Winnipeg Jets – Page 163 – Pro Hockey Rumors

2017 NHL Draft Results

By natebrown | at June 24, 2017 12:20 pm

Pro Hockey Rumors will be following and updating every selection of the 2017 NHL Draft. Stay here for every pick made in the draft this weekend:

Round One

New Jersey Devils: Nico Hischier (C) – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Philadelphia Flyers: Nolan Patrick (C) – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
Dallas Stars: Miro Heiskanen (D) – HIFK (Finland)
Colorado Avalanche: Cale Makar (D) – Brooks Bandits (AJHL)
Vancouver Canucks: Elias Pettersson (C) – Timra (Sweden)
Vegas Golden Knights: Cody Glass (C) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
New York Rangers (from AZ): Lias Andersson (C) – HV71 (Sweden)
Buffalo Sabres: Casey Mittelstadt (C) – Eden Prairie High School
Detroit Red Wings: Michael Rasmussen (C) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
Florida Panthers: Owen Tippett (RW) – Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
Los Angeles Kings: Gabe Vilardi (C) – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Carolina Hurricanes: Martin Necas (C) – Brno (Czech)
Vegas Golden Knights (from WPG): Nick Suzuki (C/RW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
Tampa Bay Lightning: Cal Foote (D) – Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Vegas Golden Knights (from NYI): Erik Brannstrom (D) – HV71 (Sweden)
Calgary Flames: Juuso Valimaki (D) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
Toronto Maple Leafs: Timothy Liljegren (D) – Rogle (Sweden)
Boston Bruins: Urho Vaakanainen (D) – JYP (Finland)
San Jose Sharks: Josh Norris (C) – USA U-18 National Development Program
St. Louis Blues: Robert Thomas (C/RW) – London Knights (OHL)
New York Rangers: Filip Chytil (C/LW) – Zlin (Czech)
Edmonton Oilers: Kailer Yamamoto (RW) – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
Arizona Coyotes (from MIN): Pierre-Olivier Joseph (D) – Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)
Winnipeg Jets (from CLB via VGK): Kristian Vesalainen (LW) – Frolunda (Sweden)
Montreal Canadiens: Ryan Poehling (C) – St. Cloud State (NCAA)
Dallas Stars (from CHI): Jake Oettinger (G) – Boston University (NCAA)
Philadelphia Flyers (from STL): Morgan Frost (C) – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Ottawa Senators: Shane Bowers (C) – Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
Chicago Blackhawks (from DAL via ANA): Henri Jokiharju (D) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Nashville Predators: Eeli Tolvanen (LW/RW) – Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
St. Louis (from PIT): Klim Kostin (LW/RW) – Dynamo Moscow (KHL)

Round 2

32. Colorado Avalanche: Conor Timmins (D) – Saulte Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
33. Vancouver Canucks: Kole Lind (RW) – Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
34. Vegas Golden Knights: Nicolas Hague (D) – Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
35. Philadelphia Flyers (from AZ): Isaac Ratcliffe (LW) – Guelph Storm (OHL)
36. New Jersey Devils: Jesper Boqvist (C) – Brynas (Sweden)
37. Buffalo Sabres: Marcus Davidsson (C) – Djurgardens (Sweden)
38. Detroit Red Wings: Gustav Lindstrom (D) – Altuma (Sweden)
39. Dallas Stars: Jason Robertson (LW/RW) – Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
40. Florida Panthers: Aleksi Heponiemi (C) – Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
41. Los Angeles Kings: Jaret Anderson-Dolan (C) – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
42. Carolina Hurricanes: Eetu Luostarinen (C) – KalPa (Finland)
43. Winnipeg Jets: Dylan Samberg (D) – Team North (USHS)
44. Arizona Coyotes (from PHI): Filip Westerlund (D) – Frolunda (Sweden)
45. Columbus Blue Jackets (from TB via VGK): Alexandre Texier (C) – Grenoble (France)
46. New York Islanders: Robin Salo (D) – Sport (Finland)
47. Ottawa Senators (from CGY): Alex Formenton (LW) – London Knights (OHL)
48. Tampa Bay Lightning (from TOR): Alexander Volkov (LW) – SKA St. Petersburg (Russia)
49. San Jose Sharks (from BOS via NJD): Mario Ferraro (D) – Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
50. Anaheim Ducks (from SJS via TOR): Maxime Comtois (LW) – Victoriaville Tigres (QMHL)
51. Pittsburgh Penguins (from STL): Zachary Lauzon (D) – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
52. Carolina Hurricanes (from NYR): Luke Martin (D) – Michigan (NCAA)
53. Boston Bruins (from EDM): Jack Studnicka (C) – Oshawa Generals (OHL)
54. Buffalo Sabres (from MIN): Ukko-Pekka Luukonen (G) – HPK (Finland)
55. Vancouver Canucks (from CLB): Jonah Gadjovich (LW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
56. Montreal Canadiens: Josh Brook (D) – Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
57. Chicago Blackhawks: Ian Mitchell (D) – Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)
58. Montreal Canadiens (from WAS): Joni Ikonen (C) – Frolunda (Sweden)
59. Toronto Maple Leafs (from OTT): Eemeli Rasanen (D) – Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
60. Anaheim Ducks: Antoine Morand (C) – Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
61. Nashville Predators: Grant Mismash (C) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
62. Vegas Golden Knights (from PIT via CAR): Jake Leschyshyn – Regina Pats (WHL)

