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College Hockey Round-Up: 10/17/19

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Welcome to a new bi-weekly column at Pro Hockey Rumors, where we’ll stray from the “pro” in favor of the “soon-to-be pro”. The depth of talent at the college level in hockey is at an all-time high. Of the 217 players selected in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, 72 were either enrolled or committed to an NCAA institution, with others likely to follow suit. This included nine first-round picks, including eight from the lauded U.S. National Team Development Program. The talent level is also evident in the parity between NCAA programs. Of the 16 teams in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, only six had won a national championship and historic powerhouses Boston College, Boston University, Michigan, Minnesota and North Dakota were all absent for the first time since 1970. College hockey is growing – in ability, popularity, and geography – and we here at PHR hope you will enjoy the expanded coverage that the collegiate level has earned.

The Season Begins

The NCAA season is only about two weeks old, getting underway back on Saturday, October 5th. Yet, there has already been rankings movement among the Top 20 teams in the country, after some impressive performances.

While most top teams schedule cushy match-ups for opening weekend, No. 13 Providence College and the University of Maine got right to it with an early Hockey East clash. It wasn’t the battle many expected though, as the Friars cruised to a 7-0 win. Mostly due to that blowout, through two games Providence’s Greg Printz is the top per-game goal scorer in the NCAA with five tallies, as well as one helper.

This past weekend featured more heavyweight bouts, including the No. 3 University of Minnesota-Duluth facing the first test in their pursuit of a third straight championship. They faced No. 18 University of Massachusetts Lowell in a two-game home series and it was the River Hawks who took the first game, 3-2. While the Bulldogs edged out the 2-1 win in game two, the early-season loss was enough to bounce them from the No. 1 ranking. As for UMass Lowell, the team entered the Top 20 with a 3-1 start to the year, led by goaltender Tyler Wall (NYR), who boasts a .942 save percentage thus far.

In a battle between star-studded squads, No. 6 Boston College took down No. 17 University of Wisconsin by a score of 5-3. The game featured five 2019 first-round picks in Alex Turcotte (LAK) and Cole Caufield (MTL) for the Badgers and Spencer Knight (FLA), Matthew Boldy (MIN), and Alex Newhook (COL) for the Eagles. Wisconsin took their frustration from the loss out on a different Hockey East the following night, scoring eleven goals in a win over Merrimack College. In his first two college games, Caufield recorded four goals and five points and it certainly looks like his torrid scoring pace from the USNTDP could continue in the NCAA. Meanwhile, Caufield’s former teammate Knight is also continuing his dominance despite transitioning to the college level. He has a .954 save percentage and perfect 2-0 record thus far with BC.

The No. 1 ranked team in the country is now the University of Denver. The Pioneers have jumped out to a 4-0 record and, while their competition has not been elite, most teams haven’t even played four games, nevertheless won all four. Freshman goaltender Magnus Chrona (TBL) manned the net in all four wins, posting a .935 save percentage and 1.75 goals against average, getting off to a hot start. Ian Mitchell (CHI), Bobby Brink (PHI), and the rest of the Pioneers will face their first real test this coming weekend when they host Boston College.

Other standout performances from the first two weeks of the season came from a pair of intriguing undrafted prospects. Speedy senior forward Nate Sucese of No. 9 Penn State University is the NCAA’s scoring leader with seven points in just two games. In net, No. 2 Minnesota State University got a stellar performance from keeper Dryden McKay as he won his first two games while sporting a .975 save percentage.

College Commitments

Penn State may be losing Sucese at the end of this season, but they may already have a suitable replacement waiting in the wings. Small but skilled 16-year-old forward Colby Saganiuk announced that he has committed to play his college hockey for the Nittany Lions. A current member of the USNTDP’s U-17 team, Saganiuk is unlikely to arrive at State College, PA until at least 2021, but when he does he will make an instant impact. Already on the radar for the 2021 NHL Draft, Saganiuk scored at a point-per-game clip for the U-16 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite last year and will grow tremendously with the USNTDP.

