NHL Snapshots: Girard, Flyers Draft, Rosen, Borgman
The Nashville Predators have some defensive issues to worry about with defender Ryan Ellis out for several more months due to knee surgery. However, one issue the team has is a good one as the play of Samuel Girard has impressed everyone. Suddenly, the issue is whether or not to keep him on their roster to start the season.
Girard, a second-round pick in 2016, is just 19 years old, but the gifted offensive defenseman has worked hard to show that he is ready for the NHL now. And with Ellis’ injury, might there be a place for him? The team has used him heavily in the preseason. He has played in all four games, logging more than 20 minutes in each game. According to Adam Vingan of the Tennessean, Girard is making a strong case to stay. His last game on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets with most of their opening-night starters on the ice, Girard played 24:02, second to Roman Josi.
The team is considering keeping him, knowing full well that if they don’t, he’ll return to his junior team and cannot be recalled until after their season is over. The team could also keep him for nine games without burning his first year of his entry-level deal.
- Sam Carchidi of Philly.com writes that the Philadelphia Flyers could get a big break from the St. Louis Blues if their injuries continue to mount. The Flyers, who acquired the Blues 2017 and 2018 first-round picks from St. Louis for Brayden Schenn. They used that 2017 pick on Morgan Frost and were expecting a late first-rounder in next year’s draft. However, with some of the injuries that St. Louis has suffered, it will be Philadelphia that reaps the benefits if the Blues see a drop in the wins column. If it were to turn into a top-10 pick, the Blues would get the pick back. Carchidi writes that would be unlikely, however, as the Blues are still a solid team, but the injuries could improve the chances that their pick will be an even better one.
- Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun writes that at least one of the two Sweedish defensemen pair of Calle Rosen and Andreas Borgman are likely to make the team. Both had key moments in Friday’s preseason game and the two little-known blueliners are starting to make a name for themselves. Rosen, 23, is a gifted skater and passing defenseman, coming over from Sweden for the first time, while Borgman, the 2017 SHL Rookie of the Year, is a more physical defensive player.
Training Camp Cuts: 09/28/17
Just a few more days until the 2017-18 NHL regular season is underway, and teams are starting to make their final roster decisions. We saw tons of cuts yesterday, and today should be no different. We’ll keep track of all the day’s movement right here.
Anaheim Ducks
F Mitch Hults – San Diego (AHL)
D Brian Cooper – San Diego (AHL)
D Marcus Pettersson – San Diego (AHL)
D Andy Welinski – San Diego (AHL)
F Scott Sabourin – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Corey Tropp – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Sam Carrick – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Mike Liambas – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Steven Oleksy – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Buffalo Sabres
F Nicholas Baptiste – Rochester (AHL)
G Linus Ullmark – Rochester (AHL)
Carolina Hurricanes
F Nicolas Roy – Charlotte (AHL)
F Valentin Zykov – Charlotte (AHL)
F Aleksi Saarela – Charlotte (AHL)
F Jeremy Smith – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Jake Chelios – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Trevor Carrick – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Chicago Blackhawks
G Collin Delia – Rockford (AHL)
Edmonton Oilers
F Brad Malone – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Florida Panthers
G Harri Sateri – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Los Angeles Kings
F Michael Mersch – Ontario (AHL)
F Andrew Crescenzi – Ontario (AHL)
Montreal Canadiens
D Matt Taormina – Laval (AHL)
F Chris Terry – Waivers for purpose of assignment
New York Rangers
F Lias Andersson – Frolunda (SHL)
F Vinny Lettieri – Hartford (AHL)
F Boo Nieves – Hartford (AHL)
D Neal Pionk – Hartford (AHL)
D Ryan Graves – Hartford (AHL)
F Matt Puempel – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Bobby Farnham – Released from PTO
Ottawa Senators
G Andrew Hammond – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Pittsburgh Penguins
F Tom Sestito – Waivers for purpose of assignment
St. Louis Blues
F Beau Bennett – Chicago (AHL)
D Petteri Lindbohm – Chicag0 (AHL)
D Chris Butler – San Antonio (AHL)
Washington Capitals
F Travis Boyd – Hershey (AHL)
D Tyler Lewington – Hershey (AHL)
D Jonas Siegenthaler – Hershey (AHL)
G Pheonix Copley – Hershey (AHL)
Winnipeg Jets
G Eric Comrie – Manitoba (AHL)
Jeff Tambellini To Retire, Coach At Michigan
Former NHL forward Jeff Tambellini may be retiring from pro hockey, but he seems to have his next career already planned out. The University of Michigan revealed tonight that Tambellini will return to campus to finish his degree and has been named an “undergraduate assistant coach”. Tambellini himself has yet to recognize his retirement, but may never actually do so in any official capacity.
