Decisions Coming From Dante Fabbro, Shane Bowers
The talent on the Boston University roster this season didn’t quite match up with the regular season results this year and the Terriers needed to win the Hockey East Conference Tournament to keep their season alive with an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. They faced the same scenario last season and were able to get in, but lightning didn’t strike twice. The Northeastern Huskies knocked off BU in the Hockey East semifinals tonight and now decisions await several of the teams stars.
The most notable decision will come from 2016 first-round pick Dante Fabbro. The 16th overall pick by the Nashville Predators that year, Fabbro was a superstar for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL and has only continued to progress at BU into a high-end two-way defenseman. Fabbro set a career high with 33 points in 37 games this season and was named a first-team all-conference selection for his efforts. Fabbro may not have much more growing to do at the college level, but does have another year of NCAA eligibility remaining. If he chooses to turn pro and surrender that final year, he would undoubtedly be a welcomed addition in Nashville. However, he does have some incentive to wait one more year. The Predators have one of the deepest blue lines in the NHL, armed with an elite top-four and seven veteran defenders already signed through next season. Fabbro could end up buried in the minors or at the very least outside top-four consideration for several years if he signs with the team that drafted him. If he instead opts to return to BU for his senior year, he could then wait until August 2020 and become an unrestricted free agent. The wait is now on to see what Fabbro decides to do. Ironically, teammate Patrick Harper finds himself in the same situation with the Predators. The talented forward had a down year after back-to-back point-per-game campaigns to begin his collegiate career. He may be looking to move on from the college game, but Nashville’s 2016 fifth-round pick could benefit from another year with the Terriers and also opens himself up to the possibility of free agency if he returns for a fourth NCAA season.
The clock may also be ticking for Fabbro’s teammate and fellow first-round pick Shane Bowers. A 2017 selection, Bowers actually has two years of eligibility remaining, but rumors surfaced earlier this season that Bowers was considering moving on from the NCAA ranks. In fact, there was some doubt that Bowers would return to BU after the World Juniors earlier this year, with some speculating he could sign with the Colorado Avalanche instead. Originally a pick of the Ottawa Senators, Bowers was one of the pieces moved to the Avs in the Matt Duchene trade and now finds himself with the opportunity to join a good team with a need for secondary scoring. Bowers certainly has room to improve before turning pro, but the former USHL standout would still likely step into an immediate role in Colorado. Bowers could potentially even join the Avalanche right away this season to help the team in their playoff push. Such a chance doesn’t come around very often and could persuade Bowers to cut his tenure in Boston short.
Elsewhere on the roster, starting goaltender Jake Oettinger, another 2017 first-round pick, may consider a move to the pros as well. The Dallas Stars top goalie prospect had another up-and-down year, but has undeniable talent and could choose to leave the college level behind him. However, after watching another talented, young Dallas keeper, Colton Point, see limited action and ample struggles in both the AHL and ECHL in his first pro season in the Stars’ system, Oettinger may not be in any rush. Most of the Terriers’ other NHL prospects have years of eligibility remaining and seem unlikely to jump ship. Among those who hypothetically could are Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Philadelphia Flyers first-rounder Joel Farabee, another Nashville Predators prospect in David Farrance, and intriguing Chicago Blackhawks defensive prospect Chad Krys.
Two players without any choice in the matter are Bobo Carpenter and Max Willman. Carpenter, who struggled with injuries this season, nevertheless will be a priority free agent now that BU’s season is over. The undrafted forward has NHL lineage, leadership skills, and a strong work ethic. At just 22, Carpenter brings four years of NCAA experience and consistent scoring numbers to whichever team is lucky to land him. There may not be the same press to sign Willman. A rare five-year college player, Willman is a 2014 selection of the Buffalo Sabres but may not be tendered by the team. In four years at Brown University and a graduate year at Boston University, Willman managed just 51 points in 134 games with just one breakout year as a junior at Brown. Buffalo may like how the 24-year-old’s mature game could translate to the pros, but his upside may not be worthy of an entry-level contract. Should Willman become a free agent, the Cape Cod native will have plenty of AHL teams close to home who could be willing to give him a chance.
Change is coming to Boston University one way or another, but just how much change will depend on how many of their top players decide to turn pro versus return for another year. Either the Terriers or the NHL will end up with a good amount of talent added to the mix next season.
Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Ryan Lohin
The run on college prospects continues, as the Tampa Bay Lightning have signed Ryan Lohin to a two-year entry-level contract. Lohin recently finished his junior season at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, but will skip his senior year in order to turn pro. Lohin’s deal will kick in next season and he will report to the Syracuse Crunch on an amateur tryout for the rest of this year.
Originally selected in the seventh round of the 2016 draft, Lohin had quite the college career. Breaking onto the scene with 29 points in his freshman year and being a big part of a Hockey East title, the American-born center followed that up with two more solid offensive seasons. He was named captain prior to the 2018-19 season, and led the team in scoring with 27 points.
The fact that a seventh-round pick has earned an NHL contract is another testament to the Lightning scouting staff, who have repeatedly turned late selections into assets for the organization. Even if Lohin never suits up at the highest level—something that is far from determined given his work ethic and development over the past few seasons—the 22-year old will have a home with the Crunch where he can continue to provide his solid two-way hockey.
NHL Prospects Receiving NCAA Conference Awards
Tomorrow night kicks off the final weekend of conference tournaments in the NCAA, with Selection Sunday setting the stage for the NCAA Tournament beginning next week. With the collegiate regular season a thing of the past, the conferences haves used the gathering of their top teams ahead of this weekend’s games as a chance to hold end of the year banquets and announce award winners. To no surprise, many notable NHL prospects were also among those honored.
Perhaps the top pro prospect in the NCAA and the favorite to win the Hobey Baker Award this year, it was predictable that Cale Makar (COL) would first be unanimously named the Hockey East Player of the Year. The dynamic defenseman was the No. 4 overall pick by the Avalanche two years ago and has lived up to the hype through two seasons at the University of Massachusetts. Makar was one of six UMass players to also be named all-league players, including Mario Ferraro (SJ) and John Leonard (SJ) and scoring champion Mitchell Chaffee. 2018 first-round pick Joel Farabee (PHI) was named Hockey East’s Rookie of the Year following a point-per-game freshman campaign for Boston University. Similarly impressive teenager Cayden Primeau (MTL) was named Goaltender of the Year, backstopping Northeastern University with a .935 save percentage and 2.02 GAA. Providence College’s Vincent Desharnais (EDM) and the University of Maine’s Chase Pearson (DET) were also honored as the Defensive Defenseman and Defensive Forward of the year, respectively.
In the Big Ten Conference, recent Red Wings signing Taro Hirose (DET) out of Michigan State University was named Player of the Year, as well as scoring champion as the NCAA’s leading point-getter. The University of Minnesota’s Sammy Walker (TB) was named Freshman of the Year after the seventh-round pick surprised many this season. Quinn Hughes (VAN) of the University of Michigan and Evan Barratt (CHI) of Penn State University were other notable Big Ten stars, earning first-team all-conference considerations.
Elsewhere, a trifecta of NHL hopefuls won both Player of the Year and Defenseman of the Year for their conference. Adam Fox (CAR) is the most notable, as the Harvard University product enjoyed yet another dominant year in the ECAC and could be an impact player immediately once he joins the Hurricanes. Jimmy Schuldt hopes to do the same wherever he ends up, as the priority free agent from St. Cloud State University was named both Player of the Year and Defensive Defenseman of the Year for the NCHC and will push for a National Championship this year before turning his attention to the pros. Finally, Atlantic Hockey’s undisputed top player was Joe Duszak (TOR) of Mercyhurst University, who recently signed with the Maple Leafs after leading all NCAA defensemen in scoring.
Other awards of note include the University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Scott Perunovich (STL) winning the NCHC’s Offensive Defenseman of the Year Award for the second year in a row and Cooper Zech (BOS) being named the WCHA’s Rookie of the Year despite already leaving Ferris State University after just one year for the AHL’s Providence Bruins. With the NCAA postseason still to come, there will be more honors on the way for college hockey’s top players, but the conference awards already show that the best of the collegiate ranks includes many NHL draft picks and free agent signings, who will hopefully go on to continue their strong play at the next level.
Ottawa Senators Recall Top Prospects
The Ottawa Senators may lose Jean-Gabriel Pageau to suspension depending on how things go during his hearing with the Department of Player Safety, so they needed some reinforcements from the minor leagues. They’ve decided to recall several prospects, including Filip Chlapik, Erik Brannstrom and Vitaly Abramov. If Abramov gets into the lineup it would be his NHL debut.
Brannstrom already made his debut to much fanfare earlier this month, but was immediately sent back down to continue the Belleville Senators’ pursuit of a playoff spot. The young defenseman was the key piece of the Mark Stone trade, and will likely be playing a full-time role on the team next season. Chlapik meanwhile has played 24 games for the Senators over the last two seasons, and has five points in those games. The 21-year old forward has been one of Belleville’s most consistent players all season and should also be vying for a spot in the NHL next year.
