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College Hockey Round-Up: 02/26/20

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With just one or two weekends left in the regular season for NCAA programs, every game counts a little more as teams are jockeying for position in their conference tournaments. The Big Ten, ECAC, WCHA, and Atlantic kick off their tournament play on March 6th, while Hockey East and the NCHC play an extra week of regular season matchups and get underway on March 13th. The winners of each tournament get an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, while the rest of the field is selected based on the national rankings.

In the Big Ten, all seven teams make the postseason and preseason favorite Wisconsin already has the sad distinction of locking up the bottom seed and a meeting with the second seed in the first round. All other spots are still up for grabs, but the conferences only ranked teams – No. 9 Penn State, No. 10 Ohio State, and No. 18 Minnesota – are the only ones left in the running for the coveted first-round bye.

In Hockey East, only eight of eleven teams make the tournaments and Vermont and Merrimack have already been eliminated from contention. That leaves nine teams, all within a nine-point range and having two-to-four games remaining, to battle for seeding in what should be an excellent conference tournament.

The WCHA uses a similar structure as Hockey East, allowing eight of their ten teams into the tournament. It’s a good thing too, as this past weekend showed that the likes of No. 2 Minnesota State and current WCHA bottom-dweller Alabama-Huntsville do not need a playoff series to determine who is better. In fact, the balance of power in the conference is so much that a tournament win by anyone other than Minnesota State or No. 11 Bemidji State would be a major upset and would cause a shift in the NCAA Tournament landscape.

The NCHC has the same 1-8 format, except that the conference only houses eight teams. No team has locked up a specific seed yet, but the field is deep behind No. 3 North Dakota, No. 5 Minnesota Duluth, No. 6 Denver, No. 16 Western Michigan, and unranked but formidable St. Cloud State.

The ECAC also allows all 12 of its teams to compete in the conference tournament, with the top four seeds earning a bye. It is clear that No. 1 Cornell and No. 7 Clarkson will be among that top quartet, but the likes of No. 17 Quinnipiac, Harvard, and surprise Rensselaer will battle for the final two byes this week.

Finally, there is Atlantic Hockey, the spoiler conference. The tournament winner, often a surprise, is also almost always outside the top 16 seeds, causing a shakeup to the national tourney. This year, either one of No. 20 American International or previously ranked Sacred Heart could potentially hold their own on the NCAA, but they will be bumping a better team nevertheless.

Recent Results

There has been another shift at the top of the national rankings in recent weeks. Despite sweeping No. 6 Denver two weeks ago, North Dakota drops to No. 3 after recording a tie and a loss against St. Cloud State this past weekend. In their stead, Cornell moves back up to No. 1 with four wins over four different ECAC opponents, while Minnesota State slides into No. 2 with just two wins but a whopping 18-0 differential against Alabama Huntsville.

Boston College established itself as both a true national contender and the team to beat out of Hockey East this year with a convincing four-win stretch over Merrimack and No. 13 Northeastern. Northeastern fans may be scratching their heads a bit, as the team currently sits one spot behind No. 12 UMass Lowell, who they swept two weeks ago and who picked up just one win in their most recent home-and-home against No. 8 UMass. One way or another, these four programs seem like a lock for the national stage barring a collapse in the final weeks or the conference tournament. The real question is whether No. 15 Maine or the severely slumping No. 19 Providence College can get into the NCAA Tournament on merit or if they will have to win Hockey East to get in, like UConn and Boston University must do.

The Big Ten’s top teams finally appear to be turning things around. While a 2-1-1 record in recent weeks is not stunning, it was enough for Penn State to move up to No. 9. Meanwhile, Ohio State has climbed to No. 10 following a sweep of Michigan State. Quietly, No. 18 Minnesota has also climbed into the national conversation, but will need a strong final week and conference tourney showing to get in.

Three ranked teams that currently qualify as wild cards right now are No. 11 Bemidji State, No. 14 Arizona State, and No. 20 America International. Bemidji has been moving up the rankings for some time now, but a recent 3-0-1 run has catapulted them to right outside the top-ten. Yet, when it comes to evaluating the weak competition of the WCHA, there’s a chance that Bemidji could be a bubble team if they don’t at least reach the conference tournament final against Minnesota State. Arizona State, an independent, must get into the NCAA Tournament on merit, but a recent sweep by Wisconsin to end their regular season doesn’t help. A spoiler or two in conference tournaments seems likely to bounce ASU, as they now have to sit back and be at the mercy of other teams for the next few weeks. Finally, there’s American International, the newest addition to the national rankings. AIC has won eleven straight games and will only move up the rankings further if they close out the regular season by extending that streak. However, the team plays in the weakest conference in college hockey and are 0-6 in nonconference play this season. Barring a drop-off from several top teams over the next few weeks, AIC will very likely need to win the Atlantic to move on with their season.

