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Archives for March 2022

Jonathan Toews Discusses Future In Chicago

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When Brandon Hagel, a 23-year-old forward signed and developed by the Chicago Blackhawks was traded last week, it showed just how serious general manager Kyle Davidson is in his attempt to rebuild the organization. The team is expected to sell off many of its biggest assets and build through the draft, having already acquired several high draft picks in recent days.

The obvious question that surfaced is what does the future hold for Blackhawks’ icons Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, who have spent their entire careers with Chicago and are scheduled to reach unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2023.

After calling the situation “pretty discouraging” recently, the captain was asked by Phillip Thompson of the Chicago Tribune specifically about the direction of the franchise today, and how he felt about his future in Chicago:

I wouldn’t say it makes me question [my future with the team] as much as like…you know for the longest time the thought never entered my mind to ever leave Chicago. In this case you can’t help but picture yourself and what it would be like to play for another team and just what that experience would bring. The thought pops into your mind obviously but again, Chicago’s my home, I love the Blackhawks, I love the organization. It’s been my family for a long time and I’m not putting the cart before the horse or getting ahead of myself. 

Toews has gone through a dreadful couple of years when it comes to his hockey career, missing all of the 2020-21 season and posting his worst offensive campaign in 2021-22. He has just eight goals and 25 points through 52 games, numbers that put well behind what is expected of a $10.5MM cap hit. There was always more than just offense to Toews’ game, but it also seems likely that even with resurgent personal play in the 2022-23 season, he wouldn’t see the playoffs again before this contract is over if he plays it out in Chicago.

While Kane is still producing at an All-Star level with 71 points in 59 games, Toews’ struggles would make trading him a difficult task even if he decided to waive his no-move clause and go somewhere else. It should be noted, however, that despite currently retaining salary on two players, both of those will expire before the 2022-23 campaign, meaning Chicago could potentially lower a cap hit substantially if they do end up moving their franchise icons.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Arizona Coyotes Officially Sign Jack McBain

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Though it was clear a deal was coming immediately after they acquired him from the Minnesota Wild, Jack McBain’s entry-level contract has been officially announced by the Arizona Coyotes. While the team did not release specific information on the deal, CapFriendly reported earlier this week that it will start in 2021-22 and carry an NHL cap hit of $883,750.

That means McBain can join the club immediately, and that his college career is now a thing of the past. The 22-year-old center is one of those select few who played at the Olympics before ever signing a pro contract, suiting up for Canada earlier this year and scoring two points in four games. For Boston College, where he has spent the last four years, the 6’4″ forward added 19 goals and 33 points in a breakout senior season.

While he may never become an elite offensive producer at the next level, McBain brings a mix of size and skill not often found together. He was acquired from the Wild in exchange for a second-round pick when it became clear that a contract with Minnesota wasn’t coming. McBain could have hit unrestricted free agency later this summer, but will chase an opportunity in Arizona instead.

Perhaps they would have rather he join their organization, but the deal actually resulted in a bit of an upgrade for the Wild in the end. They used a third-round pick, 63rd-overall, in 2018 and will now get a pick several slots higher in return. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Arizona’s selection they received though, as they instead landed Vancouver’s second-round pick in 2022.

AHL Shuffle: 03/23/22

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One thing to remember about the post-deadline NHL season is that teams no longer have to limit their roster to 23 players. If they have the cap space to recall more, they can do so without issue. With that in mind, there could be some additional minor league shuffling as teams bring along extra bodies on road trips or fill in for minor injuries. As always, we’ll keep track of all those moves right here.

Atlantic Division

  • Justin Barron has been recalled by the Montreal Canadiens, though head coach Martin St. Louis isn’t sure yet if he’ll play right away. The 20-year-old defenseman was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the Artturi Lehkonen deal and has played just two games at the NHL level so far in his young career.

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

  • The Arizona Coyotes have recalled forward Jan Jenik from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. Jenik, 21, was the 65th overall pick at the 2018 draft and has 37 points in 44 AHL games this year. The Czech winger has also gotten into three NHL games in 2021-2022 and has yet to register a point.

