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Matthew Beniers

2022 WJC Participants By NHL Team

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The 2022 World Junior Championships will get underway from Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta on Sunday. As is the norm and to be expected from the top U-20 competition in the world, the World Junior tournament field is loaded with drafted NHL talent. While most nations don’t have the prospect depth to form a roster completely composed of NHL prospects and those that do have opted to include some younger, future draft picks, there are still a whopping 106 drafted players on WJC rosters. Nine of ten WJC have at least one current NHL prospect and six of those nine have at least ten draft picks. Those players come from 30 of the NHL’s 32 teams, with the Carolina Hurricanes leading the way with ten prospects. While enjoying the WJC action in the coming days, keep track of who may one day be playing at the highest level:

Anaheim Ducks (4):
F Mason McTavish, Canada
D Ian Moore, USA
F Sasha Pastujov, USA
D Olen Zellweger, Canada

Arizona Coyotes (1):
F Dylan Guenther, Canada

Boston Bruins (1):
F Fabian Lysell, Sweden

Buffalo Sabres (4):
F Jakub Konecny, Czechia
D Nikita Novikov, Russia
D Owen Power, Canada
F Isak Rosen, Sweden

Calgary Flames (1):
F Matt Coronato, USA

Carolina Hurricanes (10):
F Nikita Guslistov, Russia
D Aleski Heimosalmi, Finland
D Ville Koivunen, Finland
D Scott Morrow, USA
F Zion Nybeck, Sweden
D Joel Nystrom, Sweden
F Alexander Pashin, Russia
F Vasily Ponomarev, Russia
G Nikita Quapp, Germany
D Ronan Seeley, Canada

Chicago Blackhawks (4):
G Drew Commesso, USA
D Wyatt Kaiser, USA
D Michael Krutil, Czechia
F Landon Slaggert, USA

Colorado Avalanche (1):
F Oskar Olausson, Sweden

Columbus Blue Jackets (4):
F Kent Johnson, Canada
D Samuel Knazko, Slovakia
F Martin Rysavy, Czechia
D Stanislav Svozil, Czechia

Dallas Stars (4):
F Mavrik Bourque, Canada
F Daniel Ljungman, Sweden
F Logan Stankoven, Canada
F Albert Sjoberg, Sweden

Detroit Red Wings (8):
G Jan Bednar, Czechia
G Sebastian Cossa, Canada
D Simon Edvinsson, Sweden
F Carter Mazur, USA
F Theodor Niederbach, Sweden
F Redmond Savage, USA
D Donovan Sebrango, Canada
D Eemil Viro, Finland

Edmonton Oilers (2):
F Xavier Borgault, Canada
D Luca Munzenberger, Germany

Florida Panthers (5):
F Elliot Ekmark, Sweden
D Kasper Puutio, Finland
F Mackie Samoskevich, USA
F Ty Smilanic, USA
F Justin Sourdif, Canada

Los Angeles Kings (6):
F Martin Chromiak, Slovakia
D Brock Faber, USA
D Helge Grans, Sweden
F Samuel Helenius, Finland
D Kirill Kirsanov, Russia
F Kasper Simontaival, Finland

Minnesota Wild (6):
F Marat Khusnutdinov, Russia
D Carson Lambos, Canada
F Pavel Novak, Czechia
D Ryan O’Rourke, Canada
D Jack Peart, USA
G Jesper Wallstedt, Sweden

Montreal Canadiens (3):
D Kaiden Guhle, Canada
F Oliver Kapanen, Finland
F Jan Mysak, Czechia

Nashville Predators (4):
G Yaroslav Askarov, Russia
F Simon Knak, Switzerland*
D Anton Olsson, Sweden
F Fedor Svechkov, Russia

New Jersey Devils (4):
F Alexander Holtz, Sweden
D Luke Hughes, USA
G Jakub Malek, Czechia
D Shakir Mukhamadullin, Russia

New York Islanders (0)

New York Rangers (4):
F Brett Berard, USA
F William Cuylle, Canada
G Dylan Garand, Canada
F Kalle Vaisanen, Finland

Ottawa Senators (5):
F Ridly Greig, Canada
F Roby Jarventie, Finland
D Tyler Kleven, USA
G Leevi Merilainen, Finland
D Jake Sanderson, USA

Philadelphia Flyers (3):
D Emil Andrae, Sweden
F Elliot Desnoyers, Canada
D Brian Zanetti, Switzerland*

Pittsburgh Penguins (3):
G Joel Blomqvist, Finland
G Calle Clang, Sweden
F Kirill Tankov, Russia

St. Louis Blues (3):
F Tanner Dickinson, USA
D Leo Loof, Sweden
F Jake Neighbors, Canada

San Jose Sharks (1):
F William Eklund, Sweden

Seattle Kraken (2):
F Matthew Beniers, USA
D Ville Ottavainen, Finland

Tampa Bay Lightning (0)

Toronto Maple Leafs (3):
F Roni Hirvonen, Finland
F Matthew Knies, USA
D Topi Niemala, Finland

Vancouver Canucks (1):
F Dmitry Zlodeyev, Russia

Vegas Golden Knights (4):
F Jakub Brabenec, Czechia
D Lukas Cormier, Canada
F Jakub Demek, Slovakia
G Jesper Vikman, Sweden

Washington Capitals (1):
F Oskar Magnusson, Sweden

Winnipeg Jets (4):
F Nikita Chibrikov, Russia
F Chaz Lucius, USA
F Cole Perfetti, Canada
F Daniel Torgersson, Sweden

*Switzerland roster pending finalization on Sunday; team has been in COVID-19 quarantine since Thursday but will be ready to begin tournament and participate as schedule, the Swiss announced.

