Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Dylan Strome

Early Look At Some 2017-18 Impact Rookies

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Last season we saw one of the greatest rookie crops come through the league in quite some time. Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, Zach Werenski, Matt Murray, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Travis Konecny, Ivan Provorov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sebastian Aho, Brayden Point the list could go on and on with the players who made an impact right away in their first full season. The league continues to skew younger and younger, and we got a taste last year of some of the names we’ll see fighting for the Calder trophy next season as well.

No longer is there an age restriction on the NHL, since teenagers have taken the league by storm with their blend of speed and skill. Even before they’ve grown into their bodies they’re putting up 40-goal seasons, or winning back-to-back Stanley Cups. So who will be the next wave of players to change their team’s fortunes and make an impact from the second they step on the ice? While there may not be another crop like last year, there are plenty of interesting names to keep an eye on.

Without dipping into the 2017 draft class, of which Nico Hischier, Nolan Patrick and others both may jump right into the top league, we’ll examine some early favorites who have both the talent and opportunity to find immediate success.

Clayton Keller – Arizona Coyotes Clayton Keller

Keller made his NHL debut last spring after exiting Boston University and immediately made his presence felt. In three games he registered a pair of assists, and showed off his incredible offensive skill. As a freshman at BU he scored 45 points in 31 games, won gold at the World Juniors and put up seven points in eight games with Team USA at the World Championships playing against other NHL stars. Like Marner last year there are questions about his size and durability, but Keller has excelled at every level so far and if given the chance could be a difference maker on the Coyotes.

Dylan Strome – Arizona Coyotes

In any discussion of young Coyotes you also have to mention Strome, the third-overall pick from 2015 who started the season with the team last year before heading back to junior for another year. Upon his return Strome dominated as part of one of the most talented lines in the OHL, but some still question his NHL ability in 2017-18. There is potential for a franchise centerman here, but there is also a substantial amount of risk that Strome’s skating will hold him back from being the elite offensive player he is at the lower levels.

Tyson Jost – Colorado Avalanche

Another NCAA-turned-NHL player this spring, Jost finished his year with six games for the Avalanche and even scored his first goal. It’s all about speed with Jost, who is rarely caught standing still and always seems to have the puck follow him around the ice. His year was spent in North Dakota where he scored 35 points in 33 games, and given the poor results of Colorado last year could be given an opportunity to impress right away. If put on a line with other young offensive talents in Colorado, Jost could end up with a healthy number of points even if some of his fundamentals at the center ice position still need work.

Brock BoeserBrock Boeser – Vancouver Canucks

Boeser was Jost’s teammate (and often linemate) at North Dakota, and jumped straight to the NHL after losing out in the NCAA tournament only to immediately make an impact for the Canucks. Boeser scored what would end up being the game-winning goal in his first NHL game, in a fashion that will foreshadow how he’ll be effective at the next level. Speed, playmaking and a never-ending drive for the net will be the hallmarks of Boeser’s career, and he’ll be given a chance right away with some of Vancouver’s top forwards. In nine games at the end of the year he registered five points, including two powerplay tallies set up by Henrik Sedin.

Charlie McAvoy – Boston Bruins

On defense, the Bruins’ top prospect leads the list after debuting in the Stanley Cup playoffs this past season. McAvoy looked every bit as confident and smooth as expected, even when being chased by NHL forwards and paired with the legendary Zdeno Chara. While Boston won’t want to put too much on the 19-year old’s shoulders right away, he’s always floated to the top of any team he’s played on and didn’t log less than 24 minutes in a single one of his six playoff matches. The Bruins will have several rookies in the lineup next season, but it’s not just top pairing potential for McAvoy, it might already be performance.

Julius Honka – Dallas Stars Julius Honka

A player that likely could have been included at the top of this article had he been given the chance, Honka comes into this season ready to take the next step and be a full-time player on the Dallas blueline. After three development years in the AHL where he’s shown off his high-end offensive talent on a nightly basis, he may just end up as one of the top up-and-coming defensemen in the league at year’s end. His two-way skill is reminiscent of teammate John Klingberg, and showed it off by being arguably Finland’s top defender at the recent World Championships. With 16 games under his belt and turning 22 this season, he’s ready to help the Stars get back to the playoffs right away.

