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Lightning Making Progress On Extension For Jon Cooper

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While Tampa Bay has several players that are set to become free agents this coming summer, head coach Jon Cooper is also in that situation.  However, that doesn’t appear to be the case for too much longer.  Speaking with reporters including Joe Smith of The Athletic (subscription required), GM Julien BriseBois indicated that he “fully intends” on having Cooper beyond the rest of the season.  Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston adds (video link) that there has been some progress made on getting a contract extension done.

Cooper took over the Lightning in March of 2013 as he replaced Guy Boucher and while the team struggled under him for the rest of that season, they have fared quite well since then.  In the five full seasons that he has been on the job, they’ve reached the Eastern Conference Final three times, winning once back in 2014-15.  Since he has been on the job, Cooper’s overall record is 275-150-42 and Tampa Bay appears to be well on their way to another postseason appearance as they currently sit first overall in the standings.

During his discussion, BriseBois noted that the key here will be his compensation.  There is a wide range in coaching salaries, one that has grown considerably larger in recent years with the increase in pay in recent years.  However, given the success the team is currently having and their willingness to spend on their roster, it’s difficult to see a salary discrepancy causing too much of an issue here.  Assuming they can agree on the financial side, it appears as if the Lightning will be keeping their current bench boss for the foreseeable future.

2018 Year In Review: June

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2018 has been quite a busy year in the hockey world.  There have been several big trades and free agent signings, plenty of changes behind the bench, and much more.  Over the coming days, PHR will take a look back at the top stories from around the game on a month-by-month basis.  Next up is a look back at June, a month that yielded some notable trades and re-signings among other things.

Hoffman Traded Twice: The Senators had been looking to move winger Mike Hoffman for a little while and found a willing taker in San Jose.  While there were other picks and prospects in the swap, the primaries involved were Hoffman and winger Mikkel Boedker who headed to Ottawa.  However, his time with the Sharks was short-lived as two hours later, he was moved back into the Atlantic Division as the Panthers acquired him for a series of draft picks.  The deal looks pretty good for both Florida and San Jose – the Panthers added a top-six winger without losing anyone off their roster while San Jose got rid of a contract they were looking to move and added some picks as a bonus.  Meanwhile, Ottawa’s self-imposed restriction of trading within the division arguably yielded them a weaker return and ultimately wound up yielding one of the stranger trade conditions in recent memory in another move with the Sharks later on in the offseason.

Coaching Changes: Lou Lamoriello wasted little time making changes to the Islanders, relieving head coach Doug Weight (and GM Garth Snow) of their respective duties.  Meanwhile, despite winning the Stanley Cup, the Capitals and Barry Trotz were unable to come to terms on a new contract so Trotz resigned.  (The Cup victory triggered a two-year extension but the two sides couldn’t agree on a renegotiated salary.)  Lamoriello was quick to act once again, hiring Trotz as New York’s new bench boss.  In turn, Washington turned to assistant coach Todd Reirden, promoting him to their head coaching position.

Flames-Hurricanes Swap: There weren’t many trades of note at the draft but Calgary and Carolina made a significant one on the second day.  The Hurricanes moved pending restricted free agent defenseman Noah Hanifin and center Elias Lindholm to the Flames in exchange for blueliner Dougie Hamilton, winger Micheal Ferland, and prospect rearguard Adam Fox.  The deal has worked out quite well for Calgary so far as Hanifin is on pace for a career year while Lindholm has averaged over a point per game this season; he’ll pass his previous career high in points within the next week or two.  It hasn’t gone as well for Carolina.  While Ferland already has 11 goals, Hamilton has not made anywhere near the type of impact he was expected to.  After scoring 17 times last season, he has just three tallies in 2018-19.  Right now, this move looks like a big win for the Flames.  (In terms of other draft day moves, the Avs brought in goalie Phillip Grubauer for a second-round pick and defenseman Brooks Orpik who was bought out and eventually returned to Washington.)

Extensions For Defensemen: Washington was able to get blueliner John Carlson locked up without him testing free agency as they inked him to a front-loaded eight-year, $64MM extension.  While there were some questions about the sustainability of his 68-point offensive outburst last season, he has actually out-performed that pace this year with 37 points in 36 games while logging a career high in ice time.  Meanwhile, although they weren’t able to make it official until July 1st, the Coyotes reached a deal in principle to keep their captain around, giving him an eight-year, $66MM extension that will begin next summer.  The 27-year-old has his usual self in the desert this season but Arizona is once again near the bottom of the standings.

