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Prospect Notes: Kuokkanen, Hughes, Caufield, Malone

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The Carolina Hurricanes are down a depth option with the playoffs approaching, but the bigger hit will be to the Charlotte Checkers, the top team in the AHL. Checkers head coach Mike Vellucci has revealed that forward Janne Kuokkanen is done for the year. The top prospect has missed more than a month now with an upper-body injury, but both the ’Canes and Checkers hoped he would be able to return. Instead, Kuokkanen is scheduled for surgery in two weeks that will end his season. The 2016 second-round pick is in his second pro season and had been on pace to put up major numbers in the minors. Prior to his injury, Kuokkanen had 38 points in 48 games, close to his 60-game total from last year, and remains second on the team in per-game production. Kuokkanen has also played eleven games with Carolina, including seven this season, and likely would have been a top injury replacement consideration. The talented forward will instead have to focus on his recovery and will likely be given a chance to break camp with the Hurricanes next season.

  • On one goal last night, history was made for two players in the U.S. National Team Development Program writes NHL.com’s Mike Morreale. Facing the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers, presumptive 2019 first-round picks Jack Hughes and Cole Caufield connected for a goal late in the third period of a lopsided blowout; it was yet another of countless the duo have combined for in their time with the program. The assist to Hughes, the favorite to go No. 1 overall in June, was his 190th point in his two-year stint with the program, passing Clayton Keller for the most all-time. It was his fifth assist of the game and his 130th as a member of the USNTDP. Hughes now tops a list that includes Keller, Phil Kessel, Patrick Kane, Jeremy Bracco, and Auston Matthews next in line. The goal for Caufield was his sixth of the game and somehow more impressively his 105th for the USNTDP, the new all-time high. Caufield takes the overall title away from Kessel and is just four goals away from passing Matthews for most goals in a single season. Although just 5’7″, Caufield is an elite sniper whose game has been complemented nicely by Hughes’ next-level play-making abilities. Questions about his size and ability to produce when not surrounded by top talent persist, but the University of Wisconsin-bound forward is still expected to be picked in the first half of the first round this spring. Hughes and Caufield are now names for the USNTDP record books, but soon they’ll be topping charts as NHL prospects and even NHL scorers sooner rather than later.
  • A recent University of Wisconsin standout had a nice night of his own. Seamus Malone, who wrapped up an impressive four-year career with the Badgers last week, signed a tryout deal with the AHL’s Utica Comets. In his pro debut, Malone also picked up his first career goal. An undersized, but capable center, Malone was a model of consistency at Wisconsin, recording 23+ points in 35+ games in each of his four seasons. However, his senior campaign also showed that he has developed into a more well-rounded two-way contributor. Malone was a player that some were surprised to see go undrafted during his years of eligibility, but now the 22-year-old may end up in the NHL after all. He is bound for far more than just a tryout deal and will likely land an AHL contract, if not an entry-level contract for next season, especially if he keeps scoring in his current stint with the Comets.

Minor Transactions: 03/15/19

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The NHL has six games scheduled for this Friday night and at least one of them is must-see television for those who are watching the playoff race in the Eastern Conference. The Carolina Hurricanes travel to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets in a huge matchup that could decide their playoff fates. The Montreal Canadiens find themselves two points behind the Hurricanes and tied with the Blue Jackets for the wild card spots, meaning they have a chance to catch whichever team loses tonight. As teams prepare for the final stretch drive, we’ll be here to keep track of all the minor moves.