*Note: There are many other rookies that have impact potential that will be profiled throughout the summer as we approach the season. These are in no particular order or ranking.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Islanders’ Perplexing Side-Deal With Vegas

at CDT | by 2 Comments

As I briefly mentioned in a previous article, the New York Islanders decided to travel a very perplexing road with their protection list. They shielded only 3 forwards, and protected 5 defensemen, allowing a whole host of forwards to be claimed.  These include Brock Nelson, Ryan Strome, Casey Cizikas, Nikolai Kulemin, and Josh Bailey at the upper end of the spectrum. Defenseman Calvin de Haan, who has reportedly has had difficulty coming to a deal with management on a new contract, is also left at Vegas’ disposal

What complicates matters is that Arthur Staple of Newsday has been insinuating that the Islanders have a deal in place to protect Nelson, Strome, and de Haan, while others, such as Darren Dreger, believes the deal only applies to forwards.  NHL Numbers stated today that the protection agreement would protect only Bailey and Cizikas, which is easily the most disastrous deal of the group. From a pure value standpoint, Nelson, de Haan and Strome have far more value than either player. Staple believed yesterday evening that the Islanders were going to trade their 15th overall selection in order to push Vegas in a favorable direction. Even still, it doesn’t explain the particulars of the players protected.

John Tavares is an obvious keeper, and Andrew Ladd helped the offense in a big way after a rocky start. Anders Lee is coming off a phenomenal 34 goal season in only his 3rd full outing. The defense revolves around Nick Leddy and Travis Hamonic, and despite his steps backward Johnny Boychuk is a big minute eater for the team. You could have made a case for Ryan Pulock over Boychuk, and made that quite convincingly, but it seemed inevitable that team would lose a defender no matter what. Boychuk did have an NMC, which complicated that matter. Considering that the team was 17th in goals against this past season, that wasn’t exactly a worst-case scenario.

Instead of taking the orthodox 4-4 route and protecting Nelson or Strome as well as Pulock or de Haan, or protecting all but one forward in a 7-3 scheme, the Islanders chose instead to protect a relative no-name in Adam Pelech. Pelech had a solid season, to be sure, but he is a bottom-pairing defenseman and doesn’t project as a difference maker. By opting to leave these players exposed, they take a large aspect of the decision making out of their own hands. GM Garth Snow sacrificed a first round pick and a certain degree of autonomy to protect two forwards, when they could instead have done that on their own. If the end goal was to entice Vegas into selecting Thomas Hickey, they could have done so without the bizarre protection structure. This isn’t even delving into the insanity of surrendering a first-round selection to protect one mid-level player over another.

All in all, the Islanders and GM Garth Snow have stolen the show today for most bewildering decision. Unless the deal with Vegas is far more encompassing than it appears at the moment, they are looking to lose a solid contributor and a 1st-round pick when both could have been avoided.

 

The original article incorrectly linked Dylan Strome.

Shane Doan Era Nearing Conclusion

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Although it’s certainly not the biggest issue Arizona management will face this off-season, it could well be the end of an era for the team. Shane Doan has captained the franchise for the last 14 years, but has seen the team reach the franchise reach the conference finals only once. Doan is the rare example of a player who is far more than the sum of his point totals and stat-lines. He’s never broken 80 points, and only hit 30 goals once, but has been a consistent presence – potting a very respectable 972 career points in 1540 career games. This last season, he saw a momentous drop in production, from 28 goals and 47 points in 2015-16 to 6 goals and 27 points this past year. His best years are most certainly behind him, with  his impact on the ice being negligible. Yet, his leadership ability on a young Coyotes squad could be near impossible to replace.

