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Archives for May 2019
Jakub Jerabek Returns To KHL
After two seasons bouncing around North America, Jakub Jerabek has decided to return to the KHL. The defenseman is technically still under contract with the St. Louis Blues, but that didn’t stop the KHL from tweeting out that he has signed a one-year contract with Podolsk Vityaz, his former team. Jerabek had been playing with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL, but their season ended without a playoff berth. He was not part of the Blues’ “Black Aces” recall, likely meaning the team has let him leave without issue.
Jerabek, 27, signed with the Montreal Canadiens in 2017 after an impressive KHL debut but failed to really catch on in the NHL. After 25 games for the Canadiens and 17 more for their AHL affiliate, he ended up traded to the Washington Capitals at the deadline to provide some defensive depth. Jerabek actually did get into two games with the Capitals during their Stanley Cup playoff run, but mostly sat on the sidelines and watched his team celebrate victory after victory.
In the offseason Jerabek signed a one-year, $1MM deal with the Edmonton Oilers but failed to find a place on their blue line and was traded to St. Louis just before the season began. After playing a single game with the Blues, Jerabek was placed on waivers and sent down to San Antonio. He ended up hitting the ice 52 times for the AHL club, recording 15 points and a -22 rating.
Adam Fox Signs Entry-Level Contract
It’s official now, Adam Fox will not return to Harvard for his senior season. The New York Rangers today announced a three-year entry-level contract for their newest prospect, recently acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes. Fox’s contract will kick in for the 2019-20 season.
The 21-year old defenseman was originally selected by the Calgary Flames in 2016, but after making it clear to them he did not intend to sign the team attached him to Dougie Hamilton and Micheal Ferland and sent him to Carolina. The trade made huge waves in the hockey world as it saw Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin go the other way, leaving some to point to Fox as the “key to the deal” for the Hurricanes, given Ferland’s expiring contract and the big potential heading to Calgary. While the Flames certainly don’t regret the deal after Lindholm broke out playing with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, the Hurricanes aren’t doing so bad either—Hamilton has seven points in ten games for Carolina, who are on the brink of making it to the third round.
After Fox indicated that he wouldn’t sign with the Hurricanes either, it became clear that they would need to try and work out a deal with the Rangers this summer. The young defenseman could have become an unrestricted free agent in the 2020 offseason after his senior year at Harvard, and was expected to sign with New York anyway. As he puts it, Fox “grew up a big Rangers fan, and to have the opportunity to hopefully suit up for them is definitely special.”
He’ll likely get that chance next season, as Fox is already a polished player ready for the NHL level. The right-handed defenseman is a natural powerplay quarterback that racked up 48 points in 33 games as a junior and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker. He has already far outgrown the third-round label, but will have to continue to develop if he’s ever to log big minutes for the Rangers in the defensive end. That will be the next test, now that his college career is behind him.
Red Kelly Passes Away At Age 91
Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs legend Red Kelly has passed away at the age of 91. The Kelly family released a statement through the Red Wings:
Red was a devoted husband and caring father and grandfather and was tremendously proud of his many hockey accomplishments. He was very moved by decades of love and support from Red Wings fans and was humbled to have his jersey retired earlier this year. We are comforted in knowing that he impacted so many people both at and away from the rink and know that his life will be celebrated.
Maple Leafs president and former Red Wings player Brendan Shanahan also released a statement on the passing of Kelly:
The entire Toronto Maple Leafs organization mourns the passing of Red Kelly. For those of us who were lucky enough to have known or encountered Red, we will all miss his sharp mind and keen intellect. He was a gentle man but a fierce competitor. Above all, he was a family man, and he will be missed by his hockey family. Our deepest sympathies go out to Andra, their children, grandchildren and the entire Kelly family.
There have been few players in the history of professional hockey to achieve the success Kelly did on the ice. A defenseman for the Red Wings starting in 1947, Kelly was almost immediately recognized as one of the best players in the game. He received votes for the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player in just his third season, and would win the first of four Lady Byng trophies in his fourth. The exceptional two-way player would hoist the Stanley Cup four times with the Red Wings, only to see his career take a sharp turn later on.