Saganiuk’s teammate with the USNTDP and fellow top 2021 draft prospect Matthew Beniers has also planned his college career. Beniers will attend Harvard University and reportedly will enroll next year. While Beniers is just 16, the talented center has played exclusively with the U-18 team with the USNTDP so far this season and played in 20 games with the top team last year compared to 42 with the U-17 team. A mature player with a well-rounded game, Beniers will be one of the top players to watch in college hockey next season, likely as the top draft-eligible prospect playing in the NCAA.

Draft Watch

Wisconsin forward Dylan Holloway and University of Connecticut defenseman Yan Kuznetsov may be the only current college players who will be drafted next June, but there are plenty of future NCAA players set to be selected. NHL Central Scouting released a preliminary watch list last week for the upcoming draft class which featured a number of USNTDP standouts headed for the college level. University of North Dakota commit Jake Sanderson led the way with an “A” rating, alongside Ty Smilanic, who has yet to decide on his college destination. One of these two is likely to follow Holloway as the top college-bound player selected this summer. Sanderson’s current teammate and fellow North Dakota prospect Tyler Kleven, University of Michigan commit Thomas Bordeleau, Boston College commit Eamon Powell, Boston University duo Luke Tuch and Dylan Peterson, and undecided Brock Faber all received “B” ratings and could push for first-round consideration. Ten other USNTDP players received “C” ratings. While this draft class may not be nearly as strong as last season’s historic group when it comes to Americans and NCAA prospects, many of these players will be high picks and future pros, after they take their talents to the college game.

East Notes: Nassau, Adams, Neuvirth, Point

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The New York Islanders have moved an additional seven games from Barclays Center to Nassau Coliseum during the upcoming season, taking the total to 28 of the team’s home games. That announcement comes just following the ceremony to break ground at the new Belmont Park arena today, at which Governor Andrew Cuomo kicked off the $1.3 billion redevelopment.

The new arena is expected to be ready for the 2021-22 season and will hold 19,000 people. After years of uncertainty, the Islanders organization is finally getting some structure and stability off the ice and will try to emulate that once again on it under head coach Barry Trotz and GM Lou Lamoriello.

  • The Buffalo Sabres have promoted former NHL forward Kevyn Adams to senior vice president of business administration, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The position isn’t associated with the hockey operations department, but will keep Adams in the organization after serving as GM of the Harbor Center previously. Adams played 607 games in the NHL over a lengthy career that included winning a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. He retired in 2008 and also served as an assistant coach with the Sabres in the past.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs are headed to Montreal to take on the Canadiens this evening, but one player who was supposed to make the trip won’t be going. Michal Neuvirth was scheduled to play part of the game as he continues to battle with Michael Hutchinson for the Maple Leafs backup role, but will be replaced by prospect Joseph Woll. Head coach Mike Babcock told reporters including Kristen Shilton of TSN that Neuvirth “wasn’t feeling up to playing” tonight, after missing time recently with minor injuries. Minor injuries could seemingly be permanently discussed when it comes to Neuvirth, who hasn’t been able to stay consistently healthy throughout his career and now finds himself missing crucial time in his pursuit of a roster spot. The 31-year old goaltender is just on a professional tryout with the Maple Leafs, with cuts coming in the next few days for the team.
  • Though he finally signed today, Brayden Point won’t be on the Tampa Bay Lightning roster anytime soon. GM Julien BriseBois told reporters on a conference call that Point had hip surgery earlier this summer and is not expected to be back in the lineup until late October. While it’s obviously bad news that he won’t be ready for opening day, this may actually give the young forward enough time to get his game right after missing most of training camp already. The Lightning will have to make due without him for now and hope he can come back at full-strength in a few weeks.

2019 Arbitration Figures And Results

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August 6th: All arbitration cases have now been completed. In total, six cases were decided by an arbitrator’s award this year. That number, though seemingly not many, actually presents a 50% increase over last summer and more than the past two off-seasons combined. Of those six decisions, the teams and players received the favorable decision an even three times apiece, and each award landed within $150K of the midpoint. All things considered, there were few surprises in arbitration, even though there were more awards than expected. Now the question is where the relationships between those teams and players go from here.

