Chicago Blackhawks Sign Dennis Gilbert To Three-Year Deal
After we saw Jordan Gross sign with the Arizona Coyotes yesterday, another Notre Dame defenseman has decided to turn pro. Dennis Gilbert has signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, that will take him through the 2020-21 season. Gilbert is headed to the Rockford IceHogs for the remainder of the year on an amateur tryout.
While Gross may have more offensive upside, there is little to dislike in Gilbert’s defensive game. The 6’2″ 200-lbs defenseman is an outstanding athlete, and has taken huge strides to improve his skating over the past few seasons. A feared body checker and shut down player, he was named the Hockey East best defensive defenseman in 2017. That ability in his own end could pave a quick route to the NHL for Gilbert, who is no slouch with the puck on his stick.
Though he doesn’t carry it through the neutral zone as often as some of his contemporaries, he has a good first pass and get the puck out of his own end with possession. Deployed as a shadow of the opponent’s best players this season, he recorded just 10 points, but had 22 assists the year prior. The third-round pick from 2015 is still developing too, and could grow in to a full-time player for the Blackhawks.
St. Louis Blues Expected To Be Active On Trade Market
The St. Louis Blues lost out on the playoffs on the very final day of the regular season, losing to Colorado in what was essentially a play-in game. That came after the team decided to trade away Paul Stastny at the deadline, instead of bringing in some help for a team that was struggling at the time. Though that criticism has to be leveled at the front office, they now sit in a position to prepare even more for next season.
In today’s 31 Thoughts column by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, he notes that the expectation is that the Blues will be an “aggressive trade partner” this summer. He’s not the only one who has heard that, as Lou Korac of NHL.com also tweeted yesterday that the team has made it clear they will be “active” in the offseason. Quoting GM Doug Armstrong, Korac added that acquiring the first round pick in return for Stastny “allows [the Blues] to get back in the trade market.”
That first round pick of course could replace the outgoing selection that they used to acquire Brayden Schenn at the draft last year, though it is top-10 protected should they win one of the lottery selections. The team’s potential trade assets don’t end there.
With a glut of young forward prospects, St. Louis could easily be one of the most interesting teams to watch this summer. Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, Klim Kostin, Tage Thompson, Erik Foley and others could all be legitimate key pieces to dangle in trade, meaning an overhaul could be completed if they decide that 2018-19 is the year they want to “go for it.”
There is also a school of thought that would send them in the opposite direction, and rely on those young players to fill the gap after trading off some current NHL assets. Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka had disappointing seasons, while Jay Bouwmeester, Carl Gunnarsson and Robert Bortuzzo are all entering the final year before unrestricted free agency. The team could be just as “active” selling off pieces to backfill with their young prospects, and could potentially be a better team even in the short term.
Whatever the Blues do, it’s clear that Armstrong won’t sit on his hands this summer. The team is too talented, and has too many star players right in their prime to just wait around and hope for better results. While the goaltending issue is a decision that has to be made quickly, the rest of the roster isn’t far behind.
West Notes: Blues, Flames, Canucks
The St. Louis Blues just narrowly missed out on making the playoffs this season, losing in regulation to the Colorado Avalanche in their regular season finale – the only result that could have eliminated them from the postseason picture. To add insult to injury, the Blues have also played the 2017-18 season without an AHL affiliate, leaving fans without the consolation prize of at least watching a team of St. Louis prospects make a playoff run. Nevertheless, the team has assigned goalie Ville Husso and defenseman Chris Butler to the San Antonio Rampage, the team with the majority of the Blues’ minor league prospects. Yet, the Rampage sit in last place in the extremely tight AHL Pacific Division with just three games remaining. Dejected Blues fans may have to follow Beau Bennett and Wade Megan with the Chicago Wolves or Jordan Binnington with the Providence Bruins if they want a horse in the race come AHL playoff time.
- Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving told the Canadian Press that his team has a “laundry list” of issues to sort out this off-season. After making the postseason last year and, as the article notes, adding Mike Smith and Travis Hamonic last summer, missing the playoffs this year can only be seen as a disappointment and Treliving is ready to make changes. At the top of that “laundry list” is deciding what to do with head coach Glen Gulutzan. Beyond that, one list item specifically mentioned by Treliving is figuring out how to fix the Flames’ tepid power play, which finished 29th in the league and only got worse as the season wore on. As Treliving puts it, “In a league where the margins are thin, it’s not surprising that the teams that are successful in (special teams) usually have successful years, so it was critical.”
- One team that will be far less active this off-season are the Vancouver Canucks. Jeff Paterson of TSN gets the feeling that this could be one of the quietest Canuck off-seasons in years. President Trevor Linden spoke with the media today and stated that “Obviously on a day like this, we’re disappointed by not achieving all of our goals. At the same time, we’re encouraged as an organization with where we are moving forward. I think this group has an identity with its young players. That’s exciting” Paterson read this statement as saying that after back-to-back busy summers, the team is disappointed in its performance, but with a young core and plenty of depth in talented prospects, this is a team moving in the right direction. For that reason, Paterson hypothesizes that it could be a “wait and see”-type summer, writing “Outside of the National Hockey League draft lottery and the draft itself, don’t be the least bit surprised if you don’t hear a peep from the Vancouver Canucks until training camp.”
