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Minor Transactions: 12/05/21

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Notable in-season roster moves are not limited only to NHL trades, claims, recalls, and reassignments. Transactions in the minors, European leagues, and junior and college ranks often include familiar names or impact current NHL prospects. Keep up with all of these moves here:

  • New Jersey Devils prospect Jaromir Pytlik is on his way to play with none other than Jaromir Jagr. The young Czech forward has had a disappointing season in Finland, loaned by the Liiga’s KalPa to the second-tier Metsis. Pytlik has opted to move on from that situation and return home, signing a contract for the remainder of the season with Rytiri Kladno. Kladno, of course, is most famous for player-owner Jagr and also features a number of other former NHLers. Pytlik, a big, well-rounded center selected by the Devils in the fourth round in 2020, will now have the opportunity to take a big step in his development by learning from one of the best to ever play the game.
  • Former Boston Bruins prospect Cedric Pare has signed his first AHL contract, as the Belleville Senators have announced a one-year deal with the young center. Pare had been with the team on loan from the ECHL, but earned an official promotion with four points in 13 games. Pare, 22, was an underwhelming prospect for the Bruins, who ultimately opted not to offer him an entry-level contract. However, Pare then rose to relevance as the center for eventual top overall pick Alexis Lafreniere for the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic in 2019-20. After the big, two-way center excelled in the ECHL last season as well, he looks to have the makings of a capable pro.
  • Another former QMJHL star is getting a shot at the AHL, though for now on a loan basis. The ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions have announced that leading scorer Peter Abbandonato has been recalled by the AHL’s Laval Rocket. Abbandonato recorded 111 points for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in his final junior season in 2018-19 and, though not immediately considered a future NHLer, at least looked to be an intriguing pro. He recorded 27 points in 55 games with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch over the past two years, but could not find an AHL deal this summer. Back home in Quebec though, he will get his shot in Laval after notching 11 goals and 23 points in 17 games with the Lions.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Calgary Flames Assign Juuso Valimaki To AHL

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The Calgary Flames have assigned defenseman Juuso Valimaki to the AHL’s Stockton Heat, per a team tweet.

Valimaki doesn’t require waivers, so there’s no chance of the Flames losing one of their best defense prospects. However, Valimaki’s cap hit is $1.55MM, and not all of that can be buried in the minors. It appears as though roughly $500,000 of Valimaki’s cap hit will still count towards the cap while he’s buried in the minors.

It’s been a tough start to the season for Valimaki, who hasn’t meshed well with coach Darryl Sutter and has played in just eight games, registering two assists.

He still has the pedigree and potential of a 16th overall pick, however. The 23-year-old was one of the team’s more impressive players last season, playing the full season with the team and scoring 11 points in 49 games.

The assignment to Stockton is an effort to get Valimaki into some more game action, as it’s not doing him much good to just sit on the bench.

The Flames still have Michael Stone, who’s played in just one game this season, to serve as the team’s seventh defenseman.

College Hockey Round-Up: 11/16/21

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College hockey in the NCAA has been growing rapidly in recent years into one of the top developmental pathways for NHL talent in the world. Yet, it is still limited by the NCAA’s amateurism rules, which in most cases do not allow any individuals with “professional” experience in their sport to participate in college athletics. In hockey, this prohibits anyone who has played in a Canadian major junior league or European pro league from taking their talents to the NCAA.

However, change could be on the horizon. The NCAA held a Constitutional Convention on Monday, during which they unveiled a working draft of a new, decentralized and deregulated set of rules for the NCAA that will put the power of structure and governance into the hands of each of the three divisions. That will mean little at first, but will almost certainly lead to sweeping changes down the line at the Division I level as they reconsider how they want to be run once separate from Division II and III, which are materially different. Could amateurism rules be one of the major alterations? It sure seems likely. The NCAA has already embraced publicity rights or “NIL” for student-athletes and the rewritten constitution stresses the importance of student-athlete welfare. Division I is also the most financially-driven segment of the NCAA and will have to address a number of fiscal decisions. Is limiting hockey athletes from Division I hockey because they received a stipend in Canada or a few game checks in Europe the best for the athletes? The game? The revenue stream? Probably not on all counts. For now, the 2021-22 season moves along unaffected, but the structure of college hockey could look much different in the not-too-distant future.

