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Overseas Notes: Scoring, Merzlikins, Popugaev

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Scoring is up in the NHL this season, but their European counterparts can’t say the same. As the regular seasons for the major overseas leagues begin to wind down, the numbers show that none can keep up with the goal scorers of the NHL; the old adage that European hockey is more wide open and offensive is not holding up. On average, NHL teams are scoring approximately 3.03 goals per game in 2018-19. Contrast that to the KHL, thought to be closest competitor to the NHL on the basis of skill, where teams are only scoring about 2.47 goals per game on average and many are failing to score even two per game. The Finnish Liiga is the closest to the NHL at 2.72 goals per game per team, but even that is a ways off. Swiss NLA teams are recording approximately 2.66 goals per game, while Swedish Hockey league clubs are at 2.57 goals per game.

Even more peculiar than the gap between goal scoring in the NHL and Europe is the distribution of points. As there are fewer goals being scored in the four major European leagues, there are less opportunities to register points, even for star players. However, one would assume that there would still be plenty of standouts in each of the four leagues who find their way on to the score sheet each and every night. That would be a false assumption. Currently there are 41 players in the NHL averaging a point per game or better in at least half of their teams’ games. In the KHL, NLA, SHL, and Liiga combined, there are nine. The KHL leads the way with four such scorers, headed up by Vegas Golden Knights property Nikita Gusev, the top scoring forward in Europe with 1.30 points per game – such a mark would be seventh-best in the NHL. Familiar names Nigel Dawes and Vadim Shipachyov are also in the group, as is intriguing free agent option Dmitri Kagarlitsky. Over in the NLA, more recognizable veterans are scoring at a point-per-game clip or better, including Dustin Jeffrey, Chris DiDomenico, and Mark Arcobello. However, the league leader at 1.20 is none other than Dominik Kubalik, whose rights were just acquired by the Chicago Blackhawks last month and who could be eyeing a move to North America. The lone elite scorer in Finland is small, but skilled 23-year-old Iikka Kangasniemi, who is also certain to draw NHL interest this off-season as well. The SHL does not feature any point-per-game players currently. So, next time you feel the urge to complain about the lack of scoring or star scorers in the NHL, just take comfort in the fact that at least you’re not in Europe. All four leagues pale in comparison to the NHL in those departments this season.

  • In an article for The Athletic about the future of the Columbus Blue Jackets in net, Aaron Portzline posits that prospect Elvis Merzlikins could arrive in North America before the end of the season. Merzlikins, 24, was a third-round pick by Columbus back in 2014 and has been a regular in net for HC Lugano of the NLA ever since. The Latvian goaltender gets better each year and this season has posted a .922 save percentage and 2.37 GAA that are both among the top ten keepers in Switzerland. Yet, Lugano is in danger of missing the postseason, which would hypothetically allow Merzlikins to finally make his move to Columbus as early as March. Portzline writes that many in the Blue Jackets organization feel Merzlikins is ready to play in the NHL right away, which could certainly be a possibility this season if the team does indeed opt to trade impending UFA starter Sergei Bobrovsky. Even if Lugano does make the playoffs or Columbus determines they do not want to throw him into the fire right away, the young keeper is still guaranteed to be crossing the Atlantic after this season and should compete for NHL minutes immediately next year.
  • New Jersey Devils prospect Nikita Popugaev is also eyeing a jump to North America. Initially considered to be a first-round caliber talent in the 2017 NHL Draft, Popugaev ended up falling to the Devils in the fourth round due to questions about his motor and work ethic. The big winger didn’t help to quell those concerns when he left his WHL team, the Prince George Cougars, early last season to return to his native Russia. However, his current team, the KHL’s Amur Khabarovsk, have announced that Popugaev has left the team and will “try his hand” back in the U.S. His KHL contract has been terminated and he is now free to sign an entry-level contract with the Devils, but there has been no word of such a deal yet. Popugaev is still very raw and needs several more seasons of work in the minor leagues, but does have potential. The next question is whether the Devils feel that potential is worth a contract slot and the time and effort it may take to tap into it.

