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Deadline Primer: Calgary Flames

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With the trade deadline fast approaching, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? As we begin to examine the Pacific Division, here is a look at the Calgary Flames.

The Calgary Flames are the kings of the Western Conference so far. With 71 points in 51 games, the Flames hold a commanding six-point lead with a game in hand over the San Jose Sharks in the division and are three points up on the Winnipeg Jets overall. In fact, the Flames trail only the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL standings right now. The team has been rolling on all cylinders this season, finding success on both offense – No. 2 in goals per game – and defense – No. 7 in goals against per game. However, Calgary is not without fault and will be looking to add in several areas at the deadline.

However, GM Brad Treliving and company must be methodical in their approach. The Flames have just over $7MM in cap space to work with and need to be sure of their priorities when it comes to the market. The team also needs to avoid trading one of their most valuable trade assets, this year’s first-round pick. With only five selections scheduled for this June, losing their first-rounder could see Calgary make their draft debut in the late third round. As such, the Flames need to do what they can to capitalize on the strong regular season and improve before the postseason, but will be forced to be more strategic than a typical all-out buyer.

Record

33-13-5, first in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$7.09MM in full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 45/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: CGY 1st, CGY 3rd, NYI 4th, CGY 5th, CAR 7th
2020: CGY 1st, CGY 2nd, CGY 3rd, CGY 4th, CGY 5th, CGY 6th, CGY 7th

Trade Chips

If the Flames indeed take this year’s first-round pick off the table, it will have repercussions in their dealings with sellers. Depending on the team and target, some may be happy with next year’s first-rounder or, in a buyer’s market, a later pick. Others could look for a pro-ready piece to substitute the immediate boost of a first-round talent in the system. If that’s the case, Calgary has to be prepared to listen to offers including Sam Bennett. Bennett, the 2014 fourth overall pick, is struggling through another disappointing season. Now in his fourth year with the Flames, Bennett has yet to crack 20 goals or 40 points in a single season and looks likely to fall short yet again. It is far from the output that Calgary expected, but they have stuck with the frustrating forward thus far. Bennett’s ability is apparent and he’s shown flashes of brilliance from time to time, but he has been unable to put together a complete game. Even as the 22-year-old has tried to embrace a more physical, high-energy style over the past season plus, he has again missed his mark and has become a penalty liability far too frequently, especially for a team with a poor penalty kill. Bennett may reach his potential one day, but it seems unlikely to be with Calgary. In a season where the Flames have a legitimate chance to win the Stanley Cup, they need to finally give up on Bennett if that’s the price of a much-needed addition. Another castoff who has yet to meet expectations is Curtis Lazar, who could still have some intrigue for sellers.

One of the Flames’ current young defenseman could also be a trade deadline target. With five capable veterans on the back end signed through at least next season and three promising young defenders itching for more NHL responsibility, someone is going to be the odd man out next year. Juuso Valimaki, the team’s top defensive prospect, seems like a safe bet to stay put. However, the current bottom pair of Rasmus Andersson and Oliver Kylington may not stay together much longer. Both have more than proven themselves as capable pros this season, but if the Flames want to land a big fish at the deadline, they may have to give up one or the other. Losing Kylington would hurt slightly less than Andersson.

Among other prospects, first-year pro forwards Matthew Phillips and Glenn Gawdin are sure to draw interest, but the Flames may be hesitant to move either. However, with Dillon Dube out of the question, the pair could be next up among Calgary’s top minor league pieces. The Flames could try to capitalize on the breakout season of USHL star Martin Pospisil to sell high on the recent fourth-rounder.

Finally, with Jon Gillies officially losing out to David Rittich in the battle of young goaltenders in Calgary, the Flames would likely be open to moving the struggling 25-year-old. Especially if they are in pursuit of a replacement goalie of their own, the seller may like the idea of taking a waiver on another young goalie and Gillies fits the bill. So too may Tyler Parsons. 