Round 3

63. New Jersey Devils (from COL): Fabian Zetterlund (RW) – Farjestad (Sweden)
64. Vancouver Canucks: Michael DiPietro (G) – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
65. Vegas Golden Knights: Jonas Rondbjerg (RW) – Vaxjo (Sweden)
66. Florida Panthers (from AZ): Max Gildon (D) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
67. Carolina Hurricanes (from NJD): Morgan Geekie (C/RW) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
68. Montreal Canadiens (from BUF): Scott Walford (D) – Victoria Royals (WHL)
69. Arizona Coyotes (from DET via SJS): MacKenzie Entwistle (RW) – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
70. Chicago Blackhawks (from DAL): Andrei Altybarmakyan (C) – SKA St. Petersburg (Russia)
71. Detroit Red Wings (from FLA): Kasper Kotkansalo (D) – Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
72. Los Angeles Kings: Matt Villalta (G) – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
73. Carolina Hurricanes: Stelio Mattheos (RW/C) – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
74. Winnipeg Jets: Johnny Kovacevic (D) – Merrimack (NCAA)
75. Arizona Coyotes: Nate Schnarr (C) – Guelph Storm (OHL)
76. Tampa Bay Lightning: Alexei Lipanov (C) – Dynamo Balashik (Russia)
77. New York Islanders: Ben Mirageas (D) – Chicago Steel (USHL)
78. Edmonton Oilers (from CGY via AZ): Stuart Skinner (G) – Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
79. Detroit Red Wings (from TOR): Lane Zablocki (C) – Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
80. Philadelphia Flyers (from BOS): Kirill Ustimenko (G) – MHK Dynamo (Russia)
81. New Jersey (from SJS): Reilly Walsh (D) – Chicago Steel (USHL)
82. Arizona Coyotes (from STL via EDM): Cameron Crotty (D) – Brockville Braves (CCHL)
83. Detroit Red Wings (from NYR): Zach Gallant (C) – Peterborough Petes (OHL)
84. Edmonton Oilers: Dmitri Samorukov (D) – Guelph Storm (OHL)
85. Minnesota Wild: Ivan Lodnia (RW) – Erie Otters (OHL)
86. Columbus Blue Jackets: Daniil Tarasov (G) – Russia
87. Montreal Canadiens: Cale Fleury (D) – Kootenay Ice (WHL)
88. Detroit Red Wings (from CHI via CAR): Keith Petruzelli (G) – Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
89. Buffalo Sabres (from WAS): Oskari Laaksonen (D) – Ilves (Sweden)
90. Chicago Blackhawks (from OTT via CAR): Evan Baratt (C) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
91. Anaheim Ducks: Jack Badini (LW) – Chicago Steel (USHL)
92. Nashville Predators: David Farrance (D) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
93. Pittsburgh Penguins: Clayton Phillips (D) – Fargo Force (USHL)

Round 4

94. Colorado Avalanche: Nicholas Henry (RW) – Regina Pats (WHL)
95. Vancouver Canucks: Jack Rathbone (D) – Dexter (USHS)
96. Vegas Golden Knights: Maxim Zhukov (G) – Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
97. Minnesota Wild (from AZ): Mason Shaw (C) – Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
98. New Jersey Devils: Nikita Popugaev (RW) – Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
99. Buffalo Sabres: Jacob Bryson (D) – Providence (NCAA)
100. Detroit Red Wings: Malte Setkov (D) – Malmo (Sweden)
101. Dallas Stars: Liam Hawel (C) – Guelph Storm (OHL)
102. San Jose Sharks (from FLA via NYR): Scott Reedy (RW/C) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
103. Los Angeles Kings: Mikey Anderson (D) – Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
104. Carolina Hurricanes: Eetu Makiniemi (G) – Jokerit (Finland)
105. Winnipeg Jets: Santeri Virtanen (C) – TPS (Finland)
106. Philadelphia Flyers: Matthew Strome (LW) – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
107. Philadelphia Flyers (from TB): Maxim Shushko (RW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
108. Arizona Coyotes (from NYI via PHI): Noel Hoefenmayer (D) – Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
109. Calgary Flames: Adam Ruzicka (C) – Sarnia Sting (OHL)
110. Toronto Maple Leafs: Ian Scott (G) – Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
111. Boston Bruins: Jeremy Swayman (G) – Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
112. Chicago Blackhawks (from SJS via VAN): Tim Soderlund (LW/C) – Skelleftea (Sweden)
113. St. Louis Blues: Alexei Toropchenko (LW): HK MVD (Russia)
114. Colorado Avalanche (from NYR): Petr Kvaca (G) – HC Ceske (Czech Rep.)
115. Edmonton Oilers: Ostap Safin (RW) – HC Sparta (Czech Rep.)
116. Minnesota Wild: Bryce Misley (C) – Oakville Blades (OJHL)
117. Columbus Blue Jackets: Emil Bemstrom (C/RW) – Leksands (Sweden)
118. Los Angeles Kings (from MTL via DAL): Markus Phillips (D) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
119. Chicago Blackhawks: Roope Laavainen (D) – Jokerit (Finland)
120. Washington Capitals: Tobias Geisser (D) – EVZ Academy (Switzerland)
121. Ottawa Senators: Drake Batherson (C) – Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
122. Anaheim Ducks: Kyle Olsen (C/RW) – Tri-City Americans (WHL)
123. New York Rangers (from NSH via NJD & SJS): Brandon Crawley (D) – London Knights (OHL)
124. Toronto Maple Leafs (from PIT): Vladislav Cara (C) – Irbis Kazan (Russia)

