Latest On Vladimir Tarasenko
- St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko had a great season last year, scoring 34 goals and 82 points. But despite those strong numbers, he may not be in St. Louis to stay. NHL.com’s Dan Rosen stated in a recent mailbag that he has “no reason” to suspect that Tarasenko’s trade request from last summer was ever rescinded, although he also did state that the Blues have no interest in dealing him. Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest recently reported that the Blues never asked Tarasenko to waive his no-trade protection as part of an offer for Matthew Tkachuk, and despite a possibly still-active trade request it is likely that Tarasenko spends another season in St. Louis.
St. Louis Blues Name Kevin Maxwell GM Of AHL Springfield
A few days ago, we covered how the St. Louis Blues were expected to hire former New York Rangers director of pro scouting director Kevin Maxwell to an at-the-time undisclosed role. The move is now official, and Maxwell’s responsibilities have been made clear. Per a team announcement, Maxwell has been named general manager of the Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. The team has also announced that as part of Maxwell’s responsibilities, he will serve as a pro scout as well.
As previously mentioned, Maxwell had served as the Rangers’ director of professional scouting, operating in that role from 2011-12 to 2020-21. Maxwell has been a director of pro scouting for two other organizations as well, including the now-relocated Hartford Whalers. He is a highly experienced talent evaluator who managed the Rangers’ pro scouting operation at a time of significant team success. With Maxwell on staff, the Rangers made numerous deep playoff runs, including a run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 and runs to the Eastern Conference Final in 2012, 2015, and 2021.
Maxwell joins a Blues organization that is, like the Rangers, interested in competing in the near-term, perhaps heightening the importance of his professional scouting abilities compared to, say, an executive with an amateur scouting background. Not only are the Blues in “win-now mode,” the Thunderbirds are as well. Springfield made a run to the Calder Cup Final this spring, storming past the league’s Eastern Conference before falling to the Chicago Wolves.
Maxwell will be tasked with not only keeping the Thunderbirds competitive but also maintaining the team’s status as a quality developer of NHL-bound talent. Standout Thunderbirds from 2021-22 such as Charlie Lindgren, Dakota Joshua, and Calle Rosen each earned NHL contracts this summer, with Lindgren getting a relatively sizeable $1.1MM AAV on his deal as well as the chance to enter the fall penciled into the team’s backup goalie role. As their new general manager, Maxwell will be responsible for maintaining the Thunderbirds’ status as a premier developer of NHL talent as well as continuing the historic legacy of minor league hockey in Springfield, Massachusetts.
It’s a major responsibility for Maxwell, but it’s also a great opportunity. With former Springfield GM Kevin McDonald moving on to a post as assistant GM of the Colorado Avalanche, the Blues organization has tapped an extraordinarily experienced executive for this important role. Maxwell is a two-time Calder Cup champion from his time as a player, and perhaps there will be another Calder Cup in his future.
Looking Back At The First Round Of The 2005 NHL Entry Draft
On this date 17 years ago, the first round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa. It was the league’s first major event since the lockout that cost them the entire 2004-05 season ended just over a week prior, and considering the draft’s top prize, there was added intrigue.
With the lack of regular-season standings to determine the draft order, the league implemented a snake draft system to make things more equitable for teams in later rounds that didn’t fare so well in the draft lottery. One team that did fare well that night, though, was the Pittsburgh Penguins, who cemented a 15-plus year run of success by drafting future captain Sidney Crosby with the first overall pick.
Five players selected that night went on to appear in at least 1,000 NHL games, including Crosby. One was 2022 Stanley Cup Champion Jack Johnson, taken third overall by the Carolina Hurricanes. Johnson never played a single game for Carolina, though, as he was traded the following offseason to the Los Angeles Kings along with defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky in exchange for defenseman Tim Gleason and center Eric Belanger.
Johnson wasn’t the only player from the first round to play meaningful games for the Kings, though. The team selected two-time Stanley Cup champion and future captain Anze Kopitar with the 11th overall selection. Another thousand-gamer was selected directly after him when the New York Rangers picked defenseman Marc Staal 12th overall, while Johnson’s teammate on the 2022 Avalanche, forward Andrew Cogliano, was selected 25th by the Edmonton Oilers.
One name from that night who could still join the 1,000-game club was St. Louis Blues selection and current Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie. Taken 24th overall, he only needs 100 more appearances to hit the mark.
