Spencer Foo Heading To KHL
One of the prizes of college free agency in 2017 was Spencer Foo, who had just finished putting up 62 points in 38 games for Union College as a junior and appeared ready to take his talents to the NHL. The Calgary Flames eventually landed Foo, who inked a two-year entry-level deal and jumped right into professional hockey with plenty of success. The Edmonton native has played 129 regular season games for the AHL Stockton Heat over the past two seasons, recording 37 goals and 77 points during that time. He’s also chipped in two goals in four NHL appearances with the Flames, but it doesn’t look like he’ll get another chance anytime soon.
Foo has agreed to a contract with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, who notes that it would give the young forward a chance to play for China at the 2022 Olympics where they will be part of the tournament as host nation. The 25-year old was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer, and while the Flames can retain his negotiating rights temporarily with a qualifying offer, they would expire before his KHL contract does.
Minor Transactions: 04/17/19
The NHL playoffs are over for both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins, meaning they’ll have to wait until next season to enact any revenge. The Lightning experienced arguably the worst collapse in history when they were swept out of the first round after recording a historic 62-win season, while Sidney Crosby and the Penguins weren’t able to call on any postseason magic to overcome Barry Trotz and the New York Islanders. As teams are eliminated there will be minor moves made to clean up rosters, and we’ll be here to keep track of all of them.
- The Lightning have sent Cameron Gaunce back to the AHL to help the Syracuse Crunch, a notable move for the minor league club. Gaunce recorded 46 points in 59 games with the Crunch this season and will return to run a powerplay in the Calder Cup playoffs. The Crunch start their first-round series against the Belleville Senators on Friday evening.
- Zac Dalpe is similarly on his way down to the AHL, but it’s not clear if he’ll stay there for very long. The 29-year old forward will help the Cleveland Monsters in their upcoming playoff series—also starting on Friday evening—but could potentially come back up to help the Blue Jackets in the second round.
- Like the Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets this morning, the Calgary Flames have recalled their “Black Aces” for the remainder of the playoffs. Spencer Foo, Ryan Lomberg, Glenn Gawdin, Tyler Graovac, Matthew Phillips, Buddy Robinson, Curtis Lazar, Marcus Hogstrom, Rinat Valiev and Tyler Parsons are all heading up to the big club to skate in practices and get a glimpse of the NHL playoffs.
Minor Transactions: 4/8/18
With the Eastern Conference still undecided until today’s final regular season game, the Western Conference has no questions as the Colorado Avalanche finished off the St. Louis Blues in a 5-2 victory Saturday as they clinched the final playoff spot. The Nashville Predators got the top spot and will face the Avalanche. In other first-round matchups, the Vegas Golden Knights will face the Los Angeles Kings, the Anaheim Ducks will face the San Jose Sharks and the Minnesota Wild will face the Winnipeg Jets.
- The New York Islanders announced they have assigned forward Tanner Fritz on loan to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers to help their AHL affiliate, who have four games left in their season. The 26-year-old Fritz split time between both teams, putting up three goals and seven points for the Islanders in 34 games, while scoring 10 goals and 27 assists in 33 games for Bridgeport.
- The Chicago Blackhawks announced they have assigned forwards John Hayden, David Kampf, Andreas Martinsen, Victor Ejdsell, Jeff Glass and Jean-Francois Berube to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL for their playoff push.
- The Montreal Canadiens announced they have assigned forwards Michael McCarron and Kerby Rychel as well as defenseman Brett Lernout to the AHL’s Laval Rocket to get some more playing time in before their season ends.
- The Buffalo Sabres have announced they will send eight players to the Rochester Americans of the AHL for their playoff run, including forwards Nicholas Baptiste, Alexander Nylander and Kevin Porter; defensemen Brendan Guhle, Casey Nelson and Matt Tennyson; and goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Adam Wilcox.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have sent four players to the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL for their upcoming playoff run, according to the AHL team. The Hurricanes assigned forwards Nicolas Roy, Valentin Zykov as well as defensemen Haydn Fleury and Roland McKeown. It will be a change for Fleury who spent all but one game with Carolina this season, while Zykov put up solid numbers in the NHL with seven points in 10 games.