Round 5

125. Colorado Avalanche: Igor Shvyryov (C) – Stalnye (Russia)
126. Arizona Coyotes (from VAN via EDM): Michael Karow (D) – Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
127. Vegas Golden Knights: Lucas Elvenes (RW) – Rogle (Sweden)
128. Arizona Coyotes: Tyler Steenbergen (C) – Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
129. New Jersey Devils: Gilles Senn (G) – Davos (Switzerland)
130. St. Louis Blues (from BUF): David Noel (D) – Val-d’Or Foreur (QMJHL)
131. Detroit Red Wings: Cole Fraser (D) – Peterborough Petes (OHL)
132. Dallas Stars: Jacob Peterson (C) – Sweden
133. Florida Panthers: Tyler Inamoto (D) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
134. Los Angeles Kings: Cole Hults (D) – Madison Capitol (USHL)
135. Vancouver Canucks (from CAR via CHI): Kristoffer Gunnarsson (D) – Ik Oskarshamn (Sweden)
136. Winnipeg Jets: Leon Gawanke (D) – Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
137. Philadelphia Flyers: Noah Cates (LW) – Stillwater (USHS)
138. Los Angeles Kings (from TB): Drake Rymsha (C) – Sarnia Sting (OHL)
139. New York Islanders: Sebastian Aho (D) – Skelleftea (Sweden)
140. Calgary Flames: Zach Fischer (RW) – Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
141. Toronto Maple Leafs: Fedor Gordeev (D) – Flint Firebirds (OHL)
142. Vegas Golden Knights (from BOS via CAR): Jonathan Dugan (C) – Northwood (USHS)
143. New Jersey Devils (from SJS): Marian Studenic (RW) – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
144. Chicago Blackhawks (from STL): Parker Foo (C) – Brooks Bandits (AJHL)
145. New York Rangers: Calle Sjalin (D) – Ostersunds (Sweden)
146. Edmonton Oilers: Kirill Maximov (LW) – Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
147. Minnesota Wild: Jacob Golden (D) – London Knights (OHL)
148. Columbus Blue Jackets: Kale Howarth (C) – Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL)
149. Montreal Canadiens: Jarret Tyszka (D) – Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
150. Chicago Blackhawks: Jacob Galvas (D) – HC Olomouc (Czech Rep.)
151. Washington Capitals: Sebastian Walfridsson (D) – MODO (Sweden)
152. Pittsburgh Penguins (from OTT): Jan Drozg (RW/LW) – Leksands (Sweden)
153. Anaheim Ducks: Olle Eriksson Ek (G) – Farjestad (Sweden)
154. Nashville Predators: Tomas Vomacka (G) – Corpus Christi (NAHL)
155. Pittsburgh Penguins: Linus Ohlund (C) – Byrnas (Sweden)

Round 6

156. Colorado Avalanche: Denis Smirnov (LW) – Penn State (NCAA)
157. New York Rangers (from VAN): Dominick Lakatos (C/LW) – Billi Tygri (Czech Rep.)
158. Vegas Golden Knights: Nicholas Campoli (C) – North York Rangers (OJHL)
159. San Jose Sharks (from AZ): Jacob McGrew (RW) – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
160. New Jersey Devils: Aarne Talvitie (C) – Espoo (Finland)
161. Vegas Golden Knights (from BUF): Jiri Patera (G) – Ceske (Czech Rep.)
162. Detroit Red Wings: Jack Adams (RW) – Fargo Force (USHL)
163. Dallas Stars: Brett Davis (C) – Kootenay Ice (WHL)
164. Detroit Red Wings (from FLA): Reilly Webb (D) – Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
165. New York Islanders (from LA): Arnaud Durandeau (LW) – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
166. Carolina Hurricanes: Brandon De Jong (D) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
167. Winnipeg Jets: Arvid Holm (G) – Karlskrona (Sweden)
168. Philadlephia Flyers: Olle Lycksell (C) – Linkoping (Sweden)
169. Tampa Bay Lightning: Nick Perbix (D) – Elk River (USHS)
170. Columbus Blue Jackets (from NYI via CHI): Jonathan Davidsson (RW) – Djurgardens (Sweden)
171. Calgary Flames: D’Artagnan Joly (RW) – Baie-Comeau Drakkar
172. Toronto Maple Leafs: Ryan McGregor (C/LW) – Sarnia Sting (OHL)
173. Boston Bruins: Cedric Pare (LW) – Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
174. New York Rangers (from SJS): Morgan Barron (C) – St. Andrew’s (CISAA)
175. St. Louis Blues: Trenton Bourque (D) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
176. Nashville Predators (from NYR): Pavel Kolygin (LW/C) – Drummondville Voltiguers (QMJHL)
177. Edmonton Oilers: Skyler Brind’Amour (C) – Selects (USPHL)
178. Minnesota Wild: Andrei Svetlakov (C) – CSKA Moscow (Russia)
179. Columbus Blue Jackets: Carson Meyer (RW) – Miami (OH) (NCAA)
180. Tampa Bay Lightning (from MTL): Cole Guttman (C) – Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
181. Vancouver Canucks (from CHI via CLB): Petrus Palmu (RW/LW) – Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
182. Washington Capitals: Benton Maass (D) – Elk River (USHS)
183. Ottawa Senators: Jordan Hollett (G) – Regina Pats (WHL)
184. Florida Panthers (from ANA): Sebastian Repo (RW) – Tappara (Finland)
185. San Jose Sharks (from NSH via NJ): Alexander Chmelevski (C) – Ottawa 67’s
186. Pittsburgh Penguins: Antti Palojarvi (D) – Lukko (Finland)

Round 7

187. Colorado Avalanche: Nick Leivermann (D) – Eden Prairie (USHS)
188. Vancouver Canucks: Matthew Brassard (D) – Oshawa Generals (OHL)
189. Vegas Golden Knights: Ben Jones (C) – Niagara Ice Dogs (OHL)
190. Arizona Coyotes: Erik Walli Walterholm(RW) – Djurgardens (Sweden)
191. New Jersey Devils: Jocktan Chainey (D) – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
192. Buffalo Sabres: Linus Weissbach (LW/RW) – Tri-City Storm (USHL)
193. Detroit Red Wings: Brady Gilmour (C) – Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
194. Dallas Star: Dylan Ferguson (G) – Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
195. Boston Bruins (from FLA): Victor Berglund (D) – MODO (Sweden)
196. Philadelphia Flyers (from LA via TB): Wyatt Kalynuk (D) – Bloomington Thunder (USHL)
197. Carolina Hurricanes: Ville Rasanen (D) -Jokipojat (Finland)
198. Winnipeg Jets: Skyler McKenzie (C) – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
199. Montreal Canadiens (from PHI): Cayden Primeau (G) – Lincoln Stars (USHL)
200. Tampa Bay Lightning: Samuel Walker (C) – Edina (USHS)
201. New York Islanders: Logan Cockerill (RW) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
202. Calgary Flames: Filip Sveningsson (LW) – HV71 (Sweden)
203. Toronto Maple Leafs: Ryan O’Connell (D) – St. Andrew’s (CISAA)
204. Boston Bruins: Daniel Bukac (D) – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
205. New Jersey Devils (from SJS): Yegor Zaitsev (D) – Dynamo Moskva (Russia)
206. St. Louis Blues: Anton Andersson (D) – Lulea (Sweden)
207. New York Rangers: Patrik Virta (C/RW) – TPS (Finland)
208. Edmonton Oilers: Phillip Kemp (D) – U.S. U-18 National Development Program
209. Minnesota Wild: Nick Swaney (C) – Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
210. Columbus Blue Jackets: Robbie Stucker (D) – St. Thomas (USHS)
211. Winnipeg Jets (from MTL): Croix Evingson (D) – Shreveport Mudbugs (NAHL)
212. San Jose Sharks (from CHI): Ivan Chekhovich (LW) – Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
213. Washington Capitals: Kristian Roykas Marthinsen (LW) – Almtuna (Sweden)
214. New Jersey Devils (from OTT via SJS): Matthew Hellickson (D) – Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
215. Chicago Blackhawks (from ANA): Josh Ess (D) – Lakeville (USHS)
216. Nashville Predators: Jacob Paquette (D) – Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
217. Pittsburgh Penguins: Will Reilly (D) – RPI (NCAA)