After a dispute with the Red Wings ended in a nixed trade to the New York Rangers and a brief retirement for Kelly, he would end up getting a call from the Maple Leafs. A famous meeting between Kelly and Toronto coach Punch Imlach resulted in the defenseman changing positions and becoming a center, in order to check Jean Beliveau of the Montreal Canadiens. Kelly would find immediate success with the Maple Leafs, and helped them to four more Stanley Cup victories over the years. The final time came on May 2, 1967, exactly 52 years ago today. The Maple Leafs have still not raised the Cup again.
Kelly’s No. 4 was raised to the Detroit rafters earlier this season, retired by the Red Wings. The Maple Leafs did the same, making Kelly one of 17 players to see their numbers retired in a 2016 ceremony. Both franchises were completely changed by Kelly’s presence on the ice, and he will never be forgotten by fans around the hockey world.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Blackhawks, Matthews, Bean
The Chicago Blackhawks have announced a three-year extension with their ECHL affiliate the Indy Fuel. The agreement will take them through the 2021-22 season and means the Fuel will remain affiliated with the only NHL team they’ve ever known. The Indianapolis franchise came into the ECHL in 2014, though haven’t yet found a ton of success. In their five-year run, the Fuel have only qualified for the Kelly Cup playoffs once and were swept out of the first round that season by the Toledo Walleye.
More and more around the league the ECHL is used as a development team crucial in the early years of raw or unexpected prospects. Notably it is a place where young goaltenders can sharpen their skills while playing a lot, something that Blackhawks netminder Collin Delia did as recently as 2017-18. Delia played ten games for the Fuel during that season and now looks like a potential starting option for the Blackhawks going forward. Justin Holl of the Toronto Maple Leafs is also an alumni of the Indy program, having started his professional career there by playing 66 games for the team in 2014-15.
- Speaking of the Maple Leafs, the team announced today that Auston Matthews has undergone a procedure to remove hardware from a 2014 surgery. Matthews broke his femur while playing in the USNTDP several years ago, and according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN the screws leftover from that procedure may have been causing back pain for the young star. This explains why Matthews will not be playing in the upcoming IIHF World Championship, though it is not expected to affect his offseason training schedule.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Jake Bean from the AHL once again, though with the Charlotte Checkers starting their second round playoff series tomorrow evening he may not be on the roster very long. Bean has been up and down in the playoffs to give the Hurricanes some additional defensive depth as they deal with injuries to Calvin de Haan and Trevor van Riemsdyk, but he has yet to suit up. The 20-year old was named to the AHL All-Rookie team this season and made his NHL debut by suiting up twice for the Hurricanes earlier in the year.
Top Women’s Players Announce Boycott, Demand Changes
More than 200 of the world’s top women’s hockey players have released a joint statement today, announcing that they will not play in any professional league this season unless changes are made to compensation, insurance plans and resource availability. Hilary Knight, Marie-Philip Poulin, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Brianne Jenner are all among the group that is looking for a way to create a sustainable professional model for women’s hockey. The statement in full:
We are fortunate to be the ambassadors of this game that we revere so deeply and yet, more than ever, we understand the responsibility that comes with that ambassadorship: To leave this game in better shape than when we entered it. That is why we come together, over 200 players strong, to say it is time to create a sustainable professional league for Women’s Hockey.
While we have all accomplished so much, there is no greater accomplishment than what we have the potential to do right here and right now – not just for this generation of players, but for generations to come. With that purpose, we are coming together, not as individual players, but as one collective voice to help navigate the future and protect the players’ needs. We cannot make a sustainable living playing in the current state of the professional game. Having no health insurance and making as low as two thousand dollars a season means players can’t adequately train and prepare to play at the highest level.
Because of that, together as players, we will not play in ANY professional leagues in North America this season until we get the resources that professional hockey demands and deserves.
We may have represented different teams, leagues, and countries – but this sport is one family. And the time is now for this family to unite. This is the moment we’ve been waiting for – our moment to come together and say we deserve more. It’s time for a long-term viable professional league that will showcase the greatest product of women’s professional hockey in the world.” #ForTheGame
This comes after the surprising announcement earlier this year that the CWHL would be shutting down after financial issues. The NWHL, the other professional women’s league in North America, received an increased investment from the NHL, but is still not directly affiliated with the league. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has been clear in the past that the league may step in if there were no other options for women’s hockey.
A move like this boycott is a surprising one, but obviously necessary according to this group of players.