- With the Calgary Flames season over, the team has assigned three players to the Stockton Heat of the AHL to finish out their season. The team will return defenseman Rasmus Andersson, forward Spencer Foo and goaltender Jon Gillies. Andersson played 10 games for the Flames this year, while Foo scored two goals in four games. Gillies played 11 games for Calgary, putting up a 2.88 GAA.
- The Arizona Coyotes, according to CapFriendly, have sent four players back to the Tucson Roadrunners for their playoff run, including forward Dylan Strome and defensemen Dakota Mermis, Trevor Murphy and Joel Hanley. Strome showed some success at the NHL level, putting up four goals and nine points in 21 games this season.
- The Dallas Stars have joined the fray, reassigning defenseman Dillon Heatherington and goaltender Mike McKenna to the AHL’s Texas Stars as they continue their push toward the playoffs.
Minor Transactions: 10/13/17
Today’s minor news and notes from around the league:
- The Florida Panthers have loaned forward Denis Malgin to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, per a team release. Malgin, 20, was not expected to play much of a role for the Panthers in 2016-17, but ended up skating in 47 games and recording 10 points. This year, however, Malgin has yet to play to suit up for any of Florida’s first three games. With 2017 first-round pick Owen Tippett in the same boat, the Panthers needed to free up some opportunity and sending Malgin back to Springfield is no surprise. The Swiss forward was nearly a point-per-game player in the minors last season and can continue honing his skills while waiting for another opportunity to arise in Florida.
- Luc Snuggerud remains sidelined after a preseason upper-body injury, but now he’ll be sitting on the sidelines in Rockford rather than Chicago. The Blackhawks announced today that the young, offensive defenseman has been reassigned to the AHL Ice Hogs. Snuggerud is no good to the ‘Hawks injured, but even if he is ready to go by the end of his original three-week prognosis, Chicago has no space in the lineup for him to play next week or any time in the near future. The Nebraska-Omaha product is in his first full pro season, but if he can produce at a similar rate in the AHL as he did in the NCAA, then Chicago will have him back up sooner rather than later.
- After clearing waivers today, Calgary Flames beat reporter Wes Gilbertson says that Marek Hrivik is on his way to the AHL. The free agent addition will join the Stockton Heat, a squad already full of talented young forwards such as Hunter Shinkaruk, Mark Jankowksi, and Spencer Foo. Hrivek will not only have to find his place on the new club, but also show that he is more worthy of the next Calgary call-up than some of his younger, more exciting new teammates.
- With the Minnesota Wild facing some major injury questions up front. Marcus Foligno suffered a serious blow to the face in a fight with Chicago’s John Hayden last night, while Zach Parise and Mikael Granlund are day-to-day with lingering issues and the conditions of Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter are also drawing some interest. There’s no easy solution is all five of those forwards are beyond playing condition, but for now the team has announced the call-up of rookie Luke Kunin from the AHL. Defenseman Mike Reilly was demoted to AHL Iowa to make room. Kunin, Minnesota’s 2016 first-round pick, decided to leave the University of Wisconsin after just two years to pursue his pro career and will almost certainly be rewarded with his NHL debut tomorrow. An intelligent, well-rounded center, it should come as no surprise if Kunin impresses in his role as an injury replacement and manages to keep a spot on the team going forward.
- Another Central Division team has swapped a pair of players, as the St. Louis Blues announced that forward Tage Thompson has been reassigned to the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage, with fellow forward Sammy Blais getting the call-up. The two players are about as different as can be. Thompson is a 6’5″ center from Phoenix, Arizona who was drafted by the Blues in the first round in 2016 and played the past two seasons at the University of Connecticut before jumping right into the NHL this year. Blais is a 5’10” winger from Quebec who was drafted in the sixth round in 2014 and put up outstanding numbers in the QMJHL before playing a full AHL season last year. Yet, it’s Blais getting the call after an impressive preseason and a largely invisible first four games for Thompson. As the season goes on, watch for these two to be switched in and out depending on the personnel and style needs of St. Louis.