It’s Abramov’s recall that raises the most eyebrows though, as the 20-year old forward hasn’t shown a ton of polish since entering the professional ranks this season. The former QMJHL star has outstanding puck skills, but didn’t get the chance to use them fully with the Cleveland Monsters. As part of the return for Matt Duchene, Abramov represents another lottery ticket that the Senators are hoping hits the jackpot over the next few years. He has four points in nine games since joining Belleville, but might get a chance to show what he can do at the NHL level down the stretch.
WHL Conference Awards, OHL Coaches Poll Highlight Top Prospects
The Canadian Hockey League remains the largest source of young talent in the world, sending nearly countless players into various professional hockey leagues every year. The WHL, OHL and QMJHL are continually being picked over for the next great NHL player, and while some slip through the cracks the majority of the top performers are snapped up by organizations at the draft.
Today the WHL released their conference awards, highlighting the very best performers from this year. This list is littered with NHL prospects, including some who will make their debut as soon as next season. Each of the conference winners are eligible for the overall awards which will be given out at the beginning of May. The list is as follows:
Eastern Conference Player of the Year: Trey Fix-Wolansky, Edmonton Oil Kings (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Western Conference Player of the Year: Joachim Blichfeld, Portland Winterhawks (San Jose Sharks)
Eastern Conference Top Goaltender: Ian Scott, Prince Albert Raiders (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Western Conference Top Goaltender: Dustin Wolf, Everett Silvertips (2019 draft eligible)
Eastern Conference Top Defenseman: Josh Brook, Moose Jaw Warriors (Montreal Canadiens)
Western Conference Top Defenseman: Ty Smith, Spokane Chiefs (New Jersey Devils)
Eastern Conference Rookie of the Year: Brayden Tracey, Moose Jaw Warriors (2019 draft eligible)
Western Conference Rookie of the Year: Lassi Thomson, Spokane Chiefs (2019 draft eligible)
Eastern Conference Most Sportsmanlike Player: Justin Almeida, Moose Jaw Warriors (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Western Conference Most Sportsmanlike Player: Cody Glass, Portland Winterhawks (Vegas Golden Knights)
WHL Top Scorer: Joachim Blichfeld, Portland Winterhawks (San Jose Sharks)
68 GP, 53 G, 61 A, 114 PTS
Luke Philp Signs With Calgary Flames
While the NCAA ranks are picked clean each year, the Canadian college scene rarely produces high end NHL prospects. That’s because most Canadian players are either snapped up in junior hockey or head south of the border to take advantage of the scholarship system. This year though there is a name that’s trying to change all that. Luke Philp, who recorded 45 points in 24 games for the University of Alberta, has signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames. The deal will kick in for the 2019-20 season, despite what the press release says. Philp is currently injured.
That’s not to say there hasn’t been success stories from Canadian universities before. In fact, Philp will have an example to look up to on the Flames as new teammate Derek Ryan also attended the University of Alberta for four years before jumping into professional hockey. Ryan wasn’t as fortunate though, as he had to grind through several years overseas before proving he deserved a contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. He now carries a $3.125MM cap hit on a three-year deal with the Flames.
It’s not like Philp came out of nowhere to overwhelm the USports ranks. A former star for the Kootenay Ice of the WHL, Philp actually recorded 82 points in 71 games for the team in 2014-15 leading to a ranking on the NHL’s Central Scouting list. He wouldn’t end up being picked, but teams have kept an eye on him over the years. Previously attending development camp with the Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs, Philp was also obviously on the radar of the two Alberta teams in Edmonton and Calgary.
Snapshots: Pekar, Miami, Yakupov
After his season came to an end in the OHL, Matej Pekar is headed to join the Rochester Americans for the rest of the season. The 19-year old forward is currently injured and it is unclear if he’ll get into any actual games, but he can at least become familiar with the team and their facilities. Pekar was just a fourth-round pick last June, but has already become one of the more intriguing prospects for the Sabres after a solid season with the Barrie Colts.
Pekar recorded 36 points in 33 games and attended the World Juniors with the Czech Republic. The left-shot forward will see his entry-level deal slide to next season, and won’t start burning years even if he does get into some AHL action over the next few weeks.