Galchenyuk For Domi: The Ekman-Larsson contract wasn’t Arizona’s only big move of the month as they dealt Max Domi to Montreal in exchange for Alex Galchenyuk.  (The Canadiens then quickly gave Domi a two-year, $6.3MM bridge deal.)  Neither team felt their former player could play down the middle but hoped their new one could.  Domi has rebounded quite well after a couple of quiet seasons and is currently leading Montreal in scoring while playing as a full-time center.  The move hasn’t worked quite as well for Galchenyuk.  He missed time with a lower-body injury and has just five goals in 28 games this season and while he started at center, he has since been moved back to the wing.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Injury Notes: Bruins, Capitals, Penguins, Pageau

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The Boston Bruins should get a boost just in time for the Winter Classic on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks as NHL.com’s Dan Rosen reports that Brad Marchand should be ready to go after practicing today, barring any setbacks. He missed Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury, but it looks like it wasn’t a serious issue. Marchand is having another solid campaign as he has 12 goals and 41 points in 39 games this year.

Rosen also points out that defenseman Charlie McAvoy remains questionable for the big game. The defenseman has missed two games with a lower-body injury and did not practice today. The gifted defenseman has struggled dealing with injuries as he has appeared in just 17 games this year, although he has 11 points.

  • Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post writes that Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen will be out Monday against Nashville and miss his second straight game with an undisclosed upper-body injury. However, the team got better news on Brooks Orpik, who listed as a game-time decision for Monday after missing 27 games with a right-knee injury. The scribe writes that both players practiced Sunday and are both close to returning to the team. The team has also been without Christian Djoos.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins could be without both forward Bryan Rust and defenseman Olli Maatta on Monday as both are listed as day-to-day, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Matt Vensel. Rust didn’t practice today with an undisclosed injury, while Maatta suffered a lower-body injury during Saturday’s game against St. Louis, but finished the game. He didn’t practice today either.
  • Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau is close to a return. While he’s not expected to play Monday, could be back not long after that. The 26-year-old has been out all season after having surgery to repair a torn Achilles muscle. He had a six-month timetable in mid-September and is well ahead of schedule. Pageau had 14 goals and 29 points last season.

Edmonton Oilers Acquire Brandon Manning From Chicago

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The Edmonton Oilers have already made one trade today and now general manager Peter Chiarelli continues to make roster moves. The Edmonton Oilers announced that they have traded forward Drake Caggiula and veteran defenseman Jason Garrison to the Chicago Blackhawks for defensemen Brandon Manning and Robin Norell.

For Edmonton, the team adds another defense-first defenseman in Manning to their lineup after acquiring Alexander Petrovic from Florida earlier today. Edmonton has lost five straight games and has fallen into sixth place in the Pacific Division and the hope is that adding a more physical and defensive players could help give the team a boost.

Chicago signed Manning to a two-year, $4.5MM deal this offseason, but with a number of young defenseman showing they were ready for the NHL, Manning became expendable. However, his contract and struggles on the ice in Chicago suggested the team wasn’t likely going to be able to sell off Manning. The 28-year-old hasn’t been effective as he has just a goal and three points in 27 games, while maintaining a minus-14 rating and averaging just 15:28 of ATOI, his lowest number since the 2012-13 season. Manning is also well known to Oilers’ fans as he was the player who checked Connor McDavid into the boards, breaking his collarbone in McDavid’s rookie season. McDavid might not be thrilled with the move as rumors are that he was close to Caggiula and the Edmonton star has referred to Manning in the past as “classless.” The Oilers hope that Manning and Petrovic, acquired for Chris Wideman and a third-round pick, will shore up the team’s defense with more defensive-minded players. The team has been without a number of players, but they expect to have Kris Russell back soon, which should bolster the team’s blueline for the remainder of the season. While Petrovic will be an unrestricted free agent next season, Manning still has another year at $2.25MM.

The team also picked up the rights to Norell, who was a fourth-round pick in 2013, but has not been able to break into the NHL. Norell played two full years with the Rockford Ice Hogs in the AHL, but Chicago loaned him to Djurgardens IF of the SHL. The 23-year-old failed to show that he can be a two-way player and is in the final year of his entry-level contract, suggesting the Blackhawks were ready to part ways with the prospect if they were willing to loan him out. Edmonton will have to qualify Norell this offseason as he’ll be a restricted free agent.