Normally, “graduate assistant coach” is a title given to recent grads helping out with their alma mater’s program in some way. Tambellini’s new title of “undergraduate assistant coach” is almost unheard of, but fitting for the former All-American who left Michigan a year early after three dominant seasons. He returns to finish his degree with over a decade of pro hockey experience under his belt.
A first-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2003, there were high expectations of Tambellini that only increased with each collegiate season. Yet, once he turned pro, the small, speedy forward struggled to skate around the opposition like he could in the NCAA. The Kings traded him to the Islanders after only four games with the team, sending he and Denis Grebeshkov to New York for Mark Parrish and Brent Sopel. Tambellini carved out a bottom-six/AHL depth role for himself on the island and played for New York for four more seasons, accumulating 46 points in 176 games. Tambellini played his final NHL season in 2010-11 with the Vancouver Canucks, posting a career-best 17 points and +10 rating in 62 games and playing in the Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins.
Since then, Tambellini has had an up-and-down experience as a globe-trotting veteran. He was a force to reckon with in his first pro season outside the NHL, scoring 45 points in 50 games with the ZSC Lions of the Swiss NLA. Injuries limited his production in his second season with the Lions, so he moved on to Sweden, where he played well for MODO. He again struggled in the following year, splitting his time between the SHL and NLA, but not finding results in either location. 2015-16 marked an attempted NHL comeback, as Tambellini signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Despite impressive production in the AHL, Tambellini did not see any NHL action and headed back to Sweden last season, where he struggled mightily and, at the age of 33, likely decided it was time to hand up his skates.
However, his new opportunity with the Wolverines should allow Jeff to follow in his father’s footsteps. Steve Tambellini played ten years in the NHL, but is likely best known for his later work off the ice. Steve was the GM of the Edmonton Oilers from 2008 to 2013 and also previously worked for the Vancouver Canucks and Team Canada. He is currently a scout for the Anaheim Ducks. While Jeff seems to be heading more in a coaching route rather than toward a front office future, it is clear that hockey intelligence runs in the family and Jeff could have a shot a great coaching career, beginning with his return to Ann Arbor this season. Who knows, if coaching is a great fit for Jeff, he may end up back in the NHL, this time behind the bench, before little brother Adam Tambellini, a New York Rangers prospect, makes it to the big time himself.
Minor Transactions: 9/15/17
There have been an overwhelming amount of camp announcement in recent days – professional tryouts, amateur tryouts, and the like – but there are still many team and players looking for permanent homes this season. The following are some notable recent signings:
- Defenseman Victor Bartley is making his North American exit. The long-time Nashville Predators prospect seems to have run out of options and has opted to sign with Orebro of the Swedish Hockey League, according to a local news release (link in Swedish). This will be Bartley’s second go-round in Sweden, having played for Rogle BK in 2010-11 after a disappointing first pro season. It was in Sweden the first time that Bartley gained some NHL attention, signing on with Nashville the following off-season. Bartley played in the Predators system for five seasons, skating in 112 NHL games and recording 23 points, before being traded to the Montreal midway through the 2015-16 campaign. Barley then signed with the Minnesota Wild last summer, but spent the entire year in the AHL with Iowa. Bartley, an Ottawa native, now heads to Sweden with hopes of sparking his career once again. Orebro finished 12th in the SHL last year and offers little in the way of NHL veterans, but between Bartley and exciting, young Latvian Rodrigo Abols, the team hopes to turn it around in 2017-18.
