Snapshots: Kane, Morrow, Tangradi
Evander Kane has had a tremendous season for the San Jose Sharks, recording a team-best 45 points in 52 games. The achievement is all the more impressive given the safe assumption that Kane’s focus has not solely been on hockey this year. The star forward has been mired in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding all season, filing in January and then in March motioning for an extension on the decision until June on the grounds that his contract with the Sharks could be terminated following the end of the season. While it remains to be seen whether this in fact occurs or not, the latest development in the case has the bankruptcy court deciding that Kane’s case will remain in Chapter 7 as opposed to Chapter 11. A lender had filed a motion for Kane to be treated as a business under Chapter 11 due to his debt mostly coming from gambling losses. Such a decision would have opened up Kane’s future income to his lenders in the bankruptcy decision, but such an outcome was avoided.
At least one lender has decided that if they can’t get to Kane’s future earnings via bankruptcy decision, they’ll go after a greater return on their defaulted loan another way. Per The Athletic’s Daniel Kaplan, Professional Bank has sued Kane for $15MM, alleging fraud on the basis of misrepresenting the Sharks’ role in his repayment plans. This amounts to ten times their initial loan due, justified as “punitive damages.” This is highly irregular in a case such as this, as punitive damages are not substantiated by a claim but rather are meant as punishment. Punitive damages to this massive extent are very unlikely to be awarded, especially with Kane’s bankruptcy proceeding still ongoing, but Professional Bank will try their best.
- Winning a national championships comes with some added perks, the least of which is increased recruiting power. Defending champs UMass flexed their newfound market power today, convincing potential 2021 first-round pick Scott Morrow to flip on his commitment to North Dakota and got to Amherst. Multiple sources have confirmed the move, with the talented right-handed defenseman moving from one powerhouse to another. Morrow was expected to join a deep group of NHL-caliber defensemen at UND this year, but will have more of an opportunity to shine as a top blue line option at UMass. It has worked out nicely for Cale Makar, Mario Ferraro, Zac Jones, and several other NHL prospects over just the last few years.
- Eric Tangradi, Real Estate Agent? In a unique twist, former NHL winger Tangradi announced his retirement by transitioning it into the reveal of his new career. A big, powerful winger who appeared to have NHL chops early in his career, Tangradi never could quite translate his AHL production to the next level. He still managed to play in 150 NHL games with the Penguins, Jets, Canadiens, Devils, and Red Wings, but recorded just 16 career points. Tangradi will likely be remembered more for his many years of dominance in the minors, recording over 350 points in 488 career NHL games.
Overseas Notes: Skelleftea, Khokhlachev, Langhamer
After falling in the SHL semifinals, Swedish powerhouse Skelleftea AIK is already moving forward with their plans for next season. The team has announced a list of players who will not be returning in 2021-22 and it includes some notable NHL names. Edmonton Oilers’ defenseman Philip Broberg, Detroit Red Wings’ forward Jonatan Berggren, and Carolina Hurricanes’ defenseman Roland McKeown are all among those who will not return to Skelleftea next year and all are expected to instead be in the NHL. Broberg, 19, has in fact already made the jump, as he was recalled by the Oilers earlier this week. The 2019 No. 8 overall pick has been in Skelleftea on loan for two years since being drafted, but the big two-way defenseman is ready for the next step in his career. Berggren appears to be prepared to make that leap as well. Detroit’s 2018 second-round pick was Skelleftea’s leading scorer this season, recording 45 points in 49 games. The 20-year-old skilled play-maker is one of a number of promising Red Wings prospects, but Berggren’s dominance at the pro level this year should give him a leg up in training camp battles. McKeown is the outlier of the group; the 25-year-old blue liner made his European debut this season on loan from the Hurricanes. The former top prospect out of the OHL had faded from relevance among the Hurricanes’ deep defensive group and wished to stay in Sweden this year rather than play yet again in the AHL. While McKeown may join Carolina as a depth option in the playoffs now that his SHL season is over, his days with the organization are numbered. Slated for Group 6 unrestricted free agency this summer, McKeown may not be back with Skelleftea but he certainly won’t be staying in Raleigh either. He will have other options on the open market to find a more clear path to NHL opportunity.
