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Sabres Notes: Mittelstadt, Salary Cap, Prospects

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The Buffalo Sabres have now signed all their restricted free agents and have a roster that looks to be close to ready for next season. However, with that in mind, there is still the question of who will be Buffalo’s second-line center, a hole the team struggled with all season. The team had high hopes that Casey Mittelstadt, the eighth overall pick in 2017, could fill that role immediately last season, but he struggled to adjust. While the hope was that the Sabres would find a replacement via trade or free agency this summer which would give Mittelstadt more time to develop as a third-line center, it looks like the team might have to hope that Mittelstadt can improve on his performance in his second NHL season.

In a mailbag column, the Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski writes that it looks more and more likely that Mittelstadt will return to the second-line center role, although he points out that the team is likely going to have Sam Reinhart and Marcus Johansson to help him develop on that line. On top of that, with the cost of top-six centers nowadays, it’s likely that even moving Rasmus Ristolainen wouldn’t even be able to net themselves someone like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Throw in the fact that the team is likely to have 2019 first-rounder and seventh-overall pick Dylan Cozens with the team by next season and the team might be better off working on developing their centers.

  • The Athletic’s Joe Yerdon (subscription required) writes that with the Buffalo Sabres having hit the salary cap ceiling after signing Jake McCabe and Linus Ullmark Saturday, the team has quite a few options in front of them to loosen the team’s salary cap situation before the season starts. The team’s best chance to do that is with a buyout, which they will get to do later this week, if the Sabres choose to. The most likely candidates are Vladimir Sobotka and Marco Scandella, but both come with cap hits towards next season, which doesn’t help the team next year, especially with Sam Reinhart and Brandon Montour likely needing new deals. A trade of Ristolainen would be another option, but also would likely come with salary coming back, which might defeat the purpose of the trade.
  • NHL.com’s Heather Engel looks at that the Sabres top five prospects, but also notes that their top two prospects are expected to miss training camp this year. Buffalo’s first-round pick in 2019, Cozens, had surgery to repair his left thumb that he injured during development camp and is expected to miss two to three months, making it unlikely he’ll be ready for training camp. Their second-best prospect, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had hip surgery in April and is expected to miss six months, not a good time when he was supposed to make his professional debut this season. The hope is that both players will be able to pick up where they left off last year despite missing some time at the start of the season.

Dylan Cozens Signs Entry-Level Contract

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Though he won’t be participating in the Buffalo Sabres’ on-ice camps while he rehabs from thumb surgery, Dylan Cozens has signed his three-year entry-level contract. Cozens was the seventh overall pick in this June’s draft, but was given a 2-3 month recovery timeline following surgery ten days ago. If the 18-year old forward returns to the WHL this season, his contract would slide forward a year.

The Sabres were thrilled to get Cozens in the draft this year, after he was considered a potential top-3 pick at points during the season. Though other forwards leapfrogged him by the time draft day rolled around, there’s a ton for Buffalo fans to get excited about with the young center. One of the best skaters in the entire draft class, Cozens used his speed and size to steamroll the competition in the WHL, scoring 34 goals and 84 points in 68 games for the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He was a real difference maker for the Canadian U18 team as well, winning gold at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup and adding nine points in seven games at the U18 World Juniors.

Unfortunately the injury means that Cozens likely won’t be able to compete for a spot with Buffalo right out of training camp. If that’s true and he returns to Lethbridge, he would also likely be on the U20 World Junior team in December and could potentially be a candidate for WHL MVP. His game is already relatively refined at both ends of the rink, but with some time to add even more strength he could quickly prove too much for junior.

Dylan Cozens Out 2-3 Months Following Surgery

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The Buffalo Sabres can’t catch a break. After undergoing surgery on an injured left thumb earlier this week, Dylan Cozens has been given a two to three month recovery timeline. That means the young prospect could potentially be out until early October, missing the team’s entire training camp and a chance to show he’s ready for the NHL right away. Cozens was the Sabres first selection in last month’s draft, picked seventh overall.

