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Minor Transactions: 06/29/16

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Here is where we’ll keep track of the day’s minor transactions:

  • The St. Louis Blues have come to an agreement with AHL winger Jordan Caron, reports the team site. The former Boston Bruin had 36 points in 70 games with the Chicago Wolves last season. He has 157 NHL games in his career, tallying 28 points.
  • Former NHLer Evgeny Artyukhin signed on to remain with his Russian club Sibir Novosibirsk, says KHL insider Aivis Kalnins. The 33-year old once was a promising youngster in the NHL, but could never catch on. He played in 199 career NHL games, scoring 19 goals and 30 assists.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets, fresh off inking Seth Jones to a long-term deal, have also come to terms with third overall pick Pierre-Luc Dubois on an entry-level contract, per Darren Dreger of TSN. Dubois was a surprise choice at #3, with many expecting the team to draft Finnish winger Jesse Puljujarvi (who eventually went to Edmonton with the next pick).
  • The Panthers have reached an agreement with recently non-qualified free agent Greg McKegg per General Fanager. It’s a two-way deal worth $700K at the NHL level, and $115K if he’s in the AHL. McKegg played 15 games for the Panthers last season, putting up two points.
  • The Sabres have re-signed RFA Casey Nelson to a two-year deal, the team released. The NCAA standout made his NHL debut last season, adding four assists in seven games down the stretch. He went undrafted and originally signed in March after Minnesota State University’s season ended.

Free Agent Focus: Edmonton Oilers

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The Edmonton Oilers were expected to be more competitive in 2015-16, thanks to phenom Connor McDavid, a new coach and GM, and off-season acquisitions Cam Talbot, Andrej Sekera, and Griffin Reinhart. Unfortunately, McDavid was hurt in early November, and by the time he returned in February, the Oilers were out of the playoff picture. Reinhart struggled early and spent the middle part of the season in the AHL. Top defender Oscar Klefbom spent more than half the year on IR after a broken knuckle and two successive staph infections. The Oilers struggled and finished 29th, mainly because of injuries and a porous defence. Stop me if you’ve heard this story before.

GM Peter Chiarelli has made several moves, with mixed results. Acquiring Talbot for picks has given the Oilers their starter for the next several seasons. Sekera is a solid second-pairing defenceman, but the Oilers are still missing two top 4 defensive options. The Reinhart trade is tough to call at this time, because of the Oilers depth of left-handed defensemen and Reinhart not being NHL-ready.

Adding Eric Gryba, Zack Kassian, and Patrick Maroon made the Oilers harder to play against, something that has sorely been missing in Oil Country. Big center Leon Draisaitl rebounded from a tough rookie season to put up 51 points despite spending a month in the AHL. Former 6th round pick in 2010 Brandon Davidson made the team as the 8th defenceman and played his way into a top 4 role, earning an extension and praise from around the league.

Chiarelli compared the team’s improvement to a “taller midget”.

Cap space: $10.3MM, 22 players under contract

Key RFAs: none

Other RFAs: W Iiro Pakarinen, D Jordan Oesterle, D Adam Clendening, LW Luke Gazdic, D David Musil

Clendening and Gazdic were not qualified and will become UFAs.

Key UFAs: none

Other UFAs: D Eric Gryba, RW Adam Cracknell, D Adam Pardy, D Niki Nikitin

Outlook: The Oilers don’t have any key players to re-sign, but need to drastically improve their back end through trades or free agency. Watch for Chiarelli to be involved in a few dealings around the draft.

High profile names like Travis Hamonic, PK Subban, Tyson Barrie, Jacob Trouba, Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen, Seth Jones, Jason Demers, and Justin Faulk have all been linked to the Oilers at different points. While the ask for those players would be high, the Oilers have organizational depth in NHL forwards and prospect defensemen.

Besides defence, the Oilers need a right-handed centre with skill, more depth on right wing, and a backup goalie to allow Laurent Brossoit to develop further in the AHL. Big UFA winger Milan Lucic is a player of interest, as he would allow the Oilers to trade one of Jordan Eberle or Benoit Pouliot for defensive help.

Former first overall pick Nail Yakupov asked for a trade, and will likely be dealt on the draft floor. TSN 1260’s Jason Gregor reported the Ducks and Oilers were close to a trade involving Yakupov and Pouliot heading to Anaheim, but Pouliot’s season-ending injury ended those talks. In the end, Maroon was sent to Edmonton for project prospect Martin Gernat and a 4th round pick.

