Jack Rathbone Signs Entry-Level Contract
The Vancouver Canucks have convinced one of their exciting young prospects to turn pro, signing Jack Rathbone to a three-year entry-level contract. Thomas Drance of The Athletic reports that the deal will actually start in 2019-20, meaning Rathbone will burn the first year of the contract without actually playing any games. He will not be eligible to take part in the Canucks playoff games, though he could join them and take part in the current training camp. The deal will conclude with the 2021-22 season.
Canucks GM Jim Benning released a short statement on the deal:
Jack is a dynamic player. He has the ability to transition the puck from the defensive zone, brings good offensive instincts and plays with an edge to his game. We are pleased to have Jack join our roster.
Rathbone, 21, is foregoing his final two seasons at Harvard to make the jump to professional hockey, following an All-American sophomore season. The left-handed defenseman recorded 31 points in 28 games, an impressive showing for a player that fell all the way to the fourth round just three years ago. Rathbone was the 95th player off the board in 2017 and Vancouver’s fifth selection. He could potentially be the third from that Canucks class to make it to the NHL however (following Elias Pettersson and Michael DiPietro) as he should push for a roster spot immediately in 2020-21.
Vancouver will have opportunities for playing time on defense, as Chris Tanev and Oscar Fantenberg are both scheduled for unrestricted free agency. The team has plenty of talent in the system, but Rathbone may have a leg up on several of those names after performing so well at the college level.
Danil Gushchin, Albin Grewe Sign In OHL
Two notable NHL prospects and recent CHL Import Draft selections have joined the ranks of the OHL. 2020 draft eligible forward Danil Gushchin, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 Import Draft, has signed with the Niagara Ice Dogs, while forward Albin Grewe, a 2019 third-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, has signed with the Saginaw Spirit.
Gushchin’s move signals a shift in his developmental path. A consensus second-round pick in the coming NHL Entry Draft, Gushchin is a very talented forward with great speed and stick skills. The one glaring concern about his game is his size: Gushchin stands just 5’8” and weighs in at around 160 lbs. For this reason, it seemed the Russian winger was favoring the collegiate development path, which can often be better for undersized players. The No. 7 overall pick in the CHL Import Draft last year, Gushchin instead opted to play another season in the USHL with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, preserving his NCAA eligibility. However, with questions about the likelihood of a college hockey season, Gushchin may have decided that the best choice for his development was to improve his level of play next season and the OHL was his safest bet. The question now, and one that NHL scouting staffs will have to decide, is whether the size and skill that made him a point-per-game player in the USHL will translate to the OHL and eventually to the pros.
As for Grewe, the move to the OHL is not unexpected following a disappointing 2019-20 campaign. A skilled and pesky two-way winger out of Sweden, Grewe was considered a great value for the Red Wings at No. 66 overall last year. He was expected to play a larger role with the SHL’s Djurgardens IF this year after getting into 15 games last season but failing to record a point. Instead, he was limited to just 19 games and managed just one point, while his production fell off considerably in the junior SuperElit as well. In fact, the only real statistical growth this year for Grewe was in penalty minutes. Grewe needs to work more on his offensive game and skill development and has a better chance of doing that playing meaningful minutes against his peers at the junior level rather than bouncing back and forth from a pro team where he was clearly not ready to compete. Although Saginaw waited to select Grewe until the second round of the Import Draft, both sides were happy to sign on for next year. Now Detroit fans just have to hope that the talented forward can get back on track with his new team and league.
Steven Kampfer Opts Out Of Postseason
Slipping through the cracks of a refreshingly busy weekend for NHL roster news of many varieties was the announcement that Boston Bruins defenseman Steven Kampfer has joined the list of those players who have opted out of participation in the upcoming postseason. Kampfer took to Twitter to state that he has made the difficult decision not to return to the Bruins for their upcoming postseason run. The veteran revealed that his wife and son suffer from a congenital heart defect that can be complicated by the effects of COVID-19. For that reason, he made a decision that no one can fault him for to put his family’s health and safety first.
Kampfer, 31, is a veteran of 211 NHL games, including ten this season with Boston. While he had not played a major role this season with the Bruins, the team valued his presence last season as they dealt with consistent injury issues on the back end. Kampfer was one of a dozen defensemen to suit up for the Bruins in the 2018-19 season, playing in 35 regular season games as well as three playoff games. His experience and intelligent puck-moving came in handy in tough spots for the Bruins last year and the team rewarded him with a two-year extension last summer. They undoubtedly would like to have him this postseason in case the going gets tough again. Instead, they will have to make do without him for now and hopefully welcome him back next season.
