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Archives for April 2019

Erik Karlsson Will Be Activated Ahead Of Postseason

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The San Jose Sharks knew when they paid a substantial price for all-world defenseman Erik Karlsson that there was no guarantee that he would be with the team any longer than the one year remaining on his contract. Karlsson was a rental in some sense, acquired last summer to get the regular season-dominating Sharks over the playoff hump and to their first Stanley Cup title. Still without an extension in place, Karlsson may very well be playing his final games with San Jose; except that he hasn’t been playing at all. Karlsson has missed 16 straight games and 26 of the past 31 with a groin injury and doubts had begun to set in that perhaps Karlsson would not be at full strength or worse yet could be sidelined entirely for the only reason he was acquired: the postseason.

Rest easy Sharks fans, as that doesn’t appear to be the case. Both Karlsson and head coach Peter DeBoer tell NHL.com’s Kevin Woodley that the superstar defenseman will be ready for the playoffs. “I said a month ago I was going to be ready for the playoffs and that’s still the case,” Karlsson reiterated. DeBoer supported the claim, saying “He’ll be ready for the playoffs.” In fact, DeBoer would like to get Karlsson back before the end of the regular season. Karlsson has been ruled out of the Sharks’ Tuesday night match-up, but the team has two regular season games remaining afterward and the head coach would like to see his two-time Norris Trophy-winning mercenary see some game action prior to the postseason beginning. It may not happen, but the decision is being considered, as Deboer stated “I’d like to, but we’re not going to do it at the expense of rushing him, so we’ll see.”

Of course, the concern shifts from Karlsson not being ready for the playoffs to Karlsson still being an injury risk once he returns. The player himself is not thinking that way, saying “I’m not worried about re-injuring it or getting another injury; that’s not the way I approach the game, especially this time of year.” However, that’s exactly what happened earlier this season when Karlsson was forced from a late February game, after missing 10 of the previous 14 contests, and has not played since. Whether Karlsson was simply rushed back too soon or was re-injured is unknown, but the nagging groin injury could strike happen again. With the Sharks already locked in to a first-round collision with the talented Vegas Golden Knights, there’s little room for an absence of Karlsson’s magnitude. If San Jose is going to finally claim an elusive championship this season, they don’t just need Karlsson back for the playoffs, they need him in the lineup throughout the playoffs.

Vegas’ Cody Glass Among Several Notable AHL Additions

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When the Portland Winterhawks’ season ended in the WHL playoffs the other night, fans of the Vegas Golden Knights knew what would come next. Vegas has reassigned junior forward Cody Glass to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves to continue his season as the team takes a close look at how their top prospect competes at the pro level. Glass has his sights set on an NHL roster spot next season, but for now he’ll look to continue his outstanding junior season with the playoff-bound Wolves.

Glass, 20, was the first draft pick in Golden Knights history, selected No. 6 overall in 2017. Arguably the best 200-foot center prospect in all of hockey, Glass is an elite offensive talent, armed with next-level vision and quickness, but also possesses a responsible, two-way game. In 2017-18, Glass notched an incredible 102 points in 64 games and added another 13 points in a dozen playoff games. While injuries limited him to just 38 games this season, Glass was even more productive, recording 69 points in 38 games, a clip of nearly two points per game that led the WHL. While the Winterhawks captain wasn’t able to do enough to advance his team further into the postseason, Glass could be an immediate difference-maker for the Wolves in his first AHL action.