College Hockey Round-Up: 11/16/21

at CDT | by 5 Comments

College hockey in the NCAA has been growing rapidly in recent years into one of the top developmental pathways for NHL talent in the world. Yet, it is still limited by the NCAA’s amateurism rules, which in most cases do not allow any individuals with “professional” experience in their sport to participate in college athletics. In hockey, this prohibits anyone who has played in a Canadian major junior league or European pro league from taking their talents to the NCAA.

However, change could be on the horizon. The NCAA held a Constitutional Convention on Monday, during which they unveiled a working draft of a new, decentralized and deregulated set of rules for the NCAA that will put the power of structure and governance into the hands of each of the three divisions. That will mean little at first, but will almost certainly lead to sweeping changes down the line at the Division I level as they reconsider how they want to be run once separate from Division II and III, which are materially different. Could amateurism rules be one of the major alterations? It sure seems likely. The NCAA has already embraced publicity rights or “NIL” for student-athletes and the rewritten constitution stresses the importance of student-athlete welfare. Division I is also the most financially-driven segment of the NCAA and will have to address a number of fiscal decisions. Is limiting hockey athletes from Division I hockey because they received a stipend in Canada or a few game checks in Europe the best for the athletes? The game? The revenue stream? Probably not on all counts. For now, the 2021-22 season moves along unaffected, but the structure of college hockey could look much different in the not-too-distant future.

Recent Results

While many are already tired of the narrative, it continues to hold true. No. 1 Michigan is the class of the NCAA this season and heavy favorite to win the title. The rest of the top five are certainly not slouches, but they simply pale in comparison to the star-studded Wolverines, who swept rival Michigan State as well as Penn State in recent weeks. They share the best points percentage with only No. 5 Quinnipiac and have the nation’s top offense. Until further notice, no one is passing Michigan up as the top team in the NCAA.

No. 2 St. Cloud State, No. 3 Minnesota State, and No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth are certainly not slouches. The Huskies are a reigning finalist with the best scoring margin and second-best defense in the country. The Mavericks are a top-five offense, uncharacteristic for a typically conservative team, and share the top scoring margin claim with St. Cloud. Duluth has won two and appeared in three of the past four championships and just narrowly missed another appearance last year. Yet, all three programs picked up unexpected losses in recent weeks – the Mavericks’ loss to Ferris State chief among them – which has kept them in Michigan’s shadow.

It is actually No. 5 Quinnipiac that might be the most impressive team behind Michigan of late. The Bobcats top record was boosted by a 4-0 run over the past two weekends of action, while their top-ranked defense remained stout. The top five in the country is new territory for Quinnipiac, but the ECAC program may just be getting started. With a good strength of schedule to go with a leading record, a couple more statement wins could leapfrog the team into the No. 1 conversation (or at least No. 2).

No. 6 North Dakota is also on a run following a surprising loss to Penn State in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame game back on October 30. The Fighting Hawks bounced back with sweeps of No. 11 Denver and Miami, establishing themselves as a real threat for the title. No. 14 Notre Dame also went undefeated in its four games over the past two weeks and holds the nation’s top penalty kill. The Fighting Irish just need to beat some fellow top dogs if they want to move up.

Two teams shooting up the rankings are No. 15 UMass Lowell and No. 17 Ohio State. Both teams are taking advantage of some top teams in turmoil in their respective conferences to make a name for themselves. The Riverhawks are undefeated in their past four games, all against Hockey East competition, sweeping Boston University and adding wins against No. 18 Northeastern and No. 19 Boston College. They hold a top-five record in college hockey right now. Ohio State meanwhile has been menacing defensively with a top-five mark, helping to sweep Penn State and split with No. 7 Minnesota. Suddenly the Buckeyes are the third-highest ranked team in the Big Ten and have already shown that they can skate with the Gophers just ahead of them.

Early Hobey Favorites

It’s never too early for MVP talk and even just six weeks into the season there are already some names making cases for the Hobey Baker Award. Denver’s Carter Savoie (EDM) remains out in front with a league-leading 1.7 points per game that fuels the Pioneers’ third-ranked offense. However, there are others closing the gap in the scoring race. Taylor Ward of No. 9 Omaha is quickly becoming a top name to watch on the college free agent market. The senior forward leads the country in goals and is tied with only top-five NHL Draft selection Kent Johnson (CLB) of Michigan in points per game, behind Savoie. Fellow undrafted prospects Drew Worrad of Western Michigan and Matthew Kopperud of Arizona State are also in the scoring race, followed closely by none other than reigning No. 1 overall pick Owen Power.

Power and Johnson and not alone as Wolverines excelling statistically. Matthew Beniers (SEA) is tied for third in goal scoring. Luke Hughes (NJD) is third in scoring among defensemen, while leading the NCAA in plus/minus at +16. His defense partner, Jacob Truscott (VAN), is in second at +14. The problem of course is that the top-ranked team in the country is so stacked that it will be difficult for any one player to make a case for the Hobey Baker. A standout on a top team where NHL talent is more sparse will have a better shot, such as Savoie or Ward or Jake Sanderson (OTT) of North Dakota, who trails only Power in defensive scoring.

In net, there are several goaltenders off to strong starts, but perhaps not quite in the Hobey Baker conversation just yet. Devon Levi (BUF) is on his way though, leading the pack with a .943 save percentage and a second-place goals against average of 1.57. St. Cloud’s David Hrenak (LAK) leads that category with a 1.50 GAA to go along with a .939 SV% that comes in behind only Levi. Perhaps the two most valuable goaltenders thus far though are not even drafted prospects. Matt Murray is back in the starter’s net for UMass and keeping the Minutemen in games with his third-ranked .927 SV% and top-ten GAA. Longtime standout Dryden McKay of Minnesota State unsurprisingly holds a top-five GAA and top-ten SV% as well. Both could draw interest from NHL clubs later this spring, a nice consolation if they aren’t Hobey Baker finalists.

