Montreal Canadiens Agree To Terms With Jesse Ylonen
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
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
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.
College Notes: Dugan, Zegras, York, Beecher, Ahcan, Chaffee, Richards
So far when it comes to the college market, the Vegas Golden Knights have been quiet. However, rumors suggested that the Vegas franchise intended to bring aboard Hobey Baker Award finalist Jack Dugan, who wrapped up his sophomore season at Providence College. General manager Kelly McCrimmon confirmed that they will begin negotiations soon with Dugan, who led the NCAA in points this season, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen.
“We’ll have discussions with his representatives here at an appropriate point,” said McCrimmon. “It hasn’t been pressing because there’s no hockey being played. But those are conversations we’ll have here as we move along.”
Dugan, the team’s fifth-round pick in 2017, has driven up his stock in two years at Providence. He had an impressive rookie season where he posted 10 goals and 39 points in 41 games and followed that up with a much more dominant sophomore campaign, scoring 10 goals and 52 points in just 34 games. The 6-foot-2 winger would likely challenge for a role with the Golden Knights if he signs, although the team could send him to the AHL to further develop his skills.
- In a Q&A, The Athletic’s Eric Stephens (subscription required) writes that from everyone he’s talked to, it’s expected that top prospect Trevor Zegras will leave Boston University and sign with Anaheim at some point during the offseason. Zegras, the ninth-overall pick in the 2019 draft, dominated at the World Junior Championships in December, leading the United States with nine assists in five games. He had 11 goals and 36 points in 33 games. Considered to be one of the top prospects in hockey, Zegras could conceivably make the Ducks squad next year and challenge for the Calder Trophy.
- Michigan Daily’s Bailey Johnson reports that University of Michigan head coach Mel Pearson said that while he hasn’t had exit meetings with two of his top players, defenseman Cam York and center John Beecher, he expects both players to return to the Wolverines next season. York, the Philadelphia Flyers first-round pick (14th overall) in 2019, had five goals and 16 points in 30 games for Michigan. Beecher, the Boston Bruins first-round pick (30th overall) had nine goals and 16 points in 31 contests for the Wolverines. Pearson said both players are home and he’s giving them time before discussing the subject with them, but he believes both intend to stay in school.
- AHL reporter Mark Divver reports that the Boston Bruins are expected to be in the mix for two of the remaining top NCAA free agents in St. Cloud State’s Jack Ahcan and University of Massachusetts-Amherst’s Mitchell Chaffee. Ahcan, a 22-year-old defenseman, wrapped up his senior campaign with seven goals and 25 points. Chaffee, who also is 22, scored 16 goals and 29 points in 30 games last season, his junior year, and is rumored to be courted by the Golden Knights as well. Divver adds that University of Minnesota-Duluth center Justin Richards is also on Boston’s radar.
College Notes: Dhooghe, Rathbone, Flames, UFA’s
When college hockey returns next season, standout defenseman Sean Dhooghe will be donning a different jersey. Dhooghe, 21, announced on his personal Twitter account this afternoon that he will be leaving the University of Wisconsin to play his fourth and final NCAA season with Arizona State University. While this may seem like a downgrade at first glance, Wisconsin was more bark than bite this season, falling incredibly short of their preseason title as national championship contenders. Additionally, the program has lost two of its best players to the NHL in recent weeks in the L.A. Kings’ Alex Turcotte and the New York Rangers’ K’Andre Miller. Meanwile, Arizona State again exceeded expectations this season and was likely to qualify for the NCAA tournament for a second year in a row, despite being the most recent addition to Division I college hockey. Dhooghe will have a better chance to stand out and to shake off a down year by his standards by joining an ASU roster that is not as deep as Wisconsin on paper, but he also may have better odds at NCAA postseason glory as well.
