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Carolina Hurricanes Sign Stelio Mattheos

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The Carolina Hurricanes have signed one of their intriguing young forwards, inking Stelio Mattheos to a three-year entry-level contract. Mattheos played this season for the Brandon Wheat Kings, who unfortunately did not qualify for the WHL playoffs. That’s good news for the Charlotte Checkers though, who will get Mattheos on an amateur tryout for the rest of this season, while his NHL deal will kick in for 2019-20. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell explained what he likes about his newest forward:

Stelio is a highly-skilled center coming off back-to-back 90-point seasons in Brandon. He’s shown great ability as a goal scorer and we look forward to the next steps in his development.

The 19-year old Mattheos was selected in the third round of the 2017 draft, and broke out last season for the Wheat Kings. Scoring 43 goals and 90 points he immediately seemed like a steal for the Hurricanes, and this year has only proven it further. With another 96 points he finished sixth in WHL scoring and his 44 goals trailed only three others for the league lead. The talented forward also was among the best faceoff men in the league, winning nearly 55% of his draws.

Carolina has a glut of exciting prospects coming through their system, and Mattheos will be joining the best team in the AHL for a Calder Cup run. While he may not get into a ton of action for the Checkers, he’ll get a taste of what’s necessary at the professional level and be ready to make a big impact next season. Goal scoring has long been an issue for the Hurricanes at the NHL level, but they’ll only need a couple of their talented prospects to click in order to change that and push them even closer to Stanley Cup contention.

 

Joel Hofer Signs With St. Louis Blues

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The St. Louis Blues have added another young goaltender to their organization, signing Joel Hofer to a three-year entry-level contract. Hofer finished this season with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL, and will start a playoff series tomorrow against the Spokane Chiefs.

St. Louis already has 25-year old Jordan Binnington taking over the starting job in the NHL, while Ville Husso (24) and Evan Fitzpatrick (21) continue to develop in the minor leagues. Now add to that the lanky Hofer who has tons of upside, and the team has the makings of a goaltending pipeline in the works. The 18-year old junior goaltender still has to mature into his body, but has high hopes even after a tough season.

The Swift Current Broncos, where Hofer started the season, were the WHL’s worst team and compiled a 11-51-6 record. Hofer still managed to record a .904 save percentage in his 30 starts for the Broncos, though it came with an eye-popping 4.02 goals against average. That number has come down considerably since joining Portland, but there is still plenty of development left for the Winnipeg native.

Snapshots: Drury, Winnipeg, Savoie

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The U.S. Men’s National Team will be under new leadership moving forward, as Chris Drury has been named GM. Drury is currently serving as assistant GM with the New York Rangers, a position he will continue in along with this new role. John Vanbiesbrouck, assistant executive director of USA Hockey, explained the hiring:

We’re really happy to have Chris serving as general manager of our team. He knows what it takes to succeed at the international level, and working with our men’s national team advisory group, which brings vast experience, success and passion to the table, we have a tremendous group in place to build our team.

That advisory team is made up of several active NHL front office executives, including Drury’s boss in New York Jeff Gorton. The group will decide who will play in the upcoming World Championship, scheduled for May 10-26 in Slovakia. Drury has plenty of experience on the international stage, winning two Olympic silver medals and taking part in several other tournaments throughout his excellent playing career.

  • The Kootenay Ice have moved to Winnipeg for the 2019-20 WHL season, and will get a nice prize to start their run in the new city. The team today won the WHL Bantam Draft lottery, moving up one spot to get the first overall selection in the upcoming draft. The Prince George Cougars will pick second (with Swift Current’s selection) and fourth, while the Saskatoon Blades will be the third team up. Kelowna rounds out the top five of the draft, which will be held on May 2.
  • Unfortunately they won’t get a chance to pick Matthew Savoie with the top selection, as the 15-year old was denied exceptional status. In response to that, Savoie committed to the University of Denver for 2021-22, something his brother had already done previously. If he wants to maintain his college eligibility, Savoie will not be able to play anywhere in the WHL and instead will likely go the route of the USHL. That is, unless a favorable situation comes about at the 2020 bantam draft and he rescinds his commitment.

Pacific Notes: Karlsson, Canucks, Woo, Stone

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The San Jose Sharks got some promising news as star defenseman Erik Karlsson, who has missed most of the second half of the season with a groin injury, skated for 30 minutes this morning at the team’s morning skate for the first time since he re-injured his groin on Feb. 16, according to Paul Gackle of the Mercury News. Regardless, Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer said that Karlsson still is not close to returning.

