Headlines

  • Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Henry Thrun
  • Avalanche Sign Josh Manson To Two-Year Extension
  • Stars Trade Matt Dumba To Penguins
  • Panthers Sign Mackie Samoskevich To One-Year Deal
  • Golden Knights Beginning To Work Out Jack Eichel Extension
  • Lightning Acquire Sam O’Reilly From Oilers For Isaac Howard
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • Atlantic
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Central
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Utah Mammoth
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Metropolitan
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Pacific
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

NHL Entry Draft

2006 NHL Draft Take Two: Ninth Overall Pick

September 5, 2018 at 4:15 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.”  Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended.  For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

Our look back at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft is now in full swing as we poll the PHR community to see who would have been selected in the first round and in what order knowing what we know now.  Through the first eight picks, we’ve already seen potential Hall of Fame players switch teams, and multiple captains move up and down the draft board.

1st Overall: Jonathan Toews (St. Louis Blues)
2nd Overall: Claude Giroux (Pittsburgh Penguins)
3rd Overall: Nicklas Backstrom (Chicago Blackhawks)
4th Overall: Brad Marchand (Washington Capitals)
5th Overall: Phil Kessel (Boston Bruins)
6th Overall: Jordan Staal (Columbus Blue Jackets)
7th Overall: Milan Lucic (New York Islanders)
8th Overall: Kyle Okposo (Phoenix Coyotes)

Okposo drops just a single spot from his original draft position, and takes Peter Mueller’s role in the desert. One has to wonder whether the University of Minnesota product would have found as much success playing for the Coyotes given that he wouldn’t have had the chance to suit up alongside John Tavares, but his point totals certainly indicate his top-10 talent. Okposo is ninth in scoring from the 2006 draft despite playing in only 670 games to this point, fewer than many of the players still available in our poll.

Now we’ll move on to the ninth pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, which was originally held by the Minnesota Wild.

Looking back at this draft, the first seven teams were probably quite happy with their selections. That may have ended with the Coyotes selection of Mueller, but at least his career got off to a good start before injuries started to pile up. That can’t really be said about the Minnesota selection, who failed to ever score more than five goals in a single NHL season.

James Sheppard was a big strong center for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in 2006. He had just finished a season in which he scored 30 goals and 84 points, and had been invited to the CHL Top Prospects Game. He was ranked ninth by the NHL’s Central Scouting among North American skaters, ahead of players like Okposo and Michael Grabner. There was a lot to like about a potential shutdown center that brought some scoring upside to the plate. Unfortunately, that scoring upside never materialized for Sheppard and though he would reach his career high in points as a 20-year old with just 24 in 82 games. He was grossly outmatched in the faceoff circle at the highest level, and could drive play like he had in junior. There was work to be done on his game, but it wouldn’t happen in Minnesota.

The Wild would eventually trade Sheppard to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a third round pick, and he would struggle to find any offense there too. After another few games with the New York Rangers in 2015, he was off to Europe to play in Switzerland and Germany. Sheppard is still just 30 years old, scored 33 points in the DEL last season and has twice won the Spengler Cup with Team Canada. Still, this pick was a pretty substantial bust for Minnesota, given the long-time NHL players selected behind him.

Now they’ll get a chance to fix the mistake they made in 2006 and pick someone else. The first-overall selection Erik Johnson is still available, as are talented forwards like Derick Brassard, Bryan Little and Nick Foligno. With the ninth pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Minnesota Wild select? Cast your vote below!

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Minnesota Wild| Polls James Sheppard| NHL Entry Draft| Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

0 comments

2006 NHL Draft Take Two: Seventh Overall Pick

September 1, 2018 at 9:21 am CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.”  Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended.  For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

Our look back at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft is now in full swing as we poll the PHR community to see who would have been selected in the first round and in what order knowing what we know now.  Through the first six picks, we’ve already seen potential Hall of Fame players switch teams, and multiple captains move up the draft board.

1st Overall: Jonathan Toews (St. Louis Blues)
2nd Overall: Claude Giroux (Pittsburgh Penguins)
3rd Overall: Nicklas Backstrom (Chicago Blackhawks)
4th Overall: Brad Marchand (Washington Capitals)
5th Overall: Phil Kessel (Boston Bruins)
6th Overall: Jordan Staal (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Now we’ll move forward to the seventh pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, which was held by the New York Islanders.

