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Philadelphia Flyers Name Ian Laperriere As AHL Head Coach

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The Philadelphia Flyers have not wasted any time with finding a replacement for their AHL head coach vacancy. While many other teams continue to interview coaches for roles without any formal hires, the Flyers have made the first major coaching decision of the off-season. After parting ways with Scott Gordon less than three weeks ago, the team has announced that Ian Laperriere has been named the head coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Of course, this means the Flyers now have another position to fill. Laperriere has served as an assistant coach for the NHL club since 2013-14, working under Craig Berube, Dave Hakstol, and Alain Vigneault, as well as briefly under Gordon, the man he is now replacing. Before that, he was the director of player development for the organization, which ties into his new role overseeing the Flyers’ pro prospects. The move thus comes as no surprise, as Philadelphia decides to stay internal with a trusted name, but also allowing Vigneault to bring in a new face for his staff.

Laperriere, 47, transitioned directly from his playing career into his professional career with the Flyers, hanging up his skates in 2012 after playing his final three years in Philadelphia. However, complications from a concussion suffered during the 2010 postseason actually kept him from competing in those final two seasons. Instead, he stayed on in a support role to the organization and was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for his efforts. In total, Laperriere played over 1,000 games in the NHL as a fearsome enforcer and two-way forward. His experience both on and off the ice has him set up well to coach the Flyers’ AHL prospects, currently a deep and talented group.

Nashville Predators Sign Juuso Parssinen

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June 1: The Predators have officially announced the deal, confirming the three-year, entry-level contract.

May 29: The Nashville Predators have reportedly come to terms with an upstart forward prospect. Contract resources CapFriendly and PuckPedia both reports that the club and 20-year-old forward prospect Juuso Parssinen have agreed to the required three-year entry-level contract beginning in 2021-22 and carrying a $850,833 cap hit. The alleged contract breakdown is as follows:

  • 2021-22: $750K base salary + $92.5K signing bonus and $82.5K games played bonus
  • 2022-23: $750K base salary + $92.5K signing bonus and $82.5K games played bonus
  • 2022-23: $775K base salary + $92.5K signing bonus and $57.5K games played bonus

Parssinen has improved by leaps and bounds since being selected by the Predators in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Draft. Picked 210th overall, Parssinen was just eight selections away from going undrafted altogether. However, Nashville has to be glad they used a late-round flier on the Finnish product. Parssinen had played only seven games in the Liiga, Finland’s top pro level, and had recorded just one point when he was selected by the Predators. The following season, that production climbed to 12 points in 31 Liiga games, while Parssinen also enjoyed his best per-game scoring season at the U-20 junior level. And this season? The young center played exclusively in the Liiga to the tune of a whopping 42 points in 55 games, good enough for second on TPS in scoring and even earning him an alternate captain role despite his young age. He also added four points in seven games for Team Finland at the World Junior Championship, holding is own playing with and against elite NHL prospects.

While Parssinen’s scoring progression in Finland is enough to get Predators fans’ attention, they may not want to get too excited. Although Parssinen is now officially under contract, he also just signed a two-year extension with TPS back in February. That could mean that the promising young pivot remains overseas on loan for at least one, if not two years. However, when Parssinen does finally arrive in Nashville he will be that much more polished a player. At about 6’3″ and 200 pounds, there is also little concern about him adjusting to the bigger, stronger, more aggressive North American game.

If a late seventh-round pick with net front presence and leadership ability drafted out of Scandinavia who surprises with his impressive European production sounds familiar to Predators fans, it should. In many ways, Parssinen’s path to this point mirrors that of former Nashville star Patric Hornqvist, the 230th pick in 2005 out of Sweden’s Djurgardens IF. If Parssinen has the chance to even come close to making the impact on the organization that Hornvist did, perhaps it isn’t too early for fans to get excited.

Prospect Notes: Plasek, Walli Walterholm, Westerlund

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There are more than two dozen prospects that will see their draft rights expire if not signed by tomorrow afternoon, but for some of them the decision is already made. The Vancouver Canucks for instance are expected to sign Karel Plasek according to Thomas Drance of The Athletic. Drance notes that it’s Plasek’s hockey IQ that the team believes in and wants him to join their AHL team in Abbotsford next season.

The 20-year-old forward had six goals and ten points in 44 games with Brno Kometa this season and is two years removed from going 175th overall in the 2019 draft.

