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John Wroblewski Named Head Coach Of AHL’s Ontario Reign

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Monday: The Kings have officially announced Wroblewski has agreed to become the next coach of the Reign. Los Angeles GM Rob Blake released a short statement on his new coach:

John has a proven background in working with young players and helping them develop their game. He’s a strong leader who communicates well and he’ll play an important role for our organization. We welcome John and his family to southern California and look forward to having him coach the Reign.

Saturday: After the news on Friday that Seth Appert is expected to join the AHL’s Rochester Americans, affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres, as head coach, the U.S. National Team Development Program has been dealt yet another blow. Appert’s fellow head coach with the USNTDP, John Wroblewski, is also expected to depart for the AHL. The New England Hockey Journal’s Jeff Cox reports that Wroblewski is expected to be named the head coach of the Ontario Reign, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.

Wroblewski, just 39 years old, nevertheless has a lengthy coaching resume at both the professional and amateur level including a pair of seasons in the AHL as an assistant with none other than the Rochester Americans. Wroblewski initially began his coaching career with USA Hockey before spending time as an assistant and head coach in the ECHL and USHL. He returned to the USNTDP in 2016 and has served as a head coach in the program for the past four years.

Wroblewski has had the privilege of coaching some elite NHL prospects in recent years with the USNTDP. As the head coach of the U-17 team in 2017-18 and U-18 team in 2018-19, he spent two seasons with the historic 2019 NHL Draft class, which included first-round picks Jack Hughes (NJD), Alex Turcotte (LAK), Trevor Zegras (ANA),  Matthew Boldy (MIN), Spencer Knight (FLA), Cam York (PHI), Cole Caufield (MTL), and John Beecher (BOS). As the U-17 head coach this year, Wroblewski again worked with some promising American youngster in presumptive 2021 top picks Luke Hughes and Matthew Beniers. The Kings hope that this experience will allow Wroblewski to be an effective leader for their prospects, which includes former player Turcotte who is one of a number of talented young players in the L.A. pipeline.

For as much as Wroblewski has played a positive role for the USNTDP over the past four years, his departure along with Appert’s has left the program reeling. With the USHL still targeting a normal fall start to the 2020-21 season, USA Hockey may have less than a month to replace both of the head coaches in the program. Expect some dominoes in the coaching ranks to continue falling as a result of these moves.

Danil Gushchin, Albin Grewe Sign In OHL

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Two notable NHL prospects and recent CHL Import Draft selections have joined the ranks of the OHL. 2020 draft eligible forward Danil Gushchin, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 Import Draft, has signed with the Niagara Ice Dogs, while forward Albin Grewe, a 2019 third-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, has signed with the Saginaw Spirit.

Gushchin’s move signals a shift in his developmental path. A consensus second-round pick in the coming NHL Entry Draft, Gushchin is a very talented forward with great speed and stick skills. The one glaring concern about his game is his size: Gushchin stands just 5’8” and weighs in at around 160 lbs. For this reason, it seemed the Russian winger was favoring the collegiate development path, which can often be better for undersized players. The No. 7 overall pick in the CHL Import Draft last year, Gushchin instead opted to play another season in the USHL with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, preserving his NCAA eligibility. However, with questions about the likelihood of a college hockey season, Gushchin may have decided that the best choice for his development was to improve his level of play next season and the OHL was his safest bet. The question now, and one that NHL scouting staffs will have to decide, is whether the size and skill that made him a point-per-game player in the USHL will translate to the OHL and eventually to the pros.

As for Grewe, the move to the OHL is not unexpected following a disappointing 2019-20 campaign. A skilled and pesky two-way winger out of Sweden, Grewe was considered a great value for the Red Wings at No. 66 overall last year. He was expected to play a larger role with the SHL’s Djurgardens IF this year after getting into 15 games last season but failing to record a point. Instead, he was limited to just 19 games and managed just one point, while his production fell off considerably in the junior SuperElit as well. In fact, the only real statistical growth this year for Grewe was in penalty minutes. Grewe needs to work more on his offensive game and skill development and has a better chance of doing that playing meaningful minutes against his peers at the junior level rather than bouncing back and forth from a pro team where he was clearly not ready to compete. Although Saginaw waited to select Grewe until the second round of the Import Draft, both sides were happy to sign on for next year. Now Detroit fans just have to hope that the talented forward can get back on track with his new team and league.