Tyler Madden Out Indefinitely

When it comes to college prospects, this year’s NHL Trade Deadline was somewhat of a bust. Of all the deals made, only two current NCAA prospects were dealt and zero NCAA-bound prospects were moved. Denver defenseman Slava Demin was traded by the Vegas Golden Knights to the Chicago Blackhawks as part of the three-team Robin Lehner trade, but the sophomore blue liner is still somewhat of a raw product and his acquisition did not move the needle on the national scale. However, the Los Angeles Kings’ acquisition of Northeastern star Tyler Madden is a much bigger deal. Madden, acquired in the Tyler Toffoli deal, is one of the very best goal scorers in the NCAA. The sophomore forward has 37 points in 27 games this season, which places him in the top five of per-game producers at the college level. His 19 goals also places him in the top ten. Madden just recently helped the Huskies win their third straight Beanpot title and has a strong chance of leading the team in scoring this season.

However, his current totals will likely have to hold for the rest of the year. Madden suffered a hand injury on Friday, February 14th against UMass Lowell, just two days before his rights were traded to L.A. Head coach Jim Madigan announced last week that Madden is out indefinitely, while other sources have stated that the timeline is six-to-eight weeks. The early end of that timeline would allow Madden to return in time for the NCAA Tournament, but the latter would only allow him to play in a potential Final Four appearance. Judging by how Northeastern played against Boston College this past weekend, dropping both games and the second by a score of 10-1, the Huskies will have to fight just to get into the national tournament and a long run seems like a long shot. Fortunately, even if he misses the remainder of the campaign, Madden is expected back at Northeastern next year even after his trade to the Kings and will be looking to re-assert himself as one of the best players in college hockey and his team as a national contender.

Bids Placed For Future Frozen Fours

The bidding on hosting the Frozen Four in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 closed earlier this month and featured some interesting locations. This year’s Frozen Four is set to return to Detroit for the first time since 2010, while the next two years are set for familiar cities in Pittsburgh and Boston. However, a new name seems likely to host in the coming years: Las Vegas. After hosting holiday tournaments over the past few years, the city is hoping to move up to the biggest NCAA stage by hosting the Final Four. The games would take place at T-Mobile Arena, home of the Vegas Golden Knights. Another city itching for a return to the grand stage of college hockey is St. Louis. The 2007 hosts have been frequent bidders in recent years, but now the home of the defending Stanley Cup champs and this year’s NHL All-Star Game have as good a chance as ever. Columbus would also like to get in on the action. The city last hosted in 2005, but on the campus of Ohio State. This time around, Blue Jackets’ home of Nationwide Arena would be the epicenter of the action, while college town atmosphere would still be present. Perhaps the most exciting opportunity could be the bid from Seattle, which has the support of the NCHC. Soon to be the NHL’s newest city, a Frozen Four in Seattle would only further the growth of the hockey fan base in the area. Among other bids were Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Milwaukee, New York, Philadelphia, and Tampa.

Trade Rumors: Barrie, Simmonds, Senators, Canadiens

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After years of mediocrity, the NHL’s Canadian teams have come to play in 2019-20 and are at the forefront of many of the trade deadline’s biggest story lines. However, perhaps the even bigger surprise than the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks being buyers is that the Toronto Maple Leafs could end up as sellers. In a very Canada-centric segment of TSN’s “Insider Trading”, Bob McKenzie reports that, following a difficult week, the Leafs have begun to receive calls on pending UFA defenseman Tyson Barrie, the team’s big off-season addition. McKenzie notes that this could have just as much to do with a suddenly barren defense market as it does with other teams doubting Toronto’s playoff chances, but regardless the team has not closed the door on a possible deal. Barrie has been a poor fit with the Maple Leafs but could benefit a number of other teams down the stretch and in the postseason. The team has seen the high prices that sellers have received so far and could be enticed to make a move of their own. However, McKenzie does note that Toronto is not expected to move Barrie without receiving a defenseman with term in exchange or without a second deal in place to flip picks and prospects for that elusive top-four right-shot defender.

