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Early Notes: Team Canada, Carolina, Browne

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Team Canada has announced their on-ice leadership group for the upcoming World Championships, with Connor McDavid named team captain. Brayden Schenn and Ryan O’Reilly will serve as alternates for what has turned out to be an impressive roster. It will be O’Reilly’s third time wearing an “A” for the squad.

McDavid previously served as captain of Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey, but has never worn a “C” for Canada previously in any major tournament. His presence makes the Canadians a favorite to take home the gold for the third time in four years, but he’ll have to get through some stiff competition. The tournament begins this Friday in Denmark.

  • Last night during the Winnipeg Jets-Nashville Predators game, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that Steve Greeley will not be taking the Carolina Hurricanes GM job. That means Don Waddell will continue to lead the club for the time being, as there are “no plans to hire anyone in the near term.” Greeley, an assistant GM of the Buffalo Sabres, was considered the front-runner for a job that has already had several high profile names remove themselves from consideration. Whoever does take the job will get the opportunity to select second in the upcoming draft, after Carolina moved up nine spots in the recent draft lottery.
  • Harrison Browne, the first openly transgender hockey player in North America, has decided to retire from the NWHL to complete his physical transition. Just 25 years old, Browne is a two-time NWHL Champion, most recently winning with the Metropolitan Riveters. In a long exclusive piece for The Athletic, Corey Masisak (subscription required) details just how Browne came to his decision to leave hockey and the impact he’s leaving behind.

Michael DiPietro Gets Invitation To Join Team Canada

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The IIHF World Championships is set to begin May 4th in Denmark, and there have already been plenty of players announced to the Team Canada roster. Add one more name to the goaltending group, as Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 in Vancouver is reporting that Canucks’ draft pick Michael DiPietro has received an invitation. Dhaliwal expects DiPietro to be the third goaltender, but it is still a huge honor for the 18-year old.

Amazingly, DiPietro was cut from the Canadian World Junior squad earlier this season but will now represent the country on an even bigger stage. Carter Hart, the starter for that World Junior team is still in the WHL playoffs with the Everett Silvertips.

DiPietro was the third goaltender off the board last June, selected at the beginning of the third round. He went back to the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL and had another solid season, turning up his performance in the playoffs. Though the Spitfires were eliminated early, it wasn’t their goaltending that lost the series. DiPietro put up a .934 save percentage, stopping 226 shots in six games.

Inviting an unsigned draft pick—DiPietro still has not signed with the Canucks—to join the World Championship team is a lesson Canada may have learned from USA Hockey, who brought along Cal Petersen last year to experience the tournament as a third goaltender.

Taylor Hall Will Not Attend World Championships

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Though he was asked, Taylor Hall has declined an invitation to compete in the upcoming World Championships according to Mike Morreale of NHL.com. Team Canada would have loved to bring the MVP candidate aboard, but after a long season and disappointing playoff exit Hall will take some time off before starting to train for next year.

Hall has always been an excellent players, going back to his first-overall selection in 2010, but he found a new gear this season playing for the New Jersey Devils. With 93 points in 76 games he set a career-high in basically every offensive category, including goals, assists, plus/minus and takeaways. He added six points in the first five playoff games of his career, proving he could perform on the biggest stage. Unfortunately the Devils ran into a powerhouse Tampa Bay team and were eliminated, but still took huge steps forward this season.

On one of the most affordable contracts in the league—$6MM for each of the next two seasons—Hall will concentrate on helping the Devils take another step next season. It’s not like he hasn’t represented Canada in the past, playing in three World Championships and taking home two gold medals.

Canada, USA Rosters Set For U18 World Championships

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The IIHF U18 World Championships begin today in Russia, with Team Canada and Team USA facing off at 9:30am central. The two squads are made up of many 2018 draft eligible players, including several potential first-round picks. The squads also feature two incredible youngsters, as both Alexis Lafreniere and Jack Hughes are present. Hughes is expected to challenge for the first-overall pick in the 2019 draft, while Lafreniere has a shot at being selected first in 2020.

The full rosters are below:

Team USA

F Jack Hughes
F Trevor Janicke
F Gavin Hain
F Tyler Weiss
F Alex Turcotte
F Jake Wise
F Jack DeBoer
F Jonathan Gruden
F Oliver Wahlstrom
F Jake Pivonka
F Cole Caufield
F Patrick Giles (A)
F Joel Farabee

D Cam York
D Adam Samuelsson
D Ty Emberson (A)
D Bode Wilde
D K’Andre Miller
D Mattias Samuelsson (C)
D Spencer Stastney

G Drew Deridder
G Spencer Knight
G Jonathan Mor*

Team Canada

F Joe Veleno*
F Akil Thomas
F Alexis Lafreniere
F Cole Fonstad
F Cameron Hillis
F Allan McShane
F Liam Foudy
F Ty Dellandrea (A)
F Aidan Dudas*
F Jack McBain
F Chase Wouters
F Raphael Lavoie
F Serron Noel

D Kevin Bahl
D Matthew Robertson
D Bowen Byram
D Jonathan Tychonick
D Ty Smith (C)
D Ryan Merkley
D Jared McIsaac (A)

G Colten Ellis
G Olivier Rodrigue*
G Kevin Mandolese

*Not dressed for the opening game

Bill Peters Named Head Coach Of Team Canada At World Championships

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Bill Peters may not be secure in his NHL coaching position with the Carolina Hurricanes, but that hasn’t stopped him from adding another coaching job to his resume. Sportsnet reported this evening that Hockey Canada has named Peters the head coach of the Canadian team at the upcoming IIHF World Championship. The tournament runs from May 4th – 20th in the cities of Copenhagen and Herning, Denmark.