Still just 18, Cozens is one of a handful of players from the 2019 draft that were expected to compete for NHL jobs this season. Though he has played just two seasons of CHL hockey, Cozens already has the frame and speed to compete at a higher level. He has shown his ability to dominate the WHL already with an 84-point season in 2018-19, but may end up back there to continue to develop his all-around game.

One thing this does mean is that Cozens will no longer be able to participate in Hockey Canada’s development camp and Summer Showcase later this month. That doesn’t at all mean he wouldn’t be able to make the World Junior squad in December though, as Cozens is a near lock if he is in the CHL or Buffalo allows him to go.

Hockey Canada Announces Invitees For 2019 Junior Development Camp

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Hockey Canada has announced their 43-man roster for the 2019 National Junior Team Development Camp, the first step towards participating at the next World Junior tournament. GM Mark Hunter and head coach Dale Hunter will be evaluating all 43 players over a four-game stretch in Plymouth, Michigan between July 27-August 4 where they will take on a team from the United States as well as Finland and Sweden. Team Canada will be broken into two teams for the short showcase.

The list of players includes many already drafted names, but also some that are available this weekend or even next June in the 2020 Entry Draft. The full group is listed below:

G Colten Ellis (2019 draft eligible)
G Zachary Emond (SJS)
G Alexis Gravel (CHI, unsigned)
G Hunter Jones (2019 draft eligible)
G Olivier Rodrigue (EDM)

D Calen Addison (PIT)
D Kevin Bahl (ARI)
D Justin Barron (2020 draft eligible)
D Jacob Bernard-Docker (OTT, unsigned)
D Bowen Byram (2019 draft eligible)
D Peter Diliberatore (VGK, unsigned)
D Noah Dobson (NYI)
D Thomas Harley (2019 draft eligible)
D Braden Schneider (2020 draft eligible)
D Ty Smith (NJD)
D Jonny Tychonick (OTT, unsigned)
D Jett Woo (VAN)

F Luka Burzan (2019 draft eligible)
F Dylan Cozens (2019 draft eligible)
F Kirby Dach (2019 draft eligible)
F Riley Damiani (DAL)
F Ty Dellandrea (DAL)
F Aidan Dudas (LAK, unsigned)
F Carson Focht (2019 draft eligible)
F Cole Fonstad (MTL, unsigned)
F Nolan Foote (2019 draft eligible)
F Gabriel Fortier (TBL)
F Liam Foudy (CBJ)
F Benoit-Olivier Groulx (ANA, unsigned)
F Barrett Hayton (ARI)
F Mathias Laferriere (STL, unsigned)
F Alexis Lafreniere (2020 draft eligible)
F Raphael Lavoie (2019 draft eligible)
F Jack McBain (MIN, unsigned)
F Allan McShane (MTL, unsigned)
F Alex Newhook (2019 draft eligible)
F Serron Noel (FLA)
F Ryan Suzuki (2019 draft eligible)
F Akil Thomas (LAK)
F Philip Tomasino (2019 draft eligible)
F Joe Veleno (DET)

Avalanche Notes: Hayes, No. 4 Pick, Knight

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The Colorado Avalanche made history on this day in 1996, winning the Stanley Cup in their inaugural season after moving to Denver. The eight-seed Avs came surprisingly close to getting back the Cup Final this year, upsetting the Calgary Flames in the first round and taking the San Jose Sharks to Game Seven in the second round. Colorado is closer to being a legitimate contender than some may have thought and are hoping to add some veteran pieces this off-season to improve their odds. GM Joe Sakic, a member of that ’96 team, is planning to be aggressive this summer, but his plan took an unexpected early hit when the Philadelphia Flyers acquired the negotiating rights of Kevin Hayes, expected to be one of Colorado’s top targets.

