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Minor Transactions: 10/14/19

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Get ready for a full day of hockey. Monday’s lineup features four games being held at 1:00pm home team local time, as well as 3:00pm, 5:00pm, and 7:30pm. Among the story lines to watch are the Wild, Devils, and Blackhawks seeking their first wins of the season, the Avalanche and Oilers looking to stay perfect, and a collision of the league’s two stingiest teams, the Ducks and Bruins. Also to watch for are the roster moves made to open up the third week of the season. Keep up with all of the action here:

  • The Ottawa Senators continue to routinely shuffle their forward group around early this season. After giving youngsters like Drake Batherson, Filip Chlapik, and Vitaly Abramov a chance already, the team has recalled a pair of veterans from AHL Belleville. The team announced that Nick Paul and Jordan Szwarz have been promoted to Ottawa. While Paul is a familiar name to Sens fans, Szwarz is a new free agent addition. The long-time AHL veteran and former Providence Bruins captain has played in 47 NHL games in his career, split between Arizona and Boston. His reliable two-way energy game could be more of the boost that the coaching staff feels they need right now rather than the offensive focus of the team’s top young prospects. This recall would also seem to indicate that there is a chance that Mikkel Boedker and Artem Anisimov are not ready to return to the lineup today as expected.
  • After flipping Kyle Capobianco to the AHL for Ilya Lyubushkin on Saturday, the Coyotes are now flopping. CapFriendly reports that Capobianco has been called back up from the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners. The move comes on the heels of an injury to Niklas Hjalmarsson on Saturday that will likely push either Capobianco or Lyubushkin into a starting role for the time being.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a somewhat surprising switch. The team announced that 19-year-old rookie defenseman Rasmus Sandin has been sent down to the AHL’s Marlies, while free agent addition and veteran blue liner Kevin Gravel has been recalled in his place. Sandin, considered by many to be Toronto’s top D prospect, had skated in all six games for the team thus far and recorded a pair of assists, strong possession numbers, and an even plus/minus rating. Although, Sandin’s ice time has been limited and his special teams role has been non-existent, so this could be about putting him in a better position to develop in the AHL. However, this may be more about adding Gravel than subtracting Sandin. The Leafs have surrendered at least three goals in four of their six games so far, including a 7-3 drubbing by the Tampa Bay Lightning. They may simply be looking to tighten things up on the back end and stay-at-home specialist Gravel can help. Gravel has recorded 137 blocked shots and 124 hits in 106 NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers.
  • Steven Oleksy worked his way up from the ECHL ranks early in his career and has been on an NHL contract every year since 2012. However, that streak was snapped this summer when the 33-year-old seemingly could not attract another two-way deal. His bad luck now continues, as the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins announced that they have released Oleksy from his tryout agreement. The veteran of 73 NHL games and more than 400 AHL games saw his production fall off somewhat last year in a season split between the San Diego Gulls and Toronto Marlies, but is simply looking for the opportunity to show he can still contribute. In all likelihood, Oleksy will land on his feet elsewhere in pro hockey sooner rather than later.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have granted starter Jacob Markstrom  a leave of absence to attend to a family matter. He is expected to re-join the team later this week. In the meantime, Vancouver announced that Zane McIntyre has been recalled to serve as the backup to Thatcher Demko. McIntyre, a free agent addition, has made eight NHL appearances in his career with the Boston Bruins, all back in 2016-17. Ironically, his lone call-up last season was to serve as backup to Jaroslav Halak while Tuukka Rask took a leave of absence himself. McIntyre was a star at the college level and has strong AHL numbers, but at 27 years old he no longer a prospect that the Canucks would be trying to force into play time. Expect them to lean on Demko until Markstrom returns.

Pending Decisions On Players Eligible For Contract Slides

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While it’s less than two weeks into the season, several teams will soon be faced with an important decision when it comes to some of their top young talents.  Once a junior-aged player plays in his tenth game of the season, it officially burns the first year of their entry-level contract.  Some teams have shown a willingness to do so in recent years while others have been more hesitant.  Here are the players that teams will need to need to make a decision in the near future.

Games played totals are as of Saturday, October 12.  The list of players has been restricted to players that have played in at least one NHL game this season or are currently up with their team.

