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Central Notes: Tarasenko, Schmaltz, Keith

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The St. Louis Blues have done everything they can to retool their team to not only get them back into the playoffs, but make a deep run of it. They went out and acquired Ryan O’Reilly, signed Tyler Bozak, David Perron and Patrick Maroon and have two top prospects on the brink of joining their team in Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou.

However while answering mailbag questions, The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford (subscription required) suggests that the biggest improvement to the team should come from within as he believes that Vladimir Tarasenko has just scratched the surface of what he’s capable of. The 26-year-old has posted goal totals of 37, 40, 39 and 33 goals over the past four seasons, but he is more than capable of becoming the superstar that many felt he could be when he was drafted in the first round in 2010. Rutherford even compared him to Brett Hull.

However, the scribe says he needs to fix a few things if he wants to take that next step, including playing more relaxed and not let everything around him frustrate him. He also feels that although he’s coming off shoulder surgery this offseason, he needs to get into the best shape of his life and be more engaged on the ice.

  • Chicago Blackhawks’ Nick Schmaltz has come a long way since being viewed as a prospect two years ago. Now the team’s second-line center, who many view as the eventual successor to Jonathan Toews on the first line, Schmaltz feels he’s ready to take on a bigger role with the team, according to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. However, the first thing the 22-year-old must do is improve on his faceoffs. Schmaltz has struggled with faceoffs for two straight years, winning just 31 percent of his faceoffs in his rookie year, while improving to 40 percent this year (321 faceoffs won out of 801). Unfortunately, that number is still not good enough as the team hopes for closer to 50 percent.  “I’ve got some stuff that I’m going to continue to work on, especially in the faceoff circle,” Schmaltz said. “If I can continue to get that up, that’ll only help our team game with the puck.”
  • John Dietz of the Daily Herald interviewed Duncan Keith at the 11th annual Fan Convention on Friday and Keith, who scored just two goals on 187 shots, was quick to take the blame for the Chicago Blackhawks’ struggles last season that had them missing the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. The 35-year-old defender has averaged 25:13 of ATOI throughout his career, but saw those numbers decline to 23:50 last year and it might drop even further in the future. “I definitely take some of the blame from last year, knowing that there were certain things I could do better,” Keith said. “On the good things, I’ll continue to do that. Other things, I’ll try to work on and be better at.”

Snapshots: Jagr, Snowden, Golden Knights, Canada

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Jaromir Jagr was on the ice today in the Czech Republic, practicing for the first time this year with Kladno, the team he owns in his home country. That doesn’t mean the 46-year old has any intention on an NHL comeback though according to NHL.com correspondent Michael Langr, who caught up with the legendary forward. Jagr simply wants to get healthy after a knee injury has kept him from the ice for the last six months. Finally, the youthful Jagr is admitting that his body can’t keep up the way it used to.

My biggest limit is age. There are things I would like to handle but I can’t do it anymore. At my age these limitations come more and more often. But I believe that when my leg and the entire body gets stronger, it will all get better and better.

Though it likely won’t be in the NHL, we might see Jagr in game action again this season. One of the all-time greats in the game of hockey, any chance to have him continue his career at this point is a welcome bonus. It would be interesting to see if Jagr is interested in suiting up for the Czech Republic next spring at the World Championships, if he is healthy enough to contribute. The tournament will be held in Slovakia next year.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired John Snowden as an assistant coach for their newly crowned ECHL team the Newfoundland Growlers. Snowden had worked as an associate coach with the previous affiliate Orlando Solar Bears the last three seasons, but will now be under Ryan Clowe on the Canadian east coast. The 36-year old had a long minor league playing career that included stops in the AHL and ECHL, but never did make it all the way up to the AHL.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have come to a trademark agreement with the U.S. Army and will be allowed to continue using the “Golden Knights” name for the on-ice product and merchandise. The Golden Knights name has long been used by an army parachute team and will continue to going forward.
  • Liam Foudy, Markus Phillips and Akil Thomas have all been added to Hockey Canada’s World Junior Summer Showcase roster, replacing Jordy Bellerive, Robert Thomas and Josh Brook. The latter three will be unable to take part in the camp due to injury, but are not necessarily out of the running for the roster that will head to the tournament in late December.

