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German Rubtsov

Metropolitan Notes: Lindblom, Flyers, Sorokin, Islanders, McMichael

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The Philadelphia Flyers announced their 31-man roster for the upcoming Qualifying Round with one name that stands out significantly as the team kept forward Oskar Lindblom on the roster despite talk that they team might wait until the 2020-21 season before returning the young forward on the ice after being diagnosed and treated for Ewing’s sarcoma in December.

Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the 23-year-old will be amongst the starters on the ice for the Flyers when the team returns to play, but to just be on the roster is quite an accomplishment for the young forward, who recently signed a three-year extension with the team. He could be a valuable substitute if injuries arise for the team after tallying 11 goals in 30 games before being diagnosed with cancer.

The team had a few other noteworthy players when it came to their roster. The team cut Carsen Twarynski, German Rubtsov, Tyler Wotherspoon and Nate Prosser from their training camp roster. However, the Flyers did keep undrafted prospect Egor Zamula on their roster, who played in just 28 junior games in the WHL last season, but dominated on the international stage.

Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sam Carchidi also reported that goaltender Carter Hart participated in his first full team practice Saturday since he left Tuesday’s scrimmage midway through the game with back spasms. The goalie claims that he expects to be 100 percent in time for their first game against Boston on Aug. 2.

  • The Athletic’s Arthur Staple (subscription required) writes that general manager Lou Lamoriello said that while newly signed KHL goaltender Ilya Sorokin is not eligible to play in the 24-team tournament, the netminder is expected to join the team in Toronto to get acclimated to his new team. Sorokin has been quarantining on Long Island and will join the team in Toronto once he has passed all his COVID-19 protocols.
  • Staple also released the Islanders playoff roster, which did not include several of the Islanders top AHL prospects. The team left behind forwards Kieffer Bellows, Oliver Wahlstrom, defenseman Grant Hutton and goaltender Jakub Skarek. Bellows was a bit of a surprise after a solid NHL debut in eight games this season.
  • No major surprises on the Washington Capitals roster, although the Capitals have decided to keep 2019 first-round pick Connor McMichael on their roster, although it’s more likely to give the 19-year-old a chance to soak in the playoff atmosphere in hopes he might be able to eventually challenge for a roster spot in 2020-21. McMichael is coming off an impressive season in the OHL with a breakout 47 goals and 102 points with the London Knights.

Minor Transactions: 01/22/20

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With just two games remaining on the schedule before the entire league breaks for the All-Star Game festivities, there will be many minor moves today seeing players head down to the AHL. Anyone that isn’t tied down by waiver eligibility will be heading down to get some extra work during the break and save their NHL club a few cap dollars. As always, we’ll keep track of those moves right here.

  • The New York Rangers have sent down Igor Shesterkin and Phillip Di Giuseppe, though the former is still not expected to take part in the AHL All-Star event. Shesterkin was selected for the minor league game after going 15-4-3 with a .932 in his first taste of North American professional hockey, but was replaced earlier this week as he continued to play with the Rangers.
  • Nicolas Hague and Nicolas Roy have both been sent back to the AHL by the Vegas Golden Knights, a trip both of them got used to earlier in the season. While Roy has continued to bounce up and down between the two leagues, Hague has been in the NHL since the middle of November and playing regularly for the Golden Knights. The 21-year old defenseman has 11 points in 38 games.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks have returned Brandon Hagel and Dennis Gilbert to the AHL. Hagel still hasn’t suited up for an NHL game, but he’s obviously getting closer to that dream after several call-ups in recent days.
  • Andrew Agozzino, Joseph Blandisi, Sam Lafferty and Kevin Czuczman have all been assigned to the AHL by the Pittsburgh Penguins, allowing the NHL club to bank a little extra cap space as they continue to push for the playoffs. The Penguins have quite a bit of flexibility when it comes to deadline additions thanks to some savvy saving and the potential long-term injured reserve cap room created by Jake Guentzel’s injury.
  • The Penguins cross-state rival have also sent several players to the minors, as Alex Lyon, German Rubtsov and Connor Bunnaman are all leaving the Philadelphia Flyers for now. The Flyers don’t play again until January 31st, giving them a chance to sort out their roster in a week’s time.
  • Sebastian Aho, no not that Sebastian Aho, has been sent to the minor leagues by the New York Islanders. The young defenseman has been brought up a few times as injury insurance since Adam Pelech went down earlier this month, but still hasn’t found his way into an NHL game this season.
  • The Detroit Red Wings are one of the few teams in action today, and have recalled Dennis Cholowski ahead of their game against the Minnesota Wild. Cholowski has split his time between the NHL and AHL this season, suiting up 29 times for the Red Wings.
  • Karson Kuhlman, Jeremy Lauzon and Dan Vladar have all been returned to the AHL by the Boston Bruins. Lauzon, 22, scored the second NHL goal of his career last night for Boston, even while playing his off-side.
  • The Florida Panthers have returned Riley Stillman and Sam Montembeault to the minor leagues over the break. Stillman has played in 16 games with the Panthers this season, but is still looking for his first career NHL goal.