At 40 years old, Doan is the last surviving original Winnipeg Jet. He was an unlikely candidate to outlast his teammates that season. Although he was the youngest player on the team, he was outperformed by fellow rookie Deron Quint and finished a measley 17th in team scoring. He had a strong playoff and found himself shuttled to the deserts of Arizona, where he eventually became captain in 2003-04. The Coyotes have missed the playoffs 11 times under his leadership. And yet with all the difficulties Phoenix/Arizona faced, Doan was the constant face of re-assurance for a worried fanbased, and a consistent performer on an inconsistent squad. His play always remained the same, whether the team was at the bubble of making the playoffs, or 30 points out. His tenacity has been revered around the league, and his on-the-edge play even resulted in a few league suspensions when he crossed the line.

Doan has been pivotal to a team that yet again deeply entrenched in the re-building phase. At 40 years old, it seems unlikely that Doan will return for another season. The Coyotes will be expected by most around the league to finish short of the 8th spot yet again. But the younger players on the team, such as Anthony Duclair, Lawson Crouse, Max Domi, Dylan Strome, Clayton Keller, and Jakob Chychrun, would suffer greatly in their development from his absence. In an off-season where the team is quite likely to also lose 35 year-old Radim Vrbata, there will be a serious vacuum of veteran voices in the Arizona locker room.

Doan would probably see a pay cut from his last paycheck of $3.87 MM per year if he wanted to spend another year in the desert. If he does not don the maroon again, the captaincy and his position as a physical winger will need to be replaced. There are other veteran forwards available for the taking, such as Patrick Eaves and Thomas Vanek, but both players will likely be looking for longer-term deals. Regardless of whether Doan returns or not, his mark on the Coyote franchise will not soon be forgotten, and his influence on the organizational mindset will be felt for years.

West Notes: Parayko, Sharp, Strome, Wilson

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Some have suggested that Blues defenseman Colton Parayko could be an intriguing candidate to receive an increasingly rare offer sheet.  However, GM Doug Armstrong confirmed to Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that they will match any offer made to the 24 year old.

Parayko is coming off a strong sophomore season that saw him collect 35 points (4-31-35) in 81 games while also seeing his average ice time jump to over 21 minutes per night.  He also made a strong impression with Team Canada at the World Championships where he picked up three goals and four assists in just six games.  With Kevin Shattenkirk now gone, Parayko stands to benefit from more power play time which could have him primed for a nice boost offensively.  He’s due a qualifying offer of just over $874K from the Blues and will stand to earn a lot more than that when a deal gets done.

Elsewhere in the West:

  • Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News speculates that pending unrestricted free agent winger Patrick Sharp prefers to either stay in Dallas in free agency or return to the Blackhawks. The latter option doesn’t seem like too much of a realistic possibility given their cap situation at the moment which could put Dallas in the drivers’ seat.  Sharp isn’t expected to receive a clean bill of health until late August or early September after undergoing season-ending hip surgery after the trade deadline which makes him a candidate to be on the open market well beyond the beginning of July.
  • The Coyotes are asking top center prospect Dylan Strome to add a lot more strength this offseason as he makes another push at a regular roster spot, writes Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic. The third overall pick in 2015 has had no issues scoring at the junior level – he had 75 points (22-53-75) in 35 games with Erie this season – but he has had issues dealing with the size and strength of NHL defenders in his brief stints with the Coyotes.  As a result, Strome will spend the summer in Arizona working with team personnel as he looks to make a push for a full-time spot next season.
  • Predators forward Colin Wilson took the morning skate today in advance of tonight’s Stanley Cup Game Three matchup against the Penguins, notes Adam Vingan of The Tennessean (Twitter link). He has missed the first two games of the series due to an unspecified injury.  Early indications are that he likely won’t be available to play tonight but the fact he’s skating suggests he may be ready at some point in the series.

Poll: Which Team Will Be Next To Make Stanley Cup Debut?

at CDT | by 6 Comments

With a 6-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final last night, the Nashville Predators punched their ticket to the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup appearance. In fact, Nashville had never even advanced beyond the conference semifinals until this heroic run and now stand just four wins away from hosting the greatest trophy in sports.