  • The Vancouver Canucks already made a big splash with the acquisition of Tyler Toffoli, but they remain interested in the New Jersey Devils’ Wayne Simmonds as well, a target of theirs since last summer. However, Pierre LeBrun reports that the two sides have not been able to work out the salary cap details in a way that would make the addition work for the strapped Canucks. He suspects that this due to the likelihood that Brock Boeser will return from injury prior to the end of the regular season and the team must account for that cap increase. Seemingly at an impasse, talks are dead for the time being. However, Vancouver could circle back closer to the deadline if Simmonds still has not been dealt and the Devils are willing to be more flexible.
  • Yet again, the Ottawa Senators are one of the primary sellers at the deadline. While their offerings this year pale in comparison to last, they could still turn a nice profit with their current pieces. The insiders note that Vladislav Namestnikov is a healthy scratch tonight (and for the foreseeable future), as the Senators have at least four concrete offers on the table for the versatile forward. Toronto, Winnipeg, Colorado, and Columbus are named as the teams known to have interest, but there are likely more in play. Additionally, value veteran Tyler Ennis could be a nice depth piece for a contender and Edmonton is reportedly the front runner for his services. However, the biggest trade chip in Ottawa is center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and the news tonight is that the two sides have actually begun formal extension talks. While the Senators continue to field offers, it is believed that they have set a high asking price and would prefer to re-sign Pageau. LeBrun even wonders if they would risk keeping him past the deadline without a new deal if the camps are close, especially given the departure of homegrown talent at this time last year.
  • The Montreal Canadiens have a suspicious healthy scratch of their own tonight in Artturi Lehkonen, who has remained out of the trade deadline limelight until now. The 24-year-old winger can be streaky, but is on pace for a career high in points this season nonetheless and still has one year left on his contract before becoming a restricted free agent. It remains to be seen if this decision is even related to a possible deal and, if so, whether Lehkonen is for sale by himself or rather part of a bigger deal. Despite the newfound confusion surrounding Lehkonen, the focus in Montreal remains on Ilya Kovalchuk. The veteran scorer is definitely drawing interest, but LeBrun reports that a framework for a one-year, bonus-laden contract extension is also in place if the Habs opt to keep him. Kovalchuk has proven to be a tremendous fit in Montreal and the team may want to hold on to that positive note in an otherwise disappointing season.

Prospect Notes: Draft Rankings, Foote, Brodeur

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The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler has released his midseason draft prospect ranking (subscription required), where he takes a detailed look at the top 31 prospects while also ranking the second round. It won’t surprise you that Alexis Lafreniere is at the top, though the rest of his first round comes with some surprises.

One of those may be Jake Sanderson, who is the lone American-born player in the top-31. Sanderson sits at No. 25, making it quite a weak draft for the United States (especially compared to last year’s loaded class). The piece has enough information for you to spend an afternoon picking apart, especially as draft picks are swapped over the next several days.

  • The Kelowna Rockets of the WHL have made a change behind the bench, releasing former NHL defenseman Adam Foote from his duties as head coach. This is almost unheard of for a team to do just before they host the Memorial Cup, but with Kelowna sitting with a losing record obviously they felt a change should be made. Foote’s son, Nolan Foote, just had a big change in his career path as well after being traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the New Jersey Devils. He’ll have to chase that Memorial Cup without his dad looking over his shoulder.
  • Another famous hockey name is in the news today, as Jeremy Brodeur has signed with the Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL. Son of legendary NHL goaltender Martin Brodeur, the 23-year old netminder went undrafted and played last season in the ECHL.

Carolina Hurricanes Trade Julien Gauthier To New York Rangers

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The Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers have decided to swap prospects, trading Julien Gauthier for Joey Keane. The Rangers will acquire the young forward in Gauthier, while Carolina adds another defensive option to their pipeline in Keane.

As we wrote yesterday, the Rangers’ biggest need as they move to the next phase in their rebuild was young forwards that are close to being NHL ready. That’s exactly what they’ve received in Gauthier, who is currently fourth in AHL scoring with 26 goals through 44 games after putting up 27 a year ago for the Charlotte Checkers. The 22-year old forward has size—6’4″ 227-lbs—and a nose for the net that made him the 21st overall pick in 2016. He has only seen five games in the NHL to this point, but the Rangers obviously believe he can make an impact at that level for their organization.

Their belief in Gauthier’s NHL upside must be real, because Keane has already shown in his first season of professional hockey that he is on the path to becoming an impact player. Selected 88th overall in 2018, Keane has eight goals and 30 points in 49 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack. He spent a day on the NHL roster last week, but so far hasn’t seen any action for the Rangers. Whether he’ll get into any for the Hurricanes right away isn’t clear, but the team had been looking for some more depth on defense after losing Dougie Hamilton for the season. The fact that he is still only 20 and has two more years on his entry-level contract only makes Keane more appealing to a team like Carolina who will need to spend every dollar wisely to compete in the tough Metropolitan Division.