Pacific Division

  • The San Jose Sharks have recalled Lane Pederson from the AHL, as they continue their Canadian road trip through Edmonton. Timo Meier left last night’s game with an apparent leg injury, though Curtis Pashelka of Mercury News tweets that the team is still hopeful he plays tomorrow.
  • Speaking of Edmonton, the Oilers have loaned Brad Malone back to the AHL, as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins prepares to return to action. Nugent-Hopkins hasn’t played since February, but had 37 points in his first 45 games this season and will provide a huge boost if he’s able to play tomorrow.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have recalled two young players from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. The first is goaltender Lukas Dostal, 21, who will back up John Gibson tonight as Anthony Stolarz is out with an illness. Dostal has gotten into 29 games this season and boasts a sterling .921 save percentage. He has also played in three NHL games and has a similarly impressive .929 in that smaller sample size as well. After Dostal, the team is also calling up Brendan Guhle. Guhle, 24, originally came to Anaheim in the team’s trade of Brandon Montour to Buffalo in 2019, and he has played in five NHL games this season with zero points.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Minnesota Wild Sign Vladislav Firstov

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The Minnesota Wild have signed prospect Vladislav Firstov to a three-year entry-level contract, which will begin in the 2022-23 season. For the rest of this year, he’ll join the Iowa Wild on an amateur tryout.

Firstov, 20, recently finished his junior season at the University of Connecticut, and has decided to turn pro. Selected 42nd overall in 2019, he registered 23 points in 35 games this season for UConn. While he’s not an elite offensive player, there’s a good chance that with the right development, Firstov can be another NHL piece for the Wild to use in the coming years. The fact that he’ll get in a few games with Iowa to taste the professional level will only help in that goal, as he watches the organization chase down a Stanley Cup in the NHL.

Considering their cap situation starting next season, with huge buyout penalties for Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, the Wild will need players on entry-level contracts to contribute. There will be an opportunity for names like Firstov to jump into bottom-six spots, something that John Bucigross of ESPN believes he could handle. Still, there he’ll have to battle a lot of other prospects, as Minnesota’s system overall is filled with talent. Firstov ranked 18th in Scott Wheeler’s recent prospect pool list for The Athletic, which had the Wild as the No. 3 system in the NHL.

Linus Karlsson Hoping To Sign With Vancouver Canucks

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It was another impressive performance from Linus Karlsson last night, who scored his 25th and 26th goals of the season for Skelleftea AIK, breaking the SHL’s rookie goal-scoring record in the process. The 22-year-old forward could soon follow the footsteps of the player who previously held that record, as he told Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV that he hopes to sign with the Vancouver Canucks following the SHL season.

Elias Pettersson was the previous record holder, having scored 24 during the 2017-18 season, his only campaign in the SHL. He followed it up with an incredible ten-goal performance in the playoffs, something Karlsson will have to try to replicate with his powerhouse club. Skelleftea AIK is in first place in the SHL after last night, with just one match to come before the playoffs begin.

Karlsson, 22, was originally drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the third round of the 2018 draft, but was flipped to Vancouver in a trade for Jonathan Dahlen in 2019. Importantly, Karlsson could actually become an unrestricted free agent on June 1 if the team can’t work out an entry-level contract, something that the rest of the league is likely keeping an eye on.

The young forward has dominated at every level as he moves through the Swedish hockey system, and now has 45 points in 51 games as a rookie in the SHL. While he will turn 23 in November, much older than Pettersson was when he was setting the records, he is still an important piece for Canucks’ general manager Patrik Allvin to get under contract, even just to see how he will fare in North America.

Latest On Canadiens’ Jordan Harris

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With the trade deadline passed, the last-place Montreal Canadiens are now looking ahead to next season. The next possible move in their rebuilding effort is to sign 2018 third-round pick Jordan Harris. The NCAA standout defenseman and Northeastern University captain is nearing the end of his fourth and final collegiate season and new Habs GM Kent Hughes hopes that the next step in his career is to sign with the team that drafted him:

We’ve talked about what the opportunity would be in Montreal for him if he chooses to (sign). He’s an impending free agent if he doesn’t sign with us. Our hope is that he does. We kind of laid out what we’re trying to do with the organization, what our plan is, and how we see him fitting in.