Five Players To Watch For: F Sam Bennett, F Curtis Lazar, D Oliver Kylington, F Martin Pospisil, G Jon Gillies

Team Needs

1) Starting Goaltender: Most contenders don’t get to that point if they have a need at starting goaltender. This year’s Flames are a rare exception. Incumbent starter Mike Smith has struggled all year long and has a sub-.900 save percentage and a goals against average up over 3.00 in 25 appearances. Young David Rittich has take over as the go-to option and has performed admirably in 30 appearances, but has faded since his hot start to the season. Most likely, Calgary’s Cup hopes live and die by what they do in net. Doing nothing at all will likely cost them their chance barring a heroic return to form from Smith. Adding a third goalie to at least compete for starts will let them continue their current trajectory. Carolina Hurricanes’ keepers Petr Mrazek or Curtis McElhinney could fall into this group, as could Cam Talbot from the rival Edmonton Oilers or old friend Brian Elliott, if healthy. If the Flames instead opt to upgrade the position with one of the three main goalies on the market – Sergei Bobrovksy, Jimmy Howard, and Semyon Varlamov – one would have to think that their title chances would improve significantly. The trick will be adding one of these three at a reasonable price while also keeping enough cap space open to add in other areas. Moving Smith in another deal could be an option.

2) Top-Nine Winger: Michael Frolik, Sam Bennett, James Neal, and Austin Czarnik simply haven’t panned out as expected this season. As dominant as the Flames’ top line and two-thirds of their second line has been, they have needed help on the wing in the middle six for much of the year. If they can add a forward that can also help out their 21st-ranked penalty kill, that would be even better. If they can add two such capable two-way wingers? That would be ideal. Again, the Flames lack of cap space and bigger need in net make this a likely result, but Calgary has a serious need for depth on the wing and it could be exposed in the postseason if not addressed. Some of the more cap-friendly outside options are likely to be targets, such as Jakob Silfverberg, Richard Panik, Ryan Dzingel, or Patrick Maroon. However, the possibility of a return to Calgary for Micheal Ferland remains one of the most intriguing possibilities at the deadline. Ferland seemingly would be a great fix for what ails the Flames.

3) Veteran Depth Defenseman: Even though depth on defense has been identified as a strength for the Flames moving forward, there are some concerns at present. Michael Stone is currently sidelined with a blood clot issue and there is no definitive timeline for his return. Meanwhile, rookies Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington, and Juuso Valimaki have played a little over 100 career NHL games combined and the other young options in the AHL aren’t instilling any confidence. Calgary has an impressive top four that they will no doubt lean on in the playoffs, but just one injury could leave Dalton Prout as the team’s top replacement option and that is a problem. The Flames need to add another experienced veteran to the blue line and, even if the right-handed Stone returns to health, could use an extra body on the left side preferably. Treliving would have to get creative, but Detroit’s Niklas Kronwall would be a great fit. More affordable options include Jordie Benn and Brandon Davidson among others.

Flames’ Dalton Prout Reassigned To AHL For Conditioning Stint

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The Calgary Flames are flying high right now, sporting the best record in the Pacific Division and winners of seven of their last ten. The Flames owe their success to a number of players, but veteran defenseman Dalton Prout has not been one of them. Prout has been a healthy scratch for all but one game this season, the team’s second game of the season back on October 6th. That inactivity has finally become a concern for the team, as the Flames announced that they have sent Prout down to the AHL on a conditioning assignment.

Prout, 28, was acquired by Calgary in a trade with the New Jersey Devils last season, in which goaltender Eddie Lack headed back to New Jersey. Prout did not suit up for the Flames, but instead played out the rest of the season with the Stockton Heat. It was the first time since his rookie season that Prout did not play at least a quarter of the NHL season, but now looks as if it could be a sign of things to come rather than a fluke.

Prout is a big, physical defender, but struggles with skating and and lacks finesse in his game. Calgary has shown that they don’t need to or want to rely on him, even last year, and are even deeper on the blue line this season. The play of rookies Juuso Valimaki and Rasmus Andersson have made Prout an unnecessary fixture in Calgary thus far. This conditioning stint will get him some play time, key on the off chance that they do need him, but seems more like a preface to a more permanent solution for Prout.

John Moore Out, Bruins To Debut Two Rookie Defensemen

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When GM Don Sweeney and the Boston Bruins front office were looking ahead to this season, they were anticipating a strong starting six on defense with veteran depth and promising rookies in reserve. A quarter of the way through the season, the Bruins have yet to play a game with all six of their projected starters: Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, Torey Krug, Brandon Carlo, Kevan Miller, and free agent addition John Moore. Instead, the team has rotated through ten different defensemen due to continuous injury issues. Tonight, they’ll add two more.