Gauthier too has another year on his entry-level contract, something the Rangers can use as they try to really contend for the playoffs next season. The team already has a lot of cash allocated to names like Artemi Panarin, Jacob Trouba and Henrik Lundqvist, making the margins of the roster even more important. They have a number of young defensemen that hold similar value and upside to Keane, meaning they could deal from a position of strength to acquire a player like Gauthier.

Sabres Sign Taylor Leier To NHL Contract

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Last January, the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers swapped prospects, with Justin Bailey heading to Philly and Taylor Leier going to Buffalo. The duo had remarkably similar numbers at both the NHL and AHL levels and were each headed to restricted free agency, but the teams hoped a change of scenery might help to push them into NHL roles. However, when the time came for qualifying offers, both players found themselves as free agents rather than sticking with their new teams. The reasons however were very different.

Bailey got an immediate tryout with Philadelphia last season, skating in 11 games with the Flyers down the stretch. Unfortunately for the big winger, he failed to impress with just one point in that span and was not much of a difference-maker in the AHL either. The Flyers let him walk and he signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Vancouver Canucks this summer, which has so far paid off with immense minor league production and even a pair of NHL appearances.

Leier, on the other hand, spent the remainder of last season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans and was a valuable asset. By all accounts, the Sabres had planned to re-sign him. However, the young forward suffered a freak accident while training in May that completely changed the status quo. While practicing his stickhandling on rollerblades at a local tennis court near his Saksatoon home, Leier fell and put his arm out to break his fall. His shoulder popped out, tearing his labrum. Suddenly, his future was in doubt. With a long road ahead of him, including surgery and rehab, Leier knew that an extension with Buffalo was likely no longer an option. Yet, finding employment anywhere else was likely even more unlikely. The team and player agreed that staying where he was, that being AHL Rochester, was the best course of action, and so Leier signed a one-year AHL deal with the Americans.

Leier returned to game action in late December, finally having healed from his accident. In the 17 games since, the skilled forward has recorded seven goals and eight points, among the team’s scoring leaders. Regardless of whether they need him this season or not, the Sabres have decided to reward Leier’s hard work and dedication. The team announced today that they have signed him to an NHL contract for the remainder of the season. While it is a two-way deal worth the minimum $700K, the move is more of a symbolic gesture anyhow that shows Leier that the club continues to support him. It will also keep him under team control into next season as a restricted free agent.

Of course, Leier will have to clear waivers today before he can be re-added to the Rochester roster. If he continues to produce in the AHL, the Sabres could finally give him an NHL look down the stretch as well, especially if they move out current roster pieces at the trade deadline. Leier has 55 NHL games and seven points under his belt and after working hard to return from injury and earn an NHL contract, the hope is that the young forward will have the chance to build upon those totals moving forward.

College Hockey Round-Up: 02/13/20

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While the NCAA Tournament is obviously the culmination and highlight of the college hockey season, another timeless tournament draws nearly as much attention each year. The annual Beanpot tournament sees each of Boston’s four historic college hockey programs square off and it is always a good battle. This year was no different. Coming off back-to-back Beanpot wins, No. 12 Northeastern took down No. 18 Harvard in the first game of the tourney on Monday, February 3rd. However, the second game, which featured arguably the best rivalry in college hockey, was an overtime thriller in which Boston University overcame two two-goal deficits to beat No. 7 Boston College. BU was right back into an extra time battle in the final this past Monday, February 10. Yet another 4-4 tie went to OT, but this time the Terriers did not come out on top. Jordan Harris’ (MTL) power play goal lifted the Huskies to their third straight Beanpot title, just the eighth three-peat in the storied history of the Beanpot and the first for Northeastern.

Recent Results

While Boston College did not emerge victorious from the Beanpot this year, they do remain the front runners in the Hockey East Conference this season. Yet, even that took a hit this past weekend, as they fell to No. 11 UMass Lowell, their closest competitor in the conference. Even a blowout win against Harvard in the Beanpot consolation game wasn’t enough to redeem BC’s recent stretch, as they have fallen out of the top-five in the nation.

While it’s really a top-four spot that matters most when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding, all the top seeds right now somewhat lack luster compared to the top team overall, No. 1 North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks received 48 of 50 first place votes in the most recent poll and are up to 21-3-3 on the year. They hold the top scoring offense in the NCAA as the only team averaging more than four goals per game, an effort fueled by Hobey Baker hopeful Jordan Kawaguchi, who is closing in on Jack Dugan of No. 14 Providence for the NCAA scoring title. Meanwhile, they are also a top-ten defensive team as well. With North Dakota rolling on all cylinders, they could be hard to beat this season.