However, the Bruins are in good shape on the blue line, especially given the time off to enter the playoffs fully healthy for the first time in several years. While the team will be missing Kampfer and Kevan Miller, out all season due to injury, Boston’s training camp roster features ten defensemen with NHL experience. This includes their regular top five of Charlie McAvoy, Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug, Brandon Carlo, and Matt Grzelcyk, a trio of dependable options to fill out the starting lineup in John Moore, Jeremy Lauzon, and Connor Clifton, and top prospects Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril.
Prospect Notes: Summer Showcase, USHL, Blues
Three players from the US National Team Development Program have tested positive for COVID-19 according to Katie Strang and Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required), throwing the viability of holding the World Junior Summer Showcase later this month into question. Though the other usual participating nations—Canada, Finland, and Sweden—had pulled out of the event already, USA Hockey was still planning on holding the event in Plymouth, Michigan starting July 24.
The report examines how that will be difficult given Michigan’s current health mandates. Last month, USA Hockey announced the 43-man roster for the event, which includes nine members from the previous World Junior team that finished in sixth place. Other high-profile prospects like Cole Caufield (MTL), Spencer Knight (FLA), Trevor Zegras (ANA), and Alex Turcotte (LAK) were all included on the roster.
- The USHL will drive forward with plans to hold a full 2020-21 season, announcing today that is still their main focus. The league was forced to cancel the remainder of the 2019-20 season due to the coronavirus outbreak but like all junior leagues are trying to find a way back into competition this fall. While there were no dates or timelines in the release, the league’s board of directors will (digitally) meet weekly to work towards a “return to play for the 2020-21 season while ensuring the safety of everyone involved.”
- How will Scott Perunovich fare in professional hockey? The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler (subscription required) took a look at the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner and several other St. Louis Blues prospects today, giving NHL comparisons for each one. In Wheeler’s words, Perunovich was the most difficult one to find a comparison for because “there aren’t a lot of 5-foot-10 defensemen in the NHL and none of them play quite like [him].”
The Ivy League Cancels Athletics In Fall Semester
The Ivy League has become the first Division I NCAA conference to postpone all Fall sports participation for the upcoming school year due to COVID-19. The conference and its eight member institutions announced that all fall sports will be canceled while winter sports will not begin until after the end of the fall semester. The exact language is as follows:
With the safety and well-being of students as their highest priority, Ivy League institutions are implementing campus-wide policies including restrictions on student and staff travel, requirements for social distancing, limits on group gatherings, and regulations for visitors to campus. As athletics is expected to operate consistent with campus policies, it will not be possible for Ivy League teams to participate in intercollegiate athletics competition prior to the end of the fall semester.
While The Ivy League is known more for their prestigious academics than athletics, hockey is the sport that will undoubtedly feel the effect of the conference’s absence. Schools like Cornell and Harvard are perennial NCAA Tournament contenders out of the ECAC and numerous NHL prospects play on Ivy League teams. Additionally, The Ivy League’s scheduled opponents in the first half of the season will also be left scrambling. Of course, that assumes that other schools and conferences don’t also follow The Ivy League and postpone or cancel their early games.
The Ivy League’s move could have a lasting impression beyond this season as well. Former Harvard commit Trevor Kuntar, expected to be a mid-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, switched his commitment to Boston College yesterday citing concerns about missed games at Harvard, according to Jeff Cox of the New England Hockey Journal. It seems like only a matter of time before other Ivy League hopefuls follow suit. One interesting case is another Harvard commit, USNTDP product Matthew Beniers, who is expected to be an early first-round pick in 2021. Can Beniers afford the missed opportunity to perform for scouts in the first half of the season? This and many more questions are certain to arise with this major decision by the Ivy League.
Chicago Blackhawks Expected To Sign Wyatt Kalynuk
The Chicago Blackhawks will be adding another interesting defensive prospect to their organization, as Mark Lazerus of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that they will sign Wyatt Kalynuk to an entry-level contract. Originally drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers, Kalynuk became an unrestricted free agent last month after failing to reach an agreement with the team in their exclusive negotiating window. The 23-year old had informed the team that he would not be returning for his senior season at the University of Wisconsin and instead will end up turning pro with the Blackhawks instead.
