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Jonathan Dahlen

Sharks Loan Jonathan Dahlen To Timra

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There had been speculation dating back to last season that Sharks prospect Jonathan Dahlen was looking to return to Sweden.  That has now come to fruition as Timra of the Swedish Allsvenskan announced that the winger has signed a one-year deal with the team after San Jose officially loaned them his rights.  His entry-level deal contains a European Assignment Clause although teams will often bring a player to training camp first before going that route.

Dahlen’s brief time in North America has been somewhat rocky.  The former Vancouver prospect was touted as one of their better prospects heading into last season but he didn’t make a big impact in the minors (29 points in 50 games with AHL Utica) and he was eventually traded to San Jose for forward Linus Karlsson, a 2018 third-round pick.  While the move is more understandable now knowing that Dahlen didn’t want to stay in the minors for next season, that’s still a notable drop in value in a short period of time.

2019-20 will mark the final year of Dahlen’s NHL contract and it will be interesting to see what happens next with him.  A strong season could have the 21-year-old back on the NHL radar but at the same time, if he does well at home, he could very well simply opt to stay there.  Either way, the Sharks can retain his rights by tendering him a qualifying offer next June.

Snapshots: Dahlen, Teply, Boston University

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Many believe that talented, but under-performing forward Jonathan Dahlen may be primed for a breakout year in 2019-20, beginning his first full season with the San Jose Sharks. Dahlen, 21, was acquired by the Sharks at the trade deadline in a swap with the Vancouver Canucks for fellow Swedish forward prospect Linus Karlsson. Dahlen had failed to do enough in the AHL to earn a call-up to the Canucks in his first season in North America, but after a four-point outburst in the final seven games of the regular season with AHL San Jose, many felt a change of scenery could be all he needed to battle for an NHL spot this upcoming season. However, Dahlen may not break camp with the Sharks this fall because he may not even be in camp. Swedish news source Hockey Sverige reports that Dahlen is expected to return to his former club, Timra IK. Dahlen is in the final year of his entry-level contract, but that deal does include a European Assignment Clause, which allows Dahlen to play in Europe if he does not make the NHL club. The fact that this information has been leaked so early before training camp likely indicates that Dahlen either believes or knows that he won’t be playing for the Sharks in 2019-20 and would prefer to return home to Sweden rather than suit up for the Barracuda. Dahlen exercised his European Assignment Clause in the first year of his ELC, playing for Timra rather than the AHL’s Utica Comets. After a season in Utica last year that left a lot to be desired, Dahlen is likely eager to get back to his roots, especially since Timra has been promoted to the SHL from the minor league Allsvenskan since the last time he played there. If Dahlen does indeed jump overseas next season, it doesn’t mean his career with San Jose is over. The Sharks would merely need to make him a qualifying offer next season to retain his rights moving forward, should he re-discover his game and try again to make it in the NHL.

  • One player making the reverse move, going from Europe to North America, is Chicago Blackhawks prospect Michal Teply. Teply played professionally in his native Czech Republic last season, but is ready to return to the junior ranks. After being selected No. 4 overall in the recent CHL Import Draft, Teply has delivered on the pick used by the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice, as the team announced he has signed. The Ice, who are moving from Kootenay to Winnipeg and looking for a fresh start after a second-to-last league finish, are likely to see immediate results from Teply. A big winger who uses his size well to create space and make plays, many were surprised that Teply fell into the fourth round for the Blackhawks. In fact, there was a consensus among the top scouting services that Teply was a surefire second- or third-round pick. From fourth round to fourth overall, Winnipeg still may have found a steal in Teply, as the skilled forward has already proven he can compete with men at the pro level and could be in for breakout year against junior competition.
  • Boston University has found its new starting goaltender via transfer. The program has announced that a pair of graduate transfers have joined the team in Alex Brink and Sam Tucker. While Brink was a nice piece as a depth forward at Brown University, Tucker is the big news. The 23-year-old keeper split starts in net for Yale University over the past three seasons, including leading the team in appearances in each of the past two years, and his numbers took a sharp upturn in 2018-19. He now joins an elite NCAA program in BU where superior defense and possession ability should allow him to excel even more. After losing Jake Oettinger to the pros, it was looking like the Terriers were going to enter next season with untested Vinnie Purpura in net, but Purpura can take another year to continue developing while Tucker presumably takes over the starter role. Brink and Tucker join a new group of players that is arguably the best recruiting class in the nation, helping to make up for an exodus of nearly a third of last year’s roster to the pros.