Given the current status of the Canadiens, Hughes is not exaggerating the considerable role that Harris could immediately step into to begin his NHL career. A smooth-skating and productive two-way defender, Harris has all the tools to succeed in the pros and Montreal has no reason not to hand the college star major responsibilities right off the bat if it ensures that he signs with the team. The potential for opportunity will only increase with an inevitable Jeff Petry trade as well; Hughes noted yesterday that he tried to move the veteran blue liner but could not find a fair deal and will circle back in the offseason. Meanwhile, the left-handed Harris prefers to play on his right side and could step directly into Petry’s top-four spot on the right.

Hughes also hopes that personal ties to Harris could add credibility to his promises as he negotiates with the young defenseman. Hughes has known Harris for much of the blue-chip blue liner’s life; Hughes coached Harris at one time and Hughes’ sons, New York Rangers prospect Riley Hughes and potential 2022 first-rounder Jack Hughes, has played with and against him for years, including all three with Northeastern this season.

Of course, it is worth noting that prior to becoming GM in Montreal, Hughes was a Boston-based player agent. Harris not only attended college in Boston, but grew up in nearby Haverhill. If the hometown Bruins come calling, offering up a roster spot of their own on a blue line that should have one or two holes to fill this summer, Harris could opt to wait until August to become a free agent and stay in Boston. If Harris is as close to the Hughes’ boys as his father hopes, it’s also possible that he could be attracted to joining Riley with the Rangers or signing with whichever team drafts Jack. It also entirely possible that Harris merely wants to evaluate all possible options later this summer.

One thing that Montreal can offer Harris that no one else can is a chance to play in the NHL this season and burn the first year of his entry-level contract. Northeastern is the lowest seed in the strongest region of the NCAA Tournament, facing Western Michigan on Friday and, if they advance, the winner of Minnesota-UMass on Sunday. It’s an extremely difficult slate and Harris more likely than not will see his collegiate career come to an end this weekend. The Habs could sign him right away and have him in the lineup next week, a no-brainer if it helps to secure the signing. However, should the Huskies win the region, Harris could be playing through April 9. At that point, it becomes a more difficult decision to allow Harris to play in the NHL this season with just ten games left. It still seems likely that they would do so if it seals the deal, but is yet another variable to consider. The Canadiens want Harris – and for good reason – but this not a done deal just yet.

Minor Transactions: 03/22/22

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After the rush and excitement of trade deadline day blows over, it’s always good to be reminded that hockey transactions do go on. Sure, there will be nothing close to matching the excitement of the deadline until later this summer with the NHL Draft and opening of free agency, but in the meantime there will still be signings involving undrafted college and junior players, prospects receiving entry-level deals, and perhaps some early European additions, not to mention the potential for some minor trades among non-playoff teams getting their offseason started early. There also continue to be roster operations ongoing outside the NHL, with the AHL and European leagues dealing with different rules and timelines. For those “minor” moves, make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action:

  • It’s hard to keep all of the NHL trades straight on deadline day, nevertheless noticing an AHL swap. It seems that future considerations had a busy day across both leagues, as that was the return for the Belleville Senators in a deal that saw veteran forward Tyrell Goulbourne head to the Stockton Heat. The team announced that they had acquired the 28-year-old forward, as they look to bolster their lineup for the Calder Cup playoffs. Goulbourne, a former member of the Philadelphia Flyers, has never possessed much offensive ability and is scoreless through nine AHL games this season, but continues to provide value with his defensive ability. Though not confirmed by any of the teams involved at either level, Goulbourne is believed to be future considerations himself, as the return of the NHL deal that saw goaltender Michael McNiven head to Ottawa.
  • Arizona State standout Colin Theisen isn’t going very far for his first pro experience. The AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners have signed the Sun Devils captain, his now-alma mater announced. A fifth year transfer from Notre Dame, Theisen enjoyed a breakout season to end his collegiate career, recording 19 goals and 42 points in 35 games with ASU. This was far superior than anything he did with the Fighting Irish; in fact, his goals and points totals were better than his two best marks at Notre Dame combined. Though hardly a young prospect at 24, Theisen did enough this year to earn a look in the pros and the nearby Roadrunners were happy to give him a shot. Perhaps the Coyotes will be next if he can prove his game translates to the next level.
  • Though far less common in Europe, the end of the playing season marks the beginning of buyout season and one Swiss club is making big cuts. The National League’s SC Bern has bought out a pair of former NHL forwards in Cory Conacher and Kaspars Daugavins as they begin a “remodel”. Conacher and Daugavins were both under contract through 2022-23 and seemingly seemed safe to stick around. Both were among the top six scorers for Bern, as was Vincent Praplan, a player who had already been bought out (with three year remaining on his deal). Though each is on the wrong side of 30, Bern is undoubtedly a worse team without Conacher and Daugavins who will attract interest from a multitude of other European clubs.