Tobias Bjornfot (Kings) – 3 GP – He has played in all but one game so far but it’s fair to say that Bjornfot has struggled at times.  Los Angeles isn’t the deepest team defensively but from a longer-term perspective, it’s reasonable to think that Rob Blake would like to keep an extra cheap year on the books for when they’re likely to be more of a postseason contender so while Bjornfot is up for now, that may change before much longer.

Noah Dobson (Islanders) – 2 GP – Unlike a lot of players on this list, it’s the NHL or the CHL for Dobson and he was pretty dominant at the junior level a year ago.  That makes it a bit more understandable that New York is keeping him around even if he isn’t a full-time member of their top-six yet.  Dobson is probably going to be in a similar spot over the next month or so where he’ll get a few games but will spend a lot of time as a scratch as well.  If they do decide to send him back to the QMJHL, they’ll be limiting how long he actually spends there.

Martin Fehervary (Capitals) – 3 GP – Feharvary making the opening roster one year after being a mid-second-round pick came as a surprise but he held his own.  However, with Washington having some cap concerns, they’ve already sent him down.  They did so early enough that he could come up for a couple of weeks without triggering the first year of his deal but instead, it will be how he performs in the AHL that determines whether or not his contract will begin this season or next.

David Gustafsson (Jets) – 0 GP – This isn’t an injury situation; the Jets have simply made the 2018 second-round pick a healthy scratch in every game so far.  He’s still under contract in the SHL (though his contract isn’t known to contain a European Assignment Clause) so this could simply be a case of them trying to decide what path is the best for his development.  It’s hard to imagine him going past nine games at this stage.

Barrett Hayton (Coyotes) – 2 GP – For the second straight year, Hayton broke camp with the Coyotes but playing time has been sparse so far.  Similar to Dobson, he’s in NHL or CHL territory and there isn’t much left for him to prove in junior hockey.  This should be another case where he’ll be up for a while yet but his playing time will be limited until they decide whether or not to keep him for ten games or more.

Ville Heinola (Jets) – 5 GP – A month ago, Heinola wasn’t even on the radar for a roster spot coming into training camp despite the departures of several key defenders.  Now, with Dustin Byfuglien gone as well, there’s even more ice time up for grabs and he has made the most of it, logging over 19 minutes a game.  Unless Byfuglien changes his plans quickly, there’s a reasonable chance he’ll get past the nine-game mark (though he has been scratched for two straight games now) but the second threshold may be one to watch for here.  (More on that shortly.)

Jack Hughes (Devils) – 5 GP – This one is pretty much a given.  While he has looked a little overmatched at times, Hughes has still shown several promising flashes.  Top picks will get a long look and there’s no reason to think that won’t be the case here.  Barring a big surprise, he’ll be up for the full season.

Kaapo Kakko (Rangers) – 3 GP – Playing time has been limited due to a strange scheduling oddity that has the Rangers playing just three times in the first two weeks of the season so that means it will take until a little later in the calendar for him to get to nine games.  He hasn’t looked out of place through his three games and there’s little reason to think he won’t be up for the season.

Rasmus Sandin (Maple Leafs) – 6 GP – Sandin has played in every game so far, albeit in a rather limited role.  Travis Dermott’s return isn’t too far away and once he’s activated, there may not be a spot for Sandin.  Accordingly, Toronto could hold Sandin out for a couple of games in the next couple of weeks if they wanted to play it safe.  If he does get into ten games, he’s another player who the second threshold will be a factor on.

For some teams, preserving that extra cheap year on an entry-level deal is crucial but others have been more inclined to go past that threshold and focus on the second one instead.  That one is 40 games on the roster and that one includes games as a scratch; it’s not games played-focused.  Once a player meets that threshold, they accrue one year of eligibility towards unrestricted free agency.  In other words, they burn a year of team control at that time.

Getting to that threshold would allow for more evaluation for the prospects and in the cases of Dobson and Hayton, it would limit how much time they’d ultimately be forced to spend in junior at a level they’re already above if they were indeed sent back.  Anyone who goes past the ten games played mark but doesn’t reach 40 on the active roster won’t have enough service time to be eligible for an offer sheet at the expiration of their contract either which also has to be taken into consideration.