Chicago does quite well on their side of the trade as the team was going to have a logjam shortly on defense. With seven players already on the roster, the team is expecting to get back defenseman Brandon Davidson as well as rookie Henri Jokiharju is expected back after the World Junior Championships conclude in a few days. The team now has more flexibility after moving out Manning as Garrison makes the league minimum and should be easy to place on waivers and retain him. Garrison spent most of the 2017-18 season with the Chicago Wolves, assigned there from the Vegas Golden Knights. The 34-year-old Garrison has played 17 games for Edmonton and has a goal and a plus-one rating this season.

Caggiuli, on the other hand, has shown promise as a goal scorer, but has had issues on the defensive end of the ice. Caggulia tallied 13 goals last season with Edmonton and has seven goals and 11 points in 29 games this season. Caggiula was posting impressive ice times before new head coach Ken Hitchcock took over, but has seen his playing time dip quite a bit in the last six games as he’s played less than 10 minutes in four of them. However, he was playing well under former head coach Todd MacLellan, suggesting a change of scenery or coaches could be a positive effect for the team and give Chicago yet another young addition to try to work into their lineup.

Mark Spector of Sportsnet was the first to report the trade.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Vancouver Canucks

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With the holiday season now here, PHR continues its look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads towards the midway mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. Let’s take a look at what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Vancouver Canucks.  Click here for the other articles in this series. 

What are the Canucks most thankful for?

Many people had the Vancouver Canucks listed to be among the two worst teams in the NHL this season after an offseason that saw stars Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin both retire, leaving the team with a nucleus of young players. While some of those players like Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser were expected to lead a new wave of talent, few expected Vancouver to be a competitive team this season as many felt the franchise had a chance to compete for the No. 1 overall pick this season.

Halfway through the season and Vancouver is far from one of the worst teams in the league. In fact, the Canucks are actually one point away from a wild card spot as the team carries a 19-18-4 record for 42 points, just a point behind the Dallas Stars. While it’s a long season and much can change, the Canucks have shown the ability to play well as a young group with a sprinkling of veterans throughout their lineup.

Who are the Canucks most thankful for?

While Boeser looked like the star of the future and continues to put up solid numbers, the team got the star power they needed, much quicker than they expected as Elias Pettersson has dominated in his rookie campaign and looks like an obvious choice as a Calder Trophy candidate, barring injury of course. The 20-year-old had an impressive season in the SHL last season, breaking numerous records and while the team had planned to ease the rookie into their lineup, Pettersson has had other plans. He has 19 goals and 39 points in 35 games, good enough for a point per game production and looks to be the face of this franchise for many years.

What would the Canucks be even more thankful for?

While the team has had quite a bit of success from a number of young players, including Nikolay Goldobin, Jake Virtanen and recent addition Josh Leivo, several of their veteran players have been hampered by injuries and have seen little action this season, including Sven Baertschi, Jay Beagle and Brandon Sutter. Baertschi finally returned to the lineup Saturday after being out since Oct. 24 with a concussion. Beagle missed almost two months of the beginning of the season and is only now earning solid minutes after the team handed out a four-year, $12MM deal to him this summer. Sutter has yet to return to the team after suffering an upper-body injury in October. Combined the three players have played a total of 41 games combined. If the team can get some consistency from those veterans, that should only help the team fight for a potential playoff spot.

What should be on the Canucks’ Holiday Wish List?

The team needs defense and are salivating while watching the World Junior Championships as defenseman Quinn Hughes, the team’s first-round pick (sixth-overall) in the 2018 draft has dominated and looks to be ready to join the Canucks immediately after his season at the University of Michigan ends. Scouts say that Hughes should make an immediate impact once he arrives and with the struggles of former top defensive prospect Olli Juolevi up in the air (he’s out for the season after undergoing knee surgery), Hughes should be able to walk in and take over quarterbacking the power play and providing some offense from the blueline, something that Vancouver has struggled to do the last couple of years.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Winnipeg’s Dustin Byfuglien Out Until At Least All-Star Break

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2:52: The Winnipeg Jets announced they have placed Byfuglien on injured reserve. The team is expected to recall a defenseman from the Manitoba Moose, most likely Sami Niku.

2:06: Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice said that Dustin Byfuglien, who was forced to leave Saturday in the third period against the Minnesota Wild with a left leg injury, will be out “a while,” until at least the all-star break if not longer, according to Winnipeg Sun’s Ted Wyman. Maurice added that the next update will be at the all-star break, but the 6-foot-5, 260-pound defenseman could be out even longer.

