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Archives for March 2023

Dallas Stars Sign Matthew Seminoff

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The Dallas Stars have inked another prospect, signing Matthew Seminoff to a three-year entry-level contract that begins in 2023-24. The young forward currently plays for the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL, where he will remain and participate in a Memorial Cup run as the host city.

Seminoff, 19, has 82 points for the Blazers this season, good enough for third on the team, 15 points behind fellow Stars prospect Logan Stankoven. The familiarity of the two will certainly benefit them as they enter professional hockey, though Seminoff has one more year of junior to play, given he won’t turn 20 until December.

He also has much lower expectations, given he was the 179th overall pick in 2022. Even earning an entry-level deal by this point is an impressive feat, and should bode well for his future in the Stars organization. The test will be whether he can keep up that production level once Stankoven leaves the WHL next season, now that Dallas has committed to him.

The Stars may have found a nice late-round steal to join their impressive group of young forwards if he can. With Wyatt Johnston leading the way as an NHL regular, plenty more talent could be on the way to Dallas.

Thomas Chabot Out “A Couple Weeks”

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The Ottawa Senators may be without star defenseman Thomas Chabot for the rest of the season, after head coach DJ Smith told Claire Hanna of TSN that he’ll miss a couple of weeks with an upper-body injury. The Senators’ final game of the season is April 13, just over two weeks from now.

That is, of course, unless they pull off a miraculous run over the last eight games to secure a playoff position. Ottawa sits five points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins but has several other teams – the Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, and Washington Capitals – also chasing that final spot. They would need to play considerably better than the 3-6-1 record they have over their last ten and now would have to do it without their most reliable defenseman.

Chabot, 26, recorded the second double-digit goal season of his career this year, potting 11 while racking up 41 points in 68 games. The smooth-skating defenseman averaged close to 25 minutes a night, a number that is actually down from his last few years. That’s likely because of the improvements to his supporting cast, including the recent arrival of Jakob Chychrun, who, unfortunately, will also miss a couple of weeks with a lower-body injury.

In better news for the Senators, it appears Ridly Greig may not be out for the season after all. Smith told Hanna there is “not as much risk as we originally thought” and that Grieg is back skating. He has not been cleared yet, and if there is any risk at all, the Senators won’t rush back the young forward.

Adam Sykora Assigned To AHL

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As European seasons end, AHL clubs are getting some talented reinforcements. Today, the Hartford Wolf Pack were assigned Adam Sykora by the New York Rangers after his playoff run in Slovakia ended a few days ago.

Sykora, 18, was the 63rd pick in 2022 and already appears to be well on his way to outperforming that draft position. With 21 points in 38 games for HK Nitra, he was the highest-scoring U20 player in the Extraliga (by quite a bit), and added four points in eight playoff games playing a significant role.

While his World Junior tournament didn’t result in much offensive production – Sykora scored just one goal in five games – it was a bit of a coming-out party for the talented young forward, who looked dangerous every time he touched the puck.

Even better, he continued to display the all-out energy that made him such an intriguing draft prospect. Sykora’s game has no lower gear, as he flies around the ice chasing the puck. That actually may have to be reined in a bit at the next level for the Rangers to get the most out of him, but his work ethic certainly won’t be questioned.

Signed to his three-year entry-level deal already, Sykora is in no danger of burning the first year. His contract will slide at least this season, and could again next year should he play outside the NHL.

Evening Notes: Senators, Toews, Hall

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TSN Insider Chris Johnston is reporting that an interesting detail has emerged in the sale process for the Ottawa Senators. Johnston says that the Algonquins of Ontario are part of the First Nations group bidding on the Senators, and they currently have a land claim on the piece of property at LeBreton Flats that could be the future site of the next Ottawa Senators arena.

LeBreton Flats is the property in downtown Ottawa that has long been discussed as the most desirable spot to put the Senators next building. The land is currently run federally, meaning that should the First Nations group win the bidding for the Senators, some interesting opportunities could open up. Graham Robertson and the group he is partnered with met with Senators management today and remain in pursuit of the club in what is now the second phase of the sale process.

