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St. Louis Blues Sign André Heim

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The St. Louis Blues signed undrafted free agent forward André Heim to a one-year entry-level contract Monday, per a media release. Heim, who plays both center and wing, has played the past six seasons in the Swiss National League.

St. Louis did not disclose the financial term of Heim’s one-year pact, although it will be a two-way contract. The 25-year-old was nearing the end of his eligibility to sign an entry-level deal and will be a restricted free agent in 2024.

Heim spent the past two seasons with HC Ambrì-Piotta, seeing a much larger role than in previous seasons with SC Bern. In 2022-23, Heim was an alternate captain for the Swiss club and posted 12 goals, 19 assists, 31 points, and a +10 rating in 42 regular-season games. While his team didn’t qualify for the postseason, he did win the Spengler Cup tournament with Ambrì-Piotta, scoring a goal and an assist in four games.

Florida Panthers Sign Mackie Samoskevich

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Forward prospect Mackie Samoskevich has agreed to terms with the Florida Panthers on a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Monday. Florida selected Samoskevich, 20, with the 24th overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft.

PuckPedia provided the terms of Samoskevich’s deal, which begins immediately with a $925,000 cap hit and expires after the 2024-25 season. At that point, he’ll be a restricted free agent. Given Samoskevich was on Florida’s reserve list at the time of the trade deadline, he is now eligible to play in any remaining Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Panthers.

Panthers general manager Bill Zito offered the following statement on the signing:

Mackie is a creative, dynamic playmaker who possesses an elite shooting ability and high hockey IQ. We’re excited to sign him to our organization and to see him take the next step in his progression as a professional.

The Connecticut-born Samoskevich comes from quite the hockey family, with sisters Maddy Samoskevich and Melissa Samoskevich putting up impressive numbers in their collegiate careers with Quinnipiac. Melissa Samoskevich had a breakout pro season for the PHF’s Connecticut Whale in 2022-23, scoring 16 points in 24 games.

Their brother opted to play his college hockey at the University of Michigan, though, where he reached the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four in back-to-back seasons. Samoskevich opted to turn pro at the end of Michigan’s season, signing a professional tryout agreement with Florida’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. There, he registered six assists in nine combined regular-season and playoff games, a strong start to a promising career.

Samoskevich was named to the Big 10 conference’s all-rookie team after the 2021-22 campaign after he registered 29 points in 40 games. He left those offensive totals in the dust this season, though, with 20 goals and 43 points in 39 games for Michigan.

He also represented the United States at the 2022 Men’s World Junior Championship, recording three assists in five games.

Ilya Samsonov To Have MRI And Other Tests

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a massive hole as they trail the Florida Panthers 3-0 in their best of seven Eastern Conference semi-final series. Now they may have to deal with an elimination game without goaltender Ilya Samsonov. David Alter of The Hockey News is reporting that Samsonov is feeling better today but will be going for an MRI and additional testing to gain a better understanding on what is happening with the 26-year-old. His status for game four is unknown currently.

Samsonov left game three early after he was run over by teammate Luke Schenn on an odd man rush. The former first round pick lay on the ice after the incident and was checked by Maple Leafs training staff. He was eventually ruled out of the game and did not return. Joseph Woll came in to relieve Samsonov and made 18 saves before allowing the overtime winning goal to Sam Reinhart.

Samsonov has been terrific this season for Toronto having posted a .919 save percentage to go along with a 27-10-5 record. Should he miss game four the Maple Leafs would likely go back to rookie Woll who filled in admirably for Samsonov. Woll has been great for Toronto in limited action this year having posted a 6-1 record with a .932 save percentage and 2.16 goals against average.

One thing to potentially keep an eye on could be current third string goaltender Matt Murray. The Thunder Bay native was cleared to return prior to the series and has been practicing with the club. Murray hasn’t played since he suffered a concussion in early April and while it is unlikely he would be thrown into the net to start an elimination game, he would become the backup should Samsonov miss any time.

