Snapshots: Team Canada, Labanc, Draft Rankings
Despite falling to the United States in the gold medal game at the latest World Junior Championships, Dominique Ducharme and the entire Team Canada coaching staff will return for 2017 according to Tim Wharnsby of CBC. The former head coach of the Halifax Mooseheads and current bench boss and GM of the Drummondville Voltigeurs, Ducharme is considered an excellent upcoming prospect in the coaching ranks.
The Team Canada job is one that is often a stepping stone for future NHL coaches, and has been held by names like Mike Babcock, Willie Desjardins, and Claude Julien over the years. Obviously there is no guarantee that Ducharme is headed for the NHL, but at just 43 years old he has a long career ahead of him.
- The San Jose Sharks have sent Kevin Labanc to back to the AHL according to Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News. With Jannik Hansen finally arriving to practice with the team today, Labanc no longer had a spot. The young winger has played 49 games for the Sharks this season, scoring 19 points and generally auditioning well for a full-time spot next season. At just 21-years of age, he’s already progressed much faster than any sixth-round pick is expected to.
- Speaking of draft picks, Jeff Marek of Sportsnet has released his latest prospects rankings for the upcoming draft. While he still has Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings at number one—and calls him Jonathan Toews-lite—Nico Hischier has climbed over Timothy Liljegren into the number two spot. Mississauga’s Owen Tippett jumps up to fourth, while Klim Kostin drops more than 11 spots due to his season-ending shoulder surgery. One to watch is Nicolas Hague of Mississauga, who will get a chance to show his all-around ability in the OHL playoffs soon enough.
Duchene Reportedly Open To Trade
Matt Duchene, frequently a subject of trade rumors this season, is open to being dealt from last-place Colorado, according to The Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla. The scribe spoke to the gifted center who told him that he understands the business side of the game and that he would be ready to move on from the only NHL home he has ever known.
“I’m open to it,” Duchene said Wednesday. “When I say open to it, I know it’s part of the business, and it’s something that might happen. I’m not hiding from it. I’m not running away. I’m not banging my head. I understand it’s part of what we deal with as pro athletes.”
“The trade rumor stuff is part of the business. I understand that at this juncture of the season, (with) the way things are going, something may happen, something may not. We’ll see.”
With the Colorado Avalanche’s season effectively off the rails it’s become clear the roster, as presently constructed, is fatally flawed. GM Joe Sakic has demonstrated tremendous faith in the core he’s helped assemble but it’s clear the time has come to move on and start over. Dealing Duchene would potentially represent the first major step in that direction.
There would be no shortage of suitors interested in adding the skilled Duchene. The 26-year-old center has tallied 20 goals or more in five of his seven full seasons and with 15 in 41 contests it’s a near certainty he will again reach that threshold during the 2016-17 campaign. Over his career, Duchene has averaged 26.2 goals for every 82 games played at the NHL level. There isn’t a team in the league who wouldn’t like to add that type of production to their lineup; the question is what it would cost to do so.
In desperate need to upgrade the blue line, the Avalanche will likely insist on a high-end, young defenseman to headline any trade packages for Duchene. Klisz suggests Colorado call Carolina to inquire about Denver native Jaccob Slavin. The 22-year-old Slavin is in his second NHL season and has tallied 17 points in 47 games for the Hurricanes. As a rookie, he registered a 20-point campaign in 63 appearances. Slavin would appear to represent a solid starting point in potential negotiations, but it’s likely the Avalanche would seek more in any deal for Duchene.
The Hurricanes would certainly welcome a boost to their mediocre offensive attack but how high of a price are they willing to pay? The team does boast an enviable group of blue liners, including those already at the NHL level and in their prospect pipeline, and a case could be made that Duchene is exactly the type of proven player the team should target. With two more seasons on his deal coming with a cap hit of $6MM, Duchene is a player who can help Carolina both today and into the future.
While other names have been linked to trade rumors in Colorado, such as that of team captain Gabriel Landeskog, it seems most likely Duchene will be on the move sooner rather than later. With his track record of individual success – including multiple gold medals representing Team Canada on the international circuit – age, and contractual control, clubs will be willing to pony up the necessary assets to pry the pivot away from Colorado.
Pair Of Major OHL Trades Made Ahead Of Deadline
The Ontario Hockey League’s trade deadline comes down at noon Eastern time on Tuesday, January 10.
There have been a few notable names on the move, including a pair of Oshawa Generals: Anthony Cirelli and Mitch Vande Sompel. The Generals are known to make big trades, having previously traded John Tavares and Michael Dal Colle.