“Good sign. Out there, no setbacks. No pain,” DeBoer said. “First step, obviously. We’re not close yet.”

Karlsson skated figure eights around the faceoff circles, practiced hard stops, and sprinted down the ice at full speed several times. Karlsson missed nine games after initially getting injured on Jan. 16. He returned for four games in February, but re-injured it on Feb. 23.

  • In a mailbag series, The Athletic’s J.D. Burke (subscription required) writes that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Vancouver Canucks look to be active in the free-agent defense market, suggesting the Canucks could opt to make a big offer this season on Winnipeg Jets’ free agent Tyler Myers. With the Jets expected to have even more cap problems than usual with several big restricted free agents to take care of this summer, including Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor and Jacob Trouba, the team might have to allow Myers to leave to free up some cap room. The 29-year-old Myers would be a big addition if Vancouver wants to make a big offer to the 6-foot-8, 229-pound blueliner.
  • Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal writes that the Vancouver Canucks and the representation for prospect Jett Woo have had positive talks about bringing the physical blueliner on board soon. The team’s 2018 second-round pick has had a breakout season with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors with 12 goals, 62 points and 63 penalty minutes in 61 games this season.
  • The Calgary Flames are adding some much needed depth to their blueline as defenseman Michael Stone is expected to play tonight in his first game in 125 days, according to Ryan Dittrick of NHL.com. Stone hasn’t played since Nov. 11 since he was diagnosed with a blood clot and placed on blood thinners. Regardless, Stone expects an easier transition back to the ice since he was able to get back on the ice four days after starting blood thinners and has been able to stay in good cardio shape the whole time. Stone has played 11 games this year and has four assists. He just returned from the Stockton Heat of the AHL, where he got three games of conditioning in.

New York Rangers Sign Jake Elmer

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Friday: The Rangers have announced that they have agreed to terms with Elmer on an entry-level contract.

Thursday: The New York Rangers are “closing in” on an interesting junior player, reports TSN’s Bob McKenzie. The Rangers are expected to sign forward Jake Elmer of the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes to an entry-level contract. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks adds that it will be a three-year deal beginning next season. Elmer has 38 goals and 78 points in 66 games this season.

While it has been a breakout season for Elmer, it hasn’t always been so easy for the 20-year-old winger. Elmer struggled to stick in the WHL early on, playing just 20 games over two seasons with the Regina Pats while spending more time in the junior-A AJHL. A trade moved him to the Kootenay Ice ahead of the 2016-17 season where he finally found consistent play time, but still lacking production. A second deal sent him to Lethbridge last year, where he has finally grown into a consistent scorer. However, after recording just 37 points last season, no one could have predicted that he would more than double that total this year. Playing next to presumptive 2019 top-ten pick Dylan Cozens, Elmer’s game has taken on a whole new level, as he leads the Hurricanes in goals and is third in points.

Yet, Elmer is still a player with a chip on his shoulder. He will undoubtedly again face doubts as he enters the pro level, but the hard-working right wing has defied expectations to this point and will look to continue that trend. Elmer is highly likely to spend time in the minors with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, but there is certainly an avenue for him to see action in New York sooner rather than later. Currently, Jesper Fast is the only right-handed winger on the Rangers’ roster and none of the right-shot wings in the pipeline were drafted any higher than the fifth round besides 25-year-old Steven Fogarty. There’s an argument to be made that upon signing his ELC, Elmer will immediately become the Rangers’ top right wing prospect with the only real competition coming from another undrafted free agent, Ville Meskanen. It’s a great fit for Elmer and New York can only hope that the available opportunity only further advances his competitive nature and the upward trajectory of his development.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Trey Fix-Wolansky

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed another one of their 2018 draft class, this time inking Trey Fix-Wolansky to a three-year entry-level contract. Fix-Wolansky is currently playing for the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL, where he will remain for a playoff run.

Fix-Wolansky, 19, was selected with the 204th overall pick last June but has proven once again that he can be a difference maker at the junior level. Undrafted in his first year of eligibility, the diminutive forward recorded 89 points in 2017-18 for the Oil Kings and caught the eye of the Blue Jackets. This season has been even better, with Fix-Wolansky recording 101 points in 63 games—42 more than his nearest teammate—and battling for the title of league scoring leader.