Vegas was not alone in moving an intriguing junior prospect to the pro level. In fact, the Vancouver Canucks have added not one but two talented defensemen to the roster of the AHL’s Utica Comets, the team announced. Jett Woo of the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors and Mitch Eliot of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting are both AHL-bound after their teams exited the postseason. Woo and Eliot each signed their entry-level contracts with Vancouver this season and are getting their first taste of the pro game. Woo, 18, is looking like a steal by the Canucks as a second-round pick last year after he exploded for 66 points in 62 games this season. That dimension of his game had previously been seen as limited, but Woo obviously has taken a big step in his development and it will be interesting if can continue to produce in the AHL. As for Eliot, he earned an NHL contract after first proving his offensive ability. Eliot struggled greatly for two years at Michigan State University before leaving for the OHL, but found his game this season in Sarnia with 55 points in 66 games. Eliot has some work left to do on his game, but he did enough early on for Vancouver to make an ELC offer in December and the 21-year-old will now have time to develop in Utica moving forward.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a similar junior reassignment, moving forward Semyon Der-Arguchintsev from the OHL’s Peterborough Petes to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. SDA, a third-round pick last year, is an undeniably skilled forward who continues to struggle with consistency and complete play. While he had yet another solid junior campaign, recording 46 points in 62 games, his goals dropped off by 50% and he finished just sixth on the team in scoring. He also had defensive issues yet again this season. SDA may be a player who benefits more in his development from being a role player in the AHL rather than continuing to play in the OHL. The Leafs can gauge that decision better after the talented Russian joins the Marlies.

Vancouver made yet another move today, as Cornell University’s Mitchell Vanderlaan was added to the Comets roster on an amateur tryout offer. Vanderlaan, a four-year starter for the Big Red, enjoyed his best season to date as a senior with 30 points in 36 games. Vanderlaan is significantly undersized at 5’7″ and 179 lbs., but that hasn’t stopped him from playing a well-rounded game. If he can hold his own in this brief AHL stint, he could be in line for a contract in Utica next season. Another college standout signing an ATO is Quinnipiac University’s Craig Martin. A solid, two-way forward, Martin registered 30 points in 38 games in his final college season, establishing himself as a prospect with pro ambitions after three up-and-down seasons prior. It has at least earned him a look, as Martin has joined the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, the affiliate of the Florida Panthers. A strong performance will surely earn him a longer look next season.

 

Blake Lizotte Signs With Los Angeles Kings

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The Los Angeles Kings have signed Blake Lizotte to a three-year entry-level contract that will begin this season. The undrafted forward just finished his sophomore season at St. Cloud State.

You won’t find many players in college hockey more skilled than Lizotte, who put up 42 points in 37 games this season. The former USHL star has a ton of offensive talent but has sometimes been listed even smaller than the 5’9″ 175-lbs that the Kings press conference includes. Still, he was named to the NCHC All-Rookie team in 2017-18 and made the First All-Star Team this season, winning the Penrose Cup twice as conference champion. That kind of success will always bring about some interest from the NHL, and Lizotte will now get a chance to show what he can do at the professional level.

The Kings’ AHL affiliate has also signed goaltender Jacob Ingham to an amateur tryout for the rest of this season. Ingham was a sixth-round pick in 2018 and just finished his season with the Mississauga Steelheads. The team was swept out of the first round of the OHL playoffs by the Sudbury Wolves, with Ingham posting just an .886 save percentage in the four games. The big netminder hasn’t yet put it all together but will get a chance down the stretch to work with the development coaches for the Ontario Reign and hopefully find another level next season in junior

Jimmy Schuldt Narrowing List Of Potential Destinations

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Tuesday: Along with the Wild and Golden Knights are the St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders according to Russo’s new article on The Athletic (subscription required). Colleague Marc Antoine Godin tweets that Montreal is not among the finalists, despite Poehling’s attempts to convince Schuldt to join the Canadiens.

Monday: One of the biggest college free agents decided to head to the Minnesota Wild today when Nico Sturm signed his entry-level deal, and he may not be the only top name headed to the Wild. Jimmy Schuldt has narrowed his list of teams from more than twenty to just five according to Bob McKenzie of TSN, who lists Minnesota and the Vegas Golden Knights as part of that final group. Michael Russo of The Athletic has heard the same, and expected the list to be reduced even further at some point today.

Schuldt, 23, finished his four year career at St. Cloud State recently with another outstanding season and is a Hobey Baker finalist. The undrafted free agent defenseman recorded 35 points in 39 games while serving as captain for the third consecutive season. He has previously had ties with various NHL clubs including attending development camp with the Montreal Canadiens, who recently signed teammate Ryan Poehling.