Trouble Brewing In Beantown

The hotbed of college hockey has grown cold with two historic programs struggling immensely this season. Sure, No. 16 Harvard and No. 18 Northeastern wish they were ranked higher, but it is No. 19 Boston College and unranked Boston University who are of real concern. Perennial favorites loaded with NHL talent, both the Eagles and Terriers are falling well short of expectations.

BC is 6-5-1 to begin the year and only their preseason rank and their (barely) winning record is keeping them ranked. The Eagles have dropped games to lowly programs like Bentley, Colorado College, and Merrimack while picking up half of their wins against the likes of Holy Cross, Vermont, and Merrimack again. Boston College has ten NHL draft picks on the roster, which ranks sixth in college hockey. It’s actually slightly low for the team and doesn’t include any first rounders, but even in an off year the Eagles should be outperforming their current record, especially considering the light schedule. Of the two, BC is more likely to turn their season around, but showed few signs of life in their last game, a convincing loss to UMass Lowell.

BU is in far worse shape. The Terriers have struggled to find sustained success for several years now, but this is a new low. The team is 4-7-1 and has long since left the national rankings. In fact, they received only three voting points in the latest poll. Boston University was swept by Northern Michigan and split series with Merrimack and Sacred Heart, which account for two of their three regulation wins on the year. With 14 NHL prospects in the program, the Terriers trail only Minnesota for the most in the NCAA. Unlike BC, the group includes two first-round picks, as well as four second-round picks, and an average draft position in the late third round. If all of those players have the seal of approval of pro clubs, it isn’t a recruiting problem for BU. Head coach Albie O’Connell’s seat was already hot entering this season; it’s on fire now. Recently hired assistant Jay Pandolfo, who left the Boston Bruins for his alma mater, could be getting the call soon.

With the growth of the college game, it is refreshing to see some other programs with top rankings and national headlines so far this season, but there will always be a draw for historic programs like BC and BU. For the good of NCAA hockey, hopefully the two Boston powerhouses and their talented rosters figure it out soon.

Adam Fantilli Commits To The University of Michigan

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Wolverines have done it again. The same school that saw four members of their 2021-22 roster selected in the top five of the 2021 NHL Draft has just secured another probable top-five pick. Forward Adam Fantilli of the USHL’s Chicago Steel has committed to the University of Michigan, reports TSN’s Darren Dreger. Fantilli is considered a candidate to go first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Fantilli, 16, will spend one more season with Chicago and then it is off to Ann Arbor to join the Wolverines for the 2022-23 season. Fantilli, who already helped the Steel to a Clark Cup championship this past season and took home postseason MVP honors himself, would probably be ready for the NCAA ranks already were it not for his age and academic status. Fantilli will have to try to improve in the USHL this season after already posting 36 points in 49 games last year, followed by a stunning eight goals in eight playoff games. NHL teams are already convinced of his high-end ability and impressed by his growing 6’2″ frame, but now will see if he can remain consistent and driven in the USHL and then still have another season to see how he adjusts to the college game. If the rangy center can continue to score and flash immense skill while bulking up, he could be the can’t-miss prospect at the top of the 2023 draft class.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that Fantilli will get a chance to play with many of Michigan’s current star players. Owen Power (BUF, No. 1 overall in 2021), Matthew Beniers (SEA, No. 2 overall in 2021), Kent Johnson (CLB, No. 5 overall in 2021) and Johnny Beecher (BOS, No. 30 overall in 2019) are almost certain to turn pro after this season, while Luke Hughes (NJD, No. 4 overall in 2021), Brendan Brisson (VGK, No. 29 overall in 2020), and Thomas Bordeleau (SJS, No. 38 overall in 2020) could follow. However, it is a safe bet that Mackie Samoskevich (FLA, No. 24 overall in 2021), Erik Portillo (BUF, No. 67 overall in 2019), and Dylan Duke (TBL, No. 126 overall in 2020) will stick around for Fantilli’s freshman year, where he will be joined by other notable prospects like Jackson Hallum (VGK, No. 91 overall in 2020), Frank Nazar, and brother Luca Fantilli in the recruiting class. This should keep the Wolverines’ National Championship window open for at least a couple years longer as they have quickly turned into the premier program in college hockey.

2021 NHL Draft Selections By Team

at CDT | by 18 Comments

Today concluded the 2021 NHL Draft, the first edition with 32 teams in the running. Some teams selected just three times (sorry, Toronto), while Don Waddell and the Carolina Hurricanes selected an NHL-record 13 times for a seven-round draft. After all the chaos of last night and today, catch up here on who your team selected and when.

