Morning Notes: Draft Order, Tavares, AHL Playoffs
Now that the Conference Finals are set, the draft order is set up to pick 27. The Tampa Bay Lightning will select in that slot, while the four remaining teams—or whoever owns their first-round pick—will fit into 28-31. Notably, the Ottawa Senators, New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings now know exactly where their newly acquired first rounders will land. The Senators will use the Columbus Blue Jackets’ selection at No. 19, the Rangers will follow with the Winnipeg Jets’ pick at 20, and the Kings get the chance to add another top prospect at No. 22 where the Toronto Maple Leafs finished.
Even though the Colorado Avalanche were crushed last night when they lost a game seven against the San Jose Sharks, there is plenty to look forward to next month. The Avalanche will get to select 4th and 16th even after getting to the second round, thanks to the way the playoffs have shaken out overall. Adding two more players of that caliber could help the Avalanche become an even more realistic contender for the Stanley Cup. The full order can be found here, thanks to CapFriendly.
- John Tavares was set to lead Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship that opens tomorrow, but now won’t get the chance. The Maple Leafs’ center has suffered an oblique injury and will return to Toronto for further evaluation. The Canadian roster was already lacking a bit of goal scoring punch, but will have to find a way to create some offense without the 47-goal man.
- The AHL Eastern Conference Final is also set, after the Charlotte Checkers finished their sweep of the Hershey Bears last night. The Checkers will take on the defending Calder Cup champion Toronto Marlies, who are undefeated so far in these playoffs. Game one is scheduled for May 17th in Charlotte, giving the Western teams time to finish off their respective series.
Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Teemu Kivihalme
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed another international free agent, inking Teemu Kivihalme to a one-year entry-level contract. Kivihalme played the last two seasons in Finland after leaving Colorado College in 2017. Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star reports that the deal is worth $800K at the NHL level and does not include any performance bonuses.
Kivihalme, 23, was originally a fifth-round pick by the Nashville Predators in 2013 but never ended up signing with them. The left-handed defenseman was actually born in the United States when his father was playing at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, and played in the Minnesota high school system and USHL before heading to the NCAA. Three years at Colorado College saw Kivihalme record 36 points in 107 games but he left before his senior season. In Finland’s top league playing for a much stronger team than the one he had in Colorado, the young defenseman put it all together and became a legitimate two-way threat.
In his rookie season, Kivihalme recorded 20 points in 44 games and helped Karpat secure a league championship. This season he recorded 30 points in 60 games before adding another nine in 16 playoff contests, but was unable to topple HPK in the finals. Still, there were few defensemen more effective than Kivihalme in the playoffs this season and it is obvious why there was NHL interest.
With another defenseman added to the roster, the Maple Leafs now have several young options to choose from in trying to replace the outgoing Jake Gardiner and Ron Hainsey (provided neither of them re-sign with the team). Kivihalme, Calle Rosen, Rasmus Sandin, Timothy Liljegren and Andreas Borgman will all have a chance to prove themselves in training camp if the team doesn’t add any more veteran options. These young players are going to have to perform for the Maple Leafs if they want to contend for the Stanley Cup, as the top-heavy roster will need contributions from players on entry-level—or close to it—contracts.
Igor Ozhiganov Has Decided To Return To The KHL
- Maple Leafs defenseman Igor Ozhiganov has indeed decided to return to the KHL for next season, reports Jonas Siegel of The Athletic (Twitter link). The move had been speculated in recent weeks, especially after he lost his regular spot in the lineup and the fact that his KHL rights were dealt to Ak Bars Kazan at the beginning of the month. Toronto can issue a qualifying offer to Ozhiganov this summer that would allow them to retain his NHL rights for one more year though he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency either way in the summer of 2020.
Maple Leafs Release Eemeli Rasanen From His Minor League PTO
- The Maple Leafs have released defenseman Eemeli Rasanen from his PTO with their AHL affiliate, per the AHL’s Transactions page. The 20-year-old split the season between Jokerit of the KHL and Kiekko-Vantaa of the Mestis, Finland’s second division before joining the Marlies in mid-March when his season came to an end. However, he played in just five regular season games down the stretch and has yet to suit up in the postseason. Rasanen, a second-rounder back in 2017, is already signed with Jokerit for the 2019-20 season.