Former captain Andrew Ference will likely spend the year on LTIR, freeing up an additional $3.25MM under the cap. Ference underwent hip surgery in March.

Fourth overall pick Jesse Puljujarvi will likely make the team, but could spend some time in Bakersfield to adjust to North America. In any case, don’t expect any other rookies to crack the opening night roster, but college free agent signing Drake Caggiula and AHLers Oesterle, Reinhart, Anton Slepyshev, Bogdan Yakimov, and Jujhar Khaira should see some NHL time during the season. Finnish winger Jere Sallinen was signed from the KHL and could be a dark horse to make the team as an extra forward.

Expansion draft wise, the Oilers are likely able to protect everyone they want to on their current roster with the exception of Brossoit, but he won’t be among the top 3 goaltenders available based on his struggles at the NHL level. Issues could come up after a summer of improving the roster, but Chiarelli won’t be too concerned about that yet.

2016 NHL Draft Results

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Pro Hockey Rumors will be following and updating every selection of the 2016 NHL Draft. Below are the results of the first round.

Round 1

1. Toronto Maple Leafs: C Auston Matthews (Zurich Lions – SUI)

2. Winnipeg Jets: RW Patrik Laine (Tappara – SM-liiga)

3. Columbus Blue Jackets: LW Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton – QMJHL)

4. Edmonton Oilers: RW Jesse Puljujarvi (Karpat – SM-liiga)

5. Vancouver Canucks: D Olli Juolevi (London – OHL)

6. Calgary Flames: LW Matthew Tkachuk (London – OHL)

7. Arizona Coyotes: C Clayton Keller (USA NTDP – USHL)

8. Buffalo Sabres: F Alexander Nylander (Mississauga Steelheads – OHL)

9. Montreal Canadiens: D Mikhail Sergachev (Windsor – OHL)

10. Colorado Avalanche: C Tyson Jost (Penticton – BCHL)

11. Ottawa Senators (from New Jersey): C Logan Brown (Windsor – OHL)

12. New Jersey Devils (from Ottawa): C Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads – OHL)

13. Carolina Hurricanes: D Jake Bean (Calgary – WHL)

14. Boston Bruins: D Charlie McAvoy (Boston University – NCAA)

15. Minnesota Wild: C Luke Kunin (Wisconsin – NCAA)

16. Arizona Coyotes (From Detroit): D Jakob Chychrun (Sarnia – OHL)

17. Nashville Predators: D Dante Fabbro (Penticton – BCHL)

18. Winnipeg Jets (From Philadelphia): D Logan Stanley (Windsor – OHL)

19. New York Islanders: LW Kieffer Bellows (US NTDP)

20. Detroit Red Wings (from Arizona via New York Rangers): D Dennis Cholowski (Chilliwack (BCHL)

21. Carolina Hurricanes (from LA Kings): RW Julien Gauthier (Val-d’Or Foreurs – QMJHL

22. Philadelphia Flyers (From Winnipeg via Chicago): C German Rubtsov (Team Russia U-18)

23. Florida Panthers: C Henrik Borgstrom (HIFK – SM-liiga Jr)

24. Anaheim Ducks: LW Max Jones (London – OHL)

25. Dallas Stars: LW Riley Tufte (Blaine – USHSW)

26. St. Louis Blues (From Washington): C Tage Thompson (Connecticut – NCAA)

27. Tampa Bay Lightning: C Brett Howden (Moose Jaw – WHL)

28. Washington Capitals (From St. Louis): D Lucas Johansen (Kelowna – WHL)

29. Boston Bruins (from San Jose): C Trent Frederic (USA U-18 NTDP)

30. Anaheim Ducks (from Pittsburgh via Toronto): C Sam Steel (Regina – WHL)

Read more

Top Draft Prospects: Mikhail Sergachev

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With the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft just two days away, we look at the top prospects available Friday night.  Previously we took a look at Auston Matthews,Patrik Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi, Matthew Tkachuk and Pierre-Luc Dubois; next we’ll examine our first defenceman, Mikhail Sergachev.

Bio

Position: Defence
Birthdate: June 25, 1998
Hometown: Nizhnekamsk, Russia
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 220 lbs

2015-16

After coming over from his native Russia to play in the OHL, Sergachev actually struggled in the first half, having trouble adjusting to his new surroundings. When he found that comfort level however, his play took off. Racking up 57 points in 67 games, Sergachev won the OHL’s award for top defenceman, only the second rookie in league history to do so (Bryan Berard in 1995).

