Afternoon Notes: LaFontaine, Luukkonen, Predators
The New York Islanders have announced that prolific centerman Pat LaFontaine will be inducted into the team’s Hall-of-Fame. LaFontaine spent eight years with the Islanders beginning in 1983, when New York drafted him third overall. He also spent seven years with New York state’s other NHL clubs – six years with the Buffalo Sabres, and one year with the New York Rangers. LaFontaine ended his career with 1,013 points in 865 games – enough to earn an induction into the NHL Hall Of Fame in 2003, alongside Grant Fuhr.
The Islanders managed to land the 1983 third overall selection in the midst of four consecutive Stanley Cup wins, after trading Dave Cameron and Bob Lorimer to the Colorado Rockies in 1981. The move proved to be franchise-defining, awarding them a young superstar in LaFontaine to help replace aging vets like Butch Goring. LaFontaine did just that, contributing 25 points in his first 31 NHL games to help push New York to a Stanley Cup Final loss in 1984 – and then taking reigns for the organization when Mike Bossy retired in 1987. LaFontaine’s 105 points in 1989-90 made him just one of four Islanders to break the century mark. He left Long Island with 566 points in 530 games – good for ninth in all-time scoring for the franchise.
Other notes from around the league:
- Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen returned to the practice sheet after missing the start with a lower-body injury. He said he expects to be fully ready for the start of the season, and that his absence was due to a flare up with a minor injury late in the summer. His return will be great news for the Sabres, who seem set to roll out the 26-year-old as their starter for a third season. Luukkonen posted a stout .910 save percentage and 27-22-4 record in 54 games of the 2023-24 season; but fell to a .887 save percentage and 24-24-5 record last season. He’ll look to return to a positive record as he faces a similar workload this year.
- Nashville Predators centerman Zachary L’Heureux is listed on the roster for a team scrimmage on Thursday, after missing the last few days with an injury. Defense prospects Tanner Molendyk and Cameron Reid also returned from injury ahead of the scrimmage. L’Heureux seems well set on earning a roster spot out of camp, while Molendyk will likely head to the AHL, and Reid would need a colossal performance to avoid a return to the OHL. The trio are three of Nashville’s top prospects – and should be exciting names to watch as they face off against organizational teammates in Thursday’s scrimmage.
Central Notes: Connor, Evangelista, Zuccarello, Neighbours, Molendyk, Reid
As expected from reports a few weeks ago, the Winnipeg Jets have begun extension negotiations with All-Star winger Kyle Connor. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much substantial progress made before the start of training camp.
Murat Ates of The Athletic shared a quote from General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, saying, “We’ve had great dialogue with KC’s representatives and we continue to have that. He’s obviously a big part.” A few moments later, Cheveldayoff added, “Every conversation, you’re hopeful that this is the one that closes it. But it’s not… I don’t know that it’s a timeframe sort of thing. You just keep on working at it.”
Regardless, Connor is poised for a major payday, from the Jets or elsewhere, on the heels of a career year and with the salary cap continuing to rise. Although he didn’t match his career-high in goals, he did in points, scoring 41 goals and 97 points in 82 games, averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game.
Other notes from the Central Division:
- Despite being the only member of the team without a new contract heading into training camp, there’s little chance forward Luke Evangelista is moving on from the Nashville Predators. Speaking with Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean, General Manager Barry Trotz said that trading Evangelista is “not even a thought.” Over the last two years, playing full-time in Nashville, Evangelista scored 26 goals and 71 points in 148 contests.
- In a vague report from Michael Russo of The Athletic, it doesn’t appear that veteran forward Mats Zuccarello will start the Minnesota Wild’s training camp on time. Without specifying the nature of the injury, there’s some concern in Minnesota that Zuccarello will miss some of the regular season due to the injury.