Recent Results

While many are already tired of the narrative, it continues to hold true. No. 1 Michigan is the class of the NCAA this season and heavy favorite to win the title. The rest of the top five are certainly not slouches, but they simply pale in comparison to the star-studded Wolverines, who swept rival Michigan State as well as Penn State in recent weeks. They share the best points percentage with only No. 5 Quinnipiac and have the nation’s top offense. Until further notice, no one is passing Michigan up as the top team in the NCAA.

No. 2 St. Cloud State, No. 3 Minnesota State, and No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth are certainly not slouches. The Huskies are a reigning finalist with the best scoring margin and second-best defense in the country. The Mavericks are a top-five offense, uncharacteristic for a typically conservative team, and share the top scoring margin claim with St. Cloud. Duluth has won two and appeared in three of the past four championships and just narrowly missed another appearance last year. Yet, all three programs picked up unexpected losses in recent weeks – the Mavericks’ loss to Ferris State chief among them – which has kept them in Michigan’s shadow.

It is actually No. 5 Quinnipiac that might be the most impressive team behind Michigan of late. The Bobcats top record was boosted by a 4-0 run over the past two weekends of action, while their top-ranked defense remained stout. The top five in the country is new territory for Quinnipiac, but the ECAC program may just be getting started. With a good strength of schedule to go with a leading record, a couple more statement wins could leapfrog the team into the No. 1 conversation (or at least No. 2).

No. 6 North Dakota is also on a run following a surprising loss to Penn State in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame game back on October 30. The Fighting Hawks bounced back with sweeps of No. 11 Denver and Miami, establishing themselves as a real threat for the title. No. 14 Notre Dame also went undefeated in its four games over the past two weeks and holds the nation’s top penalty kill. The Fighting Irish just need to beat some fellow top dogs if they want to move up.

Two teams shooting up the rankings are No. 15 UMass Lowell and No. 17 Ohio State. Both teams are taking advantage of some top teams in turmoil in their respective conferences to make a name for themselves. The Riverhawks are undefeated in their past four games, all against Hockey East competition, sweeping Boston University and adding wins against No. 18 Northeastern and No. 19 Boston College. They hold a top-five record in college hockey right now. Ohio State meanwhile has been menacing defensively with a top-five mark, helping to sweep Penn State and split with No. 7 Minnesota. Suddenly the Buckeyes are the third-highest ranked team in the Big Ten and have already shown that they can skate with the Gophers just ahead of them.

Early Hobey Favorites

It’s never too early for MVP talk and even just six weeks into the season there are already some names making cases for the Hobey Baker Award. Denver’s Carter Savoie (EDM) remains out in front with a league-leading 1.7 points per game that fuels the Pioneers’ third-ranked offense. However, there are others closing the gap in the scoring race. Taylor Ward of No. 9 Omaha is quickly becoming a top name to watch on the college free agent market. The senior forward leads the country in goals and is tied with only top-five NHL Draft selection Kent Johnson (CLB) of Michigan in points per game, behind Savoie. Fellow undrafted prospects Drew Worrad of Western Michigan and Matthew Kopperud of Arizona State are also in the scoring race, followed closely by none other than reigning No. 1 overall pick Owen Power.

Power and Johnson and not alone as Wolverines excelling statistically. Matthew Beniers (SEA) is tied for third in goal scoring. Luke Hughes (NJD) is third in scoring among defensemen, while leading the NCAA in plus/minus at +16. His defense partner, Jacob Truscott (VAN), is in second at +14. The problem of course is that the top-ranked team in the country is so stacked that it will be difficult for any one player to make a case for the Hobey Baker. A standout on a top team where NHL talent is more sparse will have a better shot, such as Savoie or Ward or Jake Sanderson (OTT) of North Dakota, who trails only Power in defensive scoring.

