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Danila Yurov Signs KHL Extension

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Minnesota Wild fans are all too familiar with the struggle of getting Russian players to North America can be. They had to wait years for Kirill Kaprizov to finally make his way to the NHL, despite everyone knowing he was talented enough to excel there. The current political climate affecting relationships between the two leagues could prove even more difficult. You can understand why there was trepidation, then, when they picked Danila Yurov 24th overall last year.

After spending the full 2022-23 season in the KHL, the 19-year-old forward has re-signed with Magnitogorsk. Michael Russo of The Athletic reports it is just a one-year extension, however, which is rather unusual for young players and potentially good news for the Wild. That means Yurov’s deal will expire at the end of 2023-24, and provide him with another opportunity to come to Minnesota, if he feels that’s best for his development.

This season, Yurov averaged just over eight minutes a game during the regular season, and even less in the playoffs. While that’s not totally unusual for a young player just trying to break in, the KHL also has a habit of limiting the exposure for players they expect to leave Russia in the coming years. It is often only when a new contract is signed that they receive a boost in ice time.

Whether this new one-year deal will result in more playing time for Yurov isn’t clear, but the talented forward showed he could still produce even in limited action. He had six goals and 12 points, and Metallurg outscored opponents 20-12 when he was on the ice. While Minnesota focuses on their current team and chasing a Stanley Cup, the front office will keep an eye on Yurov’s development overseas. He could be a significant piece, should they be able to bring him over in the coming years.

NHL Central Scouting Releases Final 2023 Rankings

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The final rankings from NHL Central Scouting are out, and surprise, surprise, Connor Bedard is the top-ranked player for the 2023 draft. Bedard will almost certainly be the first-overall selection at this summer’s draft. Central Scouting vice president Dan Marr says this about the talented forward:

Bedard has the elite skills and attributes that elite NHL players have, and it’s the precision in which he reads the play, is always in the right place and how he executes and capitalizes on plays.

What places him in that Connor McDavid-special category is his natural presence of mind and instincts that allow him to channel all these attributes to dominate when the opportunity is there and when it’s needed most by his team.

Second place goes to Adam Fantilli, as expected, who recently won the Hobey Baker as college hockey’s top player. The 6’2″ power forward would lead the way in many draft classes, and will be a very nice consolation prize for the second lottery winner.

Notably, the North American list is dominated by forwards. The top-ranked defenseman, Lukas Dragicevic, doesn’t appear until no. 18.

The top ten North America skaters are:

  1. Connor Bedard, Regina Pats (WHL)
  2. Adam Fantilli, Michigan (NCAA)
  3. William Smith, USNTDP
  4. Matthew Wood, UConn (NCAA)
  5. Ryan Leonard, USNTDP
  6. Zach Benson, Winnipeg Ice (WHL)
  7. Nate Danielson, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
  8. Oliver Moore, USNTDP
  9. Samuel Honzek, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
  10. Gabriel Perreault, USNTDP

On the international side, Swedish center Leo Carlsson comes in at the top of the list, ahead of Russian sniper Matvei Michkov, whose path to the NHL is still unclear. The European group is much more positionally balanced, too, with three defensemen coming in the top ten, led by Swiss pro David Reinbacher.

The top ten international skaters are:

  1. Leo Carlsson, Orebro (SHL)
  2. Matvei Michkov, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)
  3. Dalibor Dvorsky, AIK (Allsvenskan)
  4. Eduard Sale, Brno (Czech)
  5. David Reinbacher, Kloten (NL)
  6. Otto Stenberg, Frolunda (Sweden Jr.)
  7. Axel Sandin Pellikka, Skelleftea (Sweden Jr.)
  8. Lenni Hameenaho, Assat (Liiga)
  9. Daniil But, Yaroslavl (Russia Jr.)
  10. Mikhail Gulyayev, Omsk (Russia Jr.)

The NHL draft lottery will be held on May 8, with the Anaheim Ducks holding the best chance to land the first pick. The draft itself starts on June 28, with rounds 2-7 the following day.

No Supplemental Discipline Coming For Matt Dumba

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The Minnesota Wild scored an impressive overtime victory over the Dallas Stars last night, but some wondered whether they would lose a key defenseman for the next matchup. Matt Dumba’s huge hit on Joe Pavelski caused a ton of chatter across the hockey world, with some believing it was a clear suspension and others seeing it as a legal hit.

Greg Wyshynski of ESPN reports that the league falls in the latter category. There will be no supplemental discipline for Dumba, with Wyshynski’s NHL source saying it was “close to being late, but within [the] allowable window.”