Of the six non-wins suffered by North Dakota this year, they owe a third to No. 3 Minnesota State. The Mavericks bide their time quietly in the WCHA every season, but this year seem more likely to surprise come tournament time rather than disappoint. With a win and tie over the Fighting Hawks to their credit, Minnesota State is more battle-tested this season than in years past. Two-time reigning champs No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth have also taken points from North Dakota and have overcome some early bumps to again assert themselves as a contender, helped out by a 4-0 record over the past two weeks, including two wins over No. 6 Denver.

The ECAC’s standouts No. 2 Cornell and No. 5 Clarkson continue to motor along this season. Cornell has gone 3-1 in recent games, while Clarkson went 3-0. Cornell holds the head-to-head nod with one win earlier this season, but the two teams will square off in their regular season finale which could have a major impact on both the conference and national tournaments. Clarkson keeper Francis Marotte continues to be one of the top stories of the season, potentially even pushing Minnesota State’s Dryden McKay for the title of top goalie in the college ranks this season.

Although BC slipped in the rankings, No. 8 UMass remains a legitimate threat behind a stifling defense lead by NCAA plus/minus leader Jake McLaughlin and the goaltending duo of Filip Lindberg (MIN) and Matt Murray. UMass Lowell, Northeastern, and Providence College have all remained relatively steady and well within the national conversation, while No. 17 Maine made a major leap from unranked status following a recent winning streak.

No. 9 Penn State remains the top-seeded team out of the Big Ten in a down year for the conference. The Nittany Lions somehow stayed within the top ten despite a 1-1-2 record over the past two weekends. No. 13 Ohio State remains in the hunt, but there is a strong possibility that the Big Ten could only send one representative to the NCAA Tournament if Penn State were to win their conference tourney.

Kennette Commits To Sacred Heart

Sometimes it pays to be in a smaller conference. No. 20 Sacred Heart is having an excellent year, currently sitting with an 18-9-2 overall record and a 15-7-1 conference record. That conference? The Atlantic, generally accepted as the weakest in college hockey. However, like any conference, the Atlantic winner is guaranteed a berth in the NCAA Tournament. While Sacred Heart sits second to American International College in the conference standings, they have put up huge offensive numbers against a number of other weaker opponents to rise to No. 2 in the country in scoring. That visibility, as well as the strong chance of making the tournament despite being outside the top sixteen seeds, is an attractive opportunity.

In this case, that opportunity appealed to defenseman Brendan Kennette. Kennette proudly announced his commitment to Sacred Heart last week. Kennette, one of the top blue liners in the OJHL, was recently named to NHL Central Scouting’s list of top North American skaters and even at No. 182 he stands a decent chance of being selected in this year’s draft. It’s not every day that an Atlantic team can grab a legitimate NHL prospect, but this strong season for Sacred Heart came at the right time to land a rare gem. Kennette likely saw the chance to be one of the top players on a team that will have a real chance at an NCAA Tourney berth every year and didn’t want to pass up that opportunity. If a few other top prospects think that same way, Sacred Heart could have staying power atop the Atlantic and in the national conversation for years to come.

Stachowiak, Sato Make International Mark

It’s not often that an NCAA player turns pro mid-season and far less often that it happens in the midst of a poor season. A highly-regarded prospect may sign in the NHL or AHL after their season has ended or a struggling athlete may return to junior in-season, but rarely do those lines cross. Michigan State’s Wojciech Stachowiak decided to buck that trend. In an up-and-down season for the Spartans, it was all down for Stachowiak. The sophomore forward had just one point in only 13 games and was not playing the type of role for Michigan State that he might have expected as a former star at the junior level in Germany. And so, Stachowiak opted to return home, signing with ERC Ingolstadt of the German DEL on Tuesday. Still just 20 years old, it remains to be seen if Stachowiak will play a larger role for Ingolstadt than he did for Michigan State, but no one can blame him for accepting a pro contract when the college game was not working out for him.

New Hampshire forward Kohei Sato is overseas as well, but he will be coming back. The Japanese forward is currently in Slovenia representing his country in Olympic qualifying. Team Japan is playing in Group G with Slovenia, Lithuania and Croatia and trying to advance to the final Olympic Qualification Round this summer. While Japan has long odds of qualifying it would be quite the story ahead of the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, China. Sato is quite the story already, as the first student-athlete from Japan to play Division I hockey, as well as a key contributor for the Wildcats. He has seven goals and 15 points in 26 games so far in his junior year and has improved with every campaign. Sato is only expected to miss a couple of games for UNH before he returns to action for a team pushing to qualify for the Hockey East tournament.