In net, there are several goaltenders off to strong starts, but perhaps not quite in the Hobey Baker conversation just yet. Devon Levi (BUF) is on his way though, leading the pack with a .943 save percentage and a second-place goals against average of 1.57. St. Cloud’s David Hrenak (LAK) leads that category with a 1.50 GAA to go along with a .939 SV% that comes in behind only Levi. Perhaps the two most valuable goaltenders thus far though are not even drafted prospects. Matt Murray is back in the starter’s net for UMass and keeping the Minutemen in games with his third-ranked .927 SV% and top-ten GAA. Longtime standout Dryden McKay of Minnesota State unsurprisingly holds a top-five GAA and top-ten SV% as well. Both could draw interest from NHL clubs later this spring, a nice consolation if they aren’t Hobey Baker finalists.

Trouble Brewing In Beantown

The hotbed of college hockey has grown cold with two historic programs struggling immensely this season. Sure, No. 16 Harvard and No. 18 Northeastern wish they were ranked higher, but it is No. 19 Boston College and unranked Boston University who are of real concern. Perennial favorites loaded with NHL talent, both the Eagles and Terriers are falling well short of expectations.

BC is 6-5-1 to begin the year and only their preseason rank and their (barely) winning record is keeping them ranked. The Eagles have dropped games to lowly programs like Bentley, Colorado College, and Merrimack while picking up half of their wins against the likes of Holy Cross, Vermont, and Merrimack again. Boston College has ten NHL draft picks on the roster, which ranks sixth in college hockey. It’s actually slightly low for the team and doesn’t include any first rounders, but even in an off year the Eagles should be outperforming their current record, especially considering the light schedule. Of the two, BC is more likely to turn their season around, but showed few signs of life in their last game, a convincing loss to UMass Lowell.

BU is in far worse shape. The Terriers have struggled to find sustained success for several years now, but this is a new low. The team is 4-7-1 and has long since left the national rankings. In fact, they received only three voting points in the latest poll. Boston University was swept by Northern Michigan and split series with Merrimack and Sacred Heart, which account for two of their three regulation wins on the year. With 14 NHL prospects in the program, the Terriers trail only Minnesota for the most in the NCAA. Unlike BC, the group includes two first-round picks, as well as four second-round picks, and an average draft position in the late third round. If all of those players have the seal of approval of pro clubs, it isn’t a recruiting problem for BU. Head coach Albie O’Connell’s seat was already hot entering this season; it’s on fire now. Recently hired assistant Jay Pandolfo, who left the Boston Bruins for his alma mater, could be getting the call soon.

With the growth of the college game, it is refreshing to see some other programs with top rankings and national headlines so far this season, but there will always be a draw for historic programs like BC and BU. For the good of NCAA hockey, hopefully the two Boston powerhouses and their talented rosters figure it out soon.

Snapshots: World Juniors, Poehling, Domi

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The World Junior tournament is coming quickly, with the first game just over six weeks from now. As players are sent back to their respective junior teams after short NHL stints, the available options for the event are becoming more clear. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic projects the rosters for the U.S., Canada, Russia, Sweden, and Finland, the groups that are dominated by NHL-drafted prospects.

He also gives his predictions on how the tournament will play out, including medals for three of the usual powerhouses. The tournament is always a point of attention on the hockey calendar as fans around the world get a chance to see the next wave of NHL stars compete at a high level.