  • Not everyone is signing though, as Craig Morgan of AZ Hockey Now reports that Erik Walli Walterholm will not ink a deal with the Arizona Coyotes. Walli Walterholm was a seventh-round pick in 2017 and has experience at the SHL level, but played this season in the Swedish second tier. Though he scored just 14 points during the regular season, the 22-year-old forward turned things around in the playoffs, recording nine points in 15 games for Timra.
  • Perhaps more significant is the news on teammate Filip Westerlund, the Coyotes’ second-round pick, 44th overall in 2017. Morgan reports that he is also not expected to sign, making him a free agent. The 22-year-old defenseman had 21 points in 52 games during the regular season and was once regarded as a top prospect, even ranked 15th among international skaters by NHL Central Scouting in 2017. Of the nine players selected by the Coyotes that year, only two—Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Mackenzie Entwistle—have played in the NHL, but neither for Arizona.

Snapshots: NHL Draft Forwards, Rangers Front Office, Johnson

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Just three days after NHL Central Scouting released its top five lists for North American and international players, NHL.com’s Mike Morreale released his list of the top 10 forwards for upcoming NHL draft. With no dominant player at the top of draft lists this year, most draft rankings have differed significantly from list to list, and Morreale’s is no different. After NHL Central Scouting listed Michigan center Matthew Beniers as the No. 6-ranked North American skater, Morreale has him as the top NHL forward in this upcoming draft, moving him ahead of names such as Mason McTavish, Kent Johnson and Dylan Guenther.

McTavish, who has moved up the draft rankings quite a bit since his performance at the recent WJC-18’s, ranking as the second-best forward in the draft. He notched five goals and 11 points in seven games for gold-medal winning Team Canada. Sweden’s William Eklund, Johnson and Guenther round out the top five.

  • It looks as if the New York Rangers front office continues to get smaller and smaller as the New York Post’s Larry Brooks confirms that Nick Bobrov, who has served as the team’s director of European scouting over the last six years has left the organization. Bobrov has had a hand in quite a bit of the Rangers’ drafts over the years, giving the team quite an international flavor in their young prospects. Bobrov joins a list of exiting executives, including the firings of President John Davidson, GM Jeff Gorton and head coach David Quinn as well as the resignation of Brian Leetch of Hockey Ops.
  • The Colorado Avalanche got a welcome sight on the ice when defenseman Erik Johnson stepped onto the ice this morning for an optional morning skate, according to The Athletic’s Peter Baugh. The veteran blueliner has been out since January with an upper-body injury and was ruled out for the season. Head coach Jared Bednar said he doubted that Johnson would return at some point in the playoffs, however. “I don’t know about him being fully cleared or anything like that to actually play,” said Bednar. “He’s just taking it step-by-step. … As he feels better, he’s doing more.”

Full 2021 List Of Expiring Draft Rights

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When drafting a player out of North America or any European country with a transfer agreement, a team acquires their exclusive negotiating rights for a set amount of time. Each year on June 1, a long list of players see those rights expire and become unrestricted free agents (or choose to re-enter the draft, depending on specific circumstances). This year, even though many other NHL deadlines have been shifted, June 1 will still act as the threshold for expiring draft rights.

While this doesn’t always result in a flurry of signings in the last week of May, there are usually a few players who ink their deals at the last minute to stay in the organization that drafted them. With the deadline set for 4:00 pm CT next Tuesday, CapFriendly has provided a full list of players who will see those rights expire:

Arizona Coyotes

Filip Westerlund (44th overall, 2017)
Erik Walli Walterholm (190th overall, 2017)

Buffalo Sabres

Marcus Davidsson (37th overall, 2017)

Calgary Flames

Filip Sveningsson (202nd overall, 2017)

Carolina Hurricanes

Ville Rasanen (197th overall, 2017)

Chicago Blackhawks

Roope Laavainen (119th overall, 2017)
Cole Moberg (194th overall, 2019)

Colorado Avalanche

Sasha Mutala (140th overall, 2019)
Luka Burzan (171st overall, 2019)

Dallas Stars

Nicholas Porco (142nd overall, 2019)

Detroit Red Wings

Malte Setkov (100th overall, 2017)

Florida Panthers

Henry Rybinski (136th overall, 2019)

Montreal Canadiens

Joni Ikonen (58th overall, 2017)
Jacob LeGuerrier (126th overall, 2019)
Kieran Ruscheinski (206th overall, 2019)

