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West Notes: DeSimone, Canucks, Strait, Couture

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Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported on Tuesday that Nick DeSimone of Union College was headed to the San Jose Sharks, and now CapFriendly has the details on the contract. It will be a two-year, entry-level deal worth the maximum $925K each season. The contract will kick in for next season, meaning DeSimone will become a restricted free agent after the 2018-19 season, at the age of 24.

DeSimone had a solid season for Union scoring 19 points in 38 games, but lacks some of the high-end offensive upside of his free agent contemporaries. Instead, he’ll need to focus on improving his d-zone work and try to carve out a niche as a two-way defenseman in the AHL. Former NHLer Matthew Barnaby had this to say about him: “Great kid , Elite skater with good hockey sense.” 

  • The Vancouver Canucks will welcome both Loui Eriksson and Troy Stecher back into the lineup tomorrow night against the Los Angeles Kings. Eriksson, signed to a six year, $36MM deal this offseason has been a bitter disappointment this season between injuries and ineffectiveness. With 24 points through 65 games, he will likely register his lowest total since his rookie season (when he played just 59 games) and end the season with fewer than 15 goals (he currently has 11).  Those are numbers the Canucks can’t be happy with, as Eriksson will enter his age-32 season next year looking for a big bounce-back. If he can’t, that contract will hang around their necks for the next several years, as it is very much buyout-proof due to front loading and signing bonuses.
  • Winnipeg has loaned Brian Strait to the Manitoba Moose after playing five games for the club. The former New York Islander recorded two assists during that time, but won’t be needed now that Dustin Byfuglien is back in the lineup and Nelson Nogier looks to finish the season with the NHL club.
  • Kevin Kurz of CSN reports that Logan Couture will miss at least three more games after getting hit in the mouth with a puck on Saturday night. That means Couture will miss the entire road trip through Western Canada, as the Sharks look to reclaim that top spot in the Pacific Division. Now tied with the Oilers and just three points ahead of the Flames, the Sharks could legitimately fall to a wildcard spot before the end of the season and possibly even have to face the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round. It’s been a rough run for them lately, going 3-7 in their last ten.

Evening Transactions: Bruins, Sharks

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Some assorted transactions from around the NHL this evening:

  • After recalling him earlier today on an emergency basis, the Bruins have sent goalie Zane McIntyre back to Providence, reports Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). The 24-year-old was insurance for injured goaltender Anton Khudobin, who was ultimately healthy for this evening’s contest. In eight games with the Bruins this year, McIntyre has compiled an .858 save percentage.
  • Union defender Nick DeSimone will join the Sharks organization, reports Elliotte Friedman on Twitter. We heard earlier this week that the free agent was expected to garner interest from multiple teams. DeSimone set career-highs this season in both goals (nine) and points (19).

Micheal Haley Suspended One Game For Roughing

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San Jose Sharks forward Micheal Haley has been given a one game suspension for the punch he delivered to Nashville Predators forward Calle Jarnkrok in Saturday night’s game. While Haley is known for his tough play, in this instance he went over the edge after Jarnkrok sent him face first into the glass from behind.

The video released from the NHL Department of Player Safety explains the suspension:

It is important to note that while Jarnkrok did hit Haley before this altercation, Haley’s response is in no way permitted or excusable. Haley acknowledges that he was seeking retribution for the hit thrown by Jarnkrok seconds earlier, which was already being penalized by the on-ice officials.

Haley forcefully punches a player who is off-balance, not engaged in the confrontation and not even looking when the punch was thrown.

Though Haley has always been a fighter and is known for his physical game, he had never been fined or suspended by the National Hockey League. He has however been suspended in the AHL previously, an interesting omission from the league standpoint.

Snapshots: Penguins Injuries, Couture, Haley

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Penguins center Evgeni Malkin did not skate on Sunday as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury.  Head coach Mike Sullivan noted to Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the off day was a scheduled one and not a setback in the recovery process.  Malkin has missed the last six games as a result of the injury and there remains no timetable for his return.

While Malkin (along with winger Carl Hagelin who has a lower body issue) didn’t skate, several other injured Pittsburgh players took to the ice.  Defensemen Trevor Daley (knee), Ron Hainsey, Kris Letang (both upper body injuries), and Olli Maatta along with winger Jake Guentzel (concussion) all took to the ice although they did so before the team took to the ice to prepare for tonight’s game against the Flyers.

Winger Scott Wilson returned to the lineup for the Penguins after missing Friday’s game with an undisclosed issue.  However, the team lost winger Conor Sheary midway through the first period after he blocked a shot with his hand and he did not return.  Following the game, Sullivan told reporters, including Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link), that Sheary is day-to-day.