In 2006, the Islanders opted to take winger Kyle Okposo following a strong season with Des Moines of the USHL where he finished sixth in league scoring.  While it took a couple of years for him to become a regular (he spent a season and a half at the University of Minnesota and half a year with their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport), Okposo quickly became an impact player and had several strong years alongside now-former Islander John Tavares.

Two years ago, he inked a seven-year contract with Buffalo in free agency and while he hasn’t played like a top-line player, Okposo has still been relatively productive with 89 points in 141 games.  That has helped him climb to ninth overall in scoring among players selected in 2006.

It’s safe to say that Okposo’s selection was a good one but with the benefit of hindsight, was his pick the right one or was there a better option for New York to take?  With the seventh pick of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, who should the New York Islanders select?  Cast your vote below!

Mobile users, click here to vote.

New York Islanders| Polls NHL Entry Draft

0 comments

2006 NHL Draft Take Two: Fourth Overall Pick

August 25, 2018 at 12:59 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.”  Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended.  For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

Our look back at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft is now in full swing as we poll the PHR community to see who would have been selected in the first round and in what order knowing what we know now.  Through the first three picks, we have already seen big changes from what actually happened.

Here are the results of the redraft so far:

1st Overall: Jonathan Toews (St. Louis Blues)
2nd Overall: Claude Giroux (Pittsburgh Penguins)
3rd Overall: Nicklas Backstrom (Chicago Blackhawks)

Although the Blackhawks didn’t get Toews this time around, they wind up with a solid consolation prize in Backstrom, who would certainly fit in well as their number one center today.  He quietly leads all 2006 draft points in NHL assists (590) and points (799) and certainly would have made for a dynamic one-two punch alongside winger Patrick Kane.

Now, let’s move forward to the fourth pick in the draft, which was held by the Washington Capitals.

It’s safe to say that their original selection turned out to be the right one as Backstrom has been a go-to player for them for the last 11 years and still has two years remaining on a team-friendly contract with a $6.7MM cap hit.  While Alex Ovechkin draws most of the headlines, Backstrom has made a strong career for himself largely serving as his setup man while emerging as a capable two-way threat as well.  Obviously, with him now off the board as Chicago’s pick, Washington will have to pick someone else this time around.

With the fourth pick of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Washington Capitals select?  Cast your vote below!

Mobile users, click here to vote.

Polls| Washington Capitals NHL Entry Draft| Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

0 comments

2006 NHL Draft Take Two: Third Overall Pick

August 23, 2018 at 1:44 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

We’ve begun our journey looking back at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, polling the PHR community to see who would have been selected in the first round and in what order knowing what we know now. Already we’ve seen big changes at the top of the draft, with Erik Johnson falling out of the first-overall slot and the St. Louis Blues picking a potential Hall of Fame captain in his place.

Here are the results of the redraft so far:

1st Overall: Jonathan Toews (St. Louis Blues)
2nd Overall: Claude Giroux (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Giroux beat out Nicklas Backstrom to be the second pick, finishing with close to 35% of the vote. The Philadelphia Flyers captain is among the very best offensive players in the league, and would have given the Penguins another versatile player to fit in beside or behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Though Jordan Staal, who was the real second pick by the Penguins, helped the team to a Stanley Cup as a young player, adding Giroux could have made Pittsburgh even more dominant through the years.

Now we’ll move forward to the third pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, which was held by the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks obviously lucked out when Toews fell to them in the third spot, getting their future captain and leader for a run of success nearly unparalleled in the cap era. Toews led the team to the Stanley Cup in 2010 with a Conn Smythe-winning effort, and has captained them to two more titles since. The perennial Selke and Hart trophy nominee was the easy choice at first overall, meaning Chicago will have to go with someone else this time around.

With the third pick of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Chicago Blackhawks select? Cast your vote below!

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Chicago Blackhawks| Polls NHL Entry Draft| Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

3 comments

2006 NHL Draft Take Two: Second Overall Pick

August 21, 2018 at 1:37 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 4 Comments

Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

Starting this week, we’re looking back at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now. Will the first round remain in much the same order, or will some late round picks jump to the top of the board?

On Monday we asked the PHR community to weigh in on who should have been selected first overall in 2006 and after more than 2,500 votes the decision is clear. Though he didn’t get quite the 88% that Sidney Crosby came away for the top honor in 2005, Jonathan Toews earned the majority of votes at nearly 57%. The Chicago Blackhawks legend was an easy choice for many readers, who noted his three Stanley Cups and decade of success in the NHL. Claude Giroux and Nicklas Backstrom both earned more than 10% of the vote, and are solid challengers for the second position.

In reality, the Pittsburgh Penguins held the second pick in 2006 and used it on a familiar NHL name. Jordan Staal, the younger brother of then-Carolina Hurricanes star Eric Staal ,was a big center for the Peterborough Petes and was in real contention for the top spot going into the draft. The older Staal had just cracked 100 points and led his team to the Stanley Cup, but it wasn’t just the family success that decided Pittsburgh’s selection. The NHL’s Central Scouting Service had Staal ranked only behind eventual first-overall pick Erik Johnson among North American skaters, and ahead of Toews who was already playing at the University of North Dakota. Staal already stood 6’4″ and well over 200-lbs, making him the prototypical first line center in the eyes of many.

Unfortunately perhaps for the Penguins, who passed on the chance to get Toews, Staal didn’t quite live up to the lofty expectations. He did find early success with Pittsburgh, slotting in behind Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to win the Stanley Cup in 2009, but was eventually moved out of town as he got too expensive. He reunited in Carolina with his brother for a short time, and has put up a fine if unremarkable career since. Staal has failed to win any major individual awards, and likely wouldn’t be Pittsburgh’s pick if they got another chance at it today. Who would they take if given the benefit of more than a decade of hindsight?

With the second pick of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Pittsburgh Penguins select? Cast your vote below!

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Polls Jordan Staal| NHL Entry Draft| Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

4 comments

Draft Pick Landscape: Breakdown By Team

August 19, 2018 at 12:46 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

The NHL trade market lives and dies in the movement of draft picks, a future promise of talent whose value perceived value is impossible to assess. A third-round pick today might be worth a second-round pick three years from now, but vary in value from conversation to conversation among the NHL’s executives. It’s difficult to see who won a trade that involves picks even years after the fact, given that the path a player goes down is immeasurably dependent on the team that drafts him and their development process.

Still, draft picks are the currency which teams use to improve in the short term while others try to stockpile for a rebuild that may never truly come. We’ve already seen quite a bit of movement among the picks for the 2019 draft, including several high selections changing hands this summer. Below is a list of where each team sits as we approach the season, and who has a few more coins in their pocket for any in-season trading.

2019 NHL Entry Draft Selections:

Anaheim Ducks – 1st (ANA), 2nd (ANA), 4th (ANA), 5th (ANA), 6th (ANA)

Arizona Coyotes – 1st (ARZ), 2nd (ARZ), 3rd (ARZ), 3rd (CHI), 4th (ARZ), 6th (ARZ), 6th (CBJ)*, 6th (PIT)

*The Coyotes will only acquire this pick if Ryan MacInnis plays 20 NHL games in 2018-19.

Boston Bruins – 1st (BOS), 2nd (BOS), 3rd (BOS), 5th (BOS), 6th (BOS)

Buffalo Sabres – 1st (BUF), 1st (SJS)*, 1st (STL)*, 3rd (BUF), 4th (SJS)*, 6th (BUF), 6th (TOR), 7th (BUF)

*Conditions on each of these picks could push them to 2020.

Calgary Flames – 1st (CGY), 3rd (CGY), 4th (NYI), 5th (CGY), 7th (CAR)

Carolina Hurricanes – 1st (CAR), 2nd (CAR), 2nd (BUF), 3rd (CAR), 4th (CAR), 5th (CAR), 6th (CAR), 6th (CGY), 7th (BOS)

Chicago Blackhawks – 1st (CHI), 2nd (CHI), 4th (CHI), 4th (BOS), 5th (ARZ), 6th (CHI), 7th (CHI), 7th (ANA)

Colorado Avalanche – 1st (COL), 1st (OTT), 2nd (COL), 3rd (COL), 3rd (OTT), 5th (COL), 6th (COL), 7th (COL)

Columbus Blue Jackets – 1st (CBJ), 3rd (CBJ), 4th (CBJ), 7th (CBJ)

Dallas Stars – 1st (DAL), 2nd (DAL), 3rd (DAL), 4th (DAL), 4th (PIT/MIN)*, 5th (DAL), 6th (DAL), 7th (DAL)

*The Stars will receive the earlier of the two picks

Detroit Red Wings – 1st (DET), 2nd (DET), 2nd (NYI), 3rd (DET), 4th (DET), 5th (DET), 5th (BUF), 5th (CBJ), 6th (DET), 7th (DET), 7th (ARZ)*

*The Red Wings will only acquire this pick if Robbie Russo plays 30 NHL games in 2018-19.

Edmonton Oilers – 1st (EDM), 2nd (EDM), 3rd (EDM), 3rd (NYI), 4th (EDM), 6th (EDM), 7th (EDM)

Florida Panthers – 1st (FLA), 4th (FLA), 5th (FLA), 6th (FLA), 7th (FLA)

Los Angeles Kings – 1st (LAK), 2nd (LAK), 3rd (LAK), 4th (LAK), 5th (LAK), 6th (LAK), 7th (LAK)

Minnesota Wild – 1st (MIN), 2nd (MIN), 3rd (MIN), 5th (MIN), 5th (WSH), 6th (MIN), 7th (MIN)

Montreal Canadiens – 1st (MTL), 2nd (MTL), 3rd (MTL), 4th (MTL), 4th (CGY) 5th (CHI), 5th (EDM), 6th (MTL), 7th (WPG)

Nashville Predators – 1st (NSH), 2nd (NSH), 3rd (FLA), 4th (NSH), 4th (COL), 5th (NSH), 6th (NSH), 7th (NSH)

New Jersey Devils – 1st (NJD), 2nd (NJD), 3rd (ANA), 4th (NJD), 5th (NJD), 6th (NJD), 7th (NJD)

New York Islanders – 1st (NYI), 2nd (CGY), 5th (NYI), 6th (NYI), 7th (NYI)

New York Rangers – 1st (NYR), 2nd (NYR), 2nd (TBL)*, 3rd (NYR), 4th (NYR), 5th (NYR), 6th (NYR), 7th (NYR)

*This pick will become a 1st if Tampa Bay wins the Stanley cup in 2018-19

Ottawa Senators  – 2nd (OTT), 3rd (PIT), 4th (OTT), 5th (OTT), 6th (OTT), 7th (OTT), 7th (CGY)

Philadelphia Flyers  – 1st (PHI), 2nd (PHI), 3rd (PHI), 3rd (NJD), 4th (PHI), 5th (PHI), 6th (PHI), 7th (PHI), 7th (MTL)

Pittsburgh Penguins – 1st (PIT), 2nd (PIT), 4th (PIT), 4th (BUF)*, 5th (PIT), 7th (PIT), 7th (VGK)

*If Conor Sheary scores 20 goals or 40 points in 2018-19 or Matt Hunwick is traded before the 2019 draft, this pick becomes a 3rd.

San Jose Sharks – 2nd (SJS), 2nd (FLA), 3rd (SJS), 5th (SJS), 6th (SJS), 7th (SJS)

St. Louis Blues – 2nd (STL), 3rd (STL), 5th (STL), 6th (STL), 7th (STL)

Tampa Bay Lightning  – 1st (TBL), 3rd (TBL), 4th (TBL), 5th (TBL), 6th (TBL), 7th (TBL)

Toronto Maple Leafs – 1st (TOR), 2nd (TOR), 3rd (TOR), 4th (TOR), 4th (STL), 5th (TOR), 7th (TOR)

Vancouver Canucks  – 1st (VAN), 2nd (VAN), 3rd (VAN), 4th (VAN), 5th (VAN), 6th (VAN), 6th (WSH), 7th (VAN)

Vegas Golden Knights – 1st (VGK), 2nd (VGK), 2nd (CBJ), 3rd (VGK), 3rd (NSH), 3rd (WPG), 4th (VGK), 5th (VGK), 5th (MTL) 6th (VGK)

Washington Capitals – 1st (WSH), 2nd (WSH), 3rd (WSH), 4th (WSH), 7th (WSH)

Winnipeg Jets – 1st (WPG), 2nd (WPG), 4th (WPG), 5th (WPG), 6th (WPG)

Uncategorized NHL Entry Draft| Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

2 comments

2006 NHL Draft Take Two: First Overall Pick

August 19, 2018 at 11:32 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 11 Comments

Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

In the fall of 2016, PHR ran a series where fans were able to choose the order in which draft picks should have been selected during the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. While Sidney Crosby was still the obvious choice for first overall, there was huge turnover for the rest of the first round. Even looking back less than two years later some voters may change their mind, given Carey Price’s (voted second overall) recent struggles.

This time around we’ll be looking at the infamous 2006 draft, in which Erik Johnson was picked first overall ahead of star forwards like Jonathan Toews, Phil Kessel and Nicklas Backstrom. Three players from the 2006 first round would never suit up for a single NHL game, while seven others would last fewer than 100 games. The 2006 draft was loaded with talent at the top, but where would these stars go if selected today with the benefit of hindsight?

Over the next month as we wait for training camp to begin, we’ll be going through the entire 2006 NHL Entry Draft and have the PHR community select who they would have picked knowing the result of the player’s career. We’ll include a list of players to vote for, and update the first round as it progresses. While 2005 was a clear cut answer at first overall, there might be a little more debate on who is the first off the board this time around.

The St. Louis Blues had the first selection over a decade ago, and went with a big physical defenseman from the US National Team Development Program in Johnson. After a year at the University of Minnesota, Johnson stepped right into a full-time role with the Blues and hasn’t looked back. With 637 career games under his belt and still an important part of the Colorado Avalanche blue line, Johnson can’t be considered a bust. Was he the right selection though at the very top of the draft?

With the first pick of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, who should the St. Louis Blues select? Cast your vote below!

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Polls| Prospects| St. Louis Blues Erik Johnson| NHL Entry Draft| Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

11 comments

Rosters Announced For Rookie Showcase, All-American Prospect Game

August 17, 2018 at 3:47 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The NHLPA hosts a Rookie Showcase every season for the players recognized as the most likely to make an impact at the NHL level in the near future. Some of these names have already played a few games in the league, but many are still waiting for their first opportunity to suit up as professionals. This group is not a ranking of the top prospects in the league and is missing several names that would be included in such a list. Still, it gives a glimpse at the next generation of NHL stars.

The game will be held on August 26th at Mastercard Center in Toronto, and is used mostly as a marketing tool for some of the league’s young stars. The full roster is as follows:

G Carter Hart (PHI)
G Ilya Samsonov (WSH)

D Evan Bouchard (EDM)
D Daniel Brickley (LAK)
D Travis Dermott (TOR)
D Miro Heiskanen (DAL)
D Timothy Liljegren (TOR)
D Juuso Valimaki (CGY)

F Vitaly Abramov (CBJ)
F Rasmus Asplund (BUF)
F Rudolf Balcers (SJS)
F Drake Batherson (OTT)
F Kieffer Bellows (NYI)
F Henrik Borgstrom (FLA)
F Ryan Donato (BOS)
F Dillon Dube (CGY)
F Adam Gaudette (VAN)
F Jordan Greenway (MIN)
F Jordan Kyrou (STL)
F Casey Mittelstadt (BUF)
F Michael Rasmussen (DET)
F Dylan Sikura (CHI)
F Nick Suzuki (VGK)
F Robert Thomas (STL)
F Gabriel Vilardi (LAK)
F Filip Zadina (DET)

In a different event, the seventh USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game will be held on September 19th at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. 42 US-born players that are eligible for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft will face off, with star center Jack Hughes leading the way. The group this year includes an incredible amount of talent though, and likely will include several future first-round picks. The full roster is below:

Read more

G Spencer Knight
G Cameron Rowe
G Isaiah Saville
G Dustin Wolf

D Benjamin Brinkman
D Braden Doyle
D Ethan Frisch
D Drew Helleson
D Michael Koster
D Zachary Jones
D Case McCarthy
D John Prokop
D Jayden Struble
D Henry Thrun
D Alex Vlasic
D Marshall Warren
D Cade Webber
D Cameron York