- The St. Louis Blues announced that forward Jake Neighbours would miss the first three days of the team’s training camp due to a family matter. As expected, the team didn’t share any insights into the matter, though it doesn’t appear they expect Neighbours to miss much more time. The former first-round pick has become a quality secondary scorer for the Blues over the past few years, recording 49 goals and 84 points in 159 games.
- Moving back to the injury train, Daugherty reported that Nashville prospects Tanner Molendyk and Cameron Reid are both out with lower-body injuries. Molendyk’s injury likely stems from being on the receiving end of a large hit during the team’s rookie camp, while Reid’s injury (likely longer term) was also suffered during rookie camp.
Injury Notes: Power, Molendyk, Walton
If there was any concern that the knee injury Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power suffered late last season would impact his readiness for 2025-26, those fears can be put to rest. According to Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic, Power “should be ready to go” for Sabres training camp and has been in Buffalo skating with teammates ahead of training camp. Fairburn added that Power “seemed to avoid the worst-case scenario” in terms of his injury, and Fairburn added that the injury should not be cause to lower expectations for Power’s upcoming season.
The upcoming season is a crucial one of the 2021 first-overall pick, as it is the second year of his massive eight-year, $8.35MM AAV contract extension. The 22-year-old blueliner offers rare offensive ability for a defenseman his size, and he set career-highs in 2024-25 by scoring seven goals and 40 points. But Power at times has been a lightning rod for criticism in Buffalo for his lack of physicality (something made all the more noticeable due to the fact that he stands six-foot-six, 226-pounds) and the fact that his steady personal improvement has not resulted in a major reversal of on-ice fortunes for the Sabres franchise as a whole. So, it is good news for both Power and the Sabres that his late-season injury does not look as though it will impact his ability to perform in 2025-26.
Other injury updates from across the league:
- Nashville Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk was the subject of an injury scare Thursday after taking a hit during one of the team’s rookie tournament practices in Tampa. At the time, The Tennessean’s Alex Daugherty reported that Molendyk’s absence from the rest of practice appeared precautionary, and today Daugherty confirmed that Molendyk indeed avoided major damage. Daugherty said today that Molendyk’s injury “isn’t serious,” and that while he may not return to the ice in Tampa, “he will be fine” for the team’s main training camp next week. The 2023 first-round pick is set to begin his pro career and was recently ranked by EliteProspects as the club’s fourth-best prospect.
- Winnipeg Jets prospect Kieron Walton will not return to the team’s rookie contest tonight in Montreal, according to team reporter Jamie Thomas. Per his report, an upper-body injury is to blame. While it’s entirely possible that Walton was taken out of the game for largely precautionary reasons in order to protect his health in advance of the team’s full training camp, that is not clear at this time. Walton, 19, is a 2024 sixth-rounder whose stock as a prospect skyrocketed after a breakout 2024-25 campaign, one in which he scored 38 goals and 92 points for the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs. The 6’6 center is a long-shot to make the Jets out of training camp and any potential injury would only hurt his chances to make an impression in camp.
Rookie Camp Notes: Tinordi, Luchanko, Molendyk
Although he’s a year removed from playing with the team, there’s some speculation that defenseman Jarred Tinordi could return to the Chicago Blackhawks this fall on a professional tryout agreement. According to Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio, Tinordi was on the ice before the first day of Chicago’s rookie camp in full team equipment.
Tinordi played for the Blackhawks from 2022 to 2024, primarily as a spot defenseman during the team’s ongoing rebuild, which involved phasing in young talent. Throughout two years with Chicago, Tinordi scored two goals and 17 points in 96 games with a -44 rating, averaging 16:01 of ice time per night. He provided some value with his ability to block shots and his physicality, but his spot on the roster became void as the Blackhawks continued to graduate their prospects.
Failing to find another opportunity at the NHL level, the former first-round pick spent the season with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, affiliated with the Calgary Flames. In his first AHL action in two years, Tinordi recorded one goal and five points in 30 games with a +5 rating.