A Stanley Cup berth has certainly been a long time coming for the NHL’s 27th franchise whose inaugural season took place in 1998. GM David Poile, who has been the man in charge through it all, did not qualify for the postseason for the team’s first five seasons of existence, but since 2003 the Predators have only missed the playoffs three times. With other 1990’s expansion or relocation teams having made the Final before, like the San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers, and even more having won a Stanley Cup, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, and Carolina Hurricanes, many would expect that the Predators may be the last team to accomplish the feat. However, there are four teams who have yet to make it to Stanley Cup Final, the Expansion Class of 2000 – the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets, the current Winnipeg Jets, and the original Winnipeg Jets, now the Arizona Coyotes. Which of these teams will be the next to realize their dreams of playing in June?

The Minnesota Wild certainly seemed to be heading in that direction for much of this season as they had their way with the Western Conference. Although in a tough Central Division with the Cup-bound Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, and Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota is armed with a depth and talent at every position and showed (in the regular season) that they can fight through a tough schedule. The team was able to turn goaltender Devan Dubnyk into a star, has one of the strongest defensive cores in the NHL, and has a combination up front of strong veterans like Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise, and Eric Staal and exciting young players like Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker and Charlie Coyle. However, everything fell apart when it mattered most, as the Wild were easily bounced in the first round by the Blues. Can the Wild bounce back and, with the aid of top prospects such as Joel Eriksson Ek and Luke Kunin, make a Stanley Cup appearance in the next few years?

The Columbus Blue Jackets will be racing them for that honor. Almost mirror images of each other in 2016-17, the Blue Jackets also surprised many by dominating the Eastern Conference early in the year. At the time, the New Year’s Eve match-up between Columbus and Minnesota, both on historic winning streaks, was even touted as the game of the year. The Blue Jackets too have a stellar goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky and deep group of talented defenseman, like young game-changers Zach Werenski and Seth Jones. However, where Columbus may edge out Minnesota is in their youth up front. Although similarly successful, the Jackets were able to reach 108 points to the Wild’s 106 with a much younger forward corps. The likes of Brandon Saad, Alexander Wennberg, Boone Jenner, and Josh Anderson, plus incoming talent like Pierre-Luc Dubois and Oliver Bjorkstrand could keep Columbus in the running for a Cup longer than the Wild.

Speaking of youth, the Arizona Coyotes seem to be building something special in the desert. Question marks abound throughout the roster, such as starting goalie and a long-term partner for Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and many don’t expect the Coyotes to be contenders for several more years. However, after the rapid ascent of the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs this season, fueled largely by under-21 talent, Arizona may be relevant sooner rather than later. Their best players are also their top prospects – Max Domi, Christian Dvorak, Brendan Perlini, Jakob Chychrun – and that’s just the beginning, as even better young talent is on its way in Clayton Keller and Dylan Strome, not to mention whoever they select with the 7th and 23rd overall picks this year. It seems inevitable that the Coyotes will be good down the road, and, regardless of whether it’s in Arizona or not, have a strong chance to host a Stanley Cup final. However, will that day come before the likes of Minnesota or Columbus can take advantage of their current success?

Finally, there’s the Winnipeg Jets. They weren’t a playoff team this year like Columbus or Minnesota and they aren’t armed with years worth of high draft picks like Arizona either. Yet, the Jets may actually be the dark horse to reach the Stanley Cup first. Winnipeg finished ninth in the Western Conference in 2016-17, tenth in 2015-16, and eighth in 2014-15, consistently hanging around as a fringe team, not truly competing for a title. That seems like it is about to change. The Jets have one of the more dangerous forward groups in the NHL with Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers, and captain Blake Wheeler leading the charge. They also have talented defenseman in Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers, and Jacob Trouba. The Jets are a deeper team than many know and this season did not have a single player over the age of 32. Next year, they’ll add ace forwards Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic to the mix, and possibly goaltender Eric Comrie as well, all part of what The Hockey News called the top prospect system in the NHL. Given the wealth of talent on this team already, it seems strange they haven’t performed better. Throw some dynamic young players in and use some of the team’s ample cap space, and the Winnipeg Jets could be a breakout team in 2017-18.