Minor Transactions: 4/5/18
It’s been a slow day for player movement as the regular season winds down, but some intriguing late action serves as a reminder that teams are still tweaking their rosters even this late in the season. 13 teams have been eliminated from postseason contention, but seven out West and five in the East have clinched spots and the remaining six are still fighting. For those lucky enough to still have eyes on the playoffs, there are important transactions to be made:
- As has been commonplace through this season – and will finally come to an end soon – the San Jose Sharks have reassigned defenseman Tim Heed to their in-house AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda themselves announced. Heed will suit up for the Barracuda tonight, just his sixth game in the minors this season. However, Heed has only skated in 29 games with the Sharks as well, as the 27-year-old rearguard has been passed back and forth continually but under-utilized overall.
- The St. Louis Blues have recalled goalie Ville Husso, the recently-named AHL All-Rookie Team keeper, from the San Antonio Rampage. There has been no indication that this is an emergency call-up by the Blues, meaning Jake Allen and Carter Hutton are likely fine and the team will simply ride with three goalies to close out the season. St. Louis trails the Colorado Avalanche by one point with two games remaining, including a head-to-head match-up on Saturday.
- The flood of young talent in Boston isn’t ending any time soon and fans can get another glimpse into the future by watching the remainder of the AHL’s Providence Bruins’ season. Boston assigned junior players Jack Studnicka and Kyle Keyser to their minor league affiliate, per The Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont, and the pair of Oshawa General teammates reported to the team today. Studnicka, the Bruins’ second-round pick last season, led the Generals in scoring this season with 72 points and did so on a team that featured two potential first-round forwards this June in Serron Noel and Allan McShane. Like fellow Boston prospects Trent Frederic and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Studnicka is an intelligent, two-way center who the Bruins hope could grow into a Patrice Bergeron clone. Perhaps more impressive though has been the play of Keyser, an undrafted free agent signing, who has been one of the best goalies in the OHL this season and was recently named the General’s Most Valuable Player. Both Studnicka and Keyser had previosuly signed ELC’s, but will more than likely still return to junior to begin next season; for now they will get a taste of the pro game in anticipation of NHL futures on the way.
AHL Names 2017-18 All-Rookie Team
The votes have been cast, and this year’s AHL All-Rookie Team has been released. The AHL rookie teams are always a mix of top draft picks and surprising prospects, and this year is no different. The team is as follows:
Goaltender: Ville Husso, San Antonio Rampage (St. Louis Blues)
Defense: Filip Hronek, Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit Red Wings)
Defense: Sami Niku, Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets)
Forward: Mason Appleton, Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets)
Forward: Daniel Sprong, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Forward: Dylan Strome, Tucson Roadrunners (Arizona Coyotes)
Obviously winning this award doesn’t guarantee NHL success, but it is a strong sign for players who will experience a long and successful professional career. The past All-Rookie teams have included many eventual NHL All-Stars, and could again in this group.
Strome is obviously the most recognizable name, selected third overall in 2015. He hasn’t been able to find a ton of success at the NHL level, but dominated the AHL in his first season. Scoring 50 points in 47 games he leads all (qualified) rookies in points-per-game, and likely won’t be in the minor leagues again next season.
Of note is two Winnipeg Jets prospects, both selected late in the 2015 draft. Appleton and Niku were picked 168th and 198th respectively, but both had outstanding rookie seasons with Manitoba and are more names to look for in the Jets lineup over the next few years. Niku made his NHL debut last night and scored on his first shot, just the latest accomplishment in his first season in North America.
Washington Capitals Sign Brian Pinho To Entry-Level Contract
The Washington Capitals have added some depth for the playoffs, signing Brian Pinho to a two-year entry-level contract. Pinho just finished his senior season with Providence College, and will report to the Capitals right away. The deal will begin in 2017-18 and Pinho will actually be eligible to play in the last few games or playoffs, meaning the first year will be burned right away. That’s the leverage the Capitals likely used to get him under contract, as he would have become an unrestricted free agent in August.
Pinho, 22, was second on Providence in scoring this season behind St. Louis Blues prospect Erik Foley, recording 32 points in 40 games. Though he didn’t project as an impact player in the NHL when the Capitals selected him 174th-overall in 2013, his excellent collegiate career has turned him into a legitimate prospect. While his solid stickhandling and playmaking ability can create opportunity for his teammates, there is also a willingness to go to the net that should benefit him at the next level.
Now listed at 6’1″ 191-lbs, Pinho has steadily increased his strength and stability to the point where he shouldn’t be overpowered in the NHL. While he might not step right into a lineup and be put on the special teams, he does have experience on the powerplay—where he played both net-front and left circle—and penalty kill.