Kalynuk, a seventh-round pick in 2017, has put up consistent offensive numbers at Wisconsin over his three years of collegiate hockey and now joins a Blackhawks pipeline brimming with defensive prospects. Chicago had already convinced Ian Mitchell earlier this spring to forgo his senior season, signing him to his own entry-level contract.
While Mitchell’s deal will be for three seasons, Kalynuk will be signing just a two-year pact given his age. With reports recently emerging that players can burn the first year of entry-level contracts this summer and no further clarification coming from Lazerus, it is not clear exactly when Wyatt’s will kick in.
The smooth-skating defenseman could potentially be an option for the Blackhawks as soon as 2020-21 given his age and experience, but will not be eligible to play this summer in Chicago’s playoff run.
Kaprizov, Others Will Not Be Eligible For 2020 Playoffs
As the NHL and NHLPA move towards the ratification of an extension of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, fans of several playoff teams are still wondering whether or not they’ll be able to include some overseas reinforcements. Players like Minnesota Wild draft pick Kirill Kaprizov have been waiting to see if the league would change their stance on eligibility this summer, allowing them to sign an entry-level contract and burn the first year of it while suiting up for the 24-team tournament. Previously, the league was firm that they would not allow new contracts to be signed, but several reports have simultaneously emerged suggesting that has changed–at least in part.
Still, Kaprisov won’t be hitting the ice for Minnesota in their qualification round against the Vancouver Canucks. Michael Russo of The Athletic, Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports, and Andrew Gross of Newsday all report that once the CBA extension has been ratified, players will be allowed to sign their entry-level contracts this summer to burn the first year, but will not be eligible to play. Russo predicted this very outcome just last week, and outlined the challenges this presents teams who want to get these talented draft picks under contract.
Kaprizov, widely considered the best hockey player not currently in the NHL, is joined by top prospects like Ilya Sorokin and Alexander Romanov in this situation. Signing a deal now would guarantee that they are able to play for their respective team next season, but would also get them a year closer to restricted free agency.
As Russo points out with regards to Kaprisov in particular, burning a year of entry-level without anything to show for it comes with both pros and cons. The 23-year old Russian is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2023-24 season regardless of whether he signs for 2019-20 or starts his two-year entry-level deal in 2020-21, meaning the Wild will likely have to try and sign him to a long-term extension after this first deal expires. The young forward could also decide to return to the KHL for another season instead, given that the 2020-21 NHL campaign is not expected to begin until the middle of winter, while the Russian league is still aiming for a September start.
Prospect Notes: Cozens, Harvard, Beniers, Kings
The future is bright for the Wild, Flyers, Senators, and Kings, per The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler. Each of those four clubs tied for the lead with four prospects making Wheeler’s top-50 list, headlined by Dylan Cozens of the Sabres in the top spot. The same can’t be said for the Lightning, Blue Jackets, Jets, Blackhawks, and Bruins, all of whom failed to register a single prospect on the list. Wheeler qualifies the case for the Jets and Blue Jackets as each had a pair of prospects close to making the list, and the Blackhawks, who have recently graduated players like Adam Boqvist and Kirby Dach, while blueliner Ian Mitchell garnered consideration.
- As if tracking NHL prospects isn’t artful enough, it’s going to get a whole lot more complicated as college athletics tries to find its way amid the coronavirus pandemic. Harvard released a statement today announcing all classes will be offered online and on-campus students will be capped at 40% of the student body. Athletics are going to be impacted, but it’s not yet clear what kind of season, if any, college hockey will have in 2020-2021. As ESPN’s Chris Peters points out, that’s going to affect the next couple of drafts, as Harvard alone had a number of potential draft prospects, including potential first-rounder Matt Beniers.
- The Los Angeles Kings have a big decision looming after winning the number two overall pick in next year’s draft. Of course, they have plenty of time to study their options, writes Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. With an uncertain picture of next season, the draft presents the Kings with their largest dose of certainty. The top pick is going to be Alexis Lafreniere, leaving VP and GM Rob Blake with his pick of the rest. Harris provides a quote from Blake, who said: “You can narrow it down to three or four players where you’re really starting to zero in, instead of a group. But you’re going to review all the prep you did leading up to this one more time to have it fresh on your mind.” In addition, the Kings have three second-round picks and a pair each in the third and fourth round. Of course, though the Kings know when in the draft they’ll pick, they still don’t know when the draft will take place.