Future Stanley Cup-winning skaters weren’t the only future legends drafted that night, though. Two of the greatest goalies in recent memory were drafted that night, with the Montreal Canadiens selecting Carey Price with the fifth overall pick and the Toronto Maple Leafs selecting Tuukka Rask with the 21st overall pick, of course prior to trading him to the Boston Bruins the following season.
Just three players selected that night, all taken within four picks of each other, would never make an NHL appearance. Slovak forward Marek Zagrapan, drafted 13th overall by the Buffalo Sabres, played just three years in the organization with two different AHL affiliates, scoring 20 goals there just once. At 35 years old, Zagrapan is still active, playing the 2022-23 season in the French Ligue Magnus.
Directly after him, the Washington Capitals took Canadian defenseman Sasha Pokulok with the 14th overall pick. The first overage player taken in the draft, he’s arguably the biggest bust of the night. He never spent a full season in the AHL, bouncing up and down between there and the ECHL for four seasons after turning pro in 2006. He failed to make a notable impact in Europe, too, only lasting one season in the DEL (2010-11) before floating around various lower-level leagues in Eastern Europe and Quebec.
Lastly, there’s Canadian winger Alex Bourret, taken by the Atlanta Thrashers at 16th overall. A short but strong power winger, Bourret had a very successful junior career in the QMJHL that just didn’t translate. His North American career fizzled out quickly after a strong start in the AHL, but after being traded twice (first to the Rangers, then to the Coyotes), he had just 14 points in 48 AHL games during his final season there in 2008-09.
Blues Expected To Hire Kevin Maxwell
- The Blues are set to add to their scouting department as Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that St. Louis is expected to hire Kevin Maxwell. Maxwell had spent the last decade as the head professional scout for the Rangers while also spending time with the Islanders, Stars, Flyers, and Whalers.
St. Louis Blues Re-Sign Klim Kostin
The St. Louis Blues have re-signed winger Klim Kostin on a one-year deal worth $750K, per Bally Sports’ Andy Strickland.
Drafted 31st overall in 2017, Kostin hasn’t broken out offensively yet, but he hasn’t exactly been given the chance. In 40 games in 2021-22, Kostin had just four goals and nine points, but he was limited to playing just nine minutes a game. With David Perron departing the organization, though, Kostin has a shot to work his way into a top-nine role and therefore more ice time.
It’s a one-way contract for Kostin, the first of his NHL career. He’ll be a restricted free agent in 2023 once again.
Players like Kostin will be increasingly important for the Blues as extensions continue to get handed out to their young players. While the Blues have given out a lot of questionable cash this offseason, there’s absolutely no risk with this signing, a pleasant change of pace for Blues fans. With a full roster, per CapFriendly, the Blues are less than $1MM under the cap.
Latest On Vladimir Tarasenko
- St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko made headlines in the summer of 2021 when he reportedly requested a trade from the St. Louis Blues. At the time, Tarasenko’s health was still very much a contentious topic and it looked as though his NHL future was cloudy at best. After a 2021-22 resurgence that saw him author the most productive season of his career, Tarasenko looks to be in St. Louis to stay, despite recent rumblings. There were those who supposed that Tarasenko would be included in any of the Blues’ offers to the Calgary Flames for Matthew Tkachuk, but that wasn’t the case. According to Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest, the Blues never asked Tarasenko to waive his no-trade protection to be traded to the Flames. This report is likely an indication that the Blues have Tarasenko in their plans for next season, and his production could be increasingly important to their success thanks to the departure of David Perron.
St. Louis Blues Sign Nathan Todd
After an impressive performance in the Calder Cup playoffs, Nathan Todd is back with the St. Louis Blues organization on a one-year, two-way contract. Despite being 26, he did not qualify for Group VI unrestricted free agency as his 2021-22 contract was the first of his NHL career, and thus was an RFA this summer.
When teams talk about how the ECHL offers a chance for long-term player development, helping those who slip through the cracks work on their game at the professional level, it’s players like Todd who are the positive examples.
When his draft year came around in 2014, he hadn’t even played in the OHL yet, playing junior with the Brockville Braves of the CCHL to that point instead. After two good years with the Ottawa 67’s he made the jump to pro hockey and eventually found his way to the Brampton Beast, where he became a difference-maker at center.