Zach Leach contributed to this post (Day Two)

Winnipeg Jets Re-Sign Ben Chiarot

By Zach Leach | at June 24, 2017 8:00 am

The Winnipeg Jets were professional multi-taskers last night. Not long after drafting Kristian Vesalainen 24th overall in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft, the “True North” locked up one of their own in defenseman Ben Chiarot. Renaud Lavoie of TVA reported the extension close at close to 11 PM CT in Chicago, as the Jets’ brass were working into the wee hours of the night. Chiarot, an impending restricted free agent, will return for two more years at $1.4MM per season.

Winnipeg has already been masterful this season at keeping their defense intact. They first convinced veteran Toby Enstrom to waive his No-Movement Clause, allowing him to be exposed in Wednesday’s Expansion Draft so that Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers, and Jacob Trouba could be protected. Then, upon hearing rumors that the Vegas Golden Knights were considering selecting Enstrom, the Jets struck a deal to move down 13 spots in the NHL Draft, swapping their #13 overall pick with Columbus’ #24 overall pick, which Vegas had already acquired. Now, having survived Expansion with all of their top-four defenseman, Winnipeg has locked up their #5 at a reasonable rate over the next two years of the 26-year-old’s career. With youngster Josh Morrissey and veteran Mark Stuart also in the fold, it seem that the Jets will enter free agency next week with a solid seven on the blue line and no need for concern.

Chiarot, a big stay-at-home defenseman, also put up a career-high 12 points in Winnipeg last year. In 59 games, the 6’3″, 219-lb. blue liner registered two goals and ten assists, all at even strength. While Chiarot may not be an asset on the power play, he is one of the team’s top penalty killers. Chiarot can check and block shots very well, though the Jets wouldn’t mind if he did more of both. They have two more years to work on rounding out the still-developing defender’s game before he hits unrestricted free agency in 2019. Don’t be surprised to see Chiarot on a short leash over the course of this new contract, as Winnipeg already sports strong depth on defense with top prospects Logan Stanley and Luke Green on their way up sooner rather than later as well.

1 comment Expansion Free Agency Winnipeg Jets Dustin Byfuglien Jacob Trouba Josh Morrissey Logan Stanley NHL Entry Draft Toby Enstrom Tyler Myers

Arizona Coyotes Not Expected To Retain Alexander Burmistrov

By Gavin Lee | at June 23, 2017 4:11 pm

In a surprising turn after today’s Arizona dealings, Craig Morgan of AZ Sports reports from a scrum with GM John Chayka to not expect the Coyotes to retain Alexander Burmistrov. The young center is a restricted free agent, so presumably Morgan means that the team will not extend him a qualifying offer. The Coyotes have acquired both Derek Stepan and Nick Cousins to fill out their center position, though Burmistrov did show off his potential down the stretch last season.

After being selected off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets, Burmistrov scored 14 points in 26 games for the Coyotes and seemed to fit in as well as one could expect. He would unfortunately miss almost a month after a hit from the Bruins’ Colin Miller caused him to have to leave the ice on a stretcher. The eighth-overall pick of the 2010 draft has been a disappointment thus far in his NHL career, reaching a high of 28 points in 2011-12.

Though he played center for much of his time in Arizona, Winnipeg had nearly given up on him at that position. With a career faceoff winning percentage of 42.3%, and a still unrefined defensive game Burmistrov is a risky fit in the middle of the ice. That’s not to say he couldn’t improve, but as he turns 26 this fall it seems unlikely. He still possesses an ability to make highlight reel passes, and shows flashes of game-altering skill, but has never been able to do it on a consistent basis even in a single game. With a clear mandate from ownership to compete this season, the Coyotes can no longer waste time trying to develop failed prospects.

0 comments John Chayka Utah Mammoth Waivers Winnipeg Jets Alexander Burmistrov Derek Stepan Nick Cousins

Vegas Golden Knights Trade Breakdown

By Gavin Lee | at June 21, 2017 11:08 pm

The Vegas Golden Knights have already completed ten trades this offseason, wheeling and dealing around the expansion draft with a third of the NHL. While more deals will undoubtedly drop tomorrow and in the next few days, these first ten transactions have set the team up for success. We’ll take a moment to break down why each trade happened, though there may be more dominoes to fall regarding some of them.

Buffalo sends their 2017 sixth-round pick to Vegas

In the first trade of the night, Vegas acquires a late round pick in order to not select G Linus Ullmark from the Sabres. Golden Knights GM George McPhee explained on the Awards broadcast that they were down to two players, Ullmark and William Carrier and the Sabres made their decision for them with a pick. For what it’s worth, our mock draft had the same split decision over the two players with Ullmark eventually ending up as the selection.

Florida sends F Reilly Smith to Vegas in exchange for their 2018 fourth-round pick

Smith was signed to a five-year, $25MM extension last summer by the new front office in Florida before scoring just 37 points and having a relatively poor year. The new front office (which, ironically is also the old-old front office with Dale Tallon taking over again as GM) apparently thought that deal was bad enough to want Vegas to take it off their hands. In return, the Golden Knights got the chance to draft Jon Marchessault, who was conspicuously left off the team’s protection list. The fact that Florida got something back takes a bit of the sting away, but losing 45 goals and 88 points in return for a fourth-round pick is a tough choice regardless of the salary cap implications.

