Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Prospects

Perunovich Contract Likely To Open Up Deals For Other Top Collegiates

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

While many undrafted college players have already signed in the last couple of weeks, only a handful of top collegiate players have inked new deals. One of the reasons is due to questions surrounding whether players could sign contracts for this year, since it the rest of the season remains in limbo. However, with the recent signing of defenseman Scott Perunovich with the St. Louis Blues to two different contracts, that could open up a flood of players who are ready to sign contacts, according to Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required).

Perunovich agreed to two contracts Friday, one that would start this year (assuming the season continues), while the other would start in the 2019-20 season, although both contracts would be two-year deals. The scribe notes that St. Louis had to get NHL approval of the two contracts, which now could open up possibilities for several college players, including Chicago Blackhawks’ Ian Mitchell, Vegas Golden Knights’ Jack Dugan and Winnipeg Jets’ Dylan Samberg.

Powers uses the example of Mitchell, who wrapped up his junior season at the University of Denver and has to sign a three-year, entry-level contract due to his age. Mitchell would prefer to sign starting this season as it would immediately burn that first year.

“Right now we are waiting to see what happens with the NHL season,” the 21-year-old Mitchell wrote. “There is a freeze on contracts being signed for this season. If I were to sign a contract now, I wouldn’t be able to play this year if the season resumes. So right now it is just wait and see.”

Technically, Perunovich has not signed either contact, but will sign one of the two once it’s decided on whether the 2019-20 season will continue or not. That could be the case for any other college prospects who are eager to sign, but would prefer to sign for this year and not wait an extra year.

Mitchell continues to wait on whether there is a season this year, but is suddenly more open to signing soon after Perunovich’s deal.

“Yes, all options are on the table,” said Mitchell in a text when asked about signing a similar deal.

Powers believes that the contract itself has already been worked out, especially since Chicago has been willing to hand out “A” bonuses to their top prospects in the past and with Mitchell having the ability to threaten to return to Denver for his senior year, he is likely to get that, although it’s believed that he is leaning towards signing a pro contract.

Edmonton Oilers Tell Philip Broberg To Remain In Sweden Next Year

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Edmonton Oilers have informed prospect Philip Broberg that they would prefer him to remain in Sweden for another year, rather than have him come to North America and play in the AHL, according to Postmedia’s Jim Matheson. Broberg, the team’s eighth-overall pick in the 2019 NHL draft, did play a full season with the SHL last season as an 18-year-old, but did not show the offense the Oilers were hoping for in his first pro season.

The Oilers were quite enamored by Broberg’s 6-foot-3, 203-pound frame as well as his fast and impressive skating, when they shocked a few by taking him with the eighth-overall pick, but general manager Ken Holland has preached speed when drafting and signing players since he took over last year. Broberg is an example of that. He has averaged 14 minutes a game in his first season in the SHL, but has received little to no power play minutes. He finished his season with one goal and eight points in 45 games for Skelleftea. The hope is that soon-to-be 19-year-old will accrue more minutes in the SHL and have a chance to develop his offensive skills. He did score one goal at the World Juniors in December, but also was asked to take a lesser role and focus on defense for Sweden.

The Oilers have several defensive prospects, so the team likely could hold on for another year without Broberg in the immediate system. The team is likely going to give every chance first to their No. 1 prospect, Evan Bouchard, who has fared quite well in Bakersfield of the AHL this past year, and likely will be given a shot at winning an job with the Oilers next season. The team also has Dmitri Samorukov, who played a secondary role with Bakersfield this year and might now get a chance to take on a bigger role next season.

Prospect Notes: Rasanen, Niemelainen, Berglund, Farrance, Harris

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

There have been many international prospects over the years that have turned to the NCAA to try to help get ready for the NHL or bolster their chances of getting drafted.  There aren’t as many that have gone the other way but it appears that’s the case with Oilers prospect Aapeli Rasanen.  The 21-year-old recently wrapped up his junior year at Boston College but Jeff Cox of the New England Hockey Journal reports (Twitter link) that the forward has informed the team that he’s leaving and is returning to Finland to play professionally.  Rasanen grew up playing in the Tappara so it’s likely that he would rejoin that program.