- It wasn’t a very successful season for Miami University (Ohio), and head coach Enrico Blasi has been fired because of it. Athletic Director David Sayler announced the decision today, explaining that he needs to see more competitive play out of his school as they try to battle in the NCHC—arguably the toughest conference in college hockey. Miami went just 5-17-2 this year and 45-84-15 under Blasi over the six seasons as part of the NCHC. Blasi had been head coach of the program for nearly two decades overall.
- While reports surfaced this morning out of Russia that the Arizona Coyotes were one of a few teams interested in bringing Nail Yakupov back to the NHL, Craig Morgan of The Athletic threw cold water on the idea. Morgan tweeted that a league source called the report “completely inaccurate.” Yakupov found great success after heading back to the KHL this season, recording 23 goals in 47 games and being a big part of a St. Petersburg SKA team that looks poised to return to the Gagarin Cup finals. It’s unclear if there are other teams circling Yakupov to see if he’s willing to come back.
Dallas Stars Sign Trio Of Prospects
The Dallas Stars have had a busy morning, signing Rhett Gardner (two-year), Joe Cecconi (two-year) and Josh Melnick (one-year) to entry-level contracts. All three deals will start next season, as the trio will join the Texas Stars on amateur tryouts for the rest of this year. Gardner and Cecconi were both drafted by the Stars, while Melnick was an undrafted college free agent who just finished his fourth year at Miami University (Ohio). The team has also assigned top prospect Ty Dellandrea to Texas after his season with the Flint Firebirds came to an end.
Gardner, 23, was selected by the Stars in the fourth round of the 2016 draft after an encouraging freshman season at the University of North Dakota. The 6’3″ center had scored 11 goals while playing behind the likes of Brock Boeser, Drake Caggiula and Nick Schmaltz and looked like he might develop into a real offensive threat down the road. Unfortunately that offensive touch never did really materialize, with Gardner topping out at 21 points during his sophomore season. Still, Gardner will bring another big powerful forward presence to the AHL Stars next season, one capable of playing at center and on the penalty kill if necessary.
Cecconi meanwhile brings a much higher ceiling in terms of NHL potential. The 21-year old defenseman was picked in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, but has developed into quite the player for the University of Michigan. In his first two seasons with the Wolverines, Cecconi recorded just 15 points in 71 games but after being paired with Quinn Hughes partway through the 2017-18 season really took off. The two formed one of the best defensive pairings in all of college hockey, and Cecconi ended up recorded 27 points in 40 games. He maintained that production this year with another 20 points in 36 games, and now joins the Stars as more than just a late-round lottery ticket. The 6’2″ defenseman seems to be more than the sum of his parts in terms of individual skill set, and will attempt to take another step in his development at the next level.
Melnick, the lone free agent of the bunch is the classic overlooked forward prospect. Measuring in at just 5’10”, he nevertheless recorded four excellent seasons at Miami and will try to show off his playmaking skills at the professional level. The 23-year old has produced at every level, and could be a big offensive threat in the AHL next season.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Malkin, Sandin
The NHL has released their three stars for last week, and another New York Islanders goaltender has taken the top spot. After Robin Lehner was honored earlier this season, Thomas Greiss has now been given the top spot after stopping 116 of 121 shots to go 3-1 last week. The 33-year old Greiss is having the best season of his career under Barry Trotz’ disciplined system, and now has a .928 save percentage through 40 appearances.
While Connor McDavid appearing in the third spot won’t surprise many, Brendan Perlini‘s name in second certainly will. The former Arizona Coyotes forward struggled upon joining the Chicago Blackhawks this season, but has found the back of the net in three consecutive games and five of his last seven. That included a hat trick last week against his former club, and he now sits at 13 goals on the season.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their top players after Evgeni Malkin was listed as “week-to-week” last night by head coach Mike Sullivan. Somewhat quietly, Malkin is having another outstanding season with 71 points through his first 66 games and is a huge part of the Pittsburgh attack. The team will have to rely on their other superstars for the time being and hope the big Russian center can get healthy in time for the playoffs.
- While the Toronto Maple Leafs have struggled to keep the puck out of their net since Jake Gardiner and Travis Dermott suffered injuries (and perhaps even before that), they won’t rush top defensive prospect Rasmus Sandin to the NHL. Sandin has been on fire recently for the Toronto Marlies and now has 23 points through 36 games as a teenager, but head coach Mike Babcock reiterated the organization’s mantra to over-ripen prospects at the minor league level before bringing them up. Babcock pointed to Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson as examples of how the Maple Leafs development program has worked, and noted that there are still “good players” on the NHL roster. Sandin was the 29th overall pick last June and turned 19 earlier this month.