However, it’s already been a week since that trade was made and the Flyers and Hayes have not come to terms on a new contract. Talks are still reportedly progressing, but there’s less certainty that Hayes will end up signing with the team. In fact, BSN Denver’s AJ Haefele states that talks may not be going as well as Philadelphia would like fans to think, after surrendering a draft pick for the right to negotiate with Hayes. Haefele says that “things with Hayes and Philly haven’t really gone great so far”, adding that there’s still optimism but the clock is ticking toward the opening of free agency. If Hayes doesn’t come to terms with the Flyers and hits the open market, the Avalanche would have to be considered the favorite to land the two-way center given the many sources that have linked the two sides.

  • Haefele had another intriguing note for Avs fans tonight regarding the first of the team’s two first round picks, the No. 4 overall selection. Haefele believes, based on discussions with several sources, that Colorado will be targeting a forward with the pick, and that’s regardless of whether or not Bowen Byram is available. Byram, the top defenseman in the draft by a wide margin, is considered by many to perhaps be the third-best prospect overall. However, given the considerable draft capital that the Chicago Blackhawks have used on defensemen in recent years, they may pass on Byram at No. 3. It seems the Avalanche would do the same, opting to focus on their need for secondary scoring rather than adding a top young defenseman, with Cale Makar and Conor Timmins already in the fold. This should come as good new for the Los Angeles Kings, who could desperately use a blue chip defensive prospect. As for the Avs, Dylan Cozens, Trevor Zegras, and Kirby Dach are among the top forward prospects who could be available in this scenario.
  • There were clues to Colorado’s focus on a forward with their first pick before Haefele’s report, too. The team was curiously one of the few not to interview a number of projected late first-round forwards at the NHL Scouting Combine, leading many to assume that they would target a forward early and look elsewhere with their second pick, No. 16. The other explanation is that the Avalanche have already zeroed in one one specific player for that slot: top goaltender Spencer Knight. Although many are in agreement that Knight is a first-round caliber goalie, it’s easier for a team to stomach selecting a keeper that early if they have two picks in the round. Colorado is just one of five teams to pick twice in the first round this year, but they are the first team to use their second pick. Barring an unforeseen selection by a lottery team, the Avs could get ahead of the rest of the pack by selecting Knight at No. 16 and adding their goalie of the future. This is far from a guarantee, but certainly an idea that carries some merit.

Canucks Will Not Move 10th Overall Pick

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If Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning was looking for some final answers on his draft board at the NHL Scouting Combine, he found them. Benning tells The Province’s Ben Kuzma that he will stand pat with his first-round pick as the NHL Entry Draft approaches, neither trading the pick away nor moving up or down the draft order:

Coming out of the combine, I felt even better and excited about the player we’re going to get at No. 10. The kids were excellent in the interviews because they can get into a room with adults and sell themselves on what they can do and what they can get better at. I’m super excited about the pick.

Heading into the NHL Draft Lottery in April, there was hope that the Canucks would finally have some luck with the ping pong balls. There was particular excitement over the possibility that Vancouver could land the No. 1 pick and pair Jack Hughes with brother Quinn Hughes. However, the team again missed out on a top pick, sliding back to the No. 10 slot. This prompted some speculation that perhaps Benning and company would look to move the pick, either in a trade for an established player or as part of a package to move up to try and add a difference-maker earlier in the first round.

As it turns out, Benning feels he doesn’t need to move the pick to land that “exciting” player. At No. 10, the Canucks will certainly miss out on the likes of Hughes, Kaapo Kakko, and Bowen Byram and will likely be unable to grab a player like Alex Turcotte, Dylan Cozens, Kirby Dach, and Cole Caufield. However, in such a deep draft class, that still leaves a number of really promising players with a chance to fall into Vancouver’s lap. USNTDP standout forwards Trevor Zegras and Matthew Boldy, WHL product Peyton Krebs, and Swedish blue liner Philip Broberg should all be available, among others with top-ten talent.

One player who is unlikely to be a target of the Canucks? Russian forward Vasili Podkolzin. Not only was Podkolzin not in attendance at the combine, thus unable to sway Benning’s opinion, but Vancouver is also looking to take a step forward sooner rather than later and the dynamic winger is at least two years out contractually from making his presence felt in the NHL. Fortunately, the team will have plenty of other options at that spot and the GM is content to stay put and take what he can get.

