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Hockey Canada Names 25 Players To Pre-Olympic Tournament

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Hockey Canada has released another roster for a pre-Olympic tournament, this time the Channel One Cup in Moscow from December 13-17. This and the Spengler Cup—which is scheduled for December 26-31 in Switzerland—are the final two tournament looks for Team Canada before they send a roster to Pyeongchang.

We learned earlier today that Jarome Iginla wasn’t going to make it back from his hip injury in time to play in either tournament, making him a long shot for the Olympic squad. This group, which includes many of those who’ve already suited up international for Canada this year, will likely make up most of the eventual roster sent to South Korea. The 25-man team is as follows:

F Wojtek Wolski
F Matt Frattin
F Derek Roy
F Taylor Beck
F Ryan Garbutt
F Eric O’Dell
F Brandon Kozun
F Rene Bourque
F Linden Vey
F Gilbert Brule
F Matt Ellison
F P.A. Parenteau
F Max Talbot
F Teddy Purcell
F Rob Klinkhammer

D Karl Stollery
D Shawn Lalonde
D Chay Genoway
D Chris Lee
D Maxim Noreau
D Simon Despres
D Stefan Elliott
D Mat Robinson

G Ben Scrivens
G Barry Brust

Gabe Vilardi To Be Sent Back To Junior

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The Los Angeles Kings will soon send back 11th-overall pick Gabe Vilardi to his junior team the Windsor Spitfires according to Bob McKenzie of TSN. Vilardi has been rehabbing from a back injury all season so far but is expected to rejoin the OHL team within the next few weeks. Technically the Kings haven’t actually signed Vilardi to an entry-level contract yet, meaning he couldn’t stay in the NHL anyway. But with rehab from his injury coming to a conclusion the Spitfires (and likely Team Canada’s World Junior team) will welcome him back with open arms.

Vilardi was a prospect with one of the more widespread scouting reports going into the draft. While some saw him as a dominant puck-possession player who could eventually handle the center position, others critiqued his skating ability and high-end creativity. Los Angeles will hope it’s closer to the latter when it’s all said and done, and an international appearance would be a solid step in that direction.

Team Canada as always is loaded with talent up front, and Vilardi would have to quickly prove he’s healthy if he wants to make the tournament that starts next month. Last season saw Vilardi register 61 points in 49 games for the Spitfires and help the team to a Memorial Cup Championship on home ice.

Jay McClement Signs With Swiss Club Olten

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It’s been a whirlwind month for consummate pro Jay McClement. The veteran center was very nearly the winner of the third-line center sweepstakes for the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Instead, the team released him to the surprise of many after an impressive effort in the team’s preseason finale. Now, less than thirty days later, McClement has finally found employment – with EHC Olten of the NLB.

The Swiss National League B, the relative minor league to much more well-known NLA, seems like an odd landing spot for a veteran of more than 900 NHL games. However, the team has confirmed the signing (link in Swiss) with much excitement. The contract is only for 2017-18, but holds a mutual option for next season. Could McClement exercise that option? He is 34, far from his prime, but just a few years ago played one of his best seasons – an 82-game, 21-point 2014-15 campaign with the Carolina Hurricanes. McClement seems to have some gas left in the tank, so an extended stay in the Swiss minors would be surprising. However, McClement could more or less be done with hockey and sees Olten as a “retirement job”.

Olten isn’t completely unknown. The NLB squad in a perennial contender and rosters to other NHL veterans, Americans Tim Stapleton and Ryan Vesce. Neither has skated in the league since 2010, but nevertheless bring an experience and style that McClement could work with.

If it doesn’t work out? There’s a chance that McClement could be a contender for a bottom-six role for Team Canada at the Olympics, which would take up a significant amount of his time over the course of this season. Then, when his contract expires, don’t be surprised if McClement declines his offer and tries again at one last chance in the NHL.

Olympic Preview: Hockey Canada Announces Karjala Cup Roster

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The roster for the Karjala Cup has been announced for Team Canada, and it represents a sneak peek at who will likely suit up for the country at the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics. Canada has joined the tournament—held November 8th-12th in Finland—as a sort of tune-up for the Olympics, and their roster is littered with former NHL players.