Panthers, Islanders Expected To Be Active This Off-Season
With the New York Islanders sitting in second place in the Metropolitan Division and the Florida Panthers not yet out of postseason contention, eight points back of the final wild card slot with a game in hand, fans are not yet looking toward next season with plenty of meaningful games left this season. Yet, the two Eastern Conference teams are expected by many to be some of the most active players in the upcoming off-season. The Islanders could have more cap space entering the summer than just about any other team, while the Panthers have not won a playoff series since 1996 and are desperate to take a step forward. Both teams have needs and could look to fill them in explosive fashion this off-season.
Things have gone as well as they possibly could have this season for the Islanders. Despite losing John Tavares and entering the year with an unproven goalie tandem, the team is not only playoff-bound, but also the league leader in goals against average. Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss have been stellar in net, the team’s young defensemen have taken a major step forward under new head coach Barry Trotz, and the offense has picked up the seemingly insurmountable slack that Tavares left behind. Yet, much of their success could be undone by free agency, which would leave the team in need of making several big additions. Lehner is an impending free agent and the Isles must decide whether or not to commit to the young reclamation project or else seek a long-term replacement, with 33-year-old Greiss only signed for one more year. Yet, the net is not even the greatest of their concerns. Captain Anders Lee and fellow top forwards Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle are approaching free agency without new contracts. After losing Tavares last summer, it seems almost impossible that New York could also let Lee slip away. But can the same be said for Nelson and Eberle, who are also top-five scoring forwards for the Isles. The team may be in a position where they need to add considerable talent up front, as well as replenish depth.
Currently projected to have the fourth-most cap space of any team this summer, the Islanders could hypothetically re-sign Lehner and their trio of forwards without issue or else find free agents on the market. However, if spending power is not enough to bring in top free agents – like say Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky – GM Lou Lamoriello could explore the trade market. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple writes that the Islanders’ newfound depth on the blue line could help to facilitate a major trade. He believes that the team wants to move forward with a young core of Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield, and Devon Toews on the blue line. He also mentions AHL All-Star Sebastian Aho as another key piece, while recent high draft picks Noah Dobson and Bode Wilde also deserve consideration. This youth movement has made top defenseman Nick Leddy expendable and Staple believes that he is a talent that could bring back an established top-six forward. The Islanders could also look to move veterans Johnny Boychuk and Thomas Hickey instead of or in addition to Leddy. That trade flexibility paired with ample cap space make the Isles a dangerous player on the trade market this summer, if not all of their problems can be fixed via free agency.
In fact, the Panthers could wind up being an ideal trade partner for the Islanders. Florida leads the NHL this season with five 20-goal scorers and has an offensive game and potent power play that few in the league can rival. However, their defense and their goaltending both leave a lot to be desired. The Panthers don’t have the cap space that the Islanders do, but The Athletic’s George Richards believes that the team plans to make trades to free up cap space in order to hit the free agent market with more bargaining power. Florida is another team that has been linked to the Panarin/Bobrovksy package, while they are also a team that could greatly benefit from adding Erik Karlsson. Richards writes that the team will be “aggressive” in pursuing top free agents, but that doesn’t mean they will succeed in drawing targets to a non-traditional hockey market.
As such, Florida could also wind up making noise on the trade market and a name like Leddy would be the caliber of player they would like to add. Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov have enjoyed strong seasons with the Panthers this year, but both have just one season remaining and could be on the trade block this summer. There were also rumors that Jonathan Huberdeau was a player that GM Dale Tallon listened to offers for at the trade deadline again and he could do so again for the team’s highest-paid forward. These are names that will move the needle for other NHL clubs. Veteran goaltenders Roberto Luongo and James Reimer? Not so much. However, the team needs to improve on its poor goaltending and to do so would need to move one (or both) of the tandem costing them a combined $7.933MM. This may involve Florida moving picks or prospects as well. There are many layers to the trade possibilities for the Panthers this off-season, making them a fascinating team to watch.
With weeks remaining in the regular season and the unknown of the postseason yet to come, the status quo could change for either one of these teams. As things stand though, there are major question marks for both squads that at this point don’t look like they can be answered until after the playoffs have ended. As soon as that happens, the Islanders and Panthers will become must-watch teams in how they approach the NHL Draft, the start of free agency, and the summer trade market. Both clubs could look drastically different in 2019-20 by way of an active off-season.