Mike Babcock To Return As Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach
Despite plenty of fans calling for his head, and some recent speculation given his connection with Ken Holland, Mike Babcock will be the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019-20. Bob McKenzie of TSN spoke to Toronto GM Kyle Dubas, who gave a full vote of confidence to his head coach:
We’re all in on Mike and Mike is all in on us. We’ve had productive management meetings as an organization and Mike and I have had some really good meetings as well since the season ended. It’s our very strong belief Mike is the one to lead us, that’s the reality of it.
Babcock, 56, still has four years left on his eight-year deal with the Maple Leafs, one which pays him $6.25MM per season. That kind of commitment wasn’t made without considerable faith in the veteran head coach, and won’t be dismissed so easily.
Speculation started when the Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round for the third consecutive season, and Dubas refused to guarantee the coaching staff would be back, instead deflecting the question and explaining that everyone from the top down would be evaluated. It still would have been very surprising to see Toronto move on, given the growth they’ve experienced since Babcock joined the team.
Hired in 2015, the former Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings head coach promised pain to the fan base when he joined the club given the state of the team at the time. The Maple Leafs finished last in the NHL during that first season and won the draft lottery for the chance to select Auston Matthews, before immediately surprising the league in Babcock’s sophomore season. Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and other rookies carried the team to the playoffs where they showed plenty of fight against the Washington Capitals, only to lose in six games. Two consecutive seven-game series against the Boston Bruins followed, but the Maple Leafs eclipsed the 100-point mark in each year.
The vote of confidence in Babcock did not extend one way or the other to the assistant coaches, which is important to note given the presence of a Dubas hire sitting in the minor leagues. Sheldon Keefe, who worked with Dubas with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL, has the Toronto Marlies undefeated in the Calder Cup playoffs and looking like they might repeat as AHL champions. Keefe could be a potential option for several coaching vacancies around the league, which only fueled the speculation around Babcock further.
Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Ilya Mikheyev
The decision was made earlier today, and Ilya Mikheyev is on his way to the NHL. The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed the Russian forward to a one-year entry-level contract. The deal will cover the 2019-20 season, after which Mikheyev will become a restricted free agent.
Toronto beat out several other teams for the services of the 24-year old Mikheyev, with the Vegas Golden Knights and Chicago Blackhawks reportedly the other finalists. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet recently noted that his sources doubted that there was ever really a decision to be made, and that the Maple Leafs were always going to be the final destination.
Coming off a 45-point season with Avangard Omsk, the talented winger helped his club to an unlikely Gagarin Cup Final appearance with another 11 points in 13 postseason games. While Mikheyev has played mostly right wing in the KHL, that side is awfully full on the Maple Leafs at the moment with Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen and Connor Brown normally drawing in. Jeremy Bracco, the team’s top forward prospect is also a right winger, and is making a case for an NHL roster spot of his own next year.
Regardless Mikheyev, who is a left-handed shooter, will have to battle for a regular spot at all with the Maple Leafs who boast strong depth up front. His acquisition may actually lead to some more speculation about movement this summer by Toronto, who are heading into a tight cap situation with contract negotiations for Marner, Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson. If the team believes Mikheyev can help right away, it may allow them to move on from one of their other young forwards.
Eastern Notes: Hurricanes, Lehner, Blashill, Toronto Prospects
With the Carolina Hurricanes waiting for their next opponent after sweeping the New York Islanders in the second round of the playoffs, the team is finally getting the rest it needs after a very physical playoff stretch that has worn down the roster. After playing 11 games in 23 days, the Hurricanes took the entire weekend off and are expected to pick up activity on Monday, according to News & Observer’s Luke DeCock.
The team hopes the rest could get a few more players back to full strength, although there are few updates on the injured. There is no word on the status of forward Micheal Ferland as his status remains uncertain. However, the team hopes to get Saku Maenalanen back at some point in the Conference Finals after he underwent hand surgery last week. The rest should also help forward Jordan Martinook, who played injured in Games 3 and 4, as well as goaltender Petr Mrazek, who was forced to leave Game 2 and put 35-year-old Curtis McElhinney into a full-time role, which isn’t ideal. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour commented on the need for rest, saying “I think a break is what they need, more almost mentally. They need more of that. Will it affect us in our first game? We’re going to hear about that. Maybe. There might be a little rust there. But we need it.”