Originally published on July 19th: Friday marked the start of the arbitration season in the NHL, with Brock McGinn first scheduled for his hearing with the Carolina Hurricanes. The appointments will come fast and furious after that, with 23 cases left on the books. When we asked our readers how many would actually get to the hearing stage more than 36% of voters thought 3-4 was reasonable, the same number that reached last year.

We know now that at least one will, as Andrew Copp’s agent Kurt Overhardt told Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press that their camp will “look forward to” the hearing scheduled for Sunday. Copp and the Jets exchanged figures earlier today. It is important to remember that the two sides can actually work out a deal in the short period after the hearing and before the actual decision is submitted by the arbitrator. For every case except Ville Husso, who the St. Louis Blues took to arbitration, the team involved will be allowed to choose the duration of the contract awarded. They can choose either one or two years, unless the player is only one year away from unrestricted free agency, at which point only a one-year deal is available.

Here we’ll keep track of all the hearings still on the books and the figures submitted. This page will be updated as the numbers come in:

July 20:

Brock McGinn, Carolina Hurricanes – Team: $1.75MM AAV, Player: $2.7MM AAV
Settled: Two years, $2.1MM AAV

July 21:

Andrew Copp, Winnipeg Jets – Team: $1.5MM AAV, Player: $2.9MM AAV
Awarded: Two years, $2.28MM AAV

July 22: 

MacKenzie Weegar, Florida Panthers
Settled: One year, $1.6MM AAV

Zach Aston-Reese, Pittsburgh Penguins
Settled: Two years, $1.0MM AAV

Ville Husso, St. Louis Blues (team-elected)
Settled: One year, two-way, $700K AAV

Christian Djoos, Washington Capitals – Team: $800K, Player: $1.9MM
Awarded: One year, $1.25MM AAV

July 23: 

Evan Rodrigues, Buffalo Sabres – Team: $1.5MM, Player: $2.65MM
Awarded: One year, $2.0MM AAV

July 24: 

Oskar Sundqvist, St. Louis Blues
Settled: Four years, $2.75MM AAV

Neal Pionk, Winnipeg Jets
Settled: Two years, $3.0MM AAV

July 26: 

Colton Sissons, Nashville Predators
Settled: Seven years, $2.86MM AAV

July 27: 

Sam Bennett, Calgary Flames
Settled: Two years, $2.55MM AAV

July 28: 

Mirco Mueller, New Jersey Devils
Settled: One year, $1.4MM AAV

July 29: 

David Rittich, Calgary Flames
Settled: Two years, $2.75MM AAV

Pavel Buchnevich, New York Rangers
Settled: Two years, $3.25MM AAV

August 1: 

Remi Elie, Buffalo Sabres
Settled: One year, two-way $700K AAV

Chandler Stephenson, Washington Capitals
Settled: One year, $1.05MM

August 2: 

Linus Ullmark, Buffalo Sabres – Team: $800K, Player: $2.65MM
Settled: One year, $1.33MM

Will Butcher, New Jersey Devils
Settled: Three years, $3.73MM AAV

August 4: 

Jake McCabe, Buffalo Sabres – Team: 1.95MM, Player: $4.3MM
Settled: Two years, $2.85MM AAV

Anton Forsberg, Carolina Hurricanes – Team: $700K/$70K, Player: $833K
Awarded: One year, $775K AAV

Sheldon Dries, Colorado Avalanche
Settled: One year, two-way $735K AAV

Rocco Grimaldi, Nashville Predators – Team: $700K/$70K, Player $1.275MM
Awarded: One year, $1MM

Joel Edmundson, St. Louis Blues – Team: $2.3MM, Player $4.2MM
Awarded: One year, $3.1MM

2019 Preseason Schedule

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The Stanley Cup has been handed out to the St. Louis Blues, and the rest of the league is already preparing for 2019-20. The offseason will really get kicked off later this month when the league gathers in Vancouver for the 2019 Entry Draft, and free agency is right around the corner. Development camps will also kick off later this month, before NHL training camps get going a little later in the summer. For some fans, there is already a definite schedule for the 2019 preseason.