Minor Transactions: 01/20/20

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After a flurry of activity yesterday with half of the NHL’s teams entering their bye weeks, things should slow down today with those teams now officially on bye. In fact, there are only two games on the docket tonight and eight games total scheduled this week before the All-Star break begins on Thursday. Yet, those teams remaining in action may still be active with roster tweaks over the coming days. Keep up with all of those moves here:

  • The Chicago Blackhawks witnessed Patrick Kane’s 1000th NHL point last night, and Dennis Gilbert and Brandon Hagel got as good a view as anyone, watching from the press box. The two have now been returned to the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs, the Blackhawks announced. Gilbert has been a frequent call-up of the ‘Hawks this season, skating in 20 games with Chicago versus just 11 with Rockford. Hagel has been in the opposite position, spending his time almost exclusively with the Ice Hogs, where he leads the team in goals, except for a few games spent watching – but not playing with – the Blackhawks. However, that could change for the first-year pro if he continues to produce in the minors. (UPDATE: Both players have been recalled again, meaning it was just a paper transaction)
  • German Rubtsov is on his way to Philadelphia, the Flyers announced this morning. The 2016 first-round pick made his NHL debut earlier this season, skating in three games with the Flyers. However, he has was held scoreless. Rubtsov has just 12 points in 28 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms as well, so Philly could be looking for the young forward to re-discover his scoring tough with a call-up to the big leagues.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have reassigned Zack MacEwen to the AHL’s Utica Comets, but that might mean very little. MacEwen has been back-and-forth between the two clubs all season, including several paper transactions, so expect the forward to be back in Vancouver before too long.
  • Joseph Blandisi has been recalled once again by the Pittsburgh Penguins, a normal occurrence for the minor league forward this season. This will be the seventh time he has been recalled, and he has actually played more games in the NHL than the AHL.

Minor Transactions: 11/06/19

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Last night was another step in the right direction for three struggling Western Conference teams, as the Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild were all victorious in their respective matchups. The same can not be said about the Los Angeles Kings, who are now 5-10 and have trade rumors swirling all about. Just two games are on the schedule tonight, and as teams prepare for that action we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • With Alexandre Texier nearing a return, the Columbus Blue Jackets have sent Markus Hannikainen to the minor leagues. Hannikainen still hasn’t played in a single game for the Blue Jackets this season after suiting up 44 times in 2018-19. The 26-year old is just injury depth at this point.
  • Dominic Toninato has been recalled by the Florida Panthers, after they sent Riley Stillman back yesterday. The Panthers acquired Toninato from the Colorado Avalanche just a few months ago, and this will be his first call-up with the organization.
  • German Rubtsov’s time with the NHL club is over for now, as the Philadelphia Flyers have sent him back to the AHL and recalled Mikhail Vorobyev. In three games Rubtsov was held scoreless and still looks to have some development to do in the minor leagues. The 21-year old has played just 21 AHL games so far after injury robbed him of much of the 2018-19 season.
  • Nicolas Hague and Nicolas Roy are on their way back to the Chicago Wolves, the latest in a series of transactions for the pair of Vegas Golden Knights prospects. The team is using off days to bank some cap space, but could recall one or both down the road.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have sent Ashton Sautner back down, a good sign after he was forced from his only game with an injury. The 25-year old defenseman won’t be a full-time player for the Canucks this season, but is valuable injury depth.
  • Josh Mahura has been assigned to the Anaheim Ducks, another likely cap-saving move that while the team waits for their next game. The Ducks don’t play again until Sunday.
  • Zachary Senyshyn and Cameron Hughes have both been sent back down by the Boston Bruins, who don’t play again until Friday evening. At least one of the young forwards will likely be recalled at that time, but for now the team will save some cap space on the off days.
  • Jayson Megna has been returned to the AHL by the Colorado Avalanche, with T.J. Tynan taking his place on the NHL roster. The 27-year old Tynan has been on fire at the minor league level, scoring 12 points in his first ten games for the Colorado Eagles.
  • The Washington Capitals have returned Liam O’Brien to the minor leagues, giving him a chance at some playing time after sitting on the sidelines the last few days. O’Brien is an important player for the Hershey Bears, but hasn’t suited up for an NHL game since 2017-18.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks announced that defenseman Dennis Gilbert has been re-assigned to the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. The 23-year-old has split his season between the NHL and AHL, most recently getting some starts in Chicago in place of Brent Seabrook. 