The Spitfires ran into a strong Kitchener Rangers team in the playoffs and went down in five games, while Sergachev tallied five points. He was held scoreless in the Under-18s, as Russia went down to the eventual champion Finnish team in the first elimination round.

Statistics

Windsor Spitfires: 67 GP, 17 goals, 40 assists, 57 points, 56 PIM, +15 rating
OHL Playoffs: 5 GP, 2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points, 8 PIM, -4 rating
U-18 WJC: 5 GP, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points, 8 PIM, 0 rating

Scouting Report

A beautiful skater, Sergachev glides around the ice with ease and transitions well from the offensive and defensive zones. He doesn’t get rattled with the puck on his stick in his own end, calmly moving it out of the zone and avoiding danger. With a well developed body, he uses it to it’s full advantage leveraging players off the puck or pinning them against the boards.

While his even-strength game is effective, it’s his point play when a man up that leaves scouts drooling. Sergachev is the prototypical quarterback, with slick passing skills and a booming slapshot from the blue line. He seems unbelievably calm out there despite his young age.

Sergachev normally looks like one of the best players on the ice, however some scouts have found that every now and again he seems a bit disinterested in the game and has been known to take a shift off.  Now, this might be a problem going forward or it might just be that the OHL level isn’t providing a big enough challenge for him currently. If he’s to unlock what seems like endless potential in both ends of the ice, he has to improve his consistency and continue to play with his physical edge. As players get bigger, better and more experienced, he won’t be able to coast on his natural talent.

Projected Future Role

Top-pairing defenceman/Powerplay threat.

NHL Timeline

Sergachev is another young draftee, not turning 18 until Saturday, and isn’t eligible for the AHL next season (or the one after that). With the choice of the NHL or OHL, he’ll probably be headed back to the Spitfires next year, however there is a possibility with the right team and a strong summer he could break camp as an 18-year old rookie in 2016-17.  Some clubs may fear he’ll take a step back even in just his second OHL season, if they believe he was already throwing away shifts because of disinterest this year.

Top Draft Prospects: Pierre-Luc Dubois

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With the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft just two days away, we look at the top prospects available Friday night.  Previously we took a look at Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi and Matthew Tkachuk; today we’ll look a little closer at Cape Breton Screaming Eagle Pierre-Luc Dubois.

Bio

Position: Center
Birthdate: June 24, 1998
Hometown: Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 205 lbs

2015-16

After scoring 45 points in 56 games as a 16-year old in his first season in the QMJHL, Dubois turned up the offense this year as he continued to grow into his large frame.  His 99 points in 2015-16 placed him third in the league, trailing only 20-year old over-agers in Conor Garland and Francis Perron (128 and 108 points respectively) and easily topped Red Wings’ first-round pick Evgeny Svechnikov and the rest of the Screaming Eagles.

The Eagles would go down in the second round of the playoffs, but it wasn’t because of Dubois, as the big center put up 12 points in 12 games despite being suspended for the first round opener after a illegal check late in the season.

Dubois didn’t see any international competition this season, as he was cut from World Junior Championship roster along with fellow top prospect Jakob Chychrun.  Perhaps he used it as motivation for the massive season he put up thereafter.

Statistics

Cape Breton: 62 GP, 42 goals, 57 assists, 99 points, 112 PIM, +40 rating
Playoffs: 12 GP, 7 goals, 5 assists, 12 points, 14 PIM, +3 rating

Scouting Report

Seen by many as the second best center available this year (behind Matthews), Dubois provides an excellent power option down the middle. With a combination of strength and skill, he’s an exceptional scoring threat with the puck on his stick as he heads into the zone, or along the boards down low. While his shot isn’t as highly regarded as Laine’s, he gets it off very quickly and with a lot of accuracy, especially in tight.

His skating, while not as developed as Matthews’, is actually a strength as he uses his long stride and powerful lower half to move quickly around the ice. He often catches defenders off-guard with his top gear, despite lacking an elite first few steps.

In the defensive end, Dubois isn’t afraid to use his size to remove attackers from the puck, laying thunderous checks that sometimes toe the line of legality. After the whistle, he’s often involved in scrums because of his style of play, though he has recognized his value to the team and learned to keep his cool. A smart player, he’s usually in a good position defensively, and should be able to handle that part of the game at the next level.

While his offense is driven by a power game similar to Stars’ forward Jamie Benn (who, incidentally, he models his play after), he lacks elite-level creativity and may be limited by it at the NHL level. If he can continue to grow into his frame, and improve his acceleration and defensive game he may eventually become a number 1 center in the NHL, but there is some doubt he’ll stay in the middle long-term. At the very worst, he becomes a big winger with some finishing ability and a lot of nastiness.