Originally published on June 18, it has been updated with the full schedule release today:

All times central, some games played with a split-squad

Sunday, September 15:

Arizona at Vegas, 5:00pm

Monday, September 16:

Florida at Nashville, 3:30pm
Chicago at Washington, 6:00pm
New Jersey at Montreal, 6:00pm
Boston at New Jersey, 6:00pm
NY Islanders at Philadelphia, 6:00pm
Pittsburgh at Buffalo, 6:00pm *At Penn State University
Florida at Nashville, 7:00pm
St. Louis at Dallas, 7:30pm
Winnipeg at Edmonton, 8:00pm
Vancouver at Calgary, 8:00pm
Calgary at Vancouver, 9:00pm *In Victoria, British Columbia

Tuesday, September 17:

Ottawa at Toronto, 4:30pm *In St. John’s, Newfoundland
Philadelphia at NY Islanders, 6:00pm
Buffalo at Columbus, 6:00pm
Carolina at Tampa Bay, 6:00pm
Chicago at Detroit, 6:30pm
Dallas at Minnesota, 7:00pm
Vegas at Colorado, 8:00pm
Edmonton at Vancouver, 9:00pm
Los Angeles at Arizona, 9:00pm
Arizona at Los Angeles, 9:30pm
Anaheim at San Jose, 9:30pm

Wednesday, September 18:

Tampa Bay at Carolina, 6:00pm
St. Louis at Washington, 6:00pm
Montreal at Florida, 6:00pm *In Bathurst, New Brunswick
New Jersey at NY Rangers, 6:00pm
Toronto at Ottawa, 6:30pm
Minnesota at Winnipeg, 7:00pm
Detroit at Chicago, 7:30pm
San Jose at Calgary, 8:00pm

Thursday, September 19:

Florida at Montreal, 6:00pm
Boston at Philadelphia, 6:00pm
Columbus at Pittsburgh, 6:00pm
Dallas at Colorado, 8:00pm
Vancouver at Edmonton, 8:00pm
Vegas at Los Angeles, 9:30pm

Friday, September 20:

Nashville at Tampa Bay, 6:00pm
Buffalo at Toronto, 6:00pm
NY Rangers at New Jersey, 6:00pm
NY Islanders at Detroit, 6:30pm
St. Louis at Winnipeg, 7:00pm
Calgary at Edmonton, 8:00pm

Saturday, September 21:

Pittsburgh at Columbus, 1:00pm
Colorado at Minnesota, 5:00pm
Carolina at Washington, 6:00pm
NY Rangers at Philadelphia, 6:00pm
Toronto at Buffalo, 6:00pm
NY Islanders at New Jersey, 6:00pm
Montreal at Ottawa, 6:00pm
Tampa Bay at Nashville, 7:00pm
Vegas at San Jose, 7:00pm
Florida at Dallas, 7:00pm *In Tulsa, Oklahoma
Boston at Chicago, 7:30pm
Vancouver at Los Angeles, 8:00pm *In Salt Lake City, Utah
Anaheim at Arizona, 8:00pm

Sunday, September 22:

Columbus at St. Louis, 2:30pm
Pittsburgh at Detroit, 4:00pm
Minnesota at Colorado, 6:00pm
Calgary at Winnipeg, 7:00pm

Monday, September 23:

Toronto at Montreal, 6:00pm
Philadelphia at Boston, 6:00pm
Detroit at NY Islanders, 6:00pm
Ottawa at Vancouver, 9:00pm *In Abbotsford, British Columbia
Anaheim at Los Angeles, 9:30pm

Tuesday, September 24:

Tampa Bay at Florida, 6:00pm
NY Islanders at NY Rangers, 6:00pm
Dallas at St. Louis, 7:00pm
Winnipeg at Calgary, 8:00pm
Arizona at Edmonton, 8:00pm
San Jose at Anaheim, 9:00pm

Wednesday, September 25:

Montreal at Toronto, 6:00pm
Columbus at Buffalo, 6:00pm
Detroit at Pittsburgh, 6:00pm
New Jersey at Boston, 6:00pm
Carolina at Nashville, 7:00pm
Washington at Chicago, 7:30pm
Colorado at Vegas, 9:00pm
Ottawa at Vancouver, 9:00pm
Los Angeles at Anaheim, 9:00pm

Thursday, September 26:

