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World Juniors

Snapshots: DeBoer, Boqvist, Raymond, Peel

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Many coaches have lost their jobs already this season and several of them may not coach in the NHL ranks again. However, that certainly won’t be the case for former San Jose Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer, who lost his job four days ago after the team’s poor start to the season.

Regardless, DeBoer has been an excellent coach, who has put up an impressive record of 415-329-111 record throughout 11+ seasons with San Jose, New Jersey and Florida and has taken the Sharks to the playoffs all four years he’s been with the franchise, which included a Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 2015-16.

While many coaches prefer to sit out the remainder of the season and look at their options the following year, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on Hockey Night in Canada Saturday night that the 51-year-old DeBoer is willing to listen to teams if they want to hire him now.

“Sometimes coaches want to take time, maybe the rest of the season before they come back,” Friedman said. “The word is, however, that depending on the situation, Peter DeBoer is willing to listen and will consider coaching this year.”

Of course, there is another likely possibility as The Athletic’s Eric Duhatschek (subscription required) suggests that he could consider joining the Seattle franchise as their future head coach, a similar move that Gerard Gallant did after being fired from Florida and then taking on the expansion Vegas Golden Knights position not long after.

  • Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports writes that Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Adam Boqvist will appear in his 10th game today against the Wild, meaning the team intends to burn the first year of his entry-level contract after he plays the game. With the team opting to keep Boqvist around rather than loan him to Sweden for the World Junior Champsionships, this was the obvious outcome.
  • Sweden has already lost Boqvist and could lose Rasmus Sandin for the World Junior Championships. However, the team has gotten even more bad news as the status of top prospect forward Lucas Raymond is in jeopardy. According to Goteborgs-Posten (translation required), Raymond, considered a top five pick in the 2020 NHL draft (and possibly higher), has been suffering from a viral infection and hasn’t appeared in a game since the end of November and is likely to miss the entire tournament. Raymond has three goals and five points in 16 games in the SHL as a 17-year-old. He also played 10 SHL games as a 16-year-old, scoring two goals.
  • NHL’s John Shannon reports that the NHL are now without two referees as referee Tim Peel fractured his fibula Thursday in Glendale between the Arizona Coyotes and the Chicago Blackhawks. Peel was run into by Jonathan Toews, who was falling and came down on Peel’s leg with his stick. The scribe writes that Peel had surgery, but is likely to miss the entire season. The NHL also lost Jon McIsaac as well, meaning the league will likely try to hire back some retired refs or bring some up from the AHL.

 

Rasmus Sandin’s Status For WJC In Question

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It was considered a likely scenario that the Toronto Maple Leafs intended to send defensive prospect Rasmus Sandin to join Sweden for the World Junior Championship later this month. However, after Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Tyson Barrie went down with an injury Saturday, that could change the thinking of the team.

Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston on Hockey Night in Canada late Saturday, suggested that the team’s 2018 first-rounder could get called up to the NHL club depending on the severity of Barrie’s ankle injury that he suffered in Saturday’s victory over Edmonton. Barrie blocked a shot in the first period and immediately went to the dressing room. There has been no word on the status of Barrie, other than Sportnet’s Luke Fox reporting that x-rays were negative on Barrie’s ankle. However, even an injury that might keep the blueliner out for a week could be enough for Toronto to hesitate sending the 19-year-old to Czechoslovakia.

Sandin has been impressive in his second season in the AHL, where he has posted two goals and 12 points in 18 games and would be the likeliest candidate to step in for the Maple Leafs, although the team also has 2017 first-rounder Timothy Liljegren playing well with the Marlies as well.

Not getting Sandin would be another hit for Sweden, who were just informed earlier today that they would not be getting Adam Boqvist, who the Chicago Blackhawks opted to retain in the NHL instead. Sandin played for Sweden at the WJC last season, posting two goals and four points in five games.

Team Canada Makes Several World Junior Roster Cuts

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While several countries will be waiting until closer to the start of the upcoming World Juniors before trimming down their rosters, Canada won’t be one of them.  In a series of tweets, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the following players have been cut and returned to their respective teams:

D Peter Diliberatore (Vegas, to Quinnipiac, NCAA)
D Thomas Harley (Dallas, to Mississauga, OHL)
W Dylan Holloway (2020 draft eligible, to Wisconsin, NCAA)
G Hunter Jones (Minnesota, to Peterborough, OHL)
C Peyton Krebs (Vegas, to Winnipeg, WHL)
C Alex Newhook (Colorado, to Boston College, NCAA)
C Cole Perfetti (2020 draft eligible, to Saginaw, OHL)
D Braden Schneider (2020 draft eligible, to Brandon, WHL)
C Connor Zary (2020 draft eligible, to Kamloops, WHL)

Meanwhile, even with the addition of Arizona center Barrett Hayton today, there are still a pair of NHL youngsters whose availability for the tournament remains in question.  McKenzie reports (video link) that a decision on Blackhawks center Kirby Dach is expected to be made in the next 24-48 hours.  As for Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson, a final decision on him won’t come until closer to the December 19th NHL roster freeze.  It’s worth noting that Dobson is in the New York lineup tonight and is playing his ninth game of the season.  One more NHL game means that he will burn the first year of his entry-level contract.

If either of those players are ultimately loaned, Canada will need to make a corresponding cut to stay in compliance with the 23-player roster limit.  They will still have one forward to cut regardless as their roster currently sits at 24.

Snapshots: Russian WJC Coaches, Crawford, Werenski

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The Russian National team announced it has upgraded its coaching staff for the upcoming World Junior Championships, starting next month with Russian greats Igor Larionov and Nikolai Khabibulin taking roles with the team under head coach Valeri Bragin.

Larionov, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and three-time Stanley Cup Champion, will take over as an assistant coach after maintaining a role as an advisor for the senior national team. Khabibulin, a four-time all-star in the NHL, will take over as the WJC goaltending coach for Russia. He has served as goaltending coach for the Russian Olympic team. They will be replacing Yuri Babenko and Vladimir Kulikov, who were re-assigned.

Both coaches are expected to join the Russian team for training camp on Dec. 9. The tournament begins on Dec. 26 in the Czech Republic.

  • The Daily Herald’s Barry Rozner wonders whether this will be Corey Crawford’s last season with the Chicago Blackhawks. The 34-year-old has fared well after several injury-plagued seasons, posting a 2.94 GAA and a .913 save percentage in 13 games while splitting time with Robin Lehner. Unfortunately, Lehner who is six years younger, is having an even better season, and with both goaltenders hitting unrestricted free agency this summer, the team will have to pick one, which would suggest they will retain Lehner, although the scribe notes that it’s too early in the season to make any assumptions. However, with another young goalie close to ready in Kevin Lankinen, the team might have no choice but to move on from their longtime star goaltender.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that defenseman Zach Werenski suffered a upper-body injury and would not return for the remainder of the game against the New York Islanders. The injury looked serious as he collided with the Islanders’ Anders Lee less than four minutes into the game and hit him in the left shoulder, the same shoulder that Werenski had surgery on in July. The Columbus Dispatch’s Brian Hedger reports that there was no update on Werenski after the game and an update isn’t likely to be revealed until Monday. However, the 22-year-old leads the Blue Jackets’ defensemen with six goals and 16 points.

Red Wings To Loan Moritz Seider To Germany For The World Juniors

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While the World Juniors are still a little more than a month away, it hasn’t stopped the Red Wings from making an early decision on their plans for defenseman Moritz Seider.  The German Ice Hockey Federation announced that Detroit will be loaning Seider to participate in the tournament.

The 18-year-old saw his stock rise continually last season to the point where he wound up being selected sixth overall by Detroit back in June.  As he wasn’t selected out of the CHL, he’s not subject to any restrictions about playing in the minors and the Red Wings have taken full advantage of that as he has logged a regular shift with their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.  He has been particularly productive as well, collecting 11 points in 20 games.  A continued strong showing there coupled with a good performance in the tournament could have him on the radar for a late-season call-up; he can play up to nine NHL games without officially burning the first year of his entry-level deal.

Seider is no stranger to representing his country at the World Junior level.  He has played in the last two World Junior Division A tourneys, one level below the main group.  The German squad won promotion to the top division last year and Seider will play a critical role in trying to help them stay in that top tier next month.

Snapshots: Capitals, World Juniors, CBA Talks

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Two of the biggest names among impending unrestricted free agents belong to the Washington Capitals. Long-time cornerstone Caps and Stanley Cup winners Nicklas Backstrom and Braden Holtby will both see their current contracts expire this summer, barring an extension before then. Yet, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that there has been little in the way of contract talks between Washington and either Backstrom or Holtby. LeBrun states that the team has decided to be patient with the decisions, letting the season play out as a way to better gauge their needs moving forward. He adds that the team is on the same page with both camps in this regard as well. It could be that the team waits through the whole season before making a call on Backstrom and Holtby, taking both individual and team performances into account. Thus far, Holtby, 30, has struggled in net – for the second year in a row at that – posting an .884 save percentage and 3.60 GAA in eight games for the Capitals, losing three starts to 22-year-old Ilya Samsonov. Continued poor performance, especially in light of Samsonov’s strong play, could convince Washington GM Brian MacLellan that he does not need to pay the premium price required to retain the 30-year-old Holtby. Meanwhile, Backstrom is still playing at the same elite level, recording nine points in eleven games so far and leading all Capitals forwards in even strength ice time. The 32-year-old has been the epitome of consistency throughout his whole career, recording 882 points in 906 career games while skating in less than 90% of Washington’s games in a given season just once. It’s hard to say that Backstrom has ever had a bad season and it may be difficult for MacLellan and company to say goodbye to a player who has never given any indication that his days and an impact player are anywhere close to being over, unless they determine that the Capitals days as true contenders are over and the team is in need of transition. The salary cap will of course play a major role in these decisions as well. Washington has $63.5MM tied up in just 14 players next season, and likely lack the space needed to re-sign both Holtby and Backstrom while filling out the rest of the roster. Which way they go, re-signing on or the other or perhaps neither, will be a tough call and the Capitals are smart to use all of the information available, including this season’s results, to make that decision.