For players like Hughes and Kakko, it’s a safe bet that the decision is all but made already; they’ll be sticking around for the entire season.  Others like Gustafsson appear to be likely to not get to ten games played.  But there are a handful of prospects that teams are going to make a call on before too much longer, even if they do scratch them for some games to delay having to make that decision.  With things largely quiet on the trade front in the early going, this will be one of the elements to watch for over the next few weeks.

Edmonton Oilers Linked To Hurricanes’ Julien Gauthier

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Julien Gauthier, a highly-regarded 2016 first-round pick, played two full seasons in the AHL before finally getting recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes last week. It was a long time coming for the young power forward, who many felt deserved his first NHL opportunity earlier in his pro career. Yet, the big promotion wasn’t all it was cracked up to be; Gauthier skated in the Hurricanes last two games, but saw just over eight minutes of ice time on average and failed to record a point or even a shot on goal. After last night’s defeat at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the team announced that Gauthier had been reassigned to the Charlotte Checkers. It was a very limited NHL debut for the 21-year-old and again raises questions about his future role in Carolina.

The Edmonton Oilers may have a solution to the situation: a trade. The Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins reports that there continues to be interest out of Edmonton in acquiring Gauthier. This is not the first time that his name has come up as an Oilers target, as it was previously noted that his name popped up as a possible swap for divorced prospect Jesse Puljujarvi. Leavins adds that not only is the team intrigued by Gauthier’s minor league production, and the size and skill to translate it to the NHL level, but also his waiver-exempt status, allowing him to be moved back and forth to the AHL as needed. Edmonton is not deep on the wing and Gauthier would likely stand a good chance of earning a regular role for the team, but that waiver flexibility provides added value just in case.

By all accounts, Gauthier alone was not enough for GM Ken Holland to part with Puljujarvi this off-season. However, the status quo has changed immensely since then. Puljujarvi signed in Finland and a recent report from Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston indicates that he is content to stay there all season if he has to. Puljujarvi is a top-ten scorer on a per-game basis thus far in the Liiga, with 11 points in 11 games for Karpat, his hometown team. He has made it clear that he does not want to play in Edmonton and is okay with the success and familiarity of playing in Finland this year if that is his only option. If Puljujarvi has not signed by December 1, he is ineligible to play in the NHL this year, so the Oilers would have to make a trade before that point. Previous comments by Holland made it seem like the team would rather play the long game with Puljujarvi, hoping he boosts his value in the Liiga this year, rather than trade him for a lesser return. However, the team has started the year 5-0-0 and may be shifting their mindset forward to adding immediate help, rather than building for the future. Gauthier would present a chance to do both – add a young, developing forward, but also one that could step in immediately. While Puljujarvi was selected third overall in 2016, 21 picks ahead of Gauthier, there is reason to believe that they could be comparable NHL players. It’s a move that Carolina would certainly be open to as well, as Puljujarvi is willing to sign once traded and would add to their core of talented young Finns.

Of course, the Oilers could also try to pry Gauthier out of Raleigh without moving Puljujarvi. Tyler Benson, Kailer Yamamoto, and Ryan McLeod are all promising young forward prospects that the team could dangle for the Hurricanes as part of the return for Gauthier. If Edmonton truly has their mindset on acquiring the up-and-coming power forward and Carolina does not share in their high regard for him, a deal is very likely to be made, one way or another.

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twenty-Fourth Overall Pick

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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’re looking back at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now.  Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