Snapshots: Coyotes’ Violations, Pronger, Sundqvist, Byfield

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After rumors that the Arizona Coyotes had broken recruitment violations earlier this week by fitness testing draft prospects before the NHL Scouting Combine, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that sources are telling him that there are at least 20 incidents of that violation. The case has now been handed over to NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly.

With many teams looking on to see how the NHL might react, Dreger notes that at $250K per incident, Arizona could be fined in the area of $5MM if those rumors are true. There is no timeline on when a decision will be made.

  • St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Tom Timmermann writes that the St. Louis Blues will retire another number to their rafters of Enterprise Center as the team will honor defenseman Chris Pronger at some point next season. The date has yet to be determined. Pronger played nine season with the Blues and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015. He won both the Hart Trophy and the Norris Trophy in 2000. He played 598 regular season games with the Blues, posting 84 goals, 356 points and 931 penalty minutes. Pronger will be the eighth member of the Blues to have his number retired.
  • Sticking with the Blues, Timmermann also writes that forward Oskar Sundqvist, who has been out with a lower-body injury since Jan. 27, skated today at the team’s optional morning skate. However, head coach Craig Berube stated that Sundqvist isn’t close to returning yet. “Not really,” he said. “He’s a ways away yet.” Sundqvist has 11 goals and 20 points in 44 games this season.
  • Lottery teams breathed a sigh of relief after Dreger also reported that Sudbury Wolves’ Quinton Byfield, the current candidate to be the second-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, only suffered a sprained wrist Friday night after being forced to leave the game against Oshawa. Many feared the OHL prospect had broken his wrist, but Dreger added that Byfield could return this weekend still. If not, he is expected to be back within the next few days. Byfield has 32 goals and 74 points in just 40 OHL games.

College Hockey Round-Up: 01/28/20

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The NHL Trade Deadline doesn’t directly impact the college ranks, but there are usually one or two NCAA players whose rights are moved before the end of February. The Hockey News’ Steven Ellis recently wrote about the “under-the-radar” college players who enjoying breakout seasons, but at this time of year the article may as well be titled “Trade Bait”. The leading name, of course, is Hobey Baker hopeful Jack Dugan (VGK) of No. 9 Providence. Dugan leads the NCAA in points – total and per game – and assists, as he has all year, and looks like a steal as fifth-round pick. However, could the Vegas Golden Knights instead opt to sell high on the upstart prospect? The team desperately needs to improve on the blue line and dangling Dugan could help to land them a top-four defenseman.

A number of the others named by Ellis who could also be trade fodder over the next few weeks, including Dugan’s Providence teammate, defenseman Michael Callahan (ARI). The Arizona Coyotes are all in this season after trading for Taylor Hall and Callahan is an expendable piece given the team’s depth in young blue liners. If senior forward David Cotton (CAR) of No. 5 Boston College does not plan to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes, the team could try to use him as piece to make a deal. The same goes for goalie Tyler Wall (NYR) of No. 14 UMass Lowell, as the New York Rangers have a logjam in goal and seem like a poor fit for one of the best keepers in college hockey. Could the Boston Bruins be convinced to part ways with Maine goalie Jeremy Swayman (BOS), another of the NCAA’s elite, if it helps them make a needed deadline deal? Finally, circling back to the Golden Knights, if Vegas deems Dugan to be untouchable, they have another rising star in Bowling Green forward Brandon Kruse (VGK) who they could offer up instead. The next few weeks could change the career path of these players and many more in the collegiate ranks, but they can at least take comfort in knowing that they’ll be closing out this season with their college team regardless.

Recent Results

It has been a tough couple of weeks for just about every team at the top of the national rankings. Over the past two weeks – four games for most teams – only two teams among the top 15 came away with more than two wins, No. 3 Minnesota State and No. 12 Arizona State, and even those teams suffered a loss to go with their three wins. No. 1 Cornell stays atop the charts despite a mediocre 2-0-2 stretch, while No. 2 North Dakota stays put as well, despite a tie to unranked Miami and a loss to No. 10 Minnesota Duluth. The defending champs were happy to get the win after being swept by unranked St. Cloud State the weekend prior. Rounding out the top five are still No. 4 Denver and No. 5 Boston College, despite both struggling through weekend series with unranked teams: two ties for Denver against Nebraska-Omaha and two losses for BC versus Maine.