Philadelphia Flyers Recall Three Players

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The Philadelphia Flyers have made several roster moves on Thursday morning, recalling Philippe Myers, German Rubtsov and Carsen Twarynski from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. To make room, the team has loaned Mikhail Vorobyev and Samuel Morin to the AHL, the latter on a conditioning stint. Scott Laughton, who underwent surgery on his right index finger yesterday, was placed on long-term injured reserve. He will be out for three to four weeks.

While Myers got his first look in the NHL last season and Twarynski started this year with the club, it is Rubtsov that will draw the most fanfare. This is the first recall for the 21-year old forward, who was drafted 22nd overall in 2016.

It’s been a long and winding road since that draft, as Rubtsov first stayed in the KHL before leaving to join the Chicoutimi Sagueneens partway through the 2016-17 season. He was on the move again the following year when he was traded from Chicoutimi to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, where he finally found some stability and went on a long QMJHL playoff run. Last season was spent in the minor leagues with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but Rubtsov suffered a shoulder injury after just 14 games and had to sit out the rest of the year.

Now back flying around the rink, the Russian forward has six points in seven games with the Phantoms and is now getting his first chance in the NHL. Even if it is just a short-term recall, it’s good news for his development and future as a Flyer.

Training Camp Cuts: 09/24/19

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Like always, we’ll keep track of all the training camp cuts right here. Keep checking back to see the updated list:

Boston Bruins (per team release)

G Dan Vladar (to Providence, AHL)

Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)

F Jacob Pritchard (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Spencer Smallman (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Fredrik Claesson (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Alex Lintuniemi (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Hunter Shinkaruk (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Cavan Fitzgerald (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Derek Sheppard (to Charlotte, AHL)

Los Angeles Kings (per team release)

F Mikey Anderson (to Ontario, AHL)
F Martin Frk (to Ontario, AHL)
G Cal Petersen (to Ontario, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (per Sam Carchidi, Philadelphia Inquirer)

F German Rubtsov (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Mikhail Vorobyov (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Mark Friedman (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Andy Andreoff (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Kurtis Gabriel (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Nicolas Aube-Kubel (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Chris Bigras (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)

Toronto Maple Leafs (per team release)

G Michal Neuvirth (released from PTO)

Metropolitan Notes: Dobson, Rubtsov, Hughes

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The New York Islanders haven’t made any changes to its defense which was ranked first in the NHL as the team allowed just 2.33 goals per game. However, despite that success, the Islanders could add a key player to their defense as 2018 first-round pick Noah Dobson might just be ready to join the Islanders, according to Newsday’s Andrew Gross.

The 19-year-old almost broke camp with New York in training camp a year ago, but eventually was sent back to his junior team, Acadie-Bathurst of the QMJHL. He struggled out of the gate there, but was eventually traded to Rouyn-Noranda, one of the top teams in the league, where his numbers took off, scoring six goals and 36 points in 28 games. He now feels ready to take the challenge of playing for the Islanders.

“I thought I had a really good last two years in junior and that put me in a good position,” Dobson said. “Now, I’ve got to go and try and earn a spot. But I’m definitely confident in my abilities and I feel like I can make the jump this year if I have a really good camp. But it’s going to be on me to try and make a hard decision on management.”

While Dobson would likely benefit from a year in the AHL, the prospect isn’t eligible to play there as he either must make the New York squad or be returned to Rouyn-Noranda for another season in juniors.