  • TSN colleague Bob McKenzie also notes today that Hockey Canada is in the beginning stages of forming their official roster for the 2020 World Junior Championships later this winter and are hoping that they can count on the three players currently in the NHL who also qualify for inclusion on the U-20 roster: the Coyotes’ Barrett Hayton, the Blackhawks’ Kirby Dach, and the Islanders’ Noah Dobson. The pair of centers and dynamic defensemen are each of their respective team’s top prospects, but their usage so far this season has been minimal. All three of Hayton, Dach, and Dobson have played in just two NHL games so far this year and are still eight games away from burning a year on their entry-level contracts. However, for Hayton and Dobson, McKenzie does not believe that the ten-game limit is a concern, as he doesn’t feel Arizona nor New York plan on sending their promising prospect back to the junior level. That doesn’t mean that they can’t still be loaned to Team Canada for the WJC though; it is not an uncommon practice for young pros in need of experience playing at different levels of competition instead of solely in the NHL to briefly leave their clubs for the international exhibition. With that said, both the ‘Yotes and the Isles hope to be playoff teams and may be unwilling to give up top young players mid-season, especially if they have become regular contributors. As for Dach, it is still unclear what Chicago’s intentions are this season. The youngest of the group, the No. 3 overall pick in June, Dach has spent some time in the AHL this season and has seen limited ice time in his two games with the Blackhawks. The team could still decide he would be better off with another year in the WHL, although McKenzie believes they are not yet ready to make that decision. Either way, Dach stands the best chance of participating in the WJC, given his current role in Chicago and the expectations of the team this season.
  • LeBrun also reports that, while there haven’t been any in-person meetings this month, collective bargaining continues between the NHL and NHLPA. Back in September, both the league and the players’ association declined to use their opt-out clause in the CBA, which would have prematurely ended the current agreement after this season. The decisions extended the CBA through the 2021-22 season, giving the parties plenty of time to work through their issues. However, both sides felt comfortable in declining their opt-outs as a result of positive ongoing talks and all stakeholders of hockey wanted to see that progress continue. LeBrun writes that those talks have not stalled, but are simply now ongoing in a more behind-the-scenes fashion. The hope is that the NHL and NHLPA can sort out a new collective bargaining agreement long before the September 2022 expiration date of the current deal and put to rest any thoughts of another work stoppage. Continued talks are a good sign that labor peace will come easier this time than in years past.

QMJHL To Retire Sidney Crosby’s No. 87 League-Wide

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The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announced a major honor for one of the best players in the game last night. Commissioner Gilles Courteau revealed that, beginning with the 2020-21 season, the No. 87 will be retired league-wide out of respect for the “contributions to the QMJHL and to hockey” of one Sidney Crosby.

Crosby, undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the NHL right now and perhaps one of the greatest players of all time, started to make a name for himself in hockey in the QMJHL 15 years ago. The Cole Harbor, Nova Scotia native debuted in 2003-04 with Rimouski Oceanic. While he only played two seasons of junior hockey, Crosby recorded a jaw-dropping 303 points over those two years with Rimouski. Since departing from the league to join the NHL, no QMJHLer has been able to top Crosby’s 168-point sophomore season and only one player has managed to surpass his 135-point debut campaign. Crosby’s time in the QMJHL represented two of the best seasons in the modern era of the league’s history. In fact, he is the only player to earn league MVP honors in back-to-back seasons. Crosby was named the third best player in all of QMJHL history last year, during the league’s 50th Anniversary celebration, behind only Guy LaFleur and mentor and Pittsburgh Penguins owner Mario Lemieux.