  • The Philadelphia Flyers will have Jakub Voracek back in the lineup against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight, so there was no need to keep Justin Bailey up in the NHL. The young forward has been reassigned to the minor leagues, where he has eight points in 16 games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
  • Last night, the New Jersey Devils recalled Nick Lappin and Eric Tangradi from the minor leagues once again and could have them in the lineup for tonight’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. The Devils have been decimated lately with injury, and are just playing out the string with no hope of making the playoffs this season.
  • Landon Bow has been recalled by the Dallas Stars, as the team waits to see how long Ben Bishop will be out with his latest injury. Bishop has been back at his Vezina-caliber level this season, but will need a little more to help the Stars do any damage in the playoffs.
  • The St. Louis Blues have recalled Jordan Kyrou again, his third transaction in the span of a day. The young forward will get a chance to help the Blues down the stretch and into the playoffs after a dominant season at the AHL level.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have recalled Joseph Gambardella from the minor leagues, giving them another forward option as they try to hold onto their playoff hope. Gambardella is among the league leaders in goal scoring in the AHL with 27 in 45 games, but failed to record a point in his four games earlier this season for the Oilers.
  • The San Jose Sharks have sent a pair of forwards to the minor leagues, assigning Lukas Radil and Dylan Gambrell to the San Jose Barracuda. Gambrell knows this game having been bounced up and down all year, but Radil hasn’t spent much time in the AHL this season. The team did include Radil in a paper transaction at the deadline, meaning he is eligible for AHL playoffs if the team chooses to keep him down.

Calvin De Haan To Make Full Recovery From Eye Injury

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It was a scary moment for Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Calvin de Haan when Alexander Kerfoot’s stick came up and hit him in the eye during last night’s game. The veteran defenseman writhed in pain on the ice for a few moments before leaving the game and travelling to a nearby hospital. GM Don Waddell updated the situation with some great news today, indicating that de Haan avoided serious injury.

Calvin sustained an injury to his right eye last night, but was released from the hospital in time to make the flight home with the team. At this point, his eye is responding as we would hope. We are optimistic that he will make a normal recovery without restrictions to his ability to play hockey in the near future.

de Haan, 27, has come back strong this season after dealing with injury for much of 2017-18. Signing a four-year, $18.2MM deal with the Hurricanes in the offseason, he has stepped into a valuable role for the team as one of their key penalty killers. Logging nearly 19 minutes a night, de Haan also leads the team in hits with 169 and has contributed 14 points on the season.

Getting him back in the lineup quickly will be important for Carolina, who suddenly have jumped into a divisional playoff spot in the Metropolitan. With a 7-2-1 record in their last ten, the team now sits just four points behind the New York Islanders for second in the division and four points clear of a Columbus Blue Jackets team sitting in the final wild card position. There’s no guarantee that they’ll make the postseason, but having de Haan healthy and on the ice in the coming weeks will certainly help.

The team has recalled Haydn Fleury from the AHL under emergency conditions for the time being.

Minor Transactions: 03/12/19

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It’s another important night in the NHL playoff race, as teams like the Columbus Blue Jackets and Arizona Coyotes get a chance to make up some ground. They’ll take on the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues respectively in two of the eight match-ups scheduled for this evening. As teams prepare for the action, we’ll be here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • The Bruins have recalled Trent Frederic under emergency conditions in time for their game against the Blue Jackets tonight. Frederic, 21, has zero points in his 11-game NHL career so far but will try to change that when he gets back into the lineup tonight. The 2016 first-round pick has 20 points in 45 games with AHL Providence this year.
  • Haydn Fleury has earned another call-up from the Carolina Hurricanes, marking his eighth promotion of the year. Buried in the organization’s loaded blue line depth, Fleury has skated in just 14 games with the ’Canes this season after playing in 67 last year. The 2014 No. 7 overall pick will take any chance he can get to get back into the Carolina lineup.

Snapshots: Hart, Forsberg, Ferland, Debrusk, Hirose

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The Philadelphia Flyers got some good news as it looks like rookie goaltender Carter Hart is healthy once again and could find himself in net as early as Monday against the Ottawa Senators, according to Philly.com’s Sam Carchidi.

Hart has been out since Feb. 21 with an ankle injury, but he was also coming off two of his worst performances, having been pulled in back-to-back games in which he allowed three goals on just six shots in both appearances. If the team opts to start him against Ottawa, it would be an opportunity to ease him back into the lineup as the Senators are 1-8-1 in their last 10 games.