Anaheim Ducks
Round 1, Pick 3: F Mason McTavish
Round 2, Pick 34: D Olen Zellweger
Round 3, Pick 66: F Sasha Pastujov
Round 3, Pick 76 (from CHI via MTL): D Tyson Hinds
Round 4, Pick 98: F Josh Lopina
Round 5, Pick 130: F Sean Tschigerl
Round 5, Pick 148 (from EDM via OTT): G Gage Alexander
Round 6, Pick 162: F Kyle Kukkonen

Arizona Coyotes
Round 1, Pick 9 (from VAN): F Dylan Guenther
Round 2, Pick 37 (from CBJ via OTT): F Josh Doan
Round 2, Pick 43: F Ilya Fedotov
Round 2, Pick 60 (from COL via NYI): D Janis Jerome Moser
Round 4, Pick 107: D Emil Martinsen Lilleberg
Round 4, Pick 122 (from PIT): G Rasmus Korhonen
Round 5, Pick 139: F Manix Landry
Round 6, Pick 171: D Cal Thomas
Round 7, Pick 223 (from MTL via CHI): F Sam Lipkin

Boston Bruins
Round 1, Pick 21: F Fabian Lysell
Round 3, Pick 85: F Brett Harrison
Round 4, Pick 117: G Philip Svedeback
Round 5, Pick 149: F Oskar Jellvik
Round 6, Pick 181: D Ryan Mast
Round 7, Pick 213: F Andre Gasseau
Round 7, Pick 217 (from TOR): D Ty Gallagher

Buffalo Sabres
Round 1, Pick 1: D Owen Power
Round 1, Pick 14 (from PHI): F Isak Rosen
Round 2, Pick 33: F Prokhor Poltapov
Round 2, Pick 53 (from BOS): F Alexander Kisakov
Round 3, Pick 88 (from FLA): F Stiven Sardarian
Round 3, Pick 95 (from MTL): F Josh Bloom
Round 4, Pick 97: F Olivier Nadeau
Round 5, Pick 159 (from MTL): F Viljami Marjala
Round 6, Pick 161: F William von Barnekow Lofberg
Round 6, Pick 188 (from COL): D Nikita Novikov
Round 7, Pick 193: F Tyson Kozak

Calgary Flames
Round 1, Pick 13: F Matthew Coronato
Round 2, Pick 45: F William Stromgren
Round 3, Pick 77: F Cole Huckins
Round 4, Pick 89 (from TOR via LAK): D Cameron Whynot
Round 5, Pick 141: D Cole Jordan
Round 6, Pick 168 (from LAK): F Jack Beck
Round 6, Pick 173: F Lucas Ciona
Round 7, Pick 205: G Arsenii Sergeev

Carolina Hurricanes
Round 2, Pick 40 (from LAK via NSH): D Scott Morrow
Round 2, Pick 44 (from CHI via CBJ): D Aleksi Heimosalmi
Round 2, Pick 51 (from NSH): F Ville Koivunen
Round 3, Pick 83 (from NSH): G Patrik Hamrla
Round 3, Pick 94 (from VGK via DET): D Aidan Hreschuk
Round 4, Pick 109 (from CGY via LAK): F Jackson Blake
Round 5, Pick 136 (from LAK via OTT): F Robert Orr
Round 5, Pick 147 (from NSH): F Justin Robidas
Round 6, Pick 170 (from OTT): D Bryce Montgomery
Round 6, Pick 187: G Nikita Quapp
Round 7, Pick 200 (from LAK): G Yegor Naumov
Round 7, Pick 209 (from STL): C Nikita Guslistov
Round 7, Pick 219: D Joel Nystrom

Chicago Blackhawks
Round 1, Pick 32 (from TBL via CBJ): D Nolan Allan
Round 2, Pick 62 (from VGK): F Colton Dach
Round 3, Pick 91 (from CAR): D Taige Harding
Round 4, Pick 105 (from VAN): D Ethan Del Mastro
Round 4, Pick 108: F Victor Stjernborg
Round 6, Pick 172: F Ilya Safonov
Round 7, Pick 204: D Connor Kelley
Round 7, Pick 216 (from FLA): F Jalen Luypen

Colorado Avalanche
Round 1, Pick 28: F Oskar Olausson
Round 2, Pick 61 (from NYI via NJD): D Sean Behrens
Round 3, Pick 92: F Andrei Buyalsky
Round 7, Pick 220: F Taylor Makar

Columbus Blue Jackets
Round 1, Pick 5: F Kent Johnson
Round 1, Pick 12 (from CHI): F Cole Sillinger
Round 1, Pick 25 (from TOR): D Corson Ceulemans
Round 3, Pick 69: D Stanislav Svozil
Round 4, Pick 101: D Guillaume Richard
Round 5, Pick 132 (from NJD): D Nikolai Makarov
Round 5, Pick 133: F James Malatesta
Round 6, Pick 165: F Ben Boyd
Round 7, Pick 197: F Martin Rysavy

Dallas Stars
Round 1, Pick 23 (from WSH via DET): F Wyatt Johnston
Round 2, Pick 47: F Logan Stankoven
Round 2, Pick 48 (from NYR via DET): D Artem Grushnikov
Round 3, Pick 73 (from VAN): F Ayrton Martino
Round 3, Pick 79: F Justin Ertel
Round 4, Pick 111: F Conner Roulette
Round 5, Pick 138 (from OTT via MTL, DET): D Jack Bar
Round 5, Pick 143: D Jacob Holmes
Round 6, Pick 175: F Francesco Arcuri
Round 7, Pick 207: F Albert Sjoberg

Detroit Red Wings
Round 1, Pick 6: D Simon Edvinsson
Round 1, Pick 15 (from DAL): G Sebastian Cossa
Round 2, Pick 36 (from NJD via VGK): D Shai Buium
Round 3, Pick 70: F Carter Mazur
Round 4, Pick 114 (from WPG via VGK): F Redmond Savage
Round 5, Pick 134: F Liam Dower Nilsson
Round 5, Pick 155 (from CAR via VGK): D Oscar Plandowski
Round 6, Pick 166: F Pasquale Zito

Edmonton Oilers
Round 1, Pick 22 (from MIN): F Xavier Bourgault
Round 3, Pick 90 (from PIT via SJS, MIN): D Luca Munzenberger
Round 4, Pick 116: F Jake Chiasson
Round 6, Pick 180: F Matvei Petrov
Round 6, Pick 186 (from PIT): F Shane Lachance
Round 7, Pick 212: D Maximus Wanner