Carolina sends 2017 fifth-round pick to Vegas

It’s unclear who the Vegas Golden Knights would have targeted from Carolina, but they used a pick to ensure it would be Connor Brickley instead. In our mock draft we had Klas Dahlbeck heading to Vegas, which is perhaps the player they wanted to protect. Brickley was still a second-round pick back in 2010 and has shown much in the way of NHL upside as of yet. As a 25-year old Group VI free agent this summer, Vegas may decide to just let him hit the open market.

Tampa Bay sends negotiating rights to F Nikita Gusev, their 2017 second-round pick and Pittsburgh’s 2018 fourth-round pick to Vegas

This is one of the bigger trades of the night, with the Lightning dealing two picks and Gusev in order to protect their young defensemen Slater Koekkoek and Jake Dotchin. They also got the Golden Knights to take Jason Garrison and his $4.6MM cap hit off their books. According to agent Dan Milstein, Gusev isn’t coming to the NHL right away but will revisit the idea in the future. Gusev of course is a former linemate of Vegas free agent signing Vadim Shipachyov, perhaps giving them the inside track to get him over to North America before long.

In the last few months, Tampa GM Steve Yzerman has aggressively shed salary by moving Valtteri Filppula, Jonathan Drouin and now Garrison. As extensions kick in for some of his top players, he still has Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat to re-sign among a big group of RFAs. Suddenly they have around ~$23MM in cap space and could potentially be buyers on the free agent market.

New York Islanders send F Mikhail Grabovski, D Jake Bischoff, their 2017 first-round pick and their 2019 second-round pick to Vegas

The Islanders apparently were desperate to extend their protection list and force Vegas’ hand, because they moved a healthy package to do so. Grabovski was included to get the cap-hit off their books, though he’ll likely never play again in the NHL. LTIR isn’t as easy as free cap space, and the team needed some more this summer if they’re going to make a big splash and find wingers for John Tavares. Bischoff, a seventh-round pick, was just signed out of the University of Minnesota where he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. After a nice start to his AHL career, he does have a chance to make the NHL some day but will more likely head to the Chicago Wolves and spend some more time in the minor leagues.

The Golden Knights ended up selecting Jean-Francois Berube, who is another Group VI free agent and might not even play for Vegas at all. The 25-year old has had trouble finding a place in an NHL net and could have to settle for a two-way contract this summer. His pick is a throwaway for the Golden Knights, who needed to pick three goaltenders in the draft to comply with the minimum requirements. The big get for them is the 15th-overall pick in Friday’s entry draft, one they could easily use to move up in the first round.

Anaheim sends D Shea Theodore to Vegas

This is one of the more clear cut trades of the night. Anaheim had too many defensemen to protect, and Vegas would have happily snapped up Josh Manson or Sami Vatanen. It cost them Theodore to protect those two, and get rid of Clayton Stoner‘s $3.25MM contract. Stoner is an unrestricted free agent after this year and will have little effect on the Golden Knights cap this season, and Theodore is a prized defensive prospect who could grow into one of the best players on the Vegas roster.

Theodore was behind a long line of left-handed defensemen in Anaheim, but is just 21-years old and holds tremendous value even with his up-and-down season. The Golden Knights could build a defense around him and other young players they selected, or trade him right away for another package of picks to help build through the draft. Either way, he’s one of the top prizes of the night.

Minnesota sends F Alex Tuch to Vegas in exchange for their conditional 2018 third-round pick

Minnesota had much the same problem as Anaheim; too many worthwhile players. In order to protect Mathew Dumba, Marco Scandella and Eric Staal, the Wild had to give up a first-round pick in Tuch to the Golden Knights. While he’s not their top forward prospect, he’s still an asset with excellent value after making his NHL debut this season. He could find his way onto the Golden Knights opening day roster with a solid camp, and at just 21 could be there for a long time.

The Wild likely didn’t have to give up a better prospect because Vegas also got to sign Erik Haula, a strong secondary scoring option that has experience at both wing and center. The Golden Knights inked the restricted free agent to a three-year, $8.25MM contract and will hope he can build off the 15-goals he scored in 2016-17. It’s hard to imagine Haula will be flipped anywhere, meaning the 26-year old should be in Vegas on opening night.

Columbus sends F David Clarkson, their 2017 first-round pick and their 2019 second-round pick to Vegas

Another big deal that protected several good players, Columbus wanted the Golden Knights to stay away from Josh Anderson, Joonas Korpisalo and Jack Johnson. They also needed some cap relief, deciding to include Clarkson’s three remaining years at $5.25MM in the deal. Just like Grabovski, Clarkson won’t ever play again in the NHL but his contract will stay on the books for now. The Blue Jackets had to part with the 24th-overall pick and another selection two years for now for the extra protection.

Again, though Clarkson could have been put on LTIR after the season began, the Blue Jackets were looking at around $5MM in cap space with several high-profile restricted free agents still to sign. They needed relief badly, and were forced to make a deal of some sort to move money out. They’ll now likely be able to fit both Anderson and Alexander Wennberg in, though watch for them to make another cap-saving move in the near future.

Winnipeg sends their 2017 first-round pick and their 2019 third-round pick to Vegas for Columbus’ 2017 first-round pick

At first glance, this deal looks mighty odd. The Golden Knights move up 11 spots in Friday’s first round (24 to 13) and also add a third-round pick in 2019. What it comes down to, is protection of Toby Enstrom, Marko Dano and others in the expansion draft. The Golden Knights ended up picking Chris Thorburn who a) is an unrestricted free agent and b) has a career high of 19 points. Thorburn isn’t in the plans for Vegas, but it was worth it to move up more than a third of the first round in one shot and leave them with three picks in the top-15. Many are speculating whether they will use those to move up and perhaps take a swing at Brandon Wheat King Nolan Patrick, who was originally drafted and developed in the WHL by Vegas AGM Kelly McCrimmon.

For the Jets, moving back in the first round was worth protecting their depth as they look to compete for the playoffs next season. Enstrom waived his no-movement clause for the team to protect Tyler Myers, likely reducing the amount of leverage the Golden Knights had in negotiations. Had Myers been available, he may have been worth more than 11 spots and a third-round pick.

