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Erik Brannstrom

Atlantic Notes: Point, Senators Prospects, Olofsson

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With the Tampa Bay Lightning preparing for another run to challenge for a Stanley Cup, one of the team’s top players remains unsigned in Brayden Point, who continues to sit out with a number of top restricted free agent forwards, including Toronto’s Mitch Marner, Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen, Calgary’s Matthew Tkachuk, Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor. Several defensemen, including Boston’s Charlie McAvoy and Columbus’ Zach Werenski.

However, there has been no end in sight for any of these players and there remains no timeline as all of these players are waiting for the first one to sign and set the market, according to Tampa Bay Times’ Diana Nearhos. Most expect that the first domino to fall will be Marner with everyone signing contracts just underneath him. However, that could change if one of the others opts to sign first. Point’s deal will be an interesting one on a team that already has quite a few top-paid players, but Point, who tallied 41 goals and 92 points.

“It’s a unique marketplace,” said agent Gerry Johannson, who counts Point among his clients. “Everyone is waiting for some clarity.”

So far only two key restricted free agents have signed, both in peculiar circumstances. Jacob Trouba forced a trade to the New York Rangers before finally signing, while Carolina matched Montreal’s offer sheet to Sebastian Aho in early July. In the meantime, the wait continues.

Atlantic Notes: Senators, Dahlin, Alzner

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The Ottawa Senators are very much a brand new team entering the 2019-20 season. Gone are the likes of Mark Stone, Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, Cody Ceci, and Zack Smith. New to the team are names like Artem Anisimov, Nikita Zaitsev, Ron Hainsey, and Connor Brown, while prospects like Erik Brannstrom, Drake Batherson, Josh Norris, and Max Veronneau are set to push for regular roles. On top of all of the roster turnover, the team also has a new head coach in D.J. Smith. Given these considerable changes, Smith’s comments to Sportsnet’s Wayne Scanlan comes as little surprise. First and foremost, Smith tells Scanlan that the Senators will not name a captain in the coming season. The team did not have a captain last season following the departure of Erik Karlsson and now has even fewer tenured veterans. He did say that there will be veteran members, old and new, who he will rely on to play leadership roles in the locker room, but simply feels that the team must wait for a captain to naturally emerge. It also may not necessarily be one of the established veterans, as Smith notes that he will make a “conscious effort” to share ice time and responsibility evenly between the older players and many young players pushing for an opportunity. More than anything, Smith states that he hopes to change the culture in Ottawa, instilling a sense of belief and confidence in the new additions, young players, and perhaps even some of those long-time Senators who have survived a couple of difficult seasons. Based on Smith’s comments, it seems that the Senators will be a very new team indeed in many ways this coming season.

  • A young leader is developing for one of the Senators’ divisional rivals, the Buffalo Sabres. Phenom Rasmus Dahlin, the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 and a Calder Trophy finalist last season, is not afraid to speak his mind and knew what he was doing when he made some bold predictions to the Associated Press’ John Wawrow. “We’re going to be a winning team and be in the playoffs,” Dahlin told Wawrow, “I’m putting more pressure on myself… I think everyone is putting more pressure on ourselves now, and we’re ready to go… I feel more prepared. I feel more mature. Like that one year of experience, I know what’s coming this season. I feel more comfortable in my position… we’re going to get something good going on here.” It’s a strong statement from Dahlin and one that will surprise many. The Sabres have not made the playoffs since 2011 and finished 13th in the Eastern Conference this past season after a late-season collapse. The team arguably plays in the toughest division in the game as well, as Atlantic powerhouses Tampa Bay, Boston, and Toronto will almost certainly claim the top three seeds in the division, leaving Buffalo to fight for one of two wild card spots. Yet, the Sabres have to be happy that their 18-year-old centerpiece is bold enough to put those playoff expectations on his shoulders and will look to follow him back to postseason glory this season, no matter how tough the road may be.
  • Montreal Canadiens defenseman Karl Alzner would like to be part of his team’s playoff push next season as well. Unfortunately, Alzner’s poor play left him relegated to the AHL for all but nine games last season. After spending the summer working out with teammates Carey Price and Shea Weber, Alzner tells TVA’s Louis-André Larivière that he feels he is ready to once again be a regular contributor and hopes he is given a fair shot to compete for such a role in the team’s upcoming training camp. While Alzner stated that he does not want to waste years of his career, whether or not he has an NHL role is ultimately up to him. His own play and taxing $4.625MM cap hit are why he spent last season with the Laval Rocket and he must prove that he is worth keeping on the roster. Alzner revealed that he did not formally request a trade last season, but that he will likely do so if he is cut from Canadiens camp this fall. However, there may not be much of a market for his services and likely even less interest in promising him a regular role at the NHL level.