Oilers Notes: Maksimov, Green
Prospect winger Kirill Maksimov has the opportunity to develop into a potent offensive weapon down the line for the Edmonton Oilers, but he’ll need the right situation to do so, per David Staples of the Edmonton Journal. Maksimov, 21, put up 13 points in 53 games for the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors before the shutdown this season. On his potential moving forward, Staples writes: “Maksimov is never going to be a big driver of the play. He is a true complimentary winger, who thrives with playmaking centres capable of getting him the puck while he finds open spots on the ice. He does have quick hands and underrated playmaking ability, but needs that speedy and/or skilled pivot on his line who can push the pace. Basically, he’s the type of player who plays better with better talent around him.” Luckily for Maksimov, he plays for an organization with no current shortage of star players. Speaking of, let’s check in on the Oilers and their plans for the Stanley Cup Qualifier showdown with the Blackhawks…
- The Oilers are the heavy favorites to advance past the Blackhawks to the Western Conference playoffs after a .585 points percentage during the season. Chicago has an interesting mix of been-there-done-that veterans and undercooked up-and-comers, but they were the last team added to the play-in round and haven’t shown a consistent enough approach to tackle the star-studded Oilers. Edmonton, meanwhile, figures to be fully healthy with defenseman Mike Green the only key injury after an MCL sprain knocked out the veteran blueliner. Green expects to be ready to join Kris Russell on the Oiler’s third pairing, per Tracey Myers of NHL.com.
- Green played just two games with the Oilers after being acquired from Detroit in late February. Paired with a veteran like Russell, there would be less concern about finding the right working chemistry, but the Oilers have depth options if Green proves unready. Matt Benning is in his fourth season with the team, and youngsters Caleb Jones and William Lagesson also saw ice time this year. All things being equal, however, Green figures to be the guy on the ice. Green has appeared in 76 career playoff games with the Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings, putting up a noteworthy 37 points (10 goals, 37 assists) over that span. Green will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
Pair Of New Jersey Devils Prospects Depart For Europe
New Jersey Devils forward prospects Nikita Popugaev and Ludvig Larsson will be playing outside of the organization next season. Each has signed a contract in Europe and are unlikely to have a role with the Devils in 2020-21. The immediate impact of their departures will be minimal, as the duo were known more by name than for their accomplishments in the minors this year.
Popugaev, 21, was a fourth-round pick of the Devils in 2017. However, he was considered a potential first-round pick early in the draft process due to his 6’6” stature and physical and technical gifts. His stock dropped once questions of his hockey IQ and work ethic began to overshadow is ability. Unfortunately, those questions have materialized into real problems for Popugaev early in his pro career. Following his junior career in the WHL, Popugaev returned home to Russia but failed to produce in the KHL. He finished the 2018-19 season with the AHL’s Binghamton Devils and his five points in 17 games were not enough to convince New Jersey that he was worthy of an entry-level contract. Instead, they signed him to an AHL contract, an unusual move for a drafted player. Rather than take this as a sign that he needed to work harder and improve, Popugaev instead spent this entire season in the ECHL and still only produced moderate numbers. With concerns from both team and player on what is in store for his future with the Devils, Popugaev has opted to return to the KHL, as his agent announced that he has signed a try-out deal with Dynamo Moscow. Popugaev is expected to either land an actual contract with Moscow or another KHL club once his try-out has been completed. This does not rule out the potential for a continued relationship between Popugaev and the Devils, but the team has until June 1, 2021 to sign him to an entry-level deal or else surrender his rights.
As for Larsson, his time with New Jersey and quite possibly North America is over. A former college standout who recorded back-to-back 20-point seasons with Merrimack College and Penn State University in his final two years in the NCAA, Larsson looked like he had the chops for the pro game. A versatile player who played forward and defense in college and was an excellent skater, Larsson certainly needed some seasoning in the minors but an NHL future was not impossible. However, perception was not reality for the 24-year-old. Larsson recorded two points in seven games for AHL Binghamton to close out the 2018-19 season on an amateur tryout, but after signing a one-year minor league deal he contributed only two more points this season in 19 games with Binghamton and spent just as much time in the ECHL as the AHL. Larsson has decided to return home to Sweden, as Allsvenskan club Mora IK per a team announcement. Barring an incredible turnaround in which Larsson’s play in the Allsvenskan lands him a contract in the SHL or another elite European league after next season and he continues to produce at a high level there as well, his time in North America is likely over.