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Chicago Blackhawks Sign Philipp Kurashev

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The Chicago Blackhawks have inked one of their intriguing forward prospects, signing Philipp Kurashev to a three-year entry-level contract. Kurashev is currently playing with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, where he will remain for the rest of this season.

Kurashev certainly didn’t make headlines when he was selected 120th overall in the 2018 draft, but a few months later he was the talk of junior hockey. That came at the most recent World Junior tournament where the 19-year old led the field with six goals in seven games for Switzerland, impressing everyone in attendance with his slick puck skills and ability to finish around the net. Kurashev returned to the Remparts where he has 28 goals and 62 points in 57 games, easily leading the team in both categories.

The talented forward was actually ranked much higher than his eventual draft position by many outlets, and he’ll now get the chance to prove that he should have been a higher selection. Turning 20 in October means his contract will kick in for the 2019-20 season regardless of where he plays, making him a restricted free agent in the summer of 2022.

Anaheim Ducks Sign Defenseman Simon Benoit

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3/7: The Duck have confirmed the signing and the terms of the deal for Benoit, noting that the first-year pro leads the Gulls and is third among all AHL rookie defensemen in plus/minus, while also leading San Diego rookie defenders in goals, shots, and games played. The strong performance from the under-the-radar junior signing has clearly impressed the Anaheim brass this season.

3/4: The Anaheim Ducks have made an unexpected splash into the free agent market, signing a player off their AHL squad. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that the Ducks have signed undrafted QMJHL product Simon Benoit to a three-year entry-level contract. CapFriendly adds that the contract begins next season and carries an AAV of $925K, offset by a $278K signing bonus and $348K in potential performance bonuses over the term of the deal. Benoit has played all season on an AHL contract with the San Diego Gulls.

Benoit, 20, has made the most of his first pro season after he failed to draw NHL interest this past summer. The 6’3″, 192-lb. possession defenseman has established himself as a capable two-way defender in the AHL and looks to have NHL upside. A former standout with the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes, Benoit has moved to the pro level seamlessly, recording 12 points and a team-best +17 rating thus far through 50 games with the Gulls.

With San Diego head coach Dallas Eakins as the heavy favorite to take over as head coach in Anaheim next season, the future could be bright for Benoit if he can continue his dependable defensive play. The Ducks have lost Shea Theodore, Sami Vatanen, Marcus Pettersson, and Brandon Montour from their blue line in the last 18 months, opening up the door for prospects to play a bigger role moving forward. With Anaheim’s cap crunch so tight, they are unlikely to make many major additions on the back end this off-season either. With just three core defensemen remaining and signed through next season, it is very likely that there could be three, if not four or five, spots on the Ducks blue line up for grabs in training camp next year. Benoit will certainly throw his hat in the ring and at the very least could earn his NHL debut at some point in the 2019-20 season.

Negotiation Notes: Kravtsov, Killins, Signing Deadline

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The New York Rangers are closing in on a contract with one of their top prospects. According to Sportsnet’s Mike Johnston, who relays a report from KHL insider Aivis Kalnins, Russian forward Vitali Kravtsov is expected to sign an entry-level contract with the Rangers sooner rather than later. It’s unclear if Kravtsov, whose current club Traktor Chelyabinsk has been knocked out of the KHL playoffs, intends to play immediately this season or if the contract would begin next season. Either way, Rangers fans will be excited to have the talented teenager pushing for a roster spot. Kravtsov, the ninth overall pick in last year’s NHL Draft, stands 6’4″ and plays a physical game, but also has great speed and high-end skill. A total package on the wing, Kravtsov recorded 21 points in 50 games this season, rare production from a teenager in the KHL, as younger players typically receive little ice time. His size and skill set should translate well to the North American game and Kravtsov should find his way to New York without spending much time in the minors. If Kalnin’s report is accurate and Kravtsov signs in the coming days, he may even make his NHL debut this season.

 

Penguins Sign Jan Drozg To Entry-Level Contract

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Monday: The Penguins have officially announced the contract.

Sunday: The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed a recent draft pick to his entry-level contract. Whispers emerged early last month that 2017 fifth-round choice Jan Drozg, a right wing for the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes, was close to signing his rookie deal with Pittsburgh, but it was unclear whether the pact would begin this year or next. CapFriendly reports that the three-year deal has been completed and it does in fact begin with the 2019-20 season. The Penguins have yet to confirm the signing.

