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2008 NHL Draft Take Two: Eleventh Overall Pick

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Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.”  Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science, and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

We’re looking back at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now.  Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?

The results of our redraft so far are as follows with their original draft position in parentheses:

1st Overall: Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning (1)
2nd Overall: Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings (2)
3rd Overall: Roman Josi, Atlanta Thrashers (38)
4th Overall: Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues (4)
5th Overall: Erik Karlsson, Toronto Maple Leafs (15)
6th Overall: John Carlson, Columbus Blue Jackets (27)
7th Overall: Jacob Markstrom, Nashville Predators (31)
8th Overall: Braden Holtby, Phoenix Coyotes (93)
9th Overall: Jordan Eberle, New York Islanders (22)
10th Overall: Jared Spurgeon, Vancouver Canucks (156)

2008 was quite a year for defensemen as Spurgeon becomes the sixth blueliner to go in the top ten in our redraft.  He takes the place of Cody Hodgson who was the original pick of the Canucks.

The Islanders did quite well in drafting Spurgeon early in the sixth round.  If you’re thinking to yourself that you don’t remember the blueliner being with New York, there’s a good reason for that.  They opted not to sign him despite two strong seasons with Spokane, making him an unrestricted free agent.  Minnesota invited him to rookie camp and liked what they saw, quickly signing him to an entry-level contract in 2010.

That decision certainly worked out well for the Wild as he made his NHL debut that season and never looked back from there.  He has played in a dozen NHL seasons, all with Minnesota and he sits second in franchise history in points by a defenseman.  He’s 24 behind Ryan Suter for that distinction and assuming he stays healthy, he should get there at some point this upcoming season.

Spurgeon was named Minnesota’s captain in January 2021 and has five seasons left on his contract.  Along the way, he should pass former captain Mikko Koivu for their all-time games played mark.  Not too shabby for a player that the Islanders opted not to sign.

Now, we move on to pick number eleven which was held by the Chicago Blackhawks.  They selected center Kyle Beach from the WHL, a true power forward that put up plenty of points and plenty of penalty minutes.  He signed his entry-level deal in 2009, making his pro debut soon after with Rockford.  Unfortunately for him and Chicago, he wasn’t able to duplicate the offensive success he had in junior and in 2013, he was traded to the Rangers for winger Brandon Mashinter.

It also must be noted that in 2010 when he served as a Black Ace for the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup run, he was sexually assaulted by then-video coach Brad Aldrich.  While he was identified as John Doe during the course of the NHL’s investigation into the incident and lawsuit which concluded last year, he revealed himself to be the victim in an interview with TSN’s Rick Westhead in October.  Stan Bowman was let go soon after while Joel Quenneville resigned his position as head coach of the Panthers following the results of the investigation being made public.

Since the 2013-14 season, Beach has played overseas, spending time in Sweden, Austria, Germany, and Slovakia.  He spent the last two years in the German third division, averaging over a point and a half per game.  He is not currently under contract for the upcoming season.

With what transpired back in 2010, there will be a lingering question of ‘what if’ when it comes to Beach but it’s also clear that there were better choices for them at that time.  As we continue our hindsight draft, who should the Blackhawks have selected?  Make your selection in the poll below.

App users, click here to vote.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Hossa, Hammond, Virtanen

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The Chicago Blackhawks will be retiring the No. 81 in honor of Marian Hossa this season, with a ceremony set for November 20 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hossa was a huge part of three Stanley Cup championships for the Blackhawks and recorded 415 points in 534 regular season games with the club. He also has a history with the Penguins, having joined them at the end of the 2007-08 season for a Stanley Cup run that ended unsuccessfully against the Detroit Red Wings.

One of the most dominant two-way players of his generation, Hossa was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2020 after a 19-year NHL career. He sits 59th all-time in points with 1,134, 61st in games played with 1,309, and received Selke Trophy votes in 13 different seasons, despite being a winger. Hossa is the eighth player in franchise history to receive this honor, following Glenn Hall, Pierre Pilote, Keith Magnuson, Bobby Hull, Denis Savard, Stan Mikita, and Tony Esposito.