  • Ryan Poehling, who won silver and bronze medals at the World Juniors a few years ago, will make his season debut for the Montreal Canadiens tonight. The 22-year-old is off to a great start in the minor leagues with six points in seven games for the Laval Rocket and will get a chance to show he’s ready for the next level. After making quite a splash by scoring a hat trick in his NHL debut more than two years ago, Poehling has only managed two points in 27 games at the highest level.
  • Though he’s completed his mandatory quarantine, Max Domi remains in the protocol for the Columbus Blue Jackets as he goes through the other health screenings involved to make sure he’s strong enough to return. The 26-year-old forward hasn’t played since October 31 and has just four games under his belt this season.

Seth Jarvis To Make NHL Debut; Nino Niederreiter Out

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Despite putting up 11 points in nine games for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL last season, Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis was not eligible to return to the minor leagues this time around. He’s still just 19, and given he didn’t cross the 20-game threshold to secure a one-time AHL exemption like some other prospects, if he failed to make the Hurricanes he would have to return to the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL.

At the end of training camp, the team did not send Jarvis back, but also didn’t put him in the NHL lineup. The Hurricanes have played in seven games (and won them all); Jarvis has played in none.

That will change this afternoon when the young forward enters the lineup for his NHL debut. After Nino Niederreiter suffered a lower-body injury on Friday night, the Hurricanes have confirmed that Jarvis comes in against the Arizona Coyotes. Niederreiter is expected to be out a few weeks with the ankle injury, a big blow for a player that was off to a nice start to the season. With three goals already, the 29-year-old was well on his way to another 20-goal campaign, a level he returned to in 2020-21 after a disappointing performance the year prior.

Selected 13th overall in 2020, Jarvis has already shown he can dominate the junior ranks and has little to prove with the Winterhawks. He even showed he could be an electric presence at the AHL level with seven goals in nine games last season, and was a highlight reel every night in the preseason. Whether that huge offensive upside lends itself to real NHL action right away remains to be seen, but he’ll get a chance this afternoon.

Of note, like with any prospect his age, is that Jarvis’ entry-level contract will not kick in until he plays in ten games this season. Should he hit that threshold, the first year will be burned and he will become a restricted free agent in 2024. If he plays fewer, that RFA summer would become 2025.

College Hockey Round-Up: 10/29/21

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While the college hockey season has been underway for a full month, this weekend marks a momentous return to the game for a number of schools. The Ivy Leagues are finally back, getting started on Friday night with their first games in 19 months. Not since before the 2019-20 NCAA Tournament was cancelled due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic have some of these historic programs graced the ice, as the Ivy League schools cancelled all sports last year. The decision left the ECAC, home to all six Ivy League men’s hockey participants, with just half of its teams, cost the Ivy League’s a number of their players and recruits, and left the college ranks without some of its best programs and players. That is all in the past now, as play has resumed for Ivy League elite. No. 15 Harvard and No. 16 Cornell have maintained their preseason top-20 spots despite the late start based purely on high expectations. The Crimson will jump right into conference play against Dartmouth on Friday, while the Big Red host Alaska. Princeton, who has also received some votes in the national rankings, opens on the road against Army, while Brown and Yale get started against one another. It’s good to have all of those teams back.

Recent Results

After falling just short of a National Championship last year and seeing three other teams in the top spot this season other than them, the now-No. 1 St. Cloud Huskie finally got tired of playing second fiddle. After No. 2 Michigan impressed two weeks ago but came back to earth last weekend and dropped the top ranking, St. Cloud was happy to take over. The team sits at 6-2-0 on the year, but one of those losses was a controversial overtime decision against No. 7 Minnesota two weekends ago, just one night after they handily beat the Gophers. St. Cloud then dominated the Wisconsin Badgers last week. The Huskies have proven themselves, but now comes the new challenge of holding on to the throne as opposed to chasing it.

The Wolverines still remain the biggest threat and few are regretting making them the off-season title favorite. In the in-season Ice Breaker tournament in Duluth, Michigan took down both the host, No. 4 Minnesota Duluth, and No. 3 Minnesota State, then the top team in the rankings, and did so in convincing fashion. They faced some cross-state kryptonite last weekend in No. 12 Western Michigan, suffering a loss in game one and needing OT to take game two. However, the star-studded Wolverines have shown they can skate with anyone and are still a top contender.