Pittsburgh sends their 2020 second-round pick to Vegas

In a trade that according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN was agreed upon in principle way back on March 1st when the Golden Knights were first allowed to talk to teams, the Penguins give up a draft pick several years down the road to make sure that Marc-Andre Fleury would be Vegas’ selection. Both Fleury and the Penguins knew he’d be heading to Vegas next season for quite some time, making his play down the stretch and in the playoffs that much more remarkable. Generally known as one of the most well-liked players around the league, Fleury won his third Stanley Cup this season with the only team he’s ever played for.

Welcomed to the biggest ovation of the night (sorry James Neal), Fleury will instantly become one of the faces of the Golden Knights franchise and likely spend the entire season in 2017-18 as their starting goaltender. After a so-so regular season, Fleury turned back the clock in the playoffs and helped the Penguins through the first few rounds after starter Matt Murray went down with a torn hamstring. At 32, he has just two years remaining on his contract at $5.75MM a number that the Penguins no longer could afford at the backup goalie position. A new contract for Murray kicks in this year, and the team has several important RFAs to sign this summer.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

0 comments Buffalo Sabres Columbus Blue Jackets Dale Tallon Expansion George McPhee Minnesota Wild New York Islanders Pittsburgh Penguins Tampa Bay Lightning Vegas Golden Knights Winnipeg Jets Alex Tuch Clayton Stoner Connor Brickley David Clarkson Erik Haula Jason Garrison Jean-Francois Berube Linus Ullmark Marc-Andre Fleury Mikhail Grabovski

NHL Awards Preview

By Zach Leach | at June 21, 2017 7:01 pm

Caught up in the excitement of the Expansion Draft, it’s easy to forget that there is also an awards show tonight. Yes, the best trophy in all of sports, the Stanley Cup, has already been presented to the Pittsburgh Penguins, as has the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP to their captain, Sidney Crosby. Crosby also already locked up the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for the most regular season goals. Edmonton Oilers wunderkind Connor McDavid captured the Art Ross Trophy for the most regular season points as well. Braden Holtby locked up the William M. Jennings Trophy already too, as the Washington Capitals allowed the least amount of goals against in the regular season. Yet, all three of these players and many more still have a lot on the line tonight. Here are the nominees for tonight’s NHL Awards:

Hart Trophy – Most Valuable Player

Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets

Star goalie helped to lead the Blue Jackets to their best record in franchise history, all while topping the league in save percentage (.931) and goals against average (2.06)

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

The NHL’s leading goal-scorer and back-to-back winner of the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy

Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

20-year-old phenom led the league in points and assists and took his team from the draft lottery to the second round of the playoffs

Norris Trophy – Best Defenseman

Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks

Not only led all defenseman in scoring with 76 points, but finished ninth overall among some of the league’s most dynamic forwards. Can check with the best of them as well.

Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning

A down year for the Bolts was a career year for Hedman, who finished just four points behind Burns with 72, and led all blue liners with 56 assists

Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators

If this award had been voted on after the playoffs, it might have been a different result. The NHL’s best puck-mover may still pull it off behind a 71-point campaign and an improved defensive game

Vezina Trophy – Best Goaltender

Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets

Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals

The Jennings winner also finished one goal against away from the league lead in goals against average – his GAA was 2.07 to Bobrovsky’s 2.06 – and was top five in save percentage (.925) and tied for first in wins (42)

Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens

It’s a two-horse race for the Vezina this year, as all-world Price was top ten in wins, save percentage, and goals against average, but can’t touch Bobrovsky or Holtby

Selke Trophy – Best Defensive Forward

Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins

Bergeron has won three of the past four Selke’s and hasn’t finished outside the top five in voting since 2008. He also led the league in face-off wins, winning over 60% at the dot, and trailed only McDavid in Expected +/-. Care to bet against him?

Ryan Kesler, Anaheim Ducks

Kesler finished third in face-off wins and played an important two-way role in the Duck’s playoff run

Mikko Koivu, Minnesota Wild

The Wild captain was top ten in +/- and fifth in face-offs, leading a strong two-way forward corps in Minnesota

Calder Trophy – Best Rookie

Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets

Finished just behind Matthews in goals (36) and assists (28), but had slightly better per-game production

Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs

Finished just ahead of Laine in goals (40) and assists (29), but had slightly worse per-game production

Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets

Led all rookie defensemen in scoring by a wide margin and drastically changed the Columbus power play

Lady Byng Trophy – Most Gentlemanly Player

Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames

Mikael Granlund, Minnesota Wild

Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues

Masterson Trophy – Dedication to Hockey

Craig Anderson, Ottawa Senators

Andrew Cogliano, Anaheim Ducks

Derek Ryan, Carolina Hurricanes

Jack Adams Award – Coach of the Year

Mike Babcock, Toronto Maple Leafs

Todd McLellan, Edmonton Oilers

John Tortorella, Columbus Blue Jackets

General Manager of the Year

Peter Chiarelli, Edmonton Oilers

Pierre Dorion, Ottawa Senators

David Poile, Nashville Predators

3 comments Anaheim Ducks Boston Bruins Calgary Flames Carolina Hurricanes Columbus Blue Jackets David Poile Edmonton Oilers Expansion John Tortorella Mike Babcock Mike Babcock Minnesota Wild Montreal Canadiens NHL Nashville Predators Ottawa Senators Pittsburgh Penguins Players San Jose Sharks St. Louis Blues Tampa Bay Lightning Todd McLellan Toronto Maple Leafs Washington Capitals Winnipeg Jets Andrew Cogliano Auston Matthews Braden Holtby Brent Burns Carey Price Connor McDavid Craig Anderson Derek Ryan Erik Karlsson Johnny Gaudreau Mikael Granlund Mikko Koivu NHL Awards Patrice Bergeron

Rumored Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Selections

By Gavin Lee | at June 21, 2017 6:45 pm

The Vegas Golden Knights will reveal their expansion selections at tonight’s NHL Awards show, but details have started to come in on who each team will lose. There are many rumors floating around, but these are the most reputable. As with anything, nothing is final until the actual selections are announced tonight. This page will be updated with new information as it comes in.