Jim Benning Discusses The Future Of Vancouver’s Blue Line

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Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning was an open book during an interview on TSN 1040 radio in Vancouver today, going into great detail on the current state of his team and their outlook moving forward. Per Benning, the Canucks are currently negotiating with their “best defender”, Alex Edler, but have high hopes for their top prospects and AHL standouts on the blue line. Yet, he also stated that an offensive defenseman was one of the team’s biggest needs and said that he will explore “hockey trades” as the trade deadline approaches.

As for Edler, the 32-year-old has been very forthcoming about his desire to remain in Vancouver. An impending free agent, Edler has been a solid two-way contributor over his entire 13-year NHL career and would surely have suitors on the open market, but enjoys playing for the Canucks and wishes to stick with the promising young team. For his part, Benning said that Edler is an invaluable member of the team and they are hopeful that a new contract can be worked out. Benning stated that the team will not use the February 25th deadline as a deadline of their own for extending Edler and will continue negotiating with he and agent Mark Stowe for as long as possible. Answering a direct question, Benning added that he does not see the possibility of trading away and then re-signing Edler as feasible. With that said, Benning never ruled out trading Edler entirely, but did vouch for the veteran defenseman several times. “He’s our best defenseman, he’s a leader in our room, he’s a mentor… He’s a guy that sets the culture for our young players”, Benning stated, adding “if we can get something figured out with him, I’d like to try to (re-sign him)”. With mutual interest on both sides, the only thing stopping a new deal appears to be the price – Edler currently comes in at $5MM AAV – and term for the aging blue liner.

Should Edler walk, Benning still seems confident in the team’s defensive corps moving forward. In regards to top prospect Quinn Hughes, Benning stopped short of confirming that he would leave the University of Michigan after the collegiate season, but did say that they hoped to sign him and get him some pro experience down the stretch before his probable rookie season next year. Benning knows that the jump from the NCAA to the NHL is “a big step”, but believes in Hughes’ ability and is excited to see what he can do at the next level. In response to a question, Benning stated that the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft is not a concern when determining when to bring Hughes in, as he feels the team should not have coverage problems among their defenseman. Getting last year’s No. 7 overall pick into the lineup as soon as possible appears to be a priority for the Canucks.

Elsewhere in the organization, Benning also spoke highly of currently-injured recent top pick Olli Juolevi, who he still expects to be an impact pro despite recent struggles. He also spoke highly of AHLers Ashton Sautner, Jalen Chatfield, and Guillaume Brisebois and mentioned that the trio – along with forward Zack MacEwen – are candidates to receive a call-up during the stretch run. However, Benning spoke with the most excitement about 2018 second-rounder Jett Woo, who is currently second in the WHL in goals among defenseman. Benning believes that Woo, and the rest of these prospects, have the Canucks primed for a bright future on the back end.

Yet, Benning also stated that an offensive defenseman remains one of the team’s top needs, even with Hughes, Juolevi, and Woo on the horizon. However, don’t expect him to trade any of the trio away to meet that need. Benning stated that he is not willing to trade any of this year’s picks – after all, the draft will be held in Vancouver – nor any of his “blue chip prospects” this season. He is willing to make “hockey trades” to meet his needs on defense, as well as at forward, if the right deal presents itself. Forward Nikolay Goldobin, who has been rumored to be on the outs in Vancouver, was described as being in a “make or break” period and could be a prime candidate to be traded away. Benning expressed that anyone on the NHL or AHL roster could technically be traded if the right swap presented itself, although his young core is likely off the table. Benning described an active trade market it currently, so don’t be surprised to see the Canucks swing a deal this month.

With that said, Benning said that his preference is to draft and develop rather than use trades and free agency to meet his needs. Just as he spoke highly of his current stock of prospects, Benning is looking forward to a “deep” draft class this year. He believes that the top six or seven picks this season could be NHL contributors right away and the next ten or so picks, currently the range in which Vancouver would be expected to pick, will be “very good” prospects. Benning displayed hope and optimism about his team in this interview, but his trust in the pipeline and his belief in this draft class makes it seem like the Canucks could be more seller, with an eye on future assets, than buyer at the deadline.