- Another prominent name in Europe who won’t be returning to his current team is Boston Bruins center Alexander Khokhlachev. The 27-year-old center was a key cog for Gagarin Cup champions Avangard Omsk this season, recording 34 points in 59 games as a top-six forward, but the team has nonetheless announced that Khokhlachev has decided to leave the club. This could very well mean that Khokhlachev is finally eyeing a return to North America after five years away, and the timing of the move is key. The Bruins’ rights to Khokhlachev finally expire on June 30th. While it’s not impossible that Khokhlachev could give the Bruins another shot under his old AHL head coach Bruce Cassidy, there are certainly better opportunities for an NHL role elsewhere if he instead waits to become a free agent this summer.
- One player who isn’t rushing back to his NHL rights holder is goaltender Marek Langhamer. Despite the possibility that the Arizona Coyotes could have some more opportunity in net next season with Antti Raanta headed for free agency, Adin Hill expected to be exposed in the Expansion Draft, and Darcy Kuemper still a hot name on the rumor mill, Langhamer won’t be involved. Even after two strong seasons in the KHL, Langhamer has decided to stay in Europe, signing a one-year-deal with the Liiga’s Illves. It’s unclear if Langhamer is averse to re-joining the ‘Yotes or just the NHL overall, but regardless he will see his rights expire on June 30th of next season and can then return to North America as a free agent if he chooses.
Alabama-Huntsville Suspends Hockey Operations For 2021-22
Continuity has not come easily to the University of Alabama-Huntsville hockey program in recent years. UAH had announced prior to the 2020-21 season that they were cutting hockey, but the program was saved by a group of donors led by NHL alumnus Cam Talbot. The drive raised enough money to continue operations for another season, but the school later voiced its support for continuing the program for years to come. Yet, just a year later the same news has come back around. The university has announced that they are suspending operations, effective immediately.
This time, Alabama-Huntsville is citing their lack of a conference as the reason behind discontinuing hockey. The 2020-21 season marked the end of the WCHA, with the seven of the geographically-linked programs breaking off to form the the new CCHA, leaving UAH, Alaska-Anchorage, and Alaska-Fairbanks as currently unassociated with any conference. Alabama-Huntsville formally applied to join the CCHA, but were denied membership. The school has also applied to join Atlantic Hockey, but is still awaiting a response. Until they are accepted into a new conference though, the team will keep all hockey operations suspended.
There has to be more to this story than just conference membership, however. Alaska-Fairbanks seems content to move forward as an independent and Alaska-Anchorage is currently trying to raise funds in order to do the same. Arizona State obviously stands out as the top independent team in the country, a program that was formed without any expectation of conference membership but has already risen to national relevance. Long Island University followed that same path with their entry into Division I hockey last year and Lindenwood University will do the same in 2022-23. Independent hockey is sustainable in the NCAA, but Alabama-Huntsville has cited it as the sole reason for discontinuing their program.
The prevailing belief is that the Chargers will be back up and running as soon as they are accepted into a new conference, which could be sooner rather than later with their Atlantic application still pending. This would assume that the decision is entirely motivated by their hesitancy to operate as an independent, so only time will tell if this theory proves to be true. In the meantime, Alabama-Huntsville will endure a repeat of last off-season, when many of their players and recruits (as well as much of their coaching staff) departed when the university cut funding. While UAH may not have any NHL prospects right now, they still stand to lose their top players. Starting goaltender David Fesseden has already committed to transfer to New Hampshire and top scorers Tyrone Bronte and Bauer Neudecker could follow him out the door. Regardless of how this works out in the long-term, the immediate future is bleak for Alabama-Huntsville hockey and concerns over university support will be lasting for years to come.
Philadelphia Flyers Sign Elliot Desnoyers, Olle Lycksell
The Philadelphia Flyers have inked a pair of prospects, signing Elliot Desnoyers and Olle Lycksell to entry-level contracts. Both deals will start in the 2021-22 season, though Desnoyers’ contract could slide depending on where he spends next season. Flyers AGM Brent Flahr released statements on both players:
Elliot Desnoyers had a productive year in Halifax and played a strong, two-way game with lots of passion. As he matures physically and gets stronger, his game should continue to grow.