Hockey East could not be much tighter right with Maine and UConn tied for eighth in the conference, but trailing top seed No. 7 UMass by just six points with a game in hand. Wedged in between are Boston College, No. 14 UMass Lowell (one win in last four games), No. 9 Providence College, Boston University, No. 13 Northeastern, and New Hampshire, who has been red-hot with wins over Northeastern, Providence, and UMass in recent weeks and is on the verge of cracking the national rankings. There’s no telling how Hockey East will shake out, but it’s making for a great conference tournament.

The same can’t be said for the Big Ten, which continues to disappoint this year. No. 8 Penn State and No. 11 Ohio State continue to be ranked among the best in the NCAA, but do they belong? Both teams won just one of their four games over the past two weeks, with each losing at least one game to an unranked opponent. As for their conference competition, preseason darlings Wisconsin and Notre Dame have disappeared from the national rankings and only No. 17 Michigan State is left. Compared not only to Hockey East, but the NCHC, ECAC, and even the WCHA, the Big Ten is looking weak in 2019-20.

Marc Michaelis Sidelined

The formula for No. 3 Minnesota State has been pretty straightforward for the past few year: dominate the WCHA, stay healthy, and try your luck as a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Mavericks are well on their way to such a result again this season, but have been dealt a blow in the health department. Senior forward Marc Michaelis suffered a leg injury back on January 17 after a collision with a Bowling Green opponent. Michaelis left the game and did not return and did not play the second game on Saturday, nor the team’s most recent weekend series versus No. 19 Bemidji State, which featured a rare loss. So far, there has been no time line given for his return to action. Even though Minnesota State is a defense-first team centered around goalie Dryden McKay and defenseman Connor Mackey, Michaelis’ absence is a major loss. Michaelis, 24, is the team’s captain and leading scorer and the German forward is an all-situations player for Mankato. If the team hopes to avoid another early exit from the NCAA tournament, they will need a healthy Michaelis.

Luke Reid Commits To UNH

Not only has the University of New Hampshire been making big moves in the standings of late, they have been doing so in the recruiting game as well. UNH landed a major commitment this past weekend in USHL defenseman Luke Reid. Reid, an Illinois native playing for the Chicago Steel, has nevertheless decided to take his talents to Durham, New Hampshire. The right-shot defenseman plays a balanced game and has been a nice piece on a strong Chicago team. However, he is much more than just a complimentary player. Reid is ranked No. 77 by Future Considerations in their 2020 NHL Draft rankings and is considered by many to be a mid-round pick. While UNH has housed many NHL prospects over the years, including current defensive ace Max Gildon (FLA), top recruits have been less frequent in recent years for the Wildcats and Reid will be a welcome addition to the program.

Trade Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers

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With the trade deadline now less than a month away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Edmonton Oilers.

After two disastrous seasons, there was little hope that the Oilers might be able to compete for a playoff spot, especially considering the fact that new general manager Ken Holland didn’t make major changes to the team. They added James Neal and brought in a few overseas players in hopes of filling in the holes in their middle six, but instead, the Oilers have risen to the challenge under new head coach Dave Tippetts, holding the top spot in the division at several points in the season and still remain near the top of a competitive Pacific Division.

Record

26-18-5, tied (with three other teams) for second in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$5.851MM in a full-season cap hit (using LTIR), 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 48/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd*, EDM 4th, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
2021: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd, EDM 4th, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, PIT 6th, EDM 7th

*- Calgary will receive Edmonton’s third-round pick as part of the Neal/Lucic swap if Neal scores 21 or more goals and Lucic has at least ten goals less than him at the end of the season.  Neal is currently at 19 so he will likely get to 21 while Lucic is at four goals.

Trade Chips

With a number of young defensemen already in Edmonton and several others not far off, the Oilers would love to unload a defenseman, preferably someone who has a big contract such as Adam Larsson or Kris Russell. Whether they can convince anyone to take either of those is a whole different question. The team does have a few other third-pairing options it could move, including William Lagesson and Keegan Lowe, but the team has made it clear that top prospects Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg are off the table in trade talks. Perhaps a team could pry away Dmitri Samorukov.

While the team many NHL options, Holland still has a full complement of draft picks, minus the team’s third-rounder, which is likely to change hands to Calgary. The team’s first-round pick could easily be in play for the right piece.

Five Players To Watch For: F Sam Gagner, D William Lagesson, D Adam Larsson, D Kris Russell, D William Lagesson, D Dmitri Samorukov

Team Needs

1) Scoring Help: The team still has holes in its top-nine. While the Oilers seem to have recently found some success on their second line with Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto, Edmonton still has holes on its first line and third line and could, without a doubt, use one more significant scoring piece at the trade deadline. While there was plenty of talk about acquiring Taylor Hall back in December, that was quite unrealistic considering their cap situation. However, there are a number of options that could interest them, including a third-line center on the market — Ottawa’s Jean-Gabriel Pageau. He would fill a significant need on the third line or, if needed, could step into a top-six role on the wing. Another option would be adding Los Angeles’ Tyler Toffoli, whose name has been thrown around trade rumors quite a bit the last month or two. Toffoli might be a cheaper option, who could fill a top-nine role for the team and prove to be a better player than Alex Chiasson or Joakim Nygard.