Dumba earned a two-minute roughing penalty on the play after a review from the on-ice officials deemed it not worthy of a five-minute penalty.

Pavelski would play just over ten minutes, recording an assist before exiting with a head injury.

This is not the first time that the veteran forward has been involved in a controversial (and scary) playoff incident. In 2019, while still with the San Jose Sharks, he landed awkwardly on the ice after a faceoff against the Vegas Golden Knights as blood pooled under his head. The Sharks received a five-minute powerplay for that event, a decision that even Pavelski didn’t agree with in the light of day.

The Stars are now down a game and potentially without one of their leaders for a little while. Head coach Peter DeBoer explained last night that Pavelski was doing okay, but that he wasn’t confident about his status for game two.

Toronto Maple Leafs Recall Erik Kallgren

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As the playoffs begin, every team in the league has added a third goaltender to serve as an emergency backup. In Toronto, things are no different, as Erik Kallgren has been brought up from the minor leagues. This recall though, sheds some light on another situation.

Kallgren’s addition means that Matt Murray, who missed the end of the season with a head injury, cannot yet play for the team. Joseph Woll will move into the backup role behind Ilya Samsonov, with no clear timeline on the injured netminder’s return.

This wasn’t the plan when the Maple Leafs acquired Murray, but it is a scenario that shouldn’t surprise anyone. The two-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender has been unable to stay healthy for the last few years. That was part of why the Ottawa Senators were willing to eat some of his contract to send him down the road to Toronto.

Murray played in just 26 games this season with the Maple Leafs, posting a .903 save percentage and 3.01 goals-against average. With another year left on his contract, it’s unclear how Toronto will sort out the goaltending for 2023-24. Samsonov is a pending RFA with a great arbitration case, and Woll has shown he is ready for the NHL.

For now, the club is focused on the Tampa Bay Lightning and the first-round series that starts tonight. Samsonov and Woll is the tandem they’ll go with, as they try to finally get over the disappointments of the past.

Mark Stone Activated From Long-Term Injured Reserve

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The Vegas Golden Knights will have their captain in the lineup for game one. Mark Stone has been officially activated from long-term injured reserve and will play against the Winnipeg Jets tomorrow night. Stone told the media that he “feels really good and really confident” and is excited to return after such a long period away.

The 30-year-old winger last played on January 12, leaving the game after just four shifts as his back injury flared up. He underwent surgery a few weeks later, his second procedure in less than a year. Limited to just 43 games this season, he scored 17 goals and 38 points while still providing excellent defensive production. The Golden Knights were 28-13-2 with Stone in the lineup, and will now move into the postseason with their two-way leader back on the ice.

While there is no doubt that Stone has dealt with serious back issues the last few seasons, some will still point to the timing of his return as a problem with the league’s cap structure. The Golden Knights could not have activated him in the regular season, even if he was healthy enough to return, after using a large chunk of his LTIR relief. He can return without issue in the playoffs, with no cap ceiling, to try and help Vegas advance.

Now the question is whether he can be effective right away. Even though Winnipeg is a significant underdog, plenty of talented players could swing the series (Connor Hellebuyck, most notably). Vegas will need their best effort from puck drop, and it remains to be seen whether Stone can return to his usual level after such a long absence.

Mitch Love Wins AHL Coach Of The Year

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For the second year in a row, Mitch Love has won the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL’s most outstanding coach. The Calgary Wranglers bench boss led his team to a 51-17-4 record, blending a dynamic offensive attack with a smothering defensive structure. He is just the third coach to win the award in consecutive seasons (Bill Dineen and Robbie Ftorek are the others).

Overall, Love has a 96-33-11 record through his first two years behind an AHL bench. His meteoric rise through the ranks included just three years as head coach of the Saskatoon Blades before jumping to the AHL level, and now puts him on a trajectory toward NHL duties in the near future. With uncertainty surrounding the future of the Flames, though, it’s unclear if that will eventually come in Calgary. When the NHL squad parted ways with general manager Brad Treliving recently, reports indicated that head coach Darryl Sutter’s job was safe.

As teams around the league search for new candidates in the coming years, you can bet that Love’s name will start to surface. Two incredible years in the AHL may not be a very long track record, but it is an impressive one. He is the first coach in league history to win the award in his first two seasons.

During his playing career, Love was a prototypical “tough guy,” racking up penalty minutes without any real offensive impact. In 278 regular season AHL games, he scored just six goals but registered 808 penalty minutes. Before that, he was one of the most feared competitors in the WHL, once recording more than 300 PIM in a single season.