Olle Lycksell has continued to grow his overall game since being drafted in 2017. It’s taken some time for him to mature physically but he’s worked hard on his body and overall game. He had a strong second half for Farjestad and we look for him to continue to grow his game.
Desnoyers, 19, broke out offensively this season for the Halifax Mooseheads, scoring 21 goals and 49 points in just 37 games. The 2020 fifth-round pick hadn’t broken the 35-point mark in either of his first two QMJHL seasons, both spent with the Moncton Wildcats. After that strong development, it makes sense that the Flyers would sign him to an entry-level deal, especially given the fact that the deal could still slide forward. Should Desnoyers play in the QMJHL again next season (he will not be eligible to start the year in the AHL), his contract won’t kick in until 2022-23.
Lyckell meanwhile is a much different prospect, who will turn 22 over the summer and has already completed parts of four professional seasons in the SHL. He scored 21 points in 46 games this season for Farjestads BK and could be a fast mover up the Philadelphia depth chart. Selected in the sixth round in 2017 before he had ever played a game at the SHL level, his draft rights would have expired on June 1 had the Flyers not signed him.
Snapshots: Batherson, Krebs, Soderstrom
The Ottawa Senators won’t be making the playoffs so some of their young players are already getting calls about the upcoming IIHF World Championship. Joshua Norris told reporters that he’d been contacted by USA Hockey recently and today Drake Batherson told Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia that Hockey Canada has reached out to him as well and he is interested in playing.
Interestingly enough, Batherson was actually born in the U.S. when his dad was playing for the Fort Wayne Komets (then of the IHL). The young forward has always competed for Canada internationally though, including a World Junior gold medal in 2018. If he does end up going to the World Championship, Canada is getting quite the player. Batherson broke out this season with 17 goals and 32 points in 51 games, establishing himself as a legitimate top-six option for the Senators moving forward. The 23-year-old will also be a restricted free agent this offseason, making it quite the busy summer even if he’s not in the NHL playoffs.
- First-round pick Peyton Krebs has joined the Vegas Golden Knights in Minnesota and could be making his NHL debut at some point down the stretch. Still just 20, Krebs won’t burn the first year of his entry-level contract unless he plays in seven games this season, which, given the Golden Knights have just six regular season games left, would require him suiting up in the playoffs. Selected 17th overall in 2019, Krebs dominated the shortened WHL season this year and has five points in five games for the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL.
- Speaking of prospects getting the call, the Arizona Coyotes have added Victor Soderstrom to the taxi squad. The 20-year-old Soderstrom is one of the top defensive prospects in the league, selected 11th overall in 2019. He has recorded nine points in 30 games for the Tucson Roadrunners this season but went scoreless in his first two NHL appearances. The Coyotes still technically have a shot at the playoffs, but it will be quite difficult to catch the St. Louis Blues, who sit three points ahead with three games in hand.
Edmonton Oilers Assign Philip Broberg To Taxi Squad
With his SHL season complete, the Edmonton Oilers have immediately recalled one of their top prospects, Philip Broberg, and have assigned him to the team’s taxi squad, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston.
Broberg was the Oilers top pick in 2018 — the eighth overall pick. While the defenseman was quite raw when he was drafted, he did offer the team a combination of size (6-foot-3) and speed and has progressed well over the last two years. Broberg was given limited playing time in the SHL in 2019-20, but saw an increased role with the team last year, which also included being named captain of the World Junior team. While he struggled there due while playing through an injury, Broberg looks ready to take the next step and cross over to North America.
This won’t be his first venture in North America. The 19-year-old came over last year to participate in Oilers’ training camp before the bubble and impressed the organization with his skating abilities. He was invited to join the team in the bubble, but never got into a game with the team. With the pandemic underway, the Oilers loaned him back to Skelleftea where he received more playing time and even saw some time on the power play. He finished the season with three goals and 13 points in 44 games.
While there is no word on whether he will get an opportunity to play for the Oilers this year, he will be given a chance to earn a promotion to the team over the next few games. It’s more likely the young blueliner will spend next year in the AHL.
Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Amir Miftakhov To Entry-Level Deal
The Tampa Bay Lightning signed goaltending prospect Hugo Alnefelt Saturday and now have added another netminder to their stable of prospects as the team announced they have inked Amir Miftakhov to an entry-level contract.