In other news around the NHL:

  • Chris Johnston is also reporting that Jonathan Toews is attempting to make a comeback this season for the Chicago Blackhawks. Toews is an unrestricted free agent on July 1st and has hinted at retirement as he has dealt with several health issues the past few seasons. Toews has played just 46 games this season, but has been effective when in the lineup with 28 points. Should Toews be able to dress for Chicago it would be an uplifting story to end what has been an otherwise nightmarish season for both player and team. Chicago is mired in one of its worst seasons in decades as they begin what is sure to be a painful rebuild over the next few seasons. For Toews, he would get what is likely to be a final send off after an era of Chicago hockey that saw the captain raise the Stanley Cup on three separate occasions.
  • An interesting conundrum is developing with the Boston Bruins as Taylor Hall is getting closer to returning from injury. Hall has already been skating with Boston for a few days and TSN Insider Darren Dreger has said that sources indicate he is close to a return. The issue is that the Bruins don’t have any cap space for Hall to get back into the lineup. Boston loaded up at the trade deadline with the additions of Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway and have precious little cap space left to facilitate Hall’s return to the ice. This is sure to be an something to keep an eye on these next few days, and it is something other teams will certainly take notice of as we are less than three weeks away from the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs, a time in which Boston no longer must be salary cap compliant.

Goaltender Mitchell Gibson Signs With Washington Capitals

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TSN’s Frank Seravalli is reporting that Harvard goaltender Mitchell Gibson has decided to forgo a year at Harvard to sign a one-year deal with the Washington Capitals. Gibson’s deal is technically an entry level deal because of his age, meaning that he will likely sign an amateur tryout agreement with Washington’s AHL affiliate the Hershey Bears for the remainder of this season.

The 23-year-old netminder has flourished in the NCAA since being Washington’s fourth round pick in the 2018 NHL entry draft. This past season he posted an 18-7-2 record with a .919 save percentage and 2.25 goals against average. Gibson’s stellar numbers led to him being named a semi-finalist for the Mike Richter Award as the nation’s top goaltender.

The Capitals currently have one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL, but they have moved up the farm system rankings in recent years. While Gibson is hardly an A level prospect at his age, he does help Washington re-stock the cupboard after years of emptying it to compete for Stanley Cups during the Alex Ovechkin era.

Washington will likely give Gibson plenty of time to develop in Hershey. Goaltenders tend to be late bloomers and Washington has very little urgency to rush him with Darcy Kuemper and Charlie Lindgren still under contract for at least the next two seasons.

Injury Notes: Dach, Petry, Senators

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The Montreal Canadiens announced center Kirby Dach will not play in tonight’s game. The Canadiens are taking on the Philadelphia Flyers, in a game that will see prospect Sean Farrell make his NHL debut and goaltender Cayden Primeau will make his first start of the season. However, the team that has dealt with a large number of injuries all season will have yet another impact player out of the lineup. Dach has been ruled out with an upper-body injury.

The 22-year-old center is having a breakout campaign, though he did miss about a month of action with a lower-body injury recently. In his first season with the Canadiens, Dach has scored 14 goals and 38 points in 58 games. He left last night’s game early after being hit from behind while trying to push the puck over the goal line in overtime. He was called off the ice by the concussion spotter at that time and did not return to the game.

  • Jeff Petry is ready to return to his team’s lineup, according to Michelle Crechiolo of Pens Inside Scoop. The veteran defenseman missed the team’s past five games with an upper-body injury. The 35 year old has scored five goals and 26 points in 52 games this season, his first in Pittsburgh. His return will help bolster a depleted blue line that is without Marcus Pettersson and Dmitry Kulikov. The Penguins need the support, as they are in the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference and need to hold off the Florida Panthers if they want to play in the postseason.
  • Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun reports some positive and negative injury news for the Ottawa Senators. Cam Talbot is ready to return to the lineup for the first time since March 4 when he injured his oblique. However, the team’s top defenseman Thomas Chabot’s status is questionable. He left the team’s most recent game after jamming his wrist and though he returned to the bench he was not able to return to the ice. The team won’t give an official update until tomorrow.

Penguins Reassign Taylor Fedun

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The Pittsburgh Penguins announced Taylor Fedun has been sent down to the AHL. The 34-year-old defenseman was called up earlier this month with the Penguins dealing with several injuries on the blue line. It was his first stint in the NHL since the 2019-20 season when he was a member of the Dallas Stars organization.