There is obviously a strong connection between Schuldt and the Wild, but almost every team in the league has expressed interest in him at some point. He’ll almost certainly be able to leverage that widespread interest into a contract that starts this season, burning his entry-level deal right away and allowing him to become a restricted free agent this summer.

Troy Terry Suffers Broken Leg

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Tuesday: The Ducks have given an update on the injury, stating that Terry will be out for eight to twelve weeks with a non-displaced fracture. That will at least give the young forward a chance to be fully recovered for training camp.

Monday: The Anaheim Ducks have dealt with plenty of injuries in a disappointing season, but have at least watched the development of several of their young players. One of those success stories has been Troy Terry, who dominated the AHL before recently establishing himself as a full-time NHL option. Unfortunately that NHL opportunity has come to an end prematurely, as the team is expected to announce that Terry suffered a broken tibia on Friday night according to Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register. Terry blocked a shot and will likely be out for the remainder of 2018-19, including the San Diego Gulls’ upcoming Calder Cup playoff run.

Terry, 21, left the University of Denver last year to start his professional career and recorded 41 points in 41 AHL contests for the Gulls this season. He had just 13 points in his 32 NHL appearances, but had recently been given more responsibility and is seen as a building block for the future in Anaheim. The talented forward has plenty of offensive upside and is part of an impressive group of prospects ready to change the look of the Ducks.

That group could very well get another pair of additions this June, as the Ducks own two first-round picks in the upcoming draft. While the one acquired in exchange for Brandon Montour will be in the back half of the round—Anaheim will receive either San Jose’s or St. Louis’ pick depending on final order—their own could be quite early. The Ducks currently sit in 25th place in the NHL and have just two games remaining.

Michal Kempny Out Four To Six Months

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The news is in regarding Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny, and it is not good. The team announced today that Kempny will be out for four to six months following surgery to repair a torn left hamstring.

Kempny, 28, was such a stabilizing presence last season for the Capitals and will be missed dearly this time around. The smooth skating defenseman was having a career season with 25 points in 71 games, but will have to wait for next year to make an impact. Luckily this injury happened at a point that should only cost him a few regular season games and one playoff run, but you can bet Kempny will struggle with having to watch his teammates compete without him.

The Capitals did go out at the deadline to improve their depth on defense, acquiring Nick Jensen from the Detroit Red Wings. That should help them deal with this injury, but given he is right-handed it doesn’t completely fill the void left by Kempny. The team has been relying on Christian Djoos once again, and very well could have the 24-year old in their game one line up. Djoos played in 22 games during last year’s playoffs, but averaged fewer than 11 minutes of ice time.

As for Kempny, this may put his 2019-20 training camp in jeopardy but even six months doesn’t project him to miss many regular season games. The veteran signed a four-year $10MM deal last summer and is under contract through 2021-22.

Mason Jobst Agrees To Terms With New York Islanders

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The New York Islanders have agreed to a contract with Mason Jobst, a college free agent from Ohio State University. The team has announced the deal is a two-year entry-level contract starting next season, but there is some confusion around how that would be possible. The undrafted forward turned 25 in February and should not be eligible for a two-year ELC—meaning it very likely is a two-year, two-way standard contract that will not include performance bonuses and will take Jobst right to unrestricted free agency in 2021.

Jobst has been one of the best offensive players in college hockey for four seasons now, recording 164 points in 150 games for the Buckeyes. He is a finalist for the Hobey Baker award this season (despite actually having a worse offensive year than the two previous) and has captained Ohio State for two years. The undersized forward has attended several development camps over the years, spending time with the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild.

Despite standing just 5’8″ 185-lbs, Jobst has never been one to avoid contact or refuse to play in the “dirty” areas of the ice. The 25-year old played in all situations for Ohio State and has produced even while short-handed. If the Islanders—or more likely the Bridgeport Sound Tigers—plan on using him that way he certainly won’t be complaining. Jobst told NHL.com correspondent Jessi Pierce last year that “you’ve got to be able to play a 200-foot game, you can’t be a perimeter player when you’re [his] size.”