Poll: What Should The Blackhawks Do With The No. 3 Pick?

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While there are still some who would argue that Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko should be selected first overall over American center Jack Hughes, the vast majority see Hughes going No. 1 to the New Jersey Devils and Kakko going No. 2 to the New York Rangers and everyone agrees that the pair will be the first two picks in whatever order. As such, the first real question of the 2019 NHL Draft comes with pick No. 3. The Chicago Blackhawks were the big winners of the NHL Draft Lottery this year, moving up from No. 12 to win the third overall pick. However, without an obvious option at that slot, Chicago’s decision could dictate much of the early first round.

In all likelihood, GM Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks will hold on to their pick and add an elite prospect to the pipeline, but which one? The recent NHL Scouting Combine did not provide many hints, as the team spoke multiple times with most of the top prospects in the draft class. Forwards Alex Turcotte, Dylan Cozens, Kirby Dach, and Peyton Krebs and defenseman Bowen Byram all met with Chicago several times over the week and could all be in contention at No. 3.

Turcotte will likely be the fan-favorite pick for the Blackhawks faithful. An Illinois native and lifelong Chicago fan, Turcotte has drawn comparisons to both Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Despite an injury-ridden season, Turcotte impressed when able and may be the most well-rounded forward in the draft class. It’s hard to find many holes in the talented center’s game and he’ll only improve after a year at the University of Wisconsin. In many ways, Turcotte is a bust-proof pick who is sure to be a good NHLer one day.

Yet, Turcotte may not be the best player available at No. 3. Most top scouting services are split between he and the defenseman Byram as the third ranked prospect. Byram is an incredible skater and is unmatched in this draft class in his ability to lead the rush and move the puck. Smart, skilled, and poised, Byram has the makings of a first pair defenseman. The only problem is that the Blackhawks used both of their first-round pick in 2018 on defenders – Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin – and a first- and second-round selection at the position in 2017 – Henri Jokiharju and Ian Mitchell. Chicago is well-stocked on the blue line and may be hesitant to take another defenseman, regardless of his talent level.

Of course, just because most scouts say it should be either Turcotte or Byram at No. 3, doesn’t mean the Blackhawks staff agrees. Cozens and Dach are bigger, stronger centers who, unlike Turcotte, could step in and play in the NHL right away next year if asked. Cozens is an athletic, hard-working player who could be an elite goal scorer at the pro level. Dach is dangerous at the center position, using space well, creating offense, and also playing a physical, two-way game. There’s also a chance that the Blackhawks could go off the board and take a player like Krebs, who they clearly have some interest in, undersized sniper Cole Caufield, who draws comparisons to budding Chicago star Alex DeBrincat, or skilled Russian project Vasili Podkolzin, who could be an offensive force in a few years.

Then there’s also the possibility that the Blackhawks could move the pick. Just because Bowman and company got lucky in the lottery doesn’t mean that they won’t entertain offers for No. 3. In such a deep draft, Chicago could move back to recoup another pick or prospect, and still land a promising prospect with their new pick. If a defense-needy team like the Los Angeles Kings (No. 5), Detroit Red Wings (No. 6), or Anaheim Ducks (No. 9) want to make sure they can get Byram, the Blackhawks could net a nice return and not have to move back too far. Other teams may also be dead-set one of the drafts top centers, while Chicago may not be as sold on one versus the other and could be willing to move back to still get a player they really like. It’s not often that NHL teams, especially ones in a top position, trade back, but the Blackhawks are in a unique position to do just that.

What do you think? What will Chicago do with the third overall pick?

Top 2019 NHL Scouting Combine Performers

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Have you heard of Jayden Struble? No? Well you have now. The defenseman out of St. Sebastian’s School in Massachusetts put on a clinic at the NHL Scouting Combine and has asserted himself as the top athlete in the 2019 draft class. Of course, athleticism is hardly all that it takes to succeed in hockey, but Struble certainly didn’t hurt his draft stock with his incredible performance yesterday.

