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Joe Veleno, Moritz Seider To Remain In Europe

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Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman held a conference call with reporters (video link via the Detroit Free Press) and among the major announcements was that both Joe Veleno and Moritz Seider will be staying in Sweden until the end of the SHL season instead of returning for training camp. Filip Zadina, Filip Hronek, Gustav Lindstrom, and Mathias Brome, who are all also out on loan, will be brought back.

Veleno, 20, is playing for Malmo in the SHL where he has 11 points in 21 games so far. The 30th overall selection in 2018 had an up-and-down AHL debut last year when he scored 23 points in 54 games, but still has a very high ceiling as a two-way center that could be a staple in the Red Wings lineup for years to come. Leaving him in Europe certainly would suggest that the Red Wings believe he has more developing to do before really pushing for an NHL roster spot, though Yzerman did note there are still so many questions about what the AHL season will look like this season.

Seider meanwhile is still just 19 but is looking right at home at the SHL level. Playing with Rogle, he has 12 points in 17 games and was not released to the German World Junior squad. Selected sixth overall in 2019 to the surprise of many, Seider has quickly become one of the top prospects in the entire world and is a key to the Detroit turnaround. The 6’4″ defenseman has all the attributes of a true number one option, meaning his development is absolutely crucial to the Red Wings.

Speaking about all of the players who have suited up overseas, Yzerman noted that though playing in Europe has likely sharpened the games of Zadina and others, it isn’t the NHL and they’ll still have to prove themselves on this side of the pond.

It’s important to remember too, that though they will stay for the rest of the year, Veleno and Seider could potentially be late-season recalls for the Red Wings once things end overseas. The SHL regular season schedule completes at the beginning of April while the NHL regular season isn’t expected to be completed until May.

Schedule Notes: NHL, QMJHL, WHL

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Teams around the NHL have started to receive potential 2021 schedules according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, and they include some very interesting oddities. For one, Johnston tweets that games have been grouped in two-game series against the same opponent but he has heard of three or even four-game segments as well. Several other reports including from Mark Spector of Sportsnet have indicated that the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks will play each other ten times, hitting the ice against the other Canadian teams just nine times. The All-Canadian division of course has one fewer team in it, leading to the different schedules.

Some other scheduling notes:

  • Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic wondered about the trade deadline in his recent column, noting that though it is scheduled for April 12, Canada-U.S. border restrictions could complicate things this year. Players acquired from a team based in the U.S. would likely face at least a two-week quarantine if joining a Canadian team for instance, making him quite a bit less valuable in a deadline deal.
  • Carolina Hurricanes GM Don Waddell told reporters including Dan Rosen of NHL.com that players recalled from the AHL will have to go through the “taxi squad” period and quarantine for at least seven days before joining the NHL club, meaning there will be no day-of recalls this season. That too will complicate things this season and make teams think hard about who they want to include with their extra roster spots.
  • The QMJHL has announced that their season will not resume until January 21 at the earliest, with the Quebec-based teams starting the next day. There hasn’t been a game played since the end of November due to COVID-19 concerns and restrictions, meaning it will be nearly two months between competitive action for many prospects.
  • The WHL draft meanwhile, which is normally scheduled for May, has now been moved to December for the upcoming year. As the league explained today, the decision was to give 2006-born players more time to be evaluated in competitive situations. The 2021 WHL Cup, which is a showcase for WHL draft-eligible players (not NHL draft-eligible) will be held in October.

Philip Broberg Named Captain For Team Sweden

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Team Sweden was released from quarantine today at the World Juniors and will be practising later today. Yesterday, the team announced the leadership group for the tournament which will be led by Edmonton Oilers prospect Philip Broberg. Broberg will wear the “C” as captain of the squad and will be joined by alternates Tobias Bjornfot, Victor Soderstrom and Albin Sundsvik.

Broberg, 19, is set to spend this season in Sweden again after the tournament concludes but is a top prospect to keep an eye on for the Oilers. Selected 8th overall in 2019 he has already represented Sweden twice at the WJC and should be a force on the blueline once again. An incredible skater, Broberg has been criticized at times for his decision making but shows signs of quickly turning into a top defenseman for Edmonton. He was so impressive this summer that he actually made the Oilers postseason bubble roster, playing in one of the exhibition games. Though he didn’t actually suit up for his NHL debut, it’s not far off.