Here are the latest rumored selections along with their source:

Anaheim Ducks: Clayton Stoner — Bob McKenzie of TSN

Arizona Coyotes:

Boston Bruins: Colin Miller — Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet

Buffalo Sabres: William Carrier — Frank Seravalli of TSN

Calgary Flames: Deryk Engelland — John Shannon of Sportsnet

Carolina Hurricanes:

Chicago Blackhawks: Trevor van Riemsdyk — Frank Seravalli of TSN

Colorado Avalanche:

Columbus Blue Jackets: William Karlsson — Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch

Dallas Stars: Cody Eakin — Jim Toth of TSN

Detroit Red Wings: Tomas Nosek — Craig Custance of The Athletic.

Edmonton Oilers: Griffin Reinhart — John Shannon of Sportsnet

Florida Panthers: Jon Marchessault — Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet

Los Angeles Kings: Brayden McNabb — John Shannon of Sportsnet

Minnesota Wild: Erik Haula — Michael Russo of the Star Tribune

Montreal Canadiens: Alexei Emelin — Eric Engels of Sportsnet

Nashville Predators: James Neal — Bob McKenzie of TSN

New Jersey Devils: Jon Merrill — Frank Seravalli of TSN

New York Islanders: Jean-Francois Berube — Bob McKenzie of TSN

New York Rangers: Oscar Lindberg — Larry Brooks of the New York Post and Frank Seravalli of TSN.

Ottawa Senators: Marc Methot — Pierre LeBrun of TSN

Philadelphia Flyers: Pierre-Edouard Bellemare — Craig Custance of The Athletic

Pittsburgh Penguins: Marc-Andre Fleury – Bob McKenzie of TSN

San Jose Sharks: David Schlemko — Pierre LeBrun of TSN

St. Louis Blues: David Perron — James Mirtle of The Athletic

Tampa Bay Lightning:

Toronto Maple Leafs: Brendan Leipsic — Darren Dreger of TSN

Vancouver Canucks:

Washington Capitals: Nate Schmidt — Pierre LeBrun of TSN

Winnipeg Jets:

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Winnipeg Jets Could Have Side Deal To Protect Toby Enstrom

By Gavin Lee | at June 21, 2017 1:59 pm

Darren Dreger of TSN notes that Toby Enstrom may have been protected after all by the Winnipeg Jets, as there is likely a side-deal with Vegas to not select the veteran defender. Enstrom waived his no-movement clause in order for the Jets to protect Tyler Myers, and would probably cost less in terms of assets to protect in a deal.

0 comments Expansion Montreal Canadiens New York Islanders Vegas Golden Knights Washington Capitals Winnipeg Jets Alexei Emelin

Should Vegas Corner Goalie Market?

By Seth Lawrence | at June 19, 2017 6:07 pm

With the recent trade of Mike Smith to Calgary, the market for starting goaltenders is dwindling even further. An interesting dynamic for the Vegas Golden Knights as they choose their team will be whether they opt to select every quality goalie out there in order to flip them to other teams. There are quite a few available – Marc-Andre Fleury of Pittsburgh, Eddie Lack (and Cam Ward) of Carolina, Calvin Pickard of Colorado, Antti Raanta of New York, Petr Mrazek of Detroit, Roberto Luongo of Florida, Jaroslav Halak of the Islanders, Michal Neuvirth of Philadelphia, Peter Budaj of Tampa Bay, and Philipp Grubauer of Washington, with a few interesting prospects also exposed. As we’ve seen in the past few seasons, dealing a goaltender for anything remotely resembling fair value can be an enormous challenge. The salary cap has really warped the value of a solid starting goaltender in a way that has not been totally beneficial to the players.

One down season and a tender’s value goes down quite heavily. The top ten goalies in the league always seem to find a home on the rare occasion they hit unrestricted free agency, but that has been a rare occurrence. Many might point to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final when they isolate a particular moment that the highly-paid goaltender became an oddity. In that Final, Michael Leighton, third-string for Philadelphia, faced off against the very pedestrian Antti Niemi, who was then sacrificed for cap reasons. With the whole league watching, these teams ascended to hockey’s main stage with relative no names in the crease. While that moment may have been particularly damaging, the moment for me was the fiasco that was the Luongo and Cory Schneider trade saga in Vancouver, which lasted parts of 2 seasons. Then Canucks GM Mike Gillis had a terrible time finding a suitor for Luongo before finally being forced to ship Schneider off in the 2013 offseason for a 9th round pick. This too, was terrible value, considering that Schneider was one of the best young goalies in the league and coming off a scorching season where he had a .937 save percentage. This ordeal took place less than two years after Luongo had taken the team to its first Final since 1994. Granted, Luongo’s contract was considered a bit of an albatross, but it very publicly cemented the value of goaltenders on the trade market as minimal.

Looking forward to the present day, and the last two goaltenders have been traded for rather uninspiring returns. Arizona’s Smith only fetched a 3rd rounder, and Ben Bishop only netted a 4th from Dallas. GM George McPhee could end up hosting a goaltender buffet, with few paying customers. He would be wise to gauge the interest of other teams before deciding on their selections in net. They obviously want to draft a solid starter and a few young goaltenders as future cornerstones. They need to draft 3, and it’s difficult to envision them drafting less than 4 with the enticing names available out there. But if they decide to go into 5 or 6 goaltender territory, McPhee could manufacture a logjam that could be difficult to sort out. After all, only the WInnipeg Jets are truly desperate for a starting goaltender, and that’s assuming they don’t want one of Brian Elliott, Mike Condon, or another UFA to be their partner for Connor Hellebuyck. Philadelphia could be interested in a younger asset, and there are always teams who will desperately seek a starter mid-season when a keeper inevitably goes down to injury. That said, the market simply doesn’t favor the strategy of going all-in in net.