  • Still with the Oilers, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector notes that Edmonton is hoping to sign defensemen Markus Niemelainen and Filip Berglund. Both players were draft picks in 2016 and have until June 1st to sign their entry-level deals.  Niemelainen played in 55 games with Assat Pori of the Finnish SM-liiga this season while Berglund suited up in 52 contests with SHL Skelleftea, his fourth straight year of being a regular in that league.  They’re also both under contract for next season already (Berglund for two more years) but both countries have a transfer agreement with the NHL so those deals shouldn’t get in the way.
  • Predators prospect David Farrance is coming off a very strong junior year with Boston University that saw him collect 14 goals and 29 assists in just 34 games. While it certainly seems as if he’s ready to turn pro, AHL reporter Mark Divver mentions (Twitter link) that the 20-year-old hasn’t yet decided whether or not to return for his senior season.  With Nashville’s back end being filled with low salary players, it’s quite possible that Farrance could immediately make the jump to the NHL like Dante Fabbro (a Boston University alum) recently did.
  • Canadiens prospect Jordan Harris has given a verbal commitment to return to Northeastern for his junior year, reports Sportsnet’s Eric Engels (Twitter link). Last month, GM Marc Bergevin mentioned the possibility that Harris could forego the rest of his college eligibility and turn pro but that doesn’t appear to be the plan.  Harris had 21 points in 33 games this season while chipping in with a goal in five games for Team USA at the World Juniors.

Philadelphia Flyers Sign Wade Allison

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Philadelphia Flyers won’t be losing one of their draft prospects after all. Wade Allison has signed an entry-level contract with the team following his senior season at Western Michigan University. Allison could have become an unrestricted free agent had he waited until August (under normal league circumstances at least), but will instead start his professional career with the team that drafted him.

CapFriendly reports that the deal breaks down as follows:

2020-21: $925K salary (including signing bonus)
2021-22: $925K salary (including signing bonus), $425K in performance bonuses

Now 22, Allison is a tall, powerful winger that recorded 23 points in 26 games for the Broncos this season, serving as an alternate captain for the second year. His college career ended with 97 points in 106 games, but it’s his strong return from injury that should excite fans who were worried about his long-term career path.

In January of 2018, Allison tore his ACL. He had been on track to contend for the Hobey Baker as a sophomore with 15 goals and 30 points in his first 22 games, but that was likely the last thing on his mind at the time. How would he look when he came back, would his NHL future be in jeopardy?

More than two years later and Allison has finally signed that NHL contract and is on his way to joining the organization that used the 52nd overall pick on him back in 2016. Flyers’ AGM Brent Flahr described his newest prospect as “a great package of size, speed and skill” while suggesting that he can be a power forward at the NHL level.

PHR Panel: Draft Prospect Impact

at CDT | by 2 Comments

We’re now two weeks into an NHL postponement and there is still no clear timeline on when professional hockey will return. While fans of the sport have received small tidbits of news over that time, including college signings and contract extensions, the thirst for discussion has rarely been quenched.

With that in mind, we’re happy to introduce a new feature: The PHR Panel. Three times a week, our writing staff will give our individual takes on a question many hockey fans have been wondering about. If you’d ever like to submit a subject for us to discuss, be sure to put it in the comments. This series will run each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Earlier this week we gave our thoughts on potential playoff formats the league could use coming out of the pause. Today, we’ll talk about how draft prospects are impacted by the sudden conclusion of their junior and college seasons.

Q: Which kind of draft prospect is impacted the most by the shortened scouting season—high-, mid- or late-round?