Among the fitness tests that the combine invitees are asked to participate in are the bench press, pull-ups, vertical jump, squat jump, standing long jump, shuttle run, grip strength test, and the now-famous Wingate test, an exercise bike endurance test. Struble ranked first in an amazing five measurements – Wingate mean output, bench press, long jump, and left and right grip strength – and finished in the top three of the other two jumps. The 6’0″, 194-lb. rearguard showed that strength and endurance are his game, more so than any other top draft prospect. It was an impressive display from the skater ranked just No. 48 in North America by NHL Central Scouting, but could now be a safe bet as a second-round selection.

Several other prospects had banner days as well. Among the names at the top of most draft boards, WHL center Dylan Cozens performed well in endurance testing, finishing in the top five of both mean output and peak output in the Wingate test. He also finished among the leaders in both right hand and left hand grip strength and the standing long jump. Undersized USNTDP sniper Cole Caufield showed that strength is relative, finishing tied for first in pull-ups with 16 reps of his 5’7″, 163-lb. frame. Caufield also placed in the top ten in the bench press and vertical jump. Fellow smaller forward Nils Hoglander also impressed, finishing alone atop the chart in peak output during the Wingate test, tied for first in pull-ups, second in the bench press, and among the leaders in the left and right shuttle run. It was a well-rounded result from the Swedish forward who projects to be a mid-to-late first-round pick. Top-ranked goaltender Spencer Knight may have put to rest any lingering concerns teams may have had about using a first-round selection on him. Knight showed that he is one of the more agile and explosive athletes among all draft prospects, not just goalies, with a top-five finish in the vertical jump, squat jump, long jump, left and right shuttle run.

Other standouts include Peyton Krebs, Raphael Lavoie, John Beecher, Henry Thrun, Samuel Bolduc, and Nicholas Robertson. For full explanations of the tests, all top-ten finishes, and the results from some of the draft’s top prospects, check out this write-up from Brandon Cain of Second City Hockey.

Combine Notes: Marner, Dubas, Johnson, Turcotte

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Toronto Maple Leafs fans may be nervous about the prospect of a Mitch Marner offer sheet, especially after some recent comments, but GM Kyle Dubas isn’t. Dubas tells NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger that he has used the ongoing NHL Scouting combine as an opportunity to meet with Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, in hopes of getting a new deal done with their star forward as soon as possible:

We’re not letting any time slip away. Any chance we’ve had to have time with Darren, we’re taking it. We’re trying to move it along. That’s really the key. I don’t see any need to delay it. We would like to come to agreements the very first minute we can. Unfortunately with the way things are it’s not overly realistic to think we can do that. Just keep working. I think I said before — we have to go back to check the tape — everyone knows how we feel about Mitch. I’m not afraid to say that Mitch holds a special place in the cosmos of our group… The reality is, Mitch is a great player. We’ve been very clear how we feel about him as a player and a person. He’s been a great Maple Leaf. He should be a Maple Leaf his whole career. I think Mitch and Darren have both stated that at times. We’re going to keep working with Darren to move this along and progress it ahead and come to an agreement which will make Mitch feel like he’s compensated at the level he’s deserved and us with a way to navigate our way ahead. I think if we’re all willing to work towards it we’ll get there. That’s what we have the time for here.

Dubas continues that he would be surprised if Marner were to entertain the idea of an offer sheet and has never been led to believe that it has been discussed as an option by Marner’s camp. Dubas knows that Marner, as well as Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson, could be popular targets for the elusive offer sheet, but is prepared to deal with that scenario if it arises:

I think you have to study what the probability may be. You can’t ignore it. You can’t just say that because something hasn’t happened, it won’t happen. You have to be realistic. You have to look around and identify which teams have the capital, which teams have the cap space, and which teams have the combination of both… That’s the way we’ve gone about it. As a management group, our focus has been on finding contract resolutions with Mitch and Johnsson and Kapanen.