Since he left the QMJHL, Crosby has managed to make his unbelievable junior production look like only a minor footnote on his tremendous career. Crosby has been the captain of the Penguins since 2007-08 and has led the team to three Stanley Cup championships in that time. He has averaged 1.3 points per game over his NHL career, including six different 100+ point seasons, totaling 1216 points in 943 games. Crosby is an eight-time All-Star who has won two Hart Trophies, two Art Ross Trophies, two Maurice Richard Trophies, and two Conn Smythe Trophies, as well as a total of five gold medals across the Olympics, World Championships, and World Juniors. And he’s still not done. Crosby shows no signs of slowing down and there are surely more accolades to come in his storied career. In selecting a true game-changing talent to honor with a league-wide jersey retirement, the QMJHL could not have done better than to choose Sidney Crosby, whose iconic No. 87 will now be immortalized forever in the league.

Philip Broberg To Play In Sweden

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Even though the Edmonton Oilers have already signed top prospect Philip Broberg to a three-year entry-level contract, don’t expect him to be in training camp come September. The young defenseman has decided to play in Sweden for 2019-20 according to Adam Kimelman of NHL.com, who caught up with Broberg at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Michigan. Explaining why he made the decision, Broberg recognizes his current weaknesses and thinks he can address them best overseas playing for Skelleftea in the SHL:

It’s a great organization for developing. I know I’m not good enough to make the NHL team right now, that’s why I’m going to Skelleftea, to play against men every day, to practice against them, to play in probably the third-best league in the world, to get better and come back next year and make the [Oilers].

Selected eighth overall in last month’s draft, Broberg quickly signed his entry-level deal with the Oilers but was never expected to compete for a spot right away. The 18-year old could have gone to the OHL where his rights are owned by the Hamilton Bulldogs, but he’ll instead compete at an even higher level back home. His contract will not kick in for 2019-20 and could even potentially slide forward another year if he fails to make the team in 2020-21.

Not only will the smooth skating defenseman be able to play in the SHL, but it seems likely that we’ll get a chance to see him on the international stage for Sweden at the World Juniors. He competed there last season at the age of 17, but should be given a much greater role on the team this time around. Already standing 6’3″, Broberg is one of the best skating defensemen in the whole draft but still has holes in his decision making and defensive positioning. Those attributes are highly coveted in Swedish coaching, meaning he’ll hopefully be able to develop them while playing with a strong organization in Skelleftea.

Blackhawks Sign Kirby Dach To Entry-Level Contract

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The Chicago Blackhawks surprised many by selecting center Kirby Dach with the third overall pick last month and are ready to see what he can bring to the team. The Blackhawks have announced that Dach has signed a maximum entry-level contract of three years and $925K AAV. The deal may slide in each of the next two seasons if Dach does not play in ten games in either season, potentially keeping him on this contract through 2023-24.

Dach will battle for an NHL spot in camp this fall following a junior season that saw him score 73 points in 62 games. One of the leading scorers of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades, Dach showed tremendous offensive ability for his age and the Blackhawks are banking on those skill and instincts continuing to improve. The decision will come down to whether or not the NHL is the right place for the development to occur at this point.

Working in Dach’s favor is his size. At 6’4″ and 200 lbs., Dach is already playing at a pro size and will be sure to keep filling out his frame while working with Chicago’s staff. Combine his stature with the vision and composure that allows him to use his size down low and in front of the net, and it is very possible that Dach could be ready to make an impact in the NHL already. However, working against Dach is the Blackhawks’ own depth down the middle. Dach is a natural center and Chicago would likely be hesitant to move him from that position just to squeeze him into the lineup. Yet, between Jonathan Toews, Dylan Strome, Artem Anisimov, and several other NHL and AHL options, the team may not feel a need to rush Dach to the NHL stage. With an increased role in Saskatoon and a chance to star for Team Canada at the World Juniors, Dach has a great chance to improve next season without having to play in Chicago.

New Jersey Devils Select Jack Hughes First Overall

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Kaapo Kakko pushed to be selected first in this year’s NHL Entry Draft more than many expected, but in the end the initial presumptive top overall pick claimed the mantle. American center Jack Hughes was selected first overall by the New Jersey Devils and GM Ray Shero. This is the second time in three years that the Devils have won the NHL Draft Lottery and selected first overall and the second time they have used the pick on a center, taking Nico Hischier in 2017.

When Hischier was selected, it was a come-from-behind story, as the Swiss pivot passed up long-anticipated top prospect Nolan Patrick for the honor. This year was the opposite story, as Hughes held off a push from Kakko as both players excelled in their respective seasons and on the international stage. Hughes set records for the U.S. National Team Development Program during his 112-point season, while also chipping in a whopping 20 points in seven games at the U-18 World Juniors, four points in four games at the U-20 World Juniors, and holding his own against NHL competition with three points in seven games at the recent World Championships.

At the end of the day, centers hold a premium over wingers and Hughes in particular is a special talent at the position. His skating, evasiveness, puck possession, and play-making are all elite for his age and he will likely grow into a perennial All-Star given his ability to control pace and create offense. The Devils are in great shape down the middle with Hughes and Hischier in the fold for a long time to come.

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