The 5’7″ winger has some incredible hands and can pull off dazzling moves while skating at full speed, but is also willing to battle for the puck in the more physical areas. That willingness will have to come with him to the next level in 2019-20, when he is expected to make the jump to professional hockey. There are obviously still some roadblocks on the way, but seventh round picks often don’t even earn themselves NHL contracts. Fix-Wolansky is out to prove he’s more than just a junior talent and can compete at the next level.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Reese Johnson

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The Chicago Blackhawks have added a prospect to their cupboard, signing undrafted free agent Reese Johnson to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal will begin in the 2019-20 season and carries an average annual value of $925K. Johnson is currently playing with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL.

Johnson, 20, is the captain of the Rebels this season and has 45 points in 62 games, trailing only Brandon Hagel (a fellow Blackhawks prospect) for the team scoring lead. He’s also known for his incredible faceoff ability, where he has absolutely dominated over the past two seasons. Johnson has won nearly 65% of his draws this year, an incredible talent that will prove invaluable at the professional level.

That professional career will kick off next season when Johnson is expected to join the Rockford Ice Hogs, where he will be challenged to improve his offensive game. While he won’t wow you with puck skills or elusiveness, Johnson gives the Blackhawks another legitimate NHL prospect even if his ceiling is limited.

Negotiation Notes: Kravtsov, Killins, Signing Deadline

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The New York Rangers are closing in on a contract with one of their top prospects. According to Sportsnet’s Mike Johnston, who relays a report from KHL insider Aivis Kalnins, Russian forward Vitali Kravtsov is expected to sign an entry-level contract with the Rangers sooner rather than later. It’s unclear if Kravtsov, whose current club Traktor Chelyabinsk has been knocked out of the KHL playoffs, intends to play immediately this season or if the contract would begin next season. Either way, Rangers fans will be excited to have the talented teenager pushing for a roster spot. Kravtsov, the ninth overall pick in last year’s NHL Draft, stands 6’4″ and plays a physical game, but also has great speed and high-end skill. A total package on the wing, Kravtsov recorded 21 points in 50 games this season, rare production from a teenager in the KHL, as younger players typically receive little ice time. His size and skill set should translate well to the North American game and Kravtsov should find his way to New York without spending much time in the minors. If Kalnin’s report is accurate and Kravtsov signs in the coming days, he may even make his NHL debut this season.

 

Nick Henry Signs Entry-Level Contract With Colorado Avalanche

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The Colorado Avalanche have signed draft pick Nick Henry to a three-year entry-level contract according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. Henry is currently playing with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL, and will see his entry-level deal kick in for the 2019-20 season.

Henry, 19, is having an excellent season in what is probably his final year of junior hockey. The forward had 40 points for the Regina Pats before being traded to Lethbridge, where he has another 43 in 37 games. That 83-point total is a huge bounce-back from what was an extremely disappointing 2017-18 season and now obviously has him on track to join the Avalanche organization next year. He received his first taste last fall with a stint at training camp, but will likely join the Colorado Eagles in a few months time.

If Henry can make an impact down the line it looks to be quite the 2017 draft class for the Avalanche. Conor Timmins, their second-round pick from that year, is close to finally making his return from injury and fourth-overall pick Cale Makar is having an outstanding year at the collegiate level. Henry’s Hurricanes are headed to the WHL playoffs, where he’ll try to lead them to a Memorial Cup berth.

Deadline Primer: Toronto Maple Leafs

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With the trade deadline fast approaching, we continue our look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? As we keep going with the Atlantic Division, here is a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have already made a major move. GM Kyle Dubas got a jump start on the deadline market and acquired Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin two weeks ago. It was a much-needed addition of a top-pair caliber defender to a team that had concerning depth. However, Toronto also surrendered their 2019 first-round pick and arguably two of their top five prospects in the process.

With a major asset added and significant trade capital lost, should Dubas and the Maple Leafs refrain from making any more moves? Absolutely not. Toronto has the luxury of cap space this season and it will be a very, very long time before that happens again. The team must be mindful of entry-level bonuses and the cap impact next year if they carry over, but should take advantage of this opportunity to spend. As good as the team has been this season, there are still holes in the lineup that can be filled. The Leafs are also trying to hold off the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens in the divisional race, but almost surely will face one or the other in the first round of the postseason and then, if they’re lucky, the league leading Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round. The Atlantic Division is stacked and if Toronto wants to take advantage of a strong roster and ample cap space before an impending salary crunch potentially reshapes their roster this summer, they should be all-out buyers at the deadline. A Stanley Cup title is within reach, but reinforcements would certainly help.