Pacific Notes: Gusev, McDavid, Utica Comets

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The Vegas Golden Knights continue to get closer and closer to signing the KHL’s best player, Nikita Gusev. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Gusev is expected to arrive in Las Vegas tonight and could sign his one-year, entry-level deal as soon as tomorrow and should be ready to play not long after that. The Golden Knights are then expected to sign the then-restricted free agent to a long-term deal this summer.

In fact, The Athletic’s Jesse Granger (subscription required) analyzes what kind of impact the 26-year-old might have on the Vegas lineup, especially considering the star winger has little experience playing on North American hockey rinks and considering Vegas’ depth, there is no guarantee that head coach Gerard Gallant would play him when every game is so critical. Gallant said as much:

“I don’t know much about him. George (McPhee) mentioned it today. There are some reports out there. If he can join us then we’ll see what’s going to happen, but I don’t know the player well enough. Hopefully he does join us and he gets some practice time in with us, but I have no idea if that’s going to happen. It was first mentioned this morning to me.”

Granger suggests that Gusev could find himself eventually on the Golden Knights’ third line alongside Cody Eakin and Alex Tuch, but even as the team knows it will bring the great KHLer aboard, there is still quite a mystery surrounding him.

  • The Edmonton Oilers got some good news on star center Connor McDavid who suffered what looked to be a significant injury in their final regular season game last week. While he did suffer a small PCL tear in his knee, the injury will not require surgery and the superstar is expected to be ready for training camp, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Sportsnet’s John Shannon added that the injury will require three months of rehabilitation. The 22-year-old still had a career-high in points as he finished with 116, second in the league.
  • Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre wonders whether the Vancouver Canucks might make some changes at the AHL level this offseason. The Utica Comets were considered to be a fascinating team to keep an eye on this season as the franchise was loaded in young talent. However, few of those young players actually showed any improvement and two of them found their way out of the organization as prospect Petrus Palmu opted to return home, while Jonathan Dahlen forced a trade to San Jose. Both were unhappy with the playing time under Utica head coach Trent Cull. In fact a number of prospects struggled under Cull, including 2017 second-rounders Kole Lind (three goals) and Jonah Gadjovich (four goals). That could force general manager Jim Benning to look into the situation in Utica a little closer.

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

San Jose Sharks Acquire Jonathan Dahlen

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The Vancouver Canucks have moved on from prospect Jonathan Dahlen, trading him to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Linus Karlsson. Both players have yet to make their NHL debuts. Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet spoke with Dahlen’s agent J.P. Barry about how the trade came about:

There was frustration on both sides. We had numerous discussions on how to improve the situation. More recently a possible move was discussed as an option.

Dahlen, 21, has spent the entire season in the AHL where he has 29 points in 50 games. Originally selected by the Ottawa Senators 42nd overall in the 2016 draft, he was acquired by the Canucks when they traded Alexandre Burrows at the 2017 deadline. That seemed like an early win for the Canucks as Burrows would eventually be bought out by the Senators while Dahlen would find success overseas. Now that he’s in North America, the young forward obviously was looking for an opportunity at the NHL level but will have to hope he finds it in San Jose now.

Even though Dahlen didn’t work out for Vancouver, they aren’t getting nothing in return. Karlsson was selected 87th overall just last June and has recorded 17 points in 48 games in the Swedish second league this season. The 19-year old center is undersized but has a chance to be a bottom-six player in the NHL if he continues his development curve over the next few years. It’s important to note though that Karlsson still needs to be signed to his entry-level contract and convinced to come over to North America.

West Notes: Chiasson, Fabbri, Dahlen

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Alex Chiasson has been one of the more pleasant surprises in Edmonton this season.  After only getting a tryout for training camp, he has turned that into a career year with 17 goals in just 51 games.  Accordingly, the Oilers have set a fairly high price for him as TSN’s Darren Dreger reported in a segment on TSN 1260 (audio link) that they’re seeking a second-round pick or comparable prospect to part with the 28-year-old.  The fact that he has a league-minimum salary and cap hit may make him appealing to some cap-strapped teams but the fact remains that he has been more of a complementary player over his career which may make this asking price too high for teams to agree to.