1st Overall: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (1)
2nd Overall: Jamie Benn, Philadelphia Flyers (129)
3rd Overall: P.K. Subban, Phoenix Coyotes (43)
4th Overall: Logan Couture, Los Angeles Kings (9)
5th Overall: Max Pacioretty, Washington Capitals (22)
6th Overall: Jakub Voracek, Edmonton Oilers (7)
7th Overall: Ryan McDonagh, Columbus Blue Jackets (12)
8th Overall: James van Riemsdyk, Boston Bruins (2)
9th Overall: Wayne Simmonds, San Jose Sharks (61)
10th Overall: Kevin Shattenkirk, Florida Panthers (14)
11th Overall: Jake Muzzin, Carolina Hurricanes (141)
12th Overall: Kyle Turris, Montreal Canadiens (3)
13th Overall: David Perron, St. Louis Blues (26)
14th Overall: Mikael Backlund, Colorado Avalanche (24)
15th Overall: Evgenii Dadonov, Edmonton Oilers (71)
16th Overall: Alec Martinez, Minnesota Wild (95)
17th Overall: Carl Hagelin, New York Rangers (168)
18th Overall: Lars Eller, St. Louis Blues (13)
19th Overall: Alex Killorn, Anaheim Ducks (77)
20th Overall: Nick Bonino, Pittsburgh Penguins (173)
21st Overall: Pat Maroon, Edmonton Oilers (161)
22nd Overall: Paul Byron, Montreal Canadiens (179)
23rd Overall: Sam Gagner, Nashville Predators (6)

Despite currently being in the AHL, Gagner managed to hold onto his status as a first-round pick in our 2007 redraft and goes to Nashville. Originally Edmonton’s first of three picks in that round, the London, Ontario native carved out quite the early career for himself in the NHL, even if it has quickly evaporated.

Back then, Gagner was an easy pick at the top of the draft. The somewhat undersized forward had just combined with Patrick Kane and Sergei Kostitsyn for the London Knights to make one of the most dynamic offensive attacks in the OHL, recording 118 points of his own in 53 games. Gagner’s 83 assists tied him with Kane for the most by any OHL rookie, and got him onto the CHL All-Rookie squad. Even at his young age he landed a roster spot on Canada’s World Junior team, something he’d never have another opportunity to do.

That’s because after he was drafted, Gagner stepped right into the NHL and became an impact player for the Edmonton Oilers. Unfortunately, the 49 points in 2007-08 as a rookie would be his highest total until many years later, as the talented center faced injury after injury that kept him out for various stretches. In fact, Gagner has never played all 82 games in a single season, only ever failing to miss time in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign. Still, it’s hard to argue with his offensive consistency for the Oilers. Scoring at least 41 points in each of his first five seasons, he would finish his first stint in Edmonton with 295 points in 481 games. Just that total would make him the 14th-highest scoring player from the 2007 draft, but Gagner wasn’t done quite yet.

After a few more seasons bouncing around the NHL—playing for the Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Vancouver Canucks—Gagner has found his way back to the Edmonton organization and is now playing with the Bakersfield Condors. In 802 career games he has 446 points, making him the eighth-highest scoring player from the 2007 draft. You can bet if the Predators received that kind of production from this spot they’d be extremely happy.

In 2007, the Calgary Flames were up next and picked their own steal late in the first round. Mikael Backlund was ranked second among all European skaters by NHL Central Scouting coming into the draft, but he ended up falling thanks to a strong North American contingent. The Flames had actually traded back from their spot at No. 18, gaining a third-round selection in the process, and still got the two-way center.

It took a while for the move to really pay off though, as Backlund was a project that needed to be developed correctly. After spending another season in Sweden, Backlund split the 2008-09 season between his Swedish team, the Flames and the Kelowna Rockets, making quite the impression as a late addition to the WHL squad. The Rockets would actually take home the WHL title that season, thanks to a playoff-leading 13 goals from Backlund. It still would be another several years before he really broke out in the NHL, scoring 18 goals and 39 points in 2013-14. Since then he has been quite the consistent presence for the team, and even recorded three 20+ goal seasons.

Unfortunately for Calgary, Backlund already went to Colorado in our redraft and they’ll have to pick another name. The talent is starting to really thin out, showing just how difficult it is to even get an NHL regular out of the draft. With the twenty-fourth pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Calgary Flames select?  Cast your vote below!

[Mobile users click here to vote]

*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.

Julien Gauthier Recalled By Carolina Hurricanes

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The Carolina Hurricanes look ready to give one of their top prospects a chance at the NHL level. Julien Gauthier has been recalled and could potentially make his debut on Friday against the New York Islanders.

Gauthier, 21, was selected 21st overall in 2016 by the Hurricanes and has slowly developed into the goal-scoring power forward they envisioned. Standing 6’4″ the former QMJHL standout was impressive in the preseason with Carolina and has already scored twice in two games for the Charlotte Checkers. That’s picking up just where he left off last season when he potted 27 goals for the AHL club.