Florida Panthers
Round 1, Pick 24: F Mackie Samoskevich
Round 2, Pick 56: D Evan Nause
Round 4, Pick 120: D Vladislav Lukashevich
Round 5, Pick 152: G Kirill Gerasimyuk
Round 6, Pick 184: F Jakub Kos
Round 7, Pick 210 (from WPG): D Braden Hache

Los Angeles Kings
Round 1, Pick 8: D Brandt Clarke
Round 2, Pick 42 (from OTT): F Francesco Pinelli
Round 2, Pick 59 (from CAR): F Samuel Helenius
Round 3, Pick 84 (from EDM via CGY): D Kirill Kirsanov

Minnesota Wild
Round 1, Pick 20 (from EDM): G Jesper Wallstedt
Round 1, Pick 26 (from PIT): D Carson Lambos
Round 2, Pick 54: D Jack Peart
Round 3, Pick 86: F Caedan Bankier
Round 4, Pick 118: D Kyle Masters
Round 4, Pick 127 (from MTL): F Josh Pillar
Round 6, Pick 182: D Nate Benoit

Montreal Canadiens
Round 1, Pick 31: D Logan Mailloux
Round 2, Pick 63: F Riley Kidney
Round 2, Pick 64 (from TBL): F Oliver Kapanen
Round 3, Pick 87 (from WSH via SJS): D Dmitri Kostenko
Round 4, Pick 113 (from STL): D William Trudeau
Round 5, Pick 142 (from PHI): D Daniil Sobolev
Round 5, Pick 150 (from MIN): F Joshua Roy
Round 6, Pick 191: F Xavier Simoneau
Round 7, Pick 214 (from MIN): G Joe Vrbetic

Nashville Predators
Round 1, Pick 19: F Fedor Svechkov
Round 1, Pick 27 (from CAR): F Zachary L’Heureux
Round 3, Pick 72 (from LAK via CAR): D Anton Olsson
Round 4, Pick 115: D Ryan Ufko
Round 4, Pick 124 (from COL via OTT): D Jack Matier
Round 6, Pick 179: F Simon Knak

New Jersey Devils
Round 1, Pick 4: D Luke Hughes
Round 1, Pick 29 (from NYI): F Chase Stillman
Round 3, Pick 68: F Samu Salminen
Round 4, Pick 100: G Jakub Malek
Round 5, Pick 129 (from BUF): D Topias Vilen
Round 6, Pick 164: D Viktor Hurtig
Round 7, Pick 203 (from ARI): F Zakhar Bardakov

New York Islanders
Round 2, Pick 52 (from EDM via DET): F Aatu Raty
Round 3, Pick 93: G Tristan Lennox
Round 4, Pick 125: F Cameron Berg
Round 5, Pick 157: F Eetu Liukas
Round 6, Pick 189: D Aleksi Malinen
Round 7, Pick 221: D Tomas Machu

New York Rangers
Round 1, Pick 16: F Brennan Othmann
Round 3, Pick 65 (from BUF): F Jayden Grubbe
Round 3, Pick 75 (from ARI via NJD, WSH): F Ryder Korczak
Round 4, Pick 104 (from LAK): F Brody Lamb
Round 4, Pick 106 (from OTT): F Kalle Vaisanen
Round 4, Pick 112: G Talyn Boyko
Round 5, Pick 144: F Jaroslav Chmelar
Round 7, Pick 208: D Hank Kempf

Ottawa Senators
Round 1, Pick 10: F Tyler Boucher
Round 2, Pick 39 (from SJS): F Zach Ostapchuk
Round 2, Pick 49 (from STL via BUF, VGK, LAK): D Ben Roger
Round 3, Pick 74: F Oliver Johansson
Round 4, Pick 123 (from CAR): F Carson Latimer
Round 7, Pick 202: D Chandler Romeo

Philadelphia Flyers
Round 2, Pick 46: F Samu Tuomaala
Round 3, Pick 78: G Aleksei Kolosov
Round 4, Pick 110: D Brian Zanetti
Round 5, Pick 158 (from VGK via WSH): D Ty Murchison
Round 6, Pick 174: D Ethan Samson
Round 7, Pick 206: F Owen McLaughlin

Pittsburgh Penguins
Round 2, Pick 58: F Tristan Broz
Round 5, Pick 154: D Isaac Belliveau
Round 7, Pick 194 (from ANA): D Ryan McCleary
Round 7, Pick 215 (from WSH): D Daniel Laatsch
Round 7, Pick 218: F Kirill Tankov

San Jose Sharks
Round 1, Pick 7: F William Eklund
Round 3, Pick 81 (from STL): G Benjamin Gaudreau
Round 4, Pick 103: D Gannon Laroque
Round 4, Pick 121 (from TOR): F Ethan Cardwell
Round 5, Pick 135: D Artem Guryev
Round 5, Pick 156 (from COL): F Max McCue
Round 6, Pick 167: F Liam Gilmartin
Round 6, Pick 177 (from STL): F Theo Jacobsson
Round 7, Pick 199: F/D Evgenii Kashnikov

Seattle Kraken
Round 1, Pick 2: F Matthew Beniers
Round 2, Pick 35: D Ryker Evans
Round 3, Pick 67: F Ryan Winterton
Round 4, Pick 99: D Ville Ottavainen
Round 5, Pick 131: F Jacob Melanson
Round 6, Pick 163: G Semyon Vyazovoi
Round 7, Pick 195: F Justin Janicke

St. Louis Blues
Round 1, Pick 17: F Zachary Bolduc
Round 3, Pick 71 (from SJS): F Simon Robertsson
Round 5, Pick 145: D Tyson Galloway
Round 7, Pick 198 (from DET): F Ivan Vorobyov

