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Archives for May 2018

Todd Nelson Eyeing NHL Assistant Jobs

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The head coach of the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, the 2017 Calder Cup champions, has his eye on greener pastures. According to The Athletic’s Craig Custance, Todd Nelson is a hot name on the coaching market right now among teams in need of an NHL assistant. Nelson is reportedly considering offers from many teams. Custance describes Nelson as an AHL coach who has proven himself ready to be an NHL head coach, but is facing the dilemma of deciding how best to position himself for that move.

Nelson, 49, has a long history with the Griffins and will not be quick to choose an NHL assistant position if the fit is not perfect. The former defenseman spent much of his playing career in the minor leagues, wrapping up his career in Grand Rapids in 2002. He immediately jumped into coaching as an assistant with the Griffins the next year. While he left the team after just one year, Nelson found his way back to Grand Rapids in 2015 as the head coach and took home a title last year. In his decade away from the team, Nelson spent time as an assistant with the Atlanta Thrashers, was the long-time head coach of the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons, and even briefly served as the interim head coach of their then-parent club, the Edmonton Oilers. While Nelson’s Oilers won just 17 of 51 games under his guidance, it was an invaluable experience and strays greatly from Nelson’s other head coaching outcomes, in which he has a career .611 points percentage in the AHL.

It’s possible that Nelson could land in the same scenario as Oklahoma City if he stays in his current position, possibly taking over for Jeff Blashill of the Detroit Red Wings, who have struggled of late, during or after the next season. However, this time he would likely be given a longer tryout as head coach for Detroit given his improved coaching pedigree. Nelson could also get a jump on that process by simply becoming one of Blashill’s assistants, the same path that Jack Adams candidate Bruce Cassidy took, moving from head coach of the Providence Bruins to an assistant in Boston before taking over. Yet, Custance hears that Nelson is still considering a move. “By no means am I unhappy in Grand Rapids,” Nelson told Custance, but added “I just want to see what the next step might present… My goal is to be a head coach in the National Hockey League. Maybe it means going with a different organization where I’m more visible.” Teams reportedly chasing Nelson include the Dallas Stars, and new head coach Jim Montgomery, and at least one other Western Conference team, per Custance. Only time will tell what choice Nelson makes, but he is certainly a name to keep an eye on in the coming years as a top head coach candidate in the NHL.

Snapshots: KHL Awards, Sambrook, Middleton

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The KHL announced their award winners today and there were plenty of surprises, not the least of which was their Rookie of the Year recipient. One would think that Eeli Tolvanen, the 19-year old phenom who broke nearly every junior-aged scoring record in the league would have walked away with the award, but instead Vitaly Kravtsov was the winner after scoring four goals and three assists for Traktor Chelyabinsk.

Just playing in the KHL was impressive for Kravtsov, who was just 17 for much of the season, but it does seem unlikely that Tolvanen’s 19 goals and 36 points for Jokerit wasn’t good enough to win. Tolvanen of course bolted for the NHL after his season ended, and played three games for the Nashville Predators down the stretch. Other winners today included Nikita Gusev as league MVP, Philip Larsen as the top defenseman, and Pavel Francouz as the top goaltender.

  • Jordan Sambrook will not be offered a contract by the Detroit Red Wings, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. Sambrook, selected in the fifth round in 2016, is one of many players who will see their draft rights expire on June 1st. Sambrook had a good season split between the Erie Otters and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL, recording 39 points in the regular season and helping the Greyhounds make it all the way to the OHL Finals.
  • Keaton Middleton is in a similar situation, as Dhiren Mahiban reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick will not be signed by the deadline. Middleton will instead go back into the draft again, hoping to find another team who wants to bring him into the organization. The 6’5″ defenseman recorded 24 points for the Saginaw Spirit this year, after being selected in the fourth round in 2016.
  • Another Maple Leafs prospect, Nicolas Mattinen, has yet to decide whether he’ll sign or not according to Mahiban. The sixth-round pick from 2016 is still playing in the Memorial Cup with the Hamilton Bulldogs, where he continues to show what a long reach and good defensive positioning can accomplish.