- NHL.com’s Brian Compton writes that New York Islanders’ Vezina Trophy finalist Robin Lehner, who rewarded the Islanders with an amazing season in goal this year after the Islanders took a chance on him, was non-committal after the team was swept in the second round of the playoffs on Friday. The 27-year-old netminder will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after signing a one-year “prove it” deal for $1.5MM and there is a chance he may opt to make it his only year. “It’s a little bit too much emotions right now,” said Lehner, “I really like everyone here. This group is incredible, some of the best people I’ve been around. I’ve been in the league for a while now. We’ll see what God has in store for me.”
- Helene St. James of the Detroit Free-Press writes that Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill admitted that he was thrilled when general manager Steve Yzerman gave him a vote of confidence after taking over his new position. “It was great to hear that he has belief in me and my abilities,” said Blashill, who has been committed to developing the young players on the team, many who have thrived under the head coach’s leadership.
- With major cap implications upcoming in Toronto, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler (subscription required) writes that the Toronto Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, have been thrilled with the play of their young defenseman in the AHL playoffs, including Timothy Liljegren (first-round pick in 2017), Mac Hollowell (fourth-round pick in 2018) and Rasmus Sandin (first-round pick in 2018). Marlies’ coach Sheldon Keefe added, “It has been such a long period of time now where we relied on (Liljegren and Sandin), so we don’t get to the playoffs if those young guys can’t step up and play the minutes they had to play for us at different times when we were depleted.” With changes coming to the team’s defense, it’s good to know that the three prospects could be closing in on being ready for NHL action.
Oilers Waiting On Ken Holland To Make Decision On GM Opening
Sunday, 9:14 a.m.: TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports that Holland is expected to give his answer today and all indications suggest that he is interested in the job.
Sunday, 8:11 a.m.: Late last night, Friedman signed off, reporting that Holland’s decision on whether to take Edmonton’s five-year, $25MM offer will come in either Sunday or Monday. If Holland does accept the position, Dave Tippett would become the lead candidate for the team’s head coaching job.
Saturday, 8:37 p.m.: Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported (via Sportsnet’s Mark Spector) on Hockey Night in Canada that the Edmonton Oilers have offered Holland a five-year contract at $5MM per year to be the Oilers General Manager.
Saturday, 3:33 p.m.: No decision is expected to be made until next week, but the Edmonton Oilers could be close to choosing their future general manager. In fact, with the franchise having recently narrowed their search to three candidates in Detroit Red Wings Senior Vice President Ken Holland, interim general manager Keith Gretzky and former Toronto Maple Leafs’ assistant general manager Mark Hunter as their top candidates, The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell (subscription required) writes that it already looks like Holland has the inside track on the job.
Holland is expected to return from a trip overseas Saturday night, suggesting that negotiations might heat up soon. While just a few days ago the GM race was considered to be a “two-horse race” between Gretzky and Hunter, Sportsnet’s Marc Spector revealed one day later that the Oilers were going “all-in” on Holland. The question was whether Holland was interested in waiting for a potential general manager job opening in Seattle or would be willing to take over in Edmonton.
Holland is completing his 36th season in Detroit and his 22nd as general manager, but with Steve Yzerman taking over those duties, Holland could be looking for another GM position already. He certainly has a impressive resume, including three Stanley Cup Championships, four Presidents’ Trophies, and has seen his team reach 100-season points 13 times. Unfortunately, his recent resume hasn’t been as exemplary as he has continued to try to keep his franchise-winning teams in contention with questionable free-agent signings and only recently committed to rebuilding their salary-capped franchise. In fact, the Red Wings have finished with a worse record than the struggling Oilers franchise for several years now. Now 63 years old, many people wonder what Holland has done in the NHL lately and whether running a franchise has past him by.
The Edmonton Sun’s Terry Jones writes that CEO Bob Nicholson is likely banking on the team hiring Holland, as the scribe believes that Nicholson isn’t enamored with the two other candidates. After two interviews already with Hunter, the fact that they haven’t hired him suggests that Nicholson isn’t comfortable hiring him, while Jones also adds that he doesn’t think Nicholson believes that Gretzky is an “A-list” hire. The belief is that if Holland takes the job, he would have full control of the franchise and that he would never have even begun talking to Nicholson if he wasn’t interested in being a general manager again.
