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Jake Kielly Signs With Vancouver Canucks

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The Vancouver Canucks have added some more goaltending depth, signing undrafted free agent Jake Kielly to a two-year entry-level contract. Kielly recently finished his junior season at Clarkson University, and will burn the first year of his deal in 2018-19.

Kielly, 22, recorded a .929 save percentage in each of the last two seasons for Clarkson, and was named to the ECAC Second All-Star team this year. The 6’2″ netminder went undrafted but has continued to develop nicely, dominating the USHL and the college ranks for the last several seasons. He was even named an alternate captain for Clarkson despite being a goaltender, and led all active NCAA goaltenders with 16 career shutouts.

After having depth problems all season at the goaltending position, the Canucks are now set for next season. Kielly will likely join Michael DiPietro in the minor leagues, while Jacob Markstrom and Thatcher Demko make up the NHL tandem. There’s more than one way the future can shake out with all of these young goaltenders, but the position is certainly looking bright at the moment.

Canucks Notes: Demko, Hutton, Schenn, Lockwood

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With the impressive play of Jacob Markstrom this season, the Vancouver Canucks have an interesting conundrum to face as the team suddenly may have themselves too much goaltending depth. The 29-year-old Markstrom has had another solid season as the Canucks’ starting goaltender, posting a winning record of 28-22-9 on a losing team, while posting a 2.76 GAA and a .913 save percentage.

However, Markstrom’s solid play raises some questions, according to the Vancouver Sun’s Patrick Johnston, who suggests that with his improved play, the team might want to consider trading from strength and consider moving top goaltending prospect Thatcher Demko this off-season. With another franchise goaltender in waiting with 19-year-old Michael DiPietro ready to go pro next season, the team could move Demko without significant loss. Demko has played in seven NHL games, and has played extremely well in five of those games. However, because of two poor outings, his .903 save percentage doesn’t look as impressive.

Regardless, the 23-year-old Demko would be high in demand from teams looking for a future franchise goaltender. Johnston suggests it’s a similar situation to when the team opted to trade goaltender Cory Schneider back in 2013 for a first-round pick, which eventually turned out to be Bo Horvat.

  • The Athletic’s Harman Dayal (subscription required) writes that Vancouver should consider moving defenseman Ben Hutton. The 25-year-old blue liner seems to have returned to the form he showed in an impressive rookie year back in the 2015-16 season. After two seasons of struggles, Hutton has once again proven to be a top-four defenseman. Regardless, Dayal suggests that the 25-year-old’s success might be the best the team will ever see and they might be better off moving on from him now while his value is at its highest.
  • The Canucks are close to signing defenseman Luke Schenn to a one-year contract extension, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman late last night on Hockey Night in Canada. Schenn, who came over to the Canucks in a January swap with the Anaheim Ducks for Michael Del Zotto, has fared well, showing energy and becoming a quick fan favorite in his 15 games with Vancouver. Schenn, who fell out of favor in Anaheim, is currently finishing out a one-year, $800K deal that he signed with the Ducks last offseason.
  • In the same commentary, Friedman also confirmed rumors that University of Michigan forward William Lockwood has told the Canucks that he intends to return to college for his senior year. The 20-year-old had a solid year with the Wolverines as he tallied 16 goals and 31 points in 36 games last season. The 2016 third-round pick out of Michigan could opt to become a unrestricted free agent at this point next season.

Snapshots: Elias, Hedman, Lockwood, Marino

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The New Jersey Devils will have a familiar face around the team as former Devils’ great Patrik Elias will be spending time with the John Hynes and the Devils’ coaching staff for the final week of the season, according to NHL.com’s Amanda Stein. The former star player is interested in coaching and wants spend time with the staff and gain experience with working on a coach’s schedule.

Elias, who played 1,240 games with the Devils over the course of his career, scored 408 goals and 1,025 points over that time. However, with his playing days over, he has shown more interest in coaching in the last year. Elias spent time with the Devils this summer and even asked Hynes about coaching the Czech National Team.

Stein says that Elias will be on the ice with the Devils during practice and sit through coaching meetings. He is also expected to be assigned certain duties for the remainder of the season.