Max Lajoie, Erik Brannstrom Out With Injuries

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The Ottawa Senators don’t have a lot to play for over the next few games, but that’s not true of the Belleville Senators. The AHL club is battling for a spot in the Calder Cup playoffs, but will have to do it without the benefit of a pair of defensemen. Maxime Lajoie will undergo sports hernia surgery and has been ruled out for the rest of the year, while Erik Brannstrom is dealing with an upper-body injury and has been listed as “week-to-week” according to Kyle Bukauskas of Sportsnet.

Lajoie, 21, was an unexpected contributor for Ottawa this season, playing 56 games with the team after impressing in training camp. Originally a fifth-round pick of the team in 2016, he found his footing at the AHL level in 2017-18 and came into camp with something to prove. Seven goals and 15 points later, the young defenseman was sent down to the minor leagues just before the trade deadline in order to keep him playoff eligible in the AHL. Unfortunately he suited up just three times for Belleville and now faces an eight to ten week recovery period.

Brannstrom meanwhile was the jewel of the Mark Stone trade earlier this year and impressed the organization right away. Making his NHL debut on March 14th, he ended up playing in two games for Ottawa and was held scoreless. His nine games for Belleville went a bit better, but he’ll now have to wait a while to get back into the lineup. The super talented defenseman is likely ticketed for a full-time role in the NHL next season, but competing for a Calder Cup would only serve to benefit his development.

Belleville currently sits just two points ahead of the Cleveland Monsters for the last playoff spot in the North Division, and unfortunately has played in two more games than them. With just seven games left it’s not clear if Brannstrom will get back in time to help them at all, or if he would even be ready for the first round of the playoffs.

Ottawa Senators Recall Top Prospects

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The Ottawa Senators may lose Jean-Gabriel Pageau to suspension depending on how things go during his hearing with the Department of Player Safety, so they needed some reinforcements from the minor leagues. They’ve decided to recall several prospects, including Filip Chlapik, Erik Brannstrom and Vitaly Abramov. If Abramov gets into the lineup it would be his NHL debut.

Brannstrom already made his debut to much fanfare earlier this month, but was immediately sent back down to continue the Belleville Senators’ pursuit of a playoff spot. The young defenseman was the key piece of the Mark Stone trade, and will likely be playing a full-time role on the team next season. Chlapik meanwhile has played 24 games for the Senators over the last two seasons, and has five points in those games. The 21-year old forward has been one of Belleville’s most consistent players all season and should also be vying for a spot in the NHL next year.

It’s Abramov’s recall that raises the most eyebrows though, as the 20-year old forward hasn’t shown a ton of polish since entering the professional ranks this season. The former QMJHL star has outstanding puck skills, but didn’t get the chance to use them fully with the Cleveland Monsters. As part of the return for Matt Duchene, Abramov represents another lottery ticket that the Senators are hoping hits the jackpot over the next few years. He has four points in nine games since joining Belleville, but might get a chance to show what he can do at the NHL level down the stretch.