Perhaps the most interesting name though is Dylan Sikura, the Chicago Blackhawks prospect who returned to the college ranks this season for his final year. Chicago was willing to sign him this spring after his junior year, but Sikura instead returned to try and win a national championship with Northeastern. A sixth-round pick, Sikura could become a free agent next summer, but is almost guaranteed to sign with the Blackhawks when his year ends. His addition could be big for Chicago down the stretch, as he represents another talented offensive threat.

The full roster can be found below

F Wojtek Wolski
F Mason Raymond
F Derek Roy
F Brandon Kozun
F Eric O’Dell
F Gilbert Brule
F Rene Bourque
F Matt Ellison
F Quinton Howden
F Dylan Sikura
F Andrew Ebbett
F Matt Frattin
F Christian Thomas
F Rob Klinkhammer

D Karl Stollery
D Zach Whitecloud
D Chay Genoway
D Chris Lee
D Maxim Noreau
D Simon Despres
D Jesse Blacker
D Geoff Kinrade
D Mat Robinson

G Ben Scrivens
G Justin Peters

Chris Lee Signs One-Year Deal In KHL

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One of the best stories in hockey last year was Chris Lee, the 37-year old defenseman who turned an invite to the World Championships and a freak injury to Tyson Barrie into a showcase for his talent. Lee had never played a game in the NHL, but suddenly was thrust into a key role on Team Canada after Barrie was injured while wrestling in his hotel room. He found immediate success as a puck-moving piece for the Canadians, logging two assists in seven games.

Lee tried to spin his silver medal performance into an NHL contract, but after attending training camp with the Kings on a professional tryout, has now signed a one-year deal to return to the KHL according to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express. Lee will suit up for his old team in Magnitogorsk, where he registered 65 points last season.

The intriguing part will be whether Lee suits up for Team Canada once again in Pyeongchang at the 2018 Winter Olympics, now that he won’t be tied to an NHL team. The veteran defenseman, who logged four successful years in the AHL before heading overseas, would likely be one of Canada’s best options. His experience in the KHL may prove even more important than his skill, as the Russian Olympic team will be made up almost exclusively of KHL talent.

Hockey Canada Releases U17 World Challenge Roster

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While the World Junior Championships are the best place to get a good look at upcoming and recent draftees (in the U18 and U20 tournaments respectively), NHL scouts are searching far and wide much earlier than that. Today, Hockey Canada released their roster for the upcoming World U17 Hockey Challenge tournament that will be held from November 5-11 in British Columbia. At the event, Canada will ice three teams while the United States, Russia, Czech Republic, Finland and Sweden will each also be represented.

Canada’s roster is made up almost entirely of players recently drafted and playing in the CHL, though there are a few from other leagues like the USHL or BCHL—often to maintain college eligibility. There are several notable last names that will stand out to hockey fans, as players like Tag Bertuzzi (son of former NHLer Todd Bertuzzi) and Ryan Suzuki (brother of Vegas’ prospect Nick Suzuki) will play big roles on the squad.

Suzuki and Bertuzzi were selected first and second overall in the most recent OHL bantam draft, to Barrie and Guelph respectively, and each have huge upside as offensive players. Obviously, there is so much hockey left to play before any of these 2001 birthdays are eligible for NHL draft selection—even the oldest among them can’t be taken until the 2019 draft—but don’t doubt the impact tournaments like this have on early scouting reports.

One player to watch out for is Alexis Lafreniere, an early favorite to go first overall in the 2020 draft. Lafreniere turned 16 just last week, but has already put up 11 points in nine games for the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL. Amazingly, he leads the team in scoring despite playing against players that are sometimes almost five years older than him. His talent is obvious to anyone that watches, and he’s already 6’0″ and still growing. Over the next few years, you’re sure to hear the name a few more times.

Here is a link to the full 66-man roster that will make up the three Canadian teams.