Tomáš Tatar Fined For High Sticking Sebastian Aho

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New Jersey Devils forward Tomáš Tatar has been fined $5K for his high stick infraction on Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho. NHL Player Safety tweeted the news on their official Twitter page early on Monday morning. The fine was the maximum allowed under the collective bargaining agreement.

The high-sticking incident occurred in the first period of the Devils’ 8-4 Game 3 victory and resulted in a two-minute minor penalty for the 32-year-old. The play looked ugly but, thankfully, didn’t result in any serious injuries. Tatar swung his stick wildly at the back of Aho’s head after taking a cross-check in the lower back from the Finnish forward. Aho’s cross-check swung Tatar around and as the Devils’ forward was spinning, he hit Aho in the back of the head with his stick. Aho was okay and took two minor penalties of his own later in the game. The stick swing drew a crowd of Hurricanes players who were not happy with the Slovak player.

Tatar is not known for his aggressiveness, having only recorded over 30 PIM four times in his 12-year NHL career. It appears he was frustrated by a very routine cross-check from Aho and had it boil over. Tatar has been a non-factor in the series thus far, going pointless in three games with a -5 against the Devils. He has struggled throughout this year’s playoffs with just a single goal in ten games, this comes on the heels of a solid season that saw him put up 48 points in 82 games.

The Hurricanes lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 going Tuesday night in New Jersey. The Devils looked lifeless in the first two games but exploded yesterday for eight goals. It will be interesting to see if they can turn the series into a best-of-three heading back to Raleigh.

New Jersey Devils Recall Eight Players

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The New Jersey Devils announced multiple additions to their 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs roster today in the form of eight Black Aces from the AHL’s Utica Comets:

F Graeme Clarke
F Nolan Foote
F Brian Halonen
F Alexander Holtz
F Tyce Thompson
D Šimon Nemec
D Topias Vilén
G Nico Daws

Clarke, a third-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, tallied 25 goals and 33 assists in 68 regular-season games for the Comets and added six points in six playoff games. Foote, initially a Tampa Bay Lightning first-round pick in the 2019 draft, notched 37 points in 55 games for the Comets this season and added a goal in six games for New Jersey.

Halonen, an undrafted free agent signing late last season out of Michigan Tech, recorded 17 goals and 13 assists in 57 games with Utica in his first full professional season. Holtz, the seventh overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, had the most NHL experience this season out of any of the above recalls and scored three goals and an assist in 19 games with the Devils.

Thompson, a fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft, scored 26 points in 56 games for the Comets after missing most of the 2021-22 campaign with an injury.

The Devils also added two promising young defenders to their playoff roster in Nemec and Vilén. Nemec, the second overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, broke out for 34 points in 65 games with the Comets in his post-draft year, a remarkable feat for a 19-year-old. Vilén, 20, played one playoff game for Utica after playing nearly all of the 2022-23 season with Pelicans in the Finnish Liiga.

Daws, 22, posted a .904 save percentage and two shutouts in 33 games for Utica after making 25 appearances for New Jersey in the 2021-22 season.

Moritz Seider Will Attend World Championships

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Star Detroit Red Wings defender Moritz Seider will be a late addition to the German roster for the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championships, the German Ice Hockey Federation announced today. Seider will join the German contingent on Wednesday, heading to the host city of Tampere, Finland, after initially planning not to go to the tournament due to injury concerns.

Seider overcame a slow start to the 2022-23 campaign to post similar numbers to his rookie season, playing in all 82 games yet again. The sixth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft recorded five goals and 42 points, ending up with the team lead among defenders after Filip Hronek was shipped to the Vancouver Canucks late in the season. Averaging over 23 minutes a game, there wasn’t a sizeable sophomore slump on Seider’s journey to becoming a perennial All-Star defender.

He joins Germany’s team at the upcoming Worlds as the only defender with NHL experience. However, the team does boast John-Jason Peterka, Nico Sturm, and former NHLer Dominik Kahun on their list of forwards.

