Snapshots: Chiarelli, Devils, Broberg, Laaksonen
The recent parting of ways between the Arizona Coyotes and former President and CEO Ahron Cohen leaves a big opening in Arizona for an executive. That could be a chance for former Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli to get back into an executive role.
Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins writes that it wouldn’t be surprising if Chiarelli was a finalist for that role in Arizona. It is believed that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is not happy with Arizona’s alleged tampering of NHL draft prospects and could have enough influence over new owner Alex Merulo to suggest a reliable candidate to take that open role with the Coyotes. While his success in Edmonton as their general manager wasn’t overly successful, Chiarelli might be a better fit in a president’s role and has a good working relationship with Bettman.
- In his most recent mailbag, The Athletic’s Corey Masisak (subscription required) writes that with a number of prospects closing in on bigger roles in the New Jersey Devils’ lineup, the team may look to unload a player or two during the offseason. The team has a lot of AHL-ready players who might get a chance to break into their lineup, including Jesper Boqvist, Janne Kuokkanen, Joey Anderson, Nicholas Merkley, Nolan Foote and the potential of a 2020 lottery pick being ready to go, that could cause a logjam if the team holds on to all their veteran players. While not all of them are expected to make the Devils’ squad, the scribe writes that it would make sense to move a player with the two most likely trade candidates to be Miles Wood and Pavel Zacha. Both would be valuable to other teams as versatile quality depth players. Of course, much will also depend on future contract negotiations between Kyle Palmieri and Nikita Gusev, who both will be unrestricted free agents in 2021.
- TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports that the Edmonton Oilers are considering putting 2019 first-round pick Philip Broberg on their 30-man roster if/when the playoffs begin. Each team will need a group of black aces with the AHL season having been cancelled. Rather than having the 6-foot-3 blueliner sitting at home, it might be a learning experience if he was to join the team during their playoff push. It’s unlikely he would see any action, but the 18-year-old did spend his first full season playing against adults in the SHL this season. He is expected to continue honing his skills in the SHL for one more year before the Oilers bring him over.
- NHL.com’s Jourdon LaBarber writes that Buffalo Sabres assistant general manager Randy Sexton is considering the possibility of bringing Finnish prospect Oskari Laaksonen to North America as soon as next season. The 2018 third-round pick was considered a steal shortly after the draft due to his impressive skating and passing skills. The 20-year-old has become a leading defenseman on Liiga’s Ilves Tampere squad and could prove to be a key addition for the Sabres. Of course, the question comes down to whether Buffalo could bring the blueliner over as he hasn’t signed an entry-level deal with the Sabres yet and he signed a two-year extension with Ilves Tampere back in 2018 and has only played out one of those years so far. No word on whether there was an out-clause in the contract.
Washington Capitals Extend AHL Affiliation
The Washington Capitals and Hershey Bears will be back together for several more years. The two organizations have announced a new affiliation agreement that runs through 2023-24. Capitals GM Brian MacLellan released a statement:
We have enjoyed our long-lasting partnership with the Hershey Bears and are excited to extend our affiliation. Hershey has a tremendous history within the American Hockey League. They are well-run and a first-class organization. We believe the franchise’s winning culture provides our prospects with the best opportunity to develop.
The two teams have been affiliated for the last 15 years, during which Hershey has experienced an incredible amount of success. They have made the playoffs in 12 of the affiliated seasons while winning three Calder Cup championships.
Washington too has experienced a ton of success, as they continue to develop and produce quality NHL talent from their pipeline in Hershey. A huge portion of the 2019-20 roster has spent at least some time with the Bears.
One of the best examples of the partnership perhaps is with Ilya Samsonov, the Capitals young star goaltender. Already three years into his professional career in Russia, Samsonov came over this season and was originally assigned to the minor leagues. There’s no doubt that the structure and success of Hershey helped convince him to spend some time there, getting his feet wet before making his breakthrough into the NHL.
Hershey continues to lead the AHL in attendance, drawing over 8,700 fans per game this season.
U.S. National Junior Team Coaching Staff Announced
You won’t be able to blame a lack of coaching experience if Team USA experiences another disappointment at the 2021 World Junior Championship. After failing to advance past the quarterfinal in this year’s tournament, the team is looking for some revenge in a few months. Today the team announced the rest of the coaching staff that will surround Providence College head coach Nate Leaman behind the bench. Ted Donato, head coach at Harvard, Kris Mayotte, assistant coach at Michigan and Steve Miller, associate coach at Ohio State will all be assistants for the tournament. The team will also bring in Theresa Feaster as a video coach, making her the first female to ever serve on the coaching staff of a U.S. National Junior team.