This won’t be Peters’ first go-round at the World Championships, as he has previously coached for Team Canada on two other occasions, including leading the team as head coach to a 2016 title. The Alberta native was also an assistant coach for Canada’s World Cup team during the summer of 2017.

Peters won’t be without an impressive support staff in Denmark, as Florida Panthers head coach Bob Boughner and St. Louis Blues head coach Mike Yeo were named his assistants. Yeo has previously served as an assistant for the World Championships team, while Boughner will make his coaching debut at the tournament. In Yeo and Boughner, Peters and Team Canada not only add extensive experience, but also the two coaches who came closest to earning an NHL playoff spot this season, each missing out by only one point.

Morning Notes: Raanta, Barzal, Dahlin

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According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, the Coyotes have extended a contract offer to goaltender Antti Raanta. The deal could be up to four years with a cap hit between $4-4.5MM, which would be a huge raise over the $1MM deal Raanta is currently on. While the Coyotes have been open with the fact that they want to re-sign Raanta, he potentially could enter the market as the top goaltending option this summer and have his pick from several opportunities.

After struggling through injury for part of the season, Raanta has really found his groove and now carries a .929 save percentage on the year. That puts him second among goaltenders who have started at least 30 games, only trailing Marc-Andre Fleury’s .931 mark. Raanta’s exquisite play and relative youth—he won’t turn 29 until May—could land him a long-term deal from any number of teams in the offseason. If he’s going to stay in the desert, it may take even more money.

  • Mathew Barzal will suit up for Team Canada at the World Championships according to Andrew Gross of Newsday. The outstanding rookie has 79 points on the season and has quickly turned into a household name around the NHL. Citing excitement to play with Connor McDavid, Barzal will join a pretty impressive group already signed up for the tournament. With the Olympics not taking NHL players this year, perhaps even more are willing to pull on their country’s sweater and play in an international event.
  • Rasmus Dahlin on the other hand won’t be appearing in any more games for Sweden this season. After his club team’s season ended recently, Dahlin will shut it down and prepare for what will be a whirlwind offseason where he is expected to go first overall in the NHL draft. Uffe Bodin of Elite Prospects reports on the situation, noting that without Dahlin at the upcoming U18 tournament, all eyes will shift to Adam Boqvist, another top defensive prospect in the upcoming draft.

Snapshots: Bozak, World Championships, Fast

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The Vancouver Canucks received some financial certainty today, when Henrik and Daniel Sedin confirmed their intention to retire at the end of the season. With their decision comes the fact that the Canucks have $14MM coming off the books, and should have ample room to make a splash in free agency if they choose.

Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 notes that he’s hear Tyler Bozak’s name as a player the Canucks could have interest in, should he go unsigned by Toronto and reach free agency. Bozak, 32, isn’t a top-line player anymore (if he ever was) but should still command a multi-year deal as one of the better center options on the open market. Where he fits into a Canucks rebuild isn’t clear, but the Vancouver front office has been clear that they aren’t willing to turn the entire franchise over to the young guns, and want some experience to help guide them through the next few years.

  • The World Championships are coming fast, and several players indicated their intentions today over whether to play in it or not. Matt Duchene told media that he wouldn’t play for Team Canada in the upcoming tournament, while Ryan O’Reilly confirmed to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that he would be. O’Reilly has competed five times previously, including being named an alternate captain last year. With two golds and one silver, he will be a welcome addition to a team that looks like it could be a powerhouse.
  • Jesper Fast will likely not play again for the New York Rangers this season, after suffering a groin injury that should keep him out the rest of the year. That ends what has been a career year for the 26-year old, with 33 points in 71 games. The Rangers will hope that progression can continue over the next two years of his current contract, as he’ll be relied upon as a key forward while the team rebuilds with their eyes on contention down the road.

Anaheim Ducks Sign Chris Kelly For Remainder Of The Season

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Hours after the Boston Bruins signed Team USA Olympic captain and long-time pro Brian Gionta to a contract, the Anaheim Ducks have made a similar move. Veteran center and Team Canada captain Chris Kelly is on his way back to the NHL, as TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that he has inked a one-year deal with the Ducks. However, Kelly is commanding $1.25MM plus bonuses, adds Lebrun, compared to just $700K for Gionta.