2) Goaltending Depth: Yes, the team has Mikko Koskinen and Mike Smith, but the 37-year-old Smith hasn’t been that consistent this season and often sees his second-half numbers decline. The team has already used Smith quite a bit this year (26 appearances) and could use a more impactful player that can be used in tandem with Koskinen. Smith currently has a 2.96 GAA and a .901 save percentage, numbers that could be replaced if they wanted to go out and acquire an Alexandar Georgiev or swap Smith for a more consistent option.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Rumors: Ducks, Senators, DeMelo, Duclair

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When action resumes following the All-Star break, it is the unofficial start of NHL Trade Deadline season. In fact, with a relatively early deadline day of February 24th this year, things should pick up sooner rather than later. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch came prepared to handle the transition from All-Star exit to trade mania, reporting on a number of situations in his latest “Insider Trading” column. Garrioch begins with the further shift in the status quo of the Anaheim Ducks. Anaheim began the season hoping to return to being contenders with a talented mix of veterans and youngsters. However, it has not played out that way on the ice, as the Ducks hold the second-worst record in the Western Conference. Recently, a report came out that the team was willing to use their cap space to take on bad contracts if it meant that they could add prospects and picks in return. Garrioch now reports that the team is taking it one step further, perhaps in response to winning just three of their past 15 games. He hears from multiple league sources that the Ducks are preparing for a full rebuild and are at least willing to listen on just about every player. For a team with so few valuable impending free agents – Michael Del Zotto and Derek Grant lead the way – this shift in the status quo could make for a much bigger deadline in Anaheim. Ondrej Kase, who has previously been rumored to have fallen out of favor with the team, could be one possible casualty, as could defenseman Josh Manson, who has recently been linked to a few other teams. What about Rickard Rakell, one of the best value contracts in the league and a player that any contender would like to get their hands on? Or long-term players like Cam Fowler, Adam Henrique, and Jakob Silfverberg? Franchise faces Ryan Getzlaf and John Gibson and top defender Hampus Lindholm are likely off the table, but nearly anyone else in Anaheim over the age of 24 appears to be a candidate to move at the right price.

  • Garrioch mentions a number of available players, many of whom won’t comes as much of a surprise, including L.A.’s Tyler Toffoli and Alec Martinez, San Jose’s Brenden Dillon, and the Rangers’ Chris Kreider (if the team can’t re-sign him). However, he states definitively that the New Jersey Devils’ impending UFA’s are also up for grabs. This means Andy Greene, Sami Vatanen, and Wayne Simmonds, three players who many were unsure the Devils would part with, could very well be on new teams in a month’s time. As for teams in the mix, Garrioch claims that the Islanders and Jets are leading the search for defense, while the Bruins, Blues, Flames, and Coyotes are the most eager to add forwards.
  • The Ottawa Senators have ten impending UFA’s on the roster, but not all of them will survive the trade deadline. Garrioch reports that GM Pierre Dorion plans to sit down with each one before the deadline and discuss the possibility of an extension before putting them on the block. At this point in their rebuild, the Senators cannot afford to let valuable players walk away as free agents, meaning the likes of Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Vladislav Namestnikov, Ron Hainsey, Mark Borowiecki, and Dylan DeMelo and more need to have made a decision on their commitment to Ottawa soon or they could be sent packing.
  • On the DeMelo front in particular, Garrioch reports that the Florid Panthers are the leading suitor for the 26-year-old defenseman, should Ottawa opt to move him. He mentions that that the Carolina Hurricanes are another team with definite interest. Garrioch adds that Florida is also looking for a backup goalie, which could potentially put former Panther Craig Anderson on their radar.
  • As for one player who has made up his mind on his future with Ottawa, All-Star Anthony Duclair tells Sportsnet’s Luke Fox that he hopes to re-sign long-term with the Senators. The 24-year-old has excelled since arriving in Ottawa late last season and wants to continue to play a central role for the team through their rebuild:

I just want to focus and really end the season on a positive note like I did last year, and really make a statement to the management and the coaching staff that I want to be a big part of this rebuild. I’m still a young guy. When the change is gonna happen, when Ottawa’s gonna become a contender, I want to be part of that. So I’m working as hard as I can.

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