Erik Brannstrom To Make NHL Debut

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Friday: After one game, Brannstrom has been returned to the AHL. The young defenseman played just over 17 minutes for the Senators in a 2-0 win over the Blues, including being on the ice for the game-clinching empty net goal. He did not record a point or even a shot on goal in the effort, but impressed with a few stretch passes and poise with the puck.

The Belleville Senators play at home tonight and will have Brannstrom in the lineup. Both Ottawa and Belleville have games at home on Saturday.

Thursday: The Ottawa Senators aren’t going to wait until next season to show off what they received for Mark Stone. Prospect Erik Brannstrom will be recalled today and make his NHL debut against the St. Louis Blues this evening. The move comes after Thomas Chabot was listed as week-to-week with a broken toe.

Brannstrom, 19, was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights at the deadline as the major piece coming back for Stone. The 15th-overall selection in 2017 had found great success in his first season in North America, racking up 28 points in 41 games for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Now after just five games (and one point) for the Belleville Senators, he’ll get a chance to show what he can do at the NHL level. The smooth skating defenseman is one of the most dynamic players in the minor leagues with the puck on his stick, able to carry it through the neutral zone with ease and create chances for himself and teammates. There are questions about his overall ability away from the puck, but with such a huge offensive ceiling still great hopes for his eventual impact at the highest level.

Interestingly, the Senators will have a few decisions to make down the stretch. The team has 12 games remaining in the regular season, meaning Brannstrom could potentially cross a pair of thresholds if he plays out the year in the NHL. First would be playing a tenth game, which would burn a year off his current entry-level contract. The 19-year old is still young enough to see his deal slide forward if he plays in nine or fewer matches. The other consideration would be making him eligible for the 2021 expansion draft and forcing the Senators to use one of their protection slots on him. Brannstrom is currently projected to be exempt from the draft, though that would change if he plays out the rest of the season.

Likely the Senators will just give him a taste of the NHL and then return him to Belleville for a shot at the Calder Cup. The AHL Senators are battling for a playoff spot and could use the talented defenseman’s help if they’re going to make any noise in the postseason.

2019 Trade Deadline Day Recap

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The trade deadline for the 2018-19 season has come and gone, with teams all around the league loading up for a Stanley Cup run. This year saw a nearly unprecedented level of skill available, though things got started quite early. Before deadline day, names like Matt Duchene, Brandon Montour, Mats Zuccarello, Charlie Coyle, Ryan Dzingel, Gustav Nyquist and Nick Jensen all switched teams. However, the day was no disappointment; a slow pace early on ended in fireworks right before the deadline and as deal trickled in right after. Below is a complete list of the 21 trades featuring all but seven of the NHL’s teams made on February 25th alone (chronologically):

To Anaheim Ducks:
D Patrick Sieloff

To Ottawa Senators:
F Brian Gibbons

 

To New Jersey Devils:
2022 fifth-round pick

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
G Keith Kinkaid

 

To Winnipeg Jets:
F Kevin Hayes

To New York Rangers:
F Brendan Lemieux
2019 first-round pick (top-3 protected)
2022 conditional fourth-round pick (if Winnipeg wins Stanley Cup)

 

To Montreal Canadiens:
F Jordan Weal

To Arizona Coyotes:
F Michael Chaput

 

To Florida Panthers:
F Cliff Pu
Future Considerations

To Carolina Hurricanes:
F Tomas Jurco (AHL contract)
Future Considerations

 

To Colorado Avalanche:
F Derick Brassard
2020 conditional sixth-round pick (no pick if Brassard re-signs)

To Florida Panthers:
2020 third-round pick

 

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
D Adam McQuaid

To New York Rangers:
D Julius Bergman
2019 fourth-round pick
2019 seventh-round pick

Read more

Deadline Primer: Vegas Golden Knights

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With the trade deadline fast approaching, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? We start with a look at the Vegas Golden Knights.