Dhooghe, who jumped straight from the U.S. National Team Development Program to the college ranks, is a skilled forward who has been a fixture for the U.S. at international camps and events over the years. He plays a smart game with great vision and skating and excels in space. Why then might you not have heard of him? Dhooghe makes “undersized” look like an understatement, standing at 5’3” and 150 lbs. His size wasn’t a factor in junior and he hasn’t let it affect his game at the college level too much, but it is fair to have serious doubts about his pro potential. He hopes to silence his critics with a big first – and last – season at Arizona State next year, which he hopes is followed up by a pro contract.
- Harvard University is still waiting to see if they will have a top defenseman back next season, while on the other side the Vancouver Canucks are waiting to see if they could have yet another elite rookie on the back end next season. Blue liner Jack Rathbone, a 2017 fourth-round selection, told TSN 1040 radio in Vancouver today that with everything going on right now, he and his family will continue to take some time to make a decision. There is no hurry for the talented defender to make a call and he wants to be sure to make the right one. A superstar at the prep school level with Dexter, Rathbone still was not expected to take the giant steps that he has at Harvard in just two seasons, developing into one of the stronger all-around defenseman in all of college hockey. However, he still has another two years left of NCAA eligibility and may want to wait for a more secure role in the NHL with Vancouver. With plenty of other talented prospects on the roster, Harvard hopes that Rathbone returns to lead the team to the NCAA Tournament next year.
- The Calgary Flames are using their time off wisely, making a major splash today by signing arguably the top two UFA college defenders on the market: Minnesota State’s Connor Mackey and North Dakota’s Colton Poolman. Yet, they still aren’t done. Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg reports that the team is still “working hard” on college free agent forward. While Calgary is not exactly weak in the pipeline, they somehow have become a top landing spot for NCAA talent this spring.
- If the Flames really want to cash in on college free agency, that unnamed forward prospect that they are negotiating with would be Jordan Kawaguchi, North Dakota teammate of Poolman and a top candidate for the Hobey Baker Award. Kawaguchi, while only a junior, is expected by many to forego his senior season and sign in the NHL. After posting 45 points in 33 games to finish second in the NCAA scoring race and lead one of the best team’s in the nation, Kawaguchi doesn’t have much left to prove at the college level. While somewhat small, the cousin of Devin Setoguchi plays a similarly skilled and instinctual offensive game. Whether it be Calgary of another team, whoever lands Kawaguchi will land an intriguing prospect with a high ceiling. Joining Kawaguchi on the list of undrafted underclassmen worth watching on the open market are Minnesota State goalie Dryden McKay, the NCAA’s top keeper this season, and UMass forward Mitchell Chaffee, who is coming off another point-per-game season and has all the making of an effective pro.
New York Rangers Sign Austin Rueschhoff
The New York Rangers have decided to bring in another college free agent, this time inking Austin Rueschhoff to a two-year entry-level contract that will begin in 2020-21. Rueschhoff just completed his third season with Western Michigan University, but has decided to turn pro.
Just by looking at the 22-year old forward you can understand why NHL teams have shown interest the last few years, as he towers over his competition at 6’7″. He has previously attended development camps with several teams, but has finally settled on the Rangers after scoring 12 goals and 26 points this season with the Broncos.
Rueschhoff isn’t the first college free agent signed by New York this spring, as he follows Patrick Khodorenko from rival Michigan State. The pair of prospects represent some extra depth for the Rangers that didn’t cost them a draft pick, though neither are guaranteed to have success at the next level.
St. Louis Blues Sign Hugh McGing
The St. Louis Blues have found some common ground with one of their college prospects, agreeing to terms with Hugh McGing on a two-year entry-level contract. McGing recently finished his senior season with Western Michigan University, where he served as an alternate captain.
Selected in the fifth round two years ago, the undersized forward was actually a Hobey Baker nominee this season and last as one of the best college players in the country. Standing just 5’9″, the 21-year old has relied on his hockey instincts and offensive ability to carve out an impressive career for Western Michigan, scoring 117 points in 147 games.