What do you think?

Which Team Will Be Next To Make Stanley Cup Debut?
Columbus Blue Jackets 34.13% (228 votes)
Minnesota Wild 28.44% (190 votes)
Winnipeg Jets 17.81% (119 votes)
None - Vegas Golden Knights 11.53% (77 votes)
Arizona Coyotes 8.08% (54 votes)
Total Votes: 668

Memorial Cup: How To Watch And What To Look For

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is the top development league in the world for junior-aged players. Comprising of three separate entities—the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Western Hockey League (WHL) and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)—it houses players from all over the world as they pursue their eventual dream of playing professional hockey. Though countries around the world have different development models, the CHL still provides the largest number of NHL-drafted players each season. Last summer, exactly 15 of the 30 first round picks came out of the CHL. Matthew Tkachuk

Though each of the three leagues has their own playoff structure, the overall CHL champion is crowned by a 10-day tournament at the end of the year called the Memorial Cup. In it, the winner of each league faces off along with the host city in a round-robin before entering do-or-die one-game playoffs. This season, the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL will host the tournament while the Erie Otters (OHL), Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) and Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL) will represent their respective leagues.

Tonight marks the opening of the tournament with the Sea Dogs taking on the host Spitfires, and there are plenty of reasons to tune in. Here are some of the top players on each team that you should keep an eye on.

Windsor Spitfires

F Gabriel Vilardi – All eyes will be on Vilardi as he plays the last few games before likely going in the top-5 at next month’s NHL Entry Draft. He scored 61 points in 49 games this season for the Spitfires, and is still just 17 years old. His advanced size and strength has given him a leg up on similarly aged players, though his skating does still remain a question mark among certain scouts. A good showing at the Memorial Cup would go a long way to convince #3 Dallas (or whoever ends up with that pick) that he is the best option after Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier, neither of which will be taking part in the tournament.

Mikhail SergachevD Mikhail Sergachev – The ninth-overall pick from last summer returned to the Spitfires after a short stint with the Montreal Canadiens and followed up his incredible rookie season with another outstanding year. With 43 points in 50 games, Sergachev has made a mockery of the league using his size and offensive ability to dominate almost every shift. He’ll have a good shot at making the NHL next season, making this likely his last chance at a Memorial Cup.

Seattle Thunderbirds

F Mathew Barzal – You can’t mention the Thunderbirds without mentioning Barzal, as the New York Islanders prospect has lit up the WHL since returning from two-game stint in the NHL. With 79 points (including 69 assists) in 41 games, Barzal has shown an elite playmaking ability and is ready for the next level. Turning 20 next week, this is Barzal’s last taste of junior action before moving to professional hockey next season. Defensemen of the other three teams have to be wary whenever the puck is on his stick.

D Ethan Bear – While some may argue that he won’t be able to produce at the next level, watching Bear rack up points in junior is something special. The fifth-round pick of Edmonton scored 28 goals and 70 points in 67 games this season, and had another 26 on the Thunderbirds championship run. His shot release might be the quickest among CHL defenders, and Seattle sometimes even uses him at the top of the circle on the powerplay (think Alex Ovechkin). Don’t get into penalty trouble against the Thunderbirds, or Bear will make you pay.

Erie Otters

F Alex DeBrincat – What else is there to say about DeBrincat? He was named the OHL Most Outstanding Player after scoring 127 points in 63 games, his third straight 100+ point season. He added another 38 points en route to an OHL championship, and is basically unstoppable when skating with Tampa Bay prospect Taylor Raddysh and Arizona forward Dylan Strome. Erie has some of the most potent offensive weapons in the tournament, and are extremely difficult to slow down.

F Ivan Lodnia – Lodnia was looking like he might creep into the first-round at next month’s NHL draft until he was completely shut down in the OHL playoffs. In 22 games with Erie he scored just two points but don’t let that sway your opinion of him. He’s still extremely talented, and should shine when the top line of the Otters all move on to pro hockey next season. Scoring 56 points in 66 games this season, he could really bump his draft stock back up with an impressive performance in the Memorial Cup.