Cirelli had seven points in seven games for Team Canada at the recent World Juniors. He has 34 points in 26 game for the Generals this season. Cirelli is heading from the Generals to the Erie Otters to play with Team Canada teammates Dylan Strome and Taylor Raddyish, as well as Blackhawks’ second round pick Alex DeBrincat. Cirelli was a third-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2015. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Generals will acquire six draft picks (three second-round picks, a fourth-round pick, and two conditional sixth-rounders, all ranging from 2018 to 2024) and 2018 NHL Draft prospect Allan McShane for Cirelli. The Otters hope to make some noise in the OHL playoffs and hopefully win a Memorial Cup, something they weren’t able to do with Connor McDavid (who is actually still eligible to play for the Otters, despite leading the NHL in scoring).
The roving defenseman Vande Sompel is heading to the powerhouse London Knights. The Knights are the reigning Memorial Cup Champions. Vande Sompel is a third-round pick of the New York Islanders, and was signed to an NHL contract back in October. He has 37 points in 37 games this season, and has 158 points in 188 OHL games overall. The Generals acquire 2017 NHL Draft prospect defenseman Ian Blacker and a handful of draft picks, according to Jeff Marek.
Another notable name in the OHL who is thought to be available is Mitchell Stephens. Stephens, like Cirelli, is a Tampa Bay prospect who played well for Canada at the World Juniors. Stephens has 28 points in 22 games with the Saginaw Spirit, where he serves as captain. The 33rd-overall pick in the 2015 draft had five points in five games for Canada at the World Juniors.
PHR Originals: 1/2/2016 – 1/8/2016
Here’s the roundup of the week’s original features appearing on Pro Hockey Rumors.
- Brett Barrett brought us the story of Swiss prospect Nico Hischier, who may have overtaken Nolan Patrick as the presumptive top overall 2017 draft prospect.
- Zach Leach discusses how the development of several young defenders has created newfound blue line depth in the Boston Bruins organization.
- With the trade deadline approaching, I looked at a handful of notable trades consummated in the month of January in recent seasons.
- Brian La Rose hosted PHR’s debut mailbag and fielded questions on several topics, including whether the Bruins have reached the point where they should consider a coaching change.
- Mike Furlano compiled a list of all teams who had prospects participating in the recent gold medal game of the World Junior championship game between Team USA and Team Canada.
- Brian brought us the latest installment of PHR’s 2005 re-draft series with the Washington Capitals on the clock with the 27th selection.
- Zach wraps up the week by writing about the teams satisfying expansion draft requirements by extending backup-type goaltenders. Each of the 30 current NHL teams must expose one goalie under contract for the 2017-18 season and several clubs are signing net minders in-season who otherwise would have to wait until summer for their next pact.
“Major” Juniors Trades: Dubois, Gauthier, Popugaev
The Pierre-Luc Dubois trade has been completed. Nearly a month after it was originally reported that the 3rd overall pick in the 2016 draft would be moved to another QMJHL team, the details of the deal have finally been formalized, and on the league trade deadline no less. Dubois will move from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, whom he has played for in parts of three seasons, to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. In exchange, Cape Breton will receive 16-year-old forward Mathias Laferrière and the Armada’s first round draft pick in 2017 and second round pick in 2018.
The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect is quite a haul for Blainville-Boisbriand. Though Dubois had a less-than-stellar World Junior experience with Team Canada and has yet to find his rhythm since returning to juniors, he remains one of the top young two-way forwards in Canadian juniors. Dubois racked up a whopping 99 points in just 62 games with the Screaming Eagles last season, and his physical style earned him 112 penalty minutes as well. He’ll now bring that unique combination of high-end skill and grit to an Armada team that currently sits in second in the QMJHL’s West Division, just two points behind the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
- Another QMJHL team getting much better on deadline day is the Maritime Division-leading Saint John Sea Dogs, who have acquired 2016 first-round forward Julien Gauthier. Gauthier comes over from the Val-d’Or Foreurs, who sit in last place in the West Division, at the price of a third-round pick in 2017, two second-round picks in 2018 and a first rounder in 2019, as well as prospect Nathan Cyr-Trottier. It’s a steep price for the Sea Dogs, but well worth it for one of the junior league’s best power forwards. The 21st overall pick by the Carolina Hurricanes this June, Gauthier is back on his better than a point-per-game pace this year that he finished the season with in each of his first two campaigns with Val-d’Or. He’s also fresh off of a five-goal effort for Team Canada at the World Juniors. Joining fellow top prospects Thomas Chabot, Jakub Zboril, and Matheiu Joseph, Gauthier completes a formidable roster for Saint John, now likely the favorite to win the QMJHL this season.