Other notes from rookie camp:
- A few days ago, it was reported that Jett Luchanko, who’s been recovering from a groin injury throughout the summer, may miss a few days of the Philadelphia Flyers’ rookie camp as he continues to rehab. Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports reported earlier that Luchanko was not on the ice for the first day of Flyers’ rookie camp, but that isn’t expected to last much longer. Sharing an update from General Manager Daniel Brière, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reported that Luchanko’s absence today was purely precautionary, and even if he can’t participate in rookie camp, he’ll be a full attendee at training camp.
- In an unfortunate incident at the Nashville Predators’ rookie camp, prospect defenseman Tanner Molendyk left the ice and didn’t return partway through practice. Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean reported that Molendyk ran into the open stanchion after delivering a hit and left after spending some time on the bench. Daugherty cautioned that Molendyk’s departure from practice is likely precautionary, but it’s a situation worth monitoring since Molendyk is one of Nashville’s top prospects.
Predators Return Tanner Molendyk To Juniors
The Predators returned defense prospect Tanner Molendyk to the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades on Monday, per an announcement from the junior club.
Molendyk, 19, narrowly misses out on a roster spot in his second camp with the Preds. Nashville made Molendyk the 24th overall selection in the 2023 draft, a tad higher than some expected based on his middle-of-the-road offensive production from the blue line. But advanced metrics suggested a breakout, and he responded in kind. Molendyk erupted for 56 points in 50 games last year with a +40 rating, helping Saskatoon to a league-best 50-13-5 record.
Nashville likely would have preferred Molendyk to suit up in the AHL this season to work on his game and get adjusted to the pro level, but he’s still too young to do so under the NHL-CHL transfer agreement and must be returned to his junior club if he’s not in the NHL. His entry-level contract will slide to the 2025-26 season, and he won’t count against the Predators’ 50-contract maximum this year.
The Preds’ opening night roster now seems to be set at 13 forwards, seven defenders, and two goalies, assuming defenseman Marc Del Gaizo is sent to AHL Milwaukee today after being waived yesterday. There are no surprises at any position.
West Notes: Vladar, Perfetti, Molendyk
With Jacob Markstrom now in New Jersey, the starting job in Calgary is up for grabs. While top prospect Dustin Wolf is garnering most of the attention, Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson relays that Flames netminder Daniel Vladar is now pain-free and fully recovered from his hip injury. The 27-year-old struggled mightily last season in limited action, putting up a 3.62 GAA with a .882 SV% in 20 appearances before undergoing surgery in March but he noted that he had been dealing with discomfort for at least the last two seasons. It’s a contract year for Vladar who carries a $2.2MM price tag. A pending unrestricted free agent, he could push for double that if he’s able to secure the starting role in 2024-25.
More from out West:
- While there appears to be a gap to still bridge in discussions between the Jets and RFA forward Cole Perfetti, the 22-year-old told Sportsnet’s Luke Fox that he has given no consideration to the thought of trying to land an offer sheet over concern of creating tension with the organization. Perfetti had a career-best 19 goals and 38 points in 71 games last season but is most likely heading for a short-term bridge deal, allowing Winnipeg to stay cap-compliant while giving Perfetti a chance at a fair-sized increase with arbitration rights in the near future.
- Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk could be hindered in his push to make the team by the NHL-CHL agreement that will prevent him from being assigned to the AHL this season, suggests Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean. The 19-year-old had 56 points in 50 games with WHL Saskatoon last season, putting him in a spot where he could legitimately make a push for a roster spot in training camp. However, without an ability to recall him once returned to junior, Molendyk will have to show that he’s worthy of keeping around by his play over the next few weeks. Otherwise, his NHL debut will have to wait another year.
World Junior Notes: Donovan, Nelson, Molendyk, Luneau, Lindstein
Senators prospect Jorian Donovan was cut by Team Canada at their World Juniors selection camp earlier this month but Hockey Canada announced (Twitter link) that the defenseman has been added to their roster along with Kraken defense prospect Ty Nelson, another player originally cut from their selection camp.