Flames To Sign Spencer Foo
One of the biggest college free agent prizes has decided on his NHL destination, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie. Union forward Spencer Foo will sign with the Calgary Flames. The 6’0″, 180 pound right winger scored 26 goals and added 36 assists in his Junior season with the Union Dutchmen. He was known in NCAA circles for being the motor behind the highest scoring line in college hockey, alongside Mike Vecchione, who ended up in Philadelphia.
Foo was previously linked to other teams, most seriously those same Flyers. However, Foo decided to change course, as he and his agent were pursued by other teams with more glaring holes at the winger position. Although details are scarce as to the rationale, one has to imagine that he was looking to have a serious opportunity on the right side. Calgary is weak on the right side, and only two players are under contract that naturally slot there: Troy Brouwer and Michael Frolik. The Flyers, by comparison, have multiple flexible core players who can slot on that side, including mainstays Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, and Jakub Voracek, with Matt Read and Dale Weise also getting looks. In Calgary, he is almost certain to have a crack at the top-9 on the roster, with the ability to play with creative talents Johnny Gaudreau and Sam Bennett.
Foo is tough for his size and has good skating ability. He has been lauded for his exceptional work ethic and conditioning, which at 23 will provide a decent opportunity to smoothly transition. The odds are against him to make an immediate offensive impact, as many college signings still take time to develop. For the re-building Flames, however, the signing is a perfect fit. Foo will be allowed to blossom alongside the young core that is already present, without worrying too heavily about internal competition for ice time on the wing.
Terms will not be revealed until that July 1st date, when the Unrestricted Free Agency signing period starts. Flames Nation’s Ryan Pike expects the deal to be a two-year entry level contract, at somewhere near the maximum $925,000 per year.
Pacific Notes: Foo, Tanev, Treliving
The Union College standout Spencer Foo looks to be closing in on a decision as to where he will sign in the NHL. The right-winger netted an impressed 62 points in 38 games as a junior. An Edmonton native, he appears to be closing in on signing with the Edmonton Oilers, per Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. He has also been linked to the Flyers, where he would almost certainly see a more favorable landscape when it concerns openings in the top-12 forward group. Foo, leading scorer of the Dutchmen, was announced as one of the 10 semi-finalists for the Hobey Baker award. The forward plays a gritty, greasy game and already appears to have embraced the physicality of an adult game. He has enough offensive upside to easily grow into a top-9 role.
- Dallas is still on the hunt for a defenseman to aid newly acquired Ben Bishop, and according to Matheson have interest in Vancouver’s Chris Tanev. He only played 53 games last season, and struggled a bit alongside the rest of his Canuck teammates. Matheson ponders whether Dallas would be willing to move the #3 pick if more pieces were added, but this is difficult to imagine unless the addition is a far bigger get, probably including the Canucks’ own #5 selection. Second pairing defenseman are generally worth 2nd or 3rd rounders, whereas Dallas will have the opportunity to draft a real difference maker at their current position, conceivably standout defensive prospect Cale Makar. Dallas wants to compete now but the decision ultimately lies in Vancouver’s court.
- Calgary has a large decision ahead of them, and it seems as though they could be the icebreaker on the goalie front. GM Brad Treliving has tough work ahead – the Flames seem intent on letting Brian Elliott go after his post-season struggles, and he’s arguably the best free agent goalie available. The team has been linked (with varying degrees of certainty) in trade talks to New York’s Antti Raanta and Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury, and Arizona’s Mike Smith is a name that has been widely mentioned as available. Treliving will likely want to sort the situation out before July 1st when the pickings will get far slimmer. Peter Budaj and Mike Condon are options, but there will be other teams lobbying for their services.
Morning Notes: Foo, DeFazio, Stransky
Spencer Foo has been on the radar of NHL teams for quite some time, and when he declared that he would not return to Union College for his final season the negotiations ramped up. Yesterday on Oilers Now radio with Bob Stauffer (starts around 14:30), Gerry Johansson from The Sports Corporation (Foo’s agency) reported that the undrafted forward has narrowed his list to just a few teams, including the Edmonton Oilers.
Foo grew up in Edmonton and has attended their development camp in the past leading many to believe that they were a front-runner for the Hobey Baker finalist. Foo has a ton of options though, as previous reports indicated that most of the league was interested in him. After scoring 62 points in 38 games as a junior, that interest is hardly misplaced.