The 20-year-old Hart is having a impressive season considering he was not meant to spend it in the NHL. Originally slated to spend his first professional season in the AHL, he appeared in just 18 games before being promoted alongside interim head coach Scott Gordon when he was hired. Since then, Hart was helped the Flyers rebound from a tough start with a 13-8-1 record with a 2.79 GAA. While that number doesn’t stand out, his .917 save percentage does.

  • Paul Skrbina of The Tennessean writes that Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg missed Saturday’s game and remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury, according to the team. Forsberg missed practice Thursday and Friday, but was believed to be available for Saturday’s game, but didn’t play in the end. Forsberg missed 19 games with an upper-body injury earlier this season, although there is no word on whether this injury is related to that one. The 24-year-old has 22 goals and 41 points in 52 games this season.
  • Michael Smith of NHL.com reports that Carolina Hurricanes forward Micheal Ferland remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury and did not travel with the team on their three-game roadtrip that started in Nashville today, according to head coach Rod Brind’Amour. Ferland has been having a solid season, putting up 17 goals and 35 points in 52 games. The 26-year-old has played under 14 minutes combined over the last two games.
  • The Boston Bruins’ Jake Debrusk is expected to miss a few more games as the forward is still in a walking boot, according to The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa. While he’s expected to miss this weekend’s games, he could be back not long after that as head coach Bruce Cassidy said that Debrusk was the closest, of all their injured players, to return.
  • Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen reports that the Los Angeles Kings are interested in undrafted Michigan State forward Taro Hirose, currently the NCAA leading scorer. According to Rosen, Hirose is friends with Kings’ prospect James Anderson-Dolan and could be convinced to sign with L.A. although there is no word on whether the junior forward is ready to leave college. He has 16 goals and 37 points this season for Michigan State.

Strength Of Schedule And The Eastern Conference Wild Card Race

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The Tampa Bay Lightning had a chance to clinch a playoff spot last night on the first Thursday in March. While it didn’t go their way, the Bolts are undoubtedly going to be the top seed in the Eastern Conference and are well on their way to a President’s Trophy with a 15-point lead on the next-best team in the league. That next team up is the Boston Bruins, who are second only to Tampa in both the NHL and within their own Atlantic Division. Riding an 18-game point streak, the Bruins’ playoff position is also in little doubt. The Toronto Maple Leafs, currently holding a top-five record in the league, are on pace to finish third in their own division and without home ice in the first round of the playoffs. Boston and Toronto seem destined to meet in that opening round, with the winner likely getting Tampa Bay as their reward for moving on.

As frustrating as the current playoff format may be for the Leafs – as well as the Bruins and Lightning – at least the three teams know where they stand in the postseason structure with a month to go in the regular season. The same can’t be said for the rest of the Eastern Conference contenders. Just eight points separate the New York Islanders, the current Metropolitan Division leaders, from the Columbus Blue Jackets, presently in ninth in the East and on the outside of the playoff picture, in the standings. Between the two are three more Metropolitan teams, as well as the Atlantic’s Montreal Canadiens. With all six of these competitors struggling to pull away from the rest of the group, it could be that each team’s schedule down the stretch determines where they end up by the end of the regular season. Three divisional spots and two wild card spots are up for grabs; who has the luck of the schedule on their side?

According to the strength of schedule numbers released by the NHL this morning, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ opposing points percentage of .555 is the most favorable of the group. That’s not to say the Pens face an easy slate, though. Pittsburgh faces eight current playoff teams in their final 15 games, not including tomorrow night’s tilt against Columbus, but end the year with a nice stretch that includes a home-and-home against the lowly Red Wings and a final match-up against the Rangers. The experienced Penguins team is a safe bet to stay in the playoff picture, especially if they can get healthy on the back end.