The Bulldogs shook off their loss to Michigan, picking up a win against an outmatched No. 8 Providence College (who also lost to Minnesota State) in the Ice Breaker and then sweeping rival Minnesota last weekend. Give the Gophers credit for their strength of schedule though, facing Duluth and St. Cloud in their past four games. Providence also got some strength of schedule credit in the latest voting and didn’t hurt their case with wins over No. 11 Denver and New Hampshire last weekend.

Amidst all the in-fighting between the other top-ten teams, No. 5 Quinnipiac and No. 6 North Dakota have flown under the radar and lander quietly into prime positions. The Bobcats and Fighting Hawks squared off with each other last weekend and by splitting the series somehow each got a boost in the rankings. North Dakota also split their prior series with No. 17 Bemidji, but a 4-2-0 record against some top competition is enough to get them to No. 6.

Speaking of quiet contenders, who had No. 10 Nebraksa-Omaha as sharing the best winning percentage in the NCAA with Michigan at this point in the season? The 5-1-0 Mavericks were off last weekend and may have only beaten Alaska the weekend before, but they’ll take a top-ten spot by whatever means they can get it.

The season really starts to take off this weekend, not only for the Ivy Leagues making their debuts but for a number of top teams like Quinnipiac, Western Michigan, the defending champs No. 12 UMass, No. 18 Michigan Tech, and a number of other teams who have four or fewer games played so far this season and still haven’t shown exactly what they can be.

The Other Savoie

The 2021-22 season was supposed to be all about Matthew Savoie. The star center for the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice is a consensus top-five pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and could easily go as high as second overall in July. His 16 points in 11 games thus far is tied for third-best in the WHL.

Yet, not to be outdone is older brother. Carter Savoie is off to a torrid start to his NCAA season and, though far too early to be worth much weight, might just be the current Hobey Baker favorite. The Denver winger, a fourth-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2020, has taken a major step forward in his sophomore year. Savoie recorded 20 points in 24 games as a freshman, getting off to a very solid start to his college career. Through six games this season though, Savoie already has 12 points, more than half of last year’s total and one assist shy of his 24-game mark from last season. Savoie’s six goals are the same has his younger brother, but in nearly half as many games. Savoie currently leads the NCAA in points per game and is tied for fourth in plus/minus. He sits tied for third in overall scoring, but only trails those with two more games played than he has and is remarkably the only player in the country with 12+ points from a ranked team or who is a plus player.

Right now, Savoie looks like the most dangerous scorer in college hockey. He could end up being an x-factor come tournament time for the current No. 11 team in the country too. Denver should cherish it while it lasts though; at this rate, Savoie will score his way right to Edmonton next season. A team that can always use affordable secondary scoring, Savoie is on pace for a season that will make him a contender for an Oilers roster spot next year. Will all of this be enough for the older brother to steal the spotlight from his younger brother? Wait and see.

Recruiting Recap

While National Signing Day is right around the corner on November 10, most players make verbal commitments long before signing an NLI and most of those commitments stick. There has been a flurry of such news of late, some of which will become official in a couple and some that is for further down the road, but all of which is worth monitoring.

While the biggest recruiting news of the recent stretch was USNTDP standout and likely top-16 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Rutger McGroarty, committing to Michigan. However, he was far from the only draft prospect to do so of late. The following are recent commits that are all not only eligible for the 2022 Draft, but are likely to hear their names called at some point: Alex Bump (Vermont), George Fegaras (Cornell), Quinn Finley (Wisconsin), Gibson Homer (Arizona State), and Dylan Silverstein (Boston College). The latter is the most notable addition; Silverstein is currently a teammate of McGroarty’s on the USNTDP, the starting goalie for the elite development club. He now heads to a program that has been producing top young NHL goalies with regularity. Silverstein is not expected to be one of the top two or three netminders selected in July, but after his time at BC he could be a polished, pro-ready prospect in goal.