Tampa Bay Lightning
Round 3, Pick 96: D Roman Schmidt
Round 4, Pick 126 (from VGK via MTL): F Dylan Duke
Round 5, Pick 160: F Cameron MacDonald
Round 6, Pick 192: D Alex Gagne
Round 7, Pick 196 (from NJD): D Daniil Pylenkov
Round 7, Pick 211 (from NSH): F Robert Flinton
Round 7, Pick 224: F Niko Huuhtanen

Toronto Maple Leafs
Round 2, Pick 57: F Matthew Knies
Round 5, Pick 153: F Ty Voit
Round 6, Pick 185: G Vyacheslav Peksa

Vancouver Canucks
Round 2, Pick 41: F Danila Klimovich
Round 5, Pick 137: G Aku Koskenvuo
Round 5, Pick 140 (from CHI): D Jonathan Myrenberg
Round 6, Pick 169: D Hugo Gabrielsson
Round 6, Pick 178 (from WPG): F Connor Lockhart
Round 7, Pick 201: F Lucas Forsell

Vegas Golden Knights
Round 1, Pick 30: F Zach Dean
Round 2, Pick 38 (from DET): D Daniil Chayka
Round 4, Pick 102 (from DET): F Jakub Brabenec
Round 4, Pick 128 (from TBL via DET): F Jakub Demek
Round 6, Pick 190: D Artur Cholach
Round 7, Pick 222: G Carl Lindbom

Washington Capitals
Round 2, Pick 55: D Vincent Iorio
Round 3, Pick 80 (from NYR): D Brent Johnson
Round 4, Pick 119: D Joaquim Lemay
Round 5, Pick 151: F Haakon Hanelt
Round 6, Pick 176 (from NYR): D Dru Krebs
Round 6, Pick 183: G Chase Clark

Winnipeg Jets
Round 1, Pick 18: F Chaz Lucius
Round 2, Pick 50: F Nikita Chibrikov
Round 3, Pick 82: D Dmitri Kuzmin
Round 5, Pick 146: F Dmitri Rashevsky

Seattle Kraken Take Matthew Beniers Second Overall

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Fresh off of the NHL Expansion Draft just two days ago, the Seattle Kraken were back in action early in the NHL Draft on Friday night. The winners of the second overall pick in the draft lottery, the Kraken had their pick of every prospect but first overall pick Owen Power of the Buffalo Sabres. They opted to take his University of Michigan teammate Matthew Beniers as the first draft pick in franchise history.

Beniers is the top center prospect in the draft class and an elite two-way talent. The consensus No. 2 pick, Beniers is a high-IQ, well-rounded forward. A talented skater who plays a 200-foot game, Beniers has excelled at every level in both the offensive and defensive aspects of the game. The dynamic center draws comparisons to Patrice Bergeron and Jonathan Toews, not to mention Seattle GM Ron Francis. Beniers has been a point-per-game player in each of the past three years, including in the NCAA with Michigan this season.

One of four 2021 Wolverines selected in the top five picks, Beniers is expected to join his teammates back in Ann Arbor this season as Michigan chases a National Championship. After one more year though, he should be able to jump into the lineup for the Kraken. Due to his two-way focus, Beniers will be a versatile roster option right away for Seattle and could earn a major role quickly in a forward corps that, as of right now, is not especially deep.

Snapshots: Beniers, Ceci, Forrest, Killorn

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Back in the spring, presumptive number one pick Owen Power raised some eyebrows when he suggested he was leaning towards staying at Michigan over turning pro.  He may not be the only prominent Wolverine to do so as Matthew Beniers told NHL.com’s Mike Morreale (Twitter links) that he is leaning towards doing the same as well.  Beniers is viewed by many as the top center available in this draft class but unlike Power, he may not quite be NHL-ready just yet so more time in college seems like a wise idea.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • The Penguins would like to retain pending UFA defenseman Cody Ceci this summer but they’ll have to cut some payroll to make that happen. GM Ron Hextall told Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that they’d have to move out some money to have a shot at bringing the veteran back.  The 27-year-old had a nice bounce-back year, notching 17 points in 53 games while logging 18:31 per night, a number that jumped to over 22 minutes a game in the playoffs.  He wound up being a strong bargain for Pittsburgh at $1.25MM and has earned a raise but with over $78MM in commitments already per CapFriendly and a handful of roster spots that still need to be filled, some roster juggling will be needed to make that happen.
  • Penguins AHL coach J.D. Forrest has been selected to coach the United States at the upcoming Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, relays Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The tournament features many draft-eligible players each year although Canada is opting not to participate this season given travel concerns.  Forrest has been with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the past five years with this season being his first as head coach.
  • Lightning winger Alex Killorn made the trip to Montreal as the Stanley Cup Final continues, notes Mari Faiello of the Tampa Bay Times. He missed yesterday’s game after blocking a shot late in the second period but while Killorn flew out with the team, head coach Jon Cooper wouldn’t commit to providing an update on whether or not the veteran will be available for Friday’s third game of the series.

USA Hockey Invites 44 Players To 2021 Summer Showcase

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The World Junior Summer Showcase, an opportunity for players from around the world to show what they can do against similarly-aged international competition before World Junior Championship rosters are selected is scheduled for July 24-31 in Plymouth, Michigan. The event will not include Canada this year, but will still include teams from the U.S., Finland, and Sweden. The European teams already announced their camp rosters earlier this month, but today USA Hockey joined them by officially inviting 44 players.

