself in any number of cities when training camp begins next year.

  • The Ottawa Senators may have risked a shot at Hughes by hanging onto their 2018 fourth-overall draft pick, but they’re quite happy with the progress Brady Tkachuk has already shown. Tkachuk seems poised for an immediate role with the Senators, and Luke Fox of Sportsnet dives into what makes the young forward tick. Head coach Guy Boucher admits that Tkachuk has been impressive through the first part of training camp, but wouldn’t go so far as to guarantee his spot on the opening night roster. If the Senators are to be competitive this season they may just need a spark from young players like Tkachuk to turn things around.
  • Speaking of Ottawa prospects, Alex Formenton has also drawn the eye of his head coach in recent days. As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports, Boucher compared Formenton’s speed to that of superstar Connor McDavid today as the Senators prepare for their first exhibition game. The 19-year old speedster played one game for Ottawa last season and two games for Belleville at the end of the year, but would be heading back to the London Knights of the OHL if he fails to crack the Senators roster this fall. Already armed with some NHL-level attributes, Formenton would likely be a leader on the Canadian World Junior squad if allowed to attend the tournament in a few months.

Poll: Who Will Win The Calder Trophy In 2018-19?

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The Athletic’s NHL Draft and prospects guru Scott Wheeler has released the first definitive list of candidates for the Calder Trophy in 2018-19, and the order may surprise some people. Admittedly, the list is in the context of fantasy hockey, but Wheeler’s rankings are true to how he thinks Calder voting will unfold if each rookie hits their stat projections. As such, it’s not this year’s first overall pick, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, at the top of the list, but presumptive top-six center for the Vancouver Canucks, Elias Pettersson. Pettersson will be put in a much better position to rack up points than will Dahlin, the next-best candidate, as potentially one of the three best scoring forwards for the Canucks and traditionally productive forwards have a better shot at the Calder than (relatively) equally productive defensemen.

Coming in at number three is Boston Bruins forward Ryan Donato, who led both the NCAA and Olympics in goals last season and will look to win a top-six role for Boston and continue to find the back of the net at an alarming rate. Playing alongside either Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk is an easy way for Donato to quickly become an elite scorer at the NHL level. The fourth-ranked candidate is second overall pick Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes, who – like Pettersson – will be given an immense amount of responsibility right away as a top-six winger who is arguably already one of the three most skilled forwards on the team. However, Svechnikov is one of three Hurricanes rookies on Wheeler’s list, which could take away from his case. Rounding out the top five is Dahlin’s fellow rookie in Buffalo, center Casey Mittelstadt, who scored at nearly a point-per-game pace in the college ranks and in a brief stint with the Sabres to end the year. Mittelstadt should face favorable match-ups this season with the lines anchored by Jack Eichel and Patrik Berglund drawing considerable attention from the opposition.

Wheeler’s top twenty Calder Trophy candidates are as follows:

  1. C Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
  2. D Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
  3. RW Ryan Donato, Boston Bruins
  4. RW Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes
  5. C Casey Mittelstadt, Buffalo Sabres
  6. RW Filip Zadina, Detroit Red Wings
  7. C Dylan Strome, Arizona Coyotes
  8. C Henrik Borgstrom, Florida Panthers
  9. C Martin Necas, Carolina Hurricanes
  10. D Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
  11. RW Dylan Sikura, Chicago Blackhawks
  12. RW Eeli Tolvanen, Nashville Predators
  13. C Filip Chytil, New York Rangers
  14. LW Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
  15. LW Valentin Zykov, Carolina Hurricanes
  16. RW Kailer Yamamoto, Edmonton Oilers
  17. C Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning
  18. LW Kristian Vesalainen, Winnipeg Jets
  19. C Sam Steel, Anaheim Ducks
  20. RW Vitaly Abramov, Columbus Blue Jackets

Honorable Mentions: C Vladislav Kamenev, Colorado Avalanche; LW Jordan Greenway, Minnesota Wild; C Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues; LW Andreas Johnsson, Toronto Maple Leafs; C Michael Rasmussen, Detroit Red Wings; C Lias Andersson, New York Rangers; D Sami Niku, Winnipeg Jets; D Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers; RW Daniel Sprong, Pittsburgh Penguins

What do you think? Who will be the NHL’s Rookie of the Year and take home the Calder Trophy at the end of the season? The favorite? The first overall pick? Another top candidate? Or a name not even mentioned here?

Projected Status Of First-Round Picks

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In the NHL, first-round draft picks hold especially high expectations. Selections made in rounds two through seven hold reasonably similar career expectations, meaning that teams are just hoping to find a few hidden gems on the second day of the draft. Those taken in the top 31 though bring real excitement and scrutiny, even just a few months after they join the organization.