Projected Future Role

Top-six power center/front line power winger.

NHL Timeline

Dubois isn’t set to turn 18 until the day of the draft, and because of it isn’t eligible for the AHL until 2018-19. Even with his advanced size and strength, he’s almost a lock to head back to the Screaming Eagles for at least one more season. Look for him to challenge for the CHL scoring title before entering the NHL as a 19-year old in 2017-18.

 

Top Draft Prospects: Jesse Puljujärvi

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The NHL draft is now less than a week away with the first round set for this Friday.  Over the next several days, we will be taking a closer look at the prospects who will hear their name called early on Friday night.

We’ve already published the profiles on Auston Matthews (link) and Patrik Laine (link), so let’s take a look at the expected #3 pick, Jesse Puljujärvi.

Bio

Position: Right Wing
Birthdate: May 7, 1998
Hometown: Älvkarleby, Sweden
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 200 lbs

2015-16

Puljujärvi suited up for his second season in the Finnish Elite league, and showed he belonged, helping Karpat to a second place finish and putting up 28 points as a 17-year old.  As Karpat hit the playoffs, Puljujärvi was actually still recovering from an injury but upon his return he seemed to hit his stride, putting up 9 points (4-5) in just 10 games before eventually losing to Laine’s Tappara Tampere squad in seven games.

Puljujärvi led all players at the World Junior Championships with 17 points in just 7 games on the winning Finnish squad. Not only did he take home the tournament’s top forward award (beating out Laine and Matthews in the vote) he was crowed the tournament MVP as well.

Statistics

Karpat: 50 GP, 13 goals, 15 assists, 28 points, 22 PIMS, +5 rating
Playoffs: 10 GP, 4 goals, 5 assists, 10 points, 2 PIM
WJC: 7 GP, 5 goals, 12 assists, 0 PIM, +8 rating

Scouting Report

Puljujärvi has been reported as one of the best skaters in the draft, despite his 6’3″ frame. His long stride and efficient motion lets him get around with ease, and allows him to get into prime offensive positions.  While he’s known as a scoring winger, his two-way game is advanced for such a young player and is ahead of Laine on the defensive end.

His offensive game comes not only from an above average shot, but his playmaking abilities with the puck on his stick. Many scouts think this is the attribute most likely to set Puljujärvi apart in the NHL, allowing him to ride shotgun with an elite goal scoring talent, while covering up some defensive liabilities. His elite skating ability allows him to get back quickly and he almost never coasts when chasing an opponent, using his long wingspan to take pucks away.

If there is one complaint about Puljujärvi it’s that he doesn’t use his large frame to throw enough body checks.  While using it as a leverage tool down low, he sometimes shies away from the physical side of the game. If he continues to learn how to use his size he may eventually develop that edge, but it’s unlikely he’ll ever be a dominant physical presence.

Projected Future Role

Top six, two-way winger with elite playmaking ability.

NHL Timeline

After establishing himself against Men in the Finnish Elite League the past two years, Puljujärvi will be heading directly into the NHL next season.  He may start on a lower line, due to his ability to contribute defensively but will crack the top six before long. Knee surgery has limited his ability to take part in camps this summer, but he should be ready for the start of the regular season.

Snapshots: Puljujarvi, Lalonde, Backes

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With the Entry Draft getting closer and closer, there has been lots of chatter over who will go after Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine go in the top two selections. The expected #3 pick, Jesse Puljujarvi hasn’t exactly helped his stock as Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reported yesterday that the Finnish winger underwent knee surgery after winning gold at the World U-18’s in April. He will be missing all the summer development camps, but should be ready for the regular season. While Columbus wonders what to do with the third overall pick, here’s more from around the league:

  • Up-and-coming coaching prospect Derek Lalonde has been hired on as the newest head coach of the Iowa Wild, reports Jeff Cox of ESPN. Lalonde previously coached in both the USHL and ECHL and is considered by many to be a coach on the rise. The Wild, who finished last in the AHL last season were coached by John Torchetti until he moved up to Minnesota after the mid-season firing of Mike Yeo.
  • Although they’d be open to a return, it sounds like the St. Louis Blues will not be re-signing captain David Backes.  When asked by Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Dispatch, GM Doug Armstrong related as much: “I think the unrestricted guys will most likely hit the open market. We’d like to have David back…but it has to work for both sides, not just one. We’re willing to invest a little bit of ’thank you’ money, but it has to make sense.”

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