This is a somewhat different year for the Vegas Golden Knights who took the league by storm last season in route to a Stanley Cup Finals appearance. While Vegas remains playoff bound as they are firmly entrenched in third place with 62 points. However, this Vegas team has shown inconsistency throughout the year. While it looked like the Golden Knights had turned the corner throughout December and January, the team suddenly finds itself in a four-game losing streak with the Tampa Bay Lightning in front of them next. After trading a first, second and third-round pick to acquire Tomas Tatar at the deadline, who turned out to be a major disappointment, the team might be more reluctant to make a big trade at the deadline and may be more inclined to just add some depth options this time around.

Record

29-21-4, third in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$15.554MM in a full-season cap hit, 2/3 used salary cap retention slots, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: VGK 1st, VGK 2nd, VGK 3rd, NSH 3rd, WPG 3rd, VGK 4th, MON 5th, MIN 5th, VGK 5th
2020: VGK 1st, VGK 2nd, DAL 2nd, PIT 2nd, VGK 3rd, VGK 4th, VGK 5th, VGK 6th, VGK 7th

Trade Chips

Perhaps the biggest trade chips that the Golden Knights possess are their draft picks. General manager George McPhee has already sent off quite a few to acquire Tatar and then flip him along with top prospect Nick Suzuki and another second-rounder to pry Max Pacioretty from Montreal. However, as the team keeps an eye the future, the team also full well knows it may not want to move any more of their top picks in the next few years. That doesn’t mean they don’t have some later picks that they could move, including three third-rounders this year and three second-round picks in 2020 if they want to add some depth to their team. If they really want to make a splash, the team could include a first-rounder, but they may be reluctant to do so.

The team also has significant cap room, although that has been slowly disappearing. The team still has to lock up center William Karlsson, who will be a restricted free agent against after signing a one-year deal, but the team has all their key players locked up for at least the next two years, so they could take on an expensive contract for a discount.

The forward lines look pretty set even without Erik Haula, who could miss the entire season, but the team has a number of depth forwards who they could move like Oscar Lindberg, Ryan Carpenter or even Tomas Nosek to free up a valuable roster space. The question is whether other teams would be interested in any of those options. Carpenter could be of value to a team needing a bottom-six depth option, while Nosek is still young enough to offer some potential. As for defense, while the team could use an upgrade, the Golden Knights already traded away Brad Hunt, suggesting they are unlikely to move another defenseman now and although they have several interesting young defenseman waiting in the wings in the AHL, it’s unlikely the team is going to move out a player to make space for a prospect.

Five Players To Watch For: F Carpenter, D Nicolas Hague, D Nick Holden, F Nosek, G Malcolm Subban

Team Needs

1) Top-Four Defenseman: While the team doesn’t really need a big-name forward at the trade deadline, defense could be a different matter. The Golden Knights defense is good, but the team was almost desperate to acquire Erik Karlsson last season from Ottawa, but came up just short. They followed that up by adding Nick Holden during the offseason, but that’s hardly the answer either. With Deryk Engelland starting to show his age, Holden struggling and star prospect Erik Brannstrom not yet ready to contribute, the team could use a defenseman that can help protect goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. Plenty of rumors seem to have Vegas focused on one of St. Louis’ top defenders, including Alex Pietrangelo or Colton Parayko, but the team would obviously have to move more than a few middle-round picks to acquire either of them.

2) Back-up Goaltender: Vegas has struggled finding a solid backup. While Subban has the skills, the 25-year-old is just 2-5 this season with a 2.95 GAA and a .904 save percentage and is currently injured. On top of that, he has made just eight appearances this season, which isn’t really helping a 34-year-old Fleury who has already appeared in 46 games this season, the same number he played in during the regular season a year go. With no prospects in the wings, it might make sense for Vegas to go out and get a Keith Kinkaid, Jimmy Howard or another veteran goalie to fill the void for the remainder of the season and give them an option to re-sign them this summer if they work out.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Four Players Added To AHL All-Star Rosters

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While the NHL All-Star Game has to deal with players pulling out due to injury, the AHL contest also has to deal with players being recalled at a moment’s notice. That forces the league to replace players regularly, and today they’ve added four new names to the upcoming event.