Many players will not make the NHL the year following their draft. Some won’t even sign contracts right away, instead taking their talents to the collegiate ranks where they must maintain their amateur status. The NCAA has become more and more competitive through the decades, and is now considered a top development league for some of the most talented players in the world. Delaying your first contract to play in college is almost never a real detriment to a career, and often results in a more well-rounded game when joining the professional ranks.

Some too will return to junior or their respective international league to continue their development. These decisions can come with or without a corresponding professional contract, and can even be made well into the NHL season. Some organizations believe in giving their top prospects a taste of NHL life before sending them back to dominate the junior ranks, allowing them to build up the desire to return to the best league in the world as soon as possible.

For this year’s crop, there are many who will be battling for a full-time role in a few week’s time. Rasmus Dahlin is all but guaranteed a role on the Buffalo Sabres blue line, but several others could make the jump right away and be impact players. Here are the projected landing spots so far for the 2018 first round picks:

  1. Rasmus Dahlin (BUF) – Signed ELC on July 9. Will play in NHL for 2018-19.
  2. Andrei Svechnikov (CAR) – Signed ELC on June 30. Will play in NHL for 2018-19.
  3. Jesperi Kotkaniemi (MTL) – Signed ELC on July 1. Will compete for NHL spot, expected to play in Finland for 2018-19.
  4. Brady Tkachuk (OTT) – Signed ELC on August 13. Will compete for NHL spot, could play in Belleville (AHL) or London (OHL) for 2018-19.
  5. Barrett Hayton (ARZ) – Signed ELC on July 6. Expected to play in Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) for 2018-19.
  6. Filip Zadina (DET) – Signed ELC on July 7. Will compete for NHL spot, expected to play in Grand Rapids (AHL) for 2018-19.
  7. Quinn Hughes (VAN) – Unsigned. Will play at University of Michigan (NCAA) for 2018-19.
  8. Adam Boqvist (CHI) – Signed ELC on July 1. Expected to play in London (OHL) for 2018-19.
  9. Vitali Kravtsov (NYR) – Unsigned. Will play in Chelyabinsk (KHL) for 2018-19.
  10. Evan Bouchard (EDM) – Signed ELC on July 17. Will compete for NHL spot, expected to play in London (OHL) for 2018-19.
  11. Oliver Wahlstrom (NYI) – Unsigned. Will play at Boston College (NCAA) for 2018-19.
  12. Noah Dobson (NYI) – Signed ELC on August 13. Will compete for NHL spot, expected to play in Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL) for 2018-19.
  13. Ty Dellandrea (DAL) – Unsigned. Expected to play in Flint (OHL) for 2018-19.
  14. Joel Farabee (PHI) – Unsigned. Will play at Boston University (NCAA) for 2018-19.
  15. Grigori Denisenko (FLA) – Unsigned. Will play in Yaroslavl (KHL) for 2018-19.
  16. Martin Kaut (COL) – Signed ELC on July 5. Will compete for NHL spot, expected to play in Colorado (AHL) for 2018-19.
  17. Ty Smith (NJD) – Signed ELC on August 20. Will compete for NHL spot, expected to play in Spokane (WHL) for 2018-19.
  18. Liam Foudy (CBJ) – Signed ELC on July 30. Expected to play in London (OHL) for 2018-19.
  19. Jay O’Brien (PHI) – Unsigned. Will play at Providence College (NCAA) for 2018-19.
  20. Rasmus Kupari (LAK) – Signed ELC on July 13. Will play in Finland for 2018-19.
  21. Ryan Merkley (SJS) – Signed ELC on July 18. Expected to play in Guelph (OHL) for 2018-19.
  22. K’Andre Miller (NYR) – Unsigned. Will play at University of Wisconsin (NCAA) for 2018-19.
  23. Isac Lundestrom (ANA) – Signed ELC on August 7. Expected to play in Sweden for 2018-19.
  24. Filip Johansson (MIN) – Unsigned. Expected to play in Sweden for 2018-19.
  25. Dominik Bokk (STL) – Signed ELC on July 11. Expected to play in Sweden for 2018-19.
  26. Jacob Bernard-Docker (OTT) – Unsigned. Will play at University of North Dakota (NCAA) for 2018-19.
  27. Nicolas Beaudin (CHI) – Unsigned. Expected to play in Drummondville (QMJHL) for 2018-19.
  28. Nils Lundkvist (NYR) – Unsigned. Expected to play in Sweden for 2018-19.
  29. Rasmus Sandin (TOR) – Signed ELC on July 16. Expected to play in Toronto (AHL) or Sweden for 2018-19.
  30. Joe Veleno (DET) – Unsigned. Expected to play in Drummondville (QMJHL) for 2018-19.
  31. Alexander Alexeyev (WSH) – Unsigned. Expected to play in Red Deer (WHL) for 2018-19.