The Montreal Canadiens have a similarly easy schedule, a .575 opposing points percentage, but with a dramatically different ending. Fighting for just one of two wild card spots, the Habs will face eight current playoff teams themselves, again not including a game against the Blue Jackets, but only three of those contests are within their next nine games. Montreal may get a nice boost over the next couple of weeks, but face a daunting final stretch; Columbus, Winnipeg, Tampa, Washington, and Toronto await them in their final five games. How they fare against those Cup contenders could determine whether they make or miss the postseason.

With just seven current playoff teams on the schedule from here on out, not including two run-ins with Columbus, the New York Islanders are in good shape with a .567 opposing points percentage. The team also avoids any road trips of longer than two games for the rest of the season. While a regular season finale against the Capitals could prove critical, the Islanders look as if they should be able to hold on to their playoff spot. The health of Robin Lehner could be a game-changer, though.

Things have not gone as expected since Jarmo Kekalainen and the Columbus Blue Jackets went all out at the trade deadline. The team sits outside of the playoff picture currently, two points back of the final wild card spot, and there is no guarantee that things will get better. The Jackets have a .581 opposing points percentage, including ten games against current playoff teams, and play just six of their final 15 games at home. Perhaps the one saving grace will be trips to Buffalo, the Rangers, and Ottawa in three of their last four games, but Columbus has their work cut out for them.

The Carolina Hurricanes have a similarly tough schedule, but benefit from having a game or two in hand on their playoff berth competition. In their final 16 games, the ’Canes will face opposition with a .586 points percentage, ten of which are playoff teams. They also have three sets of back-to-back games remaining. However, with the cushion of extra games and dates with the Devils and Flyers to round out the year, the red-hot Hurricanes are on pace to erase their league-worst nine-year playoff drought.

Finally, there are the defending champs. The Washington Capitals not only have the most difficult remaining schedule in the East’s wild card race, but in the entire NHL. At a .599 opposing points percentage, the Caps are about to go through the ringer in their final 15 games. Ten playoff teams are on the docket for Washington, including three games against the powerhouse Lightning and five playoff teams among their final six competitors. Fortunately, the team does play more than half of their remaining match-ups at home, but there’s little else to find comfort in. If any team in this race is at risk of a dramatic fall from their current playoff position, it is the Capitals, especially if the extra work of last year’s Stanley Cup run starts to catch up to them down the stretch.

Atlantic Notes: Zadina, Holmstrom, Steen

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When Detroit Red Wings rookie forward Filip Zadina takes the ice tonight, it will mark his fifth NHL game. More importantly, it means he is halfway toward burning the first year of his entry-level contract. Under the NHL CBA, an 18- or 19-year-old player may have their entry-level contract “slide” if he does not play a minimum of 10 NHL games in a given season. For the first-year pro Zadina, this looked like a likely outcome for much of the year. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft had played exclusively in the AHL this season until late last month, when he was finally recalled by the Red Wings. Now Detroit has a decision to make.

With 14 games remaining in the regular season for a team that is well beyond any playoff hopes, the Red Wings brass must decide if they want to limit Zadina to less than five more games down the stretch, thereby extending his rookie deal by one year, or instead continue to provide NHL experience to an elite young player who is likely to be a regular contributor beginning next season. Zadina, a talented forward who had recorded 31 points in 45 AHL games prior to his recall, projects to see a major raise in his next contract given his draft pedigree and expected production over the next few years, giving Detroit all the more reason to extend his affordable entry-level deal if possible. However, to both appease the young core player and further his development, they may just opt to keep Zadina in Detroit for the remainder of the season at the cost of burning a year off the deal. Either way, Zadina is bound for a return to the Grand Rapids Griffins for a postseason run, so the only question is simply when he is sent back down. Two other players who risk losing their “slide” status are Boston Bruins defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas, both of whom are presently in the AHL and have played a handful of games in the NHL this season and would be near the top of the recall list if their team was to suffer injuries down the stretch or in the postseason.