Almost the entire group has experience together at Providence and brings a huge amount of experience to the tournament. The question now becomes how exactly the team will be constructed, given the Summer Showcase will not be happening this year. The event is usually used to gather the top prospects for the WJC and test them against each other, seeing which mix will provide the most success.
Of course, all of this is assuming that a 2021 tournament actually happens, which is not at all certain at this point. Recently, Bob McKenzie of TSN explained that Hockey Canada is still discussing the feasibility of hosting the event in Edmonton or potentially even holding it without any fans.
Los Angeles Kings Parting Ways With Mike Futa
Despite having a draft coming at some point in the next few months, the Los Angeles Kings are parting ways with assistant GM Mike Futa, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Futa has been rumored as a candidate for GM positions in the past, and will now be allowed to speak with other teams about a new position (as long as they receive official permission from the Kings, according to Friedman).
It’s been more than a decade since Futa joined the Kings, taking the position of co-director of amateur scouting back in 2007 following his run as GM of the Owen Sound Attack. He was promoted to vice president of hockey operations in 2014, before being named AGM in 2017. A well-respected scout, Kings GM Rob Blake explained exactly why he was promoting Futa at the time:
Mike has made tremendous contributions to our hockey club over the years and he will be one of several people we are going to internally lean on. He and his department have enjoyed success here both with the NHL Draft and the Ontario Hockey League in particular, and we look forward to additional success in the immediate future.
Notably, the Kings leaned on that knowledge of the OHL just a few months later when they selected Gabriel Vilardi with the 11th overall pick. Akil Thomas and Arthur Kaliev, both picked in the second round the following seasons, are two other OHL players that look to have promising futures.
While no scout ever hits on all of his picks, the collection of prospects Futa has built over the last few years is almost unrivaled. In fact, Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription required) ranked the Kings as the top prospect pool in the entire NHL just a few months ago, indicating that they were the “clear-cut” choice at No. 1. Futa can’t be credited for all of it, as Mark Yannetti is actually the team’s director of amateur scouting, but he was definitely involved.
There will surely be teams interested in bringing Futa aboard, but the timing of such a hire will be interesting. It may be possible that he has to wait until after this scouting season is over, though it is unclear when exactly that will be.
Alexander Romanov Agrees To Terms With Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have made it official, Alexander Romanov is coming. The question now becomes when. The team has announced that Romanov agreed to terms on a three-year entry-level contract, though the start date is still dependant on whether or not the season resumes. Montreal GM Marc Bergevin was obviously excited about his newest prospect:
We are very happy to confirm that we have come to an agreement with Alexander Romanov. Alexander is a young, solid, and very reliable defenseman who is determined to pursue his career in the NHL. He is part of our group of young prospects, and we strongly believe he will become an important asset of our defensive squad for years to come.
Romanov, 20, is one of the most exciting defense prospects in the entire league, after finding his footing in the KHL and dominating players his own age (or older) at the World Juniors. The two-way defenseman has a bronze and silver medal at home from the tournament, along with two All-Star nominations and a “Best Defenseman” award from 2019. Basically, it was hard to watch any Russian game at the event without noticing Romanov, whose poise and awareness is almost unmatched among defensemen his age.
For the Canadiens, the expectation is that Romanov will move directly into the NHL lineup when he arrives (even if that is potentially a resumed season this summer). The team does have five defensemen already signed for next season, but one of them is Karl Alzner who has only played a handful of meaningful NHL games over the last year.
Even the other more veteran options on the roster may not be standing in Romanov’s way very long, as long as his performance continues.
Grigori Denisenko Signs Entry-Level Contract
The Florida Panthers will be bringing over one of their top prospects, agreeing to terms with Grigori Denisenko on a three-year entry-level contract. The young forward spent the last two seasons in the KHL, playing for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv. Panthers GM Dale Tallon released a short statement on the agreement:
Grigori is an exciting, dynamic and highly skilled young forward who has been a top player on the international stage and served as captain of Team Russia at the World Juniors. We are thrilled for his bright future with the Panthers for years to come.