Kelly McCrimmon Promoted To Vegas GM
The Edmonton Oilers will not be hiring Vegas Golden Knights assistant general manger Kelly McCrimmon. That’s because the Golden Knights have promoted him to GM, while George McPhee will remain as President of Hockey Operations. Team owner Bill Foley released a statement:
This is a very exciting announcement for our club and Vegas Golden Knights fans around the world. George and Kelly are a fantastic team. From the mock draft exercises and preparation leading up to the Expansion Draft, building out our coaching staff, and continually improving our team through the draft, trades, signings and free agency, the work they have done over the last three years has been remarkable. Together they have constructed a championship-caliber team in a very short time. This personnel move ensures that our hockey operations group stays intact and positions our organization for long term success.
The Golden Knights have experienced unprecedented success for an expansion team, and a huge part of that has been the work that McCrimmon did as assistant GM. McPhee and McCrimmon were almost flawless in their execution of the expansion draft strategy that netted them players like Jon Marchessault, Shea Theodore and Nate Schmidt, and turned that strategy into a Stanley Cup Final appearance in their first season.
A promotion like this ensures that McCrimmon stays with the Golden Knights, something that wasn’t so clear before the announcement. Edmonton who were reportedly interested in hiring McCrimmon for their front office vacancy, will now shift their focus somewhere else and perhaps back to interim GM Keith Gretzky. The team had wanted to interview several candidates for the opening, and have had at least two with former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant GM Mark Hunter. Hunter’s name is exactly who Darren Dreger of TSN suggests in a tweet, while also listing Gretzky and former NHL goaltender and Arizona Coyotes executive Sean Burke.
The next expansion franchise in Seattle will also have to cross McCrimmon’s name off the list, as they were another team with reported interest in bringing him aboard. That made a lot of sense given his experience in the process, but the new organization will have to find another way to navigate their expansion draft and inaugural season.
Oliwer Kaski Drawing NHL Interest
Since KHL contracts started expiring and free agency got underway there have been plenty of reports of NHL teams looking at Russian players that might fill their depth chart next season. The savvy ones will not forget that there are other professional leagues to pick from, and apparently one Finnish talent drawing interest from several teams. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that the Columbus Blue Jackets are one of the NHL teams pursuing Oliwer Kaski, an undrafted defenseman who spent last season playing for the Lahti Pelicans of Finland’s Liiga.
If Kaski does sign with an NHL organization, it wouldn’t be the first time he plays hockey in North America. The right-handed defenseman spent parts of two seasons playing at Western Michigan University, but returned to Finland in 2016 and has played there ever since. While his first two years at the highest level weren’t spectacular, he exploded after a move to the Pelicans and recorded 51 points in 59 games this season.
The 23-year old defenseman would be held to the entry-level system, but could potentially compete for a spot in the NHL right away depending on how the team feels that offensive game translates to North America. It’s not clear what other teams are chasing him, but you can bet his impressive performance had scouts from all over the league turning their heads to get a better look.
Snapshots: Marchand, Tippett, Ruck
Boston Bruins agitator Brad Marchand was caught “punching” Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Scott Harrington in the back of the head as time expired on Game Three on Tuesday night. While unnecessary and unsportsmanlike, the NHL Department of Player Safety has decided that the otherwise innocuous play is not suspension-worthy. As The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline points out, there are no fines in the postseason, only suspensions, as players aren’t paid for playoff games and thus there is no mechanism for calculating fines. Even with Marchand’s track record, it would have been hard to imagine a postseason suspension for the incident as well. Commissioner Gary Bettman opined that Marchand should have received a penalty on the play, but given the timing of the incident and the result holding, it would not have made a difference. One might expect the Blue Jackets to thus police the situation themselves through the rest of the series, but Portzline believes that no retaliation is coming after speaking with several players. While Marchand is capable of getting fans riled up better than anyone in the league, it seems this issues could be over as soon as it began.
- There have been rumors for some time that Dave Tippett has been itching to get back behind an NHL bench, despite his current adviser position with the Seattle expansion team, and he is now officially taking steps toward such a move. Sportsnet’s Elliott Friedman writes that Tippett has interviewed for the Buffalo Sabres head coaching vacancy, as some speculated he might. Tippett now joins Jacques Martin and less established options like Rikard Gronberg and Sheldon Keefe among Buffalo’s top options, according to Friedman. Tippett, who has nearly 20 year of NHL coaching experience, held both the head coach and VP of Hockey Operations positions with the Arizona Coyotes when he was last in the league in 2016-17 and would still be a great option for the Sabres even after a few years off.