Nashville Predators Sign Goaltender Niclas Westerholm
The Nashville Predators have added a player to their goaltending pipeline, signing undrafted free agent Niclas Westerholm to a three-year entry-level contract. Westerholm played this season in Finland, where he made his professional debut with SaiPa.
Westerholm, 20, actually already has a bit of experience playing in North America after spending the 2015-16 season playing for a Minnesota high school. The 6’4″ goaltender had a great season in the junior Finnish league, posting a .926 save percentage through 28 games.
If there is anyone who can find an unknown Finnish goaltender and turn him into a star, it’s the Predators. In 2004, Nashville famously drafted Pekka Rinne in the eighth round despite seeing him only in warm ups and practice, as he was the backup goaltender for his club team in Finland. Rinne would turn out to be the best goaltender in franchise history, and continues to be a huge part of their team to this day. Though that’s not expected of Westerholm, he’ll definitely be someone to keep an eye on over the next few years.
Buffalo Sabres Recall Alex Nylander From AHL
The Buffalo Sabres have little to play for over the last few games of the season, so they are going to give an opportunity to one of their young prospects. The team has recalled Alexander Nylander from the minor leagues, along with journeyman and Rochester Americans captain Kevin Porter.
Nylander, 20, was selected eighth-overall in 2016 but hasn’t yet been able to breakthrough like his older brother William Nylander. Dealing with injury and inconsistency, the younger Nylander has amassed 54 points in 113 AHL games, but still possesses extremely high offensive potential. The Sabres gave him a four-game recall at the end of last season as well, hoping to spark that potential and give the team another high-end scoring threat.
With Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart playing well, and Casey Mittelstadt deciding to turn pro, the Sabres have a talented young group to build around in the coming years. Adding Nylander to that mix is imperative after spending such a high draft pick on him. Perhaps this latest taste of the NHL will be enough to push Nylander over the edge and have him compete for a roster spot with the Sabres next fall.
Porter, 32, played two games in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins last year but is generally limited to minor league action at this point in his career. In 249 career NHL games Porter has just 58 points, but he has consistently produced in the AHL and currently sits third on the Americans in scoring. His call-up is likely just a reward for another good season in the minor leagues, where he is preparing for the playoffs once again.
Morning Notes: Raanta, Barzal, Dahlin
According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, the Coyotes have extended a contract offer to goaltender Antti Raanta. The deal could be up to four years with a cap hit between $4-4.5MM, which would be a huge raise over the $1MM deal Raanta is currently on. While the Coyotes have been open with the fact that they want to re-sign Raanta, he potentially could enter the market as the top goaltending option this summer and have his pick from several opportunities.
After struggling through injury for part of the season, Raanta has really found his groove and now carries a .929 save percentage on the year. That puts him second among goaltenders who have started at least 30 games, only trailing Marc-Andre Fleury‘s .931 mark. Raanta’s exquisite play and relative youth—he won’t turn 29 until May—could land him a long-term deal from any number of teams in the offseason. If he’s going to stay in the desert, it may take even more money.
- Mathew Barzal will suit up for Team Canada at the World Championships according to Andrew Gross of Newsday. The outstanding rookie has 79 points on the season and has quickly turned into a household name around the NHL. Citing excitement to play with Connor McDavid, Barzal will join a pretty impressive group already signed up for the tournament. With the Olympics not taking NHL players this year, perhaps even more are willing to pull on their country’s sweater and play in an international event.
- Rasmus Dahlin on the other hand won’t be appearing in any more games for Sweden this season. After his club team’s season ended recently, Dahlin will shut it down and prepare for what will be a whirlwind offseason where he is expected to go first overall in the NHL draft. Uffe Bodin of Elite Prospects reports on the situation, noting that without Dahlin at the upcoming U18 tournament, all eyes will shift to Adam Boqvist, another top defensive prospect in the upcoming draft.
Ivan Lodnia Assigned To Iowa Wild
The Minnesota Wild have had a knack for finding interesting prospects in the middle and late rounds lately, and Ivan Lodnia is no different. The 18-year old forward has been cleared to play after missing the end of the OHL season with an injury, and the Wild have given him an opportunity by assigning him to the AHL. Having Lodnia join the Iowa Wild even for a short stint at such a young age shows how highly the Minnesota front office thinks of the third-round pick, and could indicate that he’s closer to making an impact for them than one might have originally thought.
Lodnia scored 59 points for the Erie Otters this season, which while a slight improvement over last year isn’t an amount that screams future NHL scorer. Still, his offensive ability is perhaps secondary to the solid defensive game he has developed over the last few years as he was stuck behind other more senior players on the Erie depth chart. Lodnia is built in the same way that other successful two-way players have been on the Wild, and could follow them to the NHL to make an impact.
While it’s very likely he’ll return to the OHL for another season in 2018-19, Lodnia is one to keep an eye on in a Minnesota system that has several intriguing names. With other late round selections like Kirill Kaprizov, Dmitry Sokolov and Brandon Duhaime all finding success in one way or another, the Wild have found quite a bit of talent outside the first round.