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Coyotes Sign Barrett Hayton To Entry-Level Contract

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The Arizona Coyotes have come to terms on an entry-level contract with their most recent first-round pick. Barrett Hayton, the fifth overall pick last month, has signed his first professional deal, per a team release. It is a standard three-year ELC and, while financial terms were not disclosed, it is fair to assume that he will have a maximum $925K base salary and maximum allowable performance bonuses.

Hayton, who only turned 18 in June, is an intriguing prospect for the Coyotes. While few expected him to be selected as high as he was, there is no doubt that Hayton is a supremely talented player with a high hockey IQ and a two-way game that is well beyond most of his peers’. The talented center registered 60 points in 63 games with the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds last season and earned an invitation to Team Canada’s World Junior Showcase this summer.

Hayton is still a ways away from owning a pro-ready offensive arsenal and is likely to return to the Greyhounds for at least one more season. However, he does have the potential to be a unique, high-caliber player in the NHL and the type of asset that the Coyotes have been lacking. This contract is little more than a formality, but it is the next step toward an exciting young player heading to Arizona in the future.

Massimo Rizzo Bound For North Dakota

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A top BCHL prospect is following in familiar footsteps. The Penticton Vees announced today that Massimo Rizzo has committed to join the University of North Dakota for the 2019-20 season, extending a trend of Penticton captains continuing their development with the Fighting Hawks. Rizzo was given the “C” for the Vees for the upcoming season earlier this month.

As a rookie last season, Rizzo turned heads with his impressive performance. The 16-year-old finished fourth on the team in scoring with 39 points in 50 games and then really held his own in the postseason with another ten points. The speedy forward showed good balance to his game and the potential to improve into a game-changing talent. His promotion to captain at such a young age also speaks to his leadership and locker room presence. Rizzo also performed well for Team Canada at the U-17 World Championships where he was again fourth in team scoring with four points in five games. As the Junior-A level in Canada continues to gain more recognition, Rizzo could be the next big name to trace his roots back to the BCHL.

Rizzo should take another step forward in Penticton next season before enrolling at North Dakota, where he will try to follow the path of several notable former Vees captains. Three recent Penticton captains have been recruited by the Fighting Hawks and have gone on to have great success in the college ranks and in the pros. Troy Stecher was a three-year star at UND before signing with the Vancouver Canucks and is now a top-four defenseman in the NHL. Tyson Jost was the tenth overall pick out of Penticton two years ago and showed his value in his one college season with more than a point per game with the Hawks.  He then played a critical role in the re-emergence of the Colorado Avalanche this season. Finally, like Stecher, Nick Jones was a star with the Vees, but went undrafted; however he showed in his first year for North Dakota that he has the makings of a future pro. When Rizzo joins North Dakota in 2019, he’ll reunite with Jones and draft-eligible defenseman Jonny Tychonick on a team that will draw much of its strength from former Vees.

Eastern Notes: Callahan, Burke, Mascherin

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After undergoing two hip surgeries a year ago, veteran forward Ryan Callahan has been a key player for the Tampa Bay Lightning this season. While his defensive skills and penalty killing have been critical for the Lightning, he also contributed a goal and an assist Saturday in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. What’s amazing, writes The Athletic’s Joe Smith (subscription required), is that Callahan admits that he thought he would need season-ending surgery back in December when he suffered a serious shoulder injury.

The 33-year-old collided with Arizona’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson in a Dec. 14 against the Arizona Coyotes in which the two players got tangled and Callahan’s shoulder vaulted into the boards. He lost three weeks of his season, rehabbing the injury, but returned in early January. Despite re-injuring the shoulder in March, he has not let up and continues to throw his body around for the Lightning in the playoffs.

“There’s no question the last three years have been tough for me,” Callahan said. “I think, for me, I appreciate this even more, especially being in the league for 12 years now too. You realize you don’t get this chance and this opportunity very often. I appreciate it and I realize how hard it is to win. And I’m trying to take advantage of it.”

  • Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette writes that Montreal Canadiens scout Sean Burke, who served as co-general manager with Martin Brodeur, for Team Canada at the IIHF World Championships this week, has no idea what his next step will be. Burke, who has served as a scout for Canadiens’ head coach Marc Bergevin, said he might like to return as a scout, but will wait to see if he gets a better offer. “(Marc) Bergevin has been great with me in allowing me to do both roles and gain experience here as well. So we’ll see what’s down the road, but like everybody in this business you’re looking to get better and I’ve been fortunate to work with great people,” Burke said.
  • In his most recent podcast, TSN’s Bob McKenzie talks about Florida Panthers prospect Adam Mascherin, who says he will not sign with the team and has indicated he wants to re-enter the 2018 draft. The Panthers’ 2016 second-round pick claims to have been treated poorly by the Panthers and claims to not have been offered an entry-level deal. McKenzie says the Panthers have offered him an entry-level deal, a lucrative one that compares to that of the one that the Chicago Blackhawks’ Alex DeBrincat signed. He chose not to sign, because he “wasn’t feeling the love.” McKenzie adds that Mascherin is playing a dangerous game if he re-enters the draft as most players who re-enter get drafted lower and get lesser contracts.

Western Notes: Tarasenko, Horvat, Kaprisov

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Many people had high hopes that St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko would take that next step this year and become that franchise player that everyone has been waiting for. However, despite those hopes, Tarasenko had a down year. After averaging close to 39 goals per season over the past three years, the 26-year old’s goal totals dropped to 33, while his point totals went from 75 to 66.

The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford (subscription required) writes that one possibility of Tarasenko’s struggles is the fact that the team traded away his three closest friends in Jori Lehtera, Ryan Reaves and Kevin Shattenkirk. Not having them around did have an effect on how Tarasenko handled himself around the team and the scribe said that both Shattenkirk and Reaves had a way of keeping the star level-headed and in check.

While the team would have little interest in bringing back Lehtera and unrealistic to bring back Shattenkirk, the team may consider bringing back Reaves, who will be an unrestricted free agent. The question there is whether the Blues could find playing time for the power forward. Reaves struggled with the Pittsburgh Penguins and has not played for the Vegas Golden Knights in the playoffs yet, which suggests he may not be the same player he once was. Regardless, Rutherford adds that if they do attempt to bring back Reaves, that would spell the end of Chris Thorburn, who essentially plays that same role.

  • Vancouver Canucks Bo Horvat is playing for Team Canada in the World Championships with one thing in mind. The Vancouver Sun’s Ben Kuzma writes that the team captain was told by the team during exit interviews at the end of the season to keep working on his two-way game. Horvat, who had a career-high in goals scored with 22, has emphasized working on his skating while in Denmark. “For me, it’s to work on my skating — you can never be too fast,” said Horvat, who also said working on his defensive awareness is another skill he’s been working on.
  • The Minnesota Wild have had no luck changing the mind of prospect Kirill Kaprisov, according to The Athletic’s Craig Custance (subscription required). The 21-year-old Russian prospect has been playing alongside long-time Detroit Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk at the IIHF World Championships and the two have been a great combination. However, despite the youngster’s success and the Wild’s desperate need for a young scorer, his agent Dan Milstein reiterated that he will not come to the U.S. until his contract in the KHL expires. He still has two years remaining with CSKA Moscow. “Kirill has two years left on his KHL contract which he intends to fulfill. Long-term plan is to play in the NHL,” Milstein wrote via e-mail.

Poll: Who Will Win The 2018 IIHF World Championship?

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If you were one of the many hockey fans frustrated by the NHL’s decision to not attend the most recent Winter Olympics, or one of the many others who have already seen their team eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, this weekend is for you. On Friday, some of the best hockey players in the world will kick off the IIHF World Championship as Team USA and Team Canada do battle.

For more than two weeks, players will represent their countries in the top international tournament of the year. The bronze and gold medal games will be played on Sunday, May 20th—who will be there?