Jordan Szwarz, Christian Wolanin, Nathan Gerbe and Cooper Marody have all been added, given the lack of availability for Ryan Fitzgerald, Lawrence Pilut, Zac Dalpe and Conor Garland. Wolanin was just sent down by the Ottawa Senators today, just in time to play in the AHL even that takes place on Sunday and Monday. The full rosters now sit as follows:

Atlantic Division:

F Greg Carey, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
F Michael Dal Colle, Bridgeport Sound Tigers
F Colin McDonald, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
F Anthony Greco, Springfield Thunderbirds
F Andrew Poturalski, Charlotte Checkers
F Jordan Szwarz, Providence Bruins

D Sebastian Aho, Bridgeport Sound Tigers
D Ethan Prow, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
D Trevor Carrick, Charlotte Checkers
D John Gilmour, Hartford Wolf Pack

G Samuel Montembeault, Springfield Thunderbirds
G Vitek Vanecek, Hershey Bears

North Division:

F Drake Batherson, Belleville Senators
F Alex Belzile, Laval Rocket
F Reid Boucher, Utica Comets
F Cory Conacher, Syracuse Crunch
F Nathan Gerbe, Cleveland Monsters
F Trevor Moore, Toronto Marlies
F John Quenneville, Binghamton Devils

D Christian Wolanin, Belleville Senators
D Zach Redmond, Rochester Americans
D Calle Rosen, Toronto Marlies

G MacKenzie Blackwood, Binghamton Devils
G Connor Ingram, Syracuse Crunch

Central Division:

F Joel L’Esperance, Texas Stars
F Daniel Carr, Chicago Wolves
F Denis Gurianov, Texas Stars
F Jordan Kyrou, San Antonio Rampage
F Cal O’Reilly, Iowa Wild
F Chris Terry, Grand Rapids Griffins
F Logan Shaw, Manitoba Moose

D Erik Brannstrom, Chicago Wolves
D Andrew Campbell, Rockford IceHogs
D Matt Donovan, Milwaukee Admirals

G Troy Grosenick, Milwaukee Admirals
G Kaapo Kahkonen, Iowa Wild

Pacific Division:

F Andrew Agozzino, Colorado Eagles
F Joseph Gambardella, Bakersfield Condors
F Cooper Marody, Bakersfield Condors
F Curtis Lazar, Stockton Heat
F Francis Perron, San Jose Barracuda
F Sheldon Rempal, Ontario Reign
F Troy Terry, San Diego Gulls

D Kyle Capobianco, Tucson Roadrunners
D Jacob Middleton, San Jose Barracuda
D Sean Walker, Ontario Reign

G Pavel Francouz, Colorado Eagles
G Josef Korenar, San Jose Barracuda

AHL All-Star Rosters Announced

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While the NHL announced their All-Star rosters this week to the ire of some fans, there are other professional hockey players suiting up in a mid-season exhibition this year. The AHL has released their own All-Star rosters, which include both veteran minor league players and prospects still getting their feet wet at the professional level.