  • One Red Wings prospect who looks like he may never suit up for the team is Axel Holmstrom. All season long, there has been rumors that the 22-year-old Swedish forward was eyeing a return to Europe when his current contract expired at the end of the season. Although Holmstrom will be a restricted free agent, Detroit can do nothing to keep him in the system if he wishes to leave and can only retain his NHL rights moving forward by making a qualifying offer. The doubt about Holmstrom’s longevity in North America even prompted his KHL rights to be traded this season. However, a new report from Swedish news source Kvall Posten has turned up the heat on the Holmstrom rumors and makes it sound as if the NHL and KHL are both out of the running already. The article states instead that Holmstrom has become a hot commodity back home in Sweden, with several SHL teams reportedly already bidding for his services. In fact, it is stated that two well-known teams have already been priced out. Skelleftea AIK, the team Holmstrom played for prior to coming to North America three years ago, and the Vaxjo Lakers HC, another top contender in SHL this season, are both expected to be out of the running. The remaining bidders are thought to be current league leader Lulea HF, whose GM recently met with Holmstrom in person in Grand Rapids, and HV71, who are believed to have made the highest offer. With this kind of bidding war going on among teams in his home country, it is very unlikely that Holmstrom will be back with Detroit next season. The young forward has been consistent if unspectacular in two full AHL seasons with the Griffins and does not seem all that close to pushing for a regular role with the Red Wings. He is bound to land a greater role and a raise on his current salary of less than $700K if (when) he returns to Sweden.
  • One player looking to make the opposite move – a jump to the NHL – is Boston Bruins prospect Oskar Steen. A sixth-round pick in 2016, Steen immediately looked like a steal for the Bruins. The small, but skilled forward played 47 games in the SHL as an 18-year-old in 2016-17 and then followed it up by making the Swedish World Junior team last year while again playing in 45 SHL games and doubling his previous point total. However, this year he has shed his role player status and blossomed into a top scorer for Farjestad BK. Still just 20, Steen has nevertheless posted 37 points in 44 games to lead all forwards in scoring and help the team to a top playoff seed. His play has begun to garner attention outside of Sweden. The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver notes that Steen is being considered for a spot on Sweden’s entry into the upcoming World Championships, while adding that he is expected to sign with Boston this off-season. Steen will likely have to spend some time in the AHL at first, but is yet another young forward who will push for ice time with the Bruins next year.

Minor Transactions: 03/06/19

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Just four games on the schedule this evening but one mammoth matchup in Las Vegas. The Golden Knights will welcome the Pacific-leading Calgary Flames for a game that is surely to be a war on the ice. Calgary has lost their last two and is having trouble in net again while the Golden Knights are on a four-game winning streak. As teams prepare for tonight’s action we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • Just before their game last night the Minnesota Wild returned Matt Read to the AHL, already the fourth transactions he’s been involved in since the beginning of March. The veteran forward has played just six games for the team this season and has a single goal. UPDATE: Amazingly, Read has already been recalled by the Wild under emergency conditions.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have returned Haydn Fleury to the minor leagues as well after Calvin de Haan had recovered enough to get back in the lineup. Fleury hasn’t been able to crack the NHL lineup on a regular basis this season, playing just 14 games after suiting up in 67 contests last season. The constant recalls have also limited his time in the minor leagues, as Fleury has only totaled 36 games across both levels.
  • Guillaume Brisebois has been recalled by the Vancouver Canucks after Ben Hutton suffered an injury and is unavailable. Brisebois has played two games for the Canucks this season, instead spending most of the year with the Utica Comets where he has 11 points in 49 games.