Snapshots: Pominville, Moravcik, Winnipeg

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When the Buffalo Sabres take the ice tonight against the Dallas Stars, they will do so without veteran forward Jason Pominville. Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News, after speaking with head coach Phil Housley, relays that Pominville will sit out Wednesday night’s contest as a healthy scratch. Some quick research by the Olean Times Herald’s Bill Hoppe indicates that this is Pominville’s first healthy scratch since April 4, 2006 – during his rookie season. Pominville, 36, has been an All-Star and frequent Selke Trophy candidate over his 15 years in the league, split between two stints with Buffalo and five seasons with the Minnesota Wild. So why now is he out of the Sabres’ lineup? Lysowksi writes that the only reason Housley gave was to rest the veteran of more than a thousand games in the second night of a back-to-back and give young Remi Elie a shot. However, Pominville’s streak of one goal and two assists in his past 24 games likely contributed as well. Even though Pominville is on pace to meet or exceed his 34 total points from last season, he has cooled off significantly after a hot start, much like the Sabres overall. His spot in the lineup could be in jeopardy, especially if Elie proves to be the spark that Buffalo is seeking.

  • It didn’t take long for defenseman Michal Moravcik to find new employment. Just a day after clearing unconditional waivers and having his contract terminated by the Montreal Canadiens, Moravcik has returned home to the Czech Republic. HC Plzen has announced a contract with the 24-year-old blue liner for the remainder of the season. Plzen is the same team that Moravcik had come up through the system with and was playing for before signing in North America. As such, Morazcik should soon return to the elite form that first caught the eye of NHL scouts. Plzen is surely looking forward to the boost, as the team that also employs familiar names like Jakub Kindl and Petr Straka hopes to make up ground in the standings.
  • The city of Winnipeg already hosts the NHL’s Jets and the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, but it will have yet another tenant beginning next season. The WHL’s Kootenay Ice have decided to move to Winnipeg, as first reported by The Winnipeg Free Press’ Jeff Hamilton. The team is expected to keep the “Ice” moniker and same logo and will soon get to work on a long-term development plan for a new arena and sports complex on the south side of the city. While Winnipeggers already have two good teams to root for, no one in the area is likely to complain about the return of major junior hockey and should be excited to watch presumptive top-15 pick Peyton Krebs lead a young, rebuilding team next season.

Jack Hughes, Kaapo Kakko Lead Central Scouting Mid-Season Lists

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With the 2018-19 NHL season more than half over, the league’s Central Scouting Bureau has released their rankings of the best draft-eligible prospects from around the world. These players are eligible to be selected in just a few months at July’s draft in Vancouver, and two familiar names lead the way. Central Scouting breaks their lists into the top North American and International skaters and goaltenders, not directly comparing the groups. The top names from each are as follows:

North American Skaters:

  1. C Jack Hughes, USA National Team Development Program
  2. C Kirby Dach, Saskatoon Blades, WHL
  3. C Dylan Cozens, Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL
  4. D Bowen Byram, Vancouver Giants, WHL
  5. C Alex Turcotte, USA National Team Development Program

International Skaters:

  1. RW Kaapo Kakko, TPS, Finland (Liiga)
  2. RW Vasili Podkolzin, SKA St. Petersburg, Russia (MHL)
  3. D Philip Broberg, AIK, Sweden (Allsvenskan)
  4. C Ilya Nikolaev, Yaroslavl, Russia (MHL)
  5. D Victor Soderstrom, Brynas, Sweden (SHL)

North American Goalies:

  1. Spencer Knight, USA National Team Development Program
  2. Hunter Jones, Peterborough Petes, OHL
  3. Mads Sogaard, Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL

International Goalies:

  1. Pyotr Kochetkov, Ryazan, Russia (MHL)
  2. Samuel Hlavaj, Slovakia U20, Slovakia*
  3. Hugo Alnefelt, HV71, Sweden (Jr.)

Hlavaj recently joined the Lincoln Stars of the USHL. 