Saint John Sea Dogs Thomas Chabot

D Thomas Chabot – Chabot has turned into one of the best defensive prospects in the game, by evening out his two-way play while continuing to shine on the biggest stages. At the World Juniors this winter, he was easily Canada’s top defenseman—possibly even top player overall—and he stepped up in the QMJHL playoffs for Saint John. Scoring 23 points in 18 games, Chabot showed he can still put up huge offensive numbers when he needs to. It’s the all-around development that has the Senators so happy, and he’ll likely be matched with some of the top players in the tournament.

F Joe Veleno – Veleno turned 17 just a few months ago, but has already completed two full seasons in the CHL. That’s because he was granted exceptional status when he was just 15. He impressed this year with 40 points in 43 games and put up a solid 11 in the playoffs. While he’s not the top offensive option for the Sea Dogs, it’s important to remember that he isn’t even draft eligible until 2018. Already standing over six-feet tall, Veleno will likely keep growing and turn into a dominant forward next season. A Memorial Cup this year could help him continue a quest to go at the top of the draft next summer.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Players To Watch In Upcoming OHL Finals

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Tonight marks the start of the championship series in the OHL, which will determine which team represents the league in the annual Memorial Cup tournament, made up of the top teams of each of the three Canadian Hockey League entities. This year, that tournament will be held in Windsor, Ontario meaning that the hometown Spitfires will get also get a berth—even though they were knocked out of the first round of these OHL playoffs.

In the finals we’ll see the powerhouse Erie Otters take on the upstart Mississauga Steelheads, a battle between the top team in the league this season versus a team who led their division, but would have placed no higher than third in any other. Erie had an extremely difficult road to the finals, needing an overtime game in the seventh match of their second round series to stay alive. Mississauga on the other hand lost just three games in three series, showing once again that regular season play doesn’t necessarily mean much in the postseason.

Now, the two teams will crash together and show off the next wave of talent for the NHL, some of which has even already had a taste of the NHL. First, let’s look at some already-drafted players who will make the jump to professional hockey very soon.

Dylan Strome, Erie Otters/Arizona Coyotes

The third-overall pick in the 2015 draft was a disappointment to some when he couldn’t do enough to lock up a job this fall in Arizona. In his seven game taste, he registered just a single assist and wasn’t his dominant self at the World Juniors. Since he has returned to Erie though he’s shown that the OHL just isn’t enough for him. With 75 points in 35 games, Strome showed a glimpse of how he was possibly taken ahead of Mitch Marner and Noah Hanifin in his draft year.

Alex DeBrincat, Erie Otters/Chicago Blackhawks

DeBrincat was a linemate of Strome’s in the second half and the pair (along with Tampa’s Taylor Raddysh) made one of the most dominant groups in recent memory. The Chicago Blackhawks second-round pick scored 65 goals and 127 points in 63 games, and has added another 31 in the playoffs so far. All this from a kid who was cut from the Team USA World Junior squad this season—he took it personally.

Michael McLeod, Mississauga Steelheads/New Jersey Devils

A first-round pick from last summer, McLeod is one of the strongest skaters in the league and uses it to play pro-style hockey up and down the rink. Not the offensive talent that either Strome or DeBrincat are, he did nonetheless put up 73 points in 57 games and has turned it up even further in the playoffs. He limits opposing teams when he’s on the ice with his puck possession, and will be an excellent NHL player for a long, long time.

There are also several draft-eligible prospects in the series, some who hold huge roles on their respective teams. Two from the Steelheads stand out as first-round locks in this summer’s draft.

Owen Tippett, Mississauga Steelheads

Tippett is about as “pure” of a goal-scorer you can find in this year’s draft, embodying the sniper archetype. He can score from anywhere in the offensive zone with an incredible wrist shot or power moves to the net. He scored 44 goals in 60 games, and has added another seven in the playoffs. While he’s not the big center that everyone hopes for early in the draft, he’ll be selected in the top-10 because of his ability to put the puck in the net. He’s not quite Patrik Laine, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make an immediate impact as a rookie.