By all accounts, Dubas is farther along in talks with all three of Marner, Johnsson, and Kapanen than he was with William Nylander at this time last year. Nylander of course held out well into the start of this past season, but that doesn’t appear to be the likely outcome for any Toronto RFA’s this year. And while the threat of offer sheets exist, that too doesn’t seem to be a probable ending. The question thus becomes, if new contracts can be signed with Marner, Johnsson, and Kapanen, where does it leave the Maple Leafs in salary cap terms and who will have to move this summer to make the team cap compliant?

  • While NHL executives and agents alike obviously use the NHL Scouting Combine as an opportunity to talk to one another, the focus of course is on the draft class. One prospect in particular has been busier than just about anyone at the combine. NBC Sports Chicago’s Slavko Bekovic reports that American defenseman Ryan Johnson is the only player in attendance thought to have met with all 31 NHL teams. Johnson is not your typical popular top-of-the-first prospect, though. Instead, he has been ranked as high as No. 18 and as low as No. 55 by reputable scouting sources and many teams are likely still trying to gauge whether or not he is a first-round caliber player. To his credit, Johnson will at least likely go ahead of many highly-regarded U.S. National Team Development Program defenders after he himself did not make the team. The stalwart defenseman for the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede is a solid, mobile defenseman and a strong locker room presence, but the question is whether he is a top-31 player in this draft. Every team in the league will apparently get the chance to answer that question.
  • Bekovic also reports that Illinois native Alex Turcotte, a top-ten prospect, has met with his hometown Chicago Blackhawks this week. While the Blackhawks have met with several other intriguing prospects who they could select at No. 3, including Bowen Byram, Dylan Cozens, Kirby Dach, and Peyton Krebs, it’s hard to ignore the fit that Turcotte would have with the organization. The USNTDP standout told Bekovic that he grew up a big Blackhawks fan and has always dreamed of playing for the team. He also models his game after Jonathan Toews and relishes in the frequent comparisons between the two. GM Stan Bowman is not going to let sentiment dictate a crucial pick for his franchise, but Turcotte’s talent alone may make him the third-best player in this class, with the local ties just an added bonus.

Record 16 Players From USNTDP To Attend NHL Scouting Combine

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The annual NHL Scouting Combine is set to take place next week, with 109 – approximately three-and-a-half rounds worth – of top prospects in attendance. Of those participating, NHL.com’s Mike Morreale reports that 16 will belong to the U.S. National Team Development Program. Admittedly, the USNTDP is unique; an effort to bring together some of the top American junior-age players for a hybrid junior and collegiate schedule creates a very loaded lineup. Still, never before have so many players – nearly 15% of the group – from one team been invited to the same draft combine, highlighting what promises to be an exciting class of U.S. players.

Beyond just presumptive top pick Jack Hughes, forwards Alex Turcotte, Trevor Zegras, Matthew Boldy, Cole Caufield, John Beecher, Judd Caulfield, and Patrick Moynihan, defensemen Cam York, Alex Vlasic, Henry Thrun, Marshall Warren, Domenick Fensore, and Drew Helleson, and goaltenders Spencer Knight and Cameron Rowe are expected to be in attendance. Of that group, many rankings and mock would suggest at least Hughes, Turcotte, Zegras, Boldy, Caufield, York, and Knight are near locks as first-round picks, with the others not far behind. Several other USNTDP standouts not invited to the combine will nevertheless still be drafted as well. It is a truly incredible class that may stand the test of time.

The combine kicks off on Friday, May 31st with media availability for the “Top Prospects”, as designated by the league and Central Scouting. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler reports that this group of six includes Hughes, Turcotte, presumptive second overall pick Kaapo Kakko, top defense prospect Bowen Byram, and Canadian centers Dylan Cozens and Kirby Dach. On Saturday, June 1st, all combine participants will undergo fitness testing throughout the day, while teams will have an opportunity to meet with prospects one-on-one as well. With the World Championships and Memorial Cup both wrapping up this coming weekend, the Scouting Combine will be the final time that teams can evaluate draft prospects in a live setting before the NHL Entry Draft on June 21st.

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