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning are facing a scare as Victor Hedman left Saturday’s game during the second period. Evidently, the helmet of Washington Capitals forward Carl Hagelin hit Hedman on the chin accidentally and the Lightning announced that Hedman would not return to the game as a result of the incident. Any long-term loss could be devastating to a team that has been consistently dominant all season and can’t afford to be without their top defenseman for any extended period of time.
  • Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that Vancouver Canucks prospect Will Lockwood will likely stay put and return to the University of Michigan. Lockwood, who just finished his junior year, had a breakout season with 16 goals and 31 points for the Wolverines. If Lockwood, the Canucks’ third-round pick from the 2016 draft, chooses to return to Michigan, he could play out his senior and opt to become a unrestricted free agent after that, free to sign with any team in the NHL.
  • The Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson writes that the Edmonton Oilers might have a tough time signing their 2015 sixth-round pick John Marino, who just completed his junior season at Harvard. Unfortunately, because he played a season of USHL hockey, he could opt to become an unrestricted free agent now if he wants. The 21-year-old defenseman had three goals and 11 points for Harvard.

 

Prospect Notes: Jenik, Sadek, Hughes

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Though the team hasn’t announced the deal yet, Jan Jenik has announced that he has signed an entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes (h/t Craig Morgan from The Athletic). Jenik is currently dealing with an injury but his junior team the Hamilton Bulldogs were recently eliminated from the OHL playoffs meaning he could jump to the AHL to get a look at the professional level.

Jenik, 18, was selected 65th overall in 2018 and split this season between the Czech Republic and OHL. In 27 games for the Bulldogs he recorded 30 points, but could potentially go back to the junior ranks next season to continue his development. Another lottery ticket for the Coyotes, we’ll have to wait to see when they actually announced the contract.

  • The Iowa Wild have signed Jack Sadek to an amateur tryout, allowing the 21-year old defenseman to get his feet wet at the professional level after a season in the NCAA. The seventh-round pick finished his career at the University of Minnesota with an 18-point season, but will have to prove he deserves an NHL contract in Minnesota. Sadek technically will become an unrestricted free agent in August if he waits that long, but a minor league pact could keep him in the Wild organization.
  • The time has come for Vancouver Canucks prospect Quinn Hughes, who will make his NHL debut tonight after nursing a foot injury. Hughes signed his first NHL contract after deciding to leave the University of Michigan, and will be must-see action for prospect watchers all around the league. The talented defenseman is a dynamic skater and brings some incredible offensive upside to the table. With five games left in the season for the Canucks, Hughes could actually earn himself a $25,000 bonus if he suits up in all of them according to CapFriendly.

Pacific Notes: Neal, Hughes, Golden Knights

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Already atop the Pacific Division, the Calgary Flames hope to get even stronger after veteran winger James Neal returned to the lineup Saturday night. Neal, who signed a five-year, $28.75MM deal in the offseason, has struggled in his time with the Flames with both injury and production, posting just five goals in 56 games. However, Calgary hopes they can get the 31-year-old going just in time for the playoffs, giving them another weapon they haven’t really had all season.

Neal, who has had 10 straight season with 20 goals or more throughout his career, fared well in his first game back.

“I thought he was real good,” said Flames’ head coach Bill Peters after Saturday’s win. “Really happy with Nealer’s play. I thought he was physical. I thought he was engaged in the game. I thought he played real well.”

Neal has one other key statistic — he has 100 games of playoff experience — a quality that few Flames have, which could be another big asset for the team.

“It felt like a long time (out), but my body feels good and I’m excited to get going,” Neal said prior to Saturday’s welcome-back against the Canucks. “It’s always tough when you get injured but for me, just the way everything was going, I just kind of took it as a positive and rested up and got ready for a big playoff run.”

  • The debut of Vancouver Canucks top prospect, Quinn Hughes, could be fast approaching as Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma reports that Hughes was out on the ice this morning, skating effortlessly during skills session. The 19-year-old had a recent test that cleared him of having a broken bone in his foot that he suffered with Michigan during the Big 10 playoffs while blocking a shot. The Canucks hope they can get their 2018 first-rounder out on the ice before their season ends.
  • Steve Carp of SinBin.vegas writes that one advantage that the Vegas Golden Knights have, almost guaranteed to be locked into a playoff battle with the San Jose Sharks in the first round, is the team can afford to give injured players some rest. That has been evidenced by forward Max Pacioretty, who landed awkwardly after taking a hit from Winnipeg’s Jacob Trouba on Thursday and is listed as day-to-day and with little incentive left until the playoffs, the team is giving him the time he needs to rest up. The same goes from heavily used Marc-Andre Fleury, who is out with a lower-body injury and has missed four straight games. Even Erik Haula, who has missed most of the season, is skating regularly and could be ready to practice when the playoffs start.

Pacific Notes: Kesler, Eaves, Ruggiero, Schueneman, Brassard

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The Anaheim Ducks have struggled with injuries all season and it doesn’t sound like the odds are good for two of their veteran forwards to return this season. GM and interim head coach Bob Murray issued a statement today offering an update on the status of both Ryan Kesler and Patrick Eaves and did so without much optimism. Kesler has missed the Ducks’ past seven games with a hip injury and will meet with team doctors soon to evaluate his recovery. Murray states that Kesler, 34, needs to consider his long-term overall health and that discussions have been ongoing between the team, player, and agent about the best course of action. Murray’s best guess is that “I doubt strongly you’ll see him again this year.” As for Eaves, also 34, the prognosis is similar. Eaves continues to struggle with the effects of a condition similar to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which cost him all but two games last year and seven games this year. Murray revealed that Eaves has “has a setback” and is “struggling”. He states that Eaves’ focus is simply getting back to a normal life before focusing on a return to hockey. Eaves was hardly expected to return to the Anaheim lineup this season, but Murray’s comments all but assure that his year is over.

  • Rather than sign 2015 sixth-round pick Steven Ruggiero to an entry-level contract, the Ducks have opted to sign him to an amateur tryout offer with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. Ruggiero struggled to make much of an impact at the college level in two years with Providence College and one year at Lake Superior State University before finally enjoying a strong senior season with the Lakers. A U.S. National Team Develop Program product, Ruggiero has ability, but has not shown consistent offense for much of his hockey career. The 6’3″, 216-lb. defender plays a heavy game and could potentially be a a good stay-at-home option at the next level, but the Ducks will first take a look to see how he plays in the AHL down the stretch. A strong performance will likely lead to an ELC, while a disappointing debut will likely lead to Ruggiero becoming a free agent later this summer.
  • The AHL’s Stockton Heat, the affiliate of the Calgary Flames, have signed Western Michigan University captain Corey Schueneman to a contract for the 2019-20 season. The two-way defenseman will join the team on an amateur tryout for the rest of the season in the meantime. Schueneman, a standout in the USHL prior to his college years, has always been a capable contributor on the blue line but can also hold his own defensively. A well-rounded prospect, the Flames will no doubt keep an eye on Schueneman’s development next season.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have gone the opposite way of their divisional rivals today, informing a prospect that he will not be signed. Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that the team has informed OHL defenseman Matt Brassard that they will not offer him an entry-level contract prior to the deadline to do so on June 1st. Per the CBA, a team must tender a contract offer to a junior player within two years after they are drafted or that player may re-enter the NHL Draft. Brassard, a 2017 seventh-round pick, will thus try his hand at another go-round in the draft this June. The Canucks’ decision is somewhat surprising; Brassard has been a point-per-game player for the Niagara Ice Dogs since coming over from the Oshawa Generals earlier in the season. Altogether, he has 56 points in 65 games – his second straight season of 50+ points – to go along with a 6’3″ frame and decent defensive ability. Admittedly, Brassard’s game is not without flaws and he has been sheltered by the immense talent in Niagara this season, but the 20-year-old blue liner still seems like a player worth taking a shot on with an entry-level deal.

Snapshots: Hughes, Stepan, AHL Deals

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The news is positive for Quinn Hughes, as his recent testing came back negative for a broken bone in his foot. The top prospect is expected to start skating soon and still make his debut before the end of the regular season. Hughes, who injured his foot blocking a shot at the very end of his collegiate season, cannot burn a year of his entry-level deal or become eligible for the 2021 expansion draft now that the Canucks have just eight games remaining in the regular season.

The dynamic defenseman finished with 33 points in 32 games for the University of Michigan and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker award. The seventh-overall pick from 2018 is expected to be a game-changing talent for the Canucks on the back end, and will give their defense corps a completely new look next season.

  • Who needs recovery timelines anyway? Derek Stepan, a notoriously quick healer, is once again about to return before originally expected. Craig Morgan of The Athletic reports that the Arizona Coyotes forward is a game-time decision for tomorrow night’s game against the New Jersey Devils, just over three weeks after he was given a four to six week timetable for his lower-body injury. Stepan had been carrying a huge amount of responsibility for the Coyotes when he went down, and his return will only help them on their quest for the playoffs. Arizona currently sits tied with the Colorado Avalanche for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference with eight games to go.
  • The Toronto Marlies have signed Colton Conrad to a two-year AHL contract which will start next season. Conrad will join the Marlies on an amateur tryout for the rest of this year. The 21-year old forward played four years at Western Michigan University and scored 38 points this season. Not to be outdone, the Iowa Wild have signed University of Minnesota captain Tyler Sheehy to an amateur tryout, bringing the homegrown talent into the organization after his college career came to an end. Sheehy is from Burnsville and had an outstanding career at Minnesota, recording 149 points in 149 games over four years.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau Handed One-Game Suspension

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The decision has come down from the NHL Department of Player Safety and Ottawa Senators forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau will be suspended for his team’s next game. Pageau was assessed a minor penalty for boarding late in the second period of Wednesday night’s game at the Vancouver Canucks for a check on defenseman Ashton Sautner. However, the league felt that the altercation deserved further examination and held a hearing with Pageau this morning. The result is a one-game ban that will leave Pageau sidelined when the Senators travel to play the Calgary Flames tonight.

