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Archives for June 2022

Jim Pappin Passes Away At 82

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Former Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks forward Jim Pappin has passed away at the age of 82, the Maple Leafs announced. The club’s statement read:

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jim Pappin. Jim played 5 seasons in Toronto, winning the Stanley Cup in 1964 & ’67. Named one of the 100 Greatest Leafs, he scored the Cup-winning goal and lead the team in scoring in ’67. Our thoughts are with his family & friends.”

The Anaheim Ducks, for whom Pappin was once a scout, tweeted:

“We were saddened to hear of the passing of two-time Stanley Cup champion and former Ducks scout Jim Pappin. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Jim’s family and loved ones during this time.”

A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Pappin played parts of five seasons in Toronto, scoring 54 goals with 46 assists in 223 regular season games. Somewhat of a late-bloomer, Pappin didn’t make his NHL debut until the 1963-63 season, when he was 24. Successful as Pappin’s Toronto career was, given the two Stanley Cups, his career would take off dramatically after a trade to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1968. The veteran, now 29, put up 70 points in 75 games in his first season with Chicago, more than doubling his previous best of 32. He would remain an elite point-producer with the Blackhawks, culminating in a career-best 41 goals and 51 assists in 1972-73.

Following the 1974-75 season, Pappin was traded to the California Golden Seals, spending one season there before concluding his NHL career as a member of the Cleveland Barons in 1976-77. All told, Pappin would notch 278 goals and 295 assists in 767 career games spread over 14 seasons, along with another 33 goals and 34 assists in 92 playoff games.

Everyone at Pro Hockey Rumors sends their condolences to Pappin’s loved ones.

Chicago Blackhawks Hire Luke Richardson

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June 29: TSN’s Pierre LeBrun is reporting that the Blackhawks signed Richardson to a four-year contract. He’ll be the team’s head coach through 2025-26.

June 27: The Blackhawks have made it official, hiring Richardson as their next head coach. General manager Kyle Davidson released a statement:

We are excited having a seasoned coach like Luke join the organization as head coach. Luke shares our vision and goals for the future, and he will have an opportunity to build an environment and culture of high performance, hard work, and high accountability. Throughout the interview process, it became evident that he not only had every quality we were looking for in a head coach, but also is a high-character individual that was perfect to lead this next era of the Chicago Blackhawks. 

June 24: The Winnipeg Jets may be waiting on Barry Trotz to make a decision but the Chicago Blackhawks are nearing one of their own. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff tweets that Luke Richardson is expected to be the next head coach of the Blackhawks, and the two sides are putting the finishing touches on a contract.  Scott Powers of The Athletic reported earlier today that Richardson, interim head coach Derek King, and Vancouver Canucks assistant Brad Shaw were the three finalists.

Richardson, who has spent the last four seasons as an assistant with the Montreal Canadiens, has long been looked at as a future NHL bench boss, even going back to his playing days. The 53-year-old former defenseman played more than 1,400 games in the league, and almost immediately transitioned onto an NHL coaching staff with the Ottawa Senators in 2009.

With the Blackhawks not expected to contend next season as they head into a complete rebuild, getting an inexperienced (and therefore inexpensive) bench boss always seemed to be the likely move. Richardson has just a handful of games as an NHL head coach–all coming in the 2021 playoffs when Dominique Ducharme was held out with COVID-19.

He does, however, have four years of experience as a head coach in the AHL, and is as well-respected an assistant as you will find around the league. His departure from the Canadiens will leave a substantial hole to fill, as Montreal tries to climb out of the bottom of the league under new head coach Martin St. Louis.

It is not clear what this would mean for King, who was brought up from the minor leagues to replace Jeremy Colliton early in the season. The Blackhawks went 27-33-10 under the interim boss, in his first taste of NHL head coaching. Powers wrote today that it would surprise him if the Rockford IceHogs didn’t stay with Anders Sorensen as head coach, meaning King could be looking for another role somewhere else.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Dallas Stars Sign Ryan Shea

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The Dallas Stars have inked Ryan Shea to a one-year, two-way contract extension for next season, avoiding arbitration. The young defenseman has yet to play in the NHL but does not qualify for Group VI unrestricted free agency because he has just two pro seasons under his belt.