Tampa Bay at Florida, 6:00pm
Philadelphia at NY Rangers, 6:00pm
St. Louis at Detroit, 6:00pm *In Calumet, Michigan
Edmonton at Winnipeg, 7:00pm
Minnesota at Dallas, 7:30pm
Arizona at Vancouver, 9:00pm
Calgary at San Jose, 9:30pm

Friday, September 27:

New Jersey at Columbus, 6:00pm
Nashville at Carolina, 6:30pm
Toronto at Detroit, 6:30pm
St. Louis at Washington, 8:00pm
Los Angeles at Vegas, 9:00pm

Saturday, September 28:

Buffalo at Pittsburgh, 2:00pm
Chicago at Boston, 2:00pm
Colorado at Dallas, 5:00pm
Florida at Tampa Bay, 6:00pm
Ottawa at Montreal, 6:00pm
Detroit at Toronto, 6:00pm
NY Rangers at NY Islanders, 6:00pm *In Bridgeport, Connecticut
Edmonton at Calgary, 8:00pm
Arizona at Anaheim, 9:00pm

Sunday, September 29:

Washington at Carolina, 12:30pm
Chicago at Eisbaren Berlin, 12:30pm *In Berlin, Germany
Winnipeg at Minnesota, 1:00pm
St. Louis at Columbus, 4:00pm
San Jose at Vegas, 7:00pm

Monday, September 30:

Philadelphia at Lausanne HC, 1:00pm *In Lausanne, Switzerland

NHL Announces 2019 Regular Season Schedule

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We already learned the dates for the 2019 home openers, and now we have a full schedule for the 2019-20 NHL schedule. Things will kick off on October 2nd with four games including a match between the last two Stanley Cup winners. The St. Louis Blues will raise the first banner in franchise history with the Washington Capitals in town. The season is wrapped up on April 4th, 2020.

Notable breaks in the schedule are between December 24-26 for Christmas and January 23-26 for the All-Star festivities. There will also be several overseas games taking place at the beginning of the year as Chicago and Phildelphia face off in the Czech Republic while Buffalo and Tampa Bay play in Sweden. Outdoor games include a matchup between the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets on October 26th, the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators on New Year’s Day, and the Los Angels Kings and Colorado Avalanche on February 15th, 2020.

2019-20 Home Openers Announced

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The NHL has announced the dates for each team’s 2019-20 home opener, with the full schedule set to release on Tuesday. Below are all the dates, which start on October 2nd including the St. Louis Blues raising their Stanley Cup banner against the 2018 champion Washington Capitals.

October 2nd:

Washington @ St. Louis
Ottawa @ Toronto
Vancouver @ Edmonton
San Jose @ Vegas

October 3rd:

Arizona @ Anaheim
Montreal @ Carolina
Calgary @ Colorado
Boston @ Dallas
Minnesota @ Nashville
Winnipeg @ Rangers
Buffalo @ Pittsburgh
Florida @ Tampa Bay

October 4th:

Toronto @ Columbus
Winnipeg @ New Jersey
Washington @ Islanders
Vegas @ San Jose

October 5th:

Boston @ Arizona
New Jersey @ Buffalo
Vancouver @ Calgary
Tampa Bay @ Florida
Rangers @ Ottawa
Carolina @ Washington

October 6th:

Dallas @ Detroit

October 9th:
New Jersey @ Philadelphia
Los Angeles @ Vancouver

October 10th:

San Jose @ Chicago
Detroit @ Montreal
Minnesota @ Winnipeg

October 12th:

New Jersey @ Boston
Nashville @ Los Angeles
Pittsburgh @ Minnesota

Jori Lehtera, Antti Niemi Sign In KHL

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Pavel Datsyuk won’t be the only former NHL player signing in the KHL today. R-Sport in Russia is reporting that Philadelphia Flyers forward Jori Lehtera has signed a one-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg, while Jokerit Helsinki have announced they agreed to terms with Montreal Canadiens goaltender Antti Niemi on a one-year deal. Both players are technically still under NHL contract through the end of the month, but are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Lehtera, 31, never did work out in Philadelphia after coming over from the St. Louis Blues in 2017, and found himself in the minor leagues this season after clearing waivers. Add that demotion to a drug-related charge in Finland and it’s easy to see why he is leaving the NHL landscape for Russia to continue his career. This won’t be the first time he suits up in the KHL, as Lehtera spent four years dominating the league before ever playing in the NHL. His final season, 2013-14, he registered 44 points in 48 games and will try to get back to that level of offensive production.