Toronto Maple Leafs Promote Brandon Pridham To Assistant GM

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After two key executives have left in recent days and another was promoted to the role of General Manager, the Toronto Maple Leafs had a void to fill in their front office. They’ve continued to move people up the ladder today to try and fill it, as Brandon Pridham has been promoted to Assistant GM. Pridham had previously been titled Assistant to the General Manager, specializing in cap-related decisions over the last few seasons. New Maple Leafs’ GM Kyle Dubas had this to say about his new AGM:

Brandon’s promotion to Assistant General Manager is most deserving. Working closely with him for the last four seasons has allowed me to see the value that he brings to our program across many domains. Brandon is a vital part of our organization today and moving forward. He has earned this title with his selfless contributions to the Maple Leafs during his time here.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Ilya Lyubushkin To One-Year Deal

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The Arizona Coyotes have dipped into the KHL free agent market, signing Ilya Lyubushkin to a one-year entry-level contract. Lyubushkin has played the last five seasons for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, but will try his hand at the North American game in 2018-19. GM John Chayka quickly explained what Lyubushkin will bring to the team:

We are pleased to sign Ilya to a one-year contract. Ilya is a big, physical defenseman who skates well and moves the puck effectively. He will add size and toughness to our blue line.

He’s not lying when he claims Lyubushkin will add some toughness to the Coyotes defense corps, as he was one of the most feared hitters in the KHL the last several seasons. With a knack for stepping up at the offensive blue line to crush oncoming wingers, the 6’2″ 209-lbs defenseman is a different player than any other on the Arizona roster. That physical presence will be welcome, though there are still questions about his all-around game.

The Coyotes have five players penciled into their defense corps already, with Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Jakob Chychrun all deserving spots when healthy. That leaves another opening for young players like Kyle Capobianco or Dakota Mermis, or Lyubushkin if he can prove his worth right away. The fact that he’s right-handed may help, but he’ll still have to show that he can move the puck quickly and effectively and keep up with the North American game before really making an impact for the Coyotes.

Still, it’s hard to complain about this contract from an Arizona perspective. Though he’ll be a restricted free agent next summer, there is very little risk for the club in seeing what he can bring in North America. If he’s forced to return to the KHL after one season, the team only sunk a few hundred thousand dollars and a contract slot into the investment.

New York Rangers Officially Hire David Quinn As Head Coach

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Though it had been expected for some time, the New York Rangers have officially announced David Quinn as their next head coach. The former Boston University coach will be the 35th head coach in Rangers history, and try to take the team in a new direction after a disappointing 2017-18.

New York has had a tumultuous few months, since finding themselves out of the playoff race relatively early. After telling their fans in an open letter that a rebuild was coming, the team traded away several key pieces including Ryan McDonagh, Rick Nash, J.T. Miller, and Michael Grabner, collecting draft picks and prospects for their future seasons. At the end of the year, Alain Vigneault was let go as head coach, with an expectation that a fresh new voice would be introduced as the next head coach. That could have been Jim Montgomery, who reportedly turned down a bigger offer from the Rangers to go and coach the Dallas Stars, but will instead be Quinn, fresh off another successful season with BU.

Quinn, 51, will jump right from the college ranks after five seasons as the head man for BU. He has just one season of NHL assistant coaching experience, and three years as the head coach of the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL. The Monsters finished out of the playoffs in two of those years, and were knocked out in the first round in the third. Quinn never played in the NHL, despite being a first-round pick of the Minnesota North Stars. After starring at BU as a defenseman he was diagnosed with Haemophilia B and was forced to retire, though he returned to the game briefly a few years later, playing 19 games in the AHL.

Still, there are many who believe Quinn can find success in the NHL despite his relative lack of experience. Players like Jack Eichel, Clayton Keller and Charlie McAvoy all speak highly of their time playing under him in the NCAA, and believe he was an integral part of their development into NHL players. The Rangers will hope he can do similar things for some of their young players as they try to turn the franchise around quickly.

After trading McDonagh and others, the Rangers find themselves with three first-round picks this season and several high-profile prospects in the pipeline. That’s after already selecting twice in the first round last season, and seemingly hitting on both Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil. If the team can find some more talents in the first round, and develop the likes of Brett Howden, Libor Hajek and Ryan Lindgren, it might not take long for them to be back among those fighting for the playoffs. Quinn will be tasked with helping a roster that could lose even more veteran presence this summer compete in both the short and long-term.