Other news from around the NHL:

  • Sharks winger Logan Couture was taken to hospital on Saturday after taking a puck to the mouth against the Predators. CSN Bay Area’s Kevin Kurz reports that Couture was able to travel home with the team.  However, a source tells Kurz that the injury is a bad one which suggests he’s likely to miss some time.  The injury comes at a tough time with the playoffs fast approaching and the team struggling considerably at the moment having lost six straight games.  On the season, Couture sits third in team scoring with 25 goals and 27 assists in 73 contests.  An update on his condition is expected on Monday.
  • Still with the Sharks, winger Micheal Haley will have a phone hearing on Monday regarding an incident against the Predators, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced (Twitter link). Haley was assessed a match penalty on the play, which occurred with just over seven minutes remaining in the third period.  Haley has played himself into a mostly regular role with the Sharks this season, picking up a career best 11 points and 110 penalty minutes (fifth league-wide) in 54 games.  San Jose next plays on Tuesday so a decision will have to be made whether or not to uphold or rescind the match penalty by then.

Sharks Sign Noah Rod To Entry-Level Deal

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The San Jose Sharks announced this evening that they have signed top prospect Noah Rod to his entry-level contract. The 20-year-old Swiss forward was the Sharks second-round pick in 2014, and has developed into one of San Jose’s most impressive young players while playing professionally in his native country in the NLA. Now, Rod will have to transition from pro hockey in Switzerland to pro hockey in California.

The two sides had been working toward a contract over the past few days, and reportedly have agreed to a three-year deal worth about $763K per year plus bonuses. Less than the maximum entry-level cap hit, the Sharks have afforded themselves a little extra flexibility in squeezing Rod into the mix next season if they deem him ready for NHL play. San Jose projects to be right up against the salary cap next season, so affordable young offense becomes extremely important to their success and Rod could be the key.

Over the past two seasons playing with Geneve-Servette HC of the NLA, the young forward has accumulated 30 points in 71 games. While that number may not jump off the page, it’s a very respectable total for a teenage playing against grown men in the what many consider to be the world’s third-best hockey league. Rod has also been an impressive contributor for Team Switzerland at each of the World Junior Championships, a point-per-game player both years. Rod’s offense has constantly been improving and he is known for his tough, scrappy play, but needs to bulk up his frame and adjust to the North American style before he can make an impact at the next level. The Sharks hope that those changes can be made sooner rather than later, but only time will tell.

Snapshots: Agents, O’Regan, Penguins

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In the newest column from Rick Westhead of TSN, he dives into the idea that the NHLPA is considering a regulation that would ban agents from contacting players under the age of 16. Westhead reveals the information that agents have been using former professional players as “bird-dog” scouts to contact young kids and establish relationships before anyone else can contact them—at ages of nine or ten years old.

As Westhead writes, this comes in conjunction with a study former Buffalo Sabres star Pat LaFontaine is conducting on the future of player development and drafting. We wrote in December about LaFontaine’s suggestion that the league change the draft age from 18 to 19. The idea that nine-year old kids would be recruited is hard to imagine, but for those who’ve ever been to a high-level tournament at that age easy to believe.

Snapshots: Brodzinski, Rod, Ronning

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As expected yesterday, the Los Angeles Kings have recalled Jonny Brodzinski today from the Ontario Reign to give him a taste of NHL action down the stretch. The minor-league sniper will not play tonight, but is expected to get into the lineup at some point over the remaining ten games. Armed with a howitzer of a shot, Brodzinski is an option for the Kings next season, as he’s proven everything he needs to at the AHL level.

With the Kings needing scoring wherever they can find it—they currently rank 27th in the league in goals for—Brodzinski may actually get a chance to move up in the lineup quickly. If he can show an ability to replicate his goal-scoring touch at the highest level, he’d instantly become one of their best options. Jeff Carter and Tanner Pearson alone have accounted for more than 30% of the Kings’ goals this season, with no other player even eclipsing 15 on the season. Brodzinski would be a welcome addition if he can find enough open space to release that shot.

  • The San Jose Sharks are closing in on a contract with second-round pick Noah Rod, according to Kevin Kurz of CSN. The 2014 draft pick has continued to play in the NLA (Switzerland) for the past three seasons and may be ready to come across the pond. Known for his feisty game and ability to get under opponent’s skin, Rod showed an increased offensive game this year scoring 14 points in 27 games despite dealing with multiple injuries. He is likely still at least a year away from making a real impact in the NHL, but getting him over and into the AHL would help his transition to the North American game.
  • After signing NCAA goaltender Chris Nell earlier today, the New York Rangers—or rather their AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack—have signed Ty Ronning to an amateur tryout. The seventh-round pick last summer just finished his season with the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, leading the team in scoring for the second straight season. At 5’9″ 170-lbs, Ronning is undersized to say the least, but has a role model on how to succeed at that size pretty close to home. Cliff Ronning, Ty’s dad, played 1137 games in the NHL and recorded 869 points despite actually coming in an inch shorter than his son is now. One of the all-time “small guys”, Cliff was exceptionally talented and even scored 85 points one season while skating for Vancouver with greats like Pavel Bure and Trevor Linden. Perhaps the younger Ronning was overlooked just as his father was in his day—Cliff went in the seventh-round too, but scored more than all but five of his draft class.