- Over in Western Canada, the WHL is approaching their own Trade Deadline on Tuesday and the Prince George Cougars have mad a major move. Headed to the B.C. Division leaders is 2017 top-ten hopeful Nikita Popugaev. The 6’6″ scorer already has 51 points in 40 games for the Moose Jaw Warriors in his second major junior season, good enough for a place in the top ten in scoring. The move is somewhat of a surprise as the Warriors sit in second place in the East Division, with just three points less than the Cougars on the season. However, Moose Jaw is getting their fair share in return, as Prince George sends 18-year-old forward Yan Khomenko, 17-year-old forward Justin Almeida, a second-round pick in the 2018 Draft and a fifth-round pick in the 2017 Draft back in return.
Snapshots: Outdoor Games, Devils, Dubois
News and notes from around the NHL this evening:
- NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced today that the NHL expects to hold three outdoor games next season, reports ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun. The NHL is already exploring Ottawa as one potential site given the city hosted the first ever NHL hockey game—something the NHL wants to commemorate in its 100th anniversary. Montreal and Columbus also deserve serious consideration as they remain the most prominent and climate-ready locales yet to host an outdoor game. The expansion Vegas Golden Knights may garner some consideration if the NHL wants to give the franchise some supplemental exposure.
- The New Jersey Devils are without both Travis Zajac and Jacob Josefson tonight against the Boston Bruins. Both forwards are out with undisclosed illnesses. Zajac leads the Devils in scoring with 8G and 16A in 37 games. Josefson, however, only has 2A in 16 games. Finally, defense prospect Steve Santini makes his NHL debut tonight. Santini is scoreless in 15 games for the Albany Devils so far this season.
- Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Pierre-Luc Dubois was demoted off of Canada’s top line at the World Junior Hockey Championships prior to tonight’s Quarter-Final game against the Czech Republic, reports Scott Wheeler. The 3rd overall pick in 2016 has 0G and 4A in the tournament so far, but has not impressed the Hockey Canada coaching staff. Dubois is having an excellent year in the QMJHL, scoring 6G and 12A in 20 games so far this season. The top line now consists of Colorado Avalanche prospect Tyson Jost, New Jersey Devils prospect Blake Speers, and Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome.
Team Canada Wins Spengler Cup
Lost in the shuffle yesterday against outdoor alumni games, U.S. vs. Canada at the World Juniors, and the clash of the titans of Minnesota-Columbus, was the finale of the Spengler Cup. An invitational tournament hosted by Swiss club HC Davos of the NLA and historically comprised of other European teams, the Spengler Cup has expanded into a much more international event with the addition of a Canadian exhibition team in 1984. Since then, the Canadians have won 13 championships. Last year, Team Canada came out on top again. So what of this year?
Armed with a roster of non-NHL/AHL players, consisting of Swiss pros like James Sheppard, Dustin Jeffrey, and Nick Spaling and displaced veterans like Gregory Campbell and Mason Raymond, Team Canada was able to defend its title and take home it’s 14th tourney championship. Facing another NLA squad, HC Lugano, who also sported a talented roster featuring former NHLers James Wisniewski and Maxim Lapierre, Canada came away with a 5-2 victory. HC Lugano found themselves on the wrong side of the championship game for the second year in a row, as they have been unable to slow down the Canadians’ offense.
Montreal Canadiens goalie prospect Zach Fucale, currently buried in the ECHL, had an incredible tournament and capped it off with a 40-save effort in the win. Spaling played a key role with a goal and two assists and former NHLers Andrew Ebbett and Chay Genoway chipped in goals as well.
The Canadians will be back at the Spengler Cup next year with a chance to win their 15th title, the top mark currently held by host HC Davos, but accomplished in nearly three times as many years in the tournament. The Spengler Cup continues to be a great opportunity for players on the outside of pro North American hockey to get a chance to represent their country on the international stage and also show the world that they can still play.
Tom Renney Stepping Down As President Of Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada President and CEO Tom Renney announced that he will be stepping down as president later next year.
Renney will be replaced as president by Scott Smith, the current COO of Hockey Canada, as of July 1, 2017. Renney will remain the CEO of the organization. Smith has been with Hockey Canada since 1995, and was appointed COO in 2007. He will be taking on a more public role, according to Hockey Canada.
Renney believes that he and Smith have “very complementary skillsets and approaches,” which will benefit the organization’s mandate to grow hockey in Canada and around the world.
The chair of the board, Joe Drago, told the media that Renney approached them with the plan to promote Smith. Renney was hired by Hockey Canada in July of 2014 to replace Bob Nicholson, who had held the position since 1998. Nicholson is now the CEO and vice-chair of the Oilers entertainment group. Incidentally, Renney has previously served as the coach of the Oilers from 2009 to 2012.
Snapshots: Canada, Peca, Bailey
While it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, Team Canada is dominating at the World Juniors.