Western Notes: Canucks Defense, Blues, Voynov

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The Vancouver Canucks will have two big holes on offense with the losses of Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. Having been with the club since 1999, the Sedins have always been a source of offense and even though their skills had begun to deteriorate over the past few years, the two still combined for 105 points this past year at age 37. However, offense may not be the Canucks’ biggest need this season as the team has its biggest troubles on their blueline and might need to focus on that this offseason, according to Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre.

The team has a lot of question marks about the blueline with only Erik Gudbranson locked up for any length of time (three years at $4MM AAV). Top defenseman Alexander Edler is on his last season with the team and is already 32. With the team considering possibly trading veteran Chris Tanev who one of their biggest trade chips, there is little to look forward to on defense.

That isn’t the case on offense. The team might have lost the Sedins, but they have a group of prospects who are ready or close to ready to move into the lineup, including Elias Pettersson, Adam Gaudette, Kole Lind, Jonathan Dahlen and Nikolay Goldobin. However, defensive prospects are few and far between in Vancouver. The team has high hopes that 2015 fifth-overall pick Olli Juolevi might be ready to take on a major role with Vancouver next season. Taken ahead of both Mikhail Sergachev and Charlie McAvoy that year, the team has high expectations for him. The team also has the seventh overall pick in this year’s defensive-heavy draft, which should bring aboard another top defenseman to help the team out, although there is talk of the team moving that pick for a more developed pro-prospect instead, such as the rumors of the team wanting to acquire Carolina’s Noah Hanifin.

One possibility that MacIntyre suggests is instead of Hanifin would be to go out and trade for Colorado’s Tyson Barrie, who could find himself on the trade market with the team’s influx of youth on the blueline.

  • After a recent report in which St. Louis Blues general manager spoke about how the team wants to acquire a top center this offseason, St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Jeff Gordon writes that offers for John Tavares are likely unrealistic, the free agent pool is few and likely to become too high-priced and prospect Robert Thomas would be better off starting as a third-line center to get his feet wet. Despite that, he writes there are several potential trade options for the team if they really wants a realistic option for a second-line center. He suggests that both Tampa Bay Lightning’s Tyler Johnson and Montreal Canadiens’ Alex Galchenyuk would make for good options, especially the latter as Montreal is in need of defense, which St. Louis has plenty of.
  • Former Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov, who has expressed interest in returning to the NHL after his contract with the Kings was terminated after pleading no contest to a charge stemming from a domestic dispute, supposedly had gained permission to cross the border to the U.S., according to KHL insider Aivis Kalnins, and look for a job in the NHL this offseason. While he is still looking for work in the NHL, NHL.com’s Igor Eronko reports that Voynov received that permission more than a year ago and traveled to the U.S. last summer. No word on whether any team is considering the former King, who played four seasons for them and the past three with SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL. Eronko adds that July 2 is the first day that Voynov can apply for a U.S. work visa.

2018 Memorial Cup Preview

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The finale of the 2017-18 major junior season kicks off on Friday with the beginning of the Memorial Cup tournament. Each year, the champions of the three CHL leagues—the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL—and a rotating host team face off in a round-robin tournament with the championship being held on Sunday, May 27. This year’s tourney takes place in Regina, Saskatchewan and features the host Regina Pats of the WHL, the OHL champion Hamilton Bulldogs, the QMJHL champion Acadie-Bathurst Titan, and the WHL champion Swift Current Broncos. Below is a summary of each of the contending squads to help prepare for the upcoming games:

Regina Pats (40-25-7)

The host Pats are not quite on the level of the other three teams, as per usual, but that doesn’t mean they can’t string together enough wins to steal the Memorial Cup away. The Pats finished third in the WHL’s East Division, although their 87 point were good enough for seventh in the league. The team is well acquainted with another Memorial Cup competitor, the Swift Current Broncos, as they finished just behind the eventual champs in the division and fell to them in the first round of the WHL playoffs in seven games. If not for that match-up, Regina had the talent to advance further in the postseason.