This is Seider’s third appearance for Germany at the Worlds. He posted seven points in eight games at least year’s tournament, which resulted in a quarterfinal loss for the Germans.

Anaheim Ducks Prospect Olle Eriksson Ek Signs In Sweden

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Anaheim Ducks goalie prospect Olle Eriksson Ek has signed a two-year contract with the newly-promoted MoDo Hockey of the SHL, the team announced this morning. Eriksson Ek, who made his NHL debut this season, is a restricted free agent this offseason.

Twenty-three years of age, Anaheim selected Eriksson Ek with the 153rd overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. He’s split the last four seasons between the AHL’s San Diego Gulls and ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers, never terribly impressing with his numbers. This season was especially tough for him in San Diego, winning just two games in 20 attempts and recording a .852 save percentage and 4.81 goals-against average. In his only NHL appearance, a late-season start against the Arizona Coyotes, he stopped 34 of 39 shots,

MoDo’s release notes the signing has been a long time coming, saying there had been mutual interest between the two parties before the Allsvenskan playoffs had started. Eriksson Ek would have joined the club whether or not they had gained promotion. The team feels Eriksson Ek still has high potential but has been affected by his development (or lack of) in the Ducks system.

The question now revolves around whether Anaheim will issue Eriksson Ek a qualifying offer to retain his NHL rights in 2025 when his agreement in Sweden expires. Given his lack of tangible development over the past few seasons, Anaheim seems more likely to walk away from him altogether.

Minor Transactions: 05/08/23

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Today is a big day on the NHL calendar. The best prospect in nearly a decade is set to learn his fate tonight, with the results of the NHL Draft Lottery deciding who will land Connor Bedard on draft day. A flurry of transactions continues to come in from across the Atlantic Ocean, though, as European professional leagues have all largely wrapped up their seasons and are entering transfer periods. We’ll accumulate a list of those notable minor transactions right here, as always:

  • Despite heading for second-tier play next season, Swedish Allsvenskan club Brynäs IF has signed former NHL goalie Anders Lindbäck to a one-year contract extension. Lindbäck, 35, posted just a .893 save percentage in 35 games for Brynäs last season but will now attempt to gain the club promotion back to the SHL for 2024-25. The 2008 seventh-round pick of the Nashville Predators hasn’t played in the NHL since a 19-game stint with the Arizona Coyotes in 2015-16.
  • Former ECHL All-Rookie Team selection Myles Powell is opting to go down a level in Swedish hockey for more playing time, heading to the Allsvenskan’s IF Björklöven for 2023-24. The 28-year-old forward registered 15 points in 50 games with the SHL’s IK Oskarshamn last season but will return to second-tier play, where he scored over a point per game in 2021-22. Powell also recorded over a point per game across three ECHL seasons after ending his collegiate career at RIT.
  • Unsigned Arizona Coyotes prospect Emil Martinsen Lilleberg will not be returning to IK Oskarshamn next season, the team announced this morning. Lilleberg, 22, was an overage selection in the 2021 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-2 defender recorded 11 points in 46 SHL games this season and is on Norway’s roster for the upcoming World Championships. Arizona has until June 1 to sign Lilleberg to an entry-level contract before his draft rights expire.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Buffalo Sabres Assign Olivier Nadeau To AHL

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The Buffalo Sabres reassigned forward prospect Olivier Nadeau to the AHL’s Rochester Americans Monday, the team said in a tweet. Buffalo selected Nadeau, 20, in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft.

Nadeau’s junior hockey season ended last week when the Québec Remparts swept his Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL in the third round. The 6-foot-2 forward, who spent three seasons with the Shawinigan Cataractes before a trade to Gatineau last July, had a monster year for the Olympiques with 46 points in 34 games and a staggering +41 rating.