In the Bruins’ Wednesday night game against the Colorado Avalanche, they lost captain Chara to an apparent knee injury. He joined McAvoy (concussion), Carlo (upper-body), Miller (hand), and rookie Urho Vaakanainen (concussion) on the shelf. Then today, Moore was unexpectedly absent from morning skate and the team announced that he was day-to-day with a lower-body injury of his own. The loss leaves the Bruins with just one starter – Krug – in the lineup and missing all of their regular right-side defenders. Krug and Matt Grzelcyk are the only active defensemen who played a game for Boston last season.

When the Bruins take on the Dallas Stars tonight – and likely Saturday at the Arizona Coyotes as well – they will roll out a defensive corps that includes three rookies. Jeremy Lauzon has skated in six games with Boston already and the team announced that Jakub Zboril and Connor Clifton will make their NHL debuts tonight. Zboril, 21, is a 2015 first-round pick who has been slow to develop but has been a capable shutdown defender in the AHL. Clifton, 23, was a college free agent out of Quinnipiac University who signed with the Providence Bruins last year and earned an NHL contract with his play. While all three rookies have shown promise, they hardly seem equipped to play the roles expected of them early on in their NHL careers. The current Bruins defensive figuration has just 667 career NHL games to their credit and just 262 not counting Krug. Boston needs some luck and strong outings by Tuukka Rask tonight and Jaroslav Halak tomorrow to survive this unbelievable injury bug.

Decisions Looming For Players Eligible For Entry-Level Slides

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With the ten-game mark of the season fast approaching, many teams are facing decisions about whether or not to officially burn the first year of the entry-level contracts for many of their teenaged players.  Some decisions appear to be fairly obvious while others aren’t as much of a guarantee.  Here’s a look at the situations for the players whose contracts could potentially slide a year.

(F Maxime Comtois of the Ducks has already played in ten games to officially start his entry-level deal.)

Nine Games Played

F Filip Chytil (NYR)
D Rasmus Dahlin (BUF)
D Henri Jokiharju (CHI)
F Andrei Svechnikov (CAR)
D Juuso Valimaki (CGY)

Out of this group, it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that each will play in one more game.  Calgary’s depth on the back end could make Valimaki a candidate to be cut but he has acquitted himself relatively well so far, establishing himself as a legitimate regular so it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll be sent down.

Eight Games Played

D Miro Heiskanen (DAL)
F Jesperi Kotkaniemi (MTL)
F Isac Lundestrom (ANA)
F Michael Rasmussen (DET)

Heiskanen is averaging more than 20 minutes a night already so it’s safe to say he’ll be sticking around.  Canadiens head coach Claude Julien acknowledged that he hasn’t even discussed the possibility of sending Kotkaniemi down so he’s a safe bet to stay as well.  Injuries have forced Anaheim’s hand with Lundestrom and with several regulars still out indefinitely, there’s a reasonable chance he’ll stick around as well.  Rasmussen’s case isn’t quite as certain.  He hasn’t had much of an impact yet and has spent a fair bit of time in the bottom six already.  While he’d be forced to go back to junior, that may make the most sense from an organizational standpoint.  This season is already going off the rails for Detroit so they may take the longer-term view here.

Seven Games Played

F Martin Necas (CAR)
F Kailer Yamamoto (EDM)

Carolina has already sent Necas to the AHL for now so they’ll take some more time to evaluate his future.  As for Yamamoto, he has logged over 14 minutes a night which is rather respectable but his production hasn’t been there.  He’s a player that needs to be in an offensive role to thrive so if he isn’t scoring, they may deem that it’s better to send him to the AHL for now and then decide what to do later in the year.

Six Games Played

D Evan Bouchard (EDM)

Edmonton’s back end isn’t in the best of shape and the tenth pick back in June has had an up-and-down start to his year.  He has looked good in the attacking end but has struggled at times in his own zone.  The Oilers have sat him already and it wouldn’t be shocking to see them do so a few more times in the weeks ahead to give them more time to decide on his future.

Five Games Played

F Alex Formenton (OTT)
F Robert Thomas (STL)
F Kristian Vesalainen (WPG)

Formenton’s speed has been a real weapon for Ottawa but it hasn’t translated to much in the way of production just yet.  He isn’t able to go to the AHL yet so he’d be heading back to OHL London if he’s cut.  His case is one of the closest to being a pure toss-up at the moment so it wouldn’t be surprising if he sits a game or two to buy more time to make the decision.  Thomas has played a limited role for the Blues and with Robby Fabbri and Nikita Soshnikov now on conditioning stints, he may soon be forced back to junior even though he doesn’t have much left to prove at that level.  Vesalainen is currently in the AHL so Winnipeg’s decision on what to do with him won’t come until later on.