Prospect Notes: Summer Showcase, USHL, Blues

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Three players from the US National Team Development Program have tested positive for COVID-19 according to Katie Strang and Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required), throwing the viability of holding the World Junior Summer Showcase later this month into question. Though the other usual participating nations—Canada, Finland, and Sweden—had pulled out of the event already, USA Hockey was still planning on holding the event in Plymouth, Michigan starting July 24.

The report examines how that will be difficult given Michigan’s current health mandates. Last month, USA Hockey announced the 43-man roster for the event, which includes nine members from the previous World Junior team that finished in sixth place. Other high-profile prospects like Cole Caufield (MTL), Spencer Knight (FLA), Trevor Zegras (ANA), and Alex Turcotte (LAK) were all included on the roster.

  • The USHL will drive forward with plans to hold a full 2020-21 season, announcing today that is still their main focus. The league was forced to cancel the remainder of the 2019-20 season due to the coronavirus outbreak but like all junior leagues are trying to find a way back into competition this fall. While there were no dates or timelines in the release, the league’s board of directors will (digitally) meet weekly to work towards a “return to play for the 2020-21 season while ensuring the safety of everyone involved.”
  • How will Scott Perunovich fare in professional hockey? The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler (subscription required) took a look at the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner and several other St. Louis Blues prospects today, giving NHL comparisons for each one. In Wheeler’s words, Perunovich was the most difficult one to find a comparison for because “there aren’t a lot of 5-foot-10 defensemen in the NHL and none of them play quite like [him].”

Predators’ Alexander Campbell Commits To Clarkson

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The Clarkson University Golden Knights received a major boost to their program today in the form of a commitment from Nashville Predators prospect Alexander Campbell. Clarkson announced that Campbell, as well as older brother Charlie Campbell, will join the team next season. The younger Campbell was selected at No. 65 overall at the top of the third round in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Campbell, 19, immediately becomes Clarkson’s top prospect and could be the best player to come out of the program in some time. While the team has produced fringe NHLers like L.A.’s Sheldon Rempal and Minnesota’s Nico Sturm in recent years, they have not had a young player of Campbell’s caliber in some time, including the five other NHL prospects currently on the team. The Quebec native has been better than a point-per-game player in the BCHL and the USHL in back-to-back seasons and his combination of skill and hard work creates easy offense on a regular basis.

For a Clarkson team that was No. 7 in the country and on their way to a spot in the NCAA Tournament this year before the season was canceled due to COVID-19, adding Campbell, as well as the instant chemistry that comes with bringing his brother along, could be a difference-maker. The team will have to make up for the loss of leading scorers Haralds Egle and Devin Brosseau, but Campbell should help to keep the team competitive in the ECAC and on the national stage over the next few years.

Cameron MacDonald Headed To QMJHL

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The 2020 NHL Entry Draft still doesn’t have a date, but some are already looking forward to next year and the crop of talent that will be eligible in 2021. One of those names, Cameron MacDonald, will be showcasing his skills in a different league than expected this season.

The 17-year old forward played the 2019-20 season in the USHL, given his commitment to Boston College for 2021. Those plans have changed dramatically today, as the Saint John Sea Dogs announced they have signed MacDonald and will have him in their lineup for the 2020-21 season. Given the NCAA eligibility rules, that means MacDonald won’t be able to head to BC either.

Already standing “nearly 6’2″ and 190-lbs” despite having turned 17 just last month, MacDonald is an exciting prospect for the Sea Dogs and hockey in general. He absolutely dominated the competition at the midget level (72 goals and 126 points in 52 games) and held his own in the USHL this season despite being much younger than the competition.

The QMJHL is hoping to start a full season at the beginning of October.

Gerry Mayhew Wins AHL MVP

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The Les Cunningham Award has been given to Gerry Mayhew of the Iowa Wild, named the AHL’s most valuable player after a vote from coaches, players, and media around the league. Mayhew follows Daniel Carr who won the award in 2018-19.