Atlantic Notes: Senators’ Youth, Walker, Howard, Nelson

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The Ottawa Senators seem to have little go right over the last year or so, whether it was the unhappiness of their star defenseman Erik Karlsson to the Matt Duchene trade in which the team traded away their No. 1 overall pick for next season to Colorado. With the team shipping off players left and right, that pick could be a costly one for the team.

However, the Ottawa Sun’s Ken Warren writes that who the Senators need to look at the success of the New Jersey Devils last season had when they opted to add a struggling team with youth. Just a season ago, the Devils had a 28-40-14 season and just 70 points. However, New Jersey brought in an infusion of youth, including Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Will Butcher, as well as second-year players like Miles Wood and Pavel Zacha. That group altered the makeup of the struggling franchise and turned last season into a 44-29-9 season for 97 points, an increase of 27 points on the year. The team even qualified for the playoffs.

The Senators, who are actually loaded with quality prospects within their system, could get a similar infusion from their prospects. That possibility might start with 2018 first-rounder Brady Tkachuk, who opted to turn pro last week and has a chance to walk right into the Senators lineup. The team has other young players who are ready for full seasons this year, including Colin White, Logan Brown, Thomas Chabot, Filip Chlapik and Drake Batherson. The team also has last year’s second-round pick Alex Formenton, who made the Senators squad out of training camp last year, who could also make the jump this year. Some success from some of those kids could make people forget a little about some of the franchise’s struggles.

  • Former Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Kurt Walker passed away Friday night at the age of 64 after a brief illness, according to the Toronto Sun’s Lance Hornby. Walker, who might have been better known after his short NHL career, was an advocate for retired NHL players. His efforts nearly a decade ago helped retired players and opened doors for affordable health care, concussion research on NHL retired players and stem-cell research. Walker played three seasons in the NHL, all for the Maple Leafs, playing in 71 games, tallying four goals, five assists and 152 penalty minutes.
  • Mlive’s Ansar Khan writes that the Detroit Red Wings need a solid year out of 34-year-old goaltender Jimmy Howard, who has one year remaining on his contract. Howard started the 2017-18 season strong, but struggled in the second-half of the season, finishing the year with a 2.85 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 60 games. The team may have to lighten his workload now that the team added Jonathan Bernier, but if Howard will have to have a better year to earn another contract with the team. Khan writes the team might want to give him a two-year extension as they lack goalie prospects in their system.
  • The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington writes that Buffalo Sabres defensive prospect Casey Nelson has a good chance at breaking camp with the Sabres this year because he now requires Buffalo to pass him through waivers to send him to the AHL. Nelson, has played 55 games for Buffalo over the past three years and showed some promise last year, putting up three goals and eight assists in 37 games. However, because the team could conceivably lose him if they attempt to pass him through waivers, they may be more likely to hold onto him and send other prospects like Brendan Guhle to the AHL since he doesn’t require waivers.

Ottawa Senators Officially Sign Brady Tkachuk

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Though the news had already broken over the last few days, the Ottawa Senators today officially announced the three-year entry-level contract for top pick Brady Tkachuk. The fourth-overall selection in the 2018 draft, Tkachuk has turned down an opportunity to return to Boston University this season and instead will sign his first professional contract. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a glowing statement about his newest prospect:

Brady Tkachuk exemplifies all the attributes around which we want to improve the Ottawa Senators. He is a young man of exceptional character. We know how much he agonized over leaving Boston University, and we are encouraged by the degree of accountability and commitment this shows from him. Through tenacity, combativeness and work ethic, he also exemplifies leadership skills that we know will benefit the team now and well into the future. Most of all, Brady has shown us through his maturity that he is coachable, committed to teamwork, and determined to help us strengthen our team chemistry. For all these reasons, he is an exciting young player whose growth and development we are eager to support.

Though Tkachuk has signed and is now ineligible to return to BU, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be playing with Ottawa this season. He could now be sent to the London Knights of the OHL—where his brother played prior to jumping to the NHL—or the AHL Belleville Senators to work on his game at the minor league level. Though he is 6’3″ already and can dominate physically against players his age, jumping to the professional ranks will be an entirely new challenge and could lead to some real struggles. That’s the decision the Senators will have to make, though they can basically wait as long as they want. After ten games in the NHL the first year of Tkachuk’s entry-level deal will be burned, but the team could keep him up to 40 before moving him a year closer to unrestricted free agency. If they believe he can help the NHL team right away and isn’t overwhelmed by the grind of a professional schedule, perhaps we’ll see him in Ottawa all season.