Brian La Rose:

By now, teams have a pretty good idea of the players that are going to be at or near the top of their draft lists.  There could be some movement up or down but most players ranked in the first round on a list at this point are still probably going to be ranked in the first round when final lists are set.

The stretch run and playoffs can certainly help a mid-ranked player move up (or down) but it shouldn’t affect their stock in terms of being drafted.  It would take a significant injury or a dreadful late performance to knock a player from being ranked mid-round midseason to the do not draft list.

That can’t be said for the late-round prospects.  Oftentimes, a big showing in the playoffs or the Under-18’s can make that lasting impression that gets them onto the late flier list.  Conversely, the lower-ranked player that played well at the start of the season but struggles in such an event can fall off the list entirely.  The movement in the rankings is much more drastic.

There is a considerable gap between first-rounders and those taken after.  There is a small difference between second and third-rounders relative to those who go later.  But once you hit the back end of the draft, the gap is minimal and it doesn’t take much to rise or fall in those rankings.  That’s why they’re the most impacted by the early ends to their respective seasons.

Holger Stolzenberg:

For the most part, high-round picks have already been established. Teams and scouts are already well aware of the top-caliber players and where they will go in the first couple of rounds. While there is always some shuffling up and down those first few rounds, most of those players have been scouted quite a bit (perhaps minus a handful of Russian prospects, but isn’t that always the case?)

It’s the later picks that are likely to be affected the most. With no playoffs coming at the junior and collegiate levels as well as overseas, many of those often-missed prospects won’t get a chance to shine at the final level and show that they should be taken earlier. Plenty of prospects establish themselves near the end of the season as they develop in their own team’s systems or get to step up and prove themselves when injuries creep up. These late-season tournaments as well as the IIHF canceling the IIHF U18 World Championships will eliminate key scouting opportunities that will have a major effect on the mid to late rounds.

Zach Leach:

Unlike the other top pro sports leagues, the NHL is unique in that all rookie contracts are more or less created equal. The entry-level system creates a narrow salary window in which each draft pick is able to negotiate his contract, while also allowing time before signing to create leverage for a greater base salary or performance bonuses within that range, as opposed to negotiating based solely on draft position.

This is all to say that the most important thing for an NHL prospect is just getting drafted, not where you are drafted. For this reason, the “late-round” prospects are absolutely the group most impacted by the Coronavirus-shortened season, as they are not locked in to be selected at all. Top prospects who can safely assume that they will be picked in the first four or five rounds have that security because there is a consensus that they are a strong NHL prospect. That consensus can only be built by multiple viewings by multiple scouts over the course of the season. A shortened season still leaves most teams with more than enough information to make a decision on those top- and middle-tier prospects. Those late-round prospects often do not have the luxury of multiple viewings by scouts. High school, prep school, Junior-A and European junior league games do not offer the same value to scouts as attending CHL, USHL, or European pro games, where there are multiple draft prospects to watch. As such, postseason play and other spring tournaments offer the best opportunities for scouts and the best chance for a late-round prospect to be seen and make an impact on a team, improving his draft odds. Many of those players will not get that opportunity this year and some lower-caliber players from bigger leagues may get the nod based on teams’ number of viewings alone.

Once a player is passed over in their first year of eligibility, earning a selection only gets tougher. So it is those fringe, late-round prospects who may have lost their chance to impress the maximum number of teams possible who will be most affected by the shortened recruiting season.

Gavin Lee:

There’s no doubt that the players at the fringe of any ranking may end up missing a chance to impress an NHL team enough to earn a selection, but I would argue that it doesn’t really change their situation all that much by going undrafted. Every year teams decide not to hand out NHL contracts to their sixth- and seventh-round picks from prior drafts, letting them become free agents or bringing them in on minor league deals instead. The situation for a seventh-round pick isn’t all that fundamentally different from one that slips by—they’re still going to have to put in a lot of hard work to prove they are worthy of an NHL contract slot.

No, I believe it is actually those first-round talents that could be affected the most, in both positive and negative manners.