(Jaret Anderson-Dolan of the Kings has played five games but was recently sent back to junior meaning that he can only be brought back in an emergency recall situation.)

Four Games Played

F Brady Tkachuk (OTT)

Tkachuk was off to a very strong start (3-3-6 in four games) before tearing a ligament in his leg that will keep him out for several more weeks.  Assuming he can maintain a spot in their top-six upon his return, he’ll be a safe bet to stick around past the ten-game mark.

Two Games Played

D Urho Vaakanainen (BOS)

The Finnish blueliner suffered a concussion on Tuesday night in his second game on emergency recall.  As he can be shuttled back and forth with AHL Providence, this case will likely take a while for the Bruins to decide on as he’ll likely be headed back to the minors when he gets the green light to return.

For some teams, this particular threshold may not be the one they’re most concerned with.  Lately, more teams have set the 40-games on the active roster mark (not necessarily games played) as the critical threshold.  That one determines whether or not a player accrues a season towards unrestricted free agency.  For most players, that threshold is 27 years old but players younger than that can reach that mark with seven years of service time.

Accordingly, even if many of these players make it to game number ten, their NHL fates may be far from sealed just yet.  For those whose likelihood to make it to that mark is less certain, the next couple of weeks are going to be crucial in determining their short-term playing futures.

Snapshots: Schultz, Pettersson, Hicketts, Howden

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The Pittsburgh Penguins could find themselves down a defenseman for a while after Justin Schultz went down Saturday with what looks to be a gruesome leg injury (video link here). According to the Penguins, he needed to be helped off the ice after falling awkwardly in slow motion and either injuring his ankle or knee, after getting tangled up with Montreal’s Tomas Plekanec.

While more information won’t be known until Sunday at least, the idea of losing Schultz, one of the top defenseman isn’t a good sign. The 28-year-old already had four assists in three games played this season. Assuming he’s out for any length of time, the team could look to insert Juuso Riikola into the rotation. The Finnish free-agent, who signed with the team this summer, has impressed the Penguins throughout training camp and earned a spot as an extra defenseman, but has played in just one game so far this season.

  • Vancouver Canucks fans have to be worried after rookie Elias Pettersson took a massive hit from Florida Panthers’ Mike Matheson and then was thrown down on top of that (video link here). The 19-year-old rookie immediately left the game with a trainer, according to TSN’s Brennan Klak. Pettersson had already put up a power play goal in the game and led all rookies with five goals and eight points this season. No word on the severity of the injury.
  • NBC Sports Joe Haggerty writes that Detroit Red Wings defenseman Joe Hicketts will likely struggle all season as the diminutive blueliner at works his way through his rookie campaign with his physical brand of hockey. While the 5-foot-8 defenseman played an impressive 23:39 against the Boston Bruins Saturday and had five hits, he finished with a minus-3 and showed that he’ll struggle against top competition and skaters such as the Bruins depth that he faced Saturday.
  • Rick Carpinello of The Athletic (subscription required) profiles the play of the New York Rangers’ Brett Howden, who seems to be showing the team that he’s more than just a grinder. The 20-year-old has been impressive since training camp and his play forced the Rangers to send 2017 first-rounder Lias Andersson to the AHL. The Rangers acquired Howden, a 2016 first-round pick, from Tampa Bay in the Ryan McDonagh deal last season, but has already posted two goals in the Rangers’ first five games.

2018-19 NCAA Players To Watch

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Just like their professional and junior counterparts, the college hockey season is underway. With each passing year, the NCAA’s influence on the world of hockey grows. The NHL boasts more than a few top rookies fresh out of the college ranks this season and those still in school in 2018-19 will soon join them. This year’s crop of talent is sticking with the trend, with several players in need of watching:

The Recent Draft Picks

D Quinn Hughes, Michigan (VAN): Hughes very nearly signed his first pro contract with the Vancouver Canucks this summer before deciding to return to Michigan. The seventh overall pick back in June, Hughes was the second defenseman off the board behind top pick Rasmus Dahlin, and many even saw No. 7 as being a steal for Vancouver. An electric skater who can’t help but draw the eyes of spectators as he moves effortlessly around the ice, Hughes pairs his skating ability with the vision and positioning that makes him a threat in all three zones. Hughes also has an NCAA season under his belt already and should be even more prepared to dominate opponents this season. Hughes is a complete two-way defenseman and the centerpiece of a Wolverines team that was a Frozen Four finalist last year. Hughes himself could be eyeing the Hobey Baker Award this season. Michigan almost had Hughes’ younger brother and presumptive top 2019 pick Jack Hughes joining them this season, before he decided to stick with the U.S. National Development Program for another year before almost certainly turning pro.