The full rosters are below:

Atlantic Division:

F Henrik Borgstrom, Springfield Thunderbirds
F Greg Carey, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
F Michael Dal Colle, Bridgeport Sound Tigers
F Ryan Fitzgerald, Providence Bruins
F Janne Kuokkanen, Charlotte Checkers
F Colin McDonald, Lehigh Valley Phantoms

D Sebastian Aho, Bridgeport Sound Tigers
D Ethan Prow, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
D Trevor Carrick, Charlotte Checkers
D John Gilmour, Hartford Wolf Pack

G Samuel Montembeault, Springfield Thunderbirds
G Vitek Vanecek, Hershey Bears

North Division:

F Drake Batherson, Belleville Senators
F Alex Belzile, Laval Rocket
F Reid Boucher, Utica Comets
F Cory Conacher, Syracuse Crunch
F Zac Dalpe, Cleveland Monsters
F Trevor Moore, Toronto Marlies
F John Quenneville, Binghamton Devils

D Lawrence Pilut, Rochester Americans
D Zach Redmond, Rochester Americans
D Calle Rosen, Toronto Marlies

G MacKenzie Blackwood, Binghamton Devils
G Connor Ingram, Syracuse Crunch

Central Division:

F Mason Appleton, Manitoba Moose
F Daniel Carr, Chicago Wolves
F Denis Gurianov, Texas Stars
F Jordan Kyrou, San Antonio Rampage
F Cal O’Reilly, Iowa Wild
F Brandon Pirri, Chicago Wolves
F Chris Terry, Grand Rapids Griffins

D Erik Brannstrom, Chicago Wolves
D Andrew Campbell, Rockford IceHogs
D Matt Donovan, Milwaukee Admirals

G Collin Delia, Rockford IceHogs
G Kaapo Kahkonen, Iowa Wild

Pacific Division:

F Andrew Agozzino, Colorado Eagles
F Joseph Gambardella, Bakersfield Condors
F Conor Garland, Tucson Roadrunners
F Curtis Lazar, Stockton Heat
F Francis Perron, San Jose Barracuda
F Sheldon Rempal, Ontario Reign
F Troy Terry, San Diego Gulls

D Kyle Capobianco, Tucson Roadrunners
D Jacob Middleton, San Jose Barracuda
D Sean Walker, Ontario Reign

G Pavel Francouz, Colorado Eagles
G Josef Korenar, San Jose Barracuda

Canada, Sweden Upset At World Junior Championship

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The quarterfinal round of the 2019 World Junior Championships in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, is underway today and the first two results have both been stunning surprises. Sweden, the Group B winner, fell to Switzerland 2-0 earlier, while Canada, the host team and tournament favorite, lost to Finland 2-1 in overtime after giving up the lead in the final minute of regulation. The United States and Russia remain alive for now, ahead of their semifinal match-up on Friday, but two of the top teams and many of the best NHL prospects are now out far earlier than expected.

For Canada, the defending WJC champs, this loss is historic. It marks the first time that Canada has failed to medal in a World Junior on home soil. The Canadians, the leading team in goal differential following a definitive 14-0 win over Denmark to open the tournament, were heralded for their depth and talent this year. Anaheim Ducks prospect Max Comtois, who played in ten games with the team to begin the season, led a skilled group that also counted first-rounders Morgan Frost (PHI), Cody Glass (VGK), and Owen Tippett (FLA) among its top scorers. However, the group recorded only 25 shots against Finland’s Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF) in the loss and will depart the tournament with little to show for their efforts.

Meanwhile, Sweden continues to have terrible luck in the elimination stages of the World Juniors. The Swedes have not lost in group stage at the WJC since 2008, a whopping 48 wins in a row, but have just one gold medal and an overall losing record in the subsequent rounds in that time. This year, behind an incredible early effort from Emil Bemstrom (CLB) and Erik Brannstrom (VGK), the team finally looked primed for a deep run. Instead, undrafted Luca Hollenstein got the shutout for the Swiss as Sweden failed to produce many high danger chances.

With either Finland or Switzerland, whoever wins their resulting match-up, now guaranteed a spot in the gold medal game, this World Junior has already been turned on its head. Can the U.S., who won’t have to face Canada at all in the WJC for the first time since 2005, and Russia, the points leader through group play, avoid similar surprising fates? Or will one of those teams capitalize on the early upsets to seize the World Junior title this year?

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