Those players are:

G Aidan Campbell (2021 draft eligible)
G Drew Commesso (46th overall, CHI)
G Kaidan Mbereko (2021 draft eligible)
G Tucker Tynan (2021 draft eligible)

D Sean Behrens (2021 draft eligible)
D Shai Buium (2021 draft eligible)
D Brock Faber (45th overall, LAK)
D Alex Gagne (2021 draft eligible)
D Aidan Hreschuk (2021 draft eligible)
D Luke Hughes (2021 draft eligible)
D Wyatt Kaiser (81st overall, CHI)
D Connor Kelley (2021 draft eligible)
D Tyler Kleven (44th overall, OTT)
D Ian Moore (67th overall, ANA)
D Scott Morrow (2021 draft eligible)
D Jack Peart (2021 draft eligible)
D Eamon Powell (116th overall, TBL)
D Jake Sanderson (5th overall, OTT)
D Jacob Truscott (144th overall, VAN)
D Ryan Ufko (2021 draft eligible)

F Carson Bantle (142nd overall, ARI)
F Matthew Beniers (2021 draft eligible)
F Brett Berard (134th overall, NYR)
F Cameron Berg (2021 draft eligible)
F Thomas Bordeleau (38th overall, SJS)
F Tyler Boucher (2021 draft eligible)
F Tristan Broz (2021 draft eligible)
F Logan Cooley (2022 draft eligible)
F Matt Coronato (2021 draft eligible)
F Tanner Dickinson (119th overall, STL)
F Josh Doan (2021 draft eligible)
F Dylan Duke (2021 draft eligible)
F Matthew Knies (2021 draft eligible)
F Chaz Lucius (2021 draft eligible)
F Carter Mazur (2021 draft eligible)
F Declan McDonnell (217th overall, TBL)
F Sasha Pastujov (2021 draft eligible)
F Dylan Peterson (86th overall, STL)
F Mackie Samoskevich (2021 draft eligible)
F Red Savage (2021 draft eligible)
F Landon Slaggert (79th overall, CHI)
F Ty Smilanic (74th overall, FLA)
F Luke Tuch (47th overall, MTL)
F Chase Yoder (170th overall, PIT)

The U.S. players will be split into two squads for the event. The group includes six players from the group that won gold at the last World Junior tournament and several other familiar names. Tynan, for instance, was the goaltender that suffered a major laceration in a 2019 OHL game and was forced into a long grueling recovery. Others like Doan catch the eye because of their hockey-playing parent, in this case, Arizona Coyotes legend Shane Doan.

Poll: How Should The Seattle Kraken Approach The No. 2 Overall Pick?

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The Seattle Kraken will be much more than just an idea with one undrafted junior player on their roster by the time the 2021 NHL Entry Draft rolls around. The club will have added at least 30 players to their arsenal by way of the Expansion Draft several days earlier. Seattle is not expected to have the same advantage in making side deals like the Vegas Golden Knights did in 2017, as the other 30 teams have learned their lesson. However, one major advantage they will have compared to Vegas is in the Entry Draft. Picking No. 2 overall after moving up in the draft lottery, the Kraken will pick four spots higher than the Knights, who slid to No. 6 overall in their lottery. While Vegas’ first ever draft pick, Cody Glass, is still fighting for regular play time on the NHL roster four years later, Seattle has a chance to add a player who can contribute right away in their inaugural season – one way or another.

The results of the Expansion Draft are unlikely to change the Kraken’s draft plans. They will have several days between the submission of Expansion Draft protection lists and the draft itself and to map out their plan of attack and to talk trade with the rest of the league. Sure, they could find that there are some unexpected trade options that could allow them to add other picks and prospects ahead of the draft, but unlikely anything that will change their opinion on how best to use the No. 2 pick. Only the Buffalo Sabres at first overall could potentially throw Seattle a curveball. Otherwise, their plan should be set well ahead of July 23.

So what should Seattle do with the second overall pick? It is a critical pick that will undoubtedly impact the new franchise for years to come. What is the best approach?

Take The Best Available Player – Pretty straightforward, right? The Kraken should take the best player remaining on their board after Buffalo makes their selection. Regardless of the positional value or any perceived positional needs following the Expansion Draft, Seattle should simply take the prospect that they feel has the highest ceiling and most realistic pro ambitions. While there is no consensus top prospect in this draft, many feel that University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power is that top prospect. If the Kraken agree and Buffalo goes elsewhere at No. 1, they pull the trigger.

Take The Best Available Center – Center is the position that many point to as the most important in the NHL and feel that a true No. 1 center is the hardest player to find. At No. 2 overall and Power potentially going first to Buffalo, Seattle could conceivably have their pick of every forward in the draft class to find that future top center. That could very well be Power’s Wolverines teammate Matthew Beniers. Even if Beniers or another center isn’t the best player on their board, Seattle shouldn’t pass up on the opportunity to add an elite prospect down the middle.

Take The Best Available Defenseman – Some live by the team-building mantra of building from the net out. While goalie Jesper Wallstedt is an elite prospect, he isn’t going No. 2 overall. However, the Kraken could instead choose to bolster their blue line with an elite prospect. Even if Power is off the board and there are forwards ranked higher on their draft board, Seattle needs to target one of the small group of blue chip defenders in the draft class, such as Brandt Clarke or Luke Hughes.

Trade Back And Add Picks – Starting a pipeline from scratch is about quantity over quality, right? The No. 2 overall pick is nice, but if Seattle isn’t able to acquire any other top picks in Expansion Draft deals, they would be better off trading back and adding picks. The New Jersey Devils at No. 4 and Columbus Blue Jackets at No. 5, both with extra first-rounders, seem like enticing trade partners. All three of Clarke, Hughes, or Wallstedt could still be available at either of those picks.