The Americans are still alive in the Calder Cup Playoffs, with defender Lawrence Pilut’s overtime heroics on Saturday sending them to a North Division Final matchup against the Toronto Marlies, which begins Thursday. Nadeau could sneak into the Rochester lineup for that series ahead of players like Josh Passolt, who’s played all five playoff games for the Americans after spending nearly all of the regular season in the ECHL.

With Nadeau hitting the 20-year age mark and completing four seasons of junior hockey, this transaction also ends his career in the QMJHL. Under contract with Buffalo, Nadeau is eligible to play for Rochester full-time in 2023-24.

Nadeau sets himself apart with his hockey sense. He’s among the smartest (if not the smartest) players in the Buffalo system and translates that intelligence into skilled plays. His goal-scoring ability has also improved since his draft year, evidenced by a 35-goal campaign for Shawinigan in 2021-22.

Five Key Stories: 5/1/23 – 5/7/23

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The calendar has flipped to May and on the ice, only eight teams remain.  Away from the rink, there was some notable news around the hockey world which is recapped in our key stories.

Sutter Fired: Before the season started, the Flames gave head coach Darryl Sutter a two-year, $8MM contract extension.  He won’t coach a single second under that new deal, however, as the team fired the 64-year-old after a tough year that saw them miss the playoffs.  Calgary had some success during the regular season in his second stint with the team, posting a 103-63-28 record but after team president Don Maloney met with players following the departure of GM Brad Treliving, he decided that a change was needed.  This vacancy will likely sit open for a while as the Flames are likely to hire a new GM first before bringing in a new bench boss although AHL coach Mitch Love has to be considered a contender to take Sutter’s spot behind the bench.  Sutter now sits ninth all-time in NHL coaching victories with 737 but with his coaching style, it’s far from a guarantee that he’ll get a chance to add to that total.

Kylington To Return: Still with Calgary, the Flames will get an important part of their defense back for next season as Oliver Kylington will return to the club.  The 25-year-old had a breakout year in 2021-22, picking up 31 points in 73 games, resulting in a two-year, $5MM contract last summer.  However, Kylington was not with the team at all this season and instead was in Sweden as he was dealing with a personal matter.  While cap space will be at a premium for whoever takes over as GM in Calgary, they’ll certainly be happy to welcome Kylington back for next season, giving the Flames another quality defenseman in the fold.

Gallant Leaves Rangers: After the Rangers added Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane leading up to the trade deadline, expectations were quite high for their playoff run.  Instead, they were ousted in the opening round by New Jersey and the first casualty is head coach Gerard Gallant as it was announced that he and the team are mutually parting ways.  Gallant helped lead New York to a .662 points percentage in the regular season in his two years behind the bench but they were one game below .500 in the postseason at 13-14.  His departure along with Sutter’s this week and Andrew Brunette leaving Florida last season means that the three finalists for the 2022 Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year) were all let go.  While there was some speculation that the Rangers might ask the league to look into reinstating Joel Quenneville, that’s no longer expected to be the case.

Sticking Around: Marcus Johansson’s first stint with Minnesota was short-lived and one to forget.  However, after the Wild acquired him at the trade deadline this year, his performance was much better as he recorded 18 points in 20 games down the stretch while adding a pair of goals in the playoffs.  While cap space is at a premium for them this summer, they still rewarded the 32-year-old with a two-year, $4MM extension.  Johansson has played on declining one-year deals the last two seasons so he gets a small raise and some much-desired security with this contract and if he is able to even come close to this level of production next season, Minnesota should get excellent value with this signing.

Klima Passes Away: Long-time NHL forward Petr Klima passed away at the age of 58.  He is remembered by many for scoring the goal to end the longest Cup Final game in history, helping Edmonton win the Stanley Cup in 1990.  Klima also will be remembered for being the first player from a country under Soviet control to defect to a United States-based team as he joined Detroit in 1985.  That led to a 13-year NHL career with stints with five different organizations where he picked up 313 goals and 260 assists in 786 games.  He returned to play at home for two more years before hanging up his skates in 2003 at the age of 38.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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