Drozg’s ELC carries an AAV of $925K, but a base salary of just $700K in the first two years and $750K in the final year. The young forward, who turns 20 next month, will be supplemented by a $278K signing bonus, as well as performance bonuses of up to $132,500 in the first two seasons and $82,500 in the final season. Of course, none of this is guaranteed to begin next season, as Drozg has a year of junior eligibility remaining and could be a candidate for an entry-level slide next year if the Penguins decide they would prefer for him to return to the QMJHL.

Drozg, who stands tall but slight at 6’2″ and 174 pounds, became just the seventh Slovenian player drafted and the highest selection outside of Anze Kopitar when the Penguins took him 152nd overall in 2017 out of the Swedish junior ranks. A fast, hard-working forward, Drozg is omnipresent on the ice and helps to create a lot of offense for the Cataractes, a team that lacks much game-breaking talent. Last season, Drozg made the jump to North America after being selected by Shawinigan in the first round of the CHL Import Draft and immediately made his presence felt, leading the team with 50 points in 61 games. The effort even earned him a tryout game with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, in which he notched an assist. Drozg has outdone himself this year, scoring at a point-per-game pace to again lead the Cataractes with 52 points in 53 games thus far. Making Drozg’s accomplishments more impressive is the fact that Shawinigan has been arguably the worst team in the QMJHL over the past two years and Drozg’s offensive potential has a much higher ceiling once he is surrounded by superior talent. As such, the Penguins could opt to start Drozg in the AHL next season rather than return him to junior, as putting him in a competent lineup may be the best thing for the young winger’s development. If he can continue to produce consistently at the pro level as he has in junior, Pittsburgh may have found a diamond in the rough in the late-round forward.

Snapshots: Karlsson, Thompson, Lafreniere, Maple Leafs

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The San Jose Sharks got some good news regarding the status of star defenseman Erik Karlsson, who will miss his second straight game Sunday with a strained groin. Head coach Peter DeBoer confirmed that Karlsson is suffering from the same strained groin injury that kept him out for nine straight games in January and February. However, the injury won’t require surgery, according to NHL.com’s Eric Gilmore.

“It’s a version of the same injury,” DeBoer said after receiving the latest medical test results on the 28-year-old defenseman. “I don’t anticipate it being long term. No surgery, nothing like that. But we’re going to be obviously extra cautious and make sure.”

Karlsson is a key piece to the Sharks’ success this year as they try to overtake the Calgary Flames for the top spot in the Pacific Division. Karlsson has three goals and 45 points in 52 games, but has only played four games since Jan. 16. He re-injured his groin on Feb. 23 against Columbus. DeBoer said that all Karlsson needs is time, but there is no timetable on how long he’ll be out.

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Jimmy Huntington

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Now that the calendar has turned over to March, we’ll see plenty of teams reaching out to junior and college free agents with contract offers. Entry-level contracts can now be signed that start next season. That’s exactly what happened with undrafted free agent Jimmy Huntington, who the Tampa Bay Lightning have signed to a three-year entry-level deal. Huntington is an overager playing for the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL, on a line with potential 2020 first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere.

Huntington, 20, isn’t the same type of offensive powerhouse that Lafreniere is, but has still had an excellent season for Rimouski. He ranks second on the team with 83 points through 60 games and actually leads the team in goals with 38. The 6’1″ center is extremely hard working and will routinely drive the net both with and without the puck, using strong body positioning to create chances.

While his offensive ceiling may not be extremely high, the Lightning have had success in the past with undrafted forwards out of the QMJHL. Yanni Gourde and Danick Martel immediately come to mind as examples of overlooked talents that have found their way to the NHL in Tampa Bay. Joining an organization with that kind of history is obviously attractive, even if there is no guarantee he’ll be able to make that kind of impact at the professional level.

Shane Bowers Returns To Boston University

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Fans of the Boston University Terriers were happy to see sophomore forward Shane Bowers back in the lineup Tuesday night against cross-town rival Harvard University. Bowers was participating in the World Junior Championship with Team Canada recently, but that wasn’t what had supporters and teammates alike worried. Instead, rumors had sprouted that Bowers could sign with his NHL rights holder, the Colorado Avalanche, or join his junior rights holder, the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs, after the WJC wrapped up. Instead, as the Providence Journal’s Mark Divver notes, he is back with BU for the remainder of the season.