Bjornfot meanwhile has already made that debut, suiting up for three games with the Los Angeles Kings at the start of the 2019-20 season. The 19-year-old was the 22nd overall pick in 2019 and is also a returning member of the Swedish WJC team. Bjornfot spent last season with the Ontario Reign as one of the youngest defensemen in AHL history, scoring 19 points in 44 games. He has been playing with Djurgardens IF this year and has three points (and 33 penalty minutes) in 15 games.

Soderstrom, another defenseman, is also one of the top prospects in the world, selected 11th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in 2019. He was a dynamic offensive presence for the Swedes at last year’s tournament, recording six points in seven games. He’s been on loan this season to AIK in the Swedish second tier and has six points in 12 games. Alongside Broberg and Bjornfot, Soderstrom forms a trio of outstanding defenders who could take over the tournament.

Sundsvik is perhaps the most interesting choice, given he was not at the tournament last year and isn’t a top prospect. The 19-year-old center was selected 160th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in this year’s draft (his second year of eligibility) and has just three points in 23 games at the SHL level this year. Perhaps this honor is a sign of things to come and the Ducks landed a steal in the late rounds.

Minor Transactions: 12/19/20

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With news of a tentative agreement to begin the 2020-21 season, in less than a month nonetheless, the gears have begun to turn once again for NHL clubs. With many players on loan overseas needing to be recalled and others who are ready to get an early start to their season with an assignment to the ECHL, transactions are picking up and should continue grow in number over the coming weeks. Stay tuned for the many minor moves on the way:

  • One player who is not getting ready to start his season in any regard is Nathan Paetsch. After 17 pro seasons, the skilled defenseman has decided to hang up his skates at 37. The AHL’s Rochester Americans, with whom Paetsch played parts of seven seasons, including the past three, announced the veteran’s decision. Paetsch initially signed with the Buffalo Sabres back in 2003 after being drafted out of the WHL and spent his first seven pro seasons with the organization. Outside of one season in Germany, Paetsch has spent the past decade in the AHL playing mostly with Rochester and the Grand Rapids Griffins. He totaled 167 NHL games between Buffalo and the Columbus Blue Jackets and another 651 AHL games (and over 250 points) in a long, successful career.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have recalled Tyler Benson from his loan to Switzerland’s GCK Lions, the club announced. Benson was an impactful play-maker in his short time overseas, recording a team-leading 19 points in 15 games.  While the Oilers have added some depth this off-season, they still hope the well-regarded prospect can carve out an NHL role for himself after making his debut with seven games in Edmonton last season.
  • Nick Wolff has been recalled by the Boston Bruins from his loan to Hungary’s DVTK of the Slovakian Extraliga, the team announced. It was Wolff’s first pro experience after signing with the Bruins out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Wolff recorded five points in 18 games and racked up a fair amount of penalty minutes as well. The physical defenseman is not expected to compete for an NHL roster spot, but should take part in training camp. Wolff could potentially spend some time with the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen, a team that already has a number of Bruins prospects, most recent addition being free agent goaltender addition Callum Booth.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have assigned first-year pro prospect Jack Badini to the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers. The Harvard product was a third-round pick in 2017 and had been a productive player for the Crimson. However, the cancellation of the Ivy League winter season left Badini without a team and fast-forwarded his plans. It remains to be seen whether the two-way forward is truly ready for the pros just yet, so the Ducks will give him an early look at the “AA” level.

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Roland McKeown

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The Carolina Hurricanes have signed restricted free agent defenseman Roland McKeown to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will carry a salary of $700K at the NHL level, but it doesn’t seem that will ever be paid out. McKeown has immediately been loaned to Skelleftea AIK of the SHL. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell released a statement on the move:

Roland had a solid season in the AHL last season and it is important that he get back on the ice to continue his development. Playing in the Swedish league is a great opportunity for him to do just that.

This is an extremely interesting move, given that so many other AHL-bound prospects are still sitting around wondering where they will be playing this season. If the minor league isn’t able to put together a plan, we could see a hurried exodus of talent to Europe in order to fill the few foreign spots available. McKeown looks like he’ll have a head start and should be able to get in a good chunk of development overseas.