Elsewhere out West:

  • While Blues winger Robby Fabbri has had a particularly rough year, it sounds like the Blues aren’t too surprised. In a reader chat, Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that the team appears to be willing to consider this as merely a transition year as he works his way back from multiple knee surgeries and may be inclined to give him another chance next season.  The 23-year-old has played just 26 times this season and has spent considerable time as a healthy scratch.  He’s owed a qualifying offer this summer of just over $971K and considering he has just five points on the year, it shouldn’t cost much more to sign him which would make a worthwhile move to make despite his struggles in 2018-19.
  • Jonathan Dahlen has been viewed as one of Vancouver’s better prospects but it appears that the Canucks are at least willing to move him. Matt Sekeres of TSN 1040 reports (Twitter link) that the winger is being shopped and the team has soured on him based on his rookie AHL season.  The 21-year-old has posted 29 points (14-15-29) in 50 games with the Utica Comets but should still be of interest to some teams around the league.

Vancouver Extends AHL Deal With Utica Comets

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The Vancouver Canucks have announced that they have agreed to an extension to keep the AHL’s Utica Comets as their primary minor-league affiliate for up to an additional six years. Ben Birnell of the Observer Dispatch adds that there is an option after two years. Jim Benning, General Manager of Canucks Sports and Entertainment, stated:

We are very pleased to continue our partnership with Utica. The Comets share our organization’s level of commitment and philosophy in player development, providing a strong environment for growth. We believe the culture in Utica, combined with the great fan support and atmosphere at games, will continue to be beneficial for the players in our system.”

The deal also means a more local affiliate will have to wait. There was hope in Vancouver that the organization might consider moving the team to Abbotsford, British Columbia, which would give them a much more nearby presence as opposed to having the team in Utica, New York, on the other side of the continent. Abbotsford has an empty arena and was a former affiliate for the Calgary Flames years ago before Calgary moved their affiliate to Stockton, California. However, the Canucks opted instead to stick with the current situation.

The Comets have been Vancouver’s AHL affiliate since the 2013-14 season when the team purchased the Peoria Rivermen and moved them to Utica. The two franchises have worked well together as they reached the Calder Cup finals in the 2014-15 season, and more importantly the team has been a financial success as they hold the AHL sellout streak record of 148 regular season and playoff games, which started on April 10, 2015. The Comets are a key piece to the Canucks franchise as Vancouver is loaded with solid prospects, including forwards Adam Gaudette, Jonathan Dahlen, Kole Lind, defenseman Olli Juolevi and goaltender Thatcher Demko.

 

Loui Eriksson Out “Week-To-Week” With Lower-Body Injury

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Will Loui Eriksson ever catch a break in Vancouver? The former 30-goal scorer’s tenure with the Canucks has been an unmitigated disaster, with constant injury issues playing a role in two streaky, underwhelming seasons. Eriksson has suited up for just 115 of the Canucks’ 164 combined games over the past two seasons and has registered only 21 goals and 47 points in that time. Eriksson himself surely wants to be better, but the Canucks need him to improve at $6MM per season. The hope was the Eriksson could finally stay healthy and play up to expectations this season. That illusion has already been shattered.

The Province’s Ben Kuzma relayed bad news from Canucks head coach Travis Green earlier today. Accurately, Kuzma says “the injury bug bites Eriksson again”, as the veteran forward is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Eriksson was injured blocking a shot in Vancouver’s preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. Green describes the injury as a bone bruise to the leg, which does not sound overly serious. However, given that Eriksson missed 14 games with a knee injury last season (and another 18 with broken ribs), it is possible that the injury could be more serious if located near that same suspect area.

With free agent addition Antoine Roussel also sidelined with a concussion, and no timeline for a return, the Canucks seem likely to begin the season short-handed up front. Given the turnover for Vancouver this off-season, namely the retirement of Henrik and Daniel Sedin, it’s unclear where Eriksson and Roussel would have slotted in if healthy, but both typically line up at left wing. Their absences could mean that Brendan Leipsic or Tim Schaller play elevated roles to begin the year or that Jonathan Dahlen, Tanner Kero, or Tyler Motte have a chance to break camp. Either way, the Canucks will eagerly await the return of two players who need to be at their best if the team can take a step forward this season.

Pacific Notes: Toffoli, Giordano, Goldobin, Pettersson

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While the Los Angeles Kings did add Ilya Kovalchuk to their roster and have a healthy dose of veterans around, one key for the Kings will be whether the team can get Tyler Toffoli to show off more of his offensive prowess. The 26-year-old rebounded from a 13-goal season in 2016-17 to post a 24-goal season, but that’s still a far cry from the 31-goal season back in 2015-16 when he was considered one of the upcoming goal scorers in the league.

The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman (subscription required) writes that Toffoli feels that the team and especially coach John Stevens feel that it’s time for him to take that next step in his development.