The team finished fifth in the league in goals against behind a stout defense featuring three highly regarded NHL prospects: Libor Hajek (NYR), Cale Fleury (MTL), and Josh Mahura (ANA). The offense is led by another standout Ducks prospect, first-rounder Sam Steel (ANA), and has scoring depth in the form of Jake Leschyshyn (VGK), Matthew Bradley (MTL), and draft-eligible Emil Oskanen. The hosts will be far from a pushover in this tournament.

Swift Current Broncos (48-17-7)

The Broncos have the benefit of staying nearby in Saskatchewan and facing a team that they handled all year long in Regina. The team is also on a bit of a hot streak having beaten two division champs, the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Everett Silvertips, en route to their WHL title. Swift Current is a well-rounded squad who finished second in goals against and third in goals for this season. Star center Glen Gawdin (CGY) contributed to both of those marks with both an outstanding 125 points and checking game that earned him over 100 penalty minutes and a +61 rating. Gawdin and partner-in-crime Aleksi Heponiemi (FLA) finished second and third respectively in WHL scoring and form a formidable duo on the team’s top line.

Offensive defenseman Colby Sissons (NJD) and his under-rated pair mate Artyom Minulin are a force themselves on the blue line. However, the key to the Broncos success in the tournament will lie with goaltender Stuart Skinner (EDM). Skinner’s play was incredible in the postseason, as he posted a .932 save percentage and 2.20 GAA in 26 starts. If that level of play continues, Swift Current will be hard to beat.

Hamilton Bulldogs (43-18-7)

The OHL champs were also East Division regular season champs and held the third-best record in the league. They were also third-best in goals against and fifth-best in goals for. Hamilton took their game to the next level in the playoffs though, dropping just five games in four series, including taking down arguably the best team in junior hockey this year, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, in a six-game final series.

The Bulldogs are led by a forward corps that is unrivaled in depth in this tournament: Robert Thomas (STL), Matthew Strome (PHI), Will Bitten (MTL), MacKenzie Entwhistle (ARI), and overage phenom Brandon Saigeon. The only question is whether or not Hamilton has the difference-makers elsewhere in their lineup to keep up in the tournament.

Acadie-Bathurst Titan (43-15-10)

The Titan finished with the second best record and goal differential in the QMJHL and with the Maritimes Division title, but were clearly the best team in the league come playoff time, when they completed two sweeps and lost only four games on their way to a relatively easy championship. Keeper Evan Fitzpatrick (STL) was the star of the show in the postseason, continuing his strong play from the regular season. Forward Antoine Morand (ANA) and potential top-ten pick defenseman Noah Dobson led their respective units, but watch out for Flyers first-rounder German Rubtsov (PHI) to be the key to the Titan’s success in the tournament.

Morning Notes: World Juniors, Thomas, Savard

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The World Juniors have come and gone, and once again scouts all across the league have started to adjust their rankings and projections. One such prognosticator, Corey Pronman of The Athletic, goes in depth on what he saw at the tournament and his main takeaways.

Pronman agrees with the rest of the writers who voted Casey Mittelstadt as tournament MVP, after the Buffalo Sabres prospect looked dangerous on every shift. Even with Buffalo struggling once again this season, there may be a light on the horizon in Mittelstadt. The eight-overall pick from 2017 has found immediate success at the University of Minnesota, and looks ready to turn pro after just one season in the NCAA. While he’s made no indication on whether he’ll be a one-and-done, the Sabres will undoubtedly make a pitch in the spring to bring him aboard.

  • Speaking of World Junior prospects, the London Knights of the OHL have traded St. Louis Blues’ prospect Robert Thomas to the Hamilton Bulldogs for a package that includes five draft picks, stretching all the way to 2026. Thomas, selected 20th-overall in 2017, didn’t have an outstanding tournament for Team Canada but is still an intriguing prospect for the Blues. His defensive ability and versatility all while being an outstanding offensive producer makes it easy to envision him transitioning to the professional ranks with success. If he doesn’t crack the Blues out of camp next season he can still return to the junior ranks, and could be a returnee at the World Juniors next year as one of Canada’s top options up front.
  • David Savard’s wallet is a little lighter this morning, after being fined $5,000 for slashing Vincent Trocheck last night. Savard wasn’t given a penalty on the play, but didn’t avoid the gaze of the Department of Player Safety. While this obviously isn’t a suspension, it will be taken into account on any further disciplinary action from the league.