The 24-year-old defenseman has played ten games at the NHL level in the past, but spent both 2018-19 and 2019-20 entirely in the AHL. Selected 50th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, he arrived in Carolina via a trade for Andrej Sekera less than a year later. While he hasn’t been able to crack the Hurricanes blueline, that may be more to do with the strength of the NHL group than his own play, which though inconsistent at times has still been strong for the Charlotte Checkers. In 61 games last season he recorded 24 points.

Snapshots: Rattie, Gaunce, Jarventie

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Even as the NHL works towards finalizing a plan to begin the 2020-21 season, with a second wave of free agent signings expected in response, many NHL veterans continue to look elsewhere for work this season. The latest appears to be forward Ty Rattie. Rattie, 27, actually played in the KHL last year but to this point had held out hope for a return to North America after a strong showing in Russia. Instead, he is expected to remain in Europe for another year. Johan Svensson of Swedish source Kvallsposten reports that the SHL’s Malmo Redhawks are close to finalizing a deal with Rattie. The skilled forward is just the latest name to be linked to a European club, as the likes of Mirco Mueller and Valentin Zykov have been among those rumored to be moving overseas this past week as well.

  • Other free agents continue to wait for NHL interest to develop ahead of the new season. Among some of the more intriguing depth names available are the brothers Gaunce. Of the 60 remaining unsigned unrestricted free agents, Cameron Gaunce and Brendan Gaunce top the list in terms of points per game this past season. Of course, a major caveat is that they finished at the bottom of that list in games played with just four games total between them. Yet, the brothers were not only efficient with minimal NHL opportunity, both were very productive in the AHL as well. Defenseman Cameron, 30, notched four points in three games with the Tampa Bay Lightning and added 32 points in 52 minor league games with the Syracuse Crunch while forward Brendan, 26, recorded a point in his lone appearance with the Boston Bruins and scored 37 points in 52 games with AHL Providence. Elite prospects who have established themselves as reliable pros over the years, the Gaunce brothers are among those whose patience should be paid off with a contract shortly.
  • Ottawa Senators prospect Roby Jarventie was not expected to challenge for a roster spot this season, but it seems the talented young forward is unlikely to make the jump to North America next year either. Finnish club Ilves of the Liiga has announced that they have exercised the option on Jarventie’s contract for the 2021-22 season. Although the NHL and the Liiga have a transfer agreement, Ilves likely made this move with the expectation that Jarventie would be around to fulfill the final year of his current contract. The second pick of the second round in the 2020 NHL Draft, Jarventie is a top prospect but is one of many for the Senators. However, with 14 points through 19 games already this season, the big forward’s stock is on the rise and Ottawa won’t want to wait too long to bring him over.

Snapshots: Dubois, Granlund, Ducks, Lee

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With progress finally being made toward starting the 2020-21 season, the pressure is mounting back up on those teams who still have players to sign and payrolls to manage. One of those teams is the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Jackets have plenty of salary cap space with nearly $9.25MM of remaining room for a 22-man roster, but they have yet to sign perhaps their most important forward, restricted free agent center Pierre-Luc Dubois. Coming off his three-year entry-level contract, in which he recorded 18+ goals and 48+ points each season, culminating in a point-per-game showing in the 2020 postseason, Dubois has established himself as a centerpiece for Columbus and the team hopes he will serve in that role for many years still to come. Whether Dubois signs that lucrative long-term extension this off-season or instead opts for a shorter bridge deal remains to be seen. Either way, the team needs to get the talented young pivot under contract soon before the new season begins. Fortunately, NBC Sports’ Adam Gretz reports that the Blue Jackets are not concerned about coming to terms on a new deal with Dubois. GM Jarmo Kekalainen stated that he is “confident” that Dubois will have a new contract not only before the puck drops on the new season, but even before the first day of training camp. This would likely mean that a deal is expected before the end of the month, with training camps projected to open shortly after the calendar flips to January. Kekalainen compared the situation to that of star defenseman Zach Werenski last season; Werenski went much of the off-season with seemingly little progress on a contract extension, but signed a new deal just days before training camp. Gretz notes that the Blue Jackets have shown that they are not afraid to play hardball with their restricted free agents, but will have to be careful with Dubois. The young center is a pivotal piece of the team moving forward. Columbus has the cap space to lock Dubois up long-term at a higher cap hit now, but if the two sides do agree to a shorter term deal the hope is that there is a mutual goal to sign that long-term deal down the road.