- The Rochester Americans, AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres, have signed Garret Ross to a one-year deal, according to a team announcement. While Ross is likely happy to under contract in 2017-18, the signing represents a further decline in the career of the 25-year-old forward. A fifth-round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012, Ross got his pro career off to a hot start in 2013-14 and 2014-15 with 34 and 43 points respectively. Ross also built a reputation as one of the more tough, physical forwards in the AHL. Yet, his production fell off in 2015-16 to just 20 points and Chicago chose not to qualify him, making him an unrestricted free agent. Ross landed another NHL gig, signing a one-year, two-way deal with the Arizona Coyotes, but injuries and poor play limited him to just four points in 27 games. Ross will have to show that he still has potential while playing on a minor league contract this year. There’s room for Ross to play a major role in Rochester, but he just needs to take advantage of the opportunity.
- Daniel Ciampini will look to take the next step in his career in 2017-18, as he has signed with the AHL’s re-located Belleville Senators, per a team release. While the deal is of a two-way nature and Ciampini could wind up back in the ECHL, he hopes that his production in 2016-17 can earn him a regular AHL spot. The Union College alum was a point-per-game player with the ECHL’s Manchester Monarchs last year, spending about half the season with the New Hampshire-based team and the other half with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, affiliate of the L.A. Kings. With 28 points in 28 ECHL games to go along with 5 points in 23 AHL games, it appeared that Ciampini was heading in the right direction if he hopes to return to the dynamic scorer he was in college. Belleville hopes that the trend continues and the AHL numbers improve in the new campaign.
- The Hershey Bears, AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, have decided to give young Dylan Margonari another shot. The team announced that they have resigned the two-way center to a one-year extension. While under contract with Hersey in 2016-17, Margonari nevertheless played the whole season in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays. He has just two AHL games under his belt, back in 2015-16, after he signed on with the Bears out of college. Unlike many players whose production drops off at the pro level, Margonari has never been much of a scorer – not at Minnesota State, not with South Carolina, and likely not with Hershey should he make the team. Instead, the 25-year-old simply brings smart decision making and quiet confidence to his role as a defensive forward. While some teams may overlook that ability, it seems to be a trait that the Bears still value.
Snapshots: Pastrnak, Dahlen, Patrick
David Pastrnak leads a group of intriguing restricted free agents into September with no contract, and it doesn’t sound like much progress has been made between his camp and the Boston Bruins of late. Joe McDonald of the Boston Sports Journal reports that the team hasn’t even gotten a response on their $6MM offer for either six or seven years.
Agent J.P. Barry is set to meet with the Bruins on September 1st, meaning a contract could follow in short order, but there does seem to still be a gap between the two sides. After a huge breakout by Pastrnak last season, handing an $8MM salary out still may be a bit worrisome for the Boston front office.
- Jonathan Dahlen, the Vancouver Canucks prospect acquired from Ottawa in last season’s Alex Burrows deal, still hasn’t decided on a European team to play for this season, according to Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130. Though Dahlen will be attending the Canucks’ rookie camp in Penticton, it doesn’t seem like he’s destined for the Utica Comets this season after all. Instead, he’ll likely play in the SHL, a step up after dominating Sweden’s second-league last season.
- In what may be just a bit of bluster from the GM in order to motivate a young player, Ron Hextall of the Flyers told Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer that Nolan Patrick will have to earn his way onto the team and that he’s perfectly fine with sending him back to the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. It’s unlikely that Patrick doesn’t crack the squad, but Hextall was clear that they will do whatever they think is right for the long-term development of their prized center. Patrick’s game is arguably more ready for the NHL than fellow top prospect Nico Hischier, and he should be in the opening lineup for the Flyers in game one.
An Early Look At The 2018 Draft Class
Many hockey fans have had limited exposure to the 2018 draft class, outside some highlights of the Summer Showcase. The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy breaks down his early projections for the top prospects who will be eligible next summer. His top five shouldn’t surprise any who have been paying attention, but it’s a nice early introduction to the best of the best.