There are few prospects with more upside than the 19-year old Denisenko, who recorded 12 points in 38 games this season in the KHL. The teenage forward led Russia in scoring at the World Juniors for the second consecutive year, captaining them to a silver medal in the process (they won bronze in his first go-round).
Along with his immense skill, is his willingness to engage physically when necessary, making him a well-rounded fit for several different roles at the next level. He’s not a power forward by any means—Denisenko stands just 5’11” 180-lbs—but he also isn’t just a perimeter player.
Selected 15th overall in 2018, you can bet the Panthers front office and coaching staff are excited to finally get their hands on Denisenko in order to start him on their own development program. He joins quite a talented group of prospect forwards, including other high-end talents like Owen Tippett and Henrik Borgstrom.
San Jose Sharks Sign Alexei Melnichuk
The San Jose Sharks have won the race for KHL goaltender Alexei Melnichuk, signing him to an entry-level contract according to his agent Dan Milstein. San Jose had been one of several teams pursuing the young goaltender, who is coming off an excellent debut in the KHL.
In 16 appearances this season, Melnichuk recorded a 1.68 goals-against average and .930 save percentage. Though KHL save numbers are often higher than those in the NHL, the 21-year old still more than held his ground as a rookie for St. Petersburg and obviously has a bright future.
Because Melnichuk turns 22 this summer the deal will be a two-year entry-level contract. The Sharks already do have a few goaltending prospects in their system, but because of his pro experience in Russia Melnichuk may actually jump to the top of the line.
It’s important to remember with this signing that Aaron Dell, who has served as an NHL backup for the last several seasons, is scheduled for unrestricted free agency. There will likely be an opportunity with the team in the short term, perhaps one that the young Russian will get a crack at.
Colorado Avalanche Sign Justus Annunen
The Colorado Avalanche have signed goaltender Justus Annunen to a three-year, entry-level contract, adding another interesting prospect to the organization. Annunen played this season at the highest level in Finland, where he is expected to stay for another year according to Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic.
Annunen, 20, was picked 64th by the Avalanche in 2018 and has quickly become one of the top goaltending prospects in the league. A legitimate “goalie-of-the-future” candidate for the Avalanche, the third-round pick recorded a .929 save percentage as a rookie in Finland’s top league while also posting a .921 mark at the World Juniors.
Standing an imposing 6-foot-4, Annunen also has the quick reflexes and sound positioning to make a name for himself in professional hockey. While he may still be a few years away from making an impact for the Avalanche, getting him under contract was an important first step.
It will be interesting to see what the Avalanche do with regards to goaltending over the next few years, as Philipp Grubauer will be an unrestricted free agent in 2021, Pavel Francouz will join him as a UFA in 2022, and Annunen is joining an interesting trio alongside Hunter Miska and Adam Werner as potential options down the road.
Nils Hoglander Signs Entry-Level Deal
The Vancouver Canucks have convinced one of their most exciting prospects to join the organization, signing Nils Hoglander to a three-year entry-level contract. The young forward has wowed audiences in the SHL for the last two seasons and Canucks GM Jim Benning is happy to have him under contract:
Nils is a dynamic player with a high skill level and a strong work ethic. He’s a creative playmaker with great hands and goal-scoring abilities. We’re pleased to sign Nils today and look forward to seeing continued development in his game next season.
If you didn’t know Hoglander’s name when the Canucks selected him 40th overall in 2019, you certainly did after the World Juniors. The skilled forward pulled off an incredible lacrosse-style goal against Finland that had the whole hockey world talking. While that goal may have opened the eyes of a broader audience, it wasn’t the first jaw-dropping goal Hoglander had scored at a high level and it certainly won’t be the last.
There is a real chance that Hoglander could return to Sweden for another season should he fail to make the Canucks out of camp, but there is a lot of excitement about his future in Vancouver.
2020 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup Officially Canceled
Though it had been obvious for some time that this announcement was going to come eventually, the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup has now been officially canceled for 2020. Hockey Canada CEO Tom Renney released a statement:
The health and safety of players, staff, officials, fans, family, volunteers and the general public is of the utmost importance to Hockey Canada, and although this was a difficult decision to make, we believe it is in the best interest of everyone involved given the uncertainty at this time
The tournament had been scheduled for August 3-8 in Edmonton and Red Deer Alberta and is the first big scouting event for the 2021 draft class. Its cancelation will only make it more difficult for teams to get an early read on targets for next year, though there will still be plenty of time to see the players with their respective club teams.