The difference in salary between the two veterans could be explained by their recent production, as Kelly recorded three points en route to a bronze medal with Canada. In contrast, Gionta failed to record a point as the Americans were bounced in the quarterfinals. However, going back to 2016-17, Gionta performed far better, registering 35 points in 82 games for the Buffalo Sabres. Kelly too played a full 82-game season last year, suiting up in every game for the Ottawa Senators, but saw only limited ice time and added just 12 points. Yet, it is Kelly who will make nearly $300K in pro-rated salary before bonuses, while Gionta will make just over half of that with Boston.

It could also just be that Kelly is being valued on his expected role with the team. While Gionta is likely to be a 13th or 14th forward for the Bruins, who have for all intents and purposes already clinched a playoff spot with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, Kelly will likely push for a starting spot on the team’s fourth line as they fight for a playoff spot in the tight Pacific Division and Western Conference wild cared race. While scoring and power play production have been the bigger issues for Anaheim, Kelly’s two-way ability and intelligence will only further solidify a strong defensive team. It’s a savvy for GM Bob Murray and company, especially this year when the price of trading for assets has been so high.

 

IIHF Releases 2018 Olympic Schedule

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This article was originally published in September when the schedule was first released. After a request in our live chat yesterday, we’re pushing it to the top again.

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) released the schedule for the 2018 Olympic Men’s Hockey tournament in Pyeongchang, South Korea today, and as expected the games will go from February 14th to 25th—though, because of the time difference North America will be watching the gold medal game late on the 24th. The first matchups will be Slovakia vs Russia and USA vs Slovenia, both games featuring Group B opponents.

The host South Korean team will make their Olympic debut on February 15th against the Czech Republic, while reigning champion Team Canada starts against Switzerland, a team that has given them quite a bit of trouble on the international stage in the past. The entire schedule is listed below, all times Central.

February 14th

Slovakia vs OAR – 6:10am

USA vs Slovenia – 6:10am

Finland vs Germany – 9:10pm

February 15th

Sweden vs Norway – 1:40am

Czech Republic vs South Korea – 6:10am

Canada vs Switzerland – 6:10am

USA vs Slovakia – 9:10pm

February 16th

OAR vs Slovenia – 1:40am

Finland vs Norway – 6:10am

Sweden vs Germany – 6:10am

Canada vs Czech Republic – 9:10pm

February 17th

Switzerland vs South Korea –  1:40am

USA vs OAR – 6:10am

Slovakia vs Slovenia – 6:10am

Germany vs Norway – 9:10pm

February 18th

Czech Republic vs Switzerland – 1:40am

Canada vs South Korea – 6:10am

Sweden vs Finland – 6:10am

February 19th

TBD Playoff – 9:10pm

February 20th

TBD Playoff – 1:40am

TBD Playoff – 6:10am

TBD Playoff – 6:10am

TBD Quarterfinal – 9:10pm

February 21st

TBD Quarterfinal – 1:40am

TBD Quarterfinal – 6:10am

TBD Quarterfinal – 6:10am

February 23rd

TBD Semifinal – 1:40am

TBD Semifinal – 6:10am

February 24th

TBD Bronze Medal Game – 6:10am

TBD Gold Medal Game – 10:10pm

A few things to remember about these Games. One, the NHL will not be sending players to compete in the tournament, including all those in the minor leagues signed to two-way contracts. AHL-only deals will be allowed to go, as will those playing abroad. Two, the NHL trade deadline is set for February 26th, giving teams a bit of time to sign any international players and still have them eligible for the playoffs.

The IIHF also released the Women’s hockey schedule, a tournament that may actually get a boost from the lack of NHL presence at the Games. The Canadian team has won four straight gold medals and should be a powerhouse once again. They will however be without long-time leader Hayley Wickenheiser, who retired from the sport this January. Team USA will try to follow their impressive overtime win at the World Championships in April with another gold medal; they won the inaugural women’s tournament in the 1998 Nagano Games. The schedule for their tournament is as follows:

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Cale Makar Turns Down Olympic Offer

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Since his explosive performance at the World Junior Championships as a powerplay quarterback and dynamic offensive presence, Colorado Avalanche prospect Cale Makar’s name has been thrown around as a potential option for the Canadian Olympic team. According to Darren Dreger of TSN, Makar did in fact get an invitation to the team but has “respectfully declined.”

Cale MakarThis option has also been mentioned recently, as Makar already took time off from his freshman year at UMass-Amherst and wanted to get back to his development path for the NHL. The fourth-overall selection in last year’s draft, Makar had already said he was unlikely to stay in the NCAA for more than “one or two years” meaning the next few months could be his only time spent outside the professional ranks. With his performance so far this year the Avalanche must already be counting the days until he gets into their system, and he could even play a role for them down the stretch this season.

None of that is to say that the Olympics would prevent him from turning pro this season. But if Makar believes his long-term future would be adversely affected by another stint away from his college team (and studies, for that matter) this decision is understandable, if a little surprising. He’ll almost undoubtedly play more important minutes with his college team than what he would be asked to do for Team Canada.

The Canadian squad will have to go without his dynamic playmaking, and according to Dreger likely won’t have the speed of Jordan Kyrou either. Dreger reports that no CHL players are expected to be named as of right now. Victor Mete, another potential option, is still with Montreal following his World Junior stint and could be in the NHL the remainder of the season.

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