Rasmus Dahlin – D – Frolunda (SHL J20)
As of now, Dahlin is the man to beat for #1. Dahlin is drawing Erik Karlsson comparisons already, which is a tough benchmark for any 17 year old. Coming through the neutral zone, he weaves himself past traffic when there simply doesn’t appear to be a lane. His passes are crisp and accurate, and he isn’t afraid to go to high-scoring areas of the ice. His size at 6’2 makes him even more appealing, as he is not an easy horse to down once he’s achieved full gallop. Dahlin will need to continue to display flashes of offensive brilliance while rounding out his defensive game, but he’s essentially a lock to go top-three.
Andrei Svechnikov – RW – Barrie (OHL)
Svechnikov’s hands can make your jaw drop. Following in a long line of talented Russian scorers, his finesse sets him apart from the rest of his age group. He has a decent element of speed to his game and always finds himself open in high-scoring areas. In Barrie, he’ll need to round out his two-way ability, but barring major setbacks he should produce. Comparisons to other Russian picks will be inevitable (Nail Yakupov) but he seems to think the game at an elite level already. He also doesn’t shy away from cycling when necessary, and has more tricks up his sleeve than a simple rush-and-shoot mentality.
Joe Veleno – C – St John (QJMHL)
Veleno exudes passion, as anyone who witnessed the Ivan Hlinka tournament can attest. He captained the Canadian team to gold in that tourney, and looked like quite the leader in the process. His passes are already NHL level, and he has a sneaky accurate shot. He sees the ice well and coordinates plays well in any situation. His footwork is powerful and is also sure to impress. Veleno was even granted “exceptional status” by Team Canada and his body of work so far suggests it was not undeserved.
Adam Boqvist – D – Brynas (SHL J20)
For a defender, Boqvist can really fire the puck. His wrister is accurate and deadly if not respected. He skates with impressive speed and his edgework is clean and powerful. You can absolutely envision Boqvist quarterbacking an NHL powerplay in a few years’ time. He’s not the flashiest player on the list, to be sure, but he is effective in his straight-ahead style. His passing is impressive, but he might need to pick his spots on the attack a little better. Another player in the Karlsson mold, he should stand out enough to overcome his 5’11 stature.
Brady Tkachuk – LW – Boston U. (NCAA)
This player is a bit of a throwback to days when power forwards actually challenged for NHL roster spots regularly. Like his older brother, Calgary’s Matt Tkachuk, Brady is no pushover. At 6’2 he can hold off opponents while driving his way to the front of the net. His shot isn’t overly remarkable, but he always finds a way to hit twine. His deking ability is enough to drop defenders to their knees, and he has the vision to make special things happen. Tkachuk has committed to B.U. and it will be interesting to see how the rest of his game rounds out in the NCAA.
Linus Soderstrom Loaned To HV71
Though it was expected that Linus Soderstrom would not come to North America right away, the New York Islanders made it official today when they loaned Soderstrom back to his Swedish club, HV71. The 20-year old goalie will try to build on his outstanding rookie season in the SHL, where he put up a .943 save percentage and won the league championship.
Soderstrom signed his entry-level contract in May after being drafted by the Islanders back in 2014, and now ranks as one of the top goaltending prospects in the world. His size and mobility will give him a real opportunity for success in the NHL, and it could come earlier than most goaltenders. Soderstrom is on just a one-year deal with HV71, and though there is no reason to rush his development he’s shown enough that he could come across in 2018-19.
The Islanders have struggled in goal for some time, and though they’re obviously not a lock to make or succeed in the NHL, Soderstrom and fellow prospect Ilya Sorokin could make up one of the best young duos in the league. Sorokin unfortunately signed a three-year extension recently in the KHL, meaning it will still be some time before a move to North America is even considered.
Mutual Terminations And Their Value To Players
Over the last three seasons in particular, we’ve seen a number of so-called “mutual terminations”. In fact, we’ve seen more mutual terminations over this period than buyouts. They are just as they sound – when a player and team decide their prior arrangement is no longer agreeable, the teams cut ties entirely. The benefit for the team is that the cap hit of the player is cancelled out entirely. The benefit for the player is that they then have the opportunity to seek employment with a different franchise or a different league. Unfortunately for players, such an agreement may not be totally in their favor.