  • It appears as though Andrew Hammond might not be attending Florida Panthers camp on a PTO after all, as he has been linked to HC Traktor in the KHL. The 34-year-old netminder actually played 11 games in the NHL last season – his first action at that level since 2017-18 – posting an .879 save percentage. In his career, Hammond holds a .916 save percentage mostly because of his incredible 20-1-2 record with the Ottawa Senators as a 26-year-old rookie in 2015.
  • Jake Virtanen may be returning to an NHL rink in the next few weeks, as Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now reports Edmonton or Calgary are likely PTO destinations for the free agent forward. That follows Ryan Rishaug of TSN’s tweet earlier this week suggesting that the Oilers were waiting on Virtanen’s decision after extending a tryout offer. Virtanen, who spent last season playing in the KHL, was found not guilty of sexual assault in July following his trial regarding an incident in 2017.

Waiver Watching: Sizing Up The Goaltender Market

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With training camps on the horizon, there are still some goaltending situations around the NHL that are unsettled.  Accordingly, those teams may be planning on picking up a second goaltender on waivers during the preseason as Montreal did with Samuel Montembeault last season.  With that in mind, let’s examine who might be looking for a goalie and which teams have a netminder that could be of interest.

Potentially Looking

Arizona: The Coyotes have one of their two goalies locked up for three years in Karel Vejmelka but after that, there is nothing but question marks.  Farmhands Jon Gillies and Ivan Prosvetov have some NHL experience but Gillies struggled last season with New Jersey and Prosvetov hasn’t posted a .900 SV% in the last two seasons in the minors.  Cap space isn’t an issue for them so they can look at any of the options available on waivers or take on a bad contract for additional compensation.

Chicago: Right now, Alex Stalock is their backup goalie.  He has missed most of the last two seasons battling his way back from myocarditis and struggled considerably in the minors last year.  Granted, the Blackhawks certainly aren’t in win-now mode but in a perfect world, they’d like Arvid Soderblom to have an uninterrupted year with AHL Rockford.  Currently, he’s third on the depth chart but if there’s a chance to bring in a low-cost second-stringer and push Stalock into the spot of being the one to be recalled if an injury arises, they might want to take it.  The waiver wire could be the chance to add that.

Philadelphia: With Ivan Fedotov being blocked from going to North America this season due to a military commitment, the Flyers are going to have to turn to Plan B.  Felix Sandstrom is currently their second option but he has just five career NHL appearances under his belt.  They’re looking to be more competitive this season so this could be a spot for an upgrade.  Granted, Sandstrom would then need to be waived to be sent back to Lehigh Valley but that would have been the case if Fedotov had been able to play so it’s a risk they might be comfortable with.

Of course, an injury or two during the preseason could add to the list of suitors in the coming weeks as well.

Teams That Could Lose A Goalie

For the purpose of this exercise, the focus is going to be on either young goalies that could be appealing or veterans with some recent NHL experience that could fill a gap.

Buffalo: Malcolm Subban was brought back to be the veteran to partner with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in AHL Rochester but he has 86 games of NHL experience under his belt and a deal that’s only $100K above the league minimum.  He has been a full-time backup going back to his time with Vegas which would also bolster his chances of potentially being claimed.

Dallas: Right now, Anton Khudobin appears to be the odd one out again with Jake Oettinger and Scott Wedgewood set to be the goalie duo for the Stars.  Khudobin is now in the final year of his deal that carries a $3.33MM AAV.  It wouldn’t be shocking if he cleared waivers but if Dallas wants to free up a bit of extra money for Jason Robertson’s contract, they’ll be calling Arizona to see what it would cost for them to take that contract on.

Los Angeles: Pheonix Copley has cleared waivers without any concerns the last couple of years but also was on a pricey contract for a third-string option.  Now, he’s on a much more palatable deal ($825K) and is coming off an impressive season in AHL Hershey.  The 30-year-old was the backup for the Capitals back in 2018-19.

Nashville: This is the most interesting one to keep an eye on.  Although Connor Ingram held his own in the playoffs for the Preds, they still went and brought in Kevin Lankinen on a one-year, $1.5MM deal.  That’s a lot to pay a third-string option so it could put Ingram in jeopardy.  However, if they try to sneak Ingram through, there’s a very good chance he’ll be claimed, especially with an AAV that’s below the minimum.  Carrying three goalies is a possibility but generally not ideal so something might have to give here.

New York (R): The Rangers went and brought in Louis Domingue on a two-year contract to be their insurance policy but he might appeal to some other teams as well.  He did alright in the playoffs for Pittsburgh and has 142 games of NHL experience over parts of two seasons.  Both years are one-way which was likely to try to deter other teams from claiming him but with an AAV of just $775K, he may attract some interest.