Fans of international hockey at the junior level should also recognize McGing’s name, given that he has competed for Team USA at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup and been a participant in the selection camp for the World Juniors—though he failed to make it through the final cut. With his college days over he’ll have to see what kind of production he can come up with in the minor leagues, before chasing the dream of becoming an NHL player.
Overseas Notes: Canucks Prospects, Suomi, KHL Playoffs
With the NHL season on pause and almost every other professional league shutting down around the globe, front offices and agents can potentially get ahead on contracts for next season. Rick Dhaliwal of TSN checked in with the agents of some overseas prospects, including Marcus Isaksson who represents Vancouver Canucks prospect Linus Karlsson. The 20-year old forward was acquired last year from the San Jose Sharks, but may not be coming over just yet. Isaksson told Dhaliwal that they will talk to the Canucks but believes it may be better for Karlsson to spend one more year in Sweden.
Nils Hoglander, another Swedish prospect that has wowed overseas will also be talking with the Canucks at some point, though is in no rush with all that is going on. Hoglander, a second-round pick in 2019, took home bronze at the World Junior Championship and held his own at the SHL level despite only turning 19 a few months ago.
- Eemeli Suomi reached the point-per-game threshold for the first time in Finland’s Liiga this season, coming second in league scoring with 57 points in 57 games. That kind of performance by a 24-year old will always turn some NHL heads, and a report today surfaced linking Suomi to the Buffalo Sabres. While he is currently under contract through 2021, there are ways for Suomi to come to North America if he feels ready to make the jump.
- After Jokerit voluntarily withdrew from the KHL playoffs over the weekend, another team has decided to end their season before the league does. Barys Nur-Sultan, a team based in Kazakhstan, has pulled out of the Gagarin Cup playoffs as well after government rulings. In response, the KHL has paused their season for one week in order to create a schedule for the remaining teams.
SHL Playoffs Canceled, 2019-20 Season Over
As expected, the Swedish Hockey League has moved from postponement to cancellation. The top pro league in Sweden has officially announced that the playoffs have been cancelled, effectively ending the 2019-20 season.
The SHL had initially postponed the beginning of the 2020 postseason to May, but upon further review of the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, made the decision on Saturday that they would recommend cancelling the playoffs altogether. That request was approved this morning by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association. SHL CEO Michael Marchal stated (translated) that “It is an extremely sad decision but… we all have a responsibility to limit the Corona [virus] in society and it is obvious that we at SHL should take our responsibility for our audience and the working environment for players and employees.”
With the season officially over, recently rumored NHL targets Fredrik Handemark of the Malmo Redhawks and Mathias Brome of Orebro HK could intensify their discussions with their North American suitors. The season is also done for a number of top NHL prospects, such as disgruntled New York Rangers forward Lias Andersson, fellow Rangers property and top SHL rookie defender Nils Lundkvist, and young L.A. Kings forward Samuel Fagemo. How the premature end of the season may impact the decisions of many prospects in regards to coming to North America next season remains to be seen.
U18 World Championship, Frozen Four Canceled
The fallout from the coronavirus outbreak continues, this time to the amateur ranks. The IIHF U18 World Championship and the NCAA Frozen Four have both been cancelled for this year. The U18 event was set to be held later this month in Plymouth and Ann Arbor, Michigan while the Frozen Four tournament is part of a wider swath of cancelations from the NCAA. The OHL Cup, the top midget hockey tournament and the prime location for junior hockey teams to scout upcoming talent, has also been canceled.
While not unexpected, these moves will once again have an indirect effect on the NHL as teams can no longer scout the next wave of prospects. The Frozen Four especially is a chance for undrafted collegiate talent to showcase their skills, while the U18 event is always attended by scouts from every NHL organization.
One event still technically on the calendar is the IIHF Men’s World Championship, which is normally attended by NHL players that have been eliminated from the postseason. That tournament is set to start in eight weeks, but could obviously face the same fate.