F Oliver Wahlstrom, Boston College (NYI): Perhaps the most gifted goal scorer of the 2018 draft class, Wahlstrom was a late addition to BC’s freshman class, changing his commitment from Harvard, and the Eagles could not be happier. Wahlstrom is a rare combination of both high-end skill and hard-nosed play who dominated with the U.S. National Development Program last year. The right winger has had the attention of scouts for his puck-handling ability since he was nine years old, but as he’s grown up he has also filled out his frame and added a menacing physical element to his game. Wahlstrom can skate and possess the puck as well as anyone, but is even more of a threat as the go-to shooter, which he will be skating with a roster of play-makers up front for BC. Wahlstrom could be the next big NHL power forward and may very well be one-and-done in the NCAA if he continues to score at a torrid pace this year and force the hand of the rebuilding New York Islanders, who selected him with the eleventh pick this past year.

F Joel Farabee, Boston Univ. (PHI): Wahlstrom’s teammate with the U.S. National Development program last season, Farabee was the one feeding Wahlstrom most of the time with 43 assists to his linemate’s 48 goals. Farabee is now a cross-town rival of Wahlstrom’s as he joins the uber-talented BU Terriers. Farabee is a threatening presence in the offensive zone, but is even more dangerous due to his two-way ability. An extremely intelligent winger who is beyond his years in terms of decision-making and positioning, Farabee is as responsible a freshman forward as you can find in the NCAA. He may not light up the score sheet right away this year, but will no doubt make a difference for the title-chasing Terriers. Farabee’s style bodes well for an NHL career in Philadelphia, after the Flyers used the No. 14 pick on him in June.

F Jay O’Brien, Providence (PHI): Some considered it a reach when the Flyers used their second first-round pick on O’Brien, another college-bound forward and one who was coming from the prep school ranks with Thayer Academy. However, the 19th overall pick more than earned his draft slot after scoring 80 points in 30 games while also displaying an impressive two-way game. O’Brien now bring his talents to Providence, a program that lost their top two scorers from last season and are looking for their next star forward. O’Brien could emerge as both the top scoring threat and dependable defensive forward for the Friars in his first collegiate season. O’Brien is also ready to take on Hockey East competition with a gritty games that all Philly and Providence fans will appreciate.

The Soon-To-Be NHLers

D Cale Makar, UMass (COL): Few will argue that Makar isn’t the best prospect in the NCAA, if not the best drafted player not playing in the NHL. The smooth-skating defenseman was the fourth overall pick in 2017 by the Colorado and would be skating on the Avs’ top pair right now if he had not committed himself to Amherst and to entering the pros as well-rounded as possible. Makar possesses elite puck-handling skills and vision and can out-skate almost anyone in the college ranks. Makar should improve upon his 21 points in an up-and-down freshman campaign and could flirt with point-per-game production from the blue line. The newly-named UMass captain, along with talented fellow defenseman Mario Ferraro (SJS) and top forward John Leonard (SJ) have the Minutemen thinking NCAA Tournament for the first time in years, while Makar could easily be a Hobey Baker candidate.

G Jake Oettinger, Boston Univ. (DAL): Oettinger nearly turned pro this off-season, but returns to BU with his sights set on backstopping the team to a national championship. A first-round pick at No. 26 in 2017, Oettinger was selected by the Dallas Stars with the expectations that he would be the heir apparent in net. Even with the emergence of Colton Point, the Dallas job is still there for the taking. The team’s veteran duo of Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin won’t be around forever and Oettinger could conceivably compete for starts as early as 2020. Expect the big goaltender to put up stellar numbers behind a deep Terrier defense this season before joining the pro ranks next year.

F Ryan Poehling, St. Cloud (MTL): Poehling was drafted for his intelligent, professional, two-way style and Montreal hoped he would develop into a capable bottom-six center. However, they have to be pleased with the improvement in his offense, after he registered 31 points in 36 games for a St. Cloud team that was top seed in the NCAA Tournament. Poehling lacks the high-end skill of other first-round prospects, but the 2017 No. 25 pick makes up for his skating and hands with positioning and composure. Poehling should again improve this season while maintaining his elite defensive play and could be in the running for the Hobey Baker Award, especially if the Huskies are dominant yet again. The Canadiens prospect should then compete for a roster spot right away next season.