In only his third full season in the AHL, the 27-year old Mayhew has proven that hard work and determination can pay off. After going undrafted out of the USHL despite his strong play, the 5’9″ forward dominated at the collegiate level for Ferris State University. When he stepped into the AHL in 2017 his goal-scoring touch came with him.

Mayhew had already experienced success over the last two seasons, but this year he took his game to an entirely new level. With 39 goals he was the league’s scoring champ despite playing in just 49 games. Those 39 tallies were also the most by an AHL skater in nearly a decade, another incredible feat given his shortened season.

Not only was the AHL campaign cut short by the COVID-19 outbreak, but Mayhew also got his first chance in the NHL, playing 13 games for the Minnesota Wild.

Mayhew has one more year on his two-way contract with the Wild, which carries a $700K cap hit at the NHL level.

Snapshots: Egle, Handemark, Cehlarik

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Over the past two years, Clarkson University forward Haralds Egle has been one of the best and most consistent scoring forwards in college hockey. An undrafted prospect out of the USHL, the Latvian-born winger just completed his final collegiate season but truly began to hit his stride last year. In total, Egle accumulated 33 goals and 72 points in 71 games over the past two seasons, leading a national contender. Now, Egle is ready to take on the pros. The AHL’s Manitoba Moose have announced a two-year deal for the 23-year-old scoring forward. Latvia remains an under-represented nation in the NHL, but if Egle’s NCAA ability translates to the AHL its very possible that his he could be the next name from his country to join the ranks of the elite.

  • Swedish forward Fredrik Handemark is no stranger to the NHL rumor mill, with the most recent reports naming the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks as suitors should the SHL veteran choose to make the jump this off-season. It appears he has made his choice though, as Swedish news source Aftonbladet reports that Handemark is expected to sign with the Sharks this summer. After posting a career-high 14 goals and 38 points this season, the 26-year-old Malmo Redhawks captain has decided to take the next step in his career with San Jose. While the terms have not been confirmed, Aftonbladet expects Handemark to sign a one-year entry-level contract with a $900K AAV, which could prove to be a bargain for the Sharks if the Swedish star can replicate his production at the next level.
  • Boston Bruins forward Peter Cehlarik may be eyeing a move to the opposite side of the Atlantic. Slovakian news source TA3 reports that the local product may be considering a move to Europe, namely the SHL, after another season in which he was unable to secure a consistent NHL job. Cehlarik, 24, played his developmental years in Sweden and was drafted by Boston from Lulea HF in 2013. In his four years since coming over from Europe, Cehlarik has played in at least three NHL games each season, including a career-high 20 in 2018-19. However, his considerable scoring ability – 136 points in 185 career AHL games – has not translated to the NHL, where he has just 11 points in 40 games. Beyond just his production, Cehlarik has struggled to find a natural fit in the Bruins’ lineup and has been passed up on the organizational depth chart. A restricted free agent this summer, Boston may qualify Cehlarik as a useful minor league depth player, but he could opt instead to chase a starring role back in the SHL.

Jack Ahcan To Sign With Boston Bruins

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Under both Claude Julien and now Bruce Cassidy, the Boston Bruins have largely stressed the importance of a lefty-righty balance on the blue line. However, when it comes to loading up the pipeline, that principle doesn’t seem to carry the same weight. The Bruins will continue to add talent to the left side of their defensive ranks, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the team is set to sign St. Cloud State standout Jack Ahcan.

Ahcan, 22, just wrapped up his senior year with the Huskies and finished his collegiate career with 103 points in 144 games, two NCHC regular season titles, and the “C” on his sweater this final season as well. Ahcan, whose younger brother Roman plays for Wisconsin while youngest brother Grant is committed to St. Cloud State, emerged as an elite talent seemingly out of nowhere as a freshman. The USHL product played his way onto the U.S. World Junior Championship squad, which won gold that year, and finished the NCAA season with 21 points in 32 games. In 2018-19, Ahcan was one of the top blue liners in all of college hockey, finishing in the top ten among NCAA defensive scoring and fifth overall in plus/minus.