Record

34-18-3, second in the Atlantic Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$20.09MM in full-season cap hit, 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: TOR 2nd, TOR 3rd, STL 4th, TOR 4th, TOR 5th, DAL 7th, TOR 7th
2020: TOR 1st, TOR 2nd, TOR 3rd, TOR 4th, TOR 6th, EDM 7th, SJ 7th, TOR 7th

Trade Chips

The Maple Leafs are more likely than not going to make several smaller moves as the deadline approaches rather than another Muzzin deal. Fortunately, that means that the team can likely get away with making young roster forwards Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson and top prospect defenseman Rasmus Sandin untouchable.

However, everything else will still be on the table. That includes more draft picks, although the team’s second-round selection this year will likely be difficult to pry away after losing their first-rounder already. More so, it includes several other intriguing prospects that belong to the team. Some believe that another high-end defensive prospect, Tim Liljegren, is also an untouchable for the Leafs, while others say that he can be had in the right deal. If Toronto is pursuing one of the top names at their positions of need and no longer has a first-round pick this year to offer, Liljegren could be the next-best thing to sellers. Fellow AHL defenseman, Calle Rosen, is having quite a year for the Marlies and could also draw interest. 2017 second-round pick Eemeli Rasanen, currently skating in the KHL, is an interesting trade possibility, as is OHL standout Mac Hollowell, a fourth-round pick last year.

Up front, Jeremy Bracco has established himself as the next impact young forward for the Maple Leafs, if he can survive that long. Bracco, a 2015 second-round pick, is enjoying a point-per-game campaign with the Marlies that is sure to have caught some eyes around the league. Toronto would hate to part with an affordable scoring option for next season, but offering up Bracco could go a long way in trade talks. Trevor Moore could also fight for a spot on the Leafs next year, but is older and has less upside and would hurt less to part with. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev is an intriguing junior prospect to keep an eye on, too.

The Maple Leafs are hoping that Boston College goaltender Joseph Woll, a 2016 third-round pick, will turn pro after his junior year and provide some upside and talent in the AHL. However, does that make Woll untouchable? If Toronto thinks he may return for his senior season at BC, they could be willing to move him. The team may also feel more strongly about another goalie prospect, WHL star Ian Scott, as their keeper of the future, making Woll more expendable. It’s doubtful that the team moves Woll, but there are factors that could convince them to part with the promising netminder for the right return.

Then there is a subset of the players that Toronto is hoping to use as trade chips at the deadline. While there are positions of need at the deadline, cap space moving forward is the most important asset for Toronto. The Maple Leafs have a near-impossible cap crunch coming this off-season and could benefit from moving out expensive long-term contracts for extraneous players. Defenseman Nikita Zaitsev is the main target; the 27-year-old has five seasons remaining at $4.5MM AAV and has regressed greatly this season. The Leafs will move him if at all possible. Forward Connor Brown, signed through next season at $2.1MM, has also seen his production slip this year and could be used in a hockey deal for a similar style rental.

Five Players To Watch For: D Tim Liljegren, D Calle Rosen, F Jeremy Bracco, D Nikita Zaitsev, F Connor Brown

Team Needs

1) Fourth-line Center: Last season, the Maple Leafs traded for Tomas Plekanec at the deadline. The year before, it was Brian Boyle and Eric Fehr. This is a team that loves to strengthen their checking line, particularly down the middle, and that is a need once again this season. It could be a need that is met very cheaply by any number of veteran two-way centers on expiring contracts. Players that fit that description aren’t often hard to come by. In fact, Fehr may even be available again if the Minnesota Wild fall out of the playoff race. Toronto has been connected to the Detroit Red Wings’ Luke Glendening, but the term on his contract is a concern. Another interesting possibility is the Chicago Blackhawks’ Marcus Kruger.

2) Right-shot Defenseman: Even after acquiring Muzzin, there is still talk that the team would like to add a natural right-handed defenseman. The team has decent depth in right shots in Zaitsev, Igor Ozhiganov, and Justin Holl, but the thought is that they could acquire an upgrade to that group, effectively making them all backup options in the postseason. How much trade capital the Leafs want to spend on a yet another defenseman remains to be seen, but a physical veteran like the New Jersey Devils’ Ben Lovejoy or the New York Rangers’ Adam McQuaid would be a good fit.

3) Depth Forward: Reiterating the intro, if there is cap space available – in consideration of bonus overages – the Leafs need to use it. Another rental forward, even without an obvious fit in the lineup, would come in handy. The team has previously been linked to the Carolina Hurricanes’ Micheal Ferland and the New York Rangers’ Mats Zuccarello, among others. If they can make it work to add another scoring forward like that, they may as well pull the trigger. Any team in the Atlantic Division can use all the help they can get surviving the postseason.

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