Fedun suited up for four games with the Penguins between March 20-25. He did not register any points, but kept his plus-minus even while averaging just over 11 minutes per game and fired five shots on goal. This was during some pivotal games for the Penguins who are hanging on to the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.

Fedun is a respected veteran and leader for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins where he serves as the team’s captain. He has played 53 games in the AHL this season, recording two goals and ten points while playing a dependable, physical, defensive role.

Predators Recall McCarron, Gravel

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The Nashville Predators announced they have called up Michael McCarron and Kevin Gravel from the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL. Emma Lingan of NHL.com added that both will be in the lineup tonight when the Predators take on the Boston Bruins tonight. The Predators will be looking for two points against the league’s best team as they look to stay in the Western Conference playoff race. They currently sit five points back of the Winnipeg Jets for the final wildcard spot.

McCarron is a big, physical forward who has already played 22 games with the Predators this season. He has scored one goal and two points in that time, while also scoring two goals and six points in 16 AHL games this season. He will slot in on the team’s fourth line and use his 6-foot-6 frame to add some energy to the lineup for the Predators.

Gravel adds a physical presence himself at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds. The 31-year-old defenseman has one point in 18 NHL games this season as well as two goals and 13 points in 48 AHL game for the Admirals. Gravel has bounced around many teams over the years, but has 127 games of NHL experience under his belt and will provide a physical, defensive presence for the Predators.

Philadelphia Flyers Recall Samuel Ersson

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Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer announces that the Philadelphia Flyers have recalled goaltender Samuel Ersson from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. In unfortunate news for the Flyers, the callup was required because Carter Hart will miss some time with a lower-body injury.

In his first year of action in the NHL, Ersson has been a mixed bag. On the positive side, Ersson is 6-1 after eight starts, including one 28-save shutout against the high-scoring Buffalo Sabres. On the other hand, Ersson holds a save percentage of .898 and a scoring chance save percentage of .862. Separating out the team statistics versus the goaltending statistics, the Flyers may simply be playing better at times their young goaltender has started.

In the AHL so far this season, Ersson has fared much better than last year. On a Lehigh Valley team looking to sneak into the playoffs, Ersson has a record of 21-14-1, with a save percentage of .904 and a goals-against average of 2.70. Only playing in five games last year, coupled with his usage in the NHL this year, Ersson has clearly been given more trust within the Flyers organization.

Snapshots: Clarke, O’Reilly, Rousek

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Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News reports that Los Angeles Kings’ prospect Brandt Clarke will take home Player and Defenseman of the Month honors for the month of March in the Ontario Hockey League. In just nine games, playing for the Barrie Colts, Clarke put up an extremely impressive 11 goals and 11 assists, all while carrying a +/- of 16.

Drafted eighth overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, Clarke has spent the majority of his last four seasons playing in Barrie, while also spending one season for HC Nove Zamky of the Slovak Extraliga on loan. The young defenseman has now suited up in 143 OHL games, scoring 40 goals and 118 assists. Clarke has primarily been commended for his ability as a defenseman to create the rush and join in with it.

This season, Clarke was able to suit up in nine games for the Kings earlier in the season, scoring two assists during his time. Averaging over two points a game in the OHL this season, Clarke should be expected to earn a full-time job with the Kings next season.

More from around the league this afternoon:

  • After speaking with the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sheldon Keefe, this morning, Mark Masters of TSN passes on that center Ryan O’Reilly is unlikely to return to Toronto this week. This is still within the timeline that the Maple Leafs initially gave, as they stated O’Reilly would be out for four weeks with his injury. Getting off to a dismal start to the year with the St.Louis Blues, O’Reilly picked up his play a bit, scoring three goals and two assists after eight games in Toronto.
  • After scoring one goal and one assist in his first-ever game in the NHL, Buffalo Sabres’ forward Lukas Rousek will be returned to the team’s AHL affiliate Rochester Americans. Drafted 160th overall in 2019, the Sabres forward has scored 49 points in 62 games for Rochester and seemed to translate that talent to the NHL in the team’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens. As Rochester is in the midst of a playoff hunt coming down the wire, expect Rousek to be a big part of that.

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