The Trade Return

F Josh Norris, Michigan (OTT): The recent centerpiece prospect of the Erik Karlsson trade, a lot of eyes in Ottawa will be on the performance of Norris this season. The entire top line of the Michigan Wolverines’ Final Four roster has moved on to the pros, leaving Norris as the team’s top center. The No. 19 pick in 2017 by the San Jose Sharks, Norris is a freak athlete who can hold his own against anyone in the NCAA. The Senators’ new addition also has a deceptively quick release on his shot and is deadly accurate with both passing and shooting. Norris simply needs to embrace his role for Michigan, both carrying the puck and shooting more often. Some more experience, specifically as the team’s top scoring option, should go a long way for the promising center’s development.

F Shane Bowers, Boston Univ. (COL): Of course, who can forget the top center prospect that Ottawa recently traded away themselves. Bowers, part of the regrettable package that the Senators sent to the Colorado Avalanche for Matt Duchene, is set to be the go-to guy up front for BU this season. Bowers’ 32 points in 40 games last season ranked third last season for the Terriers, but with Jordan Greenway and Brady Tkachuk now gone, Bowers should be the top option and could be a dark horse Hobey Baker candidate on a talented BU team that should provide plenty of scoring chances. Bowers is quick-thinking and quick-skating offensive presence who is especially dangerous on the power play and works the puck down low perhaps better than anyone in the college ranks. A breakout campaign for Bowers should give the 2017 No. 28 pick an opportunity to compete for a spot among the Avs’ young forward corps next year.

D Adam Fox, Harvard (CAR): Fox, entering his junior year with the Harvard Crimson, has already seen his NHL rights traded. Fox had allegedly expressed a resistance to signing with the Calgary Flames, but so far no such sentiment has been associated with his new team, the Carolina Hurricanes. Fox is a mature, intelligent defender who has been a point-per-game player in college and especially excels as a power play quarterback. However, Fox is more than capable on the back end as well. Assuming he is yet again producing a Hobey Baker campaign for Harvard this year, Fox seems like a prime candidate for a late-season contract and brief tryout with the Hurricanes. Carolina’s depth on defense may block him from being a full time NHLer for a few years, but when Fox finally does land that job, he has the complete game to be a dangerous presence on any blue line.

The Top Prospect

D Ben Brinkman, Minnesota: If there is one thing that the 2018-19 NCAA class lacks, it is many standout draft-eligible prospects. Brinkman alone is a candidate for early selection next June, but the Minnesota native is a surefire first-rounder. The Gophers have rarely given a true freshman defenseman the role and minutes expected of Brinkman this season, but the teen blue liner is a special talent. A smooth skater who excels with the puck on his stick, it will be no surprise to see Brinkman frequently carry the puck up and start the rush for Minnesota and he should see ample power play time as well. Brinkman is no slouch in his own zone either, as he plays a competent game that allowed him to shut down high school competition. The adjustment to the college level will come with some lumps for the young defenseman, but Brinkman should emerge from this season as a bona fide NHL prospect.

Prospect Notes: Rookies, Kyrou, ISS Rankings

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After several years of incredible rookies stepping right into the NHL and making huge impacts, this year looks like it will be no different. Young players all around the league have huge expectations, and Corey Pronman of The Athletic (subscription required) took to ranking those who can qualify for this year’s Calder Trophy. Pronman leads things off with Vancouver Canucks phenom Elias Pettersson, and puts another 67 in order before mentioning some other potential call ups.

Pettersson of course is coming off an incredible season in the SHL in which as a teenager he led the entire league in scoring with 56 points in 44 games. That production didn’t slow down in the playoffs, where he scored another 10 goals in 13 games and was named playoff MVP (after already taking that honor during the regular season as well). A World Junior silver was outdone by his World Championship gold, making his one of the most successful seasons ever by a junior-aged player. He’ll try to continue that impressive stretch with a debut for the Canucks this evening.