Interestingly, Gauthier’s name has come up a few times in the summer as a potential trade target, likely because of the Hurricanes’ healthy prospect depth. Most notably he was apparently included in Jesse Puljujarvi talks with the Edmonton Oilers, though obviously nothing materialized yet on that front. Carolina is off to a perfect 4-0 start this season and have had no trouble scoring goals, meaning Gauthier will have to pull his weight if he does get into any game action.

New York Rangers Agree To Terms With Matthew Robertson

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The New York Rangers will be signing another one of their top prospects, as the team announced they’ve agreed to terms with Matthew Robertson. The 18-year old defenseman will sign a three-year entry-level contract, though it actually won’t kick in right away. Robertson is playing with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL, meaning his contract will slide at least one year.

Selected 49th overall in June, Robertson joins a wave of prospects set to turn the Rangers into contenders sooner or later. The 6’4″ defenseman put up 41 points in 68 total games with the Oil Kings last season and is was a strong force at both ends of the rink. Part of the Canadian team that won gold at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup last year, he was actually ranked 26th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and expected by many to push for a selection in the first round. Even without that designation, the Rangers surely consider him a big part of their future and will show it by quickly signing him to an entry-level deal.

The next step for Robertson is to really dominate at the WHL level this year and next, while also lending his talents to Canada’s international contingent once again. Though he may find himself on the outside looking in for this year’s World Junior team as an 18-year old, you can bet he’ll be in contention for a spot after another year of development.

Minor Transactions: 10/06/19

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After a loaded Saturday slate, there are just three NHL games on the docket today. However, off-day teams could still use the time to make roster transactions to prepare for the coming week. Meanwhile, minor league and European teams alike continue to tinker with their rosters early in the year. Keep up with all of the action today right here:

  • The KHL’s Metallurg Magnitogorsk made a swap of NHL veterans today, announcing the signing of forward Andrej Nestrasil and the release of defenseman Paul Postma. Nestrasil, 28, has had a strange start to the new campaign. The former Carolina Hurricanes forward was somewhat surprisingly not offered a contract extension by the KHL’s Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk this off-season despite two good seasons with the team since leaving the NHL. Without any options, Nestrasil returned home to the Czech Republic and signed with HC Ocelari Trinec just two weeks ago. After only two games with club – and a team-leading four points in those two games – Magnitogorsk came calling with an offer to return to the KHL for at least one more year and Nestrasil took it. His roster spot came at the cost of Postma’s in a way, whose contract was jointly terminated. Postma last played in the NHL with the Boston Bruins in 2017-18 and enjoyed a strong first KHL season with Ak Bars Kazan last year. He signed with Metallurg this summer, but lasted just ten games into his new one-year contract before the two sides apparently agreed to part. While there has been nothing yet to link the two sides, Postma spent much of his NHL career with the Winnipeg Jets, who are sorely in need of some defensive depth right now and could potentially look into a reunion.
  • Another former Bruins defenseman, Chris Casto, is headed overseas. After spending last season on an AHL contract with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Casto has opted to head to Germany. Grizzlys Wolfsburg of the DEL has announced a one-year deal with the 27-year-old former college standout. Ironically, what prompted the move was a season-ending injury to another past Boston defensive prospect, Ryan Button. Like Button, Casto could never take his well-rounded game to that next level in North America, but could be an impact player in Europe.
  • Ben Thomson has found a new home in the AHL. The 26-year-old enforcer has signed a one-year deal with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the team announced. Thomson spent last season on the opposite coast with the San Diego Gulls, but will now head back to tri-state area, where he once suited up for three games with the New Jersey Devils. A fourth-round pick of New Jersey in 2012, Thomson made a name for himself with the AHL Devils as an aggressive checking forward a consistent penalty minutes leader. That role has continued to find him employment at the minor league level, but Thomson is unlikely to get back to the NHL any time soon.
  • The jury is still out on who the goalie of the future may be for the Boston Bruins, if any of their current prospects. Dan Vladar has the most history with the organization, while Jeremy Swayman may have the most intrigue as he continues his development at the University of Maine. However, the most likely candidate may be 20-year-old Kyle Keyser, an undrafted signee who finished his junior career off on a high note with a strong OHL season and a World Juniors showing with Team USA. Yet, the Florida native will at least start his first pro season closer to home with the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators. Mark Divver reports that Vladar and free agent third-string Maxime Lagace will begin their seasons with AHL Providence, while the Bruins have reassigned Keyser to Atlanta. It’s not uncommon for young goaltenders, even talented ones, to spend some time in the ECHL for the purpose of consistent starts, but Keyser will certainly be looking to prove he is worth of a look in the AHL right away this season.
  • The Ottawa Senators are certainly not lacking in prospect depth and the team seems likely to switch their talented young names in and out of the NHL and AHL lineups early on to ensure equal ice time until they can get a better feel for who belongs in Ottawa full-time. Today, the team has reassigned Drake Batherson and Filip Chlapik to AHL Belleville. They did not announce a corresponding move, meaning the same duo or two other prospects could be called up in the coming days.
  • With Evgeny Kuznetsov returning from suspension, the Washington Capitals had some salary cap maneuvering to do. The team has announced that forward Travis Boyd has been placed on waivers for the purpose of reassignment to the AHL’s Hershey Bears. They also announced that rookie defenseman Martin Fehervary has been sent down to Hershey. The 2018 second-round pick performed well in the team’s first three games, but some more seasoning in the minors won’t hurt. As for Boyd, the 26-year-old center is probably safe on the waiver wire, but is more of a risk than last season after recording 20 points in 53 games last season. The team has also “demoted” defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, but it is a paper move expected to be made frequently this season by the Capitals as they look to bank as much cap space as possible while fighting a very tight cap crunch.