NWHL Will Have Teams In Toronto, Montreal This Season

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On the weekend one of the two major women’s professional hockey leagues ceased operations when the CWHL suddenly announced they were shutting down. That sent the women’s hockey world into turmoil, with speculation exploding over whether the NWHL would swoop into the markets left vacant. Emily Kaplan of ESPN finally got an answer today, as NWHL commissioner Dani Rylan told her that the league is expected to expand into Toronto and Montreal for the upcoming season. The NHL will also “significantly up” their sponsorship for the league—though according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that just means adding what they had been giving the CWHL.

The NHL has long stayed at arm’s length of the women’s professional market, not wanting to pick a side in the battle between the CWHL and NWHL. Though specific franchises have obviously made affiliations—Terry and Kim Pegula who own the Buffalo Sabres also own the NWHL’s Beauts—the league as a whole wasn’t going to be the one to decide which entity would come out on top. Getting a bigger investment from the men’s professional league is a huge step on the road to success for the NWHL, as other sports including the WBNA have proven.

Similarly, getting their league into Toronto and Montreal—obviously two of the biggest hockey markets in the world—was an absolute necessity after the CWHL folded. The NWHL is now expected to have seven teams for the upcoming season, and have not ruled out further expansion down the road.

The league is also about to get an influx of talent, as CWHL players flood free agency. Nearly the entire Canadian national team was playing there, and several prominent USA Hockey players including Hilary Knight, Briana Decker and Megan Bozek will also now be looking for new homes.

Connor Mackey Returning For Junior Season

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The college free agent crop lost another name today, but not because of a big signing. Connor Mackey has decided to return to Minnesota State University-Mankato for his junior season according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, ending any speculation that he would be signing an NHL deal this summer.

Mackey, 22, has been on NHL radars for some time, ever since recording 47 points in his final USHL season in 2016-17. The 6’2″ defenseman can move the puck effectively and has appeared in development camps over the last few years. This season at college he recorded 25 points in 42 games, creating speculation that he was ready to jump to the professional ranks.

His decision to go back to school will end any negotiations for this year, but there will certainly be teams still interested after his junior season. In fact, Mackey may very well be one of the most highly anticipated free agents next time around, something he and his representation are probably betting on.

Minor Transactions: 04/02/19

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Just a few days remain in the NHL regular season and there is still must-see television every night. This evening brings about several important games including a do-or-die matchup for the Montreal Canadiens against the best team in the NHL. Carey Price will have to try and keep the Tampa Bay Lightning off the board or the Canadiens risk falling further behind the Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes for the final two Eastern Conference playoff spots. Meanwhile the Arizona Coyotes are in a similar must-win situation, but happen to get the Los Angeles Kings—a slightly easier matchup.

  • The Nashville Predators have assigned Zac Rinaldo to the minor leagues on a long-term injury loan. Rinaldo had been ruled out for the season earlier this year after shoulder surgery, but perhaps is healthy enough to at least participate in some minor league practices. It’s unclear if there are any expectations that he can get back into a game this season.
  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Andreas Englund from the AHL, likely a reward for his play this season. The 23-year old defenseman has six NHL games under his belt but spent this entire year in the minor leagues. Christian Wolanin has been assigned to the AHL in return, giving the Belleville Senators some more firepower as they try to lock up a playoff spot.
  • Dylan Sikura has been sent back down by the Chicago Blackhawks for much the same reason, as the Rockford IceHogs are still within striking distance in the AHL. Sikura, 23, has 30 points in 40 games for the IceHogs this season.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have sent Kiefer Sherwood and Chase De Leo back to the San Diego Gulls to help with their playoff run. The Gulls unfortunately won’t be getting Troy Terry back anytime soon because of his broken leg, but at least will get some other reinforcements.
  • The Washington Capitals have sent Jonas Siegenthaler back to the AHL for the time being, though that is likely just a cap saving measure in case they suffer another injury over the next few days. The team will be without Michael Kempny through the playoffs, making Siegenthaler their likely seventh defenseman.

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