In the 2016-17 season, there were exactly 10 mutual terminations. Most of them flew under the radar, even for the most avid of hockey fans. The players concerned were David Rundblad (Chicago), Ben Johnson (New Jersey), Mason Raymond (Anaheim), Calle Andersson (New York Rangers), Nicklas Grossmann (Calgary), Axel Blomqvist (Winnipeg), Matt Carle (Nashville), Matia Marcantuoni (Arizona), Gregory Campbell (Columbus), and Jonathan-Ismael Diaby (Nashville). Not a single one of these players competed in another NHL game last season. That’s a success rate of exactly 0% on the player end. Regardless of one’s opinions of these particular players’ hockey abilities, the likelihood of them seeing game action prior to termination was much higher. (It should be noted that Carle announced his retirement, while Johnson was incarcerated, so it’s more like 0-for-8)
Rundblad was forced to return to the Swiss-A League, where he found moderate success with Zurich HC. Andersson also made a return appearance in the Swiss League, playing 26 games as a depth forward. Grossman played 28 games in the Swedish Hockey League with the lowly Orebro, while Blomqvist played only 7 contests for the SHL’s Sodertalje. Campbell, luckily, was employed by the Jackets as a player development coach. Raymond was an interesting case, as he refused to report to the San Diego Gulls due to family issues, which made the arrangement less “mutual” than the others. He signed a contract with SC Bern in June.
Each of these players struggled to find meaningful employment elsewhere while two didn’t find any whatsoever (Marcantuoni & Diaby). It’s understandable as to why a player would want to stay in game action, considering that every player subject to mutual termination is necessarily under the age of 35. Maintaining the physical standards of a pro hockey player is difficult, and being benched for the majority of a season can be crippling to future success. Still, there are solid hockey players on this list who saw marginal benefits from negating the remainder of their contracts. Seven contests for Sodertalje doesn’t really qualify as meaningful. And the story from past seasons is much the same. If you look through the 2015-16 list, most are essentially out of hockey at this point. None have played over 40 contests in a season for a serious foreign league outside of Petr Zamorsky for the SHL. Most terminated players don’t even see over 20 games total after this arrangement.
In the negotiations for a new CBA, this sort of maneuvering might become an issue of contention. Management loves this loophole, as it allows cap and total contract space with no repercussions to the organization. Still, there is an element of strong-arming to this arrangement, one in which the player rarely, if ever, comes out on top. Unless the player has a prior arrangement already in place, it’s a risky proposition. It will be interesting to see how often this strategy will be utilized in 2017-18.
Which 2017 Draft Picks Will Make Their Teams?
This year’s draft was notoriously thin in terms of elite talent, but that doesn’t mean that some of the top choices won’t make an impact. Of course, a lot will depend on training camp and whether players will return to Juniors, College, or overseas. Nico Hischier has already signed his entry-level contract with New Jersey, as has Nolan Patrick with Philadelphia. Both look primed to make their teams out of camp, even though Patrick will be recovering from an injury. It’s common for top picks to make their teams, and it would be shocking to see either fall short. Beyond these two, however, many of the top players till need seasoning.
The third pick, Miro Heiskanen, very well could return to the Finish Elite League for IFK, or theoretically be taken in the CHL import draft. Dallas doesn’t look like they’ll try to rush it with him, but anything is possible with this talented a player. Fourth overall was defenseman Cale Makar for Colorado, who is committed to play with the University of Massachussetts. Still, Colorado is hurting badly for skill and could benefit mightily from his dynamic presence on the blueline. Fifth overall was Elias Pettersson for Vancouver, who should return to Vaxjo of the SHL. He hasn’t signed an ELC and won’t attend training camp. Sixth overall Cody Glass looks primed to make a push for a spot in Vegas if he can show he belongs. The offense acquired via the expansion draft is very lean, and if Glass can round out his frame, the team may opt to toss him into the fire. He comes from a solid program with the Portland Winterhawks, and already surprised many with his ascension to first-round status in 2016-17.