Player Safety opined that the hit in question was clearly made from behind and was a premeditated move by Pageau (video):

Sautner goes into the corner to collect the loose puck. As he tries to corral the puck while moving up the wall, Pageau is in pursuit from behind… Pageau delivers a hard hit into his back, driving him into the boards with force. This is boarding. It is important to note that from the moment Sautner collects the puck until contact is made, Pageau sees nothing but Sautner’s numbers. This is not a case in which a sudden move by Sautner just prior to contact turns a legal hit into an illegal one. Pageau has sufficient time to adjust his course and deliver a legal hit, minimize the force of the hit, or avoid the hit entirely. Instead he delivers this hit directly through Sautner’s back, driving him forcefully into the boards.

Pageau perhaps avoided further punishment due to the fact that he has no history of supplemental discipline, either by suspension or fine, as well as the fact that Sautner was able to return to the game in the third period. Nevertheless, his absence leaves Ottawa even more short-handed that usual. After trading away several core forwards ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline, Pageau was left as one of the de facto leaders of the Senators offense. Without him in the lineup, their minimal odds against the Flames are even worse. On top of that, it’s yet another missed game for Pageau, who was sidelined for the first half of the season with an off-season Achilles injury. His suspended game will be his 43rd absence in a season to forget.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

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The Department of Player Safety has some work to do today, as they have announced a hearing for Ottawa Senators forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Pageau was involved in an incident last night when he hit Ashton Sautner of Vancouver Canucks from behind. He was given a minor boarding penalty on the play, and Sautner returned to the game.

Pageau, 26, already missed most of this season after suffering an Achilles injury in training camp and now may be forced to sit out another few games. The check was clearly from behind as Sautner tried to collect the puck along the boards, and Pageau took several strides to drive through his opponent. The Senators forward has not faced suspension previously in his career however, and since there was no major injury on the play he should avoid a long punishment.

Still, this is just the latest incident in what has been a nightmare season for the Senators. The team has seen their very best players shipped out of town, and now head into a summer that might bring even more change. Pageau, Mikkel Boedker, Dylan DeMelo, Craig Anderson and Mark Borowiecki are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents after the 2019-20 season, and without extensions will probably be next on the chopping block.

No Extension Talks Between Vancouver Canucks, Jacob Markstrom

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The Vancouver Canucks have had plenty of intrigue at the goaltender position this season, finding themselves without anyone to start in the minor leagues at various times. All that was caused by trading away Anders Nilsson, knowing that they wanted to give young up-and-comer Thatcher Demko a shot in the NHL. While Demko has looked fine in his five appearances, the more impressive run has been by 29-year old Jacob Markstrom.

Markstrom has a .929 save percentage over his last 14 starts, raising his numbers on the year to .915—the best mark of his career. He’s recorded a 26-20-9 record through 55 starts, an impressive total for a team that has lost more games than they’ve won overall on the season. While Demko may still represent the goaltender of the future, this run by Markstrom has definitely put himself in position for a potential extension. His current deal, which carries just a $3.67MM cap hit, expires after 2019-20 meaning he could sign an extension this July. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet though reports that there have been no talks yet between the two sides.

There’s good reason to believe that Markstrom has finally started to figure things out. He now has a .913 save percentage across his last four seasons, and has looked poised all year long behind an exciting Vancouver team. Remember this is a player that was selected 31st overall in 2008, and experienced incredible success early in his career. Markstrom was named the best goaltender at the 2008 World Junior tournament, carrying his Swedish team to a silver medal, and then won SHL Rookie and Goaltender of the Year after the 2009-10 season.

While the Canucks may not be competing for the Stanley Cup next season, their young core of Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and others are going to be pushing for the playoffs before long. The team will have to decide who they want backstopping that group, and whether they can afford to keep Markstrom around. Demko meanwhile is a restricted free agent this summer, but does not have arbitration rights and likely will have to settle for an inexpensive deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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