Nicolas Hague, Mississauga Steelheads

You wouldn’t believe it if you saw the lanky 6’5″ defender, but Hague can move around the ice better than most defenders in the league and has natural offensive instincts. His defensive game has come a long way, and seems committed to improving at the next level. He scored 18 goals in the regular season, jumping into the rush and unleashing a raw but powerful shot from the point. Returning to the OHL next season after going somewhere in the middle of round one, he should be one of the top defenders in the league.

Ivan Lodnia, Erie Otters

Lodnia won’t turn 18 until August, and is still extremely raw as a prospect. His ability to grind down opponents is already apparent though, and his offensive game has started to round into form even being buried somewhat on a veteran Erie team. After 56 points in 66 games in the regular season, he’s completely disappeared in the playoffs thus far. He’ll likely drop down into the middle of the second round, but someone may get a hidden gem in that spot. When the Otters lose 5-6 forwards ahead of him this summer, he’ll be front-and-center as a top scoring option next year.

Western Notes: Jost, Dano, Coyotes

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

When the Colorado Avalanche picked Tyson Jost 10th overall this year out of Penticton, they knew he was headed to the NCAA. After all, Jost played in the BCHL, an NCAA breeding ground because they retain eligibility unlike the CHL. But now it sounds like it will be one-and-done for Jost at the University of North Dakota.

Mike Chambers of the Denver Post writes in his latest column that Jost will sign after his freshman season concludes and may even make his NHL debut this season. The 18-year old center has 18 points in 17 games for the Fighting Hawks, and is starring for Canada at the World Juniors. For a team that is starved for something positive this year, the development of Jost is something to look forward to. He will likely slot in full time next season with the club, especially if one of their other young forwards is moved out between now and then.

  • After head coach Paul Maurice told us yesterday that Marko Dano would be out at least a few weeks, he clarified the diagnoses today. Dano will miss eight weeks with his lower-body injury, keeping him out until just before the trade deadline. The former first-round pick (by Columbus in 2013) has 10 points in 28 games this year, a solid pace for the 22-year old. He’ll have another setback now though as he misses more time. Jets fans will have to wait jut a little bit longer to see his potential come to fruition.
  • The Arizona Coyotes will watch two of their prized prospects battle it out today in the Canada-USA World Junior game. Clayton Keller and Dylan Strome each lead their respective teams in scoring at the tournament, and will be big parts of the Coyotes in the future. While Strome got a taste of the NHL this season before heading back to Erie in the OHL, Keller has been starring as a freshman at Boston University all year. 15 points in his first 10 games in the NCAA it won’t be long until he jumps to the AHL. Both top-10 picks, the Coyotes have a bright future in this tournament.

Coyotes Notes: Chychrun, Strome, Doan

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Making the jump from junior to the NHL as an 18 year old is generally a tough task for pretty much anyone.  Doing so as a defenseman is that much harder which is why it doesn’t happen all that often, especially for players picked outside the top five in the draft.  Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun, the 16th overall pick back in June, is one who has bucked this trend and is the youngest blueliner in the league this season, something that doesn’t seem to faze him, writes Jonas Siegel of the Canadian Press.  Part of the reason for that is that Chychrun doesn’t think of himself as a raw rookie:

“It’s cool and all, but I think I don’t really look at myself as a young kid.  I kind of approach the game just as a pro would and I feel I’m mature beyond my years.”

The Coyotes have eased the 18 year old, who is the third youngest player overall in the league (only forwards Jesse Puljujarvi and Patrik Laine are younger), into the league, primarily using him in a third pairing role.  Through 26 games this season, he has a goal and six assists while averaging 16:36 per night in ice time which is pretty good for an 18 year old rookie.  He told Siegel that he is pleased with his progress so far:

“I feel I’ve done well to this point and I want to continue to get better. It’s crazy to be thrown in at 18 years old, but it’s something you have to take in stride, enjoy it.”

Arizona has been happy enough with his progress so far that they did not loan him to Team Canada for the upcoming World Juniors.  (Although Chychrun was born in Boca Raton in Florida, he’s a dual citizen and has chosen to represent Canada internationally.)