“That would be the very earliest part of the window. I don’t know what it’s going to look like in the next two or three weeks,” said Maurice, adding the injury didn’t require surgery.

Byfuglien suffered a injury to his left leg when he collided with Minnesota’s Luke Kunin during the third period Saturday and was forced to leave the game. He needed help to get off the ice. Maurice didn’t specify whether the injury was to his ankle or his knee.

The 2019 NHL All-Star Game is to take place on Jan. 26, so expect Byfuglien to be out almost a month before an update will be provided. It’s a big blow to the Jets’ defense, who was looking to continue to hold off the Nashville Predators from taking their spot as the top team in the Central Division. The loss of Byfuglien means the team will lean more heavily on Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers and Josh Morrissey. However, the team believes they have the depth to succeed without him. Coincidentally, the team hasn’t lost a game without their star defenseman this year as the team is 5-0-1 this year. Byfuglien has already missed six games this season. He missed two games with an upper-body injury in mid-October and then missed another four games with a concussion from Nov. 27 through Dec. 7.

“You have Tyler Myers and Jacob Trouba who would very much like to play 25 minutes a night. They’re going to get an opportunity,” Maurice said. “When Dustin went down earlier, we had Morrissey and Trouba playing 28 minutes a night. We have players that can handle it and can take it.”

It’s expected the team will get back Joseph Morrow today and that Myers is expected to be ready for the New Year’s Eve game in Edmonton.

Edmonton Oilers Acquire Alex Petrovic From Florida

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After a rough recent stretch, the Edmonton Oilers added to their defensive corps when they traded for Florida Panthers defenseman Alexander Petrovic in exchange for Chris Wideman and a conditional third-round draft pick, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie. This may not be the Oilers only move as Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson writes that Edmonton may not be finished making trades.

With Edmonton owning two third-round picks in the upcoming 2019 draft, the Panthers will receive the better of the two picks between their own and the New York Islanders’ third-rounder the team received in the Brandon Davidson deal back in February of 2018.

Despite starting 9-2-2 under Ken Hitchcock when he replaced Todd McLellan on Nov. 20, the team has since struggled, losing five straight, all in regulation. Suddenly, the team finds itself in sixth place in the Pacific Division and moving further and further away from a playoff spot. For Edmonton general manager Peter Chiarelli, this is a desperation move in hopes of saving his job as the hope is that the 6-foot-4, 216-pound defenseman will add some size and toughness to the Oilers’ blueline. Petrovic, a stay-at-home defenseman should provide some defensive talent for a team that has been without several key players on the blueline, including Oscar Klefbom and Kris Russell, who are both on injured reserve as well as Andrej Sekera, who has been out all season.

The 26-year-old Petrovic has struggled finding solid footing in Florida recently as he hasn’t been handed significant minutes with the Panthers despite the fact that the francise was incredibly high on him just a couple of years ago. In fact, Florida opted to protect Petrovic over Jon Marchessault, who they instead traded to Vegas in the expansion draft last year. Petrovic was most well known for a hit against Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane that broke the star forward’s collarbone just before the trade deadline in 2015. That physical play was what led Florida to protect Petrovic. However, Petrovic has averaged just 17:23 ATOI this season, which is an improvement over the 14:39 he averaged last season, but far from the numbers that the Panthers had expected when he arrived in Florida in the 2012-13 season when he was 20 years old. The hope is that with a change of scenery, especially with him returning to his birthplace of Edmonton, Petrovic may fulfill some of those hopes of being a top defensive, physical player.

Wideman, who was just recently brought aboard in Edmonton via Ottawa, moves onto his third team this season. Wideman was acquired on Nov. 22 from the Senators in exchange for a 2020 conditional sixth-round pick, a relatively low price for a defensive defenseman. However, despite being a defensive-minded coach, Hitchcock didn’t trust Wideman, evident by him averaging just 11:26 of ATOI in the five games he appeared in.

Both players will be unrestricted free agents next season as Petrovic is finishing out a one-year deal he signed this summer for $1.95MM and was likely not returning to the team next year anyway considering the lack of playing time the blueliner has been receiving the last two years. Wideman is on a one-year, $1MM deal and must prove that he belongs if he wants to hold a NHL roster spot in the future.