Seattle: With Martin Jones joining the Kraken as their backup, that’s going to push both Joey Daccord and Magnus Hellberg to the waiver wire.  Daccord was viewed as a possible NHL option not long ago and at 26, there could still be some upside after a strong season with AHL Charlotte.  Hellberg, meanwhile, has been dominant in the KHL the last few years which prompted Detroit to give him a brief look down the stretch last season.  Other teams might want to take a look as well depending on how things go over the next few weeks.

Winnipeg: Mikhail Berdin is the one goalie on this list that doesn’t have any NHL experience but at 24, he’s also the youngest in this group.  If a rebuilding team wants to take a look at a younger backup to see if there’s something there, this is the type of goalie they’d probably want to go for.

Of course, there will be other goalies that will hit the waiver wire in the coming weeks that could be of interest to teams as well depending on what transpires over the preseason.  There won’t be a ton of waiver activity between the pipes – there rarely is – but one or two of these players could be changing teams in the coming weeks.

Brett Connolly Signs In Switzerland

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Another NHL veteran has opted to sign in Europe to continue his professional career. Swiss club HC Lugano announced today that the team has signed winger Brett Connolly to a one-year contract for the 2022-23 season.

Connolly spent the last season and a half in the Chicago Blackhawks organization, where he ended up playing just 19 NHL games compared to 37 AHL games for the Rockford IceHogs. Connolly had just a goal and two assists in those 19 games across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, while faring much better in the AHL with 35 points in 37 games in 2021-22 for Rockford.

This past season, Connolly’s NHL time was limited in part due to a four-game suspension for interfering with Dallas Stars forward Tanner Kero. With his bloated seven-figure cap hit, Connolly also cleared waivers multiple times. Connolly was bought out this summer with one season remaining on a four-year, $3.5MM AAV deal signed prior to the 2019-20 season.

At the age of 30, this could very well be the last we’ve seen of Connolly in the NHL. The sixth overall pick in 2010 currently has a career total of 101 goals, 94 assists, and 195 points in 536 games.

He’ll be strong offensive reinforcement for Lugano, who also fortified their goaltending by bringing former Edmonton Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen back to Europe. They’ll look to make it out of the National League quarterfinals for the first time since losing the championship series in 2018.

Khaira's Availability For Start Of Training Camp In Question; Blackhawks Hoped To Sign Kayumov This Summer

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  • There is some uncertainty on the injury front for the Blackhawks with training camps just a few weeks away. GM Kyle Davidson told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that they are still waiting for a firm update on the status of forward Jujhar Khaira who underwent back surgery back in February.  At the time, he was supposed to be away from hockey activities for 10-12 weeks so the fact that his availability is still in question would suggest that there has been a setback.  The 28-year-old had three goals in 27 games in his first season with the Blackhawks.  Davidson also indicated that there are a couple of other players that they’re waiting for information on regarding their availability for the start of camp but didn’t identify who those players will be.
  • Still with Chicago, the Blackhawks were hoping to sign prospect Artur Kayumov this summer, reports Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription link). However, the 24-year-old winger opted to remain with Yaroslavl of the KHL citing family reasons as he signed a one-year deal to stay there instead.  Kayumov had 19 points in 42 games last season and his agent indicated that there’s a chance he could sign with the Blackhawks following the KHL campaign.

Brandon Davidson Signs In KHL

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After seven NHL seasons and 180 games played, defenseman Brandon Davidson has signed a two-year contract with Kunlun Red Star in the KHL, per the league.

The writing was on the wall for Davidson who, at age 31, spent the entirety of the 2021-22 season in the AHL for the first time since 2013-14. A member of the Buffalo Sabres organization for the past two seasons, Davidson was an alternate captain for the AHL’s Rochester Americans last year and had six points in 23 games. Davidson last played in the NHL on March 16, 2021, in a game against the New Jersey Devils.

A 2010 sixth-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers, Davidson had made a home for himself in the mid-2010s as a stable seventh defenseman for the Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, and New York Islanders. He remained entirely in the NHL from 2015-16 until the 2018-19 season, where he was sent to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs for a brief stint as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks organization. He’s yet to play a full NHL season since.

Davidson is still decent minor-league depth and could very well get two-way offers or AHL deals when his KHL contract expires in 2024.