Despite being a Lightning’s sixth-round pick from the 2020 draft, it looks as if Tampa Bay intends to fast-track Miftakhov as it is believed that he will come to North America and likely compete with Alnefelt next year in the AHL.
While being drafted a year later than the 19-year-old Alnefelt, Miftakhov is actually a year older than him. The 21-year-old was passed over in the draft twice before finally being selected by Tampa Bay last year. One likely reason for not being drafted immediately was his size as Miftakhov is just 6-foot, 172 pounds, quite small for a netminder.
Regardless of his size, he has fared quite well in three seasons with Bars Kazan of the VHL and this year got an opportunity with seven games in the KHL where he posted a 2.25 GAA and a .917 save percentage. He also was the starting goaltender at the 2020 World Junior Championships in which he led Team Russia to a silver medal.
Carolina Signs Goaltenders Pyotr Kochetkov, Eetu Makiniemi
Saturday: The Hurricanes have now confirmed the signings, adding that each young keeper has inked a two-year entry-level contract. The two contracts are financially identical except for one detail: Kochetkov’s deal will carry and $842.5K NHL salary in both seasons, as well as an $185K signing bonus and a $70K AHL salary, while Makiniemi’s is structured the same but includes a raise to $892.5K in the second year. This makes the AAV on Makiniemi’s contract $867.5K.
Perhaps the more important update comes from the KHL’s Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, who have announced a one-year extension with Kochetkov. This presumably means that the young keeper will spend the first season of his entry-level deal on loan to the KHL. Makiniemi is still expected to make the jump to North America for next season, which could give him an edge in the competition to determine which prospect keeper is the first in line for NHL starts.
Friday: There is about to be a total overhaul in the Carolina net. With Hurricanes goaltenders Petr Mrazek, James Reimer, and Antoine Bibeau all slated for unrestricted free agency this summer, the team is set to sign two talented prospects to join Alex Nedeljkovic in goal. Salary resources CapFriendly and PuckPedia are each reporting that young goalies Pyotr Kochetkov and Eetu Makiniemi have agreed to terms on entry-level contracts with Carolina. The duo are likely slated for the AHL for a season or two, but could challenge for NHL opportunities before too long.
Kochetkov, 21, was a highly-touted overage netminder in the 2019 NHL Draft, selected early in the second round by the ‘Canes. After years of dominating the junior and minor league ranks in Russia, as well impressing on the international stage at the 2019 World Juniors, Kochetkov finally found some success at the top level in the KHL this season. Splitting his season between Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod and Vityaz Podolsk, Kochetkov was a serviceable backup with a sub-2.70 GAA for both teams and a .931 save percentage in the regular season and postseason for Torpedo. Looking to take the next step in his development, Kochetkov appears ready for the AHL and hopes that he can follow a recent influx of elite young Russian netminders and find success in his move to North America.
Makiniemi, 22, was a fourth-round puck by Carolina back in 2017. After years spent in the junior ranks in Finland, Makiniemi finally found a starting role in the Liiiga late last season. He was stellar in seven games down the stretch for Ilves, recording a .936 save percentage and 1.53 GAA. That was enough to earn him the top job for the team this year and while his numbers regressed somewhat, they did so in 34 games plus a playoff run. Having finally honed his ability at the pro level, Makiniemi also seems ready for the AHL. He may begin next season as the backup to Kochetkov, but is a legitimate threat to outplay his counterpart.
Minor Transactions: 04/28/21
The playoff chase is heating up in the NHL, but elsewhere most leagues are winding down. The KHL season came to an end today with Avangard Omsk hoisting their first Gagarin Cup. The SHL, the Swiss NLA, and the German DEL are all down to just four teams apiece following the conclusion of their quarterfinal playoff rounds, while the Finnish Liiga is halfway through their quarterfinals with just six teams still alive. Even the AHL season is coming to a close, with no Calder Cup up for grabs and the regular season schedule over for some North Division teams and ending early next month for all others. As the leagues come to a close and players turn toward the future, it can cause some notable ripples in the NHL market. Here are some of those minor, but meaningful moves:
- After a dozen pro seasons, former NHL defenseman Victor Bartley has called it a career. The 33-year-old made the announcement in the most subtle way possible, changing his personal Twitter account to description to “retired professional hockey player” following the conclusion of his brief season with Unia Oswiecim in Poland. Bartley has spent the past four season in Europe, two with the KHL’s Kunlund Red Star and another with the SHL’s Orebrok HK. However, he spent the previous six seasons under contract in the NHL. Bartley spent parts of five seasons with the Nashville Predators, including skating in 50 games with the team in 2013-14. He also spent time with the Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota Wild, totaling 121 NHL games between the three clubs.
