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West Notes: Lehner, Burakovsky, Iginla

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One name oft forgotten in the Vegas Golden Knights goalie carousel this season is Robin Lehner, who spent the entire 2022-23 campaign on long-term injured reserve. After missing the tail end of the 2021-22 campaign with a significant shoulder injury, it was actually off-season hip surgery that kept Lehner out for the year.

The Swedish netminder remains one of the best around when healthy, but Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon today didn’t have any update on Lehner’s status moving forward. McCrimmon noted Lehner is still undergoing rehab on both of his hips, but didn’t have a recent update on his progress. Lehner’s absence hasn’t hindered the Golden Knights much this season, and he could be a trade candidate if he does get healthy to clear some cap space. The 2019 Vezina Trophy nominee is locked in at a $5MM cap hit through 2025, making him an affordable option for a team in need of a starting netminder.

  • Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis offered some clarity today on the injury that kept star winger Andre Burakovsky out of the lineup down the stretch of the season. Per Francis, Burakovsky tore his groin on his first shift after the All-Star break and suffered multiple setbacks in his recovery, sidelining him for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs. The 28-year-old was having a spectacular first season in Seattle before the injury, scoring 39 points in 49 games in a top-six role.
  • After selecting him in 12th overall in last week’s WHL Prospects Draft, the Edmonton Oil Kings have officially brought 14-year-old Joe Iginla, son of Calgary Flames legend Jarome Iginla, into the organization on a scholarship and development agreement. Iginla posted monster numbers at the U15 level this season with his dad coaching, scoring 65 points in 27 games, and even got some looks in U16 and U17 play. Iginla is not NHL draft eligible until 2026 and is not expected to join the Oil Kings until the 2024-25 season.

Joseph Woll Returned To AHL

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The Toronto Marlies and Rochester Americans will resume the AHL’s North Division Finals on Wednesday evening, with the former receiving quite the reinforcement. Joseph Woll, fresh off taking over the Toronto Maple Leafs net in their second-round series, has been returned to the AHL.

Woll, 24, has been tremendous for the Marlies this season, posting a 16-4-1 record and .927 save percentage. He carried over that strong play to the NHL, where he went 6-1 in the regular season and registered a .915 in four playoff appearances.

The young netminder appears to be on track for a full-time NHL job next season, though nothing about the Maple Leafs looks set in stone at this point. If he does land a spot, it will provide the team with a significant salary cap advantage.

Woll signed a three-year extension in February 2022 that keeps him under contract through 2024-25 at a very affordable $767K cap hit. With uncertainty surrounding the future of Matt Murray, and Ilya Samsonov headed for restricted free agency, Woll could be the answer to some of Toronto’s long-standing goaltending issues.

The team has had trouble developing its own netminding prospects but showed great patience with the 62nd overall pick from 2016. Woll went to college for three years, suffered several injuries early in his pro career, and has generally progressed slowly (as goaltenders sometimes do).

For now, he’ll try to help the Marlies turn around the best-of-five series and stave off elimination, before entering a crucial offseason of training ahead of his big NHL opportunity.

New York Islanders Sign Christian Krygier, Jacob Pivonka To AHL Deals

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The AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders have signed a duo of New York Islanders drafted prospects, defenseman Christian Krygier and forward Jacob Pivonka, to AHL contracts for the 2023-24 season. The team also signed undrafted free agent forward Riley Piercey out of juniors from the OHL’s Flint Firebirds.

After finishing their collegiate careers, Krygier’s and Pivonka’s NHL signing rights are set to expire on August 15. While the AHL signings imply the Islanders won’t be offering them entry-level contracts before then, the deals allow the Islanders to keep them within the organization and continue to evaluate them. After August 15, however, Krygier and Pivonka would still be free to sign NHL contracts with any team at any time.

The Islanders selected Krygier in the seventh round of the 2018 NHL Draft. The 23-year-old defenseman played his fifth and final season for Michigan State University in 2022-23, recording a goal and three assists in 28 games whilst serving as an alternate captain. The son of former NHLer Todd Krygier and the brother of Los Angeles Kings prospect Cole Krygier, he is a physical defenseman first and foremost, recording 228 penalty minutes during his 158 games at Michigan State. He appeared in two games with Bridgeport on a tryout after the conclusion of his collegiate season, posting a -1 rating and one shot on goal.