New York Islanders

Felix Bibeau (178th overall, 2019)
Cole Coskey (209th overall, 2019)

New York Rangers

Calle Sjalin (145th overall, 2017)

Ottawa Senators

Viktor Lodin (94th overall, 2019)

Philadelphia Flyers

Yegor Serdyuk (165th overall, 2019)
Roddy Ross (169th overall, 2019)

Pittsburgh Penguins 

Antti Palojarvi (186th overall, 2017)

St. Louis Blues

Anton Andersson (206th overall, 2017)
Jeremy Michel (217th overall, 2019)

Tampa Bay Lightning

Quinn Schmiemann (182nd overall, 2019)

Vancouver Canucks

Ethan Keppen (122nd overall, 2019)

Washington Capitals

Sebastian Walfridsson (151st overall, 2017)
Kristian Roykas Marthinsen (213th overall, 2017)

Winnipeg Jets

Santeri Virtanen (105th overall, 2017)

Vegas Golden Knights

Mason Primeau (141st overall, 2019)

Many of these players have already signed contracts in Europe (or, in the case of Andersson, retired from hockey altogether) suggesting they won’t be inking NHL deals by next week. Many others will simply become unrestricted free agents or sign minor league contracts to stay with the organization that drafted them.

Devils’ Gilles Senn Signs In Switzerland

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As had been speculated of late, New Jersey Devils goaltender Gilles Senn has decided to take his talents back home to Switzerland. Reportedly upset with his role in the organization this season, playing exclusively with AHL Binghamton, the 25-year-old restricted free agent was rumored to be available to Swiss NLA clubs and a return to long-time club HC Davos was the expected landing spot. Davos has now confirmed those expectations, announcing a new three-year deal with Senn.

While the Devils are not particularly deep in net behind Mackenzie Blackwood, especially with Scott Wedgewood and Aaron Dell heading for the open market, the loss of Senn should not make much of an impact. Although the Swiss standout was an exciting signing for the club in 2019 and even played in two NHL games in his first North American season, Senn has done little to impress with his AHL play over the past two years. He recorded an .899 save percentage and 3.06 GAA in 44 games with Binghamton and won just three of his 17 appearances in a poor 2020-21 campaign. Senn was very unlikely to be in the running for the backup job next season as a result. In fact, there is a chance that New Jersey may not have even extended a qualifying offer his way this summer. Senn’s departure now allows for promising prospects Akira Schmid and Nico Daws to potentially battle for AHL appearances right away as they are expected to turn pro for this coming season.

As for Senn, his new contract may keep him with Davos through the 2023-24 season, but it doesn’t completely rule out an NHL return down the road. At 28 years old when his deal expires and already possessing some North American experience, Senn could remain an intriguing option. However, teams have now seen him play in the AHL and NHL and some of the mystery is gone. Senn will have to play very well in Switzerland over the next few years if he wants a realistic chance at seeing NHL action again in his career.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Trent Miner

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The Colorado Avalanche have signed another one of their prospects, inking Trent Miner to a three-year entry-level contract. The young goaltender would have become an unrestricted free agent if not signed by June 1, but won’t have to worry about re-entering the draft.

Miner, 20, was originally selected 202nd overall by the Avalanche in 2019, but has quickly become more than just a seventh-round lottery ticket. In 15 games for the Vancouver Giants this season he posted a .915 save percentage, but it is the .903 he put up in six appearances for the Colorado Eagles that is so impressive. Miner even collected his first shutout at the AHL level when he blanked the Tucson Roadrunners in February, before he returned to the WHL for its shortened season.

In 84 games with the Giants, Miner has posted a 48-28-5 record and .910 save percentage. He’ll likely return to the Eagles for the 2021-22 season when this NHL contract kicks in, giving him a chance to show that his game lends itself better to the professional ranks than junior. At the very least, he gives the Avalanche another goaltender to plug into the pipeline and fill one of the minor league spots while they deal with the position at the NHL level. Philipp Grubauer, Devan Dubnyk, and Jonas Johansson are all unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, meaning there could be some opportunity for younger goaltenders to move up.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Alex Beaucage