Shea, 25, was originally a fourth-round pick of to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 but after failing to sign with them, hit the open market in 2020 following his college career. He played four years at Northeastern, eventually being named captain of the club in 2019 as a senior. After waiting until August, he signed an entry-level deal with Dallas, and quickly entered their AHL program with the Texas Stars.

After participating at the World Championship last summer, Shea showed a stark improvement this season, scoring 32 points in 66 games for Texas, helping the club reach the playoffs (but not advance). This deal will give the 6’2″ defenseman another opportunity with the minor league club, though it seems unlikely he will challenge for an NHL roster spot.

Just yesterday, the team signed pending UFA Joseph Cecconi, who like Shea could see the odd injury call-up this season. The difference of course is that because of his relatively late start as a pro, Shea is still waiver-exempt for 2022-23 and can be sent to the minor leagues without issue.

The Stars have now locked up a good amount of depth at the position, as Alexander Petrovic was also signed earlier this month.

Full Order Of Selection For 2022 NHL Draft

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Now that the Winnipeg Jets and others have decided on some trade conditions, the NHL has released the official order of selections for this year’s draft. The event starts next Thursday at 6 pm CT, while rounds 2-7 are the next day, starting at 10 am CT.

The full order is:

Read more

Buffalo Sabres Sign Sean Malone

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The Buffalo Sabres are bringing back AHL standout Sean Malone for another year, inking him to a one-year contract worth $750K. The minor league forward was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Malone, 27, was great for the Rochester Americans this season, scoring 20 goals and 37 points in just 39 regular season games. His strong play continued into the playoffs, when he added another seven points in ten games, giving the young minor league squad a reliable veteran leader in the middle of the ice.

While the Americans were driven by talents like JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn, and Arttu Ruotsalainen, Malone, along with Michael Mersch, Ethan Prow, and others offered a more experienced group to help the on-ice development of the top prospects. That can continue next season now, as he returns on a no-risk one-year deal.

There’s also a chance that Malone earns some time with the big club, though it has been five years now since he signed out of Harvard and he has just two games to his name at the NHL level. One of those actually came with the Nashville Predators, during the year he was away from the Sabres organization. A Buffalo native, Malone came back in 2021 and is now getting a chance to continue with his hometown club, even if it’s mostly for minor league action.

Snapshots: Forsberg, Ellis, Jets

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Nashville Predators’ general manager recently publically announced that he had offered Filip Forsberg an eight-year deal to stay in town and avoid free agency, and now Forsberg’s agent has done the same. JP Barry told Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV that they are talking about an eight-year deal and though he noted they are not yet in agreement on salary, the two sides are grinding away at it.

The Predators are the only team that is allowed to offer Forsberg an eight-year deal at the moment, and even that right will expire in two weeks when free agency begins. The 40-goal winger will turn 28 in August, meaning a contract of that length would take him well into his mid-thirties and potentially represent the final big payday of his career.

  • Ryan Ellis has played in just four games for the Philadelphia Flyers since they acquired him in the summer of 2021 and that total may not increase for a while. When speaking with media including Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic, general manager Chuck Fletcher explained that there is still plenty of work to do in Ellis’ rehab and would not confirm that the veteran defenseman will be ready for the start of the season. Ellis, who was acquired for Philippe Myers and Nolan Patrick, has five years remaining on his contract and carries a cap hit of $6.25MM.
  • The Winnipeg Jets had an option as part of the Andrew Copp trade to take either the St. Louis Blues 2022 second-round pick or the New York Rangers 2023 second. They’ve chosen the former, relays Murat Ates of The Athletic, which will be the 55th overall selection this year. While the 2023 draft is generally considered deeper, the Jets obviously feel as though it is more beneficial to get a player into their system right away.

Talks Picking Up On Kevin Fiala

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Last season was something of an all-in moment for the Minnesota Wild, thanks to the tough cap situation that is just on the horizon. The team will have more than $12.7MM in buyout penalties in 2022-23, and more than $14.7MM in the following two seasons. That means when it comes to extending restricted free agent Kevin Fiala, there isn’t much money in the piggy bank.