- Mark Stepneski gave us a couple of interesting tidbits today, including that Brandon DeFazio has reportedly signed with Kunlun of the KHL. Stepneski is working off an RSport report that has DeFazio signing a one-year contract with the club. The AHL forward had another 20-goal season this year, his third straight. Despite that, he has just two games of NHL experience and will now test his luck in a different professional league.
- Another Texas Stars forward is likely on his way to the KHL, as Matej Stransky is close to a deal with Severstal Cherepovets. Though his KHL rights are actually owned by CSKA Moscow, he’d be transferred after signing a deal according to RSport. Stransky was selected by Dallas in the sixth round of the 2011 draft, but has never made it up to the NHL. He did however lead the AHL Stars in goals this year (27) and is a big heavy winger that looked like he may have a future in an NHL bottom six. The 23-year old is a restricted free agent, and should Dallas qualify him they would retain his rights until he would normally hit NHL unresticted free agency.
Spencer Foo Expected To Make Decision Soon
After telling teams he wanted to take a little time off and think about his decision fully, NCAA free agent Spencer Foo has now met with five different teams. Ken Campbell of The Hockey News reports that he could make his decision as soon as this weekend, and that interested teams still include Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Edmonton among others.
Foo was a Hobey Baker finalist in this his junior season with Union College, and was named to the All-American first team after scoring 62 points in 38 games. His teammate Mike Vecchione already signed with Philadelphia, and Foo could follow him there soon to join fellow Union alum Shayne Gostisbehere. He’s also been linked to Calgary in the past, attending development camp with the Flames last summer. In 2015, the San Jose Sharks hosted him at their own development camp, though there has been no recent link between the two sides.
The Edmonton-born forward—who grew up an Oilers fan—was an offensive force during his junior season, and at 22 will progress rapidly through whichever system eventually signs him. Like Vecchione, there has been some debate over whether he could handle the center ice position in professional hockey, with his most likely landing spot on the right wing. With speed to burn and a nose for the net he’ll try to follow the example set by fellow undrafted college player Conor Sheary and find success early in his pro career.
NCAA All-American Teams Named
Prior to the reveal of University of Denver defenseman Will Butcher as the 2017 Hobey Baker Award-winner and ahead of the NCAA championship game tomorrow night, the American Hockey Coaches Association released the rosters of this year’s collegiate All-American Teams. The teams, first and second squads from either side of the country, are listed below with their NCAA teams as well as NHL-drafted or signed organization, if applicable:
East All-Americans
First Team:
RW Zach Aston-Reese, Northeastern (Pittsburgh Penguins)
RW Spencer Foo, Union
C Mike Vecchione, Union (Philadelphia Flyers)
D Adam Fox, Harvard (Calgary Flames)
D Charlie McAvoy, Boston University (Boston Bruins)
G Charles Williams, Canisius
Spencer Foo To Forego Senior Season, Will Sign NHL Deal In Summer
College free agent winger Spencer Foo will turn pro and forego his senior NCAA season, his college team announced. However, it remains unlikely that he will sign with an NHL team before the end of the current season, meaning his entry level deal wouldn’t start until 2017-18. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that part of the reasoning for the decision to wait to sign is that it will allow him to finish up his current classes. The 23 year old will be a highly sought after player as yesterday, Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider suggested that pretty much the entire league has already shown interest in signing Foo.
This past season, Foo was second on Union College in scoring with 26 goals and 36 assists (the most in a single season in Dutchmen history) in just 38 games and was one point shy of tying three others for the most points in all of the NCAA’s Division I. He had a program-record 21 game point streak during the season and was held off the scoresheet just four times all season.
Recently, Foo was named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top NCAA player. He was also named to the All-ECAC Hockey First Team.
Unlike last summer’s mini-frenzy with Jimmy Vesey, who eventually signed with the Rangers, there won’t be a need to wait until mid-August for Foo to sign; as he is an undrafted free agent, he’s free to sign at any time. His entry level pact will be limited to two years in length and given the expected level of interest, he should be able to capitalize on a favorable bonus structure as well.