Elvis Merzlikins Will Not Come To North America In 2018-19

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Though there have been plenty of rumors floating around since his impressive performance at the IIHF World Championship, Elvis Merzlikins won’t be coming over to North America just yet. The Lavtian goaltender tweeted out his intention to play at least one more season for HC Lugano in the Swiss NLA, meaning he won’t be competing for a job with the Columbus Blue Jackets for at least another year.

Merzlikins, 24, has been the Latvian international goalie of note for several years, and outdid himself at this year’s Worlds by posting a .940 save percentage in six games. That included taking both the USA and Canada to overtime and pushing the eventual champions Sweden to the brink of elimination in their quarter-final matchup. Though he was selected four years ago, his draft rights will not expire next week like many other European players. That’s because of the lack of transfer agreement between the NLA and NHL, meaning the Blue Jackets will have more chances to convince him to come to North America in the future.

His contract with Lugano is expected to expire after this season, which gives the Blue Jackets a very interesting option for the 2019-20 season. Both Sergei Bobrovsky (UFA) and Joonas Korpisalo (RFA) are set to become free agents next summer, meaning Columbus will have some tough decisions on how to proceed with their goaltending going forward. If Merzlikins posts another big year in the NLA, and another solid performance in the Worlds, perhaps he’d be considered as a direct-to-NHL option for them. The 6’3″ goaltender has certainly held his own whenever facing off against some of the NHL’s best.

Buffalo Sabres Sign Rasmus Asplund To Three-Year Deal

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The Buffalo Sabres have signed a top prospect, inking Rasmus Asplund to a three-year entry-level contract. The 20-year old forward has spent the last four seasons playing in the SHL, but could now begin his North American career.

Asplund was selected with the 33rd pick in the 2016 draft, just 25 picks after the Sabres had selected countryman and international teammate Alexander Nylander. The pair had shared the ice together at the recent World Juniors and would do so again the next year. There was hope that they could develop together and provide support to Jack Eichel in the coming years, something that still could happen as they enter their twenties. Asplund especially has experienced solid growth in the SHL, scoring 28 points in 50 games this season while even wearing an “A” as an alternate captain despite his young age.

The 5’11” 176-lbs center can do a little bit of everything on the ice and helps linemates by allowing them room to use their offensive talents. Though he may not have the ceiling of someone like Eichel or Casey Mittelstadt, there is plenty of hope that he could carve out a two-way role on the Sabres, contributing offensively while being a do-it-all defensive option. If he does come over to North America next season, expect him to suit up with the Rochester Americans to polish off his game before any NHL debuts are in order.

Rasmus Dahlin And Other Top Picks Will Attend Scouting Combine

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Though it doesn’t seem like he has much to prove, Rasmus Dahlin will be in Buffalo next week for the NHL Scouting Combine, John Vogl of The Buffalo News reports. The Swedish defenseman is expected to go first-overall in the draft to the Buffalo Sabres, after finding himself at the top of almost every scouting list this season. Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers confirms that Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina, Brady Tkachuk, Noah Dobson and Evan Bouchard will all also be present at the event, which combines fitness testing with media availability and team meetings over a week-long period.

While fans enjoy seeing the fitness testing results, they rarely make drastic changes to rankings just before the draft. What may be more important are the meetings teams have with the players to start to understand their personalities and history. Those meetings can also be revealing on how the player plans on pursuing a professional career, whether they’re headed to college or back to Europe in the following seasons.

For Buffalo, it will give them the chance to bring in Dahlin and show him around the facilities that he will likely call home in a few months. The young defenseman is expected to step right into the NHL in 2018-19, and play big minutes for the Sabres as they try to rebound from several disappointing seasons. The other top picks will all meet with teams from all around the league, especially in a draft year that features very little consensus after the top few picks.

