Prospect Notes: Draft Rankings, AHL Affiliates, Angello
As more and more teams fall out of the playoff race, focus will be turned to the upcoming draft where another class of talented youngsters will be snapped up by professional organizations. Alexis Lafreniere once again leads the pack in Sam Cosentino’s new ranking for Sportsnet, to absolutely no one’s surprise. It’s the rest of the list that may raise some eyebrows.
One name that could do just that is Justin Barron, the Halifax Mooseheads defenseman who just recently returned to action. Barron was on track to be a lot closer to the top of the first round coming into this season, but after doctors found a blood clot in late-November he spent nearly three months on the sideline. In four contests since returning Barron has looked notably rusty, recording just two points and a -8 rating. Unfortunately he has just eight games left to show what he can do as the Mooseheads aren’t going to be in the QMJHL playoffs.
- Prospects in the Florida Panthers organization may have a different place to play next season, as Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest tweets that there are whispers of the team moving their AHL affiliate to Chicago next season. The Chicago Wolves, who are currently operating as the affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, will be looking for a new partner after the pending relocation of the San Antonio Rampage to Las Vegas. Any change for Florida would leave the Springfield Thunderbirds available.
- 23-year old forward Anthony Angello had been filling in for the Pittsburgh Penguins of late, his first opportunity in the NHL. That will come to an end for now however, as Angello suffered an upper-body injury in last night’s game and is ruled out on a “week-to-week” basis. The 6’5″ forward has a single goal in eight NHL games this season.
St. Louis Blues Sign Tyler Tucker
Now that the calendar has turned to March, teams around the league can sign prospects to entry-level contracts that won’t officially start until next season. With that in mind, the St. Louis Blues have signed Tyler Tucker to his three-year entry-level deal. Tucker currently plays with the Flint Firebirds of the OHL.
The 20-year old defenseman was selected 200th overall in 2018, but took a huge step forward last season for the Barrie Colts. The 6’2″ 205-lbs Tucker not only led all Colts defensemen in scoring with 14 goals and 59 points, but also was the team leader in penalty minutes with 105. He has another 17 goals and 55 points this season split between his two clubs, and 83 penalty minutes to go along with it.
While you can already see why the Blues may be a perfect fit for Tucker, he’ll still have quite the road before getting to the NHL. Just earning a contract is a big step for someone drafted so late, but next season will likely be spent in the AHL polishing his game.
Tucker did play two games for the San Antonio Rampage at the end of last year and will likely get into some more this time should Flint be knocked out early.
Jesse Ylonen Coming To North America
Montreal Canadiens fans will soon get a chance to see one of their top prospects up close. After this weekend’s games in Finland, Jesse Ylonen will be loaned to the Laval Rocket for the remainder of the season. The 20-year old forward currently plays for the Lahti Pelicans of Finland’s top league. Unless the Canadiens want to sign him to his entry-level contract right away, he will likely play under a tryout contract with Laval through the end of the year.
Selected 35th overall in 2018, the talented Ylonen has shown he can compete at the highest level in Finland, scoring 27 and now 22 points in consecutive seasons for the Pelicans. Add in a gold medal performance at the 2019 World Juniors and you have the making of a very interesting prospect. An excellent skater not only in terms of speed but also lateral quickness, it will be interesting to see what kind of role he is given in the AHL.
The Rocket are currently sitting in fifth place in the AHL’s North Division and have just a single player with at least 15 goals (Charles Hudon, who has 27). Perhaps the young Finn can give them a boost offensively.
College Hockey Round-Up: 02/26/20
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.