Lucas Wallmark Re-Signs With Carolina
The Carolina Hurricanes have locked up one of their top forward prospects, announcing a two-year deal for restricted free agent Lucas Wallmark. Wallmark’s contract is two-way next season before transitioning to a one-way deal in 2019-20. He is set to make the minimum $650K this year at the NHL level, with $100K guaranteed, and $700K the year after for a cap hit of $675K across both seasons.
Wallmark, 22, impressed with both Carolina and Charlotte last season. In the AHL, the young center registered 55 points in 45 games, leading the Checkers in both points and assists despite far fewer games played than many of his teammates. In fact, Wallmark had the highest points-per-game mark in the league among players with 10+ games played. He even managed to finish 13th in the AHL in assists with every player ahead of him having skated in at least 15 more games. Wallmark didn’t have the same success producing with the Hurricanes, managing only one point in 11 games, but displayed a strong two-way game and puck-handling skills. He plays a complete game that, if he can translate it to the top level, could make him a dangerous and affordable asset for the Hurricanes.
With Elias Lindholm and Derek Ryan both departing from Carolina this off-season, the time is now for Wallmark to win a full-time job down the middle for the Hurricanes. Victor Rask and Jordan Martinook are also options for the ‘Canes, but are likely better suited for bottom-six roles. A strong camp could earn Wallmark that second-line role behind Jordan Staal. The wild card will be highly-touted 2017 first-round pick Martin Necas and how he looks early on. Armed with two full pro seasons, including 19 NHL games and terrific AHL numbers, Wallmark could have an edge but still needs to outperform Necas and overshadow the Czech pivot’s immense potential if the job comes down to the two of them.
Carolina Hurricanes Will Make NHL Draft Difficult To Predict
The Carolina Hurricanes were lucky enough to get the second-overall pick in the upcoming 2018 NHL Draft, but who they will take will be even more interesting. While many believe that winger Andrei Svechnikov, who scored 40 goals for the OHL’s Barrie Colts mostly as a 17-year-old, is the obvious answer. However, there are plenty of other variables, according to the Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy.
An alternate option for Carolina would be to take winger Filip Zadina, countryman and world junior linemate of 2017 first-round center Martin Necas. Zadina put up 44 goals in 57 games in the QMJHL with the Halifax Mooseheads.
However, the scribe writes that neither player fills the team’s most important need for the future which is a first-line center, a similar problem that the Montreal Canadiens face later at the No. 3 spot. If Carolina decides that is more important, then trading down might be the team’s best option. Kennedy adds that has been discussed by the organization. A team like the New York Rangers or the New York Islanders, both with an excess of extra picks both in the first round and later, would be logical trade partners.
Although the team recently hired veteran executive Rick Dudley to fill in, the team needs to hire a general manager before any decision can be made about the direction of their selection. While the team bowed out earlier from the playoff race than they had hoped, Carolina has a significant amount of talent, although they lack a star player. However, with a new owner and eventually new general manager and coach, the team may make quite a few changes over the next few months. Even without a permanent GM, the team already traded off veteran Marcus Kruger and there are rumors the Hurricanes may trade off their top scorer in Jeff Skinner before he hits free agency in 2019.
So Carolina becomes quite a wildcard when it comes to this draft.
2018 World Juniors Recap
The 2018 World Junior Hockey Championships came to an end last night with a 3-1 Canada win over Sweden. Tyler Steenbergen was the unlikely hero, the only Canadian forward without a goal in the tournament to that point broke the tie with under two minutes left in the game. It was the perfect way to close out a memorable World Juniors, complete with the tournament’s first ever outdoor game, the most goals ever scored by an American player (Kieffer Bellows’ 7), and the first player to ever toss his medal away into the stands (Sweden’s Lias Andersson). While the bulk of the WJC coverage is generally just the results of the games, let’s take a closer look at the standouts of the tournament:
Canada – Gold
Top Performers: While Jordan Kyrou (STL) led the Canadians with ten points and had a fantastic tournament, the undisputed top player was the fourth overall pick this past June, defenseman Cale Makar (COL). The UMass product posted three goals and five assists to finish third in scoring for Canada. Tied for first among all defenseman in points at the WJC, Makar showed his next-level offensive ability for the first time on the international stage. Sam Steel (ANA) impressed as well with nine points and the second-best face-off percentage in the tournament. Victor Mete (MTL) showed his NHL experience has already had an impact on his defensive game; he finished +11 without a single goal scored while he was on the ice. Carter Hart (PHI) finished with the best save percentage, .930, and goals against average, 1.81, in the tournament.
Biggest Surprise: Probably the surprise of the whole tournament was Drake Batherson (OTT), a fourth-round pick who was not even invited to Canada’s camp, who led Canada in goal-scoring with seven tallies. Canada had faced criticism of including Batherson on the roster over several recent top picks who were skipped over, but decision paid off in a major way.