Minor Transactions: 03/03/2019

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Yesterday’s slate of games featured several that re-shuffled the playoff picture, including a comeback upset by the Wild over the Flames, an overtime win for the Hurricanes, a disappointing loss for the Blue Jackets, and key victories for the Penguins and Stars against teams they’re fighting with for playoff position. Today, the docket features more of these potential landscape-shifting match-ups, including a battle between trade deadline standouts, Columbus and Winnipeg, and a surprisingly hot Minnesota team facing a cold Nashville squad. Whether preparing for a game today or the coming week at large, expect some moves today by more than a few teams:

  • Ken Wiebe of The Winnipeg Sun reports that goaltender Eric Comrie, currently on recall while starter Connor Hellebuyck was sidelined temporarily, will be reassigned to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose today. Hellebuyck was a full participant in morning skate and is in fact in line to get the start tonight for the Jets. Comrie got in some work with the team this morning as well, but is unlikely to stick around as a third active keeper. The 23-year-old has yet to see any NHL action this season, but has had a heavy workload in Manitoba with 40 appearances already on the year.
  • Christoffer Ehn, who was recalled on an emergency loan by the Detroit Red Wings yesterday morning, did not suit up for the team last night and has now been returned to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Ehn was called up in case Anthony Mantha, who was battling sickness, was unable to play. When Mantha fought through, Ehn’s emergency conditions were terminated, forcing his demotion back to the minors. Ehn has played in 44 games with the Red Wings this season compared to just 13 games with the Griffins, but for now will have to stick it out in the AHL.
  • Carolina Hurricanes’ project forward Steven Lorentz has again been sent to the ECHL, the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers announced. It’s the fourth demotion of the year for Lorentz, a 2015 seventh-round pick, who has been a victim of the depth in Charlotte. Among all forwards with more than 15 games played in the ECHL this season, Lorentz is twelfth in per-game scoring with 24 points in 20 games for the Florida Everblades. In the AHL, he has five points in 18 games with the Checkers but, despite fair production given his limited role, has been a frequent scratch and reassignment. Rather than being in the ECHL scoring race or a regular in Charlotte’s bottom-six, Lorentz’ season has been torn between the two leagues, making it appear as if he hasn’t made much of an impact at either level. Lorentz still has another year remaining on his entry-level contract, so Carolina has time for more evaluation. An extended stay and regular play time in the AHL in particular could reveal him to be a solid contributor at that level as well.
  • The Anaheim Ducks announced they have recalled forward Kevin Roy from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. Roy, who had spent most of the year on season-opening injured reserve after undergoing offseason wrist surgery, was activated and sent to San Diego on Feb. 16. The 25-year-old had a goal and four points in five games with the Gulls and looks ready to return to action in Anaheim. He played 25 games with the Ducks last year, posting six goals and seven points.

Jaden Schwartz Receives Max Fine For Cross-Checking

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Cross-checking is apparently the flavor of the week for the NHL Department of Player Safety. After handing Winnipeg Jets defenseman Ben Chiarot a maximum fine for cross-checking on Monday, they have assigned the same punishment to St. Louis Blues forward Jaden Schwartz, per an announcement. Schwartz will be out $5,000 as a result of his actions, the most he could be fined under the CBA.

The hit in question was on Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton in last night’s game between the two teams, a convincing 5-2 Hurricanes win. Late in the first period, Hamilton delivered a hard, but legal check on Schwartz along the boards and Schwartz decided to retaliate with a cross-check up high on Hamilton. The decision cost Schwartz a two-minute minor right away, but has cost him even more in retrospect. It’s another knock against Schwartz in a disappointing season for the 26-year-old winger. Schwartz has just 28 points through 58 games and it could be that his offensive frustration is beginning to boil over into his checking game.

Player Safety might not be done dolling out discipline today. They have also announced that New Jersey Devils forward Kurtis Gabriel will have a hearing this afternoon in regards to a boarding penalty against the Philadelphia Flyers’ Nolan Patrick last night. So too will Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry for what’s being called “high-sticking/slashing” on Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg. With the Devils set to face the Boston Bruins tonight, the department will likely act swiftly in their punishment of Gabriel following his hearing, while they can take more time with the Lowry decision as the Jets are off today.

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