2019-20 NCAA Players To Watch

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Following their professional and junior counterparts, the college hockey season is about to get underway this weekend. With each passing year, the NCAA’s influence on the world of hockey grows. The NHL boasts more than a few top rookies fresh out of the college ranks this season and many elite prospects still in school in 2018-19 will soon join them. This year’s crop of talent is sticking with the trend, with several players in need of watching:

The Recent Draft Picks

G Spencer Knight, Boston College (FLA): When Knight was selected by the Panthers 13th overall in June, he became the highest selected goaltender this decade after Jack Campbell went No. 11 overall  in 2010. Considered the best prospect goalie in an NHL pipeline – at least until Yaroslav Askarov hears his name called next year – Knight is a special prospect and easily a top name to watch in the NCAA. It’s hard to know just how well the USNTDP product will perform right out of the gate for a strong BC squad, and on top of that how long it may take for him to be pro-ready. However, if he can translate his junior game to the college level, Florida will want to test that same progression in the pros sooner rather than later.

F Matthew Boldy, Boston College (MIN): Speaking of the Eagles, they nabbed another top pick in this year’s recruiting class in the dynamic winger Boldy. A rare combination of skill and finesse with size and strength, the Wild landed a gem at No. 12. A teammate of Knights with the USNTDP and now at BC, Boldy stands a better chance of making an immediate impact at the college level. The pairing of his stature and his talent – both above average – should give him a leg up against some older, more experienced NCAA competition. Expect he and fellow first-rounder Alex Newhook (COL) to get off to a hot start.

F Trevor Zegras, Boston University (ANA): Across town, Zegras and six other 2019 NHL Draft selections are set to take the ice for the rival Terriers. Zegras is a dynamic play-maker who few expected to fall to the Ducks at No. 9. Zegras brings a high-energy game in all three zones that his bound to create chances for he and his BU teammates. After losing much of last year’s talent to the pros, the Terriers need Zegras to step into a lead scoring role right away and he is likely up for the task. The USNTDP standout has already showed that he can put up big numbers against tough competition.

D Cam York, University of Michigan (PHI): Rounding out the top four recent draft picks to watch in the NCAA this year is yet another USNTDP product, but the first defenseman on the list. York is a skilled blue liner who sees the ice extremely well for a player his age. His skating allows him to be omnipresent on the ice and an asset in all three zones. Highly-drafted defensemen have excelled at the college level of late, namely Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes. The Wolverines hope lightning strikes twice by replacing Hughes with York. Fellow first-round pick John Beecher (BOS) will also be around to help out in Michigan this season.