- The Boston Bruins won’t be reuniting with Linus Arnesson next season. The 26-year-old defenseman, a 2013 second-round pick, recently became a free agent at the conclusion of his SHL season. A solid stay-at-home defender who played well in a few AHL seasons, there was some belief that Arnesson might look at an NHL return following several strong seasons overseas. However, he has decided to stay at home in Sweden rather than try his luck again in North America, at least for one more year. Djurgardens IF, the program that Arnesson played his developmental hockey with, has welcomed their product home on a one-year deal, the team announced. Perhaps Arnesson will try to re-connect with the Bruins next summer, but his value seemingly decreases with each passing year.
- The Ottawa Senators are hoping that they can finally bring over one of their own second-round picks, 2017 selection Marcus Davidsson. The 22-year-old two-way forward has had somewhat of an up-and-down stretch over the past few years in the Swedish ranks, with 2020-21 as more of a low point, but was once a highly-regarded prospect and has shown flashes of NHL ability. Davidsson finished the season on a strong note though, joining Sodertalje SK of the Allsvenskan for 14 games and recording 8 points and a +5 rating along the way. However, the team announced today that Davidsson will not be remaining with Sodertalje moving forward. This frees Davidsson up to make the jump to North America if he chooses, perhaps getting back on his development track with some time in the AHL for the Senators. Ottawa risks never getting anything out of the high pick if he remains in Sweden and keeps bouncing around and not taking the next step forward in his career.
- EHC Munich wrapped up their DEL season recently and today confirmed the departures of a number of player. The list reads as a who’s who of former NHLers, including Derek Roy, Chris Bourque, Andrew Ebbett, and Keith Aulie. None of the four are realistic candidates to return to the NHL at this late point in their respective careers, but could still be off to make a difference elsewhere in Europe and potentially to guide current and future NHL prospects.
Tennessee State Considering Adding Division I Hockey
As the growth of college hockey continues, you never know where the next Division I team may pop up. Just in the past few years, programs have sprouted at Arizona State University and Long Island University, with new additions coming soon at Minnesota’s University of St. Thomas and Missouri’s Lindenwood University and conversations being had the University of Illinois and the U.S. Naval Academy as well. However, the latest school to enter the scene is still quite a surprise.
According to a report from Michael Gallagher of the Nashville Post, Tennessee State University is “considering a feasibility study in bringing hockey to campus.” A historically black university, HBCU for short, located south of the Mason-Dixon line, at first it may not seem like Tennessee State would be a fit for NCAA hockey. However, Tennessee State is located within Nashville city limits and the home of the Predators has become quite the hockey city in recent years. With the game growing in geography and diversity in the United States, Tennessee State may actually be perfectly situated to take advantage of the avid hockey culture that has developed in Nashville in order to recruit some non-traditional, but talented prospects.
Similar logic led to Lindenwood’s move to Division I. The longtime ACHA powerhouse is located in St. Louis, which itself transformed into a major hockey city over the past few decades and began producing incredible homegrown talent, many of whom were the children of former St. Louis Blues. Tennessee State may see the grassroots hockey scene in Nashville booming and are looking to get into the mix sooner rather than later, possibly even forming a similar connection to the Predators. Lindenwood will also serve as a natural rival, both in geography and experience, while Alabama-Huntsville, the original southern hockey school, will be their closest competitor. Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News notes that Miami-Ohio will also be a similar distance to Tennessee State as Lindenwood.
While the Tigers are still a ways away from confirming the formation of a Division I hockey program – Illinois has proven how long these “studies” can take – the prospect of college hockey continue to expand into new corners of the U.S. and further spreading the reach of the game is exciting. As is the potential impact that it could have on the diversity of the game. There is plenty to like about the addition of Tennessee State to the NCAA hockey ranks down the road.