Trade For Established Star – Seattle doesn’t want a slow build-up. They want to compete right away like Vegas, but they won’t be able to so easily dupe the rest of the league in the Expansion Draft. Perhaps they should use the No. 2 overall pick as part of a deal to pry a star from a rebuilding team. Jack Eichel? Dylan Larkin? Logan Couture? Patrik Laine or Seth Jones?

What do you think? Which direction should GM Ron Francis and company go with the franchise’s first pick and the second pick of the 2021 NHL Draft?

Buffalo Sabres Win 2021 NHL Draft Lottery

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For the final time for the foreseeable future, all non-playoff teams were eligible to win the first overall pick in the NHL Draft Lottery. Beginning in 2022, a team can only move up a maximum of ten spots, meaning the teams who finish No. 12 through No. 16 in the final league standings cannot move high enough to take over the top pick. The stage was set for a climactic send-off for the old format.

Well, the lottery balls decided not to take a crazy bounce in their last opportunity to move a team from the middle of the first round all the way to the top. Instead, the draft order stayed virtually the same. The Buffalo Sabres, who held the worst record in the NHL this season and thus the top odds in the lottery, retained the No. 1 pick. The expansion Seattle Kraken, awarded the same odds as the third-worst record in the league, moved up one spot, switching places with the Anaheim Ducks. New this year, there were only two lottery draws as opposed to the former three. Here is the official first-round draft order for the top 15 picks:

  1. Buffalo Sabres
  2. Seattle Kraken
  3. Anaheim Ducks
  4. New Jersey Devils
  5. Columbus Blue Jackets
  6. Detroit Red Wings
  7. San Jose Sharks
  8. Los Angeles Kings
  9. Vancouver Canucks
  10. Ottawa Senators
  11. Chicago Blackhawks
  12. Calgary Flames
  13. Philadelphia Flyers
  14. Dallas Stars
  15. New York Rangers

(As a reminder, the Arizona Coyotes forfeited their first-round pick this years as discipline for scouting violations)

This will be the second time in four years that the Buffalo Sabres will pick first overall after selecting Rasmus Dahlin at the top spot in 2018. It also means that two teams, the Sabres and New Jersey Devils, will have owned the first pick in four of the past five drafts. The two clubs are happy that the NHL’s new rule limiting teams to two lottery wins in a five-year span kicks in next year with a clean slate. Incredibly, the Sabres lottery win also further advances the mythology of Taylor Hall. Although Hall is now with the Boston Bruins, this is the fifth time in Hall’s career that his most recent team eligible for the draft lottery has won. A No. 1 overall pick himself, Hall has brought luck to the Edmonton Oilers, Devils, and now Sabres.

Perhaps bigger news than Buffalo at No. 1 is Seattle at No. 2, a major opportunity for the Kraken to draft a player who is ready to join the team in their inaugural season. The Vegas Golden Knights, with the same odds in the 2017 NHL Draft Lottery, fell to No. 6 overall and drafted Cody Glass, who has still yet to establish himself as a regular in the Vegas lineup. With the second pick, Seattle will have better odds of adding an instant difference-maker.

The 2021 NHL Draft is unique compared to recent years in that there is no consensus top prospect. In fact, it is difficult to remember a draft class in recent memory that is so undecided at the top. One major factor has been the lack of complete scouting due to canceled and shortened seasons and limited live viewings. However, even with complete information, there is still seemingly no prospect that stands heads above the rest. University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power and forward Matthew Beniers are largely considered the top players at each position and the two most likely candidates for the top pick, with Power having a slight lead according to draft pundits. However, current teammate Kent Johnson and Wolverines commit Luke Hughes, a forward and defenseman respectively, are also in the mix. Canadian junior standouts Mason McTavish, Dylan Guenther, and Brandt Clarke and European pros William Eklund and Simon Edvinsson may also be in play.

Snapshots: NHL Draft Forwards, Rangers Front Office, Johnson

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Just three days after NHL Central Scouting released its top five lists for North American and international players, NHL.com’s Mike Morreale released his list of the top 10 forwards for upcoming NHL draft. With no dominant player at the top of draft lists this year, most draft rankings have differed significantly from list to list, and Morreale’s is no different. After NHL Central Scouting listed Michigan center Matthew Beniers as the No. 6-ranked North American skater, Morreale has him as the top NHL forward in this upcoming draft, moving him ahead of names such as Mason McTavish, Kent Johnson and Dylan Guenther.

McTavish, who has moved up the draft rankings quite a bit since his performance at the recent WJC-18’s, ranking as the second-best forward in the draft. He notched five goals and 11 points in seven games for gold-medal winning Team Canada. Sweden’s William Eklund, Johnson and Guenther round out the top five.

  • It looks as if the New York Rangers front office continues to get smaller and smaller as the New York Post’s Larry Brooks confirms that Nick Bobrov, who has served as the team’s director of European scouting over the last six years has left the organization. Bobrov has had a hand in quite a bit of the Rangers’ drafts over the years, giving the team quite an international flavor in their young prospects. Bobrov joins a list of exiting executives, including the firings of President John Davidson, GM Jeff Gorton and head coach David Quinn as well as the resignation of Brian Leetch of Hockey Ops.
  • The Colorado Avalanche got a welcome sight on the ice when defenseman Erik Johnson stepped onto the ice this morning for an optional morning skate, according to The Athletic’s Peter Baugh. The veteran blueliner has been out since January with an upper-body injury and was ruled out for the season. Head coach Jared Bednar said he doubted that Johnson would return at some point in the playoffs, however. “I don’t know about him being fully cleared or anything like that to actually play,” said Bednar. “He’s just taking it step-by-step. … As he feels better, he’s doing more.”

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