Western Michigan skipped the draft hype and grabbed a player who has already been drafted. Defenseman Samuel Sjolund, a fourth-round pick of the Dallas Stars this year, has committed to join the Broncos. The two-way blue liner is an import from Sweden who is just beginning his first season in the USHL, but already has three points and a +3 rating in eight games with the Dubuque Fighting Saints, where he’s playing alongside several other NHL prospects and NCAA commits. Western Michigan is not known for collecting NHL talent, with just two drafted players on the roster right now, but has been a growing program in recent years and made a statement last weekend against their powerhouse neighbors in Ann Arbor. Sjolund is joining a program that is ready to make some noise at a championship level before too long.

 

Minnesota Wild Place Jordan Greenway On Injured Reserve

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The Minnesota Wild placed winger Jordan Greenway on injured reserve Friday afternoon, recalling Adam Beckman from the Iowa Wild in his place, per a team release.

Greenway suffered a lower-body injury during Thursday night’s game against the Seattle Kraken after taking a hit from Kraken captain Mark Giordano.

The Athletic’s Michael Russo expands on the nature of a recent injury bug that’s hit the Wild, stating defenseman Alex Goligoski is out one to two weeks with an upper-body injury while Dmitry Kulikov is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

If Beckman draws into the lineup, it will be his NHL debut. The 75th overall pick in 2019 has seen his stock rise sharply and now finds himself mentioned in a trio of skilled forward prospects in Minnesota’s system, along with Marco Rossi and Matthew Boldy. Beckman has three points in four AHL games this season.

Greenway’s had somewhat of a rough start to the season with just two assists in seven games. He was expected to be a major contributor in the team’s top-six forward group after scoring a career-high 32 points in 56 games last season.

Beckman could certainly get a look playing directly in Greenway’s spot with Ryan Hartman and Marcus Foligno, but head coach Dean Evason could also shuffle the team’s line combinations to put Beckman in less of a checking role.

Rutger McGroarty Commits To Michigan

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Will the sun ever set on the Michigan empire? Technically the Wolverines have yet to actually win anything, but the No. 1-ranked team in the country is the heavy favorite to take the NCAA title this year and keep adding pieces that should make them of one if not the top contender for another year or two. The latest is forward Rutger McGroarty of the U.S. National Team Development Program, a consensus first-round pick and potential top-ten selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. College Hockey News’ Mike McMahon reports that McGroarty has verbally committed to Michigan and is expected to be part of their 2023 freshman class.

McGroarty, 17, has made his development intentions clear and just in time, with the National Letter of Intent signing period opening in just a few weeks. McGroarty was believed be considering a number of options – and not just within the college route – but it is hard to turn down an opportunity with Michigan right now. The Wolverines are the most talented team on paper bar none in the college ranks right now. Owen Power (BUF, No. 1 overall in 2021), Matthew Beniers (SEA, No. 2 overall in 2021), Luke Hughes (NJD, No. 4 overall in 2021), Kent Johnson (CLB, No. 5 overall in 2021),  Mackie Samoskevich (FLA, No. 24 overall in 2021), Brendan Brisson (VGK, No. 29 overall in 2020), Johnny Beecher (BOS, No. 30 overall in 2019) and Thomas Bordeleau (SJS, No. 38 overall in 2020) highlight a roster chock full of NHL talent, which also includes Erik Portillo (BUF) and Dylan Duke (TBL). While some of these players will depart after this season, especially if the Wolverines take home in the NCAA crown, reinforcements are on the way.  2023 top prospect Adam Fantilli is set to arrive in 2022 alongside McGroarty’s USNTDP teammate and fellow projected first-rounder Frank Nazar. In 2023, McGroarty is expected to be joined by another current teammate and potential 2022 top pick Seamus Casey and two current U-17 standouts and 2023 hopefuls Charlie Cerrato and Trey Augustine. At this rate, several other elite prospects are likely to call Ann Arbor home soon too. It’s an embarrassment of riches in Michigan right now but McGroarty should be one of the best of the next wave.