Bowers, 19, was the 28th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Ottawa Senators. As one of the core pieces of the Matt Duchene trade, Bowers was moved to Colorado last season. After an impressive freshman campaign with the Terriers, recording 32 points in 40 games on one of the most talent-laden teams in college hockey – Bowers led even Brady Tkachuk in scoring – there was some speculation that Bowers could sign with the Avalanche this off-season. Instead, he returned to BU for another year. So far, Bowers has just eight points in 15 games, but has displayed a more well-rounded two-way game. He also impressed for Canada at the WJC in a similar role, while adding a pair of assists in five games.

With the Avalanche struggling to find secondary scoring this season, rumblings began that perhaps the easiest way to inject energy and scoring into the lineup would be for GM Joe Sakic to get a head start on signing Bowers, who is expected to sign his entry-level contract after the NCAA season. Thus began the questioning of whether Bowers would return to BU for the remainder of the season after the WJC. That concern was compounded when the Voltigeurs acquired Bowers’ rights from the Saint John Sea Dogs late last month, a move often made with some inside information of an impending transition. In fact, the Voltigeurs simply saw the connection between Bowers and their own players, Maxime Comtois and Joe Veleno, in that all three were members of Team Canada at the recent tournament. They reportedly acquired Bowers’ rights in hopes of convincing him to continue playing with his fellow top Canadian prospects for the remainder of the season, and worked hard to do so, but apparently were not successful. Colorado also seems to have either not persuaded Bowers to leave school earlier or, as some rumors go, were never actually interested in such a move.

For now, Bowers will continue to star for the Terriers in hopes of winning a Beanpot Tournament and Hockey East title and making another NCAA Tournament. The young forward will soon be a pro, but seems content to makes the most of his remaining collegiate career. However, once the season comes to an end, expect Bowers (and Hockey East rival and future teammate, UMass defenseman Cale Makar) to join the Avalanche for the stretch run and postseason. It’s only a matter of time at this point.

Snapshots: Trade Bait, Three Stars, Dobson

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The NHL trade season is upon us with only seven weeks until the deadline and teams falling out of the playoff race. With that, Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) broke down his list of 20 players who could be on the move before February 25th. At the top of the list is Artemi Panarin, who is still without a contract extension as we head into the second half of the season. The Columbus Blue Jackets are trying to make a deep Stanley Cup run and have perhaps the toughest decisions in the league with Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky set to hit unrestricted free agency.

Deeper down the list though Custance provides some details on asking prices, explaining that a deal to acquire Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings would need to start with a first-round pick while Alec Martinez might cost just a second-round pick and a good prospect. The Kings still sit at the bottom of the Pacific Division and are the only NHL team to have scored fewer than 100 goals this season. There are changes coming for Los Angeles, but in a “strong buyers market” it will be interesting to see how much they really get back for some of their trade assets.

  • Last week’s Three Stars have been revealed by the NHL, with Johnny Gaudreau taking home the top honors. Gaudreau recorded 11 points in four games and has led the Calgary Flames all season. Brent Burns takes home the second star, but most interesting might be Robin Lehner in the third position. Lehner looked to be on the brink of losing his NHL career when he went unqualified by the Buffalo Sabres, but has turned things around dramatically this season with the New York Islanders. With a .927 save percentage there is good reason to believe that Lehner could be one of the top goaltending options on the market this summer after his one-year deal expires, unless the Islanders can lock him up over the next few months.
  • Noah Dobson might be best known to many hockey fans for his stick exploding in overtime for Canada in the recent World Junior Championship, but he’s also a dominant defenseman and leader in the QMJHL. The Islanders prospect is on the move thanks to a junior deadline deal that will send him to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies for the remainder of the season. The Huskies sent three first-round picks and a second-round pick for the right to acquire Dobson, who will give them another huge weapon on their quest for a Memorial Cup berth. The trade deadline for the OHL and WHL meanwhile passes on Thursday, meaning many more top prospects will be on the move.