  • While much of the attention in training camp will fall on the Philadelphia Flyers top three prospects, Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee and Isaac Ratcliffe, another Flyers’ prospect is already making an impact on the ice in German Rubtsov, who is hoping to win the third-line right-wing job, according to Sam Carchidi of Philly. com. The 21-year-old has flown under the radar despite being the 21st overall pick back in 2016. He joined the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and got off to a hot start, scoring six goals and 10 points in the first 16 games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury ended his season prematurely. Originally drafted as a center, Rubtsov said he’s 100 percent healthy and is more than capable of switching over to the wing as he did play wing when he played in the KHL several years ago.
  • In his first game in a Devils uniform on Saturday against players not in a Devils’ uniform, The Athletic’s Corey Masisak (subscription required) breaks down New Jersey Devils future star Jack Hughes play shift-by-shift. The scribe writes that the 2019 first-overall pick possessed a tremendous amount of energy and was talking constantly throughout the contest, although the 18-year-old did mention the game was more physical than he thought. “I think it’s a lot more physical,” Hughes said. “Not even because it’s the NHL, but because it’s a rookie camp. It’s a really physical tournament, and a lot of guys are trying to prove (themselves). You’ve got to watch out a little bit more, but it was definitely fast, a fast style of game.”

 

Training Camp Cuts: 09/20/18

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Almost 80 players were cut from training camps around the league yesterday, and today will likely be no different. We’ll keep track of all the changes right here, so make sure to refresh or return to this page throughout the day:

Calgary Flames (per team release)

F D’Artagnan Joly (to Baie-Comeau, QMJHL)
F Milos Roman (to Vancouver, WHL)
F Adam Ruzicka (to Sarnia, OHL)
F Dmitry Zavgorodniy (to Rimouski, QMJHL)
D Jake Christiansen (to Everett, WHL)
D Igor Merezhko (to Lethbridge, WHL)
D Brayden Pachal (to Prince Albert, WHL)
D Merrick Rippon (to Ottawa, OHL)

Edmonton Oilers (per team release)

F Tyler Benson (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Josh Currie (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Joseph Gambardella (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Caleb Jones (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D William Lagesson (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Patrick Russell (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Ryan Stanton (to Bakersfield, AHL)
G Dylan Wells (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (per team release)

F Colin McDonald (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F David Kase (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F German Rubtsov (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Mike Vecchione (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Connor Bunnaman (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Zach Palmquist (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Reece Willcox (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D David Drake (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Frank Hora (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D James de Haas (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Yegor Zamula (to Calgary, WHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (per team release)

F Freddie Tiffels (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Troy Josephs (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Dane Birks (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Joe Masonius (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
G Anthony Peters (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Justin Almeida (to Moose Jaw, WHL)
F Jan Drozg (to Shawinigan, QMJHL)
F Jordy Bellerive (to Lethbridge, WHL)
D Calen Addison (to Lethbridge, WHL)
G Alex D’Orio (to Saint John, QMJHL)
D Antti Palojarvi (to Lukko, Finland)

San Jose Sharks (per team release)

F Matt Fonteyne (to San Jose, AHL)
F Jonathon Martin (to San Jose, AHL)
F Colby McAuley (to San Jose, AHL)
F Filip Sandberg (to San Jose, AHL)
F Alex Schoenborn (to San Jose, AHL)
F Jeffrey Viel (to San Jose, AHL)
F Evan Weinger (to San Jose, AHL)
D Michael Brodzinski (to San Jose, AHL)
D Cody Donaghey (to San Jose, AHL)
D Thomas Gregoire (to San Jose, AHL)
G Josef Korenar (to San Jose, AHL)
F Joachim Blichfeld (to Portland, WHL)
F Ivan Chekhovich (to Baie-Comeau, QMJHL)
F Vladislav Kotkov (to Chicoutimi, QMJHL)
G Max Paddock (to Regina, WHL)

St. Louis Blues (per Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic)

F Alexei Toropchenko (to Guelph, OHL)

Vancouver Canucks (per team release)

F Carter Bancks (released from tryout, will attend AHL camp)
D Jesse Graham (released from tryout, will attend AHL camp)
D Jagger Dirk (released from tryout, will attend AHL camp)
G Michael DiPietro (to Windsor, OHL)

2018 Memorial Cup Preview

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The finale of the 2017-18 major junior season kicks off on Friday with the beginning of the Memorial Cup tournament. Each year, the champions of the three CHL leagues—the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL—and a rotating host team face off in a round-robin tournament with the championship being held on Sunday, May 27. This year’s tourney takes place in Regina, Saskatchewan and features the host Regina Pats of the WHL, the OHL champion Hamilton Bulldogs, the QMJHL champion Acadie-Bathurst Titan, and the WHL champion Swift Current Broncos. Below is a summary of each of the contending squads to help prepare for the upcoming games:

Regina Pats (40-25-7)

The host Pats are not quite on the level of the other three teams, as per usual, but that doesn’t mean they can’t string together enough wins to steal the Memorial Cup away. The Pats finished third in the WHL’s East Division, although their 87 point were good enough for seventh in the league. The team is well acquainted with another Memorial Cup competitor, the Swift Current Broncos, as they finished just behind the eventual champs in the division and fell to them in the first round of the WHL playoffs in seven games. If not for that match-up, Regina had the talent to advance further in the postseason.