Interestingly though the Knights have just brought back Mark Hunter into the day-to-day fold as General Manager, and the franchise comes with a long history of convincing high profile talent to spend at least one year in the OHL. Matthew Tkachuk was a star forward coming through the US National Team Development program playing with the likes of Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic and had ties to Notre Dame (where he was once committed) and both Boston University and Boston College before deciding to head to the OHL for one season. That season, where he scored 107 points and was a big part of a Memorial Cup title, jumped him up to sixth overall in the 2016 draft and prepared him for life with the Calgary Flames. More so than any other CHL team the Knights bring with them a professional-type atmosphere and churn out NHL talent on a regular basis.

Eastern Notes: Carlo, Tkachuk, Dobson, Chaput

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The Boston Bruins dealt with numerous injuries over the course of the 2017-18 season, but that didn’t stop the team from getting into the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season. One injury that truly crippled the team was the loss of defenseman Brandon Carlo right at the end of the season with a broken fibula. While the team is solid on defense, the presence of the 6-foot-5 blueliner has been critical to their team.

Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont writes that Carlo injury is fully healed as x-rays were clean and the 21-year-old has already been skating for more than a month. Not an offensive defenseman, Carlo has had trouble adjusting to the NHL physical game, having spent his rookie campaign next to Zdeno Chara and then being teamed up as the defensive presence to offensive sparkplug Torey Krug. However, Carlo said he’s added close to 10 pounds of muscle to his frame this offseason and is ready to take the bulk of another full campaign in Boston.

“I think last year was good for me in an aspect,” Carlo said, “to learn so much about myself and my game. Coming into this third year, I have really high expectations for myself. I expect to be back on track with helping out in every aspect that I can. I think overall I have to come in with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder and have a little more confidence in myself and my overall game.”

  • While there are many people who feel that winger Brady Tkachuk, who announced his intention of going pro Saturday, might be better served playing with the OHL London Knights or the AHL’s Belleville Senators next year to continue his development, Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun writes that Tkachuk actually has as good a shot of anyone on the roster to make the NHL squad out of training camp. The team isn’t deep at the left wing position, which includes players such as Ryan Dzingel, Mikkel Boedker, Max McCormick, Magnus Paajarvi, Tom Pyatt and Zack Smith. Not exactly top of the line. Considering that Smith is likely to move to center next year and Pyatt could move to the right side, if needed, there is plenty of space for Tkachuk if he impresses in training camp.
  • Historically, players picked at No. 12 in the NHL Draft usually don’t end up with their NHL time right away in their first season, but that could be a possibility when it comes to New York Islanders 2018 first-round pick Noah Dobson. The 18-year-old prospect showed off his skills with a dominant performance at the World Junior Showcase for Canada by posting five goals in three games. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple (subscription required) writes another impressive showing at training camp in front of coach Barry Trotz could force the team’s hand to keep him, considering the team’s lack of depth on defense.
  • While the Montreal Canadiens didn’t make too many waves this offseason, the team did sign several smaller names, including Michael Peca, Xavier Ouellet, Kenny Agostino and Michael Chaput. The 26-year-old Chaput is an interesting case as he’s played 135 NHL games already in his career, but with the exception of a 68-games season back in 2016-17, the center has spent most of his career in the AHL. Now, with many openings potentially available in Montreal, Chaput feels he’s got a great shot a full-time role with Montreal this year, according to NHL.com’s Matt Cudzinowski. “My mindset is to try and make this team. I want to play for the Canadiens. That’s my main goal. That’s what I’m working towards,” said Chaput.

Brady Tkachuk To Turn Pro And Sign With Senators

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With his self-imposed deadline of August 12th to make a decision on his plans for next season fast approaching, Senators first-rounder Brady Tkachuk has informed his college coach that he intends to turn pro and sign with Ottawa, reports ESPN’s John Buccigross (Twitter link).

Tkachuk is coming off of a strong freshman season at Boston University that saw him post 31 points (8-23-31) in just 40 games while also being among the top scorers at the World Juniors.  That helped him become the fourth overall pick back in June.

Many believe Tkachuk is physically ready to withstand the rigors of a full NHL season and with the expectation that the Senators are still likely to sell between now and the start of the year, there is a good chance that he’d be able to step in and play a regular role right away.

However, this decision doesn’t necessarily lock him into Ottawa’s lineup come October.  As he wasn’t drafted out of the CHL, he is eligible to play at the AHL level with their affiliate in Belleville.  His junior rights are held by OHL London and the Sens could opt to send him there as well if he doesn’t project to be a full-timer in the NHL.

If he does start out in Ottawa, he will be subject to the same games played thresholds as other junior-aged players are.  He could play nine games without burning the first year of his entry-level deal while he wouldn’t accrue a season towards unrestricted free agency until he hits the 40-game mark.

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