Snapshots: Heiskanen, Bachman, Belov

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It has been quite a year for Miro Heiskanen, the third overall pick last year by the Dallas Stars. The young defenseman put up 23 points in 30 games in the Finnish Liiga, played well at the World Juniors and the Olympics, and most recently has starred in the World Championships. As reported by the Associated Press, the only logical next step is the NHL. “I want to play there as soon as possible, that’s my goal”, Heiskanen said about joining the league’s best in the NHL next season. Heiskanen knows that he could still get stronger and smarter, but his skill is very clearly pro-ready. Heiskanen is likely to step in and immediately play a key two-way role on the Dallas blue line. Expect the announcement sooner rather than later that arguably the best defensive prospect in hockey will be a full-time Star next season.

  • Former Stars goalie Richard Bachman has struggled to ever be more in the NHL than he was as Dallas’ primary backup in 2011-12. He has spent almost all of the past five years toiling in the AHL for the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. Heading into free agency, it seems Bachman has decided to move on from the NHL. Swedish news site Hockey Sverige reports that Bachman is expected to sign with Timra of the SHL. Instead of sitting behind Swedes – Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson – in the NHL, the 30-year-old Bachman is expected to be given the starter’s job initially with Timra as he begins a new chapter in his career.
  • Former NHL defenseman Anton Belov won’t be making the jump across the Atlantic this summer. The Russian rearguard has re-signed with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, the team he has played with since leaving the Edmonton Oilers in 2013-14, for three more years per a team release. This extension likely rules out a future return to the NHL for the 31-year-old, though he will remain a visible name on the international stage as a top defender for a perennial KHL contender and as a frequent member of Russian national teams.

Sharks Nearing Long-Term Extension With Evander Kane

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The San Jose Sharks were clearly happy enough with the play of trade deadline acquisition Evander Kane that they are willing to do whatever it takes to bring him back, which appears to be giving him extensive term and salary and surrendering their first-round draft pick in 2019. Sportsnet’s Irfaan Gaffar reports that the two sides are closing in on a long-term extension, the terms of which appear to be in the seven-year, $49MM range. Per the terms of their trade with the Buffalo Sabres, if Kane does re-sign in San Jose than the second-round pick exchanged in the deal will be elevated to a first-rounder.

It is certainly understandable why the Sharks would want to bring back Kane. The 26-year-old power forward is coming off arguably the best season of his career and certainly his best campaign since being traded to Buffalo from the Winnipeg Jets in 2015. Kane finished the year with 29 goals and 54 points and nine of those goals along with five assists came during the 17-game span that he spent in San Jose to close out the regular season. Kane was the Sharks’ best player during the stretch run and continued to play well in his first ever playoff appearance, notching four goals and an assist in nine games while battling injury. If Kane keeps up that level of play in San Jose, he could be a perennial 30-goal scorer and the type of finisher that the team has sorely lacked outside of Logan Couture. 

Nevertheless, some will balk at the cost associated with re-signing Kane, especially after this report. Giving up a first-round pick has already scared away some fans and analysts alike when the idea of the Sharks bringing back Kane first came up. However, this rumored term and salary is also likely to turn more than a few heads. Though undeniably talented, Kane has been able to put together a complete star-caliber season just twice in his career and brings both off-ice issues and on-ice consistency and effort concerns. Granted, he appeared to fit well and play hard in San Jose, but that is not guaranteed to continue and especially not over seven years or so. The Sharks have enough cap space this season to target some of the biggest names on the market and enough talent to attract those players as well, but some will speculate that an extension for Kane of this amount would take them out of the running for a John Tavares or John Carlson, which could also upset fans and eliminate a major opportunity for San Jose.

However, the Sharks acquired Kane primarily for this year’s playoff run and he performed beyond expectations for a very fair price – Danny O’Regan, a second-rounder, and a fourth-rounder. Even if that pick becomes a first-round selection next year, it still isn’t an extreme over-payment by the Sharks given what they got out of Kane. San Jose now has exclusive right to negotiate with Kane, something they don’t have with the likes of Tavares and Carlson and something that they’ll lose come July 1st. If the team feels that an extension based on his strong trial run is the right move and the best way to use the bulk of their cap space, then doing what it takes to keep Kane, a top five free agent, from hitting the market makes sense. There is absolutely risk associated with a decision of this reported magnitude, but it could pay off for GM Doug Wilson and the Sharks.

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