That has led to Fiala’s name leading the trade market as the draft approaches, almost a sure bet to be dealt at some point this offseason. He’s the top name on The Athletic’s trade bait board, Michael Russo of The Athletic suggests that he will be dealt within the week, and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that things are “intensifying on the Fiala front.”

Last month, Russo and Harman Dayal examined the kind of return the Wild should expect for their young star, following his breakout season that included 33 goals and 85 points. The 25-year-old winger is one of the most dynamic offensive talents in the league, and though there has been some inconsistency throughout his career, could drastically change the outlook of several teams.

His relative youth makes him an attractive target for just about anyone, though he does come with the caveat of restricted free agency. With six years under his belt already, he could go through arbitration and walk directly to the open market in a year, if he doesn’t reach a long-term extension with whatever team acquires him. That is a risk, meaning interested teams would likely want to discuss at least the framework of a contract before actually pulling the trigger on a trade.

With the draft right around the corner and free agency to come, the NHL trade market is about to get interesting. Fiala’s name is right at the top of that and could be the first domino to fall this summer.

Brandon Manning Re-Signs In Germany

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After testing his luck overseas, Brandon Manning will be staying in Germany. The veteran defenseman has signed an extension with the Straubing Tigers, explaining why he’s staying:

My family and I like it very much in Straubing, it’s just a real ice hockey town. The team is great and we showed last season that we can compete with the top teams in the league. I had a lot of fun playing with the boys and I’m looking forward to getting started again soon,

Manning, 32, last played in the NHL during the 2019-20 season when he was with the Edmonton Oilers organization. The following season he didn’t play at all and then ended up in Germany playing big minutes in the DEL for 2021-22. He ended the year with 22 points in 38 games, production he hadn’t experienced in years.

There was a time when Manning was a regular at the NHL level, racking up games for the Philadelphia Flyers as a physical two-way defender. He also had some outstanding seasons in the AHL, as one of the most feared fighters in the league while also producing offense at a high level. In 2013 and 2015 he was an AHL All-Star, leading to those opportunities in the NHL.

Tarmo Reunanen Signs In Finland

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The Carolina Hurricanes don’t have to worry about a restricted free agent negotiation with Tarmo Reunanen. The young defenseman has signed a two-year contract with Lukko in Finland after he failed to suit up for a single playoff game for the Calder Cup-winning Chicago Wolves.

Reunanen, 24, landed with Carolina at the deadline in a minor league trade in order to provide Chicago with additional defensive depth, something they proved unnecessary as they stomped their way through the AHL playoffs. His exclusive rights can be retained by issuing him a qualifying offer, though it does seem like this may be the end of his time with the Hurricanes.

A two-year deal will leave Reunanen 26 years old at its expiry, and just a year away from unrestricted free agency. He could at that point sign a contract to return, though this isn’t just a new opportunity–it’s a return home. He played several seasons for Lukko before coming over and had his only Liiga playoff appearance with them in 2019.

The Finnish blueliner didn’t even come over to North America until 2020, despite being a fourth-round pick in 2016. He managed four games at the NHL level with the Rangers and 69 more in the minor leagues, split between the Wolves and the Hartford Wolf Pack.

An offensively-gifted defenseman, he did rack up 37 points in those AHL contests but wasn’t able to really make a mark at the NHL level. He’s a name to keep an eye on down the road but one that very well may be staying overseas at this point.

Mikkel Boedker Signs In Sweden

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Any thought of a return to North America for Mikkel Boedker can be put to bed after the veteran forward signed a new one-year deal with HV71 in the SHL. The deal takes him out of Switzerland but continues his European career, this time a little closer to home.

Boedker, 32, played more than 700 games in the NHL and racked up 327 points, last seeing the ice with the Ottawa Senators in the 2019-20 season. For the past two years, he has been playing for Lugano, along with fellow NHL alumni like Mark Arcobello, Daniel Carr, and Mirco Mueller. He’ll now head to HV71, just a few hours up the road from his hometown in Denmark.

A long-time member of the Danish national team, Boedker was part of their entry into this year’s Olympics after helping them qualify for the event. He has a long international resume that even included a stint with Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup. He also holds the distinction of being the highest-ever draft pick from Denmark, eighth overall to the Phoenix Coyotes in 2008.

Given his age and recent production, one can assume his NHL career is now over.

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