  • Gretz also reports that one of the top remaining unsigned free agents, forward Mikael Granlund, is expected to make a decision on his next team sooner rather than later. In fact, a contract could be signed in the coming days. Gretz writes that Granlund would like to get his family settled before the season, possibly even before the Christmas holiday, which could lead to an impending resolution to his free agency. Depending on the asking price, Granlund should have no shortage of suitors. The Blue Jackets have actually been cited by many as a top option for Granlund. If they do sign a more affordable, short-term deal with Dubois as many expect, Columbus could use their remaining cap space to add Granlund. The team had hoped to add at least one if not two top-six forwards this off-season which they have failed to do so far, only swapping out Josh Anderson for Max Domi. 
  • The Anaheim Ducks are another team with moves to make before the season begins. The Ducks are currently over the salary cap upper limit according to CapFriendly and that is with a roster that currently excludes a backup goalie. Anthony Stolarz is the favorite for the job behind starter John Gibson, but the team is likely to make an addition given their lack of depth behind that duo and their need for a goaltender with term on his contract beyond this season to expose in the upcoming 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. If the Ducks do not add another goaltender, the pressure will fall on Roman Durny, who Anaheim assigned to the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers today, and Olle Eriksson Ek, who started in Tulsa’s season opener this weekend. Eriksson Ek and Durny shared the net in the ECHL last season, but would be slated to do so this year in the AHL if no further moves are made and would battle to be the next man up to the NHL behind Gibson and Stolarz. Durny, 22, Eriksson Ek, 21, and Lukas Dostal, 20, are all talented prospects but their lack of experience does not inspire much confidence in Anaheim’s net depth if an addition is not made. The Ducks should be scouring the free agent and trade markets for help, even as they work to cut salary from the NHL roster.
  • Even as the NHL and NHLPA close in on an agreement to begin the new season, there hasn’t been much concrete information in the media on the actual start dates of training camp and the safety procedures leading into those camps. Perhaps the teams of those players on loan are hearing more than everyone else though. HC Slovan Bratislava of the Slovakian Extraliga has announced that Pittsburgh Penguins defensive prospect Cam Lee has been returned from his loan. In doing so, the club stated that Lee will begin his quarantine later this week and that training camp physicals will take place before the end of the month. At the very least, that makes it sound as though camps will be up and running in early January as hoped, if not sooner.

Sweden’s 2020 World Junior Roster Announced

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The last World Junior Championship roster to be announced among the usual top five powerhouse countries belongs to Sweden. The Swedish squad set to take the ice in Edmonton later this month contains a number of talented recent NHL draft picks and has depth at every position. Although Sweden must still cut one player before play begins, here is their all but finalized roster:

F Oscar Bjerselius (undrafted)
F Arvid Costmar (VAN)
F Noel Gunler (CAR)
F Emil Heineman (FLA)
F Simon Holmstrom (NYI)
F Alexander Holtz (NJD)
F Oskar Kvist (undrafted)
F Theodor Niederbach (DET)
F Zion Nybeck (CAR)
F Oskar Olausson (2021)
F Lucas Raymond (DET)
F Albin Sundsvik (ANA)
F Elmer Soderblom (DET)
F Jonathan Wikstrom (undrafted)

D Emil Andrae (PHI)
D Gustav Berglund (DET)
D Tobias Bjornfot (LAK)
D Philip Broberg (EDM)
D Alex Brannstam (undrafted)
D Helge Grans (LAK)
D Ludvig Hedstrom (undrafted)
D Albert Johansson (DET)
D Victor Soderstrom (ARI)

G Hugo Alnefelt (TBL)
G Calle Clang (PIT)
G Jesper Wallstedt (2021)

Sweden’s roster contains 19 existing NHL prospects, including a ton of high 2020 draft picks. With a number of top selections in the mix, this is a talented team that should make a splash. However, the name to keep an eye on may be 2021 prospect Wallstedt, who will look to top fellow WJC participants Spencer Knight and Yaroslav Askarov not only with his play in the tournament but also by cracking the top ten in the draft this year.

It’s hard to miss Detroit’s presence on this roster; the Red Wings account for five members of Sweden’s entry, more prospects on one team than any other NHL club this year. Among the other dozen teams represented on the “Three Crowns” roster are the Carolina Hurricanes and Los Angeles Kings, who each have a pair of difference-makers in play.