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Ian Scott To Entry-Level Contract

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You can’t really have a better start to the season than Ian Scott. The junior goaltender is off to a record-setting start with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL, has a chance to represent Canada at the World Junior Championship, and has now signed his first professional contract. The Toronto Maple Leafs announced the signing of a three-year entry-level contract with Scott, who they selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft.

It’s hard to argue that Scott hasn’t done enough to earn this contract, given that he is currently 23-2-1 for the Raiders with a .943 save percentage. The 19-year old goaltender got to experience the professional level with the Toronto Marlies last season, joining them on an amateur tryout throughout their Calder Cup run and soaking up tips from Garret Sparks and Calvin Pickard. The 6’3″ netminder returned to junior and has taken a gigantic step forward, improving from an .897 save percentage—his career high to that point with the Raiders.

Like all young goaltenders, there is no way to know if Scott is going to ever make it to the NHL. There are several huge steps he’ll have to take before that’s ever a possibility. Still, he’s done everything asked of him since being picked 110th overall and should join the Marlies after his junior season ends. It’s unclear when exactly that will be though, as the powerhouse Raiders are Memorial Cup contenders to be sure this season.

Snapshots: Entry Draft, Pietrangelo, Tarasenko

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As teams start to fall out of the playoff race and accept their fate for the 2018-19 season, fan interest in the upcoming draft class increases. While everyone knows about sensational forward Jack Hughes and his incredible offensive upside, the rest of the group of incoming talents gets far less media coverage. Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino today gives us a look at his top-31 rankings at this point, and there is plenty of talent to discuss.

While Hughes, Kaapo Kakko and Dylan Cozens find themselves near the top of the list once again (though this time with Vasily Podkolzin taking over the third spot), the most interesting name may just be Brett Leason. Twice undrafted, the 19-year old Leason may very well find himself on the top line for Team Canada at the upcoming World Junior Championship given his explosion this season. Now standing 6’4″, Leeson is the prototypical late bloomer and has recorded 28 goals and 64 points in just 31 games for the record-setting Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL. It will be fascinating to see if a team decides he’s worth a first-round pick this time around, after missing out on him the last two Junes.

  • Fans all around the league have been drooling over the idea of Alex Pietrangelo being on the trade market since Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet mentioned his name earlier this month, but it’s still hard to imagine the St. Louis Blues selling their captain at this point. Even so, Pietrangelo is mentioned again in Elliotte Friedman’s latest 31 Thoughts column, as the scribe speculates that the defenseman was involved in trade talks surrounding William Nylander and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Friedman doesn’t posit that Pietrangelo will get dealt this season, but does end with this summary: “the fact Pietrangelo’s name got out there indicates the Blues are willing to do it.”
  • Speaking of the Blues willingness, Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic clarified some things in a response to a Twitter question, explaining that though GM Doug Armstrong hasn’t put up a proverbial for sale sign, other clubs are “under the impression that [he] would consider trading anyone, including [Vladimir] Tarasenko.” Trading Tarasenko would seem like madness to many, but just today Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) indicated that “all bets are probably off” for the Blues and that you likely can’t rule out anything at this point. St. Louis sits 28th in the NHL and have scored just 82 goals in 29 games.

Braden Holtby Out, Capitals To Dress Emergency Backup

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In an unexpected twist, the Washington Capitals – on the road in Winnipeg to face the Jets tonight – will be without starting goaltender Braden Holtby. The Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan was the first to report that Holtby had been ruled out and that backup Pheonix Copley would get the start, with an emergency backup suiting up for the Caps. TSN’s Brian Munz adds that it is an upper-body injury for Holtby, although it remains unclear how and when the injury occurred and to what extent.

Washington will put their trust in Copley for a second game in a row, as the 26-year-old gets set to make just his eighth career NHL appearance. Copley won the Capitals’ backup job by default in training camp, but has performed up to expectations thus far. In five games, he has three wins, a .904 save percentage, and a 2.91 goals against average. However, Copley faces a tough test, going up against the talented Jets after facing the Minnesota Wild just last night.