More from the Coyotes:

  • One Arizona youngster who will be at the World Juniors is center Dylan Strome. The third overall pick in 2015 made the team out of training camp but played sparingly and eventually was sent back to junior.  He’ll captain the Canadian entry in the tournament and is looking forward to trying to make amends for last year, he told Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star.  “Being on the losing end of a tournament is not very fun. You feel like you’ve let your country down. You want to forget about it at as fast as possible, but it doesn’t go away very quickly. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to make amends for what happened last year.”
  • Friday’s game against Toronto not only was a big night for Arizona native Auston Matthews, it was also a big one for one of the players he grew up idolizing in Coyotes captain Shane Doan. The 40 year old played in his 1,500th career NHL game, the 17th player in league history to do that.  Of those players, he’s only the sixth to do so with the same organization; Doan was originally drafted by Winnipeg in 1995 with them moving to Phoenix in 1996.  He also picked up his 400th career goal in the game, a 4-1 loss to the Leafs. Speaking with Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic, Doan is very appreciative of the fact he’s been able to play his whole career with the franchise: “Yeah, that’s something that I appreciate. Like I said, there’s a lot of guys that given the opportunity would be able to. But having been given the opportunity that I’ve been given, I’m very grateful the organization has been willing to keep letting me get a jersey and giving me a jersey every year.”

Snapshots: Three Stars, World Junior Captains, Iginla

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The NHL has named Artemi Panarin, Henrik Lundqvist, and Eric Staal as its Three Stars of the Week.

Panarin had three goals and seven assists for 10 points in four games. He bookended two thee-point performances with a pair of two-point nights as the Blackhawks continued their five-game winning streak. Panarin now has 34 points in 34 games this season

This week marks the second consecutive week with a New York Rangers goaltender as the second star. Last week, Antti Raanta was the second star as he temporarily took over the starting role from Lundqvist, but now the man they call The King has taken back over. Lundqvist went 3-0-0 and allowed just three goals to go with his 0.967 SV%. He and Raanta combined for a shutout when Lundqvist was forced to leave a game after being run over by Cody Eakin (for which he was suspended).

Staal had four goals and five points in three games as part of a 3-0-0 week. The Wild have now won seven straight and Staal is leading the team in goals, assists, and points; he has 24 points in 30 games in his first year in Minnesota.

  • Hockey Canada has named its leadership core for the upcoming World Junior Championships. Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome will wear the C for Canada, while Mathew Barzal and Thomas Chabot will serve as alternate captains. All three players played for Canada at last year’s tournament and appeared in the NHL at the start of the season. While they combined for just 10 games and one assist in the NHL, all three are 2015 first-round picks and dominant CHL players. Strome has 295 points in 191 games with the Erie Otters; Islanders sixteenth-overall pick Barzal has 281 points in 174 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds; Chabot, a defenseman picked eighteenth overall by Ottawa, has 128 points in 182 games with the Saint John Sea Dogs.
  • The Vancouver Canucks most recent first-round pick, Olli Juolevi has been named captain of Team Finland. Juolevi had nine assists in seven games in last year’s tournament, as Finland won gold. So far, Juolevi has 21 points in 26 games with the London Knights.
  • Today marks 21 years since the Calgary Flames acquired Jarome Iginla from the Dallas Stars for Joe Nieuwendyk. The trade worked out pretty well for both teams: the Stars won the Stanley Cup four years later with Nieuwendyk playing a key role, and Iginla became the face of the Flames franchise. Nieuwendyk was in the prime of his career, while Iginla was an eleventh-overall pick playing for the Kamloops Blazers. Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com tweeted that Iginla initially thought he had been traded to the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. After turning pro, Iginla scored 1095 points in 16 years with the Flames, leading them to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2004. He’s bounced around between Pittsburgh, Boston, and Colorado in the four years since he was traded. Iginla could be on the move again this year, as the Avalanche are one of the worst teams in the NHL and he could want to go to a contender for the end of his career.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top