- After losing starting keeper Cayden Primeau to the pros after a remarkable year, Northeastern University was hoping that graduate goaltender Ryan Ruck may stay with the program to help bridge the gap. That won’t happen, as Colorado College announced today that they have received a commitment from Ruck to join the program as a graduate transfer. Although he played in only six games last season for the Huskies, Ruck was nearly unstoppable, posting a .956 save percentage and 1.01 GAA. Those numbers should give Ruck the leg up on the starter competition at Colorado College, who lost this year’s starter Alex Leclerc to the pros. Meanwhile, Northeastern will likely have to lean on true freshman Connor Murphy in net next season.
Flames Notes: Yelesin, Smith, Neal, Stajan
In his latest “31 Thoughts” column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman needed just one “thought” to drop several pieces of interesting information about the Calgary Flames. The insider begins with KHL defenseman Alexander Yelesin. Friedman follows up on his initial report about the Flames’ interest in the Russian rearguard by saying that the question is not “if” but “when” when it comes to a deal getting done. KHL free agency opened today, so it’s only a matter of time before a contract becomes official it seems. The 23-year-old is undersized and not overly productive, but that hasn’t stopped NHL teams from toying with the idea of signing him for several years due to his skating and dependable defensive play. Calgary will finally be the team to pull the trigger, despite their depth on the blue line. As of now, Yelesin would be behind Mark Giordano, Noah Hanifin, Travis Hamonic, and T.J. Brodie and competing for ice time with youngsters Rasmus Andersson, Juuso Valimaki, and Oliver Kylington. That’s a lot of capable defensemen in the mix and trade rumors will no doubt swirl this off-season about the Flames moving one of this group.
- Next, Friedman mentions that the Flames have not yet closed the door on a return for veteran goaltender Mike Smith. The 37-year-old UFA netminder split starts with David Rittich this season, who also needs a new contract as a restricted free agent. Friedman doubts that a new deal to keep Smith in Calgary would be longer than a year, but the team could opt to go with the tandem that led them to the best record in the West this season for one more go-round. Smith put up pedestrian numbers in the regular season – an .898 save percentage and 2.72 GAA – but was significantly better in 2017-18 and could have another strong campaign in him. The postseason showed that, as Smith was arguably the Flames’ best player in their unexpected first-round loss. There will be other options available to Calgary on the free agent market and via trade, but if they are unable to add any of their top options, don’t be surprised to see them go with the devil they know.
- Finally, Friedman writes that the problematic James Neal is not yet at the point that GM Brad Treliving would entertain attaching a high pick to make a move. After signing a five-year, $28.75MM contract with Calgary last summer, Neal responded with far-and-away the worst season of his career, recording just 19 points in 63 games (his previous low had been 37). It wasn’t just a case of poor PDO for the 31-year-old forward either; Neal often looked slow and lethargic in all three zones all season long and even more so in the playoffs. There’s no telling whether Neal can bounce back next year or whether this is only a sign of things to come, but the Flames will at least wait to find out if a fair trade doesn’t come around this summer. With just late first- and third-round picks in the first 100 selections of this year’s draft, it is no surprise that the team is unwilling to move a high pick this year or next year to rid themselves of Neal’s contract before giving the respected veteran scorer another chance to prove himself.
- In non-Friedman news out of Calgary, long-time Flames forward Matt Stajan has announced his retirement. Stajan wrapped up a 16-year NHL career split between Calgary and the Toronto Maple Leafs when he departed for Europe last season at age 35. Stajan was actually very productive this season for German club EHC Munchen, registering 33 points in 52 games en route to a finals appearance, but it wasn’t enough to keep him in the game. Munchen released a statement today that named Stajan as one of several players leaving the team by way of retirement. Also hanging them up is fellow long-time NHLer and leading scorer John Mitchell and captain Michael Wolf, as EHC has their work cut out for them this off-season. Stajan leaves the game with more than 1000 NHL appearances to his credit, along with over 400 points and his reputation as a reliable two-way winger. Don’t be surprised to see Stajan end up back in hockey in another capacity before too long, perhaps even with the Flames.