  • Another name on Pronman’s list, though a little further down is Jordan Kyrou, who will make his debut with the St. Louis Blues tomorrow night. GM Doug Armstrong spoke with reporters including Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic, and explained that while he expected Samuel Blais and Robert Thomas to push for spots in camp, Kyrou was the one who really impressed and “opened their eyes.” If today’s practice lines are any indication, Kyrou will start on a line with Jaden Schwartz and Brayden Schenn to start the year, and incredible opportunity for the 20-year old winger as he starts his professional career.
  • Looking ahead to draft season, ISS Hockey has released their Top 31 prospects for the 2019 Draft and like everyone else have Jack Hughes in the top spot. Hilariously the scouting service still has Hughes listed at 5’1″ 152-lbs—he’s actually more like 5’10” 170 lbs—but that didn’t stop them from putting him ahead of Kaapo Kakko and Dylan Cozens. The race for second overall seems to be on between those two forwards, but there are several names that could push to get into the conversation before long.

Injury Notes: Red Wings, Bogosian, Beleskey, Peca

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The Detroit Red Wings’ defense could look much different to begin the season than many expected. With top pair defenseman Mike Green already shut down and confirmed to be out for at least the team’s opener due to a viral infection, coach Jeff Blashill revealed today that banged-up blue liners Danny DeKeyser, Jonathan Ericsson, and Trevor Daley are all considered questionable to begin the season. As Ansar Khan of MLive.com points out, it could be a very young, inexperienced defensive corps to start the year in Detroit. Niklas Kronwall and Nick Jensen could be the only regulars healthy enough to play, joined perhaps by a veteran like Brian Lashoff or Dylan McIlrath. Outside of those options, rookies will likely make up the rest of the top six. 5’8″ Joe Hicketts, who got a brief look last season, leads the way, with 2016 first-rounder Dennis Cholowski, second-rounder the same year Filip Hronek, and Czech import Libor Sulak in the mix as well.

  • Injury news about Zach Bogosian usually isn’t good and unfortunately, this could be trending in that direction as well. Bogosian has been taking it easy in training camp, working his way back from major hip surgery, but the Athletic’s Joe Yerndon reports that he has still managed to get injured. According to head coach Phil Housley, Bogosian is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Even worse, Yerndon notes that it is a new injury, unrelated to his hip issues. Bogosian’s career has been marred by frequent injuries and an inability to bounce back quickly. The Sabres have to hope that this case is different, as Bogosian and Marco Scandella will be needed to lead a young defensive unit and groom top overall pick Rasmus Dahlin.
  • It didn’t take long for the New York Rangers to get clarification on Matt Beleskey’s status. After head coach David Quinn said yesterday that it was “too early to tell” the extent of Beleskey’s injury, suffered during a fight on Monday night, the Rangers released an update today. Beleskey will be out two to four weeks with a separated shoulder, the team determined. Since Beleskey was a likely training camp casualty anyway, the only change for the Rangers is that he cannot be placed on waiver while injured. Instead, he will be placed on the injured reserve with only a minor salary cap charge.
  • Montreal Canadiens’ free agent addition Matthew Peca is currently sidelined. The team revealed that he is dealing with a minor groin injury. No timeline has been established for his return. Peca’s NHL ability and role for the Habs is still unclear, so missing preseason action and potentially the start of the season is unfortunate. The former Tampa Bay Lightning prospect will have to hit the ground running upon his return.

Poll: Who Will Win The Calder Trophy In 2018-19?

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The Athletic’s NHL Draft and prospects guru Scott Wheeler has released the first definitive list of candidates for the Calder Trophy in 2018-19, and the order may surprise some people. Admittedly, the list is in the context of fantasy hockey, but Wheeler’s rankings are true to how he thinks Calder voting will unfold if each rookie hits their stat projections. As such, it’s not this year’s first overall pick, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, at the top of the list, but presumptive top-six center for the Vancouver Canucks, Elias Pettersson. Pettersson will be put in a much better position to rack up points than will Dahlin, the next-best candidate, as potentially one of the three best scoring forwards for the Canucks and traditionally productive forwards have a better shot at the Calder than (relatively) equally productive defensemen.

Coming in at number three is Boston Bruins forward Ryan Donato, who led both the NCAA and Olympics in goals last season and will look to win a top-six role for Boston and continue to find the back of the net at an alarming rate. Playing alongside either Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk is an easy way for Donato to quickly become an elite scorer at the NHL level. The fourth-ranked candidate is second overall pick Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes, who – like Pettersson – will be given an immense amount of responsibility right away as a top-six winger who is arguably already one of the three most skilled forwards on the team. However, Svechnikov is one of three Hurricanes rookies on Wheeler’s list, which could take away from his case. Rounding out the top five is Dahlin’s fellow rookie in Buffalo, center Casey Mittelstadt, who scored at nearly a point-per-game pace in the college ranks and in a brief stint with the Sabres to end the year. Mittelstadt should face favorable match-ups this season with the lines anchored by Jack Eichel and Patrik Berglund drawing considerable attention from the opposition.