Finland Announces Final WJC Roster

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The Finnish entry to the 2020 World Junior Championship later this month has the tall task of likely being the only thing standing between Team Canada and a group play sweep in the weak Group A at this year’s tournament. The roster that will face this challenge has been finalized and contains a majority of NHL prospects, but lacks some top-end talent and depth this year. Below is the roster for Finland’s “Young Lions” squad:

F Samuel Helenius (2021)
F Roni Hirvonen (TOR)
F Roby Jarventie (OTT)
F Benjamin Korhonen (undrafted)
F Brad Lambert (2022)
F Anton Lundell (FLA)
F Matias Mantykivi (BOS)
F Henry Nikkanen (WPG)
F Mikko Petman (undrafted)
F Petteri Puhakka (undrafted)
F Mikael Pyyhtia (CLB)
F Juuso Parsinen (NSH)
F Aku Raty (ARI)
F Kasper Simontaival (LAK)

D Santeri Hatakka (SJS)
D Ville Heinola (WPG)
D Mikko Kokkonen (TOR)
D Topi Niemala (TOR)
D Kasper Puutio (FLA)
D Ruben Rafkin (undrafted)
D Matias Rajaniem (NYI)
D Eemil Viro (DET)

G Joel Blomqvist (PIT)
G Kari Piiroinen (undrafted)
G Roope Taponen(undrafted)

The Finnish team, though it includes 17 NHL draft picks, is missing a pair of head-scratching omissions. Patrik Puistola (CAR), who led the Finnish entry in scoring last year and was eligible to return this year, was not included on the roster. Neither was Aatu Raty, a presumptive top-ten and even top-five pick in the 2021 Draft, though his older brother did make the team. Though potentially a stretch selection at his age, 2022 top overall pick candidate Brad Lambert will be an intriguing prospect to watch for the Finns.

Among NHL property owners, the Toronto Maple Leafs lead the way with three selections, all of whom should play crucial roles. The Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets will each have two core players as well. Pittsburgh Penguins netminder Blomqvist projects to be a workhorse starter for Finland in the tournament.

Russia Finalizes World Junior Roster

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Next up, Russia has submitted a final roster for the upcoming World Junior Tournament in Edmonton later this month. As usual for Russia, the roster contains a number of prospect names familiar to NHL fans, but also has a few players who have made their name in their native country but have not been drafted into the NHL. Below is the 2020 Russian entry:

F Mikhail Abramov (TOR)
F Yegor Afanasyev (NSH)
F Rodion Amirov (TOR)
F Zakhar Bardakov (undrafted)
F Daniil Bashkirov (undrafted)
F Yegor Chinakhov (CLB)
F Vladislav Firstov (MIN)
F Arseniy Gritsyuk (NJD)
F Maxim Groshev (TBL)
F Marat Khusnutdinov (MIN)
F Vasili Podkolzin (VAN)
F Vasili Ponomaryov (CAR)
F Ilya Safonov (undrafted)
F Yegor Spirodonov (SJS)

D Roman Bychkov (BOS)
D Daniil Chayka (2021)
D Semyon Chistyakov (NSH)
D Kirill Kirsanov (2021)
D Artemi Knyazev (SJS)
D Yan Kuznetsov (CGY)
D Shakir Mukhamadullin (NJD)
D Yegor Shekhovstov (undrafted)

G Artur Akhtyamov (TOR)
G Yaroslav Askarov (NSH)
G Vsevolod Skotnikov (undrafted)

This is a deeper Russian roster compared to some more recent entries, especially on defense – often a weak area – where arguably every player will be an NHL draft pick by this time next year. The team contains 18 existing NHL selections from 11 different clubs. The Nashville Predators and Toronto Maple Leafs lead the way with three prospects apiece, including several of the team’s best players. The Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, and San Jose Sharks each have two different members of the squad.

Unsurprisingly, all but four of Russia’s selections are currently playing in the country, participating at various levels including the KHL, VHL, and MHL. Abramov and Ponomaryov are currently playing in the QMJHL. Interestingly, the University of Connecticut notes that teammates Firstov and Kuznetsov are the first ever NCAA selections to Russia’s WJC roster.

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