Trade Deadline Notes: Dadonov, DeBrusk, Motte

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There is still no official decision on the trade between the Anaheim Duck and Vegas Golden Knights, though some sources have indicated to Jesse Granger of The Athletic that they believe it will be voided. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet tweeted a bit of an explanation, noting that not only did the Golden Knights not receive Evgenii Dadonov’s no-trade list, but they and the NHL were also “led to believe” that the list had not been filed properly and thus expired.

That is not the case, however, as evidence has emerged to show that Dadonov properly filed his no-trade list, which includes the Ducks, on June 30, the day before the clause would have expired had it not been given to the Senators. Important to note in this situation, and something that is often misunderstood is that though Dadonov could still technically be traded after the “deadline” should this deal be voided, he no longer would be eligible to play at all in 2021-22, regular season or playoffs.

  • When Jake DeBrusk inked a two-year extension yesterday, some believed it would lead to a fresh start somewhere else later in the day, given that his agent immediately told members of the media that a trade request was still valid. In fact, agent Rick Valette told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that he was “hoping Jake would have a change of scenery” at the deadline. He also wanted to be clear that DeBrusk still loves the city of Boston and will be completely focused on the Bruins’ Stanley Cup run for the rest of this season.
  • When Tyler Motte was moved at the deadline for a 2023 fourth-round pick, some wondered why the Vancouver Canucks would bother, given how well he has fit into the team’s bottom-six. Motte is a pending free agent and according to Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV, he didn’t want to leave the organization at all but was asking for a contract with an average salary over $2MM. The 27-year-old has seven goals and 15 points in 49 games this season.

Ryan Murray Out Indefinitely

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The Colorado Avalanche added Josh Manson ahead of the deadline, but weren’t able to secure any more defensive additions yesterday. Unfortunately, just a few hours later, one of their regulars went down and is now out indefinitely. Ryan Murray, who blocked a shot just 31 seconds into his first shift, is out “weeks not days” according to head coach Jared Bednar, who confirmed it was a fracture but did not specify if it was a hand or an arm injury, according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic.

The Avalanche were playing with seven defensemen last night, though one of those was Kurtis MacDermid, who is a hybrid for them usually lining up at forward when the entire group is healthy. In Murray’s absence, and with Manson still just getting started with the team, Cale Makar went over 30 minutes and Devon Toews racked up 27:38–the only two defensemen to even crack the 20-minute mark.

While the Avalanche do have quite a bit of defensive depth, Samuel Girard is also out with an injury and Bowen Byram is still a question mark because of his ongoing concussion issues. The young Byram is back on the ice with the team–in a regular jersey even–but it’s not clear when he will actually re-enter the Avalanche lineup.

Of note, Justin Barron, who has played two games for the team this season, was traded to the Montreal Canadiens as part of the Artturi Lehkonen deal.

Murray, 28, has dealt with injuries his entire career, only once completing a full season unscathed. Through 37 appearances this year, he had just four points, but was still a useful depth piece for a team looking to go on a long playoff run. Now sidelined for the next while, it will be interesting to see if Murray ends up losing his spot in the lineup, should Colorado get comfortable with a new deployment of defensemen.

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