Wheeler’s top twenty Calder Trophy candidates are as follows:

  1. C Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
  2. D Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
  3. RW Ryan Donato, Boston Bruins
  4. RW Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes
  5. C Casey Mittelstadt, Buffalo Sabres
  6. RW Filip Zadina, Detroit Red Wings
  7. C Dylan Strome, Arizona Coyotes
  8. C Henrik Borgstrom, Florida Panthers
  9. C Martin Necas, Carolina Hurricanes
  10. D Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
  11. RW Dylan Sikura, Chicago Blackhawks
  12. RW Eeli Tolvanen, Nashville Predators
  13. C Filip Chytil, New York Rangers
  14. LW Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
  15. LW Valentin Zykov, Carolina Hurricanes
  16. RW Kailer Yamamoto, Edmonton Oilers
  17. C Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning
  18. LW Kristian Vesalainen, Winnipeg Jets
  19. C Sam Steel, Anaheim Ducks
  20. RW Vitaly Abramov, Columbus Blue Jackets

Honorable Mentions: C Vladislav Kamenev, Colorado Avalanche; LW Jordan Greenway, Minnesota Wild; C Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues; LW Andreas Johnsson, Toronto Maple Leafs; C Michael Rasmussen, Detroit Red Wings; C Lias Andersson, New York Rangers; D Sami Niku, Winnipeg Jets; D Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers; RW Daniel Sprong, Pittsburgh Penguins

What do you think? Who will be the NHL’s Rookie of the Year and take home the Calder Trophy at the end of the season? The favorite? The first overall pick? Another top candidate? Or a name not even mentioned here?

Ottawa Senators Preparing For Huge Roster Turnover

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Late last night after much of the hockey news had died down for the day, the Ottawa Senators released a video of defenseman Mark Borowiecki and owner Eugene Melnyk discussing the future of the organization. Touching on subjects from dressing room leadership to overcoming the low expectations for 2018-19, Melnyk made clear he would be staying with the franchise for a long time and will not move it from Ottawa. He also noted an interesting point about roster construction, explaining how quickly the rebuild will get underway:

This coming year we’re going to have 10 out of the 22 players are going to be new. Meaning they’re either rookies or they’ve played maybe under 10 games last year. Then the following year, it’s going to go up to about 15 of the 22, maybe 16. So that’s a total turnover you know, which is exactly what should be in a rebuild. 

Stripping your roster down to the studs and letting a group of young players grow and mature together is often a strategy for struggling teams who want to rebuild, and the Senators saw a similar situation play out just down the road in Toronto a few years ago. In fact, when the Maple Leafs traveled to Ottawa to open the season in 2016 they had seven rookies in the lineup including Auston Matthews, who scored four times despite the loss. That would appear to be the blue print for Melnyk and the Senators as they look to pull a similarly speedy rebuild.

The question though becomes how do they achieve the goal of having 10 rookies on the roster at the beginning of the year. The team currently has at least 19 players—Mark Stone, Bobby Ryan, Matt Duchene, Zack Smith, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Ryan Dzingel, Tom Pyatt, Magnus Paajarvi, Max McCormick, Colin White, Marian Gaborik, Erik Karlsson, Cody Ceci, Chris Wideman, Ben Harpur, Thomas Chabot, Craig Anderson, Mike Condon and Borowiecki—who played more than 10 games for the organization last season and should at the very least be battling for roster spots. While perhaps Melnyk was exaggerating and players like White and Chabot would still be considered “rookies” given their relative youth and inexperience, it seems likely that there will be substantial turnover in the rest of the group.

We’ve heard for months that Karlsson may be on the block, speculation that will only increase given his complete absence from this video, but other players including Stone and Duchene are both heading into the final years of their contracts and could be shipped out for prospects and picks. If the Senators are committed to a full scorched earth rebuild, they are powerful assets in trade.

At the very least, we should expect the Senators to be involved in trade talks all season. Even though Melnyk and Borowiecki seem excited about playing the underdogs this year, the amount of roster turnover that the owner mentions isn’t possible without some transactions coming through the pipe quickly. Camp starts in just a few days and Senators rookies should be licking their chops on the opportunity that is apparently there for the taking.

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