“He obviously wants me to score more goals,” Toffoli said. “He said I didn’t have a bad season. Scoring 24 goals is not bad. He thinks that’s just something I need to focus on, bearing down on opportunities and not worrying about having the ups and downs.”

Many feel that Toffoli struggled over the last couple of years due to the lack of having Milan Lucic in 2016-17 as well as a healthy Jeff Carter playing alongside him last season. However, consistency has also been a problem as he tallied 11 goals in the first two months of the season and then struggled at different times to put numbers up, including one goal in January and just three goals in the Kings’ final 18 games, including going scoreless in the playoffs.

  • The Athletic’s Scott Kruikshank (subscription required) looks into the fitness level of Calgary Flames defenseman Mark Giordano. The team’s top defender just turned 34 and remains in the best shape of his career. Giordano’s conditioning is one of the main reasons for his success. He has ranked first, first, first and second (last year to Michael Frolik) over the last four camps, despite his age. “I want to keep my speed as I get older,” Giordano says. “So I do a lot of strengthening of my hips and groins, working on some ankle-mobility stuff. Little things to keep my skating up to par. Speed and conditioning are the two things I like to focus on the most. But you need that strength out there, too.”
  • Jason Brough of The Athletic (subscription required) wonders who will win the final spot on the Vancouver Canucks first line with Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat. The scribe says the team has three candidates in mind for that final spot, including veteran Sven Baertschi as well as Brendan Leipsic and Nikolay Goldobin. While Baertschi might sound like a logical candidate as he got some time with them last season, Brough wonders whether the team is giving every opportunity to Goldobin or Leipsic to seize the spot, which would allow Baertschi to play on the second line. The team has been hoping Goldobin, in particular, is capable of breaking out this season. He tallied eight goals in 38 games last season.
  • The Vancouver Canucks got a flash of their upcoming future when top prospects Elias Pettersson and Jonathan Dahlen combined for three goals, three assists in Friday’s first game of the Young Stars Classic, according to Ed Willes of the Vancouver Sun. The two Swedes showed a chemistry together that suggests they could play together for a long time. Pettersson potted two goals, while Dahlen added a third. The two played together for parts of three years in the Timra system.

Pacific Notes: McDavid, Dahlen, Foo

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The Edmonton Oilers depend a lot on the play of superstar Connor McDavid, but what exactly should his role be when it comes to special teams? The 21-year-old center obviously is playing on the power play, but is also receiving quite a few minutes killing penalties, 89 to be exact, which puts him at 125th in the league in penalty killing minutes. That’s a very average number compared to other offensive stars like Los Angeles’ Anze Kopitar who played 178 minutes, but obviously not as many as Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, who played 21 minutes killing penalties.

The Edmonton Journal’s David Staples suggests the team might be better off using him to do nothing but score and avoiding penalty minutes as they have several players who can take those minutes away from him, including Kyle Brodziak, Tobias Rieder, Ryan Strome and Jujhar Khaira. Staples also points out that McDavid is only an average penalty killer, which is another reason not to waste his talents on it.

However, the Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins disagrees, suggesting that taking McDavid out of the game for two straight minutes is a long time to be without your star, especially if its a game with lots of penalties. Being involved with the flow of the game is critical for any player, so sitting McDavid could truly throw him off.

  • It looks like Vancouver Canucks prospect Jonathan Dahlen will be in a good position when training camp rolls around. The speedy wing has little experience playing in North America (six games), but despite the general belief that he is ticketed for Utica of the AHL, Dahlen has a chance to be a darkhorse to make the Canucks roster, according to The Athletic’s Mike Halford (subscription required). With the team expected to be immersed in position battles from goaltending through forwards, Dahlen is one guy who might surprise everyone, because the team desperately needs speed and offense, two skills that Dahlen has an abundance in.
  • NHL.com’s Aaron Vickers writes that Calgary Flames prospect Spencer Foo has high expectations to challenge for a depth role with the team this season. Foo, who the team signed last season out of Union College, is coming off a solid campaign with the Stockton Heat of the AHL where he posted 20 goals and 39 points in 62 games and then scored two goals in four games with the Flames at the end of the season. Foo hopes to win a depth role spot in training camp over a number of prospects and veterans, including Austin Czarnik, Dillon Dube, Andrew Mangiapane, Troy Brouwer, Curtis Lazar and Garnet Hathaway. “My goal was never to come in and be a bubble player, be a 13th forward,” Foo said. “I want to come in and make an impact. So at the end of the day, whatever (other) players are here, it doesn’t matter. I want to solidify my own spot.”

 

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