Donovan was a fifth-round pick of the Sens in 2022 and has eight goals and 26 points in 31 games with OHL Brantford so far this season. He was notified of his addition on Friday and arrived in time for today’s 6-5 overtime loss to the United States in pre-tournament action and was named their Player of the Game.
As for Nelson, he was a third-round pick by the Kraken in 2022 and has been a prolific point producer with OHL North Bay. Last season, he finished third in the league for points by a defenseman with 76 in 67 regular season games while adding 25 more in 20 playoff contests. He’s producing at a similar rate this season with 31 points in his first 28 appearances.
Other news from the World Juniors:
- Those two being added to the roster means that two players have to come off. Those are Predators blueliner Tanner Molendyk and Ducks defenseman Tristan Luneau who are both out due to injury. Molendyk was dealing with a wrist issue while Luneau had missed pre-tournament games due to illness which has turned out to be a viral infection. Molendyk was off to a nice start with WHL Saskatoon before making the team as he already has 28 points on his season in just 24 games. Luneau, meanwhile, cracked Anaheim’s roster in training camp although playing time has been limited; he has played in seven games for the Ducks and six more while on a conditioning loan with AHL San Diego.
- Team Sweden has also made a roster move for the upcoming World Juniors. They announced (Twitter link) that Blues defenseman Theo Lindstein has been added to their roster for the event, replacing Jakob Noren who was injured in pre-tournament action. The 18-year-old was the 29th pick back in June and has spent the majority of this season in Sweden’s second-tier Allsvenskan level, recording 11 points in 27 games so far. Louis now has seven prospects at the tournament, tied for the most among NHL teams with Arizona and Buffalo.
Nashville Predators Sign Tanner Molendyk, Kalan Lind
The Nashville Predators became the third team to sign a 2023 draft pick to their entry-level contract today, signing defenseman Tanner Molendyk to a three-year, entry-level contract. Financial terms were not disclosed. They immediately followed Molendyk’s announcement with that of second-round pick Kalan Lind, who’s also signed a three-year ELC.
Moldenyk joins Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli and Montreal Canadiens defender David Reinbacher as 2023 first-round picks already under contract with their teams.
The 18-year-old from McBride, British Columbia, was selected with the 24th overall pick last week in Nashville. The 5-foot-11, 181-pound blueliner enjoyed an outstanding season with the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL in 2022-23, setting career-highs with nine goals, 28 assists, and 37 points in 67 regular-season games en route to a berth in the Eastern Conference Final.
During the WHL playoffs, Molendyk continued to excel, notching three goals and five assists in 18 games. That was good enough to share the lead for playoff goals among WHL defensemen and finish second in points and assists.
Beyond his league success, Molendyk started off his draft year by representing Canada at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. In his first-ever national team appearance, he recorded one goal and three assists in five games, winning a gold medal in the process.
It wasn’t Molendyk’s offensive production that warranted a first-round selection, however. Those in the analytics community know better than anyone that he’s an absolute monster in transition, dominating the WHL with his two-way play. An incredibly skilled skater, Molendyk doesn’t ever project to break any team records in terms of points but is as steady as they come in terms of advancing the puck and dominating possession.
Molendyk is expected to return to Saskatoon for his third full WHL season next year, which would slide his entry-level contract to begin in 2024-25 (assuming he plays less than 10 NHL games). He won’t be eligible for AHL assignment until 2025-26, per the NHL-CHL transfer agreement.
Nashville drafted Lind with their fourth pick of the draft and their second of the second round, taking him 46th overall. The 6-foot, 158-pound left wing also played in the WHL, posting good offensive totals with the Red Deer Rebels (16 goals, 28 assists, 44 points in 43 games). One of the few power forwards available in the draft, Lind is a dominant checker whose effort is unmatched in most situations. He carries solid offensive smarts and playmaking capabilities, too – which became apparent with his over-point-per-game production.