10 comments Free Agency George McPhee Injury New York Islanders Players Prospects Vancouver Canucks Vegas Golden Knights Winnipeg Jets Antti Niemi Antti Raanta Ben Bishop Brian Elliott Calvin Pickard Cam Ward Connor Hellebuyck Cory Schneider Eddie Lack Jaroslav Halak Marc-Andre Fleury Michael Leighton Michal Neuvirth Mike Condon Mike Smith Peter Budaj Petr Mrazek Philipp Grubauer Salary Cap

Central Division Offers Veteran Scoring, Risky Prospects

By Holger Stolzenberg | at June 18, 2017 12:45 pm

The Central Division has quite a bit to offer the Las Vegas Golden Knights from prospects to veteran scorers as they sift through the recently exposed rosters of every NHL team. Several team offer quite a bit of challenging option that the inaugural team can either take, trade off or just work out a deal for some picks. Once again, while some of these players may be available, trades may have already been worked out to persuade Las Vegas to look the other way on a few of them. So don’t be surprised if they don’t take them.

The Minnesota Wild have offered the most intriguing options in the draft after having exposed several interesting players. Due to their defensive depth, the team left several defensemen exposed, including 22-year-old Mathew Dumba, a promising defenseman who has already been in the NHL for three years since being the seventh-overall pick in 2012. Dumba’s 11 goals make him a key defenseman to build their franchise around, assuming the team doesn’t have a side deal set up or the Golden Knights are considering flipping him to another desperate team needing defense. Veteran forward Eric Staal was also left unprotected, leaving Las Vegas with even a tougher decisions to make. The 32-year-old veteran had one of his better season with the Wild this past year, putting up 28 goals. His price tag is even reasonable at $3.5MM for the next two years. Defenseman Marco Scandella is an afterthought here, but on any other team, would be an intriguing option for the Golden Knights.

The Nashville Predators have one obvious candidate in veteran scorer James Neal, who helped lead the team to the Stanley Cup Finals. Neal finished the season with 23 regular season goals and the 29-year-old has tallied 80 goals in the last three seasons combined. Whether the Predators have worked out a package in order to keep Neal for their run next year is unknown as of yet. If that’s the case, another interesting name could be 23-year-old winger Pontus Aberg, who has showed a lot of promise in the AHL, including a 31-goal season this past year. He still played 15 games for the Predators, but managed just one goal and had a tough time cracking their rotation. Perhaps the least surprising options go to the Chicago Blackhawks. Long-standing rumors that Chicago has exposed 25-year-old defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk with the supposed agreement they would also take on the contract of Marcus Kruger and his 3.083MM for the next two years for additional costs suggest that Las Vegas already knows what they’re getting.

The Dallas Stars might hope that the Golden Knights take 26-year-old center Cody Eakin. The veteran had an off year after putting up three goals in 60 games, but had tallied 51 goals in the three years before that. The problem with Eakin is the three years he has left at $3.85MM per season. He was originally drafted by McPhee, so maybe the GM would be willing to take his chances with him. Dan Hamhuis could be a solid option as well if the Golden Knights are looking for a 34-year-old veteran defensive-minded blueliner. The Winnipeg Jets did expose 32-year-old Toby Enstrom after he waived his no-movement clause. The veteran could be the perfect person to lead a group of young Golden Knight defenders. Enstrom, despite starting to slow down, is still considered a solid defenseman. However, Winnipeg also left 22-year-old center Marko Dano available to Las Vegas. The former first-round pick in 2013 hasn’t been able to put together a full season, but is still young enough to put it all together. He put up four goals and seven assists last season in 38 games, but missed time due to a lower body injury and never regained his playing time after that.

While the St. Louis Blues exposed Jori Lehtera with the hopes they can package the veteran along with some picks to remove his contract off their books, which still has two years at $4.7MM per season, Las Vegas might be more enamored with 23-year-old Nail Yakupov, who is the former first-overall pick in the 2012 draft. While his career hasn’t exactly gone as planned, he has still shown some glimpses of potential and Las Vegas might be willing to take a chance on him. The Colorado Avalanche surprised a few by exposing goaltender Calvin Pickard. The 25-year-old didn’t have the greatest season last year, evidenced by his 3.02 GAA, but it was behind a weak defense. However, considering the amount of goaltending depth offered from the Eastern Conference, the team might ultimately pass on him considering there are other key goalies available ranging from Petr Mrazek to Marc-Andre Fleury to Philipp Grubauer to name just a few. They may have exposed Pickard to keep 29-year-old Semyon Varlamov away from McPhee, who also drafted the goaltender in Washington back in 2006. Besides that, Colorado left little else exposed.

1 comment Chicago Blackhawks Colorado Avalanche Dallas Stars Minnesota Wild Nashville Predators St. Louis Blues Uncategorized Vegas Golden Knights Winnipeg Jets Calvin Pickard Cody Eakin Eric Staal James Neal Matt Dumba Nail Yakupov Toby Enstrom

Marko Dano Signs One-Year Contract With Winnipeg Jets

By Gavin Lee | at June 13, 2017 9:17 am

The Winnipeg Jets can mark off one item on their offseason to-do list, as the team has signed Marko Dano to a one-year contract. The contract is one-way, and worth $850K for the 2017-18 season. Getting him under contract gives the Jets more options for the expansion draft, as he could be exposed as one of their two forwards who meets the games played minimums.

As discussed in the Jets’ Expansion Primer, the team is in a tough spot should Toby Enstrom not waive his no-movement clause. We won’t find out if he did or not until the protection lists are released, but if he didn’t there are going to be handful of interesting players available for the Golden Knights. Dano may not be the top name, but he’s definitely one of them after flashing some of the potential that made him a first-round pick just a few years ago.

Dano was acquired by the Jets along with a first-round pick—which the team used to trade up and select Logan Stanley—for Andrew Ladd last year, and is a promising young player in his own right. The 22-year old was actually drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets before being shipped off to Chicago as part of the Brandon Saad deal. Selected as a center, he hasn’t played much down the middle in the NHL.

Now playing on a one-way contract, Dano is expected to spend most of the year with the Jets this season as a bottom-six winger with the potential to develop into a more offensive player. His speed and defensive game is good enough to play limited minutes, but if he’s to take the next step he needs to break through offensively. Even in the AHL he’s rarely found sustained success, something he’ll look for in Winnipeg as he turns 23.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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