Last year, just a few weeks before the draft, Peyton Krebs suffered a torn Achilles in an offseason workout. Krebs had been in line for a potential top-10 selection, ranked that high by several outlets including by TSN’s Bob McKenzie, who polls NHL scouts from around the league. Instead, after his injury, Krebs dropped to the Vegas Golden Knights at 17th. If you compare his entry-level deal to that of, say, Victor Soderstrom, who went 11th, you’ll notice that Krebs has a substantially lower number of available performance bonuses—some $750K over the three years.

For an example the other way, one can point at Mortiz Seider’s performance for Germany at the IIHF World Championship in May of 2019 as a potential reason why he ended up being the sixth player off the board in June. NHL.com correspondent Aaron Vickers wrote exactly that last year when he spoke to players like Leon Draisaitl who was so impressed with the 18-year old’s play. Seider landed more than $2.5MM in potential performance bonuses for going so high, twice as much as Krebs and certainly more than he would have at his #16 ranking in the same TSN scouting poll.

Scott Perunovich Agrees To Terms With St. Louis Blues

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The St. Louis Blues have convinced one of their top college prospects to turn pro, agreeing to terms with Scott Perunovich. Interestingly though, this deal comes with a twist according to Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic. Perunovich has agreed to two different versions of his entry-level contract. One would start in the 2019-20 season if it resumes at some point, and the other would be starting in 2020-21. The deal is for two seasons either way, though obviously would expire at different times.

Perunovich, 21, was the 45th selection in the 2018 draft and has continued to dominate at the college level. As a junior this year for the University of Minnesota-Duluth, he recorded 40 points in 34 games—as a defenseman mind you—and was named a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the country’s top college player.

Should the season resume at some point, Perunovich would actually be eligible to play for the Blues right away. Just as other college prospects have in recent years like Charlie McAvoy, Brock Boeser and Cale Makar, the young defenseman could be an impact player right away at the NHL level.

The 5’10” 175-lbs defenseman has won almost countless awards during his time at UMD, including the Tim Taylor Award as the NCAA’s best rookie in 2018. Add in two national titles with the Bulldogs, a World Junior bronze medal with Team USA and a potential Hobey Baker and you have a player that’s ready for the next level.

Snapshots: NHL Draft, Ovechkin, Crosby, Guentzel

at CDT | by 4 Comments

Yesterday, the NHL postponed the 2020 NHL Draft, which had been set to take place in Montreal on June 26-27. The league did not however indicate what the plan was to make up the event, which must occur in some form or fashion prior to the 2020-21 season. However, Pierre LeBrun writes for The Athletic that there are three possible solutions for the draft make-up. The least likely would be that the draft is simply postponed to a later date and takes place in Montreal as initially planned. LeBrun does not believe that a full draft, complete with teams, prospects, and fans alike in attendance, is a realistic option. Slightly more likely would be a scaled-down version, which LeBrun compares to the post-lockout draft in 2005, that still takes place in Montreal but with far less fanfare, but even this seems unlikely. The outcome most see occurring, falling in line with what junior leagues have decided for their own drafts, would be a virtual NHL Draft, wherein teams make their picks live from their individual war rooms. LeBrun mentions the possibility of a centralized location, in Montreal or elsewhere, with team reps and top prospects in attendance to react to the virtual selections.

If the draft does move to a virtual format, LeBrun reports that the league has promised Montreal that they will receive either the 2021 or 2022 NHL Draft. He adds that the NHL may even consider combining the NHL Entry Draft and NHL Expansion Draft into one week-long event in Montreal next summer. Given the rabid fan base of the city, it would be as good a location as any – barring Seattle itself maybe – to hold the Expansion Draft. If Montreal were to lose the draft this year only to gain two drafts next year, that would be quite the consolation prize.