Now established as a full-time AHLer, he had 11 points in 18 games for the Thunderbirds in their long playoff run and will return as a key part of the group next season. A contract like this means he could potentially even get an NHL call-up, which would be quite the impressive climb for the 26-year-old.
Colorado Hires Kevin McDonald
The Colorado Avalanche had a vacant assistant general manager position after promoting Chris MacFarland earlier this summer, and have decided to go outside the organization to fill it. The team has hired Kevin McDonald as their new AGM, taking him away from the St. Louis Blues where he has worked for more than two decades in a variety of roles.
McDonald was most recently the general manager of the Springfield Thunderbirds, St. Louis’ AHL affiliate, a team that was just today named “Team of the Year,” for excellence both on and off the ice. The long-time scout had also served as an AGM for the Blues over the years after starting his front office career with the New York Rangers.
Poll: Who Does Matthew Tkachuk Get Traded To?
Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk‘s arbitration date on August 11 looms, but we know now that it’s only a matter of time before he suits up for another NHL team. Tkachuk told the Flames this week that he won’t re-sign long-term, either forcing a trade now or letting him walk for nothing as an unrestricted free agent next summer. With teams having spent a lot already during the free agency period, though, does a good Tkachuk trade exist with a team that he’s willing to stay with?
It’s a rarity that a restricted free agent is able to force a change of scenery like this, especially one of Tkachuk’s caliber. Easily one of the top wingers in the league (and top forwards in general), his unique fiery brand and 100+ point scoring potential is an incredibly valuable package. He finished the 2021-22 campaign with 42 goals, 62 points, and 104 points, all career highs, and received votes for the Hart and Selke Trophies.
He’ll be on his way out of Calgary, though, joining ex-teammate Johnny Gaudreau as marquee players to leave the team this summer. Having grown up in St. Louis, and with his father Keith still working for the team, a potential union between the Blues and Tkachuk has been a long-standing open secret. The Blues have been reported to be in talks with Calgary about Tkachuk, and it was also reported that St. Louis was on the small list of teams Tkachuk would accept a trade to.
While the report was contested and isn’t verified, Vegas, Florida, Nashville, and Dallas were also all teams that Tkachuk would sign a long-term deal with. While the cap situation for most of those teams isn’t favorable, Nashville and Dallas do have some more wiggle room than the rest in terms of tradeable assets that would head the other way.
So, PHR readers — where does Tkachuk end up to begin the 2021-22 season? Does he finally head home to St. Louis, does a dark horse team sweep him up, or is the relationship between him and Calgary somehow salvaged?
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St. Louis Blues Extend Niko Mikkola
The St. Louis Blues announced today that they have re-signed defenseman Niko Mikkola to a one-year, $1.9MM contract.
Mikkola, 26, was a fifth-round pick of the Blues at the 2015 draft. By that point, Mikkola had gotten into just a handful of high-level professional hockey games, but in the year after he was drafted Mikkola took on a role as a regular defenseman on a strong KalPa Kuopio team. Mikkola spent three seasons at KalPa and then spent one season playing for Tappara Tampere before making the jump to North American hockey. Mikkola had established himself as a top-four quality defenseman in Liiga and needed to prove he could adjust and grow on North American ice.
Mikkola spent two seasons playing for the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL, slowly growing into one of their most dependable defensive defensemen. Mikkola’s success in San Antonio led him to a call-up in St. Louis, and Mikkola hasn’t been back to the AHL since that point. At the NHL level, Mikkola has averaged third-pairing minutes and seen time on the Blues’ second-unit penalty kill.
His offense isn’t what makes Nikkola an effective professional defenseman, it’s his size, reach, and overall defensive game. Mikkola is six-foot-four and weighs nearly 210 pounds, and he is able to effectively utilize that size to help clear traffic in front of Jordan Binnington. At 26 years old, Mikkola is in the thick of his prime and should be able to handle a role as a defensive specialist in St. Louis moving forward.
A $1.9MM deal is a very reasonable cost to the blues for what Mikkola brings to the table. The Blues, like all teams, are cap-conscious, although their need to maximize every cap dollar is made more important by their desire to remain a Stanley Cup contender for the next several years. Mikkola provides a cost-certain NHL-caliber defenseman, at least for next season. Beyond that point, Mikkola will have freedom to choose where he wants to play and the Blues will have to make the choice on whether he’s worth a pricier long-term investment.