The Canadians look like favorites to contend once again, with Connor McDavid leading an impressive forward group that also includes names like Mathew Barzal, Ryan O’Reilly, Jaden Schwartz and Brayden Schenn. Tyson Jost was added to the team today, while a blue line manned by Aaron Ekblad and Colton Parayko should be smothering.

Team USA doesn’t lag far behind, with Patrick Kane headlining an incredibly skilled group of forwards. Cam Atkinson, Alex DeBrincat, Johnny Gaudreau, Dylan Larkin and others are going to bring speed and offense to the tournament.

Russia is always a wildcard in international tournaments, and is coming off an Olympic victory in Pyeongchang. The team will also have a new face behind the bench, as Oleg Znarok stepped down earlier this month. Ilya Kovalchuk won’t be there, but don’t expect a reduced level of play from the Russians.

As usual, Sweden—the defending champions—will have arguably the best defensive corps in the tournament, with names like John Klingberg, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Hampus Lindholm and Adam Larsson manning their blue line. The team will also feature young talents like Lias Andersson and Elias Pettersson up front, making their games must-see TV for prospect nerds.

The Czech Republic, Finland and Slovakia will all be tough outs like always, and don’t overlook a Leon Draisaitl-led German squad. The Germans have made the quarter-finals in the last two World Championship tournaments, and shocked the hockey world with an Olympic silver medal in South Korea.

In all, the tournament should be excellent and provide a hockey release for those already frustrated with their team’s performance in the Stanley Cup playoffs. With that, we ask you who you think will win the gold medal. Make sure to explain your reasons down below.

Mobile users click here to vote!

Early Notes: Team Canada, Carolina, Browne

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Team Canada has announced their on-ice leadership group for the upcoming World Championships, with Connor McDavid named team captain. Brayden Schenn and Ryan O’Reilly will serve as alternates for what has turned out to be an impressive roster. It will be O’Reilly’s third time wearing an “A” for the squad.

McDavid previously served as captain of Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey, but has never worn a “C” for Canada previously in any major tournament. His presence makes the Canadians a favorite to take home the gold for the third time in four years, but he’ll have to get through some stiff competition. The tournament begins this Friday in Denmark.

  • Last night during the Winnipeg Jets-Nashville Predators game, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that Steve Greeley will not be taking the Carolina Hurricanes GM job. That means Don Waddell will continue to lead the club for the time being, as there are “no plans to hire anyone in the near term.” Greeley, an assistant GM of the Buffalo Sabres, was considered the front-runner for a job that has already had several high profile names remove themselves from consideration. Whoever does take the job will get the opportunity to select second in the upcoming draft, after Carolina moved up nine spots in the recent draft lottery.
  • Harrison Browne, the first openly transgender hockey player in North America, has decided to retire from the NWHL to complete his physical transition. Just 25 years old, Browne is a two-time NWHL Champion, most recently winning with the Metropolitan Riveters. In a long exclusive piece for The Athletic, Corey Masisak (subscription required) details just how Browne came to his decision to leave hockey and the impact he’s leaving behind.

Michael DiPietro Gets Invitation To Join Team Canada

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The IIHF World Championships is set to begin May 4th in Denmark, and there have already been plenty of players announced to the Team Canada roster. Add one more name to the goaltending group, as Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 in Vancouver is reporting that Canucks’ draft pick Michael DiPietro has received an invitation. Dhaliwal expects DiPietro to be the third goaltender, but it is still a huge honor for the 18-year old.

Amazingly, DiPietro was cut from the Canadian World Junior squad earlier this season but will now represent the country on an even bigger stage. Carter Hart, the starter for that World Junior team is still in the WHL playoffs with the Everett Silvertips.

DiPietro was the third goaltender off the board last June, selected at the beginning of the third round. He went back to the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL and had another solid season, turning up his performance in the playoffs. Though the Spitfires were eliminated early, it wasn’t their goaltending that lost the series. DiPietro put up a .934 save percentage, stopping 226 shots in six games.