Evening Snapshots: Blackhawks, Faceoffs, Labonte

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News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have assigned goaltender Collin Delia to the AHL Rockford IceHogs, the team announced today. The roster cut leaves the Blackhawks with 35 remaining players at camp, including 20 forwards, 12 defensemen, and 3 goaltenders. The Blackhawks signed Delia to a two-year entry level deal this summer worth $767K a year. Delia most recently played for Merrimack College in the NCAA, posting a 2.15 GAA and .927 SV% in 21 games. Delia was never expected to make the big team—Corey Crawford’s backup spot is between Anton Forsberg and Jean-Francois Berube—but will round out the AHL roster for now.
  • Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported today in his 31 Thoughts column that the impetus for the faceoff rules crackdown came from the competition committee. David Backes—a committee member—admitted to Boston media that faceoffs have devolved into scrums where the goal is to not lose rather than to win. Players were increasingly crowding the dot and focusing more on holding off the other center until a winger arrives. The tweaked enforcement standards hope to swing the pendulum back to skill-based faceoff wins.
  • One of Canada’s most prolific international goaltenders retired this week. Charline Labonte, a three-time Olympic gold medal winner, retired from hockey on Monday. Labonte is probably the most well-known female goaltender outside of Manon Rheaume, and like Rheume, Labonte made her mark early on by playing in the men’s QMJHL. She played two seasons with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the QMJHL in 1999-00 and 2000-01 before eventually playing for Canada and McGill University. Labonte spent the last two seasons playing for the Montreal Canadiennes in the CWHL, and posted an astounding 1.53 GAA and .934 SV%. There is no doubt that the 34 year-old is leaving the game on a high note.

Jeff Tambellini To Retire, Coach At Michigan

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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.

Early Notes: Iginla, Doan, Polak

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Hockey Canada once again told the Canadian Press that they would consider veteran options like Shane Doan and Jarome Iginla for their upcoming Winter Olympic squad, but reiterated that the pair would need to be playing somewhere to make the team. Because of the high-level still expected even in the absence of NHL stars, Team Canada GM Sean Burke won’t be taking players off the couch to Pyeongchang. Doan and Iginla are still trying to find work around the NHL, but could play for a few months in Europe or the KHL if they want to suit up for the Olympics. Both have experience there before and would lend some star power to the team. Whether they’re better than the AHL or college forwards that they would replace is still uncertain.

  • Roman Polak is skating again and agent Allan Walsh told the Toronto Sun that he expects his client to sign with an NHL team very soon. Polak is working his way back from a broken fibula but looked fine in the video posted yesterday of his skating drills. The 31-year old was seen in Maple Leafs gear, but it’s unclear if Toronto would have any interest in a return. With the free agent market fairly devoid of defensive talent, Polak could be snapped up as soon as he’s medically cleared.
  • Another former Maple Leafs player Matt Frattin has signed with Barys Astana of the KHL. The contract covers just one year for the veteran AHLer, and will be the first time he plays outside of North America. Last year for the Stockton Heat Frattin put up 36 points in 54 games, a pace he’s shown for several years in the minor leagues. Armed with a hard shot and power game, Frattin was never able to establish himself as a full-time NHL player, and will try to prove that he can be a valuable forward at a high level. He’ll have someone familiar in the lineup, as former Stockton teammate Linden Vey also signed with Astana this offseason.

Snapshots: Desjardins, Iginla, Dahlstrom, Blue Jackets

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Willie Desjardins won’t be in the NHL this year, but he’ll still be one of the more talked-about coached in hockey. He’ll be leading Team Canada on their journey to the Olympics, this time without the benefit of NHL-level players. Speaking with Rick Dhaliwal today of News 1130 in Vancouver, Desjardins spoke about several players including Shane Doan and Jarome Iginla.

Confirming that the pair are still looking for NHL contracts, Desjardins also said that it would be tough for them to jump into the Olympic speed if they weren’t playing anywhere come February. That might be the case for one or both of them though, as there doesn’t seem to be much interest around the league for the aging stars. Iginla had some redeeming qualities at the trade deadline and picked up his play for the Los Angeles Kings down the stretch, but both are now 40-years old and would need a team to really go out on a limb to give them an NHL deal.

  • Scott Powers of The Athletic goes in depth on Chicago Blackhawks prospect John Dahlstrom, who you can no longer call Mr. Irrelevant in the NHL. The very last pick of the 2015 draft, Dahlstrom will return to Sweden instead of playing in the USHL this season, and try to earn an entry-level contract next year. The 20-year old forward recorded 30 goals and 59 points for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL this year, and has legitimate prospect status despite his draft pedigree.
  • Aaron Portzline made his much-anticipated debut for The Athletic’s Cleveland chapter, bringing his usual insight into the Columbus Blue Jackets and explaining all the upcoming decisions for the team over the next month. He includes an interesting quote from GM Jarmo Kekalainen, saying that he’s willing to make a trade or do whatever is needed regardless of whether the season has started or not. This was in response to some questions about Matt Duchene, a deal that Portzline still sees as a perfect fit between the two clubs.

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