The Soon-To-Be Draft Picks

F Dylan Holloway, University of Wisconsin: A string of years with at least one top draft prospect coming out of the NCAA came to a screeching halt last year, with the college level having nearly no current players of note in the early rounds. That will change this year, as Holloway begins the season as a consensus top-ten pick in 2020. The polished winger dominated the Alberta Junior Hockey League last year, posting 88 points in just 53 games. He brings a complete arsenal of skill, speed, and aggression, but will need to use his college campaign to work on increasing his positional awareness. If he can replicate his scoring success and improve his hockey IQ, Holloway could enter top five territory next summer.

D Yan Kuznetsov, University of Connecticut: Kuznetsov is not the same caliber player as Holloway, but an exciting talent nonetheless for the Huskies. The Russian defenseman came over to North America last season and made a strong first impression in the USHL. Not one to put up lots of points, Kuznetsov is instead a solid shutdown defender who also moves the puck well. At 6’3”, 200 lbs., Kuznetsov has menacing size for a 17-year-old and isn’t afraid to play a tough game, but is also a smooth skater and an asset in puck possession. While not a flashy prospect, Kuznetsov could surprise with his confidence as a freshman in the NCAA and move up draft boards.

The Soon-To-Be NHLers

F Evan Barratt, Penn State University (CHI): One of the best players at the college level last season, Barratt took a major leap forward in his development. The third-round prospect had a quiet freshman year but exploded for 43 points in just 32 games as a sophomore, among the top five per-game scorers in the NCAA. Barratt’s ability to think the game is matched only by his ability to act on those thoughts. A great play-maker with an eye for creating scoring opportunities, Barratt doesn’t need to be the fastest or strongest player on the ice to make a difference. He seems ready to test his hockey sense at the pro level already and almost certainly will be signing with the Blackhawks after this season. Penn State can enjoy one last season with their star center.

D Ian Mitchell, University of Denver (CHI): Chicago nearly convinced Mitchell to leave school early this summer, but he’ll return to the Pioneers for one last season. A smart, two-way defenseman, Mitchell plays a largely mistake-free game. He contributes on offense, but rarely at the cost of defensive liability and uses his skating to get up and down the ice with ease. He pairs a good shot with a strong outlet pass to both start and finish offensively. A modern-day NHL defenseman in many ways, Mitchell truly plays the position well and will be a regular at the top level in no time.

D Scott Perunovich, University of Minnesota-Duluth (STL): A two-time NCAA champion has to be doing something right. While plenty of talented players have moved on from Duluth over the past two years, Perunovich is still there and still making an impact. A dynamic offensive defenseman, Perunovich is a power play magician and a creative play-maker at even strength as well. A talented puck-mover who doesn’t let his size deter him from jumping into a play and taking battles in tough areas, Perunovich is undoubtedly a fun player to watch. An added benefit of catching some Bulldogs action is fellow blue line prospect Dylan Samberg (WPG), who brings the smash to Perunovich’s dash as an elite NCAA pairing.

F Mitchell Chaffee, University of Massachusetts: At the top of the list among potential NCAA free agents is the sharp-shooting Chaffee. A member of the UMass team that made a run to the NCAA Finals last year, Chaffee was better than a point per game scorer, finishing in the top-20 in goals and points and amassing a top-ten plus/minus rating. Chaffee plays a mature, intelligent game but not without some grit and energy as well. He does whatever it takes to put himself in scoring position. With the Minutemen losing several core players to the pros, look for Chaffee to take on an even bigger role as he tries to establish himself as an NHL-caliber prospect. Bowling Green ace center Max Johnson and veteran North Dakota defenseman Colton Poolman are other potential premier college free agents to watch for.

The University of Wisconsin

Every year there is one team whose NHL pedigree jumps off the page. Sometimes those teams don’t necessary put it all together, but they’re still fun to watch. Wisconsin is that team this year, and frankly it’s not that close even with the influx of talent to the likes of BC, BU, and others. You already heard about Holloway, but take a look at who else is suiting up for the Badgers this year:

F Alex Turcotte (LAK): The highest-drafted player in the NCAA, Turcotte was the No. 5 overall pick by the Kings in June and considered by some to be the most complete player in the draft class. Injuries slowed down his season with the USNTDP last year, but he still accounted for 62 points in just 37 games. A two-way skill set and intelligence, play-making ability and elite offensive instincts, and a competitive, hard-nosed style are just some of the elements to Turcotte’s game that should make him the most talented player in college hockey this season.