Inviting an unsigned draft pick—DiPietro still has not signed with the Canucks—to join the World Championship team is a lesson Canada may have learned from USA Hockey, who brought along Cal Petersen last year to experience the tournament as a third goaltender.

Taylor Hall Will Not Attend World Championships

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Though he was asked, Taylor Hall has declined an invitation to compete in the upcoming World Championships according to Mike Morreale of NHL.com. Team Canada would have loved to bring the MVP candidate aboard, but after a long season and disappointing playoff exit Hall will take some time off before starting to train for next year.

Hall has always been an excellent players, going back to his first-overall selection in 2010, but he found a new gear this season playing for the New Jersey Devils. With 93 points in 76 games he set a career-high in basically every offensive category, including goals, assists, plus/minus and takeaways. He added six points in the first five playoff games of his career, proving he could perform on the biggest stage. Unfortunately the Devils ran into a powerhouse Tampa Bay team and were eliminated, but still took huge steps forward this season.

On one of the most affordable contracts in the league—$6MM for each of the next two seasons—Hall will concentrate on helping the Devils take another step next season. It’s not like he hasn’t represented Canada in the past, playing in three World Championships and taking home two gold medals.

Canada, USA Rosters Set For U18 World Championships

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The IIHF U18 World Championships begin today in Russia, with Team Canada and Team USA facing off at 9:30am central. The two squads are made up of many 2018 draft eligible players, including several potential first-round picks. The squads also feature two incredible youngsters, as both Alexis Lafreniere and Jack Hughes are present. Hughes is expected to challenge for the first-overall pick in the 2019 draft, while Lafreniere has a shot at being selected first in 2020.

The full rosters are below:

Team USA

F Jack Hughes
F Trevor Janicke
F Gavin Hain
F Tyler Weiss
F Alex Turcotte
F Jake Wise
F Jack DeBoer
F Jonathan Gruden
F Oliver Wahlstrom
F Jake Pivonka
F Cole Caufield
F Patrick Giles (A)
F Joel Farabee

D Cam York
D Adam Samuelsson
D Ty Emberson (A)
D Bode Wilde
D K’Andre Miller
D Mattias Samuelsson (C)
D Spencer Stastney

G Drew Deridder
G Spencer Knight
G Jonathan Mor*

Team Canada

F Joe Veleno*
F Akil Thomas
F Alexis Lafreniere
F Cole Fonstad
F Cameron Hillis
F Allan McShane
F Liam Foudy
F Ty Dellandrea (A)
F Aidan Dudas*
F Jack McBain
F Chase Wouters
F Raphael Lavoie
F Serron Noel

D Kevin Bahl
D Matthew Robertson
D Bowen Byram
D Jonathan Tychonick
D Ty Smith (C)
D Ryan Merkley
D Jared McIsaac (A)

G Colten Ellis
G Olivier Rodrigue*
G Kevin Mandolese

*Not dressed for the opening game

Bill Peters Named Head Coach Of Team Canada At World Championships

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Bill Peters may not be secure in his NHL coaching position with the Carolina Hurricanes, but that hasn’t stopped him from adding another coaching job to his resume. Sportsnet reported this evening that Hockey Canada has named Peters the head coach of the Canadian team at the upcoming IIHF World Championship. The tournament runs from May 4th – 20th in the cities of Copenhagen and Herning, Denmark.

This won’t be Peters’ first go-round at the World Championships, as he has previously coached for Team Canada on two other occasions, including leading the team as head coach to a 2016 title. The Alberta native was also an assistant coach for Canada’s World Cup team during the summer of 2017.

Peters won’t be without an impressive support staff in Denmark, as Florida Panthers head coach Bob Boughner and St. Louis Blues head coach Mike Yeo were named his assistants. Yeo has previously served as an assistant for the World Championships team, while Boughner will make his coaching debut at the tournament. In Yeo and Boughner, Peters and Team Canada not only add extensive experience, but also the two coaches who came closest to earning an NHL playoff spot this season, each missing out by only one point.

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