Minor Transactions: 12/30/18

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After 30 NHL teams played yesterday, just two take the ice tonight as the Arizona Coyotes host the Vegas Golden Knights in the day’s only action. However, that won’t stop a likely multitude of minor moves today ahead of a 13-game slate on New Year’s Eve tomorrow. Keep up with all of the transactions right here:

  • The carousel at backup goalie in St. Louis continues to turn. Since the Blues lost Chad Johnson on waivers earlier this month, the team has swapped Jordan Binnington and Ville Husso several times. However, with Husso currently sidelined, it’s Binnington heading back to the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage, while first-year pro Evan Fitzpatrick gets the call to St. Louis, the team announced. Binnington has made two relief appearances this season, including just last night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. After starter Jake Allen was pulled after giving up four goals on 17 shots, Binnington surrendered two more on 13 shots. That performance may have earned him a demotion back to the minors, although the Rampage may simply need a starter today after Fitzpatrick played last night. Fitzpatrick, the Blues’ second-round pick in 2016, began the season in the ECHL and has only made two AHL appearances. However, the 20-year-old has impressed in San Antonio, allowing just two goals, which seemingly qualified him for his first NHL call-up. Whether Fitzpatrick has earned an NHL start already remains to be seen, but so far this season whoever sits behind Allen has a decent chance of seeing game action regardless.
  • After acquiring Michael Hutchinson yesterday, the Toronto Maple Leafs have returned interim backup Kasimir Kaskisuo to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, per CapFriendly. Forward Trevor Moore will also reportedly be joining him on the short cross-town trip back to the minor league team. Both players had been on emergency recall, but will now resume their normal AHL activities. While Kaskisuo is suffering through a miserable season and was a scary sight on the Maple Leafs roster, Moore has impressed, recording 24 points in 27 games with the Marlies and two points in three games with the Leafs. Moore will likely continue to be the next man up at forward for Toronto this season.
  • The Los Angeles Kings announced they have assigned forward Michael Amadio to the Ontario Reign of the AHL. Amadio has been shuttling back and forth between the two teams all year. He was recalled three days ago and has already appeared in 28 games for the Kings this season, having put up two goals and four points this season. While no corresponding move has been made, it’s possible the team will be activating goaltender Jack Campbell soon as he has made one start in a conditioning stint with Ontario.
  • The Buffalo Sabres announced they have sent goaltender Scott Wedgewood to the Rochester Americans of the AHL. Wedgewood was recalled Saturday to fill in as an emergency backup when Linus Ullmark couldn’t go. However, Ulmark was ready to go during practice today.
  • The Edmonton Oilers announced they have recalled forward Joseph Gambardella from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL to fill the open forward spot which the team opened up after trading Drake Caggiula to the Chicago Blackhawks. Gambardella leads the Condors with 12 goals and 21 points in 28 games. The 25-year-old has not played in an NHL game yet.
  • Winger Logan O’Connor has received his first NHL call-up as the Avalanche announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled him from Colorado of the AHL.  The 22-year-old is in his first professional season after spending the past three years with Denver of the NCAA.  O’Connor is off to a nice start in his rookie campaign with 16 points in 29 games with the Eagles.

Panarin Does Not Want To Be Traded, Will Discuss Future With Columbus

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Beginning this off-season, the rumblings that star forward Artemi Panarin did not want to resign with the Columbus Blue Jackets created the impression that a blockbuster trade was inevitable prior to the end of this season, when Panarin becomes an unrestricted free agent. That no longer appears to be the case. In the midst of another strong season for both Panarin and his team, the high scoring winger is hoping to stay in Columbus through the end of the season, his agent, Dan Milstein, told TSN’s “Leafs Lunch” on Friday. Panarin is also reportedly opening up to the idea of an extension with the Blue Jackets.

Milstein stated that he and Panarin plan to meet over the All-Star break in late January to discuss the future. Part of that conversation will be about a potential long-term fit with the Blue Jackets. “He likes it in Columbus. They have a very good, young team… Management has been nothing but great to him…. He wants to help the team to win the Stanley Cup”, Milstein said. Panarin is a very competitive player and Milstein made it clear that last season’s early playoff exit bothered the all-world winger and he hopes to lead the team deeper into the postseason this year. There is also the potential for a long-term fit in Columbus, as Milstein applauded the efforts of young center Pierre-Luc Dubois and said that Panarin has enjoyed playing alongside him this season. While Panarin leads the Jackets with 41 points, the sophomore centerman is not far behind with 32. The promise of that pairing moving forward could be a vital factor in Panarin’s decision.