Regardless of how Copley performs this evening, it’s fair to say that he will stay in net barring an injury. The Capitals will dress local emergency backup Gavin McHale as their second-string option tonight, reports Caps radio host Ben Raby. McHale is the goaltending coach for the women’s hockey team at the nearby University of Manitoba. The 31-year-old is a Manitoba alumni himself and played two seasons in the WHL with the Seattle Thunderbirds and Lethbridge Hurricanes. Even at a hulking 6’7″, Washington is unlikely to stick McHale in the net unless there are extremely extenuating circumstances.

Meanwhile, the concern for the Capitals is far beyond just one result and no one will blame them for dropping tonight’s match-up in Winnipeg, as they were underdogs even with Holtby in net. Instead, the focus is on the starter and his injury moving forward. Perhaps more than any team in the NHL this season, Washington can ill-afford a long-term injury to their starting goaltender. Khushudyan indicates that the injury is not serious and Holtby is considered “day-to-day”, but the ailment is enough that he could not even dress as the backup tonight. We will likely know more in the coming days.

Reaction to Los Angeles Kings’ Coaching Changes

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The Los Angeles Kings fired head coach John Stevens and assistant coach Don Nachbaur Sunday and brought in two national team coaches in Willie Desjardins (Canada) and Marco Sturm (Germany). The Kings hope that the pair will be able to try and fix the mess surrounding the 4-8-1 franchise that had high expectations going into the season. Here are some reactions from the Kings as well as the journalists around the situation:

  • TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the Kings had already made their decision to fire Stevens after their 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, as many wondered why the team opted to relieve the coach of his duties after the team picked up a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets Saturday.
  • McKenzie adds that the interim tag suggests that if Desjardins and Sturm fare well behind the bench this year, the interim tag could be removed. However, if the team cannot turn the team completely around, the Kings will conduct a formal and extensive search for a new head coach after this season.
  • TSN’s Darren Dreger writes that Sturm would be a prime candidate for the Kings’ coaching job next year after years of solid coaching on the international level.
  • Los Angeles Times’ Helene Elliott reports that Stevens was well aware that his job security was in jeopardy and was always both classy and accommodating. He admitted last week that being on the hot seat was part of his job.
  • Sportsnet’s John Shannon writes that one of the biggest problems for Kings management was a real belief that the team had lost its passion. The team believes that Desjardins, Sturm and Dave Lowry who remains from the old regime can bring that passion back to the team. “We’re going to create a desire for these players to play well here,” general manager Rob Blake said (via Los Angeles Times’ Curtis Zupke).
  • Fox Sports Patrick O’Neal writes that Blake said a “complete level” of Kings needs to improve, suggesting that the GM isn’t happy with any player or any member within the organization at the moment.
  • For those looking for more information on Desjardins, The Athletic’s Eric Duhatschek (subscription required) wrote a in-depth piece on the coach before the Olympics in February when he was head coach of Team Canada, including how he got the job there in the first place. “I saw Willie’s teams play a lot last year scouting for Montreal,” said Sean Burke the general manager of the men’s Olympic team. “I was always impressed with how much he got out of his players. I looked at the group we were putting together and thought, ‘well that’s what we’re going to need here.’ We’re going to have a group, where the coach needs to get the most out of the guys – and there’s even more of that element to that in an Olympic event than there would be in an 82-game NHL season. If he can get it out of the NHL guys for 82 games, he can sure get it out of the guys during the Olympics.”
  • The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro (subscription required) notes that Desjardins was a top candidate to take the Dallas Stars job in April which eventually went to Jim Montgomery. However, Shapiro also profiled the coach before Dallas had made its final decision. The profile includes his resume as well as a breakdown of his coaching style.
  • The Associated Press’ Steven Whyno reminds fans that Sturm coached the German National team to the silver medal at the Olympics, a team that surprised many and almost slipped past Team Russia for the gold.
  • FlamesNation reporter Ryan Pike reports that Nachbaur is considered to be a very respected coach with extensive WHL experience, but he hasn’t been able to translate those coaching talents to the NHL.
  • Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen writes that Desjardins had a tough assignment as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks which started in the 2014-15 season. The scribe writes that Vancouver didn’t have enough talent to be successful, but his coaching style at Medicine Hat in the WHL showed that he likes up-tempo teams that push play up the ice.
  • Sirius XM’s Nick Alberga writes that if Desjardins and Sturm don’t make a significant impact on the team, the next domino would likely be the team making trades to break up the team.