F Cole Caufield (MTL): Caufield is coming off a record-setting campaign with the USNTDP. While he spent most of his time skating alongside Jack Hughes, he is more than familiar with Turcotte which should make his adjustment to the NCAA smoother. Caufield’s size can be a liability, but it’s a risk that Wisconsin will gladly take in exchange for his natural goal-scoring ability. Caufield potted 72 goals as part of a 100-point campaign last year that established him as one of the most dangerous shooters in hockey – yes, all of hockey. Caufield works hard, skates fast, and puts himself in a situation to score with great frequency. An electrifying talent, Caufield will almost certainly follow Turcotte to the NHL next season (the Canadiens can hardly wait) but until then the duo should do some damage in the NCAA this year. Unbelievably, fellow USNTDP teammates Owen Lindmark (FLA) and Ryder Donovan (VGK) also join Turcotte and Caufield with the Badgers this year.

D K’Andre Miller (NYR): It doesn’t stop there, either. Wisconsin has top NHL talent on the blue line as well, primarily in first-round defender Miller. A big, strong defender who also has the tools to contribute on offense, Miller is a special player. Considered a raw talent when drafter, Miller immediately showed last year that there was more to his game than just athleticism. Miller plays an instinctual style of hockey, which allows him to excel with defensive positioning as well as awareness of when to jump in on offense. He truly has a presence on the ice and there is still room to improve into an elite prospect, especially with so much ability surrounding him this season. He could very well join the Rangers right away next season if he continues to progress. Look for pair-mate Ty Emberson (ARI) to take a step forward in his own development this year as well.

Simon Holmstrom Assigned To AHL

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The New York Islanders appear to have decided what to do with their most recent first-round pick. Simon Holmstrom has been assigned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL, an impressive assignment for the 18-year old forward. There was debate over whether Holmstrom should start in the AHL right away or return to Sweden, but it appears as though he’ll be staying stateside for the time being.

Selected 23rd overall in June, the young winger never did see much of the highest level of hockey in Sweden like some other top prospects, but still comes with a huge ceiling. Not only does Holmstrom possess high-end offensive ability, but his overall game has been complimented for years as he competes hard at both ends of the rink. Though he played mostly right wing in Sweden, his left-handedness may put him on the other side of the ice in North America. That’s something the Islanders organization will have to decide, while getting him acclimated to the smaller rink and AHL physicality.

There’s still lots of development to go with Holmstrom, but he’ll join a Bridgeport team that is suddenly flush with top prospects. Oliver Wahlstrom, Kieffer Bellows and Otto Koivula lead the young group of forwards up front, which is also set to get Joshua Ho-Sang back after he cleared waivers and was assigned to the AHL. The Islanders have found a lot of success in the NHL of late, but should be excited about the wave of talent coming through. Hopefully Holmstrom can take another step forward and show that he can compete at the AHL level this season.

Ty Smith Returned To WHL

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The WHL had already received some impressive prospects back from NHL training camp recently when Bowen Byram and Dylan Cozens were cut last week, but now have another star on the way. New Jersey Devils defenseman Ty Smith has been loaned back to the Spokane Chiefs where he will spend the entire 2019-20 season. Smith was among the final cuts for New Jersey with the NHL season right around the corner.

While Byram may get some more headlines after going fourth overall in this year’s draft, there’s no doubting Smith’s impact in the WHL. In fact, the Spokane captain took home the CHL and WHL Defenseman of the Year awards last season after recording 69 points in 57 games. Amazingly that wasn’t even Smith’s career high in junior, as he has dominated the league for several seasons with his elite skating and playmaking ability.

Not only is this huge news for the Chiefs, but also for Team Canada who will undoubtedly bring Smith back to the World Junior tournament once again. The young defenseman suited up previously and recorded three assists in five games, and could very well be the team’s top option as a 19-year old this time around. Selected 17th overall in 2018, Smith was already close to cracking the Devils lineup and should be considered a real contender for a full-time NHL role in 2020-21.

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