Patrick Kane Not Interested In Being Traded Before The Season

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With the Blackhawks clearly embarking on a large-scale rebuild, there has been an expectation that long-time star winger Patrick Kane will be on the move.  However, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports (audio link) that the veteran isn’t interested in being traded this offseason.  Instead, if a deal is going to happen, it will come closer to the trade deadline.  From a cap standpoint, that would be more palatable for contending teams when three-quarters of his $10.5MM will be paid off.  Kane has full control over where he moves but it appears that move won’t be coming for a while yet.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Cole Guttman

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Aug 18: The team has now officially announced the two-year entry-level contract. It will carry a $950K cap hit.

Aug 17: The Chicago Blackhawks front office certainly isn’t on vacation. After signing Jack Johnson late last night, the team is now expected to sign college free agent Cole Guttman according to Scott Powers of The Athletic.

Guttman, 23, was a draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning but failed to sign his entry-level contract by this week’s deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent. Because of his age, he’ll be limited to a two-year deal.

Serving as captain of the University of Denver, he led the Pioneers to a national championship earlier this year and was tied for second in team scoring with Edmonton Oilers prospect Carter Savoie (behind Bobby Brink of the Philadelphia Flyers). His 19 goals and 45 points were easily career highest, though the 2017 sixth-round pick has put up strong totals throughout his four years in college.

Relatively undersized, Guttman is the kind of no-risk lottery ticket that the Blackhawks can afford to take a chance on as they rebuild. If he’s unable to deliver NHL minutes there’s nothing wrong with him adding some skill to the Rockford IceHogs.

If he can get to the highest level, however, it becomes another young forward for general manager Kyle Davidson to build around, or even potentially a trade chip to sell over the next few years. As we’ve seen so far this offseason, 23-year-old players are not safe from the rebuild machine in Chicago, as they set their sights further down the road.

For Guttman specifically, there’s probably no better place in the league to try and land regular NHL minutes. Signing with Chicago will give him an open path to playing time if he can show he deserves it, allowing his professional career to start on the right foot.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Jack Johnson

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Aug 17: The Blackhawks have made it official, announcing Johnson’s one-year deal.

Aug 16: According to several reports including Peter Baugh and Scott Powers at The Athletic, the Chicago Blackhawks are signing Stanley Cup champion Jack Johnson to a one-year, $950K contract for the upcoming season.

This follows the Blackhawks’ offseason plan so far of accumulating talent that could be worthwhile trade chips at the deadline, while also not filling the NHL roster with enough to push them out of the bottom of the standings.

While Johnson did play a role in the recent Colorado Avalanche championship run, it was a limited one as a support piece for one of the best defensive corps in the NHL. That won’t be the case in Chicago, where the team is quite clearly looking to finish with a high lottery chance while accumulating more future assets.

Notably, an addition like Johnson also points to another strategy for the Blackhawks new front office. It appears, at least, as if the team is not going to carry as many young players as most rebuilding teams do. Instead, they have loaded up their minor league depth with talented veterans and could be trying to give their top prospects a chance to “experience winning” with a top AHL club instead of thrusting them into the NHL spotlight on a losing roster.

With deals for players like Johnson, Colin Blackwell, Max Domi, Andreas Athanasiou, and Alex Stalock, the team has acquired quite a few veteran names that will fill out the roster but not move the needle very much.

A good example of this may present itself with Alex Vlasic, who played 15 games at the end of last season with the team after signing out of Boston University. The Blackhawks now have six defensemen on one-way contracts (with Johnson being the cheapest), and a player in Nicolas Beaudin who is no longer waiver-exempt. Vlasic then might be on his way to the minor leagues for a good portion of the season, if not all of it, as he starts his true rookie campaign.

It is a good opportunity for Johnson to continue his career at age 35, especially after finally winning it all this year. The third overall pick from 2005 has 1,024 regular season games to his name but just 30 playoff appearances before his stint in Colorado. You can bet his name will be thrown around at the deadline as a potential depth addition for another playoff team, though what he can bring to the table is obviously limited at this point.

Alex DeBrincat Wasn't Interested In Extension Before Trade To Ottawa

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  • In his latest mailbag column (subscription link), Scott Powers of The Athletic reports that Alex DeBrincat didn’t show interest in signing a long-term deal with the Blackhawks before his trade to Ottawa last month. The 24-year-old was only eligible to sign an extension at the start of the new league year on July 13th (a few days after the swap) and is owed a qualifying offer of $9MM next summer.  That amount will likely be the starting point for extension negotiations with the Senators as he’s coming off his second 41-goal campaign over the last four years.

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