Recapping Today’s NHL College Free Agent Signings

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Today was a busy day for NHL GMs as three teams signed a total of four NCAA college hockey free agents.

Tim Clifton – San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks officially signed forward Tim Clifton to a two-year, two-way deal today. Clifton just finished his fourth season with Quinnipiac University, and put up 13G and 12A in 39 games. Clifton is expected to join the San Jose Barracuda—the Sharks’ AHL affiliate—to finish out the rest on the season.

Mitch Hults – Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks dipped into the college free agent market by signing Lake Superior State University forward Mitch Hults. Hults had 11G and 23A in 36 games for his school. Hults signed a two-year entry-level deal with the Ducks, and will report to the San Diego Gulls for the rest of the AHL season

Austin Ortega – Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks continued raiding the college free agent market by signing University of Nebraska-Omaha forward Austin Ortega to what looks to be an amateur try-out agreement with the San Diego Gulls. Ortega had an excellent season, scoring 20G and 27A in 38 games for his school.

Alex Kile – Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres AHL affiliate Rochester Americans signed University of Michigan forward Alex Kile. Kile captained the Michigan Wolverines to a disappointing 13-19-3 record and scoring just 7G and 7A in 28 games.

 

Snapshots: Graovac, Sproul, Stuart

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The Minnesota Wild have sent Tyler Graovac back down the minors after playing the last three games with the club. After Jason Pominville was a healthy scratch last night against the Winnipeg Jets— a game which the Wild lost 5-4—he will likely figure back into the lineup tomorrow against the San Jose Sharks. Graovac has now played 52 games for the Wild this season, contributing nine points while skating just under ten minutes a game. The 23-year old will return to the Iowa Wild where he has ten points in twelve games, and wait for his next chance.

For Pominville, last night’s scratching was the first such occasion of his Minnesota career and came after being held scoreless in six of his last seven games. The winger had contracted the mumps disease last month and missed some time, and wasn’t very effective upon his return. In 67 games this season he does have 41 points, which is actually an improvement over his career-low (in a full season) of 36 last year. With a long playoff run upcoming, and two years left on his current contract, the Wild need the 34-year old to continue producing down the stretch.

  • Ryan Sproul still hasn’t decided whether his ACL injury will need surgery, as the Detroit Red Wings defender explained today. He will continue to rehab the knee for the next two weeks and have another examination before deciding whether he needs to go under the knife. Clearly frustrated, he spoke to reporters today about how this season has slipped away from him without accomplishing the one goal he had: prove he was ready for an NHL role. With only 28 games under his belt in his NHL career, he’ll try again next fall to become the solid defenseman the Red Wings were hoping for when they selected him 55th overall in 2011.
  • Though it seemed like Ben Chiarot could be the reason for the Winnipeg Jets recalling Nelson Nogier this morning, the defenseman took part in practice today and looks to be fine. Chiarot didn’t play in the last ten minutes of last night’s game, but it was Mark Stuart who was absent this morning. Head coach Paul Maurice told Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun that there are a “few moving parts” on defense for the Jets’ upcoming game against the Philadelphia Flyers. If Nogier does get into the lineup, it would be his NHL debut.

Sharks Sign Quinnipiac’s Tim Clifton

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Monday: The Sharks have officially announced the signing.

Saturday: The San Jose Sharks have entered the college free agent mix, as TSN’s Frank Servalli reports that the team has agreed to an entry-level contract with Quinnipiac University forward Tim Clifton. It is a two-year, two-way deal for the 24-year-old undrafted center. With Quinnipiac eliminated from the ECAC conference tournament by Harvard last night and not in the mix for an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament this year, Clifton will now likely head to San Jose to join the AHL Barracuda for the remainder of the season.

Clifton’s NHL signing may come as a surprise to some. One of the major catalysts in Quinnipiac’s run to the NCAA Championship last year, in which they lost for the second time in four years, Clifton’s numbers fell off significantly in his 2016-17 senior season. Clifton had amassed 43 points and a +27 rating in 39 games during his junior campaign, but followed it up this year with just 25 points and a -8 rating in the same amount of games. After having only a minor role in his first two year’s at Quinnipiac and a subpar final season, it appears that the Sharks are paying Clifton based on one season of high-end performance. Though the New Jersey native definitely has some potential, it seems likely that San Jose fans will have to wait some time to see if he develops into an NHL-caliber player.

It’s a low-risk investment for an organization that has found some recent success in the NCAA ranks. Ryan Carpenter, who has begun to carve out a role for himself in San Jose, was also an undrafted free agent who joined the Sharks out of Bowling Green State University in 2014, while rookie Danny O’Regan was skating with Boston University this time last year after being a late-round Sharks draft selection. Of course, the best college player in San Jose is none other than captain Joe Pavelski, who was a seventh-round pick of the Sharks in 2003 and played at the University of Wisconsin before becoming an NHL star. Clifton has a long way to go to be the next Pavelski, but could possibly become a Carpenter-type after a year or two in the AHL.

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