However, other teams and their rosters will certainly be considered. Milstein was honest that he and Panarin will likely begin discussing his potential fits with other teams when they meet next month. Panarin, still just 27, will likely be the most sought-after forward on the free agent market if he opts to leave Columbus and could pick almost any team to play for given his unique skill set. It has previously been reported that Panarin prefers to play in a coastal metropolitan area, with many speculating that the three New York-area teams, all of whom are in comfortable salary cap situations, are possible fits, while Boston, Florida, Carolina, or one of the three California teams would also be logical landing spots. The competitive Panarin also wants a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Even though he will almost certainly sign a seven-year contract at a minimum and a lot can change in that time, teams’ recent success and talent pool moving forward will also weigh heavily on his decision. As Milstein stated, they believe that the Blue Jackets are one of those talented, young teams that will be a contender moving forward.

One thing that will not affect Panarin’s decision is the future of Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, at least not in a personal sense. Although the two are good friends, Milstein said that “they are in no way going to be going as a package”. Bobrovsky appears to be headed for the free agent market, but his likely departure does not necessarily mean that Panarin will leave Columbus simply because his friend is gone. However, how the Jackets plan to handle the massive hole that Bobrovksy would leave in net will definitely be a part of Panarin’s calculations.

Whatever conclusions that Panarin and Milstein come to when the meet in January, if any, the fact remains that in the short-term Panarin is focused on winning with Columbus and that is likely enough to convince Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen to hold on to his top scorer in hopes of making a title run. “Hopefully he’ll play through the end of the season, will help them get deep into the playoffs and perhaps help them win the Stanley Cup”, Milstein said, “That’s the immediate goal.” This should come as good news for Jackets fans, who can rest easy about their best player, at least until July 1st.

Adam Samuelsson Leaves Boston College

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A difficult year for young defenseman Adam Samuelsson takes another strange turn. Samuelsson, 18, has made the decision to cut his first collegiate season short and further complicate his hockey future. The USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers have announced that Samuelsson has joined the team for the remainder of the season, meaning his time with the Boston College Eagles is over.

Samuelsson, the son of two-time Stanley Cup champion Ulf Samuelsson and younger brother to Phillip and Henrik, was once considered to be a surefire NHL draft pick if not potential second- or third-round selection in last year’s entry draft. Yet, the U.S. National Development Team standout was one of the most surprisingly snubs of the 2018 draft class. At 6’6″, 240 lbs., Samuelsson has the type of size that you can’t teach, but also brought a good amount of skill to his game. He had played regular minutes for the USNTDP and recorded 24 points in 62 games, but it clearly wasn’t enough to impress scouts. Some cited mobility concerns and a lack of shutdown physicality as making it hard to project what type of player Samuelsson would be. For whatever reason, Samuelsson’s bloodlines were not enough to save him, as he slipped through the cracks in June

Nevertheless, Samuelsson still had his commitment to Boston College to fall back on, as a top collegiate programs is one of the best ways for an undrafted prospect to increase his stock for the next go-round. Teammate Logan Hutsko had accomplished that same feat last year, selected by the Florida Panthers in the third round after a strong freshman campaign at BC showed that NHL teams had mis-evaluated him in his first year of eligibility. However, Samuelsson was not following in Hutsko’s footsteps with an impressive showing for the Eagles early this season. In fact, Samuelsson only played in seven games in the first half of the NCAA season and had yet to record a point. It was not what was expected of the promising defenseman, but also not totally surprising for a true freshman on a talented roster. Yet, it also was not what Samuelsson had hoped for after going undrafted, making his decision to move on more understandable. The question now is what the future holds for the formerly highly-regarded prospect. Will he light up the USHL and reassert himself as an NHL prospect? Will he return to the NCAA? A once-promising pro career is right now just a question mark for Samuelsson.

Samuelsson is not alone in joining Sioux City after the holiday break. Ironically, the former Boston College freshman depth defenseman will now be playing alongside a former Boston University freshman depth defenseman, somehow preserving the yin and yang of college hockey’s top rivalry. Dominic Vidoli, in his first year with the Terriers out of Culver Military Academy, had been unable to recreate the immense offense he showed at the prep level. In six games with BU, Vidoli had been held off the score sheet, a far cry from last season when he scored better than a point per game for Culver in 43 contests. Vidoli has also opted for a change in his development path, leaving the stacked Terriers lineup in hopes of showcasing his skill with the Musketeers. Adding both Samuelsson and Vidoli, two players from elite college programs, should be a major boost for Sioux City, who currently sit fourth in the USHL’s Western Conference but easily within striking difference of a top playoff spot by year’s end.

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