The hype around McGroarty is well-founded as the skilled center brings a balanced attack with both goal-scoring and play-making ability. He already has four goals and ten points in eight games for the U-18 team this season after scoring at better than a point-per-game pace in 35 contests with the U-17 group last year. McGroarty also boasts 200+ lb. size already as well and has another year to continue bulking up before tackling the college level. A comparable player to recent USNTDP star and top pick Alex Turcotte, McGroarty could rise up draft boards this season to become a household name by draft day.

Cole Perfetti Assigned To AHL

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Usually, when a 19-year-old CHL prospect is knocked out of the NHL lineup, his team is forced to send back to junior for the whole year or just hold him as an extra. Both are sometimes detrimental for his development, so for years, teams have wished for an AHL exemption when it comes to elite prospects. This year, that exemption exists for a handful of players who spent at least 20 games at the AHL level last season.

Today, the Winnipeg Jets and Cole Perfetti will take advantage of it, as the young forward has been assigned to the Manitoba Moose. Perfetti played in 32 games with Manitoba last season when the OHL campaign was canceled and actually did quite well. Despite being younger than almost every one of his opponents, the 2020 first-round pick racked up 26 points in 32 games for the Moose. Now he’ll get the chance to build on that performance and continue his professional career, instead of returning to the OHL where he had already proved his dominance.

Perfetti made the Jets out of camp but was a healthy scratch on Tuesday night as the Jets decided to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen against the Minnesota Wild. One thing to remember when it comes to this decision is that while Perfetti has an exemption and can play in the AHL, his contract status is no different than any other 19-year-old prospect. That is, if he plays in eight more games this season he would burn the first year of his entry-level deal. If not–even if he’s playing in the AHL–that deal will slide forward a year and not expire until 2025.

Another added bonus of sending him to the AHL instead of the OHL? Perfetti can be recalled at any point should he show enough to earn a full-time NHL spot, or if the team has injuries that need to be covered. With the team potentially bracing for more positive COVID-19 results, he could even be up within a few days. The Moose are on the road in Laval tonight, but will return home to Manitoba for a four-game homestand that starts on Friday night. If Perfetti’s to continue developing into the player the Jets projected at 10th overall, he needs to play.

Snapshots: Draft Rankings, Golden Knights, Girard

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NHL Central Scouting released their list of “players to watch” for the upcoming 2022 NHL Draft, and potential first-overall pick Shane Wright is one of 23 players ranked as an “A” prospect. The others, which include names like Brad Lambert, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Conor Geekie, and Matthew Savoie, are obviously all names to keep in mind as this year progresses.

Notably, there are only five defensemen and no goaltenders ranked as “A” prospects, with forwards dominating the top of the list this year. The group is also tilted slightly toward North American skaters, with 13 of the 23 coming from this side of the pond.

  • The Vegas Golden Knights may have dodged a bullet when it comes to Mark Stone, who won’t need surgery according to Jesse Granger of The Athletic. The Golden Knights captain is somewhere “between day to day and week to week” says head coach Pete DeBoer. Mattias Janmark, meanwhile, is still in the COVID protocol and will not be available tomorrow night. DeBoer expects him to be cleared soon.
  • The first three players on each Olympic roster have already been announced, but a few days ago each participating nation also had to submit a “long list” of potential NHL candidates. Though it hasn’t been released to the public yet, at least one name won’t be included. Samuel Girard told reporters including Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press that received a call from Canada GM Doug Armstrong, who explained that he did not make the long list. It certainly would have been difficult for Girard to make the team anyway, but his exclusion even from the possible targets shows just how deep the Canadian blue line is.

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