NHL Snapshots: Wilson, Gelinas, Quick, Patrick, Ekman-Larsson

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Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson could be hearing from the Department of Player Safety again after boarding St. Louis Blues’ Samuel Blais during the Capitals final preseason game on Sunday. The 23-year-old wing, known for his physicality, just served a two-game suspension during the preseason for interference on St. Louis’ Robert Thomas on Sept. 23.

According to Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post, the hit is already reviewing the incident and the penalty could be much harsher this time as Wilson will no be categorized as a repeat offender. Wilson is no stranger to the penalty box, having spent 619 minutes of his four year career there, including 133 a year ago.

The scribe adds that if he does get suspended, the team could find itself in a bind financially as they might not have enough cap space to recall another player. Another complication for the Department of Player Safety is that the game wasn’t televised by either team, but the belief is they can get the footage from someone who filmed it. However, a lack of camera angles might stand in the way of the department being able to get a good look at the hit.

  • The Montreal Canadiens announced on their website that defenseman Eric Gelinas has agreed to terms to sign a one-year, one-way contract with the Laval Rocket of the AHL. Gelinas, who attended the Canadiens’ camp on a PTO, scored one goal and four penalty minutes in three preseason games. The 26-year-old blueliner played 27 games for the Colorado Avalanche last season, putting up one assist. He also played 27 games for the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage, where he had three goals and nine assists.
  • With health being the Los Angeles Kings’ primary concern, Los Angeles Times’ Curtis Zupke writes the team will be monitoring goaltender Jonathan Quick more this season. Coming off a major groin injury a year ago in the season opener, the team wants to manage his game schedule better this year as he also suffered a groin injury back in 2013. At 31, the team will need to rely on backup Darcy Kuemper just a bit more.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers tweeted that general manager Ron Hextall announced that 2017 first-overall pick Nolan Patrick and defenseman Robert Hagg both made the team out of training camp. Patrick had three assists in six preseason games, while Hagg was scoreless in five games.
  • Dave Vest of NHL.com writes that Arizona Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who has been been hampered with a lower body injury since early in camp, skated the entire practice with partner Niklas Hjalmarsson, which Vest says is a good sign he will be ready for the regular season opener on Thursday. As for Antti Raanta, who has also played little as he is recovering from a lower body injury, did practice, but still needs more time. If he is not ready for Thursday’s game, Louis Domingue will start in his place.

St. Louis Blues Sign Robert Thomas

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Though he was just sent back to the London Knights to compete in the OHL again this year, the St. Louis Blues have signed Robert Thomas to a three-year entry-level contract. Thomas was the team’s first pick in the recent entry draft, selected 20th-overall.

At the beginning of the 2016-17 season, the London Knights were looking for someone to step up in the absence of some of their big names. Mitch Marner, Christian Dvorak and Matthew Tkachuk were all headed to the NHL, leaving a gaping hole for someone to step into. Thomas was one of those who pounced on the opportunity, exploding to 66 points in 66 games as a 17-year old. He became a reliable member of the Knights’ powerplay, and showed off his elite playmaking ability with 50 assists on the year.

While Thomas wasn’t expected to make the NHL for some time, there is reason to believe it may come in relatively short order. In training camp he showed perfectly capable of keeping up with professional players, scoring twice in the preseason and creating several offensive chances. He’s not big, but can handle himself at the OHL level and should fill out even more by the time he has to crack the pro ranks. Though Cliff Pu (Buffalo) will be back in London as well, J.J. Piccinich (Toronto) will not, giving Thomas even more opportunity to contribute offensively. It could be a big year for him, before trying to compete for a spot in training camp again next fall.

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