Mitchell adds that if Holland does take over, he will likely bring in his own people into the front office. And while, he believes that there will be a place for Gretzky no matter what, Holland has stated that your need four or five key people in place to run a franchise. One interesting option if Holland does take over is who might become the team’s next head coach, suggesting that Holland has close connections to current Dallas Stars assistant coach Todd Nelson. Changes could also come quickly depending on Holland’s assessment of the Oilers’ core. That core of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson and Darnell Nurse could be altered, considering he wasn’t the man to bring them in.
Red Kelly Passes Away At Age 91
Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs legend Red Kelly has passed away at the age of 91. The Kelly family released a statement through the Red Wings:
Red was a devoted husband and caring father and grandfather and was tremendously proud of his many hockey accomplishments. He was very moved by decades of love and support from Red Wings fans and was humbled to have his jersey retired earlier this year. We are comforted in knowing that he impacted so many people both at and away from the rink and know that his life will be celebrated.
Maple Leafs president and former Red Wings player Brendan Shanahan also released a statement on the passing of Kelly:
The entire Toronto Maple Leafs organization mourns the passing of Red Kelly. For those of us who were lucky enough to have known or encountered Red, we will all miss his sharp mind and keen intellect. He was a gentle man but a fierce competitor. Above all, he was a family man, and he will be missed by his hockey family. Our deepest sympathies go out to Andra, their children, grandchildren and the entire Kelly family.
There have been few players in the history of professional hockey to achieve the success Kelly did on the ice. A defenseman for the Red Wings starting in 1947, Kelly was almost immediately recognized as one of the best players in the game. He received votes for the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player in just his third season, and would win the first of four Lady Byng trophies in his fourth. The exceptional two-way player would hoist the Stanley Cup four times with the Red Wings, only to see his career take a sharp turn later on.
After a dispute with the Red Wings ended in a nixed trade to the New York Rangers and a brief retirement for Kelly, he would end up getting a call from the Maple Leafs. A famous meeting between Kelly and Toronto coach Punch Imlach resulted in the defenseman changing positions and becoming a center, in order to check Jean Beliveau of the Montreal Canadiens. Kelly would find immediate success with the Maple Leafs, and helped them to four more Stanley Cup victories over the years. The final time came on May 2, 1967, exactly 52 years ago today. The Maple Leafs have still not raised the Cup again.
Kelly’s No. 4 was raised to the Detroit rafters earlier this season, retired by the Red Wings. The Maple Leafs did the same, making Kelly one of 17 players to see their numbers retired in a 2016 ceremony. Both franchises were completely changed by Kelly’s presence on the ice, and he will never be forgotten by fans around the hockey world.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Blackhawks, Matthews, Bean
The Chicago Blackhawks have announced a three-year extension with their ECHL affiliate the Indy Fuel. The agreement will take them through the 2021-22 season and means the Fuel will remain affiliated with the only NHL team they’ve ever known. The Indianapolis franchise came into the ECHL in 2014, though haven’t yet found a ton of success. In their five-year run, the Fuel have only qualified for the Kelly Cup playoffs once and were swept out of the first round that season by the Toledo Walleye.
More and more around the league the ECHL is used as a development team crucial in the early years of raw or unexpected prospects. Notably it is a place where young goaltenders can sharpen their skills while playing a lot, something that Blackhawks netminder Collin Delia did as recently as 2017-18. Delia played ten games for the Fuel during that season and now looks like a potential starting option for the Blackhawks going forward. Justin Holl of the Toronto Maple Leafs is also an alumni of the Indy program, having started his professional career there by playing 66 games for the team in 2014-15.
- Speaking of the Maple Leafs, the team announced today that Auston Matthews has undergone a procedure to remove hardware from a 2014 surgery. Matthews broke his femur while playing in the USNTDP several years ago, and according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN the screws leftover from that procedure may have been causing back pain for the young star. This explains why Matthews will not be playing in the upcoming IIHF World Championship, though it is not expected to affect his offseason training schedule.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Jake Bean from the AHL once again, though with the Charlotte Checkers starting their second round playoff series tomorrow evening he may not be on the roster very long. Bean has been up and down in the playoffs to give the Hurricanes some additional defensive depth as they deal with injuries to Calvin de Haan and Trevor van Riemsdyk, but he has yet to suit up. The 20-year old was named to the AHL All-Rookie team this season and made his NHL debut by suiting up twice for the Hurricanes earlier in the year.