  • Count arguably the two biggest names in hockey as supporters of calling the regular season and jumping right into the playoffs. On a conference call today among representatives of each of the Metropolitan Division teams, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Washington’s Alex Ovechkin lobbied for the NHL to skip the remaining regular season games and resume play with the first round of the postseason, in whatever format they choose. Crosby opined that playing as many regular season games as possible would be best for the integrity of the season, but he “wouldn’t mind starting right at the playoffs.” Ovechkin was more direct, saying that he is “bored” with the league’s current pause and that his Capitals “don’t want to play those extra games” and would “rather start the playoffs right away.” Unsurprisingly, Carolina’s Jordan Staal, whose Hurricanes are safely in the postseason right now, agrees with Ovechkin and Crosby, while brother Marc Staal of the New York Rangers, who were hot before the league postponed its action, would rather resume the regular season in hopes of getting in. Curiously though, Columbus’ Nick Foligno, whose Blue Jackets would be in the standard playoff structure by total points but not by points percentage, the likely determinant of qualification, supported a jump right to the postseason, while the New York Islanders’ Anders Lee, whose team is in the opposite situation, preferred to finish the regular season. Opinions are sure to change based on the length of the league’s pause, the options for returning to action, and the potential format of postseason play, but for now there is major support behind surrendering the regular season in favor of an immediate postseason of some sort.
  • There are few NHL stakeholders who are benefiting from the current indefinite break in action. One of the only exceptions is Crosby’s teammate, Jake Guentzel. Guentzel suffered a shoulder injury in late December and was given a four-to-six-month recovery window following surgery. In a normal league year, that likely meant that Guentzel would be lucky to play again this season, only able to return for the playoffs, and almost certainly wouldn’t be able to get back to full strength. However, given the delay of the current pause, the status quo has shifted. Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review relays word from GM Jim Rutherford that Guentzel’s rehab is going well and the team is optimistic that he will play again if the season resumes. Especially considering the strong likelihood that the NHL will need a mini training camp for teams to get back to game speed, Guentzel may even be back at full strength before a potential resumption of the regular season or start of the postseason in June or July. Guentzel recorded 43 points in 39 games playing with an injury-depleted forward corps prior to his own injury and would be a major asset for the Penguins, who would be the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan Division if the playoffs began based on the current standings.

Montreal Canadiens Agree To Terms With Jesse Ylonen

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Montreal Canadiens have inked one of their most interesting prospects, agreeing to terms with Jesse Ylonen on a three-year entry-level contract. Ylonen had previously been loaned to the Laval Rocket but failed to play in a single AHL game before the season was suspended. He spent the earlier portion of the season with the Lahti Pelicans of Finland’s top league.

Ylonen, 20, actually could have an outside shot at making the Canadiens next season if he proves his overseas experience has prepared him for the North American professional ranks. Selected 35th overall in 2018, he’s quickly shot up prospect rankings with his strong play in Finland and at the World Juniors in 2019 where he helped bring home the gold medal.

With Cole Caufield returning to college for another year, Ylonen should receive every opportunity to star as a key prospect for the Canadiens, even if it is at the AHL level to start. Nick Suzuki successfully made the jump to the NHL last season, but it’s not always so easy—just ask Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who was sent back to the AHL to continue his development.

Speaking of Kotkaniemi, he did play on some of the same tournament teams as Ylonen in the past and it will be interesting to see if the two ever get a chance to play together for the Canadiens.