The team finished fifth in the league in goals against behind a stout defense featuring three highly regarded NHL prospects: Libor Hajek (NYR), Cale Fleury (MTL), and Josh Mahura (ANA). The offense is led by another standout Ducks prospect, first-rounder Sam Steel (ANA), and has scoring depth in the form of Jake Leschyshyn (VGK), Matthew Bradley (MTL), and draft-eligible Emil Oskanen. The hosts will be far from a pushover in this tournament.

Swift Current Broncos (48-17-7)

The Broncos have the benefit of staying nearby in Saskatchewan and facing a team that they handled all year long in Regina. The team is also on a bit of a hot streak having beaten two division champs, the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Everett Silvertips, en route to their WHL title. Swift Current is a well-rounded squad who finished second in goals against and third in goals for this season. Star center Glen Gawdin (CGY) contributed to both of those marks with both an outstanding 125 points and checking game that earned him over 100 penalty minutes and a +61 rating. Gawdin and partner-in-crime Aleksi Heponiemi (FLA) finished second and third respectively in WHL scoring and form a formidable duo on the team’s top line.

Offensive defenseman Colby Sissons (NJD) and his under-rated pair mate Artyom Minulin are a force themselves on the blue line. However, the key to the Broncos success in the tournament will lie with goaltender Stuart Skinner (EDM). Skinner’s play was incredible in the postseason, as he posted a .932 save percentage and 2.20 GAA in 26 starts. If that level of play continues, Swift Current will be hard to beat.

Hamilton Bulldogs (43-18-7)

The OHL champs were also East Division regular season champs and held the third-best record in the league. They were also third-best in goals against and fifth-best in goals for. Hamilton took their game to the next level in the playoffs though, dropping just five games in four series, including taking down arguably the best team in junior hockey this year, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, in a six-game final series.

The Bulldogs are led by a forward corps that is unrivaled in depth in this tournament: Robert Thomas (STL), Matthew Strome (PHI), Will Bitten (MTL), MacKenzie Entwhistle (ARI), and overage phenom Brandon Saigeon. The only question is whether or not Hamilton has the difference-makers elsewhere in their lineup to keep up in the tournament.

Acadie-Bathurst Titan (43-15-10)

The Titan finished with the second best record and goal differential in the QMJHL and with the Maritimes Division title, but were clearly the best team in the league come playoff time, when they completed two sweeps and lost only four games on their way to a relatively easy championship. Keeper Evan Fitzpatrick (STL) was the star of the show in the postseason, continuing his strong play from the regular season. Forward Antoine Morand (ANA) and potential top-ten pick defenseman Noah Dobson led their respective units, but watch out for Flyers first-rounder German Rubtsov (PHI) to be the key to the Titan’s success in the tournament.

More NHL Prospects Named To Russian World Junior Roster

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Team Russia had already announced much of their preliminary roster for the World Junior Championships later this month, but had avoided any players currently in North America. Today they added ten names from various North American leagues to the roster, including several already drafted by NHL organizations. According to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express, the following ten are part of the preliminary roster, which will be whittled down before the tournament starts on December 26th.

F Klim Kostin (STL)
F Andrei Svechnikov (2018 eligible)
F German Rubtsov (PHI)
F Vitaly Abramov (CBJ)
F Dmitry Sokolov (MIN)
F Alexei Lipanov (TBL)

D Alexander Alexeyev (2018 eligible)
D Artyom Minulin (undrafted in 2017)
D Dmitri Samorukov (EDM)

G Mikhail Berdin (WPG)

While basically all of these names are very intriguing prospects for their respective clubs, Minulin might be one to watch for the entire league. Expected to go somewhere in the middle rounds in the 2017 draft, his name wasn’t called by any NHL team. The 6’2″ risk-taking defenseman put up 50 points in 70 games last year for the Swift Current Broncos, and returned to the team this season for the third time. It’s not clear why he wasn’t drafted, as he was actually ranked 58th by the NHL’s Central Scouting among North American skaters.

Svechnikov of course will also have all eyes on him at the tournament, as he’ll go head-to-head with the other potential first-overall picks. Rasmus Dahlin—the prospective favorite at the top of draft boards—will be representing Sweden and likely logging big minutes, making a matchup between the two clubs all the more interesting.

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