Sweden – Silver
Top Performers: If Rasmus Dahlin (2018) wasn’t the presumptive #1 overall pick in 2018 already, he is after the WJC. With a team-high six assists and +7 rating in major ice time, Dahlin proved that his draft stock is legitimate. While polarizing during the medal ceremony, the only opinion of Lias Andersson‘s (NYR) play was that it was strong. The Swedish captain tied for the team lead with seven points, six of which were his team-high six goals. Elias Petterson (VAN) and Alexander Nylander (BUF) were also impressive with seven points apiece. Filip Gustavsson (PIT) was rivaled only by Canada’s Hart in terms of the tourney’s top goaltender.
Biggest Surprise: The Swedes were top-heavy in terms of scoring, with the aforementioned four standouts contributing much of the offense, but that didn’t stop Axel Jonsson Fjallby (WAS) from making his presence felt. The 2016 fifth-rounder had four points, including two shorthanded goals, and was third on the team in shots.
United States – Bronze
Top Performers: Kieffer Bellows (NYI) led the WJC with nine goals and his teammate, Casey Mittelstadt (BUF), shared the tournament lead in points with eleven. So, while the U.S. fell short of their goal of being repeat champions, they arguably showcased the two best players of the World Juniors. Bellows passed up Jeremy Roenick as the highest goal-scoring American player in WJC history and finished one point behind Mittelstadt for the total points lead in a strong effort, while Mittelstadt was not only a top scorer, but a top a well-rounded presence as well, with a +8 rating. Mittelstadt’s rating was only bested on the team by defenseman Dylan Samberg (WPG), whose +10 was third-best at the WJC. The nine points for Brady Tkachuk (2018) will only serve to help his draft stock this June.
Biggest Surprise: Despite being assigned a crucial two-way, defensive role for the U.S., Trent Frederic (BOS) still managed to pot five goals, second-most on the team behind Bellows and tied for fifth in the tournament. He was also the only American player to score goals at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill.
Czech Republic – 4th
Top Performers: Perhaps the player that helped his draft stock the most at the World Juniors was Filip Zadina (2018), who tied for second in the tournament with seven goals and helped lead his team to a semifinal appearance. The man assisting on many of Zadina’s goals was Martin Necas (CAR), who tied the U.S.’ Mittelstadt as the WJC’s points leader and led the tournament with eight assists. Necas looked like the most pro-ready prospect in the entire tournament. On the back end, Libor Hajek (TBL) tied only Canada’s Makar for the most points by a defenseman.
Biggest Surprise: The Czech’s scored more goals, 22, than any other team in the tournament. While Necas and Zadina, arguably the tournament’s most dynamic duo, had a lot of input, the whole roster stepped up and helped the team finish higher than other teams considered to be contenders, such as Finland and Russia.
Finland – 5th
Top Performer: Eeli Tolvanen (NSH) – 1 goal, 5 assists, 6 points. Led team in assists, points, shots, and +/-.
Biggest Surprise: Joona Koppanen (BOS, 5th-round in 2016) – 3 goals, 1 assist, 4 points. Second on team in goals.
Russia – 6th
Top Performer: Klim Kostin (STL) – 5 goals, 3 assists, 8 points. Led team in goals, points, and +/-.
Biggest Surprise: Artur Kayumov (undrafted) – 3 goals, 2 assists, 5 points. Second on team in goals and points.
Slovakia – 7th
Switzerland – 8th
Denmark – 9th
Belarus – 10th (relegated)
World Junior Rosters Filled With NHL Prospects
With USA Hockey revealing their 28-man preliminary roster for the upcoming World Junior tournament, and Hockey Canada expected to do the same today, prospect junkies from around the league are making lists of who to watch this holiday season. The rosters have been released from various other countries already, and they include many other players who’ve already been drafted around the league.
Below are the full preliminary rosters for Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic, along with their respective NHL teams in parenthesis. Russia has announced their KHL group, but has not yet revealed who from North America will be joining them in selection camp.
Hurricanes Send Necas Back To HC Kometa Brno
The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have returned 2017 first-round pick Martin Necas to HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga, the top professional league in the Czech Republic. The 18-year-old center was allowed to play nine games with the NHL club before the team would have to decide whether to burn his first year of his entry-level contract. However, Necas has been returned after playing just one game for the Hurricanes.
Having played in six of the team’s preseason games, a few were surprised when Necas made the team, a team hoping to make the playoffs this year. However, the youngster’s raw skill was evident and the team hoped to capitalize on that. The Hurricanes also had the option of sending Necas to Charlotte of the AHL, but he has said on several occasions he would prefer to return home to play with his old team, if given the option.
The 12th overall pick in this year’s draft, Necas made his NHL debut on Oct. 17 against the Edmonton Oilers, but didn’t register a point in less than seven minutes of ice time. He has been scratched in all the other games. Returning to his team in Brno, Necas put up seven goals and eight assists in 41 games there last year. He also scored four goals in 10 playoff games as well.
The move also gives Carolina some maneuvering room for the future. Prior to loaning Necas to the Czech Extraliga, the Hurricanes had 50 contracts, the maximum you can have. Now, the team has 49, according to CapFriendly.