Niemi meanwhile struggled last season with the Canadiens and likely wasn’t going to find another NHL backup role. Once a top young goaltender who took the Chicago Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup victory, the 35-year old’s play has deteriorated to the point where he was bought out by Dallas and played for three different teams in 2017-18. His .887 save percentage in the most recent season wasn’t enough for the Canadiens to retain him, especially when they have Charlie Lindgren ready to compete for an NHL spot behind Carey Price.

Prospect Notes: Calder Cup Final, Telegin, Phillips

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The finale of the AHL season gets underway tonight, as the Charlotte Checkers, affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, are set to host the Chicago Wolves, affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, in Game One of the Calder Cup Final. Neither squad is very familiar with being in this title series; the Wolves are making their first appearance as Vegas’ affiliate, given their parent club just wrapped up it’s second season in existence, while the Checkers have appeared twice in the final, most recently in 1991. The match-up that everyone will be watching for in the series is Cody Glass, the No. 6 overall pick in 2017 and the first draft selection in Vegas’ history, versus Martin Necas, the No. 12 pick in 2017 and Carolina’s top prospect. However, Necas has taken a back seat to several other Checkers forwards this postseason. After scoring 70 points in 72 games to finish fifth in league scoring in the regular season, Andrew Poturalski’s 18 points thus far also lead the postseason. It’s worth noting that Poturalski will be a Group 6 unrestricted free agent this summer and could be on the move in search of more NHL opportunity. Necas’ fellow AHL rookie, Morgan Geekie, has been right up there with Poturalski in playoff scoring, registering 15 points so far. Tomas Jurco and Aleksi Saarela have also played well for the Checkers, as has experienced defenseman Trevor Carrick. As for the Wolves, it has been goaltender Oscar Dansk leading the way, posting a .921 save percentage and 2.16 GAA through 14 starts. Up front, it’s been the veterans getting the job done, with Tomas Hyka, Curtis McKenzie, and Tye McGinn all among the AHL’s top ten in scoring this postseason. Rookie defenseman Zach Whitecloud has also been a revelation and continues to make a strong case for playing in Vegas next season. Everything considered, this should be a balanced, hard-fought series between two talented teams who are excited to be in the final. The schedule for the Calder Cup Final can be found here.

  • The Winnipeg Jets made a nice value addition this morning, signing Russian power forward Andrei Chibisov. As the team attacks their difficult salary cap situation this summer, affordable impact deals could be crucial and the team hopes Chibisov will pan out. Unfortunately, one of his fellow countrymen won’t be joining him in Winnipeg. Ivan Telegin, a draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers all the way back in 2010, has opted to re-sign with his KHL club, CSKA Moscow. The team announced a new three-year deal with Telegin that likely rules out any potential future in the NHL. There was some thought that Telegin would consider returning to North America, where he previously played three seasons in the OHL and one season in the AHL, following a career-best KHL campagin. Telegin recorded 22 points in 49 games this season, production levels he hadn’t reached since his junior days. A player of similar size and ability to Chibisov, Telegin would have been another bottom-six option for Winnipeg, but with a long-term extension in Russia and his draft rights set to expire, it seems the pairing was never meant to be.
  • According to Jess Myers of the Grand Forks Herald, Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Clayton Phillips is on the move. Phillips, a third-round pick in 2017, just wrapped up his sophomore season at the University of Minnesota, but it appears it will be his last. Myers reports that Phillips is expected to transfer out of Minnesota and to a different NCAA institution. This likely means that he will have to sit out of college hockey next season due to NCAA transfer rules. In the meantime, Phillips is expected to return to the USHL’s Muskegeon Lumberjacks. The 19-year-old defenseman initially joined the Gophers earlier than expected, jumping in midway through the 2017-18 season. Sources that Myers spoke with felt this was a mistake, as he was not yet mature enough for the college game. It showed, as he was held scoreless in eleven games and got into frequent penalty trouble. This past season, Phillips improved to the tune of ten points in 34 games, but struggled defensively and simply wasn’t playing to the level that he, the university, nor the Penguins likely expected. A year back in juniors could be good for Phillips development, as the mobile blue liner can regain confidence in his abilities. Myers then speculates that he could join Penn State University or Colorado College in 2020.