World Junior Notes: Eriksson Ek, Czech Republic, Hughes, Keyser

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With the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship underway in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, those teams that have yet to fill out their rosters continue to do so in the midst of the first round. Sweden made a notable addition to close out their roster, adding another goaltender in Olle Eriksson Ek, the IIHF announced. The 19-year-old keeper was a fifth-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2017 and was a backup for Sweden at the WJC last year. Eriksson Ek is having an underwhelming season with BIK Karlskoga of the Allsvenskan, the Swedish minor leagues, and has yet to appear in the SHL. However, the younger brother of Minnesota Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek has undeniable athleticism and ability and was worthy of a roster spot again for the Swedes. However, so long as Samuel Ersson, a Philadelphia Flyers fifth-rounder this year, continues his hot start to the tournament, Eriksson Ek is unlikely to see any action.

  • The Czech Republic has also rounded out their roster with addition of a pair of NHL prospects. The Athletic’s Corey Pronman notes that the Czechs have added forward Jan Jenik and defenseman Radim Salda to their tournament team. Jenik was a third-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes back in June and has been a regular contributor for Bili Tygri Liberec of the top Czech league. Jenik is a smart, hard-working player who will bring a boost to the bottom-six for the Czechs. Salda is also a recent selection, a seventh-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Salda currently plays for Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL and brings the offensive touch that is typical of defenders out of that league. Salda is having a strong season for Rimouski and could prove to be a major addition on the Czech blue line. The Czechs have yet to win a game in regulation through two contests and face a tough challenge in the Canadians up next. The team hopes their newest additions can both be difference makers through the rest of their games.
  • When it was announced that American prodigy Jack Hughes would miss his team’s game against Kazakhstan yesterday, few were concerned, as the Americans won handily anyway, 8-2. However, head coach Mike Hastings has now announced that Hughes will also miss tonight’s game against another undefeated team in Sweden and that is concerning. Hastings added that Hughes is “progressing” toward getting back in the lineup, but how long the presumptive 2019 No. 1 overall pick remains out with this undisclosed injury could dictate how far the U.S. goes in the tournament.
  • Hastings also announced that Boston Bruins prospect Kyle Keyser will be back in net tonight for the Americans after getting a rest against the underdog Kazakhstan team. With top 2019-eligible goalie Spencer Knight and impressive collegiate keeper and Montreal Canadiens draft pick Cayden Primeau also on the roster, few expected the undrafted Keyser to be the go-to goalie for the Americans. However, Keyser is in the midst of a dominant season for the OHL’s Oshawa Generals and performed well in the Americans first game of the tournament, so Hastings seems content to ride Keyser’s hot hand for as long as he can.

Drummondville To Acquire QMJHL Rights To Shane Bowers

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Avalanche center prospect Shane Bowers will be suiting up for Team Canada at the upcoming World Juniors but his playing situation beyond that tournament appears to be up in the air.  TVA Sports’ Mikael Lalancette reports that Drummondville of the QMJHL will be acquiring his junior rights from Saint John on January 6th.  The trade can’t be made official until then because he’s playing in that tournament.

The Voltigeurs are not the first team to try to get him to play in the QMJHL.  He was drafted by Cape Breton back in 2015 and then redrafted by Saint John one year later but Bowers has remained firm on his college commitment thus far.  Not surprisingly, the return for his rights involves multiple conditional draft picks and Lalancette notes that there is no firm commitment from Bowers to report just yet.

The 19-year-old is in his sophomore season at Boston University and is off to a quieter year offensively thus far with just five goals and three assists through 15 games.  That comes off the heels of a very strong freshman campaign where he had 32 points in 40 contests while he was a key part of the return in the Matt Duchene trade back in November of 2017.

Interestingly enough, if Bowers reports, this wouldn’t be the first time this happened to a Colorado prospect at Boston University.  Winger A.J. Greer was in his second season with Boston University back in 2015-16 before suddenly changing course and suiting up with Rouyn-Noranda of the QMJHL in mid-December.  He then signed his entry-level deal in July of 2016 and has gone back and forth between the Avalanche and their AHL affiliates since then.

If Bowers does indeed go to Drummondville, the timeline for him turning pro would undoubtedly be accelerated.  He’d lose his remaining NCAA eligibility while if he were to remain in junior past this season, he’d be in his overage year; first-round picks (which he is) hardly ever play that final season of eligibility.  In other words, a commitment to play in junior for the rest of the season is essentially a commitment to turn pro for 2019-20.  Once his World Junior tournament is over, he’s going to have a big decision to make on his playing future.

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