After a hard-fought win over Russia on December 26, Canada easily beat Slovakia 5-0 on Tuesday night. The Canadian goalie, Lightning prospect Connor Ingram, had a six-save shutout. Bruins defensive prospect Jérémy Lauzon, who began the tournament as Canada’s seventh defenseman, scored a goal and an assist in the second period to spark the offence and begin the onslaught.
However, another Canadian defenseman has been getting some love as an underdog story. Philippe Myers went undrafted in 2015, but earned an entry-level contract after attending Philadelphia Flyers training camp on an amateur tryout. Myers then had a 45-point campaign in the QMJHL and has 18 points in 19 games this season. The 6’5 right-handed defenseman is now playing on Canada’s top pairing with 2015 first-round-pick Thomas Chabot.
As for why Myers was passed over in the draft, with the value of right-handed defensemen at an all-time high, that’s something that Flyers GM Ron Hextall would like to know. Hextall told Postmedia’s Mike Zeisberger that he didn’t ask his scouting staff why they didn’t take him, but instead wanted to learn from the experience. With Myers tracking well, all 30 NHL teams will be wondering how Myers slipped through the draft. “I’m more trying to figure out how the hell that happened,” Hextall added.
Myers gave advice for all other undrafted players, saying “it’s all about your attitude and your mindset. If you see yourself playing at the bigger levels and you really believe it and you put the work in, everything’s possible. That’s what happened with me.”
- Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Matthew Peca (no relation to Michael) will make his NHL debut tonight at home versus the Montreal Canadiens. According to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times, Peca centered J.T. Brown and Michael Bournival at practice this morning.The 2011 seventh-round-pick has 17 points in 28 games with the Syracuse Crunch this season. Meanwhile, Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat are both considered “probable” for the Lightning after missing the past two weeks or so.
- With Zack Smith sidelined by an upper-body injury, the Senators have recalled Casey Bailey, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. Smith left Tuesday night’s game against the Rangers. Bailey has 14 points in 28 games with the Binghamton Senators so far this season, but has been held pointless in two NHL games. Bailey was acquired by the Senators as part of the Dion Phaneuf trade.
World Junior Championship Final Rosters
Group A
Czech Republic:
G Petr Kvaca, HC Ceske Budejovice
G Jakub Skarek, HC Dukla Jihlava
G Daniel Vladar, Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins)
D Frantisek Hrdinka, Linkopings HC
D Filip Hronek, Saginaw Spirt (Detroit Red Wings)
D Petr Kalina, HC Sparta Praha
D Daniel Krenzelok, HC Vitcovicek Steel
D David Kvasnicka, HC Plzen
D Ondrej Vala, Kamloops Blazers (Dallas Stars)
D Jakub Zboril, Saint John Sea Dogs (Boston Bruins)
F Filip Chlapik, Charlottetown Islanders (Ottawa Senators)
F Lukas Jasek, HC Oceláři Třinec (Vancouver Canucks)
F David Kase, Pirati Chamutov (Philadelphia Flyers)
F Radek Koblizek, Oulun Karpat
F Daniel Kurovsky, Vitkovice Ostrava
F Adam Musil, Red Deer Rebels (St. Louis Blues)
F Martin Necas, HC Kometa Brno
F Kristian Reichel, HC Litvinov
F Tomas Soustal, Kelowna Rockets
F Michael Spacek, Red Deer Rebels (Winnipeg Jets)
F Simon Stransky, Prince Albert Raiders
F Filip Suchy, Omaha Lancers
Denmark:
G Emil Gransoe, Topeka Roadrunners
G Kasper Krog, Sønderjysk
G Lasse Petersen, Red Deer Rebels
D Morten Jensen, Rögle BK
D Anders Koch, Esbjerg Energy
D Oliver Larsen, Odense Bulldogs
D Christian Mieritz, Leksands IF
D Oliver Gatz Nielsen, Herning Blue Fox
D Mathias Rondbjerg, Rungsted Seier Capital
D Nicolai Weichel, Rungsted Seier Capital
F Niklas Andersen, Esbjerg Energy
F Rasmus Thykjaer Andersson, HV71
F Joachim Blichfeld, Portland Winterhawks (San Jose Sharks)
F William Boysen, Rungsted Seier Capital
F Nikolaj Krag Christensen, Rogle BK (St. Louis Blues)
F Frederik Hoeg, Odense Bulldogs
F Jeppe Jul Korsgaard, Aalborg Pirates
F Tobias Maximilian Ladehoff, Aalborg Pirates
F David Madsen, Vaxjo Lakers
F Jonas Rondbjerg, Vaxjo Lakers
F Alexander True, Seattle Thunderbirds
F Christian Wejse, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada