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San Jose Sharks Re-Sign Josef Korenar

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The San Jose Sharks have re-signed goaltender Josef Korenar to a one-year contract, keeping him in North America after making his NHL debut this season. Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News reports that the two-way contract carries a $750K salary at the NHL level, an $85K salary at the AHL level and a minor league guarantee of $125K. Sharks GM Doug Wilson released a statement explaining the move:

Josef took a big step in his development last season, showing his athleticism and awareness in net while appearing in the NHL for the first time. He also delivered a strong performance in the AHL’s Pacific Division playoffs, leading AHL goaltenders in goals-against average and helped the Barracuda to the semifinals.

Korenar, 23, was an undrafted free agent signing in 2017 and has become an interesting NHL prospect for the Sharks. The Czech goaltender posted an .899 save percentage in ten NHL appearances this season, while also spending time in the AHL and overseas. While he may not be ready to take over the net full-time, he does have an interesting case to be the backup this season, especially if the team doesn’t add another goaltender through free agency. The Sharks still have Martin Jones on the books for now, but the 31-year-old is a prime buyout candidate after three terrible seasons.

Getting Korenar under contract at least keeps him in the organization instead of allowing him to return to Europe, meaning at worst he’ll be with the San Jose Barracuda in 2021-22. Still waiver-exempt, he can come up and down whenever necessary to help the goaltending group at the NHL level while continuing his development by getting starts whenever possible in the AHL.

In the expansion draft later this month, it seems likely that the Sharks protect Korenar over Jones if the latter isn’t bought out. If he is though, the team needed a goalie under contract for 2021-22 to leave exposed in order to meet the requirements–Korenar can now be that goalie.

Snapshots: Eichel, Devils, HHOF

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When reports surfaced about Jack Eichel’s potential availability this summer, the first team that came to many minds was the New York Rangers. The Rangers have enough young assets to land the Buffalo Sabres center and are now focused on making the playoffs after a short rebuild. Today, Larry Brooks of the New York Post writes that the Rangers have had preliminary talks with the Sabres about Eichel and that the asking price is currently “four pieces that would be equivalent of first-rounders.” The Sabres have also, according to Brooks, not yet granted any medical record access to interested teams.

Obviously, an asking price isn’t necessarily indicative of what will eventually land a player in trade talks, but that report from Brooks shows just how high the Sabres are setting their sights in this negotiation. The team is dealing with a distressed asset, as Eichel has expressed frustration with the team over a difference in medical opinions, but will still not simply give him away. The biggest question mark surrounding the $10MM center is the health of his neck, which still may require surgery this offseason. Eventually, teams will have to get their hands on his medical records and determine how much risk is involved in an acquisition beyond just his recent on-ice struggles.

  • The New Jersey Devils are in the market for a young defenseman and would consider trading the fourth-overall pick, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Devils have selected in the top ten three times in the last few years, taking Nico Hischier (first overall, 2017), Jack Hughes (first, 2019), and Alexander Holtz (seventh, 2020) in the early part of the first round. Perhaps that makes this year’s pick a little more expendable, especially with the uncertainty surrounding the 2021 class. Any trade that happens in the next few weeks has expansion draft implications, but as we examined recently, the Devils have a real opportunity to add defensemen with no risk of losing them to the Seattle Kraken.
  • The Hockey Hall of Fame is preparing to move forward with its 2020-21 induction ceremony on November 15th, though the actual event will be moved to a new venue. Ken Holland, Jarome Iginla, Kim St-Pierre, Marian Hossa, Kevin Lowe, and Doug Wilson were announced as the class of 2020 last year, but because of COVID-related closures, were never actually inducted. The HHOF decided not to induct a new class for 2021 but will return to its normal voting procedure for next year.

Snapshots: Kane, Glass, Lee

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While the trade bait board released by Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli earlier this week contained mostly the usual suspects, a surprise at No. 5 was San Jose Sharks top scorer Evander Kane. While a departure was a possibility this season – the Sharks did tell a U.S. bankruptcy court that Kane’s contract could be terminated – this is the first that trade rumors have popped up. It does not seem as though Kane’s ongoing financial issues and legal proceedings are the root cause either. Instead, Seravalli suggests that a number of Kane’s teammates are unhappy with him in the locker room and have voiced their frustration to San Jose management. This would not be the first time that Kane’s personality has pushed him out of town; he previously had issues in both prior career stops with the Thrashers/Jets and Sabres. Whether the Sharks follow suit and trade Kane is another matter. A top scorer and physical presence, Kane is one of the best players on the team. Even if GM Doug Wilson was inclined to trade Kane, his bankruptcy case and the new leaked details of another upset locker room would make it very difficult for him to get fair value back for what Kane actually contributes on the ice. It’s a difficult situation and one that was not expected to be an issue for the Sharks this summer. It is one thing for Kane’s legal status to force their hand and another to have to instead make the proactive choice to trade an elite player.

  • Another player who may unexpectedly be available this summer is young Vegas Golden Knights forward Cody Glass. As relayed by The Athletic’s Jesse Granger, Vegas head coach Peter DeBoer made some comments in his closing media availability on Saturday that were not-so-subtly directed at Glass. A young guy can’t say he never got an opportunity,” DeBoer said. “I think we stuck young guys in all year and tried to put them in situations where they had an opportunity to succeed… Some have seized the moment, some haven’t. Some just aren’t ready yet.” As the Knight’s most high-profile prospect, Glass is certainly one of if not the biggest target of these remarks. Vegas’ first ever draft pick at No. 6 overall back in 2017, Glass has been given ample opportunity so far in his career. He skated in 39 games with the Golden Knights as a first-year pro in 2019-20, recording 12 points, and was expected to take a step forward this year. Instead, he played in only 27 games and recorded 10 points, failing to make an impact at even strength. His lack of reliability kept him out of all but one of Vegas’ playoff games this spring. A prospect with Glass’ draft pedigree is expected to be doing more at this point in his career, especially as the team’s other 2017 first-rounder, Nick Suzuki, is currently first or second in goals, assists, points, and time on ice this postseason among Montreal Canadiens forwards – the team that just knocked out the Knights. With just one year left of waiver exemption, Glass must show this season that he can be an everyday NHL contributor. If DeBoer and the club have doubts, they may decide to trade him now before his stock slips any further.
  • Some good news in exit interviews came from the New York Islanders. Captain Anders Lee, whose season was ended by an ACL injury in March, sounded optimistic about his recovery. “I am on track,” Lee stated. “I was able to do a lot of really good things in the past 13-14 weeks since surgery. Looking forward to continuing on that path and getting ready for camp.” ACL injuries can be a difficult and timely recovery, so Lee’s early progress is encouraging. If he is indeed back to full strength in time for training camp, that is an ideal result for the Islanders. Before his injury, Lee was scoring at a pace that closely resembled his career highs in per-game goals and points and was well on his way to a career-best plus/minus, even in the shortened season. New York needs him at that level next year, as their lack of salary cap space will likely prevent them from making any meaningful improvements to the roster this summer.

San Jose Sharks Sign Jeffrey Viel, Jonatan Dahlen, Nicolas Meloche

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The San Jose Sharks have come to terms with three young players, signing Jeffrey Viel, Jonatan Dahlen, and Nicolas Meloche. Viel has inked a two-year, two-way contract, while Dahlen will be coming to North America on a one-year one-way contract. Meloche will be back on a one-year, two-way deal, the same structure he spent 2019-20 on. All three contracts will carry an average annual value of $750K, the league minimum.

In the Viel release, Sharks GM Doug Wilson explained why they re-signed the 24-year-old forward:

Jeff showed his compete level last season, playing a hard-nosed, physical game. He is a player who has great character and leadership qualities, being a former captain of his junior team, and we feel that he will push to make the jump to the NHL. We are happy to have him in our organization.

The undrafted winger managed to grind his way up through the minor leagues in San Jose, earning an NHL contract in 2019 after a full season with the San Jose Barracuda. The bang-and-crash forward ended up playing 11 games this year for the Sharks, though he failed to register a single point. He did however rack up 23 penalty minutes, one of his calling cards through junior and the AHL. On a two-year deal, he’ll bring a physical presence to the fourth line whenever needed.

Dahlen is the opposite, a high draft pick whose game is predicated on offensive skill. The 23-year-old was originally a draft pick of the Ottawa Senators, but found his way to San Jose through trade via the Vancouver Canucks. The last two seasons playing for Timra in the Swedish second league, Dahlen has racked up 148 points in 96 games, earning Forward of the Year honors both years. Wilson also released a statement on him:

Jonathan went back to Sweden this past year with goals of being the captain for his team and winning the championship in the Allsvenskan. He delivered on his promises by being the MVP and leading scorer in the league and matured in his path to success. He will take this experience he has earned and challenge for a spot in the NHL.

The fact that the Sharks GM specifically mentioned competing for an NHL spot is interesting because the lack of an opportunity at that level is what many believed kept Dahlen in Sweden. He did play one season in the AHL during the 2018-19 campaign, scoring 33 points in 57 games, but still has not made his NHL debut. Perhaps that will come now after his two dominant campaigns.

Meloche, 23, made his NHL debut and played in seven games for the Sharks this season, spending the rest of the year in the AHL where he has been for the past four years. A second-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2015, he arrived in the Sharks system thanks to a 2019 trade for Antoine Bibeau. Wilson hinted at what comes next for the young defenseman:

Nicolas is a steady, reliable presence on the blueline. He continued his development last season with the Barracuda and the Sharks and improved over the course of the season. We feel that he is ready to compete for a spot in our lineup in the NHL.

Competing for a spot on the Sharks blueline certainly isn’t easy, given how much money they already have invested in it. Even at the bottom, Mario Ferraro and Nikolai Knyzhov were both full-time players on entry-level contracts, not leaving a lot of room for competition. That perhaps suggests that there could be some changes coming, but as it stands, Meloche will be hard-pressed to land a full-time roster spot in 2021-22.

Snapshots: Fleury, Veleno, Sharks

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Another player is expected to be held out of the lineup tonight, though it isn’t for a traditional seller. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that the Carolina Hurricanes will hold Haydn Fleury out of the lineup tonight and notes that the young defenseman could “potentially” be traded by the deadline. Jake Gardiner is going back into the Carolina lineup in Fleury’s place.

The Hurricanes, who are 27-9-3 this season and first in the Central Division, are expected to be buyers at the deadline, but moving one of their defensemen could be a way to improve elsewhere. Fleury, 24, is signed through next season and carries a $1.3MM cap hit, but (somewhat amazingly) has recorded just a single point this season in a limited role.

  • Joe Veleno’s season in the SHL has come to an end, and Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports that he has been recalled to North America. Veleno’s week-long quarantine will begin on Sunday, after which he would be eligible to play for the Red Wings or Grand Rapids Griffins. The 21-year-old Veleno hasn’t made his NHL debut yet after being selected 30th overall in 2018, but has two seasons of professional hockey under his belt now. This season with the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL, Veleno recorded 11 goals and 20 points in 46 games.
  • After the Tampa Bay Lightning used a third team to make David Savard fit into their cap structure, one might expect other complicated multi-team trades to go down in the next couple of days. The San Jose Sharks could be another team using cap space as a way to collect assets, as GM Doug Wilson told reporters including Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News. Wilson believes that the Sharks will “be a good team come next September” but adds that he will try to acquire some extra draft picks by using that cap space.

San Jose Sharks Sign Scott Reedy

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The San Jose Sharks have added another prospect to the depth chart, signing Scott Reedy to a two-year entry-level contract. The deal will kick in for the 2021-22 season and Reedy is expected to join the San Jose Barracuda on an amateur tryout for the rest of the 2020-21 season. Sharks GM Doug Wilson released a short statement on the signing:

Scott just capped off a tremendous career at Minnesota, leading the Gophers in goal scoring each of the last two years, and as one of the nation’s youngest seniors he has steadily improved with each season. His big frame allowed him to play a very important, versatile role and some tough minutes on one of the top teams in college hockey this past season.

Reedy, 21, was originally selected 102nd overall by the Sharks in 2017 but is coming off a strong four years of development at the University of Minnesota. The 6’2″ forward managed a point-per-game senior season, scoring 28 in 28, though he didn’t actually lead the Gophers in goal scoring as Wilson suggests. Reedy had just 11 tallies this season, well behind Colorado Avalanche draft pick Sampo Ranta’s 19.

Still, there is a bright future for Reedy in professional hockey. His versatility and size should allow him to seamlessly move into an AHL lineup, playing either center or the wing. Whether he can ever make it all the way to the NHL is still very much uncertain, but the Sharks obviously believed in him enough to hand out an entry-level contract.

San Jose Sharks Sign Ozzy Wiesblatt

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One of the best moments of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft was when the San Jose Sharks announced the first-round selection of Ozzy Wiesblatt, signing his name on the broadcast. Wiesblatt’s mother is deaf, making it an emotional moment for all involved. The young forward was doing a different kind of signing today, inking his three-year entry-level contract with the Sharks. San Jose GM Doug Wilson explained just why they picked him 31st overall:

Ozzy brings speed, playmaking, and offense to the lineup, which makes it difficult to play against a talented skater like him. His tenacity for the puck paired with his ability to retain possession and drive the offensive side of the game, along with his character on and off the ice, makes him a valuable player for our organization.

Wiesblatt, 18, has spent the last two seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL and scored 70 points in 2019-20. The powerful skater was actually ranked 19th among North American players by NHL Central Scouting but barely made it into the first round when the Sharks took him with the pick they received from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Barclay Goodrow deal.

One of four hockey-playing brothers (Ocean, Orca and Oasiz), and five children total, Wiesblatt’s story is an incredible one. With the prices of high-level hockey ever-increasing, his family was helped along the way by the community. That work has paid off in a big way with a first-round NHL selection and now an entry-level contract.

Morning Notes: HHOF, Wild, Handemark

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The Hockey Hall of Fame has postponed its 2020 induction that was originally scheduled for November 16 in Toronto because of the ongoing COVID-19 protocols. The event will be rescheduled at some point, though it is unclear exactly when it can happen. Chairman Lanny McDonald released a statement:

While it’s possible the class of 2020 could be inducted on alternative dates during the modified 2020-21 NHL season, the most likely scenario is to postpone to November 2021, either by waiving the 2021 elections or in combination with the 2021 induction class involving adjusted category limits.

This year’s class includes Marian Hossa, Jarome Iginla, Kevin Lowe, Kim St-Pierre, Doug Wilson and Ken Holland. The board decided against holding the event virtually.

  • The Minnesota Wild will be watching the draft lottery tonight closely as they have a 12.5% chance of landing the first-overall pick, but there is plenty of other work to do for GM Bill Guerin. The executive held media availability today with reporters including Michael Russo of The Athletic, giving his thoughts on many subjects including Kirill Kaprizov’s imminent arrival (he will land in Minnesota today) and the future of captain Mikko Koivu. Guerin also announced that though assistant coaches Bob Woods and Darby Hendrickson will return, the team has parted ways with Bob Mason, Minnesota’s goaltending coach for the past 18 years.
  • Fredrik Handemark signed a one-year entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks just a few months ago, but he’ll be staying in Sweden for a little while longer. The 26-year old forward will play with the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL for the start of the year until NHL training camps open at some point in November. Handemark had 38 points in 52 games for Malmo last season.

Hockey Hall Of Fame Announces 2020 Class

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The Hockey Hall of Fame announced its 2020 class on Thursday.  Getting enshrined in the six-person class are Marian Hossa, Jarome Iginla, Kevin Lowe, Kim St-Pierre, and Doug Wilson in the player category as well as Ken Holland in the builder category.

Iginla’s admission in his first year of eligibility should come as no surprise.  He was a premier power forward for the majority of his 20-year NHL career.  He was a two-time winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy for scoring the most goals in a single season while he won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s points leader in 2001-02 and the Pearson Award for MVP as voted by the players that same season.  Iginla sits 14th all-time in regular season games played with 1,554 while sitting 16th in goals (625), 64th in assists (675), and 34th in points (1,300).  He’s also one of only 34 players in league history with at least 1,000 points and 1,000 penalty minutes.

Hossa is another player who was elected in his first year of eligibility.  While technically he’s still an active player (he’s on Arizona’s books through 2020-21), his playing career ended back in 2017 due to a skin disorder and he has since missed the minimum three years to become eligible for induction.  He didn’t have the individual accolades that some others in this class had but he won a total of three Stanley Cups with Chicago (2010, 2013, and 2015) while reaching the Final in 2008 (Pittsburgh) and 2009 (Detroit) which made him the first player in NHL history to reach the Final in three straight years with three straight teams.  During the span of his 17-year career, only three players had more points than Hossa – Joe Thornton, Jaromir Jagr, and Iginla.  Hossa sits 57th all-time in points with 1,134 in 1,309 games.

While Iginla and Hossa got in on their first opportunity, this was Lowe’s 20th year of eligibility.  He was an impact defenseman for the Oilers during their pinnacle in the 1980s, winning five Stanley Cups with them as well as one with the Rangers in 1994.  He was never the most prolific offensively – his career high in points in a single season was 46 – but he was a very important defensive defender over his 1,254 games spanning 19 years.  He is tied for sixth all-time for playoff games by a defenseman as well with 214.

Wilson had an even longer wait than Lowe as he has been eligible for induction since 1996.  He was more of an offensive-minded blueliner throughout his 16-year NHL career and at the time of his retirement, he sat eighth overall in all-time points by a defenseman with 827.  He has since slipped to 15th overall with all but one of those now in the Hall of Fame.  Wilson won the Norris Trophy for the NHL’s top blueliner in 1982 and is Chicago’s franchise leader in goals, assists, and points by a defenseman.

St-Pierre becomes the first female goaltender to make it to the Hall.  She was a fixture for Canada on the international front, leading the way for them in international appearances by a goaltender with 89 and wins with 64.  She won nine medals at the World Championships (five gold, four silver) while taking home the best goalie award twice in those events.  She also has a trio of Olympic gold medals and one top goalie award in that tournament.  St-Pierre was also the first female player to win a regular season game in the men’s division of college hockey (CIS) while also winning two Clarkson Cups.

Holland has been involved in an NHL front office role since 1985 when he retired as a player in Detroit’s organization to join them as a scout.  He was promoted to the GM role in 1997 and the team took off.  They made the playoffs in each season under his watch through 2016 which extended their franchise record streak to 25 years.  During that time, the Red Wings were the winningest team in the league during the regular season and won four Stanley Cups.  Holland stepped down from Detroit in 2019 to become GM in Edmonton.  On the international front, he was part of the management team for two Olympics, two World Championships, and one World Cup.

Each year, the Hall of Fame is allowed elect up to a maximum of four male players, two female players and two builders (or one builder and one referee/linesman) so it was nearly a full class of inductees this time around.  A decision will be made by August with regards to the actual induction ceremony which typically takes place each November.

Brinson Pasichnuk Agrees To Terms With San Jose Sharks

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June 5: Pasichnuk entry-level contract has been filed for next season, meaning it will be a two-year deal that carries him through the 2021-22 season. Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports that the deal is worth $925K in the NHL, including $185K in signing bonuses and also includes some Schedule A performance bonuses.

March 31: Changing times create changing operating procedures, and we’ve seen another interesting announcement from an NHL team today. Brinson Pasichnuk has officially agreed to join the San Jose Sharks organization, though no contract terms have been announced. That’s because like Scott Perunovich earlier this month, Pasichnuk has agreed to two different contracts; one that starts immediately should the 2019-20 season resume, and one that would start in the 2020-21 season instead. Sharks GM Doug Wilson released a statement on his newest defenseman:

Brinson is an excellent puck moving defenseman with a physical brand of hockey. As captain for the Sun Devils program for two seasons under Arizona State Head Coach Greg Powers, he is a great teammate and proven leader. We are happy to have him join our organization.

Pasichnuk, 22, recently finished his senior season at Arizona State, recording 37 points in 36 games. The undrafted free agent defenseman had drawn interest from as many as 20 NHL organizations, but will officially join the Sharks at some point in the next few months.

The question now becomes whether Pasichnuk can make the jump directly from the NCAA ranks to the NHL. Not only has he shown the ability to skate the puck out of trouble, but the 6’0″ 205-lbs defenseman can also dart long stretch passes or quickly set up his teammates for an easy exit. Those abilities are always in high demand at the professional level, but he’ll have to adapt to the different speed and strength from NHL opponents.

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