F John Beecher
F Kaden Bohlsen
F Matthew Boldy
F Cole Caufield
F Judd Caulfield
F Ryder Donovan
F Ryan Drkulec
F John Farinacci
F Michael Gildon
F Jack Hughes
F Aaron Huglen
F Trevor Janicke
F Arthur Kaliyev
F Owen Lindmark
F Robert Mastrosimone
F Garrett Pinoniemi
F Shane Pinto
F Nicholas Robertson
F Grant Silianoff
F Austen Swankler
F Luke Toporowsi
F Alex Turcotte
F Danny Weight
F Trevor Zegras

Dallas Stars| NHLPA| Prospects Adam Gaudette| Casey Mittelstadt| Daniel Brickley| Drake Batherson| Dylan Sikura| Filip Zadina| Henrik Borgstrom| Ilya Samsonov| Jordan Greenway| Jordan Kyrou| Kieffer Bellows| Michael Rasmussen| Miro Heiskanen| NHL Entry Draft| Nick Suzuki

0 comments

Snapshots: Lafreniere, Belmont, Nylander

August 13, 2018 at 4:29 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The World Junior Summer Showcase and Hlinka-Gretzky tournaments are now over, and junior aged players will soon be heading back to their respective teams to get the season underway. The summer headlines were dominated by performances by Jack Hughes, but one young talent may have impressed even more. Alexis Lafreniere won’t be eligible for selection in the NHL Entry Draft until 2020, but could already be one of Canada’s top forwards at the upcoming World Junior tournament. Craig Button of TSN believes the 16-year old Lafreniere should be at the selection camp and could easily climb out of a “13th forward” role normally given to underaged players.

Lafreniere already has a full season in the QMJHL under his belt despite not turning 17 until October and he registered 42 goals which ranked sixth in the entire league. There’s no doubt he’s already one of the CHL’s most talented offensive players, which may lead to a starring role at the late December tournament despite his age. Though teams often try to load up on as many 19-year old players as possible for the U20 tournament, the potential first-overall pick in 2020 could shake things up with a good first part of the CHL season.

  • Anyone that might have been worried about the progress of the New York Islanders future home at Belmont Park can rest easy, as Lou Lamoriello today told Brian Compton of NHL.com that the arena plans are still “100 percent” on track for 2021. The new building will give the Islanders a permanent home and a chance to build some organizational consistency moving forward, something they’ve lacked in recent years. With the John Tavares era over, and a bunch of new voices running the show in Lamoriello and head coach Barry Trotz, the Islanders are trying to turn things around and get back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in more than thirty years.
  • William Nylander remains without a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but James Mirtle of The Athletic was on TSN Radio where he explained the two sides may wait until much closer to training camp next month to sign a deal. Mirtle suggests that it would likely be either a two-year or six-year contract, given that a seven or eight-year pact would likely get too pricey for the Maple Leafs. Dylan Larkin’s new $6.1MM cap hit is brought up as a “pressure point” which we’ve noted in the past, and could drive Nylander’s price up even further if the Maple Leafs intend on buying out any unrestricted free agent years. Toronto heads to camp in a month, and would presumably like to have their final restricted free agent under contract and in uniform on the first day.

CHL| Lou Lamoriello| New York Islanders| QMJHL| Snapshots| Toronto Maple Leafs Alexis Lafreniere| NHL Entry Draft

0 comments

Morning Notes: 2019 Draft, Schedule, Karlsson

August 13, 2018 at 10:06 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

The 2019 NHL Entry Draft is ten months away and there will be plenty of speculation on who should be selected in the first round. Already prospect gurus are beginning to release their early lists, which almost all have Jack Hughes as the easy first-overall selection. Craig Button of TSN released his early top five at the end of the Hlinka-Gretzky tournament, and started with Russian forward Vasili Podkolzin in the fifth overall spot. Podkolzin had a great U18 tournament with 11 points in five games, and is starting to put together all the talent and skill that people have been waiting for.

Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription required) released a more in-depth list for 2019, breaking down more than two dozen players who could find themselves selected in the first round next June. Wheeler goes with the consensus in spot number two and lists Kaapo Kakko as the easy selection after Hughes is off the board. The Finnish forward is almost pro-ready and looks like he’ll be a dominant puck-protecting forward for a long time.