Prospect Notes: Lafreniere, Gildon, Whelan, Richter Award

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The announcement this afternoon that the NHL would be postponing the 2020 NHL Draft means that top prospect Alexis Lafreniere will have to wait a while longer to presumably be selected first overall. Yet, with his QMJHL season already canceled, the young forward has little else to focus on. The same can be said for a number of NHL teams who already know that they won’t be making the postseason regardless of the format the league chooses if and when they return to action. No team has more to gain from the coming draft than the Ottawa Senators. If the NHL Draft Lottery were to be held without any further changes to the regular season standings, the Detroit Red Wings would have the best singular odds of winning, 18.5%, but the Senators in both second and third, given their ownership of the San Jose Sharks’ pick, would actually have much better odds at a combined 25%. Naturally, the question was asked by TSN today of the Quebec native Lafreniere how he would feel about playing in Canada’s capital. “It would be fun. It would be special,” Lafreniere said, “It’s a great place to play and it would be an honor [to be selected.]” While the Senators have not exactly been a top free agent destination in recent years, the club is building up quite a talented group of prospects and Lafreniere would be a great fit to lead the team into the future, especially alongside whoever else the team selects early in the first round.

  • One existing NHL prospect who may soon be joining his pro home is Florida Panthers pick Max Gildon. Gildon, who just wrapped up his junior season at the University of New Hampshire, is close to signing an entry-level deal reports New England hockey insider Mark Divver. Divver expects the two sides to come to terms on a deal within a week. Gildon was a 2017 third-round pick out of the U.S. National Team Development Program, but has outplayed his draft slot over three productive years on the UNH blue line. He also pairs a big frame, physical play, and ability to play in all situations with his considerable skill and vision. Joining a Florida team with a pretty thin pipeline of defensive talent, Gildon could be in the NHL sooner rather than later.
  • Quinnipiac University forward Alex Whelan has found his first pro destination, as the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack announced a contract with the nearby product or the 2020-21 season. Whelan, who just finished his fourth and final year with Quinnipiac, was nothing if not consistent in his NCAA career. However, his 24 points this season came in just 29 games as opposed to 25 in 38 last year. On a per-game basis, he was the Bobcats’ second-best scorer on a team that was within reach of an NCAA Tournament berth. A power forward who looks prepared for the pro game, Whelan is a nice pickup for Hartford and will likely bring some Quinnipiac fans along with him.
  • The NCAA announced the ten semifinalists for the Mike Richter Award for top goaltender on Tuesday, with several NHL prospects on the list. Maine’s Jeremy Swayman, who recently signed his entry-level deal with the Boston Bruins, heads up a list that also includes 2019 top goalie draft pick Spencer Knight of Boston College and the Florida Panthers, as well as UMass Lowell’s Tyler Wall, whose rights are owned by the New York Rangers but could be headed for unrestricted free agency. However, the favorite for the award is likely an undrafted product, Minnesota State’s Dryden McKay, who led the nation in wins, save percentage, and GAA. McKay and Swayman are the only Richter semifinalists who are also Hobey Baker finalists. Other standouts include Cornell’s Matthew Galajda, Michigan’s Strauss Mann, and Bemidji State’s Zach Driscoll. The three finalists will be announced at a later date.

CHL Cancels Playoffs, Memorial Cup

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Memorial Cup, a junior hockey trophy that has been awarded every year for more than century, will be dormant this season. The CHL has decided to cancel the rest of their playoffs and championship tournament in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The tournament was scheduled for May in Kelowna, British Columbia but will not be possible.

The CHL, made up of the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League, had canceled the rest of the regular season recently but held out hope until today that a playoff would be possible. This new update means that for many NHL prospects, the season is over. For many others who won’t be transitioning to the professional ranks, their competitive hockey careers will end without a chance to hoist the trophy or even compete for their various league championships.

In terms of NHL impact, it also means that scouting staffs will not get a chance to see draft-eligible players in the high stress atmosphere of the playoffs. Those best-on-best tournaments are often where final decisions are made about a player’s upside, and draft rankings are solidified. Without the U18 World Championship, CHL or USHL playoffs, scouts will be armed with much less information this time around.

It also obviously comes as an ominous sign for the future of the 2019-20 NHL season, which still seemingly hangs in the balance. The league today issued an updated FAQ that suggested they are still hoping to restart a training period after 45 of the CDC’s recommended 60 days with no gatherings of more than 50 people, but things are still changing rapidly as more information comes out.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top