While the performance of Dustin Wolf as the AHL’s most outstanding goaltender has certainly helped through his first two years, the relationship is symbiotic. Love’s system has taken a lot of stress off his netminders, as there is almost always someone in the face of an attacking player as soon as they get the puck. With the top seed secured, the Wranglers will wait to see who they play in the Pacific Division semifinals.

Buffalo Sabres Re-Assign Lukas Rousek

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Saturday: While Rousek is no longer the all-time leader in points per game after being held off the scoresheet on Friday against Columbus, his season isn’t over yet as the Sabres announced that he has been re-assigned to Rochester.

Thursday: The Buffalo Sabres have recalled the NHL’s all-time leader in points per game. That’s right, Lukas Rousek is back in the big leagues, after scoring two points in his debut last month.

Rousek, who will turn 24 next week, was a sixth-round pick of the Sabres in 2019 and is finishing his first full season in North America. Through 68 games with the Rochester Americans, he has 15 goals and 55 points to lead the club.

While his presence will be required for Rochester’s upcoming playoff run, another taste of the NHL is on tap for now. The Sabres will play the Ottawa Senators this evening in their final home game before heading to Columbus for the regular season finale tomorrow night.

Though they came up short of the postseason, Buffalo can be pretty happy with their performance this year. Several players set new career highs and will finish just a few points out of the race. With a prospect pipeline filled with explosive young talent, there are better times ahead for the Sabres.

Rousek, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, now has a chance to show he wants to be part of that bright future and deserves more NHL playing time in 2023-24.

Ryan Murray Loaned To AHL On Conditioning Stint

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The Edmonton Oilers haven’t had Ryan Murray in the lineup since late November, but they could be getting him back just in time for some added depth in the playoffs. The veteran defenseman has been assigned to the Bakersfield Condors on an AHL conditioning assignment, suggesting he’s ready to get back into a game after missing the last several months.

Murray has played just 13 games this season after signing a one-year, $750K contract with the Oilers last summer. He averaged just 13 minutes a night in those appearances and will likely receive even less than that if Edmonton’s current group can stay healthy.

As most teams have discovered, though, the Stanley Cup playoffs are a war of attrition, and teams that go on deep runs usually need eight, nine, or even ten defensemen. With over 400 games of NHL experience, Murray can fill the role of practice player until they need an extra body.

It’s a role he’s familiar with, given he won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche last season without appearing in the postseason.

Noah Juulsen Placed On Waivers

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The Vancouver Canucks aren’t going to make the playoffs this season, but the Abbotsford Canucks sure are. The AHL club has secured its postseason berth and will soon start a Calder Cup run. They may get a reinforcement, as Noah Juulsen has been placed on waivers today by Vancouver for the purpose of assignment to the AHL.

Juulsen, 26, was included in a paper transaction at the deadline so that he is eligible for the minor league postseason, and will now officially rejoin Abbotsford to help on the run. The 2015 first-round pick has bounced back and forth throughout his entire career, never able to establish himself as a full-time NHLer.

It’s been a very disrupted path for Juulsen, who has dealt with scary eye injuries, team changes, and a lack of consistent playing time. Since debuting in 2017, he has only played 223 professional games, and more than half of those have come since joining the Canucks organization in 2021.

It is almost unthinkable for him to be claimed at this point in the year, meaning he should have no issue reporting to Abbotsford and trying to help them win a Calder in the coming weeks.

Minnesota Wild Recall Damien Giroux

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The Minnesota Wild are locked into the third spot in the Central Division, unable to catch Dallas or Colorado and too far ahead of Winnipeg to worry about what happens into tonight’s regular season finale. With that in mind, the team is preparing to play quite a different lineup than the one that will open the playoffs.

As Michael Russo of The Athletic reports, Kirill Kaprizov, Jonas Brodin, Jared Spurgeon, Matt Boldy, Mats Zuccarello, Marcus Johansson, and Sam Steel will all sit out, while Joel Eriksson Ek and Oskar Sundqvist remain sidelined by injury. Ryan Hartman will also miss the game after being suspended.

That means the opportunity is available for some young players, and they’ve recalled Damien Giroux to take advantage. He and Nick Swaney will make their NHL debuts, while Calen Addison will play on their wing as the team ices just 11 natural forwards.

Giroux, 23, was a fifth-round pick of the Wild in 2018 and brings very little offensive upside to the ice. He has just three goals in 65 AHL games this season, but has still managed to wiggle his way into a call-up through hard work.

Neither he or Swaney are expected to suit up in the NHL playoffs, though they will get a nice reward with some extra pay and a chance to debut at the highest level.

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