  • For any readers in the United States, NBC has released their national broadcast schedule for the 2018-19 season which will include a record 109 games. Wednesday Night Hockey will now feature regular double headers and include a variety of teams from around the league. The first such occasion will kick off the season on Wednesday, October 3rd when the Washington Capitals welcome in the Boston Bruins and the Anaheim Ducks travel to San Jose to face the Sharks. Kevin Allen of USA Today provides the whole broadcast schedule.
  • Count at least one member of the Ottawa Senators that doesn’t want to see Erik Karlsson traded before the season begins. Thomas Chabot, a young defensemen trying to round out his game at the NHL level, spoke out about his hope to see Karlsson in uniform when the season begins. There has been very little smoke surrounding Karlsson of late, and if he does begin the year with the Senators there might be a good chance that Chabot is the player lined up beside him on the blue line. Though different players, Chabot told media at his charity golf tournament that he is trying to model his game after the Senators captain and doesn’t think anyone could replace Karlsson if they did move him.

Ottawa Senators| Schedule Erik Karlsson| NHL Entry Draft| Thomas Chabot

1 comment
« Previous Page
Load More Posts
    Top Stories

    Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Henry Thrun

    Avalanche Sign Josh Manson To Two-Year Extension

    Stars Trade Matt Dumba To Penguins

    Panthers Sign Mackie Samoskevich To One-Year Deal

    Golden Knights Beginning To Work Out Jack Eichel Extension

    Lightning Acquire Sam O’Reilly From Oilers For Isaac Howard

    NHL, NHLPA Ratify Four-Year CBA Extension

    Gavin McKenna To Commit To Penn State

    Tyler Johnson Announces Retirement

    Flyers Re-Sign Cam York To Five-Year Contract

    Recent

    Collin Delia Signs With Sweden’s Brynas IF

    Jack Roslovic, Matt Grzelcyk, Victor Olofsson Among Top Remaining UFAs

    Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Henry Thrun

    Evening Notes: AHL/CHL Agreement, NHL Draft, Signing Rights

    Snapshots: Sorokin, Blue Jackets, Hunter, Lord

    Canucks Sign Aleksei Medvedev To Entry-Level Contract

    Avalanche Sign Josh Manson To Two-Year Extension

    Sharks Sign Jakub Skarek To One-Year Contract

    Stars Trade Matt Dumba To Penguins

    Dylan Ferguson Signs With HK Nitra

    Rumors By Team

    Rumors By Team

    • Avalanche Rumors
    • Blackhawks Rumors
    • Blue Jackets Rumors
    • Blues Rumors
    • Bruins Rumors
    • Canadiens Rumors
    • Canucks Rumors
    • Capitals Rumors
    • Devils Rumors
    • Ducks Rumors
    • Flames Rumors
    • Flyers Rumors
    • Golden Knights Rumors
    • Hurricanes Rumors
    • Islanders Rumors
    • Jets Rumors
    • Kings Rumors
    • Kraken Rumors
    • Lightning Rumors
    • Mammoth Rumors
    • Maple Leafs Rumors
    • Oilers Rumors
    • Panthers Rumors
    • Penguins Rumors
    • Predators Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Red Wings Rumors
    • Sabres Rumors
    • Senators Rumors
    • Sharks Rumors
    • Stars Rumors
    • Wild Rumors

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2025’s Top 50 Unrestricted Free Agents
    • Sam Bennett Rumors
    • Nikolaj Ehlers Rumors
    • Mitch Marner Rumors
    • Marco Rossi Rumors

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    • Support Pro Hockey Rumors And Go Ad-Free
    • 2025 Free Agent Focus Series
    • 2025 Offseason Checklist Series
    • 2025 NHL Free Agent List
    • 2026 NHL Free Agent List
    • Active Roster Tracker
    • Coaching Staff Directory
    • Draft Pick Tracker 2025
    • Key Offseason Dates
    • Offseason Trade Tracker
    • Pro Hockey Rumors On X
    • Pro Hockey Rumors Polls
    • Waiver Claims 2024-25

     

     

     

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives

    PHR Info

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Commenting Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version