Ahcan draws a remarkably close comparison to many of Boston’s existing defensive assets: Torey Krug, Matt Grzelcyk, and even AHL project Cooper Zech. At 5’8” and 185 lbs., Ahcan is a small left-handed defenseman who excels in puck movement, vision, and offensive awareness – a description that fits the whole group. Ahcan quarterbacked the power play at St. Cloud State, much as Krug does in Boston, but also like Krug he is not afraid to throw a big hit and get involved in puck battles. In fact, Ahcan’s skating ability allows him to hunt the puck and create turnovers and offensive chances. Boston has found a way to get the most out of undersized, offensive-minded defenseman and under the tutelage of Krug, Ahcan has a chance to become a special player.

Of course, Krug is set to be an unrestricted free agent, while Grzelcyk will be a restricted free agent this summer. Both are expected to be back next season, but perhaps not for the long haul. A popular projection is for Grzelcyk to be lost to Seattle in the impending 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Boston is too deep up front to protect four defenseman and the likely group of Krug, Charlie McAvoy, and Brandon Carlo would leave Grzelcyk up for grabs. Ahcan could be groomed to be a replacement option in that case.

He will have plenty of competition though. There is no shortage of talent on left side of the blue line in Boston’s organizational depth chart. Although future Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara may not be around much longer and Krug is not yet extended long-term, the Bruins have Grzelcyk (for now), veteran John Moore, and rookie Jeremy Lauzon at the NHL level as well. In the AHL, recent first-round picks Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril will also push for promotion, with the aforementioned Zech in the mix as well. Down the road, 2019 selection Roman Bychkov could also figure into the competition. On top of all of that, the Bruins also signed Nick Wolff from the college ranks just last week. The Minnesota-Duluth defender is an entirely different style of player from Ahcan, but another name eager to show his pro chops. Consider that the right side is well-off at the top level as well with McAvoy, Carlo, Connor Clifton, and Steven Kampfer, and there are far more bodies than opportunities on the Boston blue line. Ahcan is a talented prospect and can learn from some of the best at his particular style with the Bruins, but he has his work cut out for him to be an NHL regular any time soon. If he rises to the task, Boston could look back on this signing as a game-changer.

Adam Fantilli Commits To USHL’s Chicago Steel

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In a move that may have NHL ramifications down the line, Adam Fantilli has signed with the USHL’s Chicago Steel for the 2020-21 season. The 15-year old forward was expected to be the first-overall selection in the OHL draft had he decided to stay in Canada and play in the CHL. His brother Luca Fantilli will be joining him, after the Steel picked him in the USHL Phase II Draft.

Already standing 6’2″ 181-lbs, Adam Fantilli is a blue-chip prospect for the 2023 NHL entry draft. Though there is obviously plenty of time for things to change between now and then, choosing to head the USHL route also may impact his draft and professional path.

Remember, players selected out of the CHL cannot play in the AHL until their age-20 season, something that already frustrates clubs with outstanding youngsters. There is also the fact that Luca Fantilli is committed to the University of Michigan to consider, given the propensity for USHL players to follow the college route.

Obviously he will be a player to watch moving forward, but the North Bay Battalion will have to move in a different direction. That’s who owns the first-overall pick in next month’s draft, scheduled to be held on April 4th.

Minnesota Wild Sign Mitchell Chaffee

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After just three seasons at UMass-Amherst, Mitchell Chaffee has decided to turn pro. The undrafted free agent forward has signed with the Minnesota Wild, receiving a two-year entry-level contract that will begin next season.

The 22-year old Chaffee was pursued by several teams this offseason as one of the top college free agents. In three NCAA seasons he posted 95 points in 109 games and was named captain as a junior. Chaffee led all Hockey East players in scoring during the 2018-19 campaign, posting an incredible 42 points in 40 games. Though those numbers dropped a tiny bit this year, there’s still plenty of upside in the former USHL forward.

In fact, there’s a good case to be made that Chaffee could compete for a roster spot as soon as next season. The Wild could see some substantial change at forward if both Mikko Koivu and Alex Galchenyuk are allowed to test unrestricted free agency (or retirement, in the case of the former), and a Zach Parise trade is revisited in the offseason. That would open up spots for some younger options, including perhaps a 22-year old Chaffee who has shown a well-rounded game at the college level.

It’s been a big week for GM Bill Guerin and the Wild, who also signed Damien Giroux and Adam Beckman yesterday. The club is obviously trying to restock the cupboards and provide a little more depth at the forward position.

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