Seventh overall was 5’11 center Lias Anderssson, who will fight for a position on the New York Rangers. In May, he signed a two-year contract with SHL’s Frolunda, so he might be one of the least likely of the group to see playing time in the near future. Casey Mittelstadt went eighth overall to Buffalo, and his phenomenal performance in the 2016 U-18 World Juniors played a large role in that. He only has USHL experience under his belt, however, and is committed to the Minnesota Gophers for the 2017-18 season. Michael Rasmussen is a towering, 6’6 center from Tri City of the WHL, and his overall physical package propelled him into that 9th selection by Detroit. Detroit is in need of cheap roster players on ELCs, but rushing a player of his caliber, especially coming off an injury-marred 2016-17 season, seems unlikely. GM Ken Holland is known for his patience when it comes to prospects. Rounding out the list, we have one of the few wingers selected in the first round – Owen Tippett of the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads. His 44 goals in 60 games caught the attention of Florida’s scouts, and he could make things interesting with a solid camp showing.
In the final evaluation, there are really only two sure-fire picks to make their teams in the 2017-18 season. Of course, there are players later in the order who could surprise and get a look as well. Gabriel Vilardi (11) would inject some much needed offense to a floundering Los Angeles squad, and already possesses NHL size. Nick Suzuki (13) could transcend Glass in Vegas as his flashy speed and exceptional passing are already pro-level. Future teammate Erik Brannstrom (15) proved again that he belongs in the conversation in the recent Summer Showcase. Timothy Liljegren (17) is already making Toronto fans salivate at his potential, and there is always someone unexpected who completely blows away the competition in camp. We shouldn’t see more than one or two surprises, but anything is possible once the players retake the ice in August for some internal competition.
In your mind, which 2017 draft picks make the NHL starting roster for their teams, excluding the obvious Hischier and Patrick? Will any of these names compete for a Calder, or will there only be one or two immediately successful rookies from this class? (For comparison’s sake, 4 players played regularly last season of all the players selected in 2016).
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Which 2017 Draft Picks Will Make Their Teams?
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Snapshots: Fisher, Team Canada, Larkin
Mike Fisher is still considering a return to Nashville next season, and GM David Poile told Adam Vignan of the Tennessean that they’ll know more next week. Fisher has been open about his pending decision between playing one more season for Nashville or retiring, and it seems the team would be happy to have him. After scoring 18 goals and 42 points he would likely be returning in a lesser role now that the club has brought in Nick Bonino to solidify their center depth.
With Ryan Johansen and Calle Jarnkrok returning, the position could quickly turn from a weakness into a considerable strength for the Stanley Cup finalists, with Fisher grading out as one of the best fourth line players in the league. He should come back at a reasonable price, but the Predators still have to get Johansen under contract and make sure they don’t put themselves in too tight a position heading into the season.
- Team Canada has announced their management and coaching staff for the upcoming Olympic preparation, naming Sean Burke and Martin Brodeur as general manager and “management group member” respectively. The coaching staff will be led by former Vancouver Canucks’ head coach Willie Desjardins along with Dave King, Scott Walker and Craig Woodcroft. Interestingly, the team will play in at least seven tournaments prior to the Olympics, in a sort of season that national programs used to do before NHL participation in the Winter Games. Players on AHL contracts will be considered for the team, along with those playing overseas or in the college and junior ranks.
- There was a new Larkin in town for the Detroit Red Wings’ development camp, and as Dana Wakiji of NHL.com writes he’ll try to make a return visit in the future. Adam Larkin, the cousin of Red Wings’ star Dylan Larkin, will be a senior at Yale this season and has steadily improved his game since going undrafted out of the USHL. He’ll work even harder this year to try and impress Red Wings scouts and those from other organizations that he’s deserved of a professional contract next spring when he becomes a free agent. Detroit would surely have the inside track, but Larkin will need a big senior season to show that he is ready for the next level.