 

Los Angeles Kings Fire Coach John Stevens

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The Los Angeles Kings announced that general manager Rob Blake has relieved coach John Stevens of his duties. The Kings have made Willie Desjardins as the interim coach for the rest of the season.

“This is a critical time in our season and our results to date have fallen well below our expectations. With that in mind, this was a difficult decision but one we feel was necessary,” said Blake. “We have a great deal of respect and appreciation for John’s time with our organization. He was a key part of our past success, and we have tremendous gratitude for his many contributions.”

Despite picking up a 4-1 victory Saturday over the Columbus Blue Jackets, the victory didn’t do anything to allow Stevens to keep his job as the team remained 4-8-1 in the team’s first 13 games, giving them the worst record in league with the Florida Panthers the only other team that has nine points (although they have played two less games). Stevens, in just his second year as head coach of the team, took the team to the playoffs last year as the fourth-seed in the Pacific Division, but were swept in the first-round of the playoffs as the Vegas Golden Knights exposed their lack of speed.

Los Angeles responded by adding 35-year-old Ilya Kovalchuk through free agency this offseason and was expected to make a renewed run for a Stanley Cup title with the likes 30-somethings Jonathan Quick, Drew Doughty (he’s actually just 28), Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Dustin Brown, Trevor Lewis, Nate Thompson, Dion Phaneuf and Alec Martinez. The team was expecting some of their young players to step up, but players such as Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson have struggled under Stevens’ tenure and haven’t developed into the goal scorers that everyone had hoped for. The team also has been without Quick, their star goaltender, for much of the season and there is no word on how much time he might miss with his most recent injury. Throw in the lack of development of some of their prospects and the team was heading down the wrong path with many of their veterans under contract for three of four more years.

Desjardins, who has 20+ years of coaching experience, has been acting as Team Canada’s men’ head coach, including leading the team in the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, Korea. He served as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks for three seasons between 2014 and 2017, compiling a disappointing 109-110-27 record. He also led Team Canada to gold at the Spengler Cup in December of 2017. Desjardins also served eight years as head coach in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers where he won two championships in eight seasons there.

The team also released fired assistant coach Don Nachbaur from his duties, who served as the team’s assistant since last season. The team has brought in current German National Team coach and former Kings player Marco Sturm. The team did retain assistant coach Dave Lowry.

One has to wonder what Stevens chances will be to get another head coaching position. He served as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers between 2006 through 2009, reaching the Eastern Conference finals once and a second playoff appearance. He has a combined record of 171-148-43.

Helene Elliott was the first to report the coaching change.

 

Brandon Hagel Signs Entry-Level Contract With Chicago Blackhawks

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After seeing his exclusive negotiating rights expire when the Buffalo Sabres failed to sign him, Brandon Hagel returned to the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL as an unrestricted free agent. He hadn’t earned a professional contract, and instead is now playing as an overager for the Rebels and finding great success. Today, the Chicago Blackhawks rewarded that success by signing Hagel to a three-year entry-level contract. He’ll remain with the Rebels for the remainder of the season.

Hagel, 20, has 12 goals and 28 points in just 15 games for the Rebels and is one of the most dangerous offensive players in the entire WHL. Though that comes partly because of his age and experience, he has put up solid results in the past and isn’t an overwhelming physical presence. Instead, he’s using his quick decision making and play below the hash marks to create chances for himself and teammates.

Red Deer is off to a great start in the WHL at 10-4-1, and have their eyes on a potential Memorial Cup berth if they can get through the playoffs. They’ll need Hagel at his best to pull something like that off, and the Blackhawks would love to see him contribute to a victorious team. You can bet whenever the Rebels are eliminated, Hagel will join the Rockford IceHogs for a few games. The first season of his deal will be burned this year either way.

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