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Not a bad week so far for Alex Beaucage. On Sunday, he scored two goals in game four of the QMJHL semi-finals, on Tuesday his Victoriaville Tigres clinched a berth in the Presidents Cup finals, and today he has signed his entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche. The team announced the three-year contract this afternoon.  Per CapFriendly, the deal carries a $925K AAV and breaks down as follows:

2021-22: $750K base salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $82.5K games played bonus
2022-23: $775K base salary, $92.5K signing bonus, $57.5K games played bonus
2023-24: $832.5K base salary, $92.5K signing bonus

Beaucage, 19, was selected 78th overall in 2019 by the Avalanche, part of an impressive class that has already produced NHL talent in Bowen Byram and Alex Newhook. He was the team’s fifth selection that year, but has already shown exactly why the Avalanche jumped at the opportunity to select him. In his first post-draft season, Beaucage recorded 40 goals in 63 games for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, finishing tied for third in the league. This season he came back and put up 14 goals in 14 games for the Huskies before a late-season trade took him to Victoriaville. In the postseason he has been a dominant force, posting six goals and 17 points in ten games.

Though not an elite skater, the 6’1″ forward has learned to use his strength and excellent shot to create goals from anywhere in the offensive zone. Before this season Corey Pronman of The Athletic listed him as one of the Colorado prospects with NHL potential, and that certainly hasn’t changed in the shortened QMJHL year. If anything, Beaucage has established himself as another player to watch in the Avalanche system and one who could quickly work his way through the minor leagues if his goal-scoring ability transitions to the professional level.

For Colorado, that 2019 class is looking like an incredible piece of managerial work from GM Joe Sakic and his staff. Not only was the team already one of the most dangerous groups in the NHL but continue to supplement their roster with homegrown talent.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Jean-Luc Foudy

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The Colorado Avalanche have a few days off between playoff series, so why not do a little planning for the future. The Avalanche announced today that they have signed prospect Jean-Luc Foudy to a three-year entry-level contract.

Foudy, 19, split this season between Sweden’s Hockey Ettan (third tier) and with the Colorado Eagles of the AHL, eligible for minor league hockey only because the OHL never returned to play. The third-round pick from 2020 scored three goals and registered 14 points in 34 games for the Eagles, playing almost every game as an 18-year-old before his birthday earlier this month. Though he was a team-worst -17, even playing at the AHL was an impressive development step for the young forward.

He is now stuck in that unique spot with several other OHL prospects who are too young to be eligible for the AHL again next season. If Foudy fails to make the Avalanche out of camp, he would be forced to return to his junior team the Windsor Spitfires. That is the most likely scenario, but still an odd one after playing an entire (albeit shortened) professional season.

Consider him a strong candidate for Canada’s World Junior team next winter after winning a Hlinka-Gretzky silver medal. His older brother Liam Foudy is currently suiting up for his country at the IIHF World Championship.

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Jack Thompson

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have put pen to paper with one of the top prospects in their system. Defenseman Jack Thompson has signed his three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced. No financial details have been disclosed, but the team did state that the deal does not begin until next season. Thompson got into one game with Tampa’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, playing on an amateur tryout to end his season.

Thompson, 19, is not your typical “top prospect”. A 2020 third-round pick, he probably wouldn’t be considered as such with any other team in the league. However, in Tampa’s pipeline, thin and aging, Thompson was a much-needed addition last year. A high-upside project, Thompson is a bit one-dimensional as a possession defenseman with a good shot but not much in the way of play-making or defensive ability. However, the Bolts can work with his natural ability and good size over the course of this first contract. He’s one of very few young prospects in the system with the capacity and time to grow into much more than what he is now.

Thompson was a point-per-game player in an 18-game stint in the Swedish minors this year, recording 9 goals, 9 assists, and an +9 rating for Surahammars IF. In that short time, he actually ended up finishing first among defenseman in goals and plus/minus. Last season, Thompson played for the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL, recording 32 points in 63 games; he could wind up back in Sudbury next season as well. Although he got a taste of the pros this yeat, another year of junior would not hurt for the raw prospect.

Thompson was a polarizing prospect in the 2020 NHL Draft, likely due to the fact that he has a narrow skill set but has mastered those skills. Some saw righty blue-liner as a potential early third-round pick while others saw him falling into the later rounds. The Lightning are clearly happy to have snagged him at No. 93 overall and with a constant need to affordable talent at the NHL level for the cap-strapped club, they will be happy to see Thompson continue to take steps forward and broaden his ability into a pro-ready game.

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