Pivonka, also 23, was selected three rounds earlier in 2018. The 5-foot-11 center transferred from Notre Dame to the University of Nebraska-Omaha for his final collegiate season, hitting double-digit goals for the first time in the NCAA. Known mostly for his speed and puckhandling abilities, Pivonka went pointless in four games with Bridgeport on his tryout to end the 2022-23 season.

Piercey, who will also try and earn an entry-level deal with the Islanders, plays a power forward type game. The 21-year-old winger stands at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds and put up 70 points and 65 penalty minutes in 67 games with the Firebirds this season. After back-to-back 20-goal campaigns in junior hockey, Piercey will try and make an impact in Bridgeport’s bottom-six and impress the Islanders’ front office.

Leon Gawanke Signs Long-Term Deal In Germany

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Winnipeg Jets prospect Leon Gawanke signed a four-year contract with Adler Mannheim in the German DEL, The Athletic’s Murat Ates reported on Wednesday. The deal comes after the 23-year-old defender spent the past four seasons playing in the AHL for the Manitoba Moose.

Gawanke was selected by the Jets in the fifth round, 136th overall, of the 2017 NHL Draft. He played some junior hockey in Germany before moving to North America to play for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in the QMJHL in his draft year, 2016-17. Gawanke would then put up impressive numbers in juniors, tallying 57 points (17 goals, 40 assists) in 62 games in his final season with Cape Breton in 2018-19.

Since turning pro, Gawanke has played exclusively with the Moose, aside from a six-game loan to the DEL’s Eisbären Berlin in the COVID-affected 2020-21 season. He has shown flashes of his offensive potential in the AHL, recording 114 points (35 goals, 79 assists) across 207 games. However, his defensive game is still a work in progress, and he hasn’t received any NHL looks throughout his time in Manitoba.

Gawanke was a non-factor in five playoff games for the Moose this season, posting just one assist and a -5 rating. As a pending restricted free agent, the Jets now have the choice to issue Gawanke a qualifying offer to retain his NHL rights when his German contract expires in 2027. He’ll have just turned 28, making an NHL role seemingly unlikely.

Adler Mannheim is one of the most successful teams in the DEL, having won seven championships since the team’s inception in 1994, most recently in 2019. The club hopes that Gawanke can help them add to that total in the coming seasons as part of a defensive corps that includes multiple former NHLers in John Gilmour, Korbinian Holzer, and Jyrki Jokipakka.

Gawanke’s departure also means more opportunity for other Jets defense prospects at the AHL level, such as Tyler Bauer, Declan Chisholm, and Simon Lundmark.

Sweden Announces 2023 World Championship Roster

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Sweden has revealed its roster for the upcoming 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship, and it’s filled with an impressive mix of NHL players, high-end SHL players, and young prospects. The team is hoping to bring in Sweden’s first medal at the tournament since winning back-to-back golds in 2017 and 2018.

Headlining the roster are some prominent NHLers, including seasoned veteran Jakob Silfverberg and younger players like Lucas Raymond, Jonatan Berggren, and Fabian Zetterlund. For Silfverberg, who’s rumored to return to Sweden after his current contract with the Anaheim Ducks expires, this is his first appearance at the Worlds in over a decade. There’s also top 2023 NHL Draft prospect Leo Carlsson, who could see his name called as early as third overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets after spending the entire season up in the SHL with Örebro HK.

On the blue line, Sweden is led by a pair of longtime NHLers in Christian Folin and Patrik Nemeth, but their best defender is undoubtedly Washington Capitals youngster Rasmus Sandin. Others, such as three-time Swiss league defenseman of the year Henrik Tömmernes, provide some valuable depth.

In net, Sweden will be relying on a trio of capable goaltenders led by one of the best prospects in the world – Jesper Wallstedt. The Minnesota Wild prospect posted a .908 save percentage in 38 games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild and put up a .940 mark in international play for Sweden last year at the World Junior Championship. If Wallstedt doesn’t run away with the crease, there’s a high-end second option in SHL and KHL veteran Lars Johansson, who recorded a sparkling .958 save percentage for Sweden at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The full roster can be found below:

F Pär Lindholm
F Dennis Everberg
F Marcus Sorensen
F Andre Petersson
F Leo Carlsson
F Lucas Raymond
F Oscar Lindberg
F Jakob Silfverberg
F Jonatan Berggren
F Fabian Zetterlund
F Linus Johansson
F Carl Grundström
F Jacob de La Rose
F Alexander Nylander

D Christian Folin
D Henrik Tömmernes
D Patrik Nemeth
D Lukas Bengtsson
D Rasmus Sandin
D Anton Lindholm
D Jonathan Pudas
D Joel Persson

G Jesper Wallstedt
G Lars Johansson
G Jacob Johansson

 

Florida Panthers Sign Mackie Samoskevich

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Forward prospect Mackie Samoskevich has agreed to terms with the Florida Panthers on a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Monday. Florida selected Samoskevich, 20, with the 24th overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft.

PuckPedia provided the terms of Samoskevich’s deal, which begins immediately with a $925,000 cap hit and expires after the 2024-25 season. At that point, he’ll be a restricted free agent. Given Samoskevich was on Florida’s reserve list at the time of the trade deadline, he is now eligible to play in any remaining Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Panthers.

Panthers general manager Bill Zito offered the following statement on the signing:

Mackie is a creative, dynamic playmaker who possesses an elite shooting ability and high hockey IQ. We’re excited to sign him to our organization and to see him take the next step in his progression as a professional.

The Connecticut-born Samoskevich comes from quite the hockey family, with sisters Maddy Samoskevich and Melissa Samoskevich putting up impressive numbers in their collegiate careers with Quinnipiac. Melissa Samoskevich had a breakout pro season for the PHF’s Connecticut Whale in 2022-23, scoring 16 points in 24 games.

Their brother opted to play his college hockey at the University of Michigan, though, where he reached the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four in back-to-back seasons. Samoskevich opted to turn pro at the end of Michigan’s season, signing a professional tryout agreement with Florida’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. There, he registered six assists in nine combined regular-season and playoff games, a strong start to a promising career.

Samoskevich was named to the Big 10 conference’s all-rookie team after the 2021-22 campaign after he registered 29 points in 40 games. He left those offensive totals in the dust this season, though, with 20 goals and 43 points in 39 games for Michigan.

He also represented the United States at the 2022 Men’s World Junior Championship, recording three assists in five games.

Boston Bruins Sign Matthew Poitras To ELC

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The Boston Bruins have signed forward Matthew Poitras to a three-year entry-level contract starting next season with a cap hit of $870,000, the team announced today.

Poitras, 19, is coming off a wildly successful season with the OHL’s Guelph Storm, where he recorded 95 points (16 goals, 79 assists) in 63 games. He ranked second in the league in assists and was tied for fifth in scoring.

Poitras also had a productive rookie season with Guelph in 2021-22, tallying 50 points (21 goals, 29 assists) in 68 games. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound forward was selected by the Bruins in the second round, 54th overall, of the 2022 NHL Draft.

Born in Brooklin, Ontario, Poitras is an incredibly cerebral center that plays a surgical game, identifying small gaps in the ice to escape defenders and make passes. It’s a style that tracks to translate well to NHL ice, where Poitras will have much less space and time to maneuver around the rink.

Poitras has only played two seasons of junior hockey, however, with his rookie campaign stripped due to the COVID pandemic. In all likelihood, he’s headed back to Guelph for another season of OHL hockey, looking to potentially surpass the 100-point mark in a single season. He would be the first Storm player to do so since Nate Schnarr in 2018-19.

Poitras’ contract is eligible for an entry-level slide due to his age, meaning if he plays less than 10 NHL games next season, the beginning of his contract will defer to the 2024-25 season.

Ottawa Senators Sign Jiří Smejkal To Entry-Level Contract

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The Ottawa Senators announced the signing of undrafted Czech forward Jiří Smejkal to a one-year, entry-level contract Friday morning. The 26-year-old, who spent the last seven seasons playing in top professional leagues around Europe, brings an intriguing mix of size and skill to the Senators organization.

Smejkal, who stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 223 pounds, could crack the Senators’ bottom six out of training camp next season. In the release announcing the news, general manager Pierre Dorion expressed excitement about the impact Smejkal could have on the team.

Jiří’s signing is a good addition for us; it improves our depth and provides us with an additional bottom-six option at forward. He’s a big body who’s strong with previous experience playing in North America which should help his transition to a rink with smaller dimensions. We’re pleased that he’s committed to the Senators for the next step in his career.

The North American experience Dorion is referencing came in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, when Smejkal played junior hockey with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors and Kamloops Blazers. In 130 games, he recorded 17 goals and 42 assists for 59 points, 102 penalty minutes, and a -25 rating.

In the past two seasons, Smekjal was a standout performer in the Finnish Liiga with Pelicans and in the SHL with IK Oskarshamn, where he recorded a combined 48 goals and 40 assists for 93 points across the two leagues. He also represented Czechia at the 2021 and 2022 IIHF Men’s World Championships, registering three goals and four assists in 18 games.

While Smejkal’s recent goal-scoring production is impressive, his size and physicality could be even more valuable to the Senators in a checking role. With his ability to play a power-forward style of game, he could provide a needed presence in front of the net and in board battles. His point production overseas suggests he’ll bring enough offensive IQ to avoid being a liability on the ice.

Smejkal, who can play left wing and center, is a classic low-risk, high-reward acquisition, especially at a one-year term. Per CapFriendly, Smejkal will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

Detroit Red Wings Prospect Albin Grewe Likely To Become Free Agent

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Detroit Red Wings forward prospect Albin Grewe has signed a two-year contract with Djurgårdens IF of the Swedish second-tier league, HockeyAllvenskan; the team announced this morning. With Grewe’s exclusive draft rights set to expire on June 1, 2023, the news likely means Grewe will not be signing an entry-level contract with Detroit and will be a free agent when and if he does decide to come to North America.

Grewe, a 22-year-old who can play both wings, was selected in the third round (66th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft by Detroit after a season where he racked up over a point per game and over 100 penalty minutes in just 25 Swedish junior games, also representing Sweden at the U18 Men’s World Junior Championship. In 2020-21, Grewe appeared in 11 games with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins on a tryout contract at the end of the season, registering two assists.

Upon expiration of his contract with Djurgården in 2025, Grewe will be able to sign an entry-level contract with any NHL team if there’s interest. Grewe previously spent five years in the Djurgården organization between 2016 and 2021 before bouncing around between the Allsvenkan’s Mora IK and the Liiga’s Ilves over the past two seasons.

Grewe’s offensive production has been inconsistent since his draft year, but the 2022-23 season was especially tough. He registered 11 points in 41 games with Mora IK, a step back from his previous season, and hasn’t been able to display a consistent development track since his draft year.

San Jose Sharks Sign Georgi Romanov

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May 3: The Sharks have made the signing official, confirming the two-year length. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

May 2: It appears the San Jose Sharks are making an early splash in the undrafted free-agent market. Per a report from Russian outlet Sport Express, the Sharks have signed goaltender Georgi Romanov to a two-year entry-level contract.

Romanov, 23, certainly has the size NHL teams desire. At 6-foot-5 and 207 pounds, there are few netminders who fill out the crease more than Romanov.

Developed in the Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg system, Romanov has been the starter for consecutive seasons for Gornyak-UGMK, Yekaterinburg’s affiliate in the Russian minors (VHL). While his save percentages have dipped slightly since, Romanov had marks of at least .930 in the VHL and juniors (MHL) between 2019 and 2021.

While the Sharks have both James Reimer and Aaron Dell as free agents this summer, they still boast solid organizational depth for goaltenders, at least among prospects. Romanov would become the fourth goalie under the age of 25 signed to an NHL contract by San Jose, with two other drafted prospects under the age of 21. It leaves 26-year-old Kaapo Kähkönen as the resident veteran in the San Jose crease, a position they’re expected to fill out more in free agency unless they opt for an untested youngster in the backup role to an inconsistent Kähkönen.

Assuming the report relayed by Sport Express from Romanov’s agent is true, he would become a restricted free agent in 2025.

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