Record 16 Players From USNTDP To Attend NHL Scouting Combine

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The annual NHL Scouting Combine is set to take place next week, with 109 – approximately three-and-a-half rounds worth – of top prospects in attendance. Of those participating, NHL.com’s Mike Morreale reports that 16 will belong to the U.S. National Team Development Program. Admittedly, the USNTDP is unique; an effort to bring together some of the top American junior-age players for a hybrid junior and collegiate schedule creates a very loaded lineup. Still, never before have so many players – nearly 15% of the group – from one team been invited to the same draft combine, highlighting what promises to be an exciting class of U.S. players.

Beyond just presumptive top pick Jack Hughes, forwards Alex Turcotte, Trevor Zegras, Matthew Boldy, Cole Caufield, John Beecher, Judd Caulfield, and Patrick Moynihan, defensemen Cam York, Alex Vlasic, Henry Thrun, Marshall Warren, Domenick Fensore, and Drew Helleson, and goaltenders Spencer Knight and Cameron Rowe are expected to be in attendance. Of that group, many rankings and mock would suggest at least Hughes, Turcotte, Zegras, Boldy, Caufield, York, and Knight are near locks as first-round picks, with the others not far behind. Several other USNTDP standouts not invited to the combine will nevertheless still be drafted as well. It is a truly incredible class that may stand the test of time.

The combine kicks off on Friday, May 31st with media availability for the “Top Prospects”, as designated by the league and Central Scouting. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler reports that this group of six includes Hughes, Turcotte, presumptive second overall pick Kaapo Kakko, top defense prospect Bowen Byram, and Canadian centers Dylan Cozens and Kirby Dach. On Saturday, June 1st, all combine participants will undergo fitness testing throughout the day, while teams will have an opportunity to meet with prospects one-on-one as well. With the World Championships and Memorial Cup both wrapping up this coming weekend, the Scouting Combine will be the final time that teams can evaluate draft prospects in a live setting before the NHL Entry Draft on June 21st.

NHL Announces Free Agent Contact Dates

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Before free agency opens on July 1st each year, teams are given brief windows to speak with impending free agents from other clubs, both unrestricted and restricted. While they are officially not allowed to talk contract details during this time, the two sides may discuss the direction of the team, the fit of the player, and other details adjacent to a contract signing. Of course, financial details sneak in as well, allowing for the late-June rumor mill to heat up and the massive influx of signing announcements as soon as the clock strikes noon Eastern on July 1st.

Per TSN, the NHL has announced the opening dates for free agent contact for this year. Beginning on June 23rd, at exactly 12:00 AM ET, teams may begin talking to unrestricted free agents. This is one day after the conclusion of the NHL Draft, when teams can wholly shift their focus over to the free agent market. Three days later, on June 26th, teams may also start contacting restricted free agents. In general, the UFA talks are far more fruitful than the RFA talks, but in an off-season with few elite unrestricted free agents and many elite restricted free agents – not to mention teams in difficult cap situations with RFA’s to sign – the odds of an offer sheet are higher than they have been in years and it could be that those RFA discussions actually yield a contract or two this summer.

Before teams can truly start to consider free agent signings, there are a couple of other factors that need to be decided as well. On the team side, restricted free agents must have received their qualifying offers by June 25th. An RFA who receives this offer remains restricted, but one who does not becomes unrestricted. It is not a coincidence that the RFA contact window opens after this deadline, as that official determination is needed. On the league side, teams also need to know what the salary cap ceiling – and for some the floor – will be for the 2019-20 season. Roster building is all a function of the salary cap and many teams will make decisions on free agent offers based on where next year’s cap ends up. There is no official date for when this announcement will be made, but CapFriendly has tentatively set the ceiling at $83MM and the floor at $61.3MM for their metrics, based on previous reports and expectations.

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